Category: Desserts
Lemon and Almond Streamliner Cake-Off the Rails Delicious

Lemon and Almond Streamliner Cake-Off the Rails Delicious

By | | Comments 3 comments

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!

Print Pin
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.
Butter Mochi, Microwave Magic

Butter Mochi, Microwave Magic

By | | Comments 11 comments

Yes, on the Mochi treat trail once again.  Aside from being delicious, Mochi is pretty darn easy to make thanks to Mochiko Sweet Rice Flour.  I have been playing around with recipes that find their roots in Hawaiian Butter Mochi.  Sweet Rice flour, butter, eggs, sugar, and different liquids (milk, coconut milk, fruit nectars….) combined and baked into delightful bars or muffins.   A bit cakey, a bit chewy yet forgiving, sweet but not cloyingly so, and maddingly addictive. The Butter Mochi Muffins is by far the most popular recipe on 3jamigos.  But…

There Is A New Kid In Town

A recipe for Butter Mochi on No Recipes had me running to my kitchen.  Whaddya know, these little gems are made in a microwave.  Unlike baked Hawaiian Butter Mochi treats, this one is texturally similar to classic mochi found in Japanese Manju Shops.  (Worth a visit! Shuei-Do in San Jose or Benkyodo in San Francisco).  The riff of adding butter, sugar, and milk is genius.  You end up with a soft, chewy, smooth, slightly sweet, buttery, insanely delicious treat.

Shortcuts: Momofuku, Microwave, and Mochiko

The microwave makes this a quick and easy treat.  I’ve been playing around with cooking in the microwave ever since I bought a set of Cook Anyday Microwave cookware.  Yes I know, I could have used the pyrex glass dish I have but…damn, that Dave Chang of Momofuku is really good at getting you to buy stuff, lol.  And really, you can never have too many bowls.  I listen to his podcast and its offshoot, Recipe Club.  and I find myself laughing A LOT.  A good thing during these crazy times.

Traditionally, Mochi starts with glutinous rice that is soaked, steamed, and laboriously POUNDED into a sticky mass that is used to form those cute little balls and squares you take for granted at the Manju Shop.  Luckily, we can start with Mochiko or Sweet Rice Flour-no soaking or pounding.  Just put everything in a bowl and stir.  How easy is that?  Along with the microwave, you will be cranking out batches of Butter Mochi in minutes.

Combine Mochiko flour and sugar in a large glass bowl (or microwavable bowl).   Add one-third of the milk, stir to make a smooth paste, gradually add the rest of the milk, and stir well for a lump-free batter. Place bowl in the microwave and nuke for two and a half minutes.  The mochi will look thicker and form some lumps.  Remove the bowl and add the butter.  Stir until the butter is fully incorporated and the mixture is smooth again.  The recipe calls for cultured butter which has a slight tang.  I used Trader Joe’s French Cultured Butter.  You could probably use European-style butter like Kerrygold Irish Butter.  I also used salted butter which I think enhances the flavor.

Put it back in the microwave for another three and a half minutes.  Carefully (it’s hot!) remove the bowl from the microwave and knead the dough with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula NOT your hands.  This helps create that translucent, elastic texture.

If it doesn’t get that translucent look or isn’t very elastic, try microwaving it another minute.  Transfer the Mochi into a small square pan lined with parchment.  The recipe calls for a five-by-five-inch pan.  Hmmm, not a size I have so I improvised.  Place pan (box in my case) in the fridge to chill.

The final step is cutting the Butter Mochi.  It will be really sticky.  To keep the pieces from sticking dust with potato starch or cornstarch.  Sorry folks, powdered sugar will not work as it will absorb moisture from the mochi and turn gummy.  Serve.  Mochi can be stored at room temperature for a day or in the fridge for longer.  Bring to room temp before serving.

And one mor-chi tip

I made a second batch using coconut milk.  For folks that are milk intolerant, this would work well. Win-win.  Reduce the first microwave time to 2 minutes.  It solidified a little quicker than the regular milk version which made stirring in the butter a little harder.  You do lose a bit of the pure butter flavor but the coconut milk is a nice complement.  Play around with the microwave times for your machine.  For the second microwave session, I’d go 3 minutes first and check before zapping it further.

