Tres Leches Cake

I found this in my draft file.  I have no idea what happened to the photos but thought I might as well post especially since Cinco de Mayo is right around the corner.  I'll add photos when I make this next time.  Yep, another Pioneer Woman recipe. I read about this on her blog forever ago and it intrigued me. I ran across another woman who had made it and thought I'd give it a go.

Reminded me of the jello cake my Mom made in my youth:)

But back to the Tres Leches cake. I made it with only a couple minor changes for our family spring fling and people liked it. The brownie fruit pizza was a bigger hit, but maybe we're a chocolate family?? I brought the leftovers to work and had a Hispanic woman try it and she said, "YUM, good job and you aren't even Spanish"?

My cousin Melanie said that she used a can of coconut milk in place of the Evaporated milk and added a touch of Malibu Rum for a grown up version of this cake, I might try that the next time.

At any rate, this is a solid recipe and really very easy so give it a try.

1 C Flour
1-½ t Baking Powder
¼ t Salt
5 whole Eggs Divided
1 C Sugar, Divided
1 t Vanilla
⅓ C Milk ~ I used 2%
1 can Evaporated Milk
1 can Sweetened, Condensed Milk
¼ C Heavy Cream
_____
FOR THE ICING:
1 pint Heavy Cream, For Whipping
1/3 C Powdered Sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13 inch pan liberally until coated.

Separate eggs into two different bowls.

Beat egg yolks with 3/4 cup sugar on high speed until yolks are pale yellow. Stir in milk and vanilla. Add flour, baking powder and salt and stir very gently until combined.

Beat egg whites on high speed until soft peaks form. With the mixer on, pour in remaining 1/4 cup sugar and beat until egg whites are stiff.

Fold egg white mixture into the batter very gently until just combined. Pour into prepared pan and spread to even out the surface.

Bake for 25 to 35 minutes (her directions said 35-45 min but my cake only took 25 until it was done) or until a toothpick comes out clean. Turn cake out onto a rimmed platter and allow to cool~I didn't turn my cake out, I left it in the pan for easy transport.

Combine condensed milk, evaporated milk, and heavy cream in a small pitcher or bowl. When cake is cool, pierce the surface with a fork several times. Slowly drizzle all but about 1 cup of the milk mixture—try to get as much around the edges of the cake as you can~I didn't read the "all but 1 C", I dumped it all on. It was still tasty, just a little wet, "I" might like it better following that rule.

Allow the cake to absorb the milk mixture for 30 minutes. To ice the cake, whip 1 pint heavy cream with 1/3 C of powdered sugar until thick and spreadable.
Spread over the surface of the cake. Decorate cake with whole or chopped maraschino cherries. Cut into squares and serve

Cran Raspberry Coffee Cake

So I had some berries in the freezer that needed to be used because I need the space.  I don't think I have ever made the cranberry and raspberry combination and it was YUMMY!!

Another super easy cake to impress your friends:)

Here's what you'll need:
White Cake Mix
2 Eggs
1 C Sour Cream
1 C Milk ~ I use skim

Mix together with electric mixer.  Add

3/4 C Cranberries and Raspberries
1/2 C White Chocolate Chips

Pour into sprayed bundt pan and bake at 350 for about 40 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.  Invert onto plate after 10 minutes.  Cool and frost with glaze of your choice.  This one was about a third can of cream cheese canned frosting that I heated up in the microwave for 15 seconds to make it easy to drizzle.

Crustless Ginger Pear Custard Pie

I was intrigued by the sounds of this.  It was good, kind of refreshing with the ginger, I used a tsp of dried that you find in the spice aisle.  I liked it best chilled and a touch of whipped cream would have been a nice addition. 

I didn't change anything else and if you want to see the original, I found it here...

 

2 large ripe Bartlett pears
1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp freshly grated ginger
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup all purpose flour

Preheat oven to 400F. Lightly grease a 9-inch pie plate.
Peel the pears and cut them in half. Remove their cores and cut them lengthwise into roughly 1/4-inch thick slices. Fan the slices out inside of the pie plate.
In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, eggs, ginger, vanilla, salt and milk. Sift in the flour and whisk until batter is well combined and very smooth, with no lumps of flour.
Pour batter over the top of the pears.
Bake for 10 minutes at 400F, then turn the oven temperature down to 350F. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until custard is set and the top is a light golden brown.
Allow to cool for at least 20 minutes before serving.
Serves 6-8.

 

 

Over The Rainbow Cupcakes

Claire's dance group had a bake sale to raise money for her trip to the Outback Bowl.  She was so excited when she saw something similar to these on the internet.

