Meyer Lemon Almond Cakes with Candied Meyer Lemon Slices

Have I told you lately how much I love Meyer lemons? With Meyer lemons at peak season, now would be a good time to remind you...

 

 

 

I have a generous co-worker who has been spoiling me with home grown Meyer lemons from his tree. His Meyer lemons are huge and juicy! I seriously was able to get 3/4 cups of juice out of 2 lemons...

 

 

 

Now, when someone gives you lemons, wouldn't it be rude not to bake him (or her) a cake? As a thank you, I baked these Meyer Lemon Almond Cakes with Candied Meyer Lemon Slices. I have to admit, I was pleasantly surprised by how well these cakes turned out! The lemon flavor is present without being too overpowering. The almond flour adds nuttiness and beautiful brown flecks to the batter. The texture of the cake is surprisingly light and fluffy.

 

 

 

Now, you know me, I can't give anyone a naked cake, so I decided to top them with a light dusting of powdered sugar and a candied Meyer lemon slice. So pretty, don't you think?

 

If you're more of a glaze person, which I tend to be on most days, you can also drizzle the cakes with a fresh Meyer lemon glaze. I've included the ingredients and recipes for both options below.

 

No matter how you top them, I hope you enjoy a delicious slice of sunshine!

Meyer Lemon Almond Cakes w/Candied Meyer Lemon Slices
Makes 5 small 5" cakes or 1 8-9" cake
Serves 5-6

Cake Ingredients:
1 cup cake flour
1/3 cup almond flour (I use Trader Joe's almond meal)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
1 cup granulated sugar
zest from 2 meyer lemons
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs, room temp
1 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 cup sour cream (do not use low fat or fat free)

Candied Meyer Lemon Ingredients:
1 meyer lemon, washed and thinly sliced
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup water

Meyer Lemon Glaze (alternative topping option):
zest of 1 meyer lemon
approx. 2 tablespoons fresh meyer lemon juice
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon butter, softened


Directions:

Preheat oven to 350f

Butter and flour 5 mini 5" springform pans (or 1 8-9" springform pan).

Whisk together the dry ingredients in a medium size bowl and set aside.

Place the sugar and lemon zest in the bowl of your stand mixer (or a large mixing bowl if using a hand mixer) and squeeze/crush the zest into the sugar using your finger tips. The sugar will become infused with the oils from the zest making it really fragrant.

Add the butter to the sugar/lemon zest mixture and cream at medium speed until light and fluffy, approx. 2 minutes. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.

Add eggs, one at a time, mixing just until combined and scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula after each addition.

Mix in vanilla extract on low speed just until combined.

With mixer on low speed, gradually mix in the flour mixture just until combined. Do not overmix.

Using a rubber spatula, fold in the sour cream just until incorporated. Do not overmix.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared springform pan(s). Place the pan(s) on a baking sheet and bake until the cake springs back when lightly touched and/or a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (approx. 35-45 minutes for an 8-9" springform pan or approx. 20-25 minutes for mini pans). Note: to prevent overbaking, check for doneness at the beginning of the bake time and continue baking as needed just until done).

Remove and place on a wire cooling rack to cool. Remove from the springform pans. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and decorate with candied meyer lemon slices (if desired). You can also drizzle lightly with a meyer lemon glaze. Both recipes are below.

To make the candied meyer lemon slices - bring sugar and water to a boil in a wide, shallow pan (like a skillet) stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the lemon slices making sure they're in a single layer and reduce heat to a simmer. Allow to simmer until the rind becomes translucent (approx. 20-30 minutes). Remove from heat and allow the lemon slices to cool in the sugar/water mixture. Remove from the pan and place on a wire cooling rack placed over parchment paper (to catch the drippings). Allow to stand at room temperature for a few hours.

To make the fresh meyer lemon glaze - place 1 cup of powdered sugar in a medium size bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of softened butter, the lemon zest and 1 tablespoon of fresh meyer lemon juice. Mix well with a spoon. Gradually add additional lemon juice, a little at a time, stirring well after each addition until you reach desired consistency. The glaze should be thick but pourable.

