I know there are a million and one devils food cake recipes out there, but this one is one you will treasure and proudly serve over and over. It begins with a cooked chocolate custard base which you add dry ingredients, which lends the very moist texture.
3 (1 oz) sqs unsweetened chocolate, melted
1/2 cup milk
1 beaten egg
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
2 beaten eggs
2 cups cake flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp soda
1 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
Combine 1/2 cup milk, chocolate,whole egg,and 2/3 cup sugar. Cook over low heat until thick. Cool. Cream shortening, remaining sugar. Add egg yolks and mix well. Add sifted dry ingredients alternatively with 1 cup milk and vanilla. Stir in cooked chocolate mixture. Pour into 2 8″ pans which you have lined with wax paper and greased. Bk for about 22-25 min in a preheated 350 oven. Cool and remove from pans. Frost with chocolate frosting of your choice. Mine is on the blog and is a really good dark chocolate frosting.
Category: Cakes
I found a recipe last night that blew me away. It was in a book that our daughter, Christi sent me that she found in Branson, Missouri and it is most unusual, simple but now, one that I will be making over and over. I had to get up and make it. It makes two layers but it was hard not to eat one whole layer even without frosting (this coming from ms frosting queen) this cake is so light and fluffy , you won’t believe it. The only change I made was using almond extract instead of vanilla extract because I just love almond flavoring. You could even frost this and chop Almond Joys over the top layer after frosting with your favorite frosting!
Whip 1 cup heavy whipping cream until firm. Add 2 eggs,one at a time beating until mixture is light and fluffy. Add 1 cup granulated sugar and beat until mixed well. Add 1 teas vanilla or almond extract. Sift 1 1/2 cups cake flour with 2 teas baking powder and 1/2teas salt. Stir flour mixture into whipped cream mixture until no lumps remain. Pour into 2 8″ or 9″ if you don’t have 8″ lined with wax paper and greased pans. Bake at 375 for 18-20 minutes or until top feels done to the touch. Should not dent when touched.
Pineapple Cheesecake Pies
This recipe is from my neighbor who was from NYC and who cooked some of the best desserts and Italian food ever. She shared each and every recipe I requested back in the 70’s and 80’s and this recipe was just one of her best. It is so good to serve at dinner parties, as it makes 2 9″ pies and very easy and quick.
Crusts:
1 pack (6 oz Zweiback cookies ground into crumbs (I use Keebler Sandies (the ones without pecans)Cookies to equal 6 oz. (about 1 cup crushed cookies)
2 tables sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
Mix crumbs, sugar and melted butter until blended. Using back of spoon, pat mixture into 2 deep pyrex pie plates, covering bottom bottom and sides. Drain a #303 can of crushed pineapple. Carefully put half of pineapple in each pie plate, covering bottom crust.
Filling
1/2 cup sugar
2 tables flour
1/4 teas slt
1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 cup small-curd cottage cheese (or another 8 oz cream cheese)
1 teas vanilla
4 egg yolks, separated from whites
4 egg whites, stiffly beaten
1 cup whipping cream or undiluted evaporated milk
Beat egg whites until stiff; set aside. Mix cream cheese an cottage cheese until well blended. Add sugar, flour, salt and vanilla. Add egg yolks, one at a time beating well after each addition. Add milk or whipping cream and blend well. Fold in beaten egg whites. carefully pour mixture into pie plates, dividing evenly between the two plates. Bake at 350 about 35 min until knife inserted comes out clean. Store in Fridge until ready to serve. Top with whipping cream or Cool Whip….makes 2 pies
Gingerbread Cupcakes with Browned Butter Frosting
This time of year gives us Gingerbread lattes at Starbucks and Pumpkin Spice Frappachino’s and what better treat to go along with these wonderful cups of smooth Fall flavors than a gingerbread cupcake. I found this recipe in a Food Newwork magazine and they are so good. They had them frosted with Caramelized Mango buttercream which I will also share with you but I liked them with the browned butter frosting, so thought I would give you both recipes and let you choose which one you liked.
