Valentine Sponge Cake Cubes

SIMPLY DIVINE!!!

Cut a frozen sponge cake into 1-inch cubes.

• Tip: I bought my sponge cake at Harmons for way too much money. I suggest making your own large batch (maybe sheet cakes) because you throw a lot of it away carving it into perfect 1 inch cubes. You can reuse the discarded pieces in a trifle or something. I wish I had a best ever sponge cake recipe to share with ya'all but I don't yet.
• Best to have a really really sharp knife because perfectly straight edges are key.
  

Melt canned frosting in the microwave at 30 second intervals until it becomes the consistency of heavy cream.

• Tip: What the heck is canned frosting? Not sure why they say canned when all the frosting comes in plastic containers. Why don't they just say 'premade' or something so I don't have to wonder whether I got the right thing. For a novice like myself these little inconcistencies cause me stress only b/c I know if you don't follow the recipe exactly it could flop. And I HATE flops. Anyway, the frosting in the plastic container worked great... just be sure it's the normal stuff and not the 'whipped'. (I'm assuming that wouldn't work so great)
• Tip: On the cover of Women's Day their little sponge cubes were pink and white and dark red. Well, so I try to make dark red frosting and I empty my entire little bulb of food coloring and my frosting is still just dark pink. GAH! I still haven't figured it out. I'm thinking I have to buy a really big glass vile of red food coloring and just use it all. I must figure this out.

Dip the frozen cubes in the frosting like you were dipping chocolates.

• Tip: I just plop them in there one at a time making sure they're completely covered with frosting and then gently lift them out with a fork so that the excess frosting drips off.

Then the recipe said to slide them onto tinfoil (not sure why you would use tinfoil instead of parchment paper).

Sprinkle immediatly if you're going to put sprinkles on them. The frosting begins to set immediatly.

They need to set out for quite some time for them to truly set up. I'm guessing because the frozen pound cake continues to defrost which means it releases moisture making the frosting take awhile longer to really set up.

On the cover of WD each cube was in it's own little square white cupcake liner type thing which I thought was SOOOO cute. I think 4 or 6 of those in a cute little box would make for the perfect little valentine gift. One was dark red with white sprinkles (so cute), another was light pink with a red gel frosting heart on it (tried this.... didn't look so cute when I did it).

Keri's Texas Sheet Cake

This is the best Texas Sheet Cake EVER!!! Primo Deliciouso!

1 c. water
1 c. butter
1/4 c. cocoa
2 c. sugar
2 c. flour
1 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
1/2 c. buttermilk
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla

Melt butter in saucepan. Add water and cocoa and bring to a boil.
In a bowl mix the sugar, flour, baking soda and salt.
Add in the chocolate mixture.
Add buttermilk, eggs and vanilla.
Beat well and pour into a greased and floured sheet pan.
Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes. (I baked mine for 20 minutes)

FROSTING
1 cube butter
6 T. milk
1/2 c. cocoa
4 c. powdered sugar
1 t. vanilla

melt butter in a saucepan. Add milk and cocoa and bring to a boil.
Add powdered sugar and vanilla.
Mix and frost cake while hot.
Delicious!

Paula Dean's Chocolate Creme de Menthe Cake

CAKE
1 c. butter, softened
2 1/2 c. sugar
3 eggs
1 t. vanilla
3 c. cake flour
3/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1 1/4 c. milk
1 c. sour cream

Preheat over to 350. Grease and flour 3 (9-inch) cake pans.

In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla.

In a medium bowl combine cake flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; sift twice. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir in sour cream. Pour batter evenly into prepared pans, and bake for 25-28 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and let cool completely on wire racks.

Spread half of Creme de Menthe Filling between each layer. Frost top and sides of cake with Creamy Chocolate Frosting. (I suggest freezing the cake for to make it easier to frost). Garnish with chopped chocolate-covered mint squares.

