Neapolitan Cake

The idea for this cake came from another baking blog, but the description of their cake said that it was light and fluffy and, frankly, that just isn't how I like my cake.  I prefer a cake that is dense and nicely textured.  It also seemed to me that, if I was mixing cake flavors, each layer should be as flavorful as possible so as to stand out but also mix well.  It might seem sort of ridiculous to make three different cakes for this recipe, but one bite and it won't seem ridiculous at all. It certainly isn't an everyday cake, but I made this as a birthday cake at it was amazing.

Makes one layer cake

Vanilla Cake:
1 cup flour
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter, room temperature
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
2 egg whites (1/4 cup)

1. Grease and flour an 8-inch round cake pan.  Set aside.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer.  Stir in butter until mixture resembles crumbs.  Pour in 1/4 cup milk, vanilla, and almond extract.  Beat until batter is smooth.  Add remaining milk and egg whites; beat well. 
3. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until it tests done.  Cool in pan for 15 minutes, then turn onto cooling rack and cool completely.

Strawberry Cake:
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons butter, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 egg
1/2 egg white (1 tablespoon)
1 drop gel red food coloring
1/3 cup milk
1 cup finely diced strawberries

1. Grease and flour an 8-inch round cake pan.  Preheat oven to 350.
2. In small bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, and salt.  Set aside.
3. In bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar together until fluffy.  Add vanilla and almond extract, then beat well.  Stir in egg and white, then beat well.  Mix in red food coloring until a pretty pink color.  Stir in half the flour mixture, then all of the milk, then the rest of the flour mixture.  Stir in strawberry pieces by hand, gently folding just until incorporated.
4. Pour batter into prepared pan.  Smooth top and place cake in oven.  Bake for 25-35 minutes or until it tests done.  Cool in pan on cooling rack for 15 minutes, then turn onto cooling rack to cool completely.

Chocolate Cake:
6 tablespoons hot water
6 tablespoons Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 egg white (1 tablespoon)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/3 cup sour cream

1. Grease and flour an 8-inch round cake pan.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In small bowl, mix hot water and cocoa powder together until smooth.  Set aside.
3. Mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a small bowl. Set aside.
4. In bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until fluffy.  Add egg, white, vanilla, and almond extract.  Beat well.  Beat in cocoa mixture until incorporated.  Beat in half the flour, then all the sour cream, then the rest of the flour. 
5. Pour into prepared pan and smooth top. Bake in prepared oven for 25-35 minutes or until cake tests done.  Cool in pan on cooling rack for 15 minutes, then turn onto cooling rack to cool completely.

Assemble Cake:
Vanilla Cake
Strawberry Cake
Chocolate Cake
Strawberry Filling
Strawberry White Chocolate Frosting
Shaved white and dark chocolate, for decoration

1. Cut each cake layer in half to make two thin layers.  You should have 6 layers of cake.
2. Place a dollop of frosting on a cake plate.  Place chocolate layer on plate.  Spread with 1/5 of the filling on cake layer and smooth to within 1/4 inch of edge.  Top with strawberry layer and smooth with another 1/5 of the filling.  Top with vanilla cake layer and smooth another 1/5 of the filling.  Repeat layers with chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla and the remaining filling.  If desired, cut a bamboo skewer to the same height as the cake and push it into the middle of the cake, from the top down, to keep the layers in place.
3. Frost the cake with the white chocolate frosting.  If desired, frost with a very thin layer of frosting and refrigerate for 30 minutes to seal in crumbs.  Frost sides and top of cake evenly.  Sprinkle shaved chocolates over the top of the cake, if using.
4. Refrigerate cake until ready to eat. For best flavor, allow cake to chill for at least 3 hours to blend flavors.  Cake can be stored in refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Strawberry White Chocolate Frosting

I have made a couple of different kinds of strawberry frosting and never been real happy with them.  Somehow they never seem to actually taste like strawberry.  I decided to try simply adding strawberry to a frosting that I use quite often an adapted cream cheese frosting.  The result was a frosting that actually tasted like berries, but still also worked as frosting.  I used it on my Neapolitan Cake, but it would also be delicious just on white or chocolate cake.

