Recipe: Velvet Crumb Strawberry Dessert

I made this over the weekend, and I have to say I was very pleased. Once again, it is more of a summer dish, and was a nice little pick-me-up instead of the typically February dreariness. It was a light dessert in the sense that there wasn't a lot of it, and it wasn't too heavy on the sugar.

Taste: Wonderful. I loved how all of the tastes of the strawberry, the cake, and the cream cheese blended together into one smooth, delightful taste. It particularly worked out because the strawberries that I had were slightly on the tart side, so the dessert wasn't sickeningly sweet. The cream cheese, which I was skeptical about, gave it a great twist.

Grade: A

Cooking: For a cake, extremely easy. The recipe calls for a baking mix, which takes a lot of the mixing out of the picture when you're making the cake. In fact, the glaze was the hardest part. It comes together really quickly.

Grade: A

This is a great dessert for the summer or even spring during Easter.

Here's the recipe:

Velvet Crumb Strawberry Dessert (Summer Fresh Fruits and Vegetables, 1989)

1 1/2 cups baking mix (Bisquick)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk or water
2 tablespoons shortening
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
Strawberry glaze (recipe below)
2 packages (3 ozs each) cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 1/2 cups strawberry halves

Heat oven to 350. Grease and flour round pan, 9 x 1 1/2 inches. Beat baking mix, sugar, milk, shortening, vanilla, and egg in large bowl on low speed, scraping bowl frequently, 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed 4 minutes. Pour into pan. Bake until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool 5 minutes; invert on serving plate.

Prepare strawberry glaze; cool. Mix cream cheese and lemon peel; spread over top of cake. Arrange strawberries on cream cheese mixture; pour strawberry glaze over strawberries. Refrigerate until set, at least 1 hour. Refrigerate any remaining dessert.

Strawberry Glaze

1/2 cup strawberries
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
3 or 4 drops red food color

Mash strawberries. Mix sugar and cornstarch in 2-quart saucepan. Gradually stir in strawberries and water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils. Boil and stir one minute. Stir in lemon juice and food color; cool.

Recipe: Chocolate Upside-Down Coffeecake

This was tonight's creation. Please excuse the middle of the cake- part of it wound up sticking to the pan and it was a little messy getting it out.

Over all, I think I liked this cake. I have to admit that the jury is still out on the apple jelly on top. I thought it was a little weird with the chocolate. Other than that, though, I liked the cake. Luckily, the apple didn't have a strong taste and the chocolate chips were more prominent.

The upside to this cake was that it was very simple to make and there was easy clean up.

The downside (get it? Upside/downside- it's an upside-down cake...ah, never mind) was the apple jelly. It was just too weird for me to be mixed with chocolate. I had the reservation going into it and I still have it even after tasting it. It won't stop me from trying it again, but still, I thought it was weird. Also, some might think it's a downside that the cake had to cook for about 50 minutes. Other than that, there wasn't a downside. You can always change the jelly to strawberry or raspberry or something if you don't like it.

I would probably serve this at a small get together or party. I wouldn't serve it at a big event.

Ok, so here's the recipe (taken from Hershey's Fabulous Desserts, 1989):

Chocolate Upside-Down Coffeecake

3/4 cup apple jelly (I used more than this- I used however much it took to cover the bottom of the pan)
1 package (16 ounces) pound cake mix
1 cup Hershey's milk chocolate chips, divided into two 1/2 cups

Heat oven to 325. Grease and flour 9 inch square baking pan. Spread jelly evenly onto bottom of prepared pan. Prepare cake batter according to package directions (you'll need water, 1/4 cup butter or margarine, and 2 eggs). Stir in 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips. Pour batter over jelly layer, spreading gently and evenly. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup chips over top. Bake 50 to 55 minutes or until cake springs back when touched lightly. Cool 5 minutes in pan; invert onto serving plate. Cool at least 15 minutes; serve warm.

That's all! Stay tuned for the next recipe Strawberry Cordial Cookies!

Recipe: Peanut Butter-Fudge Marble Cake

So, again I embarked on a baking quest this weekend and made a Peanut Butter-Fudge Marble Cake. Like the Devil's Delight Cake, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was cheating by using the cake mix that the recipe wanted me to use, but oh well. The end product was spectacular.

