kentucky butter cake

August 15, 2019 by Butter Loves Company

This butter cake will surprise you. I had never had Kentucky Butter Cake before the random Tuesday when I made this recipe and sat in awe of its deliciousness.

While the ingredients are uncomplicated, and the cake is seemingly simple with no icing or frosting, you’ll be surprised at the satisfying flavor the moment you take a bite. I officially want to make this Kentucky Butter Cake recipe a weekly occurrence.

The butter and buttermilk in the cake give it moistness and body and baking it in a bundt pan leaves it with a sweet, thinly crisp exterior that reminds me of the top of a corn muffin from Dunkin’ Donuts. (Or, I guess just Dunkin’ now.) And, if you’ve had one of those, you know how good that flavor and texture is.

After you bake this rich butter cake, you pierce its warm top with a skewer or toothpick to make tiny little tunnels for your BUTTER SAUCE to seep in. I mean, enough said. The key is to pour the sauce, which you prepare while the bundt cake is baking, over the poked cake while it is still hot and in the pan. It soaks into the crumb of the cake to add flavor and moisture into its crevices.

I’m not positive where Kentucky Butter Cake got its origin, having just stumbled across it when looking for a simple and delicious vanilla pound cake, but after doing some research it seems to me that the luxurious butter, sugar, vanilla sauce is what makes this butter cake an official Kentucky Butter Cake. Wherever it came from, I’m glad it’s here!

kentucky butter cake

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes

Category: Cake

Cuisine: Dessert

Servings: 1 bundt cake

kentucky-butter-cake-1

Ingredients

For the Cake:

3 cups/13 1/2 ounces all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup butter (room temperature)
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 large eggs

For the Sauce

3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter, room temperature
3 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons vanilla

Instructions

Set your oven rack just below the center and preheat your oven to 325°F. Generously grease and flour a 12-cup bundt pan or spray it generously with a non-stick baking spray. This is important so the the cake will invert cleanly after it is baked.
In a large bowl, or the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, 2 cups of sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda, buttermilk, 1 cup of butter, 2 teaspoons of vanilla, and the eggs. Mix on low until the flour is absorbed and then increase the speed to medium to beat for an additional 3 to 4 minutes.
Scrape the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake the cake in the preheated oven for 55 to 65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
While the cake is baking, place a small saucepan on the stovetop and add to it the 3/4 cup of sugar, 1/3 cup of butter, 3 tablespoons of water, and 2 teaspoons of vanilla. Turn the heat on to low and cook, stirring, just until butter melts but do not bring the mixture to a boil.
When the cake is complete, remove from oven and place on a rack (keep in pan). While it is hot, pierce it all over with a toothpick or skewer to create little tunnels for the sauce.
Pour the hot butter sauce over the warm cake and let the cake stand 5 to 10 minutes, or until sauce is absorbed.
Carefully turn the cake out onto a serving plate and let cool completely (if you can wait that long) before slicing and serving

Notes

Recipe adapted slightly from The Spruce Eats

https://www.butterlovescompany.com/2019/08/15/kentucky-butter-cake/

butter loves company | jenna larsson

If you’re looking for other delicious cake recipes, might I suggest:

Berry Ricotta Cake

Pumpkin Bundt Cake

strawberry cream cake

May 24, 2018 by Butter Loves Company

Strawberry shortcake is one of my favorite unexpected desserts. Traditional strawberry shortcake is super unassuming with its craggily biscuit-like shortbreads topped with loosely chopped berries and a dollop of cream. I’ve never met someone who did not devour a plate of strawberry shortcake when handed to them on a summer day.

This cake-style riff on the summer favorite oozes SoCal summer style. It is a casual chic ode to the freshness of the season’s berries and the lightness of a fresh whipped topping.

I’m super excited to collaborate with America’s Test Kitchen again on the release of their new and first ever all-cake cookbook, The Perfect Cake!

You may remember their The Perfect Cookie cookbook, from which I made these Dulce de Leche Sandwich cookies. In true ATK fashion, I have since turned to the cookbook when looking for inventive and reliable cookie recipe inspiration.

It has been so busy lately that I haven’t taken the time to do one of my favorite things: actually read a cookbook from start to finish. This cookbook has 240 kitchen-tested recipes that you can trust to work perfectly each time. I’ve tried a handful of the recipes so far, such as the classic red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting (duh), classic white cake with Swiss buttercream (perfect for parties and celebrations), and then this strawberry cream cake recipe.

I love this strawberry layer cake, not only because it’s beautiful with the strawberries peeking through the edges in the naked cake style, but also because the whipped cream includes one of my favorite ingredients: cream cheese. This addition helps by making it a little bit more sturdy than a traditional whipped cream and it adds a little tang reminiscent of a thicker frosting.

To make the juicy strawberry layer, you’ll chop and macerate the strawberries in a bit of sugar. This helps soften the berries and draw out their juices. The dough for the cake layer is light and airy, made with a number of egg whites to add lift and spongy texture.

America’s Test Kitchen’s The Perfect Cake cookbook has a mix of different cake types for any occasion, layer cakes, sheet cakes, tortes, bundts, snack cakes, and ice cream cakes. With plenty of options for customization, I’m excited to mix and match for my next celebration. A blackberry mascarpone lemon cake to celebrate a Wednesday? Count me in.

