Lemon Poppyseed Cake

Lemon Poppyseed Cake

Adapted significantly from  “Butter Sugar Flour Eggs” by Gale Gand, Rick Tramonto, Julia Moskin: Clarkson N. Potter Publishers, 1999

For the cake:

2 tablespoons freshly grated lemon zest
1 cup whole, 2 percent fat, or 1 percent fat milk 
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 eggs
1 ½ cups sugar
2 cups flour
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder 
1/3-cup (2 ½ ounces) poppy seeds  
¾ cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract



For the glaze:


Powdered sugar
Lemon juice

In a bowl combine the lemon zest, lemon juice, and milk. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 6-cup loaf pan with parchment. In a large bowl whip the eggs and sugar together until light and fluffy.

In a small bowl stir together the flour, baking powder, and poppy seeds. With the mixer running, drizzle the oil and vanilla extract into the egg mixture. With the mixer still running, add alternating batches of flour mixture and lemon-milk mixture to the egg mixture. The batter will be somewhat thin. Pour into the prepared pan.

Bake for about one hour, until the center is raised and cracked and the whole cake is firm and dry on the top. 

Avoid opening the oven while baking. Do not under-bake or the cake will fall. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.


To make the glaze combine powdered sugar and lemon juice until the mixture reaches a drizzling consistency. Pour over the lemon poppyseed cake.

Chocolate-Bacon Cupcakes

WARNING: These taste terrible.

Chocolate-Bacon Cupcakes

Chef Pichet Ong, Author of The Sweet Spot

Found in I Love Bacon! By Jayne Rockmill

Maple-Brown Butter-Bacon Frosting

8 slices ¼-inch-thick bacon, diced into ¼-inch pieces

1 cup butter

¼ cup milk

¼ cup heavy whipping cream

2 tablespoons crème fraiche

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

3 tablespoons maple syrup

1 teaspoon salt

3 cups powdered sugar

Cupcakes

8 tablespoons butter, at room temperature

1 cup cake flour or all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

¼ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ cup sugar

¾ cup light brown sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

½ cup buttermilk, at room temperature

3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

3 tablespoons old-fashioned oats

1 teaspoon Maldon sea salt

To make the frosting, in a large sauté pan over medium heat, cook the bacon until crispy, about 10 minutes. Using a mesh sieve, drain the bacon bits by pouring the rendered bacon fat into the bowl of a mixer. Set the bacon pieces aside.

In the same sauté pan, melt the butter and cook until it turns brown and gives off a nutty fragrance, scraping the bottom of the pan occasionally so the butter doesn’t burn. When the butter is dark and begins to burn, immediately remove the pan from the heat, scrape all of the browned bits loose, and transfer the contents to the mixing bowl with the bacon fat. Refrigerate the bowl until butter is cold. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, mix together the cream, crème fraiche, vanilla, and maple syrup together; set aside.

Fit your electric mixer with the paddle attachment. When the browned butter is cold, cream it on medium speed with the salt until blended. Add the powdered sugar and continue to cream at medium speed until fluffy, about 8 minutes. Slowly add the milk mixture and continue mixing until smooth and homogeneous. Refrigerate until cold.

Preheat the oven to 350F.

To make the cupcakes, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Put the ½ cup of butter, the sugars, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cream on medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the machine running, add the eggs, one at a time, and mix until well incorporated, about 2 minutes.

Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, turn the speed to low, and add one-quarter of the dry ingredient mixture. When no traces of flour remain, add one-third of the buttermilk and mix until incorporated. Continue evenly alternating the flour mixture and the buttermilk, ending with the flour mixture. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix in the chopped chocolate and oatmeal. Divide the batter between 12 muffin cups; each cup should be three-quarters full. Bake until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the muffin tin and cool completely on  rack.

When the cupcakes are completely cool, fluff the cold frosting with a small offset spatula until soft and spreadable but not runny. Place about 3 tablespoons of frosting on top of each cupcake, then sprinkle on about ½ teaspoon of bacon bits and a pinch of Maldon salt. Serve immediately. Or if you prefer, you can refrigerate the cupcakes until the frosting is firm.

