Recipes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease the pan well so the cake doesn’t stick. I prefer Wilton Cake Release.
In a medium bowl, combine milk, eggs, and vanilla.
In a large mixing bowl combine the dry ingredients and mix on low speed for 30 seconds to blend. Add the butter and half of the egg mixture. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Increase to medium speed and beat for 1 minute to aerate and develop the cake’s structure.
Scrape down the sides. Gradually add the remaining egg mixture in 2 batches, beating for 20 seconds after each addition. Scrape down the sides.
Scrape the batter into prepared pan and smooth the surface with a spatula.
Bake for 55-65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

All-Occasion Downy Yellow Butter Cake (from the Cake Bible)

Makes two 9-inch cakes (1.5 inches high)

Ingredients

6 large egg yolks
1 cup milk
2 1/4 tsp of vanilla
3 cups sifted cake flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 TBSP+1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
12 TBSP unsalted butter, softened

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two pans with Wilton Cake Release.
In a medium bowl, combine the egg yolks, 1/4 cup of the milk, and vanilla.
In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the butter and the remaining 3/4 cup of milk to the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until just moistened. Increase the speed to medium, and beat for 1 1/2 minutes to aerate the batter and develop the cake’s fluffy structure.
Scrape down the batter from the bowl, and add the egg mixture in 3 batches, mixing for about 20 seconds after each addition. Pour the batter into the pans, and smooth the top with a spatula.
Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool for 20 minutes before removing from the pans.

Vanilla Buttermilk Cupcakes (adapted from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe)

Makes 18 cupcakes

Ingredients

1/2 cup milk
1 TBSP white vinegar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
12 TBSP butter, softened at room temperature
1 cup white sugar
2 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and place 18 cupcake liners in the pans.
Combine the white vinegar with the milk and set aside for it to sour.
Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl. In a Kitchenaid mixer, cream together the sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and yolk, one at a time to the butter and sugar mixture. Then add the vanilla.
Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until incorporated. Next add 1/2 of the buttermilk and mix. Add another 1/3 of the flour mixture and the other 1/2 of the buttermilk, mixing after each addition. Add the final 1/3 of the flour mixture and beat until everything is combined.
Spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling only halfway. Bake for 14-18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, or with just a little bit of crumbs.
Let cool, and frost with your favorite frosting. Any flavor would go well with these cupcakes.

Vanilla Cupcakes (from Joyofbaking.com)

Makes 12 Cupcakes

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 cup white sugar
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup milk

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.
In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract.
In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and milk, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Evenly fill the muffin cups with the batter and bake for about 17 – 20 minutes or just until set and a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean.

Lemon Cupcakes (modified from Joyofbaking.com)

Makes 12 cupcakes

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
Zest of 1 lemon (I highly recommend fresh zest. You can get a zest tool in any kitchen store)
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 cup white sugar
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
Juice of one lemon
1/4 cup milk

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.
In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest.
In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract. Squeeze in the lemon juice.
With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and milk, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Evenly fill the muffin cups with the batter and bake for about 17 – 20 minutes or just until set and a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean.

Red Velvet Cupcakes (from McCormick)

Makes 30 cupcakes

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
1 (1 ounce) bottle red food color
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Set aside.
Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Mix in sour cream, milk, food color and vanilla. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until just blended. Do not over beat. Sp
Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted into cupcake comes out clean

Extreme Chocolate Cake (from Allrecipes.com)

Makes two 9-inch cakes, or 12 cupcakes

Ingredients

2 cups white sugar
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, stir together the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla, mix for 3 minutes with an electric mixer. Stir in the boiling water by hand.
Bake for 17-20 minutes for cupcakes, or 30-35 minutes if making a cake. Either way, you know it is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Roasted banana cupcakes (from Martha Stewart Cupcakes)

Makes 16 cupcakes, or one giant cupcake

Ingredients

3 ripe bananas
2 cups cake flour, sifted
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
3 large eggs, separated
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Instructions

Prepare the cupcake pan by greasing with either Pam, Crisco, or Wilton cake release.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place 3 whole unpeeled bananas on a baking sheet and roast for 15 minutes. The peels will darken. While you wait, sift together the cake flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Remove bananas from the oven and let cool before peeling.
For the remainder of the recipe, reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees.
With an electric mixer, on medium to high speed, cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating until each egg yolk is incorporated. Add the roasted bananas, and beat to combine. Add the flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with two additions of sour cream. After each addition, beat until combined. Add the vanilla.
In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites to soft beaks with an electric mixer. Fold 1/3 of the whites into the batter to lighten. Gently fold in the remaining egg whites in two batches.
Pour the batter into the giant cupcake pan, putting slightly more batter in the top half than in the bottom half. Cook in the oven for about 20 minutes, until a cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean. Since this is a giant cupcake, it may need more time, but I would start with 20 minutes and then just keep checking until the tester comes out clean. As soon as it comes out clean, the cake is done.

