Parsnip Spice Cake

by | Sep 14, 2019 | DESSERTS, CAKES AND SQUARES | 0 comments

Parsnip Spice Cake
Print Recipe
    Servings
    16-18
    Servings
    16-18
    Parsnip Spice Cake
    Print Recipe
      Servings
      16-18
      Servings
      16-18
      Ingredients
      Cake
      Simple Syrup
      Cream Cheese Icing
      Servings:
      Instructions
      Cake
      1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare cake pans as per option 1 or option 2 below.
      2. In a medium bowl whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, spices and salt.
      3. In a large bowl whisk together eggs, oil, milk and vanilla. Add dry ingredients and whisk until just combined. Stir in parsnips.
      4. Option 1: Line the bottoms of 3 - 8" round cake pans with parchment and spray sides with non-stick spray. Divide batter evenly into each pan and spread out with a spatula (about 13 ounces per pan). Bake on centre rack for 17-20 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
      5. Remove cake from pans and peel off parchment. Brush each layer with the simple syrup. Arrange one layer on a serving plate and spread with approximately 1/4 of icing. Top with another layer and repeat with icing and top with the remaining cake layer. Ice the top, reserving a small amount of icing to fill in the layer sides. Run a bench scraper or long straight edge spatula around the outside of the cake to smear and flatten the icing into a "naked cake" look. Dust the top with cinnamon and cut into desired wedges.
      6. Option 2: Spray a 9"x13" pan with non-stick spray. Pour batter into the pan and spread out evenly with a spatula. Bake on centre rack for 25-28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. Brush with simple syrup and spread evenly with frosting. Cut into desired squares and serve.
      Simple Syrup
      1. Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil stirring until sugar is dissolved. Once at a boil, allow syrup to boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in brandy. Allow to cool completely before brushing on the cake.
      Cream Cheese Icing
      1. Beat butter and cream cheese together until light and fluffy. Add powdered sugar, spices and vanilla. Beat until just combined. Frost cake as desired.

      Frozen Yogurt Strawberry Cake

      by | Jul 22, 2019 | CAKES | 0 comments

      Frozen Yogurt Strawberry Cake
      Print Recipe
        Servings Prep Time
        12-16 slices 60 minutes
        Cook Time Passive Time
        46 minutes 6+ hours
        Servings Prep Time
        12-16 slices 60 minutes
        Cook Time Passive Time
        46 minutes 6+ hours
        Frozen Yogurt Strawberry Cake
        Print Recipe
          Servings Prep Time
          12-16 slices 60 minutes
          Cook Time Passive Time
          46 minutes 6+ hours
          Servings Prep Time
          12-16 slices 60 minutes
          Cook Time Passive Time
          46 minutes 6+ hours
          Ingredients
          Pretzel crust
          Cake filling
          Servings: slices
          Instructions
          Pretzel crust
          1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
          2. Using a food processor, blend pretzels and sugar until you have a fine crumb. Add melted butter and pulse until combined.
          3. Press crumbs evenly into a 10" springform pan. Bake for 6 minutes, remove and allow to cool to room temperature while preparing the filling.
          Cake filling
          1. Increase oven to 400°F.
          2. Hull strawberries and cut in quarters. Lay in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes. Flip strawberries and continue to roast for 20 minutes. Strawberries will be soft and jammy. Allow them to cool to room temperature.
          3. Meanwhile, beat the cream cheese until smooth and fluffy. Beat in yogurt, 1/2 cup of the powdered sugar and vanilla. Keep chilled until ready to proceed.
          4. Whip heavy cream and the remaining 1/4 cup of powdered sugar until stiff. Keep chilled until ready to proceed.
          5. Once strawberries have cooled, combine with the granulated sugar in a food processor or blender and blend until pureed and combined.
          6. Stir strawberry mixture into the cream cheese/yogurt mixture until completed combined. Fold in whipped cream and pour over cooled pretzel crust. Smooth out top and place in freezer for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight.
          7. When ready to serve, remove from freezer and remove outer springform ring at least 20 minutes prior to serving. Cut into wedges and serve garnished with additional whipped cream and fresh macerated strawberries if desired.
          Recipe Notes

          -strawberries can be roasted and chilled one day ahead.

          -frozen cake well covered will keep for up to a month in the freezer.

          Cherry Almond Danish

          by | May 7, 2019 | BREAKFAST AND BRUNCH, DESSERTS, CAKES AND SQUARES | 0 comments

