Apple Cider Doughnut Cake

If you want to drool over beautiful cakes, head over to Cakes by Courtney. We didn't get to our usual apple orchard this year, so I felt especially compelled to bake her apple cider doughnut cake. This cake is moist and dense and tastes like an apple cider doughnut. It's also quite easy to put together. The only thing I've found is that it requires a longer baking time in my oven than her original recipe.

Apple Cider Doughnut Cake

3 cups flour
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 Tbsp. baking powder
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs, room temperature
1 cup applesauce, room temperature
1 cup apple cider, room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla extract (I subbed in bourbon vanilla for a little oomph)
Coating
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 325°F. Coat a Bundt pan with whatever method works for you to get your cake to release. ;-) 

In a medium bowl, combine dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, combine sugars and oil on medium speed. Add in the eggs, and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add the applesauce and vanilla, and mix to combine. 

With the mixer on low, add 1/3 of the flour mixture, followed by half the cider. Repeat, finishing with the last 1/3 of the flour. 

Pour batter into prepared pan, and bake for 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs on it. (I find mine needs at least 60 minutes.) 

Let the cake cool and turn onto a cooling rack or cake plate (again however the Bundt cake techniques work for you). Once cake is cooled, brush with melted butter. Combine sugar and cinnamon, and use your hand to press onto the cake. Serves 8-12. 

Crispy Oven-Baked Quesadillas

This recipe was inspired by the oven-baked quesadillas from How Sweet Eats. I made a batch of cheeseburger sliders as meal prep the other weekend, and I had some of the cheeseburger filling left over. So I decided to do a quick, easy and amazing dinner. 

These oven quesadillas had the texture of deep frying without the oil or the mess. We are excited to try this technique with more traditional fillings, but I'm sold on the cheeseburger version that I'm sharing here!

Cheeseburger Quesadillas
1/2 lb. hamburger
1/2 small onion
2 Tbsp. ketchup
1 Tbsp. mustard
Salt and pepper
1 cup freshly shredded cheese
8 6-inch tortillas

Preheat oven to 400­°F. While the oven is heating, brown the meat with the onion, ketchup, onion, mustard, salt and pepper. 

Spray tortillas with non-stick spray on one side. Place sprayed side down on a baking sheet, and place hamburger mixture on half of each tortilla. Top evenly with cheese. Close the tortillas, so the filling is inside with the tortilla folded in half. 

Bake 10 minutes or until crispy on the top. You may need to reclose the tortillas if they pop open. Carefully flip each quesadilla and bake 5 more minutes or until thoroughly crispy on both sides. Serves 4. 

Creamy Cheddar Cauliflower Soup

 I got all my kids, which includes my husband, to eat this soup that I modified from How Sweet Eats. There's enough cheese in this recipe that we all love it. It's incredible with a loaf of sourdough bread and will be a repeat recipe for us.

As an added bonus with meat prices going crazy, this is a mostly meatless meal that only requires bacon. And, yes, it requires bacon for all the flavor. If you're like me and don't have chicken stock on hand but have extra Raman seasoning packets, you can wing it with a couple Raman seasoning packets and water. And if you happen to have fresh sage, toss it in that bacon grease to crisp it up and crumble it on top. 

I was lucky enough to get a couple heads of beautiful golden cauliflower at the last farmers' market of the season. It made a beautiful soup! (I was tempted by the green and purple, but I didn't think they'd be as appealing in soup form.)

Creamy Cheddar Cauliflower Soup
4 slices bacon, diced
1 onion, diced
3 large carrots, peeled and chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and pepper
4 Tbsp. flour
6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 large head cauliflower, cut into florets
1/3 cup heavy cream
4 oz. cheddar cheese, freshly grated

Cook bacon until crispy in a large pot over medium heat. Remove the bacon, but retain the grease. Add the onion, carrots and garlic with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook the vegetables until they soften. Sprinkle in flour, and cook 2 to 3 minutes while stirring.

Stream in the stock while stirring. Add in cauliflower, and bring the mixture to a boil. Then reduce it to simmer uncovered for 15 minutes until the cauliflower is tender. Blend in batches for a creamy, smooth soup.

Stir in cream, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until warmed. Reduce the heat to low, and stir in the cheese until it is melted. Season with additional salt and pepper if needed. Garnish with extra cheese and bacon. Serves 6-8.