Southern Christmas cake aka Cream Cheese-Coconut-Bourbon-Pecan Pound Cake

My office has close to 80 student works on staff and I supervise 9 of the most active employees and so we decided to throw them a winter appreciation party (aka PC version of a holiday party) and the theme was home baked goods. I asked my colleagues to back something sweet and yummy to be served at our winter open house. I decided to make something festive from the December double issue of Southern Living. It was so pretty in the magazine that I just could not resist...

INGREDIENTS
* 1 1/2 cups butter, softened
* 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
* 3 cups sugar
* 6 large eggs
* 3 cups all-purpose flour
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 cup bourbon (or equal parts milk)
* 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 1 cup chopped pecans, toasted (1.5 cups if you add the bourbon)
* 1/2 cup shredded coconut
* Powdered Sugar Glaze (optional)--see below
* Sugared Rosemary (optional)--see below
* Sugared Cranberries (optional)--see below

PREPARATION

Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until the yellow yolk disappears.

Sift together flour and salt; add to butter mixture alternately with bourbon, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat batter at low speed just until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla, pecans, and coconut. Pour batter into a greased and floured 12-cup tube pan.

Bake at 325° for 1 hour and 30 minutes to 1 hour and 35 minutes or until a long wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely on wire rack.


POWDERED SUGAR GLAZE

Yield: Makes about 1 cup

PREPARATION

Stir together 2 cups powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons milk, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth, adding another 1 tablespoon milk, if necessary, for desired consistency.


SUGARED ROSEMARY

INGREDIENTS
* 1/2 cup corn syrup
* 12 rosemary sprigs
* granulated sugar

PREPARATION

Microwave 1/2 cup corn syrup at HIGH for 10 seconds or until warm. Brush 10 to 12 rosemary sprigs lightly with corn syrup; sprinkle evenly with granulated sugar. Arrange in a single layer on wax paper. Use immediately, or let stand at room temperature, uncovered, for up to 24 hours.
Southern Living


SUGARED CRANBERRIES

PREPARATION

Bring 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup water, and 1 cup fresh cranberries to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring often, over medium-high heat. (Do not overcook; cranberries should swell and just begin to pop.) Remove from heat, and drain, reserving liquid for another use. Toss cranberries with 1/4 cup granulated sugar, and arrange in a single layer on wax paper. Use immediately, or let stand at room temperature, uncovered, for up to 24 hours.

Recipe from Southern Living Magazine, December 2008.

Sticky Toffee Pudding with Toffee Sauce

12 oz pitted dates, chopped (about 2 cups)
1 c. boiling water
1 3/4 c. all purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1.5 c. packed golden brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract

Place chopped dates in medium bowl. Pour 1 cup boiling waster over, stir, and let stand until cool.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and butter and flour 9x9x2 inch metal baking pan. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and 1/2 tsp. salt in another medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until light and fluffy. Add brown sugar and beat until blended (mixture will be grainy). Beat in eggs 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition. Beat in vanilla and stir in flour mixture in 4 additions alternating with date mixture in 3 additions, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Transfer batter to prepared pan.

Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes.Spoon 1/2 cup warm toffee auce over cake (recipe below) and spread evenly. Put cake back into oven and bake until sauce is thick and bubbling about 8 minutes.

Cool cake in pan until lukewarm. Cut into rectangles and serve cake warm or at room temperature with warm toffee sauce spooned on top.


TOFFEE SAUCE
2.5 c whipping cream
1 c sugar
1 stick unsalted butter
1/2 c light corn syrup (this was the hardest ingredient to purchase.. this is an evil product but I could not think of a substitute--can you?)

Bring 1.5 c cream sugar, butter and corn syrup to boil in a heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves and butter melts. Reduce heat to medium and boil gently until mkixture is thick and deep amber, stirring often for about 35 minutes.

Remove sauce from heat and whisk in remaining 1 c heavy cream (mixture will bubble FURIOUSLY). Strain into medium microwaveable bowl. This can be made 3 days ahead. Cool, cover and refrigerate. Rewarm in microwave in 15 second intervals...

Recipe from Bon Appetit, January 2009.