New York-Style Cheesecake
New York-Style Cheesecake
Makes one 10-inch cake
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans
One 9-ounce package chocolate wafer cookies, finely crushed (about 2 cups)
2 1/4 cups sugar
3 tablespoons sugar
3 pounds (six 8-ounce packages) cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup sour cream, room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
5 large eggs
4 blood oranges
2 tablespoons orange liqueur
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter the sides of a 10-inch springform pan. Wrap exterior of pan (including base) in a double layer of foil. Melt 6 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Place crushed wafer cookies and 3 tablespoons sugar in a large bowl; stir until well combined. Pour melted butter over cookie mixture and mix until evenly moistened. Press mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Place pan on a baking sheet. Bake until crust is set, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down sides as needed. In a large bowl, whisk together remaining 2 1/4 cups sugar and flour. With mixer on low speed, gradually add sugar mixture to cream cheese; mix until smooth. Add sour cream and vanilla; mix until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until just combined; do not overmix.
Pour cream cheese filling into prepared pan. Set pan inside a large, shallow roasting pan. Carefully ladle boiling water into roasting pan to reach halfway up sides of springform pan. Bake 45 minutes; reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Continue baking until cake is set but still slightly wobbly in the center, about 30 minutes more. Turn off oven; leave cake in oven with door slightly ajar, 1 hour. Transfer pan to a wire rack; let cake cool completely. Refrigerate, uncovered, at least 6 hours or overnight. Before unmolding, run a knife around the edge of the cake.
Slice the top and bottom of 1 orange with a paring knife. Set one of the flat sides on your work surface. From top to bottom, following the curve of the fruit, cut away peel and white pith. Trim off any remaining pith. Holding the orange over a bowl, cut along both sides of each segment, staying close to the membrane, to release. Repeat with remaining oranges. Pour in liqueur and toss to combine. Serve over cheesecake.
Pear Upside-Down Cake
Pear Upside-Down Cake
Makes 1 ten-and-a-half-inch cake
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
3 ripe pears, such as Bartlett or Anjou, peeled and cored
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, separated
1/2 cup whole milk
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
Make the topping: Melt butter in the bottom of a 10 1/2-inch cast-iron skillet over low heat. Add brown sugar, stirring until dissolved. Swirl to coat the bottom; remove from heat, and cool. Cut pears into 1/4-inch-thick wedges, and arrange them in a circular pattern over the brown-sugar mixture to cover completely; set aside.
Make the batter: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees;. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add vanilla extract; beat to combine. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating to combine.
Alternating with the milk, gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, and mix, on low speed, just until the flour is incorporated.
In a large bowl, beat reserved egg whites and the cream of tartar with a hand mixer until stiff but not dry. Using a rubber spatula, fold egg whites into the batter. Transfer to skillet. Using an offset spatula, spread the batter evenly, being careful not to disturb the pears. Bake until well browned on top and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Run a knife around inside of pan, and immediately invert the cake onto a serving dish. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Coconut Layer Cake
Coconut Layer Cake
Serves 10 to 12
Vegetable-oil cooking spray
3 1/3 cups sifted cake flour (not self-rising)
2 1/4 cups superfine sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
Salt
3/4 cup vegetable oil
11 large eggs, separated, plus 3 egg whites
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup cream of coconut
Coconut Meringue Buttercream (recipe follows)
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
2/3 cup unsweetened coconut shavings, for garnish
Preheat oven to 325 degrees;. Coat three 9-by-2-inch round cake pans with cooking spray; line with parchment paper. Set aside. Sift flour, 1 3/4 cups superfine sugar, the baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Whisk together 3/4 cup water, the vegetable oil, egg yolks, and vanilla in another bowl. Add yolk mixture to flour mixture; mix on medium-high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl; set aside.
Put egg whites and a pinch of salt into the clean bowl of the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment; beat on medium speed until foamy. Raise speed to medium-high; beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 1/2 cup superfine sugar; beat until stiff, glossy peaks form. Fold one-quarter of egg-white mixture into batter with a rubber spatula. Fold in remaining egg-white mixture in 2 batches. Divide batter evenly among prepared pans. Bake until cakes are golden brown and spring back when pressed, 30 to 35 minutes. Invert cakes onto wire racks to cool; remove parchment.
Bring 1 cup water, the granulated sugar, a pinch of salt, and the cream of coconut to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring occasionally. Boil 1 minute; let stand.
Trim cakes level. Place 1 cake on a serving plate, and brush with 1/3 cup coconut syrup. Spread with 1 cup buttercream, and sprinkle with 1/3 cup sweetened coconut. Top with another cake. Brush with 1/3 cup syrup; spread with 1 cup buttercream, and sprinkle with 1/3 cup sweetened coconut. Top with final cake; brush with remaining 1/3 cup syrup. Refrigerate until firm. Spread 1 1/4 cups buttercream over top and sides of cake. Refrigerate until buttercream is firm, about 30 minutes. Spread 1 1/2 cups buttercream over top and sides of cake. Refrigerate until buttercream is very firm, at least 1 hour. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a 1-inch basketweave tip (such as Ateco #898) with buttercream. Holding bag perpendicular to cake, pipe sides in a back-and-forth motion, starting at bottom. Refill bag as needed. Sprinkle top with remaining 1/3 cup sweetened coconut and the unsweetened coconut shavings. Cake can be refrigerated up to 2 days; let stand at room temperature 20 minutes before serving.
