Carrot Cake
- 2 1/4 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups carrots, shredded
- 1 cup crushed pineapple with juice
- 2/3 cup walnuts
Frosting:
- Two 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
- 3/4 cup butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 5 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
In large bowl, sift flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and baking powder.
In mixing bowl, cream together oil and sugar. Add eggs one at a time and mix. Gradually add in carrots and crushed pineapple.
Add dry mixture to wet ingredients and beat until smooth. Fold in walnuts.
Pour batter into 2 lightly greased 8-inch round cake pans and bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Allow cakes to cool completely. Remove cakes from pans and slice off tops to level cakes.
To make frosting: In mixing bowl, cream together cream cheese, butter and vanilla. Gradually add in powdered sugar and mix until smooth.
Spread two large spoonfuls of frosting over top of one cake and stack second cake on top. Frost entire cake with remaining frosting.
recipe courtesy Culinary.net
Baked Alaska
- 3/4 cup, plus 2 tablespoons, all-purpose flour
- 6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup, plus 2/3 cup, sugar, divided
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup 2% milk
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 quarts ice cream, any flavor
- 3 large egg whites
- 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
In large bowl, whisk flour, cocoa powder, 1 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Make well in center of dry ingredients. Add milk, canola oil and eggs. Whisk until blended. Beat batter until smooth, about 3 minutes.
Pour batter into 9-inch round greased cakepan. Bake 25 to 28 minutes. Cool completely on wire rack. Wrap in plastic wrap and freeze 1 hour.
In glass bowl, spray with nonstick cooking spray. Layer inside of bowl with plastic wrap, draping some over edges of bowl. Scoop ice cream into bowl until full. Level ice cream. Place overhang of plastic wrap over ice cream. Freeze 2 hours.
Unwrap cake and place on plate. Unwrap ice cream and place on top of cake. Wrap both together and freeze 2 hours.
In medium bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until frothy. Add remaining sugar and vanilla extract; beat mixture to form stiff peaks.
Heat oven to 500 degrees. Unwrap stacked cake. Place on oven-safe plate. Spread meringue, creating swirl motions around cake. Bake 2 to 4 minutes until meringue peaks are brown and remaining meringue takes on dry appearance.
Serve immediately or cover with plastic wrap and place in freezer.
recipe adapted from Milk Means More
Apple Cake
- 3 cups Honeycrisp apples, peeled, cored and diced
- 3 teaspoons cinnamon
- 6 tablespoons, plus 2 cups, sugar, divided
- 3 cups flour
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup oil
- 4 eggs, beaten
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Icing (optional)
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
In medium bowl, mix apples, cinnamon and 5 tablespoons sugar until combined. Set aside.
In large bowl, mix flour, 2 cups sugar, baking powder and salt until combined. Form well in middle of mixture. Add oil, eggs, orange juice and vanilla; mix until blended.
In springform pan, pour half of batter. Add apple mixture. Pour remaining batter over apple mixture. Sprinkle remaining sugar over batter.
Bake 40 to 50 minutes, or until top is golden brown and tester comes out clean and dry.
Drizzle with icing, if desired.
recipe courtesy Culinary.net
Caramel Cheesecake
Crust:
- 46 vanilla wafers, crushed
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 16 to 18 whole vanilla wafers
Filling:
- Three 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs, lightly whisked
Topping:
- 26 caramels
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1/2 cup pecans, chopped, toasted (optional)
Heat oven to 325 degrees.
To make crust: Mix crushed wafers and sugar then stir in melted butter. Press wafer mix into bottom of greased 9-inch springform pan.
Arrange whole vanilla wafers around sides of pan.
To make filling: In large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in sour cream and vanilla. Add lightly whisked eggs; beat on low just until blended. Pour into crust. Place pan on baking sheet.
Bake until center is nearly set, 55 to 60 minutes. Cool on wire rack for 1 hour. Refrigerate overnight, covering when completely cooled.
To make topping: In microwave, melt caramels with milk; stir until smooth. Drizzle over cheesecake; sprinkle with pecans.
Note: To freeze cheesecake, wrap individual portions in plastic wrap and place in resealable plastic freezer bag. Seal bag and freeze. To serve, thaw in refrigerator.
Drizzle with icing, if desired.
recipe adapted from Taste of Home