Strawberry cheesecake

1/3 cup oats
1/3 cup almond milk
1/3 cup vanilla carb masters yogurt (any greek yogurt would work)
1/3 cup low fat cottage cheese
1/2 fresh cut strawberries
1 TB of chia seeds
1 TB of strawberry sugar free jam
Splenda pack, cinnamon, nutmeg and touches of ginger + salt

In the morning I threw in...
1 TB of vanilla protein powder
1 TB of ground flax
1 TB of dark chocolate chips

What I got was an awesome set of oats with the flavor of strawberry cheescake (+dark chocolate).   I think the flax and the other spices combined nicely to make the graham cracker crust flavor without having to add an actual cracker.  That makes the calories around 400...with generalizations made...

(http://fatboysnacks.blogspot.com/)

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Mocha Marble Cake with Choc Coffee Beans

For the mocha marble cake:
115g (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for greasing
220g (1 3/4 cups) cake flour (not self-rising, I used 190g plain flour + 30g (3 1/2 tbsp) cornstarch as per these instructions)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
225g (1 cup) sugar (I used caster sugar)
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2/3 cup buttermilk, room temperature
1/4 cup boiling water + 1 tsp instant coffee granules (or 1/4 cup freshly brewed coffee)
1/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder

For the mocha icing:
250g salted butter (or unsalted butter + 1/4 tsp salt)
575g (about 4.5 cups) icing sugar , sifted
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp instant coffee granules
1 tsp cocoa powder
Optional: Chocolate covered roasted coffee beans to decorate (I got mine from Captain Coffee)

Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F), grease and line the base of two 18cm round cake tins with baking paper. (You can also use a 20cm tin but the layers will be thinner, I used one 18cm tin and baked one layer after the other) Sift flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl and use a whisk to combine, set aside. Place butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl and beat on high with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. With the mixer on medium speed, add eggs one at a time until combined, scraping down the sides of a bowl with a spatula when needed. Add vanilla and beat again until combined. Add flour mixture in 2 batches, alternating with the buttermilk and beginning and ending with the flour. Place 1/3 of the mixture in a separate bowl.

In a small bowl, mix the cocoa, instant coffee granules and 1/4 cup of boiling water, whisking until it is smooth. Gently mix into the separated bowl of cake batter until combined. Spoon half the vanilla batter and half the mocha batter into the prepared cake tin, and the other half of each batter into the other prepared tin, alternating spoonfuls of vanilla and mocha to simulate a checkerboard. Run a table knife through the batter in each tin to create a swirl effect. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of each cake comes out clean. Cool in tin for 10 minutes and then remove from tin and cool completely on a wire rack. Cakes can be made the night before assembly, wrapped in clingfilm and chilled.

Prepare the mocha icing; remove the salted butter from the fridge 30 mins before starting. Place butter in a large mixing bowl and beat on high with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Place milk, coffee granules and cocoa in a small bowl and whisk until dissolved (I zapped the bowl in the microwave for 15 secs to help it dissolve faster) I use a food processor to get the lumps out of my icing sugar, to save me a lot of sifting. With the mixer on low, gradually add icing sugar until combined, then increase speed and gradually add coffee mixture. Beat on high until fluffy and well-combined. You may need to add more sifted icing sugar if your icing is too runny. It should be smooth and fluffy, easy to spread but stiff enough to hold its shape.

Assemble your cake; if the cakes are slightly domed in the centre you can use a long serrated knife to level the tops of the cake. Place one cake layer on your cake stand and use a spatula to smooth a decent layer of icing over the top of it. Sandwich other cake layer on top and then crumb coat the whole cake with more icing. Chill in the fridge for at least 15 minutes to set the crumb coat. Cover whole cake evenly with the rest of the icing, using an offset spatula to smooth the surface (regularly running the spatula until hot water will help with smoothing it). Decorate the top of the cake with chocolate covered coffee beans. Chill for at least another 30 minutes before serving. Can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for several days.

(http://www.raspberricupcakes.com/)

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Red velvet cake

Ingredients

For the cake:
2½ cups cake flour
1½ cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1½ cups vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons (1 oz.) red food coloring
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar

For the frosting:
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter room temperature
3 cups confectioner’s sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

For the cake:
Preheat oven to 350°.

Sift together flour, sugar, baking soda, cocoa, and salt into a medium bowl.

Beat eggs, oil, buttermilk, food coloring, vanilla, and vinegar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until well combined. Add dry ingredients and beat until smooth, about 2 minutes.

Divide batter evenly between 3 greased and floured 8×2″ round cake pans. Or, I used (1) 8×2″ and (1) 8×3″ which I split into two layers.

