Batter Chatter: Interview with Susan of Doughmesstic

April 1, 2012 Cakespy

Nutella and sea salt caramel fudge

Doughmesstic! I don't think I've ever heard word that so succinctly sums up the joy and creative abandon of baking. And the website certainly lives up to one's expections. It's full of delicious recipes, engaging stories, and informative but not fussy tutorials, all designed and dreamed up by Susan Whetzel, a seriously awesome and talented lady. Susan has also branched out to baking for clients and writing books! (CS Note: Buy her book: The Everything Ice Cream, Gelato, and Frozen Desserts Cookbook).

Want to learn more about the blogger behind the baked goods? Here's an interview, punctuated with sweet treats from the site--click on the pictures to find the recipes!

Apple Pie Popovers!Who are you and what do you do? I am Susan Whetzel. Wife, Mom, Blogger, Baker, Getter-Byer. I live in the mountains in Virginia, where I've always lived. I've had my food blog since 2008, after I got bored being a stay-at-home-mom and never actually cooking. It took me about 30 seconds to come up with the name Doughmesstic.

Double Fudge Snickers Brownies

Who taught you how to bake? I would have to say joining Tuesdays With Dorie, the online baking group taught me to bake. I followed along with that group for a LONG time - until I was comfortable mixing things up in the kitchen. I also met a lot of great friends there - some I have been lucky enough to meet in person. I miss those days.

Caramel Topped ShortbreadTell me two of three of your personal favorite blog posts ever? Oh my. That's a toughie. I think one that got a lot of fun attention was the one about going to Martha Stewart's first Pie Competition. I was invited, I went - it was a fiasco! (Here's a link) Another favorite of mine is actually a sad one - writing about my family at Christmas. It was honest, and felt like real writing versus my normal happy-go-lucky recipe posts. (Here's a link)

Who are some of the bakers or bloggers who you love best? I absolutely LOVE my friend Paula of Bell'Alimento, even though she calls me everyday, despite her knowing I hate talking on the phone. I am also thrilled to have made a friend in Brandi of BranAppetit - who actually lives nearby. If not for blogging, I'd have never met her! I could name people all day, but that wouldn't be fair.

If you have a low-inspiration day, how do you keep yourself motivated to bake and blog? That's so hard. But if I am totally unmotivated to bake, all it takes is cleaning the kitchen. Once I see that sucker clean, I get the itch to get in there and do something...which involves two or three days of dirty dishes.

Salted caramel brownies!You've traveled quite a bit. What is one of the places that you thought the sweets were especially awesome? In all of my travels, quite honestly, I think America has the only true SWEETS. In Europe, things just aren't up to the sweet that we are used to. In the Caribbean & South America, it's too hot to think about eating. I did have a divine piece of Chocolate Mousse Cake while sitting on an island in Greece one year for my birthday, and the Riverside Marriott in Bangkok did a MEAN crepe filled with dark chocolate and fresh strawberries.

Neapolitan ice cream: Which do you go for first, strawberry, vanilla, or chocolate? Coming from someone who JUST published a book with over 300 ice cream recipes, you are hurting me a bit with that question...SO much recipe testing! I like Butter Pecan or Mint Chip. :)

What made you decide to take the jump from home baker to baking for clients? It wasn't really a decision - it just happened. I was making cakes for my son, my husband, my family and friends, and posted some pictures on Facebook. I immediately got orders coming in. I am particular about the orders I take these days though - they MUST inspire me. With the blog, I stay super busy, so cakes are my creative outlet. I don't want it to feel like work, so, if the cake has imagination, I am in. If not, I wish them luck...no hard feelings.

Cinnamon Roll Gingerbread Loaf!Do you have any advice for bloggers or bakers who are interested to start selling their cakes or baked goods? It's work!! Don't undersell yourself. If people want a cheap cake, send them to WalMart. Remember, you don't NEED to make cake. If you are doing it at a little more than cost, you are going to end up regretting it, and it won't be fun for you at all.

Red Velvet cake: boiled icing, buttercream, or cream cheese frosting? Cream Cheese, no question.

Brown sugar cookie crust Cheesecake!What's next? Currently shopping out a new cookbook, getting ready to overhaul the kitchen (pray for me), gearing up for a year of travel and food blogging conferences, and hopefully making a little more money and a lot more friends. Oh, and finally finding a pair of jeans that stay on my butt. That's a big goal.

For more, visit Doughmesstic.com.

CakeSpy Undercover: Whipped Bakeshop, Philadelphia

April 1, 2012 Cakespy

The other day, I was getting my bangs trimmed at a haircutting place in Philadelphia, and I asked the stylist if she had any foodie recommendations in town.

She started naming restaurants and bars she liked. Now, I like bars, don't get me wrong--but I prefer bar cookies, if you know what I mean. So after a while, I said, "how about bakeries?".

"Oh," she said. "There's a great one nearby, it's called Whipped Cream or something."

"Whipped Bakeshop?!?" I asked. She looked at me sort of funny.

"I thought you wanted suggestions from me." she said, flatly.

Well, maybe I didn't make a new hairdresser friend, but I did get re-acquainted with a bakery whose work I admire. After having interviewed owner Zoe a few years ago, I was happy to finally have a chance to visit myself. They've received accolades such as "Best Cupcake in Philly"--so I was pretty excited to see for myself.

And guess what happened when I went in: I was greeted by Ryan of Ryan's Baking Blog, who works there, who recognized me! Sweet!

The retail case is small (most of the real estate at the bakery is a work space where they make custom cakes) but alluring--they have mostly cupcakes but a few other items, including brownies, cookies, and "Cake Cups" as pictured above.

