Football Cupcake Pull-Aparts

1 box Betty Crocker cake mix (flavor of your choice)
Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box
2 containers Betty Crocker Rich and Creamy Chocolate Frosting
1/2 cup candy-coated chocolate frosting
1 tub white decorating icing

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Place paper baking cup in each 24 regular-size muffin cups. Make cake batter as directed on cake mix box. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups.

Bake 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

Spoon frosting into decorating bag with large star tip (size #5). Arrange cupcakes in football-cupcake shape using 15 of the 24 cupcakes. Pipe thick lines of frosting over football-cupcake shape. Using spatula, spread frosting over cupcakes. Pipe decorative border of chocolate frosting around edge of football. Sprinkle decorative border with candy-coated chocolate pieces. Pipe laces with white icing. Frost and decorate remaining cupcakes as desired, and serve alongside football.

(Recipe from Betty Crocker Fall Baking Cookbook)

Easy Red Velvet Cake

I got this recipe from Mom. I would call it the easiest version of Red Velvet Cake. It tastes pretty good as well.


Easy Red Velvet Cake

I've been making Red Velvet Cake for many years, trying slight changes in the recipe until coming up with one I consider "tried and proven." Conveniently, it starts with a cake mix and turns out beautifully every time. -Priscilla Weaver, Hagerstown, Maryland

TIME: Prep: 35 min. + chilling Bake: 30 min. + cooling

Ingredients:

• 1 package (18-1/4 ounces) fudge marble cake mix
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1-1/2 cups buttermilk
• 2 eggs
• 1 bottle (1 ounce) red food coloring
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

FROSTING:

• 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl, combine the contents of cake mix and baking soda. Add the buttermilk, eggs, food coloring and vanilla; beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat on medium for 2 minutes. Pour into two greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans.

Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

For frosting, whisk flour and milk in a small saucepan until smooth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Cover and cool to room temperature.

In a small bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Add milk mixture; beat for 10 minutes or until fluffy. Spread frosting between layers and over the top and sides of cake.

Yield: 12 servings.

Link to original recipe from Taste of Home Recipes.

Red Velvet Cake with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting

Mom found this recipe in a magazine. I felt it was a mix between the easy version and the hard version. We tried it out and liked it. I liked the frosting since it wasn't very rich at all and was easy to make. When I made it again, I'll probably use this recipe. It was excellent.

Photo Courtesy of McCormick's website

Red Velvet Cake with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting

Makes 16 servings.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes

INGREDIENTS

2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
1 bottle (1 ounce) McCormick® Red Food Color
2 teaspoons McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract

Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
2 tablespoons sour cream
2 teaspoons McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract
1 box (16 ounces) confectioners' sugar

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 2 (9-inch) round cake pans. Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt; set aside.

2. Beat butter and granulated sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time. Mix in sour cream, milk, food color and vanilla. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until just blended. Do not overbeat. Pour batter into prepared pans.

3. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Remove from pans; cool completely on wire rack.

4. For the Frosting, beat cream cheese, butter, sour cream and vanilla in large bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth. Fill and frost cooled cake with frosting.

Test Kitchen Tip: Substitute a greased and floured 12-cup Bundt pan for the 9-inch cake pans. Bake about 50 minutes. Or, substitute a greased and floured 13x9-inch baking pan; bake about 40 minutes.

Link to original recipe at McCormick's website.

Fire Engine Red Cake and Not-Too-Rich Frosting

Mom got this recipe from Grandma Taylor. I recall making it one time when I was young. We made it this past summer with Mom. It was really tasty. I've always liked it ever since I first had it. I'm going to post three different recipes for Red Velvet or Fire Engine Red Cake. One is what I will call the easy version, a medium version and then the harder version. I think this is the hardest version.

