MISS DOT'S POUND CAKE

I started joining a few friends once a month for a girls day where we get together and have lunch and visit.  We try to have a theme and do a kind of pot luck.  First one was a game day and we had a Mexican Fiesta with chicken enchiladas, beef empanadas, cilantro rice, beans, guacamole, key lime pie for dessert.  This month was a fondue party.  We had cheese fondue (fontina, gruyere, and jalapeno cheddar and white wine) with meatballs, smoked beef tenderloin, sour dough bread to dip along with a charcuterie board with tiny potatoes, asparagus, broccoli, carrots.  Dessert was a chocolate sauce with fruit and cake cubes to dip.  This pound cake was featured on an episode of HGTV's Home Town show.  It was a fun time with lots of laughs and the food was really good!  Next month is going to be a movie day with movie snacks.  

MISS DOT'S POUND CAKE

3 sticks butter, softened

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

3 cups granulated sugar

3 cups all-purpose flour

6 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

Cream butter, cream cheese and sugar together.  Add eggs one at a time.  Add flour and mix well.  Add vanilla.  Pour into an angel-food cake pan.  Place in a cold oven.  Set temperature to 300 degrees.  Bake for 90 minutes or until cake tester is clean. 

FRESH APPLE CAKE

The calendar says it is Fall but the weather has a different idea. Still battling hurricanes down here on the Gulf Coast and Fall seems far away yet.  But apples are now showing up in the grocery stores and time to make apple things.  Made this for Sunday Dinner and even though the temperature said 90 plus degrees with high humidity, just for a minute we could dream of cooler temperatures soon.

FRESH APPLE CAKE

CAKE:

1 cup vegetable oil

2 cups granulated sugar

3 eggs

3 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon cinnamon or apple pie spice

3 cups chopped apples

1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

FROSTING:

1 stick butter

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1/4 cup cream or milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray 9 x 13 pan with Bakers Joy.  Combine oil, sugar, and eggs.  Mix well.  Stir in flour and baking soda. Add vanilla and apples and pecans if using.  Spread in prepared pan.  Bake for 50 minutes or till done.  Cool for 2 hours then prepare frosting.

For the frosting:

Place all ingredients in small saucepan.  Bring to a boil.  Boil for 2 minutes.  Set pan in a bowl filled with ice water.  Beat icing until spreading consistency.  Spread over top of cake.  Sprinkle chopped pecans if desired.

TRIPLE THREAT PEANUT BUTTER CAKE

Sunday dinner recently with the kids and wanted to make something new for dessert.  I found this recipe on Facebook videos (The Farm Stand).  The original recipe called for a large sheet pan which would have been too much so I decided to half the recipe.  Unfortunately I chose the wrong size pan and these came out very thin.  The full recipe is below and if you half it, be sure and use the appropriate pan.  They were gobbled up though, so it did not cause any issues, just a learning experience.

TRIPLE THREAT PEANUT BUTTER CAKE

2 cups flour

2 cups granulated sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 stick butter

1/2 cup creamy or crunchy peanut butter

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 cup cold coffee

2 eggs beaten

1/2 cup half and half

1 teaspoon vanilla

FROSTING

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup peanut butter

6 Tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 cups powdered sugar

1/3 cup crushed peanuts.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 12 x 17 inch sheet pan. (use a 9 x 13 pan if making half - NOT a 10 x 15)

In a large bowl, add the flour, sugar, soda and salt.  Combine well.  In a saucepan, melt butter and peanut butter.  Blend in oil till smooth.  Add to dry ingredients along with coffee, eggs, half and half and vanilla.  Combine all ingredients until smooth.  Pour into prepared pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.  Remove and prepare frosting.

For the frosting, melt the butter and peanut butter in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add milk and vanilla.  Pour over powdered sugar and beat until smooth.  If too thick, add more milk to thin out.  Spread over cake.  Sprinkle with crushed peanuts.  