Eggnog Cake with Rum Buttercream Frosting (from Pink Apron Baker)

Makes 2 8-inch cakes, and about 4 cups of frosting (enough to frost between the layers and the outside of the cake)

Ingredients

For the cake
4 eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup eggnog, at room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups cake flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into 16 pieces
For the Frosting
2 cups butter, softened
4 cups confectioners sugar
4 TBSP dark rum
2 TBSP eggnog
1 tsp nutmeg

Instructions

To Make the Cake

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare both pans with Wilton Cake Release. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, eggnog, and vanilla; set aside.
In the bowl of a standing mixer, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. With the mixer on medium low, add the butter one piece at a time until the mixture looks sandy, and just start to come together. Add half of the eggnog mixture and mix on low until it just comes together. Increase the speed to medium high speed and beat until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Reduce mixer speed to medium, and add the remaining egg mixture in a slow, steady stream. Continue mixing until thoroughly combined, scraping the bowl, as needed.
Divide the batter into the two pans, and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

To Make the Frosting

Place butter in a bowl of electric mixer and beat on high until smooth about one minute. Add in sugar and nutmeg and mix at a medium speed until incorporated about 2-3 minutes. Add rum and eggnog and beat on high until frosting is fluffy about 4-5 minutes.

Notes

I found that the cake needed more like 30-35 minutes, but you can start with 25 so that you don’t overcook the cake.

Boston Cream Pie (modified from Brown Eyed Baker)

Makes 2 8-inch cakes, custard filling, and chocolate glaze

Ingredients

For the Custard
2 cups half-and-half
8 TBSP white sugar
Pinch of salt
5 egg yolks
3 TBSP cornstarch
4 TBSP cold unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
For the Sponge Cakes
1⁄2 cup cake flour
1⁄4 cup all-purpose flour 1 tsp baking powder
1⁄4 tsp salt
3 tsp milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 eggs, at room temperature
12 TBSP white sugar
For the Glaze
1 cup heavy cream
1⁄4 cup light corn syrup
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces
1⁄2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

To Make the Custard

Heat the half-and-half, 6 tablespoons of the sugar, and the salt in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat until simmering, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar.
Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks in a medium bowl until thoroughly combined. Whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and whisk until the sugar has begun to dissolve and the mixture is creamy, about 15 seconds. Whisk in the cornstarch until combined and the mixture is pale yellow and thick, about 30 seconds.
When the half-and-half mixture reaches a full simmer, gradually whisk the simmering half-and-half into the yolk mixture to temper. Return the mixture to the saucepan, scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula; return to a simmer over medium heat, whisking constantly, until a few bubbles burst on the surface and the mixture is thickened and glossy, about 30 seconds. Off the heat, whisk in the butter and vanilla.
Strain the pastry cream through a fine-mesh sieve set over a medium bowl. If you don’t have a sieve, just make sure the lumps are dissolved while it simmers on the stove top. Extra mixing with a rubber spatula helps with this. Press plastic wrap directly on the bowl to prevent a skin from forming and refrigerate until cold and set, at least 3 hours or up to 2 days.

