Chocolate Pound Cake

 This recipe is from a friend in Rowlett, Texas.

Chocolate Pound Cake

1 yellow cake mix (w/o pudding)

1 small package instant vanilla pudding

1 small package instant chocolate pudding

4 eggs

1/2 cup oil

1 1/2 cup water

1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients together, except chocolate chips. Stir in chocolate chips. Spoon mixture into a greased Bundt cake pan and bake for 45 mins. Cool. Dust cake with powdered sugar. 

Hershey's Lickety-Split Chocolate Frosting

This is a recipe from the back of a Hershey's cocoa box from a million years ago, maybe as many as 40 years ago when I was a young wife and mother.

 Hershey's Likety-Split Chocolate Frosting

Picture from Hersheyland.com

3 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup cocoa

1/8 teaspoon salt

6 Tablespoons milk

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/3 cup butter, softened

Combine sugar, cocoa and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add milk and vanilla. Mix well until smooth.  Add butter and beat until spreading consistency. 

Makes about 2 cups frosting enough for an 8"-9" layer cake.

One Pan Chocolate Cake

This is an unusual process to make a cake. I rather like the idea of it. It is from the Women's Assembly Longview Community Church Cook Book 1959.

One Pan Chocolate Cake 

 3 cups flour

 2 cups sugar

 6 Tablespoons cocoa

 2 teaspoons baking soda 

1 1/2 teaspoon salt 

3/4 cup oil 

2 teaspoon vanilla

 2 tablespoons vinegar

 2 cups water

 Sift dry ingredients in ungreased 9x13 pan. Add liquids and stir well. Bake 40 minutes at 375 degrees. Serve warm with whipped cream or it may be iced when cool. Mrs. J. A. Rhodes

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

This recipe is from a cookbook from Harmons grocery store in Utah, called Zucchini, from the 1970's. It was given to us by Nelma Irvine. It is the BEST recipe ever! Yum!

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

"it's the zucchini that makes this cake so moist"

2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup soft butter
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups coarsely shredded zucchini
1/2 cup milk
1 cup chopped walnuts (or pecans)
Glaze (directions below)

Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; set aside. With a rotary mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until they are well blended.

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. With a spoon, stir in the vanilla and zucchini. Alternately stir in the dry ingredients and the milk into the zucchini mixture, include the nuts with the last addition.

Pour the batter into a greased and floured 10" bundt pan. Bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn out on a wire rack to cool. Drizzle glaze over the cake. Makes 10-2 servings.

Glaze: Mix together 2 cups powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons milk and blend smooth. Drizzle over cake.

Additions:
*Add 1 cup chocolate chips!
*I like to sprinkle powdered sugar on the cake and eliminate the glaze.
*Eating the cake plain is delicious, too! 

Cranberry Christmas Cake

This recipe is from Barefeet in the Kitchen, 

Cranberry Christmas Cake

This Cranberry Christmas Cake is one of those recipes that is an instant favorite every single time someone new tastes it.

Tart cranberries, sweet buttery cake, and a fantastic texture all combined to basically beg me to eat another piece.

I recommend stocking up on plenty of fresh cranberries so that you can enjoy these recipes all year long.

Cranberry Christmas Cake Recipe

Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup butter softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups all-purpose flour 
• 12 oz fresh cranberries

Instructions

1. 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
   2. With a mixer, beat the eggs with the sugar until slightly thickened and light in color, about 5-7 minutes. The mixture should almost double in size. The eggs work as your leavening agent in this recipe, so do not skip this step.
   3. The sugar and egg mixture should form a ribbon when you lift the beaters out of the bowl.
   4. Add the butter and vanilla; mix two more minutes. Stir in the flour until just combined.
   5. Add the cranberries and stir to mix throughout.
   6. Spread in a buttered 9×13 pan. 
   7. Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until very lightly browned and a toothpick inserted near the center of the cake comes out clean. (I baked mine for 43 minutes.) Let cool completely before cutting into small slices.
   8. I cut mine into fairly small pieces, about 1″ x 2″ so that they could be easily eaten at a party.
   9. Store this cake at room temperature, either uncovered or very loosely covered. This is a moist cake and the crust will soften a great deal if it is stored airtight. It will still be tasty, but it won’t be the same the next day if it’s kept airtight.

