Desserts

Bottoms-Up Cake

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This is a fun and easy dessert to make.  It seems to defy reason!  But it’s not just fun; it’s seriously delicious too.

Ingredients:
1 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
—-
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp. vanilla
—-
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 1/2 cup boiling water

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix first five ingredients together in medium bowl.
2.  Add in milk, oil, and vanilla and mix well.  Pour into UNgreased, flat 2-quart baking dish.
3.  Combine last three ingredients in small bowl.  Pour evenly over batter in the pan.
4.  Bake for 25-30 minutes.  Test only as deep as the cake with a toothpick.  The whole thing will wiggle since the cake is basically sitting on a bed of yummy chocolate sauce now.  Cool for 30 minutes.  Serve with whipped cream.

Source:  my recipe box

Grandma’s Swedish Pancakes

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When I say “Grandma’s,” I mean MY grandma. We used to go to her house almost every week for Sunday dinner. It was common knowledge that we had a big lunch and “no dinner.” By “no dinner” I mean we had a big dessert. I attribute my sweet tooth to Grandma (and my mom. Yep, it’s totally genetic!)!

 
Swedish Pancakes were often on the “no dinner” menu. They are essentially Crepes, and though there are many various ways to eat them, the following way is the best. Trust me.
 
6 eggs
2 1/2 Cups Milk
1 1/2 Cups Flour
2 Tbsp Sugar
1 tsp Salt
 
1. Turn on your griddle to 350 F. A frying pan works, too–medium heat.
2. In a Medium bowl, beat your eggs until thick and foamy.
3. Stir in your milk.
4. Sift together dry ingredients (or if you’re naughty like me, don’t…) and add them to the egg mixture.
5. Beat until smooth.
 
This is where it may get a little tricky…
 
6. Making sure your griddle is nice and hot, spray it with Cooking Spray (don’t forget!!).
7. Using a Ladle, cover your griddle in a thin layer of batter (apx 3 ladles-full).
 
8. Wait until the batter looks a little dry, then use the corner of your Spatula and “cut” the pancake width-wise on the griddle into 4 rectangles (Sorry there’s no picture of this. My hands were tied and I don’t trust the Ruffians with the camera yet.).
9. Flip the rectangles over and butter them while the other side is cooking–I don’t time it, but by the time I’m done buttering the last rectangle, they’re done.
10. Don’t worry if you have a few that turn out like this:
Just butter them, or lather them with jam or syrup and eat ’em anyway! OR if you’re mad at it, THROW. IT. AWAY! That’ll teach it! And it may make you feel better. (NOT that I would know about this from experience…)
 
11. Take the pancakes off the griddle and pile them on a plate. Repeat Steps 6 – 11 till all the batter is gone.
12. Take a sugar shaker***, if you have one–if not, your hand and a spoon will do just as well!–and shake a GENEROUS amount of sugar onto the buttery side, coating the entire thing. When I say “generous” I mean, GENEROUS. You should SEE the sugar! After you’ve done it a few times, you’ll know how you like it and can do it your way.
 
13. Starting at a short end, roll one rectangle to the other end. Repeat steps 12 and 13 till all your pancakes are rolled up.
 
Now you can eat away! Your hands will be a little sticky, your tummies will feel full, and if you’re like my Ruffians, your faces should look like this:
Ruffian3 smiling as he takes a bite. Ruffian2 likes to unroll hers. She always did like a mess!
 
 
Makes about 16.
 
***You really can use a variety of fillings. We’ve done jam, peanut butter and syrup, fruit and whipped cream, and Nutella–all VERY GOOD!
 
Source: Grandma Taylor, one of the greatest women alive!
 
~Kara

Red Velvet Cake Balls

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I know that red velvet probably looks prettier bathed in white chocolate or white cream cheese frosting but these sweet little addictions taste better robed in darker shades of chocolate. You can find a scratch recipe at www.velveteenbaker.com (a girl with a little bit of passion and a lot of red food dye) if you prefer homemade ingredients. ENJOY!

Ingredients:

1 box red velvet cake mix (cook as directed on box for 9×13 cake)

1 can cream cheese frosting (16 0z.)

