Wacky Cake

This moist cake gets even better when served with vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup natural cocoa powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 5 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup water
•   Confectioners' sugar

Instructions

• 1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat 8-inch-square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
• 2. Whisk flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt together in pan. As shown in photo 1, make 1 large and 2 small craters in dry ingredients. Add oil to large crater and vinegar and vanilla separately to remaining small craters. Pour water into pan (photo 2 below), and mix until just a few streaks of flour remain (photo 3 below). Immediately put pan in oven.
• 3. Bake until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, about 30 minutes. Cool in pan, then dust with confectioners’ sugar. (If tightly wrapped, cake will keep for 3 days at room temperature.)

Boston Cream Cupcakes

Bake the cupcakes in a greased and floured muffin tin rather than paper cupcake liners so the chocolate glaze can run down the sides of the cooled cakes.

Ingredients Pastry Cream

• 1 1/3 cups heavy cream
• 3 large egg yolks
• 1/3 cup sugar
•   Pinch table salt
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch plus 1 additional teaspoon
• 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 2 pieces
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Cupcakes

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus additional for dusting muffin tin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon table salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), softened but still cool, cut into 12 pieces
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Chocolate Glaze

• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

• 1. For the pastry cream: Heat cream in medium saucepan over medium heat until simmering, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, whisk egg yolks, sugar, and salt together in medium bowl. Add cornstarch and whisk until mixture is pale yellow and thick, about 15 seconds.
• 2. When cream reaches full simmer, slowly whisk it into yolk mixture. Return mixture to saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thick and glossy, about 1 1/2 minutes. Off heat, whisk in butter and vanilla. Transfer pastry cream to small bowl, press plastic wrap directly on surface, and refrigerate until cold and set, at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.
• 3. For the cupcakes: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray muffin tin with cooking spray, flour generously, and tap pan to remove excess flour.
• 4. With electric mixer on low speed, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in large bowl. Add butter, one piece at a time, and combine until mixture resembles coarse sand. Add eggs, one at a time, and mix until combined. Add milk and vanilla, increase speed to medium, and mix until light and fluffy and no lumps remain, about 3 minutes.
• 5. Fill muffin cups three-quarters full (do not overfill). Bake until toothpick inserted in center of cupcake comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Cool cupcakes in pan 5 minutes, then transfer them to rack to cool completely.
• 6. For the glaze: Cook cream, corn syrup, chocolate, and vanilla in small saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until smooth. Set glaze aside to cool and thicken for 30 minutes.
• 7. Prepare and fill cupcakes as shown in photos 1 through 4. Refrigerate until just set, about 10 minutes. (Cupcakes can be refrigerated for up to 2 days; bring to room temperature before serving.)

Chocolate Blackout Cake

Be sure to give the pudding and the cake enough time to cool or you'll end up with runny pudding and gummy cake.

Ingredients Pudding

• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 1 cup whole milk
• 6 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Cake

• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), plus extra for greasing pans
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting pans
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
• 1 cup brewed coffee
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

• 1. For the pudding: Whisk sugar, cornstarch, salt, half-and-half, and milk in large saucepan. Set pan over medium heat. Add chocolate and whisk constantly until chocolate melts and mixture begins to bubble, 2 to 4 minutes. Stir in vanilla and transfer pudding to large bowl. Place plastic wrap directly on surface of pudding and refrigerate until cold, at least 4 hours or up to 1 day.
• 2. For the cake layers: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Butter and flour two 8-inch cake pans. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in bowl.
• 3. Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in cocoa and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Off heat, whisk in coffee, buttermilk, and sugars until dissolved. Whisk in eggs and vanilla, then slowly whisk in flour mixture.
• 4. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans and bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool layers in pans 15 minutes, then invert onto wire rack. Cool to room temperature, at least 1 hour.
• 5. To assemble the cake: Cut each cake in half horizontally. Crumble one cake layer into medium crumbs and set aside. Place one cake layer on serving platter or cardboard round. Spread 1 cup pudding over cake layer and top with another layer. Repeat with 1 cup pudding and last cake layer. Spread remaining pudding evenly over top and sides of cake. Sprinkle cake crumbs evenly over top and sides of cake, pressing lightly to adhere crumbs. Serve. (Cake can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.)

Lemon Pudding Cake

This dessert is best served warm or at room temperature the same day it is made. Scoop it out and serve in a bowl.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons grated zest and 1/2 cup juice from 4 lemons
• 5 large eggs, separated
• 1 1/4 cups whole milk, room temperature
• 2 quarts boiling water

Instructions

• 1. MIX BATTER Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease 8-inch square baking dish. Whisk flour and cornstarch in bowl. With electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat 1/2 cup sugar, butter, and lemon zest until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in yolks, one at a time, until incorporated. Reduce speed to medium-low. Add flour mixture and mix until incorporated. Slowly add milk and lemon juice, mixing until just combined.
• 2. BEAT EGG WHITES Using clean bowl and whisk attachment, beat egg whites on medium-high speed until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. With mixer running, slowly add remaining sugar until whites are firm and glossy, about 1 minute. Whisk one-third of whites into batter, then gently fold in remaining whites, one scoop at a time, until well combined.
• 3. BAKE Place kitchen towel in bottom of roasting pan and arrange prepared baking dish on towel. Spoon batter into prepared dish. Carefully place pan on oven rack and pour boiling water into pan until water comes halfway up the sides of baking dish. Bake until surface is golden brown and edges are set (center should jiggle slightly when gently shaken), about 60 minutes. Transfer to wire rack and let cool at least 1 hour. Serve.

Lemon Icebox Cheesecake

Serves 12 to 16

Let the dissolved gelatin mixture cool down for a few minutes, or the gelatin will seize when combined with the filling. We tested our cheesecake with several store brands of lemon sandwich cookies; all worked well.

Ingredients CRUST

• 10 lemon sandwich cookies, broken into pieces (about 1 1/4 cups)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

CURD

• 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
• 1/4 cup sugar
•   Pinch salt
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon heavy cream

FILLING

• 1 envelope (2 3/4 teaspoons) unflavored gelatin
• 1/4 cup lemon juice from 2 lemons
• 1 1/2 pounds cream cheese, cut into 1-inch pieces and softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
•   Pinch salt
• 1 1/4 cups heavy cream, room temperature

Instructions

• 1. MAKE CRUST Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Process cookies in food processor until finely ground. Add butter and zest and pulse until combined. Press mixture into bottom of 9-inch springform pan. Bake until lightly browned and set, about 10 minutes. Cool completely on wire rack, at least 30 minutes.
• 2. MAKE CURD While crust is cooling, whisk egg, egg yolk, sugar, and salt together in small saucepan. Add lemon juice and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until thick and puddinglike, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in butter and cream. Press through fine-mesh strainer into small bowl and refrigerate until needed.
• 3. SOFTEN GELATIN Combine lemon juice and gelatin in small bowl and let stand until gelatin softens, about 5 minutes. Microwave until mixture is bubbling around edges and gelatin dissolves, about 30 seconds. Set aside.
• 4. MAKE FILLING With electric mixer on medium speed, beat cream cheese, sugar, and salt until smooth and creamy, scraping down sides of bowl, about 2 minutes. Slowly add cream and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add gelatin mixture and ¼ cup curd, increase speed to medium-high, and beat until smooth and airy, about 3 minutes.
• 5. CHILL CHEESECAKE Pour filling into cooled crust and smooth top. Following photos, pour thin lines of remaining curd on top of cake and lightly drag paring knife or skewer through lines to create marbled appearance. Refrigerate until set, at least 6 hours. Remove sides of pan. Serve. (Cheesecake can be covered in plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 3 days.)

Lemon Icebox Cheesecake

Lemon Icebox Cheesecake

Serves 12 to 16

Let the dissolved gelatin mixture cool down for a few minutes, or the gelatin will seize when combined with the filling. We tested our cheesecake with several store brands of lemon sandwich cookies; all worked well.

CRUST
10	lemon sandwich cookies , broken into pieces (about 1 1/4 cups)
2	tablespoons  unsalted butter , melted
1	teaspoon  grated lemon zest
CURD
1	large  egg plus 1 egg yolk
1/4	cup  sugar
	Pinch  salt
2	tablespoons  lemon juice
1	tablespoon  unsalted butter
1	tablespoon  heavy cream
FILLING
1	envelope (2 3/4 teaspoons)  unflavored gelatin
1/4	cup  lemon juice from 2 lemons
1 1/2	pounds  cream cheese , cut into 1-inch pieces and softened
3/4	cup  sugar
	Pinch  salt
1 1/4	cups  heavy cream , room temperature

1. MAKE CRUST Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Process cookies in food processor until finely ground. Add butter and zest and pulse until combined. Press mixture into bottom of 9-inch springform pan. Bake until lightly browned and set, about 10 minutes. Cool completely on wire rack, at least 30 minutes.
2. MAKE CURD While crust is cooling, whisk egg, egg yolk, sugar, and salt together in small saucepan. Add lemon juice and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until thick and puddinglike, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in butter and cream. Press through fine-mesh strainer into small bowl and refrigerate until needed.
3. SOFTEN GELATIN Combine lemon juice and gelatin in small bowl and let stand until gelatin softens, about 5 minutes. Microwave until mixture is bubbling around edges and gelatin dissolves, about 30 seconds. Set aside.
4. MAKE FILLING With electric mixer on medium speed, beat cream cheese, sugar, and salt until smooth and creamy, scraping down sides of bowl, about 2 minutes. Slowly add cream and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add gelatin mixture and ¼ cup curd, increase speed to medium-high, and beat until smooth and airy, about 3 minutes.
5. CHILL CHEESECAKE Pour filling into cooled crust and smooth top. Following photos, pour thin lines of remaining curd on top of cake and lightly drag paring knife or skewer through lines to create marbled appearance. Refrigerate until set, at least 6 hours. Remove sides of pan. Serve. (Cheesecake can be covered in plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 3 days.)

Lemon Pound Cake

Lemon Pound Cake

Serves 8

For best results, the butter should be between 65 and 70 degrees--it should give slightly when pressed with your finger but still hold its shape. You will need three lemons for this recipe.

Cake
16	tablespoons  unsalted butter (2 sticks), softened but still cool, plus extra for greasing pan
1 3/4	cups  all-purpose flour , plus extra for dusting pan
1/2	teaspoon  baking powder
1/2	teaspoon  table salt
1/4	cup  sour cream
1 1/2	tablespoons  lemon juice
1 1/2	tablespoons  grated lemon zest
1	cup  granulated sugar plus 2 additional tablespoons
5	large eggs , at room temperature, beaten
Syrup
1/4	cup  granulated sugar
1/4	cup  lemon juice
Glaze
1/2	cup  Confectioners' sugar , sifted
1	tablespoon  lemon juice

1. For the cake: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease 9 by 5-inch loaf pan with butter; dust pan with flour, then tap out excess. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into bowl. Stir sour cream and lemon juice together in second bowl.
2. Using fingers, toss lemon zest and sugar together in large bowl until clumps are gone. Add butter and beat with electric mixer at medium-high speed until smooth and light, about 3 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl. Add beaten eggs in three additions, mixing until smooth and scraping down bowl after each addition (mixture will begin to look curdled). With mixer on low, add one-third of flour mixture, followed by half of sour cream mixture, stopping as necessary to scrape down bowl. Repeat, ending with flour mixture. Scrape down bowl, then mix on low until smooth, about 30 seconds. Use rubber spatula to give batter final stir.
3. Pour batter into pan and smooth top. Gently tap pan on counter to release air bubbles. Bake until golden brown and toothpick inserted into center comes out with a few crumbs attached, 55 to 70 minutes.
4. For the syrup: While cake bakes, stir sugar and lemon juice together in saucepan over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves. Simmer for 2 minutes, remove from heat, and set aside.
5. Cool cake in pan on cooling rack for 10 minutes, then turn out onto rack. Brush top and sides of still-warm cake with syrup and cool completely, about 2 hours.
6. For the glaze: Whisk confectioners' sugar and lemon juice in bowl until smooth. Spread glaze over cake, allowing some to drip down sides. Let glaze set for at least 15 minutes before serving.
Make Ahead
The test kitchen found this cake to be more moist the day after it was baked. In fact, when tightly wrapped, the cake will stay fresh up to 5 days. This cake also freezes well. Apply syrup, let cool, and wrap, unglazed, in two layers of plastic wrap and freeze in a zipper-lock plastic bag for up to 1 month. When ready to serve, defrost the cake, still wrapped, at room temperature, then remove the plastic wrap and proceed with the recipe from step 6.
To Make Two Cakes
Double all ingredients except the eggs, using 9 eggs (instead of 10). Cream the butter and sugar in step 2 for 6 minutes (rather than 3 minutes) and add the eggs in four additions (rather than three). Divide the batter between two buttered and floured loaf pans and bake as directed, rotating the pans halfway through the baking time.

Texas Sheet Cake

Texas Sheet Cake

Sift in large bowl:
2 c. Sugar
2 c. Flour

Bring to a brisk boil and pour over dry ingredients:
1 stick of butter or oleo
4 T. cocoa
1/2 c. shortening
1 c. water

Add to above mixture and mix well:

1 c. buttermilk
1 t. vanilla
1 t. baking soda
2 eggs beaten

Bake 350 for 20 min. (in of course a jellyroll pan or large cookie sheet, greased)

Icing

Mix 1 stick oleo (butter) (melted)
6 T. milk
4 T. cocoa

Bring to a boil, remove from heat, add 1 box (1 lb) powdered sugar, 1 t. vanilla and 1 cup of chopped nuts (you are what you eat). Pour over cake as soon as comes out of the oven. MMMM

Cool Lemon Cake

COOL LEMON CAKE
1 box Lemon cake mix
2 boxes cook & serve Lemon pudding
1 tub of whipped topping

Bake cake as directed on box in 9x13 rectangle pan and setaside to cool in pan. Next cook pudding as directed and setaside to cool as well. When cake is cooled, cut about 6holes 2/3 down and hollow out. Do not cut down to bottom ofpan. Pour pudding all over top of cake and let drip inholes. Spread whipped topping all over top of cake,covering pudding and refridgerate for at least an hour.

Note: I'm not going to try it with the whipped topping but with real whipped cream.

Red Velvet Cake w/ Mock Whipped Cream Icing

1/2 c. Crisco (yes use the REAL criso... it won't do right if you don't)
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs
2 oz red food coloring
1 t. vanilla
2 T.cocoa
1 t. salt
1 c. buttermilk
2 1/2 c. cake flour (yes CAKE FLOUR not all purpose)
1 t. baking powder
1 t. vinegar
1 t. baking soda

Mix vinegar and soda in a small cup and let stand. Cream shortening and sugar, add eggs one and a time. Make a paste of cocoa and small amount of food coloring add to the creamed mixture, add remaining food coloring. Combine salt, baking powder and flour. Alternate adding buttermilk and flour mixture to the creamed mixture. Add vanilla and vinegar/soda mixture.
Pour into to 2 - 8" greased cake pans and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30-45 min.
Allow to cool and and slice cake layers in half to end up with 4 thin layers. Frost all layers etc. with Mock Whipped Cream Frosting.

Mock Whipped Cream Frosting

2 c. milk
4 T. flour
2 c. sugar
2 c. Crisco
2 t. clear vanilla... you don't want to discolor your pure white frosting

Cook milk and flour until thick (note whisk at all times! this is very important or you'll get nasty lumps ), boil and cool stirring while it cools. Cream sugar and crisco until fluffy. Slowly add cooled milk/flour mixture beating all the while. Add vanilla. You'll end up with a wonderful fluffy and not overly sweet frosting.

Chopped Apple Cake

4 c. chopped apples
2 c. sugar
2 t. vanilla

Mix and let stand.

2 eggs
1/2 c. oil
2 c. flour
2 t. baking soda
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. salt
1 c. chopped walnuts (or what ever nut you have)

Beat eggs slightly, beat in oil, add to apple mixture and stir well. Sift together flour, soda, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in alternately with apple mixture, add walnuts. Pour into a greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 about 1 hour or until cake tests done. Let cool and then frost with a lemon or butter frosting.

Also if you just want to make a thin powdered sugar glaze with lemon added to it, you can pour this over while the cake is still warm. Oh so good!