Fresh Apple Cake with Browned Butter Buttermilk Glaze

This is another version of a fresh apple bundt cake, I found this through the book: Home Cooking with Trisha Yearwood.  The difference with this one is the apples are cut up fine and incorporated into the batter instead of layered inside, nuts are in batter - you can use pecans or walnuts, and this cake has a delicious browned butter/buttermilk glaze drizzled on top.




A mini apple cake

Recipe

Cake

2 cups granulated sugar

3 large eggs

 1 1/4 cups vegetable oil

1/2 cup fresh orange juice

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 cup pecans, finely chopped

2 1/2 cups peeled, cored, and finely dices apples (braeburn, rome and jonagold work well) about 4 med apples

Glaze

6 Tbsp unsalted butter

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/3 cup buttermilk

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.  Spray a 10 inch bundt pan generously with baking spray.  In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the sugar, eggs and oil until smooth.  Add the orange juice and blend.  Sift the flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon over the sugar mixture and beat until fully incorporated.  Add the vanilla, pecans and apples and stir until blended.  Pour the batter into the pan.  Bake for about 1 hour and 30 mins until golden brown and toothpick comes out clean.  Let cool in pan for 15 mins, then invert onto cake plate.  Prepare the glaze:  combine all ingredients in a large saucepan and bring to a boil over med heat.  Boil the mixture for about 5 mins, stirring, until it thickens slightly and begins to turn light brown.  Remove from heat.  Poke holes on top of cake with a toothpick and pour the glaze over the cake and let drizzle.  Let the cake set and cool before serving.  Use glaze immediately or it will harden into a paste like picture below, it still tastes good though.  According to Trisha this cake can be stored in an airtight cake carrier in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Adapted from "Home Cooking with Trisha Yearwood"

Enjoy!

So Good Brownie Tarts

These brownies are fudgy and delicious, they are so good and easy ~ one bowl prep!  I made them in these individual tart pans to fancy them up for Valentines, and decorated them with Valentine M and M's and Valentine stencils   They can be made in a pan as well and cut into squares.

4 1 oz unsweetened chocolate baking squares
3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks)
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
4 large eggs, room temp
1 cup flour
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray 2 4 cavity tart pans with baking spray, or line a 9 X 13 " pan with aluminum foil overhanging the sides, and spray with baking spray.  
Microwave chocolate squares and butter in a large microwave-safe bowl at high 1 1/2-2 mins - stirring at 30 second intervals, until melted and smooth.  Whisk in sugars.  Add eggs, 1 at a time, whisking just until blended after each.  Whisk in flour, vanilla and salt.  For individual tarts I scooped 1 1/2 icecream (40z) scoops into each and smoothed top.  Or pour batter into 9 X 13" pan and smooth top.  If desired top with Valentine colored M & M's or sprinkles.  Bake tarts for about 20 mins, or until toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs - you don't want to overbake or you'll have a hard brownie.  For the pan bake about 40 mins or until toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.  Let cool on wire rack, then lift out of pans.  Decorate with Valentine stencils, covering tart and sprinkling powdered sugar over.
Recipe adapted from Southern Living

Or drizzle them with chocolate and top with berries

I used these stencils, available here:

http://astore.amazon.com/rosscoubak-20/detail/B004I1L1RI

And these tart pans, available here:

http://astore.amazon.com/rosscoubak-20/detail/B003W0UW30

Enjoy!