Ingredients

• 1 basket fresh raspberries
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup brandy
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 ounce bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cut small
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 large egg

Directions

1. Combine raspberries with 1/2 cup sugar, brandy and cinnamon in a medium saucepan. Stir and simmer over medium heat until sugar dissolves and sauce thickens, about 10 minutes.
2. Remove 1/4 cup of raspberries from saucepan and drain, saving sauce.
3. Butter two 3/4 cup custard cups.
4. Whisk cocoa and remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a small bowl.
5. Stir chocolate and butter in heavy small saucepan over low heat until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Whisk in cocoa mixture. Whisk in egg yolks, then whole egg and flour. Fold in reserved 1/4 cup berries.
6. Pour batter into two custard cups.
7. Bake at 350 degrees F until edges are set and center is still shiny and tester comes out with some wet batter attached, about 22 minutes.
8. To serve, cut around warm cakes to loosen. Turn out onto plates. Spoon sauce on the side.
9. Sift confectioners’ sugar over and garnish with mint.

Note:
Cakes should have a slightly soft center. Both the sauce and cakes can be made ahead of time and refrigerated. When ready to eat, heat in microwave for about 1 minute.

Related posts:

1. Chocolate Cherry Cake
2. Raspberry Peach Cobbler
3. Raspberry Crumble Cakes

If you want to really get an idea about what you can do with nutmeg, give this layered Nutmeg Cake a try. While it may sound a little complex, it’s actually very easy to make and your family is going to love it.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 Cup butter, softened
• 2 Cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 3 Cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons nutmeg
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 Cups buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

• Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
• Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Sift together the dry ingredients
• Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture, alternating with the buttermilk. BEGIN and END with the dry ingredients and beating well after each addition.
• Stir in the vanilla.
• Pour into 3 greased and floured 9-inch round cake pans.
• Bake at 350 for 25 to 30 minutes until the cakes test as done.
• Co0l in pans on a rack for 10 minutes.
• Turn out of pans onto rack and cool completely.

Nutmeg Cake Frosting

Ingredients:

• 3 egg whites
• 2 1/4 Cups sugar
• 2 1/4 teaspoons light corn syrup
• 1/2 Cup cold water
• 1/4 teaspoon Cream of Tartar
• Dash salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoon Clear Vanilla (regular vanilla will work if you have it but will color the frosting)
• 1 Cup finely chopped walnuts

Directions:

• Place egg whites and next 5 ingredients in the top of a double boiler (not over heat).
• Beat 1 minute with electric mixer to blend.
• Place over boiling water and cook, beating constnatly, until frosting form stiff peaks.
• Remove 2 Cups of frosting to a separate bowl.
• Add walnuts to this part and mix well.
• Spread between layers of cake.
• Frost the top and side of the cake with the remaining frosting.

Watch their faces light up when you bring this one to the table!

Related posts:

1. Pumpkin Spice Cake and Cream Cheese Frosting
2. Light Frosting for Cake/Cupcakes
3. Butter Pecan – Rum Cake

Ingredients

• (15 oz) cans of apple pie filling
• 1 box yellow cake mix
• 1 stick butter, melted
• 3 T sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp nutmeg

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Grease 13×9 baking dish with butter.
3. Pour apple pie filling into the dish.
4. Pour cake mix evenly across fruit layer.
5. Gently press down cake mix so that it soaks in but do not stir. It is very important to make sure all the cake mix is pressed into the juice or it will stay powdery.
6. Drizzle melted butter across cake mix.
7. Mix the sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg together and dust it on top.
8. Drag a knife through mixture to gently combine.
9. Bake for about 40-50 minutes or until a golden brown crust appears.

Serve it warm with ice cream or whipped cream.

Different types of apple pie filling have different amounts of juice/liquid so depending on the one you use, this can be a very gooey dish or a drier cake like dish.  Try a couple different kinds and keep track of which one you prefer.

Related posts:

1. Apple Pie Sandwiches
2. Raspberry Peach Cobbler
3. Apple Dumplings with Cider Sauce

Brownie Base

• 1 box (1 lb 6.5 oz) Brownie mix
• Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on brownie mix box

Filling

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoons milk

Topping

• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup butter

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottom only of 13×9-inch pan with cooking spray or shortening. (For easier cutting, line pan with foil, then grease foil on bottom only of pan.)
2. In medium bowl, stir brownie mix, pouch of chocolate syrup, water, oil and eggs until well blended. Spread in pan. Bake 28 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted 2 inches from side of pan comes out almost clean. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
3. In medium bowl, beat filling ingredients with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Spread mixture evenly over brownie base.
4. In small microwavable bowl, microwave topping ingredients uncovered on High 30 to 60 seconds; stir until smooth. Cool 10 minutes; spread over filling. Refrigerate about 30 minutes or until set.

For brownies, cut into 9 rows by 4 rows. Store covered in refrigerator.

