Blueberry Pound Cake

I got these great mini bundt pans from my last WC exchange, and they were perfect for today's baking extravaganza.  This is a "Cooking Light" recipe that my mom and I have made for many occasions.  It is a nice light cake and the flavors really shine through.  I ended up with nine mini cakes from one recipe.  Which is perfect because I froze most of them.  Now when we need a little dessert I can just pull one out of the freezer, make a quick glaze, and dessert is served!

 2 cups granulated sugar

1/3 cup butter, softened

4 oz reduced fat cream cheese, softened

3 large eggs

1 large egg white

2 tsp. vanilla 

3 cups all purpose flour, divided

2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 8 oz. carton lemon low fat yogurt

cooking spray

1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar

4 tsp. lemon juice.

1. Preheat oven 350.
2. Beat granulated sugar, butter, and cream cheese at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended.  Add eggs and egg white, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.  Beat in vanilla.
3. Lightly spoon flour in to dry measuring cups.  Combine 2 T. flour and blueberries in a small bowl; toss to coat.  Combine remaining flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternately with yogurt, beginning and ending with flour mixture.  Fold in blueberry mixture.
4. Pour batter into a 10 inch tube pan coated with cooking spray.  Sharply tap pan once on counter to remove air bubbles.  Bake at 350 for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
5. Cool cake in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove cake from sides of pan.  Cool additional 15 minutes on wire rack; remove cake from bottom of the pan.  Combine powdered sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl; drizzle over warm cake.  Cut into slices using a serrated knife. 

THE VERDICT:  YUM!  and they look so pretty.  Just image serving this on Easter after a huge meal.  I think this cake just screams spring, and I am sure most of you are ready for it!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake (Our Birthday Cake)

Recipe from http://penniesonaplatter.wordpress.com/ Check it out its a good blog.

For the cake:

2 cups all-purpose flour

½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

½ tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. salt

2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 ½ cups sugar

2 large eggs

2 large egg yolks

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup buttermilk

4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled (optional) - I think I’ll leave out next time.

For decorating:

2 batches Peanut Butter Frosting

miniature peanut butter cups, halved and/or chopped

For the cake, center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350°. Butter two 9×2” round cake pans, dust the insides with flour, tap out the excess and line the bottoms with rounds of parchment paper. Place the pans on a baking sheet.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until soft and creamy. Add the sugar and beat for about 2 minutes, until thoroughly blended into the butter. Add the eggs and yolks one at a time, beating for one minute after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk; add the dry ingredients in 3 additions and the buttermilk in 2 (beginning and ending with the dry ingredients). Mix each addition only until it is blended into the batter. Scrape down the bowl and add the melted chocolate, if using, folding it in with a spatula. Divide the batter between the prepared cake pans.
Bake for 26-30 minutes or until the cakes feel springy to the touch and start to pull away from the sides of the pans. Transfer to wire racks to cool for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the cakes, unmold them and peel off the paper liners. Invert and cool to room temperature right side up.

To assemble the cake, place one cake layer on a cardboard circle. Spread peanut butter frosting on top of the cake layer. (If desired, sprinkle with chopped Reese’s cups.) Place the second cake layer on top of the frosting. Frost the top and outside of the cake with remaining peanut butter frosting. Decorate with halved and chopped Reese’s cups as desired.

Peanut Butter Frosting (Ina Garten)
1 cup confectioners’ sugar

1 cup creamy peanut butter

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/3 cup heavy cream

Place the confectioners’ sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium-low speed until creamy, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula as you work. Add the cream and beat on high speed until the mixture is light and smooth.

The Verdict: Shhh...I will let you know, its a SURPRISE!