Chocolate Malted "Speckled Egg" Easter Cake

Chocolate Malted “Speckled Egg” Easter Cake

Adapted from a Betty Crocker recipe.

Cake:

1 box Devil’s Food cake mix

½ cup malted milk powder

½ cup half and half

¾ cup water

1/3 cup melted butter, cooled

3 eggs

Frosting:

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 teaspoon malted milk powder

1 box powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Dash of salt

Pale blue food color

Heavy cream

Speckling Chocolate:

1 tablespoon Nestle’s Quick chocolate milk mix

4 teaspoons vanilla

Decorations:

Small candy-coated malted milk egg candies

Heat the oven to 350° F and spray 2 (8-inch round) cake pans with baking spray.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, stir together the cake mix and malted milk powder.  Add the remaining cake ingredients and beat on low speed until well combined.  Divide batter evenly among pans.  Bake 26 to 31 minutes or until the cakes spring back when touched lightly in the center.  Turn cakes out onto cooling racks and let cool completely. 

To make the Frosting, in a large bowl, beat the softened butter, malted milk powder and powdered sugar with electric mixer on low speed until the butter is evenly distributed.  Add the vanilla, salt and blue food color (one drop at a time until desired color is achieved) and beat on high speed until the frosting becomes spreadable.  Add a little heavy cream if necessary to thin it out.   Fill and frost the cooled cake.  Let sit for an hour or so until the frosting begins to dry out a bit, before applying the “speckle”. 

In a small condiment bowl, combine the Nestle’s Quick and vanilla until smooth.  Load a new (unused) still bristle paint brush with the speckle mixture and, using finger, flick the loaded bristles toward the cake creating a splatter pattern.  Re-load brush as needed until entire cake is speckled.  Let sit awhile until the speckles are dry then decorate the cake with the candy eggs. 

This was a pretty cake and good, but didn’t really taste “malty” at all.  Still, cute for Easter (2016)!

Cracker Barrel's Double Fudge Coca Cola Cake

Cracker Barrel's Double Fudge Coca Cola Cake

1 cup coca-cola

1/2 cup oil

1 stick butter

3 tablespoons cocoa powder

2 cups sugar

2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

***Frosting***

1/4 pound butter

3 tablespoons cocoa powder

6 tablespoons cream or milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup pecans, coarsely chopped

1 pound confectioners' sugar

In a sauce pan, bring Coca-Cola, oil, butter and coca to a boil.  

In a large bowl, mix sugar, flour and salt.  Pour in the boiling liquid and beat well.  Add eggs, buttermilk, soda and vanilla and beat until well mixed.  Pour into a greased and floured 9x13" pan and bake at 350^F for 30-45 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

For the Frosting, in a saucepan combine the butter, cocoa and milk and heat until the butter melts.  Beat in the remaining ingredients and spread on hot cake.  Cool and cut.

This was OK....not particularly memorable though.  And not very chocolate-y.  Also, the frosting was ridiculously sweet, which is not usually something I complain about.  

Spiced Rum Cake

Spiced Rum Cake

Cake:
1 package Duncan Hines Butter Recipe Yellow Cake mix
1 small package instant French Vanilla pudding mix
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp allspice
Dash nutmeg
4 large eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup melted butter, cooled
1/2 cup Captain Morgan's Spiced Rum
1 tsp sugar

Preheat oven to 325^F.

Place all ingredients in large mixer bowl and blend well (about 3 minutes on medium-high speed ought to do it).  Meanwhile, grease and flour a 10-inch Bundt pan.  Once your batter is well mixed, spoon it evenly into the prepared pan.  Sprinkle the sugar over the top of the batter and place the pan in the oven for about 60 minutes, or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.

About 55 minutes into your baking time, prepare the Rum Syrup:

Rum Syrup:
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 - 1/2 cup Captain Morgan's Spiced Rum

In a saucepan combine the butter, water and sugar.  Bring to a boil over medium heat and continue cooking, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in desired amount of rum.

When the cake is done, remove it from the oven, but leave it in the pan.  Using a wooden skewer, poke holes in the hot cake and brush on the glaze, making sure to let some dribble down the edges of the cake inside the pan.  Use about half the glaze and be patient!  Let it soak in before you add more glaze.  Let sit in pan for about 10 minutes.

