Butter Pecan Cake

This cake has a whopping 2 cups pecans swirled into the batter and 1/2 cup pecans garnishing the top. And I didn’t just use any nuts, I used Fisher Nuts because they are my nuts brand of choice. I chose to create this cake with Fisher Nuts because it is one of the only brands of recipe nuts entirely without preservatives, I also love that I can purchase them in larger bags so I get more for my money. Pecans are the highlight of this cake so you’ll want to make sure you are using the best quality and Fisher is a brand you can always count on!



Butter Pecan Cake

Ingredients

Cake
2 cups (204g) Fishers Pecan Halves, chopped into small bits
3 Tbsp (42g) unsalted butter, diced into 3 pieces
3 cups (424g) all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened
1 3/4 cup (375g) granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk (235 ml)
1/2 cup milk (120ml)
Cream Cheese Frosting
1 cup (226g) butter, nearly at room temperature (preferably 1/2 cup salted 1/2 cup unsalted)
12 oz cream cheese, nearly at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
5 cups (620g) powdered sugar
1/2 cup (56g) Fishers Pecan Halves, chopped, for topping

Directions

For the cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt 3 Tbsp butter in a skillet over medium heat. Once melted add pecans and cook until slightly browned and fragrant, tossing frequently, about 4 minutes. Pour and spread onto a sheet of parchment paper or a baking sheet. Set aside and allow to cool.

Butter and line 3 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper, butter parchment paper and lightly dust pans with flour shaking out excess. Set pans aside.

In a mixing bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt for 20 seconds, set aside. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment whip together butter and sugar until very pale and fluffy (if your paddle attachment doesn't constantly scrape bowl then stop mixer and scrape down sides and bottom of bowl occasionally throughout entire mixing process).

Salted peanut caramel shortbread recipes

This caramel shortbread, or millionaire’s shortbread, takes Snickers bars as its inspiration. I’ve never really craved Snickers bars themselves, but somehow this biscuit-based spinoff – reimagined with buttery shortbread and a fudgy filling – has been disappearing from my fridge in thick wedges all week long.

For the shortbread
110g butter, softened
50g soft light brown sugar
150g plain flour
50g roasted salted peanuts, roughly chopped

For the caramel
400g tin condensed milk
150g crunchy peanut butter
125g soft dark brown sugar
25g butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
A pinch of salt
100g dark chocolate
50g milk chocolate

1 Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4 and have a 20cm round spring-form cake tin to hand.

2 Beat the butter until very smooth and soft then stir in the sugar to combine. Add the plain flour and chopped peanuts, and work everything together by mashing it under the back of the spoon. When the ingredients begin to form clumps, finish the making the dough with your hands: press the clumps together to form a very buttery, crumbly dough, and press this into the base of the 20cm cake tin. Pack the crumbs down very firmly under the base of a glass then prick all over with a fork. Transfer to the fridge to chill for 15 minutes.

3 Bake the chilled shortbread in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until it’s a light golden brown all over. It’ll firm as it cools and sets, so don’t be tempted to bake it until it’s perfectlyhard.

4 While the shortbread base cools, prepare the caramel layer: combine the condensed milk, peanut butter and brown sugar in a pan over a medium-low heat. Stir constantly while the mixture heats, and once it reaches a very gentle simmer – with just a few bubbles breaking through the surface – cook and stir for a further 4-5 minutes, until the caramel is thick, smooth and has darkened a shade.

5 As soon as the caramel has cooked, beat in the butter, vanilla extract and salt, pour over the baked shortbread and leave to cool to room temperature.

6 Once the caramel has cooled, melt the chocolates together either in the microwave (in short bursts, stirring regularly) or in a large bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Once melted, pour on to the caramel, lightly ripple it under a knife or spoon and move to the fridge to chill for 10-15 minutes. You can also score the chocolate, marking out servings, before you chill it to prevent the chocolate splintering when you cut the shortbread.

Vanilla Bean Cheesecake

You know you want your pie to be the first to go this Thanksgiving, so here’s what you do – make this perfectly delectable, purely irresistible Vanilla Bean Cheesecake instead of pie. Yes you heard that right, take a break from the classic pie everyone makes at Thanksgiving and bring this over-the-top vanilla bean laced cheesecake instead. In my opinion it outdoes any pie, in fact it outdoes any cheesecake! This is my favorite cheesecake I’ve ever had and my
husband said the same thing!



Vanilla Bean Cheesecake

Yield: About 14 - 16 servings

Ingredients

Crust

1 2/3 cup (216g) crushed graham cracker crumbs (about 13 full sheets)
2 Tbsp (30g) granulated sugar
6 Tbsp (3 oz) unsalted butter, melted

Cheesecake

3 (8 oz) pkgs cream cheese, softened
1 cup (210g) granulated sugar
Seeds of 2 Cooking Classy Vanilla Beans
3 large eggs
3/4 cup (180g) sour cream
1/3 cup (80ml) heavy cream

Mousse

7 oz white chocolate, roughly chopped
1 1/2 cups (355ml) heavy cream
6 oz cream cheese, nearly at room temperature
1 1/2 Tbsp (22g) granulated sugar
Seeds of 1 Cooking Classy Vanilla Bean

Whipped cream topping

3/4 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 Tbsp (22g) granulated sugar
Seeds of 1/2 Cooking Classy Vanilla Bean (optional)

Directions

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For the crust:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line the outside of a 9-inch springform pan with a sheet of 18 by 18 heavy duty aluminum foil (make sure the foil has no holes, you don't want any water to leak in). Add graham crackers and sugar to a mixing bowl and stir to combine, then pour in butter and mix with a fork until evenly moistened. Pour into prepared springform pan and press evenly into bottom. Bake in preheated oven 10 minutes, then remove and cool on a wire rack.

For the filling:

Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Have a large roasting pan ready and boil about 4 quarts of water (you may not need all of it). In a mixing bowl using an electric hand mixer blend together cream cheese, sugar and seeds of 2 vanilla beans just until smooth (scrape down side and bottom of bowl occasionally throughout entire mixing process). Mix in eggs one at a time, mixing just until combined after each addition. Add sour cream and heavy cream and mix just until combined. Tap bowl forcefully against countertop about 30 times to release any large air bubbles. Pour over cooled graham cracker crust and smooth into an even layer. Place cheesecake in roasting pan then place roasting pan in oven and carefully pour in enough boiling water to reach halfway up the side of the cheesecake pan. Bake in preheated oven until cheesecake is set but still jiggly in the center, about 65 minutes, then leave in oven and leaved door closed and let rest 10 minutes. Then remove from oven and cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Tent with foil and chill in refrigerator 8 hours or overnight.