Lemon Yogurt Cake

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 c. plain whole-milk yogurt
1 1/3 c. sugar, divided
3 lg. eggs
2 tsp. grated lemon zest
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1/3 c. freshly squeezed lemon juice

Glaze:
1 c. confectioners’ sugar
2 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a metal loaf pan.

In a small mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, whisk together yogurt, 1 c. sugar, eggs, lemon zest, and vanilla extract. Whisk in dry ingredients. Add vegetable oil to bowl and fold into the batter with a rubber spatula until completely incorporated. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for about 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.

Meanwhile, combine 1/3 c. lemon juice and remaining 1/3 c. sugar in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until sugar dissolves and mixture is clear. Set aside.

When cake is done, allow to cool in pan for 10 minutes. Carefully place on a baking rack over a sheet pan. While cake is still warm, pour lemon syrup over cake and allow to soak in. Cool.
To make glaze, whisk together confectioners’ sugar and lemon juice. Drizzle over cake. Garnish finished cake with fresh berries, if desired.

New York Cheesecake

Crust:
5 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted, plus 1 additional tbsp., melted (for greasing the pan)
4 oz. (approx. 8 whole) graham crackers, broken into rough pieces and processed into fine, even crumbs*
1 tbsp. sugar

(*Note – if you have a kitchen scale, definitely weigh the graham crackers. The amount is usually significantly different than the number of whole crackers they suggest. Of course, it varies depending on size/brand of cracker.)

Cheesecake:
2 1/2 lb. (5 8-oz. pkgs.) cream cheese, cut into 1-inch chunks, at room temperature
1/8 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. sugar
1/3 c. sour cream
2 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 lg. egg yolks plus 6 large eggs, at room temperature

To make crust, adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat oven to 325°F. Brush bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan with 1/2 tbsp. melted butter. In a medium bowl combine graham cracker crumbs, 5 tbsp. melted butter, and sugar. Toss with a fork until crumbs are evenly moistened. Transfer crumbs to springform pan and use the bottom of a ramekin to firmly press crumbs evenly into pan bottom. Bake until fragrant and beginning to brown around the edges, about 13 minutes. Cool on a wire rack while preparing filling.

Increase oven temperature to 500°F. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese at medium-low speed to break up and soften it slightly, about 1 minute. Scrape beater and bottom and sides of bowl well with a rubber spatula; add salt and about half of the sugar and beat at medium-low speed until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape bowl; beat in remaining sugar until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape bowl; add sour cream, lemon juice, and vanilla. Beat at low speed until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape bowl; add egg yolks and beat at medium-low speed until thoroughly combined, about 1 minute. Scrape bowl; add remaining eggs 2 at a time, beating until thoroughly combined, about 1 minute, scraping bowl between additions.

Brush the sides of the springform pan with the remaining 1/2 tbsp. melted butter. Set pan on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any spills in case the pan leaks. Pour filling into cooled crust and bake 10 minutes; without opening the oven door, reduce oven temperature to 200°F and continue to bake until cheesecake reads about 150°F on an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center, about 1 1/2 hours. Transfer cake to a wire rack and cool until barely warm, 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Run a paring knife between cake and springform pan sides. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold, at least 3 hours.

To unmold cheesecake, remove sides of pan. Slide a thin metal spatula between crust and the bottom of pan to loosen, then slide cake onto a serving plate. Let cheesecake stand at room temperature about 30 minutes, then cut into wedges and serve. (Use a long, thin, sharp knife that has been run under hot water and then dried for slicing. Wipe the blade clean and rewarm between slices.)

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Cake:
12 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 c. sugar
3 eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/4 c. sour cream
2 1/2 c. cake flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Streusel:
1/4 c. light brown sugar, packed
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
3 to 4 tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
3/4 c. chopped walnuts, optional

Maple Glaze:
1/2 c. confectioners’ sugar
2 tbsp. real maple syrup

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan.

Cream the butter sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment on medium-high speed for 4 to 5 minutes, until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, then add vanilla and sour cream, scraping down bowl between additions. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low, add flour mixture to batter until just combined.

To make streusel, place brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl and mix together with a fork. Add butter and pinch together with your fingers until it forms a crumble. Mix in walnuts, if desired.

