Easy Bake cOven - Maple Oatmeal Bread

Fresh baked bread is always present at the Townsend dinner table (my in-laws that is). Without question, the bread machine gets a workout when company is present, and that magical aroma fills the house.

I don't use my bread machine enough. I was doing really well for a while, and I can't say exactly why we stopped feeding it all the ingredients to make a nice loaf in the morning. Yes, we used to load it up at night and have fresh bread for sandwiches I made before work. I must be getting lazy. While bread machine bread is good and requires almost no work at all, fresh baked, handmade bread is irresistible. I've posted about bread before, and am always looking for new recipes to try. Thankfully, Dana chose the recipes this month for the Easy Bake cOven. She chose two recipes, one Dilly bread - a dill and onion flavored, savory loaf - and Maple Oat Bread - a typical loaf good for sandwiches or for toast.

I chose to make only the Maple Oat bread for now, because Dana (my mom in law) made it for us when they visited M and I earlier this month. It was moist and delicious and would be a great accompaniment to any soup or simple pasta. The bread turned out well. The oats and whole wheat give it a dense and chewy texture (perfect for a giant slice of toast), and while it is light in color, it isn't lacking in flavor. It's plain and simple - good bread.

Maple Oatmeal Bread

one 1.5 lb loaf

Sprinkle 2 tsp. yeast (bread machine or regular) over 1 c. lukewarm (105-115 degrees) water—let stand while combining

¼ c. oil

¼ c. real maple syrup (not pancake syrup)—can substitute honey

1 ¾ tsp. salt

add yeast mixture

Stir in 1 c. rolled oats

Stir in enough of the 3 cups bread flour (opt. substitute 1 c. whole wheat flour and 2 c. bread flour) until a stiff dough

Kneed in the rest of the flour, and more if necessary, until the dough can be kneeded for 5-10 min.

The ball should spring back into shape when indented and be smooth and not sticky.

Roll in a greased bowl and leave to rise in a warm place with a damp towel over the top until double (1.5-2 hours)

Punch down and shape loaf

Let rise uncovered up to 1 hour or until less than double in bulk (don’t let it over rise)

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven until the top is golden brown and the bottom of the loaf sounds hollow when tapped, 30 to 40 minutes.

For a Printable version of both recipes, click here.

Strawberry Frozen Yogurt

I had a pint of strawberries left over from making Strawberry Cupcakes for my office. Since the strawberries were perfectly ripe and M and I would have made ourselves sick to eat them all before they got mushy, I turned these beauties into a delicious frozen yogurt. Fro-Yo has gained a following here in California beginning with Pink Berry in LA, and moving into every San Fran neighborhood with names like Tuttimelon and Yocup. It's tangy, and topped with your choice of fresh fruit or candy pieces. My yogurt didn't come out of a machine in a cute little twist, and the fresh fruit was incorporated into the mix, but it was just as good (and maybe a little more sweet than its corporate counterpart).

Have you bought your ice cream machine yet? Good, then you will be able to enjoy this low fat ice cream with me. I took a chance and changed the full fat yogurt requirement to the thickest, creamiest fat free yogurt I know, Mountain High Yoghurt. It's what I eat for breakfast most days, and thick enough to make a tasty yogurt. When you make your own, be sure to get Plain yogurt, preferably with no added mystery ingredients or sugars. Then, find some strawberries, slice them, and macerate them with sugar and vodka for one hour. Go have a huge slice of pizza from your local pizzeria. Come back and add in some lemon juice and yogurt and give it all a whirl in the food processor until smooth. Refrigerate until it's chilled and freeze in your ice cream maker. Freeze for at least 4 hours and enjoy.

It's that simple, and delicious. It makes me happy for spring and all of the fruits that will soon be back in season. I heard the strawberries at the Farmers Market looked fabulous, and I can't wait to see what my CSA will deliver soon.

Strawberry Frozen Yogurt

adapted from The Perfect Scoop, David Lebovits

1 pint fresh strawberries

2 tsp Vodka

2/3 C sugar

1 tsp fresh lemon juice

1 C fat free thick yogurt (if it is not thick enough, strain through some cheesecloth over a wire mesh strainer and drain until it is thick enough to scoop and leave a spoon mark)

Hull Strawberries and slice them in quarters. Add them to the bowl of a food processor with the Vodka and sugar. Pulse to coarsely chop, cover and rest for one hour. Add the yogurt and lemon juice and process until smooth. Chill in your fridge (or your freezer if you are impatient) and freeze in your ice cream machine about 25 minutes. Place in a plastic container and freeze for at least 4 hours before you eat it. Enjoy! And feel less guilty since you used fat free yogurt!

