Hummingbird Cake

Hello! Everyday, I'm receiving alerts on Facebook of new followers to my Double Dipped Sweets page. You are coming over from Pinterest, and I have to say, THANK YOU!

As a thank you gift, I finally made this cake that I've had my eye on for awhile. This cake is labor intensive. But, oh, my goodness, it's so full of flavor! It's a rich, dense cake; a mix between cake and bread. The flavors of banana and pineapple are perfect for this time of year, and it quickly became one of our favorites!

 Hummingbird Cake

 Adapted from boulderlocavore

Plan on 1-2 hours for prep and cook time.

Cake

3 cups flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed light brown sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup fresh pineapple, crushed (see below)   ** I used canned crushed pineapple with a little bit of juice.
2 cups roasted bananas*, mashed (approximately 4 large or 6 medium-small bananas with peel left on; instructions below)
1 cup chopped pecans
Parchment paper to line bottom of the cake pan **I sprayed the pans with flour/oil


Cream Cheese Frosting  **I used my own time tested frosting. The cold butter used in the original recipe didn't blend very well.

8 oz package cream cheese, softened

1/4 lb butter, softened

1 tsp vanilla

4 cup powdered sugar

1 ½ cups finely chopped pecans

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. *Place bananas on a cookie sheet with peels left on. Bake in the oven for 12 minutes until the skins are black (the bananas may leak which is fine). Remove and let cool until they can be handled. Peel bananas, place in a small mixing bowl and mash. Set aside. Leave the oven heated to 350 degrees.
3. Butter and flour 3-9 inch round baking pans. Trace the bottom of the pan (for all three pans) onto parchment paper, cut out circle and place in the bottom of each pan.
4. In a sifter over a large mixing bowl combine the flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Sift into the bowl. Set aside.
5. In a second large mixing bowl combine the granulated and brown sugar; stir to combine. Add the eggs and stir briskly by hand to combine all ingredients into a smooth mixture.
6. Whisk the oil and vanilla into the sugar/egg mixture until combined and smooth.
7. Add the flour mixture all at once and hand stir (do not beat) to combine the mixture fully.
8. To crush the pineapple: Place 1 cup of finely diced fresh pineapple in a medium mixing bowl and using a potato masher, crush the pineapple. Add the fruit and juice to the batter. Also add the mashed banana and the pecans. Stir just until combined; do not over stir.
9. Divide the batter evenly between the three pans. Tap the pans on the countertop to release any air bubbles and place in the 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes until cake bounces back to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean.
10. Allow to cool in pans on racks for 5 minutes then turn out onto cooling racks to fully cool before frosting. Be sure to peel off and discard the parchment paper.
Instructions for Cream Cheese Frosting:
11.  Blend all frosting ingredients together.
12. Fold in pecans by hand. 
Instructions for Cake Assembly:
13. Place the first layer of cake upside down (the bottom of the cake will be frosted) on the serving plate. Cover with 2/3 cup of frosting. This will be a thin covering.
14. Place the second layer of cake right side up (flat cake bottom onto the frosting) and frost the top of this layer with 2/3 cup again (note: I found I needed just a bit more to cover this layer).
15. Place the last cake layer with cake right side up and use the remaining frosting to cover top of cake and the sides.
16. 4. Allow cake to stand at room temperature 30 minutes before serving and store any uneaten cake in the refrigerator. Cake best when made the day prior to serving!

Enjoy!

New Favorite Recipes!

Hello!
 I'm returning from the land of silence to post about my recent favorite meals!  Today, I wanted to update you on all my delicious finds on Pinterest. Check out my Recipes I've Tried folder on Pinterest to see all the recipes I love!

Here they are- all pictures belong to the original blog.  Have fun!

Baked Pumpkin Donut Holes from two peas & their pod

These are fantastic little bundles of yumminess. They are moist and the pumpkin flavor really comes out.  I dipped just the tops in the Cinnamon/Sugar mix, and it was heavenly! Just as good a day later as just out of the oven. (If they last that long!)

