Strawberry and Cream Swiss Roll

For my birthday I wanted something new and fresh tasting.  This was the perfect cake for me.  Thank you Real House Moms!

Ingredients:

For the cake:

• 4 eggs, room temperature
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 2 tablespoons buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoons salt

For the filling:

• 6 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1¼ cup whipped cream
• ½ cup powdered sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• ⅓ cup strawberry jam

Directions:

For the Cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (set to 325 if using a very dark pan). Grease a 15x10x1 inch pan with cooking spray and then cover with parchment paper and then grease the parchment payer.
2. Lay a tea towel on a flat work surface and sprinkle well with powdered sugar and set aside.
3. In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
4. In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs on high for 3 minutes until pale in color. Continue beating as you slowly add in the sugar. Add the oil, buttermilk, vinegar, and vanilla. Beat for 1 more minute. Add in the dry ingredients and mix until combined. Pour batter into pan and tilt to even out the batter.
5. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until it springs back when touched.
6. When done, immediately invert the cake onto the towel. Remove the parchment paper and then roll the cake in the towel starting at the short end. Set on a wire rack and allow it to cool completely.

For the Filling:

1. Beat cream cheese with powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth. Mix in cool whip until creamy. Refrigerate until cake has cooled completely and ready to fill.
2. Unroll the cake and spread the jam all over the cake ½-inch from the edges. Apply the filling evenly over the jam. Roll the cake back up and place seam side down on a platter. (Some of the filling will gush out while rolling. Just discard whatever comes out.) Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least an hour before serving. Dust with powdered sugar, garnish with fresh strawberries, slice, and serve.

One Bowl Chocolate Cake

My husband loves chocolate cake but I will not buy a box cake anymore because of the tons of ingredients that I can't even pronounce.  I have made several chocolate cakes but this one is moist, delicious and so easy to make.  Thank you Rose Bakes for the recipe.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups white sugar
• 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder
• 1½ teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup boiling water

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Prepare two 8" or 9" round pans (or I've also used a 9"x13" sheet cake pan). Make sure to grease and flour the pan.
2. In a large mixing bowl, mix together the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
3. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the eggs, oil, milk and vanilla. Beat for 2 minutes at medium speed, then stir in the boiling water.
4. Pour into the prepared pans and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow them to cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then flip them out on a wire rack and let completely cool before frosting.

Angel Food Cake

Here is another wonderful recipe from Taste of Home.  We have chickens, so I get a lot of eggs.  I use the yolks to make the French Vanilla Ice Cream on my blog.  When I do that, I end up with a lot of egg whites.  So I use them egg whites to make this wonderful and easy cake.

Angel Food Cake

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups egg whites

1 1/2 cups sugar, divided

1 cup cake flour

1 1/4 tsp cream of tartar

1 1/4 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp salt

Directions:

1. Place egg whites in a large bowl; let stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Sift 1/2 cup sugar and flour together twice; set aside.
2. Place oven rack in the lowest position. Preheat oven to 350°. Add cream of tartar, extracts and salt to egg whites; beat on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining sugar, about 2 tablespoons at a time, beating on high until stiff peaks form. Gradually fold in flour mixture, about 1/2 cup at a time.
3. Gently spoon into an ungreased 10-in. tube pan. Cut through batter with a knife to remove air pockets. Bake 35-40 minutes or until lightly browned and entire top appears dry. Immediately invert pan; cool completely, about 1 hour.
4. Run a knife around side and center tube of pan. Remove cake to a serving plate. 

Basic Vanilla Cake

This cake is just a plain and wonderful vanilla cake.  You can jazz it up by adding more vanilla, a little more sugar or any other flavoring or extract.  This can be made into two 9" pans, one 9x13 pan or 24 cupcakes.  Thanks Food Network for the recipe.

Ingredients

2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for the pans
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the pans
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup heavy cream (you can substitute milk or half and half)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour cake pan(s).

Whisk 3 cups flour, the baking powder and salt in a bowl until combined. Beat 2 sticks butter and the sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to medium; beat in the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla. (The mixture may look separated at this point.)

Mix 1/2 cup water with the cream in a liquid measuring cup or bowl. Beat the flour mixture into the butter mixture in 3 batches, alternating with the cream mixture, beginning and ending with flour, until just smooth.

Divide the batter between the prepared pans. Bake until the cakes are lightly golden on top and the centers spring back when pressed, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer to racks and let cool 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edge of the pans and turn the cakes out onto the racks to cool completely.

Frost with your favorite icing or use my Buttercream Icing recipe. 

Chocolate Cake

This is a great recipe!!  It is is easy and tastes great, and can be made into any shape cake or cupcakes.  The cake will rise bigger if the batter is chilled a little while in the refrigerator before pouring into the pan(s).  I can credit Food Network for this great recipe.

Ingredients

Prepared pan (greased and floured)
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (natural or Dutch process)
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs, at room temperature
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare two 9-inch-round cake pans, one 9x13 pan or 24 cupcakes.
Whisk the cocoa powder and 1 1/2 cups boiling water in a medium bowl until smooth; set aside. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl until combined. Add the eggs, vegetable oil, sour cream and vanilla and beat with a mixer on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Reduce the mixer speed to low; beat in the cocoa mixture in a steady stream until just combined, then finish mixing with a rubber spatula. (The batter will be thin.)

Divide the batter between the prepared pans (if making two cakes) and tap the pans against the counter to help the batter settle. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes. Transfer to racks and let cool 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edge of the pans and turn the cakes out onto the racks to cool completely.

 

Frost with your favorite icing or use my Buttercream Icing recipe.