cake

• Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Line 9-inch pan with foil extended up all four sides. Apply nonstick spray.
• Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat together butter, sugar, and lemon zest until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add eggs and almond extract.
• To the mixing bowl, alternatively add the flour mixture and the ricotta. Batter will be thick.
• Pour it into the prepared pan. Level off with an uneven spatula. Sprinkle sliced almonds to cover the top.
• Bake for 33 to 38 minutes, until the middle passes the toothpick test.
• Cool in pan for at least 45 minutes, then use foil to lift it onto a rack to completely cool at room temperature.
• Make glaze and drizzle across the top. Let set for 30 minutes before cutting. Cake will keep at least two days at room temperature, or pieces can be individually wrapped and frozen for later.

OM NOM NOM!

• Preheat oven at 325-degrees. Cut a piece of parchment to fit the base of a 9-inch springform pan. Spray pan with nonstick spray, place paper cut-out inside, then spray that as well. Set aside.
• Make the frangipane. In a bowl, beat the butter until it’s creamy. Add the rest of the ingredients to combine well. Set aside.
• Make the batter. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until they are fluffy. In a stand mixer, this will be 3 to 4 minutes. Add the egg followed by the extracts,
• In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients into the butter-batter alternatively with the milk. Scrape the bottom of the bowl often.
• Scoop about 1 cup of the batter into the pan and even out with an offset spatula. Measure out about 1 cup of the frangipane. Use two spring-loaded cookie scoops (tablespoon or teaspoon-sized, or without those, use a normal tablespoon and get your fingers dirty), scoop from the 1 cup frangipane and the batter to create a checkerboard pattern of dollops atop of base. Continue to alternate in a second layer, using up the rest of the batter as well as the 1 cup frangipane. Use a butter knife to swirl through them to create a slight marbled effect. Tap the pan on the counter a few times to knock out bubbles.
• Use a scoop to place the rest of the frangipane on the top of the cake. Even out with offset spatula. Place the berries atop the frangipane, then sprinkle the almonds all over to coat.
• Bake until the cake has set edges, about 50 minutes to 1 hour. An instant-read thermometer plunged into the middle should read over 202-degrees. Let cool in pan 10 minutes, then release the side clasp. Continue to cool the cake on the metal base until room temperature. Add a sprinkle of confectioners' sugar to pretty it up for serving.
• Cake will keep covered for up to 2 days at room temperature. It can also be individually sliced and frozen for later enjoyment.

OM NOM NOM!

• Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Line a 9×13 pan with foil and apply nonstick spray or butter.
• In a big bowl, mix together the cake mix, espresso powder (if using), butter, and egg. Press the dough into the bottom of the pan and even out. Bake for 7 minutes. While that’s cooking, prepare the filling.
• In the same big bowl (no need to wash it), mix together the sweetened condensed mix, vanilla, egg, pecans, and coconut. Once the crust’s first bake is done, bring it out of the oven. Pour the filling over it and even out. Sprinkle chocolate chips on top.
• Bake for an additional 24 to 30 minutes, until the top is golden brown. Remove from oven and cool completely, speeding the process in the fridge, if desired. Use foil to lift bars onto a cutting board to divide into slices. Store covered or individually wrapped at room temperature.

OM NOM NOM!

• Preheat oven 350-degrees.
• Cut a piece of parchment to fit in the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Apply nonstick spray or butter over the inside of the pan, place the parchment inside, then grease it as well. Set aside.
• In a stand mixer, beat the butter, sugars, and orange zest together. Scrape the bottom of the bowl, then beat on medium until fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1 egg. Crack the 2nd egg, placing the yolk with the other ingredients and setting aside the white for later use. Add vanilla bean paste to other ingredients and combine.
• In a separate bowl, stir together flours, salt, and nutmeg. Gradually add dry ingredients into the butter batter to create a thick dough. Scoop it into the prepared pan.
• Use a piece of plastic wrap to press the dough into an even layer. Discard plastic wrap. Lightly beat the reserved egg white. Use a pastry brush to gently apply the egg white across the top of the cake. Use the tines of a fork to make a crosshatch pattern across the top.
• Bake for 25 minutes. Rotate the pan. Continue baking until the surface is golden brown and the middle passes the toothpick test, which should be after an additional 5 to 10 minutes. Let cake cool in pan for 10 minutes, then release the side latch to remove the ring.
• Let cake cool completely on a wire rack. Slice and enjoy. Cake keeps well covered at room temperature for at least 3 days. It can also be cut into slices and frozen for later enjoyment.

OM NOM NOM!

• Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Cut parchment to fit the bottom of the springform pan. Grease the pan, then place in parchment round, then spray that as well.
• Peel and thinly slice the apples. In a big bowl, coat the apples with 1 Tablespoon white sugar, the citrus zest, and 2 teaspoons of fresh juice. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, beat eggs, vanilla, salt, and remaining 1 cup of sugar at medium high speed for about 7 minutes. It should turn thick and pale, the batter forming ribbons when the whisk is lifted up. Remove bowl from mixer.
• In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and cardamom. Use a fine-mesh sieve to sift the dry ingredients into the egg mix. Gently fold the flour in until it’s just combined and there are no white streaks.
• Place half the apples in the prepared pan. Pour half the batter over them. Use an offset spatula to work the batter into nooks and crannies. Scatter the rest of the apples on top, followed by the rest of the batter. Again, use the spatula to spread the small amount of batter. For a couple minutes, thump the pan on the counter and tap the sides every now and then to cause bubbles to rise, smoothing batter again after.
• Bake cake. Check it at 30 minutes to see if it is getting too brown; if so, cover it with foil. Continue baking 10 more minutes (40 total) then test the middle with a toothpick. If it comes out clean, the cake is done. Let it cool on a rack for 15 minutes before carefully releasing the sides of the pan.
• Serve the cake warm, at room temperature, or cold from the fridge. Add a dusting of confectioners’ sugar on top for serving; if keeping cake for later, add fresh sugar each time, as it will gradually be absorbed. Store covered in the fridge or at room temperature.

OM NOM NOM!

• Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Use a floured baking spray on the entire interior of a bundt or tube pan.
• Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, cardamom, cinnamon, and salt. Pour in the 1/2 cup orange juice, 1/4 cup of the fresh lemon juice, canola oil, all of the lemon zest, vanilla, and eggs. Beat until combined, scraping the bottom of the bowl occasionally.
• Pour the batter into the pan and level it. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in pan for about 15 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack.
• After another 10 minutes, assemble glaze to create a thick, slow-dribbling consistency. Drip it over the warm cake to coat the top and ooze along the sides. Cool cake completely.
• Store cake covered at room temperature. Pieces can be individually sliced to take on the go or to freeze for later.

OM NOM NOM!