recipe challenge

A friend of mine, Summer, recently entered a recipe contest. I printed her recipe, made a shopping list, and baked it a few days ago. These are my thoughts about it...

Apple Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Filling and Caramel Pecan Glaze

Do NOT try to say that 3 times fast! While a very descriptive name, it is a mouthful to say. Maybe I would have named it "Summer's AWESOME Apple Cake," or "Yummy Deliciousness with Apples." Though, as I write them, I realize that saying them 3 times fast is equally as cumbersome - perhaps I should just stick to the script; say it once with enthusiasm!

I was happy that the recipe called for ingredients that I keep on hand, for the most part. I wanted to follow Summer's instructions exactly, so I decided to shop for butter, instead of using margarine, which is what I normally bake with. (Only because that is what my mom has always baked with.) Here's the thing about butter; there are MANY different kinds. If you do not normally bake with butter, then apparently the next course of action is to stand in the dairy section of the grocery store for about 5 minutes, deliberating whether you should buy sweet cream, salted, unsalted, salted sweet cream, unsalted sweet cream.... I decided on sweet cream - hope that is right Summer!

The instructions were very easy to follow. Though, I did have to ask my mom how to "zest" a lemon - but only because I have never done it before. I normally skip that part in a recipe, but like I said before, I wanted to follow Summer's recipe exactly. I couldn't find the bundt pan, so I used two bread loaf pans. There were quite a few steps involved, and it dirtied a lot of dishes, but the cakes turned out great and cooked in the amount of time stated.

I was anxious to taste the cake, so I started the caramel glaze a little soon. The cakes were not completely cooled when I removed them from the pans, so they were a little messy - totally my fault for failing to exercise patience! The caramel glaze amazed me and my husband. I remember as I was preparing my shopping list thinking that I must have missed the caramel for the caramel glaze. So, I re-read the recipe and saw that there was no ingredient called for. Hmmm...I never really put much thought in to how caramel was made - this must be it. I told my husband about this and let him taste the glaze before I put it on the cake. He tasted it, then tasted it again. "Wow! That IS caramel!" he said, like he was surprised that I could make a caramel glaze without using caramel, or a caramel sauce, or a caramel seasoning or something. (I have to admit, I was super surprised and delighted too!) The glaze seemed a little runny after letting it sit just 5 minutes, so I let is sit for an additional 10.

I finished up the cake with the glaze and chopped pecans. I also took a picture of it to show Summer. I felt very Food Network-ish as I plated the cake and drizzled the caramel. I didn't like how it looked at first. I tried to make a fancy design like Summer, but ended up just pouring a puddle of glaze on it. I then placed pecans strategically on the cake and plate - what a dork! But, I wanted to make Summer proud.

So, after the picture was taken, we ate it. It was delicious! I would have liked to taste the apples a little more - I think I may have overcooked them in the first step. It was moist and sweet, but not too sweet , and the pecans added just the right texture and crunch. As my husband devoured it he kept complimenting me on it. Normally, I would say "thank you" and feel quite proud. But with this creation, it didn't seem right to take the credit. After all, I just followed the recipe.

Apple Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Filling and Caramel Pecan Glaze

Photo By: jerseyhousewife

I love apples. I love cream cheese. I love caramel. I love cake. What could be better than cream cheesy apple cake with caramel glaze?

Serves 8 - 10

Cake with cream cheese filling:

• 2 large apples, peeled and diced
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1/2 cup butter, softened + 2 tablespoons (divided)
• 2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sugar, + 1/2 cup (divided)
• 3 eggs + 1 egg (for filling)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 cup milk
• 8 ounces cream cheese
• Zest of one lemon

Caramel glaze:

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar (packed)
• 1 pinch salt
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

1. Melt two tablespoons of butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add diced apples, nutmeg and cinnamon. Cook until apples are soft, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (f) and prepare a Bundt pan with butter and flour.
3. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, cream together one-half cup of butter with the sugar. Add three eggs, one at a time and beat well. Mix in vanilla and milk. Combine with dry ingredients. Fold in cooked apples.
4. In a separate bowl, combine cream cheese, one egg, 1/2 cup sugar and the zest of one lemon. Mix until smooth in texture.
5. Pour half the cake batter into prepared Bundt pan. Spoon cream cheese filling evenly over batter and then cover with remaining half of the batter. Bake for 50 - 55 minutes, or until cake is done. You can test doneness by pressing lightly on the cake to see if it springs back. Cool completely.
6. Prepare caramel glaze with pecans. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add brown sugar and cook, stirring until sugar is melted completely. Add salt and cream and continue cooking and stirring for 2 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes. Remove cake from pan and spoon glaze evenly over cake. Sprinkle chopped pecans over top.

Comments(1)

suburbanhousewife 1 day ago

Delicious! I do not have a bundt pan (how can that be, right?) so I used 2 bread loaf pans - it may not have looked as pretty, but my husband did not mind one bit! Pecans added the perfect airy crunch to this fall dessert.

http://food52.com/recipes/773_apple_bundt_cake_with_cream_cheese_filling_and_caramel_pecan_glaze

bonus coffee

Our coffee pot, like most, makes only a certain amount of coffee with each brew. It is the same amount everyday, every week, month to month. With the coffee drinkers in our house and the size of our cups, that can be broken down into a simple coffee equation: 1 brewed pot = 2 cups for my mom + 2 cups for my dad + 2 cups for me. There are times, however, when there are variables in the coffee equation. For instance, on the weekend, my husband, will have a cup and there will be a shortage of caffeinated goodness. On the other hand, there is the occasion when there is a surplus of coffee. Such as when my mom has to get to work early, so she only drinks one cup; or the days when my dad is sick, and doesn't grace the kitchen to pour his second cup. Those are the days that make my caffeine veins smile, because those are the days when I get "bonus coffee."

