Category: Cakes

Cakes · Daily Thoughts · Desserts · Uncategorized

Bonnie Butter Cake

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Cannot tell you why this is called Bonnie Butter Cake, but leafing through my spiral notebook from the early 70’s that I copied different recipes into, I came across this one today.  Since Randy loves white (or yellow) cake with chocolate frosting, I told him I would make this for him. This sound crazy, but I love all the stains from grease and little fingerprints that had cocoa or butter on them, that are all over this precious memory spiral book. It just always takes me back to days of having 3 little kids pulling up chairs to the cabinet begging to “help” mix or stir. Isn’t it odd that when you are in those days, sometimes we think, “oh how nice it would be to just come in the kitchen and be able to bake a batch of cookies without all “mother’s little helpers”…it would go so much faster and smoother and easier. Then years down the road we see things like I am looking at right now and wish we could go back and have “mother’s little helpers” still pulling up to the cabinets. Moms and dads, don’t wish your years away. Enjoy them and savor each moment that they want to “help”…trust me, it goes much quicker than you will realize. Memories are so wonderful, so don’t wish away the years in which you are making them.

Ingredients

2/3 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 3/4 cup sugar

2  large eggs, room temperature

1 1/2 teas vanilla

3 cups cake flour or 2 3/4 cup all purpose flour

2 1/2 teas baking powder

1 teas salt (if you used salted butter I would only use 1/2 teas salt)

1 1/4 cups milk

Grease and flour 2 9” cake pans (or one 9×13)

In a large bowl, mix butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla until light and fluffy. Beat for 5 minutes on high speed.

In another bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, salt and stir until well combined. Add to butter mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture.

Pour into prepared pans and bake until cake tests done. Cool completely before frosting.

Quick Fudge Frosting

1 cup sugar

4 tables cocoa

4 tables butter

1/2 cup milk

2tables corn syrup

Dash salt

2 cups powdered sugar

1 teas vanilla

Mix sugar with cocoa in a small saucepan. Add butter, milk, corn syrup and salt. Heat to boiling, stirring frequently. Boil for 3 minutes stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and cool about 5 minutes. Add powdered sugar and vanilla and beat until no lumps appear. If mixture is too thick to spread over cake layers, add milk about 1 tables at a time and continue beating until mixture is smooth and right texture to frost cake.

Cakes · Desserts · Uncategorized
Chocolate CastlesLeave a comment

Can you tell I’m loving the new Fall Baking magazine? If you see one at your grocery store, you really should pick one up. It has just a bunch of fabulous recipes. These almond cupcakes are so good and finish off beautifully with a great buttercream frosting.(NO…you cannot use store bought frosting, this time I will tell on you)

1 1/3 cups all purpose flour

1/4 cup finely ground almonds

1/2 teas baking powder

1/2 teas baking soda

1/4 teas salt

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 large egg

1/2 teas almond extract

1/2 teas vanilla

1 cup whole buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, almonds, baking powder, baking soda and salt, whisking to combine well. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Add egg and extracts, beating until smooth. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture in thirds, alternating with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture and beating one medium speed until well combined. Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups.

Bake until cupcakes tests done (about 15-18 minutes)

Let cool for 30 min. Remove from the pan and let cool completely on wire rack but out of drafts (to avoid becoming dry)

Frost with frosting and chopped almonds, if desired.

Frosting

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped and reserved

In a large bowl, beat butter with mixer at high speed until creamy. Add powdered sugar,1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Add cream and beat until smooth. Add vanilla seeds (or 1 teas vanilla extract OR 1/2 teas almond extract and 1/2 teas vanilla)

Breads · Breakfast · Cakes · Daily Thoughts · Desserts · Fruit · Holiday Fare · Uncategorized

Pumpkin Upside-Down Cake

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img_2954Since it is officially Fall, there are now 6 cans of pumpkin in the pantry, 3 lbs of cream cheese in the fridge and I’m ready to bake. Spotted this beautiful Fall Baking Magazine at the store so, of course, couldn’t pass it up. This will be perfect to take to card night next week, (along with s’more bites to throw in our mouths ever time we change tables, which allows me to pass right by these little gems). Janece, this ones for you!

