Cream Sherry Pound Cake

 This is one of those great recipes I wish I could take credit for, but since I can't, I will share the story behind this delicious liquor infused cream sherry cake. When I was an undergraduate in college, one of my instructors chose to have our class meet in his home rather than on campus and one night one of my classmates brought this cake and we all swooned over it and begged her for the recipe. She said it had been in her family for years and was passed down from generation to generation. I am so glad that she shared this great recipe.

The Cream Sherry adds a complex note of flavor, and the sour cream makes it nice and moist then a rich buttery glaze makes this cake full of flavor inside out. The perfect cake to enjoy warm and if you really want to be in heaven, put a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side:-)

Fresh out of the oven. Even if you didn't add anything to this cake, it is delicious, but with the glaze, this is truly on another level

This cake is moist moist moist

The glaze starts with a stick of butter

Add a little cream sherry and white sugar

I always add the glaze to the bottom of the cake before I flip it onto a plate so that the top and bottom has glaze on it. 

Poke with a toothpick all over

Generously glaze the cake

And the cake sits in a delicious pool of glaze

Ingredients

1 yellow cake mix

1 8 oz carton of sour cream

1 vanilla pudding mix

4 eggs

1/2 cup cream sherry (not cooking sherry)

Glaze Ingredients

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup water

1/2 cup cream sherry

1 cup sugar

Directions: Preheat oven to 350, generously spray a bundt baking pan with nonstick spray. In a large bowl, mix cake mix, sour cream. pudding mix, eggs and cream sherry until well blended and smooth (about 2 minutes)

Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. Let sit for 10 minutes in the plan. After ten minutes take a knife and go around pan to make sure cake is loose and shake just a bit to release from sides. Poke holes with toothpick and spoon glaze on before flipping onto a plate. Poke holes with toothpick all over cake and use a spoon to generously glaze the cake.

To make the glaze: 

Combine, butter, water, sugar and cream sherry. Bring to a boil over medium heat and stir constantly for about 5 minutes. This will give you great flavor while cooking out a lot of the alcohol content, but if you like a boozier glaze, just mix in the sherry after the glaze has boiled for 5 minutes. 

Note: Cream Sherry is found in the liquor section of the grocery store, usually next to the dessert wines. Cream Sherry is not the same thing as cooking Sherry, so be sure you do not use cooking Sherry in this cake or the results will be disappointing. 

Bon Appetit!

Vanilla Bean Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Cupcakes are one of those desserts that most people cannot resist. I love them! They are decadent, delicious and easy to make. This recipe is simple and perfect for a quick and easy dessert. I love lots of buttercream frosting. In fact, I am one of those people that wants the piece of birthday cake with the big rose on it, just so I can have some extra frosting:-)

These are moist, flavorful, and so good, you will want to eat five or six. Look at how creamy this frosting looks, and yes, the buttercream is just as rich and sinful as it looks. Ready to make cupcakes? LETS GO!

Vanilla Bean Cupcakes

3 cups cake flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

1 teaspoon Trader Joes Vanilla Bean paste
16 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
5 large eggs, at room temperature
1¼ cups buttermilk, at room temperature
1 tbsp. vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350° F.  Line two cupcake pans with paper liners.  Set aside.

In a medium-mixing bowl, combine the cake flour, baking powder and salt.  Whisk together and set aside.  Add the butter to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. (you can use a regular mixer if you don’t have a mixer with a paddle attachment) Scrape the vanilla bean seeds into the bowl of the mixer with the butter and discard the pod. Beat on medium-high speed for 3 minutes, until light and creamy in color.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat for one more minute.

Add the sugar to the butter mixture, ¼ cup at a time, beating 1 minute after each addition.  Mix in the eggs one at a time until incorporated.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl after each addition.  Combine the buttermilk and the vanilla extract in a liquid measuring cup.  With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients alternately with the wet ingredients, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients and mixing just until incorporated.

 Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix for 15 seconds longer.

Divide the batter between the prepared paper liners, filling each about 2/3 of the way full Bake 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Allow to cool in the pans 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

 Vanilla Buttercream
Ingredients:
2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
2 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1/8 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tbsp. heavy cream  

Directions:
In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat butter at medium-high speed until smooth, about 20 seconds.  Add confectioners’ sugar and salt; beat at medium-low speed until most of the sugar is moistened, about 45 seconds.  Scrape down the bowl and beat at medium speed until mixture is fully combined, about 15 seconds.  Scrape bowl, add vanilla and heavy cream, and beat at medium speed until incorporated, about 10 seconds.  Then increase the speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes, scraping down bowl once or twice.  

