Butter Cake with Salted Caramel Buttercream Frosting Recipe

The cake was incredible! I’d give it a pretty high difficulty level, because if you’ve never baked from scratch before, this cake can be daunting. However, the flavor is a solid 1,000,000/10. The cake is a great supporting role to the creamy, buttery, ever so daintily salted caramel iced star. My frosting came out almost the texture of modeling chocolate. I absolutely loved the ease of spreading, verses the age old Wilton buttercream (which obviously pales in comparison in flavor as well!) All in all, the extra effort was definitely worth the extra flavor, and smiles on my family’s faces as they enjoyed it this Easter Sunday!

Recipe >> Butter Cake with Salted Caramel Buttercream Frosting Recipe @ addapinch.com

Softbatch Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies

I just made these a couple nights ago and they were amazing! The cream cheese definitely makes a difference. They are still nice and soft even after a couple days. I did a mix of semi sweet and milk chocolate chips. But maybe next time I will add less chocolate chips because I’m more of a cookie dough person.

Nevertheless great recipe!

Recipe >> Softbatch Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies @ averiecooks.com

Trisha Yearwood Key Lime Cake

I've been wanting to make this cake for quite awhile.  Today was the day.  The cake was delicious but it didn't wow me like I thought it would.  I liked it enough that I would make it again.  It's REALLY easy to throw together. Whenever a cake involves oil instead of butter, it's so simple.  This one uses no butter in the cake - all oil.  This cake is ULTRA moist.  It was moist even before you pour a mixture of lime juice & powdered sugar over the hot cake.  One thing I was surprised about is the subtle lime flavor.  I thought it would be "in your face" lime!  Like POW!  No, it's a lot more subtle.  Definitely lime but not strong.   I made a double recipe and it made 3 nice size layers of the cake. I don't see how a single recipe can result in layers that are thick enough.  Maybe a double layer cake with a single recipe. I made the cream cheese icing but added lime zest to it and some big squeezes of lime juice.

This would be a wonderful cake for a summer barbeque. I can just imagine the nice light crisp lime flavor in the heat of summer.  If you do not bake often or don't consider yourself a very talented baker, this might be a good cake for you to make. Seriously, this is about as easy as a cake mix.

Trisha Yearwood Key Lime Cake

■1 3-oz package lime-flavored gelatin
■1⅓ cups granulated sugar
■2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
■½ tsp salt
■1 tsp baking powder
■1 tsp baking soda
■5 large eggs, slightly beaten
■1½ cups vegetable oil
■¾ cup orange juice
■1 Tbsp lemon juice
■½ tsp vanilla extract
■½ cup Key lime juice (from about 25 small Key limes or 4 large regular limes)
■½ cup confectioners’ sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour three 9-inch-round cake pans.

2. In a large mixing bowl, mix the gelatin, sugar, flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Stir to mix well. Add the eggs, oil, orange juice, lemon juice, and vanilla. Divide the batter evenly among the 3 pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Test for doneness by lightly touching the tops of the layers or inserting a toothpick. Cool the layers in the pans for 5 minutes, then turn them out onto racks.

3. While the layers are still hot, mix the lime juice and confectioners’ sugar and pour it over the layers on the racks. You can pierce the layers with a fork to allow the glaze to soak in better. Allow the layers to cool completely as you prepare the icing.

CREAM CHEESE ICING

■½ cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
■1 (8-oz) package cream cheese, room temperature
■1 (1-lb) box confectioners’ sugar
(I used lime zest & lime juice in my icing)

1. Cream the butter and cream cheese. Beat in the confectioners’ sugar until the mixture is smooth and easy to spread. Spread the icing between the layers and on the top and sides of the cake.

Note: The cream cheese icing is optional. This cake is beautiful and tastes great with just the glaze poured over it. Serves 12.

Lazy Day Oatmeal Cake

I made this cake for the Cake-A-Thon in memory of Chef-I-Am. We loved it! Simple to put together with items I always have on hand. Cake was tender and moist. Topping was perfect! Cake and topping complimented eachother well. This recipe is a keeper for me!

