Baking and Confections – Page 2 – Zoom Yummy

plum cake recipe with step by step picture tutorial

When I was a kid, cakes like this one were on our table very often.

My lovely Mom used to make them.

They were filled with any fruit that was in season. And during the months of winter, Mom would use just about any canned fruit she had on hand.

So, whether you use plums, cherries or any kind of berries to make this sponge cake with fruit, you’ll be amazed by a very nice flavor it has and how surprisingly easy it is to prepare it.

Here’s what we need.

1. First, preheat the oven to 350 °F (175 °C).

2. Separate the eggs placing the yolks in one bowl and the whites in another.

Use larger bowls.

3. Pour the sugar into the egg yolks and beat until thick and pale in color.

Try your best not to eat this all.

Oh my gosh, it’s so good.

Or is it just me?

plum cake recipe with step by step picture tutorial, add the butter and mix until fluffy

4. Then add the butter and mix until fluffy.

plum cake recipe with step by step picture tutorial, in a small bowl, combine the flour and baking powder, add it to the egg-yolk mixture, mix to combine

5. Next, in a small bowl, combine the flour and baking powder. Add it to the egg-yolk mixture. Mix to combine.

plum cake recipe with step by step picture tutorial, using a cleaned whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites

6. Then, using a cleaned whisk attachment, whisk the whites…

plum cake recipe with step by step picture tutorial, whisk the egg white until they hold stiff peaks

…until they hold stiff peaks.

7. Add the whites into the egg-yolk batter.

Small lumps of egg whites in the batter are okay.

plum cake recipe with step by step picture tutorial, spray a baking pan with cooking spray and dust it lightly with flour, scrape the batter into the prepared pan

8. Spray a baking pan with cooking spray and dust it lightly with flour.

9. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan.

I used a 13 x 9-inch (33 x 22 cm) baking pan. This cake will rise a lot, so if you are going for a less tall version, use a larger baking pan.

plum cake recipe with step by step picture tutorial, spread out the batter evenly

10. Spread out the batter evenly.

plum cake recipe with step by step picture tutorial, cut the plums into halves, or if you are using canned plum, drain them

11. Now cut the plums in, halves. Or, if you are using canned plums, drain them.

plum cake recipe with step by step picture tutorial, evenly arrange the halved plums on top of the batter

12. Evenly arrange the halved plums on top of the batter.

plum cake recipe with step by step picture tutorial, bake at 350 F - 175 C for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean

13. Bake at 350 °F (175 °C) for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

plum cake recipe with step by step picture tutorial, remove from the oven and let cool, then dust with a little confectioners' sugar and cut into squares

14. Remove from the oven and let cool.

14. Then dust with a little confectioner’s sugar and cut into squares.

plum cake recipe with step by step picture tutorial

And most importantly, enjoy, dear friends!

(This cake takes about 45 minutes to prepare.)

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Christmas Bowtie Cookies recipe with step by step pictures

I am sending you warm greetings from my kitchen.

Because I luv ya!

And because the running oven makes it really, really warm in here.

The time before Christmas has a sweet and magical impact on me. I find myself in the kitchen even more often than usual.

Which actually means that instead of 14 hours a day I spend 20 hours here now.

Like yesterday, for example, I made 82 cookies and I don’t even know how that happened to me.

Strange.

Anyhow, these lovely Bowtie Cookies were one of those I made yesterday.

The dough has cream cheese in it. It remotely resembles puff pastry, but it is less layered and less fatty. And oh so delicious!

The dough is filled with jam. You wouldn’t believe how gorgeous that combination is.

Let me show you how I prepared them…

Christmas Bowtie Cookies recipe with step by step pictures, ingredients

Here’s what we need.

Christmas Bowtie Cookies recipe with step by step pictures

1. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat together the cream cheese, butter, sugar, and salt on medium speed until light, about 2 minutes.

2. Then on low speed, gradually beat in the flour just until mixed. A crumbly mixture will form.

Christmas Bowtie Cookies recipe with step by step pictures, using your hands, pat the crumbly mixture together to from a dough ball

3. Using your hands, pat the crumbly mixture together to form a dough ball.

Oh, and the face – I had to. Again. It’s addictive. Sorry!

Christmas Bowtie Cookies recipe with step by step pictures, preaheat the oven and line a baking sheet with parchment paper, on a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a square or rectangle, cut the dough into even square

4. Preheat the oven to 350 °F (175 °C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

5. Now, on a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a square or rectangle about 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick.

6. Cut the dough into even 2.5 x 2.5 inch (6 x 6 cm) squares.

Christmas Bowtie Cookies recipe with step by step pictures, cutting dough with pizza cutter

I’ve found out that my pizza cutter works best when it comes to cutting pastry.

It’s perfectly sharp.

And pink.

I’m in love with it!

Christmas Bowtie Cookies recipe with step by step pictures, place 1 teaspoon of filling in the center of each square

7. Place 1 teaspoon of the filling in the center of each square.

Use a really thick jam. There are even jam brands out there that are meant for baking. Get one of those, preferably.

Also, when I was making the first batch of these cookies I was a little too generous and placed a little more than one teaspoon of the filling in the center. And I also spread it.

Christmas Bowtie Cookies recipe with step by step pictures

I don’t recommend that.

Christmas Bowtie Cookies recipe with step by step pictures

Although the cookies looked amazing before baking, if there’s too much jam, it has a tendency to leak while baking.

Christmas Bowtie Cookies recipe with step by step pictures

In the second batch I was less generous.

Christmas Bowtie Cookies recipe with step by step pictures, bake

And the cookies leaked less, they almost didn’t leak at all.

7. Back to the instructions… pull 2 opposite corners of the square into the middle, and pinch the edges together to seal.

Pinch the edges well, don’t give them a chance to open back into the square shape while baking.

Christmas Bowtie Cookies recipe with step by step pictures

8. Place the cookies on the prepared cookie sheet, spacing them about 1 1/2 inches (4 cm) apart.

9. Bake at 350 °F (175 °C) for about 12 minutes or until lightly golden.

Christmas Bowtie Cookies recipe with step by step pictures

10. Let cool on the cookie sheet for 1 to 2 minutes, then transfer to wire racks.

11. Dust the tops with sifted confectioner’s sugar while still warm, then let cool completely.

Enjoy, dear friends!

(This recipe was loosely adapted from Epicurious.com and makes 40 cookies.)

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