Connie's chocolate cakes

Connie is one of my favorite cooks in this world. Her homemade caramels and handdipped chocolates are divine... as in truly heavenly. Connie is one of those friends that everyone dreams of because I can break a fingernail and she's there with something fresh and nummy to make me feel better. My two favorite things that she makes, however, are her chocolate cakes. The cake is homemade and moist and marvelous. But. The frostings. Oh. My. Heck. They are out of this world delish. I can't share the recipes without sharing this story....

For almost thirty years now, I've been "expected" to take my secret brownies to every single Corbridge family event ever held. This past summer, on the week of the Corbridge Reunion in our back yard, I was overwhelmingly busy with things to do, including host the reunion and teach Relief Society the next day. The whole week was a blur of business. Connie, being Connie, offered several times to help. Finally, I took her up on the offer and she baked her delicious German Chocolate Cake for me. On the day of the reunion, it was a hit to all who tried it. Fast forward two weeks, when my nephew was leaving for his LDS mission and the family dinner was to be held following church. As my sister-in-law was handing out food assignments and checking off her list, she asked that I make... me expecting "what else but brownies".... that nummy german chocolate cake that we had at the reunion! My brownies had been forgotten!

Now for the rest of the story... I had another insane week with more than any sane woman should ever have on her plate, the week of the Farewell. The night before, I was just about in panic mode after baking two cakes before frosting the cakes. Connie came over and basically said, "Move over. Let me do it." and made the german chocolate frosting. The next morning, with me in Overdrive and still trying to catch up with the To Do list and being prepared to reach my Relief Society lesson, I ended up staying home in our ward and Doug took off to the mission farewell. As he loaded the kids, he placed my much stressed over cakes on the roof of his van and took off down the street. The crashing noise that he heard was "an angel catching the cakes and placing them not so gently right side up on the street!", according to Doug. Needless to say, not wanting me to totally meltdown, he picked them up off the street and headed to the family gathering. I found out about the accident after the fact, thanks to a wise husband and a wise sister-in-law, who insisted, "Soph will be better off not knowing about this." They scooped the scrambled cakes into plates and served them anyway. Everyone said they tasted great, regardless of how they looked. Seriously. MUST TRY Recipes!

CHOCOLATE CAKE

2 cups flour
1 ½ cups sugar
1 cube butter or margarine, softened
4 TBS. Cocoa – I use heaping spoons full

¾ cup water
¾ cup cooking oil
1 tsp. vanilla
1 ½ tsp. soda
¼ tsp. salt
2 eggs
½ cup milk
Put first four ingredients in mixing bowl.
Bring oil and water to a boil and pour over ingredients in mixing bowl - beat together.
Add eggs, vanilla, soda and salt – mix well.
Add milk - mix well - pour into greased and floured 9 x 13 cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes. My oven will bake the cake in 28 minutes.

German Chocolate Frosting
1 cup cream
3 egg yolks - beaten
1 cup sugar
1 square butter or margarine
Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a slow boil and cook 3 or 4 minutes or until mixture appears it has thickened.
Remove from heat - Add 8-10 ounces of coconut and 1 – 2 cups of chopped pecans, walnuts or sliced almonds - more if you like.
Pour over cake and let cool before cutting.

Plain chocolate frosting
1 lb. powdered sugar
¼ cup cocoa
1 cube butter or margarine softened
½ - ¾ tsp. almond flavoring – more if desired
Slowly add enough milk to desired spreading consistency

Enjoy!

Ruby's Raw Apple Cake

Since apples are so plentiful right now, here's a traditional Thanksgiving dessert served at our house, but it's delish anytime, especially in the fall! This is the recipe that I use from my own mother's kitchen and it will be one of those "passed down for generations" recipes, I hope. I have to laugh because I can literally smell the cake baking right now, just thinking about it!

3 eggs

2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cup oil (I'm thinking of trying half oil and half applesauce next time I bake this.)