Daring Bakers - Grapefruit Tian with Vanilla Bean Grapefruit Marmalade

I don't usually make a dessert solely for me... but selfishly, for this challenge I couldn't resist. I wanted to make a Grapefruit version of the Orange Tian recipe we were given to use and am happy I did. All morning I nibbled on extra segments of grapefruit, and consumed way too much juice, but it made me happy and what could be better than a happy baker?

The 2010 March Daring Baker’s challenge was hosted by Jennifer of Chocolate Shavings. She chose Orange Tian as the challenge for this month, a dessert based on a recipe from Alain Ducasse’s Cooking School in Paris.

There are a lot of steps to this dessert - even though the final product is fairly simple. A Tian is a layered dish, it can be savory or sweet, but most commonly it is made with vegetables. I chose grapefruit instead of orange because I like it more. I wanted to experiment with the marmalade, so I did some research and decided Vanilla Bean would pair well. I like the way it turned out - a little bitter - a little vanilla-y but mostly good.

The Tian is built with a layer of Pate Sablee (similar to a sweet pastry dough), a layer of marmalade, a thick layer of whipped cream with a little marmalade mixed in, and a layer of fresh fruit. The fruit was supposed to be covered in a caramel made with fruit juice, but I decided to use it only on the top. I may not make this again assembled as a dessert, but combining the marmalade with multiple ingredients is a great idea that I will try again. At least it is pretty and pink.

Here is the recipe if you want to try it... I recommend multiple days of preparation.

For the Pate Sablee:

Ingredients U.S. Imperial Metric Instructions for Ingredients 2 medium-sized egg yolks at room temperature granulated sugar 6 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon; 2.8 oz; 80 grams vanilla extract ½ teaspoon Unsalted butter ¼ cup + 3 tablespoons; 3.5 oz; 100 grams ice cold, cubed Salt 1/3 teaspoon; 2 grams All-purpose flour 1.5 cup + 2 tablespoons; 7 oz; 200 grams baking powder 1 teaspoon ; 4 grams

Directions: Put the flour, baking powder, ice cold cubed butter and salt in a food processor fitted with a steel blade.

In a separate bowl, add the eggs yolks, vanilla extract and sugar and beat with a whisk until the mixture is pale. Pour the egg mixture in the food processor.

Process until the dough just comes together. If you find that the dough is still a little too crumbly to come together, add a couple drops of water and process again to form a homogenous ball of dough. Form into a disc, cover with plastic wrap and leave to rest in the fridge for 30 minutes. Preheat your oven to 350 degree Fahrenheit.

Roll out the dough onto a lightly floured surface until you obtain a ¼ inch thick circle.

Using your cookie cutter, cut out circles of dough and place on a parchment (or silicone) lined baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes or until the circles of dough are just golden.

For the Marmalade:

Ingredients U.S. Imperial Metric Instructions for Ingredients Freshly pressed orange juice ¼ cup + 3 tablespoons; 3.5 oz; 100 grams 1 large orange used to make orange slices cold water to cook the orange slices pectin 5 grams granulated sugar: use the same weight as the weight of orange slices once they are cooked

Finely slice the orange. Place the orange slices in a medium-sized pot filled with cold water. Simmer for about 10 minutes, discard the water, re-fill with cold water and blanch the oranges for another 10 minutes.

Blanch the orange slices 3 times. This process removes the bitterness from the orange peel, so it is essential to use a new batch of cold water every time when you blanch the slices.

Once blanched 3 times, drain the slices and let them cool.

Once they are cool enough to handle, finely mince them (using a knife or a food processor).

Weigh the slices and use the same amount of granulated sugar . If you don’t have a scale, you can place the slices in a cup measurer and use the same amount of sugar.

In a pot over medium heat, add the minced orange slices, the sugar you just weighed, the orange juice and the pectin. Cook until the mixture reaches a jam consistency (10-15 minutes).

Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and put in the fridge.

I added the seeds of half a vanilla bean and used 1/3 honey instead of all sugar. You can adjust the sweetness of the marmalade as you go, just make sure to bring it to a boil before you add anything, then lower the heat to maintain the simmer.

