Aunt Ruth's Favorite White Cake

Yield: Makes one 2-layer cake

Ingredients :

1 package (18-1/4 ounces) white cake mix

1-1/4 cups water

3 eggs

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Creamy White Frosting (recipe follows)

Preparation :

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 8- or 9-inch round cake pans.
• Combine cake mix, water, eggs and oil in large bowl. Beat at medium speed of electric mixer until well blended. Add vanilla and almond extract; mix until well blended. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans.
• Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpicks inserted into centers come out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove cakes from pans to racks; cool completely.
• Prepare Creamy White Frosting. Fill and frost cake with frosting.

Aunt Lucille's Chocolate Pound Cake

Yield: Makes 12 servings

Ingredients :

1. 3 cups all-purpose flour
2. 4 to 5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
3. 1 tablespoon baking powder
4. 1/4 teaspoon salt
5. 1/2 cup (1 stick) margarine or butter
6. 1/2 cup shortening
7. 3 cups sugar
8. 4 eggs
9. 1 cup sweetened condensed milk
10. 1 teaspoon vanilla
11. Chocolate Frosting (recipe follows)

Preparation :

• Preheat oven to 300°F. Grease 10-inch Bundt pan. Set aside.
• Sift flour into medium bowl. Sift again with cocoa, baking powder and salt.
• Beat margarine and shortening 1 minute in large bowl with electric mixer at medium speed. Beat in sugar gradually. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition until blended. Add flour mixture, milk and vanilla; mix well. Pour into prepared pan.
• Bake 1 hour or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool cake completely in pan on wire rack. Prepare Chocolate Frosting. Invert cake onto serving plate. Frost top and sides of cake with frosting.
  

Apple-Walnut Glazed Spice Baby Cakes

Yield: Makes 12 cakes

Ingredients:

All-purpose flour for dusting

1. 1 package (about 18 ounces) spice cake mix
2. 1-1/3 cups plus 3 tablespoons water, divided
3. 3 eggs
4. 1/3 cup vegetable oil
5. 1/2 teaspoon vanilla butter and nut flavoring*
6. 3/4 cup chopped walnuts
7. 12 ounces Granny Smith apples, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
8. 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
9. 1 jar (12 ounces) caramel ice cream topping

Preparation :

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease and flour 12 (1-cup) mini bundt pans.
• Beat cake mix, 1-1/3 cups water, eggs, oil and flavoring in large bowl 30 seconds on low speed of electric mixer. Beat 2 minutes at medium speed.
• Spoon batter evenly into prepared pans. Bake 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted near centers of cakes comes out almost clean. Cool in pans on wire rack 15 minutes. Carefully invert cakes from pans to wire rack; cool completely.
• Meanwhile, place 12-inch skillet over medium high heat until hot. Add walnuts; cook 3 minutes or until walnuts are lightly browned, stirring frequently. Remove nuts to small bowl. In same skillet, combine apples, remaining 3 tablespoons water and cinnamon; cook and stir over medium-high heat 3 minutes or until apples are crisp-tender. Remove from heat; stir in walnuts and caramel topping. Spoon glaze over each cake.

Apple-Gingerbread Mini Cakes

Prep and Cook Time: 20 minutes

Yield: Makes 10 cakes

Ingredients:

1. 1 large Cortland or Jonathan apple, cored and quartered
2. 1 package (14-1/2 ounces) gingerbread cake and cookie mix
3. 1 cup water
4. 1 egg
5. Powdered sugar (optional)

Preparation:

• Lightly grease 10 (6-ounce) microwavable custard cups; set aside. Grate apple in food processor or with hand-held grater.
• Combine grated apple, cake mix, water and egg in medium bowl; stir until well blended. Spoon about 1/3 cup batter into each custard cup, filling cups half full.
• Arrange 5 cups in microwave. Microwave on HIGH 2 minutes. Rotate cups 1/2 turn. Microwave 1 minute more or until cakes are springy when touched and look slightly moist on top. Cool on wire rack. Repeat with remaining cakes.
• To unmold cakes, while still warm run small knife around edges of custard cups to loosen. Invert onto cutting board and tap lightly until cake drops out. Place on plates. When cool enough, sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired. Serve warm or at room temperature.
  

Serving Suggestion: Serve with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream or crème anglaise.

Almond Flour Pound Cake

Yield: Makes 9 (1-inch) slices











Ingredients:

1. 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
2. 1/2 cup cream cheese, softened
3. 3/4 cup sugar substitute*
4. 2 tablespoons brown sugar
5. 4 eggs
6. 1 teaspoon vanilla
7. 2 cups almond flour**
8. 1 teaspoon baking powder
9. 1/2 teaspoon salt
10. 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
11. 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
12. 1 tablespoon honey roasted sliced almonds
13. Berries and whipped cream (optional)

Preparation:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 9X5-inch loaf pan (or two mini loaf pans) with nonstick cooking spray.
• Beat butter, cream cheese, sugar substitute and brown sugar in large bowl with electric mixer until well blended.
• Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Beat in vanilla.
• Combine almond flour with salt, baking powder, ginger and cardamom in medium bowl. Gradually add to egg mixture while beating on medium speed.
• Pour into prepared pan; sprinkle with honey-roasted almonds. Bake 45 to 55 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Serve with berries and whipped cream, if desired.