Vegan Peanut Butter and Roasted Banana Cake for The Leftovers Club

I have to admit that being a member of The Leftovers Club has definitely challenged me as a baker and taken me out of my "comfort zone". I've done some gluten free baking in the past and catered desserts for a completely gluten free wedding, but recently I have been paired with other members whose dietary restrictions or eating preferences have had me up for a challenge.

 

This month I was paired with Jenny from The Lazy Vegan Baker, who is obviously vegan. Not only is Jenny vegan, but she is a very experienced vegan baker and has even published an e-book with some amazing cookie recipes. Pretty impressive, huh?

 While everyone in the group is always so gracious and insists they'll accept anything, it's no fun receiving baked goods in the mail that you can't eat so I wanted to bake a vegan dessert to send to Jenny. Normally I will start with a base recipe and do a lot of experimenting and tweeking to give it my own twist, but this time I didn't want to play around and risk sending Jenny something that she wouldn't enjoy because baking without dairy can be tricky.

I came across this recipe for a Vegan Cake that looked amazing. Marly describes the recipe as being "tried and true" which is always a good thing in my book so I was sold. Of course I still did a little minor tweeking, because that's just in my nature - I roasted the bananas to intensify their flavor.  I'm a big fan of roasted fruit (this recipe for Vanilla Roasted Strawberries is one of my favorites). I also increased the amount of vanilla extract, used vanilla almond milk and a different chocolate ganache.

 

I hope Jenny and her family enjoys it!

If you are interested in being a member of a fun group of women (men are welcome too!) who exchange baked goods each month, please sign up to join The Leftovers Club! I guarantee it's a lot of fun!!

 

 

Vegan Peanut Butter & Roasted Banana Bundt Cake
Makes 1 reg size bundt cake or 3 smaller bundt cakes baked in disposable paper pans
Serves 10-15

Ingredients:
3 bananas
3 cups of all purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup peanut butter
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
2 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup vanilla almond milk
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon ground flax seed
1 1/2 cups dairy free chocolate chips

Crumble:
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup oatmeal
1 cup light brown sugar
6 tablespoons coconut oil (softened)

Ganache:
1 cup dairy free chocolate chips
1/2 cup almond milk
1 tablespoon coconut oil


Directions:
1. Place the bananas on a rimmed baking sheet and roast at 350f for approximates 15 minutes or until blackened. Cool for a few minutes then remove the skins and mash. Set aside.

2. Prepare the crumble by placing all of the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until combined. Set aside.

3. In a medium size bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and whisk until thoroughly combined.

4. In a large bowl, combine the peanut butter, sugar, oil, almond milk, apple cider vinegar, vanilla extract, flax seed and cornstarch. Whisk well to combine.

5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon just until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.

6. Divide half of the batter into your well greased bundt pan, then sprinkle half of the crumble on top. Top with the remaining half of the batter and then the remaining crumble. Sprinkle a few extra chocolate chips on top if desired.

7. Place bundt pan on a baking sheet and bake approximately 60-70 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Start checking your cake for doneness around 50 minutes. If the top of your cake starts to brown too quickly, tent with a piece of foil and continue baking.

8. Remove from oven and place on cooling rack to cool in pan for approx. 15 minutes, then invert onto a plate or cooling rack to cool completely.

9. Top with the ganache and serve!

An InLinkz Link-up

Cinnamon Cake with Fresh Peach Filling and Whipped Cream Frosting

Cake is my favorite dessert, any type any flavor. I love bready things (is bready a even word? If not, it should be!). 

September was my sister Wendy's birthday.  All bakers will understand this, sometimes you are not in the mood to bake. It doesn't happen often, but it does happen every once in a while...especially when its 90 degrees outside and you have no air conditioning!

Anyways, my sisters asked me to bake a cake for Wendy's birthday.  I asked them, “ why don’t you buy a nice ice cream cake? Doesn’t that sounds gooood! “ Their response, “WHAT! LIVEBAKELOVE doesn’t bake for their own families?”This comment still makes me laugh when I think about it…so that is how this delicious peach filled birthday cake came to be...

Since I still had a few peaches left from the cobbler (you need to try that recipe too, it was so good), I decided to take the basic cake recipe I love, add some cinnamon and make a nice peach filling to go with it.  The results were a success!  

