Jessica’s Lemon Cake

My co-worker Jessica talked about a lemon cake that her grandmother used to make and one day she surprised me and brought it in. Well, I must say I was blown away by the flavor, and how moist it was, then even more shocked to hear that it started with a cake mix! If you know me, you know that I generally make everything from scratch. This is just one of those recipes I had to make because I was craving it. The good thing about this recipe is that it’s very simple and quick to make, definitely something you should keep in your back pocket if you’re in a time pinch and need a quick and easy dessert. Thanks for sharing your grandmother’s recipe Jessica! The only thing I request is that you don’t start calling me Sandra Lee, which would just be downright disrespectful :)

Jessica’s Lemon Cake

Cake
1 Box Yellow Cake Mix
1 Box Lemon Jello
4 Eggs
¾ Cup Vegetable Oil
¾ Cup Water

Glaze
2 Cups Powdered Sugar
2 Lemons, juice and zest

Pre heat oven to 350 degrees and grease the bottom only of a 9x12 inch cake pan.
To make the cake combine all cake ingredients to the bowl of your mixer and mix over medium speed for 4 minutes, and pour into the cake pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden and toothpick comes out clean. Place on a wire rack to cool and poke holes all over the top with a skewer or chopstick for the glaze to soak in.
While cake is cooling, combine the lemon zest & juice, and the powdered sugar, whip with a whisk until well combined. Brush glaze over the top of the cooled cake and serve.

Pumpkin Cake

My friend Greg had a birthday party last week and I volunteered to bring a cake and am so glad I made this one, I just wish I had some left over to eat right now. It is one of my favorite cakes and is perfect for any fall dinner party or birthday celebration. I was trying to think of a way to make a nice presentation and found that my hydrangea bush had the perfect leaves to do the task. This cake is so moist, and full of flavor that you really can’t go wrong. It makes a full 3 layers, so it feeds a ton of people. I posted this recipe last fall but the picture didn’t do it any justice, so I thought I could get away with deleting that post and re-submitting it. Also, I wanted to ensure that no one missed out on this amazing recipe.

p.s. Today is MY birthday, Yeah!!! I'm officially 30 and am throwing myself a birthday party. Yes I know it's crazy throwing yourself a party, but why not? (I did it last year too and it was a blast!). I am making paella and a pumpkin cheesecake...I will post pictures soon!

Pumpkin Cake

3 Cups Flour
2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1 Tablespoon Ground Cinnamon
2 Teaspoons Ground Ginger
2 Teaspoons Ground Allspice
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 ½ Cups Sugar
1 Cup Dark Brown Sugar, packed
1 Cup Vegetable Oil
4 Eggs
1 15 Ounce Can Pure Pumpkin
1 Tablespoon Vanilla
¾ Cup Raisins
¾ Cup Sweetened Flaked Coconut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour three 8 inch cake pans, or two 9 inch cake pans. Sift together flour and next 6 ingredients into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat both sugars and oil in large bowl until combined (mixture will look grainy). Add eggs 1 at a time, beating until well blended after each addition. Add pumpkin and vanilla; beat until well blended. Add flour mixture; beat just until incorporated. Stir in raisins and coconut. Divide batter between prepared pans. Smooth tops.
Bake Cakes until tester toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about1 hour. Cool cakes completely in pans on rack. Run knife around cakes and loosen. Invert cakes onto wire rack to cool. Frost with cream cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 Ounces Cream Cheese, room temperature
1 Stick Butter, room temperature
2 Teaspoons Vanilla
4 Cups Powdered Sugar

Cream together cream cheese, butter and vanilla over medium speed with an electric mixer. Continue beating on low, while adding powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time, and mixing until completely incorporated. Add up to 1/2 cup additional powdered sugar if necessary to bring to spreading consistency.

Black Out Cake

This is my friend Lynn’s recipe and I thought I would give it a try, it was heaven! It’s similar to my chocolate cake recipe, except it has coffee and instead of water, and uses butter instead of oil. I also tried out a new frosting, after being inspired by my last month’s Cooks magazine. I used some of the tips from that recipe along with some tips from my good old Betty Crocker. After I had the cake frosted, I thoght why not make it even more decadent, so I got out a block of milk chocolate and grated it all over the top. Thanks for the recipe Lynn!

