i usually don’t get up early enough during the week for breakfast, but on the weekend, all bets are off. i like 2 eggs, home fries, sausage, toast, orange juice, coffee…you get the idea. sometimes we switch it up and make waffles, but nothing beats homemade pancakes.

if you don’t like getting up early even on the weekends for breakfast, you can do what we often do around here, which is make breakfast for dinner. in fact, the very first time i had the girl over to my place in college (on valentine’s day if i remember correctly), i made her pancakes, sausage, home fries and eggs…ok, maybe a little too much food for a romantic evening in retrospect, but it must have worked at least a little bit.

so back to these pancakes. i know, i know, bananas, and bacon, and buttermilk. but here’s the good thing – you can leave out (or substitute in the case of buttermilk) any of these and still have a seriously delicious breakfast (or dinner). the basis for them comes from mark bittman, and in a cookbook with millions of recipes, his basic pancake recipe is one of the few i have bookmarked.

the crumbled bacon does give the pancakes a smoky flavor without being too overwhelming, but what really helps push the pancakes over the top is actually cooking them in bacon fat. needlessly decadent? possibly, but in addition to providing flavor, the fat gives the pancakes a perfectly crispy outside.

as i write this, dc is scheduled to get a ridiculous amount of snow over the next few days, so there’s a good chance we’ll be stuck around the house. i’m predicting some snow day pancakes in our immediate future…

bacon banana buttermilk pancakes
makes 4-6 servings. adapted from How to Cook Everything.

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp sugar
2 eggs
1 3/4 cups buttermilk
2 Tbsp melted and cooled butter
2 bananas, smashed
3 pieces crumbled bacon
bacon fat for greasing the pan (or butter if bacon fat is not available)

1. cook up bacon and crumble. reserve and strain the fat. y0u can do this a day or two before, keeping the bacon fat in the refrigerator.

2. melt the butter and let cool to room temperature.

3. mix the flour, baking soda, salt and sugar in a bowl. set aside.

4. combine the buttermilk, eggs, cooled melted butter, smashed bananas, and the crumbled bacon. mix in the dry ingredients until just combined. it is ok if there are some small bits of flour. let the batter sit for 5 minutes.

5. heat up a skillet and spoon on just enough bacon fat or butter to coat the surface. ladle on a spoonful of batter and cook until bubbles begin to appear on the top of the pancake. flip and let cook for another few minutes, until both sides are golden brown.

note: if you don’t have buttermilk, you can substitute regular milk but increase the baking soda to 1 Tbsp.

it’s been a little while since my last update, and i apologize – i just realized today that’s it’s already been august for a few days. things have been hectic around here lately, and to be totally honest, when i started blogging, i had a lot less going on in my life in general. my goal was always to post at least twice a week, but it’s clear that i haven’t really been able to sustain that kind of schedule – between school and work, there’s just been less time to bake, which is a shame, because it’s still one of my favorite things in life.

also, there are times i find myself wanting to bake or cook just to bake or cook. figuring out lighting, taking pictures and writing out recipes can be a bit of a buzzkill when there are crazy delicious things in the oven and you just want to eat and share them with other people. some days it’s all about making a perfect loaf of zucchini bread and eating the whole thing before anyone has a chance to snap a photo. those days don’t happen often enough.

but don’t worry, pete bakes isn’t going anywhere! in fact, i recently (sort of) made these strawberry cupcakes for the girl and myself. finally, after over a year, i’ve learned to halve batches of things when i’m not planning on taking them into work or having a cupcake party. i’m espcially glad i halved this recipe, because they ended up being a little disappointing. i’m perplexed because it’s a martha stewart recipe – what gives?

although there was a decent strawberry flavor, the cake was too dense and spongy. you can also see how the color changed from the batter to the baked cake – more gray than pink. the frosting, however, was pretty good. i would use that again in another recipe.

does anyone have a really awesome strawberry cupcake recipe they’d be willing to share?

strawberry cupcakes
from Martha Stewart. makes 12 cupcakes.

cupcakes
2/3 c whole fresh or frozen strawberries, thawed
1 1/2 c all-purpose flour, sifted
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp coarse salt
1/4 c whole milk, room temperature
1 tspn pure vanilla extract
1/2 c (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 c sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
2 large egg whites, room temperature

frosting
1/2 c whole frozen strawberries, thawed
1 c (2 sticks) unsalted butter, firm and slightly cold
pinch of coarse salt
3 1/2 c confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1. preheat oven to 350 degrees. line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners; set aside.

