Tag: Cakes

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 · 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 · Fruit · Holiday Fare · Uncategorized

Raspberry Coconut Cake

Chocolate Castles2 Comments

What a gorgeous cake to complete your dessert buffet this Christmas Season.  Red and White in color and coconut and raspberry in flavor.

1 box Duncan Hines French Vanilla or White Cake mix

3 cups flaked coconut, divided

6 ssquares (1 oz ea) white baking chocolate

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

3/4 cup seedless raspberry jam

1 cup (2 sticks ) butter, unsalted and softened

1 cup powdered sugar

Prepare cake batter according to package directions; fold in 2/3 cup coconut. Pour into two greased 9″ round baking pans. Bake at 350 for about 25 to 29 min or until cake tests done. Cool for 10 min before removing from an to wire racks to cool.

In a microwave safe bowl, combine white chocolate and cream. Microwave uncoveed on high for 1 min or until chocolate is almost melted. stir until smooth. Cool to room temp. In a small bowl, combine jam and 1 cup coconut. Spread over one cake layer; top with second layer.

In small mixing bowl, cream butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in melted white chocolate mixture. When frosting is completely smooth, spread over cooled cake sides and top. Toast remaining coconut and sprinkle over top of cake.

 

Cakes · Fruit · Holiday Fare · Uncategorized

Cranberry Apple Cake

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Last evening we were invited to some friends for dinner. These sweet people reached out to us when we moved to California back in 2010 to invite us for Thanksgiving so we didnt spend the holiday alone. They have become like family to us. When we were through with dinner Louise and I went over and sat down to look through some recipes that she had been collecting. This cake sounded so great that she gave me a copy of it. Can`t wait until I get back to my kithen to make this.

12 oz fresh cranberries, rinsed and picked over for stems

1 granny smith apple, peeled, cored and diced

1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed

1 tables grated orange zest (2 oranges)

1/4 cup orange juice

1 1/8th teas cinnamon, divided

2 extra large eggs at room temp

1 cup plus 1 tables sugar

1/4 lb (1 stick) butter, melted and slightly cooled

1 teas vanilla

1/4 cup sour cream

1 cup flour

1/4 teas salt

Preheat oven to 325. Combine cranberries, apple, brown sugar, orange zest, orange juice and 1 teas of the cinnamon in a medium bowl. Set aside.

In another bowl, beat the eggs on medium high speed for 2 minutes with electric mixer. With the mixer on medium, add 1 cup of the sugar, the butter, vanilla and sour cream and beat just until combined. On low speed, slowly add flour and salt.

Pour the fruit mixture evenly into a 10 inch glass pie plate. Pour the batter over the fruit, covering it completely. Combine the remaining 1 tables of sugar and 1/8 teas cinnamon and sprinkle it over the batter. Bake for about 55 minutes until cake tests done and fruit is bubbling around the edges. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Taken from Barefoot Contessa.

Cakes · Chocolate

Moulton Chocolate Cakes

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These great little custard cup chocolate lava cakes are the easiest to prepare and every time I serve them, people are so excited to be eating something that tastes like they get when visiting a great steak house dessert. I didn’t remember to take a picture before serving them last night to friends, but the empty plates told me that they loved them!

4 oz semi-sweet baking chocolate (I had a bar of bittersweet chocolate and used that and they turned out awesome)

1/2 cup butter (1 stick)

1 tables red wine (I used orange chello as I didn’t have red wine last night)

1 teas vanilla

1 cup powdered sugar

2 eggs plus 1 egg yolk

6 tables flour

1/4 teas cinnamon

Powdered sugar or ice cream for topping

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

Grease 4 custard cups

Microwave chocolate and butter for 1 minute and then stir until chocolate is completely melted. Stir in wine (or any liquor flavor you might like, even amaretto is good),vanilla and powdered sugar. Whisk in eggs and yolk. Stir in remaining ingredients. Spoon evenly into cups and place on a baking tray. Bake in preheated oven for about 14 minutes. Centers will still be a little soft and jiggly. Loosen edges and turn out onto plates and sprinkle with powdered sugar or top with ice cream.

*It is so easy to use a big cookie dough scoop to fill the custard cups

Cakes · Desserts · Fruit

Blueberry Buttermilk Bundt Cake

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Last night I wanted to do some baking before beginning an exercise class today, so when I saw this in a magazine, I knew that it was calling my name. So I made it. It is so light and refreshing that Randy and I both just kept going back for “just one more bite.”

Cake

2 sticks butter, at room temp

3 cups flour (plus 2 tables to sprinkle over the blueberries before adding them to the batter)

2 1/2 teas baking powder

1 1/4 teas salt

1 3/4 cup sugar

*2 tables lemon zest (optional)

1/4 cup vegetable oil

4 large eggs, at room temp

1 teas vanilla

3/4 cup buttermilk

2 cups fresh blueberries (about 2 pint)

*I added 2 tables fresh lemon zest to the batter before baking

For the Glaze

Whisk 1 table softened butter with 2 cups powdered sugar, 2 tables corn syrup and 2 teas fresh squeezed lemon juice. Add milk, 1 table at a time until it is of spreading consistency. I added 1 table fresh lemon zest. When cake is cooled, drizzle glaze over cake allowing to run down the sides of cake.

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour a 12 cup bundt cake pan.

Whisk the 3 cups of flour with the salt and baking powder. In a separate bowl, beat 2 sticks butter with the sugar and oil with mixer on medium until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Turn mixer speed to low and beat in the eggs, one at a time, then mix in vanilla.

