Don’t panic. Hostess may have filed for bankruptcy, but Twinkies aren’t going to disappear anytime soon. And even if the day comes when they’re no longer on supermarket shelves, don’t fret. I’ve got you covered. You can bake your own classic vanilla Twinkies, try something a bit different with pumpkin Twinkies, or satisfy [...]]]>

Don’t panic. Hostess may have filed for bankruptcy, but Twinkies aren’t going to disappear anytime soon. And even if the day comes when they’re no longer on supermarket shelves, don’t fret. I’ve got you covered. You can bake your own classic vanilla Twinkies, try something a bit different with pumpkin Twinkies, or satisfy your chocolate cravings with these double chocolate Twinkies. Each of these varieties has far fewer ingredients than the store bought version, and is far superior in taste. Besides, they’re so much fun to make! You can bake them in a cupcake pan, but using a canoe pan guarantees that authentic Twinkie shape.

Ever since The Boyfriend heard the news about Hostess, he’s been salivating for a fresh batch of homemade Twinkies. I was instructed that these should be “Death By Chocolate” Twinkies. Chocolate sponge cake with a chocolate cream filling? How could I argue with that? Yes, I aim to please, even though I may have had just as much of a selfish interest in developing this recipe.

With soft chocolate sponge cake and creamy fudge filling, these little cakes go above and beyond to satisfy your craving for chocolate as well as nostalgia. As far as I can tell, Hostess has never made a “Death By Chocolate” Twinkie, although they did produce a limited edition Chocolate Creme Twinkie last year. But I think that a “Death By Chocolate” Twinkie would catch on, don’t you? If you enjoy them as much as we did, I just might be opening my own snack cake bakery soon.

“Death By Chocolate” Snack Cakes (Twinkies)
Created by Simple Math Bakery
Yield: 20 cakes

Snack Cakes:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons corn starch
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup canola oil
3/4 cup cold water
1 teaspoon Princess flavoring (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)
7 eggs, separated

Preheat the oven to 350°. Spray a canoe pan or cupcake pan with cooking spray and set aside.

Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until they are very stiff. They should hold their shape when removed from the bowl. Set aside.

Combine the flour, corn starch, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk together or beat on low speed for a minute, until combined. Add oil, water, Princess flavoring, and egg yolks. Beat on medium speed until smooth.

Using a rubber spatula, gently scoop 1/3 of the egg whites into the batter. Fold the egg whites in by slicing the spatula through the center of the bowl, gently scooping batter from the bottom and wrapping it over the top. Turn the bowl 1/4 turn and repeat until the egg whites are barely visible. Repeat this process with each remaining 1/3 of the egg whites.

Spoon the batter into the pan, filling the wells 2/3 full. Bake for 8-12 minutes, or until cakes are golden brown and just starting to pull away from the sides of the pan. Cakes will puff up when cooking, but will settle as they cool. Cool the cakes in the pan for 5 minutes, then gently remove them from the pan using a rubber spatula. Allow them to cool, flat side down, directly on the cooling rack.

Filling:
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chips (60% cacao)
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar

In a small saucepan, heat the flour, milk, and cocoa powder over medium heat, stirring constantly. When the mixture becomes a paste (about 5 minutes), remove from heat and allow to cool for 1 minute. Stir in the vanilla extract. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming, and set aside to cool completely.

In a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water, heat the chocolate chips just until they melt. Remove from heat and allow to cool until just barely warm. Alternatively, melt the chips in the microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring after each interval.

With an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the cooled milk mixture and beat until combined. Pour in the cooled melted chocolate and beat for about 5 minutes, until smooth and creamy.

Use the pastry filler that comes with the pan (or a pastry bag with round tip) to fill the cakes. Place the tip about halfway into the cake and squeeze gently. Holding the cake in your palm while filling it will allow you to feel when it is full. Fill each cake 3 times to ensure that each bite contains ample chocolate filling!