Print Pin
5 from 3 votes

Butter Mochi

Butter Mochi made in the microwave! Soft, chewy, buttery, a hint of sweetness, this Japanese treat is easy to make and delicious!
Course Dessert
Cuisine Asian
Keyword brown butter, butter mochi, Dessert, mochiko, sweet rice flour
Prep Time 7 minutes
Cook Time 7 minutes

Ingredients

  • 100 grams mochiko
  • 90 grams granulated sugar a little less than 1/2 cup
  • 1 cup whole milk or coconut milk
  • 3 tablespoons Cultured Butter (45 grams) TJ's French Cultured Butter or Kerrygold Salted Irish Butter. I like the bit of salt.
  • Potato starch or cornstarch for dusting

Instructions

  • Line a 5-inch square pan with parchment paper. Use any small pan, 4x6 (lol, does anyone have a pan this size?)
  • Add the mochiko and sugar to a large microwave-safe bowl, and then add about 1/3 of the milk. Stir the mixture together until there are no lumps. Add the remaining milk and continue stirring until it is smooth.
  • Put the bowl, uncovered, in the microwave and set it to cook for 2:30. If you have a 600 watt microwave, use full power. Adjust accordingly.
  • Remove the bowl from the microwave and stir the mixture until it's mostly smooth.
  • Add the butter and stir until fully melted and incorporated.
  • Microwave uncovered for another 3:00-3:30. Get to know your microwave!
  • Carefully remove the bowl from the microwave. Use a silicone spatula to knead the mochi together. The mochi is very hot, do not get it on your hands as you stir. The mixture will get very sticky and turn a translucent yellowish-white color as you knead it. If this doesn't happen, microwave it for another minute or two.
  • Transfer it to the prepared parchment-lined pan and press the butter mochi into the corners and flatten off the top.
  • Chill the mochi in the refrigerator for a few hours to firm it up. Unmold the butter mochi and peel off the parchment paper. Use a sharp knife to cut it into approximately 1" squares and then dust each piece liberally with potato starch. Brush the excess starch off and serve.
Glazed Sour Cream Gem Cakes-Chodazzled

Glazed Sour Cream Gem Cakes-Chodazzled

By | | Comments 1 comment

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!

Print Pin
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.
Print Pin
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.
Just Another Mochi Muffin (Guava!)

Just Another Mochi Muffin (Guava!)

By | | Comments 9 comments

Yes, my romance with mochi muffins continues.

Right next door to Shuei-Do, my favorite manju shop in Japantown, San Jose, is a Poke Shop, Aloha Fresh.  As much as I like Poke, I love going for their butter mochi.  They kick it up a notch by offering different flavors like guava, lilikoi, or a brownie macadamia nut version …all are absolutely onolicious.  Butter Mochi at Aloha Fresh is limited to the weekends but lucky for me and you, Shuei-Do also makes a yummy Butter Mochi. Between the two – you are covered for your mochi fix.

But what if you can’t get to Japantown?

You can make your own AND it’s pretty darn easy.

Mochi desserts run the gamut from chewy, bouncy, creamy to moist, a little chewy, and cakey (is that a word?) texture.  I wanted a tropical flavor, buttery, crisp on the outside, chewy on the inside treat.  A recipe for Blood Orange Mochi Muffins from Cooking Therapy served as inspiration.  In place of blood orange juice, I used Guava Nectar.  The muffins were delicious and I plan to try different nectars like Hawaiian Sun’s POG, passionfruit, orange, and guava juice next time.

The batter comes together quickly, this is almost one bowl, one wooden spoon, easy territory.  The addition of butter is that Hawaiian tweak that makes it so delicious.  Fill well-greased muffin tins about 3/4 full.  Bake for 45 minutes, or a little longer for a crispier edge.  It will lose that crispness with time though.  Store at room temp for 2-3 days max.  Pop them in a toaster oven to crisp them a little bit.  Do not refrigerate.  You can freeze them without the icing.  Thaw and crisp in the oven.  These muffins are moist, chewy, a little squishy, yummy, and addictive.

Ice, Ice Mochi

Making the icing is easy.  Whisk the dry ingredients with coconut milk, vanilla, a pinch of salt, and juice.  The icing should be loose enough to dip each muffin top into but thick enough to adhere to the surface with only a bit of dripping. After dipping one muffin you can adjust the sugar or liquid for the right consistency.  Sprinkle topping of your choice, coconut shreds, orange zest, sesame seeds, or a bit of flaky salt.  Let the muffins sit for a couple of minutes so the icing can set, then serve.

Love mochi?  Here are more recipes using sweet rice flour!  Butter Mochi Muffins, Peanut Butter Mochi, and Chocolate Mochi Donuts.

