CHOCOLATE CHIP-FUDGE CUPCAKES

1/2 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup butter, softened

3 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 cup all purpose flour

2 tbsp whole-wheat flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup buttermilk

12-oz semisweet baking chocolate, melted

1 pkg (12-oz) semisweet chocolate mini chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line 24 muffin cups with paper baking liners; set aside.

Cream the butter and sugar together in a large mixer bowl until fluffy.  Add the eggs and vanilla extract, beating until well blended.

Combine the flours, baking soda, and salt together in a small bowl.

Alternately add the flour mixture, buttermilk, and melted chocolate to the butter-sugar mixture.  Beat mixtures until well blended.  Stir in the mini chocolate chips.

Spoon batter into the lined muffin cups filling each about 2/3 full.  Bake at 350 degrees for 18-22 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the centers comes out with a few crumbs clinging to it.

Cool cupcakes in the pans for 10 minutes.  Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Frost with your favorite fudge or vanilla frosting and garnish with more mini chocolate chips, etc, if desired.

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CHERRY CHEESE BROWNIE SQUARES

1 pkg (21.5 to 23.6-oz) fudge brownie mix
1 pkg (8-oz) cream cheese, softened
1 (14-oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1 egg
1 tsp almond extract
1 can (21-oz) cherry pie filling

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Lightly grease a 13x9-inch baking pan; set aside.

Prepare brownie mix according to package directions and spread evenly in the prepared pan. Bake 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

Meanwhile, in a small mixer bowl beat cream cheese until fluffy. Gradually beat in the milk then the egg and 1/2 teaspoon of the almond extract. Pour evenly over the brownie layer; bake 25 minutes longer or until set. Cool then chill.

Stir the remaining almond extract into the pie filling. Use to top the brownie squares.
Leftovers should be refrigerated.

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NESTLE'S TOLL HOUSE PIE

2 eggs
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup Nestle Toll House semi-sweet chocolate morsels
1 9-inch unbaked pie shell
Whipped cream or ice cream for serving, if desired

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In a large mixer bowl, beat eggs at high speed until foamy, about 3 minutes. Beat in flour, sugar, and brown sugar until well blended. Beat in the softened butter. Stir in walnuts and chocolate morsels. Pour mixture into the pie shell.

Bake at 325 for 55 to 60 minutes or until knife inserted halfway between edge and center comes out clean and top is golden brown.

Cool on a wire rack before cutting to serve. Serve with whipped or ice cream, if desired.

NOTE: If you use a frozen pie shell, use deep-dish style, thaw completely and place on a cookie sheet. Increase baking time by 10 minutes.

COUNTRY CROCK'S CRANBERRY ORANGE BREAD CRANBERRY ORANGE BREAD

Click on picture to enlarge for easier reading.

EASY STRAWBERRY CUPCAKES

1 box (18 1/4-oz) white cake mix

1/3 cup canola oil
1/4 cup water
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 can (21-oz) strawberry pie filling
2 dozen small fresh strawberries for garnish, if desired

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line 24 muffin cups with paper cupcake liners; set aside.

In large mixer bowl beat the cake mix, oil, water, and eggs together until smooth.

Add the pie filling to the batter a small amount at a time while swirling to create swirls.

Fill muffin cups about 2/3 full each.

Bake cupcakes at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove from muffin tins and place on wire racks to cool completely.

Frost with your favorite buttercream frosting.  Top each with a fresh strawberry, if desired.

FROSTED ALMOND POUND CAKE

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs
3/4 cup milk
1 tsp almond extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spray a 9-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

In a large mixer bowl, beat butter until smooth.  Add the sugar and beat until light-colored, about 2 minutes.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  On low speed, beat in half the flour mixture.  Scrape down bowl and beat in the milk.  Add the last half of the flour mixture and the almond extract; beat until smooth.  Spread batter into the prepared pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 5 minutes or until crowned in the center and set.  Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes.  Invert pan to remove cake and cool cake completely, turned upright on wire rack.

Glaze Topping:
1 cup powdered sugar
4 tsp water
1/2 tsp almond extract
2 tbsp sliced almonds, lightly toasted

In a medium bowl, combine the powdered sugar, water, and the almond extract. Whisk together until smooth.  Spread over the top of the cooled cake and sprinkle the toasted almonds over the top.

Allow the topping to set for 15 minutes before slicing.