The cake was delicious! The hint of cinnamon was just right, not overpowering, the filling was naturally sweet and the whipped cream frosting was fluffy and light.Definitely the perfect way to end a birthday dinner.  In fact, I'm still craving that damn cake. I guess someone will have to have a birthday again real soon! 

I hope you give this delicious cake a try. It's great for any occasion or just because....

Happy Cooking everyone!

Cinnamon Cake with Fresh Peach Filling and Whipped Cream Frosting
Makes one 8" - 9" Cake, serves 10-12 people

Cake Ingredients:
1 cup Granulated Sugar
1 3/4 cup Cake Flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon (if you can find Vietnamese Cinnamon that is the best)
5 tablespoons Butter (unsalted, softened to room temp & cut into small pieces)
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/3 cup sour cream (use full fat, not the light)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons pure Vanilla extract (not imitation)

Peach Filling
2 fresh large peaches, peeled & chopped into 1/2 inch squares
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 tablespoons water
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon Flour
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Whipped Cream Frosting
3 cups heaving whipping cream
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons Vanilla extract



Prep work:
a. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
b. Grease and flour two 8 inch cake pans.

Directions for the cake: 
1. In the bowl of your Kitchen-aid (or mixing bowl and a hand mixer) combine sugar, cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.  Mix at low speed until combined. Set aside.

2. Add butter and mix on low speed until it resembles a crumble (about 2-3 minutes).

3. In a separate bowl, combine eggs, sour cream, vegetable oil and vanilla. Mix until all ingredients are combined. 

4. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture. Mix until  combined.

5. Slowly add the milk into batter mixing just until combined. The batter will be liquid when done. but that is ok.

5.  Divide batter equally between both of the prepared cake pans.

6.  Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  
7. Remove from oven and cool on a wire cooling rack for 30 minutes. Remove cakes from pan and continue to cool on the wire cooling rack until completely cooled (approx 1-2 hours).

Directions for Filling:  (can be made the day before)
1. Peel and chop two large peaches and place them in a medium size saucepan.
2. Add sugar, water, cinnamon and vanilla. Cook at medium heat.

3. Sprinkle in the flour.  Stir as you add so it doesn't bubble up.
4. Cook for about 3-5 minute until it boils and thickens up. Do not over cook, otherwise the fruit will start breaking down.

5. Cool about 1-2 hour (I put mine in the refrigerator to speed up the process)

Directions for Frosting:
1. Prepwork: Chill your bowl, either the kitchen-air bowl or a plain mixing bowl. 15-30 minutes is fine
2. Add 3 cups of heavy whipping cream in the bowl with , 6 table spoons of white sugar (not powder) and 2 teaspoons of vanilla.
3. Mix at a high speed for about 2-3 minutes with kitchen-aid, about 5 minutes with the hand mixer.  The Cream will appear firm. 

Assemble:
1. Put one layer of cake on a large platter.
2. Add about 1 cup of whipped cream to top of layer.
3. Add all the peach filling on top of whipped cream

4. Add second cake layer
5. Frost with remaking whipped cream frosting. 

6. Decorate as you wish.

ENJOY!!!!!

Springtime Lemon Cupcakes with Blackberry Lemon Buttercream Frosting

                                                          (Baby Shower cupcakes)

                                               (Easter cupcakes)
   

Spring time is the perfect time for lemon desserts.  I admit I'm pretty lucky since I have a beautiful lemon tree next door which provides the best, juiciest lemons ever! 

A few weeks ago I started working on this recipe for a Baby Shower we were catering for a friend.  I needed a Lemon Cupcake recipe with a fruit topping.  I found a recipe online with the combination of ingredients I wanted to use for this cupcake.  I tried it once as the recipe directed, but was not happy with the consistency of the cake (not enough lemon flavor and not moist enough for me, and the frosting was a bit too sweet).

Faye and I discussed how to modify the recipe a few times and I did a few more trial runs and in the end these lemon cupcakes turned out absolutely delicious! They're moist with the wonderful fragrance and flavor of lemon, and once you top them off with the Blackberry Frosting they're just perfect!