On these chilly winter mornings, it’s essential to fire up the oven and create something warm and comforting. Something with a hint of holiday spice and a dollop of freshly whipped cream. Brew a cup of tea and wait for the sun to rise over the trees, finally slanting into the window later [...]]]>

On these chilly winter mornings, it’s essential to fire up the oven and create something warm and comforting. Something with a hint of holiday spice and a dollop of freshly whipped cream. Brew a cup of tea and wait for the sun to rise over the trees, finally slanting into the window later and later each day. During the dark days of December, my one small kitchen window receives only a precious hour or so of sunlight. This little window looks out on the white brick wall of our neighbor’s garage, which is about four feet away. My window faces east, but receives no direct sunlight due to the proximity of this garage. Instead, the early afternoon sunlight bounces off the white wall and into my kitchen. It’s the ultimate reflector for photography, and I am rewarded with great natural light if I time my baking just right.

I often fantasize about painting a mural on this white wall. The neighbors would never notice, since this side of the garage is basically inaccessible from their yard. I would welcome a bit of color in my landscape, but at the same time I would lament the loss of pure white light. Instead, I study the nuances of the brick and the patterns created by mortar that has oozed out of the seams.

This season is all about finding beauty and light in unexpected places. Whether it’s a splash of reflected light or the smell of cinnamon, ginger, and cloves hanging in the air once the gingerbread has been removed from the oven, soak it up. Savor it.

Sourdough Gingerbread
Based on a recipe from the molasses jar, sourdough-ized by Simple Math Bakery
Yield: One 8″ square cake

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2 1/4 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
pinch of salt
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
3/4 cup molasses
1 cup sourdough starter (175% hydration)
1/4 cup cold water

Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease an 8″ square cake pan and set aside.

Combine the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking soda, spices, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.

With an electric mixer, beat the butter until light and creamy. Add the sugar and continue to beat on medium speed until fluffy. Add the egg and mix until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. With the mixer on low speed, slowly pour in the molasses, aiming for the spot between the beaters and the bowl.

Add half of the flour mixture and beat on low speed just until combined. Mix in the remaining flour mixture. Add the sourdough starter and water, mixing on low speed until well combined.

Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 35-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Place the pan on a cooling rack and let the gingerbread cool for 1 hour in the pan before slicing.

Spiced Whipped Cream
Yield: approximately 2 servings

1/2 cup heavy cream
1-2 tablespoons of granulated sugar, to taste
pinch of ground cinnamon
pinch of ground ginger

For best results, place your mixing bowl and beaters/whisk attachment in the fridge for 10 minutes. Add the cream to the cold bowl, and whip on high speed until the cream starts to thicken. Add the sugar slowly while the mixer is on. Once the sugar has been incorporated, add the spices and continue to beat until soft peaks form. Spoon the whipped cream onto slices of gingerbread and enjoy!

Have you ever developed jaw fatigue as a result of candy cane overindulgence during the holiday season? It happens to the best of us. Why not give your teeth a break from the jarring crunchiness of candy canes and sink them into a soft, pillowy version of your favorite pepperminty treat instead? This [...]]]>

Have you ever developed jaw fatigue as a result of candy cane overindulgence during the holiday season? It happens to the best of us. Why not give your teeth a break from the jarring crunchiness of candy canes and sink them into a soft, pillowy version of your favorite pepperminty treat instead? This traditional angel food cake is jazzed up with peppermint extract and dressed in candy cane stripes, so you won’t even notice the difference!

I’ve set my sights on a new career: Dessert Detective. You say you’ve never heard of this career path? Well, get yourself over to CakeSpy and read all about it! CakeSpy is currently accepting applications for dessert detectives in the “So You Wanna Be a CakeSpy?” contest, and I hereby submit my application. Of course, this job is not without its own set of occupational hazards: compulsive baking, painting cupcakes and unicorns, tirelessly sampling goodies at bakeries the world over, and developing witty puns for a devoted fan base, to name a few. But I am absolutely up to this challenge!

This sweet recipe allows for your own creative interpretation. I have included my favorite angel food cake recipe below, but feel free to use any other recipe that you desire. Simply substitute 1 teaspoon of peppermint extract for the flavoring, and add the red food coloring and cocoa powder as directed below to create the red stripes. This cake is the perfect addition to a holiday dessert table, and its pepperminty aroma is sure to fill the room with good cheer!

