Valentine Cake

This recipe is a delicious cherry sponge cake. It is called Valentine Cake, which makes it a perfect cake for Valentine's Day, or just any day because it is so tasty. The cake uses a jar of maraschino cherries. I had a ten ounce jar and used the entire jar, even though the recipe calls for just a four ounce jar. The outcome was extra cherry.

The recipe called for using a heart-shaped pan, but I do not have one so I used a tube pan. Any type of pan could be used, just adjust the baking time, as needed. I think cupcakes would be especially good. The recipe also calls for frosting, but does not include a specific frosting to use. When I made this cake, I just sprinkled the cake with powdered sugar. Many frostings would be delicious, including a buttercream or a fudge frosting.

Valentine Cake 

• 2 cups flour
• 1 Tbsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• Syrup from one bottle maraschino cherries
• 4 egg whites
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup soft butter
• 1 1/4 cup sugar
• 4 oz. jar maraschino cherries
• 1/2 cup nuts

Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl. Put remaining ingredients except cherries and almonds into a blender. Cover and process at blend until smooth. Stop blender; add cherries and nuts. Cover; blend on chop only until cherries and nuts are chopped. Pour over dry ingredients; mix well. Pour into greased and floured pan. Bake for 35 minutes at 350. Cool in pan for ten minutes. Remove from pan; cool thoroughly. Fill and frost, if desired. Enjoy!

Black Bottom Cake

When I made this cake, I was not sure how it would come out. It is a delicious cake that is easy to make. This cake is a super moist dark chocolate cake with a cheesecake topping. No frosting is needed for this decadent cake. Whether you plan to eat the cake on your own or share it with others, this cake is a tasty treat.

The recipe calls for using a 9x9 cake pan, which works out nice. But these would also make terrific cupcakes, just adjust the baking time down. Another alternative is to use the cream cheese mixture as a layer, with chocolate cake batter both above and below the cream cheese.

Black Bottom Cake 

• 1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
• 1 egg
• 1 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 cup flour
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 cup water
• 1/3 cup oil
• 1 Tbsp. vinegar
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Combine cream cheese, egg, 1/3 cup sugar, and 1/4 tsp salt in a small bowl and beat until light and fluffy. Set aside. Sift together flour with 1 cup sugar, cocoa, soda, and 1/2 tsp. salt in a large bowl. Add water, oil, vinegar, and vanilla; beat until blended. Pour mix into a greased 9x9 pan. Spoon cream cheese mix on top. Bake at 350 for 50 minutes. Enjoy!

Oatmeal Cookies

This recipe is a tasty cookie recipe. And, with the use of oatmeal, it seems just a little healthier, even if the cookies are not really healthy. I especially like the cinnamon in this recipe which results in a subtle rather than overwhelming cinnamon flavor. This recipe makes a lot of cookies, so it is a great recipe to try when you want to have cookies to share.

When I made the recipe, I used chocolate chips. The recipe calls for either chocolate chips or raisins. I am sure that the cookies would also be great with raisins or even both raisins and chocolate chips. The recipe calls for rolling the dough into a two-inch ball, which would result in a big cookie. When I made the recipe, I rolled the dough into one-inch balls, which still resulted in big cookies because the cookies do spread while baking. 

Oatmeal Cookies 

• 1 3/4 cup butter
• 2 cups sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups oatmeal
• 1 cup raisins or chocolate chips
• 1 cup ground pecans
• 3 3/4 cup flour
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• dash of salt
• sugar for rolling cookies

Cream butter with sugar. Add eggs, oatmeal, raisins or chips, and nuts. Sift together dry ingredients and add to mixture. Roll dough into two-inch balls. Roll cookie in sugar to coat. Put on ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten each cookie lightly with a fork. Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes or until brown. Enjoy!

Cinnamon Cake

This Cinnamon Cake has an interesting look to it, but don't be dissuaded by its appearance. The cake comes out with a bumpy appearance that is caramelized, somewhat like a monkey bread. Despite its look, the cake is delicious. And, while it is baking, it looks like it might be an absolute disaster covered in a pool of butter, but it comes together and is not a soupy mess.

When I made this cake, I used a 9x9 square pan instead of two round pans. As a result, I think my cake was thicker than expected and took a few more minutes in the oven to bake. Whatever size pan used, the cake is easy to make and even easier to eat.

Cinnamon Cake 

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. butter
• 2 cups flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 1 cup milk

Topping

• 1 stick butter
• 1 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• cinnamon

Make the cake by creaming the sugar, butter, and egg. Sift flour, salt, and baking powder together. Gradually add sifted ingredients and milk to batter, stirring constantly. Divide evenly into 2 ungreased round cake pans. On top, spread brown sugar, sprinkle very generously with cinnamon. Dot closely with butter. Preheat oven to 350. Bake for 25 minutes. Serve warm. Enjoy!

The Ruby Slipper

I am not sure why this cake has this name, but my research indicates that this cake recipe comes from a Jello advertisement from the 1970s. So it is no surprise that the recipe uses a box of jello. The cake itself is somewhat dense like a pound cake. The jello adds a nice flavor and color. This cake is a good everyday or special occasion cake.

This cake is so easy to make. When I made the cake, I used strawberry jello instead of raspberry jello because that is what I had on hand. Just about any flavor of jello could be used, but a red jello certain justifies the cake's name. Also, instead of just dusting the cake with powdered sugar, I used whipped cream to frost the cake.

The Ruby Slipper  

• 1 package yellow cake mix
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 eggs
• 1 package Raspberry Jello

Combine cake mix, sour cream, water, and eggs in a bowl. Blend, then beat on medium speed for two minutes until creamy. Spoon one-third of batter into a well-greased and floured tube pan. Sprinkle with half of jello powder. Repeat layer. Spread remaining batter to cover. Bake at 350 for 45 to 50 minutes. Cool for five minutes. Remove from pan. Sprinkle with powder sugar. Enjoy!

One-Step Pound Cake

At the start of each new year, I often look to make a cake. This year's pound cake is an excellent choice. There are many recipes for pound cake, using flour, butter, sugar, and eggs as the base. This recipe adds in sour cream, which gives the cake a rich and balanced taste. Then flavor can be added, such as a citrus flavor for this cake, or nuts, chocolate, or anything you might want to try.

Mom's recipe calls for using grated lemon peel in the cake and lemon juice in the glaze. I used grated orange peel and orange juice. The result was delicious. I think lime could also be used. Whichever citrus flavor you use, the cake will be tasty.

One-Step Pound Cake 

• 2 1/4 cup flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. grated lemon peel
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sour cream
• 3 eggs

Combine all ingredients. Beat for three minutes at medium speed. Pour into a greased and floured tube or bundt pan. Bake at 325 for 60-70 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes. Remove from pan. For the glaze, blend 1 cup powdered sugar with 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice. Spread glaze over the top of the cake. Enjoy!

Butter Pecan Cookies

Mom's recipe box has many cookie recipes. Many of the recipes result in fancier cookies. This recipe is very simple, but because it features pecans, this recipe feels fancier to me because of the inclusion of nuts. I made these in early December thinking that I could freeze some for Christmas, but they were so delicious that they were eaten before any could make it into the freezer.

The base for this recipe is quite simple and delicious. The ingredients are all pantry staples. The pecans add a nice touch. Other additional ingredients could be easily substituted, such as other nuts or chocolate. 

Butter Pecan Cookies 

• 1 cup butter
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 1/4 cup flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Cream butter and sugar until light. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Sift together dry ingredients; blend into creamed mix. Stir in nuts. Drop from teaspoon onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for about 10 minutes. Cool Enjoy!