How To Make Orange Cake Recipe

This delicious Orange Cake recipe is rich and full of flavors. Perfect snack or afternoon treat! Serve this Orange Cake with a dollop of whipped cream and a cup of relaxing tea.



You will need:

• 5 1⁄2 oz brown sugar
• 6 egg yolks
• 1 tbsp vanilla essence
• 9 fl oz orange juice
• zest of 1 orange
• 5 fl oz vegetable oil
• 12 oz self rising flour
• 6 egg whites
• 5 oz sugar
• 5 fl oz orange juice
• 2 1⁄8 oz brown sugar

• 1 mixer with whisk attachment
• 1 bowl
• 1 whisk
• 1 rubber spatula
• 1 sauce pan
• 1 spoon
• 1 springform pan 26'cm/10.2" lined with parchment paper and sides buttered
• 1 sieve
• 1 skewer
  

Preheat the oven to 180ºC, 350ºF, or gas mark 4.


Mix the ingredients

Next, introduce the egg yolks into a large bowl. Then add the brown sugar, orange juice, vanilla essence, the orange zest, vegetable oil and then whisk it all together to fully combine.

Sieve the flour

Whip the egg whites

Pour the egg whites into the mixer bowl. Lower the whisk attachment and whisk on high speed for roughly 2 minutes. As soon as the egg whites become fluffy, slowly start to add in the sugar, little by little, with the mixer still whisking. You will see the egg whites begin to stiffen and become shiny, so turn down the speed and switch the blender off.

Fold in egg whites

Add one third of the stiffened egg whites into the bowl of orange batter and using your whisk mix it in well to fully incorporate, then taking your spatula, add in the remaining egg white mixture. And fold in, which simply means to mix in gently. Continue to fold until everything is thoroughly combined.

Transfer to the baking tin

Now pour the orange batter into the lined spring form tin, scraping off any of the mixture from the sides of the bowl with your spatula. Then give it a quick shake to remove any air bubbles and your cake is now ready to bake!

Bake

Place the baking tin into the centre of the preheated oven and bake for roughly 40-45 minutes. Check to see if it's fully cooked by placing a skewer into the centre of the cake. If it is dry it is ready to be removed from the oven.

Make the sauce

Place a pan over a medium heat and add the orange juice. Then the brown sugar. Give it a quick stir and allow to melt. As it comes to the boil, stir again and remove from the heat.

A useful TIP! If you prefer a drier, less denser cake don't make the sauce.

Finishing touches

Pour the sauce over the cake still in its baking tin. The cake immediately absorbs the sauce giving it an extra flavor and making it very moist. Allow to cool before serving.

Serve

This delicious cake can be enjoyed with afternoon tea with a dollop of fresh cream if you like! Enjoy!

Always Enjoy!

Betty's Chocolate Cherry Cordial Dessert Recipe

In this video, Betty demonstrates how to make a gorgeous and luscious sweet treat... Chocolate Cherry Cordial Dessert recipe. It is made of vanilla ice cream, and is chock full of maraschino cherries, pecans, and chocolate pieces.

Simply Irresistible!




Ingredients:

1-1/2 quarts to 2 quarts vanilla ice cream, softened
1 cup maraschino cherry halves
1-1/2 cup chopped pecans
(4) 1.55 oz. milk chocolate bars, finely chopped (I used a large 5 oz. bar of dark chocolate; the dark chocolate freezes harder, and is harder to chew, but the taste is more chocolate-y.)
Reddi Whip topping for garnish
Stemmed maraschino cherries for garnish

In a large bowl, combine 1-1/2 quarts to 2 quarts softened vanilla ice cream, 1 cup maraschino cherry halves, 1/2-cup chopped pecans, and 4 chopped milk chocolate bars.

Spoon the mixture into a 9-inch springform pan. Cover with aluminum foil and freeze at least 4 hours (preferably overnight), or until firm all the way through.

