Desserts | Simple By Cindy

Old-Fashioned Crumb Cake

Jun. 13
2016

Oh my! This is definitely the best Crumb Cake I have ever tasted. It is as light as air, delicate and so addicting.

It is an old recipe (which is evident by the use of vegetable shortening), but the result is a very light and fluffy cake topped with a scrumptious butter and sugar-crumb mixture. It is everything a crumb cake should be and much more. It is filled with fresh blueberries that add an additional yummy flavor and texture.

There are a few things I did change. I added only 1/4 cup of vegetable shortening. I would also double the crumb-topping and add more blueberries. You need to get one in every bite.

This is another fantastic recipe courtesy of Marcy Goldman. I do not want to mess with her recipe though, so my suggestions are just options you may want to know. All of her recipes are wonderful, and I am so happy to share this one with you. It is a “keeper” for sure.

Ingredients for Old-Fashioned Crumb Cake

For the Cake:

2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1/2 cup of vegetable shortening (I used 1/4 cup)
4 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries ( I used 2 cups)

For the Crumb topping: ( I doubled the following):

1/3 cup of confectioners’ sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. grated nutmeg
2-4 tbsp. unsalted butter or margarine; melted

Preheat oven to 350.

Lightly grease a 9 by 13-inch rectangular pan, or two 9 by 9-inch square pans, or two 9 by 5-inch loaf pans.

For the cake:

In a large bowl, cream the sugar with the butter and shortening.

Add the eggs, one at a time, until well-blended.

Add the vanilla.

For the next set of ingredients, the recipe says to fold them in, howeverI used the paddle attachment of my mixer and it worked well.

Change the attachment of your blender to the paddle and add the flour, salt, cornstarch, baking soda, and baking powder.

As the batter is being mixed, slowly pour in the buttermilk.

Gently fold the blueberries in by hand.

Place into pan.

For the crumb topping:

In a small bowl, toss the confectioners’ sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg with the melted butter. Use your judgement on this, if mixture does not seem crumbly, add more sugar and flour until you get the right consistency. I doubled these ingredients to get enough to top entire cake.

Sprinkle rubs over cake batter.

Bake for 50-60 minutes, until the cake seems firm to the touch. Cool completely, in or out of pan, before serving.

It’s that simple!

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

May. 23
2016

When researching coffee cake recipes, I look for something easy, with ingredients that I have in my home.

This recipe was the perfect one. I had everything I needed and didn’t need to shop. Baking seemed like a reasonable activity on this dreary day.

Coffee cake always reminds me of my childhood, being at home after dinner on a Friday night. My mother always had it in the house (not always baked, but bought) just in case some company would arrive.

Simple to make and always moist, coffee cakes usually have cinnamon and nuts. The ones that have sour cream are by far the most tender and light.

I loved the streusel, although just so you know, I would double or triple the ingredients for it. There just wasn’t enough for the inside and outside. It definitely could use a lot more.

Coffee cake is great to have in the morning, or as an afternoon snack. It is really yummy and my family loved it. I am sure you will too!

This recipe is courtesy of Food Network Kitchen and yields 8-10 servings.

Ingredients for the Sour Cream Coffee Cake

For the streusel:

1/4 cup sugar
3 packed tbsp. dark brown sugar
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

For the cake:

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
Generous pinch freshly grated nutmeg
Generous pinch ground mace ( an Indian spice)
3/4 cup unsalted butter, plus more for the pan, room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Make the Streusel by mixing the sugar, brown sugar, walnuts, vanilla and cinnamon together in a large bowl.

Set it aside.

Preheat the oven to 350.

Generously brush a round 9 by 2-inch deep cake pan with butter.

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and mace together and set it aside.

In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or with an electric hand-held mixer, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy.

Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing until is incorporated.

Mix the vanilla with the sour cream.

Add the flour mixture in 3 parts to the butter mixture, alternating with the sour cream in 2 parts until just combined.

Spread half the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle with half the streusel.

Spoon the remaining batter on top and spread it out with a spatula.

Scatter the remaining streusel over the top of the batter.

Bake the coffee cake for 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Cool on a rack for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

It’s that simple!

Lemon Bars

May. 6
2016

What is there do on a rainy, cold, miserable Sunday? Why bake something of course!

I have loved lemon bars for as long as I can remember and have always wanted to try to bake them myself. When I found this recipe, it looked simple enough, so I finally decided to whip up a batch of my own.

This recipe was perfect. As a lemon lover, these delicious bars did not disappoint. Each bite was a divine taste of lemony goodness and left your tongue tingling with happiness.

So what started out as a a gloomy day turned out to be pretty good! As they say, “when life gives you lemons, make lemonade” or better yet, lemon bars!

This recipes is courtesy of Ina Garten and makes about 20 large squares. She cuts the squares into triangles to make 40 pieces (I kept my pieces square).

Do not wait for a rainy day to make these. They are just that heavenly!

