Want a freshly baked cake, but haven’t got the time for anything too complicated? Here are some easy-to-bake recipes are simple to make and oh so delicious!

Indulge in incredible, simple, rich and mouthwatering cakes that are quick to prepare!

6 MINUTE CHOCOLATE CAKE

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup flour, all-purpose

1 cup sugar

3 Tbs. cocoa, unsweetened

1 Tsp. baking soda

1/2 Tsp. salt

1 Tsp. instant coffee, or espresso

6 Tbs. oil

1 Tbs. vinegar

1 Tsp. vanilla

1 cup cold water, or strong coffee

Directions

Directions: Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Then, in a 9×9 cake pan, measure and blend thoroughly with a fork the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, instant coffee powder, and salt.

Next, make 3 indentations in the dry ingredients with your fork. Into the first, pour 6 tb. of oil. Into the second, pour 1 tb. vinegar. Into the third, pour 1 tsp. vanilla.

Then, over all ingredients, pour 1 cup of cold water or strong, cold coffee. Stir with a fork until evenly blended.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

This chocolate cake recipe is very rich and best served alone, with whipped cream, ice cream, or your favorite frosting.

CARROT CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE GLAZE

Ingredients

4 ea. Eggs

3 Tbs. Brown sugar, packed

4 Tsp. Vegetable oil

1 Tsp. Vanilla

1 1/3 c. Instant dry milk powder

3/4 c. Whole wheat flour

2 Tsp. Baking soda

2 Tsp. Ground cinnamon

3 c. Grated carrots

1 c. Crushed pineapple, drained

1/4 c. Dark raisins

Directions

Spray an 8 tube pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside. Combine eggs, sugar, oil and vanilla; beat well. With mixer at low speed beat in milk powder, flour, baking soda and cinnamon until thoroughly combined. Stir in remaining ingredients. Pour into pan and bake 40-45 minutes until cake tests done. Cool in pan for 5 minutes. Remove cake from pan; drizzle with CREAM CHEESE GLAZE.

CHEESE CAKE (NURIT)

Ingredients

MAIN: 500 g Cheese – 5 fat

250 g Cheese – 9 fat

1 c. Leben *

6 Eggs

1 c. Sugar

4 Tbs. Vanilla Instant Pudding

4 Tbs. Corn flour

tb Vanilla Sugar (optional)

TOPPING: 1 c. Cream

Vanilla Instant Pudding (the remnant from above)

Some chocolate -or- Minced nuts (for decoration)

* Sour cream of less than 5% fat

Directions

For this cake recipe, beat the egg whites with the sugar to make a solid foam. Mix the other ingredients in a separate bowl. Add the foam with light movements. Pour into a baking pan of 26 cm diameter. Bake for 10 minutes in a preheated hot oven then lower temperature to medium and leave the cake in for about 45 minutes. When ready (check with a tooth pick) let it cool down for at least 10 minutes in the partly open oven. Beat the cream with the rest of the instant pudding. Put this on the cake in a thin layer. Spread some chocolate crumbs or minced nuts for decoration.

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LUBY’S MISSISSIPPI MUD CAKE

Cake:

2 sticks butter or margarine, softened

2 cups granulated sugar

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa

4 extra-large eggs

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup chopped pecans

1 tsp vanilla

Icing:

1 stick butter or margarine

1 3/4 cups sifted powdered sugar

2 cups miniature marshmallows

2 tbsp + 2 1/2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 cup milk

1/2 cup pecan pieces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and lightly flour a 9 x 13-inch baking pan.

For cake:  In a large bowl, beat together the butter, sugar, and cocoa until smooth and creamy.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add the flour, pecans, and vanilla to the mixture.  Mix just until blended and pour the batter into the prepared pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Set pan on a wire rack to cool.

For icing:  Combine butter, powdered sugar, marshmallows, cocoa powder, and milk in a medium saucepan.  Cook over medium heat just until the marshmallows are melted, stirring almost constantly. Drizzle over cake, sprinkle with pecans and cool completely.  Garnish each piece with a dollop of whipped cream and a maraschino cherry, if desired.

MUD HENS

1/2 cup butter

1 cup sugar

3 egg yolks

1 egg white, reserving 2 egg whites

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup chopped nuts

1 cup brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix butter, sugar, egg yolks, 1 egg white, flour, baking powder, vanilla, and salt together.  Spread very thinly in a greased 9 x 13-inch baking pan.  Sprinkle with nuts.  Beat the two remaining egg whites until stiff and beat in the brown sugar.  Spread over the nuts.  Bake for 30 minutes.  Cut into 24 squares while still hot.

