Warm Lavender Almond Cakes

Recipe by The Herbal Kitchen Cookbook

Ingredients:
1 cup raw sliced almonds
4 teaspoons lavender buds (fresh or dried)
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
3/4 cup egg whites (about 6 large)
1/4 cup honey
8 tablepoons (4 ounces) unsalted butter, melted & cooled
2 tablepoons softened butter, for prepping the molds

Method:
Begin preparation atleast 1 day before serving.
Put the almonds and lavender buds in a food processor and pulse until they are
finely chopped. Add the powdered sugar and continue to proccess for 30 seconds.
Add the flour and salt and process briefly. Pour inthe egg whites and honey and
process until combined. Add the melted butter and process for an additional 15
seconds. Scrape the batter into a plastic storage container, cover, and refrigerate
for atleast 12 hours, or as much as a week.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously butter 10 (4 or 6 oz.) ovenproof ramekins or custard cups and place them on a baking sheet, or use a standard muffin tin. Devide the batter evenly among the cups. Bake until the cakes are evenly puffed and the tops crack and turn a deep walnut brown color, 30-40 min., depending on the molds and the temperature of the batter. Cool slightly and tip the cups out of thier molds. Serve warm.

Warm Maple Rosemary Banana Splits

Recipe by The Herbal Kitchen Cookbook

Ingredients:
3 ripe,firm banannas peeled and halved crosswise and lengthwise
1/2 cup maple syrup
Three 4 inch sprigs of rosemary
Vanilla ice cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup coarsley chopped walnuts (opt)

Method:
Put the banana pieces in a large skillet, pour the maple syrup over them,
and tuck the rosemary springs in between.
Bring the mixture to a low boil over med. heat and cook for about 1 minute.
Turn the bananas over and cook for 30 more seconds. Scoop the ice cream
into shallow dishes. Lift the bananas from the syrup with a fork and lay 3 pieces
around each scoop of ice cream. Boil the syrup left in the skillet for a minute or 2
until thickens slightly, then swirl in the butter until it incorporates. Remove rosemary
springs and pour the sauce over the bananas and ice cream. Sprinkle with the walnuts.
Serves 4.

 

 

 

Lavender POUND Cake

Recipe by The Herbal Kitchen Cookbook

Ingredients:
Softened butter and flour for preparing the pan
2 tablepoons Lavender buds, fresh or dried
2 -1/2 cups sugar, (bakers fine sugar)
3 sticks of unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. fine salt
5 large eggs, room temp.
3 cups SIFTED all purpose flour
3/4 cup sour cream

Method:
Preheat oven to 325°F. Generously butter a 10 inch tube pan, coat it with flour, and knock out the excess. Whirl the lavender and 1/4 cup of the sugar in a spice grinder or coffee grinder until very finely ground.

Put the butter, the remaining 2-1/4 cups sugar, the lavender sugar, vanilla and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle. Turn to medium high, set timer for 4 minutes, and let the mixer do the work. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat another minute. It will be very fluffy and nearly white. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating the batter well in between each. Alternately add the flour and sour cream, 1/3 at a time of each, ending with the flour. Beat completely between additions. Scrape down sides in process.

Scoop the batter into the prepared pan as evenly as you can and gently whack the pan on the counter a few times to expel air pockets. BAKE CAKE 1 HOUR, 20 MIN. to 1 HOUR 35 MIN. or until golden brown and springs back when pressed, and toothpick comes out dry. Let cake cool on a rack in the pan for 15 min., then turn it out. Wrap in plastic after completely cooled or serve warm. Best when eaten the next day.

Rich Chocolate Snack Cake

This will satisfy any chocolate craving!

Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter or margarine (room temp)
1 cup boiling water
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup semi-sweet chips
3 tablespoons baking cocoa
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
Confectioners' sugar (opt)

Method:
Preheat oven to 350°F.
In a mixing bowl, beat water and butter until butter is melted. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to the egg mixture. Beat for 2 minutes. Fold in the chocolate chips.
Pour into a greased 8-in. square baking pan. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
Cool on a wire rack. Dust with confectioners' sugar.

Best Ever Carrot Cake
Moistest cake you've ever had!

Ingredients:
2/1/2 c cake flour plus some for pans
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
3 sticks (12 oz.) unsalted butter, room temp,
plus some for pans
1 c packed light brown sugar
1/2 c granulated sugar
3 large eggs

Method for Cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter three 9 inch round cake pans, dust w/ flour. In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, ginger, & nutmeg. In another mixing bowl beat together butter & sugars on med. speed until pale and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each. Beat 3 min. Add vanilla, water, and chopped carrot. Beat until well combined for 2 min. Reduce speed to low, and add flour mixture and pecans at the last.
Pour batter into prepared pans and bake until golden brown for about 30 min. Let cook in pans on wire rack for 15 min. Turn cakes out onto wire rack and cool completely. Trim rounded tops of cake and spread 1 cup of the frosting over cake. Top with second trimmed cake, cut side down and take another cup of frosting to frost. Top with remaining cake. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of entire cake stack. Refrigerate one hour before serving. See below for frosting method.