Hummingbird Cake Recipe with Cream Cheese Frosting

Posted on June 3, 2015 by Better Baking Bible

A lovely way to start of the spring and summer season with a multi-layered hummingbird cake filled with cream cheese frosting! Moist pineapple, crunchy pecans or walnuts and loads of flavor!

*If you would like to share my recipe and photos please provide proper credit and a link back. Thanks!

Hummingbird Cake Recipe with Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:

3 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 tsp table salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp allspice
1 1/3 cups vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla sugar
3 eggs (lightly whipped)
1 ½ cups mashed bananas
2 cups toasted pecans or walnuts (chopped and divided)
1 can crushed, undrained pineapple (about 1 oz can)
1 cup butter, softened
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp salt
2 packages of cream cheese (8 oz each package), chopped in chunks

Directions:

To Make Cake

Preheat oven to 350 F and grease/flour three 9” cake pans.
Mix dry ingredients first in a large bowl: flour, 2 cups sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and allspice.
Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix well: vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and eggs. Add banana, 1 cup of pecans or walnuts, and pineapple until combined.
Divide batter between the 3 pans and bake for about 25 minutes. Let cakes cool before removing to wire racks.

To Make Frosting

Beat butter and powdered sugar together using an electric mixer. Add the vanilla extract and then start to combine the cream cheese, 1 chunk at a time.
Spread the frosting evenly between all the layers, as well as the top and sides of the cake. Sprinkle chopped and toasted pecans/walnuts all over cake.

Baking Dilemma: Making My Small Kitchen Look Big and Bake Like a Pro!

Posted on May 21, 2015 by Better Baking Bible

Small kitchen? No problem! You can still bake like a pro and make the most of the tiniest kitchen spaces with my tried-and-true tricks!

Apartments are great for living in, but they can be tight on the space especially in the kitchen area. When you’re a hobbyist baker you will quickly find out that you need lots of space and may be hemmed in by the kitchen’s size. Here are 5 tricks you can use to make your small kitchen look a lot bigger in a snap:

1. Save Space with a Smart Layout

When you’re looking at how to design your kitchen for maximum efficiency, you want to cut out dead space, so if you have corners, then think about corner kitchen drawers, and put in Lazy Susans – small circular surfaces that rotate – into your cabinets so that you can make those hard-to-reach places more functional.

2. Specify Working Stations

As a baker, you need as much space as you can get, so it’s worth looking at setting up specific areas for different jobs. Your work surfaces are the most important to start with, otherwise you can’t make your goodies very easily. Your mixing area is probably the key zone. Get some hooks on the wall to hang up the utensils you need so that you can reach them easily. Have your mixing bowls in cabinets underneath so that you save time by not searching them out somewhere else.

When you’re using electric gadgets, have them on the worktop if you use them daily, or otherwise make space in the cabinet below.

3. Hang Up Pots and Pans

These are huge users of space in cabinets and cupboards, so think smart and hang them up. A traditional French-style kitchen, for example, will have pots and pans hanging from the ceiling, on the wall, or even on racks in front of a window. It’s a classic way to save space, they’re easy to access, and they give you more room everywhere else.

4. Remove Curtains and Blinds

Windows let in light, and that can help to brighten your kitchen space. Window coverings are important here. Curtains can look good but they take up space, and in a kitchen they get dirty. You have to wash them and get them dry.

Window shutters are a good alternative. Traditional shutters take far less space and are a lot easier to clean than curtains, so consider installing them when you’re looking to increase the sense of space you have.

5. Install a Mirrored Backsplash

When your space is small but you want to create the sensation that it’s a fair bit larger than it is, install mirrors wherever you have the option. They will give that illusion that you have more space than you really do – and can also help you to feel less confined. Consider a mirrored backsplash for a glamourized look that will make your kitchen look huge!

Making a small kitchen look bigger isn’t impossible, it just takes a little bit of creativity and careful planning. If you are cramped and absolutely need a larger kitchen, consider upgrading to a spacious condo. I’m actually in the process of choosing between renting one of the spacious Yorkville rentals in Toronto, or one of the apartments for rent in Winnipeg, the kitchens are large making a whole other decorating challenge – finding the perfect color, theme, and decor!

