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Recipe of the Week: Coconut Cream Cake

August 20, 2008 12 Comments

This week I’m featuring an old family favorite. At Christmas time, my mom or my aunt always make a Coconut Cream Cake, but it’s also a really good recipe for spring or summer as well (especially if you love coconut as much as my husband does).

I was looking at some blogs the other day, and I found a couple of people that said they hated cake mixes. Well, I used one to make this cake, but of course, if you prefer you can make a homemade white or yellow sheetcake cake rather than using a mix. I personally like the convenience and simplicity of the cake mix, and I love the taste of them, because…well…I grew up eating cake mix cakes. We only ate made from scratch cakes on a special occasion…so for my “simply sweet” purposes, the cake mix works fine. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 White or yellow Cake Mix
3 large eggs
1 1/3 cup water
2 tablespoons cooking oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 teaspoon coconut extract.
1 can cream of coconut
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 tub whipped topping
1 bag flaked coconut

Directions: Mix cake ingredients (mix, oil, water, eggs) as directed on box. Add extracts and continue to mix well. Pour into a greased 9X13 pan, and bake as directed (about 350 degrees for 32-35 minutes).

Let cake cool completely. Mix sweetened condensed milk and cream of coconut together in a bowl. Poke holes in top of cake, with fork or spoon handle. Pour mixture over entire cake. (Be sure mixture fills/goes into all holes. Spread whipped topping over cake and top with coconut. Keep cake refrigerated.





Filed Under: desserts, Recipe of the Week

Recipe of the Week: Cinnamon Rolls

August 8, 2008 1 Comment

It seemed fitting to end the week with a recipe for cinnamon rolls. Cinnamon rolls are one of my husband’s favorite things to eat for breakfast or dessert, and I’m a pretty fan myself, so we definitely eat our fair share of these things. There must be a ton of recipes for cinnamon rolls out there, but I chose to share this one from BHG.

Ingredients:
4 to 4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 package fast-rising active dry yeast
2/3 cup milk
2/3 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup cooking oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 egg yolks
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/3 cup sugar
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Cream Cheese Icing (see recipe below)

Directions:
1. In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 cups flour and yeast. In small saucepan, combine milk, water, the 1/2 cup sugar, oil, and salt. Heat; stir over medium heat till just warm (120 degree F to 130 degree F).
2. Add milk mixture and egg yolks to dry mixture. Beat with an electric mixer on low to medium speed for 30 seconds, scraping sides of bowl often. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can.
3. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead in enough remaining flour to make a moderately soft dough that’s smooth and elastic (3 to 5 minutes). Cover and let rest 10 minutes.
4. Roll out dough to form a 14×12-inch rectangle. Spread with softened butter or margarine. Sprinkle with a mixture of 1/3 cup sugar and cinnamon.
5. Roll up, jelly-roll style, starting from long side. Seal seam. Slice into 12 pieces. Place in greased 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Cover; let rise in warm place till nearly doubled (20 minutes).
6. Bake in a 375 degree F oven for 20 minutes or until golden. Cool slightly; remove from pan. Frost warm rolls with Cream Cheese Icing. Serve rolls warm or cool on a wire rack. Makes 12 rolls.
Cream Cheese Icing: In a medium mixing bowl, beat one 3-oz. package cream cheese, softened; 3 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened; and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla until light and fluffy. Beat in 1 tablespoon milk. Gradually add 1-1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar until icing is spreading consistency.


Filed Under: breads and sides, desserts, Recipe of the Week

Sweet Thursday: Breakfast Treats

August 7, 2008 1 Comment
And now for the sweeter side of breakfast. Here are some photos & links to some sweet breakfast pastries and treats. Enough said.

Cinnamon Pull-Apart Bread (or Monkey Bread)

Basically cinnamon donut holes baked together in a bundt pan, with a yummy glaze added. Yum! Very easy to make too. And I’ve also seen an already made version of this in the freezer section at the store for anyone who’s in a big hurry.

Cream Cheese Squares

I’m a huge fan of cream cheese and recipes like this. Such a simple and plain concept, yet it’s so good!

Cinnamon Coffee Cake

Believe it or not, I’ve never really had coffee cake…then again, I don’t drink coffee either. But I wouldn’t mind trying it, and this one looks pretty good.

Strawberry-Banana Muffins

I love Banana muffins and Strawberry muffins, so why not combine the two. Joy of Baking has a great recipe to try.

Lemon Bars

I absolutely love these. I never thought of them as breakfast food until I started seeing them served in coffee shops. At work I had them for breakfast a few times, and it really hit the spot.


Filed Under: desserts, recipes

Recipe of the Week: Strawberry Pie

July 19, 2008 22 Comments

Now here’s a perfect recipe for this time of year: Strawberry Pie. My dad got this recipe several years ago from a coworker, and it remains one of his favorite summer time recipes. The only difference is that he uses a baked pie crust out of the freezer section as opposed to the graham cracker crust. He also uses frozen strawberries when strawberries are not in season, and these taste just as good as the fresh ones. If you’re a strawberry lover, you should give this one a whirl!

