Lemon Layer Cake

 

This has become my favorite cake. It began as a quest to find a wonderful Lemon Layer Cake recipe. I never found one. But I did find many recipes and out of that muddle I ended up with this. I love it.

 

Please be sure use real ingredients. Real butter. Crisco shortening. Cake flour. And freshly squeezed lemon juice. All those things do make a difference in how the final product tastes.

 

  Lemon Layer Cake

 

1 cup butter, softened

½ cup solid shortening

3 cups sugar

5 eggs, room temperature

2 ¾ cups + 1 tablespoon cake flour

¾ cup milk

¼ cup lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon lemon extract

¾ teaspoon baking powder

 

Cream together butter and shortening. Add sugar and continue to beat until completely smooth. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each one until well blended. Slowly add flour and milk, alternating between the two. the lemon juice, vanilla extract and lemon extract. Add baking powder last.

 

Line four cake pans with wax paper, using butter generously to coat the bottoms and sides. Divide batter evenly between the four pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes or until a wood toothpick comes out clean. Remove from pans and let the layers cool.

 

Frosting

 

Two 8-ounce packages of cream cheese, softened

1 cup butter, softened

4 cups powdered sugar

¼ cup lemon juice

Yellow food coloring

 

Beat cream cheese and butter until well blended. Slowly add powdered sugar and lemon juice. Add yellow food coloring to the shade of yellow you prefer. It doesn’t take much.

 

Spread frosting between cake layers and on the top and sides of the cake. Serve immediately or refrigerate. This cake also freezes well.

Peanut Butter Cake

Some of the most wonderful people I’ve ever known have shared some of the most amazing recipes. This recipe came from a sweet lady who left us many years ago. I loved her smile and her kindness. This recipe is a sweet memory she left behind.

Naturally, I changed the recipe up just a bit. The crunchy peanut butter gives it a texture you might expect in a cake from your grandmother. If that’s not your thing, it’s certainly okay to use smooth peanut butter.

The filling really needs time to thicken. I recommend cooking that first. If you have any left or just need a special snack, the filling is absolutely wonderful on graham crackers.

Peanut Butter Cake

1 cup butter, softened

4 eggs

2 cups sugar

3 cups all-purpose flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring

Mix well. Pour the batter into four well-greased baking pans. Bake at 350 degrees 15 minutes or until the center tests done.

Filling

2 cups sugar

2 tablespoons butter

1 cup milk

1 ½ cups crunchy peanut butter

1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring

Cook on medium heat about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat when mixture begins to boil. Let mixture cool, then refrigerate until it begins to thicken.

Spread mixture between cake layers.

Frosting

3 cups powdered sugar

¼ cup butter

1 cup crunchy peanut butter

1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring

3 tablespoons milk

Mix all ingredients together. Add extra milk, if necessary, to create a smooth consistency. Spread on the top and sides of the cake.

Candy Cane Chocolate Mini Loaves

This recipe also comes from the December issue of Taste of Home magazine. The author suggested using left over candy canes for this special treat. That's certainly a wonderful idea. However, I love the idea of making these mini loaves and giving them out as Christmas gifts. What a wonderful expression of love and thoughtfulness to give something you made yourself.

I suggest melting the white chocolate for the topping in the microwave. Place it in a microwave-safe bowl and heat at 30 seconds intervals until melted. Be sure to stir after each 30 seconds, as the chocolate may not always look melted when it really is.

Again, I hope you'll take time to purchase Taste of Home magazine and treat yourself to other amazing recipes. This is just the best cooking magazine around.

Candy Cane Chocolate Mini Loaves

1/4 cup butter, softened
1 2/3 cups packed brown sugar
4 large egg whites, room temperature
2 large eggs, room temperature
3/4 cup strong brewed coffee
1/2 cup vanilla yogurt
1/4 cup canola oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup baking cocoa
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 cup (6 oz.) miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coast eight 5 3/4 x 3 x 2-inch loaf pans with cooking spray.