You could actually use the strawberry cream cake recipe and substitute in different berries I imagine if strawberries are not in season. Why not try it with some raspberries or blueberries? The main concept would be the same and you will not regret making the out-of-this-world cream cheese whipped cream.

strawberry cream cake

Prep Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Servings: 1 9-inch 3-layer cake

blog-strawberry-shortcake-cake-1

Ingredients

Strawberry Cream Cake

1 cup (7 ounces) sugar
1 1/4 cup (5 ounces) cake flour
1 1/2 (teaspoons baking powder)
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 large eggs (2 whole, 3 separated), room temperature
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Pinch cream of tartar

Filling

2 pounds strawberries, hulled (6 cups)
4 to 6 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons kirsch
Pinch salt

Whipped Cream

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup (3.5 ounces) sugar
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 cups heavy cream, chilled

Instructions

FOR THE CAKE: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325°F. Grease tall 9 inch cake pan and line with parchment paper. Grease parchment and flour pan. Reserve 3 tablespoons sugar in a small bowl. Whisk flour, baking powder, salt, and remaining sugar in mixing bowl. Whisk in 2 whole eggs and 3 yolks (reserving whites), melted butter, water, and vanilla until smooth.
Using a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat remaining 3 egg whites and cream of tartar at medium-low speed until frothy, about 1 minute. Gradually add remaining 3 tablespoons sugar and beat until soft peaks form, 1 to 2 minutes. Using rubber spatula, stir one-third of whites into batter and then gently fold remaining white into batter until no white streaks remain.
Transfer batter into prepared pan, smooth top with rubber spatula and bake until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes. Let cake cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes, invert cake to remove it from pan, discarding parchment, and let cake cool on rack until cool, about 2 hours.
FOR THE FILLING: Halve 24 of best-looking berries and reserve. Quarter remaining berries; toss with 4 to 6 tablespoons sugar (depending on sweetness of berries) in medium bowl and let sit 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Strain juices from berries and reserve (you should have about 1/2 cup). Pulse berries in food processor for about five 1-second pulses until coarsely chopped. In small saucepan over medium-high heat, simmer reserved juices and Kirsch until syrupy and reduced to about 3 tablespoons, 3 to 5 minutes. Pour reduced syrup over macerated berries, add pinch of salt, and toss to combine. Set aside until cake is cooled.
FOR THE WHIPPED CREAM: When cake has cooled, fit stand mixer with whisk attachment and whip cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and salt on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes, scraping down bowl with rubber spatula as needed. Reduce speed to low and add cream in slow, steady stream. When almost fully combined, increase speed to medium-high and beat until mixture holds stiff peaks, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes more, scraping bowl as needed (you should have about 4 1/2 cups).
TO ASSEMBLE THE CAKE: Using large serrated knife, cut two horizontal lines around the sides of cake. Then, following scored lines, cut cake into three even layers. Place bottom layer on platter and arrange ring of 20 strawberry halves, cut sides down, and stem ends facing out in ring around perimeter of cake layer. Pour half of puréed berry mixture (about 3/4 cup) in center, then spread evenly to cover cake. Gently spread one-third of whipped cream (about 1 1/2 cups) over berry layer, leaving 1/2-inch border from edge. Top with middle cake layer pressing lightly to adhere (whipped cream layer should become flush with cake edge). Repeat with 20 additional strawberry halves, remaining berry mixture, and half of remaining whipped cream. Top with remaining last cake layer pressing lightly to adhere. Spread remaining whipped cream over top; decorate with remaining strawberries. Serve. Cake can be refrigerated for up to 4 hours.

https://www.butterlovescompany.com/2018/05/24/strawberry-shortcake-cake/

butter loves company | jenna larsson

gingerbread with brandied apples

October 22, 2017 by Butter Loves Company

From Ottolenghi’s Sweet, this dense, robust gingerbread recipe is topped with warm, perfect-for-Fall brandied apples.

I’m never been a big birthday person. I love your birthday. I’ll make you a cake. I’ll go to your party. I’ll even plan your party if you want me to! But, my own birthday. Not so much. This year was a bit of a whirlwind and we ended up going out with some friends to a cool bar/magic show in Hollywood, and then ventured out nearby for the rest of the night. It was a ton of fun!

Why am I talking about birthdays? Oh yeah! Because what did I pull out of my gift bag this year? copy of Ottolenghi’s new cookbook, Sweet. If you’ve cooked from, or have even flipped through the pages to ogle the photos, in Yotam Ottolenghi’s other books, Plenty, Plenty More, or Jerusalem, you’ll know he has a way of turning a mish mash of ingredients into the most visually vibrant and deceptively delicious dishes you can imagine. This time, the master chef is taking on the sweets world along with co-author Helen Goh, and you can probably guess that I was just a little pumped to get baking from this book.

As luck would have it, some blogger friends and I are celebrating the best of fall flavors today, which includes the Fall all-star…drum roll please…apples! The autumn favorite fruit is super versatile and I’m so excited to share a plethora of recipes for your perusal below. Whether you’re looking for sweet or savory, everyday or celebration, apples can fit the bill. For my contribution, I turned to my newest cookbook to see what Ottolenghi would do with apples.

