It's not a mound of mashed potatoes...really...

Well, this was a last minute order. I was out having a catch up / net working lunch with a friend and my brother calls needing a carrot cake for a dinner party in 30 hours. More details, and I find out that the guests, who this cake is for, have had my carrot cake. Last year, I sent my brother with my filled carrot cake cupcakes as a house gift. The husband apparently LOVES carrot cake and thus, a request for the carrot cake again.

No extras like last year. No nuts, no pecan creme filling, no orange zest in the cream cheese frosting...oh, my creative heart. No, no...this simple, beauty has 3 layers of moist carrot cake filled with layers of caramel cream, (luscious, buttery sugary, heavy cream vanilla goodness) topped with vanilla bean cream cheese frosting and a gentle sprinkling of cinnamon. 

I had a taste of the trimmings, just the cake with a lovely mug of hot tea...and it's great when it's naked. I'm confident that it was decadent in all it's glory.

Yup, still baking and having fun when I can get it. More stories to come...

Sunset...

Well, this was last night around the neighborhood. It caught the corner of my eye. It was so beautiful and so powerful. It made me stop and think: I had a gratitude moment. What are you grateful for today?

Baking takes away spinning thoughts...

This afternoon was a get away from all the thoughts that keep spinning in my head. After getting all the ingredients together, (just how many times can one go to the store in one day?), I decided to make some pumpkin muffins with streusel. Finally had all the software mise en place, hardware...well, let's put it this way, I can do with the minimum, AND off we go.

This is a simple one bowl process that does not require a mixer...well, I used the food processor for the streusel. Cinnamon all the way around since I'm not a big fan of pumpkin pie spice...they made the house smell good and made those thoughts disappear for a brief moment or so.

Streusel Pumpkin Muffins


1 ½ cups AP flour
1 ½ cups AP whole wheat flour
¼ cup sugar
¾ cup brown sugar
1 T ground cinnamon
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp kosher salt
1 can of canned pumpkin
3 eggs
½ cup plain yogurt
½ cup canola oil

streusel:
¾ cup AP flour
¾ cup brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 stick unsalted butter

Pulse flour, sugar, cinnamon and butter for streusel in food processor till it resembles coarse sand. 

Set aside in bowl till ready.

Prepare 2-12 muffin tins lined with cupcake liners for 20 muffins.

Preheat oven 350° F. In a large mixing bowl, whisk dry ingredients together-  flours, sugars, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another medium bowl, whisk 3 eggs with pumpkin, oil and yogurt. Add wet ingredients to dry, mix gently till combined. Using a #20 disher (3T), place 1 scoop of batter into each liner. Sprinkle streusel mixture on top of batter. Bake in 350°F oven for 18-25 minutes till toothpick inserted comes out clean. Do not overbake. Cool in tins for 15 minutes before taking muffins out and placing on cooling racks.

Enjoy!

PS> These are a dense, moist muffin due to the whole wheat flour...stay tuned pumpkin cupcakes are coming soon, with butter pecan filling with cream cheese frosting...soon...

JujyCakes' photostream

JujyCakes' photostream on Flickr.

I love CHOCOLATE!

It's November 2nd, there are only 3 pumpkin scones left in the house. It means it's time to bake more goodies so Hub has something to eat for breakfast or snack with his big mug of tea. There are so many biscotti recipes out there, that I made a hybrid of the one from David Leibovitz, former pastry chef from Chez Panisse and another one I found on the net. 


Chocolate Biscotti

1/2 stick unsalted butter
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp Godiva chocolate liqueur
2 cups AP flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa * use the best you can find, I happen to LOVE Pernigotti cocoa!*
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 cup chocolate chips * white, semi, bittersweet,...whatever you love*
1 cup nuts * almonds, walnuts, pecans,...whatever you love*

In a large bowl, sift flour, cocoa, soda, powder and salt, set aside.
Cream butter with sugars, mixed in eggs and add extracts. Add 1/2 flour mixture to wet ingredients, till mixed in. Add remainder with chips and nuts, mix till well blended. Gather into a ball, split into 2. Roll into
2- 9"x2.5" logs. Place on parchment lined sheet pan. Leave 4" between each log. Bake at 350°F oven for 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven. Cool at least 1 hour.

