Burn Fat By Eating Cake! #BundtaMonth

NinjaBaker — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 03:49:11 +0000

Sailing in via China’s Yangtze River, the citrus fruit known as Yuzu (?) was introduced to Japan in 710 AD. Although the Japanese have been enjoying the culinary and health benefits of this aromatic fruit for centuries, in America, the lovely citrus has yet to catapult in popularity. It is available only online or in Asian markets. But, the hunt for Yuzu is worth it! Not only does the fruit have 3 times the amount of vitamin C as a lemon, it also allegedly burns fat! (Click here for even more remedial wonders of the fruit.)

Yuzu Japanese Citrus Juice

So, with joy, this Ninja Baker concocted Yuzu Coconut Bundt Cake for the food bloggers who contribute to #BundtaMonth. For more details visit Baker Street. (A site filled with Gourmet magazine quality mouthwatering photos and recipes.)

The Ninja Baker’s Yuzu Coconut Bundt Cake brings scents of citrus and chiffon cake into the kitchen. And on the tongue, tones of tangy Yuzu taste harmonize with the light white cake. Happily, it also garnered rave reviews when my husband, David, brought the cake to a FOX TV Bones production meeting. (David is responsible for the graphics and animations on the show.)

The Ninja Baker's Yuzu Coconut Bundt Cake

The Ninja Baker’s Yuzu Coconut Bundt Cake

Spray your Bundt cake pan with Baker’s Joy or similar flour and butter substitute.

Whip up 4 egg whites with 2 pinches of salt and 1½ teaspoons of cream of tartar on medium to high speed. Stop mixing when pretty firm peaks aka meringue appears.

In a separate mixing bowl, beat 1 package of white cake mix, ¼ cup of unsweetened coconut tossed with 2 teaspoons of sugar, ¼ cup of vegetable oil, ¾ cup of coconut water and ¼ cup of Yuzu (Japanese citrus) juice. Scrape the bowl after a minute or so and make sure all ingredients are well combined.

Stir in the meringue with a spoon (not a mixer.)

Bake at 350 degrees for 36 minutes.
Or an inserted toothpick comes out crumb-free.

Once the cake is cooled, carefully place marshmallow fluff in strips around the Bundt. (A frosting spatula sprayed with cooking spray alleviates some of the sticky challenge.) Sprinkle with ¼ cup unsweetened coconut that has been mixed with 2 teaspoons of sugar. Garnish with Yuzu gummy candies or lemon gumdrops.

Wishing you the delights of the Japanese Yuzu citrus fruit and delicious living.

The Ninja Baker

© ™ Watkinson 2012

The Ninja Baker's recipes are also available at:

BlogHer Food Editor's Pick of the Day
(27 December 2012)

?Allrecipes.com:
The Ninja Baker's Japanese Plum Sweet Memories and Recipes

Bob's Red Mill:
Almond Oatmeal Apple Cookies

Bob's Red Mill:
The Ninja Baker's Gluten-Free Breakfast Cupcake

Wholesome Sweeteners:
The Ninja Baker's Gluten-Free Coconut Chocolate Cheesecake Minis with Espresso Cream

Wholesome Sweeteners:
The Ninja Baker's Gluten-Free Double Chocolate Cupcakes with Champagne Glaze & Optional Lemon Peach Marmalade Filling

?LifeKraze

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Japanese-Style Prosperity Pockets & Goat Cheese En Croute, #SundaySupper New Year’s Bucket List

NinjaBaker — Sun, 06 Jan 2013 01:35:05 +0000

How do you define good fortune? If you had a fairy godmother or godfather, what would you wish for in 2013? Love to see your answers in the comments section.

After the traditional formal visit to the temple with family on New Year’s Day; on January 2nd, many females trade their kimono for blue jeans and join the throngs at trendy boutiques and department stores where good fortune fukubukuro bags await. To make way for 2013 merchandise, inventory from 2012 is sold at half price in sealed bags imprinted with the ? Chinese character for Good Fortune. (As well as characters for male?, female ?, and child ?.)

A New Year's Shopping Tradition: Good Fortune Fukubukuro

The chic spots in town sell out quickly. Sisters and girlfriends are blessings at this time because the more in the group, the better trades and exchanges of items from the bags. Of course, venues catering to men also sell fukubukuro bags. Typically though the shoppers are women. (No surprise for anyone living on planet earth, right?)

Tokyo's trendy fashionable Harajuku district. (Click here for the photo credit.)

The Ninja Baker’s bucket list includes another trip to Tokyo where I can partake in this exciting Japanese shopping adventure. In the meantime, to commemorate this fun occasion, I’ve fashioned my own good fortune: Japanese-Style Ninja Baker sealed crescent roll Pockets of Prosperity. To indicate which filling riches await the consumer, I've sprinkled hints of gold to indicate a cranberry cheddar cheese filling or hints of purple to indicate a chocolate filling.

An omaneki-neko cat invites in good fortune on a tray of ingredients for
the Ninja Baker's Pockets of Prosperity.

Here’s the how-to:
Roll up a crescent roll with cheese, chocolate or whatever treasure you crave as an inside surprise. Gently, stretch the two ends of the crescent to create a bag. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and paint with a slightly beaten egg. Sprinkle gold, purple or whatever sugared color of the rainbow suits your fancy. Bake at 350 degrees for 16 to 18 minutes.

