It’s my mom’s birthday today and this is her favorite cake.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup butter, softened

½ cup vegetable shortening

3 cups granulated sugar

5 eggs, room temperature

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup whole milk, room temperature

½ cup buttermilk, room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350º F. Prepare three 9-inch round cake pans with nonstick baking spray or coated well with shortening or butter and floured, taking care to remove all excess flour.

Cream together butter and shortening until light and fluffy with an electric mixer. Slowly add sugar one cup at a time, making sure to fully incorporate each cup before adding another. Add eggs one at a time, making sure to fully incorporate each egg before adding another.

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Pour milks and vanilla into measuring cup and whisk together with a fork. Add to butter and shortening mixture alternately with milk mixture, beginning and ending with dry ingredients.

Gently stir all ingredients until well combined. Stop mixer and scrape down sides and bottom of bowl, making sure to have all ingredients mixed well.

Evenly distribute cake batter between cake pans and place pans into oven. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove and allow to cool slightly in cake pans for about 5 minutes, then cool completely on a wire rack.

Frost cake with whipped cream frosting and strawberries. For whipped cream, use 3 cups heavy cream and 7 tablespoons powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla. Whip until stiff.

I got the recipe for the cake here.

Mondays are better when you bake.

INGREDIENTS

½ cup melted butter, cooled

1 ¼ cups flour

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1 cup full fat Greek-style yogurt, at room temperature is best

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg, at room temperature is best

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¾ cup sweetened shredded coconut, divided

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375°F. Either grease 10 muffin cups with butter or coconut oil, or line them with papers.

Melt butter and set aside to cool.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Stir ½ cup shredded coconut. In a separate bowl, whisk together egg, sugar, coconut oil, yogurt, lemon zest, juice, and vanilla. Stir into dry ingredients until just combined. Divide batter among prepared muffin cups then sprinkle the top with remaining 1/4 cup coconut, about 1 to 2 teaspoons on each.

Bake until a tester inserted into the center comes out batter-free, about 20 minutes. Transfer muffins to a rack and let cool.

I got the recipe here.

During my Vegas trip I ran into some of my favorite shooters. I asked them each to tell me their all-time favorite desserts.  This one goes out to Julie Golob.  She is an American professional sport shooter with a ton of medals. Julie’s go-to order is Tiramisu from the Italian tiramisù (translates to “pick me up”). Since she couldn’t taste this, my husband had two servings.

INGREDIENTS

6 large egg yolks, room temperature

1/2 cup sugar

16 ounces mascarpone cheese

4 large egg whites

15 Savoiardi (see recipe below)

1 cup brewed espresso room temperature, + 2 teaspoons sugar

Unsweetened cocoa powder, for garnish

DIRECTIONS

Make the Savoiardi (see recipe below)

In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks with half the sugar until pale and doubled in volume for 3 to 5 minutes. Add the mascarpone whisking well to combine.

In a clean bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the egg whites and remaining sugar to soft peaks. Fold the egg whites into the mascarpone mixture.

In the serving dish you are using, spread about one third of the mascarpone cream into an even layer. Cover with a layer of the savaoirdi. Pour some coffee over each individual savaiordi so it soaks in. Spoon the remaining cream over the cookies, spreading it into an even layer. Repeat this for 2 to 3 layers depending on the size of your serving dish.

Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days to set the cream. Just before serving, dust the top with cocoa powder.

SAVOIARDI

4 eggs

2/3 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line three jelly roll pans with parchment paper. Prepare a pastry bag with ½ inch opening.

Separate the eggs. Whisk the egg yolks with 1/2 of the sugar and all of the vanilla. Beat until very light colored. This will take about 5 minutes.

In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites until they hold soft peaks. While beating, slowly add the salt and the remaining sugar until combined. Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the egg yolk mixture. Sift the flour over the egg mixture and gently fold it in. Fill the pastry with half of the batter and pipe 3 1/2 inch fingers, 1 1/2 inches apart, in rows on the parchment paper. Continue with the second half of the batter in the same manner.
Bake at 375 degrees F for about 15 minutes until firm to the touch and golden. Remove the paper and fingers from the baking sheet and place on racks to cool.

I got the recipe here.

The lovely Ms. King dropped off a bag of limes on my desk this week.  So I made this up.  If I had coconut I would have added it. The homemade raspberry jam was the topper.

INGREDIENTS

2/3 cup butter, softened

2 cups sugar

4 large eggs

2 tablespoons grated lime peel

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups all-purpose flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

½ cup fresh lime juice (4-5 limes) plus 1 to 2 tablespoons

½ cup milk
GLAZE:

2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar

1 to 2 tablespoons lime juice
Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs. Beat in lime peel and vanilla. Combine lime juice and milk (it will curdle and that is fine) set aside. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture alternately with milk/lime juice mixture, beating well after each addition. Transfer to loaf pan. Bake 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.
Combine confectioners’ sugar and enough lime juice to achieve desired consistency; drizzle over warm bread.

