Cake - ah birthday cake!

Birthday Cake - a wonderful tradition - celebratory baking is my kind of party.

Cake -
2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shortening (I used Crisco)
1 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 teaspoons flavoring (I used vanilla paste)
3 eggs

Oven 350 - grease, flour, I also use parchment in pans -two 8 inch round pans. Put dry ingredients into mixer bowl, add shortening, 2/3 of buttermilk and flavoring. Beat 2 minutes medium speed -will be stiff batter. Add rest of buttermilk and 3 eggs - beat until thoroughly mixed - scrape down sides of bowl - beat again for short time. Pour into pans - bake until tests done (trusty toothpick test). Cool layers, frost with your favorite frosting - we used penuche (recipe below) but think I'll try s

omething different next time.
Penuche
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup milk or cream
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix all ingredients except vanilla in saucepan. Stir over low heat until comes to a rolling boil - stirring constantly. Boil 1 minute (reach 220 degrees on a candy thermometer). Remove from heat and beat until lukewarm - stir in vanilla - beat until a smooth spreading consistency.

We were celebrating my dear fella's birthday this week - cake was what he requested so cake is what he got. Used to think our age range was "OLD" - now thinking it is clearly mature - or ripe whichever you prefer. It was tasty and highly caloric here on Buhlaland - and for a birthday that is good.

Perspective - or depends on how ya look at it!

NOTE - sorry for the odd spacing - good old Blogger was not cooperative today.


Looking down on this luscious three layer coconut cake - you see such pretty primary color decorations. No particular significance to it - just yumo cake.















The other side is a dead giveaway - yep - it was a birthday cake. A Buhlaland - three layer buttery fluffy birthday cake. Was it for DH? Nope - his birthday is in January. Was the cake for a visitor? No - a permanent resident.


Hmm just who was the recipient of a cake of birthday celebration?


The chubby little blonde being held still by the best big brother in the world. Yep - it was my birthday last week. The "baby" picture was when I was one - 61 years ago. So we celebrated the anniversary of my birth by being taken out to a fabulous dinner and ice cream evening by our dear friends, The Harper family.





I like my own cakes, I baked one and shared it with our other dear friend - Carrie. She came out on Saturday unaware it was the post birthday date. We enjoyed mexican food she brought and lots of cake. We saved a slice for you! It is good to share cake on Buhlaland and it was a good birthday!

When Life Hands You Lemons - ---

--go find some butter, flour and sugar - and make this cake!

I owe y'all an apology-- I've been AWOR (absent without reason) for a long while. Somehow blogging started being a "have to" rather than a "want to" and I stopped. Not sure how often I'll update now - life seems hell bent on teaching me lessons (some of which I'll address in other postings). For your edification and enlightenment - I'll share one of the lessons (ready for this??? are you SURE you are ready for this??)

DON'T PUT OFF UNTIL TOMORROW WHAT YOU COULD DO TODAY

• 
  
  
  
  Feel free to embroider on pillows my bit of original brilliance. I dillied and dallied even could have been some shillying and shallying after mentioning the lemon cake. Time passed (as it is wont to do) and almost forgot what I HAD done to make the cake. It isn't one of my fast and easy recipes but definitely a worth-the-work-taste once 'tis all done. Here we are:
  
  Lemonade Cake
  Cake:
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  1 tablespoon lemon zest.
  • 2 large eggs plus 2 large egg yolks
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  3 tablespoons frozen lemonade concentrate
  • 1 cup low-fat buttermilk
  Lemon Glaze:
  ½ cup granulated sugar
  ¼ cup water
  ¼ cup lemonade (or lemon juice)
  One thinly sliced and seeded lemon
  Frosting:
  1 (8 ounce) package Neufchatel or Cream Cheese – at room temperature
  2 tablespoons butter at room temperature
  1 (16 ounce) package powdered sugar (sifted if it appears lumpy)
  1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
  
  
  
  
  
