Chocolate Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Icing

Last spring, on a morning television show (Today Show or Good Morning America), I caught a glimpse of what they were calling "the best chocolate cake EVER," but didn't hear the source of the recipe. After a quick Google search, I found it on the Epicurious website. I printed it, filed it and forgot about it . . . until recently, when I needed a chocolate cupcake recipe!

I'm sure the original recipe does make a fabulous cake, because the cupcakes were awesome! My only minor complaint is this: they were a bit too light and fluffy for cupcakes (translation: eat with a fork, not with your hands). However, this cake recipe does live up to the hype, so give it a try!

Chocolate cake (or cupcakes)

3 ounces fine-quality semisweet chocolate
1 1/2 cups hot brewed coffee
3 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process)
2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
3 large eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups well-shaken buttermilk
3/4 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 300°F. and grease pans. Line bottoms with rounds of wax paper and grease paper (or line muffin pans with paper liners).

Finely chop chocolate and in a bowl combine with hot coffee. Let mixture stand, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.

Into a large bowl sift together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In another large bowl with an electric mixer beat eggs until thickened slightly and lemon colored (about 3 minutes with a standing mixer or 5 minutes with a hand-held mixer). Slowly add oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and melted chocolate mixture to eggs, beating until combined well. Add sugar mixture and beat on medium speed until just combined well. Divide batter between pans and bake in middle of oven until a tester inserted in center comes out clean, 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes - or - divide batter between muffin cups and bake until tester comes out clean (begin testing at 25 minutes).

Cool layers (or cupcakes) completely in pans on racks. Run a thin knife around edges of pans and invert layers onto racks. Carefully remove wax paper and cool layers completely. Cake layers may be made 1 day ahead and kept, wrapped well in plastic wrap, at room temperature (I froze the cupcakes for 2 weeks). - from Epicurious.com (see the original recipe here)

Cream Cheese Icing

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1 (8 oz pkg) cream cheese, room temperature
3-3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

1. With an electric mixer, mix the butter and cream cheese together, about 3 minutes on medium speed until very smooth. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure even mixing.

2. Add the vanilla extract and mix. Slowly add the powdered sugar. Keep adding until you reach the consistency and sweetness you desire.

3. Spread or pipe on to cupcakes.

- Adapted from Simply Recipes

What's For Dinner?

Our menu for the week of Jan. 5-10

Monday
Lunch: Turkey and Black-Eyed Pea Chili (from Clean Eating)
Dinner: Quail in White Wine (The Silver Spoon), roasted asparagus, salad

Tuesday
Lunch: hot dog, salad
Dinner: Turkey and Black-Eyed Pea Chili, celery

Wednesday
Lunch: hamburger, salad
Dinner: Roasted Chicken with Preserved Lemon (from The Splendid Table's How to Eat Supper), sweet potatoes

Thursday
Lunch: leftover chicken, celery
Dinner: beef stir-fry, rice

Friday
Lunch: more leftovers
Dinner: Baked Ziti, salad

Saturday
Dinner: Aromatic Chicken Braise (Culinary Institute of America's Cooking at Home)

Chicken Scampi

When we go home for the holidays, my parents always ask if there is anything special we would like to eat while we're there. My dad's fresh pasta is always a special treat, so that was my top request for Christmas this year. Dad and I made a deal - he would make the pasta if I would make the sauce/topping. I decided on chicken scampi and found an Olive Garden recipe knockoff online. It doesn't look very colorful, but it tasted great! I will definitely make this again.

Here is the original recipe I found, with a few adaptations. I quadrupled the portions when I made this (and it made a huge amount of pasta), but I decided to post the 2-3 serving recipe:

Chicken Scampi
(2-3 servings)

WHITE SAUCE:
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons flour
3/4 cup milk; hot

SCAMPI SAUCE:
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
optional: 1 tablespoon dried cilantro
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
black pepper to taste
3/4 cup white wine
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup white sauce

REMAINING INGREDIENTS:
2 servings (fresh or dried) angel hair pasta, cooked and drained
1 red bell pepper - or - 1/2 jar roasted red peppers, drained; thinly sliced
red onions; thinly sliced, to taste
10 cloves of garlic; roasted
2 chicken breasts; sliced
olive oil

