Peanut Butter and Julie

My Favorite, Most Reliable, and Oh-So-Versatile Chocolate Cake Recipe

Dear Smoke Detector Batteries,

Why, oh why must you always decide to expire at 2:30 a.m., precisely during the point in my dream when I am being handed the keys to my newly acquired  rustic chateau in the south of France?  Is there a reason why you can't hold off until at least 7:00? 

Sincerely,  Julie

It never fails.  Never. Ever.  Right when I have hit full REM mode, that piercing, chronic BEEP tells me that my smoke detector has alternative plans for my early morning activity.  This happened, yet again, last night.  Suddenly, our moonlit, peaceful room became utter chaos.  Lights were flipped on and Eric ran downstairs in search of batteries and the ladder while I tried to determine exactly which detector needed attention.  I was already planning to smash the %&#! thing if by chance we were out of batteries. 

Fortunately, the annoyance was soon fixed, but my chance of a good night's sleep was long gone.  I'm not one of those people who can just fall back asleep easily.  When I'm up, I'm up.  So, after tossing and turning for a few hours, I went down to make some really strong coffee.

I need a good, dark cup of coffee every morning regardless of how I've slept, but on those sleep deprived mornings, I always make enough to accomodate a small army.  I don't know why I do this, because I still end up having just the one cup (like I said, it's strong).  Maybe it's psychological.  Maybe I just don't feel like doing the math for the number of tablespoons of coffee that I need for a fraction of a pot.  Whatever the reason, I had a large supply of leftover coffee.

I hate to waste potential ingredients, even if that ingredient is hours-old coffee, so I searched through my collection of recipes to determine what I could make that requires a jolt of java.  Subconsciously, I already knew which recipe I would end up making.  The search was just gratuitous.  Nothing makes up for a sleepless night like the world's best chocolate cake/cupcake recipe.

Much as I would like to, I cannot take 100% credit for this recipe.  I got it from "somewhere" several years ago, but I wrote it down and now I don't recall the source.  If anyone can enlighten me, feel free.  I think that I tweaked it a little bit too, so it won't be exactly the same as the original.  Anyhow, I have made this cake for countless people, and it is definitely my most requested recipes.  The texture is very moist, and the flavor is a deep, rich chocolate (partially thanks to the coffee.) My favorite thing about this cake, however, is that it is so forgiving when I am trying to shape it, trim it, or create layers.  I never have a problem with crumbling or breaking, which is a huge check-plus in my book. 

The batter also makes a tasty basic chocolate cupcake, with which I like to create variations, such as the S'mores Cupcake (above), and my take on a TastyKake Cupcake (below).  The other picture (to the right) is of a Lilo and Stitch themed cake that I recently made for a friend using this recipe.  I had know idea who Lilo and Stitch were prior to making the cake.  Thank goodness for Google.  Here are some of my extra tips for preparing this irresistible chocolate cake:

• This recipe will make about 22-24 cupcakes.  Fill the cups just over halfway and bake them at 350F degrees for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center emerges clean.
• To make a two-layer half-sheet cake (such as the Lilo and Stitch cake, I doubled the recipe.)
• For the S'mores Cupcakes, I mixed graham cracker crumbs with enough melted butter to achieve a graham cracker crust consistency.  Before baking the cupcakes, I sprinkled each top with 1 teaspoon mini chocolate chips and a few teaspoons of the graham cracker crust mixture.  The frosting was a mixture of butter, confectioner's sugar, marshmallow fluff, and vanilla.
• Because this cake is so moist, you can refrigerate it without the texture becoming dry.  Wrap the layers tightly with plastic wrap prior to chilling.  If you are making a half-sheet cake or a "sculpted cake", then I definitely recommend chilling the cake for at least 2 hours.  This helps to make it sturdy enough to lift and trim as needed.
• The batter can be made one day in advance and chilled, tightly covered.

My Favorite, Most Reliable, and Oh-So-Versatile Chocolate Cake Recipe

Makes one 9-10 inch layer cake 

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups hot strong coffee (no wimpy stuff allowed!)

1/3 cup chopped bittersweet chocolate

3 large eggs

3/4 cup canola oil

3 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 cups good-quality cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 300F degrees.  Spray cake pans with non-stick baking spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper.  Spray the parchment paper.

Mix the hot coffee with the chopped chocolate, stirring occasionally until the mixture is smooth.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs until they are slightly thickened, about 3 minutes.  Slowly add the canola oil, and mix at medium speed for 1 minute.  Gradually add the sugar, mixing until well combined.  Slowly add the buttermilk, coffee mixture, and vanilla, and mix until blended.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  Add the dry ingredients to the batter in three additions on low speed, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary. 

Divide the batter among the prepared pans and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center emerges clean, 55-65 minutes.  Cool the layers for 15 in the pans, and then carefully invert them onto wire racks to cool completely.  

Frost the layers as desired (I recommend white chocolate buttercream!), decorate, and serve! 

