Raspberry Banana Layer Cake w/Lemon Cream Cheese Icing

Ingredients:

Cake:
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
3 large eggs
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup low-fat buttermilk
1 cup mashed ripe banana (about 2 bananas)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Frosting:
3/4 cup (6 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, chilled
2 tablespoons butter, softened
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dash of salt
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1 1/2 cups fresh raspberries (optional)

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350°.

To prepare the cake, coat 2 (8-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray; line bottoms with wax paper. Coat wax paper with cooking spray; dust each pan with 1 1/2 teaspoons flour.

Place granulated sugar and 1/4 cup butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 3 minutes). Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.

Lightly spoon 1 3/4 cups flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt, stirring well with a whisk.

Combine buttermilk, banana, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture alternately to the sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture (mix after each addition just until blended). Pour batter into prepared pans.

Bake cake at 350° for 25 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pans. Peel off wax paper. Cool layers completely on wire rack.

To prepare frosting, combine cream cheese, 2 tablespoons butter, rind, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, and dash of salt in a large bowl. Beat with a mixer at high speed until fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar; beat at low speed just until blended (do not overbeat).

Place 1 cake layer on a plate, and spread with 1/3 cup frosting. Arrange raspberries in a single layer over frosting, and top with remaining cake layer. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Store cake loosely covered in refrigerator. Garnish with fresh raspberries, if desired.

Yield:

14 servings (serving size: 1 slice)

Chocolate Miniature Cheesecakes

Cookie Crust

8 whole chocolate graham crackers

3 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 tablespoon sugar 2 tablespoon finely chopped bitter sweet chocolate

Chocolate Cheesecake

14 ounce cream cheese (not whipped)

1/2 cup sugar

5 ounce semi-sweet chocolate, melted and cooled

1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 eggs

Meringue Topping

1 tablespoon sugar 2 egg whites

pinch salt

semi-sweet chocolate for shaving, garnish

Cooking Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Put graham crackers in the small bowl of the food processor fitted with the metal blade, and pulse until fine crumbs form. Add the melted butter and sugar and pulse to blend.

Transfer mixture to a small bowl. Stir in the chocolate. Divide mixture equally among 12 round molds in a mini cheesecake pan, pressing evenly into the bottom of each cup.

Bake until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Cool.

Chocolate Cheesecake
Put all ingredients in the large bowl of the food processor fitted with the metal blade and pulse until smooth. Scrape bowl and pulse again. Pour mixture onto the cookie crusts in the mini cheesecake pan, dividing evenly and filling almost to the top.

Bake until set, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely. Transfer to the refrigerator and chill thoroughly.

Meringue Topping
Remove cheesecake pan from the refrigerator approximately 15 minutes prior to serving. Carefully unmold the cheesecakes from the pan.

In a small bowl, stir together the sugar and the salt. Put the egg whites and sugar mixture in the large bowl of the electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat until stiff peaks form. Spoon meringue into a piping bag fitted with a medium star tip.

Pipe a large star on the top of each cheesecake. Using a kitchen torch, lightly torch the top of the meringue "star", browning slightly.

Shave chocolate on top of meringue for garnish.

Makes 15 miniature cheesecakes.

Carrot Cake w/Coconut & Cream Cheese Frosting

Cake:
2 1/3 cups sifted all purpose flour (sifted, then measured)
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1 cup dry-roasted macadamia nuts
3/4 cup chopped crystallized ginger
3 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups finely grated peeled carrots
2 8-ounce cans crushed pineapple in its own juice, well drained

Frosting:
3 8-ounce packages Philadelphia-brand cream cheese, room temperature
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar
3/4 cup canned sweetened cream of coconut (Coco López)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon (scant) coconut extract

14 whole dry-roasted macadamia nuts
1/4 cup chopped crystallized ginger

Preparation:

For cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter three 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Line bottom of pans with parchment paper. Combine 1/3 cup flour and next 3 ingredients in processor. Process until nuts are finely chopped. Whisk remaining 2 cups flour, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in medium bowl to blend.

Using electric mixer, beat sugar and oil in large bowl to blend. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Beat in flour-spice mixture. Stir in coconut-macadamia mixture, then carrots and crushed pineapple.

Divide batter among pans. Bake until tester inserted into center of cakes comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool in pans on racks 1 hour. Run knife around edge of pans to loosen cakes. Turn cakes out onto racks; cool completely.

For frosting:
Beat cream cheese and butter in large bowl until smooth. Beat in powdered sugar, then cream of coconut and both extracts. Chill until firm enough to spread, about 30 minutes.

Place 1 cake layer, flat side up, on platter. Spread 3/4 cup frosting over top of cake. Top with second cake layer, flat side up. Spread 3/4 cup frosting over. Top with third cake layer, rounded side up, pressing slightly to adhere. Spread thin layer of frosting over top and sides of cake. Chill cake and remaining frosting 30 minutes. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Arrange whole nuts and ginger around top edge of cake. Chill 1 hour. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome and chill. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving.)