I like coffee and I like cake with it. This pair is perfect. And, it’s perfectly easy to make. Recipe this weekend!
cake
Christmas Treats/Gingerbread Bundt
I endeavored to make or bake and photograph a treat for the 25 days of Christmas; quite a lofty undertaking, and I may have spoken to soon. However, as we speak, I have a batch of three different flavors of biscotti, baking in the oven now.
Initially, my goal was to have a variety of, primarily cookies, for the posts. However, I love baking and crafting various types of treats as gifts. From cookies, to breads, to cakes and truffles, I decided to include a larger span of goodies. After all, who doesn’t love a variety of delectable goods for the holidays?
Today, I have selected a Gingerbread Bundt recipe. Gingerbread conjures up images of Christmas past and is a traditional favorite; this is a bit of a twist as it includes more spices. It is great with a glaze or with a caramel sauce.
Gingerbread
- 3 allspice berries (freshly ground)
- 2 cardamom pods (freshly ground)
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. cloves
- 1/2 tsp. allspice
- 1 tbs. ginger
- 2 cups of cake flour
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 2 tbs. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 1/2 sticks of butter (unsalted) melted and cooled
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar (dark or light, depending on preference)
- 1/2 cup of molasses
- 1/2 cup of half & half
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a bundt, 9 inch loaf pan or 9 inch springform pan.
Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a mixer bowl, add the brown sugar and spices and combine well.
In a large bowl, whisk the butter, eggs, molasses and half & half. With the mixer at low speed, pour the liquid mixture slowly into the flour mixture. Mix until well combined. Scrape the batter into the pan and bake on the rack for 40-45 minutes, test with a cake tester in the middle to ensure it is baked through. Let the cake cool for 1 hour and turn out the cake mold, or springform pan.
LeCo Cake
I call this my LeCo cake. Much like cities abbreviate their neighborhoods, I have decided to abbreviate the name of this recipe. This Lemon Coconut cake is a real treat. Filled with alternating layers of lemon cake, toasted coconut, marshmallow and buttercream frosting; it is a sensation to the taste buds. In addition, it has varying textures: crunchy, fluffy, soft and gooey…what could be better?
For LeCo Cake:
- 3/4 cup butter (room temperature)
- 3 eggs
- 2 1/2 cups of flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 3/4 cups sugar
- 1 tsp lemon extract
- 3 drops yellow food dye
- 1 1/4 cups whole milk
- zest of 1 lemon
In a bowl, stir together flour, baking soda and salt.
In a separate bowl, beat together butter and add in sugar, until well blended. Add in the eggs and blend, add lemon extract, lemon zest, and continue blending.
Gradually add the dry mixture to the butter mixture and milk, blending until well combined. Bake 30 -35 minutes in greased, floured cake pans, or use parchment paper, greased to pan. Allow to cool completely before removing from pans, and set aside.
For Frosting/Filling:
- 3 cups of softened butter
- 2- 16 oz jars of marshmallow fluff
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp coconut extract
- 1 tsp lemon extract
- 2 cups toasted coconut
In a large bowl, beat the butter until fluffy, add the marshmallow fluff and beat until blended, mix in the powdered sugar. Have a separate bowl set aside and divide the frosting mixture in half. Add lemon extract to one bowl and coconut extract to the remaining mixture.
For Assembly:
Cut each cake in half, totaling 4 layers. Start with the first layer and frost with layer of coconut frosting, top with toasted coconut. Add one layer of cake and frost with lemon version of frosting, alternate until finished with the layers. Frost the outside layers and top of cake with lemon and/or coconut frosting, and top with the toasted coconut, pressing into sides and top of the cake.
No need for ice cream with this one, just a glass of milk!
All images copyright Shell Bilyew Royster 2012
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