Before you start making the cupcakes, make the ginger syrup so it can be cooling while preparing the cupcake batter.
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 2″ piece fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
To make the syrup combine the granulated sugar, fresh ginger and 3/4 cup water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook until the sugar has melted and the mixture thickens slightly, about 2 min. Remove from the heat and leet infuse for 30 min. Strain the syrup before using.
Cupcake batter:
1 3/4 cup flour
1 tables baking powder
3/4 teas baking soda
1/4 teas salt
1 tables ground ginger
2 teas ground cinnammon
1/4 teas ground cloves
3 tables unsalted butter, melted
3 tables vegetable oil
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
6 tables molasses
3/4 cup water
Preheat oven to 350. Line 12 muffin tins with cupcake liners and spray the liners with cooking spray.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground ginger, cinnammon and cloves into a medium bowl.
Whisk the melted butter, oil, brown sugar, eggs, molasses and 3/4 cup water in a large bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until the batter is smooth.
Fill each paper liner with 1/3 cup batter, about 1/4 ” below the top of the liner. Bake just until the tops feel firm and a tooghpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached. (about 12-15 min)
Remove from oven and brush the tops liberally with the ginger syrup. Let sit in the pan for 5 min before removing. Let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting.
Mango Buttercream
2 cups (4 sticks) plus 2 tables slightly cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
3 small or 2 large ripe mangoes, coarsely chopped
6 large egg yolks
Cooking spray
34 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 tables vanilla extract
1/4 cup finely diced candied ginger, for garnish
Heat 2 tables butter in a large saute pan over high heat. Add the mangoes and cook until caramelized and soft, about 10 min. Transfer to a food processor and process until smooth. Pass the mixture through a medium mesh strainer into a bowl. Discard the solids.
In the bowl of a stand mixer (If you don’t have one, just use your hand mixer, it will take a little more energy, as you will have to stand there and mix it), fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the egg yolks on high speed until creamy and pale yellow, about 5 min.
Spray a heatproof measuring cup with cooking spray. Combine the sugar and corn syrup in a saucepan and bring to a full rolling boil over medium -high heat. Cook without stirring until the syrup reaches the soft-boiled stage (238-242 degrees) on a candy thermometer. Immediately pour the syrup into the measuring cup to halt the cooking. Add a small amount of the sugar syrup to the beaten egg yolks. Turn the mixer on to high speed and bat for about 5 sec. Continue stopping the mixer adding syrup and bating until all the syrup is incorporated. Beat the mixture until it is completely cool.Add the remaining 2 cups butter a few pieces at a time, beating until mixed before adding more. When all the butter has been blended in add the vanilla and the mango puree and beat until combined. Frost the top of each cupcake liberally with the mango buttercream and garnish wih the candied giner.
Browned Butter frosting:
1 cup butter
1 16 oz box of powdered sugar
1/4 to 1/3 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
Cook butter in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, 6 to 8 min or until butter begins to turn golden brown. Remove pan from heat immediately, and pour butter into a small bowl. Cover and chill 1 hour or until butter is cool and begins to solidify. Beat butter at medium speed with mixer until fluffy; gradually add powdered sugar alternately with milk, beginning and ending with sugar. Beat mixture at low speed until well blended after each addition and stir in vanilla. Spread over cooled cake. Sprinkle pecans over top..Store covered in fridge but take out about an hour before serving, or leave at room temp if serving same day…
French Vanilla Strawberry Shortcake
Since I am taking dinner to a friend tonight I wanted to make something a little special for her. I combined a couple of different recipes and came up with this one and it turned out great. Kept one layer for us to sink our forks in tonight.