Remove the sides from the springform pan. Cut into wedges and serve on a nice serving dish. Garnish with a dollop of Reddi Whip and a stemmed maraschino cherry. Serve immediately. Yum!


Always Enjoy!

Betty's Fresh Fruit Pizza Dessert Recipe

Here's another one of Betty's delicious desserts. She shows us how to prepare this easy recipe of Fresh Fruit Pizza just in time for the upcoming summer season. I hope you enjoy.

Ingredients for Pizza Crust

1 roll of store-bought cookie dough (Betty is using Pillsbury Chocolate Chip)

Directions

Preheat oven to 400-degrees.

Slice chilled cookie dough as shown in the video and place rounds in a concentric layer until you cover the entire pizza tray.

Using your hands, press down dough until it's all together to make one large cookie.

Place in preheated oven and bake for 10 to 14 minutes.

Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

Pizza Topping Ingredients

1 stick butter or margarine

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese

1 (1 lb) box confectioners' sugar

1 tsp pure vanilla

strawberries (rinsed and halved)

fresh pineapple (peeled, cored and chunked)

kiwi fruit

blueberries (in season) or seedless grapes (rinsed and halved)

Directions

Place room temperature butter and cream cheese into a large mixing bowl.

Slowly add confectioners' sugar to cream cheese mixture and beat with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.

Spread mixture over baked cookie dough leaving a bit of crust to show.

Arrange strawberries (or largest fruit) around the perimeter of the fruit pizza.

As shown in video, continue adding each fruit in circular layers until pizza is attractive and filled in.

Using a pizza cutter or long knife, cut and place triangles on serving plates.


Always Enjoy!

Banana Bread With Walnuts & Dates

Although this recipe for Banana Bread with Walnuts & Dates is very simple to prepare... it doesn't short-change on flavor. I hope that Maggie and my other readers enjoy it as much as I did!



Ingredients

3 overripe bananas
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 nutmeg (ground or fresh)
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup chopped dates

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a loaf pan and set aside.

In a large bowl, add bananas and eggs and mash contents thoroughly. Add sugar and mix.

In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

Add to banana mixture and mix well.

Add walnuts and dates to mixture and fold until well incorporated.

Pour banana mixture into pan and bake for 1 hour or until knife comes out clean.

Allow to cool for 5 minutes and invert onto a serving plate.

NOTE: If your bread isn't done in the suggested hour, don't let it bake for an additional 10 minutes without checking every 2 minutes so that it doesn't become overly done (as it appears in the video).

NOTE: If you like a very moist banana bread, add 2 to 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil to your mixture.

Always Enjoy!

Bread Pudding and Caramel Sauce Recipe

One of my subscribers requested a recipe for Bread Pudding. The following recipe video by "freitasex" (which I think is "Freita's ex"), appears to be a pretty tasty pudding and also includes a delicious Caramel Sauce recipe. I've also included my very own Chocolate Bread Pudding in the next post. I hope that you will enjoy!



Ingredients

6 eggs
32 oz of light cream or half and half
1 cup white sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla
8 cups any dry day old bread or croissants (cut into 1-inch pieces)
1 cup raisins

Directions

Mix together your first 7 ingredients in a large bowl.

Soak bread crumbs and raisins in custard for about 2-3 hours (use a heavy dish or bowl to weigh the crumbs down into the mixture).

Spray an 11x8-inch glass baking dish with Pam. Add bread crumbs and raisins evenly in dish.

Place above baking dish into a 13x9-inch baking dish and use as a water bath by placing boiling water into the larger dish before baking.

Bake pudding in a 350°F or 180C preheated oven for 50 minutes.

Caramel Sauce

4 oz butter
2 T corn syrup
2/3 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup heavy cream

In a small heavy pan, whisk together sauce ingredients as shown in the video... adding the heavy cream toward the end.

Note: If you decide to substitute the French baguette for raisin bread, you can still add additional raisins.

Note: To prevent scalding accidents, place your pudding dish into the larger dish and carry both to the oven before filling with boiling water.