Bake cakes, rotating halfway through, until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean, 25-30 minutes. Let cakes cool 5 minutes, then invert each onto a plate, then invert again onto a cooling rack. Let cakes cool completely.

For the frosting: (Adapted from Smitten Kitchen, yield ~ 6 cups of frosting)
Place cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl. With a handheld electric mixer, beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add sugar and vanilla. Beat, on low speed to combine. If too soft, chill until slightly stiff, about 10 minutes, before using.

Put 1 cake layer on a cake plate, level off with a serrated knife, and spread one-quarter of the frosting on top. Set another layer on top, level, and repeat frosting. Set remaining layer on top, level, and frost top and sides with the remaining frosting.

Chill for 2 hours to set frosting.

(http://www.blissfullydelicious.com/)

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Black Forest Ice Cream Cake

Ingredients:



1 (19.6-ounce) frozen chocolate layer cake, cut into 14 even slices (Do not thaw)

1 quart black cherry ice cream, slightly softened

1 (16-ounce) jar hot fudge sauce, divided, reserving 2 tablespoons for drizzling

1 (8-ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

12 maraschino or fresh cherries



Instructions :

Place half the cake slices in an 8- x 8-inch baking dish, arranging to fit tightly. Spread ice cream evenly over cake. Spoon half the hot fudge sauce over ice cream and top with remaining cake slices. Spoon remaining hot fudge sauce over cake then top with whipped topping.

Cover with plastic wrap and freeze 3 to 4 hours, or overnight.

Remove from freezer 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Warm reserved hot fudge sauce, drizzle over cake, and garnish with cherries.

(www.mrfood.com)

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Cream Pound Cake

Easy to cook and perfect for all the occasions, Chocolate Cream Cakes fills the entire event with sweetness, enjoyed by everyone. Layered with cocoa powder and sour cream, scrumptious cream emerges out with melted white chocolate.

Ingredients-

For Cake-

1 1/2 cup(s) all-purpose flour
Baking spray
1 cup(s) sugar
1/3 cup(s) unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon(s) baking soda
1/4 teaspoon(s) salt
3/4 cup(s) sour cream
1/3 cup(s) canola oil
1 large egg
1 1/2 teaspoon(s) cider vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract

For Filling-

1/2 teaspoon(s) unflavored gelatin
1 1/2 tablespoon(s) cold water
2 ounce(s) white chocolate, finely chopped
3/4 cup(s) heavy cream

For Glaze-

6 ounce(s) bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup(s) heavy cream
2 tablespoon(s) light corn syrup
2 ounce(s) white chocolate, for decoration, finely chopped

Preparation-

Preheat oven up to 350 degrees F. Coat the baking spray over 4 nonstick individual spring form pans. Combine flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, and salt in one bowl. Whisk sour cream, oil, egg, vinegar, and vanilla; stir in flour mixture in the second bowl. Spread it into the prepared pans and bake for 28 minutes. Let the pans stand cools down on a wire rack 5 minutes. Remove edges and bottoms of pans. Let it cool completely.

Over water, spread gelatin in a small saucepan and let it stand for 1 minute to become softer. Tenderly heat over low heat, stir it, until gelatin becomes clearer by getting dissolved. Add white chocolate; stir until melted and mixture gets smoother. Stir mixture into heavy cream in a medium bowl; cool into refrigerator for 15 minutes. Blend with a mixer on high until stiff peaks form. Transfer filling to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain tip.

Slice cakes open from sides with a knife as if to cut into 2 even layers but stopping three quarters of the way. Indulge some prepared filling into the middle of each cake. Press cakes together; over a jelly-roll pan, place on a wire rack set.

Take bittersweet chocolate in a small bowl. Bring cream and corn syrup to a boil in a 2-cup glass as in measure in the microwave. Spoon the chocolate and let stand for 2 minutes while whisking it. Spoon the glaze over cakes, refrigerate to set glaze.

Decoration:

Place white chocolate into a 1-quart re-sealable food-storage bag; seal bag. Put bag in a bowl of very hot tap water. Let stand 5 minutes to melt it down. Snip off one corner of the bag; Sprinkle melted chocolate over top of cakes. Refrigerate to set.

