The Coffee Can Baking Book_ 50 Cakes and Breads Baked in Coffee Cans ( PDFDrive )

© 2015 Allen Bornstein All Rights Reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by
any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written permission
of the author.
First published by Dog Ear Publishing 4010 W. 86th Street, Ste H
Indianapolis, IN 46268
www.dogearpublishing.net

ISBN: 978-1-4575-3432-4
Library of Congress Control Number: has been applied for This book is printed on acid-free paper.
Printed in the United States of America

Acknowledgements

I have so many people to thank for helping make this book possible, that it is
hard to know where to begin.

First, I’d like to begin by thanking my friend Melba Griffin, at whose home I first
ate the pumpkin bread baked in a coffee can that inspired this book.

Many thanks also go to a number of people listed below:

To my brother David Bornstein and his wife Meryl, who acted as critical tasters.
Meryl is a gourmet cook who I turned to many times for guidance.

To my daughter Rachel and son Mark for their moral support. A special thanks
to Mark, for his help in editing this book and getting thru the publishing process.

To my dear friends, husband and wife, Lueb Popoff and Annie Forester, for their
taste testing and suggestions. Lueb, who is a former chef, provided invaluable
feedback along the way for which I am incredibly grateful.

To Deb Hultgren for sharing some of her recipes and also being one of my taste
testers.

To Pat Parsons, who has been a baker for many, many years and who tested
some of the recipes close to sea level in California. She also offered some valued
recommendations.

To Keith and Jennifer Flodstrom, my neighbors, who also taste tested most of the
recipes.

A special thanks to copy editor Christine Davidson for her fine editing and
suggestions in writing this book.

To all the people at Dog Ear Publishing for their help in making the publishing
experience a pleasant one.

A big thank you to Greg Skipper of Fat Daddio’s bakeware company for helping
to make available a baking can that is the approximate size of the old coffee cans
and is safe for baking.

Contents

Preface
Introduction

Coffee Cans
Caring for the Cans
Preparing the Cans for Baking
Using These Recipes in Standard Cake or Bread Pans
Equipment
Altitude
Preparation Times
About the Recipes
Measuring Ingredients
Mixing Ingredients
Temperatures and Baking Times
Testing for Doneness
Removing and Cooling the Cakes or Breads
Storing the Cakes and Breads
Ingredients
Cakes
Apple Cake
Applesauce Cake
Blueberry Coffee Cake
Carrot Cake
Chocolate Tower Cake
Chocolate Zucchini Cake
Coconut Macaroon Cake
Coffee Coffee Cake
Cranberry-Nut Cake

Honey Cake
Lemmon Poppy Seed Cake
Marble Cake
Nutty-Chocolate Chip Cake
Orange Cake
Orange Rum Cake
PBJ Cake
Peach Cake
Peanut Butter-Chocolate Chip Cake
Pear and Ginger Cake
Pineapple Pecan Cake
Pound Cake
Raspberry-Chocolate Coffee Cake
Sour Cream Cinnamon Nut Swirl Cake
Spice Cake
White Chocolate and Apricot Cake
More Cake Photos
Quick Breads
Banana Bread
Beer-Cheese Bread
Blackberry Banana Bread
Cornbread
Date Nut Bread
Gingerbread
Mango Bread
Pumpkin Bread
Rocky Mountain Brown Bread
Sweet Potato Bread
More Quick Bread Photos
Yeast Breads
Bulgarian Yogurt Bread With Raisins
Buttermilk Bread

Challah
Dilly Bread
Double Olive Bread
Four Flour Bread
Herb and Green Onion Bread
Jalapenño and Red Pepper Cheese Bread
Oatmeal-Raisin Bread
Potato Bread
Pumpernickel Bread
Raisin-Cinnamon Bread
Rye Bread
Sun Dried Tomato and Basil Bread
Wheat Bread
Frostings or Toppings
Table of Common Measurements and Abbreviations
How to Order Books and Cans
Index

Preface

The inspiration for this book came from a dear friend, Melba Griffin, who now
lives in Texas. When she and her husband Jerry lived in Colorado, they would
often have me over for dinner and Melba would serve pumpkin bread baked in a
coffee can. I usually ate more than my share of this great tasting bread and it
fascinated me that it was baked in a coffee can. Melba gave me the recipe and I
baked it a few times. I then started to wonder what other cakes or breads could
be baked in the cans. Only a few breads (such as Brown Bread) or cakes are still
traditionally baked in coffee cans . After a few successful attempts at other
recipes, I decided that it might be possible to put together a book on baking
various cakes and breads in the coffee cans. What I didn’t realize was how much
work it was to develop, test, and write a book of recipes. Now, I have a much
greater respect for anyone who has ever developed a recipe or written a
cookbook.

