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.