We went to the store and found Airhead Extremes.  2 packages was plenty with a few extra pieces to eat:)

Next up, a white cake mix made with milk instead of water, a couple teaspoons of vanilla and blue food coloring for the "cloud" cake.

Frost with blue buttercream.  Put white buttercream in a piping bag.  We used a large circle writing tip to make the clouds on either side of the cupcake.  Shape airhead into rainbow and TA DA!  Instant sell out!!  Claire's cupcakes were the first to sell out and people were asking for more! 

NICE JOB GIRLIE!!

Candy Corn Cupcakes

Ok, so I know I've said that I don't think Claire takes after me but maybe she does just a little bit.  She volunteered to make cupcakes for her Spanish class but she wanted them to be "fun".  She made a regular white cake mix according to the directions except using milk instead of water.  Split the batter between two bowls, one having slightly more.  She colored the "more" batch orange and the other one yellow.

Spoon about a tablespoon of yellow into bottom of cupcake liner, put 2 more tablespoons of orange.  Bake, cool and frost with white icing.  Top with a candy corn.

  It's hard to see in this photo but the bottom of the cake really is yellow and the top orange.

 Share with your friends!!

Kathleen Grissom’s Molasses Cake

This was September's book choice and 9 out of 10 LOVED it.  The other one liked it:)  We had a great discussion and a yummy dinner.

 

And, then dessert was served.  There is a recipe in the back for Molasses Cake.  It reminded me of a gingerbread cookie and needed a little more sweet in my opinion so I made a yummy fresh whipped cream with powdered sugar instead of regular.  The bonus was that my house smelled like Christmas:)

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter softened

• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar

• 1 egg

• 1/2 cup milk ~ I used skim

• 1 cup molasses ~ I used mild flavor

• 2 cups flour

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon ground ginger

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• 2 dashes ground cloves

• 1/4 teaspoon salt ~ I did not add salt

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan or use a mini cake pan.

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Beat in the egg. Add the milk and the molasses. Add the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon and cloves.

Spoon batter into the prepared pan. Bake for approximately 45 minutes for the 8 inch square pan or 25 minutes for the mini cake pan, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

I double the recipe and baked in a 13x9 pan for about 40-45 minutes.

To make the whipped cream

Small container of Whipped Cream
1 t Vanilla extract

Whip it until it's firming up. Add 3/4 Powdered Sugar and whip until stiff. It's PURE heaven

Pudding Cake

Remember the jello cake I posted awhile back?  Well this is the pudding version and my kids LOVED it. I made one for us and one for a friend with one cake mix. Super easy and a really yummy dessert.

What you'll need:

White or yellow cake mix ~ made according to directions but use milk instead of water

1 large box Instant Banana Cream pudding made according to directions minus 1/4 cup milk ~ or your favorite flavor 

Small Whipping Cream

1 C Powdered Sugar

2 t Vanilla 

Bake cake according to directions.  Let the cake cool 5 minutes and use the handle of a wooden spoon and poke holes all around the cake.  

Make the pudding and pour into holes and spread the rest evenly over the top.

Whip whipping cream with vanilla until stiff, about 3-4 minutes.  Add powdered sugar and whip until incorporated.  Frost top of cake.

Chill for a few hours and serve.

Next time I would add a couple of ripe bananas to the cake mix so it would have more banana flavor but this was good as it was.  You could also garnish with nuts and/or chopped dried bananas or even fresh strawberries!

Swirl Cake

It seems that it has been raining for a month and the end of the school year is always a tad gloomy.    So, I decided to make a fun cake for a co-worker's birthday to liven up the joint.

His favorite is a white cake with white frosting, that's a new one for me.  I went looking for a good recipe.  There were tons out there but lots of fussy ones.  One of them had me practically churning butter to get that "delicate" balance.  I don't mind making from complete scratch but that was a bit much.  I was about to give up when I found this one which I altered just a bit AND I added a super yummy filling.  It was a HIT!

What you'll need:

1 box White Cake Mix (I used Duncan Hines)
1 C Flour
1 C Sugar
1 1/3 C Milk
2 T Oil (I used Canola)
2 t Real Vanilla
1 C Sour Cream
2 Eggs



 
Mix everything in a bowl and beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. Pour into greased and floured cake pan. I used a large round pan. Bake in 325 degree oven until the cake tests done~insert tester into cake and if it comes out clean, you're done. This size pan took about 40 minutes. Cool cake 10 minutes then invert on a plate and cool.


Cut cake through the middle with a serated knife. Once you've taken the top off, cut a little more out of the bottom middle~think of it as a very shallow bowl. You can put a nice thick layer of whipped cream topping after you do this.

