Key Lime Cheesecake

For the Key Lime Cheesecake, you will need:

• 20 cream-filled vanilla cookies, finely ground
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 box (3.4 oz.) lime gelatin mix
• 4 packages (3 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 teaspoon lime zest
• 1 1/2 cups frozen whipped topping, thawed

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F.
2. In bowl, combine first 3 ingredients; press onto bottom of 9″ square pan lined with enough foil to hang 2″ over edge.  Bake 8 minutes.
3. In bowl, combine gelatin mix and 1/2 cup boiling water.  Stir until dissolved.  Add 1 cup cold water.
4. In bowl of mixer, beat cream cheese for 2 minutes.  Slowly beat in gelatin mixture.  Beat 1 minute then chill 20 for minutes.
5. After 20 minutes, whisk in lime zest and whipped topping; spoon into crust.
6. Chill for 2 hours.  Cut into squares.  Garnish with whipped topping, if desired.

Boston Creme Pie

Boston Creme Pie is a rich creamy dessert. Made from a combination of yellow cake, custard and chocolate glaze, this wonderful cake is one of my favorite desserts.  I got this easy Boston Creme Pie recipe from allrecipes.com.

For this recipe, you will need:

• 6 tablespoons and 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups cake flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup and 1/4 cup white sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 teaspoon and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup milk, divided
• 1/2 cup and 1/4 cup light cream
• a pinch of  salt
• 4 teaspoons cornstarch
• 3 (1 ounce) squares semisweet chocolate
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9 inch round cake pans. Sift the all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking powder and salt together and set aside.
2. In a deep bowl cream 6 tablespoons of the butter with 3/4 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the 2 eggs, one at a time, then beat in the 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture alternately with the 1/2 cup of the milk in 3 additions, Beating the batter smooth after each addition. Divide the batter between the 2 prepared pans.
3. Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 15 minutes or until cakes begin to shrink away from the sides of the pans and centers spring back when lightly touched. Turn the cakes onto wire racks to cool.
4. To Make The Filling: Combine the 1/2 cup light cream with 1/4 cup of the milk and cook over medium heat until bubbles begin to form around the edge of the pan. Immediately add 1/4 cup of the sugar and the salt, stirring until dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat.
5. In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup of the milk with the cornstarch and whisk to remove lumps. Whisk in the 2 eggs. Add the hot cream mixture in a thin stream, whisking constantly. Return to the mixture to the saucepan, bring to a boil, and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the custard thickens and is smooth (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat and stir in the 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and allow to cool to room temperature.
6. To Make The Chocolate Frosting: In a heavy saucepan over low heat, stir the chocolate pieces and 2 tablespoons butter until they are completely melted. Remove from the heat and, stirring constantly, add the 1/4 cup light cream in a thin steady stream. When mixture is smooth, stir in the confectioners’ sugar and beat vigorously. Stir in the 1/2 teaspoon vanilla.
7. To Assemble Cake: Spread the cooled filling over one the cooled cakes and place the second cake on top. Pour the chocolate frosting evenly over the top allowing it to spill down the sides.

Fruit Cake

This post has been sitting in my drafts for months. I should have posted this before the holidays but I’ve totally forgotten. Better late than never.

For this recipe, you will need:

• 4 cups raisins
• 1 cup candied cherries – halved
• 1 cup candied pineapple
• 1 cup diced candied mixed fruit
• 1 cup pecan halves or cashew nuts
• 1 cup slivered almonds
• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 6 eggs – separated
• 1 cup vegetable shortening
• 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1 1/2 tsp. ground cloves
• 1/2 square unsweetened baking chocolate (melted)
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup orange juice

Procedure:

1)  Grease a 4″ x 10″ tube cake pan or 2 large loaf pans pans, or 3 medium size loaf pans. Line the bottom and sides with aluminum foil. Lightly spray the foil with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.

2)  In a large bowl, combine the fruit and nuts. Toss the mixture with 1 cup flour to coat.

3) In a second bowl, sift the remaining flour with the baking soda and spices. In a very large bowl, at medium speed, beat the shortening and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the melted chocolate & mix well.

4) At low speed, alternately beat in the flour/spice mixture and the fruit juices. In a separate bowl, with clean beaters, beat the egg whites until stiff. Fold the beaten egg whites into the batter. Add the fruit and nut mixture and stir in by hand until all the ingredients are well mixed.

5) Turn the batter into the prepared pan (1 tube pan or 2 large loaf pans or 3 small loaf pans). Bake in a preheated oven at 300º – in a tube cake pan for 2 hours and 20 minutes; in 2 large loaf pans for 1 hr and 45 minutes; in 3 small loaf pans for 1-1/2 hours.

6) Cool completely in the pan, on a wire rack. Remove the cooled cake from the pan and wrap it well.

Chocolate Amaretti Cake

I got the recipe from Giada De Laurentiis’ Everyday Italian.   According to her, Amaretti means “little bitters” but it commonly refers to light, airy, crunchy, dome-shaped almond cookies.  These cookies were used in this cake.

For the cake, you will need:

• 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup slivered almonds
• 1 cup (about 2 oz) amaretti cookies
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 teaspoons freshly grated orange zest
• 4 large eggs
• unsweetened cocoa powder for garnish

Procedure:

1)  Heat oven to 350°F.  Coat a 9-inch springform pan with non-stick spray.

2)  Microwave chocolate chips in a bowl, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted and smooth.

3)  Put almonds and cookies in a food processor; pulse until finely ground.  Transfer to a bowl.  Put sugar, butter and orange zest in processor; process until smooth and creamy.  With machine running, add eggs one at a time.  Add almond mixture and melted chocolate; pulse until blended.  Scrape into prepared pan.

4)  Make 35 minutes, or until top is firm and slightly cracked around the edges and a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool in pan on a wire rack 15 minutes before removing pan sides and cooling completely.  Dust cake with cocoa stirred through a strainer.

Note:  If you can’t find amaretti cookies, you can substitute 1 cup ladyfinger cookies and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract.

Carrot Cake

Found this Carrot cake recipe from the internet but instead of just following it, I tried adding chopped walnuts. It turned out really good.  I didn’t make the little carrot in the middle, just bought it from the baking supply store. 

For the Carrot Cake, you will need:

• 4 eggs
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 and 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, divided
• 4 cups grated carrots
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 cup flour
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 2 tsp. cinnamon

For the Cream Cheese frosting, you will need:

• 1/2 stick butter, softened
• 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 1 box powdered sugar (1 lb.)
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract

Procedure:

1)  Combine sugar, baking powder, flour, cinnamon and baking soda in a bowl. Add in the eggs and oil.

2)  Mix until just blended and then add the carrots and 1 cup walnuts.

3)  Bake at 375F to 400F for 35 to 40 minutes or until done.  Let cool.

4)  Mix cream cheese and butter until smooth, add sugar and vanilla and blend well.  Spread on cooled cake. Sprinkle with chopped walnuts.