Froggie Cupcakes

1 (18.25 ounce) package white cake mix

1 (16 ounce) can prepared vanilla frosting

6 drops green food coloring, or as needed

12 large marshmallows

1 bag semisweet chocolate chips

Bake cupcakes according to the directions on the package. Allow them to cool completely. Scoop 2/3 of the frosting into a small bowl and mix with green food coloring. Frost the cupcakes.

Cut the marshmallows in half to make two circles. Dip half of each marshmallow piece into the green frosting to make the eyelids. The remaining white will be the eyes. Place on the cupcakes. Use a little bit of white icing to glue a chocolate chip into the center of each eye for the pupil.

You can use chocolate frosting or melted chocolate chips to create the mouths.

Chill for one hour and enjoy!!!

Photo:cutestfood.com

Whoopee Pies

No one is certain who invented the whoopee pie; folks in both Pennsylvania Amish country and Maine have claimed it. As for the name, one theory is that it comes from children saying "whoopee!" upon finding the moist, chocolaty sweets in their lunch pails. Your kids can experience the same glee after baking their own -- and with pink-tinted filling, the pies will elicit cries of joy on Valentine's Day.

CAKES

2 cups flour
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup softened butter

1 cup sugar
1 egg +
FILLING
½ cup softened butter
1½ cups confectioners' sugar
1 cup marshmallow creme
1 teaspoon vanilla
Red food coloring (optional)

Heat the oven to 350°. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. In a glass measuring cup or small bowl, stir together the buttermilk and vanilla extract.

In a large bowl with a hand mixer set at medium speed, beat the butter and sugar until evenly blended, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the egg, increase the speed to high, and beat until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute more.

Pour half the flour mixture into the butter-sugar mixture, and beat at medium speed until combined. Add the buttermilk mixture and continue beating until just blended. Add the remaining flour mixture and beat again.

Use a cookie scoop or spoon to place a heaping tablespoon of batter on a prepared cookie sheet. Add more mounds of batter, evenly spacing them, until there are nine on each sheet. Slightly flatten each mound with a spoon.

Bake the cakes one sheet at a time for 10 minutes (they should be moist and spongy). Let them cool on the sheet for 2 minutes, then carefully transfer them to a rack to cool completely. Reline the sheets and scoop, shape, and bake the remaining batter.

Using an electric mixer at medium-high speed, beat all the filling ingredients except the coloring in a medium bowl until evenly blended, about 2 minutes. If you want to give the filling a Valentine hue, fold in drops of red food coloring until the desired tint is reached.

To make each pie, spoon and spread a heaping tablespoon of the filling onto the bottom of a cake, then gently press another cake on top.

Source: Nancie McDermott from family fun magazine

Cupcakes for Cupid

Cupid's arrow hits the mark with these heart-shaped treats. To create the heart shape, place a small marble or a 1/2-inch ball of aluminum foil between each liner and one side of the tin (a great job for kids). This will push the paper into the batter to form the notch in the heart. You can use boxed cake or homemade.

http://corwinhouse.blogspot.com/2011/01/red-velvet-cake.html

Source: Family fun magazine

Sara Lee's Crumb Cake

2 cups sifted cake flour
2 cups light brown sugar (packed)
1/2 cup margarine
1 egg well beaten
1/2 cup additional flour
1 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup milk

Mix sifted flour, sugar and margarine until crumbly. Set aside 1/2 cup.

To the remaining crumb mixture add remaining ingredients as given above. Beat well with mixer on low speed. Spread evenly in a greased 8-inch square pan.

Sprinkle reserved crumbs over top and bake at 350 degrees for
35 to 40 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Dust warm cake with powdered sugar before cutting.

Photo: sweetpeabaking.com

Sara Lee's Pound Cake

                                                        

1/2 pound real butter
1 cup powdered sugar

1 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
3 tablespoons sour cream

2 teaspoons dry powdered milk
1 2/3 cups cake flour
½ teaspoon lemon extract and vanilla

1 teaspoon corn syrup

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray 8 1/2-inch loaf dish with Pam and lightly floured.

Cream butter with sugar on high until light and fluffy. Sift flour, baking powder, and powdered milk;set aside. Add 1 egg and then a little flour, beating 2 minutes. Add 2nd egg and half of remaining flour and beat 2 minutes. Add sour cream, rest of flour and extract, beating 2 minutes.

