Category: Cakes
Chamomile Tea Cake with Strawberry Icing (Slice of Tea Cake & A Cuppa Tea)

Chamomile Tea Cake with Strawberry Icing (Slice of Tea Cake & A Cuppa Tea)

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He needs to stop.  I would like to dive into Eric Kim’s cookbook, Korean-American but have not been able to and it is all his FAULT.  Yep, the blame lies squarely on his shoulders.

Eric is on staff at the NYT Cooking.  I’m not sure what his obligation is to the venerable paper, a column every week, every couple of days.  Don’t know.  What I do know is he keeps coming up with tasty recipes for the NYT that prevent me from cracking open his book.

Sheesh

So I am asking Eric to please STOP, or at least, slow down with the content for NYT cooking so I can finally try the recipes in your beautiful book.  I’ve only had time to read the stories, which I love, while making your recipes in the NYT.

I’m kidding of course (am I?).  His recent contribution to NYT was a Chamomile Tea Cake with Strawberry Icing.  It looked luscious and sounded delightful …so of course, I made it. His cookbook, Korean-American, will just have to wait a little longer.  Although, in all fairness, many of the recipes printed in the NYT are also in his wonderful book.

But Not This Cake

I adore this cake and I wasn’t sure I was going to.  First, I’ve never had a cup of Chamomile Tea in my life.  I’m Asian…it’s Oolong, Jasmine, Roasted Barley, Green Tea…no herbal teas in my house.  My only non-Asian Tea is Lipton”s Black Tea (I’m not even sure I would call it non-Asian, lol)  and that’s to make Hong Kong-style Milk Tea. But the cake looked luscious, very maker-friendly and is an Eric creation, so my knee-jerk reaction after seeing the recipe was to pull out my loaf pan.

A Cup of Tea

This cake can be made by hand, yep, you don’t need to drag out that 50-pound mixer BUT I was lazy so I pulled mine out. This makes the cake incredibly easy to make.  The key is to not overmix to avoid toughening the cake…this is the universal problem when using your mixer, too much muscle.

I bought a box of Chamomile teabags, and the first thing I did was make a cup of tea and try it.  It was soothing, mild, and refreshing…in other words, perfect for this cake.

Chamomile Tea swimming in a butter bath, the life.  The tea is infused in every step of this cake, the butter, and the milk, so the flavor of the tea really shines. I might try it with different teas in the future, like Jasmine, my favorite.

Back to Cake by the Machine.  The butter will solidify a bit as it sits with the tea.  Beat the butter, sugar, and salt until light and creamy, about 1 minute on medium speed.  It will be light in color and fuller in volume, add your eggs one at a time.  The eggs should be at room temperature which helps minimize curdling or breaking of the batter when liquid is added to your fat mixture.

Creamed butter and sugar

Deb Tip-when adding zest to a recipe. I reserve a couple of tablespoons of sugar from the recipe and run that with the zest in a mini-food processor, then add it back to the original sugar.  No big pieces of zest and the citrus flavor is well distributed.  That’s just me though.

You can add your zest, baking powder, and vanilla as listed in the recipe.  The recipe calls for adding vanilla, and leavening agent into the creamed mixture before adding the flour.  This works since you haven’t added the flour yet, no worries about overmixing and developing gluten.

Flour Power

First, add half the flour, mix on medium just until the flour disappears, then add the milk, mixing just to incorporate.  Finally, add the remaining flour and mix at medium speed.  Mix until you don’t see any streaks of flour, it should look cohesive.  Avoid overbeating which can lead to a tough cake (gluten development) did I already mention that, lol.

The Icing On the Cake

The icing is key. It adds a bit of sweetness and a textural complement to the cake.  I saw a few complaints that the cake was overly sweet.  I didn’t think so although I did use freeze-dried raspberries instead of strawberries which have a bit more tartness.  The raspberries made a vibrant garnet-hued icing that was very eye-catching.

The weight to volume of freeze-dried fruit was off, possibly due to humidity.  I used the half-cup volume measurement, you can adjust the taste and color to your liking.

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5 from 1 vote

Chamomile Tea Cake With Strawberry Icing

From Eric KIm, tea cake flavored with Chamomile Tea that is as delicious as it is easy to make!
Course Cake, Dessert
Cuisine American, Asian-American
Keyword chamomile tea, ERic KIm, Strawberry, tea cake
Prep Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes

Equipment

  • 1 9x5 loaf pan

Ingredients

  • Nonstick cooking spray To prep loaf pan

Steep 2 Tea Blends: butter + tea and milk + tea and set aside

  • 2 tablespoons (6 grams) chamomile tea, divided in half approximately 4 to 6 tea bags, crushed fine if coarse
  • 1⁄2 cup (115 grams) unsalted butter
  • 1 cup (240 milliliters) whole milk

Cream Tea + Butter Mixture

  • 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs

Add to Creamed Tea-Butter Mixture

  • 1 tbsp lemon zest (original recipe calls for zest of 1 large lemon) You can increase or decrease zest to your taste or use combination of orange and lemon zest 1.5 teaspoons of each. Keep the lemon, yiu will use the juice in the icing
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon Morton's coarse kosher salt or increase to 3/4 tsp if using Diamond Kosher Salt
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 1⁄2 cups (192 grams) all-purpose flour

Icing

  • 2 tbsp Lemon juice from zested lemon
  • 1 cup (124 grams) confectioners’ sugar
  • 1⁄2 cup (8 grams) freeze-dried strawberries