2. place strawberries in a small food processor; process until pureed. you should have about 1/3 cup of puree, add a few more strawberries if necessary or save any extra puree for frosting; set aside.

3. in a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. in a small bowl, mix together milk, vanilla, and strawberry puree; set aside.

4. in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter on medium-high speed, until light and fluffy. gradually add sugar and continue to beat until well combined and fluffy. reduce the mixer speed to medium and slowly add egg and egg whites until just blended.

5. with the mixer on low, slowly add half the flour mixture; mix until just blended. add the milk mixture; mix until just blended. slowly add remaining flour mixture, scraping down sides of the bowl with a spatula, as necessary, until just blended.

6. divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups. transfer muffin tin to oven and bake until tops are just dry to the touch, 22 to 25 minutes. transfer muffin tin to a wire rack and let cupcakes cool completely in tin before icing.

7. place strawberries in the bowl of a small food processor; process until pureed. in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and salt on medium speed until light and fluffy. reduce mixer speed and slowly add confectioners’ sugar; beat until well combined. add vanilla and 3 tablespoons strawberry puree (save any remaining strawberry puree for another use); mix until just blended. do not overmix or frosting will incorporate too much air. frosting consistency should be dense and creamy, like ice cream.

in the short history of this blog, i’ve already moved twice. my moves were both in a 3-block radius, but regardless, it’s never an easy thing to do. the girl and i spent the entire weekend moving boxes and bags and furniture and plants into our new place (yes, i said OUR!), and have been too tired to do little more than look at our piles of stuff and imagine what the place will look like once we get enough energy to move anything.

so begins the long journey of figuring out where everything should go. one of the problems we’ve run into already is having doubles of, duh, of kitchen stuff. we were both thoughtful enough to get each other cooking gadgets and pots and pans when we moved into our old places, but now that it’s all combined, there’s just not room for 2 full sets of stainless steel cookware. and what are the odds that we’ll both need to press garlic at the same time? you can see the dilemma.

another issue is that we simply don’t know where everything is yet! not every box is labeled and packing got hastier just before the move, so if i wanted to find, say, a wooden spoon, i’d be hard-pressed to track it down. in lieu of full on cooking (which is actually killing us), we made hot dogs on the bbq (we have a bbq! and a shared backyard!). but enough about the new place. these rhubarb strawberry shortcakes were the very last thing i baked in my old place (the best cookies ever being the last thing i made last time i moved).

everyone is doing things with strawberry and rhubarb this time of year, and i can’t claim that this recipe is anything particularly special, except that it’s really really delicious. it was also my first experience with shortcake. i guess i never saw the point in shortcake before if there was tall cake to be had.

call me a convert, because these little guys are awesome. my only regret was not having whipped cream on hand to make the evening perfect.

i’m going to miss my old place, but i’m excited to fill our new apartment with memories, and more importantly, delicious baked goods. it may be a little while before i’m baking in full swing again, but there’s more to come!

strawberry rhubarb shortcake
makes about 6 shortcakes. shortcake recipe adapted from Alton Brown.

shortcake
1 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 pinch salt
1/2 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp butter, at room temperature
1 Tbsp vegetable shortening, at room temperature
3/8 cup half and half

filling
2-3 stalks rhubarb, sliced
1/2 cup sugar, divided
2 Tbsp lemon juice, tsp lemon zest
1 dash cinnamon or nutmeg
3/4 lb strawberries, sliced

1. to make the cakes: combine the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a large bowl. cut in the butter and shortening with a pastry cutter (or a fork). mix in the half and half. drop by spoonsfuls onto a baking sheet. brush with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar. bake at 350F for 15 mintues, until golden brown.

2. to make the filling: combine 1/4 cup sugar and strawberries in a bowl. set aside to soften for about 40 minutes. meanwhile, in a saucepan on medium heat, cook the rhubarb down with the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, lemon juice and zest, and cinnamon/nutmeg until it reaches a jam like consistency. combine the rhubarb and strawberries and mix together.

