Ingredients:

1¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1½ teaspoons baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 (8¼-ounce) can whole beets, drained and pureed in blender
½ cup low-fat buttermilk
¼ cup canola oil
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon white vinegar

Frosting:

1 (8-ounce) package cold fat-free cream cheese
1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.

To make cake, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl. Whisk together beet puree, buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vinegar in another medium bowl. Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until flour mixture is moistened (do not overmix). Pour batter into prepared muffin cups, filling them about twothirds full.

Bake until cupcakes spring back when lightly pressed, about 20 minutes. Let cool completely in pan on wire rack.

Meanwhile, to make frosting, with electric mixer on medium speed, beat cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar in medium bowl until smooth. Beat in lemon zest.

Remove cupcakes from muffin pan. With narrow metal spatula, spread about 1 tablespoon frosting over each cupcake.

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1¼ cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup unsweetened cocoa
1 ounce semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
½ cup boiling water
1 cup low-fat buttermilk
¹/³ cup canola oil
1 large egg
1 large egg white
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
¾ cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray 10-inch Bundt pan with nonstick spray.

Whisk together fl our, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl. Combine cocoa and chopped chocolate in small bowl. Pour boiling water over cocoa mixture, stirring until chocolate is melted.

Whisk together buttermilk, oil, egg, egg white, and vanilla in large bowl; stir in cocoa mixture. Add flour mixture, stirring just until no longer visible. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean, 45–50 minutes. Let cool in pan on wire rack 10 minutes. Invert and remove pan. Let cool completely.

Ingredients:

2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
3 cups boiling water
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
2 sticks unsalted butter
2 cups sugar
2 cups packed light brown sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Combine the water and oatmeal and let stand for a least 20 minutes.

Have all remaining ingredients at room temperature. Grease and flour 3, 9-inch round cake pans and set aside. In a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, sugar and brown sugar on high speed until lightened in color and texture, 4 to 6 minutes. Beat in the eggs and vanilla until thoroughly incorporated. With the mixer on low speed, beat in the oat mixture, then the flour mixture. Scrape the batter into the pans and spread evenly. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30-40 minutes. let cool for 20 minutes in the pans, then remove to cool completely on wire racks.

Coconut, Pecan Filling:

Stir together until smooth:
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
3 tablespoons heavy cream
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Stir together until combined. Set aside until ready to fill the cake.

Honey-Cinnamon Buttercream:

3 cups powdered sugar
3 sticks butter
3 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat all ingredients until smooth. Use immediately, or refrigerate up to 5 days in an airtight container; before using, bring to room temperature and beat until smooth.

To assemble the cake: Cut the tops of the cake off to create even layers.

Fill the first two layers with the coconut pecan filling, then frost the sides and top with the cinnamon-honey buttercream. Garnish with turbinado sugar, cinnamon and nuts.

Ingredients:

1/4 C. butter softened
2 1/3 C. sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 t. vanilla extract
3 C. all purpose flour
1 t. baking soda
1 C. buttermilk
1 can apple pie filling
Caramel topping
1/4 C. butter
1/2 C. brown sugar
1/2 C. whipping cream

Directions:

In a large bowl, cream butter (reserve 1/4 cup for later) and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine flour and baking soda; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition. (batter will be thick) Pour into greased and floured 10 inch spring form pan. Place can of apple pie filling on top of batter. Pushing the apples even into the batter. Cut 1/4 cup of butter in cubes and place evenly on top of apples. Bake at 375 for 50-60 minutes. For topping: melt butter over medium fire, add brown sugar continuously stirring until sugar is melted, add cream.

Cook about 3 minutes...while hot pour evenly on hot cake and down the sides. Let cool then remove from the pan.

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup water
1/2 cup whole milk
1 stick unsalted butter cut into small pieces
1/2 t salt

Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat. Add 1 cup all purpose flour all at once and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the pan. Continue to cook and stir the mixture for about 1 minute, to eliminate excess moisture. Transfer to a bowl and let cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Beat in 1 at a time on low speed with a mixer: 4 eggs. Make sure the paste is smooth before adding the next egg.



