Recipe #4 January 24, 2013

I told Andrew to pick any dessert on Pinterest for me to make for his birthday... this was his choice!

Grasshopper fudge cake dessert

Ingredients:

1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® white cake mix

Water, vegetable oil and egg whites as called for on cake mix box

2 teaspoons mint extract

12 drops green food color

2 jars (16 oz each) hot fudge topping

1 container (8 oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed

5 drops yellow food color

Thin rectangular crème de menthe chocolate candies, unwrapped and cut into pieces, if desired.

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Spray bottom only of 13x9-inch pan with baking spray with flour.

2 Make cake batter as directed on box, adding 1 1/2 teaspoons of the mint extract with the water. Reserve 1 cup batter. Stir 3 drops of the green food color into reserved batter; set aside. Pour remaining batter into pan.

3. Drop green batter by generous tablespoonfuls randomly in 12 to 14 mounds onto batter in pan. Cut through batters with metal spatula or knife in S-shaped curves in one continuous motion. Turn pan one-fourth turn; repeat cutting for swirled design.

4. Bake as directed on box for 13x9-inch pan. Run knife around sides of pan to loosen cake. Cool completely, about 1 hour.

5. Carefully spread fudge topping evenly over cake. In medium bowl, stir whipped topping, remaining 1/2 teaspoon mint extract, remaining 9 drops green food color and the yellow food color until blended. Spread whipped topping mixture evenly over fudge. Garnish with candy pieces. Store covered in refrigerator.

Recipe #3 January 15, 2013

Classic 3-layered Vanilla Cake

Ingredients:

• 6 eggs - use only whites
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 2 2/3 cups sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 cups buttermilk

Directions:

1. Separate eggs. Allow egg whites to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes (reserve yolks for another use). Meanwhile, grease three 8x1-1/2-inch round cake pans. Line bottoms of pans with parchment paper. Grease parchment paper and lightly flour pans; set aside. In medium bowl stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and 3/4 teaspoon salt; set aside.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In large mixing bowl beat butter with electric mixer on medium to high for 30 seconds. Add sugar and vanilla; beat until well combined. Add egg whites all at once; beat on medium-high 3 minutes. Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk to butter mixture, beating on low after each addition just until combined (batter may look slightly curdled). Divide batter among prepared pans. (If you do not have three pans, refrigerate remaining batter until ready to use.) I gradually added more food coloring to make my layers each a different shade of purple.

3. Bake in preheated oven 30 to 35 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near centers comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove layers from pans. Cool thoroughly on racks.

4. Frost with desired frosting. Store, covered, in refrigerator. Makes 16 servings.

Recipe #2 - January 8, 2013

Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Crushed Pineapple

Cake Ingredients:

2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 1/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups coconut flakes
2 cups carrots, shredded
1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple - well, well drained
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

Frosting Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 ounces cream cheese

1 3/4 cups powdered sugar 

Directions:

1.Preheat oven to 375. 

2. In a large mixing bowl, mix sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla. 

3. In a medium bowl, mix together flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. 

4. Gradually mix in dry ingredients in with the wet. 

5. Add coconut, carrots, pineapple and walnuts. 

6. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full.

7. Bake for 15 minutes. 

8. Let cool before frosting with cream cheese frosting.

9. Frosting: cream butter, cream cheese and vanilla. Blend in powdered sugar gradually.

*Recommendation: I would double the frosting recipe to frost this way because I ran out!

Recipe #1 - January 1, 2013

Chocolate chip - butterscotch oatmeal cookies

They were probably the best cookies I've EVER made!

Original recipe makes 3 1/2 dozen

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter, softened 
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar 
• 1/2 cup white sugar 
• 2 eggs 
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour  
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda  
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 3 cups quick-cooking oats 
• 1 cup chopped walnut
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips 
• 1/2 cup butterscotch morsels

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; stir into the creamed mixture until just blended. Mix in the quick oats, walnuts, and chocolate chips. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto greased baking sheets.
3. Bake for 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.