Maple-Pecan Cheesecake

Cheesecakes are the ideal party dessert. They'll catch
the eye on the dessert table because they are handsome
to look at and sizeable enough to please a large group. They
are smooth and creamy in texture, delicious to eat; and the
different flavors make it possible to fit cheesecake into any
elegant menu, whatever the occasion.

Pastry
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup butter, softened
3 tablespoons sugar
1 large egg yolk
Filling
1-1/4 cups pecan halves
3 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
4 large eggs
1/4 cup light corn syrup
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon imitation maple flavor
Extra pecans for garnish (optional)

1. First prepare pastry dough: In small bowl, with mixer at low speed, beat flour,, butter, sugar, and egg yolk just until mixed. Shape dough into 2 balls; wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour.

2. Preheat oven to 400*F. Press one ball of dough onto bottom of 10" x 3" springform pan; keep remaining dough refrigerated.

3. Bake crust 8 minutes or until golden; cool in pan on wire rack. Turn oven control to 350*F.

4. While crust is cooling, prepare filling: Reserve 1/4 cup pecan halves for garnish; chop remaining pecans. In large bowl, with mixer at medium speed, beat cream cheese just until smooth; slowly beat in sugar, scraping bowl often with rubber spatula. Add eggs, corn syrup, flour, salt, and maple flavor; beat 2 minutes, occasionally scraping bowl. Stir in chopped pecans.

5. Press remaining dough around side of pan to within 1-1/2 inches of top. Pour cream-cheese mixture into crust.

6. Bake cheesecake 45 minutes. Turn off oven; let cheesecake remain in oven 30 minutes. Remove cheesecake from oven; cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours or until well chilled.

7. When cheesecake is firm, with spatula, loosen pan side from cheesecake and remove; loosen cake from pan bottom; slide onto plate.

8. Just before serving, arrange reserved pecan halves on top of cheesecake, using a little extra corn syrup to help them stick. If you like, arrange extra pecans around edge of plate for garnish. Yield: about 20 servings.

Cappuccino Cake

5 large eggs, separated
1-1/3 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa plus extra for sprinkling
1/2 cup heavy or whipping cream
1 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1-ounce square semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely grated
Espresso Butter-Cream Frosting
Coffee-bean candies for garnish

Espresso Butter-Cream Frosting:

In cup, mix 2 tablespoons hot tap water and 2 teaspoons instant espresso-coffee powder until coffee dissolves. In large bowl, with mixer at low speed, beat 2 cups confectioners' sugar and 1 cup butter, softened, until just mixed. Increase speed to high; beat 10 minutes or until fluffy, scraping bowl often. Reduce speed to medium; gradually beat in espresso mixture until smooth, occasionally scraping bowl. If frosting is made in advance, store until needed in tightly covered container too prevent crust forming on top.

1. Preheat oven to 400*F. Grease 15 1/2 x 10 1/2-inch jelly-roll pan; line bottom with waxed paper; grease and flour paper.

2. in small bowl, with mixer at high speed, beat egg whites until soft peaks form.

3. Gradually sprinkle in 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, beating until sugar completely dissolved and whites stand in stiff peaks.

4. In large bowl, with mixer at high speed, beat egg yolks until very thick and lemon-colored. Reduce speed to low; add almond extract, 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, and 3 tablespoons cocoa; beat until well mixed, occasionally scraping bowl.

5. With rubber spatula or wire whisk, gently fold beaten egg whites into egg-yolk mixture, one-third at a time.

6. Spoon batter into pan, spreading evenly. Bake 15 minutes or until top of cake springs back when lightly touched with finger.

7. Sprinkle clean cloth towel with cocoa. When cake is done, immediately invert cake onto towel. Carefully peel waxed paper from cake. If you like, cut off crisp edges. Cool cake completely.

8. While cake is cooling, prepare cream cheese filling: In small bow, with mixer at medium speed beat heavy or whipping cream until stiff peaks form.

9. In large bowl, with mixer at medium speed, beat cream cheese, milk, and vanilla extract until fluffy. Reduce speed to low; beat in remaining 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar. Stir in grated chocolate. With rubber spatula, fold in whipped cream. Chill until ready to use.