For the Orange Segments:

For this step you will need 8 oranges. (I used 2 grapefruits and sliced the segments in half)

Cut the oranges into segments over a shallow bowl and make sure to keep the juice. Add the segments to the bowl with the juice.

[See YouTube video in the References section below for additional information on segmenting oranges.]

For the Caramel:

Ingredients U.S. Metric Imperial Instructions for Ingredients granulated sugar 1 cup; 7 oz; 200 grams orange juice 1.5 cups + 2 tablespoons; 14 oz; 400 grams

Place the sugar in a pan on medium heat and begin heating it.

Once the sugar starts to bubble and foam, slowly add the orange juice. As soon as the mixture starts boiling, remove from the heat and pour half of the mixture over the orange segments.

Reserve the other half of the caramel mixture in a small bowl — you will use this later to spoon over the finished dessert. When the dessert is assembled and setting in the freezer, heat the kept caramel sauce in a small saucepan over low heat until it thickens and just coats the back of a spoon (about 10 minutes). You can then spoon it over the orange tians.

[Tip: Be very careful when making the caramel — if you have never made caramel before, I would suggest making this step while you don’t have to worry about anything else. Bubbling sugar is extremely, extremely hot, so make sure you have a bowl of ice cold water in the kitchen in case anyone gets burnt!]

For the Whipped Cream:

Ingredients U.S. Metric Imperial Instructions for Ingredients heavy whipping cream 1 cup; 7 oz; 200 grams 3 tablespoons of hot water 1 tsp Gelatine 1 tablespoon of confectioner's sugar orange marmalade (see recipe above) 1 tablespoon

In a small bowl, add the gelatine and hot water, stirring well until the gelatine dissolves. Let the gelatine cool to room temperature while you make the whipped cream. Combine the cream in a chilled mixing bowl. Whip the cream using a hand mixer on low speed until the cream starts to thicken for about one minute. Add the confectioner sugar. Increase the speed to medium-high. Whip the cream until the beaters leave visible (but not lasting) trails in the cream, then add the cooled gelatine slowly while beating continuously. Continue whipping until the cream is light and fluffy and forms soft peaks. Transfer the whipped cream to a bowl and fold in the orange marmalade.

[Tip: Use an ice cold bowl to make the whipped cream in. You can do this by putting your mixing bowl, cream and beater in the fridge for 20 minutes prior to whipping the cream.]

Assembling the Dessert:

Make sure you have some room in your freezer. Ideally, you should be able to fit a small baking sheet or tray of desserts to set in the freezer.

Line a small tray or baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone sheet. Lay out 6 cookie cutters onto the parchment paper/silicone.

Drain the orange segments on a kitchen towel.

Have the marmalade, whipped cream and baked circles of dough ready to use.

Arrange the orange segments at the bottom of each cookie cutter. Make sure the segments all touch either and that there are no gaps. Make sure they fit snuggly and look pretty as they will end up being the top of the dessert. Arrange them as you would sliced apples when making an apple tart.

Once you have neatly arranged one layer of orange segments at the bottom of each cookie cutter, add a couple spoonfuls of whipped cream and gently spread it so that it fills the cookie cutter in an even layer. Leave about 1/4 inch at the top so there is room for dough circle.

Using a butter knife or small spoon, spread a small even layer of orange marmalade on each circle of dough.

Carefully place a circle of dough over each ring (the side of dough covered in marmalade should be the side touching the whipping cream). Gently press on the circle of dough to make sure the dessert is compact.

Place the desserts to set in the freezer to set for 10 minutes.

Using a small knife, gently go around the edges of the cookie cutter to make sure the dessert will be easy to unmold. Gently place your serving plate on top of a dessert (on top of the circle of dough) and turn the plate over. Gently remove the cookie cutter, add a spoonful of caramel sauce and serve immediately.

Easy Bake cOven - Bob's Croissant

For the month of February, one of our members chose to make Croissants from scratch. I was kind of disappointed - mostly because I made puff pastry once before and it was so so. The vous al vents turned out well, but spending the entire day in the kitchen was not my idea of fun (unless it involved cakes). I like to say that puff pastry is something everyone should try at least once (maybe to gain a higher appreciation of the product) and once is definitely enough.