To Make The Sponge Cakes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Fully cover two 8-inch or 9-inch pans with Wilton Cake Release using a silicon brush. Make sure to get in the crevices where the bottom and sides of the pan meet.
Whisk together the flours, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Heat the milk and butter in a small saucepan over low heat until the butter melts. Remove from the heat and add the vanilla; cover and keep warm.
Separate 3 of the eggs, place the whites in the bowl of a standing mixer, reserving the 3 yolks plus the remaining 2 whole eggs in another bowl. Beat the 3 whites at low speed until foamy. Increase the mixer speed to medium and gradually add 6 tablespoons of the sugar; continue to beat the whites to soft, moist peaks. (Do not over beat.) Transfer the egg whites to a large bowl and add the whole-egg mixture to the mixer bowl.
Beat the whole-egg mixture with the remaining 6 tablespoons sugar. Beat at medium-high speed until the eggs are very thick and a pale yellow color, about 5 minutes. Add the beaten eggs to the whites.
Sprinkle the flour mixture over the beaten eggs and whites; fold very gently with a large rubber spatula. Keep adding the mixture gradually and fold in until it is all incorporated. Make a well in one side of the batter and pour the milk mixture into the bowl. Continue folding until the batter shows no trace of flour and the whites and whole eggs are evenly mixed. In the event that there are still lumps, you can fish them out with a fork after you pour the batter into the pans. I found it was hard to get all the lumps out when folding the batter.
Immediately pour the batter into the prepared cake pans; bake until the cake tops are light brown and feel firm and spring back when touched, about 16 minutes for 9-inch cake pans and 20 minutes for 8-inch cake pans. (I had to make 10-inch cakes to fit the Patriots logo, so I made 2 batches of this batter and poured each batch into a 10-inch cake pan. I baked for about 17-18 minutes)
Soon after taking the cakes out of the oven, gently run a knife around the pan perimeters to loosen the cakes. Turn each cake onto a cake round or plate. Refrigerate for several hours before assembling the cake (which works out perfectly since the custard needs to set for several hours as well).

To Make the Glaze

Bring the cream and corn syrup to a full simmer over medium heat in a medium saucepan. Remove from the heat and add the chocolate; cover and let stand for 8 minutes. (If the chocolate has not completely melted, return the saucepan to low heat; stir constantly until melted.) Add the vanilla; stir very gently until the mixture is smooth.
Cool until tepid so that a spoonful drizzled back into the pan mounds slightly. (The glaze can be refrigerated to speed up to the cooling process, stirring every few minutes to ensure even cooling.)

To Assemble

Place one cake on a cake round. Spoon the custard on top, making sure not to reach the very edges, or it may leak out the sides. Add the second cake on top, making sure the two layers are in line.
Pour the glaze onto the middle of the top layer and let it flow down the cake sides. Use a metal spatula, if necessary, to completely coat the cake. Use a small needle to puncture any air bubbles. Let the cake sit until the glaze fully sets, about 1 hour.
Serve the same day, preferably within a couple of hours.

Notes

I didn’t use the glaze for my cake. Since I was covering my cake with fondant, Michelle at Brown Eyed Baker suggested that I cover my cake with chocolate buttercream instead. But I added the recipe in case you want to make the traditional Boston Cream Pie.

Frostings/Icings:

Buttercream Frosting (from Allreipes.com)

Makes 3 cups of frosting

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
4 cups confectioners sugar, sifted
3 tsp vanilla extract
3-4 tablespoons milk

Instructions

Cream room temperature butter with an electric mixer until smooth and fluffy. Gradually beat in confectioners’ sugar until fully incorporated. Beat in vanilla extract. Pour in milk and beat for an additional 3-4 minutes.

Royal Icing (from Wilton)

Makes 3 cups of frosting

Ingredients

3 TBSP Meringue powder
4 cups confectioners sugar
6 TBSP warm water

Instructions

Beat all ingredients until icing forms peaks (7-10 minutes at low speed with a heavy-duty mixer, 10-12 minutes at high speed with a hand-held mixer). Keep covered when using, or the icing will dry out.

Color Flow (from Wilton)

Makes about 1 3/4 cups

Ingredients

1/4 cup + 1 tsp water
4 cups confectioners sugar
2 TBSP color flow mix

Instructions

Mix together in a stand mixer for 7-10 minutes. Keep covered when not in use, because it can easily crust over.

Notes

Place in a Tupperware container and lay a wet paper towel over the top before putting on the lid. This will keep the color flow from drying out while you work.

Strawberry Buttercream Frosting (my own recipe)

Makes 3 cups of frosting

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
4 cups confectioners sugar
3 tsp vanilla extract
2-3 TBSP milk
1/2-1 cup of frozen strawberries, depending on your preference

Instructions

Grind frozen strawberries in a food processor until they are finely ground (do not defrost).
Cream room temperature butter with an electric mixer until smooth and fluffy. Gradually beat in confectioners’ sugar until fully incorporated. Beat in vanilla extract. Pour in milk and strawberries and beat for an additional 3-4 minutes. Since frozen strawberries add water to the recipe, use only 2 TBSP milk if using a full cup of strawberries.