Enjoy!

Technorati Tags: Cake, Hens, Luby'S, Mississippi, Recipes., Tasty, Very

Creating beautiful and delicious cakes is not as frightening as it might seem. Whether you prefer rich chocolate cake or creamy cheesecake, choose one of the cake recipes below and enjoy step-by-step guidance for the preparation process.

Your loved ones will appreciate these divine, dazzling and elegant cakes.

DEVIL’S FOOD CAKE – COUNTRY LIVING HOLIDAYS

Ingredients

1/4 c. Butter or margarine, softened

1 1/2 c. Sugar

1/4 Tsp. Salt

1 Tbs. Vanilla

3/4 c. Unsweetened cocoa

3 1/2 c. Unsifted cake flour

2 Tsp. Baking soda

2 1/2 c. Water

4 Egg whites, at room temp.

Cocoa frosting

Chocolate glaze

Confectioners’ sugar and -unsweetened cocoa (opt. for checkerboard decoration)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350′F. Generously grease and flour three 9-inch round

cake pans.

2. In a large bowl with electric beater or mixer, beat butter, 3/4 C

sugar, salt, and vanilla together until fluffy.

3. Combine cocoa, flour, and soda in a sifter. Sift into bowl on top

of butter mixture. Add water and beat at low speed just until smooth.

4. With clean beaters in a medium bowl, beat egg whites until fluffy.

Gradually add remaining 3/4 C sugar. Continue beating until stiff peaks form. Fold, one-third at a time, into chocolate batter.

5. Divide batter evenly into prepared pans. Bake until centers spring

back when touched-20 to 25 minutes.

6. Cool 5 minutes in pans. Turn out on cooling rack and cool

completely.

7. Prepare cocoa frosting. Fill and assemble cake. Spread a thin

smooth layer of frosting over cake. Refrigerate 1 hour.

8. Prepare chocolate glaze. Place chilled cake on a cooling rack with

a tray underneath it. Spoon glaze onto top of cake. Spread evenly allowing glaze to flow down sides. Smooth sides.

9. Place cake, still on cooling rack with tray, in refrigerator until

glaze is firm.

10. Decorate top with cocoa and confectioners’ sugar checkerboard just

before serving, if desired. Place 1-inch strips of thin cardboard gently onto frosting 1-inch apart. Sift unsweetened cocoa over top of cake to solidly fill spaces. Carefully remove and clean strips. Place gently in opposite direction. Sift confectioners’ sugar over cake. Remove strips.

Cocoa Frosting: In a medium bowl, beat together 1/3 C softened butter or margarine, 1 1/2 lb. confectioners’ sugar, 1/3 C unsweetened cocoa, 1 Tsp. ground cinnamon, 3/4 Tsp. vanilla and 1/3 to 1/2 C milk. Use to fill and frost cake.

Chocolate Glaze: In the top of a double boiler, over hot (not boiling) water, melt 6 1-oz squares semisweet chocolate and 4 Tbs. butter. Stir in 3 Tbs. cold water and 1/4 C confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Use to glaze a 9-inch cake. Country Living Holidays, a source for cooking and recipes.  Scanned and fixed by Di Pahl.

CRANBERRY AND WHITE CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE

Ingredients

CAKE 4 oz. White chocolate, chopped

2 pkg. 8-oz cream cheese

3/4 c. Sugar

3 Eggs

2 Tsp. Vanilla

pinch Salt

3 c. Sour cream

CRUST: 1 c. Graham cracker crumbs

2 Tbs. Butter, melted

2 oz. White chocolate, chopped

GLAZE: 2 c. Cranberries

1/3 c. Sugar

1 Tsp. Cornstarch

Grated white chocolate for Garnish if desired

Directions

Recipe for Crust: Stir crumbs with butter until well moistened; stir in chocolate. Press into the bottom of a greased 9-inch spring form pan. Centre pan on a 20 X 14 inch piece of foil; press up tightly around side of pan. Bake in 325F oven for 8 minutes. Let cool on a rack.

Recipe for Cake: In a double boiler melt chocolate. Let cool. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until softened. Gradually beat in sugar; beat for 3 minutes or until fluffy. On low speed, beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla, chocolate and salt; stir in sour cream. Pour onto crust. Set cake pan onto a larger shallow pan; pour in enough hot water to come 1, inch up the side. Bake at 325F for 1 1/4 hours or until the edge is set but centre still jiggles slightly. Turn oven off; let cool in oven for 1 hour. Remove from larger pan and remove foil; let cool on a rack. Cover and refrigerate over night.