Ingredients:
2 pints fresh strawberries, hulled
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1-1/2 cups cold water
1 package strawberry gelatin
3 tablespoons sugar
1 graham cracker crust (8 inches)
2 cups whipped topping
Directions: Set aside four whole berries for garnish. Slice remaining strawberries and set aside. In a large saucepan, combine cornstarch and water until smooth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat; stir in gelatin and sugar until dissolved. Stir in sliced strawberries. Pour into the crust. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm. Cut reserved strawberries in half. Garnish each serving with whipped topping and a berry half. Yield: 8 servings.

Here’s a thought: For a little something different, instead of strawberry flavored, try blueberry or raspberry. I’m also curious as to how this would be if you use orange jellow and little mandarine orange slices. mmm…

I’m posting this for Recipe Exchange over at Life As Mom.

Filed Under: desserts, Recipe of the Week, summer

Recipe of the Week: Red, White, & Blue Shortcake

July 3, 2008 1 Comment

For this week’s recipe, I’ve chosen a simple, yet lovely shortcake recipe from Betty Crocker. Doesn’t it look fabulous? And even though it’s a 4th of July recipe, I think this one is definitely fit to stick around for the entire summer!

1 1/2 quarts strawberries, sliced (6 cups)
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
4 2/3cups Bisquick mix
1 cup milk
1/2 cup chopped dried cherries
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
6 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
2 cups blueberries
3/4 cup whipping (heavy) cream
2 tablespoons granulated or powdered sugar
1. Mix strawberries and 1 1/2 cups sugar. Let stand 1 hour.
2. Heat oven to 425ºF. Mix Bisquick mix, milk, cherries, 6 tablespoons sugar and the butter until soft dough forms.
3. Gently smooth dough into ball on surface sprinkled lightly with Bisquick mix. Knead 10 times. Roll dough 1/2 inch thick. Cut with floured 3-inch star-shaped or round cutter. Place about 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown.
4. Stir blueberries into strawberries. Beat whipping cream and 2 tablespoons sugar in chilled medium bowl with electric mixer on high speed until stiff. Split shortcakes in half. Fill and top with berries and whipped cream.

Filed Under: desserts, Misc Holidays, Patriotic, Recipe of the Week

Recipe of the Week: Flag Cake

June 27, 2008 1 Comment

This week’s recipe comes from Duncan Hines. It’s a very festive and patriotic looking cake that would be perfect for the Fourth of July. It’s a fairly light dessert that will add color and style to your buffet or dinner table, and it’s sure to taste great!

Ingredients:
• 1 White Cake Mix
• 1 (3 oz) pkg red flavor gelatin
• 1 (8 oz) container whipped topping
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1/2 cup cold water
• 1 pint strawberries
• 1 cup blueberries
• 1 cup miniature marshmallows
• aluminum foil/fancy foil – color of your choice
• star shaped stickers
• miniature American candy flags
Baking Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 °F. Grease and flour a 13×9-inch pan.
2. Prepare, bake and cool cake according to package directions.
3. Use a large fork to make holes in the cake about every 1/2-inch.
4. Pour gelatin into a large bowl. Add boiling water and mix until gelatin is completely dissolved. Stir in cold water. Pour gelatin over the cake allowing it to run into the holes.
5. Refigerate cake for 3 to 4 hours before serving.
6. Cover a cake tray with aluminum foil then place on tray to decorate.
7. Frost the sides and top with whipped topping. Then arrange strawberries, blueberries and marshmallows on the cake to create a ‘stars & stripes’ pattern. Use the blueberries to create a blue background in the upper left hand corner.
8. Take your foil stars and minature American flags and decorate the sides of the cake. Once you have finished decorating the cake, place in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve it.
Filed Under: desserts, Misc Holidays, Patriotic, Recipe of the Week

Sweet Thursday: 4th of July Edition

June 26, 2008 Leave a Comment
I haven’t done a Sweet Thursday post in quite a while, so I thought this would be a great time for it, particularly since the 4th of July is next Friday. So I found a handful of recipes that looked good to me. Here I’ve included the pictures along with links to the recipes.

If you’re having a 4th of July party, or you’re going to a party and need to bring a dish, you should check these out. These recipes are all very easy to make, and they’d all look great on your buffet.

Very cute presentation to replace your average “fruit tray.”

Lady Liberty Cupcakes
Something a little different, a cute & creative treat that the kids will love.

Poundcake, fruity pie filling, and little whipped topping adds up to a light & yummy treat.

Frozen Uncle Sams

Another cute (& easy) treat that you can make for the kids. Very festive!

