I mentioned the other day that I would post this recipe. It is so easy, but it looks so beautiful when sliced and placed on a plate and your friends and family will think you spent hours cooking. Several people asked, “you made this? I thought you bought it, it is so pretty!” That made my heart just jump for joy, which I really don’t know why when in fact, most bakery cakes leave something to be desired when compared to homemade pastries. But will take compliments anyway they come, ha.

Make a Duncan Hines French vanilla cake mix according to directions, using two 9 in round cake pans.

Make a Duncan Hines Devils Food cake mix according to directions, using two 9 in round cake pans.

Be sure to not over bake the layers, as you do not want them dry. Freezing ahead of time will help assure the layers stay moist.*See note below

Cool all four layers, turning them out onto waxed paper. *(At this point, I sometimes seal them in baggies and place in freezer so on the day I need them, I just pull them out of the freezer and allow them to thaw and then frost.)*

Make the frosting by using the following:

1 cup of shortening

1 stick of butter

1 -2 lb sack of powdered sugar

1/3 cup whipping cream (sometimes I have to add a little more, to bring the frosting to spreading consistency, but add 1 tables at a time)

1 tables almond flavoring

Place a chocolate layer on serving plate and place 1/2 cup frosting on top spreading to edge. Place a vanilla one on top of this and cover with 1/2 cup frosting. Place another chocolate one of top and repeat then the last vanilla layer. Cake will be tall, so if you have to add a couple of toothpicks to hold together, that is fine. Cover sides first with frosting and then the top. You can place grated chocolate on top, or colored sugar or any decor according to the celebration.

For memorial day place little flags on top and border with red or blue frosting. Would make a great centerpiece for your picnic table, especially served with homemade ice cream. YUM!

 

 

Since Memorial Day is right around the corner, I think that this next week, I will concentrate on recipes which you could use for your Memorial Day picnic. Flipping through my old 1970’s spiral notebook which I had written down so many favorite recipes from my Italian neighbor, Cam, I saw this recipe that we used so many times over brownies, homemade icecream or trifles. It is delicious and makes a great gift if you put it in a mason jar and tie a ribbon around the lid.

1 pkg (6 oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup butter

1 1/3 cup evaporated milk

2 cups sifted powdered sugar

1 teas vanilla

Melt chips and butter over low heat, stirring occastionally. Add sugar and milk, blending well. Bring to a boil and cook about 8 min over low heat, stirring constantly. Add vanilla. Serve warm. Store unused portion in fridge and reheat when needed. Makes 2 2/3 cup sauce.

Homemade Ice Cream

4 eggs beaten

1 1/2 cup sugar

1 can pet milk

1 tables vanilla.

Mix all ingredients.  Pour into freezer can and then  fill up the ice cream freezer to the fill line with milk.  (Most of the time, I use half and half or part whipping cream.) Remember the more whipping cream and half and half you use instead of just milk, the creamier the ice cream. Freeze according to directions on freezer. Makes 4 qts.

Since it is Mothers day and I am a “mom”, I figured that I could write anything I wanted today (actually, I guess I could write everyday what I wanted since this is my blog,ha)

AND since one of my most favorite things is chocolate, I thought I would give you one of my most favorite and “old” tried and true and easy recipes for a one-bowl chocolate cake that I have made since 1970 …..So here it is and I promise you, it will give you the answer to whatever “chocolate craving” you ever have.

Never-Fail Cake & Frosting

2 eggs (at room temp)

3/4 cup cocoa

1 cup shortening (I use 1 stick of butter and 1/2 cup shortening)

2 cups flour (I use 2 cups flour,ha)

1 cup buttermilk or sour milk (see note below*)

2 teas vanilla

2 teas baking soda

2 cups sugar

1 cup hot water

1/2 tsp salt

Place ingredients in large mixing bowl; do not mix until all are in bowl. Mix for 2 mins at low speed. Place in two 8 or 9 inch layer pans or 1 9×13 pan which you have greased and floured or sprayed with Pam. Bake for about 25 to 35 min depending upon the pans you use, or until a toothpick comes out clean when tested in center of cake.

Frosting:

1 cup sugar

4 tables cocoa

4 tables evaporated milk

1 egg

1 teas vanilla

Put all ingredients except vanilla in heavy skillet over low heat; stir until melted. Boil for 1 min. Remove from heat; add vanilla. Stir and spread over warm cake.

Am making 100 cupcakes for Randy to take to work tomorrow, so wanted to do something a little different than just chocolate or yellow with chocolate frosting. I just made Banana chocolate chip cupcakes with chocolate frosting. Yummy…Randy even ate one and he is not real big on banana flavor.

