Saturday, October 30, 2010

The Best Carrot Cake Recipe on Earth


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Growing up, friends and family always raved about my mom's delicious carrot cake. As a child, the idea of eating a cake made from carrots seemed a little odd, but once I got past the initial apprehension, I too found her carrot cake to be one of my favorite desserts.

Below is the exact recipe. I hope you enjoy it!

Mom's Delicious Carrot Cake Recipe

Ingredients:

(Cake)

2.0 Cups of Sugar

1.5 Cups of Vegetable Oil

2.5 Cups of Self-Rising Flour

3.0 Cups of Grated Carrots

4 Eggs

1 Teaspoon of Vanilla

1 Teaspoon of Baking Soda

2 Teaspoons of Cinnamon

(Icing)

8 Ounces of Original Kraft Philadelphia Cream Cheese

1 Stick of Margarine

1 Box of Powdered Sugar

1 Teaspoon of Vanilla

1 Cup of Chopped Peacans

Instructions:

Mix the sugar and vegetable oil in a large bowl. Add the eggs and vanilla, along with self-rising flour and cinnamon. Using a Kitched Aid or other mixing device, add the baking soda and carrots and mix until the batter is uniform. Pour batter into 3 round cake pans (makes 3 layers). Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Once done, put on racks to cool.

To create the icing, combine the cream cheese, margarine, powdered sugar, and vanilla, and mix until consistent. Add the chopped peacans and stir. Apply the icing in between layers and on the top and sides of the cake once the layers have cooled.

Finally, enjoy one of the finest tasting desserts ever created!

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Chocoholics, Rejoice! Two Easy Recipes for Chocolate Sheet Cakes


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Here are a couple of recipes that are perfect for busy chocoholics. The Chocolate Fudge Sheet Cake makes the average 9 x 13-inch size cake better known as 1/4 sheet cake. The Easy German Chocolate Sheet Cake makes a large cake that serves 48. It is perfect for parties or taking to church socials, family reunions, workplace luncheons, etc where there will be a large crowd. It is simple as it uses a cake mix.

EASY GERMAN CHOCOLATE SHEET CAKE
1 pkg German Chocolate Cake Mix
1 large egg
2 egg whites
1 3/4 cup water
nonstick cooking spray
1 can (14-oz) fat-free sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1/3 cup chopped pecans
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 lb powdered sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 to 4 tbsp milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large mixer bowl combine cake mix, egg, egg whites, and water. Beat mixture at medium speed of electric mixer 3 to 4 minutes or until creamy. Spray a 15 x 10-inch jelly roll pan with the nonstick cooking spray. Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees.

In a small bowl combine the sweetened condensed milk, coconut, and pecans. Spread the mixture over the warm cake. Broil on lowest oven rack about 2 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

In a medium mixer bowl, beat together the butter, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and vanilla using medium speed. Beat mixture until blended; gradually adding milk, beating until smooth and spreadable. Spread over the cake.

Yield: 48 servings.

CHOCOLATE FUDGE SHEET CAKE
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup butter
4 oz semisweet chocolate

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13 x 2-inch baking pan; set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk eggs, sugar, and milk together. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and mix until well blended.

Melt the butter and chocolate in the top of a double boiler set over gently simmering, not boiling water. Cool slightly. Blend chocolate mixture into the batter. Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack. After cake is cooled, spread with your favorite frosting.

Enjoy!

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Hassle-Free Diabetic Dessert Recipes


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It all comes down to being a matter of habit - once you begin to anxiously scan every possible edible thing set before you for its possible effects on your diabetes, once great recipes no longer appear to be what they are (and instead take the form of multicolored 3-D graphs and charts that plot sugar, proteins, fats and carbohydrates) you know that great food is a thing of the past to you. This is what it means to live life as a Type I diabetic - always aware of how much insulin courses through your body. Most people wouldn't mind being diabetic if they didn't have to give up so much in their diet that they prized. Nothing can matter more to the health of a diabetic then, than inventive recipes that will take the sting out of the kind of sacrifices that are called for. When people are no longer called upon to sacrifice the taste in their food for their health, they will no longer take the risk of trying something tempting. Here are a couple of diabetic dessert recipes that should go a long way in making this possible.

Chocolate cake has to be the most difficult food give up for any diabetic. Let's get started with the first of our diabetic dessert recipes - a method for chocolate cake. To begin with, place three-quarters of a cup of Fudged Sweet Topping in warm water to help loosen it up. Beat two eggs until fluffy, and add in a cup of strawberry apple butter and a teaspoon of vanilla. Add in the fudge sweet topping, a quarter cup of milk, a quarter cup of Fruit Sweet, 2 cups of flour and mix thoroughly. Once done, all you need to do is to pour it into a greased cake tin, and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Next on our list of diabetic dessert recipes comes a delicious low-calorie cheesecake and that should really make up for all that you have had to give up for your condition. Get 12 ounces of ricotta cheese (low-fat), and mix it in with 4 egg yolks, three quarters of a cup of Fruit Sweet, and beat thoroughly. Add in two-thirds of the cup of milk powder, and beat in a blender until everything is properly mixed in. Throw in 2 teaspoons of vanilla, and squeeze in half a lemon (and throw in the rind as well). At this point, you can throw in the egg whites that you separated to begin with, and press the whipper button until everything's nice and frothy. Get a cake pan and butter it all up - the bottom and the sides too. Crush up some graham crackers and coat the bottom of the pan evenly through. Now, you can pour in the mixture you just made and bake it at 350 degrees for about three-quarters of an hour. To make sure that the cake doesn't dry out too much, leave a pan of water in the oven for moisture. You could make this with any kind of cheese of course. And it should transport you to a time when you never had to watch what you ate.

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Caramel Crunch Fudge Dessert Cake Recipe


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When it comes to making a dessert cake that the entire family would enjoy, this is one of my favorites to make. What makes this cake so fantastic is it's chocolate fudge-like consistency with the nutty crunchy topping. If you are a chocolate lover, then this one is for you.

Cake Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 oz. (2 squares) unsweetened chocolate

1 cup water

1 cup quick rolled oats

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

1/2 cup chocolate flavored syrup

1/2 cup cold coffee

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 eggs

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

Topping Ingredients:

1/3 cup butter, softened

1/4 cup whipping cream

3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

1/2 cup finely chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 13 x 9" baking pan.

In a large saucepan, melt the butter and chocolate squares; stir in water. Bring chocolate mixture to a boil. Stir in the rolled oats, granulated sugar, brown sugar, chocolate syrup, coffee liquid, vanilla extract and eggs; mix until all ingredients are well combined. Stir in the all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt into the chocolate mixture, mixing well.

Pour the cake batter into your prepared baking pan. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes or until the cake tests done when lightly touched in the center. You can also use a cake tester, if it comes out clean, it's done.

In a medium-sized saucepan, combine all of the topping ingredients in the order that they are given. Bring to a full boil over medium heat, stirring the mixture constantly. Reduce heat and simmer for an additional 3 minutes or until the mixture has slightly thickened. Pour this hot mixture over your hot cake.

Place cake back into your oven and bake for an additional 3-4 minutes or until the topping is hot, bubbly and slightly browned. Remove cake from the oven and let it cool before serving.