Maple Pecan Holiday Cake

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This has been a holiday cake for many years.  My Mom used to make it for Thanksgiving and we all looked forward to that rich maple taste. So light and airy with deep rich flavors.  I think you’ll love it.  I know I do.

 

Maple Pecan Holiday Cake

 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare you loaf cake pans by spraying them with nonstick cooking spray and then lining the pans with parchment paper.  Then spraying them again.  I use three of my 4 pans for this cake.

 

 

 

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Sponge Cake

 

4 large eggs

2 cups white sugar

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup milk

¼ cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9 x 13-inch baking pan.

 

Beat eggs in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment on high speed until thick and lemon-colored, about 3 minutes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gradually add sugar, beating until mixture is thick, about 5 minutes. Fold flour, baking powder, and salt into the batter by hand.

 

Microwave milk in a microwave-safe bowl until it begins to bubble, about 1 minute. Add butter and stir until melted. Stir in vanilla.

 

Pour hot milk mixture into the batter; blend on low speed until well combined and smooth. Pour into the prepared pans.

 

Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.  Let cakes cool on a wire rack completely before filling.  Then slice a very thin layer off the top of each cake so they will stack nicely.

 

For the bottom layer you will spread a layer of Pecan filling:

 

Pecan Filling

 

3 large eggs

3/4 cup dark corn syrup

3/4 cup dark brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup butter, cubed

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups chopped pecans

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Combine all ingredients except the pecans in a saucepan. Heat over medium until it begins to boil, stirring constantly. Add the pecans and allow to boil for 30 seconds. Remove mixture from the heat and refrigerate until cool and thickened. Spread on bottom layer of cooled cake.  Lay next layer of cake on top.  

 

Next layer will be the Butter Maple Filling:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Whipped Brown Butter Maple Filling

 

1 cup unsalted butter

1/2 cup pure maple syrup

Pinch of salt

 

In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Continue cooking until it turns golden brown and develops a nutty aroma.

 

Remove from heat and let it cool completely. Stir in the maple syrup and a pinch of salt.  Transfer the mixture to a bowl and refrigerate until it solidifies but is still soft. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Using a hand mixer, stand mixer, or blender whip the brown butter and maple syrup until light and fluffy.  Spread on top of cake using all the filling. Lay your final cake on top.

 

 

Maple Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

 

3 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, room temperature

1 cup Cream Cheese, softened to room temperature

4 Tablespoons Pure Maple Syrup

1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1 teaspoon Maple extract

¼ teaspoon Fine Sea Salt

1 teaspoon or orange juice

 

In the bowl of an electric mixer with the whisk attachment or with a large bowl and handheld mixer, beat butter and cream cheese on medium-high speed until very smooth, about 2 minutes. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add maple syrup, vanilla extract, maple extract, salt, and orange juice. Beat on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl halfway through. 

 

If needed, chill for 10 minutes in the fridge to stiffen slightly to a spreadable consistency.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Notes:

 

• This recipe makes 1 1/2 cups of frosting.

 

• Bring the butter and cream cheese to a cool-room temperature. Too cold, you’ll get lumps in your frosting and the ingredients will not emulsify. Too warm and the icing will be too soft and runny. I typically remove the butter and cream cheese from the fridge and cut it into small cubes while still cold. I then allow the ingredients to sit out on my kitchen counter for 30 minutes-1 hour before preparing the recipe.

• Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl throughout mixing. This ensures all the ingredients mix together thoroughly and bits of syrup or salt are not stuck to the side of the bowl.
  

 

 

 

 

 

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Blackberry Dumplings

 Blackberry Dumplings

 

This is a very special and easy dessert. My Mom would make this after we spent hours picking blackberries.  I remember it well….

For the Blackberries

1 quart fresh blackberries or 32 ounces frozen
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1⁄4 teaspoon nutmeg

Combine blackberries, sugar, water and nutmeg in a saucepan on top of the stove.  

Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes.

For the Dumplings

1 1⁄2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1⁄4 teaspoon salt
1⁄4 teaspoon nutmeg
2⁄3 cup milk

In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, nutmeg.  Pour in the milk. Stir until mixed into a rough shaggy dough.

Drop dough by the tablespoon into the blackberry mixture. Cover tightly and simmer for 15 minutes.

Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

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Super Fudgy Chocolate Chip Brownies

Super Fudgy Chocolate Chip Brownies

Let me just say this. Sometimes a girl just has to have a brownie.  Not just any brownie.  She has to have a gooey fudgy brownie, still oozing with chocolate. And it must have chocolate chips. Loads of chocolate chips.....the kind that almost melt but not quite. And the brownie has to be warm, just out of the oven. Oh.... and it has to have ice cream.  Cold and creamy vanilla ice cream on top that melts almost as fast as she can eat it.  She has to have it. No reason. Case closed.

Super Fudgy Chocolate Chip Brownies

6 oz. unsweetened chocolate (I use Bakers Chocolate)
1 cup butter, softened
4 large eggs
2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup (6 oz.) semisweet Chocolate Chips

Melt unsweetened baking chocolate and butter over low heat, stirring constantly until almost melted. Remove from heat and stir until completely melted.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat eggs for about 5 minutes until light in color. Add sugar and mix until smooth.  Stir in vanilla. Next, add the melted chocolate and egg mixture to the bowl and stir with a wooden spoon or spatula until smooth and well incorporated.  Add the flour and mix everything with a hand mixer until smooth and creamy.

Pour batter into a well-greased 9 x 13 baking pan. If you like thicker brownies, you can use an 8 x 8 pan and cook longer. Smooth top with offset spatula or wooden spoon.  Sprinkle all your chocolate chips on top.  

Bake on the center rack at 300 degrees for about 40-45 minutes.  This is a slow bake so the fudgy inside bakes while keeping the outside from burning.  Test with a toothpick placed in the center of the brownies to be sure they are done. They will still be quite moist in the center. Don’t over bake.

Allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before cutting them into 2 inch squares and serving with ice cream.  

I keep these in the refrigerator and serve them chilled after the first ones come out of the oven. You can heat them up in the microwave for 20 seconds if you want to serve them warm.  Enjoy!

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My Mom’s Sausage Breakfast Pie

 My Mom’s Sausage Breakfast Pie

I love this breakfast pie. It’s kind of like a quiche but instead of a dough crust, it has a delicious crispy crust made from Parmesan cheese. You’ve probably heard of Bisquick’s  “Impossible Pies,” they’ve been out there for more than 25 years. But this is my Mom’s made-from-scratch-recipe that she was making long before those came out. I’ve made all those “Impossible pie” recipes you find out there, and I’ve come to the conclusion that there’s just no comparison.  My Mom’s breakfast pie is so much better.

My Mom’s Sausage Breakfast Pie

1 tablespoon butter, room temperature

3 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese

2 cups shredded Gruyère cheese 

1 pound bulk breakfast sausage

4 scallions, minced

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup half-and-half

4 large eggs, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons butter, melted

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Cook sausage in large nonstick skillet over medium heat, breaking up clumps, until meat has lost most of its pink color, about 4 minutes. Using slotted spoon, remove sausage to a paper towel lined plate. Set aside.

Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9-inch pie plate with softened butter, and then coat plate evenly with Parmesan.

Combine Gruyère, crumbled sausage, and scallions in bowl. Sprinkle cheese-and-ham mixture evenly in bottom of prepared pie dish. 

Combine flour, baking powder, pepper, and salt in now-empty bowl. Whisk in half-and-half, eggs, melted butter, mustard, and nutmeg until smooth. Slowly pour batter over cheese-and-ham mixture in pie dish.

Bake until pie is light golden brown and filling is set, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool on wire rack for 15 minutes. Slice into wedges. Serve warm.

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