Instructions

  • In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat (or microwave until melted). Add 1 tablespoon chamomile to a large mixing bowl. Pour the hot melted butter over the chamomile and stir. Set aside to steep and cool completely, about 1 hour.
  • Use the same saucepan (without washing it out) to bring the milk to a simmer over medium-high heat, keeping watch so it doesn’t boil over. Remove from the heat, and stir the remaining 1 tablespoon chamomile into the hot milk. Set aside to cool
  • Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with the nonstick cooking spray and line with parchment paper so the long sides of the pan have a couple of inches of overhang to make lifting the finished cake out easier.
  • Add the sugar and salt to the bowl with the butter, and whisk until smooth and thick, about 1 minute. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, vigorously whisking to combine after each addition. Zest the lemon into the bowl; add the baking powder and vanilla, and whisk until incorporated. Add the flour and stream in the milk mixture while whisking continuously until no streaks of flour remain.
  • Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and bake until a skewer or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean (a few crumbs are OK, but you should see no wet batter), 40 to 45 minutes. Cool in the pan on a rack for 30 minutes.
  • While the cake cools, make the icing: Into a medium bowl, squeeze 2 tablespoons juice from the zested lemon, then add the confectioners’ sugar. Place the dehydrated strawberries in a fine-mesh sieve set over the bowl and, using your fingers, crush the brittle berries and press the red-pink powder through the sieve and into the sugar. (The more you do this, the redder your icing will be.) Whisk until smooth.
  • If needed, run a knife along the edges of the cake to release it from the pan. Holding the 2 sides of overhanging parchment, lift the cake out and place it on a plate, cake stand or cutting board. Discard the parchment. Pour the icing over the cake, using a spoon to push the icing to the edges of the cake to encourage the icing to drip down the sides dramatically. Cool the cake completely and let the icing set.
That’s the Way the Strawberry Cake Crumb-les

That’s the Way the Strawberry Cake Crumb-les

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My weekly trip to the farmer’s market starts with lining up at the P&K Strawberry stand 30 minutes before the market even opens.  Yep, the strawberries from this family farm in Moss Landing are THAT good.  Even though they are freakin’ delicious out of hand, I love trying recipes that highlight the ruby-colored gems.

This Strawberry Crumb Cake from Cambrea Bakes landed on my “Definitely making this” list the first time I saw it.  Three delectable layers, starting with a finely crumbed cake reminiscent of buttery pound cake topped with a layer of berries, bound by a squeeze of lemon juice, and a bit of flour and sugar.  The cake is then finished with a generous, buttery crumb topping.  It’s gorgeous and yummy.

Keys to Success

The crumb topping is classic flour, butter, and sugar.  Combine the ingredients until it looks like a mish-mash of clumps, spread it on a small plate, and put it in the freezer for 10-15 minutes or however long it takes to assemble the remaining ingredients.  Chilling the crumb topping ensures it won’t melt during baking so you end up with a nice crunchy, buttery top.  If you are nuts about nuts, throw a handful of chopped pecans or walnuts into the crumb.

Dice the berries and add the sugar and flour.  Use fresh berries, not frozen, which have too much liquid.   I added blueberries to the mix just for a little color pop and because I had some.  My tweak would be to add a little more fruit (I love berries), I would scale up to 2 cups of fruit, I’ll let you know how it goes, it may throw off baking time and cake. *Instead of adding more fresh strawberries add 1-2 tablespoons of strawberry jam to bump up the berry flavor.

Sift together the dry ingredients for the cake and set aside.  Sifting allows for an even distribution of the baking powder and salt in the flour.  Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.  This adds air that contributes to the rise and tenderness of the cake.

Bring eggs to room temperature before using.  This helps prevent the batter from breaking (where your batter looks curdled and lumpy) when you add eggs or a liquid to the creamed mixture.  A trick to help prevent this is to add the eggs slowly (roughly an egg at a time) and mix until each egg is absorbed into the batter before adding more.

No Curdle Zone

When it starts to look like it is curdling (usually when adding the last egg), add a couple of tablespoons of your flour mixture with the remaining egg mixture.  The flour is the mediator preventing the break. That little bit helps keep your batter smooth without making the cake tough.

Add remaining flour in two parts alternating with the room temp buttermilk.  The batter will be thick, not pourable.  Use an offset spatula to spread it evenly in a prepared pan.  Layer the berries and then crumb topping.  I like putting the topping in the freezer and then chipping it into pieces to scatter on the fruit.

Crumb Fans Rejoice 😋

Finally, bake the cake.  The first time I made this cake, it was a wee bit overbaked.  I didn’t trust my thermometer.  How goofy is that?  My advice, invest in a good thermometer.  Cakes should be about 205+/- 5 degrees with an instant thermometer.  If you don’t have a thermometer, use a bamboo skewer or toothpick over a metal cake tester. (Nothing sticks to a metal pick unless it is super underbaked).  With fruit and crumb impeding the tester, it’s just hard to get an accurate read.

That rosy pink layer of fruit on top of the buttery yellow cake, this cake is a beauty.  Bake it, bake it now.

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Strawberry Crumb Cake

Delicious Crumb cake with a fine crumb and a layer of fresh berries with a buttery, crunchy crumble topping from Cambrea Bakes.
Course Breakfast, Cake, Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword crumb cake, strawberries
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes

Ingredients

Crumb Topping

  • 6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
  • 3/4 cup + 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar

Strawberry Field Forever

  • 1 1/2 cups chopped fresh strawberries or a mix of blueberries and strawberries
  • 1 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 lemon juiced

Da Cake

  • 1 1/2 cups + 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp kosher salt 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 large whole eggs at room temperature whisked together
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract overflowing, you can never have enough vanilla!
  • 1/4 cup buttermilk room temperature

Instructions

  • Butter or lightly spray with cooking spray a square 8x8 baking pan. L ine it with parchment paper on all sides. Preheat the oven to 350 F/180 C.

The Crumb

  • In a medium bowl, mix together the melted butter, flour, sugar, and brown sugar until crumbly. Spread on a plate and place in freezer for 10-15 minutes or for as long as it takes to make the strawberries and cake.

Da Strawberries

  • In a medium bowl, combine the chopped strawberries, sugar, flour, and lemon juice until combined. Set aside.