CREME DE MENTHE FILLING
(makes about 1 1/4 cups)

1/2 c. butter, softened
2 T. creme de menthe (I used 1 t. of peppermint extract)
2 1/4 c. confectioners' sugar
3 drops green food coloring
(because I used the peppermint extract instead of the liquor there wasn't enough liquid. I added about 1 T. of milk. Do not add too much or your cake layers will slip n' slide)

In a medium bowl, beat butter and creme de menthe at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth. Add food coloring, beating until incorporated.

CREAMY CHOCOLATE FROSTING
(makes about 2 1/2 cups)

1 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
3 T. heavy whipping cream
4 c. confectioners' sugar
1 t. vanilla extract

In a medium bowl, beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Beat in cocoa and cream until smooth. Gradually beat in sugar until smooth. Beat in vanilla.

This cake is absolutely DELICIOUS! I recommend it whole heartedly. Just be sure to follow the directions intricately. Enjoy!

Regi's Black Bottom Cupcakes

1 ½ c. flour
1 c. sugar
1 c. water
1/3 c. oil
¼ c. cocoa
1 t. baking soda
1 t. vanilla
½ t. salt

Mix well.
Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full.

FILLING:
½ c. sugar
1 (8 oz.) cream cheese (softened)
1 egg
Dash of salt
1 c. chocolate chips

Mix all ingredients, add chocolate chips.
Drop by spoonfuls into batter in cupcake liners.
Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

Cinnamon Swirl Cake

3 c. flour
¼ t. salt
1 c. sugar
4 t. baking powder
1 ½ c. milk
2 eggs
2 t. vanilla
1 c. melted butter

SWIRL stuff:
1 cube melted butter
1 c. brown sugar
2 T. flour
1 T. cinnamon
2/3 c. chopped nuts

Mix flour, salt, sugar, baking powder, milk, eggs, vanilla, and 1 c. melted butter in that order.
Pour into greased and floured 9x13 pan.
Mix swirl ingredients together and swirl into batter.
Bake at 375 for 25-30 minutes.
Glaze like cinnamon rolls.
Optional glaze:
2 c. powdered sugar & 5 t. milk & 1 t. vanilla.

Keri's Italian Cream Cake

2 c. sugar
½ c. oil
1 cube butter
5 eggs
2 c. flour
1 t. soda
1 c. buttermilk
2 c. flaked coconut
½ c. chopped nuts

Cream until fluffy the sugar, oil and butter.
Add only the egg yolks one at a time, beating after each.
Add the flour and beat well.
Add the soda to the buttermilk and stir into the batter alternately.
Add coconut and nuts and stir well.
Beat egg whites until stiff and fold into batter.
Pour batter into 3 (9 in.) round cake pans, greased and floured.
Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

FROSTING:
8 oz cream cheese
1 cube butter
1 lb. powdered sugar
1 t. vanilla

Mix and frost.
Top with coconut and nuts.

Heidi's Lucious Four Layer Pumpkin Cake

1 pkg. yellow cake mix
1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin, divided
½ c. milk
1/3 c. oil
4 eggs
1 ½ t. pumpkin pie spice, divided
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 c. powdered sugar
1 tub cool whip, whipped topping, thawed
¼ c. caramel topping
¼ c. chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour two 9 inch round cake pans.
Beat cake mix, one cup of the pumpkin, milk, oil, eggs, and one t. of the pumpkin pie spice in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended.
Pour evenly into prepared pans.
Bake 28-30 minutes or until done.
Cool in pans 10 minutes. Remove from pans to wire rack, cool completely.
Beat cream cheese on med. Speed until creamy.
Add sugar, remaining pumpkin, and remaining ½ t. pumpkin pie spice; mix well. Stir in the whipped topping.
Cut each cake layer horizontally in half with serrated knife.
Stack layers on serving plate, spreading cream cheese filling between the layers.
Do not frost top of cake.
Drizzle cake with caramel topping just before serving;
Sprinkle with pecans.
Store leftover cake in the fridge.

