Sprinkles Vanilla Frosting

2 sticks unsalted butter, firm but not cold

3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 tsp milk

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/8 tsp salt

Beat butter and salt on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Reduce the speed to low, gradually add the confectioner's sugar and beat until incorporated.  Add the vanilla and milk and beat until smooth and creamy.  Do not over mix.  Add additional milk, 1 tsp at a time, if frosting is not spreadable.

Sprinkles Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz cold cream cheese
1 stick unsalted butter, firm but not cold
3 3/4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt

Beat cream cheese, butter and salt on medium-low until smooth and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes.  Reduce speed to low, gradually add powdered sugar and beat until incorporated.  Add the vanilla and beat until incorporated.  Do not overmix.

Grandma McOmber's Christmas Fudge

Prepare foil lined 13x9 inch pan

Have ready in a mixing bowl:

1 stick butter
24 - 30 oz chocolate chips
2 tsp vanilla

Boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly:

25 Marshmallows

4 cups sugar
1 can evaporated milk

1 cup toasted nuts optional

classic jelly roll

by williams soroma

1/2 cup cake flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

pinch of salt

7 eggs, separated

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup granulated sugar

powdered sugar for dusting

2/3 cup raspberry jam

have all ingredients at room temp.

preheat oven to 400 degrees.  grease a 15x10x1 inch jelly roll pan, line with parchment paper and 

grease the parchment.

in a sifter, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. set aside.

in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg yolks, vanilla and 1/4 cup of the granulated sugar on low speed until combined.  increase the speed to high and beat until pale yellow and ribbons form when the whisk is lifted, about 5 minutes.  transfer the yolk mixture to a large bowl and set aside.  

in a clean mixer bowl, using a clean whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on high speed until foamy, about 1 minute.  add the remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes.  

sift half of the flour mixture over the yolk mixture and, using a rubber spatula, gently fold together.  using the spatula, fold 1/3 of the egg whites into the yolk mixture.  sift the remaining flour over the batter, then fold in the remaining whites.  

pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly.  bake until the cake just starts to pull away from the sides of the pan and springs back when pressed gently, 8 to 10 minutes.  

generously sprinkle a clean kitchen towel with the powdered sugar.  run a table knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the cake and immediately invert it onto the towel.  remove the parchment paper.  while the cake is hot, with a short side facing you, roll the cake and the twoel away from you.  let cool for 30 minutes, then unroll the cake and remove the towel. 

spread the jam over the cake, leaving a 1-inch border on the short side farthest from you.  starting from the side nearest you, roll the cake away from you in a tight roll, ending with the seam side down,  dust the cake with powdered sugar and serve.   

Susan's Mint Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake, AKA "Danger Cake"

Blend for 2 minutes on medium speed:

1 Devil's Food Cake Mix
1 pkg instant chocolate pudding
4 eggs
1/2 c. oil, 1/2 cup water

Add:
1 tsp peppermint extract

While beating on low speed, add:
8 oz. sour cream (Erin uses applesauce instead, and it works pretty well. But you know me...)
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (or a tad more. Again, you know me...)

Spray bundt pan with cooking spray and then coat with powdered sugar.
Bake at 350 for 50 minutes.

Let cool in pan 15 min. before removing from pan. Remove, and sprinkle top of cake with powdered sugar.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Buddy Bars

Please Note: I hate that these are called "Buddy" bars.

1 cup peanut butter
6 TBSP softened unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 3/4 cups chocolate chips

* blend peanut butter andd butter
* add eggs, sugar, vanilla
* add flour and salt
* add 1 cup of the chocolate chips
* bake at 350 for 25 minutes
* sprinkle remaining chocolate chips, allow to get shiny, spread em around.

Meyer Lemon Crepe Cake

From Martha Stewart

Serves 10 to 12

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups whole milk, room temperature
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 1/2 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, melted, plus more, melted, for pan
• Meyer Lemon Curd Mousse (below)
• 1/4 cup heavy cream, whipped
• Candied Meyer Lemons, optional

Whisk together flour, sugar, and salt. Whisk together milk, eggs, and vanilla. Gradually pour milk mixture into flour mixture, whisking until smooth. Whisk in butter. Pour through a fine sieve into an airtight container; discard lumps. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.

