Quick Cranberry Cake (with our without Lemon Curd)

Time for some cake! Even though Christmas has come and gone, a treat here and there should still be allowed, right? Plus, the New Year is here! Welcome 2012! Let's continue to celebrate. Cranberries should still be in season at your grocery store...

I love the change in seasons--all seasons have something so wonderful to contribute to our lives--I can even stomach the shorter days of winter knowing that I can come home, cuddle with my loved ones, have candles burning, or be forced to read--but I just can't take the illnesses from winter anymore! And we've been sick some more. Baking cheers me up, so I wanted to post on this super easy cranberry cake I tried in between rocking my daughter for comfort, doing laundry, and trying to pack for a trip that no longer happened (thank you viruses)--then again, this may also have saved me from another speeding ticket...

Hope everyone had wonderful holidays! Here is what I've enjoyed so far in this winter season:

I had my husband take some of this lovely cranberry cake over to the neighbors on Christmas for good cheer and made a second one for us just to use up the frozen cranberries in my freezer. The first batch I made with the addition of lemon curd and the second, just plain. I loved them both. However, here is what I learned:

1.  I preferred to use the 9X13 pan better than the 10-inch round pan. The 10-inch round pan will give you more of a gooey center--which is alright--almost pudding-like. But, I think I preferred a more sponge-like cake and settled on the longer, thinner pan. But, either way is wonderful. 
2. For the second cake, I sprinkled a little Turbinado sugar on top before baking. I love the crunch! 
3. I'm sure the cake would also benefit with the addition of lemon or orange zest--but it's also nice to not have all cranberry recipes taste the same and this one really pulls out the freshness of the berry when it stands alone.
4. I used half light butter and half regular fat butter for the first recipe and all light butter for the second recipe and preferred the first version better due to the moistness (so, it's fine to use a little light butter--probably not for the whole cake, though if you do, you will still like it a lot).
5. You could also replace the cranberries with blueberries if you prefer--but I love the tartness of the seasonal cranberry! YUM!
6. *Like my first cake, you could add 2-3 tablespoons of lemon curd (add 1 extra Tbsp. of flour if you add lemon curd)

This is a wonderfully rustic dessert with vanilla ice-cream or with a hot drink like cocoa. Or eat it on its own. Though not terribly healthy, it is tart and sweet, and seems to fill the need for comfort. Enjoy!

QUICK CRANBERRY CAKE

Adapted from www.vanillagarlic.com

• 3 eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup butter, slightly softened and cut into chunks (I used salted, but original recipe calls for unsalted)
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 Tbsp. kirsch (optional)--I skipped this even though I had it
• 1 tsp. of salt
• 2 Tbsp. of milk
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 cups cranberries (1 bag)
• *2-3 Tbsp. lemon curd (OPTIONAL--see Point #6 above)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9x13 pan or a 10" springform pan.

Beat eggs and sugar together for 5-7 minutes; the eggs will increase in volume quite a bit, streaming into ribbons when you lift the beaters. They will also turn pale yellow.

Add butter and extracts (and lemon curd, if using). Beat for 2 minutes. Add the milk and salt and mix for another 30 seconds.

Stir in flour and fold in cranberries. Pour into greased pan.

Bake 45-50 minutes for a 9x13, or a little over an hour for the springform. You may need to tent the cake with foil in the last 15 minutes or so to keep the top from browning. Cool completely on a wire rack before serving.

Hello my little bright spot in a dreary day.

Orange Ginger Cranberry Oat Bundt Cake

Whenever I think of a 'bundt' cake, I think of a scene in the movie, My Big Fat Greek Wedding. I often joked with my husband that parts of our own love story were eerily similar to many parts of that movie. That's usually what happens when an ethnic family and an American family mix--it's a beautifully hilarious juxtaposition of norms.

In the scene I'm referring to, the American groom's parents are invited to the Greek bride's family's home for dinner and the groom's mother brings a bundt cake for the host (bride's mother). This is what I recall went down (upon receiving cake):

Maria Portokalos: "What is it?"
Mrs. Miller: "It's a bundt."
Maria Portokalos: "A Buntttttt?"
Mrs. Miller: "Bundt."
Maria Portokalos: "Bunk?"
Mrs. Miller: "Bundt."
Maria Portokalos: "Buuun-t."
Mrs. Miller: "Bundt, Bundt."
Aunt Frieda: " Einai cake, mori."
Maria Portokalos: "Ohhhh... It's a cake! I know! Thank you! Thank you very much!"
As she walks away, Maria Portocalas: 'There's a hole in this cake!'

