Fruit Rum Cake

Whoever frequents my blog and reads a little bit of the description (rant :)) will  know how much I love pound cakes. Now here comes the ultimate King of cakes, RUM cake with fruits! It is a festive cake and brings back nostalgic memories of year ending (christmas and new year!! ) Rich, drenched, decadent, dense and a bite to die for- Rum Cake is here!

As I step into the last 2 days of the year 2016, emotions of mixed feelings starts to get heavy on me. Taking a moment to look back and see what the year had to offer - Ummm other than a few glitches, it went on very well. Thankful and grateful to the almighty for a 'No Drama' year :):) Strapping myself to take on 2017!

Coming to the cake, I have tried few different kinds of rum cake, last year baked a brown rum cake with caramelized sugar and all, but did not have an opportunity to click and document. Will do that some other time! This year made this super fantastic fruit rum cake, had to say a prayer before I started whipping butter and eggs :), because I tried to bake one with readymade chocolate cake mix and it did not turn out good taste-wise :(

So was very happy with the results of this sesky cake! :) Go ahead and give it a try! You have my blessings! hehe

Let us take a look at this Fruit Rum Cake!

Ingredients: 

• 1/4 cup chopped dried apricots (can add any kind of dry fruits or tutti fruitti that you have)
• 1/4 cup dried tart cherries
• 1/4 cup golden raisins
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoons gold rum, divided
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour plus 1 1/2 tablespoons  plus more for pan
• 1/2 cup (1 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3/4 cups plus 1 tablespoons (or more) sour cream
• 1 cups raw sugar, plus more for serving
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 large egg yolks
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar

Preparation:

• Combine apricots, cherries, raisins (or tutti fruitti) and 1/4 cup rum in a small bowl and let sit 30 minutes to allow fruit to rehydrate. Drain, reserving rum. Sprinkle fruit with 1 1/2 tbsp flour and toss to coat, set aside.
• Preheat oven to 350F(180C). Thoroughly butter pan, making sure to get into all the curved or ridged places, dust pan with flour (do this even if your pan has a nonstick coating). Whisk baking powder, salt, cloves, and 1 1/2 cups flour in a medium bowl to combine. 
• Whisk reserved rum, oil, and 3/4 cup sour cream in another medium bowl to combine.
• Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat 1 cup raw sugar and remaining 1/2 cup butter in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. 
• Add egg yolks and egg one at a time, beating to blend after each addition; beat until mixture is light and very fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add vanilla extract and beat for few seconds. 
• Reduce speed to low. Add dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with sour cream mixture in 2 additions, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. 
• Fold in reserved dried fruit. Scrape batter into prepared pan, smooth top. Tap pan firmly a few times on counter to force batter into edges of pan.
• Bake cake until golden brown and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 60–70 minutes( I baked exactly for 60 min). Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cake cool in pan 15 minutes. 
• Invert cake onto a serving plate; carefully remove pan and brush warm cake with remaining 1 tbsp rum. Let cool completely, about 3 hours.
• Mix powdered sugar and remaining 1 tbsp sour cream in another small bowl, thinning with more sour cream if desired (the thinner the glaze, the further it will drip down the sides of the cake, so keep it nice and thick), until smooth. 
• Drizzle glaze over cake, working along the center of the top of the cake for even coverage, and sprinkle with raw sugar. Let sit 10 minutes for glaze to set before slicing with a serrated knife.

njoY!! happY bakinG!!

Notes:

Cake can be baked 1 day ahead. Do not glaze. Store loosely covered at room temperature.
Buttering the pan and dusting with flour is a must step to get nice brown coating. 

You can make use of more rum to soak the cake after it is cooled down. Depends on your taste. I added 1/4 cup more rum for soaking. 

Please take a portion of the cake and keep aside for kids before you soak the cake further with the rum :) 

recipe courtesy from epicurious site!

