Fruit Crunch Cake Food

THE BEST LOUISIANA CRUNCH CAKE EVER

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 350 Degrees Fahrenheit.
• 2. Sift together cake flour, salt, baking powder and soda. Set aside.
• 3. In a large separate bowl, beat butter until very fluffy (approx. 5 minuets) then add 2 cups of sugar. Continue to beat until light and fluffy (approx. 2 more minutes).
• 4. Beat in eggs, one at a time, making sure that each egg is thoroughly blended before adding the next egg.
• 5. Mix in sour cream and vanilla extract.
• 6. Blend in some of the dry ingredients followed by some of the buttermilk in alternates. This is a way to ensure that the ingredients are being thoroughly blended together -- For example; add dry mixture followed by buttermilk, dry mixture, buttermilk dry mixture -- so on and so forth -- DO NOT OVER BEAT OTHERWISE CAKE WILL BECOME HARD AS A BRICK ONCE FINISHED BAKING!
• 7. Grease a bundt cake pan. I used a non stick angle food spring formed tube pan. If you do not have a non stick pan, be sure to grease your pan and dust with flour! Add in 1/4 cup of sugar to the bottom of pan and about 3 inches up the sides, tapping the pan to ensure even distribution. Leave excess sugar in pan. Sprinkle coconut flakes to the bottom of the pan. Scrape batter into the bundt pan and spread evenly.
• 8. Bake for about 50 minutes to an hour or until a wooden skewer inserted comes out clean (if it comes out wet, bake another 10 minutes or so, if it comes out crumbly, you over baked the cake).
• 9. Let cake cool for about 10 minutes, then carefully remove from pan, making sure that the sugary coconut side is faced upward. Use a knife to scrape the sides if cake becomes stuck. (this step is very important otherwise your cake will continue to bake and will become very dry and completely stuck in the pan).
• 10. Drizzle glaze over the crunchy top portion of cake. Please use my Vanilla Almond Glaze recipe to complete this cake!

THE BEST FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Combine the raisins, currants, apricots, figs, prunes, dates, walnuts, pecans, orange zest, lemon zest, candied ginger, pumpkin pie spice and cloves in a large bowl and toss to combine. Add 1 cup of the brandy, orange liqueur and molasses and stir to coat. Cover and set aside to macerate overnight. (Alternatively, cover the bowl and microwave 2 minutes, or until very hot. Leave covered and let sit until almost all the liquid has been absorbed into the fruit and nuts, about 2 hours.)
• Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F. Spray two 9-by-5-inch loaf pans with nonstick cooking spray and line each with 2 pieces of parchment, one lengthwise and one crosswise, leaving a 2-inch overhang on each side. Spray the parchment with cooking spray.
• Sprinkle 1/2 cup flour over the soaked fruit mixture and toss to coat. Whisk together the remaining 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.
• Cream the butter and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add the eggs, one at a time, making sure each is fully incorporated before adding the next and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla. Reduce the speed to medium-low and beat in the flour mixture until the batter is blended and smooth. Pour the batter over the fruit mixture and fold with a rubber spatula until all the fruit is coated in batter.
• Divide the mixture evenly between the two prepared pans, filling each about 3/4 full. Bake until the cakes begin to pull away from the sides of the pans, the tops spring back slightly when pressed and a cake tester comes out clean, about 1 1/2 hours. Transfer to a wire rack and brush with the remaining 2 tablespoons brandy. Let the cakes cool in the pans for about 15 minutes. Carefully remove each cake from its pan using the parchment overhang and place on the rack to cool completely.
• To store, wrap each loaf tightly in plastic and then foil. The wrapped fruitcakes can be stored in a cool, dry place for up to 3 months.

BLUEBERRY CRUMB CAKE

Steps:

• For the cake:
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 9-inch round baking pan.
• For the streusel:
• Combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a bowl. Stir in the melted butter and then the flour. Mix well and set aside.
• For the cake:
• Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on high speed for 4 to 5 minutes, until light. Reduce the speed to low and add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla, lemon zest, and sour cream. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the batter until just combined. Fold in the blueberries and stir with a spatula to be sure the batter is completely mixed.
• Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and spread it out with a knife. With your fingers,
• crumble the topping evenly over the batter. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool completely and serve sprinkled with confectioners' sugar.