Da Cake

  • Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside.
  • Using a mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes on medium to medium-high speed.
  • Scrape down the bowl. Slowly add in the whisked eggs and vanilla, mixing very well after each addition. Do not do this too quickly or the mixture will curdle.
  • Add half of the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until almost combined. Add buttermilk and mix until combined, add remainder of the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. The batter will be quite thick.
  • Using an offset spatula, spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking pan, then spread the strawberries evenly over the top. Break up the crumbs and sprinkle for an even layer over the strawberries.
  • Bake for 55-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The berry layer may make it difficult to test leaving residual moisture on tester, try not to overbake.
  • Cool cake for 20 minutes on a wire cooling rack, then remove from the pan and cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

Notes

I
Smitten by Big Apple Crumb Cake

Smitten by Big Apple Crumb Cake

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Let me rundown the reasons you should make this Apple Crumb Cake…

The original recipe is from Smitten Kitchen, and well, duh, of course, I’m going to make it.

Recommended by Ipso-Fatto, one of my favorite blogs. Her recommendations are SPOT ON. I put any recipe with her ringing endorsement on my bake it, bake it now list.

Apples and a boatload of crumb topping.  What’s Not to Love?

Finally, an excuse to buy yet another baking pan, because everyone knows you absolutely need a 12×5.5 biscotti pan, LOL.

How do you like them apples…in a cake, please

It never ceases to amaze me just how many variety of apples are now available. I snagged a bag of Crimson Crisp apples, along with Pink Ladies, and Jonagolds at the Farmer’s Market.  Back in the day, Red Delicious was the Big Kahuna, the only Kahuna (totally dating myself).  Crimson Crisp are sweet, with just a hint of tartness, an all-around apple good for snacking or baking. Or, feel free to use any apple you like as long as it will hold its shape after baking.

The original recipe calls for 1/2-inch thick slices randomly placed on the batter.  But, I chose to cut my apples in approximately 1/4 to 3/8-inch slices and form two rows of overlapping slices.  Do not cut the apples any thinner as the apple flavor and texture will be lost under the crumbs.  If you use all sweet apples like Golden Delicious, be generous with the lemon juice.

BaBaBaBaBap…Cake On the Bottom

The cake layer is reminiscent of a fine crumb, not quite as dense as pound cake, snack cake  A nice foil for the apples and the topping. The batter is very thick, not really pourable. Scoop it into your pan and use an offset spatula to spread it evenly in the pan.  I used my nifty new biscotti pan (12×5.5 inches) which is equivalent to the called for 8×8 baking pan. The salt and baking powder are sprinkled on the butter, sugar, egg mixture, and blended before adding the flour.  Not sure why, my best guess is to make sure the baking powder and salt are evenly distributed in the batter.

How the Cake Crumb-les

Starting with melted butter makes the crumb topping effortless. I left the crumb in random small pieces which resulted in a pebbly finish which I love.  Squeeze the crumbs together for bigger clumps of topping.  Add nuts, if you like, I tossed in half a cup of chopped pecans for texture and flavor.  It is ALOT of crumble so if that’s not your thang, leave some out.

This is a delicious snack cake that highlights both apples and crumb topping.  Put it on your bucket bake list!

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5 from 1 vote

Big Apple Crumb Cake

From Smitten Kitchen, a delicious snacking cake topped with apples and a generous layer of crumb topping.
Course Cake
Cuisine American
Keyword apple, crumb cake
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes

Ingredients

The Apples

  • 1 pound apples, 3 medium or 2 large, peeled, cored, cut into 1/4 -1/2-inch wedges
  • Juice of half a lemon
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

The Crumbs

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted 4 ounces or 115 grams
  • 1/3 cup light or dark brown sugar 65 grams
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar 65 grams
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour 175 grams
  • 1/2 cup coarsely chopped nuts, any kind optional

The Cake

  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened 85 grams
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar 100 grams
  • 1 large egg room temperature
  • 1/3 cup sour cream 80 grams
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour 130 grams
  • 1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • Powdered sugar for dusting

Instructions

  • Heat oven: To 325°F (165°C). Lightly coat an 8-inch square or 9-inch cake pan with butter or nonstick spray and line with parchment paper that hangs over the long sides. Makes it easy to remove the cake after baking.
  • Slice apples into 1/4 min to 3/8 inch thick slices. Toss apples with lemon juice. Mix cinnamon and sugar together and then add to apples. Mix thoroughly and set aside.
  • Make crumbs: Whisk melted butter, sugars, cinnamon, and salt together until evenly mixed. Add flour and mix until it disappears. Add nuts if using. Set aside.
  • Beat butter with sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg, sour cream, and vanilla and beat until combined. Sprinkle surface of batter with baking powder and salt, beat well to combine. Add flour and mix only until it disappears. The batter will be very thick and not really pourable.
  • Scrape batter into prepared cake pan and smooth it flat. Arrange apples on cake, slightly overlapped. Resist the urge to pile all the apples on, single layer of overlapping apples is good. If you pile extra apples on, the cake may not bake evenly. Pour any cinnamon-apple juices from bottom of bowl over apples. Sprinkle crumbs over apple slices. For bigger crumbs, squeeze the crumbs into small fistfuls and break these up into a couple bigger chunks over the cake.
  • Bake the cake until a toothpick inserted into the apples doesn’t hit any crisp spots and comes out fairly clean, about 50 to 55 minutes.
  • Cool to room temperature, if you can bear it, before cutting into squares or wedges. Dust generously with powdered sugar.
  • Cake keeps at room temperature loosely covered in an airtight container for 3 days or in the fridge.

Notes

PSA: Get yourself a scale, soooo much easier 🙂
Devilishly Good Chocolate Cake

Devilishly Good Chocolate Cake

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Always on the lookout for inspiration, I read Dorie Greenspan’s post on A Devils Food Cake by Zoe Francois of Zoe Bakes.  My copy of Zoe Bakes Cakes has been languishing on my shelf for a little while, okay, a long while (I got it as soon as it hit the shelves). Leave it to Dorie to provide that nudge to finally bake from it.

