Happy Mother's Day!

Pink Champagne Cupcakes - A recipe I found in Cuisine at Home a year ago finally came to life. They are easy, fun, pretty and delicious. Plus, you get to drink the extra champagne with the cupcakes which makes it a real celebration.

Pink Champagne Cake or Cupcakes

2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour

2 tsp baking pwd

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup unsalted butter

2 cups granulated sugar

3/4 cup brut sparkling champagne

1/4 cup milk

2 tsp vanilla

3-4 drops red food coloring

6 egg whites

Icing

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1/3 cup brut champagne

5 cups sifted pwd sugar (approx.)

2-3 T cream or milk

Preheat oven 350* F. Line 2 9" cake pans with parchment or line 24-30 cupcake tins.

1. Cream butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 min.

Combine 3/4 cup champagne, milk and vanilla.

2. Sift together flour, baking pwd and salt.

3. Add flour and liquid mixture to butter alternately until mixed.

4. Add food coloring to desired tint of pink.

5. Beat egg whited in a separate bowl with clean beaters until soft peaks form. Fold egg whites into other mixture. Stopping as soon as the egg whites are incorporated.

6. Divide batter evenly among pans.

Bake 20 min for cupcakes, or 30 - 35 min for 9" cake pans. (2)

Icing

Mix with mixer; butter, champagne, milk and vanilla. Slowly add powdered sugar. Mix for 5- 7 minutes until mixture is light and fluffy.

Ice cupcakes or layer cake. Add sprinkles if desired.

Zesty Lemon Curd with Ginger Angel Food Cake

Lemon curd is one of my favorite spring flavors, and I had not made it since I left the bakery.  I needed to make some this spring for a school project and found a recipe that was fool-proof and delicious, so I had to share this recipe and hope that you all try making it soon.  It will keep well in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks.

To serve, I suggest folding it into whipped cream and spooning it onto angel food cake with fresh berries.  Below, I'm also sharing a great recipe for angel food from Cooking Light Magazine, April 08.  You can also serve it with scones or swirl it into cheesecake batter before you bake. 

juicing

straining

cooking

Lemon Curd Recipe
from On Cooking 3rd ed.

Ingredients:

6 ( 1 cup)  Eggs          
2  Egg yolks  
1 lb  Granulated sugar
1 cup Unsalted butter, cubed
Lemon zest from 4 lemons
6 fl oz   Fresh lemon juice

Preparation:

1.  Whisk everything together in a large bowl.

2.  Place bowl over a pan of simmering water and cook, stirring frequently, until very thick, approximately 20-25 minutes.

3.  Strain, cover and chill completely. Serve with scones or use as a filling for tartlets, scones or layer cakes.


Ginger Angel Food Cake
from Cooking Light Magazine

Ingredients:

1  cup sifted cake flour (4 ounces)
1/2  cup cornstarch
12  large egg whites
1 1/2  teaspoons cream of tartar
1/4  teaspoon salt
1 1/2  cups sugar
1  teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2  teaspoon ground ginger

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. To prepare cake, lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour and cornstarch, stirring with a whisk.

3. Place 12 egg whites in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until foamy. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar and salt; beat until soft peaks form. Add 1 1/2 cups sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating until stiff peaks form. Beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla and ginger. Sift 1/4 cup flour mixture over egg white mixture; fold in. Repeat with remaining flour mixture, 1/4 cup at a time.

4. Spoon batter into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan, spreading evenly. Break air pockets by cutting through batter with a knife. Bake at 350° for 35 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Invert pan; cool completely. Loosen cake from sides of pan using a narrow metal spatula. Invert cake onto a plate.

Banana Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

I had a special birthday cake request this weekend: Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting.   My mother has a special banana cake cake recipe, and I had been waiting for the right occasion to ask for it.  The recipe is an old classic from Good Housekeeping magazine.    I chose to make cupcakes because they are festive and easy to transport on the subway, but you can also make the recipe in traditional cake pans.

Banana Cake

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup mashed ripened bananas (2-3)
2 1/4 cup AP flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup sour milk (add 1 tsp lemon juice or vinegar to milk to sour)
1 tsp vanilla

Cream Cheese Frosting  (if you're making a layer cake double this recipe)
4 oz cream cheese
2 oz unsalted butter
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups powdered sugar, sifted

Cake:
Cream butter and sugar with beaters.  Add eggs and beat well.  Beat in mashed bananas.  In a separate bowl, mix dry ingredients.  Add dry ingredients and milk/vanilla to the banana mixture, alternating.  Beat until well mixed.

Frosting:
Beat butter and cream cheese until they are fluffy.  Add vanilla.  Slowly add powdered sugar, beating at a high speed until it is entirely incorporated and fluffy.

Happy Birthday Devin!