Lemon Cake

It’s spring, so I just had to make something lemony!!

Here are some facts about this cake:

1) It’s the moistest cake I’ve ever made.

2) It’s hard to describe, other than it tastes good and has a weird texture.

3) It’s the kind of cake you want to keep eating, even if you’re not sure why.

 4) It’s really easy and fun to make, until you realize you don’t have lemons, the only yogurt you have is low fat, and the only flour you have is whole wheat. That’s when you get stressed out, but you continue with what you have.

I wish I could I just cut the top off and eat it all.

 5) It kills hand mixers right in the middle of mixing. (Well, at least that’s what you think, until your husband informs you that you popped a circuit, and the mixer is fine.)

I have no idea how I had the willpower to let the glaze dry before I cut it. I did make myself feel better by eating some glaze with a spoon, though.

 6) It’s lemony, so of course my husband doesn’t particularly like it. Or at least that’s what he said when he cut his third slice.

 So now that you’ve gotten to know the cake a little better—why don’t you try it for yourself? :)

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Lemon Cake (adapted from Barefoot Contessa)

• 1-1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup plain low fat yogurt
• 1 1/3 cups sugar, divided
• 3 extra-large eggs
• 1 teaspoons lemon extract
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup lemon juice (I used the kind in a bottle)

For the glaze

• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt into one bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the yogurt, 1 cup sugar, the eggs, lemon extract, and vanilla.

Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.

With a rubber spatula, fold the vegetable oil into the batter, making sure it’s all incorporated.

Pour the batter into a prepared loaf pan and bake  at 350 degrees for about 50 minutes, or until a cake tester placed in the center of the loaf comes out clean.

While the cake is baking, cook the 1/3 cup lemon juice and remaining 1/3 cup sugar in a small pan until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is clear. Set aside.

When the cake is done, allow it to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then carefully place on a baking rack over a sheet pan.

While the cake is still warm, pour the lemon-sugar mixture over the cake and allow it to soak in. Cool.

For the glaze, combine the confectioners’ sugar and lemon juice and pour over the cake.

Low Fat Chocolate Chip Yogurt Cookies

I’M BACK!!

Moved to Alabama 3 weeks ago and still living out of boxes.

But… I finally found all my baking supplies, so I can bake again!!  Yay!

I had some yogurt in the house and saw this recipe, so here are some yummy low fat cookies!

I have to be honest with you– this one makes me want to eat my computer screen…

I actually got annoyed by the recipe because it called for mini chocolate chips, and I’m not a fan.  I prefer to have big chunks of chocolate.

I thought they were trying to cut down on the fat by adding very few itty bitty chocolate chips.

I was angry at the cookbook. 

I almost rebelled and put regular chocolate chips—and more of them!

But at the last minute, I noticed I had exactly ½ cup of mini chocolate chips (what a coincidence, huh?)

So I used it.

And interestingly, I was glad I did. 

Look at all the yummy chocolate chips!

I guess I can be a rebel next time. 

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Low Fat Chocolate Chip Yogurt Cookies (by Pillsbury)

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 cup margarine
• 1/4 cup shortening
• 1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Beat sugar, butter, and shortening until light and fluffy.

Add yogurt and vanilla; blend well.

Stir in flour, baking soda and salt.

Stir in chocolate chips.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls on ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake at 375°F for 8-12 minutes, or until light golden brown.

Dessert Medley

I’m a total cheater.

Yes, you heard right.

I’m showing you some of my old desserts because I have no time to make any new ones.

OK, I’m lying.

I did make a new dessert– a cake for my son’s birthday the other day.  But it had to be quick, so nothing elaborate and not worthy of an entire post.  A balloon cake!  (Yes, I will be making more interesting cakes for his birthday party…)

And here are some Strawberry Cake Balls (shown way larger than actual size):

By the way, I’m moving.

Yes, gathering the family and thousands of pounds of furniture and stuff and moving to… (see the Cheddar Cheese Muffins before you go on)…

Alabama!!

In 11 days.

No, I’m not lying this time.

And here are some football brownies, completely unrelated to any other dessert in this post:

So instead of baking, I’ll be working until the day before the move, packing and stressing out… 

You can probably note the stress in the complete randomness of this post.   :)

And here are some Low Fat Biscuits, just because:

Wish me luck!

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Butterscotch Caramel Bites

My husband recently brought home a delicious cookie bar from work.

I wasn’t even sure what was in it, but I devoured it.

I later found out it was caramel and chocolate chips.

So I asked him to please get me the recipe.

At the last minute, I decided that I was going to use butterscotch chips instead.

What did my husband say when he tried mine?

Something to the effect of, “I wonder if you didn’t bake them correctly, or if he gave me the wrong recipe.”

