Apple Sour Cream Cake

This recipe is adapted from Fantastic Apple Sour Cream Coffee Cake on Food.com. A Wahoo to Kittencalskitchen.

15 servings

Cake:

1/2 c butter
1 c granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 t vanilla extract
2 c flour
1 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1 c sour cream
2 c sliced apples (2 large apples, peeled, quartered, and sliced)

Topping:

1 c chopped walnuts
1 c packed brown sugar
1 t ground cinnamon
1/2 t ground nutmeg
1/4 c butter

Heat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 13" x 9" pan, or a large bundt pan, and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar for a couple of minutes. Add the eggs, and continue to cream the mixture for another 5 minutes.

In a bowl, mix together the remaining cake dry ingredients. In two additions mix in the dry ingredients alternately with the sour cream into the butter mixture. Carefully fold in the apples.

Mix together all of the topping ingredients in a bowl until the mixture is crumbly and the butter is incorporated.

If you are using a bundt pan, sprinkle 1/2 of the topping mixture in the bottom of the pan. Spread one-half of the cake batter in the prepared cake pan. Sprinkle with the rest of the topping mixture, and spread with the remaining cake batter.

If you are using a 13" x 9" pan, spread 1/2 of the cake batter in the pan. Sprinkle with 1/2 of the topping mixture. Spread the rest of the cake batter over the topping, and sprinkle the rest of the topping over the cake.

Bake 35 - 40 minutes for the 13" x 9" pan or 45 - 50 minutes for the bundt pan. Test the cake with a toothpick.

If you are using the bundt pan, let the cake cool for 5 - 10 minutes, then remove the cake from the pan, and finish cooling on a rack or plate.

The cake is best served warm with vanilla ice cream and warm toffee-caramel sauce.

Peach Cobbler

Fruit

2 large peaches, peeled, pitted, and sliced
juice of 1 small lime
1/4 t almond extract
2 T butter, melted
3 T brown sugar
1/2 t cinnamon

Cake

1/4 c butter
1/3 c granulated sugar
1 egg
1 t vanilla extract
1 c flour
1 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
1/3 c milk

Melt 2 T butter in an 8 x 8 baking dish. Preheat the oven to 325ºF. Sprinkle the brown sugar over the melted butter. Toss the peach slices with the lime juice and almond extract, then arrange the peaches on the brown sugar.

Cream together the 1/4 c butter and granulated sugar. Whisk in the egg.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Combine half of the flour mixture with the creamed mixture. Then add half of the milk and mix until smooth. Repeat adding the remaining flour and milk.

Pour the cake batter over the peaches. Bake for 35 minutes. Serve with ice cream, whipped cream, or cream.

Peach-Apricot Cobbler

This recipe was modified using a similar recipe from the Washington Post Food Section, March 18, 2009, Page F8. From David Hagedorn.

2-12 oz packages frozen peaches, defrosted
4 oz dried apricots, diced (about 1/2 c)
2 oz crystallized ginger, diced (about 1/3 c)
1 stick unsalted butter
1-1/4 c flour
1-1/4 c sugar
1/4 t salt
1 T baking powder
1-1/4 c whole or low-fat milk
1 t almond extract
1 t vanilla extract

Mix together well the fruits, ginger, and sugar. Set aside at room temperature for an hour.

Preheat the oven to 325ºF. Cut the butter into pieces, and place in a 10" cast-iron skillet, then place the skillet in the oven to melt the butter. It should turn brown, but not burn.

Mix together the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder in a large mixing bowl. Beat in the milk and extracts until the batter is smooth.

Remove the skillet from the other. Pour the batter into the skillet; a crust will begin to form around the edge. Use a slotted spoon, and arrange the fruit on top of the batter, taking care not break the crust around the edge.

Bake in the oven for an hour until the crust has a deep golden brown. Cool slightly and serve with vanilla ice cream.

Note: I fixed this dessert in too small a skillet (the original recipe says "medium" but does not define medium. I used a 9-inch skillet which was much too small. Happily, the dessert tastes so wonderful that it really doesn't matter what the dessert looks like coming out of the oven!

Cornbread Mix

So you like cornbread, but the mix that you've used FOR YEARS suddenly disappears from the supermarket shelves. That happened to me, so I made my own mix.