For white sauce: Heat 1 Tbsp. butter in sauce pan, add 2 Tbsp. flour and cook for 2 minutes on med. heat. heat stirring constantly. slowly add 3/4 cup hot milk (hot so it won't get lumpy). Set aside. (Make sure that the white sauce is hot when adding to the scampi sauce)

For scampi sauce: Heat butter over low heat. Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper and black pepper. Cook for about 2 minutes on low heat. Add the wine and chicken broth, stir until combined. Add white sauce and cook until slightly thickened (about 30 minutes). Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute chicken in olive until chicken is almost completely cooked. Add peppers and onions, saute until chicken is done. Add the sauce; saute until everything is warmed. Add roasted garlic cloves. Serve over pasta.

For roasted garlic: Separate head of garlic into individual cloves still in 'paper'. Toss in olive oil and wrap tightly in aluminum foil or a small pint sized dish with a lid. Bake in 350 degree oven for 45 minutes. When the garlic has cooled to the touch you should be able to squeeze it out of the 'paper' shell of the individual cloves.

Rustic Sweet Potato Fries

Nothing says Happy New Year like sweet potato fries! This recipe, which comes from the Barefoot Contessa's new cookbook - Back to Basics - was featured at our locally-produced New Year's Eve feast. I had two sweet potatoes and one pound of ground beef leftover from the big feast, so last night I made mini-meatloaves and, for the second night in a row, sweet potato fries.

As you may remember from the spring and summer, in 2008 I planted a garden for the first time. Although the garden was part success and part disaster, my sweet potato crop turned out okay. One of my resolutions for 2009 is to manage my garden better - and plant my sweet potatoes earlier - so hopefully this year I'll have an even better sweet potato crop. When you make sweet potato fries two nights in a row, they go fast!

Rustic Sweet Potato Fries

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon light brown sugar OR maple sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for sprinkling
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Halve the sweet potatoes lengthwise and cut each half into strips. Place them on a sheet pan and toss with the olive oil. Spread the potatoes in one layer. Combine the brown sugar, salt, and pepper and sprinkle on the potatoes. Bake for 15 minutes and then turn with a spatula. Bake for another 5 to 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Sprinkle lightly with salt and serve hot.
- Adapted from the Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics

Sugar and Spice Pecans

If you think it's too late to make homemade Christmas gifts, think again! In less than 30 minutes (including preparation, baking, and cooling), you can have a batch of Sugar and Spice Pecans ready for gift giving. I started making these four years ago, and they are still one of our favorite Christmas treats. Yesterday I made two batches to share with our neighbors. I intended to make cookies and all kinds of other treats, but was too busy (cleaning to get ready for Christmas and our Alamo Bowl party).

Here is a quick semi-illustrated summary (full recipe at the end) -

First, melt 6 tbsp. unsalted butter:

Next, add 4 cups pecan halves to the butter and stir to coat pecans evenly: Then add 6 tbsp. worcestershire sauce, 3-4 tsp. sea salt, and 1 tsp. cayenne pepper; stir to coat. Finally, add all but a few teaspoons of 1/2 cup sugar (reserve some for sprinkling after the pecans come out of the oven). Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes, stirring once during baking:
Remove from oven and stir (to prevent clumping); dust with remaining sugar. Stir once more and/or transfer to wax paper to cool completely before serving or packaging:
Sugar and Spice Pecans

4 cups pecan halves
6 tbsp. unsalted butter
6 tbsp. worcestershire sauce
3-4 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. cayenne (red) pepper
1/2 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt butter; in a large bowl, combine pecans with butter, stir to coat evenly. Add worcestershire sauce, salt, and cayenne pepper, stir to coat evenly. Add sugar, reserving 1-2 tsp., stir lightly.

Spread in a single layer on a lightly greased rimmed baking sheet; bake 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees. Stir once during baking. When finished baking, stir at least once to prevent clumping; dust with remaining sugar. Transfer to wax paper to cool completely (or stir once or twice more if cooling on baking sheet). Store in an airtight container.
- Adapted from Southern Living

Honey Crunch Peanut Spread

Peanut butter isn't something I use very often, aside from the occasional batch of peanut butter cookies. For everything except baking, I usually use almond butter. However, I had some extra peanut butter taking up room in our refrigerator, so I decided to make an old recipe from my childhood.

