The Everything Potluck Cookbook
Page 25
5. Place one cake layer on serving plate. Top with preserves. Top with second layer, then frost top and sides with raspberry frosting. Store covered at room temperature.
Carrot Cupcakes
Carrot cake is a delicious and pretty healthy recipe. Carrot cupcakes are more fun to make, serve and eat!
HEALTHY
INGREDIENTS | YIELDS 24 CUPCAKES
½ (16-ounce) package baby carrots
1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple
½ cup vegetable oil
¼ cup butter, softened
¼ cup applesauce
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups flour
½ cup whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1½ cups coconut, divided
1 recipe Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting (page 246)
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 24 muffin tins with nonstick baking spray containing flour and set aside.
2. Place baby carrots in food processor; process until very finely chopped. Set aside. Drain pineapple, leaving some juice with the fruit; set aside.
3. In large bowl, combine oil, butter, applesauce, sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla and beat until smooth. Add flour, whole wheat flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and ginger and mix well.
4. Add grated carrots, pineapple, and ½ cup coconut and mix. Spoon batter into prepared muffin tins, filling each about ⅔ full.
5. Bake cupcakes for 18–23 minutes or until tops spring back when lightly touched with finger. Cool completely on wire racks. Fold remaining 1 cup coconut into the Frosting and frost cupcakes. Store covered at room temperature.
Make-Ahead Pie Crust
This homemade pie crust mix is delicious and versatile; you can use it for sweet and savory pies.
EASY
INGREDIENTS | MAKES 6 PIE CRUSTS
5 cups flour
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup solid vegetable shortening
1 cup butter
½ cup coconut oil
Make It Healthy
You can now find solid shortening that is trans fat free; use that in this recipe. The coconut oil is solid at room temperature, so is easy to cut in along with the other ingredients. And coconut oil is good for you; it has medium-chain fatty acids that are easily metabolized, along with antifungal properties.
1. In large bowl, combine flour, pastry flour, salt, and sugar and mix with wire whisk.
2. In food processor, combine shortening, butter, and coconut oil; mix until combined, scraping down sides twice. Cut into flour mixture until crumbs form; store covered in refrigerator.
3. To make a pie crust, scoop out 1¼ cups of the mix and place in medium bowl. Add 1 teaspoon orange juice and 1–2 tablespoons cold water; toss with a fork until mixture holds together.
4. Roll out between sheets of waxed paper to 11-inch circle. Place in pie plate, fold edges over and flute. If baking before filling, prick with fork and bake at 400°F for 8–10 minutes until browned. If filling before baking, do not prick and use as directed in recipe.
Chocolate Peppermint Pie
Marshmallows melted with milk and peppermint candies make the base for a lovely, fluffy pie with the best flavor.
INEXPENSIVE
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 8–10
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
¼ cup butter
1 Make-Ahead Pie Crust (page 251), baked and cooled
¾ cup milk
½ cup crushed peppermint candies, divided
½ teaspoon peppermint extract
1 (10-ounce) package regular marshmallows
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 cup hot fudge sauce
1. In small saucepan, melt chocolate chips with butter; stir until combined. Spread over Pie Crust and set aside to cool.
2. In large saucepan, combine milk and ¼ cup of the crushed candies; stir over low heat until candies melt. Add peppermint extract and marshmallows; cook and stir over low heat until marshmallows melt and mixture is smooth.
3. Chill marshmallow mixture until thickened. Beat cream with powdered sugar; using same beaters, beat marshmallow mixture. Fold together the whipped cream and marshmallow mixture; pour into pie crust.
4. Cover and chill until firm, about 4–5 hours. Serve with warmed hot fudge sauce.
Chocolate Caramel Frozen Pie
This elegant recipe can be varied in several ways. Use all caramel or all chocolate toppings, or try strawberry for a nice change of pace.
MAKE AHEAD
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 10–12
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chocolate ice cream topping
1 cup caramel ice cream topping
1 cup crushed chocolate-covered toffee
2 (9-inch) prepared chocolate cookie pie crusts
Keep It Healthy
You can use low-fat cream cheese and nonfat sweetened condensed milk in this recipe. Never use all nonfat ingredients; a blend of low-fat and nonfat gives the best result. In place of the cream mixture, use frozen nonfat whipped topping, thawed. Add a bit of brown sugar to the cream cheese mixture to keep the flavor the same.