This book is written to help provide people with a way to have some fun with
their families while baking cakes and breads - in coffee cans. It is not meant to be
a book on the fine art of baking - but instead a starting point to bake things the
old fashioned way - in a can. Once you start doing this you will undoubtedly
create new recipes to bake or ways to improve the recipes that I have put
together. Most of all, you should have some fun baking these cakes and breads.
The recipes are fairly forgiving and in general are not complicated. Some do take
a little more time and preparation than others. When you look thru the recipes
you will notice that in order to keep things easy, many of them follow similar
methods of preparation. Please also keep in mind that any of these recipes may
be baked in regular baking pans. But, you will have to adjust the baking time
depending on the size and shape of the pan.

There are three things that you should keep in mind when using this book:

1) Baking these recipes should be fun.

2) A recipe is just a guide. Recipes are not the final word on how to make
any particular item, but are there to help you. Conditions such as

temperature, humidity, altitude, brand of products used, your oven, your
technique, and other things can change the outcome of the food that you
are preparing.

3) It is OK to make mistakes. Mistakes make us think and force us to
explore how to do better. In testing these recipes, l have probably made
every mistake that you can think of: I have accidentally turned a can of
batter over in the oven, I’ve used the wrong yeast or leavening agent,
forgotten to set the timer, left out ingredients and doubled some
ingredients, I have added the wrong ingredient, I have over baked and
under baked, I have let yeast breads rise too long and have kneaded
doughs too short a time and too long a time. I can’t even remember all
the errors I have made. But when you do make errors, laugh at what you
did and vow to never do it again. Keep in mind, these recipes are very
forgiving. And even if you do make mistakes, you can usually eat them.
The spilled batter in the oven would definitely be an exception.

I hope you enjoy using “The Coffee Can Baking Book”!

Introduction

Coffee Cans:
Baking in coffee cans goes back to the early 1900’s, when people didn’t
necessarily have all the fancy pots and pans that we have today. They used
whatever they had and since coffee came in metal cans that held a pound of
coffee, it was handy to use them for baking and for cooking. Those cans were
unlined and had paper labels that could be easily removed. Today, coffee usually
comes in paper bags, pressed cardboard or plastic containers. Of the companies
that still use metal cans today, many use cans that are painted on the outside and
are often lined on the inside with a plastic coating or enamel. Do not use these
cans for baking.

It is very difficult to find the old style coffee cans that are safe for making baked
goods. Today, coffee rarely comes in cans. Cans used for baking should not be
rusted, should not be soldered with lead or lined or contain any other harmful
metals or chemical agents that can leach into the baked goods when repeatedly
used. Since cans that are safe for baking are almost impossible to find, I have
been able to work with a major manufacturer to make safe pans that can be
substituted for the old coffee cans and used with the recipes in this book. These
pans are not exactly the same size as the old coffee cans, but hold almost the
exact same volume as the old cans. They are slightly shorter and a little wider
than the original cans. They are also not ribbed like the old coffee cans and that
makes it easier to slide baked products out of the pans when they are done. These
are high quality anodized aluminum pans made by well-known bakeware
company Fat Daddio’s. Details on how you can purchase these pans with the
book, or separately, are listed at the back of this book.

Caring for the Cans:

Once the bread or cake has been removed from the cans and the cans have
cooled, it is important to wash and dry them thoroughly. The old coffee cans are
not stainless steel and may rust. Do not use harsh abrasives, chemicals, steel
wool, or sharp cleaning tools when cleaning the coffee cans or anodized
aluminum cans. The cans from Fat Daddio’s are high quality aluminum pans
that are anodized for safety and performance.

Preparing the Cans for Baking:
Prior to baking any of the recipes in the book, I recommend that the cans be
coated on the inside with either a vegetable oil baking spray, vegetable oil, olive
oil, or melted butter. Most of the recipes in this book were baked using a
vegetable oil spray. Whichever product is used, don’t coat the cans with so much
oil or butter that it forms a pool on the bottom of the can. This will cause the
breads or cakes to become soggy or oily on the bottom. On a few of the recipes I
recommend using parchment paper. That is described in the individual recipe.

When filling the cans, always make sure to wipe off any excess batter that has
spilled on the outside of the cans before putting them in the oven. Some of the
thinner batters may be easily poured into the cans, but with the thicker batters,
it’s easier to spoon them into the cans. When filling the cans, try to avoid
creating air pockets in the batter. Tapping the filled cans on a sturdy counter top
can help remove the air pockets.

If you store your cans in a cold area of your home, be sure to bring them to room
temperature before baking.

Using These Recipes in Standard Cake or Bread Pans:

You can easily use any of these recipes in standard cake or bread pans. Some of
my testers have done so successfully. To give you an idea of volume - a 9 X 5 inch
loaf pan that is about 3 inches high contains slightly less than the same volume as
two of the coffee cans. You will have to adjust the baking time depending on the
size and shape of the baking pan.