INA GARTEN'S OLD FASHIONED BANANA CAKE

We have a counter in the kitchen at work where people bring things they want to share or needs using up.  Someone recently brought some bananas that were getting over-ripe which makes them perfect for banana bread or cake.  I found this recipe on Pinterest.  I made a few adjustments and here is my version. I had family come for a Sunday visit and it went over well.

INA GARTEN'S OLD FASHIONED BANANA CAKE

3 ripe bananas, mashed

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup oil

2 large eggs

1/2 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour or Baker's Joy a 9 x 2 inch round pan.  (I had a scalloped 10 inch pan in my stash so used that.)  

In a mixer bowl mix the bananas, sugars, oil, eggs, sour cream, vanilla.  In another bowl mix the flour, baking soda and salt.  Stir together.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix well.  Pour into prepared pan.  Bake in 350 degree oven for 45-50 minutes.  Cool.  Frost with cream cheese frosting.

FROSTING

4 ounces soften cream cheese

2 cups powdered sugar

2-3 tablespoons milk or cream

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Blend ingredients together till smooth.  Frost cooled cake.

SOUTHERN LIVING HUMMINGBIRD CAKE

I went to a pot luck dinner this weekend.  I usually bring desserts and wanted to try something different.  Southern Living recipes are always a definite way to go.  I added coconut to the recipe and also toasted some to go on top for garnish.  I'm not sure where the name hummingbird cake came from, but it is a good cake.

SOUTHERN LIVING HUMMINGBIRD CAKE

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1-3/4 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 4 large)
1 8-oz. can crushed pineapple (do not drain)
1 cup toasted chopped pecans
1/2 cup sweetened coconut
3/4 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla

GLAZE: 

4 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 cups sifted powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla 
1 to 2 tablespoons milk

To prepare the cake:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon.  Add eggs, oil, and bananas.  Stir well.  Add pecans and coconut.  Pour into prepared bundt or angel food cake pan.  Bake for 1 hour or until middle tests clean.  Cool completely.

Stir together glaze ingredients.  Pour over cooled cake.  Add chopped nuts and toasted coconut over top.

BUTTERMILK COFFEE CAKE

A boring Saturday morning.  I had some buttermilk that needed using up so went in search for a buttermilk coffee cake recipe.  Lots to choose from and this is how I made it.

BUTTERMILK COFFEE CAKE

2-1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1-1/2 sticks of butter, melted
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup evaporated milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Sprinkle of cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 9 inch springform pan and set aside.  In a mixing bowl, stir together flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar.  Pour melted butter over and stir to combine.  Remove 2/3 cup of mixture and set aside.  To the remaining dry ingredients add the baking powder, eggs and buttermilk.  Mix with hand mixer until smooth.  Pour into prepared pan.  Sprinkle the dry mixture that you set aside and sprinkle 1/2 cup chopped pecans over.  Place in oven and bake for 45-55 minutes.  Remove from oven and cool.

Stir together the glaze ingredients and swirl over cooled cake.

SOUR CREAM LEMON POUND CAKE

I made this recently for work and shared the recipe with a coworker.  You know my pictures are not this good, so she was kind enough to share her picture after she made it.  It's a really good, moist pound cake loaf.  I've been lucky over the summer for friends to share their abundance of lemons and have frozen lots of lemon juice and zest to use in recipes.

SOUR CREAM LEMON POUND CAKE

1-1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons lemon extract
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup oil
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon lemon zest

GLAZE:
1 cup powdered sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice

Mix together until smooth.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray 9 x 5 loaf pan with Baker's Joy or grease and flour.
In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.  In another bowl combine eggs sugar, butter, sour cream, vanilla, lemon extract and lemon juice until blended well.  Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and blend until smooth.  Add oil and lemon zest.  Mix well.

Pour into prepared loaf pan.  Bake at 350 for 45-55 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.  Remove and cool.  Pour glaze over top of cooled cake.

MANDARIN ORANGE/PINEAPPLE CAKE

Another birthday cake for a coworker.  I've seen this cake named Pig Pickin' Cake but since this was for a birthday and not a barbecue, I thought a more appropriate name would be just what it is - Mandarin Orange/Pineapple cake.  Another dressed up cake mix.

