Cakes

Few desserts say celebration as well as Cakes. Whether you're celebrating the fact that it's Friday, or any other reason to celebrate, here are six cake recipes to help you with that, including Red Velvet Cake and Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake. Enjoy!

DR. PEPPER CAKE

This yumminess is from Catherine Jessee at Simply Recipes. This recipe begins, " This is a magical dessert that combines Dr. Pepper and spice cake. Tender, moist, and perfectly spiced, this Dr. Pepper cake is like a ginger chocolate cake with the added pizzazz of arguably the best soda out there. Bonus: This recipe uses a whole 12-ounce can for the cake and icing.

"The Dr. Pepper adds flavor and leavening, giving the light cake much of its rise. This 9x13 dessert comes together quickly and easily, and a simple but flavorful icing puts it over the top. Serve Dr. Pepper cake at your next potluck or family dinner and watch it disappear."

Tips for Making Dr. Pepper Cake

Part of the cake batter is heated to help bloom the cocoa powder and activate the baking soda. This means the batter will be warm, so be sure to whisk in the raw eggs rapidly, stirring constantly, so they don’t scramble.

You can swap the Dr. Pepper icing for a different glaze or frosting, such as a thin chocolate ganache for a more chocolatey dessert.

For a cake with a flat and even top that’s easy to glaze, try using cake strips—you can link the strips to fit a 9x13-inch cake pan.

You'll need one 12-ounce can of Dr. Pepper for this recipe: 8 ounces for the cake and 4 ounces for the icing.

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 40 minutes; Servings: 12 servings; Yield: 1 (9X13-inch) cake

To view this online, go to https://www.simplyrecipes.com/dr-pepper-cake-recipe-8424806.

Ingredients

For the cake

Cooking spray

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon kosher salt

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter

2 cups granulated sugar

1 cup (8 ounces) Dr. Pepper, from 1 (12-ounce) can

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup (4 ounces) whole buttermilk

2 large eggs, lightly beaten, at room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the icing

1/2 cup (4 ounces) Dr. Pepper, from 1 (12-ounce) can

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

3 cups powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus more for garnish

3 to 4 tablespoons whole buttermilk

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Lightly grease a 9x13-inch metal baking pan with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and ginger. Set it aside.

Make the cake batter:

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Once the butter is melted, whisk in the sugar, 1 cup (8 ounces) of Dr. Pepper, and cocoa. Bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat.

Immediately add the flour mixture and whisk to combine until no lumps remain. Stir in the buttermilk, then the eggs and vanilla until the mixture is smooth.

Work quickly when whisking the eggs into the warm batter so they don’t scramble. Whisk continuously until completely combined.

Bake:

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.

Make the icing:

About 10 minutes before the cake is done baking, prepare the icing. Heat the remaining 1/2 cup (4 ounces) of Dr. Pepper in a medium saucepan over high heat and simmer until reduced to about 1 tablespoon and it coats the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes.

Add the butter and stir until melted and smooth. Once the butter is melted, whisk in the powdered sugar, vanilla, salt, and cinnamon until smooth, about 30 seconds. Whisk in the buttermilk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until a smooth, thick glaze forms, 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Remove from the heat and set aside until ready to use, stirring occasionally. Keep warm.

Simple Tip!

If the icing hardens, place it over medium heat, whisking and adding 1 teaspoon of buttermilk at a time until it becomes smooth.

Ice the cake:

Transfer the baked cake to a wire rack to cool slightly for about 10 minutes. Pour the icing over the cake while both are warm, swiftly using a silicone spatula to spread the icing out evenly—it will cool and harden quickly.

Serve warm or at room temperature. Store leftover cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.

PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE CAKE

This recipe comes from Publix.

Servings: 8; Total Time: about 3 hours; Active Time: 10 minutes

To view this recipe online, click here.

Ingredients

Butter-flavor cooking spray

1 (15.25-oz) box devil's food cake mix

2 cups water, divided

2 large eggs

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter

1 (4-oz) semisweet chocolate bar (or morsels)

1/4 cup peanuts, chopped

8 tablespoons whipped topping

Directions

Coat 4-quart slow cooker with spray. Place cake mix, 1 cup water, and eggs in large bowl; beat with hand mixer until blended. Add peanut butter; mix well and pour mixture into slow cooker.

Microwave remaining 1 cup water on HIGH for 2 minutes or until steaming. Break chocolate into pieces, if needed, then place in water and stir until melted; let stand 1 minute to cool. Pour chocolate over batter in slow cooker.

Cover and cook on LOW for 2–2 1/2 hours (or HIGH for 1-1/2–1-3/4 hours) or until toothpick inserted near center comes out with fudgy crumbs. Chop peanuts. Serve cake straight from slow cooker topped with whipped topping and peanuts.

