REYKJAVÍK TRADING CO. JOURNAL

Recipe: Black Walnut Morning Cake in Weck

Crumble Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup packed light-brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Zest of 1 lemon

1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt

1 1/2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into 1 inch cubes

1 1/4 cups chopped black walnuts

Cake Ingredients:

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature (plus extra for greasing Weck jars)

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Juice from one lemon

1 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup chopped dates

Extra brown sugar for center of cake

Caramel or chocolate sauce to drizzle on top

4 19.6 oz. Weck jars

Method:

1. Butter Weck jars and lightly coat with flour. Set aside

2. To make the crumble topping: In a medium bowl, mix flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Mix in the lemon zest. Using a pastry cutter or two butter knives, cut in the butter until small to medium clumps form. Mix in black walnuts. Set aside in the refrigerator until ready to use.

3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl.

4. In a separate bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time until well combined. Add vanilla and lemon juice.

5. Beat in flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with 2 additions of sour cream (starting and ending with the flour). Beat until well combined.

6. Fill each Weck jar about 1/3 way full, then sprinkle with brown sugar and chopped dates. Top with remaining batter and spread evenly using an offset spatula or back of a spoon. Sprinkle crumble topping mixture evenly over batter.

7. Bake cakes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Let cool completely. Top with caramel or chocolate sauce if you’re feeling extra decadent! If you want to take the cakes out of the Weck jars, just run a knife around the sides to loosen (once cooled). Makes approximately 4 cakes.

Recipe: Spiced Apple Layer Cake with Goat Cheese Frosting & Caramel

For the Cake

Ingredients: 3 1/4 cups all purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon allspice 1/4 teaspoon ginger pinch nutmeg 1/2 cup whole milk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup butter, at room temperature 2 cups sugar 4 large eggs, at room temperature 1 1/2 cup applesauce

Method: Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour four 8-inch round cake pans. Line the bottoms with parchment paper. In a large bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda and spices. In another bowl, mix milk and vanilla extract. In a third bowl, beat together butter and sugar until light. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat in. Alternately in increments, add wet and dry ingredients to the butter mixture and incorporate fully each time. Fold in applesauce. Pour your mixture into your pans and bake in the oven for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove and let cool about 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely on a cooling rack.

For the Goat Cheese Frosting

Ingredients: 6 ounces goat cheese 8 ounces mascarpone 2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 cups powdered sugar 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Method: Beat all ingredients until well incorporated. Refrigerate for one hour.

For the Caramel

Ingredients: 1 cup sugar  6 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces  1/2 cup heavy cream  2 tablespoons bourbon 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg pinch allspice 

Method:

In a saucepan, bring sugar and 1/4 cup water to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Boil for about 10 minutes, until caramel is a deep amber color. Reduce heat and add butter and stir until smooth. Stir in cream, bourbon and spices. Stir until smooth. Remove from heat and let cool.

To assemble cake, place one layer on a cake plate and frost generously with goat cheese frosting. Add each layer, alternating cake and frosting, finishing with a top layer of frosting. Smooth or scrape down sides of cake to expose the sides of the layers. Top with caramel sauce, allowing it to drizzle down the sides of your cake.