“NOTES: This cupcake is based upon several breakfast flavors: butter, maple, vanilla, cinnamon, egg, oatmeal, chocolate, and bacon. Bacon provides crunch, and the savory quality it adds is surprisingly appealing in contrast to the bittersweet and creaminess of the chocolate. The burnt bits of the bacon and brown butter also add a deep caramel flavor to the soft-textured and light cake. The saltiness of the Maldon salt in the icing makes your mouth water at the first taste, increasing your sensory experience to the spices and flavors in the cupcakes.”

NY Times Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate Chip Cookies

From http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/09/dining/091crex.html

Adapted from Jacques Torres

Time: 45 minutes (for 1 6-cookie batch), plus at least 24 hours’ chilling

2 cups minus 2 tablespoons (8 ½ ounces) cake flour

1 2/3 cups (8 ½ ounces) bread flour

1 ¼ teaspoons baking soda

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

1 ½ teaspoons coarse salt

2 ½ sticks (1 ¼ cups) unsalted butter

1 ¼ cups (10 ounces) light brown sugar

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (8 ounces) granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons natural vanilla extract

1 ¼ pounds bittersweet chocolate disks or fèves, at least 60 percent cacao content (see note)

Sea salt

1. Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Set aside.

2. Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together until very light, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Drop chocolate pieces in and incorporate them without breaking them. Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. Dough may be used in batches, and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours.

3. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. Set aside.

4. Scoop 6 3 ½-ounce mounds of dough (the size of generous golf balls) onto baking sheet, making sure to turn horizontally any chocolate pieces that are poking up; it will make for a more attractive cookie. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and bake until golden brown but still soft, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack for 10 minutes, then slip cookies onto another rack to cool a bit more. Repeat with remaining dough, or reserve dough, refrigerated, for baking remaining batches the next day. Eat warm, with a big napkin.

Yield: 1 ½ dozen 5-inch cookies.

Chocolate Sour Cream Cupcakes with Vanilla Bean Buttercream

American buttercream is too dense to be spread onto these cupcakes.

From Cupcakes! by Elinor Klivans

Makes enough for 18 regular cupcakes, 12 big-top cupcakes, 12 extra-large cupcakes, or 60 mini-cupcakes

3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 ¼ cups sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup sour cream

½ cup water

Put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl or the top of a double-broiler and place it over, but not touching, a saucepan of barely simmering water (or the bottom of a double boiler). Stir until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove from the water and set aside to cool slightly.

Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl and set aside.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and sugar until smoothly blended and creamy, about 2 minutes. Stop the mixer and scrape the side of the bowl as needed during mixing. On low speed, mix in the melted chocolate. On medium speed, add the eggs one at a time, mixing until each is blended into the batter. Add the vanilla and beat until the mixture looks creamy and the color has lightened slightly, about 1 minute. Mix in the sour cream until no white streaks remain. On low speed, add half of the flour mixture, mixing just to incorporate it. Mix in the water. Mix in the remaining flour mixture until it is incorporated and the batter looks smooth. The batter is ready to bake, or for additions such as nuts, fruit, chocolate chips, or other flavorings.


Vanilla Bean Buttercream
Adapted from 
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/gale-gand/quick-vanilla-buttercream-frosting-recipe/index.html 

• 3 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 cup butter
• 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
• 1 to 2 tablespoons whipping cream

Mix butter and sugar on low speed until well blended and then increase speed to medium and beat for another 3 minutes.

Add vanilla bean paste and cream and continue to beat on medium speed for 1 minute more, adding more cream if needed for spreading consistency.

Sprinkles' Strawberry Cupcakes with Strawberry Frosting

From View from the Bay, which also has a video about Sprinkles, comes this recipe for Sprinkles' strawberry cupcakes:


Sprinkles Strawberry Cupcakes
Makes 1 dozen


1 ½ cup all-purpose flour, sifted
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp kosher salt
4 oz unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
2 large egg whites, at room temperature
¼ cup whole milk, at room temperature
¼ cup pureed strawberries (use all-natural frozen that have been thawed)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract


Preheat oven to 350 degrees


Fill a 12 cup cupcake pan with cupcake liners


Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside


Add vanilla and strawberry puree to milk and set aside


In standing mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy


Slowly add egg and egg whites and mix on medium speed until blended


With mixer on low speed, add half the flour mixture until just blended


Add milk mixture and mix just until blended


Add remaining flour mixture and mix just until blended. Scrape down bowl to make sure entire mixture is smooth.