Yield: 12 slices

YOGURT FRUIT DIP IN AN ORANGE

1 brick (8-oz) Neufchatel cheese

1/4 cup fresh strawberries
3 tbsp strawberry preserves
2 tbsp orange juice
1 tsp grated orange rind
2 tbsp vanilla yogurt
1 large orange
Fresh berries, thin sliced apples, etc for dipping

Soften the Neufchatel cheese.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the cheese and remaining ingredients excluding the orange; stir thoroughly.

Cut a small slice off the bottom of the orange if necessary so it will stand upright.  Cut off the top and hollow out the interior.  Spoon the dip into the orange for serving.

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Serve with fresh fruit and/or berries for dipping.

STRAWBERRY SHERBET WITH A TOUCH OF CINNAMON

4 quarts fresh strawberries, stemmed & sliced

4 cups granulated sugar
2 2/3 cups milk
2/3 cup orange juice
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
additional fresh strawberries for garnish, if desired

In a mixing bowl, combine the strawberries and sugar; let stand until juicy.  This will probably take 1 to 1 1/2 hours.  Mash the berries or puree in blender (will take several batches to do this).

Add the milk, orange juice, and cinnamon to the mashed or pureed berries; stir to combine well.  Pour the mixture into the ice cream maker cylinder and process according to the machine's manufacturer's instructions.

If you do not have an ice cream freezer, you can freeze in shallow containers in the freezer for about 3 hours or until of sherbet consistency.

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To serve, scoop into individual serving dishes and garnish with fresh berries, if desired

BAKED-IN-A-SKILLET PINEAPPLE UPSIDE DOWN CAKE

1/2 cup butter

1 cup packed brown sugar
1 can (20-oz) sliced pineapple in juice
1/2 cup chopped pecans
3 large eggs, room temperature, separated
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
Maraschino cherries (1 per pineapple slice used), well drained on paper towels

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Melt the butter in a cast-iron or other heavy-duty oven-proof skillet, 9 or 10-inches in diameter.  Add the brown sugar, mixing until the sugar melts.

Drain the pineapple reserving 1/3 cup of the juice.  Arrange the pineapple slices over the sugar/butter mixture (you may not need all the pineapple); sprinkle the pecans around the pineapples.  Set skillet aside.

In mixer bowl, beat the egg yolks until lemon-colored and thick; gradually add sugar, beating well.  Blend in the vanilla and the 1/3 cup of pineapple juice.

In a small bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt; add to the sugar mixture.

In a separate bowl that has been chilled, beat the egg whites until stiff; gently fold into the cake batter.  Spoon the batter into the skillet over the pineapple and pecans.  Bake 30 to 35 minutes at 375 degrees until the center of the cake springs back when lightly touched with finger tips.

Allow cake to set in the skillet for 10 minutes then invert onto a serving plate.  Place a Maraschino cherry in the center of each pineapple ring.

Yield: 8 to 10 servings

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4-LAYER PUMPKIN CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE ICING

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups (packed) golden brown sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 (15-ounce can) pure pumpkin
1/3 cup whole milk

FROSTING:1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 1/2 (8-ounce packages) cream cheese, room temperature
1 Tbs finely grated orange peel
1/4 cup orange juice
3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
Chopped walnuts or walnut halves, toasted

Position rack in bottom third of oven; preheat to 350°F. Spray two 9-inch cake pans with 1 1/2″ sides with nonstick spray. Line bottoms with parchment; spray parchment.

Whisk flour and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat butter in another large bowl until smooth. Beat in brown sugar. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating to blend between additions. Beat in pumpkin. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture in 3 additions alternately with milk in 2 additions, beating to blend between additions. Divide batter between pans.

Bake cakes until tester inserted into the center come out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool in pans on rack 15 minutes. Run a knife around cakes to loosen. Invert cakes onto racks.

TIP: Cake layers may be made 1 day ahead. Wrap cakes in plastic and store at room temperature.

Trim rounded tops from cakes. Using a long serrated knife, cut each cake horizontally in half.

Using an electric mixer beat butter and cream cheese together until smooth. Add orange peel and orange juice until blended in. Add powdered sugar, about a cup at a time, beating until smooth.

Place 1 cake layer, cut side up, on a large platter. Spoon 2/3 cup frosting atop cake in dollops; spread to edges. Repeat 2 more times with cake and frosting; top with remaining cake layer, cut side down. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of the cake (layer will be thin).

TIP: Cake may be completed (without walnut garnish) 2 days ahead. Cover with cake dome; chill. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving.

Garnish cake with the walnuts before serving.

I have seen this several places on the internet. My version and this photo are from superfashion.us

Disclaimer: I have not made this cake. It looked so good I am putting on my blog for future use.