Goodbye Summer! It’s the first week of Fall 2019 and here I am with a treat for you guys, a Pear Upside-Down Cake !!

Although it is officially the Fall season, the weather doesn’t seem to be ready yet to let go of summer. It’s still pretty hot outside and the leaves are all green. But nevertheless, I am kick starting my fall baking with this delicious pear cake.

Pear is one of my absolute favorite fall fruits and I love baking with it. Last year I did a Pear Loaf Cake which became a hit among my family and friends, and so this time I thought to tweak the recipe and try out a Pear Upside-Down Cake. It came out really well; the soft textured cake topped with cooked pear in a caramelized crust… a heavenly combination of fruit & cake which takes the flavors to a whole new level!  Cooked pear is nothing like the raw fruit, its aroma in itself is satisfying and the sweetness is perfectly balanced and toned down, even if you use ripe pears. But if you are a cake lover with a very sweet tooth, bump it up by adding an extra ¼ cup of granulated sugar along with the other dry ingredients.

This recipe calls for buttermilk and it was during my bake that I realized I did not have it in my pantry, so had to quickly prepare a homemade batch instead of my usual store bought one. In case you are interested in the recipe, here it is below:

Quick fix Homemade Buttermilk recipe instructions (½cup)

• Whisk 4 tbsp milk and 2 tbsp plain yogurt together in a bowl and allow it sit for 5-10 minutes. Your homemade buttermilk is ready.

Pro-tip: Since this is an upside-down cake, the base of the final dish will be the upper layer of the cake when coming out of the oven, which later would go to the bottom once inverted. As the cake rises in the oven, the top layer may not be flat creating an uneven surface once inverted and so the cake will not sit straight and may break apart and collapse. So, you will have to level off the top by trimming the bulges with a knife.

Enjoy this delicious cake along with a cup of tea or coffee, Happy Baking…!

Interested in another pear cake recipe? Then don’t forget to check out my Pear Loaf Cake recipe.

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Pear Upside-Down Cake

Pear Upside-Down Cake…Loaded with the Goodness of Pear in a Caramelized Crust, the Perfect Tea Time Cake…!!!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword pear cake, pear upside-down cake, upside down cake

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 55 minutes minutes

Cooling Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 2 pears (Bosc or Anjou pear)
• ½ cup unsalted butter (softened)+ 3 tbsp (cubed, cold butter)
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 2 large eggs (at room temperature)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 1¾ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• ½ cup buttermilk

Instructions

• Peel the pears carefully to remove the skin and slice into halves lengthwise along their stem. Scoop out the core and cut the stems.
• Preheat oven to 350-degree Line a 9x5 loaf pan with parchment paper extending it 2 inches above the rim through its sides. Brush with melted butter and keep aside.
• Into the pan, add brown sugar, cubed butter and place it in the oven for 5 minutes to allow the butter to melt. Remove from the oven and arrange the pear halves crosswise in the pan alternating their narrow ends with their cored side facing down flat. Keep it aside.
• Prepare dry ingredients by sifting flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium speed until fluffy.
• Add eggs one at a time scraping the sides of the bowl after each addition, and continue beating. Add vanilla extract.
• Gradually add flour mix alternating with buttermilk, beating just until combined after each addition. Batter will be very thick.
• Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and spread evenly.
• Place the pan in the oven and bake for 50-55 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow it to cool for 30-45 minutes. Run a sharp knife around the edges of the pan for the cake to loosen. Lift the parchment paper to take the cake out of the pan onto a flat surface.
• Before inverting the cake, ensure its top surface is flat otherwise it will not sit straight and may break apart and collapse. Level off the top by trimming of the bulges with a knife. Place a serving plate inverted on the top surface, and quickly n carefully invert the cake onto it.
• Remove the parchment paper and slice the cake through the pears and serve, Enjoy!

