Chocolate Fondue - Two Delicious Recipes

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Are you an old pro when it comes to making delicious desserts? Do your guests rave about your cakes and pies? The next time you have company over for dessert, why not try something different. Chocolate fondue has been in and out of fashion since the seventies and most people have tried it at least once. But if you want to try something new and exciting There are many different dessert fondues out there to satisfy just about anyone with a sweet tooth.

Recently dark chocolate has been in the news being declared as a new heart healthy food. Dark chocolate retains more flavonoids that other varieties of chocolate such as milk chocolate, white chocolate, cocoa or chocolate syrup. New research has also determined that eating a diet high in flavonoids helps reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Obviously this doesn't mean that you should run to the store to buy some candy bars. But it does mean that when eaten in moderation, dark chocolate can be a healthy choice as a dessert.

And whether is good for you or not, who can resist a fondue pot of hot melted chocolate just waiting for your to dip something into it. What better way to enjoy strawberries, bananas and other ripe fruits. But don't stop there. Be sure to try dunking some salty treats into the chocolate such as pretzels and potato chips. Mixing sweet and salty foods creates a unique flavor that you are sure to enjoy.

So not only is chocolate delicious, but it is now considered a heart healthy food as well. Those are some excellent reasons to add a few chocolate fondue recipes to your recipe book. Why not try one of these chocolate fondue recipes tonight?

Dark Chocolate Fondue

12 ounces Premium Dark Chocolate (chopped)
3/4 cup Whipping Cream
2 teaspoons Kahlua or other coffee liqueur (optional)

- Over low flame, heat whipping cream until warm (DO NOT BOIL)
- Slowly add the chopped dark chocolate while stirring
- Stir until the mixture becomes smooth
- Stir in liqueur

To Dip:

Strawberries, Bananas, Sliced Apple, Cubes of Pound Cake, Cubes of Angel Food Cake, Pretzel Sticks, Chunks of Pineapple, Marshmallows, Potato Chips

Mint Chocolate Fondue

1/2 cup Heavy Cream
2 tablespoons Peppermint Liqueur
8 ounces Semisweet Chocolate

- Warm the heavy cream over medium low heat
- Add liqueur
- Grate the chocolate or break into small pieces and slowly add to mixture while stirring
- Stir until the chocolate is melted

To Dip:

Candied Fruit, Pears, Peach Slices, Cubes of Pound Cake, Cubes of Angel Food Cake

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!

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.

Cupcake Frosting Recipes

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Cupcakes and cakes are actually made from the same ingredients. If you have a favorite frosting recipe that tastes great on a cake, rest assured it will taste just as great on a cupcake.

Most frostings are Buttercream Frosting, unless it's on a cake from a bakery in one of the major grocery store chains. Buttercream Frosting is one of the easiest to make and as it's a base-type frosting it goes with almost any type of cupcake flavor.

Buttercream Frosting Recipe

Ingredients:

1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening or lard
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
milk - added a tablespoon or two at a time until desired consistency is met

Makes: About 3 cups of icing

In large bowl, cream shortening/lard and butter with electric mixer, first on a low speed to blend then on a high speed to whip. Add vanilla while still blending. Add powdered sugar, slowly and one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. It is important to start on a lower speed and work your way up when using powdered or confectioner's sugar as it tends to go flying when immediately mixed on a high speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often with a spatula. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will seem dry. Add milk and beat at medium speed to blend, then at a high speed until fluffy. For best results, keep icing bowl in refrigerator when not in use. Refrigerated in an airtight container, this icing can be stored 2 weeks. If using stored frosting, be certain to mix again before use, as the shortening and butter will separate.

As Buttercream Frosting is a base frosting, a variety of additions and variations of this recipe are acceptable on all levels. The most basic change you can make is the color, simply by adding a food coloring. Another suggestion is to add melted baker's chocolate or unsweetened cocoa for a delicious chocolate frosting, though additional sugar or milk may be necessary if the consistency changes due to the addition.

