Wednesday, October 17, 2007

3 Daring Bakers in Cleveland and Gracie Comes Through Again!

Well right off the bat, I gotta tell yas.. I'm SO EXCITED! In less than 30 hours, Helene of Tartelette and Mary of The Sour Dough will be coming to The Armpit of the Midwest!! Hooray! I get another fun-filled long weekend with Helene and this time Mary is joining us as well! How flippin' lucky am I??

This actually started out with a plan for a bunch of Mid-west/East Coast Daring Bakers to meet up for a weekend in Rochester, New York. We picked Rochester, because it seemed to be the central area from which most of the gals were coming from. Unfortunately, as much as I think everyone wanted to attend, it seemed that the October date we picked wasn't good for many. We hope to try this again in the spring - so if you are interested, lemme know! =)

But as that trip fizzled out, Mary suggested she and Helene make a trip to Cleveland! Party on! And so after much scrambling to find affordable plane tickets, many discussions on what we all wanted to do, an introduction to a website that allows you to make lists *swoon* and figuring out how much of our budgets will go to wine - we are finally at the weekend of FUN! WINE! BAKING! SHOPPING! WINE! GIGGLES! FUN! WINE! LAUGHTER! PEEING IN PANTS! WINE! and possibly VODKA! ;)

So La Mia Cucina is closed to the general public for a few days while the cook gets plastered. ;)

But I had to leave ya'll with something yummy, yes?!

I'll keep this brief.. *cough*yeah right*cough*

My Auntie's birthday was last week.. so I wanted to make her a birthday cake - something special that she probably had never had before.. something that might just stick in her memory for more than 5 minutes. :( So after a 3 hour search through every recipe site I could think of, I finally went to Gracie's blog where I always find something that screams out to me "BAKE ME DAMMIT!" As per usual, I did find something - her Pumpkin Butterscotch Cake.

Peabody's Pumpkin Butterscotch Cake

The cake came out beautifully - super moist and very pumpkin-y. I decided to go with a square 9" pan as I don't think I've ever made a square layer cake before. As you can see in my photos, my mad skillz at slicing a cake in half leave a lot to be desired. I believe my first layer was about an 1/8th inch thick where the top layer was about 3/4 inch think. :P Oh well.. you'll have that. :D

I ran into a couple problems.. I used a lemon that looked as if he had a shady background - yanno, gettin' a lil smooshy in his old age? Well I found out - lemons really do go bad after they've been in your fridge for a month!! The tiny bit of lemon juice used in the butterscotch filling completely ruined it.. it was nasty. So I panicked because I was running out of time before we had to leave to go see her. I originally thought I'd just sub a cream cheese filling because I could whip that up quickly (there's a 45 min. cooling period with the butterscotch filling).

Peabody's Pumpkin Butterscotch Cake

First though, I decided to get the brown sugar frosting done as that had a 1 hour cooling period. Unfortunately, as much as I beat and then whipped this stuff it would not thicken.. I don't know if 1 c. of cream was too much? My kitchen was too warm? The frosting God's were getting me back from the past monstrosities I've made? I dunno.. but right before I panicked (AGAIN) and called My Guru - I shoved the whole mixing bowl full of it into the deep freeze.

My Guru gave me some very good tips on how to thicken it up and she calmed me down in the process. Bless her. After we got off the phone, I checked the freezer and to my shock and happy surprise, the 20 minute chill thickened it right up! Even after frosting it and leaving it out for a few hours, it stayed thick and delicious! My new favorite frosting, by the way. ;)

Peabody's Pumpkin Butterscotch Cake

Now, back to that filling.. as it turned out, we ended up not going. *sigh* My mom didn't feel well (she's fine now) and wasn't up to the hour long drive. I was bummed. But, that left me with the rest of the afternoon, so I decided to try that butterscotch filling again - this time leaving the lemon juice out - and it turned out perfectly. That kind of perfect that allows you to keep dipping your spoon in, while blocking out your brain telling you to leave some for the cake & your ass telling you to have some mercy. Yeah, that kinda perfect. ;)

I didn't get to do a nice fancy job in frosting this (as if I could) because my time had run out. And by my time running out, I mean - I had spent 6 hours on this cake already and my sofa & DVD player were SCREAMING at me. But looks don't count on a cake that is this good. Although a lil sweet with the brown sugar frosting and butterscotch filling, the moistness, the pumpkin-y flavor and the caramel hits from the filling was insanely good - especially the next day.

Peabody's Pumpkin Butterscotch Cake

Okay.. I'm done blabbering. Check out Gracie's blog for the recipe! I will make this cake again.. but I will double the batter recipe and make it in two layer cake pans as slicing one layer in half is not my forte :P and I will try the cream cheese filling with the brown sugar frosting - my guess is, I won't want to share it with my Auntie or anyone else. Am I bad? :P

One last thing - I'm curious. What's your favorite cake flavors? You don't have to leave a recipe, if I drool over your fave, I'll hunt you down and pester the shite outta you until you give me the recipe. ;) But if there's a link you wanna share.. by all means... DO SO! heeee!

xoxo

28 comments:

  1. You left u some right?...Right?...It's 7am. I am up...oh victory! and it is 70F already!...I packed sweaters...amye I'll have ti run around naked at your house...hmmmm!
    The cake looks asolutely delicious. I'll make it as soon as I come home. It might turn into my new favorite! Anything with caramel!

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  2. As in so bad you're good!
    Cake looks so good! Super moist as pumpkin should. Caramel and pumpkin sounds divine.
    Have an over the top time!
    My favorite cake:
    a) carrot
    b) german chocolate
    c) angel food
    d) all of the above.

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  3. Wow does that cake look good. Im seriously drooling. I would love to have that for breakfast this morning.

    Fav cake flavors, lemon, carrot, pumpkin and chocolate.

    And I would totally be interested in a localish meet-up! Im in Pittsburgh!

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  4. Oh I so wish I could come out there to visit. You gals are going to have so much fun and be so bad, its good!!

    Absolutely luscious looking cake. Moist and all that frosting, oh my lord.

    My favorite cakes:

    Love banana cake, warm chocolate cakes with white frosting and cinnamon toast cake.

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  5. Sweet baby Jeebuz but that looks good!

    You guys have fun over the weekend, and be sure to let us know what y'all were up to!

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  6. SQEEEUUUUEEEE!!!!! I'm all packed too (one sweater and shorts...go figure)!!

    LB, my cat, has been informed that Mom is going away to ummm...drink lots of adult libations and bake with two of her favouritest people!!!

    Your cake sounds sooo gooey and delicious. I would say favourite cake flavour would Tanna's choices in almost that order but I would add vanilla layer with raspberry filling between layers and vanilla buttercream frosting and coconut cake!!

    OK, I haven't met a cake I don't like...

    See ya tomorrow!!!

    hugs and kisses

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  7. ooh...I'm so excited for you girls. bake lots and drink lots... oh and that cake looks so sinful!

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  8. Peabody's recipes have never disappointed me!! Hmmm, favorite cake flavor - it depends on the season. Right now - I made a pumpkin cake (or cupcakes) that were REALLY good. But I really love lemon (and chocolate, and just about anything!!)

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  9. That peabody always makes me hungry with her cakes. She is one gifted woman!
    My favorite cake would have to be the chocolate blackout cake from that bakery in Brooklyn....I can't remember the name of it becuase all I can think about right now is eating it, but Sherry Yard has included the recipe in her new book. I made it at least a dozen times last year. Let me know if you want the recipe.
    You girls have fun!!

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  10. This looks outrageously delicious. Yikes. I'm dying over here, Lis. My favorite is still plain 'ol chocolate with a fudgy chocolate frosting.

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  11. This looks delicious! I'm tagging it to try sometime when I have people to share it with!

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  12. When I frost that cake I usually do a crumb layer and then stick it in the fridge. Frost. Then fridge again and then one more layer of frosting. Holds up great.
    So glad you liked it, it's one of my favs!!!

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  13. Any left for breakfast?

    I'd have to check but I don't think Rochester is so far away from me that I couldn't make it in the spring! And getting together with you lovely ladies would be just the type of medicine that seasonal blahs would need!

    The favorite cake is a tough one. I'd say chocolate chocolate with brown sugar coconut icing, vanilla with chocolate frosting and just about any type of cheesecake. :-)

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  14. Oh gosh. You have done it to me with that one! I am practically licking my computer screen here. That looks absolutely fantastic. I am going to have to make this one myself!

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  15. PS I forgot to tell you my favourite cake recipe. It's for a sour cream Chocolate Fudge Cake with a date pecan caramel filling, as well as whipped cream in the centre and a sour cream chocolate ganache frosting. It is hands down to die for. I guarantee!

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  16. As I was just saying to Helen, ya'll don't get up to too much mischief!

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  17. It looks great! Ooey-gooey-yummy-for tummy.

    I agree Cynthia - no mischief, well not much anyway :ox

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  18. Another successful "Peabody". And consider me jealous... your DB slumber party sounds like the perfect escape.

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  19. That cake is gorgeous! You did a perfect job. Hope you guys are having a fantastic time. I checked the news this morning....Cleavland hasn't burned to the ground yet...

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  20. Wow, the finger I stuck in the frosting is getting stickiness all over my keyboard, but worth it...that is one bodacious cake.
    My fav is chocolate & chocolate, but I love almost any kind of cake. The one that Marie describes with dates, pecans, caramel and all that chocoalte and sour cream sounds divine. If you get the recipe for that one send a copy my way, OK?
    Party hearty girls and give us the highlights later.

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  21. Yumm that looks and sounds SO good. You're quite right that it's not a cake that needs to look beautiful because it looks sounds like it's so delicious. I wish I had found this recipe when I was looking for a cake recipe everywhere.

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  22. Oh. My. God. that looks just amazing! You do bake the most wonderful looking things. I met my first daring baker in real-life recently (Sarah from The Kitchen Pantry) so can only imagine the fun when it's multiplied by more people. enjoy!

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  23. The cake looks wonderful! I hope you have at your meetup :)

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  24. I love reading your blog and I made this cake because I knew I could leave it at my parents and I wouldn't be left with any cake staring at me when I get up to go potty in the middle of the night. I am so gratefull that you wrote about having trouble with the frosting because sure enough my frosting didn't work until I stuck it in the freezer for 20 mins too!
    My favorite cake is the Hershey chocolate cake and icing and the back of the cocoa tin. Although the tropical carrot cake off epicurious.com is really good too.

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  25. Lis, I use lemons with a "shady past" too. But I torture myself by tasting them first. BLECH. Sacrifice the old bod for food. Yanno?

    Your cake looks scrumptious. I love spicy things.

    And since I'm reading this late, I hope you guys had a riot of fun!

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  26. Beautifully moist!! What a great combo- pumpkin and butterscotch - great fall flavors.

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  27. This cake sounds and looks so good. I already have the recipe from Peabody's blog filed in my have to try folder, it has suddenly become more urgent now hehe!! My favourite cake would be my chilli chocolate cake - it is dark and moist and very popular with my home bake customers. Second choice would be the carrot cake that I bake. Always requested at church do's.....all this cake talk is making me hungry!!

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  28. This is so moist and delicious. Yummy

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