Spoon half of the batter into prepared pan and spread it out with a knife. Sprinkle with 3/4 c. streusel mixture. Spoon the rest of the batter into the pan, spread it out, and sprinkle with remaining streusel. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes. Carefully transfer cake, streusel side up, onto a serving plate. Whisk together confectioners’ sugar and maple syrup, adding a few drops of water if necessary to make it runny. Drizzle as much glaze as you'd like over the cake with the whisk, a fork, or a spoon.

Lazy Wife Cake

1 1/2 c. pastry flour
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla
3 tbsp. cocoa
1 c. white sugar
7 tbsp. oil
1 tbsp. vinegar
1 c. cold water

Sift dry ingredients into a 9x9-inch ungreased cake pan. Mix with fork. Make three holes in dry ingredients. Into one pour the vanilla, the next the oil, and into the third the vinegar. Pour cold water over all. Mix with fork. Do not beat. Bake at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes or until done.

Pumpkin Pound Cake with Cream Cheese Icing

Cake:
2 c. all-purpose flour
2 c. sugar
2 tsp. baking soda
4 eggs
1 tbsp. cinnamon
1 c. oil
1/4 tsp. salt
2 c. pumpkin (about 16 oz.)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix ingredients well. Grease tube or Bundt pan and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Cool completely and frost.

Icing:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
1 box confectioners' sugar
1 stick butter, softened

Mix all ingredients together and spread on cake.

Dark and White Chocolate Layer Cake

Dark Chocolate Cake:
1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 c. dark cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 c. milk
1/2 c. vegetable oil
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. boiling water

White Chocolate Whipped Cream:
6 oz. white chocolate, finely chopped
1 1/2 c. cold heavy cream

Whipped Cream Frosting:
1 c. cold heavy cream
4 tbsp. confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Fresh strawberries, for filling and garnishing

To make cake, preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour the sides of two 9-inch round cake pans, and line the bottom of each with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In the bowl of a stand mixer combine sugar, eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla; mix at medium-low speed until smooth. Add in dry ingredients and mix on low speed until just incorporated. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin).

Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow cakes to cool in pans for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of each cake, remove cakes from pans, and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. When cake has cooled, cut each in half horizontally to create four cake layers.

To make white chocolate whipped cream, place chopped white chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Melt, stirring occasionally. When chocolate is almost melted, bring 1/2 c. cream to a boil. Once chocolate is fully melted, transfer bowl to a counter, pour in hot cream and let it sit for one minute. Then stir gently with a spatula until chocolate is smooth. Let chocolate sit until it reaches room temperature - the chocolate can’t be the least bit warm when it is added to the whipped cream.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat remaining 1 c. cream only until it holds the softest peaks. With mixer on high speed, add white chocolate all at once and continue to beat just until the mixture holds firm peaks. Transfer cream to a bowl, press a piece of plastic wrap gently against the surface, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

To make whipped cream frosting, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat cream, sugar, and vanilla together just until cream starts to thicken. Start on a slower speed and increase speed as cream gains texture. Continue to beat until cream holds stiff peaks. Be very careful not to overbeat.

To assemble cake, transfer one of the cake layers to a 10-inch cardboard circle, cut surface up. Spread a thick layer of white chocolate whipped cream on top of the cake. Layer with fresh strawberry slices. Lay another cake layer on top of the cream and berries, and press down gently. Top as before with white chocolate whipped cream and berries. Repeat once more with another cake layer and topping. Place the final cake layer on top, cut side down, and press down gently. Frost cake with whipped cream frosting and garnish with fresh berries as desired.

Vegan Chocolate Cake

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3 tbsp. cocoa powder
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1 tbsp. vinegar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. cold water

Mix flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder in large mixing bowl. Add oil, vinegar, and vanilla. Pour water over all and mix thoroughly with a fork or electric mixer, scraping sides and bottom often.

Pour into 8-inch square pan and bake at 350°F for 30 to 35 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean.

Recipe can be doubled. Cake can be dry, so if desired, add a can of cherry pie filling to recipe.

Cream Cheese Frosting

2 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. butter, softened
2 c. sifted confectioners' sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract

In medium bowl, cream together cream cheese and butter until well-combined. Mix in vanilla, then gradually stir in confectioners' sugar. Store in refrigerator after use.

Yellow Cake

3/4 c. butter, softened
3 eggs
2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 3/4 c. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/4 c. milk

Allow butter and eggs to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, grease and lightly flour two 8- or 9-inch round cake pans or one 9 x 13-inch cake pan. Set pans aside. In a medium bowl stir together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Gradually add sugar, about 1/4 c. at a time, beating on medium speed until well-combined, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes more. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating after each addition (about 1 minute total). Beat in vanilla. Alternately add flour mixture and milk to butter mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Spread batter into prepared pan(s).

