Layers of Goodness

Last weekend friends of ours invited us to a cookout. It was an informal B.Y.O.M.—bring your own meat affair. Most people showed up with steaks, but there was chicken for some and hotdogs for a couple of little ones. The host and hostess provided the best part—this idyllic little piece of heaven that they call home. The evening was layers upon layers of goodness!

My contribution was to be dessert and I immediately turned to my latest issue of Southern Lady for a recipe to try out. I am in love with this magazine! The pictures are breathtaking and the recipes are inspiring and “do-able”. The tablescapes alone are worth the price of magazine. If you live above the Mason Dixon line, no need to worry—it’s geographically inclusive :)

I often use my friends as guinea pigs to try new recipes. Over the years they have shared both successes and total flops. The fun is in the trying. This recipe is from an entire article on Neopolitan desserts. Doesn’t that bring back memories of the three-layered pastel ice cream from your childhood?

When I saw that the frosting contained strawberry extract, I knew I had to try it! Strawberries just “say” spring to me! I used my cute little gingham cupcake liners from Bridget at Bake at 350---perfect for a picnic. I’ve had them a while and have been saving them for just the right occasion. Thanks Bridget!

The perfect cupcake! —three layers of goodness-- chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry for an evening with three layers of goodness—friends, fellowship, and food! This one goes in the “success” column. If you don’t have or can’t buy a copy of Southern Lady (and I highly recommend it), here’s the recipe! This one earned a spot in the “success” column!

Neopolitan Cupcakes

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

4 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups cake flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups milk

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Strawberry frosting (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 35o degrees. Line 2 (12 cup) muffing pans with paper liners; set aside. In a large bowl, combine butter, cream cheese, and sugar. Beat at a high speed until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. In a medium bowl, sift together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture alternating with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Divide batter in half, and beat cocoa powder into half the mixture. Spoon chocolate batter into muffin cups, filling about 1/3 full. Spoon vanilla batter evenly over the chocolate batter, filling about 2/3 full. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely. Pipe strawberry frosting on tops of cupcakes.

Strawberry Frosting

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup butter softened

1/4 cup strawberry jam

2 teaspoons strawberry extract

1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese and butter. Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Beat in strawberry jam and strawberry extract until smooth. Beat in whipped topping and confectioners’ sugar.

I’m joining our favorite author Michael Lee West @ Designs by Gollum for Foodie Friday. Click on her button on the sidebar for immediate transportation. I know posts have been sporadic. Thanks for hanging in with me while I work on both weddings, one couple’s new house, and a nursery….whewww :) I hope you’ll leave a note!!

Hummingbird Cake-The Essence of Sweet

I grew up eating hummingbird cake and wondered where it came from and how it got its name. A little research tells me the first known published recipe appeared in a 1978 Southern Living magazine and was submitted by a reader from North Carolina. More research tells me that hummingbirds reject the nectar from any flower that does not have at least a 25 % sugar content. Its no wonder then how this sweet delicacy got its name.

When I took this to a recent potluck gathering, nearly everyone there remembered their mother or grandmother making it. Most, however, had forgotten it and were glad to be reminded. Southern Living claims this is their most often requested recipe. Taste this once and you’ll understand both the name and the popularity.

Hummingbird Cake

3 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup chopped pecans

3 eggs, beaten

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

1 (8 oz.) can crushed pineapple, drained

2 cups chopped bananas

Combine dry ingredients. Add eggs and oil. Stir until moist. Stir in vanilla, pineapple, bananas, and nuts. Divide evenly into 3 greased and floured cake pans or a prepared 9X13. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Remove from pans and cool.

Frosting

1 (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened ***

1 pound powdered sugar

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 cup chopped pecans

Combine cream cheese and butter. Cream until smooth. Blend in powdered sugar. Add vanilla and nuts.

***The original recipe included “butter or oleo”. My much younger sister in law called to ask me what oleo was :). Fortunately, she could not see my jaw drop :)

It’s been a busy busy week here! I am glad to be joining our gracious hostess Michael Lee West for Foodie Friday. Click on her button on the sidebar to be inspired by beautiful pictures and recipes! Thanks for stopping by !~~Susan

Red Velvet Cake Balls

You may remember I posted last spring here about a cupcake class my daughter and I took at the Viking Cooking School. The class was loads of fun and provided us with a fresh stock of recipes and the hands-on experience we needed to make the recipes at home.

We made several different types of cupcakes, but we also learned how to make another little confection that seems to be taking the entertaining world by storm----cake balls! Cake balls have all the flavor of a big dessert packed into cute little meatball-sized package. Best of all, they look like a LOT more trouble than they are!

Recently I chose to make Red Velvet Cake Balls for a friend who loves red velvet no matter what the season. They make a beautiful presentation too! You have lots of options and your imagination is your only limit. You can use a commercial cake mix or start from scratch! It’s never to early to start collecting recipes for all the upcoming holiday events.

You can serve them as “balls” or put them sticks as cake “pops”.

Because the balls need to be frozen, you can even spread the preparation out to suit your schedule. I made the cake balls on one day and dipped them in chocolate on the next.

They were a HIT! I have since made mint chocolate chip cake balls and have plans to make coconut cake balls for an upcoming shower. I am including the recipe from the Viking Cooking School. I have shortened and adapted it.

Red Velvet Cake Balls

1 cup of cream cheese frosting (make your own or buy it!)

1 layer red velvet cake (I used a box)

8 ounces of semisweet chocolate or white chocolate

1 tablespoon zero transfat vegetable shortening (Crisco)

Bake the cake in a single layer and crumble into fine crumbs, discarding any hard edges. You should have about 4 cups of crumbs. Place the crumbs in a large mixing bowl and spoon frosting and mix gently. You may not need all the icing depending on the moistness of the cake crumbs. Clean hands work better than a spatula or spoon for mixing, but it’s messy! The crumbs and frosting should be evenly mixed, but mix gently so as not to compact crumbs any more than necessary. Cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled (about an hour) or freeze about 15-20 minutes.

Using a measuring spoon scoop out about 1 tablespoon of the the cake mixture and roll lightly between the palms of your hands to form round balls. They should hold their shape, but handle them gently to ensure they will be tender. Place the balls on a baking sheet line with parchment paper. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the freezer until very firm, at least 30 minutes.

Place the chocolate of your choice and the vegetable shortening in the top of a double boiler and set aside. Fill the bottom portion of the double boiler 1/4 full with hot water; place over high heat and bring to a boil. As soon as the water boils, remove the pot from the heat; place the upper portion of the double boiler containing the chocolate on top of the hot water. Stir occasionally while the chocolate and shortening melt, then stir until smooth. You may have luck doing this in the microwave; I don’t.

Remove balls from freezer. Use a wooden skewer to dip each of the balls into the melted chocolate. Pause after dipping each cake ball. Hold it over the bowl to allow any excess chocolate to drip back into the bowl. Place the chocolate-coated cake balls onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Allow the the chocolate to set, then serve or store in an airtight container at a cool room temperature. ***The recipe recommends that you do not refrigerate or the chocolate will sweat. I made these in July when even inside temperatures were hot. I refrigerated; they sweated; nobody cared :)

I know this is long, but it is easy –really! I am linking to our favorite foodie hostess Michael Lee West at Designs by Gollum for Foodie Friday. Click on her button on my sidebar. Thanks for coming and y’all come back!