Carrot Cake

 2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups lightly packed light brown sugar
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups canola oil
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla, divided
2 cups grated carrots

1 cup golden raisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Lightly grease 3 9-inch cake pans. If you like, line bottoms with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt, cinnamon and ginger. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together brown sugar and eggs until mixture is smooth. 

Whisk in oil, milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla. 

Slowly whisk in flour mixture

Fold in carrots, 1 1/2 cups and raisins. 

Divide batter between prepared cake pans and bake 20 minutes or until cake begins to pull away from side of pan and a toothpick inserted in the cake comes away with just a few crumbs attached.

Put cake pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove cake from pans and cool completely.

While cake is cooking, prepare frosting:

When ready to assemble cake: Place one layer on cake plate. Spread with thin layer of frosting. Add second cake layer and spread with thin layer of frosting. Add last cake layer and spread thin layer of frosting on sides of cake, then a thicker layer on top. 

Cream Cheese Frosting

3 8-ounce package cream cheese
20 ounces  confectioners' sugar ( or more to taste)
1 teaspoon vanilla

Milk, as needed to thin to so it is able to be frosted easily.

In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until softened and smooth.

Add butter and continue to beat until softened, smooth and well incorporated with the cream cheese.

Beat in the sugar a little at a time, then the vanilla.

If frosting is too thick to spread easily, beat in cold milk a tablespoon or so at a time until of spreading consistency.

Old Fashion Fudge Cake

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup baking cocoa
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup canola oil
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup hot water

Cake Recipe from Taste of Home

Frosting:

1/2 cup coco powder

1 stick butter, softened

8 oz cream cheese, softened

Mix with an electric mixer, add milk to thin (need to keep scraping down bowl)  1/4 to 1/3 cup milk needed.

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 13x9-in. baking pan. In a large bowl, whisk the first six ingredients. Stir in eggs, oil and buttermilk. Add water; stir until combined.
2. Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Frost cake. If desired, decorate with sprinkles. Yield:15 servings. 

Apple Cake

                                                                                             
3 eggs
1/2 cup cooking oil       
2  cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 cups chopped, pared apples

Beat eggs and oil until foamy

Add flour, baking soda and cinnamon

Add to egg mixture. 

Add remaining ingredients, and mix well.

Pour into greased 13 x 9 x 2-1/2 inch baking pan. 

Bake at 350 degrees or 35 to 40 minutes or until cake tests done.

Remove from oven, cool and spread with topping.

Topping

1 (8-ounce) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 to 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar

Blend ingredients until creamy. Add a 1/4 of milk slowly until spreading consistency. 

Spread on cool cake

Red Velvet Cake

Makes one 9-inch cake

2 1/4 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup cocoa
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
2 eggs
2 teaspoons to 1 bottle red food coloring (1 ounce)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
1 cup milk (fat content not important)

Cream cheese frosting, below

Prepare 3 9-inch pans by greasing lightly then flouring lightly or greasing them then lining the bottoms with waxed paper. (No need to grease the paper)

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa. Set aside.

In another mixing bowl, with a hand-held mixer on low speed, or with a wooden spoon, beat the sugar and oil together until well blended.

Add eggs, one at a time, blending well between additions.

Blend in food coloring, vanilla, and vinegar. Scrape bowl down with a rubber spatula.

Alternately blend in flour and milk , using about a third of each at a time and scraping sides of bowl a couple of times. Make sure not to overbeat or use the electric mixer on high -- this will toughen the cake.

Immediately pour into prepared pans and bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

On a wire rack, cool cakes in pans for 5 minutes. Remove cakes from pans and cool completely on rack.

Fill and frost as desired.

Cream Cheese Frosting

3 8-ounce package cream cheese
20 ounces  confectioners' sugar ( or more to taste)
1 teaspoon vanilla

Milk, as needed to thin to so it is able to be frosted easily.

In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until softened and smooth.

Add butter and continue to beat until softened, smooth and well incorporated with the cream cheese.

Beat in the sugar a little at a time, then the vanilla.

If frosting is too thick to spread easily, beat in cold milk a tablespoon or so at a time until of spreading consistency.

Rum Baba

Rum syrup

1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2/3 cup dark rum
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the Baba

1/3 cup raisins
1 tablespoon good dark rum
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup milk
1/4 ounce fast-rising active dry yeast
2 tablespoons sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

Directions:

Make the rum syrup:

Place the sugar, lemon juice and 1 1/2 cups water in a small saucepan.

