Rainbow cake with pink frosting

Active: 20 minutes; Total: 40 minutes; Yield: 10 to 14 servings

Flour, cake	24 ounces
Sugar, granulated	24 ounces + 8 ¾ ounces
Salt	1 teaspoon + Pinch
Baking powder	2 tablespoons
Baking soda	1 teaspoon
Egg whites	10 ounces + 7 ounces
Oil, vegetable	6 ounces
Buttermilk, room temperature	8 ounces + 10 ounces
Butter, unsalted, room temperature	12 ounces + 16 ounces
Vanilla extract	1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons
Raspberries	10 ounces
Cream of tartar	¼ teaspoon
Food coloring gel	½ teaspoon per color layer

1. Preheat oven to 335°F; lightly butter and flour six 8-inch-by-2-inch cake pans, and place a round piece of parchment paper in the bottom of each pan. 
2. Combine 8-ounces buttermilk and the oil; set aside. 
3. Combine the remaining buttermilk, 10-ounces egg whites, and vanilla; whisk to integrate the eggs; set aside. 
4. Combine the flour, 24-ounces sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment; mix 10 seconds. 
5. Add the butter to the dry ingredients and mix on low until the mixture resembles coarse sand, about 30 seconds. 
6. Add milk-oil mixture, and mix until the dry ingredients are moistened, then increase speed to medium (setting 4 on a KitchenAid), and mix for 2 minutes. 
7. Scrape your bowl, and reduce speed to low. 
8. Add the egg-milk mixture in three batches, letting the batter mix for 15 seconds between additions. 
9. Scrape down the sides again to ensure everything has incorporated. 
10. Divide the batter into six bowls; weigh 15 ounces of batter for each bowl. 
11. Add ½-teaspoon food coloring (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple) to each bowl. 
12. Bake for 20 to 24 minutes, or until the edges just start to pulling away from the cake pan. 
13. Immediately tap the pan firmly on the countertop once to release the steam of the cake; this stops the cake from shrinking. 
14. Cool for 10 minutes inside the pans before flipping out. 
15. Freeze for 30 to 60 minutes before frosting. 
16. Press the raspberries through a sieve, discard the seeds; set purée aside.  
17. Using a hand whisk and the stand mixer bowl, whisk together 7-ounces egg whites, 8 ¾-ounces sugar, and cream of tartar.  
18. Place the bowl over (not in) a saucepan of simmering water.  
19. Gently whisk the mixture until it is very hot (130°F on a candy thermometer).  
20. Move the bowl to the stand mixer and, using the whisk attachment, whip the whites on medium-high speed until they have tripled in volume and are thick and glossy and hold stiff peaks, 3 to 4 minutes.  
21. Reduce speed to medium-low, and continue for another 1 to 2 minutes, until the bowl is just cool to touch.  
22. Increase speed to medium-high, and add 16-ounces butter, one piece at a time, adding the next piece just as the previous one is incorporated.  
23. Stop the mixer every so often to scrape down the sides.
 At some point, the buttercream appears curdled; don’t worry, this is normal.  
24. After all the butter is incorporated, and the frosting is light and fluffy, add the purée, 2-teaspoons vanilla, and pinch of salt.  
25. Rewhip the frosting by hand or with a mixer just before frosting the cake. 
26. For the crumb coat, top the purple layer with ¾-cup frosting, and spread to the edges for about ¼-inch thickness; repeat with the blue, green, yellow, orange, and red layers, then apply a thin layer of frosting all over; refrigerate 15 minutes. 
27. Frost with the remaining frosting. 

Modified recipe by Liz Marek on Sugar Geek Show.

Best banana bread

Active: 20 minutes; Total: 1 hour 30 minutes; Serves: 8 to 10

Butter, unsalted, melted	½ cup
Pecans, toasted, chopped	1 cup
Flour, all-purpose	1 ¾ cup
Sugar, granulated	½ cup
Baking soda	1 teaspoon
Cinnamon, ground	1 teaspoon
Salt, fine	½ teaspoon
Nutmeg, freshly grated	¼ teaspoon
Eggs, lightly beaten	2 large
Buttermilk, sour cream, or yogurt	½ cup
Sugar, brown	½ cup
Vanilla extract	1 teaspoon
Bananas, mashed	1 ½ cups

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F; lightly butter a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan. 
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the pecans, flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg. 
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, butter, buttermilk, brown sugar, and vanilla; stir in the bananas. 
4. Fold the banana mixture into the flour mixture until just combined. 
5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and lightly tap the pan on the counter to evenly distribute the batter. 
6. Bake until browned and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. 
7. Let the bread cool for 10 minutes in the pan on a rack, then turn out onto the rack to cool completely. 

Recipe from Food Network.