Photos By: Infarrantly Creative, Minty House blogspot

Linzer Cookies With Raspberry Jam – Perfect for Valentine’s Day!

Posted on January 8, 2015 by Better Baking Bible

Linzer cookies are a classic, and these have been tweaked for Valentine’s Day! They’ve got the classic taste we all love in a Linzer cookie, but with a raspberry twist! The raspberry jam goes great with this soft and buttery cookie, and it’s topped with powdered sugar. These cookies would look wonderful packaged with a ribbon as a teacher gift, or as a school snack for your kids. Love is in the air, so make a big batch of these yummy cookies for that special someone!

Photos: Cooking Classy.

Linzer Cookies With Raspberry Jam – Perfect for Valentine’s Day!

Classic buttery Linzer cookies tweaked for Valentine’s Day with raspberry jam and dusted with powdered sugar. Makes a great teacher gift!

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup slivered almonds
1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar, plus more for dusting
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract
8 oz raspberry jam

Instructions:

In a large bowl, whisk flour, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
In a food processor, add almonds and brown sugar. Pulse until they’re finely ground. Set aside.
In another bowl, beat butter and powdered sugar using an electric mixer on low speed. When combined, increase speed to medium-high and beat until creamy (1 minute).
Add in egg, vanilla, and almond extract. Mix.
Add in almond mixture. Mix.
On low speed, gradually add in flour mixture. Mix until combined.
Form the dough into a ball and wrap it in a sheet of plastic wrap. Chill in the fridge for 2 hours.
Preheat your oven to 350 F.
Dust your work surface with flour and take out the dough from the fridge. Cut the dough in half and roll out each half evenly until it’s 1/8″-1/6″ thick.
Cut into heart shapes with a cookie cutter. Using a smaller heart shape cookie cutter, cut out small hearts into the centers of half of the hearts.
Transfer the hearts onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Space them about 1″ apart. If the hearts have warmed up, place them in the fridge for a few minutes. They must go into the oven cold.
Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes until the edges are golden. Cool on wire racks.
Spread jam over the whole hearts and top with heart that’s been cut out in the center.
Dust cookies with powdered sugar.
Store in an airtight container.

Lemon Blueberry Layer Cake with Lemon Buttercream Frosting

Posted on June 9, 2014 by Better Baking Bible

Lemon Blueberry Butter Cake / Stephanie / CC BY-NC-ND

A refreshing lemon and berry cake is all you need this summer to enjoy the long, gorgeous, sunny days to come! Stacked between layers of blueberry filling and frosted with a delicious lemon buttercream, this cake is a definite winner at any gathering, party, baby shower, or brunch! The recipe below specifically makes the second cake from the top. Enjoy!

Refreshing Lemon Blueberry Layer Cake with Lemon Buttercream Frosting

Layers of delicious blueberry cake, blueberry filling, and lemon buttercream frosting.

Ingredients:

For the Cake

– 2 cups plus 6 tbsp all-purpose flour

– 2 tsp baking powder

– 1 tsp salt

– 3 cups blueberries

– 1/2 cup sour cream

– 1/2 cup milk

– 2 tsp vanilla extract

– 3/4 tsp pure lemon extract

– 1 tsp lemon zest

– 1 cup unsalted butter, softened at room temp

– 1 1/2 cups sugar

– 4 large eggs

For the Blueberry Filling

– 1/2 cup blueberry jam

For the Lemon Buttercream Frosting

– 1 cup butter, room temp

– 4-6 cups confectioner’s sugar

– 1/4 cup milk

– 1 tsp lemon extract

Directions:

To Make Cake

Preheat oven to 350 F and grease 2, 10″ round cake pans.
In a bowl, sift flour, baking powder, and salt. Place 1 tbsp of the flour into an empty bowl and toss in the blueberries, coating them with flour.
In another bowl combine milk, sour cream, vanilla extract, lemon extract and lemon zest, set aside.
Using an electric mixture, cream together butter and sugar in a mixing bowl until pale yellow and very fluffy. Slowly beat in eggs until combined.
Alternately mix together flour and milk mixture and stir until combined and then fold in blueberries gently.
Divide batter among the 2 pans and bake for 25 mins or until toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven, cool for 10 mins on rack and then invert onto cooling rack.
Spread blueberry jam on completely cooled cake layers and stack the layers.