Print Pin
4.75 from 4 votes

Tropical Mochi Muffins

A delicious, gluten-free mochi muffin, chewy, moist, and flavored with guava nectar and citrus.
Course Dessert
Cuisine Asian-American, Hawaiian
Keyword butter mochi, mochi muffin
Prep Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • ½ cup butter melted, if using unsalted butter, add 1/4 tsp salt to dry ingredients
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup coconut cream or full fat coconut milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs room temperature
  • Zest of 1 orange preferably Cara Cara oranges
  • 1 cup guava nectar substitute mango, passion fruit, or tropical fruit blend nectar or orange juice (Cara Cara)
  • 2 cups sweet rice flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder

Guava Icing

  • 2 tbsp Guava Nectar Substitute mango, passionfruit, or tropical blend, or orange juice.
  • 2 tbsp coconut milk
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • Zest of 1 orange optional
  • poppy seeds, shredded coconut, black sesame seeds, orange zest garnish

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease one 12-cup standard muffin tin.
  • Sift the sweet rice flour and baking powder into a small bowl and set aside.
  • Add melted butter, sugar, and coconut milk to a large bowl. Mix until combined.
  • Add the vanilla extract and eggs. Mix until combined.
  • Add the guava nectar and zest. Mix until combined.
  • Into the wet ingredients. Mix until a wet batter forms. It should be a pretty loose consistency.
  • Scoop batter into the muffin pan. Tap the muffin pan 1-2 times on a flat surface to get rid of the air bubbles.
  • Bake for 40-45 minutes until the edges start to brown. For a crispier edge, bake 45-50 minutes. Don't go much longer as it may make the inside drier and a little tougher.
  • Cool for 10 minutes in the muffin pan before removing.

Icing

  • While the muffins cool, make your icing. Place powdered sugar In a small bowl. Add coconut cream or milk, nectar, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Stir with a whisk until completely blended.
  • When muffins have cooled, remove from pan. Dip the top of each muffin into the icing and place on a wire rack. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, poppy seeds, shredded coconut. The consistency of the icing should be thin enough to dip but thick enough that it doesn't all run off the muffin top. A little bit will roll down the side of the muffin. That's okay!
  • The icing is optional. If you don't use it, sprinkle the muffins with sesame seeds or flaked coconut before baking.

Notes

This recipe can be easily halved!  
Icing is optional.  
I like using coconut cream instead of milk.  I think the muffins are little denser, richer and chewier with cream instead of milk.  Don't use lite coconut milk.
Play with flavors.  Any nectar or juice would work.  If you can find Hawaiian Sun Juice Drinks they have a variety of flavors including island favorite, POG (Passionfruit. Orange and Guava).
 
Chocolate Mochi Donuts (I Want MO Mochi)

Chocolate Mochi Donuts (I Want MO Mochi)

By | | Comments 3 comments

Just Another Mochi Monday

I have been eyeing the Chocolate Mochi Donuts from Snixy Kitchen for quite a while.  This past dreary, rainy week was the perfect time to finally give the recipe a go.  If you have jumped on the mochi band wagon like me,  you are familiar with mochi donuts.  It is a delicious gluten-free, baked not fried (a la Third Culture Bakery), donut alternative.

Mochi donuts are delightfully chewy and springy.  If you live in the Bay Area you might have found yourself standing in line for hours at the Modo Donuts’ pop-up at Mitsuwa Market.  You could easily make a couple of batches of mochi donuts in the time you stood in line.  These donuts, like Hawaiian Butter Mochi or Mochi Muffins, start with Sweet Rice Flour.  My go-to brand is Mochiko by Koda Farms, pretty widely available.  Bob’s Red Mill also has SWEET rice flour  (do NOT use plain Rice Flour) that you can find at Whole Foods.

PSA: If you like to bake, especially yeast breads, get a scale. You’re welcome.

These Chocolate Mochi Donuts are so easy to make.  If you make brownies in a bowl with a wooden spoon, this is the mochi equivalent.  Besides the sweet rice flour, the rest of the ingredients are probably sitting in your pantry, cocoa, dark chocolate, butter, and eggs.  Okay, you need coconut milk too, which you may not have on hand-Asian markets and most larger supermarkets carry coconut milk (unsweetened, not the cocktail kind). Snixy Kitchen topped her donuts with chocolate icing and matcha icing.  I opted for a strawberry icing made with freeze-dried strawberries (damn delicious) instead of Matcha. Sprinkles are a no brainer-everybody likes happy donuts.

My next batch of donuts will be a black sesame chocolate donut and yes, there will be a next time and I won’t wait for inclement weather to make them.