After a brief consultation with both employees, I was assured that the Lemon was a standout flavor; to be friendly, I picked up a vanilla cupcake for a friend. It had a Peep on top.

Shortly after exiting the premises I stuffed said lemon cupcake into my mouth. I paused to take a picture (top of the post) so you could see how there was a sweet surprise under the buttercream: a dollop of lemon curd!

This was a sunshine stuffed cupcake if I've ever tasted one: a buttery cake stuffed with zingy lemon curd, and topped with a modest amound of decadently rich buttercream. The frosting was none too sweet--the meringue buttercream is incredibly silky, and the richness of it worked very nicely with the tart lemon filling. The sweetness of the coarse sugar on top was a nice little bit of sweetness to balance the butter-tart thing going on with the frosting and curd, and it added a nice little texture contrast too.

I personally did not get a taste of the Vanilla cupcake, but was assured (after my companion had eaten it in approximately 2.5 bites) that it was "really, really good"--once again, not an over-sweet cupcake, but a more sophisticated treat, rich in vanilla flavor, and "definitely not the cheap stuff".

Moreover, we were quite impressed with these cupcakes. It was wonderful to see a cupcake shop that offers such a carefully crafted, thoughtful product win "best cupcakes"--there is no schtick going on here. It's refreshing--just good sweet stuff.

My only regret about my visit is that I didn't pick up another half dozen cupcakes for later.

Whipped Bakeshop, 636 Belgrade Street ; online here.

The Inimitable Experience of Attending the Pillsbury Bake-Off

March 30, 2012 Cakespy

You guys...not to show off, BUT...I got to go to the Pillsbury Bake-Off this year in Orlando.

What's the Pillsbury Bake-Off, you ask?

Well. It's a baking contest run by Pillsbury, celebrating home cooks, which has been run since 1949. Cooks can't be professionals, and must employ Pillsbury products in the finished products. When it first started, the prized was $50,000--nothing to sneeze at.

Today, it's even bigger: One. Million. Dollars.

Along with my friend Rachel (you may know her as Coconut & Lime), I was invited to attend this awesome-fest in its home at the Peabody Hotel of Orlando.

And now, I will tell you about the experience of going to the Bake-off (you can also view a video of the experience as put out by Pillsbury, here).

First, a week before, I received a packet in the mail. It included a program, a booklet with all of the recipes of the finalists, and general info.

On Saturday, March 23, I took a flight to Orlando. When I arrived, there was a fellow holding a sign that said "J. Oleson". I said "Hey, that's my name!" and he told me to get into his car. Sadly, he offered me no candy. But he did give me a ride to the hotel. And when I arrived, I stopped and got some ice cream before checking in. I also learned of a regional specialty: coconut patties!

When I got to the hotel, I ran into Brigitte Nguyen (oh, you know, I met her while I was on book tour for my amazing book, CakeSpy Presents Sweet Treats for a Sugar-Filled Life) who complimented my Hello Kitty jeans and told me she was a judge. A JUDGE! Serious business.

I was there with a group of other "press" people, including magazine and newspaper writers, news people, writers for grocery store publications, and a sprinkling of bloggy types.

That night, we had a really great dinner at a place called Luma on Park. We ate a bunch of delicious savory stuff to warm up for the real highlight, rosemary panna cotta with strawberry sorbet and black pepper sable cookies for dessert. They paired it very nicely with a dessert wine called "Sweet Bliss", which made me smile thinking of my dessert wine tasting with Jameson Fink.

The next day, Sunday, we were delivered breakfast in bed. It included yogurt, topped with an edible wafer with the bake-off logo. Also: I don't want to alarm you, but at the Peabody Hotel, which has a storied past with ducks, they mold their butter to look like little ducks.

BUTTER DUCKS!

After cooing at the ducks for like 2 hours, I attended something called the Food News Seminar. This was an action-packed day of learning. The first part of the day I learned that family meals matter (I already knew this, because it's the best way to warm up an appetite for dessert), that flavor trends include healthy substitutes, international flavors.

I took very good notes, especially on the size of the silverware we used to sample the flavor trend tastes.

Then we had lunch, which included more butter ducks (!) and some panna cotta. There was other stuff too, but I think you know what I care about.

(hint: butter ducks)

Photo: Julie DeilyJeff, a newspaper writer in Tampa, really loved the butter ducks. Like, he ate an entire one loved them. Related: I like Jeff.

After lunch, we got to meet several of the higher ups at various Martha Stewart publications. They talked about Twitter, Pinterest, and Facebook. You know, internet stuff.

After that, we got treated to a delicious pitch for the new line of ranges by GE. They were smart, because instead of just telling us about them, they demonstrated them with a famous chef who then fed us, then they gave us his book. Now that's a smart way to make me like a stove. I want one--if you'd like, please buy me one. I'll totally owe you.

After that, we had a short break then met for more food--at a restaurant owned by Emeril Lagasse. Guess who was there too--Martha Stewart! That is kind of like having dinner with the Queen, made by the King.

Now, since you couldn't be there, I'll show you a picture of what it was like when I met Martha Stewart. So glad someone caught this on camera, but it kind of made me regret eating all those butter ducks the day before.

But back the dinner! There was not one dessert, but three. Coconut Creme Brulee, Kahlua Chocolate Cake, and Fresh Apple Strudel. The whipped cream had little candied apple peel bits in it. Thank you, Martha, Emeril, and Pillsbury!

But you know what...after we got back, we discovered that they had another treat I hadn't yet seen at the hotel: duck cookies. They were butter cookies topped with preserves, then piped with more butter cookie dough, then dipped in chocolate. Score!

