Okay, that didn't take long...

Suddenly, I have to learn how to bake again.

Eager to try out my new KitchenAid (KA), but without a lot of ingredients at home, last night I went for making my standard ONTHCCC (Original Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookie; see link). Oy. Totally different texture!

Envision me standing at the counter in front of my mixing bowl, and I'm holding that $9.99 hand mixer. The beaters are rotating in a certain way, which is NOT the same way the KitchenAid flat paddle moves. Alas, in the future I'll definitely be making my ONTHCCC the old-fashioned way, with my $9.99 special.

So today I'm trying out my KA again, via my Rustic Fruit Desserts winter item: "Cranberry Buckle with Vanilla Crumb." I made the Vanilla Crumb first; fantastic. Next!

I made the cake with the KA, but 1) I had not prepped my mise-en-place adequately, and had to run down to the store to buy an orange for zesting (have I mentioned I live in a 4th floor walk-up?), and 2) I obviously did not read the recipe thoroughly, and it certainly seemed like I was adding to the batter a LOT of cranberries. Turned out, I was only supposed to add half that amount, and keep the rest for the topping. Not!

And 3) though I cut in half the Vanilla Crumb recipe, it still made a lot more than I'd anticipated, and I didn't measure it before I started applying it -- what?! -- and now I have a cake in the oven, with way too much Vanilla Crumb on top, and way too many cranberries in the batter, leaving none for the topping.

Smells good already, but clearly I'm gonna have to start this baking thing all over again. Story of my life.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Cranberry-Buckle-with-Vanilla-Crumb-358317

Upside-down Pear Chocolate Cake Recipe Link, for CK in DC

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Upside-Down-Pear-Chocolate-Cake-354975

Funny, 'cause I got my recipe out of the Rustic Fruit Desserts cookbook, but here it is via epicurious.com.

Note 1: Typo! Omission! In the online recipe, for the Fruit Topping, they forgot to include the amount of water to add to the sugar to make your caramel: 1/4 cup water.

Note 2: The recipe gives you measurements in both weight and cups, and turns out, for the cocoa powder, 1/3 cup does NOT equal 1 ounce, as called for. In this case, I went for the 1 ounce measurement weight, which was a Tablespoon or 2 less than 1/3 cup. Always go for the moister sounding option; the powder is dry!

Note 3: Making the caramel: They don't describe in detail how it works, which is when you take off the lid after having boiled for 2 minutes, as described, it then takes at least 10 or more minutes for the sugar water to go amber colored. I kept waiting, and waiting, but it finally happened.

Note 4: When they tell you to carefully pour the caramel into the prepared pan and let it harden, this takes about 30 seconds. So make sure you gently pour the caramel all the way around to the edges of the pan because once it hardens, you can't spread it out.

Note 5: They also tell you to "pour" the batter into the pan, but actually the batter was more like a mousse, and I had to spoon it out and then spread it flat with an offset spatula.

Note 6: Worth it.

Recipe for 3-Layer Carrot Cake...

...though I use a different frosting recipe...(always good to mix and match recipes!)

Also, someone once ordered this with no raisins, and ever since then, I make the cake sans raisins.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Triple-Layer-Carrot-Cake-with-Cream-Cheese-Frosting-799

Thanks CK in DC for the request.