Turn the cake out onto a serving plate and brush the rest of the glaze on the top of the cake, letting the syrup absorb into the cake between brushings.  Be patient!

Let the cake cool completely before serving.  This cake is awesome made the day before you serve it. Great with a dollop of whipped cream or ice cream!

Applesauce Cake with Apple Cinnamon Buttercream

I was a little worried that this recipe (found on allrecipes.com) didn't have any eggs, but it turned out fine.  It's moist and spicy and delicious and I love that it's not a full-sized cake!  Only thing I'd change next time is to reduce the amount of salt to 1/2 teaspoon.  The original recipe called for raisins, which I omitted.

CAKE:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp cloves

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1 cup unsweetened applesauce

Preheat the oven to 350^F.  Grease and flour a 9-inch square pan.  In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, cloves and salt.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Dissolve baking soda into applesauce and mix into creamed butter.  Add flour mixture.  Mix until smooth.  

Pour into the prepared pan and bake at 350^F for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Cool completely.  Frost, if desired.  This cake would be fine without frosting....maybe a spinkle of powdered sugar.

FROSTING:

1/4 cup butter, softened

2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

2-3 Tbsp apple juice or cider

Beat the butter, sugar, cinnamon and enough juice to make a spreadable frosting.  

Texas Sheet Cake

Texas Sheet Cake

CAKE

2 cups sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 cup brewed coffee

FROSTING

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1/3 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 (16 ounce) box powdered sugar

1 cup finely chopped toasted nuts (pecans or walnuts)

 

For the cake:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 18 x 13 inch sheet pan.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together sugar, flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla.

In a small to medium sauce pan, melt the butter on medium-low heat. Whisk in the cocoa powder and coffee; increase heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a boil. Add the melted butter mixture to the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. Add the egg mixture and stir until all the ingredients are completely combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and rap on the counter a few times to distribute evenly. Bake the cake for 18-20 minutes or until cake tests done. Remove from the oven and frost immediately.

For the frosting:

 Start the frosting about 5 minutes before the cake is ready to come out of the oven. In a medium to large saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in the cocoa powder until combined. Add the buttermilk, vanilla, and powdered sugar. Stir until all of the ingredients are completely incorporated. Fold the toasted nuts into the frosting and immediately pour over the warm cake. Use an offset to help gently spread a thin layer over the entire surface.

Cool frosted cake on a wire rack for 1 hour, then moved to the refrigerator, preferably overnight. Serve cold or at room temperature.

 

I found this recipe on-line and remembered a similar cake from years ago that was delicious!  This one, however, was not.  Very disappointing.  It was just bland.  Probably the most pitiful excuse of a chocolate cake I've ever baked. 

Cathy's Favorite Carrot Cake

Cake:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
3/4 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups peeled and coarsely grated carrots
8-oz can crushed pineapple, drained
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350^F. Grease and flour a 9x13" cake pan.

Combine the flour, soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.

Beat the eggs, sugar, buttermilk, oil and vanilla in a large bowl until smooth. Beat in the dry ingredients. Fold in carrots, pineapple and pecans. Pour batter in prepared pan and bake 45-55 minutes or until cake tests done. If cake is browning too much, loosely cover with aluminum foil after about 30 minutes.

Glaze:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 stick unsalted butter, diced
1 Tbsp light corn syrup
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla

Combine sugar, buttermilk, butter, corn syrup and soda in a large saucepan,stirring until sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring often until the glaze is a deep amber color. The glaze will thin out when almost done. Remove from heat add vanilla.

Loosen edges of cake from pan but leave it in the pan. Poke holes in warm cake with a bamboo skewer and then slowly pour the glaze over the cake. Let cool completely in the pan and then turn out onto a tray/platter/cake taker.

Frost. Enjoy!

Frosting:
5 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1 stick unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1 lb powdered sugar
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Beat the cream cheese and butter in a large bowl until fluffy. Add powdered sugar, brown sugar, vanilla and cinnamon; beat until well blended Spread over cooled cake.

Delicious Carrot Cake!

Cranberry Upside Down Cake

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1 3/4 cups cranberries
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in center. Rub the bottom and sides of an 8-inch round cake pan with 2 tablespoons butter. In a small bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup sugar with the cinnamon and allspice. Sprinkle mixture evenly over bottom of pan; arrange cranberries in a single layer on top.

