Neapolitan Bundt Cake

Last week I had to bake a surprise birthday cake for someone I didn’t know. So, of course, my dilemma was, “what kind does he like?” Do I assume everyone loves chocolate? Or, maybe he prefers vanilla, or even strawberry. Then I remembered a recipe I’ve had for years. It’s impressive, easy to make (meaning, no cake decorating skills required), and it’s a combination of vanilla, chocolate and strawberry flavors. I knew that would be the perfect choice for this occasion: a Neapolitan Bundt Cake. You prepare a white cake mix (according to package directions), then divide the batter into 3 equal portions. Chocolate syrup is added to one bowl. Strawberry extract and red food coloring is added to another. And, the vanilla cake portion is left as is. You spoon each flavor, in layers, into a prepared bundt pan. Don’t stir, or swirl. The cake does its own magic as it bakes. Last, but not least, top it off with a creamy chocolate glaze. The final result is a deliciously moist and festive cake that looks like you spent hours preparing. This is definitely a show-stopper for any impromptu event. 

Heat oven to 350° F. If using pan with non-stick finish, heat oven to 325° F.

Generously grease and flour 12-cup bundt cake pan (or spray with flour based spray, such as Baker’s Joy).

In large bowl, add cake mix, water, oil and eggs. Blend on low speed with hand mixer until moistened. Beat 3 minutes on medium speed. Pour 1/3 of the batter (1-1/4 cups) into prepared bundt pan.

Measure 1/2 of remaining batter (1-1/4 cups) into small bowl. Stir in strawberry extract and red food coloring. Stir well to blend. 

Carefully pour into pan. You can “slightly” shake pan back & forth to get a nice even layer.

In remaining batter (which should also be about 1-1/4 cups), stir in chocolate flavored syrup.

Carefully pour into prepared bundt pan over strawberry layer. Again, you can “slightly” shake pan back & forth to get a nice even layer.

Bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until cake springs back when touched lightly in center. (Toothpick test will also work.) Cool completely on wire rack. If needed, run a sharp knife or thin spatula around edges of pan to help release cake. Remove cake from pan. 

Prepare ganache: In microwave safe bowl, combine 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips and 1/2 of a tub of Cool Whip (about 1-1/2 cups). Microwave 1 to 2 minutes. Stir well to make sure all the chips are fully melted and incorporated. 

Drizzle over cooled cake.

As you can see, the cake was a huge success! 

 

NEAPOLITAN BUNDT CAKE
Posted by: www.meldingmagic.com
   
INGREDIENTS:

• 1 (18.5 ounce) box white cake mix
• 1 cup water (or, whatever package calls for)
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil (or, whatever package calls for)
• 3 egg whites (or, whatever package calls for)
• 1 teaspoon strawberry extract
• 12 drops red food coloring
• 1/4 cup chocolate flavored syrup

Ganache:

• 1/2 of and 8-ounce container of Cool Whip (equivalent to 1-1/2 cups)
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat oven to 350° F. If using pan with non-stick finish, heat oven to 325° F.
2. Generously grease and flour 12-cup bundt cake pan (or spray with flour based spray, such as
    Baker’s Joy).
3. In large bowl, add cake mix, water, oil and eggs. Blend on low speed with hand mixer until
    moistened. Beat 3 minutes on medium speed. Pour 1/3 of the batter (1-1/4 cups) into
    prepared bundt pan.
4. Measure 1/2 of remaining batter (1-1/4 cups) into small bowl. Stir in strawberry
    extract and red food coloring. Stir well to blend. Carefully pour into pan. You can
    “slightly” shake pan back & forth to get a nice even layer.
5. In remaining batter (which should also be about 1-1/4 cups), stir in chocolate flavored
    syrup. Carefully pour into prepared bundt pan over strawberry layer. Again, you can
   “slightly” shake pan back & forth to get a nice even layer.
6. Bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until cake springs back when touched lightly in center.
    (Toothpick test will also work.) Cool completely on wire rack. If needed, run a sharp
    knife or thin spatula around edges of pan to help release cake. Remove cake from
    pan.
7. Prepare ganache: In microwave safe bowl, combine 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate
    chips and 1/2 of a tub of Cool Whip (about 1-1/2 cups). Microwave 1 to 2 minutes.
    Stir well to make sure all the chips are fully melted and incorporated. Drizzle over
    cooled cake.