Bake at 375°F for 20 to 25 minutes for 9-inch pans, 30 to 35 minutes for 8-inch pans, 25 to 30 minutes for a 9 x 13-inch pan, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool cake layers in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove cake layers from pans; cool thoroughly on racks. Frost with desired frosting.

Molten Chocolate Cakes

4 oz. bittersweet chocolate
8 tbsp. (1 stick) unsalted butter
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
1/3 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tbsp. cake flour

Melt butter and chocolate in double boiler. Whip eggs, yolks, sugar, and vanilla with a mixer for about 10 minutes on high speed. Fold melted chocolate and butter into egg mixture. Fold in flour until just combined. Butter and sugar 4 6-oz. ramekins, then spoon mixture into ramekins. Bake at 450°F for 9 to 10 minutes. The center will be quite soft, but top and sides will be set. Let sit out of the oven for about 5 minutes, then unmold onto a plate. Serve with a few raspberries and whipped cream. Makes 4 servings, but recipe is easily halved.

Lemon Poppyseed Pound Cake

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
12 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 c. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp. poppy seeds
2 eggs, at room temperature
1/2 c. sour cream, at room temperature

Preheat oven to 325°F. Lightly grease loaf pan (preferably glass) and dust with flour, shaking to remove excess.

In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt until blended. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together butter, sugar, vanilla, lemon zest, lemon juice, and poppy seeds until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until just blended. Sprinkle half of flour mixture over egg mixture and stir until both are just incorporated. Stir in sour cream, then sprinkle with remaining flour mixture and stir until evenly distributed.

Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth out the top. Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 70 minutes. Keep an eye on the cake near the end of baking and cover loosely with foil if necessary to prevent over-browning. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool 15 minutes.

Run a knife around inside of pan, invert cake onto rack, and lift off pan. Place cake on one of its sides and continue cooling. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Pumpkin Cake with Butterscotch Filling and Brown Sugar Icing

Cake:
2 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. pumpkin puree
1 c. buttermilk
2 sticks unsalted butter
1 c. tightly packed light brown sugar
1 c. sugar
4 lg. eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Filling:
3/4 c. heavy cream
3/4 c. sugar
1/4 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 stick unsalted butter, cut into 4 - 1 oz. pieces
3/4 c. chopped nuts, such as pecans or walnuts (optional)

Icing:
2 c. tightly packed light brown sugar
1 c. heavy cream
2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into 8 - 1 oz. pieces
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar

Line bottoms of two round 9-inch cake pans with parchment paper. Grease parchment, as well as sides of pans. Preheat oven to 325°F. Center a rack in the oven.

To make cake, combine flour, baking soda, spices, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside. In a small bowl, combine pumpkin puree and buttermilk and mix until smooth. Set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugars. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl. Increase to high speed and beat for an additional 2 minutes. Scrate down sides of bowl. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well, and scraping down sides of bowl between additions. Add vanilla extract and beat on high for 30 seconds. With mixer running on low speed, alternate adding dry and wet ingredients. Mix until just combined. Remove bowl from mixer and use a rubber spatula to finish mixing batter, until smooth and thoroughly combined.

Immediately divide batter between prepared cake pans, spreading evenly. Bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Allow to cool in pans 10 minutes. Invert onto wire cooling rack and allow to cool completely.

To make filling, heat cream in a saucepan over medium-low heat until hot (do not allow to boil or simmer). Combine sugar and lemon juice in a separate saucepan and stir with a whisk to combine (sugar will resemble moist sand). Caramelize sugar for 4 to 5 minutes over medium-high heat, stirring constantly with a whisk to break up any lumps. Remove saucepan from heat. Add hot cream, one half at a time. Add butter, one piece at a time, stirring to incorporate completely before adding next piece. Cool in refrigerator 45 minutes. Place in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment and beat on high speed for 2 minutes until light (but not fluffy). Add chopped nuts and stir to incorporate. Set aside.

To make icing, heat brown sugar, heavy cream, 2 - 1 oz. pieces of butter, and cream of tartar in a 2- or 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, while bringing mixture to a boil. Allow mixture to continue boiling while stirring constantly for 2 minutes. Transfer bubbling hot mixture to stainless steel bowl and allow to stand at room temperature for 1 hour before proceeding. Place cooled mixture in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Increase speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes, adding 6 remaining pieces of butter one at a time, until incorporated. Scrape down sides of bowl. Increase speed to high and beat for an additional 2 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl and beat on high for an additional 1 minute until light and fluffy.