*1 package chocolate bark (regular or white chocolate)

Directions:

1. After cake is cooked and cooled completely, crumble into large bowl.

2. Mix thoroughly with 1 can cream cheese frosting. (It may be easier to use fingers to mix

together, but be warned it will get messy).

3. Roll mixture into quarter size balls and lay on cookie sheet. (Should make around 45-50.

You can get even more if you use a mini ice cream scooper but sometimes I like to hand roll them.)

4. Chill for several hours. (You can speed this up by putting in the freezer.)

5. Melt chocolate in microwave per directions on package.

6. Roll balls in chocolate and lay on wax paper until firm. (Use a spoon to dip and roll in

chocolate and then tap off extra.)

*I use real chocolate as opposed to chocolate flavored bark. It’s just a matter of taste. I also only melt a small amount of chocolate at a time because it starts to cool and thicken. It’s easier to work with when it’s hot.

Source: www.bakerella.com

German Apple Pancakes

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This here, is another way of saying, “Guess what, kids! We’re having dessert for breakfast!”…And was also a tradition in my husband’s family growing up.  It’s a bit time consuming, but well worth it!  We love enjoying it for birthdays, holiday breakfasts and sometimes when we all just have a major sweet tooth.

Pancake Ingredients:
5T butter (to melt in bottom of pan)
6 eggs
1c All-purpose flour
1c milk
pinch of salt

 
*Featured above is my lovely Pampered Chef apple peeler which quickly 
peels, cores and spiral slices the apple! 
  1. Preheat oven to 400*, cut butter into chunks and put in a 9×13 pan, melt the butter in the oven while it is preheating.  In the mean time, make the pancake batter (keep an eye on that butter).
  2. In a medium or large bowl, mix the eggs, flour, milk and salt.  It will get super lumpy and thick.  Just keep whisking!  Sometimes I even use my blender for the pancake batter. 
  3. Take the pan out of the oven when the butter is just beginning to brown and sizzle.  Pour the pancake batter into the center of the pan so the butter spreads evenly to all sides. 
  4. Carefully put it back in the oven. Bake for 25 minutes.  (Towards the end of baking time, the sides of the pancake rise above the pan forming a puffy bowl-like shape, But don’t be alarmed when it begins to deflate a bit after a minute or so…this is completely normal =) 
  5. While the pancake is baking, make the sauce:
 
Sauce Ingredients:
1/2c white sugar
1T corn starch

1tsp ground cinnamon
dash of salt
2T butter
1c boiling water
1/4 tsp orange extract
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 large Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced (other apple varieties will work, but just like a good apple pie, the tart ones are best)

  1. In a medium or large sauce pan, stir together the sugar, corn starch, cinnamon and salt.  
  2. Add butter and boiling water and bring the whole mixture to a boil, stirring constantly, until sauce begins to thicken.  
  3. Fold in the sliced apples until covered in sauce.  Lower heat.  Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes or until the apples are tender.  
  4. Remove sauce from the heat and stir in the vanilla and orange extracts.  
  5. The sauce can be poured directly into the puffy pancake or on individual slices.

*For my family of 6, we double the whole recipe!
*Leftover sauce goes great over a toasted English muffin!
*Hope you’re not on a diet today 😉

Source:  Adapted from Masterpieces From Our Kitchen: Virginia, MN High School Choir 1999

Chocolate Buttercream Icing

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I have to admit, I am somewhat of an icing snob. I don’t consider buttercream to be genuine if anything other than butter is used. So don’t try and fool me!
Chocolate icing has never been my first choice, but being that it is my husband’s favorite, I will make it. I discovered this recipe after a search for “best chocolate buttercream” yielded Martha Stewart’s website and Billy’s Chocolate Buttercream icing. It is very smooth and rich due to the melted chocolate instead of cocoa powder. I have to say, this particular icing has made me a fan. It is delicious!

