CranApple Upside Down Cake

Gosh I love apples! Gosh I love cranberries! And gosh I love them together!!! I especially love dried cranberries......they're like candy!!! Again I have apples that need to be used before they get tossed in the backyard for the critters. For this recipe, I would actually use more apples than I did.....like maybe do 2 layers of apples and then sprinkle with the dried cranberries. The original recipe called for light brown sugar (like it says below), but I didn't have any so I used dark brown sugar. I think that made it *really* sweet. This would be a wonderful cake to make for any reason......or no reason!!! It's just that good! ( I'm posting the recipe without pics at the end....so you can copy & paste or print)

 

 

CRANAPPLE UPSIDE DOWN CAKE

Makes 8 Servings

TOPPING:
¼ cup (1/2 stick) light butter, melted
1 TBSP heavy whipping cream
½ cup dried cranberries
½ cup light brown sugar
2 apples, cored, peeled & thinly sliced

CAKE:

2 cups all purpose flour
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ cup (1 stick) light butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 cup reduced fat milk
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 cup Splenda granulated (OR sugar)
1 tsp vanilla extract

Cinnamon!!! I cannot believe I didn't get the cinnamon in this pic! Of all the things I love the most....

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 9-inch cake pan with cooking spray.

Pour melted butter into the cake pan.

In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar and whipping cream. Spread evenly over the bottom of the cake pan. Arrange the apple slices evenly over the brown sugar mixture and top with the cranberries.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.

In a large bowl, beat ½ cup butter and sugar with an electric mixer set on medium. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until well combined. Alternately beat the flour mixture and milk on low speed into the egg mixture until combined. Spoon evenly over the apples.

Bake 40 – 4 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes, loosen the cake from the sides of the pan and invert onto a plate.

The buttery sugary goodness on top will absorb into the cake as it 'rests' for 30 minutes.

Let cool for 30 minutes and enjoy!! This can be served 'as is' or with a whipped topping.

Peace.
Jan

CRANAPPLE UPSIDE DOWN CAKE

Makes 8 Servings

TOPPING:

¼ cup (1/2 stick) light butter, melted
1 TBSP heavy whipping cream
½ cup dried cranberries
½ cup light brown sugar
2 apples, cored, peeled & thinly sliced

CAKE:

2 cups all purpose flour
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ cup (1 stick) light butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 cup reduced fat milk
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 cup Splenda granulated (OR sugar)
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 9-inch cake pan with cooking spray.

Pour melted butter into the cake pan.

In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar and whipping cream. Spread evenly over the bottom of the cake pan. Arrange the apple slices evenly over the brown sugar mixture and top with the cranberries.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.

In a large bowl, beat ½ cup butter and sugar with an electric mixer set on medium. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until well combined. Alternately beat the flour mixture and milk on low speed into the egg mixture until combined. Spoon evenly over the apples.

Bake 40 – 4 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes, loosen the cake from the sides of the pan and invert onto a plate.

Let cool for 30 minutes and enjoy!! This can be served 'as is' or with a whipped topping.

Peace.

Jan

 

APPLE PUFF PANCAKE

I can't tell you how happy I am that there's an apple orchard up the mountain! We got some apples from a 'well known' orchard in GA, but the apples we got there weren't as juicy.....in fact, they were 'mealy'.  There is nothing like a delicious, cold, crisp juicy apple......except baked! Or even homemade applesauce. Besides tasting good, it makes your house smell good.....and kind of has a warm/welcome feel. Ok...back to this recipe. It is so easy to make. I could see this as a nice breakfast when the chill is in the air and the leaves are changing color......and hot chocolate is the seasonal comfort drink in your mug. This will impress!!!

APPLE PUFF PANCAKE

Makes 8 Servings

4 TBSP butter (I used light butter)
4 TBSP brown sugar, divided
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 large apples, peeled/cored/thinly sliced
3/4 cup milk (I used 2%)
3 eggs
1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat your oven to 400°.

In a 10-inch cast iron skillet, melt the butter, 1 TBSP brown sugar and cinnamon. Add the apples and cook until they're somewhat soft and there's a bit of a light brown syrup in the bottom of the skillet. Spread the apples evenly in the skillet and remove from the heat.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly.