Spread batter evenly in dish. Bake for 65 minutes or until tester comes out clean. Remove from dish. Slice 1/2-inch thick.

Photo: farsnotoria.blogspot.com

Cheesecake Factory Oreo Cheesecake

1 1/2 pound cream cheese

1 cup sugar

5 large eggs

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 cup flour

8 ounces sour cream

5 Oreo cookies (coarsely chopped for the batter)

10 coarsely chopped Oreo cookies for the topping

25 finely chopped Oreo for crust

Crust

1 1/2 cup Oreo cookie crumbs (about 25 Oreo cookies finely chopped)

2 tablespoon melted butter

9″ spring form pan (buttered on bottom and sides)

Mix melted butter with Oreo crumbs and press in the bottom of the spring pan and 1 1/2″ up the sides, set aside.

All Ingredients must be at room temperature before beginning. Beat cream cheese with a mixer on low until fluffy.

Slowly add sugar and continue beating cream cheese until mixed well.

Add eggs one at a time and continue to beat until blended.

Measure the vanilla, salt and flour, pour into cream cheese and egg mixture and beat until smooth. Add the sour cream and beat.

Stir in the coarsely chopped oreo cookies with a spoon.

Pour cream cheese into the spring pan and place the nine coarsely chopped Oreo Cookies on to of the cream mixture.

Place pan on the top rack and in the middle of a preheated oven at 325 degrees F and bake for one hour and 15 minutes.

After that time, keep oven door open and let the cheese cake stay in the oven for one hour. Remove from oven and let cool enough to place in the refrigerator for 24 hours.

Photo: cookieash.blogspot.comOriginal recipe:rrecipesecrets.net

Death By Chocolate Cake

1 (18.25 ounce) package devil’s food cake mix
1 (5.9 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding mix
1 cup sour cream
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1/2 cup warm water
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
   2. In a large bowl, mix together the cake and pudding mixes, sour cream, oil beaten eggs and water. Stir in the chocolate chips and pour batter into a well greased 12 cup bundt pan.
   3. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until top is springy to the touch and a wooden toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool cake thoroughly in pan at least an hour and a half before inverting onto a plate. If desired, dust the cake with powdered sugar.  If you bake cake in other shaped cake pan or cupcakes, invert onto cooling rack after about 5 minutes of cooling in the pan.
   

DEATH BY CHOCOLATE FROSTING
2 cups butter (no substitutes), softened
9 cups confectioners’ sugar
2 1/2 cups baking cocoa
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup milk
DIRECTIONS:
1. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter. Gradually beat in confectioners’ sugar, cocoa and vanilla. Add enough milk until frosting reaches spreading consistency.
2. I freeze the cake after it is cooled before applying the frosting.
3. Refrigerate any frosting not used.

Courtesy: Teri from Battle Creek

photo: easychocolatecakerecipe.org

Raspberry White Chocolate Mousse

1 (10 ounce) package frozen raspberries, thawed
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 tablespoons orange liqueur
1 3/4 cups heavy whipping cream
6 ounces white chocolate, chopped
1 drop red food coloring

Process berries in a blender or food processor until smooth. Strain mixture into a small bowl, and discard seeds. Add the sugar and liqueur, and stir until sugar dissolves. Makes 1 cup of sauce.
In a heavy saucepan on low heat, warm 1/4 cup of the cream and the white chocolate, stirring constantly until chocolate melts. Let mixture cool until it is lukewarm. Stir in 1 tablespoon of raspberry sauce, and the food coloring. Transfer to a large bowl.
In a medium bowl, whip remaining 1 1/2 cup cream to soft peaks. Fold into melted chocolate mixture, one-third at a time, until no streaks remain.
Layer into parfait dishes, and serve with the sauce. May also be used to fill or ice a cake.

Courtesy: Stacey Walery @allrecipes.com

photo: garfavanspice.blogspot.com

Fondant

* 4 cups of granulated sugar

* 1½ cups of cold water

* 3 drops of acetic acid or

* ½ teaspoon of vinegar or

* ½ teaspoon of cornstarch

Instructions

1. Stir the sugar and water in a saucepan, set on a comparatively cool part of the range, until the sugar is melted; then draw the saucepan to a hotter place and continue stirring until the syrup boils; remove the spoon and, with a cloth or the fingers wet in cold water, wash down the sides of the saucepan, to remove grains of sugar that may have been thrown there in the cooking; now add the acid, vinegar or cornstarch, and cover the dish; the steam will melt grains of sugar, if there be any on the saucepan.