10. Prepare Espresso Butter-Cream Frosting. Spoon 3/4 cup frosting into decorating bag with small star tube.

11. With serrated knife, cut cake crosswise into 3 equal pieces.

12. Place 1 cake piece on cake plate and spread with half the cream cheese filling.

13. Repeat layering, finishing with cake layer.

14. Spread frosting on sides and top of cake. Use frosting in decorating bag to pipe lattice top and pretty border. Place a candy in each lattice diamond. Refrigerate cake if not serving right away.

Assembling Cake Layers:

On center of cake plate, place 1 cake layer piece, bottom side up.

With metal spatula, spread half the cream cheese filling over bottom cake layer on plate.

On top of second cake layer spread more cream cheese filling, place third cake layer and finish.
Yield: 14 servings.

Cupcake Christmas Tree

This cake is spectacular used
as a holiday centerpiece for a party

Cupcakes:
Paper mini cupcake liners
2 cups sugar
1-3/4 cups flour
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup boiling water

Buttercream Frosting:
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
1 pound confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 to 4 tablespoons whole milk

Tree:
Green sprinkles or jimmies
1 small 11-inch styrofoam cone (craft shop)
30 to 40 toothpicks
10 small candy canes
1/2 cups fresh cranberries
gold leaf
gold and red curling ribbon
sugar for snow

Cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 375*F. Line the cups of 2 to 4 mini muffin tins with paper liners (you can bake the cupcakes in batches if necessary). Mix the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking sida, and salt together in a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Add the eggs and milk and mix until well combined. Drizzle in the oil and the vanilla and almond extracts and mix. With the mixer running at low speed, add the boiling water and mix just until smooth. Fill the lined muffin cups about 2/3 full. Bake until risen and firm to the touch, about 20 minutes. Let cool in the pans.

Frosting: In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer), cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar, vanilla, and 2 tablespoons milk and mix until smooth. Add more milk a little at a tiime until the frosting is thick and spreadable. Using a flexible spatula, frost the tops of the cooled cupcakes. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before assembling the tree.

To assemble the tree, spread a thick layer of sprinkles out on a plate. Dip the tops of the cupcakes in the sprinkles and set aside. Tie curling ribbon around the candy canes and curl with a scissor blade. One inch up from the bottom of the styrofoam cone, stick toothpicks into the cone 1-1/2 inches apart, making a circle around the cone and leaving them sticking out at least 1 inch. Place the cone on a serving platter.

Make the bottom ring of cupcakes by spearing the bottom of a cupcake onto one of the toothpicks in the cone, with the frosting facing out and with the side of the cupcake resting on the plate. One inch above the tops of the first row of cupcakes, place another row of toothpicks 1-1/2 inches apart, all around the cone, positioning them so that the second row will rest between the tops of the first row. You will fit fewer cupcakes on the second row; feel free to cut a cupcake in half if necessary to fit into the space available. Spear the cupcakes onto the toothpicks as before. Continue up the cone to from a tree of cupcakes, ending with a single cupcake on top. Serve within one hour, or refrigerate up to 24 hours. Stick the candy canes in the styrofoam and stick gilded cranberries on with a little extra icing. Pour sugar on the serving platter around the tree. To gild the cranberries, roll them on the sheets of gold leaf to roughly coat. Yield: 20-25 cupcakes.

Strawberry Country Cake

12 tablespoons (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter,
at room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
3/4 cup sour cream, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/2 cup grated orange zest
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda

For the filling for each cake:
1 cup (1/2 pint) heavy cream, chilled
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 pint fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced

Preheat the oven to 350*F.

Butter the bottom of two 8-inch cake pans. Then line them with parchment paper and butter and flour the lined pans.

Cream the butter and sugar on high speed in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy. On medium speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, then the sour cream, zests, and vanilla, scraping down the bowl as needed. Mix well. Sift together the flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking soda. On low speed, slowly add the flour mixture in the butter mixture and combine just until smooth.

Pour the batter evenly into the pans, smooth the tops, and bake in the center of the oven for 40-45 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then remove to wire racks and let cool to room temperature. If using 1 cake, wrap the second well and freeze.

To make the filling for one cake, whip the cream, sugar, and vanilla in a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until firm. Slice one of the cakes in half with along, sharp knife. Place the bottom slice of the cake on a serving platter, spread with 1/2 the whipped cream and scatter with sliced strawberries. Cover with the top slice of the cake and spread with the remaining cream. Decorate with strawberries. Yield: 2 8-inch cakes.