Equipment:

Coffee cans are called one pound cans because that is what they originally held.
They actually contain 32 ounces by volume. Besides the cans, most of the
equipment you will need is probably already in your kitchen. I like using a
wooden spoon or rubber spatula to mix some of the batters, since they seem to
mix the batters more easily and don’t bruise the fruit that may be in the batter as
much as a mixer blade would. A kitchen scale is very useful in measuring
ingredients and weighing the filled cans - to help make the items you bake in the
cans come out about the same size so they are evenly baked. If you have one, an
instant read thermometer can be very helpful as I will explain in the paragraph
“testing for doneness.”

Altitude:
I live in Boulder, Colorado, which has an altitude of 5430 feet. Most of these
recipes were developed at that altitude. I believe that these recipes can still be
made at lower elevations without significant changes. A number of them have
been tested near sea level and came out fine without any changes. I suggest that
you first try the recipes as they are written. Then, if you feel that the recipes need
adjustment for a lower altitude at which you live, you might want to consider
one or more of the following changes. Try decreasing the flour, liquid, or baking
temperature. Or, increase the leavening agents, sugar, or baking times. Do the
opposite if you live at much higher altitude.

If you live at lower altitudes, yeast breads may take longer to rise than the times
given in the book. If so, just adhere to the general rule of letting the doughs rise
until they have doubled or almost doubled in volume as stated in the instructions
of each recipe.

Preparation Times:

Preparation times for most of the recipes fall within the half-hour to hour period.
Yeast breads require extra time for the doughs to rise.

About the recipes:

I recommend that you read through a recipe before beginning. The recipes listed
in the “Table of Contents” page of the book are divided into “Cakes”, “Quick
Breads”, and “Yeast Breads”. Quick Breads are breads that usually use baking
powder, baking soda, or eggs as leavening agents to make the bread rise. They
can be cake-like in texture. Yeast breads use yeast to make them rise, but may
also contain baking powder or baking soda. A list of common measurements and
abbreviations is provided at the end of the book. All the recipes and baking times
are for 2 cans. To bake 3 cans, multiply the quantities of ingredients by one and a
half. Baking 3 cans generally takes an extra 5 to 10 minutes.

Measuring Ingredients:

I recommend that when you measure flour, that you spoon it from your flour
container into the measuring cup and then level it off with the back of a knife or
spatula. Dipping the measuring cup directly into the container may compress the
flour and not give you as accurate a measurement. Liquid ingredients can be
measured with standard liquid measuring equipment. Note: it is important to
bring all the ingredients to room temperature before beginning. Since this
sometimes may take awhile, it will save gas or electricity if you do this before you
begin preheating your oven and starting the baking process.

Mixing Ingredients:

I mix most of the batters or dough with a mixer, but you can also do them by
hand. Whichever method you use, always scrape down the sides of the bowl
periodically when you are mixing.

Temperatures and Baking Times:
Your oven should be brought to the required baking temperature for about 15
minutes before putting the filled cans into the oven. Ingredient temperatures and
baking temperatures are always expressed in degrees fahrenheit. They are shown
as °F. Baking times are a guideline to help you get started. Each oven bakes
differently and the results may vary depending on your altitude, humidity,
technique and the moisture in some of the ingredients. Baking times may also
vary depending on whether your oven is gas or electric. Ovens can be very fickle
and the same oven may bake differently in two different houses. The recipes in
this book were all baked in a gas oven. Your oven may bake hotter or cooler on
the second rack from the bottom. If you test your oven with an oven
thermometer, it is recommended that you place the thermometer in the oven
and allow it to be there until the oven has reached the assigned temperature for
20 minutes. Then make any necessary adjustment to the baking temperature.
After you have baked one or two of the recipes, you should have a good idea of
how the temperatures and times for your oven relate to the ones in the book.
Cans that are slightly different in thickness or in size may cause baking times to
vary slightly. Adding to or subtracting ingredients may also affect baking times.

NOTE: IF USING THE ANODIZED ALUMINUM CANS MENTIONED IN
THE BOOK - THE BAKING TIMES MAY BE 5% to 10% LESS THAN THE
TIMES SUGGESTED FOR THE RECIPES.

If your oven tends to have a hot spot, it is sometimes recommended that you
rotate baked items midway thru the baking time. If you do this, you may shake
or agitate the cans and cause the cakes or breads to fall before or after they have
been removed from the oven. There is also a chance that you could overturn a
can in the oven, as I once did. Since it is possible you could get burned from
overturning a can of hot batter - I do not recommend rotating the cans.

On some recipes I have given a single baking time, such as “60 minutes”. On
some I have given a range of time, such as “60 to 65 minutes”. That is because in
my tests the times usually came out right between the two times.

