Black Bottom Cupcakes

Ingredients:

8 ounces package of cream cheese, softened

1 egg

1/3 cup sugar

1⁄2 tsp. salt

1 package of chocolate chips

1 1⁄2 cups flour

1 cup sugar

1 tsp. baking soda

1⁄4 cup cocoa

1⁄2 tsp. salt

1 cup water

1/3 cup oil

1 Tbsp. vinegar

1 tsp. vanilla

Directions:

Mix cream cheese, egg, 1/3 cup of sugar, salt and chocolate chips together and set aside. Mix the flour, 1 cup of sugar, baking soda, cocoa, salt, water, oil, vinegar, and vanilla. Beat well and then fill cupcake liners 1/3rd full. Top each with a heaping teaspoon of cream cheese mixture. Bake the cupcakes at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.

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Pavlova

*READ ENTIRE RECIPE BEFORE STARTING*

Ingredients:
4 egg whites
1 cup sugar
2 tsp. cornstarch
½ tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. white vinegar
Whipped cream
Fruit of choice - Examples: strawberries, kiwi, bananas, canned passion fruit…

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Beat egg whites until stiff soft peaks form. Continue beating; gradually add sugar, vinegar and vanilla, until you get a thick consistency. Test to see if the sugar is fully dissolved by rubbing a little of the meringue between you thumb and index finger. The meringue should feel smooth, not gritty. Beat until smooth. Lightly fold in cornstarch with spatula. Cover a large baking pan with parchment paper. You can also use foil, buttered lightly or use non-stick cooking spray.

Pile the meringue mixture into a circular shape or make mini ones. Smooth edges and make sure they are slightly higher than the center. You want a slight well in the center to place the whipped cream and fruit.

Turn oven down to 225 to 250 degrees and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Let cool.

Cut up fruit into bite size pieces. Spread whipped cream in the center and top with fruit. If using bananas, put them on first and then add the whipped cream followed by the rest of the fruit. This helps keep the bananas from turning brown.

Drizzle with passion fruit syrup if available.


*Sometimes I have found this in British stores in cans or you could use fresh passion fruit juice, but it does get a little pricey. Pin It

Chocolate Bundt Cake

Ingredients:
1 Duncan Hines devils food cake mix
1 – 4 ounce package instant chocolate pudding mix
½ cup oil
½ cup water
4 eggs
2 tsp. mint flavoring
1 small sour cream (8 ounce)
1 - 12 ounce package chocolate chips

Directions:
Mix the cake mix, pudding, oil, water, eggs and mint flavoring. Add the sour cream and chocolate chips. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

**I dusted the cake with powdered sugar for a snowy festive look** Pin It

Jello Cake (Strawberry Version)

Make this cake a few hours before you plan to serve it.

Cake Ingredients:
Yellow or white cake
1 small package of Jello (3 oz.), any flavor
1 ½ cups boiling water

Frosting Ingredients:
2/3 of a large bowl of cool whip
1 carton fruit flavored yogurt
(try to use the same flavor yogurt as the Jello flavor)

Directions:

Bake either a yellow or a white cake in a 9x13 inch pan. Cool and use a large fork to poke holes all over the cake.

Dissolve the Jello in boiling water and let cool. Pour over the cake and place in the refrigerator until the Jello has set up.

Mix together the cool whip and yogurt. Frost the cake and serve. Pin It

Cinnamon Sugar Candied Apples (NEW!)

Ingredients:

Small apples
Caramel block from a Candy Store
White chocolate
Cinnamon & Sugar mixture
Candy/Lollipop Sticks

Directions:

Secure the sticks into the apples. Cut a piece of caramel and mold it around the apple to a thickness about 1/8 inch. In a small bowl melt the white chocolate in the microwave for 30 second intervals, mix after each interval until the chocolate is smooth. With a pasty brush, paint the chocolate onto the caramel apples. Sprinkle with the cinnamon and sugar mixture and let dry.

Enjoy! Pin It

Pecan Pie

Ingredients:

3 eggs
½ cup sugar
1 cup white Karo syrup
1/8 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
½ cup butter
1 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

Mix all the ingredients, except the pecans, together in a sauce pan until it is all melted. Pour into a pie shell and then put pecans on top evenly. Pat down just a little bit with a fork. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes and then reduce heat to 350 degrees for around 30 minutes more.

Enjoy! Pin It

Coconut Cream Pie

Make the pie the night before it is to be served.

Ingredients:

2 cups milk (1 or 2 %)
1 cup sugar
1 pinch salt
4 Tbsp. cornstarch
4 egg yolks
½ cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup baker’s coconut
1 Tbsp. butter
Extra coconut to garnish

Directions:

Mix milk, sugar, salt and cornstarch in a saucepan. Cook on medium heat and let come to a boil for a couple of minutes. Take a little of the mixture out of the saucepan and pour into 4 beaten egg yolks and ½ cup milk. Put back into the original sauce mixture and cook for 2 more minutes. Add vanilla, coconut and butter then pour into a cooled pie crust. The pie will need to set overnight in the refrigerator.

Top with whipped cream or cool whip once the pie is complete cold or right before it is ready to be served. Toast the coconut and sprinkle on top of the whipped cream. Pin It

Chocolate Cream Pie

Make the pie the night before it is to be served.