3 c flour (I use whole wheat)
3 c yellow cornmeal
3 T sugar
2 T baking powder
2 t salt

Mix all the ingredients together and store in a tightly covered container.

Cornbread

1 T butter or cooking oil
2 T cooking oil
1/2 c milk
1 egg
1 c cornbread mix

Preheat the oven at 400°F. Add 1 T butter (or cooking oil) to an 8-inch cast iron skillet, and heat the skillet in the oven while you mix the cornbread.

Whisk together the oil, milk, and egg. Pour over the cornbread mix, and stir together until mixed. Pour the batter into the heated skillet and bake for 12 - 14 minutes. Do not overbake.

Corn Cake

1 c cornbread mix
1/3 c sugar
1/4 c yellow cornmeal
1/4 t baking soda
3 T cooking oil
1 egg
2 t vinegar
1/2 c milk
1 t vanilla

Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease and sprinkle cornmeal in an 8-inch cake pan.

In a mixing bowl, mix together the cornbread mix, cornmeal, sugar, and soda. In a measuring cup, mix the vinegar and milk. Add the egg, oil, and vanilla. Pour the liquids over the dry ingredients, and stir until well mixed. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake for 25 minutes, or until done. Cool the cake for about 10 minutes, and turn it out onto a rack to cool completely. You can frost the cake, or serve the cake with jam or jelly.

Note: Add the zest of an orange or a lemon to the dry ingredients. Add the juice of the lemon or lime and enough milk to make 1/2 cup to the other liquid ingredients. Dust with powdered sugar.

Fudge Squares

3/4 c sifted cake flour
1/2 t baking powder
1/8 t salt
1/3 c shortening
2 oz (squares) chocolate
1 c sugar
2 eggs, well beaten
1/2 c chopped walnuts
1 t vanilla

Sift flour, baking powder, and salt. Melt shortening with chocolate. Beat sugar into eggs, add chocolate mixture and blend. Add sifted ingredients, nuts, and vanilla, and mix well. Bake in a greased 8"x8" pan in a moderate oven (350°F) about 35 minutes

Cool and cut into squares. Makes about two dozen

Oatmeal Cake

Add 1 c quick oats to 1-1/3 c boiling water. Set aside.

Cream:
1/2 c shortening
1 c brown sugar
1 c white sugar
2 eggs

Mix together:
1-1/2 c flour
1/2 t salt
1 t soda
1 t cinnamon.

Mix the dry ingredients with the creamed shortening mixture. Stir in the oatmeal. Bake in greased 9-inch pans at 350°.

Frosting:
1 stick margarine
1 c brown sugar
2 T condensed milk

Boil 1 minute. Add 1/2 c nuts and 1/2 c coconut. Mix well, pour on hot cake, and brown under the broiler.

Coffee Cake

2 c flour
1/2 t salt
4 t baking powder
2 T sugar
1/2 c milk
1/2 t nutmeg
1 t cinnamon
1/2 c shortening
1 egg

Mix as you would for biscuits. Pat dough into pan (8 x 8) and top with:
1/4 c sugar
1/2 t cinnamon
2 T butter

Bake in hot (400°) oven.

Chocolate Angel Food

11 egg whites
2/3 c flour
1/3 c cocoa
1-1/2 c sugar
1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
1 t cream of tartar
1 t vanilla

Beat whites, before stiff add salt and cream of tartar. Add sifted sugar and baking powder. Add flour and cocoa which are sifted together. Vanilla. Bake as other angel food cakes.

Note: Beware of the pitfalls of this recipe. Usually the flour is folded into the whites in angel food recipes. This looks like an interesting cake, though - chocolate angel food?

Light Fruit Cake

Mrs. Mildred McIlvaine

1 c shortening
1 c sugar
1/2 c honey
3 c flour
1/4 t soda
2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
1 c milk
1 c apricot jam
1 c coconut, chopped
1 jar fruit mix
grated rind 1 orange
grated rind 1 lemon
4 eggs, separated
1 c white raisins, chopped
1/2 c citron, chopped
1 c candied cherries
1/2 c candied pineapple
1/2 c walnuts
1/2 c almonds
1/2 c cherry juice
1/4 c lemon juice
1/4 c orange juice

Cream shortening and egg yolks. Add sugar, gradually, then honey and jam. Beat well.