Pour the batter over the apples. Bake for 15 – 20 minutes or until it puffs up and is a little golden brown.

 

Remove from oven and serve.

 

 

MY SPIN: Look at the size of those apples!!! I would suggest using either 1 apple that size or 2 smaller ones.....there was too much (if there is such a thing) apple compared to pancake. Also, this was incredibly sweet! I would lower the amount of brown sugar to 3 TBSP. I took a bite and, other than it being really sweet, it was very tasty. Then I took a bite with maple syrup ….. try it that way!!!

Enjoy!

Peace.

Jan

PEACH COBBLER-ISH

I 'permanently borrowed' this fabulously easy recipe from Taste Of Home. If you go looking for it, you'll find it listed under "Tennessee Peach Pudding Recipe". Why? Um.....I dunno!!! There is nothing pudding-y about this recipe. It's more cobbler-ish. What I DO know is this is easy and delicious. The hardest part was peeling and slicing the peaches (5 slices for the recipe.....1 for me). Their recipe also said "Half-and-half cream".....pour it over the finished yumminess. Um...NO!!! At least not in Chez Jan! To me, half-and-half is coffee creamer......but maybe that's what would make this pudding-y. That's just something I'll never find out because I'm not gonna do it! Go make this before peaches are out of season......you won't be sorry! Promise!

 

PEACH COBBLER-ISH

Makes 8 Servings

1 cup all-purpose flour

½ cup Splenda granulated (OR sugar)
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
½ tsp cinnamon (optional) *see my spin
½ cup milk
3 cups sliced, peeled fresh or frozen peaches

TOPPING:

1 ½ cups water
½ cup Splenda granulated (OR sugar)
½ cup packed brown sugar
1 TBSP light butter
¼ tsp ground nutmeg

(water not pictured....oops!)

Preheat oven to 400°. Spray an 8x8-inch baking dish.

Don't forget to spray it in your dishwasher to save having to clean up overspray

Combine flour, Splenda (OR sugar), baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir in milk until just combined. Fold in peaches.

Spread into the baking dish.

For the Topping, combine water, Splenda (OR sugar), brown sugar, butter and nutmeg in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring until the sugars have dissolved. Pour over the peach mixture.

 

Bake until the filling is bubbly and a wooden toothpick comes out clean, @40 – 50 minutes.

Serve warm or cold with whipped cream or a GOOD vanilla bean ice cream.

MY SPIN: To know me is to know I love cinnamon, so I used a heaping teaspoon. I also used 2% milk. I would NOT recommend using canned peaches....to liquidy.

Enjoy!

Peace.

Jan

Recipe without pictures:

PEACH COBBLER-ISH

Makes 8 Servings

1 cup all-purpose flour

½ cup Splenda granulated (OR sugar)
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
½ tsp cinnamon (optional) *see my spin
½ cup milk
3 cups sliced, peeled fresh or frozen peaches

TOPPING:

1 ½ cups water
½ cup Splenda granulated (OR sugar)
½ cup packed brown sugar
1 TBSP light butter
¼ tsp ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 400°. Spray an 8x8-inch baking dish.

Combine flour, Splenda (OR sugar), baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir in milk until just combined. Fold in peaches.

Spread into the baking dish.

For the Topping, combine water, Splenda (OR sugar), brown sugar, butter and nutmeg in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring until the sugars have dissolved. Pour over the peach mixture.

Bake until the filling is bubbly and a wooden toothpick comes out clean, @40 – 50 minutes.

Serve warm or cold with whipped cream or a GOOD vanilla bean ice cream.

MY SPIN: To know me is to know I love cinnamon, so I used a heaping teaspoon. I also used 2% milk. I would NOT recommend using canned peaches....to liquidy.

Enjoy!

Peace.

Jan

Magic Cake

I wish I could take credit for this 'magic' cake, but I found it at bakingglory.com. What makes it magic (you didn't ask)? There is no cake-like batter.....and it really comes out more like a crustless egg custard pie type dessert. Whatever you want to call it, it's so worth making. When it first comes out of the oven, it's so light and fluffy looking.....but as it cools, it kind of deflates. Don't let that deflate your happiness! This is truly tasty! And I'm sure you have all the ingredients in your fridge/pantry. So go make it!  (Once again, I'm doing the post like I normally do and then at the end it's posted without the pics to make it easier for you to copy & paste/print.)

