Cakes, Cupcakes

A traditional American recipe for a 1-2-3-4 cake; a simple form of yellow cake

Ingredients

1 cup butter

1 cup milk

2 cups sugar

3 cups flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

3 pinches salt

4 eggs

Procedure

Preheat oven to 175 °C (350 °F) Cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy. Beat in the eggs. Gradually sift in the dry ingredients, alternating with small additions of the milk. Transfer to a greased and floured baking pan. Bake at 175 °C (350 °F), until a skewer inserted shows no moist crumbs

Date bars

Date bars have crumbly upper and lower surfaces with a date filling in the middle. Also see the Date Squares recipe.

Ingredients

1/4 cup sugar

3 c cut-up dates (1 pound)

11/2 cup water

1/4 cup shortening

1/2 cup butter or margarine

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp baking soda

13/4 cup flour

11/2 cup quick-cooking oatmeal

1 tsp salt

Procedure

Mix the dates, sugar, and water in a saucepan.

Cook over low heat stirring constantly approx. 10 minutes or until thickened.

Cool. Cream together the butter, shortening, and brown sugar in a separate container.

Mix in the flour, salt, baking soda, and oats. (into the crumble crust mix, not the date filling) Grease a 13x9 pan. Evenly press 1/2 of the crumble mixture into the bottom of the pan.

Spread the date filling on top.

Evenly place remaining crumble mixture into the pan, pressing lightly.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes at 400°F, or until light brown.

Cut into bars while still warm.

Date nut bars

Ingredients

Date nut bars1 cup nuts, ground (e.g., pecans)

1 cup seeded dates, ground

½ cup sugar

3 egg whites

½ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon cream

1 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1½ cup confectioner's sugar

¼ cup lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Procedure
Bars

Grind the nuts and dates; sift in the granular sugar.

In another bowl, whip egg whites until stiff.

Gradually add the sugar mixture, whipping constantly.

Fold in the cream.

Sift the flour.

Resift the flour with the baking powder and fold into the egg mixture.

Grease and flour baking sheet. Pat dough 1/2 thick on baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes at 350°F (175°C).

Glaze

Mix confectioner's sugar with lemon juice and vanilla in a blender. When the cookies are still hot, spread the glaze over them.

Blondie(A Variety Of Brownie)

Blondie(A Variety Of Brownie)

A blondie is essentially a brownie variant - a dense cake with butterscotch being the predominant flavor instead of chocolate. Characteristics to strive for include a rich, buttery flavor with good balance between sweetness and saltiness, moist texture, and a golden blonde appearance. This recipe should provide good foundation for further experimentation if you are so inclined.

Ingredients(Preparation Time :30mins)
1 c. (140g) flour

1 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 c. (120g) unsalted butter, melted

1 c. (240g) dark brown sugar, firmly packed

1 tbsp vanilla extract

1 egg 3/4 c. (180g) chopped pecans

Procedure

Preheat oven to 325°F (170°C).

Dry toast the chopped pecans until fragrant and slightly colored.

This can either be done in a dry skillet on the stovetop over medium high heat while stirring frequently or else by roasting the nuts in the oven on a cookie sheet while you prepare the batter.

The stovetop method is faster but requires more attention.

It is also possible to buy dry toasted nuts instead of raw to avoid this step.

The pecans should be crunchy and nutty, not rubbery or mealy.

In a small bowl stir together the flour, baking powder and salt.

Set aside.

In a large bowl, stir the melted butter, brown sugar, and vanilla until uniform, breaking any large lumps of sugar.

Beat in egg until creamy.

Gently fold in flour mixture.

When flour is nearly incorporated, gently fold in toasted pecans. Do not overmix. Spread mixture into buttered 8"x8" (20cm x 20cm)baking dish.

Bake @ 325°F (170°C) for 30 minutes or until desired doneness.

Let cool and cut into bars.

Oatmeal Brownies

Oatmeal Brownies
Ingredients(Preparation Time :less than an Hour)
1 cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch-processed preferred)
¼ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted room temperature butter, cut into cubes
8 ounces dark bittersweet chocolate chopped
¾ cup white chocolate chips
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1¼ cups (10 ounces)
Oatmeal Stout beer(room temperature)
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
⅓ cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 large egg

Procedure
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with non-stick foil (or grease and flour - or parchment paper; your call).
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, and salt until evenly combined. Set aside. Melt butter, bittersweet chocolate, and white chocolate chips in a double boiler over very low heat, stirring constantly until melted. Remove from heat.
In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add melted chocolate mixture, beating until combined.
Beat reserved flour mixture into melted chocolate mixture.
Pour into prepared baking pan.
Beat cream cheese in medium bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Gradually beat in sugar.
Beat in vanilla and 1 egg just until blended.
Pour cream cheese mixture over brownie batter in pan; cut through mixture with knife several times for marbled design.
Bake 25 to 35 minutes on center rack in the oven, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean. Let brownies cool, uncovered, to room temperature.
Dust with confectioners' sugar before serving if desired.

Tips
Plating suggestion: swirl a raspberry lambic reduction sauce (12 oz lambic [reduced to half], 4-6 oz seedless raspberry purée, 2-4 oz turbinado sugar, ½-1 teaspoon corn starch) on the plate, garnish with mint leaves, raspberries, lemon zest.

Oatmeal Brownies
This recipe, created by Joe Stutler, was a national finalist in the 2006 Cooking With Beer Challenge. The malt and oats in the beer enhances the flavor of the chocolate in these delicious brownies. Not overly cake-ey, not overly fudge-ey, the texture is nicely balanced. They're also decadently chocolate, and surprisingly light (thanks to the eggs). Great with a fruity beer, such as a lambic (Framboise, yum!).

Brownies

Brownies

Brownies are chocolate bar cookies. They usually have a dry and somewhat crispy top layer with a soft and sometimes gooey body. Chocolate chips and nuts are often added to the main recipes, depending upon taste.
There are several recipes for brownies available:

Cake Brownies

Rich Brownies Fudge

Brownies Almond Fudge

Brownies Cherry Brownies

Magic Brownie

Cake Brownies

Perparation Time :30 mins

Ingredients

2 eggs

1 cup sugar

½ cup (120g) margarine

4 tablespoons cocoa

¾ cup (180g) flour

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. vanilla

½ cup (120g) chopped walnuts or other nuts (optional)

Procedure

Beat eggs until light. Add sugar, melted margarine, and cocoa. Blend. Add flour, salt, baking powder, vanilla, and nuts. Mix well. Pour into a 9" x 9" greased pan. Bake for 20 minutes at 350°F or 180°C.

Cake brownies are somewhat less dense and almost cake-like compared to ready made mixtures one would buy from a store.