Karma's Lemon Jello Cake

There are no words for me to adequately describe how much I love this cake. I got the recipe from the lovely Karma Bennett. Well, I guess I got it from Kace, but she got it from Karma for me. I don't even think you have to be obsessed with lemon like Tyrel and I are these days...this cake is just so good. And it's easy. Seriously, make this.

Lemon Jello Cake
1 pkg. yellow cake mix
1 pkg. lemon jello (small pkg.)
3/4 cup oil
3/4 cup water
4 eggs
1/2 tsp. lemon extract

Put all ingredients in a bowl and beat with a mixer for 5 minutes. Bake in a greased 9x13 pan for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. While hot, puncture cake with toothpick. Let it cool for five minutes and then pour the glaze evenly over cake.

Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
3 tbsp. melted butter
juice of one lemon
It is thin but it soaks deliciously into cake.


I almost ate the entire cake by myself last time I made it. So good.

Smore's cupcakes

Smore's cupcakes

Yield: 24 cupcakes

Ingredients:

For the graham cracker crust:

1½ cups graham cracker crumbs

¼ cup sugar

5 1/3 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

For the cake:

2 cups plus 2 tbsp. sugar

1¾ cups all-purpose flour

¾ cup plus 1 tbsp. cocoa powder

1½ tsp. baking powder

1½ tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

2 large eggs

1 cup whole milk

½ cup vegetable oil

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup boiling water

For the frosting:

8 large egg whites, at room temperature

2 cups sugar

½ tsp. cream of tartar

2 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line two cupcake pans with paper liners. In a small mixing bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter; mix well with a fork. Drop about 1 tablespoon of the graham cracker mixture in the bottom of each cupcake liner and press down to line the bottom. (Note: I found the bottom of my squeeze bottle to be the perfect size to do this job neatly and quickly.) Divide chopped chocolate on top of the graham cracker crusts evenly. Bake for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven, and maintain the oven temperature.

To make the cake batter, sift together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on low speed just to combine. In a mixing bowl, combine the eggs, milk, vegetable oil and vanilla extract; whisk together. Add to the dry ingredients and mix on low speed for 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add the boiling water and stir just to combine (batter will be thin).

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cupcake liners, filling each about ¾ of the way full. Return the pans to the oven and bake about 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, rotating the pans halfway through baking. Allow to cool in the pans 5-10 minutes, then remove and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the frosting, combine the egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar in the top of a double boiler. (Note: I just set my clean, dry mixer bowl over simmering water, to avoid dirtying two bowls.) Heat the mixture, whisking frequently, until it reaches 160° F with an instant-read thermometer. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk starting at low speed and gradually increasing to medium-high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form. Mix in the vanilla until combined. Frost cooled cupcakes as desired. Brown with a kitchen torch and garnish with chocolate and graham cracker segments.

Coffee Cake

This one is always a crowd pleaser and it's super simple; all of the ingredients are normal things that you'd usually have on hand. It's delicious for breakfast, dessert, snack or whenever.

Cake:
3 C flour
4 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 C sugar
1 C shortening or butter, melted
1 1/2 C milk
2 eggs

Topping:
1 C brown sugar
1 Tbs butter, melted
1 tsp cinnamon
2 Tbs flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix the dry cake ingredients together. Then add the wet cake ingredients and mix well (by hand or with a mixer) until there are no chunks. Pour mixture into a greased pan (either cookie sheet or 9x13 cake pan). Set aside.
Mix the topping ingredients together well and then sprinkle evenly over the entire cake batter. Bake the cake until the center doesn't jiggle/toothpick comes out clean (about 20 minutes for a sheet cake or 30 for a 9x13 pan). Eat it warm or cooled off with a nice glass of milk :)