My dad used to make Honey Crunch Peanut Spread when I was a kid; I'm not sure where he found the recipe or why he decided to make it initially, maybe to try to get me to eat more apples and celery. If that is it, I guess it worked - this definitely makes celery worth eating!


Honey Crunch Peanut Spread
2/3 cup uncooked oats
1 1/2 cups peanut butter
1/2 cup honey

Toast oats in an ungreased rimmed baking sheet for 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool and combine with peanut butter and honey.

Serve with celery and apples, or on sandwiches. Store in the refrigerator.

Holiday Gift Guide - Part 2

In the first part of my holiday gift guide, I gave you some ideas for gifts to give people who like to cook. However, I know there are lots of people who may not need another cookbook or kitchen gadget . . . so here are some great food/ingredient gift ideas:

• Vital Choice Seafood - great gift options for seafood lovers
• Grass-Fed Beef Gift Box - if you've never tried grass-fed beef, this is a good way to get started (yes, it tastes just as good as grain-fed, trust me)
  
• Flower of the Ocean Sea Salt - this finishing salt is perfect for savory dishes - or for chocolate and caramel
  
• Christopher Elbow artisinal chocolates - made in Missouri - beautiful and delicious chocolates
• Mini lemon tree - grow your own lemons, even in the Midwest
• Penzey's Spices - if you think you don't need new spices, you should smell Penzey's, then smell your current selection - you'll notice a huge difference
• Anything from Zingerman's - their "of the month" clubs go way beyond fruit - try coffee, bread, bacon, olive oil, brownies, and more

No, it's not too late to have gifts shipped for Christmas - and when all else fails, sign up for a trial of Amazon Prime and get free 2-day or $3.99 overnight shipping on those last minute gifts!

Finally, you can't forget about food gifts for kids! I'm definitely not an expert when it comes to gifts for children, but if I had kids on my list, I would get them these toys:

Game of Tag

I don't have anything exciting to blog about - we're still eating from the freezer. Tonight was a Kashi pizza topped with leftover roast beef. I did make Christmas cookies and treats Sunday, but I froze most of them and will finish that project this weekend.

However, Mandy, an awesome food blogger from the great state of Texas, tagged me in a little blog game. Mandy is getting ready to take the CMP (Certified Meeting Professional) Exam, so stop by and wish her luck!

Here are 7 random things about me (that you probably don't care about):

1. I like to dip french fries (preferably McD's or Steak & Shake) in a chocolate Frosty (from Wendy's). I know . . . it is not only weird, but terrible for me as well. But once every three or four years can't be that bad, can it?
2. I hate fish. Actually I hate all seafood. Even shrimp and lobster. Even if it is breaded and fried. Even if it is dipped in a fr. . . just kidding, I've never tried to dip seafood in a Frosty. That would just be wrong.
3. I also hated tomatoes until a year or two ago. The tomato/mozzarella dish on the Ruby Tuesday salad bar converted me. Now I am obsessed with tomatoes. Black Krim tomatoes in particular.
4. I would like to learn how to can so I am able to make my own tomato sauce and salsa. I would also like to learn to make cheese.
5. Over the past year, I have tried a lot of new foods - organ meat sausages, pate, kombucha, raw milk, miso, ghee, and sprouted grain bread, to name a few. Most of them I really like, others I may develop a taste for over time.
6. I cannot cut onions - they make my eyes miserable. I use the frozen, diced kind 95% of the time.
7. Someday I would like to open a bakery. I hate it when restaurants use cheap, processed muffins/pastries/cookies/etc. Coffee shops are especially bad about this. Life is too short to eat junk that doesn't even taste good. Right?
   

