Caramelized-Apple Spice Cake

Caramelized-Apple

Spice Cake

Martha Stewart

Apples caramelized in butter and an array of fall spices lend a unique character to this exceptionally moist cake, which lies hidden beneath a mantle of brown-sugar buttercream. Marzipan garnishes -- tinted gold -- make a festive finish.

Ingredients

Serves 12 to 14

• 2 1/2 sticks (20 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans
• 1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise
• 2 pounds Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and grated on the large holes of a box grater (4 cups)
• 1/2 cup apple cider
• 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 cup packed dark-brown sugar
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 1/4 cups pecan halves (5 ounces), toasted dark and finely ground in a food processor
• Brown-Sugar Swiss Meringue Buttercream
• Gold Marzipan Pumpkins, Leaves, and Acorns

Directions

1. Put 1/2 stick butter into a large nonstick skillet. Using the tip of a paring knife, scrape seeds from vanilla bean into skillet, and toss in pod. Cook over medium heat until butter is lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Stir in apples, cider, and 1 cup granulated sugar. Raise heat to medium-high, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes. Reduce heat to low, and cook until apples are golden and translucent and liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Discard vanilla pod. Let cool.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 8-by-2-inch round cake pans. Dust with flour, and tap out excess. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. Reserve 1/4 cup flour mixture.
3. Beat remaining 2 sticks butter, remaining 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, and the brown sugar with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Reduce speed to medium, and add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Reduce speed to low. Beat in flour mixture in 2 batches, alternating with the sour cream and scraping bowl as needed. Add remaining 1/4 cup flour mixture to apple mixture, and toss. Fold in apple mixture and pecans.
4. Divide batter between prepared pans. Bake until tops are dark golden brown and a toothpick inserted into centers comes out clean, 55 to 65 minutes. Let cool for 30 minutes on a wire rack. Run a knife around edges of cakes to loosen. Unmold cakes, and let cool, right side up, on rack. (Cakes can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for up to 3 days.)
5. Assemble cake: Trim each cake so it's 1 3/4 inches high. Place 1 cake, cut side up, on a cake stand. Spread 1 1/2 cups buttercream over top. Place remaining cake, cut side down, on top. Spread 1 cup buttercream over entire cake. Refrigerate until firm, about 45 minutes. Spread remaining frosting over cake. (Cake can be refrigerated, uncovered, overnight.)
6. Before serving, decorate with marzipan pumpkins, acorns, and leaves.

Velvet Cocoa Cake with Instant Buttercream

Velvet Cocoa Cake with Instant Buttercream Martha Stewart Prep: 35 minutes Total: 1 hour 15 minutes To make decorative icing lines, gently drag the rounded end of a butter knife up the sides and across the top of the cake. Note: To melt chocolate, heat in the microwave for 15-second intervals until almost melted, then stir to finish melting. The cake can be frosted in advance and refrigerated.

Ingredients Serves 12. FOR THE CAKE 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans 3/4 cup cocoa powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 cup granulated sugar 1 cup light-brown sugar 3 large eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 1/2 cups buttermilk FOR THE BUTTERCREAM 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 2 jars (7.5 ounces each) marshmallow cream 2/3 cup cocoa powder 2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted and cooled 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Directions Make the cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and lightly flour two 9-inch round cake pans. In a bowl, whisk flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until well incorporated. Beat in vanilla. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in three additions, alternating with buttermilk and beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Scrape bowl as needed. Pour batter into pans. Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes before inverting cakes onto rack to cool completely. Make the buttercream: In mixing bowl, beat butter and marshmallow cream until fluffy. Beat in cocoa, chocolate, vanilla, and 1 tablespoon water. If too thin, refrigerate about 5 minutes. Place one layer on platter. Spread top with 1 cup buttercream. Place second layer on top. Frost entire cake with remaining buttercream.

Dark-Chocolate Cake with Ganache Frosting

Dark-Chocolate

Cake with

Ganache Frosting

Martha Stewart

This dense cake offers an intense chocolate experience, complete with fudgy frosting.

