by Paula Deen
3 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup chopped walnuts
2½ cups diced apples, canned or fresh
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together sugar, eggs, and oil. Add flour; mix together until well blended. Add vanilla, nuts, and diced apples. Spread into a lightly greased and floured 13 ×9-inch baking dish; bake for 45 to 60 minutes. Cake is done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. When cake is done, punch holes in it with a knife and pour topping over.
CARAMEL TOPPING
¾pound (3 sticks) butter2 cups brown sugar ¼cup milk
Heat all ingredients together over medium heat. Bring to boil, stirring constantly. Let boil for about 2 minutes. Pour over warm cake.
The Lady & Sons
Rum Cake
SERVES 12 TO 16
1 cup chopped walnuts
One 18¼-ounce package yellow cake mix
One 3½-ounce package instant vanilla pudding mix 4 eggs
½ cup buttermilk
½ cup vegetable oil
½ cup dark rum
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan. Sprinkle nuts over bottom of pan. Mix remaining ingredients together. Pour batter over nuts. Bake for 1 hour. Cool. Invert on service plate. Prick top with fork or toothpick. Drizzle and smooth glaze evenly over top and sides. Allow cake to absorb glaze. Use all the glaze.
GLAZE
4 tablespoons (½ stick) butter
¼ cup water 1 cup sugar
½ cup dark rum
Melt butter in saucepan. Stir in water and sugar. Boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in rum.
Coconut Cake
SERVES 12 TO 16
One 18¼-ounce package yellow pudding cake mix
1 cup sour cream 1½ cups sugar
12 ounces canned or frozen shredded coconut
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make cake by following directions on package, substituting milk for water. Divide and bake in three 9-inch round cake pans for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Remove from pans. Stir together sour cream, sugar, and coconut. Spread between slightly warm cake layers, piercing each layer as you stack them. Store cake in container in refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. This allows cake to soak up moisture from the coconut. On the third day, prepare icing for cake.
ICING
2 unbeaten egg whites
1½ cups sugar
2 teaspoons light corn syrup, or ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
⅓ cup cold water Dash of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
Additional coconut to top icing (about ½ cup)
Place all ingredients except vanilla and additional coconut in top of double boiler, but do not place over heat; beat 1 minute with electric hand mixer. Place over boiling water and cook, beating constantly, until frosting forms stiff peaks (about 7 minutes). Remove from boiling water; add vanilla and beat until it reaches spreading consistency (about 2 minutes). Frost top and sides of cake; sprinkle with additional coconut. Cover and store at room temperature.
Chocolate Strawberry Shortcake
SERVES 15 TO 20
2 cups cake flour
1½ cups sugar
⅔ cup cocoa
½ cup Crisco shortening
1½ cups buttermilk
1½ teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt teaspoon vanilla
whole eggs or 3 egg whites
1 quart fresh strawberries, rinsed
and sliced 1 cup whipped cream or
Cool Whip
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients in order listed, except strawberries and whipping cream. Beat with mixer on low speed, scraping bowl constantly, for 30 seconds. Beat on high speed, scraping bowl occasionally, for 3 minutes. Pour into greased and floured 13 × 9-inch pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Cool cake completely. Cut into squares. Place 2 or 3 squares in dessert cups and layer with small amount of strawberries and whipped cream. Garnish with strawberries. A heavenly treat!
Low-Fat Peach Cake
SERVES 12 TO 16
¼ teaspoon sugar 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
CAKE
2 cups all-purpose flour
1½ cups sugar
½ cup Crisco shortening
½ cup milk
One 15-ounce can cling peaches, drained (reserve ½ cup juice) 3 egg whites
3½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Use no-stick cooking spray in Bundt pan. Mix together sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle mixture over bottom and sides of pan. Combine all cake ingredients together, including reserved juice. Beat with mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed for 2 minutes. Pour into Bundt pan. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from oven; cool completely. Frost with icing immediately before serving.
ICING
One 6-ounce container nonfat peach yogurt One 8-ounce container Lite Cool Whip
Mix together. Frost cake.
Savannah Chocolate Cake with Hot Fudge Sauce
SERVES APPROXIMATELY 20
2 cups brown sugar
½ cup Crisco shortening
1 cup buttermilk
teaspoon vanilla
ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted 3 eggs
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together brown sugar and shortening; add buttermilk and vanilla. Add melted chocolate, then add eggs one at a time; beat for 2 minutes. Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt and add to creamed mixture. Beat an additional 2 minutes. Pour into a 13 ×9 ×2-inch greased, floured pan. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes.