Lemon Pound Cake

 My first memory of baking a cake is with my aunt, she is one patient lady who loved to teach me baking and gave me an opportunity to work with eggs, butter and flour without being a Hitler :) ( like how I am with others now) I have fond memories of baking it on stove top without using an oven. She had a container where she used to place the sand at the base and then add cake batter container on top of it. That's how she made it. That pound cake was "the cake" I absolutely loved. In fact, even on my last visit to India, I had requested for a cake and she lovingly had made it for me! Love her so much for that.

My Son, My Husband and Me - can gobble this Lemon pound Cake straight up in no time and I am not even kidding! We can knock each other out for a slice :) We are a 'Pound Cake' family :):) It is so freakin ADDICTIVE!!!!

I am so so glad that my kid loves this particular pound cake just like how I used to enjoy devouring it. He loves that lemon frosting more than the pound cake itself. It gives a citrusy sweetness coating to the cake which in turn gives a nice kick to the whole bite! I instantly get transported to one of the Starbuck's shops (lol), because that is what I enjoy, a lemon cake more than the coffees and lattes :)


Let us take a look at this Lemon Pound Cake recipe which I am sure you will be saving it in your recipe folder :)


Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/3 cups granulated white sugar
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/8 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1  lemon zest grated
• 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup  unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 4 ounces full fat cream cheese, at room temperature
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature

For Lemon Frosting:

• 2 cups confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar
• 3 - 4 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

Preparation:

• Preheat your oven to 350 F (180C). Butter and flour a 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan. 
• In a large bowl, sift the flour with the baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
• In a small bowl rub the lemon zest into the sugar.
• In the bowl of your electric mixer (fitted with the paddle attachment), or with a hand mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add the vanilla extract and sugar and beat on medium-high speed until the mixture is light and fluffy for about 5 minutes. 
• Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. 
• Add the flour mixture, in two or three additions, and mix just until incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
• Bake for about 60 -65 minutes or until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Remove the cake from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool for about 20 -30 minutes. Then remove the cake from the pan to finish cooling before frosting.
• For lemon frosting, place the confectioner sugar in a medium sized bowl. Add about 3 tablespoons of the lemon juice and whisk until you have a thick and smooth glaze. Add more lemon juice or powdered sugar if needed to get the correct pouring consistency. 
• Slowly pour the frosting over the top of the cake, allowing it to drip down the sides. Let the frosting dry before covering and storing. 
• This cake will keep about 3 to 4 days at room temperature or about one week in the refrigerator. Can also be frozen.

You may also enjoy Creamcheese Pound Cake, Red Velvet Cupcakes ...

njoY!! happY bakinG!!

recipe adapted from Joy of Baking site.

CreamCheese Pound Cake

Cream Cheese Pound Cake

Cakes are the best pastries/desserts in the world! I am totally 101% a cake-girl! Put that damn freshly baked cake in front of me and see me in action :) Now if the cake is pastry or not is a whole new topic but I always considered it as a pastry and will continue to do so- doesn't matter if it is or not!

Baking a cake makes you feel better about the world and yourself :) It kind of makes you feel like a real chef! Once you see how perfectly you have baked it, you may actually feel like you have a 'halo' around your head hehe. And when people are compelled to take a second piece of your cake you may just achieve a nirvana lol! [ I know, I went too far <wink> Kidding!!]

Baking is soothing, thanks to the summer vacation and hungry growling stomachs of kids looking for snacks every 2 hours after playing in the hot sun! My kid loves these pound cakes so much. It is a bliss and sheer joy to watch him go Umm Umm "It is so good mommy" and closing his eyes while he devours it!

(BTW, I have a deal with my husband, when I bake it is his responsibility to take care of cleaning the dishes! yes! loads of it :) only then he is promised a second helping of these delicious baked goods!)

