Easy Chocolate Cake from The Stay at Home Chef

 I LOVE this Easy Chocolate Cake.  I made an apple cake last Sunday and wanted to try something different this weekend. The Stay at Home Chef is a favorite of mine on Instagram.  I make her recipes often.  She said this cake is "easy" and the yummy frosting caught my attention.  Yes, it was very easy and yes, the cake is super moist and the frosting is Ah-Mazing!

I love that the cake was made in one bowl.  I followed the instructions exactly and everything turned out perfectly!  If you are a chocolate lover like me, I highly recommend this Easy Chocolate Cake. 

                                        

Please visit Rachel's instagram page or her website at The Stay at Home Chef.  She has lots of recommendations and helpful hints. You will be very pleased!

Nothing Bundt Cake Lemon Cake CopyCat

I walk on Wednesdays with my friend Mary.  She loves sweets like I do and was raving on and on about this great lemon cake a coworker made.  She brought me the recipe and it is Nothing Bundt Cake Lemon Cake Copycat from Favorite Family Recipes.  I thought the cake was fabulous.  The teaachers loved it ....and my hubby loved it.  I will totally make it again.  Visit Favorite Family Recipes - lots of other great recipes and other Bundt Cake Copycat recipes, too.

Favorite Family Recipes garnished with raspberries and mint leaves. I went with what I had on hand!

Nothing Bundt Cakes Lemon Cake Copycat (adapted from Favorite Family Recipes

Cake:

1 lemon cake mix
1   3.4 oz pkg dry instant lemon pudding
1 cup sour cream
4 large eggs
1/2 cup oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips

Frosting:

2  8 oz packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
2  tsp vanilla extract
3-4 cups powdered sugar
raspberries for garnish - optional
mint leaves for garnish - optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray Bundt pan with cooking spray and sprinkle with flour. Using an electric mixer, beat the cake mix, pudding, sour cream, eggs, oil, lemon juice and water for two minutes.  Fold in the chocolate chips.  Pour cake batter into the prepared pan.  Bake for 45 - 50 minutes or until tester comes out clean.  Cool on baking rack for 20 minutes.  Remove cake from pan and allow to completely cool.  Wrap in plastic wrap and store in refrigerator overnight, before frosting and serving.  The will make your frosting of the cake be much speedier/easier.

Frosting:

In a medium bowl or mixer, combine the cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy.  Mix in vanilla and then gradually add the powdered sugar.  Start with two cups and keep adding until you reach a desired consistency - thick and creamy.  Take the cake out of the refrigerator and place on a serving platter or plate.  Frost the cake and garnish with raspberries and mint leaves.  Keep refrigerated.

Printable Version

Buckeye Bundt Cake

As you know, I am a preschool director.  We had our Christmas dinner at a local Italian restaurant and then went back to my house for our Secret Sister gift exchange and dessert.  I loved it!  Food is my love language - especially desserts!

I don't normally try new desserts when I have guests .... but I went for it.  I had lots of little desserts... Oreo balls, Peanut Butter Balls, English Toffee, Caramel Puffed Corn, Molasses cookies, etc.

I made a Buckeye Bundt Cake.  I am not sure where the recipe came from.  I think I saw it later on Tip Hero on Pinterest.  I love peanut butter and chocolate! This is a pretty, yummy cake!

       A teacher captured a quick pic for me - cutting the cake!

Buckeye Bundt Cake

Peanut Butter Filling:

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1 egg beaten
3 Tbsp whole milk

Cake:

1 cup water
 6 oz butter + 1 Tbsp for greasing the pan
1/3 cup cocoa powder + 2 Tbsp for dusting the pan
1 heaping tablespoon instant espresso powder (I used instant coffee)
1 tsp kosher salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup sour cream

Shiny Peanut Butter Chocolate Glaze

1/2 cup heavy cream
1 Tbsp granulated sugar
2 Tbsp light corn syrup
1/4 cup cream peanut butter
4 oz dark chocolate, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 10-12 cup bundt pan generously with 1 Tbsp softened butter. Sprinkle with the 2 Tbsp of cocoa powder - swirl to coat the entire pan evenly in a layer of cocoa powder.  Pay attention especially to the middle tube and the bottom.  Please - do not skip this step.

