Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Ingredients

• 1 fresh pineapple
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 cup lightly packed light brown sugar
• 6 to 8 maraschino cherries
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• Confectioners' sugar, for dusting cake
• 1 quart yogurt gelato, store-bought, for serving

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Peel the pineapple and remove core. Slice into (1-inch) thick circles.

In a small saucepan melt butter with 1 tablespoon of water and add light brown sugar. Stir well with a whisk over medium heat until the sugar is completely dissolved and you have a nice smooth caramel, about 3 to 4 minutes. Pour into a round 9 1/2-inch nonstick cake pan. Arrange pineapple circles evenly in the caramel, (1 in the center and 5 around the outside usually works), and press down so they are submerged in the caramel. Place 1 maraschino cherry in the center of each pineapple ring.

Make the batter: Sift flour and baking powder together. In a stand mixer cream butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. With mixer on low, add eggs 1 at a time. Add half the buttermilk and vanilla then half the flour. Add remaining buttermilk and then remaining flour. Pour the batter into the cake pan over the caramel and pineapple. Spread out evenly with a rubber spatula. Place the cake pan on a roasting tray to catch any caramel that may bubble over and bake in the oven for approx 1 hour. The cake should be nice and golden on top and puffed up slightly. When gently pressed in the center it should bounce back. Allow to cool slightly, (about 1 minute), before inverting onto a cake plate. Dust very lightly with confectioners' sugar and serve each slice with a scoop of yogurt gelato.

Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

• 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

Chocolate Buttercream, recipe follows

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.

Chocolate Frosting:

6 ounces good semisweet chocolate (recommended: Callebaut)

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 extra-large egg yolk, at room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

1 tablespoon instant coffee powder

Chop the chocolate and place it in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir until just melted and set aside until cooled to room temperature.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until light yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and continue beating for 3 minutes. Turn the mixer to low, gradually add the confectioners' sugar, then beat at medium speed, scraping down the bowl as necessary, until smooth and creamy. Dissolve the coffee powder in 2 teaspoons of the hottest tap water. On low speed, add the chocolate and coffee to the butter mixture and mix until blended. Don't whip! Spread immediately on the cooled cake.

Midnight Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:
Dry Ingredients:
2 cups granulated sugar
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
Liquid Ingredients:
2 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup. boiling water
Instructions:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees F (175 C). Grease and flour two 9 inch round baking pans OR one 9x13-inch baking pan Or one 10-inch bundt or tube pan.
• In a large bowl, and with an electric mixer, combine dry ingredients.
• Add the liquid ingredients (except for the boiling water), and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.
• Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour into prepared pan(s).
• Bake 30-35 minutes if using the 2 round pans or 35-40 minutes for the 9x13-inch rectangular pan, or bake for 50-60 minutes if using a bundt or tube pan.
• Remove cake(s) from oven, and cool completely on rack.
• After cake(s) have cooled completely, frost as desired, or dust top of cake with confectioners' sugar.

Eggless Sponge Cake

Ingredients
1/2 tin condensed milk (200gms)
2 3/4 cups plain flour (280gms)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda (soda bicarb)
2 tsp icing sugar
1/2 cup butter melted (60gms)
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
100 ml milk100 ml soda water
Method

• Sieve flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, all together 2 to 3 times.
• Keep aside. Pour condensed milk in a bowl.
• Add the butter, and beat well till smooth.
• Add the flour spoon by spoon, mixing into the condensed milk mixture.
• In between, add milk as required if the butter begins to get too stiff.( Stir the mixture in one direction only all the while. This will incorporate more air and make the cake lighter).
• Once all the flour is used up, beat the batter as above till light (5-7 minutes).
• Add the soda and mix gently till smooth.
• Pour into a greased cake tin.
• Do not smooth with a spoon etc. If the consistency is right this will not be needed.
• Pre-heat over to 300o c. Place tin inside.
• Bake at 200o c for 5-7 minutes and 150o c till done. (35 to 40 minutes).
• Poke with a skewer and check. Cool a little.
• Invert on wire rack. Cool completely before doing icing if any.
• Or serve warm with tea.