Black Forest Cake

Yield: Makes one 3-layer cake

Ingredients:

1 package (2-layer size) chocolate cake mix plus ingredients to prepare mix

2 cans (20 ounces each) tart pitted cherries, undrained

1 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Frosting (recipe follows)

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans; set aside.
2. Prepare cake mix according to package directions. Divide batter between prepared pans.
3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpicks inserted into centers come out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans; cool completely on racks.
4. Meanwhile, drain cherries, reserving 1/2 cup juice. Combine reserved juice, cherries, sugar and cornstarch in 2-quart saucepan. Cook over low heat until thickened, stirring constantly. Stir in vanilla. Prepare Frosting.
5. With long serrated knife, split each cooled cake layer horizontally in half. Crumble one split layer; set aside.
6. Reserve 1-1/2 cups Frosting for decorating cake. Place one cake layer on cake plate. Spread with 1 cup Frosting; top with 3/4 cup cherry topping. Top with second cake layer; repeat layers of Frosting and cherry topping. Top with third cake layer.
7. Frost side of cake with remaining Frosting. Pat reserved crumbs onto frosting on side of cake. Spoon reserved frosting into pastry bag fitted with star decorator tip. Pipe around top and bottom edges of cake. Spoon remaining Cherry Topping onto top of cake.
   

Frosting: Combine 3 cups cold whipping cream and 1/3 cup powdered sugar in chilled deep medium bowl. Beat at high speed of electric mixer until stiff peaks form.

Lady Bugs

Yield: Makes 2 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

3/4 cup shortening

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup honey

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup cornmeal

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

Orange and black icings

Miniature yellow candy-coated chocolate pieces

Preparation:

1. Beat shortening, sugar and honey in large bowl at medium speed of electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; beat until well blended. Combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt in medium bowl. Add to shortening mixture; mix at low speed until blended. Shape dough into disc. Wrap in plastic wrap; chill 2 hours or overnight.

2. Preheat oven to 375°F. Divide dough into 24 equal sections. Shape each piece into 2X1-1/4-inch oval-shaped ball. Place balls 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.

3. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on cookie sheets 2 minutes. Remove to wire racks; cool completely.

4. Decorate cookies with orange and black icings and candy-coated pieces to resemble lady bugs.

Alien Faces

Yield: Makes 36 cookies










Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup shortening

1 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 cups all-purpose flour, divided

1 teaspoon baking powder

2-1/2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

1/3 cup cream

Black decorating gel or black gumdrops

Preparation:

1. Cream butter, shortening and granulated sugar with electric mixer on medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes. Mix in corn syrup, eggs, vanilla and almond extracts and salt; mix until fluffy. Sift together 1-3/4 cups flour and baking powder and stir into sugar mixture; blend well. Cover dough; refrigerate 2 to 3 hours.

2. Preheat oven to 375°F. Sprinkle flat surface with remaining flour and roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut out faces with oval or egg shaped cookie cutters. Use edge of a teaspoon to form teardrop-shaped eyes. Place cookies on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until sides begin to brown slightly. Cool on cooling rack positioned over sheet of waxed paper.

3. To make glaze, sift confectioners' sugar and add cream, tablespoon by tablespoon, until smooth and thin. Pour glaze over cooled cookies on rack. (Waxed paper will catch drips.) Once glaze is dry, decorate faces with black gel or use sliced black gumdrops to make eyes.

Burger Mania

Yield: Makes 34 to 38 servings

Ingredients:

9-1/2

cups cake batter

1 (10-inch) round cake board, covered

1 container (16 ounces) white frosting, divided

1 container (16 ounces) chocolate frosting

12 green gumdrops

1 to 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 2-quart ovenproof bowl and 2 (8-inch) round cake pans. Pour 4 cups cake batter into prepared bowl; pour 2-3/4 cups cake batter into each cake pan. Bake cake in bowl 60 to 70 minutes and cakes in pans about 35 minutes or until wooden skewer inserted into centers comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes in pans. Loosen edges; invert onto wire racks and cool completely.

2. Trim flat side of bowl cake and tops of round cakes.

3.

Reserve 1/2 cup white frosting; set aside. Blend 1/4 cup chocolate frosting with
remaining white frosting to create tan color.

4. Place one round cake layer on prepared cake board. Frost with tan frosting. Top with second round cake layer; frost with chocolate frosting. Place bowl cake, flat side down, on top of chocolate frosted layer; frost with tan frosting.

5. Flatten gumdrops with rolling pin on smooth, flat surface or sheet of waxed paper sprinkled with sugar. Roll until very thin (about 1/16 inch), turning frequently to coat with sugar. Cut ruffled edge on gumdrops with sharp knife or scissors; tuck underneath chocolate frosted layer to resemble pickles or lettuce.

6. Divide reserved white frosting in half; tint half red and half yellow. Using medium writing tip, pipe frosting around edges of bowl cake to resemble ketchup and mustard. Sprinkle sunflower seeds on top of cake.