Cake and Cookies for a Future Guitar Hero

After my last bruschetta post, which I now realize was posted over a week ago--I have had absolutely no time for blogging/tweeting/facebooking since then, I received what I thought was a very funny comment from one of my friends, Karen (Karen, by the way, also has a blog, Karen Cooks, with oodles of mouthwatering recipes.)  Her comment was:

"Whaa???  No cute little cupcakes, no decorated sugar cookies, no cakes, muffins, breads... OMG I don't know if I can handle bruschetta coming from Julie!  LOL"

This struck me as being funny because as I was posting the bruschetta recipe, I realized how out of place it was, especially among my posts from the past few months.  I almost didn't post it at all--it just felt so....unsweet.  Cookies, cakes, muffins, cupcakes....bruschetta?  ♪ One of these things is not like the other! ♫ 

My first two hundred or so posts were really a mixed bag of recipes, offering a steady rotation of sweet and savory alike.  Lately, however, I've been gravitating towards the sugar bin.  This is partially due to my friend Stephanie and her seemingly never-ending stream of baby showers.  Yes, the same Stephanie of Baby Onesie Cookie and Jenna Fischer Cake hook-up fame.  She's kind of becoming a special guest star on my blog.  If I actually made any money off of this thing, I'd probably owe her 10% for inspiration.

Anyhow, Steph just had her second baby boy last month, and she is already hosting showers for other moms-to-be, currently at a rate of one per week.  As I've noted in the past, although I'm not a big fan of attending baby showers, I am more than willing to deliver the treats for the party (and then promptly leave.)  I'm not saying that to be mean, it's just that with no kids I would likely flunk Baby Shower 101, and all of the games that go with it.  Providing the food is my contribution.

The shower that Steph threw this past week had a "Rock Star" theme, so I made sugar cookies in the shape of musical notes and guitars along with an electric guitar cake.  Such a fun project!  The surface of the cake was piped using a small open-star tip, which can become a little bit back-breaking, but it always looks very nice at the end.  For the "platter", I just bought a square piece of wood at Lowe's, which I covered with a musically-themed fabric.  Actually, I had Eric do this part.  Staple guns scare me.

The toughest part of the entire project was transporting a buttercream-covered cake in almost triple-digit Las Vegas heat.  As soon as I get into the car, I blast the air conditioner, which eventually ends up giving me one of those horrible warm weather cold.  I'm sure that Ace of Cakes has a handy refrigerated van for these types of predicaments.

So there you have it, Karen!  A very Julie-esque sweet post.  Sorry to tell you this, but my next post is savory.  I just made a really yummy pulled pork recipe this weekend, and it would be criminal not to share!

Mixed Berry Brown Sugar Tea Cake

Yesterday, Eric and I went to brunch with my good friend Melia, who I don't get to see often enough.  Brunch is one of those events that I love the idea of: a leisurely Sunday meal filled with champagne-based fruit drinks and plate after plate of hearty foods.  When most Sunday's roll around, however, taking 2+ hours out of my schedule-followed by the obligatory post-brunch nap-just doesn't make sense.  I'll be the first to admit that I'm not very good at the whole "lazy Sunday" thing (Eric would be happy to verify this), and I tend to keep busy trying to get though my to-do list as opposed to just relaxing and enjoying the day.  If I did this, my mind would just be racing with all of the things that I need to accomplish anyhow.  Blame it on my type A personality.

I made an exception to my rule yesterday for three reasons.  First of all, I wanted to catch up with Melia, who has a much more exciting weekend social life than I do (her Facebook photos prove this), and brunch is a much better option for catching up than some noisy Vegas club.  Second, I dragged myself to the early Sunday morning Bikram yoga class, earning my right to a plate full of carbs.  Finally, I had been hearing about the fantastic brunch that Chef Kerry Simon serves at his eponymous restaurant, located at the uber-trendy Palms Place.  Being a huge fan of Chef Simon's signature upscale comfort food, I just had to check it out.

Boy did I pick an exciting day to disrupt my schedule and go to brunch!  No, there were none of the usual Simon celebrity sightings, although there were a few tattooed suspects hidden under hats and shades congregated in the corner. The excitement wasn't even due to the phenomenal menu, which featured everything from Frosted-Flake Crusted Brioche French Toast to custom-blended organic smoothies.  Thisexcitement occurred when, not ten minutes into brunch, we heard a very loud "pop" followed by the sound of shattered glass. 

My first reaction of course was that two servers had collided mid-restaurant as a result of being distracted by the eye candy lounging at the adjacent Palms Place pool.  Not so.  Out of the corner of my eye, I saw thousands of shards of glass raining down onto the pool area from the above condo tower.  It seemed like an endless stream, and I half expected to see a person come down with it (clearly, I have been watching way too much C.S.I. Las Vegas.)  The tourist sitting next to us promptly snapped a photo.  Really??

Three injured sunbathers, two drained pools, and one stretcher later, we learned that one of the glass balcony panes had "somehow" smashed.  These are fairly thick panes.  One can only imagine the story that goes along with this.  Thank goodness that there were no serious injuries, just a few cuts and several dozen displaced sunbathers.  It sure did cause a buzz among the brunch crowd though.  You see, in Vegas, we don't just talk the "never a dull moment" talk, we walk the walk too.  Anything to draw a crowd.

Other than this obvious occurrence, the only downside to brunch was the fact that I couldn't possibly sample everything that I wanted to try (which was pretty much everything that was offered.)  One of these items was a moist-looking berry tea cake, which passed by me in a wicker basket on its way to another table.  I couldn't really tell which berry it was, but I didn't ask because I knew that it would end up on a plate in front of me, and I just. couldn't. eat. another. bite.   I vowed to give it a try upon my next visit, but until then, I tried to create a version of my own, featuring a mix of three berries in a rich brown sugar-based batter.  Enjoying a piece at home might not offer the excitement of brunch at Simon, but I think I've had my fill of shattered glass rain showers for awhile :)  Here are my extra tips for making this triple-berry tea cake:

• I tend to use orange zest in recipes, only because I prefer the flavor to lemon zest, but lemon zest would work just as well in this recipe.
• Instead of using yogurt in the recipe, you can use sour cream or buttermilk.  You can use low-fat varieties, but I wouldn't recommend fat-free.  You need at least a little bit of the fat to keep the cake moist.
• This cake will keep, tightly wrapped at room temperature, for about 3 days.  You can also wrap the cake tightly with plastic wrap after it cools and freeze it for up to 3 weeks. 
• If you want to enjoy the cake over a period of time, pre-slice it and then wrap and freeze the cake.  Remove one slice at a time and thaw at room temperature or reheat it in the oven. 
• This cake would also be great cut into cubes and layered as part of a trifle.

