Honey Cake

From: Southern Living cookbook 1992

Ingredients:
1 cup honey
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp instant coffee granules
1/2 cup hot water
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp lemon extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Beat first 4 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer. Combine flour and next three ingredients; gradually add to honey mixture, mixing well.

Dissolve coffee granules in hot water and add to mixture, beating well. Stir in flavorings.

Pour into two greased and floured 9x5x3-inch loafpans.

Combine 1/4 cup sugar, pecans and cinnamon; sprinkle over loaves. Bake at 325 for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool loaves in pans 10 minutes; remove from pans, and let cool on a wire rack.

Verdict: Thumbs up!! First of all, obviously, this is not my picture. Apparently I forgot to take pictures of my finished project. This cake was SO good. I ate it for dessert and breakfast until it was gone. #noshame  It was still really good left over. And sometimes I warmed it in the microwave and melted butter on top. I will DEFINITELY make this again.

Chocolatetown Special Cake

From: 100 Best Brand Name Recipes cookbook

Ingredients:
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 cup boiling water
2/3 cup shortening
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 1/4 cups AP flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/3 cups buttermilk or sour milk

Frosting:
6 Tbsp butter, softened
2 2/3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
4-6 Tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.

Stir together cocoa and water in small bowl until smooth.

Beat shortening, sugar and vanilla in large bowl until fluffy. Add eggs; beat well. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; add to shortening mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating until well blended. Add cocoa mixture; beat well. Pour batter into prepared pans.

Bake 35-40 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost with buttercream frosting.

For frosting:
Beat butter in medium bowl. Add powdered sugar and cocoa alternately with milk, beating to spreading consistency. Stir in vanilla. Makes about 2 cups frosting.

Verdict:
Thumbs up! I love homemade cake. They are cheaper than box mixes (really!) and I usually have everything on hand already so I save a trip to the store. This recipe is delicious! It's so easy I'll definitely be making it again.

*P.S. It says "You're a beast" because I was celebrating Stephen completing a Spartan Beast race!*   

Chocolate Pudding Cake

From: Spend With Pennies

Ingredients:
3/4 cup AP flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
2/3 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 Tbsp vegetable oil

Topping:
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 1/4 cups hot water

Preheat oven to 350 F. In a 2-quart casserole dish, combine flour, white sugar, cocoa powder and baking powder. Add milk and oil and vanilla. Stir until well mixed. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, cocoa powder and chocolate chips. Sprinkle over cake batter. DO NOT STIR. Pour hot water over top.

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the top looks cooked. Serve warm.

 
Verdict:
Thumbs up - if you like chocolate! This one-dish recipe is actually very cool. The dish creates the pudding sauce when you pour the hot water on top. The only thing about this recipe is it is very chocolate-y. I'm not a huge chocolate fan so it was a little overwhelming to me. My daughter and husband loved it though. Plus, it really doesn't get any easier than this, so I recommend this recipe!

Chocolate Protein Mug Cake

From: Recapture Fitness

Ingredients:
1 scoop protein powder (chocolate)
2 tsp coconut flour (I used white-wheat)
1/4 tsp baking powder
sweetener of choice (I added two packets of Great Value no calorie sweetner; their version of Splenda)
2 tsp unsweetened cocoa (I did not add this)
2 egg whites
1 tsp coconut oil
1 Tbsp almond milk (I used 1% milk)
1/2 tsp vanilla

Mix all ingredients together well in mug.  Cook mug in microwave for 45-60 sec.

Verdict:
Thumbs up! The website I got the recipe from added a peanut butter fluff to the top. I added Smuckers caramel topping because - YUM! I also overcooked it so it was a little dry but the caramel topping made up for that!