Lemon Tea Cakes

1 cup granulated sugar
6 eggs, slightly beaten
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsalted butter (no subs)
melted and cooled
1 tablespoon finely shredded lemon peel
4-1/2 cups granulated sugar
2-1/4 cups water
1/4 cup teaspoon cream of tartar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
6 to 6-3/4 cups sifted powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350*F. Grease a 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Line the bottom with waxed paper. Set aside.

2. Place the 1 cup sugar and eggs in a 3 to 4 quart heat proof mixing bowl. Place bowl over 1 to 2 inches hot water in a large saucepan (bowl should not touch water). Heat over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 10 minutes or until egg mixture is lukewarm (102* F to 110* F). Remove bowl from saucepan. Add the first 1 tablespoon lemon juice and vanilla.

3. Beat egg mixture with electric mixer on high speed for 10 minutes. Sift about one-third of the flour over egg mixture. Gently fold in flour. Repeat sifting and folding in one-third of the flour at a time. Gently fold in melted butter and lemon peel. Spread batter into prepared pan.

4. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool cake in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove cake from pan; peel off paper. Cool thoroughly on rack.

5. Combine the 4-1/2 cups granulated sugar, the water, and cream of tartar in a 3 quart saucepan. Bring mixture to boiling over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to medium-low. Clip a candy thermometer to side of the saucepan. Cook until thermometer registers 226* degrees, stirring only when necessary to prevent sticking. Mixture should boil at a moderate, steady rate over the entire surface (this should take about 15 minutes). Remove saucepan from heat. Cool sugar mixture at room temperature, without stirring, to 110* degrees (allow about an hour). Stir in the 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Stir in enough powdered sugar to make icing that is easy to drizzle. If necessary, beat the icing with a rotary beater or a wire whisk to remove any lumps. If the icing gets too thick to drizzle, beat in a few drops hot water.

6. Using a serrated knife, trim sides and top of cake to make the edges smooth and straight. Cut cake into 1-1/2-inch squares, diamonds, triangles, and/or circles. Brush off crumbs. Place the cake pieces on wire racks with waxed paper underneath.

7. In sert a 2 or 3 prong, long-handled fork into the side of one cake piece. Holding the cake over the saucepan of icing, spoon on enough icing to cover sides and top. Place frosted cake piece back on the wire rack, making sure it doesn't touch other cake pieces. Repeat with remaining pieces. Let cakes dry 15 minutes. Repeat with a second layer of icing, except set cake pieces on top of the fork prongs (do not spear them). Repeat with a third layer of icing. If necessary, re-use the icing that has dripped onto the waxed paper, straining to remove crumbs. Tint any remaining icing with food coloring as desired and pipe or drizzle atop cakes. Yield: about 48 cakes.

Grandma's 1-2-3-4 Cake

2 cups sugar
1 cup butter, softened
3 cups cake flour
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs
Powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350*F. Grease and flour 9-inch fluted tube pan (about 3 quarts).

2. In a large bowl, with mixer at low speed, beat sugar and butter just until blended. Increase speed to high; beat 10 minutes or until light and fluffy, scraping bowl often with rubber spatula.

3. Reduce speed to low; add flour, milk, baking powder, vanilla extract, salt, and eggs; beat until well mixed, constantly scraping bowl. Increase speed to high; beat 2 minutes, occasionally scraping bowl.

4. Spoon batter into pan, spreading evenly.

5. Bake 50-55 minutes until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool cake in pan on wire rack 10 minutes; with spatula, loosen cake and invert onto wire rack to cool completely..

6. Sift powdered sugar over cake.

Raspberry-Laced Vanilla Cake

1 1/2 cups butter, softened
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup milk
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
4 large eggs

Raspberry Butter-Cream Frosting
1 12-ounce jar red raspberry preserves

1. Grease and flour three 9-inch round cake pans.

2. Preheat oven to 350*F. In large bowl, with mixer at low speed, beat butter and sugar just until blended. Increase speed to high; beat 10 minutes or until light and fluffy, scraping bowl often with rubber spatula. Reduce speed to low; add flour and next 6 ingredients; beat until well mixed, constantly scraping bowl. Increase speed to high; beat 2 minutes, occasionally scraping bowl.

3. Spoon batter into pans, spreading evenly. Bake 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of cakes comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. With spatula, loosen cake layers from edges of pans; invert onto wire racks to cool completely.

4. Meanwhile, prepare Raspberry Butter-Cream Frosting. Spoon 2 cups frosting into decorating bag with small star tube; set aside.