Enter: Gingerbread with Brandied Apples. This gingerbread recipe yields a cake that is dark in color, dense in texture, and deep in flavor. There is a substantial ginger punch from ground ginger and spicy crystallized ginger. The hefty cup of blackstrap molasses gives it that robust, almost a little bitter flavor. Wondering what the difference between regular molasses and blackstrap molasses is? I got you! Check out these run-downs from Serious Eats and The Kitchn. To make the gingerbread extra special, we’re topping it with apples reduced in a brandy sauce. Honestly, you could just make the brandied apples and use them for an ice cream or yogurt topping and you would not be mad about it. In this case, the brandied apples give the gingerbread a little freshness as the juices seep into the cake’s crevices.

Look around on social for the hashtag #AisforalltheApples to discover all of the apple recipes in this virtual celebration or click through one of the links following the recipe to explore some of my favorite bloggers’ contributions!

gingerbread with brandied apples

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes

Servings: Makes one high edged 9-inch springform cake

gingerbread slice with brandied apples

Ingredients

1 cup (300 grams) blackstrap molasses
1/2 cup (100 grams) light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup (120 grams) granulated sugar
1 cup (225 grams, 2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted, and cooled slightly
3 large eggs, room temperature
Zest of 1 orange
3 1/4 cups (400 grams) all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 tablespoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups (300 ml) just boiled water
1/2 cup (100 grams) finely chopped crystallized ginger

Brandied Apples:

5 baking apples, such as pink lady, honeycrisp
3 1/2 tablespoons (50 grams) unsalted butter
1/2 cup (120 grams) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Strips of lemon peel from 1 large lemon
3 1/2 tablespoons (50 ml) brandy
3 1/2 tablespoons (50 ml) lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon salt

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spray a high-sided 9-inch springform pan with non-stick spray, line with parchment paper, and then spray the parchment. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the molasses, brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter, eggs, and orange zest. Stir with a rubber spatula until combined.
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, and salt. Pour the flour mixture into the molasses mixture and stir to combine. Add the just-boiled water and stir to combine. Stir in the crystallized ginger. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 45–50 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before removing from the pan and transferring to a serving plate.
Meanwhile, prepare the brandied apples. Peel and core the apples and cut into half-inch slices. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the apples and allow to sear for two minutes, stirring every so often. Remove the apples to a medium bowl (they will go back in shortly). In the saucepan over medium heat, add the butter and allow to melt. Then add the sugar, vanilla, and lemon peel. Stir in the apples to coat and cook for 5 minutes. Pour in the brandy, lemon juice, and salt and reduce for 3 minutes over medium-high heat, or until the sauce is thickened, but not caramelized.
To serve: slice the gingerbread and spoon some of the warm brandied apples on top. I think vanilla ice cream or whipped cream might be nice here as well.

Notes

Recipe from Ottolenghi's Sweet

https://www.butterlovescompany.com/2017/10/22/gingerbread-brandied-apples/

butter loves company | jenna larsson

Cloudy Kitchen’s Salted Caramel and Apple Babka

Square Meal Round Table’s Chai Spiced Tarte Tatin

The Wood and Spoon’s Maple Apple Cake

The Cooking of Joy’s Deep Fried Apple Dumplings with Miso Caramel Dipping Sauce

Pensive Foodie’s Mini Bacon Crusted Apple Pies

My Kitchen Love’s Bird’s Nest Caramel Apple Cake

More Icing Than Cake’s Apple Butter Pretzels with Rosemary Cheddar Dip

Casey Joy Lister’s Waldorf Salad’s Twisted Sister

The Kitchen Sink’s Apple Cheddar Loaf

What Should I Make For’s Apple Puff Pastry Tarts

Jessie Sheehan Bakes’ Apple Fritters

Smart in the Kitchen’s Gluten Free Apple Cranberry Crisp

This Healthy Table’s Cardamom Apple Tart

Figs & Flour’s Apple Purple Potato Pizza

Something New for Dinner’s Savory Bread Pudding with Apples, Sausage, and Pecan

Always Eat Dessert’s Apple Spice Scones with Maple Bourbon Glaze

Rezel Kealoha’s Rose Poached Apples with Rosewater Reduction

The Soup Solution’s Fennel Sausage and and Apple Dressing (Stuffing)

Lemon Thyme and Ginger’s Smoky Maple Apple Dutch Baby

Gobble the Cook’s One Pan Pork Chops and Sausages with Apple

Hola Jalapeno’s Fluffy Apple Chili Biscuits

Salt and Wind’s Pomegranate Ginger Apple Cider Punch

What Annie’s Eating’s Butternut Squash/Apple Soup with Asiago and Sage Croutons

Flours in Your Hair’s Brown Butter Bourbon Apple Pie

Confetti Kitchen’s Kale Salad with Chicken and Apple

Salted Plains’ Gluten-Free Apple Crumb Cake

Easy and Delish’s Fun Candy Corn Apple Pops

This Mess is Ours’ Easy Baked Apple Custard

Butter Loves Company’s Gingerbread with Brandied Apples

Zestful Kitchen’s Puffed Apple Pancake

Sweet Pillar Food’s Apple Honey Brie

A Farmgirl’s Dabbles Peanut Butter Apple Cookies

Amee’s Savory Dish’s Peanut Butter Protein Dip

Especially Southern Dishes’ Apple Pie Egg Rolls

Pie Girl Bakes’ Salted Caramel Apple Pie

Cocoa and Salt’s Vegan Apple Stuffin’ Muffins

Saltnpepperhere’s Honey Apple Muffins

Worthy Pause’s Thanksgiving-in-Your-Mouth Paleo Stuffing

Baking The Goods’ Apple Cheddar and Thyme Scones

Smart in the Kitchen’s Gluten Free Apple Cranberry Crisp

Measuring Cups Optional’s Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake

Inspired by the Seasons’ Brussels Sprout & Apple Slaw

Sprouting Radiance’s White Bean and Apple Soup

Feed the Swimmer’s Apple Buckwheat Galette with Halva and Maple Tahini

It’s a Veg World After All’s Individual Microwave Apple Crisp

Farm and Coast Cookery’s Apple Cider Donut “French Toast”

Ful-filled’s Milopita – Greek Apple Cake

Allo Maman, What’s Cooking’s Apple & Camembert Tarte Tatin

Champagne and Cookies’ Apple Cheddar Galette

What’s Karen Cooking’s Country Apple Bundt Cake with Cardamom Apple Compote

The Foodie and the Fit’s Venetian Bread Pudding with Apples

Flotte Lotte’s Apple Bread with Cinnamon Butter

simple berry ricotta cake

August 8, 2017 by Butter Loves Company

When you’re feeling like a slightly sweet, super moist, and surprisingly easy dessert or breakfast option this simple berry ricotta cake might be just what you’re looking for.

Name: kentucky butter cake
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: 1 bundt cake
Cuisine: Dessert
Ingredients: For the Cake:; 3 cups/13 1/2 ounces all-purpose flour; 2 cups granulated sugar; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon baking soda; 1 cup buttermilk; 1 cup butter (room temperature); 2 teaspoons vanilla; 4 large eggs; For the Sauce; 3/4 cup sugar; 1/3 cup butter, room temperature; 3 tablespoons water; 2 teaspoons vanilla

It is the perfect answer for the plentitude of summer berries basking in the sun on your counter, or the florescent lights of your refrigerator. It is the answer to that extra ricotta left over from your weekend pizza. It is the magic solution to use the three eggs left over in the carton. And, while it is good for finishing up some ingredients that are begging to be used, it is also worthy of an extra trip to the farmers market or grocery store to grab the juiciest looking blueberries or the sweetest raspberries.

Ricotta cheese is a wonder worker in baked goods, yielding an almost guaranteed moist, soft result. This berry ricotta cake has the kind of crumb you can pick up with a light press of the back of your fork.

Feel free to personalize this fluffy ricotta cake with your preferred berry combination. Strawberries and blueberries? Blackberries and raspberries? Just like the books you read as a kid, we’re choosing our own adventure here. I imagine a dollop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream would be welcomed atop this cake for a little extra extra. In fact, I am sure it would be.

I consider this simple berry ricotta cake to be of the perfect summer dessert variety. It is welcoming of summer’s ease and highlights summer produce just right. Call it old fashioned, but this cake is mixed simply with a whisk and spatula. No stand mixer. No hand mixer. No problem!

simple berry ricotta cake

Servings: Makes a one-layer 9-inch cake

berry-ricotta-cake

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups whole milk ricotta
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 1/4 cup mixed berries of your choice such as blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, washed and dried
A teaspoon or two granulated sugar, for sprinkling

Instructions

Center a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch -diameter cake pan, line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper and lightly coat with nonstick spray.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt and set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, ricotta, and vanilla until smooth. Fold in the flour mixture with a rubber spatula until just blended. Pour in the melted butter and fold with the spatula until incorporated. Very gently fold in 1 cup of the berries until distributed.
Scrape the batter into the cake pan and dot the remaining 1/4 cup berries over the top. Sprinkle with a little granulated sugar
Bake cake until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 50–60 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool in the pan for 30 or so minutes before transferring to a plate. Enjoy!

Notes

Adapted from Bon Appetit

https://www.butterlovescompany.com/2017/08/08/berry-ricotta-cake/

butter loves company | jenna larsson

I hope you find this recipe as tasty as we do. If you give it a try, please do let me know what you think in the comments, or hashtag your photo on social media with #butterlovescompany so I can see how it came out!

Looking for other cake recipes? Check out this Chocolate Marble Loaf Cake or this Lemon Loaf with Lavender Glaze!

fresh fig and almond cake

August 7, 2015 by Butter Loves Company

My grandmother is a magical gardener. She can take a seed and push it into the ground with her thumb and voila! A beautifully lush plant sprouts up seemingly instantly. And, while she insists she “didn’t do much” this year, a quick tour around her garden tells a different story.

She points out each plant rattling off vegetables in her adorable Portuguese accent…beets, tomatoes, beans, kale, lettuce, rhubarb, chard, a half dozen varieties of squash…I quickly lose count of the vegetables. She could also season meals for the entire city with all the herbs she is growing. She picks some lemon verbena for me to dry out and use for tea. “It’s great for your tummy,” she says. Grandmothers are always looking out for you!

She’s nonchalant as she points to peaches hanging from her peach trees, cherries, strawberries, grapes, and finally the fresh figs. She always has fresh figs.

This fig and almond cake is something I can picture my grandmother making to use up her fig bounty. It is a simple snacking cake that highlights the uber-sweet fruit at its peak ripeness. Ground almonds add nuttiness and texture to the cake. I couldn’t find enough fresh figs at the store nearby to make the full recipe so the pictures are of a halfed version. If you want to make the half recipe like I did, you can halve the ingredients listed below. When it came to halving the eggs, I chose to use one full egg and one egg yolk, for richness.

