Archives for category: Bundt Cake

Jill’s Cooking! Food Photos

April 14, 2021 //

Food is obviously important for nutritional reasons. We clearly need it to survive but it is also meaningful for social reasons.

Many of us have fond food memories that remind us of a person, place or thing. Food is nostalgic and part of most celebrations with family and friends. It is also tied to cultures and regions. Certain spices, produce or cooking techniques are associated with different countries and parts of the world.

What is your favorite food memory? For me, it is making Carrot Cake from scratch with my grandmother when I was about 5 years old. It is tamales on Christmas Eve. Or, it is Gumbo, Crawfish or Beignets for Mardi Gras and Corned Beef and Cabbage on St. Patrick’s Day.

Cooking my spouse, children, friends and family’s favorite foods and desserts for their birthday, holiday or just because is one of my greatest expressions of love.

Enjoy! XOXO Jill

Tags #Appetizers, #bakingfromscratch, #Chicken, #chocolatechipcookies, #chocolatefountain, #foodblogger, #foodies, #foodphotography, #foodphotos, #foodporn, #fruitskewers, #homecook, #homemade, #homemadesauce, #Italian Lemon Pound Cake, #kitchenaidmixer, #meatballs, #potroast, #Recipes, #Salad, #swordfish, #tomahawkchops, #tritip, #whoopiepie

Categories #Chicken, #Chicken Saltimbocca, #Dinner, #Dinner For Two, #Easy Appetizer, #Easy Dinner, #Elegant Cocktail Party, #Entertaining, #Family Dinner, #Main Dish, Appetizer, Bundt Cake, Chicken Recipes, Chocaholic, Comfort Food, Cookies, Corned Beef, Cornish Game Hens, Dessert, Desserts, Ghirardelli Chocolate, Guittard Chocolate, Ice Cream Cake, Italian, Pasta, Pot Roast, Salad, Simple Appetizer, Sunday Dinner

Italian Lemon Pound Cake

February 20, 2021 //

“The Land Where Lemons Grow” (author Helena Attlee) is a fantastic story of the citrus fruit that is native to Italy. Attlee’s book is a wonderful journey through history from Sicily to Southern Italy and all places where the lemons grow. Once thought of as an exotic fruit, lemons are now used abundantly in our cooking. For me, I enjoy Italian cooking and using lemons in everything from entrees to desserts.

This Italian Lemon Pound Cake is made in a traditional Bundt pan (my is the Anniversary Pan from William Sonoma) even though it is a pound cake recipe. It is super moist in texture and rich with citrus flavor, but not enough to make your lips pucker. I think this is one of the best lemon cake recipes I’ve found.

Italian Lemon Pound Cake

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup butter, softened

2 cups sugar

3 eggs

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup sour cream such as Daisy or Knudsen

4 TBSP lemon juice

1 tsp. fresh ginger, minced

Zest from 2 lemons (about 2 TBSP) and some for garnish

1 tsp vanilla

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees F. Generously grease the Bundt pan with baking spray, butter or lard. Get all creases or the cake will stick.
Sift flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
In a mixing bowl, cream softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Mix in sour cream, lemon juice, vanilla, ginger and 2 TBSP lemon zest.
Mix half of the flour mixture into the butter mixture. Mix in the buttermilk and then add the remaining flour mixture. Mix until the flour disappears.
Pour the cake batter into the prepared Bundt pan.
Bake for 60 to 70 minutes. The cake is ready once a skewer stuck in the middle comes out clean. I check on the cake around 50 minutes to determine the amount of time left. This will depend on your oven.
Remove the cake from the oven and let cool for about 25-30 minutes. Invert onto a cake platter and let cool longer. Once the cake is room temperature glaze or sprinkle it with powdered sugar.
To glaze the cake, use 1 1/2 cups powered sugar mixed well with 3 TBSP lemon juice. The mixture should be smooth but not runny. If it is too stiff to drizzle add a small amount of whipping cream or milk and mix. I continue doing this until it is a consistency that will drizzle and stick to the cake (not be liquidy or runny).

Enjoy! XOXO Jill

Tags #AnniversaryBundtPan, #Daisy Sour Cream, #Italian Lemon Pound Cake, #Knudsen, #Lemons, #The Land Where Lemons Grow, #WilliamSonoma, Dessert, Italian

Categories #Italian, Best Dessert, Bundt Cake, Dessert, Lemons, Pound Cake

Christmas Eve Rum Cake

December 23, 2020 //

Rum Cake is one of my favorite Bundt Cake desserts! It is easy. It is buttery and it is boozey. What can be better than that? I associate Rum Cake with the holidays and parties at my grandparent’s with their friends — it brings back fond memories.

My tips for this recipe are: 1) use dark, spiced rum. 2) Butter and flour your Bundt plan really well (it’s super frustrating when any part of the cake sticks to the pan). 3) Check-in on the Rum Cake after 40 minutes. It is ready once you insert a long skewer in the middle and if comes out clean.

Rum Cake

Ingredients:

2 cups cake flour

1 1/2 ups granulated sugar

4 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 8 slices

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup buttermilk

3 tsp vanilla

4 large eggs, room temperature

2/3 cup plus 1/4 cup spiced rum

1 TBSP plus 1/2 cup vegetable oil

4 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a Bundt pan really well using a pastry brush to get all the creases.
Using a standing mixer with a paddle attachment add flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, butter and 1 TBSP vegetable oil and combine until gravel texture. (You can also use a hand-mixer.)
Stir in eggs one at a time. Scrapping the sides of the bowl with each addition.
Add the sour cream, buttermilk, 2 tsp vanilla, 1/2 cup oil and 2/3 cup spiced rum. Stir well to combine.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 50 to 60 minutes; checking after 40 minutes. Timing will depend on your oven. Use a skewer to test the cake. It is done once the skewer comes out clean when you remove it.
Allow the cake to cool completely before inverting. I usually let the cake sit for 3-4 hours. Then, I turn it over onto a plate or baking sheet lined with parchment.
To make the icing, add 5 cups powdered sugar to a bowl. Then, add 1 tsp vanilla and the remaining 1/4 cup rum. Mix well until the sugar is completely dissolved. The texture should be smooth and glycinin. If it is to thick, you can add 1 tsp water at a time until it it the right consistency. Using a fork drizzle over the cake turning to evening cover in a ribbon pattern (see my photo above). Let icing harder about 30 minutes.
Transfer to a cake stand or plate. Serve.

Enjoy! XOXO Jill

Tags #Bundt Cake, #Cake, #Christmas Dessert, #Dessert, #Easy Dessert, #Rum Cake, #Tradition

Categories #Entertaining, Bundt Cake, Cake, Christmas Eve Dessert, Dessert, Rum Cake