5. With serrated knife, cut each cake layer horizontally into halves to make 6 thin layers.

6. Assemble cake layers with raspberry preserves and frosting.

7. With metal spatula, spread remaining frosting on side and top of cake.

8. Use frosting in decorating bag to pipe pretty designs of choice (border) around the top and bottom edges of cake. Refrigerate cake if not serving right away.

Raspberry Butter-Cream Frosting:

In a large bowl, with mixer at low speed, beat 3 cups confectioners' sugar and 2 cups butter, softened, until just mixed. Increase speed to high. Beat 10 minutes or until light and fluffy, scraping bowl often with rubber spatula. Reduce speed and beat in 1/4 cup raspberry-flavor liqueur and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth, occasionally scraping bowl.

Assembling cake layers:

Place bottom half of cake layer, cut-side up, on cake plate.

With metal spatula, spread cake layer with 1/3 cup raspberry preserves. Top with top half of cake layer.

Spread second cake layer with about 1/2 cup frosting. Repeat layering, ending with cake layer.

The cake is very attractive once sliced and on the serving place. Garnish with a few fresh raspberries.

White Chocolate Truffle Cake

A light white sponge cake, topped with a rich creamy-white
chocolate truffle mixture makes an out-of-this-world dessert.

Ingredients:
2 eggs
4 tablespoon superfine sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 3/4 ounces white chocolate, melted

Truffle Topping:
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
12 ounces white chocolate, broken into pieces
1 1/4 cups cream cheese

To Decorate:
dark, milk, or white chocolate, (melted)
unsweetened cocoa, to dust

1. Grease an 8-inch round springform pan and flour the base. Beat the eggs and superfine sugar in a mixing bowl for 10 minutes, or until the mixture is very light and foamy and the whisk leaves a trail that lasts a few seconds when lifted. Sift the flour and carefully fold in with a metal spoon. Fold in the melted white chocolate. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake in a preheated oven at 350*F for 25 minutes, or until springy to the touch. Cool slightly; then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Return the cold cake to the pan.

2. To make the truffle topping, place the cream in a pan and bring to a boil, stirring to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Allow to cool slightly; then add the white chocolate pieces, and stir until melted and combined. Remove the pan from the heat and stir until almost cool, then stir in the cream cheese. Pour the mixture on top of the cake and chill for about 2 hours. Remove the cake from the pan and transfer to a serving plate.

3. To make large chocolate curls, pour melted chocolate onto a marble or acrylic board and spread it thinly with a spatula. Allow to set at room temperature. Using a peeler, push through the chocolate at a 25 degree angle until a large curl forms. Remove each curl as you make it and refrigerate until set. Decorate the cake with chocolate curls and sprinkle with a little unsweetened cocoa. Yield: 12 slices.

Chocolate Almond Cake

Chocolate and almonds complement each other perfectly in this delicious cake. Be warned, one slice will never be enough!

Ingredients:

6 ounces dark chocolate
3/4 cup butter
2/3 cup superfine sugar
4 eggs, separated
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/3 cup self-rising flour
1 1/4 cups ground almonds
1 teaspoon almond extract

Topping:

4 1/2 ounces milk chocolate
2 tablespoon butter
4 tablespoon heavy cream

To Decorate:

2 tablespoon toasted slivered almonds
1 ounce dark chocolate, melted

1. Lightly grease and flour the base of a 9-inch round springform pan. Break the chocolate into small pieces and place in a small pan with the butter. Heat gently, stirring until melted and well combined.

2. Place 7 tablespoons of the superfine sugar in a bowl with the egg yolks and beat until the mixture is pale and creamy. Add the melted chocolate mixture, beating until well combined.

3. Sift the cream of tartar and flour together and fold into the chocolate mixture, together with the ground almonds and almond extract.

4. Beat the egg whites in a bowl until standing in soft peaks. Add the remaining superfine sugar and beat for about 2 minutes by hand, or 45-60 seconds if using an electric mixer, until thick and glossy. Carefully fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture and spoon into the pan. Bake in a preheated oven at 375*F for 40 minutes, until just springy to the touch. Let cool.

5. Heat the topping ingredients in a double boiler. Remove from the heat and beat for 2 minutes. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Transfer the cake to a plate and spread with the topping. Scatter with the almonds and drizzle with melted chocolate. Allow to set for 2 hours before serving.