Always Enjoy!

Chocolate Bread Pudding Recipe

This awesome recipe for Chocolate Bread Pudding is a favorite of many of my chocoholic friends. I remember my mother making this delicious pudding for the holidays when I was growing up with a dollop of "real" whipped cream on top. And yes, she made her own whipped cream!

Your Ingredients: (serves 10 to 12)

1 (one-pound) loaf brioche bread
2 cups whole milk
2 cups heavy cream
1 whole vanila bean, cut in half lengthwise and seeds scraped
8 ounces Ghirardelli semisweet chocolate, chopped
4 ounces Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1.5 sticks melted butter
8 large egg yolks (freeze the whites for a meringue)
1 cup granulated sugar
real whipped cream
mini-chocolate chips

Directions:

PREHEAT oven to 325°F.

BUTTER a 13x9-inch baking dish. (You'll also need a roasting pan to serve as a water bath container.)

CUT brioche into 1-inch cubes and place them in the buttered dish.

ADD the milk, cream, vanilla seeds, and vanilla pod to a large saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Turn heat down low and simmer for about 1 minute. Remove from heat, cover, and allow it to stand for 30 minutes to intensify the vanilla flavor.

WHISK together the egg yolks and sugar; set aside.

REMOVE the vanilla pod (discard) and reheat the milk-cream mixture to boiling.

REMOVE from heat and whisk in the chocolate and butter, stirring constantly until the chocolate is melted. Pour the chocolate mixture into the egg yolk mixture and whisk until all ingredients are very well blended.

POUR custard over the brioche cubes and use a fork to poke holes through cubes, making sure that custard is soaking through. Cover with plastic wrap and let pudding stand for 2-hours, occasionally pressing the cubes down into pudding. In the meantime, fill a large saucepan with water and heat over high heat to boiling. Turn off heat once it comes to a boil.

PLACE your baking dish inside of the larger pan and place in the preheated oven. Being very careful, fill the outer pan with enough hot water to reach the halfway point of the pudding dish. Bake until pudding is set, about 45 to 60 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.

SERVE warm and top with a dollop of whipped cream and sprinkle a few mini-chocolate chips on top for garnish.

Always Enjoy!

Pastry Chef John Barricelli's Homemade Blueberry Hand Pies

I can't begin to tell you how much I enjoy Homemade Blueberry Hand Pies and Peach Pies! I'm also familar with the pies being fried so I'm definitely going to try Chef John Barricelli's healthier baked version.



Ingredients & Directions

Preheat oven to 425-degrees.

Unfold puff pastry sheets and sprinkle a bit of flour on your surface.

Using a rolling pin, roll pastry sheets and divide into 4 even squares.

2 cups blueberries
2 T granulated sugar
1 T cornstarch
pinch of salt
zested lemon
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
sanding sugar (in the baking aisle)

Toss your ingredients which includes smashing some of the blueberries to give a bit more liquid.

Place about 1 T of blueberry mixture in the center of each puff pastry square.

Beat 1 egg and brush pastry on 2 edges (1 side down and one side over).

Fold unbrushed side together with brushed side and seal with your fingers or a fork.

Brush egg wash over the entire top of the pastries and sprinkle the sanding sugar over them.

Using kitchen shears, snip a vent in each pie.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

Always Enjoy!

Paula Deen's Chocolate Gooey Butter Cookies Recipe

Paula Deen bakes these yummy Chocolate Gooey Butter Cookies with cake mix... now how easy is that?




Your Ingredients

1 stick butter (room temperature)
1 8-oz pkg cream cheese

Beat together until creamy

Add:

1 egg and beat until well mixed

Add:

1 tsp vanilla
1 box moist chocolate cake mix

Beat together until well incorporated.

Batter will be stiff but to keep the cookies from spreading too much, cover and refrigerate cookie dough for about 2 hours.

Roll dough into balls a bit smaller than a walnut then roll in powdered sugar.