Mixed Berry Brown Sugar Tea Cake

Makes one large loaf (9X5 inches)

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup packed golden brown sugar

Zest from one orange

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/3 cup yogurt

2 cups mixed fresh berries (such as raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries)

Preheat the oven to 325F degrees.  Spray a 9X5-inch loaf pan with nonstick baking spray.  Sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt, and set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and the brown sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes.  Beat in the orange zest.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Mix in the vanilla extract.

Add the flour mixture to the batter in two additions, alternating with the yogurt, beginning and ending with the flour.  Gently fold in the mixed berries, breaking them up as little as possible.  Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.

Bake the cake until a toothpick inserted into the center emerges clean, 50-60 minutes.  Let the cake cool in the pan set on a wire rack for about 15 minutes.  Carefully invert the cake onto the rack and turn it right side up.  Cool the cake completely, slice, and serve.

Vegas Uncork'd and Payard's Decadent Chocolate Cookies

This past weekend, thousands of foodies descended upon the Las Vegas Strip in search of beautifully plated amuse bouche-sized morsels, created by the best chefs in the world.  This culinary pilgrimage was due to Vegas Uncork'd, an annual 72 hour food and wine extravaganza, which is presented by Bon Appetit magazine.  If you happen to be considering a trip to Vegas next year, and you're the type of person who plans your vacations around the food (guilty), you should strongly consider coming to this event.  It seems to get bigger and better every year, and I doubt that you'll be disappointed. 

This year marked the event's 3rd anniversary, and I was lucky enough to be able to attend some of the events on behalf of Foodbuzz.com (thanks, Foodbuzz!)  Armed with my very first media pass and my camera (I felt pretty important), I ate my way through some of the weekend's many events, rubbing shoulders with everyone from Tom Colicchio to Bobby Flay.  Well, I didn't really "rub shoulders" with them.  I did more of a deer-in-headlights stop and stare from three feet away.  I really wanted to tell Tom C.that it was a huge mistake to not have selected Carla as the winner of last season's Top Chef, but I didn't think that would go over very well, so I didn't.

While I only attended a handful of events, some participants seemed to attend just about everything. This basically meant that they did nonstop eating and drinking from the time that they touched down at McCarran Airport to the time that they collapsed into the cab after checkout--likely in a foie gras-induced coma.  For me, this feat would have been physically impossible, so I stuck with a few choice events that sounded the most delicious intriguing.

The first event that I attended was the one that most people attended, The Grand Tasting at the newly renovated Caesar's Palace pool.  For $150, guests were able to sample dishes from a star-studded list of chefs:  Robuchon, Flay, Savoy, Boulud, Ducasse, Batali, Colicchio, English, Mina, Simon, Pellegrini, Payard, Ogden...perhaps you've heard of a few?  The chefs were all there too, well not Batali, but his shoes were (see left).  In between posing for photos, the chefs were all doing what they do best, and in some cases even plating and serving food.  How many people can say that they were handed a hollowed out coconut filled with a spicy mixture of shrimp and shaved vegetables by the Throwdown king himself (a.k.a Bobby Flay)?

Because I was armed with my handy media pass, Eric and I were allowed to enter the tasting a bit early, beating the crowds by about 15 minutes.  After that, I knew that photo opportunities would be nearly impossible, not to mention sampling without being bumped into a few times.  It was really difficult to decide where to start, especially when all of these world-famous restaurant signs are staring at you, just beckoning you to come and sample their cuisine.

Somehow, we made it through the entire event in just over two hours. Because it is very difficult to sample every offering, Eric and I traded off, even skipping a few places that weren't so appealing.  Of all the places that I tried, my favorites dished were a tender lamb chop with curry sauce from Wazuzu (Encore Resort), the perfectly seasoned short ribs from Craftsteak, corn salsa-top sliders from BLT Burger, and the artichoke and black truffle soup, served with a rich brioche, from Guy Savoy (photo below).  This soup sells for something like $65 a bowl at the restaurant (yes, one bowl), so I relished in every sip.

I also had the opportunity to attend some other events during the weekend.  One was a Vegas-style culinary challenge between the chefs of the MGM and Caesars Palace. Cat Cora of Iron Chef fame as the emcee, and Barabara Fairchild, editor of Bon Appetit  magazine served as one of the judges.  There was an All-Star Interactive Lunch, during which you could assist celebrity chefs such as Paul Bartolotta and Daniel Boulud in preparing your meal.  I thought that this was a particularly unique experience well worth the price of admission.  Then of course there was the obligatory Vegas-esque event, the Celebrity Chef Blackjack Tournament.  As I said, there were many other events that I didn't have the chance to attend--you would probably need to clone yourself to attend them all--but I definitely attended enough to get my fill.