Beat the dough until it is smooth and shiny. Scoop the paste into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2 inch plain tip. Shape the paste into 24 puffs on baking sheet. Bake for 15 min then reduce the heat to 350 and continue to bake until golden brown and firm to the touch 10 to 15 min. Turn off the oven. Poke the bottom of each, turn upside down on the baking sheet and let dry in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove to a rack and let cook to room temperature. Fill pastry bag with chocolate pudding fill the puffs.

Chocolate pudding:

1 1/2 C. sugar
3 heaping T. cocoa
4 egg yolks
2 T. butter
1 1/2 t. vanilla extract
3 heaping T. flour
3 C. evaporated milk

Combine sugar, flour, and cocoa in sauce pan. Add milk, blend well then add slightly beaten egg yolks. Cook over low heat until mixture thickens. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla and butter. Cool After filling each puff dip top in caramel then add toasted pecans on top.

Caramel:

1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup. whipping cream

Melt butter in saucepan, add brown sugar stir continuously until sugar melts. Add cream cook about 3 minutes. Cool slightly.

Ingredients:

1 cup crumbled vanilla wafer cookies 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon
plus 1 teaspoon sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 pound soft cream cheese
8 oz. white chocolate, melted
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup raspberry jam
1 pkg. fresh raspberries for decoration

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Mix cookies and 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon sugar in a bowl. Stir in butter. Press 1 tablespoon of mixture in bottom of each cup. Bake until set, about 7 minutes. Let cool in tins on wire racks.

Reduce oven temperature to 275 degrees. Beat cream cheese and white chocolate with a mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add remaining 1/2 cup sugar, then vanilla. With mixer running, add eggs slowly, scraping down side of bowl. Add sour cream and salt.

Pour batter into muffin cups, filling almost to the tops. Bake until sides are set but centers are wobbly, about 20 minutes. Let cool in tins on wire racks, add a tsp of jam and one raspberry to each cheesecake.

Ingredients:

1 cup butter
2 cups white sugar
4 eggs
2 1/2 cups self-rising flour
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 8 inch pans. In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Combine the milk and vanilla; add alternately to the creamed mixture with the flour, Mix only as much as necessary. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven. Let cakes cool before removing.

Filling for cake and strawberry Garnish:

10 large fresh strawberries
1 cup milk
1 (1 ounce) vanilla pudding mix
2 cups whipped topping
1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Wash 8 strawberries and dice. In a bowl, whisk milk and pudding mix for 2 minutes. Fold in whipping topping and almond extract. Mix in diced strawberries, let sit for 10 minutes

White chocolate icing:

2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 cups white chocolate chips
3 to 3 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar

In medium sauce pan, bring cream to a simmer and remove from heat. Stir in chips until melted. Place pan in bowl of ice water, stirring until cooled. Whisk in sugar until smooth and thick.

Ingredients:

1 cup butter
1 pkg cream cheese
11/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 t vanilla
2 cups flour
1 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1/4 cup milk
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1 t cinnamon

Directions:

In mixing bowl: combine; butter, cream cheese, 1-1/4 cups sugar.

Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine; flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour in 9” pan. Combine pecans, cinnamon and remaining sugar, sprinkle over batter. Bake: 350 degrees, for 50-55 min.

Brownie Ingredients: (Makes ½ sheet pan)

6 large eggs
3 cups butter
2 teaspoons almond extract
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 ½ sticks butter
1 ½ sticks margarine
6 oz. unsweetened chocolate
2 ¼ cups flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups chopped walnuts
½ can cherry pie filling – pureed slightly

Combine eggs, sugar, extracts together. Combine butter margarine, chocolate in double boiler to melt. Combine dry ingredients in a mixing bowl then add wet and ingredients and mix well. Add chopped walnuts to batter. Transfer batter to greased ½ sheet pan. Mix in pureed cherries and swirl around in the batter. Bake at 350ºF for 35-40 minutes.

