Mango con Chile y Limon Cake

This idea came to me randomly a few weeks ago. I grew up in NY and it was a regular occurrence to see the street vendors selling baggies of mango or mangoes on a stick topped with chili powder. It took me a couple of weeks to figure out exactly how I wanted to incorporate these flavors.

There was a lot of trial and error. As usual, the goal is to flavor and color using natural, preferably fresh, ingredients. There were A LOT of mangoes (I think I used 7 or 8–all scraps and leftovers went into the freezer for smoothies).

The sponge is a basic vanilla sponge infused with fresh mango puree, lime and lemon zest, fresh cayenne (no stems or seeds) and cayenne pepper (more control over the spice level).

The first layer is buttercream and macerated fresh mango slices. The top layer is a lime-mango curd. It’s mostly sweet and creamy but there’s a tartness to it due to  lime juice.

The outside buttercream is flavored with a little smoked paprika, chili powder and a little cayenne plus lime juice and zest.

I taught myself to make mango roses, which serve as the decoration along with some whipped cream.

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Ingredients:

Sponge:

2 ½ C flour

1 ½ C sugar

2 ½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

1/2 c milk

1/2 c butter, room temperature

4 egg whites

1 tsp vanilla extract

¾ C mango puree

Spices (to taste): cayenne pepper, 2-5 cayenne peppers seeded and deveined, lemon zest, lime zest

Mango-Lime Curd:

1 large ripe mango

½ cup fresh lime juice

Squeeze of lemon juice

½- 1 tbsp of lime zest

½ tsp kosher salt

¾ cup sugar, divided (1/2:1/4)

3 large egg yolks

1 large egg

1 stick of butter, cubed or thinly sliced

Lime Simple Syrup:

3/4  cup of water

¼ cup of lime juice

1 cup of sugar

Vanilla Buttercream:

2 sticks softened butter

1 tsp vanilla extract

Roughly 5 cups of powdered sugar

Spiced Buttercream (optional/to taste):

Vanilla Buttercream

Smoked paprika

Chili powder

Cayenne pepper

Lime zest

Reserve:

2 mango cheeks, thinly sliced

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Curd:

1. Slice fresh mango
   1. In a small bowl add sugar or simple syrup
   2. Toss to coat, let rest
2. In a food processor, puree mango and transfer to a sauce pan
3. Add lime zest and juice, salt and ½ c sugar
4. Simmer while stirring until sugar dissolves
5. Option 1: in a bowl, whisk eggs and remaining sugar until the yellow lightens
6. Carefully and slowly stream in about half of the hot mango mixture into the eggs
   1. This is called tempering, do not rush this or you will cook the eggs
7. Strain
8. Pour the egg and mango mixture back into the sauce pan and whisk constantly until it thickens
   • Do not let this boil
9. Option 2: Combine ingredients and whisk constantly over a double boiler until it thickens
10. Once thickened, remove from heat and add the butter a few pieces at a time and stir until fully incorporated before adding the next few
11. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing directly onto the top of the curd so it doesn’t develop a weird skin
    1. Chill for 2-24 hours

Simple Syrup:

1. In a sauce pan, combine the ingredients
2. Simmer and stir until sugar is dissolved
3. Refrigerate and store in a container

Sponge: 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Grease and parchment 2 9”round cake pans or 3 8” round cake pans
3. In the bowl of your mixer, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and gelatin using the paddle attachment
4. Add the softened butter
5. Add the vanilla
6. Add the milk
7. Add the egg whites, beat to combine
8. Scrape down bowl
9. Add mango puree
10. Slowly incorporate the spices and the zest
    • I recommend starting with a teaspoon of zest and working up
    • I recommend starting with a dash of cayenne
    • Optional: seed and devein cayenne peppers and finely dice, start with a small amount and work your way up
    • My proportions were zest > cayenne pepper>cayenne peppersDivide cake between cake pans
11. Bake until they pass the toothpick test
12. Allow to cool slightly before removing from the pans
13. Carefully poke some holes into the cake (not all the way through)
14. Carefully spoon some of the syrup over the sponges and allow to rest so they can fully sop up the goodness

Vanilla Buttercream:

1. In the bowl of your stand mixer, whip the butter on medium until the butter looks white and fluffy
2. Add vanilla
3. On low speed, slowly and carefully add the powdered sugar about a cup at a time
4. Slowly increase the speed and whip until well incorporated
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until all of your sugar is used

Spiced Buttercream (Optional):

1. Split ½-3/4 of the vanilla buttercream
2. Starting with a small amount, slowly add the spices and TASTE adjusting for your preference
   1. My proportions were zest>chili powder> smoked paprika> cayenne
   2. This was a sweet and flavorful buttercream that left a curious and slightly spicy finish

Assembly:

Bottom layer: Sponge

Next layer: Buttercream and the macerated mangoes (shake off excess liquid)

Next layer: Sponge

Next layer: Buttercream perimeter filled with curd

Next layer: Sponge

© 2019 by Alexa Mason. All Rights Reserved

Strawberry Shortcake Cheesecake

This is as sinful and indulgent as you think. Highly reminiscent of Good Humor’s classic treat. My first attempt was “liked” by Good Humor on Twitter (yes, that is a humble brag). This is my second attempt. I tinkered with my notes and I am quite pleased with how this turned out.

