Orange Gingerbread with Cream Cheese Frosting

Adapted from the Joy the Baker

INGREDIENTS

orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, one per person
olive oil (see below)
Spicy Dipping Sauce with Sriracha (optional, but good)

Seasoning Mix Ingredients:
(You'll want to make this over and over so my recipe makes enough spice mix for several batches.)
2 T ground coriander
1 T ground fennel
1 T dried oregano (use any Mediterranean oregano like Greek Oregano or Turkish oregano, but not Mexican oregano for this.)
1 T Aleppo Pepper (or use a smaller amount of cayenne pepper)
2 T kosher salt
- See more at: http://www.kalynskitchen.com/2007/10/spicy-sweet-potatoes-fries-recipe.html#sthash.vUtPwU9L.dpuf

 

orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, one per person
olive oil (see below)
Spicy Dipping Sauce with Sriracha (optional, but good)

Seasoning Mix Ingredients:
(You'll want to make this over and over so my recipe makes enough spice mix for several batches.)
2 T ground coriander
1 T ground fennel
1 T dried oregano (use any Mediterranean oregano like Greek Oregano or Turkish oregano, but not Mexican oregano for this.)
1 T Aleppo Pepper (or use a smaller amount of cayenne pepper)
2 T kosher salt
- See more at: http://www.kalynskitchen.com/2007/10/spicy-sweet-potatoes-fries-recipe.html#sthash.vUtPwU9L.dpuf

For the Cake:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 3/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
3/4 cup unsulphered molasses (not blackstrap)
1/4 cup honey
2 teaspoons orange zest
3/4 cup warm water

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 block (8 ounces) cream cheese frosting, softened
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
big pinch of salt
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract (plus half of a scraped vanilla bean if you’d like)

orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, one per person
olive oil (see below)
Spicy Dipping Sauce with Sriracha (optional, but good)

Seasoning Mix Ingredients:
(You'll want to make this over and over so my recipe makes enough spice mix for several batches.)
2 T ground coriander
1 T ground fennel
1 T dried oregano (use any Mediterranean oregano like Greek Oregano or Turkish oregano, but not Mexican oregano for this.)
1 T Aleppo Pepper (or use a smaller amount of cayenne pepper)
2 T kosher salt - See more at: http://www.kalynskitchen.com/2007/10/spicy-sweet-potatoes-fries-recipe.html#sthash.vUtPwU9L.dpuf

DIRECTIONS

Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour an 8×8-inch square (or 9-inch round) baking pan. Set pan aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, spices, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl whisk together vegetable oil, sugar, and eggs until thick and pale. Stir in molasses, honey, and orange zest.

Add the dry ingredients, all at once, to the wet ingredients, stirring until incorporated. Add the warm water and gently stir until incorporated and the mixture is silky smooth.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake cake for 35-45 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

While the cake bakes, make the cream cheese frosting.

In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, blend the cream cheese on medium speed until as as soft and smooth as possible. Add the softened butter, scraping down the sides of the bowl, and beat the two together over medium speed until smooth and incorporated. Add one cup of powdered sugar, blending until incorporated. Add vanilla extract (and bean, if using) and remaining cup of powdered sugar. Beat on medium high speed until frosting is smooth and silky.

Allow cake to cool in the pan for 20 minutes. Remove and allow to cool completely on a wire rack before frosting the cake. 

This cake can be stored, well wrapped in the refrigerator, for up to 3 days. 

Harvest Cake

Adapted from Roost

INGREDIENTS

3 cups almond flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup apple butter or applesauce
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 eggs
1 cup grated carrot
1 cup grated zucchini
1 cup chopped apple

DIRECTIONS

This harvest-flavoured hearty cake is gluten-free and sugar-free and still total delicious!

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 9inch cake pan.

In a bowl combine dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine wet ingredients. Pour wet mixture into the dry mixture and stir to incorporate. Pour into prepared cake pan and cook in oven for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Serve with whipped cream and apple butter or topping of your choice.

Apple-Cinnamon Coffee Cake

INGREDIENTS

1 cup unbleached flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
5 1/2 Tbsp unsalted butter at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar, divided
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup homogenized milk
1 medium apple, peeled and sliced
1 tsp cinnamon

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 9-inch square baking dish.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt and whisk.

Using an electric mixer, beat the butter with 1/4 cup of the sugar. Beat in the egg until blended. Add one third of the milk, followed by one third of the flour mixture, beating until just combined after each addition. Continue alternating in this way until everything is blended together.

In a small bowl, mix remaining sugar with the cinnamon.

Pour half the batter into the baking dish. Lay the apple slices on the batter so they just cover the batter, overlapping if needed. Sprinkle the apples with the cinnamon-sugar mixture, reserving a teaspoon or two. Spread the rest of the batter over the apples and sprinkle the remaining cinnamon-sugar on top.

Bake the cake for 25 minutes or until it is golden brown and the apples start to bubble at the edges.

Chocolate Lava Cakes

INGREDIENTS

6 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
6 oz butter (diced, room temperature)
3 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
Butter for ramekins

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 Fahrenheit.

Melt chocolate on low heat in a double boiler. When melted, take of flame, and stir in diced butter, until it melts.

In another bowl, beat eggs and sugar, until it starts to whiten. Stir in melted chocolate and then the flour.

Butter 4 individual ramekins, and pour in chocolate batter. Cook for about 10 minutes. Tip ramekins upside down onto dessert plates and serve.

Summer Fruit Upside Down Cake

INGREDIENTS

4 plums and/or 4 peaches and/or 3/4 cup blueberries
1 1/4 cups unbleached white flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp sea salt
3 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup milk

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9 inch cake pan.

If using plums and/or peaches, pit them and cut them into thin slices.

Combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.

In the prepared cake pan, combine 3 tablespoons butter and the brown sugar. Place pan inside the preheated oven until the butter melts and begins to bubble. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the 1/3 cup butter and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, then stir in the vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the milk, mixing just until incorporated.

Arrange plums and/or peaches around the edges of the prepared pan, overlapping slightly. Distribute the blueberries in the center, if using. Pour batter into prepared pan, covering fruit completely. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool 15 minutes before serving.

To serve, place a large plate face down over the cake pan and turn so the cake is upside down.

Acorn Squash Cake with Streusel Topping

INGREDIENTS

Streusel Topping:
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup white unbleached flour
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Cake:
1/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1 large egg
1 cup cooked and mashed acorn squash
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups white unbleached flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup chopped pecans

DIRECTIONS

Streusel Topping: Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Set aside.

Cake: Beat butter and sugar at medium speed with and electric mixer until creamy. Add egg, beating well. Stir in acorn squash and vanilla.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Gradually add to squash mixture, beating at low speed after each additon. Stir in pecans.

Pour batter into a greased 9-inch square pan, and sprinkle with Streusel Topping.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 40 minutes. Cool cake in pan on a wire rack.