Martha Stewart Texas Sheet Cake

Martha Stewart Texas Sheet Cake

Texas Sheet Cake is one of my favorite treats to make. It comes together SO FAST. You can get it done in a jiffy and it's always a winner with friends and family.

This recipe is from Martha Stewart's book "Martha's American Food: A Celebration of Our Nation's Most Treasured Dishes, from Coast to Coast". The recipe is available online with Los Angeles Magazine.

I've made a few Texas Sheet Cakes in the past. Pioneer Woman has a great one. It is thinner because you use a half-sheet pan, but you can get it done start-to-finish in less than an hour. I make her recipe often. I've also made the Better Homes & Garden version.

Texas Sheet Cake comes together quickly because you boil the butter, water and cocoa together for the batter, and then boil the icing or frosting while the cake is baking in the oven. Instead of waiting for the cake to cool like most other frostings, with Texas Sheet Cake, you pour the frosting on a WARM cake. Easy peasy, no?

I found the cake really yummy. I like baking it in a 9 x 13 pan (compared to the larger half-sheet pan) so you can make it a bit taller - more like a sheet cake instead of brownies. The baking time was very different than the recipe (recipe: 12-14 minutes, me: 21 minutes). Also, I prefer the Pioneer Woman's icing. Martha's recipe has heavy cream in the frosting - while yummy, sometimes I don't have cream in the house.

Recipe from: Martha's American Food: A Celebration of Our Nation's Most Treasured Dishes, from Coast to Coast

Texas Sheet Cake
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon coarse salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Hershey's)
1 cup water
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
½ cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Boiled Chocolate Icing (see below)
1 ¼ cups coarsely chopped toasted pecans (I omitted the nuts)

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly butter a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl.
2. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low; whisk in cocoa, then the water. Raise heat and bring to a boil, whisking occasionally. Pour over flour mixture and stir until thoroughly combined. Stir in eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla.
3. Pour batter into prepared pan and tap firmly on counter to release air bubbles. Bake until sides pull away from edges of pan and a cake tester inserted in center comes out clean, 12 to 14 minutes (Mine took 21 minutes to bake). Transfer pan to a wire rack and pour icing over cake while still warm. (Sprinkle nuts on top, if using). Let cool before slicing into squares and serving.

Boiled Chocolate Icing

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
½ cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups confectioners’ sugar (I suggest sifting the powdered sugar)

Bring butter, cocoa, and cream to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla and confectioners’ sugar. Use while still warm. Pour over warm cake.

Maple Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Maple Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Did I tell you about my friend Helen and her three awesome daughters Alison, Emily and Rosie? They are, without exaggeration, totally cool and rad. I've known them since the Northridge earthquake when Helen and I started working together. Yes, I date things by natural disasters. Rosie and I are in a cake decorating class right now. I've been posting photos to my instagram account (@foodlibrarian) and will post about it after the class ends.

Alison's friend Erika gave the family this recipe for Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies...with the secret ingredient of maple syrup!

Although maple syrup is an all-year yummy ingredient, I think of it as a "fall" food. Thus, welcome fall.

The recipe is delicious, but if you want to cut the brown sugar a bit, go for it. They are plenty sweet.

Recipe:

Maple Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Erika says she adapted it from a Martha Stewart recipe
1 1/2 cups (210 g) flour
1 t cinnamon
1 t baking soda
1 t salt
2 sticks butter, softened
1 cup (200 g) light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup pure maple syrup, grade A
1 egg, room temp
2 t vanilla
3 cups old fashioned oatmeal (not instant)
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven in 325 degrees.

1. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
2. Cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy with a paddle attachment in a stand mixer. Scrap down side of bowl.
3. Add the maple sugar and mix until blended.
4. Add egg and vanilla until blended.
5. On slow speed, add flour mixture. Mix until just blended.
6. Add the oatmeal and chocolate chips. Mix until just blended. Finish with a spatula, but don't overmix.
7. Scoop onto parchment paper covered baking tray. I used a smallish cookie scoop and got 57 cookies.
8. Bake for about 15 minutes (depends on your oven), turning halfway through until edges are golden brown.

Orange Chocolate Chip Muffins

Orange Chocolate Chip Muffins

It's fall. What? It was close to 90 degrees in the Southland today.