(www.yotrythis.com)

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Lemon drop cake

Ingredients

1box Betty Crocker™ SuperMoist™ lemon cake mix
Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box
1cup powdered sugar
1/4cup fresh lemon juice (1 large lemon)
1container Betty Crocker™ Rich & Creamy lemon frosting
Lemon drop candies, crushed, if desired

Directions

Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Line two 8-inch square pans with foil, letting foil hang 2 inches over 2 opposite sides of pans. Grease or spray bottoms and sides of foil.
Make cake batter as directed on box. Pour into pans. Bake 25 to 32 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes.
In small bowl, mix powdered sugar and lemon juice. Poke top of warm cake every 1/2 inch with long-tined fork, wiping fork occasionally to reduce sticking. Drizzle and spread lemon mixture over top of cake. Refrigerate about 2 hours or until chilled. Remove cakes from pans by lifting with foil; peel away foil.
In small microwavable bowl, microwave frosting uncovered on High 15 seconds. On serving plate, place 1 cake, rounded side down; trim if necessary so layer rests flat. Spread with half of frosting. Top with second cake, rounded side up. Frost top of cake with remaining frosting. Garnish with lemon drop candies. Store loosely covered.

(www.tablespooon.com)

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Chocolate-Toffee Ice Cream Squares

Ingredients

1  roll (16.5 oz) Pillsbury™ refrigerated sugar cookies
3/4  cup chocolate-coated toffee bits
1 1/2cups whipping cream
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 quart (4 cups) chocolate ice cream, slightly softened
1jar (11.75 oz) hot fudge topping (1 1/4 cups), room temperature

Steps

1 Heat oven to 350°F. Cut cookie dough into 1/2-inch slices. In bottom of ungreased 13×9-inch pan, arrange slices. With floured fingers, press dough evenly in pan to form crust. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the toffee bits over dough.
2 Bake 15 to 19 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool completely, about 45 minutes.
3 In small bowl, beat whipping cream and powdered sugar until soft peaks form. Set aside.
4 Spoon ice cream over crust; spread evenly. Spoon ice cream topping by teaspoonfuls onto ice cream; carefully spread evenly. Carefully spread whipped cream over topping. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup toffee bits. Freeze 1 1/2 hours or until firm. For squares, cut into 5 rows by 3 rows. Store in freezer.

(www.pillsbury.com)

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Vanilla Cake with Strawberry Cream Frosting Recipe

BEST. CAKE. and FROSTING. EVER. It’s like strawberry shortcake but better. I just can’t say enough about this recipe.

Ingredients

Frosting -

2 8-oz packages of cream cheese, room temperature (I used low-fat)

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

4 cups powdered sugar

½ cup seedless strawberry jam

¾ cup chilled heavy whipping cream

Cake -

3 cups cake flour

¾ tsp salt

½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

3 cups sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

7 large eggs

2 TBSP vanilla extract

1 cup sour cream (I used low fat)

6 TBSP plus ⅓ cup seedless strawberry jam

2¼ lbs strawberries, hulled, sliced (about 6 cups), divided

Instructions

FROSTING: Put a small/medium bowl in the freezer to chill. In a separate large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Beat in sugar, then jam. Remove that chilled bowl from the freezer and beat cream in that chilled bowl until peaks form. Fold whipped cream into frosting. Cover; chill for a couple of hours until it’s firm enough to spread. (If you are in a hurry, you could put the frosting in the freezer to chill quickly.)

CAKE: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter and flour two 9-inch cake pans with 2-inch high sides. (I used 10″ cheesecake pans – aka springform pans – because they were the only round pans I had with high enough sides and they worked great!) In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Add sour cream, and beat for 30 seconds. Add flour mixture in three additions, beating to blend after each addition. Divide batter into prepared pans.

Bake cake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 50-60 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes. Run a sharp knife around the edges of the pans, then turn cakes out onto a rack to cool completely. I threw the two cake layers in the freezer for about an hour to make the cake assembly easier.

Using a serrated knife, divide each layer in half horizontally. Place one half, cake side down, on a cake plate.

Spread 3 TBSP of strawberry jam over the cake, then spread ¾ c of the frosting over the jam. Arrange ¾ c of the sliced strawberries on top of the frosting in a single layer. Repeat two more times with cake layer, jam, frosting, and strawberries.

Top with remaining cake layer, cut side down. Spread two cups of frosting over the top and sides of the cake in a thin layer, then frost with remaining frosting. Stir remaining jam to loosen, then spoon teaspoonfuls onto the top and sides of the cake. Use the back of a spoon to swirl jam decoratively into the frosting. This recipe makes a very big 4-layer cake that will feed a lot of people. It says it has 12 servings but I definitely think it feeds even more!

(http://www.treatmentwithherbs.com/)

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No-Bake Banana Split Dessert

INGREDIENTS:

For the Crust:

2 cups graham cracker crumbs

½ cup unsalted butter, melted

For the Cream Cheese Layer:

12 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

¼ cup granulated sugar

8 ounces COOL WHIP Whipped Topping

For the Fruit & Toppings:

3 to 4 bananas, sliced

1 (20-ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained well

16 ounces strawberries, hulled, and sliced

8 ounces COOL WHIP Whipped Topping

½ cup walnuts, chopped

Chocolate syrup

Maraschino cherries

DIRECTIONS:

1. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish; set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs and melted butter, stirring until all of the crumbs are

evenly moistened. Dump the crumbs into the prepared pan and press into an even layer. Refrigerate while you

prepare the next layer.