Garlic Parmesan Chicken Lasagna Bake by Pinch of Yum

Delicious.  Creamy and rich, every family member enjoyed this.  A few notes:

I used my own Alfredo Sauce recipe just because it was easier.

I would take out the peas next time. They really didn't add anything to the dish; except that my kids got their veggies! 

Very, very good dish that is on the meal rotation list!

 

by Frieda Loves Bread

I can't believe I haven't posted about this cake.  Last November I was looking for an easy, one layer cake that I could decorate for my boy's Minecraft party.  Frieda answered my call on Facebook. I ended up cutting this into squares, and using pieces of foot rollups to made Minecraft shapes.   We LOVE this cake.  Love, Love, Love.  My daughter asked for it for her birthday in March, and still mentions it as her favorite cake.  The vanilla flavor is so good. Add cherries on top = divine.

 

Thai Beef Tacos from How Sweet it is

One more savory to add to this list.  These tacos are AMAZING! The Thai flavor is perfect, and the mangoes really punch up the whole thing.  The recipe only makes a few; double or triple as needed.  I did try this with stew meat in the crockpot once: not as good.   Use Flank steak and marinate them!

These are enough to get you started.  Check out my "Recipes I've Tried" board on Pinterest to see more tried and true recipes! 

Do you have a favorite recipe you found on Pinterest?  Let me know in the comments!

Chocolate Molten Cakes for Secret Recipe Club

Good Morning! You may have noticed that I skipped the Secret Recipe Club last month. With our house closing 2 weeks early, it was just impossible to get in the kitchen. So, this is my first official post as a GROUP B member! I say goodbye and thanks to Group D. They were a great group, but I wanted to try some new blogs. So, when the option came up to change, I switched to B. Now, my reveal dates are earlier in the month.

This month I had the pleasure of baking from Searching for Spice.   Corina hails London, far away from my little Utah, USA.  Her measurements are in grams. So, I wasn't quite sure my conversions would work! It's hard when baking not to have exact measurements, but I forged ahead. And... ta da!  Fabulous little chocolate cakes! I cooked them a bit too long, so they didn't have the "lava" in the middle, but they were great with a little scoop of ice cream on top. Who can say no to chocolate cakes? Right?

The recipe makes 2 cakes in larger ramekins, but mine were small, so I got 4 out of it. But, you can see I could have filled them a little more. So, plan on 2-3 mini cakes.

Chocolate Molten Cakes
found on Searching for Spice; adapted from Gordon Ramsey's Gordon Ramsey Makes it Easy.

2 teas cocoa powder
3.5 Tb (50g) unsalted butter
3.5 Tb (50g) dark chocolate chips
1 whole egg
1 egg yolk
4.3 Tb (60g) sugar
3.5 Tb (50g) flour

Preheat oven to 350 F. (180C)

Grease your ramekins. Put the cocoa powder in one. Put the other ramekin upside down on top of the first, hold firmly, and shake. This will coat both ramekins in cocoa powder.

Put the chocolate and butter in a small dish and microwave at 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until melted.  Leave to cool slightly.

Put the whole egg, and the egg yolk, in another larger bowl with the sugar. Whisk until the mixture becomes pale and thick.  Pour a small amount of the egg/sugar mixture into the chocolate and stir. Then, pour all of the chocolate into the rest of the egg/sugar mixture; stirring constantly.  We don't want to cook the eggs!

Sift the flour on top of the chocolate and fold into the chocolate. 

Pour into ramekins; about halfway; and bake for 12 minutes. The top will appear done, but it should still be liquid in the middle. The toothpick test will not work! :)

Eat directly from the ramekins, or very, very carefully, unmold them and serve.

Enjoy!

