Sweets – Cakes

Margarita Cake

by // // No Comments

KOA 2016 – Margaritaville!  What else for dessert but Margarita Cake?

Ingredients:

  • 1 package (18.25 oz) white cake mix
  • 1 can (10 oz) frozen margarita mix, thawed and undiluted
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 Tabs oil
  • 1 Tabs finely chopped lime zest, divided
  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 1/3 c butter
  • 1 cup confectioners sugar
  • 3 Tab lime juice, as needed to make frosting spreadable
  • 1 Tab lime zest

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°.
  2. Grease and flour a bundt pan; set aside. (Use the spray stuff, it is easier)
  3. In large bowl, combine cake mix, thawed margarita mix, eggs and oil.
  4. Beat at medium speed two minutes.
  5. Stir in 1/2 tablespoons of the lime zest.
  6. Pour into prepared pan.
  7. Bake 40-45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean.
  8. Cool in pan 5 minutes.
  9. Invert onto cooling rack, remove from pan, and cool completely.
  10. Mix the cream cheese and butter.
  11. Add in powdered sugar.
  12. Add in lime zest
  13. Add lime juice if needed to make it spreadable or, if you are ready to call it quits, scratch the frosting and make a glaze.
  14. In a small bowl, combine confectioners sugar, 1 tablespoon lime zest and enough lime juice to make a glaze; drizzle over cake.

Serves: 10-12

Source: Wilton, via Veronica’s Cornucopia

Peach Pecan Kuchen

by // // No Comments

Breakfast bread – dessert –take your pick.  Plums or apricots would be tasty too.

Ingredients:

  • 1 pkg (18.25 oz) plain yellow cake mix
  • 1 c sour cream
  • 10 Tab butter, melted ( 1 1/4 sticks)
  • 1 egg
  • 3 c ripe peaches, sliced (about 1 1/2 lbs or 4 large)  I use canned peaches (a #2 1/2 can, drained)  and it was just fine.  Well drained frozen peaches work too.  Just add a little more sugar.
  • 1/2 c sugar
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 c chopped pecans

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven 350°.
  2. Lightly grease a 9 x 13 pan.
  3. Place cake mix, sour cream, 4 Tab milted butter and egg in a large bowl.
  4. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed just until the mixture comes together, about 1 minute.
  5. Press the dough evenly over the bottom of the pan.
  6. Place the pan in the oven.
  7. Bake for 10 minutes.
  8. Mix sugar and cinnamon together.
  9. Remove pan from oven.
  10. Arrange peach slices in rows across the top of the warm cake.
  11. Sprinkle with sugar/cinnamon.
  12. Drizzle the remaining 6 Tab butter over the sugar.
  13. Top with chopped pecans.
  14. Bake 30 – 32 minutes – until golden and a toothpick come out clean
  15. Remove from oven.
  16. Place on wire rack and cool for 20 minutes.

Serves:  18 – 20

Source:   The Cake Mix Doctor

Apple Angel Dump Cake

by // // No Comments

“This is a great little recipe to have tucked away when you need to throw something together in a hurry, looking for something low fat (definitely not low in sugar however), or just have a sugar craving.  You can use any flavor pie filling you want, so you can make lots of variations.”

Ingredients:
  • 1 can pie filling (any flavor, I used apple)
  • 1 box of Angel Food Cake Mix
  • nuts (optional)
Directions:
  1.  Preheat oven to 350°.
  2. Mix can of pie filling with dry cake mix. {No other ingredients}
  3. Stir until blended.
  4. Pour in a greased/sprayed 9×13 baking dish.
  5. Top with walnuts if desired.
  6. Bake at 350° until done – about 1 hour.
Serves: 10 – 12
Source:  Makin’ it Mo’Betta

Chocolate Cookie Cheese Cake

by // // No Comments

A teenager’s  dream cake!   