1 Duncan Hines French Vanilla cake mix
1 cup milk
1/3 cup oil
4 eggs
1 teas almond extract
Mix all of the above and bake either in 3 loaf pans, or 2 9″ cake pans, spraying with Pam before pouring in cake batter. Bake according to box directions as far as time goes. When done, slice the layers into. If baked in the loaf pans, take out of loaf pans and put on serving platter. Slice into length wise.
Frost with the following:
(if you used the loaf pans, you will not need all of the frosting, so put into a sealed bowl and store in fridge for a later use.
1 stick softened butter
3 cups powdered sugar
2 teas almond extract
1/4 to 1/3 milk to thin enough to make spreading consistency. (If you do need a little more, add 1 tables at a time, beating after each addition.)
Frost bottom cake layer with about 3 tables of the frosting mixture. Set aside while making whipping cream
For each 1/2 cup of whipping cream, use 1/2 cup powdered sugar and beat until whipping cream is stiff. Add about 1/2 cup pureed strawberries to whipped cream after it has been whipped to stiff consistency. Pour about 1 cup onto frosted layer. Top with another cake layer and repeat with frosting and top with the whipping cream/strawberry mixture. Cover and store in fridge until ready to serve…Top with fresh sliced strawberries to dress up the look to serve.
Strawberries & Creme Cupcakes
I have missed writing on the blog since last Wed, but we had friends visiting from Texas and we played Tour Guide and Bed & Breakfast for some of our sweet friends we have known for over 30 years…..But….now back to routine and baking. Several ladies are coming over for lunch tomorrow so I wanted to make something new. After thinking about the heat (well, for here it is hot, 91 degrees) and how good strawberries always taste so good in the summer, I wanted to try something a little different. We are having a salad luncheon, so made homemade chicken salad and will put those into a cut tomato, beside spinach salad and grape salad (which is already on the blog). For dessert, we will have chocolate dipped strawberries alongside a french vanilla cupcake with strawberry glaze in the middle. Below is the recipe and they are delicious, already had to try one.
1 box Duncan Hines French Vanilla cake mix
1 box (4 oz) french vanilla instant pudding
4 eggs
1 cup water
1/3 cup oil
Beat all ingredients until well blended, about 2 mins. Pour about 1 tablespoon batter into paper cupcake liners.
Place about 1 teas of Marie’s Strawberry glaze for strawberries (it comes in 14 oz tub alongside the fresh strawberries in the produce department) in the middle of the batter and then cover this mixture with enough batter to fill 3/4 full. Bake according to cupcake directions on box and then cool. Frost with the follow: and store in fridge after frosting, covered in tupperware or plastic tray
1 (1 lb) box powdered sugar
1 stick butter, softened
1/4 to 1/4 half and half or whipping cream (enough to get frosting to where it is of spreading consistency)
1 teas almond extract
Beat until smooth and frost cupcakes. When serving place chocolate covered strawberry beside cupcake on small plate and drizzle more of the strawberry glaze over the cupcake after removing it from the paper container.