Happy 3rd Blogversary to me! Cake and Ice Cream from SRC

Good Morning!  Today marks my 3 year "blog" anniversary!  I really can't believe it's been 3 years! Thank you to all of my loyal readers. It's been quite the adventure.

I think my photos have improved...

Honey Whole Wheat Bread 8-5-09    

Meaty Spaghetti Sauce  8-16-2011

And I think my recipes, my writing, and my networking has improved as well.  Mostly though, I have stayed true to my goal of this blog being a place to celebrate food. At my own pace, and my own tastes.

Now, on to the celebration's dessert!  Everyone needs Cake and Ice Cream for a anniversary. Right? Especially Chocolate Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake!


This month for the Secret Recipe Club, I was assigned to Ambition Kitchen. I love this blog, and have been a fan for awhile now.  Kelly is from Utah; same as me!  We seem to have similar tastes in food, and her blog is just terrific. 

Right when you open her blog, your mouth starts watering. Just look at that amazing cake in her header. I wanted that cake. Now, I've never learned how to ice cakes and make them look good. I don't have the fancy equipment. I actually ended up using the ziplock bag trick, but still couldn't get pretty drizzles. Oh, well. It's the taste that counts!

Add in another of Kelly's recipes for Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream, and you're ready to party!

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake 
Ambition Kitchen
Copycat recipe for "Nothing Bundt Cakes"

1 box Devil's Food Cake Mix
1 small box chocolate fudge instant pudding
1 C sour cream (full fat)
4 eggs
1/2 C water
1/2 C canola oil
1 1/2 C mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Mix all ingredients together until well incorporated. Add chocolate chips and stir to distribute. 
Pour into a bundt cake pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. (I forgot this step- another reason why I had to hide the top of my cake with frosting!)  
Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 45-55 minutes, or until toothpick inserted comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached. 
Let cool for 20 minutes. Remove from pan. 

*Now, Kelly mentions covering the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerating overnight before frosting.  She liked it this way.  I just let the cake cool, and then frosted it and it was wonderful that way as well! So, do whichever method you have time for.

Cream Cheese Frosting

2 pkgs. 8 oz. each cream cheese, softened
1/2 C butter, softened
3-5 C powdered sugar (depending on desired consistency- I only used 2 cups)
2 teas vanilla extract


In a medium bowl, beat together cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add vanilla and mix well. Slowly add powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, until desired consistency has been reached. You want it to stay pretty thick.

Pipe the frosting onto cooled cake. Slice and serve. Cover well and refrigerate any leftovers.





Simple 3 Ingredient Vanilla Ice Cream
Ambition Kitchen

We have some picky ice cream fans in my house.  They only like vanilla.  I really wanted to fancy this ice cream up with some brownies like Kelly does, or some chocolate chips or fruit.  But, since I was planning on serving it with a cake that has the word Chocolate twice in it's title I just did vanilla.  Feel free to add your favorite mix ins!

2 Cups Whipping Cream
1 (14oz) can Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 teas Vanilla Extract
Desired add-ins

INSTRUCTIONS FOR ICE CREAM MAKER: Mix all ingredients together in a bowl, being sure to thoroughly incorporate the condensed milk. Pour into ice cream maker and churn as per instructions. Mix your add ins into the ice cream, transfer to a sealed container and place in freezer for a few hours to firm up more, or enjoy as soft serve consistency!


INSTRUCTIONS WITHOUT ICE CREAM MAKER: Whip heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Add sweet & condensed milk and vanilla. Stir until well combined. Add mix ins and freeze in freezer for 6 hours then serve!

Happy Blogversary!

Mini Pineapple Upside Down Cakes

It seems like everything is going "mini" lately.  Mini pies, mini cakes, mini sandwiches, mini, mini, mini!  I saw these mini Pineapple Upside Down cakes on Manu's menu and knew I had to try them. They are perfect for a party, and for treats for friends!  They are easy to make, and so very good.