But I am sad that it's getting dark and we can't "play in the streets" like kids anymore. With my new work schedule, I'm running at dusk and end the jog in the dark. I bought these reflective ankle bands to illuminate myself...I'm thinking of making a set of snap-on ones for the dog too. Would that just be too embarrassing for her?! Anyway, please don't hit me if you are driving around Los Angeles. :)

When I think fall, I think oranges. Oranges and chocolate. And that brings me to these muffins.

The base recipe is from the Art & Soul of Baking cookbook by the fine folks at Sur la Table. Originally, you use lemon zest (with no chocolate), but I wanted to add chips and think orange goes really well with chocolate. I made the nectarine upside-down muffins using the same base recipe.

This is really easy to pull together because you melt the butter with the orange zest (the kitchen smells GREAT!). You can throw these together before a morning meeting or before a leisurely Sunday brunch.

I toss a few reserved mini chocolate chips on top of the muffin before baking, and tossed a little sanding sugar on top. I think everything is better with sanding sugar!

Recipe:
Adapted from the Easy Morning Muffins in the Art & Soul of Baking, page 148 (find it in your library via WorldCat)

2 cups (10 ounces) all-purpose flour
2/3 cup (4 3/4 ounces) sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
3/4 stick (3 ounces) butter
Zest of one orange
2/3 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs, room temp
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup mini chocolate chips (pull out a few tablespoons to sprinkle on top)
Sanding sugar

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Butter a 12-cup muffin tin or line with paper cupcake liners.
3. Place the orange zest in a saucepan with the stick of butter. Melt the butter. (Melting the butter with the orange zest will bring out the orange flavor. Pour butter and orange into small bowl.
4. Add buttermilk and let sit for a few minutes to cool off.
5. Whisk in the eggs and vanilla.
6. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl and whisk together (flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda,  salt, most of the chocolate chips).
7. Make a well in the dry ingredients. Pour the butter/egg mixture into the dry ingredients and quickly fold together. Don't overmix. Don't worry if you have a few small lumps.
8. Using an ice cream scoop, dish batter into muffin tins. Sprinkle with a few chocolate chips and sanding sugar.
9. Bake for 18-20 minutes until golden brown.
10. Let cool for 5-10 minutes and then carefully turn over the muffin tin onto a sheet tray.

Be sure to check out this book - it's filled with some great recipes and very good instructions.

Fine Cooking's Classic Buttermilk Cornmeal

Classic Buttermilk Cornbread

I love cooking in my cast iron pan. It feels rustic and it's perfect for upside down cakes. Making cornbread brings images of cowboys cooking on the open range.

I added some corn to the cornmeal to make it corny. Hee hee. This isn't "cake" with some cornmeal (like the Marie Callender's type), this is cornbread. It would be great as a base for stuffing.

I made this a few months ago and am finally posting it. I kinda lost my blogging and baking mojo during the summer. I had plans this weekend to bake...and then something happened on Friday morning. I was washing dishes and I'm crazy about grease (no grease down the drain!). As I was wiping a metal base with a paper towel, I sliced my thumb. OUCH. A trip to urgent care gave me stitches, antibiotics, and a few restaurant recommendations (my urgent care doc was a totally foodie and she passed along some of her favorites...along with stitches!) I added some medicinal sorbet to the mix when I picked up the antibiotics at Target pharmacy.

 

Ouch! Stitches in the thumb!

Classic Buttermilk Cornmeal 
From Fine Cooking 107, pp. 37, November 19, 2010

9 oz. (1-3/4 cups) medium-grind stone-ground yellow cornmeal, divided.
2-1/4 oz. (1/2 cup) all-purpose flour
2 Tbs. granulated sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. table salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup sour cream
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1-1/2 oz. (3 Tbs.) unsalted butter, cut into a few pieces

Heat a cast-iron skillet (9 or 10-inch) in the middle of a 425 oven. More info about other types on the original recipe.

In a small saucepan, bring 1/2 cup water to a boil over high heat. In a large bowl, combine 1/2 cup of the cornmeal and the boiling water. Stir to blend—the mixture should become a thick mush.

In a medium bowl, whisk the remaining 1-1/4 cups cornmeal with the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda to blend.

Add the buttermilk, sour cream, and eggs to the cornmeal mush and whisk to blend.

When the oven and pan are fully heated (after about 20 minutes), add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon until just blended. Do not overmix.

