delvious

Blue Bottle Test Recipe #2!  Sold at Blue Bottle as a Brandy Cake with Arborio Rice & Almonds, this recipe is a twist on a traditional Bolognese Easter cake.  It happens to be gluten-free, too.





This isn’t a recipe you can whip up on a whim, nor is it something you should serve fresh out of the oven.  This is one of those recipes that improves with age – 60 hours passed between measuring my first ingredient and enjoying my first slice.  I won’t go into the baking details, but it started with simmering a lemon-zest infused rice pudding for 2 hours and ended with sprinkling a few teaspoons of bourbon over the hot cake.  From there, the cake gets wrapped up tightly and rests for a day to encourage flavor-mingling and moisture.  If you are patient, you’ll be rewarded with a delicately flavored treat to enjoy with your morning coffee.  Like the Saffron Vanilla Snickerdoodles, this is a more of a morning treat than an after dinner dessert.


I substituted the hard-to-find brandy that Blue Bottle uses with some bourbon and pecans with very happy results.  This recipe is a great platform for experimentation with flavors – next time I’d use orange zest with my bourbon and pecans.  Macadamia/lime/rum?  Hazelnut/orange/amaretto?

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5 Comments | In: Cake | tags: bourbon, eggs, gluten-free, pecans. | #

Bananas are easy to find and available year-round, so everyone should have an awesome banana bread recipe up his sleeve.  While I’ve yet to find THE perfect recipe for a basic loaf, I can tell you this caramelized banana loaf cake is a great way to put bananas to use.





This is definitely not “just” banana bread.  This is a gorgeous self-saucing, upside-down banana cake scented with vanilla and cinnamon.

Recipe

Making caramel on the stove top seems intimidating, but all you have to do is heat water with sugar and keep an eye on its color.  When it turns amber, take it off the stove and swirl in the butter.  The butter will foam up as it melts, completing the beautiful process.





After briefly cooking the bananas in the caramel, you’ll arrange the slices neatly in the bottom of the loaf pan.  Stir together the batter and gently pour it on top of the caramelized bananas before baking it in the oven.





Some of the caramel will bubble up around the edges as it bakes, but this is just a preview of the lovely cake that appears once you’ve inverted it onto a serving plate.





My ice cream pairing (an art in itself for those of us who a la mode any and everything) was Ben & Jerry’s Late Night Snack.  This delvious new flavor of creamy vanilla bean ice cream with salted caramel swirls and chocolate covered potato chip clusters was the perfect accompaniment to this scrumptious dessert.

Caramelized Banana Loaf Cake

Adapted from Shutterbean and Rachael Ray Magazine

Prep time + Bake time = 20 min + 55 min

Serves 8

Ingredients

4 medium or 3 large ripe bananas

3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided

2 tbsp salted butter

1 large egg, plus 1 egg white

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil

Directions

1.  Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 325F.  Grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan.

2.  Peel the bananas and trim off both ends (reserve for later).  Cut the middle length of each banana such that it will fit crosswise in the pan.  Halve each of these pieces lengthwise for 6 to 8 total pieces.

3.  In a medium skillet, bring 1/4 cup sugar and 2 tablespoons of water to a boil over medium-high heat, without stirring.  Cook until the water has evaporated and the mixture starts turning amber in color.  Remove from the heat and add the butter, swirling with a fork until melted.

4.  Add the long banana pieces, cut side down, and cook over low heat for 1 minute.  Transfer the slices, cut side down, to the prepared loaf pan, arranging them crosswise.  Drizzle the remaining caramel on top.

5.  In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.

6.  In a large bowl, mash the extra banana pieces to equal 1 cup.  Mash in the remaining 1/2 cup sugar.  Whisk in the egg and the egg white as well as the vanilla, followed by the vegetable oil.

7.  Add the flour mixture to the banana mixture, stirring until just combined.  Pour the batter over the bananas in the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted comes out dry, about 50-55 minutes.

8.  Let cool on a rack for 10 minutes, and carefully invert the cake onto a platter to cool completely before serving.

7 Comments | In: Cake | tags: banana, caramel, cinnamon. | #

Unsuspecting visitors might think my kitchen is a part time science lab.  I’m maintaining two bread starters right now:

• The half whole wheat/white starter described in the Tartine Bread cookbook.  This one has been sitting at room temperature on top of my fridge for two weeks now and requires daily feedings (of flour and water), but I just baked my first loaf of Tartine’s basic country loaf from the 30ish page recipe and every effort is SO worth it.
• King Arthur Flour’s sourdough starter.  After rehydrating the suspicious goo, this starter stays in the fridge and needs to be fed weekly.  I was not too impressed with the loaf of sourdough I baked from King Arthur’s recipe, but I’ve been wowed but the starter’s other applications – sourdough waffles, pancakes,  pizza crust and the sourdough chocolate cake you see here.