Ok let's get back to the cake:) This one was baked on the occasion of my hubby's bday! We both are not very fond of frostings. I like simple dense, soft, hit the spot kind of cakes a lot! Whereas my kid likes frosting, so I do end up making those kinds too. Here cream cheese and orange zest take this pound cake to another level! You will love it, mark my words :)

Let us take a look at the recipe:

Ingredients:

• 3 cups all purpose flour (maida)
• 2 1/2 cups fine sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 1/2 cups butter at room temperature
• 8oz cream-cheese
• 5 large eggs at room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla essence (or maple syrup)
• 2 tsp orange zest (or lemon zest)
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder (optional)

Preparation:

• In a mixing bowl take flour, baking soda and powder, and salt. Mix gently and keep aside.
• In another mixing bowl add butter and cream cheese, whip it with a hand blender till it comes together. (Can use a stand mixer too) 
• Add sugar in 2 parts and whip for good 5 minutes till it is smooth and has a ribbon like consistency. Scrape the sides of the bowl and mix everything.
• Add vanilla essence and orange zest, mix it.  
• Now add flour in 3 parts and mix just until incorporated. 
• Grease a bundt cake vessel with butter and pour the cake batter into it. Smooth the top of the batter with a flat surface spoon. 
• Preheat the oven on 350F (180c) and bake for 60-65 minutes. Check if the cake is done by inserting a butter knife in the center portion, if it comes out clean, your cake is done!!
• Let it cool for 30 minutes before you devour this heavenly melt in the mouth treat! 😀👍🏻

njoY!! happY bakinG!!

Recipe adapted from website: Joy of Baking!

Red Velvet Cupcakes

These cupcakes are hands down one of the gorgeous and sexy cupcakes I have made. They definitely don't need any introduction. Make these on special occasions to add more drama and it may be the show stopper of your evening :) It is a time-consuming recipe but the end result makes it all worth it!
This has become our anniversary special treat:). My kitchen smells happiness when I get busy making cupcakes only during birthdays and anniversaries :) I indulge in making these decadent pastries once in a while.
So let's get to the recipe:

RED VELVET CUPCAKE

Ingredients:
For the cupcake:

• 1 1/4 cups of cake flour**
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3/4 cups granulated white sugar
• 1 large egg at room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon liquid red food coloring
• 1/2 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

For the Frosting:

• 1 8oz cream cheese
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 3/4th cup whipping cream.

**( 1 cup cake flour = 3/4th
cup all-purpose flour + 2 tbsp corn starch)

Preparation

• In a mixing bowl, mix all the dry ingredients flour, salt, baking powder and cocoa powder.
• In another big bowl, add butter and whisk for 1-2 minutes using a hand mixer, add sugar and whisk again for 2-3 minutes, then add an egg and incorporate it nicely by whisking some more. Add vanilla essence and whisk till nice and smooth.
• Make a mixture of buttermilk and red color. Add flour and red buttermilk alternately in parts into the butter mixture whisking on low speed, in about 4 additions, beginning and ending with the flour.
• Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula and whisk again till you incorporate everything and get a smooth cupcake batter.
• In a small cup mix vinegar and baking soda, it will fizzle a bit, now quickly fold into the cupcake batter.

• Arrange a muffin tray and place muffin paper cups/foil cups. Fill the cups with the cupcake batter. 
• Preheat the oven for 350F/180C, and bake for 18-22 minutes (check with a tooth pick, when you stick it in the centre and take out, it must come out clean) I baked exactly for 20 minutes. Take it out and let it cool.
• Now make your frosting, whisk cream cheese first, then add sugar and whisk some more.
• Add whipping cream slowly and whisk until it gets thick enough to pipe.
• Use a zip lock bag and make a tiny cut at one corner, insert a thin star shaped icing tip(nozzle) to decorate the cupcake with the icing. Pour the icing in the zip lock bag and make designs of your choice.
• You can also use back of the spoon to spread frosting on the cupcake. Use your imagination. I took out a little portion from one of the cupcakes and added the crumbs on top of the frosting, I simply love drama when it comes to presenting and eating :)
• Makes 12 big cupcakes or 24 small ones. Your yummilicious red velvet cupcakes are ready!

         Njoy!!                

Note: Baking can be little scary to some people. Don't be, its definitely time consuming and lots of clean up after baking:)(that's my sob story about baking :)) All you have to do is measure the ingredients correctly and follow the instructions properly...(dont roll your eyes :)) Give it a try and let me know! Happy Baking!




Adapted from Stephanie's joy of baking.