The Icing on the Donut

Commit this to memory, FREEZE-DRIED FRUIT.  Yep, previously known only to cereal eaters and backpackers, it is my favorite way to add flavor and color to desserts.  I used freeze-dried strawberries from TJ’s for the icing on these donuts and was pleasantly surprised at the vibrant color and flavor of the glaze.  I actually liked it more than the chocolate icing.   Grind the fruit in a mortar and pestle (if you are a pharmacist by trade like me, lol), or smoosh it with a rolling pin.  You can use a food processor but that’s no fun.  Add the fruit “dust” to powdered sugar and milk, and bada bing, bada boom-strawberry icing.  You are limited only by the variety of fruits that are freeze-dried. I frosted half the donuts with chocolate icing for the classic chocolate-on-chocolate donut, and half with the Strawberry Icing.  Finish the donuts with sprinkles, jimmies, chocolate curls, whatever your little heart desires cause that’s how we roll or sprinkle.

So, if you want something a little different, or need a dessert for gluten-intolerant friends or family-make these donuts.  Not in the mood for chocolate? Try Butter Mochi Muffins, or Peanut Butter Mochi from Two Red Bowls, or Mango Mochi Muffins all fabulous options.

Don’t have a donut pan because you don’t have an addiction to kitchenware like me?  This totally works as muffins.  You will need to bake muffins a little longer, I’m guessing 40 minutes but definitely check often with that first batch to figure the optimal baking time.

Print Pin

Chocolate Mochi Donuts

Delicious gluten-free chocolate donuts made with mochi, sweet rice flour!
Course Dessert
Cuisine Asian-American
Keyword donut, Gluten free, Mochi, mochi donut
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 32 minutes

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus more for greasing pans 2 ounces
  • 2 cups mochiko sweet rice flour (different from "white rice flour" or "brown rice flour") 320 grams
  • 1 cup organic dark brown sugar (see note) 200 grams
  • ¼ cup cocoa powder or sub in 1/4 cup ground black sesame seeds for a chocolate black sesame version! See note.
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 13.5-13.66- ounce can full-fat coconut milk see note
  • 2 large eggs room temperature
  • 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate 60-70%, melted and cooled
  • 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • Optional for garnish: flaky salt, black sesame seeds, shaved chocolate

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F and place the oven rack in the middle of the oven.
  • Generously grease the sides and top of two non-stick donut pans with soft butter. (Alternatively, you can bake these as muffins - the batter for 1 muffin is the same amount as for 1 donut).
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the sweet rice flour, dark brown sugar, cocoa powder or black sesame powder, baking powder, and salt.
  • In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter, coconut milk, eggs, and vanilla extract. Pour in the melted cooled chocolate and mix until smooth.
  • Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until completely combined.
  • Divide the batter among the 12 donut cavities of the prepared donut pans, filling each one all the way to the top edge.
  • Bake 32-35 minutes until the top is set and the donut gently springs back when poked with a finger. It might not spring back as much as a muffin: do not bake any longer than 35 minutes. The donuts crisp up as they cool and if you continue baking them, they'll get ROCK HARD on the outside. If you like your donuts a little gooey, bake 30-31 minutes.
  • Let cool 10 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before glazing.
  • Prepare the glaze just before you're ready to glaze the donuts because it will firm up as it sits.

Notes

This recipe is easily halved, makes 6 donuts and 1 muffin.
If making a full recipe, transfer the batter to a Ziploc bag and cut off a corner.  Pipe the batter into the rings.  Easy peasy.
For the chocolate black sesame version, sub in 1/4 cup ground black sesame seeds instead of cocoa powder. Grind up the black sesame seeds in a coffee grinder, small blender jar, or small food processor until fine like a powder. Balck sesame powder can be found in Asian Supermarkets also.
You can also bake these as muffins. The batter for 1 muffin is the same amount as for 1 donut – Bake for ~45 minutes, check to not overbake!
Print Pin

Strawberry Icing or Glaze

Icing made with freeze-dried strawberries, tasty and vibrant
Course Dessert
Cuisine Asian-American
Prep Time 5 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 cups powdered sugar divided
  • ½ cup freeze dried strawberries*
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup milk
  • dash salt
  • Sprinkles, chocolate curls, decorating sugars, Jimmies

Instructions

  • Combine powdered sugar, salt and freeze-dried strawberries in the bowl of a food processor. Process for a minute or two or until strawberries are powderized. Alternatively, use a motar and pestle or rolling pin to pulverize strawberries. Add powdered to sugar and continue with next step.
  • Pour mixture into a medium-size bowl. Add milk and stir until smooth, adding more milk by 1/2 teaspoonfuls if glaze is too thick to spread. If too thin, add a bit more powdered sugar.
  • The icing will set so make this wile the donuts are cooling.
  • Spread quickly on donuts and sprinkle with toppings before it sets.
Print Pin