  
  DIRECTIONS
  Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray with cooking spray and flour two 8-by-2-inch cake pans, tapping out excess flour. I also use waxed paper or parchment to line cake pans – spray a little cooking spray in the bottom of the cake pan – place paper then spray and flour the paper. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, lemon zest, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. With mixer on low, beat in eggs and yolks, one at a time. Beat in vanilla and lemonade concentrate. Alternately beat in flour mixture and buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix just until combined.
  Divide batter evenly between pans; smooth tops. Bake until cakes pull away from sides of pans, 32 to 35 minutes.
  NOTE: While cakes are baking, bring ½ cup sugar, 1/4 cup lemon juice or lemonade and 1/4 cup water to a boil in a saucepan. Add 1 thinly sliced and seeded lemon and simmer 25 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer lemon slices to waxed-paper-lined plate
  When cake layers test done – remove from oven and cool in pans 10 minutes. Run a knife around edges of pans and invert cakes onto a wire rack. Remove the waxed paper or parchment which was in the pan and now stuck to bottom of cake!
  Using a toothpick, poke holes in warm cakes on rack. Brush with lemon syrup. Let cool completely. Frost cooled cakes and top with candied lemon slices.
  
  Frosting:
  Put cream cheese and butter in bowl of mixer and mix on medium speed until completely blended. Add lemon zest and slowly add the powdered sugar until frosting is well blended, add the vanilla extract. Frost the completely cooled cake and it should be refrigerated.
• I should have added - put the candied lemon slices on top as decoration -

Going bananas! yes I am

I promised you cake and cake you'll have. I don't often put more complicated recipes up but this is worth the effort! First are the secret ingredients in the picture - banana liqueur, fresh nutmeg and frozen bananas. YEP slipped that one right in there, frozen bananas are something I began while running the bed and breakfast in Colorado. In B&B's you almost always have bananas going too ripe to use and nobody can make that much banana bread! So I learned to throw super ripe bananas into the freezer - then when I need ripe, squishy 'naners for muffins, bread or CAKE all I do is pop it into the micro for a minute or so - then measure the amount and ta DA you have usable mashed bananas.
OK here goes - I'll put the recipes in BOLD so you don't have to read my foolishness just to make a yummy cake. Update - I've heard from several people "I hate bananas" - well everyone is entitled to cake - so just use a good moist yellow cake recipe and add that yummy nut filling - I thought of doing yellow cake with raisins and nuts (a modified Lady Baltimore cake) so don't limit your indulgence horizons - go for it! It IS still a free country so you do NOT have to eat bananas unless you like bananas! Thank you and now we return to my previously posted razzamatazz.

Banana One Egg Cake
2 cups cake flour (I used softasilk)
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/3 cup Crisco
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup mashed bananas
1 tablespoon banana liqueur

1 egg
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease/flour two 8 inch cake pans. Blend flour, sugar, baking powder, soda , nutmeg and salt. Add buttermilk, shortening, egg, liqueur all at once and beat at medium speed on power mixer for about 2 minutes. Scrape the bowl to make sure everything is blended in. When blended - pour evenly into prepared cake pans. Bake about 25 minutes or until layers test done when you insert a toothpick in the cake. Remove from oven and turn out onto a rack to cool.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Toasted Walnut Filling
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon water
1 egg yolk slightly beaten
3/4 cup chopped and toasted walnuts

Mix brown sugar, butter and water in saucepan. Heat until sugar is dissolved. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Pour at least half of the hot mixture into egg yolk. Blend into remaining hot mixture. Boil 1 minute more, stirring constantly. Cool slightly and stir in walnuts.

******************************************************************

Light Cream Cheese Frosting
1 (8 ounce package) Neufchatel cheese
1 tablespoon butter
5 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Beat cream cheese and butter at high speed with an electric mixer until soft and creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at low speed just until mixture is light and smooth. Gently stir in vanilla.

To assemble cake - place one cooled layer on cake stand and spread all the walnut fillling evenly over that layer. Place second layer on top and press down slightly so the top layer is connected with the filling. Frost cake with cream cheese frosting and store covered cake in refrigerator.

Delicious - light banana flavor enhanced by the liqueur - if you don't like to use alcohol in your cooking just go with vanilla.

I promised and truly delivered. Cake is tasty, rich and worth the effort for special occasion. It is overly sugared today on Buhlaland - but good - very good!
As my friend Pam would say - 'tis so sweet!

