Lemonade Cake

Here in the town where we live the temperature raised to 103 degrees and the heat index was even higher. Boy was it hot out there while I was rummaging and when we came upon a young man selling lemonade you can believe that I took advantage of that and made that young man smile because he had earned money of his own. Then upon looking for recipes to try and share I came upon this recipe from the cooking light magazine spring of 2002. This may help quench your taste as the lemonade the young boy did mine

Cake:

1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
6 tablespoons butter, softened
1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
3 tablespoons thawed lemonade concentrate
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 large egg whites
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 cups fat-free buttermilk
Cooking spray

Frosting:

2 tablespoons butter, softened
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
2 teaspoons thawed lemonade concentrate
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 ounces 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350°.
To prepare cake, place first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 5 minutes). Add eggs and egg whites, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda; stir well with a whisk. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture; beat well after each addition.
Pour batter into 2 (9-inch) round cake pans coated with cooking spray; sharply tap pans once on counter to remove air bubbles. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pans. Cool completely on wire rack.
To prepare frosting, place 2 tablespoons butter and the next 4 ingredients (2 tablespoons butter through cream cheese) in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until fluffy. Add powdered sugar, and beat at low speed just until blended (do not overbeat). Chill 1 hour.
Place 1 cake layer on a plate; spread with 1/2 cup frosting. Top with remaining cake layer. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Store cake loosely covered in the refrigerator.

shared at
Sunday Roundup

Baseball Cupcakes

Its heating up out there and the major stars of summer, at least in our house, are there to entertain us. The awesome baseball players, coaches are enough to make anyone stop and take notice and these baseball cupcakes are sweet enough to gain fans as well. Find the recipe here and make some for yourself.

Spectacular Cheesecake

1-1/2 cups HONEY MAID Graham Cracker Crumbs

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, melted

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 pkg. (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened

2 cups powdered sugar

1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed

1 cup strawberry jam, heated

1 pt. (2 cups) blueberries

MIX crumbs, butter and granulated sugar. Press firmly onto bottom of 13x9-inch dish.
BEAT cream cheese and powdered sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Gently stir in whipped topping. Spoon over crust. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.
PRESS assorted sizes of star cookie cutters lightly into top of cheesecake. Drizzle jam over surface of remaining cheesecake; spread gently to completely cover area around the stars. Carefully remove cookie cutter. Arrange blueberries around edge of cheesecake. Store leftover cheesecake in refrigerator. 

recipe source here   

Chewy Red White and Blue Cookies

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon light corn syrup
4 1/2 cups uncooked regular oats
1 cup semisweet chocolate morsels
1 cup (6 ounces) red, white, and blue candy-coated chocolate pieces
2 teaspoons baking soda

Beat sugars and butter at low speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add eggs and next 3 ingredients, beating until combined. Stir in oats and remaining ingredients.
Drop by tablespoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets.
Bake, in batches, at 350° for 15 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool.

southern living july 2003

Chocolate Orange Blossom Cake

Back in the day before all the kits were available for birthday cakes there were many birthday cakes that would end up looking as special as this one. I can remember as a little girl my grandmothers and mother taking pride in their baking and showing it off by taking their little specials to parties that would be held for anything from birthdays to family reunions. I love this cake and since June 27 is a day to celebrate orange blossom cake I thought I would share it

Cake:
1 box (18.25 ounces) devil’s food cake mix
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup oil
3 large eggs
3 tablespoons orange liqueur or 1 Tbsp orange extract
1 cup mini–semisweet chocolate chips
...
Frosting:
1 pound butter, softened
16 ounces marshmallow cream (such as Marshmallow Fluff or Crème)
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup grated orange zest (from 3 to 4 oranges)
2 tablespoons orange juice
Garnish: orange slices

1. Heat oven to 350°F. You’ll need two 9 x 2-in. round cake pans coated
with nonstick spray.

2. Cake: Beat cake mix, buttermilk, oil, eggs and liqueur in a large bowl
with mixer on low speed 30 seconds or until blended. Scrape down sides
of bowl; beat on medium speed 2 minutes. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour
into prepared pans.

3. Bake 28 to 32 minutes until a wooden pick inserted in centers of
cakes comes out clean. Cool in pans on a wire rack 10 minutes, invert
on rack, turn right side up and cool completely.

4. Frosting: Beat butter in a large bowl with mixer on medium speed
until creamy. Beat in marshmallow cream. When well blended, beat in
confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, orange zest and juice. Increase speed
to high and beat 3 to 4 minutes until fluffy (makes 5 cups).

5. Place 1 cake layer on a serving plate. Spread with 1 cup frosting.
Top with remaining cake layer. Spread top and sides with remaining
frosting. Decorate with cut orange slices just before serving.

Planning Tip: Wrapped cake layers can be refrigerated up to 1 week.
Cake can be completed up to 2 days ahead. Garnish just before serving

Wow Us Wednesday

Golden Corral review

Recently both my son and my husband celebrated birthdays and to celebrate we headed over to Golden Corral for a delicious meal. Yummy!!! With the amount of food there no one should ever go home hungry. Not only the food was great but so was the atmosphere, the workers, and the place was nice and clean as well. We were greated by the lady at the door, the managers as they seemed to make sure all were treated as if they were at home and also the servers at the food stations and those that were ready to get our drink refills and quickly take away any plates that we were done with.

If you have never been to Golden Corral then let me tell you that you should try to find one near you. At the golden corral website there is a locater button that should help you find a restraunt near you. They have several food stations sectioned off so that you will be able to find your favorites among those that they serve. Food stations include a hot buffet where you can find delicious items like meatloaf, sausage, ribs, and oh so much more wonderments. While I love the meatloaf and potatoes the teens enjoyed items such as taco salad and chicken. Salad Buffet where you will find a large variety of items to make your perfects salad. Veggies to fruit and salad toppings galore was oh so delicious. I always fix my self a small salad to start off with because I try to imagine being invited to a 8 course meal which normally always starts with soup and salad. Another one of our favorite food spots is the bakery and dessert. So many delicious items are located there from their delicious rolls and honey butter to the wonderfull chocolate wonderfall and cotten candy. The one and only problem that I noticed was that the cotton candy machine set empty alot that night with many wanting some but getting little.

As delicious as their food was I must also say that their hearts and patriotic spirits are as well. Supporting our military is something that Golden Corral takes to heart. One great thing that they do is to support a camp for the children of military parents. Known as the Camp Corral it is a way that the folks at Golden Corral can give back to the families that serve and protect us. If you have  a chance to stop and enjoy the good food at Golden Corral then I most heartly say you should.

I wrote this post not because I received any form of financial or other means but because I enjoyed my night out with my family and wanted to share it here with you my readers and friends

 

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Win A Baby Doll

As a little girl I had tons of baby dolls to play with but I had just a select few favorites. These favorites would meet me behind my moms chair in the living room where we would spend hours having fun and playing pretend. I know that my little princess is very much like this with a vocabulary to boot and she to only has a few select favorites that will have the privilage to join her in her favorite place to play. As nana I love to offer her the best and sometimes the best is not always what she likes. However, in time we will figure out our differences and go from there. Til then nana will continue to offer her what I think is the precious of all. How cute are these twin baby dolls by J.C. toys . I would love to win them for my little princess. If you want a chance to win a baby doll for your little one then head over to the blog Pink Dandy Chatter  and enter the raffle copter giveaway. This giveaway ends July 7, 2012