Another popular frosting recipe is Cream Cheese Frosting, well-liked on Carrot Cake, Chocolate and Red Velvet cupcakes and cakes. Chocolate can be added to this recipe as well, to alter the flavor a bit and folding in some walnut crumbles will make this delicious frosting seem almost German in flavor.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:

2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

Blend the cream cheese, butter and vanilla with a mixer until well combined and smooth. Slowly and a little at a time, add the powdered sugar, sifted after measuring, on a low speed until all sugar is added and there is no danger of flying out of the bowl when the mixer is on a high setting. Additional powdered sugar might be needed to achieve the desired consistency and sweetness level.

With these two basic recipes, the sky's the limit when it comes to icing cupcakes. A small amount of imagination and a desire to create are the only skills you need to make some tasty and attractive cupcakes, whether it's for a party or the family.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes With A Difference

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If you're looking for some delicious yet somewhat different kind of chocolate chip cookie recipes, then you came to the right place. Chocolate chip cookies are probably the best loved of all the cookies. They even put chocolate chip cookie dough in ice cream. There are all kinds of chocolate chip cookies, oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, chocolate, chocolate chip cookies, chocolate chip pecan cookies and lots more.

Store bought chocolate chip cookies are good, but nothing beats hot melt in your mouth chocolate chip cookies straight from the oven. You can find all kinds of chocolate chip cookie recipes that can satisfy your chocolate chip cookie cravings, but maybe you would a chocolate chip cookie recipe that's a little out of the ordinary. The two chocolate chip cookie recipes I have put here are a bit different then what you would usually see and I think you're going to enjoy them both.

Hawaiian Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

This is a chocolate chip cookie with a Hawaiian twist.

Ingredients You Need:

1 cup Shortening (preferably butter flavored variety)

3/4 cup Sugar

3/4 cup Brown sugar

1 Egg

1 tsp Vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups Flour

1 tsp Baking powder

1 tsp Baking soda

1/8 tsp Salt

2 cup Quick oats

1 cup Coconut (shredded)

1 cup Macadamia nuts (chopped coarsely)

1 cup Chocolate chips or chunks

How To Prepare:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. In electric mixer, cream together shortening and sugars until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla, beating well. Sift together flour with baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix flour mixture into creamed mixture. Stir in oats, coconut, nuts and chips. Shape into 1 1/2 inch balls. Place on un-greased cookie sheets and flatten with bottom of a glass dipped in flour. Bake for about 14-16 minutes or until lightly browned.

Double Mint Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

Keep your breath smelling fresh with these great tasting mint chocolate chip cookies.

Ingredients You Need:

3/4 cups Margarine

1 1/2 cups Brown sugar firmly packed

2 tbs Water

2 cups Chocolate chips

2 Eggs

2 1/2 cups Flour

1 1/4 tsp Baking soda

1/2 tsp Salt

12 oz Andres mint candy (2 boxes)

How To Prepare:

Melt margarine, add chips and stir until partially melted. Remove from heat and stir until chips are completely melted. Pour into large bowl. Add brown sugar and water and cool slightly. At high speed, beat in eggs one at a time. Reduce to low speed and add dry ingredients. Stir until blended. Chill dough. When ready to bake, line cookie sheets with foil. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll dough into very small balls (about 1/2 teaspoon per ball). Place 2 inches apart and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and while cookies are still on pan, place half a candy piece on each cookie. Remove to waxed paper, wait about a minute and swirl the candy pieces across top of cookie.

These two chocolate chip cookie recipes show that you can do different things with this well loved cookie and make it even better.

Cake Recipes - What Are the Best Cake Recipes in the World?

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This text will continue the topic of cakes and cake recipes. In my last two articles I have written about the best cake recipes in Poland. This time I will give you some examples of the best cake recipes from the world. As always I will be writing about cakes that are cheap, tasty and easy to prepare. So read this text to the end and I'm sure that you will like the information included in it.