I promise not to lose my head over this

Bad jokes are my standard humor - I chose a title for today's post from the Marie Antoinette award from my blog pals Lanny and Kathleen . We all know a bit about Marie Antoinette-primarily she was beheaded during the French Revolution. Most of the other things we think are generally incorrect but that's no surprise when referring to women in historically prominent positions is it? Marie (I'll be so bold as to call her by her first name) was evidently rather outspoken at times,one reason for the honor from Lanny who believes I am honest in my blogging (well I don't show y'all my scales or pictures of me in a leotard so I'm obviously not revealing everything here!) Kathleen likes my photos and tying our everyday life to scripture (which isn't hard since our faith IS our life here on Buhlaland). I'm humbled and realized after seeing both your blogs - pretty much everyone I thought of "honoring" you've already tagged! So let me say I'm tickled by you thinking of me and appreciate more than you know the relationships we have in our bloggy world. Even though Marie Antoinette apparently never said "let them eat cake" (supposedly in response to information the common people were starving and had no bread)- you could guess my response to this honor - I'll make a cake! Pictures and recipe to follow! Love to you all and here is a picture and scripture for today -
Isaiah 11:6 The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them.

We don't have any leopards here on Buhlaland but we surely have goats who lie down in peace. The verse from Isaiah is referred to as the "Peaceable Kingdom" - indeed it will be a wonderful day when we are all living in peace with one another and even predators and prey will have nothing to fear. Bless y'all and thank you again Lanny and Kathleen!!

Baking Texas style

As promised - cake recipe coming up! The storm has done almost nothing here - less than 1/4 inch of rain and mild breezes. We are grateful for safety and praying for the literally millions of people in South Texas dealing with no power, water supply issues and flooding.

White Texas Sheet Cake

1 cup butter

1 cup of water

2 cups all purpose flour

2 cups white sugar

2 large eggs

1/2 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

Frosting:

1/2 cup butter (one stick)

1/4 cup milk

4 1/2 cups confectioners sugar (powdered sugar)

1 teaspoon vanilla

nuts and or coconut

In a large saucepan, bring 1 cup butter and water to a boil. Remove pan from heat, and stir in flour, sugar, eggs, sour cream, almond extract, baking soda and baking powder until smooth. Pour batter into a greased 10X15X1 inch greased baking pan. Bake at 375 degrees for barely 20 minutes or until cake is golden brown and tests done. Cool for 10 minutes.

Frosting: combine 1/2 cup butter and 1/4 cup milk in a saucepan, bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Mix in powdered sugar and vanilla. Spread frosting over warm cake - top with sliced almonds or coconut (or in my case - both!) ENJOY!

I used an 11X17X1 inch baking pan so the cake is proportionally thinner. It cooked completely in about 15 minutes. Have even made this cake in a 9X13 pan but it gets a bit gooey when it is so thick.

OK no more sweets for a while - I need to cook something like vegetables or meat! The cake is delicious, I know my baked goodies here on Buhlaland!

An apocryphal story (and a recipe)

Apocryphal stories are often used to make a point when either documented, provable stories aren't available or so many exist that we make up one combining aspects of all the others - still to make a point much as a parable was designed to do. That said (and begging the pardon of the eleventy-seven thousand bloggers out there who have already used this story):


A young woman had been diagnosed with a terminal illness and given a very short time to live. She was getting her personal business 'in order' so she contacted her Pastor and had him come to her house to discuss certain aspects of her final wishes. She gave to him a list of songs she wanted sung at the service, what scriptures she would like read, and what outfit to have the funeral home use to dress her in for burial. Everything was in order and the Pastor was preparing to leave when the young woman said there was one more important detail for her funeral service.
'There's one more thing and this is very important, ' the young woman continued. At the funeral home be sure they know I want to be buried with a fork in my right hand.' The Pastor stood looking at the young woman, not knowing quite what to say. ' Odd request isn't it?' the young woman asked. 'Well, to be honest, yes,' said the Pastor.
The young woman explained. 'My grandmother once told me this story, and from that time on I have always tried to pass along its message to those I love who are in need of encouragement. She said 'in all my years of attending socials and dinners, I happily remembered when the dishes of the main course was cleared, someone would inevitably lean over and say, 'Keep your fork.' It was my favorite part of the event because I knew that meant something special was coming...like velvety chocolate cake or deep-dish apple pie. Something wonderful, and with substance!' In my life I found my grandmother's story to be very true - when you keep your fork - something wonderful is coming.
So, I want people to see me there in that casket with a fork in my hand and I want them to ask 'What's with the fork?' Then I want you to tell them: 'Keep your fork, the best is yet to come.' The Pastor's eyes welled up with tears of joy as he hugged the young woman good-bye. He knew this might be the last time he would see her before her death. He also knew the young woman had a better understanding of heaven than he did. She had a better grasp of what heaven would be like than most people with twice as much experience and knowledge. She KNEW something better was coming. At the funeral home, people were walking by the young woman's casket and they saw the fork placed in her right hand. Over and over, the Pastor heard the question, 'What's with the fork?' During his message, Pastor told the people of the conversation he had with the young woman shortly before she died. He told them about the fork and about what it symbolized to her. He told the people how he could not stop thinking about a fork and told them that they probably would not be able to forget about it either. He was right. The next time you reach down for your fork let it remind you, the best is yet to come.



