German Chocolate Cake

Cake Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups flour + 3 Tbsp if high altitude
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup canola oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

Coconut Frosting:
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
3 large egg yolks
3/4 cup evaporated milk
1 Tbsp vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans 
1 cup coconut

Chocolate Frosting (optional):
1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup evaporated milk
1 tsp vanilla

Directions Cake: 

1. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. In a separate bowl combine the eggs, buttermilk, oil and vanilla and mix well. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix to combine. 

2. Stir in boiling water (batter will be very thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.

3. Bake for 25 - 35 minutes (depending on your cake pan size. The 9'' pan takes less time to bake) or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean or with few crumbs. Cool 5 minutes in the pan and then invert onto wire racks to cool completely.

Coconut Frosting:
1. In a medium saucepan add brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter, egg yolks, and evaporated milk. Stir to combine and bring the mixture to a low boil over medium heat. Stir constantly for several minutes until the mixture begins to thicken. 

2. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla, nuts and coconut. Allow to cool completely before layering it on the cake.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting:
1. Melt butter. Stir in cocoa powder. 

2. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. 

3. Add small amount additional milk, if needed to thin the frosting, or a little extra powder, until you reach your desired consistency. Stir in vanilla.

4. Assemble cake with coconut frosting in between layers and on tip and chocolate frosting around sides. 

No Bake Cheese Cake

Ingredients:
Graham cracker crust
1 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream
24 ounces full-fat cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. powdered sugar
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla

Directions:
Whip the heavy cream into stiff peaks and set aside. In another bowl beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add powdered sugar, sour cream, lemon juice and vanilla. Beat until smooth and combined. Fold the heavy whipping cream into the cheesecake filling. Place in graham cracker crust. Refrigerate for at least 6-8 hours before serving.

 

Molton Lava Cakes

Ingredients:
1 stick unsalted butter
6 ounces 60-70% dark chocolate 
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
2 Tbsp flour

Directions:
This makes enough for 4- 6 ounce ramekins. Butter and flour ramekins. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Melt butter with chocolate in the microwave, careful not to burn it. Beat eggs, egg yolks, sugar and salt until thick and pale. Fold in egg mixture along with the flour. Cook for 8-9 minutes until side of cakes are firm but the center is still soft and uncooked (this makes the molten).

Best Buttercream Frosting Ever

Ingredients:
6 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/4 cup shortening
1 cup butter, cold and cut up

Directions:
Bring 3/4 cup water to a boil. Combine sugar, salt, and vanilla. Add water and blend until all sugar is dissolved. Add shortening and cold butter and whip frosting until fluffy and smooth.

Spice Cake

Ingredients:
1 Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe Spice Cake mix
1 1/4 c water
3 eggs
1 Tbsp. oil

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325, grease and flour pans. Fill pans about 1/2 full, Bake until toothpick comes out clean (about the same as on box).

Better Than Anything Cake

Ingredients:
1 chocolate cake mix
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 small jar carmel ice cream topping
1 tub Cool Whip
Toffee bits

Directions:
Make cake according to package directions and bake. Let cool 15 minutes and poke holes in cake with a fork. Pour in milk and let it sink in. Pour carmel over cake and refrigerate for 2 hours. Frost with Cool whip and sprinkle with toffee bits.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Ingredients:
Crust:
About 40 gingersnap wafers (to yield 2 cups cookie crumbs)
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2-1/2 oz. (5 Tbs.) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Filling:
2 lb. (four 8-oz. packages) cream cheese, at room temperature
1 1/3 cups packed light brown sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp. table salt
4 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1 Tbs. pure vanilla extract
One 15-oz. can pure solid-pack pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)

Directions:

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F.

Make the crust: Pulse the cookies and brown sugar in a food processor until well combined and the crumbs are uniform. Transfer to a medium bowl; add the melted butter. Combine thoroughly, first with a spoon and then with your fingers, until the mixture is evenly moist, crumbly, and holds together when you squeeze a handful. Press the mixture evenly over the bottom and partway up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Chill for 5 minutes and then bake for 10 minutes. Let cool.

Make the filling: Heat a kettle of water. With an electric mixer or a wooden spoon, beat the cream cheese until smooth. In a separate bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, nutmeg, and salt. Add this mixture to the cream cheese. Beat until well blended, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Add the eggs and yolks one at a time, making sure each is thoroughly incorporated before adding the next, and scraping down the bowl after each. Blend in the vanilla and pumpkin.

Scrape the batter into the cooled crust. The batter will come up past the crust and will fill the pan to the rim. Tap the pan gently once or twice on the counter to release any air bubbles. Set the pan in a larger baking dish (a roasting pan is good), and add enough hot water from the kettle to come about halfway up the sides of the springform pan. Bake until the top of the cake looks deep golden and burnished and the center is set (the cake may just barely begin to crack), 1 hour 35 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes. The cake will jiggle a little bit when tapped. The top may rise a bit but will settle as it cools. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and run a thin-bladed knife between the crust and the pan sides (this will prevent the cake from breaking as it cools). Let the cheesecake cool to room temperature in the pan on a wire rack. Cover and chill overnight.

From: Fine Cooking

No Frills Cheesecake

Ingredients:

Crust:

1-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

6 T butter, melted

¼ cup granulated sugar

Filling:

2 pounds (32 ounces) cream cheese, at room temp.

1 cup sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. lemon juice

4 eggs

Directions:

Crust:

Preheat oven to 350. Place crumbs in mixing bowl with butter and sugar. Press into bottom and up sides of 9 inch springform pan. Chill crust in the freezer at least 5 – 10 minutes (prevents sogginess) Then, bake 10 minutes. Cool

Filling:

Set a rack at the middle level of the oven and preheat to 325.

