This is a great cake to make with kids – they don’t believe it will work.  And it freezes!

Ingreadients:

• 1 (18 1/4 ounce) package white cake mix
• 2 c melted ice cream (a little more than a pint), your choice of favor, cherry vanilla is good, coffee was also recommended
• 3 large eggs

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven 350°
2. Lightly mist a 12 cup Bundt pan with oil, then dust with flour.
3. Place cake mix, melted ice cream, and eggs in a large mixing bowl.
4. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute.
5. Increase the speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more.
6. Pour the batter into a Bundt pan.
7. Bake 38 to 42 minutes.
8. Cool on a rack for 20 minutes.

Chocolate Marshmallow Frosting

• 2 c powdered sugar.
• 1/2 c unsweetened cocoa powder.
• 4 Tab butter.
• 1/3 c plus 1 Tab milk.
• 1 tsp vanilla.
• 6 large marshmallows.  The rest of the bag can be frozen to keep them soft.

Directions:

1. Sift the sugar and cocoa together into a large mixing bowl.
2. Set aside.
3. Place the marshmallows, butter, and milk in a medium- size saucepan over low heat.
4. Stir until the marshmallows are melted, 3 to 4 minutes.
5. Remove pan from heat.
6. Pour sugar and cocoa mixture over the marshmallow mixture.
7. Add the vanilla.
8. Stir until the frosting is smooth.

Serves: 16

Source:  Cake Mix Doctor

In the deep South, drinking Coca-Cola soda pop is a religion.

“Of all the recipes requested, the most widespread, according to the Coca Cola Company, is one for a gooey chocolate cake with miniature marshmallows, pecans and probably more calories per square inch than anyone can count.”

It is unclear to researchers if Coca-Cola cake was a created in a home kitchen or a clever way for The Coca-Cola Company to market their soda. Historians have found newspaper articles to confirm that using cola in cake recipes originated in the Southern United States. The earliest reference to a Coca-Cola Cake recipe appears in 1950’s cookbooks.

Ingredients Coca Cola Chocolate Cake:

• 1 c Coca Cola
• 1/2 c buttermilk*
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 c all-purpose flour
• 1/4 c unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 c butter, softened
• 1 3/4 c granulated sugar
• 2 eggs (3 for altitude)
• 1 1/2 c miniature marshmallows

Ingredients Coca Cola Chocolate Icing:

• 1/2 c butter, softened
• 1/3 c Coca Cola
• 3 tab unsweetened cocoa powder
• 4 c powdered sugar (1 lb )
• 2 tsp vanilla
• coarsely chopped pecans

Coca Cola Chocolate Cake Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Lightly oil and dust with flour a 13- x 9-inch baking pan.
3. In a small bowl, combine Coca-Cola, buttermilk and vanilla extract.
4. Set aside.
5. In medium-sized bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda.
6. Set aside.
7. In large bowl, on low speed, beat together the butter and sugar until combined.
8. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat until blended.
9. Starting with the flour mixture, beat in a little at a time alternating with the Coca-Cola mixture until you have ended with the flour mixture.
10. Continue to beat for 2 additional minutes until the batter is light and fluffy.
11. Stir in the marshmallows.
12. Pour the cake batter into the prepared baking dish.  It is normal for the marshmallows to float to the top of the cake batter when cooking.
13. Bake approximately 30 to 35 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the cooking (once you reach 30 minutes, check cake every few minutes until done).  Cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean.
14. While the cake is baking, prepare the Coca Cola Chocolate Icing.  Do not make the frosting in advance, as you you need to pour it over the cake shortly after baking.
15. Remove cake from the oven to a cooling rack.
16. While the cake is still hot, pour the prepared Chocolate Icing over cake.
17. Spread evenly to cover the cake.
18. Sprinkle with pecans (optional).
19. Let cake cool completely before serving.
20. Serve alone or accompanied by vanilla ice cream.

Coca Cola Chocolate Icing Instructions:

1. In a large saucepan over medium heat, stir together the butter, Coca-Cola, and cocoa powder until butter has melted.
2. Whisk in the powder sugar, one cup at a time.
3. Add the vanilla extract.
4. Stir until icing is smooth.

Servings: 8 to 10 servings
Source: What’s Cooking America
Recipe Notes:
* For buttermilk substitute:  In liquid measuring cup, add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar, pour in milk to the 1 cup line.  Let stand for 5 minutes then use the amount you need for your recipe.

“This came from my sister’s mother-in-law many, many years ago and has been handed down over the years. It’s not only a great dessert, it also makes a wonderful gift at Christmastime.”  – Especially if you make it in a mini bunt pan.  Perfect hostess gift!  I add cream cheese frosting because I like cream cheese frosting.