Make the filling by adding all of the filling ingredients to a large mixing bowl.  Mix with a hand mixer until smooth and no streaks of cream cheese of peanut butter.  Set aside.

Heat the water, 6 oz butter, 1/3 cup cocoa powder, espresso (or instant coffee) and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Whisk to remove any lumps.  When butter is melted and the pot just comes to a boil, take off the heat and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar and baking soda.  Whisk in the chocolate and butter mixture, followed by the 2 eggs, vanilla and sour cream.  Whisk until there are no streaks of sour cream, but try not to overmix - a few lumps are okay.

Pour 3/4 of he batter into the prepared bundt pan.  Spoon the peanut butter/cream cheese filling evenly on the top of the batter  - trying to keep it from touching the sides or middle tube.

Cover the peanut butter filling with the rest of the cake batter.  Bake in the preheated oven for 50 - 60 minutes.  Cool the cake for 10 minutes.  Loosen the sides with a thin knife.  Invert the pan so it's resting cake-side down on a plate  - gently lifting the bundt pan away.  Allow the cake to cool.

Make the glaze by heating the cream, sugar, peanut butter and corn syrup to almost a boil.  Pour the heated mixture over the chocolate and let it sit a minute to start melting.  Whisk until smooth and shiny and our over the top of the cake.

Printable Version 

Peanut Butter Sheet Cake

I LOVE peanut butter!  My sweet friend and "nail lady"... Paige gave me this recipe from her Aunt Cecelia.  Paige and I both love good food and are often talking recipes, etc.  She shared this recipe and told me how yummy it is.  She said, "the frosting looks like bacon grease... but it is soooo good!"

Easy cake, tastes amazing.... doesn't look great!  I thought about sprinkling with peanut butter chips or chopped salted cocktail peanuts... I didn't... but I might in the future!  This cake is moist and dense like a Texas Sheet Cake.  You will love it!

Peanut Butter Sheet Cake

Cake:

2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup canola oil
1 1/2 sticks butter
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 cup water
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350.  In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking soda and salt.  In a saucepan, bring oil, butter, peanut butter and water to a boil.  Pour over dry ingredients, mixing well.  Add beaten eggs, vanilla and buttermilk.  Pour into a greased and floured 11 x 15 pan.  Bake at 350 for 15 - 20 minutes.

While cake is baking, make frosting:

Frosting:

1/2 cup evaporated milk or 1/2 & 1/2
1 cup sugar
1 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup miniature marshmallows
1 tsp vanilla

Combine milk, sugar and butter in a saucepan.  Bring to a oil, cooking for two minutes.  Remove from heat and add peanut butter and marshmallows, stirring until melted.  Stir in vanilla.  Gently pour and spread over warm cake.

Printable Version

Kahlua Chocolate Chip Cake

I remember making this cake years ago with a chocolate cake mix.  I made it this weekend with a yellow cake mix.  Both are so yummy... very moist!

I have found that cake mixes are coming in different sizes now.  You will have to add part of a 2nd cake mix or adjust the ingredients.  I used part of a 2nd cake mix and thought I would just make the cake again soon.

AND - I love, love my silicone bundt pan.  Cakes just pop out!

Kahlua Chocolate Chip Cake

1  18.25 yellow cake mix

1/2 cup sugar

1  3.9 oz pkg instant chocolate pudding

1 cup vegetable oil

4 large eggs

1/4 cup vodka or water

1/4 cup Kahlua or other coffee liqueur

1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips (tossed in a little flour or cake mix - so they don't sink)

Glaze

1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted

1/4 cup Kahlua or other coffee liqueur

Combine cake mix, sugar, instant pudding, oil eggs, vodka or water and 1/4 cup of Kahlua.  Beat at medium speed for several minutes until well combined. Mix in chocolate chips.  Pour batter into a greased and floured bundt pan. Bake at 350 for 50 to 60 minutes ( I baked mine about 50 minutes) or until tester comes out clean.  Allow to cool on wire rack for 20 minutes and invert onto plate.   

