Celebrating Togetherness
Whether making dessert for 25 or 50, let me make it fast and easy for you. These two cakes made 48 generous slices. They could have been sliced a bit smaller making 30 servings per 1/2 sheet cake pan, 60 total. I love gatherings but used to get exhausted trying to do it all. I found not only is organization key but recipes that look and taste delicious with the least amount of effort are best when serving a large group. I do fall into the believers … deliciousness comes from not only the palate but the visual too. For these cakes I chose attractive gold colored half cake pans. I knew I wasn’t going to remove the baked cakes to another dish. Side by side, they looked lovely on the self-serve dessert table. If you wish to perfect this further, a la Martha Stewart, use a ruler when slicing the entire cake to give the eye the beauty of exactness, and use attractive, sterling perhaps, serving utensils.
Now for the cakes … Just about any three layered cake recipe works. For the German Chocolate Cake I used the Baker’s German Chocolate recipe for the cake and frosting. These recipes are printed on the Baker’s German Chocolate inside wrapper. I’ll list the ingredients later. This cake whips up nicely with a few extra steps like melting the chocolate and beating the egg whites separately. It’s worth it if you love sweet chocolate with a pecan coconut topping. Hard to beat. For the white cake I used this delicious recipe, here. It was time to try a new (to me) white cake recipe. I liked the idea that this one uses whole eggs and doesn’t require the extra step of beating egg whites. It also uses a bit of shortening and I knew this meant the cake would hold moisture. It didn’t disappoint! For the frosting I used my simple butter cream, recipe to follow. A few things to keep in mind when preparing to bake these recipes in a 1/2 sheet cake pan: 1.) Grease and lightly flour your pan wiping off excess on the top edges of the pan. Remember you will be serving the cake in this pan and want it to look tidy. 2.) Spread the batter evenly especially in the corners of the pan. 3.) The cake will bake faster, 15-30 minutes depending on your oven. 4.) Use a toothpick in the center for doneness. Keep in mind the center is likely to take longer to bake. However, the cake will continue to cook when removed from the oven. If the cake is pulling away from the edges of the pan and the toothpick is almost clean when pierced in the center it is safe to remove from the oven and allow the heat to continue the cooking process.
Apples I didn’t want to go to waste. What a great choice if I do say so! The ingredients list is minimal … producing this beautiful and tasty cake. Oh yeah, have it for breakfast! Heavy with apples surrounded by a slightly sweet vanilla cake. Try it today!
These are the best! But don’t take my word for it … Bake them up today! Chewy Buttery Good … not too flat, not too thick, just right. I’m using the new Nestle Dark Chocolate Morsels. Make sure you try this recipe with your favorite chocolate chips. This way you’ll be able to taste test the best chocolate chip oatmeal cookies you ever ate. Seriously Good! Just can’t say it enough and I’m a chocolate chip cookie aficionado. If you’re into chocolate chip cookies with a touch of oatmeal and like the chewy variety these are for you!
Lemon is my flavor of choice for the last weeks. It really isn’t random. I have a houseguest who’s into lemon cakes, breads and cookies. And I love to see someone enjoy a favorite. This recipe is a revision of James Beard’s Huckleberry Cake. First, huckleberries are hard to find and I’ve substituted blueberries, a similar berry. But most importantly I’ve added a big lemon taste!
It’s a toss up! The filling and the cookie are both a star in this recipe. Lightly sweet cookies similar to traditional chocolate chip cookies but without the chips and nuts. The small bit of filling is a perfect apple pie taste. These are a great Valentine treat … especially if a heart shape cookie cutter is used.
My delicious experience with Magnolia Table next. This was a near disaster … WARNING: Use of a flared 9 by 5 inch loaf pan may cause baking overflow. Yep, my glaze is more like a frosting (I added a bit of butter. shh). I was gifted Magnolia Table and have really enjoyed trying the recipes. I have to admit it’s just plain delicious to flip through the pages. I love the Joanna Gaines style.
We really enjoy putting together these favorites any time of year. Two Sweet and Sour Brisket recipes, one is more traditional, recipe is