Mini Pineapple Upside Down cakes

Manusmenu.com

Ingredients (makes 10 tea cakes):

3 Tb butter, melted  
12 Tb brown sugar
1 can of crushed pineapple (less than 8 oz)
Candied cherries – as garnish (I only had maraschino, so I added those on top after baking.)

1 egg
1/4 cup yogurt (I used Greek yogurt)
3 Tb butter, melted
Dash of vanilla
1/2 cup flour
6 Tb Sugar
1/2 teas baking powder
1/8 teas baking soda
Confectioners’ sugar and blueberries – optional as garnish

Brush the muffin pan with the melted butter and sprinkle the brown sugar in the bottom of each cup.

Add a Tb of crushed pineapple (and a candied cherry in the middle). Whisk the egg, yogurt, melted butter and a dash of vanilla in a bowl. Stir in the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and a pinch of salt. Whisk well. Divide the mixture into each of the cups.

Bake for 20 minutes in a pre-heated oven at 350°F/180°C. When ready, let cool. Then carefully unmold the tea cakes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Blueberries or cherries are great on top!



Enjoy!

Malted Chocolate Cupcakes

 

Happy Monday! I hope you all had a fantastic weekend. I thought I'd start this week out with something sweet.  This cupcake recipe has been sitting in my "to try" file forever! I finally made them, and they were amazing! I modified the recipe a bit to include malt flavor in both the cupcake and the frosting. I sprinkled crushed malt balls on top as well. 

Malted Chocolate Cupcakes

adapted from Martha Stewart Cupcakes

Makes about 28

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder or reg. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 teas baking soda
1/2 teas salt
1 cup milk
1 1/4 cups malted milk powder
1 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup sour cream, at room temperature
1 teas vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350F. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk together flour, cocoa, both sugars, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, whisk together milk and malted milk powder until powder is dissolved.

With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat flour mixture, milk mixture and oil until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add sour cream and vanilla, and beat just until combined.

Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each halfway. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cupcakes can be stored up to 3 days at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months in airtight containers.


Fluffy Vanilla Frosting
adapted from Martha Stewart Cupcakes

1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 pound (4 cups) confectioners' sugar, sifted
1/4 cup malted milk powder
1/2 teas vanilla extract
Malt balls (Whoppers), crushed

With an electric mixer, beat butter on medium-high speed until pale and creamy, about 2 minutes.

Reduce speed to medium. Add the confectioners' sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down sides of the bowl as needed; after every 2 additions, raise the speed to high and beat 10 seconds to aerate frosting, then return to medium. This process should take about 5 minutes. Frosting will be very pale and fluffy.

Add vanilla, and beat until frosting is smooth.

Top cooled cupcakes with frosting; sprinkle with crushed malt balls.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Torte with Nutella Mousse

Chocolate. Nutella. Creamy goodness. How can you resist:? This recipe makes a fancy dessert good for any company. The secret? It's not that hard to make!

Chocolate Torte with Nutella Mousse and Raspberries
Adapted from bell'alimento

What you’ll need:

1 brick of cream cheese - softened
1 pint (2 cups) of heavy whipping cream
2-3 TB honey
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup Nutella
1 box of Chocolate Cake Mix (& necessary ingredients to make it)

Put your mixer bowl in the freezer. A cold bowl helps the whipped cream set up faster. Get the cream cheese out of the fridge to soften. Measure out your Nutella into a microwavable bowl.

In your stand mixer with your whisk attachment attached, add your whipping cream and 1/4 cup sugar. Mix until it becomes whipping cream- this will take a few minutes. Move whipping cream to a separate bowl.

Into the now empty mixing bowl (don't worry about cleaning it out), add the cream cheese and 1/4 cup sugar. Mix together  until creamy. WHILE it’s mixing add in a few TB of honey. Taste and check for sweetness; if you like it sweeter add more. Heat your Nutella for about 30 seconds until it’s warmed through. Add the Nutella to your cream cheese mixture and mix until combined well. Remove bowl from mixer and with a spatula FOLD the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture. The mixture won't mix completely-  you'll get a striped effect. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap; refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or until mixture is set up.

