Chocolate Meringue Cake

I had this craving for brownies AND pavlova over the weekend so a date was set Saturday night. Just me, my mixer and the oven. 

It is such a great mash-up of my two favorite desserts: chocolatey, cakey layer topped with crisp meringue softened with softly whipped cream. The strawberries added the fresh element that paired together with both the cream and chocolate. I'm sure other berries would work well, maybe even fruits in season. 

It was such an easy cake to whip up. The longest wait was spent for the cooling of the cake which is needed before the whipped cream is added. The finished cake is impressive, making others think more time and effort was spent. 

I didn't realize I had ran out of berries late Saturday night so cake was assembled and enjoyed after Sunday supper. My family was happy to enjoy this with me. And my sons now call this a "just because" cake. 

Chocolate Meringue Cake

adapted from The Joy of Baking

Chocolate Layer:

4 large egg yolks

175g AP flour

60g cocoa powder

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

152g butter, room temperature

130g granulated sugar

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

110g milk, room temperature

Meringue Layer:

4 large egg whites

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

175g granulated sugar

Chantilly Cream:

480g heavy whipping cream

45g granulated sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to325F. Prepare two 8-inch springform cake pans by oil spray and lining with parchment then spray again.

Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl, set aside.

In a mixer with paddle attachment, cream butter over medium-high speed, adding sugar a tablespoon at a time. Once added, keep mixing until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.

Reduce speed to medium and add egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping bottom of bowl.

Reduce speed to low. Add cocoa-flour mixture in 3 batches alternating with milk and beat until just combined.

Place batter into your prepared pan. The batter will be thick, it helps to smooth out with an offset spatula, set aside.

In a clean mixer with whisk attachment, beat egg whites in medium speed with cream of tartar until frothy. Turn speed to high and beat until stiff peaks form.

Evenly divide meringue between the two pans, smoothing tops. Bake for 24-28, switching sides halfway through. Transfer in rack to cool completely.

To make the Chantilly cream, place cream, sugar and vanilla in a chilled bowl and whisk until soft peaks form.

To assemble: place one layer of cake, meringue side up on a serving plate. Spread half of the cream and add berries in an even layer. Top with second layer of cake and repeat. Best served the day it's assembled. Cake can be kept in the refrigerator for a day.  

Calamansi Muffins

The famous Calamansi Muffins made popular by a cafe in island resort Boracay has been in my list to bake all these years.

Thought it'd be a great idea to use up the last of my calamansi haul (for now) to bake into cup-size tart morsels. 

The recipe involves creaming the butter with sugar until light and fluffy which makes for a tender crumb. The liquid component uses freshly-squeezed calamansi juice with milk mixed in, which is almost like making buttermilk (soured milk) that gives the cake a light, soft mouthfeel. 

These really are more like cupcakes than muffins so couldn't resist an addition of icing like I did with the calamansi bundt cake I baked a few weeks ago. 

The calamansi flavor really shines through with every bite. I can't wait to bake again when I get ahold of more calamansi. 

Calamansi Muffins

recipe adapted from here
makes a dozen

120g (1/2 cup) freshly-squeezed calamansi juice

120g (1/2 cup) milk

180g (1 1/2 cups) all-purpose flour

5g (1 tsp) baking powder

2g (1/4 tsp) salt

112g (1/2 cup) butter, softened

200g (1 cup) granulated sugar

2 large eggs

for the glaze:

60g (1/2 cup) confectioners' sugar

15g (1 TBSP) freshly-squeezed calamansi juice

finely grated calamansi zest

Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare baking tray by greasing or using paper liners; set aside.

Place calamansi juice and milk in a small bowl. Stir to combine and set aside. In another small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.

In a mixer, cream butter over medium-high speed, adding sugar a tablespoon at a time. Once all the sugar is added, keep mixing until it is light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.

Reduce speed to medium and add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping bottom of bowl.

Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in 3 batches alternating with calamansi-milk mixture and beat until just combined.

Place batter into your prepared pan and bake until tester comes out clean, 18-22 minutes. Transfer in rack to cool for 10 minutes then take out from pan and let cool completely.

To make the glaze, stir together the juice and confectioners' sugar. Spread about a teaspoon over tops. Grate calamansi if desired and let glaze dry.

Happy baking!

Calamansi Bundt Cake

Celebrating winter and it's citrus bounty with cake made from fruits native to my home country: calamansi. 

Even though I have a small tree that's been good to me, I still get a thrill when I come across them in the markets and try to hoard them. 

My family has been enjoying drinking calamansi juice and wanted to make something else different besides the usual curd and cookies. A Bundt cake is always impressive with it's size and curves without the need for frosting. 

The glaze gives it a boost of calamansi flavor and sealed in the moisture that it was even flavorful even after a couple days. The addition of sour cream made the cake tender and gave it tangy that complements the calamansi. 

The recipe was adapted from Martha Stewart. I used calamansi liqueur (calamansi that I have been steeping in vodka for a couple months) but other citrus liqueur (like limoncello) or more fresh juice can be added to substitute. 

Calamansi Bundt Cake

For the cake:

2 Tbsp. finely grated calamansi zest, from about 35 calamansi 

400g (2 cups) granulated sugar

225g (8 ounces/1 cup/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan

360g (3 cups) all-purpose flour, plus more for pan

5g (1 tsp) baking soda

5g (1 tsp) salt

6 large eggs

180g (3/4 cup) fresh calamansi juice, from about 35 calamansi

2 Tbsp. calamansi liqueur 

1 tsp. vanilla extract

180g (3/4 cup) sour cream, room temperature

For the glaze:

240g (2 cups) confectioners' sugar

1 Tbsp. finely grated calamansi zest

60g (1/4 cup) calamansi juice

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 12-cup Bundt pan and dust with flour, tapping out the excess. 

2. Stir together calamansi zest and sugar in a small bowl until well blended. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt. 

3. In a mixer in medium-high speed, cream butter with sugar-calamansi mixture until pale and fluffy, 4-5 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in juice and extract. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in 3 batches alternating with sour cream and beat until just combined. 

4. Transfer batter to prepared pan, smooth top and tap pan firmly on counter few times. Bake until tester comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Place on wire rack to cool 30 minutes. Turn out cake onto rack to cool completely. 

5. Make glaze by whisking together confectioners' sugar and calamansi juice until smooth. Pour glaze evenly over cake, letting it set before serving. Cake can be stored at room temperature under cake cover, up to 2 days.