Candy Cane-gel Food Cake
Loosely adapted from Alton Brown’s Angel Food Cake
Yield: approximately 10 servings

1 1/2 cups granulated or superfine sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted or passed through a fine mesh sieve
12 egg whites, at or close to room temperature
1/3 cup warm water
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 1/2 tablespoons cocoa powder, sifted or passed through a fine mesh sieve
red gel paste food coloring

Place the oven rack on the lowest setting. Preheat the oven to 325° if you are using a dark or non-stick pan, or 350° if you are using a light colored pan.

If you are using granulated sugar, place the sugar into a food processor and process for a minute or two, until it is superfine. Sift 3/4 cup of the sugar and the salt with the flour, and set the remaining 3/4 cup of sugar aside.

In a large bowl, or the bowl of your mixer, whisk together the egg whites, water, peppermint extract, and cream of tartar. Whisk for two minutes. Continue to beat with a hand mixer, or the whisk attachment of your stand mixer, while slowly adding the reserved 3/4 cup of sugar. Beat until the egg whites form medium peaks.

Once the egg whites reach the medium peak stage, add just enough of the flour mixture to cover the top of the egg whites. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the flour into the egg whites, so that they don’t deflate. Repeat this process until all of the flour mixture has been incorporated.

Gently spoon a little less than half of the batter into a clean bowl. Sift the cocoa powder onto the surface, and use a rubber spatula to gently fold it into the batter. Gently fold in the desired amount of red gel food coloring. Keep in mind that the color will still darken slightly in the oven.

Now the fun part! Spoon about 1/3 of the white batter into an ungreased angel food cake pan. Orient it however you desire: spread it out across the bottom of the pan or keep it all to one side for a more diagonal stripe pattern. Spoon half of the red batter on top of the white. Follow with another 1/3 of the white batter, the remaining red batter, and the remaining white batter.

Place the pan into the oven, and bake for 40-60 minutes. Start checking the cake at 35 minutes. The top should be deep golden brown, and a wooden skewer inserted halfway between the edge of the pan and the center will come out dry.

Immediately invert the pan onto a bottle, or devise some other creative way to cool the cake upside-down. Allow it to cool completely while upside-down, then run a knife around the edges and remove it from the pan. Slice and enjoy, in between candy cane binges!

Take a long look at this picture. Allow your eyes to drift in and out of focus. Let the thoughts and stresses of the day drain from your mind. Introduce your brain to this whoopie pie and let the words flow through like a river. Cookie…cake…pie…filling…peanut butter…chocolate…ganache…sandwich. Acknowledge each word as it appears [...]]]>

Take a long look at this picture. Allow your eyes to drift in and out of focus. Let the thoughts and stresses of the day drain from your mind. Introduce your brain to this whoopie pie and let the words flow through like a river. Cookie…cake…pie…filling…peanut butter…chocolate…ganache…sandwich. Acknowledge each word as it appears on your mind’s screen, briefly consider how it might describe this confection, then let it go. Take a minute to relax and just breathe. When you’re ready, remove yourself from your sweet reverie. I invite you to share your whoopie pie epiphanies in the comments below.

My epiphany? Cookie-shaped cake sandwich. My brain felt that this was the most accurate descriptive phrase for a whoopie pie. That, and the fact that it kinda looks like a hamburger. But I’ll try to let that thought flow right on through and focus on the sweetness of fluffy peanut butter cake filled with intense dark chocolate ganache.

These babies are straightforward and simple. Whip up the batter, then plop it onto a cookie sheet. Pop ‘em in the oven and watch them spread while they rise ever so slightly in the center, creating that perfect domed shape. Make your filling while they cool, then slather it on. Be generous!

Peanut Butter Whoopie Pies
Adapted from Whoopie Pies
Yield: 24 four-inch cakes (12 whoopie pies)

1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
scant 1 1/2 cups milk
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Preheat the oven to 375°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the milk and vinegar and let sit for 5 minutes, until it curdles. Alternatively, use 1 1/2 cups buttermilk in place of the milk and vinegar.

In a medium sized bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

In the bowl of your mixer or a large bowl, cream the butter, sugar, peanut butter, and vanilla until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing in between additions and scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.

Add half of the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Beat on low speed just until combined. Add half of the milk and mix until combined. Repeat with the remaining flour and milk. Beat on medium speed until well combined.

