Three Amazing Cakes for ANY Occasion!

Company coming? Invited over to a get together and need a special dessert to bring? Anyone will enjoy one of these delicious cakes that are simple to whip up for any occasion!

Banana-Coconut Crumb Cake

This cake comes from Nick Malgieri's book, "BAKE!: Essential Techniques for Perfect Baking." It pairs too favorites from the tropics, banana and coconut.

Ingredients for one 9-inch cake:

1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teas baking powder
1/4 teas salt
8 Tbls (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 large egg yolk, room temperature
1 teas pure vanilla extract
1 lb (about 3 medium) bananas, peeled and sliced about 1/2" thick
Coconut Crumb Topping (recipe follows)

1. Set oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350°. Butter a 9-inch spring form pan, line with a round of parchment paper, cut to fit. Butter the parchment paper, as well.

2. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on lowest speed for 30 seconds

3. Add the butter, and continue mixing on the lowest speed until no visible pieces of butter remain. Stop the mixer and with a rubber spatula, scrape down the bowl and beater.

4. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, yolk, and vanilla together. With the mixer on the lowest speed, add about 1/3 of this egg mixture. Beat for 1 minute on medium speed; stop and scrape the bowl and beater. Repeat this two more times, then beat for 2 minutes on medium speed.

5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Arrange the banana slices on top of the batter, leaving a clear 1/4" margin near the side of the pan. Evenly scatter on the crumb topping.

To make the crumb topping, in a bowl, stir together 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1/3 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 teas baking powder, 1/4 teas cinnamon, 1/8 teas salt. Then stir in 1/2 cup shredded, sweetened coconut. Using a rubber spatula, stir in 8 tbls (one stick) of melted unsalted butter. Let stand for a few minutes, then use your fingers to break mixture up into 1/4" to 1/2" crumbs.

6. Bake until the cake is well risen and deep golden and the point of a paring knife, inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, about 50-60 minutes.

7. Cool the cake on a rack for 10 minutes. Remove the side ring of the pan and let the cake cool, on the pan base, completely.

8. Once the cake has cooled completely, slice and serve. This cake can be kept under a cake dome or wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature or double wrap and freeze for longer storage. Defrost and bring to room temperature before serving.

Sweet Potato-Bourbon Bundt Cake

This next cake is one of my favorites! This cake comes from the book, "Bundt Classics" by Dorothy Dalquist, who with her husband created the Bundt cake pan:

"The Bundt Pan" - In 1950, the landmark pan was introduced, after the Minneapolis Chapter of the Hadassah Society asked Dave and Dotty to produce a kuglehof pan, similar to the one the society's president had received from her grandmother in Germany.

Dave produced the pan from cast aluminum for the Hadassah Society and a few for the Nordic Ware trademark, which he sold to department stores using the name, bund pan. (The word bund means a gathering-thus a bund cake, with its characteristic fluting, was a cake suitable for a gathering or party.) Nordic Ware created the pan and filed for a trademark to protect its creation, renaming the pan the Bundt pan.
Ella Helfrich, in 1966, used a Bundt pan for her winning recipe of Tunnel of Fudge Cake, in the 17th Pillsbury Bake-off. Following the contest, Pillsbury was overwhelmed with more than 200,000 requests from people that wanted to purchase a winning Bundt pan. In 1971, Pillsbury launched a line of Bundt cake mixes, licensing the name from Nordic Ware that continued the nationwide quest for Bundt pans.

Now, Nordic Ware markets its own line of Gourmet Bundt® Cake Mixes.
"Today, there are nearly 60 million Bundt pans in kitchen's across America," Nordic Ware President David (Dave & Dotty's son). said. "Almost a Bundt pan in every pantry." The Bundt pan has continued its growth in popularity. It has been a guest on TV cooking shows, featured in an array of magazines and also used by some of the world's famous bakers. It is likely the most popular baking mold in the world." -- Nordic Ware Website

The ingredients are not that uncommon, and most should be right in your kitchen!

1-1/2 cups firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pan
2 large eggs
1 cup cooked sweet potato
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup bourbon or apple juice
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
3/4 teaspoon salt
Nonstick cooking spray with flour
3 tablespoons chopped pecans
Bourbon Syrup (recipe follows)

1. Preheat oven to 325°

2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together brown sugar, butter, and eggs until very light and fluffy. Add sweet potato and vanilla; beat to combine. Add flour, milk, bourbon, baking powder, pie spice, and salt; mix until just incorporated. Lightly spray a 10 or 12 cup Bundt pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle bottom and up sides of the pan with pecans. Pour in cake batter.

3. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely on wire rack.

While the cake cools, make the Bourbon Syrup: In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup of sugar and 1/2 cup water to a boil, cook 5 minutes. Add 1 Tbls unsalted butter, 1/2 teas pure vanilla extract, and 2 Tbls bourbon, cook until syrupy, about 5 minutes.

4. Brush cake with bourbon syrup. Serve cake slices with any remaining syrup.

The Ultimate Chocolate Cake

This next cake is sure to be every chocolate lovers absolute favorite! It's a sinfully delicious chocolate cake, covered in a fudgy chocolate frosting that is perfect for those special occasions or just to satisfy those "Chocoholics" in your life!

For best results, I do recommend using Valrhona Cocoa, but any good quality cocoa will do, just be sure to get the best quality you can find.

To make the cake you'll need:

1 cup Valrhona cocoa, plus more for dusting
3/4 cup strong coffee, boiling
1 cup milk, room temperature
2 3/4 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
4 large eggs, room temperature

1. Place rack in middle of the oven. Preheat oven to 350°. Butter two 8-by-2-inch round cake pans. Line with parchment paper. Butter the parchment, and dust with cocoa powder; tap out excess. Sift cocoa; whisk in boiling coffee and milk. Let cool. Sift together cake flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

2. Using a rubber spatula, mix the butter in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Gradually add sugar and vanilla. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring well after each addition. Pour in the cooled cocoa mixture. Mix until fully incorporated.

3. Add the sifted dry ingredients to the chocolate mixture, stirring until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pans (about 4 cups in each pan). Bake for 20 minutes, rotate the pans, and bake for an additional 15 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean when inserted into the center.

4. Remove the cakes from the oven, and allow to cool in pans for 15 minutes on a cooling rack. Carefully run a small offset spatula around the edge of the cakes to loosen them from the pan. Remove cakes from pans, and invert onto a wire rack. Let cool completely, about 1 hour.

To make the fudgy chocolate frosting for the cake, you'll need the following:

3-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 cup Valrhona cocoa powder
12 Tbls (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup milk, room temperature
2 teas. pure vanilla extract.

In a small bowl, sift together the confectioners' sugar and cocoa powder. Add butter, milk, and vanilla; stir until smooth and free of lumps.

To assemble the cake, using a serrated knife, level the top surface of each cake layer. Place four strips of parchment paper around the perimeter of the cake stand. Spread with 3/4 cup of frosting. Top with the remaining layer, bottom side up. Using a swirling motion, cover the outside of cake with the remaining frosting. Remove parchment-paper strips.

This cake can be kept, under a cake dome, at room temperature, for up to 5 days. To transport this cake, it's best to use a cake carrier, and secure the cake by insterting a wooden skewer down the center of the cake to prevent the cake layers from shifting. You can snip off the top of the skewer so it's not seen.

Bananas Foster Meets Upside-Down Cake!

I found this recipe while thumbing through a recent newspaper insert. I love bananas and this recipe is adapted from the rich New Orleans dessert of flaming bananas served with vanilla ice cream.

Visitors to "The Mixing Bowl" may remember when I made the actual dessert of Bananas Foster. That was so enjoyable that I knew this cake was to be just as good and it did not disappoint!

The recipe can be found in the book "Burger Parties" by James McNair and Jeffrey Starr.

First step is to preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9" round cake pan and set aside.

Combine, in a saucepan, 1/4 cup of unsalted butter, room temperature, 1/2 cup of firmly packed dark brown sugar, 1/4 cup dark rum and 3/4 teas. cinnamon. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently until the butter and sugar are melted, about 3 minute. Pour into the prepared cake pan.

Arrange enough banana slices to fit, snugly, in one layer over the sugar/butter mixture. About 2-1/2 cups of 1/4" sliced bananas.

In a separate bowl, combine 1-1/2 cups of all-purpose flour, 1-1/2 teas. baking powder and 1/2 teas. salt, whisk together. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together 1 stick of softened unsalted butter and 3/4 cup of granulated sugar on medium speed, for about 5 minutes. Add 2 eggs and 1 teas. of pure vanilla extract, mix until well combined. On low-speed, add about 1/3 the flour mixture, then 1/4 cup of milk, another 1/3 of the flour, another 1/4 cup of milk, the remaining flour. Mix until combined after each addition. Do not over mix! Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan (scraping the bowl well) and spread evenly over the bananas.

Bake until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack for about 2 minutes.

