Cakes – FoodWatcher

Blueberry Cake

This blueberry cake recipe is easy to make and bursting with fresh blueberries. Blueberry season calls for my favorite blueberry cake! ♡ I first shared this blueberry cake recipe here ten years ago. And now, over a decade later, it still continues to be a favorite tradition of ours each spring when blueberry season rolls […]

This blueberry cake recipe is easy to make and bursting with fresh blueberries.

Blueberry season calls for my favorite blueberry cake! ♡

I first shared this blueberry cake recipe here ten years ago. And now, over a decade later, it still continues to be a favorite tradition of ours each spring when blueberry season rolls back around. It’s loaded up with a full two pints of fresh blueberries, which add a burst of vibrant sweetness to each bite. Then when mixed with a simple vanilla white cake batter, baked up in a bundt pan, and drizzled lightly with a sweet glaze, this cake is downright lovely through and through. Always such a beautiful cake for springtime!

In the years since I first shared this recipe, I’ve come to love adding a hint of lemon to brighten up the cake batter and glaze. And while I love this cake with fresh blueberries, I’ve also updated the notes below with instructions on how to make it using frozen blueberries too if that’s what you have on hand.

This recipe is always a winner in our house, so I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

(more…)

3-Ingredient Flourless Chocolate Cake

My longtime favorite flourless cake recipe is decadently rich and delicious, naturally gluten-free, and easy to make in under 1 hour! Trust me, this flourless chocolate cake recipe belongs in your dessert repertoire. ♡ I actually first shared this recipe here on Gimme Some Oven over a dozen years ago, and have probably made it […]

My longtime favorite flourless cake recipe is decadently rich and delicious, naturally gluten-free, and easy to make in under 1 hour!

Trust me, this flourless chocolate cake recipe belongs in your dessert repertoire. ♡

I actually first shared this recipe here on Gimme Some Oven over a dozen years ago, and have probably made it at least a few dozen times ever since. It has turned into one of my back-pocket dessert recipes because it calls for 3 simple ingredients that I almost always keep stocked in my kitchen — eggs, butter and chocolate. It’s easy to prep and bake in under 1 hour. It’s naturally gluten-free. And who can argue with a decadent, fudgy, flourless chocolate cake?! People always adore this recipe!

After having made this cake so many times, I can vouch that this classic recipe welcomes fun ingredient twists as well. So if you feel like adding in a dash of cinnamon and cayenne, a spoonful of espresso powder, or a splash of bourbon, go for it! I’ve also made this cake using everything from the fanciest chocolate bars to store-brand semisweet chocolate chips and all have turned out to be absolutely delicious. Please just take a minute to read a few of my tried-and-true tips below (turns out the type of aluminum foil can make a big difference here!) so that your flourless chocolate cakes are a success each and every time.

Let’s make some cake! (more…)

Gingerbread Cake

This gingerbread cake recipe is easy to make, perfectly moist and fluffy, and made with a delicious blend of molasses and warming spices. This is one of those recipes where I so wish I could just pop over and serve you a warm slice to try. ♡ Because if you love gingerbread as much as […]

This gingerbread cake recipe is easy to make, perfectly moist and fluffy, and made with a delicious blend of molasses and warming spices.

This is one of those recipes where I so wish I could just pop over and serve you a warm slice to try. ♡

Because if you love gingerbread as much as I do this time of year, I’m telling you, this gingerbread cake needs to be part of your life. It’s made with the classic rich mix of molasses and warming spices that we all love in a good batch of gingerbread. And I’m partial to this particular gingerbread cake recipe because it bakes up to be incredibly moist and fluffy. You can either serve it up solo, dust it with some powdered sugar, or go all out and top it with whipped cream or cream cheese frosting — all will be delicious. And of course, cake for breakfast the next morning is always an excellent idea too.

I’ve included a few extra customization ideas below, if you would like to mix in some orange zest, chocolate or bourbon for a slightly different twist on this recipe. But however you make it, you can count on the fact that this cake is going to make your home smell extra cozy and festive this time of year…and taste even better.

Alright, let’s make some gingerbread cake!

(more…)

Pumpkin Doughnut Bundt Cake

I have been a fan of Bundt cakes for decades, as their elegant shape and endless flavor possibilities have always been intriguing to me. The first Bundt cake I ever made was at The Blue Heron Coffeehouse in Winona, MN; I was working an evening shift and it was painfully slow, so I bopped into the kitchen and decided to get a jump-start on the morning baking. Bundt cakes had always been a big seller in the morning hours, and the fact that they often tasted better the next day made them a good place to start. Two hours and one flip later, my Bundt cake was out of the oven, and even though part of it stuck to the pan (the fault of an inexperienced Bundt-cake-maker) I was enamored with my beautiful creation. I have been making them ever since. I often associate Bundt cakes with breakfast, as I have spent many early mornings nibbling on them (they do, of course, also taste delicious in the afternoon and evening hours.) It may be the result of working in coffeehouses for years, but a sweet treat in the morning, paired with coffee in any form, is my preferred breakfast of […]

The post Pumpkin Doughnut Bundt Cake appeared first on The Vanilla Bean Blog.

