Margarita Jello Poke Cake

Well folks, it's my last week in Texas.

It's been a good run, but I'm ready to be back on the east coast. Ready to have seasons, be in driving distance to the beach, mountains, friends, family, greenery... and most importantly not have to drive 1 hour to a decent mall!

Let's be honest, I wasn't cut out for Texas. Now don't get me wrong, I love a good chicken fried steak, rocking cowboy boots, two-steeping, and jammin out to some good old Texas country music, but this 107 degree heat for 70+ days straight has been brutal and the highway system they've got going on just doesn't work for me (why don't Texan's know how to merge?).

That doesn't mean that we haven't had a good time while we've been out west and it most definitely doesn't mean we haven't made some wonderful friends these past couple of years.

And that's where this cake comes in. For the past couple years, some of our good friends here have a killer summer BBQ complete with ice luge, corn hole, flip cup, burgers, dogs, and lots of other good food- including this cake.

While perusing the isles one day this summer I came upon this Margarita Jello....(can someone say fantastic idea?)

...and then I found a recipe for a jello poke cake- It was just too good to be true.

Now the sad part is, that when I went back to get some more recently, I couldn't find it :( but that doesn't mean you couldn't substitute it with some lime jello!

The cake was a huge success. So much so, that I didn't even get to get a picture of it in all it's glory among the smorgasbord of foods that afternoon.

Margarita Jello Poke Cake
Recipe adapted from Betty Crocker
Makes one 9x13 sheet cake

1 box white cake (I used Betty Crocker Super Moist White)
1/4 cup water
1/3 cup veggie oil
4 egg whites
1/4 cup margarita mix (non-alcoholic)
1 box Margarita flavored jello*
3/4 cup boiling water
2 TBS tequila
2 TBS triple sec
1/4 margarita mix
Topping
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar
2 TBS tequila* opt
1 TBS triple sec* opt

Preheat oven to 350. Spray pan with cooking spray and lightly coat with flour.
In small bowl, mix jello and boiling water. Add tequila and triple sec, mixing until everything is dissolved.

In a large bowl, combine cake mix, 1/4 cup jello mixture, margarita mix, water, egg whites and oil and beat until well combined.
Pour into pan and bake for about 25-30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
Transfer to cooling rack.
While cake is still warm, use a fork to poke holes throughout the whole cake.

Mix 1/4 margarita mix with remaining jello mixture and pour evenly and slowly over cake.

Cool completely, at least 1 hour.
Once cake has cooled, in a large bowl beat whipping cream until soft peaks form. Add powdered sugar, tequila and triple sec and continue to beat until stiff peaks form.
Frost cake while still in the pan. I don't normally keep cakes in the pan, but for a BBQ it was easy to transfer and easy to clean up.

Place in the fridge until ready to serve.
Enjoy!

Daddy Tom gets in on Sunday evening and we begin our trek east, but not before I make a wedding cake for some friends this weekend though!

So while all of you out there are sharing good food and laughs with good friends, we'll be driving..driving into the sunset...well I guess sun rise technically since we're driving east...

But the real question is this: What do you talk to your dad about for 24 hours? I'm open to suggestions.

I'll be MIA just for a bit and the next time you hear from me I'll be back in VA! Until then..

Happy Baking!

Big News and Plum Pizza

As if we don't have enough going on this summer, in just a few days we'll be packing up and heading east.

That's right everybody, we're moving!

After 2 years in The Great State, we'll be starting our lives as a newly weds in The State for Lovers: Virginia.

Ever since Shannon's wedding we've been going at lightning speed: The week after we got back from our visit east Mountain Man got offered a position in Washington, D.C., and before we knew it we were searching for houses on craigslist and calling moving companies for quotes.

We've literally had 2 weeks to figure everything out before MM makes the drive, moving truck and all. That means we'll be spending the rest of the week packing up our house by the lake and transitioning to a house in the city.

I know I keep making excuses for my flakiness this summer and this new endeavor isn't helping the situation by any means!

Between our wedding, friend's weddings and now the big move, I've had a lot on my mind this summer.

In attempts to win you over, I hope you'll accept this Plum Pizza as a token of my appreciation and love for you all out there despite my inconsistent posts these past few months. I promise as soon as we get settled the posting will get back to normal.

This pizza crust is our go-to classic recipe with an extra addition of cinnamon for the dessert pizza. The recipe yields enough dough to make 2 large regular pizzas and 1 small pizza dessert pizza.

