Cakes

Chocolate Zucchini Doughnuts

April 16, 2016 by Marisa 25 Comments

I have shared a couple of doughnut recipes here on the blog before and both of the deep fried variety. Such as these Zeppole, Ricotta Doughnuts and more recently my Castagnole Fritte. However, my chocolate zucchini doughnuts featured today are of a completely different variety. They are baked not fried and with the addition of grated zucchini and finely chopped walnuts.

These chocolate zucchini doughnuts have a cake like texture and are super moist made more so after being dunked in a decadent chocolate glaze.

This is a simple snacking cake recipe given to me by a friend which I have tweaked and converted into doughnuts. I think it’s a fun way of giving an old recipe new life. If you love easy to make desserts and have an extra zucchini hanging out in your fridge then these doughnuts are for you.

One will barely notice the zucchini in the doughnut because it just melts into the batter as it bakes, which is a great thing if there are finicky eaters in the family. It is one more wonderful way to hide the vegetables, in my opinion, when cooking or baking.

I used 2, 3 inch round doughnut hole pans for this recipe which yields 24 doughnuts. Each pan has 6 doughnut ring shapes which I let cool and resprayed with non-stick baking spray between batches.

Alternately, you may use a 9 inch square baking pan and bake the cake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F, for about 40 minutes or till a wooden skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. You will only need half the quantity of chocolate glaze if opting to bake it in a cake form.

A few notes to help you along: Use the 6 to 8 minutes bake time as a general guideline and always check to see if they are done at the minimum amount of time as not all ovens are the same. Mine is a gas oven and my baked goods are usually ready at the minimum amount of time requested in most recipes.

Do use a piping bag or resealable plastic bag, snipped at one end, to fill the doughnut pans for perfectly round shaped doughnuts.

Fill only half way through (the doughnut rings) as the batter doubles in size once baked.

Let the doughnuts cool in the pan for a few minutes before loosening them around the edges and inverting them onto a cooling rack.

Last but not least top the doughnuts with lots and lots of sprinkles 🙂

Chocolate Zucchini Doughnuts

Course Dessert

Servings 24 doughnuts

Author Marisa

Ingredients

DOUGHNUTS
1 1/2 cups flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup softened butter
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 whole cup milk
1 cup grated zucchini from 1 small zucchini
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
Chocolate Glaze
2 cups icing sugar
4 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
4 tablespoons whole milk
chocolate sprinkles or any other of your choice

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 2 inch doughnut pan with a nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
In a large size bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In a separate bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until creamy.
Add in the eggs, vanilla and beat until well combined.
Stir in the flour mixture alternately with the milk. Stating and ending with the flour mixture.
Add in the zucchini and the nuts. Stir till combined.
Spoon the doughnut batter into a large resealable plastic bag. Snip off one corner of the bag and pipe the batter into the prepared pans, filling the doughnut rings only half way through.
Bake 6 to 8 minutes or until the tops spring back when lightly touched.
When ready, let the doughnuts rest in the pan for a few minutes then gently loosen around the edges and carefully invert onto a cooling rack.
Cool and spray the doughnut pans with nonstick spray between batches.
CHOCOLATE GLAZE
In a large bowl, whisk together the icing sugar, cocoa powder, corn syrup and whole milk.
To coat the doughnuts with the chocolate glaze you can either dunk them in the glaze, letting any excess drip off or simply spoon the chocolate glaze over the doughnuts.
Place the doughnuts on a wire rack with a cookie sheet underneath to catch any drippings.
Top with the sprinkles of your choice.

Citrus Madeleines

March 30, 2016 by Marisa 17 Comments

These citrus madeleines are a two bite cake-like cookie. Sun kissed with a light golden brown color and bursting with the sweet citrusy flavors of lemon, lime and orange rinds, with an added crunch from the ground almonds.

A classic French style snacking cake, with a distinctive shell shape and a humpback.

I don’t have any childhood memories of these little madeleines, I was however always intrigued by their unique appearance. Soft, spongy and scalloped shaped. Definitely a must have cookie for all lemon lovers.