Chocolate Icing or Glaze for Donuts

Chocolate on Chocolate Donuts With Sprinkles
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword Chocolate Icing
Prep Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate 60-74%, melted and cooled
  • 2-2½ tablespoons milk or coconut milk
  • 1 cup powdered sugar sifted
  • ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions

  • Combine melted and cooled chocolate with 1 tablespoon milk, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Add remaining milk, a splash at a time, just until it's smooth enough to glaze. It should be thick enough that when you swirl it, the swirl stays for a few seconds then collapses back into itself.
  • It will firm up as it sits, if it's too thin, let it sit for a few minutes and give it another stir. If it's too thick, add a bit more milk or zap it in the microwave for a few seconds to loosen it up.
  • Vary the type of chocolate, milk, semi-sweet, bittersweet and don't forget the sprinkles

Notes

Recipe can be esily halved
Mango Mochi Muffins Triple M Play

Mango Mochi Muffins Triple M Play

By | | Comments 1 comment

More Mochi Madness

One of the most popular posts on 3Jamigos is Muffin been the Mochi that Caught My Eye (Butter Mochi Muffins)  I stumbled upon the original recipe on Snixy Kitchen, a gorgeous site focused on gluten-free baking and cooking.  For good reason this recipe is popular, the muffins are chewy, dense, moist and delicious.  I decided I needed to expand my horizon and try different flavorings for the mochi muffins.  A quick search yielded an array of flavors folks have tried, ube, chocolate, and milk tea.

The Milk Tea Muffins from Match Berry Kitchen caught my eye.  I love Milk Tea, apparently, so do lots of people judging by the number of Boba places in the South Bay.  The proverbial Newton’s apple epiphany popped in my head, tea, mango, coconut, hmmm.  I thought Mango Sticky Rice, one of my favorite desserts, could I morph it into a mochi muffin?

Let’s Do This

I pulled out a box of Mango Tea I had bought in Seoul, freeze-dried mango chips from TJ’s, coconut milk and a box of Sweet Rice Flour.

The beauty of Mochi Muffins is they are REALLY easy to make.  A bowl, a spoon, or spatula, and you are in business.  You can crush the mango pieces with a rolling pin or drop it in a mini food processor or blender.  If you don’t have coconut milk you can use evaporated milk, or regular milk.  I like coconut milk, especially with mango.  I brewed a strong cup of mango tea, and combined it with coconut milk, butter, and egg.  By using mango tea, the flavor is very subtle, you could use mango juice or puree for a more pronounced flavor or fold in bits of fresh mango (baking time will be on the long side due to moisture from the fruit).  Add wet ingredients to the dry, stir a couple of times, done.  Literally, 5 minutes of prep and then into the oven.

The batter is pourable, use either a scoop or pour into buttered muffin tin cups.  Fill to within 1/8 inch from the top.  This will make approximately 8 muffins, not too many.  Garnish with coconut or with sesame seeds., both give an extra layer of texture. I used flaked coconut since I did not have shredded which I would have preferred.  Baking time is in the range of 32-35 minutes.  Shorter baking time insures a gooey, chewy texture while baking the muffins longer would make them cakier and less chewy.  Your choice.

Another gluten-free winner!

Print Pin

Mango Mochi Muffins

Course Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine Asian-American
Keyword mango, Mochi, mochi muffin, muffin
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup of Mochiko sweet glutinous rice flour
  • 1/2 cup of golden cane sugar
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tbsp ground freeze-dried mango
  • 2 tablespoons or 1/8 cup of unsalted butter and a bit extra for greasing the muffin pan
  • 3 Mango flavored teabags
  • ~ 1/2 cup of coconut milk reg or light
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tablespoon of condensed milk
  • Muffin pan

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease the muffin pan with a little bit of melted butter
  • Steep tea bags in 1/2 cup of boiling water for 10 minutes then drain excess liquid from the tea bags and take them out
  • Add coconut milk until you have 3/4 cup of milk+tea.
  • Combine Mochiko, sugar, ground mango and baking powder in a large mixing bowl
  • In a separate bowl melt the unsalted butter then stir in the egg, condensed milk and coconut milk tea mixture, blend ingredients thoroughly.
  • Combine the dry and wet ingredients and whisk till the mixture has no lumps
  • Scoop or pour the mixture into the wells of the muffin pan
  • Bake in the oven for 32-35 minutes then remove and let cool for around 30 minutes before taking the muffins out of the pan

