Flour and Parchment

Note: Cakes are my least favorite baking activity. Occasionally, I find them to be a welcomed challenge. Unless it’s a chocolate cake or a request for something that stirs my creative nature, it’ll probably be a no from me. Bear this in mind as I go through the events of this delivery. You’ll have a greater understanding of the level of frustration I experienced.

I’m running out of my kitchen with a spatula, extra frosting and no time left to get this cake to the woodland fantasy themed shower with a pedestal awaiting its arrival. My sister is behind the wheel as I sit in the passenger seat and the cake is lowered into my lap. My job: to ensure a safe transport. BUMP! I check on the cake. It’s fading fast, and we’ve only backed out of the driveway! Sis is taking every turn as carefully as she can, as I fight my conflicting desires at every turn; to tell her to press the gas one second and slow down the next, even more than she already has. We make it to a straight and at this point we’re both fading, me and my once beautiful semi-naked cake. The third layer is sliding to the left and frosting is spreading on the inside of the box. Regrets race through my mind; the biggest one being that I didn’t add enough powdered sugar to the frosting to ensure stability. I was so worried about the sugar overpowering the flavors! Crazy talk, I know…now!

Making the turn into the neighborhood, we’re nearly free and clear. Or so I thought. Numerous unavoidable speed bumps lay in our wake. With each one, the cake is going down and I am losing my calm. I feel a tear drop now as I fight to keep this cake straight and against more tears fighting to pour out. I don’t need a sloppy cake AND puffy red eyes. We finally get to the house and the cake has slid around so much the frosting has come off in various spots. It’s an embarrassment.

• 

Rewind:

My mother texts, “Hey, can you do a naked cake?”. My initial thought, “Who are you volunteering me to make a cake for this time?” I respond, “I’ve never done one, but it shouldn’t be too difficult”. And it really shouldn’t be. It’s a partially frosted caked. The client and I discuss the details of the order and it’s settled. I will make a 10” 4-layer apple spice cake with browned butter cream cheese frosting. It’s a darn near perfect flavor profile for a woodland themed shower in autumn.

A week beforehand, I make a mini 6” version of the cake. She’s a beauty and I am feeling confident. I watch a few more video tutorials to identify my frosting technique to ensure the picture-perfect cake.

The day before the shower I get up early to bake the layers and it’s good that I do because 2 of the layers baked completely different than the other 2 layers due to different baking pans. This is not a big issue. I have plenty of time to bake two more layers and I do so, successfully.

I whip up the frosting and it’s spot on! I’ve spent the entire day in the kitchen and decide to assemble the cake tomorrow, the day of the shower.

I leave church a little early to give myself plenty of time to assemble the cake before the time of delivery. I get home and start assembling but there’s an issue: my layers are sliding. I made the frosting primarily with flavor in mind, not the fact that this cake would have to sit outside of the refrigerator for a couple of hours. I continue adding layers. Putting the cake in the freezer is helping, but the moment it sits out too long it slides again. I decide to add dowels and it’s working while it’s completely still, but this cake had to withstand a car ride. And now, we are back where we started: on one of the most memorable rides of my life. It was only a 15-minute ride, but it was a race for this cake’s life.

We finally arrive at the baby shower and it’s time to jump into action. My sisters and mom, also in attendance, helped me bring the cake and tools into the kitchen. With no time to waste, I must revive it. The cake is central to the table display…great. After much pushing, adjusting, frosting, napkins, warm water and refrigeration the cake is restored. Between the assistance of my family and the encouragement of the client, both the cake and I recovered.

Once the final decorations were added and it was set up, I could almost say I was proud of it, while simultaneously praying that the house would stay cool. I wasn’t sure how long it could take sitting out. I placed it on the pedestal that awaited its arrival and left feeling “meh” about it all.

This will, no doubt, go down in Flour and Parchment history. I look forward to any more lessons I have to learn on this journey, but hopefully none as emotionally torturous as this one.

This recipe makes a 9” layer cake

Cake Recipe Adapted from Jam Hands Apple and Cream Cheeses Bundt Cake with Caramel Pecan Frosting . The frosting recipe is from Flour and Parchment

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 3/4 cup canola oil
• 3/4 cup applesauce
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups peeled and finely chopped apples (about 1 1/2 lb.) 
• 1 cup pecans, optional

Frosting

• ½ cup room temp, softened salted butter
• 12 oz. cream cheese
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1.5 tsp of vanilla

Preheat oven to 350° F

Stir together 3 cups flour plus next 7 ingredients in a large bowl; stir in eggs and next 3 ingredients, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Stir in apples and pecans (optional).

Scoop a cup at a time into greased and parchment lined 2 9” baking pan to ensure even layers.

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until thoroughly baked.

Allow to cool to room temperature completely.

While cooling, make the frosting.

Take the butter and place in a saucepan on medium heat and stir as until completely melted. You will see the fat of the butter begin to brown, I let it brown until I smell a deep, nutty aroma, similar to caramel and then take off the heat and allow to cool for about 10 minutes. Transport to a glass dish and refrigerate until solid.

Add paddle attachment to stand mixer and whip the browned butter until soft and toss in the softened cream cheese and beat until well blended and “fluffy”.

Add vanilla and add powdered a ½ cup at a time until frosting has reached desired consistency or flavor (whichever matters more 😉)

Place first layer down and add about 1 cup of frosting use spatula to spread then add the second layer and frost all over the top and sides.

I love chocolate as much as the next person, assuming that person isn’t one of those weirdos that despises chocolate. I digress. Lately, I have been in the mood for fruity desserts. I found some Bartlett pears in the forgotten corners of the fridge, grabbed some Granny Smiths and ran with them, unsure of where they would lead me.  After minimal consideration, a cobbler was the plan for me.

Apple Pear Cobbler

Filling
2 lbs. Granny Smith Apple, diced
2 Bartlett Pears, diced
¼ c peach preserve
2 bags of chamomile tea
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp allspice
¼ tsp clove
½ tsp salt
1 tbsp lemon juice
¼ c all-purpose flour

Crust
2 ½ c almond flour
¾ c arrowroot starch
¼ c cold butter, cubed
3 tbsp honey
2 eggs
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp baking soda
¼ c chopped pecans
Granulated sugar, for sprinkling

Bear in mind: Despite the almond flour and arrowroot starch, this is not a paleo/gluten free/special diet dessert.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Combine all the filling ingredients in a large bowl. Allow filling to sit covered while you make the crust.

Start with combining the almond flour and arrowroot starch. Add butter and cut in with forks until it resembles a crumble. Add honey, eggs, salt and baking soda until combined. Fold in the chopped pecans.

Note: Making the crust can all be done in the food processor. Just add all of the ingredients and pulse until it resembles a dough. I, however, am far too lazy to dig out, assemble and clean the processor so I did it by hand.

Spoon about 2 ½ tablespoons of filling into each ramekin and top with the crust. Sprinkle with granulated sugar. Place all of the ramekins on a cookie sheet (I did this to minimize the chance of a mess in the oven).

Note: I made this recipe to serve 7 so your measurements per dish may vary.

Put pan on the middle rack and allow to bake for 20 minutes or until the top is golden.

Allow to cool for about 10 minutes and top with ice cream.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Quote by Plato