Ingredients:

3 cups milk
3 Tbsp. cocoa
4 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 ½ cups sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
3 egg yolks
1 tsp. vanilla
1 Tbsp. butter

Directions:

Cook milk, cocoa, cornstarch, sugar, and salt in a sauce pan on medium heat until it comes to a boil. Add about ½ cup of the cocoa mixture to 3 beaten egg yolks. Then put the egg mixture back into the original cocoa mix. Cook for another 2 minutes and then add 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1 tablespoon butter. Pour into a cooled pie shell.
The pie will need to set overnight in the refrigerator

Top with whipped cream either when the pie is completely cold or right before you are ready to serve the dessert. Pin It

Pumpkin Pie Cake Squares

Ingredients:

Cake:
     1 package yellow cake mix (reserve 1 cup for topping)
     ½ cup butter, melted
     1 egg, beaten

Filling:
     1 can of pumpkin, for a single pie (Libby’s)
     2 beaten eggs
     2/3 cup evaporated milk
     1 ½ cups sugar
     1 tsp. ground cinnamon
     ½ tsp. salt
     ½ tsp. ground ginger
     ¼ tsp. ground cloves

Topping:
     1 cup cake mix (reserved)
     ½ cup brown sugar
     1 tsp. cinnamon
     ¾ cube butter

     Whipped cream

Directions:

Set aside 1 cup of the yellow cake mix.  Mix together the remaining mix with the melted butter, and the beaten egg.  Mix well and then pat into a 9 x 13 inch pan that has not been greased (or in this case two eight inch cake pans).  Mix together the can of pumpkin, 2 beaten eggs, evaporated milk, sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger and cloves. Pour on top of the cake mix in the pan.  Mix together the cake mix that was set aside with the brown sugar, cinnamon and ¾ cube of butter until it is crumbly. Sprinkle on top of the pumpkin mixture. Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees. It should look similar to custard.

Put whipped cream on top before serving.

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Strawberry Danish Dessert

Ingredients:
     1 package of white or yellow cake mix
     1 package Danish strawberry dessert (Junket brand)
     1 ½ cups of water
     1 can or small bag frozen raspberries or strawberries
     3 cups fresh strawberries, cut up
     1 pint whipped cream
     1 cup powdered sugar
     1 - 8 ounce package of cream cheese

Directions:

Bake half of a cake mix in a 9 x 13 inch pan until golden at 350 degrees according to the directions on the package. Remember that since only have the cake is being cooked it will take less time to bake.

Mix the package of Danish dessert with water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook until thick and glossy (about 1 minute). Add 1 can or bag of frozen raspberries or strawberries, then add about 3 cups fresh cut up strawberries. Mix well.

Whip the cream until stiff then add the powdered sugar and cream cheese. Mix together well and spread on top of the cooled cake.

Spoon the Danish strawberry mixture over the filling and put in refrigerator. Cover until ready to serve.

*The Danish Dessert is sometimes hard to find.  In Utah it can be found at Smith's.  For the rest of us, it can be found online with a search engine.  In bulk, it can be bought on amazon at $16.80 for 12.  There are a few other sites that carry it as well.  No matter what it takes, this cake is definitely worth it!  

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Hummingbird Cake

This is the Hummingbird Cupcake recipe, but done as a cake instead... hmmmm... so good!

Ingredients for the cake:

     3 cups flour
     1 tsp. baking soda
     1 tsp. ground cinnamon
     ½ tsp. salt
     1 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
     2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
     2 cups sugar
     3 large eggs
     2 cups mashed ripe banana (about 3 large)
     1 – 8 ounce can crushed pineapple, drained
     1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
     1 cup unsweetened desiccated coconut  
     Batch of cream cheese frosting

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray pan with Pam.  In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.  In the bowl of an electronic mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, vanilla, and sugar until combined, about 2 minutes.  Add eggs one at a time.  Beat at medium speed until mixture is pale yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Add banana, pineapple, walnuts (if desired), and coconut to the egg mixture.  Mix until combined.   Gradually add in flour mixture to the egg mixture.  Fill the cupcake liners about 2/3rds full with batter.  Bake until golden brown and a cake tester comes out clean, about 45 to 55 minutes.

Cool completely and then frost.

Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients:

     8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
     1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
     ½ cup unsalted butter, cut into small cubes, room 

          temperature
     1 lb. powdered sugar

Directions:

Beat cream cheese and vanilla until light and creamy, about 2 minutes.  Gradually add in butter and then the sugar.  Use immediately or refrigerate.  If you do refrigerate the frosting, then it is best to bring the frosting back to room temperature before using.

*We found the desiccated coconut at Albertson's in the section where they carry the brand "It's Delish."  If you can't find any in your area, substitute regular shredded coconut for the desiccated coconut. 

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Cookie Dough Truffles (NEW!)

Ingredients:

     1/2 cup butter, softened
     3/4 cup packed brown sugar
     2 cups flour
     1 - 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
     1 tsp. vanilla
     1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
     1/2 cup chopped walnuts, optional
     1 1/2 lbs. semisweet or milk chocolate candy coating, 

          chopped
        *Another alternative is half milk chocolate

          and half white chocolate mixed together*

Directions:

In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.  Add the flour, milk and vanilla; mix well.  Stir in the chocolate chips and walnuts.  Shape into 1 inch balls; place on waxed paper-lined baking sheets.  Loosely cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours or until firm.

In a microwave-safe bowl or chocolate melting double boiler, melt candy coating, stirring often until smooth.  If melting in the microwave heat in small intervals of 15 to 30 seconds.  Stir after each interval.  Dip cookie balls in the coating and place on waxed paper-lined baking sheets.  Refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes.  If desired, remelt remaining candy coating and drizzle over candies.  Store in the refrigerator.

Yield: 5 and 1/2 dozen

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