Add about 1/3 of the flour mixture and half of the buttermilk. Beat, scraping sides down as necessary. Add another 1/3 of the flour mixture and the remaining buttermilk. Mix just until combined. Add the remaining flour mixture by stirring it in. You do not want to overmix.

Toss the blueberries with the 2 tables of flour in  a bowl. By hand, stir in the blueberries into mixture, just until incorporated. I used a spatula. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake about 1 hour, or until cake tests done. When cake is done, allow to sit in pan about 10 minutes and then turn out onto serving platter. Allow to sit about 30 minutes then drizzle glaze over the top.

Garnish with fresh berries if desired.2015-09-08 08.20.24

Cakes · Desserts

Southern Pecan Praline Cake

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Taken from Southern Living Magazine:

Cake

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 cup light brown sugar,firmly packed

4 large eggs, room temp

3 cups flour

1 1/2 teas baking powder

1/4 teas baking soda

1/2 teas salt

1 cup milk

2 teas vanilla

Praline Frosting

3/4 cup unsalted butter

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed

4 large egg yolks

1 large can (12 oz) evaporated milk

2 teas vanilla

2 cups chopped pecans

Cake

Grease and flour 3 (9″) cake pans and preheat oven to 350. Cream the butter with both the granulated sugar and brown sugar until very light and fluffy, then add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Sift the flour with the baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add to the sugar batter alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry mixture. Stir in the vanilla.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and bake in the center of your preheated oven about 20-25 minutes or until cake tests done. Cool layers in their pans for 10 min, then loosen and turn out layers directly onto racks for cooling. Cool layers thoroughly before frosting.

For the frosting:

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat and stir in both sugars. Sugars will NOT dissolve. (they will dissolve in the final cooking stage)

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the evaporated milk until smooth, then whisk this mixture into the saucepan with the sugar mixture. Return saucepan to a medium heat setting and cook, whisking constantly, until mixture is thick, shiny and caramel-like, about 15-20 minutes. This is when the sugars will dissolve.  Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla and pecans. Cool frosting to a good spreading consistency which will be about 30 minutes. Spread evenly between cooled cake layers and over top and sides of cake.

Cakes · Desserts

Happy Fall Ya’ll

Chocolate Castles1 Comment

Just can’t wait any longer, I am ready to celebrate temps falling below 100. And with that celebration comes pumpkins of all sizes and shapes. Peter Pumpkin (aka Randy) is just pacing the floor until I give him the go ahead to begin bringing all the boxes from the garage that store the Fall Trees and pumpkins that are just waiting to have a place in the house.

We have invited some friends over tonight to join us in celebrating It’s Almost Fall!  Because I still had some fresh oranges, I decided to make an Orange Cake for dessert after we go to Smash Burger.

Thought I would share how easy it was and how fresh the cake layers taste with substituting orange juice for the water.

One Duncan Hines French Vanilla Cake Mix

Mix the cake mix according to directions except substitute half of the water called for with orange juice. I used fresh squeezed, but using orange juice is just fine. I used the zest of one of the oranges and added that to the cake batter. Mix well and pour into 2 (9″) round cake pans. Bake about 24-25 minutes or until pick inserted in center comes out clean. Allow to cool and frost with Orange Butter Cream Frosting or Cream Cheese Frosting (the CC Frosting was posted yesterday with the Key Lime Cake recipe)

Buttercream Frosting

1 stick of softened unsalted butter (1/2 cup)

1 cup of Crisco Shortening

5 cups of powdered sugar

1 teas vanilla

zest of an orange

Enough orange juice to make frosting to spreading consistency.

Whip up the butter and shortening until light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, orange zest and the orange juice, (about 1 tables at a time).

Frost the bottom layer that you have put on a serving platter, then place the 2nd layer on top. Frost the sides and then the top with the buttercream.2015-08-28 11.07.21

Maybe the cake will get Peter in a festive enough mood to start bringing in the boxes!

Cakes · Desserts

Trisha Yearwood’s Key Lime Cake

Chocolate Castles1 Comment

Just watched Trisha make this cake on her program. It sounds so good and will be perfect for the last weeks of hot weather. The frosting is, of course, cream cheese frosting. So don’t forget the 3 oz box of lime jello at the grocery this weekend.

1 (3 oz) box of lime jello

1 1/3 cups sugar

2 cups flour

1/2 teas salt

1 teas baking soda

1 teas baking powder

1 1/2 cup oil

3/4 cup orange juice

1 Tables lemon juice

1/2 teas vanilla

5 eggs, slightly beaten

Preheat oven to 350

Mix the lime jello, sugar, flour, salt, baking powder & baking soda in a large mixing bowl. In another bowl, mix oil, orange juice, lemon juice, vanilla and the beaten eggs. Mix well and then pour over the dry ingredients. Beat until batter is smooth and mixed well.

Pour into a 9×13″ greased pan. Bake in preheated oven for about 25-35 minutes or until cake tests done when pick inserted in center comes out clean.

Let cool in pan 5 minutes before turning out on a plate. If you are leaving cake in pan, wait about 5 minutes and then pierce cake with a fork and drizzle the glaze over the top of the cake, allowing it to sink into the cake.

Glaze for Cake

1/2 cup Key Lime Juice (about 25 small key limes or 4 regular size limes)

1/2 cup powdered sugar

Mix the key lime juice and powdered sugar and stir until mixture is smooth.

Allow cake to cool completely then frost with Cream cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1/2 cup (1 stick) of unsalted butter, softened

1 (8 oz) cream cheese, softened

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

Beat the butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar and beat until sugar is well incorporated. Spread over the top and sides of completely cooled cake. (Or the top, if you left it in the pan)