I was skeptical of this cake at first because I was afraid that it would be overloaded with peanut butter flavor, however, I was pleasantly surprised. The peanut butter flavor was not overpowering and blended in extremely well. It was delicious. I actually like this cake better than the Devil's Delight Cake; however, they are both two completely different flavors, so I guess it's to your taste preference.

The only thing about this recipe is that it was a bit more complicated than the first one and it did take a bit more time. However, there were two layers, so I guess that would do it. I definitely wouldn't classify this cake as quick and easy, however, I know from experience that it was easier to make than most. Also, the recipe doesn't tell you that when you melt the peanut butter morsels, you have to make sure that the water underneath (if you use a double boiler) doesn't get too hot or the steam will burn the peanut butter.

The cake itself would serve as a fantastic company cake or a great cake for a football party or summer party.

Here's the recipe from Hershey's Fabulous Desserts (1989):

1 package (18.25 or 19.75 ounces- I used 18.25) fudge marble cake mix
3 eggs
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
Water
1 cup Reese's Peanut Butter Chips

Heat oven to 350. Grease and flour two 8- or 9- inch round baking pans. Prepare cake batters according to package directions using eggs, 1/3 cup of oil and water. In top of double boiler over hot, not boiling, water melt peanut butter chips with remaining 2 tablespoons oil, stirring constantly OR in small microwave safe bowl place chips and oil. Microwave at HIGH 45 seconds; stir. If necessary, microwave at HIGH additional 15 seconds or until melted and smooth when stirred. Gradually add peanut butter mixture to vanilla batter, blending well. Pour peanut butter batter into prepared pans. Randomly place spoonfuls of chocolate batter on top; swirl as directed on package. Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes; remove from pans to wire rack. Cool completely; frost as desired.


For the icing I used the following (Warning: You will need to double this recipe to cover the whole cake):

Easy Cocoa Frosting

3 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
1/4 cups Hershey's cocoa
1 and 1/3 cups confectioners' sugar
2 to 3 tablespoons of milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

In small mixer bowl combine all ingredients; beat to spreading consistency.


That's everything! Until the next recipe (Mint chocolate fudge, perhaps???), enjoy!

Recipe: Devil's Delight Cake

Recently, I've decided to embark on a cooking/baking expedition and make cooking/baking my hobby. I've decided to start with baking since I love it more than cooking and am more comfortable with it. The first book I enthusiastically pulled from my mom's cookbook bookshelf was "Hershey's Fabulous Desserts", and the first recipe in the book was the Devil's Delight Cake.

Admittedly, upon looking at it, I felt like the cake would be kind of crappy since it uses a cake mix, and generally I'm all about making things from scratch rather than with a cake mix, but I have to say- this cake turned out AMAZING. It was very moist, very chocolate-y (if you couldn't get that from the picture), and it was simply delicious. It was also extremely fast and simple to make. In fact, at the end I was saying to myself, "That's it? What else can I make?" This would be a perfect cake for a party.

Here is the recipe, again taken from Hershey's Fabulous Desserts (1989):

1 package (18.25 ounces) devil's food cake mix (with pudding in the mix)
4 eggs
1 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup chopped nuts
1 cup miniature marshmallows
1 cup HERSHEY'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
1/2 cup raisins

Directions: Heat oven to 350. Grease and flour 12 cup Bundt pan. In large mixer bowl combine cake mix, eggs, water and oil; beat on low speed just until blended. Increase speed to medium; beat 2 minutes. Stir in nuts, marshmallows, chocolate chips and raisins. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely. Drizzle Chocolate Chip Glaze over top or sprinkle confectioners' sugar over top.

(Note: I didn't put raisins in mine since I'm not a raisin fan.)


Chocolate Chip Glaze

In small saucepan combine
2 tablespoons butter or margarine,
2 tablespoons light corn syrup, and 2 tablespoons water. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture begins to boil. Remove from heat; add 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips. Stir until chips are melted and mixture is smooth. Continue stirring until glaze is desired consistency.


Voila! An easy, quick, delicious cake. Enjoy!