Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Bring on Fall! Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread with Cream Cheese Swirl

Fall is just around the corner and I can't wait to begin baking away in my kitchen.  First up will be my favorite pumpkin recipe to date.  I found this recipe last fall in the Mixing Bowl magazine.  Enjoy!


 Here is the recipe to this yummy fall delight.  I got it from mixingbowl.com magazine on shelves now.  If you love to bake, bake, bake, you have got to get this magazine.  There is just so much yumminess in it.  This was the first of a zillion recipes I plan on trying.

4 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 12 ounce package (2 cups) semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped nuts (so optional . . . i don't add this)
1 cup butter, softened
1 29 ounce can pumpkin
3 cups sugar
4 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons vanilla flavoring

Cream Cheese filling:
2 (8 oz pkg each) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 egg yolks
2 teaspoons vanilla

1)  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line two 9x5x3 inch loaf pans with parchment paper.  Coat paper with cooking spray.  (I did not do the parchment paper thing)  I always use Baker's Joy cooking spray for my baking, although my store just discontinued it so I now use Pillsbury Baking Spray with Flour.  I am crazy and turn my stuff over immediately onto cooling rack after taking out of oven.  Don't do, if you are afraid it will fall apart ;-)  In a large bowl, combine flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soada, and salt.  Add chocolate chips and if desired, nuts.  (Tossing nuts and chips in flour will keep them from sinking during baking).

2)  In a mixing bowl, combine butter, pumpkin, sugar, eggs, sour cream, and vanilla.  Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth.  Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture, 1 cup at a time, beating on low speed until combined.

3)  In a mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar, 2 egg yolks and vanilla.  Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy.

4)  Spread 1/2 of pumpkin batter into each prepared pan, divided equally.  Carefully spread cheese mixture over batter in pans.  Top with remaining batter.  If desired, using a spatula, cut through the batter and cheese mixture to swirl.  Bake for 65 - 70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near centers comes out clean.  Cool in pans on a rack for 10 minutes.  Remove loaves from pans.  Cool completely on wire rack.  Makes 2 LARGE loaves (32 slices).  I actually had enough batter left for another smaller loaf, without the swirl.

Monday, September 5, 2011

Modern Multi-Purple Engagement Cake








Modern Multi-Purple Engagement Cake:
This is a vanilla cake with raspberry cream filling and classic buttercream frosting, covered in marshmallow fondant. Marshmallow fondant modern flowers and bows and squiggly ribbons. Sugar pearls for decoration

Cheesecake . . . Kynda Lynn Style




Mmm Mmm Mmm . . . cheesecake . . . Kynda style!  Chocolate Ganache topping, Fresh Homeade Whipped Cream and Chocolate Swirls. Raspberry topping, Fresh Homemade Whipped Cream and White Chocolate Triangles.

Cupcake and Cake Baby Shower Tower









Cupcake and Cake Baby Shower Tower:
The cake is a dark chocolate cake with raspberry filling and fluffy buttercream frosting. Marshmallow fondant flowers and name.  The cupcakes are dark chocolate and vanilla with fluffy buttercream frosting.

Lalaloopsy Birthday Cake






Lalaloopsy Birthday Cake:
This is a white chocolate cake with classic buttercream filling and frosting. Marshmallow fondant accents and doll.


Black Tie Mousse Cake from Olive Garden





Olive Garden's Black Tie Mousse Cake:


I made this cake as my birthday dessert!  It is so rich and decadent.  The inside: bottom layer is cake, 2nd layer is a chocolate cheesecake mousse, 3rd layer is a custard layer, 4th layer is chocolate ganache & white chocolate. Can I say decadent & rich?!?!?

Trailer Cake








Trailer Cake:
A Birthday Cake for 3 Guy Friends celebrating their birthdays together. It's a replica of the trailer they used to live in along with some minor details, including two motorcyles, a green vw, papazon chair, hammock and shotgun.  One side of this cake with vanilla cake and the other side of the cake is red velvet, with a cream cheese frosting and a vanilla bean cheesecake mousse filling, covered in marshmallow fondant.

Modern Minnie Mouse Polka Dot Cake




Modern Minnie Mouse Polka Dot Cake:
This is a vanilla cake with chocolate mousse filling and fluffy buttercream frosting. Marshmallow fondant accents.

Batman City Scape Cake





Batman City Scape Cake:
This is a vanilla cake with cookies and cream filling and fluffy buttercream frosting. Marshmallow fondant accents.

Modern Elmo Birthday Cake






Modern Elmo 1st Birthday Cake:
Top is devil's food cake with fluffy buttercream frosting and filling. Bottom is vanilla cake with fluffy buttercream frosting and filling. Marshmallow fondant accents and Elmo.  Smash cake for the 1st birthday boy as well.