Bake in a 350-degree oven for about 10-minutes.

Sprinkle with a little extra powdered sugar for attractive cookies before serving.

Always Enjoy!

Decadent Sweet Potato Pie Recipe

This decadent Sweet Potato Pie recipe was requested by Kimberly.

Since I'm more of a Pumpkin Pie lover, I've never actually prepared sweet potato pie. But that doesn't mean I haven't eaten and enjoyed it! An acquaintance of mine, Janice, actually gave me her sweet potato pie recipe after I tried a slice of hers and couldn't stop drooling for more! I have to admit that it was the very best that I'd ever tasted.

So my dear Kimberly, I searched for the best recipe video that I could find for you and it appears that Dave Lieberman from the FoodNetwork makes the best impression.

I hope that his recipe for sweet potato pie will serve as a delicious ending to your Thanksgiving meal (for the US) or any other meal!

Please enjoy it, especially the yummy crust!



Your Ingredients

2 sweet potatoes, about 10 ounces each
1-3/4 cups fine graham cracker crumbs (about 15 whole crackers, finely ground)
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), melted
2 large eggs
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Wrap the sweet potatoes tightly in 2 layers of aluminum foil and roast them in the oven until very soft, about 1 hour and 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

In a bowl, stir the graham cracker crumbs and brown sugar until well combined.

Add the butter and mix until the crumbs are evenly moistened.

Press firmly and evenly on the bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie plate to create a crust, being sure there are no cracks. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes or until golden. Remove from the oven.

Meanwhile, make the filling:

Unwrap the potatoes and peel them. Put the flesh into a bowl and mash well with a fork. Add the eggs, 1/2 cup brown sugar, cream, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla and whip until very smooth with a whisk. Pour the filling into the partially baked crust. Sprinkle about 1 tablespoon brown sugar over top and bake in the center of the oven until set, about 40 minutes.

Allow the pie to cool completely before cutting. Serve at room temperature.

NOTE: In addition to Dave's ingredients, Janice adds a couple of drops of lemon juice and almond extract to her filling.

Always Enjoy!

Easy Caramel Apple Pie Recipe

This is absolutely one of the easiest Caramel Apple Pie recipes that you've ever tried preparing in addition to it being one of the most flavorful. This recipe is from one of my very favorite chef's... Chef John... who can go from classy and elegant to easy, peasy!




Your Ingredients:

4-6 large red Gala apples, sliced (peel on)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
6 tbsp unsalted butter
pinch of salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup water
1 package Pillsbury Pie Crust, or pie dough for a double-crust 9" pie

Follow the above video for directions.

Always Enjoy!

Betty's "Just Peachy" Peaches and Cream Crunch Recipe

Betty demonstrates how to make this delicious Peaches and Cream Crunch recipe that she created by using fresh peaches although she mentions substituting Comstock peach pie filling at the end of her recipe (see ***Note). Either way, it is peachy, creamy, and crunchy! You'll love it!!!

Your Ingredients

5 fresh peaches, peeled, cut into slices, with the slices halved

splash of lemon juice

1 tablespoon butter or margarine

1/2 tablespoon cornstarch

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, optional (The cinnamon will add flavor, but it will turn the mixture brown--your choice)

1 cup sour cream

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla, optional

18.25 oz. package yellow cake mix

1 stick butter or margarine, softened to room temperature

Directions


Prepare your peaches by combining 5 cut-up peaches, sprinkling them with lemon juice, and setting them aside.

In a medium saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon butter or margarine. Then, stir in 1/2 tablespoon of cornstarch, until most of the lumps are dissolved.

Add 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (if desired). Cook on the stove, stirring occasionally, until the peaches are fork-tender, about 10 minutes or so.

This mixture will be like a peach pie filling.

While the peaches are cooking, prepare your cream sauce.

In a small saucepan, mix 1 cup of sour cream with 3/4 cup sugar. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla (if desired), and stir well.