After this, we all waddled off to bed (not unlike a butter duck would).

Photo: Julie DeilyThe following day--Monday--was the Bake-Off! OMG! We got to see 100 bakers at work, simultaneously creating their delicious treats.

I got to meet all of the contestants whose recipes I'd been covering on this very site. They were all incredibly sweet. A few even recognized me! One, Joanne, even had a unicorn story for me. I like her.

A few of them hugged me, and then one guy even elbow-bumped me. I felt so cool. His name is Brett, and here were some of his thoughts on the contest and his entry:

Then, I saw the most beautiful sight I've ever seen (and I have seen butter ducks, people!): THE PILLSBURY DOUGHBOY.

We absolutely had a moment. A beautiful moment. It's pictured at the top of this post.

After that, we got to taste some yummy stuff. At first, when we arrived on the floor, there had been these signs up:

...but then, miraculously, they changed to this:

After they were done baking, the entries were all lined up on a delectable table (it was protected by a velvet rope).

And then, we had a dinner and dance party at the hotel. The Pillsbury Doughboy was in attendance.

I also observed that they had a fancy opera cake at the Peabody, with chocolate ducks(!) on top, painted with edible silver paint. Fancy!

The next morning--Tuesday--we got to attend a live recording of the Martha Stewart Show. How cool is this: they actually built a set in the Peabody Hotel (home of the butter duck) just for the show. It was pretty good-looking.

And then Martha announced the winners!

and guess who the grand prize went to...

it was something sweet...

PUMPKIN RAVIOLI WITH SALTED CARAMEL WHIPPED CREAM!

Oh, what a tasty treat these were. Made by one of the cutest contestants, everyone was very happy to see this deserving dish win the million dollar prize, and I personally felt glad that it went to a dessert.

After that, we got to attend a little press conference and talk about how awesome the entries were, and to learn more about the winners.

I'm very happy to know that the winner's children will have a nice college nest egg now.

But I'm even happier that I have a million dollar recipe in my repertoire!

oh, and I made sure to get more ice cream before I left. You know, to detox after all those butter ducks (butter ducks!).

When I got home, my pug, Porkchop, was quite pleased to see me.

Thanks so much to Pillsbury for having me as a guest--it was truly a once in a lifetime experience. Til the next Bake-Off, stay sweet!

Baker's Dozen: A Batch of Sweet Links

March 29, 2012 Cakespy

Image: FacebookBakery I wanna visit: Crescent Doughnuts.

Sweet! I met with CakeSpy enthusiasts who prove that "reading is totally sweet"!

Pecan pie cheesecake.

Cookies made of flour, that look like flowers! Seriously, you've got to see it to believe it.

Open Sesame Pie. Thanks for making me aware of this, Coconut & Lime!

15 easy and sweet desserts: thanks, the Kitchn!

A Milwaukee bakery with an interesting backstory.

Walnut Cake with Chocolate Whipped Cream! YUM!

Fun times: enjoyable. Funny Cake: Delicious!

Yum: Strawberries and cream cookie sandwiches!

Belles of the ball: Coconut belles.

Woot! CakeSpy on Gizmodo!

Sweet food art (OK, savory too--but all are adorable!)

Bakery I wanna visit: the Cravory (thanks, Caley!)

Million Dollar Baby: this year's Pillsbury Bake-off winning recipe, which won a million dollars!

Interesting: on the power of mediocrity of baking.

Mmmmmmmaple! Cookies, that is.

Cadbury Creme Egg Tarts!

Cadbury "Creme" Brulee!

Butter Makes it Better: Philadelphia Butter Cake

March 29, 2012 Cakespy

Probably, you already love Philadelphia Butter Cake. I mean, the title includes the words "butter" and "cake", so pretty much no matter where it's from, it's going to be lovable, right? In my opinion, we owe Philadelphia bigtime for giving us (and by "us" I mean, like, everyone in the world) the gift of this cake.

But, you may be wondering, what exactly is it?

Judging by the picture and the name, you might be tempted to think that Philadelphia Butter Cake, a rich, buttery cake with a gooey center, which served in bar form, is similar to Gooey Butter Cake, a St. Louis specialty. But you're not quite right: while they have some similar characteristics, I'd call them more "cousins" than "twins".

Likewise, you wouldn't want to confuse it with a simple "Butter Cake", or to expect a buttery yellow cake to be your result--there is really no frosting necessary with the Philadelphia version, and if you baked it expecting a layer cake, you'd be disappointed for sure.

But let's go back to the Gooey Butter Cake. If you already know what that is, you have an idea of what you'd be up against with the Philadelphia Butter Cake. But the important differences? As I see it,

A. There is yeast in the "crust" part of the cake.

B. There is no cream cheese in the soft and gooey middle section; it is made of butter, more butter, a bit of flour, sugar, eggs, milk, and flavorings.

C. The top forms a lightly soft crusty texture, which I found more pronounced than with a Gooey Butter Cake.

The cake is sometimes referred to as "German Butter Cake", which leads me to believe that it is probably an American adaptation of a German cake, adapted in the new world to reflect the ingredients available.

The Philadelphia Butter Cake pictured in this post was obtained at the Flying Monkey Patisserie in the famed Reading Terminal Market, where, when ordering, I said "I'll have the buddah cake. Buddah". You know, to be funny.

The cake was very, very good. It's so rich that it makes you want to cry, and has a touch of saltiness which complements the sweet, that makes you want to keep eating more and more. Their version had a more shortbread-y crust, so it may not be completely traditional, but it was totally tasty. I want more right now, in fact.

They also carry the cake at Town Crier Bakery and Bredenbeck's (I have tried this version, and it's very good). I also hear there's a fantastic version at Haegle's, which is famous for the stuff.

