Dark Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake

Ingredients:

8 oz Dark Chocolate

1 3/4 lb Cream Cheese

6 eggs

1 1/2 c. Sugar

2 tsp. Vanilla

1 c. Pumpkin

2 Tbl. Flour

1/4 tsp. Cinamon

1/4 tsp. Nutmeg

1/8 tsp. Cloves

1 tsp. Salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Melt dark chocolate and set aside. In mixer, combine 3/4 lb cream cheese and 3/4 cup sugar and beat until smooth. Add 3 eggs, 1 at a time scraping down the bowl between each egg. Add vanilla and put into spring form pan. Place in refrigerator.

Sift together flour, salt and spices. In mixer, combine 1 lb. cream cheese and 3/4 c. sugar and beat until smooth. Add 3 eggs, 1 at a time scraping down the bowl between each egg. Add vanilla, spices and pumpkin. Slowly pur the pumpkin cheesecake batter over the dark chocolate layer.

I use basic gingersnap crust (Anna's Ginger Thins) and melted butter.

Bake in water bath for 70-120 minutes.

Pumpkin Cake

3 cups sugar

3 cups flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 Tablespoon baking soda
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
3/4 tea salt
1 1/2 cups melted unsalted butter
3 1/4 cups canned pumpkin
3 eggs, lightly beaten

Blend together the sugar, flour, baking powder, soda, cinnamon, and salt with a mixer at medium speed until well mixed. Add the melted butter and continue to beat until the dry ingredients are moistened. Add the pumpkin and mix again until well blended. Add the eggs and blend 1 minute longer. Do not over mix.

Turn the batter into 3 lightly greased, paper-lined 9-inch cake pans. Smooth the batter with a spatula so that the cake will be level when baked. Bake at 325 degrees for 40 minutes or until done. Cool on racks. Frost with the Bailey's Irish Cream frosting.

Frosting for the Pumpkin Cake:

1 pound powdered sugar
3 stick (1 1/2 cups) softened high quality butter , like Plugra. (Available at Trader Joe's.)
2 Tablespoons Bailey's Irish cream. Available at your local liquor store. Don't drink it or you will have to have a chat with Bishop Ainge.
1/2 cup flour

Combine the sugar, butter, flour and Bailey's Irish cream. Mix until blended.

Margarita Cake

13/4 c. sugar

1/2 c. butter, softened

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

3 eggs

1 tbsp. grated lemon zest

1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

21/2 c. flour

1 c. lemon yogurt

Lime Glaze-

1/2 c. sugar

2 tbsp. fresh lime juice

1 tbsp. water

1 tbsp. tequila (optional)

Whipped Cream

Cake- Preheat oven to 350 deg. Combine the sugar, butter, baking soda, and salt in mixing bowl and beat until blended. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating well and scraping the bowl after each addition. Mix in the lemon zest and lemon juice. Add the flour and yogurt alternately, beating well after each addition.

Spoon the batter into a greased and floured 9x13 pan. Bake for 25-30 min. or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 15 min.

Glaze- Combine sugar, lime juice, and water in a saucepan and mix well. Cook until the sugar dissolves, stirring frequently. Stir in tequila (if using).

Assembly- Invert the warm cake onto a serving platter and brush with the glaze until it is all assorbed. Let stand until cool. Slice and garnish each piece with a dollop of whipped cream and a lime slice or a strawberry.

Banana Bread Pudding

This recipe originally called for 1/3 cup raisins and 1/2 cup of toasted pecans. My kids prefer chocolate chips with the bananas so that's how I make it now.

2 T. plus 1/4 cup dark rum (I use apple juice if I don't have)

2 T. butter

3 bananas, peeled, halved crosswise and then lengthwise into planks. Be generous - I usually brown four just in case

5 T. sugar

2 cups whipping cream

4 large eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

semi-sweet chocolate chips

8 oz. firm white bread sliced into strips. Trim heavy crusts.

Melt 2 T. butter in skillet over medium heat. Add bananas and 2T. sugar and cook bananas until tender - about 2 minutes per side. They will turn golden brown. Remove from heat. Combine whipping cream, eggs, vanilla, rum and 3 T. sugar - whisk

Preheat oven to 350. Butter 9 x 5 x 3 pan. Arrange 1/3 of bread strips crosswise in bottom of pan. Arrange 6 banana pieces atop bread. Sprinkle with choc. chips (or raisins and pecans). Arrange 1/3 of bread strips crosswise atop bananas. Pour half of egg mixture over. Arrange remaining banana pieces atop bread. Sprinkle with remaining choc. chips. Arrange remaining bread strips crosswise atop bananas. Pour remaining egg mixture over. Press gently on top layer to compact. Let stand 15 minutes. Bake until gold and puffy - about 45 minutes. Drizzle with Rum Sauce.