Instead of making the croissants again, I decided to do a little write up about my favorite croissant in the city. Thanks to a friend and her love for anything french - I tried a croissant from Bob's Donuts. This is not your typical donut shop - they are open most of the 24 hour day, tempting you with their giant window display of fresh baked delicacies. They don't stop making donuts after 8am, they keep on going into the night to catch the tipsy folks traveling down Polk after the bars close. It is quite heavenly.

I'm not partial to any specific donut. I don't eat them often (more a guilty pleasure) but understand why some people can't resist. It's good we don't live closer. The croissant they sell is super cheap, as big as half your face, and more flakey and buttery than I can ever imagine perfecting myself. M said they taste heavenly. I agree. What can be better (but not better for you?) to indulge in once every few months.

I don't feel so bad that I didn't make them - and am very proud of those who did. Next time I need a croissant fix, I'll make my way up 6 blocks to Bob's. Just look at those flakey layers....

Cranberry Orange Scones

I like scones. They are my favorite item to order with coffee, so it's about time I mastered them for myself instead of spending 1.95 for mass produced breakfast biscuits. Lemon walnut is a close tie so I'll be attempting this one soon.

These scones turned out really well. I found a recipe by Ina Garten (what a funny man, but I love her) and I changed it to suit my style. I liked this one because it had a glaze that wasn't overpowering like some can be. The dough was a little sticky and I was a bit concerned that they wouldn't rise, but they rose beautifully! I haven't had great success with some scone recipes in the past, but this one is worth keeping. I was thinking it might make a good base scone for fruity additions like lemon or blueberry.

Of course they were best the night I made them, but they kept fairly well the next four days we ate them. Oh, scone you make me happy in the morning.

Cranberry Orange Scones

adapted from Ina Garten, Food Network

2 C flour + 1/4 C and more for shaping

2T sugar

1 T baking powder

1 tsp kosher salt (or sea salt)

1 1/2 tsp orange zest

1 stick butter diced

2 eggs + 1 yolk + enough milk to make 1 C

1/2 C cranberries

1 egg beaten with 2 T water

glaze

1/2 C powdered sugar

3 tsp fresh orange juice

Preheat the oven to 400˚F. In the bowl of a mixer, add dry ingredients and stir to combine. Add orange zest and mix well. Add butter cubes and mix until the butter pieces resemble peas (or a little larger). Add eggs and yolk to a measuring cup and add enough milk to make 1 cup. I used soy milk because we had some. Using a higher fat milk is good too. Add this mix to the flour mix on medium speed until it just comes together. Add the cranberries and the 1/4 C flour and stir to combine. Plop the dough out onto a well floured surface and shape it into into a 8-9 inch round about 1 inch high. Cut the dough with a sharp knife into 8 pizza wedges. Place all of these onto a baking sheet. Mix the egg and water and brush across the tops of each scone. Place them into the oven and bake for 20 minutes. They should be a lovely shade of golden brown and Ina says firm to the touch.

Wait for them to cool a little on a wire rack and drizzle some glaze on top. Eat them right, hovering over the rack until they are cool enough to handle. They are best this way, otherwise you could be a little more civilized and put them on a plate or serving dish for guests. Serve with coffee or tea (or take them to work with you and eat them at your desk while savoring a morning latte).

The Lovely Lady Baker Cooks Winter Squash Bread and Soup

I've been meaning to make Winter Squash Bread - or Butternut Squash Bread - for a while now. We received so many butternut squash in our CSA box I needed to do something besides roast it, or make it into risotto (both good options) and this bread made a huge impression on me the first time I made it. The bread has a lovely texture due to the addition of cornmeal, and dark, crunchy crust, it is heavenly. It tastes great slathered with butter, or sliced thick and toasted. I was happy to roast and puree one of our 4 squashes (all varying in size) to make this bread again.

I have not managed to make as much bread from scratch as I intended in my baking resolutions for the year, but the smell of bread baking in the oven has reignited this goal. I'll be posting more bread recipes for you soon (the easy bake cOven club is baking bread for the month of March). I think bread making is a skill not many possess but all of us should try at least once. This one is especially forgiving. It is a little softer to knead and allows you to shape it however you like. I made one large round loaf and quite a few small dinner rolls to accompany our soup.

