Pound Cake

With eggs from our chickens and butter bought on sale months agao, from the freezer, I talked myself into believing this was a frugal thing to do today :)

I'm SO gullible! 

More amazing than my conversations with myself are how many slices of pound cake that teenage boys can eat - at one time! 

Kemmie ate 2 like the one below and the third piece was 2 1/2 times the size of the one below.

I finally said, "Don't touch the cake and stay out of the kitchen! ...Except to do the dishes...you may go do that now." :)

Perfect topped with my old-fashioned, home-canned blueberries in sugar-syrup.

Homemade Pound Cake

6 large eggs
1 cup of softened butter
3 cups sugar
1 1/2 t vanilla
1 cup heavy cream
3 cups plain flour
1/4 t baking powder

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla and blend until smooth. Sprinkle in the baking powder. Alternate the cream and flour, adding gradually until well-blended and smooth.

Bake in greased tube pan at 325 for 1 hour and 10 to 20 minutes or until it passes the toothpick test.


Luke 11:11-13  If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

Cocoa Powder Brownies/Recipe for Pantry Brownie Mix

 I've been pretty good about keeping my sweet tooth (uhm, that would be teeth, certainly plural) in check but sometimes chocolate, in the form of brownies, is ...well....healing therapy!

This recipe makes a 9x13 or 12 muffin-sized brownies.

You can also premix all of the dry ingredients and store in jars or bags in your pantry for your own, frugal brownie mix!

Great convenience food! 

(Isn't anytime a convenient time to eat brownies?.. Is it a little too late to try to convince you that I really made these for the kids?)

1 cup of all purpose flour

2/3 cup cocoa powder

1/2 t baking powder

1/2 t salt

2 cups sugar

1 cup oil

4 eggs

1 t vanilla

*opt: 1/2 cup walnuts + 1/2 cup chocolate chips 

(the more chocolate the merrier!)

Mix dry ingredients in a bowl. Make a well in the center for wet ingredients and gradually blend into the flour mixture. (If using the nuts and choc chips, add them to the dry ingredients first.)

Spread in sprayed 9x13 or muffin tins. 

Bake at 350 for 22 to 25 minutes.

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Psa 119:103  How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!

Mississippi Mud Pie

If you're looking for chocolate, richness, and lots of sugar- this is your lucky day!

This dessert is super-sweet and perfect for a special occasion.

Even though it's called "pie", it is really more like a brownie-cake.

The texture of the cake itself will remind you of a Little Debbie Brownie. The icing is like the chocolate glaze on a doughnut. And- there's the hidden pecans and the marshmallows!

I'm not the biggest marshmallow fan, but I must admit, when they are gooey and covered in chocolate, I can more than tolerate them ;-)

(This recipe is not an original, it was passed down to me years ago and is quite popular here in the south.)

MISSISSIPPI MUD PIE

2 sticks of butter*

1/2 cup cocoa

2 cups sugar

4 eggs 

1 1/2 cups plain flour

pinch of salt

1 t vanilla

1 cup chopped nuts

Melt butter and cocoa over low heat (or in microwave). Add well-beaten eggs and sugar. Stir in flour, salt, vanilla, and nuts. Bake in sprayed 9X13 for 25 to 30 minutes at 325.

TOPPINGS

1/2 stick of butter

1/3 cup cocoa

4 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup milk

2 cups miniature marshmallows

Mix ingredients for the topping (except for marshmallows) and cook over low heat until the powdered sugar and butter are melted. Immediately upon removing pie from oven, cover with marshmallows. The pour on the topping.

I recommend allowing this to cool and 'set-up' before slicing.

*I used 1 1/2 sticks of butter.
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This post is linked to 20BelowThursdays 
Catch a Glimpse Thursdays 
Somewhat Simple 
Thrifty 101

Stardoll Cake

My little girl requested this for her cake this year. She turned the big 11!

I took the black and white picture and used Brandy's templates to make a frame and shrunk it down to hang in her dollhouse. Now she's an antique (miniature) at 11!  ;-)

She also loves pink...with black. Can you tell?

Chocolate Buttermilk Cake and Cooked Pantry Topping

Need a quick & frugal cake?

 Cake:
2 cups plain flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1 1/4 cup buttermilk or kefir
1/2 cup oil or melted fat
1 1/2 t vanilla
Preheat oven to 350. Mix dry ingredients. Blend in liquid ingredients. Beat until smooth.
Pour into 2 sprayed small cake pans or one 9x13. Bake approx. 28 minutes. 