Impossible Peaches and Cream Pie

Okay; this isn’t exactly a pie. Remember when Bisquick® first introduced all the “Impossible Pies?” You mix together the ingredients and when it cooks, it "magically" makes its own crust. Well, that’s why I renamed this “Impossible Peaches and Cream Pie.” It’s hard to categorize this recipe. It’s more like a moist shortcake-type dessert. It’s so soft, it dissolves it your mouth when you take a bite. It’s refreshingly light and the cinnamon sugar topping (which may seem overabundant while preparing), adds a whole other dimension of flavor. The crust layer is made with flour, salt, baking powder and dry vanilla (cook ‘n serve) pudding mix. It is then topped with sliced peaches and a “creamy” cheesecake layer. The cheesecake layer doesn’t cook long enough to really set up, giving it that soft, silky texture. Then the whole “pie” is generously sprinkled with a cinnamon/sugar mixture. Does this make a “mouthwatering” presentation? Not exactly. But, would you give it a try if you knew that the author, Debbi Borsick, has won numerous blue ribbons for this pie (as well, as some of the recipe reviewers)? This is one of those visually deceptive desserts, all the beauty is in the taste. It’s an incredibly simple dessert to throw together for that backyard bash. Whether served warm with a scoop of ice cream, or cold with a dollop of whipped cream, this pie will “win” you tons of compliments.

Missing from photo: butter

Preheat oven to 350° F.  Grease sides and bottom of a 10-inch deep-dish pie pan (or spray with a non-stick flour infused spray like Baker’s Joy).

VERY IMPORTANT! For this recipe to come out perfect, it is imperative that you only use a 10-inch pan. Too many recipe reviewers have complained that the cake part comes out soggy when they try to use a smaller pan. If you don’t have a 10-inch pie pan, then substitute a 10-inch springform pan. If you prepare it, exactly as directed, you will get perfect results.

Thoroughly drain peaches, reserving 3 Tablespoons of juice. Although, not in the original instructions, I cut the peach slices in half (or thirds). I thought this way you get a “taste” of peaches in each and every bite (and it would more thoroughly and evenly cover the crust layer). Another note: peaches must be as dry as you can get them. After I cut them into smaller pieces, I laid them out on paper towels and blotted them dry. 

In medium mixing bowl, mix together flour, salt, baking powder and dry pudding mix (must be cook ‘n serve, NOT instant). 

Add butter, egg and milk. Beat for 2 minutes. 

Pour mixture into prepared pie pan.

Evenly arrange peach slices on top of the cake/pudding mixture.

In small bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Add 1/2 cup sugar and reserved 3 Tablespoons of peach syrup. Beat for 2 minutes. 

Spoon mixture over peaches, leaving a 1-inch border around outside edges of pie pan. 

In small bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon. Mix well. Sprinkle over top of pie. (Yes, it looks excessive; but, trust me, if you cut back, you’ll regret it later. It adds such a nice dimension of flavor to the finished pie.)

Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until golden brown. (I cooked mine for 35 minutes exactly. I wouldn’t exceed that, because cake will continue to cook while resting.)

Chill before serving. 

IMPOSSIBLE PEACHES ‘N CREAM PIE
Source: Debbi Borsick, All Recipes
Posted by: www.meldingmagic.com

INGREDIENTS:

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking pwder
• 1 (3-ounce) package Cook ‘n Serve vanilla pudding mix
• 3 Tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 (29-ounce) can sliced peaches, drained well, reserving 3 Tablespoons syrup**
• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup white sugar

Cinnamon Topping:

• 1 Tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.  Grease sides and bottom of a 10-inch* deep-dish pie pan (or spray with a
    non-stick flour infused spray like Baker’s Joy).
2. Thoroughly drain peaches. Cut in slices in half (or thirds). Drain on paper towels. Blot dry with
     additional paper towels.
3. In medium mixing bowl, mix together flour, salt, baking powder and dry pudding mix (must be cook ‘n
    serve, NOT instant).
4. Add butter, egg and milk. Beat for 2 minutes. Pour mixture into prepared pie pan.
5. Evenly arrange peach slices on top of the cake/pudding mixture.
6. In small bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Add 1/2 cup sugar and reserved 3 Tablespoons of peach
    syrup. Beat for 2 minutes. Spoon mixture over peaches, leaving a 1-inch border around outside edges
    of pie pan.
7. In small bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon. Mix well. Sprinkle “all” of the mixture over top of pie.
8. Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until golden brown. (Do not exceed 35 minutes.)
9. Chill before serving.

