Martha Stewart Lemon Curd

http://www.marthastewart.com/348239/lemon-curd

Chocolate Strawberry Cake

Ingredients

Cake

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
2 cups water
4 oz unsweetened chocolate, grated or chopped
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 eggs, lightly beaten

Chocolate Frosting

1 1/3 cups heavy cream
1 cups sugar
6 oz unsweetened chocolate, grated or chopped
1/2 cup (or 4 oz) plus 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed
1-1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of kosher salt

Strawberry Filling

2 1/2 cups strawberries, fresh or frozen, washed and peeled
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 Tablespoon corn starch

Directions

Strawberry Filling

If berries are frozen, thaw them out and puree in a blender.

Strain the puree through a fine screen to remove the seeds.

Heat puree, sugar, and cornstarch to a boil, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens.

Cool completely.

Cake

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Grease two 8 1/2 inch cake pans with butter, and lightly dust with flour.  Shake to coat.

Line with parchment paper, add a little more butter and set aside.

In a large bowl sift in flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and set aside.

In a medium saucepan, mix the sugar and water and bring to a boil to dissolve sugar.

Pour mixture into a large bowl and add the chopped chocolate and butter.  Let sit stirring occasionally until the chocolate has melted.

Once chocolate has melted, beat for about 1 minute with electric mixer.

Mix in vanilla and stir with a spoon.

Let mixture cool for 5-10 minutes.

In a small bowl beat the eggs.

Add eggs to chocolate mixture and beat on medium until combined.

Add the dry ingredients and beat until smooth.

Pour batter evenly into cake pans and bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean with poked in the center.

When cakes are done, let cool in their pans for 25 minutes and then flip pans to cool release them and cool completely.

Frosting

In a medium saucepan, add sugar and cream and boil over medium - high heat, just until it boils.

Lower heat to a simmer and stir once in a while for about 5 minutes.

In the meanwhile, add chopped chocolate, butter and vanilla to a heatproof bowl.

Pour hot cream over chocolate mixture and let stand, stirring once in a while until melted.

Add about 1 inch of ice water to a large bowl.

Place the melted chocolate bowl inside the ice water, but not so that the water come overs into the chocolate.

Now mix the chocolate on medium speed until it is thick and shiny. This will take about 5 minutes.

Set in fridge for 15 minutes before using to frost the cake.

Assembly

Place 1 cake layer so the flat side is facing up, and add the layer of strawberry puree. Top with 2nd chocolate cake layer.

Frost sides and top of cake evenly and smoothly with frosting.

Banana Cake with Vanilla Bean Frosting

Banana Cake with Vanilla Bean Frosting

Cake:

2/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup sour cream

1 egg

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

2 mashed super ripe bananas (about 3/4 cup)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 

1 cup flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Frosting:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste* (see below)

1 1/4 cups confectioner's sugar

To make cake (easily mixed by hand):

Preheat the oven to 375F (see note below).  Cream together sugar, sour cream, egg, and 2 tablespoons softened butter.  Add mashed bananas and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.  Add flour, salt, and baking soda; mix well.  Pour into greased 8x8 pan.  Bake at 375F for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool completely before frosting.

To make frosting:

Cream butter and confectioner's sugar together until smooth.  Slowly add the heavy cream; stir until smooth.  Stir in the vanilla bean paste until fully incorporated.  Spread on cooled cake. 

Note - Bake at 350F if using a glass pan.
Recipe doubles well to fit in a 9x13 pan.   

*Here's the general rule for substituting vanilla:
1 vanilla bean =
1 tablespoon vanilla powder =
1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste =
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Brown Sugar Cake

Brown Sugar Cake

1 pkg. (2-layer size) yellow cake mix
1 pkg. (3.4 oz.) JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding
4 Eggs
2/3 cup Sour Cream
2/3 cup Water
1/2 cup Oil
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup chopped Pecans
2 tsp. Powdered sugar

Directions

HEAT oven to 350ºF.

BEAT first 6 ingredients with mixer 3 min. or until well blended. Add brown sugar and nuts; mix well.

POUR into 12-cup fluted tube pan or 10-inch tube pan sprayed with cooking spray.

BAKE 1 hour or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan 15 min. Loosen 

cake from sides of pan; invert onto wire rack. Remove pan; cool cake completely. Sprinkle with powdered sugar just before serving.

Footnotes

Sprinkle pan with combined 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar and 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon after spraying with cooking spray. Then fill with batter and bake as directed.

Key Lime Cake

Ingredients

CAKE

1 3-ounce package lime-flavored gelatin

1¹/3 cups granulated sugar

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

5 large eggs, slightly beaten

1½ cups vegetable oil

¾ cup orange juice

1 tablespoon lemon juice

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup Key lime juice (from about 25 small Key limes or 4 large regular limes)

½ cup confectioners' sugar

CREAM CHEESE ICING

½ cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature

1 8-ounce package cream cheese, room temperature

1 1-pound box confectioners' sugar

Cooking Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour three 9-inch round cake pans.

In a large mixing bowl, mix the gelatin, sugar, flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Stir to mix well.

Add the eggs, oil, orange juice, lemon juice, and vanilla.

Divide the batter evenly among the 3 pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Test for doneness by lightly touching the tops of the layers or inserting a toothpick.

Cool the layers in the pans for 5 minutes, then turn them out onto racks.

While the layers are still hot, mix the lime juice and confectioners' sugar and pour it over the layers on the racks. You can pierce the layers with a fork to allow the glaze to soak in better. Allow the layers to cool completely as you prepare the icing.

Cream the butter and cream cheese. Beat in the confectioners' sugar until the mixture is smooth and easy to spread. Spread the icing between the layers and on the top and sides of the cake.

The cream cheese icing is optional. This cake is beautiful and tastes great with just the glaze poured over it.

Key limes can be hard to find. Substitute regular lime juice for key lime juice without sacrificing flavor.

Serves 12