Ingredients

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick, unless you buy the small sticks of butter, in which case would be two sticks)

1 tables water

2/3 cup chopped toasted walnuts (will use pecans)

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1 cup canned pumpkin puree

3/4 cup sugar (granulated)

1/3 cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs (room temperature)

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 teas baking powder

1 teas cinnamon (will make this a heaping teas as we love cinnamon)

1/4 teas ground ginger

1/4 teas salt

1/8 teas cloves

Preheat oven to 350. Line an 8″ square baking dish with parchment paper. Spray with nonstick baking spray with flour. Set aside.

In a small saucepan, cook brown sugar, butter, and the water over medium heat until mixture bubbles, about 4 minutes. Pour sugar mixture into bottom of prepared dish; sprinkle with walnuts (pecans) and cranberry. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine pumpkin, sugar, oil and eggs. Whisk until well blended. Set aside. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, salt and cloves. Add pumpkin mixture, stirring to combine. Spoon batter into prepared pan and smooth top with spatula.

Bake until cake tests done, which will bake about 30-35 minutes. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes. Invert pan onto a serving platter. Remove parchment paper. Serve warm with a spoon of whipping cream, or a drizzle of caramel (or BOTH)

 

Cakes · Daily Thoughts · Desserts · Fruit · Uncategorized

Fall Orange Cake

Chocolate Castles4 Comments

If you are wondering how Fall Orange cake is different from Spring Orange cake…it is really very simple, it is made in the Fall instead of the Spring. Why do I get hankerings (where did that word come from, I’ve  never used that before?) for cakes which I have not ever made before or necessarily even wanted to make? I don’t have an answer for that except to say that maybe as we “mature” (don’t like to say, “get older”) our tastes change and our bodies crave different flavors for what we need? I don’t know, maybe if I ever win the lotto, I will use $100 to do a study on that. But in the meantime, I will just keep baking what sounds good at the time. Today, for some reason, orange sounded good. Maybe because I have looked at an orange staring back at me from the fruit basket on the counter since last Saturday. So today, I could not go another minute without making a fresh orange cake. Randy is eating the piece that I cut for his mid morning snack, even though it is past mid morning. But he is always so eager to show his support for me baking and willing to sample whatever. He IS a jewel! Seriously, this cake is so moist and the homemade orange buttercream frosting just took it to a new level.  If you add a little orange food coloring, wouldn’t it be pretty to have on your Thanksgiving dessert table next to the pumpkin pies? Do not pay attention to the blue tray it is sitting on, that is my “go to” tray when I am taking food someplace where I might not get the tray back, so I use it for times like that.

Ingredients

1 box Duncan Hines French Vanilla Cake Mix

1 small box of vanilla instant pudding

4 large eggs, room temp

1 cup fresh orange juice (we had the orange juice with heavy pulp)

1/3 cup veggie oil

2 tables orange zest

About 1-2 tables orange juice (to brush over cake layers after they bake)

Frosting

1 stick softened butter (not margarine, yuck)

3 1/2 cups (or a 1 lb box) of powdered sugar

1/2 teas orange extract

1 tables orange zest

Enough fresh orange juice to get it of spreading consistency. (I added about 1/3 cup of orange juice.

Add cake mix, pudding mix, 1 cup orange juice, eggs, oil and zest to mixing bowl. Beat for 2 minutes and well combined. Pour into desired baking pans and bake according to back of cake mix box for whatever size of pans you used. When cake tests done, remove from oven and allow to cool. Using a pastry brush, brush some of the orange juice over the top of the cake layer (s). Allow to cool completely and frost.

Frosting

Combine the softened butter, powdered sugar, extract  zest and add enough orange juice to mix until spreading consistency. Frost cakes when completely cooled.

Cakes · Daily Thoughts · Desserts · Holiday Fare · Uncategorized

Pumpkin Dump Cake

Chocolate Castles2 Comments

Upon seeing this today on Facebook, I immediately went to the store and bought a spice cake mix and after practicing making more cake balls today then rewarding myself with another piece of Key Lime Pie which I made yesterday for company, THEN I am going to make this cake. One can never have too many desserts in the house. After all, I think I lost a pound this weekend when we skipped breakfast on Saturday. That calls for a celebration of the best kind, celebrating with cake! Thank you Country Cook for sharing this wonderful comforting recipe which will bring in the Fall Season (even when the temps are still above 100.