Ingredients for the Lemon Bars

For the crust:

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 cups flour
1/8 tsp. salt

For the filling:

6 extra-large eggs at room temperature
3 cups granulated sugar
2 tbsp. grated lemon zest (about 4-6 lemons)
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup flour
Confectioners’ sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 350.

For the crust, cream the butter and sugar until light in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.

Combine the flour and salt.

Turn the mixer to low and add to the butter and sugar until just mixed.

Transfer the dough onto a well-floured board and gather into a ball.

Flatten the dough with floured hands and then press it into a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking sheet, building up 1/2-inch edge on all sides.

Chill.

Bake the crust for 15 to 20 minutes, until very lightly browned.

Let cool on wire rack.

Leave oven on.

For the filling, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice and flour.

Pour over the crust.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the filling is set.

Let cool to room temperature.

Cut into triangles and dust with confectioners’ sugar.

It’s that simple!

Banana Walnut Bread

Apr. 27
2016

I have tried many times to make banana bread. There have been so many recipes, and so many failures. It would be too hard, too mushy or take way too much time to cook all the way through. I had almost given up at trying.

I found this recipe while browsing through Food Network Kitchen. It got a five-star rating, and I was impressed as I read the directions, so I thought why not give it another try?

Finally! A recipe that was not only successful, but so full of wonderful flavor. Finger licking good!

I think the success of this recipe is a result of gently folding in the flour and nuts. This cake came out light and fluffy and each bite had tiny bits of banana giving it a delicious, rich flavor. It was lighter in color than most of the banana breads I had made before and so much softer and moister.

It is a winner! Trust me. Everything about this cake is just yummy. My family went “bananas” for it!

Ingredients for the Banana Walnut Bread

1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for preparing the pan
1 cup sugar
3 very ripe bananas, peeled and mashed with a fork (about 1 cup)
1/2 cup of toasted walnut pieces

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

Whisk the eggs and vanilla together in a liquid measuring cup with a spout; set aside.

Lightly brush a 9-by 5- by-3-inch loaf pan with butter.

Preheat oven to 350.

In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or an electric hand-held mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Gradually pour the egg mixture into the butter while mixing until incorporated.

Add the bananas (the mixture may appear to be curdled, it’s not, so don’t worry).

With a rubber spatula, fold in the flour mixture until just incorporated.

Fold in the nuts and transfer the batter to the prepared pan.

Bake for 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean.

Cool the bread on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Take the bread out of the pan and let cool completely on the rack.

Wrap in plastic wrap.

The banana bread is best if served the next day.

It’s that simple!

Easy Sticky Buns

Mar. 30
2016

I first made Ina’s sticky buns years ago and was instantly hooked! I had forgotten about them and recently came across the recipe in my archives. I am so happy that I did and now I get to share them with you.

This recipe is courtesy of Ina Garten. She uses puff pastry that makes them easy and quick to whip up.

The sticky buns are filled with the luscious combination of pecans, raisins and brown sugar. There is an amazing smell that fills the house when you are baking them. They are perfect as a breakfast treat and simple to take with you on a morning when you are in a rush and running late. You can also enjoy them on a leisurely Sunday morning. It is the classic breakfast treat.

The best part of Ina’s recipe is that they come out perfectly delicious every time.

As Ina says; “your family and friends will go crazy when you make these”.

Just make these sticky buns. I know you will be hooked too!

Ingredients for the Sticky Buns

12 tbsp. (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
1/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 cup pecans, chopped into large pieces
1 package (2 sheets) frozen puff pastry, defrosted

For the filling

2 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
3 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 cup raisins

Preheat the oven to 400.

Place a 12-cup standard muffin tin on a baking pan lined with parchment paper.

Using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the 12 tbsp. butter and 1/3 cup of brown sugar.

Place one rounded tablespoon of the mixture in each of the 12 muffin cups.

Distribute the pecans evenly among the 12 muffin cups on top of the butter and sugar mixture.

Lightly flour a wooden board or stone surface. Unfold one sheet of puff pastry with the fold going left to right. Brush the whole sheet of puff pastry with half of the melted butter.

Leaving a 1-inch border on the puff pastry, sprinkle each sheet with 1/3 cup of the brown sugar, 1/1/2 teaspoons of the cinnamon, and 1/2 cup of the raisins.

Starting with the end nearest you, roll the pastry up snugly like a jelly roll around the filling, finishing the roll with the seam side down.

Trim the ends of the roll about 1/2 inch and discard.

Slice the roll in 6 equal pieces, each about 1 1/2 inches wide.

Place each piece, spiral side up, in 6 of the muffin cups.

Repeat with the second sheet of pastry to make 12 sticky buns.

Bake for 30 minutes, until the sticky buns are golden to dark brown on top and firm to the touch.

Allow to cool for 5 minutes only.

Invert the buns onto the parchment paper (ease the filing and pecans out onto the buns with a spoon).

Let cool completely.

It’s that simple!