where oh where has my little grace gone..

You know that feeling when you walk away from something you love for what's supposed to only be a couple of weeks and the next thing you know months have passed and you haven't gone back? It's a terrible little nagging and guilting feeling, isn't it? Well, that's how I've been feeling. It seems like just yesterday I was happily updating my page with tasty recipes accompanied by badly lit photographs when in reality it's been about.. three months. THREE MONTHS! That's a lot more than "a couple of weeks". Shame on you Grace, shame. I do have a good excuse though...I started culinary school! Finally! After all this time of telling myself that I was going to pursue what I love, I am! I started the Patissiere and Baking AOS program at Le Cordon Bleu on Septermber 27th and I could not be more satisfied!  I've been in culinary as well as pastry classes these past twelve weeks and It's been beyond fantastic, but I really truly do not know where the time has gone. If you know, please tell me!

Currently I'm in academics which gives me a little bit of a break and more time to be in the kitchen at my house. I decided to get back on the "at home baking horse" this weekend and I went with small baby steps. I fingered through my recipe book and this buttermilk chocolate chip crumb cake was the winner. I've always been a fan of baking cakes with buttermilk. It helps bring out the flavors and the perfect moisture and richness to the texture. The crumb cake is super tasty and also sort of interesing, almost donught-y. By the way, does everyone agree that the top and sides of these kinds of cakes are always the best? The crispy baked brown sugar gets me goof each and every time.

I might have put a little too much powdered sugar.. to each his own :)

Buttermilk-Chocolate Chip Crump Cake

Butter Crumb topping:

¾ cup all-purpose flour

¾ cup light brown sugar

¾ cup cold butter, cut into chunks

1 tsp vanilla extract

Batter:

1¼ cup plain flour

¼ cup cake flour

1 stick butter

¾ tsp baking powder

¼ tsp baking soda

¾ cup mini bittersweet chocolate chips

¾ cup granulated sugar

½ cup buttermilk

1½ eggs

1½ tsp vanilla extract

¾ cup mini bitter-sweet chocolate chips, for sprinkling on top of the cake

Powdered sugar, for sifting on top of the cake

1) Preheat oven to 375°F.

2) Lightly grease a 9×4 inch loaf pan, and line the inside of the pan with parchment paper or foil, and then great it as well.

To make the topping:

3) Thoroughly mix the flour and sugar in a large bowl. Drop in chunks of butter, using a table knife, cut the butter into the flour until it reduces to the size of large pearls. Sprinkle vanilla extract over, working with fingertips, knead the mixture together until moist, clumpy lumps are formed. DO NOT overmix.

Mix the batter:
4) Sift the all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking powder and baking soda. Then toss the chocolate chips with 1 tablespoon of the sifted mixture in a small bowl.

5) Cream the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer for about 3 minutes.

6) Add in the sugar in 3 additions, beating for 1 minute after each portion is added.
7) Add in egg and beat.
Mix in the vanilla extract.

9) Alternately add in the sifted mixture in 3 additions with the buttermilk in 2 additions, beginning and ending with the sifted mixture. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl to ensure even mixing.

10) Stir in chocolate chips.

11) Spoon the batter into the baking pan, and spread evenly, smooth the top with rubber spatula.

12) Sprinkle the streusel topping evenly on the cake batter, make sure that the whole surface is covered.

13) Bake the cake for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake turns out clean. The baked cake should pull away slightly from the sides of the pan.

14) Remove the pan from the oven and sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly on top of the baked cake immediately. Let the cake cool completely. Use the parchment or foil to lift the cake out of the pan, then sift some powered sugar on top of the cake. Serve!

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

I've had the this almost aching culinary urge to bake a pineapple upside down cake. I'm not quite sure what triggered it or when this desire started brewing but it was just something that needed to be done. The past couple of weeks I've been searching for a recipe that I liked and slowly building up the ingredients with every trip to the market. It just so happens that everything fell into place tonight and I just had to bake this! The recipe originally says to bake in a 9x2 inch round pan but I figured that this would be the perfect opportunity to use my cast iron skillet and who doesn't love bringing one of those out, right? Since the skillet is larger, the cake came out a little flat. Other than that though (and thats no big deal!), I was super pleased with it. It easily transferred from the skillet to the plate which was great since I was really worried that the fruit or cherry pieces would be askew. I've had some troublesome experiences with cakes in the past! But it came off so neat that I didn't even want to cut into it. I resisted as long as I possibly could (honest), but after sitting on the couch fiddiling my fingers trying to ignore the smell of heaven coming from the kitchen.. I gave in! I cut myself a slice as neat as I possibly could and ate it up. This particular recipe uses buttermilk which really gave this cake an extremley moist textrure. Which I'm a fan of. I'm also a big fan of the sinful butter and brown sugar combination. And I love getting a fork full of delicious pineapple on top of all of that!

