Baby cakes and brownies!

I promised this recipe to some friends. I tried to simplify it a bit from the original found in Death by Chocolate Cakes .


Lemon Poppy Seed Cakelettes with Chocolate Lemon Drop Tops

Cakelettes:

6 ounces (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, cut into ½ ounce pieces, plus one tablespoon (melted)
1 cup all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¾ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon minced lemon zest
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Chocolate Lemon Drop Tops

½ cup powdered sugar
8 ounces cream cheese, cut into 1 ounce pieces
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons minced lemon zest
4 ounces semisweet baking chocolate, coarsely chopped and melted

Make the cakelettes:

1. Pre-heat oven to 325°. Use the melted butter to lightly coat the bottoms and sides of two 12 cup nonstick miniature muffin tins.

2. Sift together the flour and baking powder and set aside.

3.Place butter and sugar in a mixing bowl with a paddle. Mix on low speed for 1 minute, then medium speed until soft. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Beat an additional 3 minutes until very soft. Add eggs, one at a time, until mixed. Scrape down the bowl with each added egg.

4. Operate mixer on low while gradually mixing in the dry ingredients. Mix until incorporated, about 45 seconds. Add lemon zest, lemon juice, poppy seeds, and vanilla and mix on low speed for 15 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Mix for an additional 30 seconds on medium.

5. Place two level tablespoons of the batter into each miniature muffin tin. Place tins on the middle rack of the oven. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into a cake comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes, then remove cakelettes from tins.

Make the chocolate lemon drop tops:

1. Sift and set aside the powdered sugar.

2. Place the cream cheese, lemon juice, and zest in an electric mixing bowl with a paddle. Mix on low speed for 1 minute, then on medium for 2 minutes until soft. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Operate the mixer on low while gradually adding the melted chocolate. Beat on medium for 45 seconds.

3. Transfer the icing to a pastry bag fitted with a small straight tip. Pipe several “drops” of the icing onto each cakelette. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Makes 24 cakelettes





Mine turned out a little bigger than they were supposed to be. I used regular muffin tins, so there were only 12 cakelettes!

My mom bought me a new book, Presidential Cookies . (my version is the newest one, not yet available through amazon.com!) It's a great book filled with historical tidbits about the Presidents and First Ladies of the United States. There are many good recipes, some well known, some unusual. I tried a "brownie" made during the James Madison presidency:

Apple Date Nut Brownies

1-POUND BOX DARK BROWN SUGAR
3/4 CUP BUTTER (1 1/2 STICKS)
2 EGGS
2 TBSP, VANILLA
2 MEDIUM COOKING APPLES, PEELED, CORED, AND CHOPPED
2 1/2 CUPS ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR
2 TSP. BAKING POWDER
1/2 TSP. SALT
1/2 CUP CHOPPED PECANS
1/2 CUP CHOPPED DATES

1. Preheat oven to 350 °
2. Combine sugar and butter in a large saucepan.
3. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until sugar dissolves.
4. Remove saucepan from heat and cool to room temperature.
5. Beat in eggs and add vanilla.
6. In a small bowl, toss apples with 1/4 cup of the flour and set aside.
7. Add remaining 2 1/4 cups flour, baking powder, and salt to sugar mixture and mix well.
8. Fold in apples, pecans, and dates.
9. Pour into a greased 15 x 10 x 1-inch jelly-roll pan.
10. Bake for 35 minutes or until a toothpick stuck in the center comes out clean.
11. Cool completely before cutting into squares.
YIELD: 2 TO 3 DOZEN BROWNIES.