If my grandmother dropped a crumb of this cake into her garden, it wouldn’t surprise me one bit if she had a fig and almond cake tree come up next summer 😉

fresh fig and almond cake
adapted from the new york times

prep time: 15 minutes
cook time: 30 minutes
total time: about 45 minutes
makes one 9-inch cake

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons butter, melted, plus butter for greasing pan
1 cup natural raw almonds (not blanched, not salted)
1/4 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons for sprinkling
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
10-12 ripe figs

Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 375°F. Butter a 9-inch tart pan, or pie pan, and set aside. In the work bowl of a food processor, pour the almonds and 1/4 cup sugar and grind for about 20 seconds or until it is a coarse powder. Add the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt and pulse a few times to combine.
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together eggs, melted butter, honey, and almond extract. Add the almond and flour mixture to the egg mixture and beat together until batter is just mixed. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
Remove the stem from each fig and cut them in half, lengthwise. Arrange the fig halves cut-side-up over the batter. Sprinkle figs with the 2 tablespoons of sugar and bake for 30 minutes, or until the cake is golden outside and a toothpick inserted into the cake’s center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool before serving.

All aboard the almond train! Check out this recipe for Almond Apricot Olive Oil Cake.

go-to carrot cake with cream cheese frosting

October 29, 2014 by Butter Loves Company

This carrot cake recipe has been in my family for longer than I can remember. It makes regular appearances at Easter and is often requested in the fall when it seems like just about everyone in my family was born. Let me tell you, it has spoiled many bakery carrot cakes for me. It’s not that the bakery cakes are so bad; it’s just that they aren’t this good. If you’ve ever had a carrot cake that was too dry, too bland, too dense, too light or any of the other “too’s,” you should try this one out. It may be your new go-to.

One of the keys to this recipe from the Silver Palate Cookbook is that the carrots are cooked and puréed before they are mixed into the batter. The result is an extremely moist cake that is sturdy and rich but not too dense. The cake is sweet with a cinnamon spice and textured with coconut and walnuts (if you desire, which I always do). I doubled the cream cheese frosting recipe from the original recipe, because…just because. It can never hurt to have a little extra, but not having enough would be sinful. Put cream cheese frosting on anything and you won’t make any enemies.

We’ve eaten this twice in the last month; the first for my brother’s birthday and more recently for my grandmother’s. Because my grandmother doesn’t care for coconut, I made hers—the one pictured— without it. You’ll see notes about my adjustments following the recipe.

carrot-cake-silver-palate-cream-cheese-frosting-5

some people definitely only like carrot cake for the cream cheese frosting…and that’s okay.

carrot-cake-silver-palate-cream-cheese-frosting-13

pardon the poor lighting, but that’s a face that likes this cake!

go-to carrot cake with cream cheese frosting
From the Silver Palate Cookbook

prep time: 20 minutes
cook time: 35–50 minutes
total time: 1 hour, plus another 2 for cooling
makes one 2-layer 9-inch cake or 3-layer 8-inch cake

Ingredients:

CAKE:
Butter, for greasing the pan
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
3 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1-1⁄2 cups canola or vegetable oil
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups shelled walnuts, chopped
1-1/2 cups shredded coconut*
1-1/3 cups puréed cooked carrots (to cook: Chop peeled carrots into chunks and boil in water until a knife can cut through a chunk with little resistance)
3/4 cup drained crushed pineapple

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
16 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature (2 standard packages)
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
6 cups confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon lemon juice (optional)

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease two 9-inch pans or three 8-inch pans. Line the bottom of each pan with parchment paper and then grease the top of the parchment paper.
In a large bowl, or the bowl of your electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, sift together the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and ground cinnamon. Add the oil and vanilla followed by the eggs, one at a time, mixing to combine after each addition. With the mixer on low speed add the walnuts, coconut, carrots and pineapple (fold them in gently if you are not using a stand mixer).
Divide the batter among the prepared pans. Set on the center rack of the oven and bake until the edges have pulled away from the sides and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 45–50 minutes for 9-inch cakes and 35–40 minutes for 8-inch cakes. Cool on a cake rack for 2 hours. Fill and frost the cake with the cream cheese frosting (recipe below).
Make cream cheese frosting by creaming together the cream cheese and butter in a large bowl, or the bowl of your electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. With the mixer on low speed, slowly sift in the confectioners’ sugar and continue beating until fully incorporate. Slowly is the key word here, unless you want to be wearing a LOT of confectioner’s sugar. Once the sugar has been incorporated, increase the speed to medium until the mixture is smooth and free of lumps. Stir in the vanilla, and lemon juice (if using).

*To make the cake with no coconut: Omit shredded coconut and up the amount of pureed cooked carrots from 1-1/3 cups to 2 cups. That’s it!

**You can make the cake layers two days in advance. Let cook completely and then wrap in two layers of plastic wrap and refrigerate until you are ready to assemble. The assembled cake also keeps well in the refrigerator for a solid few days (I can vouch for at least 5).

almond apricot olive oil cake

August 10, 2014 by Butter Loves Company

This cake was inspired by a recent trip to Italy. Not by me (Wah!), but by a dear friend of mine. After returning to the States, she told me about an apricot cake that she and her fiancé had loved during their time in Tuscany and was hoping I knew how to make it. I didn’t, but since I’m always up for a challenge I figured, why not give it a shot!