Remove the hot pan from the oven and add the butter pieces, tilting the pan to swirl the butter around until it’s melted and the pan is well coated. (The butter may brown; that’s fine.) Immediately pour the melted butter over the mixed batter and stir to combine—a half-dozen strokes with a wooden spoon should be plenty. Scrape into the hot pan.

Bake until the cornbread pulls away from the sides of the pan and is golden on top, 18 to 20 minutes. Immediately turn the bread out onto a rack. Cool for 5 minutes. Serve hot.

Trader Joe's Cinnamon Sugar Grinder (& a little giveaway)

Trader Joe's Cinnamon Sugar Grinder

Have you picked this up at Trader Joe's yet? I love it! I have the black pepper and sea salt grinders...but this one is the best! :)

With school back in session, who wouldn't like some cinnamon sugar toast?  

The grinder is full of sugar and cinnamon chunks that you can grind into your own topping. I've used it on toast, but it would be great on baked apples, warm fruit, or as a easy topping when you bake muffins.

Don't have a Trader Joe's near you? Well, let me pause for a moment to feel sooooo bad for you! I have a friend who lived in Colorado for some time and finally moved back to California, yelling the whole drive back, "I'm going to live near Trader Joe's again!!"

If you live in the United States and don't live near a Trader Joe's, you can enter my quick little giveaway for your own Cinnamon Sugar Grinder. I'll send out a grinder to three randomly chosen entries. Be sure to leave your email address or twitter handle.
Giveaway ends Thursday night, 9/13/2012 at midnight PDT. Good luck!Giveaway closed. Congrats to winners: #34 niftyfoodie, #7 grace, and #46 sharonjo.

FCC Disclosure: I don't work for Trader Joe's - just love this product. I will be purchasing the grinders and paying for postage to winners with my own moola. Just one of those spreading the love things.

Nectarine Golden Cake - Gourmet Magazine

Nectarine Golden Cake

Oh, Gourmet Magazine. I miss you. But its demise has freed up former editor-in-chief, Ruth Reichl to judge Top Chef Masters. I love her and the show...her love of food and eating is contangeous. I was lucky enough to see her speak at the Skirball Center in Los Angeles soon after Gourmet was closed in 2010.

Anyway, we still have the Epicurious website to browse the Gourmet recipes. This one, the Nectarine Golden Cake was published in 2009.

As summer winds down, give it one last shout out with this easy cake. It's perfect for Labor Day brunch...right before you turn on the BBQ.

Sweet fruit. Light cake. Simple recipe. It's summer on a plate.

From Gourmet Magazine, September 2009 by Maggie Ruggiero

1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
Rounded 1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup plus 1/2 tablespoon sugar, divided
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon pure almond extract
2 nectarines, pitted and cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg

Pan: 9-inch springform pan
1. Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Lightly butter or spray the springform pan with Pam with Flour.
2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl.
3. Beat butter and 3/4 cup sugar with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in extracts.
4. At low speed, mix in flour mixture until just combined. Don't overmix.
5. Spread batter evenly in pan, then scatter nectarines over top. Stir together nutmeg and remaining 1/2 tablespoon sugar and sprinkle over top.
6. Bake until cake is golden-brown and top is firm but tender when lightly touched (cake will rise over fruit), 45 to 50 minutes (mine took 45 minutes).
7. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Remove side of pan and cool.

King's Hawaiian Mascarpone Toast Tarts

King's Hawaiian Mascarpone Toast Tarts

Thanks to King's Hawaiian, I received lots and lots of bread at the end of the tour (see post here). I normally purchase the original round bread and rolls, so I was excited to try the new products. For this treat, I used the King's Hawaiian Sliced Bread (but you can use the other Kings products - just slice it). This bread is delicious with cold cuts for lunch, french toast, and some homemade jam.

I wanted to make a super easy treat you can throw together in a flash. Just cut King's Hawaiian bread into shapes, toast with butter, and top with a sweetened mascarpone cream mixture and fresh fruit. How easy is that?! I used some Ateco rounds and scalloped edge cutters.

I toasted the bread pieces in my cast iron pan with butter. You can adjust the amount of butter to suit your tastes...it only takes a few minutes. A simple mixture of mascarpone cream, sugar and cream is spread on the toast pieces.

Top with any fruit you have available... a slice of peach, nectarine, pear or kiwi would be nice too.

I used a mascarpone, sugar and chilled heavy whipping cream mixture on top of the toasted Kings Hawaiian bread similar to this one I used to fill pastry shells for a wedding.