Place over low heat, and stir constantly until thick and bubbly. This cream sauce will be ready at about the same time that the peach mixture is ready. Remove the peach mixture and the cream mixture from the stove, and let them cool to room temperature. (It will be even better if you let the cream sauce chill a bit in the refrigerator.)

While your peach mixture and cream sauce are cooling, prepare your "crunch" topping.

In a large bowl, place 1 stick of softened butter. Add an 18.25 oz. package of yellow cake mix. Use a fork or pastry blender to mix until the topping is very crumbly.

When all of your layers are ready, assemble your Peaches and Cream Crunch in an oven-proof casserole dish.

I used a 9-inch by 12-inch by 2-inch dish.

First, pour all of your peach mixture on the bottom.

Next, drizzle your cream sauce over the peach mixture.

Finally, carefully crumble your "crunch" topping over the cream sauce.

Place in a 350 degree oven, and bake for about 20 minutes, until the peach mixture is bubbly, and the topping is beginning to brown.

This is a *beautiful* dessert, and it is "out-of-this-world" in flavor! You can serve it proudly!!!

***Note: I originally created this dish to be very "quick and easy," using (2) 21-oz. cans of (Comstock) peach pie filling in place of the peach mixture mentioned above. If you do not have access to fresh peaches, and want to save some time and effort, feel free to replace the peach mixture with 1 to 2 cans of peach pie filling. Just put the pie filling in your casserole dish as the first layer, and do the remainder as outlined above. It will be just as good--but much quicker and easier, and your won't have to provide the fresh peaches, sugar, etc! It is also an option when peaches are not in season!-- Betty :)

Always Enjoy!

Betty's Pineapple-Cherry Dessert Recipe

This simple and delicious Pineapple-Cherry Dessert recipe is one of the quickest recipes to put together and can be a great treat for your family and guests. Even if you're a beginner in the kitchen... you'll love putting this one together.

Your Ingredients

1 can (20 oz) Comstock Cherry Pie Filling

1 can (8 oz) crushed pineapple (very well drained)

1/2 bag (10.5 oz) mini marshmallows (more or less is fine)

1 (8 oz) tub Cool Whip (thawed)

Directions

Pour the cherry pie filling into a large mixing bowl.

Add the drained pineapples.

Stir to incorporate both fruits.

Add 1/2 bag or as many marshmallows as you'd like.

Add the entire 8 oz tub of Cool Whip and fold together all ingredients being careful not to mash or crush ingredients.

Spoon dessert into your serving bowl.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled.

Serve and enjoy!

Always Enjoy!

Starbucks Cranberry Bliss Bar Recipe

The Starbucks Cranberry Bliss Bar must be one of the most delicious bars around! Loaded with dried cranberries, white chocolate, and other yummy ingredients, it's one of the best bars that I've tried... until Todd Wilbur's clone. I hope that you'll agree!

Cake

1-1/2 sticks butter, room temperature

1-1/4 cups light brown sugar, packed tight

3 large eggs

2 T minced crystallized ginger

1-1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 tsp salt

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 cup dried cranberries, chopped

4 oz Ghirardelli white chocolate candy bar, chopped

Frosting

4 oz cream cheese, room temperature

3 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tsp freshly squeezed orange juice

2 tsp fresh orange zest

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/3 cup dried cranberries


Drizzled Icing

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 T milk

2 tsp vegetable shortening (Crisco is fine)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350-degrees.

Cake

Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and brown sugar together until smooth. Add the eggs, ginger, vanilla, and salt and continue mixing well. Gradually mix in the flour and baking powder and mix until smooth. Remove bowl from mixer.

Add the chopped dried cranberries and white chocolate into the batter and mix by hand. Pour batter into a buttered 9 x 13-inch baking pan. Use an offset spatula to spread the batter evenly over the pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the cake is light brown on top. Allow the cake to cool in the pan.

