Category: Desserts

Berry Cakes with Cinnamon Whipped Cream

When it comes to celebrating July 4th, my first dessert thoughts jump to these yummy, mini, festive cakes out of one of my July editions of Everyday with Rachael Ray magazine. These are quick to make and can be made early in the day, along with the cinnamon whipped cream, so you can be ready for your fun festivities. The edges have the best sugary crunch and the whipped cream adds a cinnamony sparkle…..sparkler…… ha! I can’t wait for the 4th! Happy Birthday, America!

1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup plus 1 T. granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 T. plus 1 cup heavy cream
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup flour
1 cup mixed fresh berries, plus more for garnish
2 T. confectioners’ (powdered) sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a muffin tin. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and 3/4 cup granulated sugar until pale, about 5 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Add the eggs and beat until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add 2 T. cream, the vanilla and the salt and mix until combined, scraping the bowl as necessary. Beat in the flour until incorporated. Using a spatula, gently stir in the berries.

Spoon the batter into each muffin cup, about three-quarters full. Top each cake with a few berries and sprinkle the remaining tablespoon of granulated sugar over the cakes. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with only a few crumbs, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool in the pan, then run a knife around the edges and remove.

In a small bowl, whip the remaining 1 cup cream with the confectioners’ sugar and cinnamon until soft peaks form. Serve with the cakes.

And then light the sparklers!

Coconut-Pecan Cereal Bars

These cereal bars are some of my favorite treats! They are good for breakfast, after school snacks, or dessert. In fact, I always love to make these for dessert when we grill hamburgers! Toasting the coconut and pecans really brings out their best flavors. I found this recipe in the July/August 2007 edition of Everyday Food.

1 (7 oz.) package sweetened shredded coconut
1 1/2 cups pecan halves
nonstick cooking spray
1 (10 oz.) package marshmallows
4 T. unsalted butter
4 cups cornflakes

Preheat the oven to 350. Spread coconut on one side of a large rimmed baking sheet, and pecans on the other side, keeping them separate. Toast until fragrant, 15 to 20 minutes, tossing occasionally.

Meanwhile, coat an 8-inch square baking pan with cooking spray; line with a strip of wax paper (leaving an overhang on two sides). Spray paper.

In a large nonstick pot over medium-low, heat marshmallows and butter until melted, 5 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

Stir in cornflakes, coconut, and pecans. Transfer to prepared pan; press firmly with a metal spatula (coated with spray to prevent sticking). Cool until firm, about 2 hours. Remove from pan; peel off paper. Using a serrated knife, cut into squares.

Yield: 16 bars

Easy Chocolate-Cherry Cake

This is another Paula Deen recipe that I love. It satisfies my need for chocolate in the most delicious way, plus, it’s extra speedy! It’s a dump cake in black forest fashion, so that means lots of cherries and chocolate and absolutely no mixing required! Woo hoo!

2 (21 oz.) cans cherry pie filling
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup sugar
1 (18.25) box chocolate fudge cake mix
1 cup finely chopped pecans, I skip the nuts
1 1/2 cups butter (12 T.), cut into teaspoon-pats
fresh whipped cream or ice cream, for serving

Preheat the oven to 350-degrees. Lightly grease a 13 by 9 baking pan.

Spread cherry pie filling over bottom of prepared baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with chocolate chips and sugar. Spread dry cake mix over sugar, covering pie filling. Sprinkle evenly with chopped pecans, if using. Place butter pats over cake mix, covering cake mix as evenly as possible. Bake 1 hour; let cool 30 minutes before serving. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream, if desired.

Betsy’s Dr. Pepper Cake

My good friend, Betsy, shared this recipe with me. It is soooo delicious! It’s a doctored up German chocolate cake mix with the yummiest, buttery, chocolate cream cheese icing, slathered all over the most moist cake. Creed was over at her house one day and had a piece of it. The first thing he said to me when he got home was, “Mom, you have to get the recipe and I want this for my birthday cake!”. Sure enough, each year rolls around, and Betsy’s Dr. Pepper Cake is part of the celebration! Happy 13th Birthday, Creed, and thank you Betsy for this awesome recipe!

