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Tea Cakes Recipe | Epicurious.Com

all-purpose flour,

baking powder

baking soda

salt

nutmeg

(4 ounces) butter,

sugar

eggs

buttermilk

vanilla extract

Demerara sugar,

In this classic coconut layer cake, coconut makes an appearance three different ways.

Coconut Southern Comfort Layer Cake

Nonstick vegetable oil spray

cake flour

coconut (not reduced-fat)

(2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

coconut oil,

coconut chips

8-oz. packages cream cheese, room temperature

(3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

Southern Comfort

Bon Appétit

Arrange racks in top and bottom thirds of oven; preheat to 350°. Coat cake pans with nonstick spray; dust with flour. Whisk 2 3/4 cups flour and next 3 ingredients in a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat sugar and butter at medium speed, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl, until smooth, 3–4 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating to blend between additions. Beat until light and fluffy, 2–3 minutes. Gradually beat in oil. Beat in dry ingredients at low speed in 3 additions, alternating with buttermilk in 2 additions, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Divide among four 9" cake pans (about 2 generous cups batter per pan); smooth tops with a spatula.

Bake until a tester inserted into center of cakes comes out clean, 22–27 minutes. Transfer pans to wire racks; let cool in pans for 5 minutes. Invert cakes onto racks, remove pans, and let cakes cool completely.

Preheat oven to 350°. Place coconut chips in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Toast until some of the chips are golden brown (some will remain white), 5–7 minutes; let cool completely. DO AHEAD: Can be made 3 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.

Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter on high speed, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl, until smooth and creamy, 2–3 minutes. Add 1 1/2 Tbsp. Southern Comfort and salt; beat to blend, about 1 minute longer. Add sugar; beat on low speed to blend. Increase speed to high; beat until fluffy, 5–6 minutes.

Using a long serrated knife, cut each cake in half horizontally (see page 106 for instructions). Place 1 layer, cut side up, on a cake stand or plate. Lightly brush with about 1/2 Tbsp. of Southern Comfort. Spread 1/2 cup frosting over. Repeat with remaining 7 layers, Southern Comfort, and frosting. Chill cake for 30 minutes. Leave remaining frosting at room temperature.

Cover sides of chilled cake with frosting. Cover cake loosely with foil and chill overnight. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled. Let cake stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.

Gently pat handfuls of toasted coconut chips over sides and top of cake and serve.

These biscuits are more sturdy than flaky, which means they won’t crumble on the way to your mouth.

Eastern Carolina–Style Biscuits

all-purpose flour

lard, chilled,

These biscuits are more sturdy than flaky, which means they won’t crumble on the way to your mouth and makes them perfect for this deviled eggs recipe.

Place racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 375°. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Create a large well in the center and add buttermilk and ½ cup lard. Gradually work in dry ingredients with your hands until a soft dough forms. It should hold together but be scoopable.

Using a ¼-cup measuring cup, scoop dough onto a small baking sheet lightly greased with lard to make 12 portions; they should be touching. Bake biscuits on bottom rack 20 minutes, then transfer to top and bake until golden brown, 7–10 minutes longer.

Green mangoes would be ideal, but slightly unripe mangoes are an imperfect but successful substitute.

Mango and Cucumber Salad

shallot,

garlic cloves, finely grated

Scotch bonnet chile

lime juice

mangoes, peeled, cut into ½-inch-thick spears

hothouse

cilantro

black pepper

Epicurious

Toss shallot, garlic, chile, lime juice, and salt in a medium bowl. Add mangoes and cucumber and toss again. Cover; let sit at room temperature until shallot and cucumber are softened and juicy and flavors come together, 45–60 minutes.

To serve, add cilantro to chow and toss well; season generously with pepper.

Chow (without cilantro) can be made 3 hours ahead. Cover and chill.

If you opt for canned instead of dried beans in this recipe, they won’t be quite as creamy, but you’ll save yourself some time.

Coconut Rice and Peas

kidney

unsalted butter

oregano

thyme

Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

coconut milk

basmati rice

Place beans in a large saucepan and cover with 6 cups cold water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, skimming foam from surface as needed, then reduce heat to maintain a bare simmer. Cook, adding water as needed to keep beans covered by at least 1", until beans are completely tender, 1–1 1/2 hours.