To Make Lemon Buttercream

In a bowl using an electric mixer, beat butter until pale and fluffy.
Slowly add in confectioner’s sugar, milk and lemon extract. Add more confectioner’s sugar if necessary.
Frost the top and sides of the cake equally and decorate as you wish!

Notes

This recipe is for two cake layers – if you would like to have three layers like in the photo, split all the cake ingredients in half and bake another cake layer.

Add Filling to Your Cupcakes with this Easy Cupcake Hole Maker

Posted on May 23, 2014 by Better Baking Bible

Who doesn’t love cupcakes with a little surprise inside? Fill your cupcakes this summer with delicious fillings like ice cream, Nutella, Jam, and buttercream using a clever tool to make the perfect holes in your cupcakes! The cupcake corer by Kleeneze makes cutting the perfect holes fast, easy, and gives you an even hole in each treat.

Using the corer is easy:

1. Allow your cupcakes to cool completely.
2. Hold the corer 90 degrees above the cupcake and then push into the center.
3. Twist the corer around inside and then remove.
4. Press the plunger on the corner to release the core.
5. Fill up with your favorite treats!

I never really thought about filling my cupcakes and usually paid attention to decorating only the top with icings and various decorations. Cutting the inside of the cupcake using a knife can be a little tricky, and doesn’t give you much control. With the cupcake corer, you can really let your imagination run wild and fill up your cupcakes with any delicious combinations your love. Here’s a cool, refreshing recipe you can make this summer using the corer to fill up your cupcakes with orange curd and buttercream frosting.

img_1539 / Annie / CC BY , DSCO2114 / Ambroos / CC BY

Strawberry Orange Buttercream Cupcakes

Serves 12

Vanilla cupcakes filled with a refreshing orange curd filling and topped with sweet strawberry buttercream icing. Makes the perfect summer treat

Ingredients:

For Cupcakes:

1¼ cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 orange for zest
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt

For Orange Curd Filling:

2 oranges
1/2 tsp orange extract
1½ cup sugar
8 egg yolks, beaten
1 stick unsalted butter
1/8 tsp salt

For Strawberry Buttercream Frosting:

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup sliced strawberries
3½ – 4 cups powdered sugar
1 orange, for garnish
4 strawberries, for garnish

Instructions:

To Make Cupcakes

Preheat over to 350 F. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In a separate bowl using a electric mixer on medium, beat the egg, yolk, and sugar for 2 mins.
Mix in oil, vanilla, orange zest and then Greek yogurt.
Add in flour and mix until incorporated.
Pour batter into cupcake cups and bake for about 20 mins. Remove, and allow to cool completely.
To Make Orange Curd
Over a small bowl, zest the oranges, cut them in half and then squeeze the juice out of them. You should have about 1/2 cup.
In a saucepan over medium heat bring zest, juice, and sugar to a simmer. Add in yolks, butter, and salt.
Whisk until mixture starts to boil and stir constantly until it forms a thick filling.
Remove from heat, and cool.

To Make Strawberry Buttercream Frosting

Using a food processor or blender, puree strawberries.
In a saucepan over medium heat, stir pureed strawberries until they have cooked down halfway. Remove from heat and cool.
Using an electric mixer in a mixing bowl, cream the butter. Add it to the strawberry puree and combine. Add powdered sugar gradually until it forms a nice spreadable icing.

To Assemble

Use the cupcake corer to remove the center of the cupcake and fill up with orange curd. Frost with strawberry buttercream and top with orange and strawberry wedges.

The Most Delicious Red Velvet Cake

Posted on January 11, 2014 by Better Baking Bible

Red Velvet Cake / Theresaunfried / CC BY, RED VELVET CAKE / STEVEN LABINSKI / CC BY

Soft, moist, and delicious, this red velvet cake is TO DIE FOR! For Valentine’s Day, birthday parties, holidays, and get togethers, this gorgeous red beauty is the perfect choice of cake for any occasion! Filled with a sweet chocolate ganache and cream cheese frosting, you really can’t get any better than this. Red velvet is a huge hit down in the south, with it being one of the most favorite cakes to date. I was never a huge fan of it myself, until I made it at home – store bought red velvet cakes can’t compare!

