Fresh Apple Cake

 

3 cups chipped apples (I usually use Granny Smith apples, but have used other kinds, and have also used pears)

2 cups sugar

1 cup oil

3 egg yolks

3 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp. Soda

1 tsp. Salt

2 tsp cinnamon

1 cup chopped pecans 

1 tsp vanilla

3 beaten egg up whites 

Chip the apples and add the sugar and oil to them, let them set about an hour.   (They will get juicy!) 

In the meantime, combine flour, soda, salt, and cinnamon.  

After apples have set, add egg yolks, then the dry ingredients. Batter will be stiff.

Beat the egg whites until peaks form, then fold them into batter.  Add pecans.

Bake at 325 degrees in a greased Bundt pan approximately 1 hour 25 minutes or until it tests done when inserted tooth pick comes out clean   

Brioche Bread

 INGREDIENTS

 2 ½ cups flour

 3 tbsp  sugar

 1 tsp salt

 1 tbsp dry yeast

 1 egg

 ⅔ cup warm milk 

 1 12 tbsp butter

 3 tbsp cream cheese

  

1.  Whisk flour with salt and yeast, make a well in the center add sugar, milk and egg.  Blend on low speed with dough hook.
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3.  Add cream cheese and softened butter.  Mix u til smooth.  Remove to a bowl and cover the dough, set aside for 1 hour.

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2.  Cut into 8 portions, roll each into a ball, then set aside for 20 minutes.

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2.  Press out excess air and roll again. Place into a round baking pan, set aside for 1 hour.

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2.  Dust with flour and bake at 300F until golden brown. I used a powdered sugar sifter to dust the flour on top. 

Double Tree Cookies

 I’ve had the cookies at the DoubleTree Hotel, and they are always so good.  I never could quite figure out what was different from an ordinary chocolate chip cookie  

I didn’t have walnuts, so I substituted praline pecan pieces I had on hand in these, and I don’t have parchment paper to use on my cookie sheets.  They cooked fine.  

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter , softened
• 3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour , spooned and leveled
• 1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• pinch of ground cinnamon
• 2 2/3 cups semi sweet chocolate chips
• 1 3/4 cups chopped walnuts

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Cream butter and both sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer on medium speed for about 2 minutes.
• Add eggs, vanilla, and lemon juice, blending with mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, then medium speed for about 2 minutes, or until light and fluffy, scraping down the bowl.
• With mixer on low speed, add flour, oats, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon, blending for about 45 seconds. Don’t overmix.
• Remove bowl from mixer and stir in the chocolate chips and walnuts.
• Portion dough with a scoop (about 3 tablespoons) onto lined baking sheets, 2 inches apart.
• (If the dough seems overly soft, refrigerate it for about 20 minutes before baking.)
• Bake for 20-23 minutes, or until edges are golden brown and center is still soft.
• Remove from oven and cool on baking sheet for about 1 hour.
  

  

  
  
  
  

Air Fryer Lava Cakes

 I don’t know where I found this recipe.  I jotted it down and tried it in the air fryer I was given as a Christmas gift 2020.   My machine will hold four ramekin dishes, so sometimes I double this recipe and make four instead of two.  

Melt 1/3 cup chocolate chips and 1/4 cup butter in microwave until just warm enough to melt chips and stir smooth. 

Add 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1 egg and the yolk of another egg. 

Add 1/2 tsp. vanilla and 1/8 tsp. salt. 

Stir in 3 tablespoons plain flour and mix until batter is smooth. (I use a mini whisk)

Pour into two ramekin dishes and place in air fryer, then cover with foil and tuck it so it won’t blow off when the machine comes on. Cook 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes the. Remove foil and cook another 2-4 minutes.  Cool 5 minutes then run a knife around the edges and invert the dish into a dessert plate.  Can be topped with whipped cream, ice cream, nuts, fruit, or as is.   To make it pretty I sprinkle powdered sugar on it before serving.  I sprinkled chopped pecans and a few chocolate chips on these while they were cooling down, so there’s a little surprise at the bottom when they are turned onto the dessert plate! 

My air fryer takes the longer cooking times. These are pretty quick to make and you don't have a big cake to tempt you for days!  Just two servings! 