Drop about 2 tablespoons of batter at a time onto the baking sheet. Space the cakes 2 inches apart. Bake one sheet at a time for 15-18 minutes, or until the edges start to brown and the cakes are firm to the touch. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow the cakes to cool on the pan for 5 minutes. Transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely before constructing whoopie pies.

Chocolate Ganache

8 ounces (1 1/3 cups) 60% cacao baking chips, or chopped chocolate
1/2 cup heavy cream

In a small saucepan, heat the cream over medium heat just until it bubbles. Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Pour the cream over the chocolate and let it sit until the chocolate has melted, about 10 minutes. Stir with a wooden spoon or spatula until smooth.

Allow the ganache to rest at room temperature until it is firm enough to spread, about 2 hours. To speed up the process, place the ganache in the refrigerator and give it a stir every 10 minutes. It should take about 30 minutes to reach spreading consistency.

She keeps her Moët et Chandon in her pretty cabinet “Let them eat cake” she says, just like Marie Antoinette

–“Killer Queen” by Queen

Have a Monochrome Monday post to share this week? Leave a link in the [...]]]>

Shot with Polaroid Spectra camera and Impossible Project PZ 600 Silver Shade film

She keeps her Moët et Chandon
in her pretty cabinet
“Let them eat cake” she says,
just like Marie Antoinette

–“Killer Queen” by Queen

Have a Monochrome Monday post to share this week? Leave a link in the comments.

We all work long days, and the temptation to grab a quick take-out lunch or another slice of the office birthday cake is something that we can all relate to. Consuming unprocessed, whole foods in the modern office environment is a task that takes incredible willpower and a knack for planning ahead. But [...]]]>

We all work long days, and the temptation to grab a quick take-out lunch or another slice of the office birthday cake is something that we can all relate to. Consuming unprocessed, whole foods in the modern office environment is a task that takes incredible willpower and a knack for planning ahead. But there’s good news: there is evidence that your willpower muscles can be strengthened! October is the perfect month to start, since over 1,000 of us have already pledged to eliminate unprocessed food from our diet for October Unprocessed.

This is the second year that Andrew from Eating Rules has hosted the October Unprocessed challenge. But what does “unprocessed” truly mean? Everyone’s interpretation might be a bit different, but Andrew had a great discussion on his blog with some examples of why certain foods meet the criteria. The “Kitchen Test” is an excellent concept. It has worked for me in eliminating quite a few processed foods from my diet. The basic idea is that you don’t have to make EVERYthing yourself, but the items that you buy could theoretically have been made in your kitchen. Take a look at the ingredients, and make sure that you don’t see anything artificial in there.

My goal for this month is to eliminate the few processed foods left in my diet, primarily dry cereal, milk, and sugar. Over the last couple of years, The Boyfriend and I have slowly but steadily eliminated most processed food from our diet. For those of us who work a full week, that means designating an entire weekend day (sometimes an entire weekend!) to prep food for the work week. My work days last 14 hours, including commute time, so there’s not very much time during the week to make food.

Sundays are a busy and sometimes stressful day in our house, as I work to bake multiple batches of healthy muffins, quick bread, or other snacks for the week. We’ll usually make a big pot of soup with our bounty from the farmers’ market, or another entree that can keep well in the fridge all week. Every morning I leave the house (way before sunrise!) with my backpack stuffed full of muffins, fresh fruit, and my homemade lunch. This may seem like an extraordinary amount of work (and it is), but the payoff is that I generally feel much healthier and happier when I eat whole foods that I have made myself and with the help of The Boyfriend.

Over the course of the month, I’ll post about our progress in finding substitutions for the processed foods that we still buy. I’m hoping to try making my own non-dairy milk. Can anyone suggest a good recipe for rice or almond milk, or a suitable alternative? It seems that the organic rice milk we get at our store still has some questionable, potentially processed ingredients. Ideally we’d have our own goat to provide milk, but that’s not a viable option with our current living situation!

Would you like to join me in this challenge? You don’t have to commit to the entire month, and you don’t even have to eliminate everything at once. How about just a day of consuming only unprocessed food? Or maybe picking just a few processed foods to eliminate for the entire month? By the end of the month, you might not even miss them anymore. I’ve noticed that as I decrease the amount of processed food in my diet, I simply don’t crave it as much anymore. Give it a try!