Rum Sauce

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1/2 cup whipping cream

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

pinch of salt

2 T. rum

Since it's on the same page in my recipe book, I'll give you what my Grandma (and me) always use for drizzling over any warm cake. I love even to warm a cranberry muffin or something like that and put this simple sauce over for dessert. You could replace it for any of the sauces above for a simpler taste. It's great with a little cinnamon added as well.

1/2 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup evaporated milk

Remove from heat add 1 tsp. vanilla

Cinnamon Bread pudding

8 large eggs

3 1/2 cups whole milk

2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups whipping cream

1 tsp. vanilla

1 - 1 pound loaf cinnamon challah or cinnamon swirl bread, cut in 1 inch cubes

1 cup golden raisins (sometimes the challah bread I buy has raisins so I do not add extra in that case)

I didn't do it last night, but if I'm feeling chocolate, I sprinkle in a few semi-sweet chips.

Butter 13x9 baking dish. Whisk eggs in large bowl to blend. Add milk, sugar, cream, and vanilla; whisk to blend well. Stir in bread and raisins. Pour mixture into prepared baking dish. Cover and refrigerate 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350. Bake uncovered until puffed and golden, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Cool slightly. Serve with Spiced Rum Sauce.

Spiced Rum Sauce

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1/2 cup whipping cream

2 T. spiced rum or dark rum (I've used this before - it cuts the sweet a bit - but I didn't have it last night - just makes the sauce more caramelly without it)

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Stir brown sugar and butter over medium heat until melted and smooth - about 2 minutes. Add cream, rum, and cinnamon and bring to simmer. Simmer until sauce thickens - about 5 minutes. Can be prepared ahead and rewarmed.

I often add more cream than is called for - to taste - I don't like it too sweet. Like anything's not going to make this too sweet! ;)

Brindlewood Inn Carrot Cake

Makes 12 servings

2 cups carrots - finely shredded

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

1 cup crushed pineapple - well drained

4 eggs

2 cups sugar

2 cups flour

2 t baking soda

1 t salt

1 t cinnamon

1 t nutmeg

1/2 t ground cloves

pinch or ground ginger

1 cup raisins (optional)

Mix together carrots, oil, pineapple, eggs, sugar. Add remaining ingredients. Pour into two 10 inch round pans (must be 10 inches - its a big cake). Bake for 45 minutes, checking after 30 minutes. Bake only until cake springs back when touched. Cool 15 minutes in the pans on wire racks. Remove from pans and place on racks until completely cool. Bake at 350 F.

Frosting

2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese

2 sticks butter

4 cups powdered sugar

1 T vanilla

12 oz. shredded coconut

2 cups chopped pecans or walnuts

Cream butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add vanilla and powdered sugar. Add coconut and nuts. Chill for 1/2 hour before spreading on completely cooled cake.

Chocolate Bunt Cake

Makes 12 servings

1 Duncan Hines Devils Food Cake Mix

1 (4 oz) instant chocolate pudding

1/2 cup oil

1/2 cup water

4 eggs

2 t vanilla, mint or peppermint

1 (8-oz.) sour cream

1 (12 oz.) chocolate chips

Mix together the cake mix, pudding mix, oil, water, eggs, and flavoring. Add sour cream and chocolate chips. Bake for 40-45 minutes. Bake at 350 F.

Cocoa Layer Cake

yield: Makes 10 servings

active time: 1 hour

total time: 3 hours (includes chilling time)

ingredients: 1/2 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder (spooned into cup to measure, then leveled) 1 cup luke warm water, divided

Ingredients:

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 1/2 cups cake flour (spooned into cups to measure, then leveled)

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

2 large eggs, room temperature, beaten to blend

Frosting:

10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter

1 1/3 cups (packed) golden brown sugar

1 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder

2 teaspoons instant espresso powder

1 cup heavy whipping cream

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Special equipment: 3 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides

preparation:

For cake:
Position 1 rack in top third and 1 rack in bottom third of oven; preheat to 350°F. Butter three 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Line with parchment paper rounds; butter parchment. Whisk cocoa and 1/2 cup warm water in small bowl. Whisk buttermilk and 1/2 cup water in another small bowl. Sift flour, baking soda, and 1/4 teaspoon salt into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat both sugars and butter in large bowl until pale yellow and fluffy (mixture will appear granular), about 5 minutes. With mixer running, gradually add beaten eggs, then beat until smooth and fluffy, about 15 seconds. Add cocoa mixture; beat to blend. Add flour mixture in 3 additions alternately with buttermilk mixture in 2 additions, beating to blend after each addition. Divide batter among pans (about 1 3/4 cups each).

Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, reversing pans halfway through baking, about 18 minutes. Cool completely in pans on racks.

For frosting:
Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in sugar, cocoa, espresso powder, and 1/2 teaspoon (scant) salt. Gradually stir in cream. Stir until mixture is very hot and just begins to simmer at edges. Reduce heat to low; stir 1 minute to let flavors blend. Transfer to medium bowl; stir in vanilla (frosting will resemble chocolate sauce). Chill until just thickened, stirring occasionally, about 1 1/2 hours. Let stand at room temperature.

Run knife around cake sides. Carefully invert 1 cake onto plate (cake is very tender); peel off parchment. Spread with 1/2 cup frosting. Invert second cake onto palm of hand. Position cake 2 inches above frosted cake layer. Carefully slide cake onto first cake layer. Peel off parchment. Spread cake with 1⁄2 cup frosting. Repeat with third cake layer. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome; let stand at room temperature.

Cut into wedges and serve.

Banana Cake

Mischell Shapiro

• 1 1/2 cups bananas, mashed, ripe

• 2 teaspoons lemon juice

• 3 cups flour

• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 3/4 cup butter, softened

• 2 1/8 cups sugar

• 3 large eggs

• 2 teaspoons vanilla

• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk

Frosting

• 1/2 cup butter, softened

• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

• 3 1/2 cups icing sugar

Garnish

• chopped walnuts

Directions:

Prep Time: 15 mins

Total Time: 1 1/4 hr

1. 1 Preheat oven to 275°.

2. 2 Grease and flour a 9 x 13 pan.

3. 3 In a small bowl, mix mashed banana with the lemon juice; set aside.

4. 4 In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.

5. 5 In a large bowl, cream 3/4 cup butter and 2 1/8 cups sugar until light and fluffy.

6. 6 Beat in eggs, one at a time, then stir in 2 tsp vanilla.

7. 7 Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk.

8. 8 Stir in banana mixture.

9. 9 Pour batter into prepared pan and bake in preheated oven for one hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

10. 10 Remove from oven and place directly into the freezer for 45 minutes. This will make the cake very moist.

11. 11 For the frosting, cream the butter and cream cheese until smooth.

12. 12 Beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla.

13. 13 Add icing sugar and beat on low speed until combined, then on high speed until frosting is smooth.

14. 14 Spread on cooled cake.

15. 15 Sprinkle chopped walnuts over top of the frosting, if desired.

Pecan-Praline Powder and Pieces

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Line a large baking sheet with foil; set aside. In a heavy skillet place granulated sugar. Cook over medium heat, shaking skillet occasionally until sugar begins to melt. Do not stir. Reduce heat to low. Stir in chopped pecans, and cook about 3 minutes more or until sugar is golden brown and pecans are toasted, stirring occasionally. Pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet, spreading with a wooden spoon as thin as possible. Cool. Break or chop the cooled praline into 1/4 inch pieces. Set half of it aside. Place remaining broken pieces in a blender or food processor. Cover and process until ground.

Pumpkin-Praline Cheesecake

Makes 12 to 16 servings

Pecan-Praline Powder and pieces

1/3 cup butter

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup flour

3 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 T flour

1 (16 oz.) can pumpkin

1 t vanilla

1/2 t cinnamon

1/2 t ground ginger

1/2 t nutmeg

3 eggs

1 (8 oz.) carton sour cream

1 T sugar

Pecan halves

For crust, in a medium mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium high speed about 30 seconds or until softened. Add the 1/4 cup brown sugar and beat until fluffy. Add the 1 cup flour. Beat on low to medium speed just until combined. Pat dough onto bottom and 1 1/2 inches up the sides of a 9-inch spring form pan. Bake about 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool crust on a wire rack while preparing filling. Bake at 375 F.

