Martha Stewart's Cakes

Remember the books that started it all? Martha Stewart's Cookies, Martha Stewart's Cupcakes, and Martha Stewart's Pies & Tarts. Well guess what? There's now Martha Stewart's Cakes, a collection of loaves, bundts and tube cakes, coffee cakes, single layer cakes, cheesecakes, icebox cakes, and layer cakes.

My colleagues at work wanted to celebrate the release of this new book and asked Barb from Two Enjoy Cake and I to bake a little something for the office. So armed with advance copies of the book (swoon!), we did some baking on the weekend.

I ended up choosing the Vanilla Layer Cake (page 283) because I've already tried the One Bowl Chocolate Cake (twice), a variation of the Chiffon Cake, and a variation of the Pineapple Upside-Down Cake. So let's start with the basics!

Vanilla Layer Cake
Recipe from Martha Stewart's Cakes
(Makes a 3-layer six-inch cake, or a 2-layer eight-inch cake)

1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line your cake plans with parchment paper.
2. Using a stand mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and sugar until combined, about 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Add in the eggs and beat until it's well incorporated, it'll look smooth and fluffy.
4. Add in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat until combined.
5. Add milk and vanilla extract and mix until smooth.
6. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. I like to smooth out the top of the batters but create a little well or dip in the middle because the cake will rise higher there.
7. Bake for 35 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
8. Cool for 15 minutes and turn cakes out on a wire rack to cool completely.

See the little dome? This is normal! Don't fret, as you can level the tops.

I don't like leveling. But it has to be done! Slice the tops off carefully and trim off any excess to make sure each layer is even. Next, the recipe calls for a creamy vanilla frosting.

Creamy Vanilla Frosting
Recipe from Martha Stewart's Cakes
(Makes about 3 3/4 cups)

1 stick unsalted butter, softened
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
5 cups confectioner's sugar
1/4 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. Using a stand mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese on medium-high speed for about a minute until it's creamy.
2. Reduce the speed and add in the confectioner's sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition.
3. Slowly add in the milk and vanilla extract. Beat until smooth for about two minutes.

I like to pipe my fillings on to create an even layer, but you can always spoon it on and flatten it with a spatula.

Cover the top and sides with a light coat of frosting. Place the cake in the fridge for 15-30 minutes. This helps seal in all the crumbs. Later, warm up the leftover frosting by giving it a good mix and then plop it on top of the cake. Use a spatula to evenly cover the cake.

This step was extra and isn't in the book, but I couldn't help myself. I love vanilla and chocolate combinations. I mixed up a quick chocolate ganache (semi-sweet chocolate + milk) and glazed it over the cake. This is also known as Sylvia-can't-create-smooth-frosting-sides-and-needs-to-hide-it.

One more shot. There's no such thing as too many chocolate-dripping photos.

You know your office loves cake when there are cake stands available (I didn't have to bring one in). I also made a little bunting out of wooden skewers, string, and printed Avery labels for our friends at Crave. Barb, who makes fabulous treats on Two Enjoy Cake, made Martha Stewart's Double-Chocolate Cake (page 296).

After the obligatory photos (see the behind-the-scene photo here), the team dug into Barb's cake.

Camera phones are a staple for blogging. We had to take photos of the interior!

Here's mine! Those chocolate crispy pearls don't stay still. Next time I'll have to gently nudge them into the ganache.

GIVEAWAY
Thank you for reading all the way to the end here! To reward you, we're giving away three copies of Martha Stewart's Cakes here!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

• The giveaway contest is open from Tuesday, September 24, 2013 until Sunday, October 6, 2013. Entries submitted after 12 midnight EST on Sunday, October 6, 2013 will not be considered.
• To enter, leave a comment below telling me which flavour your prefer: vanilla or chocolate?
• Three winners will be randomly chosen and announced here on A Baked Creation. 
• This contest is available to residents of Canada and the U.S.A.