To kick off the month, I’m posting a blueberry buckle recipe that substitutes a natural sweetener (pure maple syrup) for some of the processed sugar. I do use an organic minimally-processed sugar, but it’s still fundamentally a processed food. I’ve used it in the streusel here mostly because I didn’t want to end up with a syrupy mess. Any thoughts on how to make streusel with a natural sweetener?

Blueberry Buckle
Adapted from The King Arthur Flour Baker’s Companion
Yield: 4-6 servings

For the batter:
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup, room temperature
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup unbleached, unbromated flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup milk
1 cup fresh blueberries

For the streusel:
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons unbleached, unbromated flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold

For this recipe, use a pan that’s about 4″ square. I used a small oval pan, but you could use any pan that has a similar volume. Or, double the recipe and use a 9″ square pan. Butter and flour your pan, and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 375°.

With an electric mixer, beat the maple syrup and butter on medium-high speed until well combined. Add the egg and mix for a minute. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.

Add the milk and vanilla extract to the butter mixture alternately with the dry ingredients, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Beat until well combined. Gently fold in the blueberries. Spread the batter into the pan.

To make the streusel, stir together the sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt. Cut the butter into 1/4 inch chunks. Use your fingers to rub the butter into the sugar mixture until it resembles pea-sized crumbs. Sprinkle the streusel over the batter in the pan.

Bake the buckle for 40-50 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool the buckle in the pan on a cooling rack. Slice and enjoy!

This weekend, we celebrated two milestones: a birthday and the continued world travels of Simple Math Bakery’s cookies. The Boyfriend’s birthday was last week (one of the big ones – it ends in a “0″). What better way to celebrate than with a giant cookie (cake)? As for my cookies, they have now [...]]]>

This weekend, we celebrated two milestones: a birthday and the continued world travels of Simple Math Bakery’s cookies. The Boyfriend’s birthday was last week (one of the big ones – it ends in a “0″). What better way to celebrate than with a giant cookie (cake)? As for my cookies, they have now officially been consumed by fish and humans 61 feet underwater in the Mediterranean Sea. My friend Susannah travels the world as an underwater archaeology photographer. Someday I hope to accompany her on expedition as her official Personal Baker, but until then I send cookie care packages across the Atlantic Ocean.

Since peanut butter isn’t readily available in Spain, my peanut butter cookies made the trans-Atlantic journey along with two other favorites.

The fish seemed quite interested in the cookies as well! I wonder if they would be just as intrigued by a slice of cake…

Chocolate Cake
From The Big Sur Bakery Cookbook
Yield: Two 9″ cake layers, or enough to make one giant cookie cake.

1 1/4 cups plus 1 tablespoon brewed coffee
3/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
1 1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons grapeseed or canola oil
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease the pans with butter or spray with cooking spray.

In a small saucepan, combine the coffee and cocoa powder. Heat over high heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature. While the chocolate is cooling, add the lemon juice to the milk and allow to sit.

With an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, mix the sugar, salt, baking soda, eggs, and egg yolk on low speed until combined. Add the milk mixture, oil, and vanilla extract. Mix on low speed for about 30 seconds. Add the flour and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes. Pour in the chocolate mixture, and mix on high speed for 3 minutes, until the batter is smooth.

Divide the batter between the two cake pans. If you are using silicon pans, place them on a cookie sheet before placing them in the oven. Bake the cake for 35-45 minutes, or until it tests done. Place the pans on a cooling rack to cool completely. Once the cakes have cooled, invert them out of the pans. Use a serrated knife or a cake leveler to even out the sides of the cake that will face the icing.

Fresh Blackberry Buttercream
Created by Simple Math Bakery
Yield: enough frosting to fill one 9″ cookie cake

12 tablespoons (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 pound confectioners sugar
1/2 cup fresh blackberries

With an electric mixer, beat the butter and vanilla extract on low speed until smooth (3-5 minutes). While that’s happening, it’s a good idea to sift your confectioners sugar. Sifted sugar makes super smooth icing!

Add 1/2 of the confectioners sugar and mix on low speed until incorporated. Add the remaining confectioners sugar and continue to mix on low speed. The frosting should be crumbly and dry at this point.

