Ingredients:
1 cup powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

Preparation:
Combine icing ingredients in glass measuring cup, Drizzle over cooled cookies.  Allow to set up before storing.

Happy Baking

Caramel Ganache:  will firm up like soft candy and seal your hot cake.  

Melt 1/2 cup butter in a saucepan over low heat. Stir in 1 cup dark brown sugar, 1/4 tsp. Salt, bring to a boil.  Hard boil for 2 minutes, keep stirring. 
Remove from heat, Stir in 1/4 cup milk, return to heat and bring to full boil again,  Take off of heat and stir in 2 cups powdered sugar. Mix thoroughly.  Pour Ganache over hot cake.
For a lighter Ganache cool caramel mixture and add powder sugar and whip. Spread onto cake.  

Back to the beginning

​This cake will stand up for competition, moist, spice infused, caramel rich.

​ingredients:
4 cups sifted flour  (I hardly ever sift)
4 tsp. baking soda
1 1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg  (fresh ground is the cats pajamas)
1/2 tsp. fresh ground cloves
2 Tbls. cocoa
1 cup vegetable oil ( I used canola)
1 cups white sugar
1 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
3 cups unsweetened applesauce (decrease sugar if sweetened) heated up in a microwave from refrigerator temperature.  Hot to the touch.
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped nuts

​Shh, a little secret, I found some homemade applesauce, that had already been opened, lurking in the back of the refrigerator.  I had a choice, bake something amazing or chuck it in the trash.  Our little secret.  
​This cake will stand up for competition, moist, spice infused, caramel rich.

Oven 400 degrees
15 min. prep time
30 min. bake

​Directions:

Sift together flour, soda, salt, spices and cocoa. set aside.

Heated Applesauce, mix oil, sugar, and blend in the mixer.  Add eggs, vanilla.  Add dry ingredients. Mix well, stir in raisins and nuts.
I left out the nuts this time.  It seems to highlight the "applesauce" flavor that it is not a "spice" cake.  Your call.
Grease 9x13 glass pan
Bake at 400 degrees for 15 min. Decrease heat to 375 degrees and complete baking for 15 min.

​
Caramel Ganache:  will firm up like soft candy and seal your hot cake.  

Melt 1/2 cup butter in a saucepan over low heat. Stir in 1 cup dark brown sugar, 1/4 tsp. Salt, bring to a boil.  Hard boil for 2 minutes, keep stirring. 
Remove from heat, Stir in 1/4 cup milk, return to heat and bring to full boil again,  Take off of heat and stir in 2 cups powdered sugar. Mix thoroughly.  Pour Ganache over hot cake.
For a lighter Ganache cool caramel mixture and add powder sugar and whip. Spread onto cake.  

Back to the beginning

Tools for your Ganache and all specialty sauces, candies

Helpful hints in the kitchen

Glaze recipe

2 cups powder sugar
1/4 clear vanilla
1/4 cup milk/half and half
mix liquid until the desired consistency 

I add a raw egg which cooks on a hot cake; this makes your glaze shiny and brings richness. For extra white glaze omit yolk.
For Chocolate add 1/2 cup cocoa powder and a bit more liquid to desired consistency

Ingredients
3/4 cup softened butter
1 2/3 cups sugar
3 eggs (room temperature if you have time)
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
2/3 cups cocoa
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 1/3 cups water

Printable Recipe

Directions

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, add eggs and vanilla.
Sift flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, salt and add alternatively with water mix on high for 3 min. Pour into greased cake pans Bake 350 degrees
11x13 pan 30- 35 minutes. 
2 round cake pans  25-30 min.
3 round cake pans 20-25 min.

For high speed serve warm with glazed frosting
soft butter carefully in a microwave
cream butter and sugar, add other ingredients mix well
bake as directed
poke with a fork immediately from oven, drizzle glaze over cake
serve warm

Glaze recipe

2 cups powder sugar
1/4 clear or regular vanilla
1/4 cup milk/half and half
mix until the desired consistency 

I add a raw egg which cooks on a hot cake; this makes your glaze shiny and brings richness. For extra white glaze omit yolk.

Back to the beginning

Serve Warm with Glaze

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