Ingredients:

  • 1 pkg (1 1/4 lb) chocolate sandwich cookies
  • 1/3 c butter, melted
  • 32 oz cream cheese (brick not whipped/soft) cut into chunks,  room temperature
  • 1 c sugar
  • 1/3 c whipping cream
  • 8 eggs
  • 2 Tab flour
  • 2 tsp vanilla

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven 300°.
  2. In a food processor, whirl 1/2 package of cookies, including the filling, until they form fine crumbs.
  3. Mix in butter.
  4. Press crust into a 9 inch cheesecake pan to cover bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides.
  5. Chill crust about 20 minutes.
  6. Using an electric mixer, mix cream cheese, sugar, and whipping cream until smooth.
  7. Add eggs, flour, vanilla.
  8. Beat until smooth.
  9. Pour half the mixture over the chilled crust.
  10. Break remaining cookies in half and scartter over the mixture, overlapping cookies if necessary.
  11. Pour remaining mixture over cookies.
  12. Bake at 300° for about 1 hour and 20 minutes – until the top is golden and it jiggles slightly in the center when gently shaken.
  13. Take cake from oven and let cool on a rack.
  14. Cover and cold overnight.

Serves:  12 – 16

Source:   Sunset magazine

The One, True Carrot Cake

by // // No Comments

The one, true carrot cake! No pineapple, no nuts.  ALWAYS cream cheese frosting!

Ingredients:

  • 1 c vegetable oil
  • 2 c sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 4 eggs, beaten in one at a time [try an extra egg for high altitude]
     
  • 2 c regular flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tsp cinnamon [see Notes]
     
  • 3 c grated carrot
     
  • [Cream Cheese Frosting – ingredients below]

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven 350°.
  2. Grease and flour a 9×13 pan or two (2) 9 inch layer pans.
     
  3. In a large bowl mix oil, sugar and vanilla.
  4. Beat in eggs, one at a time.
  5. Separately mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon.
  6. Add to oil/sugar.
  7. Stir in carrots.
  8. Pour into prepared pan(s).
     
  9. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
  10. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes.
  11. (For layer cake): Turn out onto wire rack and cool completely.
  12. Frost with Cream Cheese Frosting.  9×13 cake can be frosted in the pan.

Notes:

  • Other carrot cake recipes include nutmeg, allspice, cloves, in addition or instead of cinnamon. Sounds like a basis for experimentation!
  • Other carrot cake recipes include pineapple and/or raisins and/or nuts. These are an abomination and should be shunned. Dried coconut might be interesting, though.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:

  • 8 oz package cream cheese
  • ¼ lb butter
  • 1 lb confectioners sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Directions:

  1. Beat in a bowl.
  2. Spread on cool layers.

Notes:

  • You can extend the frosting, if it seems too thick, with milk.
  • This amount of frosting works well for the 9×13 version; the layer cake might require more.

Serves:  6 – 10

Source:  Based on a recipe in the Pomona College Cookbook, from the Wilburton Inn in Manchester, Vermont.  Caroline Eckis, Scripps Class of ’31 and Rollin Eskis, Class of ’27, Trustee

Additional notes by Dave the Hubby.

 

 

 

Orange Cream Ladyfinger Cake

by // // No Comments

A bit of work, but you make it the day before so you can spend the time.

Ingredients:

  • 2 Tab unflavored gelatin (2 envelopes)
  • 1 c sugar (divided)
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 12 oz frozen orange juice concntrate
  • 6 eggs, separated
  • 2 Tab lemon juice
  • 1 tsp orange peel, grated
  • 1 tsp lemon peel, grated
  • 1 pt whipping cream
  • 16 ladyfingers

Directions:

  1. Line the sides and bottom of a 9 inch springform pan with split lady fingers (cut side in).
  2. In the top of a double boiler, mix gelatin, 3/4 c sugar and salt.
  3. Stir in OJ concentrate.
  4. Heat to scalding.
  5. Remove from heat.
  6. Beat egg yolks until light.
  7. Add some of the OJ mix to the egg yolks, beating constantly (to warm up the eggs – otherwise, if you put the cold eggs into hot stuff they with come out scrambled eggs – they cook instantly.)
  8. When you have added enough OJ to the eggs to warm them,  you can add them into the OJ.  Just keep beating.
  9. Stir in lemon juice and peels.
  10. Cool until syrupy.
  11. Beat egg whites until stiff.
  12. Beat in the reaming 1/4 cup sugar.
  13. Gently fold in the OJ mixture.
  14. Whip cream until stiff.
  15. Fold into the egg white/OJ mixture.
  16. Turn into springform pan.
  17. Chill overnight.