Frosting

Using your electric mixer, combine the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, lemon and orange juice, orange zest, and pure vanilla extract and beat until smooth. When the cake has thoroughly cooled, use the offset spatula to spread frosting over the entire cake, making sure to cover corners.

Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup of chopped cranberries over the frosting on the cake.

Drizzled Icing

Whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and shortening. Using a squirt bottle or small plastic bag (with a teeny corner snipped off), drizzle icing over the entire cake in a sweeping motion.

Cover the cake with a sheet of nonstick foil or parchment paper and refrigerate for a few hours. Slice the cake lengthwise (the long way) through the middle. Slice the cake across the width three times which will make a total of eight rectangular slices. Then finally, slice each of those rectangles diagonally creating 16 triangular slices.

Makes 16 bars.

Always Enjoy!

Rocky Road Cookie Pizza Recipe

This Rocky Road Cookie Pizza recipe is short... easy... and oh sooo SWEET!

Always Enjoy!

Chocolate-Tipped Strawberries

These Chocolate Strawberries can be used as an appetizer or a dessert. This recipe is fun, easy to put together, and makes an excellent eye-appealing addition to your tablescape. Make sure that you thoroughly wash and dry your strawberries... moisture in chocolate changes the texture from smooth to yucky.

Always Enjoy!

How To Make Mixed Nut Toffee Tart

This Mixed Nut Toffee Tart Recipe is incredibly sweet, crunchy, and delicious! If you use sugar in your coffee, I think that you may just faint from a sugar-overload. So slice just a teensy, weensy sliver of tart and you may be okay. This is one of those recipes that you should only eat a sliver of every six months or so... if you can hold out that long!



Here are the ingredients for your convenience:

7-3/4 oz ready-made short crust pastry dough, thinly rolled
10-2/3 oz sugar
10-1/8 fl oz cream
7/8 oz butter
17-1/2 oz roasted mixed nuts
1/4 tsp rock salt

Utensils:

1 saucepan
1 wooden spoon
1 circular tart tin
28'cm parchment paper (DO NOT use waxed paper!)
500g any type of raw beans
1 fork

Always Enjoy!

Red Velvet Cake

This recipe for Red Velvet Cake was requested by Marquetta waaayyyy back in the middle of April! Marquetta… I must admit that you certainly threw me off kilter with your request!

Although I’ve heard of this cake several times, I’ve never baked one or tasted one. That’s not exactly surprising though since there are very few cakes that I’ve attempted. My cakes are either fabulous, or not fit for human or animal consumption. You can ask my daughter… her Rottweiler, named Chaka (although she can’t sing), won’t even sniff some of my failures.

Finally, I found a woman (through a friend) who bakes these all the time (says she!). I hope that this recipe meets your taste buds with a smile!

Your Ingredients:

1 T unsalted butter (to butter 2 cake pans)
2 T cake flour (for dusting cake pans)
2-1/2 cups cake flour, NOT self-rising
1-tsp salt
1/4-cup cocoa powder
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
1-1/2-cups canola or vegetable oil
2 large eggs
2 (1-ounce) bottles of red food coloring (1/4-cup)
1-tsp pure vanilla extract
1-cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons white vinegar (NOT apple cider vinegar)
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda

PREHEAT oven to 350ºF. Generously butter two 9-inch cake pans. Dust with flour and shake out the excess; set aside.

WHISK together the cake flour, salt, and cocoa powder in a large mixing bowl and set aside.

IN the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the sugar and oil on medium speed until well blended. Add the eggs, one at a time and blend well after each addition.

Note: DO NOT overmix the cake batter; overmixing will result in a tough cake.

ADD food coloring and vanilla and mix until well blended.

ADD 1/3 of your flour mixture and 1/3 of your buttermilk, mixing well and then repeating with another 1/3 flour and 1/3 buttermilk, mixing well, and then adding the last 1/3 of your flour and buttermilk, mixing well.

IN a separate bowl, whisk together the vinegar and baking soda. Add to your cake batter and mix for a few seconds.

