Peanut Butter Sheet Cake

This recipe is from http://www.allrecipes.com/
Super simple and very moist.

2 cups all-purpose flour
 2 cups white sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup water
3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup vegetable oil

 2 eggs
 1/2 cup buttermilk
 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup white sugar
1/3 cup evaporated milk
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1/3 cup chunky peanut butter
1/3 cup miniature marshmallows
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 10x15x1 inch jellyroll pan.

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, 2 cups sugar, baking soda and salt. Set aside. Combine the water and 3/4 cup of butter in a saucepan, and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir in 1/2 cup peanut butter and vegetable oil until well blended. Stir this mixture into the dry ingredients. Combine the eggs, buttermilk and vanilla; stir into the peanut butter mixture until well blended. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan.

Bake for 18 to 26 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

While the cake bakes, place 2/3 cup sugar, evaporated milk, and butter in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook stirring for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the peanut butter, marshmallows and vanilla until marshmallows are melted and the mixture is smooth.

Spoon the frosting over the warm cake and spread in an even layer. Allow to cool before cutting and serving.

Copycat Cheesecake Factory Oreo Cheesecake

Filling


1 1/2 pound cream cheese

1 cup sugar

5 large eggs

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 cup flour

8 ounces sour cream

5 Late July organic " Oreo"  cookies (coarsely chopped for the batter)

10 coarsely choppedLlate July "Oreo" cookies for the topping



Crust

1 1/2 cup Late July  "Oreo" cookie crumbs (about 25 Oreo cookies finely chopped)

2 tablespoon melted butter

9″ spring form pan (buttered on bottom and sides)



1. Mix melted butter with Oreo crumbs and press in the bottom of the spring pan and 1 1/2″ up the sides, set aside.

2.All Ingredients must be at room temperature before beginning. Beat cream cheese with a mixer on low until fluffy.

3. Slowly add sugar and continue beating cream cheese until mixed well.

4. Add eggs one at a time and continue to beat until blended.

5. Measure the vanilla, salt and flour, pour into cream cheese and egg mixture and beat until smooth. Add the sour cream and beat.

6. Stir in the coarsely chopped oreo cookies with a spoon.

7. Pour cream cheese into the spring pan and place the nine coarsely chopped Oreo Cookies on to of the cream mixture.

8. Place pan on the top rack and in the middle of a preheated oven at 325 degrees F and bake for one hour and 15 minutes.

9.After that time, keep oven door open and let the cheese cake stay in the oven for one hour. Remove from oven and let cool enough to place in the refrigerator for 24 hours.

Snowman Birthday Cake

For this cake I used Wilton's basic yellow cake recipeand a buttercream frosting. The cake came out cute, but i am a bit worried about how top heavy the cake is. This cake was featured on the front of Fmily Circle December 2009.

Black Forest Cake

This recipe come from the book Cake Mix Magic in Minutes.
1 box Chocolate cake mix
2 x 20 ounce. cans Pitted cherries
1 c. Sugar
3 Tbsp. Cornstarch
1 tsp Vanilla
3 c. Whipping cream, chilled
1/3 c. Powdered sugar
Directions
Bake chocolate cake according to directions on box to make 2 9-inch cakes. Allow cakes to cold.
Meanwhile, combine cherries with just 1/2 c. liquid (drain remaining liquid off of cherries), sugar, cornstarch and vanilla in a saucepan and cook over low heat till mix thickens. Remove from heat and set aside.
Slice each cake layer in half horizontally. Crumble one of the halves and set aside. Beat cool whipping cream and confectioner's sugar till stiff peaks form.Place one half layer of cake on a plate and top with 1/3 of cherry mix followed by a layer of whipped topping. Place second layer of cake over the first and repeat with the second and third layer ending with cherries on top. Use remaining whipped cream to ice the sides of the cake. Use crumbled cake and press crumbs along the sides of the iced cake.

Wellesly Fudge Cake

This recipe is in the newest issue of Cook's Country Magazine. Everyone loved this cake.

King Arthur Peanut Butter and Chocolate Cake

This cake was more like a tornado cake. Tasty non the less! You can go here for step by step instructions and better photos as well as the recipe.

Triple Chocolate Cake

This recipe is from Taste of Home Magazine.

1 package (18-1/4 ounces) white cake mix
1/3 cup sugar
4 eggs
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
2/3 cup canola oil
2 tablespoons baking cocoa
1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chocolate frosting
2 tablespoons milk
Directions:
In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, sugar, eggs, sour cream and oil. Beat on low for 1 minute; beat on medium for 2 minutes. Pour half of the batter into a large bowl. Stir in cocoa until blended. Fold chocolate chips into white cake batter.
Alternately spoon batters into a greased and floured 10-in. fluted tube pan. Bake at 350° for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 15 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
In a small bowl, combine frosting and milk. Spoon over top of cooled cake. Yield: 12 servings.

