Pumpkin, Orange and Poppy Seed Cake

This is my take on the recipe from "Bake, The Essential Companion," by Alison Thompson. Its a super moist and flavorful cake. Next time, I need to use a bigger pan, so more of the syrup will be absorbed into the cake. 

Ingredients

1 1/3 cups unsalted butter, diced, softened

1 1/2 cups superfine sugar

4 eggs

Grated zest of 3 oranges

Grated zest of 3 lemons

1/4 cup poppy seeds

2 2/3 cups self-rising flour, sifted

1 1/4 cups canned organic pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)

Syrup

1 1/2 cups sugar

6 tbsp freshly-squeezed orange juice

6 tbsp freshly-squeezed lemon juice

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line a 10-in round or square pan with parchment paper.

2. Beat the butter and superfine sugar, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, on high speed for 5 minutes until pale and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the orange and lemon zests, poppy seeds, sifted flour and pumpkin. Mix on low speed until combined.

3. Spread the mixture into the prepared pan. Bake for 1 1/2 hours, or until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. (While cake is baking, prepare the syrup.)

4. To make the syrup, combine the sugar, lemon juice and orange juice in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring, then remove from the heat.

5. Pour the hot syrup over the cake as soon as it comes out of the oven. Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan. 

Place parchment paper in the bottom of the pan. This will make it easier to remove the cake later.

Beat the butter and sugar.

Beat till pale and creamy.

Add the lemon and orange zests. 

Shift the flour into the mixing bowl.

Add the pumpkin.

Save the lemons and oranges for juicing.

Add the poppy seeds and mix together.

Spread the batter into the prepared pan and bake.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Brownies

I got this amazing baking cookbook, while I was in Portland last month and I couldn't wait to share my baking adventures with you. Its called "Bake, The Essential Companion," by Alison Thompson. I switched out dark chocolate, for milk chocolate and semi sweet chocolate, from the original recipe.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups chopped dark chocolate
1 cup unsalted butter, diced
4 eggs
1 3/4 cups superfine sugar
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups chopped dark chocolate, extra
1 1/4 cups finely chopped walnuts

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line a 8-in x 12-in brownie pan with parchment baking paper.

2. Melt the chocolate and butter together in a double boiler or in the microwave until smooth.

3. Whip the eggs and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, on high speed for 10-minutes until pale and creamy. Fold in the melted chocolate. Sift the flour into the bowl and add the extra chocolate and walnuts. Fold gently until combined. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan.

4. Bake the brownies for 30-40 minutes, until risen and firm to the touch. Allow to cool completely in the pan, then cut into squares.

So moist!

Lining the bottom of the pan, makes it easier to remove the brownies after they're baked.

I didn't have superfine sugar, but I placed granulated sugar in the Vitamix and pulsed it a few times. It actually turned out pretty close. 

I had to keep mixing and replacing the bowl bake in the microwave. 

Melted chocolate :)

Whisk that sugar and eggs!

Nice and fluffy.

Fold in the chocolate to the egg and sugar mixture.

Don't over mix it!

Add sifted flour, nuts and chopped chocolate.

Spread in the pan.

Bake for 30-40 minutes.

Enjoy with milk!

Afternoon Applesauce Spice Cake

I received a jar of homemade applesauce and I just had to do something special with it. I recently bought this amazing canning book "Canning for a New Generation," by Liana Krissoff. Its chalk full of canning tips and recipes, as well as recipes to cook with your jams, jellies and pickled treasures.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup granny smith applesauce
1/2 vegetable oil
1/2 cup nuts, toasted and chopped
1/2 cup raisins (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl, use a fork to combine the flour, brown sugar, spices, baking soda, and salt. Add the remaining ingredients and 1/2 cup water and stir the batter until the dry ingredients are just moistened. Scrape the batter into a 9-inch square cake pan and smooth the top. Bake in the middle of the oven for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes before cutting into squares and serving.

