Squirrel Cake with nuts


 If you like nuts, then this “squirrel cake” is for you.It does take some time to make it.It is fairly sweet and fills you up quickly.

Ingredients for batter:

preheat oven to 350 degrees

1 1/2 cups of your favorite nuts.toasted,cooled, and chopped in a blender (you can have them mixed using variety)
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
2 sticks butter melted but not hot
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cup flour

Directions for cake batter:
In a mixing bowl or stand mixer, beat eggs on high speed until they will be foamy and pale.Add the sugar,sour cream and butter. Mix on low.

Combine flour,nuts, and baking powder.
Gently combine the flour mixture with the whipped eggs.

Grease a  9 x 2 3/4 spring-foam pan.
Pour half of the batter to the pan and spread it with spoon or spatula.
Bake for about 13-15 minutes.
Repeat with the rest of the batter.

 

Amaretto syrup:
1/2 cup boiling water
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons Amaretto liquor

combine all ingredients.Let cool

Ingredients for cream:

Inside-
1 can condensed milk ( cook the cans for two hour in water, or use  prepared Dulce DE leches)
2 sticks butter softened at room temp.
4 tablespoons sour cream

Beat together butter with dulce de leche. Add sour cream, and beat again.

Carefully slice the cake to have four layers all together.
Spray or add syrup using a spoon on each layer.
Spread the cream evenly on each layer leaving the top.

Outside-
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 cup powdered sugar
3 tablespoons cocoa powder (sifted)

Beat together heavy cream with sugar.Gradually add cocoa powder.
Spread the cream all over the top and sides of the cake.

Decorate the cake as desired. Top it with mixed nuts,chocolate,  sifted cocoa.

[amd-zlrecipe-recipe:115]


Pizzelle Tubes


These pizzelle tubes are my favorite from my childhood.Crispy,buttery sweet treats.I like it plain put you can also fill them in with whipped cream, Dulce de leche or jello combined with whipped cream.It took me a while to find this perfect recipe for pizzelles stay crunchy the next day.Thanks to my sister-in-law Lyuba for sharing the recipe with me.

Ingredients:
6 eggs
1 cup sugar
2 sticks butter (melted)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Beat eggs with sugar.
Add butter and mix.
Add baking powder to flour then transfer the flour to the eggs and butter.
Mix to combine all the ingredients until you will get a smooth batter.

Preheat the pizzelle maker, and bake the pizzelles.When done, roll them in to a tube quickly; they become hard fast. Enjoy with coffee or tea!

Filling:
dulce de leche  (everyones favorite)- here is a great way to make it  http://natashaskitchen.com/2012/03/02/dulce-de-leche-cooked-sweetened-condensed-milk/
You can fill them plain dulce de leche or add crushed nuts such as toasted walnuts,hazelnuts or peanuts.
Also you can add 1 stick butter(room temp.) mix using a hand blender or mixer.



Russian Honey Cake "Medovik"


honey cake

This multi layer cake is fairly sweet and soft from the luscious amount of sour cream and condensed milk cream. The layers are baked to a perfect  golden colour. This cake does take sometime to make,but it’s not difficult at all to make it.It’s better when you make it day ahead.
There is two different variations for the cream.Sour cream with sugar or condensed milk with butter.I like them both,so I use them both in my cake.The sour cream and sugar will make it more softer then the condensed milk and butter.If you decide to make condensed milk cream, then don’t place it in the fridge. Let it sit for 6 hours at room temperature.

Prepare a pot with hot water for water bath.
For 5-6 layers (I doubled for 10 layer cake)

Ingredients:
2 tablespoon honey
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 stick butter + 1 tablespoon
2 eggs
3- 3.5 cups flour

Cream #1 for 10 layers:
3 1/2 cups sour cream
1 cup sugar (add more if you like it sweeter)
1 teaspoon vanilla

Cream #2:
1 can condensed milk
3 sticks butter (softened at room temp.)

Directions for the cake:

Heat oven to 375 degrees

In a mixing bowl (that can be placed on top of a water bath)Combine sugar and eggs with a whisk.
Add honey and place the mixing bowl over the water bath. Mix until all the sugar is dissolved.
Add butter and 1 tablespoon of flour.Mix well.
Remove the mixing bowl with honey mixture from  the water bath and add baking soda and flour gradually mixing it well. Start with 3 cups of flour and add more if needed.(remember it will thicken as the dough cools down). Divide the dough it to 6 equal balls. You can let it cool down for a little or you can start rolling.

Sprinkle flour on the surface where you will roll the dough.
Roll the dough very thin.( sprinkle with flour in between when you flip the dough to other side,so it doesn’t stick to the surface)
Transfer to an upside down cookie sheet(well floured or greased)
and bake 3-4 minutes or until it will nice and golden in colour( be careful,It can burn fast)
As soon as you take it out from the oven place a round dinner plate (upside down) and cut out the circle leaving the edges for later use on the topping.
Repeat with the rest of the layers.

Combine eggs,sugar and honey
Mix on top of water bat (double boiler) until sugar is dissolved
Add butter and 1 tablespoon of flour
Add the rest of the flour

Cream #1: Beat sour cream,sugar and vanilla with a mixer for about 4-5 minutes.

Cream #2:
Beat butter for 1 minute. Slowly add condensed milk while still beating.

leave 1(or two if the recipe is doubled)layer for the topping

Add Generous amount of cream to each layer: 2 layers sour cream,1 condensed milk cream and so on.
Add cream to the top and sides of the cake.