Ingredients

1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)

1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk (not sweetened condensed)

3 large eggs

1 cup sugar

1 teas ground cinnamon

1 box of Spice  Cake Mix

1 cup butter, melted

Directions

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour a 9×13 baking dish.

In a medium bowl, combine pumpkin puree, evaporated milk, eggs, sugar and cinnamon. Mix well, it will look pretty thin, but that is correct.

Pour this mixture into the baking dish. Then sprinkle the dry cake mix on top of the pumpkin mixture. Drizzle all of the melted butter on top of the cake mix.

Bake for about 55-60 minutes. It might still be just a bit jiggly in the middle when done. It will continue to set up as it cools. Let it cool for at least 30 minutes before serving. Great with a spoonful of ice cream or whipped cream.

Perfect for those wonderful Pot Luck dinners and so easy to whip up when you have company and put it in the oven while playing Hand & Foot or Dominoes. Will be ready when you take your first break.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cakes · Pies · Uncategorized

Pecan Pie Cheesecake

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I have deleted this recipe from the blog. Made if for company, following the instructions to a “T” and the pecan pie filling part was so hard that it was hard to cut or to eat. In the future, I feel it would work better if you made the cheesecake without the pecan pie part, (as not to bake the pecan pie filling) and after the cheesecake comes out of the oven, pour the pecan filling over the top of the baked cheesecake.

 

 

Cakes · Desserts · Fruit · Uncategorized

Lemon-Blueberry Crumble Bars

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In the middle of August, when we struggle to find a spot of shade and a refreshing cold drink, our thoughts go to anything light and cool. On the outside of the Philadelphia Cream Cheese box ,(the 3 lb box)this recipe caught my eye.

We are having some new friends over tomorrow night for dessert and since Randy mentioned that he is in the mood for a pecan pie, I found a recipe for a pecan pie cheesecake. So thus the 3 lb box of cream cheese. Will be posting that new recipe after I get it baked this afternoon and can take a picture. In the meantime, this crumble bar sounds easy and yummy, so wanted to post it this morning. After I make it back to Costco for more cream cheese, will be making this.

1/2 cup butter

1 box (2 layer size) yellow cake mix (I love Duncan Hines brand)

2 eggs, divided and at room temperature

16 oz softened cream cheese

1/2 cup sugar

1 tablespoon lemon zest

3 tablespoons juice from 1 or 2 lemons (usually takes me 2 to get that much)

2 1/2 cups fresh blueberries, washed and allowed to dry on paper towels

Heat oven to 350.

Line a 13×9″ baking pan with foil, with ends extending over sides. Microwave butter in large bowl until melted. Add dry cake mix and 1 egg to melted butter; beat with mixer until blended. Press 2/3 of this cake mixture onto bottom of baking pan.

Beat cream cheese and sugar with mixer until blended. Add remaining egg, zest and juice. Pour over crust; top with blueberries. Pinch small pieces of the remaining dough between your fingers; press lightly into cream cheese layer.

Bake about 55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool completely . Use foil handles to lift dessert from pan before cutting into bars.

Makes 12-15 servings (or if you are in our family, would make about 4)

 

Beef · Breads · Cakes · Casseroles · Chicken · Chocolate · Cookies · Daily Thoughts · Desserts · Uncategorized

Princess On The Porch

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I just got a notification that Princess on the Porch is in Itunes Store for $3.99. This will let you have recipes and stories on your computer that will be so easy to keep instead of searching for recipes on the blog, chocolate castles.com.

 

Cakes · Desserts · Fruit · Uncategorized

Fresh Strawberry Cake

Chocolate Castles1 Comment

Probably a lot of you have made or indulged this scrumptious cake. Because of this wonderful Arizona heat, the only desserts right now that sound good are cold ones. When  I this ran across  this on FaceBook the other day, I remembered that it was such a good cake and that I hadn’t made it in years, so thought I would post it. Since it starts with a cake mix, it is quick and easy to make. Top it with Cream Cheese frosting and you have a delicious dessert that will cool you off, no matter the time of day.