With an electric mixer, cream remaining 6 tablespoons butter and 1/2 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; beat until well combined. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture to butter mixture in three batches, alternating with the milk, until well combined.

Spoon batter over cranberries in pan, and smooth top. Place pan on a baking sheet; bake cake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Run a knife around edge of cake; invert onto a rimmed platter.

I don't remember exactly where I found this recipe...I think it might be from Martha Stewart but I can't swear to it. It's good though! I served it with a scoop of homemade vanilla ice cream and was quite happy with the results.

Lemon Blueberry Marble Cake

I found a link to the inspiration for this cake on pinterest and it looked so incredibly good that I just had to try it. Problem was, I had no fresh or frozen blueberries and I was too lazy to go to the grocery store to buy some. I DID have a jar of blueberry preserves though and a well stocked pantry! Hmmmm....let's try this:

Lemon Blueberry Marble Cake

12 oz jar blueberry preserves
1 large lemon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 pkg lemon cake mix, plus whatever other ingredients that mix calls for
1 stick butter, softened
1 lb confectioner's sugar

Zest the lemon. Reserve the lemon for the frosting.

For the Blueberry Filling: Combine 1 tsp of the lemon zest, the ginger and 3/4 of the jar of blueberry preserves in a small bowl and stir until thoroughly combined. Set aside.

Prepare the cake mix according to the package directions, adding about half of the remaining lemon zest to the batter. Remove 3/4 cup of batter to a small bowl and reserve. Divide the remaining batter between 2 greased and floured (or hit 'em with Baking Pam!) 8" round pans.

Add 2 Tbsp blueberry preserves from the amount left in the jar to the reserved batter and beat well. Spoon/drizzle blueberry batter over the filled pans and swirl/marble with a knife or skewer. Bake at 350^ F until cakes are done. Remove from pans and cool thoroughly on wire racks.

For the frosting, beat the softened butter, remaining lemon zest, powdered sugar and enough lemon juice (I needed all the juice that lemon had!) to make a smooth and spreadable icing.

Spread the blueberry filling over the top of one of the cake layers. Top with remaining cake layer and frost the top and sides with the Lemon Frosting. Refrigerate until serving time.

I loved it! I bet the original is phenomenal and I'll have to try it one day (when I have blueberries!)

Butter Almond Cake

Butter-Almond Cake
cooking.com; recipe contributed by: angie, MN 

8 Servings

Cake:
1/2 Cup Sugar
1 t. Vanilla
2/3 Cup Butter, plus small amount for pan
2 Eggs
3/4 Cup Flour
1/4 tsp salt

Glaze:
2 T. Milk
1 T. Flour
1/4 C. Butter
1/3 C. Blanched almonds, sliced
4 T. Sugar

1. Prehaet oven to 350 degrees.

2. Melt 2/3 C. butter and allow to cool.

3. Using a mixer, beat eggs, vanilla and sugar in large mixing bowl until light and fluffy.

4. Add butter and flour to egg mixture and stir by hand. Makes approximately 2 cups of batter.

5. Pour batter into an 8-inch greased and floured cake or tart pan. Bake for 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

6. In a saucepan, combine remaining 1/4 cup of butter, 4 T. sugar, milk, and flour. Bring to a boil and add almonds.

7. Spread cake with glaze and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until just beginning to turn light brown and crispy.

8. Allow to cool on a rack for 15 minutes before cutting. Serve warm or at room temperature.

The verdict: Very dense and a bit on the dry side, though the flavor was good. I didn't care for the soggy almonds on top, but I served it warm so maybe it would be better served cold (if the almonds crisp up)? I probably won't make it again to find out though....

ps..the picture is from cooking.com!

Orange Cream Cake

Orange Cream Cake

1 (18.25 ounce) package lemon cake mix
1 (.13 ounce) envelope unsweetened orange soft drink mix (Kool-Aid)
3 eggs
1 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 (3 ounce) packages orange flavored Jello, divided
1 cup boiling water
1 cup cold water
1 cup cold milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (3.4 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
1 (8 ounce) carton frozen whipped topping, thawed

In a mixing bowl, combine cake and drink mixes, eggs, water and oil. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Pour into an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Using a meat fork, poke holes in cake. Cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a bowl, dissolve one package of gelatin in boiling water. Stir in cold water. Pour over cake. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.

