In June we will be celebrating the man in our life who makes everything possible, the man we call Dad. Maybe he is your biological dad or your stepdad or your grandad, either way he deserves a little something special on Father’s Day. I am not talking about the stereotypical tie for dad, I am talking about cake. I know there is nothing my husband, my dad, stepdad, and gramps love more than a nice slice of cake and each one likes a little something different. I picked out four favorite treats for each dad it my life. I generally serve cake on plain white or colored plates so that the cakes can stand out. Make sure you have something nice to drink to go with the cakes. We generally have milk, hot tea, or coffee with our cake.
The first cake is a family favorite and it’s Red Velvet. I really like Paula Deen’s recipe for it because the icing is so delicious and it’s unique, not a lot of icings out there call for marshmallows and cream cheese. The second cake recipe I am posting is for just a good old fashion Chocolate cake with vanilla buttercream frosting. Sometimes you just want something very simple and nothing gets more simple than a slice of chocolate cake and a cold glass of milk. The third recipe that I chose was Pineapple Upside Down cake. It is a simple yet delicious family favorite in my house. It is the right amount of sweet for everyone and no one ever has refused a slice. The last little treat is something that my grandfather loved and loved to make when I was growing up. They are Cream Cheese Filled Chocolate Cupcakes. Now, as far as making a grocery list, I like to take the recipe with me and take my cues from there. A helpful little hint is to see what all you will be making and add up the quantities you need and make your list from there. Enjoy!
In a mixing bowl, cream the sugar and butter, beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and mix well after each addition. Mix cocoa and food coloring together and then add to sugar mixture; mix well. Sift together flour and salt. Add flour mixture to the creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk. Blend in vanilla. In a small bowl, combine baking soda and vinegar and add to mixture. Pour batter into 3 (8-inch) round greased and floured pans. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from heat and cool completely before frosting.
Icing:
Blend cream cheese and butter together in a mixing bowl. Add marshmallows and sugar and blend. Fold in coconut and nuts. Spread between layers and on top and sides of cooled cake.
Recipe can be found at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/grandmother-pauls-red-velvet-cake-recipe/index.html
* Butter, for greasing the pans
* 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
* 2 cups sugar
* 3/4 cups good cocoa powder
* 2 teaspoons baking soda
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1 teaspoon kosher salt
* 1 cup buttermilk, shaken
* 1/2 cup vegetable oil
* 2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
* 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
* 1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter 2 (8-inch) round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans.
Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.
Place 1 layer, flat side up, on a flat plate or cake pedestal. With a knife or offset spatula, spread the top with frosting. Place the second layer on top, rounded side up, and spread the frosting evenly on the top and sides of the cake
Cream one third of sugar with butter and salt in large mixing bowl. Blend extract, 2 tablespoons milk and remaining sugar into mixture. Gradually stir remaining milk into frosting until desired spreading consistency is reached. Yield: Frosting for two 9 inch round layers.
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Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Ingredients
* 1/2 cup dried cherries
* 1 cup apple juice, boiling
* 1 pineapple, skinned and core removed
* 2 cups cake flour
* 1 tablespoon baking powder
* Pinch salt
* 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
* 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
* 1 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
* 2 vanilla beans, scraped
* 4 large eggs
* 3/4 cup whole milk
* 2 cups heavy cream
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Rehydrate the cherries in the apple juice and let soak until tender. Drain and chop. Slice the pineapple as thin as possible. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt, 3 times over parchment paper. In a heavy saucepan, heat 1 cup granulated sugar and cook until amber in color, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add 3 tablespoons of the butter. Mix carefully with a wooden spoon. Pour the caramel into a 10-inch cake pan and spread around the bottom. Sprinkle with brown sugar. Line the pan with overlapping pineapple slices, covering the entire pan. In the bowl of a mixer, cream together remaining 3 tablespoons butter and vanilla scrapings with remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and mix until fluffy. Add the milk alternating in three additions with the sifted dry ingredients. Fold in the cherries. Transfer to the pineapple lined pan. Bake until a cake tester comes out clean, about 70 minutes. Invert onto a cake plate. While the caramel left in the bottom of the pan is still hot, quickly transfer it to a sauce pot over low heat. Add heavy cream and stir to make a sauce. Let thicken and serve with cake.
Directions
Preheat oven and prepare cake mix according to box directions. Grease and flour cupcake pan and and fill cups 2/3 full. Cream softened cream cheese together with sugar. Beat in egg and salt. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop one rounded teaspoon of cheese mixture into each cup. The cake will bake up around the cheese. Bake as directed for cupcakes on the cake mix box. Cool and frost with desired frosting or powdered sugar.
Recipe can be found at: http://www.recipezaar.com/recipe/Cream-Cheese-Filled-Cupcakes-353687