3. In a medium bowl, mix together the cream cheese and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3

minutes. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the COOL WHIP until thoroughly combined. Spread the cream cheese mixture

on top of the graham cracker crust.

4. Arrange the banana slices in a single layer on top of the cream cheese filling, top with an even layer of the

crushed pineapple, and then an even layer of the sliced strawberries.

5. Cover with the COOL WHIP, smoothing the top. Sprinkle with the chopped walnuts, then drizzle with chocolate

syrup and top with maraschino cherries. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight.

(http://www.browneyedbaker.com)

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Hot Fudge Brownie Cheesecake

Ingredients

One good quality brownie mix, mixed according to box directions.

3 pkg. (8 oz. each) Cream Cheese, softened

1/2 cup Sour Cream

3/4 cup Sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

3 eggs

Whipped cream or vanilla buttercream (I use buttercream because it holds it shape longer)

Cherries

Slices almonds toasted

Hot fudge

Instructions

Mix brownie mix according to directions on box and pour into a greased 9 inch springform pan.

Beat cream cheese, 3/4 cup sugar and 1 tsp. vanilla in large bowl until well blended. Add sour cream; mix well.

Add 3 eggs, one at a time, until blended. Pour over brownie layer in pan.

Bake at 325 for 55 min. to 1 hour or until center is almost set. Run knife around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool

before removing rim of pan. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.

Top with slightly warmed hot fudge, whipped cream or butter cream, toasted almonds and of course a cherry on

top!

(http://www.lifewiththecrustcutoff.com)

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Chocolate Layer Cake

Ingredients-

Cake Layers

2 cup(s) all-purpose flour
1 cup(s) unsweetened cocoa
1 1/2 teaspoon(s) baking soda
1/4 teaspoon(s) salt
3/4 cup(s) (1 1/2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
1 cup(s) packed brown sugar
1 cup(s) granulated sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup(s) low-fat buttermilk

Frosting

1/3 cup(s) unsweetened cocoa
1/3 cup(s) boiling water
1 cup(s) (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
2 tablespoon(s) confectioners’ sugar
12ounce(s) semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled



Preparation-

To prepare cake layers:

Preheat oven up to 350°F. Take three 8-inches round cake pans and grease them. Line bottoms of the pans with grease paper. Dust pans with flour.
Take another sheet of grease paper, combine flour, baking soda, cocoa, and salt on it. With mixer at low speed in a large bowl, beat brown and granulated sugars with buttertill it gets blended. Gradually enhance the speed to high; beat 5 minutes or until light pale and fuzzy, scrape the bowl with rubber spatula often. Now reduce speed to medium-low; add eggs, 1 each at a time, beat completely after each addition. Now add vanilla and blend it as well. Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk, grind until batter is smoothbeginning and ending with flour mixture, scrape the bowl with rubber spatula.
Spoon batter into the prepared pans. If necessary place the 2 pans on upper rack and 1 on lower rack, so that top pans are not directly above bottom one. Bake it for 22 to 25 minutes or till the toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out easily. Keep the pans on wire racks for 10 minutes to cool it down. With small knife, softens the layers from the edges of pans. Carefully uncover and discard grease paper; cool down it completely, for another 45 minutes. Bring to room temperature before frosting cake.

Meanwhile, prepare frosting:

In small bowl, mix cocoa powder and boiling water, stir it till it becomes smooth. Beat butter and confectioners’ sugar 5 minutes or until fluffy at a medium low speed. Reduce speed to medium-low and combine melted chocolate, then cocoa mixture, beating till it gets smooth while scraping bowl with rubber spatula. Refrigerate until just stiff enough to spread.

Assemble cake:

Place 1 cake layer bottom side up on plate of cake; spread with 1/3 cup frosting.
Top with second layer, bottom side up; spread with 1/3 cup frosting.
Place remaining layer bottom side up on top. Spread remaining frosting over sides and top of cake.

(www.yotrythis.com)

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Baileys cheesecake

An intense layer of coffee jelly perfects this creamy cheesecake.