   Options: 
2. I like sprinkle the top with sugar for an extra sweet crust.
3. I would really recommend adding walnuts. The cake is so much better with the walnut crunch.
4. Substitute the cranberries for blueberries or rhubarb or pie cherries... use your imagination!
5. 
   

Banana Cake with Brown Butter Frosting

This is the cake that Aunt Betty used to make Uncle Harold for his birthday. It is a fantastic cake! Make sure that you add sliced bananas between the layers!

Banana Cake

1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 cup banana pulp (mashed bananas)
3 eggs, seperated
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup sour milk (buttermilk)
vanilla
Cream sugar and butter. Add egg yolks. Add bananas.Add flour and baking powder gradually. Beat 2 minutes. Add baking soda to the milk, then add to the batter. Do not beat too much, but mix well. Beat egg whites. Fold into batter. Bake in 2 round layers or a loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Let cool, then remove from the cake pans.

Frost with Brown Butter Frosting, recipe below.

Banana Cake 

from rockrecipes.com

Check out his website, and the recipe

for delicous ideas.

For the brown butter frosting

If you want to completely frost the cake sides, you double the frosting recipe.

• 1 cup brown butter
• 4 cups icing sugar, powdered sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 4-6 tbsp milk, approximately

1. To brown butter just melt it in a small saucepan over medium heat and watch it carefully until the color turns light golden brown.
2. Pour it off immediately into a heat proof measuring cup, leaving the sediment behind. (Or most of the sediment, I actually add a 1/2 tsp or so of it to the frosting for flavour.)
3. Allow the brown butter to cool to room temperature and solidify.
4. Beat all ingredients together until smooth, fluffy, and a spreadable consistency. Use a couple of tablespoons of milk to begin and add more if need be, or of it becomes too thin, just add a couple more tablespoons of icing sugar at a time to get to the proper consistency.
5. Frost the middle and top of the cake.

If you want to completely frost the cake sides, you double the frosting recipe.

Soft 7 Minute Frosting

This is a recipe from our friend, Nita. It is a stiff, but soft, white frosting.

Soft 7-Minute Frosting

3/4 cup white corn syrup
1/4 cup sugar (Nita uses 3/4 cup sugar.)
Pinch of cream of tartar
Whites of 2 eggs

Put in a double boiler. Beat 7 minutes or until stiff. (That sounds simple!)

Brown Karo syrup and brown sugar may be used instead of the white.

Will frost a 9" 2-layer cake.

New Red Cake

Aunt Marie made this cake- New Red Cake- many years before Red Earth Cake or Red Velvet Cake became popular. Thank you, Aunt Marie!

New Red Cake

1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 ounces red food coloring (1/4 cup)
2 teaspoon cocoa
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 cups cake flour
1 cup buttermilk (Real buttermilk is best.  But, if you don't have it, use 1 cup milk with 1 Tablespoon White Vinegar or Lemon juice)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 Tablespoon vinegar

Cream the shortening, sugar and eggs until light, about 2 minutes. Make a paste of the food coloring and cocoa, add to the eggs mixture. Add salt to flour and add, alternately with the buttermilk. Add vanilla, then add the vinegar and baking soda. Mix in. Do Not Beat! Pour into 3 8" layer ckae pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Recipe shared by Sheila (and Robin).

Sailor Jack

Sailor Jack Spice Cups Recipe

From Deanna McCaulley from The Old Hen 

One of my favorite fall treats while working at Scandia Bakery & Lefse Factory as a teenager was the spice cup. It represented everything lovely and spicy about the holidays in one cute little cup.  You too, will love these sweet things!