Now, I'm tagging:
Lesley/The Meiers
Leah/My Favorite Things
Dana/It's A Wonderful Life
Jaime/Good Eats 'n Sweet Treats
Julie/A Cook in the Kitchen
Lane/Home Cooking is What I Like
Heather/Diary of a Fanatic Foodie

TGIF Sundae for Two

As we continue to clean out our freezer, I continue to find random things I forgot I had. Today I found two puff pastry cups, leftover from our anniversary dinner. I decided to make a quick and easy version of a dessert I had once at the Garth Mansion (theirs is a banana wrapped in puff pastry with ice cream and chocolate - it is awesome). We were really happy with how it turned out - but then again - look at the ingredients . . . how this not make you happy?

TGIF Sundae for Two
2 frozen puff pastry cups
2 bananas (not too ripe), sliced
1 tbsp. butter
1-2 tbsp. brown sugar (or to taste)
vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt

For chocolate ganache:
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup chocolate chips (semi-sweet)

1. Bake puff pastry cups according to package directions (in my case, 20-25 min. at 400 degrees).
2. Meanwhile (5-10 minutes into baking), melt butter in a small skillet, add bananas and sugar and cook until bananas are tender and begin to caramelize.
3. While bananas cook, heat cream in a small saucepan over low heat. Do not let cream boil. When bubbles begin to form at the edge, remove from heat and add chocolate chips, stirring until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Set aside. (Alternatively, you could use prepared chocolate syrup or hot fudge sauce)
4. Allow pastry cups to cool for a few minutes after baking.
5. To serve: Fill each cup with 1/4 banana slices, top with a small scoop of ice cream, spoon 1/4 of bananas over ice cream, drizzle chocolate ganache over entire sundae and serve immediately. Enjoy!

Oh, and the final step . . .
6. Thank God for blessings such as chocolate, bananas, ice cream, puff pastry, and Friday!

BB: Coq Au Vin

Bethany chose the first Barefoot Bloggers recipe for the month of December - Coq Au Vin. The recipe can be found on the Food Network website or in The Barefoot Contessa: Back to Basics cookbook. Many of the Barefoot Bloggers recipes I either really look forward to or kind of dread, but this didn't fall into either category. I wanted to try it because it is a classic recipe, but at the same time . . . it's just chicken cooked in wine. That is the great thing about Barefoot Bloggers -it pushes me to make things I might normally skip over or put off until later (when I get a Dutch oven, when I don't already have so many dirty dishes in the sink).

So what was the outcome? I feel the same way I did before cooking Coq Au Vin. Kind of neutral. I think I made one major mistake: I used a bottle of red wine I found on our wine rack. It was a cheap bottle of red zinfandel (no offense to whomever is responsible for that - I say " found" because I know I have never bought a bottle of red zin). The recipe called for Burgundy . . . red zin is probably not a good substitute. There is a reason people advise against cooking with a wine you wouldn't drink.

Bad zinfandel flavor aside, we enjoyed the moist, tender (and yes, purple on the outside) chicken. My favorite part of making Coq Au Vin, however, was burning off the cognac. It almost melted our above-the-stove microwave, but it was exciting to see it flame up. (FYI - the recipe online doesn't include this step). I think I'll try this recipe again - with better wine and with the pot moved away from the appliances when I set it on fire!

See what the other members of Barefoot Bloggers thought of this recipe here.

Holiday Gift Guide - Part 1

Great gifts for cooks, bakers, and people who like to eat

If you haven't finished your Christmas shopping yet and have any cooks on your list, I have a few suggestions to make your last-minute shopping easier:

Kitchen tools

BeaterBlade for KitchenAid Mixers - A built-in spatula/scraper for your mixer. I haven't tried this product, but it looks like a great idea!









Le Creuset Skillet - A groundbreaking product this is not; however, anyone who uses a skillet could benefit from having a Le Creuset. Cast iron skillets heat evenly and are a healthier option (both for people and for the planet) than using a nonstick skillet coated with Teflon.







Thermapen Professional Infrared Instant Read Thermometer - Thermapen thermometers are recommended by the folks at Cook's Illustrated/America's Test Kitchen . . . think of it as an investment . . . the dividends will be perfectly cooked meat.

Stocking Stuffers:

Garlic Zoom - This is my favorite new gadget - yes, it looks silly . . . but it works! It chops garlic in a fraction of the time it would take to use a knife. And it is easy to clean (open at the seam in the middle and remove the blades - it's dishwasher safe). I actually look forward to recipes that call for fresh garlic because of the Garlic Zoom.