I scoured the Internet for the best olive oil cakes and one kept coming up over and over again—the famous olive oil cake from Maialino NYC. Since this is such a well-respected Italian eatery, I figured it couldn’t be a bad start. Instead of the orange juice and zest accents they add to their cake, I decided I would use apricots and pair them with a flavor I thought would complement their tartness: almond. Three cake trials, a handful of tweaks and a bottle of olive oil later, I had my winner.

I can totally picture you and I ordering a piece of this cake from a tiny family-owned bakery as we stroll the quaint, winding streets of Venice on a bright morning. We’d stop in a Café for a morning cappuccino and talk to the cute Italian grandma behind the counter. She’d tell us that the almond apricot olive oil cake has been in her family for years because of her grandmother’s love of apricots. She’d explain how every time she makes it she cuts each apricot into exactly eight pieces. She’d emphasize how important the quality of the olive oil is to the almost pudding-like texture of the cake and how the best comes from her great-great uncle’s olive oil vineyard. We’d understand maybe half of what she said because of her adorable accent. We’d laugh and hug and she would invite us over for dinner after our romantic gondola ride through the canals. To cap things off we’d sip on Italian table wine and eat cheese and more delicious almond apricot olive oil cake.

I can totally picture it and it would be perfect. Let’s go!

almond apricot olive oil cake 
adapted from Maialino NYC’s famous olive oil cake

prep time: 20 minutes
cook time: 1 hour
total time: 1 hour 20 minutes (does not include 2 hours cool time)
makes a 9-inch round cake

Ingredients:

1 1/2–2 cups fresh apricots (about 3, pitted and cut into 8 pieces each)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus a little more to coat the apricots
3/4 cup fine almond meal or almond flour (this is best for flavor but if you don’t have it, you can use another 1/2 cup all-purpose flour)
1 3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup olive oil (extra virgin preferred)
1 1/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or paste
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup sliced almonds, for topping

Instructions:

Heat the oven to 350°F. Oil, butter or coat with cooking spray a 9-inch cake pan that is at least 2 inches deep. Line the bottom with parchment paper and then spray the paper. If your cake pan is less than 2 inches deep, divide between 2 pans and start checking for doneness at 30 minutes.
In a small bowl, toss the chopped apricots with a little flour—about 1/4 cup—to coat the outsides. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, almond flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and baking powder until combined. In another large bowl—or the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment—mix the olive oil, almond milk, yogurt, eggs, vanilla and almond extracts until completely combined. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients; mix until just combined.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and then scatter the floured apricots across the top of the cake. Sprinkle the cake evenly with sliced almonds. Bake the cake for 1 hour, until the top is golden and a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Transfer the cake in its pan to a wire rack and let cool for 30 minutes.
Run a knife around the edge of the pan, invert the cake onto the rack and then flip it back onto a serving plate. Let the cake cool completely before cutting, about 2 hours. Store at room temperature or in the fridge.

chai tea spiced cake with coconut frosting (dairy-free, plus vegan optional)

June 4, 2014 by Butter Loves Company

Sometimes my love of baking challenges my sanity. For example, last week I bought five pounds of “vegan buttery sticks.” Am I insane? Why would a girl with a food blog named “butter loves company” be in the Whole Foods check-out line with that much faux-butter? This website is certainly not “vegan buttery sticks love company.”

Well, I can assure you I haven’t completely lost my mind (although you might not be convinced when you read on). The truth is, I was loading up on dairy-free goodies to bake for the bridal shower of a lovely friend of mine. I had researched a bunch of dairy-free and vegan dessert options and one that piqued my interest was a chai tea-spiced cake. It sounded like something the bride-to-be would enjoy.

I test-drove this cake a few weeks ago with some non-vegan dairy lovers, although that time I did make it with a full-on buttercream. And let me tell you, it was delicious. Like, no leftovers whatsoever delicious. Like, even my relatives who don’t eat sweets cleaned their plates delicious.

The cake would be perfect. I had found a winner. I would just replace the actual butter in the buttercream with the vegan buttery spread and be set with a great tasting cake for the Sunday shower.

On Saturday night, the handful of other baked goods I was making were done, the chai cake layers were chilling in the fridge and I had reached the tired, baked-all-day deliriousness I love. But I wasn’t finished yet, so I started to mix the frosting. I planned for a honey “butter”cream using the vegan buttery sticks (note: dairy-free, not vegan, as honey is not vegan-friendly).

I whipped up all the frosting and it was looking light, fluffy and scrumptious. That is, until I took a taste. Nope. No way. Not a chance. I couldn’t believe how far from buttercream it tasted! Tons of confectioners sugar, honey and fresh scraped vanilla beans and it was near flavorless. Greg tasted it and tried to make me feel better with an, “It’s not that bad,” which he followed moments later with the truth. “It tastes and smells like paint,” he admitted.

I scrapped the faux-frosting and washed out my mixer to start again. This time, after the vegan buttery stick betrayal, I grabbed another dairy-free alternative: vegetable shortening. I whipped the frosting up. We tasted it. It was okay. After a few adjustments, including the addition of pureed peach, it was good. This is where you might really start to think I’m insane. While I thought it tasted really good, it was not good enough.

