Category: holiday bakes

Lemon Olive Oil Cake with Mascarpone Icing

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This is the prettiest cake I have ever made hands down. It was the crowning achievement of a day of cooking on Easter this year. I wanted to do a big southern dinner for my family because we couldn’t have any outside celebrations. I knew after a heavy dinner of chicken and greens I needed a lighter then air dessert and this is it.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 c. flour
  • 1 c. sugar
  • 1/2 c. olive oil
  • 1/4 c. butter (room temperature)
  • 1 c. buttermilk ( room temperature)
  • 3 eggs (room temperature)
  • 1/4 c. lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp. lemon zest
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. baking soda

Icing

  • 1 c. heavy cream
  • 1/2 c. mascarpone cheese
  • 2 tbsp. sugar

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 10 in cake pan with cooking spray or lightly oil the pan.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer put your butter and sugar and whip till fluffy.
  3. Add eggs in one at a time waiting till one is completely combined before you add the next one.
  4. Add in olive oil and lemon juice and mix to combine.
  5. In a separate bowl whisk together all your dry ingredients and zest.
  6. Alternating between buttermilk and dry ingredients ending with the butter milk mix to combine. Don’t over mix.
  7. Bake for 30 minutes till a knife comes out clean. Leave to cool for about 20 minutes.
  8. After your cake is cooled and your mixing bowl is cleaned put all your icing ingredients into the bowl and whisk together until you get what resembles a stiff peak.
  9. Put icing on only the top of the cake. Then decorate with glazed berries and mint if you like.

Holiday Bake: Challah Bread

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Being that we have made the slow crawl into December this year when I was still firmly convinced it was march I decided to start baking some bread. It makes the house smell amazing and having fresh bread in the house gives you that warm and fuzzy feeling of accomplishment.

What is it?

Challah is a special bread in Jewish cuisine. It is normally braided and served on ceremonial occasions and Jewish holidays except Passover. You can add sesame seed, poppy seed or sometimes even raisins in your bread.

I used everything bagel seasoning on mine because I didn’t have anything else in my spice cupboard.

Ingredients

  • 4 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 packet instant yeast
  • 1/2 tbsp. salt
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 5 oz of water (tepid)
  • 2 eggs plus 1 egg yolk
  • everything bagel seasoning (poppy, sesame seeds are more traditional)

Directions (stand mixer)

  • Place the flour in the bowl of your stand mixer. Place the sugar in the middle. The salt on one side and the yeast on the other. Mix the ingredients together using your fingers.
  • In another bowl mix together the oil and one egg and the egg yolk. Make a well in your flour and put in your egg mix and water.
  • Mix it with a fork until it becomes a shaggy dough. Transfer to your mixer with a dough hook knead for 5-10 minutes. (I normally take the dough out halfway through kneading and knead it with my hands. You can feel the texture of the dough change better when you knead it by hand.)
  • If you do take the dough out to knead by hand then put it back in the mixing bowl and cover. Let it rest for at least two hours so it can double in size.
  • Line a baking tray with parchment paper and set it aside.
  • Tip the dough out onto a floured work surface and knock out all the air bubbles. Cut the dough into three equal pieces and roll them out into ropes of about 12in long. Pinch the ends of one side together and braid the dough together. Then pinch the ends together at the end of the braid. Tuck both ends under so you can’t see them. Place it on the baking tray.
  • Let it rise for another 30 minutes.
  • Preheat the oven to 390 degrees.
  • Beat the remaining egg in a small bowl and brush the top of your loaf. The more egg wash you put on the darker it will become. Then top it with your seeds.
  • Once your oven is heated bake it for 30-35 minutes. You are looking for a golden brown and a hallow sound when you tap the bottom.

Enjoy everyone!