Heat butter in a medium skillet over medium. Add shallot, oregano, and thyme and cook, stirring often, until shallot is translucent, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove skillet from heat. Use a slotted spoon to transfer beans to skillet and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Pour out all but 2 cups bean cooking liquid from saucepan; add coconut milk and bring to a simmer over medium heat. While liquid is heating up, place rice in a fine-mesh sieve and rinse under cold water until water runs clear. Add rice to saucepan, reduce heat to a bare simmer, and cover. Cook rice 10 minutes, then uncover and stir in reserved bean mixture. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt if needed. Cover pan and cook until rice is tender, 8–10 minutes. Remove from heat and uncover. Fluff rice with a fork.

Rice and beans can be made 1 hour ahead. Keep covered. Reheat gently before serving.

Black tea’s herbal and tannic notes, plus the citrus zest and well, sweetness, create a subtle brine for a roasted or grilled spatchcock chicken.

Sweet Tea and Molasses-Brined Spatchcock Chicken

water

breakfast tea bags

lemon, zest removed in thick strips

orange, zest removed in thick strips

molasses

chicken

olive oil

Sweet tea isn’t just for drinking: Black tea’s herbal and tannic notes, plus the citrus zest and well, sweetness, create a subtle brine for chicken. Molasses adds rich flavor and turns the bird’s skin a stunning mahogany, while the tea brine leaves the meat succulent and falling off the bone. Cook up this spatchcocked chicken at a barbecue or in the oven for a dinner party and enjoy this quintessential Southern drink in a whole new way.
This recipe was excerpted from 'Tanya Holland's California Soul' by Tanya Holland. Buy the full book on Amazon. This book was selected as one of the best cookbooks of 2022.

Bring the water to a boil in a large saucepan. Remove from the heat and add the tea bags and lemon and orange zests and steep for 5 minutes. Remove the tea bags and add the molasses, sugar, and salt and stir until the molasses and salt are fully dissolved. Add the ice to cool the mixture down.

Lay your chicken, breast-side down, on a cutting board. Using sharp kitchen shears, cut along both sides of the backbone to remove it. (You will be cutting through the rib bones, so this will take a little force.) Discard or save the backbone for making stock or soup. Then flip the bird over and press hard down on the breastbone so the chicken lies flat.

Once your tea mixture has completely cooled, add the chicken, submerging it completely and letting it sit in the brine in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or up to 16 hours.

Remove the chicken from the brine and pat it dry. Place it on a sheet pan or plate and refrigerate it for 2 hours. This will help to dry out the skin.

Remove the chicken from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Place a wire rack on a half-sheet pan. Spray the rack with nonstick cooking spray.

Lay the chicken breast-side up on the rack. Drizzle with olive oil and rub to coat all the skin.You do not need to salt at this point, as the brine provides all the salt needed. Roast the chicken until an instant-read thermometer registers 160ºF in the thickest part of the thigh, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Check the chicken after about 20 minutes and if the skin is getting too dark, loosely tent with aluminum foil. Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for at least 10 minutes before cutting it into pieces.

Prepare a grill for indirect grilling (for gas grills, turn one side on high heat and keep the other side off; for charcoal, place the coals on one side of the grill). Carefully oil the grill grates. Place the chicken, breast-side down, on the hot side of the grill and cook just until the skin shows grill marks, about 4 minutes. Turn the chicken over and cook the other side just until it is marked as well, another 4 minutes. Move the chicken to the cool side of grill, cover, and cook until the thickest part of the thigh registers 160ºF, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the grill and let it rest for at least 10 minutes before cutting into pieces.

It doesn’t get more summery than these delicate cornmeal pancakes with rum-spiked strawberry compote.

Lacy Cornmeal Pancakes With Strawberry Compote

Tbsp. dark rum (optional)

Tbsp. sugar

milk

apple cider vinegar

(225 g) cornmeal

kosher salt

We didn’t think a light and tender 100 percent cornmeal pancake was possible. Until now. This recipe is from chef Ashleigh Shanti at Benne on Eagle in Asheville, NC.

Cook strawberries, rum, sugar, salt, and 2 Tbsp. water (add ¼ cup water if not using rum) in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until strawberries are softened and juices have thickened and are syrupy, 20–25 minutes. Let compote cool completely before serving.

Do Ahead: Compote can be made 3 days ahead. Transfer to an airtight container; cover and chill.

Stir milk and vinegar in a small bowl. Let sit until milk curdles and sours, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk cornmeal, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.

Whisk eggs into milk mixture, then add to dry ingredients and whisk vigorously to combine.