Cook over high heat until the sugar dissolves. 

Pour into a 4-cup heatproof measuring cup/bowl and allow to cool.

Add the rum and vanilla, set aside.

Make the Baba: 

Combine the raisins and rum in a small bowl and set aside.

Heat the milk until warm.

Stir in the yeast and sugar and allow to sit for 5 minutes.

With the mixer on low speed, first add the eggs, then the flour, and butter.

Raise the speed to medium-high and beat for 5 minutes.

Scrape down the bowl and beater to form the dough into a ball.

It will be very soft. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and allow it to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Drain the raisins (empty the rum remaining into the prepared syrup) and fold them into the dough with a spatula.

Pour into the prepared pan. Smooth the top, cover the pan with a damp towel, and allow to rise until the dough reaches the top of the pan, 50 minutes to 1 hour.

Cut out 2 rounds with wax paper and place one on the bottom of an 8 inch spring from pan and spray bottom and sides with no stick spray or you can butter it.

Preheat the oven to 375°F

Cover top of cake with the other wax paper round sprayed with no stick spray.

Bake the cake for about 45 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then tap it out of the cake pan onto a baking rack set over a sheet pan OR a plate covered in wax paper.

Pour all of the rum syrup very slowly onto the warm cake, allowing it all to soak in thoroughly.

Once cooled wrap in plastic wrap and keep at room temperature, can be made one day ahead if desired.

Serve with whipped cream on the side.

Pasticiotti

Makes about 12

Pastry
3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
Pinch of salt
3 egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar

Egg Wash
1 egg with a ½ tablespoon of water, mixed well.

Fillings

Ricotta:

1 1/2 lb (3 cups) ricotta
Pinch cinnamon

6 Tbsp confectioners sugar
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup cold water

Cream:

1/4 cornstarch
1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons white sugar
2 egg yolks, divided
2 cups milk, room temperature
1-1/2 teaspoons butter or margarine
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix flour and sugar into the bowl.

Cut in the butter until the mix resembles small peas.

Add the egg yolks, one at a time, mixing with a wooden spoon with each addition.

Blend in a little water and work with your hands till it clears the side of the bowl.

Knead until smooth using bread hook on an electric mixer or turn onto flour board and knead with hands until smooth.

Wrap in wax paper and chill in refrigerator 1-2 hours. If too hard put in microwave for about 45 seconds to soften.

Roll out to 1/4-inch thickness on a lightly floured board

OR

Put balls of dough in greased muffin pans and press dough down and up the sides to form a mini tart. Could also line the pans with muffin papers and do same.

Fill prepared pastry sections

Be sure to save some to make the strips for the top. Place one strip across and one strip lengthwise to form a cross like shape.

Brush with egg wash.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, bake about 45 minutes.

Modified Aruba Radisson's Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Mousse Filling and Chocolate Ganache icing. Version II

 This recipe has some minor modifications from the original Aruba Radisson Cake, the mousse and Ganache are scaled back, less waste and the 8 oz chocolate to cup of heavy cream stated in the original recipe is omitted and the stabilizer of gelatin and water is added to the mousse mixture.

Also, the 3 layers are now a 5/6 layer cake that easily could fit into a NY/NJ deli dessert case.

Chocolate Cake

15 oz flour

3.5 oz cocoa powder, dark is best.

21 oz sugar

.5 ounces Baking Powder

3/4 oz Baking Soda

7 oz shortening, Crisco or Butter

Cream butter and sugar, then add rest to mixing bowl.

ADD:

9.5 oz of milk

6 eggs

Mix well scraping down sides.

Get ready 3  8 or 9" baking pans.

Butter or no stick spray bottoms and sides and coat with flour.

Pour batter into pans and bake at 325 for about 45 minutes.

Cool for 15 minutes in pans.

Remove from pans and place on plates that have wax paper over them and continue cooling.

Once cooled fill the cake with the below.

The layers will be high enough to easily cut them in 1/2 and you then can have a 5/6 layer cake.

Chocolate Mousse Filling for Cake

8 ounces semi sweet chocolate

2 ounces sugar

1/4 cup water

4 egg yolks

2 cups heavy cream

Melt the chocolate in a microwave.

