Taste of the South Southern Cakes 2013

I LOVE HOW A FEW STAPLE INGREDIENTS (flour, sugar, eggs, and butter) make magic in the oven and become a dreamy dessert. I love the way my kitchen counter looks as cake pans go in the oven, flour scattered, empty egg shells gleaming, and measuring spoons astray. And I really love the way just-baked layers look cooling on my grandmother’s wire racks as they await a generous slathering of frosting. But the best part of cake is sharing a slice with family and friends. Cake is—as it should be—always the center of any Southern celebration. That’s why this issue is full of cakes for every occasion, including birthdays, holidays, weddings, anniversaries, or just because. And whether you like cupcakes, cheesecakes, pound cakes, layer cakes, baking from scratch, or taking a…

COLD-OVEN POUND CAKE Recipe courtesy of Julie Hatley, Mt. Pleasant, North Carolina Yield: 16 servings 1¼ cups all-vegetable shortening 3 cups sugar 5 large eggs, at room temperature 3 cups all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon salt 1 cup whole milk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Garnish: confectioners’ sugar, sweetened whipped cream, fresh raspberries 1. Spray a 12- to 15-cup Bundt pan with nonstick baking spray with flour. Set aside. 2. In a large bowl, beat shortening and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. 3. In another bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add flour mixture to shortening mixture in thirds, alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture.…

CARAMEL SURPRISE CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES Yield: 2 dozen cupcakes 1 (18.25-ounce) package devil’s food cake mix, such as Duncan Hines 1⅓ cups water ½ cup vegetable oil 3 large eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 24 chocolate-covered caramelfilled candies, such as Rolo Brown Butter Icing (recipe follows) 1 cup finely chopped pecans, toasted 1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners. Set aside. 2. In a large bowl, combine cake mix, 1⅓ cups water, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Beat at low speed with an electric mixer until moistened, approximately 30 seconds. Increase speed to medium, and beat for 2 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary. Divide mixture among prepared muffin cups. Press 1 candy into batter of each cupcake, letting batter cover candy. 3. Bake until…

COCONUT CAKE WHOOPIE PIES Yield: 6 whoopie pies ½ cup salted butter, softened 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar 1 large egg 2½ cups all-purpose flour 1¼ teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup whole buttermilk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ½ teaspoon almond extract Cream Cheese Coconut Filling (recipe follows) 1 cup sweetened, flaked coconut, toasted 1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. 2. In a large bowl, beat butter and brown sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add egg, and beat until well combined. 3. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. In a small bowl, combine buttermilk and extracts. Add flour mixture to butter mixture in thirds, alternately with buttermilk mixture, beginning and ending…

ITALIAN CREAM CAKE Yield: 1 (9-inch) 3-layer cake 1 cup all-vegetable shortening ½ cup butter, softened 2 cups sugar 1 tablespoon orange zest 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 6 large eggs, separated 2¼ cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon salt 1 cup whole buttermilk 1 (7-ounce) package sweetened, flaked coconut 2½ cups chopped walnuts, divided Orange Cream-Cheese Frosting (recipe follows) 1. Preheat oven to 350°. Spray 3 (9-inch) round cake pans with nonstick baking spray with flour. Set aside. 2. In a large bowl, combine shortening, butter, sugar, zest, and vanilla. Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. 3. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Add flour…

Cover Location courtesy of Sharon Gilbert; photography by Marcy Black Simpson; food styling and recipe development by Kathleen Kanen; photo styling by Malinda Kay Nichols. Masthead Blue egg crate available at Anthropologie, 800-309-2500, anthropologie.com. Letter from the Editor Location courtesy of Dreamcakes, 205-871- 9377, dreamcakes-bakery.com. Everyday Cakes Pages 9 and 20: Red plates by Fiesta available at Macy’s, 800-289-6229, macys.com. Baby Cakes Pages 39–40: White enamel cake stand available at Fish’s Eddy, 877-347-4733, fishseddy.com. Page 51: Cucina Fresca Sorbetto Aqua dinner plate available at Vietri, 919-245-4180, vietri.com. Icebox Cakes Pages 56 and 66: Blue cake stand available at Fish’s Eddy, 877-347-4733, fishseddy.com. Special Occasion Cakes Page 79: Green egg crate available at Anthropologie, 800-309-2500, anthropologie.com. Page 89: Fenton Hobnail milk glass cake stand from Replacements, Ltd., 800-737-5223, replacements.com.…