Angel Food Cake/Strawberry Shortcake

This is one of our all-time favorite summertime treats around here.  We have it at least once a month.  It is so good and it's healthier than lots of other treats.  We always turn our angel food cake into strawberry shortcake because it's just that much more tasty!  All you do is add some slightly sweetened strawberries and a bit of whipped cream and there you go!  YUM!

Angel Food Cake:

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 cups egg whites (about 12)
• 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (or you could try another flavor, like orange)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sugar

Directions:

1. Let egg whites sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
2. Sift powdered sugar and flour together three times; set aside. 
3. Add cream of tartar, extracts and salt to egg whites.  Beat on high speed. 
4. Gradually add sugar, beating until sugar is dissolved and stiff peaks form. 
5. Gently fold in flour mixture, 1/4 cup at a time.  Spoon into an ungreased 10-in. tube pan. Cut through batter with a knife to remove air pockets. 
6. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40-45 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched and is not sticky.  Immediately invert pan; cool completely before removing cake from pan.  

I found this recipe for angel food cake here. 

Here is the finished cake!

Mmm...so light and fluffy!

It looks delicious but it seems to be missing something...

That looks better but it is still missing something...

Perfect!  Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go eat my strawberry shortcake.

 

Simply Perfect Cinnamon Rolls

I love a good cinnamon roll, but then who doesn't?  I mean I suppose if you searched hard enough you could probably find someone who hates them, but why waste all that time when you could be eating a fresh batch of these?  Our neighbors used to bring us some of these divine rolls every now and then...but then they moved away :(.  I love this recipe for cinnamon rolls because it is quicker than most other recipes I have tried.  It only requires to raise the dough once, after you make it into the rolls, instead of twice like most recipes.  They come out so light and fluffy and completely delicious!  This recipe makes a ton of them too, so if you don't want to accidentally eat 30+ rolls, plan on sharing them (or cut the recipe in half).  I hope you like them as much as we do!

PS: I got this recipe from our old neighbor, who posted it on her inspiring blog here.

Cinnamon Rolls:

Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups warm water
1/2 cup olive oil
3/4 cup sugar
3 TBSP yeast
3 eggs
1 TBSP salt
8- 10 cups flour (enough to make a sticky dough)
1/2 cup (1 stick) melted butter
brown sugar, cinnamon, and raisins (if desired but I think they're gross)

Directions:
1.  Mix the water, olive oil, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl and let sit for 15 minutes.  It should get all foamy and bubbly like this:

2.  Then add the eggs, salt, and flour.  Mix the flour in a little at a time until it makes a fairly sticky dough.  Knead for 3-5 minutes. 
3.  Roll into a rectangle on a lightly floured surface.  You might want to divide the dough in half and do 2 smaller rectangles because mine ended up being huge!  (like about as long as a yardstick!)  Spread the melted butter evenly across the dough.  Sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon to your liking.  Add raisins if you want, but I really don't know why you would want them, they are gross.  Roll up into a big log starting with a long side and cut into 1-inch pieces.  (It works really well to cut with a piece of floss or a knife with a serrated edge.)

 

4.  Place cut rolls onto greased cookie sheets and let rise for about 20 minutes.  Bake at 380F (I did 375) for 15-17 minutes or until just barely starting to turn golden brown.  Frost with a powdered sugar glaze, if desired.  Eat!

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Icing

Carrot cake is one of those classic desserts that will always be popular but it's not my personal favorite. I mean it's okay but I prefer to keep my vegetables as a side dish and chocolate in my dessert.  Anyways, I had somebody order a carrot cake from me for her daughter's 7th birthday recently.  She told me that her husband never eats her carrot cake but he went back for seconds of mine.  She has been asking for the recipe since so I thought I would be nice and share it here, with all of you.  You could also try my chocolate carrot cake recipe (mmm...chocolate) here.