I don't like to do a post without offering at least one tasty recipe to go with it.  This is first and foremost a recipe blog, after all.  When we entered the Grand Tasting, we were handed booklets, which provided information about the various Uncork'd events as well as about 70 pages of recipes from the participating chefs themselves (nice touch, huh?)  I thought that it would be fun to try one of these esteemed recipes and share it with my readers.

Hmmm.....but which recipe should I choose?  With so many mouthwatering options, I thought that the selection process alone would be both difficult and time-consuming.  Not so much.  When I took both the economic and feasibility factors of the recipes into consideration, I was really only left with a handful of options.  This meant that I had eliminated all of the recipes that contained one or more of the following ingredients: truffles, truffle oil, truffle juice (what?), Kobe beef, Wagyu beef, duck, Berkshire pork belly, sweetbreads, mountain caviar, and of course foie gras.  From the remaining batch, I got rid of anything with scallops (I'm allergic), aioli (just call it what it is folks--gourmet mayonnaise), or foam.  I finally decided on what ended up being a surprisingly simple, but oh-so-rewarding cookie recipe from the famous pastry chef Francois Payard.  In addition to his New York establishments, Chef Payard owns Payard Patisserie and Bistro at Caesars's Palace in Las Vegas.  These chocolatey cookies are quite rich, despite the lack of butter, cream, egg yolks, or any of the other usual suspects.  Bon Appetit! 

Francois Payard's Decadent Chocolate Cookies

Makes about 12 large cookies

Ingredients:

1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons cocoa powder

3 cups confectioner's sugar

Pinch of salt

2 3/4 cups toasted walnuts, chopped

4 large egg whites

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350F degrees.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. 

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the cocoa powder, confectioner's sugar, salt, and walnuts.  Mix on low speed for 1 minute.

With the mixer running, slowly add the egg whites and the vanilla.  Mix on medium speed for 3 minutes until the mixture has slightly thickened.  Do not overmix, or the egg whites will thicken too much.

Using a 2-ounce ice cream scoop, scoop the batter onto the prepared baking sheets.  Scoop 6 sheet, spacing about 3-inches apart.  Put the cookies in the oven and lower the temperature to 320F degrees.  Bake the cookies for 12-14 minutes, or until small thin cracks appear on the surface of the cookies.  Pull the parchment paper with the cookies onto a wire rack to cool completely.  Remove the cookies from the paper, and store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Chocolate-Covered Brown Butter Blondie Pops

We have a restaurant here in Las Vegas named David Burke, and it is the second outlet (I believe) of a New York restaurant run by Chef--you guessed it--David Burke.  The original restaurant is actually called David Burke and Donatella, but apparently Donatella didn't want to take a gamble on a Sin City locale (ba-dum-bum).

Eric and I have had dinner at David Burke three times.  Before we went the first time, a friend said to me "Oh, you must order the cheesecake lollipops for dessert!!"  Never mind the fact that she has known me for half of my life, and I have told her multiple times that I can't stand cheesecake.  Yes, you've found me.  I'm the American who doesn't like cheesecake.  It's not just some urban legend--I do exist.

I don't remember what we ordered for dessert during any of our dinners at David Burke, or if we even ordered dessert for that matter, but I know that we did not order the famous cheesecake lollipops.  Inevitably, after every dining experience, we were asked by at least one person "Weren't those cheesecake lollipops amazing?"  I think that, much like the chicken lettuce wraps at P.F. Changs, people just assume that you order this item when you dine at David Burke.  When we told them--or perhaps I should say "confessed" (because that's how it felt)-- that we did not try the famous dessert, we were met with the expected "What?", "Oh, you really missed out!", "Bad move.", etc. 

I don't know.  I still enjoyed my dinner without experiencing those whimsical lollipops (which were served on a way cool lollipop "tree.")  But the whole series of dinners spent watching others enjoy these signature sweets did pique my interest.  Why should cheesecake lovers have all the fun?  What about fans of brownies, cookie dough, and blondies?  I had seen some really cute lollipops made from mixtures of cake and icing in other food blogs, so why wouldn't it work with my favorite rich brown butter blondie recipe?  It would.  It did.  And let me tell ya--they are yummy.  Maybe if we go to David Burke again, I'll just bring a few of these babies along in my purse for when dessert rolls around.  Here are a few extra tips for these bite-sized blondie pops:

• Instead of using blondies, you can try this recipe with brownies, cookie dough, or even cake that has been crumbled and then mixed with buttercream.  Be sure that the brownies are fudgy so that you can form them into balls.
• Sometimes melted chocolate can be to thick for dipping.  An alternative would be to make a ganache by bringing 1/2 cup of cream to almost a boil and then pouring it over the chocolate chips.  Once the chips have melted, stir until smooth.  You can also stir 1 tablespoon of corn syrup into the ganache, which help with the consistency.  Do not add cold cream to the melted chocolate or it will seize up.
• You can also use candy melts for this recipe.  They are found in various colors in stores like Michaels, and they are used specifically for projects like this.  I prefer the taste of real chocolate, but the candy melts are more user-friendly.
• These treats can also be served without the lollipop sticks as little blondie truffles.

Chocolate-Covered Brown Butter Blondie Pops

Makes about 60

Ingredients:

10 ounces unsalted butter

2 cups light brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup sugar

3 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 1/4 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup toffee bits (such as Heath brand)

Lollipop sticks

12 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips

12 ounces white chocolate chips

Food coloring, sprinkles, decorations

Preheat the oven to 350F degrees.  Line a 9X13X2 inch baking pan with foil so that it hangs over the edges by 1-inch.  Spray the foil with non-stick baking spray.