Anyway.......fun dinner with the neighbors again and cranberries going bad....time to get creative. I know that bundt cakes are too retro these days as cupcakes have become hip, but I couldn't resist since I need to justify my $3 Nordicware cake pan purchase 7 years ago. The reviews said that the oats give a nice crunch to the cake.

The recipe was modified (by myself) to include candied ginger....I think the flavor combination of cranberry-ginger-orange is wonderful, but you can leave the ginger out if you prefer. There's no denying the genius of orange and cranberries--like lemon & blueberries, cherries & almonds, vanilla & pear, butter & pecans, Fred & Ginger, love & marriage, martinis & aspirin, you get the picture...

ORANGE-GINGER-CRANBERRY BUNDT CAKE
Adapted from Better Homes & Gardens

2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups rolled oats
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 cup milk
2 cups fresh cranberries, chopped
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 heaping Tbsp. candied ginger, chopped (optional)
2 tsp. finely shredded orange peel

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan; set aside. In bowl stir together flour, oats, baking powder, soda, and salt.

In large mixing bowl beat butter with electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add the 1 cup sugar; beat until well combined. Add eggs; beat until well combined. Alternately add flour mixture and milk, beating on low speed after each addition until combined.

Toss cranberries with 2 tablespoons sugar; fold into batter with orange peel (and candied ginger, if using). Spoon batter into prepared pan; spread evenly.

Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until wooden pick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool on rack. Prepare Orange Glaze; spoon over cooled cake. Let stand until glaze is set.

Makes 12 servings.

Orange Glaze:
In small bowl combine 1 cup powdered sugar and 1/2 teaspoon finely shredded orange peel. Add 2 to 3 teaspoons orange juice to make drizzling consistency.


Since my olfactory senses are temporarily suspended, I cannot tell you what it tasted like, but I can share that I got thumbs ups from the guests. I think that this cake might do really well served with some whipped cream and coffee..just a thought.

And since my camera battery died this afternoon at the park (hooray for swing time!), phone picture is all I can provide of cake's interior (sorry). Happy weekend! Hope you all get out and meet your neighbors!

Orange Cranberry (Drop) Scones (Slightly Adapted With Whole Wheat Flour)

This morning, my kitchen was a haven with classical music (Enescu), the smell of oranges (from the grated rind), coffee brewing, and a chatty toddler at my heels.

Ok, so these are not the most attractive scones you'll ever eat...but they are sooooo good! Cranberry orange scones are my favorite scones. I hadn't made this recipe in years--because it's a two-sticks-of-butter recipe (sigh). But today, the easiest scone recipe I've ever come across (no shaping the dough!!!), got gleefully dusted off.

Husband: what are you making?, Wife: Scones. But healthier. With whole wheat flour...and maybe some light butter. Husband: (Inaudible muttering accompanied by a sigh).

Because I CAN. I'm sure he's wondering why ruin a good thing...so HERE is the original recipe (made with currants-but who has currants lying around?) just in case you don't want to mess with perfection--because the original recipe REALLY is perfection (especially if you add white chocolate chips). But if you try to sneak in a little whole grain and lower a tiny bit of fat in your recipes, try my version below. You really won't miss the original. That much.

A bit of whole wheat pastry flour won't destroy the integrity of this drop scone. I promise. It's still VERY good. Crumbly texture...crispy crust...soft interior. Heavenly with coffee.....These scones are not very sweet-as authentic scones really shouldn't be--and you can control the sugar content of the topping too. These are cakier rather than drier scones. I'm sure if you baked them longer and at a lower temperature, they may get drier (or let them sit out longer).

Final result? Husband said 'they're really good' and my toddler inhaled two today without making a single sound. Did I mention I ran back in the house as we were leaving just to grab another? YUM! But just once in your life...make them with all white flour. They orange color comes out brighter and they are wonderful to serve to company .

ORANGE CRANBERRY DROP SCONES

adapted from Gourmet magazine

Yield: 24 scones

4 cups all-purpose white flour (I used 2 cups all-purpose & 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour)
3 Tbsp. sugar (any sugar will do, really)
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp, baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
*2 sticks (1 cup) butter, cut into bits
3 Tbsp. freshly grated orange zest (from about 2 navel oranges)
1 1/2 cups dried cranberries
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons well-shaken buttermilk (I used low-fat)
2 large eggs
1/4 cup granulated raw sugar (turbinado or Demerara--gives you that crystalized look)

Optional Add-ins:
white chocolate chips
nuts

In a bowl of a standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment stir together flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add butter and zest and beat until mixture resembles coarse meal. Beat in currants (and any optional ingredients). In a bowl whisk together buttermilk and eggs and add to flour mixture, beating just until a dough forms. (Dough will be sticky and will not seem completely mixed-that's ok--better not overwork the dough so you don't get tough lumps).

