Recipes

Marble Cake

This cake was my first attempt at a marble cake, and it turned out really good! It doesn’t look the prettiest, but it makes up for that in how tasty it is.

I got this recipe from http://www.mycakeschool.com

INGREDIENTS

  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup (242 g) milk
  • 2 teaspoons (8g) vanilla extract (If making a coconut cake, add an additional 1 teaspoon coconut extract)
  • 2 Tablespoons (18 g) vegetable oil
  • 2 1/2 cups (285 g) cake flour
  • 1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon (6 g) salt
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons (12 g) baking powder
  • 1 1/2 sticks (12 T) (169 g) unsalted butter, I cut the butter into 1/2 inch slices onto waxed paper for 5 to 6 minutes it will soften only slightly , it should still be quite cold.
  • 3 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder + 2 T very hot water (for marbling)

 

NSTRUCTIONS

This recipe uses the reverse creaming method of mixing.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and Grease and Flour two 8 inch pans.

  1. In the bowl of your mixer, whisk the dry ingredients (except for the cocoa) for 30 seconds to combine. With your mixer on low to medium speed, slowly add the pieces of butter, a few pieces at a time. Mix until the dry ingredients are crumbly and look like coarse sand.
  2. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure there is no dry flour.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla until blended.
  4. Method is important when using this Reverse Creaming method of mixing. With the mixer on LOW speed VERY SLOWLY add approximately 1/2 of the egg mixture to the dry ingredients, increasing the mixer to medium speed for 1 1/2 minutes. The batter will become thick and fluffy. Scrape the bowl and add the remaining egg mixture in 2 pourings, scraping the bowl and beating for 20 seconds after each addition.

MARBLING INSTRUCTIONS..

  1. Mix 3 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder with 2 Tablespoons very hot water. Stir until smooth & set aside.
  2. Put 1 1/2 cups cake batter into a medium sized bowl and stir in the chocolate mixture to create chocolate batter. Now it’s time to marble our batter in two 8 inch pans.
  3. Using a large spoon, place 3 large spoonfuls of yellow cake batter into each pan, then 3 spoonfuls chocolate batter. Repeat adding more yellow cake batter. You will see areas of both yellow and chocolate batter. Using an offset spatula or knife (we prefer something appox. 1/2 inch wide), swirl the two colors together to get a marbled effect. Do not overmix.
  4. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 – 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pans 10 minutes then turn out. (Makes 6 1/2 cups batter

 

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Homesteading

Seedlings

Eric has started to plant the seeds we will be growing this summer.  He painstakingly spends hours with these little guys, knowing that 30 sprouted seeds might yield 3-4 plants.   I am already going through cookbooks, anticipating the bountiful produce that we will have in a few short months.  It’s been a long, hard winter.  Personally, I have started to buy frozen vegetable from the grocery store because the fresh that is offered, tastes off to me.

I have not forgotten about this little side project.  Sadly, I was without a desktop computer for a little while.  I could have continued on my phone, but my eyes are too weak and my fingers too fat to accomplish that task.  I have a computer again, an Apple!  So I should be up and running again.  I have been experimenting in the kitchen and have a wonderful Chicken and Wild Rice soup recipe that I am anxious to share.  Happy Tuesday friends.

 

Seedlings