Pumpkin Cake

This is one dessert I don't make very often. It isn't that it is that complicated. Or that I don't want to. It is rather that I would eat it every day of my life if I could. And my waist certainly doesn't need that! So I typically make it once or twice each fall and then dream about it the rest of the year.

Oh, this recipe came from my co-worker Patti B. She made it for a faculty "reception" or something. I was hooked on the first bite. It is now a family favorite. I am sure with pumpkin in it, it has to be at least a little healthy. Right? :)


Cake-
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla

2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cocoa
3 tsp cinnamon

1 1/2 cups pumpkin (which is basically one regular can of pumpkin)

Directions:
Mix sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, and vanilla together well. I use my mixer to make sure it mixes well.

Sift flour, salt, baking soda, cocoa, and cinnamon together. Add to the first mixture.

Add pumpkin.

Pour into prepare angel food pan or bundt pan. Bake at 350 for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Caramel Sauce-
And yes, this is probably my very favorite part...
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1/2 tsp vanilla

Melt butter in a small saucepan and add sugar. Cook until sugar is dissolved. Add evaporated milk and vanilla. Serve hot over cake.

Enjoy!

Reba

One Minute Peanut Butter/Chocolate Cake

This is another Pinterest recipe.

Last week, I tried another "microwave cake" recipe with the kids. It didn't work so well. It looked good but it was similar to eating a sponge.

So I was hesitant when I saw yet another microwave cake recipe.

Except the picture (the original one, not mine above) caught my eye. That and the whole peanut butter thing.

In fact, I couldn't get it out of my mind.

So that very night, I just had to try it myself.

And I liked it.

So this week, after dinner one night, I put all of the ingredients out on the table and I let the kids make their own.

The kids liked them too.

The original recipe can be found here.

Ingredients:
1 egg, beaten
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder (NOT soda)
1 heaping tbsp flour
2 tbsp peanut butter (I use the "natural" kind)
2 tsp or so chocolate chips (I used the mini, semi-sweet chocolate)...this is optional :)
1 tsp milk
1 tbsp powdered sugar

Directions:
Mix together the egg, brown sugar, baking powder, flour, peanut butter, and chocolate chips.

Spoon/pour into a greased ramekin.

Put in the microwave for 30 seconds. (I have been putting it for closer to 50...I try to be cautious when it comes to eggs.)

Meanwhile, stir together the milk and powdered sugar.

When the cake is down, pour the "frosting" over the top and enjoy.

I have made the "frosting" both times and it is okay but I would eat the cake without it too...

It is a nice quick fix for a sweet craving, and if you like peanut butter and chocolate, this will do the trick!

Fresh Strawberry Pound Cake

Confession: I have never made this cake. However, every year for my birthday, my mom makes this cake at my request. It is the one and only time I get to eat it during the year. That may be for the best. I could eat the whole cake. Every week. My favorite way to eat it is with a big scoop of (light) ice cream...I love them mixed together. And just for the record...NO chocolate. That is a big surprise for those who know me and my love for chocolate.

Anyway, thanks to my mom for sharing the recipe.

CAKE:
1 white cake mix
1 cup fresh strawberries, crushed
1 3 ounce package strawberry flavored Jello
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, room temperature


GLAZE:
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup strawberries, mashed


Combine cake ingredients together in a large mixing bowl; mix for 3 minutes.

Pour into a well greased and floured tube pan.

Bake at 325° for 45-55 minutes or until cake tests done.

Cool in pan on rack for 10 minutes; remove to a serving plate.

Combine glaze ingredients until smooth and spread over cake.'

It has to be healthy, right? It has fruit in it. :)

Enjoy!

Strawberry Refrigerator Sheet Cake

Okay, confession. I call it "poke" cake though I know there is a real "poke" cake out there nothing like this. But when you see the directions, you will understand where I am coming from. There is a method to my madness.

Anyway, this is a family favorite, though I don't make it too often (maybe because I know I will eat it). The recipe comes from my mom.

Ingredients:
1 package yellow cake mix (since I was making this for a Fourth of July celebration, I used white)
1 package strawberry gelatin
3/4 cup boiling water
1/2 cup cold water

Topping Ingredients:
1 vanilla instant pudding and pie fill mix (4 serving size)
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 cup cold milk
1 8oz container Cool Whip, thawed

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.