Creamy Pumpkin Streusel Coffee Cakes

After making my Creamy Jammy Coffee Cakes for quite some time, I decided to experiment with pumpkin for fall-themed miniature cakes. These little streusel cakes are made with the base of my Pumpkin Bars; they bake up moist and flavorful, and pair beautifully with the cream cheese and pecan streusel. I definitely love that combination, as I have a much loved recipe for Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins with Streusel, too. I must admit I do prefer them in this larger form: there is a significant cream cheese layer, and the streusel stays put much better. I use 4 inch [5 cm] springform pans to make these mini cakes, so they bake up with perfect edges, and release easily. I have not tried making these in a 9 by 13 pan [23 by 33 cm] or muffin tins, but if you do experiment with those, leave a comment below and let us know how it turned out! How to Know When Your Mini Cakes are Done Baking The only tricky part about these cakes is knowing when they are done; the cream cheese layer stays wet throughout baking. Stick a wooden skewer into the cakes all the way to the pumpkin […]

The post Creamy Pumpkin Streusel Coffee Cakes appeared first on The Vanilla Bean Blog.

Creamy Jammy Coffee Cakes

We are very close to the release of my new cookbook, 100 Morning Treats, so in honor of that I am sharing a recipe from its pages: Creamy Jammy Coffee Cakes. This recipe is one of my favorites from the book (#28 out of 100, and can be found on page 91 and below). You can pre-order the book here, and it will be arriving May 9th! I wrote this book, 100 Morning Treats, to celebrate the morning hours and to represent the baked goods and pastries I developed while working in coffee shops and in my home. The recipes are a result of nearly three decades of baking, and include muffins, rolls, scones, quick breads, Bundt cakes, coffee cakes, some savory items, and so much more. My hope is that this book brings you some joy in your kitchens in the years to come. But back to the Jammy Cakes – I’m not going to lie; cream cheese swirl is what I’ll pick in a bakery case lineup any day. There is a layer of cake, then cream cheese, tart jam (or lemon curd), and streusel topping in every perfect bite. I like to eat them just barely warm, […]

The post Creamy Jammy Coffee Cakes appeared first on The Vanilla Bean Blog.

Citrus Olive Oil Cake

This citrus olive oil cake recipe is easy to make in one bowl, naturally gluten-free, and made with the loveliest hints of fresh orange and lemon. A few months ago when we were spending the weekend with friends on the Costa Brava, I sampled an orange olive oil cornmeal cake at the local farmers market […]

This citrus olive oil cake recipe is easy to make in one bowl, naturally gluten-free, and made with the loveliest hints of fresh orange and lemon.

Citrus Olive Oil Cake

A few months ago when we were spending the weekend with friends on the Costa Brava, I sampled an orange olive oil cornmeal cake at the local farmers market that was love at first bite. ♡

To be honest, I’d never had a cake quite like this one before. The local baker explained that it was a gluten-free cake made with cornmeal and almond flour, which accounted for its beautiful golden color and light almond flavor and surprisingly hearty texture (kind of similar to a light cornbread). It was incredibly moist and very lightly sweetened. And best of all, it was brightened up with a generous amount of fresh citrus, which made it taste so light and refreshing and sunshine-y. I honestly couldn’t stop thinking about this cake for weeks afterwards and wished I’d had the chance to ask the baker more about the recipe. But after a bit of experimenting, I’m happy to say that I’ve come up with my own version that our entire family now adores.

I’m happy to report that this recipe is incredibly easy to make with just 1 bowl and about 15 minutes of prep time. And while I love using both a fresh lemon and orange in the cake (both zested and juiced), you’re welcome to swap in a grapefruit, mandarin, Meyer lemon, or whatever other citrus you might prefer. Please note that this cake is intentionally designed to be sweet-but-not-too-sweet, making it perfect for dessert, snacking, or even a lovely breakfast to go with your coffee. But if you feel like adding an extra hint of sweetness, a side of fresh fruit (or fruit compote), a dollop of whipped cream, a scoop of ice cream, or light glaze drizzled on top would all be absolutely delicious here too.

This citrus cake is definitely one of those recipes that has a way of growing and growing on you. So I hope you all love it as much as I do!

Citrus Olive Oil Cake Ingredients

(more…)

Galette des rois

Starting in late December, pastry shops in Paris start jumping the gun, and windows and showcases begin filling up with Galettes des rois, or King Cake, in anticipation of the celebration of Epiphany, on January 6th. Because it’s such a popular treat, and lucrative for bakeries, the period of availability seems to extend a few more days every year and it’s not unusual for find…

Starting in late December, pastry shops in Paris start jumping the gun, and windows and showcases begin filling up with Galettes des rois, or King Cake, in anticipation of the celebration of Epiphany, on January 6th.

Galette des Rois

Because it’s such a popular treat, and lucrative for bakeries, the period of availability seems to extend a few more days every year and it’s not unusual for find bakeries peddling them until the end of the month of January. It’s hard to blame them (and those of us who buy them) because they’re so good. Years ago, I used to bake them when I worked in restaurants, and they’re called Pithiviers, named for the town in the Loiret (south of Paris) where they allegedly originated.

Continue Reading Galette des rois...