MANDARIN ORANGE/PINEAPPLE CAKE

1 box yellow cake mix
11 oz. can mandarin oranges, do not drain
4 eggs
1/4 cup oil
1 16 oz. carton Cool Whip
1 15 oz. can crushed pineapple, drained
1 small box instant vanilla pudding

Mix together cake mix, canned oranges with juice, eggs, and oil.  Pour batter into three greased and floured 8 inch round cake pans.  Layers will be thin.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until cake tests done.  Cool layers on wire racks.

Mix together Cool Whip, drained pineapple, and DRY pudding mix.  Frost layers and cake.  Refrigerate until ready to eat.

Strawberry Margarita Cake

I haven't blogged anything in such a long time.  Still making birthday cakes for coworkers based on their likes or wishes.  This one was for someone who likes strawberry margaritas.  Not a big fan of using cake mixes, but sometimes that's what it takes.  This is such an easy cake, but everyone seemed to like it.

STRAWBERRY MARGARITA CAKE

1 box white cake mix
3 egg whites
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup oil
3/4 cup frozen strawberry margarita mix (thawed)
2 tablespoons lime zest
1 16 oz. container Cool Whip

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour 9 x 13 cake pan.

Mix cake mix, egg whites, water, oil, and margarita mix.  Mix until smooth.  Pour batter into prepared pan.  Bake 25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean from center of cake.  Cool cake.

Mix lime zest into Cool Whip.  Frost cake.  Decorate with strawberry slices and lime wedges and some grated lime zest.  Put in fridge for several hours or overnight before serving.

Girl Scout Cookie Samoas Bundt Cake

Our annual company picnic (Spring Fling) was yesterday.  Among the fun we have a bake off.  I won first place with this one.  I found this recipe on Pinterest.  

GIRL SCOUT COOKIE SAMOAS BUNDT CAKE

CAKE:

1-1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 stick butter, softened
2 cups packed light brown sugar
3 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (8 oz.) container sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup hot water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour bundt pan or using baking spray.
Melt chocolate chips until smooth when stirred.  Set aside.  Beat butter and brown sugar with mixer until blended well (about 5 minutes).  Beat in eggs one at a time.  Beat in melted chocolate until just blended.  Stir together flour, baking soda, and salt.  Add flour mixture to batter, alternating with sour cream on low speed until just blended.  Slowly with mixer on low add hot water.  Stir in vanilla.  Pour batter into prepared bundt pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes to 60 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Let cool for 10 minutes in pan, then remove cake from pan onto plate to cool completely.

FROSTING:

1/2 stick butter, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Beat butter until creamy.  Gradually beat in powdered sugar.  Beat in enough cream or milk to get to spreading consistency.  Spread on cooled cake.

TOPPING:

1-1/2 cups toasted coconut
Caramel sauce
Hot fudge sauce

Sprinkle toasted coconut all over cake.  Drizzle caramel sauce and hot fudge sauce.

Famous Brick Street Chocolate Cake

A recent birthday for a coworker who requested a chocolate cake.  I had saved this recipe a while back from Pinterest.  This just might be one of the best chocolate cakes I've made.  Of course, being in Texas it had to be served with Blue Bell ice cream which is lurking in the background. :o)  

Pinterest took me to a blog Through Her Looking Glass which tells the story about this delicious cake which comes from the Brick Street Cafe in Greenville, N.C.  If it's Southern, you know it has to be good!