The first cake that I would like to present comes from Germany. It's chocolate cake that is very tasty. A lot of people adore this cake. The German chocolate cake recipe includes cocoa, hot water, butter or margarine, sugar, eggs, flour, soda, buttermilk or clabber. It's very special, because it tastes like chocolate, but you don't add chocolate to it. You can also add some additions like caramel and other things. As you can see the ingredients are also very cheap and the cake is also very easy to prepare.

The next cake is very popular in the world (especially in Europe). It's French cake. There are lots of French cake recipes. There are lots of opinions that French cake is difficult to prepare. In fact it only takes a lot of time to prepare because you have to wait for 12 hours, but the process is very easy. I think that French cake is a good dessert. Here you can find ingredients that are included in all French cake recipes. These ingredients are cold water, salt, butter and flour. They are also very cheap. In my opinion you should try to prepare this cake. I recommend it.

The next cake recipe that I would like to describe comes from Spain. It's called very simple - Spanish cake. It's very cheap cake and you can prepare it very fast. It's worth it, because its taste is fantastic. You can prepare Spanish cake by using such ingredients as eggs, flour, sugar, baking powder and vinegar. You also have to make a special flock (some kind of cream). You don't need expensive ingredients for flock. You need milk, butter, eggs, tidbits, nuts, chocolate, coffee and spirit. The cake is tasty and there are many different Spanish cake recipes, so you can use other ingredients than these presented in this article.

That's all I wanted to write about the best cake recipes in the world. I hope these facts were interesting for you. I hope you are going to try cakes that I described in this text. Maybe you will look for recipes for other cakes from the world. I hope you have enjoyed this article. Please be very patient and very soon I will write more culinary articles. I hope that you are going to read them. I believe that they will be very interesting for you and they will give you some important culinary information.

Italian Cream Cake Recipe - Delicious Dessert Recipes

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Are you looking for an excellent dessert to follow the perfect Italian meal, romantic wedding cake, or just a recipe to break the chocolate cake monotony? If so, you definitely want to consider an Italian cream cake recipe.

Cake Ingredients:

2 cups of white sugar
6 large room temperature eggs.
Cooking spray
1/2 cup of unsalted butter
2 cups of all purpose flour
1tsp of baking soda
1 cup of low fat or regular buttermilk
1/2 cup of coarsely chopped pecans
1 tsp of real almond extract
1 tsp of real coconut extract
1 tsp of real vanilla extract
1/2 cup of sweetened flaked coconut
1 tsp of salt

Cream Cheese Icing Ingredients:

4 oz of unsalted butter
4 cups of powdered sugar
1 tsp of real vanilla extract
8 oz of cream cheese
One cup of pecans (toasted or un-toasted)

Italian Cream Cake Recipe Directions

The Icing:

Step One: Combine butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and cream cheese in a medium bowl.
Step Two: Beat the ingredients until light and creamy( about three minutes.) Be careful not to over beat, or the icing will be too runny.
Step Three: Set the nuts aside. They will be used at the end.
Step Four: Cover and refrigerate the icing.
Note: Do not add nuts to the icing. It will make the icing very difficult to spread.

The Cake:

Step One: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Step Two: Evenly spray 3 (9 inch) round cake pans with the cooking spray.
Step Three: Dust the pans with flour, and then shake off excess flour.
Step Four: Set the pans aside.
Step Five: In a large bowl, combine sugar and butter. Use an electric mixer to beat on medium speed; until it is an even creamy consistency.
Step Six: Separate egg yolks and whites. Reserve the egg whites for use in a moment.
Step Seven: Add one egg yolk and beat the mixture well. Add another egg yolk and beat the mixture well. *You will only use two of the egg yolks.
Step Eight: In a separate bowl, mix flour, salt, and baking soda.
Step Nine: Add the 1/4 of the flour mixture to the creamed mixture, and mix well.
Step Ten: Add 1/4 of the buttermilk, and mix well.
Step Eleven: Continue to alternate flour and buttermilk, until all of it is used.
Step Twelve: Stir in the vanilla, coconut, and almond extracts.
Step Thirteen: Stir in the pecans and coconut.
Step Fourteen: Use an electric mixer to beat the egg whites on high speed, until a stiff peak forms. Be careful not to over beat.
Step Fifteen: Gently fold egg whites into batter.
Step Sixteen: Pour batter into pans.
Step Seventeen: Bake for 23 minutes.
Step Eighteen: Let the pans cool for 10 minutes. Then, gently remove cake from pans.

Icing The Cake:

Step One: Line a plate or cake dish with wax paper. You can use one of the pans to trace a circle for the exact size.
Step Two: Place one layer on the plate, and ice with ¼ of the icing. Repeat with each layer.
Step Three: Use the final 1/4 of the icing to ice the sides of the cake.
Step Four: Sprinkle the pecans on the top of the cake and along the sides. You can use a piece of wax paper to press the pecans into the icing.

It may sound a little tedious, but this Italian cream cake recipe is well worth it!

Chocolate Cake Recipes

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There are few puddings sweeter than the traditional chocolate cake. It is one meal guaranteed to bring smiles to faces of those young and old. Contrary to the opinions of less advanced chefs, making chocolate cake can be quick and easy. With a combination of a little skill and the right recipe, anyone can make a chocolate cake to die for.

A good chocolate cake needs to have certain characteristics to ensure that it is fully enjoyed by all who partake of it. Firstly it needs to be moist. A good chocolate cake will be light and fluffy and free of dryness. It will also be rich in chocolate flavor while at the same time not being too sweet for the average pudding lover.

A good simple chocolate cake recipe will comprise of two parts. The first part is the mixing of the dry ingredients in a small to medium bowl depending on the size of the desired output. The second part involves adding the wet ingredients and cooking. Both parts of the procedure should take relatively the same amount of time.

Another important aspect of your chocolate cake creation is to get the best quality ingredients. When mixed, poorer quality ingredients can dramatically damage the taste of the finished product so make sure to use good brand name ingredients such as Cadbury cocoa.

Preparation for chocolate cake making is very easy and can be a fun experience to share particularly with children. It's also a recipe that affords plenty of individual style to be included as the finished cake can be topped with a range of ingredients other than the standard icing sugar.

All up from start to finish you should have a chocolate cake ready to eat in just over an hour!

Chocolate cakes are a great idea for children's birthday's parties or to take to a friends place as an addition to dinner. Chocolate Cake is great combined with ice-cream for dessert for guests or even a family treat.

In today's busy world, time is of the essence. To be able to make a great tasting chocolate cake pudding quickly and easily is a skill to be proud of. With the right recipe and a bit of practice you will be cranking out chocolate cakes that people will love in no time. Even if you don't have time to slave away all day in the kitchen, you can still become a domestic kitchen God or Goddess.

3 Easy to Make Butter Cream Frosting Recipes

Are you tired of wasting your money on store bought frosting? If so, I have 3 of my favorite butter cream recipes to share with you. These recipes are fast, easy and taste delicious. You can spread the frosting onto cakes, brownies and cupcakes.

Here are a few tips:

1. Don't confuse granulated sugar with confectioner's sugar. They are different and can not be used interchangeably. Confectioner's sugar is also commonly called powdered sugar.

2. If you want delicious results, use butter. You will not get the same results if you use margarine.

3. Frosting is supposed to be thick and creamy. Don't over beat.

4. Only spread onto a completely cooled cake. After serving, refrigerate left-overs.

Chocolate Butter Cream

2 2/3 c. confectioners sugar

1/4 c. cocoa

6 tbps butter

6 tbsp milk

1 tsp vanilla

Combine confectioners sugar and cocoa in a small bowl. Beat butter with 1/2 cup of the cocoa mixture in a bowl. Alternately add remaining cocoa mixture and milk, beat until of spreading consistency. Stir in vanilla and mix until creamy.

