cream cheese Archives | butter loves company

glazed pumpkin bundt cake with cream cheese filling

October 16, 2017 by Butter Loves Company

This Recipe for Glazed Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Filling is perfect for fall. Blooming with warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger, the moist cake wraps around a tangy, cream cheese filling for a delicious Autumn treat!

I know I’ve said it before, but I think it bears repeating (as often as possible), pumpkin is one of those magical ingredients that nearly always yields a moist cake. This Glazed Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Filling is loaded with fall spices like cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg. It is the type of fall cake recipe that will smell up your house in the most festive way. You might even forget it is still 90 degrees outside in LA.

It’s funny—no matter what, once the pumpkins and apples come out, I immediately revert to full on New England fall mode. Boots on. Sweaters out. I just love the fall vibe, even if we will head to the beach a day later. It is the unofficial kick-off to the holiday season for me when there are endless festivities!

This pumpkin bundt cake recipe makes a big cake, so it is perfect for sharing with friends or colleagues or for a fall gathering. It also keeps well if you make it ahead—just cover it and keep in the refrigerator and bring it back to room temperature when you are ready to enjoy.

I’ve been a cream cheese fanatic lately so it is only fitting that the moist pumpkin cake is filled with a creamy, tangy, cream cheese filling. This adds a textural contrast to the cake; an unctuous and rich bite between the tender spiced crumbs.

The entire pumpkin bundt cake is drizzled with a simple glaze of confectioners’ sugar, milk, and vanilla to add a hit of sweetness. With a few components, this cake does take a little more time as it’ll bake for about an hour and you’ll want to let it cool completely before serving. If you’re feeling like a fall recipe, but looking for a quicker pumpkin recipe, hop on over to these Spiced Pumpkin Muffins. Apparently my love of all things fall hasn’t changed a bit since then.

Grab your sweater, a cup of cider, and add this cake to your weekend baking adventures. You’ll fall in love.

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).

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.

blueberry and cheese danish braid

March 13, 2014 by Butter Loves Company

A sophisticated braid of flaky, buttery, lightly sweet dough filled with juicy blueberries and creamy cheese filling, speckled with vanilla beans and a little lemon zest.

I distinctly remember eating a certain almond Danish when I was studying in Italy (a certain one, but certainly not just once). The top was sprinkled generously with sweet, white dots of sugar along with slivered almonds.

If you’ve been to Europe, or to a European bakery, you may’ve noticed the pastries frequently have thick white sugar dotting their tops, a Scandinavian tradition, or so I conclude from my research. Each time I ate Danish in Europe, I noticed those sugar pearls and wondered if bakeries in the U.S. used this as well. I’m sure some had, and presumably more now, but I liked to believe that this sugar was somehow magical and only existed in the sweet back rooms of European bakeries. Isn’t it funny how you notice the tiniest nuisances of another culture when traveling? Often, things go overlooked in your own home; until you return with fresh eyes (like how large a jar of peanut butter or a jug of milk looks in the U.S. versus those you may find in Florence, Italy).

Unbelievably, it took me almost five years to buy this sugar when I got back to the U.S., after I discovered it wasn’t so mystical after all. The reason being, I had never considered making the Danishes, croissants, or other yeast-dough pastries they adorn, at home. I was intimidated and thought it’d be too time consuming or too frustrating or something only those who have attended pastry school could tackle.

I was so wrong—and I now kick myself for not having attempted sooner. Oh, the breakfasts I could have had in college!

You too can make Danish at home. Specifically—if you follow this recipe, which I selfishly think you’ll love—you can make a Blueberry and Cheese Danish Braid. It’s not hard, though does require a little preparation to give the yeast time to rise in the refrigerator after the dough is mixed.

So, decide when you want to eat the pastry and plan to make the dough the day or night before. You could also make the fillings ahead and keep refrigerated. Promise me you won’t be intimidated by the length of the recipe, I wrote it out to make it as easy as possible! You can try filling the Danish Braid with lots of flavor combinations if you aren’t fond of blueberries and creamy cheese (I believe the other word for that is crazy . . . kidding!). Please try it with whatever you like best: cherry, strawberry, raspberry, nutella, pastry cream, lemon curd, etc.

Whether or not you have pearl sugar on hand, the Danish experience will still be magical!

After dough is initially chilled overnight, you can begin shaping it to create the flaky layers that will be the danish.

after the roll and fold stage, you can already see the layers built into the danish!

roll out the dough after its second ‘chill’

cut out top outside corners and small triangles on bottom. This will serve to frame the filling.

cut slanting lines down each side. These will be crossed over the filling to create the braid.

fill the danish dough. Mine was a tad too runny, but turned out completely fine!

Brush with egg wash and drizzle with sugar and almonds, if desired.

magical sugar

enjoy with or without glaze!