To make the filling, use your mixer’s lowest speed. Using a paddle attachment, if your mixer has one, beat the cream cheese until smooth, no more than 30 seconds. Stop the mixer and scrape the bowl and beater. Add the sugar in a stream, mixing for no more than 30 seconds. Stop and scrape. Add the vanilla, lemon juice and one egg; mix only until absorbed. Stop and scrape. Add the remaining eggs, one at a time, mixing only until each is absorbed. Stop and scrape after each addition.

Wrap aluminum foil around the bottom of springform pan so it comes at least 1 inch up the sides of the pan. Pour the filling into the pan over the crust. Place the pan in a jelly roll or roasting pan and pour warm water into the pan to a depth of ½ inch.

Bake cheesecake for about 60 minutes, or until lightly colored and firm except for the very center. Remove from the pan of hot water. Remove the foil and cool completely on a rack. Wrap the cheesecake in plastic or foil and chill overnight before unmolding.

Pound Cake

Ingredients:
2/3 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 tsp. baking powder
2/3 cup milk
2 eggs
2 cups flour
3/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla

Directions:
Cream butter and sugar, add eggs one at a time. Combine dry ingredients. Add dry ingredients to sugar mixture alternating with milk and vanilla. Pour batter into greased bread loaf pan and bake at 325 degrees for 1 1/4- 1 1/2 hours.

Angel Food Cake

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup cold egg whites (high altitude 1 1/2 cup + 1 egg)
1 cup + 2 Tbsp. flour (high altitude 1 cup + 4 Tbsp.)
1 1/2 cup sifted sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/4 tsp. cream of tarter
1/4 tsp. almond extract (optional)
1 tsp. vanilla

Directions:
Follow all directions exactly or else cake will not work as it is a very picky cake. Sift flour with 1/2 cup sugar three times and set aside in a bowl. In another bowl (glass or metal not plastic) beat egg whites with salt until foamy. The air in the egg whites is the leavening so don't stir it out. Sprinkle in cream of tarter and beat egg whites until very stiff peaks form. At high speed beat in 1 cup sugar a little at a time. When sugar is just blended turn off mixer. With CLEAN scraper gently fold in flour-sugar mixture 2 Tbsp. at a time. Do not stir the flour in just fold gently until it is Incorporated. Add flavoring with the last of the flour. Bake in an ungreased tube pan at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until cake is a deep brown. Serve with berries and whip cream.

Raspberry Pie

Ingredients:
2 quarts frozen raspberries (unsweetened)
1 cup sugar (tart for sweeter add 1/2- 3/4 cup more sugar)
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/8 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 pie crust

Directions:
Combine all ingredients and place in pie crust. Top pie crust and bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until golden brown.

Sugar Free Apple Pie

Ingredients:
1 can frozen apple juice concentrate
6 cups apples, diced
1 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 pie crust

Directions:
Combine apple juice concentrate and cornstarch in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Add butter and spices. Take off heat and add apples. Place in pie crust (pie crust needs to have a top too). Bake at 425 degrees for 30 minutes and then at 375 degrees until golden brown (about 15-20 more minutes).

Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:
1 stick butter, softened
1 package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla bean paste (optional)
3-4 cups powdered sugar

Directions:
In an medium bowl, beat together butter, cream cheese and whipping cream. Add salt and vanilla bean paste. Beat until combined. Slowly whip in powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Add more cream or powdered sugar to reach desired consistency.

No Bake Cheesecake

Ingredients:
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 container cool whip
1 graham cracker crust

Directions:
Beat together cream cheese, sugar and cool whip until smooth. Place in crust and freeze until ready to serve.

Tres Leches Cake

Ingredients:
1 package white cake mix
1 1/2 cups flour
5 eggs
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup cooking oil
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking powder
1 cup milk
Filling:
1 can evaporated milk
1 can sweet and condensed milk (14 oz.)
1/2 pint whipping cream
Frosting:
1/2 pint whipping cream
3 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Directions:
Mix cake ingredients together and place in two 9x9 pans (spray with non stick cooking oil) Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until knife inserted in middle comes out clean. Allow to cool for 20 minutes. Mix together milk filling and refrigerate while cake is cooking. Pour the milk filling on top of the cakes once cool and let milk soak into cake. Whip whipping cream for the frosting until stiff peaks form, add sugar and vanilla and frost cake. Top with fresh strawberries. Place cake in refrigerator until served.

Whitehead Pie Crust

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. butter
1/2 cup shortening
5-6 Tbsp. milk

Directions:
With pastry blender, blend flour salt, butter and half of the shortening. Then blend the rest of the shortening into the mixture. Toss in milk with a fork. Shape into balls and roll on floured area. Bake at 425 F for 10-12 minutes for crust.

Oatmeal Cake

Ingredients:
1 cup oatmeal
1 cup butter
1 1/4 cup water
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cup flour

Frosting Ingredients:
3 Tbsp. butter
1/2 cup milk
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup coconut

Directions:
Pour 1 1/4 boiling water over oatmeal and butter and let cool. Add remaining cake ingredients to oatmeal . Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes.

For frosting, mix all ingredients and boil for 2 minutes. Pour over baked cake and broil until done.

Easy Pie Crust

Ingredients:
1 cup shortening
2 cup flour
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 cup water

Directions:
Stir shortening, flour and salt (to taste) with a fork until well mixed. Add the water and stir in bowl until the dough comes away from the sides.