Baking Junkie

Cake Category

Sunday, October 30th, 2011

Apple Cream Cheese Bundt Cake with Praline Frosting

I can’t believe I haven’t talked about this yet, but have you guys heard of Pinterest? If you haven’t, I beg you to please click over and check out the site. It is a visual bookmarking system that for the past several months has taken up more of my time than Facebook (hard to believe, right?). If you want to see or follow my Pinterest page click here.

This is one of the recipes that I have found on Pinterest. My sister-in-law not so subtly hinted that this would make a good birthday cake, so that’s exactly what it turned into. The original recipe calls for baked pecans in the cake batter. I did attempt this, but ended up throwing them out after I completely forgot about them in the oven. Oops! If you burn your pecans too, or if you just prefer the cake without them don’t worry, it still tastes delicious! The cream cheese filling adds a nice flavor and contrast, but the frosting was personally my favorite. It is made on the stove and will seem thin and runny at first. If that is how you like things then pour it on the cake right away. I wanted mine to be a little thicker so I let it sit for several minutes first. Enjoy!

Apple Cream Cheese Bundt Cake with Praline Frosting
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Cake:
3 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp nutmeg
3 eggs, beaten
¾ cup vegetable oil
¾ cup applesauce
1 tsp vanilla
1 large apple, peeled and chopped

Filling:
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
¼ cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
½ cup sugar
1 egg
2 Tbsp flour
1 tsp vanilla

Frosting:
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup (1/2 stick) butter
3 Tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, baking soda and nutmeg. Stir in the eggs, vegetable oil, applesauce and vanilla, mixing just until moistened. Add in apples and set aside.

To prepare the filling beat together the cream cheese, butter and sugar using an electric mixer. Add egg, flour and vanilla and beat until combined.

Pour half of the cake batter into a well greased bundt pan. Spoon the cream cheese mixture over the cake batter, making sure to keep it away from the edges of the pain. Swirl the filling gently through the cake batter using a knife. Spoon remaining cake batter over top of filling layer. Place in oven and bake for approximately 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan for 15 minutes, then remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack.

To make frosting place the brown sugar, butter and milk in a medium saucepan and bring to boil over medium heat, whisking constantly. Boil for one minute (continuing to whisk constantly), then remove from heat and add vanilla. Gradually stir in powdered sugar until smooth. Continue to stir gently for several minutes until frosting begins to thicken and cool. Once it has reached your desired consistency pour over the cooled cake.

Tags: Apple, Cake, Cinnamon, Fall recipes

Posted in Cake | No Comments »

Sunday, October 16th, 2011

Cinnamon Roll Cake

This is a recipe that I have been making since college. The original name for it is a graham streusel cake, but I feel that cinnamon roll cake is a little more appropriate since that is what it tastes like! The recipe actually comes from a compilation cook book that my sister’s office at the time put together. She gave it to me as a Christmas gift and I still use it frequently. It reminds me of a church cookbook; they always have such fabulous recipes!

This is one of Derek’s favorite cakes, and for good reason. Since it starts with a box of cake mix it is very easy and convenient. I absolutely love, love, love the graham cracker streusel that serves as the filling and part of the topping for this cake. Recently I have been making my own frosting to drizzle on top, but when I first started making it I would simplify things and use a can of store bought cream cheese or vanilla frosting (if you choose to do this just microwave it for 20-30 seconds and drizzle on top of the cake). It is delicious served right out of the oven, but still tastes great the next day as well. Enjoy!

Cinnamon Roll Cake
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Cake:
1 box yellow cake mix
Ingredients listed on back of box

Streusel:
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
¾ cup brown sugar
1 ¼ tsp cinnamon
¾ cup butter, melted

Glaze:
4 Tbsp melted butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
1 or 2 Tbsp milk or water as needed to thin

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make cake mix according to directions on box. Pour half of the cake batter into a greased 9 x 13 inch pan.

In a separate bowl combine graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, cinnamon and melted butter. Sprinkle half of the streusel mixture on top of cake mix in pan. Pour the remaining cake batter into pan, and top with remaining streusel. Bake approximately 25-30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

While cake is baking, combine all ingredients for the glaze. You can add milk or water as needed until it has reached the consistency you’d like. Drizzle over warm cake.

Tags: Cake, Cinnamon, Fall recipes, Streusel

Posted in Cake | 2 Comments »

Sunday, October 9th, 2011

Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake

Recipe from Veronica’s Cornucopia, originally from Paula Deen

It’s a little hard to believe that it’s fall since it is almost 80 degrees outside right now, but eating pumpkin flavored treats definitely reminds me!