Devilishly Delicious

My go-to recipe for chocolate cake comes from my tattered, well-worn copy of The Silver Palate.  Their Decadent Chocolate Cake has been a stalwart in our house forever.  But Dorie’s description and praise for this cake made it impossible for me to ignore.  Glad I didn’t, it’s delicious.  It’s chocolatey, moist, not too sweet, and it is pretty darn easy to make. You don’t even have to drag your mixer out, Drop Mixer moment, boom.

Buttermilk, eggs, oil, and coffee provide the liquid and fat in this recipe.  I brewed up extra coffee in the morning knowing I would need some for this cake.  The coffee cuts the sweetness and adds depth and nuance to the cake.  You don’t taste coffee, it just provides its magic.  Cocoa provides the chocolate mojo.  You can use either natural or Dutch-processed according to Dorie.  I played it safe by using King Arthur’s Triple Blend Cocoa, the best of both worlds.  Use what you like.

Loafing Around

You can make this recipe in a round cake pan, as cupcakes, or in a loaf pan.  I chose the loaf pan. The batter has a super thin consistency and is very pourable.

All you need is a couple of bowls, a whisk, and a rubber spatula.

The cake does develop cracks and crevices while baking.  It also falls a little as it cools.  I remedied the situation by trimming off the top and flipping the cake over.  I opted to go with our tried and true Cream Cheese Frosting from our Carrot Cake Recipe.  DOUBLE it. I barely had enough to cover the cake with a single recipe.  You will thank me, lol.  A Vanilla or Chocolate Frosting would work well also. You can find frosting options and Zoe’s Cream Cheese Frosting on Dorie’s site.

This is an absolutely luscious, beautiful cake as is the book and website for Zoe Bakes Cakes.  Put this Devil’s Food Cake on your bucket list.

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CHOCOLATE DEVIL’S FOOD CAKE

Adapted from Zoë Bakes Cakes, by Zoë François (Ten Speed Press) by Dorie Greenspan, my baking muse.
Course Cake, Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword chocolate cake, Chocolate Devil's Food Cake
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour

Ingredients

  • 2 1/3 cups (280 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups (400 grams) granulated sugar
  • 2/3 cup (50 grams) Dutch-processed cocoa powder (sifted if lumpy)
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 1/4 cups (300 ml)hot strong coffee
  • 2 tablespoons rum or brandy
  • 2 large eggs at room temperature
  • 1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk
  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) mild-flavored oil (such as vegetable oil)
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously grease a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan then line with greased parchment paper. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined. In a small bowl, stir together the coffee and rum.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla until well combined. Add the egg mixture and half the coffee rum to the dry ingredients and mix with a spoon until smooth. Slowly add the remaining coffee mixture and whisk until completely blended and smooth. The batter will be quite thin.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Gently tap the pan on the counter several times to release excess air bubbles.
  • Bake until a tester comes out clean, about 1 hour 10 minutes (30 minutes for 8-inch rounds). Let the cake cool completely before removing from the pan and inverting it onto a serving plate. (If you want to trim the top of the cake – which will be the base – do it now; see above.)
  • Using a metal offset spatula, cover the cake with an even layer of frosting. Top with chocolate shavings, if you’d like. Serve at room temperature.

Notes

Can be made in 2 8-inch round pans
To make 24 cupcakes, fill the well of a cupcake pan two-thirds full of batter and bake for about 20 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean.
Chocolate Chip Sour Cream Snack Cake-Chip off the Cho Block

Chocolate Chip Sour Cream Snack Cake-Chip off the Cho Block

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Rounding out Joy Cho month also known as Cakenado, I made her Chocolate Chip Sour Cream Snack Cake.  It all started with her Mochi Banana Bread, which I adore and have made more than once.  Following on its heel (yes, I know, cakes don’t have heels) I came across this recipe on a Food Network post.  I don’t normally follow Food Network, maybe it was just good karma that it popped up, fortunate since it is delicious, easy to make, and has CHOCOLATE.

Stuck on Sticky Rice Flour

Like the Mochi Banana Bread, it is a combination of all-purpose flour and mochiko or sweet rice flour (sticky rice) that sets this snack cake apart.  You get that wonderful bouncy texture from the sweet rice flour and the tender cake with a nice crumb from the all-purpose flour.  Based on her mom’s chocolate chip bundt cake and tweaked with her signature addition of sweet rice flour, this really is a decadent, delicious, simple cake.  Studded with chocolate chips, this cake will keep chocolate fans happy.  Add nuts if you like and serve it with a BIG SCOOP of VANILLA ICE CREAM.  Doesn’t that sound good?

Looking for something a little different, ran out of Mochiko?  Try her Blueberry Balsamic Glaze Cornbread Cake.  Another amazing snacking cake. Cause you never know when you will have a snack attack!

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Chocolate Chip Sour Cream Snack Cake

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup (105 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (105 grams) sweet rice flour such as Mochiko
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon, (150 grams) full-fat sour cream at room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons milk at room temperature

Instructions

  • Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees
  • Lightly grease an 8-inch square pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line the bottom with parchment, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the sides (to make it easier to remove the cake after baking) and grease the parchment.
  • Combine the all-purpose flour, sweet rice flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and whisk until combined.
  • Beat the butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the sugar and cream the mixture until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.
  • Scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add in the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition until combined. Scrape the bowl once more, then beat in the vanilla.
  • Sift half of the dry ingredients over the egg mixture and beat just until combined. Beat in the sour cream and milk, then sift in the rest of the dry ingredients and beat just until the batter is smooth.
  • Fold in the chocolate chips.
  • Spread the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the surface with a small offset spatula.
  • Sprinkle additional chocolate chips on top. Bake the cake, rotating the pan halfway through, for about 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  • Let the cake cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then gently loosen the edges with a small offset spatula and carefully transfer the cake to a cooling rack.
  • Cut into squares and enjoy!
Cornbread Cake with Blueberry Balsamic Glaze-More Joy!

