Pumpkin Bars

This is one of my favorite cakes. I make it year round. No need to think of pumpkin as just an autumnal ingredient.

It is perfect for a party or potluck as it fills a half sheet pan, plus I generally have everything needed on hand.

Pumpkin Squares

4 eggs

1 2/3 cups sugar

1 cup oil

2 cups canned pumpkin

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Beat eggs, sugar and oil until smooth. Add pumpkin. Mix until blended. Add remaining ingredients. Mix.

Grease the bottom of a half sheet pan. Pour batter in pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean.

Frosting

3 oz cream cheese (room temperature)

1/2 cup butter (room temperature)

2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

zest of one orange (can omit, but I love the flavor)

Mix together and frost cooled cake.

Double Chocolate Bundt Cake

My oldest daughter turns 11 today. She had some friends over for a little get together this weekend.

Who knew that 7 eleven year olds made more noise than the monkey house at the zoo?

Double Chocolate Bundt Cake
from bunny
1 chocolate cake mix
1 small pkg instant chocolate pudding mix
4 eggs
3/4 cup water
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup oil
1 heaping cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 10-inch bundt pan with cooking spray and dust with flour. Beat cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, water, sour cream and oil in large bowl. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour into pan. Bake 55-60 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Cool 15 minutes in pan on wire rack. Remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack. Set on serving plate and glaze.

Chocolate Glaze
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 T butter
2 T corn syrup
1-2 tsp hot water

Melt chocolate chips, butter, and corn syrup in saucepan over low heat. Cool about 10 minutes. Stir in hot water, 1 tsp at a time, until consistency of thick syrup. Pour over cooled double chocolate cake.

Chocolate Banana Snacking Cake (Vegan)

I haven't done much vegan baking. I am more comfortable with eggs and butter.
However, this recipe made a delicious, moist cake. Added bonus: no raw egg, so go ahead and lick the spoon.

4 cups flour
2 2/3 cups sugar
1 1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 T baking soda
1/2 t salt
1/2 cup oil (I substituted apple sauce...still very moist)
3 cups hot water
2 t vanilla
3 bananas, mashed

Preheat oven to 350.
In medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa, soda and salt.
In a large bowl, combine oil/apple sauce, hot water and vanilla. Add dry ingredients. Mix just to combine. Add bananas.
Pour batter into greased 9-x-13 inch pan. (If your pan is not very deep, you may want to set aside some batter and make 8 cupcakes or so). Bake for 50-60 minutes, until a tester inserted in the middle of cake comes out clean.
Remove from oven and let cool in pan on wire rack.
Store leftover cake in refrigerator

Fresh Apple Cake with Warm Vanilla Sauce

The weather here has finally cooled down. I'm in the mood for some good old fashioned autumn baking. This moist, cinnamony-apple cake tastes delicious...and will make your house smell divine!

Fresh Apple Cake
adapted from Peacocks on my Porch

1/2 cup shortening
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 c flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp soda
3 cups shredded apples (I prefer granny smith)

Preheat oven to 350 and spray a 9-x-13 inch pan with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, cream shortening, sugar and eggs. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon and soda. Add to creamed mixture along with the apples. Beat until combined.
Bake for 30-40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.

Warm Vanilla Sauce
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup whole milk
1/2 cup butter
2 tsp vanilla

Combine in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Pour over individual cake slices.

Brown Sugar Pound Cake

This cake is delicious on its own. The brown sugar gives it a rich, caramel flavor.
Add the berries and special sauce...delectable, delightful, delish, distinctive, divine, enjoyable, enticing, exquisite... (thank you online thesaurus).

Brown Sugar Pound Cake
Pound Cake Recipe adapted from Cooking Light
3 T dry bread crumbs
3 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup butter, softened
2 cups packed light brown sugar
1 T vanilla
3 large eggs
1 cup fat-free milk

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 10-inch angel food cake pan with cooking spray and dust with the bread crumbs.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl; set aside.