I put this second-attempt-frosting in a Tupperware, in case I had to use it, and [Greg] washed out my mixer so I could start again. I remembered seeing some vegan recipes that used coconut oil as a butter substitute so I decided to try that. I tossed in some vanilla, sugar, coconut extract and shredded coconut, and we had a winner! Even if it left me slightly sleep deprived, it was well worth three tries. I frosted the cake, toasted some coconut for garnish and because I actually am insane, I decided I would make a cake topper. I won’t even tell you what time of night (Ahem. Morning.) it was at that point. I was finally happy with how everything came out and the bride and guests seemed to enjoy it all as well! That’s why baking is so great! It’s hard not to be happy eating cake, and if I can help ignite some smiles, I’ll make three batches of frosting any day.

*Note: Photos are from both times I have made this cake. The majority are from the test drive so the frosting is different. The photos with the coconut around the edges are with the frosting listed below.

chai tea spiced cake with coconut frosting (dairy-free, plus vegan optional)
adapted from veggieandthebeast.com

Layers of moist, flavorful cakes spiced with cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cloves and cardamom, between dreamy coconut frosting.

Prep time: 20 mins
Cook time: 35 mins
Total time: About 1 hour (plus added time for cooling)
Makes: 1 8-inch layer cake (Either two thick or four thin layers, I chose four. Instructions are for two layers.)

Ingredients:

Cake:
2 cups minus 2 tablespoons unsweetened vanilla almond milk
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3 cups unbleached cake flour, or all-purpose flour
½ tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2½ teaspoons ground ginger
1¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
⅛ teaspoon ground allspice
⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon table salt
1½ cups granulated sugar (vegan option: raw sugar, processed until fine)
¼ cup canola oil
½ cup brewed unsweetened chai tea (steep cup of tea like normal, and then scoop out ½ cup)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon almond extract

Coconut Frosting:
1 cup coconut oil, at room temperature (should be solid)
3 cups powdered sugar, sifted (vegan option: ensure it is powdered cane sugar)
1 vanilla bean, split down the middle and scraped, or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon coconut extract
½ cup sweetened shredded coconut, plus more to toast and garnish with if desired
2–4 tablespoons unsweetened vanilla almond milk

Instructions:

Make the Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 8–inch cake pans and line the bottom with parchment paper, then grease tops of paper. Set aside.
In a small bowl, or a liquid measuring pourer, combine the almond milk and the apple cider vinegar (it will look like it separates and this is totally ok). Set aside for at least 5 minutes.
In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, or the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the sugar, oil and chai tea until combined. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and beat on low for 5 seconds to combine.
Alternate adding the flour and the almond milk mixtures to the batter, starting and ending with the flour, mixing until smooth and just combined. Divide the batter between the two cake pans. Bake for 30–35 minutes (about 20–25 minutes if you’re making 4 smaller layers). Let sit in the pan for at least 10 minutes before carefully flipping onto a cooling rack to cool completely. Wrap each layer in plastic wrap and refrigerate until you’re ready to frost.
Make the Frosting: In a large bowl with a hand mixer, or in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the coconut oil and powdered sugar until smooth and light. It will likely be a little stiff. Add in the vanilla, coconut extract and shredded coconut and beat until combined. Gradually add the almond milk, a tablespoon at a time, until you’ve reached a creamy, light and spreadable consistency.
Frost the Cake: Place one cake layer on a piece of parchment paper or on a serving plate. Spread about a third of the frosting on the top of the cake, then top with the other cake half. With an offset spatula or knife, cover the cake with a thin layer of frosting to smooth out the edges and the space between the layers (this is also known as the “crumb coat”). Place the cake in the fridge for about 10 minutes until the frosting firms up slightly. Remove and coat entire cake with another layer of frosting. You can also pipe the frosting on in a decorative fashion at this stage. Keep completed cake refrigerated if possible, removing 2–3 hours before serving.

lemon loaf with lavender glaze

April 30, 2014 by Butter Loves Company

Since, after three days, we’ve officially finished the final crumb of this bread, I thought it was time you all should know about it. Three days is actually a pretty impressive length of time, which I’ll attribute to my trying to be “good” about my sweet intake this week. I consider this a success even if only for the fact that each time I ate it I actually cut a slice and put it on a plate, rather than jabbing a fork into the loaf for a bite each time I passed its platter. (Does anyone else leave a fork on the serving plate ready for this move at any time?) If When I make this again, I’d estimate a one- to two-day counter life based on deliciousness alone.

This loaf was the result of yet another ‘Buttermilk Conundrum,’ as I like to call it. I often purchase buttermilk for a recipe that only requires a half-cup of it. Before I know it, the carton has taken up residence in my fridge until I finally realize expiration is approaching and google, “what to do with leftover buttermilk.” It’s a classic tale—a Buttermilk Conundrum.

Well my Google search was a little more targeted this time knowing I also had lemons in the fridge, it was early on a rainy Saturday morning and I much preferred to stay in pajamas than put on real-people-clothes to go to the store for anything. I found a well-reviewed Ina Garten lemon cake recipe as a starting point. Her recipe made two loaves, which we didn’t need in the apartment (see, I was being good!), so I started to tweak a little bit as I scaled the recipe down. It turned out to be quite good with a perfect bread loaf texture—moist with a tight but not-too-dense crumb. There was a noticeable citrus flavor—without it being too bitter or too tart—from the additions of lemon zest in the cake and lemon juice in a syrup spooned over the warm loaf after it comes out of the oven. I decided to call it a bread versus a cake solely to make Greg and me feel better about having it for breakfast.