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, swirling occasionally, until it turns brown and fragrant.  Set the saucepan aside to allow the butter to cool slightly.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the brown butter with both sugars at medium speed until well combined.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.  Continue to beat the mixture at medium speed until it is light and creamy, about 4 minutes.  Mix in the vanilla.

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.  Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, mixing until combined.  Mix in the toffee bits.  Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top.  Bake the blondies until the top is golden brown, and a toothpick inserted into the center emerges with a few moist crumbs attached, 30-35 minutes.  Set the blondies aside until they are cool enough to handle, but still warm.

Prepare the blondie pops

Line a baking sheet with parchment or waxed paper.  Remove the blondies from the pan by lifting the edges of the foil.  Trim the edges of the blondies, as these can be too tough to form into balls.  Roll the dough into balls that are about the size of a quarter and place the balls on the prepared sheets.  Chill the balls for 2 hours.

Melt one or both types of chocolate, depending on how you want to decorate the pops.  Insert the lollipop sticks into the ends of the chilled balls.  One by one, roll the blondies into the white or dark chocolate, allowing excess to drip off.  Return the pops to the baking sheets to let the chocolate harden. Once the first layer of chocolate has hardened, drizzle the pops with the other type of chocolate or colored white chocolate.  Allow the second layer to harden. 

White Chocolate Coconut Key Lime Cupcakes

**I felt the need to return to this blog post and add a little note.  A friend of mine emailed me and said "Hey--great recipe!  Is it similar to the one that was made by the girl you competed against on Ultimate Recipe Showdown?"

Panic mode immediately set it when I read her email.  "Oh no!  Did I accidentally copy someone's recipe and claim it as my own?   Noooooo!"  I quickly rushed over to FoodNetwork.com to look atJamie's recipe.  Although the titles are almost identicle, luckily, the recipes are different  (I would have just died if they were the same.)  That being said, I still think that I owe it to Jamie Nondorf to credit her with inspiring this recipe.  I must have stored her great idea somewhere in the back of my mind for future baking occasions.  Thank you, Jamie.

OK.  I feel better now.  Back to the post:

In several of my past posts, I have referred to our pair of Meyer lemon trees, both of which we planted a few months after moving into our house in 2003.  To be honest, Eric did most of the actual planting, while I did my share of pointing and directing.  It was a true team effort.

The same day that we planted the two lemon trees, we also planted a Valencia orange tree and a Key lime tree.  As expected, for the first few years the trees bore very little--if any--fruit.  During the third year, we reaped a "harvest" of half a dozen lemons and two limes.  The fourth year brought us a bag full of lemons, a couple of oranges......and two limes.  Last year, we had so many lemons that we were giving them away, we had enough oranges to make freshly squeezed juice on the weekends.......and we had two limes (Hey, at least it was consistent).  It became pretty clear which tree was the "Charlie Brown Christmas tree" of the batch.

Unfortunately, we had to dig up the lime tree, but in the spirit of Arbor Day (today), we are going to replace it with another.  Eric's goal is to have enough limes so that he can just pop outside whenever he needs to grab a garnish for his Pacifico throughout the summer.  Little does he know that my goal is to be able to make batches and batches of Key lime baked goods using my very own Key limes. 

Before we dug up the tree, I salvaged the two little (very little) limes.  Supplemented with a few additional limes from the grocery store, I decided to create cupcakes inspired by Eric's favorite dessert: Key Lime Pie (What is it about men and Key Lime Pie anyhow?  They all seem to love it.)  Several years ago, I tried one of Bobby Flay's recipes that matched Key lime dessert bars with a white chocolate topping, and it paired really well, so that was behind my thinking for the buttercream.  I threw in the shredded coconut at the last minute.  I thought that it would keep the cupcakes moist, and coconut and lime is always a good combination. The lime curd filling adds an nice citrus kick, but it is optional.  For my cupcakes, I used a marinade injector to insert the curd into the center.  This is a little gadget that looks like a syringe, and it is usually used for infuse meats with flavoring.  I got the idea from my friend, Lorie Roach, who used this technique with her cupcakes on a Food Network competition a few years ago.  I remember thinking "That is so cool!  I can't wait to try it!"  I went out, bought the gadget, and it sat in my drawer for two years.  Finally, I tried it--still pretty cool. 

These cupcakes are the perfect flavor as we head into warmer weather.  Hopefully next year, I will be able to make several dozen from my abundant crop of Key limes in the backyard!  Here are my extra tips for preparing these tropical tasting treats:

• If you don't have access to Key limes and Key lime juice, then certainly substitute regular limes and lime juice
• Be sure to thoroughly spray the pan with a good nonstick baking spray (I love Pam for Baking), and these cupcakes can tend to stick.  An alternative would be to use muffin liners.
• Because I was short on time, I purchased a premade lime curd for this recipe, but you can also make a homemade version.  Here is a recipe for lemon curd--simply substitute lime juice for lemon juice.
• You can also fill the cupcakes with lime-flavored pastry cream.
• If you don't have a piping bag or a flavor injector, you can cut a corner off of a zip-top bag and fit it with a round tip.  Fill the bag with the curd and pipe away!