Related posts:

1. Peanut Butter Cream Sandwich Cookies
2. Reese Peanut Butter Cups
3. Peanut Butter Cookies

Cake

• 2-1/2 cups
• 3/4 cups
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, cold
• 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup  sour cream
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract

Filling

• 1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup  sugar
• 1/2 tsp Watkins Vanilla Extract
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup raspberry preserves

Glaze (optional) – you probably won’t need this much for the glaze

• 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp  Vanilla Extract
• 2 tbsp water

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar and cinnamon; cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Remove 1/2 cups of crumbs for topping. To remaining crumb mixture add baking powder, baking soda, salt, sour cream, egg and vanilla extract; blend well. Spread batter over bottom of 8 x 8-inch baking pan.

For Filling: In a small bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar and eggs; blend well. Pour over batter in pan. Carefully spoon preserves evenly over filling. Sprinkle 1 cup of reserved crumbs over preserves. Bake before adding glaze.

For Glaze: combine powdered sugar, water and vanilla, drizzle on top of coffee cake.

Bake at 350 F for 45 to 50 minutes. Serve warm or cold.

Makes 8 servings.

Related posts:

1. Pumpkin Spice Cake and Cream Cheese Frosting
2. Lemon Cream Cake
3. Watkins Famous Five Flavored Cake

3/4      cup all purpose flour

1 1/2   t pumpkin pie spice

1          t Watkins Baking Powder

1/4      t salt

3          eggs

1          cup granulated sugar

3/4      cup canned pumpkin

1/2      cup of an 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened

1/2      cup confectioner’s sugar

1          recipe Chocolate Cream Icing

Pumpkin Pie Spice

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease bottoms and sides of two 8x1x1 1/2 inch round cake pans. Line bottoms with waxed paper; lightly flour pans. In bowl combine flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder and salt; set aside.

In a second bowl beat eggs and sugar with an electric mixer on medium to high speed until thick, about 5 minutes. Beat in pumpkin. Add flour mixture; beat just until combined. Spread cake batter in prepared pans. Bake 16 to 18 minutes or until wooden pick inserted near centers comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack 10 minutes; remove and cool thoroughly.

For filling, in chilled mixing bowl beat whipping cream to soft peaks; set aside. In a second mixing bowl beat cream cheese until smooth; beat in confectioner’s sugar. Fold in whipped cream. To assemble, place one cake layer on serving platter. Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over bottom cake layer. Top with second cake layer. Refrigerate while preapring Chocolate Cream Icing.

If Chocolate Cream Icing is too thin, cover and chill 30 minutes until of spreading consistency. Too thick, add a teaspoon of milk or cream. Spread over top and sides of cake. Sprinkly lightly with pumplin pie spice. Chill cake at least 1 hour before serving.

Store cake, loosely covered, in refrigerator.

Makes 8 servings.

Chocolate Cream Icing

Ingredients:

1/2      cup whipping cream

1          cup bittrsweet or semisweet chocolate pieces

Directions:

In small saucepan bring whipping cream just to boiling over medium-high heat. Remove from heat. Pour over chocolate pieces in medium bowl (do not stir). Let stand 5 minutes. Stir until smooth. Cool 15 minutes.

Makes 1 1/4 cups

Tip: The secret to glossy, crumb-free icing is to start by laying a good-sized dollop on top of the cake, then spread outward to the uniced part of the cake. Never backtrack from dry to iced. Best tool for the job: an offset spatula.

Related posts:

1. Old-Fashioned Orange Layer Cake
2. Pumpkin Snack Cake
3. Coconut Blizzard Cake

1 1/4    cups Gingersnap cookie crumbs

6           T butter (melted)

3-         8 ounce packages cream cheese, softened

1 1/2     t Watkins Pumpkin Pie Spice

3/4        cup sugar

1            t vanilla

3            eggs

Directions:

Mix crumbs and butter; press onto bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. In bowl, beat cream cheese, spice, sugar and vanilla with an electric mixer on medium until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, and mix well. Pour over crust and bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour until center is almost set. Chill overnight before removing from pan.

Topping:

Ingredients:

12 ounce fresh or frozen cranberrises

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 cups orange juice

2 T corn starch

Directons:

Combine cranberries, sugar, orange juice and corn starch. Stir over medium heat until cranberries soften. Cool sauce and spoon over cheesecake to serve.

Related posts:

1. Cranberry-Orange Cheesecake
2. Orange Cranberry Cake
3. Cranberry Bread with Orange and Oats

1     cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2  cup sifted confectioners’ sugar
2      cups flour
1/2  t salt
1/2  cup rolled oats
1/2  cup chopped walnuts
3/4  cup raspberry jam

Directions:

Heat the oven to 375 degrees.  Grease a 9 inch square pan with butter or cooking spray.

