Cooking with Paula Deen Best Cakes and Pies 2019

Truth be told, sweets are my favorite, and cakes and pies hold a special place in my heart. I associate them with celebrations and happy memories I’ve made with my family. Whether it’s a milestone birthday, holiday, baby shower, or any other kind of get-together, there’s always somethin’ sweet at the center of it all. I love how cakes and pies finish off a meal on a sweet note. When planning the menu for a big family gathering, I like to include a crowd-pleasing treat that my guests will remember. I love watching people’s faces light up as I bring a pretty layer cake or decadent pie to the table. It sets the perfect mood for fun times and lots of laughter over slices of a yummy, homemade goodie. It’s hard for…

Lining cake pans with parchment or wax paper ensures the layers will easily come out of the pan. Trace the outline of the cake pan onto paper and then cut out. Be sure to place the paper pencil side down in the pan so it does not touch the cake. Before measuring flour or other dry ingredients, gently stir it to loosen any clumps. For flour, lightly spoon it into a dry measuring cup until slightly mounded above the rim. Do not tap the measuring cup, as it may pack the flour and throw off your measurements. Use the straight edge of a knife to level off the flour in your measuring cup. Sift or whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and any other dry ingredients before adding them…

STEP 1 Place a cake layer, flat side up, on the cake plate, and add about 1 cup frosting to the center of the layer. Using an offset spatula, gently spread the frosting from the center out to the edges, leaving a small unfrosted border around the sides. STEP 2 Add another cake layer, flat side up, on top of frosting. Be sure to center the second cake layer on top of the first. STEP 3 Repeat the frosting procedure from step one. Leaving a small border around the sides of the cake layers allows for the frosting to naturally spread to the edges as layers are added. STEP 4 If you plan to transport your cake, or simply want to give it more stability, insert 3 to 4 wooden skewers around the…

Eggs and dairy products (butter, buttermilk, milk, sour cream) should be at room temperature before going into the batter. If they are too cold, especially the butter, the cake volume will be reduced. Rather than pouring cake batter into the pans, use a 1-cup measuring cup so you can count the number of scoops per pan. This ensures that you get an equal amount of batter in each pan and end up with cake layers that are the same height. Cake flour is a forgiving flour that helps to ensure velvety soft cakes. For a substitute, sift together ¾ cup all-purpose flour and 2 tablespoons cornstarch for every 1 cup of cake flour you need. Cake layers can be baked up to 2 months ahead. Wrap cooled cake layers tightly in plastic wrap…

Basic Piecrust Makes 1 (8- to 10-inch) piecrust 21/3 cups all-purpose flour1 tablespoon sugar½ teaspoon salt6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed6 tablespoons cold all-vegetable shortening, cubed8 tablespoons ice water 1. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter and shortening until mixture is crumbly. Using a fork, stir in ice water 1 tablespoon at a time just until mixture comes together and starts to form a ball. (You may not need to use all the water.) 2. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface, and gently knead just until dough holds together. Shape into a disk, and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour. 3. Let dough stand at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to…

STEP 1 TRIM AND CRIMP Using a knife or kitchen scissors, trim excess crust to extend 1/2 inch beyond the edge of the pie plate. Tuck edges under, and crimp as desired. See page 8 for ideas. STEP 2 LINE AND FILL Line the piecrust with a piece of parchment paper, letting the edges of the paper extend over the edges of the pie plate. Place pie weights in the paper-lined piecrust. No pie weights? Use dried beans or rice. STEP 3 BAKE Bake according to recipe directions, just until browned. Carefully remove paper and weights. For recipes that require additional baking time, you may need to cover the edges of the crust with foil to prevent excess browning.…