3. halve the shortcakes and top with the filling while still warm (or chill the filling and then serve).

a year ago today, after spending about 70% of my reading reading food blogs, i decided to dedicate the other 30% to launching my own.

it’s been nothing but a positive experience, and i just really want to say thank you to everyone who reads it. i still get an incredible feeling anytime someone leaves a comment.

so i’m celebrating by taking the day off. and cheating. that’s right, this here cake is straight up funfetti! if you’ve never had funfetti before, it’s a box cake made by pillsbury filled with tiny colored candy things that melt in the oven and give the cake a “festive” feel. what you really need to know about this cake is that you can’t eat it and not be overcome with joy. it’s almost too fun, but fortunately, the lab boys at pillsbury did sufficient research to pull it back just to this side of giddiness.

i actually made this for the girl’s birthday last weekend (along with a “real” cake – tres leches!), but there was so much of it, i’m still working my way through. my inspriation for the finished cake was the world peace black and white cookie (LOOK TO THE COOKIE, ELAINE).

i can’t apologize for loving this cake because, well, it’s just too good. but i wish i could send a piece to everyone – this blog would be nothing without you. thanks.

i’m a bit late on this one, but really, is there any bad time for a flourless chocolate cake? last week was passover with my girlfriend and her family, and a few days later was easter with my own family. i’m still recovering from over 100 hours of straight eating (mostly sweets) – chocolate caramel covered matzah to giant easter egg cakes. and lots of peanut butter cups.

once we arrived at my girl’s parent’s house, we got started on the cake, which could not have been easier (the whole thing is mixed in a blender!), but what makes the cake really work is the fresh berries and lime juice. i’m almost embarrassed to say that this was my first flourless cake, but it’s a perfect spring dessert (and the perfect end to a really awesome seder feast).

although the cake has a cup of pecans, the final result basically tastes like a rich brownie. to get a more intense pecan flavor, next time we might toast the pecans or even add some on top before serving. also, the recipe below calls for strawberries and blackberries, but we made ours with blueberries and raspberries. so even though passover is almost over, and even though you probably already have a house full of leftovers, don’t be afraid to whip up one more treat.

one last thing – i’m proud to announce that i’ll be entering the food blog battle arena with 5 other talented bloggers in the very first FOODIE FIGHT! foodie fights is a really cool spinoff of the cook offs going on over at macheesmo, and i’m excited to be a part of it. check out the foodie fights site for the rules, secret ingredients and other contestants. i can’t wait!

nana josé’s chocolate pecan cake
from The New York Times. makes 8-10 servings.

cake
1/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp butter or pareve margarine
6 oz bittersweet chocolate
1 cup pecans
6 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup sugar
dash of salt

topping
3 Tbsp brown sugar
finely grated zest of 1 lime
juice of 2 limes (about 1/4 cup juice)
1 pint strawberries, washed, hulled and halved
1 pint blackberries, washed
mint sprigs, optional
lightly sweetened whipped cream, optional

1. for cake: preheat oven to 350F. line a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper and grease with 1 Tbsp butter.

2. using a double boiler or pan over simmering water, melt together chocolate and remaining 1/4 cup butter. set aside to cool.

3. using a blender, chop pecans finely. add eggs, vanilla, sugar, salt and melted chocolate mixture, blending until smooth. pour batter into pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes; cake should be moist but not wet. allow to cool completely.

4. for the garnish: in a large mixing bowl, combine brown sugar, lime zest and lime juice. add strawberries and blackberries, and toss gently. just before serving, toss again and spoon on top of cake. if desired, serve with lightly sweetened whipped cream.

i’m right in the lion’s den of cupcakes. i’m not sure why the nation’s capital has adopted cupcakes as its “thing,” but it’s not exactly as awesome as you might think. for one thing, the city has not become a magical candyland where queen frostine decrees from her gumdrop throne which flavor we should all be wearing each day. in fact, it’s more like waiting 45 minutes in the cold for a tiny cake with too-sweet icing. also, it’s become acceptable to charge between 3 and 4 dollars per cupcake. let that sink in.

i’m not going to keep hating on cupcakes, because, well, it’s been done more cogently elsewhere, but when i can make an entire batch in the time it takes to wait in line for one, i’m sticking with homemade. and now to get back to the point of the post, when i’m looking for quality homemade chocolate baked goods, i go straight to ina garten. you just know you’re getting something good when there’s butter, buttermilk and sour cream involved.

this recipe marked the first official use of my new kitchenaid mixer (courtesy of a pioneerwoman contest – ridiculous, i know), and i hate to admit it, but it actually made a difference. pretty much everything i’ve made so far was mixed with my favorite wooden spoon and sheer willpower, but the convenience of a standing mixer is, duh, a pretty sweet convenience. that said, i definitely don’t think mixers are a necessity, and anyone that tells you that you must use one for a particular recipe is straight up lying.