Jello Poke Cupcakes in Honor of the Blessed Mother's Nativity

Prepare a yellow cake mix according to box directions. Place batter in 24 muffin cups. Following the baking time and temperature for cupcakes. Allow to cool for 30 minutes. With a straw poke each cupcake( iI did about 8 times on each cupcake) Mix together 1 small package of jello and 1 cup of boiling water. Spoon 2 -3 teaspoons of the jello over each cupcake. Place in the refrigerator, Allow to cool completely. Frost.

Hershey Kisses Birthday Cake

Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa or HERSHEY'S SPECIAL DARK Cocoa
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water
VANILLA BUTTERCREAM FROSTING(recipe follows)
This recipe is from the Hershey's website:

HERSHEY'S KISSES Brand Milk Chocolates
Directions:1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans or one 13x9x2-inch baking pan. 2. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans. 3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes for round pans, 35 to 40 minutes for rectangular pan or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. 4. Frost with VANILLA BUTTERCREAM FROSTING. Remove wrappers from chocolates; garnish top and sides of cake. 10 to 12 servings.VANILLA BUTTERCREAM FROSTING1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened 4 cups powdered sugar 3 to 4 tablespoons milk 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extractBeat butter in large bowl until creamy. Gradually add about half of the powdered sugar, beating well. Slowly beat in milk and vanilla. Gradually add remaining powdered sugar, beating until smooth. Add additional milk, if necessary, until frosting is spreading consistency. About 2-1/3 cups frosting.

Very moist cake.

Graham Streusel Coffee Cake

This recipe is from allrecipes.com. i did not make the frosting drizzle, it did not need it.

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup chopped pecans
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon milk

Combine the first five ingredients; set aside. Prepare cake mix according to package directions. Pour half of the batter into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking pan. Sprinkle with half of the graham cracker mixture. Carefully spoon the remaining batter on top. Sprinkle with the remaining graham cracker mixture. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Combine confectioners' sugar and milk; drizzle over cake.

Chocolate Truffle Cake

1 box of devil's food cake cake mix

1 stick of butter, melted

1 16 oz. container of sour cream

5 eggs

1 large box of chocolate pudding

1 1/2 C semi-sweet chocolate chips

Place all ingredients in a mixer and combine just until moistened and mixed. Mixture will be very thick. Pour into a well greased bundt pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 50-55 minutes. Let cool for 20 minutes in the pan and place on serving platter to cool.

Chocolate Frosting

1 stick of melted butter

6T unsweetened cocoa powder

3 C powdered sugar

3-4 T milk

1 tsp. vanilla

Mix the cocoa and butter in an electric mixer. Add the powdered and mix until smooth, add enough milk and vanilla to get your desired consistency.

Lemon Delight Cake

What a delight this cake was. Cake with a delicious layer of pudding. Yummy! I would have taken a picture of a cut piece but, I did not have good luck getting the first piece out and i quickly gobbled it up.

Cream Filled Cupcakes

This recipe was featured in the newest Family Circle magazine. Very Good.

Strawberry Whipped Cream Cake

For Pentecost I wanted to make a cake with red a nd white, so i found this recipe at http://www.chow.com/

For the berries:
2 pints strawberries, rinsed and hulled (about 4 cups)
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 1/2 medium lemon)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
For the cake:
2 cups cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon lightly packed lemon zest
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
6 large eggs, separated
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
For the filling:
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup heavy cream
For the frosting:
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 cups heavy cream
INSTRUCTIONS
For the berries:
Combine all ingredients in a medium nonreactive mixing bowl and toss to thoroughly coat strawberries. Let macerate at room temperature at least 20 minutes before using.
Strain macerated berries and reserve syrup separately. For the cake:
Heat oven to 350°F and arrange rack in upper third. Butter and flour two (8-inch) cake pans. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together into a mixing bowl; set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment, combine vegetable oil, water, lemon zest, vanilla extract, egg yolks, and 1 1/4 cups of the sugar. Whip on medium speed, until mixture is airy and light in color, about 5 to 7 minutes. Turn off the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl; add dry ingredients and whip until smooth, about 1 minute more.
In a clean bowl, whip egg whites to medium peaks. Add remaining 1/4 cup sugar and continue whipping until stiff peaks form, about 1 minute more. Using a rubber spatula, fold 1/4 of the egg whites into the cake batter until evenly incorporated; gently fold in remaining egg whites until just combined.
Divide batter between prepared cake pans. Bake until surface of cakes springs back when pressed and a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Remove cakes from the oven, and let cool 15 minutes. Run a knife around the perimeter of each, and turn them out onto wire racks to cool completely. Meanwhile, make the filling and the frosting. For the filling:
Combine mascarpone cheese and heavy cream in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and whip until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. For the frosting:
Place the cleaned bowl of the stand mixer and the whip attachment in the freezer for 10 minutes. Combine vanilla extract, sugar, and heavy cream in the chilled bowl and whip at medium speed until medium peaks form, about 2 minutes.
Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, at least one hour. (The frosting can be prepared up to 12 hours ahead.) To assemble:
Using a long serrated knife, trim the tops of the cakes as necessary so they are level. Place cake rounds on a clean, dry surface and, using a pastry brush, brush 1/2 of the reserved strawberry syrup on the cut side of the first cake round; repeat on the cut side of the second cake round.
Evenly spread 1/4 of the mascarpone filling over the cut side of the bottom cake layer. Arrange strawberries standing upright, stem end down, over the mascarpone layer and trim as necessary to create an even layer. Cover berries with the remaining filling, being sure to fill in any empty space.
Place second cake layer over mascarpone and strawberries, cut side down, pressing gently to secure it. Using an offset spatula or a long, thin spatula, spread 3/4 cup of the frosting in a thin layer over the top and sides of the cake. Return remaining frosting and cake to the refrigerator until frosting on cake is set, about 15 minutes.
Spread the remaining frosting all over the top and sides of the cake. Let sit in the refrigerator at least 15 minutes before serving.