Ingredients

11g pack powdered gelatine, plus 1 tsp
175g shortcake biscuits, crushed to crumbs
85g butter, melted
250g tub Quark
250g tub mascarpone
150ml Baileys cream liqueur
142ml pot double cream, lightly whipped
2 eggs
140g caster sugar

For the coffee jelly

1 heaped tsp powdered gelatine
150ml strong black coffee
2 tbsp caster sugar, to sweeten the coffee

Method

Measure 5 tbsp cold water in a small bowl, then sprinkle over the gelatine and leave to soak for 5 mins until spongy. Now stand the bowl of gelatine in a pan of gently simmering water and leave until it turns clear. Meanwhile, mix the biscuit crumbs and butter really well, then press on the base of a loose-bottomed 20cm cake tin. Chill.
Beat the quark, mascarpone and Baileys together, then stir in the gelatine and fold in the cream.
Whisk the eggs and sugar in a bowl until thick, pale and foamy, then fold into the cheesecake mixture and pour onto the biscuit base. Chill for 3-4 hrs or until set.
For the jelly, sprinkle the gelatine over the coffee, then put the bowl in a pan of gently simmering water until dissolved. Cool the mixture. When cold, carefully spoon the coffee mixture on top of the cheesecake to make a thin layer – don’t pour it on or you will disturb the creamy layer. Chill until set. Will keep in the fridge for 2 days.
To serve the cheesecake, wrap a hot tea towel round the outside of the tin, then gently ease out the cake. Serve in thin slices.

(www.bbcgoodfood.com)

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Chocolate Cream Cakes

These individual cakes satisfy a sweet tooth with their decadent chocolate cream.

Ingredients

Cakes

1 1/2 cup(s) all-purpose flour
Baking spray
1 cup(s) sugar
1/3 cup(s) unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon(s) baking soda
1/4 teaspoon(s) salt
3/4 cup(s) sour cream
1/3 cup(s) canola oil
1 large egg
1 1/2 teaspoon(s) cider vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract

Filling

1/2 teaspoon(s) unflavored gelatin
1 1/2 tablespoon(s) cold water
2 ounce(s) white chocolate, finely chopped
3/4 cup(s) heavy cream

Glaze

6 ounce(s) bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup(s) heavy cream
2 tablespoon(s) light corn syrup
2 ounce(s) white chocolate, for decoration, finely chopped

Directions

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat 4 (4- to 4 1/2-inch) nonstick individual springform pans with baking spray. In a bowl, mix flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. In a second bowl, whisk sour cream, oil, egg, vinegar, and vanilla; stir in flour mixture. Spread in prepared pans. Bake 28 minutes. Let cool in pans on wire rack 5 minutes. Invert cakes onto wire rack; remove sides and bottoms of pans. Cool completely.
Sprinkle gelatin over water in a small saucepan; let stand 1 minute to soften. Gently heat over low heat, stirring, until gelatin dissolves and is clear. Add white chocolate; stir until melted and mixture is smooth. Stir mixture into heavy cream in a medium bowl; chill 15 minutes. Beat with a handheld mixer on high until stiff peaks form. Transfer filling to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain tip.
With a knife, slice cakes open from sides, as if to cut into 2 even layers but stopping three quarters of the way. Pipe some filling into the middle of each cake. Press cakes together; place on a wire rack set over a jelly-roll pan.
Put bittersweet chocolate in a small bowl. Bring cream and corn syrup to a boil in a 2-cup glass measure in the microwave. Pour over chocolate. Let stand 2 minutes; whisk until smooth. Spoon the glaze over cakes, letting excess run off into the jelly-roll pan. Refrigerate to set glaze.
Decoration: Put white chocolate into a 1-quart resealable food-storage bag; seal bag. Place bag in a bowl of very hot tap water. Let stand 5 minutes until melted. Snip off one corner of the bag; drizzle melted chocolate over top of cakes. Refrigerate to set.

(www.delish.com)

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Black Forest

Ingredients

225g/8oz butter, softened, plus extra for greasing

225g/8oz caster sugar

160g/5½oz self-raising flour

65g/2¼oz cocoa powder

½ tsp baking powder

4 medium eggs

Filling and decoration

340g/11¾oz jar of morello cherry jam

2 x 80g/2¾oz packs of sweetened dried sour cherries

2–3 tbsp Kirsch

100ml/3½fl oz cherry brandy (ideally morello cherry brandy)

500ml/18fl oz double cream

50g/2oz dark chocolate, coarsely grated

fresh cherries, to decorate

Preparation method

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C/375F/Gas 5. Grease 2 x 20cm/8 in loose-based sandwich tins and line the bases with

baking parchment.

2. Put the butter, sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and eggs into a food processor and blend until smooth and

thick. You may need push the mixture down from the sides a couple of times to make sure the mixture is well

blended.

3. Divide the batter between the prepared cake tins and spread it out evenly with a rubber spatula.

4. Bake for 22–25 minutes or until the cakes are nicely risen and just beginning to shrink away from the sides of the tins.