the frosting looks pretty…interesting, no? it turns out that when you mash up bananas and add them to cream cheese and butter, you get something that looks uncannily like oatmeal. i had to add copious amounts of food coloring to really get the yellow to come out, but i think it looks pretty cool, especially against the chocolaty cake. why banana? i love bananas, and bananas and chocolate are a perfect combo (the bluths got it right). seriously, these taste awesome.

chocolate cupcakes with banana cream cheese frosting
cupcake recipe from FoodNetwork.com. makes about 12-15 cupcakes.

cupcakes
12 Tbsp (1 1/2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup buttermilk, shaken, at room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature
2 Tbsp brewed coffee
1 3/4 cups flour
1 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt

banana icing
4 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1 Tbsp butter, room temperature
1/4 cup confectioner’s sugar
3 small ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
yellow food coloring (amount may vary, add drops until you’re satisfied)

1. make the cupcakes: in an electric mixer (or in a large bowl with a spoon), cream the butter and 2 sugars until light and fluffy. add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla and mix well. in a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, sour cream, and coffee. in another bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. add the buttermilk mixture and the flour mixture alternately in thirds to the mixer bowl, beginning with the buttermilk mixture and ending with the flour mixture. mix only until blended. fold the batter with a rubber spatula to be sure it’s completely blended.

2. preheat the oven to 350F. line cupcake pans with paper liners.

3. divide the batter among the cupcake pans (1 rounded standard ice cream scoop per cup is the right amount). bake in the middle of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. cool for 10 minutes, remove from the pans, and allow to cool completely before frosting.

4. make the icing: in an electric mixer (or in large bowl with a spoon), mix all of the icing ingredients until well blended and smooth. if the icing is too runny, add a bit more cream cheese and confectioner’s sugar until it thickens. spread on the cupcakes while at room temperature.

this is probably not a great post to start off the new year. if you make this recipe, i can pretty much guarantee it will ruin any attempt at a new years resolution to eat healthier. in fact, it’s happening to me. like right now. as in, i’m eating this cake as i type this post and i can’t stop – and although i feel a little guilty, it’s just too good to put down.

you have to understand, this is an ina garten cake – yes, THAT ina garten cake. i think it’s made its rounds on the food blogosphere already, but i’ve only just discovered it (thanks to the girl and her copy of ina garten’s Barefoot Contessa at Home), and now i’ve converted to the church of chocolate cake. the problem with most chocolate cakes is that they end up too dense and crumbly. since this one is loaded with buttermilk, it’s incredibly moist and delectable, even a week later. the frosting is smooth, rich and still gives a good flavor contrast to the cake.

sure, you can make this recipe and stack it like a normal 2-tier cake. but if you want to “class it up,” do what i did and get some biscuit cutters of varying sizes and create some new cake shapes. then, because both the cake and frosting have coffee in them, top your tiny cakes with chocolate covered espresso beans. making tiny cakes gives people the illusion of only eating a little bit, when each one is really much larger than one serving of normal sized cake.

i have to apologize to any of my coworkers that read this blog. i was planning on bringing in some of this cake to share, i really was, but i just haven’t been able to bring myself to do it. i’ve got tons of leftover cake from cutting out the rounds a bowl of frosting left too, but i’m sorry, i’m going to be selfish on this one. this cake is all mine. time for another bite.

beatty’s chocolate cake
from Barefoot Contessa at Home. sooooo good.

chocolate cake
butter for greasing the pans
1 3/4 cups flour
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup cocoa powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee

chocolate frosting
6 oz semisweet chocolate (not chips)
1/2 lb (2 sticks) butter (at room temperature)
1 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 Tbsp instant coffee powder

1. make the cake: sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer on low speed until combined. in another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs and vanilla.

2. with the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. with the mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine. pour the batter into 2 buttered and floured 9 inch cake pans. bake at 350 for 45-40 minutes. cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack and cool completely. at this point, you can frost the cakes as normal, or use a biscuit cutter to cut out smaller cake rounds.

3. make the frosting: chop the chocolate and microwave it for 40-50 seconds, then stir to completely melt. set aside to cool. in the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter on medium-high speed until fluffy. add the egg yolk and vanilla and continue beating for about 3 minutes.

