Cake with Fresh Lemon Curd Filling

Posted on May 30, 2012 by kitchenbelle

My dad is a really wonderful guy. He is gregarious, helpful, and fun-loving.  He enjoys cold beer, shrimp cocktail, and hot dogs. He is easy to please and maybe that’s why I love making his birthday cake each year!  (Check out the Root Beer Iced Vanilla Cake I made in 2008 and the Boston Cream Pie I made in 2009.)

In addition to Boston Cream Pie, his other favorite dessert is Lemon Meringue Pie. For his birthday this year I wanted to make cake (not pie) so I translated his love for lemon into a cake filled with fresh lemon curd!

A trick I learned at Flour Bakery (while I was a recipe-testing intern) is called the “dam.” Whenever  you fill a cake with something other than frosting (in this case lemon curd) you should pipe a circle of frosting (a “dam”) around the edge of the cake so that the filling does not ooze out. Check it out:

You pipe the “dam” first, and then spoon the lemon curd within its border. You then place the second cake layer on top and you are ready to frost!

Cake with Fresh Lemon Curd Filling:

(I prepared the lemon curd the evening before I assembled the cake.)

Lemon Curd:

  • 1 cup unsalted butter
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 1/4 water
  • 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
  • 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 4 large egg yolks

Over medium heat, in a non-reactive saucepan, combine the butter, sugar, water, lemon juice, lemon rind, cream of tartar, and egg yolks. Stir briefly using a wooden spoon then whisk continuously for several (approximately 8) minutes until thickened. Strain through a fine sieve. Cover with a piece of plastic wrap touching the curd. Refrigerate until firm.

Cake:

I used this brown sugar cake recipe.

Frosting:

I used (of course) cream cheese frosting to complement the lemon curd filling.

Happy Birthday Dad!!!

 

Filed under: cake, cream cheese, Dessert, eggs, Flour Bakery, frosting, icing, lemon | 3 Comments »

More Soft and Poofy Sugar Cookies with Frosting

Posted on May 28, 2012 by kitchenbelle

My sister-in-law made a special request for Annie’s Eats Soft Frosted Sugar Cookies and I obliged without hesitation. She loved them so much when I made them the first time!

These cookies are a dessert that both kids and adults seem to really enjoy. I love how theycan be as bright and colorful as you’d like to make them as opposed to plain old chocolate chip or oatmeal cookies. I like savoring one along side a cup of tea or a glass of milk.

Making them is easy. The dough can be made ahead of time so that you can simply bake them off when you need them. The frosting can be whipped together quickly.

Find the recipe here.

I hope you are enjoying an extra day off this weekend!

 

Filed under: cake, cookies, Dessert, frosting, icing | 1 Comment »

Strawberry Lime Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Posted on July 11, 2010 by kitchenbelle

I was a bit wary about the combination of strawberry and lime in a cupcake but I decided to give it a go anyway. What a fantastic surprise! The freshness of the two flavors is a winning combination! The lime flavor was not overpowering and really complemented the strawberries nicely. I kept these in the fridge just until serving time, which turned out to be a great move. I served them on one of these excruciatingly hot Boston days and the coolness of the cake and the frosting really enhanced the freshness of the flavors.  The cream cheese frosting continues to speak for itself.  If you haven’t tried it yet I have only two words: you must!

Here are some other recipes using cream cheese frosting. (I promise–your friends and family will thank you!)

Strawberry Lime Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • 1/2 pound (1 stick) butter at room temperature
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 pint fresh strawberries, chopped into bite size pieces
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice (about one lime)
  • 1 teaspoon grated lime zest (about one lime)

Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Fill one cupcake pan with liners.

In the bowl of a stand mixer cream together the butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy, about 5-7 minutes.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each.

In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture, alternating with the milk. Use a rubber spatula to fold in the vanilla, strawberries, lime juice, and lime zest into the mixture.

Fill the cupcake liners 1/2 – 3/4 full. Bake for 26-30 minutes, or until a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean. Cool cupcakes in pan for ten minutes and finish cooling on wire rack before frosting.

Adapted from recipe found in Crazy About Cupcakes by Krystina Castella.

Filed under: cream cheese, cupcakes, Dessert, frosting, icing, strawberry | 9 Comments »

Yellow Cake with Quick Vanilla Frosting

Posted on April 21, 2010 by kitchenbelle

As I mentioned, my husband ran the Boston Marathon on Monday and I am incredibly proud of him!

This was his first marathon and he ran with the Dana Farber team as part of the Dana Farber Marathon Challenge (DFMC).  He raised more than $5,000 towards Claudia Adams Barr Program in Innovative Basic Cancer Research.

While I didn’t participate in the weekly Dana Farber team runs or the training sessions with 1976 Boston marathon winner (now coach) Jack Fultz, I did meet him and other team members here and there and I did attend the pasta party on Sunday evening prior to the race.

I cannot say enough about this organization. I am incredibly impressed and inspired by what a wonderful group of kind individuals that they are. The pasta party was perfectly touching and inspiring. It felt like we (well, really my husband) and all of the other runners really made an impact and contributed toward the group’s goal of a world without cancer. I left the evening feeling touched, emotional, uplifted, and inspired.