Here's a great blog post featuring a recipe for Philadelphia Butter Cake, including a step by step tutorial.

Cake Byte: CakeSpy Shop Re-Opens!

March 29, 2012 Cakespy

Here's a sweet dispatch from CakeSpy Shop in Seattle!

Alright, friends! After a short stint of closure due to flood damage...We are OFFICIALLY re-opened for business!! The shop is looking awesome, and we are even introducing a few new items!! Check these out:

Magnets with Ryan Berkley art!

Hamster Pillows!BFF necklaces!

Anyway, don't take our word for it--come in and check it out for yourself!

Also, we will be celebrating all of this awesomeness at our 2nd Thursday Art Walk this month, and you can RSVP here: http://www.facebook.com/events/326964947352233/. The store is located at 415 East Pine Street, Seattle WA 98122.

Cake Byte: Sweet News from Cupcake Royale!

March 29, 2012 Cakespy

How sweet is April at Seattle's Cupcake Royale?

Well, pretty sweet, judging by their newsletter! They're debuting some sweet new stuff.

First, the cupcake of the month: Compost Cupcake! Like a good Seattleite, this cupcake uses up all the excess stuff, making for a wonderful result: a chocolate cake filled with chips, oats, chocolate, coconut, cake crumble, and maybe a few more secrets too! It's all topped with chocolate frosting which is then rolled in coffee, more chips, and more chocolate. Like whoa!

But wait...there's more! Cupcake Royale is at long last debuting a vegan cupcake, too! Here's what they have to say about it:

To get these sweet treats, hit up a Cupcake Royale location in Seattle! For more information, visit cupcakeroyale.com.

Delicious Volume: Midwest Sweet Baking History by Jenny Lewis

March 29, 2012 Cakespy

Brownies: a midwest baking classic!

I'm fond of saying that "everything tastes better with a backstory". After all, isn't it more fun to eat a chocolate chip cookie while imagining Ruth Wakefield in a Massachusetts toll house, trying to take a shortcut making chocolate cookies by adding chocolate chunks, and inadvertently creating an American icon? Or picturing a hapless baker in St. Louis mixing up the sugar and flour in a recipe and ending up with Gooey Butter cake?

If you find this sweet lore fascinating, then you should probably go ahead and invest in the new release Midwest Sweet Baking History: Delectable Classics around Lake Michigan by Jenny Lewis. It's published by The History Press. Did you know they existed? I didn't, but I am glad I do now--they have a ton of interesting books.

This volume is a comprehensive source for learning about the popular treats of the Lake Michigan region--but really, it goes beyond that.

While you'll get plenty of sweet stories about specific foods, you'll also get a very interesting primer and backstory on the general history of baking in America.

There are chapters devoted to the development of popular baking ingredients (ever wonder when baking soda became a common pantry item?) and the developments in kitchen technology which played into what and how we ate. Author Jenny Lewis, who is a pastry chef, Certified Culinary Educator (did you know that was a thing? I didn't! I also didn't know all of these degrees existed!), and clearly One Smart Cookie, also gives some of the backstory on companies such as Kraft, Nabisco, and even smaller manufacturers in the Midwest such as Lessafre Yeast Company.

And then there are recipes. Yes! From historical--including one of the first printed brownie recipes, from the Chicago area, old fashioned doughnuts, and homespun pies--to contemporary, such as peach crumble with cornmeal cinnamon streusel, apple tart with salted caramel, and cherry whiskey cake.

Morever, what we learn is that recipes--and baking methods--aren't so much invented as they evolve--and so, the popular baked goods will reflect the immigration patterns of the United states, often the result of "old country" favorites getting a "new world" makeover based on the kitchen technology and ingredients available in the new surroundings. And it's a fascinating and delectable journey.

Buy the book here: Midwest Sweet Baking History: Delectable Classics around Lake Michigan; listen to an interesting interview with the author here.

Sweet Art: Custom Wedding Artwork

March 28, 2012 Cakespy

Somebody's getting married...

wait, somebody got married...on March 17! It was obviously a great day all around, as I personally spent it eating cake, and my longtime customer Jessie (same name!) got married.

But her wedding was cuter than the average wedding, in no small part because of the addition of CakeSpy artwork!

She commissioned me to do an illustration of she and her husband to be on a beach in wedding garb (the fellow in a kilt!), and she then framed the art and--how cute is that--had guests sign the mat all around it. Can you stand it?

She also used my artwork to decorate other areas of the reception...

...yup, there's more...

Totally sweet!

If you'd like a custom commission, please email me at jessieoleson@gmail.com.

Cadbury Creme Egg Foo Young for Serious Eats

March 28, 2012 Cakespy

Cadbury Creme Egg Foo Young: believe it or not, it's actually quite good.

Taking visual inspiration from the Chinese takeout staple, this trompe l'oeil sweet starts by frying pancakes studded with Cadbury Creme Egg pieces, which are then topped with melted peanut butter "gravy" and served atop a bed of rice pudding.

The pancakes, which do not require sugar for the batter, are plenty sweet owing to the Creme Eggs. The crispy edges and warm, soft, gooey interior of the pancakes are wonderful when paired with the creamy rice pudding, and the peanut butter "gravy" adds just enough savoriness to cut through the sweetness. It's a delicious dessert prospect—perhaps the only thing that is missing is a Cadbury Creme Egg Roll!

For the full entry and recipe, visit Serious Eats!