Dissolve gelatin in 3/4 cup boiling water. Add 1/2 cup cold water. Set aside at room temperature.

Mix and bake cake as directed in a 13x9x2 inch pan. Cool cake 20-25 minutes. Poke deep holes through the top of the warm cake (still in pan) with a meat fork or a toothpick. Space holes about one inch apart. With a cup (I actually found a baster easier to use), slowly pour gelatin mixture into holes. Refrigerate cake while preparing topping.

Combine pudding mix, sugar, and milk in a small bowl. Beat slowly with electric mixer until well blended, about 1 minute. Fold in whipped topping. Spread on cake at once. Refrigerate.

I decided to add some colored sugars to go with the patriotic theme. Normally I would just serve it plain.

My kids LOVE this cake.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Pound Cake

My husband's favorite "birthday" cake is a chocolate pound cake. Well, it is his favorite any time cake. I don't make it often because it is takes quite a while to bake (and that means planning ahead). But since he just had his birthday and all, I decided to forgo a nap to get this in the oven.

I am pretty sure this came from the Internet but from where? I have no idea. I have had it for a while.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter softened (which requires more planning ahead since you have to set that out a while before...)
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 3 cups granulated sugar
• 5 eggs, beaten
• 3 cups cake flour (you will find this on the baking aisle)
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 5 tbsp cocoa
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract

Directions:
Cream butter, shortening, and sugar with mixer.

Add eggs. Mix well.

Sift dry ingredients. Add to butter mixture, alternately with milk and vanilla extract.

Grease and flour a 10 inch tube pan. Pour in batter. (The batter is fairly thick, so it is more like "scrape in" batter.)

Bake at 300 degrees for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

I check with a cake test (like a long toothpick) before removing from the oven.

Cool 5 minutes before removing from the pan.

I have a note on my recipe that this freezes well, but with my husband, we rarely have any leftover to freeze...

Enjoy!

Reba
PS As you can tell from the picture, though it is chocolate, it is nothing like having a chocolate cake or pie. It is a hint of chocolate, not overpowering at all.

Buttercream Frosting

Someone at our house has a birthday coming up this weekend. That means it is time for me to get my decorating tips out to attempt to create a cake masterpiece. No, not really. I am not that talented. But if the kids know what I am attempting, then I have done my job.

I know it would be a LOT easier if I would just go buy a cake. Probably a lot nicer looking too. But I have a confession. I am a frosting snob. Completely. I blame it on my mom. She always made our cakes and used buttercream frosting. After having that, I have yet to find another frosting that comes close.

I have gotten smart enough to know now to make the frosting a day before the cake. Decorating takes long enough without mixing up the frosting too.

So that was my night.

It always takes longer than I think it will. But I treated myself with licking one of the beaters from the mixer so I can't complain too much.

Here is the buttercream frosting I use which is probably a lot like other buttercream frostings. Even if you don't have a cake to decorate, make some sometime and spread it on graham crackers. Yum.

Buttercream Frosting
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 tsp vanilla
4 cups powdered sugar (sifted)
1 tbsp plus 1 tsp milk

Directions:Cream margarine and shortening using mixer.

Add vanilla.
Here is a pic of my favorite sifter. I have tried others including one that involved me pressing on a lever (and hurt my fingers after just a few minutes) and a battery operated one that died after about the second time I used it. This one is easy and quick. Love it.

Anyway, add sifted powdered sugar 1 cup at a time. Mix (I would use a lower speed for this part because the powdered sugar will fly everywhere otherwise!).

Add milk then beat on high until light and fluffy. Sometimes I add a little more milk if it isn't creamy enough.

When you are done, you will have a big bowl of this: (note: Pic is a small bowl...I had already divided it)

The fun part with buttercream is that you can make just about any color you want...
Just remember that the colors will darken over time.

My advice: If you have cooking/food prep gloves, wear them. I used ziplocks to cover my hand, but somehow the colors find me anyway...


It is hard to believe all of that will hopefully make a Buzz Lightyear...time will tell.

Oh, and one MAIN direction. Always take time to lick the beater. Life is short. Live it to the fullest.

Reba