BAKING FOR GOOD AND BAKING A BIRTHDAY CAKE

I have signed up for King Arthur Flour's Baking for Good and have been a baking fool. I am fascinated by scones and have, in the past, not been happy with the recipes I've tried. I found this recipe on the King Arthur website and gave it a whirl.

Scones

2 3/4 c unbleached all purpose flour
1/3 c sugar*
3/4 tsp salt
1 tbs baking powder
1/2 cold butter
1 to 2 cups dried fruit, chopped nuts, chocolate chips, or combination**
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla***
1/2 to 3/4 cup half and half or milk****

Topping
2 tbsp milk
2 tbs cinnamon sugar

Directions
Whisk together flour, sugar, and baking powder in a large mixing bowl. Work in butter until it is unevenly crumbly. Stir in fruit and nuts.





In another bowl, whisk together eggs, vanilla, and milk or half and half. Add to dry ingredients and stir until all is moist and holds together.

Line a baking sheet with parchment and sprinkle with flour. Scrape dough onto parchment and form into two rounds, approx 6" in diameter and 3/4" thick.*****



Brush each round of dough with milk and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Run a knife under cold water and cut each round into six pieces. separate wedges, leaving 1/2" between each. Place pan in freezer for 30 minutes.



Remove pan from freezer and place in a 25 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool briefly and serve warm.



*I used 1/2 cup of sugar for a sweeter scone.
**I used what I had, 1/2 cup of dried cranberries and 1/2 cup chopped pecans.
***I used 2 tsps of baking emulsion.
****I had milk and I had heavy cream, so I made half and half.
*****Cover the dough with a piece of plastic wrap to shape it and keep your hands clean.

These are moist and delicious. I think that the next time I make this recipe, I will use chocolate chips and almonds and almond extract.

My Dad had a birthday this week and I decided to make for him his favorite carrot cake. This recipe is from the October 1994 issue of Bon Appetite.

Three Layer Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Serves 10.

Cake
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
4 large eggs
2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 cups finely grated peeled carrots (about 1 pound)
1/2 cup chopped pecans (about 1/2 ounce)
1/2 cup raisins

Frosting
4 cups powdered sugar
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
4 teaspoons vanilla extract

For cake:
Preheat oven to 325°F. Lightly grease three 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Line bottom of pans with waxed paper. Lightly grease waxed paper. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and vegetable oil in bowl until combined. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg into sugar and oil mixture. Stir in carrots, chopped pecans and raisins.



Pour batter into prepared pans, dividing equally.
Bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean and cakes begin to pull away from sides of pans, about 45 minutes. Cool in pans on racks 15 minutes.
Turn out cakes onto racks and cool completely. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap tightly in plastic and store at room temperature.)



For frosting:
Using electric mixer, beat all ingredients in medium bowl until smooth and creamy.

Place 1 cake layer on platter.
Spread with 3/4 cup frosting. Top with another cake layer. Spread with 3/4 cup frosting. Top with remaining cake layer. Using icing spatula, spread remaining frosting in decorative swirls over sides and top of cake. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Cover with cake dome and refrigerate.) Serve cake cold or at room temperature.

Turn out cakes onto racks and cool completely. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap tightly in plastic and store at room temperature.)

For frosting:
Using electric mixer, beat all ingredients in medium bowl until smooth and creamy.

Place 1 cake layer on platter.
Spread with 3/4 cup frosting. Top with another cake layer. Spread with 3/4 cup frosting. Top with remaining cake layer. Using icing spatula, spread remaining frosting in decorative swirls over sides and top of cake. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Cover with cake dome and refrigerate.) Serve cake cold or at room temperature.



This cake is spicy, and rich, and delicious. And the frosting is the best cream cheese frosting, ever. I use it often for other cakes.