Yield 12-16 servings Number Of Ingredients 23 Steps:
Cake Place rack in middle of oven; preheat to 350°. Butter two 8"-diameter cake pans. Line bottom of pans with parchment paper rounds and butter parchment. Toast almonds on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing halfway through, until golden brown, 6-8 minutes. Transfer one third of almonds (½ cup) to a small bowl; set aside. Sprinkle coriander, cardamom, and fennel over remaining almonds on hot baking sheet and toss until spices are fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer to another small bowl; set aside. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl to combine. Beat eggs, oil, sugar, and 2 Tbsp. cherry juice in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment on medium speed until combined, about 2 minutes (a whisk and a large bowl also work). Reduce speed to low and add half of dry ingredients; beat until mostly combined. Add remaining dry ingredients and beat until just a few steaks of flour remain. Using a rubber spatula, fold in cherries, beets, and reserved spiced almonds until evenly distributed and any remaining flour streaks are incorporated. Divide batter between prepared pans and smooth surface. Bake cakes until tops spring back when lightly pressed and a tester inserted into the centers comes out clean, 40-45 minutes (cake will be well browned). Transfer pans to a wire rack and brush or drizzle 2 Tbsp. cherry juice over each cake. Let cakes cool 20 minutes in pans. Run a knife or small offset spatula around edges of cakes and invert onto rack. Peel away and discard parchment paper rounds. Turn cakes right side up and let cool completely. Do ahead: Cakes can be baked 2 days ahead. Wrap tightly and chill, or freeze up to 3 months. Frosting and assembly Whisk sugar, flour, and salt in a medium saucepan to combine. Whisking constantly, pour in milk gradually to avoid lumps. Set over medium-high heat and cook, whisking often and scraping corners of pan, until mixture begins to thicken, about 4 minutes (slow bubbles will begin to form as the mixture pulls away from the sides of the pan). Reduce heat to medium and cook, whisking constantly, 1 minute to cook off any floury taste. You should have a thick, glossy paste resembling rubber cement. Remove from heat and let cool, about 1½ hours. (If you’re worried about floury lumps, pour hot mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl, pushing through with a heatproof rubber spatula.) Transfer sugar mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. With motor running, beat in vanilla extract and almond extract (if using) on medium speed, then add butter, a piece at a time, beating until combined after each addition before adding more; repeat process with cream cheese. Turn off mixer, scrape down sides of bowl, then beat frosting until fluffy and lump-free, about 4 minutes. (Cover and chill until cold if you’d like the frosting firm enough to pipe decorations onto the finished cake.) Place a cake layer on a cake stand or plate. Top with 1½ cups frosting and spread to edges in an even layer. Place second cake, bottom side up, on top. Scoop 1 cup frosting on top of second layer and spread over top and sides until entire cake is covered in a thin layer (if bits of cake are still showing through, that’s fine; this is only your crumb coat). Chill, uncovered, at least 1 hour and up to 1 day to firm up. Briefly beat remaining frosting to lighten, then scoop onto cake. Spread in an even layer across top and down sides of cake. Use an offset spatula or bench scraper to smooth sides and top. Sprinkle reserved toasted almonds in a cluster in the center of the cake. Do ahead: Sugar mixture can be made 3 days ahead; press plastic wrap or wax paper directly onto surface and chill. Let sit at room temperature 20 minutes before using. Frosting can be made 3 days ahead; cover and chill. Beat to lighten before using, about 4 minutes.
Time 1h Yield 2 loaves (16 pieces each). Number Of Ingredients 11 Steps:
In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add honey; let stand for 5 minutes. Add the beets, milk, butter, salt and 3 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough., Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 50 minutes., Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide dough in half. Shape into 2 loaves. Place in 2 greased 9x5-in. loaf pans. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 40 minutes., Brush with egg white; sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake at 350° until top begins to brown, 30-35 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool. If desired, serve with honey and butter.
Time 1h55m Yield 10 Number Of Ingredients 11 Steps:
Stand beets upright in a saucepan. Fill saucepan with about 1-inch of water and bring to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer, cover, and steam beets until tender, about 40 minutes. Carefully remove beets from saucepan, peel, and coarsely chop into chunks. Place beets in a blender and puree until smooth. Measure out 1 cup. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray 1 large loaf pan with cooking spray. Mix whole wheat flour, unbleached flour, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl. Stir 1 cup beet puree with 1/2 cup water together in a bowl. Beat sugar and margarine together in a large bowl with an electric hand mixer on low speed until blended. Beat eggs and beet mixture into sugar mixture until combined. Gradually stir flour mixture into wet ingredients, mixing after each small addition, until just combined. Fold walnuts into batter until evenly incorporated. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. Bake in preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 55 to 65 minutes.
Time 1h55m Yield 10 Number Of Ingredients 11 Steps:
Stand beets upright in a saucepan. Fill saucepan with about 1-inch of water and bring to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer, cover, and steam beets until tender, about 40 minutes. Carefully remove beets from saucepan, peel, and coarsely chop into chunks. Place beets in a blender and puree until smooth. Measure out 1 cup. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray 1 large loaf pan with cooking spray. Mix whole wheat flour, unbleached flour, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl. Stir 1 cup beet puree with 1/2 cup water together in a bowl. Beat sugar and margarine together in a large bowl with an electric hand mixer on low speed until blended. Beat eggs and beet mixture into sugar mixture until combined. Gradually stir flour mixture into wet ingredients, mixing after each small addition, until just combined. Fold walnuts into batter until evenly incorporated. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. Bake in preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 55 to 65 minutes.
Time 1h15m Yield 1 loaf Number Of Ingredients 13 Steps:
Grease a loaf pan (9 x 5 x 3 or 8 x 4 x 2) and set it aside. Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl (except the nuts). In a separate bowl, beat the egg and add the beet, oil, orange juice, and applesauce. Add the wet ingredients to the dry all at once and mix until they are just combined. Fold in the chopped nuts. Pour the mixture into a prepared loaf pan. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
Time 1h5m Yield 2 loaves. Number Of Ingredients 12 Steps:
In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the milk, sugar, butter and salt; mix well. Add eggs, extract and 2 cups flour; beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. , Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 8-10 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. , Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; sprinkle with raisins and knead in. Divide in half. Divide each portion into thirds. Shape each into a 14-in. rope. Place three ropes on a greased baking sheet, and braid; pinch ends to seal and tuck under. Repeat with remaining dough. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes., Whisk egg white and water; brush over braids. Bake at 325° for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.
