Colour Your World

Colour My World

Hawaiian Carrot and Coconut Cake

 How about making this tropical version of the humble carrot cake! Divine and delicious with a coconut twist and a silky smooth cream cheese and coconut icing just fills the desire for something sweet lovingly and delightfully! Be adventurous and try it ~ you won't be disappointed!

Recipe

 4 eggs
1 cup (250 mL) chopped pineapple (canned pineapple pieces, or crushed, drained)

4 cups (1 L) grated carrot
2 1/2 cups (625 ml) all-purpose flour
1 tbsp (15 ml) baking powder
2 tsp (10 ml) baking soda
1 tsp (5 ml) salt
2 tsp (10 ml) cinnamon
1 tsp (5 ml) nutmeg
1 cup (250 ml) butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups ( 300 ml) golden brown sugar

2 tsp (10 ml) vanilla

1/2 cup (125 ml) milk

 

Coconut Icing

2 pkgs (250 g each) regular cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup (250 ml) butter, at room temperature
¼ cup (50 ml) sour cream or natural yogurt
1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla
2½ cups (625 ml) sifted icing sugar
1 cup (250 ml) sweetened flaked coconut

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Spray or oil two 9-inch (1.5-L) round cake pans.
2. Finely chop drained pineapple, place in a sieve and press with a spoon to remove as much juice as possible. Grate carrots using a food processor. Measure out 4 cups (1 L) and set aside.
Place flour in a large bowl. Sprinkle with baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir until blended.
3. Place butter in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually beat in sugar, then beat on medium for about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs, then vanilla. Beating on low speed, add about a third of flour mixture and beat just until mixed, followed by half the milk. Repeat additions, ending with flour. Batter will be very thick. Gradually mix in pineapple and carrots.
4. Divide between pans. Spread to pan sides. To remove air pockets, bang pans on counter 5 to 6 times. Bake until centres seem set when lightly tapped, from 40 to 45 minutes. Place on a baking rack to cool. After about 15 minutes, turn cakes out of pans and cool completely on racks. It’s best to bake cakes a day ahead of icing and leave at room temperature overnight.
5. Cut cream cheese into chunks. Place butter in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer until creamy. Beat in sour cream and vanilla. Reduce speed to low and beat in cream cheese, piece by piece. Beating too much will cause thinning. Add about a third of the icing sugar and beat on low until just mixed in. Scrape sides of bowl and beaters occasionally. Gradually add remaining sugar, beating just until smooth. If too thick or thin, work in a little sour cream or sugar. Remove about a quarter of the icing to be used on top cake layer and set aside. Stir coconut into the remaining icing.

6. Slice cakes horizontally in half. Place top of 1 cake, dome-side down, on a platter. Spread with a third of the coconut icing leaving a narrow border of cake around edge. Lay the bottom of that cake, cut-side down, on top. Spread with half the remaining coconut icing, leaving a narrow cake border. Top with the bottom half of the second cake, cut-side down. Spread with the remaining coconut icing, leaving a cake border. Top with the final layer, cut-side down. Spread with plain icing right to the edges. Garnish with toasted, fresh coconut. Best to refrigerate several hours or overnight before serving.

 

Recipe & Images Source: LCBO Food & Drink Magazine Spring 2011

French Holiday

Call me cupcake!: Chocolate caramel cheesecake!

Call me cupcake!: Chocolate caramel cheesecake!: Dreamy and delicious....Try it!

Lemony Cream Butter Cake

|Who can resist this early morning delight Lemony Cream Butter Cake!

Recipe:
For the cake --

• 2/3 cup / 85g  all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup / 45g granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt (heaping)
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) / 50g unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice (which was about 1 lemon for me)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• zest of two lemons

For the cream cheese filling --

• 8 oz / 225gcream cheese, at room temperature
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon lemon extract
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• zest of 1/2 lemon
• 1 cup / 130g confectioners' sugar

Preheat oven to 325F/160-170C degrees (Moderate oven). Grease or spray a 9"/22cm springform pan with vegetable spray.
Make the filling -- In a large bowl or bowl of a standmixer, beat the cream cheese on medium-high to high speed for about 5 minutes, until smooth and creamy.
Add confectioners'/icing sugar and beat for another 2 to 3 minutes. Add egg and beat until completely combined, about 1 minute. Add butter, both extracts and lemon zest. Beat until completely combined, about 1 minute. Set aside.
Make the cake -- In large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Whisk in melted butter, eggs, lemon juice, vanilla extract and lemon zest until combined. Do not overmix.
Pour batter evenly into springform pan. Carefully pour filling mixture evenly over the cake batter to within about 1/2 inch (approx. 1cm) of the edge of the pan. (The filling should cover all but the outer 1/2 inch, at which point the cake batter will be visible.)
Bake for about 35 to 40 minutes, or until the cake has puffed up and toothpick inserted near edge of cake comes out clean.
Allow to cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully remove springform sides and allow to cool on rack for 1 hour. Transfer to refrigerator and chill completely before serving.
Serve chilled, with a little sprinkling of confectioners' sugar.

Recipe & Images from: bakehouse

Yummy Chocolate Cupcakes!

        Chocolate cupcakes

Photography by Chris Chen

Recipe Makes

18 Cupcakes or Muffins

Ingredients

• 100g dark chocolate
• 1 cup (250ml) water
• 125g butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cups (255g) brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups (225g) self-raising flour
• 1/2 cup (75) plain flour
• 1/4 cup (30g) cocoa powder

• Chocolate sour cream ganache

• 300g dark chocolate
• 300g sour cream

Method

1. Preheat oven to 160°C. Line 18 x 1/3-cup (80ml) capacity muffin pans with paper cases.
2. Combine the chocolate and water in a small saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
3. Use an electric mixer to beat the butter and sugar until pale and creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well between each addition, until just combined. Add the flours and cocoa powder and stir until just combined. Add the melted chocolate mixture and stir to combine. Spoon evenly among the lined muffin pans. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool.
4. To make the chocolate sour cream ganache, place the chocolate and sour cream in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth and glossy. Spread over each cake and set aside to set.
   
   Source: www.taste.com.au