Valentine's Cake Truffles

"Cake Balls" are definitely not something new in the blog world. I've seen various adorable varieties for a few years. However, I haven't tried making them until now. I wanted something quick & easy to make to share with my new interns & medical students. These definitely fit the criteria!

I can't remember the last time that I made a boxed cake mix! Back when I used to decorate cakes for family & friends (10+ years ago) all I would make were boxed cakes, as every cake recipe I tried failed. I'm so glad that I've graduated from boxed cake mixes! While they aren't awful, they are always soooo domed compared to most homemade ones.

Anyways, even though these were incredibly simple to make, they were thoroughly enjoyed by all! (And one of my attendings probably had at least 5 of them during the afternoon). There are numerous flavor options - I used a chocolate fudge cake mix & fudge frosting for a chocolatey treat.



Cake Truffles

1 cake mix, baked as instructed on the box
1 can of prepared frosting
Chocolate Bark / Candy Coating

Crumble up cake in bowl of mixer. Add canned frosting & mix until well combined. Place bowl in the fridge & cool for a few hours.

Using a small cookie scoop, scoop up approximately 1 inch balls, and place on a cookie sheet covered in waxed paper. Place in the freezer for 2+ hours.

Melt coating per manufacturer instructions. Coat balls with chocolate coating & place on waxed paper to cool. Decorate as desired with sprinkles or additional colors of coating.

Happy Valentine's Day!

ENJOY!

Lime Cream Cheese Pound Cake

To be completely honest, the reason I made this cake was that I had a new rose Bundt cake pan that I wanted to use. (I also had a few limes to use up!) Before I talk about the wonderful cake, I have to tell you about the pan.

I LOVE Bundt cake pans (I wish I had more kitchen storage so I could buy more). When I was back in Minnesota a couple months ago for vacation, I drove past the Nordic Ware Factory. I can't believe I lived in Minneapolis for 8 years without knowing it was a few short miles from me! I was excited to find out they have a factory store that carries a lot of their cake pans, as well as other kitchen & grilling supplies that they make. The best part was the "seconds" area in the back, where you can buy pans for 50-75% off! I bought this lovely rose Bundt cake pan for only $10. (And I can't tell why it was a second - no scratches, baked perfectly!) If you are in the Twin Cities, I highly recommend swinging through St. Louis Park to stop at the factory store!

And, on to the cake... It was amazing! I was a little worried about it coming out of the pan, as it's fairly intricate. However, it slid out easily. The glaze provided a nice tart/crisp coating, and it had a wonderful texture. The nurses I shared it with couldn't get enough of it! Of note, I made 8 cupcakes from the batter in addition to the cake, and the cake still spilled over. I think this could easily be made in a 12 cup Bundt cake pan.



LIME CREAM CHEESE POUND CAKE (Adapted from Williams Sonoma)

For the cake:

3 1/4 cups cake flour
1/4 tsp. baking soda
18 Tbs. (2 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter (at room temperature)
8 oz. cream cheese (at room temperature)
3 cups granulated sugar
6 eggs (at room temperature)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 Tbs. fresh lime juice (approx 1 large lime)
1 1/2 Tbs. finely grated lime zest

Position a rack in the lower third of an oven and preheat to 325°F. Grease pan with butter (using a pastry brush) and "flour" (I use granulated white sugar in place of the flour - it adds a little extra crispness to the edge of the cake) a rose cake pan or a 10-cup Bundt® pan; tap out excess flour/sugar.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat the butter and cream cheese on medium speed until creamy and smooth, about 30 seconds. Gradually add the granulated sugar and continue beating until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Increase the speed to medium-high and add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in the vanilla, lime juice & baking soda.

Reduce the speed to low and add the flour in three additions. Beat each addition until just incorporated, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the lime zest.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, spreading the batter so the sides are higher than the center. Bake until the cake is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 1/2 hours. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the cake cool upright in the pan for 15 minutes.

For the glaze:
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
3/4 cup granulated sugar

While the cake is cooling, make the glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice and granulated sugar until blended.

Set the rack over a sheet of waxed paper, invert the pan onto the rack and lift off the pan. Using a pastry brush, brush the warm cake with the glaze. Let the cake cool completely before serving.

Dust with confectioners' sugar just before serving.

ENJOY!

Cream Cheese Pound Cake with Lemon Icing

Just my luck, just when I start a blog, my computer shows me the blue screen of death - repeatedly. Thankfully, my wonderful husband took care of the issue today & I can finally post my first recipe of the year!

I have an adorable mini bundt cake pan that I love to use, and I wanted to make something to share with the nurses in the NICU. I found a recipe for a delicious pound cake recipe online, and with a few tweaks in the ingredients, I was able to make it without going to the grocery store. The cakes were gone in a flash - so moist & tender, with a very fine crumb. The cake itself is very sweet, so the icing is quite sour to offset the sweetness.




CAKE: (Based upon a recipe from William's Sonoma)
3 cups cake flour
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt0
20 Tbs. (2 1/2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
3 cups granulated sugar
6 eggs
1 Tbs. vanilla extract


Preheat to 325°F. Grease and flour a 10-cup Bundt® pan (or 2 loaf pans); tap out excess flour. (I just used cooking spray & had some difficulty removing the cakes, I wouldn't recommend skipping this step!)

Mix flour, salt & baking soda in a bowl, set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the butter and cream cheese on medium speed until creamy and smooth. Gradually add the granulated sugar and continue beating until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Make sure to scrape down the sides occasionally. Increase the speed to medium-high and add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in the vanilla.

Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture in three additions. Beat each addition until just incorporated, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, spreading the batter so the sides are higher than the center. Bake until the cake is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 1/2 hours. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the cake cool upright in the pan for 15 minutes. Remove from pan carefully to finish cooling.

ICING:
1/4 cup lime juice
2-2.5 cups powdered sugar
Dash vanilla extract.

Mix all ingredients together. Adjust powdered sugar until desired consistency. Spread over cooled cake.

Enjoy!