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I chose to try out this recipe purely for its fruity flavors. Its rich in pineapple, banana, coconut, and crunchy toasted pecans, spiced with cinnamon and all spice, topped with a delicious whipped cream cheese frosting… Voila! the Best Comfort Cupcake you can dream off…

So, why the name? This cake has its origins from Jamaica, and is considered to be sweet as the nectar hummingbirds hunt for, which happens to be the national bird as well and reminiscent to the tropical flavors of the Caribbean Island. Did you know? This cake is also known as Doctor Bird Cake, a nickname for the red-billed streamer tail which belongs to the hummingbird family.

The recipe gives you incredibly warm, rich, moist and soft cupcakes, with a sticky crust from the caramelized sugars in the fruits, and tastes amazingly good. If you are a fan of banana cake, then I am sure you’re gonna love this one. It’s also a party favorite which is why is popular as the “cake that doesn’t last”.

I know my piping skills have not been top notch for the recipe photos. I was in a hurry to pipe it, but make sure you refrigerate the cream cheese frosting for 15 minutes at least before piping.

Pro tip: Use overripe banana and pineapple (with juices) for more flavor!!!

Happy Baking…!

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Hummingbird Cupcakes

A Spiced Cake filled with the flavors of Banana, Pineapple, Coconut and Pecans… The “Cake that doesn’t Last”! A Southern Classic, and it’s a Hummingbird Cupcakes...!!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword cakes, cupcakes, hummingbird cake

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 16 cupcakes

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

• 1½ cup flour
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp all spice
• ½ cup unsalted butter (at room temperature)
• 2 eggs (at room temperature)
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• ½ cup canned crushed pineapple along with juices
• 2 bananas (mashed)
• ½ cup shredded sweetened coconut
• ½ cup pecans/walnuts (toasted & chopped)

For the cream cheese frosting

• 1 package 8oz. cream cheese (softened)
• 5 tbsp butter (at room temperature)
• 2-3 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tbsp milk (optional)

Instructions

For the cupcakes

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.
• Spread pecans onto a separate baking pan and toast in the oven for 4 - 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer to a cutting board. Chop them into fine pieces. Keep aside.
• Prepare dry ingredients by sifting flour, baking powder, baking salt, salt, ground cinnamon and all spice in a large bowl. Keep aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter until smooth and creamy. Add the granulated sugar, brown sugar and beat until combined.
• Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by adding vanilla extract.
• Add the dry ingredients in two batches and beat until they combine well.
• In the meantime, mix mashed bananas, pineapple and shredded coconut in a small bowl. Whisk well to mix properly.
• Add this mix to the flour mix and beat in low speed to combine well. Remove the paddle attachment and add chopped pecans and fold well by using a spatula. The batter will be thick.
• Spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them a little over half way full.
• 1Bake in the oven for 22-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the crust turns golden brown.

For the cream cheese frosting

• In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and cream cheese until fluffy. Slowly add powdered sugar and beat until smooth. Transfer to a piping bag and refrigerate it for
  15 minutes. Remove from the refrigerator and decorate as desired.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  

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Finally, it’s here, my most favorite season… Fall! It’s a little late this year as the trees are yet to change their colors, but the weather has started to get cold for sure. Also, another beauty is that it’s the season of apples. I did not get a chance to go apple picking this year, but I’m sure most of you would have had a lot of fun. With bags full of apples in your pantry, it’s time to gear up your baker’s suit and start exploring some apple dishes. And that’s what I’m going on get on to, join me and read along!

Apple strudel is one of the easiest apple desserts you can make, with least efforts and the basic minimal ingredients available in your pantry. This dish tastes so damn good; its flaky, sweet, tangy & crunchy. Like I said, you can wow your guests with its taste, aroma and some fancy creativity by showing off your braiding skills.

