Recipe: Amish Apple Cake

1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 1/2 cups finely chopped apples, such as Granny Smith
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
Hot Caramel Sauce
1/2 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup evaporated milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Oil a 9-inch round cake pan. In a large bowl, cream the butter. Add the sugar and beat until fluffy. Add the egg and beat until well blended. Mix in the baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add the flour and stir just until blended.
Stir in the apples and nuts. Pour into prepared cake pan and bake for 30 minutes until the top springs back when touched lightly with your finger.

Hot Caramel Sauce: In a saucepan, melt the butter, brown sugar and salt. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla extract and milk. Serve warm sauce over cake.

Recipe - Amish Apple Cake - Yummy

1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 1/2 cups finely chopped apples, such as Granny Smith
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour

Hot Caramel Sauce

1/2 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup evaporated milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Oil a 9-inch round cake pan.
In a large bowl, cream the butter. Add the sugar and beat until fluffy.
Add the egg and beat until well blended. Mix in the baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add the flour and stir just until blended.
Stir in the apples and nuts. Pour into prepared cake pan and bake for 30 minutes until the top springs back when touched lightly with your finger.

Hot Caramel Sauce: In a saucepan, melt the butter, brown sugar and salt. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla extract and milk.

Serve warm sauce over cake.

Recipe: SNOWY COCONUT ROUNDS

1 cup flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 large egg

MARSHMALLOW TOPPING
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
3 tbs egg white powder
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups sweetened flake coconut
Red food coloring (optional)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour eight 8 oz ovenproof glass bowls or round ramekins. Combine first 6 ingredients in a bowl. Whisk to blend. In another bowl, combine buttermilk, oil and egg. Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture. Mix until blended. Divide batter among bowls. Place in oven on a baking sheet. Bake 22 min. or until done. Cool 10 min. Invert, remove bowls, cool completely.

MARSHMALLOW TOPPING---Sprinkle gelatin over 2 tbs cool water. Let stand 5 min. Combine egg white powder and 1/2 cup warm water in a large bowl. Whisk to blend. Beat mixture until foamy. Add sugar and beat until thick and glossy. Heat gelatin mixture in microwave until dissolved, 20 seconds. Pour dissolved gelatin into whipped egg whites, and stir to combine. Place coconut in a small bowl (Tint half pink with food coloring, if desired). Spread an even layer of frosting all over the rounded sides of cakes. Press the coconut into the sides and to cover. Continue with remaining cakes, then serve.

MAKES 8 SERVINGS OF SNOWY COCONUT ROUNDS.

Recipe: MEXICAN CHOCOLATE CAKE

1 box devils food cake mix
2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
7 oz jar marshmallow cream
1 cup powdered sugar

Heat oven to 350 degrees. You will need 2 round cake pans coated with nonstick spray. Line bottoms with wax paper, coat paper with spray. Prepare cake mix as package directs adding the cinnamon, stir in chips. Divide batter into pans, bake as package directs. Cool cake layers in pans 15 min. invert, remove pans and wax paper. Cool completely.

FROSTING---Beat butter in a large bowl until creamy, beat in cocoa. Beat in marshmallow cream, then powdered sugar, beat until fluffy. Place a cake layer on a serving plate. Spread with 3/4 cup frosting, top with remaining cake layer. Frost sides and top of cake.

MAKES 16 SERVINGS OF CAKE.

Recipe: GINGER COCONUT CARROT CAKE

This cake has 3 layers, no frosting on the sides of cake, just frosting between each layer on the top of each layer, kind of different looking but yummy.

1 3/4 cup sugar, plus more for pans
2 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
4 eggs
2 tbs grated ginger
1 cup vegetable or canola oil
3 cups grated carrots
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 1/2 cups toasted sweetened coconut
Large coconut shavings, toasted
CREAM CHEESE ICING
8 oz cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 pound powdered sugar (4 cups)
1 tsp vanilla

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease three 8" round cake pans, line bottoms with parchment paper. Grease and sprinkle with sugar, tap out excess. Stir together flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt, set aside.
2. Beat eggs and sugar until light. Add ginger and oil. Stir in flour mixture. Fold in carrots, pecans and coconut.
3. Divide batter among pans and bake 30 min. or until cakes are done. Cool 15 min. Turn cakes out of pans and cool completely, top sides up.
4. FOR FROSTING---Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar and vanilla and beat until combined and smooth.
5. Assemble cakes on platter, spreading the center of each cake with a generous layer of frosting.

GARNISH WITH COCONUT SHAVINGS & SERVE.

Makes 12 servings.

Recipe: STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE

CRUST
9 oz pkg Stella D'oro Almond Delight cookies or use a graham cracker crust
3 tbs butter, melted

4 bricks 8 oz each cream cheese, softened
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 tbs cornstarch
4 large eggs, room temp
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 cup seedless strawberry jam
2 pints strawberries, bottoms sliced evenly

1. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Coat a 9x3" springform pan with cooking spray.
2. CRUST---Break up cookies into a food processor. Add butter, pulse until fine crumbs form. Press over bottom of pan. Freeze until ready to fill.
3. Beat cream cheese, sugar and cornstarch in a bowl until smooth. Beat in eggs until blended. Add sour cream and vanilla and almond extract, beat until combined.
4. Pour 2 cups batter into pan, spread evenly. Dot with 1/4 cup jam. Spoon on 2 cups batter, spread evenly. Dot with 1/4 cup jam, spoon on rest of batter and spread.
5. Bake 45 min. or until cake puffs slightly around edges and center still jiggles slightly. Turn off oven (leave door closed) leave cake in oven 45 min.
6. Run a knife around the edge of the pan to release cake (leave on pan sides). Cool completely. Cover and refrigerate 4 hours.
7. BEFORE SERVING---Arrange strawberries, points up, on top of cake. Heat remaining 1/2 cup jam in microwave or in a small pan over low heat until melted. Stir until smooth. SPOON OVER BERRIES, REFRIGERATE TO SET JAM, THEN SERVE.

Makes 16 servings.