Cooked Topping:
1/3 cup cocoa
3 T butter
1 cup sugar
3T cornstarch
1 t vanilla
pinch of salt
1 cup boiling water

Whisk dry ingredients in sauce pan to mix well. Pour in 1 cup boiling water. Cook until thickened. Add butter, whisking until melted. Remove from heat. Add vanilla. You may spread while warm on warm cake. This is like a fudgy pudding when it's warm.

Cranberry Cheesecake

1 pkg graham crackers (9 whole crackers), crushed fine
2 T (cane) sugar
6 T melted butter
Mix well. Press in deep pie plate. Bake 5 minutes at 350.

1 can of whole berry, cranberry sauce
Puree cranberry sauce and allow to drain in mesh strainer. Shake well and press slightly.

2 8 oz pkg cream cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
3 eggs
1/2 cup (cane) sugar
Blend cream cheese with sugar until fluffy. Add remaining ingredients and blend well.

Pour 1/3 cream cheese mixture over lightly baked graham crust. Drop cranberries by spoonfuls over cream cheese. Pull butter knife through cranberries, gently so as not to disturb the crust. Top with remaining cream cheese mixture. Bake at 350 for approx. 30 minutes until edges are set and center is almost set. Cool and refrigerate.

Orange-Pumpkin Cake with Buttery Cream Cheese Frosting...

2 1/2 cups plain flour
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
pinch salt
2 t cinnamon
1/2 t ginger
1/4 t nutmeg
1/4 t clovers
1/2 cup melted butter (or other fat/oil)
1 can pumpkin puree
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
zest and juice of one large orange

Mix dry ingredients. Make well in center for wet. Beat with electric mixer, scraping the sides of the bowl, until well blended.  Spread in sprayed 9X13. Bake at 350 for approx 25 minutes until toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool before frosting.

FROSTING:
3 T butter
4 oz cream cheese
2 1/3 cup powdered sugar
1/2 t vanilla
1 T evaporated milk (or regular milk)
Blend ingredients well until mixture is thick but smooth enough to spread on cake.

This is a great cake to serve at Thanksgiving, Halloween, and Christmas!........ or any other time ;-)

This post is linked to:
Sumo's Sweet Stuff
Between Naps on the Porch 
DittleDattle 
Skip to my Lou
Keeping It Simple
Chef In Training 
Tip Junkie

Prune Cake

When life gives your prunes- make cake!

If you've been a little squeamish about prunes- this is the recipe that might just get you past that!

(But even if you can't- the sauce for this cake is worthy of notice- promise!)

3 eggs

1 cup buttermilk or kefir 

1 cup oil (I plan to try cutting this back or subbing some with applesauce)

1 1/2 cup sugar 

1 t vanilla

1 t salt

1 t soda

2 t cinnamon

1/2 t nutmeg

1/2 t allspice

2 1/2 cups plain flour

1 cup chopped prunes

1/2 cup chopped or slivered almonds (opt)

Beat eggs, buttermilk, and oil.Add Vanilla, then salt, soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. Toss chopped prunes and (opt) almonds in the flour then add flour to mixture.
Pour into sprayed 9X13. Bake at 350 for approx. 40 minutes.

Sauce:
1/2 cup buttermilk or kefir
1/3 cup butter
1 cup white sugar
1/2 t soda
Cook sauce, bringing to a hard boil, stirring constantly. You will want to cook it until it forms a soft ball when dripped into a cup of cold water. About 8 to 10 minutes. Spread over hot cake and allow to cool.

*Frugal Tip: The oil and sugar could be cut in the cake, probably by 1/3. Part of the oil could certainly be subbed with applesauce.

This post is linked to: SYSLinkParty, Transformation Thursday, Delightfully Inspiring Thursday, Thrifty 101, Foodie Friday, and Things I Love Thursday.

Simple Glazed Mocha Cake

1/2 cup butter melted (but not hot)
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup strong coffee (cooled)
2 cups plain flour
3 t baking powder
1/4 t salt

Mix butter and sugars. Beat in eggs, then coffee. Add salt and baking powder, then flour. Beat with electric mixer for 2 minutes. Spread in sprayed 9X13. Bake at 350 for approx. 20 minutes. (use toothpick center-check)

While still warm spread with glaze.