1 box German chocolate cake mix
1 (3 1/2 oz.) box instant vanilla pudding mix
2/3 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 (12 oz.) can Dr. Pepper
1 tsp. vanilla

Frosting:

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese
1 stick butter
1/4 cup cocoa
1 tsp. vanilla
1 lb. powdered sugar
1 cup chopped pecans, optional

Cake: Combine the first 3 ingredients, beating with mixer until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla and Dr. Pepper and mix well. Pour batter into a greased 9 by 13 baking pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Frost when cool.

Frosting: Beat first 5 ingredients until light and fluffy. Mix in pecans, if using, and frost cake.

Banana Pudding with Sugar Biscuits

This banana pudding breaks away from tradition by being served with cinnamon sugar biscuits instead of being layered with Nilla Wafers. And I was truly skeptical at first, but the biscuits are so sweet and crunchy around the edges and match perfectly with the cold and creamy banana pudding, not to mention the fresh sweetened whipped cream! The biscuits are great for dipping, crumbling, and slathering on the yummy pudding. A slight break in tradition is fun for a change. My kids think so too!

3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/8 tsp. salt
3 egg yolks
4 cups milk
3 T. butter
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 bananas, sliced
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar
Sugar Biscuits, recipe follows

Whisk together first 5 ingredients in a large saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until mixture boils. Boil, whisking constantly, 1 minute. Remove from heat, and stir in butter and vanilla.

Line bottom of a trifle bowl or large clear bowl with one-third banana slices and one-third pudding. Repeat layers twice, ending with pudding. Cover and chill 8 hours.

Beat whipping cream at medium speed with an electric mixer util foamy; gradually add powedered sugar, beating until soft peaks form. Spread evenly over pudding. Serve with Sugar Biscuits.
Makes 8 to 10 servings.

SUGAR BISCUITS

2 cups baking mix, such as Bisquick
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup milk

Stir together first 3 ingredients in a large bowl; cut in butter with a pastry blender until crumbly. Add milk, stirring until dry ingredients are moistened. Drop mixture into 12 mounds on a lightly greased baking sheet.

Bake at 425 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool.
Makes 12 biscuits.

Coconut Cream Pie

Cool, creamy, light and delicious, I love this easy pie! It would be excellent to make and take to a friend, perfect served after a heavy meal, or just because it’s National Pie Day. Ok. That was two days ago, but still! Why can’t National Pie Day be everyday? I might just declare it so!

1 cup flaked coconut
1 cup sugar, divided
3 cups milk
3 T. cornstarch
4 egg yolks, separated and divided
1/2 T. vanilla extract
1/8 t. salt
1 1/4 T. butter
9-inch pie crust, baked
Garnish: flaked coconut

In a large heavy saucepan, bring coconut, 1/2 cup sugar, milk, cornstarch, 3 egg yolks, vanilla, salt and butter to a boil. Stir constantly with a whisk until the mixture thickens. Pour into cooled pie crust. Blend together 4 egg whites and remaining sugar. Cover pie with meringue. Sprinkle with coconut. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes or until top is golden. Cool before serving.
Makes 6 servings or 1 if it’s National Pie Day.

COOKING THE BOOKS, YA’LL!

Peanut Butter Snowballs

I just finished a book called The Woman in the Window by A. J. Finn. Every time I encounter a book, I’m always thinking of a menu to go along with it. Years ago, I used to belong in a book club and it was a really fun way for me to always be dreaming up things to cook. I’m no longer in one, but I still think up menus with every book I read! In this book, there is some snow. Yep, I’m feeling ultra creative. Ha. But these are ultra good, so any reason is a perfect reason, to bring up these little numbers!

1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
3 T. butter, softened
1 pound white candy melts or almond bark
Silver sugar sprinkles

Line a large baking sheet with parchment or waxed paper and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine sugar, peanut butter, and butter until mixed well. Shape dough into 1 inch balls and place on the prepared baking sheet. Move dough balls to the fridge while you work on the next recipe step.

In another medium sized bowl, melt candy coating according to package directions. Dip balls gently in the candy coating, using a two-pronged fork to move the balls around and then lift them out. (I just use a regular fork. No two prongs in my drawer!) Place balls on prepared baking sheet. If desired, immediately sprinkle the tops with sprinkles. Refrigerate until chilled.

Makes 24 to 30 snowballs.

COOKING THE BOOKS, YA’LL!