Beat the butter in a large bowl on medium speed until light and fluffy. Gradually add brown sugar and vanilla, beating until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternately with the milk, beating at low speed, beginning and ending with the flour.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour and five minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes on a wire rack. Remove from pan and cool completely on a wire rack.

Serve with fresh sliced strawberries (any berries would do I'm sure) and the special sauce.

Yogurt Sauce
equal parts brown sugar and plain yogurt (I use fat free...you could certainly substitute the yogurt for sour cream to make this sweet and tangy sauce)

Chocolate Pound Cake and an Interview

This is a simple, yet delicious little cake. Perfect with a glass of ice cold milk.

Chocolate Pound Cake
recipe adapted from Williams-Sonoma Essentials of Baking

1 2/3 cups flour
1/3 cup Dutch process cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 3/4 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup whole milk
1 T powdered sugar mixed with 1 T Dutch process cocoa powder for dusting

Position a rack in the middle of the oven, and preheat to 325 degrees. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper cut to fit. Butter the paper.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt with a whisk. Set aside.

In a large bowl combine the butter and sugar. Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a hand mixer, beat on medium-high speed until the mixture is light in color and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla. Remove bowl from mixer.

Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in one-half of the dry ingredients until almost fully incorporated. Fold in the milk, followed by the remaining dry ingredients, again until just incorporated. Don't mix too vigorously or the cake will be tough.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with the rubber spatula. Bake the cake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 70 minutes. Carefully watch the time at the end so that the cake does not overbake.

Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Place the rack on top of the cooled cake and invert them together. Lift off the pan and peel off the parchment. Turn the cake domed side up and let cool completely on the rack. Cover the cake with a clean, slightly damp kitchen towel so that the outside does not dry out as it cools.

Using a fine-mesh sieve, liberally dust the top of the cooled cake with the confectioners sugar-cocoa mixture, then transfer to a serving plate.

I did an interview with Laura at The Purse Blogger. If you're not already bored of me and all my yapping, check it out.

Pineapple Pound Cake

Before we get into all the holiday baking, I have another vacation inspired recipe. (Lindsey--I'm working on a macadamia nut ice cream so you can make your own shave ice. I'll let you know how it goes.)

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 1/4 cup + 2 T sugar
3 eggs
1/4 cup pineapple juice (I got enough from draining the crushed pineapple)
1 cup crushed pineapple, drained
1 t vanilla
3/4 cup sour cream
2 1/2 c + 1 T flour
1 t baking powder
1/4 t baking soda
1/2 t salt

Preheat oven to 350. Butter and flour 2 loaf pans. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, scraping the bowl between each. Add vanilla, pineapple juice, pineapple and sour cream. Add dry ingredients and mix until only just combined. Bake until a cake tester comes out clean (about 45 minutes).

Brownie Pudding

My oldest turned ten yesterday.

I officially have a "Tween".

We listen to a lot of Hannah Montana, Aly and AJ, Jonas Brothers, and (much to her father's dismay) her new discovery: Michael Jackson. She is my mini-me (but goofier) and I love to have her around.
She picked this for her birthday dessert. It is mouth-watering. Rich, fudgy, perfect with ice cream. And so simple to make. It's like a brownie, but crack through the top crust and you will find warm, gooey, molten chocolate.

Brownie Pudding
adapted slightly from barefoot contessa back to basics

Ingredients
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, plus extra for buttering the dish
4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature (if you forget to get them out, put them in a bowl of warm water for about 10 minutes)
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup good cocoa powder (I use Hershey's...Ina would probably frown on that)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean (I get mine at Costco...the best deal I've found so far)
Vanilla ice cream, for serving (As I learned from Luke, a dessert is not a dessert without a scoop)

Directions
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly butter a 2-quart (9 by 12 by 2-inch) oval baking dish. Melt the 1/2 pound of butter and set aside to cool.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs and sugar on medium-high speed for 5 to 10 minutes, until very thick and light yellow. Meanwhile, sift the cocoa powder and flour together and set aside.