I've expressed my love for soup to you all. Without fail, I continue to make soup for dinners, even on not so cold nights. My goal for this soup was solely to not let the swiss chard go to waste. We received a bunch of chard in our CSA box as well, and sometimes M and I don't experiment enough... and it gets all yellow-y and slimy in a little bag in the fridge. To the compost it goes all too often. It doesn't have a lot of flavor, and the thick leaves take some effort to cook. In the newsletter that accompanies the fruits and veggies, they usually include a few recipes, and this time there was a soup recipe that caught my eye. Swiss Chard with White beans. I took a little creative liberty and turned the soup into something we might enjoy a little more than broth with beans and leafy greens. Swiss Chard, white beans, roasted chicken, garlic.

It turned out to be a very simple soup that was quite tasty. I'm still not in love with swiss chard, but at least it made an appearance in a meal instead of our composting bin. I hope all of you are better at using up the veggies in your fridge than we are sometimes, and that you might experiment with a winter vegetable like swiss chard - especially if you haven't ever eaten or cooked with it before.

Winter Squash Bread

From the Earth to the Table, John Ash

You can use any type of winter squash you wish, I used Butternut Squash since we had so many

1 1/2 C warm water (110-115˚F)

1 package yeast

1/4 C brown sugar

2 eggs

1 T kosher or sea salt

1/2 C cornmeal

5 1/2 - 6 C all purpose flour

Mix the yeast in the warm water with a pinch of the sugar. Let it sit for about 10 minutes or until it gets bubbly and expands. Add the brown sugar and eggs and whisk well. Add the cornmeal, salt, and two cups of the flour and continue whisking until it is smooth. With a wooden spoon, mix in the remaining flour 1/2 to 1 cup at a time until the dough isn't too sticky. Turn it out on a floured surface and knead quickly for 5-10 minutes until the dough holds its shape and is smooth and elastic. Oil a bowl lightly with olive oil and toss the dough in, coating the whole surface. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until it has doubled in bulk.

Preheat the oven to 450˚F. Punch the dough with your fist - this is quite fun - so it deflates. Take the dough out of the bowl and cut it into two equal parts. Shape the dough into rounds or logs and place them on a greased baking sheet dusted with cornmeal. Let rise again for 30 minutes covered loosely with plastic wrap. Place in the middle rack of the oven and immediately turn the oven to 350˚F. Bake 45-50 minutes or until the dough sounds hollow when tapped and the crust is nice and brown.

Swiss Chard and White Bean Soup

1 bunch swiss chard - about 1 lb rinsed, stems sliced thin, and leaves cut into 1 inch pieces

2 cloves garlic, minced

olive oil

6 C chicken broth

2 cans cannellini beans (white kidney beans)

1/2 C chopped roasted chicken (ours was leftover - but buying a pre roasted chicken from the grocery store would be just fine! or leaving it out entirely for a veggie option is fine too)

1/2 C parmesan cheese

In a large stockpot, heat about 1 T of olive oil and add minced garlic and chard stems. Saute for 5 minutes. Add the leaves and continue to cook, stirring often, for another 5 minutes - or until slightly wilted. Add in the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook 10 minutes. Add beans and chopped chicken pieces, and pepper to taste. You can add salt too, but the chicken broth usually has a lot of salt. Simmer for another 10 minutes. Add the cheese and stir to melt. Serve with a big slice of bread and extra parmesan too if you wish. Adding some crushed red pepper to the chard and garlic while it is sauteing would be good too.

a tiny Carrot Cake, a giant scoop of Goat Cheese Ice Cream

I've posted about carrot cake before. It is my favorite, so I continue to fill your thoughts with cream cheese frosting and dense, spicy, moist cakes. I'm still trying to figure out why one of my friends doesn't like cake.... to counter balance this un-likeness of cake, I have another friend who is mildly obsessed with my carrot cake. I oblige and make them at her request. She is a loyal supporter of the "dream bakery" and asked me recently to make a cake for her significant other's birthday.

I also threw out the idea of home made ice cream to pair with the cake. I had no idea which flavor, so I consulted the ice cream genius David Lebovitz directly. He responded (yay! I was really excited he answered my question) and suggested Cream Cheese Ice Cream or Goat Cheese Ice Cream. I ran it past my carrot cake fanatic, and she decided on the Goat Cheese Ice Cream. David Lebovitz also suggested adding some rum soaked raisins to the mix might be good, so I followed suit.

