CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY MINI CAKES

1/2 cup seedless red raspberry preserves
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
vanilla glaze (if desired)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a small saucepan, over low heat, melt the preserves while stirring constantly; remove from heat and set aside.

In mixer bowl, using electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract.

In a small bowl combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Add this mixture of dry ingredients into the egg mixture alternately with the buttermilk.  Mix well after each addition is added.  After all is added, beat for 2 minutes.  Beat in the preserves.

Spray 3 loaf pans (3 x 5-inches) with nonstick cooking spray.  Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean.  Allow to cool completely in the pans.  Drizzle vanilla glaze (recipe below) over the cooled cakes, if desired.

Vanilla glaze:
1 tbsp butter
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup powdered sugar
1 to 2 tbsp hot water

In the microwave, melt the butter in mixing bowl.  Stir in the vanilla and powdered sugar to the butter with enough of the hot water to make desired consistency.

If you prefer, you can use one 9-inch loaf pan.  Adjust baking time as needed until done.

 

This is the file photo.

CHOCOLATE BUTTERMILK PIE

This is a Sandra Lee Semi-Home recipe.

1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate morsels
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
6 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
1 premade 9-inch deep-dish piecrust (or make your own, if you prefer)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Position a rack in center of oven.

Place the chocolate chips in a double boiler; melt over low heat, stirring constantly.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, and salt.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla. Add sugar mixture and beat with an electric mixer or whisk vigorously until well combined. Stir the melted chocolate into the batter.

Pour batter into the piecrust. (You will have about 1 cup of batter left over. If desired, pour leftover batter into a 10 to 12-oz buttered ramekin, custard cup, or other small baking dish.)

Bake pie at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 hour and 25 minutes or until the pie is crisp on top and a knife inserted in the center comes out with just a bit of moist chocolate on it. (The leftover chocolate will bake about 40 to 50 minutes.)

Remove pie to a wire rack to cool. If not planning to eat right away, refrigerate. Remove from refrigerator and let stand at room temperature at least an hour before serving. Garnish with whipped topping just before serving.

DANE'S RICE PUDDING

This rice pudding is different from most as it has ice cream in the mix.

3 cups cooked rice
2 pkg (4-oz size) vanilla instant pudding mix
1 1/4 cups milk
1 1/4 cups vanilla ice cream, softened
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 cups whipped topping

Rinse the rice with cold water and drain well.

Combine the pudding mix, milk, ice cream, and cinnamon in a mixer bowl.  Beat the mixture for 1 minute.  Fold in the rice.  Chill until serving time.  Before serving, fold in the whipped topping.  Spoon pudding into serving dishes. Garnish with additional whipped topping an nuts, if desired.

This is the file photo.

OLD-STYLE GERMAN APPLE PANCAKE

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp granulated sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp grated nutmeg
4 eggs
1 cup milk
2 tbsp butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tsp olive or canola oil
1/2 cup granulated sugar, divided
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
1 cup thin-sliced Granny Smith apple

1 tbsp powdered sugar for garnish

Using the first section of ingredients above, lightly spoon the flour into a dry measuring cup and level off with your finger or a knife.  Combine the flour, baking powder, granulated sugar, salt, and nutmeg in a medium bowl and stir with a whisk.  Combine the egg, milk, butter, and vanilla together in a small bowl and stir with a whisk.  Stirring with a whisk combine the egg mixture into the flour mixture.  Allow to stand for half an hour.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Using the next section of ingredients, coat the bottom and sides of a heavy (preferably cast-iron) skillet with the oil.  In a cup or small bowl combine half the sugar, the cinnamon, and the nutmeg; sprinkle evenly over the bottom and sides of the prepared skillet.  Arrange the apple in a spoke-like design layer in bottom of skillet.  Sprinkle the remaining half of the sugar over the apple.  Cook over medium heat for 8 minutes until the mixture bubbles.  Slowly pour the batter over the apple.

Bake the pancake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes.  Reduce temperature to 375 degrees without removing pancake from the oven.  Bake another 13 to 15 minutes until the center is set.  Carefully loosen the pancake from the pan with a spatula; carefully slide onto a serving platter.  Sprinkle the powdered sugar over the top.

To serve, cut pancake into 6 wedges.

 This is the file photo.

