Cake

It's time for another round of cakes. Check out the Pumpkin Layer Cake With Caramel Buttercream, the Rocky Road Cake, and the rest of the yummy cakes in today's post. Enjoy!

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.

ROCKY ROAD CAKE

Years ago, I'd gone back to school at the local junior college, something that eventually took way longer than I'd anticipated: a few years here (with repeated classes), a couple of semesters there, until I finally graduated in 2002. (Hooray!!!)

One of the classes that was required to graduate was a speech class. One week we had to give a demonstration speech. One of the students demonstrated how to make this cake. After her short demonstration, she passed out copies of the recipe along with pieces of cake. It’s absolutely delicious. The icing can be used on almost any kind of cake; it would be really good on carrot cake!

This recipe can also be found in my e-cookbook Off the Wall Cooking.

Ingredients

1 C chopped nuts

4 eggs

1 C raisins

1 C mayonnaise

1 C mini-marshmallows

1 C water

6 oz. package of chocolate

1 package (18.25 oz) Devil’s Food cake mix with pudding

Directions

Grease and flour 2 9” pans. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix first four ingredients in medium-size bowl.

In large bowl at low speed, mix cake mix, eggs, mayo and water until blended. Increase speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes. Stir the nut mixture into the cake batter, then pour into greased and floured pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes. Cool in pan 15 minutes on cooling rack.

Icing (for Rocky Road Cake)

Ingredients

1 tsp. vanilla

1 stick butter

8 oz. cream cheese

1 box confectioners sugar

Ingredients

Place ingredients in bowl and cream together. When cake is cool, ice. ENJOY!

DUMP CAKE

This is from Naz Deravian in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this yumminess, Naz wrote, "Dump cake is a classic American dessert that became popular with the production and marketing of store-bought boxed cake mixes. But it’s more like a cobbler than a cake — it’s filled with fruit and, as the name suggests, all the ingredients are “dumped” in a dish and baked in the oven. Canned cherry pie filling mixed with crushed pineapple is traditional, but feel free to swap out with other canned fruit, like peaches or strawberry pie filling. For a little crunch, add some nuts, such as sliced almonds or chopped pecans. Dump cake is best served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. This truly low-effort dessert is an easy way to feed a crowd any time of year."

Time: 60 minutes; Yield: 10 to 12 servings

To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1024359-dump-cake.

Ingredients

1 (21-ounce) can cherry pie filling

2 (8-ounce) cans crushed pineapple in juice

1 (15.25-ounce) box white or yellow cake mix

3/4 cup unsalted butter (1-1/2 sticks)

Whipped cream, for serving (optional)

Vanilla ice cream, for serving (optional)

Preparation

Heat oven to 350 degrees with the rack in the center position.

Add the cherry pie filling and the crushed pineapple, including any juices, to a 9-by-13-inch (3-quart) baking dish. Using a spatula, evenly spread the mixture across the baking dish (there is no need to mix it). Scatter the cake mix evenly on top, without stirring, and smooth the top.

Melt the butter and drizzle evenly on top of the cake mix. If there are any dry spots, spread the butter out wherever it pools (gently tilting the baking dish works well here).

Bake on the center rack until the top is golden brown and the fruit is bubbling, 45 to 50 minutes. Serve warm, with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, if desired.

PUMPKIN LAYER CAKE WITH CARAMEL BUTTERCREAM

This is from Yossy Arefo in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Yossy wrote, "Warmly spiced pumpkin cake and toasty caramel are a natural pair in this fall showstopper. The cake is light and fluffy with just enough spice to highlight the pumpkin flavor, while a generous pour of caramel sauce between the layers adds richness. (Store-bought caramel sauce will also work, but expect a slightly sweeter result.) For an impressive presentation, top the frosted cake with a bit more caramel sauce, and let it trail down the sides. It’s just the thing for a fall birthday treat or the Thanksgiving table."

Yield: 10 to 12 servings; Time: 2 hours, plus cooling

This was featured in "Not Everyone Loves Pie. For Them, There’s Cake.", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019728-pumpkin-layer-cake-with-caramel-buttercream.

Ingredients

For the cake:

2-1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons cake flour

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1-3/4 cups granulated sugar

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1-1/2 teaspoons ground cardamom

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1 teaspoon kosher salt

3 large eggs, at room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2-1/2 cups pumpkin purée, at room temperature

For the caramel sauce (see note):

1 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup heavy cream, at room temperature

1 tablespoon whiskey or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

For the buttercream:

4 large egg whites

1 cup granulated sugar

2 cups unsalted butter, softened and cut into tablespoons

Pinch of kosher salt

Preparation

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter three 8-inch cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Flour the pans and paper.

