The Secret Lives of Baked Goods Read online

Boston Cream Pie

  YOU MIGHT THINK THAT THE AMOUNT OF PASTRY CREAM in this recipe is excessive, but once spread lusciously between the layers, it makes sense. This recipe is adapted from the version served at Boston’s Omni Parker House Hotel, but made a little, well, easier for the home cook.

  Makes one 10-inch layer cake (10 to 12 servings)

  7 large eggs

  1 cup sugar, divided

  1 cup all-purpose flour

  2 tablespoons butter, melted

  5 cups Pastry Cream (recipe follows)

  1¾ cups Rich Chocolate Topping (recipe follows)

  ½ cup sliced almonds

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour the bottom and sides of a 10-inch springform pan.

  2. Carefully separate the eggs, putting the whites and the yolks in separate large bowls; make sure there are no specks of yolk in the egg whites (the whites won’t whip properly if there are). Add ½ cup of the sugar to each bowl.

  3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium-high speed until they form stiff peaks; set aside. Using an electric mixer or by hand, beat the egg yolks until they are thick and pale yellow in color. Stir about one-quarter of the whites in to the yolks to lighten the batter, then gently fold the rest of the whites into the yolk mixture.

  4. Whisk the flour into the egg mixture using a large balloon-type whisk, working carefully to minimize the deflation of the batter. Then, using the same whisk, stir in the melted butter. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan, filling it about three-quarters of the way, and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for about 30 minutes, then remove it from the pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

  5. To assemble the cake, using a long serrated knife, slice the cake horizontally into 2 equal layers. Place one of the cake layers, cut side up, on a sheet of parchment paper (this will catch any drips, and allow easy cleanup before transferring it to a serving platter). Spoon the pastry cream onto the center of the bottom layer, leaving 1½ inches uncovered on all sides—the weight of the top cake layer will spread it to the edges. You will not need all of the pastry cream; reserve a small quantity to spread around the sides of the cake.

  6. Place the second layer of cake on top of the pastry cream, then spread the remaining pastry cream around the sides of the cake. Using a ladle, spoon the still slightly warm chocolate glaze on the top of the cake, allowing it to gently drip over the sides. Gently press the almonds around the sides or on the top. Serve immediately at room temperature, or refrigerate for up to 2 days, well wrapped, and bring to a cool room temperature before serving.

  PASTRY CREAM

  Makes about 5 cups cream

  2 tablespoon butter

  1½ cups whole or 2% milk

  2½ cups heavy cream

  ½ cup sugar

  3 tablespoons cornstarch

  6 large eggs

  1. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the butter, milk, and cream. Bring to a simmer, then remove from heat.

  2. In a large bowl, whisk the sugar and cornstarch until combined. Add the eggs, beating until the mixture is light yellow and forms ribbons when you lift the whisk, about 5 minutes by hand.

  3. Slowly pour the milk mixture into the egg mixture, whisking until completely combined.

  4. Pour into a medium pot and place over medium heat. Heat, whisking constantly to keep the eggs from cooking. The mixture will begin to bubble. Continue whisking until the mixture has thickened to the consistency of a pudding; this will happen about 2 minutes after it comes to a boil. If any bits of egg have cooked, forming lumps, strain the mixture through a mesh sieve.

  5. Transfer to a bowl and press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the custard to keep a skin from forming. Refrigerate for several hours, or until completely chilled.

  RICH CHOCOLATE TOPPING

  Makes about 1¾ cups glaze

  1 cup heavy cream

  8 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped (about 1 cup)

  1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring the cream to a boil. Place the chocolate in a medium bowl; pour the hot cream over the chocolate, stirring until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is well combined. Set aside to cool slightly, about 10 minutes.

  THE FICTIONAL BALLAD OF BETTY AND DUNCAN

  SOMETIMES, WHEN I’M BEING PARTICULARLY INVENTIVE in the kitchen, I think of myself as the forbidden love child of Betty Crocker and Duncan Hines. But did Betty and Duncan really exist?

  Duncan Hines, the brand, is based on a real person. An insurance man who was frequently on the road, Hines began documenting the restaurants he enjoyed on his business trips. He distributed this list at first as a favor to friends, but his guide was soon being requested beyond that circle, and before you knew it, his volumes were published. The Duncan Hines Seal of Approval became a trusted mark of quality, allowing individuals and families to try out establishments with confidence. Hines’s career later shifted to that of the pre–Food Network foodie: he wrote guides and had a column in the newspaper. His respected name attracted a licensing deal to put it on a number of food products. The cake mixes in particular succeeded, and they have become the lasting legacy of Duncan Hines.

  But as for Betty—well, she’s really not real. She was—and still is—a benevolent marketing tool of General Mills, Inc., invented to respond to customer inquiries about baking when the volume became too great for the company’s male CEO to respond to (it’s also said that his comfort level at answering ladies’ inquiries was not especially high). Betty Crocker grew beyond a mere personality to become a beloved baking confidante: her star rose through her presence in magazine advertisements, newspaper columns, and most notably, through a popular radio program. Actresses would play the role of Betty, whose voice and likeness became a friendly, trusted voice to the American housewife.