Coconut Meringue Buttercream
Makes about 9 cups
10 large egg whites
2 1/4 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 cups (8 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup cream of coconut
1/2 teaspoon pure coconut extract
Whisk egg whites, sugar, and salt in the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer set over a pan of simmering water until sugar has dissolved and mixture registers 160 degrees;, about 3 minutes. Attach bowl to mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until cooled, about 10 minutes. Reduce speed to medium. Add butter; beat until pale and fluffy. Mix in cream of coconut and extract. Buttercream can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 3 days; beat before using.
Lemon Cake
Lemon Cake
Makes 1 eight-inch-round layer cake
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans
3 cups sifted all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Grated zest of 2 lemons
3 cups Lemon Curd (recipe follows)
Sweetened Whipped Cream (recipe follows)
12 ounces assorted fresh berries
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
Heat oven to 350 degrees; arrange two racks in center of oven. Butter two 8-by-2-inch round cake pans; line bottoms with parchment paper. Dust bottoms and sides of pans with flour; tap out any excess.
In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter on medium speed until softened, 1 to 2 minutes. Gradually add granulated sugar, beating on medium speed until lightened, 3 to 4 minutes; scrape down sides once or twice. Drizzle in eggs, a little at a time, beating after each addition until batter is no longer slick, about 5 minutes; stop once or twice to scrape down sides.
On low speed, alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk, a little of each at a time, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat in vanilla and lemon zest. Divide batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake 25 minutes, then rotate the pans in the oven for even browning. Continue baking until a cake tester inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean, 10 to 20 minutes more. Transfer pans to wire racks to cool, 15 minutes. Turn out cakes; set on racks, tops up, until completely cool.
Remove the parchment from bottom of each cake. Using a serrated knife, slice each layer in half horizontally. Set aside the prettiest domed layer for the top of cake. Place another domed layer, dome-side down, on a serving platter. Spread 1 cup lemon curd over surface to within 1/2 inch from edges. Place second cake layer over the first, and spread another 1 cup curd over top. Repeat with third cake layer and remaining cup curd. Transfer partially assembled cake to the refrigerator.
Just before serving, place reserved dome on top of cake. Spoon sweetened whipped cream over the top. Sprinkle with mixed berries, and dust with confectioners’ sugar through a fine sieve.
Lemon Curd
Makes 1 1/2 cups
3 large egg yolks, strained
Zest of 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup lemon juice
6 tablespoons sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into pieces
Combine yolks, lemon zest, lemon juice, and sugar in a small saucepan. Whisk to combine. Set over medium heat, and stir constantly with a wooden spoon, making sure to stir sides and bottom of pan. Cook until mixture is thick enough to coat back of wooden spoon, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat. Add butter, one piece at a time, stirring with the wooden spoon until consistency is smooth. Transfer mixture to a medium bowl. Lay a sheet of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the curd to avoid a skin from forming; wrap tightly. Let cool; refrigerate until firm and chilled, at least 1 hour. Store refrigerated in an airtight container up to 2 days.
Sweetened Whipped Cream
Makes 1 1/3 cups
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
Whip the heavy cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment on medium speed until soft peaks form, 2 to 4 minutes. Add the vanilla and confectioners’ sugar; continue whipping on medium speed until the soft peaks return, 2 to 3 minutes. Use immediately.
Velvet Chocolate Cake
Velvet Chocolate Cake
Recipe courtesy from Doris Schecter, My Most Favorite Dessert Company
Makes 1 eight-inch cake; serves 10 to 12
For a taller cake, make this recipe 1 1/2 times.
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted margarine, cut into chunks, plus more for pan
1 pound semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon instant espresso, or instant coffee
5 extra-large eggs, separated
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
Preheat oven to 350 degrees;. Lightly coat an 8-by-3-inch round cake pan with margarine, and line bottom with a round of parchment paper; set aside.
In a heat-proof bowl or the top of a double boiler set over a pan of simmering water, melt the chocolate with the margarine and instant espresso, stirring until smooth and glossy. Remove bowl from pan of water, and let mixture cool slightly. Whisk in egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites on high speed to soft peaks. With machine running, slowly add granulated sugar, beating until stiff glossy peaks form. Stir about one-quarter of the whites into chocolate base to lighten it. Gently but thoroughly fold in remaining whites until thoroughly combined.
Pour batter into prepared cake pan. Place in a roasting pan, and pour hot water into roasting pan to come halfway up sides of cake pan. Carefully transfer to oven, and bake until top of the cake is just set in the center, about 35 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, then transfer to refrigerator for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.