For filling, in a large mixing bowl beat cream cheese, the 3/4 cup brown sugar and 2 tablespoons flour with an electric mixer on medium to high speed until combined. Add the pumpkin, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Beat until combined. Add eggs all at once. Beat on low speed just until combined. Stir in the coarsely broken Pecan-Praline pieces, reserving the powder for the topping. Pour filling into the crust-lined spring form pan. Place the spring-form pan in a shallow baking pan on the oven rack. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until center appears nearly set when shaken. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine sour cream and sugar. Spread over top of cheesecake. Remove spring form pan from baking pan. Cool cheesecake in spring form pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Use a small spatula to loosen crust from sides of pan. Cool 30 minutes more. Remove sides of spring form pan. Cool for 1 hour, then cover and chill for at least 4 hours. Jest before serving, sprinkle the Pecan-Praline Powder over sour cream topping in center of cheesecake and garnish with pecan halves, if desired. Bake at 375 F.

Grandma Ebert's Sugar Cookies

Makes about 2 dozen

1 cup sour cream

1 1/2 t baking soda

2 eggs

1 1/2 cup sugar

1 t vanilla

4 cups flour

1 t salt

1 cup Crisco

Add baking soda to sour cream and let bubble. Add egg, vanilla and sugar, Let stand. Mix flour and salt with a pastry blender. Blend in Crisco. Add dry mixture to cream mixture. Roll out to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into shapes and bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Bake at 375 F.

Chocolate Rocky Road Cake with Rocky Road Frosting

Makes 9 servings

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup salad oil

1 square baking chocolate

1/2 cup water

1 cup flour

1 cup minus 2 T sugar

1/2 t salt

1 egg beaten

1/4 cup buttermilk blended with 1/2 t soda

3/4 t vanilla

Grease and flour an 8x8x2 inch baking pan. (9x12 or two 8 inch round pans if doubling.) In a small saucepan over low heat, combine butter, oil, and chocolate. Stir until solids are melted. Add water and stir until smooth and thick. Remove from heat and cool for ten minutes. Sift flour, sugar, and salt together into a large mixing bowl. Add chocolate mixture. Add egg and beat until smooth. Stir in butter milk, soda mixture and vanilla. Pour batter into well-greased baking pan and bake 30 to 35 minutes or until cake tests done. Remove from oven and cool in pan set on a cake rack. Frost with Rocky Road Frosting. Bake at 350 F.

Rocky Road Frosting

1 square baking chocolate

1/4 cup butter

3 T buttermilk

1/2 t vanilla

1 3/4 cups powder sugar

1/3 cup miniature marshmallows or snipped large marshmallows for a chunky look

1/4 cup nuts, coarsely chopped

Melt chocolate and butter over low heat, stirring frequently. Add buttermilk and vanilla. Pour mixture over powdered sugar in mixing bowl. Beat until smooth and of good spreading consistency. Stir in marshmallows and nuts. Spread frosting on cake quickly, making peaks and valleys as you go. Try not to go over what you have already swirled, or you loose the gloss.

Blueberry Honey Ice Cream

4 c fresh or thawed frozen blueberries

2/3 c honey

juice of 1 lime

½ t vanilla

1/8 t salt

4 c heavy cream

Puree blueberries in a blender. Add honey, lime juice, vanilla and salt; blend Stir mixture into cream. Pour into a 4 quart freezer can of ice cream freezer. Freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions

Blueberry Bread Pudding

4 c stale French bread cubes (no crust)

1 c milk

1 c heavy cream

1 c sugar

½ stick melted butter

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1 c frozen or fresh blueberries

1 T vanilla

½ t cinnamon

¼ t nutmeg

Combine all ingredients together in a large bowl. Batter will be very wet. Pour into buttered Pyrex pan. Bake for 45 minutes or until set at 350. Do not cover while baking. Serve with butter sauce and whipped cream with fresh nutmeg.

Butter Sauce

1 c butter

¾ sugar

1 ½ c whipping cream

Heat until sugar dissolves and thickens a little.

“The World’s Best Cookies”

1c butter

1c sugar

1c brown sugar, packed

1 egg

1 c salad oil

1 c rolled oats

1 c crushed corn flakes

½ c shredded coconut

½ c chopped walnuts or pecans

3 ½ c flour

1 t soda

1 t salt

1 t vanilla

Preheat oven to 325. Cream together butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add egg, mixing well, then oil, mixing well. Add oats, corn flakes, coconut, and nuts, stirring well. Add flour, soda and salt. Mix well and form into balls the size of walnuts; place on ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten with a fork dipped in water. Bake for 12 minutes. Allow to cool on cookie sheets for a few minutes before removing. Makes 8 dozen.

