Cakes

NOTE: I usually don't post on weekends, since I'm trying to make this a daily-Monday-through-Friday blog. But today, in honor of the Summer Solstice, I'm sharing cake recipes.

There are times when we want something sweet when only cake will do. Here are some wonderful ones that are sure to hit the spot. Enjoy!

FRESH APPLE CAKE WITH CARAMEL SAUCE

I'm not sure where this one came from; it was buried in my emails and was from 2008. Whoever sent it wrote that it was from Bountiful Harvest Cookbook. The person wrote, "I've had this recipe for years and make it often since Michigan has an abundance of apples. The caramel sauce is a special touch, especially when serving guests."

Servings: 9; Time: Prep: 15 min. Bake: 30 min.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 cups chopped peeled baking apples

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Caramel sauce:

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/2 cup light corn syrup

1/4 cup cream or evaporated milk

1/4 cup butter

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 egg, beaten

Directions:

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in the egg. Combine flour, baking soda, nutmeg and cinnamon; add to creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in apples and walnuts. Turn into a greased 8-in. square baking pan. Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until cake tests done.

Meanwhile, for caramel sauce, blend brown sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan. Add remaining ingredients; cook and stir until thickened, about 3 minutes. Serve cake warm or cold with warm caramel sauce. Yield: 9 servings.

Nutrition Facts One serving (1 piece): Calories: 436 Fat: 21 g Saturated Fat: 11 g Cholesterol: 91 mg Sodium: 335 mg Carbohydrate: 60 g Fiber: 1 g Protein: 5 g

PINK PASSION TRIPLE PEANUT BUTTER CAKE

Another cake og unknown origins

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/3 cup peanut oil

2 sticks unsalted butter

8 ozs. whipping cream

6 jumbo eggs

1 1/2 tsps. vanilla flavor

2 tsps. butter flavor

2 1/2 cups flour

2 tsps. baking powder

2 cups sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

Icing:

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/3 cup shortening (butter flavor)

8 ozs. cream cheese

1 tsp, vanilla flavor

1 to 2 tsps. butter flavor

1/3 cup whipping cream, plus 2 tablespoons if too thick

5 cups powder sugar

Cake: Mix peanut butter, oil and butter till smooth, add eggs, flavor and sugar beat till smooth in a mixer - about 2 minutes. Add flour, baking powder and salt. Mix till smooth - about 2 minutes. Spray two 10-inch pans with Bakers Joy and line with wax paper. Divide the batter between the two pans. Bake at 325 degrees for 40 to 45 minute or till done.

Icing: Mix first 3 ingredients till smooth. Add flavor, powder sugar and whipping cream, blend till smooth. Remove 1 1/2 cup of icing to a separate bowl and add 1 tsp. food color and 1 tsp. strawberry jam. Blend with spoon till smooth and set aside.

To assemble: Place 1/2 the strawberry or pink icing in the center of the first layer, cover the remaining layer with the peanut butter frosting. Place the top layer on the cake and secure with 2 paper candy sticks pushed down on opposite sides of the cake. Ice the top layer center with the pink icing and remaining cake with the peanut butter frosting.

Garnish: 1 cup chopped peanuts, unsalted, dry roasted, toffee covered peanuts, and a strawberry on the top. Chopped nuts and toffee peanuts around the bottom of the cake.

PUMPKIN CAKE WITH BROWNED BUTTER ICING

Unknown origin. But whoever sent it wrote, "The browned butter icing is a delicious way to top this great fall cake, but feel free to use your favorite cream cheese icing or, if you're pressed for time, use a purchased frosting."

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1 cup vegetable oil, such as canola, safflower, or corn oil

4 large eggs

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 can (15 ounces) solid pack pumpkin puree

Browned Butter Frosting

5 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 to 3 tablespoons milk

Preparation

Grease and flour a 13x9-inch baking pan. Heat oven to 350°. Combine the flour, baking powder, soda, salt, and spices; set aside. In a mixing bowl with electric mixer, beat the 1 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup brown sugar with oil, eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and pumpkin until smooth and well blended. Slowly beat in the dry ingredients until moistened; beat for about 1 minute on medium speed, or until the batter is smooth and well blended. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the cake springs back when lightly touched with a finger. Cool completely. Browned Butter Frosting Heat the unsalted butter in a saucepan over medium heat until melted. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, just until the butter begins to turn a golden brown, about 5 minutes. Immediately remove from heat and let cool.