Lemon pistachio cake with mascarpone frosting

Active: 20 minutes; Total: 1 hour; Serves: 8

Pistachios, roasted, shelled	¾ cup
Lemon zest	2 lemons
Flour, cake	1 ½ cups
Baking powder	1 teaspoon
Baking soda	¼ teaspoon
Sour cream	¼ cup
Vanilla extract	1 teaspoon
Milk, whole	1/3 cup
Butter, unsalted, softened	½ cup
Sugar	1 cup
Salt, kosher	¾ teaspoon
Eggs	3 large
Frosting
Mascarpone, softened	¾ cup
Sugar, powdered	¾ cup
Cream, heavy	1 tablespoon
Lemon zest	1 teaspoon
Lemon juice	1 teaspoon
Salt, kosher	1/8 teaspoon

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. 
2. Line the bottom of a buttered 8x8 baking dish with parchment paper, then butter the paper. 
3. Place the pistachios and zest into a food processor bowl; pulse until finely ground (but not buttered). 
4. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl, and add the flour, baking powder, and baking soda; set aside. 
5. Whisk together the sour cream, vanilla, and milk in a small bowl; set aside. 
6. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, sugar, and salt, about 3 minutes. 
7. Add the eggs, one at a time, until fully incorporated. 
8. With the mixer on low, alternate adding the dry ingredients (in three additions) and the wet ingredients (in two additions), starting and ending with the dry. 
9. Pour the batter into the prepared pan; smooth the top. 
10. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. 
11. Cool 10 minutes. 
12. Carefully remove the cake from the pan, peel off and discard the paper, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely. 
13. Combine all the frosting ingredients in a medium bowl. 
14. Mix until just smooth, being careful not to overman. 
15. Frost the cake, then sprinkle on extra crushed pistachios. 

Recipe from the Costco Connection magazine.

Individual peach upside-down cakes

Butter, unsalted	2 tablespoons + 1 tablespoon
Sugar, light brown	¼ cup
Peaches	2 medium
Flour, all-purpose	2 ½ ounces
Baking powder	1 teaspoon
Baking soda	1/8 teaspoon
Salt, kosher	1/8 teaspoon
Sugar, granulated	1/3 cup
Buttermilk, room temperature	½ cup
Vanilla extract	½ teaspoon
Cream, whipped

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F; ensure a rack is set in the middle. 
2. Divide 2-tablespoons butter among four 6-ounce ramekins. 
3. Melt 1-tablespoon butter; set aside. 
4. Evenly divide the brown sugar among the ramekins, sprinkling it into the bottoms of the dishes. 
5. Halve the peaches, remove the pits, and cut each half into seven to eight slices. 
6. Arrange the peaches on top of the sugar, evenly diving them among the dishes; set aside. 
7. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. 
8. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugar, buttermilk, vanilla, and melted butter. 
9. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture; stir until just combined. 
10. Pour the batter over the peaches, dividing the mixture evenly among the dishes; bake for 20 to 25 minutes. 
11. Remove from the oven, and cool on a rack for 5 minutes. 
12. Run a knife around the edges of each dish, and invert it onto a plate. 
13. Serve immediately with whipped cream. 

Recipe mildly adapted from Good Eats 2: The Middle Years by Alton Brown.

Pressure-cooked Japanese beef curry

Onions, yellow, thinly sliced	1 pound
Shallots, thinly sliced	½ pound
Butter, unsalted	3 tablespoons
Baking soda	½ teaspoon
Salt, kosher
Pepper, freshly ground
Oil, sunflower	1 tablespoon
Beef chuck, cut into 1-inch chunks	2 pounds
Garlic, crushed	6 cloves
Chicken stock	½ cup ¼ cup
Soy sauce, Japanese	1 tablespoon
Japanese curry roux	2 to 3 cubes
Rice, cooked

Note: This recipe uses an Instant Pot.

1. Press Sauté and heat the pot until the indicator reads Hot. 
2. Melt the butter, then add the onions, shallots, and baking soda; sauté until the onions start to release their moisture, about 5 minutes. 
3. Close the lid, press Manual, and cook for 20 minutes; use the quick release method to depressurize. 
4. Remove the lid, press Sauté, press Adjust to select More, and cook, stirring constantly, until most of the moisture has evaporated. 
5. Press Cancel and Sauté to reduce the temperature, and continue stirring until the onions are deep golden brown and all the moisture has evaporated, about 12 minutes. 
6. Season with salt and pepper; transfer to a small bowl and set aside. 
7. Press Cancel, press Sauté, and then press Adjust to select More. 
8. Season the beef with salt and pepper. 
9. Add the oil to the pot, ensuring the bottom is evenly coated. 
10. Add the beef in a single layer, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, then stir, until browned on all sides; transfer to a bowl. 
11. Add the garlic, and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. 
12. Add ½-cup stock and deglaze the pot with a wooden spoon. 
13. Return the meat and its juices to the pot with the remaining ¼-cup stock, soy sauce, and onion purée; mix well. 
14. Close the lid, press Manual, and cook for 32 minutes; naturally release the pressure for 15 minutes, then release the remaining pressure before opening the lid. 
15. Taste the stew, then mix in the Japanese curry roux cubes one by one, tasting between additions, until it achieves the right balance of flavors. 
16. Serve over rice.

Recipe from PressureCookerRecipes.com.