Preheat oven to 350°F. and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. On each sheet arrange mounds of dough about 1 inch apart. Sprinkle mounds with raw sugar and chill 15 minutes.
Bake scones in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of sheets half-way through baking, until light brown, about 20 minutes. (your total baking time is 20 minutes at most)

*One of the recipe reviewers stated they used 1/2 cup less butter than called for. I tried it but my dough was quite clumping as it should. So, at the last minute I added 1/2 cup of LIGHT butter. I am not sure I'd do all whole wheat flour and all light butter--you won't get the same wonderful texture-sorry.

ENJOY! ENJOY!

Best Fresh Spiced Citrus Cranberry Sauce

I don't know why anyone who is serious about Thanksgiving turns to a can for cranberry sauce...it's almost blasphemous. This..coming from the girl who didn't really have all the real 'fixins' growing up. But now that I'm married to an honest-to-goodness-nothing-is-better-than-Thanksgiving-food man...well, there's just no going back.

So, I came up with this one on my own because I wanted something to taste really fresh...the key is the spiced cider. Spiced cider is made with mulling spices. I particularly love the Williams-Sonoma brand--or try the Trader Joe's brand, but you can make your own spices too. So if you make any spiced cider this season...save a cup or so to make this cranberry sauce. You won't be sorry.

By the way, the apple adds 'pectin' which helps thicken the cranberry sauce.


BEST FRESH SPICED CITRUS CRANBERRY SAUCE

•        1 package fresh cranberries, rinsed and drained
•        Zest of one orange
•        Approximately 1/3 apple, peeled and grated
•        4 Tbsp. raw sugar (preferably Turbinado), or more if you prefer sweeter
•        Approximately 1 cup spiced apple cider 

Place all the ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Cranberries will begin to 'pop'--this is a fun noise--if your kids are watching the pot, please be aware that the cranberries don't explode and burn anyone.

Lower heat and let the sauce simmer for a few minutes---stirring every so often, to partially break up cranberries.

Turn off heat. Mixture will start to thicken and continue to do so slightly after the heat is off.

Let cool and serve alongside turkey and sides.

Makes about 1 ½ cups sauce.

Sweet Potato Cranberry (Pear) Whole Wheat Muffins--SO GOOD!

If Autumn could have a flavor-this would be it-cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves....if you don't care for any of these (or would prefer a ginger flavor), you can subtract a spice or two. Tailor these muffins to your liking.When you have sweet potatoes that are going bad, you can peel them and cut off the soft spots. Then, you can boil them and puree for uses in baked goods--like muffins. I will post on a vegan sweet potato roll later next month using this type of puree.

The streusel topping really makes these muffins--in fact, I doubled the streusel topping ingredients (below is singular)--it didn't seem to be sufficient for all the muffins and I'm glad I did. But, by doing so, I think I may ALSO skip the honey and the sugar from the muffin ingredients the next time I make them. The cranberries and the raw sugar in the topping provide plenty of sweetness. Recipe courtesy of ungourmet.com via Taste of Home.

SWEET POTATO CRANBERRY PEAR WHOLE WHEAT MUFFINS

1 ¾ cup whole wheat pastry flour
¼ cup packed brown sugar (I’m skipping this next time)
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. ground nutmeg
¼ tsp. ground cloves
½ cup dried cranberries
2 eggs
1 cup mashed sweet potatoes
¼ cup chunky pear sauce (if you click on it, there's a link on how to make it, but I’m sure applesauce will do)
½ cup skim milk
½ cup honey
¼ cup canola oil

Streusel Topping:
2 Tbsp. whole wheat pastry flour
2 Tbsp. oats
1 Tbsp. raw sugar (like Turbinado)
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
1 Tbsp. cold butter (I used Brummel and Brown spread with yogurt)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin pan with paper liners. Lightly spray the paper liners with a Pam-type spray.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar (if using), baking powder & soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and cranberries.

In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, sweet potatoes, pear sauce (or applesauce), milk, honey, and oil. Stir the liquid/egg mixture into the flour mixture JUST until moistened. Try not to overmix.

Fill baking cups 2/3 full. (I just fill all the 12 muffin cups until all of the mix is used) Sprinkle the streusel topping over the muffins.

Bake for 16-18 minutes until golden and toothpick inserted into the center of muffins comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes in pan before transferring to a wire rack.

Makes 12 muffins.

HAVE AN AWESOME FALL!!!!