Coconut Pecan Frosting

This is my favorite frosting. I could eat it with a spoon like pudding, like candy, like...frosting. This was my dad's favorite. He loved it so I worked on getting the recipe down to a science... and scientifically speaking.. I'd say I'd win the science fair.. no kidding.. hands down. I don't make it often because well, I'd eat the entire pan before even sitting.. AND, its a bit time consuming but sooooooo worth it.


Coconut-Pecan Frosting

3 egg yolks
1 cup evaporated milk
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/3 cups flaked coconut
1 cup chopped pecans.

Beat egg yolks and milk in a 2-quart saucepan. Stir in sugar, butter and vanilla. Cook over medium heat* about 12 minutes, stirring occasionally**, until thickened. Stir in coconut and pecans. Cool to room temperature and stir before spreading on cake.

* make sure that your heat isn't turned up too high. It can scorch the bottom of your pan and ruin your frosting.

** I don't take a chance..after a few minutes I stir constantly the remaining time to avoid scorching on the bottom of the pan.

Pumpkin Sheet Cake

About the time the temperature drops and pumpkins start popping up everywhere I get the craving for this cake. It is my all time favorite fall cake. It is so simple and quick to make and has a super moist texture. Even people who aren't usually pumpkin fans ask me to make this cake. Try it out and let me know what you think...

Pumpkin Sheet Cake

Cake

2 cups (16 oz) canned pumpkin
2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs Slightly beaten
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt

Frosting

1 pkg (3 oz) cream cheese, softened
5 TBS butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 cups powdered sugar
3-4 tsp milk
chopped nuts (optional)

In a mixing bowl, beat pumpkin, sugar and oil together. Add eggs; mix well. Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; add pumpkin mixture and beat until well blended. Pour into a greased sheet cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until cake tests done. (do not over bake). Cool. For frosting, beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla in mixing bowl until smooth. Gradually add sugar; mix well. Add milk until frosting reaches desired spreading consistency. Frost cake. Sprinkle with nuts.

Buttercream Frosting

I have said this before and I will say it again.. I don't make wedding cakes. I really don't make many cakes at all any more.. ESPECIALLY wedding cakes. But you know sisters.. Being the youngest I just can't say no. So my oldest sister was married last month and she looked fabulous, her new husband is fabulous and the wedding was fabulous. The cake... well, not my best effort but it tasted fabulous. Red Velvet and Vanilla cake with Buttercream frosting. Yummy! Congratulations Sis!

Buttercream Frosting

1 cup real butter (room temperature)
2 cups shortening
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp clear vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 tsp butter flavor
2 pound package powdered sugar(sifted)
3/4 cup half and half


Beat butter and shortening for a few minutes with a mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed. Add 1/2 of powdered sugar and turn your mixer on the lowest speed (so the sugar doesn’t blow everywhere) until the sugar has been incorporated with the butter. Increase mixer speed to medium and add extracts, salt, and 1/2 of cream and beat for for 3 minutes. Add remaining powdered sugar and cream. Beat for an additional 3 minutes. If your frosting needs a more stiff consistency, add additional sugar. If your frosting needs to be thinned out, add more cream 1 tablespoons at a time. Mix additional 5-8 minutes for good consistency.

I always mix to taste. If its too waxy add more powdered sugar and cream. If it is too sugary add more butter and shortening. It is all a matter of personal taste and spreading consistency from here.

Brownie Batter Chocolate Fudge Cupcakes

So today I am finally uploading because I can't resist this outrageously delightful chocolate tastiness. It comes from the blog of KevinandAmanda.com Amanda is a fun and unbelievable talented web/font designer, scrapbooker, crafter, blogger.. you name it she can do it lady. With the loss of my camera and photoshop on the fritz I am giving Amanda full credit for not only the amazing pictures but for the sinfully fabulous treat. Just looking at these will give you a chocolate fix...


Brownie Batter Chocolate Fudge Cupcakes with Outrageously Rich Chocolate Indulgence Frosting

BROWNIE BATTER

1/4 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup fat-free sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup milk
1 (18.25 oz) box devil’s food cake mix

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix on medium speed for 2 mins until well combined. Using a small scoop (about 1.5 tbsp) drop batter onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze overnight.