To create the swirl effect for your cupcakes, you will need:

A pastry bag

1M (open start tip)

Place the open star tip inside of your pastry bag. Fill the bag with frosting, Hold the tip at a 90 degree angle and pipe frosting on the outer edge of the cupcake and work inward. 

Enjoy your cupcakes! These are lovely with an ice cold glass of milk or a hot cup of coffee, or a scoop of ice cream:-)

 

Strawberry Lemon Sorbet Sandwiches

When I think of refreshing desserts, sorbet is at the top of the list. These sorbet sandwiches are a nice twist on the usual ice cream sandwich. These are made with sugar cookies and delicious homemade sorbet. If you are pressed for time, this works just as well with store bought sorbet.



Fresh Lemons make this sorbet tart, sweet and refreshing!




Fresh Strawberries add the perfect sweetness




How cute are these?




Want some?




Ok, time to make sorbet sandwiches:-) Lets Go!

Strawberry Lemon Sorbet Sandwiches

Store bought or homemade sugar cookies.

Spread sorbet on sugar cookie and place another cookie on top. Press together.

Strawberry Lemon Sorbet

1 lemon, seeded and roughly chopped
2 cups sugar
2 pounds strawberries, hulled
Juice of 1 to 2 lemons

Note:  Add 2 teaspoons vodka or rum, it keeps the sorbet from freezing too solid.

1. Place the chopped lemon and sugar in a food processor, and pulse until combined. Transfer to a bowl.

2. Puree the strawberries in a food processor, and add to the lemon mixture, along with the juice of 1 lemon. Taste and add more juice as desired. The lemon flavor should be intense but should not overpower the strawberries. Pour the mixture into an ice cream machine and churn until frozen.

Lemon Sorbet

1 cup water

1 cup sugar

1 cup fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon lemon zest

Directions

Bring the water and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan. Remove from the heat and cool.

Combine the sugar water with the lemon juice and the lemon zest and pout into the bowl of an ice cream machine. Freeze according to instructions. After the sorbet is made, transfer to an airtight container.



Chocolate Chip Remix!

I have always loved chocolate chip cookies.  Warm from the over with a glass of milk, they are the ultimate comfort dessert. There are those times when I want lots of chocolate and other times when I want to enjoy more of the brown sugary part of the cookie. With this recipe, you can have the best of both worlds! A little cookie with your chocolate:-) Instead of the traditional chocolate chip cookie, these miniature brown sugar cookies have the chps on the side. Rich chocolate Hershey's kisses, served with these cookies and milk shots, make for a stylish presentation and a delicious miniature treat!

I like to serrve these on a beautiful platter. I have made the presentation stylish and modern with an animal print table runner paired with a bright spring lime green fabric. These look great on a platter or on small saucers. Try serving these at your next function. Your guests will devour these tiny treats! The serving possibilities are endless! Use your imagination and have fun with this modern take on the chocolate chip cookie.

Ingredients

2 sticks softened butter

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup light brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 eggs

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon warm mill (this activates the baking soda)

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup Hersheys kisses

Cream the butter until fluffy. Add both sugars and continue to mix.  Add the vanilla extract, one of the eggs and mix. Add the last egg and continue mixing. In a small bowl, mix the baking soda with the warm milk. Add to the sugar butter mixture mixture and mix.  Add the flout and salt and mix.

Heat the oven to 350 (over temperatures may vary slightly)

Use your hands to shape the dough into small balls. Shape the dough about the size of a large marble. Place on well-greased cookie sheet, or use parchment paper to line your baking sheet. Arrange on the cookie sheet, leaving 1 inch of space between cookies. Bake until golden brown, 8-10 minutes. Let the cookies stand for 2 minutes on the pan and serve warm the Hersheys kisses on the side.

Note: You can also shape the dough and freeze in an airtight zip lock bag.

Too cute to pass up...

Remix!!!!!

Remix!!! Are you ready to indulge?

Serve Cookies with style!

Absolutely divine with a cold milk shot

I was waiting for you to have one, but I had to take a bite:-)

Pound Cake Sandwiches (Colorblock Dessert!)