King's Hawaiian Mascarpone Toast Tarts

King's Hawaiian Bread - sliced and cut into bite size pieces
Fresh fruit
Mascarpone Cream Filling
4 ounces (half an 8 ounce tub) of  mascarpone cream (I used Trader Joe's)
2-3 Tablespoons granulated sugar (to taste)
2-3 Tablespoons heavy cream, chilled (to taste)

Toast the cut bread in butter. Let cool. Combine the Mascarpone cream mixture with a whisk. Spread on the toast and top with fruit. Serve and enjoy!

King's Hawaiian Behind-the-Scenes Factory Tour

King's Hawaiian Behind-the-Scenes Factory Tour and Lunch

King's Hawaiian Bread has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. I grew up in the South Bay of Los Angeles, where founder Robert Taira set up his factory on the mainland. My auntie and uncle live within a mile of that factory, and I have fond memories of driving by and smelling the King's bread baking...always wondering what was going on inside. My mother even remembers friends bringing back King's round bread from Hawaii as omiyage (gifts & souvenirs) in the 1960-1970s.

My mother immigrated from Okinawa, Japan in the 60's. Every single time we eat King's Hawaiian bread or visit the restaurant, she says, "You know, the family that founded King's - Taira? They're Okinawan." Every. Single. Time. (If my mom tweeted, she could hashtag #okinawanpride!)

Yes, King's is the bread for my family. Even now, my mom's Thanksgiving shopping list includes three 24-roll packages...for about 8 people - that's 9 rolls per person!

So, when King's Hawaiian invited me for a special behind-the-scenes factory tour and lunch?! The entire west coast heard me scream with delight.

Mark Taira, son of founder Robert Taira spoke about his dad founding the bakery in Hilo, Hawaii in the 1950's. Mr. Taira's neighbor would bake a Portuguese round sweet bread that only lasted one day. Mr. Taira perfected the recipe to last much longer and an industry was born. After setting up in Honolulu in 1963, on King Street, his bread became known throughout the state. Then, in 1977 they opened the factory in Torrance, California. We visited the second factory in the South Bay. What was even more exciting? It was the very first time non-family and friends of the founders were allowed to tour the facility!

Nothing like seeing thousands of fresh hot dog buns whirling along conveyor belts...from rolling out, proofing, baking and packaging. We saw the new hot dog buns being produced as well as the delicious honey wheat rolls. At the end of the tour, they lifted a few boxes off the belt and served them up with butter. Literally, hot from the oven!

After the tour, we were treated to a wonderful lunch. King's brought in the best food trucks to make special meals on King's Hawaiian bread. Lobsta Truck rolls with butter on the new hot dog bun? OMG....so delicious! The Buttermilk Truck made french toast sticks with King's bread for a sweet treat. The Ludo Truck makes crispy, perfectly seasoned chicken, and the Kogi Truck short rib sliders on King's rolls were amazing. In addition, the King's family made delicious tail-gate treats - great ideas for the upcoming football season!

Three generations of Taira's work at the King's Factory and Restaurants including the founder's brother (not pictured) who rises everyday and works in the bakery. With so much of our food made by large multi-national conglomerates, it was special to see a successful, Southern California family business. And, as my mom would say, "Okinawan too!"

The dessert buffet was outstanding...including two types of bread pudding made with King's Hawaiian bread. Have you been to the King's Hawaiian Restaurant and Bakery in Torrance? Another reason to visit the cool ocean breezes in the South Bay of Los Angeles. I love the Paradise cake, and blogged about it here and here.

I went home and opened the largest swag box ever. It contained every one of King's products, an apron, Hawaiian coffee & candies - oh my! I made a simple dessert with mascarpone fruit toasts - find the recipe in the next post.

Thanks King's Hawaiian and the Taira family for a great day!

With nationwide distribution, you can find King's in a grocery store near you. This Labor Day holiday, you should try the new hot dog buns! More information here.

FCC Disclosure: I was invited for the tour & lunch and received a gift basket from King's Hawaiian. I did not receive compensation. Opinions are my own...I'm seriously this crazy about King's Hawaiian bread.

Blondies - Alice Medrich recipe

Blondies

Blondies are so often overlooked in favor of their cousin the Brownie. But blondies rock! Without all the chocolate, you really taste the brown sugar and nuts. I might get pelted for saying this, but sometimes you need a break from chocolate (well, not a big break because this blondie has chocolate chips)!