Notes

If you want the muffins to be sweeter, add more condensed milk
If you want the muffins to have a stronger tea taste, increase the number of tea bags for the steeping step
For a crispier bottom use a metal muffin pan or bake the muffins for longer
Mochi muffins are best stored at room temperature in an air-tight container or freeze and reheat.
For mango madness, add diced fresh mango to batter
Definitely try different flavors. For milk tea, use black tea bags, omit mango powder. There are an array of freeze-dried fruits available including raspberry, strawberry and blueberry.
The Apple Pie of My Eye (Cinnamon Bun Apple Pie)

The Apple Pie of My Eye (Cinnamon Bun Apple Pie)

By | | Comments 0 Comment

Our Thanksgiving dinner was a little family affair as I suspect most people’s celebrations were.  We modified our dinner, kept it small, moved it earlier in the day so we could eat outside, roasted turkey parts instead of the entire bird (wow, cut the cooking time a ton!), and settled for fewer side dishes.

But when it came to dessert…there was no compromise on PIE.

We made three pies…for six people.  Yep, one pie for every two persons.

Sounds about right.

Jamie worked on a Purple Sweet Potato Pie (post coming soon) from ZoeBakes.  A pie she tried last year and was determined to improve upon this year.  A graham cracker crust that replaced the butter-flour crust proved to be a delicious tweak.

Sadly pumpkin pie was outvoted by Pecan Pie (I am shocked, Jordan generally votes with me for pumpkin, switched camps-what an ingrate). The Pecan Pie from  Park Chow has been my go-to recipe for years.  Initially disappointed we didn’t have pumpkin pie, one bite of that pecan pie and all thoughts of pumpkin vanished.

The final pie, drum roll please APPLE PIE.  The hubster’s favorite pie and admittedly mine too (in the fruit category at least).  King Arthur Baking posted a Cinnamon Bun Apple Pie that I immediately put on my gotta make Bucket List. WHAT A GENIUS RIFF.

The top dough for the pie is rolled out in a rectangle, buttered and sprinkled with cinnamon sugar.  The dough is then rolled up like a carpet and chilled (ok, frozen), and cut into spirals.  The spirals are placed side by side and once again rolled to flatten and smoosh the spirals together.  Voila’ pinwheel top pie crust-too CUTE.  Not only cute but the cinnamon sugar added a cinnamon bun element to the pie….it was DELISH.  It wasn’t that much more work for the huge WOW factor return.

I used my own apple pie recipe and Dorie Greenspan’s pie crust, which worked perfectly.  Dorie’s piecrust makes quite a bit of dough so I was able to roll it out to 1/8 inch thick and then trim it down to a 9×13 rectangle.  Feel free to use your own favorite apple pie recipe.

So, sign up for desserts next holiday and try this pie!  Auntie “Always brings finger jello” will be unduly impressed.

The Process

I rolled the crust out, on parchment paper,  to 1/8-inch thickness and then using a pizza cutter, trimmed it to a 9 x 13 rectangle.  Use an offset spatula (easy peasy) to spread the softened butter on the dough.  The cinnamon sugar should cover the dough completely (oops) except for 1/4-inch on one side of the short end, preferably the short side furthest from you.

Use the parchment paper to help roll the dough into a log.  Try to keep it tight when rolling.  Pinch the seam on the log closed and wrap the log in the parchment.    I have PVC pipe that I slide the log into before chilling to keep the log completely round. You could use a paper towel roll.  Cut one line entirely down the tube so you can then wrap the roll around the dough log.  Place in freezer, seam side down.  Chill until firm, a minimum of 30 minutes.

Remove log from freezer and cut into 1/4-inch slices. Rotate the log as you cut to prevent a flat edge.  If the log gets too soft, throw it back in the freezer for a couple of minutes.  Arrange the spirals touching next to each other and as close as you can get to a circle shape.  Roll the dough to 1/8-inch thickness using even pressure to keep the spirals as round as possible.  You should end up with a circle about 14 inches in diameter.  Good luck may the pie force be with you.  Just kidding, it’s really not that bad.

Roll the dough loosely around your rolling pin.  Center over far edge of pie and unroll towards you, over the apples.

Crimp the edges and you are ready to bake.  If the edges brown too quickly, cover with foil.  My spirals were not tight enough so you will see where a couple of them collapsed.  NBD-it’s called the rustic look.

Ta-da, Cinnamon Bun Apple Pie, ready for the center of the dessert table, like a BOSS.

Print Pin

Mom’s Apple Pie

My go-to Apple Pie recipe, been using this for years. Tried and true.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword Apple Pie, apples, Cinnamon Bun, Pie crust
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

My current favorite pie crust recipe is from Dorie Greenspan. It makes a generous amount of dough so you will have excess that you can use for hand pies or small pie.

