Rainbow Cake

It appears I’m in a ‘cake mix’ kind of mood lately.

I’ve been eyeing rainbow cakes on the internet for a while now and have decided it was time to give it a go.

This recipe begins with a mix, (you can thank me now if you wish).

I’m not promoting one cake mix over the other, but this is what I had so it’s what I used.

Follow instructions on the box for a 2 layer cake.

Decide on 5 or 6 colours and the divide the batter into equal parts in small bowls.

I used food colouring gel for 4 of the colours, but just to test it, I used the liquid for blue colour and there was no difference, so feel free to use either.

Make sure the colours are completely mixed. Do NOT over mix batter.

Start with one colour and pour half of that colour in the center of one pan, and the center of the other pan.

Take the 2nd colour and pour half again ON TOP of the first colour of each pan.

Pour the 3rd colour half and half again on top of the last colour.

As you continue to pour on top the batter underneath will spread and it will look like this when you’re done.

Then make sure you stand at the oven door watching it bake just like I did!!

Sit and count the minutes until it cools so you can ice as fast as you can.

Finally…

  No need to tell you how moist it is !

 

Enjoy !

Cake Pops – Halloween Style!

In case you haven’t seen the latest and greatest cake pop craze, here is my version of Bakerella’s fabulous Halloween Pops.  They’re fun and they’re delicious.

I am definitely hooked to making these little guys !!!

I wont bother with the whole recipe since you can find that and more on Bakerella’s site.

But I will say that making the cake balls couldn’t be easier. Anything that starts with a cake mix and some ready made frosting is a winner in my book.

And what’s even better -

it doesn’t matter what your cake looks like cause it just ends up like this!

and then like this

Armed with my candy melts, lollypop sticks and edible pen, I begin the process.

A couple of hours later, a few lessons learned (and a few pops ingested), here is what I came up with.

Thanks Bakerella for your spot-on instructions!

 

 

I fully intend on making the turkey cake pops for Thanksgiving, and if they turn out I’ll post them.  Since I’ll be a seasoned cake popper by then, I might try a design all my own!

I thought this looked like a mug shot

Zucchini Mini Muffins

Hang on to your Zuke’s cooks, it’s going to be a very green month.

I have to show you the top of my microwave.

Each one of these is about a foot long. Tonight I made my Lemon Zucchini Cookies (will take these to work tomorrow for the gang to enjoy) and I made these Zucchini Mini Muffins.   About 60 cookies and 30 Mini Muffins  later, I used up ONE zucchini.  Only 7 more to go.

 

So lets move on to these Zucchini Mini Muffins

Makes about 30 mini’s

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

2 teaspoons grated lemon rind

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 cup coarsely grated zucchini

3/4 cup skim milk

3 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 large egg

 

Preparation

Combine the first 6 ingredients in a bowl, and make a well in center of mixture. Combine zucchini, milk, oil, and egg; stir well. Add to flour mixture, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened.

Drop by spoonful into mini muffin tins coated with cooking spray.  Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until golden.  If you use regular muffins tins, batter should make about 12 large muffins.  With larger muffins bake 20 minutes. Remove from pans immediately, and let cool on a wire rack.

You can top these little guys with just about anything.  Cream cheese icing, a caramel icing or lemon glaze, but my weakness…………

NUTELLA !

Give it a try.

Enjoy~!

Stuffed Zucchini Boats

I’m lucky enough to have wonderful friends who garden! More free zucchini!! Yum.

Here’s another terrific zucchini recipe you can use as a side dish or a meal.

Because the zucchini I was given was on the large side, I have used a 12” for this but you can use several smaller ones. 

Ingredients

1 large 12” unpeeled zucchini or 4 or 5 smaller ones

3 tbsp olive oil

1 medium sized onion chopped

3 cloves crushed garlic

1 pound ground white veal

1- 1/2 cups pureed tomatoes (you can use crushed)

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp red chili pepper flakes

1 tsp dried oregano

1/4 cup finely grated romano (or parmesan) cheese

mozzarella cheese for sprinkling on top

 

Preparation

Cut zucchini in half lengthwise.  Scoop out middle and all seeds.  Discard. Use a pastry brush to brush the zucchini inside and out with olive oil.  Put in baking dish, set aside.

In skillet, add olive oil, chopped onion and crushed garlic.  Sauté until the onion is transparent.

Add the ground white veal and sauté until meat is cooked.  When veal is cooked add the pureed tomatoes, salt, pepper, chili flakes and oregano.  Cook for about 10  minutes on medium heat.

Turn off heat and mix in the romano or parmesan cheese. 

Spoon into your prepared, oiled zucchini boats. Sprinkle more grated romano cheese on top and then top with some grated mozzarella.

 

No need to put anything in your baking dish as the zucchini will produce its own water as it cooks.  The oiled backs will keep it from sticking. Cover with foil.

Bake in a preheated oven set at 350 degrees.

Baking time will depend on the size of your zucchini.  If you are doing a large one like me, I recommend 40 minutes covered and another 10 minutes uncovered.

If you are using smaller zucchini’s, bake covered for about 25-30 minutes, then uncover and bake about 5 –10 minutes longer.  A fork or knife should be able to go through the thickest part of the zucchini with ease when cooked.

Bon Appétit

Banana Fritters

Noticing a pattern here ?

As you can see, I have yet to get my banana buying under control.

But you’ll be glad to have those ugly brown bananas around for this recipe. 

If you like bananas and donuts, you’ll love these!

 

 

Ingredients

1- 2/3 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 tablespoons confectioners sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup milk

1 egg

3 very ripe bananas, mashed

oil for deep frying

confectioners sugar

 

Preparation

Measure, sift and mix first 4 dry ingredients together.

Whisk together the milk and egg; add to dry ingredients.

Fold in the mashed bananas.

If too thick add a little milk, if batter seems too thin add flower.  Batter should have consistency to mound up in a spoon.

Heat deep fryer to about 375 degrees or add one inch of oil to a deep skillet and use a deep fryer thermometer to check temperature.  When fritters take almost 5 minutes to cook, the oil is ready. (Check one first).

Drop by spoonfuls in small batches.  As fritters brown on one side, turn.  Keep turning until a deep golden brown.

Drain on paper towels.   Cool.  Just before serving sprinkle with cinnamon sugar or powder sugar.

OR, Serve warm with syrup, if desired.

Serves 10 to 15

(or 3 in my house)

 

Enjoy ~!

Lemon Zucchini Cookies

Lemon and what??  Zucchini?  Zucchini Cookies?

Yup.  And they’re spectacular.

Makes about 64 cookies

 

Ingredients

4 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1-1/2 cups soft butter

1-1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs beaten

2 teaspoons lemon peel

2 cups shredded zucchini (washed but not peeled)

2 cups chopped pecans

*Lemon Glaze (see below)

 

 

 

Preparation

Mix the first three (dry) ingredients together

In a separate large bowl, blend butter and sugar and beat in eggs until fluffy

Stir in flour mixture alternating with zucchini

Add lemon peel and pecans

 

Drop large teaspoon full on baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  

Bake at 375 F  for 15 – 20 minutes.

While still warm drizzle with * lemon glaze.

* Lemon Glaze

1 cup of icing sugar

2 tablespoons lemon juice.  ( May need more as mixture should be runny)

(You may need to double this mixture to do all the cookies, but make one batch at a time.)

 

To store these properly, freeze what you don’t use right away and take out what you need later. Thaw on counter.

Enjoy !