3 cups flour

3 cups shredded raw apples

1 cup chopped pecans

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. cinnamon

Cream oil and sugar together. Add eggs. Mix dry ingredients in. Add apples, vanilla and nuts. VERY THICK. Pour into greased floured bundt pan. Bake 1 hour and 15 minutes at 350°. Dust with powdered sugar when completely cool. Store loosely covered. Enjoy!

PUMPKIN CRUNCH CAKE

Here's a tried and true favorite in our neighborhood! It's simple to make but read through the directions before you start, so you don't jump the gun, like I did the first time I made it. It's simple and sure to become a favorite at your house too!

1 pkg. yellow cake mix (2 layer size)
1 large can of pumpkin
1 can of evaporated milk
3 eggs
3/4 cup butter, melted
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup chopped nuts

Combine pumpkin, evaporated milk, eggs, sugar and cinnamon in a large bowl. Pour into a well-greased 9x13 inch pan. Sprinkle about a cup of the cake mix over the top and very gently, fold the cake mix into the pumpkin mixture. Sprinkle the rest of the cake mix on top of that and pat down with a fork or big spoon. Drizzle the melted butter over top and bake for about 1 hour at 350. Let cool and serve with plenty of whipped cream. Enjoy!

"anything goes" 90 second dessert

Carol turned us on to this simple and fun treat! These individual desserts are a huge hit because they're so fun and so easy! The ingredients are "anything goes"! We've had them with bottled sliced peaches, coconut, heath toffee bits, chocolate chips, fresh cherries chopped, broken up candy bars, cherry pie filling and so on. I can't wait to have a little gathering to let everyone make their own.

You will need:

• Cake mix, any flavor or flavors you choose
• Water
• Toppings such as chocolate chips, M&Ms, Reeses pieces, Toffee Bits, Coconut, nuts, fruit (bottled, canned or fresh), cake sprinkles, mini-marshmallows, syrups, you get the idea...
• measuring cups (1/2 cup and 1/3 cup)

In regular cereal size bowl, mix 1/2 cup dry cake mix and 1/3 cup of water. Stir with a fork until it's no longer lumpy. Add any toppings you desire. Microwave cook for 90 seconds. (My microwave takes 100 seconds for the fruity ones.) Eat! You can top the cake with whipped cream or icecream or, again, anything goes! Enjoy!

RHUBARB CREAM CAKE

I'm so not a rhubarb fan, but a few weeks ago, at Doug's Mom's birthday party, I tried my sister-in-law, Jill's cake not knowing what I was tasting. OH MY HECK! It was out of this world delish! Everyone was ranting and raving over it and the pan, literally, was licked clean! I couldn't wait to come home and try it myself. Note...A nummy custard will form at the bottom of the pan as cake bakes. It's so simple, so nummy! You'd never know that rhubarb was the fruit in it!

1 (18 oz.) pkg. yellow cake mix

4 c. rhubarb, diced

1 c. sugar

2 c. whipping cream

Prepare cake mix as the package directs. Pour into greased and bottom floured 9 x 13 inch cake pan. Spread the rhubarb evenly on top of the cake batter. Sprinkle the sugar over the rhubarb. Pour 2 cups whipping cream evenly over entire mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes.Serve warm. You may add whipping cream on top, but I don't think that it needs it! Store in refrigerator, if there's any left to store. Enjoy!

This is my first time joining in on the fun at Designs by Gollum, Foodie Friday! Check it out for more great cake recipes!

Butter-Pecan Oohey-Gooey Cake

Oh my! That's all I have to say about this quick and easy cake mix!

1 pkg. butter pecan cake mix
1/4 c. water
2 eggs
3/4 c. chopped nuts
1/4 c. melted butter
1/4 c. brown sugar
6 oz. pkg. chocolate chips


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 10 x 15 inch pan. Combine cake mix, water, eggs, butter and brown sugar in a bowl. Mix thoroughly. Stir in chips and nuts. Bake 20-25 minutes. Frost with chocolate frosting. Enjoy!