   I have now made these cupcakes for an Easter brunch and also for the Baby Shower and each time they were delicious.   I hope you give my Springtime Lemon Cupcake with Blackberry Lemon Buttercream recipe a try for Easter. Your family & guests will love it!

Happy Cooking.

(Shower :Springtime Lemon Cupcakes with Blackberry Buttercream, Chocolate cupcakes with Peanut Butter Cream Filling and Peanut Butter Buttercream frosting)

Spring Time Lemon Cupcake with Blackberry Lemon Buttercream Frosting
Adapted from All Recipes
Makes 16 cupcakes

Ingredients:

Cupcake:

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

2 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 eggs

1 egg yolk

 2 teaspoons vanilla

1 ½ cup flour

2 teaspoons baking powder
dash of salt

½ cup half and half 

Zest of 1 large lemon (I use the a fine grater)

Juice of 1 large lemon

Frosting:

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon salt

4 cups powder sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

½ cup seedless blackberry jam

16 blackberries for decorating

Prep Work:

Set oven at 350 degrees.  

Line cupcake pans with cupcake liners
Place 1 cup of granulated sugar and the lemon zest in a small bowl. Using your finger tips, squeeze the zest and sugar together to release the oils from the zest into the sugar. The sugar will become very fragrant. Set aside.

Directions

-In a large bowl, mix flour with baking powder and salt with whisk. Set aside.
-Beat ½ cup of butter with the 1 cup of lemon sugar for about 3 minutes, till light and fluffy. Add Vegetable oil and mix until combined.
-Add eggs, egg yolk and vanilla. Beat till well incorporated.
-Mix in the flour mixture just until incorporated.
-Combine the half and half with the lemon juice in a small bowl. Gradually add this to your batter just until combined. Do not overbeat.
-Divide batter evenly between the prepared pans.
-Bake for 16-18 minutes, remove from oven and place the pans on cooling racks. Remove the cupcakes from the pan and place on a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

Frosting

Beat softened butter and vanilla.  Gradually add powdered sugar till creamy.   Finally add the blackberry jam and lemon juice and mix until well combined and fluffy.

Frost each cupcake and add a blackberry on top.

                         (Easter baskets filled will Springtime Lemon cupcakes)

Black & Blueberry Buttermilk Cake

 

 

The weather in San Diego this past weekend was unusually warm which had me thinking of Summer fruit. It just so happens that Blackberries were on sale at Sprouts for only .99 cents a package so I had to indulge.

 

On their own, the blackberries were sweet and delicious; definitely some of the sweetest blackberries I have ever tasted, but I bought so many of them I wanted to incorporate them into a coffee cake/dessert. I also had some buttermilk in the fridge that was about to expire so I decided to make this Blackberry Buttermilk Cake which I am calling Black & Blueberry Buttermilk Cake because I ended up throwing in some Blueberries.

 

The cake is tender, moist and delicious. The addition of fresh lemon and orange zest compliments the fresh berries perfectly and made them taste even better! If you make this cake, which I sure hope you will, definitely do not skip out on the fresh citrus zest.

 

My husband brought some of the cake to work with him 3 days after I baked it and it was still moist, fresh and delicious. I don't recommend going beyond 3 days since fresh berries can spoil pretty quickly.

Black & Blueberry Buttermilk Cake

Ingredients:
3/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
2 1/3 cups sifted cake flour (sift the cake flour first, then measure out 2 1/3 cups)
6 ounces fresh blackberries and 3 ounces fresh blueberries
1/4 cup granulated sugar for the topping
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar for the cake batter
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon fresh orange zest
1 cup well shaken buttermilk
Powdered sugar for dusting

Directions:

Position oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degress F.

Butter a 9-10" springform pan. Place a circle of parchment paper at the bottom. Butter the parchment paper and lightly dust the entire inside of the pan with flour.**Alternatively you can use a 9"-10" cake pan, but please make sure you butter and flour the pan & use the parchment paper. This helps prevent the berries from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Into a medium size bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.** Essentially you are sifting the flour twice - before you measure it and again in this step. Don't skip this step, it gives the cake its' light fluffy texture.

Sprinkle the berries in an even layer into the bottom of the prepared pan, then sprinkle 1/4 cup of sugar over the berries.