Exercise and Haupia Cake
As you know, since we moved to California from Texas, we are living in our first condo and to say that we are pressed for space doesn’t really quite tell the whole picture. When you are used to those “big Texas houses with lots of storage” and move to a condo with one closet for the both of you, no pantry and sparce space for storing anything but cans of tuna, this was truly an “attitude adjustment” move. After selling everything we owned that was larger than a postage stamp, (well, not everything, I kept Randy and he kept me), we have had to be “creative” in how and where to store our necessary items for everyday living. We have crockpots and big serving dishes under beds and all the rubbermaid is in the utility closet, which also houses our washer and dryer, stackable of course. There is now the entire length of our hallway, shelves, full of cooking pots, pitchers, cookbooks, ice buckets, well, you get the idea. This all came to a head when the other night, with a housefull of guests (that was actually 4, which is all we can get in this place without making anybody sit on the potty, just to be able to sit during dinner) we were sitting down to eat, we discovered that I had not put out napkins. One of my sweet guests offered to go get napkins when I yelled, “NO NO” let me get them….I just didn’t have the heart to send her into the bathroom to look in the cabinet under the sink to obtain the dinner napkins. I was afraid that as she was digging through the rolls of toilet paper to get the napkins that she would discover the huge cans of tomato sauce that won’t fit into the cabinets in the kitchen, due to their height. So I ran to retreive the napkins, all the while smiling and saying, “oh my gooness, I needed to run to the “pantry” to get the new jar of parmesean cheese anyway, so I am glad to get the napkins”. As we finished dinner, the guests offered to help me clean up the dishes so we could play farkle (which is a whole other story sometime), but I didn’t want to tell them that they needed to be in great shape and were of the age that getting back up from being on their bellies on the floor, all the while pushing pans to the middle of the floor uner the bed, might be a little bit of a problem, so I just said, “oh no, lets not waste our precious time together, Randy will just help me later”. So we all gathered around the table and ended the evening with this great cake. The Haupia Cake. Bet you wondered how this story was going to finally get to the Haupia Cake, but we are almost to the recipe. I found this old recipe while going through some of our important papers, like wills, birth certificates, and old Southern Living magazines when I came across this recipe from years ago. It is such a moist, delicious coconut cake and you can leave in in the fridge a few days and it just keeps getting better and better. After I went to the garage to get my Kitchen Aid mixer out of the trunk of the car, I made this cake as a surprise for Randy, knowing he would love to have it as a dessert that night. He has been waking up at 5 every morning to go out walking. He and our friends loved the cake. He was so excited that in one sitting, he was able to put on the 5 lbs he had lost since walking. But what are cakes for? Since we are getting ready for out of town company, I need to go and move my cookie sheets out of the guests bed. Keeping them between clean sheets keeps the dust off very nicely and leaves me a little more room in my 2 kitchen cabinets for dishes I don’t have room for under the beds or in the bathroom. Need to leave a little space in there for the towels. So don’t ever let me hear you say you don’t have room to have people over for dinner. It just takes a little creativity…..and a cabinet in the bathroom!
Haupic Cake
Preheat overn to 350 Grease a 13 by 9″ pan
Prepare a yellow cake mix according to directions, baking it in the 13×9 pan. Cool completely and slice in half long ways to make two layers.
Prepare filling:
In a saucepan, mix 6 tablespoons cornstarch with 1 1/2 cups sugar. Stir in 3/4 cup water and a 12 oz. can of coconut milk. Cook over low heat stirring constantly until mixture thickens. Add 1 teas almond extract and 1 cup shredded coconut. Stire until smooth. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
Spread filling between cake layers and on top of cake. Cool cake until the filling becomes firm.
When ready to serve, beat 1 cup heavy cream with 6 tables powdered sugar until it becomes stiff. Frost cake with the whipping cream and sprinkle shredded coconut over top. Refrigerate cake, keeping it covered.
Red, White and Blue Cheesecake
One of the most wonderful gifts from above is cheesecake. Any flavor, any style, dessert just doesn’t get better than cheesecake. This recipe came from Taste of Home and is not only so delishious, but makes such a striking presentation. It is so worth the time it takes. Do not be afraid of making cheesecakes, they are not hard, just follow the steps and you will be so rewarded when you set this on your table at all the “wow’s, youu made that?”
1 1/2 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp grated lemon peel
1/4 cup cold butter
2 egg yolks
1/2 vanilla
In large bowl, combine flour, sugar and lemon peel. Cut in cold butter until crumbly. Whisk egg yolks and vanilla, add to flour mixture, tossing with a fork until dough forms a ball.
Press onto the bottom and 3 in up the sides of a greased 9 in springform pan. Place pan on a baking sheet. Bake at 400 for 5-8 min or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.
FILLING
5 packages softened cream cheese (8 oz size) Yes, it has that much cream cheese, why do you think this is so good?