While it’s setting up prepare your cake mix to box directions. Spray a rimmed baking sheet (for thinner cakes) with cooking spray; pour your batter in. Smooth, and bake it for approx 10-15 minutes or UNTIL it passes the toothpick test. Keep an eye on it! After it has cooled completely, cut it into circles with a large cookie cutter.

To assemble torte, place one cake layer on bottom, slather the mousse on, continue until you have three layers. On the top layer add a dollop of mousse; garnish with raspberries and powdered sugar if desired.

Enjoy!

Tropical Shortcake

The first week of May was Teacher Appreciation Week. Yours truly was in charge! We really had a great time spoiling our teachers. On Thursday, Cinco de Mayo, we threw a Mexican Fiesta for lunch. The teachers participated in a Salsa Contest, and I cooked the rest of the meal! I knew exactly what I was making for the main course, but the dessert was trickier.  I originally was going to just pick up something from Costco. Then, I found these.  Shortcakes topped with Strawberries and Lime juice, topped with Coconut Whipped Topping... heaven.  The original recipe comes from Our Best Bites, and serves 4 normal sized servings.  I greatly expanded the recipe and made 60 individual servings in clear glasses.

What did the teachers think? They were in love!  Many said that these were the best shortcake they had ever had! I agree. I'm not a huge shortcake fan, but the strawberries with the tangy lime, and the coconut cream was amazing.

Here is the recipe for 4 normal sized servings. I'll follow with the measurements I used to expand the recipe. Now, I don't do math, so I guessed! And I actually did pretty good!

Tropical Shortcakes
Adapted from Our Best Bites
This recipe serves 4

Angel Food cake or Pound Cake (Yellow cake would be good too!)
4 cups sliced fresh strawberries
1/2 cup white sugar
4 Tb fresh-squeezed lime juice (about 2 limes)

For the Coconut Cream:
1 Cup whipping cream
1/2 Cup powdered sugar
2 teas coconut extract (found by vanilla extracts)
1 teas vanilla extract

3/4 cup toasted coconut

Slice strawberries. Mix the lime juice and sugar into the strawberries. Stir well and set aside for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. (I made my strawberries the night before, and they were so yummy!) Magic happens: the sugar dissolves, and a light syrup forms.


To make the cream, place whipping cream in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer for about 1 minute. Slowly add in the powdered sugar, and both extracts.  Contine beating on high until soft peaks form. This usually takes a few minutes!

Slice cake and spoon strawberries over the top. Include the lime-syrup for a great flavor! Top with Whipped Cream and sprinkle with the toasted coconut.

These are what the teacher's deserts looked like!

Now, I took this recipe and made 60 of these little 5 oz cups.  I was going for the layered look, and was very pleased how they turned out! I prepared the strawberries the night before, the whipped cream the morning of, and put everything together right before the event. I didn't want the shortcake to get soggy!  Our principal came in to take pictures and I told him to take some of the desserts for me! 

Rough Measurements: (Since I don't do math!)

I used roughly 120 LARGE costco sized strawberries. It was 2 of the 4 lb containers.
I think I went through 5 or 6 limes, and about 2 cups of sugar.

I sliced a good layer of strawberries, squeezed a lime over the top, added about 1/4-1/2 cup sugar, and then continued to cut more on top. When I was done cutting, it all got stirred together and refridgerated.

I used 1 1/2 cartons of whipping cream, 5 teas Vanilla extract, and 3 teas of Coconut extract (coconut is much stronger!)  I used a total of 3 cups of powedered sugar as well.

The shortcakes were little individual round cakes that I cut into fourths.  I placed one piece in the bottom of each cup, topped with strawberries and juice, and then the cream and cococut. The toasted coconut is so important, if only to let people know that the dessert contains coconut.


