Garlic Parmesan Pull-Apart Bread.

Recipe 33.

Garlic Parmesan Pull-Apart Bread (from The Pastry Affair).

Ingredients:
2 tsp active dry yeast
1 1/3 cps barely warm water
2 tbs olive oil
2 tsp salt
3 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 tbsp dried parsley flakes
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Stir together yeast and water in a large mixing bowl. Let sit 5 minutes until yeast becomes foamy. Mix in the olive oil, salt, and flour. In your stand mixer, attach dough hook and knead the dough for 5-6 minutes. If you are doing this by hand (my preferred method, I LOVE kneading!) knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 7-10 minutes. Transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Let rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until it is doubled in size.

In a small bowl, combine melted butter, parsley, and garlic. Set aside.

Punch down the dough. Tear off small pieces (about how much would fit in a medium spoon), coat each piece in the butter mixture, and place in the bottom of a bundt pan. Repeat this process until you have one layer of dough pieces, and the sprinkle on 1/3 of the parmesan cheese. Continue creating layers until the cheese and dough is all in the bundt pan. Cover and allow the dough to rise for 20-30 more minutes.

Bake at 350 for 25 to 30 minutes. Turn out of bundt pan and serve warm with marinara sauce.

We loved it! I somehow convinced my friends who had just been to a water park to pose for a "candid-I'm-really-enjoying-this" shot. It's surprising how willing they will be when you feed them good food!


Keep this recipe in your "use-this-to-manipulate-people" file. Legit.

Poppy Seed Cake.

Recipe 31.

Poppy Seed Cake (from Taste of Home). 

Ingredients:

1/3 cup poppy seeds

1 cup 2% milk

4 egg whites

3/4 cup shortening

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

Cream Cheese Frosting:

8 oz Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups confectioners' sugar

Prep: Soak the poppy seeds in milk for 30 minutes. Place egg whites in a large bowl and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Combine flour and baking powder, then add into mix alternately with poppy seed mixture, beating well after each addition. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form; fold into batter.

Pour into a greased 9x13. Bake at 375 for 25-30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

For frosting, beat the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until smooth, and then gradually beat in confectioners' sugar. Spread over cake. Store in refrigerator. 

Orange Yogurt Loaf Cake.

Recipe 31.

Orange Yogurt Loaf Cake (from Sprinkle Bakes).

This loaf cake was so fun to make.  Zesting oranges, making glaze, quick and easy. What else could you ask for? Well, I guess I'd ask for more cake, but I have a relentless sweet tooth.

Glaze instructions are ridiculously easy. I don't understand why so many times my glazes are too runny or too thick or too not-delicious. But this is the first time I got glaze perfectly right!!! I was so excited that I think I made two or three batches of glaze just to prove that it actually happened! So, it happened. Breanna is a glaze maker. She didn't mess it up. Be proud.

Ingredients:
Cake:
1 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup yogurt (I used plain greek yogurt)
3 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
zest of 2 large oranges (about 2 tbsp)
1/2 cup oil (I used extra light olive oil)

Glaze:
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 cup powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a loaf pan and set aside

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, whisk together yogurt, sugar, eggs, orange zest, vanilla, and oil. Gradually whisk in dry ingredients until well blended. Transfer batter to prepared loaf pan. Bake for about 50 minutes (or until tester comes out clean). Let the cake cool slightly, remove it from the loaf pan and then immediately return it to the pan. This helps is not stick but keep its shape.

In a medium bowl, whisk together orange juice and powdered sugar. Pour over the loaf cake and let stand until the glaze soaks into the cake. Slice and serve!

This recipe is a keeper! Definitely going into my favorites list.