Beat butter and sugar until crumbling, about 2 minutes. Add egg whites, eggs, coffee, yogurt, oil and extracts.

In another bowl, whisk flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Add to brown sugar mixture alternately with the buttermilk, beating well after each addition. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Transfer to prepared pans. Bake 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

Topping

2 oz. white baking chocolate, melted
3 tablespoons crushed candy canes

Drizzle melted white baking chocolate over loaves. Sprinkle with crushed candies.

Chocolate Comfort Cake

I found this recipe in the December issue of Taste of Home magazine. If you like to cook, this magazine is one of the best I've found anywhere. The recipes are for what I call real food and most include ingredients that we would normally have in our kitchens.

One tip noted at the bottom of the recipe concerns the coffee. Don't skip it, even if you're not a coffee drinker. The coffee brings out the taste of the dark chocolate.

I hope you'll head out to purchase this magazine and check out all the other wonderful recipes.

Chocolate Comfort Cake

1 box dark chocolate cake mix (regular size)
1 pkg. (3.9 oz) instant chocolate pudding mix
4 large eggs
1 cup sour cream
3/4 cup canola oil
3/4 cup brewed coffee
1/2 cup sugar
6 tablespoons butter
4 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, sour cream, canola oil, coffee and sugar. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.

Pour into a well-greased 10-inch fluted tube pan. Bake approximately 50-55 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out lean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pan to a wire rack.

In a double-boiler, melt the butter and chocolate. Stir until mixture is glossy and smooth. Drizzle over the cake.

Candy Cane Cake

This recipe comes from the December issue of Country Living magazine. It has many wonderful recipes and a section on vintage toys and ornaments. I especially loved that. I hope you enjoy the Candy Cake Cake and that you take time to check out Country Living magazine.

I Do recommend that you not use substitutions in the ingredients.  For example, don't substitute regular all-purpose flour for cake flour or margarine for real butter. The same is true for using imitation vanilla flavoring instead of pure vanilla flavoring. Sometimes those substitutions don't matter but cakes just taste better when you use the real stuff.

Candy Cane Cake

3 1/2 cups cake flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
6 large egg whites, at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups buttermilk, at room temperature

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Lightly grease three 8-inch round cake pans and line with parchment. Grease parchment. (I use waxed paper instead of parchment paper.)

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.

Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium-high until pale and fluffy. It takes about 3-4 minutes. Add egg whites, one at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in flour mixture and buttermilk, alternately, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat only until just combined.

Divide batter evenly among the prepared pans.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks for 5 minutes, then invert onto racks to cool completely.

7-Minute Frosting

4 large egg whites, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon corn syrup

Bring 2 inches water to a gentle simmer in the bottom of a double-boiler. Place egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar, salt, water and corn syrup into the top boiler.. Place boiler over saucepan and cook, whisking on low speed with a hand mixer, until mixture registers 160 degrees on a candy thermometer. This takes 8-9 minutes.

Remove top pan and continue to whisk on medium speed until thick, glossy peaks form. This takes 2-3 minutes.

Assembling and Decorating

3 candy canes, crushed (about 1/4 cup)
Store-bought peppermint bark, roughly chopped


Place one cake layer on a cake stand or plate. Top with 1 cup frosting and sprinkle with half of the crushed candy canes. Place second cake layer on top of that and top with 1 cup frosting and the remainder of the crushed candy canes.

Cover top and sides of cake with remaining frosting. Press peppermint bark into the frosting on the sides of the cake.