Lemon Buttercream Frosting (my own recipe)

Makes 1.5 cups of frosting

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups confectioners sugar
2-3 tablespoons milk
Juice from one lemon

Instructions

Cream room temperature butter with a hand mixer, the paddle attachment of a stand mixer, or a wooden spoon until smooth and fluffy. Gradually beat in confectioners’ sugar until fully incorporated. Beat in vanilla extract. Add milk and lemon juice, and beat for an additional 3-4 minutes.

Cream Cheese Frosting (from Allrecipes.com)

Makes 1.5-2 cups of frosting

Ingredients

2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups sifted confectioners sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

In a mixer, cream together the cream cheese and butter until creamy. Mix in the vanilla, then gradually add in the confectioners’ sugar. Store in the refrigerator after use.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting (from Allrecipes.com)

Makes about 1.5 cups of frosting

Ingredients

1/4 cup butter
2 cups confectioners sugar
3 TBSP cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 TBSP milk

Instructions

Cream together the butter and confectioner’s sugar in a mixer until fluffy. Add the cocoa powder, vanilla, and milk. Mix for an additional 3-4 minutes until smooth. If you want your frosting to be thinner and easier to spread, add a little more milk gradually.

Fluffy Peanut Butter Frosting (from Allrecipes.com)

Makes about 1.5 cups of frosting

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup creamy peanut butter
3 TBSP milk
2 cups confectioners sugar

Instructions

Place the butter and peanut butter into a medium bowl, and beat with an electric mixer. Gradually mix in the sugar, and when it starts to get thick, incorporate milk one tablespoon at a time until all of the sugar is mixed in and the frosting is thick and spreadable. Beat for at least 3 minutes for it to get good and fluffy.

Coffee Buttercream Frosting (modified from a recipe that appeared in People Magazine)

Makes about 3 cups of frosting

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
3 tsp vanilla extract
3-4 TBSP milk
4 tsp instant coffee powder

Instructions

Cream room temperature butter with a hand mixer, the paddle attachment of a stand mixer, or a wooden spoon until smooth and fluffy. Gradually beat in confectioners’ sugar until fully incorporated. Beat in vanilla extract. Pour in milk and beat for an additional 3-4 minutes. Add in the coffee powder and beat for another minute or two.

Salted Caramel Buttercream Frosting (recipe from Brown Eyed Baker)

Makes 3-4 cups of frosting

Ingredients

4 sticks of butter (32 TBSP)
1/2 cup salted caramel sauce
4 cups confectioners sugar

Instructions

Beat the butter in your Kitchenaid mixer for 5 minutes and add caramel sauce. Once this is mixed together, gradually add the confectioners sugar until the mixture is uniform and creamy.

Marshmallow Fondant (from About.com)

Makes 1.5 lbs of fondant

Ingredients

8 ounces miniature marshmallows (4 cups not packed)
4 cups confectioners sugar
2 TBSP water
Food coloring and flavored extracts as needed

Instructions

Sift the confectioners sugar into a large bowl.
Grease everything that will come in contact with marshmallows with Crisco. This includes the bowl you will microwave the marshmallows, the spatula used for mixing, the Kitchenaid mixer bowl, and the dough hook attachment for the mixer.
Microwave the marshmallows and water for 1 minute on high. Then stir in any food coloring or flavors. I usually use 3 Tsp of vanilla extract.
Place the marshmallows in the bowl and add 3/4 of the confectioners sugar. Mix on medium speed and keep adding confectioners sugar until the sugar is fully incorporated and the mixture is no longer sticky.
Grease your working surface and hands with Crisco, and kneed the fondant until it is soft and pliable. The fondant should be firm, shiny, and very smooth. Double wrap in plastic wrap and leave on the counter until you are ready to use.
When you are ready to use, grease your hands with Crisco and kneed the fondant until it is soft and pliable again.

Coconut Buttercream Frosting (from my own experimentation)

Makes enough for 2 dozen cupcakes

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened
4 cups confectionners sugar
3 TBSP milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp coconut extract
1 cup shredded coconut, sweetened

Instructions

Cream the room temperature butter until fluffy and creamy. Gradually add in the confectionners sugar until mixed well.
Add the milk, vanilla, coconut extract, and shredded coconut. Mix until completely and evenly combined.