BABY RUTH CANDY BAR KNOCK-OFF

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 jar (7-oz) marshmallow creme
1 cup chopped salted peanuts

In the top of a double-boiler over hot water, melt the chocolate chips and the peanut butter together, stirring occasionally.  When melted, remove from the heat; add the marshmallow creme and peanuts.  Beat until mixed together well.  Pour into a foil-lined 8-inch square baking dish.  Allow to cool completely then cut into 36 squares.

file photo for reference only

AMBROSIA BUNDT CAKE

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup drained pineapple tidbits
1 cup flaked coconut
1/2 cup maraschino cherries, drained well and coarsely chopped
2 tbsp grated orange peel
2 large eggs, beaten
1 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup canola oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease and flour a 10-inch bundt pan and set aside.

In a mixing bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt.  Add the pecans, pineapple, coconut, cherries, orange peel; mix well.

In a separate bowl combine the eggs, buttermilk and oil; mix well.  Add the egg mixture to the dry mixture, mixing until well blended.  Pour or spoon the mixture into the prepared pan.

Bake cake at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes or until a thin wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Remove from oven and cool in the pan for 10 minutes then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

Note: File photo for reference only.

LEMON POPPY SEED BREAD

1 box (18 1/4-oz) white cake mix without pudding
1 pkg (3.4-oz) instant lemon pudding mix
4 eggs
1 cup warm water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 tsp poppy seeds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease two 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pans; set aside.

In a mixing bowl, combine the cake and pudding mixes, eggs, water and oil; beat until well mixed. Fold in the poppy seeds.

Pour into the two prepared loaf pans and bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until bread tests done.

Cool in pans for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Yield: 2 9-inch loaves.

I got this several years ago from a TOH cookbook.

It is quick, easy, and tasty.

CHOCOLATE PINEAPPLE SQUARES WITH COCOA FROSTING

1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1 cup crushed pineapple, drained
1/2 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
2 1/2 tbsp melted butter
1/2 cup chopped pecans
cocoa frosting, recipe below

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In mixer bowl, using an electric mixer, cream together the softened butter, sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy; beat in the eggs.

In another bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon together; add to the creamed mixture and mix together well.

In another bowl, combine the pineapple with 1 3/4 cups of the batter, mixing together well.  Into the remaining batter, blend the cocoa and melted butter; stir in the pecans.

Spread the chocolate mixture into the prepared baking pan.  Spread the pineapple mixture over the top.  Bake for 25 minutes until the edges pull from the sides of the pan.  Allow to cool for 15 minutes.  Frost the warm brownies with the following cocoa frosting then cut into 30 squares.

Cocoa Frosting:
1 cup powdered sugar
3 tbsp cocoa
1 tbsp butter, softened
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp milk

Combine the powdered sugar, cocoa, butter, vanilla, and milk in a mixing bowl.  Beat well until smooth.

Makes 1 cup of frosting.

This is the file photo.

LUSCIOUS LEMON COFFEE CAKE

This quick and easy coffee cake is from a 2002 TOH Breakfast Book. The recipe is from a lady in California.

Topping:
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon

Combine ingredients and set aside.

Cake:
1 pkg (18 1/4-oz) yellow cake mix without pudding
1 pkg (3.4-oz) instant lemon pudding mix
1 cup (8-oz) sour cream
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 vegetable oil

In a mixing bowl, combine cake and pudding mixes, sour cream, eggs, and oil. Mix on medium speed of electric mixer for 2 minutes. Pour half into a greased 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan. Sprinkle half the topping mixture over the batter. Spoon remaining batter over the topping and spread evenly. Sprinkle the remaining topping mixture over the top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until cake tests done.

Yield: 12 to 16 servings.

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CHOCOLATE CHOCOLATE CAKE

3 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup butter, softened to room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups whole-milk
3 oz dark chocolate, grated

Set eggs out at room temperature for half an hour. 

Grease and lightly flour 3 8-inch round cake pans; set aside.

In a medium bowl stir together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large mixer bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter for 30 seconds.  Gradually add the sugar, small amounts at a time, beating after each addition until well combined.  Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat for another 2 minutes.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition; beat in the vanilla extract.

Alternately add the flour mixture and the milk to the butter/egg mixture, beating on low after each addition but just until combined.  Beat on high for an additional 20 seconds.  Stir in the grated dark chocolate.  Equally divide the batter between the three pans.

Bake cake layers for 30 to 35 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool in the pans on wire racks for 10 minutes.  Remove from pans and cool completely on the wire racks.  Fill and frost with your favorite frosting recipe.

Yield: 16 servings.

 

 File photo