October Treat

Even though we can buy apples year round, there's just something special when given apples from a friend's own tree.  We don't know the name of the apple but I would describe them as a mild Granny Smith--slightly tart but perfect for baking in cake or pie.  Kicking off October with a new cake recipe that filled the kitchen with smells of cinnamon and apples seemed the perfect way to celebrate the gift of fall apples. I read through a lot of recipes posted on line and even though many were very similar to the one I chose, I trusted my old cookbook,Sassafras!

The recipe was easy to make and the brown sugar icing was finger lickin' good!
I'm pretty sure this cake will be a family favorite especially when you add a dip or two
of vanilla ice cream sprinkled with cinnamon.


Alley Spring Apple Cake

                                                              Ingredients:

1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups sugar
3 eggs, well beaten
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4  teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups peeled, chopped apples
1 cup chopped pecans

Brown Sugar Icing:
 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
 1/2 cup butter
 1/4 cup evaporated milk
 1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease a bundt pan. In a large bowl, mix oil, sugar and eggs.
Add vanilla. Sift together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, soda and salt.
Blend into oil mixture. Fold in apples and pecans. Pour into prepared pan and bake 55 to 60 minutes.
Remove cake from pan and cool. To prepare icing, bring brown sugar, butter and milk to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Beat with a spoon until icing is cool. Drizzle over cake. Serves 12 to 15.


                                                        Happy October!

Celebration Cake

If you are looking for a special occasion cake that is pretty, tastes delicious, has lots of calories and will disappear quickly, The Best Strawberry Cake Ever is the cake for you! It was the perfect choice for our Mother's Day celebration and I certainly want to give credit to World-Recipes for sharing it on Facebook. The only thing I would add is a big dip of vanilla ice cream to make the celebration complete!


The Best Strawberry Cake Ever

Ingredients:

1 box (18.25 ounce) white cake mix
1 (3 ounce) box strawberry -flavored instant gelatin
1 (15-ounce) package frozen strawberries in syrup, thawed and pureed
4 large eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup water

Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese,softened
1 (10 ounce) package frozen strawberries in syrup, thawed and pureed
1/2  teaspoon strawberry extract
7 cups confectioners' sugar,sifted
 Optional: Freshly sliced strawberries for garnish

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease 2 (9 inch) round cake pans
In a large bowl, combine cake mix and gelatin. Add pureed strawberries,eggs,oil and water; beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Pour into prepared pans, and bake for 20 minutes, or until wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks.

For the frosting:
In a large bowl, beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy.
Beat in 1/4 cup of the strawberry puree and the strawberry extract. ( Use the leftover puree in smoothies or on ice cream for a delicious treat). Gradually add confectioners' sugar, beating until smooth. Spread frosting in between layers and on top and sides of cake. Garnish with sliced fresh strawberries if desired.

Busy Day Dessert

A couple of years ago, one of our  creative church members took the time to collect favorite recipes  frequently shared at our church dinners. This recipe collection is truly a labor of love and a cherished keepsake.

 I've enjoyed Coconut Cream Cake many times but last weekend was my first time to bake this cake. It is quite a delight and perfect for a hectic schedule that doesn't allow much time in the kitchen. My cooking time was limited last weekend, so for Easter dinner it was the perfect dessert recipe   and from the family reviews, it will be on our list of favorites!


Coconut Cream Cake

1 White Cake Mix
1 can (15oz) Cream of Coconut
1 can (14oz) sweetened condensed milk
1-8oz. Cool Whip
1 cup flaked coconut

Bake cake according to directions on box in 13x9 inch pan. While cake is baking, mix cream of coconut and sweetened condensed milk together; set aside. Remove cake from oven when done and poke holes with fork all over; pour liquid mixture over the cake while hot. Place cake in refrigerator to cool; after cake has cooled, top with cool whip and sprinkle flaked coconut on top. It gets better everyday. Store in refrigerator.

                                                                           Happy Friday!!

Dairy Sweet Cake

When trying to decide what kind of cake to bake for my Mother's birthday last week, I found  this recipe tucked in my stack of  recipes that I had pulled from a December 2012 edition of Southern Living. It's a stately three layer cake, perfect for a celebration of any kind and has the perfect dairy ingredients--milk and butter!

Even though we never met Mrs. Billett, we certainly thank her for providing this sweet dairy-filled cake  recipe!


