Carrot Cake

2 c. sugar

1 1/3 c. vegetable oil

3 large eggs, at room temperature

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 c. plus 1 Tbsp. flour

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

2 tsp. baking soda

1 ½ tsp. salt

1 pound carrots, grated*

1 c. raisins

1 c. chopped walnuts

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease and flour 2 (9x2 in) round cake pans.

Beat sugar, eggs, and oil on medium-high speed for 2 minutes. Stir in vanilla. 

In another bowl, mix 2 c. flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. With mixer on low, slowly add dry ingredients to mixture.

In another bowl, toss the carrots, raisins, walnuts, and the 1 Tbsp. of flour. Stir into batter with a spatula.

Divide batter between prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake for 10 minutes, then lower the heat to 350 degrees and bake for 30-35 minutes more, until a toothpick comes out clean. 

Cool in pans for 15 minutes, turn out on baking rack, and cool completely.

Frost with Cream Cheese Icing.

*This recipe is from Ina Garten’s cookbook Barefoot Contessa Foolproof. Ina recommends grating the carrots by hand on a box grater because she says food processing them will cause the carrots to be too wet and the cake might fall. I bought the bagged prepared julienned carrots and ran a knife through them several times to make a very fine dice, and that worked fine.

Perfectly Chocolate Chocolate Frosting

1 stick butter, melted

2/3 c. Hershey’s Cocoa

3 c. powdered sugar

1/3 c. milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Stir butter into melted cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add a small amount of additional milk if needed. Stir in vanilla. Makes about 2 cups frosting.

Absolutely delicious—it puts the stuff in a jar to shame. 

This recipe is from the back of the Hershey’s Cocoa canister.

Strawberry Cake

1 Strawberry Cake Mix (I used Duncan Hines Signature Strawberry Supreme)

1 3.4 oz pkg Jello Strawberry Crème Instant Pudding

½ c. warm water

½ c. oil

4 large eggs

1 c. sour cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9 x 13 pan with cooking spray. Blend all ingredients with mixer at low speed until moistened (about 30 seconds). Beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. Pour batter into pan and bake 32-35 minutes (may take a little longer) or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool completely before frosting. Wonderful with PerfectlyChocolate Chocolate Frosting.

Makes a dense cake. 

You can use this recipe with any flavor of cake mix and coordinating pudding flavor. If you can't find Strawberry Creme Instant Pudding, you can use vanilla or even cheesecake flavors. Use your imagination.

Chocolate Chip Kahlua Cake

1 box moist chocolate cake mix
1 small package instant chocolate pudding mix
3 eggs
1/3 cup oil
1/2 cup Kahlua
1 16-oz. container sour cream
1 16-oz. package chocolate chips

Grease a bundt pan.

Mix all ingredients except chocolate chips in a large mixing bowl for two minutes. Mix in chocolate chips. Bake at 350* for one hour. Let cool 30-45 minutes and carefully remove cake to plate.

Kahlua Cake Glaze

1 c. powdered sugar

2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa

1 Tbsp. butter, softened

1 Tbsp. Kahlua

1 Tbsp. water

Away from burner, but in small saucepan, combine glaze ingredients. Stir until smooth and creamy. Over low heat, warm glaze for 3-5 minutes, stirring often. Drizzle over warm cake. Allow glaze to cool before serving.

The cake recipe is from my friend Lois. The glaze recipe is one I found online.

Jello Cheese Cake

Crust:
1 box graham crackers (made into crumbs)
1 ½ stick of Butter (melted)

Filling:
¾ c. sugar
1 large pkg. lime Jello (or flavor of your choice)
8 oz. cream cheese
1 ½ c. hot water
1 can Pet milk

Crush crackers. Melt butter and mix into crackers. Press into 9 x 13 pan. Save some to sprinkle on top. Cream ¾ c. of sugar with cream cheese. Add Jello dissolved in hot water. Chill and whip Pet milk. Add to mixture. Pour into crust, top with extra crumbs, and refrigerate at least 3 hours before serving.

Thendera’s Quick and Easy Chocolate Cake

1 stick butter
½ c. shortening
1 c. water
4 Tbsp. cocoa

Mix and bring to a full boil.

2 c. sugar
2 c. flour
½ tsp. salt

Sift together. Add hot mixture to flour.

1 tsp. baking soda
½ c. buttermilk
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla

Dissolve baking soda in buttermilk. Add eggs and vanilla to batter.

Batter will be thin. Bake in large cookie sheet with sides at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Icing:

1 stick butter
4 Tbsp. cocoa
6 Tbsp. milk
1 lb. powdered sugar

Bring to a boil. Pour over warm cake. Sprinkle with chopped nuts if you wish.

Nell’s Apple-Nut Cake

1 c. oil
3 eggs
1 c. sugar
1 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
3 c. flour
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. cloves
3 c. chopped apple
1 c. roughly chopped nuts
1 c. dates or raisins (optional)

Mix oil, eggs, sugar and vanilla. Blend in dry ingredients. Add apples and pecans and raisins/dates. Pour into greased Bundt pan. Place in cold oven and bake at 350 for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Remove from pan while still hot.

Every fall my Aunt Nell would make these cakes and give them as gifts to everyone in our family.