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.

Follow me on Instagram, try out the recipes and tag #pepperdelightblog to all your pictures of Pepper Delight recipes you prepare. Rate us if you love it!

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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!

The post Pear Upside-Down Cake appeared first on Pepper Delight.

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.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  

The post Hummingbird Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting appeared first on Pepper Delight.

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!

The post Apple Strudel appeared first on Pepper Delight.

This is a Chocolate Celebration straight from Heaven! Trust me, you are gonna say the same if you have a slice… this is the Best Chocolate Cake ever..!!

So, you might be wondering, how come a sheet cake all of the sudden? Well that’s right, my blog has all round pan cakes (except for one on a loaf pan) and the whole idea to do this came from my husband’s request. He wanted to treat his colleagues with some cake delight, and I knew that he had a decently sized team working with him. I started going through my cake recipes and the number of pans I had to bake a few at a time, and that’s when I saw this brand new sheet pan, unused and lying there since a long time. Silly me, that’s perfect for a crowd and was what I have been looking for … so that’s it, a Sheet Cake! My husband loves anything with chocolate, and also is fond of pastries, so thinking all that through, the Texas sheet cake recipe turned out to be the right pick for my bake.

This cake has many Wows; its aroma, the looks, moistness, gooeness, ease of preparation, and of course its taste…! Right from taking it out of the oven, to the time you open the lid of its box to grab the last bite, the cake is soo aromatic! The cocoa flavor, cinnamon and the butter toasted pecans, together emanate such a wonderful aroma that everybody around you inhales a deep breath in pleasure! Every bite of it is moist and feels like a light version of a brownie, and the credit for that goes to the hot cocoa mix used in this recipe unlike the other chocolate cakes.

This cake is so easy to prepare and requires neither fancy equipment nor any special decorating skills. Just whisk the ingredients together in a bowl, bake, pour frosting and your delicious cake is ready!!!

Enjoy, Happy Baking!!!

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Recipe adapted from Texas Sheet Cake.

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Texas Sheet Cake

Classic Texas Sheet Cake topped with a Gooey Chocolate Frosting and Toasted Pecans…! Intensely Moist and Incredibly Delicious, a Perfect Crowd Puller...! 

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword cake, chocolate cake, texas sheet cake

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 12

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For the cake

• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp salt
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ cup buttermilk

For the chocolate frosting

• 6 tbsp unsalted butter
• 3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 6 tbsp heavy cream
• 1½ tsp vanilla extract
• 1¾ cup + 2 tbsp powdered sugar
• 1 cup pecans (chopped and toasted)

Instructions

For the cake

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Line a 9x13 inch sheet cake pan with parchment paper extending it a few inches over the sides. Grease the pan properly with cooking spray or butter and set aside.
• Sift dry ingredients in a bowl; flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Add granulated sugar into the mix and whisk together well. Keep aside.
• In a midsized saucepan, melt butter on a medium heat. Add cocoa powder and water; bring the mixture to a boil while whisking periodically. Turn off the flame and pour the mix over the flour mix and stir to combine.
• Add eggs, vanilla extract and buttermilk; whisk well to mix everything to a smooth batter. The cake batter is smooth and loose.
• Pour the batter carefully into the prepared pan and bake for 20-25 mins or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

For the chocolate frosting

• Melt butter in a saucepan. Add cocoa powder, milk cream, and bring the mix to boil by stirring occasionally.
• Remove the pan from the heat and beat in powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth without any lumps.
• Pour the prepared frosting over the warm cake, spreading it towards the edges using a spatula. Sprinkle pecans over the cake immediately so that it sets along with the frosting.
• Allow the cake to cool before serving.

Notes

Toasting pecans is optional, but I highly recommend it. Heat 1tbsp butter in a pan on a medium flame, add chopped pecans and toast it by stirring continuously for 4-5 minutes until it turns aromatic. Turn off the flame and allow it to cool. Make sure your nuts are ready before preparing the frosting.