          A slice of Cherry Almond Danish sits on a white plate with a fork to the side. The plate sits on a flowered cloth that is draped over a wooden tray with a cup of black coffee in the upper right corner.
          Cherry Almond Danish
          Print Recipe
            Servings Prep Time
            8 1 1/2" slices 40 minutes
            Cook Time
            25-28 minutes
            Servings Prep Time
            8 1 1/2" slices 40 minutes
            Cook Time
            25-28 minutes
            A slice of Cherry Almond Danish sits on a white plate with a fork to the side. The plate sits on a flowered cloth that is draped over a wooden tray with a cup of black coffee in the upper right corner.
            Cherry Almond Danish
            Print Recipe
              Servings Prep Time
              8 1 1/2" slices 40 minutes
              Cook Time
              25-28 minutes
              Servings Prep Time
              8 1 1/2" slices 40 minutes
              Cook Time
              25-28 minutes
              Ingredients
              Danish
              Glaze
              Servings: 1 1/2" slices
              Instructions
              Danish
              1. Combine cherries and sugar in a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat until cherries are soft and syrupy about 10 minutes.
              2. In a small bowl whisk together 1 tbsp of cornstarch and 1 tbsp cold water. Stir into cherries and whisk constantly over medium-high heat until mixture comes to a full boil.
              3. Remove from heat and stir in almond extract. Allow to cool for about 10-15 minutes.
              4. Preheat oven to 425℉ and line a heavy baking sheet with parchment.
              5. In a small bowl cream together cream cheese, 1 tbsp of powdered sugar and vanilla.
              6. Lay puff pastry sheet on parchment and stretch slightly in width and length to 11-12".
              7. Using a pastry scraper or knife cut 1" wide fingers on the top and bottom third of pastry (length of fingers will be 3-4") and the centre 4" portion will be uncut (see photo).
              8. Spread cream cheese evenly along the centre uncut 4" portion of pastry.
              9. Spread cherry filling evenly on top of the cream cheese filling, leaving the fingers uncovered.
              10. Pull fingers across filling, alternating sides as you go (it's ok to have some small spaces in the pastry). Tuck any excess pastry underneath.
              11. In a small bowl whisk together egg and 1 tbsp milk or cream. Brush generously onto pastry.
              12. Bake in preheated oven for 25-28 minutes until golden and puffed. Remove from oven to a cooling rack for 5 minutes.
              Glaze
              1. In a small bowl whisk together 1/2cup powdered sugar and 1 tbsp milk or cream. Drizzle over pastry while warm and sprinkle with toasted almonds.
              2. Serve warm, cutting into 1 1/2" slices.
              Recipe Notes

              -Toast almonds in a preheated 350℉ oven for 10-12 minutes, stirring once.

              -Using a pastry cutter to cut fingers allows a clean cut without cutting through the parchment.

              Chocolate Cherry Loaf

              by | Jun 4, 2018 | QUICK BREADS | 0 comments

              Chocolate Cherry Loaf
              Print Recipe
                Servings Prep Time
                1 loaf 30 minutes
                Cook Time
                55-65 minutes
                Servings Prep Time
                1 loaf 30 minutes
                Cook Time
                55-65 minutes
                Chocolate Cherry Loaf
                Print Recipe
                  Servings Prep Time
                  1 loaf 30 minutes
                  Cook Time
                  55-65 minutes
                  Servings Prep Time
                  1 loaf 30 minutes
                  Cook Time
                  55-65 minutes
                  Ingredients
                  Servings: loaf
                  Instructions
                  1. Combine cherries and sugar in a small sauce pan and heat to a simmer over medium heat. Stir water and cornstarch together in a small bowl and add to cherries, stirring constantly until combine and mixture returns to a full simmer. Remove from heat and allow to cool to slightly warm or room temperature. Continue with recipe as cherries cool.
                  2. Preheat oven to 350℉ and prepare a 9"x5"x3"loaf pan by spraying with non stick spray or lightly greasing with butter and lining with parchment that overhangs the long edges.
                  3. In a small bowl whisk together flour, baking powder and salt until combined.
                  4. Beat together butter, cream cheese and sugar until smooth, scraping the bowl once or twice. Add eggs one at a time, scraping bowl and beating after each until incorporated. Add vanilla and mix to combine. Pour in half the milk and half the flour and beat until just combined. Repeat with remaining milk and flour. Scrape the bowl and add chocolate chips and mix to combine.
                  5. Pour half the batter into prepared pan and spread smooth. Top with half the cherry sauce, remaining batter and cherry sauce again on the top. Using a table knife, swirl batter in a figure eight pattern two or three times to create nice swirls of cherry sauce. No need to over swirl.
                  6. Bake in preheated oven for 55-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely in pan prior to lifting out and slicing.

                  Blueberry French Toast Bake

                  by | Jan 29, 2018 | BREAKFAST AND BRUNCH, EGGS | 0 comments

                  Blueberry French Toast Bake
                  Print Recipe
                    Servings Prep Time
                    6 people 25 minutes
                    Cook Time
                    40-45 minutes
                    Servings Prep Time
                    6 people 25 minutes
                    Cook Time
                    40-45 minutes
                    Blueberry French Toast Bake
                    Print Recipe
                      Servings Prep Time
                      6 people 25 minutes
                      Cook Time
                      40-45 minutes
                      Servings Prep Time
                      6 people 25 minutes
                      Cook Time
                      40-45 minutes
                      Ingredients
                      Blueberry French Toast Bake
                      Balsamic Blueberry Sauce
                      Servings: people
                      Instructions
                      Blueberry French Toast Bake
                      1. In a medium bowl whisk together eggs, milk, maple syrup, cinnamon and nutmeg.
                      2. Generously butter an 8"x8" pan. Spread half the bread cubes evenly in pan and dot with half of the cream cheese chunks. Sprinkle with 1/2 the blueberries. Repeat with remaining bread, cream cheese and blueberries. Pour egg mixture evenly over bread. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.
                      3. Preheat oven to 375℉. Bake uncovered for 40-45 minutes until golden and set in the centre. Remove from oven and serve with balsamic blueberry sauce.
                      Balsamic Blueberry Sauce
                      1. In a medium sauce pan combine blueberries, sugar, and 4 tbsp of water. Cook over medium heat until simmering and sugar has dissolved, approximately 10 minutes. Stir together cornstarch and remaining 2 tbsp of water. Stir into blueberries and heat to a full simmer. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and blueberry balsamic vinegar. Serve warm with french toast.
                      Recipe Notes

                      Balsamic Blueberry Sauce can be made a day ahead with the french toast and rewarmed for serving, or cooked while the Blueberry French Toast  is baking. I made the french toast in muffin tins for presentation, however they were fussy to assemble and difficult to remove from tins.  A single 8"x8" pan is recommended.