Pillsbury Bake-Off Countdown: Strawberries and Cream Butter Cake

March 26, 2012 Cakespy

CakeSpy Note: I am beyond ecstatic to announce that I have been invited as a media guest to the 45th Annual Pillsbury Bake-Off in Orlando, Florida! The event will take place in late March; til then, I am going to feature several of the sweets finalists here in anticipation of the big day!

Strawberries and cream, re-imagined gooey butter cake style!

That's the story behind this delicious Bake-Off entry, which starts with store-bought sugar cookie dough. "Sugar cookie dough is the start of an easy-to-make, yummy cream cake with strawberries. Really!" says Laurie Benda of Madison, WI.

Strawberries and Cream Butter Cake

16 servings

1roll Pillsbury® refrigerated sugar cookie dough
1 1/4 cups unsalted or Salted Butter, softened
3/4cup granulated sugar
3 ggs
3 1/2 teaspoons McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract
2 1/4 cups Pillsbury BEST® All Purpose Unbleached Flour
1 can (14 oz) Eagle Brand® Sweetened Condensed Milk
1/3 cup Smucker’s® Strawberry Preserves
2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1lb fresh strawberries, sliced (2 1/2 cups)

Procedure

Heat oven to 350°F. Let cookie dough stand at room temperature 10 minutes to soften. Spray 13x9-inch pan with Crisco® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray. Break up cookie dough in pan; press to cover bottom of pan.
In large bowl, beat butter and granulated sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and 2 teaspoons of the vanilla until well blended. On low speed, alternately beat in about 1/3 of the flour and 1/2 of the condensed milk, ending with flour addition, until blended. Pour batter over dough in pan, spreading gently to cover.
Drop teaspoonfuls preserves onto batter; with knife, swirl preserves into batter.
Bake 45 to 55 minutes or until edges are golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool until slightly warm, about 1 hour.
In small bowl, beat whipping cream, powdered sugar and remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla with electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form.
Serve warm cake with whipped cream and strawberries. Store covered.

Pillsbury Bake-Off Countdown: Triple The Chocolate Bread Pudding

March 26, 2012 Cakespy

Triple the Chocolate Bread Pudding? I take issue with this dish.

I think it should instead be called "Triple the AWESOME Bread Pudding". Why? Well, because it 1) contains cinnamon rolls. 2) contains a ton of chocolate. 3) is baked into bread pudding. What? Delicious!

As the recipe creator, Kristin Walker, of Kennett Square, PA, says: "This is not your grandmother's bread pudding. Pillsbury cinnamon rolls are soaked, topped, and baked in chocolate and finally served with a special whipped cream. Oh my!".

Triple the Chocolate Bread Pudding

12 Servings

1can Pillsbury® Grands!® refrigerated cinnamon rolls with icing
1can (14 oz) Eagle Brand® Sweetened Condensed Milk
1/2cup Hershey's® semi-sweet chocolate baking chips
1/4cup Hershey’s® baking cocoa
1/2cup milk
2teaspoons instant coffee granules or crystals
2teaspoons McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract
3LAND O LAKES® Eggs
2LAND O LAKES® Egg Yolks
3/4cup Hershey's® Special Dark® syrup
1cup heavy whipping cream

Heat oven to 325°F. Generously spray 8-inch round cake pan with Crisco® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray. Place rolls evenly in pan; reserve icing.
Bake 29 to 32 minutes or until golden brown. Remove rolls to cooling rack. Cool 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, in 2-quart saucepan over medium-low heat, cook condensed milk, chocolate chips and cocoa, stirring constantly, until smooth. Remove from heat. Beat in milk, coffee granules and vanilla with wire whisk. Add eggs and yolks; beat with wire whisk until well blended.
Generously spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with Crisco® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray. With serrated knife, cut cinnamon rolls into 1-inch pieces; arrange pieces evenly in bottom of baking dish. Pour chocolate-coffee mixture over pieces; turn pieces to coat evenly. Let stand 15 minutes. Drizzle chocolate syrup over top of pudding.
Bake 40 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted in center of pudding comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, in large bowl, beat whipping cream with electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form. Add reserved icing; beat 15 seconds or until well blended. Serve whipped topping with warm bread pudding. Store covered in refrigerator.

Pillsbury Bake-Off Countdown: Caramelized Peach Upside-Down Coffee Cake

March 26, 2012 Cakespy

Pineapple upside-down cake? So five minutes ago. All the cool kids are eating peach upside down cake, all the better if it's caramelized.

This sweet treat was dreamed up by Brenda Watts of Gaffney, SC, who says "Bake up a new sweet peachy coffee cake delight using Pillsbury sugar cookie dough." If she bakes it, I will come!

Caramelized Peach Upside Down Cake

8 servings

1 roll Pillsbury® refrigerated sugar cookie dough
1/4 cup LAND O LAKES® Unsalted or Salted Butter
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Ground Cinnamon
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced peeled peaches or frozen sliced peaches, thawed
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 LAND O LAKES® Eggs
1/2 cup half-and-half
2/3 cup Smucker's® Peach Preserves
3 tablespoons orange juice
1/3 cup Fisher® Chef's Naturals® Chopped Pecans

Let cookie dough stand at room temperature 10 minutes to soften. Meanwhile, heat oven to 350°F. Line 10-inch springform pan with foil. Lightly spray bottom and side of foil-lined pan with Crisco® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray. In 12-inch skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in brown sugar and cinnamon until blended. Add sliced peaches; cook 4 to 6 minutes or until peaches are tender, stirring occasionally. Spoon and spread peach mixture over bottom of pan.
In large bowl, break up cookie dough. Add baking powder and eggs. Beat with electric mixer on medium speed about 1 minute or until well blended. On low speed, beat in half-and-half an additional minute or until cookie dough mixture is smooth and creamy. Pour mixture evenly over peaches in pan.
Bake 35 to 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool 2 minutes. Place heatproof serving plate upside down over pan; turn plate and pan over. Remove pan. Carefully remove foil. Cool 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, in small microwavable bowl, stir peach preserves and orange juice together until blended. Microwave peach mixture on High 30 to 60 seconds or until warm.
To serve, drizzle coffee cake with peach mixture and sprinkle with pecans.