Carrot Cake:

Ingredients: 

1-1/2 cups Sugar 
1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar
1 cup Vegetable Oil 
4 whole Eggs 
2 cups All-purpose Flour 
1/2 teaspoon Salt 
1 teaspoon Baking Soda 
1 teaspoon Baking Powder 
2 teaspoons Ground Cinnamon 
2 cups Grated Carrots 
1 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts, optional 


Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 350F
2.  Mix together the sugar, oil and eggs in a large bowl.
3.  In another bowl mix together flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon and add to wet mixture.
4. Then add carrots and nuts (if desired) and mix well.
5.  Pour into a greased and floured 9 x 13 pan and bake at 350F for about 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool completely before frosting with the cream cheese icing (recipe below).

Mix the eggs, sugars, and oil.

Add the dry ingredients.

Add the carrots and nuts (a food processor is the ONLY way to grate that many carrots!)

Pour it in the pan.

And here is the final product

Cream Cheese Icing:

Ingredients:

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, softened
1 8oz. package of cream cheese, softened
4 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla

Directions:

Mix the butter and cream cheese on medium-high speed for a few minutes until smooth, light, and fluffy.  Add the vanilla.  Gradually add the powdered sugar, a little at a time, mixing on low speed. When the powdered sugar is incorporated beat on medium-high speed for about 30 seconds to make sure everything is well mixed and fluffy.  Frost cake. (and don't forget to lick the bowl!)

Cinnamon Roll Cookies

Can't decide whether to make cinnamon rolls or cookies?  Try these cinnamon roll cookies!  They are simple and very tasty.  You can frost them with cream cheese icing or drizzle them with a powdered sugar glaze or have them plain.   I left these plain so you can see the cinnamon swirls.

Cinnamon Roll Cookies:

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening (butter flavored works well)
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

FILLING:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup butter
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine the 1 teaspoon cinnamon, flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.  
2. In a separate bowl, cream together the butter, shortening, and sugars until smooth. Beat in the eggs and vanilla.  Add the flour mixture and mix well.  Cover and refrigerate dough for at least 1 hour so it is easier to handle.
3. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) and lightly spray your cookie sheets with cooking spray.  
4. For the filling, mix the brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon in a microwave safe bowl.  Microwave for 30 seconds and stir.  Microwave an additional 30 seconds or until butter is melted.  Mix well. 
5. Break the dough into 2 halves.  On a lightly floured surface, roll out each half of the dough to a 12x6 inch rectangle. Spread 1/2 of the cinnamon mixture over each rectangle. Roll each one lengthwise into a log. Cut into 1 inch segments.  Place on cookie sheets cut side down.
6. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until just starting to turn golden brown around the edges. Flip cookie sheet over onto a tray to remove cookies while they are still very hot.  If desired, frost them when cooled.

Sweet Cherry Pie

It seems like most cherry pies are made with sour cherries or canned cherry pie filling, which make a fine cherry pie, but here is a recipe for a little sweeter cherry pie using frozen cherries.

Sweet Cherry Pie:

Ingredients:
Pie crust for a 2 layer 9 inch pie
5-6 cups frozen dark red cherries
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour

Directions:

1.  Place frozen cherries in a large bowl. If time permits, let them thaw for about an hour.  This will help them absorb the flour and sugar better.

2.  Preheat oven to 350°F.

3.  Mix sugar and flour in a small bowl. Pour over cherries and mix to blend. Let the mixture sit for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.  (If the flour/sugar mixture isn't all absorbed just pour the extra over the cherries in the pie crust.)

4.  Pour into pie crust and spread evenly.

5.  Roll out top pie crust and place on top of berries.  A lattice crust is always very pretty for fruit pies or you can use small cookie cutters like I did on this one to make cute cut-outs.  If you don't feel like doing anything fancy you can just do a plain top and cut some slits in the top so steam can get out.  Fold the top crust under the edge of the bottom crust and pinch tight to make a pretty border.

6.  Bake at 350 for about an hour or until the crust is golden brown and the juices are bubbling.  If the edges start to get too brown cover them with foil for the remaining cook time.

*Pies can leak over the edge so put a cookie sheet or liner on an oven rack below the pie to catch the mess.*

Sugar Cookie Bars

You know when you get that craving for a nice thick, soft sugar cookie but you don't want to go through the hassle of rolling and cutting and making a huge mess?  Well, these are your answer.  You make the dough, press it into the pan, and you're done!  You can frost these with buttercream or cream cheese frosting.  If you don't like frosting just sprinkle them with colored sugar sprinkles before baking.