Classic Angel Flake Coconut Cake

 Thank you Kraft for sharing this recipe!!! It's in my stack of magazine recipes to be added to this blog. And you even included a beautiful photo! Simple. Easy. Love me some Coconut Cake!

photo by kraft

 Classic Angel Flake Coconut Cake

   

1 pkg. (2-layer size) yellow cake mix

2-2/3 cups  BAKER'S ANGEL FLAKE Coconut (7-oz. pkg.), divided

1-1/4 cups  cold milk, divided

1 pkg.  (3.4 oz.) JELL-O Coconut Cream Flavor Instant Pudding

1 pkg.  (3.4 oz.) JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding

1/4 cup  powdered sugar

1 tub  (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed

 

HEAT oven to 350°F.
PREPARE cake batter and bake as directed on package for 2 (9-inch) round layers, stirring 2/3 cup coconut, 1/4 cup milk and dry coconut pudding mix into batter before pouring into prepared pans. Cool cakes in pans 10 min. Remove from pans to wire racks; cool completely.
MEANWHILE, beat dry vanilla pudding mix, sugar and remaining milk in large bowl with whisk 2 min. (Pudding will be thick.) Stir in COOL WHIP. Refrigerate until ready to assemble cake.
STACK cake layers on plate, filling with layers of 1 cup of the pudding mixture and 3/4 cup of the remaining coconut. Frost top and side of cake with remaining pudding mixture. Press remaining coconut into pudding mixture. Refrigerate 1 hour.

Makes 18 servings.

Lemon Lime Pound Cake

This recipe comes from the February 2014 issue of Southern Living magazine. The notes say it is based on a class Southern favorite called 7UP Pound Cake. It sure works for me.

Lemon-Lime Pound Cake

1 1/2 cups butter, softened
3 cups sugar
5 large eggs
2 tablespoons lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup lemon-lime soft drink (such as 7UP)
Shortening
Lemon-Lime Glaze (recipe follows)
Candied Lemons (optional
Garnish: Lime rind twists

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Beat butter at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar. Beat at medium speed 3 to 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Stir in lemon zest and extracts.

Add flour to butter mixture alternately with lemon-lime soft drink, beginning and ending with flour. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Pour batter into a greased (with shortening) and floured 10-inch Bundt pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 5 minutes to 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a long wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, shielding with aluminum foil after 45 to 50 minutes to prevent excessive browning. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes. Remove cake from pan to wire rack.

Spoon Lemon-Lime Glaze over warm or room temperature cake.

Top cake with Candied Lemons, if desired.

Makes 12 servings.

Lemon-Lime Glaze

2 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoon lemon zest
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Whisk together powdered sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice and lime juice in a bowl until blended and smooth. (For a thinner glaze, stir in an additional 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 1 teaspoon at a time, if desired.)

Makes about 1 cup.

Strawberries and Cream Sheet Cake

Yesterday I found strawberries in my strawberry patch. Really. Already. Of course, they're still green and there's only a few of them but I am super excited. Then last night I saw this recipe. There it was, looking yummy in the April issue of Southern Living magazine. Guess what I'm planning to make with some of those strawberries when they ripen. Yep. That's right. This very cake.

Strawberries and Cream Sheet Cake

1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups cake flour
2 tablespoons strawberry-flavored gelatin
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
2/3 cup chopped fresh strawberries
shortening
parchment paper
vegetable cooking spray
Strawberry Frosting (recipe follows)
Garnish: fresh strawberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating 4 to 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Beat in lemon juice and vanilla.

Stir together flour, gelatin, baking soda and salt. Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended. Stir in strawberries.

Grease (with shortening) and flour a 13 x 9-inch pan; line with parchment paper, allowing 2 to 3 inches to extend over long sides. Lightly grease paper with cooking spray. Spread batter in prepared pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 30 minutes. Lift cake from pan, using parchment paper sides as handles. Invert cake onto wire rack; gently remove parchment paper. Cool completely(about 1 hour). Spread Strawberry Frosting on top and sides of cake.

Makes 10 to 12 servings.

Strawberry Frosting

1 8-oz. package cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup sugar, divided
2/3 cup chopped fresh strawberries
1 drop pink food coloring (optional)
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Beat cream cheese and 1/3 cup sugar with an electric mixer until smooth. Add strawberries and food coloring (if desired). Beat until blended.