If you are using a convection oven for baking, you may need to decrease the
baking time, temperature or both. Check your oven manual or you can find
convection conversion on the Internet.

Testing for Doneness

The most common way of testing for doneness, is to insert a cake tester,
toothpick, or thin skewer into the cake or bread. If it comes out clean and dry
looking, it indicates that the baked item is done. These testers should never be
very large in diameter so as not to poke a large hole in the cake or bread.
Although these can be helpful, the ones that are the same diameter for their full
length, tend to have one problem. When you insert them, they may go into an
area that is wet and still needs more baking time, but when you pull them out
through the drier top of the baked item, it wipes off the wet batter. This can give
you the impression that the batter has been baked long enough. Testers that are a
little thicker and have a tapered point work better, since the point doesn’t get
wiped off when it comes out thru the top layer. I have also found the use of an
instant read thermometer to be extremely helpful. It not only has a smaller point,
but when inserted into the middle of the can, it instantly gives you the
temperature at the center of the cake or bread.

In general, cakes are usually done when the internal center temperature is greater
than 200° F, but less than 210°F. Soft breads are usually done at 190° to 195°F
and hard or crusty breads at 195° to 205°F. On a few of the recipes I specify the
internal temperature when done. Another way of determining doneness is visual.
An indication that a cake or bread has baked long enough is when the tops of the
baked item begin to turn light brown and the cake or bread pulls away from the
sides of the cans. With dark colored batters, it is harder to see the browning. If
your oven tends to bake the tops too dark, you can loosely cover the top of the
cans with a small piece of aluminum foil for the last third of the baking time.
Until you have a good idea of the baking times for your oven, test for doneness 5
or 10 minutes before the baking times listed in the book.

Removing And Cooling the Cakes or Breads:
Whenever touching the cans from the hot oven, always use something like pot
holders or oven mittens to protect yourself from getting burned. To remove the
cake or bread from the can, use pot holders or oven mittens, turn the cans upside
down and gently squeeze the sides and lightly shake them until the cakes or
breads fall out. After they are out of the can, turn them right side up and place
them on a wire rack to cool. If you place them on a solid surface, such as a cookie
sheet or parchment paper, moisture will tend to gravitate to the bottom, causing
the bottom to become moist. You can put the cakes back into the cans once they
are totally cooled, but if they are still warm, they will tend to get a soggy bottom.
None of us want to have a soggy bottom.

Note: Since the anodized aluminum cans are thicker, you will not be able to
squeeze them, nor will it be necessary, since the baked goods will release from the
cans much easier.

Storing the Cakes and Breads:

Most of these cakes and breads are best when used immediately or within the
first day or two. If you don’t eat them right away, wrap them well or put them in
airtight containers and store in the refrigerator for 2 or 3 days or put them in the
freezer. In the freezer, they are best used within 3 months.

Ingredients

It is important that all ingredients be brought to room temperature before
mixing and baking.

Butter
Whenever butter is used in the recipes, it means unsalted. Salted butters vary
greatly in the amount of salt content. If you find that you have to use salted
butter for a recipe, try decreasing the amount of salt in the recipe by ½
teaspoon per stick of butter. The important thing to remember about butter,
is to always make sure it is soft and at room temperature for creaming with
other ingredients when making the recipes. Trying to cream the butter when
at refrigerator temperature or just out of the freezer will make the recipes
much more difficult and take much longer. One stick of butter = 8
Tablespoons = ½ Cup. Two sticks of butter = 16 Tablespoons = 1 Cup. (see
table at back of book.)

Chocolate
When the recipe calls for semi-sweet or unsweetened chocolate, I have used
Baker’s baking chocolate because it is readily available in most areas. It is
nicely packaged in easy-break bars. Some other excellent chocolates include
Callebaut Intense Dark Chocolate and Ghirardelli Bittersweet Chocolate
Baking Bars. Dutch processed cocoa powder is natural cocoa powder that has
been alkalized to remove its acidity. The package may say cocoa “processed
with alkali” or “alkalized” on the container. It is called Dutch processed
because it was the Dutch who developed this process in the early 19th
Century. The Dutch processed cocoa powder I use is a locally available cocoa
and I also have used an excellent brand called Valrhona.

Coffee
When coffee is called for, it may be either regular or decaf. If anyone
consuming the cake or bread is not supposed to have caffeine, simply use
decaf. I would recommend using fresh coffee and not instant. A couple of the
recipes, however, may use instant espresso or instant decaf espresso granules
or liquid.

Cornmeal
I recommend yellow cornmeal for the recipes in this book. If you can find it,
I also like stone-ground or water-ground cornmeal. However, this cornmeal
should be stored in the refrigerator or freezer to prevent becoming rancid.