Serves: 12

Source:  Sunset Cookbook

Marcella’s Cake

by // // No Comments

This is a really different cake – dense and moist.  I like to make it in the fall – just seems right!

Ingredients:

  • 1 c sugar
  • 1 /2 c butter
  • 1 c raisins
  • 2 orange rinds
  • 12 c nuts, chopped
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 c sour milk (To sour milk, use 1 tbsp vinegar or lemon juice add enough milk to equal 1 cup. Stir and let stand for 5 minutes.)
  • 1 Tab baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 2 c flour
  • 1/2 c orange juice
  • 4 c powdered sugar

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven 350°.
  2. Grease and flour a tube or bundt pan.
  3. Grind the raisins and orange rind.
  4. Cream the butter and sugar.
  5. Add the egg, sour milk (mixed with soda).
  6. Mix baking powder and flour.
  7. Add to butter batter.
  8. Add half the raisin/orange rind mixture.
  9. Place in bundt pan and bake for 30 minutes.
  10. Mix orange juice and powdered sugar.
  11. Stir in rest of orange/raisin mix.
  12. Frost cake while hot.

Serves:  12

Source:  Marcella and Don Poorman

 

 

Fruitcake

by // // No Comments

The only fruitcake worth making – no citron!  A three generations favorite.  Make it before Thanksgiving so it can “age”.

Ingredients:

  • 2 lb white raisins
  • 1 lb fruit cake mix
  • 1/4 lb yellow pineapple
  • 1/4 lb red pineapple
  • 1/4 lb  green cherries
  • 1  lb red cherries (reserve 20 for decoration)
  • 1/2 c bourbon
  • 1 1/2 lb butter, softened
  • 3 c sugar
  • 15 eggs
  • 2 lb pecans (reserve 60 whole halves for decoration)
  • 1 1/2 lb cake flour
  • 1 egg and a little milk for the glaze
  • more bourbon for watering

Directions:

The night before:

  1. Cut fruit into smaller pieces. (except cherries)
  2. Mix fruit with raisins. (except 20 cherries saved for decoration.
  3. Pour bourbon over the mixture and let stand covered overnight.

Mixing:

  1. Preheat oven 300°.
  2. Cream butter well.
  3. Add sugar slowly.
  4. Add eggs one at a time, mixing between each egg.
  5. Transfer to very large bowl.
  6. Stir in fruit and pecans with a spoon. (except decorations)
  7. Sift in the flour while stirring with a spoon or hands.
  8. Carefully line bread pans with heavy duty foil.  Small pans ( ?x?) make 1 lb, medium (?x?)1 1/2 lb.
  9. Scoop the batter into pans within 1/2 in of the top.
  10. Decorate with reserved fruit and pecans.
  11. Brush with egg/milk glaze.
  12. Place a large pan of hot water on the rack below the rack for the fruitcake. (You may have to refill it while baking)
  13. Bake for approximately 1 hr 20 min for small, 1 hr 50 min for medium pan.  They are done when a toothpick comes out clean.  Do not remove fruitcake from pans at this time.
  14. Brush with glaze twice during baking.
  15. Watering: Sprinkle the cakes with a little bit of bourbon once or twice a week from Thanksgiving to Christmas.  Also keep the air saturated with bourbon.
    Method A:  Place pans in covered container with a shot glass of bourbon.
    Method B:  Place in a closed room with 3.6 liters of bourbon dumped on the floor.  Be careful not to drown the fruitcake.
  16. Now you can take the fruit cake out of the pans.  Leave the foil on and place in ziplocks.
  17. Enjoy, gift, freeze (it will keep for years in the freezer)

Serves:  Makes 3 medium and 6 small pans, or 4 medium and 5 small pans.  ( Large 8 1/2 x 4 12 (6 cups), Med 7 1/2 x 3 3/4 (4 cups), small 6 x 2 1/4 (3 cup))

Source:  Winifred Kleerup – contributed to the Kenilworth Union Church Cookbook,

 

 

 

 

Buche de Noel

by // // No Comments

Everyone needs to make this once, just to prove you can!  