Add the blackberries and beat on low speed until they break apart. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until smooth and gorgeously purple.

Spread the icing on top of one layer, and top with the second layer. Enjoy with a giant glass of milk!

Fluffy lemon chiffon cake, ice cold whipped cream, and just-picked organic strawberries. What more could you want from [...]]]> Jana of Cherry Tea Cakes was our July Daring Bakers’ host and she challenges us to make Fresh Frasiers inspired by recipes written by Elisabeth M. Prueitt and Chad Robertson in the beautiful cookbook Tartine.

Fluffy lemon chiffon cake, ice cold whipped cream, and just-picked organic strawberries. What more could you want from a summer dessert? Though it may appear daunting, all of the components can be broken down into manageable segments that can be spread over a few days. You won’t have to be in the kitchen all day to create such a masterpiece. And believe me, the taste is just as impressive as the presentation. The cake has a pleasant lemon flavor, while the pastry cream filling manages to bring out the fresh flavor of summer strawberries without overpowering them with artificial sweetness.

Jana of Cherry Tea Cakes was our July Daring Bakers host and she challenged us to make Fresh Frasiers inspired by recipes written by Elisabeth M. Prueitt and Chad Robertson in the beautiful cookbook Tartine.

I deviated from the given recipe slightly, by omitting the almond paste topping and the gelatin in the whipped cream, opting to freeze the dessert instead of using a stabilizer.

Lemon Chiffon Cake
Yield: One 8″ cake

1 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup grapeseed oil
3 egg yolks
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest
5 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Preheat the oven to 325°. Line the bottom of an 8″ square (or 8″ springform) pan with parchment paper. Do not grease the sides of the pan.

In a large bowl, stir together the flour and baking powder. Add all but 3 tablespoons of the sugar, and all of the salt. Set aside.

In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the oil, egg yolks, water, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Whisk thoroughly. Pour into the bowl with the dry ingredients and whisk for a minute, until smooth.

In a large, clean bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer, using the whisk attachment, until frothy.

Add the cream of tartar and continue to whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Slowly add the remaining 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar and continue to beat the egg whites until they hold stiff and shiny peaks.

Using a grease-free rubber spatula, scoop about 1/3 of the egg whites into the yolk mixture. Fold in the egg whites gently, to lighten the mixture. Fold in the remaining egg whites just until combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in the pan on a wire rack.
Note: My cake collapsed in the center as it cooled. Some chiffon cake experts recommend cooling the cake upside down, which may help to prevent collapse.

To unmold the cake, run a knife around the edges to separate the cake from the side of the pan. If you’re using a springform pan, simply remove the sides of the pan. Invert the cake onto the cooling rack and peel off the parchment paper.

Pastry Cream Filling

1 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons corn starch
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup heavy whipping cream

Combine the milk, vanilla extract, and salt in a heavy saucepan. Heat the liquid over medium-high heat, until it is close to boiling. Stir occasionally.

Meanwhile, whisk the corn starch and sugar with an electric mixer. Add the eggs, continuing to whisk until smooth. When the milk is ready, slowly pour it into the bowl while the mixer is running, aiming for the small gap between the whisk and the bowl. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and continue to heat until the custard thickens, is just about to boil, and coats the back of a spoon.

Remove the pan from the heat. Strain the custard through a fine mesh strainer to remove any lumps. Allow the custard to cool for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Slice the butter into 4 pieces. Whisk each piece into the pastry cream, one at a time, stirring until dissolved. Cover the pastry cream with plastic wrap, pressing the wrap onto the surface of the cream to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate for up to 5 days.

When you are ready to assemble the fraisier, remove the pastry cream from the fridge. Place the whipped cream in the bowl of your mixer. Whip the cream with the whisk attachment until it forms medium-stiff peaks. Gently fold the whipped cream into the pastry cream with a rubber spatula.

Simple Syrup

1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup water
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Combine the water and sugar in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium-high heat until the mixture comes to a boil and the sugar has dissolved. It is not necessary to stir the syrup, but it won’t hurt if you do. Once the sugar has dissolved, remove the syrup from the heat and cool slightly. Stir in the vanilla extract.

