the hungry expats

This is one of Mark's favorite cakes, and there are not that many. Since Smith & Wollensky in New Orleans does not share their famous dessert's recipe, I've experimented with several recipes online. This one is based on a yogurt cake recipe which gives it a dense and moist texture.  CAKE 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 3/4 teaspoon salt 1 cup sugar 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest 3/4 cup whole-milk Greek yogurt 1/2 cup vegetable oil 2 large eggs 6 slices of canned pineapple + 2 tablespoons juice (save the rest of the juice for later) FROSTING 10 oz. cream cheese (PHILADELPHIA) 10 fl. oz. heavy whipping cream 3/4 cup confectioners sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a standard 9-inch round pan with nonstick vegetable oil spray. Dust with flour; tap out excess. Whisk 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ...

Yesterday at Amsterdam's Noordermarkt (organic market every Saturday), my partner and I came upon this beautiful old cast-iron bundt cake pan with a white enamel coat inside. This gave me the idea to try my panettone recipe in a bundt-shaped brioche. It is definitely not the traditional panettone, but rather a sort of hybrid between Italy's panettone and Alsace's Kougelhopf. Takes a whole night to rise, but the result is worth it! Before you tackle it, let me specify that my bundt pan is extremely large (the following directions normally yield 2 regular-size panettones) and it is better to start the day before serving (in case the dough takes a long time to rise). INGREDIENTS 1 cup raisins (5 oz) 1/2 cup sweet Marsala 1/2 cup warm milk (105–115°F) 2/3 cup plus 2 teaspoons sugar 4 teaspoons active dry yeast (I used 20 grams of fresh yeast) 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 3 large eggs at room temperature 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh lemon zest (I used orang...