BRICK STREET CHOCOLATE CAKE

CAKE:

2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla
3 large eggs
2-1/2 cups cake flour
1 cup baking cocoa, sifted
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Small box instant chocolate pudding mix
2-1/4 cups buttermilk
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

CHOCOLATE ICING:

1/2 cup water
1/2 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup baking cocoa, sifted
3-1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
3 tablespoons heavy cream or milk (more or less for consistency)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Beat sugar, butter, and vanilla in a large bowl.  Beat in eggs. Mix in cake flour, baking cocoa, soda, salt, chocolate pudding mix and buttermilk.  Stir in semi-sweet chocolate chips.  Pour into a greased tube pan.  (There is too much batter for a regular bundt pan).  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.  Adjust baking temperature down to 325 degrees and continue baking 30-45 minutes more until cake tested comes out clean.  (Mine took close to an hour).  This is a very dense cake.  Cool cake completely before icing.

For icing, in a small pan on the stove, melt the water, butter and vanilla.  Remove from heat. Stir together the sifted powdered sugar and sifted cocoa powder.  Pour melted chocolate mixture over and mix well.  Add heavy cream until you get the desired consistency.  This will be poured over the cake.  The icing will harden as it cools.  It is a challenge to get this smooth so work fast.  

Pumpkin Bundt Cake

Time for a treat for my coworkers this week.  Although it doesn't seem like Fall here on the Gulf Coast, this pumpkin cake gave a little hint of Autumn.  A really easy cake to pull together.  I'm not sure if it was the cake or the candy corn that they liked the most!  Not sure what it is about candy corn that people love, but it made a hit with this cake!

PUMPKIN BUNDT CAKE

2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs
1 cup oil
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 can pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Beat the eggs and sugar together until light and fluffy.  Add oil and blend well.  Add pumpkin and mix well.  Mix flour, baking soda and spices together.  Add to wet mixture.  Add vanilla.  Add pecans.

Pour into an 8 cup bundt pan that has been sprayed with Baker's Joy or Pam.

Bake for 1 hour or until middle of cake tests done.

Make an icing of powdered sugar, butter, and cream, add some cinnamon and vanilla to thickness desired.  Drizzle over cake.  Decorate with candy corn.

Ina Garten's Lemon Cake

My friend grows the best lemons.  I was able to put away several containers of juice in the freezer. What better time to use some of that juice to make something yummy.  I love anything lemon and had company coming, so thought I'd make a nice treat.  This can be made as a bundt pan or cupcakes. Either way you make it, it has a great soft crumb and the lemon syrup makes it extra good. Below is my adaptation.

INA GARTEN'S LEMON CAKE

For the cake:

2 sticks butter, at room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
2 Tablespoons lemon zest
3 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup lemon juice
3/4 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Lemon syrup:

1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray two 8 inch loaf pans with Baker's Joy.

Cream the butter and 2 cups granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer until light and fluffy, 5 minutes or so.  Add eggs one at a time and add the lemon zest.

In another bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Combine the 1/4 cup lemon juice with the buttermilk and vanilla.  Add the flour and buttermilk mixture alternately, beginning and ending with flour.

Divide batter between the two loaf pans.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour, testing for doneness in the middle.

Cool the cakes.  Combine the granulated sugar and 1/2 cup lemon juice over low heat until dissolved.  Spoon the lemon syrup over them.  Allow to cool completely.

White Texas Sheet Cake

A birthday celebration yesterday.  Since I was a teen I have been making the chocolate version of Texas Sheet Cake.  I've had the vanilla/white version in my files to try for a while now.  This cake is traditionally made in a jelly roll pan, making the ratio of icing and cake about even.  I don't care for it that way and most always make it in a 9 x 13 pan.  This is a very moist cake and gets better each day.

WHITE TEXAS SHEET CAKE

2 sticks of butter

1 cup water
2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup sour cream
2 eggs

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  In a small saucepan, bring the butter and water to a boil.  Remove from heat.  In a large bowl mix together sugar, flour salt, baking soda.  Pour the water and butter mixture and stir.  Add sour cream and eggs and vanilla.  Mix well.  No need to use a mixer, just a whisk or wooden spoon will work.  Pour into a 9 x 13 pan that has been sprayed with Pam or Baker's Joy.  Can also use a 10 x 15 jelly roll pan.  Bake at 375 degrees for 22-25 minutes until done.

