Cakes to Bake in SUMMER!

Happy Monday everyone! I've been thinking about cake A LOT lately (let's blame it on pregnancy, but really it's just a typical Monday for me) so instead of giving you the usual multi-layer delicious layer cake options, here are a few different kinds of cakes to bring to the next cookout.

S'mores Cheesecake with Summer Berries
Rick Rodgers

Ingredients
Crust:

• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (made from 9 whole crackers finely ground in processor; 1 packet)
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Filling:

• 9 ounces high-quality milk chocolate (such as Lindt or Ghirardelli), chopped
• 2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• 3 large eggs

Topping:

• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large egg whites
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 12 large marshmallows, cut into quarters with wet kitchen scissors
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1-pint container fresh raspberries
• 1 1-pint container fresh blueberries

Directions
For crust:

1. Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Mix crumbs and sugar in medium bowl. Add melted butter; stir until mixture is evenly moistened. Press onto bottom of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides. Bake until set, about 12 minutes. Remove from oven; cool. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.

For filling:

1. Stir chocolate in top of double boiler set over barely simmering water until smooth. Remove from over water and cool to lukewarm, stirring occasionally.
2. Combine cream cheese, sugar, and salt in processor and blend until smooth. With motor running, add whipping cream through feed tube and process just until blended. With motor running, add melted chocolate, then add eggs 1 at a time, blending and scraping down sides after each addition until mixture is smooth. Pour batter over crust in pan.
3. Bake cake until outer edge is slightly puffed and cake is barely set in center (center will look shiny and move slightly when pan is gently shaken), about 55 minutes. Transfer cake to rack. Run small sharp knife around cake to loosen. Chill uncovered until cold, 8 hours or overnight. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.

For topping:

1. Whisk sugar, egg whites, 3 tablespoons water, cream of tartar, and 1/8 teaspoon salt to blend in large metal bowl. Set bowl over saucepan of simmering water; whisk constantly until sugar dissolves and mixture thickens and is hot to touch, about 3 minutes. Remove bowl from over water and stir in marshmallows (keep water simmering in saucepan). Let stand until marshmallows soften, about 3 minutes. Set bowl with mixture over simmering water; using hand held electric mixer, beat until stiff shiny peaks form, about 4 minutes. Beat in vanilla.
2. Scrape topping onto cheesecake. Using offset metal spatula, spread topping to edges of cake, swirling decoratively. Let stand until set, about 15 minutes.
3. Using kitchen torch, lightly brown topping in spots. (Or preheat broiler; place cake at least 4 inches from heat source and broil just until topping is lightly browned in spots, watching closely to avoid burning, about 2 minutes.) Chill cake until cold. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome and keep chilled. Remove pan sides. Place cake on platter.
4. Mix raspberries and blueberries in medium bowl. Cut cake into wedges. Serve berry mixture alongside.

Summer-Fruit Shortcake with Mascarpone

Bon Appetit, August 1999

Ingredients

For cake:

• 2/3 cup chilled buttermilk
• 1 large chilled egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups cake flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

For filling:

• 5 medium plums, pitted, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 large peaches, pitted, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 1/2-pint basket raspberries
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 8-ounce container chilled mascarpone cheese, or one 8-ounce package cream cheese at room temperature
• 1 cup chilled whipping cream
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Additional powdered sugar

Directions

Make cake:

1. Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 425°F. Whisk buttermilk, egg and vanilla extract in medium bowl to blend; transfer 1 tablespoon mixture to small bowl and reserve for glaze. Sift flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into large bowl; add butter. Using electric mixer, beat until mixture resembles coarse meal, about 3 minutes. Add buttermilk mixture and blend just until soft moist dough forms. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface. Using floured hands, gather dough into ball and knead gently for 6 turns. Transfer dough to ungreased baking sheet. Shape dough into 8-inch round. Brush top with reserved 1 tablespoon buttermilk mixture. Bake cake until top is golden brown and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer cake to rack and cool completely.

Make filling:

1. Toss plums, peaches, raspberries and 1/3 cup sugar in large bowl to blend. Let stand 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, beat mascarpone, whipping cream, 1/4 cup powdered sugar and vanilla in large bowl until firm peaks form. Refrigerate until ready to use.
3. Cut off top 1/3 of cake. Using small knife and leaving 1/2-inch border at edge, cut out enough of cake bottom to form 1/2-inch-deep indentation. Spread half of mascarpone cream in indentation. Using slotted spoon, remove fruit from bowl; mound onto cream. Reserve fruit juices in bowl. Spread remaining mascarpone cream over fruit. Cover with top of cake. Refrigerate cake and reserved juices separately, at least 3 hours and up to 6 hours.
4. Let cake stand at room temperature 30 minutes before serving. Dust with powdered sugar. Cut into wedges. Drizzle with reserved fruit juices and serve.

Espresso and Mascarpone Icebox Cake

Gourmet, August 2004

Ingredients

• 3 cups chilled heavy cream
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 cup mascarpone cheese (about 9 oz) at room temperature
• 1 (9-oz) box chocolate wafers such as Nabisco Famous
• 1 tablespoon instant-espresso powder*

• Special equipment: a 9 1/2- to 10-inch springform pan (about 26 cm)

Directions

1. Beat 2 cups cream with 6 tablespoons sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until it just holds soft peaks, 2 to 4 minutes. Reduce speed to low, then add mascarpone and mix until combined.
2. Spread 1 1/4 cups mascarpone mixture evenly in bottom of springform pan and cover with 14 wafers, slightly overlapping if necessary. Spread with another 1 1/4 cups mascarpone mixture, followed by 14 more wafers arranged in the same manner. Spread remaining mascarpone mixture on top. Smooth top with a metal offset spatula, then cover pan with foil and freeze until firm, about 1 hour. Transfer from freezer to refrigerator and chill, covered, until a sharp knife inserted into center cuts through softened wafers easily, about 8 hours.
3. Pulse remaining chocolate wafers in a food processor until finely ground.
4. Beat remaining cup cream with espresso powder and remaining 3 tablespoons sugar using electric mixer at medium speed until it just holds stiff peaks, about 3 minutes.
5. Remove foil and side of pan and frost cake all over with espresso cream. Sprinkle edge of top lightly with wafer crumbs. Serve cold.

*Available at most supermarkets and The Baker's Catalogue (800-827-6836).

Notes: Cake, without espresso cream, can be chilled up to 2 days. Cake can be frosted with espresso cream 4 hours ahead and chilled, loosely covered with foil.

Happy baking!