 

 

MAGIC CAKE

Makes 9 Servings

Didn't realize the crappy lighting on this.....was in a hurry to taste it!

 

 

4 eggs, separate yolks from whites, at room temperature

1 tsp vanilla extract
¾ cup sugar (or Splenda granulated)
1 stick light butter, melted
¾ cup all-purpose flour
2 cups lukewarm 2% milk

Preheat oven to 325°. Spray an 8x8-inch glass baking dish.

Separate eggs....put the egg whites in a small bowl and mix until they are stiff....set aside.

Put the egg yolks in a medium bowl and mix with the sugar. Add the melted butter and vanilla extract and continue to beat for a minute or two.

Add the flour to the egg yolk mixture and mix together until fully incorporated.

Slowly start adding the milk and mix well.

Add the egg whites, a third at a time, gently folding in with a spatula until all the egg whites are folded in.

Pour the batter into the baking dish and bake for 40 to 70 minutes or until the top is lightly golden. The baking time can vary greatly depending on the oven, so take a look at around 40 minutes and go from there (I cooked mine for 50 minutes).

Let cool and serve. Can be served 'as is' or you can sprinkle a little powdered sugar on it once it has completely cooled.

When this first comes out of the oven, it looks 'puffy'.....

......but after it cools, it 'deflates'.

MAGIC CAKE

Makes 9 Servings

4 eggs, separate yolks from whites, at room temperature

1 tsp vanilla extract
¾ cup sugar (or Splenda granulated)
1 stick light butter, melted
¾ cup all-purpose flour
2 cups lukewarm 2% milk

Preheat oven to 325°. Spray an 8x8-inch glass baking dish.

Separate eggs....put the egg whites in a small bowl and mix until they are stiff....set aside.

Put the egg yolks in a medium bowl and mix with the sugar. Add the melted butter and vanilla extract and continue to beat for a minute or two.

Add the flour to the egg yolk mixture and mix together until fully incorporated.

Slowly start adding the milk and mix well.

Add the egg whites, a third at a time, gently folding in with a spatula until all the egg whites are folded in.

Pour the batter into the baking dish and bake for 40 to 70 minutes or until the top is lightly golden. The baking time can vary greatly depending on the oven, so take a look at around 40 minutes and go from there (I cooked mine for 50 minutes).

Let cool and serve. Can be served 'as is' or you can sprinkle a little powdered sugar on it once it has completely cooled.

Enjoy!

Peace

Jan

Peach Bundt Pound Cake

Well hello!!! It's been a long time since I've been here. I bought a ton of peaches.....just like I did once before.....and now I have to figure out what to do with them. A lot of different things came to mind, but this one in particular jumped out at me. And one of the best things.....I used my Daddy's bundt pan. Yes, he loved to bake and it gave me 'warm fuzzies' to use his bundt pan. This is a really good pound cake. I'm going to do something a little different this time with the 'blahg' post.....I'm going to do it the way I always have and then I'll put the list of ingredients and directions at the end (again) without the pictures so you can copy and paste to print it out without pictures if you want. I truly hope you make this.....it's scrumptious!!!

 

 

PEACH  BUNDT POUND CAKE

Makes 8 or 16 Pieces

(depending upon how big a piece you want)

 

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup light butter, softened (2 sticks)
2 cups Splenda granulated (or sugar)
6 large eggs (or 1 ½ cups egg substitute)
½ tsp almond extract
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
¼ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
½ cup light sour cream
3 cups diced fresh or frozen peaches
3 – 4 TBSP butter, softened
¼ cup granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 350°.

In a 9 – 10” nonstick bundt pan, butter the pan well with the 3 – 4 TBSP butter and dust with the ¼ cup granulated sugar, being sure to turn the pan to get it coated well.

In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and Splenda (or sugar) until light and fluffy.