Combine the sugar and water in a pan and boil, stirring often until the sugar is dissolved.

Beat the egg yolks until creamy in a mixer with a whip attachment until fully.

Pour the water and sugar mixture into the bowl slowly, which the mixer is running.

Transfer to a 2 QT container.

Beat heavy cream until fluffy.

Add the cooled chocolate.

Combine all items, the egg and water mixture and the heavy cream

NEXT

Mix 2 oz hot water with 1/4 ounce unflavored gelatin and add to the above. (if the mousse seems thick you can omit this step.)

Lay our our cakes, 3 of them and fill evenly with the mixture. Once stacked on top of each other move on to the Ganche.

Chocolate Ganche for the Icing

2 cups heavy cream

12 oz semi sweet chocolate

Add to a microwave safe bowl and melt, let cook until able to spread and frost cake. It the Ganche is not too warm to spread place it in the refrigerator until cooled.

Cream Cheese Pound Cake

8 oz Cream cheese, softened
1tsp Salt
3 sticks Butter, softened
2 tsp Vanilla or lemon extract
3 cup Sugar
1 cup Fresh blueberries or peaches (OPTIONAL)
6 Eggs
3 cup All purpose flour
1/4 cup milk if NOT using fruit

Do not preheat oven. Lightly butter a 10-inch tube pan, and line the bottom with parchment paper OR coat pan with no stick spray then place flour on the sides, bottom and center ring, set aside.

Combine butter and cream cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle
attachment, and beat on medium speed until smooth.

Add the sugar, increase the speed to high, and beat until light and airy, about 5 minutes.

Add the eggs,1 at a time, beating after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add the milk and vanilla, then the flour and salt all at once. Beat just until blended. OPTIONAL Fold in fruit. (*see note)

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and tap lightly to even out the top. Place in cold oven.

Bake at 325 degrees F until cake is golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the cake comes out clean, 1 1/4 to 1 3/4 hours.

Place the pan on a cooling rack, and cool for 20 minutes. Remove cake from pan, and let cool completely.

Serve at room temperature.

The Aruba Radisson's Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Mousse Filling and Chocolate Ganache icing.

Chocolate Cake

15 oz flour
3.5 oz cocoa powder, dark is best.
21 oz sugar
.7 ounces Baking Powder
3/4 oz Baking Soda
7 oz shortening, Crisco or Butter

Combine all above in a mixing bowl.

ADD:

9.5 oz of milk
6 eggs

Mix well scraping down sides.

Get ready 3 8 or 9" baking pans.
Butter or no stick spray bottoms and sides and coat with flour.

Pour batter into pans and bake at 325 for about 60 minutes.

Cool for 15 minutes in pans.

Remove from pans and place on plates that have wax paper over them and continue cooling.

Once cooled fill the cake with the below.


Chocolate Mousse Filling for Cake

16 ounces semi sweet chocolate
4 ounces sugar
1/2 cup water
7 egg yolks
2 cups heavy cream

Melt the chocolate in a microwave.

Combine the sugar and water in a pan and boil, stirring often until the sugar is dissolved.

Beat the egg yolks until creamy in a mixer with a whip attachment until fully.

Pour the water and sugar mixture into the bowl slowly, which the mixer is running.

Transfer to a 2 QT container.

Beat heavy cream until fluffy.

Add the cooled chocolate.

Combine all items, the egg and water mixture and the heavy cream

NEXT

Take 8 oz of semi sweet chocolate chips and mix with 1 cup heavy cream. Melt in a microwave.

Mix 2 oz hot water with 1/2 ounce unflavored gelatin and add to the above.

Lay our our cakes, 3 of them and fill evenly with the mixture. Once stacked on top of each other move on to the Ganche.

Chocolate Ganche for the Icing

2 cups heavy cream
26 oz semi sweet chocolate

Add to a microwave safe bowl and melt, let cook until able to spread and frost cake.

Flourless Chocolate Cake

12 ounces semisweet chocolate
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
4 sticks unsalted butter
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup coffee, strong
8 large eggs, beaten

Place roasting pan on bottom shelf with 4 cups water in it. Position another shelf above this for the cake

Place all items, 1-5 in a large pot and melt over med heat

Beat eggs in separate bowl

Take pot off heat and whisk in eggs, whisking until thick and smooth

Pour batter into a 9 or 10 inch springform pan with the bottom lined with parchment paper

Bake for 1 hour and then cool at room temperature

Place in refrigerator after this, still in pan and let sit 24 hours

Release pan, cutting around edge with a knife if needed

Invert cake and peel off parchment and serve

NOTE: Top with Raspberry Puree if wanted.