1 (18.25) oz white cake mix

1 (3 oz) box strawberry-flavored instant gelatin

1 (15 oz) package frozen strawberries in syrup, thawed and pureed

4 large eggs

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup water

Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

1 stick (1/4 cup) softened butter

1 (8oz) softened cream cheese

1 (10 oz) package frozen strawberries in syrup, thawed and pureed

1/2 teas strawberry extract (I will use vanilla)

7 cups powdered sugar

Fresh sliced strawberries for garnish

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350

In a large bowl, combine cake mix, gelatin. Add pureed strawberries, (the 15 oz) eggs, oil and water. Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Pour into greased and floured pans and bake for 20 minutes or until cake test done.

Let cool in pans for 10 minutes then remove to a wire rack to finish cooling.

 

To make frosting:

In a large bowl, beat butter and cream cheese at medium until smooth and creamy. Beat in 1/4 cup of the strawberry (from the 10 oz package)puree and the extract. The rest of the puree is leftover but can be used in smoothies or over ice cream. Beat in powdered sugar a cup at a time until all lumps are gone. If you need to add a little more of the strawberry puree, add 1 tables at a time, until frosting is spreading consistency.

P.S. One time I made this cake and divided each cake layer into 2, giving 4 layers. I used the strawberry frosting in-between the layers then frosted the entire outside of the cake with fresh whipped cream…If you do this, you will need to whip up the whipping cream sweetened  with powdered sugar, instead of granulated sugar. The powdered sugar has corn starch in it allowing the whipping cream to stay “whole” longer and not  get runny after the first day.

Also covering the cake in airtight container which you put in fridge will keep the cake fresh for 3-4 days.

 

 

Cakes · Desserts · Uncategorized

Monsoons, Meatloaf & Munchkin

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I’m back…..finally! Between caring for a hubby with one arm right now and trying to train a little new Munchkin we are calling Oliver Leopold, I feel like I am in a house with a new baby. The only difference between a new puppy and a baby is the baby at least poo poos in a diaper instead of the floor. This past week we experienced our first monsoon, which after hearing from folks out here, we truly expected a little more excitement. After living in California with earthquakes and in Texas where lightning and heavy rains are as common as nachos, we found ourselves sitting there watching the heavy rains discussing what we would have for dinner with Randy looked at me and said, “don’t you think we should have meatloaf during the monsoon?” So that is exactly what we had. He reminded me that I had not fixed meatloaf since leaving Dallas the first of March. Randy fell the night before our things arrived to move in and fractured his shoulder in two places and dislocated it also. So we call him the one armed bandit now. Being today is his birthday, we didn’t get to do to much as he says that he feels like either a little kid or a really old man because I have to cut up his food, (but he loves the fact that I have to do his hair, he is getting very spoiled)
Today a recipe showed up on FB and it sounded delicious. It is an Italian Lemon Cake and I have to make it. But today I had to make German Chocolate Cake, which is a tradition for his special day. But this week, as soon as the last crumb is gone from the GCC, this lemon cake will be in the oven. I have to tell you that when I looked up different recipes for the frosting for the GCC, I came across one that used light brown sugar instead of regular granulated sugar. It is really good. In fact, both of us think we like it a little better than the normal frosting that you see on the package of Bakers German Chocolate. So live a little the next time you make one and try using the brown sugar instead of the white. Just gives it a little more caramel flavor. So back to the recipe for the Italian Lemon cake and Happy Fourth of July!

3 cups all purpose flour
1 teas baking powder
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup sour cream
4 tablespoons lemon juice
zest of 2 lemons (about 2 tables)
1 teas vanilla
Preheat oven to 300 Grease and flour baking pan
Sift flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In another bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Mix in the sour cream, lemon juice, vanilla and lemon zest.
Mix half of the flour mixture into the butter mixture. Mix in the buttermilk and then add in the remaining flour mixture. Mix just until the flour disappears. Pour the cake batter into the prepared bundt pan.
Bake for 60-70 min or until cake tests done. Remove cake from oven and allow to cool for 5-10 min. Turn cake over onto cake platter.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar, or frost with cream cheese frosting.