Beat cream and juice at medium speed until foamy; increase speed to medium-high and slowly add remaining 1/3 cup sugar, beating until stiff peaks form. Fold half of cream mixture into cheese mixture; fold in remaining cream mixture. Use immediately.

Peppermint Chocolate Cake

I love the combination of peppermint and chocolate. It’s just so festive and luscious. This recipe comes from the December 2012 issue of Woman’s Day magazine. If you decide to make the Peppermint Meringues, you’ll find the recipe on this site as well.

Peppermint Chocolate Cake

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 ¼ cups unsweetened cocoa
2 ¼ cups granulated sugar
¾ cup packed brown sugar
2 ¼ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
1 ½ cups whole milk
¾ cup canola oil
3 large eggs
1 ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
1 ¼ cups boiling water
20 mini candy canes
3 8oz. Packages cream cheese, at room temperature
¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1-lb. box confectioners’ sugar
Peppermint meringues for decorating (optional)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat three 8 x 2-inch round cake pans with cooking spray. Line the bottoms with parchment paper; spray the paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In a bowl, whisk together the milk, oil, eggs and peppermint extract. Mix the milk mixture into the flour mixture until fully incorporated. Mix in the boiling water (the batter will be thin).

Divide the batter among the prepared pans and bake until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes in the pans before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Meanwhile, crush the candy canes and make the icing. Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter in a large bowl until smooth. Beat in the confectioners’ sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Place one cake layer on a platter. Spread 1 ¼ cups icing over the top. Top with another layer and 1 ¼ cups icing. Top with the last cake layer. Frost sides and top with the remaining icing. Gently pat the crushed candy canes all over the sides of the cake. Top with meringues (if using).

Makes 16 servings.

White Sheet Cake with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

This recipe comes from the September 2013 issue of Southern Living. I rarely ever need a sheet cake recipe. But when I do, it seems that I'm always adapting. I love that is for a sheet cake.

 

The frosting isn't new. This recipe has been around for ages. I would suggest that you refrain from adding all the milk until you're sure you will need it. I've found that with the weather here in the South, sometimes you don't need as much as you do at other times.

 

This issue of Southern Living also includes a wonderful tutorial on how to make a Caramel Sauce and some more fabulous recipes.

 

White Sheet Cake

1 1/4 cups butter, softened
2 1/4 cups sugar
7 large egg whites, at room temperature
3 1/2 cups cake flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Beat butter and sugar at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until fluffy. Gradually add egg whites, one-third at a time, beating well after each addition.

Sift together cake flour and baking powder. (I just use a whisk.) Gradually add to butter mixture alternately with 1 cup water, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir in vanilla. Pour batter into a greased and floured 13 x 9-inch pan.

Bake at 325 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack. This takes about 1 hour. Remove from pan to a serving platter. Spread top and sides of cake with frosting.

 

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 (16-oz) packages powdered sugar

Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy.

Stir together milk and vanilla. Gradually add powdered sugar to butter mixture alternately with milk mixture, beating at low speed just until blended after each addition and scraping down sides of bowl as needed.

If desired, add food coloring to tint to your favorite color.

Lemon Bundt Cake

The hunt was on. At least for me. My parents have a dear friend who growns the largest lemons I think I’ve ever seen. And he shares them. Which is a very, very good thing.

What are we going to do with all these lemons, came the question. Make a cake, came my reply. Okay. Simple lemon cake recipe. No time for a gazillion layers and complicated frosting? No problem. Try this one.

This recipe comes from the March 2006 Good Housekeeping magazine. It was from the Gothic Café in Belfast. Seriously. That’s what it says. Can’t wait to taste it for myself. My mouth is already watering!