Mix glaze while cake is baking/cooling.  Once cake is inverted onto plate, poke holes in the cake using a toothpick.  Pour the glaze over the top of the cake.  Top with sprinkled powdered sugar.  

Printable Version

Chocolate Peanut Butter Fun Cake

As I have mentioned many times, I love peanut butter and chocolate.  My girls were headed home from college recently... and I wanted to try a new recipe.  I found this recipe at Epicurious.  I thought it was fabulous.  I think it was a little too rich for my hubby but the rest of us loved it.  The cake part isn't overly sweet - kind of dark, rich chocolate.  I thought the frosting was fabulous.  I will make both again.  I think I will use the frosting for other things as well. I was a little intimidated by the frosting.  I don't think I have ever made a true Buttercream Frosting.  I followed the directions - it turned out beautifully.  Just sayin... I could eat it by the spoonful!

I doubled the recipe and made a 9 x 13.  Enjoy!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Fun Cake (adapted from Epicurious)

* I doubled the recipe and baked in a 9 x 13

1. Chocolate cake:
   • Nonstick vegetable oil spray
   • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
   • 1 cup sugar
   • 3/4 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
   • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
   • 1 teaspoon baking soda
   • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
   • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
   • 1/2 cup finely chopped semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (3 1/2 ounces)  *I used bittersweet
2. Peanut butter buttercream:
   • 1/2 cup sugar
   • 1/4 cup egg whites (from about 2 large eggs)
   • 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
   • 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
   • 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/4" cubes
   • Kosher salt
   • 1/4 cup chopped semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (about 1 3/4 ounces) *I used semisweet
   • 1/4 cup chopped unsalted, dry roasted peanuts  *I used salted, cocktail peanuts

1. For chocolate cake:
   1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat bottom and sides of pan with nonstick spray;  Whisk flour and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl. Add oil, vanilla, and 1 1/4 cups water; whisk until smooth. Fold in chopped chocolate. Scrape into prepared pan; smooth top. Bake until a tester comes out clean when inserted into center, 35-40 minutes. Let cool completely in pan on a wire rack.  *line pan with parchment paper if want to lift out to frost and cut
2. For peanut butter buttercream:
1. Combine sugar and egg whites in a medium metal bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Whisk constantly until sugar dissolves and mixture is hot to the touch, 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat; using an electric mixer, beat on high speed until cool and thick, 5-6 minutes. Beat in vanilla, then peanut butter. With mixer running, add butter a few pieces at a time, beating to blend between additions. Season with salt.
2. After cake is cooled, spread peanut butter buttercream over top. Garnish with chopped chocolate and peanuts.  *If you used parchment paper and you choose to lift the cake out of the pan....Run a thin knife around pan to release cake. Invert cake onto a serving plate.  Cut into 2" squares. 
3.  DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.  
3. Printable Version
1. .

Coconut Pound Cake

I LOVE this cake!  I have had this recipe for at least thirty years.  It is truly one of my favorites. When the cake is just first out of the oven, you pour this sweet hot glaze over the top.  I love the sweet crunchy edges of the cake.  I know it has five eggs, and oil.... but just make it!  You will love it!!

I couldn't decide how to take a decent picture so I just snapped a picture in my silicone bundt pan. Mainly to show you how much I love..... a silicone bundt pan.  The preschool teachers gave me this as a gift and I love it.  I still greased and floured but cakes come out perfectly!

These edges are not burnt - fabulously crunchy and sweet!!

Coconut Pound Cake

2 cups sugar
1 cup oil
5 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp coconut extract
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
5 oz coconut

Mix first six ingredients.  Add the dry ingredients and stir until mixed.  Pour mixture into a greased and floured bundt pan.  Bake at 350 for 50 minutes to an hour.  Ready when knife or testing stick comes out clean.

Glaze

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup butter
1 tsp coconut extract

Towards the end of the baking time, mix the above ingredients and bring to a boil.  Pour over the cake as it is removed from the oven.  Let cake set until cooled before inverting cake onto servingplatter.

Printable Version 

Samoa Sheet Cake

My friend Mary had this at work and raved about it.  I told her to bring me the recipe from her friend at work.  The recipe came from Chef in Training.  I love Samoas or Caramel Delights - love anything chocolate and coconut.