The post Texas Sheet Cake appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Strawberries, Apples or Peaches; be it any fruit season and that calls for a day to bake your delicious desserts! This is my first time preparing a galette even though I have baked pies before. Yeah I know what you might be thinking; unlike other newbie bakers, I went from complex to easy! Anyways, my first galette turned out to be awesome…

So what made me do a galette? It all started with my friend’s long time desire to go for a strawberry picking festival and every year she kept on missing it as the picking season is usually for a short span. But this time she kept on tracking the dates and finally was able to plan it out. Although my hubby is not so keen into these events, he surprisingly agreed this time to come along. We all visited Eckerts Belleville Farm, Illinois which was actually a nice drive, giving us a chance to go past St. Louis, the east of it, across Missouri all the way up to Illinois. The farm is vast & beautiful with many varieties of fruits and vegetables being cultivated, including peaches, apples, blackberries, tomatoes and many more. On the day we visited, they had a fair going on with lots of fun activities & kids rides. Also the food at their restaurant and deli were fresh & delicious. We really enjoyed our time there picking strawberries, taking pictures and left back home with bags full of strawberries. If you are in the St. Louis area, check out Eckerts Farms to spend a fun filled day!

I guess this happens to everybody and not only me; whenever I go for any picking I bring back a lot without realizing how much I really need, and then it’s a struggle to finish them. But on the good side, that gears me up to explore a bunch of recipes to finish the fruit in every possible way, be it a cobbler, smoothie, pie, strudel… or even an ice cream!! But I would still end up having leftovers which I finally freeze; I don’t want to see the same fruit thereafter for the next few months, Lol!!

So coming back to my recipe for the day, this galette is so easy to prepare and is nothing when compared to other baked desserts. I have used strawberries and peaches; their sour and sweet flavours complement each other and taste great when combined together. The crust is buttery flaky and its sweet with the fruits, tastes best if served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. You can also try this recipe with other summer fruits of your choice, like Berries, Peach, Apple, Rhubarb, etc, they all make a wonderful Galette.

Enjoy, Happy Cooking!!!

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Peach Strawberry Galette

Buttery Crusted Peach Strawberry Galette… A Quick & Easy Peasy Summer Dessert...!! Serve with a scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream, YUMM… 

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword galatte, strawberry, summer

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For the crust

• 1¼ cup flour
• 1 tbsp sugar
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 stick of cold butter (cubed)
• 4 tbsp ice cold water

For the Peach Strawberry filling

• 2 cups fresh strawberries (hulled and sliced into half)
• 2 peaches (peeled, pitted and sliced)
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp flour

For decoration

• 1 egg (beaten)
• Granulated sugar (to sprinkle)

Instructions

For the crust

• Combine flour, sugar and salt in a food processor. Pulse until it mixes well. Add the cubed cold butter, pulse until it looks like a coarse meal with some crumbles. Sprinkle 1-2 tbsp ice cold water at a time and pulse until the dough comes together.
• Transfer it into a work surface; gently knead the dough to make a ball. Flatten it into a small disk shaped size, wrap it in a plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-2 hrs (or up to 3 days).

For the Peach Strawberry filling

• Combine peaches, strawberries, sugar, vanilla extract and flour in a medium sized bowl and let it sit for 20 minutes.

For assembling the Galette

• Preheat oven to 400 degree F.
• Place the cold dough between two parchment sheet papers. This helps to roll the dough neatly and it prevents sticking to the bottom. Roll the dough between the papers into a 12 inch circle, trim the edges if necessary to form a circular shape. Remove the top sheet and carefully transfer the dough along with its bottom sheet to a baking tray.
• Spoon the fruit mix on to the center of the dough leaving a 2 inch gap around the border. Drizzle 1-2 tbsp fruit juices from the mix (do not add more as it makes the dough soggy).
• Fold the edges over the fruit mix, pleating it as you fold to give a uniform circular shape. Gently press the edges to seal.
• For decoration and giving the final baked galette a golden crust, brush the beaten eggs on the outer crust and sprinkle sugar.
• Bake for 30-35 minutes until the crust turns golden brown and the fruit mix starts to bubble up.
• Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

The post Peach Strawberry Galette appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Its celebration time… My blog turns 1 today…!! Wooohoooo……