White Chocolate Coconut Key Lime Cupcakes

Makes about 20

Ingredients:

For the cupcakes

1/2 pound unsalted butter, softened

2 cups sugar

1/4 cup Key Lime zest

4 large eggs

3 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup Key Lime juice

1/2 teaspoon coconut extract

1 cup sweetened shredded coconut

Lime Curd

For the White Chocolate Buttercream

12 ounces white chocolate, coarsely chopped

3 cups confectioner's sugar

1/2 pound unsalted butter, softened

1/4 teaspoon salt

2-4 tablespoons heavy cream

Graham cracker crumbs and lime twists for garnish

Prepare the cupcakes:  Preheat the oven to 350F degrees.  Spray 2 (12-cup) cupcake tins with nonstick baking spray and set aside.  In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Add the lime zest, mixing until well blended.  Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing until incorporated and stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  In a small bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, lime juice, and coconut extract.  Add the flour and lime juice mixtures alternately to the batter, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.  Stir in the shredded coconut.

Divide the batter among the muffin tins, filling about halfway full.  Bake the cupcakes for 20-22 minutes, until they spring back when lightly touched.  Let the cupcakes cool for 5 minutes and then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

When the cupcakes are cool, fit a piping bag with a medium round tip.  Fill the piping bag with the lime curd.  Insert the tip of the piping bag into the center of each cupcake and squeeze until you start to feel some resistance (this will indicate that there has been enough lime curd inserted.)

Prepare the white chocolate buttercream:  In a small saucepan set over medium-low heat, melt the white chocolate until smooth, stirring frequently.  Set the saucepan aside until the white chocolate has cooled to room temperature.  In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the confectioner's sugar and the butter until it is light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes.  Add the salt and the melted chocolate, beating until the mixture is well combines.  Add enough of the heavy cream so that the buttercream is very light, fluffy, and spreadable.

Pipe or frost the buttercream onto the cooled cupcakes.  Sprinkle the top with graham cracker crumbs and top with a lime twist. 

Fashionably Frugal Sugar Cookies

Fashionably Frugal Sugar Cookies

What??  Two posts in one day??

I know--hardly ever happens.  But, when I'm inspired, I'm inspired, and let me tell you:  shoes inspire me (am I right ladies?)  Even if the shoes in this case are edible and much too small to fit my Shaq-esque size 9 1/2 feet, they still inspire me.

Were shoes always such a big deal with women?  Not that I recall.  But from the very first time that the words "Manolo Blahnik" escaped the lips of Carrie Bradshaw on Sex and the City, a veritable designer shoe obsession started.  This phenomenon will lead women to spend entire paychecks on one pair of black (albeit killer black) stilettos and to pronounce words like "Louboutin" as if French was their native language. 

As Oprah would say: There are two things I know for sure.  One is that you can always get a man to leave a room (or at least tune out of the conversation) if you start talking about shoe shopping.  The other is that giving a woman something that resembles designer shoes (while not nearly as good as the shoes themselves) is sure to put a smile on her face. 

In light of the recent economy, I think that it's pretty safe to say that the shoe departments of the various Saks, Neimans, and Barneys across the U.S. have seen quite a decrease in foot traffic (get it? foot traffic?)  That being said, it seems like the prices of shoes keep rising along with the height of their heels.   Well, even if you're not in the market for the latest strappy sandals thatrock the runway, you can still console yourself over a plate of these designer desserts (dip them in chocolate and they will make you feel even better.)

These sugar cookies were made from another pair of shapes that I dug out from my cookie cutter basket (both of which I probably purchased on Sugarcraft.com.)  The initial shoe shape was a bit "dowdy," so I tried to trim it down a bit, but I think that it still needs some more work.  As you can see to the right, I tried to fashion some of the pumps after Christian Louboutins and their tell-tale red soles. Tried.  They didn't turn out exactly as I had hoped, but maybe that's because I don't have a pair of my own to compare them to (ahem, Eric.)

Here are a few extra tips for making this duet of delicious designer duds:

• The little flowers on the dresses and the shoes are made from mini flower cutters and colored fondant that I allowed to dry overnight.  For faster drying you can use gumpaste instead of fondant--I just didn't happen to have any on hand, and I didn't feel like making it from scratch.
• I believe that I purchased the mini cutters on Sugarcraft.com also, but I don't remember for certain.  The gumpaste/fondant cutters are available on pretty much any cake decorating supply site though.
• The sugar cookie dough recipe that I used can be found .
• When decorating cookies like these, start one day in advance because they have several layers of royal icing.  If the individual layers aren't dry, then it is very easy to dent the icing.

Pomegranate Granola Chocolate Chunk Cookies

I'm really picky when it comes to granola and granola bars.  I distinctly remember the granola that was served in the dining commons in college.  It was served via one of those plastic cereal dispensers--if you pull the handle one of two scenarios occurs: Nothing at all comes out and you either need to shake the dispenser or move on to the Frosted Flakes -or- The entire contents of the dispenser spills out over your bowl, onto your tray, and the floor.  Note: This second scenario occurs almost exclusively when at least half of the student body is there to witness the situation, with that super cute boy standing in line right behind you.

So......back to the granola.  For a cereal that used to be synonymous with "healthy" and "natural", the granola that was served in my college dining commons was anything but.  It tasted like bland, dry, processed clumps of sugar, which disintegrated in your mouth and provided nothing in the nutritional department whatsoever.  No fruit.  No nuts.  Just clumps.  Blech!

I rarely find a granola that satisfies my requirements.  It can't taste like it was made in the 20th century, and it shouldn't have the nutritional equivalence of a hot fudge sundae.  When I find one that I do like, it is usually at some remote bed and breakfast or mom and pop place, so I have just started creating my own varieties, such as the Pomegranate-Tangerine version below (inspired by a case of POM pomegranate juice, which was sent to me as a runner-up prize in the POM Blogger contest--I'm now kind of obsessed with the stuff.)

