White Texas Sheet Cake

As the mother of a child who HATES chocolate, I'm always on the look out for desserts

 that do not include chocolate. I've made Texas sheet cakes (aka Coke cake) for 

years and years but until recently had never made a white Texas sheet cake. 

I have no idea why I waited so long to make this but gosh- it is GOOD! 

Cake:

• 2 cups flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup water
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon almond extract

Frosting:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/4 cup milk
• 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar 
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 cup walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13 pan. In a large bowl, whisk the first five ingredients. In a small saucepan, combine butter and water and bring just to a boil- string constantly. Stir into flour mixture. In a small bowl, whisk eggs, sour cream and extract until blended; add to flour mixture, whisking constantly. Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake until golden brown (do NOT overbake) and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about18-20 minutes. Cool before frosting. For frosting, combine butter and milk in a large saucepan and bring just to a boil- stirring constantly. Remove from heat; gradually stir in confectioners' sugar and extract. Stir in walnuts. Spread over warm cake.

Mary Beth's Apple Cake

My sweet friend Mary Beth recently had a birthday. Back during the summer she shared her favorite cake recipe with me and so I made it for her on her birthday. And oh my goodness- it was AWESOME! A super moist cake that does NOT need icing of any kind. It's the perfect for the fall and would also be fabulous for breakfast!

Mix well:

1½ c wesson oil

2 c sugar

2 eggs

In separate bowl, mix together:

3 c flour

1 t salt

1½ t soda

1 t cinnamon

Add to wet mixture and mix thoroughly.

Add:

3 c fresh chopped apples (Golden delicious)

1 c chopped nuts (pecans)

2 t vanilla

Bake 1¼ hrs at 325 degrees in a floured 9 x 13 pan.

Here is what Mary Beth had to say about the recipe:

This recipe was given to my Mom by two sisters in Searcy, Arkansas in the 1950's. They had it handed down to them from their mother who received it from her mother. So it is very old. It's my favorite birthday cake and does not require icing. It gets more moist by the day.

Margarita Cake

I tried this recipe for a Mexican fiesta at school this week and it was GREAT! A wonderful, light dessert to eat at the end of a heavy Mexican food meal! The pretzel crust was wonderful to balance out the sweetness of the cake.

1 1/2 cups coarsely crushed pretzels
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
1box white cake mix
1 1/4 cups bottled nonalcoholic margarita mix (at Kroger on the wine aisle)
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon grated lime peel
3egg whites
1 container (8 oz) Cool Whip

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray bottom of 13x9-inch pan. In medium bowl, mix pretzels, sugar and butter. Sprinkle evenly on bottom of pan; press down gently. In large bowl, beat cake mix, margarita mix, oil, 1 tablespoon lime peel and the egg whites with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour batter over pretzel mixture. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until light golden brown and top springs back when touched lightly in center. Cool completely, about 2 hours. Frost with whipped topping; sprinkle with additional lime peel. Store covered in refrigerator.

Swirled Cherry Cake

I made this for our pink breast cancer awareness day this past week (I added food coloring to make the whole cake pink) and judging by the empty pan, I think it was a hit. This is an easy way to jazz up a cake mix and make it into something a little more special.

(18 1/4 ounce) box white cake mix

3 large eggs

1 cup water

¼ cup oil

½ cup sour cream

1 (23 ounce) can cherry pie filling

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray bottom and sides of a 9 x 13 cake pan with Pam. In a large bowl, mix cake mix, eggs, water and oil with a mixer until well blended. Pour batter into prepared cake pan. Smooth evenly in pan. Drop spoonfuls of the pie filling on top of the cake batter. With a knife, swirl the cherry pie filling into the cake batter. Try not to touch the bottom of the cake pan with the knife. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until cake is golden brown on top and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool for 10 minutes. May be served warm or cooled. May be served with ice cream or whipped topping or frosting.

Starbucks Copycat Coffee Cake

Although I have never eaten any coffee cake (or anything else for that matter) at Starbucks, I have heard others rave about it so when I saw this recipe I decided to give it a shot. It's an easy coffee cake that I whipped up the other morning and took to work for our faculty to enjoy. Judging by the empty pans and requests for the recipe, I would say it's definitely a hit and something I'll be making again soon.

1 box yellow cake mix (plus ingredients on back of box)

1 cup sour cream

1 cup butter or margarine

2 1/4 cups flour

1 1/2 T cinnamon

1 ¾ cups sugar

1 1/2 T vanilla

Powdered sugar (for dusting)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare cake mix in large bowl according to directions on box adding in 1 cup sour cream. Spray 9 x 13 pan with cooking spray. Pour batter into pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until center is just barely set. While cakes are baking, prepare crumb topping. In large bowl of electric mixer combine, butter, flour, cinnamon, sugar, and vanilla until all crumbly. Immediately after cake is removed from oven, break crumb topping into marble size pieces with fingers, sprinkling over top. Put back in oven and bake an additional 10-15 minutes. Let cool fully then dust with powdered sugar. Cut into squares and serve warm.