Ingredients:
2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted BUTTER, softened
12 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled
1-3 tablespoons of milk
5 cups powdered suger, sifted

1. Sift powdered sugar in a large bowl.
2. In a separate bowl, beat butter until smooth, about 2-3 minutes.
3. With the mixer on low, add chocolate until combined.
4. Mix vanilla in with butter and chocolate mixutre until combined.
4. Start mixing sugar in slowly, one cup at a time, until well combined.
** I add milk at the end, if any at all. I think it depends on the day, the weather and/or the temperature of the butter as to the consistency of your icing. It may be smooth enough that you don’t need to add any milk.

Bread Pudding With A Kiss

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Makes: 25 servings

Prep: 20 minutes

Bake: 40 minutes

Cool: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

1 (1 lb.) loaf banana bread (purchased or homemade)

4 egg yolks, beaten

2 c. half-and-half or light cream

1/4 c. sugar

16 milk chocolate or chocolate truffle kisses

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut banana bread into 1-inch cubes; place in an ungreased 2 qt.

square (8x8x2) baking dish.

2. In a medium bowl beat together egg yolks, half-and-half, and sugar. Pour egg mixture evenly

over bread mixture. Press mixture lightly with back of a large spoon.

3. Bake, uncovered, for 40-45 minutes or until puffed and a knife inserted off center comes out

clean (center will appear moist but will set up with standing). Immediately cut into 25

squares (about 1-1/2 x 1-1/2 inch) in pan. Place a chocolate kiss on top of each bread pudding

square. Cool 30 minutes before serving.

Make-Ahead: Prepare recipe through step 2. Cover and chill in the refrigerator up to 24 hours.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 45-50 minutes or until puffed and a knife inserted off center comes out clean (center will appear moist but will set up with standing).

Source: Better Homes and Gardens (bhg.com)

Cake Mix Cookies

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Ingredients:
1 pkg. cake mix of your choice* (I like to use Betty Crocker b/c the “pudding in the mix” makes for gooey-ness and I like gooey cookies.)
1/2 C melted margarine or butter (Which is 1 stick–I pop it in the microwave for 30 seconds, wait a bit, then another 30 seconds in a tall-ish glass tumbler so I don’t have to cut the butter to fit a smaller container. And I use salted sweet cream butter.)
2 eggs
1/2 C oats (quick oats are fine)
1 C (or more!!!) chocolate chips*
1/2 C raisins (optional, as always)
Whatever other things you think would be good
Baking spray (I use the one with flour in it)


1. Preheat oven to 350 deg. (best to do this first because things come together quickly).
2. Start melting the butter in the microwave and while it’s melting move to step number three.
3. Add all the remaining ingredients together in a large mixing bowl (I use the Sunbeam mixer I got for Christmas one year from my mother-in-law).
4. Finish melting the butter and add it to the cake mix mixture.
5. Mix it all together until you can’t see any more cake mix (my spatula helps me with this).
6. To form the cake mix into balls (because I don’t have a cookie scooper anymore), I like to spray the cookie sheet(s) with the baking spray, spray my hands with it, then use an ice cream scoop to get the dough out (for some portion control) and roll it with my hands. This makes about 17 “good-sized” (medium-large) cookies. {What?! No, I didn’t eat 2 whole cookies worth of dough… 😉 }


7. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes, or longer depending on your oven.**


Source: Julie the Coolie gave it to my mom, who gave it to me, who gave it to you, who gave it to your hairdresser’s best friend’s dog-groomer…




*As this is a versatile recipe, many combinations can take place. I like to use yellow cake mix and white chocolate chips; the batch you see in the pictures includes both white chocolate and mini milk chocolate chips. It’s up to you! Yay for cooking things yourself and putting whatever you want in it!
**The cookies may seem too gooey at first. Keep in mind that you can leave them in the oven longer but not too long because they will also set up more once they are out of the oven, especially if you leave them on the baking sheet. Also remember that if you don’t want the bottoms to brown, it may be best to put the cookies on a cooling rack or something of the sort–you can always pop them back in if they’re not done the way you like.