2. After three or four minutes remove the cover and, if a thermometer is to be used, set it into the syrup.

3. Let the syrup boil to 240 deg F.

4. In the meantime wet the hand in cold water and with it dampen a marble slab or a large platter, then, without jarring the syrup, turn it onto the receptacle prepared for it.

5. Do not scrape out the saucepan or allow the last of the syrup to drip from it (use the saucepan in making a dish of apple or other sauce), as sugary portions will cause the fondant to be "grainy." When the syrup is cold, with a scraper (such as is used in removing wall paper) or a wooden spatula, turn the edges of the mass towards the center; continue this until it begins to thicken and grow white, then work it up into a ball, scraping the marble clean.

6. When all is collected and worked into a compact mass, lay over it a damp cloth, tucking it in closely; let stand in this way for an hour or more to ripen.

7. Now cut into pieces and pack these closely in an earthen bowl; cover the top of the bowl with a damp cloth and then with heavy paper; the cloth must not touch the fondant.

8. This may be used at once or may be kept, in cold weather, several weeks, if the cloth be wrung out of cold water and returned about once a week. It may be used as a frosting for small cakes, for "centers" of bonbons or for coating centers.

Photo: culinnovation.net

Red Velvet Cake

1 cup vegetable shortening

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon cocoa powder

2 ounces red food coloring

2 1/2 cups cake flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon vinegar

White frosting, recipe follows

White Frosting:

2 tablespoons flour

1 cup milk

1 cup unsalted butter

1 cup confectioners' sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In the bowl of a mixer, cream together the shortening, eggs and sugar. In a separate small bowl, mix together the cocoa and food coloring. Add the paste to the shortening mixture. Sift the flour and salt together over parchment. Add to the batter alternately with the buttermilk in 3 additions. Add the vanilla extract. Fold in the baking soda and vinegar. Pour the batter into 2 greased 9-inch cake pans. Bake for 30 minutes or until an inserted cake tester comes out clean. Let cool on a cooling rack. Invert the cakes from the pans.

Frosting: Over medium heat, cook the flour and milk until thickened. Let cool. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. Beat in the flour mixture.

Frost the top of the first layer with frosting and set the second layer on top. Frost the entire cake with remaining frosting.

Photo:www.squidoo.com

Oreo Cookies

Cookie Dough:

1 (18 ounce) box devil's food cake mix

2 eggs

2 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/2 cup bitter cocoa powder

Cookie Filling:

1 envelope unflavored gelatine

1/4 cup cold water

1 cup Crisco

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 pound plus 1 cup confectioners' sugar

Cookie Dough: Blend all ingredients together until the dough can be shaped into a smooth ball. Let it stand 20 minutes, loosely covered.

Form dough into marble-size balls. Place 2 inches apart on greased cookie sheet. Flatten each with smooth bottom of a drinking glass greased once and dipped into Nestles' Quick Powder (or use sweetened chocolate drink powder). Bake at 400 degrees F for 8 minutes. Remove cookies at once from baking sheet, to paper toweling and immediately flatten each cookie with back of pancake turner. Let cool 20 minutes.

Fill with Cookie Filling mixture.

Cookie Filling: Soften gelatine in cold water. Place in heatproof cup in pan of hot water till gelatine is transparent.

Meanwhile beat Crisco until fluffy, adding vanilla extract and sugar a little at a time. Beat in gelatine mixture when it is completely cooled, but not yet "set" or firm.

When cooled, shape filling into 1-inch balls. Place between the two bottom sides of the cooled cookies, pressing gently until filling has spread to edge of cookies and rounded out like the originals.

Photo: www.burghilicious.com Courtesy: recipegoldmine.com

Earthquake Cake

Preheat oven to 350°F

First Step:

1 cup pecan pieces

1 cup coconut

2 cups miniature chocolate chips

Sprinkle this mixture in the bottom of a lightly greased 9 x 13-inch cake pan.

Second Step:

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

Prepare according to package directions.

Pour batter over bottom layer in the pan.

Third Step:

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese

1 stick butter or margarine

2 cups powdered sugar

Melt together cream cheese and butter in the microwave until the butter is melted.

Mix in 2 cups powdered sugar. Mix well and pour over the cake batter.

Take a butter knife and cut in lines, do not mix together. Bake for 50 minutes.

Makes 12 servings.

Source: Judy Clark photo: teamomdal.blogspot.com