Vanilla Bean Bundt Cake with Vanilla Glaze and Strawberries

I made this for Easter Dinner, it's from Bon Appetite Magazine, and it was so delicious. A beautiful hybrid between Angel Food Cake, Meringue, and Bundt Cake all mixed in one. The key is to use real vanilla bean, and use an actual bundt pan. It's the first bundt cake I've ever made, and it was super fun! Keep it in mind for Mother's Day coming up in May.

What's in it

1 vanilla bean

1 tsp bourbon

1 1/2 C flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 C + 6 Tbl butter, room temperature

3/4 C sugar

1/4 C brown sugar, packed

2 large eggs

1 egg yolk

1/2 C buttermilk

How it's made

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter and flour standard bundt pan, and spray with nonstick spray.

Pour bourbon into a small bowl, and scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into it. Keep the vanilla pod for another use. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.

In a large bowl, cream with mixer butter and sugars. Add eggs and yolk one at a time (mixing in between). Mix in vanilla/bourbon mixture.

Add one at a time, mixing in between until just blended: 1/2 of flour mixture, buttermilk, rest of flour mixture.

Transfer the batter to the pan, smoothing out the top. Bake 55 minutes until tester comes out clean. Cool in pan on rack 15 minutes, then invert onto wire rack to cool completely.

For the glaze

Whisk together 2/3 C powdered sugar, 4 tsp or more whole milk, 1 tsp vanilla extract. When cake is cool, drizzle over cake in zigzag pattern using a spoon. Let set 15 minutes.

For strawberries

Wash and slice 1 1/2 lbs fresh strawberries. Mix 3 Tbl or more sugar in and let set 40 minutes until juices form. Toss occasionally.

Serve slices of cake with strawberries on the side.

Cajeta and Coconut Tres Leches Cake

This was a birthday present to a dear friend. It may seem odd, gifting food which won't last past the day it is given---but, what is better? It may be easier to grab a book or something, but that doesn't require the investment of hours of your time. And it is definitely not as satisfying as producing something with your own hands. I like to give food because it is thoughtful and personal and won't clutter up a person's house after you are done. Besides, if all goes according to plan, the memory of your gift will probably last longer than some trinket anyway.

This cake came together as a cross between techniques from my Dona Tomas cookbook, multiple online resources and my own tweaking.

The Cake

• 5 eggs
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon coconut extract
• Dash of cinnamon

1. Line a round cake pan with a piece of parchment, then grease the paper and sides of the pan with butter. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Sift flour and baking powder together and set aside.
   
3. Cream butter and sugar together until fluffy.
4. Add the eggs and both extracts. Beat well.
5. Add the flour mixture a little at a time, mixing until well combined.
6. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until golden and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
7. Turn the cake onto a cooling rack and allow to cool completely. Remove paper.

Cajeta

• 3 cups whole milk
• 3/4 granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup corn syrup
• 2 inch cinnamon stick
• A rounded 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons cold water

1. Put the milk, sugar, corn syrup and cinnamon stick in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Whisk occasionally to prevent boiling over.
   
2. In a small bowl, dissolve the baking soda in water. Rapidly whisk the baking soda mixture into the saucepan, removing it from the heat if it looks like it will spill over.
3. Decrease the heat to medium and simmer for 45 minutes to an hour, until the mixture has cooked down and turned dark brown and thick.
4. Remove from heat and pass through a fine-mesh strainer.
   

The Sauce and Fillings

• 1 1/2 pints strawberries, sliced (reserve a few unsliced for garnish)
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

• 2/3 cup cajeta (room temperature)
• 2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
• 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
  
• 3/4 cup coconut milk

• 1 quart heaving whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or more to taste)
  
• 1 teaspoon coconut extract (or more to taste)
• 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted

• Shredded coconut as needed

1. In a bowl, toss the strawberries with 2 tablespoons granulated sugar. Set aside.
2. In a separate bowl, combine the cajeta, condensed milk, 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream and coconut milk. Mix well. Set aside.
   
3. In another separate bowl, use an electric mixer on high to whip the 1 quart whipping cream to medium peaks. Add both extracts and the powdered sugar towards the end of the whipping process.

The Assembly

1. Slice the cake in half crosswise with a long serrated knife. Place the bottom half on the serving plate. On a separate plate, place the top half of the cake with the cut side up. Using a tablespoon, spoon half of the milk mixture over the bottom of the cake, letting it soak in evenly and completely. (This may take awhile. I used a toothpick to prick little holes throughout the cake so the sauce would soak into the cake more readily.)
2. Using half of the remaining milk mixture, soak the top half of the cake.
3. Spread a 1/8 inch layer of the whipping cream evenly over the bottom half of the cake. Sprinkle a good layer of shredded coconut over the whipped cream. Arrange a layer of the strawberries on top. Sprinkle with more coconut.
   
4. Cover with another layer of whipped cream, coconut, strawberries and more coconut.
   
5. Finish with another thin layer of whipped cream. Carefully place the top half of the cake on top of the last whipped cream layer, cut side down.
6. Soak the very top of the cake with the remaining milk mixture. (I had some left over, which I drizzled over the slices of cake.)
7. Cover the entire cake with the remaining whipped cream, spreading evenly over the top and sides. Sprinkle cake with shredded coconut and decorate with whole or sliced strawberries on top.
   
8. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before slicing and serving. (Refrigerate any leftovers.)

* The cake part of this recipe can be substituted with any white cake that is spongy enough to soak up the milk, but strong enough to hold up and not become too soggy. I've read online that boxed white cake mix works well and cuts down on the time involved.

Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie

This recipe is based on the July 1995 Cooks Illustrated Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie. It's easy when you use Pillsbury Refrigerated Pie Crusts. John loves this combo and I've had varying results. So far this recipe has been consistent for me. It's important to use the right amount of thickener with a pie like this because you could easily end up with a soupy, runny mess of a pie (I've made a few of these). Here is what Cooks has to say about sugar and tapioca:

The amount of sugar and tapioca you use is relative, depending on the fruit’s quality and your taste. If you prefer a less sweet pie or if the fruit is especially sweet, use the lower sugar amount. If you like your pie juices fairly thick, or if the fruit is really juicy, then opt for the higher amount of tapioca. If you are using frozen fruit, measure it frozen, but let it thaw before filling the pie. If not, you run the risk of partially cooked fruit and undissolved tapioca.

Ingredients:
3 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered
3 cups fresh rhubarb, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
3–4 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
Pinch of salt and pepper
1 package of two Pillsbury Pie Crusts*

Directions:
Take Pillsbury Pie Crusts out of the frig so it can come to room temperature..

Heat oven to 400-375 degrees.

Toss fruit with sugar, lemon juice, vanilla extract, salt, pepper and tapioca. It’s really important to let it stand for 15 minutes.

Unroll the first crust onto a lightly floured surface. Gently roll it so it is even. Don’t over roll it because it is already the right thickness. Do this for both crusts.

Fit one piecrust into bottom of pie dish. Fill with fruit mixture. Lay second crust over top. Trim top and bottom dough edges to 1/2-inch beyond pan lip. Tuck this rim of dough underneath itself so that folded edge is flush with pan lip. Flute dough in your own fashion, or press with fork tines to seal.

With the dough trimmings you can gently reform and rollout to make decorations. I made little strawberries and cut some little vines for the vents.

If pie dough is very soft, place in freezer for 10 minutes before baking.

Place pie on baking sheet in the middle of the oven; bake until top crust is golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue to bake until juices bubble and crust is golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes longer.

*I've used other brands and they just don't turn out as well.