Lemon Bundt Cake

Cake
3 lemons
3 cups all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup butter (2 sticks), softened
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk

Frosting
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
½ cup butter (1 stick), softened
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour 12-cup Bundt pan.

Cake
From lemons, grate 2 tablespoons peel and squeeze 3 tablespoons juice. Mix flour, salt and baking soda.

In bowl, with mixer on low speed, blend sugar and butter. On high, beat 3 minutes. On low, beat in eggs, 1 at a time, and vanilla. Beat in flour mixture alternately with buttermilk. Fold in peel and juice. Spoon into pan.

Bake 60 to 70 minutes. Cool in pan 15 minutes, then invert onto rack.

Frosting
In bowl, with mixer on low speed, blend sugar, butter and cream cheese. Beat in juice and vanilla. On high, beat until fluffy.

Spread over cake

Makes 16 servings, at 450 calories per serving.

Bucket Peach Cake

A number of years ago we headed to Chilton County in search of peaches. For those who may not be from this part of the country, Chilton County, Alabama, is known for its wonderful peaches.

We could have stopped at the produce stands located right off the interstate. But we wanted something else. So we headed down a county road and ended up at McCraw Farms.

They are the real deal. We chose to purchase peaches someone else had picked but we could have picked our own. They also have other fruit, as it ripens.

I grabbed a few recipes, had a wonderful time visiting and signed up for the mailing list. Every year I receive a post card to let me know about what time the peaches will be ready. I can call if I want to make sure. And every Christmas I get a Christmas card from Bernice McCraw. Inside, she includes a recipe. I wanted to share it.

This seems like a dessert that would be fun to make with kids. Mix the pudding yourself, then invite the children to help layer the ingredients in a large bowl. How fun!

Bucket Peach Cake

1 8-oz. package cream cheese
1 large Cool Whip
2 packages vanilla wafers
1 cup Confectioner’s sugar
2 packages instant vanilla pudding
3 cups diced peaches

Mix cream cheese, sugar and Cool Whip. Mix instant pudding as directed on box. Crush cookies very fine. Layer in a container, beginning with pudding, then peaches and cream cheese. Repeat, ending with crushed cookies. Chill.

Pumpkin-Orange Spice Cake

This is from another old newspaper clipping. I’d substitute pecans -- which all falling off the trees right now -- for the walnuts.

Pumpkin-Orange Spice Cake

¾ cup butter
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
Zest of 1 orange
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 ¼ cups buttermilk
1 cup raisins, optional
1/3 cup walnuts, chopped
1/3 cup chocolate chips, coarsely chopped

Combine butter, flour and sugar in bowl and, with hands, rub to crumbs. Add baking soda, pumpkin pie spice and orange zest. Gently mix.

Mix pumpkin, egg and buttermilk together. Add to dry ingredients with raisins and walnuts. Gently stir with fork to incorporate liquid. Do not over mix.

Pour into greased 15 x 10-inch jelly roll pan and gently spread. Sprinkle chocolate chips on top. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched.

Makes 24 large servings, about 108 calories per serving.

Double Blueberry Buckle

This recipe comes from another old newspaper clipping. Wish I’d had it when the blueberries were fresh. It doesn’t matter though. I’ve got plenty in the freezer. How about you?

Double Blueberry Buckle

Cake

¼ cup butter or margarine
¾ cup sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup milk
1 cup blueberries

Blueberry Topping

¼ cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ cup water
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup blueberries

To make cake, cream butter and ¾ cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, 1 tablespoon lemon juice and rind. Add sifted dry ingredients alternately with milk. Gently fold in 1 cup blueberries. Spread dough into greased and floured 9-inch square pan. Bake in preheated 375-degree oven 25 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

To make topping, in small saucepan, combine all topping ingredients, reserving ½ cup blueberries; cook, stirring, until thickened. Spread hot topping over warm cake. Use reserved blueberries for top decorations.

Makes 8 servings.