That was pretty fast, it’s still unbelievable how a year went by. I still remember the many “firsts” during my blog journey, all as if they happened just yesterday; right from my blog going live, the first comment I received (I screamed with joy that day), being able to view my recipe in google search, Facebook, FoodGawker, Instagram and so on… Everything felt so special! Those were some of the best days of my life and I thank you everyone for your wonderful support! You guys are awesome, my inspiration to keep going with Pepper Delight and bring out the best of me…

As part of my blog’s anniversary celebrations, watch out for my “Behind the scenes” and “1 year as a blogger” posts to know all about my experiences and the fun I’ve had over the year. But for now, let’s celebrate with this beautiful cake which I have been planning for a long time, my chocolate hazelnut semi naked cake with chocolate ganache!

Semi-naked/Naked cake is one of the most preferred styles especially for celebrations, apart from the usual fondant cakes. These cakes are simple to bake and also have a finished surface but with a casual look unlike the fully frosted ones. Their highlight is being able to view the different cake layers through the finished cake, beautifully stacked on top of each other with the rich frosting in-between. And finishing off with the right ganache or toppings makes it even more elegant and party perfect! This is my first attempt with a semi naked style cake and, Boy am I happy with the outcome; It was damn delicious!!!

Mastering the art of baking a semi naked cake is quite easy as long as you keep an eye on the details. Here are a few valuable tips from my kitchen:

1. Grease your pan properly to avoid any cracks or holes in your cake. This helps the cake to slide through the sides of the pan easily.
2. Pick the cake with the prettiest bottom for your topmost layer. Use the ones with cracks or holes for the middle or bottom layers.
3. Decorate the cake after placing on a turntable.
4. Use a strong/sturdy scraper to scrape down the excess frosting on the sides to create the semi naked effect.
5. Refrigerate the frosted cake to set properly before topping with ganache. You can even bake the cake in advance and frost the next day to manage time.
6. And make sure to bring the cake back to room temperature before serving.

This is one of the best cakes I have ever tasted. They are moist inside, and the layered frosting makes it so rich with flavour. The dark chocolate ganache levels out the sweetness of the frosting and balances well with the chocolate cake and hazelnut flavour. And the crunchy Ferrero Rocher makes it perfect for any party/celebrations or even as your dessert.

Enjoy baking, Happy Caking…!!!

Don’t forget to check out my other Blog Anniversary special cakes:

• 2018 – Matcha Cake with Buttercream Frosting and White Chocolate Matcha Drip
• 2019 – Neapolitan Ombre Cake

Follow me on Instagram, try out the recipes and tag #pepperdelightblog to all your pictures of Pepper Delight recipes you prepare. Rate below if you love it…!

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Chocolate Hazelnut Semi Naked Cake with Dark Chocolate Ganache

Chocolate Cake with a Chocolate Hazelnut frosting in a semi naked style, topped with crunchy Ferrero Rocher and a dark chocolate ganache dripping around the edges.  

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword cake, chocolate cake, hazelnut cake, naked cake

Prep Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours 5 minutes minutes

Servings 10

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For three 6 inch chocolate cakes

• 1½ cup flour
• 1½ tsp baking powder
• 1½ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¾ cup cocoa powder
• ¾ cup unsalted butter (softened at room temperature)
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• 3 eggs (at room temperature)
• 1½ cup buttermilk (at room temperature)
• 3 tsp milk
• 1½ tsp vanilla extract

Chocolate Hazelnut Frosting

• 4 oz mascarpone cheese (at room temperature)
• 1¼ stick unsalted butter (softened at room temperature)
• 1/3 cup powdered sugar
• 1 cup chocolate hazelnut spread (like Nutella)
• 1-3 tbsp milk

Chocolate Ganache

• 4 oz dark chocolate
• ½ cup heavy cream (at room temperature)

Decorations

• Ferrero Rocher chocolates

Instructions

For making chocolate cake

• Preheat oven to 350 degree F. 
• Line three 6 inch pans with parchment paper, apply butter to the pan and set aside. 
• In a medium bowl, combine dry ingredients by sifting flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa powder and salt. Set aside. 
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter until smooth and creamy. Add the granulated sugar and brown sugar, beat until combined. 
• Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by adding vanilla extract and milk. 
• Add the dry ingredients alternating with buttermilk and beat until they combine well. 
• Pour into the prepared pans and bake for 30-35 mins until a toothpick or a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. 
• Unmold the cakes carefully to a wire rack and allow them to cool completely. 