Nutrition info: (based on my ingredients)
Calories: 205
Carbs: 10g
Fat: 7g
Protein: 24g

Red Velvet Cake Roll

From: Hallee the Homemaker

Ingredients:
Cake:
½ tsp Kosher salt
1 tsp baking powder
¼ cup cocoa powder
¾ cup cake flour, sifted
4 eggs
¾ cup sugar
1 Tbsp oil
2 Tbsp buttermilk
1 tsp vinegar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp red food coloring
Shortening or butter to grease pan
Flour to flour pan
Powdered sugar

Filling:
8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
6 Tbsp butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease jelly roll pan. Line pan with waxed paper. Grease and flour the waxed paper.

Sift together salt, baking powder, cocoa powder, and cake flour; set aside. Beat the eggs for five minutes. Slowly add sugar and oil. Beat until combined. Add buttermilk, vinegar, vanilla and red food coloring. Stir in flour mixture until combined. Spread evenly into prepared pan. Bake in 350°F 13 to 15 minutes or until top of cake springs back when touched.

Meanwhile, liberally dust the kitchen towel with powdered sugar. As soon as you remove the cake from the oven, flip it over onto the prepared towel. Carefully peel off wax paper. Roll up cake and towel together long-ways (so that you have a 15-inch long roll). Cool, seam side down, on wire rack.

While it’s cooling, beat the filling ingredients together until smooth. Carefully unroll the cooled cake and spread with the filling. Roll  back up, without the towel. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Slice and serve.

Verdict:
Thumbs up! I am such a sucker for cake rolls. They usually look pretty impressive (not by my pictures, but just go with it) but they are incredibly simple. I love red velvet cake but I find they often have way too much icing. This was perfect because you have such a great cake-to-icing ratio. It was such a delicious flavor and so easy to make. I'd definitely make it again. 

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Snack Cake

From: Buns in My Oven

Ingredients:
One box yellow cake mix
1/2 cup peanut butter
eggs, as called for on box
melted butter, to replace oil as called for on box
milk, to replace the water as called for on box
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Add all of the ingredients, except for the chocolate chips to a large mixing bowl or stand mixer and mix until well combined. Stir in the chocolate chips. Pour batter into greased 13x9 pan and bake as directed on the box.

Verdict:
Thumbs up! Yummy and incredibly easy. Just the kind of quick dessert I like!

Family-Size Strawberry Shortcake

From: An old index card

Ingredients:
1 package white cake mix
1 1/2 quarts fresh strawberries
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare cake according to package directions. Grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans; pour batter into pans. Bake cakes until done. Cool completely on wire racks.

Reserve 8-10 large strawberries for garnish. Slice remaining strawberries, place in a medium bowl. Sprinkle with granulated sugar. Mash slightly with potato masher. Chill until ready to assemble cake, at least 30 minutes.

Beat whipping cream in a medium bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form. Add confectioners' sugar and vanilla; continue beating until just mixed.

Place one cake layer on serving plate. Cover with mashed strawberries. Top with about 1 1/2 cups whipped cream. Place second cake layer on top. Spread with remaining whipped cream. Garnish with reserved strawberries.

 Mash:

 Pour:

 Spread:

 Cheese:

 Taste test and approve:

Verdict:
Thumbs up! I've had this recipe for probably almost a decade. It was spotted by my four-year old two days ago and she begged me to make it, so we did! It is SO easy and it is delicious. Seriously going to be making this again. 

Rainbow Poke Cake

From: Something Swanky

Ingredients:

• 1 white cake box mix + ingredients listed on box (or make your own batter from scratch
• Food Color Gel
• 1 - 8 oz tub Cool Whip
• 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
• 15 golden Oreos, crumbled

 

1. Mix the cake batter according to the directions on the box. Divide the batter into six bowls (it comes out to a heaping 1/2 cup per bowl).
2. Dye each bowl of batter a different color (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple).
3. Pour each bowl of batter into a well greased 9x9 cake dish. Don't try to marble or swirl the batter. Just pour each one right into the center of the dish, one on top of the other.
4. Bake according to the directions on the box, approximately 45 minutes. Toothpick inserted should come out clean. Let cool completely.
5. Poke holes evenly throughout the cake (roughly 20 holes). Pour the sweetened condensed milk over top of the cake, trying to fill the holes as much as possible.
6. Spread the cool whip over top of the cake. Sprinkle the Oreo crumbs on top.Cover and chill for at least 4 hours, overnight is really best.

