Punchbowl Cake
Ingredients & Directions 1 Box yellow cake mix 1 lg Can crushed pineapple, Drained 2 Bananas, sliced 2 sm Boxes instant vanilla Pudding 1 cn Coconut 1 (16 oz.) pkg. pecans 1 cn Cherry pie filling 2 (8 oz.) Cool Whip 1 Jar maraschino cherries Preparation : Crumble cooked and cooled cake. Layer half of cake crumbs in clear punch bowl. Top with one half of pudding one half of pie filling, one half of pineapple, 1 banana, 1 (8 oz.) Cool Whip. May put coconut and pecans also, saving enough for garnish. Then repeat layers with remaining halves. Refrigerate. Serves 24. Yields 1 Servings
Chocolate Triple Layer Cake With Fluffy Chocolate Frostin
Ingredients & Directions 1 oz Unsweetened chocolate -softened 2 c Cake flour 1 1/2 c Granulated sugar 6 tb Unsweetened cocoa powder 1 lg Egg 1 3/4 ts Baking powder 4 Egg whites 1/2 ts Baking soda 1/4 c Room-temperature coffee 1/4 ts Salt 2 1/4 ts Vanilla extract 1/4 c Vegetable oil 3/4 c Plain nonfat yogurt 2 1/2 tb Unsalted butter, slightly 2 tb Plain nonfat yogurt ———————-FLUFFY CHOCOLATE FROSTING———————- 3 lg Egg whites 3/4 ts Vanilla extract 1/2 oz Unsweetened chocolate 1/4 ts Instant coffee powder 2 1/2 tb Light corn syrup 1 ts Hot water 3/4 c Granulated sugar 1/4 c Powdered sugar pn Salt 3 tb Unsweetened cocoa powder Preheat oven to 350’F. Grease (or spray with non-stick cooking spray) three 8″ or 8 1/2″ round cake pans. In a small, heavy saucepan over lowest heat, melt chocolate, stirring constantly until smooth; be careful not to scorch. Set aside. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt onto a sheet of wax paper. In a large mixer bowl, with mixer set on medium speed, beat oil, butter and sugar until very well blended and fluffy. Beat in chocolate. One at a time, beat in egg, then whites, coffee and vanilla until smoothly incorporated. Gently stir half of the dry ingredients, then yogurt into the mixture just until mixed. Stir in remaining dry ingredients just until well blended and smooth. Divide batter among pans, spreading in edges. Bake in the middle of the oven for 23-28 minutes, or until tops are almost firm when tapped and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out moist but clean. Transfer pans to racks and let stand until completely cooled. Layers may be wrapped airtight and frozen for later use. Let return to room temperature before using. Or frost cake and serve immediately, if desired. Makes 10-12 servings. Nutritional information (with fluffy chocolate frosting): Each serving contains 342 calories, 10 grams of fat, 2 grams of saturated fat, 25 milligrams of cholesterol, 202 milligrams of sodium. Percentage of calories from fat: 26. FLUFFY CHOCOLATE FROSTING: Place egg whites in a large mixer bowl. Set the bowl in a large bowl of very hot tap water and let stand for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. In a small heavy saucepan set over low heat, melt chocolate, stirring constantly, until smooth; be very careful not to scorch. Set aside to cool slightly. Combine the corn syrup, 1/4 cup water and the sugar in a 2-quarter saucepan, stirring until well blended. Bring to a simmer over medium-heat heat. Cover and boil for 2 minutes to allow steam to wash any sugar from pan sides. Uncover and continue simmering, without stirring, until mixture bubbles loudly and reaches 244-245’F on a candy thermometer (about 1 1/2 minutes). (To test without a candy thermometer, drop a teaspoon of syrup into ice water; when cooked to the proper temperature the syrup will form a firm ball that holds its shape when squeezed.) Immedately remove pan from heat and set aside. With mixer set on medium speed, beat egg whites until very frothy and opaque. Raise speed to high and beat until whites just begin to stand in soft peaks; be careful not to overbeat. Meanwhile, return syrup to burner and reheat just to boiling. Beating whites on high speed, immediately begin pouring boiling syrup in a stream down the side of the bowl (avoid beaters or syrup will stick to them or be thrown onto bowl side), pouring rapidly enough that all the syrup is incorporated in about 15 seconds. Add salt and continue beating on high speed until the mixture is stiffened, glossy and cooled to barely warm. Beat in vanilla and coffee mixture until evenly incorporated. Sift powdered sugar and cocoa onto a sheet of wax paper. A bit at a time, whisk into egg-white mixture. Whisk in melted chocolate just until smoothly incorporated. Frost cake immediately, or store frosting airtight for up to 48 hours. Frosting may soften and gradually deflate upon longer standing. Yields 12 servings
Mom's Pecan Pie
Ingredients & Directions 3 Eggs, beaten 3/4 c Sugar 1 c Karo syrup (light) 1 pn Salt 1 tb Butter 1 c Pecans Mix all ingredients together and pour into unbaked pie shell. Bake at 400 degrees for 5 minutes, then reduce to 350 degrees and bake and additional 45 minutes. Yields 1 Servings
Fluffy Gold Cake
Ingredients & Directions 2 c Cake flour, sifted 1/3 c Shortening 1 1/3 c Sugar 1 c Milk 3 ts Baking powder 1 ts Vanilla 1 ts Salt 4 ea Egg yolks Sift together dry ingredients and put in mixing bowl. Add shortening and half the milk. Mix. Add remaining milk, vanilla, and egg yolks. Blend well. Pour into 2 greased and floured round layer pans and bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Yields 1 servings