4. turn the mixer to low, gradually add the confectioners’ sugar, then beat at medium speed until smooth and creamy. dissolve the coffee powerd in 2 tsp of hot tap water. on low speed, add the chocolate and coffee to the butter mixture and mix until blended. spread immediately on the cooled cake.

i know you’re still in the mood for pumpkin, so let me give you a recipe that will satisfy your cravings but in no way make you feel healthier (take that, healthy pumpkin muffins that are all the rage right now). my recipe uses a deep fryer, so it has to be delicious. it’s a law of science.

did you know that i actually own a deep fryer? it was purchased in a moment of weakness when, in my college days, i set out to make the perfect monte cristo sandwich. the model i have is called the “fry daddy.” the larger version of the same model is called the “granpappy” and smaller model is the “fry daddy junior.” it’s one big unhealthy deep fried carnival food family. like most people, i was terrified of deep frying at first, but the draw of frying experimentation spurred me to try just about everything from apples and bananas to candy bars – and for those wondering, yes, deep fried pies are coming soon.

it’s true: pete usually bakes, but occasionally, pete deep fries. initially i was embarrassed about purchasing a machine whose sole purpose was to make me fat(ter), but i quickly got over it after i realized the joy that comes from homemade tempura and corndogs. i’ve become a proud granpappy of my frydaddy, and the more i tell others about it, the more excitement i get from those people what could possibly be deep fried. let me tell you a secret: anything can be deep fried, and don’t let anyone tell you different.

if you don’t think you can handle all the hot oil, there are recipes for baked donuts out there. to be honest i didn’t try to bake with this particular batter so i couldn’t tell you how well they would come out. additionally, don’t worry about actually using a deep fryer – a pan on the stove works just as well. you just need to monitor the temperature with a deep-fry thermometer, and i’ve included the instructions for doing that below. these donuts taste best right after you make them, so you really have no excuse not to spend all morning filling the house with the wonderful smells of deep fried pumpkin and then all afternoon devouring them with generous dollops of some of the most decadent frosting you’ll ever whip up. what are you waiting for?

pumpkin donuts!
makes 24 donuts (and holes). adapted from epicurious.com.

donuts
3 1/2 cups flour
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1 cup sugar
3 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
1 egg
2 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp buttermilk
1 cup pumpkin puree
canola oil for frying

pumpkin frosting
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 Tbsp orange juice
1 tsp grated orange zest
1/2 tsp vanilla
4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

1. make the donuts: whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, nutmeg and cloves. beat sugar and butter in large bowl until blended (mixture will be grainy). beat in egg, then yolks and vanilla. gradually beat in buttermilk; fold in pumpkin in 4 additions. cover with plastic and chill 3 hours.

2. sprinkle a baking sheet lightly with flour. press out part of the dough on floured surface to 1/2 to 2/3 inch thickness. using 2 1/2 inch diameter round cutter, cut out dough rounds until all dough is used. using 1-inch-diameter round cutter, cut out center of each dough round to make doughnuts and doughnut holes. toward the end of making the donuts, i simply formed them into rough patties by hand and poked out the hole with my thumb.

3. place a cooling rack on a baking sheet (for draining the donuts). pour oil into large deep skillet to depth of 1 1/2 inches (or fire up your deep fryer). attach deep-fry thermometer and heat oil to 365 F to 370 F. fry doughnut holes in batches until golden brown, turning occasionally, about 2 minutes. using a slotted spoon, transfer to the cooling rack to drain. fry doughnuts, 2 or 3 at a time, until golden brown, adjusting heat to maintain temperature, about 1 minute per side. Using slotted spoon, transfer doughnuts to cooling rack. give the donuts and holes a pat with a paper towel to remove excess oil.

4. make the frosting: soften the cream cheese in the microwave for about 30 seconds. blend in the pumpkin, butter, orange juice, zest and vanilla in a mixer or by hand. add the sugar and beat until light and creamy. spread on donuts or just dip the donuts and holes right into the frosting as you eat.

if you search for “almond joy” or “mounds” cupcakes, you’ll either find recipes that have chocolate cupcakes with coconut frosting and almonds on top, or cupcakes that you hollow out and fill with something else. while they may be delicious, i wanted to focus on an intensely almond cupcake with rich dark chocolate frosting and top it with crispy toasted coconut.

you might recall that i’m not a fan of wimpy cupcakes, and this one is no exception. these are decadent and indulgent. this recipe makes 24, so you might want to share them with someone you love or else you’ll find yourself indulging more than a few times a day.