In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar until they’re well blended.  Add the flour and salt and beat just until the dough forms clumps.  Don’t overmix.  Lightly flour your hands, then place the dough on a piece of waxed paper and squeeze it into a ball (the warmth of your hands will soften the dough enough to hold it together).

Divide the dough into thirds.  Crumble one third into a bowl and set it aside.  Press the remaining 2 thirds evenly into the greased pan using the back of a spoon to smooth the surface.  Bake it on the center oven rack until the edges are lightly golden, about 10 minutes.

Set the pan on a wire rack.  While the shortbread cools, mix the oats and nuts into the reserved dough with your fingers until the mixture is crumbly.

Spread the raspberry jam on the cooled shortbread (it’s okay it it’s sitll warm), then evernly cover the jam with the crumb topping.  Bake the bars until the topping is golden brown, about 24 minutes, then return the pan to the wire rack.  While the shortbread is still slightly warm, cut it into 16 squares, then cut each square in half diagonally.  Once the triangles cool completely (they are very fragile while warm), lift them from the pan with a spatula.

Makes about 2 1/2 dozen.

Related posts:

1. Raspberry Chocolate Mini-Cakes
2. Raspberry Peach Cobbler
3. Coconut-Crumble Sweet Potatoes

Directions:
Heat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans and set them aside.
In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.
In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with an electric mixer until creamy, about 1 minute.  Add the sugar gradually, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice, until the mixture is fluffy and fairly smooth, about 2 minutes.  Add the eggs, one by one, beating well each time, until you have a thick, smooth batter.

Add about one third of the flour mixture to the batter and beat well.  Stir the vanilla into the milk, then add about half the milk to the batter and beat well.  Continue beating as you add another third of the flour mixture to the batter, followed by the rest of the milk and then the remaining flour mixture, until the batter is very thick and  smooth.  This should take a total of about 2 minutes mixing time.

Quickly scrape the batter into the prepared cake pans, dividing it evenly.   Bake until the cakes are golden and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 30 to 35 minutes.

Remove the cakes from the oven, allow them to cool for 10 minutes and then turn them out onto wire racks or plates and let them cool completely.

Icing:

Ingredients:
1       cup sugar
1/4    cup light corn syrup
1/4    cup water
2        egg whites
1/4    t salt
1/4    t cream of tartar
1        t Watkins Vanilla

Directions:

In the top of a double boiler, or in a heatproof medium bowl, combine the sugar, corn syrup, water, egg whites, salt and cream of tartar and beat on high speed with a handheld electric mixer, about 1 minute.

Bring the water to an active simmer in the bottom of the double boiler or the suacepan, then beat the icing at medium speed until the mixture is opaque white and foamy, about 1 or 2 minutes.

Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until the icing becomes white, thick and shiny and triples in volume, about 7 minutes.  Continue beating until the icing forms firm peaks and loses a little of its shine.

Remove the icing from the heat, add the vanilla and beat for 2 minutes more.

Place 1 cake layer topside down on a cake stand or serving plate and cover it with the jam spread to within 1/2-inch of the edge.  Use a rubber spatula to carefully spread 1 cup of the icing over the jam, then sprinkle about 1/2 cup of coconut on top.

Place the other layer on top of the iced layer with the topside up.  First ice the sides, to help keep the cake steady and then spread icing generously over the top.

Put the cake stand on a cookie sheet (to catch any loose coconut) and sprinkle coconut all over the cake.  Gently pat handfuls of coconut onto the sides and top of  the cake to cover any bare spots.

Serves 18.

Related posts:

1. Pumpkin Sandwich Cake
2. Old-Fashioned Orange Layer Cake
3. Lemon Cream Cake

2 1/4   cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2   cups rolled oats
1          T Watkins Baking Powder
1/2       t baking soda
1/2       t salt
3/4       cup butter, softened
1           cup sugar
3           eggs
1           cup milk
2           cups fresh cranberries, chopped
2           T sugar
2           t finely shredded orange peel

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour 10-inch tube pan; set aside.  In bowl stir together flour, oats, baking powder, soda and salt.

In large mixing bowl beat butter with electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds.  Add the 1 cup sugar; beat until combined.  Add eggs, beat until well combined.  Alternately add flour mixture and milk, beating on low speed after each addition until combined.

Toss cranberries with 2 t sugar; fold into batter with orange peel.  Spoon batter into prepared pan; spread evenly.

Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until wooden pick inserted near center comes out clean.  Cool in pan 10 minutes.  Remove from pan.  Cool on rack.  Preapare Orange Glaze; spoon over cooled cake.  Let stand until glaze is set.

Orange Glaze:

In small bowl combine 1 cup powdered sugar and 1/2 t finely shredded orange peel.  Add 2 to 3 t orange juice to make drizzling consistency.

Related posts:

1. Cranberry-Orange Cheesecake
2. Cranberry Bread with Orange and Oats
3. Old-Fashioned Orange Layer Cake