We have the type of coffee maker that doesn't use a carafe. It has an enclosed brewing system, and you must hold your cup up to a lever that then dispenses one cup at a time. The water mark is broken that tells you how much coffee is left in the pot, so you never know if your cup will fill with dark deliciousness, or be victim to the last drips left in the hidden carafe. Knowing this, and knowing that on occasion there is a surplus of coffee, everyday - even if I have already had my two cups of coffee - I hold my cup up to the lever, hoping (and today, praying) for "bonus coffee."

I am active in the leadership team of our Community Bible Study. It is my first year serving as a group leader, and today I went to leaders council and was given all the information that I need to lead my group on Thursday. I was feeling a little whelmed at the task ahead of me, so I gathered my materials, my phone, and my coffee cup. I held my cup up to the pot and hoped for some "bonus coffee" to get me through my phone calls and studying. Wahoo! Bonus coffee! Thank you Lord!

I drank my coffee and finished my phone calls. Next, I had to time out my lesson and prepare an opening statement. Boy, I sure could use some more coffee...but I already got bonus coffee...I wonder... So I headed off to the kitchen, coffee cup in hand...

I have also been doing another bible study, entitled Believing God by Beth Moore. Its premise is that so many times we believe in who God is, but we don't believe in what He can do. There are so many things that we dismiss or do not turn over to God because we don't think He can change circumstances or hearts, we don’t believe His promises, and we don’t believe His strength. God raised the dead - could anything require more strength than that? Yet, I often find myself timid to believe that He will work a miracle in my life. Which is crazy, I know, because I totally believe that God is who He says He is, and can do what He says He can do. But, I can see from my prayer life that I am not claiming the power of God. I have been praying for my dad to make some changes to improve his health and well-being, but I have doubts that it will happen. I have been praying for my mom to know Jesus, but I have accepted that she might not... what on earth am I thinking, right? So, already in the first week of this study, I have made the commitment to believe that God not only can, but that He will.

...So I enter the kitchen and get butterflies in my stomach. My prayer goes like this: "God, I know you can do all things. I know You can raise the dead, You can change hearts, and You most certainly can make sure there is coffee in the coffee pot. I know that I have already had "bonus coffee" today, but You fed thousands with a couple fish and a few loaves of bread, so I believe You will do this, too. Above all, I desire Your will, and even if You don't let brown gold flow into my cup, I still believe in You and my eternal salvation. Amen."

Well, God is great, and He showed me today that His majesty is not dependent on my level of belief. I started crying as my coffee cup filled - joyful tears of reverence, love, and abundance.

little rascal

The kids are back in school! The kids are back in school! Abby has entered 2nd grade with little ado. With the same kids, same teacher, same classroom, it was a pretty easy transition for her, and for me for that matter. I feel much more at ease this year with the school, philosophy, and culture of a Waldorf education.

Gage, on the other hand, is not quite as comfortable with his new routine as his older sister. First of all, the kindergarteners prepare their snack at school as part of their curriculum. Gage is a very picky eater and I am anticipating a ravenous little boy by the time I pick him up from school for lunch. After the first day of school, upon asking Gage what he thought he replied, "School is pretty cool. But I DO NOT like snack time. It would have been better if it was bananas and CHIPS instead of bananas and 'branola!'" He is still complaining about having to eat "branola" every Wednesday.

The second day of school was a little better. They each had to take a vegetable to make soup. He got to cut up his cucumber from our garden, but when the eating time came, he only ate the broth. He also informed me that "you will still grow big and strong if you don't eat vegetables, just not as fast!" Hmmm, interesting theory.

I ask him everyday, "Did you make any friends?" He replies "Yeah," and proceeds to tell me all about how him and "Little Rascal" were playing tag in the park, and how he wrestled "Little Rascal" into the mud, and that "Little Rascal" doesn't like "branola" either. So I ask him, "Who is 'Little Rascal?'"
"Oh, he's my friend."
"Well, what's his name?"
"I don't know, so I just call him 'Little Rascal.'"
"Oh, what does he call you?"
"Gage."
"Why does he call you that if you call him 'Little Rascal?'"
"Uh, becasue I said, 'My name is Gage.'"
"Okay. So, why don't you ask him his name?"
"Do I have to? He doesn't mind me calling him 'Little Rascal.'"
"I think it would be nice."

So, the next day when I picked Gage up from school, he tells me, "Justin. His name is Justin."
"Oh really? That's great! Justin, is that Dezi's little brother?" I ask him. (Dezi is a girl in Abby's class.)
"I dunno," he replies while shrugging his shoulders.
"Well, ask him tomorrow if Dezi is his big sister."
Annoyed, and obviously put out he replies, "Ugh! First you want me to ask him his name; and now you want me to ask him if he's Dezi's little brother?"

Man, that boy cracks me up.