Amen - no eye has seen nor mind has conceived what the Lord has prepared for those who believe.



On this side of heaven - grab a fork - actually first bake this coffeecake - then grab a fork.


Almond Buttermilk Coffeecake
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Grease and flour 8 or 9-inch square baking pan (or cake pan) I use a 9 inch heart shaped pan

1 ½ cups whole-wheat flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1-teaspoon cinnamon
1-teaspoon nutmeg (freshly grated is BEST)
½ cup (one stick) slightly softened butter
(now remove about 1/3 cup of this mixture for the topping)
1 teaspoon almond extract
1-cup buttermilk
1-teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 egg
¾ cup sliced almonds

Stir together flour, sugar and spices. Cut in the butter. Set aside 1/3 cup of this mixture to be used later. Add buttermilk, baking soda, salt, egg and almond extract to the remaining flour mixture and blend well. Pour into prepared pan. Mix the sliced almonds with the reserved sugar mixture. Sprinkle on top of the batter.
Bake at 350 for 35 minutes. Remove from oven and place on cooling rack. Let cool about 15 minutes before serving. Wonderful with fresh berries or whipped cream also.

Here on Buhlaland we have plastic forks, stainless steel forks, dinner forks, salad forks and meat forks- we are ready for all the wonderful things to come - it is GOOD.

Tres Leches is spanish for very wet

Finally chillated enough - we had (drank?) a piece of the tres leches (which really means three milks) cake for our lunch dessert. I'll put the recipe below - it is from Texas Cooking website. How does the cake taste - well moist is an understatement with a couple of cups of additional liquid poured over the cake after it has baked. Texture somewhat like a pudding cake and must be kept refrigerated. The whipped cream topping is definitely gilding the lily but somehow combines the other flavors. In my cake yesterday I used a liqueur made from coffee and tequila - would not do that again. Probably better with some other liqueur - if you do not use alcohol at all in the kitchen - I think flavoring the 3 milks mixture with cinnamon or a touch nutmeg might be very tasty. Fair warning - have a big glass of either milk, iced tea, coffee or something to drink because this is a very rich dessert.

Here goes the recipe copied directly from the website - the author on the website says----
"I have experimented with this cake, and my recipe has one variant to the original. I add a liqueur to three milks.
Pastel de Tres Leches 1-½ cups All-purpose flour 1 teaspoon Baking powder ½ cup Unsalted butter 2 cups White sugar (divided) 5 Eggs 1-½ teaspoon Vanilla extract (divided) 1 cup Milk ½ of a 14-ounce can Sweetened condensed milk ½ of a 12-ounce can Evaporated milk 1/3 cup Liqueur, Frangelico, Brandy or Chambord, for example (optional) 1-½ cups Heavy (whipping) cream Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Grease and flour a 9x13-inch baking pan. Sift flour and baking powder together and set aside. Cream the butter and 1 cup of the sugar together until fluffy. Add the eggs and 1/2 teaspoon of the vanilla. Beat well. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, 2 tablespoons at a time, mixing well until blended. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 30 minutes. When cake has finished baking, pierce it in 8 or 10 places with a fork or skewer, and let it cool. Combine the whole milk, evaporated milk, condensed milk and liqueur and pour over the top of the cooled cake. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. Whipped Cream Topping: When ready to serve, combine the whipping cream and the remaining 1 teaspoon of vanilla and 1 cup of sugar, whipping until thick. Spread over top of cake. Because of the milk in the cake, it is very important that you keep the cake refrigerated until ready to serve. Serve chilled.
Version: Replace the sweetened condensed milk with cup of Coco Lopez Cream of Coconut in the milk mixture. You can also add ¼ cup rum. Southern Version: In addition to the three milks, add 1/3 cup peach schnapps. You can add cup of diced, drained peaches to the batter. About cup of pecans can be added to the batter or sprinkled on top of the cake before serving. Now, if you like cherries, blueberries, raspberries or apples, you can add them to this cake much in the same way. Well, what about chocolate? Why not add some chocolate syrup to the three-milk mixture, or temper in some white chocolate. This is another one of those great recipes that allows for culinary adventure. Plus, it is just plain delicious"

Coming attractions?

