Monday, October 29, 2012

Apple Cider Pound Cake Recipe

This is from Bobby's House on the house crawl, he found the recipe online, not sure where but it was really good!

Prep Time: 50 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups apple cider
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups butter, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 6 eggs, room temperature
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Preparation:

Bring the apple cider to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Continue boiling the apple cider for 25 to 35 minutes, until it has reduced to slightly less than 1 cup in volume, about 7/8 cup. Remove the cider from the heat and add the maple syrup; set the mixture aside.
Preheat and oven to 325F. Lightly grease a 10-inch bundt cake pan and set it aside.
Cream the butter, sugar, and vanilla until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, to the mixture, beating for a few seconds after each addition. Stir together the remaining dry ingredients (flour, spices, baking powder, and salt) and then add half of the dry ingredients to the creamed butter-egg mixture and beat until most of the flour is incorporated.
Add the cooled apple cider-maple syrup reduction to the batter, beat it for 30 seconds, and then beat in the remainder of the dry ingredients. Spread the batter into the prepared pan and bake it in a 325F oven for 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Shake it from side to side to loosen the cake from the pan (you should hear and feel a light thumping), and use a small rubber spatula to loosen any stubborn sides. Place a serving platter over the top of the cake and invert it, removing the pan form the top of the cake to allow it to cool completely.
This apple cider pound cake recipe makes 12 to 14 servings.

Sunday, October 28, 2012

Cake Pops

Cake Pops!


1 Yellow Cake Mix- and everything needed to make the cake (eggs, oil, water)
1 jar of frosting (no cream cheese - too rich)
2 bags of Candy Melts (http://www.wilton.com/store/site/product.cfm?sku=pg_candymelts)
wax paper
50 lollipop sticks http://www.wilton.com/store/site/product.cfm?id=3E310639-475A-BAC0-577408851CD5C5D9&fid=59E18783-475A-BAC0-5CE37048D279FBF5


Follow the directions on the Yellow Cake Mix and bake the cake.
When the cake has cooled, cut the cake into small pieces and put in a mixing bowl.
Heat the Frosting up in the microwave (make sure to remove all the foil and stir after 25 seconds - don't overdo  it or it gets a weird consistency)

Pour the frosting into the mixing bowl, turn on and mix for a few minutes until all of the cake is moistened.  Create 1 inch balls of the cake dough and place on a waxpaper lined baking sheet (it is easier if you put it in the fridge for 45 minutes).

Microwave the candy melts in the microwave or melt using a double boiler or melt using a ceramic pot or fondue pot or crockpot.  The key is you can't have a major heat source during the dipping so melt and then put on a 'warm' setting or eles your pops will fall apart.

Once the chocolate is melted, put a stick in each cake ball and then dip in the chocolate.  Than place on a waxed lined surface.  if you are going to use sprinkles, do it every 3-4 balls b/c the chocolate will harden quickly.

My suggestion is to put the dough in the fridge in between mixing, making the balls, and dipping.  The colder the dough, the more likely it will stay on the stick and not fall off during the cake pop making process.

Good Luck!

Saturday, October 27, 2012

Onion Cream Dip


Onion Cream Dip                                                  Bernadette Lowe


1/3 cup dairy sour cream
2 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped onion
1 small clove garlic
1 ½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon paprika
1 8-oz package cream cheese softened
1 hard cooked egg, chopped fine
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley


 

In a jar of an electric blender, combine sour cream, milk, onion, garlic Worcestershire sauce, salt and paprika and blend well.  Add cheese and blend till smooth.  Stir in egg and parsley.  Turn into serving dish.  Serve with celery stalks and assorted vegetable sticks.