Baking Extravaganza

I have done quite a lot of baking over the last few weeks. Brad is getting flight tutoring from one of my colleagues on Mondays, so I make a baked good for them each week. In addition, I had bananas going bad, I sent baked goods as part of my cooking club gift exchange, and one of my friends had a birthday.

Gooey Butter Cake
1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups confectioners' sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Mix cake mix, melted butter or margarine, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 2 eggs with a spoon. Pat into a 9 X 13 inch pan.

Mix cream cheese, 2 eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla with an electric mixer. Slowly beat in 3 3/4 cups confectioner's sugar. Pour over cake layer. Bake for 20 minutes. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup powdered sugar over cake. Return to oven for 20-25 minutes.



Banana Sour Cream Cake (from the Kraft Foods Magazine)
1 (18.25 oz.) package yellow cake mix
3 eggs
1 cup ripe bananas (about 3 - though I used 5)
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup oil
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese
1/2 cup butter, softened
4 cups powdered sugar
1 cup Walnuts, finely chopped (I skipped this. Almost no one at work likes nuts)

Preheat oven to 350 F. Beat cake mix, eggs, bananas, sour cream and oil with mixer on low until moistened, scraping bottom of bowl often. Beat on medium for 2 minutes.

Pour batter into a greased and floured 13x9 inch pan. Bake 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cake completely in pan on wire rack.

Beat cream cheese and butter with mixer on medium until blended. Gradually add sugar, beating well after each addition.

Remove cake from pan. Cut cake in half lengthwise (so you end up with two 6 1/2 x 9 inch rectangles).

Place once half of the cake top-side down, on a plate. spread frosting over the top. Top with remaining cake half, top-side up. Frost top and sides. Press nuts onto sides. Refrigerate.


Pumpkin Cookies with Penuche Frosting (OLD family recipe)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup margarine or butter, softened
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons margarine or butter
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 1/2 - 2 cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 F. In a large bowl, beat sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1 cup margarine until light and fluffy. Add pumpkin, vanilla and egg; blend well. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix well. Stir in nuts. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 F for 10 - 12 minutes or until light golden brown around the edges. Immediately remove from cookie sheets; cool.

In a medium saucepan, combine 3 tablespoons margarine and 1/2 cup brown sugar. Bring to a boil. Cook over medium heat 1 minute or until slightly thickened, stirring constantly. Cool 10 minutes. Add milk; beat until smooth. Beat in enough powdered sugar until desired spreading consistency. Frost cooled cookies. Allow frosting to set before storing.

Makes 5 dozen cookies.


Pumpkin Cheesecake
1 8 or 9 inch pre-made graham cracker crust
2 (8 oz.) bricks cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup canned pumpkin
3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Preheat oven to 350F. Beat cream cheese and sugar until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until just incorporated. Stir in vanilla, pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice. Mix well. Pour into crust. Bake for about 35 minutes, or until center is set (does not jiggle). Cool two hours. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours before serving.


Chocolate, Chocolate, CHOCOLATE Cake
1 (18.25 ounce) package devil's food, chocolate, chocolate fudge, milk dark chocolate cake mix
1 (5.9 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding mix
1 cup sour cream
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup warm water
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and Flour a 12 cup bundt pan.

Mix together the cake and pudding mixes, sour cream, oil, beaten eggs and water. Stir in the chocolate chips and pour batter into bundt pan. It will be very, very thick.

Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool cake in the pan for one hour. Then, turn cake out onto a plate. Drizzle with icing or dust with powdered sugar.