Coconut Cake

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This recipe comes from Matt’s grandma, Martha, and is his dad’s favorite cake.  During our move to NH, we stopped in PA to have lunch with the G-parents (as Matt likes to call them) and Grandma Martha served this for dessert!  It’s light, super moist and oh, so yummy.  I asked Martha if the recipe was something passed down in the family.  She told me she actually got it from a magazine!  Originally, the recipe was more detailed (i.e. called for fresh coconut, a cake from scratch, etc…), but over the (many) years has been simplified to this.

1 box moist yellow cake mix
1 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup chopped coconut (I used the sweetened)
1/4 cup white sugar
fat free dream whip (I used a whole 12oz tub of cool whip)
chopped coconut

1.  Prepare cake mix as called for on the box in a 9×13 pan.  After the cake is done, remove from oven and pierce all over with a fork. 

 2.  When the cake has a few minutes left to bake, prepare topping.  Mix coconut milk, measured chopped coconut and white sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.  Immediately spread (slowly) over the cake.  

3.  Allow cake to cool completely.

6.  Frost cake with dream whip and sprinkle (generously) with enough chopped coconut to cover. 

7.  Store in refrigerator until ready to eat.

 *When finished, the cake is ready to eat!  However, Matt and I prefer the texture of the cake after it has chilled in the fridge for a bit.  Either way, it’s all good!

Source:  Grandma Martha 

Oreo Cookies

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My mom has made these cookies for years and years. I think I’m addicted to them. I blame her. 🙂
1 box Devils Food Cake Mix
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/3 Cup Vegetable Oil
2 eggs
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a stand mixer mix all ingredients till well combined and a stiff dough forms.
3. Roll into 1″ balls (I use a cookie scoop, but my mom just eyeballs it with a dinner spoon) and place on a cookie sheet 2″ apart.
4. Flatten slightly.
5. Bake for 7 – 9 minutes (I actually bake mine for 10, but that’s because my oven is…silly. And by “silly” I mean I-can’t-wait-till-I-can-pick-out-my-own-stinkin’-oven! Oops! Forgive the rant. It’s the simple things in life, right?)
Don’t over bake. The cookies will be soft and look moist when you pull them out.
6. Cool for 5 minutes or until firm, then remove from cookie sheet. Cool completely.
7. Make your Frosting.
4 oz Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 Stick (1/4 Cup) Butter or Margarine, softened
1/2 tsp Vanilla
2 – 2.5 Cups Powdered Sugar
8. Beat the Cream Cheese and Butter together until creamy and smooth.
9. Add vanilla and mix thoroughly.
10. Gradually beat in Powdered Sugar until your frosting is a good thick consistency.
11. Make an Oreo by selecting two cookies that are the same size. Spread some frosting on the underside of one cookie and sandwich it with an other.
Voila!
12. Now you must decide: Should you share? Or should you stash them away for a hidden moment during the day? (I say, moderation in all things–do both!)
Source: Modified from Heidi Brady and Angella Workman, Duchesne 2nd Ward’s 2nd Cookbook.


~Kara

Vanilla Butter and Nut Pound Cake–

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vanilla butter poundcake

This recipe is extra special to me. Not only is it delicious and a bit sinful (as you will soon see in the ingredients), but each time I make it I use the original recipe card found in my grandmother’s tin, recipe box. Her hand-written notes can still be found on the back.

 

Ingredients:

 

2 sticks butter, room temperature

 

1/2 cup shortening

 

3 cups sugar

 

5 eggs, room temperature

 

3 and 1/4 cups cake flour, sifted

 

1/4 teaspoon salt

 

3/4 cup evaporated milk

 

1/4 water

 

3 teaspoons vanilla butter and nut flavor

 

 

 

1. In a large bowl, cream butter, shortening and sugar until fluffy.

 

2. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.

 

3. In a separate bowl, sift flour, then measure and add salt.

 

4. Combine evaporated milk and water in a small bowl.

 

5. In three parts, add flour alternately with milk and water mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Mix well.

 

6. Fold in extract by hand.

 

7. Pour into greased and floured tube pan.

 

8. Place in cold oven. Turn oven to 325 degrees. Bake one hour and 45 minutes.

 

 

 

Note: Begin your timer as soon as you set the temperature to 325 degrees. DO NOT open the over door while baking.