HOT FUDGE SAUCE
One 4-ounce bar German chocolate
½ ounce unsweetened chocolate
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter 3 cups powdered sugar
1⅔ cups evaporated milk
1¼ teaspoons vanilla
Melt chocolate and butter in saucepan over very low heat. Stir in powdered sugar, alternating with evaporated milk, blending well. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook and stir until mixture becomes thick and creamy, about 8 minutes. Stir in vanilla; serve warm over Savannah Chocolate Cake (or your favorite sheet cake).
Mama's Pound Cake
SERVES 16 TO 20
½ pound (2 sticks) butter
½ cup Crisco shortening
3 cups sugar
5 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cream butter and shortening together. Add sugar, a little at a time. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each. Sift together dry ingredients and add to mixture alternately with milk, starting with flour and ending with flour. Add vanilla. Pour into greased and floured tube pan and bake for 1½ hours.
Chocolate Chip Nut Cake
SERVES 16 TO 20
½ cup Crisco shortening
½ pound (2 sticks) butter
2¾ cups sugar
6 large eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder 1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
One 12-ounce package semisweet chocolate chips
1½ cups chopped pecans or walnuts
Cream shortening, butter, and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating thoroughly after each. Sift flour with baking powder. Add to creamed mixture, alternating with milk. Roll nuts and chocolate chips in a little flour and add to mixture, then add vanilla. Pour into a greased and floured tube pan. Place in cold oven and bake at 325 degrees for about 1½ hours, or until done.
Luscious Lime Cheesecake
SERVES 15 TO 20
Preheat oven to 300
degrees. Reserve ½ cup dry cake mix. In large bowl, combine remaining cake mix, 1 egg, and oil. Mix well (mixture will be crumbly). Press evenly in bottom and 1½ inches up sides of greased 13 ×9-inch pan. In same bowl, beat cheese until fluffy. Beat in condensed milk until smooth. Add remaining eggs and reserved cake mix and beat 1 minute at medium speed. Stir in lime zest, lime juice,
One 18¼-ounce package yellow cake mix
4 eggs
¼ cup vegetable oil
Two 8-ounce packages cream cheese, at room temperature
One 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk 2 teaspoons grated lime zest
⅓ cup fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon vanilla
One 8-ounce container Cool Whip, or 2 cups heavy cream, whipped with ½ cup sugar until stiff
Lime slices, for garnish
and vanilla. Pour into prepared crust. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until center is firm. Cool to room temperature. Chill thoroughly. Spread Cool Whip over top. Cut into squares to serve. Garnish with lime slices.
Grandmother Paul's Sour Cream Pound Cake
SERVES 16 TO 20
½ pound (2 sticks) butter
3 cups sugar
1 cup sour cream
3 cups all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon baking soda
6 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cream butter and sugar together; add sour cream. Sift flour and baking soda together. Add to creamed mixture, alternately with eggs, one at a time, beating after each. Add vanilla. Pour into a greased and floured tube pan and bake for 1 hour 20 minutes.
The Lady & Sons
Gooey Butter Cakes
SERVES 15 TO 20
I could write a full chapter on this dessert. It is the number-one choice in our restaurant.
One 18¼-ounce package yellow cake mix
1 egg 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, melted
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine ingredients and mix well. Pat into a lightly greased 13 ×9-inch baking pan. Prepare filling.
FILLING
One 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, melted
One 16-ounce box powdered sugar
Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add eggs and vanilla. Add butter; beat. Add powdered sugar and mix well. Spread over cake mixture. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes. You want the center to be a little gooey, so do not overbake.
VARIATIONS :
For the holidays, add a 15-ounce can of pumpkin to the filling; add cinnamon and nutmeg.
Add a 20-ounce can of drained crushed pineapple to the filling.
Use a lemon cake mix. Add lemon juice and zest to the filling.
Use a chocolate cake mix with cream cheese filling. Add chocolate chips and nuts on top.
Use a spiced carrot cake mix. Add chopped nuts and shredded carrots to the filling.
Use mandarin oranges, bananas, blueberries, or strawberries—just coordinate your extract flavorings.
Use a chocolate cake mix. Add ¾ to 1 cup peanut butter and nuts to the filling.
The Lady & Sons
Grandmother Paul's Red “Velvet Cake
SERVES 16 TO 20
2 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon cocoa
2 ounces red food coloring
½ pound (2 sticks) butter
2½ cups cake flour 1 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon vinegar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat eggs; add sugar. Mix cocoa and food coloring. Add butter and egg mixture; mix well. Sift together flour and salt. Add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk. Blend in vanilla. In a small bowl, combine soda and vinegar and add to mixture. Pour into three 9-inch round greased and floured pans. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until tests done.