Recipe for Glaze: In saucepan cook cranberries and 1/4 cup water, partially covered, just until boiling. Stir in sugar and return to a boil; cook for 2 minutes or until sugar is dissolved but berries have not popped. Drain, reserving juice and berries separately. Remove cake from pan; place on cake plate. Return juice to saucepan; blend in cornstarch. Cook, whisking, until boiling and thickened; let cool slightly. Spoon berries around edge of the cake. Spoon glaze over top. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until set. Garnish with chocolate gratings. Canadian Living, December 1993.

Technorati Tags: best, Cake, Designs, Recipes.

They were stunned. Happily so, it seems. The chef for the president of France said, “Cooking has evolved so much. Nobody presents the true product as it is, and all of a sudden we were presented that.”

But the desserts impressed them most. Especially one they couldn’t name. One they described as a light “pain d’epices” (spice cake) with a layer of chocolate filling. Gilles Brunner, chef to Prince Rainier of Monaco, was so taken with the cake, which he described as a chocolate gingerbread, that he tried to get the recipe. His request was refused.

The Amish family did not want their identity revealed, which refusal greatly hampered efforts to identify the cake as well. Research by Phyllis Richman, then food editor of the Washington Post, seemed to show that the mystery dessert was Amish applesauce cake with chocolate frosting, and the Post printed a version of it contributed by Betty Groff, a cookbook author from the Pennsylvania Dutch country.

Which applesauce cake turned out to be pretty much what our family had been enjoying since my father married Edith Kennedy in 1977, and which Edith’s family had been enjoying long before that. Her daughter, Lorenelle Doll, who gave me the recipe, says that it was a favorite of my father and Lorenelle’s husband Arnie. (So far as I know, Edith didn’t actually feed any to a French chef.)

I like to think Edith’s version is better than Betty Groff’s, because that recipe says to “frost with vanilla or chocolate frosting if desired.” Whereas Edith’s gives a recipe for chocolate frosting MADE WITH BUTTER. And in my view the humblest frosting made with butter is better than the fanciest frosting made without. I’m not implying that Edith’s frosting is humble. It isn’t. It’s purely wonderful, as is her cake.

Edith Kennedy Glidewell went to be with her Lord in March 2002, but before that she gladdened many hearts in many ways, this applesauce cake not the least of them.

EDITH’S APPLESAUCE CAKE

Cream together 1/2 cup room temperature butter or shortening and 1 cup sugar. Add 1 egg and beat together. Mix in 1-1/2 cups applesauce.

Sift together 2 cups flour, 1 tsp. baking powder, 1 tsp. soda, 1 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1/2 tsp. allspice, 1/2 tsp. nutmeg, and 1/4 tsp. cloves. Add to applesauce mixture, along with 1 cup raisins and 3/4 cup chopped walnuts.

Lightly oil a 9″ x 12″ pan and dust with flour. Add the cake mixture and bake at 350 degrees 50 to 60 minutes, until the top of the cake’s center springs back when touched. Frost with chocolate frosting when cool.

Chocolate Frosting: Combine in a heavy saucepan or double boiler 1 square baker’s unsweetened chocolate, 1 cup sugar, 1/4 cup butter, and 1/3 cup milk. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and cook 1 minute. Cool and beat until the frosting has a satin finish.

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It’s true that we’re in the midst of a global financial mess right now, but you can still have the wedding you’ve always wanted. One bridal magazine has stated that the average cost of an Australian wedding is $39,114. That means that a lot of couples start off their lives together with a lot of debt to handle. And because financial worries can be a major stress on relationships, it stands to reason that that’s something you don’t want to do. Therefore, one of the leading Sunshine Coast wedding venues offers tips that can help avoid just that situation if you’re about to walk down the aisle.

To get started:

Decide who’s going to pay for what, and set a budget so that you don’t overspend. Make a list of everything you’re going to need and set a spending limit for each item, too, based upon your overall budget. Decide on how many groomsmen and bridesmaids you need. And don’t ask someone to be a bridesmaid just because you were one at her wedding. In fact, you may want to dispense with bridesmaids and groomsmen altogether. Perhaps just have a best man and maid of honour instead; sleek, sophisticated, and streamlined.