Cottage Cheese
When the recipe calls for cottage cheese it refers to regular cottage cheese,
not low fat or fat free.

Eggs
Eggs in the recipes always refer to grade A large. I recommend that you use
eggs that come from chickens that are cage-free or free range and have not
been fed antibiotics, hormones, animal byproducts or any other chemical
supplements.

If you decide to make a 3 can recipe which calls for whole eggs plus a half an
egg, choose to round up the quantity to use a whole egg. The extra half an egg
when divided into 3 cans should not substantially change the outcome of the
recipe.

When gathering the ingredients for your recipe, don’t forget that the eggs
should be removed from the refrigerator and brought to room temperature
along with the other ingredients.

In two of the recipes, I prefer to separate the yolks and whites, adding the
yolks first and then folding in the beaten egg whites later. When separating
eggs be sure that none of the yolks get into the whites. Separate eggs when
they are cold. Adding a pinch of cream of tartar and sugar when beating egg
whites can help them form soft peaks. It is also best to beat egg whites in a
copper, stainless steel, or glass bowl. If you happen to get a “bad egg” -
adding them one at a time from a separate bowl prevents you from ruining
all the eggs or even a whole recipe.

Flour
Most of the unbleached all-purpose flour and bread flour used in the recipes
has been Gold Medal, since it is readily available. Pillsbury brand will work as
well. King Arthur brand is another fine flour that you can use, but does have
a slightly higher protein content and may produce a slightly different texture.

Bread flours have an even higher protein content than all-purpose flours
while cake flour has the lowest.

Cake flour produces a finer texture. I use King Arthur Unbleached Cake
Flour Blend or Pillsbury’s Softasilk Unbleached Cake Flour, if it is available.
If you cannot find cake flour, substitute all purpose flour and subtract 2
tablespoons for each cup of flour.

Whole wheat flour is made from the whole wheat kernel and therefore may
spoil more quickly than other flours. Keep it in the refrigerator, or even
better in the freezer to protect it from becoming rancid. For whole wheat, rye,
oat, and graham flour I have used whatever brand is available.

Fruits, Vegetables, and Nuts
The moisture content of fruits or vegetables differs greatly depending on
where you live, what time of year they are picked, how long have they been
stored, or whether they have just been harvested. This may result in your
having to adjust the length of baking time. If you like a nuttier flavor in
recipes calling for nuts, follow the directions for toasting the nuts that is
found in both the Cranberry-Nut Cake or the Date Nut Bread.

Honey
Honey comes in many varieties and colors. They all work well in these
recipes. Nutritionists usually recommend that you use local honeys whenever
possible to boost the immune system.

Leavening Agents
Yeast is used in some of the bread recipes, but the primary leavening agents
will be baking powder and baking soda. Packages of Arm & Hammer baking
soda recommend that they be changed within 3 months of opening, but in
drier climates it may last longer. Eggs may also be considered leavening
agents.

Always check to make sure that your yeast is not outdated. Storing yeast in
the refrigerator or freezer will help to prolong shelf life. One packet of active
dry or Rapid-Rise yeast contains approximately 2¼ teaspoons or 7 grams. It
is also sold in larger quantities. Most of the recipes in the book use active dry
yeast and if the yeast is directly dissolved in liquids that have a temperature

greater than 115°F, it may kill the yeast.

Rapid-Rise yeast may also be known as Instant Yeast, Fast-Rising, Quick
Rise, and/or Bread Machine Yeast. Rapid-Rise yeast does not normally need
to be “proofed” by dissolving in warm water and a little sugar. It also does
not always require a second rising of the dough. But, in one recipe I tried
using it just as I would normally do with active dry yeast, and the recipe
seemed to work quite well. In the only other recipe that uses Rapid-Rise
yeast, it wasn’t “proofed,” but did go through the second rising of the bread.
It also worked well. Rising times for the yeast breads in this book may vary
considerably based on the humidity, altitude, and temperature.

Maple Syrup
In general, maple syrups in this country come in two grades - A and B. These
grades also have sub-grades, which vary in darkness. The darker grades of
syrup are usually used in cooking or baking. Grade B syrups actually have a
stronger flavor than grade A. They all work well in the recipes, but I favor the
grade B for its stronger maple flavor. I do not recommend the use of syrups
that are labeled “maple flavored”, “waffle syrup”, “pancake syrup”, or similar
names. They may contain very little or no maple syrup and they almost all
contain large amounts of high fructose corn syrup.

Milk
Milk refers to milk with 2% milk fat. You can also use whole milk (3.25%). I
do not recommend skim milk or fat free milk, since they will yield a less
moist product. Buttermilk used in the recipes is always reduced fat.