Chocolate Hazelnut Frosting

• Beat butter until smooth and creamy. 
• Add the powdered sugar, mascarpone cheese and hazelnut spread, beat until it turns out smooth and creamy.
• Add milk as needed for desired consistency. Make sure that the frosting is not runny or too thick, it should be spreadable.
• If the frosting seems loose, refrigerate it for some time to thicken. 

Chocolate Ganache

• Break the chocolate into small pieces and combine with heavy cream.
•  Temper the chocolate mix by either setting the bowl over a pan of simmering water, or microwave at a 30 second interval and stirring continuously until it completely melts. 
• Ensure not to overheat or burn the mix as it will split and become unusable. Once melted, keep stirring to bring its temperature down until smooth and silky.

Final Assembly of the cake

• Level the top surface of all the cakes by shaving off the uneven portions.
• Place your cake base on a turntable/cake stand. 
• Apply little frosting on the center of the base and spread. This helps the cake to stick and not slide off.
• Place the bottom cake on the center on the cake base.
• Apply a generous amount of frosting on top of the cake in the center and level it leaving ½ inch gap from the edges of the cake with a ¾ to 1 inch thickness.
• Place the middle layer cake on top and press gently so that the excess frosting oozes out of the sides. Repeat step 5.
• Place the third/final cake upside down on top of the frosting, so that the flat bottom of the cake faces upwards. Gently press and using a spatula spread the oozed out frosting around the sides of the cake. 
• Now apply a very thin layer of frosting on top and around the cake, starting from the bottom to the top. Scrape down the excess frosting using a scraper to create the semi naked effect. Finish with a small coating on top. 
• Refrigerate it for 30 minutes to set properly. 
• Pour the ganache over the chilled frosted cake. Quickly spread the ganache to the sides to create a polish finish on the top and to create the drip effect. Avoid further spreading.
• Decorate with Ferrero Rocher.

Notes

1. Grease your pan properly to avoid any cracks or holes in your cake. This helps the cake to slide through the sides of the pan easily.
2. Pick the cake with the prettiest bottom for your topmost layer. Use the ones with cracks or holes for the middle or bottom layers.
3. Decorate the cake after placing on a turntable.
4. Use a strong/sturdy scraper to scrape down the excess frosting on the sides to create the semi naked effect.
5. Refrigerate the frosted cake to set properly before topping with ganache. You can even bake the cake in advance and frost the next day to manage time.
6. And make sure to bring the cake back to room temperature before serving.

The post Chocolate Hazelnut Semi Naked Cake with Dark Chocolate Ganache appeared first on Pepper Delight.

This Spanish drink; Spiced Red Sangria is a very popular alcoholic beverage in the US & Europe, and is widely gaining its attention elsewhere too. It’s a perfect drink to sip on your Christmas Eve or toast at your New Year Party, the aromatic flavors blend well with the holiday mood.

So how are your Christmas plans coming up? Damn, this year’s winter is pretty cold and I seem to be spending most of my holidays roaming around in heavy coats. I will surely need something to spice and warm things up and I bet I have the right refreshment in hand!

For those who love to try dry red wine but prefer something sweeter and fruity without giving away the kick, Sangria is the answer. It stands right in the midst ticking all your preferences but at the same being crisp, smooth and fresh like a fruit drink. This Red Sangria an evergreen all-season beverage, refreshing & smooth.

Traditional sangria is made of dry red wine, fruits, fruit juices, sugar, and an alcohol, preferably brandy or rum. The ones made with White wine are called Sangria Blanca. A Sangria gives you a wide range of options to customize your drink, to suit your occasion or color theme by varying the fruits and juices incorporated. Even the Rum or Brandy used can be varied to suit your palate. And just set the drink overnight for the fruits and spices to infuse, and the resulting beverage you get the next morning is a whole new experience.

