Assorted Sweets

[Mama Mangia]

Suzy Q Cake

For cake
18 1/4 ounces devil's food cake mix
1 1/4 cups water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
Filling
1 cup whole milk
5 tablespoons flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup Crisco shortening
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla, clear is best
powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)

In a large mixing bowl, beat together cake mix, water, vegetable oil and eggs until smooth.
Pour into a greased and floured 13" x 9" pan and bake according to the package directions.
When cake is cooled, remove from pan to flat surface and cut cake in half horizontally.
To prepare filling, cook flour and milk in a saucepan over low heat until thickened; whisking often. Cool mixture COMPLETELY in refrigerator.
While heated mixture cools, beat together sugar, Crisco, salt and vanilla. Add to cooled flour/milk mixture and beat until smooth and creamy.
Spread filling on 1 half of cake. Place other half of cake on top and sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired.

[Mama Mangia]

Vanilla-Fudge Marble Cake


* 3/4 cup butter, softened
* 2 eggs
* 2-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1-1/2 cups sugar
* 2 teaspoons vanilla
* 1-1/4 cups buttermilk or sour milk*
* 2/3 cup chocolate-flavored syrup
* Semisweet Chocolate Icing (see recipe below)




1. Allow butter and eggs to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, grease and lightly flour a 10-inch fluted tube pan. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

2. In large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on low to medium speed about 30 seconds. Add sugar and vanilla; beat until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating on low to medium speed 1 minute after each addition and scraping bowl frequently. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to beaten mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Reserve 2 cups batter. Turn remaining batter into prepared pan.

3. In small mixing bowl combine chocolate-flavored syrup and reserved 2 cups batter. Beat on low speed until well combined. Pour chocolate batter over vanilla batter in pan. Do not mix.

4. Bake in a 350 degree F oven about 50 minutes or until wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes on wire rack. Remove from pan; cool completely on wire rack. Drizzle cake with Semisweet Chocolate Icing. Makes 12 servings.

*Note: For sour milk, place 4 teaspoons lemon juice or vinegar in a measuring cup. Add enough milk to equal 1-1/4 cups.

Semisweet Chocolate Icing: In small saucepan heat 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate pieces, 2 tablespoons butter, 1 tablespoon light-colored corn syrup, and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla over low heat, stirring until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Use immediately.

[Mama Mangia]

Toll House Carrot Cake

2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 3/4 cups shredded carrots
1 8oz can crushed juice-packed pineapple
1 cup nuts (chopped)
1 cup Nestle Toll House semi-sweet chocolate mini-morsels
1 1/4 cups sugar
as needed chopped nuts for garnish
as needed Creamy White Frosting


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 13x9 inch baking pan. In small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg - set aside. In large mixer bowl, beat sugar, oil, vanilla extract, and eggs until well blended. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in carrots, pineapple, nuts and mini morsels. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 40-50 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely. Spread with creamy white frosting. Garnish with additional nuts.

[Mama Mangia]

Tiramisu Cupcake


6 eggs, separated (separate when cold; allow to come to room temp)
3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup sugar, divided
3 tablespoon water, room temp
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup sifted, all-purpose flour (measure after sifted)


In large mixing bowl at high speed, beat egg whites with cream of tartar
until foamy. Add half of the sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating
constantly until sugar is dissolved and whites are glossy and stand in soft
peaks. Rub just a bit of meringue between thumb and forefinger to feel if
sugar has dissolved.

In small mixing bowl at high speed, beat egg yolks until thick and
lemon-colored, about 3 to 5 minutes. Gradually beat in remaining sugar,
water, vanilla and salt (if desired) until blended.

With a sifter or sprinkle flour with a sieve over whites. Add beaten yolk
mixture. Gently, but thoroughly, fold yolk mixture and flour into whites.

Fill muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 10-15
min or until done.

Espresso Syrup

1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar 2/3 cup water 5 teaspoons espresso powder

In a small, heavy saucepan over high heat, combine the water, the remaining
1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar and the espresso or coffee powder. Bring to a
boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and let cool.

Use a fork to poke a few holes into cupcakes so that they will absorb
liquid. Pour approximately ½-1 teaspoon of syrup onto each cupcake.

Frosting

3 c mascarpone
1 c confectioner’s sugar
1/4 c marsala wine
3/4 c heavy cream, chilled

In a medium bowl using an electric mixer set on medium speed, beat together
the mascarpone cheese, confectioner’s sugar and marsala until well blended.
Add the cream and beat until fluffy, about 1 minute.

Frost cupcakes with mascarpone whipped cream mixture. Dust tops with cocoa powder.

