Gourmet Cookie Bouquets Recipe Blog

Archive for the ‘Cakes’ Category

If you enjoy gourmet desserts with your cup of coffee, then you'll certainly enjoy this recipe for coffee cake. With a splash of apricot, you really can't go wrong!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup warm milk (105 to 115 degrees)

• 2 packages active dry yeast

• 1 cup butter, softened

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

• 2 eggs, slightly beaten

• 1 tsp. salt

• 1 tsp. ground cardamom

• 5 to 5 1/2 cups all purpose flour

• 1 cup prepared apricot filling

• 1/2 cup chopped dates

• 2 cups sifted powdered sugar

• 3 tbsp. light cream or half and half

• 1/2 tsp. vanilla

• 1/4 tsp. almond extract

In a large bowl, combine the milk and yeast; stir to dissolve yeast. Stir in butter, granulated sugar, eggs, salt, cardamom and 2 cups of the flour; beat until smooth. Stir in enough of the remaining flour to make the dough easy to handle. Turn out onto lightly floured surface. Knead for 10 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic, adding as much remaining flour as needed to prevent sticking. Shape dough into a ball. Place in a large, buttered bowl; turn dough once to butter surface. Cover with waxed paper; let rise in a warm place (85 degrees) until doubled, about 1 ½ hours. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine apricot filling and dates; set aside.

Pinch dough down; divide into 3 equal pieces. Roll out one third dough on lightly floured surface into 12 x 10 inch rectangle. Spoon one third of apricot mixture down the center third of dough. Fold all 4 sides over so that they meet at the center of filling; pinch to seal. Place dough seam side down on a buttered baking sheet. With scissors, snip 1 inch wide strips on its side to expose filling. Cover; let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 30 minutes. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for about 18 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire racks to cool completely. In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar, cream, vanilla and almond extract; mix well. Drizzle over the coffee cakes.

For more coffee cake options, try:

• Chocolate Streusel Coffee Cake
• Cream Cheese Swirl Coffee Cake
• Cranberry Apple Streusel Coffee Cake
• Ladder Coffee Cakes

If you're looking to send birthday cake to a loved one, you might consider making a unique cake such as jintan cake. This simple recipe makes for a delicious treat in about 30 minutes!

Ingredients:

• 4 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. ground anise
• 1 cup sifted flour
• 3/4 tsp. baking powdered

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch layer-cake pan and dust with flour.

Beat the eggs and sugar until very thick and light. Sift the anise, flour, and baking powdered into it and folds in lightly but thoroughly. Bake 30 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool on a cake rack. Turn out and cut into pie-shaped wedges.

For other cake ideas, try:

• Eggless Milkless Butterless Cake
• Giant Cupcake Cake
• Birthday Cakes Made Easy
• Double Dutch Chocolate Chip Cake

This recipe includes many ingredients that you'd use for cookies or muffins. Most of it will be in your cupboards already which is nice because you don't have to make a special trip to the store! To get started:

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cups plus 2 tbsp. all purpose flour

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

• 1/2 tsp. baking soda

• 1/2 tsp. salt

• 1 egg

• 3/4 cup milk

• 3/4 cup sweetened applesauce

• 1/4 cup butter, melted

• 1 cup fresh cranberries, coarsely chopped

• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

In a medium bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups of the flour, 1/4 cup of the sugar, the baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a small bowl, combine the egg, milk, applesauce, and butter; mix well. Add egg mixture to flour mixture; stir just until moistened. Batter will be lumpy; do not over mix. In a small bowl, toss cranberries with remaining 2 tbsp. Of flour; fold into batter. Spoon batter evenly into 12 greased 2 3/4 inch muffin cups. In measuring cup, combine remaining 1/4 cup sugar and the cinnamon. Sprinkle over tops of muffins. Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to a wire rack and cool.

More muffins recipes:

• Almond Citrus Muffins
• Pineapple Citrus Muffins

Muffins make great dessert gifts, and it doesn't get much better than pineapple! Try this recipe for a unique muffin batch.

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup honey

• 1/4 cup butter, softened

• 1 egg

• 1 can (8 oz.) crushed pineapple

• 1 tbsp. grated orange peel

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• 1 cup whole wheat flour

• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

• 1/4 tsp. salt

• 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

• 1 cup chopped dates

• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, optional

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a large mixer bowl, beat together honey and butter for 1 minute. Beat in the egg, then undrained pineapple and orange peel. In a medium bowl, combine the remaining ingredients; stir into pineapple mixture until just blended.

Spoon batter into 12 greased muffin cups. Bake in a preheated oven for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool slightly in pan before turning out onto wire rack. Serve warm.

Love muffins? Try this tasty recipe for Apple Cranberry Muffins.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

• 1/4 cup all purpose flour

• 1/4 cup butter, softened

• 3/4 cup chopped gourmet nuts

• 3/4 cup Semi sweet mini chocolate chips

Combine brown sugar, flour and butter in a medium bowl until crumbly. Stir in nuts and mini chips.

Love Streusel? Try this recipe for Cranberry Apple Streusel Coffee Cake.