UPDATE: Congratulations to Stephanie, Monica H, and another Steph! You will each be receiving a copy of Martha Stewart's Cakes.

Disclaimer: I was given a copy of Martha Stewart's Cakes by a colleague at work. The three giveaway copies are also sponsored by Random House of Canada Limited.

Buttermilk Pancakes

Pancakes during the weekday? Yes, it's possible when you're having a stay-cation or working from home. Autumn is such a beautiful time to enjoy. We know summer is too, but to take a breather during the rush of the fall season is such a treat. Nothing beats staying warm and cozy in bed when there's a chill in the air. Aside from a warm breakfast...

Buttermilk Pancakes
Recipe adapted from The Seasonal Baker
(Makes about 12 five-inch pancakes)

2 cups of all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons of sugar
1 teaspoons of coarse salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
2 1/2 cups of buttermilk
2 large eggs
1/2 stick of unsalted butter, melted

1. Whisk the buttermilk and eggs together until combined.
2. Add in the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Gently whisk to mix, it is OK for there to be lumps, you don't want to over mix the batter.
3. Add in the melted butter and gently stir together.
4. Have your hot griddle or pan ready. Ladle about 1/4 cup of batter in. Watch for air bubbles that rise to the top of the pancake. After counting about 15-20 bubbles pop, it is generally the time to flip! You can also take a peek with your spatula to see if the other side is golden brown. The pancake shouldn't stick, another indication that it's ready to be flipped.
5. Give it 20-30 seconds and take a peek with your spatula. When the bottom is also golden brown, it is ready to be served!

Changes to the recipe include using less salt (1 1/2 teaspoon) and more butter (1 1/2 tablespoon). The original amounts are in brackets.

Howard and I have to add chocolate chips to ours. We sprinkle about 5 on each pancake after we ladle the batter in. Mmm maple syrup, look at it glisten!

I don't think I liked the tangy flavour of the buttermilk in the pancakes, there is a difference compared to the good old stand-by pancakes. But hey, I managed to finish the buttermilk in the fridge with this recipe, so on to the next baking project!

My Pizza

My Pizza: The Easy No-Knead Way to Make Spectacular Pizza at Home
Written by Jim Lahey
With Rick Flaste
Photographs by Squire Fox

ISBN 13: 9780307886156
ISBN 10: 0307886158
Publisher: Clarkson Potter
Hardcover: 192 Pages

This cookbook has been getting so much buzz, I knew I had to get myself a copy. Especially when Bon Appétit featured Jim Lahey's pizza on the cover of their March 2012 issue. Since then, I've been thinking about making pizza at home.

The recipe for his famous no-knead dough is available online, so you must wonder, what else does the cookbook provide? There is only one dough recipe and the rest of the book is dedicated to red sauce pizzas, white sauce pizzas, no sauce pizzas, toppings, toasts, soups, salads, and a small section of desserts. So really, once you have the basic dough down, you can do whatever you like. That's the beauty of pizza right? You can customize with any toppings you wish.

However, inspiration and ideas are sometimes hard to come by, so the cookbook offers great topping combinations. Like his bird's nest pie. I would have never thought of it! Or the honshimeji and guanciale pie. It looks so tasty! The spicy eggplant pie makes my mouth water too!

When I saw Lottie + Doof's post on Friday, I knew I would be making pizza the next day. I'm so glad I read his experience first. Because the dough did get crusty and felt a little dry to me. I made the dough on Friday night for it to be ready for Saturday's lunch. In the morning, I was ecstatic to see that the dough did rise (why I was doubting it?)!

I divided the dough into four balls and did my best to stretch each one out into a pie shape. They are personal sized, which is nice for a group of 3-4. Taking Lottie + Doof's advice, I went with the simpler pizza for the first one. I didn't have a pizza stone (we used to ... but gave it away), but a baking sheet works just as well (according to Jim). The oven was cranked to the highest we've ever set it to. This is how it turned out:

Not bad right?? The first pizza we made is an all time favourite pizza of mine. When I have a pizza craving, the simple margherita is so satisfying. Tomato, mozzarella, and basil.