Now, just one more time- these were SO good that I've been craving them ever since! Good thing I have lots and limes and coconut left over!

Enjoy!

Cake Bites

Cake bites are all the rage right now. Why wouldn't they be? Tiny, heavenly bites of cake with frosting mixed right in...and dipped in creamy chocolate... mmm...

Plus, the flavors and matches that can be done are almost limitless. All you need is your favorite cake flavor, pair it with frosting, and pick your favorite chocolate!

My absolute favorite flavors are Coconut Cake Bites dipped in milk or dark chocolate. I also love Strawberry cream cheese with white chocolate and sprinkled with graham crackers... devil's food cake with chocolate frosting, dipped in milk chocolate... mmm... Spice cake with cream cheese frosting, and white chocolate... see what I mean? I could go on all day!

Now, mine aren't as fancy as some, but they taste just as good! The great thing about cake balls is that one cake mix and frosting makes dozens of balls.

The last thing Cake Balls are great for is that cake you made that just didn't come out right. It should still taste good, but maybe the top was a little burned... or it fell. Just cut off the burnt part, and turn that "oops" into a delight!

Cake Balls

1 cake mix or homemade cake mix
Ingredients to make cake
1 batch (jar) of frosting
Chocolate*
*I use Guittard A'Peel chocolates- you can use chocolate chips for easier access.

Bake cake as directed on package. Let cool.
When cakes are cool, break the cake into small pieces in a large bowl. Go ahead, have fun destroying your cake! Crumble it until all you have left are crumbs!

Mix the frosting into the cake. Only mix 1/2 at a time. If you add too much frosting, the cake balls will taste soggy. We don't want that!
Mix until the cake resembles dough!

Scoop the cake out in tablespoons, and form into a ball. Place on cookie sheet. You can put as many as will fit on the sheet. Don't waste any space!

Place cookie sheet in the fridge for an hour, or in the freezer for 20 minutes... or until you are ready to dip! I've left mine in the freezer overnight before. Just make sure you let them partially defrost (about an hour) before dipping.

Melt chocolate in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds.

With a large fork, dip the cake balls into the chocolate. Let the excess chocolate drip off, and place the cake ball onto wax paper.


If you would like to drizzle another chocolate flavor on top of the cake, or sprinkles, or coconut, or graham cracker crumbs, or... you get the idea...make sure you do it before the chocolate dries.

You can let the chocolate set on the counter, or put the cake back into the fridge/freezer.

Package in cello bags, or cute little boxes and give to your neighbors! Believe me, they will be begging for more!

Coconut Cake with Buttercream Frosting

 I love coconut. You might think I'm addicted... and you'd think right! My whole family is.

This cake is my favorite. It's easy to make, moist, and full of flavor. The best part is you can add fruit, nuts, or chocolate to give it an extra something.

This recipe makes a double layered round cake, or absolutely amazing cake bites.  I tried once to make it in a 13x9 cake pan, and for some reason it didn't work. The top was burned, while the inside was still undercooked. However, that is when I figured out how wonderful this cake turns into cake bites!

Coconut cake with Buttercream Frosting 


2 sticks unsalted butter
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 teas vanilla
1 teas coconut extract (usually found in the grocery store; may have to find at a cake supply shop)
3 cups flour
3 teas baking powder
1 1/2 cups of coconut milk (found in the international isle- save the extra!)
1 teas salt
1 box instant coconut pudding mix (Vanilla works fine as well)

Preheat the oven to 350 and butter and flour your pans.
Beat the butter and sugar until nice and fluffy. Beat in eggs 1 at a time, until they are all mixed in. Add the extracts. In a separate bowl; mix the flour, baking powder, pudding mix, and salt together. Mix half of the flour mixture carefully into the egg mixture, then half of the coconut milk, and repeat until batter is smooth. Spoon into two 8-inch pans.  Bake for 35-40 minutes, until top is browned and a toothpick comes out clean.  Let cake cool completely before frosting.