Sugar Cookie Bars:

Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
5 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Combine flour, salt, and baking soda in a bowl and set aside.  In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until nice and fluffy.  Add eggs and vanilla and mix well.  Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture a little at a time, until completely combined.  Spray a 13x18 baking sheet with cooking spray.  Press dough into pan making sure it's even all the way across.  Bake for 10-12 minutes or until light golden brown across the top.  Cool completely before frosting. 

*For softer cookies, do not overbake*

Apple Cupcakes with Caramel Frosting

Here's a nice fall treat recipe.  What says fall better than caramel apples?  These are very simple to throw together.  I got these from Taste of Home. 


Apple Cupcakes with Caramel Frosting:

CUPCAKES:
Ingredients:
1 box spice cake mix (or you can use carrot cake mix or plain yellow cake mix)
Ingredients on cake mix package
2 cups peeled and finely chopped tart apples


Directions: 
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line cupcake pan with paper liners.  Prepare cake mix according to package directions.  Fold in chopped apple pieces.  Fill cupcake pans 2/3 full.  Bake according to package directions.

CARAMEL FROSTING:
Ingredients:
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
2-1/2 to 3 cups powdered sugar

Directions:
In a heavy saucepan, combine brown sugar, butter, and milk.  Bring to a boil over medium heat.  Cook and stir for 2 minutes.  Remove from heat and add vanilla.  Cool to lukewarm.  Gradually beat in powdered sugar until frosting is the right consistency.  Frost cupcakes.  If you want you can stick a caramel apple stick in each one and sprinkle with toasted pecans.

Mini French Toast Cupcakes

Want to try a new dessert that could be breakfast too?  Try these french toast cupcakes.  I found this recipe on BigOven.com and I thought it sounded like it would be worth a try.  I don't think it tasted exactly like french toast but they are VERY yummy! 


Mini French Toast Cupcakes:

Cupcakes: 

Ingredients:

1 ½ flour

1 ½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar

½ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled

2 eggs

2 teaspoons maple extract

½ cup milk

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a mini-muffin pan with paper liners or spray with non-stick cooking spray.

2.  Mix flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl.  Set aside.

3.  Cream butter and sugar.  Add maple extract and eggs and beat until well blended.  

4.  Alternate milk and dry ingredients adding a little at a time and mix well.  Fill muffin cups about 1/2 full.  Bake for 12-14 minutes until done.  Cool completely.

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Icing:

Ingredients:

1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, at room temperature

1 stick butter, at room temperature

4 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 tbsp maple syrup

Directions:
Cream the butter and cream cheese until smooth and fluffy.  Add the powdered sugar, a little at a time, until the sugar is well incorporated. Add the cinnamon and maple syrup and mix well.  Frost cooled cupcakes.

Banana Split Cake with Homemade Hot Fudge

Here is a fun new twist on the banana split.  I found this recipe in an old Betty Crocker cookbook I have.  You make a banana cake to use instead of the bananas and then top the cake with the ice cream and toppings.  This cake is perfect for a summertime treat and it's great to share with friends!  I also made homemade hot fudge to go with it because it's super easy and very tasty (recipe below).  Give it a try!


Banana Split Cake:


Ingredients:
1 box yellow or golden butter cake mix
1 box (4-serving size) banana instant pudding (or you can use vanilla)
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla
4 eggs
2 ripe bananas, mashed (about 3/4 cup)

Directions:
1.  Heat oven to 350 degrees F.  Spray bottom only of 9x13-inch pan with baking spray with flour. 
2.  In a large bowl, beat all cake ingredients with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds.  Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.  Pour into pan.
3.  Bake for 45-50 minutes or until deep golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool completely, about 1 hour.  Cut cake in half lengthwise, and cut crosswise 11 times to make a total of 24 slices. 
4.  Place 2 cake slices in each banana split dish and top with ice cream and toppings of your choice. 

Homemade Hot Fudge Sauce:


Ingredients:
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
4 (1 oz) squares semisweet baking chocolate
2 tbsp butter (use only BUTTER)
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:
In a small saucepan over medium-low heat stir milk, chocolate, and butter until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is smooth.  Remove from heat and mix in vanilla until well blended.  Store in the refrigerator.