In case any one is stopping by Buhlaland today - I hope you have a wonderful Memorial Day taking at least a little time to remember those who have served our country. We are doing work around our place today - DH working on that automatic gate opener. He got the solar panel installed over the weekend. I am not sure which overwhelming task I will accomplish today - weeding garden, ironing, cleaning house or going to Costco. One thing I hope to do is cook something good - so check back later and it might be Tres Leches Cake and some baby back ribs - pretty sure I'll do a squash casserole since my dear friends the Harpers brought us a big bag of summer squash from their garden. Woo Hoo for friends who share! Hope the sun is shining on your personal solar panels today - bless y'all - it is Memorial Day on Buhlaland and we are grateful for a change in our daily work and blessed to be able to enjoy our freedom.

No eggs, no milk, no butter - is this a cake?

I make one cake in which there is no egg, no butter, no milk or cream in cake or frosting. Last week we took a cake like this to a friend who cannot eat dairy or soy and doesn't like chocolate - she ate two pieces. It really is that good. Wacky cake does NOT make a good layer cake, it is a pan cake or a messy cake, consider yourself warned. Recipe can be doubled for a 9 X 13 inch baking pan. Double the frosting too - if you are decadent - double the frosting and use that much on the 8 inch square cake. OH and the coffee thing - I mean a liquid you might drink - not the grounds. My clarification comes from a story I do not have permission to put into print. You don't have to use Honduran vanilla or sea salt or organic flour or vinegar from a gallon jug- you are seeing ingredients I actually used, but you can use what is in YOUR pantry. I'm nice that way.

Wacky Cake

1 1/2 cups sifted flour,
3 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa ,
1 teaspoon baking soda,
1 cup granulated sugar,
1 teaspoon salt ,
6 tablespoons vegetable oil ,
1 tablespoon plain white vinegar ,
1 teaspoons vanilla,
1 cup cold (brewed!) coffee,
Sift dry ingredients(or at the very least dump them all into the pan and use a whisk to combine them very well) into 8 inch cake pan. Mix with a fork. Form 3 wells in the flour mixture. Into one pour the oil, into another the vinegar and into the last the vanilla. Pour cold coffee over all and stir with a fork until well mixed. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Double Boiler Frosting

1 egg white,
3/4 cup granulated sugar,
1 tablespoon karo syrup OR 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar,
3 tablespoons of water,
1 teaspoon vanilla ,

Mix all ingredients except vanilla in top of a double boiler. Place over boiling water; beat with rotary beater until stiff peaks form. Scrape bottom and sides of pan occasionally. Remove from heat - stir in vanilla (don't overbeat at this point). Spread on cooled cake. Don't mock my improvised double boiler - it works.

Get a fork and eat this cake - right away - if you don't someone else in your house will.

Does oatmeal make it healthy?

Ah my dear DH - he is a smart man and a wise guy some days! I made what we call Ethel's cake - MIL fave. Simple old fashioned cake. But I don't think the oatmeal offsets the stick of butter! As usual - ingredients are in bold - be bold and make this cake - but don't pretend the oatmeal makes it anything but delicious!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9X13 cake pan.

To 1 1/4 cups boiling water add 1 cup quick cooking oats and two teaspoons vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon.

Cream together 1/2 cup (one stick) of butter, 1 cup white sugar, 1 cup packed brown sugar, 2 eggs. Beat until fluffy. Add 1 1/3 cups all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon baking soda to sugar mixture and stir in. Add softened oats mixture - beat until well combined. Pour batter (it will be very runny - don't panic) into prepared pan. Bake for 30 minutes and test for doneness. Remove cake from oven and turn on the broiler.

In a saucepan, combine 3 tablespoons butter, 4 tablespoons milk, 3/4 cup packed brown sugar, 3/4 cup flaked coconut and 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts. Heat until melted, pour over warm cake (you'll need to spread it around a bit) and put under broiler for 2-3 minutes until it bubbles and turns a golden brown.

Eat - obviously it is eaten quickly - at least if photos are evidence!

Good eats tonight on Buhlaland!