* The original photo of this cake that goes along with the recipe used milk chocolate ganache. This one in the photo above uses white chocolate ganache. So whichever you prefer you can use for your recipe.

The Most Delicious, Moist, Red Velvet Cake

Moist red velvet cake filled with chocolate ganache and topped with a cool, cream cheese frosting.

Ingredients:

Red Velvet Cake:

– 2 cups plain flour

– 1 tsp baking powder

– 1 tsp baking soda

– 1 tsp salt

– 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

– 2 cups sugar

– 1 cup vegetable oil

– 2 eggs

– 1 cup buttermilk

– 2 tsp vanilla extract

– 1-2 oz. red food colouring

– 1 tsp white vinegar

– 1/2 cup prepared plain hot coffee

Chocolate Ganache:

– 1/2 cup double cream

– 50 grams chocolate chips or chopped chocolate

Cream Cheese Frosting

– 300 ml. whipping cream

– 1 1/2 cup cream cheese

– 1 cup confectioners sugar

Directions:

Red Velvet Cake:

Preheat oven to 325F. Grease two 9″ cake pans and line with parchment paper.
In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa powder and salt.
In a separate bowl, combine sugar and vegetable oil. Mix in eggs, buttermilk, vanilla and food colouring until well combined. Stir in coffee and vinegar.
In a separate mixing bowl, put 1/4 of the dry ingredients and gradually add wet ingredients, altering with the dry and wet ingredients until combined.
Equally divide the batter between two prepared pans. Bake for about 30-40 mins or until toothpick comes out clean.
Remove cake from oven, and transfer to cooling rack still in the pan. Allow 10 mins to cool and run a knife around the edges to loosen the cake. Peel off parchement paper and let it cool completely.

Chocolate Ganache

In a medium sauce pan, heat the double cream just before it comes to a boil. Remove from heat, add chocolate and stir until smooth.
Place ganache in fridge to cool and thicken or just until it becomes spreadable.
Flip cake layers upside down and spread half of the ganache on each layer. Place in fridge to set.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Whip the whipping cream until thick and add in cream cheese and confectioners sugar. Whisk unti combined.
Place one cake layer on a plate and frost with 1/2 cup of frosting. Place second layer on top and frost with another 1/2 cup. Use the rest of frosting to frost the whole cake.
To decorate, sprinkle shaved white chocolate over the top.

Strawberry Sprinkle Funfetti Pancakes

Posted on November 9, 2013 by Better Baking Bible

STRAWBERRY PANCAKES / KAE71463 / CC BY

Why have plain pancakes for breakfast when you could have this funfetti pancake explosion? Strawberry sprinkles pancakes are something your kids will LOVE to look forward to in the morning – so whip up a quick batch before heading off to sleep and drop them in the pan the next morning. We will be honest with you – there is no easier way to get them up for school in the morning!

Strawberry Sprinkle Funfetti Pancakes

Yields 6

Add some color to your day with these funfetti strawberry pancakes!

Ingredients:

1 cup all purpose flour
2 tbsp granulated sugar
1 ½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp kosher salt
1 cup of whole milk
1 egg
½ tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp butter, melted
5-6 medium-sized strawberries, sliced
sprinkles of your choice

Instructions:

In a small bowl, mix together milk, egg, and vanilla extract. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
Make a well in the flour mixture and pour in the milk mixture, mixing well and then adding in the melted butter and stirring until combined.
Heat a sauté pan over medium-low heat and butter or spray it with cooking spray. Once hot, scoop ½ cup of batter into the pan. Immediately lay 3-4 strawberry slices on each pancake, gently pressing each one in. Sprinkle with sprinkles and let it cook for about 2 mins or until golden brown, flip to the other side and cook for another 1-2 mins.
To serve, place strawberry side up and sprinkle with confectioners sugar, or whipping cream and more sprinkles if desired.