When the egg and sugar mixture is ready, reduce the speed to low and add the vanilla seeds and the cocoa powder and flour mixture. Mix only until combined. With mixer still on low, slowly pour in the cooled butter and mix again just until combined.

Pour the brownie mixture into the prepared dish and place it in a larger baking pan. (I used a rimmed cookie sheet.) Add enough of the hottest tap water to the pan to come halfway up the side of the dish (I think it is easiest to put the brownie in the oven and then add the water to the cookie sheet with a teapot) and bake for exactly 1 hour. A cake tester inserted 2 inches from the side will come out 3/4 clean. The center will appear very under-baked; this dessert is between a brownie and a pudding.

Allow to cool to room temperature and serve with vanilla ice cream.

POST EDIT TIP: Don't throw out the vanilla pod after you scrape out the seeds. Toss it into an airtight container and top it with sugar (I added 5-6 cups). The next time you make a pound cake or the like, use the vanilla sugar. The sugar turns a little clumpy, but smells and tastes divine.

Apple Spice Cake

This cake is SO good....

Come on guys, you've heard this type of joke...Now you're supposed to ask: "How good is it?"

This cake is SO good. Let's say you were on day two of a (so far very successful) seven day cleansing diet...

You'd break it for this cake.

I applaud you, Zach and Brenda. You made it further than I ever will.

Apple Spice Cake
adapted slightly from marthastewart.com

Cake
3 cups flour
1 T cinnamon
1 t baking soda
1 t salt
1 1/3 c vegetable oil
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
3-4 (I used four) Granny Smith apples, cored and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (I had about 3 1/2 cups)
1 cup chopped nuts, such as pecans or walnuts (OPTIONAL...and if you're like me, you'll just leave them out.)
1 t vanilla

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 12-cup Bundt pan with cooking spray. Flour the pan. (Or use the nonstick cooking spray with flour). In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, soda and salt. Set aside. In bowl of electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, combine oil, sugar and eggs. Mix on high speed until lemon yellow. Gradually add dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated. Add apples (and nuts, if you're into that) and mix to combine. Add vanilla. Mix until incorporated. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 60-90 minutes (mine took about an hour and ten minutes). Remove from oven and cool in the pan on a wire rack 10 minutes. Invert cake onto rack and let cool completely (actually, it might be good warm). Serve with caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream.

Caramel Sauce
this is the simplest caramel sauce I've ever made
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/4 cup evaporated milk
1 t vanilla
pinch of salt

Combine ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until thickened to desired consistency.

We made this Friday night for my Mother-in-Law's birthday. There was some leftover (I don't know how). We wrapped the cake up airtight and left it on the counter and put the rest of the caramel in the fridge. Let me tell you, it was still just as moist and tasty when we ate it for our Sunday snack two days later!

Almond Cake

School is back in and we are almost back on a schedule.
There's a chill in the air, and I am excited to turn the oven on and start baking again.

Here is another delicious recipe from the cyclist's mother. She made this often while the cyclist was courting me. Ha, ha. That makes him sound so smooth.

I love to make it because it is a snap to whip up. I have all of the ingredients on hand. And--most importantly--it tastes great. It has a dense, moist crumb, and a rich almond flavor. You'd think it was made of marzipan.

Give this one a try. You'll be impressed.

Almond Cake

3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 tsp. almond extract
2 eggs
slivered almonds

Mix sugar, flour, butter, almond extract, and eggs on high for 3 minutes. Pour into greased pie pan. Sprinkle with slivered almonds. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

See. Isn't that simple!

A Birthday Cake for Number Four

So I'm only two and a half weeks late, but that's what happens when it's not your first child...or second...or third. I made up for it. What one year old doesn't need a five layer cake of her own?

You should have seen her eat it.

"You can do it, Brucie!"

This is a delicious and simple chocolate cake recipe. It's baked in a half sheet pan (I cut out rounds to make the layer cake). It will definitely serve a crowd. Make it and take it to your next pot luck or picnic.