Black Out Cake

4 cups sugar
3 1/4 cups flour
2 cups cocoa
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoon soda
2 teaspoon powder
6 eggs
2 cups buttermilk
2 cups brewed coffee
4 teaspoon vanilla
8 oz. melted butter

In large bowl whisk together all dry ingredients. In separate bowl whisk together all remaining ingredients. Add wet ingredients to dry mixture and mix by hand until just combined. Pour batter into 3 9-inch buttered and floured cake pans. Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 30-35 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean.

Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting

12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
½ cup butter
¾ cups sour cream
4-5 cups powdered sugar

Heat chocolate chips and butter in a saucepan over low heat until melted, remove from heat and set aside to cool about 5 minutes. Stir in sour cream, add powdered sugar one cup at a time and beat until well incorporated. Add just enough powdered sugar until frosting reaches spreading consistency.

Pumpkin Cake

I got this recipe out of my Bon Appetit magazine, but changed a few things in the recipe. I hate to be a snob but my cake looked much prettier than the one that they showed in the magazine! This is a really REALLY yummy cake and will be the perfect complement to any fall meal.

Pumpkin Cake

3 Cups Flour
2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1 Tablespoon Ground Cinnamon
2 Teaspoons Ground Ginger
2 Teaspoons Ground Allspice
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 ½ Cups Sugar
1 Cup Dark Brown Sugar, packed
1 Cup Vegetable Oil
4 Eggs
1 15 Ounce Can Pure Pumpkin
1 Tablespoon Vanilla
¾ Cup Raisins
¾ Cup Sweetened Flaked Coconut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour three 8 inch cake pans, or two 9 inch cake pans. Sift together flour and next 6 ingredients into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat both sugars and oil in large bowl until combined (mixture will look grainy). Add eggs 1 at a time, beating until well blended after each addition. Add pumpkin and vanilla; beat until well blended. Add flour mixture; beat just until incorporated. Stir in raisins and coconut. Divide batter between prepared pans. Smooth tops.
Bake Cakes until tester toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about1 hour. Cool cakes completely in pans on rack. Run knife around cakes and loosen. Invert cakes onto racks.
Frost with cream cheese frosting.

Carrot Cake

This is one of my all time favorite desserts and I hardly ever eat it. I think anything with a cream cheese frosting is wonderful. If you really want to indulge your guests, may I suggest cutting your cakes in half so you have a four layer cake and even more delicious frosting!I made this for my friend Taven's birthday, it was gone within minutes. We had an amazing time sitting out in the garden by candlelight with a bunch of friends eating really good food.

Carrot Cake

1 ½ Cups Carrots, Peeled and Diced (about 3)

2 ½ Cups Flour

2 ½ Cups Sugar

2 Teaspoons Cinnamon

2 Teaspoons Baking Soda

1 Teaspoon Salt

4 Eggs

1 Cup Vegetable Oil

1 Tablespoon Vanilla

1 Cup Chopped Walnuts, or Pecans

¾ Cup Drained Canned Crushed Unsweetened Pineapple

1 Cup Desiccated Coconut (can be found at Asian grocery stores)

Steam carrots until quite tender, then puree in food processor. Should have 1 cup puree. Set aside.Sift together flour, sugar, cinnamon, soda, and salt in large bowl.In separate bowl, whisk together oil, eggs, and vanilla. Gently stir into dry ingredients, just before fully mixed add nuts, coconut, pineapple and carrot puree. Mix until just combined.Pour batter into two greased and floured 8 or 9" round baking pans.Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.Let cool completely and frost with cream cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 Ounces Cream Cheese, room temperature
1 Stick Butter, room temperature
2 Teaspoons Vanilla
4 Cups Powdered Sugar

Cream together cream cheese, butter and vanilla over medium speed with an electric mixer. Continue beating on low, while adding powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time, and mixing until completely incorporated. Add up to 1/2 cup additional powdered sugar if necessary to bring to spreading consistency.

Rustic Plum Cake

I just received my new Cook’s Illustrated magazine and was inspired to try this recipe. It was funny because earlier in the day I was talking a walk and noticed a plum tree in the front yard of a house that was vacant and for sale. Well, that led to midnight gardening and I took the liberty of sneaking over there with a bag and collecting plums for this recipe! The next door neighbors came out and said hello to check and see what was going on, so I decided to play dumb and just say hello, how are you guys tonight, they said fine and I kept picking the plums, it was quite hilarious as I don’t think they knew what to do.
The plums that I had were very large regular red plums, not Italian prune plums, so I cut them in 4 pieces instead of halving them. I got rave reviews when I took this to work because the plums are a bit tart and the cake is very moist and sweet. Cheers to midnight gardening!