For the frosting:

2 sticks of butter, softened
1 teas coconut extract
1 cup flaked sweetened coconut
pinch of salt
Up to 16 oz bag of powdered sugar (may use less)
Leftover coconut milk


Extra toppings include: More coconut, strawberries, chocolate chips, nuts.

Mix the softened butter, extract and coconut together until smooth, then add a pinch of salt.  Slowly add in powdered sugar until mixture gets slightly too thick.  Add in a TB of coconut milk and beat. Continue adding the coconut milk until the frosting is the desired consistency.

Frost the bottom layer, and add your extra topping in a layer on top of the frosting. Top with second layer, and frost. Add more coconut on top, and more of your extra toppings.

Eat and Enjoy!

Sorry about the picture quality- I had to copy if off of my facebook! Coconut Cake with dark choc. chips.

Lemon Meringue Cheesecake

How was your Easter? Did you have enough delicious food and family to satisfy you for awhile?

We spent Easter dinner at my In-laws. The meal was very nice; the company even better. I wasn't asked to bring anything, but I like to contribute. I had also wanted an excuse to make this dessert!

I found this recipe on Betty Crocker and was instantly drooling. I followed the directions exactly, but the cake turned out differently then I thought it would. It wasn't really cheesecake texture. It was more like a lemon meringue with a cheesecake crust. That didn't stop it from being mouthwatering good though! It is very rich, so thin slices served with
milk or water are best! We had a large amount of strawberries at dinner as well, and those went with the lemon perfectly!

Lemon Meringue Cheesecake

Prep time: 30 min.
Total Time: 7 hours!!

Crust:
1 box yellow cake mix
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 teas grated lemon peel (if you don't have fresh lemon, this can be omitted)

Filling:
2 packages (8oz each) cream cheese, softened- and at room temp. to prevent cracking.
3/4 cup sugar
3 packages (3.5 oz each) lemon pudding (You know... this might be why the texture was different! I used instant pudding mix. But reading this again...and looking at reviews- they mean the pre-made puddings in a cup! The original wording was "from a 4-pack container". If you try it that way, let me know!)
1/2 cup sour cream
3 eggs
2 cups frozen (thawed) whipped topping

Heat oven to 300°F. Spray bottom and side of 10-inch springform pan with baking spray with flour. Wrap foil around outside of pan to catch drips.

Reserve 1/4 cup of the cake mix; set aside. In large bowl, beat remaining cake mix, butter and lemon peel with electric mixer on low speed until crumbly. Press in bottom and 1 1/2 inches up side of pan.

In same large bowl, beat reserved cake mix, the cream cheese, sugar, pudding and sour cream on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until mixed. Pour over crust. (Mine was a big glob of meringue, so I just smoothed it out the best I could)

Bake 1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour 35 minutes or until edges are set but center of cheesecake jiggles slightly when moved. Turn oven off; open oven door at least 4 inches. Leave cheesecake in oven 30 minutes longer.

Remove cheesecake from oven; place on cooling rack. Without releasing side of pan, run knife around edge of pan to loosen cheesecake. Cool in pan on cooling rack 30 minutes.

Cover loosely; refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Remove side of pan before serving. Pipe or spoon whipped topping around outside edge of cheesecake. This is excellent with fresh strawberries on top as well! Store in refrigerator.

** This cake won everyone's vote, although I might try it with pre-made pudding next time!

Enjoy!

Punch Bowl Cake Trifle

This divine little recipe came to me a few years ago through the apartment management newsletter. I kept it until I had the perfect occasion to use it, and I try to make it for every large gathering. You see.... this recipe makes A LOT of food! So, it's the perfect party food!

You can buy plastic punch bowls at party stores for pretty cheap.