Fresh Strawberry Cake

This strawberry cake is the birthday cake that Fallon requests on her special day. It is so hard for me to believe that yesterday, she turned 11! Pretty in pink, both Fallon and this cake, are layered with sweet surprises and sure to bring smiles. This is the Triple-Decker Strawberry Cake from Southern Living’s 2004 Annual Recipes Cookbook. It keeps best in the refrigerator.

1 (18.25 oz.) pkg. white cake mix
1 (3 oz.) pkg. strawberry gelatin
4 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh strawberries
1 cup vegetable oil
1/2 milk
Strawberry Butter Cream Frosting, recipe below
Garnish: whole strawberries

Beat first 8 ingredients at low speed with an electric mixer 1 minute. Scrape down sides, and beat at medium speed 2 more minutes, stopping to scrape down sides, if needed. (Chopped strawberries should be well blended into batter.)

Pour batter into 3 greased and floured 9-inch cake pans. (I line the bottoms with parchment and spray with Baker’s Joy cooking spray.)

Bake at 350 degrees for 23 minutes or until cakes spring back when lightly pressed with a finger. Rotate your pans, halfway through cooking time.

Cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove from pans; cool completely on wire racks.

Spread Strawberry Buttercream Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake. Store in refrigerator. Garnish if desired. Makes 16 servings.

Strawberry Buttercream Frosting

1 cup butter, softened
2 (16 oz.) packages powdered sugar, sifted
1 cup finely chopped fresh strawberries

Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer 20 seconds or until fluffy. Add sugar and strawberries; beat at low speed until creamy. (Add more sugar if frosting is too thin, or add strawberries if too thick.) Makes 2 1/2 cups.

Maine Blueberry-Cream Cheese Pie

Cool and creamy, oh my goodness, this pie is so delicious! It has a dense cream cheese feel to it, that is absolutely addicting. The addition of fresh grated nutmeg (a must), in the sweet, but not too sweet cream cheese filling, is quite yummy! Plus, the crunch of the graham cracker crust and the fresh lemon juice in the pie filling, just send it over the edge to me. This is an awesome choice for RV cooking or any time you need a quick dessert that everyone will love!

2 (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. nutmeg, fresh grated
9-inch graham cracker curst
21 oz. can blueberry pie filling
1 tsp. lemon juice

Blend together cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and nutmeg. Spread evenly into crust; set aside. Combine pie filling and lemon juice; spoon over cream cheese mixture. Chill until serving time. I think this pie is best served after it has chilled at least 3 to 4 hours. Serves 6 to 8.

COOKING THE BOOKS, YA’LL!

Chocolate-Banana Bread Puddings

The last time I made this recipe, my son Creed was 4 and he is now 12. That has been waaaay too long! My, how the time slips away. This is from a 2011 December issue of Everyday with Rachael Ray magazine. These would make a great breakfast or afternoon snack with coffee, and the caramelized bananas baked in the rich vanilla-E, eggy, bread-E, custard, with melty bits of Hershey bars are just…..mmmmm, mmmm, yumm-E. What’s not to love?! My mom was an English teacher. I’m sorry mom, my English is getting all jacked up! And Lucky, if you’re out there, I still need help with my commas…. Love ya’ll!

1 tsp. unsalted butter
2 T. brown sugar
3 bananas, sliced 1/3 inch thick
1 cup milk
2 large eggs
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
10 slices of white bread, lightly toasted
6 (1.55 oz.) Hershey milk chocolate bars, broken into small pieces

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper or foil liners. (I used Baker’s Joy to spray my pan and didn’t use liners.)

In a nonstick skillet, melt the butter with the brown sugar over moderately high heat. Add the banana slices and cook, turning once, until caramelized, about 3 minutes. the banana should be softened and sticky. Remove from the heat and let cool.

In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs and vanilla.

Stack the toasted bread, slice off the crusts and cut the bread into 4 triangles.

Add the bread to the custard and let soak until the custard is absorbed, about 10 minutes. Stir in the cooled caramelized bananas and the chocolate. Spoon the mixture into the prepared muffin cups. Bake the puddings until puffy and golden, about 25 minutes.

I garnished mine with a bit of powdered sugar mixed with milk to make a thick glaze to make them pretty. But they certainly don’t need it.