Better than Sex Cake

I remember my mom making this cake for baby & bridal showers when I was a kid (although she always called it "Better than Robert Redford" cake). Thanks, Mom, for making the name a little less R-rated for us:) This cake really is so so good no matter what it's called!
Better than Sex Cake
From AllRecipes.com
Ingredients:

• 1 (18.25 ounce) package devil's food cake mix




• 1/2 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk




• 6 ounces caramel ice cream topping




• 3 (1.4 ounce) bars chocolate covered toffee, chopped




• 1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

Method:

• Bake cake according to package directions for a 9x13 inch pan; cool on wire rack for 5 minutes. Make slits across the top of the cake, making sure not to go through to the bottom.
  


• In a saucepan over low heat, combine sweetened condensed milk and caramel topping, stirring until smooth and blended. Slowly pour the warm topping mixture over the top of the warm cake, letting it sink into the slits; then sprinkle the crushed chocolate toffee bars liberally across the entire cake while still warm. (Hint: I crush my candy bars into small chunks as opposed to crumbs - I used my food processor and it worked perectly).



• Let cake cool completely, then top with whipped topping. Decorate the top of the cake with some more chocolate toffee bar chunks and swirls of caramel topping. Refrigerate and serve right from the pan!

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

When I was a newlywed, I would sit at my desk at work and look up new recipes to try for dinner and dessert everynight ( ya, I had a really hard job). Besides chocolate chip cookies, my husband's favorite dessert is coffee cake, so I tried this recipe one day and it instantly became our favorite. Now that Fall has finally made it's arrival to So Cal, I decided to make this cake for dessert and I'm so happy I did because my house smells amazing!

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp. plus 2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 & 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 2 & 1/2 cups cake flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 12 tbsp. chilled, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 & 1/4 cups sour cream
• 1 & 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3 tbsp. nonfat milk
• 1 & 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9-inch square springform pan.

In a bowl, combine 2 tbps. sugar, the walnuts, and cinnamon. In another bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; sift the mixture twice and set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy. Gradually add the 2 cups sugar and beat until light and smooth, 5 to 6 minutes, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the eggs a little at a time and continue beating until the mixture is thick, fluffy, and double in volume, 4 to 5 minutes. Beat in the sour cream and vanilla, 2 minutes more.

Remove the bowl from the mixer and, using a rubber spatula, carefully fold in the flour mixture in 2 additions until smooth. Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan and spread to the edges. SPrinkle the walnut/cinnamon mixture evenly over the batter. Spread the remaining batter over the top, making the sides higher than the center.

Bake until the top is set and springs back when touched, and the cake pulls away slightly from the sides of the pan, about 55-60 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool in the pan for 1 hour. Remove from the pan and set the cake on a stand or plate.

*I reserved some of the walnut/cinnamon sugar and made my own crumble for the topping, but you can also make a glaze that is amazing on top:

In a bowl, whisk together the milk and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Garnish the cake with raspberries, if desired, and drizzle the glaze over the cake.

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

My pilates instructor knows how much I love to bake, so she wanted me to try this recipe she found in her Cooking Light Magazine. I was asked to bring a dessert to an Easter party tommorrow morning, so I thought tonight would be the perfect time to make this cake and I can't even tell you how delicious my house smells right now. And the cake tastes even more delicious than it smells! This recipe is a great alternative to the usual heavy, buttery coffee cake I'm used to making.
The "Enlightened Cook" (who published the recipe) explains, "Some coffee cakes might as well be called fatty cakes...We slimmed down this classic and used whole grains in the batter. The result: a moist and satisfying breakfast cake. Light baking is always tricky and adding the whole-grain goal upped the ante again. A combination of all-purpose, whole wheat, and homemade whole-grain rolled oat flour anchored the batter. With a little butter, light sour cream, and a mix of granulated and brown sugars, we acheived the best texture and flavor for the fewest calories and saturated fat."


Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Ingredients:
3/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats, divided
cooking spray
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup whole-wheat flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, divided
1/3 cup butter
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 (8 oz.) carton light sour cream (such as Daisy)
2 tbsp. finely shopped walnuts, toasted
1/2 tp. ground cinnamon
1 tbsp. chilled butter, cut into small pieces

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degress.
2. Spread oats in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 30 for 6 minutes or until oats are barely fragrant and light brown.
3. Coat a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray.
4. Reserve 1/4 cup oats, set aside. Place remaining oats in a food processor; process 4 seconds or until finely ground. Weigh or lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine processed oats, flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; stir with a whisk.
5. Place granulated sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, and 1/3 cup butter in a large bowl. Beat with a mixer at medium speed for 3 minutes or until light and fluffy.Add eggs, 1at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Spoon batter into prepared pan.
6. Combine remaining 1/4 cup oats, remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar, nuts and cinnamon in a bowl. Cut in 1 tbsp. butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until well blended. Sprinkle top of batter evenly with nut mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 38 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, top is golden, and cake begins to pull away from sides of pan. Cool cake in pan for 10 minutes; remove from pan. yield: 10 servings

Nutrition Facts:
calories 276, fat 11.5g, protein 5.5g, carb 38.5g, fiber 14g, cholesterol 61mg, iron 1.5mg, sodium 247mg, calcium 59mg

Cheat Day- Easy Chocolate Cake

I call this recipe "easy" because it does not involve any baking on your part at all, just a trip to your local Costco! If you haven't ever tried their All-American Chocolate Cake (found in the bakery section), then you are truly missing out. It's AMAZING! My sister and I have used this cake for many different parties, showers, church functions, etc because it's such a pretty, impressive-looking cake and serves a lot. It's always a hit and one cake can easily serve 25-35 people, depending on how thick you slice it.



Costco All-American Chocolate Cake

1. Get in your car and drive to Costco (don't forget your card)!
2. Head back to the bakery section and look for a massive, 3-layer, round, chocolate cake with chocolate shavings around the outside.
3. Purchase cake
4. Slice and serve either by itself or with ice cream, whip cream, fruit/berries...the options are endless.
*The photo above was taken at a baby shower we threw and we served the cake with sliced strawberries and whipped cream.

Cheat Day--Banana Cream Cake

Sundays are my cheat days. To kick off the first post of our new blog, we'd like to share with you a fantastic recipe that's been in our family for years. It's obviously a 'cheat day" recipe and is by far one of our favorite cake recipes. Believe me, as soon as you try it, you'll forget all about making banana bread out of your "too ripe" bananas. I (Brittney) personally set aside 3-4 bananas each week so they'll be ready to use in this cake by the end of the week. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
2 cups sifted flour
1 and 1/2 cups sugar
1 and 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup shortening (I use butter-flavored Crisco)
1 cup mashed bananas
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Method:
Pour dry ingredients over shortening. Add bananas, milk, and vanilla. Mix until dry ingredients are moistened. Beat vigorously for 2 minutes. Add eggs and beat for 2 minutes more. (stir in walnuts, if using). Pour into greased 9 x 13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes.
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:
1 lb. powdered sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1/3 cup soft butter
Beat all ingredients with electric mixer until smooth and creamy.
*Recipe can also be found on back of C&H brand powdered sugar.
*As you can see in the picture, there is a trademark design in the frosting that you MUST do if you make this banana cake recipe. My mom and grandma always used a fork to make a basket-weave pattern in the frosting and it seriously does not taste as good without it!