In a mixing bowl, combine milk, vanilla, pudding mix and remaining gelatin; beat on low for 2 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes; fold in whipped topping. Frost cake. Refrigerate leftovers.

Good cake! Loved the orange flavor of this. From allrecipes.com

Banana Pound Cake with Caramel Glaze

Banana Pound Cake with Caramel Glaze

3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
4 ripe bananas, mashed
5 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk
1 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 tbsp Praline Liqueur
1/4 cup heavy cream

Preheat an oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Set aside. Grease and flour a fluted tube pan.

Beat 1 cup of butter, shortening, 2 cups of brown sugar, and 1 cup of white sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until light and fluffy. The mixture should be noticeably lighter in color. Add the bananas, followed by the eggs one at a time, allowing each egg to blend into the butter mixture before adding the next. Beat in 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract with the last egg. Pour in the flour mixture alternately with the milk, mixing until just incorporated. Fold in the pecans; mixing just enough to evenly combine. Pour the batter into prepared pan.

Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the glaze. Heat 1/2 cup of butter, 1/4 cup of brown sugar, 1/4 cup of white sugar, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, and heavy cream in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir continuously until the sugars have dissolved, then gently simmer for 1 minute. Slowly pour half the glaze over baked cake while still in the pan. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack, and slowly drizzle remaining glaze over the top.

Adapted from allrecipes.com. This is AWESOME! John says on a scale of 1-5 this is a 10!

Fresh Strawberry Upside Down Cake

Fresh Strawberry Upside Down Cake

2 cups fresh strawberries, crushed
6-oz pkg strawberry Jello
3 cups miniature marshmallows
1 pkg yellow cake mix, prepared as directed on package
Whipped Cream

Preheat the oven to 350^F. Spray a 9x13" pan with cooking spray and spread the crushed strawberrie over the bottom. Evenly sprinkle the berries with the Jello and top it off with the mini marshmallows. Pour the prepared cake mix over the marshmallows and bake in the preheated oven for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the pan to loosen the sides and turn the cake out onto a serving tray. Serve with whipped cream. Store cake in the refrigerator. From allrecipes.com

This smells incredible! And tastes WONDERRRRFULL! Way better than any "Strawberry Shortcake" I've ever made....this is definitely a keeper!!

Chocolate Kahlua Cake

Chocolate Kahlua Cake

2 cups sour cream
2 large eggs
1 pkg. Duncan Hines Butter Recipe Fudge Cake
1/2 cup Kahlua
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate Chips
1/2 cup crushed almond toffee bits

Stir together the first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; blend well. Stir in chocolate chips and toffee bits. Pour batter into a greased and floured 10-inch Bundt pan. Bake at 350^ F. for 50-55 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes; remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack.

Chocolate Kahlua Glaze

1 cup Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate Chips
3 tbsp heavy cream
1-2 tbsp Kahlua

Combine the chocolate and cream in a small bowl and microwave for 1 minute. Stir until smooth. Add Kahlua and stir until well blended and glossy. Spoon over top of cake so some of the glaze oozes down the sides. Sprinkle with almond toffee bits if desired.

Delicious cake. Frankly, the Glaze is a waste...this cake doesn't need it at all. It's very chocolatey and rich but the glaze is overkill.

Valentine's Dinner

Rib-Eyes with Mustard Wine Sauce

2 tbsp olive oil
2 Rib-Eyes, about 3/4" thick
Montreal Steak Seasoning
Pepper
1 small onion, halved and sliced thin
3/4 cup beef broth
1/3 cup red wine
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp butter
Parsley

Season the steaks with Montreal Steak Seasoning and Pepper and let set at room temperture about 15 minutes. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat until sizzling hot. Sear the steaks well on both sides, turning only once, until well browned and cooked to desired doneness. Add onion slices to skillet around the steaks and let them brown, stirring to keep them from burning. Remove steaks to a warm platter, cover with foil and keep warm. Add the beef broth, wine, mustard and honey to the skillet and turn heat up to high. Boil until liquid is reduced by half, stirring occasionally. Stir in butter until melted and serve sauce over steaks with a granish of chopped parsley. YUM! (adapted from allrecipe.com's Peppercorn Seasoned Steaks with Mustard-Wine Sauce)