Fire Engine Red Cake

1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 oz. red food coloring
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons cocoa
1 cup buttermilk
2 1/4 cup cake flour (sifted)
1 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon vinegar
1 teaspoon salt

1. Mix vinegar and soda in a small cup and let stand.
2. Cream sugar, shortening and eggs.
3. Make a paste of cocoa and a little of the red coloring.
4. Add paste to the creamed mixture then add the rest of the coloring.
5. Stir in buttermilk and flour combined with salt; alternatively.
6. Add vanilla.
7. Stir in vinegar and soda before adding to mixture.
8. Mix well.
9. Pour into two-8 inch layer pans greased on the bottom only.
10. Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees.
11. Cool thoroughly.
12. Split layers in half, horizontally.
13. Frost with the following recipe, letting it bulge out between layers, but do not frost sides; this shows off Fire Engine Red affect to best advantage; the cake is rich, so the not-too-rich-frosting is a good combination (this cake will keep well for a week in refrigerator).

Not-Too-Rich Frosting

1 cup milk
3 tablespoons flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup powdered sugar

1. Cook until thick, stirring continually, then cool.
2. Cream 1 cup white powdered sugar and 1/2 cup butter until very fluffy.
3. Stir in vanilla.
4. Combine 1 teaspoon of the cooled flour mixture and creamed sugar.
5. Gradually add the rest of the flour mixture, 1 tablespoon at a time beating all the time.

Zucchini Chocolate Cake

'Tis the season for harvesting the garden! I've been waiting to make this recipe!1 cup vegetable oil

(I used applesauce instead, making it low fat. Give me another piece!)

2 cups sugar

3 eggs

2 1/2 cup flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. baking powder

1/2 cup milk

3 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened baking chocolate

(I use cocoa and follow the directions to substitute)

1 tbs. vanilla

2 cups grated zucchini
(if it is peeled & you don't grate the seeds, you'll never know it's in the finished product)

1 cup chopped nuts

(This is my personal addition to the recipe. Sometimes I add nuts, sometimes I don't.)

In a large bowl combine oil, sugar, and eggs. In a separate bowl sift dry ingredients; add to first mixture. Add milk and mix well. Melt baking chocolate in the microwave for 20 second intervals, until just melted. Blend chocolate and vanilla into batter. Stir in zucchini. Bake at 350 for about 25 minutes (this is what the recipe says, it always takes quite a bit longer). Cool and frost. (We don't frost ours because then it wouldn't be low fat anymore. This cake is really moist so it is great without frosting.)

Since it has zucchini & applesauce in it does it count as a vegetable and a fruit serving or am I stretching it?

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Cake

When we saw the recipe for this ice cream cake on our favorite food blog, we thought it might be fun to make one for Milo's birthday. It tasted really good.

For some guidance in making an ice cream cake, you can check out the Baking Bites tutorial here. The original recipe was for a huge cake (three 10×15-inch layers). In our recipe below, I'm going to cut it in half. It made three 9x13-inch layers.

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Cake

Ice Cream Layer
1/2 gallon high-quality mint chocolate chip ice cream

Line a 9x13-inch pan with plastic wrap. Soften ice cream until it is easy to scoop, then spread it into an even layer in the prepared pan. Freeze for at least 6 hours, or until very firm. Once it is firm, the pan can be removed and the layer can be stored in the plastic wrap.

Chocolate Cake (make 2)
1 cup sugar
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 large egg
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup hot water

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper. Spray the parchment paper with cooking spray. Leave some paper overhanging the edges of the pan.

In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, buttermilk, vegetable oil and vanilla extract. Pour into flour mixture and stir until just combined.

Pour hot water (not quite boiling) over batter and stir until smooth. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake for about 25 minutes, until cake springs back when lightly pressed and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Let cake cool in pan for 15 minutes, then use the parchment paper to transfer cake to a wire rack to cool completely. Do not remove parchment paper.

Repeat recipe to make a second cake.

Assembly
2 cake layers
1 ice cream layer
2 batches* vanilla buttercream frosting

Place one cake layer on a large serving platter or cake board, using parchment paper to help move the cake without breaking it. Peel off parchment once cake is in place. Top cake with ice cream layer and top ice cream layer with remaining cake layer.

Freeze for at least an hour, until firm and cold. Meanwhile, make buttercream frosting.

Frost chilled cake with a thin layer of frosting and freeze until ready to serve.