I made my first gooey butter cake earlier this summer and I thought it was fantastic, so when I saw the recipe for a pumpkin version I had to make it. Immediately. First of all, the recipe is from Paula Deen so you know it’s good (and not so good for you). The base of the cake is made from a yellow cake mix, butter and egg. To me it has a similar flavor to a sugar cookie. The filling for the cake is mainly driven by pumpkin, cream cheese, and butter, with some typical fall flavored spices as well. Remember when baking this cake that it should look a little under-baked. You want it to be a little “gooey”! I am slowly but sure converting Derek to pumpkin flavored desserts, and he honestly loved this one. He brought it to his office and his co-workers were raving about it as well. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake
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Cake:
1 box yellow cake mix
8 Tbsp butter, melted
1 egg

Filling:
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
8 Tbsp butter, melted
4 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. With an electric mixer combine the cake mix, 8 Tbsp of melted butter and egg. Pat the mixture into the bottom of a greased 9×13 inch pan. Set aside.

To make the filling beat together the cream cheese and pumpkin. Add eggs and vanilla, then butter. Beat in powdered sugar, then finally add the cinnamon and nutmeg. Pour filling over cake and place in oven. Bake for approximately 45 minutes. Cool completely before serving.

Tags: Cake, Cinnamon, Fall recipes, Pumpkin

Posted in Cake | 3 Comments »

Monday, September 19th, 2011

Nutella Gooey Butter Cake

Recipe adapted from Let’s Dish

Time to be honest.

Please do not put this cake in front of me.

Not because it is horrible, but exactly the opposite.

It is fantastic!

This is one of those desserts that crumbles my willpower. You know I have a problem when the first words out of Derek’s mouth when he sees the cake are “how much have you had already?!”

(The answer for anyone curious is one entire row. Along the 13 inch side, not the 9).

I know what you’re thinking, and I wonder how I don’t weigh 300 pounds either.

This cake really does need me to say much more. Chocolate cake mix, cream cheese, Nutella, and let’s not forget the butter. It really just doesn’t get better than this. I really want to try the original version of a gooey butter cake, but the thought makes my waistline tremble. Enjoy!

Nutella Gooey Butter Cake
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Cake:
1 box Devil’s Food cake mix
1 egg
8 Tbsp butter, melted

Filling:
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup Nutella
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
8 Tbsp butter, melted
4 cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together the cake mix, egg and melted butter. This can be done with just a spoon if you’d like, no electric mixer needed. Pat mixture into greased 9 x 13 inch cake pan. In a separate bowl, using an electric mixer combine the cream cheese and Nutella until smooth. Add eggs, vanilla and melted butter, then add powdered sugar. Pour over cake layer and spread evenly. Place in the oven and bake for 40-50 minutes. The center should still be gooey, do not overbake!
Serve plain or with your choice of whipped cream or ice cream.

Tags: Cake, chocolate, Nutella

Posted in Cake | 2 Comments »

Sunday, September 18th, 2011

Chocolate Snickers Cake

Recipe adapted from Kevin and Amanda

I ate a lot of chocolate this summer. A lot. Trust me, my waistline keeps reminding me. It was all definitely worth it though!

I made this cake for a friend’s birthday. He’s not much of a cake person, but he loves Snickers. I first saw this recipe in cupcake form and knew that it would be good either way, but for the particular situation bringing a cake was going to be easier than cupcakes. This was my first time making any kind of mousse and I had no idea it could be so easy (and delicious)! I decided to make two cake layers and tort them into 4 layers, with each layer being separated by a layer of mousse. The cake is frosted with a delicious chocolate buttercream and topped with chopped snickers. It would be easy to substitute and use any kind of candy on top (peanut butter cups anyone?).

Enjoy!

Chocolate Snickers Cake
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Cake:
1 box devil’s food cake mix
1 small package instant chocolate pudding mix
1 cup sour cream
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla

Chocolate Mousse:
2 cups milk chocolate chips
2 cups heavy whipping cream

Chocolate Buttercream:
1 stick butter, room temperature
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder

3 Regular sized Snickers

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together all ingredients for cake. Batter will be thick. Pour into two well greased 8 or 9 inch cake pans. Bake as directed on box, or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Let cakes cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then remove and place on wire rack to cool completely.

To make the mousse melt the chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl, stirring every 30 seconds. Pour the heavy cream into a separate bowl and whip with a mixer on medium high speed for several minutes, until stiff peaks form. Fold the chocolate into the whipped cream and mix until combined. Set aside.

To make the frosting beat together the butter and vanilla, then add in powdered sugar and cocoa powder.

To assemble the cake, cut each of the two layers in half, creating four thin layers. Stack the cake layers with ⅓ of the mousse filling between each layer. Frost the outside of the cake with the chocolate frosting. Set aside approximately ¾ cup of frosting to place swirls around the outer top edge of the cake, if desired. Chop Snickers into small pieces and place on top of cake.

Tags: Buttercream, Cake, Candy, chocolate

Posted in Buttercream, Cake | 10 Comments »