Molasses
There are basically three kinds of molasses - light or mild, dark, and
blackstrap (which is the strongest). Cook books often call for the mild type,
but it is getting increasingly hard to find. In these recipes, I choose to use the
mild. A brand of mild molasses that seems to be available is called “Brer
Rabbit.” If I have to use dark, then I just use a little less and I may add some
honey or maple syrup to supplement the molasses.

Oils
You can use a variety of vegetable oils in these recipes and they all work quite
well, but I generally use canola oil because it is a good all purpose oil and it is

always in my kitchen. I do not usually use olive oil since I feel that it could
impart a slight flavor to the finished baked goods. However, I do include a
few recipes that call for olive oil.

Organics
I strongly support the use of organic products, whenever possible. They make
farming more sustainable without the increase of pesticides and harmful
chemicals into our environment. I also support the use of locally grown
products, if available. They help to cut down on our oil consumption and
help support our local economies.

Salt
Salt used is always non-iodized table salt. I will occasionally use kosher salt in
baking breads, but that will always be stated in the recipe. Kosher salt has a
larger grain than regular salt. In place of it, you can also use various sea salts
or just use table salt.

There are differences in the granule size of salts, so here is an approximate
guideline to use: 1 teaspoon table salt = 1½ teaspoons Morton Kosher salt = 2
teaspoons Diamond Crystal Kosher salt. In recipes calling for kosher salt I
have used Diamond Crystal Kosher salt, since that is what I usually have in
the house.

Sour Cream
When the recipe calls for sour cream it refers to regular sour cream - not low
fat or fat free.

Spices
For best results, spices should always be as fresh as possible. Spices that have
been sitting way too long on your spice shelf may not give you the full flavor
that you would like in the recipes. If you feel that they may be a little weak in
taste, then simply increase the amounts slightly in the recipes.

Sugar
When sugar is used, it refers to granulated white sugar. I recommend using
sugar made from cane as opposed to sugar beets, because it is less likely to
contain genetically modified product. Confectioners sugar may sometimes be
used. If so, it will be stated in the recipe. It is much finer than regular sugar. It

is also known as powdered sugar.

The recipes in the book also use both light and dark brown sugar. Whenever
these are called for, it means that the sugar is packed into the measuring
spoon or cup and then leveled off. When just purchased, brown sugars are
soft and slightly moist. Once the packages are opened the sugars may harden.
To prevent this drying out, you can place a piece of moist bread, an apple
slice, piece of wet towel, or wet paper towels in a small dish inside of your
sugar container. Check periodically to see if they are still moist and working.

Vanilla Extract
You can use either pure vanilla extract or synthetic. Some bakers prefer the
pure, but the synthetic seems to work just fine and is also less expensive.

Yogurt
Yogurt used in the recipes refers to whole milk yogurt. You can use reduced
fat yogurt, but it will produce a product that is less moist. I do not
recommend yogurt with 0% fat. One recipe does use Bulgarian yogurt.

Zest
Zest refers to the grated outer layer of citrus fruits that is added for flavor.
When grating the citrus, grate only the outer layer and not the inner part of
the rind.

Cakes

Apple Cake

I was surprised that some of the books I looked in did not even mention apple
cake. The recipes I did find often were cakes layered with apples or the apples
were spread over the top of the batter. That’s difficult to do in a coffee can, so
this method mixes the apples directly into the batter. You can use any kind of
good baking apples, but Granny Smith or a mixture of Granny Smith and
another good baking apple works well. It takes about 3 to 4 large apples to make
the 3 cups of apples for the 2 can recipe.

Bring all the ingredients to room temperature. Then preheat the oven to 350°F.
Spray the insides of the cans with a vegetable oil cooking or baking spray.

Ingredients for 2 cans:

3 Cups unbleached all-purpose flour 1 Teaspoon baking soda 1 Teaspoon baking
powder ½ Teaspoon salt

3 Cups apples (cored, peeled and cut in pieces) 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
½ Cup packed light brown sugar 6 Tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter 2/3
Cup sugar

¼ Cup (2 ounces) vegetable oil 4 Eggs

1 Teaspoon vanilla extract ½ Cup apple juice (or orange juice)

Instructions:

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
Set aside. Peel and cut the apples into pieces about ⅜ to ½ inch thick and no
more than ¾ inch long. Mix the apples in a bowl with the cinnamon and brown
sugar. In the bowl of the mixer, cream the butter, sugar and oil together until
light and fluffy. Then add the eggs (one at a time) and the vanilla. Alternate
adding the flour mixture and the apple juice to the mixer bowl by adding ⅓ flour,
½ of the apple juice, ⅓ flour, ½ of the apple juice, and finally the last ⅓ of flour.
Fold in the apples with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. Divide the batter
equally into the cans and place them in the oven.