  Not everyone was aware that Betty’s was a collective voice, however: when General Mills began offering tours of the Betty Crocker test kitchens, it came to the point where they’d have to keep tissues on hand for visitors who found out—their dreams dashed—that they wouldn’t get to meet Betty herself at the end of the tour.

  While General Mills has never exactly kept these details a secret, it’s still a popular belief that Betty is (or at least was) a real person. Talk about batter banter for your next party!

  ALTHOUGH IT WOULD BE A STRETCH to call this homespun favorite a high-stylin’ dessert, carrot cake—a lumpy and slightly frumpy but incredibly moist and flavorful carrot-flecked spice cake—has enjoyed several moments in vogue over the years.

  Of course, the thing that really separates carrot cake from being equivalent to eating a salad is the thick slather of cream cheese, butter, and sugar that became the frosting of choice in the 1960s.

  The use of carrots in desserts actually dates back to medieval times, when carrot pudding was enjoyed as a sweet treat at banquets. This was probably borne out of necessity, making use of the carrots’ natural sweetness (they contain more sugar than any other vegetable besides the sugar beet); while the pudding would have been steamed and vaguely cakelike, it didn’t bear much resemblance to our modern carrot cake. Because as much as you search for it, you’re not going to find any mention of a recipe for medieval cream cheese frosting.

  A big development in the world of carrot cake came in the early 1900s, when carrot pudding began to be baked in loaf pans, more like a quick bread. By mid- century, the carrot cake had hopped over to America, where it would make dessert history. There’s a delightful story indicating that there was a glut of canned carrots in the United States. An enterprising businessman named George C. Page hired bakers to find uses for the excess; they settled on carrot cake, which Page then sold through the company Mission Pak, a large purveyor of gourmet foods.

  Of course, the thing that really separates carrot cake from being equivalent to eati
ng a salad is the thick slather of cream cheese, butter, and sugar that became the frosting of choice in the 1960s, a time during which Philadelphia Cream Cheese appeared on every grocery store shelf, everywhere. It’s possible this is when carrot cake and cream cheese frosting really became a bonded pair, maintaining a sort of common-law marriage that is still kicking today.

  If you’re a baby-boomer-former-hippie (or the offspring of one), you’ll remember that carrot cake really caught on in a big way in the health-conscious 1970s, when it was touted as being “healthy.” And really, the idea isn’t too far-flung: after all, carrots are vegetables, and raisins and nuts are pretty much health food, right?

  Carrot cake can feature a variety of fun and tasty additions, and those can be the subject of some argument. No matter what, carrot cake’s mild but distinct flavor, with its pretty little flecks of orange, have made the cake an enduring favorite. While few would think of it as haute couture, it’s considered a timeless classic that never goes out of style.

  Carrot Cake

  I’VE KEPT THINGS PRETTY SIMPLE in this recipe so that you can choose your own add-ins. While raisins are the most common complement to carrots in this cake, many modern palates prefer pineapple, coconut, apples, or applesauce; sometimes walnuts, sometimes pecans, sometimes no nuts at all. So feel free to tailor the cake to your liking—and if you want to think of it as health food, go ahead—I won’t stop you.

  Makes one 8- or 9-inch layer cake (10 to 12 servings)

  2 cups all-purpose flour

  2 teaspoons baking soda

  2 teaspoons baking powder

  ½ teaspoon salt

  2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

  4 large eggs

  1¼ cups vegetable oil

  1 cup granulated sugar

  1 cup packed light brown sugar

  2 teaspoons vanilla extract

  3 cups lightly packed grated carrots (4 to 5 medium carrots)

  1 cup chopped toasted pecans, plus ½ cup toasted pecan halves, for garnish

  3 cups Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe follows)

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 2 round 8- or 9-inch cake pans; line the bottoms of the pans with parchment paper.

  2. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.

  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the eggs, oil, sugars, and vanilla. Beat on low speed for about 30 seconds, then increase the speed to medium and beat for about 3 minutes, or until well combined and lightly frothy.

  4. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture in 2 to 3 increments, pausing to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula after each addition. Add the carrots, mixing until combined. Fold in the 1 cup pecans. Divide the batter evenly between each of the prepared pans.

  5. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pan for 10 minutes, run a paring knife around the perimeter of the cakes to release any sticky parts, then turn out onto a wire rack. Peel off the parchment paper and allow the cakes to cool completely before frosting them.

  6. Once cooled, place one cake layer, flat side up, on a serving platter; spread ¾ to 1 cup of frosting on top. Leave a ½-inch margin all around, as the weight of the second cake layer will push the frosting to the edges. Place the second cake layer, flat side up, on top of the frosted layer. Spread the remainder of the frosting on the sides and top. Garnish with the pecan halves.

  7. Serve at room temperature. Because the cream cheese frosting is sensitive to heat, store lightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; let come to room temperature before serving.

  CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

  Makes about 3 cups frosting

  8 ounces (1 cup) cream cheese, softened

  ½ cup (1 stick) butter, softened

  1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  ½ teaspoon salt

  4 to 5 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and salt. Beat at medium-high speed until the mixture has a very smooth consistency; pause to scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add the confectioners’ sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing after each addition, until the frosting is smooth and spreadable.

  THERE’S A LOT TO LOVE ABOUT CUPCAKES. They’ve got a fantastic ratio of cake (little) to frosting (lots), they’re cute as a button, and they induce a sweet nostalgia that is practically guaranteed to take you back—just for a moment—to your sixth birthday party. These days, they’re readily available in a dizzying array of colors and flavors at cupcake-specific boutiques known as “cupcakeries.” But how did these miniature cakes come to be so popular?

  Cupcakes are an affordable luxury; they’re cute and nostalgic; and best of all, it’s socially acceptable not to share.

  The idea of baking cakes in smaller portions has existed for quite some time. In American Cookery by Amelia Simmons (the hottest recipe book around in 1796), a recipe calls for cakes to be “baked in small cups.” The actual term “cupcake” appeared not long after, in another early American cookbook, Seventy-Five Receipts for Pastry, Cakes and Sweetmeats by Eliza Leslie.

  One reason that baking cakes in smaller portions became popular is a practical one: they bake quicker than large cakes, which—if you were the one stoking that wood-fired cast-iron oven—was a definite plus. Bakers used pans called gem pans, a pretty name for a clunky pan: large, heavy, usually cast-iron precursors to today’s muffin tins, they were a common household item in the early 1900s. Paper baking cups first came about following World War II, when an artillery manufacturer began to make paper baking products as the need for weapons declined. Within a few decades, the liners had gained popularity with home bakers, making for a quick clean-up.

  The first truly famous cupcake, the chocolate Hostess snack cupcake, was introduced in the early 1900s. Early versions were hand-frosted, but lacked the signature loop-de-loop decoration and cream filling; those wonderful traits didn’t come until the middle of the century, when manufacturing innovations made it possible. Throughout the 1900s, cupcakes became an increasingly popular kids’ treat. I can certainly attest to why baking cupcakes caught on big at my house. If you tried to sneak a taste of mom’s layer cake before dessert, you would definitely be caught. But chances were, you could snag an entire cupcake and not get busted like a buttercream bandit.

  Given their popularity, it would be hard to say that cupcakes were ever out, but it’s certain that by the 1990s, they became decidedly in. Bakeries in New York City, such as Magnolia Bakery and the Cupcake Café, pioneered boutique cupcakeries. The concept captured the imagination of the public, and before you knew it, at Magnolia Bakery in particular, there were lines around the block of eager eaters waiting for a cupcake fix. As a result, a cupcake shop revolution was born—today, there’s at least one, if not ten or twenty, in every major city.

  While this causes battle cries of “Cupcakes are so over!” by sophisticated foodies who bemoan the cutesy cupcake trend, the shops continue to flourish, and with good reason. Cupcakes are an affordable luxury; they’re cute and nostalgic; and best of all, it’s socially acceptable not to share. Finally, decorating them is an art in itself, with creative shop owners and home bakers whipping up beautiful, whimsical, and sometimes awe-inspiring designs.

  Coconut Cupcakes

  IN AMERICA’S SOUTHERN STATES, coconut cake is considered a “legacy cake,” meaning that it has cultural and historical significance and is especially beloved by the local populace. It’s always a crowd pleaser and is a very pretty dessert to serve, with its shaggy, confetti-like finished look. It’s especially adorable in cupcake form! You can personalize the li’l cakes for an event by tinting the coconut and the frosting to suit the occasion.

  Makes 2 dozen cupcakes

  3 cups all-purpose flour

 
1 teaspoon baking powder

  ½ teaspoon baking soda

  ½ teaspoon salt

  1½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

  1¾ cups sugar

  5 large eggs

  1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  1 teaspoon coconut extract (or 1 extra teaspoon of vanilla extract)

  1 cup whole or 2% milk

  1 cup sweetened flaked coconut

  3 cups Coconut Cream Frosting (recipe follows)

  2 cups sweetened flaked coconut, for garnish

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake papers.

  2. Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.

  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition; scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Beat in the extracts.

  4. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture in 2 or 3 additions, alternately with the milk, beating well after each addition. Fold in 1 cup of the coconut by hand.

  5. Fill the lined muffin cups two-thirds of the way full. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer the pans to wire racks to cool completely.

  6. Frost the cooled cupcakes. Use the remaining 2 cups coconut as is (alternatively, toast in the oven at 300 degrees F until golden brown, and let cool, or tint it using food coloring), placing it in a bowl and turning cupcakes, frosting side down, into the coconut, coating generously.

  COCONUT CREAM FROSTING

  Makes about 3 cups frosting

  1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

  ¼ teaspoon salt

  1 teaspoon coconut extract

  4 to 5 cups confectioners’ sugar

  2 to 3 tablespoons heavy cream or milk (optional)