Double Caramel Cake

DOUBLE CARAMEL CAKE!! I don’t even know what else to say other than YUM!

Double Caramel Cake

Ingredients 

For the Cake:

• 1/3 cup plus 1-1/4 cups granulated sugar, divided use
• 1/4 cup boiling water
• 3/4 cup vegan butter (Earth Balance)
• 3 eggs
• 3 cups sifted gluten free flour
• 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the Caramel Frosting:

• 3 cups light brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons half and half
• 1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) vegan butter (Earth Balance)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. To make the cake, melt the one-third cup sugar in a heavy skillet, stirring constantly until deep-brown syrup is formed.
2. Remove from heat and slowly stir in boiling water, being careful that steam does not burn your hand. Set syrup aside to cool.
3. Preheat oven to 375ºF. Grease two 9-inch cake pans, place parchment paper in the bottoms, then grease and flour the bottoms and sides.
4. Cream vegan butter in bowl of electric mixer. Add 11/4 cups sugar and continue to beat until light and fluffy.
5. Add eggs one at a time, beating until each is well-incorporated. Stir in 4 tablespoons of the reserved syrup.
6. Sift together the gluten free flour, baking powder and salt. Combine coconut milk and vanilla. Add flour mixture to the batter alternately with the milk mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Beat until smooth.
7. Divide batter evenly among the two prepared pans and bake 25 minutes, or until wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
8. While the cake is baking, prepare the frosting.
9. Mix sugar and half and half in a heavy saucepan and cook, stirring over low heat until syrup reaches the soft-ball stage, 235ºF on a candy thermometer. If lacking a thermometer, check doneness by dropping a tiny bit of syrup into a cup of cold water. When the syrup can be gathered up in fingers and will almost hold its shape, it has reached the soft-ball stage.
10. Remove pan from heat. Stir in butter, then let syrup cool. Add vanilla and beat until frosting reaches spreading consistency. A little cream (or half-and-half) may be added is mixture is too thick.
11. Remove pans from oven and let stand about 10 minutes, then turn out cakes onto wire rack, peel off paper and cool completely.
12. Place one layer on a plate or cake pan. Frost with a thin layer of caramel frosting. Place top layer on and frost with the rest of the frosting.

ENJOY!

Kwegyirba Croffie is a freelance Associate Producer at News 12 Connecticut and a Special Events/Event Planning and Social Media Intern at College Lifestyles (TM). She is a Quinnipiac University alumni and a sister of Alpha Delta Pi. She enjoy cupcakes,Broadway musicals, Forever 21 ,giraffes, peacock feathers, orchids, lillies and anything Disney.

Bananas Foster on a Crispy Tortilla Shell

Bananas Foster on a Crispy Tortilla Shell

Reminiscent of New Orleans, this class dish is typically served on vanilla (or even rum raisin or pecan) ice cream and it is FABULOUS! By placing the bananas and ice cream on a crispy, salty piece of baked tortilla, you’ve added another level of delight. 

Ingredients

For the Tortilla Shell

• 1 gluten free tortilla, such as Food for Life or La Tortilla Factory
• 1 tablespoon unsalted vegan butter, such as Earth Balance, melted 

For the Banana Foster Sauce

• 1/3 cup unsalted vegan butter, such as Earth Balance
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 light corn syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon dark rum (or rum extract)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 ripe, but firm medium bananas
• 1 pint gluten free vanilla ice cream, such as Ben & Jerry’s, or Häagen-Dazs (or for you dairy free darlings any vanilla non-dairy ice cream)

1. Make the tortilla shells: Place a rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Brush the top of the whole tortilla with melted butter. Cut the tortilla into quarters with kitchen scissors and place the quarters on a foil-lined baking sheet or pizza pan (not nonstick). Lay an oven-proof wire rack (the kind used under roasts) over the tortillas to prevent them from curling.
2. Bake the tortilla chips for 3 to 5 minutes or just until they look golden brown. Watch carefully because they CAN BURN QUICKLY. Remove them from the oven, sprinkle very lightly with salt, and let cool while making the caramel-rum sauce.
3. Make the caramel-rum sauce: In a medium skillet, combine the butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt over medium heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove skillet from heat and stir in rum and vanilla.
4. Peel bananas, cut into 1/2 inch slices, and to caramel mixture in skillet. Return skillet to low heat and cook gently just until bananas are heated trough.
5. Place the 4 tortilla quarters on 4 dessert plates. Spoon 1/2 cup ice cream on each tortilla quarter. Drizzle banana-caramel mixture on each and serve immediately

MMMM MMMM!

Kwegyirba Croffie is a freelance Associate Producer at News 12 Connecticut and a Special Events/Event Planning and Social Media Intern at College Lifestyles (TM). She is a Quinnipiac University alumni and a sister of Alpha Delta Pi. She enjoy cupcakes,Broadway musicals, Forever 21 ,giraffes, peacock feathers, orchids, lillies and anything Disney.

Brown Sugar Pound Cake

When I use sugar in the recipes I make, I always use Domino brand sugar. Great granulated, brown and powdered sugar for any kind of recipe or drink use. Here is a great brown sugar pound cake recipe from using delicious light brown sugar. 

Brown Sugar Pound Cake

Ingredients

For the Pound Cake:

• 1 cup packed Domino Light Brown Sugar
• 1 cup buttery spread or margarine, softened
• 4 eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups gluten free all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Fresh fruit

Sweetened Whipped Cream:

• 1 cup  heavy whipping cream
• Domino Confectioners Sugar, to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Grease and flour 9x5x3-inch loaf pan.
3. In large bowl, beat sugar and buttery spread or margarine until fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time.
4. Add vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine gluten free flour, baking powder and salt.
5. Gradually add to sugar mixture. Pour batter into pan. Bake one hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
6. Remove from pan and turn out on rack to cool completely. Top with whipped cream and fruit.
7. Place cream in chilled bowl. Beat until foamy. Add Domino Confectioners Sugar and vanilla. Beat until stiff.

Pound cake is GREAT with ice cream. It’s one of mine and my dad’s favorite combinations and sure to be yours if you haven’t had it already ENJOY!

Visit Domino Sugar for more great recipes! From cake and cookies to candy, frosting, glazes and even salads, they have recipes for all sorts of tastes and seasons.

Kwegyirba Croffie is a freelance Associate Producer at News 12 Connecticut and a Special Events/Event Planning and Social Media Intern at College Lifestyles (TM). She is a Quinnipiac University alumni and a member of Alpha Delta Pi. She enjoy cupcakes,Broadway musicals, Forever 21 ,giraffes, peacock feathers, orchids, lillies and anything Disney.