Cakes & Cupcakes (From Scratch)

Moist Chocolate Cake

Sift together:
6 Tbsp Cocoa
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
3 tsp baking soda
Dash of salt

Add:
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup cold water

Mix well. Pour into greased and floured 9x13 or 2 round cake pans. Bake at 350 for 30 to 35 minutes. For cupcakes, decrease baking time to 15-20 minutes.

Carrot Cake/Cupcakes

Ingredients:
1 cup white sugar
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
2 cups finely shredded carrots
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
4 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup raisins (optional)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, combine the first 7 ingredients. Add carrots, oil, eggs, and vanilla, beating for 2-3 minutes on medium. Stir in raisins and nuts. Pour into greased and floured pans. For 9x13, bake for 50-60 minutes. For 2 - 9" rounds, bake for 40 minutes. For cupcakes, make for 18-20 minutes. Frost with cream cheese frosting (included below). Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Cream Cheese Frosting

8oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 tsp vanilla
3 cups powdered sugar

In a large bowl, mix together cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until smooth. Spread over cooled cake.


Lemon Cupcakes

1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp lemon zest
1 tsp vanilla
3 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups sour cream

Directions:

In a mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add lemon zest and vanilla; mix well. Combine dry ingredients, add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream until smooth. Batter will be thick.

Pour into greased muffin cups - fill about half-way. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Cool for at least 1o minutes. Spread with lemon frosting (below).

Lemon Frosting

3 Tbsp butter
2 1/4 cup powdered sugar
2 Tbsp lemon juice
3/4 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp lemon zest
1 Tbsp milk

Cream butter and sugar in small mixing bowl. Add lemon juice, vanilla, lemon zest, and milk; beat until smooth. Frost cupcakes!

Strawberry Cake

Ingredients:
1 white cake mix
1 - 3oz pkg strawberry jello
3/4 box (10oz) frozen strawberries, thawed
Scant 1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup water
4 eggs

Directions:
Mix cake, jellow, strawberries, oil, and water. Beat well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each egg. Pour into 3 greased and floured 9-inch round cake pans (or 9 x 13 inch cake pan) and bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes for round pans; 35-40 minutes for 9 x 13. Cake is done when toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Whencool, frost with Strawberry Icing (see below).

Strawberry Icing
1 lb powdered sugar
1/4 box frozen strawberries, thawed
1/2 stick butter, softened

Blend softened butter and powdered sugar. Add frozen strawberries and blend well.

Frozen Raspberry Dessert

1 quart vanilla ice cream
1 quart raspberry sherbet
1 cup raspberries (fresh or frozen)
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Allow ice cream/sherbet to soften a bit. Mix all ingredients together and serve immediately. If using frozen raspberries, they need to thaw since they don't mix in when frozen. Freeze any leftovers. Easy and delicious!

Dirt Cake

Ingredients:
1 20 oz pkg Oreo cookies, crushed in blender
8 oz cream cheese
1/2 cup margarine
1 cup powdered sugar
2 packages (4 oz) vanilla pudding
3 1/3 cup milk
12 oz cool whip

Directions:
Cream together cream cheese, margarine and powdered sugar. In separate bowl, mix pudding and milk, let set for 5 min until thick, add to cream cheese mixture. Then fold in cool whip. In 8 inch flower pot layer oreo cookie crumbs and pudding mixture 2-3 times, top with more crushed cookies. Refridgerate over night, add silk flower and garnish with gummy worms. Serve with trowel.

Easy Apple Crisp

INGREDIENTS:

10 cups thinly sliced apples
1 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ cup water
1 cup quick-cooking oats
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup butter, melted


DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the sliced apples in a 9x13 inch pan. Mix the white sugar, 1 Tbsp flour, and ground cinnamon together, and sprinkle over apples. Pour water evenly over all.
Combine the oats, 1 cup flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and melted butter together. Crumble evenly over the apple mixture.

Bake at 350 degrees F for about 45 minutes.