Barefoot Contessa's Honey Vanilla Pound Cake

½ lb. (2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temp.
1 ¼ c. sugar
4 xtra large eggs at room temp.
2 T. mild honey
2 t. vanilla
1 t. grated lemon zest
1 ¾ c. sifted cake flour
1 t. kosher salt
½ t. baking powder

Preheat over to 325.
Grease and flour an 8 ½ x 4 ½ x 2 ½ inch loaf pan.
Line the bottom with parchment paper.
Cream butter and sugar on med. Speed for 3-4 min.
Meanwhile, put eggs, honey, vanilla, and lemon zest in a bowl.
With the mixer on med. Low speed, add the egg mixture, one egg at a time.
Sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder.
With the mixer on low speed, add it very slowly to the butter and egg mixture until just combined.
Finish mixing with a rubber spatula and pour into pan.
Smooth the top.
Bake for 50-60 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.
Cool for 15 minutes.
Cool completely on a baking rack.

The Barefoot Contessa suggests making this and storing it in your freezer for those times when unexpected visitors drop by. It's a fantastic treat.

Toffee Chocolate Cake

Chocolate Cake Mix
1 bottle of Mrs. Richardson’s Butterscotch Caramel Ice Cream Topping
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 container whipped topping
3 Score or Heath or Symphony candy bars (crushed)

Prepare cake mix according to directions.
When cake has cooled, poke several holes in cake.
Mix caramel topping and condensed milk together and pour over cake.
Top with whipped topping and sprinkle candy bar over top.

BEST EVER!

Bottom Cream Cake

CAKE:
1 ½ c. flour
1 ½ t. baking powder
¼ t. salt
¾ c. unsalted butter, at room temp.
¾ c. sugar
¼ t. grated lemon or orange zest
2 eggs, at room temp.
2/3 c. milk

CREAM CUSTARD FILLING:
1 ¼ c. milk
3 egg yolks
¼ c. sugar
2 T. cornstarch
Pinch of salt
1 T. unsalted butter
1 ½ t. vanilla
½ c. heavy cream, chilled

CHOCOLATE GLAZE:
4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 ½ t. light corn syrup
½ c. heavy cream

To make the cake: Preheat oven to 350. Lightly butter and flour a 9 x 2 in.
round cake pan, and set aside.
Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl, and set it aside.
Cream butter, sugar, and citrus zest until light and fluffy.
Add eggs, one by one, beating well after each addition.
Beat in vanilla. With the mixer running on low, add the flour mixture in 3 parts, alternating with the
milk in 2 parts, until just combined. Pour batter into pan. Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes.
Cool in the pan for 15 minutes on a rack. Turn the cake out of the pan to cool completely.

To make the cream filling: In a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the milk over medium-high heat,
until bubbles appear around the edges. Remove from heat.
Whisk together the yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and salt.
While whisking, gradually pour the milk into the eggs. Pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan.
While whisking constantly, bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat; cook for 1
minute or until thickened. Remove from the heat, and stir in the butter and vanilla.
Put the custard in a medium bowl, and lay a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface to
prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until ready to assemble the cake.

To make glaze: Put the chocolate and corn syrup in a small bowl.
Bring the cream to a boil. Pour the cream over the chocolate and stir until smooth.
Cool slightly before glazing the cake.

To assemble the cake: Slice the cake in horizontally with a serrated knife, into 2 pieces, starting about
5/8ths of the way up the sides of the cake. (The top piece should be slightly thinner than the bottom.)
Place the bottom of the cake on a 9-inch cardboard cake round or flat plate.
Spread the cream just to the edges of the cake and cover with the top layer.
Pour the entire glaze over the cake.
Tilt the cake so the glaze covers evenly and runs down the sides.
Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Tres Leches

1 box moist yellow cake mix
1 can evaporated milk
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 c. whole milk
1 T. vanilla
Whipped topping
Cherries, if you desire

Bake the yellow cake according to the directions on the box.
When the cake has cooled, make small holes in the cake. In a saucepan on very low heat, mix together the three different milks. Stir continuously so the mixture will not stick to the bottom of the saucepan. Add vanilla when the milk mixture has almost reached boiling and remove from heat. (DO NOT ALLOW TO BOIL). After the mixture cools down, pour over the cake with the holes, making sure to well saturate the cake. Place the cake in the refrigerator for 2 hours or until chilled. Put whipped topping on top.