For Fionna’s 5th Birthday, I made her cupcakes to take into preschool. Now I’m with Sandra Lee and make them semi-homemade. I used a boxed devils food cake mix for the cake and made homemade buttercream icing to top it off. She requested a pink and green color scheme a la Lily Pulitzer. I decided that these colors would lend itself to a flower theme. I put a green icing base layer on top of the cupcake. Then I sliced a large marshmallow into five slices and dipped those slices in pink sanding sugar to make the petals. After forming the slices (now petals) into a flower shape, I piped a dot of icing in the center of the petal formation. It takes a bit of time but it’s easy and makes a lasting impression on any crowd. See for yourself!
Think you’ve had the best cake in your life…wait until you try this recipe. Eat a slice at 8am and call it breakfast; eat it at 1pm and call it a midday snack; eat it after dinner with some ice cream and call it dessert. Whatever you call it, you can always count on it to be deliciously satisfying. This recipe was featured in a church booklet of apple recipes. It came from my best friend’s late grandmother, Janet Whiteside. She was one of the sweetest older women I have ever met. I can always remember going to her house and playing with my friend and her brother and cousins. It was usually in the summer after a long day at the beach. Every time I eat a slice of this cake, it brings back wonderful memories. Hopefully, you will be able to make your own memories too.
Apple Pie Cake
Ingredients
3 c. apples peeled and diced
2 1/2 c sifted flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
2 c sugar
1 c vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla
1 c chopped nuts
Directions
Sift dry ingredients together. In large bowl, beat eggs well. Add sugar, oil and vanilla. Mix well. Add the dry ingredients, stirring until well blended. Fold in apples and nuts. Batter will be thick. Place in greased tube pan and bake at 350 for 55-60 minutes. Make sure the tester comes out dry.
I’ve always found the concept of baking bread at home intimidating. For me, bread was always one of those items that you buy from the store (like Carrie’s bakery). Every once in a while it’s interesting to take something that you are used to buying pre-made or packaged from the grocery store, and create it at home just so you get a feel for the process. After hearing about this recipe from the a family friend I decided to try the no knead bread recipe that Mark Bittman raves about in the New York Times. Frankly, it could not be easier. The hardest part is probably remembering to budget time for the dough to rise.
Ingredients
3 cups flour (I use a combination of AP and whole wheat)
1/4 tsp instant yeast
1 1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups water
dutch oven or pyrex pot to bake it in
Method
1. Combine the dry ingredients. Add the water and mix until the dough comes together.
2. Put dough in a bowl, cover with plastic, and allow to rise for 12-24 hours. The longer the better.
4. Dump it out and fold over itself once or twice. Then cover loosley with plastic and let rest for 15 minutes.
5. Dump dough out onto a floured surface and fold each of the four sides into the middle. Make sure the dough is covered in flour and place seam side down on a kitchen towel. Cover with another towel and allow to rise and double in size for about 2 hours.
6. Place your dutch oven in the oven about 45 minutes until the dough is ready, and preheat oven to 500.
7. Place dough seam side up in dutch oven.
8. Bake for 30 minutes at 500 degrees with lid on.
Isn't it pretty?
9. Take lid off and bake for 15 more minutes until bread is golden brown. Then remove from oven and allow to cool.
The family friend who turned me onto this recipe told me that she’s tried any number of alterations and the bread comes out great every time. She has added various combinations of honey, herbs, and nuts, as well as used smaller glass pans to bake the bread. It’s such a fun project to keep track of the rising, and it would be great recipe to experiment with!
Sadie Dishes 