So here I am, signing off my Christmas recipes for this year with a Traditional Red Sangria indulged a spicy touch of cinnamon and star anise.

Interested in more Christmas recipes? Check these out;

• Christmas Fruit Cake / Kerala Plum Cake (Alcoholic)
• Christmas Fruit Cake (Non-Alcoholic)
• Gingerbread Cookies
• Gingerbread Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Enjoy, Merry Christmas!!!

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Spiced Traditional Red Sangria

Crisp & Refreshing, Fruity rich with Apples n Oranges, Spiced with Cinnamon n Star Anise, Boozed in a splash of Rum… A Traditional Delight to celebrate your Winter Holidays… Spiced Red Sangria…!!

Course Drinks

Cuisine Spanish

Keyword christmas, sangria, wine

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Resting time 1 day day

Total Time 1 day day 5 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 1 bottle (750 ml dry red wine)
• 1 cup orange juice
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1/4 - 1/3 cup rum / brandy
• 2 apples (sliced thinly)
• 1 orange (sliced thinly with rind on)
• 2 sticks of cinnamon
• 1 star anise

Instructions

• In a large pitcher, add red wine, orange juice, rum, orange slices, apple slices, cinnamon, star anise and sugar. Stir with a spoon to mix the sugar.
• Cover and refrigerate overnight for the fruits to infuse its flavor.
• Serve chilled.

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Hello December…! Well, we are into the last month of the year and I’m already in a vacation mood. This whole month is going to be busy for me with shopping, vacation, visiting family, and of course Christmas recipes …!! This being my first Christmas since I’ve opened my blog, I have been planning over a month to finalize all my recipes, researching through some authentic Christmas dishes and even got some great ideas from my friends on dishes served at their homes in a pure traditional style. So stay tuned to Pepper Delight, Delicious lip-smacking recipes are on their way!

Going back to my beautiful memories of Christmas, I have a lot to cherish… especially about Cakes. This is the time of the year where plum cakes start filling the racks of every bakery in my hometown. I love Plum Cakes but my brother wasn’t fond of it. And like any other responsible sister, I had to share everything with him (which of course I didn’t like to, hehe), but when it comes to plum cakes I didn’t have to as he didn’t like it anyways and I get to have it whole, Waah! And the funny fact; to add to his misery, all our friends & family who visit us gift plum cakes only. What more do you need to piss him off, my poor little brother!!

Fruit cakes are made with dry fruits or chopped /candied fruits, soaked in an alcoholic liquid with nuts and spices. The sweetness of the fruits, sourness from the liquid, the crunchiness of the nuts, and the flavours of the all spice, makes it a well-balanced Christmas cake.

Another aspect of this recipe which I like is the variety and the options available for the ingredients of this cake. For all my non-alcoholic readers, in today’s recipe I have substituted the alcohol with orange juice. At first look, soaking fruits in orange juice and then adding more to the cake batter might seem a bit scary and a sweetness overload, but the nuts add the needed crunchiness & balance the sweetness. And if you wanted to try the alcoholic version, check out my Christmas Fruit Cake/Kerala Plum Cake. 

I highly recommend you to read the tips section below to find out the variations in dry fruits and nuts, and also the notes section for critical points to be considered while baking a fruit cake.

A few tips:

1. Dry Fruits varieties: Raisins/Sultanas, apricots, dates (seedless), prunes, currants, figs, tutti fruit, glazed cherries, dried unsweetened cranberries.
2. Nuts: Cashews, Almonds, Walnuts.
3. Soaking liquid (alcoholic): Rum, Brandy, Amarula, Baileys Irish Coffee.
4. Soaking liquid (non-alcoholic): 100% grape juice, apple juice, orange juice, or water.
5. Spices: Ground all spice; ½ tsp cinnamon powder+ ¼ tsp cloves

Thank You Beena Aunty for all your valuable tips for this recipe.

Enjoy baking, Merry Christmas…!!!

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Christmas Fruit Cake (Non Alcoholic)

Indulge your family & friends with this flavor packed, Fruity n Nutty, Sweet n Moist Cake…!! A Non-Alcoholic Christmas Fruit Cake. 