JUST LOOK AT HER!

This recipe is not for the faint of heart. You need to allocate at least two days for this project. You can make the crumble way ahead of time and stick it in the freezer. You can also make the puree ahead of time. You need to make your cheesecake the day/night before you assemble and decorate.

 

If I haven’t scared you off yet check out the ingredients and steps after the jump!

 

Ingredients:

 

Crumb:

1 pack of Golden Oreos

1 pack of strawberry gelatin

1 pack of vanilla pudding

Half stick of softened butter

(Gloves, if you’re weird like me.)

 

Cheesecake:

2-8oz cream cheese, room temp

1 C sugar

3 tbsp sour cream, room temp

½ tbsp. vanilla extract

2 eggs

½ tbsp. corn starch

1/8 tsp salt

 

Strawberry Cake:

2 ½ C flour

1 ½ C sugar

2 ½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

1/2 c milk

1/2 c butter, room temperature

4 egg whites

1 tsp vanilla extract

¾ C strawberry puree, reduced*

Optional: 1 tsp strawberry gelatin for a slightly pinker cake

 

Vanilla Buttercream:

2 sticks softened butter

1 tsp vanilla extract

Roughly 5 cups of powdered sugar

 

Strawberry Puree:

As a rule, a pint of fresh strawberries generally yields roughly 1 ¼ cup of pureed strawberry

I used just over a half a pint of strawberries.

 

 

1. Puree strawberries
2. Bring to boil, reduce to simmer.
3. Stirring occasionally, allow the puree to reduce (it will thicken and sometimes the color will darken)
4. Allow the puree to cool completely
   1. This can be refrigerated in an air tight container until you’re ready to use it.

 

Crumble:

1. In a food processor, pulse the cookies until they resemble sand
2. Using your hand, “squish” the softened butter throughout the cookies, it will now be more like wet sand.
3. Separate the crumbs into two bowls
4. Sprinkle in strawberry gelatin ½ tbsp at a time until you get your desired color
5. Add 1 tbsp of vanilla pudding to the other batch
6. Combine the two batches
7. This can be stored in a ziplock bag in the freezer

Cheesecake:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees
2. In the bowl of your mixer, whip the softened cream cheese.
3. Add the sour cream
4. Add the sugar and vanilla
5. Add the corn starch
6. Add the eggs one at a time
7. Scrape down the sides, mix until combined
   1. You don’t want to see any large flecks of cream cheese, small specks are okay.
8. Cut a circle large enough to fit into the bottom of a 9” cake pan
9. Spray with cooking spray, place parchment
10. Pour cheesecake mixture into the pan, gently tap the pan on your counter to release any bubbles
11. Bake for roughly an hour
    1. The cheesecake will be slightly jiggly in the center, a tad firmer towards the edges
    2. This cheesecake is a filling so some browning and cracks are fine. No one is going to see this. This is basically sacrilegious for traditional cheesecake, I know, but trust me.
12. Allow the cheesecake to cool
13. Cover with plastic wrap and allow cheesecake to set in the fridge for at least 4 hours, or overnight preferably

 

Strawberry Cake:

 

1. In the bowl of your mixer, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and gelatin using the paddle attachment
2. Add the softened butter
3. Add the vanilla
4. Add the milk
5. Add the egg whites, beat to combine.
6. Scrape down edges
7. Add cooled strawberry puree
8. Repeat above parchment*
9. Divide the batter in two 9” cake pans
10. Bake at 350 until the cake passes the toothpick test, about 20 minutes
11. Cool in the pan then remove and cool on rack

 

Vanilla Buttercream:

1. In the bowl of your stand mixer, whip the butter on medium until the butter looks white and fluffy
2. Add vanilla
3. On low speed, slowly and carefully add the powdered sugar about a cup at a time
4. Slowly increase the speed and whip until well incorporated
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until all of your sugar is used

Leftover buttercream can be stored in the freezer in a ziplock bag.

 

Assembly:

1. Lay down some parchment paper
2. Place on layer of cake, place cheesecake and top with second layer of cake
3. If you need to, trim the cake to make it a uniform size
4. Using a spatula, create a crumb coat on your cake
   1. This does not have to be pretty, it will not be seen
5. Sprinkle your crumble on top of the cake
6. Carefully apply the crumble to the side of the cake

 

Store cake in an airtight container in the fridge! Enjoy!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

© 2017 by Alexa Mason. All Rights Reserved

 

#TT: Maple Bourbon Bacon Cupcakes

Thrifty or Throwback Thursday? It’s the inaugural post, we’ll figure that out as we grow. For the #TT posts I intend to revisit dishes that I’ve previously posted to IG (but did not include recipes)*

I know that there are certain posts that some of you have messaged me about. So, this #TT series will be your opportunity to get your hands on those recipes!

