Lazy Summer Lemon Blues Cake

This one is a bit time consuming but worth every minute!

1 Duncan Hines Lemon cake mix

4 eggs

3/4 cup half & half

1 stick melted butter

2/3 cup sour cream

1 4oz box instant lemon pudding

2 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

Combine cake mix and dry pudding mix add eggs and beat til smooth

add half & half, butter,sour cream and mix well, batter will be very thick.

Gently fold in blueberries.

Pour into two round cake pans.  Bake at 350 degrees  for  40 – 50 min.

Cool in pans,  wrap in plastic and place in freezer til ready to frost.

 

SUMMERTIME LEMON CURD

2t Lemon Zest

2/3 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice

1cup granulated sugar

4T softened butter

2 whole eggs and 4 egg yolks

Use a double boiler.

Whisk together eggs and yolks, sugar and lemon juice.

Put butter in but do not stir

place on top of double boiler and let butter melt, stirring occasionally.

Once butter is melted stir continously about 15 min. until thickened.

Remove from heat and gently stir in lemon zest. Refrigerate at least

3 hours before using.

 

SUNNY LEMON BUTTERCREAM

1 cup softened butter

1/2 cup lemon zest

1/4 c fresh squeezed lemon juice

5 c powdered sugar

1/2 t vanilla extract

2T sweetened condensed milk

3T french vanilla coffee creamer (liquid)

 

put all ingredients in medium bowl and beat til smooth

Pipe some frosting around the top rim of the first layer so you have a type of barrier that will keep the lemon filling from oozing out the sides of the cake. (See above pic.)

Fill the middle with the Summertime Lemon Curd and place the top cake layer in place.

Carefully frost the sides and top with the Sunny Lemon Buttercream and garnish with a few blueberries.  Keep leftovers in refrigerator (if you have any!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Secret Tips for Better Cakes

1: Look at the directions on the cake mix.
2: Add one more egg (or add 2 if you want it to be very rich).
3: Use melted butter instead of oil and double the amount.
4: Instead of water, use whole milk.
5: Mix well and bake for the time recommended on the box.

Do not under bake or over bake. the toothpick test works best.

 

Granny Wendys Sugar Cookies

These are the big, soft, and puffy cookies you remember…………yum!!!

2C Sugar

1C shortening

2 eggs

1T vanilla

2t baking powder

1t baking soda

41/2 c all purpose flour

1 C buttermilk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Combine dry ingredients and set aside.

Cream shortening and sugar til smooth.  Add eggs and beat with mixer. add vanilla.  Add four mixture (dry ingredients) a cup at at time, alternating with buttermilk until both dry and liquid are mixed. Dough will be slightly sticky.  Refrigerate dough for several hours, and then either roll out and cut or roll into balls. I roll into balls and coat balls with sugar, place on greased cookie sheet and flatten slightly.  Bake at 375 for 15 min ( length of time depends on size of cookie the smaller the cookie the less time needed).

My Cherry Cheesecake “Secret recipe”

This “secret” recipe is so easy, you won’t believe how good it is.  You can use a store bought graham cracker crust or use my recipe.

1 graham cracker crust.  if you are making mine, its easy.  about 2 cups graham cracker crumbs.  1tsp. cinamon. (or just crush cinnamon graham crackers) 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/2 stick real butter melted and 1/2 cup chopped pecans.  mix and press into pie pan. bake for 10 min in 375 degree oven. crust must be completely cooled before filling.

1 8oz pkg cream cheese, softened * 1 box french vanilla ( or cheesecake flavor)  instant pudding mix, 1 cup milk, 1 8 oz container french vanilla cool whip, 1 can your favorite cherry pie filling.

Whip softened  cream cheese til smooth and creamy.  Reduce speed of mixer to low adding milk slowly, alternating with dry pudding mix til both are added.  Continue beating til thick and creamy.  ( another minute or two)  now fold in 1/2 container french vanilla cool whip.  Once blended, pour into graham cracker crust.  The pudding mixture will be thick.  Refrigerate for at least an hour.  Just before serving,  top with the rest of the cool whip, then spoon the can of cherry pie filling evenly over the top.

Another option,  just after removing from refrigerator,   cut the cheesecake  into individual pieces, and place each  on a dessert plate.  Remember to top with cool whip and  spoon pie filling over each piece for a more formal affect.

Strawberry Trifle

                                          OH yeah!!!!! This is as yummy as it looks!! Easy too!

I use the cheese cake filling  recipe from the cherry cheesecake.   Use your favorite cake pieces, such as Angel food cake, white cake, yellow cake, or pound cake, cut into small pieces.   Now spoon a few tablespoons of the cheesecake  filling mixture into a tall glass or dessert cup.  Next,  a few cake pieces,( how many depends  on the size of the pieces)  then fresh strawberries, sliced or quartered.  Cover this with several tablespoons of Wicks strawberry pie filling and glaze.  I only use Wicks, you can use whatever brand you prefer.  Now start the layers again with the cheesecake filling mixture,   cake pieces, strawberries, glaze, and cool whip.  Continuing until cup is filled.  You can do this in a small trifle bowl. I prefer the individual servings, as shown in the pic above.

Pineapple Upsidedown Cake

                                                                                                                                           Deeelish!!!!!

1 yellow cake mix, 1 can crushed pineapple in own juice, 1 1/2 cups brown sugar, 2/3 stick real butter,1 cup pecan pieces, 1/2 cup butterscotch chips

preheat oven to 350 degrees

in a round 9″ springform cake pan,  combine the pecans and brown sugar.  spread brown sugar mixture evenly then cut the butter into evenly sized slices, maybe 8 or 10.  place the butter slices evenly around the brown sugar.  (so as it melts it will combine with the brown sugar and not leave any dry.) at this , while oven is preheating, place pan in oven to melt the butter. about 3-5 min.  remove from oven. Do not stir or mix just let it sit.  Drain juice from can of pineapple, reserve juice.  Evenly spread crushed pineapple over brown sugar mixture.  Now prepare cake batter according to box directions, substituting the pineapple juice for the water.  Pour cake batter over pineapple and  brown sugar.  Bake in oven for about 45-50 min.  start checking to see if done, at about 40 min.  When center is done, remove from oven and cool.  Do not try to remove the springform pan until cool.   Give it about 1/2 an hour.