* We ended up making 2 batches of buttercream frosting which resulted in a thick, rich layer of frosting. We had trouble spreading the frosting because we were spreading it on a frozen cake and the frosting froze. You might want to try frosting the cake before it is frozen to help avoid this problem. Or just be more adept at frosting cakes...

Link to original recipe at Baking Bites.

Coco-Flan Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350.

Spray bundt pan.

Sprinkle 2 tbsp. brown sugar in the bottom of the pan.

Place 9x13 pan 1/2 full of water in the oven.

2. In blender, mix for 2 minutes.

4 eggs

1 can evaporated milk

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 tbsp. vanilla

3. Make cake mix according to directions. (My kids like the chocolate cake. I prefer a french vanilla cake mix then it is just a Flan Cake, which is fine by me.)

4. Pour the cake mix into the bundt pan. Gently pour the milk mixture on top. (The milk mixture sinks to the bottom and becomes the flan. The flan becomes a little discolored from the chocolate cake. With a light colored cake, it doesn't effect the color of the flan.) Place the bundt pan in the 9x13 with the water. Bake for 1 hour or till the toothpick comes out clean.

4. Cool completely. (There is some debate whether this cake should be made ahead of time, refridgerated, and served cold. I for one don't care. It's great either way!)

Triple Chocolate Bundt Cake

This cake is very good and is a favorite at our house. It is a great alternative to the big chocolate cake you can get at Costco. We thought that many of you might want the recipe. It is fairly easy to make.


A decadently rich and moist chocolate cake made with the ease and convenience of packaged mixes. Vanilla ice cream or lightly sweetened whipped cream compliments this cake perfectly.

Triple Chocolate Bundt Cake

Cake:

1 (18.25-ounce) package devil's food cake mix

1 (4-ounce) package instant chocolate pudding mix

1 (12-ounce) semisweet chocolate chips (2 cups)

1 3/4 cups water

2 large eggs, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Chocolate Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tablespoons butter, melted

2 to 3 tablespoons hot water

1. Preheat oven to 350*F (175*C). Grease and flour a 12-inch Bundt pan; set aside.
2. In large mixing bowl combine cake mix, pudding mix and chocolate chips. In another bowl combine water,eggs and vanilla; mix well. Add egg mixture to dry mixture and mix by hand just until blended.
3. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until cake tests done when wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Take the cake out of the pan as soon as it comes out of the oven to prevent it from sticking to the pan.
   
4. When completely cool drizzle cake with Chocolate Glaze.
5. For Chocolate Glaze: Combine all ingredients in bowl and beat by hand until smooth.

Makes 12 servings.

Nutrition Facts (per serving 1/12 serving of cake with glaze): 387.9 calories; 39% calories from fat; 18.4g total fat; 40.3mg cholesterol; 507.6mg sodium; 196.4mg potassium; 58.1g carbohydrates; 3.5g fiber; 22.7g sugar; 54.7g net carbs; 5.3g protein.

Copyright Hope Pryor, please see Terms of Use.

Link to original recipe here

Tres Leches

As per request, here is the super easy, super yummy tres leches recipe.

Make a cake according to cake mix instructions. I usually make the French Vanilla cake. It can be any flavor. I did try a chocolate tres leches that one time but, I didn't like it. I need to do some more modifications to it. Let the cake cool completely. I usually make it the night before so it cools off all night. Then, I poke holes all over it (that's the fun part).

In a seperate bowl , mix 1 can sweetened condensed milk, 1 can evaporated milk, and 8 oz. heavy cream (those are the 3 milks). Pour the milk mixture over the cake and refrigerate for several hours. Honestly, the longer the better. Top with fresh sliced strawberries or pie filling (blueberry is good). Top the fruit layer with whipped topping. My sister-in-law Brenda taught me to make whipped topping from scratch by whipping cream on the fastest setting on my Kitchen Aid and adding vanilla and powdered sugar to taste (I'll never be able to use cool whip again). I use 8 oz of cream for my whipped topping to cover the cake.

The End. (I told you it was easy and you are ready know it is yummy.)