I LOVE this cake!  I did improvise and use jarred Mrs. Richardson's Caramel and Butterscotch sauce. Make this cake - so yummy!  This recipe is a keeper.... and a repeater!

Don't let the length of the recipe scare you.  It is easy... just broken down into easy steps!

Samoa Sheet Cake (adapted from Chef in Training)

Cake Ingredients

2 cups flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 cup water
4 Tbsp cocoa
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup buttermilk (made my own with 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 Tbsp vinegar - let stand 5 min)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla

2 1/2 cups coconut, toasted (see below)

Frosting

1/2 cup butter
6 Tbsp milk
3 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/8 cup caramel sauce (save rest of an 8 oz jar)

Drizzle

3/4 cup milk chocolate chips
1 tsp shortening or oil

First, toast the coconut.  Line an 18 x 13 x 1 pan with foil.  Spread coconut thinly over entire sheet. Bake at 375 for about 10 minutes - gently tossing every 2 minutes to make golden brown.  Lift the foil off the pan and allow coconut  to cool.

Make frosting - In a medium microwave safe bowl, combine butter and milk and bring a boil.  Stir in 1/8 cup caramel sauce and then add powdered sugar and then vanilla... mixing until smooth.  Set aside.

Make chocolate drizzle - In a small microwave bowl, melt chocolate chips and shortening in 30 second intervals, stirring in between until completely melted.

For cake - In a large bowl, combine flour and sugar.  In a medium sauce pan, combine butter, water, cocoa and shortening... bring to a boil.  After mixture reaches a boil, gently add to flour mixture and stir until combined.  Add buttermilk, then baking soda, then eggs,  then vanilla.. in that order... mixing in between.  Pour into a greased 18 x 13 x 1 pan.  Bake at 400 for about 18 minutes - or until tester comes out clean.  Immediately after removing cake from the oven, use the stick end of a wooden spoon and gently poke holes in the cake.  Pour the frosting evenly over the cake, spreading as it is going into the holes.  Top with the toasted coconut.  Drizzle with caramel sauce.  Drizzle with chocolate sauce.  Let caramel and chocolate set up before serving.

(If you want to make homemade caramel sauce - use a microwave safe bowl and melt 7 - 8 oz caramel with 1/8 cup evaporated milk, melting in 30 seconds intervals, stirring in between, until smooth and melted)

Printable Version

Blueberry Cream Cheese Butter Cake

I think this recipe caught my eye on Facebook - I actually don't remember. Wherever it was.... it connected me to The Southern Lady Cooks.   I don't normally make fruit cakes or fruit desserts because my girls always want chocolate.  Chris likes fruity desserts but he doesn't always say a whole lot - like the girls.  In fact, when I made this dessert, our middle daughter Jenna said, " Mom, what is this?  This isn't a typical Routh dessert!  Fruit?  walnuts?"  A friend came over and I offered her a piece of cake (the friends know that we usually have yummies around) and Jenna said, "Just know that this isn't a typical Routh Dessert!"  SO funny - these girls!

Anyway, so much as to say, this cake was really yummy.  The tart and sweet was especially good.  It was was gooey and moist - reminded me of a pudding cake that you can sometimes buy in the grocery store.  I did refrigerate it after a couple of days and Chris enjoyed it everyday for breakfast and for a late night treat.  Jenna, on the other hand, only had one bite.  I made her a batch of Everything Cookies 
\the next day - a family favorite!!

The glaze was tart and fabulous.  I had so much... that it was overflowing.  Plan to have a larger plate or poke bigger holes than I did.

P.S.  My preschool teachers gave me a silicone bundt pan a couple of years ago - LOVE IT!!  I can't tell you how easy it is to get the cake out - no more worrying about a bundt cake sticking!!

