Snag a Husband Chocolate Cake

• Ingredients

• 2 c. all purpose flour
• 1 c. unsweetened cocoa
• 1.50 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4th tsp. salt
• 3/4 c. Butter or Margarine, Softened
• 1 c. packed brown sugar
• 1 c. granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1.50 c. low-fat buttermilk

Directions

1. Prepare cake layers: Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease three 8-in. round cake pans. Line bottoms with waxed paper; grease paper. Dust pans with flour
2. On another sheet of waxed paper, combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. In large bowl, with mixer at low speed, beat butter and brown and granulated sugars until blended. Increase speed to high; beat 5 minutes or until pale and fluffy, occasionally scraping bowl with rubber spatula. Reduce speed to medium-low; add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla until blended. Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture; beat just until batter is smooth, occasionally scraping bowl with rubber spatula.
3. Spoon batter evenly among prepared pans. If necessary, stagger pans on 2 oven racks, placing 2 on upper rack and 1 on lower rack, so that top pans are not directly above bottom one. Bake 22 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. With small knife, loosen layers from sides of pans; invert onto wire racks. Carefully remove and discard waxed paper; cool completely, about 45 minutes. If you like, wrap layers well and store at room temperature up to 1 day or freeze up to 1 month. Bring to room temperature before frosting cake.
4. Meanwhile, prepare frosting: (see below) In small bowl, combine cocoa and boiling water, stirring until smooth. In large bowl, with mixer at medium-high speed, beat butter and confectioners' sugar 5 minutes or until fluffy. Reduce speed to medium-low; add melted chocolate, then cocoa mixture, beating until smooth and occasionally scraping bowl with rubber spatula. If frosting is too runny, refrigerate until just stiff enough to spread.
5. Assemble cake: Place 1 cake layer bottom side up on cake plate; spread with 1/3 cup frosting. Top with second layer, bottom side up; spread with 1/3 cup frosting. Place remaining layer bottom side up on top. Spread remaining frosting over sides and top of cake.
6. Make the frosting: • 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa • 1/3 cup boiling water • 1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened • 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar •12 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled

Banana Bread HealthyStyle

Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 2 cups shredded zucchini
• 1/2 cup grapeseed or other flavorless vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 1/4 cup maple syrup granules
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 cup ground almond meal
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup chocolate chips, optional

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375F degrees. In a small bowl, grate the zucchini; set aside. In a medium size bowl, combine flour, almond meal, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In another large bowl, combine eggs, applesauce, oil, maple sugar granules, and vanilla. Beat to combine. Add dried ingredients and stir just until mixed. Stir in chocolate chips if using. Split batter evenly among two prepared standard loaf pans. Bake for about 40 minutes or until bread is done. Remove bread from oven and place on cooling rack to cool for 15 minutes before removing bread from pan. Let cool completely. Makes 2 loaves.

Pineapple & Cream Cheese Upside Down Cak

Ingredients

1/2 c butter, melted 

1 c packed brown sugar 

1 can(s) (20 oz) dole pineapple slices,drained

8 marachino cherries

1 pkg yellow cake mix 

2 pkg (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened

1 pkg (3.0 oz) lemon gelatin

2 eggs

 

1 Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 9.5 or 10-inch spring form pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Note: 

If using a regular sized cake mix, use a larger spring form pan, and increase the baking time, at least by 15 minutes. ( I used a regular mix and a 9.5 inch pan ). Keep checking it with a wooden pick in the center till comes out clean.

2 Stir together melted butter and brown sugar in pan. 

 

3 Place 8 pineapple slices in sugar mixture. Place cherry in center of each pineapple slice; cut remaining 2 slices of pineapple in half and place decoratively around slice in center of the pan.

4 Prepare cake mix according to the package directions.

5 Pour half cake batter evenly over pineapple.

 

6 Beat cream cheese, lemon gelatin and eggs in bowl of an electric mixer until smooth.

7 Spread cream cheese mixture gently over cake mix.

8 Pour remaining cake mix over cheese cake in pan. 

 

9 Bake 1hr 10 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

10 Cool 5 minutes. Loosen edges and turn out onto serving platter

 

11 Enjoy!!

The cake was delicious..I will be making this again for Easter.

Fresh Fruit Tart with Crème Fraîche Whipped Cream

A fresh fruit tart with a crème fraîche whipped cream. So good and perfect for summer!

For the crust:
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
For the crème fraîche whipped cream and topping:
• 1 cup cold heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 cup creme fraiche
• 2-3 cups fresh fruit and/or berries (use whatever is in season and looks good!)
For the glaze:
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons water
• 4 tablespoons fresh orange juice
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 
  

1. Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
2. In a food processor fitted with the blade, combine powdered sugar, flour and salt; pulse to combine. Add butter and process until the mixture forms a ball about 30 seconds to 1 minute. With your fingers, press dough into a 12-inch tart pan with removable bottom, taking care to press the crust into the creases in the pan. Pat until the crust is even. Bake for about 15 minutes until very lightly browned. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.
3. In a small bowl, whisk the crème fraîche with the sugar until smooth. In a separate large bowl, whip the cream with an electric hand-held or stand mixer until the cream so that it's pretty firm. With a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, gently fold the crème fraîche into the whipped cream. Spread over the cooled crust.
4. Top tart with whatever fruit/berries you desire. I love berries and kiwi for this!
5. To make the glaze, mix together the sugar and cornstarch in a small saucepan. Whisk in the water, orange juice, and lemon juice. Bring to a boil over medium heat; boil gently for one minute. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely before spooning or brushing the glaze evenly over the tart.
6. Keep the tart in the refrigerator until ready to serve.