Butter Bundt Cake

This cake is similar to a glazed cake donut. It is similar to a pound cake, very butter but super yummy!

Cake:
18 ounces Duncan Hines butter cake mix
1 box instant vanilla pudding, small box
1 cup water
1/2 cup butter
4 large eggs
1 t vanilla extract

Glaze:
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup butter (Melted)
1 t vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray bunt pan with cooking spray & lightly flour pan. Mix all the cake ingredients (cake mix, pudding, water, butter, vanilla extract, and eggs) and beat for about 4 minutes. Pour cake batter into pan and bake cake per time on box approximately 33-43 minutes . After removing the cake from the oven, poke holes in the bottom of the cake all over using a fork or ice pick. Let cool about 1/2 hour. Mix all sugar glaze ingredients together (sugar, water, butter, vanilla extract). Pour sugar mixture all over the bottom and down sides of cake. Leave about 1/2 the sugar mixture in the bowl for the top of cake after flipping.Cover with paper towel. Let cake cool about and hour and then flip cake onto cake plate. Pour the remaining sugar mixture on top of the cake. Use a spatula to make sure top and sides are covered with the glaze. Let sit for another hour to set up and serve.

Ho Ho Cake

This cake is like a giant Ho Ho or Ding Dong! I made it for a school luncheon today and am hoping it's a big hit- I'll let you know!

Edited to add: This was a HUGE hit! It was so good that in fact, a teacher actually licked the plate clean! Now that is the sign of a good cake! :)

1 box chocolate fudge cake mix
1 can dark chocolate or fudge chocolate icing
1/2 cup sugar
2/3 cup shortening (do NOT substitute butter)
1 t vanilla
1/3 cup milk
1/4 t salt
1 t water
1 cup powdered sugar


Prepare cake as directed on package for two round pans. When cool, "slice" through cakes to make 4 "thin" cakes. (I use a large serrated knife for this and it works perfectly!) Beat sugar, shortening, vanilla, milk, salt and water for 7 minutes. (It's a long time so go and do something else while it's mixing) Add powdered sugar and beat for 5 minutes longer. Lay one layer of cake on cake plate. Spread cream filling on top only, be sure not to go all the way to the edge. Lay another layer of cake on top. Repeat process until you have all four layers on. Microwave icing for about 30 seconds or until it is pourable. Pour slowly over the cake until completely covered.

Raspberry Ripple Crescent Coffee Cake

This is a wonderful and yet easy coffee cake. I made it for our fabulous secretaries today for their breakfast and it was a huge hit! If you don't like raspberry, simply substitute your favorite kind of preserves.

3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
3/4 cup ground almonds
1/4 cup flour
8 oz. can Pillsbury quick crescent dinner rolls
8 t raspberry preserves
1/4 cup sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9 inch round cake pan or 9 inch pie pan. In small bowl, beat sugar, butter and eggs until smooth. Stir in ground almonds, flour. Add to sugar mixture. Set aside. Separate dough into 8 triangles. Spread 1 t of the preserves on each triangle. Roll up, starting at shortest side of triangle rolling to the opposite point. Place rolls in prepared pan in two circles, arranging 5 rolls around outside edge and 3 in center. Pour and carefully spread almond mixture evenly over rolls; sprinkle with almonds. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until deep golden brown and knife inserted in center comes out clean. In small bowl blend a glaze of 1/3 cup powdered sugar and 1/2 teaspoon milk. Drizzle over warm coffee cake.

Fabulous Chocolate Fudge Cake

This is a fabulous chocolate cake- that is perfect for a birthday cake. It's more like fudge than a cake- perfect for true chocolate lovers.



Cake:
1 cup butter, softened
1 ½ cups brown sugar
3 eggs
1 ½ cups buttermilk
2 t vanilla
1 t instant coffee granules
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup cocoa powder, sifted
1 ½ t baking soda
¾ t salt

Frosting:
1 cup softened butter
1/3 cup whipping cream
1 t vanilla
1 cup cocoa
4 cups powdered sugar


CAKE: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line bottoms of two buttered 9-inch round cake pans with waxed paper. In a large bowl, beat butter and brown sugar, until light and fluffy (about 5 minutes). Add in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla and coffee granules. Sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in a bowl. Add the flour mixture into the creamed mixture, alternating with the buttermilk, in three additions, scraping down the sides of bowl each time. Divide batter between prepared pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until cake tests done. Turn onto a rack and remove paper. Cool and frost.