Once the loaf cooled completely, I topped it with a lavender glaze to play around with some dried cooking lavender in my cabinet. It added a subtle floral note, which was a nice compliment to the citrus. If you don’t have lavender, a simple lemon glaze or powdered sugar and milk glaze would have also been super as the bread itself is the star here.

Lemon Loaf with Lavender Glaze
Adapted from Ina Garten

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: About 1 hour 30 minutes (including cool time)
Makes one 8-inch loaf

Ingredients:

For the Cake:

1 stick (¼ pound/8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
1¼ cups granulated sugar, divided
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
¼ cup grated lemon zest (from about 3 lemons)
1½ cups flour
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon table salt
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, divided (from about 2 lemons)
½ cup well-shaken buttermilk
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the Glaze:

½ cup milk
1 tablespoon dried lavender (from a food store, not a flower store)
1 cup confectioner’s sugar

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour an 8 x 4 x 3 inch loaf pan (or comparable size), or coat with a non-stick baking spray.
Cream the butter and 1 cup granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on medium speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, and then the lemon zest.
In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, combine 2 tablespoons lemon juice, the buttermilk and vanilla. Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately to the batter—beginning and ending with the flour. Spoon into loaf pan, smooth the top and bake for 45–55 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes in the pan while you prepare the lemon syrup.
To prepare the lemon syrup, combine ¼ cup granulated sugar with ¼ cup lemon juice in a small saucepan and cook over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat.
Remove the cake from the pan and set it on a rack set over a tray or sheet pan. Spoon the lemon syrup over it. Allow the cake to cool completely.
To prepare the glaze, heat the milk in a saucepan over medium heat until it starts to boil. Remove the pan from heat and add the dried lavender. Let the mixture steep for 5–8 minutes then strain the milk into a small bowl or cup to remove the dried lavender. Whisk the confectioner’s sugar into the milk, a tablespoon at a time, until you get a smooth glaze. Pour or spoon over the cooled loaf.

raspberry lime buttermilk cake with coconut cream cheese frosting

April 2, 2014 by Butter Loves Company

Light, moist buttermilk layers dotted with fresh raspberry bursts and swirled with lime zest; all topped with tropical coconut cream cheese frosting.

I’m pretty sure the red-eye home from sunny California last night made me crazy this morning. I mean, after indulging on SoCal treats like tacos, churros, baseball game fare, and a delicious key lime pie made by Greg’s cousin (to the entire family, we are so grateful!), I should’ve immediately banished all junk, hit the grocery store, and stocked up on every single green, crunchy vegetable available in preparation for a string of signature “post-vacation detox” salads.

Instead—in my red-eye haze—I made this Raspberry Lime Buttermilk Cake with Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting. I had most of the ingredients staring at me in the fridge; sad we had left them for the palm trees and Hollywood glam of the west coast. What was I supposed to do?

The layers of this cake are incredibly moist because of the buttermilk, and in every other bite you get juicy, tart bursts of raspberry with a citrusy lime undertone. The raspberries could easily be swapped out with any other berry you have on hand. In the past I’ve made it with diced strawberries and Greg and I enjoyed it unfrosted as a breakfast cake. In this case, I decided to layer it with coconut cream cheese frosting for a rich, sweet taste of the tropics—and one last bite of vacation.

Raspberry Lime Buttermilk Cake with Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting
Cake adapted from Smitten Kitchen, which was adapted from Gourmet, June 2009
Frosting, my own

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 50–60 minutes
Makes two 8-inch cakes and enough frosting for a “tom-boy” style* cake filling/topping

For the Raspberry Lime Buttermilk Cake:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1⅓ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1½ teaspoons finely grated lime zest (from about two limes)
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk, well shaken
1 cup fresh raspberries
¼ cup toasted sweetened shredded coconut, for garnishing (optional)

For the Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting:

8 oz cream cheese (1 standard package)
½ stick (4 tablespoons), unsalted butter at room temperature
½ cup sweetened shredded coconut
2–3 cups powdered sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
⅛ teaspoon coconut extract

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F with rack in middle. Butter and flour a 9-inch round cake pan. (If using toasted coconut for garnishing the cake, you can now spread the ¼ cup sweetened shredded coconut onto a baking sheet or sheet pan and bake in the oven as it heats to 400 degrees until edges are lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Remove from oven and let cook completely).
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and set aside. In a large bowl with a hand mixer or the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy. Reduce to low speed and add vanilla and lime zest. Then, beat in the eggs, one at a time, scraping the bowl between additions.
At low speed, mix in flour mixture in three batches, alternating with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour, and mixing until just combined. Scoop batter into prepared cake pans, smoothing top (batter will be thick). Drop raspberries evenly over top (it won’t matter if they land face up or face down).
Bake until cake is golden and a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack and cool completely.
While the cake is cooling, prepare the frosting. In a large bowl, or the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and cream cheese on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the shredded coconut, vanilla, and coconut extracts and mix until combined. With the mixer on low speed, add the 2 to 3 cups of powdered sugar until combined into a light, creamy frosting that is thick enough to spread and hold its form.
To assemble: Place 1 cake layer, flat side up, on platter. Spread just under ½ the frosting over top of cake. Top with second cake layer, flat side up. Spread remaining frosting over the top (you may have enough frosting to cover the sides, if desired). Top with extra fresh raspberries and toasted coconut, if desired. Enjoy! (If not serving immediately, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Remove from refrigerator and bring to room temperature 45 minutes before serving).

*Tom-boy style is with the frosting just between the layers and on top, leaving the sides bare.