Fillings:

Pudding Custard (recipe from Aunt Linda)

Makes 2 cups of custard

Ingredients

1 package of instant pudding (any flavor)
1 cup of heavy cream
1 cup milk (I usually use 1%)

Instructions

Add ingredients and beat with mixer on high speed for 10 minutes until thick and fluffy. Chill before using.

Salted Caramel Sauce (recipe from Brown Eyed Baker)

Makes 2 cups of sauce

Ingredients

2 cups white sugar
12 TBSP unsalted butter, room temperature and cut into pieces
1 cup heavy cream, room temperature
1 TBSP of sea salt

Instructions

Add the sugar to a large sauce pan and cook over medium to high heat until melted. Whisk constantly so that you do not burn the sugar. I started whisking immediately, even before the sugar melted. It will take a while to melt.
Once the sugar is melted, continue to cook until it has become an amber color, almost reddish brown. It will have a slightly toasted aroma. Do not let it get too dark, or it will burn. You will definitely know if you burned it, because it will go from that nice aroma to smelling burnt. Once the sugar is the correct color (or 350 degrees on a candy thermometer) add the butter and whisk until it is fully incorporated. Be careful, because adding the butter to the hot sugar will cause vigorous bubbling.
Once the butter is added, remove from heat and add the heavy cream slowly, whisking constantly. Again, the addition of the cream will cause bubbling, so be careful. When the cream is mixed in, add the sea salt.
Let sit for 15 minutes and then pour into a glass mason jar and allow to cool to room temperature. The sauce can last 2 weeks in the refrigerator, but I bet that it won’t even be there that long because it is so yummy!

Strawberry Cake Filling (from Allrecipes.com)

Makes 2-3 cups of filling

Ingredients

1 cup water
3 TBSP cornstarch
2 1/2 cups frozen strawberries, cut into small pieces
3/4 cup white sugar

Instructions

In a large saucepan, whisk together the water and cornstarch. Add the strawberries and sugar to the water.
Cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick and transparent.
Allow to cool to room temperature before spreading onto cake.

Notes

Just a tip for filling cakes: make a wall of buttercream frosting along the edges of the cake by piping frosting using a fairly large tip. Then spoon the filling inside the walls. This way, the filling will not leak out the sides.

Lemon Curd (modified from Bakingbites.com)

Makes enough to cover 12 cupcakes

Ingredients

2/3 cup bottled lemon juice
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs at room temperature
8-10 drops green food coloring and 2-3 drops of yellow

Instructions

Dissolve sugar into lemon juice over medium heat in a saucepan
Lightly beat the eggs in a small bowl. Then trickle the hot lemon syrup into the eggs, whisking constantly. Beat for about a minute and return the mixture to the saucepan.
Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the curd starts to bubble and thicken. While it is cooking, mix in the food coloring.

Creamy Banana Filling (from Cake Central)

Makes enough to fill 3 dozen cupcakes

Ingredients

3/4 cup evaporated milk
3/4 cup white sugar
2 egg yolks, beaten
3 TBSP butter
2 mashed bananas
1 tsp vanilla

Instructions

Cook the milk, sugar, egg yolks, and butter over medium heat for 12-14 minutes, stirring constantly until the mixture is thick.
Turn off the heat and add the bananas and vanilla.
Let the mixture cool to spreading consistency, stirring occasionally

Decorations:

Modeling Chocolate (from Cake Walk Blog)

Ingredients

1 lb of high quality white chocolate, chopped
7 TBSP light corn syrup

Instructions

Melt the chocolate in the microwave at 30 second intervals, at 1/2 power. Stir frequently until there are no more lumps. Be careful not to burn the chocolate.
Heat the corn syrup for about 15 seconds in the microwave, until it is the same temperature as the chocolate. Pour the corn syrup into the chocolate and mix together with a rubber spatula until combined. As the chocolate cools, the mixture will thicken.

Breads:

Irish Soda Bread (modified from Allrecipes.com)

Ingredients

4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1.5 cups orange craisins
1 TBSP caraway seeds
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1 cup sour cream

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-inch Springform pan with Pam cooking spray, along the bottom and sides.
In a mixing bowl combine the flour (reserve 1 TBSP flour), sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, craisins, and caraway seeds. In a small bowl combine the eggs, buttermilk, and sour cream. Stir the liquid mixture into the dry ingredients until just moistened. Kneed the dough in the bowl 10-12 times and place in the pan. The dough should be sticky. Pat down and cut a 4-inch slit on the top of the dough, about 3/4-inch deep. Dust the bread with the reserved flour.
Bake for 65-75 minutes, until the top is a golden brown. Let cool completely before slicing.

