Caramel Carrot Poke Cake

I found this recipe online, and made it to complement our Easter dinner - it was delicious! Very reminiscent of my Candy Bar Cake. (Adapted from Something Swanky.)

Caramel Carrot Poke Cake

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1 carrot cake mix, baked in a 9x13 pan and cooled
8-10 oz. of store-bought caramel sauce
6-8 oz. whipped cream cheese (in the tub)
2.5 Tbsp. sugar
8 oz. Cool Whip
1/4 c. chopped pecans

Poke holes all over the cake using the bottom of a mixing spoon handle.
Pour the caramel sauce over the cake, aiming for the holes. 

Refrigerate the cake for at least 3 hours before serving.
Make the frosting before serving. Using an electric mixer, whisk the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Mix in the Cool Whip. 

Spread the frosting mixture over the top of the cake. 

Top with the crushed pecans and additional caramel drizzle, if desired.
Store cake in the refrigerator.

Texas Sheet Cake

Homemade chocolate heaven... an easy classic.

Texas Sheet Cake

CAKE
2 c. sugar
2 c. flour
1 c. butter
1 c. water
1/4 c. cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
2 eggs
1/2 c. buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven at 375 degrees.
Grease cookie sheet / jelly roll pan.
Mix sugar & flour.
Bring to boil the butter, cocoa, and water.
Pour hot mixture over sugar and flour; and mix well.
Add soda, eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla; and mix well.
Pour into greased cookie sheet.
Bake 20 minutes at 375 degrees.
Cool in pan about 15 minutes.


FROSTING
1/2 c. butter
1/4 c. cocoa
5-6 Tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 box powdered sugar (about 3.75 c.)
1 c. chopped nuts

Mix together butter, cocoa, and milk in a saucepan; bring to a boil.
Cool slightly.
Add vanilla, sugar, and nuts; mix well.
Frost the cake!

Banana Blueberry Cake

I made this dessert last night, too... also a new-to-me recipe, and it was soooo good!  Tasted a lot like banana bread with blueberries in it (so, of course, Brian was a big fan!).  I did make it with the frosting, but probably will do it differently the next time (and there will definitely be a next time!) - frosting is uber-sweet.  This would be yummy in a bundt pan with a lemon glaze or sifted powdered sugar on top, instead of the frosting.  This could even be considered a breakfast cake!

Banana Blueberry Cake

1 c. sugar
½ c. butter (1 stick), room temperature
2 eggs
¼ c. buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
3 large, very ripe bananas, mashed fine
1¼-1½ c. fresh or frozen blueberries (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease and flour a 9x13 pan and set aside.
In a roomy bowl, cream together the sugar and butter.
Add the eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla and blend until smooth.
In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
Gradually add to the batter and mix well.
Stir in the mashed bananas.
Fold in the blueberries, if using.
Pour into the pan and bake at 350 degrees for about 35 minutes.
Frost, if desired.


FROSTING (optional):
    1 c. butter (2 sticks), room temperature
    2 tsp. vanilla
    4 c. powdered sugar, sifted
    6 Tbsp. milk, divided

Cream the butter and vanilla together on medium speed with an electric mixer.
Alternate adding powdered sugar and milk; mixing well on low speed after each addition.

Margene's Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

Always a hit!

Margene's Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

1/2 c. butter, softened
6 Tbsp. sugar
6 Tbsp. brown sugar, packed
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
1 c. & 2 Tbsp. flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. chocolate chips (if no nuts, add 1/2 c. add'l)
1/2 c. chopped nuts (opt.)

Combine butter, sugars, & vanilla; beat until creamy.
Beat in egg.
Gradually add flour, soda, & salt.
Stir in chocolate chips (& nuts).
Spread onto greased & floured pizza pan.
Bake at 375F for 12-15 minutes.


FROSTING TO DECORATE

1 c. + powdered sugar
1/4 c. shortening
1/6 c. milk
pinch of salt
food coloring (as desired)

Mix together.
Beat at high speed for 2 minutes.
Add food coloring and add'l powdered sugar as necessary.

Snickerdoodle Cupcakes

Snickerdoodle Cupcakes
(Or, make into a cake - whichever you prefer.)

Cupcakes:
1 package plain white cake mix
1 cup whole milk
1 stick of butter, melted
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Frosting:
1 stick butter
3 3/4 cup confectioners sugar
3-4 Tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and flour & grease 2 9" pans (for cakes) or line your cupcake tin. Place cake mix, milk, melted butter, eggs, vanilla, and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl. Blend for three minutes (stop to scrape once). Pour into pans and bake for 27-29 minutes (for cake) or 22-25 minutes (for cupcakes). Allow the cakes to cool completely.

Beat butter until fluffy for frosting. Add all other ingredients.

Note: These can be frozen (without frosting) to save for another occasion. They freeze very nicely!

Pumpkin Coffee Cake

(previously seen on my blog)
I've made this twice now...YUMMY!