the beauty of using almond extract is that you can tweak the flavor as you go. after i initially mixed the batter, a taste test told me that they needed more of a kick. quarter teaspoon by quarter teaspoon, i adjusted until i knew the cakes would have the rich taste i was after.

i don’t typically make chocolate frosting, but this one really blew me away. i think the difference  was using higher quality chocolate than i’m used to. typically it’s simple nestle tollhouse morsels (which are excellent), but this time i went a different route – shaving down ghirardelli baking bars bit by bit. it was a labor of love that resulted in me getting chocolate all over my clothes and apartment, but it paid off in spades.

almond cupcakes with dark chocolate frosting and toasted coconut
makes 24 cupcakes. these are SO GOOD.

cupcakes
3/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
3 tsp almond extract
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/4 cups milk

dark chocolate frosting
2 2/3 cups confectioner’s sugar
6 Tbsp butter
1 1/2 cups shaved ghirardelli baking chocolate (unsweetened 100% cacao)
1 cup cream
1 tsp vanilla

1 cup shredded coconut for toasting and topping

1. make the cupcakes: cream the butter and sugar until smooth. add the eggs, almond and vanilla extract and milk. in a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt, then mix into the wet ingredients.

2. fill cupcake liners 2/3 full with batter and bake for about 20 minutes at 375F. remove from the cupcake tray and let cool on a rack completely before frosting.

3. make the frosting: soften the butter in the microwave for about 40 seconds and mix in the confectioner’s sugar. add the vanilla and cream. shave the chocolate directly into the butter mixture, stirring to combine. you can test as you go and add more chocolate if you’d like.

4. move the frosting to a heatproof bowl and place over a saucepan with about 2 inches of water in it on medium heat. you want to really get the frosting smooth and creamy without direct heat from the flame, but it should not take long (maybe 5 minutes). you can continue tasting and adding chocolate or a bit more cream. let it cool at room temperature before frosting the cupcakes.

5. in a non-stick frying pan, heat up shredded coconut on low-medium heat, stirring constantly, until the coconut begins to brown. immediately take it off the heat and continue stirring. top the frosted cupcakes with the toasted coconut.

if you take a look at all of the recipes i’ve made for this blog so far, i don’t think there’s one that you can’t eat for breakfast. apple cake is certainly no exception. in fact, it may be the perfect breakfast cake – it’s got apples and orange juice in it, so there are two servings of fruit right there. it’s also a great opportunity to use in-season apples, which just become all the more irresistible during the fall. and although the apples i bought were all about 2/3 the size of a normal apple (weird!) they didn’t stop this cake from tasting amazing.

the first time i tried to make this cake, i failed horribly. it came out undercooked and bubbly. and despite putting it back in the oven for another 45 minutes, it still would not bake all the way through. i refused to blame it on the recipe and instead chalked it up to my wacky tiny oven (as seen in this post). undeterred, i took another crack at it and lo and behold: what came out of the oven was a thing of beauty. perfectly golden brown and infusing my apartment with apple.

although i thought i had triumphed in the face of defeat, i quickly learned that it’s never too late for baking tragedy to strike. making a rookie mistake, i tried to remove the cake from the tube pan before it had completely cooled. to my horror, the following happened. any sensitive readers or children may want to turn away from the screen.

thankfully, the cake still tastes unbelievable. enjoy, but don’t make the same mistake i did!

jewish apple cake
you’ll see below that this cake is not quite kosher. if you want, you can substitute the butter for 3/4 cup oil. if you do, you also might consider adding a bit more sugar or beating the eggs until fluffy to keep the cake from getting dense.

3 cups flour
4 1/2 tsp baking powder
4 eggs
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, melted and cooled
2 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup orange juice
2 cups plus 1/2 cup sugar, divided
3 tsp cinnamon
4 granny smith apples, cored, peeled and sliced

1. in a large bowl, beat the eggs. add the butter, 2 cups sugar, vanilla and mix. in a separate bowl, mix the flour and baking powder. add to the egg/butter mixture, alternating with the orange juice.

2. pour about 1/3 of the batter into a greased and floured tube pan. lay down about a 1/3 of the sliced apples, fanning them out to cover the entire layer of batter. top with a bit of the mix of 1/2 cup sugar and the cinnamon.

3. reapeat this until you have run out of batter and apples. the top of the cake should have a layer of apples, cinnamon and sugar. bake at 350F for 1 hour. cool for a short time before loosening the sides with a knife. allow to cool completely before removing the cake completely from the pan.