Snickerdoodle Cake

Taken from here

Snickerdoodle Cake

Solid vegetable shortening for greasing the pans
flour for dusting the pans
1 pkg 18.25 oz plain white cake mix (not the kind w/pudding in the mix)
1 cup whole milk (don't use skim or low fat or it can come out dry)
8 Tbsp (1 stick) real butter, melted
3 large eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 tsp ground cinnamon
Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting--recipe follows

1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare pans by generously greasing and flouring two 9-inch round cake pans. Set the pans aside.

2. Sift the cake mix, and add milk, melted butter, eggs, vanilla, and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl. Blend with electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more. The batter should look well combined. Divide the batter between the prepared pans, smoothing it out with a rubber spatula. Place the pans in the oven side by side.

3. Bake the cakes until they are golden brown and spring back when lightly pressed with your finger, 27 to 29 minutes. Remove the pans from the oven and place on wire racks to cool for 10 minutes. Run a dinner knife around the edge of each layer and invert each onto a rack, then invert them again onto another rack so that cakes are right side up. Allow them to cool completely, at least 30 minutes.

Cook's Tip: Pop the cake layers into the freezer if you have room. It only takes about 1/2 hour or so to freeze fairly firm. The cake will be much easier to frost with fewer crumbs.

4. Prepare the Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting recipe and frost cake.

5. Place this cake in the refrigerator, uncovered, until the frosting sets, about 20 minutes.

Cook's Note: You can make this recipe in 2 8-inch square pans, frosted them as individual cakes, served one, and freeze the other (wrapped in foil, for several months). Just thaw it over night in the fridge then serve.


Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting

Makes enough to frost a two layer cake thinly. If you like frosting (this is good frosting!), double this recipe.

1/2 C (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temp
3 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
3 to 4 Tbsp milk or 1/2 and 1/2 or cream
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp coconut extract (don't worry, won't taste coconutty - just good!)
1 tsp good ground cinnamon like makara (or a pinch more, to taste)

Blend butter in a large mixing bowl on low speed until fluffy (about 30 seconds). With mixer stopped, add confectioners' sugar, milk, vanilla, and coconut extract. Blend on low speed until well incorporated (about a minute). You may have to stop once or twice to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add cinnamon. Increase the speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy (another minute or two more). Blend in up to another 1 Tablespoon milk if it's too stiff (can vary with the weather)

Banana Walnut Muffins

Used and posted with permission from Rachel Rappaport - Coconut & Lime

Ingredients:
2 eggs
1 1/4 cup mashed overripe bananas
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup flour
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2/3 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cardamom
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 banana, sliced into 1/4 inch slices (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Grease or line 16 wells in a muffin tin. In a large bowl, whisk together the spices, nuts, baking powder and both flours. Set aside. In another large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Stir in the milk then add the dry ingredients. Mix to combine. Fold in the mashed banana. Divide evenly into wells. Top with slices of banana (one per muffin) if desired.

Bake about 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the center muffin comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Note: if the tops are covered in banana slices, slide the toothpick at an angle, under the banana to test. Do not pierce the banana slice. Cool on a wire rack.

Comments/Changes

I used 2 cups of just All-Purpose flour since we didn't have any whole wheat flour on hand. I haven't gotten the chance to eat one yet, since I am saving them for morning, as well as dessert in my dad's and my lunches. I will let everyone know when I get a chance to try these. The batter was EXTREMELY delicious and it smelled SO good.

Oreo Cupin' Cakes!

cupcake recipe here, and frosting recipe here

COOKIES AND CREAM CUPCAKES
MAKES 22 TO 24

30 Oreo cookies
1 package (18.25 ounces) plain white cake mix
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 24 cupcake cups with paper liners. Set the pans aside.
2. Count out 12 Oreos and separate the top and bottom wafers. Make sure each has some of the icing on it. Place one wafer, icing side up, in the bottom of each paper liner. Set them aside. Place the remaining 18 Oreos between sheets of waxed paper or in a large, closed zipper-lock bag and crush them by rolling over them with a rolling pin. Set these crumbs aside.
3. Place the cake mix, sour cream, oil, eggs, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 1 1/2 minutes more, scraping down the sides again if needed. Measure out 1 1/2 cups of the crushed Oreos and fold these into the batter until well incorporated. Set aside the remaining crushed Oreos for the frosting. Spoon or scoop 1/3 cup batter into each lined cup­cake cup, filling it three quarters of the way full. (You will get between 22 and 24 cupcakes; remove the empty liners, if any.) Place the pans in the oven.
4. Bake the cupcakes until they are lightly golden and spring back when lightly pressed with your finger, 18 to 20 minutes. Remove the pans from the oven and place them on wire racks to cool for 5 minutes. Run a dinner knife around the edges of the cupcake liners, lift the cup­cakes up from the bottoms of the cups using the end of the knife, and pick them out of the cups carefully with your finger­tips. Place them on a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes before frosting.

Store these cupcakes, in a cake saver or under a glass dome, at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. If you plan to freeze them, don't add the cookie-crumb topping. Wrap them I in aluminum foil or in a cake saver and freeze for up to 6 months. Thaw the cup­cakes overnight in the refrigerator and top with cookie crumbs before serving.

Oreo Cream Cheese Frosting

2 Blocks Cream Cheese
1/2 Stick Butter
4 Cups Sift Powdered Sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
12 crushed Oreo Cookies

1. Brings cheese and butter to room temperature.
2. Sift powdered sugar.
3. Beat butter and cheese at medium speed until creamy
4. Add half o the sugar, and vanilla. Beat until combined.
5. Gradually add remaining sugar until you a good consistency.
6. Fold in crushed cookies. Enjoy!