Bake on the second rack from the bottom of the oven for 65 to 70 minutes.
Remove the cans when done, using oven gloves or pot holders on the hot cans.
Place the cans on a metal rack or trivets and allow them to cool for about 15
minutes. Again, using oven gloves or pot holders, gently squeeze the sides of the
cans and lightly shake them until the cakes slide out. Turn them so they are top
side up and place them on a rack to cool.

Just like the American standard of “apple pie and ice cream,” this cake goes well
with a good vanilla ice cream. Another favorite of mine with any kind of baked
apple product is to pair it with some coffee ice cream.

NOTES:

Applesauce Cake

Pleasant tasting with an interesting texture, Applesauce Cake is also easy to make
and includes a fair amount of spices.

Bring all the ingredients to room temperature. Then preheat the oven to 350°F.
Spray the insides of the cans with a vegetable oil cooking or baking spray.

Ingredients for 2 cans:

3 Cups unbleached all-purpose flour ½ Teaspoon salt

1 Teaspoon baking soda ½ Teaspoon baking powder 1½ Teaspoons ground
cinnamon 1 Teaspoon ground allspice ½ Teaspoon ground cloves 8
Tablespoons (one stick) unsalted butter 2/3 Cup packed light brown sugar ½
Cup sugar

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil 2 Eggs

1½ Cups unsweetened applesauce

Instructions:

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder and the
spices. Set aside. In the bowl of a mixer, beat the butter and sugars together until
mixed well. Add the vegetable oil and the eggs (one at a time), beating until
blended with the butter. While beating, gradually add the applesauce. Then add
the flour mixture a little at a time until it is mixed into the batter and the batter is
smooth. Divide the batter equally into the cans and place them in the oven.

Bake on the second rack from the bottom of the oven for 65 to 70 minutes.
Remove the cans when done, using oven gloves or pot holders on the hot cans.
Place the cans on a metal rack or trivets and allow them to cool for about 15
minutes. Again, using oven gloves or pot holders, gently squeeze the sides of the
cans and lightly shake them until the cakes slide out. Turn them so they are top
side up and place them on a rack to cool. Allow them to cool slightly before
slicing.

If you want to add nuts to the cake, add ½ cup of chopped nuts to two cans. Add
to the batter when it is completely mixed and gently stir them in.

NOTES:

Blueberry Coffee Cake

This cake is best made with fresh blueberries. Wash the blueberries and remove
the stems. Dry the blueberries by spreading them on a dry cloth or paper towels.
Dust with a light coating of flour.

Bring all the ingredients to room temperature. Then preheat the oven to 375°F.
Spray the insides of the cans with a vegetable oil cooking or baking spray.

Ingredients for 2 cans:

3 Cups unbleached all-purpose flour 2 Teaspoons baking powder ½ Teaspoon
baking soda 1 Teaspoon salt Zest from 1 lemon (about 1 Teaspoon) 6
Tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter 1 Cup sugar

¼ Cup (2 ounces) vegetable oil 3 Eggs

1 Teaspoon vanilla extract ¾ Cup buttermilk 1½ generous Cups fresh blueberries
(1 dry pint)

Instructions:

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and lemon zest in a
bowl and set aside. In the bowl of a mixer, cream the butter and sugar together
until light and fluffy. Then beat in the oil, the eggs (one at a time), and the
vanilla. Alternately add the flour mixture and the buttermilk to the mixer bowl
by adding ⅓ flour, ½ buttermilk, ⅓ flour, ½ buttermilk, and finally the last ⅓ of
flour. Gently stir the berries into the batter using a rubber spatula or wooden
spoon until evenly distributed. Spoon the batter equally into the cans and place
them in the oven.

Bake on the second rack from the bottom of the oven for 60 to 65 minutes.
Remove the cans when done, using oven gloves or pot holders on the hot cans.
Place the cans on a metal rack or trivets and allow them to cool for about 15
minutes. Again, using oven gloves or pot holders, gently squeeze the sides of the
cans and lightly shake them until the cakes slide out. Turn them so they are top
side up and place them on a rack to cool.

I choose to use fresh blueberries. I think they taste better; frozen blueberries
change the dynamics of the baking. Fresh blueberries are often available in the
supermarket year round, although at certain times of the year their price may be
a little high.

You can serve this cake when still slightly warm or at room temperature. It also
tastes great when kept in the refrigerator for a couple days.

Note: Blueberries that touch the sides or bottom of the cans may leave a stain on
the metal, but appear to have no adverse effect.

NOTES:

Carrot Cake

Carrot cake is an American favorite. Served plain or with a frosting or some ice
cream, it is always popular.

Bring all the ingredients to room temperature. Then preheat the oven to 350°F.
Spray the insides of the cans with a vegetable oil cooking or baking spray. Chop
the nuts into fairly small pieces. Large pieces make it more difficult to cut the
cake into thinner slices.