Pillsbury Bake-Off Countdown: Orange Cream-Macadamia Torte

March 26, 2012 Cakespy

You know what's awesome? Fusion.

And the awesomest kind of fusion? That of delicious desserts. For instance: Orange Cream-Macadamia Torte. It's like creamsicle meets pie, with a fancy nutty filling.

And it's the reason why I am kind of in love with the inventor of this recipe, Brett Youmans of Reading, PA, who says, "Create a citrus twist for a crowd-sized dessert. Start with an easy sugar cookie crust and add a creamy filling."

OK, Brett. Here's how.

Orange Cream-Macadamia Torte

Serves 16

Torte

1 roll Pillsbury® refrigerated sugar cookie dough
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract
1 1/4 cups flaked coconut, toasted*
1 1/4cups Fisher® Chef's Naturals® Chopped Macadamia Nuts, toasted**
3 tablespoons grated orange peel
2 tablespoons grated lemon peel
1 can (14 oz) Eagle Brand® Sweetened Condensed Milk
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
2 tablespoons butter

Icing

1 cup Hershey's® premier white baking chips
1 tablespoon vegetable Shortening

Garnish, if desired

1 large orange, cut into 16 thin slices

Heat oven to 350°F. Let cookie dough stand at room temperature 10 minutes to soften. In large bowl, break up cookie dough. Add 1/4 of the cream cheese and vanilla; beat with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add 1 cup of the coconut, 3/4 cup of the nuts, 1 tablespoon of the orange peel and 1 tablespoon of the lemon peel; beat until well blended. Spread evenly in bottom and up side of ungreased 10-inch nonstick tart pan with removable bottom.
Bake 18 to 23 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
Meanwhile, in 2-quart heavy saucepan, add condensed milk, orange juice, butter, remaining cream cheese, orange peel and lemon peel. Cook over low heat, 20 to 25 minutes, stirring constantly with wire whisk, until mixture is bubbly and thickened. Remove from heat; spread over cooled crust. Refrigerate until cooled, about 1 hour.
In small microwavable bowl, combine icing ingredients, microwave on High 30 to 40 seconds, stirring every 10 seconds, until smooth. Drizzle over cooled torte to cover. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup coconut and 1/2 cup nuts, lightly pressing into icing. To serve, cut into 16 wedges; top each with orange slice. Store loosely covered in refrigerator.

Cakewalk: A Day of Cake Eating With Molly Allen and Joy the Baker

March 25, 2012 Cakespy

Last week, something incredible happened.

I got to eat a ton of cake.

But unlike most days that I eat a ton of cake, on one very special day (March 17, in fact) I got to eat cake all day with Molly Allen, who runs the website CakeFYI.com and is a contributor for Best Friends for Frosting, and with Joy the Baker, overall Big Important Foodie Person and a sweet fan of CakeSpy Shop. She had won an all expenses paid trip to Seattle after the "So You Wanna be a CakeSpy?" contest!

It was a contest to support my amazing book.

Now, I should say thanks in advance to Molly because some of the photos below are hers. Thanks!

I had solicted some suggestions for where to take Molly, but I also had a few favorites in mind--especially considering that she is a fan of red velvet cake.

I can sense that you're getting bored of all of these words and starting to wonder where the cake is, so why don't I tell you what we ate now, ok?

First, since it was St. Patrick's day, we stopped at Nielsen's Bakery in Queen Anne. This little gem is the home of the snitter, fine cinnamon rolls, and most notably, something called the Potato. As Molly put it, "A sweet potato. A pastry puff filled with custard and whip cream, then topped with marzipan and cocoa powder." NOM!

Next, we hit up Pinkabella Cupcakes in Queen Anne. This store has gone through some management changes (it used to be Wink Cupcakes) but it had been highly suggested by a Sasquatch Staffer as a great place for Red Velvet. I took a moment to ask Molly what makes a great red velvet cake:

Oh, and I should assure you: of course we brought our magical ponies.

The Pinkabella cake was highly respectable: a great cake-crumb, moist and flavorful, and a surprisingly light frosting--though I like a thicker and weightier frosting personally, the flavor was very good.

Next, I took her to Trophy Cupcakes. After all, Molly clearly needed a Neapolitan cupcake after her winning recipe, and it's overall a magical place to visit. So we got a few flavors, including the Neapolitan and a "green velvet", the St. Patrick's day version of Red Velvet.

I should also tell you, we brought our ponies here.

As usual, Trophy was delicious. If you've never been there, I have a question: what's wrong with you?

They were super-sweet at Trophy, and knowing that Molly and I would be hanging out with Joy the Baker soon, they sent us on our way with a cupcake for her, too! AND some to share with the guests. Thanks, Trophy!

Next, we went over to Ballard and picked up some gelato at D'ambrosio. This time, I tried the caramel-fig and the nougat. It did not disappoint--this place is awesome.

Next, we made a quick drive-by at Bakery Nouveau, where the floors are paved in butter and the walls are made of sugar. Not really, but I hope that gave you the idea that this palace of pastry is stuffed with delicious. We got a few sweets including a croissant, and cheated a bit and got some savories too. But we had to get going quick, because it was time for...Joy The Baker!