 Verdict:
Thumbs up! Made this as a fun cake for my Dad's 60th birthday this year. It was delicious!!

Paula Deen's Chocolate Chip Ooey Gooey Butter Cake

From: Here

Ingredients:
Cake base layer:
1 (18.25-ounce) box yellow cake mix
1 egg
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted 

Filling layer:
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 (16-ounce) box confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted 

Topping:
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine cake mix, egg, and butter and mix well. Pat into the bottom of prepared pan and set aside. Still using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth; add eggs and vanilla. Dump in confectioners' sugar and beat well. Reduce speed of mixer and slowly pour in butter. Mix well.

Pour filling onto cake mixture and spread evenly. Sprinkle 1 cup chocolate chips and 1 cup chopped nuts on top of filling. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Don't be afraid to make a judgment call on the cooking time, because oven temperatures can vary. You want the center to be a little gooey.

Verdict:
I've said it before and I'll say it again. Anything that involves cake mix, lots of butter, and chocolate, is okay in my book. This was a great cake recipe. Not too sweet, so you can eat a lot at once. But definitely satisfying to your sweet tooth! I would love to throw in some butterscotch chips next time, or chocolate and peanut butter chips together. Yum! A great, versatile recipe that is super easy to make.

Cherry Swirl Coffee Cake

From: Betty Crocker

Ingredients:
4 cups Bisquick
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp almond extract
3 eggs
1 can (21 oz) cherry pie filling

Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 to 2 Tbsp milk

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottom and sides of 1 (15x10x1-inch) pan or 2 (9-inch) square pans with shortening or cooking spray. In large bowl, stir all coffee cake ingredients except pie filling; beat vigorously with spoon 30 seconds.

Spread two-thirds of the batter (about 2 1/2 cups) in 15x10-inch pan or one-third of the batter (about 1 1/4 cups) in each square pan. Spread pie filling over batter (filling may not cover batter completely). Drop remaining batter by tablespoonfuls onto pie filling.  

Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until light brown. Meanwhile, in small bowl, stir glaze ingredients until smooth and thin enough to drizzle. Drizzle glaze over warm coffee cake. Serve warm or cool. 

Verdict:
Thumbs up. This was yummy and really easy to make, but isn't going to be a regular dessert around here. I have similar recipes I prefer over this one. It was good though, and I wouldn't tell you not to at least try it.

Strawberry Cake Roll

 From: Here


Ingredients:
4 eggs
¾ cup sugar
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon water
About 10 strawberries (add more to taste)
2 cups heavy cream

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 17x11x1 inch pan and line with parchment paper.

2. Beat the eggs. Add the sugar while beating.

2. In a little bowl, sift the flour and the baking powder. Reserve.

3. After beating for 2-3 minutes, slowly add the flour and baking powder and mix with a spoon. When the batter is homogeneous, add the water. Combine slowly.

4. Pour the batter on the pan and spread evenly with a spatula.

5. Bake for about 10 minutes. Don’t over bake because it will be hard to roll.

6. While the cake is baking, whip the heavy cream. You can add sugar to taste, but it’s very good without it! Cut the strawberries into little pieces and mix with the heavy cream. Refrigerate.

7. Lay a waxed paper on your counter (or a clean kitchen towel). As soon as your cake is out of the oven take out the cake from the pan with the parchment paper, turn over on the waxed paper and remove the parchment paper, roll with the paper and let cool. 

8. When the cake is completely cool, unroll then spread the heavy cream with the strawberries on the cake. Roll again and you’re done!

Verdict:
Thumbs up!! I am starting to love cake rolls! This was super easy and very delicious! At first I thought it was a bit plain but within just a couple of bites it really grew on me! This cake lasted less than 12 hours after it was made, if that tells you anything.