Granola is such a simple and versatile recipe.  You start with oats, and then you just go from there.  Don't like nuts?  Use more fruit.  Allergic to dairy?  Leave out the butter.  Bake it until crispy or keep it soft and chewy.  Honey. Coconut. Maple syrup. Orange Zest.  The sky's the limit as far as possibilities go.  Not only is granola a versatile recipe, but it's a versatile ingredient too.  Use it as part of a parfait or mix it into muffin or bread batters.  For the following recipe, I added granola to a pretty standard (given a spice or two) chocolate chunk cookie recipe.  The granola adds a caramelized, nutty flavor with bits of spice and tart cranberry to complement the bittersweet chocolate.  Here are a few extra tips for making these chock-full chocolate chunk cookies (and granola):

• If you don't have pomegranate juice for the granola, try using cranberry or orange juice instead.  You can also substitute pure maple syrup (not the fake kind!) for the honey.
• After the granola comes out of the oven, immediately press it down all over with the back of a spatula and let it cool.  This helps to form the little clusters of granola when you break it up into pieces.
• Instead of using dried cranberries, you can use dried cherries or golden raisins.  Substitute pecan halves, walnuts, or pistachios for the almonds.
• The cookie dough can be prepared up to 2 days in advance and chilled, tightly covered, untilready to bake.  You can also "pre-portion" the cookie dough into balls and chill.  This way, you just need to transfer the balls of dough to the prepared baking sheet and bake!
• The baked cookies will keep at room temperature, covered, for 3-4 days.  You can also freeze them in zip-top bags for up to 3 weeks. 

Pomegranate Granola Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Makes about 20

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup golden brown sugar, packed

2 large eggs

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon almond extract (optional)

1 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups Pomegranate-Tangerine Granola (recipe follows)

1 cup bittersweet chocolate chunks

Preheat the oven to 350F degrees.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.  In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, 3 minutes.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.  Mix in the vanilla and almond extracts.

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  Add the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl, and mix until combined.  Stir in the granola and the chocolate chunks.

Using a medium (2 tablespoon) ice cream scoop, drop the batter onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing the portions 2 inches apart.  Bake the cookies until they are golden brown, 10-12 minutes.  Cool the cookies on the baking sheets for 5 minutes and then transfer them to wire racks to cool completely.

Pomegranate-Tangerine Granola

Makes about 8 1/2 cups

4 cups rolled oats

1 cup sweetened shredded coconut

1 1/4 cups sliced almonds

Zest from 2 tangerines

3/4 cup POM pomegranate juice (gotta love the super-POM-hero picture to the right)

1/2 cup honey

1/3 cup golden brown sugar, packed

1/4 cup safflower oil

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups dried cranberries

Preheat the oven to 325F degrees.  In a large bowl, combine the oats, coconut, almonds, and tangerine zest, mixing well.

In a medium saucepan, combine the pomegranate juice, honey, brown sugar, safflower oil, cinnamon, allspice, and salt.  Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, whisking until the sugar dissolves.  Pour the hot liquid over the oats mixture, tossing until it is evenly coated.

Spray a large rimmed baking sheet with non-stick baking spray and spread the granola mixture evenly on the sheet.  Bake until the granola is golden brown on the edges, tossing once, about 20 minutes.  Mix in the cranberries and stir to blend.  Continue to bake until the granola is golden and dry, stirring once, about 15 minutes longer.  Cool the granola completely on the baking sheet.

Fire Engine Birthday Cake and Cookies

When I turned three--or perhaps it was four--my brother and I had a joint birthday party out by the pool.  We both had summer birthdays, and we were only one year apart in age, so it was probably much easier on my mom to throw one party with both sets of friends as opposed to two.  Besides, as long as there were the requisite cake and presents with my name on them, what did I care?

There is very little that I remember about this party without the aid of photos.  I do remember that one of my friends cried from the moment that her mom dropped her off until the moment that her mom returned to take her home.  This girl refused to get into her bathing suit to go swimming, and she didn't even want a piece of cake.  I have no idea what her name was, but I am guessing that my mom was thrilled to have her as a guest.  I'm pretty sure that we had a pinata filled with candy, only because my birthday parties always featured a pinata.  My attire for the party was my favorite late-70s model purple bathing suit.  Oh yeah, I was chic.

What I don't remember about my party is what gifts I received for presents, although there was probably at least one Barbie and a stuffed animal or two.  Other than a handful of friends and crying girl, I don't remember who was there to help us celebrate.  I don't remember what we had for lunch, and I don't recall the cake.  It was probably a Carvel though, as those were my favorite, even though they were impossible to cut through without nearly dislocating a shoulder.