Melt 1½ tsp. butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high. Ladle ⅓ cup batter into skillet. Cook pancake until lacy and browned underneath, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook just until cooked through, about 1 minute. Transfer to a plate (or keep warm on a baking sheet in a 300° oven until ready to serve if desired). Working in 7 more batches, repeat process with remaining butter and batter to make a total of 8 pancakes.

To serve, divide pancakes among plates and spoon compote over.

The secret to this version of potato salad is sweet pickle relish—not diced cucumbers, dill pickles, or cornichons.

Sweet Pickle Potato Salad

red potatoes, scrubbed

Salt and pepper

onion

sweet pickle relish

mayonnaise

eggs,

Oh, honey. Where I come from, you were judged as a cook not on your soufflés but on your potato salad. They didn’t give out actual blue ribbons, but having your potato salad be the talk of town was prize enough to inspire some pretty intense rivalries. As anyone who has tried and mastered this dish knows, it’s a very basic recipe. What really distinguishes one salad from another is how the home cook navigates restraint and balance. Are you convinced that a dash of yellow mustard or a spoonful of minced onions will elevate your dish? Then go for it. Is your addition a hint of smoked paprika, or a handful of celery seeds that might be invisible to the naked eye but unmistakable on the palate? For me, the perfect balance of pickle relish made or broke the recipe. And I can say with pride that my friends have always rallied for my version of this Southern showstopper.

Put the potatoes in a large pot and add enough cold water to cover them by 1 inch. Add a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are tender but not mushy, about 15 minutes. Drain. Set aside until cool enough to handle.

While the potatoes are still warm, cut them into quarters and place them in a large bowl. Add the onion, relish, mayonnaise, and eggs. Toss until well combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Cover and chill until ready to serve, at least 1 hour or up to overnight.

This classic coleslaw recipe is timeless for a reason: it's crunchy, cool, and refreshing. Here’s our best take on the crowd-pleasing BBQ side dish.

Creamy Coleslaw

sour cream

cider vinegar

lb green cabbage, quartered, cored, and thinly sliced (8 cups)

carrots,

Keep this timeless coleslaw recipe in your back pocket so you’re ready when BBQ season comes around. Homemade coleslaw is a classic for a reason, and this take on the refreshing picnic side dish features plenty of shredded cabbage (we like green cabbage, but purple cabbage works too), carrots for color and sweetness, and a creamy dressing with both mayo and sour cream that gets bracing acidity from a couple of tablespoons apple cider vinegar.
There are hundreds of slaw recipes out in the world and they all have a place, but we consider this simple version from Gourmet our best classic coleslaw since it all comes together in one large bowl with a prep time under 15 minutes. We love a mandoline for getting the cabbage very thinly sliced (watch your hands and quarter the cabbage so that you can work with one section at a time) and a box grater for uniform shredded carrots.
Toss the cabbage mixture with the coleslaw dressing and let it soften for about 30 minutes. The bowl doubles as your storage vessel, making this one of our favorite make-ahead salad recipes. Chill it for up to a day, covered, or transfer to an airtight container, and be one step ahead of your next potluck. What to serve with creamy coleslaw? We think it’s pretty versatile, but slaw works best when it offers textural contrast to a meal. Bring on the hot dogs and sausages, pulled pork sandwiches, burgers, ribs, and grilled chicken.
Editor's Note: This recipe was originally published in the August 2004 issue of ‘Gourmet’ and first appeared on Epicurious that same month.

Whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper in a large bowl until combined well, then toss with cabbage and carrots. Let stand, uncovered, at room temperature, tossing occasionally, until wilted, about 30 minutes. Serve at room temperature or chilled.
Do Ahead: Coleslaw can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.

Vibrantly colored, mouth-watering collard-peanut pesto adds flair to this zucchini recipe that brings out the best of zucchini and other squashes.

Oven-Roasted Zucchini

collard leaves

peanuts

white miso paste

garlic

lemon juice,

olive oil,

Kosher salt

zucchini (about 11/2 pounds total), cut into 1/2-inch dice

Forks down, my favorite way of preparing summer squash is grilling. When that method isn’t convenient, I use this simple oven-roasting technique instead. Good olive oil, salt, and pepper are enough to bring out the best of garden-fresh zucchini and other squashes, but I created a vibrantly colored, mouth-watering collard-peanut pesto to add a little flair to this dish. Rather than tossing the zucchini in the pesto, however, I simply add dollops of it to the bowl for people to incorporate as much as they like into their individual servings. This recipe is inspired by courgettes avec des arachides (French for “zucchini with peanuts”), a classic dish from the north-central African country Chad, but feel free to experiment with other summer squashes (pattypan, crookneck, zucchetta)—dealer’s choice.