Easter Egg Bread (from allrecipes.com)

I make this in my Kitchenaid mixer and use my dough hook. I find that it works really well since the dough is very elastic and sticky.

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1/4 cup white sugar
1 tsp salt
1 package (0.25 ounce) active dry yeast
2/3 cup milk
2 TBSP butter
2 eggs
5 whole eggs, dyed raw
2 TBSP butter, melted
Colorful nonpareils

Instructions

In the Kitchenaid mixer bowl, combine 1 cup flour, sugar, salt, and yeast; mix well. Combine butter and milk in a small saucepan and heat until the butter is softened, but not fully melted.
Add the milk and butter mixture to the dry ingredients and mix on medium speed. Add 2 eggs and 1/2 cup of flour. Beat until combined. Gradually add the remaining flour in 1/2 cup increments, and mix until the dough has pulled together. Place the dough on a floured surface (making sure your hands are also floured) and kneed until the dough is smooth and elastic. If the dough becomes sticky, add more flour and continue to kneed.
Lightly oil a large bowl. I use olive oil, and spread it around with a silicon pastry brush. Place the dough in the bowl and turn over so it is coated with oil. Place a damp towel over the bowl and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour. The dough should double in volume.
Deflate the dough and place back on the floured surface. Divide into 2 rounds, and cover with a damp towel for 10 minutes. Roll each round into a long roll about 18 inches long and 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Use flour if the dough becomes sticky. Then braid the two rolls together and seal the two ends to make a ring. Place the colored eggs between the braids of dough.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the loaf on a cookie sheet prepared with nonstick spray. Cover with a damp towel and allow to rise for 45 minutes. I leave it on the stove while it is preheating, to ensure the maximum amount of rising.
Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with colorful nonpareils. Bake for about 35 minutes, or until golden brown.

Other Desserts/Baked Goods:

Coconut Milk- Cream Cheese Flan (from Sticky Chewy Messy Gooey)

*** I could only find creamed coconut in the store, which is a condensed form of coconut. To make cream of coconut, take 1 part creamed coconut and mix it with 2 parts hot water. Let it sit a few minutes to break up the coconut, and then whisk until you have a creamy liquid.

Ingredients

For the Caramel
1 cup sugar
2 TBSP water
1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice
For the Custard
Two 8-ounce packages of cream cheese
1 cup canned coconut milk
1/2 cup cream of coconut ***
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
7 large eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
Boiling water

Instructions

To Make the Caramel

Combine sugar, water, and lemon juice in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Mix constantly while the sugar dissolves and starts to turn color. Increase the heat to high and boil until the syrup becomes a deep amber color, about 4-5 minutes. Stir constantly and make sure the syrup does not become too dark, or it will burn.
Immediately pour the caramel into a 9-inch round pan, and swirl the pan so that the bottom is completely coated, and the syrup coats the pan halfway up the sides.

To Make The Custard

Combine all of the ingredients (except the boiling water) in a blender and pulse on low speed until just smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into the caramel-lined pan. As you can see in the picture, the strainer is quite useful in removing large pieces of coconut that would ruin the texture of the flan.
Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 300 degrees. Place the cake pan in a larger roasting pan and place the pan on the rack. Pour boiling water into the pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of the cake pan. Cover the roasting pan with foil and pierce holes to allow steam to escape. Bake for about 50-60 minutes, until the flan is firm around the edges but slightly jiggly in the center. Flan should be firm to the touch in the center, though.
When checking the flan, BE VERY CAREFUL not to get water from the bath into the flan! If you do this, the flan will never set. I happened to get some water on my flan, but thankfully it had already set, and I could just take a paper towel to soak up the water off the top.
Once done, allow to cool on a wire rack. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until very cold. Overnight is best.
When you are ready to unmold it, run a knife or cake decorating spatula carefully around the edge of the pan to loosen the flan. Make sure you avoid cutting into the flan when doing this. Hold a serving platter over the top of the pan and invert. MAKE SURE THE PLATTER HAS RAISED EDGES TO HOLD THE EXCESS CARAMEL! Pat the bottom of the pan gently to release the custard. Remove the pan and let the caramel flow on top of the flan and over the sides. Serve immediately.