Blueberry Cream Cheese Butter Cake (adapted from The Southern Lady Cooks)

1 box Kroger Butter Recipe Cake Mix
3 eggs
2/3 cup evaporated milk (small can)
1 1/2 sticks butter, melted
3.5 oz box of Vanilla Instant Pudding and Pie Filling
1   8 oz pkg of cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup water
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 cup walnut pieces

Preheat oven to 350.  Spray your pan well - with a floured baking spray.  In a mixing bowl, combine cake mix, pudding mix, and eggs.  Mix well with mixer.  Add milk and melted butter, cream cheese, water and continue mixing.  Batter will be thick.  Fold in blueberries and walnut pieces.  Pour into well greased pan.  Bake for 55 - 60 minutes or until center is cooked.  Run a knife around the edges.  Let stand 15- 20 minutes before removing from the pan.  Poke holes in cake with a toothpick and pour glaze over cake.  Use remaining glaze to pour over each individual piece.

Glaze:

1/2 cup lemon juice
2 tsp vanilla
3 cups powdered sugar (more or less to get right consistency)

Mix ingredients in a small bowl stirring with a whisk until well combined and desired consistency.

Printable Version

Coconut Cream Pound Cake

Chris and I celebrated our 23rd wedding anniversary on Sunday, June 29th.  I made a cake to celebrate!  Everyone in our family likes pound cake .... and coconut.  I searched and found this Coconut Cream Pound Cake on All-Recipes.  It sounded like exactly what I was looking for.  It was perfect - dense, yummy, buttery, coconutty - we enjoyed it all week.  I think Chris ate a piece for breakfast everyday with his coffee.  Yummy!

Coconut Cream Pound Cake (adapted from All Recipes)

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup butter, softened 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened 3 cups white sugar 6 eggs DIRECTIONS: 1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10 inch tube pan. 2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and cream cheese until well blended. Add sugar, and beat until light and fluffy. Blend in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the coconut extract. Mix in flour and baking powder until just moistened, then stir in coconut. Spoon batter into the prepared pan. 3. Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes in the preheated oven, until a knife inserted into the cake comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting onto a cooling rack. Printable Version

1 teaspoon coconut extract 3 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 2 cups flaked coconut

Coconut Cream Cheese Sheet Cake

This cake is ....AMAZING!  I think I saw the recipe on Facebook - which linked me to Just a Pinch.  I love coconut and how Just a Pinch described the cake - dense and creamy.  I LOVE IT!  It reminds me of a silky, dense poundcake - like my mom's Cream Cheese Poundcake - which is also heavenly.

Just a Pinch recommended cutting into squares and frosting.  I did a few like this - and this would be perfect if I wanted to put the squares on a platter to take somewhere.  But - I took a few pieces to friends and left the rest for my hubby.

Truly, the dense, silky texture of this cake is heavenly.  I will have to make this in a week when our other two girls get home from college.  They will love it!

Please visit Just a Pinch!

Coconut Cream Cheese Sheet Cake - adapted from Just a Pinch

1 cup butter, softened
6 oz cream cheese, softened
6 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract ( I used  1/2 tsp vanilla and 1 tsp coconut extract)
2 1/4 cups cake flour
1/8 cup coconut milk or cream of coconut ( I used cream of coconut)


Frosting ( Just a Pinch recommends doubling this - I forgot - but I did double the toasted coconut)

1/4 cup butter, softened
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 tsp vanilla or coconut extract ( I used coconut)
1 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar
1/2 cup coconut, toasted (followed toasting instructions on bag - I did 1 cup)
**can add a few tablespoons of milk if needed for texture- I added a little cream of coconut)

Preheat the oven to 350.  Spray a 9 x 13 pan with cooking spray.  Cream together butter, cream cheese and sugar.  Beat in eggs one at a time, vanilla and then mix in flour.  Spread batter into prepared 9 x 13 pan.  Bake for 35 - 40 minutes or until a pick comes out clean.  As this cake cools, it will fall.  That is normal for this cake.  Cool on cooling rack.

Frosting - Beat together butter, cream cheese, extract and add sugar.  Mix until well blended.

Toast the coconut - Follow the directions on the bag of coconut;  I toasted mine in the toaster oven at 350 for about 7 minutes - turning very often.  Watch carefully - as it will burn.

Frost cake in pan or gently remove cake from pan and cut the cooled cake into squares.  Top each square with frosting and sprinkle with toasted coconut.

Printable Version

Macadamia Fudge Cake

First, I have to apologize..... I haven't posted a recipe in over a month.  We just took two girls to college last week and preschool started this week.  It has been a crazy time!  No excuses - just didn't do it.  I will post cute apartment/dorm room pics later.