Roasted Baby Dutch Potatoes with Garlic and Butter

1 to 1-1/2 lbs Baby Dutch Gold potatoes
1 tbsp roasted minced garlic
3 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
Sea Salt

Preheat oven to 425^F. Place potatoes in a casserole or other baking dish. Combine garlic and butter in a small microwave safe bowl and microwave on high until butter is melted. Pour garlic butter over potatoes, drizzle with olive oil and season with sea salt. Cover dish with foil and bake 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake 25 minutes more or until potatoes are fork tender and beginning to brown a bit. Serve hot. We love these! If you can't find the Baby Dutch potatoes, Fingerlings work great too.


Chocolate Velvet Cake with Vanilla Buttercream

1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup butter, softened
16 oz pkg light brown sugar
3 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
8-oz container sour cream
1 cup hot water
2 tsp vanilla

Melt chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl on High for 30 second intervals until melted (about 1 1/2 minutes total). Stir until smooth. Beat butter and sugar at medium speed for 5 minutes or until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Add melted chocolate, beating just until blended. Sift together flour, soda and salt. Gradually add to chocolate mixture alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Gradually add 1 cup hot water in a slow steady stream, beating at low speed just until blended. Stir in vanilla. Spoon batter into 2 greased and floured 9-inch round (or square) pans that are at least 2-inches deep. (If your pans are not 2-inches deep, use 3 pans and reduce baking time!) Bake in a preheated 350^ oven for 40 to 45 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pans and let cool completely on racks.

Vanilla Buttercream

1/2 cup butter
16-oz pkg powdered sugar
1/3 cup half and half
1 tbsp vanilla

Beat butter at medium speed until cream; gradually ad powdered sugar alternately with half and half, beating at low speed until well blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla.

I used square pans and this was just barely enough frosting to completely frost the cake. The frosting is really sweet though so I wouldn't use more than the single recipe....I think if I ever make this one again I'll use seedless raspberry jam between the cakes instead of the frosting, which will probably then give you plenty of the buttercream for the outside of the cake. The raspberry preserves would have made this cake perfect! The actual cake itself was good, but if I'm going to make one from scratch I want it to better than good (!) and there are mixes that taste more chocolatey than this cake did. From Southern Living's 2003 Annual Recipes cookbook.

Tres Leches Cake

Tres Leches Cake

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup milk
1 can evaporated milk
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 pint heavy cream, for whipping
3 tablespoons sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9 x 13 inch pan liberally until coated.

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Separate eggs. Beat egg yolks with 3/4 cup sugar on high speed until yolks are pale yellow. Stir in milk and vanilla. Pour egg yolk mixture over flour mixture and stir very gently until combined.

Beat egg whites on high speed until soft peaks form. With mixer on, pour in 1/4 cup sugar and beat until egg whites are stiff but not dry. Fold egg white mixture into other mixture very gently until just combined. Pour into prepared pan and spread to even out surface.

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.Turn cake out onto a rimmed platter and allow to cool.

Combine condensed milk, evaporated milk, and 1/2 cup heavy cream in a small pitcher. When cake is cool, pierce the surface with a fork several times. Slowly drizzle all but about 1 cup of the milk mixture—try to get as much around the edges of the cake as you can. Allow the cake to absorb the milk mixture for 30 minutes.

Whip 1 pint heavy cream with 3 tablespoons of sugar until thick and spreadable.Spread over the surface of the cake. Decorate cake with whole or chopped maraschino cherries. Cut into squares and serve.

I found this recipe on The Pioneer Woman's blog (www.thepioneerwoman.com). She's my favorite blogger and the pics she had on her site of this cake looked SO GOOD I had to try it! And, Wow! This is delicious! I really was afraid it would be soggy, but amazingly, it's not! I think this will be our dessert on Thanksgiving this year!

Smothered Bacon Chicken & Applesauce Spice Cake with Penuche Frosting

Smothered Bacon Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tbsp butter
4 slices bacon
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
Salt & pepper
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can chicken gravy
1 cup sour cream
1 cup water
1 tsp dried celery leaves
1 tsp dried chives
Hot, cooked rice

Wrap each chicken breast in a bacon slice, beginning and ending on the same side. Season with salt, pepper and poultry seasoning. Melt the butter in a large, heavy skillet and brown the chicken/bacon pieces for 8 minutes on each side over medium heat. Remove chicken from skillet and place in a 9x13 baking dish. Combine the remaining ingredients in the skillet, stirring until completely combined and hot. Pour over the chicken. Cover with foil and bake at 350-degrees for 45 minutes. Serve over hot, cooked rice. Original recipe is on allrecipes.com. Excellent chicken!