Ingredients for 2 cans:

3 Cups unbleached all-purpose flour 1 Teaspoon baking powder 1 Teaspoon
baking soda 1 Teaspoon salt

1½ Teaspoons ground cinnamon ½ Teaspoon ground nutmeg ½ Teaspoon
ground allspice 12 Ounces (about 3 Cups) grated carrots ⅔ Cup vegetable oil
1 Cup sugar

½ Cup packed light brown sugar 3 Eggs

1 Teaspoon vanilla extract 1 Cup pecans or walnuts, chopped (optional)

Instructions:

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices.
Using a food processor with a grating attachment or a box grater, grate the
carrots. Stir them into the flour mixture, coating them well with the flour. In a
mixer or by hand, cream the oil and sugars together. Then mix in the eggs (one
at a time), and the vanilla. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet, mixing
just until blended. If adding nuts, stir them into the batter. Spoon the batter
equally into the cans, trying not to form any big air pockets and place them in
the oven.

Bake on the second rack from the bottom of the oven for 70 minutes. Remove
the cans when done, using oven gloves or pot holders on the hot cans. Place the
cans on a metal rack or trivets and allow them to cool for about 15 minutes.
Again, using oven gloves or pot holders, gently squeeze the sides of the cans and
lightly shake them until the cakes slide out. Turn them so they are top side up
and place them on a rack to cool.

This cake can be served when cool or still slightly warm. This is a moist cake and
is great by itself, but it is often served with a cream cheese frosting. A recipe for
an easy frosting may be found at the back of the book. Slice with a serrated knife.

NOTES:

Chocolate Tower Cake

I was a little apprehensive about trying to do a chocolate cake in a can. After all,
chocolate cakes are legendary in the American dessert world and everyone has
their favorite. But, I think this one works pretty well. It has a good strong
chocolate flavor but is not too sweet. It is not as light and fluffy as some
chocolate layer cakes - their texture would not hold up well when baked in a tall
can.

Bring all the ingredients to room temperature. Then preheat the oven to 350°F.
Spray the insides of the cans with a vegetable oil cooking or baking spray. If you
don’t have Dutch processed cocoa powder, use Hershey’s unsweetened cocoa
and increase the amount by one to two tablespoons for 2 cans. If the cocoa
powder has any lumps in it, put it through a fine strainer or sifter after you have
measured it. It is a good idea to chop the unsweetened chocolate before you
begin, so that you have it ready. I feel that using coffee instead of water to melt
the chocolate helps to intensify the chocolate taste.

Ingredients for 2 Cans:

1½ Cups unbleached cake flour 1 Cup unbleached all-purpose flour 2 Teaspoons
baking powder ½ Teaspoon baking soda ½ Teaspoon salt ½ Cup Dutch
processed cocoa powder 3 Ounces unsweetened chocolate (chopped in very
small pieces) ½ Cup very hot coffee or water 6 Tablespoons (¾ Stick)
unsalted butter ½ Cup Sugar

1 Cup packed light brown sugar ⅓ Cup vegetable oil 4 Eggs

2 Teaspoons vanilla extract 1 Cup milk

Instructions:

In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and
cocoa powder. Set aside. Melt the chopped chocolate in the hot coffee or water,
stirring occasionally until smooth. Put aside to cool. In the mixer bowl, cream
the butter and sugars together until well combined and add the oil. Add the eggs
(one at a time) and the vanilla. Then add the melted chocolate (if cooled) and
mix until blended together. Alternate adding the flour mixture and the milk to
the mixer bowl by adding ⅓ flour, ½ milk, ⅓ flour, ½ milk, and finally the last ⅓
of flour. Don’t over mix the batter. Spoon the batter equally into the cans and
place them in the oven.

Bake on the second rack from the bottom of the oven for 70 minutes. Remove
the cans when done, using oven gloves or pot holders on the hot cans. Place the
cans on a metal rack or trivets and allow them to cool for about 15 minutes.
Again, using oven gloves or pot holders, gently squeeze the sides of the cans and
lightly shake them until the cakes slide out. Turn them so they are top side up
and place them on a rack to cool.

Slice when still slightly warm. Slicing thinly may enhance the chocolate flavor.
Serve plain or with a favorite ice cream or frosting. Examples of a few basic
frostings are listed in the back of the book. The top of this cake may be crinkled
and crusty. It is my favorite part. You can create a mini 2 or 3 layer chocolate
cake (birthday?) by doing the following: cut the top of the cake off and cut the
remaining cake into 2 or 3 circular layers that are equal in thickness. Cover the
top of 1 (or 2) layers with a favorite frosting. Stack the layers and then cover the
entire cake with the frosting. The trick is getting the layers even in size. For a
birthday cake you can add decoration or a few small candles. Slice into wedges.