ICING

1/2 stick of butter
1/4 cup half and half or milk
3-1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Boil the butter and milk.  Remove from heat and pour over powdered sugar.  Add vanilla.  Mix with mixer until smooth.  Spread over cake. Can add pecans or coconut if desired for a different twist.

Neverending Chocolate Cake

I wanted to take a dessert for a recent crawfish boil.  I found this recipe from Taste of Home.  I used to subscribe to this Reiman publication over the years and always found good recipes.  I don't usually use box mixes, but this type of cake really starts with that.  With the addition of buttermilk it is a super moist cake and really packs the chocolate.

NEVERENDING CHOCOLATE CAKE

1 devil's food cake mix (I used Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe Chocolate Fudge)
1 small package instant chocolate pudding mix (I used Hershey brand)
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup chocolate syrup
4 eggs
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In large bowl, combine cake mix, pudding mix, milk, oil, syrup, and eggs. Beat on low speed to blend, then beat on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes. Gently stir in chocolate chips and pour batter into greased and floured 12-cup Bundt cake pan.

Bake for 55 minute to 1 hour or until cake tester comes out clean. Let cake cool in pan for 10 minutes, and then turn out onto cooling rack. Sprinkle with powdered sugar for garnish or drizzle with glaze.  I just used a powdered sugar glaze.  You can melt some chocolate chips also if you wanted more chocolate.

PRALINE PUMPKIN POUND CAKE

It was Boss' Day this week.  We had several goodies to honor the bosses in our building.  Seems there was food for days.  This was my contribution.

PRALINE PUMPKIN POUND CAKE

1 stick butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
4 eggs
1 t. vanilla
1 can Libby's pumpkin
3 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1-1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup buttermilk

Mix butter and sugars together until blended well.  Add eggs one at a time and mix well.  Add pumpkin and vanilla and blend well.  In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pumpkin spice together.  Add to wet mixture alternately with buttermilk.  Mix until blended well.  Pour into a prepared 10-cup bundt pan or angel food cake pan.  Bake at 350 for 1 hour.

Praline Glaze:

1/2 stick butter
1/2 cup brown sugar packed
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons milk or cream

Melt butter, brown sugar and milk in a saucepan.  Bring to a boil.  Add vanilla.  Remove from heat and stir until mixture is thickened.  Pour over cake.  Add toasted pecans to top.

PINK LEMONADE CAKE

Another birthday at work a few weeks ago.  Don't let the picture deceive you, this is a good cake.  I found the recipe from Better Homes and Gardens.  

PINK LEMONADE CAKE

1 cup butter softened

4 eggs

3-1/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 Tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups granulated sugar

3-4 drops red food coloring

1-1/3 cups buttermilk

1/4 cup frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare a 9 x 13 pan with Bakers Joy or Pam. In a bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt.  In another bowl, beat butter for 30 seconds.  Gradually add sugar, beating until well combined.  Scrape down sides and beat for 2 minutes more until will combined.  Add food coloring until light pink.  Add eggs one at a time.  In another bowl stir together buttermilk, lemonade concentrate and vanilla. Mixture will look curdled.  Add dry ingredients slowly and combine until well mixed.  Pour into prepared pan and bake for  30-35 minutes until center is done.  

LEMONADE ICING

3 cups powdered sugar

2 Tablespoons butter, softened

1/4 cup lemonade concentrate, thawed

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

4-5 drops red food coloring, or to color desired.

Splash of milk or cream

Combine all ingredients until spreading consistency.  Spread over cooled cake.

VELVET BROWNIE SWIRL CAKE

Pardon the bad picture.  My camera battery was dead so I took this with my phone.  Birthday time at work again.  I found this recipe on a blog called A Spicy Perspective.  I took a few liberties with it and below is my adaptation.

VELVET BROWNIE SWIRL CAKE

1 cup oil
1-1/3 cups buttermilk
3 eggs
1-1/2 teaspoons white vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons cocoa powder

For the brownie swirl:
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup chocolate chips melted

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 12 cup bundt pan.