Sift the confectioners' sugar into a mixing bowl. When the butter is completely cooled, add to the confectioners' sugar along with the vanilla and 1 tablespoon of milk. Slowly beat to blend, adding 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk, or enough to get to a desired spreading consistency. Spread on the cooled cake. Cut into bars or squares.

MUD SLIDE ICE-CREAM CAKE

The email that this was in stated that it was from Betty Crocker. It starts off with, "The popular restaurant mud slide drink with coffee and chocolate is transformed into an easy freezer dessert."

Prep Time: 30 min; Start to Finish: 6 hr; Makes: 15 servings

1 box Betty Crocker SuperMoist chocolate fudge cake mix

1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted

2 eggs

2 tablespoons coffee-flavored liqueur or strong coffee

4 cups vanilla ice cream

1 container (12 oz) Betty Crocker Whipped chocolate frosting

2 tablespoons coffee-flavored liqueur, if desired

Heat oven to 350F (325F for dark or nonstick pan). Grease bottom only of 13x9-inch pan with shortening or cooking spray. In large bowl, beat cake mix, butter and eggs until well blended. Spread batter in pan.

Bake 19 to 24 minutes or until center is set (top will appear dry and cracked). Cool completely, about 1 hour.

Brush 2 tablespoons liqueur over cake. Let ice cream stand about 15 minutes at room temperature to soften. Spread ice cream over cake. Freeze 3 hours or until firm.

In medium bowl, mix frosting and 2 tablespoons liqueur; spread over ice cream. Freeze at least 1 hour.

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Decrease butter to 1/3 cup.

PINEAPPLE CREAM CAKE

This one is from the ArcaMax Publishing, ArcaMax Chef Newsletter and can be viewed online here.

4 cups vanilla wafer cookies, crumbled

2 8-oz. cans crushed pineapple, drained

3 Tbsp. butter, melted

One third cup walnuts, chopped

One third cup sugar

3-oz. cream cheese, softened

1 tsp. vanilla

Whipped topping

Sprinkle one third of cookie crumbs along the bottom of a one quart dish. Combine pineapple and next 5 ingredients and mix well. Place one half of this mixture over cookie crumbs followed by second third of cookie crumbs. Repeat this step and chill for several hours. Top with whipped topping just before serving.

The Skinny: Use your favorite sugar substitute, light cream cheese and fat free topping.

PUMPKIN SPICE GHOST CAKE

from Familytime.com. To view this one online, go to http://familytime.com/Recipe/ShowRecipe.aspx?RecipeID=14360

The recipe starts with, "Surprise your trick-or treaters with this hauntingly-good pumpkin spice cake with a rich cream cheese frosting." Seriously, though, I'd recommend making this for a Halloween party, rather than giving it out to trick-or-treaters, since most parents prefer pre-packaged candy, etc. for trick-or-treaters.

Serves: 12; Prep Time: 25 minutes; Cook Time: 35 minutes

Cake:

1 spice or carrot cake mix

1 cup LIBBY ® 100% Pure Pumpkin

3 large eggs

1/3 cup water

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Cream Cheese Frosting:

2 packages (3 oz. each) cream cheese, softened

2 tablespoons margarine or butter, softened

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

4 cups powdered sugar

black string licorice candy, Nestle Raisinets Milk Chocolate-Covered Raisins and Halloween candy corn (optional)

For Cake:

Preheat oven to 350º F. Grease and flour two 8 or 9-inch-round cake pans.

Combine cake mix, pumpkin, eggs, water, vegetable oil and pumpkin pie spice in large mixer bowl until moistened. Beat for 2 minutes or until thoroughly mixed. Pour batter into prepared pans.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. Frost with Cream Cheese Frosting.

For Cream Cheese Frosting:

Beat cream cheese, margarine and vanilla extract in small mixer bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in sugar. Spread layers and on top and side of cake.

To Garnish

Form licorice strings into ghost shapes; press into side of frosted cake. Use licorice jelly beans for eyes. Arrange candy corn between ghosts on side and around top edge of frosted cake.