Kuhn Rikon Paring Knife - Nothing new here, but these are still must-have items. Not only are they cute, they also have a protective cover (great for brown bag lunches or picnics) and they cut - and release food - perfectly.






Microplane Zesters and Graters - The "must-have" of all "must-have" kitchen gadgets. Recipes calling for citrus zest, grated Parmesan, nutmeg, chocolate, etc. are instantly accessible with a Microplane. Like the Garlic Zoom, Microplanes are easy to clean. I know most serious cooks already have a Microplane (or two), but if yours doesn't - get them one. Now.






Cookbooks:
Barefoot Contessa - Back to Basics - One of the hottest new releases this holiday season. Great for Ina Garten fans or anyone looking for something new - or a good version of a classic recipe. I just got this book, but I already have tabbed several recipes I want to try and I've always had good luck with Ina Garten's recipes.









Any books from the editors of Cook's Illustrated - In America's Test Kitchen, they test every recipe 30 to 70 times before publishing it, making it practically foolproof. All their books and recipes are awesome, but if I were forced to live with only one cookbook, I would pick The New Best Recipe.

The Splendid Table's How to Eat Supper - If you read my blog regularly, you already know I'm a huge fan of How to Eat Supper. Check out some of the recipes I've sampled: fettuccine alfredo, flash chicken saute and roasted chicken with preserved lemon. I'm not always a fan of their food politics - but the good content and great recipes outweigh that aspect. This would be a great gift for anyone who enjoys cooking dinner and/or needs new weeknight recipes.


Magazine Subscriptions:
Magazine subscriptions are great gifts for people who love to cook because they give the recipient 12 months of fresh new recipes and inspiration. Here are a few of my favorites:

Bon Appetit












Everyday Food












Cooking Light













Watch for gifts of food and gifts for kids in part two of my holiday gift guide!

30 meals for $3 per serving

Hy-Vee, my favorite grocery store in this area, has a new section on their website - 30 Meals for $3 per Serving. It includes recipes, shopping lists, and nutritional information for most of the main dishes. Here is one example:

Carribean Jerk Pork Tenderloin with baked sweet potatoes and applesauce

(Photo courtesy of Hyvee.com)

Even if you don't have a Hy-Vee nearby, I'm sure these recipes could be equally affordable using ingredients from your favorite local grocery store. What are your favorite low cost dinner ideas?

Cleaning the freezer + a recipe

We're in "clean out the freezer" mode. We need to get it organized and clear out some space - we should have some new beef arriving (grass-fed Shorthorn beef from Dad) in January. I try to minimize the amount of food I waste (although I still have room for improvement), so I end up shoving lots of stuff in the freezer. Over-ripe bananas, for example. I made spelt banana muffins (the recipe was from the VitaSpelt bag - good but nothing special), which helped clear out 3 bananas. However, I froze half the muffins to have on hand for breakfast when I'm in a hurry. 3 bananas out = 10 muffins in . . .


















Tonight I made "True Fettuccine Alfredo" because I had fresh pasta and cream on the verge of expiration. I also baked a thin crust spinach and garlic frozen pizza and cut it into breadstick-like slices to serve with the pasta (and I can take the leftovers to work tomorrow). One frozen pizza out of the way, one or two to go.












"True Fettuccine Alfredo" comes from The Splendid Table's How to Eat Supper cookbook. It is an excellent recipe, both easy and delicious. How to Eat Supper would be a good book for almost any cook you know. It has a nice mix of recipes, from basic to exotic, but none are overly complicated. It also has good stories, poems, quotes, and little bits of useful information. Since I got it this summer, it has become one of my go-to cookbooks - and I've given a copy to my mom and my dad as well. Anyway, on to the recipe:

The True Fettuccine Alfredo

5 quarts salted water
1 pound fettuccine (I like the "fresh" kind from the refrigerated section; the recipe actually calls for imported)
6 tbsp. butter
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 to 2 cups fresh-grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Salt and fresh-ground black pepper
(My addition: a few tablespoons (chopped) of whatever fresh herbs are available - tonight I used thyme, rosemary, and Italian parsley)
(You could also add cooked chicken breast or shrimp)