Prosperity Pockets made from crescent rolls surround a celebratory bottle of sake wine.

P.s. If health is at the top of your New Year’s resolution list, you might consider visiting a health food store (like Whole Foods Market) to pick up non-GMO (no bleached flour, no artificial preservatives, no hydrogenated oils) canned crescent rolls. (I like the Immaculate brand.)

Speaking of resolutions, I’ve always been somewhat intimated by bakers who offer up their Brie En Croute oh so nonchalantly. It always appeared to be something super-fancy and extra-hard to make. The cheese baked in bread has been on my bucket list for a while. So, as the curtain opened on 2013, this Ninja Baker recharged her courage and created a Goat Cheese avec Organic Strawberry Jam en Croute. It was easy! Especially since I used the aforementioned canned crescent rolls. (Next time I’ll tackle puffed pastry.) Spreading out about 6 crescent triangles, I placed a round of goat cheese smothered with strawberry jam on top in the center.

1-2-3: Cheese, jam, crescent rolls. Bake at 350 for 22 minutes.

Voilà! Goat Cheese En Croute.

With the skinny tentacles of the crescent rolls I wrapped the cheese up into a beautiful package. After brushing the sides of the Goat Cheese En Croute with a slightly beaten egg, I baked it for about 22 minutes. A golden orb appeared. Success! This Ninja Baker is happy =)

Goat Cheese En Croute

To read more success stories of talented bakers, chefs and food bloggers who’ve committed to conquer items on their bucket list, click on the links below. We are all part of a weekly #SundaySupper Twitter event which takes place on Sundays at 7p.m. ET. Love to have you join the exchange of recipes and fun conversation!

Sunday Supper Specialty Breads:

Homemade Bagels with Mimosa Spread by Daily Dish Recipes
Homemade Tortillas by Supper for a Steal
Brioche by Gotta Get Baked
Alton Brown’s Soft Pretzels by Hezzi-D’s Book and Cooks
Braided Challah by The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
French Baguette by Mooshu Jenne
Cinnamon Sugar Pretzel Bites by In the Kitchen with Audrey
Belgian Waffles by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
Gluten-free Bread by Happy Baking Days
Monkey Bread by Vintage Kitchen Notes

Sunday Supper Main Dishes:

Lightened Up Slow Cooker Butter Chicken by The Meltaways
Gluten Free Ravioli by No One Likes Crumbley Cookies
Bagna Cauda and Potatoes by Shockingly Delicious
Beef Wellington by Family Foodie
Green Chili and Lentil Tamales by Mangoes and Chutney
Mushroom Ragout over Creamy Polenta by Noshing with the Nolands
Butternut Squash Gnocchi by Peanut Butter and Peppers
Ropa Vieja by Magnolia Days
Tah-Dig (Persian Rice) by The Little Ferraro Kitchen
Fresh Ravioli with Ricotta by Comfy Cuisine
Stuffed Artichoke by The Roxx Box
Braised Short Ribs by The Messy Baker blog
Julia Child’s Boeuf Bourguignon by Hip Foodie Mom
Classic Cheese Souffle by Jodi Can Cook
French Onion Soup by The Weekend Gourmet
Leaping Frog Chicken by The Urban Mrs.
Fried Polenta with Spicy Tomato Relish by Mama Mommy Mom
Savory Spinach-Filled Crepe Cake with Cheddar Sauce by Webicurean
Japanese-Style Prosperity Pockets & Goat Cheese En Croute by Ninja Baking
San Antonio Puffy Tacos by Sustainable Dad
Chinese Dumplings by My Cute Bride
Falafel by Small Wallet Big Appetite

Sunday Supper Desserts and Snacks:

Creamy Lemon Fudge by Chocolate Moosey
Zebra Cake by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
Baked Alaska by It’s Yummiclicious
Faux Ice Cream with Bananas by Country Girl in the Village
Divinity by Juanita’s Cocina
Homemade Seafoam Candy by girlichef
French Macarons by I Run for Wine
Mocha Macadamia Trifle with Mascarpone Cream by The Foodie Army Wife
Nut and Seed Nougat by What Smells So Good
Pumpkin Mocha Cupcakes with Whipped Cream Frosting and Dulce de Leche Drizzle by Damn Delicious
Chocolate Meringue Cake (gluten free) by Dinners, Dishes and Desserts
Gluten-Free Golden Fudge Cake by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
Orange Rum Tiramisu Cake by Crispy Bits & Burnt Ends
Peanut Sesame Honey Brittle by Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
Granola Bars with Dried Fruit by The Wimpy Vegetarian
Jamaican Blue Drawers by Lovely Pantry
Mini Classic Key Lime Pies by In the Kitchen with KP
Donuts: Redux by Kelly Bakes
Hot Lemon Curd Soufflés by Food Lust People
Popcorn with truffle oil and asiago cheese by Ruffles & Truffles

Join the #SundaySupper conversation on Twitter each Sunday. The weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the#SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. There is also a #SundaySupper Pinterest board with fabulous recipes and food photos.

Wishing you good fortune, prosperity and a clear path to cross off at least one thing on your bucket list in 2013.

The Ninja Baker