For this recipe you can either make your own dough, or use a store-bought puff pastry sheet like I did, which will significantly reduce your work load. This is a simple dessert, but while you go through the recipe ingredients and instructions, I’m sure that you will have many questions popping up in your head. And so, here are my answer to a few:

1. Why roll your thawed sheets? Always roll your thawed puff pastry sheets to the right consistency and shape, this helps prevent the pastry crust from puffing-up too much.
2. Why add lemon juice? Always coat your apples with lemon juice (just like your avocados) as it prevents browning, plus it adds a slight tanginess to your strudel which very well compliments the sweetness.
3. Breadcrumbs, huh? Yep, you heard it right. Apples release juices while baking which the pastry dough tend to absorb preventing it from rising and making your strudel soggy. Breadcrumbs absorb the moisture keeping your strudel crispy n flaky. As a substitute, you can use plain flour too.
4. Fruit Substitutes? You can substitute Granny Smith apples with Honey Crisp apples as well, Pear is another good alternative to apples.
5. Nuts Substitute? Walnuts, Pecans, Almonds…

Serve these flaky apple strudels warm, with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

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Apple Strudel

Wow your Fall Holiday Guests with this Flaky Braided Apple Strudel…! The Easiest Fall Season Dessert of your Dreams…!!!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword apple, fall dessert, strudel

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• ½ of a 17.3oz package Pepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry Sheets (1 sheet)
• 2 Granny Smith / Honey Crisp apples
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• ¼ tsp cinnamon powder
• 3 tbsp brown sugar
• ⅓ cup raisins
• ¼ cup chopped pecans
• ¼ cup breadcrumbs
• 1 egg
• Flour (to dust)
• Pinch of granulated sugar (topping)

Instructions

• Thaw your puff pastry sheet for 35-40 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375-degree F. Prepare the egg wash by beating an egg, and keep aside.
• Peel, core and slice your apples into small cubes. You can use 2 medium or 3 small sized apples.
• In a bowl, mix together the chopped apples, lemon juice, cinnamon, brown sugar, pecans, raisins and bread crumbs. Keep aside.
• Now let’s setup your work surface; Cut parchment paper large enough to fill your baking tray and place it on your work surface. Dust it with flour.
• To prepare the pastry wrap, unfold the thawed pastry sheet onto the dusted paper and apply some flour. Roll and stretch it using a rolling pin into a 16” x 12” rectangle shape.
• Now spoon the apple mix onto the center of the sheet, lengthwise. For preparing the braids, make ½” slits using a pizza cutter or a knife on both sides of the apple mix leaving a ½” space from the mix. Starting from one end, fold the braids one after the other, alternating sides, angled over the apple mix. Continue braiding till you read the other end, seal the ends properly.
• Brush the braids with egg wash and sprinkle granulated sugar on top. Place it on your baking tray by lifting and transferring the parachment paper. Bake for 35 minutes or until flaky and golden brown.
• Allow it to cool for 10-15 minutes before slicing. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. Enjoy!

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Sometimes very simple ingredients make a great dish, and that’s exactly how I felt about this recipe. Minimal ingredients, hardly any cooking time, easy to prepare, and the satisfaction you get after all the easy work just melts in with every bite. No wonder French fries became so popular!

This fairly simple recipe was on my radar for a while, in fact I have baked it a couple of times in the past but never had the patience nor could control my cravings from gobbling it down before photographing it. Finally it was after my hubby started discussing my plans with Thanksgiving and Christmas menus did I decide to get it done. Oh between, we both talk a lot about my ideas and all the recipes which come up in Pepper Delight. He is the pillar of my blog, not only is he a good taster and approves my dishes, but whenever I am blank and totally out of ideas, he is there as my savior (wink).

This baked version of potato wedges makes a wonderful appetizer and can be prepared throughout the year no matter what the occasion is. The use of garlic and Italian herb seasonings makes it rich in flavour, and finally baking it brings out the crispiness… With a generous amount of salt, you have a yummy snack in front of you…

I have used Russet potatoes which are mild, delicate, and starchy; perfect for baking. Their absorbent nature ensures an even flavour throughout each bite.

Tomato ketchup goes great with fries and wedges. I thought to try out a creamy version along with some tanginess, and boy! It does make a great combo…!!

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!!!