Lightly coat a 6-inch crepe pan or nonstick skillet with butter. Heat over medium heat until just starting to smoke. Remove from heat; pour about 2 tablespoons batter into center. Swirl to cover bottom. Reduce heat to medium-low; return pan to heat. Cook until edges are golden and center is dry, about 30 seconds per side.

Slide crepe onto an overturned plate. Repeat with remaining batter, coating pan with butter as needed, and stacking crepes. Let cool.

Place 1 crepe on a flat serving dish. Spread about 1/4 cup lemon curd mousse onto crepe. Top with 1 crepe. Continue layering crepes and mousse. (Use 15 crepes, ending with a crepe on top.) Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.

Top crepe cake with whipped cream and 3 or 4 candied lemon slices.

For Meyer Lemon Curd Mousse:

Makes about 3 3/4 cups

• 1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin (from one 1/4-ounce envelope)
• 1 tablespoon cold water
• 4 large eggs plus 6 large yolks
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons finely grated Meyer lemon zest (from 2 lemons), plus 3/4 cup fresh Meyer lemon juice (from 5 to 6 lemons)
• 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 cup heavy cream, whipped
• Sprinkle gelatin over water; let stand until softened, about 5 minutes.
• Whisk together eggs and yolks in a heavy small saucepan. Whisk in sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Cook, whisking constantly, over medium-low heat, until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Remove pan from heat; add gelatin, stirring constantly, until gelatin dissolves and mixture is slightly cool. Add butter, a few pieces at a time, stirring after each addition, until smooth.
• Strain through a fine sieve into a bowl, pressing with a rubber spatula to remove as much curd as possible; discard any undissolved bits of gelatin and egg. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto surface of curd to prevent a skin from forming, and refrigerate until set, at least 2 hours or overnight. Stir curd, and gently fold in whipped cream. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Stir before using.

For Candied Meyer Lemons:

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

2 Meyer lemons (do not peel), washed well and sliced 1/4 inch thick

Lion House Pumpkin Bread

Makes 2 loaves

1 cup vegetable oil

5 eggs

1 16 oz can pumpkin

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp salt

1 tsp ground nutmeg

1 tsp baking soda

2 3 oz packages instant vanilla pudding mix

1 cup chopped walnuts (way optional)

Preheat oven to 350. Combine oil, eggs, and pumpkin into a large mixing bowl and beat well. In a separate bowl sift together flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and baking soda. Add to pumpkin mixture and mix until blended. Stir in pudding mix and nuts. Pour onto a greased 4 1/2 x 8 inch loaf pans. Bake for 1 hour.

Great Vanilla Cupcake

from Williams Sonoma, to use with their darling cupcake pan.

For the Cupcake:

3 2/3 cups flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 1/4 tsp. salt

1 1/3 cups unsalted butter

2 1/3 cups granulated sugar

5 eggs, lightly beaten

4 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/3 cups milk

For the Buttercream Frosting:

4 Tbs. unsalted butter

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

1 Tbs. milk

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

Have all the ingredients at room temperature.

Position a rack in the lower third of an oven and preheat to 325 degrees. Grease and flour the Great Cupcake Pan; tap out the excess flour.

Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.

In an electric mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy and smooth, about 30 seconds. Add the granulated sugar and continue beating until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the eggs a little at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla until just incorporated, about 1 minute.

Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk and beginning and ending with the flour. Beat each addition just until incorporated, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, filling the wells to within 1/2 inch of the rim and spreading the batter so the sides are higher than the center. Bake until the cupcake halves begin to pull away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted into the enter of each comes out clean, 70 to 80 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the cupcake cool in the pan for 15 minutes.

Gently tap the pan on the counter to loosen the cupcake. Set the rack over the cupcake, invert the pan onto the rack and lift off the pan. Let the cupcake cool completely, at least 2 hours, before assembling and decorating. Wash and dry the pan.

Meanwhile, make the buttercream: In a small bowl, using a handheld mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the powdered sugar, milk, vanilla and salt and continue beating until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes more.

To assemble the cupcake, return both halves of the cooled cupcake to the pan. Level the cupcake. Remove the cupcake base. Spread about 1/2 cup of the buttercream over the cut side of the cupcake top. Place the top on the base, cover loosely with plastic wrap, refrigerate for 1 hour or until buttercream is firm.

Decorate your head off!