The Country Witch

Cakes

My mother is a very talented, hobbyist, cake decorator. I remember as a child watching her create beautiful frosting roses in bright colors. One of my life goals is to create a decorated cake, good enough to make her proud. Since the gene that helps her make these little masterpieces seems to be missing from my personal genetic code, and I have to be careful of my sugar intake, I focus most (not all) of my cake making skills to the unusually made cakes and low sugar toppings. Most of the time I try to make cakes from scratch, but when I do "cheat" with a cake mix, I try to embellish them a little.

Carrot etc. Cake

2 c. Flour

1 c. Brown Sugar

2 tsp. Baking Soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

A dash of salt

1/2 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs

3 c. shredded carrots

2 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350. Oil a 9x13 baking or loaf pan. In a medium bowl bowl combine dry ingredients. Using your hands mix well to remove all brown sugar lumps. Add remaining ingredients in order. Mix well for 1 to 2 min. For a 9x13 cake pan bake for about 30 min. For a loaf, 5 to 15 min longer until a knife or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cut or slice for serving.

Alternate Cakes:

Substitute carrots for:

3 c. unpeeled grated apple

2 c. grated zuchinni and 1/2 c. chopped nuts

2 c. mashed bananas

1/2 ea. of raisins and nuts.

1 1/2 c. chopped cranberries and 2 Tbsp grated orange rind

Chocolate Cheesecake Bars

1 pkg. Chocolate Cake Mix.

4 eggs.

1 Tbsp. Crisco Oil.

2-8oz pkgs. softened cream cheese.

1/2 c. sugar.

1 1/2c. milk.

1 tsp. vanilla extract.

1 - 1 1/2oz container whipped topping.

Shaved Chocolate if desired.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Set aside 1c. of dry cake mix. In mixer, combine remaining cake mix, 1 egg, and oil in large bowl ( mix wil be crumbly). Press crust mix into a greased 9x13 baking pan. In mixing bowl combine cream cheese and sugar. Add remaining eggs and cake mix and beat on med. speed for 1 min. Gradually add milk and vanilla with mixer on low until smooth. Pour into crust.

Bake for 55 - 65 min. or until center is firm. Cool until room temperature. Top with whipped topping and sprinkle with chocolate shavings. Chill for 1 hour before serving. Cheesecake can be frozen but must be covered with foil.

For a richer flavor add another 1/4 c. sugar and 1/4 c. unsweetened chocolate. Can also be baked in 2 x 9 in. square pans for 40 - 50 min.

Citrus Cake

1 pkg yellow cake mix

1 pkg instant lemon pudding

4 eggs

3/4 cup water

3/4 cup oil

1 cup powdered sugar

2 Tbsp butter

1/3 cup frozen orange juice concentrate

Combine ingredients, beat for 10 minutes. Bake in ungreased angel food cake pan at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, or bake in large loaf pan. In separate bowl thoroughly combine powdered sugar, butter and orange juice concentrate. While still warm, pierce top with long tined fork and slowly pour orange juice mixture over it.

Mandarin Orange Cake

1 pkg yellow butter cake mix

1 cup oil

4 eggs

1 can mandarin oranges (do not drain)

Beat all ingredients together and bake in 9x13 cake pan at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until done.

Icing:

1 lrg can crushed pineapple (do not drain)

1 lrg container Cool Whip

1 sm box instant vanilla pudding

Pour pudding mix over pineapple and let set a few minutes. Mix up and fold in Cool Whip.

Pina Colada Cake

1 pkg white cake mix

4oz pkg instant coconut cream pudding mix

4 eggs

1 cup flaked coconut

1/2 cup water

1/3 cup rum

1/4 cup oil

Blend all ingredients except coconut in large mixer bowl. Beat 4 minutes at medium speed. Pour into 2 greased and floured 9 inch layer pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 - 30 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly pressed. Do not under bake. Cool in pan for 15 minutes. Remove and cool on racks. Fill and frost. Sprinkle with coconut. Chill. Refrigerate leftovers.

Topping:

8oz can crushed pineapple (do not drain)

1/3 cup rum

4oz instant coconut cream pudding mix

9oz carton frozen whipped topping thawed

Combine all ingredients except whipped topping in a bowl. Beat until well blended. Fold in thawed whipped topping.

Petite Fours

1 pkg. Cherry, White, or Yellow Cake Mix

3 c. Sugar.

1/4 tsp. cream of tartar.

1 1/2 c. hot water

1 tsp. vanilla extract.

2 1/4 c. powdered sugar.

Food coloring and melted unsweetened chocolate (if desired).

Preheat oven to 350. Mix cake as instructed; spread batter in a wax lined 10 x 15 1/2 baking pan. Bake in oven for 25 - 30 min. Until cake is springy to touch. Immediately turn over onto towl and remove paper. After cooling cut into 70 1 1/2" desired shapes. Place wax paper under cooling rack and set cakes on rack.

In a saucepan, combine sugar, cream of tartar, and water. Cook until syrup begins to spin threads (about 226 degrees). Then cool to about 110 degrees. Stir in vanilla. Gradually add powdered sugar until desired pouring thickness is reached. Add food coloring and chocolate into separate bowls of icing if desired. Pour icing over cakes while on cooling rack making sure there is wax paper under the rack. Add excess icing from wax paper back to icing container. If needed warm icing back up in hot water bath or add drops of hot water to icing till it returns to desired thickness. Repeat until all cakes are iced. Decorate and place in cupcake papers if desired.

Jam Cake

1/2 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1 egg separated and beaten

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

2 cups flour

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 Tbsp cocoa powder

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup berry jam

Cream butter and sugar. Add egg yolk. Sift dry ingredients and add alternately with milk. Stir in jam. Carefully fold in stiffly beaten egg white. Bake in round tube pan at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Chocolate Sauerkraut Cake

1/2 cup butter or oleo

1 1/2 cup sugar

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups sifted flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 cup water

1 cup sauerkraut - drained, rinsed and finely chopped

Cream butter and sugar; beat in eggs one at a time. Add vanilla; sift together dry ingredients; add to creamed mixture alternately with water. Stir in sauerkraut. Put into greased and floured 9 x 13 baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes.

Banana Split Cake

1 12 oz package vanilla wafers

1/2 cup butter or margerine

4 cups powdered sugar

1 cup butter or margerine

2 eggs

1 t vanilla

1 20oz can of crushed pineapple

3 sliced bananas

Lemon juice

2 cups whipped topping, frozen

Maraschino cherries

chopped nuts

Chocolate syrup

Crush vanilla wafers and melt 1/2 cup butter and pour over wafers and mix well. Press into 9x13x2 inch pan and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Combine together powdered sugar, 1 cup butter, eggs and vanilla until well blended and add to wafer crust. Spread crushed pineapple on top and add banana dipped in lemon juice on top of pineapple. Garnish with cherries and chocolate syrup.

Nana's Carrot Cake

2 Cups Sugar

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 Cups flour

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 Cups Wesson Oil

5 eggs

1 teaspoon Vanilla

3 Cups grated Carrots

Beat all together until well blended, about 2 minutes. Pour into a greased and floured 9 x 13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 45 minutes, or until it tests done with a toothpick.

Frost when cool with cream cheese frosting.