Monster Coffee Cake 15x10x3 pan

Coffee Cake

Cake

3/4 cup butter (3 sticks)
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup milk
3 cups flour
3 t baking powder
2 t vanilla

Cream together sugar and butter

Add eggs and beat for 1 minute.

Add flour and baking powder, beat 2 minutes, scraping sides.

Add milk and vanilla and beat until well blended.


Place in large baking pan. 15x10x3

CRUMB TOPPING

4.5 sticks butter melted
7 cups flour
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
3 t vanilla

Add all items in a large bowl and mix well.

When crumbs form place evenly over cake.

Bake cake at 350 F. for about 105 minutes (about 1 3/4 hours)

Chocolate Mousse Cake with Chocolate Ganche Icing

Cake

15 oz All purpose flour

3.5 oz Chocolate Powder

21 oz Sugar, granulated

.7 oz Baking powder

¼ oz baking soda

7 oz. shortening (Crisco)


Method:

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix on low speed for 20 minutes.

Next add 9.5 oz of milk and mix for 5 minutes,

Add 6 whole eggs, 9.5 oz of milk and mix for two minutes. Be careful not to over mix. Bake for 55 minutes at 350 degrees F.

Chocolate mousse filling recipe:

Place sugar and water in a pot and bring to a boil Place the 6 egg yolks in a stainless steel bowl and at the sugar and water mixture to the bowl using a piano whip. It will turn into a cream when fully whipped.

Heat1 cup heavy cream and stir in the 8 oz chocolate chips. Add the mixture to the above mousse mixture.

NEXT

In a stainless steel bowl add 2 Cups heavy cream, the heavy cream and whip until in is like a meringue. Add to the above mixture.

½ ounce unflavored gelatin

2 oz. hot water

Heat up the water and slowly stir in the gelatin. Next add the above mixture to the gelatin and mix thoroughly.

Layout the 3 cakes and frost the top only with the cream1 by1, layering one after the other. You should have a three layer cake filled with cream.



Ganach

The ganach will be the frosting that will cover the entire cake.

1/2 qt. heavy cream

26 oz. chocolate chips



Bring the heavy cream to a boil in a pot and whip in the chocolate chips until a smooth cream forms. Allow to cool before frosting the cake.

Vanilla Cream Cake

Cake:

4 eggs
2 Cups Sugar
2 Cups Flour
2 t Vanilla Extract
2 t Baking Powder
1 Cup Milk
2 T Melted Butter

Cream the eggs and sugar well, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
Add the flour, vanilla extract, baking powder, milk and melted butter

Spray 2 9" no stick cake pans with no stick spray
Pour batter in to pans
Bake at 375 for 25 minutes
Cool 5 minutes and turn out onto plates and continue cooling.

Filling and icing

1 Pint Heavy Cream
2/3 Cup Conf Sugar

Add the Cream and Sugar to a bowl, beat with a paddle beater until whipped. Store in refrigerator until needed.

Slice the layers in 1/2 so there are 4 layers and use the cream for the filling and icing.

Coffee Cake 13x9x2

Cake (smaller size)

13x9x2 Pan
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
3/4 cup milk
2 cups flour
2 t baking powder
1 t vanilla

Cream together sugar and butter
Add eggs and beat for 1 minute.
Add flour and baking powder, beat 2 minutes, scraping sides.
Add milk and vanilla and beat until well blended.

Place in large baking pan. 13x9x2

CRUMB TOPPING

3 sticks butter melted
4 1/2 - 5 cups flour
1 cup packed brown sugar
2/3 cup white sugar
2 t vanilla

Add all items in a large bowl and mix well.
When crumbs form place evenly over cake.

Bake cake at 350 for about 70 minutes.

Pound Cake

1 1/2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
6 large eggs
2 T vanilla extract
4 1/2 t baking powder
3/4 cup milk

Pre heat oven to 350

Cream butter and sugar
Add eggs and mix well
Add all other items and mix for 2-3 minutes, making sure all is blended.

Flour and butter (you can use no stick spray) a tube pan

Pour batter in and bake for about 45-50 minutes.