Crumble the leftover pieces and layers of the cake.( I use mini blender for this)

Add the crumbs to the top and sides of the cake. For best results leave in a fridge for 12 hours.Enjoy!!!

[amd-zlrecipe-recipe:68]


Drunken Cherry Cake


 

 

 

 

This drunken cherry cake is one of the first cakes that I made and still make it ,because it’s everybody’s favorite and is often requested for parties. This chocolate cake is very moist and fairly easy to make. The Inside of the cake is taken out and mixed with sweet cream and sour cherries that have been soaked in Kahlua.

Ingredients:
10 eggs
1 ¾ cups sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda mixed with 1 tablespoon vinegar
1 ¾ cups sifted flour

Cream:
2 cans of condensed milk
2 sticks butter softened at room temperature
*1 ½ cups heavy cream
*¾ cup powdered sugar
3 oz dark chocolate
2 cans red tart cherries ( I used Oregon fruit products)

*You can substitute 8 oz cool whip

Directions:

Soak Cherries in Kahlua for at least 2 hours or overnight in the fridge.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

On high speed beat eggs and sugar until light and fluffy.Add baking soda with vinegar and cocoa. Mix on medium speed.
Add flour and carefully mix with a spoon.
Transfer the batter to a 10 1/2inch x 3 1/4inch pan.
Bake for about45-55 minutes.
Let it cool completely.

Cream:
Beat butter for couple of minutes and add condensed milk few spoons at a time at first then the remaining.
In a separate bowl, beat heavy whipping cream with powdered sugar.
Add whipped cream to the butter cream and mix well until well combined.

Assembling:
Take out the inside of the cake and transfer it to a mixing bowl.
Spread some cream on inside of the cake. Leave about 3-4 tablspoons of cream and add the rest of the cream to the cake in the bowl. Using a spoon, transfer the cherries to the bowl with cake, and mix everything together until the cream and cake is well combined and no dry pieces of cake is seen.
Fill the inside of a cake with cake,cherry and cream mixture.
Top with with shredded chocolate. Refrigerate for 2 hours or more.



Earl Grey Cupcakes


These earl grey tea cupcakes are seriously good. Delicately scented with lovely Bergamot flavor,perfect for ladies brunch,afternoon tea,baby shower or bridal shower.They will be equally impressive and delicious.
This recipe was adapted from Katie cakes.(  Primrose Bakery)
*I converted grams into cups.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup milk
4 Earl Grey tea bags
1 stick butter (softened)
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
¼ tsp almond essence (optional)
2 cups plain flour
¾  tsp. Baking powder
½ tsp. Baking soda
Frosting:
2 sticks unsalted butter ( softened at room temperature)
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
5 cups powdered sugar
few drops of lilac food coloring
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Bring milk to a boil over medium heat.
Remove from the heat and add tea bags.
Cover with lid for 30 minutes.
In a medium bowl using electric mixer cream butter with sugar until mixture is pale and smooth.
Add almond extract and eggs one at a time.Scrape bowl with spatula to make sure the mixture is well combined.
Combine flour with baking soda  and baking powder in separate bowl.
Add third of the flour to the butter mixture and beat. Add third of the milk with tea to the mixture.
Repeat until all the flour and milk has been added.
Fill cupcake pan with 2/3  of the batter.
Bake for about 25 minutes. Let cool completely.
Butter cream frosting:
Beat butter until pale and fluffy.
Add powdered sugar on low and gradually increasing speed to high.Scrape the sides of the bowl with spatula.
Add milk and vanilla and drop of coloring.Whip  until its smooth and creamy.
Ice the cupcakes with a generous swirl of the frosting.
Enjoy with your favorite cup of tea.
[amd-zlrecipe-recipe:50]


Berry cake


Berry cake

This is a divine and super delicious berry cake.Very fast and simple to make.  The inside of the sponge cake is combined with cream;then the cake bowl is filled back with the creamy mixture. The top of the cake is topped with mix of fresh or frozen berries. I prefer to use frozen berries because it gives out the juice and gives the cake more berry flavor.
Cake:
6 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup sifted flour
Cream:
1 package cream cheese
1 can condensed milk
2 cups heavy whipping cream*
1 stick butter softened room temp.*
2 tablespoons vanilla*
1/4-1/2 cup powdered sugar (optional if you like sweeter cake)*
Fresh or frozen berries
*You can substitute these ingredients with 8 ozs cool whip. (I try to avoid using cool whip.)
Heat oven to 325 degrees.
On high speed beat eggs with sugar.When the batter is stiff and light, add flour and mix it  gently and well on low . Pour the batter into 9” round baking pan and bake for  about  20-25 minutes. Let  the cake cool.
For the cream:
On high speed with electric mixer whip butter and cream cheese until well combined then gradually add condensed milk and vanilla.Slowly pour in heavy whipping cream while the mixer is running.Continue to whip until cream is stiff and fluffy.
To make the cake:
Take out the inside of cake leaving the bottom and sides as a frame.Spread a generous amount of cream  to bottom and sides of  the cake.
Add the rest of the cream to the cake that was taken out but reserve about 1/4 cup for the outside sides of the cake  and mix it well  until there is  no dry pieces left. Fill the inside cake with a cake mixture and top  with frozen berries.Place it in the fridge.
[amd-zlrecipe-recipe:95]