1. In large bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Gradually beat in the sweetened condensed milk until fluffy; set aside.
2. In small bowl, beat cream with brown sugar, cornstarch, and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Fold into cream cheese mixture.
3. Layer the cream cheese mixture, both types of topping, and crushed toffee in the two pie crusts. Cover and chill or freeze for 4–6 hours before serving.
Graham Cracker Cupcakes
Kids will love these easy cupcakes that have a rich graham flavor. They’re inexpensive too.
INEXPENSIVE
INGREDIENTS | YIELDS 24 CUPCAKES
1 cup butter, softened
¾ cup brown sugar
¾ cup sugar
3 eggs
1¾ cups flour
¼ cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup orange juice
1 recipe Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting (page 246)
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 24 cupcake tins with paper liners and set aside.
2. In large bowl, combine butter with brown sugar and sugar; beat until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well until combined.
3. In medium bowl, combine flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg and mix. Add alternately with orange juice to butter mixture, beginning and ending with dry ingredients.
4. Spoon batter into prepared cupcake tins, filling each about ⅔ full. Bake for 17–23 minutes or until cupcakes spring back when lightly touched with finger. Remove to wire rack to cool. Frost with Frosting; store covered at room temperature.
Chocolate Walnut Toffee Pie
This pie is similar to pecan pie, but it’s more complicated, with a firmer texture. All of the different kinds of chocolate make it a winner.
QUICK
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 10
1½ cups walnut pieces
2 cups brown sugar
½ cup cocoa powder
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
½ cup light cream
¼ cup butter, melted
½ cup milk chocolate chips
½ cup English toffee bits
½ recipe Easy Paste Pastry (pa
ge 266), unbaked
½ (8-ounce) milk chocolate candy bar, melted
Make-Ahead Tips
Don’t try to assemble the filling for this pie ahead of time. The combination just doesn’t hold well, even in the refrigerator. You have to make the entire pie ahead of time. You could give someone the job of melting the candy bar and drizzling it over the pie; that’s a good task for the non-cook.
1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Spread walnuts on a cookie sheet and toast in oven for 8–10 minutes until golden brown. Cool completely.
2. In large bowl, combine brown sugar, cocoa, eggs, vanilla, cream, and butter and beat well with eggbeater until smooth. Stir in walnuts, chocolate chips, and toffee bits.
Peach Praline Pie
Peaches and pralinees are a natural combination. This elegant pie is perfect when fresh peaches are in season.
MAKE AHEAD
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 10–12
3½ cups peeled, chopped peaches
2 tablespoons lemon juice
¼ cup sugar
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons flour
Pinch salt
1 cup flour
½ cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
½ cup butter, melted
½ cup toffee baking bits
½ cup chopped almonds
1 Make-Ahead Pie Crust (page 251), unpricked
1. Preheat oven to 425°F. In large bowl, combine peaches, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, sugar, 3 tablespoons brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, and a pinch of salt; mix well.
2. In medium bowl, combine 1 cup flour and ½ cup brown sugar and mix well. Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice and melted butter; mix until crumbly. Stir in toffee bits and chopped almonds.
3. Place ½ cup of the almond mixture in bottom of unbaked Pie Crust. Top with peach mixture, then remaining almond mixture.
4. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350°F and bake for 25–35 minutes longer until peaches are bubbling in center of pie and top is golden brown. Let cool completely, then serve.
Caramel Ginger Cake
If you love gingerbread, this cake is for you. The smooth and rich caramel frosting is the perfect finishing touch.
INEXPENSIVE
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 16
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
¾ cup light molasses
2½ cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon allspice
¼ teaspoon salt
1¼ cups buttermilk
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
½ cup toffee baking bits
1 recipe Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting (page 246)
Transport Tips
Sheet cakes are the easiest types of cakes to transport to another person’s house. All you need to do is cover the pan tightly with a double layer of foil. Also, some pans come with a cover. These are usually made of heavy plastic and snap onto the top of the pan. The frosting will be perfectly undisturbed.