DIVIDE batter evenly between both prepared cake pans. Place the pans in your preheated oven.

BAKE until an inserted toothpick comes out clean, about 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow cakes to cool on a rack in their pans about 5 minutes. Remove from pans and place cakes directly on the wire rack to cool completely.

Note: If you are adept at slicing each layer horizontally (and evenly) in half, you’ll have a 4-layer cake. Otherwise, you could just double the recipe and make 4 (9-inch) layers.

White Frosting: (You will need a candy thermometer.)

1/2-cup water
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2-tsp cream of tartar
1/8-tsp salt
4 egg whites, room temperature

IN a small heavy saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the water, sugar, cream of tartar, and salt. Stir constantly until mixture is clear. Continue cooking (but NO more stirring) until mixture reaches 240ºF.

IN the bowl of an electric mixer, add egg white and beat until soft peaks form. When mixer is running, slowly pour the sugar mixture down the sides of the bowl (NOT in the center). Continue beating until stiff peaks form and frosting thickens to desired consistency.

SPREAD on thoroughly cooled cake layers.

Always Enjoy!

Carrot Cake

Belinda requested this yummy Carrot Cake recipe.

A wonderful friend named Fanny who used to baby-sit my daughter gave me this delicious carrot cake recipe many years ago. It is such a moist and tasty recipe that even my late Aunt Nancy chose this one over the recipe she used to use.

Belinda, please let me know if you like it as much as my family does. Then again, just let me know if you like it because it seems that my family loves anything sweet… with no attention necessarily paid to what form the sweets come in!

Your Ingredients:

2-cups all-purpose flour
2-tsp baking soda
2-tsp ground cinnamon
1/2-tsp allspice
1/4-tsp salt
3/4-cup buttermilk
4 large eggs
3/4-cup Crisco vegetable oil
1-1/2-cups granulated sugar
2-tsp pure vanilla extract
3-cups freshly shredded/grated carrots (peel and wash first)
1-cup Baker’s sweetened flaked coconut
1-cup chopped walnuts
1-cup golden raisins
1 (8-ounce) can of crushed pineapple (keep the juice)

PREHEAT oven to 350ºF.

GREASE and flour a 9x13-inch cake pan. Set aside.

IN a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.

IN the large bowl of an electric mixer, add the buttermilk, eggs, vegetable oil, sugar, and vanilla. Using the low speed, incorporate the ingredients until well blended.

ADD the flour mixture (slowly) and blend thoroughly.

REMOVE bowl from mixer and stir in the remaining ingredients (carrots, coconut, walnuts, raisins, and crushed pineapple with the juice).

POUR into the prepared cake pan and bake until an inserted toothpick comes out clean, about 1 hour (oven temperatures vary).

ALLOW cake to cool at least a half hour before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Your Ingredients:

3-1/2-cups confectioners’ sugar
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese (or Neufchatel cheese)
1/2-cup butter, room temperature
1-1/2-tsp pure vanilla extract
1-cup chopped walnuts

PLACE the confectioners’ sugar, cream cheese, butter, and pure vanilla in a bowl. Use a wire whisk to blend until smooth.

STIR in walnuts.

SPREAD the icing on a thoroughly cooled cake.

Always Enjoy!

Chocolate Mousse

This recipe request for Chocolate Mousse comes from Thalia.

I must confess that I’ve never made any type of mousse, although I love to order it while dining out because it’s just so darn creamy and yummy.

This recipe is from my girlfriend Andre’ who lives in Florida. She’s a pretty good source for tons of things. Well, maybe not all things. No…on second thought, there are some things that I’ve learned to refrain from asking her.

With good reason, I might add. For instance, one day I asked her why she didn’t listen to a particular CD on her computer since it was right there in her bedroom. She said, “Don’t be silly…I don’t feel like going downstairs and disconnecting the CD player to bring it up here to place it on top of my computer and find a plug and all of that.”

