carrot ginger cake with orange ginger cream cheese icing

• 3 cups  flour
• 1 cup pecans (optional)
• 2 1/2 cups grated carrots
• 3 eggs
• 1/3 cup buttermilk or milk soured with 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

1. Butter and flour 2 layer pans or one large 10 X 13 pan (or use non-stick spray).
2. Toast pecans in a 350 oven about 7 minutes, cool and chop.
3. Whisk together eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, sugar, and vegetable oil in a large bowl.   Add ginger and carrots.
4. Mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Fold the flour mixture into the carrot mixture. Add  the toasted pecans if using.
5. Bake at 350 degrees until a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean, 30-40 minutes, depending on pan(s).

ORANGE GINGER CREAM CHEESE ICING

• 1/4 cup butter
• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 1 cup icing  sugar
• 1 tsp freshly grated orange zest
• 2 tsp freshly grated ginger
• Pinch of salt

1. Have butter and cream cheese at room temperature.  Beat together until well combined and fluffy. Add the remaining ingredients, and beat 5 minutes more. Spread over cooled cake.

pumpkin loaf

2 cups  flour
1 cup sugar (white or brown)
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup buttermilk,  plain yogurt or milk
3 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2-1 cup chocolate chips, chopped walnuts or pecans, or a combination (optional)
Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9″x5″ loaf pan with nonstick spray.
In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, spices, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, oil, milk, eggs and vanilla.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry along with chocolate chips and/or nuts, and stir just until the batter comes together. Bake for an hour, until the top is cracked and springy to the touch.

chocolate zucchini cake

1/2 cup margarine

1/2 cup oil

1 3/4 cups sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup sour cream

2 1/2 cups flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp soda

1 tsp salt

4 Tbsp cocoa

2 cups grated zucchini

Mix dry ingredients together in one bowl.  Mix remaining ingredients in order given in a larger bowl, then add dry.  Bake in 9 X 13 pan at 325F for 35 – 40 minutes.

Sprinkle 1 cup of chocolate chips over hot cake.  Put back in oven for 2-3 minutes. Spread evenly. Cool.

orange bread

Orange bread was the specialty served in the tea room at Mount Edith Cavell Chalet near Jasper, where I worked for the summer of 1963.  The secret recipe could only be obtained by buying the chalet.  Both have since disappeared – what a shame. This is my version. Low fat and high fibre make it an ideal snack, breakfast or part of a packed lunch.  The original had no berries, but I like the orange-cranberry combination.  Makes 2 loaves.

Prepare the orange peel:
Thinly slice the peel of 3 or 4 oranges, to make 2 – 3 cups.  Add 1/2 cup sugar and a pinch of salt.  Cover with water, bring to a boil and simmer until the peel is soft and the water is reduced to a small amount of thick syrup.  Cool.

1/3 cup shortening or margarine, melted
1 3/4 – 2 cups milk, buttermilk or a combination (use up sour cream here too)
2 eggs
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries (optional), chopped in half
4 cups flour (I use 3 cups white, 2/3 cup whole wheat and 1/3 cup bran or ground flax)
1 3/4 cups sugar (white or brown)
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp soda
1 1/2 tsp salt

Mix shortening, orange peel, cranberries, beaten eggs and  milk together.
Blend flour,  sugar,  baking powder, soda and salt in a large bowl.  Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients and stir only until moistened. Spoon the batter into two greased or sprayed loaf pans.
Bake at 350 for 1 hour until golden brown and tester comes out clean.  Wrap when cool.  The flavour is best the next day.  Butter the slices if you must. Freezes well.

raspberry buttermilk cake

3/8 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar

2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 to 2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries, blueberries, or sliced peaches, apricots or plums

Beat the butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Add the flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with buttermilk, mixing each time until just combined.
Spread the batter into a 9 X 13 buttered pan.  Scatter raspberries or other fruit over top.
Bake at 350F for 20-25 minutes, until golden.

pineapple upside down cake

1/3 cup butter

2/3 cups brown sugar

14 oz can pineapple slices

maraschino cherries

pecan halves

Melt butter in 9X13 cake pan or 10 in cast iron frying pan.  Arrange pineapple slices in one layer, and cherries and nuts in centres and between.  Sprinkle brown sugar over.

Cake:

2 cups flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 Tbsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup shortening

1 cup milk

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

Mix dry ingredients, add shortening, milk, vanilla.  Beat 2 minutes at medium with a mixer.  Add eggs and beat 2 minutes more.  Pour over fruit and bake 45 min at 350F.   Run a knife around edge and invert carefully on a serving plate.  Leave pan over cake for about 3 minutes for syrup to run over cake.  Remove and serve warm, adding whipped cream or ice cream if desired.

cranberry pecan coffee cake

• 1/2 cup butter or margarine
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup sour cream or plain yogurt

Topping:

• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1 1/4 cups cranberries
• 1/3 cup pecans

Bundt pan –  350F oven – 50 minutes

Heat sugar, butter and cinnamon together until boiling.  Pour into a greased 9″ bundt pan. Sprinkle with the cranberries and pecans.  Spoon the batter over pecans and bake.  Cool 10 minutes, then invert cake onto a plate.  Serve warm or at room temperature.  May be made ahead and left in the pan. Reheat for 15 – 20 minutes at 350F before serving.

apple upside down cake

• 8 Tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cups white, granulate sugar divided (1/2 cup and 3/4 cup)
• 1 1/2 pounds Braeburn, Jonagold, or Golden Delicious apples (about 4 medium), peeled, quartered, cored, each quarter cut into 2 wedges
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/3 cup cornmeal
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1/3 cup whole milk
  • 1-9-inch cake pan with 1 1/2-inch high sides

1 Preheat your oven to 350°F. Butter the sides of the cake pan. Line the pan with a 10-inch round of parchment paper. The paper will come up 1/2-inch up the sides of the pan. Butter the parchment paper.
2 Melt 2 Tbsp butter in a non-stick skillet on medium heat. Add 1/2 cup sugar and cook until sugar dissolves and mixture turns golden brown, stirring occasionally (use a wooden spoon), about 6 minutes. Add apple wedges to the pan and gently stir to distribute the caramel evenly across the apples. Cover the pan and cook until apples release their juices, about 5 minutes. Uncover and cook until apples are tender and caramel thickens and coats the apples, stirring occasionally, about 13 minutes more. Remove apples and caramel sauce and place in the prepared cake pan.
3 Whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder in a small bowl and set aside. Place cornmeal in a large mixing bowl. Pour 1/2 cup boiling water over the cornmeal and stir to blend. Add 3/4 cup sugar and 6 Tbsps (3/4 stick) butter to the cornmeal mixture. Beat until well blended. Beat in vanilla and eggs. Beat in the flour, salt, baking powder mixture alternating with the milk. Pour the batter over the apples in the cake pan.
4 Bake until top is golden and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool cake in the pan for 5 minutes. Then run a knife around the edges of the cake to loosen it from the sides of the pan. Carefully invert the cake onto a serving plate or dish, and remove the parchment paper. Cool for 15 minutes.
Makes 6 to 8 servings. Serve with vanilla ice cream.