This #TT will be in honor of our housewarming. My family and I recently moved to Washington, DC. We warmed our home with old friends, new friends and family. It was a blast! And there was so. much. food. I barely ate but, as most cooks do, I tasted along the way so I was full before I could put my feet up.

There were jerk chicken sliders. There was a spicy pineapple slaw. Turkey burger sliders. Veggie packed lasagna. And the star of the show- Maple Bourbon Bacon Cupcakes. That’s a mouthful and they were a mouthful.

NOM!

 

These are a basic vanilla cupcake that are topped with a simple maple buttercream.

Where’s the booze!? I know that’s why you’re here. Booze and bacon, I’m getting to it. So, instead of incorporating the booze into the batter, I chose to make a simple syrup with the bourbon. That beautiful twankle and glisten on the cupcakes? Bourbon simple syrup. But Alexa, is that all the booze in these cupcakes!? Oh. Oh, absolutely not. That very same boozy simple syrup was poured onto each and every single cupcake before the buttercream topping. Yes. You’re welcome.

 

And obviously. The bacons.

 

Maple Bourbon Bacon Cupcakes 

Yields 12-18 cupcakes

Ingredients:

For the cupcakes:

1 stick of unsalted butter

1 cup of sugar

2 large eggs

1 tbsp vanilla extract

1 ½ Cups All Purpose Flour

2 tsp baking powder

½ cup of milk

 

For the buttercream:

2 sticks of unsalted butter (room temperature)

3 ½ cups powdered sugar

6 tbsp pure maple syrup

pinch of sea salt

 

For the simple syrup:

½ cup of water

½ cup of sugar

½ cup of bourbon

 

For THE (candied) BACONS:

¼- ½ lb bacon

2 tbsp brown sugar

2 tbsp maple syrup

2 tsp bourbon

 

For the simple vanilla cupcakes:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line your cupcake tin
2. In a large bowl or your stand mixer (you should totally invest in a stand mixer) place the butter and sugar; beat until light and fluffy on med-high speed
3. Add in the eggs one at a time until well combined; add the vanilla and scrape the sides. Mix until smooth, about one minute on med-high speed.
4. In a separate bowl, sift together baking powder and flour
5. Pour in some of the flour mixture, some of the milk and alternate until incorporated fully
6. Fill the cupcake liners about ¾ full
7. Place them in the oven for about 20 to 25 minutes, you want a golden top.
8. Do the handy dandy toothpick test
9. Place tin on a cooling rack; after a few minutes remove the cupcakes from the tin
10. Once fully cooled use a tooth pick to poke a half dozen holes in the cupcakes; carefully spoon the syrup over the cupcakes. The cake will absorb the flavorful liquid.
11. After, you can go on and frost them bad boys!

For the buttercream:

1. In a large bowl or a stand mixer that is fitted with the whisk attachment (I told you a stand mixer is a good investment), whip the butter for about 30 seconds
2. Add the powdered sugar very carefully, one cup at a time. You do not want to inhale a sugar cloud. Trust me.
3. Scrape the sides; alternate the speed from slow (as you pour) and then med-high to incorporate well for each addition
4. Scrape down the sides and slowly add the maple syrup
5. Mix on med-high for about four minutes until the buttercream comes together and is nice and fluffy.
6. Chill in the fridge for a few minutes prior to icing the cupcakes

For the boozy simple syrup:

1. Pour ½ cup of water and ½ cup of sugar into a sauce pan
2. Heat the ingredients until fully dissolved, whisk constantly
3. Add ½ cup of booze and stir to incorporate
4. Taste, taste, taste! Adjust accordingly, if needed. I vaguely remember adding more booze. Don’t be like me (be like me, they were amazing!)
5. Let simmer until it thickens up like a syrup

For THE (candied) BACONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
2. Cut the bacon in half so that they’re easier to manage
3. In a small mixing bowl combine the brown sugar, maple syrup and bourbon
4. Place the bacon in the bowl and toss to coat evenly
5. While the bacon rests in the boozy mixture, line a baking sheet with foil and top with a baking rack
6. Lay the bacon on the rack in a single layer
7. Back 20-30 minutes, or until just crispy. Because there is sugar, this bacon can and will burn very quickly so pay close attention as it nears the 20 minute mark.
8. Let cool and then chop up
9. Sprinkle the chopped bacon on top of the frosted cupcakes

 

 

 

 

 

(*Due to the nature of these posts, images and recipes may not be as thorough as newly posted content. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask.)

 

 

 

 

© 2016 by Alexa Mason. All Rights Reserved