Jell-O Candy Popcorn

My daughter just had a Pinkalicious party for her 6th birthday and we thought that pink popcorn would be a fun treat.   I think we found this recipe on ourbestbites.com.  You can use any flavor or color of Jell-O you would like.  We used strawberry.  If you prefer a milder flavor (like me) just use about half of the Jell-O.  If you like a strong fruity flavor use the whole thing.  Enjoy!


Jell-O Candy Popcorn


Ingredients:
About 10-12 cups of plain popped popcorn
1/4 cup butter
4 tbsp light corn syrup
1/2 cup sugar
1 (3oz) box Jell-O, any flavor (not sugar-free)

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.  Line 2 cookie sheets with foil and spray lightly with cooking spray.  Set aside.
2.  Place popcorn in a very large mixing bowl and set aside.
3.  Put corn syrup and butter in a small sauce pan over medium heat.  Stir until butter is melted.  Add sugar and Jell-O and mix well.  After the mixture boils turn down the heat and let it simmer for 5 minutes, stirring constantly so it doesn't burn to the bottom of your pot. 
4.  Immediately pour over the bowl of popcorn.  BE CAREFUL!  It's VERY HOT!  Mix right away and stir until all of the popcorn is evenly coated.  Spread evenly onto the 2 cookie sheets.
5.  Bake in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes.  After it cools to room temperature break it into pieces and enjoy! 

**If you want to make popcorn balls, skip the baking and just form it into balls immediately after mixing it but don't get burned!**

White Chocolate Buttercream Icing

This is a super easy recipe for white chocolate buttercream icing.  I just used it on some white chocolate cupcakes with raspberry filling for my sister's wedding.  Her wedding cake was also white chocolate cake with the white chocolate buttercream.  Yummy!  


White Chocolate Buttercream:

Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup white chocolate chips, melted and cooled
1 lb. powdered sugar
2-4 tbsp milk

Directions:
Cream butter with mixer on medium speed for 3-5 minutes until light and fluffy.  Add vanilla and melted white chocolate.  Add powdered sugar on low speed, a little at a time, until incorporated.  Add milk 1 tbsp at a time until you reach your desired consistency.  Spread on your favorite cake or cupcakes!  YUM!

Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes

Chocolate and Raspberry are always a good combination!  These are a chocolate cupcake filled with raspberry jam and topped with raspberry buttercream icing, drizzled with chocolate-raspberry ganache, and topped with a fresh raspberry.  If you are looking for something extra-special to make for mom for Mother's Day, you could try this recipe.  If you don't want to make the cupcakes from scratch you can always use a chocolate cake mix and then add the raspberry filling and frosting.

Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes:

CUPCAKES:
Ingredients:

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar (not packed)
1 3/4 cup flour

3/4 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 tsp vanilla

1 cup boiling water

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour cupcake pans or use paper liners.
2.  Mix all the dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl. 
3.  Add the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla.  Beat with a mixer for about two minutes, occasionally scraping the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. 
4.  Add the boiling water, and mix just until blended.  The batter should be watery, so don't freak out!
5.  Evenly pour the batter into the liners, about 1/2-2/3 full.  Bake for 18-22 minutes, until a toothpick poked into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.  Cool and frost.

FILLING:
Ingredients:
1 cup seedless raspberry jam

Directions:
When cupcakes have cooled, microwave jam for about 20-30 seconds to make it easier to pipe, but be careful not to make it too watery or it will just ooze all over.  Dump jam into an icing bag with a pastry-filling tip (or you can use just a large icing tip).  Stick the tip into the center of the cupcake and squeeze about 2 tsp of jam into each cupcake.

RASPBERRY BUTTERCREAM ICING:
Ingredients:
1 cup softened BUTTER, no substitutes
1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam
1/4 tsp raspberry extract (optional)
6 cups powdered sugar
pink food coloring, if desired

Directions:
Beat butter on medium speed for about 3 minutes or until very creamy and fluffy.  Add jam and raspberry extract and mix well.  Gradually add powdered sugar, a little at a time, until it is all combined and a good consistency.  If you want you can add some food coloring to make your icing more pink. ( I did)  Frost cupcakes.