Amazing Fudge-Tunnel Cake

This recipe is an old clipping from Redbook magazine. I have no idea which issue or how long ago I acquired it. It has a little note at the top that says a fudgy center appears after the chocolate-almond batter is baked. The note calls it a trick, which makes me think it came from an October issue.

Amazing Fudge-Tunnel Cake

Cake

1 ¾ cups butter or margarine, softened

1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
6 large eggs
½ teaspoon almond extract
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
2 cups chopped blanched almonds, toasted
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Glaze

¼ cup heavy cream
3 1-oz. squares semisweet chocolate
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
Candied violets, optional
Fresh mint leaves, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 10-inch tube pan.

In large bowl with electric mixer at high speed, beat 1 ¾ cups butter, granulated sugar, eggs, almond extract and confectioners’ sugar about 3 minutes until light and fluffy.

In medium-size bowl combine flour, almonds and cocoa powder; stir into butter mixture until just blended.

Spoon batter into prepared pan; smooth top with rubber spatula. Bake 1 hour until firm to the touch and sides of cake shrink slightly from sides of pan. Cook cake in pan on wire rack 1 hour; invert onto serving platter to cool completely.

Glaze

In small heavy saucepan over medium-low heat, stir cream, chocolate and 2 tablespoons butter until chocolate and butter are melted and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat; cool completely.

Serve

Spoon cooled glaze over top of cake. Decorate cake with candied violets and mint leaves, if desired.

Makes 16 servings.

Lemon Curd Pound Cake

I love lemon-flavored desserts and I’m always searching for new recipes. This recipe came from Southern Living magazine last year. Don’t worry if you missed it. Southern Living publishes annual cookbooks that include all the recipes from the previous year’s monthly magazines. Yeah. You guessed it. I have quite a collection of their cookbooks.

Lemon Curd Pound Cake

1 cup butter, softened
½ cup shortening
3 cups sugar
6 large eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon extract
Lemon Curd Glaze

Garnishes: candied lemon slides, sugared cranberries, fresh thyme sprigs

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Beat butter and shortening at medium speed with a heavy-duty stand mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until yellow disappears.

Sift (or whisk) together flour, baking powder and salt. Add to butter mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition.

Stir in lemon zest, vanilla extract and lemon extract.

Pour into a greased and floured 10-inch (16-cup) tube pan.

Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool cake in pan on wire rack for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare Lemon Curd Glaze. Remove cake from pan to wire rack. Gently brush warm glaze over top and sides of cake. Cool completely on wire rack (about 1 hour). Garnish if desired.

Lime Curd Pound Cake

Omit lemon extract. Substitute lime zest for lemon zest and Lime Curd Glaze for Lemon Curd Glaze. Proceed with recipe as directed.

Lemon Curd Glaze

2/3 cup sugar
1 ½ tablespoons butter, melted
2 teaspoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 large egg, lightly beaten

Stir together sugar, butter, lemon zest and lemon juice in a small, heavy saucepan. Add egg and stir until blended.

Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, 10 to 12 minutes or until mixture thickens slightly and begins to bubble around the edges. (Cooked mixture will have a thickness similar to heavy cream.) Use immediately.

Lime Curd Glaze

Substitute lime zest for lemon zest and lime juice for lemon juice.

Graham Cracker Cake

When I first began cooking, I stressed over separating the egg yolks from the egg whites. It seems silly now. I've been doing it more years than I care to admit and it comes naturally. But back then, it was sometimes a source of aggravation. Has anyone else ever had to use a spoon to get egg yolk out of the whites? And then you have to worry if the egg whites will do what they're supposed to do because of the egg yolk.

This cake sounds fascinating. It comes from another one of those old newspaper clippings, so I don't know the who or the where. I do recommend making sure the eggs are room temperature. Egg whites just do better that way when you go to beat them into stiff peaks.

 

Graham Cracker Cake

2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs, separated
36 graham crackers, crushed to crumbs
2 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup milk

Blend sugar and vegetable oil; add egg yolks.