Joy was passing through town on book tour and stopped at CakeSpy Shop. It was packed--naturally! Here we are together, looking cute. Hey, how'd they get so tall?OK. So after hanging out at the signing for a while, we headed up to our final destination for the day of the pastry: Cupcake Royale. Also made of magic, we picked up a Tiramisu, Red Velvet, and Lemon Pistachio. Yum.

And, you might be wondering: how awesome are we? About this awesome:

At this point, we declared "oink oink" and gave up for the day - but oh, what a MAGICAL day it was.

So, as you may have noticed, Molly tasted a lot of Red Velvet on this glorious, sugar-filled day. At the end of the day, she said that she had a favorite. Can you guess what it was, based on the pictures above? Here's a quick roundup of tasting notes:

Red Velvet Tasting

Pinkabella: A standout cake, a lighter than expected but very good frosting.
Trophy: A delicate cocoa flavor, lovely frosting, cute decorations.
Cupcake Royale: A firmer and less moist cake style, decadent and denser frosting.

If you've been to these shops, which is your favorite? I'll do another post to let you know which one she chose in the next day or two!

Pillsbury Bake-Off Countdown: Peanut Butter Boston Cream Cake

March 25, 2012 Cakespy

Talk about a tasty prospect: Boston's classic dessert gets a peanut buttery upgrade. And is titled "cake" instead of "pie"...and then uses cookie dough. Confusing, but delicious!

This sweet treat was created by Mary Beth Mandola of Houston, TX, who says "Turn Pillsbury peanut butter cookie dough into a yummy cake. Really!".

Peanut Butter Boston Cream Cake

12 servings

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons pure Vanilla Extract
1/4 cup peanut Butter
2 eggs
1 roll Pillsbury® refrigerated peanut butter cookie dough
1/4 cup Pillsbury BEST® All Purpose Flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup sour cream
3/4 cup Hershey's® milk chocolate baking chips
2 tablespoons chopped Fisher® Lightly Salted, Dry Roasted Peanuts

To make filling, in medium bowl, beat 1/2 cup whipping cream and powdered sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until stiff peaks form. Add 1/2 teaspoon of the vanilla and peanut butter; beat on low speed just until blended, being careful not to overmix. Refrigerate.
Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 2 (8- or 9-inch) round cake pans with Crisco® No-Stick Butter Spray. In large bowl, beat eggs with electric mixer on high speed, about 5 minutes or until thick and lemon colored. Break up cookie dough into eggs; beat on low speed until creamy. Add remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla; beat on low speed until blended.
In small bowl, stir together flour, baking powder and baking soda. Add flour mixture gradually to egg mixture, beating with electric mixer on medium speed, until blended. Add sour cream; beat on low speed until mixed. Divide batter evenly between pans.
Bake 18 to 28 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes. Carefully invert cake layers from pans onto cooling racks. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, to make ganache, in small microwavable bowl, microwave remaining 1/4 cup whipping cream and chocolate chips on High 30 to 60 seconds, stirring every 30 seconds, until smooth. Set aside.
To assemble cake, place 1 cake layer, bottom side up, on serving plate. Spread peanut butter filling on top to within 1/2 inch of edge. Top with remaining cake layer, rounded side up. Spread ganache over cake, covering top and allowing ganache to run down side of cake. Sprinkle peanuts around top edge of cake. Refrigerate 1 hour. Store covered in refrigerator.

Pillsbury Bake-Off Countdown: Lemon Crumb Tart

March 25, 2012 Cakespy

Dessert for twelve? Check. This lemon crumb dessert is not only easy to make, but a lovely marriage of all things carbohydratey: crumb, crust--met with a deliciously tart lemon filling.

"Dessert for 12? Four ingredients and 15 minutes is all you need to make this dessert...wow!" says the inventor, Jackie Termont Ruther of Glen, Virginia.

Lemon Crumb Tart

12 servings

1 roll Pillsbury® refrigerated sugar cookie dough
1 cup Pillsbury BEST® All Purpose Flour
3/4 cup Hershey’s® premier white baking chips
1 jar (10 oz) lemon curd

Heat oven to 350°F. Let cookie dough stand at room temperature 10 minutes to soften. In large bowl, knead cookie dough and flour with hands until well blended. Stir in white chips. Reserve 1 cup of the mixture for topping. Press remaining mixture in 10- or 11-inch tart pan with removable bottom.
Bake 13 to 18 minutes or until edges just begin to brown. Cool 5 minutes. In small microwavable bowl, microwave lemon curd on High 20 to 30 seconds or until softened; stir until smooth and of spreading consistency. Spread to within 1 inch of crust edge. Sprinkle reserved crumb mixture evenly over top of tart.
Bake an additional 20 to 30 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool completely, about 1 hour. To serve, cut into 12 wedges. Store covered.

Pillsbury Bake-Off Countdown: Cranberry-Orange Baklava Pinwheels

March 25, 2012 Cakespy

Baklava is already pretty great, but when you make it easy and even more interesting, it's a true winner. It's one of the finalists in the Pillsbury Bake-Off; as the recipe creator, Carrie Hudkins, of Wichita Falls, TX, says, "Change up classic Greek baklava with an easy, flaky Pillsbury® pie crust version drizzled with honey."

Well, ok! Here's how you do it.