Mrs. Billett's White Cake

1 cup milk
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup butter,softened
2 cups sugar
3 cups cake flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
5 egg whites
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 3 (8 inch) round cake pans; line bottoms with parchment paper, and grease and flour paper.
Stir together milk and vanilla.
Beat butter at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until creamy; gradually add sugar beating until light and fluffy. Sift together flour and baking powder; add to butter mixture alternately with milk mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition.
Beat egg whites at medium speed until stiff peaks form; gently fold into batter. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake for 20 to 23 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks; discard parchment paper. Cool completely (about 40 minutes).
Spread Vanilla Buttercream Frosting between layers (about 1 cup per layer) and on top and sides of cake.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

1 cup butter,softened
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (32oz) package powdered sugar
6-7 Tablespoons milk
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

Beat butter and salt at medium speed with an electric mixer 1 to 2 minutes or until creamy; gradually add powdered sugar alternately with 6 Tablespoons milk, beating at low speed until blended and smooth after each addition. Stir in vanilla. If desired, beat in remaining 1 Tablespoon milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until frosting reaches desired consistency.

 

                            You can't go wrong with this cake, especially if it's topped with ice cream
                                                           or served with a glass of milk!

Happy Ice Cream Month!

If you're needing an easy cake for the Fourth of July celebration or just want to bring a smile to your family--this chocolate  cake recipe will do the trick!  It's also the perfect way to start celebrating July-National Ice Cream Month when you add that big dip of vanilla ice cream!



Uncle Max's Cake

1 Duncan Hines Classic Yellow Cake Mix
1 3 oz. instant chocolate pudding mix
1 3 oz. instant vanilla pudding mix
1 bag milk chocolate chips
4 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cup water

Mix all ingredients together, beat well. Pour into Bundt pan and bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes.


                                             

                                P.S. This cake is also really good with a cold glass of milk!

Happy Mother's Day!

Our Mother's Day tradition includes  a family dinner topped with a special dessert. Crusty Cream Cheese Pound Cake, topped with strawberries and vanilla ice cream is a perfect choice!


Crusty Cream Cheese Pound Cake

1 cup butter,softened
1/2 cup shortening
3 cups sugar
1 8oz cream cheese,softened
3 cups sifted flour
6 eggs
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

Cream butter and shortening; gradually add sugar,beating well at medium speed. Add cream cheese,beating well until light and fluffy. Alternately add flour and eggs, beginnng and ending with flour. Stir in vanilla.

Pour batter into greased and floured 10 inch tube pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until pick comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack.

                                                                               
                                                                         
                                                       From our dairy farm family to you--

                                                              HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

Super Bowl Wins With Dairy

I'm admitting right up front that the thrill of the Super Bowl celebration for me is not the game itself, but the time spent with my  family and friends ,watching the TV commercials during the game and making sure that all the favorite snacks are available for getting the chosen team to victory. It's going to be fun this year to see for the first time ever at the Super Bowl-- a milk commercial!!

Even though we will have plenty of snacks, a sweet piece of Chocolate Sheath Cake served with a cold glass of milk or a dip of vanilla ice cream will be on our list as a  Super Bowl winner!

Chocolate Sheath Cake
1 stick butter
1/2 cup shortening
4 tablespoons cocoa
1 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon soda
2 eggs, slightly beaten


Bring butter,shortening,cocoa and water to a rapid boil. Pour over the sugar and flour and beat well. Add buttermilk and soda,vanilla and eggs. Beat, then bake at 400 degrees F. in metal loaf pan for 20 minutes. Cover with the following:

Icing
1 stick butter
4 tablespoons cocoa
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar,sifted
6 tablespoons milk
1 cup pecans (optional)
1 teaspoon vanilla

Bring butter,cocoa and milk to a boil. Add sifted  powdered sugar,vanilla and pecans. Beat well and pour over cake while hot.

                                                                  Winners Drink Milk!!

Celebrating Birthdays and Friendships

What do you give a friend for her December   birthday  who has everything and  tells you not to buy any birthday gift ?   Birthday cake seemed the perfect choice--not a purchased gift,nothing to dust but straight from the heart to celebrate a friend's special day!    Rave Reviews Coconut Cake is a great cake for any occasion and from past experience,  it's always a tasty treat for any celebration.

Rave Reviews Coconut Cake

1 package yellow cake mix (2 layer size)
1 package (4 serving) Jello Brand Instant Vanilla Pudding
1 1/3 cup water
4 eggs
1/4 cup oil
2 cups sweetened  coconut flakes
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Blend cake mix,pudding mix,water,eggs and oil in large mixing bowl. Beat at medium speed for four minutes. Stir in coconut and nuts. Pour into three greased and floured cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20-25 minutes. Cool in pans for 15 minutes,remove and cool on wire rack. Fill and top with Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting.

Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting
4 tablespoons butter
2 cups sweetened  coconut flakes
1 package 8 oz. cream cheese
2 teaspoons milk
3 1/2 cups sifted confectioner's sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in skillet, add coconut,stirring constantly over low heat until golden brown. Spread coconut on paper towel to cool. Cream 2 tablespoons butter with cream cheese; add milk and beat in sugar gradually. Blend in vanilla. Sitr in 1 3/4 cups of the coconut. Spread frosting  on top of each layer,stack and ice top and sides. Sprinkle remaining coconut on top.

