Hot Milk Cake!

When I look at that title, I am rather not bowled over by an inclination to bake in the midst of summer weather. That said! This old fashioned recipe yields quite possibly the best cake to accommodate however much fresh summer fruit (and whipped vanilla cream) your heart desires. It’s a relatively quick and easy cake that’s ideal for the last minute, and worth turning on the oven for despite heat/humidity. And, it can be enjoyed two different ways…

1) as pictured, as a single layer sheetcake covered in berries and cream, awaiting a side of 4th of July fireworks. (I am absolutely planning to revisit with peaches later this summer). …or slice and serve fruit/cream alongside!

2) as my mom made hot milk cake: leave the cake to cool in the pan, and while still warm from the oven, pour a simple glaze over the top, let barely set, and dig in. (my mom and grandmother both served cakes warm with glaze, and I honestly don’t know why I’ve gotten so away from it! I suppose it’s harder to pull off when you’re baking for orders or a bakery/restaurant, but I know that the rest of my 2023 will feature more of this!!)

The crumb is tender yet substantial, fluffy but dense (in a good way). Nearly all of my go-to recipes for layer cakes use buttermilk, so it had been a minute since I’d appreciated the way that regular milk showcases vanilla, which to me is an especially nostalgic taste.

Hot Milk Cake

— Ingredients —

• 4 large eggs, at room temperature

• 400g (2 cups) sugar

• 1 t vanilla extract

• 1/2 t almond extract

• 270g (2 1/4 cups) AP flour

• 2 1/4 t baking powder

• 3/4 t kosher salt

• 300g (1 1/4 cup) whole milk

• 140g (10 T) unsalted butter, cubed

— Direcions —

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Butter and line a 9x13” pan with parchment, butter the parchment. In a large bowl, beat eggs at high speed for about 5 minutes, or until thick and lemon-colored (the mixture should be thick enough to leave a trail over itself if you lift the mix attachment).

2. Mixing on medium speed, gradually add the sugar to the eggs in a steady stream. Beat until light and fluffy, then add the vanilla. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl, then add to the egg/sugar mixture in two batches, mixing gently until just combined. I recommend scraping the sides of the bowl between additions, and after the second addition.

3. In a small saucepan, heat the milk and butter just until the butter is melted. With the mixer on low-medium speed, gradually add the milk mixture to the batter, mixing until just combined. Run a spatula around the sides and combine any un-mixed portions until smooth.

4. Pour into prepared pan, and bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 30-35 minutes. Cool on rack…douse in glaze or let cool completely!

   (adapted from Taste of Home)

Vanilla Whipped Mascarpone

• 8 oz mascarpone

• 240g (1 cup) heavy whipping cream

• 1 t vanilla extract

• 25g (roughly 2 T) confectioners’ sugar

  Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl, and mix on medium-high. Once it begins to thicken, turn speed to medium-low to avoid over-mixing; you want it to hold shape but still have a little flow! Once you feel like it’s the right consistency, turn to high for a literal second to make sure it’s evenly mixed. Use immediately, as it begins to set if it sits (you can tell which rows were piped first vs. last!).

Spiced Eggnog Rum Cakes!

These came about after an impulsive eggnog purchase the other day. In the days that followed, as I was met again and again by the eggnog each time that I opened the refrigerator, I felt a little ridiculous. It’s not as though I was necessarily looking forward to pouring a glass. What to do with it—?

Cake, naturally! This is a spin on one of my favorite recipes—spiced buttermilk rye. I switched buttermilk for eggnog, and traded cardamom for nutmeg. It worked quite well; the eggnog flavor is pronounced but well-balanced amidst the warm spices, earthy hint of rye, and luscious texture. I brushed the cakes with a good amount of brandy as soon as they were out of the oven; could also use bourbon or rum! As for topping, a simple, light whipped cream—with hint of vanilla or with splash of eggnog—would be nice, as would a cream cheese frosting, as would buttercream. I had some caramel and also some vanilla buttercream on hand, and decided to go that route with it. Finally, dust with freshly grated nutmeg!

I baked them in a financier tin because….just because. Of course a muffin/cupcake tin would work instead, or go on and make a layer cake out of it!

Spiced Eggnog Rum Cakes

yields about 15 financier cakes or 18 standard cupcakes

Ingredients

• 1 c (120 g) all-purpose flour

• 1 c (120 g) dark rye flour

• 1 t baking powder

• 3/4 t baking soda

• 3/4 t kosher salt

• 1 t cinnamon

• 1/2 t nutmeg

• pinch cardamom

• 3/4 c (1.5 sticks; 171 g) unsalted butter, room temp

• 1/2 c (100 g) granulated sugar

• 1/3 c (70 g) light brown sugar, packed

• 2 large eggs

• 1 t vanilla

• 3/4 c (180 g) eggnog, room temp

• 1/4 c (60 g) creme fraiche

To finish:

• 1/3 c (80 g) bourbon or brandy

• freshly whipped cream or other frosting

• whole nutmeg

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Generously butter a financier pan, or line a cupcake tin. Whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices; set aside. Add the vanilla to the eggnog.