Easy Glaze:
3 T melted butter
2 T cocoa powder (I used dark)
1/2 cup strong coffee
1/4 t salt
3 cups powdered sugar

Beat well with electric mixer, making sure all lumps are gone. Poke cake all over with a toothpick. Pour glaze all over, spreading to run down the sides and into the poked holes. Allow to cool before serving.

Mexican Fruit Cake

This looks like a carrot cake and has lots of yummy moisture but there are NO carrots or spices -but there is some yummy pineapple, that you may or may not notice, and there's also bits of chewy coconut here and there along with soft almonds. My family loves this- even though they're not quite sure what they are really eating ;-)

2 cups plain flour
1 3/4 cup sugar
2 t soda
1 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup coconut
2 eggs
1 20oz can crushed pineapple and juice

Mix well and spread in 9X13. Bake at 350 for approx 40 minutes

Frosting:
8oz cream cheese
1/4 cup butter
2 t vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar

Beat well and spread over hot cake.

Black Ops/Army Birthday Cake

The base is a white cake, made in a 9X13. The brown/chocolate pieces were baked in an oval 1qt casserole dish and a 4 cup Pyrex bowl.

The 'grass' is coconut tossed in with a couple of drops of green food coloring and shaken real well to coat.

The light brown sand/dirt is brown sugar.

On the lower pic, you can see two 'burned' places where the 'bombs dropped'. Those are actually the tops of burned marshmallows ;-)

We had lots of fun with this cake.

This cake is for a great kid, who brings lots of fun and laughter to our home.

Happy 16th Birthday Krestan! God blessed us, when He gave us you!

Swiss Rolls...

Who needs Little Debbie? Not me...when I have one of these in the fridge!

I've been wanting to post one of these for a long time ..but it requires me to cook them which likewise requires me to eat them, which is a love-hate deal! (Love 2 eat, hate to weigh!)

The one great thing about these- they really aren't too hard to whip up.

The Cake:

Preheat oven to 350. Line buttered 10x15 with waxed paper and butter it too.

1/3 cup melted butter (you don't want this hot, it'll cook your eggs)

1/2 cup self rising flour

4 eggs

3/4 cup sugar

1 t vanilla

6 T cocoa

Add ingredients, in this order to your bowl. Beat with a mixer for 2 to 3 minutes until mixture is very creamy and light. It will be thicker than boxed cake batter.

Spread onto waxed paper covered 10x15. Get it as even as possible.

Bake 15 minutes.

The Filling:

3 T butter

2 T shortening (or more butter)

2 T milk

approx 2 cups (or more) powdered sugar

Beat the butter and shortening until well blended and smooth. Add milk.

Blend in powdered sugar until mixture is very thick, but fluffy.

Once the cake is done; turn it out onto a tea towel that has been sprinkled with powdered sugar. Roll it up in the tea towel and pop it in the freezer for a few minutes until it cools. 

Chocolate Coating:

This is optional, the roll would be good without this but- the more chocolate, the merrier!

1 cup chocolate chips

1 T shortening (or butter, shortening seems to give it more shine once its cooled)

Melt chips and fat. stir well.

Unroll, spread the filling, being careful not to tear the cake.Use a spoon dipped in warm water to help you spread.

Roll it back up.

Top with the Chocolate Coating, but work fast to move it back to the fridge.

If its not cooled completely and/or you don't move fairly quickly, the cake may start to crack.

The sooner the outer chocolate sets up, the less likely it will crack.

Tip: Make the filling and coating while the cake is baking. They will be ready once you get it cooled.

Once chocolate is set, slice and serve. It's too hot to leave at room temp right now(summer), but you may prefer that in cooler weather.

This is a wonderful dessert for special occasions! One of my kids asked if they could have it as their birthday cake next year.
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This post is linked to:
Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays
Tasty Tuesdays
Tuesdays at the Table

Happy B-day to DD!!!

What else would one girl among many brothers want?

--- pink cake, pink icing, and homemade pink ice cream :-)

All strawberry flavored!

This Year's "Birthday Cake for Jesus":

This is one, of several, of our Christmas Traditions. What would a Birthday be without a Birthday Cake???

It's all part of our celebration of the Birth of Our Lord.

This year, I had a request for our heirloom recipe for Coconut Cake....and since we had 6 pies, I decided that 2 cakes would not be necessary! ;-)

BTW, the candy decorations were bought last year on clearance after Christmas!