Mississippi Mud Cake

adapted from Williams-Sonoma The Best of Kitchen Library: Desserts

2 cups flour

2 1/2 cups sugar

1 t baking soda

1/2 t salt

1 cup unsalted butter

1 1/2 cups whole milk

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 large eggs, room temperature

2 t vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350. Spray a 15 1/2-by-10 1/2 inch (jelly roll or rimmed cookie sheet) pan with cooking spray.

Sift the flour into a large bowl. Add the sugar, baking soda, and salt. Stir well to combine and set aside.

In a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the butter, milk, and cocoa powder. Bring to a boil, whisking frequently, until the butter melts completely. Add the cocoa mixture to the flour mixture, whisking until combined. Add the eggs and vanilla and whisk until well blended. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 15 to 18 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely in the pan.

If you just want to make a sheet cake to take to a party or picnic, frost at this point, transport and serve right out of the pan.

To make the layer cake, I used a 3 1/2 inch round cookie cutter and cut out five circles from the baked cake. Place one round on cake stand. Spread with about 1 T frosting. Top with additional layers and frosting. Spread a very thin layer of icing around the sides and let set in refrigerator until icing is firm. (This is a crumb-coat: it suspends the fine crumbs so they won't appear in the final layer of frosting. The second layer of icing will now slide neatly over this layer).

Remove from refrigerator frost with the final layer of icing.

Chocolate Satin Frosting

(From Joy of Cooking)

6 oz unsweetened chocolate

1 cup evaporated milk

1 1/2 cups sugar

6 T unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1 t vanilla

Roughly chop chocolate. Set aside.

In small saucepan, bring evaporated milk to boil. Remove from heat and add chocolate pieces, without stirring. Cover and set aside for exactly 10 minutes. Scrape into bowl over mixer or food processor and add sugar, butter and vanilla. Process until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and let sit in refrigerator until it reaches desired consistency (I let mine sit about 15 minutes)

This frosting keeps refrigerated for about 3 weeks, or can be frozen for 6 months. Let soften before using.

Cocoa Banana Cake

This is a delicious and different way to use up your over-ripe bananas.

adapted from crave; a passion for chocolate by Maureen McKeon

flour and unsweetened cocoa powder for dusting
1 1/2 cups mashed, very ripe bananas (about 4 large)
1 cup sour cream
1 3/4 cups flour
2/3 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
14 T unsalted butter, room temperature
1 2/3 cups sugar
3 large eggs
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Butter and flour a standard size bundt pan. Sift together flour and unsweetened cocoa powder. Dust pan.
Mix together the bananas and sour cream. Set aside.
Whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt.
Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, then beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Beat in half of the flour mixture. Beat in the banana mixture, then beat in the remaining flour. Fold in chocolate chips.
Pour batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface. Bake for 55-60 minutes, until well risen and cake tester comes out clean.
Allow to cool in pan 10 minutes. Invert onto wire rack and cool completely.

Marble Bundt Cake

The cyclist has taken a liking to a certain cake shop. Call me crazy, but I can't justify spending $40 on a cake (unless maybe $40 in quarters were baked inside). Here is our version of the marble bundt.

Vanilla Batter
1 yellow cake mix
1 small package vanilla instant pudding
4 eggs
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup water
1 cup sour cream
1 t vanilla

Combine all ingredients and set aside.

Chocolate batter
1 chocolate cake mix (I prefer a darker chocolate version)
1 small package chocolate fudge instant pudding
4 eggs
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup water
1 cup sour cream
1 t vanilla

Combine all ingredients and set aside.

Grease and flour TWO standard size bundt pans (I like "Pam for baking" as it greases and flours in one easy spray).
Using two cookie scoops or large spoons, alternate the two batters in a single layer in the pans. Go back around putting a scoop of vanilla on top of the chocolate scoops and vice versa.
Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 50 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean.
Let cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool to room temperature on rack.

Cream Cheese Frosting
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup vegetable shortening (this helps the frosting to harden)
1 t vanilla
7-8 cups powdered sugar

Blend on high until you get the desired consistency. You want it thick.