I would not rush to make this recipe again. I found it was not quite sweet enough and my berries were not the greatest.

Marshmallow Sheep Cupcakes

I saw this idea in a magazine the other day. These were cute and easy cupcakes to make.

Rhubarb Cake

Another yummy recipe from allrecipes.com. I loved the crispiness around the edges of this cake, it was caramelised.

Heart Cake

Tomorrow is the Feast Day of Saint Catherine of Sienna so I made a vanilla cake with cherry frosting, and Alchemes, fresh strawberries and cherry jam in the middle. I used these simple instructions to make the layered circle cake into a heart.

Lion Cake

Tomorrow is the Feast Day of Saint Mark the Evangelist(†63):
Saint Mark was converted to the Faith by the Prince of the Apostles, whom he later accompanied to Rome, acting there as his secretary or interpreter. When Saint Peter wrote his First Epistle to the churches of Asia, he affectionately joined to his own salutation that of his faithful companion, whom he calls “my son Mark.” The Roman people entreated Saint Mark to put in writing for them the substance of Saint Peter’s frequent discourses on Our Lord’s life. This the Evangelist did under the eye and with the express sanction of the Apostle, and every page of his brief but graphic Gospel so bore the impress of Saint Peter’s character, that the Fathers used to name it “Peter’s Gospel.”

For the cake you need 1 Betty Crocker pound cake; mix according to the directions on the box. Make 18 mini cupcakes( each takes about 1 T of the cake mix) the remainder of the cake mix place in a 9" round cake pan, that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Bake the cake for 25 minutes and the cupcakes for 10 minutes. Cool completely. Place the cake in the center of a cake platter and arrange the cupcakes all around the cake. In a mixer place 2 containers of vanilla frosting, tint orange. Frost cake and cupcakes, reserve a few tablespoons of the frosting to adhere the candies. For the mane cut orange, yellow, red and black licorice into 1 1/2" pieces, press into cupcakes. For the ears I used half of an Oreo cookie and 1 large marshmallow per ear. For the eybrows i split an Oreo in half and I used a large marshmallow with a dab of black frosting and an M&M for the eyes.For the nose i used 2 long pieces of chocolate , 3 cake oreos( 1 cut into a triangle) and a piece of the red licorice for the lions mouth. For the whiskers I used black licorice cut into thin strips.

I saw this idea in Woman's World magazine. The kids were happy with the results.

Lamb Cake

1 Betty Crocker pound cake mix

1 can of vanilla frosting

23 large marshmallows

2 C mini marshmallows

brown sugar

black licorice

2 green spearmint leaves

1 red gumdrop

2 Lindt chocolate balls

1 bow ( made by daughter)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 2 1/2 qt. bowl with cooking spray. Prepare cake mix according to package directions, pour into bowl. Bake 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a rack for 10 minutes, remove from bowl and cool completely. Cover cake with frosting. Take 2 large marshmallows and place aside. The remaining large marshmallows cut in half crosswise. Make 2 rows around the bottom of the cake. Arrange mini marshmallows in a V pattern on top of the cake. For ears take the reserved large marshmallows and flatten some with a rolling pin. Brush each lightly with water and dip into brown sugar. Place on either side of the face, for ears. Flatten gumdrops, cut green for eyebrows and red for nose. Cut black licorice for mouth and 2 Lindt balls for the eyes, assemble and place bow on.