Apricot Orange Coffee Cakecooks Illustrated Recipes

APRICOT ALMOND COFFEE CAKE

Steps:

• Set oven to 350 degrees.
• Grease a a 13 x 9-inch baking dish.
• In a bowl beat softened cream cheese with apricot preserves and 1 tablespoon cake mix just until blended.
• In another bowl beat sour cream, half and half cream, eggs and almond extract on low speed with an electric mixer for abot 30 seconds or until blended; increase speed to medium and beat another 2 minutes more.
• Add in the dried apricots; mix to combine.
• Pour the sour cream cake batter into prepared baking dish.
• Drop the cream cheese mixture by tablespoonfuls evenly over the batter, then swirl the cream cheese batter gently with a knife.
• Sprinkle the almonds evenly over the top.
• Bake for about 25-30 minutes or until golden.
• Cool for about 15-20 minutes, and then drizzle the glaze over the slightly warm cake.

PAULA DEEN'S NUTTY ORANGE COFFEE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a small bowl, combine the granulated sugar, pecans, and zest; set aside.
• Score and cut the cream cheese into 20 equal pieces, approximately 3/4 teaspoons each. Separate the biscuits.
• Place about 3/4 teaspoon cream cheese in the center of each biscuit. Fold each biscuit in half over the cheese, pressing the edges to seal.
• Dip the biscuits in melted butter, then dredge in the granulated sugar mixture. Place the biscuits, curved-side down, in a single layer in the hollows of a lightly greased 12-cup bundt pan, spacing them evenly (do not stack). Place any remaining biscuits around the tube, filling any gaps. Drizzle any remaining butter over the biscuits, and sprinkle with any remaining sugar mixture.
• Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until golden brown. Immediately invert the cake onto a serving platter.
• Combine the confectioners' sugar and orange juice, stirring well; drizzle the glaze over the warm cake. Serve warm.

APRICOT COFFEE CAKE

Steps:

• Generously spray a 1-quart casserole or souffle dish with nonstick coating; set aside.
• In a large bowl combine 1 cup of the flour, the yeast, and the cardamom or nutmeg.
• In a saucepan heat and stir water, sugar, butter, and the salt just until warm (120 degree to 130 degree) and butter almost melts; add to flour mixture along with egg product; beat with electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping the bowl constantly, then beat on high speed for 3 minutes.
• Using a wooden spoon, stir in apricots and remaining flour (batter will be stiff); spoon the batter into prepared casserole, cover and let rise in a warm place until nearly double (50 to 60 minutes).
• Bake in a 375 degree oven for 30 minutes (if necessary, cover the cake loosely with foil the last 10 minutes of baking to prevent over browning).
• Remove the coffee cake from casserole dish, cool slightly on a wire rack, If desired, serve warm cake with apricot spread.

SPICED CARROT CAKE (COOK'S ILLUSTRATED)

Steps:

• Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 13 by 9-inch baking pan. Lightly flour pan.
• Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and spices together in large bowl and set aside.
• Mixer method: Shred carrots on large holes of box grater or use food processor (you should have about 3 cups); transfer carrots to bowl and set aside. Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, beat granulated sugar, brown sugar, and eggs on medium-high speed until thoroughly combined, about 45 seconds. Reduce speed to medium; with mixer running, add oil in slow, steady stream, being careful to pour oil against inside of bowl (if oil begins to splatter, reduce speed to low until oil is incorporated, then resume adding oil). Increase speed to high and mix until mixture is light in color and well emulsified, about 45 seconds to 1 minute longer. Mix in carrots. Mix in flour-spice mixture by hand until incorporated and no streaks of flour remain. If you want nuts or raisins or both, mix them in by hand.
• Scrape batter into prepared pan, smooth top with rubber spatula, and gently tap pan on counter to release air bubbles. Bake cake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking. Let cake cool completely in pan on wire rack, about 2 hours.
• Mix cream cheese with sour cream, butter, sugar, and spices. Spread frosting evenly over cake and serve. Cake can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

FRENCH APPLE CAKE(COOK'S ILLUSTRATED)

Steps:

• 1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Spray 9-inch springform pan with vegetable oil spray. Place prepared pan on rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Place apple slices into microwave-safe pie plate, cover, and microwave until apples are pliable and slightly translucent, about 3 minutes. Toss apple slices with Calvados and lemon juice and let cool for 15 minutes.
• 2. Whisk 1 cup flour, 1 cup granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt together in bowl. Whisk egg, oil, milk, and vanilla together in second bowl until smooth. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and whisk until just combined. Transfer 1 cup batter to separate bowl and set aside.
• 3. Add egg yolks to remaining batter and whisk to combine. Using spatula, gently fold in cooled apples. Transfer batter to prepared pan; using offset spatula, spread batter evenly to pan edges, gently pressing on apples to create even, compact layer, and smooth surface.
• 4. Whisk remaining 2 tablespoons flour into reserved batter. Pour over batter in pan and spread batter evenly to pan edges and smooth surface. Sprinkle remaining 1 tablespoon granulated sugar evenly over cake.
• 5. Bake until center of cake is set, toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, and top is golden brown, about 1 1/4 hours. Transfer pan to wire rack; let cool for 5 minutes. Run paring knife around sides of pan and let cool completely, 2 to 3 hours. Dust lightly with confectioners' sugar, cut into wedges, and serve.

CARROT LAYER CAKE(COOK'S ILLUSTRATED)

Steps:

• CAKE: Set a rack to the middle of your oven and preheat to 350-degrees. Grease an 18"x 13" rimmed baking sheet, line it with parchment paper, and then grease the parchment paper too.
• Shred four carrots on the large holes of a box grater or using the shedding disk and your food processor.
• In a medium bowl, add together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and cloves. Whisk together until combined.
• In another large bowl add sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Use a whisk to combine until smooth. Gently stir in carrots and currants with a rubber spatula until evenly distributed. Finally, add in flour mixture and fold in with your rubber spatula, but only until it is just combined.
• Empty batter onto baking sheet. Use an offset spatula to smooth surface and ensure the batter is an even depth. Bake for about 15 minutes, rotating half-way through baking, until the center is firm when touched.
• Allow cake to cool for 5 minutes in pan set on a wire rack. Flip the cake onto a wire rack then immediately re-flip back onto a second wire rack. The cake should be resting with the parchment side down. Allow the cake to cool for another 30 minutes.
• FROSTING: While the cake is cooking, toast your pecans and chop them coarsely. Cut your cream cheese into 12 equal-size pieces, but keep it refrigerated until you are ready to use in step 3.
• Add the butter, sugar, buttermilk powder, vanilla extract and salt to the bowl of a standing mixer. Mix using the paddle attachment on low-speed for 2 minutes; scrape down the bowl as necessary.
• Increase mixer speed to medium-low, then add cream cheese one piece at a time. Mix for 2 minutes until the frosting is smooth.
• ASSEMBLY: Put cooled cake on a cutting board and cut into equal halves cross-wise. Cut length-wise so that you have 4 equal pieces, measuring about 6″x8″ each.
• Cut out a 6″x8″ rectangle out of stiff cardboard. Put the first of the cake piece on the cardboard. Use a spatula to spread 2/3-cup of frosting over layer. Repeat with two more layers.
• Place the final cake layer on top. Remove any crumbs from your spatula and frost the top with a 1-cup of frosting.
• Frost the sides of the cake with your remaining frosting. You just need enough frosting to hold the chopped pecans, not completely hide all the crumbs.
• Holding the cake with one hand, use your other hand to gently press the chopped pecans onto the side of your cake. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.