CUPCAKES

1 (18.25 oz) box devil’s food cake mix
1 (3.9 oz) pkg Jello instant chocolate fudge pudding mix
1 cup sour cream
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup milk
2 cups mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray and line with cupcake liners. Combine all ingredients except chocolate chips into a very large bowl and mix on medium speed for 2 mins until well combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Using a large scoop (about 3 tbsp) drop batter into the cupcake liners, filling about 2/3rds full. Remove brownie batter from freezer and press into the cupcake batter. Bake for 22-28 mins. Allow to cool completely before frosting.

FROSTING

5 sticks butter, softened
8 oz powdered sugar
1.5 cups unsweetened cocoa powder (Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa)
a pinch of table salt
1.5 cups light corn syrup
2 tsp vanilla extract
16 oz milk chocolate chips

Melt chocolate chips in the microwave, stirring well every 30 seconds. Allow to cool for 5-10 mins. Combine butter, sugar, cocoa and salt in a food processor and process until smooth, about 30 seconds. Scrape the bowl as needed. Add the corn syrup and vanilla and process until just combined, about 5-10 seconds. Scrape the bowl again, then add the melted chocolate and pulse until smooth and creamy, about 10-15 seconds. You can use a mixer for this too, if you don’t have a food processor, just don’t whip the butter too much! :) Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated.

Makes & frosts 36 cupcakes.

Pistachio Cake

When I make this cake I always think of my niece Erika. She LOVES this cake! Well why not? It is SUPER delicious. If you like things pistachio you will love this cake as well. Easy to make and everyone will think you work in a bakery!

Pistachio Cake

1 pkg. white cake mix ( I like Betty Crocker Super Moist)
1 pkg. (4 serving size) pistachio instant pudding mix
3 eggs
1 c. Sprite or 7up
1/2 c. oil

Combine all ingredients in large mixer bowl. Blend, then beat at medium speed for 10 minutes. Pour into 2 greased and floured 8 inch pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean. (do not over bake)

When cool to the touch place in freezer for at least an hour up to overnight.

1 pkg. (4 serving size) pistachio instant pudding mix
1 Cup cold milk
Cool Whip or Dream Whip

Wisk milk and pudding mix together and set aside.

Remove cakes from freezer and cut off tops. When pudding is set spread on one layer of cake and invert second layer on top.

Frost entire cake with Cool Whip.

*note: I like to to make this in a half sheet baking pan. When frozen I cut the cake in half and stack one side on top of the other with the pudding in the middle. Frost as usual.

Baby Shower Cake

This cake was made Friday for a surprise baby shower for my friend at work.
The fun part was that we made a fake order ticket with the name of her baby as the client and the due date as the clients phone number. I went in and made the cake with my friend sitting right there telling me how cute the cake was. Surprise!

Death Star Cake

I know this isn't a recipe but a few of you have been asking me to post some of the cakes that I have made. This is the Star Wars Death Star Cake that I made for my sons birthday yesterday. It was a HUGE hit.

Cake Truffles

I know I owe a few of you some recipes but this is too good not to post IMMEDIATELY. Ok so the cake balls..truffles.. balls.. Umm I like cake TRUFFLES better..sounds fancy, they are quite popular in the baking world right now. They seem to be all over the place.. They are tasty and easy to make, not to mention cute as a button. I'm nodding my head slowly waiting to be convinced.. the wait is over. Last night I ate these at our better-late-than-never holiday bakery party. Lisa Taylor, you are a rock-star! Cute, Check. Easy to make, check. Moist, check. Make your mouth sing, double check. MMMM Hit the high note on this one.. thanks Lisa!

Chocolate Truffles

1 package (18.5 oz.) chocolate cake mix
( + ingredients for making the cake)
½ cup butter or margarine, softened
½ cup unsweetened cocoa
½ cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
½ cup of your favorite jam (I like seedless raspberry!)
2 packages (8 oz.) milk chocolate squares or chips (for dipping)


Prepare cake as package directs; cool. In saucepan, over medium heat, melt butter; add cocoa and sugar. Stir until smooth. Add vanilla and jam; stir until smooth and glossy. Remove from heat. Crumble cake and add saucepan mixture, mix until well blended and moist. Roll into about 1 inch balls. Melt Chocolate and dip chocolate cake balls in the chocolate. Place on wax paper and let cool until the chocolate is not shiny and is smooth and firm. Enjoy! Makes anywhere from 45 to 70 truffles depending on the size of the balls.