Frosting:

1lb powdered sugar
½ stick margarine melted
2oz. cocoa powder
2 teaspoons pure vanilla
2 teaspoons almond extract
3 teaspoons cherry flavor extract
Warm water

Combine ingredients, add water slowly to get the right consistency. Frost cooled brownies and sprinkle with chopped walnuts. Grab a big cold glass of milk and enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 3/4 cups white sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
¾ cups applesauce
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ½ cups shredded carrots
½ cup chopped apples, peeled and finely chopped
1 cup flaked coconut
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained

Frosting:

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour 2, 9 inch round pans. Mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Make a well in the center and add sugar, oil, applesauce, eggs and vanilla. Mix until smooth. Stir in carrots, apples, coconut, walnuts and pineapple.

Divide batter and pour into 2 x 9 inch round pans. Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes. Allow to cool. To make the frosting: Cream the butter, vanilla and cream cheese until smooth.

Add the confectioners sugar and beat until creamy.

Ingredients:

¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ teaspoon peppermint extract
3 to 4 tablespoons sugar, or to taste
2 cups heavy cream, chilled
Red food coloring
9-ounce package Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers
Crushed candy canes for garnish

Directions:

In large bowl, combine the vanilla, peppermint, sugar (if desired) and cream. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat until stiff peaks form. In a separate bowl, place approx 1/3 of the whipped cream and add red food coloring to desired color. Spread about 1/2 tablespoon whipped cream on each wafer, alternating between white and red. Reserve 1/3 of white whipped cream for frosting.

Place the cream-topped wafers next to one another, alternating between red and white, on a serving platter, standing them on their edge like a row of dominoes, to make a 14-inch log. Use the remaining whipped cream to frost the top and sides of the cookie log.

Refrigerate for at least 4 to 6 hours or up to overnight. To serve, sprinkle crushed peppermint candy canes over top. Using a knife, cut the cake on the diagonal (at a 45-degree angle) into slices. (The cake slices easily when a warm knife is used; run a knife under hot water then quickly dry it with a clean towel.) Serve immediately.

Ingredients:

8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 cup butter, softened
1 ½ cup sugar
1 ½ teaspoon vanilla
4 eggs
2 ¼ cups flour
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
4 ounces green candy cherries
4 ounces red candy cherries
1 cup walnuts

Directions:

Grease and flour a tube or Bundt pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Blend cream cheese, butter, sugar, and vanilla in mixer bowl. Add eggs and mix well. Add 2 cups of flour with baking powder. Batter will be thick.

Combine the remaining ¼ cup of flour with the cherries and walnuts, and fold into batter.

Bake for 1 hour until inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10-15 minutes and remove from pan. Cool on wire rack.

Mix 1 ½ cups of confectioner’s sugar with 2 tablespoons milk for glaze. Glaze cake when cool and garnish with cherries and nuts.

Ingredients:

1 pkg. Chocolate cake mix
1 4 oz. pkg. Instant Chocolate pudding
4 eggs
1 8 oz. container sour cream
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup water
4 squares semi-sweet baking chocolate, chopped 18 small candy canes, coarsely crushed 8 oz. whipped cream

Directions:

Heat oven to 350°F. Beat first 6 ingredients in large bowl with mixer until well blended.

Stir in chopped chocolate and 2 Tbsp. crushed candy. Pour into 2 (9-inch) round pans sprayed with cooking spray.

Bake 35 to 40 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 min. Loosen cakes from sides of pans; invert onto wire racks. Carefully remove pans. Cool cakes completely.

Fill and frost cakes with whipped cream. Sprinkle with remaining crushed candy just before serving. Keep refrigerated.

Crust:

1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
½ cup sugar
10 Tbl melted butter

Mix the sugar & crumbs and then add melted butter. Press firmly into 9 inch round spring-form cake pan. The mixture should be ¼ inch thick.

Streussel Topping:

1 cup pecans chopped fine in blender & ½ cup whole pecans
reserved for garnish
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup all purpose flour
½ cup sugar
½ cup cold butter cut in ¼ inch squares
1 tsp ground cinnamon

Combine all Streusel ingredients into a crumb topping by mixing together with your hands and then refrigerate until the filling below is mixed together.