Applesauce Spice Cake

2-1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 cups applesauce
2 eggs

Sift flour, sugar, soda, salt, baking powder and spices into a large bowl and set aside. Combine the butter, buttermilk, applesauce and eggs in a large mixing bowl and beat until well combined. Gradually add the flour mixture, beating well. Pour into a greased and floured 9x13-inch pan. Bake at 350^ for 50 minutes or until done. (Original recipe is Never Fail Applesauce Spice Cake at allrecipes.com)


Penuche Frosting

1/2 cup butter
1 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup half and half
1 pinch salt
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups confectioners' sugar

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and continue to simmer and stir for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in half and half and salt and return to a boil, continuing to stir. Remove the caramel from the heat and allow to cool to lukewarm, then add the vanilla. Gradually beat in confectioner's sugar with an electric mixer until smooth, being careful not to overbeat. Spread over cooked cake and allow to stand for at least 15 minutes before serving. (Scrumptious Penuch Frosting at allrecipes.com)

The cake was delicious! Very rich though, so a small serving was perfect, which is good for me!

Creamy BBQ Chicken Dinner 4.25.09

On the menu tonight was Creamy Barbecue Chicken, Bacon-Wrapped Potatoes, Cole Slaw and a Banana Cake with a Walnut-Toffee Topping. Here are the recipes:

Creamy Barbecue Chicken
3 tbsp olive oil
1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken cutlets
Garlic Salt
Smoked Pepper
Smoked Paprika
1 small onion, halved and sliced
1.5 cups water
1/2 cup bbq sauce
3/4 cup sour cream

Heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet. Season the chicken with garlic salt, pepper and paprika. Brown the chicken in the oil. Add the onions when you turn the chicken to brown the second side. Pour in water and simmer, covered for 20 minutes. Remove the chicken and keep warm. Stir in bbq sauce and sour cream until combined and hot. Serve sauce over chicken.


Bacon-Wrapped Potatoes
2 baking potatoes, halved lengthwise
2 thin slices sweet onion
2 bacon strips

Preheat the oven to 325^. Layer the onion slices on cut side of two potato halves; top with other potato half. Wrap each potato with bacon strips and secure with toothpicks. Place on a lightly greased baking pan. Bake, uncovered, for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until potato is tender and bacon is crispy. Discard toothpicks before serving.


Coleslaw
See earlier posting for basic coleslaw recipe. Tonight I used a bag of coleslaw, a pinch of sugar, celery seed, a spoonful of pineapple preserves and mayo.


Buttermilk Banana Cake
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup mashed ripe bananas
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup buttermilk

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars until fluffy. Add eggs; beat 2 minutes. Add banana and vanilla; beat 2 minutes. Combine flour, baking powder, soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk. Pour into a greased 9x13" pan. Bake at 350^ for about 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool in pan on rack 10 minutes, Turn out onto serving tray and cool completely.

Walnut-Toffee Topping:
1/2 cup half & half
1/2 cup sugar
4 Tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (or pecans)
1/4 cup toffee bits
8 oz container Cool Whip, thawed

Combine half & half and next 4 ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil; cook stirring for 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla, nuts and toffee bits. Cool. Spread over top of cake. Spread Cool Whip over topping and sprinkle with extra toffee bits and walnuts, if desired.

My Notes: The cake recipe is from Taste of Home's Prize Winning Recipes and I didn't change a thing except to bake it in a 9x13 pan instead of in layers. The topping was actually the filling recommended in the original recipe to layer the cakes together. I added the toffee bits trying to give it more appeal. I did not care for the topping's texture at all, but the flavor was good. Overall, the cake was quite good though I think a broiled coconut-nut type topping would make this cake almost perfect!

The Chicken and the Potato recipe were both from allrecipes.com. I added extra bbq sauce to the chicken because the original version was very bland. The potatoes were excellent and John has requested that I make them again.