The store bought variety was my very first encounter with the little madeleines. More cake then cookie and of a somewhat drier variety just begging to be dunked in a cold glass of milk. These citrus madeleines are softer and more tender then store bought. I believe that is why my mom loved them so… for both the spongy tenderness of a cake and the lemon kick. They are perfect for those days when one does not have time to bake a whole cake but yet still crave a cake-like dessert.

All you need to whip up a batch of these citrus madeleines are a few staple ingredients such as flour, sugar, eggs, butter and of coarse a madeleine pan. Two pans to be exact, as most recipes yield two dozens. Nowadays, the madeleine pans can be found in most kitchen supply stores. Better yet, no electric mixer is required. Just two bowls and two whisks.

I find the best way to grease a madeleine pan is to use a pastry brush when brushing the moulds with the melted butter. This way every crevice is coated with the melted butter, and then lightly dust it with flour, shaking off any excess. Also equally important, is not to spread the batter when spooned into the mould, as this will help achieve their signature hump.

Serve them with a simple dusting of icing sugar…

Or maybe dip them half way in melted dark chocolate…

I do have to admit that the lemon glaze won us over!

And if by chance you cannot decide, simply choose all three!

Citrus Madeleines

Little buttery, two bite cakes eaten as a cookie. They are light, dense and flavored with lemon, lime and orange.

Course Dessert

Cuisine French

Servings 24

Author Marisa

Ingredients

3 eggs
1/2 cup unsalted butter melted
2 teaspoon each of grated lemon lime and orange rind
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup ground almonds
1/2 teaspoon of salt
GLAZE
3/4 cup icing sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350*F
Grease and flour the Madeleine pans. (you will need 2-12 mould pans)
Place the eggs, melted butter, grated lemon, lime, orange rinds and vanilla extract in a large bowl and whisk till combined.
Using a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, ground almonds and salt.
Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and whisk until combined.
Place 1 tablespoon of batter into each mould.
Bake in the center of your preheated oven for about 12 to 15 minutes or until edges are golden brown and the puffed centers spring back when gently touched.
Carefully loosen the moulds with the tip of a knife. Invert onto a cooling rack.
Glaze
Whisk the sugar and the lemon juice together in a small bowl. Brush the lemon glaze over each cooled Madeleine.

Recipe Notes

These madeleines can be made 24 hours ahead of time and stored in an airtight container or freeze for up to one week.

Recipe adapted from Canadian Living Magazine

Pumpkin Cake Roll

October 10, 2015 by Marisa 53 Comments

Dazzle family and friends this Thanksgiving weekend with a simple to make yet show stopping Pumpkin Cake Roll! It has all the wonderful aromas of Fall with fragrant spices such as ginger, nutmeg and cinnamon.

A Canadian Thanksgiving meal tends to emphasize the culture of the person or family preparing the feast. My kitchen is no exception, with a mix of my Italian heritage and Canadian influence. I proudly embrace both as it is who I am, an Italian-Canadian! Which ever way one celebrates it is certainly an opportunity to give thanks for all the good in our lives and enjoy memorable meals with loved ones 🙂

This pumpkin cake roll has a beautiful density to it that softens while chilling in the fridge with it’s cream cheese filling, making it a perfect make ahead dessert. It should be chilled for at least two hours and up to 48 hours. Go ahead bake it the day before and free up some much needed oven space for your Turkey, Ham or any other meat of your choice for a wonderful Thanksgiving celebration!

Ingredients:

3 large eggs, room temperature
3/4 cup all purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup canned pumpkin
1 teaspoon lemon juice
powdered sugar (icing sugar)
1 cup finely chopped walnuts
1, 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar

Grease a 15x10x1 inch baking pan. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and grease the paper. This step will allow cake to release from the baking sheet effortlessly ( do not skip this step). Set aside.

In a small bowl, stir together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, ground ginger, salt, the ground nutmeg and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 375*F.

In a large mixing bowl beat the eggs on high speed for about 5 minutes until thickened. Lower to medium speed and gradually add the sugar, beating until it is light in color and fluffy. Stir in the pumpkin and the lemon juice. Next, beat in the flour mixture just until combined. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared baking pan using an offset spatula. Sprinkle the finely chopped walnuts evenly over the batter.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 12 minutes or until the cake springs back when touched. Meanwhile, lay out a clean kitchen towel and sprinkle generously with icing sugar. This will ensure that the cake does not stick to the dish towel and will give the cake a pretty appearance. When the cake is done, immediately loosen the edges with a knife and invert it onto the clean kitchen towel (nuts side down) and peel off the parchment paper.