Add the eggs one at a time (or egg substitute ¼ cup at a time), beating well after each addition.

Beat in the almond and vanilla extracts.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt....mix well.

This is where I added the cinnamon that's not in the list of ingredients.

Add the dry mixture to the batter, alternating with the sour cream, beating well after each addition.

Fold in the peaches and pour the batter into the bundt pan.

Bake for 60 – 70 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool 15 minutes and turn out onto a serving/cake plate.

PEACH POUND BUNDT CAKE

Makes 8 or 16 Pieces

(depending upon how big a piece you want)

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup light butter, softened (2 sticks)
2 cups Splenda granulated (or sugar)
6 large eggs (or 1 ½ cups egg substitute)
1/2 tsp almond extract
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
¼ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
½ cup light sour cream
3 cups diced fresh or frozen peaches
3 – 4 TBSP butter, softened
¼ cup granulated sugar

 

Preheat oven to 350°.

In a 9 – 10” nonstick bundt pan, butter the pan well with the 3 – 4 TBSP butter and dust with the ¼ cup granulated sugar, being sure to turn the pan to get it coated well.

In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and Splenda (or sugar) until light and fluffy.

Add the eggs one at a time (or egg substitute ¼ cup at a time), beating well after each addition.

Beat in the almond and vanilla extracts.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt....mix well.

Add the dry mixture to the batter, alternating with the sour cream, beating well after each addition.

Fold in the peaches and pour the batter into the bundt pan.

Bake for 60 – 70 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool 15 minutes and turn out onto a serving/cake plate.

MY SPIN: To know me is to know I LOVE cinnamon! Peaches and cinnamon just go together. So when I prepared the bundt pan, I sprinkled some cinnamon on the sugar.....and I used real sugar for this. For the batter, I used imitation Splenda. I also added a little in with the dry ingredients. This recipe is a definite keeper! I think the next time I make this, I'm going to not only use vanilla extract but some vanilla beans as well. This can be served 'as is' or with a dollop of whipped cream or a good vanilla or chocolate ice cream.

Peace & Love

Jan

Vanilla Bean Pudding Cake

All  can say is it's a good thing this recipe turned out as delicious as it did. I could not find vanilla beans or vanilla paste around here. My husband and I drove 80 miles (yikers!!!) round trip to get them! I bought the last jar of 3 beans the store had, and they were kind enough to hold them for me until I got there. And then.....oh wait until you get to MY SPIN. Ugh! But the end result is fabulous! It kind of looks/sounds difficult, but it's not. We all know I don't do difficult. Because of the pudding type sauce, this is really moist. If you like vanilla, this is the dessert for you!

 



VANILLA BEAN PUDDING CAKE

Makes Either 9 Servings OR 8 Ramekins

PUDDING:

2 ½ tsp cornstarch
1 ½ cups whole milk, divided
½ cup sugar
½ vanilla bean, split and scrapped (or 1 tsp vanilla bean paste)
1/8 tsp salt

CAKE:

1 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup sugar
1 ½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 large egg
3 TBSP light butter, melted
1 TBSP vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350°. Either butter or use a butter spray to coat an 8” square baking dish or 8 8-oz ramekins.

For the pudding, place the cornstarch in a small saucepan and add 2 TBSP of the milk, stirring until there are no lumps. Add the remaining milk, the sugar, split vanilla bean and its seeds (or the vanilla bean paste) and salt. Heat until the mixture is just simmering, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. The pudding will thicken slightly, but not more than slightly.

Pour the pudding mixture in the prepared baking dish or ramekins. (See MY SPIN)

For the cake, in a large mixing bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, butter and vanilla. Add to the dry ingredients until just moistened.

Pour the cake mixture over the pudding mixture.

Bake 25 – 30 minutes regardless of which you use (baking dish or ramekins) until the top is golden and a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The sides will be a little bubbly from the pudding.

Cool 15 minutes and serve warm. This can be served 'as is' or with a nice fruit compote or that delicious Blueberry Sauce I shared last month.

MY SPIN: Put the baking dish or ramekins on a cookie sheet before you put the cake in the oven!!

And now I have to clean the oven! UGH!!!

Loving Life!

Peace.
Jan