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup half and half cream
3 tables flour
1/2 tsp grated lemon peel
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 egg yolk
1 cup creshed strawberries
1 cup creshed blueberries
Assorted berries, to top the cheesecake
For filling, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in the cream, flour, lemon peel, salt and vanilla. Add eggs and yolk; beat on low speed just until combined.
Divide batter in half. Fold crushed strawberries and crushed blueberries into half of the batter. Pour into crust. Top with remaining batter. Return pan to baking sheet.
Bake at 400 for 10 min. Reduce heat to 300 and bake 60-70 min longer or until center is almost set. Cool on a wire raack for 10 min. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight. Remove sides of pan to serve. Garnish with assorted berries. I also bought the Maria’s strawberry glaze to drizzle over the top.
*Even if your cheesecake cracks a little on top, no one will know because of all the fresh berries that top it.
German Chocolate Cheesecake Style Cake
Oh My Gosh, I just read this and cannot wait to try it. It was on the Paula Deen Website and was sent in from one of the readers. It sounds just marvelous. Am going to bake it as soon as I can….
Servings: 16 servings
Cook Time: 75 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients Add to grocery list
1 package (18-1/4 ounces) German Chocolate cake mix
Cream Cheese Filling:
2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs, lightly beaten
Frosting:
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup butter, cubed (not margarine)
3 egg yolks, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-1/2 cups flaked coconut
1-1/2 cup chopped pecans
Directions
Prepare cake batter according to package directions; set aside. In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Pour half of the cake batter into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Gently pour cream cheese mixture over batter. Gently spoon remaining batter over top; spread to edge of pan. Bake at 325° for 70-75 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour. For frosting, in a heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, milk, butter and egg yolks .Cook and stir over medium-low heat until thickened and a thermometer reads 160° or is thick enough to coat the back of a metal spoon. Remove from the heat. Stir in vanilla; fold in coconut and pecans. Cool until frosting reaches spreading consistency. Frost cooled cake. Refrigerate leftovers.
Punch Bowl Cake
I had forgotten all about this recipe until I was searching for a Banana Cake recipe and came across an old favorite. This cake is so pretty served in an antique punch bowl or a pretty glass bowl that is about the same size as your standard punch bowl. You can substitute French Vanilla pudding if you do not like banana and still get the same great results. Tomorrow, will post the chocolate version….let me know if you make this and your thoughts. It really is so pretty to serve and tastes so fresh and light.
1 pack (18.25 oz) plain yellow cake mix
1 1/3 cups water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
2 packages (3.4 oz) banana instant pudding *or french vanilla
4 cups whole milk
2 cans (21 oz ea) cherry pie filling
1 can (20 oz) crushed pineapple, drained
4 ripe bananas, sliced 1/2 in thick *Once again, if you do not like bananas, substitute any fruit that goes well with cherries or pineapple, such as kiwi or blueberries
1 container (12 oz) frozen whipped topping, such as Cool Whip (yes, I am going to let you get away with Cool Whip, but just this once)
1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
Spray a 13×9 cake pan with Pam.
Place cake mix, oil and eggs in mixing bowl. Blend with mixer on low speed for 1 min. Stop the mixer and scrape sides and continue beating for about 2 min, increasing the speed to medium. The batter should look thick and well blended. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing it out with the spatula. Place the pan in the oven. Bake the cake until it is golden brown and springs back with your finger in the center, approx 30 min.
Meanwhile place the pudding mix and milk in large bowl and blend according to directions. Set aside.
Remove the cooled cake from the pan and crumble in into 1 inch pieces with your hands. Place half of the crumbles in theh bottom of the large glass punch bowl or salad bowl.
Top with 1 can cherry pie filling, half of the crushed pineapple and half of the pudding. Add half of the banana slices (or other fruit) and half of the whipped topping, then half of the pecans. Repeat the layers, beginning with the remaining cake crumbles and ending with the pecans. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in fridge for about 4 hrs before serving.
Serve up portions of the cake with a large spoon.
Chocolate Castles 