  • Pastry for 9-inch Two-Crust Pie Link in notes
  • 3/4 cup sugar 1/2 cup granulated sugar + 1/4 c dark brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour*
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground mace
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • Dash of salt
  • 6 cups thinly sliced pared tart apples about 6 medium
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 tablespoon KA Boiled Cider (secret apple booster) optional

Instructions

  • Prepare pie crust. Place in fridge to chill while making filling.
  • Heat oven to 425 degrees.
  • Mix sugar, flour, mace, cinnamon and salt.
  • Stir in apples. Turn into pastry-lined pie plate; dot with butter.
  • Cover with top crust that has slits cut in it; seal and flute.
  • Make a 3 inch aluminum foil ring. Set aside to use if crust browns too much
  • Bake at 425 for 15 minutes. Lower temperature to 375 degrees, bake until crust is golden brown and juice begins to bubble through slits in crust, 40 to 50 minutes. Cover edge with ring if necessary.

Notes

All About that ‘Crust, No Filling (Pie Crust Recipe)
Pudding In the Late Night Hours Calls for Chocolate

Pudding In the Late Night Hours Calls for Chocolate

By | | Comments 6 comments

Life is on hold as we await the results of the 2020 presidential election.  I swore I wasn’t going to agonize over the process leading to the final result.  My plan was to ignore CNN, Twitter, WAPO, NYT…I decided to watch Hamilton for the umpteenth time, followed by my favorite K-drama.  As they say…

The Best Laid Plans

A quick sneak peek at Twitter and I was hooked.  It has been an agonizingly slow crawl to the finish as the Biden/Harris ticket chips away at the vote count in the battleground states. There I was tabbing back and forth between my K-drama and Twitter.  At 2am I had to stop the madness, I resorted to my favorite stress-buster activity, COOKING followed by my second favorite stress reliever-EATING.

Win-Win

At that time of the night, I needed something delicious, and comforting.  I had been eyeing a recipe in NYTcooking for a chocolate pudding made with oat milk.  Many of my friends are dairy intolerant or vegan so I am always on the lookout for desserts that fit the bill.  The fact that this pudding was quick and easy made this a no-brainer for my sleep-deprived, anxiety-riddled brain.

This pudding is so ridiculously easy and so incredibly delicious bookmark this post now.  You will thank me.  I used Planet Oat Milk but the recipe states you can use soy or almond, I’m sticking with oat milk.  I used Dutch-processed cocoa which gives the pudding its intense dark color.  You can use natural cocoa which will give you a lighter-colored pudding, either is fine.  Whisk the dry ingredients together, cocoa, sugar, cornstarch, and salt.  Slowly add the oat milk and then cook it over medium heat, STIRRING constantly so it doesn’t scorch and stays lump-free and smooth.  I used TJ’s Dark Chocolate Pound Plus Bar which resulted in a rich, intense chocolate flavor.  Experiment with different chocolates to change the sweetness and chocolate intensity.

Topped off the pudding with cocoa nib crumble from Manresa and I was in business.  Yummy.  I imagine an infinite variety of toppings would be lovely like softly Whipped Coconut Cream, whimsical sprinkles, flaked coconut, cookie crumbs, or fresh berries.

My little bowl of chocolate pudding did the trick, calmed my nerves, and gave me the courage to…GO TO BED!

Print Pin
5 from 3 votes

Oat Milk Chocolate Pudding

A delicious chocolate pudding from NYT Cooking that is dairy free and vegan
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword Chocolate Pudding, dairy-free, Dark chocolate, oat milk, Simple Bread Pudding, vegan
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • ⅓ cup (65 grams) granulated sugar
  • ⅓ cup (30 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 2 cups (480 milliliters) oat milk or soy or almond milk
  • 3 to 4 ounces (85 to 115 grams) bittersweet bar chocolate finely chopped, I used TJ's Dark Chocolate, which is accidentally vegan 😉
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  • In a medium saucepan whisk together the sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, and salt. Slowly stir in the milk and stirring constantly until smooth and combined.
  • Cook over medium-low heat. Stir the mixture continuously, scraping the bottom, sides, and corners of the pan, until the pudding thickens, begins to bubble, and coats the back of the spoon or spatula, 5 to 10 minutes. Careful to not let the pudding scorch on the bottom and corner of the pot, lower heat if it cooks too fast or starts to scorch.
  • Add the chocolate and stir vigorously until the pudding is very thick and smooth, about 30 seconds longer.
  • Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Spoon the pudding into a serving bowl or individual cups or ramekins. Serve warm, at room temperature or chilled. It will thicken as it cools. Garnish with whipped cream, sprinkles or chocolate chips or cookie crumbles. Use your imagination!