Rustic Plum Cake

2 Tablespoons Currant or Seedless Raspberry Jam
3 Tablespoons Brandy
1 Pound (10-12) Italian Prune Plums, halved and pitted
3/4 Cup Unbleached Flour, plus extra for dusting the pan
3/4 Cup Sugar
1/3 Cup Slivered Almonds
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
6 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, cut into 6 pieces, softened but still cool
1 Large Egg, Plus 1 Large Yolk, room temperature
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
¼ Teaspoon Almond Extract
Powdered Sugar, for serving

Cook jam and brandy in 10 inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until reduced to thick syrup, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and place plums cut-side down in syrup. Return skillet to medium heat and cook until plums shed their juices and thick syrup is again formed, about 5 minutes, shaking pan to prevent plums from sticking. Cool plums in pan, about 20 minutes.

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 9 inch springform pan. Process sugar and almonds in food processor until nuts are finely ground, about 1 minute. Add flour baking powder, and salt; pulse to combine. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse sand, about ten 1 second pulses. Add eggs, vanilla, and almond extract and process until smooth, about 5 seconds, scraping bowl once if needed (batter will be very thick and heavy)

Transfer batter to prepared pan; using spatula, spread batter evenly to pan edges and smooth surface. Stir plums to coat with syrup. Arrange plum halves, skin-side down, evenly over surface of batter (pack with fruit, place over entire surface of batter and not touching pan edges). Bake until cake is golden brown and wooden skewer inserted into center comes out with few crumbs attached, 40-50 minutes. Run paring knife around sides of cake to loosen. Cool in pan on wire rack until just warm or to room temperature, at least 30 minutes. Remove cake from pan and dust with powdered sugar. Cut into wedges and serve.

Plum Tatin

Plum Tatin

¾ Stick Unsalted Butter (6 Tablespoons), at room temperature

8-10 Plums, cut in half and pitted

1/3 Cup Water

1 ½ Cups Sugar, divided

2 Eggs

1/3 Cup Sour Cream

1 Teaspoon Vanilla

1 ¼ Cups Flour

½ Teaspoon Baking Powder

½ Teaspoon Salt

Coat glass pie plate with non-stick cooking spray and spread plums cut side down on bottom of dish.Combine water and 1 cup of the sugar in small saucepan, cook over high heat until light amber in color (360 degrees on candy thermometer), do not stir. Pour over the plums.

Cream butter and remaining ½ cups sugar over medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time and beat over low until just combined. Next add sour cream and vanilla, beat on medium speed until combined.Add Flour, baking powder and salt, beat on low until just combined, do not over-mix.

Spread cake batter evenly over plums and place into pre-heated 350 degree oven.

Bake for 30-40 minutes until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean. Cool 20 minutes, then invert onto serving plate.

*Recipe adapted from "Barefoot In Paris" by Ina Garten

Chocolate Cake Deluxe

I love my chocolate cake and so does everyone that has had it. It's a staple at my dinner parties and always receives rave reviews! I made 6 batches of this cake and put them into french paper baking cups for Patti's birthday party and then piped a P on each one, they were beautiful! Its amazing how 50 miniature little cakes look all set out on the table!

Chocolate Cake Deluxe

2 Cups Sugar

1 ¾ Cups Flour

¾ Cups Cocoa

1½ Teaspoons Baking Powder

1 ½ Teaspoons Baking Soda

1 Teaspoon Salt

2 Eggs

1 Cup Milk

½ Cup Vegetable Oil

2 Teaspoons Vanilla

1 Cup Boiling

WaterCombine all dry ingredients in mixing bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla. Beat 2 minutes on medium speed. Stir in boiling water.

Pour into greased and floured 9x13” or two greased and floured 8” round baking pans.

Bake 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into middle of cake comes out clean.

Cool completely on wire baking rack.

Chocolate Frosting

1 Stick unsalted butter, melted (do not substitute margarine here, please!)

2/3 Cups Cocoa

3 Cups Powdered Sugar

1/3 Cups Milk

1 Teaspoon Vanilla

Combine cocoa with melted butter in mixing bowl and mix until combined. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk 1/3 at a time while mixer is at a medium speed. Add more milk if necessary until desired consistency is reached. Stir in vanilla.