Cheesecake Filling:

3 lbs cream cheese
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream

Directions:

1 1/2 cups Libby’s canned pumpkin pie filling In a mixer bowl beat the cream cheese and sugar, then add eggs and vanilla and mix well for 3 minutes scraping down the sides of the bowl 3 times. In another bowl place the pumpkin pie filling, and fold in 1/3 of the cream cheese/egg mixture from the first bowl, mix well then add this mixture to the remaining cream cheese/ egg mixture and mix well. Stir in sour cream.

Fill the 9 inch pan ¾ of the way full with the Cheesecake filling mix. Sprinkle the Streusel topping on lightly and add the ½ cup of pecans reserved for garnish in a circle around the top of the cake.

Bake at 350 degrees for ½ hour then lower temperature to 325 degrees for ½ hour more, if toothpick inserted in center comes out clean turn oven off and remove after 15 minutes more, ( note: if toothpick is sticky, bake for another 10 minutes, then turn off oven, and wait 15 minutes to remove it.) Let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes then cool in refrigerator overnight. Serve and enjoy.

This Recipe is linked to: Made From Scratch Monday.

This is a yummy and easy dish, great when you have company... the best part is you can make it the night before!

Ingredients:

1package frozen dinner rolls (Rhodes)
1 cup chopped pecans
1 stick butter or margarine, melted
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 small pkg. butterscotch pudding (Not Instant)

Directions:

Night before you are ready to serve the rolls, grease bundt or tube pan. Evenly sprinkle peacans on bottom of pan. Arrange frozen rolls on top of pecans so that rolls are just barely touching.

In saucepan melt butter, add pudding and brown sugar - stir until smooth. Carefully bring this mixture to a boil. Pour mixture over frozen rolls, making sure each roll is covered with mixture. Cover with a piece of waxed paper and allow to set out (Do Not Refrigerate) all night. The next morning, bake at 350 until nice and brown, 15-20 minutes.

Quickly invert onto serving plate.

Ingredients:

4 eggs
1 c sour cream
1/2 c water
1/2 c oil
Beat above ingredients together in a large bowl until thoroughly mixed

Directions:

1 chocolate cake mix, 1 small box instant chocolate pudding mix beat until smooth stir in 1-12 oz package of semisweet chocolate chips. Pour into bundt pan and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour when cool, sift powdered sugar on top.

Crust:

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup melted butter
3 T sugar
1 1/2 lbs cream cheese, softened
4 eggs
1 1/2 t dried lavender
1 T grated orange peel
3/4 cup sugar
1 t vanilla
2 T orange liqueur
4 oz white chocolate melted

Glaze:

1/4 c heavy cream
Garnish: edible flowers, lavender or white chocolate curls

Preheat oven to 350. For crust and combine all ingredients into small bowl. Mix with fork and press into 9 in spring form pan. Bake 10 minutes. Cool completely. Reduce oven temperature to 300.

Filling

Beat cream cheese with sugar. Add eggs one at a time. Beat in melted chocolate. Vanilla, lavender, orange peel and liquor. Spoon into crust. Bake at 300 for 1 hour and 20 minutes cool completely. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.

Garnish with edible flowers or lavender.

Carrot Cake:

2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/4 t baking powder
1 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1 1/2 t ground cinnamon
1 t ground nutmeg
1/4 t ground cloves
1/2 t salt
1 lb 6 to 7 medium carrots
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 brown sugar
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil



Preheat over to 350°F. Spray 13 by 9 inch baking pan with cooking spray. Line bottom of pan with parchment. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt in large bowl. Set aside.

In food processor fitted with large shredding disk, shred carrots to 3 cups. Wipe out food processor work bowl and fit with metal blade. Process granulated and brown sugars and eggs until frothy and combined, about 20 seconds. With machine running, add oil through feed tube in steady stream. Process until mixture is light in color and well emulsified, about 20 seconds longer. Scrape mixture into medium bowl. Stir in carrots and dry ingredients until incorporated and no streaks of flour remain. Pour into prepared pan and bake until toothpick or skewer inserted into center of cake comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking time. cool cake to room temperature in pan on wire rack about 2 hours.