If you don’t have a starter yet, this recipe alone justifies having one.  The cake was not sour at all; the starter adds some background complexity and helped it rise to an impressive volume in the oven.  Taste and texture-wise, the cake reminded me of a moist chocolate cake doughnut – a totally good thing,

Recipe

The downside to the recipe is that it requires some advance planning, but such is the case with any recipe involving a starter.  It’s otherwise quick to stir together and get into the oven.  For an extra kick of chocolate, I used a mixture of regular and black cocoa powder.  Your eyes are not deceiving you as this cake comes out a very dark brown, almost black.

I halved the original cake recipe and made only a quarter recipe of the espresso icing.  I’m not sure if it was the buttermilk or the King Arthur espresso powder, but the icing didn’t do the cake justice.  (In case you haven’t noticed yet, I recently ordered a whole bunch of specialty supplies from King Arthur.  They are all optional/substitute-able, but it sure is fun shopping for them online.)





Thinking in that chocolate doughnut direction, I’m going to mix up a simple vanilla sugar glaze next time (probably by substituting the lemon juice in this recipe with milk and a few drops of vanilla extract).  On second thought, a fudgy, chocolate frosting would be amazing too.  Heck, even a simple dusting of powdered sugar would do the trick.  Whatever you do, don’t wait for this cake to cool.  Cut yourself a generous slice, pour a tall glass of cold milk, and enjoy!

Sourdough Chocolate Cake with Espresso Icing

Adapted from King Arthur Flour

Active time + Wait Time + Bake time = 20 min + 2 hours + 40 min

Serves 9-12

Cake Ingredients

1/2 cup fed sourdough starter

1/2 cup milk or evaporated milk

1 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup white sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 tsp baking soda

6 tbsp natural cocoa powder (not Dutch process)

1/2 tsp espresso powder

1 egg

Glaze Ingredients

2 cups powdered sugar

3 tbsp unsalted butter

2 tbsp buttermilk

1 tsp espresso powder

1 tsp hot water

Chocolate Drizzle Ingredients

1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 tbsp milk

1/2 tbsp corn syrup

Directions

1.  Make the cake: Combine the fed starter, milk and flour in a large mixing bowl.  Cover with a clean dishtowel and let rest at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours.  It may not bubble, but it might expand a bit.
2.  Preheat the oven to 350F and lightly grease a 9×9 baking pan.
3.  In a medium bowl, beat together the sugar, oil, vanilla, salt, baking soda, cocoa and espresso powder.  The mixture will be grainy.  Add the egg and beat well.
4.  Gently combine the chocolate mixture with the starter-flour-milk mixture, stirring til smooth.  The batter will be gloppy at first, but it will smooth out with continued stirring.
5.  Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30-40 minutes.  The cake will spring back when pushed at the center, and a toothpick inserted into the middle should come out clean.  Cool on a wire rack.
6.  Make the espresso glaze: Sift the powdered sugar into a medium bowl. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and add the buttermilk. Dissolve the espresso powder in the hot water, add it to the saucepan, and bring the mixture just to a boil.
7. Immediately pour the simmering liquid over the powdered sugar in the bowl, and beat until smooth.
8. Pour the warm glaze over the cake.
9. Make the chocolate drizzle: Combine the chocolate chips, milk, and corn syrup in a small, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave 20 seconds at a time, until chips soften, and stir until smooth.
10. Drizzle the chocolate over the iced cake.

No Comments | In: Cake | tags: chocolate, cocoa, espresso, sourdough. | #

Cheesecake may be a classic dessert, but I’d rarely order a slice over anything chocolate or any other member of the cake family.  For some reason though, this particular recipe for pumpkin cheesecake stuck with me from the moment I saw it.  It completely met my expectations – the pumpkin filling had a great texture (fluffy but still dense) and the sweet frosting-like marshmallow-sour cream topping complemented the spicy ginger cookie crust.  The last bite is long gone since I made it for Christmas dinner, but I certainly wish I had a slice sitting in front of me right now.  This would be a great substitute for a Thankgiving pumpkin pie (or for dessert any day of the year).