[Mama Mangia]

Alaskan Blueberry Coffee Cake


1 1/2 c All-purpose flour
3/4 c Sugar
2 1/2 ts Baking powder
1 ts Salt
1/4 c Vegetable oil
3/4 c Milk
1 Egg
1-1/2 c Blueberries (fresh or frozen)
1/3 c All-purpose flour
1/2 c Brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 ts Cinnamon (or more to taste)
1/4 c Firm butter (1/2 stick)

In a medium mixing bowl, blend together 1-1/2 cups flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, oil, milk, egg and 1 cup blueberries. Beat thoroughly for 30 seconds and spread in a greased round 9x1-1/2-inch pan or an 8x8x2-inch pan.

Combine 1/3 cup flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and butter. Sprinkle over batter and top with the remaining berries. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until done. Don't overbake. Serve warm with butter or honey.

Serves 8

[Mama Mangia]

Sour Cream Coffee Cake


1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups sifted flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup brown sugar (for topping)
2 teaspoons cinnamon (for topping)
1 cup chopped nuts (I prefer walnuts)


Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time beating for one minute. Sift dry ingredients. Add alternately with sour cream and vanilla. Grease and flour tube pan. Pour half of mixture into pan. Spread with half of topping, cut small pieces of butter and place on top. Add remaining mixture and top with rest of topping. Bake 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

[Mama Mangia]

Pineapple Crumbcake


2 sticks (8 ounces) butter, softened to room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 egg
3 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 medium pineapple (2 to 2 1/2 pounds)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon


Preheat the oven to 350F. butter a 10 by 2 inch round cake pan and line the bottom with waxed paper.

In a large mixer bowl, beat 1 stick of the butter and 3/4 cup of the sugar until light and fluffy. Add the whole egg and continue beating until well blended. Gradually add the egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla.

Sift together 1 1/4 cups of the flour and the baking powder. Stir into the butter mixture. Turn the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly.

Cut the skin and eyes from the pineapple. Quarter and core the pineapple. Cut the quarters crosswise into 1/2 inch thick slices. Arrange the slices in concentric circles, overlapping slightly and leaving a margin of about 1 inch around the edge.

In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the remaining 1 stick butter. Let cool slightly.

In a medium bowl, combine the remaining 1/2 cup sugar, 1 1/4 cups flour and the cinnamon. Pour the melted butter over the flour mixture and rub together with your fingertips to form coarse, pea-size crumbs. Scatter the crumbs evenly over the pineapple and better.

Bake the cake for 55 to 60 minutes, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Unmold onto a plate and remove the paper. Invert back onto a rack to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.

[Mama Mangia]

Pecan Coffee Cake


1 3/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup butter
3 cups flour -- sifted
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/8 cups milk
4 egg whites
1 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons cinnamon
3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup butter
2 cups pecans

TOPPING: Cream sugar and butter until soft and smooth.

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add sifted ingredients alternately with milk. Fold in egg whites beaten stiff.

Pour into large baking pan. Mix topping together until it forms pea-sized crumbs. Blend in pecans. Spread over the top of batter and bake at 350 degrees F for 40-50 minutes. Cut into squares.

[Mama Mangia]

Peach Coffee Cake


1 (18-ounce) package yellow cake mix
1 (21-ounce) can peach pie filling
3 eggs
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Mix together by hand the cake mix, pie filling and eggs. Spread in a
9"x13" inch pan that has been sprayed with vegetable oil. Stir together
sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle over cake batter. Bake, uncovered, at 350
for 30 minutes. Test with a toothpick.

[Mama Mangia]

Caramel Sour Cream Cake

Pre heat oven to 350 degrees.

3 sticks of butter
1 (8oz.) pkg sour cream 2&1/2 cups sugar
6 large eggs
3 cups all purpose flour
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Blend together first three ingredients with an electric mixer at
medium speed. Add eggs one at a time. Add flour and whipping
cream alternately. Add vanilla extract.

Pour into three 10 in. prepared cake pans. Bake until golden
brown and toothpick comes out clean.

After cakes have cooled. Slice the center layer in half.

Filling for center layer

1 box confectioner's sugar
1-8 oz. package creamed cheese
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Blend together confectioner's sugar and creamed cheese until
smooth. Add vanilla extract.

Easy Caramel Frosting

2 sticks of butter
2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup whipping cream
5 cups sifted confectioner's sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Melt butter in a heavy saucepan. Add brown sugar; cook over
over low heat. Stirring constantly. About 1&1/2-2 mins. or until
sugar dissolves. ( Do not boil.) Remove from heat.
Stir in whipping cream. Add powdered sugar and vanilla.
Beat at high speed with an electric mixer until frosting is
spreading consistency.

Spread caramel frosting on top of first layer. Add one of the
layers split in half. Spread the cream cheese filling on top of
this layer. Then add the other half of that layer, and spread
caramel frosting on top of it. Add the last layer and top with
caramel frosting and spread caramel frosting to the sides.