Rolo Cookies

2 ½ c flour

2 eggs

¾ c cocoa

1 c chopped pecans

1 t soda

48 Rolos, unwrapped

1 c sugar

1 c packed brown sugar

1 c butter

1 T sugar

2 t. vanilla

4 oz. white chocolate

Heat oven to 375. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. In a small bowl, combine flour, cocoa and baking soda; blend well. In a large bowl, beat sugars and butter until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and eggs; beat well. Add flour mixture and blend well. Stir in ½ cup of the pecans. For each cookie, flour hands and shape about 1 tablespoon of dough around one Rolo, covering completely.

In a small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon sugar with remaining pecans. Press one side of each ball into the pecan mixture. Place the balls two inches apart, nut side up, onto an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 375 for 7 to 10 minutes, or until set and slightly cracked. Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet, then remove cookies to a wire rack. Cool completely.

Meanwhile, melt white chocolate in a small saucepan on low heat, stirring constantly. Drizzle over cooled cookies on wire racks. Makes 4 dozen cookies.

Chocolate Peppermint Bars

Layer #1

2 oz. unsweetened chocolate

½ c butter

2 eggs

1 c sugar

½ c sifted flour

Melt chocolate and butter. Cream eggs and sugar. Add flour and chocolate mixture. Mix well. Bake in 8x8 inch pan at 350 for 20 minutes, then turn off oven and bake 5 more minutes.

Layer #2

1 ½ c powdered sugar

3 T butter

2 to 3 T cream

1 t peppermint extract

Cream sugar and butter. Blend in cream and peppermint. Spread on cooled first layer. Refrigerate until chilled. (Tint red or green if desired.)

Layer #3

3 oz. unsweetened chocolate

3 T butter

Melt chocolate and butter together and pour over peppermint layer. Chill. Cut into small squares.

Chocolate Chunk Brownies

6 ½ T butter

2/3 c sugar

11 oz. semisweet chocolate (divided)

2 ½ t vanilla

2 large eggs

¾ c flour

¼ t baking soda

¼ t salt

Preheat the oven to 350. Lightly grease an 8 inch square baking pan or coat with no-stick spray. Line the pan with foil, letting the foil overhang two opposing sides of the pan by about 2 inches. Grease the foil.

In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the butter, sugar and 2 tablespoons water just to a boil, stirring. Remove from the heat. Coarsely chop 7 oz. of the chocolate and stir into the sugar mixture until completely melted. Let cool to warm. Stir in the vanilla and eggs until well blended.

In a small bowl, thoroughly stir together the flour, soda and salt. Stir the flour mixture into the chocolate mixture just until evenly incorporated. Chop the remaining chocolate into ¼ inch chunks. Stir in the chocolate chunks. Turn out the batter into the baking pan, spreading to the edges.

Bake in the middle of the oven for 22 ot 27 minutes, or until the center is almost firm with tapped and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean sexect for the bottom ¼ inch, which should still look wet. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let stand until the brownie is completely cooled. Refrigerate until well chilled.

Using the overhanging foil as handles, transfer the brownie to a cutting board. Carefully peel off and discard the foil. Using a large, sharp knife, cut the brownie into 16 bars; wipe the knife clean between cuts.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies

½ lb butter

1 ½ c brown sugar, packed

¾ c sugar

2 eggs

2 t vanilla

1 c smooth peanut butter

2 ½ c flour

1 t baking powder

1 t salt

1 lb milk chocolate chunks

Preheat the oven to 350.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butters and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time. Add the vanilla and peanut butte, and mix. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt and add to the batter, mixing only until combined. Fold in the chocolate chunks.

Drop the dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, using a rounded tablespoon. Dampen your hands, flatten the dough lightly, then press the tines of a wet fork in both directions. Bake for exactly 17 minutes. (The cookies will seem underdone.) Do not over bake. Remove form the oven and let cool slightly on the pan, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool.