Here's a pic of the one from last year. They are usually different every year.

Sprinkled Donuts-

Saturday, we had a very late lunch so I decided to do something that I've NEVER done for supper- make donuts!

Now when snoopy the kid told the other kids that mom said she was making donuts with milk and coffee for supper- all the other kids said "no way".

So I spoke up and said, "Oh yes I am! But they are stuffed with spinach!" :-)

For some reason- they believed that MORE!

But of course, it wasn't true ;-)

I used my recipe for Chocolate-Covered Creme-Filled Donuts to make these and the icing found here.

(But just so you know, right before bed, they had a veggie and cheese plate;)

When life demands frugality- you can still find ways to have fun!

Do something totally different!

The kids had me rolling laughing because they were in such shock that I would allow this...and dh had me in stitches nearly as he fake-pouted about no real supper-  lol. (It went something like this; "All these years this woman brings me a hot plate of food and now- 'get your own leftovers because I'm not cooking' ". hee hee)

Real Pumpkin-Pecan Cakes...

Made with real cooked pumpkin from our garden!


-1 cup pumpkin (can use canned but may need to adjust cooking time and liquids)

-1/2 a stick of melted butter

-1/4 t salt

-1 t baking soda

-1 1/2cups unbleached flour

-1/2 t cinnamon

-1 cup cane sugar

-2 beaten eggs

-1/2 cup chopped pecans

Mix wet ingredients, then stir in dry ingredients.

Bake at 375 for approx. 15 minutes.

Topping, optional:

-8oz cream cheese whipped with

-1/4 cup honey (or to taste)

-Spread on cakes, then dip into chopped pecans.

Homemade White Cake...

This is super easy and the ingredients are usually on hand in most kitchens.

2 cups unbleached flour (yeah, you could use plain)

1 T baking powder

1/2 t salt

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 t vanilla

1/3 cup melted butter (slightly cooled)

2 eggs

1 cup plus 3 T milk

Mix as you would a boxed cake; about 30 seconds until blended and 2 minutes on high.

Bake at 350. Bundt-approx.43-45 minutes. 9x13 approx. 30 minutes.

Served here with a drizzle of chocolate syrup and blackberries.

*

My kids loved it with these toppings and dh loved it plain.

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This cake could be made lowfat or fat free with subs.

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This cake is good with fruit as it is textured somewhere between spongecake and angel food cake.

Would be great with lemon zest in the cake and a glaze made from lemon juice and powdered sugar.

Could add chocolate chips, or blueberries, etc.

Chocolate Delight Birthday Cake...

One young-en of mine, looks an awful lot like his pa, but he takes his love of chocolate, back after me! :-)

So, I was not one bit surprised when he asked for a chocolate cake for his b-day.

But how could I dress it up and make it exciting?

More chocolate!

This is a simple yellow cake with chocolate frosting- but over the top, I drizzled melted almond bark, melted semi-sweet chocolate, grated very dark chocolate, and dotted with chocolate chips.

And the picture doesn't do it justice!

But, my little boy was drooling with excitement when he laid his eyes on it- and that's exactly what I was shooting for!

Let Freedom Ring!

Happy Belated 4th!

I made this as a surprise for my family. The kids ate it while they told me what the 4th of July is really about. Nothing like a teachable, eatable moment!

Lemon Glazed Berry Bundt Cake...

This is a moist, kinda heavy, packed with taste- great cake!

Great as a coffee cake!

It's what Works For Me Wednesday!

INGREDIENTS:

1 3/4 cup cane sugar

12 oz cream cheese

zest of 1 large lemon

1 1/2 t vanilla

4 eggs

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1 1/2 cups plain flour

1/2 cup arrowroot

1 t salt

1 baking soda

1 t baking powder

3/4 cup sour cream

1 cup dried mixed berries, chopped

FOR GLAZE:

juice of one large lemon

1 to 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Cream the sugar and cream cheese. Blend in; lemon zest and vanilla. Beat in eggs.

In separate bowl combine; flours, arrowroot, baking powder and soda, and salt.

Alternate adding the sour cream and flour mixture to cream cheese-sugar batter. Fold in chopped berries.

Pour into greased bundt pan. Bake approx. 1 hour at 350. Cool. Drizzle on the lemon-glaze.

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Could be made with low fat or non fat ingredients!

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Could use all plain flour, regular sugar, and cornstarch in the place of arrowroot.