Cadbury Creme Egg Brownies (modified from Love and Olive Oil)

The main change I made to this recipe was that I baked it in a Wilton 6×8 oval pan, to make it look like an egg. I actually had to cook it a lot longer than the recipe stated, because of my pan choice. I am going to post the original recipe, with the original cooking times. If you want to do it in the egg pan, just keep watch over it and cook until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. It took about 20 minutes longer than the original recipe.

Also, I used baking chocolate chips and melted in the microwave instead of a double boiler. I did it in 30 second increments, at power level 5.

Ingredients

For the Brownies
2/3 cup flour
2 TBSP dark or dutch processed cocoa powder
1 cup milk chocolate chips
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
For the Creme Filling
1/4 cup light corn syrup
2 TBSP unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
For the Glaze
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
2 TBSP unsalted butter, cut into cubes

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Prepare an 8×8 inch pan (I prefer to use Wilton cake release). The original recipe calls for lining the pan with parchment paper, making sure there is an overhang.
Sift together flour, cocoa, and salt in a small bowl and set aside.
Melt chocolate and butter in a double boiler or a medium-large bowl set over gently simmering water. Stir until smooth, then remove from heat. Whisk in white and brown sugars and stir until dissolved and mixture has cooled slightly.
Whisk in eggs and vanilla extract until just combined (do not overmix). Sprinkle flour mixture over top and fold in to chocolate mixture using a large rubber spatula until just incorporated. Pour into prepared pan.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Transfer pan to a wire rack and allow to cool completely. Remove from pan and place on a large plate.
For creme filling, beat together corn syrup, butter, vanilla, and salt on medium-high speed until smooth. Add powdered sugar, a little bit at a time, mixing until creamy. Dump 3/4 of the creme mixture on top of cooled brownies and spread into an even layer. Add a drop of yellow food coloring to remaining creme mixture and stir until evenly colored. Drop dollops of yellow creme top of white layer, and then swirl gently with a spatula. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until set.
Gently melt chocolate and butter together in a double boiler or a small saucepan set over low heat. Stir until smooth. Pour over creme filling, carefully spreading into a thin, even layer. Return to refrigerator and chill until set, at least 30 minutes, or overnight if possible (brownies are best when chilled overnight).
Using a large sharp knife, cut into 2-inch squares. Brownies will keep, refrigerated in an airtight container, for up to 5 days.

Peanut Butter Blossoms (modified from Allrecipes.com)

Makes 48 cookies

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup white sugar
1 large egg
2 TBSP milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
sugar for rolling dough
48 unwrapped Hershey kisses

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Cream together the butter, peanut butter, brown sugar, and 1/2 cup white sugar in a Kitchenaid mixer.
Add the egg, vanilla, and milk to the mixture and beat well.
In a separate bowl, sift the flour, and add the baking soda and salt. Add this gradually to the butter and sugar mixture until the dough becomes stiff.
Shape dough into 1-inch balls and roll in sugar. Place on a cookie sheet, 2-inches apart.
Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the cookies are golden brown. Immediately add a Hershey kiss to the middle of the cookie (press firmly so that the edges of the cookie begin to crack) and allow to cool.

Notes

I bake all my cookies on parchment paper, to help prevent burning and make it easier to remove from the cookie sheet once cooled.

I prefer to roll the dough in sugar BEFORE shaping. I find that it makes it less sticky and easier to work with.

Homemade Kitty Treats (modified from CDKitchen.com)

Ingredients

3/4 cup white flour
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
5 TBSP grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup Greek yogurt
1/4 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup water

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine cheeses and yogurt. Add flour and cornmeal. Mix for a bit and then add water.
Knead dough into a ball and roll to 1/4 inch. Cut into desired shapes with mini cookie cutters and place on greased cookie sheet.
Bake for 20 minutes

Notes

I baked the smaller letters for about 12 minutes, and the stars for 20 minutes

Sugar cookies (from Dorie Greenspan via Brown Eyed Baker)

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
10 TBSP butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla

Instructions

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder
In a mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the butter for 1-2 minutes until smooth.
Add the sugar and beat another minute until it is pale and creamy.
Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla, and beat until it is incorporated. Gradually add the flour mixture
The dough is best if it is not over worked, so at the end you should turn off the mixer and mix by hand using a rubber spatula.
Divide dough into 2 portions and flatten each into a disc. Wrap with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours.
Once cookies are cut, bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

Recipes

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