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)

Yellow Citrus Cake

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup butter
• 6 egg yolks or 3 whole eggs
• 2-2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1-2/3 cups sugar
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tsp. finely shredded lemon or lime peel
• 1 tsp. finely shredded orange peel
• 2 Tbsp. lemon or lime juice
• 2 Tbsp. orange juice
• 1 recipe Lemony Whipped Cream Frosting

Directions

1. Let butter and eggs stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease and lightly flour two 9x2-inch round baking pans; set aside.

2. In medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, 1/2 tsp. salt, and baking soda; set aside. In large bowl beat butter on medium 30 seconds. Gradually beat in sugar until combined; beat 2 minutes more. Add yolks one at a time, beat well after each addition. Add flour mixture and milk alternately; beat on low after each just until combined. Stir in peels and juices. Spread batter in prepared pans.

3. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until pick inserted near centers comes out clean. Cool in pans on racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans; cool.

4. Prepare Lemony Frosting. Place one layer flat side down on plate; spread top with frosting. Stack second layer flat side down; spread remaining frosting. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate. Makes 12 servings.

5. Lemony Whipped Cream Frosting: In large chilled bowl beat 2 cups whipping cream, 2 Tbps. powdered sugar, and 1 Tbsp. instant (powdered) vanilla pudding on medium-high until stiff peaks form. Fold in 1 Tbsp. shredded lemon peel. If made ahead, chill 24 hours; stir before spreading. Makes 3-1/2 cups.

Chocolate Tiramisu

Ingredients

• 2 3-ounce packages ladyfingers, split
• 1/4 cup brewed espresso or strong coffee
• 1 8-ounce carton mascarpone cheese
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/3 cup chocolate liqueur
• 1 ounce white chocolate baking squares or white baking bars, grated
• 1 ounce bittersweet chocolate, grated
• Unsweetened cocoa powder
• Chopped chocolate-covered coffee beans (optional)

Directions

1. Line the bottom of an 8x8x2-inch baking pan with some of the ladyfingers, cutting to fit as necessary. Drizzle half of the espresso over ladyfingers;set aside.

2. In a medium mixing bowl, beat together the mascarpone cheese, whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixer just until stiff peaks form. Beat in the chocolate liqueur until just combined. Spoon half of the mascarpone mixture over ladyfingers, spreading evenly. Sprinkle white chocolate and bittersweet chocolate over the mascarpone mixture. Top with another layer of ladyfingers (reserve any remaining ladyfingers for another use). Layer with remaining espresso and mascarpone cheese mixture.

3. Cover and chill for 6 to 24 hours. Sift cocoa powder over top of dessert. If desired, garnish with cocoa beans.

4. Makes 12 squares

Caramel Cake

Ingredients:

For the cake:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs
3 cups sifted self-rising flour
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the filling:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
2 cups packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the frosting:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/3 cup heavy cream, or more if needed
1 (16-ounce) box confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup chopped nuts, optional

Instructions for the cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 3 (9-inch) cake pans.

Using an electric mixer, cream butter until fluffy. Add granulated sugar and continue to cream well for 6 to 8 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour and milk alternately to creamed mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Add vanilla and continue to beat until just mixed. Divide batter equally among prepared pans. Level batter in each pan by holding pan 3 or 4-inches above counter dropping it flat onto counter. Do this several times to release air bubbles and assure you of a more level cake. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown.

For the filling:
While cake is baking, in a saucepan, combine butter, brown sugar, and milk. Cook and stir over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

Remove cake layers from oven and allow cake to remain in pans as you prepare to stack and fill. Remove first layer and invert onto cake plate. Pierce cake layer with a toothpick over entire surface. Spread 1/3 of filling mixture on cake layer. Top with second layer, repeat process. Top with last layer and repeat process again.

*Note: As you stack layers together, stick them with toothpicks to prevent cake from shifting.

For the frosting:
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat and stir in brown sugar and cream. Bring to a boil, and transfer to a mixing bowl. Add confectioners' sugar and vanilla. Beat with a handheld electric mixer until it reaches a spreading consistency. At this time it may be necessary to add a tablespoon of heavy cream, or more, if frosting gets too thick. Just be sure to add cream is small amounts because you can always "add to", but you can't take away. Frost cake and sprinkle top with chopped nuts, if desired.