Makes about 3 cups frosting (enough for a layer cake or about 24 cupcakes)

1 1/2 cup strawberries, hulled and cut in half
4 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
3 oz white chocolate, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
2 1/2 to 3 cups powdered sugar

1. Process strawberries in chopper or food processor until pureed. Pour puree into a fine mesh strainer over a bowl.  Push puree through strainer with a spatula until about 1/2 cup of liquid is in the bowl. Set aside.
2. In mixing bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and cream cheese together until combined.  Mix in cooled white chocolate until incorporated.  Beat in strawberry puree, scrapping bowl and beater well.  Beat in vanilla and almond extract.  Stir in powdered sugar, one cup at a time, until frosting is fluffy.  It might be a bit loose, but you should not have to add more than 3 cups of the powdered sugar.  Refrigerate frosting until ready to use, at least 30 minutes.  Frosting can be stored in the refrigerator until ready to use, up to one week.

Strawberry Filling

I made this strawberry filling to go with the Neapolitan cake, but it would be delicious with anything that needs a little hit of strawberry.  I could see it on scones or as the filling in cupcakes of any kind.  Be aware, though, that the flavor in this really is strong so don't plan on using a lot in a small area.  I used one batch to fill layers for a 6-layer cake, so it makes a good-sized batch.

Makes about 2 cups

2 cups strawberries, hulled and cut in half (about 10-15 berries)
Lemon juice
3 egg yolks (if making Neapolitan Cake, save whites)
1 egg
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
5 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces

1. Pulse strawberries in chopper or food processor until they are liquified.  Pour pureed berries into a fine mesh strainer over a bowl. Using a spatula, press juice out of puree.  The seeds and pulp will stay in the strainer.  You should have about 2/3 cup juice from the puree. Add enough lemon juice to bring the level up to 3/4 cup (1-2 tablespoons). Set aside.
2. In small mixing bowl, whisk egg yolks and egg white together.  Set aside.
3. In small saucepan, mix sugar and cornstarch together.  Stir strawberry puree into sugar mixture until sugar is absorbed.  Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.  Working quickly, whisk about half the strawberry mixture into eggs.  Whisk egg-strawberry mixture back into saucepan and whisk together quickly.  Bring mixture back to a boil and simmer for 2 minutes.  Remove from heat.
4. Stir almond extract into the strawberry filling.  Stir in the butter, a piece at a time, until each piece is melted.  Pour filling into heat-proof bowl and place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the filling.  Refrigerate filling until ready to use, at least 1 hour.  Mixture can be refrigerated up to a week.

Raspberry Cobbler with Lattice or Biscuit Topping

We tried to limit the raspberry picking this year.  It has been amazingly hot here for a long time, so I only made myself pick berries once.  I also still have a lot of jam from last year and made blueberry jam earlier this year, so I only had the one cobbler this year.  In order to make the most of it, I made a extra and made two toppings.  That way I got two desserts for the work of one.  The way I wrote the recipe, though, you pick one make that. I recommend using a large casserole dish for the lattice topping or biscuit topping, but making the biscuit topping if you use ramekins.

Serves 6

Filling:
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon lemon extract
8 cups raspberries

Lattice Top:
1 1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons cold water

Biscuit Top:
1 1/2 cup flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons cold butter
1/3 cold buttermilk, plus more as needed

1. Grease a deep 2-quart casserole pan or 8 8-oz ramekins. Line a cookie sheet with foil and place casserole pan or ramekins on it.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. To make the filling, mix all of the filling ingredients except raspberries and set aside.
3. To make Lattice Topping: Mix the flour and the salt together in a small bowl.  In a measuring cup, mix water and oil together until frothy.  Stir oil and water into flour mixture, mixing until well-blended and mixture forms a ball.  Roll out between two sheets of waxed paper until roughly the shape and size of your casserole dish opening.  Remove one layer of the waxed paper and set to the side.  Cut topping into strips and space half of them evenly on the other sheet of waxed paper.Weave remaining strips through the first grid, spacing evenly.
4. To make the Biscuit Topping: Mix flour, baking powder, and salt together in a small bowl.  Cut in butter with a pastry blender or fingers until the mixture looks like course crumbs.  Stir in buttermilk until mixture comes together and is sticky.
5. Once you have made your topping, stir the raspberries into the rest of the filling ingredients.  Pour filling into prepared dish, then top with topping.  For Lattice Topping, flip lattice onto casserole dish and and press ends of strips down.  For Biscuit Topping, drop filling by heaping spoonfuls on top of filling, spacing evenly.  Sprinkle topping with sugar.
6. Bake cobblers in prepared oven for 30-40 minutes for ramekins or 45-55 minutes for casserole dish.  Cobbler is done when the topping is golden and the fruit juices are bubbling.  Allow to cool to a warm temperature before serving.

