Chocolate-Chocolate Cake...or Cupcakes

I made this cake last year for my husband's birthday. It works great for cupcakes as well.

For the Cake:
2½ cups + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
3 cups granulated sugar
1 cup + 2 tablespoons Dutch-process cocoa powder

1 tablespoon baking soda
1½ teaspoons baking powder
1½ teaspoons salt
3 eggs, at room temperature
1½ cups 1% milk

3 teaspoons apple cider vinegar (into milk 10-15 minutes ahead)
1½ cups strong black coffee, hot
¾ cup vegetable oil
4½ teaspoons Bourbon vanilla extract

For the Cream cheese Icing:
1 package Cream Cheese-at room temperature

1bag powdered sugar
1 cup unsalted Butter at room temperature
2 teaspoon clear vanilla extract

half and half (to thin icing desired consistency)
(Use food coloring if desired to color white icing)**I used varying amounts of cornmeal blue to achieve the ombre hues.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease six 8-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with rounds of parchment paper, grease the parchment, then flour the insides of the pans, tapping out excess; set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk-with vinegar already added 10 minutes ahead), coffee, oil and vanilla.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix for 2 minutes on medium speed. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix for an additional 20 seconds (the batter will be very thin).

Divide the batter evenly among six prepared pans (greased & floured). I use a 1 cup scoop, & add just under two cups to each pan, then divide what’s left over evenly. Bake for 20 minutes and rotate the pans in the oven. Continue to bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the cakes comes out almost clean (with a few moist crumbs), about 12 more minutes. Cool the cakes (in the pans) on wire racks for 20 minutes, then carefully turn them out onto cooling racks to cool completely. I chill the cake prior to icing. Sometimes I also brush each layer with a Chocolate flavored liquor.

Cream Cheese Icing: Beat the butter, cream cheese, and powdered sugar on low speed until blended together, about 1 minute. Add the clear vanilla extract and increase the speed to medium-high; beat for 3 minutes. Stop the mixer, and scrape down the sides. Continue to mix on a low speed until well combined, and light and fluffy. Scrape the bowl as necessary. Ice your cake & serve.

 

Parmesan-Herb Biscuits

 

Parmesan-Herb Biscuits

Adapted from a Williams-Sonoma recipe

 

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed

1 Tbs. baking Powder

1 1/4 tsp. kosher Salt

2 tsp. Sugar

8 Tbs. (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces

1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1/4 teaspoon Garlic powder

2 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf Parsley

3/4 cup plus 2 Tbs. Buttermilk

2 Tbs. unsalted Butter, melted (for brushing)

 

Directions:

To make the biscuits: In a large bowl, whisk together the 2 cups flour, the baking powder, salt and sugar. Using a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in the butter until pea-size crumbs form, then use your fingers to smear the butter into flat disks. Stir in the cheese, chives and parsley. Stir in the buttermilk until the dough just comes together.

 

Transfer the dough to a floured work surface and roll out into a 9 1/2-by-11-inch rectangle. Fold the dough into thirds, rotate 90 degrees and roll out into the same-size rectangle. Fold again into thirds, rotate 90 degrees and roll out into a 7-by-9 1/2-inch rectangle about 1/2 inch thick. Using a floured 2 1/2-inch biscuit cutter, cut out the biscuits. Gather up the scraps, reroll the dough and cut out more biscuits. You should have 13 biscuits.

 

Preheat an oven to 425ºF.

 

Arrange the biscuits on a greased baking sheet and brush with the melted butter. Transfer to the oven and bake until the biscuits are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of a biscuit comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Let rest for 15 minutes before serving. Serves 8 to 10.

 

Meyers Lemon-Buttermilk Chess Pie

For the crust:

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling out the dough
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
• 5-6 tablespoons ice water
• 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

For the filling:

• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 4 large egg yolks, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), melted
• Juice of 1 Meyer lemon
• 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest (from about 1 medium lemon)

INSTRUCTIONS

For the crust: Whisk the flour and salt in a large bowl until combined. Add the butter and shortening and toss with your fingers until well coated in the flour mixture. Using a pastry blender or your fingers, cut the butter and shortening into the flour mixture until reduced to pea-size pieces, about 3 to 4 minutes.

1. Drizzle in 3 tablespoons of the ice water and the lemon juice and mix just until the dough comes together. (Add the last tablespoon of ice water if the dough is too dry, but don’t overwork the dough or it’ll become tough.) Form the dough into a flat disk. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
2. Lightly flour a work surface and roll the dough out into a round approximately 12 inches in diameter and 1/4 inch thick. Line a 9-inch pie plate with the dough, fold the excess under itself, and crimp the edges. Refrigerate the pie crust until ready to bake.

For the filling: Heat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack at the lowest level. Place the dough-lined pie plate on a baking sheet.

1. Whisk the sugar, flour, and salt in a large bowl to aerate and combine. Add the buttermilk, eggs, egg yolks, and vanilla and whisk until smooth. Add the melted butter and lemon zest and whisk until smooth. Pour the mixture into the pie plate.
2. Bake until the filling is just set in the middle and the top is golden brown, about 55 to 65 minutes. Place the pie on a wire rack and let it cool to room temperature before cutting. Store tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Return to room temperature before serving.

Banana Bread

2 & ¼ cup flour

1 & ¼ teaspoon baking soda

1 & ¼ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon vanilla

½ bag crushed walnuts or pecans

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

2 eggs

2 sticks real butter softened

6-7 ripe bananas

**Combine all dry ingredients into a medium bowl-set aside. In a large mixing bowl cream butter and sugar, then add eggs one at a time, beat. Mix all wet and dry ingredients together and blend in bananas.

Grease 2 large loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for approx. 25 minutes.