Place all dry ingredients in a bowl.

Mix dry ingredients with a fork, till combined.

Homemade Apple Sauce!

Place toasted on a cutting board.

Chop up the nuts.

Add the rest of the ingredients and 1/2 cup water.

Mix till just combined.

Place in a 9 inch baking pan. I didn't have a square one, so I used a round one.

Cool on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes, before serving. Enjoy!

Spring is in the air!

Sorry, I've been missing-in-action. My husband and I went to Southern California to attend a wedding and visit friends and family. My wonderful roommates watered my garden while I was away and I'm pleased to say that I some tiny sprouts coming up! So cool. I do have to report that the starter plants, that I planted in February, didn't survive the transplant. Boo. I think that they didn't get enough sun,while in the house. Thats ok, thats what Fred Meyer Garden Center is for.

I bought some starter tomato, jalapeno, green bell peppers and some herb starter plants and two weeks later, they are doing great. I've read that buying starter tomato plants is the way to go, so we'll how many tomatoes I'll end up with.

I've been planting carrots and lettuce two weeks apart, so I should have a continuous crop through the summer. I'll keep you all posted.

Tomato plants in containers.

Pea sprouts

Some starter marigolds and bell peppers

Garden bed #2

Little beet sprouts

Herb Garden

Jalapeno starter plant

Operation Garden Beds: Almost complete.

The days are growing longer, there aren't as many dark, depressing clouds hanging over; its like emerging from Gollum's cave. I love the Northwest, but I'm finished with it getting dark at 4pm.

We've been busy fixing up the house and now its time to spend some time outside. Our roommate is a carpenter and built us these amazing cedar gardening beds. We have two built right now for vegetables and herbs and he's working on building two smaller ones for berries. My husband has his heart set on raspberries and marionberries.

So we started by digging out all of the grass where the garden beds were going, since grass is a weed and we don't want it to grow up thru the beds. Also the ground here is very clay rich and we want to make sure there is proper drainage. Our roommate made the beds and we just placed them in the holes. We still have two holes in the backyard, for the berry beds, but it looks like we're digging graves right now. Our neighbors already think we're weirdos, so  what the heck. Here are some pics of our progress.

Beds all finished and ready for planting!

Lumber all cut and ready to be assembled. 

Garden bed No. 1

The backyard before we dug it all up.

Blackberry Lemon Scones

Blackberries grow wild all over my neighborhood, during August and September and I love to pick a ton and freeze them. They are a little too tart for me, for basic eating, but they work great for baking. I've made loads of pies, but this is my first time using them in scones. Loving that its spring time!

Ingredients:

Scones:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into chunks
1 cup frozen blackberries, thawed and rinsed
1 cup heavy cream, plus more for brushing

Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
Zest from half a large lemon
Juice from half a lemon

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. Shift together the dry ingredients; flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Using a pastry cutter, cut the butter in the flour mixture, till coarse crumbs appear. Fold in the berries. Create a well in the middle of the batter and pour in the cup of heavy cream. Fold the cream into the batter, till incorporated. Don't over mix.

3. Place the batter on a lightly floured surface and press into a rectangle. Cut the rectangle in half and  then half again, till you have 8 triangles. Place the scones on an ungreased cookie sheet. Lightly brush with the cream. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly golden brown. Let the scones cool on a wire rack.

4. Place the powder sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice in a small bowl. Mix with a spoon till all lumps are gone. Spread over the cooled scones and let harden for about 30 minutes.

Shift the dry ingredients. 

Place the cold butter chunks with the dry ingredients.

Cut the butter with a pastry cutter.

Cut till coarse crumbs appear.

Add the berries.

Fold them into the batter.

Create a well and add the cream. Fold till just incorporated.

Place the batter on a lightly floured surface and form a rectangle.

Cut into 8 triangles.

Place on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Brush with a little bit of cream.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes.

To make the glaze, mix the powdered sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice.

Coat the scones with the glaze.