Red, White, & Blue Mold

Another light & sweet treat that’s easy to make.

Patriotic Cookie Pizza
Presentation is everything with this cookie & fruit pizza. Very pretty!

Red, White, & Blue Dessert

This trifle made from cream cheese, whipped cream, and fruit will not only taste delicious, but it will look fabulous on the dessert table at your 4th of July party. And you can have it ready in 20 minutes!

Filed Under: desserts, Misc Holidays, Patriotic, Sweet Thursday

Recipe of the Week: Orange Cream Cake

June 20, 2008 Leave a Comment

For this week’s recipe, I chose a very yummy cake recipe from Taste of Home. Orange is one of few flavors that I call a favorite. I love orange muffins, dream bars and pies, and this cream cake is definitely no exception. It is extremely moist and flavorful, and it’s a great dessert for a hot summer day. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 package (18-1/4 ounces) lemon cake mix
1 envelope unsweetened orange soft drink mix
1 cup water
3 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 packages (3 ounces each) orange gelatin, divided
1 cup boiling water
1 cup cold water
1 cup cold milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pacakge (3.4 ounces) instant vanilla pudding mix
1 carton (8 ounces) frozen Cool Whip® whipped topping, thawed
Directions:
In a large bowl, combine cake mix, drink mixes, water, eggs and oil; beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat on medium for 2 minutes.
Pour into an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Using a meat fork or wooden skewer, poke holes in cake. Cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, dissolve one package of gelatin in boiling water. Stir in cold water. Pour over cake. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
In a large bowl, combine the milk, vanilla, pudding mix and remaining gelatin; beat on low for 2 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes; fold in whipped topping. Frost cake. Refrigerate leftovers. Yield: 12-15 servings.

Filed Under: desserts, Recipe of the Week

Recipe of the Week: Banana Cream Trifle

June 14, 2008 1 Comment
For this week’s recipe I wanted to feature a trifle. These are great for any time of the year, but I think they’re especially great for a cool summer time treat. I’m used to seeing either a chocolate trifle or a strawberry trifle, but this one offers a little something different…it’s like banana pudding with a twist. The recipe comes from Betty Crocker. They suggest using a frozen bread loaf, but you may prefer to bake your own. And if you don’t do homemade bread, then you can make it easily from a mix. Pillsbury has a line of quick bread mixes that are very good, and Martha White muffin mixes are great as well. If you love banana, this one is a must try!

1 package (4-serving size) vanilla instant pudding and pie filling mix
2 cups cold milk
1 package (16 ounces) frozen banana breakfast quick bread loaf, thawed and cut into 1-inch cubes (6 cups) (or use banana nut bread or muffin mix and bake as directed)
3 medium bananas, sliced
1 container (8 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed

1. Make pudding mix in large bowl as directed on package for pudding, using 2 cups milk.
2. Layer half of the bread cubes, pudding, banana slices and whipped topping in 2-quart serving bowl; repeat.
3. Cover and refrigerate until serving but no longer than 24 hours. Store covered in refrigerator.

My Tip – Southern Banana pudding wouldn’t be the same without Nila wafers, and I think they’d also make a great addition to the recipe. You can layer them with the rest of the ingredients and then end with them on top. Yum!

Filed Under: desserts, Recipe of the Week

Recipe of the Week: Under the Sea Cake

June 6, 2008 2 Comments

Here’s a really cute cake for summer from Kraft. They also have a recipe for video for a similar recipe called Dive On in Cake. Kids of all ages will love these.

1 pkg. (2-layer size) white cake mix, any flavor
2 cups thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, divided
3/4 cup boiling water
1 pkg. (4-serving size) JELL-O Brand Berry Blue Flavor Gelatin
2 cups ice cubes
10 NILLA Wafers, crushed
2 chewy fruit snack rolls
15 jelly beans
4 TEDDY GRAHAMS Honey Graham Snacks
decorating gel
7 bite-size fish-shaped chewy fruit snacks

PREPARE and bake cake batter in greased foil-lined 13×9-inch baking pan as directed on package. Cool completely. Invert cake onto large platter; remove pan and foil. Use a serrated knife to cut 1/2-inch-wide strip off each side of cake. Cut each strip in half lengthwise; set aside.
SPREAD cake with 1-1/2 cups of the whipped topping. Stack cake strips around outside edges of cake to make a rim. Spread rim with remaining 1/2 cup whipped topping. Refrigerate until ready to use.

STIR boiling water into dry gelatin mix in large bowl at least 2 min. until completely dissolved. Add ice cubes; stir until gelatin begins to thicken. Remove any unmelted ice. Pour thickened gelatin into center of cake as shown in photo. Refrigerate 4 hours or until gelatin is set. Decorate with remaining ingredients to resemble an aquarium. Store in refrigerator.

Filed Under: desserts, party ideas, Recipe of the Week, summer
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