Cranberry-Orange Baklava Pinwheels

20 servings

1 box Pillsbury® refrigerated pie crusts, softened as directed on box
2 tablespoons LAND O LAKES® Butter, melted
1 1/4 cups sweetened dried cranberries (6 oz)
1 cup Fisher® Chef's Naturals® Chopped Pecans
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons McCormick® Ground Cinnamon
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
1 LAND O LAKES® Egg
2 tablespoons water
1/2 cup honey

Procedure

Heat oven to 400°F. Line cookie sheet with cooking parchment paper or lightly spray with Crisco® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray. Unroll pie crusts; press each into 10 1/2-inch square. Brush squares with melted butter.
In food processor, place cranberries, pecans, sugar, cinnamon and orange peel. Cover; process with on-and-off pulses until mixture is finely chopped. Spread half of mixture on each pie crust square.
Roll up each pie crust into a log; pinch edge tightly to seal. In small bowl, beat egg and water until blended. Brush egg mixture over each log. Using serrated knife, cut each log into 10 slices. Place slices, cut sides up, 1 inch apart on cookie sheet; replacing any filling. Reshape slices, if necessary.
Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately remove pinwheels on parchment from cookie sheet to cooling rack. Spoon about 1 teaspoon honey on each slice. Serve warm or cool.

Pillsbury Bake-Off Countdown: Pumpkin Ravioli with Salted Caramel Whipped Cream

March 24, 2012 Cakespy

Ravioli is awesomer when it's filled with dessert. Case in point? Pumpkin Ravioli. With. Salted Caramel. Whipped Cream. It tastes even better without the periods inserted, but I needed to pause to take bites and swallow. You understand, right?

Or, as the invenotor Christina Verrelli of Devon, PA says, "Create a sweet new twist on pumpkin ravioli with flaky crescent dough, cream cheese and caramel sauce."

Pumpkin Ravioli with Salted Caramel Whipped Cream

Makes: 12 (2 ravioli each) servings

4 tablespoons butter, melted

2 packages (3 oz each) cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup canned pumpkin

1 egg Yolk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla Extract

1/4 cup sugar

5 tablespoons All Purpose Flour

1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Pumpkin Pie Spice

1/3 cup chopped Pecans, finely chopped

2 cans Pillsbury® Crescent Recipe Creations® refrigerated seamless dough sheet

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1/8 teaspoon salt

5 tablespoons Hershey’s® caramel syrup

4 tablespoons McCormick Cinnamon Sugar

Heat oven to 375°F. Brush 2 large cookie sheets with 2 tablespoons of the melted butter. In large bowl, beat cream cheese and pumpkin with electric mixer on medium speed about 1 minute or until smooth. Add egg yolk, vanilla, sugar, 3 tablespoons of the flour and pumpkin pie spice; beat on low speed until blended. Reserve 4 teaspoons of the pecans; set aside. Stir remaining pecans into pumpkin mixture.
Lightly sprinkle work surface with 1 tablespoon of the flour. Unroll 1 can of dough on floured surface with 1 short side facing you. Press dough into 14x12-inch rectangle. With paring knife, lightly score the dough in half horizontally. Lightly score bottom half of dough into 12 squares (3x2 1/4-inch each). Spoon heaping tablespoon of the pumpkin filling onto center of each square. Gently lift and position unscored half of dough over filling. Starting at the top folded edge, press handle of wooden spoon firmly between mounds and along edges of pumpkin filling to seal. Using toothpick, poke small hole in top of each ravioli. Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut between each ravioli; place 1 inch apart on cookie sheets. Repeat with remaining 1 tablespoon flour, dough sheet and filling. Brush ravioli with remaining 2 tablespoons melted butter.
Bake 9 to 14 minutes or until golden brown.
Meanwhile, in medium bowl, beat whipping cream and salt with electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form. Beat in 2 tablespoons of the caramel syrup until stiff peaks form. Transfer to serving bowl; cover and refrigerate.
Remove ravioli from oven. Sprinkle ravioli with 2 tablespoons cinnamon sugar; turn. Sprinkle with remaining cinnamon sugar.
To serve, place 2 ravioli on each of 12 dessert plates. Drizzle each serving with scant teaspoon of the caramel syrup; sprinkle with reserved chopped pecans. With spoon, swirl remaining 1 tablespoon caramel syrup into bowl of whipped cream. Serve warm ravioli with whipped cream.

Pillsbury Bake-Off Countdown: Dark Cherry-Chocolate Breakfast Pastry

March 24, 2012 Cakespy

I just want to tell you, I would wake up at 3 a.m. every day if you made me this.

Any takers?

"Wake up sleepyheads with a new breakfast pastry. Six quick ingredients turn Pillsbury crusty French loaf into a fresh fruit chocolate treat", describes this sweet treat the inventor, MaryAnne Salaway of Harveys Lake, Pennsylvania.

Dark Cherry Chocolate Breakfast Pastry

8 servings

1 can Pillsbury® refrigerated crusty French loaf
4 tablespoons Butter
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
1 cup halved pitted dark sweet cherries*
1/4 cup Hershey’s mini chips semi-sweet chocolate baking chips
1/4 cup Smucker's Sweet Orange Marmalade

Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray 15x10-inch pan with sides with Crisco® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray. Carefully unroll loaf of dough in pan; press dough to cover pan. In small microwavable bowl, microwave 2 tablespoons of the butter on High 15 seconds or until melted. Stir in orange peel. Brush butter mixture over dough.
Press 1/2 cup of cherries into half of dough, covering a 10x7 1/2-inch area. Sprinkle mini chips over cherries. Fold plain side of dough over cherries. Pinch edges of dough to seal. Cover top of folded dough with remaining cherries; press into dough.
In small microwavable bowl, microwave remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and marmalade on High 15 to 30 seconds or until butter is melted; stir to blend well. Carefully brush mixture over cherries and dough.
Bake 20 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on cooling rack 15 minutes.
Cut into 8 servings. Serve warm.