Dessert

Blueberry Brunch Cake 

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup sugar

1 large egg

1 cup fat-free plain yogurt

2 tbls vegetable oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Topping:

1/2 cup flour

1/4 cup sugar

2 tbls soft margarine

1 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray an 8x8 baking dish with cooking spray.

In large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, and sugar.

In medium bowl, combine egg, yogurt, oil, and vanilla extract.  Stir egg mixture into flour mixture, just until moist.  Stir in blueberries.  Spoon batter into the prepared baking pan.

Topping:  In a small bowl, using a fork, combine flour, sugar, margarine, and cinnamon until mixture looks like course crumbs.  Sprinkle on cake batter in pan.  Bake 40-45 minutes.

Carrot Cake 

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

3 cups finely shredded carrots

1 cup cooking oil

4 eggs

1 recipe cream cheese frosting (see below)

Grease and lightly flour two 9x1 1/2 inch round baking pans (or one 13x9x2)

In large bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon.  Add carrots, oil and eggs.  Beat with electric mixer until combined.  Pour into baking pan(s).

Bake @ 350 degrees for 30 - 35 minutes for round pans or 35 to 40 minutes for rectangle pan.  Cake is done when a toothpick comes out clean.  Cool cake on wire racks for 10 minutes.  Remove from pans.  Cool completely before frosting.  Cover and store in refrigerator.

Cream Cheese Frosting

2     3-ounce packages softened cream cheese

1/2 cup softened butter or margarine

2 tsp vanilla

2 cups sifted powdered sugar

Beat together all three ingredients until light and fluffy.  Gradually add powdered sugar, beating well.  Gradually beat in 2-1/2 to 2-3/4 cups additional sifted powdered sugar until desired spreading consistency is reached.  Cover and store cake in refrigerator.

CRANBERRY FRUIT NUT BREAD

  1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries, coarsely chopped

½ cup chopped nuts

2 cups flour

1 cup sugar

1 ½ tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

½ tsp. baking soda

2 tblsp shortening

¾ cup orange juice

1 egg, well beaten

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Generously grease and lightly flour a 9x5x3-loaf pan.  Prepare cranberries and nuts and set aside.  In bowl mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda.  Cut in shortening.  Stir in juice and egg just to moisten.  Fold in cranberries and nuts, Spoon into prepared pan.  Bake 60 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool on rack 15 minutes.  Remove from pan, cool completely.  Wrap and store overnight before slicing.

NEIMAN MARCUS OATMEAL CHOC. CHIP COOKIES

  2 cups butter

4 cups flour

2 tsp. baking soda

2 cups sugar

5 cups blended oatmeal

24 oz. Chocolate chips

2 cups brown sugar

1 tsp. Salt

1 8 oz. Hershey bar (grated)

4 eggs

2 tsp. Baking powder

2 tsp. Vanilla

3 cups chopped nuts (your choice)

Measure oatmeal and blend in a blender to a fine powder.  Cream the butter and both sugars.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Mix together with flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.  Add chocolate chips, Hershey bar and nuts.

 Roll into balls and place 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet.  Bake for 10 minutes at 375 degrees.

Makes 112 cookies.

PINEAPPLE UPSIDE DOWN CAKE

2 tblsp butter or margarine

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 tblsp water

1 8-ounce can pineapple slices, drained

maraschino cherries

1-1/3 cups flour

2/3 cup sugar

2 tsp baking powder

2/3 cup milk

1/4 cup butter or margarine

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

Melt the 2 tablespoons butter or margarine in a 9x1-1/2 inch round baking pan.  Stir in brown sugar and water.  Arrange pineapple slices in pan with  a maraschino cherry in each pineapple slice hole.

In a medium mixing bowl stir flour, sugar, and baking powder together.  Add milk, the 1/4 cup butter, egg, and vanilla.  Beat with mixer on medium for 1 minute.  Spoon batter on top of pineapples in baking pan.

Bake at 350 for 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.  Cool for 5 minutes.  Gently loosen sides of cake from pan and invert onto a plate.    Serve warm.

Chocolate Devils Food Cake

2 ¼ cups flour     

½ cup unsweetened cocoa for baking

1 ½ tsp. baking soda

¼ tsp. salt

½ cup shortening

1 ¾ cup sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

3 eggs

1 1/3 cup water

 Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and lightly flour 2- 8 or 9 inch round pans or 1- 13” cake sheet pan.

 Mix flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt, in large bowl.  Set aside.

 Beat butter with mixer on med-hi for 30 seconds.  Add sugar and vanilla, beat until combined.   Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each one.

 Mix dry ingredients into wet ingredients, alternating with water until just combined.

 Pour into pans and bake 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

 Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes.  Remove cakes from pans and cool for about 1 hour before frosting.  Use No-Cook Fudge Frosting, it's really good and really easy.

 No Cook Fudge Frosting

 4 ¾ cup sifted powdered sugar

½ cup cocoa for baking

½ cup softened shortening

1/3 c boiling water

1tsp vanilla

Combine sugar and cocoa.  Add shortening, water and vanilla.  Beat with mixer until combined.  Then beat for 1 minute.  Cool 20-30 minutes or until a good frosting consistency is reached.    Frost sides and top of cake.