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Baked Potato Wedges with Creamy Tangy Ketchup

Yummy, Crispy n Garlicky…! Potato Wedges baked to goodness paired with a Creamy Tangy Ketchup…!! 

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Keyword appetizer, fries, potato wedges

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 3

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For Potato Wedges

• 2 large russet potatoes (skin-on, sliced into wedges)
• 1 tsp Italian seasonings
• 3 garlic cloves (finely chopped)
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese (shredded)
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley (chopped)
• salt (as required)
• pepper (as required)
• olive oil (as required)

For Creamy Tangy Ketchup

• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tsp fresh parsley (chopped)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 3-5 tbsp tomato ketchup

Instructions

For Potato Wedges

• 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 
• 2. Line a baking tray with aluminum foil and grease with cooking spray. Keep aside. 
• 3. In a large bowl, prepare the rub by combining garlic, Italian seasonings, salt, pepper, parsley, olive oil, and Parmesan cheese.  
• 4. Toss potato wedges in the bowl for it to marinate well. Arrange them on the baking tray with skin side down. 
• 5. Bake for 30 – 35 minutes until they turn golden and cooked well. 

For Creamy Tangy Ketchup

• Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and stir well. Your sauce is ready. 

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Halloween is around the corner; Trick-or-Treating, Ghost Stories, Costume Parties, Pumpkin Recipes, and many more… a fun time for families and kids..! And when it comes to food, your options for the sweet tooth are endless… Kids love Halloween, the time of the year where they run around collecting sweets, stocking them, and bragging about their collection. They would go bonkers for lollipops, and if it’s a spooky treat? Ho Ho, You’ve just made their day…!

This is my first Halloween since I’ve started my blog and every year I have been quite intrigued with the spooky edible food decorations, in all shapes & colors throughout the stores. I love to watch all the Halloween creativity, isle after isle, and be mesmerized. So this year I made up my mind to definitely put on the Pepper Delight Witch’s hat and cook up some spooky treats. Woooooooohh……

Cake pops is something I have been eyeing on for a while. In fact my recent baking experience with cheesecake  showed me how wonderfully graham crackers go with cream cheese. I had some leftovers and so it was the perfect timing to use them with something new. I was so tempted to grab all the edible spooky decorations from the store, but decided to stick myself to those cute candy eye balls and spookify them on my lollipops with little blood red gel.

This treat is an attention grabber n sooo easy to make. And the bonus:

• no cooking
• no baking required
• 4 ingredients
• Both kids and adult friendly

The only tricky part for any newcomer is the tempering of the chocolate. You may not get the glazed coating right the first time, and if you didn’t, don’t Worry..! Even I couldn’t, and actually that adds even better to the spookiness..He He..!

Happy Halloween my dear friends, Enjoy…!

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Prep time: 30 -45 mins
Serves: 12 lollipops

INGREDIENTS

• 14 graham crackers
• 8 oz. cream cheese (softened at room temperature)
• 4 tbsp powdered sugar
• 12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate morsels (chips)
• Lollipop sticks
• Candy eye balls
• Edible decor (red color decorating gel)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Grind graham crackers in a food processor until finely powdered.
3. Transfer it to a bowl and add the cream cheese. Using a mixer or with your clean hands, blend it well until properly mixed into a dough.
4. Divide the dough into ice-cream scoop size portions and roll them into equal sized small round balls.
5. Place them on the baking sheet, and refrigerate for 10 mins to harder a bit.
6. Take the tray out and insert the lollipop sticks half way through each ball, and place back in the refrigerator for another 15 mins to set.
7. Melt the chocolate chips in a deep microwave safe bowl by microwaving at 30 second intervals and whisking alternatively until completely melted, loose and runny.
8. Dip each ball in the liquid chocolate to give it an even coat. Tap the stick of the pops on the edge of the bowl to allow any excess liquid to drip off. Allow it to stand by fixing it on a lollipop stand or a Styrofoam block.
9. Attach the candy eye balls to the pops and pipe some red color gel on top of it, Or use your favourite Halloween icing decorations to create your spooky lollipops.
10. Refrigerate for about 10 minutes to set completely.