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword christmas fruit cake, fruit cake, kerala plum cake, plum cake

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 35 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours 5 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For soaked dry fruits

• 1 cup raisins
• ½ cup apricots
• ½ cup dates (seedless)
• 1½ cup orange juice or more

For caramel syrup

• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 tsp + 4 tbsp water

For cake

• 1½ cup flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp ground allspice
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 sticks unsalted butter (softened at room temperature)
• 1¾ cup brown sugar
• 4 eggs (at room temperature)
• Juice of one orange
• 1 orange zest
• ½ cup slivered almonds
• ½ cup cashews

Instructions

Preparation of fruits

• Chop dry fruits into bite size pieces. Place them into a dry glass container along with the soaking liquid. Ensure that the fruits are completely immersed in the soaking liquid.
• For soaking instructions and other tips, refer the notes section below.

Preparation of caramel syrup

• Add the sugar and 1 tbsp water into a pan and heat on a medium flame.
• As the sugar melts and starts turning golden brown, lower the flame and keep stirring till it turns a bit darker and thicker.
• Now add the remaining 4 tbsp of water, switch of the flame and keep stirring till the syrup cools down.

Preparation of cake

• Prepare the dry ingredients by sifting flour, baking powder, allspice and salt in a bowl. Keep aside.
• Drain the soaked dry fruits in to a separate bowl and add 3-4 tbsp of the above prepared dry mixture. Mix to flour coat the fruits, this helps preventing them from sinking to the bottom of the cake while baking.
• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
• Line parchment paper on the bottom of a 9 inch nonstick springform pan and also along the sides extending 2 inches above the rim of the pan. Butter the paper throughout and set aside.
• In a large bowl, using a hand mixer or a stand mixer, beat butter on high speed until smooth and creamy.
• Add brown sugar and beat until light and mixed well. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed, which helps to mix it evenly.
• Add eggs one at a time followed by grated orange zest, and mix.
• Meanwhile prepare the caramel syrup as instructed above, and add the cooled syrup to the cake batter and mix.
• Add the dry ingredients alternating with orange juice, and mix till blended well.
• Now fold in the flour coated dry fruits, and nuts (slivered almonds and cashews) into the batter. Optionally you can reserve some nuts to garnish later.
• Pour the batter carefully into the prepared pan and garnish on top with nuts (optional). Bake for 1 hour and 35 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the center comes out with little or no moist crumbs.
• If the cake looks to be sticky, bake for another 5 minutes and repeat the skewer test. Once done, remove the pan from the oven and allow it to cool.
• Gently run a knife around the edges of the pan and then unlock it. Move the cake to a wire rack keeping the lined parchment paper intact and let it cool completely.
• Once cooled you can remove the paper, and the cake is now ready to be served.
• To store, you can wrap the cake in an aluminum foil and keep in an air tight container at room temperature for a week. Refrigerate thereafter.

Notes

• Soak dry fruits in either an alcohol or a non-alcoholic liquid to enhance the flavour. If using non-alcoholic, I recommend soaking for at least a day but you may do so for a few days up to a week. Refrigerate it after 24 hours. If using alcohol, you can soak it at room temperature for up to 6 months.
• The fruits to be soaked should be chopped into bite sized pieces. Use a clean air tight glass container to soak the fruits. Stirring it periodically or at least once a day helps it to rehydrate and not to dry out.
• After draining the soaked dry fruits, coat them in a few spoons of the dry flour mixture. This helps the fruits to stick on to the batter preventing it from setting down to the bottom of the pan while baking.
• While adding orange juice into the batter you might notice that it begins to curdle. This is absolutely fine and it happens due to the citrus nature of the orange.
• After removing the baked cake from the pan, allow it sit on a wire rack to cool down at room temperature. Do not remove the parchment paper from the pan when the cake is hot, it might crumble.
• Wrapping the cake in an aluminum foil helps it to retain moisture and prevent drying out.
• You can keep the cake in an air tight container at room temperature for a week. Refrigerate thereafter.

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