Deciding on your dress:

Here’s a hot tip: If you don’t have someone in your family or among your friends who sews, take your measurements and send them to someone who does just that on eBay. Wedding forums will tell you what you need to know about the best eBay sellers who sell their services making wedding gowns. You can hire a good and inexpensive person to make your wedding gown for a lot less money than it would take to buy one. And take some time to check out styles you like well before the wedding so that you have time to choose.

Other options for getting your dress inexpensively:

Shop at the end of a particular season and buy a dress on clearance. Or, check out online sites and auctions or outlet stores for bargains. One caveat with the online auctions or sites is that you’re not going to quite know what you’re getting, so be careful when you’re shopping this way. But you can use the wedding forums to check out ebay sellers as chances are somebody else will have had some dealings with them. “Rent” your dress instead of buying it. It’s cheaper, and it saves you the trouble of having to sell your dress later or keeping it (unless you are going to wear it again). Borrow your dress. If you and someone you know are the same sizes, why not? Again, much cheaper than buying your dress.

Getting your jewellery:

Borrow it; as the old phrase says, you should have, “Something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue” on your wedding day, so these are great items to borrow. And, it makes your day more special as well. Use just one piece of jewellery, like a necklace. This is especially important if your dress is very ornate because the simplicity of the jewellery will let it stand out.

Hair and makeup:

Have your hair and makeup done by students at a local beauty school. Make arrangements early and give them a trial run before the big day to make sure you’ll be happy with the results. Do your own facial at home. Treat yourself to a “free makeover” on the morning of your wedding by visiting the cosmetic counter at a department store. Ask a friend or friends to do your hair and makeup on the morning of the big day.

Choosing the flowers:

Choose flowers that are in season, because they will be much cheaper than those out of season or those that are particularly exotic. In addition, a simple bouquet will look lovely and do the job just as well as an elaborate one, and it will be much less expensive, too. Pick a bouquet from your own garden, or your friends’ or families’ gardens. Use the bouquets from the ceremony as centrepieces at the reception. Or, to save even more money, have the ceremony and reception at the same place so that no special arrangements need to be made. If you get married during major church holiday, such as Easter or Christmas, the church may already have flowers in place that can simply serve in your ceremony, too. Make your own table decorations from “non-flower” items like confetti, balloons, pretty dishes of chocolates — the list is endless. Be creative!

Your wedding cake:

Instead of giving you a wedding present, ask a friend or relative to make your cake for you. Have wedding cake as your dessert at the reception dinner instead of providing a separate dessert AND the wedding cake.

Invitations, table cards and seating charts:

You can make your own table cards, invitations, and seating charts. Better yet, take a special photo of you and your intended, and use that to make personalized invitations. E-mail your invitations to guests instead of sending them by post.

Favours:

Skip favours altogether. Most guests don’t expect them anyway. Make them yourself. Homemade cookies are one idea that will be welcomed by your guests.

Photography:

It’s a pretty safe bet that everybody’s going to be taking videos and photos at the wedding, so you can set up a website and then give your guests a username and password; invite them to upload their own photos to it. Enlist the services of a friend to take the videos and have the professional photographer just take wedding party pictures before or after the service. This will save you considerable expense.

The venue:

Invite a small number of guests so that your food and alcohol bills will be small, too. Invite close family and friends to the reception dinner, and then invite everyone else to come to a larger party after the dinner. Make your wedding date either in the middle of the winter or in the middle of the week. Both of these times are less expensive than others. Instead of hiring a band or DJ, make your own CDs or use your iPod to provide music for the reception and dancing.

Transportation:

Borrow a friend’s or family member’s fancy car, or ask them to chauffeur you (t could also be their wedding present for you.) Use just one or two cars for the wedding party so that fuel costs for everyone are much less expensive.

Wedding presents:

If you already live together you don’t need to set up a household, it’s perfectly acceptable to ask people for money instead of gifts.

The honeymoon:

Ask yourselves, “Do we really need this?” It may be that your perfect wedding day together to mark your marriage is enough. If you do feel the need to mark the occasion with a honeymoon, perhaps a simple getaway together is enough. Travel agencies and other organizations often have last-minute deals that are much less expensive than having to book your honeymoon on a specific date. Keep an eye out for last-minute deals or be flexible and book your honeymoon at some point after the wedding, instead of immediately after.

Technorati Tags: Cake, Cost, Cutting, Wedding, WELL

This recipe does take some time to make, but it is well worth your efforts. It will serve 10-14 people depending on how big you cut your slices.

