Texas Sheet Cake

Texas Sheet Cake
CAKE

2 c flour

2 c sugar

1/2 t salt

1 c butter

1/4 c cocoa powder

1 c water

2 eggs

1 t baking soda

1 t vanilla

3/4 c buttermilk*

ICING

1/2 c butter

1/4 c cocoa powder

6 T milk

4 c powdered sugar, sifted

1 t vanilla

 

1. Preheat oven to 350*; grease a half sheet pan.

2. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt; set aside. 

3. In a medium pot, combine butter, cocoa, and water; boil for 60 seconds.

4. Stir butter mixture into flour mixture until well-incorporated.

5. Add eggs, baking soda, vanilla, and buttermilk; mix well.

6. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes.

7. After you pull the cake out, melt butter, cocoa, and milk in a large pot; bring to a boil over medium heat and then remove from heat.

8. Stir in powdered sugar & vanilla; mix well. Pour over warm cake and spread evenly.

*If you don't have buttermilk, put a splash of vinegar in your measuring cup and then fill to 3/4 cup; let sit for a few minutes and stir before use.

Lemon Bars

Lemon Bars
1 c butter, melted and cooled
2 c + 3 T flour, separated
1/2 c powdered sugar + more for dusting
4 eggs
2 c sugar
zest and juice of 4 lemons
1 t baking powder

1. Preheat oven to 350*; line a lightly greased 9x13 pan with parchment paper.
2. Stir together butter, 2 cups flour, and 1/2 cup powdered sugar and then press onto bottom of pan; bake for 20 minutes, until golden brown.
3. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk eggs with sugar, lemon zest, and juice; stir in baking powder and remaining 3 tablespoons flour. Pour filling over hot crust.
4. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until filling has set. Let cool on wire rack for 30 minutes, remove from pan and cool completely.
Serve generously dusted with powdered sugar.

Chocolate Fudge Frosting

Chocolate Fudge Frosting
1/2 c butter, cubed
1/4 c chocolate chips
3 3/4 c powdered sugar
1/2 c milk
2 t vanilla

1. In a small pan, melt butter and chocolate together over low heat; remove from heat and let cool for about 5 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, mix powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla together until smooth; gradually add chocolate mixture and whip until light and fluffy.

Whoopie Pies

Whoopie Pies
5 T butter, melted
2/3 c sugar
1/3 c brown sugar
1 c sour cream
1 t vanilla
3/4 c flour
1/4 t salt
1/4 t baking soda
7 T unsweetened cocoa

1. Preheat oven to 350* and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, combine butter and sugars; stir in sour cream and vanilla.
3. In a small bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda, and cocoa; stir in to wet mixture.
4. Spoon batter on to cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes, until tops are slightly cracked.

Filling:
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 c butter, softened
1/2 t vanilla
1 1/4 c powdered sugar

1. In a small bowl, whip cream cheese, butter, and vanilla together; beat in powdered sugar. Be generous on cookies to make sandwiches.

Makes 8-9 sandwiched cookies.

Coconut Bars

Coconut Bars

1 c butter, softened, separated
1 c sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 T [light] sour cream
1 1/2 t vanilla, separated
1 1/2 t coconut extract, separated
2 1/2 c flour
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t + pinch salt

1 c shredded coconut, toasted
2 c powdered sugar

2-3 T half & half (or milk)

1. Preheat oven to 375*; line a 9x13 with foil and spray lightly with cooking spray.
2. In a stand mixer, cream together 1/2 cup butter and sugar; add eggs, sour cream, 1 t vanilla, and 1 t coconut extract. Mix until well combined.
3. Stir in flour, baking powder, and 1/2 t salt. Press dough into pan and poke several times with a fork.
4. Bake for 17-20 minutes or until lightly browned on edges; cool completely.
5. In a medium bowl, beat together remaining 1/2 cup butter, powdered sugar, and half & half until light and fluffy; whip in remaining 1/2 t vanilla, 1/2 t coconut extract, and pinch of salt.
6. Fold in toasted coconut, reserving about 1/4 cup; spread frosting over bars and sprinkle with reserved coconut.

Fruit Dip

You will never make another fruit dip after you try this one! (Thank you, Paula Deen!)

Fruit Dip
1- 8 oz pkg [light] cream cheese, softened
1 c powdered sugar
1 c heavy whipping cream
1/4 c granulated sugar
1 lemon, zested and juiced
fruit juice, preferably pineapple or orange

1. Whip cream cheese and powdered sugar together.
2. In a separate [chilled] bowl, whip cream and sugar until soft peaks form.
3. Combine cream cheese, whipped cream, lemon zest and juice, and enough fruit juice to achieve desired consistency.
Serve chilled.