Mix Graham cracker crumbs, flour and baking powder together. Add dry mixture alternately with mix.

Beat egg whites until stuff, then fold into cake batter.

Pour into three 8-inch round greased and floured cake pans.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes.

Frost with a light chocolate butter frosting.

White Chocolate Cake

A year and half or so ago, my Mother and I stumbled upon an awesome deal. We were grocery shopping in that time when Christmas has come and gone and people only shop for necessity food. We happened on a whole bunch of chocolate baking bars on sale. With the attached coupons, each bar ended up only costing 9 cents. Yeah. You read that right. Needless to say, we purchased an entire shopping bag full of chocolate.

There were all types of chocolate, including white chocolate. I’ve never done a great deal of baking with white chocolate. I love it but I mostly used it to make Peppermint Bark.

This recipe is an old one from the Houston Chronicle. I hope you enjoy it!

White Chocolate Cake

4 ounces white chocolate
½ cup boiling water
1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
4 egg yolks, unbeaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 ½ cups sifted cake flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
White Chocolate Frosting (recipe follows)

Melt chocolate in a the microwave in a microwave safe bowl, stiring every 30 seconds until melted. Cool.
With a mixer, blend butter and sugar until creamy. Add egg yolks and beat. Add chocolate and vanilla. Stir in flour with soda, salt and buttermilk. Beat until smooth. Fold in beaten egg white.
Pour into 3 greased and floured layer pans. Bake at 350 degrees 35 to 40 minutes or until cake tests done. Turn out on rack to cool.

White Chocolate Icing

2 egg yolks
1 ½ cups evaporated milk
1 cup sugar
¼ pound margarine
4 ounces white chocolate
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup coconut
1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix egg yolks and 1 cup milk. Add sugar and margarine. Cook in the top of a double-boiler over simmering water until thick.
Melt chocolate in remaining milk which has been heated; add to mixture. Add pecans, coconut and vanilla and stir until thoroughly mixed in.
Frost cake.

Sweet Potato Pound Cake

I found this recipe in the November 2011 Southern Living Magazine. Then it ended up in a stack of recipes to try and, of course, didn't see the light of day until just recently. I'm looking forward to giving it a try because our family LOVES sweet potatoes.

Sweet Potato Pound Cake

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
½ cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1 ½ cups cooked, mashed sweet potatoes
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon or nutmeg (optional)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Beat cream cheese and butter at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating just until yellow disappears. Add sweet potatoes, and beat well.

Stir together flour, baking power, baking soda and cinnamon or nutmeg, in a medium bowl. Gradually add flour mixture to the butter mixture, beating at low speed just until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla.

Spoon batter into a greased and floured 10-inch (12-cup) tube pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 65 minutes to 70 minutes or until a long wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan to wire rack and cool completely (about one hour).

This makes 10-12 servings.

Sweet Potato Pound Cake Loaves

Prepare batter as directed above; pour into two greased and floured 8 ½ x 4 ½-inch loaf pans. Bake and cool as directed.

Hershey's "Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Cake

Last night I went to Fabulous Fourth Friday's launch event. It was wonderful! Ashlee Kozel, owner of The Dandy Lion Boutique, made these fabulous desserts for us to eat while we watched a small fashion show. She baked the cupcakes in mason jars to celebrate Mardis Gras and the night's theme. Really! Mason jars. The cupcakes were so moist and yummy. I wonder if she has any left? LOL

Hershey's "Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Cake

2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup Hershey's Cocoa
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup boiling water

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.

Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Beat on medium speed of mixer for 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water. Batter will be thin.

Pour batter into prepared pans.

For CUPCAKES: Line muffin cups with paper bake cups.

Bake 30-35 minutes.

Ashlee baked her cupcakes in the mason jars, without paper bake cups. Then she added a wonderful frosting -- but she didn't share that recipe. It was yummy white with sprinkles on top.