*Apologies for the format of this recipe versus previous recipes. I felt it would be easier to read written out this way because there are multiple components.

Blueberry and Cheese Danish Braid
Adapted from Beatrice Ojakangas via Baking with Julia, Ina Garten

Makes 2 long braids; about 6-8 servings each. If you’d like to make just one braid, cut the dough in half after the roll and fold stage and freeze up to one month.

Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Total Time: At least 8 hours (including chilling time)

For the pastry:

¼ cup warm water (between 105-115 degrees F)
2 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast
½ cup milk, at room temperature (I used 2%, but any milk fat level will work.)
1 large eggs, at room temperature
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 ½ cups unbleached all purpose flour
2 sticks (8 ounces) cold unsalted butter
1 egg white mixed with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash
¼ cup slivered almonds (optional)
1 tablespoon pearl sugar (optional)
3-4 teaspoons cold heavy cream, for glaze (optional)
½ cup confectioners sugar, for glaze (optional)

For the Blueberry Filling

2 cups fresh blueberries (other berries can be substituted here)
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

For the Cream Cheese Filling

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/3 cup sugar
2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
2 tablespoons ricotta cheese
1 teaspoon pure vanilla bean paste, or extract 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (about 1 lemon)

Instructions:

Prepare the dough: Pour the water into a large bowl, sprinkle the yeast over it, and let both soften for two minutes. Add the milk, egg, sugar, and salt and whisk together. Set aside. Put the flour in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Cut the butter into ¼ – ½ inch thick slices and drop them onto the flour. Pulse 8 to 10 times, until the butter is cut into pieces that are about ½ inch in diameter, but not any smaller than that. If in doubt, stop when the pieces are larger. It’s better that way, than to over mix. Empty the butter flour mixture into the bowl with the yeast and, using a rubber spatula, gentle turn the mixture over, just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Be cautious not to over mix. You’ll want to see pieces of butter throughout the dough – this will ensure it is flaky. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight (up to 4 days).

Roll the dough: After the dough has chilled overnight, lightly flour a work surface and turn the dough onto it. Dust the top of the dough with flour. Roll the dough into a square about 16 inches on each side (the dough might be sticky, so keep the flour close and cover the rolling pin as needed. You can also cover the dough and chill it again if it becomes too soft to roll). Fold the dough into the middle in thirds, like a business letter that you’re going to put in an envelope. Turn it so that the closed fold is to your left. Roll the dough out again, this time into a long narrow rectangle, about 10 inches wide by 24 inches long. Fold the rectangle in thirds again, turn it so the closed fold is to your left, and roll into a 20 inch square. Fold the square in thirds, like a business letter, so that you have a rectangle. Roll the dough out into a rectangle about 10 inches wide by 24 inches long. Fold the dough in thirds again, wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes (up to 2 days. If not using after 2 days, the dough can be frozen at this point for 1 month, thawing overnight in a refrigerator before use.)

Prepare the Blueberry filling: Stir the berries and sugar together in a small saucepan over medium heat. Heat until sugar has dissolved, stirring frequently. Add lemon juice and cornstarch and cook 1-2 more minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Cover and refrigerate until fully cooled.

Prepare the Cream Cheese Filling: Place the cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and cream them together on low speed until smooth. With the mixer still on low, add the egg yolks, ricotta, vanilla, salt, and lemon zest and mix until just combined. Keep away from anyone who likes cream cheese or you might find some missing.

Shape the dough: After the dough has chilled from rolling and folding, lightly flour a work surface and roll the chilled dough into a rectangle 10 inches wide and 16 inches long (eyeball it). Lift onto a sheet of parchment paper and position the dough so the lengthy side is perpendicular to you. Cut the two top corners off the dough at an angle slanting downward and cut two small triangles out of the bottom of the dough. This will frame the space in the middle third of the dough for the filling, see image above. Using a sharp knife cut 10-12 slanting lines down each side, angling the cuts downward, not crossing over the space you framed for the filling, see image above.

Fill and Braid the dough: Spread some of the blueberry filling down the length of the dough (there will be juice leftover. Use the chunky portion. Spoon the cream cheese filling in a narrow line down the center of the blueberry filling. Fold the strips of the pastry into the center over the filling, alternating folding from the left side and the right side until you’ve reached the bottom. Brush the pastry with the egg wash and sprinkle with almonds and pearl sugar, if using. Allow the Danish to sit at room temperature while you preheat the oven.

Baking the Braid: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Slide the braid, parchment and all, onto a baking sheet. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden, rotating once or twice during baking. Transfer the pastry to a cooling rack and prepare the glaze, if using. To prepare the glaze, stir the cream into the confectioners sugar in a small bowl, adding just enough until it produces a smooth, shiny glaze. Using a spoon or fork, drizzle the glaze over the pastry. Serve the pastry warm, or at room temperature.