Bon Appetit Desserts (15 page)

2 12-ounce containers strawberries, hulled

1 12-ounce container blueberries

⅓ cup sugar

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

¼ cup amaretto

1¼ cups sifted cake flour (sifted, then measured)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

½ teaspoon almond extract

14 large egg whites, room temperature

1½ teaspoons cream of tartar

½ teaspoon salt

1⅔ cups sugar

Whole strawberries (optional)

SAUCE
: Place half of strawberries in medium bowl. Crush with fork or potato masher. Slice remaining strawberries and add to bowl. Add half of blueberries to same bowl. Place remaining blueberries in medium saucepan and crush; add sugar and lemon juice. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves and juices become syrupy, about 4 minutes. Cool. Add to strawberry mixture. Stir in amaretto. Let stand 20 minutes.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 8 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.

CAKE
: Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 300°F. Sift sifted flour into medium bowl. Combine vanilla, lemon juice, and almond extract in small bowl. Using electric mixer, beat egg whites in large bowl at medium speed until frothy. Add cream of tartar and salt and beat until soft peaks form. Add sugar ⅓ cup at a time and continue to beat until whites are stiff but not dry. Fold in vanilla mixture. Sift flour over in 4 batches, gently folding in each addition.

Spoon batter into ungreased 10-inch-diameter angel food cake pan with removable bottom. Bake until top of cake is golden brown and springy to touch, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Immediately invert center tube of cake pan over neck of narrow bottle and cool cake completely. Using sharp knife, cut around sides of pan and center tube to loosen cake. Holding center tube, lift cake from pan sides. Cut cake free from pan bottom. Turn cake out onto plate.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 8 hours ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature.

Using serrated knife, cut cake into wedges. Place on plates. Spoon berry sauce over. Garnish each with whole strawberry, if desired, and serve.

Orange- and Vanilla-Scented Bundt Cake

Orange peel contains essential oils, which deliver the concentrated orange flavor and aroma in this fragrant cake. Blending the grated orange peel with the sugar first helps release the oils from the peel and turns the sugar a pretty pale orange color.
10 to 12 servings

3 cups unbleached all purpose flour

¾ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon baking soda

1⅔ cups sugar

1 tablespoon finely grated orange peel

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

3 large eggs

⅔ cup fresh orange juice

⅔ cup buttermilk

½ cup fresh orange juice

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons (¼ stick) unsalted butter

⅓ cup powdered sugar

2 teaspoons (about) fresh orange juice

CAKE
: Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Butter and flour 12- to 15-cup Bundt pan. Whisk flour, salt, and baking soda in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and orange peel in large bowl at low speed to release essential oils from peel. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean into sugar mixture and beat to blend well. Add butter and beat until light. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in orange juice (mixture will look curdled). Stir in flour mixture, then buttermilk. Transfer batter to prepared pan; smooth top. Bake cake until tester inserted near center comes out clean, about 50 minutes.

GLAZE
: Meanwhile, boil orange juice, sugar, and butter in heavy small saucepan over medium heat until reduced to ½ cup, swirling pan occasionally, about 5 minutes.

Brush 3 tablespoons glaze over cake. Cool cake in pan on rack 10 minutes. Using small sharp knife, cut around sides and center tube of pan to loosen cake. Turn cake out onto rack and brush with remaining glaze. Cool completely.

ICING
: Place sugar in small bowl. Mix in orange juice, ½ teaspoonful at a time, until thick pourable consistency forms. Drizzle icing decoratively over cake. Let stand until icing sets.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome and store at cool room temperature.

Apple-Spice Cake with Brown Sugar Glaze

Grated apples and a caramel-like glaze keep this cake moist and delicious for a day or two after you make it. Serve it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a cake version of apple pie à la mode.
12 servings

  Nonstick vegetable oil spray

3 cups unbleached all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

¾ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

¼ teaspoon ground allspice

1¾ pounds Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, coarsely grated

1½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1½ cups sugar

½ cup (packed) golden brown sugar

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

½ cup (packed) golden brown sugar

¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter

¼ cup heavy whipping cream

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice

¼ teaspoon salt

CAKE
: Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 325°F. Spray 12- to 15-cup Bundt pan with nonstick spray. Sift flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice into medium bowl. Drain grated apples in strainer. Using hands or kitchen towel, squeeze out excess liquid from apples. Measure 2 cups grated apples.

Using electric mixer, beat butter, both sugars, and lemon peel in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Mix in vanilla and lemon juice. Beat in flour mixture. Mix in grated apples. Transfer batter to prepared pan.

Bake cake until tester inserted near center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool in pan on rack 20 minutes.

GLAZE
: While cake cools, prepare glaze. Stir sugar, butter, cream, vanilla, lemon juice, and salt in small nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves and mixture comes to boil. Reduce heat to medium; whisk until glaze is smooth, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.

Invert cake onto rack set over baking sheet. Using small skewer, pierce holes all over top of warm cake. Pour hot glaze over top, allowing it to be absorbed before adding more. Cool cake 30 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Maple-Walnut Pound Cake with Maple Glaze

While Grade A maple syrup is the most common variety, for this recipe it’s worth seeking out Grade B, which packs much more robust flavor. Grade B is becoming easier to find at specialty foods stores and supermarkets.
12 servings

1¾ cups coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted

2¼ cups cake flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1¼ cups (2½ sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1¼ cups sugar

5 large eggs

½ cup pure maple syrup

¾ teaspoon maple extract

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter

2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

10 tablespoons powdered sugar, sifted

⅛ teaspoon maple extract

12 walnut halves

CAKE
: Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour 12- to 15-cup Bundt pan. Finely grind walnuts in processor. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in large bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in maple syrup, maple extract, and vanilla (batter may look curdled). Mix in dry ingredients. Fold in ground walnuts.