Run a paring knife around edges of cake to release from pan, and unmold (if the cake doesn’t come out of pan, briefly dip bottom of cake pan in warm water; do not leave in water too long, or cake will melt). Invert cake onto serving platter, and dust top with confectioners’ sugar. Serve in very thin slices.
Roberta Heart Cake
Roberta Heart Cake
Recipe courtesy of Martha Stewart
Serves 10 to 14
Unsalted butter, for pan
1 1/2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
6 tablespoons hot water
24 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
6 tablespoons dark rum
9 large eggs
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Sweetened whipped cream, for garnish (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees;. Place a large roasting pan in the oven, and fill 1 inch with boiling water. Butter a 10-inch heart-shaped pan 2 inches deep. Line with parchment paper; set aside.
In a small bowl, combine the espresso and water. Stir to dissolve. In a heatproof bowl, combine the chocolates, espresso mixture, and rum over a saucepan of simmer water. Stir until smooth. Remove, and set aside.
Over the same saucepan of simmering water, combine the eggs and granulated sugar in a large heatproof bowl. Beat, using a handheld electric mixer, until thick, fluffy, and almost tripled in volume. Whip the cream in a chilled bowl until soft peaks form. Add the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla. Fold the melted-chocolate mixture into the egg mixture. Gently fold in the whipped cream. Transfer to prepared pan. Immediately set the pan in the roasting pan with hot water in the oven. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Remove from oven, and let cool in the water bath. When cool, cover, and refrigerate overnight.
Just before serving, uncover the pan, and warm slightly in an inch of warm water to loosen from pan. Invert onto a platter. Pipe the sweetened whipped cream onto the chocolate heart with a decorative tip, if desired.
Molten Chocolate Cake
Molten Chocolate Cake
Serves 6
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for muffin tins
1/3 cup granulated sugar, plus more for muffin tins
3 large eggs
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
Whipped Cream, for serving (recipe follows)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Generously butter 6 cups of a standard muffin tin. Dust with granulated sugar, and tap out excess. Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and granulated sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. With the mixer on low speed, beat in flour and salt until just combined. Beat in chocolate until just combined. Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups. Place muffin tin on a baking sheet; bake just until tops of the cakes no longer jiggle when the pan is lightly shaken, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven; let stand 10 minutes.
To serve, turn out cakes, and place on serving plates, bottom sides up. Dust with confectioners' sugar, and serve with whipped cream, if desired.
Whipped Cream
Makes 2 cups
1 cup heavy cream
1 to 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
In a deep mixing bowl, beat the cream until soft peaks form. Sprinkle sugar over cream; beat until soft peaks return. Do not overbeat. Whipped cream can be refrigerated, covered, for up to two hours before serving.
Irish Cream Bundt Cake
Irish Cream Bundt Cake
Yields 12 servings
1 cup chopped pecans
1 18 1/4 oz. package yellow cake mix
1 3.4 oz. package instant vanilla pudding mix
4 eggs
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup Irish cream liqueur
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup water
1 cup white sugar
1/4 cup Irish cream liqueur
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour a 10 inch Bundt pan. Sprinkle chopped nuts evenly over bottom of pan. In a large bowl, combine cake mix and pudding mix. Mix in eggs, 1/4 cup water, 1/2 cup oil and 3/4 cup Irish cream liqueur. Beat for 5 minutes at high speed. Pour batter over nuts in pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then invert onto the serving dish. Prick top and sides of cake.
Spoon glaze over top and brush onto sides of cake. Allow to absorb glaze repeat until all glaze is used up. To make the glaze: In a saucepan, combine butter, 1/4 cup water and 1 cup sugar. Bring to a boil and continue boiling for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in 1/4 cup Irish cream.
Magnolia Bakery’s Vanilla Birthday Cake and Frosting
Magnolia Bakery's Vanilla Birthday Cake and Frosting
Makes a 1 – 3 layer cake
Time to make: 50 min; 25 min prep
Cake Batter
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups self rising flour
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Buttercream Frosting
1 cup unsalted butter, very soft
8 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and lightly flour three 9 inch round cake pans, then line the bottoms with waxed paper. In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar gradually and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine the flours and add in four parts, alternating with the milk and the vanilla extract, beating well after each addition. Divide batter among the cake pans. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into center of cake comes out clean. Let cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely on wire rack.
If you're making cupcakes, line two 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake papers. Spoon the batter into the cups about three-quarters full. Bake until the tops spring back when lightly touched, about 20 to 22 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pans and cool completely on a rack before icing.
To make the icing – place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add 4 cups of the sugar and then the milk and vanilla. Beat until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, until icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency (you may very well not need all of the sugar). If desired, add a few drops of food coloring and mix thoroughly. Use and store icing at room temperature, as icing will set if chilled.
Butterscotch Cake
Butterscotch Cake
1 package white cake mix
1 package instant butterscotch pudding mix
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 egg whites
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 10 inch Bundt pan. In a large bowl, combine cake mix, pudding mix, milk, oil and egg whites. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then on medium speed for 2 minutes. Pour batter into Bundt pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 50 to 60 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack, and continue to cool completely.
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