Fruit Parfait Poundcake

I saw the idea for this in a magazine and it looked really really good.  The original recipe, though, used a purchased poundcake, which I am not generally a fan of.  They always seem to be heavy of texture and light on flavor.  The cake recipe for this, though, has flavor almost to spare.  With the poundcake so flavorful, the fruit and cream can be kept very simple.  The best part about it is that it is made ahead and frozen, meaning it keeps for a longer time and is very refreshing in the summer heat.

Makes 1 loaf (8-10 servings)

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Zest of one lemon
1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup sour cream
8 oz container Cool Whip
1 1/2 cup berries (I used blueberries, but raspberries and strawberries would also be delicious)

1. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan well.  Preheat oven to 325.
2. In bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until fluffy.  Add eggs and beat well.  Add extracts and zest, mixing well.  Stir in 1/2 cup flour, then all of sour cream, then the remaining 1 cup flour. 
3. Pour poundcake batter into the prepared pan.  Bake in preheated oven for 55-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
4. Remove poundcake from oven and allow it to cool completely on a cooling rack.
5. Once poundcake is cool, lay it on its side on a cutting board.  With a long serrated knife, cut poundcake into three separate layers.
6. Line a clean 9x5 inch loaf pan with parchment.  Place the bottom of the poundcake in the clean pan.  Spread 1/4 of the Cool Whip evenly on top, then sprinkle it with half of the berries.  Spread another 1/4 of the Cool Whip over berries, smoothing as evenly as possible.  Repeat layers of cake and Cool Whip and berries once more, then top with the cake top.  Gently press top down to spread fillings.
7. Cover poundcake with plastic wrap.  Freeze poundcake for 4 hours or until ready to eat (it will keep for up to a week).  When ready to serve, allow to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes to soften.  Slice like a cake with a thin serrated knife.

Creamy Tomato Pasta Bake

One of the pasta restaurants around me reworked their menu a while ago and did away with one of my favorite dishes. It wasn't a perfect dish at the restaurant, but it was something different than the pasta normally offered.  I decided rather than letting it go, that I might as well try to make it myself.  Be aware if you make this recipe that it makes a very full casserole dish, so it will probably be enough pasta for a family.  It has a bit of something for everyone, though, so I really recommend it.

Serves 4-6

1 package cheese tortellini, enough to serve 4
1 cooked chicken breast, cut into bite-sized piece
1 Italian turkey sausage link, cooked and cut into thin coins
1 1/2 cup marinara
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons flour
Salt, pepper, and garlic salt to taste
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 cup Italian six-cheese blend

1. Preaheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 2-quart casserole dish.
2. Cook tortellini according to package directions, undercooking slightly.  Drain well.  Place pasta in a greased casserole dish with the chicken and sausage, stirring well.  Stir in marinara and smooth top.  Set aside.
3. In small saucepan, whisk flour and milk together.  Set on medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture simmers and thickens.  Stir in salt, pepper, and garlic salt to taste.  Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan cheese.
4. Pour creamy Parmesan sauce evenly over pasta-tomato mixture.  Do not stir.  Sprinkle evenly with six-cheese blend.
5. Bake pasta dish for 30 minutes or until sauces are bubbly and cheese on the top is browned.  Serve immediately.

Spring Fruits Pie

I have never really seen the point of the "Fruits of the Forest" pie.  It might just be that I hate all pies that aren't homemade (frozen and store-bought aren't really my thing) and fruits of the forest was not one that I had ever had.  Frankly, the concept of apples with berries sounded sort of gross. There is a story behind how I then ended up making one; a story that involves me thinking I had much more rhubarb than I really had and stupid already having measured all the dry ingredients for pie filling into the mixing bowl.  Apples are tart and I had some, so that's what ended up in this pie.  The pie has a very pretty color and a fantastic flavor.

Makes 9-inch pie

Crust for double-crust pie
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
Dash cinnamon
1/2 cup diced rhubarb
1 cup sliced strawberries
3 Granny Smith apples, sliced into bite-sized pieces
Sugar, for sprinkling

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In large mixing bowl, mix sugar and flour.  Stir in cinnamon.  Toss all fruits with with the sugar mixture and set aside.
3. Usually I let the fruit filling sit while I make the crusts.  The fruits in the filling will release juices and the flour will start to thicken it as it sits. 
4. Roll out the bottom crust and fit it to the pie plate. Stir the fruit filling and pour it into the lined pie plate.  Roll out top crust, cut a vent, and place it over the fruit filling.  Seal the edges and flute them as you desire.  Sprinkle the top crust with a fine layer of sugar to help it brown.
5. Bake pie in oven for 40-45 minutes or until the crust is golden and the filling bubbles out of the vent.  Remove pie to cooling rack.  Serve warm of cooled.