Cornbread Cake with Blueberry Balsamic Glaze-More Joy!

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Continuing on my “All Things Joy” thread.  Joy Cho, creator of Sour Cream Gem Cakes posted yet another winning snack cake (in Eater this time), a stunning Cornbread Cake with Blueberry Balsamic Glaze.  I literally ran to my kitchen to try it.  Like her Mochi Banana Bread, this is simple, easy to make, and delicious.  Instead of sweet rice flour, cornmeal is added to all-purpose flour along with sour cream and butter to create a moist, tender, rich cake.

Think of it as a sweet, light, fine crumb version of cornbread with a killer glaze. The eye-catching blue-purple topping plays off the yellow cornmeal perfectly, it’s a showstopper. With plump, ripe blueberries at the farmer’s market now, this is a no-brainer recipe to try. In all honesty, I am already thinking of substituting mochi flour for some of the all-purpose flour to add that zingy texture to this cake too.  Mochi madness persists.

The cake is simple to make.  Combine the dry ingredients, in this case, all-purpose flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and baking soda.  Add to the wet ingredients which include butter, sour cream, honey, and eggs.  Alternate the dry ingredients and milk adding in two steps.  The batter may look a little curdled but it’s fine.  Pour into an 8×8 baking pan and bake for about 30 minutes.  Shoot for a thermometer reading in the range of 195-200 or a clean toothpick stuck in the center for doneness.

True Grit

Stone ground cornmeal tends to be grittier than conventional supermarket cornmeal.  Bob’s Red Mill leaves the germ and bran as well as some of the hull in their cornmeal.  I’m not a fan of gritty cornbread so I used Bob’s Red Mill Corn Flour which resulted in a cake-like fine crumb texture.  If you like a loose crumb and a little bit of grit cornbread, use the fine-grind stone ground cornmeal.  If you are a glutton for grit, use the medium grind…but don’t come crying to me.  Conventional supermarket cornmeal  (like Albers) does not have the hull or germ so it will not be very gritty, perfect for my kinda cornbread.

Icing on the Cake

Make the glaze while the cake is cooling.  Mash blueberries and let it sit and macerate for a couple of minutes and then add powdered sugar.  The recipe calls for one cup of sugar, I used an extra 2 tablespoons to thicken it up.  The color is delightful and plays off the cornmeal cake.  I also added some crushed freeze-dried blueberries to amp up the flavor and color, totally optional. Trader Joe’s has an array of freeze-dried fruits including blueberries.

Yet another simple and delicious cake from Joy Cho. Its berry, berry good.

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Cornbread Cake with Blueberry-Balsamic Glaze

A delicious, beautiful snack Cake by Joy Cho. Cornbread Cake with Blueberry-Balsamic Glaze.
Course Cake, Dessert
Cuisine American, Asian-American
Keyword blueberry, blueberry balsamic glaze cornbread cake, corn flour, cornbreadcake, cornmeal, joy cho
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Servings 12

Ingredients

For the cake:

  • ¾ cup (105 grams) all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons yellow cornmeal (55 grams) if using stone ground corn like Bob's Red MIll, use corn flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 stick (113 grams) unsalted butter, softened
  • ¾ cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons honey
  • 2 large eggs at room temperature
  • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons whole milk at room temperature
  • ⅓ cup (80 grams) full-fat sour cream, at room temperature

For the glaze:

  • ¼ cup fresh blueberries
  • ¼ teaspoon balsamic vinegar or substitute vanilla
  • 1 cup (120 grams)powdered sugar, spooned into the measuring cup, and leveled off, plus more as needed I needed an additional 2 tablespoons of sugar
  • Kosher salt

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease an 8-by-8-inch square cake pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line the bottom with parchment paper, leaving a two-inch overhang on the sides (to make it easier to remove the cake after baking), and grease the parchment.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, beat the butter with an electric hand mixer or in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until smooth. Add the sugar and honey and cream the mixture until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula.
  • Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl after each addition, then beat in the vanilla.
  • Add half of the dry ingredients to the egg mixture and beat just until combined. Carefully beat in the milk and sour cream, then beat in the rest of the dry ingredients just until the batter is smooth.
  • Transfer the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface with an offset spatula. Bake the cake for 30 to 35 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  • Let the cake cool for 15 minutes, then gently run a knife around the edges to loosen. Using the parchment sling to assist, transfer the cake to a cooling rack.
  • Make the glaze: Thoroughly mash the blueberries in a medium bowl with the back of a large spoon. Let the berries macerate for a minute or two. Add balsamic vinegar, powdered sugar, and a few pinches of salt to the bowl and whisk until smooth. The consistency of the glaze should be pourable but not overly runny — if needed, add more powdered sugar, a tablespoon at a time.
  • Set out a rimmed baking sheet. When the cake is completely cool, set the cooling rack (with the cake on it) over the parchment or baking sheet. Pour the glaze over the cake, spreading it to the edges and letting it run down the sides. Allow the glaze to set completely before slicing and serving.
Mochi Banana Bread,The Cho-sen One

Mochi Banana Bread,The Cho-sen One

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I think of myself as a pie person but lately, I have found myself baking cakes.  Not fancy multi-layer show-stopper cakes, simple one layer, easy to make, snacking cakes.  That grab-and-go type treat, unfussy, portable, the bar cookie of cakes.

Brooklynite pastry chef, Joy Cho, first caught my attention with her amazing Sour Cream Gem Cakes.  Made with sweet rice flour and AP flour, the cakes are tender, moist with a bit of springiness. The rice flour gives it that zing that sets them apart from traditional cakes.