To assemble cake, place one of the pumpkin cake layers on a cake platter or a cardboard cake circle. Spread butterscotch filling evenly on top of cake. Top with remaining layer of cake, pressing down firmly. Frost sides and top of cake with brown sugar icing. Use remaining frosting to pipe decorative accents onto top and bottom edge of cake. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before cutting and serving.

Raspberry Sour Cream Crumb Cake

Crumb Topping:
1 c. all-purpose flour
2/3 c. granulated sugar
Grated zest of 1 lemon
8 tbsp. (1 stick) butter, melted

Cake:
1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. granulated sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
3 eggs
1 c. sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 c. fresh raspberries
Confectioners' sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 10-inch springform pan.

To make crumb topping, in small bowl, stir together flour, sugar, and lemon zest. Add melted butter and stir with fork until mixture is crumbly. Set aside.

To make cake, in a bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, whisk together eggs, sour cream, and vanilla until well-blended. Make a well in the center of flour mixture and add sour cream mixture. Beat until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Spoon batter into prepared pan and spread evenly. Cover evenly with raspberries. Sprinkle crumb topping evenly over berries. Bake until topping is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean, 38 to 42 minutes. Transfer pan to wire rack and let cool 20 minutes. Remove sides of springform pan. Dust cake with confectioners' sugar and serve warm or at room temperature, cut into wedges. Makes one 10-inch cake.

Chocolate Buttercream Cake

Cake:
1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 c. unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 c. granulated sugar
2/3 c. light brown sugar, packed
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. buttermilk, at room temperature
1/2 c. sour cream, at room temperature
1 tsp. espresso powder
2 tbsp. milk

Frosting:
10 oz. bittersweet chocolate
8 oz. semisweet chocolate
1/2 c. egg whites (3 extra-large eggs), at room temperature
1 c. granulated sugar
Pinch of cream of tartar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 lb. unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. espresso powder, dissolved in 1 tsp. water

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter two 8-inch round cake pans. Line bottoms with parchment paper. Butter the paper and dust pans with flour, knocking out any excess.

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars on high speed until light, approximately 5 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well. Combine buttermilk, sour cream, and coffee. On low speed, add flour mixture and buttermilk mixture alternately in thirds, beginning with buttermilk mixture and ending with flour mixture. Mix the batter only until blended. Divide batter between two pans and smooth tops with a spatula. Bake on middle rack of oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes on a rack, remove from pans, and allow finish cooling.

To make frosting, chop chocolates and melt in a bowl over simmering water until smooth. Allow to cool. Mix egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk. Heat egg white mixture in bowl over simmering water until warm to the touch, about 5 minutes. Whisk on high speed for 5 minutes or until meringue is cool and holds a stiff pea. Add butter, 1 tbsp. at a time, while beating on medium speed. Scrape down bowl; add chocolate, vanilla, and espresso and mix for 1 minute or until chocolate is completely blended in. If buttercream seems very soft, allow to cool and beat again.

To frost cake, place one layer on a serving plate, flat side up. Frost top layer with buttercream. Place second layer on top, also flat side up, and frost top and sides.

Zebra Cake

4 lg. eggs
1 c. sugar
1 c. milk
1 c. vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. almond extract
2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
2 1/2 tbsp. cocoa powder

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9-inch round cake pan with a circle of parchment paper. Lightly grease bottom and sides of pan.

In a large bowl, mix together eggs and sugar until mixture is light and creamy and sugar has been mostly dissolved. Stir in milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla and almond extracts. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Pour into wet ingredients and whisk to combine. Measure out just over two cups of vanilla batter and put it back into the medium bowl. Sift cocoa powder over bowl and whisk until fully incorporated.

Put 3 tbsp. vanilla batter into center of pan and let it spread out slightly on its own. Put 3 tbsp. chocolate batter in center of vanilla. It will push out the other and, as it sits for a moment, will also spread itself. Alternating spoonfuls of the two batters, repeat technique until all batter has been used up.

Bake for 38 to 42 minutes, until cake is light gold and a tester inserted in center of cake comes out clean.

Let cake cool in pan for 10 to 15 minutes, then turn out cake and remove parchment paper. Re-invert onto wire rack and let cool completely. Frost if desired.