Ingredients – Cake:

  • 1 box chocolate cake mix
  • eggs
  • oil
  • coffee

Ingredients – Frosting:

  • 1 pkg Dream Whip (dry)
  • 2 c Crisco
  • 1/4 c flour – sifted
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 lbs powdered sugar (8c)
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/3 c water

Ingredients- Soft Fudge Icing:

  • 1 c whipping cream
  • 1/2 lb bittersweet chocolate (8 oz) chopped
  • 3 Tab Kahlua

Ingredients – Holly Leaves:

  • jellied spearmint leaves
  • cinnamon red hots

Ingredients – Chocolate Mushrooms

  • 8 foil covered kisses
  • 8 nonpareil candies (flat chocolate candies)

Directions – Cake:

  1. Preheat oven to whatever the box says.
  2. Mix according to package directions, substituting coffee for water.
  3. Make 6 regular size cupcakes.
  4. Line a 11×18 pan with parchment paper.
  5. Pour remaining batter into pan.
  6. Bake until done – not very long.
  7. Dust a tea towel with powdered sugar.
  8. Turn out the cake onto the towel.
  9. Trim the edges of the cake.
  10. Starting with the 18 inch side, roll the cake and the  towel into a log. (like a jelly roll)
  11. Let cool.
  12. Save the cupcakes.

Directions – Frosting

  1. Mix Dream Whip, Crisco,  flour and salt.
  2. Add the powdered sugar alternately with the vanilla and water/coffee.
  3. Beat until smooth.
  4. Color if desired.

Note: Needs no refrigeration.

Directions – Soft Fudge Frosting:

  1. Heat cream to a gentle boil.
  2. Stir in chocolate until melted.
  3. Stir in Kahlua.

Cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally, until of thick fudge consistency.

Directions – Holly Leaves

  1. Split leaves in half.
  2. Position on cake in groups of 2 0r 3.
  3. Place 3 redhots at the base of each leaf group.

Directions – Chocolate Mushrooms

  1. Unwrap kisses.
  2. Melt one candy in a small dish.
  3. Dip points of there candies in melted chocolate.
  4. Position nonpareil candy on the tip of each kiss.
  5. Eat extra nonpareil.

Assembly:

  1. Unroll cake.
  2. Fill with 1/2 the Dream Whip Frosting.
  3. Frost cupcakes with rest of frosting.
  4. Garnish with whatever is left of the candies.
  5. Reroll cake without the towel.
  6. Place seam side down on serving plate.
  7. Frost with soft fudge icing.
  8. For bark effect, lightly score lengthwise with fork dipped in water.
  9. Garnish with holly leaves and chocolate mushrooms.

Good Job! Reward yourself with the cupcakes.

Serves:  16-18 if you really want to cut into this beautiful dessert.

Source:  4 cookbooks and Margie

 

 

 

Eggnog Cream Cheese Frosting

by // // No Comments

A good frosting, especially at Christmas when you can buy eggnog.

Frosting Ingredients:

  • 4 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 4 oz salted butter, softened
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract (or rum extract or spiced rum)
  • 1/4 c eggnog
  • 2 1/2 c powdered sugar

Frosting Directions:

  1. Mix softened cream cheese and butter together.
  2. Whip in vanilla extract.
  3. Add half of the eggnog and powdered sugar and mix until blended. Slowly add the remaining eggnog and powdered sugar and mix until combined.
  4. Spread on cooled cookies.

Serves: Makes enough for approximately 5 dozen small cookies

Source: northpole.com – Karen Hamlin, strongertogether.coop.com