But, onto important things......  This Macadamia Fudge Cake is awesome - serve with fresh whipped cream or Reddi-Wip and your family and guests will love you.  It is easy and it LOOKS fabulous!  Make this for your next gathering!

Macadamia Fudge Cake

1 cup all purpose flour

¾ cup sugar

¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 ½ tsp. instant coffee granules

½ tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. baking soda

¼ tsp. salt

¾ cup sour cream

½ cup butter, softened

½ tsp. vanilla

1 egg

TOPPING

½ cup sugar

4 oz. (4 squares) semi-sweet chocolate

1 cup whipping cream

2 Tbsp. butter

1 Tbsp. corn syrup

1 tsp. vanilla

1 (7 oz.) jar macadamia nuts, halved or slightly chopped

Heat oven to 350.  Line the bottom of a 9 inch round cake pan with wax paper.  I use a spring form pan.  Spray the paper with PAM.  Combine all ingredients for the cake in a large bowl, mix at low speed until well blended.  Pour batter into prepared pan.  Bake at 350 for 30 – 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.  Cool cake 10 minutes on wire rack.  Removed cake from pan; cool completely on rack. 

For topping, combine sugar, chocolate, cream, butter and corn syrup in medium saucepan over medium heat; stirring constantly until mixture boils.  Continue stirring and reduce heat; cook 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.  Cool mixture 10 minutes, stir in nuts. (I reserve a few to sprinkle on top).  Place cooled cake on serving plate.  Pour topping evenly over cake.  Sprinkle reserved nuts on top.  Serve with homemade whipping cream.  

Printable Version

Banana Pound Cake

We love pound cake and we love bananas.  I always seem to have ripe bananas and found this recipe in my Southern Living Homestyle Cooking   .  I try not to cook with shortening since it isn't the healthiest but I gave this a try anyway. It was very yummy - dense and rich like a pound cake but with great banana/pecan flavors!

Banana Pound Cake ( adapted from Southern Living)

1 1/2 cups shortening
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
2 cups mashed bananas
1/3 cup buttermilk  ( made my own with milk and little vinegar)
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups all purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Beat shortening at medium speed with mixer for 2 minutes or until creamy.  Gradually add sugar, beating 5-7 minutes.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating until yellow disappears.

Combine banana, buttermilk and vanilla.  Combine flour, soda and salt;  add to shortening mixture alternately  with banana mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture.  Mix at low speed after each addition just until blended.  Stir in pecans.  Spoon batter into a greased and floured 10 inch tube pan.  Bake at 325 for 1 hour and 15-25 minutes - or until pick inserted comes out clean.  Cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes.  Remove cake from pan, cool completely on wire rack.

Printable Version

Texas Sheet Cake

We just celebrated my husband's birthday.  I usually make a 3 layer German Chocolate cake but opted for a Texas Sheet Cake this time.  I know many of you have a recipe for Texas Sheet Cake but if you don't, I highly recommend this one as my family has been making it for years.  My mom knows this recipe by heart!  I love it - I promise you can't go wrong with this yummy recipe!  Happy Birthday Chris!

Jenna, Meg, Chris and Annie

Happy Birthday to my scruffy husband - "NO-SHAVE" November (Men's Health Campaign at work)

Texas Sheet Cake

Texas Sheet Cake

In a large bowl, sift together:

2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp. or less cinnamon

In a saucepan, bring to a boil stirring. Pour over dry ingredients mixing well:

2 sticks butter
1 cup water
3 level Tbsp cocoa

Another bowl, mix together then add to chocolate mixture:

2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350.  Spray an 11 x 15 jelly roll pan with cooking spray.  Pour in mixture and bake for 25 - 30 or until tester comes out clean.  Make frosting while cake is cooking.  Pour warm frosting over warm cake.