Whipped Cream Layer

8 oz Whipping Cream
2 t Vanilla
2 C Powdered Sugar
1 carton Raspberries
1/2 C Raspberry jam

Whip the cream and vanilla until it's thickened. Add powdered sugar and beat until STIFF. Fold in Raspberries. Put raspberry jam in the microwave for 30 seconds to melt. You can use any type of berry, just be sure that your jam matches.

Spread the melted jam on the bottom layer of the cake. Put whipped cream mixture in the bowl of the cake but stay away from the edges.

I used my favorite buttercream recipe but to make it just a little more fattening, I used half and half instead of milk.

Pipe buttercream around edge and put top back on. Frost entire cake with a light layer of buttercream. If you want to get fancy, pull out your star tip and make a bunch of circles to create a swirl cake and top with a few berries. Or frost the cake with a thicker layer of frosting and top with berries.

Refrigerate for a couple of hours to overnight and serve:)

Here's the cake already cut in half and slightly "bowled" out. 

 

Spread your melted jam

Whipped cream beaten stiff

 Put cream mixture in middle of cake

 

Buttercream edge so you don't lose your filling

 

Light layer of frosting if you're going to decorate or a thicker frost if you aren't. 

 

 Using your star tip, make some circles all over the top of the cake.  No real pattern but it's called a swirl cake if you want to youtube it.  Refrigerate a couple of hours or overnight.

 

 Couple of berries on top so people know what the filling is.

 

Have a piece of yummy cake!!

 

Apple Turnovers

I had this brilliant idea to make apple crisp and as I was chopping the 4th apple I remembered that Claire had used the last of the oatmeal and I hadn't replaced it yet. 

No worries, I had a pie crust.  I could make a pie without a pan like I did here.  Yes, I actually had a pie crust.  Unfortunately, it expired in January and it looked a bit scary.

It was late and I was tired, so I poked around in the fridge.  SAVED...I had crescent rolls.  You can do anything with crescent rolls and the result is typically yummy.

So, I threw the apples in a pan and this is what I got.

4 chopped apples ~ these were braeburn

2 t Cinnamon

1 t Nutmeg

1/2 T of Sugar

3 T Butter

Cook on low for a couple of minutes.

 Add 1/3 C Brown Sugar and continue to cook on low for a few more minutes until it thickens up.  You want the apples to soften but not be mushy or at least I don't like mushy.

 

Press the seams of two crescent rolls together and put a few tablespoons of apples in the middle.  Carefully wrap dough around the filling.

Like this

 

 

As you can see, I got bored so there is all kind of variations.  Some with double crescents.  Some with single.  They all worked and they were all yummy.  Just make sure you seal your seams the best you can.

 When they come out of the oven and are cool.  Make yourself a little glaze with 3 T Powdered sugar, 1-2 teaspoon of milk and 1 t vanilla.  The glaze should be really thin.  Brush on top and serve.

Berry Cheesecake Cobbler

A friend posted a cobbler recipe that looked REALLY familiar.  It was the recipe I've made for years and posted here a couple of times.  BUT she added cream cheese to the topping!!  Stop the madness!!  The girl is a genious!

Put it this way, it was 10 p.m. after a really tough day, I saw her post on FB and I needed to make it for a couple of reasons.  I had fresh strawberries that had only a day left for freshness so they had to be used.  I needed some comfort food.  Even though it's not my first choice for a dessert, cobbler always reminds me of my Dad and that made me feel better immediately. 

Bonus that this version of cobbler was YuMmY!!

Here's what you'll need:

Cobbler

1/2 C Butter
1 C Milk~I used skim
1 C Sugar
1 C self rising Flour (or 1 C regular Flour and 2 t Baking Powder~ edited to take out salt.  OR  1 C Flour, 1 1/2 t Baking Soda and 1/2 t Salt if you want regular recipe)
1 1/2 C Chopped fresh Strawberries
3/4 C Blueberies
1/2 brick (4 oz) Cream Cheese cut into small pieces

Melt butter in 13x9 cake pan in a 375 oven. Keep an eye on it~about 4 minutes, you just want to melt it. Mix right in the pan the milk, flour (salt and baking powder if not using self rising) and sugar. Mix it up. I think the word is slurry, it's like a pancake batter consistency. Or if you want to dirty another bowl, you can mix everything except butter and pour into pan.

Pile your fruit and cream cheese on top..DO NOT STIR in. Bake for about 40 minutes or until lightly browned on top. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.


Cut up your butter and melt while the oven is preheating.
Throw in everything except the fruit.
Here's the slurry you made. I just use a fork to mix it all up, make sure it's not clumpy.

 Ready for the oven. 

It was a hit at work!

Cherry Dump Cake

I have a confession. I LOVE those old church cookbooks. You know the ones that everyone submits their favorite recipes. The one with the recipes that have Oleo and lard.

