I’ll be adding the picture later when DH fixes the camera dock.

I just made this delish lemon curd. I never made it before and am kicking myself now. This is so easy to make and great to add over freshly baked scones or a bunt cake. I made a yogurt bunt cake. I had some leftover yogurt that needed to be used up. I will be drizzling this over the cake when it comes out of the oven. YUM!

Easy Lemon Curd

1 cup of lemon juice (I squeezed a bag of lemons but you can use bottled if need be)

1 1/2 cups of sugar

4 large eggs

1 T of lemon zest (If you use lemons… just grate some of the skin,that is zest is.)

1 stick of butter

Heat all the ingredients in a saucepan, except the butter. After it is all warm, throw the butter in and melt it. Keep whisking over a medium heat until thickens. About 7-10 minutes. After it is slightly cooled,strain it. This removes the lemon zest and makes it smooth. I have a friend that adds a pinch of corn starch to make it extra thick. She spreads it on toast. It is optional.

Tea  Sponge Cake with  Honey Tea Glaze

3 tea bags
1/4 cup plus 2 teaspoons boiling water
3/4 cup flour
4 eggs, separated
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, in all
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Pinch of salt
4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) melted butter
1/2 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup whipped cream
1 mint sprig
Powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the boiling water with the 3 tea bags and let steep for 20 minutes. Strain, reserve and let cool. Butter and flour OR Pam spray a 9-inch cake pan.

In a mixing bowl combine the egg yolks and 3/4 cup sugar and whisk until thick and pale in color. Stir in 1 1/2 teaspoon of the tea concentrate, and the vanilla.

Beat the egg whites and salt with an electric mixer until they form soft peaks. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar and continue beating for 20- 30 seconds. Incorporate 1/3 of the egg whites into the egg mixture. Then add 1/4 of the flour mixture, fold it in. Repeat the process, folding in the whites and flour until the last batch of flour is incorporated.
 Then fold in the melted butter. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and bake for 30 minutes. Allow the cake to cool slightly before removing.

 Glaze:

In a small sauce pan, combine the honey, cinnamon, and 1/4 cup of the tea concentrate. Slowly begin heating this mixture to completely mix, stirring frequently.  Using a pastry brush, baste the entire surface of the cake . Use all of the glaze. Allow to sit 20 minutes. Add a  dollop of whipped cream, a mint sprig, and powdered sugar to taste!

A bit time consuming but worth it!

1 box yellow cake mix
2 boxes (3 1/8 ounce) JellO vanilla pudding mix

Chocolate Frosting
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
3 tablespoons cocoa
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 dash salt

Make cake according to directions on box. Let cool. Make pudding according to directions on box. Let cool until set.

Place one cake layer on cake plate. Top with pudding. Cover with another cake layer and top with chocolate frosting. Decorate top with chocolate chips or sprinkles or whatever you have on hand.

For Frosting: Mix dry ingredients together. Add water. Cook over medium heat until mixture thickens. Remove from heat and add butter and vanilla. Add more water if needed to make frosting thin enough to pour over cake. Chill cake several hours before serving.

When pressed for time you can just use store bought frosting. This is super rich and moist!

3/8 cup semisweet chocolate chips  {Melt them in the microwave for 20-30 seconds}
8 ounces  cream cheese  {soften it in the microwave too}
1/2 cup Splenda
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg

Preheat oven to 325 degrees 

Spray mini loaf pan.

Mix together the cream cheese and the chocolate chips. Beat well. Add Splenda and vanilla. Add egg.

Pour batter into the loaf pan. Place the loaf pan in a larger square pan and fill the larger pan with enough water to come halfway up the side of the mini pan. This is called a water bath.

Bake at 325 for 30 minutes. Remove from water bath and let cool to room temperature. Refrigerate until cold.

 Banana Cream Cheese Cake

8 oz pkg cream cheese, softened

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup margarine

2 mashed bananas

2 eggs

2-1/4 cup flour

1-1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 cup chopped nuts

Combine softened cream cheese, sugar and margarine, mixing until well blended. Blend in bananas and eggs. Add combined dry ingredients, mixing just until moistened. Pour into greased and floured 11×13 pyrex pan. Bake at 350 F for 35 min. I frost the top turning this into a sweet cake and sprinkle nuts on top of it for a nice twist to the traditional banana bread.
This is one of my husbands favorite snacks.If you use self rising flour, you can omit the baking soda and powder.