Creme de Menthe Angel Food Dessert Cake

1 box white angel food cake mix
2 1/4 cups miniature marshmallows
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup creme de menthe extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
6-10 drops green food coloring
2 cups whipping cream
1 ounce block unsweetened chocolate
1/4 teaspoon shortening

Bake cake as directed on the package; let completely cool. Remove from pan. Split cake to make 3 layers.

tip: To split, mark side of cake with wooden picks and cut with a long, thin, serrated knife.

In a large saucepan, heat miniature marshmallows and milk together over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring often, until marshmallows are melted. Remove pan from heat. Cool mixture to room temperature for 25 minutes or until thickened. Stir in the creme de menthe extract, salt and food coloring.

In a large bowl beat the whipping cream until stiff. Fold in the marshmallow mixture. Frost each layer of the cake with filling and then use remaining filling to frost the sides of the cake.

In a small saucepan, heat the unsweetened chocolate and shortening together until melted. Drizzle melted chocolate on top of the cake and around the edges, allowing it to drip down the sides. Refrigerate cake for 2 hours before serving.

Technorati Tags: Angel, Cake, Creme, Dessert, Food, Menthe

Cake Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, softened
2 oz. (2 squares) unsweetened chocolate
1 cup water
1 cup quick rolled oats
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup chocolate flavored syrup
1/2 cup cold coffee
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Topping Ingredients:

1/3 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup whipping cream
3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup finely chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 13 x 9″ baking pan.

In a large saucepan, melt the butter and chocolate squares; stir in water. Bring chocolate mixture to a boil. Stir in the rolled oats, granulated sugar, brown sugar, chocolate syrup, coffee liquid, vanilla extract and eggs; mix until all ingredients are well combined. Stir in the all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt into the chocolate mixture, mixing well.

Pour the cake batter into your prepared baking pan. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes or until the cake tests done when lightly touched in the center. You can also use a cake tester, if it comes out clean, it’s done.

In a medium-sized saucepan, combine all of the topping ingredients in the order that they are given. Bring to a full boil over medium heat, stirring the mixture constantly. Reduce heat and simmer for an additional 3 minutes or until the mixture has slightly thickened. Pour this hot mixture over your hot cake.

Place cake back into your oven and bake for an additional 3-4 minutes or until the topping is hot, bubbly and slightly browned. Remove cake from the oven and let it cool before serving.

Technorati Tags: Cake, Caramel, Crunch, Dessert, Fudge, recipe

The selection of decoration is done with respective to the outlook of the family, it maybe something conservative and sober like a simple “Happy Birthday to You” or it could be something outrageous such as using some sexual innuendoes or anything which would bring gasps and giggles from the guest! The interest of one and occasion of the party is generally revealed the decoration. For example a chauvinistic person will tend to have the décor like the flag of his or her country or the symbol of his favorite soccer club etc. Some may also have the picture of their favorite singers or players. For parties to celebrate a new house more often than not have cakes with a cream made house structure on them. For romantic occasions like marriage anniversary and weddings romantic knickknacks are used like a heart, two creams made hugging teddy bears and so on. Office parties and celebrations have their brand logos.

One thing is must. That the décor on the cake should be a- class one to make the party special. So that years after when one remembers the party the cake comes first in his or her mind. It should be the best and praised by the guests of the party. The decorations of the cake should be selected with care. One should not have such decors which may offend any guest. So one has to gauge the mood, the people who are coming and take into account their tastes to have a suitable awe inspiring cake décor.  

For any party there can be two types of cake decorations. The first is the decoration which cannot be had that is decors which are not edible. Non-edible decorations could be made of things like plastic, wax, paper, wood etc. One advantage in having the non edible ones is that one could have any type of logos, symbols, structures of any shapes and colours. After the party is over the decors could be kept which will serve as mementos for the party for years to come. However some people are against the idea of putting non-edible things in eatables. Though they are primarily non-toxic one could not be sure that the materials won’t react with anything. 

Another type of decors could be the edible ones usually made from things like sugar, candies, chocolate, cream, meat, biscuits or walnuts. They are also found in various shapes, and colours. Every one like them a lot as they enjoy eating the cake which decors with Personal bobble heads. The bobble heads are a great idea for it brings in fun. In fact for wedding cakes too they are a great idea as they can be custom wedding cake toppers. Custom bobblehead at affordable prices can for sure enliven your wedding party.

Technorati Tags: Arrange, Cake, custom, Gala, Party, Toppers