Category Archives: Desserts

Oatmeal Cake with Caramel Icing

20 Servings Prep. 30 Min. Bake:  20 Min. + Cooling
    Ingredients

  1. 1-1/4 cups boiling water
  2. 1 cup quick-cooking oats
  3. 1/4 cup butter, softened
  4. 1 cup packed brown sugar
  5. 1/2 cup sugar
  6. 2 eggs
  7. 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
  8. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  9. 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  10. 2 teaspoons baking powder
  11. 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  12. 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  13. 1/2 teaspoon salt
  14. 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  15.  

  16. ICING:
  17. 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
  18. 1/4 cup butter, cubed
  19. 1/4 cup fat-free milk
  20. 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  21. 1/8 teaspoon salt
  22. 1-1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
  23.  

    Directions

  24. In a small bowl, pour boiling water over oats; let stand for 10 minutes.
  25. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat butter and sugars until crumbly, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in applesauce and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and nutmeg. Gradually add to creamed mixture. Stir in the oats. Pour into a 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan coated with cooking spray.
  26. Bake at 350° for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with moist crumbs. Cool completely on a wire rack.
  27. For icing, in a small saucepan, combine brown sugar and butter. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook and stir for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk. Return to a boil. Cook and stir 1 minute longer. Transfer to a small bowl. Stir in vanilla and salt. Gradually beat in confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Immediately spread icing over cake. Let stand until set. Yield: 20 servings.

 

Apple Fruit Bread

16 Servings Prep: 10 Min. Bake : 50 Min.
    Ingredients

  1. 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  2. 3/4 cup sugar
  3. 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  4. 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  5. 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  6. 1/4 teaspoon salt
  7. 1 egg, lightly beaten
  8. 1/3 cup apple juice
  9. 1 large tart apple, peeled and coarsely chopped
  10. 1/4 cup raisins
  11. 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
  12. 1/4 cup maraschino cherries, halved
  13. Directions

  14. In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt. Combine egg and apple juice; stir into dry ingredients. Fold in apple, raisins, walnuts and cherries. Transfer to a greased 8-in. x 4-in. loaf pan.
  15. Bake at 350° for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Yield: 1 loaf.

 

Fudgy Chocolate-Chip Toffee Bars

 

I really am feeling the Christmas baking mood coming on…..

 

What you’ll need:

1/2 cup Butter, melted

2 cups graham cracker crumbs (32 squares)

1 bag (8 oz) Heath® Bits ‘O Brickle® toffee bits (1 1/2 cups)

1 roll (16.5 oz) refrigerated chocolate chip cookies

1 bag (12 oz) semi-sweet chocolate baking chips (2 cups)

1 can (14 oz) Sweetened Condensed Milk

1 tablespoon Butter

1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract

What you’ll do:

Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Spray bottom only of 13×9-inch pan with Cooking Spray. Pull out cookie dough from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes. Melt 1/2 cup of butter in microwave. In medium bowl, stir the melted butter, 1 1/2 cups of the cracker crumbs and 3/4 cup of the toffee bits. Press mixture evenly in bottom of pan. Refrigerate about 15 minutes or until firm.

 

In a saucepan, heat chocolate chips, milk and 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat, stirring frequently, until chips are melted and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Spread the mixture over cracker crust.

 

In another medium bowl, break up cookie dough. Mix in remaining 1/2 cup cracker crumbs with a spoon until well blended. Crumble the mixture evenly over chocolate layer. Sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup toffee bits. Bake 25 to 35 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely, about 2 hours. If you like a firmer bar, refrigerate for about 30 minutes. Cut into squares.

 

Chocolate Eclair Squares

16 Servings   Prep/Total Time: 15 Min. + Cooling

Ingredients:

2 packages (3.45 ounces each) vanilla instant pudding

2 cups cold milk

8 ounces whipped topping, thawed

64 vanilla wafers

2 squares semi-sweet chocolate

 

Directions:

Beat pudding mix and milk in large bowl with whisk 2 minutes. Stir in whipped topping.

 

Arrange 16 wafers on bottom of 8-inch square dish; cover with 1/3 pudding mixture. Repeat layers twice. Top with remaining wafers. Refrigerate 4 hours.

 

Microwave chocolate on high 1 minute, or until melted when stirred. Drizzle over dessert. Makes 16 servings.

— Kraftrecipes.com

 

Tomato Soup Cake

8 Servings Prep/Total Time: 40 Min.

Here is the recipe for this unusual cake. Note that there are no eggs in it. The instructions have been edited a bit for clarification and by checking with similar recipes.