In a food processor, combine the collards, peanuts, miso, and garlic and blend until it forms a chunky paste. While the food processor is running, slowly pour in the olive oil through the feed tube, adding more if needed to reach your desired consistency. Season with salt, pepper, and additional lemon juice to taste. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 
In a large bowl, toss the zucchini with the olive oil and salt, then spread the zucchini over the baking sheet in one even layer. Roast until the zucchini is brown around the edges, 18 to 20 minutes. To serve, transfer the zucchini to a bowl and give it a few turns of pepper. Next, drop in a few heaping dollops of pesto so that people can scoop as much as they’d like when serving themselves, adding more pesto to the bowl as needed. Pile the peanuts in a small serving bowl and present alongside the zucchini.

For any leftover pesto, pour a thin layer of olive oil over it, cover, and refrigerate for up to 1 week.

Adding egg to praline topping for a sweet potato pie is a modern twist. This treatment creates a smooth layer that melts onto the custard.

Praline Topping

brown sugar

butter, melted

pecans

Adding egg to praline topping is a modern twist. Unlike the crumbly topping that might crown a sweet potato casserole, this treatment creates a smooth layer that melts onto the top of a sweet potato pie.

In a medium bowl, combine the brown sugar, granulated sugar, flour, egg, and salt until well mixed. Stir in the melted butter and mix well. Stir in the pecans.

Tart, sweet, crunchy, and spicy, this classic Southern condiment is simply irresistible.

Chow Chow

green-fleshed tomatoes (not unripe tomatoes) carrots

red bell peppers

green bell pepper

head green cabbage (about 10 ounces)

scotch bonnet pepper

allspice berries

white vinegar

yellow mustard seeds

celery seeds

turmeric

Food processor substitute: If you don’t have a food processor, you can grate the vegetables on the large holes of a box grater, or small dice any vegetables that don’t grate well.

The Kitchn

Olushola "Ola" Wadley

Step 1

Trim and cut the following vegetables into pieces that will fit in the feed tube of a food processor: 3/4 medium yellow onion, 8 ounces green-fleshed tomatoes or peeled carrots, 2 medium red bell peppers, and 1 medium green bell pepper.

Step 2

Fit the shredding disc on the food processor and shred all the vegetables. If the tomatoes are too soft to shred, grate on the large holes of a box grater, or cut into small dice.

Step 3

Transfer the shredded vegetables to a large bowl. Core and cut 1/4 medium head green cabbage into fine shreds (about 4 1/2 cups) and add to the bowl. Pierce the tip of a knife into 1 scotch bonnet pepper and add to the bowl. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup kosher salt and toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to overnight.

Step 4

Transfer the mixture to a colander. Remove and discard the scotch bonnet. Rinse the vegetables well under cold running water, then let drain thoroughly. (If you are canning the chow chow, sterilize 1 quart or 2 pint canning jars and lids; keep warm until ready to fill. Prepare a water bath canner so the water is boiling and ready to process.)

Step 5

Transfer the vegetables to a large saucepan. Coarsely crush 1/2 teaspoon whole allspice berries with the bottom of a small pan or with the flat part of a chef’s knife. Add the allspice, 5 fresh thyme sprigs, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup water, 1/3 cup distilled white vinegar, 2 teaspoons yellow mustard seeds, 1/2 teaspoon celery seeds, and 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric to the saucepan.

Step 6

Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil for 4 minutes. Turn off the heat, then remove and discard the thyme stems. Transfer to clean glass jars or containers and let cool. Seal the jars and refrigerate for up to 1 month.

Step 7

If canning, ladle the hot chow chow into the jar(s), leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Remove any air bubbles. Wipe the jar rims with a clean, damp paper towel. Apply the lids and bands. Process the jars in the water bath canner for 10 minutes. (Start the timer after the water has returned to a boil.) Remove from the water bath canner and let cool for 12 to 24 hours. Check the seals. Store in a cool, dry, dark place for up to 4 months. Any jars that did not seal or opened jars should be refrigerated and used within 1 month.

If you want to go with the same flavors and basic method but prefer chicken pieces, go forth! Use skin-on, bone-in breasts and legs—total cooking time will be shorter.

Grilled Lemon-Pepper Chicken

chicken,

Vegetable oil (for grill)

lemons, divided

Tbsp. honey

Sprinkle chicken all over with salt and 1 1/2 tsp. pepper. Let sit at room temperature 1 hour.

