Playing Favorites

This morning, Mom and Dad had planned to go out for breakfast, but when we got up, this was the scene outside the window: 

So, being obviously snowed in, Mom decided to seek inspiration for a special breakfast from her trusty BCC, where she found what Betty claims to be "Favorite Coffee Cake." Not sure what makes it "the favorite" or who got to determine that it was "the favorite"... Possibly Betty's daughter? I personally think Mom should call all her recipes "the favorite."

Favorite Coffee Cake (p. 55 of the BCC): You can bake it in a round layer pan or a square 2" deep pan. It had a special topping, a mixture of brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and butter. And to make it a Chandler family favorite, Mom added roasted pecans. And of course it's best served warm. 

It was delicious, thick and fluffy, just like the surprise snow fall we woke up to this morning. 

Back with a Bundt

Hi everyone! Sorry for the long lull in blogging activity. Let me assure you, our silence was not due to a lack of cooking. But most of what Mom has been creating are not recipes from the BCC. So we've decided to return with a broader vision... referring you to recipes from all sorts of resources! We will still promote the BCC and direct you to delicious dishes from its pages, but we will also reveal recipes we found in magazines, on the back of napkins and receipt slips, from old-fashioned family recipe cards, and other cookbooks... yes, maybe even The JOY of Cooking. This will give us a little more creative culinary freedom, will expand our audience, and will give you more opportunities to share with us your own kitchen adventures. What do you make for your husband's sake? Send it to us so we can share the love!

Today's recipe came from the February 2015 Southern Living magazine, p. 106 - the Triple-Chocolate Buttermilk Pound Cake. Mom made it for Dad this week, just for fun. And boy, was it fun... to eat! I mean, come on... I know there is a hole in this cake, but there are also TWO layers of icing on top! I highly recommend it, maybe even as a special Valentine treat.

THE CAKE:
2 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 c. unsweet cocoa
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. table salt
1 1/2 c. softened butter
3 c. granulated sugar
5 large eggs, room temp
1 1/4 c. buttermilk
2 tsp. instant espresso
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. 60% cacao bittersweet choc. morsels
shortening

THE CHOCOLATE GLAZE:
3/4 c. semisweet choc. morsels
3 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. light corn syrup
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

THE BUTTERMILK GLAZE:
1 c. powdered sugar
1-2 Tbsp. buttermilk
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

Prepare the cake. Preheat oven to 325 F.
Flour mixture: Whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt.
Egg mixture: Beat butter in a medium bowl on medium speed with a mixer until smooth. Gradually add sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until yolk disappears.
Buttermilk mixture: Combine buttermilk, espresso, and vanilla.
Add flour mixture and buttermilk mixture alternatively to the egg mixture. Make sure to begin and end with the flour mixture. Beat on low speed after each addition.
Fold in bittersweet chocolate morsels.
Pour batter into a well-greased, floured, 12-cup Bundt pan. Sharply tap pan on counter to remove air bubbles.
Bake at 325 F for 75-85 minutes. Cool in pan on a wire rack 20 minutes. Remove from pan, cool completely on rack.

Prepare the glazes.
Chocolate glaze: Combine semisweet chocolate, butter, and corn syrup in a microwave-safe glass bowl. Microwave at Medium 1-1 1/2 minutes, stirring after 1 minute. Stir until smooth. Stir in vanilla.
Buttermilk glaze: Whisk together the sugar, 1 Tbsp buttermilk, and vanilla in a small bowl until smooth. Add more buttermilk, if desired.
Drizzle the warm chocolate glaze and then the buttermilk glaze over the cooled cake.

Makes 10-12 servings.

Guest Post: Balancing the Fall

We are so excited about the response we're getting from our readers, who are inspired to cook and bake for their families. Tonight we are giving the BCC a break, and bringing to you a very special guest post from our very own Amanda Chandler, who is truly a gifted cook and writer!

I'm sitting on my deck watching a gorgeous Ohio fall sunset. Ahhhhh, fall...I love rekindling our love affair each year!

I've been thinking the last few days how much I love fall, especially since I now live in Ohio and the first day of fall actually feels like fall...unlike Memphis's fall which actually starts 3 days before winter. But like so many other areas of life, I find balance hard during this time of the year too. I want to stuff my face full of all things pumpkin and bread and creamy soups and cheesy casseroles....but I dislike having to "stuff" myself in my clothes the following days. I want to work in the yard and be active outside, soaking up every minute of the nearly perfect weather, but I also want to snuggle down with a book and ignore any prodding to be productive. Although I haven't considered it until now, I feel like 'balance' (specifically finding it) has been a strong theme in my life this year. Balancing grief and regret with grace and forgiveness. Balancing stress and frustration with peace and trust. Balancing chaos with contentment. It has been a year full of letting go and trusting God's promises to bring things "greater than I could have ever imagined" (thanks Dad!). And as always, God's promises are true and sound.