Recipe

The ingredient list looks intimidating, but the preparation is relatively simple with the right equipment.  I followed the recipe as written, but halved it to accommodate my 7-inch springform pan.  Tip: Halving an egg may sound impossible, but I simply crack the odd one into a small bowl, beat it lightly, and eyeball half the volume.





I forgot to stir the melted marshmallow as it cooled.  My topping was not perfectly smooth but that didn’t stop it from being extremely tasty.  My only other recommendation is to serve the cheesecake in tiny slices because it’s quite rich.

Pumpkin Cheesecake with Marshmallow-Sour Cream Topping and Gingersnap Crust

Adapted from Bon Appétit

Prep time + Bake time: 30 minutes + 1 hour 30 minutes

Serves 12 – 15

Crust Ingredients

Nonstick baking spray

2 cups gingersnap cookie crumbs (about 9 oz)

1 cup pecans

1/4 c packed light brown sugar

2 tbsp crystallized ginger, chopped

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Filling Ingredients

4 8-oz packages cream cheese, room temperature

2 cups sugar

1 15-oz can pumpkin puree

5 large eggs

3 tbsp all-purpose flour

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 tsp ground allspice

1/4 tsp salt

2 tbsp vanilla extract

Topping Ingredients

2 cups mini marshmallows

1/4 cup whole milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/8 tsp salt

1 cup sour cream

Directions

1.  Prepare the crust:  Preheat oven to 350F.  Spray a 9-inch diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch high sides with nonstick spray.  Grind cookie crumbs, pecans, brown sugar, and ginger in a food processor until nuts are finely ground.  Add butter, and pulse to blend.  Transfer mixture to prepared pan, and press onto the bottom and 2 inches up sides of pan.  Bake crust until set and lightly browned, about 10 minutes.  Cool completely.

2.  Prepare the filling:  Preheat oven to 350F.  Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Beat in pumpkin.  Add eggs 1 at a time, beating on low speed after each addition.  Add flour, spices and salt, and beat until just combined.  Beat in vanilla.  Transfer filling to cooled crust.  Bake until filling is just set in center and edges begin to crack (filling will move slightly when pan is gently shaken), about 1 hour 20 minutes.  Cool 1 hour.  Run knife around sides of pan to release crust.  Chill cheesecake uncovered in pan overnight, or at least 4 hours.

3.  Prepare the topping:  Stir marshmallows and milk in medium saucepan over low heat until marshmallows are melted.  Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and salt.  Cool marshmallow mixture to room temperature, stirring occasionally.  Add sour cream to marshmallow mixture, fold gently just to blend.  Pour topping over cheesecake and spread evenly, leaving 1/2-inch uncovered around the edges.  Chill to set topping, at least 1 hour.

4.  Keeps one week, stored in the refrigerator.

2 Comments | In: Cake | tags: ginger, gingersnap, marshmallow, pumpkin, sour cream. | #

Given that I’ve already made peanut butter bacon cookies and peanut butter sauerkraut cake for this blog, I’m not sure whether peanut butter is a great vehicle for delvious experimentation or whether I just really love me some peanut butter.  Either way, i highly recommend getting some of these peanut butter curry cakes into the oven.

Recipe

I can be protective over my baking ingredients (especially my Costco-sized stash of butter in the freezer), so I’ll admit I wouldn’t have dedicated any fraction of my supply to this recipe had I not sampled Humphry Slocombe’s delicious peanut butter curry ice cream.  The obligatory batter tasting assuaged any doubts I was having about putting 12 precious tablespoons of butter into a cake pan with garam masala – I licked the spatula clean (as usual).

Thirty-five minutes later I had some adorable mini bundts cooling on a wire rack and an impatient stomach, so I tasted one while it was still warm.  It’s hard to explain how these taste, cause they definitely don’t scream CURRY!  They’re nutty, but they have an addictive complexity that you would never be able to put your finger on even if you do know there’s some garam masala in there.

My “quick peanut butter frosting” is more aptly called lazy peanut butter frosting, but that doesn’t sound nearly as appealing.  It’s certainly as delicious as buttercream, but mixes up quickly with a spoon and can be made into a thick glaze to drizzle over the cakes.  The caramel is great if you have some on hand (don’t ask my why I had extraneous caramel in my fridge), but a scoop of dulce du leche ice cream would have paired just as well.