Race day was GORGEOUS! There was such a wonderful BUZZ in the city. My husband did incredibly well and cheering for him was so exhilarating. All of his hard work paid off. I am proud of his accomplishment and feel so lucky to live with someone who inspires me every day.

Now on to the cake!

As you know, I spend quite a bit of time researching new and creative cake recipes/flavors/frosting combinations, sometimes to the point where my head feels like it is going to explode! (Remember how hard it was for me to decide what I should make for my nephew’s birthday cake?  And remember when I could not for the life of me settle on which  fruit-flavored cupcakes I should make?) What’s funny is whenever I ask my husband what kind of cake he wants the answer is always the same: yellow cake with vanilla frosting. I always dismiss it thinking it is too plain and too simple. 

This time, however, I didn’t even ask. This cake was in honor of his tremendous commitment to fundraising and training and if he likes plain on plain, that is what he should get!

Of course, I didn’t want it to be too plain. So, even though I usually try not to make a habit of eating or serving fluorescent-colored foods, I went out on a limb here and matched the frosting to the Dana Farber team shirts.

This isn't my husband--this photo is taken from the DF site.

Like the race, the cake was successful. It was moist and simple.  The key to the frosting is the perfect balance of milk and sugar. (I think this batch of frosting actually turned out a tad dry–it needed a touch more milk.) 

What a wonderful occasion it was for cake, celebration, and time with family!

Yellow Cake:

  • shortening
  • 1  tablespoon  all-purpose flour
  • 1/2  cup  butter
  • 8 oz.  sour cream
  • 1 1/2  cups  granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 2  teaspoons  vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs
  • 2  cups  all-purpose flour
  • 1  teaspoon  baking soda
  • 1/2  teaspoon  salt
  • 3/4  cup buttermilk

 Rub shortening on the bottom of two 9-inch round cake pans.  Sprinkle with flour.  Set aside.

Combine 1/2 cup butter and sour cream in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk until well blended. Add sugars and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Beat with a mixer at medium speed 3 minutes or until well blended. Add eggs; beat 2 minutes or until well blended.

Lightly spoon 2 cups flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine 2 cups flour, baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt, stirring well with a whisk. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix after each addition. Pour batter into prepared pan. Sharply tap pan once on counter to remove air bubbles. Bake at 350 F for 27-30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pans. Cool completely on wire rack.

Quick Vanilla Frosting:

  • 8 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
  • 5-6 cups of confectioners’ sugar, sifted
  • 1/2 cup milk (more or less depending on desired texture)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • a pinch of salt

Whip the butter in a stand mixer using the paddle attachment. Slowly add confectioners’ sugar, one cup at a time, while the mixer is on low. Add milk a few splashes at time until desired consistency is achieved. Add vanilla and salt and mix until fully incorporated.

Filed under: cake, Dessert, frosting, icing, vanilla | 9 Comments »

Oatmeal Birthday Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Posted on April 10, 2010 by kitchenbelle

Remember last year when I made this cake for the first time for my father-in-law’s birthday? It was a huge hit and has been the most requested cake ever since. My husband’s family especially LOVES this cake! They request it for most occasions and I am always happy to oblige! I love making it!  I made it for my brother-in-law’s 30th birthday, I have made it in cupcake form multiple times and I even demonstrated the recipe for How2Heroes!

My father-in-law’s birthday is this week and for the celebration the family requested that I make this cake again this year and  I was very happy to!  This time I decided to jazz it up by adding some crushed candied pecans to the sides of the cake. As usual, it received the typical moans, “ooos,” and “ahhhs” but there was one new quote by a family member who shall remain nameless:

 “I could SWIM in it!”

Yes, my friends, the frosting is THAT good!

Oatmeal Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting and Pecans:

  • 1 tablespoon  all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/3  cups  boiling water
  • 1  cup  quick-cooking oats
  • 3/4  cup  granulated sugar
  • 3/4  cup  packed dark brown sugar
  • 1/3  cup  vegetable shortening
  • 2  teaspoons  vanilla extract
  • 3  large eggs
  • 1 1/2  cups  all-purpose flour
  • 1  teaspoon  baking soda
  • 1  teaspoon  ground cinnamon
  • 1/2  teaspoon  salt
  • 1/2  teaspoon  ground nutmeg
  • 1/2  cup  buttermilk
  • Cream Cheese Frosting
  • pecans for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Coat bottoms and sides of 2 (9-inch) round cake pans with shortening and dust well with flour.

Combine boiling water and oats in a medium bowl; let stand 20 minutes. Beat granulated sugar, brown sugar, shortening, and vanilla at medium speed of a mixer for 5 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add oatmeal, beating until blended.

Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg, stirring well with a whisk. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture.

Pour batter into prepared pans. Sharply tap pans once on counter to remove air bubbles. Bake at 350 F for 30-35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on a wire rack.

Place 1 cake layer on a plate; spread layer with frosting (recipe below), and top with the remaining layer. Spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of cake.   Decorate with pecan halves. Store the cake loosely covered in refrigerator.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • Two 8-ounce package of cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 3 cups confectioners’ sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter using an electric mixer, until smooth.  Slowly sift the confectioners’ sugar into the butter/cream cheese, about one cup at a time.  Continue to beat until all lumps are gone.  Add the vanilla and mix until fully combined. 

Filed under: cake, cream cheese, Dessert, frosting, icing | 9 Comments »

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