The Joy of Snacking Cakes

Her Mochi Banana Bread and Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Snack Cake are a rift on her Gem Cakes.  Baked in an 8×8 pan and cut into squares, they’re the low maintenance but no less yummy cousins to Gem Cakes.

The combination of all-purpose flour and sweet rice flour once again makes them springy yet still tender and moist.  The butter and sour cream add flavor and richness.  The banana cake calls for just ONE banana.  Who doesn’t have one over-ripe banana sitting forlornly on the kitchen counter?  No more waiting for more bananas to ripen to make banana bread.   The toppings add more texture and flavor. Besides nuts and coconut, try chocolate chips or toffee bits.  Doesn’t that sound tasty?

So Berry Good

Strawberries are in season so I tweaked the Mochi Banana Bread to make Mochi Strawberry Pistachio Cake Bars.  Delicious, but I still like the banana version best.  Substitute the same volume of macerated strawberries for the banana.  Sprinkle the top with chopped pistachios.  To intensify the strawberry flavor, crush freeze-dried strawberries and add 1 tablespoon to the batter or sprinkle it on top of the finished cake.

Chip Off the Old Block

The Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Cake also has sweet rice flour and all-purpose flour giving it that trademark springy texture.   Studded with chocolate chips it definitely satisfies any chocolate cravings.  Find it here.

These cakes are in the one bowl realm of simplicity.  Combine dry ingredients in a small bowl, wet ingredients in a large bowl, add dry to wet, stir until just combined then STOP.  BadaBing-BadaBoom, done.  Pour batter into a prepared pan, sprinkle goodies on top, bake, cool, cut.  DONE.  Eatin’ cake in less than an hour.  Yep, easy-peasy.

One of these days when I am in Brooklyn I will try her desserts, on my NYC bucket list.  Until then, I hope she continues to share her creations and recipes.

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5 from 1 vote

Mochi Banana Bread

Delicious snack cake made with AP flour and Sweet Rice Flour and one banana, the perfect little treat. The Mochi flour gives the cake a hint of springiness. Delicious.
Course Cake, Dessert
Cuisine Asian-American
Keyword banana cake, Dessert, joy cho, Mochi, mochi banana bread, sweet rice, sweet rice flour
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

Da Dry Stuff

  • 2/3 cup glutinous rice flour, like Mochiko (Koda Farms) 90 grams
  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour 40 grams
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Da Wet Stuff

  • 1 medium to large banana ripe (about 110 grams peeled)
  • 1/2 cup-scant granulated sugar 90 grams
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar 55 grams
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled 113 grams or 1 stick
  • 1/4 cup full-fat sour cream, at room temperature 60 grams
  • 1 large egg at room temperature
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Da Toppings

  • Chopped toasted walnuts and/or toasted coconut for topping (optional)
  • Chocolate Sprinkles

Instructions

  • Heat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease an 8x8-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray, line the pan with parchment paper, and grease the parchment.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk the rice flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together.
  • In a large bowl, mash the banana with a fork; some small chunks are fine. Add both sugars and whisk until combined.
  • Add the butter, sour cream, egg, and vanilla to the banana mixture and whisk until completely smooth.
  • Sift the dry ingredients over the wet ingredients, then whisk just until no flour lumps remain. Try not to overmix.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface with a small offset spatula. Sprinkle top with chopped nuts and/or shredded coconut, or any topping you’d like. Toffee chips or chocolate chips come to mind, but that's just me 🙂
  • Bake for 25 to 27 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  • Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely before cutting into squares. This will keep for 2 to 3 days in an airtight container.

Notes

Use these to hold your parchment in place, everyone has metal clips lying around. Keeps parchment from getting in batter by clipping to top rim of baking pan.
Lemon and Almond Streamliner Cake-Off the Rails Delicious

Lemon and Almond Streamliner Cake-Off the Rails Delicious

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Mui is back from Minneapolis for a visit, she arrived Saturday just in time for Mother’s Day!  For the first time in over a year my brother, two out of five kids, Mom, Wes, and I celebrated Mom’s 98th birthday and Mother’s Day in person. Without a doubt, the past year has been hard on everyone but so much more so on our elderly community and communities of color.  My mom’s cognitive decline is apparent, I can’t help but think the isolation and inactivity contributed greatly to this.

But I am thankful that we were able to get together to celebrate another milestone with her.  Luckily, she still enjoys a good meal!  This was a family affair, my brother made homemade pasta and bread, while we made a delicious sauce for his pasta.

What kind of celebration would it be without dessert?  We chose the Lemon and Almond Streamliner Cake from a lovely book called Vintage Cakes by Julie Richardson.  The recipe from the 1960s inspired by the sleek railroad cars of the 1930s.  Plus, mom loves lemons, it was a perfect choice.

The Streamliner is a single-layer cake made with almond paste and buttermilk and topped with satiny, luscious lemon custard, the star of this cake.  The buttermilk heightens the lemon flavor and the almond paste adds both flavor and texture.  Really delicious.

Sugar Pearls of Wisdom

We pause for baker-splaining.  I am a gadget freak so if I were you I would take some of my “wish list” items with a grain of salt…do you really need a donut pan, butter curl maker, a 5×5 inch pan? Probably not.  But, if you asked me what items are absolutely essential in your kitchen…I would say, a scale and a thermometer.  A scale takes the guesswork out of baking.  Thermometers do the same, I have a Themoworks pen and I love it.  You don’t need to go that crazy, a nice instant read will work.  Really, essential kitchen items…that, and a strawberry corer, lol.

Back to Cake

Make the custard first so it is chilling in the fridge while you make the cake.  Use your instant thermometer (see, told you). Egg-based puddings and custards can curdle if cooked beyond 185 degrees. We wanted the custard thick enough to hold a design on the cake so we shot for a smidge over 180 degrees. Once your custard gets to between 175-180, take it off the heat but do not strain immediately, give it a couple of minutes. The heat from the pot should push it to ~180. If you do not have a thermometer, test custard by coating the back of a spoon.  Draw a line thru the custard, the line should stay, that’s when it is thick enough.  But really, if it is a bit runny, it is still going to be delicious

The batter for the cake does fill a 9×2 inch round to an alarmingly high level…but it has not overflowed the times I have made this cake.  For peace of mind, if you have a taller 9-inch pan, use it.