Maple Butter Cream

4 tbsp. butter, softened

2 (3 ounce) pkgs. cream cheese, softened

4 1/3 c. confectioner's sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. maple flavoring extract

In a medium sized bowl, blend butter and cream cheese together. Gradually add in the confectioner's sugar, beating until smooth and creamy. Stir in vanilla and maple extracts. Let set for 5 minutes.

Classic Butter Cream

1 lb.box of powdered sugar

3/4 c. shortening

1/2 stick butter

1 tsp. vanilla

3 tbsp. flour

1/3 c. milk

Cream together shortening, butter and vanilla. Add flour with sugar and slowly add shortening mixture. Add milk to desired consistency.

Healthy Cakes - How to Adapt Recipes and Enjoy Healthy Cakes

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Eating cakes as part of a healthy diet isn't a problem, but it's virtually impossible to be certain that cakes are healthy unless you make your own. That way, you know exactly what's in them and can enjoy them, knowing there are no unhealthy fats or additives lurking. There's nothing unhealthy about a cake made with wholewheat flour, organic butter, free-range eggs - as long as you don't eat the lot at one sitting! The taste and texture will be far superior to anything you can buy at the supermarket.

*Home-made cakes generally contain far less sugar than commercial cakes. Inspect the labels of bought cakes, and you'll find all sorts of food additives that you'd probably rather not eat, especially the spectacularly unhealthy trans fats and hydrogenated vegetable oils, present in many manufactured cakes, which have a proven link to the development of coronary heart disease.

*Home-made cakes are good value for money. Bought cakes are often very meanly sized. A home-made cake usually goes a lot further.

*Be selective about the recipes you use, and go for healthy cake recipes. Save the chocolate fudge cakes, or cakes with thick frostings for special occasions. Look for recipes that use fruit, nuts or carrots. It's a good way of getting extra fruit and veg into your diet. When you're choosing which recipe to make, think of banana cake or carrot cake.

*Use good, wholesome ingredients for truly healthy cake recipes. Choose organic when you can for ingredients such as sugar, flour, oats, fruits including candied and dried fruits, milk, eggs, butter.

*Use wholewheat flour instead of some, or all, of the flour in your recipe.

*Beware soft margarines sold specifically for cake making. These are often made with hydrogenated vegetable oils, and will render your lovely home-made cake as unhealthy as a greasy take-away muffin. Softened organic butter works fine in most recipes, or use a soft spread made from healthy olive or sunflower oils.

*Replace some of the sugar in recipes with fruit puree. Use apples, prunes or apricots. Stew in a little water until tender, blend, and use to replace an equal volume of sugar in your recipe.

*You can also replace some of the fat in the same way. Try replacing half the fat and half the sugar in a recipe with pureed apple. It's very successful, and adds moistness and a subtle fruity flavour.

*Traditional frosting or icing is high in fat and calories. Use low fat cream cheese in frosting recipes, or top your cakes with a sprinkling of toasted nuts instead. Try coating a cake with desiccated coconut before baking. The topping will bake to a delicious brown, crispy finish.

*Cake making is very satisfying, and if you choose simple healthy cake recipes, it's also very quick. Making a large cake takes about 10-15 mins to get the mixture together, plus baking time. Not long, for something that's so much pleasanter to eat, and so much better for you than manufactured cake.

*Cakes made from healthy cake recipes have a habit of disappearing. Before offering them, cut them into squares, or mark them out into slices, depending on the shape.

Baking - and eating - a healthy homemade cake is one of life's pleasures. Don't deny yourself - cook up a healthy cake recipe today!