**I adhered to the "Karen's notes" modifications. One pan works well, you just have to bake closer to the 50 min mark, depending on your oven I suppose. You should also do a little more of the topping if you prefer, it ends up baking down in the top, not really a crumbily topping like I imagined. And I added a little extra pumpkin, cuz I knew I wouldn't have anything else to use it for and I wanted it to taste "pumpkin-y" I don't know if it really made a difference. Probably adding more pumpkin would help it be more moist. But it's usually better the second day anyway. Or I guess you could make 2 cakes! I also used fat-free sour cream cuz that's what I had. I doubt it makes a difference and you still have a stick of butter in there.

Pumpkin Coffee Cake

TOPPING INGREDIENTS:
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons cold butter or margarine
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans

CAKE INGREDIENTS:
- 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup canned or cooked pumpkin
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS:
In a small bowl, combine sugars and cinnamon. Cut in the butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in pecans; set aside. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine the sour cream, pumpkin and vanilla; mix well. Combine dry ingredients; add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream mixture. Beat on low just until blended. Spread the batter into two greased and floured 8-in. round cake pans. Sprinkle with topping. Bake at 325 degrees F for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

KAREN'S NOTES:
I used a mixture of cloves, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg for the pumpkin spice and skipped the nuts for you :-). I also used one pan instead of two and I think the thickness was perfect.

Coffee Cake

For the cake:

1 Yellow Cake Mix

4 Eggs

1 pkg. Vanilla Pudding

1/2 cup Oil

1 cup Sour cream

Topping:

1/2 cup Sugar (I prefer brown sugar)

2 Tbl. Cinnamon

2 Tbl. Unsweetened Cocoa

1 cup of chopped nuts (Optional, but I use pecans)

In a small bowl, mix the cocoa, cinnamon and sugar. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl or stand mixer, combine cake mix, eggs, pudding, oil and sour cream until smooth. This mixture will be thick. Layer 1/2 of the cake mix in the bottom of a greased and floured 9x13 cake pan (I use the sugar mixture instead of flour). Spread 1/2 of the sugar mixture, and nuts if desired, over the cake mix. Layer the additional cake mix and remaining sugar mixture and add additional brown sugar to the top if desired. Run a butter knife across the width and length of the pan to create a swirl effect in the cake. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Candy Bar Cake

This cake is always a favorite - super-easy, super delicious!  (And it actually tastes better the 2nd day!)

Candy Bar Cake 


1 chocolate cake mix (regular chocolate, devil's food, german chocolate, etc.)
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 jar ice cream topping (caramel, butterscotch, or fudge)
1 8-oz tub Cool Whip
Candy bits (Heath/Skor, Butterfinger, etc.)

Bake cake as directed on box, in 9x13 pan.
Poke top of warm cake every 1/2 inch with handle of wooden spoon.
Drizzle milk evenly over top of cake; let stand until milk has been absorbed into cake.
Drizzle with ice cream topping.
Run knife around sides of pan to loosen cake.
Cover and refrigerate about 2 hours or until chilled.
Spread whipped topping over top of cake.
Sprinkle with toffee chips.
Store covered in refrigerator.

Light Blueberry Pound Cake

Light Blueberry Pound Cake

2 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. light butter/margarine, softened
4 oz. lowfat cream cheese, softened
3 large eggs
1 large egg white
3 c. flour, divided
2 c. blueberries, fresh or frozen
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 (8 oz.) carton lemon lowfat yogurt
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 c. powdered sugar
4 tsp. lemon juice

Beat first 3 ingredients at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended (about 5 minutes).
Add eggs and egg white, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
Measure flour into bowl.
Take 2 tablespoons flour and combine with blueberries in a small bowl - toss well.
Combine remaining flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Add flour mixture to sugar/egg mixture alternately with yogurt, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
Fold in blueberry mixture and vanilla.
Pour cake batter into a 10" tube pan or bundt pan coated with cooking spray.
Bake at 350F for 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool cake in pan 10 minutes; remove from pan.
Combine powdered sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl; drizzle over warm cake.
Cut with a serrated knife.

Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake

A delicious, super-easy cake... tastes like fall!

Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake

CAKE

1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
1 (3.4 ounce) package instant butterscotch pudding mix
4 eggs
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup canned pumpkin
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

In a large bowl mix together all ingredients.
With a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat on low for 30 seconds.
Increase speed to high & beat for 4 minutes.
Pour into a greased & floured bundt pan & bake at 350°F for 40-55 minutes, or until toothpick comes out with just a few crumbs.
Let sit 5 minutes & then turn out onto a cooling rack.
Glaze with cream cheese glaze (see below) & sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

CREAM CHEESE GLAZE

4 tablespoons butter, room temperature
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2-4 tablespoons milk

Beat together all ingredients until smooth.
Spoon or carefully pour over cooled bundt cake.