PUMPKIN RAISIN BATTER CAKE

Years ago, Fr. Dominic Garramone (AKA the Bread Monk had a show on PBS. I'm sure I'm not the only person who got hooked on his show. Unfortunately, it has since gone off the air, at least where I live. But his cook books are still in circulation, and you can always go to his website (above).

Yield: 1 cake

Ingredients

4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

2 envelopes FLEISCHMANN'S RapidRise Yeast

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 cup evaporated milk

1/2 cup water

1 cup canned pumpkin

1/4 cup butter or margarine

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup raisins

1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Powdered sugar, optional

Directions

In large bowl, combine 1 cup flour, sugar, brown sugar, undissolved yeast, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Heat milk, water, pumpkin, and butter until very warm (120 to 130 degrees). Gradually add to dry ingredients. Beat 2 minutes at medium speed of electric mixer, scraping bowl occasionally. Add egg, vanilla extract, and 1 cup flour; beat 2 minutes at high speed, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in raisins, pecans, and remaining flour to make a stiff batter.

Turn into heavily greased 12-cup fluted tube pan. Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until done. Remove from pan; cool on wire rack. To serve, sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired.

RED VELVET CAKE

We lived in Connecticut for several years while I was growing up. During this time, a lady called the local radio station and said she’d recently returned from a trip. During a stay in a fancy hotel with her husband, she had this cake in their restaurant. Returning home, she wrote to the hotel and requested a copy of the recipe, saying she’d pay for it. She received a copy of the recipe, along with a bill for $300. (This was during the mid-1960s.) Furious over the bill, she proceeded to read the recipe over the air.

Ingredients

1/2 C butter (note)

1/4 tsp. salt

1-1/2 C sugar

1 C buttermilk

2 eggs, well beaten

1 T vinegar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. baking soda

2 T cocoa

2-1/4 C flour (sifted)

2 oz. red food coloring

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease & flour two 8" round pans. Cream butter & sugar. Add eggs. Make paste of food coloring & cocoa. Add to 1st mix. Add salt & buttermilk alternately with flour. Add vanilla. Dissolve soda in vinegar & add this last. Blend all ingredients, as little as possible. Pour into pans & bake for 30-40 minutes. When cool, split each layer horizontally.

FROSTING FOR RED VELVET CAKE

Ingredients

1 C butter (note)

1 C milk

1 C sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

5 T unbleached flour

Directions

Cream butter with sugar. Cook flour & milk in saucepan until very thick, stirring the whole time. Cool. Combine 2 mixes & add vanilla, using electric mixer. Spread on cake.

NOTE: Butter must be used in the frosting, otherwise the frosting will liquefy & refuse to harden. In the cake itself, though, margarine may be used. Also, if two 9" round pans are used, layers don’t need to be cut in half.

3-INGREDIENT CHOCOLATE CHERRY DUMP CAKE

This yumminess comes from Betty Crocker, and begins, "This simple 3-ingredient dump cake results in an addictive chocolate-cherry combo that is best served warm and with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. If you weren’t a chocolate-cherry fan before, you will be after tasting this cake."

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes; Servings: 12

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 cans (21 oz each) cherry pie filling

1 box Betty Crocker™ Super Moist™ devil's food cake mix

3/4 cup butter, melted

Whipped topping or vanilla ice cream, if desired

Directions

Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottom of 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray.

Spread pie filling in baking dish.

Top with dry cake mix; gently shake pan to distribute evenly.

Pour melted butter over top, tilting pan to cover as much of top with butter as possible.

Bake 42 to 45 minutes or until mostly dry on top and bubbly around edges. Cool 10 minutes before serving. Serve warm with whipped topping or ice cream.

Expert Tips

Canned cherry pie filling may contain an occasional pit. It’s helpful to take a closer look when spreading in pan, before topping with cake mix.

Dump cakes are sometimes difficult to determine doneness. It’s normal to see some wet spots, some dry cake mix and a crisp-like texture on top. Be sure fruit mixture is bubbly around edges of pan.

THE CAKE

This recipe was given to my mom by a friend, who worked as a lawyer for years. She was married to an Episcopal priest; both were involved in the civil rights movement.

This is one of the recipes from Off The Wall Cooking.

Ingredients

1 package (18 oz.) yellow cake mix

1 egg, unbeaten

3/4 C oil

1 package (small) vanilla pudding

3/4 C sherry

Directions

Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Put ingredients in bowl. Beat for 5 minutes. Pour into greased tube cake pan or mold. Bake for 45 minutes.

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