Ingredients – Cake:

• 1  box yellow cake mix (I used pecan cake mix)
• 1 (3 1/2 ounce) box instant vanilla pudding
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 c oil
• 3/4 c whole milk or 3/4 c 2% low-fat milk
• 1  3/4  fluid oz whiskey
• 1 c pecans or 1 cup walnuts, chopped

Ingredients – Icing:

• 1/2 c butter, melted
• 1 c sugar
• 1/2 c whiskey

Directions – Cake:

1. Combine all ingredients and mix for 3 minutes by hand.
2. Pour into well-greased bundt pan.
3. Bake for 50-60 minutes at 350 degrees. Toothpick should come out clean.
4. Leave the cake in the pan.
5. Using a long toothpick or skewer , poke several holes into cake.

Directions – Icing:

1. Combine sugar, whiskey, and butter in small sauce pan.
2. Cook on stovetop on medium.
3. Heat until sugar is dissolved and mixture is brown.
4. Pour 3/4 of icing onto cake.
5. Let set 15 minutes.
6. Flip cake onto plate.
7. Brush remaining icing onto top& sides of cake.

Serves: 8 – 10

Source:  Cookin Katie

Cream Cheese Frosting

This frosting was originally from a Bon Appetit  but has been tweaked a bit by Margie and Ginger.

Ingredients:

• 8 oz. cream cheese, room temp.
• 10 tbsp (1¼ sticks) butter, room temp.
• ¼ c spiced rum (or, in this case, whiskey)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract or paste
• 4½  c (1 lb) powdered sugar

Instructions:

1. Beat cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer in a large bowl until smooth.
2. Beat in rum and vanilla.
3. Add powdered sugar (best to do in three additions, beating just until frosting is smooth after each addition; if you overbeat the frosting will become too soft to spread).

Source:  Bon Appetit, 10/2007

For Swedish midsummer, celebrated during the longest day of summer, the afternoon is not complete without a strawberry cake to reward yourself for all the hard work of dancing and singing. Serve this cake directly after your midsummer lunch, or take a break and come back to your cake after a dance around the maypole!

Ingredients Cake:

• Butter, for pan
• Flour, for pan
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 1/4 cups cake all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 5 large eggs (2 whole, 3 separated), room temperature (use three whole eggs for altitude)
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Ingredients Filling:

• 1 egg yolk, pasteurized if salmonella is an issue in your area
• 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup whipping cream
• 8 ounces fresh strawberries, washed, dried, hulled, and thinly sliced

Whipped cream filling

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon table salt
• 2 cups whipping cream

To Serve

• 8 ounces fresh strawberries, washed, dried, stemmed, and halved
• Sprig of fresh mint

Directions for the cake:

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat the oven to 325°.
2. Grease a 9-inch springform pan’
3. Line with parchment paper’
4. Grease parchment’
5. Flour pan.
6. Reserve 3 tablespoons of the sugar.
7. Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, and remaining sugar together in a large bowl.
8. Add the 2 whole eggs and 3 yolks (reserving whites), melted butter, water, and vanilla and whisk until smooth. (For altitude, add a third whole egg)
9. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the remaining 3 egg whites on medium-low speed until foamy, about 1 minute.
10. Increase the speed to medium-high and whip whites to soft, billowy mounds, about 1 minute.
11. Gradually add reserved 3 tablespoons sugar and whip until glossy, soft peaks form, 1 to 2 minutes.
12. Stir 1/3 of the whites into batter to lighten; then gently fold the remaining whites into the batter until no white streaks remain.
13. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
14. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking.
15. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
16. Remove the cake from the pan.
17. Discard parchment.
18. Let cool completely on rack, about 2 hours.

Directions for the filling:

1. Whisk the egg yolk, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract together until thick and creamy, 1 to 2 minutes.
2. Using a hand mixer, whip the cream until it forms soft peaks.
3. Gently fold the whipped cream into the egg and sugar mixture.

Directions for the whipped cream frosting:

1. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and salt at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
2. Reduce the speed to low and add the heavy cream in a slow, steady stream.
3. When almost fully combined, increase speed to medium-high and beat until mixture holds stiff peaks, 2 to 21/2 minutes more, scraping bowl as needed.

To assemble and serve:

1. Using a large serrated knife, cut the cake in half horizontally.
2. Place the bottom layer on a serving platter or cardboard round.
3. Spread the filling over the bottom layer.
4. Crush the sliced strawberries lightly with a spatula and place them on top of the filling.
5. Place the second cake layer on top.
6. Using an offset spatula, spread a layer of the frosting on the top of the cake.
7. Transfer the remaining frosting to a pastry bag fitted with a star nozzle.
8. Pipe carefully around the edge of the cake in an up-and-down motion until the sides are completely covered. If you do not own a pastry bag, simply spread the frosting evenly over the top and sides of the cake.
9. Decorate the top of the cake with the halved strawberries and a sprig of mint. Refrigerate for several hours. Cut into slices and serve.

Serves: 10 to 12

Source:  DIS Study Abroad in Scandinavia courtesy of James Hill