Sift the flour, baking powder and baking soda into a large bowl.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the sugar, butter, spices and salt. Beat on medium-high until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Stop the mixer occasionally to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing for about 20 seconds between each egg. Add the vanilla extract and pumpkin purée and mix until well combined, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl as necessary. The mixture will look curdled.

Set mixer to low, and add the dry ingredients all at once, stirring until a few spots of flour remain. Remove the bowl from the mixer, and use a rubber spatula to finish folding the dry ingredients into the batter. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl to ensure the batter is evenly mixed.

Divide the batter among the prepared pans (about 3 cups per pan), smooth the tops, and tap the pans on a countertop to release any large air bubbles. Bake the cakes until golden and puffed, and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.

Cool the cakes in the pans on a rack for 10 minutes, then use the tip of a knife to loosen the edges and carefully invert them onto the rack to cool completely.

Meanwhile, make the caramel sauce: In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the sugar and 3 tablespoons water. Swirl the pan occasionally until the sugar dissolves, but do not stir. Continue to cook, swirling the pan occasionally to help the mixture brown evenly, until it is deep amber in color. At this point, don't walk away from the pot: The caramel will go from amber to burned in mere moments.

Remove the pan from the heat, and carefully whisk in butter and heavy cream. The mixture will expand and sputter before turning into a smooth sauce. Add the whiskey and salt. Carefully pour the caramel into a heat-safe container and cool to room temperature. You will have about 1-1/2 cups.

Make the buttercream: In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the egg whites and sugar. Set the bowl over a pot of simmering water, and whisk continuously until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is hot to the touch, 5 to 7 minutes.

Use the whisk attachment of the stand mixer to beat the egg white mixture until stiff, glossy peaks form and the mixture and bowl are cool to the touch, about 10 minutes.

Switch to the paddle attachment and reduce speed to medium. With the mixer running, add the butter a couple of tablespoons at a time and beat the buttercream until smooth and fluffy. During this step, the buttercream will likely break and look curdled; turn up the speed on the mixer for a few seconds, and it will come back together. Continue until all of the butter is incorporated then add the salt. Slowly add 1/2 cup cooled caramel sauce, and stir until well combined. If the buttercream is extremely soft or runny, put the bowl in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes, then whip until smooth.

Assemble the cake: If necessary, use a serrated knife to trim the cooled cake layers so they are flat and even. Add a small spoonful of buttercream onto a cardboard cake round or serving plate, and place the first layer of cake, cut side up, on top.

Spread about 3/4 cup buttercream on top of the cake. Drizzle the buttercream with 1 tablespoon of caramel sauce. Be careful not to drizzle the caramel all of the way to the edge so it doesn’t spill out the sides.

Place the second cake layer on top and repeat with buttercream and caramel. Place the final layer on top, cut side down, and spread the top and sides of the cake with a thin, even layer of buttercream. Refrigerate the cake until the buttercream is firm, about 30 minutes.

Spread the remaining buttercream in an even layer over the cake. If you’d like to add a caramel drizzle, refrigerate the fully frosted cake until firm then carefully spread about 1/3 cup of room temperature caramel sauce over the top of the cake. Use an offset spatula to gently ease it towards the edges so it drips down the sides. Serve at room temperature. Store leftover cake in the refrigerator, but bring to room temperature before serving. Leftover caramel sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Tip

You could use store-bought caramel sauce instead of making your own, but expect a slightly sweeter result. You’ll need approximately 1-1/2 cups.

MILLION DOLLAR CAKE

This is from Allrecipes, and begins, "A cake made from yellow cake mix is frosted with a cream cheese, mandarin orange, and pineapple mixture for a light and refreshing cake."

Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cook Time: 25 minutes; Additional: 9 hours; Total Time: 9 hours 55 minutes; Servings: 12; Yield: 1 (8 or 9 inch) layer cake

To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/7903/million-dollar-cake/.

Ingredients

1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix

8 ounces cream cheese

1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple with juice

2 (8 ounce) cans mandarin oranges, drained

1 (3.5 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix

1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

Directions

Mix and bake cake mix as per package instruction for two 8 or 9 inch round layers. Let layers cool, and then split each layer in half so as to have 4 layers.

In a large bowl, whip cream cheese until soft, and then gradually mix in confectioners' sugar. Stir in the pineapple with juice and the drained mandarin oranges, reserving about 5 mandarin orange slices to decorate the top of cake. Mix in the dry pudding mix. Fold in the whipped topping.

Place one cake layer on a cake plate cut side up; spread with frosting. Place another layer cut side down on the first one, and top with more frosting. Repeat until all layers are used, spreading last bit of frosting on top and sides of cake. Decorate with reserved mandarin orange slices. Refrigerate overnight before serving.

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.

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