If you get that "where-is-this-coming-from?" pineapple upside down cake desire, keep this one in mind.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

(20 oz can) 7 slices canned unsweetened pineapple, drained. Reserve 3 tablespoons of the juice.

19 maraschino cherries

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

3/4 cups packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs

2 tablespoons buttermilk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup all purpose flour

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

6 tablespoons buttermilk

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Have ready a 9x2 inch round cake pan (or cast iron skillet). Drain pineapple (reserving 3 tablespoons juice) and place on paper towels to absorb excess juice.

2. Place the 3 tablespoons unsalted butter in the pan/skillet. Place in the oven until teh butter is melted. Tilt to coat all sides with butter. The extra butter will settle in the pan. Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the bottom of the pan.

3. Place one pineapple ring in the center of the pan and arrange six more around it. Place the cherries in the center of each ring anf in the spaces inbetween them. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, 2 tablespoons of buttermilk and vanilla with a fork. Add reserved pineapple juice. Set aside.

4. In a mixer bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the 6 tablespoons of buttermilk and 6 tablespoons of unsalted butter. Beat on low speed just until the flour is moistened, then increase the speed to medium and beat for 1 1/2 minutes. The batter will be stuff. Add one third of the egg mixture at a time, beating for 20 seconds inbetween.

5. Scrape the batter over the fruit in the pan and spread evenly.

6. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean, about 35 - 40 minutes (took me 35). Remove the cake from the oven and let cool for 2 to 3 minutes before unmolding.

7. Invert a serving platter on top of the pan/skillet. Cover your hands with oven mitts and turn the cake onto the platter, lift off the plan. If any of the fruit or cherry pieces are askew, use a fork and push them back into place.

Buttermilk Breakfast Cake

I love the weekend. I especially love Sunday mornings. Nothing beats lounging in your bed, reading the paper, drinking coffee, and of course eating a delicious breakfast (preferably while still in the aforementioned bed). This morning I treated myself to this Buttermilk Breakfast Cake. What is that you say? Cake for breakfast ? Yes, of course a cake for breakfast! And the best part is that this moist cake starts from a box, so it's super easy and quick to whip up in the morning.

Buttermilk Breakfast Cake

Southern Living Magazine

For the cake:

1 (18.25 oz.) white cake mix

1 cup buttermilk (low fat works just fine)

1/2 cup butter (I used unsalted)

5 large eggs

3 tbsp. light brown sugar

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tbsp granulated sugar

Buttermilk-Vanilla Glaze (see recipe below)

For the glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tbsp melted butter

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 to 2 tbsp buttermilk

Cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat first three ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer 1 1/2 minutes or until well blended; add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

2. Stir together brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Set aside.

3. Grease a 12 cup bundt pan; sprinkle with 1 tbsp granulated sugar.

4. Spoon one third of the cake batter into prepared pan; sprinkle brown sugar mixture evenly over batter. Top with remaining batter.

5. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Cool cake in pan for about 15 minutes. Remove cake from pan and cool for 20 minutes. Drizzle Buttermilk-Vanilla Glaze over lightly warm cake.

Buttermilk-Vanilla Glaze:

1. Stir together first 3 ingredients and 1 tbsp buttermilk until smooth, adding additional buttermilk if necessary for desired consistency.

Who doesn't want to start their morning eating a slice of tasty cake drizzled with a sugary glaze?

This banana bread comes out so moist and delicious that you can't help but serve yourself a second helping. The only thing I would do differently is add more cinnamon next time. It's hard to go wrong with extra cinnamon! ;)

Buttermilk Cinnamon Banana Bread

2 cups of all purpose flour
2 tsp, baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup sugar
1 stick butter, room temperature

1/4 cup vegtable/canola oil

1 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
2 ripe bananas

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter loaf pan or spray with cooking spray.

2. Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, beat together the oil, butter, and sugar for a few seconds. Mixture will be a pale color, not fluffy.

4. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Add vanilla extract and buttermilk.

5. Add the flour mixture by hand in two additions and mix with wooden spoon. Don't overmix!
6. Mash ripe bananas really well in seperate bowl and add the cinnamon.

7. Stir in mashed banana/cinnamon mixture.

8. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 45-50 minutes or until a tooth pick comes out clean.