Peanut Butter Curry Cake with Quick Peanut Butter Frosting

Adapted from LunaCafe

Prep time + Bake time = 25 min + about 30 minutes

Makes 10 mini bundts or 24 cupcakes

Cake Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp garam masala

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

12 tbsp butter, room temperature

1 1/4 cups white sugar

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter, room temperature

2 tsp vanilla extract

3 eggs, lightly beaten

3/4 cup buttermilk

Frosting Ingredients

1 cup creamy peanut butter

2 cups powdered sugar

1/4 – 1/2 cup half and half

Caramel (optional)

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 350F.  Grease a mini bundt pan with cooking spray or place cupcake liners in a cupcake pan.

2.  Combine flour, garam masala, baking powder, baking soda, salt in a medium bowl.

3.  Beat the butter and sugar in a stand mixer at medium high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.  Beat in the peanut butter and vanilla until combined, then drizzle in the egg and mix until well incorporated.

4.  Using short, slow bursts of the mixer, blend in the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with 2 additions of buttermilk.  Mix until just combined – do not overmix.

5.  Evenly distribute the batter between the baking pans.  Bake mini bundts for 30-35 or cupcakes for 23-25 minutes.  When done, the tops will be lightly browned and a toothpick will come out clean.

6.  Remove to wire racks to cool completely before frosting.

7.  To make the frosting, combine the peanut butter and powdered sugar with 1/4 cup of half and half until smooth.  Add more half and half to thin out the frosting if desired.  Frost each cupcake generously and drizzle caramel on top if desired.

3 Comments | In: Cake | tags: caramel, curry, garam masala, Peanut Butter. | #

I took a few of these delvious cupcakes to the San Francisco National Food Bloggers’ Bake Sale weekend before last, where contributions from about 20 local food bloggers brought in $1,650 in donations for Share Our Strength (!!!).





The bake sale was held outside of Omnivore Books in San Francisco, which is perhaps the most awesome place ever.  An hour flew by as I thumbed through cookbooks on every imaginable topic including local cuisines (I wanted a mammoth New Orleans cookbook like no other) and vintage publications that looked well-loved by 1950s housewives.  I’m glad I had left my wallet in the car, or my credit card bill could have gotten ugly.





The highlight of the day was walking outside of the bookstore to see an adorable old man in a beret leaving the bake sale, carrying one of my cupcakes.  I really wanted to take a picture, but that might have been a little creepy so I refrained (barely).

Recipe

You’re probably wondering how I can ramble on about this bake sale when I clearly need to explain these tomato soup spice cupcakes. Contrary to what you might think, they were delicious.






Generous quantities of allspice, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg were baked into a Campbell’s tomato soup laced batter.  Since I made these cupcakes the night before the bake sale, I used oil in place of butter because I figured that would guarantee a nice moist cake in the morning.






The red-tinged cakes tasted somewhat like pumpkin bread or carrot cake.  The sweet but slightly tangy cream cheese frosting was the perfect compliment, and I highly recommend topping each with some toasted walnuts.  The tomato was barely detectable, if at all – I doubt anyone would have guessed there was a delvious mystery ingredient had I not disclosed it on the packaging.

Tomato Soup Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Adapted from Mike’s Blog via Nancie McDermott’s Southern Cakes

Prep time + Bake time = 15 minutes + 20 minutes

Makes 20 cupcakes

Printable recipe

Cake Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/3 cups sugar

1 tbsp plus 1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp ground allspice

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp cloves

1/2 tsp nutmeg

One 10 3/4 oz can condensed Campbell’s Cream of Tomato soup

1/2 cup canola oil

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 cup water

Frosting Ingredients

One 8 0z block of cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature

3 cups powdered sugar

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Walnuts for garnish, toasted (optional)

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 350F.  Place cupcake liners in cupcake pan.

2.  Add flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, allspice, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg to a large bowl.  Stir with a fork to combine well.

3.  Add tomato soup, oil, eggs and water to the bowl.  Using a whisk or mixer on low speed, beat the ingredients into a smooth batter.  Scrape down the sides with a spatula occasionally.

4.  Distribute the batter among the cupcake liners, filling each about 2/3 full.  Bake for 18-20 minutes, until the cakes are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

5.  Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then move cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely.

6.  Once the cupcakes are cooled, add the cream cheese and butter to a standing mixer (or a large bowl and use a hand mixer).  Beat until evenly combined.  Add powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, beating after each addition.  Once desired consistency is reached, beat in vanilla extract.