Speaking of balance, and the real reason for this blog...PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE. Talk about balance! Ginger snap crust. Creamy filling with cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, and pumpkin. A surprise sour cream topping that is the perfect collaboration of cool and sweet. Seriously, it is the very picture of fall...and balance.

So go ahead and experience balance: make this scrumptious treat with someone you love, read a book while it bakes, eat a piece or two....and then stop so that you can fit into your clothes later. But whether or not you make this cheesecake, learn to enjoy life. All of it. And thank God...because there's bound to be an endless supply of fall and cheesecake in Heaven.

Pumpkin Cheesecake (Joy of Cooking cookbook, page 983):


For the crust: Sorry I don't really have a recipe. I combine ginger snaps, graham crackers, about 1/4 cup melted butter and a couple tbsp of sugar in food processor.



For the cheesecake: It is essential that you use a springform pan. I think mine is a 10 inch but you could use one slightly smaller or larger and it would be fine.

Also, fill a small pan (I use a loaf pan) with water and put in the oven the entire time. This keeps moisture in the air and helps prevent cracking. This is also a must.

Combine:

2/3 cup brown sugar ( my fav is dark, but you can definitely use light)

3/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp cloves

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

In large bowl, beat until smooth:

1 lb cream cheese (do not use low fat...this is cheesecake for crying out loud!)

Gradually add the sugar mixture and beat until smooth, scrapping the sides of the bowl often, about 2 minutes.

Beat in 1 at a time until well blended:

2 large egg yolks

2 large eggs

Add and beat just until mixed:

1 cup pumpkin purée

Scrape into crust and smooth the top. Set the pan on the baking sheet. Bake for 30 min @ 350 degrees, reduce temp to 325 degrees and bake an additional 10 minutes, or until edges are puffed but the center still jiggles when pan is tapped.



Meanwhile, whisk together:1 cup sour cream 

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Pour on top of hot cake and tilt pan to spread evenly. Return to oven for 7 minutes. Place pan on rack and cover pan with large inverted bowl or pot to cool the cake slowly. Let cool completely before unmolding. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, preferably 24 hours. (So apparently this is about balance and endurance- sheesh! But truly just like my husband was...it's worth the wait! Ha!) Enjoy!

"The Candy Bar Cake"

After much anticipation (you were anticipating, weren't you?), we bring to you our first BCC cake recipe! This is by far the messiest thing we have made... but then, when you're dealing with all things marshmallowy, caramely, and fudgey, what else could you possibly expect?

There was definitely magic happening in the kitchen... the way Mom danced, flitted, and giggled reminded me a bit of the fairy, Fauna, in Disney's Sleeping Beauty... 

Of course, I had my share of giggling too... How could I not with a bowl full of butterscotch at my side? 

Chocolate Buttermallow Cake (from page 92 of the BCC): Yes, that is the official name of this cake, which is almost as ridiculous as the cake itself. A Red Devils Food Cake, with Butterscotch Filling, crushed pecans, Marshmallow Frosting, and don't forget the chocolate swirl garnish... because there just wasn't enough sugar already. This thing must have come from the mind of an insane Queen of Candyland or something. Anyway, it was tons of fun to make! But what would the critics think of the taste?

As promised, we took it to the church luncheon at Triad Christian Fellowship today. If you were not there, you really missed it - not just the cake, but quite a spread of delicious dishes, like mashed potatoes, chicken casserole. pasta salad, corn casserole, barbecue tortillas, and more, much more! 

The thing that made my day, though, was when I came into the fellowship hall after the service and saw what appeared to be adolescent male vulchers, swarming hungrily around the dessert table. The Chocolate Buttermallow Cake was sitting there in all its hyperactive-disorderly glory, tempting its admirers. Mom smiled, and without saying a word, cut a small chunk off the corner and dropped it into an eager outstretched hand. Ethan tasted it cautiously as the other boys leaned forward with wide eyes, saying, "What's it like? Is it good?" Ethan nodded and started naming off the flavors he could identify. Then he smiled and stuffed the rest of the treat in his mouth. After a satisfied gulp and sigh, he said, "Yeah, that's delicious. I'm gonna eat two more pieces!" 

 Ladies and gentlemen, that is what I call success!