Break up the almond paste before adding it to other ingredients.  You don’t want lumps of almond paste in your finished cake.

Finishing touches

Once your cake has cooled and the custard has finished chilling.  Place your cake on a turntable (makes it infinitely easier to swirl).  Frost the cake with a thin layer of custard on the sides and top.  For the top, if you are good with a piping bag and have a big tip, pipe a spiral. Or method 2, spread the remaining custard on top and create a smooth even layer. With an offset spatula, start from the center of your cake holding the offset at about a 45-degree angle, apply light pressure and spin your turntable and move the spatula towards the outer edge.  Ta-da, a beautiful spiral top.  An easy badass cake design. Enjoy!

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5 from 1 vote

Lemon and Almond Streamliner Cake

Course Cake
Cuisine American
Keyword almond, almond paste, lemon, Lemon and Almond Streamliner Cake, streamliner cake, vintage cakes

Equipment

  • 9" inch round cake pan

Ingredients

Custard

  • Zest of 2 lemons
  • 3/4 cup whole milk
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1/2 cup lemon juice about 3 lemons
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter cut into small cubes

Cake

  • 1 1/4 cups sifted cake flour
  • 11/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3/4 cup almond paste, room temperature 6 oz. Break into pieces to make it easier to blend.
  • 10 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature 5 oz.
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 3 tbsp canola oil
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 eggs at room temperature
  • 2/3 cup buttermilk at room temperature

Instructions

  • For the custard:
  • Combine the zest, milk, and 1/4 cup sugar in a medium saucepan and heat over medium-low heat until just hot.
  • In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, and the salt until well-combined, then whisk in the cornstarch and lemon juice.
  • Slowly whisk about 1/3 of the hot mixture into the yolk mixture. Pour the yolk mixture back into the saucepan of hot milk, whisking steadily, until the custard begins to thicken and bubble for one minute. Note: Helpful to have an instant thermometer. Egg-based puddings and custards can curdle if cooked beyond 185 degrees. We wanted the custard thick enough to hold a design on the cake so we shot for a smidge over 180 degrees. Once your custard gets to between 175-180, take it off the heat but do not strain immediately, give it a couple of minutes. The heat from the pot should push it to 180.
  • Strain the custard through a fine mesh into a clean bowl, and whisk in the butter until melted. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the custard and refrigerate for two hours.
  • For the cake:
  • Center an oven rack, and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 inch round cake pan and line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.
  • Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl, then whisk to combine well.
  • Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, combine the almond paste, butter, sugar, canola oil, and vanilla on low speed until blended. Increase the speed to high, and cream until very light and fluffy, about 5 to 7 minutes. Stop the mixer frequently to scrape the paddle and sides of the bowl.
  • Blend in the eggs one at a time, adding the next one as soon as the previous one has disappeared into the batter. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour in three parts, alternating with the buttermilk in two parts, begin and end with flour. After each addition, mix until just barely blended, and scrape the sides of the bowl.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly. Rap the pan firmly on the counter to release any air bubbles. Place the pan in the center of the oven and bake until the cake is a deep golden color and a wooden pick comes out barely clean, about 42 to 45 minutes. The batter will fill the pan but shouldn't overflow while baking. BUT, just in case, you might want to put foil underneath the pan.
  • Cool the cake in pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, flip the cake out onto the wire rack, remove the parchment paper, and flip the cake back to right side up. Cool to room temperature.
  • Place cake on a serving plate and frost the sides of the cake lightly with the lemon custard. Frost the top of the cake with remaining custard, then let the cake set in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. Any leftover cake keeps in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Glazed Sour Cream Gem Cakes-Chodazzled

Glazed Sour Cream Gem Cakes-Chodazzled

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Skipping across my feed lately have been a series of articles on chefs adapting to life during the pandemic.  As we know, the food industry has been hit particularly hard by COVID-19.  Restaurants, bakeries, caterers have worked hard to adapt to the harsh reality of the pandemic.  It hasn’t been easy and we have lost so many restaurants and businesses it’s depressing.  There are some bright spots though and Joy Cho is one of them.  Her Glazed Sour Cream Gem Cakes has taken Brooklyn by storm.

Laid off from her position at the Grammercy Tavern (she has CHOPS people) she created these wonderful little cakes in her Brooklyn home.  The cakes went viral and let’s just say ordering a box of these babies is like trying to score a table at the French Laundry pre-COVID, without the last name of Newsom (JUST KIDDING).

Lucky for those of us who don’t live in Brooklyn, Ms. Cho’s recipe for her ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS Gem Cakes is available on Epicurious.  It immediately went viral, I stumbled upon it and yep, got busy in the kitchen.

A Gem of a Recipe

These are crazy good and pretty easy to make.  Here’s what makes these gems stand out.

All-purpose Flour and Sweet Rice Flour- The combination of the two flours is the best of both worlds.  Tender, cakey, moist, with a bit of springiness.  They have a nice balance of cakiness and chewiness.  Using just sweet rice flour would result in a denser, chewier texture, a classic mochi dessert without any sort of crumb.  All AP flour will give you a regular old cupcake and come on peeps, we are looking for something FRESH.

Butter, eggs and sour cream – The trifecta of fat that adds richness, flavor, moisture, and tenderness to the cake.

Be sure to keep a light hand which means don’t overmix the batter.  Your batter should be light and fluffy.  Finish incorporating the flour by folding the ingredients together by hand. You want to retain the air bubbles in the batter to keep the cakes light.  Overmixing develops the gluten in the AP flour which makes the cakes tough. The batter may look a little curdled at some points but keep gently folding and the batter will come together. Promise.