Cherry Recipes in Honor of Our First President, George Washington

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Bring some history into your kitchen. Get the kids in the kitchen to help you bake some cherry treats. As you work together, talk to them about the early history of our country and our first President George Washington. This can lead to even more talks about our history. Don't leave it to the schools to teach your children the history of their country. Unfortunately, many of today's textbook don't even have the correct information in them. Let your kids learn from you as you build up our country in their eyes. Most kids like to bake cookies and these Chocolate Cherry Cookies would be a good project for you as they are simple and made from a cake mix. And they are diabetic friendly so even the diabetic children (of all ages) can enjoy them. Or you can use a regular chocolate cake mix for regular cookies. Tiny Cherry Cheesecakes are also a delicious choice and they are also diabetic friendly. However they, too, can be made regular by replacing the Equal with sugar. These tiny cheesecakes have a chocolate crust and who doesn't love chocolate and cherries together? And speaking of chocolate, how about some Oh-So-Easy Cherry Brownies?

CHOCOLATE CHERRY COOKIES

1 (8 oz) pkg sugar-free chocolate cake mix

3 tbsp skim milk

1/2 tsp almond extract

10 maraschino cherries, rinsed, drained and halved

2 tbsp white chocolate chips

1/2 tsp canola oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, beat cake mix, milk and extract with an electric mixer at low speed. When mixture looks crumbly, increase speed to medium and beat 2 minutes or until smooth dough forms. (Dough will be very sticky.) Coat hands with cooking spray and shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place balls 2 1/2 inches apart on baking sheets. Flatten each ball slightly. Place cherry half in center of each cookie. Bake 8-10 minutes or until cookies lose their shine and tops begin to crack. DO NOT OVERBAKE OR COOKIES WILL BE HARD WHEN COOLED. Remove to wire racks and cool completely.

Place chips and oil in a small microwave-safe bowl and cook a few seconds at a time, removing and stirring until chips are melted. Drizzle over cooled cookies. Allow drizzle to set before serving.

TINY CHERRY CHEESECAKES

Crust: 1 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup Equal-Lite

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1/2 cup cold butter

2 tbsp cold water

Filling:

6 oz cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup Equal-Lite

2 tbsp milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 egg

1 can sugar-free or lite cherry pie filling

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease 24 mini-muffins cups and set aside.To make crust: In a small mixing bowl, combine flour, Equal and cocoa. Cut in butter until crumbly. Gradually add water, mixing with a fork until mixture forms a ball. Divide dough and shape into 24 balls. Place in prepared miniature muffin tins and press dough onto the bottom and up sides of each muffin cup.

To make filling: In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and Equal until smooth. Beat in milk and vanilla. Add egg; beat on low just until combined. Spoon approximately 1 tablespoonful into each muffin cup. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until set. Cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Carefully remove from pans to cool completely. Top each cake with a dab of pie filling before serving. Store in refrigerator.

OH-SO-EASY CHERRY BROWNIES

If you are a fan of Black Forest Cake, you will love these cherry brownies.

1 pkg. (21.5 oz) brownie mix

1 cup cherry pie filling

1/4 cup oil

2 eggs

1 1/4 cups chocolate chips

Combine brownie mix, pie filling, oil, and eggs together and mix well. Grease bottom only of a 13" x 9" baking pan. Pour batter into pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes until done. After removing from oven, sprinkle with the chocolate chips and spread when they melt. Cool and cut into squares. To make a tasty and pretty serving, top brownie square with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a spoonful of the leftover pie filling.

Enjoy!

Easy Chocolate Cake Recipes

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I love chocolate

I love chocolate and so does the rest of my family. It doesn't matter what form it's in either, I'll eat it in chocolate chip cookies or death by chocolate dessert or even just by the bar. It's so nice to go out to eat because you get to try a different chocolate dessert almost every time but it's a shame you can't do that every day, or can you?