New York Times always has some good recipes so when I got a bag of lemons, I looked one up.

INGREDIENTS

1 3/4 cups flour
zest of 2 lemons
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk
3 tablespoons plus 4 teaspoons lemon juice
3 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup extra-birgin olive oil
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
1/2 cup powdered sugar

DIRECTIONS

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour an 8-inch loaf pan.

In a bowl, combine lemon zest and sugar and rub with your fingers until it looks like wet sand. Whisk in buttermilk, 3 tablespoons lemon juice and eggs. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk dry ingredients into the batter, then whisk in oil and poppy seeds.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center emerges clean, about 1 hour. Let cool in pan until warm to the touch, then turn out onto a baking rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. Turn cake right side up.

Whisk together remaining 4 teaspoons lemon and the confectioners’ sugar. Use a pastry brush to spread glaze evenly over top and sides of cake. Cool completely before slicing.

I got the recipe here.

After spending a few days in Las Vegas I feel closer to the King.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups Cake Flour

1 2/3 cups bread flour

2 1/2 sticks butter (room temperature)

1 1/4 cups Brown sugar

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt (extra for sprinkling before baking)

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

20 ounces of milk chocolate chips (use good chocolate)

2 ripe bananas

1/2 cup peanut butter

Flaked salt

DIRECTIONS

In a bowl sift together flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.  Set aside. In another bowl, smash bananas and peanut butter together. Set aside. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs (one at a time) and vanilla. Incorporate flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips, fold in banana and peanut butter mixture.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Scoop out a small ice cream sized amount of dough onto silpat lined cookie sheet  and slightly flatten dough.  Sprinkle a little bit of sea salt on each cookie.  Cook for approximately 12 minutes.

Nothing like waking up on a Sunday morning and having some warm bread and butter. You can make it plain or add any type of fruit, cheese, nuts, herbs that you want.

INGREDIENTS

500 grams flour
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon baking soda
400 ml buttermilk
Optional Ingredients
1/2 cup golden raisins
2 tablespoons caraway seeds
Salt and Sugar for garnish

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 360 degrees.
In a large bowl add flour, salt, baking soda, raisins, caraway seeds, then stir.

Pour in buttermilk and mix by hand by pulling the flour from to bottom of the bowl to the top.  Dough will be wet and sticky.

Finish off by pouring on to counter and working into a round ball. Do not over work.

Place on lightly floured baking sheet.  Take a knife and cut into 4 pieces and gently push back together. Sprinkle some sugar and a pinch of salt over the top.

Bake for approximately 40 minutes.

Oatmeal, cranberries, almonds, and maple syrup make this muffin the perfect breakfast bite.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup milk
1 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup melted butter
1 lightly beaten egg
1/2 cup chopped pecans, walnuts, or almonds
1/2 cup dried fruit (I used cranberries)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease or line muffin tin.
In medium bowl combine oats and milk.  Let stand for 5 minutes. In another medium bowl, combine all dry ingredients.  Make a well in the center and set aside.

Stir in maple syrup, melted butter and egg into oat mixture.  Add this all at once to the flour mixture and stir until just mixed.  Should be lumpy.  Fold in dried fruit and nuts.

Spoon into muffin tin. Sprinkle with extra nuts for topping. Bake for about 15 minutes until toothpick comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes in tin and then remove them and let them cool for a few minutes more.

 

There are so many ways to make corn bread. Why not try them all?

INGREDIENTS

1 cup flour
1 cup corn meal
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 cup melted, browned butter (cooled) + more for skillet
1 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
1/4 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon flaked salt for top of bread
1/2 teaspoon sugar for top of bread

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and with skillet in oven with 2 tablespoons of butter.  Butter will melt and line the pan while heating.

Mix together dry ingredients in small bowl. In another bowl, whisk together wet ingredients.  Add melted butter last. Combine wet and dry ingredients.  Pour into skilled with melted butter.  Top with flaked salt and sugar.  Bake for approx. 15 minutes until tester comes out clean.

 

Not very sweet, but very delicious toasted with butter.  Perfect for breakfast and my amazing tattoo artist.

INGREDIENTS

2 large eggs

1 1/4 cups milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Juice of one lemon

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon table salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 to 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (depending on how much you like cinnamon)

1 cup granulated sugar

Zest from one lemon

5 ounces sweetened flaked coconut

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and browned

1/2 cup chopped pecans

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, whisk together eggs, milk and vanilla.

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking powder and cinnamon. Add sugar, lemon zest and coconut, and stir to mix. Make a well in the center, and pour in egg mixture, then stir wet and dry ingredients together until just combined. Add butter, and stir until just smooth — don’t overmix.  Fold in chopped pecans.

Butter and flour a 9×5-inch loaf pan, or coat it with a nonstick spray. Spread batter in pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, anywhere from 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Cool in pan five minutes, before turning out onto a cooling rack.

I worked with this recipe.