Frosting:

In a saucepan, melt over low heat until edges sizzle:

1 stick butter
6 Tbsp milk
3 Tbsp cocoa,level

Take off heat and add stirring:

1 box powdered sugar ( best if sifted)
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans

Printable Version

The Secret Recipe Club

This is my second month to be a part of The Secret Recipe Club.  I love visiting other blogs and trying recipes but the SRC helps me reach out to new blogs.  I love it.  The month I was assigned Deli-Cute-Essen.  What a great blog! I loved looking all through the blog - tons of cute things and great vegan recipes.  I don't know much about vegan recipes but I loved reading through the different ingredients.  However, I decided to make another cake again this month.  I went with a Mocha Cake.  We loved it.  I couldn't keep my girls out of the frosting - thank goodness we had a little left over!  I chose not put the egg in the frosting - I added a little milk but could probably have left the milk out.  My frosting appears to be a little thinner but still Oh So Yummy!

Also, please visit Deli-Cute-Essen as her picture of this wonderful cake is WAY better than mine!  My girls were diving in as I was trying to take a good picture! :)

Mocha Cake

Cake

2 1⁄4 cups flour
1 1⁄2 teaspoons baking soda
1/3 cups instant coffee
1 1/3 cups water
1 2/3 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup mayonnaise
3 squares (1 oz each) unsweetened chocolate melted and cooled.         

Sift flour with baking soda. Dissolve coffee in water.
Beat sugar, eggs, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Blend in mayonnaise and
chocolate. Add flour mixture alternately with coffee, one third at a time on low
speed of electric mixer. Pour into two greased and floured  9-inch pans. Bake at 350 F for about 35 minutes.

Frosting
4 squares unsweetened chocolate
1⁄2 cup milk
2 tablespoons instant coffee
1 cup butter
3 cups icing sugar
1 egg

Melt chocolate with milk and coffee over hot water. Blend until smooth. Cool.
Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and beat at high speed of
electric mixer for about 1 minute. Add chocolate mixture to butter mixture.
Blend well.

To Assemble Cake
Cut each layer horizontally to make 4 layers. (I didn't split them and ended up with just two layers) Spread each layer with 3⁄4 cup of frosting and cover top and sides of cake.

Printable Version

Hummingbird Cake

I haven't been the best blogger lately.  With the beginning of school, volleyball season for our senior and the start of my preschool year - just a little on the busy side.  I have still been cooking - just not getting it on the blog fast enough.

On that note, I have to say this cake is..... AMAZING!  I had two ripe bananas instead of the normal three I use when I make banana bread.  I remembered this recipe from years back and thought I would give it a try.  I loved it.  It was so moist and flavorful and so yummy.  I did share a quarter of it with our good friends.  Greg gave me a bad time - telling me I was going to have to use a lot of hummingbirds to make a cake. :)  I promise - no hummingbirds were harmed in the making of this cake!

Hummingbird Cake

In a large mixing bowl,  mix by hand...
1 1/2 cups oil
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla

Add...
1 tsp soda
1 tsp cinnamon
3 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt

Mix well.  Add...
2 bananas, mashed
1  ( 8 oz) can crushed pineapple, with juice
1/2 cup coconut
1 cup pecans, chopped

Preheat oven to 350.  Pour well-mixed batter into 3 greased and floured 9 inch cake pans.  (I like to like the bottom of my cake pans with wax paper for ease in removal).  Bake for 25 - 30 minutes or until done.  Cool and frost with cream cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 pkg (16 oz) powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Combine cream cheese and butter and beat until smooth.  Add powdered sugar and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy.  Spread between layers and an on top.  You can spread on the sides too... if you have enough!  Top with chopped pecans.

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The Secret Blog Club

I love blogging and meeting new blogging friends.  Amanda over at Amanda's Cooking started The Secret Recipe Club.  What a fun idea!  Here is how it works..... We join Amanda and then we are each secretly assigned a blog to visit and choose a recipe from this blog to prepare and share the details on our own blog.  I was assigned Koreafornian Cooking.   This was totally new to me and I loved looking around this wonderful blog.  What a great experience to read about different cultures.  I decided to be kind of a wimp though and make a dessert from this fabulous blog.   I wanted to make something I knew my family would eat and enjoy.... and we did.  I made the Saeng Cream Cake and we loved it.  The girls said it reminded them of a yummy strawberry wedding type cake served at a few restaurants here in Omaha.  We were very pleased! 