Take cooled cookie log and gently saw ( use a bread knife for this, please) on the diagonal, 1/2" slices of biscotti. Place these on another parchment lined sheet pan, and bake at 325°F for 8-9 minutes. DO NOT OVERBAKE. Let these completely cool before putting in a storage container.
OR...dip them into dark chocolate for even more decadence! ENJOY!

Fall is for pumpkins...

Considering that we had snow this past Saturday, it was only fitting to bake something warm and wonderful that would be great with a BIG mug of tea or coffee. This is one of the easiest scone recipes I have, and so easy to mix it up. These yummy goodies are pumpkin scones with Ghiradelli semi sweet chocolate chips, chopped pecans, and Demerara sugar, ( and there's a stick of butter + some 2% Cabot vanilla yogurt). 

These are one of Eric's favorites with a piping hot mug of Brioche black tea to get him started in the mornings, especially the chilly ones we've been having lately.

Hmm, they're almost gone...I'm thinking about making some chocolate biscotti next time. Stay tuned. 

Pumpkin Scones

2 cups AP flour ( I love King Arthur flour!)

3 Ts sugar ( you can use white or brown, I used brown for these)

1 stick unsalted butter cold

1 T baking powder

1/2 t baking soda

1/2 t kosher salt

1 cup chocolate chips ( you can use what you like, semi sweet, bittersweet...I prefer Ghiradelli or Guittard)

1 cup nuts, rough chopped ( again, use what you prefer, personally I LOVE pecans!)

1/2 cup canned pumpkin ( just the pumpkin sans spices, NOT the pie filling stuff)

1/2 cup 2% Cabot greek vanilla yogurt

Preheat oven to 375°F, and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

If you have a food processor, add the flour, sugar, powder, soda and salt to your workbowl. Cut up the stick of butter into 1/2 slices and scatter those in the workbowl. Pulse all these ingredients till the mixture resembles coarse sand. ( you can do this in a large mixing bowl with a pastry cutter or 2 knives if you don't have the hardware.) Dump this into a large mixing bowl. Add chips and nuts, mix lightly with a fork. 

Add pumpkin and yogurt. Mix with fork till all the ingredients come together. Gently form into a ball, and pour out onto the counter, lightly floured. Gently knead 1-2 turns...DO NOT OVERKNEAD! (they'll be tough, and they need to be flaky, tender crumbly goodness!) Form into a circle about 8" diameter and 1½" tall. Cut into 8 wedges. (* note: you can brush milk or egg wash on top of these and sprinkle with Demerara sugar for added texture and crunch )

Place onto lined sheet 2" apart, bake at 375°F for 18-20 minutes or till golden brown. 

Remove from cookie sheet and place on cooling rack...eat them warm in about 15 mins...

when the chocolate is warm and gooey.

Save in an airtight container for about 3-4 days, IF they last that long. 

Extra tasty when rewarmed in a microwave for about 10 seconds to go along with that mug of tea or coffee. ENJOY!

Goodbye old friend, ...

Well, the day has finally come to say goodbye to my Cuisinart DLC-7E. We’ve been friends ever since we met on Christmas Day, 1981. Santa left you under my tree along with Erika’s first Christmas presents that year. It’s hard to believe all the wonderful things we’ve done over these past 30 years!

You helped me struggle with making pie crusts. You held up beautifully with all the watermelon granita I kept making, and all those frozen pieces of melon banging against your lexan workbowl #1. After a while after all the “ice”, I had to buy a new workbowl#2 for the powerful motor, that would allow me to cut up tons of veggies, chop chocolate, pecans, and my favorite making scones, scones, and more scones. Nothing blends cold butter into flour like you, my friend. 

Alas, your workbowl has broken in places that will not allow it stay attached to the base, and the electrical connection isn’t as tight as it used to be when you were younger. I tried to find a replacement workbowl #3, feed tube, sleeve and new metal blade, but alas, for $154, it’s time for us to part ways. 

You have served me well, and I have a feeling the new friend is not going to last me another 30 years like you did. We made one last batch of scones together. Your parts although broken and worn are washed and ready to go; it’s time to take a rest. You will be missed.