Deep-Fried Doughnuts

Deep-Fried Doughnuts
1/3 c lukewarm water
2 T (or 2 pkgs) yeast
2 T + 1/4 c sugar, separated
1/4 c butter
2 c lukewarm milk
2 t salt
2 eggs, beaten
1 c mashed potatoes
6 cups flour, separated

1. In a small bowl, combine water, yeast, and 2 T sugar; let sit for 10 minutes.
2. In the meantime, melt butter in a medium pan; add milk.
3. Take the pan off of the heat and stir in 1/4 cup sugar, salt, and eggs; transfer to stand mixer.
4. Beat in mashed potatoes and then add the yeast mixture. Add 3 cups of flour, mix until well incorporated, and then add remaining 3 cups of flour. Mix well.
5. Cover the dough and let rise for an hour.
6. Roll out the dough and cut out doughnuts; cover and let rise an additional hour.
7. Heat oil to 375* and fry each doughnut for about 1 1/2 minutes on each side.

Glaze:
2/3 c water
2 T butter
1 t vanilla
pinch of salt
4 c powdered sugar

1. Bring water to boil in a small pot; add butter and stir until dissolved.
2. Take off heat and stir in vanilla, salt, and sugar.
3. Once cooked, immediately place doughnuts in glaze and coat well.
Makes about 40 doughnuts.

Buttercream Frosting

Buttercream Frosting
1 c butter, softened
3 c powdered sugar
1 t vanilla
up to 4 T whipping cream

1. In a medium bowl with beaters or Kitchenaid mixer, cream together butter and sugar; with the mixer running, add vanilla and enough cream for desired consistency.

Stollen

Stollen is a traditional German cake, typically eaten during the Christmas season.
(I tweaked this recipe from Food Network)

Stollen
For the Fruit:
1 c mixed dried fruit (I used dried pineapple and cranberries)
1 c raisins
1/4 c dark rum (or orange juice)
For the Sponge:
1 pkg (or 2 1/4 t) yeast
1/4 c warm water
2/3 c warm milk
1 t honey
1 c flour
For the Dough:
1/3 c honey
1 egg, beaten
1/2 c butter, softened
zest of 1 lemon
1 t salt
1/2 nutmeg
1/2 c chopped almonds, toasted
3-4 c flour
For the Filling:
2 T butter, melted
2 t cinnamon
3 T sugar
For the Topping:
1/2 c powdered sugar

1. Prepare Fruit: Combine the mixed fruit, raisins, and rum; cover and set aside; shake every so often to coat the fruit with the rum.

2. Prepare Sponge: In a large bowl, sprinkle the yeast in to the water to soften; add the milk, honey, and flour. 3. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise until light and full of bubbles, about 30 minutes.
4. Make dough: In stand mixer bowl, add the fruit mixture, honey, egg, butter, zest, salt, nutmeg, almonds, and 2 cups of the flour to the sponge; using the paddle, beat the mixture on medium low speed for 2 minutes.
5. Gradually add the remaining flour 1/4 cup at a time until the dough begins to pull away from the side of the bowl (or in my case, until you start to see flour hanging out at the bottom of the bowl, not getting mixed in).
6. Change to the dough hook; continue to add flour 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough just begins to clean the bowl. Knead 4 to 5 minutes on medium-low.
7. First rise: Put the dough in an oiled bowl and turn to coat the entire ball of dough with oil; cover with a kitchen towel and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
8. Shape and Fill: Turn the dough out onto a slightly greased surface; divide the dough in half and roll each half into a 7x9-inch oval.
9. Brush the melted butter over the top of the ovals; combine the cinnamon and sugar, and sprinkle over one half of each oval, lengthwise.
10. Fold the dough in half lengthwise and carefully lift onto cookie sheet lined that's been lightly greased or lined with parchment paper; press lightly on the folded side of the dough to help the loaf keep its shape during rising and baking.
11. Second rise: Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise for 45 minutes.
12. Preheat oven to 375*; bake for 25 minutes. Immediately place loaves on a cooling rack.
13. Sprinkle heavily with powdered sugar just before serving.

Royal Icing

Royal Icing
2 egg whites
1 1/2 t vanilla extract
1-1 1/2 t almond extract
2 c powdered sugar

1. Whip egg whites and extracts until foamy; slowly add powdered sugar as you continue to whip icing.
Color, if desired, and use immediately or refrigerate.

Orange Coffee Cake

Orange Coffee Cake
1 can refrigerated jumbo flaky biscuits
1-2 T butter, softened
1/3 c sugar
1/4 chopped walnuts (opt)
1 orange, separated
1/2 c powdered sugar
2 oz [light] cream cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350* and butter a 9" round or square pan.
2. Cut each of the 8 biscuits in half and arrange in the pan; brush butter over biscuits.
3. In a small bowl, combine sugar, walnuts, and orange zest; sprinkle over biscuits.
4. Bake for 20 minutes.
5. In the same bowl, sift powdered sugar over cream cheese and blend well; stir in orange juice.
6. Drizzle glaze over warm coffee cake and serve warm.

Dark Muddy Buddies

Dark Muddy Buddies
4 1/2 c rice Chex cereal
1/4 c creamy peanut butter
2 T butter, softened
10 Hershey's special dark kisses, cut into small pieces
1 t vanilla
3/4 c powdered sugar

1. Measure cereal into a large bowl; set aside.
2. Mix peanut butter, butter, and kisses in a microwave-safe bowl; microwave on high for 30 seconds.
3. Stir vanilla into mixture and pour over cereal; toss well to coat.
4. Sprinkle powdered sugar over cereal and toss to coat.