Monday, May 23, 2011

Party Files: Menu (with cake recipes!)



 Last post about the party.  We got a ton of requests for the cake recipes, so those are included at the end.  For the main course we grilled eggplant, asparagus, black bean burgers, chicken-apple sausage, and turkey burgers (I used this recipe and went heavy on the parsely and grated in a few carrots).  Guests all brought side dishes including fruit, salads, hummus, and salsa.  There was a ton of delicious wholesome food - most of which Leo could eat.

It was important to us for him to have a good meal before his first foray into cake.  And he did.  Well, he was mostly too distracted to eat - but every bite he took was packed with good things.  And man did he love his cakes.  Jessica made them both from scratch using fruit purees, whole wheat flour, low sugar, and lots of love.






The first cake was a chocolate-banana cake with chocolate frosting and a layer of fresh bananas in the center. 


The second cake was a strawberry-blueberry cake with cream cheese frosting.

The cakes were a huge hit.  I think a few guest were hesitant to try them since they sounded so healthy - but everyone was pleasantly surprised by how delicious they were.  Well not everyone, many of our former Hoi Polloi customers knew exactly how delicious jb's health conscious baking can be.

 

Banana chocolate cake
1 cup whole wheat flour
¾ cup all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
½ cup cocoa
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup canola oil
2 eggs
½ teaspoon vanilla
2 cups mashed ripe banana

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour two 8-inch x 2-inch round cake pans.
Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, vanilla and banana. Add wet ingredients with the dry and mix just to combine.  Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Turn them out onto a cooling rack, cool completely, and frost.

Chocolate frosting:

½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
½ pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 egg yolk
½ teaspoon vanilla
¾ cup powdered sugar

Place the chocolate chips in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water.  Stir until just melted and let cool to room temperature.  On medium speed of an electric mixer, beat the butter until light yellow and fluffy, about three minutes.  Add the egg yolk and vanilla and continue beating for three minutes.  Turn the mixer to low, gradually add the powdered sugar and then beat at medium speed until smooth and creamy.  On low speed, add the chocolate and mix until blended.  Spread immediately on the cooled cake.

Blueberry strawberry cake

2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup sugar
¾ cup canola oil
¾ cup pureed blueberries
¾ cup purred strawberries
4 eggs, beaten

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Butter and flour three 8-inch x 2-inch round cake pans.  In  a large bowl, stir to combine flour, sugar; in a second bowl combine oil, pureed berries, vanilla and eggs.  Add wet ingredients to dry.  Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 28 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Turn them out onto a cooling rack, cool completely, and frost.

Cream cheese frosting

 
Eight ounces cream cheese
One stick butter
¼ teaspoon vanilla
¾ cup powdered sugar

Beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla together until smooth.  Slowly add the sugar until you achieve your desired consistency.



3 comments:

  1. Speaking from first-hand experience, the Blueberry Strawberry cake was delicious!

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  2. Anonymous5/24/2011

    OMG yum! Totally making the berry cake!

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  3. It all looks beautiful - I especially love the LEO in bananas! So fantastic <3

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