Pineapple-Pecan Cake

Originally, it was called Mexican wedding cake. Whatever it's called, to us, it is Doug's Favorite cake in the world. This is one of the most easy cakes you'll ever make and it's always a hit! Whenever you make it or wherever you take it, you'll be asked for the recipe. It's so simple you'll know it right off the top of your head! But, best of all about this cake is that it's more moist than any cake I've ever tasted!

2 cups flour (whole wheat flour is outstanding for this recipe!)

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp. baking soda

1 20 oz. can crushed pineapple - undrained
1 cup crushed pecans

Mix well and bake in a 9x13" pan for 45 minutes at 350.

Cream cheese frosting

8 oz. cream cheese

1/2 cup softened butter

1 tsp. vanilla

3 cups powdered sugar

Mix until creamy and fluffy. Frost the cake while still warm, but not hot! Enjoy!

Tres Leches

This cake is expensive and fattening and labor-intensive in the clean-up (you use a gazillion dishes to make it) but it's worth every second, penny, calorie and energy! It's really not that difficult to make, honest! I've tasted Tres Leche in every restaurant that has had it on the menu because I love it so. I've had several recipes but this one is the most simple and tastiest of all! You must try this recipe! It's divine! (Sorry about the photo...It's not the best, but hey! I remembered to take a picture!)

3/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
9 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup milk
9 egg whites
1 teaspoon cream of tartar

2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 (5 ounce) can evaporated milk
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 cup white sugar


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan. (I used my Pampered Chef stone pan and didn't bother.)

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. I whipped it for about four minutes. Add the egg yolks one at a time, beating well, as you add each egg, then stir in the vanilla. Sift together the flour and baking powder. Add the flour mixture alternately with the milk; beat well after each addition. In a separate large glass or metal bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until whites form stiff peaks. Gently fold the egg whites into the cake batter using a rubber spatula. Do not overbeat. Spread the mixture evenly into the prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. (Mine took about 35 minutes before it was done.) Allow to cool.

In a small bowl, stir together 2 cups heavy cream, evaporated milk and sweetened condensed milk. Pour the mixture over the cake until it wont absorb any more. You may have 1/3 of it left over, but that's okay because you'll use it when serving.

Combine the whipped cream and sugar, spread over soaked cake. The cake may become crumbly on the top, so spread carefully. Refrigerate cake until serving, Pour leftover milk mixture onto plates before setting cake on the plates. Top with fresh strawberries, if desired or just one as a garnish. ENJOY!

Wacky Cake

Years ago, Doug and I had a friend who was still single and spent lots of time with us. For his birthday, I made dinner and asked him what his favorite cake was. He said, "That chocolate cake... the one that everyone brings to their family reunions." I had no clue but imagined it was this recipe and made it for him. He took one bite and said, "Yep! This is the one!" It's a chocolate cake with a different kick to it. I've never understood why but it truly is the best chocolate cake I've ever tasted and it's the most simple. The lady who gave me the recipe 32 years ago mixed the cake right in her 9x13 pan, needing absolutely no cleanup except the fork she used to mix it with. I use my Bosch kitchen mixer but it taste just the same. Try it. You'll have all of the ingredients. It takes about three minutes to mix and have in the oven. You'll love it! It's every bit as quick and better than any storebought cake mix I've ever tried.



2 cups sugar
3 cups flour
1/3 cup cocoa
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking soda

Mix. Then add:

1 Tbsp. vanilla
3/4 cup oil
2 Tbsp. vinegar

2 cups cold water

Bake in a 9x13 pan and you don't even have to grease and flour the pan. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes. Frost with your favorite frosting. I'll include my favorite peanutbutter-cream cheese frosting for this cake below! Enjoy!

4 ounces cream cheese
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp. vanilla

3 - 4 cups powdered sugar

Mix till fluffy! Spread on warm cake. Enjoy!