I do recommend putting sugar in the whipping cream as you're making it. It just wasn't quite sweet enough on it's own, I thought. Also, in the original instructions you can see that she tells you to whip the cream, refrigerate it, and then you would end up putting it on the cake a couple of hours later. I didn't do that. I whipped it and then spread it on immediately. It still tasted the same, but I didn't give it time to thicken. I realized this later in the evening when I sliced a piece of cake and used some of my refrigerated leftover whipped cream. It was so much thicker than it had been earlier. As you can see I also topped mine with blueberries from our bushes! The mixture of strawberries and blueberries - delicious!

I definitely recommend this recipe to ANYONE. Totally yummy and I will certainly be making this again! By the way, I didn't use fresh strawberries. I had some frozen from last summer and used those. They were perfectly fine!

Chocolate Cake

From: Betty Crocker cookbook (2005 Breast Cancer Edition)

Ingredients:
3/4 cup butter, softened
3 eggs
2 cups AP flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups milk

Allow butter and eggs to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Lightly grease cake pans or a 13x9 baking sheet. Lightly flour bottom and sides of pans. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl beat butter for 30 seconds. Gradually add sugar, about 1/4 cup at a time, beating for 3-4 minutes. Scrape sides of bowl; continue beating for 2 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating after each addition. Beat in vanilla.

Alternately add flour mixture and milk to butter mixture, beating on low speed until just combined. Beat for 20 seconds more. Spread batter evenly into prepared pans.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 35-40 minutes for 8-inch pans and 13x9 pan, 30-35 minutes for 9-inch pans, or until a wooden toothpick comes out clean. Cool cake for 10 minutes before removing.

Verdict:
Thumbs up! I needed a chocolate cake in a hurry so I chose the simplest recipe I could find! We had an incident with a child playing too close to the cake with a balloon as you can see....  Anyway, the cake was great - I think. I only got a small taste but since there wasn't a drop left at the end of the night I consider this recipe a success! Delicious and I would definitely make this again in the future!!

Another favorite chocolate cake recipe of mine

And this moist one that I love

Salted Caramel Lava Cake

From: Here

Ingredients:
4 oz semi-sweet baking chocolate squares
4 oz butter (1 stick)
1/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
Butter for greasing ramekins
6-8 caramel squares
Sea salt or rock salt
Cocoa powder for dusting ramekins (optional)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Butter the ramekins. Dust with cocoa powder (optional). Cut each caramel square into a few smaller pieces and press some salt onto them and set aside. If you leave them whole they might not melt all the way through.
Microwave the chocolate squares and butter for one minute in a large bowl. The chocolate will not have completely melted at this point. Whisk till the chocolate and butter combine.
Add the sugar and mix it in.
Whisk in the eggs and incorporate.
Stir in the flour. Work the flour in gently to combine. 
Divide batter among the 4 ramekins.
Gently push the salted caramel bits into the batter covering them.
Place ramekins on a cookie sheet and bake between 10-14 minutes. The cake is ready when it has a domed appearance, the center is a little moist and the edges of the cake, dry and firm.                                                                                                                                                                                                        Remove from the oven, insert a knife and go around the cake, invert onto serving plates, garnish with salt and serve. 

 I do realize that looks like egg yolk inside the chocolate... it's not.


What I did differently from the recipe:
Nothing. I have ramekins from a creme brulee kit so I was able to use those.

What I'll do differently next time:
I'm not sure...