Today's 3-year-old birthday parties are much different from the ones that were held when I was little.  Elaborate themes, jumpy houses in the back yard, large budgets, and long, multiple-generation guest lists are all standard.  The food is much different too.  Hot dogs, pizza, and Carvel cakes have been replaced by catering and custom sculpted cakes.  This weekend, I made a cake and cookies for one such party, honoring an adorable three-year-old named Dominic.  The theme of the party was "Fire Engines," so coming up with a correlating idea for the cake was pretty easy.  The idea was easy.  The cake, not so much.  I stayed up all night on Friday working on it, working right up until the time of the party, so that when I delivered it, you can only imagine how absolutely stunning  I looked.  I'm talking about buttercream in my hair and food coloring on my clothes stunning.  I'm surprised I didn't scare Dominic away.  He seemed to approve of my work though (Phew!Those three-year-olds can be pretty demanding), and I was happy with how the cute themed cookies turned out too.  Here are a few additional notes regarding this custom pair of sweet treats:

• The fire truck was made from 3 standard cake recipes, which I baked in three half-sheet pans.  I made two chocolate and one vanilla.  For sculpted cakes, it is really important to use dense cake recipes, as opposed to lighter recipes that are prone to crumbling during the assembly and shaping.
• The buttercream for the entire cake was a simple white chocolate buttercream, which I like to work with because it is very spreadable and easy to pipe.  I piped most of the cake using a #21 star tip, and some of the detail and outlining was done with a #2 round tip.
• The ladders were made from fondant, which I allowed to dry and harden for 24 hours.  The ladders were secured to the side of the fire engine with pretzel sticks--I like the entire cake to be edible so people don't bite into something like a toothpick!  The tires, fire hose, and pool of water were also created with fondant.
• The "lights" on top of the fire engine were made using three Jolly Rancher candies.
• The entire cake sat on a standard 2X2-inch wooden board that I bought from Lowe's, which I wrapped in plain black fabric.  It would have been much too heavy for a regular cake board.
• The cookie cutters were purchased from a great baking supply site called Sugarcraft.  They have just about every shape imaginable, and their prices are really low.

Mini Lemon-Thyme Cornmeal Cakes

My home is in serious need of some spring cleaning.  Golden Lab + Rottweiler + desert dust + two busy adults = a household so untidy that it would most definitely embarrass my mother.  I don't even have toddlers to blame, but since we have a seemingly unlimited supply of black and yellow hairs that end up adorning every square inch of furniture, carpet, and clothing, I'll just blame the dogs.

When it comes to keeping the house clean year-round, Eric has his weaknesses, and I certainly have mine.  Eric's recurring theme is leaving items in places where they should not be left.  On any given morning, he will have no fewer than 5 glasses sitting on his nightstand--they just never seem to make their way down to the dishwasher.  His entire collection of baseball hats always ends up on the coffee table (maybe this would stop if one of the dogs just "happened" to grab his favorite Red Sox cap and chew it to pieces...hmmm.)  I've also gotten used to finding random lone socks lounging around.  You get the idea.

Most of my untidy-ness relates to (be prepared to be shocked) cooking.  Ironically, I am not referring to the actual cooking and baking process--I am pretty meticulous about cleaning up the kitchen after I prepare something.  I am talking about the piles and piles (and piles) of papers, magazine clippings, notebooks, etc., which contain my future recipe ideas, random ingredient lists, even drawings.  Because so many recipes have been done and done and done again, I am constantly looking for a fresh approach to an old favorite.  Like many cooks, these are derived from creations that I read about in magazines and cookbooks, or ones that I see on T.V.  I've even been known to watch Food Network shows with a notepad nearby, ready to jot down notes as inspiration strikes (nerdy, but true.)

The two things that make this recipe a little bit different--the addition of fresh herbs and the size of the cakes--were inspired by two of my fellow competitors from Ultimate Recipe Showdown.  Well, they didn't actually compete against me in the cake challenge, but they competed against each other in the dessert round.  Camilla Saulsbury, who is a friend through competing and blogging, created two incredible desserts using fresh herbs, and Lisa Roman, who won the competition, made adorable "babycakes"--individual mini-cakes that have baby food as an ingredient.  Although it might seem a bit odd, the combination of lemon and thyme works beautifully, especially with the addition of cornmeal to the batter.  The tart lemony glaze serves as a nice contrast to the not-too-sweet cake, and the individual portions are perfectly sized for any brunch, dessert, or to satisfy a late night craving.  Here are a few extra tips for these cute citrus cakes:

• If you don't want to make miniature-sized cakes, you can also turn the batter into one large cake.  Use a 9-inch round cake pan and bake for 30-35 minutes at 350F degrees.
• If the cakes appear to be sticking when you start to remove them from the tins, use an offset spatula or a butter knife to facilitate the process.  Personally, I am a huge fan of Pam for Baking.  It has a little bit of flour in the formula, so it essentially greases and flours the pans at the same time.  My baked goods always come out of the pans easier when I use it.
• You can substitute 1 teaspoon dried thyme for the tablespoon of fresh thyme.  This 1:3 ratio applies for most dried and fresh herbs.
• Although the cakes are definitely best eaten the day that they are prepared, they will keep, covered at room temperature, for 2-3 days. 

Mini Lemon-Thyme Cornmeal Cakes

Makes about 14

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups flour

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup yellow cornmeal

4 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup buttermilk

2 large eggs

Zest from 1 large lemon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 ounces unsalted butter, melted (1 stick)

3 cups sifted confectioner's sugar

4-5 tablespoons lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 350F degrees.  Spray regular-sized muffin tins with nonstick baking spray.  In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cornmeal, baking powder, thyme, and salt.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, eggs, lemon zest, and vanilla.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and fold together until just blended.  Fold in the melted butter.

Divide the batter among the muffin cups, filling them just halfway.  Bake the cakes until they are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the center emerges clean, 18-22 minutes.  Let the cakes cool in the tins for 10 minutes, and then carefully remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

Prepare the glaze:  In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and 4 tablespoons lemon juice until smooth.  Add more lemon juice if necessary, so that the glaze is thick but pourable.  Spread the glaze over the top of the cakes, allowing it to drip down the sides.  Allow the glaze to set for at least 15 minutes and serve.