Graham Cracker Cake

 

(Cold)

(Warm)

I made this when I had to have a chair to stand on in order the reach the counter top.   I had to walk to a neighbors house to beat the egg whites, we only had a hand egg beater at time and it just wouldn’t get them stiff enough.  And it took so long! 

It’s good warm, but I prefer it cold. I seldom put frosting on it, but I did today. (That recipe is here also.)

Ingredients:

Two sleeves of graham crackers crushed

2 tablespoons butter

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 cup sugar

4 eggs, divided

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 can of coconut

1 cup chopped pecans

1 cup chocolate chips

Milk

Cream the butter and sugar with vanilla and egg yolks

Add baking powder, coconut, chocolate chips, pecans, and crushed graham crackers 

Add milk a little at a time until mixture makes a medium thick batter. Stir and give the milk enough time to fully absorb into the cracker crumbs. 

Fold in 4 stiffly beaten egg whites.

Bake in a greased and floured 9x13 pan at 370 degrees until it springs back to the touch. 

If you want frosting, you could certainly use any you like. Today I made this easy fudge frosting.

In a saucepan, melt one stick butter with 1/2 cup evaporated milk.  Add 1/2 cup cocoa and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. 

Put one box of powdered sugar in a mixing bowl with 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1/2 teaspoon salt.  Pour the hot mixture over it and beat at high speed until smooth.  Frost hot cake. 

Peanut Butter Cake

 Kay Smith and her sister Pam cook for half of their hometown DeKalb, Texas. I asked for a plate of cookies for my grand opening at A Total Change and they brought EIGHT plates of cookies!  Some of those cookies just melt in your mouth!  

She recently came for her hair appointment bearing a plate of this peanut butter cake.  I asked her to send me the recipe and I made it that night.  (...almost put myself into a sugar coma, and my husband remarked that he didn’t really care for peanut butter cake,  but this one was really good.)

In a saucepan pan, bring to a boil:

1/2 cup peanut butter 

2 sticks butter

1 cup water

In a large mixing bowl:

2 cups all purpose flour

2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

 Pour hot mixture over the dry ingredient mixture. 

Add 1/2 cup buttermilk and 2 eggs and mix well 

Pour into a greased and floured pan and bake for 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees. This is a US made jelly roll pan that I use.  I purchased it here  https://shop.kingarthurbaking.com/items/king-arthur-flour-jelly-roll-pan

 It is a great pan! I usually put things on a large cookie sheet to make it easier for me to handle. (My old hairdresser arms and hands are wore out!)

  Do NOT overbake. 

For the frosting, in a saucepan, bring to a boil:

1 stick butter

1/2 cup peanut butter

6 tablespoons milk

Pour hot mixture over 4 cups powdered sugar and beat until smooth, then add 1 teaspoon vanilla

                          Frost when cake is completely cooled, but while frosting is still hot. 

Popcorn Cake

 This is a fun thing to do with kids and can be adapted for different seasons.  I usually do it in the fall around Halloween when candy corn is available and fall colored M&Ms.  At Christmas, there are red and green M&Ms and other candies that could be used.  I usually use dry roasted peanuts, but other nuts would be good too!

Prepare a Bundt pan by greasing it well with butter or shortening.

Melt one stick of butter in a saucepan and add a 10 ounce bag of marshmallows.  The small ones melt faster, so I always go with them. Stir over heat until smooth, about one minute.

Use two gallons of popped popcorn.  I use microwave corn in whatever flavor happens to be in the pantry.  It takes between 3 and 4 bags to make two gallons of popped corn.

Pour the butter and marshmallow mixture slowly over the popcorn and toss it so it all gets some coating    Add M&Ms, nuts, candy corn and toss till blended.  

Press it down into the greased Bundt pan.  If it begins to stick to your hands, rub them with some butter and continue pressing down.  Hard! 

Immediately, turn it out into a plate big enough to hold it.  I decorated the top today with Reese’s peanut butter pumpkins.  I have used Branch’s candy pumpkins.   Sometimes I just leave it plain. 

This “cake” can’t really be cut well, but it’s quite fun to pull off a piece for munching.  Try making it with children, they love it! 

This one is a gift so I put toothpicks in to hold the Reese’s pumpkins in place and to keep the foil from squashing it.