First, preheat oven to 350F

• 1/2 cup (or one stick) of butter, softened
• 1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 3/4 cup molasses
• 2 t. baking powder
• 1 t. baking soda
• 1 t. salt
• 3 cups flour
• 3 T. ground cinnamon
• 2 T. ground cloves
• 1/2 t. ground nutmeg
• 1 T. ground allspice
• 1 t. ground white pepper
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 1/2 cup raisins

Cream together butter, oil, sour cream, and sugar. Add eggs, buttermilk, and molasses. Mix well.

Add baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix well. Add flour until well combined.

Spices. All da spices… Do not question. Just add them and smile for it is fall.

Slowly add warm water and mix well.

And what is a spice cup without raisins?

Dear Raisins,

I am sorry for the way I neglected you and discarded you in my youth. I now see the error of my ways. I love you.

Love,

Deanna

Using a 1/3 measuring cup, scoop batter into muffin tins coated with non-stick baking spray. If using large muffin tins, use 2/3 measuring cup as your batter scooper.

Happy girl. Happy girl. Happy girl.

Bake for about 30 minutes or until fork poked into one comes out clean. Be sure not to overbake or they will be dry.

While spice cups are baking, make the glaze by whisking together 2 cups of powdered sugar and 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water.

Let spice cups cool for about 15-20 minutes upside-down. Pour glaze over spice cups. You cannot do this without a smile on your face. I’ve tried. Be sure to pour as slowly & evenly as possible, getting it all around the edges of each spice cup for full coverage. The back of a spoon is helpful to help cover the sides.

Spice cups are even better when made the day before you plan to serve them. The spices are out-of-control delicious on day two. Be sure to cover once the glaze dries with plastic while they sit overnight.

Slow Cooker Chocolate Lava Cake

Slow Cooker Chocolate Lava Cake

Ingredients for cake

Box of chocolate cake mix

3 eggs

1 and ¼ cups milk

½ cup vegetable oil

Ingredients for the topping

1   four serving size box of instant chocolate pudding

2  c. milk

1  12 oz bag of chocolate chips

Beat together cake mix, oil, eggs, and milk with electric mixer until smooth.  Spray slow cooker with Pam. Pour mixture into crock pot and smooth out to edges.

Beat together the 2 cups of milk and pudding and pour over cake mix already in crock pot.  Then sprinkle chocolate chips over the top.  Do not stir.  Cover and cook on high for 2-2 ½ hours.  You will know when it is done when the outside and middle set up like a sponge.  It may take 3 hours to set. 

Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Recipe shared by Karen.

Brownie Pudding/ Lava Cake

This is a wonderful cake recipe.  It turns out like a lava cake.  So good!

 Brownie Pudding

2 C Flour                                               4 Tbsp shortening/butter

4 tsp baking powder                       2 tsp vanilla

1 tsp salt                                              1 c milk

1 ½ c sugar                                          1 c coarsely chopped nuts

4 T cocoa

Sauce

1 c  brown sugar                               1 c karo or pancake syrup

4 Tbsp  cocoa                                     1 ½ boiling water

Place dry ingredients in mixing bowl. Cut in shortening/butter. Add milk, vanilla and nuts.  Spread in 9 x 13 pan. Next put dry sauce ingredients  in small mixing bowl. Add syrup and boiling water. Stir well.  Pour over other ingredients already in 9 x 13 pan. Quickly put into a 350 degree oven and bake for 45 minutes.

Recipe shared by Karen.

14 Karat Cake

This is a recipe that I was given when I was in college at BYU. It is a great carrot cake recipe! We usually have it at Easter and for special occasions.

14 Karat Cake

4 eggs
1 1/2 cups oil
2 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
3 cups grated carrots (3 medium size carrots)

Beat together eggs and oil. Add sugar. Add in dry ingredients. Then add in the carrots. Bake in a 9x13 pan at 350 degrees for 50 minutes or until brown.  (I like to use 2 round cake pans.)

Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 box powdered sugar
8 oz. pkg. cream cheese
1 cube butter
2 teaspoons vanilla

Mix ingredients together well. Spread on cake. Top with chopped nuts. (I like walnuts.)

Recipe shared by Robin.

Chocolate Applesauce Cake

This is a recipe that I received from a friend of mine, Libby, when I worked at Tumwater High School. I loved working there, and I loved this cake when Libby shared it at school.

Chocolate Applesauce Cake

1 1/2 cup sugar
2 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder (Not the drink mix!)
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups applesauce
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup oil

Put all ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix well. Pour batter into a 9x13 greased and floured pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes.

Frosting

1/4 cup water
2 chocolate squares OR 3 tablespoons cocoa powder, plus 1 tablespoon butter
1 cup miniature marshmallows
1/4 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla

Melt these ingredients in a saucepan. Take pan off of the burner and add:

2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cups chopped nuts (I use walnuts)
1 1/2 cup miniature marshmallows

Spread on the warm cake. Enjoy!

It's great with vanilla ice cream!

Recipe shared by Robin.

Grandma Irvine's Fruitcake

This is a another recipe from Grandma Irvine. She shared her Famous Fruitcake recipe with us. We have made it for many years. It isn't like the traditional nasty fruitcake. This is more like a spice cake with candied fruit in it. We like to make them in the mini muffin pans. Bitesize fruitcake!

Fruitcake

3/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup molasses
3 eggs
1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon allspice or nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ginger
2 teaspoon vanilla
4.8oz. diced, glaced cherries
4.8oz. diced, glazed pineapple
1 cup diced dates
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped almonds
1/2 cup pecans

Beat butter, sugar and molasses together in a mixer. Add eggs. Mix in dry ingredients. Add vanilla, then fruit and nuts. Line muffin cups with colored baking papers. Spoon batter into cup, 1/2 to 3/4 full. Bake at 325 degrees for 40 minutes. Cover with foil, if needed, to keep them from burning. Cool and store in a plastic storage container. These freeze well.

Our Option:
Bake in mini muffin pans at 325 degrees for 15 minutes.

Strawberry Cake

This is Grandma Irvine's Strawberry Cake recipe. We love this cake! It is especially a favorite this the little girls for their birthday cake.

Picture from bakememore.com.

Strawberry Cake

1 package white cake mix
6 Tablespoons flour
1- 3 ounce package strawberry jello
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup water
4 eggs
2/3 cup frozen strawberries and juice, thawed

Mix all ingredients together and mix for 4 minutes. Pour into prepared pan(s). We have used a 9x13 pan or 2 round cake pans. I'm sure that it would be fantastic as cupcakes, too. The cake will come out of the pans better, if you line the bottom of the pans with waxed paper. The waxed paper will peel easily from the cake when cooked. Or spray the pan with vegatable spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.

Strawberry Frosting:

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 lb. powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup thawed strawberries

Mix ingredients well. Spread on cooled cake.

Grandma Sally's Mississippi Mud Cake

Grandma Sally's Mississippi Mud Cake

Cake Ingredients:

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 cup butter

1/2 cup flour

1 tsp. vanilla

4 eggs, beaten

pinch of salt

* Stir butter and cocoa over medium heat. Meanwhile, mix beaten eggs, vanilla, and sugar. Once, chocolate mixture is melted, let cool slightly and then add it to the sugar and egg mixture. In a separate bowl, mix salt and flour and add to the wet ingredients. Stir together. Pour into greased and floured cake pan (13x9). Bake at 350 for 35-45 minutes. While cake is still warm, add the frosting!

For Frosting- 

1 lb. powdered sugar

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup butter, soft

1/3 cup cocoa powder

1 tsp. vanilla

*To make the frosting, cream the butter and cocoa with mixer. Slowly add milk sugar and vanilla. Mix until blended. (This will be thinner than most frostings)

Recipe shared by Mandy Davies.