If you prefer, add the basil after, but I like the basil nice and crisp. Yum, I'm craving pizza again while writing this post.

Howard's pizza is just loaded with goodness. Tomato, mozzarella, three kinds of mushroom, proscuitto, and more mozzarella.

Howard made another one, you didn't expect him to be full after one, did you?! This one has tomato, mozzarella, and three kinds of mushroom. After the oven time, we placed thinly sliced proscuitto on top with arugula. Absolutely delicious.

The last one we made for my parents. I asked my mom what she wanted and she took out a Vietnamese sausage and started slicing it. We also topped it with three kinds of mushroom. Then we added basil after it came out of the oven. My dad loved it.

Make yourself an appetizer to go with the pizzas. This one's not from the book, but inspired from one of our favourite pizza places in Toronto. Here, we kept it simple by assembling some arugula on a plate. Covered a thin slice of toast with goat brie and sprinkled diced green apple all over the plate. Lastly, drizzled on some honey.

If you have time, make your own crostini, if not, use Grissol Melba toast like us.

I'd say if you're a pizza beginner like us, My Pizza is a great introduction. It covers equipment, ingredients, adjusting to oven types, and even serving strategies. Overall a simple and thorough foundation for delicious pizza. Try it and you'll never want to go back to frozen pizza again!

Momofuku Milk Bar

Momofuku Milk Bar

Written by Christina Tosi

Foreword by David Chang
ISBN 13: 9780307720498
ISBN 10: 0307720497

Hardcover: 256 pages

Publisher: Clarkson Potter

Momofuku Milk Bar follows a similar look as the Momofuku book, making it an obvious companion. It is a book that appears clear, simple, and effortless. Momofuku only featured the fried apple pie, which Christina Tosi explains was the main dessert she first wanted to finalize when they started out. Now, Tosi shares the much loved cereal milk, cookies, cakes, pies, fillings, liquid cheesecake (yes, you read that correctly), brittle, panna cotta, croissants, and the mother of all dough.

Some of the ingredients required for the recipes were unusual for me. I don't normally see citric acid, freeze-dried corn, feuilletine, milk powder, grapeseed oil, gelatin sheets, or glucose in my cupcake recipes (did you know, Momofuku had a short-lived cupcake program when they first started out)! But, when in doubt on where to purchase the materials, Tosi turns you towards Amazon.com.

The first recipe was for Cereal Milk. It is comically easy to make. Have you ever had cereal and ended up with leftover milk at the bottom of your bowl? Then you have made cereal milk before. While it can be viewed as laughable that Tosi steeps the cereal in milk for the sugary flavour, it is the simplicity of it all that astonishes us. Tosi turns that addictive Cereal Milk flavour into panna cotta, ice cream, and pie.

Moving on to one of the loves in my life - cake. Because their cakes are not frosted on the side or decorated, you would think they were a no-fuss kind of deal. You would be wrong as Tosi is strict on measuring everything by the gram and constructing every layer perfectly. The sides are still smooth and perfectly aligned. Why do we frost the side of cakes anyways?

Most of the photos in the book are small and not every photo gets a full page spread. They don't do a lot of step-by-step photos (in the style of James Peterson's books), in fact, there are sometimes photos of equipment, staff members, and ingredients.

Not all the photos are styled, you get a very raw vibe, a very what-you-see-is-what-there-is. The end papers showcase all the different crumbs, the half title page - crack pie, the title page - a busy Christina Tosi crossing a slushy New York street, the table of contents - a chef assembling a cake. That photo in the table of contents caught my eye. It is clearly the arm of a chef. There are what looks like burn marks or injuries - this is not a model's hand. I like that is shows that working in a kitchen isn't easy, you need to be a "hardbody." I'm mentioning the photos because I know most people (like myself) love beautiful food photos for each recipe (we want to see how the final product looks), but this isn't one of those cookbooks, so be prepared.

