Apple or Pear Cake

You can make this yummy cake with either apples or pears. I made it once using pears and it was very moist and good. I got the recipe off recipezaar.com. Enjoy!

Cake:
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
3 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
4 cups raw diced apples or pears

Topping:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup milk
1/4 lb butter

Mix all cake ingredients in order given.
Pour into a greased 9x13 pan or springform.
Bake at 350 for 45 minutes and remove.
For the topping, mix all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a slow boil for 3 minutes.
Pour over cake and return to oven for 4 minutes.

"Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Cake

2 Cups sugar
1 3/4 Cup flour
3/4 Cup cocoa
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 Cup milk
1/2 Cup oil
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 Cup boiling water

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour two 9 in. round baking pans. 2. Combine dry ingredients in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on med. speed 2 min. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour into pans. 3. Bake 30-35 min. or utnil wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 min.; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost. 10-12 servings.
CUPCAKES: Line 2 1/2 in. muffin cups with paper bake cups. Fill cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake at 350 F for 22-25 minutes. Cool; frost. About 30 cupcakes.


Frosting Recipe

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter or margarine
2/3 Cup cocoa
3 Cup powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla

Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating on med. speed to spreading consistency. Add more milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. About 2 cups

Rich Chocolate Brownie Cake

This is for chocolate lovers:

Rich Chocolate Brownie Cake

Williams-Sonoma Holiday Entertaining Cookbook (page 221)

1/2 C (4 oz/ 125 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 C (8 oz/250 g) sugar

2 large eggs, slightly beaten

1 tsp. vanilla extract (essence)

1/8 tsp. salt

3/4 C (4 oz/125 g) all-purpose flour

4 oz (125 g) good-quality semisweet (plain) or bittersweet chocolate, at least 61 percent cacao, coarsely chopped (the one I made was just semi-sweet Nestle morsels)

Confectioners' sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 350 F/180 C. Line an 8-in (20-cm) round cake pan with a piece of aluminum foil, allowing teh edge to overlap the pan. Using a pastry brush, lightly butter the foil.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the butter until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add the sugar and beat until well blended. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat again until well blended. Add the salt and 1/4 C (1.5 oz/ 45 g) of the flour and beat well. Add the remaining flour in two batches, beating well after each addition.

Melt the chopped chocolate in the top of a double boiler set over (but not touching) gently simmering water. (I just melted my chocolate chips in the microwave.) Remove from heat and let cool slightly, 2-3 minutes. Add it to the cake batter and beat until well blended and creamy. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the surface with a spatula. Bake until the cake is puffed and a toothpick inserted into its center comes ou clean, 20-25 minutes.

Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely. Using the edge of the foil, lift the cooled cake out of the pan. Invert the cake onto a cake stand or cake plate and peel off teh foil. Turn the cake right side up. Place a stencil of your choice on top, and then sift the sugar over the stncil to create a pattern. Carefully lift off the stencil. Enjoy!