Remove them from the oven and cool for 5 minutes before turning out on to a wire rack. Take off the lining paper and

leave the cakes to cool.

5. When the cakes are cold, cut them in half, horizontally, with a long-bladed serrated knife. Take care to keep the knife

parallel to the work surface, to get a good even cut. Place the cakes back on the wire rack or a board, cut sides up.

6. For the filling, put the jam in a saucepan with the sour cherries and Kirsch and place over a low heat. Bring to a gentle

simmer and cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring, until the jam has melted and the cherries are beginning to swell. Leave to

cool for 15 minutes.

7. Sprinkle the cherry brandy over the chocolate sponges, then spread three of them with the sour cherry mixture and

leave to cool. Make sure that the sponge without the cherry topping is from the top half of a cake.

8. Whip 300ml/10fl oz of the cream with an electric hand-whisk until soft peaks form.

9. Transfer one of the sponges (with the cherry topping) very carefully to a cake stand or plate – slide a cake tin base

under the sponge to help you. Using a couple of pudding spoons, dollop about a third of the whipped cream gently on

top of the cherry mixture. There is no need to spread it out, but try to keep the spoonfuls evenly spaced over the cake.

Sprinkle with a little of the grated chocolate.

10. Top with another sponge and repeat the layers twice more. You should end up with three layers of sponge, cherries,

cream and chocolate. Place the final sponge on top, with its top surface facing upwards.

11. Whip the remaining 200ml/8fl oz of the cream with an electric hand-whisk until soft peaks form.

12. Using the flat side of a palette knife, spread about three tablespoons of the cream over the top of the cake, taking it all

the way to the edge. Spoon the remaining cream into a piping bag fitted with a large, plain nozzle and pipe rosettes

around the edge of the cake. Tip almost all the remaining grated chocolate into the centre and sprinkle the rest over

the rosettes.

13. Decorate with fresh cherries if you have some. Keep the cake cool or chill until ready to serve.

14. It’s best to eat it the same day as it is made – how could you resist? – but if you need to make the cake in advance,

chill it in the fridge for up to 24 hours and allow to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.

(www.bbc.co.uk/food)

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Chocolate and cranberry roulade

Ingredients :

For the roulade
5 free-range egg whites
110g/4oz icing sugar, plus 1 tbsp for the filling
40g/1½oz caster sugar
2 tsp cornflour, sieved
1 tbsp cocoa powder
400ml/14fl oz double cream
1 vanilla pod, split, seeds scraped out
150ml/5fl oz raspberries, puréed
200g/7oz dried cranberries

To serve
icing sugar
cocoa powder
raspberries
chocolate sauce

Preparation method :

1. Preheat the oven to 150C/300F/Gas 2. Grease and line a 33cm x28cm/15in x11in Swiss roll tin with silicone or

greaseproof paper.

2. Place the egg whites into a bowl and whisk until soft peaks form when the whisk is removed from the bowl. Gradually

add the sugars until stiff peaks forms and the mixture is glossy. Whisk in the cornflour and cocoa until well combined.

3. Spoon the mixture into the tin and gently smooth the surface with a palette knife. Bake in the oven for one hour. Test

by pushing a skewer into the centre of the cake. If the skewer comes out clean, the cake is ready.

4. Whisk the whipped cream, icing sugar and vanilla seeds in a bowl until soft peaks form when the whisk is removed.

5. Dust a large piece of greaseproof paper with icing sugar.

6. Turn the roulade out onto the paper and peel off the lining paper. Trim the two long edges.

7. Spoon over the raspberry purée, then the cream and finally the cranberries. Roll up using the sheet of greaseproof

paper to help you lift the meringue. Place the roulade onto a plate and dust with the icing sugar and cocoa powder.

8. To serve, slice the roulade into thick pieces and serve with the raspberries and chocolate sauce.

(www.bbc.co.uk/food)

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Make a typical Danish sponge cake

Sponge cake
Makes one 8" cake to serve 12

4 large eggs (250 grams egg in total)
165 grams sugar
120 grams flour
30 grams cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
60 grams melted, cooled butter

Start by melting and cooling the butter. Preheat the oven to 190 C (375 F). Prepare an 8" round pan by brushing it with melted butter. Use a springform with removable bottom. This will help you assemble the cake later on.

Beat eggs and sugar on medium-high speed for several minutes until sugar is completely dissolved and a thick mousse has formed. When you drop a ribbon of batter from the beaters, it should be visible for about 30 seconds. This is very important!
Add the sifted flour and cocoa in 3 parts and gently fold into the eggs. Use a large slotted spoon or a large whisk for this, taking care not to overmix and deflate the batter. Add the butter with the last flour.