So I broke down into tears and kicked him out.

Haha, just kidding.

Actually, I remembered that he doesn’t like caramel or butterscotch.

True, they didn’t come out just like the one he had brought home, but this one is delicious nonetheless.

To tell you the truth, many pieces didn’t even get past the cutting process.

I thought I was smart to cut them into bite-sized pieces, but that only makes you eat more of them!

They are addictive.

They sort of jump off the plate and into your mouth by accident.

I’m serious! 

I definitely recommend that you make these.

Just don’t listen to my husband, ok?

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Butterscotch Caramel Bites (my adaptation)

Crust:

• 2 Cups white wheat flour (you can use all purpose)
• 2 Cups quick- cooking oats
• 1.5 Cups packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 Cup butter, softened

Filling

• 1 Cup Butterscotch Caramel ice cream topping
• 3 Tablespoons flour
• 1 Cup butterscotch chips

In a large bowl, blend all crust ingredients at low speed until crumbly.

Press half of the mixture in bottom of a greased 9 x 13 inch pan (reserve rest for topping).

Bake pan at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine ice cream topping and 3 Tablespoons flour.  Set aside.

When you take the crust out of the oven, sprinkle with butterscotch chips.

Drizzle with caramel mixture.

Sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture.

Bake and additional 18 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

Cook completely.

Refrigate 1 or 2 hours until filling is set.

Cut into bite-sized pieces and enjoy!

Valentine’s Day Desserts 2013

I’m too tired to think of anything clever to say.

Are you shocked?

But I didn’t want Valentine’s Day to go by without showing you what I made.

Here is all I had time for (not as much as I hoped):

Low fat strawberry cupcakes with buttercream frosting

I had to add some Valentine’s Day color to my chocolate chip cookies:

Chocolate Chip and M&M cookies

Anyway, I spent Valentine’s Day at home.

We ordered pizza.

Mini heart cakes with white chocolate chips

Valentine’s dinner with my husband and 3 very loud boys.

Not very romantic, huh?

Well, it’s the best way to spend Valentine’s Day– with my 4 Valentines. 

Valentine’s Day Desserts From the Past

I just got home yesterday from a few days in New York to visit my best friend Virginia.

My first trip in 9 years without the kids. Can you believe it??

So here I am, but no time to write much because I’m trying to clean up the mess that 3 boys and a husband make in 2 days.

OK, it wasn’t THAT bad. (My husband does read these posts you know…)   

Anyway, here are some desserts from last year.

These are cupcakes (obviously)– and I made the chocolate hearts on top.

Strawberry Cupcakes

Now back to my story…

So I drove to Staten Island on Thursday.

Yes, right in time for big snowstorm Nemo.

Interestingly, I didn’t even know about it until I was halfway there.

Chocolate Caramel Brownies (the hearts are powdered sugar).

I got to see all the snow, drive around in it, freeze, pay a ridiculous amount of money for gas, etc.

I even got yelled at while waiting to get gas.

Not sure why– I guess people get really stressed out when it’s snowing.

Especially when it’s a big scary snowstorm with a cute fish name. 

I just thought the snow was pretty…

But the craziness was worth it to see my best friend and her family.

And I actually drove back on Saturday with no problem.

Low fat frosted brownies.

So anyway, now that I told you a random story and threw in some dessert pictures– I have to get going.

Time to start making this year’s Valentine’s Day desserts!

Mini Heart Cake

Cake with Vanilla Mousse Filling

I’m tired.  Really, really tired.

So much to do and I can’t get enough sleep.

And that’s why this cake doesn’t look so pretty.

OK, I’m lying.

No, I’m not lying about being tired.

I really am tired.

And I’m not lying about it not being so pretty.

I’m lying about that being the reason the layers are messy.

“That” being that I’m tired.

And messy meaning not so pretty, as I stated above.

Whoa, this is getting complicated.

Are you following me?

OK, let’s start again.

The layers are messy because this is the first time I ever made a layer cake with mousse in the middle.

Phew, I feel much better now that I told you the truth.

I somehow have to figure out how to make the layers the same size.

But the good news is that it tasted really good!

Oh yeah, and that the mousse filling is ridiculously easy to make.

So please ignore the uneven layers and messy frosting (which is buttercream, by the way), and focus on how yummy it will taste if you make it yourself.

Yum.

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Really Really Easy Mousse Cake Filling (recipe from Food.com)

• 1 pint heavy whipping cream
• 1 (3 1/2 ounce) box instant vanilla pudding mix

In a chilled metal bowl, beat whipping cream on medium-high speed until it begins to thicken.

Gradually add in the instant pudding mix and continue to beat, just until thick.

Put it in your cake!