Today I received two new cookbooks from Amazon who has, by the way, the easiest ordering, check out, and searching method on the Internet, in my view. (Target's is pretty well organized, fast, and efficient too.)
I all ready have a cake in the oven called Dulce de Leche Coffee Cake, from Lauren Chattman's Cake Keeper Cakes, a book of simple snack cake recipes that one always likes to keep on hand. Dulce de leche is a Mexican caramel sauce which I bought on line and paid way too much. It is actually available almost in any market or speciality store, which I did not know at the time of splurging. Some people even make it themselves, but I am a lazy girl and while the impulse is to do it, the mind and body refuse.
Kiss my Bundt by Chrysta Wilson, who is obviously impressed with her own chest which appears in almost every line drawing in the book, has only bundt cakes in her small book. I have yet to try any of them because I can't get past her mammary glands. I find the book, to be poorly organized and not worth the money. When I try something from there and if it is good, I will let you know. I don't like to pooh-pooh something that has caused an author a lot of work, but for some reason, other than the obvious, it is off-putting while I made a cake from Lauren Chattman's book the day I received it. I will picture the cake from the oven for you, because I think it is a unique and scrumptious sounding confection.
Dulce de Leche Coffee Cake
1 1/4 cups coarsely chopped walnuts
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (I didn't put these in because I don't care for chocolate too much)
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 1/4 cups dulce de leche
3 large eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 3/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teas[spoon salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 ) sticks unsalted butter, room temperature (I had everything at room temperature)
1 1/2 cups sugar
350 for 55 minutes to one hour; 12" bunt or spring form pan
Three bowls plus the mixer bowl for batches to mix:
Combine the nuts, chocolate chips and cinnamon in a medium bowl and drizzle the dulce de leche over the nut mixture and toss around to coat. Set aside.
Combine eggs, sour cream, vanilla in a glass measuring cup and beat lightly. Set aside.
In a third bowl combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt .
In the mixer bowl combine the butter and sugar and cream it well about 3 minutes.
Now, while the mixer is running low pour in 1/3 of the egg mixture in a slow stream over the butter and sugar mixture then add 1/3 of the flour mixture. Add another 1/3 of the egg mix and 1/3 of the flour until all is combined and then mix about a minute more.
In a greased pan put in one layer of batter and cover it with the nut mixture, then another layer of batter, more nut mixture, then the last of the batter.
I had an anonymous comment about my review of Kiss My Bundt (book.) I have to reply here because anonymous left no name or email address.
"I would love to know what it is you find disorganized about Kiss My Bundt.
I have this book and think it is one of the most neatly organized baking books I've ever seen. I think its so cool that Wilson shows users how to create their own cake flavors beyond the ones in the book.
You really missed out by not trying it. Every time I make the cakes in the book for guests, they go crazy."
I am sure the cakes are delicious once one figures out the recipes. Here is just a random example from page 42.
"Strawberry Lemonade Picnic Cake"
1. Add 2 tbsp strawberry-flavored gelatin to the dry ingredients in step #2. (I guess from the cake recipe on page 38)
2. In step #6, add strawberry smash to the vanilla, zest, lemon extract (optional) and cup of milk.
additional ingredients:
2 tbsp strawberry-flavored gelatin
3 tbsp Strawberry Smash, page 40
Reduce milk to 1 cup
Chrystaa's Favorite Frostings & Finishing Touches:
Plain
Lemon Butter cream, page 130
Lemon Glaze, page 140"
I have no idea had to make this cake and this is what I am talking about. I have over 200 cookbooks and I have yet to see one like this...but if you like it, buy it, I just don't happen to 'get it'.
If you check the responses to the bakery and its cakes http://www.yelp.com/biz/kiss-my-bundt-los-angeles, you'll find several people were not too fond of it either. I am, however, going to make some of these recipes because bundt cakes are my favorite cakes to make.