Punch Bowl Cake Trifle

1 8qt glass/plastic punch bowl
1 yellow cake mix, and ingredients to make cake
2 small pkg. 4oz instant vanilla pudding- make as directed
2 large cans of cherry pie filling
2 pkg (6oz each) shredded coconut
1 large can fruit cocktail, drained
1 large can pineapple tidbits, drained
2 cartons 8oz Cool Whip
1/4 cup chopped nuts

Make cake according to package directions. You need 2 layers. So, either do 2 round pans, or one 13x9 and cut it in half. It's all going to get cut up and jumbled anyway, so looks aren't important! Let cool.
Prepare instant pudding and refrigerate to set up.
Break 1 cake into pieces and place in bottom of punch bowl.

Add in layers: 1/2 of pudding, cherry pie filling, fruit cocktail, pineapple, nuts, coconut, cool whip.
Break the 2nd cake into pieces and add the other half of the ingredients, in the order listed above, Except I add the coconut after the cool whip so that it is on top! It looks prettier that way!
Garnish with nuts, cherries, coconut.
Refrigerate!

12 days of Christmas... in Food!

On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me....

Cookies and

Pancakes,

Sweet Bread and

Party mix,

Cakes and

Popcorn...

and a secret treasured recipe!!

(hint... I used to sell it!)

Get your spatula ready! Yummy treats coming to count down to Christmas!

Scroll down to see all of the goodies!

Better than *** cake! Heath Bar Cake

You have to eat it to believe it! This cake is so moist and delicious...mmm...

Better than *** cake
Heath Bar Cake

1 German Chocolate Cake Mix
1 jar of Caramel ice cream topping
1 can sweetened condensed milk
Whipped Cream or Cool Whip
Heath bars- crushed*

*You can buy crushed Heath in the baking aisle by the chocolate chips.

Follow the cake instructions on the box to make the cake, including baking.

When the cake is done, immediately poke holes in the top with a knife.
Pour the caramel sauce over the cake, spreading evenly until it soaks into the cake. Don't worry about appearance- it will be covered soon!

Pour 1 can sweetened condensed milk over the cake, doing the same- spreading until it soaks in.

Refrigerate until cool.

Cover the cake with the whipped cream and sprinkle the Heath bars on top.

Mmmm...

Because this cake is so moist, it is best eaten within 2 days. Refrigerate any leftovers.

Carrot Cake

Have you ever had one of those dishes that you thought was just sooo good, that it had to be super complicated to make? My Grandma Arleen's carrot cake is just that good. I've never made it, because I knew that it must be so complicated, and way beyond my skills. This is seriously the best carrot cake I've ever had, and when I was married, hubby agreed.

Then, the other day at work, my coworker said that she had never had carrot cake! I couldn't believe my ears! It was time to buckle down and make this cake.

I opened the cookbook... found the recipe... took a deep breath...and What?!??! Is it really that easy? Why haven't I made this sooner? Turns out that this work of art is as simple as making brownies! Who would've thought?

Grandma Arleen's Carrot Cake

2 cup sugar

2 cup flour

1 1/2 cup oil (can substitute applesauce for the oil)

3 eggs

1 cup shredded coconut

2 cups walnuts, chopped

8 oz can crushed pineapple, drained

2 cup raw carrots, grated

2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp salt

2 tsp vanilla

Okay, here's the hard part. Are you ready?

Mix all of the ingredients in a large bowl for 3 minutes.

That's it!

Pour into 2 round cake pans, or 1 9x13 pan.

Bake 20 minutes at 350,

then 40 minutes at 300.

After cake cools, frost with Cream Cheese Frosting and coconut:

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz package cream cheese, softened

1/4 lb butter, softened

1 tsp vanilla

4 cup powdered sugar

Beat together and spread on cake.

Top with shredded coconut, and more walnuts if desired!

Note: Light cream cheese or non-fat ricotta cheese (whipped) works well and saves calories!