7.  Frost cupcakes.  Garnish with toasted walnuts if desired.

2 Comments | In: Cake | tags: allspice, bake sale, cinnamon, cloves, cream cheese, nutmeg, Tomato soup. | #

When I was in Granada, Spain, with my sister last year, we went olive oil tasting.  As we sipped several varieties by the teaspoon, I was surprised how intensely flavored olive oil can be on its own.  Some were fruity, and some were so peppery in the back of our throats that we were coughing.  Remembering this experience, I’ve been dubious about olive oil cakes since canola and vegetable oils are nearly flavorless.  Given my love of moist oil-based cakes, however, I decided to give olive oil its chance.


In addition to the cup of heart-healthy EVOO, this cake calls for some zucchini – i.e. a serving of vegetables!  This dessert is obviously health food, and certainly delvious.

Recipe

A one-bowl recipe, I highly recommend this incredible cake.  A stand mixer will make things things easier, but a hand mixer will accomplish the same goal.  Time saver: I used a food processor to get the zucchini grated more quickly.  Even though the shreds weren’t perfect, it’s faster than doing it by hand with a box grater.





Out of the oven, I thought the cake looked a bit dry.  I drizzled the lemony icing and (not so patiently) waited for it to cool.  As I eyed my plated slice, it still looked like it was going to taste a notch better than cardboard.   Luckily appearances can be deceiving – the cake was moist with a tender crumb.  The olive oil and zucchini were undetectable, overpowered by the cinnamon, toasted walnuts and the perfect amount of sweet lemon glaze.





About a quarter of the cake was left after dessert was served, which I wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and left at room temperature.  As with most oil-based cakes, it was even BETTER on Day 2!  The last slice was still tasty on Day 3.  On Day 4, I was just sad it was gone.

Olive Oil Zucchini Cake with Lemon Icing

Adapted from Amateur Gourmet via Gina DePalma

Prep time + Bake time = 15 min + 50 min

Serves 10-12

Printable recipe

Cake Ingredients

1 cup walnut pieces

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp kosher salt

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

3 large eggs

1 3/4 cups granulated sugar

1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups grated zucchini (about 2 small zucchini)

Icing Ingredients

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 1 lemon)

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 cup powdered sugar

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 350F, with rack in the center of the oven.  Grease a 10 cup Bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray or butter and dust lightly with flour.

2.  Place the walnuts in a single layer on a baking sheet and toast them until they are golden brown and aromatic (12-14 minutes).  Cool the walnuts completely, then finely chop them in the food processor and set aside.

3.  Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg into a medium bowl and set aside.

4.  In a standing mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs, sugar and olive oil together on medium speed until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes), then add vanilla extract.  Beat in the dry ingredients all at once on low speed until they are thoroughly combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.  Switch the mixer to medium speed and mix for 30 seconds.  Add the zucchini and walnuts and beat on low speed until they are completely incorporated, again scraping down the sides of the bowl.

5.  Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula.

6.  Bake the cake for 45-50 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the bake time to ensure even browning, until the cake has begun to pull away from the sides of the pan and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

7.  While the cake is baking, prepare the icing.  In a medium bowl, whisking together the lemon juice and granulated sugar, then whisk in the powdered sugar until the icing is completely smooth.

8.  Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then carefully invert it onto a wire rack.  Drizzle the icing over the top of the cake (or brush it onto the cake using a pastry brush).  Allow the cake to cool and the icing to harden.

9.  Wrap any leftover cake in plastic wrap, keeps well up to 2 days.

6 Comments | In: Cake | tags: lemon, Olive oil, Zucchini. | #

Ok, deep breath. Drum roll please.

At long last, I present you with the Delvious food blog. Sit back and let me tell you the story of the word delvious.

In standard fashion, I embarked on an overly ambitious soup-cooking project last summer. I spent about an hour chopping pounds of miscellaneous vegetables and put them into two large pots to simmer with a few pounds of split peas. In my quest for copious amounts of leftovers, I had overlooked the fact that dried split peas will grow as they cook…a lot.  Two pots had to overflow into a third.  Fifteen minutes later, three pots became four. Undaunted, I took advantage of the situation to end up with four differently seasoned split pea soups (and enough leftovers in the freezer to feed a small army).


Whatever does this have to do with delvious??? Well, thanks to my chat history, I can now show you the precise origin of delvious.