Craig's Macadamia Cake
Ingredients & Directions -FOR THE CAKE- 1 1/4 c Macadamia nuts 1/4 c Cake flour 6 Egg yolks 3/4 c Sugar 3 dr Vanilla 1 ts Kirsch 7 Egg whites 1/8 ts Salt 1/2 ts Cream of tartar FOR THE FILLING 2 c Macadamia nuts 1/2 c Sugar 3 tb -Water 2 tb Corn syrup 1 tb Unsalted butter 1 tb Whipping cream FOR THE ICING 2 c Flaked unsweetened coconut 1 c Whipping cream 2 tb Sugar; to taste 1 ts Vanilla extract For the CAKE: Butter and flour a 9-inch springform pan. Toast the nuts in a preheated 325 F oven for 5 to 7 minutes, or until they smell nutty. Cool. Grate the nuts fine with a hand nut grater and stir in the flour, or grind them fine with the flour in a food processor. Beat the egg yolks with half the sugar, the vanilla, and the kirsch to a 3-second ribbon. Warm the egg whites over hot water or swirl them over a gas flame until barely warm, then beat them with the salt and the cream of tartar to soft peaks again. Spread the yolk mixture over the whites and sprinkle with a quarter of the nuts. Fold until partially mixed, sprinkle with another quarter of the nuts, and fold. Repeat until all the nuts have been folded in. Be careful not to overwork the batter and deflate the eggs. Pour into the prepared pan and bake in a preheated 325 F oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the sides of the cake just begin to pull away from the sides of the pan. Cool. For the FILLING: Toast the nuts in a preheated 325 F oven for 5 to 7 minutes, or until they smell nutty. Cool and chop coarse. Shake the nuts in a coarse strainer to remove any dusty particles. Put the sugar in a small non-corroding saucepan, add the water, and cook over medium heat until light gold. Remove from the heat and carefully add the corn syrup, butter, and cream. Stir over low heat until the caramel has dissolved, then stir the caramel into the nuts to bind them. Slice the cake into two layers and spread the warm filling between them. For the ICING: Toast the coconut in a preheated 325 F oven for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring often until pale golden brown. Cool. Whip the cream with the sugar and vanilla until it holds soft peaks and is just stiff enough to spread on the cake. Ice the cake with the cream and press the coconut all over the surface of the cake. From Yields 12 Servings
Gingerbread Teddy Bear Cookies
Ingredients & Directions 1 c Butter or margarine 3/4 ts Baking soda 2/3 c Packed brown sugar 1/2 ts Ground cloves 2/3 c Dark or light corn syrup 1 Beaten egg 4 c All-purpose flour 1 1/2 ts Vanilla 1 1/2 ts Ground cinnamon Miniature chocolate pieces 1 ts Ground ginger Royal icing for decorating In a saucepan combine butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup. Cook and stir over medium heat until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved. Pour into a large mixing bowl and cool 5 minutes. Meanwhile, combine flour, cinnamon, ginger, soda, and cloves. Add egg and vanilla to butter mixture and mix well. Add the flour mixture and beat until well mixed. Divide the dough in half. Cover and chill at least 2 hours or overnight. To make each bear shape dough into one 1 inch ball, one 3/4 inch ball, six 1/2 inch balls, and five 1/4 inch balls. On an ungreased cookie sheet flatten the 1 inch ball to 1/2 inch thickness for body. Attach the 3/4 inch ball for head and flatten to 1/2 inch. Attach the 1/2 inch balls for arms, legs, and ears. Arrange remaining 1/4 inch balls atop ends of arms and legs for paws. Use chocolate pieces for eyes and navel. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until done. Carefully remove and cool. If desired, pipe on bow ties with royal icing. Makes 16 Yields 1 servings
Caramel Pecan Pie
Ingredients & Directions Crust: 1 3/4 c All-purpose flour 1/4 c White sugar 1/2 c Salted butter; chilled 2 lg Egg yolks 3 tb Ice water Filling: 1 c Dark corn syrup 1/2 c Plus 3 tablespoons salted -butter 1 c White sugar 2 tb Maple syrup 1/4 ts Salt 2 lg Eggs; lightly beaten 1 ts Pure vanilla extract 2 1/2 c Pecans Whipped cream Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Crust: using food processor fitted with metal blade. Combine flour, sugar and butter. Process until dough resembles coarse meal. Add egg yolks and water. Process until a ball begins to form. Shape dough into a disk. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator 1 hour or until firm. Filling: combine corn syrup, butter, sugar, maple syrup, and salt in double broiler. Bring to a boil over medium heat and stir often. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Once cool, add eggs and vanilla. Stir until smooth. Set syrup aside until ready to use. To assemble: spray vegetable oil cooking spray on 8-9-inch tart pan with removable bottom. On floured board using floured rolling pin, roll out dough to 10-inch circle, 1/4-inch thick. Place pastry in pan. Lightly press into bottom and sides. Roll off excess dough from top edge with a rolling pin. Fill pastry shell with pecans. Pour filling over nuts. Bake 90 minutes or until golden brown. Let pie cool, then remove sides of pan. Serve sliced with whipped cream garnish. Yields 1 Servings