ICING
2 egg whites
1½ cups sugar
5 tablespoons cold water
2 tablespoons light corn syrup 1 cup miniature marshmallows
1 cup or 3½-ounce can shredded coconut
1 cup chopped pecans
Cook egg whites, sugar, water, and corn syrup in double boiler for 5 minutes and beat. Add marshmallows; stir until melted. Fold in coconut and nuts. Spread between layers and on top and sides of cooled cake.
The Lady & Sons
Cheesecake
SERVES 10 TO 12
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
¼ cup sugar 4 tablespoons (½ stick) butter, melted
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix ingredients together and pat onto bottom and sides of an 8-inch springform cake pan. Prepare filling.
FILLING
2 eggs
12 ounces cream cheese, softened 1 cup sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla
Beat eggs and softened cream cheese together. Add sugar and vanilla. Beat until well blended. Pour into prepared crust. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes. Add topping (recipe follows).
TOPPING
½ cup sugar
1 cup sour cream ½ teaspoon vanilla
Combine ingredients and put on top of cake; return to oven for 10 minutes.
OPTIONAL FRESH FRUIT TOPPING
2 cups fresh raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, cherries, etc.
½ cup sugar ¾ cup water
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons cornstarch
In small saucepan, bring fruit, sugar, ½ cup water, and butter to a boil. Mix cornstarch and ¼ cup water together. Add to boiling pot, cooking and stirring constantly for 1 minute or until thick. Cool to room tem perature. Serve dollop on each slice of cheesecake, with a sprig of fresh mint for garnish.
The Lady & Sons
NOTE: You can use a canned pie filling (blueberry, strawberry, or cherry) instead of fresh fruit.
Pineapple Cake
SERVES 16 TO 20
One 16-ounce can crushed pineapple in heavy syrup
2 cups Bisquick
1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup sugar ¾ cup sour cream
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons rum
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drain pineapple well, reserving syrup for glaze. Stir Bisquick, flour, and baking soda together and set aside. Beat sugar, sour cream, butter, and vanilla together for 2 minutes. Add eggs and beat 1 additional minute. Add flour mixture and beat 1 minute longer. Mix in drained pineapple and rum. Pour into well-greased 9-inch Bundt pan. Bake for about 45 minutes or until cake tests done. Remove from oven and spoon about half the glaze over cake. Let stand 10 minutes and then turn onto serving plate. Spoon on remaining glaze. Cool before cutting.
GLAZE
¾ cup sugar
4 tablespoons butter ¼ cup reserved pineapple syrup
2 tablespoons rum (optional)
Combine sugar, butter, and syrup. Stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved and butter is melted. Remove from heat and add rum, if desired.
The Lady & Sons
Chocolate Sheet Cake
SERVES 15 TO 20
2 cups sugar
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
½ cup vegetable oil
1 cup water ¼ cup cocoa
2 eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine sugar, salt, and flour in a large mixing bowl. In a saucepan, bring to a boil butter, oil, water, and cocoa. Add to flour mixture. Beat eggs, baking soda, buttermilk, and vanilla. Add to dry ingredients. Pour into greased and floured 13 ×9 ×2-inch pan. Bake for 25 minutes.
ICING
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
3 tablespoons cocoa
6 tablespoons milk 1 teaspoon vanilla
One 16-ounce box powdered sugar
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
Melt together butter and cocoa. Add milk and vanilla. Stir in powdered sugar and nuts. Spread on warm cake.
The Lady & Sons
Banana Split Cake
SERVES 15 TO 20
2 cups crushed graham crackers
¾ pound (3 sticks) butter
2 eggs
One 16-ounce box powdered sugar One 20-ounce can crushed pineapple, drained
2 to 3 bananas, sliced
One 12-ounce container Cool Whip
For crust, mix crushed graham crackers and 1 stick of butter. Line bot tom and sides of a 13 ×9-inch pan with mixture. Beat until fluffy eggs, 2 sticks butter, and the powdered sugar. Spread mixture on crust. Add layer of crushed pineapple (drained) and layer of sliced bananas. Cover with Cool Whip. Sprinkle with nuts or graham crackers. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
The Lady & Sons
Grandmama Hiers's Carrot Cake
SERVES 16 TO 20
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt 4 eggs
1½ cups vegetable oil
3 cups grated carrots
1½ cups chopped pecans (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Add eggs and vegetable oil and mix well; add carrots and pecans. Pour into three 9-inch round greased, floured pans. Bake for approximately 40 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes. Remove from pans, place on waxpaper, and allow to cool completely before frosting.
FROSTING
One 8-ounce package cream cheese
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
One 16-ounce box powdered sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla
½ cup chopped pecans
Combine all ingredients except for nuts and beat until fluffy. Stir in nuts. Frost cake.