Divide batter between 12 cupcake cups and bake for approx 22 minutes or until tops are just dry to the touch


Sprinkles Strawberry Frosting
Frosts 1 dozen


2 sticks (½ lb) unsalted butter, firm but not cold
1/8 tsp kosher salt
3 ½ cups confectioners sugar, sifted
½ tsp pure vanilla extract
2 tbsp pureed strawberries (use all-natural frozen that have been thawed)


Beat butter and salt on medium speed until light and fluffy


Reduce speed and gradually add confectioner's sugar and beat until incorporated


Add vanilla and strawberry puree and mix until blended. Do not overmix, or the frosting will incorporate too much air. The consistency should be dense and creamy, like ice-cream.

Strawberry cake with strawberry frosting, chocolate cake with chocolate frosting, yellow cake with strawberry frosting, and yellow cake with vanilla bean buttercream

Yellow Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting

Adapted from http://smittenkitchen.com/2009/07/best-birthday-cake/


4 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon table salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 large eggs + 2 egg yolks, at room temperature
2 cups buttermilk, well-shaken


Preheat oven to 350°F.


Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer at medium speed until pale and fluffy, then beat in vanilla. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well and scraping down the bowl after each addition. At low speed, beat in buttermilk until just combined (mixture will look curdled). Add flour mixture in three batches, mixing until each addition is just incorporated.


Pour batter into each well of the muffin tin until it is about 2/3 full. Bake until golden and a wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 14 minutes. Cool in muffin tin on a rack for two minutes, then remove the cupcakes from the tin to cool completely.

Chocolate Frosting

From http://annies-eats.com/2010/10/12/yellow-butter-cake-with-chocolate-frosting/

1 lb. semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
6 tbsp. Dutch-process cocoa powder
6 tbsp. boiling water
3 sticks (1½ cups) unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
Pinch of salt

To make the frosting, place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water.  Heat, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate has melted.  Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature, about 25-30 minutes.  Meanwhile, combine the cocoa powder and boiling water in a small bowl; stir until the cocoa is dissolved.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter, confectioners’ sugar and salt on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes.  Add the melted chocolate; beat on low speed until combined, 1-2 minutes.  Beat in the cocoa mixture until well blended. Cool frosting slightly before using if it is too runny.

Pesto Rolls

(adapted from http://www.cookingbread.com/classes/class_pesto_bread.html)

1 cup warm milk (110F)

1 tablespoons sugar

½ tablespoon dry active yeast

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon garlic salt

2 ½ cups bread flour

½ cup pesto

½ cup grated cheese + extra to sprinkle on top (gruyere and pecorino/parmesan)

In a large bowl combine the warm milk, sugar, and yeast. Let sit for ten minutes.

Add the olive oil and salt.

Add in a cup of flour and beat with a wooden spoon till smooth. Add in another cup of flour and do the same. Now, sprinkle a half cup of flour onto a flat surface and pour out the dough on top. Begin to knead and slowly add in more flour till the dough no longer sticks to the table. Knead for about 8 - 10 minutes.

Add a little olive oil to a large bowl (about a tablespoon ). Place the kneaded dough into the bowl and turn over a few times to lightly coat all sides of the dough. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rest for an hour or till double in bulk.

Pour out the dough onto a very lightly floured surface. Roll out the dough to a 9 x 14 rectangle. Spread the pesto on top of the dough and sprinkle the cheese on top.

Roll the dough like a jelly roll.

Divide the dough into 12 slices using dental floss or string to cut the dough.

Place each slice in a muffin tin with the spiral side up

Cover the dough with plastic wrap and allow to rest for an hour or till double in bulk. Sprinkle the top with more cheese and place into a preheated 375 degree oven for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool on a wire rack.