CHOCOLATE-RASPBERRY GANACHE:
Ingredients:
5 oz. semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/4 cup raspberry jam

1/4 tsp raspberry extract (optional)
1/3 cup heavy cream

Directions:
Place jam, chocolate, and extract in a small bowl.  Heat cream to boiling in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Pour cream in bowl and whisk until chocolate is completely melted and smooth.  Cool about 15 minutes or until it is thickened enough to spoon over cupcakes.  Top cupcakes with fresh raspberries, if desired.

For an extra treat, try cooling ganache until it is thick enough to pipe into the raspberries to make little raspberry truffles to top your cupcakes.  YUM!

Bananas Foster Sundaes!

All I can say is Mmmmm!  Next time you have one of those killer ice cream cravings, try this recipe!  It's yummy and really simple to make.  Plus, the bananas make it halfway healthy, right? :o)


Bananas Foster Sundaes

Ingredients:
1 stick butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup rum (or you can substitute rum extract or leave it out altogether)
4 large bananas
your favorite vanilla ice cream

Directions:
In a medium-sized skillet melt butter and brown sugar over medium heat, stirring frequently.  Continue stirring and cooking about 3 minutes or until it starts to thicken.  Stir in vanilla and rum, if desired.  Slice bananas and stir them in slowly.  Turn heat to low and cook just until bananas are heated through, but not mushy.  Spoon over your favorite vanilla ice cream and enjoy! 

Buttercream and Chocolate Frosting

I had several people ask me for the recipes for my butter cream and chocolate frosting tonight at a cake decorating class.  I thought I would just post them on here so everyone could see them.  Enjoy!

Butter Cream Frosting:

Ingredients:

½ cup softened butter

½ cup shortening

1 tsp vanilla

1 lb. powdered sugar

2-4 tbsp milk

Directions:

Cream butter and shortening at med-high speed until creamy and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes.  Add vanilla and mix well.  Add powdered sugar, a little at a time, mixing well after each addition.  Add a little milk at a time until you reach the right consistency. 

 











Chocolate Frosting:

Ingredients:

1 cup softened butter

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup cocoa powder

½ cup milk

4-5 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

Cream butter until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes.  Add vanilla, cocoa powder, and milk and mix well.  Gradually add powdered sugar until desired thickness and consistency.

Lemon Strawberry Cheesecake Cupcakes

Lemon Strawberry Cheesecake Cupcakes!  Whew, what a mouthful!  These tasty treats are perfect when you want something a little more than the ordinary everyday cupcake.  They are a nice blend of lemon and strawberry and the cream cheese makes them so they are not too sweet.  Delicious!

Lemon Strawberry Cheesecake Cupcakes:

Ingredients:
CAKE:
1 box lemon cake mix (you can make your own batter from scratch, but I'm trying to keep this blog simple)
Eggs, water, and oil called for on cake mix box
1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup strawberry jam
1 egg
1/4 cup sugar
red food coloring, optional
FROSTING:
1 8oz. package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup strawberry jam
1/4 tsp lemon extract
1 lb. powdered sugar
red food coloring, optional


Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line muffin pans with cupcake liners.  Make the lemon cake mix according to package directions.
2.  In a separate bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth and fluffy.  Add jam, egg, sugar and about 4 drops of food coloring, if desired.  Beat until smooth.
3.  Fill cupcake liners 1/3 full with cake batter.  Add a spoonful of cream cheese batter and then fill with remaining cake batter until the cupcake liners are about 3/4 full.  Bake for 16-18 minutes or until toothpick inserted in middle of a cupcake comes out clean.  Let cool completely before icing.
4.  For the frosting beat cream cheese and butter in mixing bowl until fluffy and smooth.
5.  Add jam, lemon extract, and 4 drops of food coloring, if desired, and mix well.  Gradually add powdered sugar, a little at a time, until desired thickness and consistency.
6.  Frost cupcakes and place them in the refrigerator to set.  Keep them refrigerated.



**If the jam is too sweet for you try thawing some frozen strawberries and then pureeing them in a food processor instead of the jam.**