Note from Lisa: You can really get creative with this recipe. You can use any kind of cake, any kind of flavoring, and any kind of chocolate you want! My sister made truffles with a white cake, apricot jam and dipped in white chocolate. Instead of using jam, you can use peanut butter, caramel or butterscotch ice cream topping, or anything else you can think of. You can even put chopped nuts inside or sprinkled on top. You could roll a maraschino cherry in the cake mixture and then dip in chocolate. Get creative!


For the party, I actually split the mixture into thirds before adding the jam so that I could have three different flavors in one batch. I did add ½ cup of seedless raspberry jam to the first part, ½ cup of peanut butter to the second part, and ½ cup of caramel to the third part so that the flavoring was more prominent. If you make the recipe as it is written above, the flavoring will be more subtle.

Zucchini Cake

Here is a great way to use up all the extra zucchini the neighbors have been leaving on your doorstep. This moist melt in your mouth cake may leave you actually asking your neighbor for more.
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Zucchini Cake

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4 beaten eggs

1 cup oil

2 cups sugar

3 cups zucchini

2 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp cinnamin

1/2 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp cloves

1/2 tsp salt

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Preheat oven to 350. Combine the eggs, oil, sugar adn zucchini and mix well. Sift dry ingredients together in seperate bowl. Add first mixture and blend well. Pour into greased sheet cake pan and bake 20-25 minutes. Cool and frost with cream cheese frosting below.

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Cream Cheese frosting

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6 oz cream cheese

1/2 c butter

1/2 tsp canilla

1 TBS milk

4 cups powdered sugar

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Mix well and blend for at least 5 minutes. Spread on cooled cake.

Chocolate Chip Streusel Cake

Coffee Cake seems to be a little too crumbly for my taste. This recipe delivers a dense, moist cake with an amazing nutty struesel. We add chocolate chips to the cake for an extra bit of sweetness. It takes a while to bake but believe me...It's worth it.

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Chocolate Chip Streusel Cake

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Cake Mixture

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1/2 cup butter (softened)

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese (softened)

1/2 cup apple sauce

1 1/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup milk

1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

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Streusel Topping

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1 cup chopped almonds or pecans

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup flour

1 tsp ground cinnamin

1/3 cup butter

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Mix all ingredients until crumbly.

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In mixing bowl, cream butter cream cheese, applesauce and sugar. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour half into greased 9 inch springform pan. Sprinkle in half the streusel. Pour on remainder of cake mixture and top with remaining streusel.

Bake at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. (Do not over bake) Cool 15 minutes. Carefully run knife around edges of pan to loosen. Remove sides of pan. Cool before cutting.

Poke Cake

For Megan's third birthday today we made this yummy cool desert. You can use any flavor of jello, but if it is for Megan.. it has to be pink.

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Poke Cake

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1 pkg. white or yellow cake mix

1 c. boiling water

1 (4 oz.) pkg. Jello, any flavor

1/2 c. cold water

Prepare cake according to box directions. Poke cake with large fork at 1/2" intervals. Dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Add cold water and spoon over cake. Chill 4 hours. Frost with whipping cream or cool whip.

Texas Fudge Cake

I'm not certain where this recipe comes from. Texas I guess. We got it from an old neighbor Kris Bell. We find any excuse to make this yummy cake and don't even wait until birthdays or special occasions, although this month we had two requests. Josh turned 11 and Alex turned 7. This can be made in a standard cake pan or a sheet cake pan. We prefer the second.


Texas Fudge Cake


Dry Ingredients:

2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 tsp baking soda

Set this bowl of dry ingredients aside.

Liqued Ingredients:

2 sticks real butter
1 cup water
4 TBS cocoa

Combine in a saucepan and bring to a boil, then when completely melted pour over dry ingredients, mix thoroughly.

Mix together

1/2 cup buttermilk or regular milk
2 eggs , beaten
1 tsp vanilla

Add to other mixture, pour into a greased cake pan or sheetcake pan. Bake 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Use toothpick to check.

Frosting:

2 cups powder sugar
3 TBS cocoa
1/2 stick melted real butter
little milk

Mix together and add milk for spreading consistancy. Spread over hot cake.