I said, “No Andre’, there's no need for that. You have a built-in player right inside your computer. It looks like the drawer in your player downstairs.”

She got extremely defensive and started ranting and raving about…”What do you know about my computer…when my son gave it to me he didn’t put any drawers in it! I don’t have any drawers and I wish you’d stop telling me about some stupid computer drawer that I don’t have!”

Well, just to let you know…I’d used her computer frequently while I was visiting. I’d played tons of music from the drawer that she ‘just didn’t have’ and even danced to it!

About two hours later, she sheepishly admitted “Oh, that’s where it is…they should put the damn thing where I can see it!”

So Thalia, luckily for you, she’s not that absentminded when it comes to digging up recipes. I hope that the following recipe will whet your appetite.

NOTE: You will need an Insta-Read Cooking Thermometer (or a candy thermometer).

Your Ingredients:

4 large eggs, separated
1/2-cup + 1/4-cup granulated sugar
1/2-stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/4-cup water
1/2-pound bittersweet (NOT unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped

PLACE the large (empty) bowl of an electric mixer in the fridge.

PLACE a saucepan of water over medium heat and allow it to simmer.

IN a large stainless steel bowl, add the egg yolks, sugar, butter, and water.

USE a wire whisk to blend the ingredients.

PLACE the bowl over the simmering water and whisk constantly until the thermometer reaches 160ºF, about 3-4 minutes (you’re dealing with raw eggs).

ADD the chocolate and continue whisking until the mixture is smooth and glossy. Turn off the heat but leave the bowl over the simmering water.

REMOVE the chilled bowl from the fridge and add the egg whites. Beat the whites until they have soft peaks.

GRADUALLY add the remaining 1/4-cup of sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form (but not dry).

FOLD in about a third of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture (to temper). Then fold in the remaining whites.

DIVIDE the mousse into 6 fancy dessert glasses, place a piece of plastic wrap on each, and chill overnight.

GARNISH with a dollop of whipping cream (the real stuff) and sprinkle a few raspberries on top.

YUM! Thalia, please let me know if you enjoy this recipe.

Always Enjoy!

Under-The-Sea Dessert

This recipe is really easy to make and if you absolutely must cut back on calories, just leave off the whipped cream and eat the cherry! Or splurge and have two!

Your Ingredients: (serves 8)

1 can peach halves in light syrup (15-1/2 oz), undrained

1 c boiling water

1 pkg lime flavored gelatin (3 oz)

1/4 tsp salt

1 T freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 pkg cream cheese, softened (8 oz)

1/8 tsp freshly ground nutmeg

1/8 tsp cinnamon

16 oz low calorie whipped cream

2 limes

maraschino cherries (with stems)

DRAIN peaches, reserving ¾ cup of the syrup. Dice peaches and set aside.

STIR boiling water into gelatin and salt in a medium bowl until completely dissolved. Stir in reserved peach syrup and lemon juice. Pour 1-1/4 cups of the gelatin mixture into 8x4-inch loaf pan sprayed with cooking spray. Refrigerate about 1 hour or until set but not firm (should stick to your finger when touched).

IN the meantime, use your lemon zester to make delicate strips of lime rind for garnish. If you don’t have a zester, use a swivel type potato peeler or regular grater to lightly shred the lime rind. Be careful not to peel or grate into the white pithy part, as it is quite bitter.

BEAT remaining gelatin mixture gradually into the cream cheese until smooth. Stir in peaches, nutmeg and cinnamon. Spoon over the clear gelatin in pan.

REFRIGERATE 4 hours or until firm. Unmold and cut into 8 slices. Place on dessert plates. Add a dollop of whipped cream to each slice and garnish with lime zest and maraschino cherry.

Note: The cooking spray should help release the dessert from the pan but if you have any problem, just place the pan in your sink and run the hot water for a minute. It should slide right out.

P.S. I hope that you found this recipe yummy and easy to prepare. Let me know if you'd like more like these by posting your comment below.

Always Enjoy!