Verdict:
Actually... neutral. I'm not a huge fan of baking chocolate - it's never quite sweet enough for me. I didn't put in enough caramel for my tastes (I'm addicted to caramel) so I would have liked more of that. Have you ever had one of the Betty Crocker Warm Delights? That's the taste I was expecting. If you don't eat these right away the caramel starts to harden and then it's all in your teeth and everything... it just didn't reach my expectations. But hey, if you try it and love it will you let me know? Maybe I can tweak this into a recipe I will love! :)

Blueberry Upside-Down Cake

From: Taste of Home  

Ingredients:
6 Tbsp butter, softened, divided
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 cups fresh blueberries
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups cake flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup milk

In a small saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons butter; stir in brown sugar. Spread into an ungreased 8-inch baking dish. Arrange blueberries in a single layer over brown sugar mixture; set aside. In a large mixing bowl, cream remaining butter; beat in sugar. Add egg and vanilla; mix well. Combine flour and baking powder; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk. Carefully pour over blueberries. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until done. Immediately invert onto a serving platter. Cool. Serve with whipped topping if desired. 

What I did differently from this recipe:
Nothing.

What I'll do differently next time:
Nothing.

Verdict:
Thumbs up! Oh, what a yummy and simple dessert! Great for using those blueberries I froze from last summer! Now, I have made something very similar to this in the past. I don't remember what that recipe tasted like exactly (although I gave it a thumbs up too!) but I think I like the berries being on top instead of on the bottom of the cake. I highly recommend you try this recipe! Great for dessert and breakfast! :)







 

Lemon Cake

From: Kraft Food & Family magazine


Ingredients:
1 package lemon cake mix
2 packages Jell-O lemon instant pudding
1 1/2 cups cold milk
1 tub (8 oz) cool whip

Prepare and bake cake mix as directed on package for 2 round cake layers (either 8 or 9 inch). Cool completely. Beat pudding mixes and milk with whisk for 2 minutes. Immediately spread over tops of cake layers. Stack cake layers. Frost with cool whip. Keep refrigerated.

What I did differently from the recipe:
Nothing.

What I'll do differently next time:
Nothing.

Verdict:
Thumbs up!! You can't get any easier than this, and this cake was delicious! Definitely recommend it!!

Cherry-Fudge Cake

From: Southern Living

Ingredients:
1 package devil's food cake mix
1 (21 oz) can cherry pie filling
2 eggs
1 tsp almond extract
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup milk
5 Tbsp butter
1 cup semisweet chocolate morsels

Preheat oven to 350. Beat first 4 ingredients at low speed with mix 20 seconds; increase speed to medium, and beat 1 minute. Pour batter into a greased and floured 13x9 pan. Bake at 350 for 27-30 minutes or until done. Bring sugar, milk, and butter to a boil in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally; boil 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in chocolate morsels until melted and smooth. Quickly spread frosting over warm cake. Cool completely.

What I did differently from the recipe:
Nothing.

What I'll do differently next time:
Nothing.

Verdict:
Thumbs up! Very delicious, easy to make, and got better over the three days it took for us to eat it!

Caramel Apple Pudding Cake

From: Better Homes and Gardens cookbook

Ingredients:
2 cups thinly sliced, peeled tart cooking apples, such as Granny Smith or Rome Beauty
3 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 cup raisins or cherries
1 cup flour
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup milk
2 Tbsp butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
3/4 cup caramel ice cream topping
1/2 cup water
1 Tbsp butter

Grease a 2-quart square baking dish. Arrange apple slices in the bottom of dish; sprinkle with lemon juice, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Top evenly with raisins.

In a large bowl combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and baking soda. Add milk, the 2 tablespoons melted butter, and vanilla; mix well. Stir in pecans. Spread the batter evenly over the apple mixture. In a small saucepan combine the caramel topping, water, and the one tablespoon butter; bring to boiling. Pour mixture over batter in baking dish. Bake in a 350 oven about 35 minutes or until center is set. While warm, spoon cake, apples, and caramel mixture from bottom of dish into dessert bowls, If desired, serve with ice cream.

What I did differently from the recipe:
Did not use "cooking" apples. I only used a palm-full of pecans because I don't really like pecans.

What I'll do differently next time:
I think I would make less of the caramel mixture that you pour over the cake. It made a TON and did make it a little soupy. Probably half of that would suffice.