Using an electric mixer, beat the oil, buttermilk, eggs, vinegar and vanilla on low until well combined.

In a separate bowl, sift the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cocoa together. Slowly add them to the wet mixture until just combined. Scrape the bowl and mix again.

For the brownie batter: Separate out 1 2/3 cups batter. Whisk 3 tablespoons cocoa powder and the melted chocolate into the batter. Set aside.

Pour 2/3 of the remaining velvet batter into the bundt pan.

Add the brownie batter to the bundt pan and gently smooth over the top covering all areas. Do not swirl.

Pour the remaining 1/3 velvet batter over the brownie batter.

Bake for 55 minutes until set in the middle. After 55 minutes check the center with a wooden skewer. If it comes out clean, the cake is done.

Allow the cake to cool for at least 20 minutes in the pan. Then carefully flip it out onto a cake plate.  Allow it to cool completely before adding the glaze.

I just made a simple glaze with powdered sugar, butter, milk and vanilla.  I melted 1/2 cup chocolate chips and drizzled those as well.

Lemon Drop Cake

I found this recipe on 'Just a Pinch' website.  It's a great resource for home cooking type recipes.  I have made a similar cake to this using Jello mix rather than pudding.  The reviews on this one rave about how moist it is because of the addition of buttermilk.  I made it in my Nordicware Wildflower pan but the design didn't show well. 

LEMON DROP CAKE

1 Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe lemon cake mix
1 small package dry instant Jello Lemon Pudding mix
1 cup water
1/3 cup lemon juice (fresh or bottled)
1 cup water
1/3 cup oil
3 eggs
1 cup buttermilk

The ingredients are the same as the box ingredients with using 1/3 cup lemon juice for part of the water and adding 1 cup of buttermilk.  Mix all ingredients together and pour into a pan sprayed with Pam.  Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes.  Make sure the center is done.  Turn onto plate and poke holes and drizzle glaze over cake while warm.

Glaze:
1 to 2 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup lemon juice

Mix together and drizzle over cake while warm.

Carrot Babycakes

I baked this recipe originally as a 3-layer cake but it was not very photo-worthy.  I repeated the recipe and this time I made it in my square muffin pan along with round muffin pan.  It turned out much better and it was for a crowd which worked even better with everyone getting their own little cake.  This is a Southern Living recipe from 1997.  The buttermilk glaze takes a while but I believe this is the key to this very moist carrot cake recipe.  It will replace my Tropical Carrot Cake recipe I posted in the early stages of my blog.

CARROT BABYCAKES

CAKE:
2 cups all-purpose flour 
2 teaspoons baking soda 
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon  
3 large eggs 
2 cups sugar 
3/4 cup vegetable oil 
3/4 cup buttermilk 
2 teaspoons vanilla extract 
2 cups grated carrots
1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained 
1 cup flaked coconut
1 cup chopped pecans

Line 3 (9-inch) round cake pans with wax paper; lightly grease and flour wax paper. Set pans aside.  Or use a 9 x 13 pan that has been sprayed with Pam.  Or use 24 muffin cups sprayed with Pam.

Stir together first 4 ingredients.

In another bowl, beat eggs and next 4 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Add flour mixture, beating at low speed until blended. Fold in carrots and next 3 ingredients. Pour batter into prepared pans.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Drizzle Buttermilk Glaze evenly over cakes.  Cool in pans on wire racks 15 minutes. Remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks. Spread Cream Cheese Frosting on cakes.

This makes 30 babycakes.  You can cut the glaze in half if you are making these.

BUTTERMILK GLAZE: 

1 cup sugar 
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda 
1/2 cup buttermilk 
1 stick butter 
1 tablespoon light corn syrup 
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
 
Bring first 5 ingredients to a boil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Boil, stirring often, 4 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla. Use a big pot because the soda causes a big volume until it cooks down.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:

1 8 oz. package cream cheese
2-3 tablespoons milk or cream
3-4 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine all ingredients until smooth.  If too thin add more sugar, if too thick add more cream.