You can't go out to eat every day, or at least not many of us can, and satisfying your desire for chocolate in different forms is probably difficult. I only know two recipes and neither of them are very exiting. It's either chocolate brownies out of a packet or chocolate ice cream out of a tub. Don't you wish that you could eat the same things at home that you would if you went out to a swanky restaurant?

Are you stopping yourself doing just that because you think that eating chocolate desserts every day would give you serious weight problems? I know that I do, there must be oodles of calories in those desserts and there probably is in the ones you get in restaurants.

Easy chocolate cake recipes can be low in calories

What if I were to tell you that you could make chocolate desserts that are low in calories and cheap to make? What if you could have thousands of different recipes all with easy instructions that would make eating a different chocolate dessert every day simple as pie?

Well you can have your cake and eat it. The web site below has thousands of easy chocolate cake recipes and other chocolate recipes just waiting for you to snap them up. They even come with videos to show you exactly how to do it, what could be simpler than that?

What I like best about these recipes is that not only are they really simple to make but they are also very healthy too. I never thought that it was possible but yes you can eat dessert as if you were out at a restaurant every day if you want.

Crab Cake Recipes - The Perfect Crab Cake

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Crab cakes are a classic dish served for brunch, lunch, or dinner. To some they are a comfort food ordered at fine restaurants, while others experiment at home in their kitchens to find the perfect recipe. This culinary delight is enjoyed around the world, with delicious variations at every location, or with every chef or home cook.

You should start with the finest crabmeat you can acquire. Whether its fresh or frozen, local or seasonal, king, dungeness or Maryland blue, the better the crabmeat, the better the final result. Jumbo lump or backfin are great choices. Folded in gently to the crab cake mixture, these two types of crabmeat will retain shape and texture and deliver a delicious and beautiful crab cake.

Fresh ingredients are another key to preparing incredible crab cakes. For example using fresh eggs, fresh herbs instead of dried, fresh lemon or lime juice instead of bottled will all lead to a producing a superior result. Fresh ingredients will lead to fewer inconsistencies each time you prepare them. If you are using breadcrumbs as a binder, fresh homemade, or fresh store bought will always produce the best results.

The crabmeat is generally folded into the mixture last, so the crabmeat stays in large lumps and flakes. The mixture is delicately shaped into patties to retain textures, and the individual patties are covered and refrigerated for at least an hour so flavors can combine and the patties set up. Chilling the patties lessens the chance of the crab cakes falling apart when cooked. The patties can be sauteed, broiled, baked, and deep fried, or grilled. Every method delivers distinct flavors and textures and can enhance the overall taste and presentation. No one method is preferred, although some would argue that crab cakes should only be prepared in a certain way.

Crab cakes can be prepared with very few ingredients allowing the flavor and texture of the crabmeat to take center stage. Some recipes build off this classic recipe by adding a touch of hot, sweet or spice to the cakes. Seafood seasonings are often added to crab cakes to add a distinct seafood flavor. Crab cake sauces are often served on the side, and there are as many recipes for sauces as there are for the cakes themselves.

Crab cakes can be enjoyed year round in the comfort of your own home. When armed with the best recipes, prepared with care and fine ingredients, you can present a perfect appetizer or main dish and truly wow your dining audience.

Thai Food

Baked Apples, Chocolate Chip Cake and Cherry Delight Recipes Are A Delectable Assortment

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Here's an assortment of dessert recipes that will please anyone at your gathering. I know we bring at least one of them to each potluck or progressive that we attend! I'd also like to say that the chocolate chip bit cake recipe comes to you with over 50 years of experience as it originated from my grandmother on dad's side. Since she never gave my mom the secret for keeping the chocolate bits evenly distributed, we've been experimenting with it ever since. The resulting recipe below is pure perfection!

Baked Apples

Prep time: 10 minutes, Cook time: 11 minutes

7 McIntosh apples, peeled

½ cup orange juice

3 t. artificial sweetener

1 t. cinnamon

1 t. cornstarch

Cut apples into thick slices. Arrange in microwave-save 8 x 12 inch dish. Mix remaining ingredients and pour over the apples. Microwave on high for 11 minutes or until the apples are tender. Also easy to make in the crock pot. Cook on low 6 - 8 hours.
Serve warm or cold. Great on vanilla ice cream.