FROSTING: Beat butter until creamy in large mixing bowl. Blend in cream and vanilla; beat until very smooth. Add the cocoa and powdered sugar. Beat on high for 45 seconds. Frost cake.

Perfect Party Cake

This is an amazing and easy white cake- perfect for a birthday party cake!

2 ¼ cup flour
1 T baking powder
½ t salt
1 ¼ cups whole milk or buttermilk
4 large egg whites
1 ½ cups sugar
2 t grated lemon zest
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ t pure lemon extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two round cake pans with wax paper and spray with cooking spray. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk together the milk and egg whites in a medium bowl. Put the sugar and lemon zest in a mixer bowl or another large bowl and rub them together with your fingers until the sugar is moist and fragrant. Add the butter, and working with the paddle or whist attachment, or with a hand mixer, beat at medium sped for a full 3 minutes, until the butter and sugar are very light. Beat in the extract, then add one third of the flour mixture, still beating on medium speed. Beat in half of the milk egg mixture, then beat in half of the remaining dry ingredients until incorporated. Add the rest of the milk and eggs, beating until the batter is well mixed, then add the last of the dry ingredients. Finally mix the batter for 2 minutes to ensure it is well mixed. Divide between the two pans and smooth the tops with a rubber spatula. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the cakes are well risen and springy to the touch. Cook for 5 minutes, invert on plates and cool completely. Frost with butter cream or 7 minute frosting.

Baylor Cake

This is one of Madison's favorite cakes. She even gave it the name because of it's fabulous yellow and green color! I made it for St. Patrick's day and realized then that I hadn't ever posted the recipe. Sic 'em Bears! :)



1 box lemon cake mix
1 (3 ounce) package lime jello
¾ cup water
½ cup water
1 envelope Dream Whip
1 (4 serving size) lemon instant pudding mix
1 ½ cups cold milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In small saucepan dissolve jello in boiling water. Add 1/2 cup cold water. Set aside, at room temperature. Mix and bake cake as directed on cake mix using a 9 x 13 inch pan. Cool cake for 20 - 25 minutes. Poke deep holes through top of warm cake (while still in pan) with meat fork or regular fork- spacing holes about 1/2 inch apart. Slowly pour or spoon jello over cake, making sure it goes into the holes. Refrigerate while preparing the topping.
In a chilled, deep bowl, blend and whip Dream Whip and pudding mix until stiff (3 - 8 minutes). Immediately frost cake. Refrigerate cake -- store in refrigerator.



TIP OF THE DAY: You can alter this recipe using any flavor cake mix and jello that you like.



Tomorrow's Daily Special: Watergate Salad

Peanut Marbled Chocolate Cake

Cake:
1 box yellow cake mix- reserve 1 cup
¾ cup water
1 cup fudge ice cream topping
2 eggs

Filling:
1 cup dry cake mix
½ cup peanut butter
1/3 cup water
¼ cup butter, softened
1 egg

Glaze:
1 box powdered sugar
2 T cocoa
2 T peanut butter
2-3 T milk
½ t vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9 x 13 inch pan with cooking spray. Reserve 1 cup cake mix. In large bowl blend cake mix, water, topping and eggs. Beat 2 minutes on high. Pour 2 ½ cups batter in pan. In small pan combine filling ingredients and blend until smooth. Spoon over cake batter in pan. Cover with remaining batter. Marble by cutting thru 2 or 3 times in each direction with butter knife. Bake 60-70 minutes. Cool for 45 minutes. Mix all glaze ingredients together in mixing bowl until well blended. Frost cake.



Tomorrow's Daily Special: Baylor Cake :)

Jello Cake

Cake:
1 box strawberry jell
1 box yellow cake mix
4 whole eggs
½ cup oil
½ cup water
½ cup strawberries, mashed

Icing:
½ cup butter or margarine, melted
1 box powdered sugar
Strawberries, mashed with juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9 x 13 pan with cooking spray. Mix all cake ingredients together- adding eggs one at a time- till well combined.

In large bowl mix together melted butter and powdered sugar. Add in strawberries with juice in small amounts until icing is of spreading consistency. Be sure to add only a little at a time or it will be too thin. Pour over cake. Cool and serve.

Tomorrow’s Daily Special: Oven Fried Vegetables

Celebration Cake

This is one of my favorite Weight Watcher dessert recipes. It's a light and yummy cake- perfect for spring!

Cake:
1 box yellow cake mix (I buy the Pillsbury low sugar kind but a regular one will work)
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
3 eggs or the equivalent amount of egg beaters
1 (11 ounce) can mandarin oranges in juice

Frosting:
1 (8 ounce) container Fat Free Cool Whip
1 small box sugar free vanilla instant pudding mix
1 (15.5 ounce) can crushed pineapple in juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together all cake ingredients till well combined. Spray a 9 x 13 inch pan with cooking spray. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 30-40 minutes. Cool completely. In large bowl mix all frosting ingredients together. Spread icing on cooled cake and refrigerate.