2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugars until extremely light and fluffy (5-10 minutes), stopping once to scrape the sides of the bowl. Add the eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl after each addition and mixing well.

3. Add the dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk, and mixing until just combined before scraping the bowl down and continuing. Finally, remove bowl from mixer and gently fold in the creme fraiche until just combined (do not overmix!).

4. Divide the batter into the financier pan—batter should fill each cavity just shy of 3/4 full. (same for cupcakes—3/4 full!) Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until cake springs back when lightly pressed on top.

5. As soon as the cakes are cool enough to handle, invert them onto a cooling rack. If using a financier shape, trim the tops so that they are completely flat, then flip them upside down so that the top becomes the base. Brush tops with brandy or bourbon, repeating until all liquor is used.

6. Frost with piped or dolloped whipped cream or frosting, then grate nutmeg over each!

Blueberry Cakes!

April 1st! It seemed like March was never going to end. I’ve missed making cakes and frostings—assembling, decorating, delivering. I miss creating custom cakes for your celebrations.

Over the last few weeks of social distancing, staying home, etc., I’ve let go of the pressure to bake and post to social media. I’ve been in an alternating news / toddler induced fog. That said! I’ve made a few breakfast-type baked goods; ideal for snacking, ideal for freezing and microwaving. Casual, delicious, decadent with a scoop of ice cream.

Up first are these blueberry cakes! I baked them in a mini-cheesecake tin for whatever reason; definitely use a muffin tin & liners if you’re more inclined! I have a hodgepodge of various flours in my pantry, so decided to incorporate a few of them instead of leaning solely on all-purpose (you know, so I wouldn’t blow through it all before the next grocery run in 2 weeks). If you don’t already, I would really recommend getting some buckwheat and nut flours into your pantry—they really make a wonderful difference in taste and texture. And this time seems as good as any to experiment!

If you’re not familiar with Wyman’s frozen Maine blueberries, well, I’ll just leave you with this tidbit. I ate an outrageous amount of fresh blueberries during the summer I was pregnant with Lilly in Maine. When Lilly was old enough to try her first blueberry (in KC at this point), she wanted nothing to do with them. I was like, huh, interesting, that’s too bad. But I also didn’t blame her—the fresh ones we got at the store here were bland at best. Flash forward to my finding Wyman’s, and suddenly we have an absolute fiend on our hands who wants nothing but frozen blueberries for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and in between. Her desire for these things is beyond—she’ll even chomp through them frozen. And while I’m dreaming of the day we can be in Maine eating them fresh, I am thrilled to have this delicious alternative.

(I find Wyman’s at Whole Foods. They’ve been well stocked, even through the last month; otherwise I don’t know if I’d have been able to blast this secret!)

Blueberry Cakes

Yields 12 miniature cakes or muffins

Ingredients

3/4 cup (90 g) all-purpose flour

3/4 cup (90 g) rye flour

1/4 cup (30 g) buckwheat flour

1/4 cup (30 g) ground hazelnuts (or almonds)

1 t baking powder

3/4 t baking soda

3/4 t salt

1 t cinnamon

1/2 t cardamom

3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks, 170 g) unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 c (100 g) granulated sugar

1/3 c (70 g) dark brown sugar, packed

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 t vanilla extract

3/4 cup (180 g) buttermilk

1/4 cup (60 g) creme fraiche

2 cups frozen blueberries

Raw sugar, to finish

Direction

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners (or grease with butter) and set aside.

Whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices in a medium bowl.

Using an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugars on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 10 minutes. Scrape down the bowl and paddle and mix again.

Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping the bowl between each addition. Add the vanilla.

Add half of the dry ingredients followed by the buttermilk, scraping the bowl after each addition. Add the remaining half of the dry ingredients, and finally, fold in the creme fraiche with a spatula, being careful not to over-mix.

Use an ice cream/cookie scoop (should be about 1/4 cup capacity) to divide the batter into the prepared tin. Place a palm-full of frozen blueberries onto each, and repeat with another scoop of batter followed by another handful of blueberries. Sprinkle with sugar, and bake for about 15 minutes before rotating the tin, and bake for another 15-20 minutes. They will be done when the tops spring back when pressed lightly.