Starting at the short end, roll the cake in the towel and transfer to a wire rack to cool for 30 minutes to set the shape.

For the filling, in a medium mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla on medium speed until it is smooth and then gradually beat in the powdered sugar.

Unroll the cake and spread the filling in a thin layer within 1 inch of the borders. Firmly roll up the cake using the towel to help if needed. Cover the pumpkin cake roll and chill for 2 to 48 hours. When ready to serve, dust with more with icing sugar, trim off edges and slice into equal portions.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend!! 🙂

Makes 10-12 servings.

Recipe adapted from BHG Magazine.

Blueberry Bundt Cake

June 25, 2015 by Marisa 17 Comments

Blueberry Bundt Cake a, wonderfully dense and moist cake baked in a rose shaped Bundt pan for a lovely sculpted look and scented with the sweet aroma of orange zest.

This Blueberry Bundt Cake is perfect for a Sunday brunch, potlucks and elegant enough for special occasions.

A huge advantage when baking with a bundt pan is the beautiful decorative shape, allowing nothing more than a light simple syrup and a dusting of icing sugar to enhance the look of your cake.

To ensure easy unmolding of your cake with all the fancy designs intact, use a good cake release product. Here I used one from Wilton which allowed me to release the cake effortlessly. Another good alternative is to brush the inside of your pan with vegetable shortening and then dust with flour.

What I was not successful with was using a cooking spray. I am not sure why I decided too but my first time using it was a disaster. Half the cake was stuck in the bottom of the pan and would not unmold, hence the delay in this post! Mind you, it was perfectly edible and my husband had no problem polishing it off…lol ! So I went searching the following day for a good cake release product and a few other ingredients to bake my cake all over again. 🙂

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 tbsp coarsely grated orange rind
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup orange juice
4 cups fresh blueberries

Glaze:

1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup orange juice

Grease a 10 inch (3 liter) Bundt cake pan or an angel food cake pan and set aside.

In a large bowl beat the softened butter with 1 cup of sugar just until fluffy. Next beat in the egg yolks one at a time and then the grated orange rind.

In a smaller bowl, use clean beaters to beat the egg whites until soft peaks form and set aside.

In yet another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and the salt. Using a wooden spoon, stir the flour mixture into the butter mixture alternately with the orange juice. You will make 3 additions of flour and 2 of juice. The batter will be slightly stiff.

Next, stir 1/3 of the beaten egg whites into the batter mixture and fold in the remaining egg whites with a rubber spatula. Fold in 2 cups of the blueberries and scrape the cake batter into your prepared pan. Smooth out the top and give the pan a light tap on your counter to release any air pockets.

If you are using a regular Bundt pan or angel food pan, bake at 350F (180C) for 45 to 55 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from the oven and place the cake on a cooling rack. Let cool for 20 minutes. If using a cast aluminum Bundt pan as I did, preheat the oven at 325F (160*C) and bake for about 55 to 65 minutes.

Glaze: Combine 1/2 cup of sugar and 1/2 cup of orange juice in a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil and boil 1 minute while stirring. As another alternative, you can just as easily use your microwave on high for 2 to 3 minutes. Keep an eye on it so that it does not boil over. Let it cool a little.

Loosen the cake from the pan and invert onto a serving platter. Brush the cake with the orange glaze and let it cool.

Once cooled, fill the center of the cake with the remaining blueberries and dust with icing sugar 🙂

Yields 12 servings.

Adapted from Canadian living Magazine.

Carrot Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting

May 25, 2015 by Marisa 9 Comments

The absolute best Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting…ever! Two carrot cakes are baked and assembled together with the most luscious cream cheese frosting to form a two layered cake.

