Chocolate Cake

Chocolate Cake

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups white sugar
2/3 cup cocoa powder
2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups cooled brewed coffee (or water)
1 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoon vanilla
3 tablespoons vinegar

Pre-heat oven to 350° F. Whisk flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.  Whisk in coffee, oil, vanilla and vinegar. Pour into 2 - 9 inch round cake pans (lined with baking paper) - bake for 25 to 30 minutes; or 3 x 9 inch cake pan (lined with baking paper) - bake for 30-35 minutes; or 24 lined muffin cups - bake for 18 - 20 minutes.

Cool in refrigerator for about an hour, then apply frosting/icing.

Shiny Chocolate Icing

3/4 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon margarine
1 tablespoon cocoa
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup hot water

Mix sugar, cocoa and cornstarch in saucepan. Add hot water and bring to a boil on medium heat.  Remove from heat and add margarine and vanilla.  Cool completely before frosting.  (Double this recipe for a two layer cake).

Fruit Oatmeal Crisp

Blueberry and strawberry oatmeal crisp

An oatmeal crisp recipe that works well with a variety of fruit. 

1 cup brown sugar
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup flour
1/2 cup melted margarine or butter
2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/3-1/2 cup white sugar
3 cups of fruit of your choice including: apples, blueberries, strawberries etc. 

(if fruit is frozen, drain juice, add a small amount of cornstarch and/or flour to thicken)

Combine brown sugar, oats, flour and melted margarine or butter into a crumble. Place half of crumble mixture into a buttered pan. Spread the fruit evenly over crumb mixture.  In a separate bowl mix the cinnamon and white sugar. Sprinkle with most of the white sugar/cinnamon mixture and then top with the remaining crumb mixture. Sprinkle the remaining sugar/cinnamon mixture on the top. 

Bake at 350 F for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden brown.

Blueberry Crumble Pie

A nice twist on classic blueberry pie.

Blueberry Crumble Pie

Filling:
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
6 cups blueberries (if frozen add a bit of flour or more cornstarch to the mix to thicken the juice, if there is a lot of juice with the berries, drain before mixing in the ingredients).  You can mix up the fruit in this to whatever works for you, for example 4 cups strawberries with 2 cups sliced apple works beautifully (see image below).
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Mix and place in pie shell (see pastry recipe)

Crumble:
1/2 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup margarine
Mix into a crumble and add to the top of the filling:
Bake at 450 F for 15 minutes than reduce to 350 F for approximately 50 minutes or until done.

Strawberry Apple Crumble Pie

Cherry Pie

Cherry Pie

I'll never use a can of store-bought cherry pie filling again....

Crust: Make enough pie crust for top and bottom crusts (you can also make a lattice top crust if desired).

2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup Crisco Shortening
2 tbsp cold water
1 tbsp vinegar (mix together with the water)
1 egg

Combine flour, salt Crisco. Mix until small pea size balls form. Add liquid mixture - combine and shape into two balls. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.  Remove and roll out for crust.  Remember to grease pan or spray it with Pam so it doesn't stick.

Filling:

1 cup white sugar
4 cups red sour cherries (If using frozen cherries, thaw and drain off most of the juice - you want enough juice to dissolve everything but not so much that the pie is runny when cooked - it helps to squeeze the cherries with a wooden spoon as a lot of juice will be trapped within the cherries. If it is still runny after mixing adding in a bit of white flour and/or more cornstarch helps.)
1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp almond extract flavoring

Mix together, put in pie shell, add top.  Brush top with milk and sprinkle with sugar.
Bake 450 F for 10 minutes, then reduce to 350 F for 25 minutes. Check filling for doneness with a toothpick, may have to continue baking for up to 45 minutes depending on amount of water in the cherries.

Chocolate Applesauce Raisin Cake

Nothing says "Happy Birthday" like a chocolate cake made from scratch... 
1/2 cup Crisco shortening
1 1/4 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cocoa
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves (powder)
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 1/2 cup of applesauce
1/2 cup water
1 cup raisins (or a bit more if you like)

Cream shortening, add suger and eggs. Beat well.  Sift flour and spices together.  Add alternately with apple sauce and water, beating well after each addition. Stir in raisins. Put into 13x9 inch pan and bake at 325 F for 50 minutes.