Lazy Day Oatmeal Cake

Servings 9

Ingredients:


BATTER:

•     1 cup uncooked rolled oats (instant or regular, I used rolled oats)
•     1 1⁄4 cups boiling water
•     1⁄2 cup butter or 1⁄2 cup margarine
•     1 cup granulated sugar
•     1 teaspoon vanilla
•     2 eggs
•     1 1⁄2 cups flour
•     1 teaspoon baking soda
•     1⁄2 teaspoon salt
•     3⁄4 teaspoon cinnamon
•     1⁄4 teaspoon nutmeg

   
TOPPING:

•     1⁄4 cup butter or 1⁄4 cup margarine, melted
•     1⁄2 cup brown sugar
•     3 tablespoons cream or 3 tablespoons milk
•     3⁄4 cup flaked coconut
•     1⁄3 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Directions:

1.     In a shallow bowl soak oats in boiling water for 20 minutes.
2.     Meanwhile proceed by measuring butter and sugars into beater bowl and beating until light.
3.     Beat in eggs and vanilla.
4.     Sift and measure flour, sifting again with the soda and spices.
5.     By this time the oats will be soaked and cool.
6.     Remove beaters from creamed mixture and fold in soaked oats.
7.     Sift flour mixture over and fold in.
8.     Turn in a buttered 9x9" pan and bake at 350°F for 40-50 minutes .
9.     Mix all the topping ingredients.
10.     Do not remove cake from pan but while still hot spread topping over and put under the broiler until bubbly and tinged with gold.
11.     Watch carefully.

The Best Homemade Cheesecake

What makes it so great? It is super light and fluffy. How does it get that way? The egg yolks are beaten in with the cream cheese and then the whipped egg whites are folded into the batter. That makes all the difference.

The Best Homemade Cheesecake

Ingredients:

Crust:

• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 5 Tbsp sugar
• 1/3 cup melted butter

Filling:

• 3 (8oz) cream cheese, softened
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs, separated
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Crust: Combine all ingredients and press against sides and bottom of 9-inch springform pan. (I use a measuring cup to do this - works great!)

Filling: In the bowl of an electric mixer, mix together cream cheese, sugar, 4 egg yolks, lemon juice and vanilla.

In another bowl, beat 4 egg whites until stiff and creamy. Fold egg whites into cream cheese mixture. Pour into crust in springform pan.

Bake for 35 minutes. Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake in the oven for another hour with the door closed.

Freeze several hours before serving. Remove from freezer and remove from pan before allowing the cheesecake to thaw.

Read more at http://www.plainchicken.com/2015/01/the-best-homemade-cheesecake.html#XYJ40r7frpBRYW3O.99

S'mores Ice Cream Cake

Toasted s'mores are a campfire classic. Since we just can't get enough, we transformed s’more ingredients into a chocolate ice cream cake with a golden marshmallow topping.

S'mores Ice Cream Cake

Servings: 12 servings

Ingredients:

• 32 graham wafers, divided
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 2 Tbsp. sugar
• 6 oz. Baker's Semi-Sweet Chocolate
• 3 cups Cool Whip Whipped Topping (Do not thaw.)
• 1 tub (1.66 L) chocolate ice cream, softened
• 1 pkg. (250 g) Jet-Puffed Miniature Marshmallows, divided
• 2 Tbsp. milk

Directions:

Crush 20 wafers to form fine crumbs; place in medium bowl. Add butter and sugar; mix well. Press onto bottom of 9-inch springform pan. Bake 12 min. or until lightly browned. Cool completely. Meanwhile, use serrated knife to score lengthwise line down centre of each of the remaining wafers; break each wafer down scored line into 2 rectangles.

Microwave chocolate and Cool Whip in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 2 to 2-1/2 min. or until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is blended, stirring after each minute. Let stand 15 min. Spread chocolate mixture over crust. Stand wafer rectangles, top-sides facing out, around edge of pan, pressing gently into chocolate mixture to secure. Freeze 20 min. or until filling is firm.

Cover with ice cream. Freeze 4 hours or until ice cream layer is very firm. Reserve 2 cups marshmallows when ready to serve dessert. Microwave remaining marshmallows and milk in large microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1 min. 15 sec. or until marshmallows are completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring after 1 min. Cool 10 min.

Heat broiler. Place dessert on baking sheet; top with melted marshmallow mixture and reserved marshmallows. Broil, 6 inches from heat, 1 min. or until marshmallows are golden brown. Remove rim of pan before serving dessert.