Duncan Hines Banana flavored cake mix

1 cup sour cream

1/3 cup oil

4 eggs

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

Mix all ingredients and beat for about 2 minutes. Add 1 cup of chocolate chips and stir. Pour into cupcake liners. This recipe made 30 cupcakes. Frost with your favorite chocolate frosting. I have one under desserts for the one I used.

YUM! Wow, made this last night and it is the best and oh so simple….you can mix it up in 5 min, bake it in 4o and be sitting down to eat it in another 5, so when you are wanting something a little chocolatey, try this.

1 Duncan Hines German Chocolate Cake mix (if they don’t have this, buy the Swiss Chocolate)

1 can of Pecan Coconut Frosting mix

3 eggs

1 cup water

1/3 cup oil

Mix all ingredients together for 3 minutes (1 minute on slow and 2 on medium)

Spray a bundt pan with Pam and sprinkle sugar around the bottom and sides of pan coating the cake pan with the sugar. Pour out any remaining sugar. Pour cake mixture into pan and bake at 350 preheated oven for about 40 to 45 minutes or until cake test done with a toothpick. Cool for about 10 minutes and then invert onto serving plate. I made a little chocolate glaze to pour over the top, but this is good enough to eat with just powdered sugar sprinkled over the top. If you want the glaze, mix the following:

2 cup powdered sugar

4 tables softened butter

1/2 cup melted semi sweet chocolate chips

1/4 cup whipping cream

1 teas vanilla

When mixed competely, pour over cake while cake is still warm……

 

Well, here is still anothe recipe for a different coconut pound cake from Jerry McGraw. It does sound delish and know I will be making it in the next week. FYI…today, I made chocolate cupcakes and just made my buttercream frosting, but instead of flavoring it will vanilla, I put in coconut flavor and then died coconut green and sprinkled over the top. They were so good witht the coconut flavor in the frosting on top of the chocolate cake…..try it!

Saw your recipe for coconut cake on your blog today, thought I would share my mother’s with you. Definitely not as easy as the one you posted, but is very yummy also!

4 large eggs beaten until thick & lemon colored

Sift together:

  3 cups flour

  2 cups sugar

  ½ tsp. soda

  ¼ tsp. salt

1 cup Crisco

1 cup buttermilk

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. coconut flavoring

1 cup angel flake coconut.

To egg add Crisco & small amount of dry ingredients. Alternate adding the dry ingredients & buttermilk, then add coconut flavoring.

Fold in coconut.

Bake in greased & floured tube pan @ 350 for about an hour or until tests done.

Glaze:  Mix together 1 cup sugar and ½ cup water until sugar dissolves, boil for 1 minute & add 2 tsp. coconut flavoring. Pour over hot cake.

If you love banana pudding, this will take the place of any banana pudding you have ever eaten. It is listed on the back of the Eagle Brand Milk can, but if you happen to buy an off brand, I will give it to you.

1 14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk (this is different from evaporated milk)

1 1/2 cups cold water

1 4 serving package instant vanilla pudding mix

2 cups (1 pt) whipping cream, whipped

1 package of Keebler Shortbread cookies crushed

3 medium bananas, sliced and dipped in lemon juice

In a large bowl, combine sweetened condensed milk and water. Add pudding mix, beat until well blended. Chill 5 minutes.

Fold in whipped cream. Spoon 1 cup pudding mixture into 2 1/2 quart glass serving bowl (or use individual serving dishes, which makes a very nice presentation, layering the crushed cookies, the bananas and the pudding mixture. Begin and end with the crushed cookies. I like to top with more whipped cream.

Cover and chill until time to serve.

Cream of Coconut Cake

I guess you can tell by this time, that coconut cake is one of my favorite desserts. There are just so many different types, each having their own flavors and consistencies. This cake is such an easy one to bake when in a time crunch, yet, it is delicious and so moist.

1 box of yellow or French vanilly cake mix

1 can Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk

1 can cream of coconut

1 8 oz. container of Cool Whip

1 cup of canned or frozen coconut

Bake cake according to directions on back of box in a 13 x 9 cake pan. Remove from oven and punch holes in hot cake with the end of a wooden spoon. Combine condensed milk and cream of coconut and pour over hot cake. When cake is cool, spread Cool Whip on top and sprinkle with the coconut.

Allow to sit overnight in refrigerator before serving. It allows the flavors to blend.

As you can tell from my recipes, I prefer the French Vanilla cake mixes to the white cake mix. I think it has more flavor and seems to blend so beautifully with the coconut flavors. But the white is just fine to use, if you prefer.