SUMMER FRUIT DRIZZLE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Grease a 900g/2lb loaf tin and line the base and ends with a long strip of baking parchment. Put the butter, caster sugar, flour, eggs and vanilla extract into a large bowl and beat with an electric hand mixer for 5 mins until pale and creamy - the mixture will be very thick.
• Spread one-third of the cake mix into the tin, then scatter over 50g of the fruit. Carefully dot and spread another third of the cake mix on top, and scatter with another 50g fruit. Finally dot the rest of the cake mix over and gently spread with the back of a spoon. Bake for 1 hr, until an inserted skewer comes out clean.
• Poke the cake all over with a skewer. Put remaining 75g fruit into a bowl with the granulated sugar. Stir in 1 tbsp of the citrus juice first with a fork, mashing a little of the fruit as you go. If it's a bit dry, add a splash more juice and spoon over the cake. Leave in the tin until the cake is cool and the topping is set and crisp.

CHERRY CRUNCH CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Spread cherry pie filling in a 9x12-inch glass dish.
• Pour cake mix into a large bowl. Stir in butter slowly until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle crumbly mixture over cherry pie filling.
• Bake in the preheated oven until top is golden, 30 to 32 minutes.

HAZELNUT CRUNCH CAKE WITH HONEYED KUMQUATS

Steps:

• For nut crunch:
• Line baking sheet with foil. Stir sugar and 1/4 cup water in heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat; boil without stirring until syrup turns deep amber, brushing down sides with wet pastry brush and swirling pan occasionally. Mix in nuts. Pour onto foil; cool completely. Coarsely chop nut crunch. Set aside.
• For kumquats:
• Starting at rounded end, cut cross into each kumquat to within 1/4 inch of stem end. Bring wine, sugar, honey, and star anise to boil in heavy large saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Add kumquats; simmer until almost tender, about 8 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer kumquats to plate; cool. Seed and finely chop enough kumquats to measure 2/3 cup (reserve remaining kumquats). Gently boil kumquat syrup until reduced to 11/4 cups, about 12 minutes. Cool.
• For cake:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 15 1/2 x 10 1/2 x 1-inch or 17 x 11 x 3/4-inch baking sheet with foil; butter and flour foil. Finely grind nuts with flour in processor; transfer to medium bowl. Whisk in baking powder, spice, and salt. Using electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in large bowl until well blended. Beat in yolks and extracts. Beat in dry ingredients alternately with milk in several additions, just until combined. Using clean dry beaters, beat whites in another large bowl until stiff but not dry. Fold 1/3 of whites into batter to lighten, then fold in remaining whites. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan.
• Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 20 minutes for 17 x 11-inch cake and 28 minutes for 15 1/2 x 10 1/2-inch cake. Cool cake in pan on rack 20 minutes. Run knife around cake to loosen. Turn cake out onto foil-lined rack; cool completely. Cut hazelnut cake crosswise into 3 equal pieces.
• For frosting:
• Combine all ingredients in large bowl; beat to soft peaks (do not overbeat or mixture will curdle).
• Place 1 cake piece on platter. Spread 3/4 cup frosting over; sprinkle with 1/3 cup chopped kumquats and 1/3 cup nut crunch, then drizzle with 2 tablespoons kumquat syrup. Top with second cake piece. Spread 3/4 cup frosting over; sprinkle with 1/3 cup chopped kumquats and 1/3 cup nut crunch, then drizzle with 2 tablespoons kumquat syrup. Top with third cake piece. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Drain remaining kumquats; remove seeds and any attached pulp. Top cake with kumquats, arranging like flowers. Do ahead Can be made 1 day ahead; cover and chill cake. Store remaining nut crunch and kumquat syrup at room temperature. Press remaining nut crunch around sides of cake. Drizzle 2 tablespoons syrup over cake and serve.

FAST AND EASY PEACH CRUNCH CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Layer ingredients in a 13 X 9 dish, in order starting with the peaches. Bake for about 40 minutes.
• Serve warm or cold... with or without ice cream.

AMAZING CHERRY PINEAPPLE CRUMBLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Spoon pineapple evenly over bottom of 9 X 13 pan.
• Cover the pineapple with cherry pie filling.
• Pour the dry cake mix evenly over fruit mixture so that it reaches all sides of the pan.
• Drizzle entire surface with butter.
• Sprinkle coconut and pecans evenly over top.
• Bake until cake is deep brown and a toothpick comes out clean, 55 to 60 minutes.
• Let cool and serve with ice cream or whipped cream.