Meanwhile, prepare a grill for medium heat and brush grate with oil. Thinly slice lemon half into rounds. Heat butter and honey in a small saucepan until butter is melted and foaming, then remove from heat and add lemon slices.

Grill chicken, skin side down, until skin is lightly charred and releases from grate without tearing, about 6 minutes. Turn chicken over and lightly brush with lemon butter. Cover grill and continue grilling chicken, brushing with lemon butter every 5 minutes or so, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of breast registers 150°F, 25–28 minutes.

Just before chicken is ready, cut remaining lemon into quarters and grill, cut side down, until charred and softened, 6–8 minutes. Transfer chicken and lemons to a cutting board; let rest 10 minutes before carving chicken into pieces.

To serve, squeeze grilled lemons over chicken and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 tsp. pepper.

Sweet, sticky, charred, and crispy: Barbecued chicken is one of the surest signs of summer. Store-bought sauce has nothing on this easy homemade version, which uses maple syrup for sweetness and Sriracha for heat. Use whatever bone-in chicken parts you like and save the leftover sauce for everything else you plan to grill this week.

Maple Barbecue Grilled Chicken

Tbsp. olive oil

garlic cloves, crushed

Tbsp. double-concentrated tomato paste

maple syrup

soy sauce

Worcestershire sauce

Tbsp. unseasoned rice vinegar

Sriracha

Sweet, sticky, charred, and crispy: Barbecued chicken is one of the surest signs of summer. Store-bought sauce has nothing on this easy homemade version, which uses maple syrup for sweetness and Sriracha for heat. Use whatever bone-in chicken parts you like and save the leftover sauce for everything else you plan to grill this week.

Like this Bon Appétit recipe? There are plenty more where this came from. Subscribe to the magazine here!

Heat olive oil in a small saucepan over medium. Cook garlic, turning occasionally, until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly and scraping bottom of pan, until slightly darkened, about 3 minutes. Add maple syrup, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, and Sriracha. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until flavors have come together, about 1 minute. Remove from heat. Transfer about half of barbecue sauce to a heatproof bowl and set aside for serving.

Prepare a grill for medium-high indirect heat (for a charcoal grill, bank coals on one side of grill; for a gas grill, leave one or two burners off); oil grate. Season chicken generously with salt. Grill chicken over direct heat, turning every minute, until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Move chicken over indirect heat. Cover, positioning vent (if your grill has one) over chicken, and continue to grill, keeping grill covered as much as possible and turning every 5 minutes or so, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part registers 140°F–145°F, 18–25 minutes depending on the size of the pieces. Baste chicken with barbecue sauce and grill, turning and basting occasionally, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part registers 160°F for breast and 165°F for dark meat, about 10 minutes longer.

Arrange chicken on a platter. Serve with reserved barbecue sauce alongside.

Do Ahead: Barbecue sauce can be made 2 weeks ahead. Transfer to an airtight container; cover and chill.

Classic jerk chicken is grilled over pimento wood. If you want to order some online, we salute you. Everybody else: Hardwood or briquettes will have to do.

Top 16 juneteenth recipes from across the web

The most viewed juneteenth recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

Top Tags

Tea Cakes Recipe | Epicurious.Com

Coconut Southern Comfort Layer Cake

Eastern Carolina–Style Biscuits

Mango and Cucumber Salad

Coconut Rice and Peas

Sweet Tea and Molasses-Brined Spatc...

Lacy Cornmeal Pancakes With Strawbe...

Sweet Pickle Potato Salad

Creamy Coleslaw

Oven-Roasted Zucchini

Praline Topping

Chow Chow

Grilled Lemon-Pepper Chicken

Maple Barbecue Grilled Chicken

Miss Ollie's Grilled Jerk Chicken

Maple-Barbecued Chicken

Top 16 juneteenth recipes from across the web

The most viewed juneteenth recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Tea Cakes Recipe | Epicurious.Com

Coconut Southern Comfort Layer Cake

Eastern Carolina–Style Biscuits

Mango and Cucumber Salad

Coconut Rice and Peas

Sweet Tea and Molasses-Brined Spatc...

Lacy Cornmeal Pancakes With Strawbe...

Sweet Pickle Potato Salad

Creamy Coleslaw

Oven-Roasted Zucchini

Praline Topping

Chow Chow

Grilled Lemon-Pepper Chicken

Maple Barbecue Grilled Chicken

Miss Ollie's Grilled Jerk Chicken

Maple-Barbecued Chicken

The most viewed juneteenth recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine