Golden Carrot Cake

Golden Carrot Cake 

1 (9-oz) pkg None Such condensed Mincemeat, crumbled
2 cups finely shredded carrots
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 tsp grated orange rind
2 cups unsifted flour
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

Glaze:
2 Tbsp butter
4 tsp orange juice
1 cup confectioner's sugar
1 tsp grated orange rind

Preheat oven to 325^.  In a large bowl, combine mincemeat, carrots, nuts, and rind; toss with 1/2 cup flour and set aside.  In a large mixer bowl, combine sugar and oil; mix well.  Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
Stir together remaining 2-1/2 cups flour, baking powder, soda and salt; gradually add to batter, beating until smooth.  Stir in carrot mixture.  Turn into well greased and floured 10' bundt pan or tube pan.  Bake 50-60 minutes
or until wooden pick inserted near center comes out clean.  Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan.  Cool completely.  Drizzle with Orange Glaze.

Orange Glaze:  In small saucepan, melt butter with orange juice.  Stir in confectioner's sugar and orange rind; mix well.  (Makes about 1/2 cup).

From Borden Home for the Holidays Recipe booklet.

Fresh Strawberry Upside Down Cake

Fresh Strawberry Upside Down Cake

2 cups fresh strawberries, crushed
6-oz pkg strawberry Jello
3 cups miniature marshmallows
1 pkg yellow cake mix, prepared as directed on package
Whipped Cream

Preheat the oven to 350^F. Spray a 9x13" pan with cooking spray and spread the crushed strawberrie over the bottom. Evenly sprinkle the berries with the Jello and top it off with the mini marshmallows. Pour the prepared cake mix over the marshmallows and bake in the preheated oven for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the pan to loosen the sides and turn the cake out onto a serving tray. Serve with whipped cream. Store cake in the refrigerator. From allrecipes.com

This smells incredible! And tastes WONDERRRRFULL! Way better than any "Strawberry Shortcake" I've ever made....this is definitely a keeper!!

Chocolate Praline Layer Cake

Chocolate Praline Layer Cake

CAKE:
½ cup butter
¼ cup whipping cream
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
¾ cup coarsely chopped pecans
1 Devil’s Food Cake mix
1 ¼ cups water
1/3 cup oil
3 eggs


TOPPING:
 1 ¾ cups whipping cream
¼ cup powdered sugar
¼ tsp vanilla
16 whole pecans, if desired
16 chocolate curls, if desired


Heat oven to 325^ F.  In small heavy saucepan, combine butter, ¼ cup whipping cream and brown sugar.  Cook over low heat just until butter is melted, stirring occasionally.  Pour into two 8 or 9-inch round cake pans; sprinkle evenly with chopped pecans.
In large bowl, combine cake mix, water, oil and eggs; beat at low speed until moistened.  Beat 2 minutes at medium speed.  Carefully spoon batter over pecan mixture.

Bake at 325^ for 35 to 45 minutes or until cake springs back when touched lightly in center.  Cool 5 minutes; remove from pans.   Cool 1 hour or until completely cooled.
In small bowl, beat 1 ¾ cups whipping cream until soft peaks form.  Add powdered sugar and vanilla; beat until stiff peaks form.

To assemble cake, place 1 layer on serving plate, praline side up.  Spread with half of whipped cream.  Top with second layer, praline side up; spread top with remaining whipped cream.  Garnish with whole pecans and chocolate curls.  Store in refrigerator.  16 servings.

This cake is AWESOME!  It was the 1988 Pillsbury Bake-Off Winner.

Cheese Swirled Devils Food Cake

Daddy loved this cake and has asked me to bake it again several times! -

Cathy

1 pkg (8 oz) Neufchatel cheese at room temperature (or cream cheese)

4 eggs

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup milk

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 box devil's food cake mix

1 1/4 cups water

1/2 cup oil

Raspberry Sauce:        

1 pkg (10 oz) frozen raspberries, thawed

Heat oven to 350~.  Coat a 9x13' pan with nonstick spray.  Combine cheese, 1 egg and sugar.  Beat until smooth.  Gradually beat in milk and vanilla.  Set aside.

Combine cake mix, 3 eggs, oil and water and beat 2 minutes at high speed.  Pour half the cake batter into the prepared pan.  Drizzle with half the cheese mixture.  Repeat layers.  Run a knife through batter to make swirls.  Bake at 350~ for 35-40 minutes or until cake begins to pull away from the sides of the pan.  Cover cake for the last 10 minutes if browning too fast.  Cool in pan on wire rack.

To serve, cut into squares and top with Raspberry Sauce.

Raspberry Sauce: Puree thawed raspberries in blender until smooth.  Press through sieve to remove seeds.

Cajun Cake

Cajun Cake

This was excellent...reminded me of Aunt Suzie's Oh-So-Good Cake only with pineapple instead of fruit cocktail. Cathy

3 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 (20 oz) can crushed pineapple with juice
1 cup chopped pecans
1 1/2 cups flaked coconut
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup evaporated milk
1/2 pound butter

Preheat oven to 350~.  Grease & flour a 9x13' pan.  In a large bowl, sift together the flour, 1 1/2 cups sugar, salt and baking soda.  Add eggs, pineapple and juice.  Mix at low speed until well blended.  Pour batter into prepared pan and sprinkle top with coconut and pecans.  Bake 30-35 minutes or until done.

Have topping ready when cake comes out of oven.  To make topping, in a saucepan, combine the evaporated milk, 3/4 cup sugar and butter.  Bring to a boil and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat and pour evenly onto the cake as soon as it comes out of the oven.  Cool and store in pan.

Better Than Sex Cake

Better Than Sex Cake

1 pkg yellow cake mix
20-oz can crushed pineapple with juice
¾ cup sugar
3 bananas, sliced*
1 small pkg instant vanilla pudding mix
1 ½ cups milk
16-oz Cool Whip, thawed
1 ¼ cups flaked coconut
1 cup chopped pecans
Maraschino cherries to garnish

Bake the yellow cake mix according to instructions on the box.  While the cake is baking, combine the pineapple with juice and the sugar in a saucepan.  Cook over medium heat until syrup starts to thicken up, about 20 minutes.  With a skewer or long-tined fork, poke holes in the hot cake and pour the pineapple mixture over it.  Let cool completely.

Combine the instant pudding mix with the milk and blend until thickened.  Layer the sliced bananas over the pineapple (*I don’t like bananas so I always skip this step!).  Spread the pudding over the bananas.  Spread Cool Whip over the pudding.  Sprinkle with coconut and pecans and refrigerate at least one hour or until ready to serve.  Garnish with drained cherries. 

This cake is to die for and is the perfect dessert for a summer barbecue.  I usually add a splash of rum to the pineapple!

Chili Dip

Chili Dip

8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 can Chili with Beans
1 pkg Pepper Jack cheese or cheddar, shredded
Tortilla Chips

Spread the cheese evenly over the bottom of a small casserole dish.  Spoon the chili over the cream cheese and sprinkle with the shredded cheese.  You can either microwave it covered until it's hot or heat in the oven which will brown the cheese a bit.  Let cool before serving...it gets very hot.  Serve with chips.  There are never any leftovers with this recipe!