Are you looking for a cold, refreshing and comforting dessert? These pound cake sandwiches will not disappoint! Sweet, Creamy, delicious sherbet nestled between two hunkin slices of pound cake make for a very delicious dessert. And its colorful and summery. During these warm months, my ice cream maker is always on overdrive as I whip up homemade ice creams, sorbets and sherbets.  I was pressed for time so I made the homemade pound cake and used store bought sherbet.  If you want to save time or just don't feel like baking a cake, you can use a store bought loaf pound cake and sherbet.

I know the moment I post a recipe, I instantly lose some of you until I post another fashion item. Who says food can't be fashionable? A color block dessert? Um, Yes Please!!!! This blog is about style at 360 and well, in my world that includes fabulous food!

Try serving this at your next barbecue or gathering. I guarantee you have a hit!

This is a quick and easy showstopping dessert! Don't you want some?

Pound Cake Sandwiches

Ingredients

1 cup  unsalted butter

1 teaspoon salt

3 cups granulated sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

5 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

3 cups sifted all purpose flour (sift 3 times before you measure it)

1 cup whipping cream

Directions:

Butter and flour or use nonstick spray on 2 9x5 loaf baking pans and set aside.

Cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer  until light and fluffly (approximately 4-5 minutes).

Stop once or twice to scrape down batter from sides of bowl and then add eggs one at a time beating slowly after each additon. Add one third of the flower mixture at low speed and add half the whipping cream. continue alternating flour and whipping cream and end with flour. Add vanilla and mix to combine. With rubber spatula scape down sides until completely mixed pour into loaf pans 2/3 full.

This cake does nor require a preheated oven. Put cake in unheated oven at 325 for approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Oven times vary, so check at the 50 minute point. Depending on which oven I use, this cake gets done in under 1 hour, but in an oven that may not get as hot,it might take the whole 1 hour and 15 minutes.


It is scorching outside and I would love nothing more than for you to join me for pound cake sandwiches by my pool. How does that sound?

Me and my mini me are having this for dessert.  Life is Sweet!

Resurrection Rolls

Easter is a sacred holiday in my family.  I have been thinking about the resurrection of Jesus Christ and how to explain that concept to my four year old son. This recipe immediately came to mind. These sweet rolls start with crescentt dough, marshmallows, butter and cinnamon sugar.  I hope I had you when I said butter....everything tastes better with butter! If you like cinnamon rolls,  or anything ooey, gooey, sitcky and chewey. YOU WILL LOVE THIS!!!!!!!!!!

Making these treats is a great way to have a spiritually meaningful conversation  with your children. These sweet treats are basically crescents wrapped around a cinnamon sugar marshmallow that hollows when you bake it. During the baking process the marshmallow melts into the dough and dissappears.  This process  is a great way to help a child see the resurrection in a visual way that helps them connect the dots The finished product is a sweet roll oozing with sweet cinnamon goodness.  Even if you don''t have children, this is just a fun and easy recipe.

Here are step by step instructions:

Resurrection Rolls

1 10 ounce can refrigerated crescent dough
8 large marshmallows
1/4 cup melted butter
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons white sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350

combine cinnamon and sugar and put aside

*Seperate crresecent dough into triangles. The crescent represents the tomb.
*Take one large marshmallow, which represents the body of Christ
*Dip the marshmallow in melted butter and roll in cinnamon sugar mixture. This represent the oils
and spices the body was annonited with upon burial
* Lay the marshmallow on the dough and carefully wrap the dough around the marshmallow (make sure the
seams are pinched together, or the marshmallow will ooze out of the seams
*Bake for approxximately 10-15 minutes (oven times vary depending on how hot your oven gets)
Remove from oven
Cool slightly

Break open the tomb and the body of Christ is no longer there!

Celebrate God's Love!

Use larrge marshmallows

Seperate dough into triangles

Dip marshmallow into melted butter and then roll in cinnamon sugar

My son insisted that this photo would have more style if I put his Thomas the Train in it:-)

Wrap your dough around the cinnamon sugar dipped marshmallow



Here is what the unbaked rolls look like

Fresh from the oven!



These are amazing warm...

Look at that melted butter, marshmallow and cinnamon oozing out...Doesn't that look good? Run to the store! This can be in your mouth in about 15 minutes.  These are simple and delicious and EASY. What are you waiting for?

A sweet lesson...

Enjoy your blessings!