1. Purchase one German Chocolate Cake Mix and prepare according to package directions.
2. Pour into a 9×13-inch baking pan and bake for 10 minutes.
3. Remove cake from oven, sprinkle with 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, and return to oven for 20 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
4. While cake is still hot, poke holes in the cake.
5. Evenly pour 1 can sweetened condensed milk over the cake.
6. Allow cake to cool.
7. Spread 1 jar of Mrs Richardson’s Butterscotch caramel topping over the cake (microwave for easier pouring).
8. Spread 1 (8-ounce) carton Cool Whip (thawed) over the cake.
9. Top with chunks of Snicker bars or crushed Heath bars or Skor Bars.

Even better then homemade!!

Easy Chocolate Cake   

2 cups flour  {All purpose is fine but if you use self rising then omit the baking soda}
1 cup sugar
6 tablespoon cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda

Add:
1 cup water
1 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine and pour into a greased 9 x 13 baking pan

Bake at 350ºF about 40 minutes  or until done.

This is so easy to whip us on a moments notice and super moist. No, you can not taste the mayo.

Serious Coffee Cake
2 C flour
2 1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
1 stick butter, melted
1/2 C sugar
1/2 t vanilla
3 eggs
1 C sour cream

Crumble Topping
1/2 C.packed brown sugar
2 T butter cut into small pieces
2 T flour
1 T cinnamon
Cut butter into ingredients until coarse.

Icing
1 1/2 C sifted confectioners sugar
2 T milk
1/2 t vanilla
Stir together until smooth.

Spray 9-in baking pan {square or circle pan is fine}or place non stick tin foil in baking dish. Preheat to 375. In large mixing bowl, sift together flour, salt, and baking powder. Beat butter and sugar, by hand, until smooth. Mix remaining ingiedients into butter, then pour all at one time into dry mix and stir until well mixed. Pour into dish and sprinkle evenly with Crumble Topping. Lightly swirl knife through mixture. Bake 30 min. or until cake pulls away from side of pan. Let cool 15-30 min. before drizzling with icing.

A family favorite. Nice and moist!

Pumpkin Chocolate Cheesecake
Crust
4 tbsp unsalted butter
2 oz bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
¼ cup sugar
1 large egg, lightly beaten
¼ cup all purpose flour
½ tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
¼ cup finely chopped walnuts (optional)
Cheesecake
4 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 ½ lbs cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
4 large eggs, at room temp.
1 ½ tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 cups canned pumpkin puree (1 lb)
½ tsp cinnamon

Make the crust: Preheat oven to 325. Lightly butter 9 inch springform pan. In a medium saucepan, melt butter with the chopped chocolate over low heat, stirring constantly. Remove the melted chocolate mixture from the heat and let it cool slightly, then stir in the sugar and the lightly beaten egg until blended.

In a small bowl, whisk the flour with the baking powder and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the melted chocolate mixture. Stir the chopped walnuts into the brownie batter. Spread the batter in the prepared springform pan and smooth the surface with a spatula. Bake for 10 minutes, or until risen and dry to the touch. Let it cool completely. Wrap the outside of the pan in a large sheet of foil. Leave the oven on.

Make the cheesecake: In a medium glass bowl, melt the chopped chocolate in a microwave oven on high for 1 minute, stirring halfway through. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well between additions. Beat in the cornstarch and vanilla. Add 1 cup of the cheesecake batter to the melted chocolate and stir until well blended. Beat the pumpkin puree and the cinnamon into the remaining cheesecake batter.

Pour three-fourths of the pumpkin cheesecake batter over the brownie crust. Pour the chocolate batter on top of the pumpkin cheesecake batter. If the chocolate batter is too thick to pour easily, heat it in the microwave on high for 10 seconds. Spoon the remaining pumpkin cheesecake batter on top of the chocolate batter. Use a table knife to make a few decorative swirls: Do not over swirl.

Set the springform pan in a medium roasting pan. Add enough hot water to the roasting pan to reach halfway up the side of the springform pan. Bake the pumpkin cheesecake in the hot water bath in the center of the oven for 1 ½ hours or until it is firm around the edges but slightly jiggly in the center. Turn the oven off, prop the door several inches open and let the cheesecake stand in the water bath in the warm oven for 1 hour or until it is completely set.
Remove the marbled pumpkin cheesecake from the water bath and refrigerate it until thoroughly chilled, at least 4 hours or over night.
Remove the foil and springform ring from the cheesecake. Carefully transfer the cheesecake to a platter, cut into wedges and serve.

This is a bit more time consuming but well worth it in the end. I made it around the Holidays.