1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray a 9” ×13” baking pan with nonstick baking spray containing flour and set aside.
2. In large bowl, combine butter with sugar; beat until light. Stir in molasses. In medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, and salt. Add alternately with buttermilk to butter mixture.
3. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating until thoroughly incorporated. Then beat in vanilla. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 55–65 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely on wire rack.
4. Stir baking bits into Frosting and frost cooled cake.
White Chocolate Almond Lemon Fluff Pie
A praline brown sugar mixture nestles below a fluffy lemon filling, topped with a white chocolate drizzle. Wow!
EASY
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 8–10
½ cup chopped almonds
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon butter, softened
1 Easy Paste Pastry (page 266), unpricked
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons butter, softened
3 egg yolks
2 tablespoons flour Pinch salt
1 cup milk
½ cup lemon juice
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
3 egg whites
1 cup white chocolate chips
3 tablespoons heavy cream
2 teaspoons corn syrup
1. Preheat oven to 400°F. In small bowl, combine almonds, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, and 1 tablespoon butter; mix well. Press into bottom of pie shell; bake for 5 minutes, then place on wire rack.
2. In large bowl, combine sugar and 2 tablespoons butter; mix well. Stir in egg yolks and beat well. Add flour and salt and beat again.
3. Stir in milk, lemon juice, and zest; set aside. In small bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold into egg yolk mixture and spoon into pie shell.
4. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce temperature to 325°F. Bake for 30–40 minutes or until top is deep golden brown.
5. Place pie on wire rack. In small saucepan, melt chocolate chips, cream, and corn syrup, stirring until smooth. Drizzle over pie, then let cool completely. Store in refrigerator.
Fudge Cake
Brown Butter Frosting adds depth of flavor to a simple and fudgy chocolate cake in this excellent recipe.
INEXPENSIVE
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 16
½ cup boiling water
3 squares unsweetened chocolate, chopped
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup sugar
½ cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon cream of tartar
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup butter, softened
2/3 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 egg whites
1 recipe Brown Butter Frosting (page 247)
Transport Tips
If you have one, a cake holder is the best way to transport a layer cake to a party. If not, find a large bowl that will fit over the cake. Use foil to wrap over and around the bowl and the stand to keep the two pieces together. Place the cake on the floor of the car, and surround it with sweaters or jackets so it won’t slide around during the trip.
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray two 8-inch round cake pans with nonstick baking spray containing flour; set aside.
2. In small bowl, combine boiling water with chocolate; stir until chocolate melts. Set aside.
3. In large bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt; mix with wire whisk.
4. Add butter, milk, and vanilla; beat for 2 minutes on medium speed. Add unbeaten egg whites and beat for 1 minute longer. Then stir in the chocolate mixture until smooth.
5. Divide mixture among cake pans. Bake for 25–35 minutes until cakes start to pull away from sides of pan. Let cool for 5 minutes, then remove from pans and cool completely on racks. Fill and frost with Brown Butter Frosting.
Apple Cake with Creamy Frosting
The creamy frosting on this rich and flavorful apple cake is very special. It makes a thin frosting, but it soaks into the cake as it cools.
INEXPENSIVE
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 16
3 eggs
¾ cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
¾ cup canola oil
6 tablespoons butter, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla
2½ cups flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
5 medium apples, peeled and chopped
½ cup chopped walnuts
½ cup sugar
¼ cup buttermilk
½ cup butter
1 tablespoon corn syrup
1 teaspoon van
illa
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray a 9″ × 13″ cake pan with nonstick baking spray containing flour and set aside.
2. In large bowl, beat eggs with sugar and brown sugar for 4 minutes. Add oil, 6 tablespoons melted butter, and vanilla and mix.
3. Add the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt and beat well; batter will be thick. Fold in the apples and walnuts and spread in prepared pan. Bake for 50–60 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched in center.
4. When cake comes out of oven, make frosting. In large saucepan, mix cup sugar, buttermilk, cup butter, and 1 tablespoon corn syrup. Bring to a boil; boil and stir for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and baking soda, and then pour over hot cake. Cool completely.