Overall, if you enjoyed Momofuku, chances are you'll like Momofuku Milk Bar. The desserts are manageable to create, and once you have the basic crunch and crumbs made, the cookbook builds upon these recipes. You'll have fun and you'll surprise yourself with how sweet simplicity can taste.

Disclaimer: Thank you to Lindsey Reeder from Random House of Canada for sending us a review copy of Momofuku Milk Bar. No incentives were used to produce a positive review of this book.

Now, would you like to see me make my first crunch?

Above: Look at the cornflakes before they were crushed with all my strength. No seriously, my arm was a bit sore after all those crushes.

Below: Now look. The cornflakes are in smaller bits.

Cornflake Crunch

Recipe from Momofuku Milk Bar

(Makes about 4 cups)

5 cups of cornflakes

1/2 cup of milk powder

3 tablespoons of sugar

1 teaspoon of kosher salt

9 tablespoons of melted butter

1. Heat the oven to 275°F (135°C).
2. Pour the cornflakes into a bowl and crush them to one-quarter of their original size.
3. Add the milk powder, sugar, and salt. Toss to mix.
4. Add the butter and toss to coat. The butter will act as a glue and bind the dry ingredients into small clusters.
5. Spread the clusters on a parchment- or Silpat-lined sheet pan and bake for 20 minutes.
6. Cool the cornflake crunch before storing or using in a recipe.

You add butter to bind the cornflakes, milk powder, sugar, and kosher salt together. Thus, creating small clusters.

We're not done yet, we needed that crunch to make...

Cornflake-Chocolate-Chip-Marshmallow Cookies

Recipe from Momofuku Milk Bar

(Makes 15-20 cookies)

2 sticks of unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/4 cups of sugar

2/3 cups of light brown sugar

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups of flour

1/2 teaspoon of baking powder

1/4 teaspoon of baking soda

1 1/4 teaspoons of kosher salt

3 cups of Cornflake Crunch

2/3 cups of mini chocolate chips

1 1/4 cups of mini marshmallows

1. Combine the butter, sugar, and brown sugar in a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cream together on medium-high for 2-3 minutes.
2. Scrape the sides and add the egg and vanilla. Beat for 7-8 minutes on high. The mixture should look puffy and voluminous, with soft peaks.
3. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix until the dough comes together on low, no longer than 1 minute!
4. Scrape the sides and add the cornflake crunch and chocolate chips. Mix on low for less than 30 seconds. Mix in the marshmallows on low until incorporated.
5. Plastic wrap the bowl and refrigerate for at least an hour, or up to one week. Do not bake the cookies from room temperature - they will not hold their shape.
6. Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
7. Using a 2 3/4-ounce ice cream scoop, arrange the cookie dough on parchment- or Silpat-lined sheet pans, at least 4 inches apart. Bake for 18 minutes. The cookies will puff, crackle, and spread.
8. At the 18 minute mark, the cookies should be browned on the edges and just beginning to brown toward the center.
9. Cool the cookies on the sheet pans before transferring to a plate or to an airtight container for storage. At room temperature, the cookies will keep fresh for 5 days; in the freezer, they will keep for 1 month.

Okay, so how were the Cornflake-Chocolate-Chip-Marshmallow Cookies? They smelled good, they looked browner than they should have, and the texture was rock solid. So they didn't turn out the way we imagined, but I think I can troubleshoot for next time:

I know we didn't over mix, we timed everything with an alarm and was paranoid enough to mix everything by hand starting with the fourth step. Because we were eager to eat them, we picked the minimum fridge time of one hour - probably not long enough. I would leave them overnight next time (not a week, who can wait a week??). Finally, my oven was too hot. Lower the temperature and keep an eye on the cookies at the 12-15 minute mark. Mine were definitely over baked. So much for recreating this photo.