Cherry Delight (in-laws favorite)

Prep time: 20 minutes, Cook time 15 minutes

NEED TO PREP THE DAY BEFORE, OR MUCH EARLIER IN THE DAY

A. 1 cup margarine, ½ cup brown sugar, 2 cups flour, 1 cup chopped pecans

B. 4 cups Dream Whip, 8 ounce package cream cheese - softened, 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 t. vanilla

C. 1 can Wilderness Cherries

Mix A in 9 x 12 pan. Bake 15 minutes at 400 degrees. Cool.

Mix B in bowl. Pour over cooked baked layer (A). Refrigerate

Next day, pour can Wilderness Cherries over the combined A and B mixture

Chocolate Chip Bit Cake (dad's favorite - we miss you D)

Prep Time: 15 minutes, Cook time: 40 minutes

2 ¼ cup flour

1 bag chocolate chips

1 cup milk

1 ½ cup sugar

½ cup butter flavored Crisco (works WAY better than butter - chips fall to the bottom if you use regular butter, or worse yet margarine)

2 ½ t. baking powder

2 eggs

1 t. vanilla

Blend butter flavored Crisco and sugar then add remaining ingredients except chocolate chips. Pour ½ batter into a 9 x 12 pan, then add ½ chocolate, repeat. Bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes.

Thai Food

Diabetic Cake Recipes - Guide to Low Sugar Intake

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When you are suffering from diabetes it is important to stock up certain items that will not let you feel left out at family celebrations or if possible give yourself a treat now and again. The sugar free diabetic cake mix should be a regular item in the pantry to make your desserts or even use in order to lower the sugar intake for other people in the family. On the other hand, even though you are using this sugar free mix you definitely don't want this dessert to come out tasting like the regular diet treats.

If you need guidance when making your cakes and desserts, the following suggestions will be able to have them tasting more the like the actual treats all the time.

First, simply by making use of applesauce as a fractional alternative for the cooking oil whenever you are creating delights from the sugar free mix this could aid in the reduction of both the fat and sugar within the particular recipe. The end result will enhance the taste and make it more desirable for both dieters and diabetics. The applesauce will enhance the actual texture but you should not go over the top with it, this substitute should be about half the quantity of the cooking oil and you will receive the best results.

An additional strategy to enhance your cake mix will be to utilize a flavorsome dessert blend having absolutely no sugar in order to make layers in this cake. Generally, the basic sugar-free cakes might taste bland, but when you add a flavorful and creamy dessert blend somewhere between, such as a lemon cake mixes it will add some appeal. Additionally, you could create sugar free icing from one of the dessert mixes, such as this, simply by combining and preparing this in accordance to the actual directions on the package; this could then mix into a cool whip. You could include an additional dessert blend if you wish, by using an extra egg which will give you a moist rich pudding.

There is also the option of adding a can fruit to the particular sugar free mix and this can include crush peaches, mangoes or pineapples. The ideal fruit mix should be packed in water instead of syrup, because you want to use less sugar and the syrup will definitely add more calories and sugar. You might be thinking that the fruit will be sweet as well, but you have to understand that the fruit will add just the right amount of moisture and natural sweet taste to this dry or bland cake mix.

In conclusion, you could utilize fresh fruit juice as an alternative to the milk or water with the sugar free diabetic cake mix. The defrosting of orange concentrate will be a great technique in order to include a lemon flavor, which usually goes nicely with chocolate cake. If you like, you could also use vanilla flavoring or apple juice along with an angel food cake blend to include a subtle apple taste. All of this is just a few simple ways to really improve your diabetic cake mix, so you won't feel deprive or left out of the festivities.

Thai Food