Cream cheese frosting:

6 oz cream cheese softened
10 T butter
softened
2 T sour cream
1 t vanilla
2 C confectioners sugar

When cake is cool, process cream cheese, butter, sour cream and vanilla in clean food processor work bowl until combined, about 5 seconds, scraping down bowl with rubber spatula as needed. Add confectioners sugar and process until smooth, about 10 seconds.

Run paring knife around edge of cake. Loosen from pan. Invert cake onto wire rack, peel off parchment, then invert again onto serving platter. Using icing spatula spread frosting evenly over cake.

Preheat oven to 350. Grease spring form pan and line bottom of pan with parchment paper. Wrap three layers of foil around the outside of the pan.

Crust:
1 ½ Cups ground ginger snaps
6 T. melted butter
1/8 C. sugar
1/8 C. Brown sugar (packed)

Line bottom and up about 1 inch of pan with crumb mixture. Bake in oven for about 15 minutes until crust starts to brown slightly. Remove from oven to cool.

Cake:
4 8oz. packages cream cheese softened
½ Cup sugar
½ Cup brown sugar
5 eggs (at room temperature)
2 T. Vanilla

Blend ingredients. Pour into pan. Place large pan filled with about 2-3 inches of boiling water in oven. Place spring form pan in pan with water. Bake for about 1 hour 10 min. Before removing from oven.




Mix:
1 pint sour cream
¼ C. sugar
2 T. vanilla
Pour onto of cake and bake 5 minutes. Remove cake from oven.
Refrigerate overnight.
Two to six hours prior to serving, make caramel topping.
1 ½ C. Sugar
¼ C. water
1 C. Heavy whipping cream
1 T. Vanilla

Directions:

Put sugar and water in heavy pan. Stir till dissolved over medium heat. Cook for about 5 min. to 250 degrees. Remove from heat.

Slowly add cream and vanilla stirring consistently. Return to cooking over medium heat until mixture reaches 225 degrees, stirring consistently (about 8 min.). Mixture will still be pourable. Cool slightly then spoon over top just to edge. Refrigerate at least 2 hours.

This cake is so elegant, but so simple to make and it tastes amazing! Your guests will truly be wowed by this dessert. And they don’t have to know that you didn’t spend all day making it!

Cake:
1 Fudge Cake Mix + ingredients to make cake according to directions on box
1 tsp. Almond Extract
1 cup good quality Raspberry jam
Chocolate Ganache Icing
2 ¾ cups good quality chocolate chips
2 cups heavy whipping cream

Garnish:
Fresh Raspberries
Mint

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Thoroughly grease 2- 8 inch cake pans and line bottom with parchment paper. Make cake according to directions on the box with the addition of adding the almond extract to your batter. Divide equally between pans and bake according to the directions. Cool cakes on baking rack for 10 minutes and then gently remove from pans to then cool completely on the wire rack. When completely cooled, cut cakes in half horizontally with a serrated knife.

Put your 1st layer of cake down on a wire baking rack. Spread the 1st layer with 1/3 cup of raspberry jam. Add your 2nd layer of cake and spread with 1/3 cup of raspberry jam. Add your 3rd cake layer and spread with 1/3 cup of jam. Finally, add your 4th cake layer to the top.

To make the Chocolate Ganache, melt together the chocolate chips and heavy whipping cream over a double boiler.

To ice your cake with the Chocolate Ganache, place your cake on a wire rack over a cookie sheet. Gently pour your ganache over the cake starting in the middle of the cake and slowly working your way to the sides circling the top of your cake. Allow the ganache to pour over the sides of the cake. When the ganache stops dripping from the cake, gently move the cake to a cake stand. Decorate with fresh raspberries and mint.

Notes: If you don’t have a double boiler you can use a bowl sitting over a saucepan of simmering water. Just make sure the water doesn't touch the bottom of the bowl. It is also helpful to use an 8” cake circle board under your cake for stability which helps in the transfer from the wire rack to your cake stand after icing.