Sift 2 c flour with soda, baking powder, and salt. Use remaining c of flour to flour fruits and nuts.

Add the sifted flour alternately with milk to the creamed shortening mixture, beating well after each addition. Stir in the coconut and grated rinds.

Whip egg whites until they hold shape, almost stiff, and fold in. Stir in flour fruits and nuts.

Bake in slow oven (300°) for 1-1/2 hours. This will make 3 small cakes or 2 large ones.

Pour fruit juice over dake while still warm.

We made this fruitcake many times over the years. This is mother's version of Mrs. McIlvaine's recipe. You can tell it's a popular recipe, because the card is spattered with many years of cake batter.

Orange Jello Angel Cake Dessert

Lois Skoog

1 package orange jello. Add 1 c boiling water, juice of 1 lemon, and 1 c orange juice. Allow mixture to thicken in refrigerator (about 25 minutes). Whip. Whip 1 c of cream, fold this whipped cream with the whipped jello. Pour over 1 large angel food cake broken in pieces. Add 2 c small marshmallows. Top with whipped cream (and a cherry, if desird). Will serve 12 to 15. 9" x 13" pan. (It took my jello a lot longer to jell than this said.)

Francis Records Fresh Apple Cake

This probably came from Alura Dodd, with her suggested changes to the recipe.

Mix liquids:
1-1/2 c sugar
1/2 c oil
2 t vanilla
2 eggs beaten

Mix dry ingredients:
2 c flour
2 t soda
2 t cinnamon
4 c diced apples
1 c nuts

Mix wet and dry ingredients. Mix will be lumpy and dry looking. Bake 1 hour 325 - 350° in a buttered glass baking dish.

Alura's changes included: use raw sugar instead of white sugar. Add 1/2 c water to the liquids. Use whole wheat instead of regular flour. Substitute 1 T baking powder for the soda. Add 1/2 c powdered milk to the dry ingredients.

Spicy Applesauce Cake

1/2 c shortening
1/2 c sugar
1 c light corn syrup
2 well beaten eggs
2 c flour
1/2 t salt
1 c raisins
1/2 t soda
1 t cinnamon
1 t allspice
1/2 t cloves
1 c thick, unsweetened applesauce
1 T grated orange peel
1 t baking powder
1/2 c chopped walnuts

Thoroughly cream shortening and sugar. Gradually add corn syrup. Beat thoroughly. Add eggs. Beat well. Stir in sifted dry ingredients alternately with applesauce. Mix just until smooth. Stir in remaining ingredients. Bake in greased 8 x 12 inch pan in moderate over 350° about 60 minutes.

Chocolate Applesauce Cake

2/3 c butter
2 c sugar
4 egg yolks
3/4 c cold applesauce
1/2 c milk
2-1/2 c cake flour
3 t baking powder
1 t cloves
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t nutmeg
1/2 t allspice
4 T cocoa
1 t vanilla
2/3 c raisins
1/2 c nut meats
4 egg whites

Cream butter; add sugar; add egg yolks & applesauce. Beat until smooth, then add milk alternately with cake flour, which should be sifted 4-5 times with baking powder, cocoa, and spices. Add vanilla, raisins, and nuts. Fold in whites. Turn into greased layered cake tins and bake in moderate overn for 40 minutes.

Angel Food Cake

14 egg whites
1/4 t salt
1 t cream of tartar
1-1/4 c sugar
1-1/4 c flour
extract

Beat egg white, add salt and cream of tartar. Beat stiff. Add 1-1/4 c sugar (slowly). Extract, fold in flour. (Add 1/4 c cornstarch to 2 c bread flour). Bake 1 hour. Start at 200° and raise to 300°.

Again, some major problems here. I think the recipe should say 2-1/4 c flour. You bake this in an ungreased angel food cake pan. As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, burn the pan upside down, and cool completely before removing the cake from the pan. Extract is almond extract. Use 1/2 t.