How delightful to make cake and ice cream for a birthday. I made a 6 inch cake with 3 layers, cream cheese frosting, and toasted walnuts. I like the walnuts on the sides. I fell in love with the look in college at a local coffee shop. They served giant slices of carrot cake with walnuts decorating the sides, and it looked so pretty in the case.... so tempting. The only ingredient I have mixed feeling about is the raisin. Sometimes I like them, sometimes they are a little overwhelming. I like to change it up and use currants instead of raisins sometimes, especially if making it for myself, because they are smaller and sweeter than your typical raisin. I usually let the paying customer choose this battle.

The goat cheese ice cream was interesting to make as well. It's simple. It tastes like sweet, creamy (yet icy), sweet goat cheese. If you're not a goat cheese fan don't try this at home. If you are... and you are weeping because you don't have an ice cream maker... don't fret! I have a feeling you can make this without one. After preparing the custard and mixing it with the cheese, you can freeze it in your ice cream maker (but this doesn't freeze the same as most ice creams) or you can mix it together really really well, place it in the freezer, and take it out and stir it every hour until it is thick enough to add some rum soaked raisins. Then let it freeze overnight. The reason I say this is because in the ice cream maker (since there is no whipping cream in the mix), the ice cream doesn't increase in volume, it just chills really well, and it looks curdled rather than smooth. The curdles smooth out during freezer time - and this is why I think it is unnecessary to churn. I imagine you can do the same with Cream Cheese Ice Cream.

Let me know how it goes in case you try this without one. The end result of cake and ice cream turned out well. The sweets were praised (how nice) and commended on their original pairing. Thanks to David Lebovits for the suggestion. And thanks to my friends for enjoying my baking so much!

Goat Cheese Ice Cream

adapted from The Perfect Scoop, by David Lebovitz

makes 1 pint

2 1/4 C whole milk

1 C sugar

11 oz goat cheese

9 egg yolks

Mix the milk and sugar together in a medium saucepan, set over medium heat. Remove the goat cheese from the packaging and place it in a large bowl. Mix it up with a fork and set a mesh strainer over the top.

In another bowl, whisk the egg yolks. After the milk is warm to the touch, slowly temper the egg yolks and return the mix to the saucepan. Continue cooking over medium heat making sure to scrape the bottom of the pan to prevent burning, until it coats the back of the spoon. (to test this, run your finger down the back of the spoon and see if the custard leaves a nice straight line - if it does, it is ready, if not keep heating).

Pour the custard through the mesh strainer into the goat cheese. Stir the mixture until the cheese is melted and set the bowl in an ice bath and stir until the mixture is cooled. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until it is completely cooled.

Freeze in your ice cream machine, or do as I said above if you don't have one!

Carrot Cake

adapted from Birthday Cakes, by Kathryn Kleinman

(Full Recipe for 3 - 9" Layers)

1 C dark raisins

1 lb carrots (about 4 C shredded - you can leave skins on)

2 C minus 2 T flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 tsp cinnamon

1 T cocoa powder

4 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

1 C sugar

1 C dark brown sugar

1 1/4 C oil

1 1/2 C walnuts - roughly chopped

divide oven into thirds. Preheat to 350˚, butter and line 3 9" pans with parchment. dust with flour. steam the raisins covered 10 mins (alternately add some water to a heat proof bowl and microwave covered for 30 seconds or so to plump). Drain and reserve.

Sift dry ingredients. In a large bowl, beat eggs, then beat in vanilla, sugars, and oil. Mix in dry ingredients until just incorporated, then stir in the carrots, raisins, and nuts.

Divide among pans. Bake about 35 minutes - until the cakes start to pull away from the edges of the pans. Remove from the oven and cool on wire racks for 3 minutes. Turn onto a rack right side up. Once completely cool, wrap and freeze for one hour. (Overnight works great). Frost using Cream Cheese Frosting recipe! This cakes serves a crowd. It is really dense and tall so you can get a lot of slices from one cake. If you half the recipe you can make 3 6" cakes, or 18 regular cupcakes.

Cream Cheese Frosting

16 oz cream cheese (full fat)

1 stick butter

1 tsp vanilla

2 C powdered sugar

Beat butter and cream cheese (room temp please!) for a few minutes until fluffy. Add vanilla and sugar. Continue beating on high speed until smooth, scraping sides of bowl. Makes enough to frost 3 layers of cake plus sides.