Verdict:
Thumbs up! Oh, this smelled so good coming out of the oven. When will someone invent a way to put smells on computers!? It was delicious. The "soupy" part did not bother me one bit. It is definitely sweet, but man it was good!

Caramel Apple Pudding Cake

Ingredients:
2 cups thinly sliced, peeled tart cooking apples, such as Granny Smith or Rome Beauty
3 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 cup raisins or cherries
1 cup flour
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup milk
2 Tbsp butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
3/4 cup caramel ice cream topping
1/2 cup water
1 Tbsp butter

Grease a 2-quart square baking dish. Arrange apple slices in the bottom of dish; sprinkle with lemon juice, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Top evenly with raisins. In a large bowl combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and baking soda. Add milk, the 2 tablespoons melted butter, and vanilla; mix well. Stir in pecans. Spread the batter evenly over the apple mixture. In a small saucepan combine the caramel topping, water, and the one tablespoon butter; bring to boiling. Pour mixture over batter in baking dish. Bake in a 350 oven about 35 minutes or until center is set. While warm, spoon cake, apples, and caramel mixture from bottom of dish into dessert bowls, If desired, serve with ice cream.

Apple Pudding Cake

From: Southern Living

Ingredients:
1 medium-size Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and finely chopped
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 cups just-add-water pancake-and-waffle mix
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup milk
3 Tbsp butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups apple juice





Preheat oven to 350. Toss chopped apples with lemon juice in a medium bowl. Add brown sugar, stirring well to coat. Whisk together pancake-and-waffle mix, granulated sugar, and cinnamon in a medium bowl; stir in milk, cutter, and vanilla. Fold apple mixture and any accumulated juices into batter. Spread into a lightly grased 8-inch square pan. Microwave apple juice in a 2-cup glass measuring cup at High 2 to 3 minutes or until boiling. Using a spoon, gently drizzle hot apple juice over batter in pan. Some batter may float once juice is added. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes or until a cake layer forms on top and layer springs back when touched. Let cool on a wire rack 25 minutes. Serve with ice cream if desired.

What I did differently from the recipe:

I didn't use a Granny Smith apple. Also, I microwaved 2 cups of apple juice but I only used about 1/4 or 1/3 cup. It just seemed very weird to drizzle two whole cups of juice in this small little pan.

What I'll do differently next time:

Nothing.

Verdict:

Thumbs up!! Very soft and moist. So delicious and so easy! A recipe for when you need something in a hurry. I have a feeling this is one of those that is better the second day as well.

Lemon-Blueberry Bundt Cake

From: All You

Ingredients:
3 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 sticks butter, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
2 tsp grated lemon zest
4 large eggs, at room temperature
2 cups blueberries

GLAZE:
2 cups confectioners sugar
1 Tbsp buttermilk
2-4 Tbsp lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a Bundt pan with melted butter, add a few tablespoons of flour and rotate pan to evenly coat, tapping out excess. Sift 3 cups flour with baking powder and salt into a large bowl. In a small bowl, combine lemon juice, vanilla and buttermilk. In a second large bowl, beat butter, sugar and lemon zest until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Add about 1/4 of flour mixture, followed by 1/4 of buttermilk mixture, mixing just until incorporated. Repeat, alternating dry and liquid ingredients, until batter is thoroughly combined. Gently fold in blueberries. Transfer batter to pan, spreading evenly. Bake until a tester inserted into center of cake comes out clean, about 1 hour. Let cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then unmold cake.

Make glaze: Mix confectioners' sugar, buttermilk, and 2 Tbsp lemon juice in a bowl, stirring until smooth. Glaze should be pourable; if it's too thick, add lemon juice, 1 tsp at a time, until it reaches desired consistency. Pour half of glaze over warm cake. Let cool for 1 hour, then pour remaining glaze over cake and serve.

What I did differently from the recipe:
I used regular milk instead of buttermilk. I normally make my own buttermilk with milk + lemon juice but I ran out of lemon juice. I totally skipped the glaze, and I used loaf pans instead of a bundt pan.