Apple Cake with Carmel Sauce

5 apples

1 c butter

2 c sugar

2 eggs

2 t baking soda

1 t salt

2 t cinnamon

1 ½ t nutmeg

2 c flour

Preheat oven to 350. Grate apples. In a large bowl, add butter and sugar, beat until fluffy. Add eggs and beat. Add soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and flour, slightly blending. Add apples. Place in a 9x13 pan. Bake for 45 minutes.

Carmel Sauce

½ c butter

1 c brown sugar

¼ t salt

1 t vanilla

½ c evaporated milk

Bring butter, sugar and salt to a boil. Take off heat and add vanilla and milk.

Texas Sheet Cake

Cake

2 c flour

2 c sugar

1 c butter

1 c water

½ c cocoa

½ c buttermilk

2 eggs

1 t baking soda

Mix flour and sugar. Boil butter and water. Add cocoa to butter. Combine ingredients and beat. Add buttermilk, eggs and soda. Pour into greased cooking sheet (10x15x2) and cook at 400 for 20 minutes.

Frosting

½ c butter

6 T cream

¼ c cocoa

3 c powdered sugar

1 t vanilla

Boil butter, cream and cocoa. Cool slightly and add sugar and vanilla. Spread evenly on cake while still slightly warm.

Strawberry and Cream Cake with Cardamon Syrup

Cake

8 large egg yolks 1 ½ c sugar

1 ½ c sugar

¼ c milk

1 t vanilla

½ t lemon zest

1 c flour

½ t salt

4 large egg whites

Syrup

1 ½ c orange juice

¼ c sugar

¾ t ground cardamom

Filling

2 c heavy cream

½ c sour cream

2 T sugar

1 t vanilla

1 ½ lb strawberries, five left whole, the remainder trimmed and cut lengthwise into ¼ inch thick slices

Instructions for cake:

Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 350. Butter cake pans. Line bottom each with a round of parchment paper, then butter parchment paper and dust cake pans with flour, knocking out excess.

Whisk together yolks, 1 cup sugar, milk, vanilla and zest in a large bowl until smooth. Whisk in flour and salt until combined (batter will be thick.)

Beat whites with a pinch of salt in a bowl using an electric mixer at medium high speed until they just hold soft peaks. Add remaining ½ cup sugar, a little at a time, beating at medium speed, and continue to beat until whites hold stiff and glossy peaks, about 2 minutes more.

Fold about 1/3 of whites into batter to lighten, then flod in remaining whites gently but thoroughly

Divide batter among cake pans and bake, switching position of cake pans

halfway through baking, until cakes are springy to the touch and a wooden pick or skewer inserted in the center of each comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks 10 minutes, then invert onto racks. Carefully peel off parchment , then cool cakes completely.

Instructions for Syrup

Bring juice, sugar, and cardamom to a boil in a heavy sauce pan, stirring until sugar is dissolved, then boil until reduced to 1 cup, 6 to 8 minutes. Strain syrup through a fine mesh sieve and cool completely.

Instructions for filling

Beat together cream, sugar, and vanilla until cream just holds stiff peaks.

Assemble Cake

Prick cake layers all over with wooden skewer, then brush or pour syrup, little by little, evenly over each layer, letting syrup be absorbed before adding more.

Transfer one layer, flat side up, to a cake stand, then spread with a rounded cup of cream. Arrange some sliced strawberries in 1 layer over cream. Turn second layer over and spread a thin layer of cream on top, then place it, with the aid of a spatula, cream side down, over layer of strawberries. Continue making layers with cream, strawberries and cake in same manner. Spread top with remaining cream and decorate with remaining strawberries.

Bavarian Apple Torte

Crust

8 butter, softened

1/3 c sugar

¼ t vanilla

1 c flour

Filling

1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened

¼ c sugar

1 egg

½ t vanilla

Topping

½ t cinnamon

1/3 c sugar

4 cups peeled, cored, sliced apples

Preheat oven to 450,

To make crust, cream the butter and sugar. Stir in the vanilla. Add the flour and mix well. Press into the bottom and 2 inches up the sides of a greased spring form pan.

For the filling, combine the cream cheese and sugar. Add the egg and vanilla, mixing well. Spread evenly over the pastry.

Make the topping: in a large mixing bowl, sprinkle the sugar and cinnamon over the apples. Toss well. Spoon the apples over the filling. Bake at 450 for 10 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 400 and bake for 25 minutes longer. Cool before removing from the pan.

Serve with cinnamon ice cream. (Soften vanilla ice cream and mix cinnamon into ice cream. Return to freezer to harden.)