cake

• Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Cut parchment paper to fit in the base of a 9-inch springform pan. Apply nonstick spray with flour to bottom and sides of pan. Add parchment and spray again. Set aside.
• In a big bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, ginger, and cloves.
• In another bowl, whisk together the sugar, applesauce, buttermilk or soured milk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Gradually pour the wet ingredients into the dry, mixing well.
• Pour batter into the pan and smooth out with an uneven spatula. There will likely be bubbles in the batter. Gently tap the sides of the pan and thump it on the counter to get them to rise and burst. Using a spoon, sprinkle the coarse sugar all over the top as evenly as possible.
• Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the middle passes the toothpick test. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then release sides. Let cake cool completely on base for several hours.
• Slice into wedges and serve. Cake keeps well in a sealed container at room temperature and pieces can also be wrapped individually and frozen for later enjoyment.

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• Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Cut a square of parchment paper to fit in the bottom of a 9x9 square pan. Grease pan with butter or nonstick spray. Place parchment, and grease paper as well. Set aside.
• In a small bowl, whisk together 2/3 cup brown sugar, melted butter, and 2 tablespoons molasses. Pour into prepared pan. Arrange apple slices in groups of 5 in alternating patterns on top of sugar mixture.
• In a big mixing bowl, beat softened butter and remaining 1 cup brown sugar until fluffy. This will be about 3 to 4 minutes in a stand mixer. Scrape sides of bowl as needed.
• Beat in remaining 1/2 cup molasses until no streaks remain. One at a time, add the eggs and egg yolk followed by the vanilla.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.
• Gradually mix the dry ingredients into butter mixture alternately with the milk. Beat until just smooth. Pour batter over apples, smoothing with an offset spatula.
• Bake until the middle passes the toothpick test, about 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes. Run a knife around edges of pan to release sides of cake, if needed. Carefully invert onto a flat serving plate or small cutting board.
• The cake is fantastic eaten fresh, cold, or just warmed. It can also be cut into squares and frozen for later enjoyment.

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• Preheat the oven to 350-degrees. Line a 9x9 or 8×8-inch pan with foil, letting foil overhang each side. Apply nonstick cooking spray.
• In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave the chocolate and butter on high in 30 second increments, stirring between each burst, until everything is melted. Let cool slightly.
• Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, in a large bowl beat together the sugar and eggs for 3 to 5 minutes, until they are pale, light, and fluffy. Pour in the cooled chocolate and butter mixture, followed by the vanilla.
• Combine the salt and both flours in a bowl. Stir in the chocolate chips. Fold flour mix into the wet ingredients. Pour into the prepared pan and even out.
• Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs attached. Cool completely. Use foil onto a cutting board to slice into bars.
• Brownies will keep for upwards of a week in a sealed container at room temperature.

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• Wash, dry, and zest both lemons and orange. Set aside the fruit for another use.
• Preheat oven at 325-degrees. Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit into a loaf pan and extend up the long sides, like a sling. Apply nonstick spray in pan, then press in parchment and add more spray. Set aside.
• In a big bowl, beat butter, sugar, and zests together until they are fluffy, scraping the sides of the bowl often. Add eggs one by one, followed by the vanilla paste. The batter may look a bit curdled.
• In a separate medium bowl, combine the flour, salt, and baking powder. Gradually add it into the butter mix along with the milk. Batter will now be thick.
• In a small bowl, toss together the candied orange bits and the teaspoon of cake flour to coat. Fold it into the batter.
• Pour everything into the prepared loaf pan and even out the top.
• Bake for 40 minutes. Rotate pan in oven. Bake for another 40 minutes. Test the middle with a toothpick for doneness, and bake for another 5 to 20 minutes, until the toothpick comes out clean.
• Let loaf cool in pan for 10 minutes, then use the parchment to lift it onto a rack to cool completely.
• Make the vanilla glaze by mixing together all the ingredients until they are smooth and at a thick, pourable consistency. Immediately drizzle and smear over the top of the cake, letting excess artfully drip over the sides. Let glaze set for 30 minutes, then slice in.
• Wrap cake and keep at room temperature. It can also be cut into individual slices and frozen for later enjoyment.

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• Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Line a 9×9 pan with foil and apply nonstick spray.
• Peel and core the apples, then slice to about 1/4-inch thickness. Place slices in a large bowl and toss them with lemon juice and 1 Tablespoon white sugar, until apples are coated. Set aside.
• In a big mixing bowl, beat butter and white sugar for several minutes, until blended and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing in well and scraping bowl afterward. Add vanilla. The batter may look curdled, but that’s okay.
• In a separate bowl, stir together flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, and allspice. Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet.
• Spread about half of the batter into the pan, using an uneven spatula to form an even layer. Arrange apple slices, flat side down, to cover the batter entirely. Top with the remaining batter, using the uneven spatula again to even out as much as possible. Sprinkle turbinado sugar all over the top.
• Bake until the middle of the cake passes the toothpick test, which will be from 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes. Cover pan with foil about halfway through to prevent it from browning too much.
• Let cool in pan for an least 10 minutes, then use foil to lift cake onto a cutting board. Slice into squares. Tastes best warmed and at room temperature. Pieces can also be shrouded in plastic wrap and frozen for later enjoyment.

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• First of all, brown the butter. (Note that this can be done a day ahead of time with the butter stashed in the fridge; set at room temperature to soften again or briefly and carefully, zap in microwave before mixing into recipe.) In a medium saucepan, melt the butter on medium-low heat for 5 to 6 minutes, until it becomes brown and embodied by a nutty fragrance. Remove from heat and cool for a while, then transfer to a small bowl. Cover and chill in the fridge for 2 hours, at minimum, to make firm.
• Preheat oven at 325-degrees. Apply nonstick spray with flour to coat inside of a large bundt pan. Soften the browned butter a bit.
• Prepare the filling. In a small bowl, mix together 3/4 cups of chopped pecans, 1/2 cup brown sugar, and 2 teaspoons of flour. Add 3 Tablespoons of the browned butter and work it in with a fork until it makes a crumbly mix.
• In another bowl, mix together the 3 cups flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
• In a big mixing bowl, beat together the remaining browned butter with the rest of the brown sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, followed by the vanilla. Take turns mixing in the dry ingredients and the yogurt until just combined. Fold in the remaining 1 1/4 cups pecans.
• Pour about half the batter into the prepared pan and even it out. Sprinkle filling over it all the way around. Pour in the rest of the batter and spread it even again.
• Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until it passes the toothpick test in the middle. Let cool for about 20 minutes, then invert it onto a rack to completely cool.
• Make the coffee icing. Stir together the milk, espresso powder, and confectioners’ sugar, adding more milk or sugar as needed to make an icing of a good consistency. Drizzle over cake.
• Store at room temperature. Can be sliced and frozen for later enjoyment.

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