What I'll do differently next time:
Nothing.

Verdict:
Thumbs up! Very good recipe. For some reason all of my blueberries sank to the bottom of the loaf pans but as long as you can taste them in every bite I have no problem. :)

Printable version:

Ingredients:
3 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 sticks butter, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
2 tsp grated lemon zest
4 large eggs, at room temperature
2 cups blueberries

GLAZE:
2 cups confectioners sugar
1 Tbsp buttermilk
2-4 Tbsp lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a Bundt pan with melted butter, add a few tablespoons of flour and rotate pan to evenly coat, tapping out excess. Sift 3 cups flour with baking powder and salt into a large bowl. In a small bowl, combine lemon juice, vanilla and buttermilk. In a second large bowl, beat butter, sugar and lemon zest until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Add about 1/4 of flour mixture, followed by 1/4 of buttermilk mixture, mixing just until incorporated. Repeat, alternating dry and liquid ingredients, until batter is thoroughly combined. Gently fold in blueberries. Transfer batter to pan, spreading evenly. Bake until a tester inserted into center of cake comes out clean, about 1 hour. Let cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then unmold cake. Make glaze: Mix confectioners' sugar, buttermilk, and 2 Tbsp lemon juice in a bowl, stirring until smooth. Glaze should be pourable; if it's too thick, add lemon juice, 1 tsp at a time, until it reaches desired consistency. Pour half of glaze over warm cake. Let cool for 1 hour, then pour remaining glaze over cake and serve.

Plum Cake with Cinnamon Streusel

From: Sandhills Farm to Table newsletter

Ingredients:
8-10 small red plums, very ripe
3/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups yogurt
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp nutmeg
3 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder

Cinnamon Streusel
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup flour

Glaze
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup milk
1-2 cups powdered sugar

Heat oven to 350 and grease a 9x13 baking pan. Halve and pit the plums. Cut into quarters. Cream the butter and sugar. Beat in the eggs until lightened and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla and yogurt. Sift in the nutmeg, flour, salt, baking soda and powder. Beat until smooth.

Pour half the batter into the pan and smooth it out. Stick half the plum quarters cut side down in a pattern. Pour the other half of the batter over the plums, and layer the rest of the plums on top.

Mix the butter, brown sugar, flour and cinnamon until crumbly and sprinkle over plums.

Bake for about 60 minutes or until a knife comes out clean. Let cool for 15 minutes.

Whisk the milk, lemon juice and sugar together until it is a thin but spreadable consistency. Drizzle over cake. Serve warm but not hot.

What I did differently from the recipe:
I didn't have plain yogurt (I assume that's what the recipe calls for) so I used vanilla yogurt of Brianna's. Trust me, it didn't matter.

What I'll do differently next time:
Nothing.

Verdict:
Thumbs up! I love dessert/breakfast items. Mine was a bit dry because I overcooked it by a few minutes but a microwave and butter fixed that problem right up! That was totally my fault; well, Brianna's fault really, but it's hard to mess this recipe up!

Printable version:

Ingredients:
8-10 small red plums, very ripe
3/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups yogurt
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp nutmeg
3 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder

Cinnamon Streusel
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup flour

Glaze
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup milk
1-2 cups powdered sugar

Heat oven to 350 and grease a 9x13 baking pan. Halve and pit the plums. Cut into quarters. Cream the butter and sugar. Beat in the eggs until lightened and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla and yogurt. Sift in the nutmeg, flour, salt, baking soda and powder. Beat until smooth.

Pour half the batter into the pan and smooth it out. Stick half the plum quarters cut side down in a pattern. Pour the other half of the batter over the plums, and layer the rest of the plums on top.

Mix the butter, brown sugar, flour and cinnamon until crumbly and sprinkle over plums.

Bake for about 60 minutes or until a knife comes out clean. Let cool for 15 minutes.

Whisk the milk, lemon juice and sugar together until it is a thin but spreadable consistency. Drizzle over cake. Serve warm but not hot.