TIP OF THE DAY: For recipes that call for unsweetened applesauce, instead of buying a jar- that will take up space in the fridge and go bad before I can use it all, I buy the little serving sized tubs of unsweetened applesauce and store them in the pantry.

Tomorrow's Daily Special: Double Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Cherries n' Cake

1 cup sugar
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 t salt
2 t baking powder
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1 cup milk
1 t vanilla or almond extract
4 cups drained cherries, juice reserved
1 cup sugar
2 cups hot cherry juice and water


Combine 1 cup sugar, flour, salt, and baking powder in large mixing bowl; add shortening , milk and vanilla extract. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Pour into greased 9 x 13 pan. Cover batter with drained cherries; sprinkle 1 cup sugar over cherries, then pour 2 cups hot liquid over cherries. Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for about 40 minutes (350 degrees if using a glass pan), covering with foil the last 15 minutes. Serve warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.



Tomorrow's Daily Special: Celebration Cake (a WW cake that is YUMMY!)

Sour Cream Lemon Loaf Cake

Cake:
2 ½ cups flour
1 ½ t baking powder
½ t soda
½ t salt
8 ounces sour cream
1 t vanilla
1 ¼ cup sugar
½ cup butter, softened
1 T lemon peel
2 large eggs

Syrup:
1/3 cup sugar
¼ cup fresh lemon juice

Grease and flour a 9 x 5 loaf pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In small bowl combine flour, soda, baking powder and soda. In small bowl with whisk mix sour cream and vanilla. In large bowl- at low speed- beat sugar, butter, and lemon peel till smooth. Increase speed to high and beat till creamy. Reduce to low and add eggs, one at a time. Scrape bowl, add flour alternating with sour cream- starting and ending with dry mixture. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 50-55 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes and remove from pan. Mix together syrup, poke holes in top and brush top and sides with syrup.


Tomorrow's Daily Special: Green Bean Salad

Magnolia Cake

4 cups sugar
1 ½ cups vegetable oil
6 eggs
2 t vanilla
4 cups flour
4 t baking powder
¼ t salt
2 cups buttermilk


Preheat oven to 325. Grease and flour 3 round cake pans. Cream together sugar and oil till well mixed. Add eggs one at a time till well mixed. Mix in vanilla. In large bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt. Add to creamed mixture alternating with milk. Pour into prepared cake pans and bake for 40-45 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 minutes and then remove to wire racks to cool completely. Frost with your favorite frosting- I usually use buttercream or cream cheese frosting but anything will work.



Tomorrow's Daily Special: Highland Flings

Nicole’s Cake

Cake:
1 Duncan Hines lemon cake mix
1 box apricot Jell-O
1 can apricot nectar
4 eggs
2/3 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup water

Glaze:
½ stick butter
1 ½ cup powdered sugar
Apricot nectar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together all cake ingredients until well mixed. Spray 9 x 13 pan with cooking spray. Pour cake mixture into prepared pan and bake for 25-35 minutes.

In mixing bowl mix together butter and powdered sugar and enough apricot nectar to make a glaze. Poke holes in warm cake and pour glaze over top of cake.



Tomorrow's Daily Special: The Black-Eyed Pea’s Baked Squash

Applesauce Cake

2 cups applesauce
2 cups sugar
½ cup butter
1 t cinnamon
1 t cloves
½ t nutmeg
1 t salt
1 egg
2 ½ cups flour
1 cup raisins
1 cup pecans
2 t soda dissolved in a little hot water

In saucepan mix together applesauce, sugar, and butter till almost boiling. Remove from heat and pour into large mixing bowl. Add in all other ingredients until well mixed. Spray tube pan with cooking spray. Bake for one hour.



Tomorrow's Daily Special: Nicole’s Cake

Italian Chocolate Cake

This is a great, easy chocolate cake that tastes like you spent a long time making it! Very rich and yummy!

1 (18 ¼ ounce) box devil’s food cake mix
1 1/3 cups water (or the amount called for on the cake mix box)
½ cup vegetable oil (or the amount called for on the cake mix box)
3 large eggs (or the amount called for on the cake mix box)
2 lbs ricotta cheese
2 t sugar
1 (3 ½ ounce) package chocolate instant pudding mix
1 cup milk
1 (8 ounce) container Cool Whip

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13 inch pan with cooking spray and pour in dry cake mix. In large bowl, mix together ricotta cheese, eggs, vanilla, and sugar until smooth. Pour evenly over chocolate cake mix. Bake for 1 hour. Cool cake completely in pan. In large bowl blend together pudding and milk until thick and then fold in Cool Whip. Spread on top of cake and chill before serving.


Tomorrow's Daily Special: Ham and Noodle Casserole