What I found amusing about the whole ordeal was that Tosi created this cookie because someone over toasted the cornflake crunch for the cereal milk panna cotta. Refusing to let it go to waste, the Cornflake-Chocolate-Chip-Marshmallow Cookies were born. So I wonder, what would they create with over baked cookies?

So our first batch of cookies were not perfect, but they were still edible and quite tasty. My baking partner in crime, Julia, recommended dipping these cookies in hot milk. We did. And it was amazing.

One final thing before this post gets too long, Howard and I visited two Momofuku Milk Bar locations during our trip to New York in September:

Momofuku Milk Bar

15 West 56th Street

New York, NY 10019

This was the first Milk Bar we visited! It is on street level, so we passed by it before going for lunch at Má Pêche downstairs.

My prix-fixe meal at Má Pêche came with a Momofuku Milk Bar cookie. Our server recommended the corn cookie, but I really wanted to try the compost cookie. I enjoyed the compost cookie, but after reading the cookbook, I'm kicking myself for not also getting the corn one.

Momofuku Milk Bar

251 East 13th Street

New York, NY 10003

This location was across from Momofuku Ssäm Bar. After lunch, we ran across (in the pouring rain) to try the famous crack pie.

This location was smaller than the midtown one, but has a table by the window. So we ate crack pie by the window and watched the rain storm grow stronger.

The pie was kept in the fridge, so it was chilled when we bit into it. It was very sweet and we weren't blown away by it, but we can see how this can be addictive when you're in the mood for munchies. This officially wrapped up our mini Momofuku tour. =)

He Said/She Said: Martha Stewart's Wedding Cakes

Martha Stewart's Wedding Cakes

Written by Martha Stewart and Wendy Kromer

ISBN 13: 9780307394538

ISBN 10: 0307394530

Publisher: Clarkson Potter

Hardcover: 260 Pages

S: Summer time! Weddings! Cakes! Don't forget the popular wedding cupcakes too!
H: This is a great ideas books to me. It contains page after page of great designs.
S: The subtitle is More than 100 inspiring cakes, an indispensable guide for the bride and the baker. And that is exactly what the book delivers. A very helpful guide book that informs brides on choosing their wedding cake. Or, if you're daring or experienced, you can make your own wedding cake! There are instructions and recipes in this guide.

H: What really sells this book is the beautiful food styling. The photography and design of the book is done with care. I really like the full pages of coloured photographs. Something we look for in all cookbooks. Especially if the book is going to focus on decorations - you just have to see the final outcome.
S: You can get a quick sample of her designs by doing a photo search of "Martha Stewart's Wedding Cakes." Dozens of beautifully decorated cakes will immediately show up.

H: This book is in three main parts: choosing your cake, the large and important section of cake designs, and "making a wedding cake."

S: The first section is really a useful guide. For those who don't know that much about cakes, it tells you a cake's component, about how a cake should be presented, and tips for finding the perfect baker to collaborate with.

H: Next, the "album of cake" is sure to astonish you! The tiny, tiny piping details and the intricate (oops, almost typed intricake there) designs will have you shake your head and wonder how long it must have taken.

S: The cake on the cover is a seven-tier classic cake... seven! (page 49) This cake is seriously a test of skill and patience. The bottom tier has royal icing roses and drop strings, the next tier has ruffles, tiny grapes, and shells, the next level has the impressive cross-hatching, etc. etc!!!!
H: The wedding cupcake tower is on page 83. The cupcake stand is quite beautiful and I was surprised to read that it was only made from Styrofoam, cake boards, and doily. Overall, the book is very handy and has so much information in it.

S: The information is all presented in a great way and the photographs aren't there for the sake of it, they do help enhance what is being said. This book is a great addition and with minor tweeking, the cakes don't have to be categorized as only for "weddings."

H: We both agree that this is a 5/5 guide book.