Do you have a copy of Alice Medrich's Chewy Gooey Crispy Crunchy Melt-in-your-Mouth Cookies? It's very well written, like all her books, and this Blondie recipe is a winner. In the back of the book, she has helpful lists - such as lower fat cookies, dairy-free, cookies that keep at least 2 weeks, and cookie doughs that freeze well. Love that she took the time to make these lists for the reader. I just wish that the publishers used grams as well as ounce measurements. I like "counting" in grams because it is easier to halve recipes. In addition, the book uses decimal measurements (my Salter scale uses fractions) such as 6.125. I love math, but I have a hard time remembering that .125 is 1/8 of an ounce at 4 am in the morning. :)

Super duper easy to make. Melted butter is combined with brown sugar and many basic ingredients - you probably have everything you need in your pantry right now. Don't need a mixer...just a wooden spoon. Can't get easier than that. Make some today and your family and friends will thank you.

Recipe:
Blondies
From Alice Medrich's Chewy Gooey Crispy Crunchy Melt-in-your-Mouth Cookies, page 174 (find it in your library)

1 cup (4.5 ounces) all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
8 T (1 stick) unsalted butter
3/4 cup plus 2 T (6.125 ounces) packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp dark rum or bourbon (optional, I did not use it)
2/3 cup walnut pieces (I used Trader Joe's Walnut baking bits)
1/2 cup (3 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used mini chocolate chips)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prep a 8 x 8 pan by lining it with parchment or foil.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl, and set aside.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Remove from heat and stir in the brown sugar. Use a wooden spoon to beat in the egg and vanilla. Gently stir in the flour mixture followed by half of the walnuts. Spread the batter in the pan. Sprinkle the remaining walnuts and the chocolate chips evenly over the top.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the nuts look toasted, the top is golden brown, and the edges have pulled away from the sides of the pan. Cool in the pan on a rack. Lift the ends of the parchment or foil and transfer to a cutting board for cutting.

Banana Streusel Snack Cake

Banana Streusel Snack Cake

Costco sells a bag o' bananas for less than $2. You can't pass that up! But then you have to eat the bunch o' bananas and... you always find a few that never make it into the lunch bag. I freeze a few for smoothies, but love to make banana breads too.

This one, from wonderful cookbook author Flo Braker, is moist and the streusel topping takes it over the top. When I ate it warm, the flavors weren't settled yet, but it got better as it cooled and it was tasty the next day. Flo says it keeps and freezes well too.

The cake is really simple to make. Bananas, butter, and a streusel topping. Yummmmy!


I made this when friends Jun, David (remember the wedding dessert buffet?) and baby Sage came by for a visit. OMG. So cute!! Sage has these long curls in his hair and the most adorable pre-sumo wrestler arms. He had his first bit of cake too...Banana Streusel Snack Cake!

Banana Streusel Snack Cake
From Flo Braker's "Baking for All Occasions" (page 157)

Streusel
6 tablespoons (1 3/4 ounces/50 grams) all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons (2 3/4 ounces/75 grams) light brown sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (I ran out of cinnamon (how did I run out of cinnamon?) and use 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger instead)

Cake
2 cups (8 ounces/225 grams) unsifted cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup ripe mashed banana (2 large or 3 medium) (I used 3 medium bananas)
3 tablespoons whole milk (I used almond milk)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 ounces (1 stick/115 grams/1/2 cup) butter, room temperature
1 cup (7 ounces/200 grams) sugar
1 large egg

Prep: Prep a 9 x 5 loaf pan or 8 x 8 square pan by butter and flouring it, or spraying it with Pam with Flour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

For the streusel: Using your fingertips, mix together the flour, sugar, butter and cinnamon until lumpy; set aside.

For the batter: Sift together flour, baking powder, soda, and salt onto a sheet of parchment or wax paper (save the paper to help you invert the cake onto a rack later). Mash bananas in a medium bowl, then add the milk and vanilla extract.

Using an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in the egg until completely incorporated. Add the banana mixture (it will look curdled, that's OK). With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the top.

Bake for 40 to 50 minutes (9 x 3 loaf pan) or 35 minutes (8 x 8 pan), until a cake tester comes out clean.

Cool cake on a rack for 10 minutes. Carefully invert onto a rack covered with parchment. Place another rack on top and invert again so the streusel is on top. Let cool.