To frost, spoon frosting into a gallon freezer bag. Snip off the corner (start small and test it until you get the desired thickness). Frost cake in back and forth fashion.

Favorite Chocolate Bundt Cake

This is one of my favorite chocolate cakes. It's simple, delicious and gets fudgier the second day.

Try it folks.


1 devil's food cake mix
1 5.9 oz box instant chocolate pudding mix
5 eggs
1/2 cup butter, melted
16 oz. sour cream
2 cups chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350.
Combine cake and pudding mixes in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add sour cream, melted butter and eggs. Mix until combined. Batter will be very thick. Add in chocolate chips and mix well. If you don't have a stand mixer, or don't want to get it out, this can very easily be mixed by hand. Spoon batter into Bundt pan (coated with cooking spray). Bake 50-55 minutes, or until cake tester inserted in middle comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack.

Cherry Streusel Coffee Cake

My sabbatical is over. Sunday brunch returns.

Cherry Streusel Coffee Cake
adapted from Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
2 cups flour
1 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1 t salt
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 t vanilla
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups frozen sour cherries, thawed and drained well
Streusel (recipe follows)
Milk glaze (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 350. Butter a 9-inch tube pan (I used an angel food cake pan), set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk together with wire whisk. Set aside.
In bowl of electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat the butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the sour cream and beginning and ending with the flour. Beat until just combined, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
Spread about half of the batter evenly over the bottom of the pan. Arrange the cherries in a single layer on top of the batter. Avoid placing any cherries against the pan's edge as they may stick or burn if not fully encased in batter. Top with remaining batter, making sure it is evenly distributed. Smooth with offset spatula. Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the top of the batter.
Bake until the cake is golden brown and springs back when touched, 40-45 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool 15 minutes. Invert eh cake onto the rack, then reinvert so streusel side is up and let it cool completely (if you can wait that long...smells GOOD!) Spoon the glaze over the cake, letting it drip down the sides. Let cake sit until the glaze is set (restraint people!), about 5 minutes, before serving.
Cake can be kept at room temperature, wrapped well in plastic, for up to 4 days. (Do you really think you'll have leftovers?)

Streusel:
1/2 c plus 1 T flour
1/4 c brown sugar
1/2 t cinnamon
pinch salt
3 T unsalted butter, room temperature

Combine flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt in small bowl. Cut in butter using pastry blender or two knives.

Milk Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
2 T milk

Whisk together and immediately pour over cake.

We're anxious to try this with a variety of different berries.

It's Too Hot for the Oven

Anything the cyclist decides to do, he does well. Including dessert making. Between this dutch oven cake and his chocolate chip cookies (I'll post someday), he's baked his way right into my heart.

Dutch Oven Chocolate Cherry Cake

1/2 stick of butter, cut into 1/2" cubes
2 cans pie filling (we like cherry)

Cake Batter: we mixed in half of the chocolate chips, and sprinkled the rest over the top.

Sprinkle butter cubes in the bottom of a clean, seasoned dutch oven (ours is a #12). Cover bottom of oven with pie filling. Spoon cake batter over all.

Light the charcoal (we used our metal fire-pit) and wait until it starts to ash over a little bit. Put twice as many charcoals on top of the lid as there are under the dutch oven. We used 4 on bottom and 8 on top. Cook for about 30-40 minutes and then take off the lid and check the cake with a toothpick making sure it comes out clean. Be careful when taking of the lid not to spill ash in the cake. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

When it's hot outside and you don't want to heat up your kitchen, this is the perfect way to have a homemade cake. It's also a great recipe to take camping. With the new baby, we've been doing all of our camping in the back yard.

However, this can also be made indoors using your dutch oven. Preheat your regular oven to 350. Assemble the cake. Put the dutch oven into your oven and bake as directed.

P.S. For all you trivia buffs, the Dutch Oven is the state cooking pot of Utah. Who knew?