Immediatly pour into the pan and bake for about 35 minutes, depending on your oven. Do not open the oven door the first 20 minutes, or your cake might fall. Test with a toothpick to see if its done, and let it cool a bit in the pan before flipping it out on a rack to cool completely.

While it cools, you can make the strawberry mousse.

Strawberry mousse
500 grams strawberries (frozen, thawed strawberries are best)
100 grams sugar
½ vanilla bean
4 gelatin sheets

250 ml heavy cream

Heat the strawberries, the sugar and the vanilla bean gently in a saucepan. Let it simmer until the berries are mushy, about 10 minutes. Remove the vanilla bean, split it and scrape the seeds into the pan. With an immersion blender, puree the strawberries. Remove from heat.
Soak the gelatin sheets for around 10 minutes and shake off excess water. Melt the sheets in the warm strawberry puree. Stir until they have melted completely and let the puree cool to room temp. Put it in the fridge for faster cooling, but be careful that it doesn't set.
Whip the cream to stiff peaks and fold into the strawberries. The mousse is ready to fill into the cake now.

With a large serrated knife, split the sponge into 3 thin layers (about ½ inch). Put the bottom layer into the springform. The cake will be assembled upside down. Spread half the strawberry filling on top of the cake. Add another layer and spread the other half of the filling on top of it. Top with the third and last layer. Make sure the cake is level. Wrap everything in plastic wrap and refridgerate overnight or at least 5 hours. The gelatin will set and make the cake stable.

Take the cake out of the fridge and remove the plastic wrap. Run a spatula along the edge to loosen the cake from the springform. Place a cake board on top and flip the whole thing over. Don't worry, this cake is light as a feather. Remove the springform and you now have a perfect sponge cake. Unfortunately the filling smeared a bit and is hiding the middle layer on the photo, but if you look closely you can see it's there.

For the glaze mix 1 eggwhite with as much powdered sugar as it takes to make a thick glaze. It should be runny enough to flatten in about 10 seconds, but not so runny that you can see the cake through it. Thin with water if needed.
If you have a favorite cookie glaze, by all means use it. It's the same thing.
Take a few tablespoons of the glaze and tint it red. Put it in a piping bag with a #3 tip. Spread the white glaze over the top of the cake. With the red glaze, pipe a spiral on top. It should flatten out and "merge" with the white glaze if you have the right consistency.
To make the spiderweb pattern: Mark 10 or 12 points on the cake. Draw lines with a knife from the edge to the middle. Between these lines, drag the knife from the middle to the edge. Easy!

Beat 100 ml heavy cream with 2 tbsp powdered sugar and a bit of vanilla to make creme chantilly. Put it in a piping bag with a 1M star tip and pipe large rosettes all the way around the edge. Place a rosette in the middle. The cake is now ready to eat.
It is highly perishable and must be kept in the fridge, where it will last 2 days max.

(http://sugarteachers.blogspot.com/)

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The Best Banana Pudding

Ingredients

Original recipe makes 20 servings

•  1 (5 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
•  2 cups cold milk
•  1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
•  1 tablespoon vanilla extract
•  1 (12 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
•  1 (16 ounce) package vanilla wafers
•  14 bananas, sliced

Directions

In a large mixing bowl, beat pudding mix and milk 2 minutes. Blend in condensed milk until smooth. Stir in vanilla and fold in whipped topping. Layer wafers, bananas and pudding mixture in a glass serving bowl. Chill until serving.

(http://allrecipes.com/)

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Buffet Pancake Dippers Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 recipe of the Bisquick pancake batter including the ingredients to make the batter
• 12 slices center cut bacon
• lite syrup

Instructions

Cook bacon and set aside.

Mix batter according to the package directions.

Pour into a squeeze bottle with a big enough hole for the batter to pour from. I used a cheap picnic ketchup bottle. You know the tall skinny red ones. They also come in yellow for mustard.

I cut the tip bigger.

Heat griddle. I heat mine to 300 degrees.

Squirt batter in a long oval shape a little longer and wider then the bacon and place a slice of cooked bacon in the center.

Lightly press bacon into the batter.

Squeeze more batter over the bacon. I just did a wiggle line.

This is to protect the bacon from the griddle when you turn that pancake dipper over.

Cook until the batter starts to bubble then turn over and cook a few minutes longer.

Serve syrup in 4 ounce wide mouth mason jars.