*NOTE:  VERY IMPORTANT! For this recipe to come out perfect, it is imperative that you only use a 10-inch pan. Too many recipe reviewers have complained that the cake part comes out soggy when they try to use a smaller pan. If you don’t have a 10-inch pie pan, then substitute a 10-inch springform pan. Prepared exactly as directed, you will get perfect results!



** As an alternative to peach syrup, you can substitute Peach Schapps
 

Pepperoni Pizza Pull-Apart Bread

This recipe for Pepperoni Pizza Pull Apart Bread kind of reminds me of a savory monkey bread. It makes a great snack, fun party appetizer, or light meal.  When I came across this recipe on In the Kitchen with KP, I just happened to have a craving for pepperoni. The timing couldn’t be more perfect. So, rather than order a pizza, I opted to give this a try. At first, I thought preparation was going to be a little labor intensive, but it was surprisingly easy to put together (especially with the help of pre-made pizza dough). Layer bite-size pieces of pizza dough, brush with flavored dipping oil, top with plenty of pepperoni and shredded mozzarella, and season with garlic powder, repeat layers. The final layer will be pizza dough, drizzled with oil and seasoned with garlic powder. Looks like bread, but tastes like pizza. Serve with a side of marinara sauce for dipping, and you’ve got the best of ALL worlds! And, it’s just as versatile as pizza. Add any toppings you prefer. Mmmm, I bet the addition of bacon bits would be killer!

Ingredients for Pizza Bread.

Preheat oven to 375° F. Lightly spray bundt (or tube) pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Ingredients for Flavored Dipping (or substitute your favorite). Use jarred minced garlic to save on time.

If you don’t already have a favorite dipping oil on-hand, here’s a quick and easy dipping oil recipe, with the perfect blend of flavors for this bread. In small bowl, whisk together olive oil, basil, parsley, garlic, thyme, oregano, black pepper, rosemary, salt, crushed red pepper, and lemon juice. Whisk in grated Parmesan cheese. This makes 1 cup and you only need 1/3 cup for the bread. Store the leftover oil for another use.

Divide pizza dough into 3 equal portions (for the 3 layers). Take each third and roll into small balls. Don’t be “blond” like me and try to put rolled balls in a bowl (they stick together and you only have to re-roll….duh). Spread out in a single layer on wax paper, instead.

Layer 1/3 of dough pieces in bottom of prepared bundt (or tube) pan. The original recipe calls for drizzling flavored dipping all over dough pieces, but I would recommend brushing on the oil. Brushing gives you a more even coating of oil (and you’re less likely to get “pockets” of oil, like I did).

Layer 1/2 of the pepperoni slices over oiled dough balls. Sprinkle generously with 1/2 of the shredded mozzarella. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the garlic powder.

Layer again with 1/3 of pizza dough; brush with 1/3 of dipping oil; layer with second half of pepperoni and cheese. Sprinkle with 1/3 of garlic powder.

End the final layer with last 1/3 of pizza dough pieces. Brush with last 1/3 of dipping oil and garlic powder.

Bake in preheated oven until bread is brown and cooked through, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven. Cool on rack. 

Meanwhile, in small pot, warm marinara sauce (if desired) for dipping.

When cool, flip the bread out of the pan. 

I flipped it back again, as I thought it made a prettier presentation this way; and the bread pieces protruded more, making it easier to “pull-apart” in bite-size pieces. But, that’s a personal preference. 

PEPPERONI PIZZA PULL-APART BREAD
Sources: In the Kitchen with KP; All Recipes.com
Posted by: www.meldingmagic.com

INGREDIENTS:

Flavored Oil (or use your own favorite):

• 1 cup olive oil
• 1/2 Tablespoon dried basil
• 1/2 Tablespoon dried parsley
• 1/2 Tablespoon minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon dried crushed rosemary
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (or to taste)
• 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 Tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

Pizza Bread:

• 1/3 cup flavored dipping oil, divided (use recipe above, or substitute your favorite blend)
• 3 teaspoons garlic powder, divided
• 2 (16-ounce) packages pre-made pizza dough (or substitute home-made)
• 1 (7-ounce) package sliced pepperoni, divided
• 1 (8-ounce) package shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

DIRECTIONS:

1. Prepare flavored dipping (if not using your own blend). In small bowl, whisk together olive oil, basil,
    parsley, garlic, thyme, oregano, black pepper, rosemary, salt, crushed red pepper, and lemon juice.
    Whisk in grated Parmesan cheese. This makes 1 cup and you only need 1/3 cup for the bread. Store
    the leftover oil for another use.
2. Divide pizza dough into 3 equal portions (for the 3 layers). Take each third and roll into small balls.
3. Layer 1/3 of dough pieces in bottom of prepared bundt (or tube) pan. Brush with 1/3 of the flavored
    dipping oil.
4. Layer 1/2 of the pepperoni slices over oiled dough balls. Sprinkle generously with 1/2 of the shredded
    mozzarella. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the garlic powder.
5. Layer again with 1/3 of pizza dough; brush with 1/3 of dipping oil; layer with second half of pepperoni
    and cheese. Sprinkle with 1/3 of garlic powder.
6. End the final layer with last 1/3 of pizza dough pieces. Brush with last 1/3 of dipping oil and garlic
    powder.
7. Bake in preheated oven until bread is brown and cooked through, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from
    oven. Cool on rack.
8. Meanwhile, in small pot, warm marinara sauce (if desired) for dipping.
9. When cool, flip the bread out of the pan. For prettier presentation, flip again before serving. Serve
    warm with marinara sauce (if desired).

Baked Honey Sriracha Chicken Wings

You can never get enough chicken recipes, and, especially if they’re like this one….finger lickin’ good. These Honey Sriracha Chicken Wings remind me a lot of Buffalo wings, but, instead of being just spicy, these are a perfect blend of sweet and spicy. Well seasoned wings, baked until crispy and golden, then tossed in a sauce of honey, Sriracha, soy sauce and lime juice. Hands down, these are the best wings ever! Mike was hesitant to try them at first, because he’s not a fan of “overly” spicy food. But, after one taste, he was hooked and couldn’t stop eating them. He said these are his new favorite. I made 4 pounds of them; and they disappeared in no time. You don’t have to be concerned about leftovers with this recipe, because there won’t be any. There’s really only one word to describe these wings….scrumptious!

Preheat oven to 400° F. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. Lightly grease the foil with a little olive oil. 

Split wings and remove tips. 

Dry chicken wings with paper towels.

In a large bowl, combine oil, butter, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Whisk to combine. 

Add wings to mixture and toss to thoroughly coat.

Place wings, in single layer on prepared baking sheet. Bake 45 to 55 minutes, or until browned and crispy. I wanted mine crispier, so I cooked mine for an extra 1/2 hour; but you can get the same results by placing under the broiler for a few minutes at end of cooking time.

Note: Quite a bit of grease will accumulate in pan as chicken cooks. About 15 minutes before chicken was done, I drained off some of the excess grease (using a turkey baster).

Just before chicken is done, prepare the sauce. In small pot, melt butter. Add honey, Sriracha, soy sauce and lime juice. Cook, stirring constantly until mixture starts to bubble. Immediately remove from heat and set aside.

Remove wings from oven and transfer pieces to a large bowl. Pour sauce over wings. Toss well to coat. Serve immediately.

Garnish with lime wedges, if desired.

BAKED HONEY SRIRACHA CHICKEN WINGS
Source: Adapted from Food Network Magazine
Posted by: www.meldingmagic.com

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 Tablespoons olive oil, plus more for greasing baking pan
• 4 pounds chicken wings, split, tips removed
• 3 Tablespoons butter, melted
• 1-1/2 Tablespoons garlic powder
• 1-1/2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper
• 3 teaspoons kosher salt

Sauce:

• 5 Tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup pure honey
• 1/4 cup Sriracha
• 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice

• Lime wedges, for garnish, optional

1. Preheat oven to 400° F. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. Lightly grease the foil with a
    little olive oil.
2. Dry chicken wings with paper towels.
3. In a large bowl, combine oil, butter, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Whisk to combine. Add wings to
    mixture and toss to thoroughly coat.
4. Place wings, in single layer on prepared baking sheet. Bake 45 to 55 minutes, or until browned and
    crispy. If more crispiness desired, place under broiler for a few minutes at end of cooking time.
5. Just before chicken is done, prepare the sauce. In small pot, melt butter. Add honey, Sriracha, soy
    sauce and lime juice. Cook, stirring constantly until mixture starts to bubble. Immediately remove
    from heat and set aside.
6. Remove wings from oven and transfer pieces to a large bowl. Pour sauce over wings. Toss well to
    coat. Serve immediately.
7. Garnish with lime wedges, if desired.