Prep: 45 minutes
Total: 1 1/2 hours, plus cooling

Ingredients

Serves 16

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans
• 1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa (spooned and leveled), plus more for pans
• 2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups packed light-brown sugar
• 2 large eggs plus 2 large egg yolks, room temperature
• 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup low-fat buttermilk
• Dark-Chocolate Ganache

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350. Butter two 8-inch round cake pans; dust with cocoa, tapping out excess. Line bottom of each pan with a round of parchment paper; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition; beat in chocolate and vanilla. With mixer on low, alternately add flour mixture in three parts and buttermilk in two, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
3. Divide batter between prepared pans; smooth tops. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a cake comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Cool in pans 15 minutes; run a knife around edge of each pan, and invert cakes onto a wire rack to cool completely.
4. Set a rimmed baking sheet upside down on a work surface. Place one cake on sheet, and spread top with 1/3 of ganache. Place second cake on top, and spread remaining ganache over top and sides of cake. Using two wide metal spatulas, carefully transfer frosted cake to a serving platter.

Dark-Chocolate Ganache

Dark-Chocolate Ganache
Martha Stewart

Use this rich dark-chocolate ganache with our dark-chocolate cake for a devilish indulgence. Be sure to have a glass of milk handy!

Ingredients

* 2 cups heavy cream
* 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
* 1/8 teaspoon salt
* 1 pound bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped


Directions

1. In a large saucepan, bring 2 cups heavy cream, 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, and 1/8 teaspoon salt to a boil. Remove from heat; add 1 pound bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped, and let stand, without stirring, for 1 minute. Whisk just until combined. Refrigerate, stirring occasionally, until spreadable, about 1 hour.

No-Bake Birthday Cake

No-Bake Birthday Cake Martha Stewart This kid-pleasing marshmallow-and-crisp-rice cereal confection has a sweet secret: chocolate-marshmallow icing inside. Cereal bits give it a festive trim. Candies in cupcake liners decorate each plate. Prepare the Basic Crisp-Rice Treats, then follow the molding instructions below to make the cake.
Ingredients Makes one 8-inch, 2-layer cake; serves 8 . Vegetable-oil cooking spray Crispy Cake Basic Recipe Chocolate-Marshmallow Frosting Flower- and ball-shaped cereal pieces	Directions Coat two 8-by-2-inch round cake pans with cooking spray. Prepare crisp-rice mixture; before pouring into pan, reserve 2 tablespoons for patching cake, and set aside, covered. Divide remaining crisp-rice mixture among prepared cake pans. Press into pans with greased fingers to level. Let cool until set, at least 30 minutes. Run a knife around edges of cakes to loosen; unmold onto parchment paper. While frosting is still warm, pour onto center of 1 cake layer, and spread evenly to edges. Let stand 10 minutes. Place second cake layer on top; press down gently. Using reserved pieces of crisp-rice mixture, patch edges where frosting is visible. Decorate with cereal, arranging pieces around top,middle, and bottom edges. Let cake stand until firm enough to slice, at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours. After 2 hours, wrap cake in plastic wrap to prevent it from getting too hard to slice. Chocolate- Marshmallow Frosting The cereal-and-marshmallow layers of this birthday cake don't need baking. Inside is a fluffy filling made of melted chocolate and marshmallows. Ingredients Makes enough to fill 1 crisp-rice cake . 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter 4 1/2 cups mini marshmallows (7 1/2 ounces) 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips Directions Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add marshmallows; cook, stirring, until just beginning to melt. Add chocolate and stir until smooth.

Green Juice

Green Juice

Martha Stewart

Ingredients

Makes about 3 cups.

• 2 heaping cups spinach, washed and dried
• 2 English cucumbers
• 1 green pear, such as Anjou, halved
• 2 slices lemon
• 1 (1-inch) piece of ginger

Directions

1. Press all ingredients through a juice extractor. Stir, and drink immediately.

Watermelon Juice

Watermelon Juice

Martha Stewart

Ingredients

• 2 pounds seedless watermelon, rind removed and cut into wedges
• 2 sprigs fresh mint or basil

Directions

1. Press all ingredients through a juice extractor. Stir, and drink immediately.