Notes

This recipe is from Lady Behind The Curtain (http://www.ladybehindthecurtain.com/)

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Strawberries and Cream Angel Food Cake Roll

Ingredients:

For the Cake:

• 9 egg whites
• 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• ¾ teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• ¾ cup cake flour
• 1 tablespoon powdered sugar

For the Filling:

• 2 cups heavy whipping cream, chilled
• 6 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups diced strawberries

Powdered sugar, for dusting top of cake (optional)
Directions:

1. Place the egg whites in a large mixing bowl; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, line a 15×10-inch baking pan with waxed paper; lightly coat paper with cooking spray and set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

3. Add vanilla and cream of tartar to egg whites; beat on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, on high until stiff glossy peaks form and sugar is dissolved. Fold in flour, ¼ cup at a time.

4. Carefully spread batter into prepared pan. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Cool for 5 minutes.

5. Dust a clean kitchen towel with 1 tablespoon powdered sugar. Turn the cake out onto the kitchen towel. Gently peel off waxed paper. Roll up cake in the towel jelly-roll style, starting with a short side. Cool completely on a wire rack.

4. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, beat the cream on medium speed until it begins to thicken. Add powdered sugar and vanilla; increase the speed to medium-high and beat until soft peaks form. Gently fold in the strawberries. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

5. Unroll cooled cake; spread filling to within ½-inch of edges (you will have some filling leftover). Roll up again. Place seam side down on a serving plate; sprinkle with additional powdered sugar, if desired. Serve with any leftover strawberries and cream filling. Store leftovers, covered with plastic wrap, in the refrigerator.


(browneyedbaker.com)

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Brown Butter Pumpkin Layer Cake

For the purée

• 2 tsp. vegetable oil
• 1 medium-large Sugar Pie pumpkin, cut in half from stem to bottom and seeded

TIP:

You can substitute canned pumpkin purée for homemade, if you like.

For the cake

• 6 oz. (3/4 cup) unsalted butter; more for the pans
• 9 oz. (2 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour; more for the pans
• 1-1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1-1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp. ground ginger
• 3/4 tsp. table salt
• 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
• 1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/3 cup buttermilk

For the topping

• 1-1/2 Tbs. unsalted butter
• 2/3 cup pecans
• 1/2 cup unsalted, raw, hulled pepitas
• 2 Tbs. firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp. table salt
• 1-1/2 Tbs. chopped crystallized ginger

For the frosting

• 4 oz. (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
• 8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 5 oz. (1-1/4 cups) confectioners’ sugar

Make the pumpkin purée
Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. Brush a 9x13-inch baking dish with the oil. Put the pumpkin halves in the dish cut side down and bake until tender when pierced with a fork, about 45 minutes. Let cool. Peel the pumpkin and purée the flesh in a food processor until smooth. You’ll need 1-1/2 cups of the purée for the cake. Refrigerate or freeze any remaining purée for another use.

Make the cake
Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F.

Butter and flour two 9-inch round cake pans with removable bottoms (or butter two 9-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment, butter the parchment, and flour the pans).

Melt the butter in a heavy-duty 1-quart saucepan over medium heat. Cook, swirling the pan occasionally until the butter turns a nutty golden-brown, about 4 minutes. Pour into a small bowl and let stand until cool but not set, about 15 minutes.

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, salt, and cloves. In a large bowl, whisk 1-1/2 cups of the pumpkin purée with the granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and buttermilk until very well blended. With a rubber spatula, stir in the flour mixture until just combined. Gently whisk in the brown butter until completely incorporated. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.

Bake the cakes until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 28 minutes. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Turn the cakes out onto racks, remove the pan bottoms or parchment, and cool completely.

Make the topping
Melt the butter in a heavy-duty 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the pecans and pepitas and cook until the pecans brown slightly and the pepitas begin to pop, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle in the brown sugar and salt and stir until the sugar melts and the nuts are glazed, about 2 minutes. Stir in the ginger. Remove from the heat and let the mixture cool in the skillet.

Make the frosting
Melt the butter in a heavy-duty 1-quart saucepan over medium heat. Cook, swirling the pan occasionally until the butter turns a nutty golden-brown, about 4 minutes. Pour into a small bowl and let stand until the solids settle at the bottom of the bowl, about 5 minutes. Carefully transfer the bowl to the freezer and chill until just firm, about 18 minutes. Using a spoon, carefully scrape the butter from bowl, leaving the browned solids at the bottom; discard the solids.

Using an electric mixer, beat the butter, cream cheese, and brown sugar on medium-high speed until light in color and the brown sugar has dissolved, 2 minutes. Gradually beat in the confectioners’ sugar and continue beating until fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes.

Assemble the cake
Put one cake layer on a cake plate. Spread 1/2 cup of the frosting on the layer. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the nut mixture over the frosting and top with the second layer. Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting. Arrange the remaining topping in a ring 1-1/2 inches in from the edge of the cake and serve

(http://www.finecooking.com/)

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