I forgot how much I loved carrot cake until I revisited this recipe. It’s like seeing a long lost best friend and not being able to get enough. Memories came flooding back on all the times I’ve baked this cake for Sunday family gatherings at mamma’s house. It’s been a family favorite for a long while and just recently my sister requested the recipe. She raves about it all the time, claiming it is “the best she ever tasted” !

I’m so glad to have found this recipe, type written (yikes, who even owns a typewriter anymore). Dog eared and slightly spattered with cake batter. It truly attests to the shear amount of times I’ve baked this delicious moist cake.

Bake in a 9 x 13 inch pan or 2, 9 inch round pans

You can most certainly serve it in a more traditional way by baking it in a 9 x 13 inch pan, as I’ve always done.

However, do keep in mind you’ll need to bake it for 50 to 60 minutes. Or simply until a toothpick inserted in the middles comes out clean. One batch of the cream cheese frosting will be enough for a 9 x 13 inch cake.

This time around, I decided to elevate it into a much more elegant 2 layered cake. Inspired by what is now being referred to “naked cake”. A rather lovely way of baking a cake with open layers. This has the icing peeking through the outer edges, giving it a more exposed look. I find it provides the cake a pretty and enchanting appeal!

Double the frosting amount for a 2 layer carrot cake

I doubled the frosting amount for this 2 layered cake and used a 1M piping tip from Wilton to decorate the carrot cake. It will give you more than enough to generously ice the layers.

To achieve the frilly icing border, you’ll want to start piping at the inner edge of your cake, working your self inward. Use an off set spatula to smooth the inside frosting while leaving the edges untouched.

I repeated the same with the top layer and piped a rosette in the middle of the cake. I wanted to achieve the look of a naked cake but with a frilly border 🙂

This recipe was given to me by “Raoul” whom I never met but was gracious enough to pass on this recipe through a mutual friend. He worked in our hospital cafeteria and had my colleagues and I running down every second Wednesday to get our carrot cake fix!

It is so utterly delicious that my husband, tongue in cheek, now wants me to bake him this carrot cake every single Sunday. However, I’ll save it for special occasions simply because…well there are so many other sweet treats to bake!

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

A delicious 2 layered Carrot Cake with a luscious Cream Cheese Frosting that is simply perfect for birthdays, holidays or any other special occasion.

Course Dessert

Keyword Carrot Cake

Servings 10

Author Marisa

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups sunflower oil or canola oil
2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup walnuts finely chopped
14 ounce can crushed pinapple well drained
2 cups grated carrots about 3 medium sized

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING (double this amount for a 2 layer cake)

3 ounces cream cheese
2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 pound butter
1/4 pound powdered sugar (icing sugar)

Instructions

Grease and flour 2, 9 inch round cake pans.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
In a large bowl whisk the oil, sugar and eggs together until combined and set aside.
In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until combined.
Fold in the crushed pineapple, chopped walnuts and the grated carrots.. Do not over mix.
Divide evenly into the prepared pans.
Bake in the preheated oven for about 40 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
Transfer the pans on a wire rack and let cool completely in the pans.
Carefully release the cakes from the pans when cooled and ready to frost.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING (double the amount for a 2 layer cake)

In a large bowl combine the frosting ingredients together.
Starting on low speed and working your way to high, mix until the cream cheese frosting is smooth and creamy.
To achieve the frilly icing border, use a piping bag inserted with a 1M piping tip.
Fill the piping bag with the frosting and start piping at the inner edge of your cake, working yourself inward.
With an off set spatula or the back of a large spoon, smooth the inside frosting and leave the edges untouched.
Top with the second layer of cake and repeat with more frosting.
Pipe a rosette on the top middle of cake and garnish with mint leaves.
Slice and enjoy with your favourite cup of coffee or tea.

If you make this recipe remember to tag @marisasitaliankitchen on Instagram so I can see your creation!

« Previous Page

Cakes

Chocolate Zucchini Doughnuts

Ingredients

Instructions

Citrus Madeleines

Ingredients

Instructions

Recipe Notes

Bake in a 9 x 13 inch pan or 2, 9 inch round pans

Double the frosting amount for a 2 layer carrot cake

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING (double this amount for a 2 layer cake)

Instructions

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING (double the amount for a 2 layer cake)

Footer

Instagram