To assemble the fraisier:

1 chiffon cake
1 recipe pastry cream filling
1 recipe simple syrup
2 pounds fresh strawberries

Line the sides of an 8″ springform pan with plastic wrap. Do not cover the bottom. Since I don’t have an 8″ springform pan, I used two small plastic containers. I lined them both with plastic wrap.

Using a serrated knife or a cake slicer, level off the top of the cake and then cut the cake in half horizontally. Trim the cake to fit your pan or container if necessary.

Place the bottom layer of cake into the pan. Drizzle with simple syrup until it is the consistency of a moist sponge.

Hull and slice in half enough strawberries to place upright, around the edges of your container. Arrange the strawberries so that the cut side faces out, pointy side up.

Spoon or pipe the cream filling in between the strawberries, filling the container to the top of the strawberries. If you desire, slice some more strawberries and place them on top of the cream layer. I chose to place one unsliced strawberry into the center of the cream layer.

Place the second layer of cake on top of the cream layer. Moisten this layer with simple syrup. Cover the cake and freeze for at least 4 hours.

If the cake has not completely frozen, you can invert the container and gently tug on the plastic wrap to remove the cake from the container. If the cake has frozen, you may need to let it sit out at room temperature for a while before it can be removed. If you have used a springform pan, simply remove the sides of the pan to serve.

Top the cake with remaining pastry cream filling and fresh fruit.

Happy Summer! If ever there was a Happy Summer counterpart to the Happy Winter cake, this is it. Berries fresh from the CSA, fleetingly ripe and fragile, paired with a simple layer of vanilla cake makes for a perfect welcome to a sweltering hot holiday weekend.

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Happy Summer! If ever there was a Happy Summer counterpart to the Happy Winter cake, this is it. Berries fresh from the CSA, fleetingly ripe and fragile, paired with a simple layer of vanilla cake makes for a perfect welcome to a sweltering hot holiday weekend.

With temperatures soaring above 100° I won’t be very productive in the kitchen this weekend. Fortunately, this cake is just as good after a few days in the freezer as it is fresh from the oven.

It’s been a tough year for our local cherry farmers. A cold and rainy winter coupled with an unexpected snow storm helped California’s drought situation but didn’t bode well for the cherry crop. We were lucky to receive fresh cherries in our CSA basket for two weeks in a row, and the cherry season has already ended.

Freshly picked, perfectly ripe berries never sit around very long in our house. Most of the cherries and boysenberries made their way directly from the CSA basket into our mouths. Sweet and juicy, they needed no accompaniment. But in my kitchen, chances are that some of them would end up in the oven. It’s a good thing they did.

The dark reds and blues of this cake are a perfect color palette for your Independence Day dessert display. There’s no better way to celebrate the first lazy long weekend of summer than with fresh, juicy berries. Relax and enjoy.

Cherry Boysenberry Upside-Down Cake
Adapted from Teenie Cakes
Yield: One 9” cake

3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/3 pound fresh cherries (approximately 30 cherries), halved and pitted
1/2 pound fresh boysenberries
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup rice milk (or your preferred type of milk)

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease only the sides of a 9” round cake pan.

In a small saucepan, melt 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) of the butter over medium-low heat. Add the lemon juice and 1/4 cup of the sugar, stirring to combine. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture just begins to bubble. Pour into the cake pan, tilting the pan to ensure that the entire bottom is covered with syrup.

Arrange the boysenberries and cherries, cut side up, in the bottom of the pan. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

With an electric mixer, beat the remaining 1/2 cup butter on medium speed until it is smooth. Add the remaining 1/2 cup sugar gradually, beating in between additions. Continue to beat until the mixture is pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Add the vanilla extract and beat until combined.

Pour 1/2 of the flour mixture into the wet ingredients, beating on low speed just until combined. Add the milk and beat until combined. Add the rest of the dry ingredients. Stir on low speed just until combined, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary. Gently pour the batter on top of the berries in the prepared pan. Spread the batter evenly across the pan.

Bake for 40-50 minutes. The cake will be golden brown and just beginning to pull away from the sides of the pan. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean.

Invert the cake onto a serving platter immediately. Leave the pan over the cake for a couple of minutes, then remove it. If any fruit remains in the pan, place it atop the cake.

Slice and enjoy while still warm. Store in an airtight container when completely cooled. This cake also freezes well.