[Chit chat with my sister, August 7, 2008]

Melissa: but the soups were good?
me: they were! they ended up turning out well despite the mess, all in all i was very pleased
Melissa: haha yeah there was a lot
me: yes crazy, but delvious
oops delicious
Melissa: i like delvious : )
me: ooooh! we made a word
Melissa: it’s pretty legit

This word needed a definition before it was forgotten as a meaningless typo. Always wanting an excuse to bake gluttonous-sugary-buttery treats, the definition almost came to be “devilishly or sinfully delicious.” However, I conceded “deviously or unexpectedly delicious” is a more necessary and somewhat undefined adjective in the food world.

Delvious foods are already everywhere.

I’m not sure whether food trends have been changing in the past year or if I just take more notice with delvious on the tip of my tongue.  Either way, there is a heck of a lot of delvious food out there.  It can be hard to get dessert without some sea salt sprinkled on top.  Now people are using bacon in everything from cookies to fudge to ice cream. French macarons are a particularly versatile canvas for delvious experimentation.  And it hardly needs to be said that molecular gastronomy can epitomize delvious flavors and textures.


These things are always described as “interesting” or “unique” or “avant-garde.”  Now I’m adding delvious to that list.  Spread the word!

And now Delvious is an official food blog.

• I have no culinary training, and to be quite honest I’m not a great cook even though I enjoy it.
• My judgment skills may not be stellar when I try winging something (see above soup story).
• I have little patience for making things look pretty.
• I’m sort of a perfectionist but I’m kind of lazy; I like the reassurance of using recipes but often cut corners and make substitutions.
• I appreciate fancy complex foods, but I also find great enjoyment in simple traditional foods.
• I read way too many food blogs for my own good.
• I like to think delvious will be important for the food industry (someday).
• I’ve told everyone I know and hopefully they’ve told their friends.

So, now what?  I want to reach people I do not know. To accomplish this, the Delvious food blog is born.


Every food blog needs pictures to drool over; you’ve probably noticed mine.   Soup would have been a more meaningful recipe for Delvious’s first post, but quite frankly I have no idea what actually happened in any of those four pots (dealing with overflow required serious damage control).


But I’ve been keeping tabs on delvious recipes for the past year, and this one was relatively inspiring: Peanut Butter Chip Cake with sauerkraut. How could that be delicious?  Even I was not really convinced, so I decided to find out for the sake of Delvious.

Recipe

Peanut butter seems to go with everything: jelly, bananas, chocolate, caramel, marshmallow fluff, honey, celery, cabbage…pickles even?  (I swear people used to eat PB&Pickles sandwiches on the blacktop during elementary school lunchtime.) Who would have thought that we were developing our delvious taste buds when we were eating ants-on-a-log in pre-school?  If peanut butter really does goes with everything, then it should go with sauerkraut, right?


Having just moved into my new, albeit tiny, apartment, I pulled out my mom’s old KitchenAid mixer and began adding the ingredients.  The batter looked ok. It actually smelled quite delicious.  It went into the oven and came out smelling even better.  The frosting was edible by the spoonful (I wish I could say it too was delvious by definition, but that was essentially just sugar and peanut butter).


I had some friends over to taste test the cake; I told them it was delvious but refused to disclose the secret ingredient until they had tasted a bite.  Based on taste, no one was any wiser that sauerkraut was the delvious twist on an otherwise delicious peanut butter chocolate chip cake.  If you try this at home, just be sure to rinse very well.  This gets rid of the vinegary-sauerkrauty taste and adds moisture to the cake.

Peanut Butter Sauerkraut Cake

Adapted from Noble Pig

Printable recipe

Cake Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/2 cup extra-crunchy, super chunk peanut butter
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup sauerkraut, rinsed, well-drained and finely chopped
1/2 cup mini-semi-sweet chocolate chips plus more for sprinkling on top
Salted, dry-roasted peanuts for topping

Frosting Ingredients

2 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup regular peanut butter
2 Tablespoons butter, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
6 Tablespoons boiling water

Directions

1.  In the bowl of a stand mixer or another large bowl, add all the cake ingredients except the chocolate chips.  Beat until well blended.  Fold in the chocolate chips.

2.  Spread mixture in a greased 9 x 13 baking pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

3. After the cake has cooled, combine all frosting ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat until well blended and easy to spread.  Frost the cake and sprinkle with mini chocolate chips and peanuts.

3 Comments | In: Cake, Dessert | tags: Chocolate Chips, Peanut Butter, Sauerkraut. | #