Berry Lime Bundt

1 T Sugar
1 c mixed berries

4 c flour
2 c sugar
6 t baking powder
1 t salt

1/2 Cup Milk
4 Eggs Lightly Beaten
1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil
2 Teaspoon Grated Lime Rind
1/2 Cup Lime Juice


Preheat oven to 400. Spray Bundt pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle 1 T sugar in bottom of pan. Arrange berries evenly in pan.

Sift together the flour sugar, baking powder and salt into a large bowl. Combine the milk, eggs, oil rind and juice. Add all at once to the flour mixture, stir lightly with a fork just until moist (batter will be lumpy).

Spoon into Bundt pan. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 30-35 minutes or until golden and cake tester comes out clean. Remove cake from pan to a wire rack. Glaze with a lime glaze of powder sugar and lime juice. Serve warm.

Glaze:
juice of 2 limes
1 1/2 - 2 cups powdered sugar

Mix to drizzling consistency.

Ice Cream Sandwich Cake

The filling ends up tasting like a fudgy brownie. This is a great dessert for a hot summer night!
I made another one using mint ice cream sandwiches and grasshopper cookies. That was really good too.

adapted from food & family

1/2 cup hot fudge ice cream topping, warmed
1 tub (8 oz.) Cool Whip, thawed, divided
1 pkg. (4-serving size) instant chocolate pudding
8 Oreo Cookies, chopped (about 1 cup)
12 vanilla ice cream sandwiches, unwrapped (I found cookies and cream ice cream sandwiches; yum!)

Pour fudge topping into medium bowl. Add 1 cup of the whipped topping; stir with wire whisk until well blended. Add dry pudding mix; stir 2 min. or until well blended. Gently stir in chopped cookies; set aside.
Arrange 4 of the ice cream sandwiches, side-by-side, on 24-inch-long piece of foil; top with half of the whipped topping mixture. Repeat layers. Top with remaining 4 ice cream sandwiches. Frost top and sides of dessert with remaining whipped topping. Bring up foil sides. Double fold top and ends to loosely seal packet.
Freeze at least 4 hours before serving. Store leftover dessert in freezer.

Banana Bundt Cake

2 ripe bananas, mashed
1 box white cake mix
1 small box vanilla instant pudding
3 eggs
1/3 cup water
1 cup sour cream
2 T vegetable oil
1/4 tsp baking powder

Preheat oven to 350. Combine all ingredients in bowl of mixer. Beat together until light and fluffy. Bake in greased Bundt pan for 40-50 minutes, until a cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean. Invert and cool on wire rack. Dust with powdered sugar to serve.

Blueberry Crumb Cake

This was a delicious little dessert, I may just have a piece for breakfast tomorrow with a glass of cold milk!


For the blueberry filling:

1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
For the crumbs:

1/3 cup dark brown sugar

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup melted butter

1 3/4 cups flour
For the cake:

1/3 cup sour cream

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons softened butter, cut into small pieces.
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease an 8-inch-square baking pan.
For filling, toss berries with sugar, cornstarch and ginger. Set aside.
2. To make crumbs, in a large bowl, whisk together sugars, spices, salt and butter until smooth. Stir in flour with a spatula. It will look like dough.
3. To prepare cake, in a small bowl, stir together the sour cream, egg, egg yolk and vanilla. Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, mix together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add butter and a spoonful of sour cream mixture and mix on medium speed until flour is moistened. Increase speed and beat for 30 seconds. Add remaining sour cream mixture in two batches, beating for 20 seconds after each addition, and scraping down the sides of bowl with a spatula. Scoop out about 1/2 cup batter and set aside.
4. Scrape remaining batter into prepared pan. Spoon blueberries over batter. Dollop set-aside batter over berries; it does not have to be even.
5. Using your fingers, break topping mixture into big crumbs, about 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch in size. They do not have to be uniform, but make sure most are around that size. Sprinkle over cake. Bake cake until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean of batter (it might be moist from berries), 45 to 55 minutes. Cool completely before serving.
Yield: 6 to 8 servings.