Meg's Mother's Cheesecake

Source: Kathy Stockey

Crust: 

• 20 graham crackers, rolled to fine crumbs (1/2 cup crumbs)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 stick butter, melted

Mix crust ingredients and press into the bottom of a 10" spring form pan.

Preheat oven to 375˚.

*Can double crust if thicker crust is desired

Filling:

• 1 1/2 lb. cream cheese (3 8-oz pkgs.)
• 5 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Rice cheese and mix until soft. (May use mixer.) Add eggs, one at a time.  Add sugar and vanilla and blend well.  Bake at 375˚ for 40 minutes.  Remove cake from oven and change temperature to 475˚.

Topping: 

• 1 pint sour cream
• 4 tbsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Mix and gently pour over cake. Bake at 475˚ for 5 minutes.  Cool and chill before serving.

Hot Fudge Pudding Cake

Source: Pam Thomas

Preheat oven to 350˚.
Measure into bowl:

• 2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup cocoa
• 4 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt

Blend in:

• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 cup oil
• 2 tsp. vanilla

Pour into a greased 13"x9" pan.

Stir together:

• 2 cups brown sugar
• 1/2 cup cocoa

Sprinkle over batter in pan. 

Pour over all:

• 3 1/2 cups hot tap water

Bake for 1 hour.

Serve hot; cut into squares and invert onto plates, top with ice cream and spoon extra sauce over.

Heavenly Chocolate Cake

aka Texas Sheet Cake

Sift together:

• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups flour

Bring to a boil:

• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup cocoa

Pour over sugar and flour.  Beat.

Add:

• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup buttermilk 
• 1 tsp. baking soda (dissolve in milk)

Blend well and pour into a 15"x10" jelly roll pan.

Bake 20 minutes in a 400˚ oven.  

Prepare frosting while cake is baking.

Frosting

Bring to a boil:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 6 tbsp. milk
• 1/4 cup cocoa

Pour hot mixture over 1 box (4 cups) sifted confectioners sugar.  

Optional: Blend in 1 cup chopped nuts.

Spread on hot cake, as soon as it comes out of the oven.

Devil's Food Cake

Source: Peace Corp Recipe


Mixture A:

• 2 cups sugar
• 2/3 cup oil
• 3 eggs

Mixture B:

• 3/4 cup boiling water
• 3/4 cup cocoa
• 3/4 cup cold water
• (1 tsp. vanilla, when cool)

Mixture C:

• 2 1/3 cups flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt

Beat each mixture well, then add mixtures B and C alternately to mixture A.  

Bake in a greased and floured 13"x9" pan for 50 to 60 minutes at 350˚.

Fast Fudge Frosting

• 1 lb. confectioners sugar (4 3/4 cups)
• 1/2 cup cocoa
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/3 cup boiling water
• 1/3 cup soft butter
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Combine ingredients in order, blending thoroughly.

Striped Delight

• 35 chocolate sandwich cookies, finely crushed (3 cups)
• 6 tbsp. butter, melted
• 8 oz. package cream cheese
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 T. milk
• 5 cups Cool Whip, thawed
• 3 1/4 cups cold milk
• 2 packages (4 serving size) Jello Instant Pudding (chocolate or other)

1. Mix cookies and butter and press firmly in the bottom of a 13"x9" pan.  Chill for 15 minutes.
2. Beat cream cheese, sugar, and 2 tbsp. milk until smooth.  
3. Gently fold in 2 cups of Cool Whip.
4. Spread mixture over chilled crust.
5. Pour 3 1/4 cups milk into a large bowl.  Add pudding.  Beat with a wire whisk for 1-2 minutes. Pour over cream cheese layer.  Let stand 5 minutes.
6. Drop 3 cups Cool Whip over it by spoonfuls, spreading gently.
7. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.
8. Cut into squares.

Almond Tea Cake

Source: Brenda Knautz

Mix:

• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1/2 cup Crisco
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1/4 tsp. salt

Add:

• 4-5 tsp. almond extract
• 2 cups flour

Pour into a greased 13"x9" pan.

Sprinkle with:

• 1/2 cup sliced almonds 
• 1/4 cup sugar (opt.)

Bake at 350˚ for 20-25 minutes.

Do not overbake!

Applesauce Brownies

• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 2 tbsp. cocoa
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 2 cups applesauce
• 2 cups flour

Mix in order and put in a greased 13"x9" pan.
Sprinkle with:

• 3 tbsp. brown sugar
• 3/4 cup chopped nuts
• 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Bake at 350˚ for 30-40 minutes.

Spice Cake Bars

Today was a potluck at church.  I needed a dessert that would go together quickly and feed a crowd.  I decided on a recipe that I got from a friend's grandmother in Lena, Wisconsin.  It has some secret ingredients...

Yep, baby food!  The original title was "Baby Food Bars".  I renamed them for now for 2 reasons: a) I didn't have the right baby food, so used other options; and b) The term "baby food" reminds me of those pureed mixed meats, so it didn't sound very appetizing!

Spice Cake Bars
aka Baby Food Bars
Source: Caroline Imig's mother

Beat:

• 3 eggs

Add:

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup oil

Then add:

• 4 oz. jar carrot baby food (I subbed finely grated fresh carrots)
• 4 oz. jar applesauce baby food (I subbed regular applesauce)
• 4 oz. jar apricot with tapioca (Used apricot with mixed fruit)
• 1 tsp. vanilla 

Beat well. Blend in:

• 2 cups flour
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon (I added 2 tsp., plus a dash of cloves, cardemon, ginger & nutmeg, just for fun)

Bake in a greased large sheet pan for 25-30 minutes at 350˚.  

Note:  I used a half sheet pan 18"x13" and the edges were very thin.  I will either use a smaller noncommercial size pan next time, or increase the recipe by 20%.

Make frosting while it cools. (The more quickly it cools, the moister the cake will be!)

Frosting

Blend together:

• 1 stick butter (softened)
• 8 oz. package cream cheese (softened)
• 2 tsp. vanilla

Stir in and beat until creamy:

• 2 cups powdered sugar (sift if lumpy)

Frost and enjoy!