Note:

1. Ensure that the dough is thick enough to stay intact and not fall apart.
2. Roll the dough into small balls so that it would be easy to coat with chocolate, and also will not fall apart from the sticks due to its weight.

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Puff pastry is a very common snack in my hometown with the only difference being that it would be store bought as we hardly bake it at home. Well, surprisingly Yes… and it’s because a conventional oven was not common at homes during my good old childhood days, until recently. Unlike in the US where there are a variety of sweet and savoury puff pastries, we are so used to the savoury ones; be it a vegetable masala, egg, chicken or a meat puffs. In fact, if we have guests visiting for tea or a party at home, curry puffs would be first dish we would be running out for to our nearby bakery. To my memory, puffs held the royal first place as my favourite “Snack / Appetizer” until recently where the dominance of samosas and cutlet started to creep in…!

Curry puffs aka the Indian version of the vegetable puffs, is made of a light stuffing of veggies like potato, green peas, carrots or beets, in a spicy masala. Here I have tried to give my western touch to the classic curry puffs, making it non-spicy with mushrooms and broccoli combined in a creamy white sauce. The preparation is soo easy and similar to any other puff pastry; rolled and toasted until golden and flaky. The melted cheese inside makes each bite ooey, gooey, and seriously addictive.

 If you are a fan of Puff Pastry, I am sure you gonna love this combination of mushrooms and broccoli. Serve these wonderful puffs as an appetizer for your parties or as a snack for your tea time.

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!!!

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Prep time: 20 mins; Baking time: 18 – 20 mins
Serves: makes 12 nos

INGREDIENTS

For white sauce

• 2 tbsp flour
• 2 tbsp butter
• salt (a pinch)
• ¾ cup milk

For puffs

• 8 oz. mushrooms (chopped )
• 1 cup broccoli florets (chopped)
• 3 garlic cloves (finely minced)
• 2 tbsp butter
• salt (as required)
• pepper (as required)
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese
• 1 egg (beaten)
• 2 sheets of puff pastry (thawed, cut into 12 squares)

INSTRUCTIONS

Preparation of white sauce

1. Melt butter in a pan, add flour and whisk vigorously.
2. Add milk and whisk on a low heat for 2 minutes till it thickens. Season with salt.
3. Remove from heat as the sauce becomes smooth and creamy.

Preparation of puffs

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Melt butter in a pan, saute garlic until fragrant.
3. Add mushrooms, saute for 3 minutes until they turn tender.
4. Add broccoli to the pan, saute on a medium flame (1-2 mins). Switch off the flame and mix with the prepared white sauce.
5. Line a baking tray with aluminum foil, grease with cooking spray, and keep aside.
6. Carefully open thawed pastry sheets to a clean lightly floured flat surface. Using a rolling pin, roll the sheets to even and smoothen, refer notes section for details.
7. Using a sharp knife or a pizza wheel, cut the pastry sheet into equal square shapes as per your preferred serving size.
8. Add 1 tbsp filling to the center of each square and top with some mozzarella cheese. Carefully fold and seal all four edges and brush generously the sides and top with egg wash. This helps to make the crust look golden.
9. Arrange on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 18-20 minutes until golden.
10. Remove from the oven and allow it cool for a few minutes before serving.

Note:

1. Using mozzarella cheese and white sauce are optional. If you don’t want the creamy cheesy texture, go ahead with the veggie mix alone.
2. While preparing the white sauce, whisk vigorously to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
3. The puff pastry sheets should be kept frozen till ready to use. Once taken out from the freezer, thaw it at room temperature for not more than 40 minutes or until they unfold easily. The sheet should still be cold, and unfolded to a floured flat surface. If it cracks, sprinkle water at the edges and press together to seal. Grease with flour and using a rolling pin, roll and shape to your preferred size and thickness.

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