Desserts

Apple Cider Doughnuts

I have never, ever in my life attempted to make doughnuts so the whole process of making Apple Cider Doughnuts was a real experience!  Yes, it’s a little bit time-consuming but if you have the time and the patience, these are worth making, especially if you are having a guest or two over.  The intense apple taste is a result of cooking apples and apple cider until they are reduced down which concentrates their flavor.  Cinnamon and nutmeg are added to the dough to give these doughnuts a hint of warmth.  These doughnuts are apple-y, soft, chewy and sweet.  Yes, these are indulgent but they are so special and so tasty, they are worth making, even if it’s just once a year!

The ingredients:

Cook together apple cider and chopped apples in a pot until reduced, then puree.

In a bowl, combine together the dry ingredients.

In a separate bowl, mix together sugar and vegetable shortening.

Beat in eggs and reduced apple mixture.

Add in dry ingredients, buttermilk, and vanilla until thoroughly combined.

Pat dough onto a cookie sheet until 1/2 inch thick and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.  Then cut chilled dough into rounds using a donut cutter or biscuit cutter.

Heat vegetable oil in a pot until a thermometer reads 350ºF.  Add doughnuts two or three at a time, flipping once until golden brown (I used a kitchen spider to flip them but a metal slotted spoon will work too).

Don’t forget the doughnut holes!

Place doughnuts on a paper towel to drain and when cool enough to handle, dip the top of the doughnuts into more reduced-apple cider and cinnamon-sugar.

Enjoy!

Additions:  None

Omissions:  None

Substitutions:  None

Overall Rating:  Love It

Source:  Food Network

♥ Miss you, Dad ♥ 

Texas Sheet Cake

Some of you may have never heard of Texas Sheet Cake but it’s a thin, rich chocolate cake that I remember my mom making frequently when I was little.  The cake itself isn’t uber-chocolatey like a death-by-chocolate cake but it doesn’t need to be.  The batter is spread out onto a cookie sheet, baked thin, and covered with a velvety, sinful layer of more chocolate goodness.  The frosting is the real star of this show.  Butter, cocoa, and buttermilk are cooked together and then blended with powdered sugar, vanilla, and walnuts.  As it cools on the cake, it thickens while still staying creamy and decadent.  Texas Sheet Cake isn’t just a chocolate cake – it’s THE chocolate cake to make.  Think of it like a lighter (in texture, not calories!) version of a frosted brownie.  Whether you made it with your mom like I did or if you’ve never tried it before, please put it on your to-do list. 

The cake ingredients:

Bring butter, water, and cocoa to a boil in a saucepan.

Add in the dry ingredients.

I’m pretty sure I used sour cream instead of buttermilk here now that I look at the pictures, but the cake turned out phenom anyway!

Pour the batter into a sheet pan and bake at 375ºF (Tip: make sure  your pan isn’t as shallow as mine was or you might end up with frosting all over your counter…just sayin’!)

The frosting ingredients:

Add butter, cocoa, and buttermilk to a saucepan and bring to a boil.

Stir in powdered sugar and vanilla.  Add in walnuts.

Carefully pour the cooked frosting over the cooled cake (again, make sure your pan is deep enough to contain the frosting!).

Once the frosting has cooled, dig in!

Additions:  None

Omissions:  None

Substitutions:

  • Reduced-fat sour cream for buttermilk in the cake 

Overall Rating:  Love It

Source:  Better Homes and Gardens Magazine

Buttercakes with Sour Cream Frosting

Because MLB playoffs are in now full swing (bahaha! pun intended!), I made these Buttercakes with Sour Cream Frosting with the sole purpose of celebrating this time of year that we in Philadelphia call “Red October” (it’s a Phillies thing).  While I would love to tell you about the amazing Phillies game I witnessed in person on Saturday evening, I’ll tell you instead about these yummy, baseball-themed cupcakes.  They really are nothing more than frosted yellow cupcakes but the cake batter smelled so good, I wish I could’ve stuck a wick in it and called it a candle.  Having never tried sour cream frosting before, I was a little skeptical.  But the sour cream toned down the sweetness of the powdered sugar, similar to cream cheese frosting, and I loved it.  Whether you want to make cupcakes to celebrate a birthday, a shower, or your favorite team, these cupcakes are winners!

The cake ingredients:

First, cream together the butter and sugar.  Make sure the butter is room temperature – it’ll blend better.

Next, incorporate the eggs one at a time.  Add vanilla.

Carefully add the dry ingredients, alternating with buttermilk, until fully blended.

Look at the adorable baseball-themed cupcake liners I found!

Fill the liners 2/3 full and bake at 350ºF.

The frosting ingredients:

Cream together the butter and sour cream.  Again, use room-temperature butter.

Slooooooooowly, add the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla.

If you don’t have a pastry bag to frost the cupcakes, you can use a freezer bag with the corner cut off (like I did!), or spoon it on.  Just make sure the cupcakes have cooled completely first.

Decorate as you wish and enjoy!

Additions:  None

Omissions:  None

Substitutions:

  • Reduced-fat buttermilk

 Overall Rating:  Love It

Source:  Better Homes and Gardens Magazine

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