Fresh Coconut Fruit Cake

Cream together: 2 c sugar and 1 c butter
add: 4 beaten eggs

Sift together:
4 c flour
2 t soda
1 T nutmeg
1 T allspice
1 T cinnamon

Mix in butter mixture alternately with 1 c buttermilk. Then stir in:
1 package chopped dates
2 c raisins
2 packages figs (chopped)
1 whole fresh-grated coconut
2 c nut meats

Bake in layers in 3 9-inch pans. When cool put together with filling:

Filling
Beat 4 eggs until fluffy; add 3 c sugar & 1/2 c butter. Cook until smooth (burns easily). When very smooth beat until cool. Then add vanilla, 3 c nuts, 1 c raisins & 1 fresh grated coconut. Will keep 2 or 3 months. Use fresh coconut.

Oh dear! I'm guessing 300° for at least an hour. You'd better grease the pans, too. Fresh whole coconuts? Those pioneer women really knew how to cook!

Lemon Cake

1 white cake mix
1 package lemon jello (dry)
3/4 c Wesson oil
3/4 c water
4 eggs

Frosting:
2 c powdered sugar
juice and rind of 2 lemons

Combine, beat, and bake (with jello) as the cake mix package directs. Use a 15 x 8 pan. When baked and still hot, prick all over top surface with a toothpick & pour on mixture of lemon and sugar.

White Fruit Cake

1 c butter
1-1/2 c sugar
1/3 c pineapple juice
1 T lemon juice
2 T orange juice
2/3 c coconut
1/2 c almonds
1 jar fruit mix
2 t baking powder
1/4 c white raisins
1/3 c chopped candied cherries
1-1/2 t vanilla
1/2 t salt
1/3 c chopped figs
1/2 c chopped dates
5 eggs beaten
2 c flour

Cream butter and sugar. Add rest of the ingredients and mix thoroughly. Pour into a loaf pan that has been lined with waxed paper. Bake 2 hours in a slow oven. Increase heat and bake for 20 minutes. Put pan of water in oven.

Note: Slow oven is 300°. I'm pretty sure you put the pan of water in the oven when you increase the heat to 350°. I'm guessing that you can substitute 1 lb of mixed candied fruit for the jar of fruit mix.

Dark Fruit Cake

1 lb (2 c) buter
2 c brown sugar
1 c dark molasses
1 c dark jam
6 eggs
4 c flour
1/2 t soda
1/4 t salt
2 t cinnamon
1 t allspice
1 t mace
2 t nutmeg
1/2 t cloves
1 c coffee, triple-strength
1/2 c orange juice
2 T lemon juice
2 c currants, chopped
2 c raisins, chopped
1 c dates for figs, chopped
2 c citron, chopped
1 c candied cherries
1 c candied lemon rind
1 c candied orange rind
1 c almonds
1 c walnuts

Cream butter, add brown sugar. Stir in molasses & jam & add egg yolks, beaten slightly. Beat until creamy & smooth. Reserve 2 c flour for nuts & fruits & sift rest with soda, salt, & spices. Stir in flour mixture alternately with coffee & fruit juices & beat thoroughly. Whip egg whites until they hold shape, almost stiff & fold in. stir in floured fruit, rind, & nuts.

Bake in cake pans lined with thin waxed paper. Bake 3 hours in very slow oven (250°) for large cakes; 2-1/2 hours in slow oven (300°) for small ones. This will make 2 large or 4 small cakes.

I grew up with this recipe. Every year during the long Thanksgiving weekend, Mom, Dad and I would make this fruitcake recipe, or the white fruitcake. I always like this one the best. This is a very good recipe. The cakes should be tightly wrapped and aged for at least a month before eating.

Zuchini Bread

Mix together:
3 beaten eggs
1 c oil
2 c sugar
2 c zuchini (peeled and grated)
3 t vanilla

Sift together:
3 c flour
1 t soda
3/4 t nutmeg
3 t cinnamon

Combine first and second mixtures. Add 1 c chopped nuts. Grease and flour 2 loaf pans. Divide mixture. Bake at 350° for 1 hour (slightly lower heat for glass pans).

Easy Bran Bread

Elizabeth Hagedorn

Soak 1 c raisins in 2 c of sour milk at least 1/2 hour. Also soak 2 c of bran buds, flakes, or 100% bran in the sour milk. Then add and stir in 1 c brown sugar, 2 c flour, 2 t salt, and 2 t soda.

Bake at 350° for 1 hour. Makes 1 large loaf or 2 small loaves (not quite so long for small loaves).