Gingerbread I

Ingridients

1/2 cup shortening

1/2 cup white sugar

1 egg

1/2 cup light molasses

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup water

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (175 degrees C). Grease and lightly flour one 8 inch square baking pan.

Cream shortening and sugar until light. Add the egg and molasses and beat thoroughly.

Sift together the flour, salt, baking soda, ground ginger, and ground cinnamon.

Bring water to a boil and add alternately with flour mixture to the creamed mixture, beating well after each addition. Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 35 to 40 minutes. Serve warm and enjoy.

Banana Nut Frosting

Ingridients

1/2 cup butter, softened

4 cups confectioners' sugar

1 medium banana, mashed

1 cup flaked coconut

1 cup chopped pecans

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Prep 20 m

Ready In 20 m

Cream together the softened butter or margarine, and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Add the banana, coconut, pecans, vanilla and mix well. Makes enough to fill and frost a 9 inch layer cake or one 9x13 inch sheet cake.

Cassata alla Siciliana (Sicilian Cream Tart)

Ingridients

6 eggs

1/2 cup white sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 1/2 tablespoons orange zest

2 tablespoons sherry

1 cup cake flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 pounds ricotta cheese

6 tablespoons rum

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

2 (1 ounce) squares sweet chocolate, grated

1/4 cup candied cherries, chopped

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup chopped toasted almonds

1/4 cup butter

2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

2 egg whites

1 teaspoon almond extract

1/4 cup rum

1/4 cup confectioners' sugar for dusting

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

To Make Pan di Spagna (Sponge Cake): Have the following ingredients at room temperature for at least one hour before baking; 6 eggs, lemon juice, orange zest, and sherry.

Separate 6 eggs and set the egg whites aside. Beat egg yolks until thick and lemon colored. Beat in sugar, lemon juice, orange zest, and sherry or 1 teaspoon almond extract. Beat until foamy.

Sift flour 3 times and fold into eggs yolks gently but thoroughly. Beat egg whites until foamy, add salt, and beat until stiff but not dry. Fold into yolks. Pour batter into one ungreased 9 inch spring form pan.

Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 50 to 60 minutes. Test by pressing lightly with finger tip, if cake springs back at once it is done. Leave cake in pan to cool, and invert on a wire rack.

Once cake is completely cool slice into 3 layers and sprinkle layers with rum.

To Make Filling: Crush ricotta very finely with hands or a potato masher, add 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar and beat for about 3 minutes until creamy. Stir in 6 tablespoons rum, grated sweet chocolate, chopped candied cherries, cinnamon and toasted almonds.

Spread ricotta filling over sponge cake layers, using half-inch of filling on each layer. Leave the top and sides of cake plain.

To Make Frosting: Cream butter with 1 cup sifted confectioners' sugar. Beat the 2 egg whites until stiff and gradually beat into the egg whites the remaining 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar. Fold egg whites into the butter mixture and add fold in 1 teaspoon almond extract.

Cover sides and top cake evenly with frosting. Store in refrigerator until ready to serve. Serves 10.

Easy Raisin Cake

Ingridients

1 cup raisins

2 cups water

1/2 cup butter

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup white sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease one 10 x 10 inch baking pan.

In a large saucepan boil the raising with the water for 10 minutes. Add the butter or margarine and let cool.

In the same pan add the flour, soda, salt, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and chopped nuts (optional), mix well and pour batter into a lightly greased 10x10 inch baking pan

Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 35 minutes. Serves 8 to 12.

Cinnamon Teacake

Ingridients

8 tablespoons butter

1 cup self-rising flour

1/2 cup white sugar

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1/3 cup milk

1 tablespoon white sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 cup white sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease one 6 inch round cake pan.

Melt 7 tablespoons of the butter. In a medium sized bowl mix together the melted butter, 1/2 cup white sugar, 1 tablespoon cinnamon, and the self rising flour to form a soft dough. Add the milk and mix again till smooth. Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove cake from oven and set aside. Once cake is cool enough to handle remove from its pan and place on a serving dish.

In a saucepan melt 1 tablespoon butter and mix with 1 tablespoon white sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Spread over top of cake.

In a small bowl stir together the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon. Sprinkle over cake.

Banana Nut Coconut Cake

Ingridients

Banana Nut Coconut Cake:

1 1/2 cups white sugar

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 eggs

3 ripe bananas, mashed

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup chopped pecans

1 cup shredded coconut

Banana Nut Frosting:

1/2 cup butter, softened

4 cups confectioners' sugar

1 ripe banana, mashed

1 cup chopped pecans

1 cup shredded coconut

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Prep 25 m

Cook 50 m

Ready In 2 h 45 m

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans or one 9x13-inch pan.

In a medium bowl, cream together white sugar and 1/2 cup butter. Mix in eggs and 3 mashed bananas.

Sift together flour and baking soda in a separate bowl. Add to the creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, mixing well after each addition. Blend in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Fold in 1 cup of pecans and 1 cup coconut. Pour batter into prepared pans.

Bake in the preheated oven until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool completely on wire racks.

To Make Frosting: Cream together 1/2 cup butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in 1 medium mashed banana, 1 cup pecans, 1 cup coconut and 1 teaspoon vanilla.

Gateau D'Abricot A L'Orange

Ingridients

8 ounces cream cheese

2 cups sweetened condensed milk

1/3 cup lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon orange extract

1 (9 inch) prepared graham cracker crust

1 (15 ounce) can apricot halves, syrup reserved

1/4 cup white sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/2 cup orange juice, strained

Directions

Prep 30 m

Ready In 2 h 30 m

Beat the cream cheese until fluffy. Gradually add in the sweetened condensed milk, the lemon juice, and the orange extract.

Pour the cream cheese mixture into the graham cracker crust. Chill for three hours. When the cheese cake has chilled and set, arrange the apricots on the top.

In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Stir in 1/2 cup of the reserved apricot syrup and the orange juice; mix until smooth. Cook on a medium low flame until clear and thick. Cool.

Cover the apricots with the glaze. Chill two hours, and serve.