At any rate, I've seen this recipe in several variations over the years and I thought since it was so easy, I would give it a go. I brought it in as my "random act of kindness" for the engineers at work. They said it was wonderful:) I'll have to take their word on that. And, you'll have to take my word that it was EASY!

What you'll need:

White or Yellow Cake Mix
1/2 C Milk
1/3 C Oil
2 t Vanilla
2 eggs
Can of pie filling...I used cherry

Mix the cake mix, milk, oil, vanilla and eggs. Pour into greased 13x9 pan. Drop spoonfuls of fruit on top. Swirl a spoon around the top a few times and bake 22 minutes at 350.

Top with:
3/4 C Powdered Sugar
2 t Vanilla
2-4 t Milk

Mix together until it's a runny glaze. Drizzle over top. ENJOY!
Dollop

Swirl

Glaze

Brownie Fruit Pizza

A couple of days ago, I made my "usual" fruit pizza. But I wanted chocolate and I had some strawberries that needed to be used so that's what inspired this recipe. It was a BIG hit at the family party.

What you'll need:

Brownie Mix
1 pkg Strawberries
1 pkg Cream Cheese softened ~ I use 1/3 fat
3-4 T Milk
1/2 C Powdered Sugar
1/4 C Sugar
1 t Vanilla
1 pkg Strawberries rinsed and sliced

Make your brownies according to box directions. I made mine for "fudgy brownies". I have a large round pan with an edge, if you don't, you can do these in a regular 13x9 pan.

Beat softened cream chese with sugar, powder sugar, vanilla and 3 T of milk, if it doesn't seem creamy enough, add another tablespoon.

AND...Truth be told, you probably don't need the regular sugar but that's what I started with, didn't like the flavor and added powdered. Together it worked.

Frost your brownies and lay strawberries on top.

Glaze
1 C Strawberries ~ I used frozen ones that I defrosted
1 T Lemon Juice
2 T Orange Juice
1 slight T Corn Starch
2 T Sugar

Give everything a whirl in the blender or if your son is like mine and is a infommercial junkie, you have a Magic Bullet you can use.

Pour into small pan and stir on low until thickened, about 5 minutes. Cool.

Brush on top of berries.

If you wanna get fancy you can melt 1/4 C Milk Chocolate Chips in about 40 seconds in the microwave. Take a fork, dip in melted chocolate and drizzle over the top of berries. Chill.

Make the morning of for an afternoon party.

Brownies out of the oven

Spread your cream cheese mixture on top

Slice a package of strawberries

Lay your berries on top. I started on the outside rim and worked my way toward the middle. But you can do whatever is easiest for you.

Glaze will thicken up, let cool.

Brush your berries with the glaze

Hard to see but...Melt your chocolate and with a fork, drizzle over the top

Fresh Fruit Tart

I honestly don't know why I don't make this more often. Wait, yes I do...because I would eat it non-stop.

I had this first at my Aunt Judy's. She said it was a Paula Dean recipe. I changed the crust around a bit because a few sticks of butter was too much and used my lemon bar crust instead.

You can use any kind of fruit you want and bonus...Claire was able to do all the assembly. AND, it's also pretty, so it's a nice thing to bring to a party or a pot luck picnic.


What you'll need:

1/2 C Powdered Sugar
3/4 C chilled Butter sliced into tiny pieces
1 1/2 C Flour
8 oz Cream Cheese
3/4 C Sugar
1 t Vanilla
6 oz Limeade frozen concentrate
1 T Cornstarch
1 T fresh Lime juice

Glaze:
Put limeade, cornstarch, 1/4 C sugar and lime juice in a small pan over medium heat and cook until it is thickened. Takes a couple of minutes and if you use a whisk, you won't get lumps. Set aside to cool.

Crust:
Mix powdered sugar and flour. Mix in butter. It's easiest to use two forks and kind of chop the butter into the dry ingredients. It looks a bit crumbly. I like to use a cookie sheet with an edge that is just a bit bigger than a 13x9 and press crust into pan or if you wanna get really fancy, use a tart pan. Bake at 350 for about 10-12 minutes until it's a very light brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Filling:

Mix cream cheese, 1/2 C sugar and vanilla together and spread over cooled crust.

Top with sliced fruit and berries.

Brush glaze over top (you'll have some extra, don't fret) and allow to chill a couple of hours. Cut and serve. YUMMY!

The crust is kind of crumbly. When it looks like this, press into your cookie sheet with edge.
Cooked and ready for topping
I added an extra teaspoon of vanilla so the color is a little off
After you frost and before you put fruit down, draw you "cut" lines with a tooth pick. It's easier for the kids to decorate and you won't cut any fruit in half so it will be prettier.
Brush on glaze and you're good to go