Pizza Crust
Makes 2 large pizzas and one small
Rise time: 1 hour
Oven: 425 Bake time: 30 minutes

2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast (1 package)
2 TBS  honey
1 1/2 cup warm water (about 100 degrees)
1 tsp salt
3-4 cups of AP flour, whole wheat, or combination of both

In a large bowl mix warm water, honey and yeast. Let sit for about 5-10 minutes, waiting for yeast to become active and mixture to bubble.
Stir in salt and 3 cups of flour.
Turn out dough onto lightly floured surface and continue to knead in flour, 1/4 cup at a time until dough is no longer sticky and elastic.
Clean bowl and lightly coat with oil. Place dough ball in bowl, cover with saran wrap and let sit for about 1 hour or until dough has doubled in size.
Turn dough out on lightly floured surface and punch down.
Cut dough into three pieces- 2 large balls and 1 small.
Let rest for a couple of minutes and your dough is ready to be rolled out and topped.

Plum Pizza
2-3 fresh plums
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 TBS white sugar
2 TBS brown sugar
1/4 cup apricot jam

Sprinkle 1 tsp cinnamon and 1 TBS white sugar over dough and knead in until just combined.
Roll out or stretch small piece of dough to form pizza crust on pizza stone or pan.

Place apricot jam in a small bowl and warm in microwave for 15 seconds.

Pour jam over crust and spread evenly (like you would pizza sauce).

Thinly slice fresh plums and place evenly around crust.

Sprinkle plums with remaining sugar and cinnamon.

Pop in oven and bake for about 20 minutes.

A Bright New Kitchen and a Flourless Almond Cake

We're moving!

Just to the next town over, but still!

I'm going from this kitchen...

 ...to this kitchen!

Look at all those cabinets.. and all the natural light?!

I'm in heaven.

Just one more time in case you missed it...

this mess...

to two ovens!

My current mixing spot...

to a perfect little place for my Kitchen Aid!

When Mountain Man found this house on Craigslist, I wasn't impressed with the lake views, enormous backyard or two car garage. Nope, the first thing I saw were the two ovens in the corner of the kitchen, the perfect spot for my kitchen aid mixer, the ample counter space, numerous cabinets and the pantry the size of our current kitchen.

So if I'm absent from the blog world for a few days you now know why. 

No, I'm not busy moving things..

I'll be doing kitchen angels in the center of the room for at least the next week, basking in the ample space now available to me, while Mountain Man gets everything moved in.

But before I go I will leave you with some yummy little Flourless Almond Cakes (Gluten-Free) 

The first batch was an epic fail...

I was so excited to use my new mini bundt pan and then FAIL- the cakes stuck completely to the bottom... leaving me with a mess.

Then I made a second batch..

They may not fit perfectly in their cute little cupcake liners, but I promise you they still taste delicious and they're flourless! Perfect for all our gluten intolerant sufferers out there.

I would normally make this cake in an 8-inch cake pan or springform, but I was sending these to my Aunt so I wanted to make sure they would travel well.

Flourless Almond Cake
adapted from EatingWell.com

1 1/3 cup almond meal or finely ground almonds
1/3 cup honey
3 eggs, separated
dash of salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract

Preheat oven to 350. You have your choice of pan: Grease and flour an 8-inch cake pan, spring form pan, mini bundt pan, or line cupcakes (makes 12).
In a large bowl, mix/beat almond meal, honey, extracts and egg yolks.
In a small bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form.
Gently fold egg whites into almond mixture until just incorporated.
Fill pan of choice with batter and transfer to oven for 15-20 minutes. Test with toothpick.
Begin to make glaze *optional
Once baked, transfer cake to cooling rack.
If using the glaze: While cake is still warm poke the top lightly with a fork. Pour glaze over cake- pressing down lightly so glaze soaks into cake.

Amaretto Glaze
1/3 cup Amaretto
1 cup powdered sugar

In a small bowl, whisk Amaretto and powdered sugar until smooth.

If you're down with using alcohol the Amaretto glaze really lends a wonderful sweet almond flavor to the cake. And despite the failure of the first batch, Mountain Man and I still enjoyed the remnants of cake soaked in the glaze.. I hope my Aunt enjoys them as much as we did!

Well folks, we've got a lot to do this week...I'll be back in a few days with some fabulous recipes for you.

Happy Baking!