The original Gem Cakes are baked in a brownie bundt pan. I made them in a standard muffin tin which worked out well (don’t you think?).

Bake until the cakes are golden brown.  If you like your cakes a bit crispier on the outside bake a couple of minutes longer.

A Sparkling Finish

Genius Glaze – The glaze for the little cakes is a simple powdered sugar, a little bit of milk, and any flavor your heart desires.  The original recipe includes strawberry matcha and milk tea glazes.  Strawberry jam is used for the glaze, while the matcha and milk tea glazes start with powders.  Not having milk tea powder, I went with two jam flavors, strawberry and blackberry and a black sesame seed icing using black sesame powder I found at the Asian grocery store. You can make your own by grinding roasted black sesame seeds into a powder.

Dippity Do-Da-Dippity-Damn These are Delicious

While the cakes cool, make your glazes.  Speed is of the essence with the glaze as it sets pretty quickly.  Glaze your cakes by inverting the cupcakes and dipping them into the icing.  Rotate the cakes in a circular motion.  You will get drips down the side which adds to the appeal.  Set them on a wire rack and garnish each cake immediately after glazing before it hardens.

For the black sesame icing, I started with a tablespoon of black sesame powder, start with less, and add to taste.   My next batch will include a Citron-flavored glaze made with Citron Tea which is popular in Korea.  The array of freeze-dried fruits that can be crushed and used to flavor frostings and icings would also work well (just like Eric Kim’s Lofthouse Cookie frosting-so good).  You may need a smidge more milk to thin the glaze made with powders.  Use your imagination, the sky’s the limit. I’m thinking Mocha glaze with cocoa nibs to garnish.

Garnish adds that visual zing, nuts, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, citrus zest, so once again, be creative.  These cakes are scrumptious-make some now. Or if you are going to Brooklyn soon, please, be a GEM and bring me a box!

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5 from 2 votes

Glazed Sour Cream Gem Cakes

Scrumptious mini cakes from the amazing Brooklyn pastry chef, Joy Cho.
Course Dessert
Cuisine Asian-American
Keyword joy cho, Sour Cream Gem Cakes, sweet rice flour
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • Nonstick vegetable oil spray such as PAM for baking (for pan)
  • 1/2 scant cup (60 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
  • 1/3 heaping cup (60 g) glutinous sweet rice flour (such as Koda Farms Blue Star Mochiko)
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2/3 scant cup (130 g) granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs room temperature
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup sour cream room temperature
  • 3 Tbsp whole milk, room temperature
  • Milk Tea Glaze, Matcha Glaze, or Strawberry Jam Glaze (for serving) or your choice
  • Flaky sea salt toasted unsweetened shredded coconut, lemon zest, or sesame seeds (for

Instructions

  • Place a rack in center of oven; preheat to 325°. Lightly coat 20 molds of 2 brownie Bundt pans or the cups of a standard 12-cup muffin pan or 2 standard 6-cup muffin pans with nonstick spray; lightly dust with flour, tapping out excess. Whisk rice flour, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, and all-purpose flour in a medium bowl to combine. Get yourself a scale, so much easier!
  • Beat butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed just until smooth. Add granulated sugar and beat until pale and creamy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl with a rubber spatula. With motor running, add eggs one at a time, beating to incorporate and scraping down sides of bowl a&er each addition. Add vanilla and beat just to combine. (Mixture may look slightly curdled at this point, but don’t worry, it will come together in the end.)
  • Sift in half of dry ingredients and beat on low speed just until a few dry patches remain. Scrape down sides of bowl and add sour cream and milk; beat just until incorporated. Sift in remaining dry ingredients and beat until combined. Finish by hand to avoid overmixing.
  • Divide batter among prepared pans (about 2 Tbsp. per mold for Bundt pans or about 3 Tbsp. per cup for muffin pan). Bake, rotating pans halfway through, until a tester inserted into the center of a cake comes out clean, 14–16 minutes for Bundts, 17–20 minutes for muffins. Let cakes cool in pan 10 minutes, then gently loosen cakes with a small offset spatula and turn out onto wire racks; let cool completely.
  • Dip tops of cakes in glaze of choice; set back on racks, letting excess glaze drip down sides. Double-glaze cakes if you like.
  • Sprinkle cakes with toppings as desired (e.g., a pinch of flaked salt-like Maldon on Milk Tea Glaze, coconut or sesame seeds on Matcha Glaze, and lemon or orange zest on Strawberry Jam Glaze).
  • Do ahead: Like doughnuts, gem cakes are best enjoyed the day they are baked but can be made 2 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.
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5 from 2 votes

Glaze for Gem Cakes

The perfect finish for Joy Cho's Glazed Sour Cream Gem Cakes
Course Dessert
Cuisine Asian-American
Keyword Icing for Glazed Sour Cream Gem Cakes
Prep Time 5 minutes

Ingredients

Base for Glaze

  • 1⅓ cups 160 g powdered sugar
  • 2 Tbsp. whole milk
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • Kosher salt

Jam Glaze

  • 3 Tbsp. strawberry or OTHER FAVORITE JAM preferably seedless (push through a sieve before measuring if jam has large pieces of fruit)

Black Sesame Glaze

  • 1 tbsp Black Sesame Powder or grind roasted black sesame seeds to a powder.
  • 1 tsp milk If the glaze seems a little too thick

Freeze Dried Fruits

  • 15 gms freeze-dried fruit Start with about half-cup of freeze-dried fruit, crush and strain for seeds. Approximately 1 tbsp of fruit
  • 1 tsp milk If the glaze seems a little too thick

Instructions

  • While the cakes cool, whisk powdered sugar, milk, jam, or powder and a few pinches salt in a medium bowl until smooth. The consistency should be viscous but not overly thick; adjust with more powdered sugar or milk as needed.