When this photo was taken, I realized I didn't have enough Blackberries so I filled in the gaps with blueberries. Hence the name Black & Blueberry Buttermilk Cake.

In the bowl of your electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large bowl using your electric hand mixer), cream together the butter and the 1 & 1/3 cups granulated sugar until light and fluffy (approximately 2 minutes).

Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping down the bowl as needed.

Beat in the lemon and orange zests and the vanilla at low speed and mix just until combined.

At low speed, mix in the flour mixture and buttermilk alternating between the two. Start with 1/3 of the flour, mix just until combined, add 1/2 of the buttermilk, mix until just combined and repeat. Be sure to mix just until combined during this step so you don't overmix the batter.

Spread the batter in an even layer into the prepared pan.

Place on a baking sheet and bake for approxinmately 45-50 minutes. Since each oven is different, be sure to check for doneness at the beginning of the bake time (around 40 minutes). If the cake isn't done, repeat checking for doneness periodically until done. If your cake starts to brown too quickly, tent it with a piece of foil. The cake is done when it springs back when lightly pressed in the center or a toothpick in the center comes out clear. Be careful not to overbake.

Remove from oven and cool in pan on cooling rack for 15 minutes. Remove the sides from the springform pan and invert only a cooling rack. Carefully remove the parchment paper being careful not to pull off the berries.

Allow to cool a few minutes longer then dust generously with powdered sugar.

Place on a cake stand or platter and serve (dusting again with powdered sugar if needed).

 

 

Store leftovers tighly covered at room temperature. Since this cake is made with fresh berries, I recommend eating within 2 days although my husband brought our leftovers with him to work on day 3 and the cake was still moist and delicious. I wouldn't go any longer than that....

Anytime Vanilla Bean Simple Cake with Boiling Coconut Topping

Perfect Dessert to Dry up the tears of the RedSkin losing last week; Anytime Vanilla Bean Simple Cake with Broiled Coconut Topping (adaption of a Better Home and Gardens Recipe)

Welll… what can I say, Cake fixes everything!  After last week Redskins loss, my boyfriend's team, we needed some good old fashion bandaid dessert.   This easy cake  was the perfect cure. It is delicious!  Believe it or not, it was finished before the caramel brownies (recipe to follow soon).   The cake it light and flavorful and then coconut and pecan topping was amazing. Did I say how easy this cake was to make!  Yes, you can make it. I promise!! I hope you give this 
Anytime Vanilla Bean Simple Cake with Broiled Coconut Topping
 a try.  I will actually make this cake again this week, Faye… maybe I will drive one over to you!

And Redskins, we will be cheering you on next season!  Maybe this time the cake will be called a Victory cake.

Happy Cooking Everyone!

Ingredients
1 ½  cups all-purpose Flour
2/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
2/3 cups whole milk
¼ cup sweet cream butter (soften)
1 egg
½ a vanilla bean (scrapped)
2 teaspoons vanilla

Topping
¼ cup light brown sugar
2 tablespoons sweet cream soften butter
2 tablespoon whole Milk
½ cup flaked coconut , packed
1/3 cup chopped pecans
--------------------
Cake:
1. Pre-Heat oven to 350 degrees
2. Spray an 8 inch round cake pan with non-stick spray
3. Combine, flour, sugar, baking powder together in a large bowl . Set aside.

4. In a medium size bowl, combine  milk ,  egg, vanilla bean and vanilla.

5. Pour the vanilla mixture into the flour mixture. Mix until combined.

6. Add softened butter and mix till its blended, do not over beat.

7. Poor cake mixture into prepared pan. Bake for 25 minutes.(do the toothpick test. Insert toothpick into cake and when it  come out clean.its done)

Topping
8. While cake is baking, make the topping.
9. Beat the butter with the brown sugar .
10. Add the milk and mix till smooth
11. Add the coconut and nuts.
12. Set aside till cake done.

Finishing Cake
13. Once cake it done, remove from oven and set the oven to Broil.  Move your Rack  so its about 4 inchs from Top.
14. Spread the Topping over the whole top of the cake. And put back into the oven

15. Broil for 3-4 minutes. Till top is bubbling.

16. Cool on wire rack.
17. Enjoy!