Ingredients:

1 can tomato soup

1 teaspoon baking soda

5 tablespoons butter

1 cup sugar

2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon cloves

1 teaspoon nutmeg

3 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 cup raisins

Nuts

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a tube pan, 10-inch Bundt pan or two 8-inch round pans.

 

In a small bowl, combine soup and baking soda. Let sit.

 

In a large bowl, cream butter with an electric mixer, then add sugar and cream thoroughly.

 

Sift together flour, spices and baking powder. Add to soup.

 

Add to creamed butter mixture and combine until incorporated.

 

Sift a little flour over raisins and nuts, and add to the mixture. (The flour will help keep them from sinking down into the batter.)

 

Pour into pan/s: Bake 40 minutes in the tube pan, 60 minutes in the Bundt pan and 30 to 45 minutes in the 8-inch round pans, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

 

Frosting: Combine 2 packages of cream cheese, 2 teaspoons butter, 2 cups confectioner’s sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Mix together thoroughly and spread on cooled cake.

 

 

 

S’more Bars

     

    Prep: 20 Min. Bake: 25 Min. + Cooling

    Ingredients

  1. 1/2 cup butter, softened
  2. 3/4 cup sugar
  3. 1 egg
  4. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  5. 1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
  6. 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
  7. 1 teaspoon baking powder
  8. 1/8 teaspoon salt
  9. 5 milk chocolate candy bars (1.55 ounces each)
  10. 1 cup marshmallow creme
  11. Directions

  12. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine the flour, cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Set aside 1/2 cup for topping.
  13. Press remaining mixture into a greased 9-in. square baking pan. Place candy bars over crust; spread with marshmallow creme. Crumble remaining graham cracker mixture over top.
  14. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars. Store in an airtight container. Yield: 1-1/2 dozen.

 

Cream Puff Cake

 

Prep: 25 Min. Bake: 25 Min. + chilling

 

    Ingredients

  1. 1 cup water
  2. 1/2 cup butter, cubed
  3. 1 cup all-purpose flour
  4. 4 eggs
  5. FILLING:
  6. 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
  7. 2-1/2 cups 2% milk
  8. 3 packages (3.3 ounces each) instant white chocolate or vanilla pudding mix
  9. 1 carton (8 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed
  10. Directions

  11. In a large saucepan, bring water and butter to a boil. Add flour all at once and stir until a smooth ball forms. Remove from the heat; let stand for 5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue beating until smooth and shiny.
  12. Transfer to a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Bake at 400° for 22-26 minutes or until puffed and golden brown. Cool completely on a wire rack.
  13. For filling, in a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, milk and pudding mixes until smooth. Spread over the crust; refrigerate for 20 minutes. Spread with whipped topping. Chill until serving. Yield: 15 servings.
  14.  

 

 

Peanut Squares

An old time favorite to make your mouth water.  My husband’s Aunt Marilyn was famous for these.

 

 

 

Prep. Time 20 Min.   Bake Time 30 Min.

 

    Ingredients 

  1. 1 (18.25 ounce) package white cake mix
  2. 4 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
  3. 1/8 teaspoon salt
  4. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  5. 7 tablespoons milk
  6. 1 (16 ounce) jar lightly salted dry-roasted peanuts, finely chopped
  7.  

    Directions

  8. Mix and bake cake according to package directions, using a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking pan. Cool. Cut into 24 squares; set aside.
  9. In a medium bowl, combine sugar and salt. Add vanilla and enough milk to make a thin frosting. Frost top and sides of squares and immediately roll in peanuts. Place on wire racks to harden.

 

 

Buttery Blueberry Cobbler

I thought I was done but found a more reasonably sized recipe, so here goes….

 

 

Prep. 15 Min./ Bake 40 Min.

     

    Ingredients

  1. 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
  2. 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  3. 1-1/2 cups sugar, divided
  4. 1/2 cup butter, cubed
  5. 1 cup all-purpose flour
  6. 2 teaspoons baking powder
  7. 1/2 teaspoon salt
  8. 3/4 cup milk
  9. 1 egg, lightly beaten
  10. Whipped cream or whipped topping
  11. Directions

  12. In a saucepan, combine the berries, lemon juice and 1/2 cup sugar. Bring to a boil; remove from the heat. Set aside. Place butter in a 11-in. x 7-in. baking dish; melt butter in a 350° oven.
  13. In a small bowl, combine the remaining sugar with flour, baking powder, salt, milk and egg. Pour over melted butter. Do not stir. Spoon reserved berry mixture over batter. Do not stir.
  14. Bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown. Serve at room temperature with whipped cream or whipped topping. Yield: about 10-12 servings.