Butterscotch Spiral Coffee Cake

This is a picture of every cup of coffee's dream, especially if you are a butterscotch lover like me.  If you like a sweet treat for breakfast every now and then (or every now and, like, the day after that) make this cake and enter through the golden door to breakfast bliss.  Alec Baldwin's character Blake said in Glengarry Glen Ross---"Coffee's for closers..."  This beauty of a cake seals the deal on every level and is a great way to share a giant sticky bun with family and friends.

In my opinion, the original recipe was somewhat lacking in butterscotch flavor, so I added some chopped butterscotch chips to the mix and a teaspoon of Scotch whisky to the sticky glaze.  It is enjoyed most on the day that it is made, but I have had good results making it the night before.  Re-warm in the oven to liquefy the glaze for an sticky sweet anytime treat! 

Butterscotch Spiral Coffee Cake
makes one 9-inch round cake
For the Dough:

• 2 1/2 to 2 3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/3 cup whole milk
• 1/4 cup (2-ounces) unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 extra large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the Butterscotch Glaze:

• 1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup (2-ounces) unsalted butter
• 2 Tablespoons light corn syrup
• 1 teaspoon Scotch whisky

For the Cinnamon-Butter Filling:

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 Tablespoons (1-ounce) unsalted butter, melted
• 1/3 cup butterscotch chips, chopped

For the Dough

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the 2 cups of flour, sugar, yeast, salt, cardamom, nutmeg, and cinnamon.  In a small saucepan over low heat, heat the milk and butter just until the butter melts.  Add the water and set aside until warm (120º F-130º F), about 1 minute.  Pour the milk mixture over the flour mixture and mix on low speed until combined.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after addition.  Add the vanilla. Add 1/2 cup more flour and continue to mix on low speed until smooth, about 30-45 seconds.  Add 2 tablespoons of additional flour and mix on medium speed until the dough is smooth, but slightly sticky.  Sprinkle the works surface with 1 tablespoon of flour, and center the dough on the flour.  Knead the dough gently until it is smooth and no longer sticky, adding an additional 1 to 2 tablespoons of flour if needed.  Place the dough in a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap.  Let the dough rise in a warm, draft free place until it has doubled in bulk, about 45-60 minutes.

For the Butterscotch Glaze

Meanwhile, lightly coat a 9 x 2-inch round cake pan with non-stick spray.  In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the sugar, butter, and corn syrup and heat until the butter is completely melted.  Remove from the heat and stir in the Scotch whisky.  Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and tilt the pan to cover the bottom evenly; set aside.

For the Cinnamon-Butter Filling

In a small bowl, stir together the butter and cinnamon.

Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 350º F. Gently de-gas the dough by pressing lightly.  On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough into a 16 x 12-inch rectangle.  Using a pastry brush, spread the cinnamon-butter evenly over the dough.  Sprinkle the dough with the chopped chips.  Cut the dough into six 2-inch wide strips.  Loosely (so the dough has some give as it expands in the oven) roll up one strip and place it in the center of the prepared pan on top of the glaze.  One at a time, coil the remaining dough strips around the center strip (cinnamon-butter side facing towards the inside), starting each strip at the end of the previous one to make a single large spiral.  Loosely cover the pan with plastic wrap and let the cake rise in a warm, draft free place until it is almost doubled in size, about 30 minutes.

Bake the cake until the top is deep golden brown, about 35 minutes.  Check after 20 minutes to make sure the top is not browning too fast.  If so, cover the top loosely with a sheet of aluminum foil for the last 10-15 minutes to prevent over browning.  Transfer to a wire rack (remove the foil if used) and let cool for 10 minutes.

Gently tilt the pan and tap the side on a counter to release the sides of the cake.  Invert a serving platter on top of the cake, then invert the pan and the plate.  Leave the pan on the cake for 1 minute so the glaze transfers to the cake, then gently lift off the pan.  Using a rubber spatula, scrape out any glaze remaining in the pan and spread it over the warm surface of the coffee cake.  Serve the cake warm or at room temperature cut into wedges using a serrated knife.  Although best eaten the day it is baked, the coffee cake can be made the night before, left to cool completely in the pan and covered tightly with plastic wrap.  To reheat, remove the plastic wrap and reheat in the oven to liquefy the glaze again.  Enjoy!