Run a paring knife around the inside on the pan to loosen the cake sides. Invert the cake onto a wide serving plate, and lift off the pan, the sauce should run down the sides of the cake.

Cut into wedges and serve with scoops of the best vanilla ice cream! Serve this at your next barbecue or if you're just feeling like you need a lift!

Magnolia's Famous Banana Pudding

This recipe comes from New York City's Magnolia Bakery and was developed by the bakery's co-founder, Allysa Torey, who began making this pudding in her early twenties when she was cooking in a Tex-Mex restaurant. When she opened Magnolia Bakery, she thought it would be a great idea to put it on the bakery menu. It remains the second most popular dessert (after their famous cupcakes) at the bakery.

Though it's not difficult to make, this dessert does take some time. Definitely worth the wait as this is insanely delicious and I can see why it's so popular! The recipe is included in a wonderful cookbook by Allysa Torey, "More From Magnolia".

The pudding starts out by mixing together some sweetened condensed milk, ice water and instant vanilla pudding. Cover and refrigerate for 3-4 hours or overnight until it is set.

After the pudding mixture has been refrigerated, whip up some heavy cream in the bowl of an electric mixer until stiff. Don't over beat or you'll have a lot of butter on your hands!

Gently fold the pudding mixture into the whipped cream until well blended and no streaks remain.

To assemble the dessert, select a large, wide bowl (preferably glass) with a 4-5-quart capacity, like a trifle bowl. Arrange 1/3 of a 12 oz box of Nilla Wafers (no substitutions!), some sliced ripe banana, and 1/3 of the pudding. Repeat this layering twice more, garnishing the top with additional Nilla Wafers or wafer crumbs on the top layer.

Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 4 hours, but no more than 8 hours! Serve and enjoy!

Why not make this and bring to a BBQ or picnic this summer and you'll be the hit of the party!

Click here for more information on The Magnolia Bakery!

Bananas Foster

It's a Sunday night, I'm sitting at home, a bit bored and haven't experimented with a new recipe in a while, I get the idea of making this dessert while talking on the phone with my friend, Mike, who brought it up.

Bananas Foster, something I've NEVER tried before, unless of course you count the Bananas Foster sundae at Culver's, but I wouldn't, is a dessert made from bananas and vanilla ice cream, with a sauce made from butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, dark rum, and banana liqueur

The dish was created in 1951 by Paul Blangé at Brennan's Restaurant in New Orleans, Louisiana. It was named for Richard Foster, a friend of Owen Brennan's who was then New Orleans Crime Commission chairman.
It is still served at a number of fine restaurants in New Orleans as well as in several restaurants around the world.

I would also like to personally thank Gwen Stefani for teaching the world how to spell BANANAS! ;-)

The key to Bananas Foster's contrasting textures and temperatures is preparing all the ingredients before making the sauce.

For 4 servings:

1 pint of vanilla ice cream
4 large ripe bananas
1/4 cup of banana liqueur, brandy or cognac (1/4 cup water may be substituted)
1/2 cup dark rum
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. Cover a small rimmed baking sheet (one that will fit in your freezer) with parchment paper, and place in the freezer for 10 minutes. When chilled, remove pan from freezer. Quickly scoop ice cream into 12 small balls, and place on chilled parchment-lined sheet. Keep in freezer until firm and ready to serve, at least 1 hour and up to 1 day ahead.

2. When ready to serve, peel bananas and quarter them, cutting lengthwise and then crosswise; set aside. Pour liqueur and dark rum into separate glass measuring cups; set aside. I did not have any banana liqueur, so I used cognac. Heat 3 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle sugar and cinnamon over butter, and cook until sugar is dissolved.

3. Remove pan from heat, and carefully stir in liqueur. Add bananas, flat side down, and cook, over medium heat, until softened and lightly browned on the bottom.

4. Remove pan from heat, and add rum. Return to heat and cook about 10 seconds to allow rum to heat up. If using a gas stove, carefully tip the pan away from you until the vapors from the rum ignite. (Alternately, light the rum with a long match.) When the flames have subsided, remove pan from heat and gently stir in remaining 3 tablespoons butter.

5. Place 3 scoops of ice cream in each of four serving dishes or bowls. Spoon the banana mixture and the sauce over each. Serve immediately!

This took less than 15 minutes to make (minus the time the scooped ice cream was in the freezer) and was so delicious! I mean come on, bananas, brown sugar, butter, and booze on top of ice cream? What could be better?

For this recipe and many other wonderful dessert recipes visit Martha Stewart.