Directions:
1. Bring pot of salted water to a boil, drop in the pasta and boil it, stirring often, for approximately 7 minutes or until the pasts is slightly undercooked. Immediately drain it into a colander.
2. As soon as the pasta goes in the water, put the butter in a straight-sided 12-inch saute pan/skillet and place it over medium-low heat. Melt the butter, taking care not to let it brown. Set the pan aside until the pasta is done.
3. Once the pasta is draining, reheat the butter over medium-high heat. Turn the pasta and cream into the saute pan, and toss to thoroughly coat the noodles. Continue to toss the pasta for 2-3 minutes, so the cream can permeate the pasta. There should be very little cream in the pan.
4. Finally toss in the cheese, starting with 1 1/2 cups and adding more to taste. Toss for 20 seconds. Season the pasta to taste with salt and fresh-ground black pepper. Add fresh herbs. Serve immediately. - Adapted from The Splendid Table's How to Eat Supper

P.S. If you get the book, you can read about the history of fettuccine alfredo and find out why this version is "The True Fettuccine Alfredo."

Candied Orange Peel

I've always been intrigued by candied orange peel, maybe because I just couldn't imagine how an orange peel - something you normally throw away - could be transformed into edible candy.

I made this to garnish my orange-cranberry cake for Advent by Candlelight. To be honest, I printed out a recipe . . . and threw away the recipe when I was finished, because the piece of paper was sticky. Of course, now I can't find that recipe online, but if you're interested in trying candied orange peel, here are a few options: Use Real Butter and Epicurious.
My only tips are: a) make this ahead - not the same afternoon you need it; and b) beware any recipe that calls for paper towels . . . I saw one that called for drying the peel on paper towels after boiling in sugar water - my orange peels were sticky and would have been permanently coated in paper towel if I had done that!

Orange Cake with Cranberry Filling

I found this recipe last winter in Paula Deen's Christmas magazine. It is a perfect holiday dessert - the cranberry filling, sweet orange icing, and light, airy cake are a great combination. I made this to take to our Advent by Candlelight at church last Sunday night. My neighbor Carolyn asked me to co-host a table with her and offered me the choice of putting together the table setting or making the dessert. I am so glad I chose the dessert because her table setting was absolutely beautiful - I wish I had taken a picture of it. The cake recipe follows (it is a little more time consuming than . . . using a cake mix . . . but it's well worth the effort!):

Orange Cake with Cranberry Filling

1 cup butter

2 cups sugar

1 tsp orange extract

1 tsp orange zest

3 cups cake flour

3 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup whole buttermilk

5 egg whites, beaten until stiff

Orange Cranberry Filling (see below)

Orange Cream Cheese Frosting (see below)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 3 (9-inch) cake pans.In a large bowl, beat at medium speed with electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until fluffy. Beat in orange extract and orange zest.

In a small bowl, combine cake flour, baking powder, and salt, sift twice. Add flour mixture to butter mixture. Gently fold in beaten egg whites.

Pour batter evenly into prepared pans, and bake 20-23 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pans 10 minutes. Remove cakes from pans and cool completely on wire racks.

Spread 1/3 of cranberry filling between each cake layer. Spread Orange Cream Cheese Frosting on side and top of cake. Pipe remaining frosting around top of cake, if desired. Spread remaining cranberry filling over top of cake. Store in refrigerator.

Orange-Cranberry Filling

1 (16 oz) can whole-berry cranberry sauce

2 tbsp orange-flavored liqueur*

1 tbsp sugar

In a small saucepan, combine cranberry sauce, orange-flavored liqueur, and sugar. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly, 12 minutes or until thickened.

Orange Cream Cheese Frosting (make about 4 cups)

1 (8 oz) package of cream cheese softened

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 tbsp orange-flavored liqueur*

1 tbsp orange zest

6 cups confectioners' sugar

* Freshly squeezed orange juice can be substituted for if you do not have or do not wish to use orange liqueur.

Candied orange peel recipe coming soon!