December's Gift for the Dairy Farm

I can't think of a better way to start December than finding a newborn calf on the dairy farm! It's December's gift to our  dairy farm along with extremely warm,mild weather.
Just as soon as we finished feeding our other calves this morning, we brought this new calf to the calf raising area and placed him in his own private calf hutch and fed him  a bottle of colostrum. He's had a great birthday so far!

 Even though we will have many celebrations  through  the month of December, why not celebrate today with a birthday cake? When I came across this Birthday Pound Cake recipe in one of my many cookbooks, I just had to give it a try!

I've already got a couple of pound cake recipes in my collection, but I'm adding this one, too! I loved the lemony smell while it was baking and the lightness of the pound cake (It's amazing that a pound cake can be light!).   Topped with a couple of dips of vanilla  ice cream drizzled with  strawberries, this cake  would be a perfect choice for any celebration!


Birthday Pound Cake

Ingredients:
1 cup Crisco shortening
1 1/2 sticks butter
3 cups sugar
5 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon lemon extract
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix shortening,butter,sugar. Add eggs,one at a time. Add vanilla and lemon flavorings. Add small amounts of flour, then small amounts of milk until all is used. Spray tube pan with cooking spray, and pour batter into pan. Bake for 1 1/2 hours. Cool for 10 minutes and turn cake out on a plate.

                                                                     Happy December!!

Kiss Friday With A Cake

Whew..........it's Friday! I'm kissing it with a cake!  If you're  looking for an easy dessert recipe for your weekend gathering or family event, this recipe works!  I found this recipe in my Jim Graham's Farm Family Cookbook for City Folks. I'm not going to say it's better than a kiss but it will bring a smile!

Better Than Kisses Cake

1 yellow cake mix
3 eggs
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup oil
1 large instant pudding mix,chocolate or vanilla
1 cup sour cream
4 ounces German chocolate squares,grated
1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix first 6 ingredients well. Fold in chocolate and chocolate chips. Put in greased tube pan, and bake for 45 minutes, or until top is firm.

Happy Friday!

Sweet September!

Just when my frustration reached the "I'm leaving home and not coming back" level this week after lightning burned the telephone lines and killed the electronics, I took a deep breath and gave thanks for the rain that did follow that lightning!

To celebrate the rain, the first day of September,the first Razorback football game of the season, and the fact that I now am back to full plugged in status with telephones,computer,fax and printer back in working order,I baked a new cake recipe found in my Jim Graham's Family Cookbook for City Folks!

Honey Bun Cake

1 box yellow cake mix
3/4 cup oil
4 eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
1 cup brown sugar
3 teaspoons cinnamon
Topping:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Mix cake mix,oil,eggs, and milk until well blended. Pour into a greased 13 x 9 inch baking pan or dish. Mix together the nuts,brown sugar, and cinnamon. sprinkle over batter, and swirl into batter with a spoon. bake for 50 minutes.
Prepare topping: Blend ingredients well, and spread on cake as soon as it is removed from oven. Delicious served warm. Serves 12 or 15.

 

Happy September!!

Double Dip Celebration

It's fitting that a dairy farmer celebrates his birthday during June Dairy Month!  June 3rd will mark a record number of 58 birthday cakes my dairy farmer husband has enjoyed on his special day.  His requested birthday cake  this year was  applesauce cake. I used the recipe I found in my mother-in-law's recipe file but unfortunately, there's no recipe for the icing.  Until I find the icing recipe that was almost like a vanilla candy, I'm using the butter frosting  recipe found in my old faithful Better Homes and Garden cookbook. It will have a double dip  of vanilla ice cream on top so maybe he won't notice it's not just like his mama made!

Mom-Bonnah's Applesauce Cake

Ingredients:

2 cups applesauce
2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
1 cup raisins
1 cup black walnuts
2 Tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2  teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cloves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and lightly flour 9x 11 pyrex baking dish.
Mix sugar,flour,and spices. Soak raisins in water till they plump then drain and squeeze dry; mix with flour mixture. Heat applesauce with butter; add soda. Fold applesauce mixture into flour mixture. Fold nuts into mixture.  Pour into prepared pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. 


Buttercream Icing
6 tablespoons butter
3 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar
Light Cream (about 1/4 cup)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Cream butter; gradually add about half the sugar,blending well. Beat in 2 tablespoons cream and vanilla. Gradually blend in remaining sugar. Add enough cream to make of spreading consistency.

                                           I love celebrating birthdays with this dairy farmer!
                                              June Dairy Month is perfect for a Double Dip!