Notes

Before refrigerating, press plastic wrap onto the surface of the pudding to prevent a “skin” from forming on top.
The pudding will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Almond Plum Snack Cake-Plum Out of Time

Almond Plum Snack Cake-Plum Out of Time

By | | Comments 0 Comment

The Bake Sale Returns to Its Political Roots from Food & Wine magazine and a YouTube video of Paul Rudd “Ant Man” handing out cookies in a Brooklyn voting line (wow, wish I lived in Brooklyn) reminded me of how food and politics go hand in hand.  I decided I needed to sweeten my “Are you with me?” let’s save democracy pleas.  A good place to start was the recipes in the Food & Wine article.  I  started with the Toffee Apricot Oatmeal Cookies which garnered more than a few enthusiastic votes and followed it with the Almond Plum Snack Cake by Miro Uskokovic, the pastry chef at Gramercy Tavern.

This cake is guaranteed to convince anyone to side with you. The use of cake flour and AP flour results in a fine crumb cake that holds up well (like for a bake sale) while the sour cream and butter add richness and tenderness.  The little chunks of almond paste provide a surprise hit of flavor and texture and the plums add moisture and a sweet-tart yumminess.  Finally, almonds and sugar sprinkled on top add sparkle and crunch. It’s the whole package and is scrumptious.

So hurry, grab the last plums of the season and make this cake

The cake is easy to make but a couple of hints may be helpful.  The recipe calls for 8 ounces of almond paste, half is incorporated into the batter while the other half is crumbled on top just before baking.  Don’t use all of it in the batter.  I used granulated sugar in the batter but replaced the remaining 2 tablespoons with raw sugar called for on top of the cake.  This added both sparkle and extra crunch.  Almond paste can be found in the baking section of most supermarkets, don’t confuse it with marzipan which is much sweeter and used for fondant and candy.

The cake comes together quickly with the use of a food processor.  Start by combining the flours in a large mixing bowl and setting it aside. Place butter, almond paste, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest in a food processor bowl.  Process mixture until smooth.  Add eggs, one at a time, followed by the sour cream. Process until completely blended around 30-45 seconds, scrape the sides of the bowl once or twice.  Meanwhile, slice plums and toss with lemon juice.  Let stand for 5 minutes.

Fold butter-egg mixture into the flour mixture in the large bowl until completely combined.  Pour batter into prepared baking pan.  Top with remaining crumbled almond paste and sliced plums.

I cut the recipe in half and baked it in a 9 inch round pan, you could also use an 8×8 square pan.  You will need to tweak your baking times.  Start checking the cake at 40 minutes.

Finish with the sliced almonds and sugar and bake.

Enjoy

Print Pin

Almond-and-Plum Snack Cake

Absolutely delicious cake. A fine crumb, moist cake dotted with chunks of almond paste and topped with plums and almond slivers. Finished with a sparkling blanket of sugar that adds a nice crunch.
Course Cake
Cuisine American
Keyword almond, Food and Wine, Gramercy Tavern, plum, Political BAke Sale, snack cake
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Servings 8

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 1/4 cups unsalted butter (2-1/2 sticks) 10 ounces, softened
  • 8 ounces almond paste at room temperature, crumbled (about 1 cup), divided in half
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 3/4 cups bleached cake flour such as Swans Down (about 6 5/8 ounces)
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour about 4 1/4 ounces
  • 4-6 medium-size red plums cut into 3/4-inch wedges (about 3 cups)
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • Cooking spray
  • 1/2 cup sliced almonds about 1 1/2 ounces
  • 2 tablespoons raw or turbinado sugar or use granulated sugar

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • Combine 1 1/2 cups sugar, butter, 1/2 cup almond paste, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest in bowl of a food processor. Process until light, creamy, and smooth, about 45 seconds. With processor running, add eggs, 1 at a time, incorporating fully after each addition (mixture should look thick and fluffy). Add sour cream, and process until fully incorporated, about 30 seconds, stopping to scrape bowl as needed.
  • Whisk together cake flour and all-purpose flour in a large bowl. Add sugar mixture to flour mixture; Using a rubber spatula, fold batter to combine ingredients completely.
  • Toss plum slices and lemon juice in a medium bowl; let stand 5 minutes.
  • Line a 13- x 9-inch baking pan with parchment paper; lightly grease with cooking spray. Spread batter in prepared pan, smoothing top with an offset spatula. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup crumbled almond paste over batter. Arrange plums over top, and sprinkle with almonds and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar.
  • Bake cake in preheated oven until lightly browned and a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Transfer cake in pan to a wire rack, and let cool completely, about 2 hours

Notes

The recipe can easily be halved.