I didn't change anything about the recipe except I didn't use Madagascar Vanilla - I just used pure Vanilla Extract.  I wanted to keep the recipe as suggested.  Please visit Koreafornian Cooking as I know you will love being creative and trying something new! 

Carrot Cake

My family loves cake and our oldest loves frosting.... so what better cake to make than a carrot cake.  I prefer no raisins and found this recipe in a great little cookbook from a bed and breakfast just outside of my hometown in East Texas.  Roseville Bed and Breakfast serves quite yummy food so I knew their carrot cake would be delicious.  AND.. I was right.  This cake was moist and perfect!  I always manage to change a recipe a tince..... I made this in two round cake pans instead of the 3 suggested.  We loved it!

Carrot Cake (adapted from Roseville Bed and Breakfast)

2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups oil

4 eggs

3 cups carrots, grated

1 tsp salt

2 cups flour

2 tsp soda

2 tsp cinnamon

Cream sugar and oil, adding eggs one at a time.  Add remaining ingredients and pour into 2 greased 9 inch cake pans.  Bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.  Loosen cake from edges allowing to cook in pan for about 10 minutes.  Flip onto a cooling rack and cool completely before frosting. 

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 stick butter, softened

1 8 oz cream cheese, softened

1 tsp vanilla

1 box powdered sugar, sifted

1 1/2 cups chopped pecans

Mix all ingredients together reserving 1/2 cup of chopped pecans to sprinkle on the cake to give a beautiful finishing touch. 

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Sweet Sixteen!

Today is our middle daughter's birthday! We love our Jenna! It was a normal school day for her but all five us went to dinner together. It seems like a rare occasion lately that all 5 of us are at the same place at the same time.

One of Jenna's favorite birthday cakes is the 3 layer cake on the box of Baker's German Chocolate. I decided to opt for an easier version this year - still moist and yummo! We love coconut at our house - I couldn't keep my girls out of the frosting! Thank you to my good friend Barb for this new favorite recipe!

Easy German Chocolate Cake Recipe

1 small box instant chocolate pudding
1 white cake mix
2 cups milk
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 eggs

Whisk pudding and cake mix removing all lumps. Add milk, oil and eggs mixing until well blended. Pour into a greased 9 x 13 pan. Bake at 350 according to directions on box or until toothpick comes out clean.

Frosting

1 cup evaporated milk
1 cup sugar
1 stick butter
3 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup coconut
1/2 cup chopped pecans ( I used twice this)

In medium saucepan, add butter, milk, sugar and slightly beaten egg yolks. Slowly bring to a boil. Boil one minute as frosting thickens. Add vanilla and remove from heat. Add coconut and pecans. Allow to cool and frost.

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A Childhood Favorite

Growing up, I remember having SUNDROP in our "Coke Machine" at church. It was such a favorite - loved the little floaty citrus pieces. You could hold it up to the light and see all of this pulp floating around. Well, Sundrop disappeared years ago but recently I have seen it back in the stores. It no longer has the "floaty citrus" pieces but still good.

Have you ever eaten a Dr. Pepper pound cake or a 7-up pound cake? Well, here is a Sundrop Pound cake. This was just a good, dense, lemony pound cake. You could make the exact same pound cake with any "soda" or "pop". Mellow Yellow or Mountain Dew would be similar to Sundrop.

You can see my youngest alright "snuck" a little piece!

I loved how the glaze sunk to the bottom - so moist and yummy!

SUNDROP Pound Cake (adapted from Dining by Fireflies - Charlotte Jr. League)

1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
3 cups sugar
5 large eggs
3 1/2 cups flour, sifted
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp lemon extract
7 oz Sundrop soft drink

Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
enough Sundrop to reach a "drizzle" texture

Preheat oven to 325. Cream butter, shortening and sugar in a large bowl. Add eggs one at a time - beating after each one. Stir in flour slowly; Add vanilla, lemon and Sundrop. Pour into a butter, floured bundt pan. Bake one hour and twenty minutes. Use a knife to loosen pan from sides. Cool for about 20-30 minutes and then flip onto a plate. Mix glaze and drizzle over the top. After completely cooled, sprinkle with powdered sugar.

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