Apple Cake Consortium

Lindsey's Apple Cake Experiment (LACE)

This union of apple cake recipes was arranged for the common purpose, beyond the capabilities of either single recipe, of being completely delicious, utterly delectable, and unavoidably devoured by anyone who has the good fortune to cross it's path.

Credit is principally due to the two original parent recipes, without whom, the end result would never have been born into existance.

Mom's Apple Cake, from the Smitten Kitchen blog and Apple Bundt Cake, contributed by RavenTresses from the I Like Big Bundts group on  Mixing Bowl were the inspiration for my creation, which will, henceforth, be known as Lindsey's Apple Cake Experiment or LACE.

The properties of LACE are as follows:

3 Fuji apples, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons cinnamon
2 C sugar
2 1/2 C flour
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 C vegetable oil
4 eggs, beaten
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a bundt pan. Peel, core and chop apples into chunks. Toss with lemon juice, 1 tablespoon cinnamon, 1/4 C sugar and set aside.

Stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, remaining 1 tablespoon cinnamon and salt in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together oil, eggs, remaining 1 3/4 C sugar and vanilla.  Mix wet ingredients into the dry ones, until batter is smooth. Scrape down the bowl to ensure all ingredients are incorporated.

Add half of the apples to the batter. Spread the remaining apples in the bottom of the bundt pan. Pour the  batter over the apples. Bake for about 1 hour, or until a tester comes out clean.  Let cool for 10 minutes before transferring cake onto a serving dish or cake platter and sprinkling with powdered sugar.  

Optional quality enhancements to LACE could include the addition of walnuts, pecans, raisins, or even the elusive craisin.  Also, a maple glaze would be a viable alternative to the powdered sugar sprinkle.

New Year's Day Dinner Menu

My husband and I celebrated New Year's Day with Little Sis and two of her friends, Joelle and Morgan. Morgan is French so we were anxious to impress him with some good cooking. This is what Kelsey and I decided to make...

Happy Hour Stuffed Mushrooms

Presecco

Chicken Parmigiana

Shiraz-Cabernet-Merlot, 08 Barren Jack

Bacardi Rum Cake

Chai Tea

We loved the chicken parm so much that we decided to make it again the next night. Pioneer Woman has great photos and step by step instructions for all her recipes. It makes things a lot easier on the chef.   Here are our recipes:

Happy Hour Stuffed Mushrooms
15 medium sized mushrooms
6 tablespoons butter, softened
1 clove garlic
5 tablespoons shredded Jack cheese
2 tablespoons dry white or red wine
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs

Remove stems from mushrooms and save for other use. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter; brush over mushroom caps, coating thoroughly. Stir together remaining 4 tablespoons butter, garlic, and cheese until well blended. Place mushrooms, cavity side up, on a rimmed baking sheet. Evenly mound filling in each mushroom, pressing it in lightly. Broil about 6 inches below broiler unit until bubbly and lightly browned (about 3 minutes). Serve warm.

Chicken Parmigiana
See this recipe on The Pioneer Woman blog...

side note: I don't think I can last another day without making this recipe from the same site. It's just looks too mouthwatering!

Bacardi Rum Cake
1 C. chopped pecans or walnuts
1 pkg. yellow cake mix
1 3-3/4 oz. pkg. jello instant vanilla pudding
4 eggs
1/2 C. cold water
1/2 C. Wesson oil
1/2 C. dark rum

Glaze:
1 stick butter
1/4 C. water
1 C. sugar
1/2 C. dark rum

Preheat oven to 325˚. Grease and flour 10” tube or 12-cup bundt pan. Sprinkle nuts over bottom of pan. Mix all cake ingredients together. Pour batter over nuts. Bake 1 hour. Cool. Invert on serving plate. Prick top. Drizzle and smooth glaze evenly over top and sides. Allow cake to absorb glaze. Repeat till glaze is used up. For glaze: melt butter in saucepan. Stir in water and sugar. Boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in rum.

Many warm wishes for the new year and the new decade!  May 2010 bring you health, happiness, great adventures, and delicious meals with friends and family.