Red Velvet Cupcakes

It's Valentine's Day this Sunday, and what better way to celebrate than with Red Velvet cupcakes.  Being a southern girl, red velvet has been a favorite of mine for a while.  And since we're watching the Opening Cermonies and the colors of Canada are Red and White, we're celebrating two ways.  These are very fattening yummy.  :)

Red Velvet Filled Cupcakes

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups cake flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3.9 oz. chocolate instant pudding mix
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
1 oz. red food coloring
2 tsp. vanilla extract

Frosting:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup whipped topping

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
2. Mix flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt, and pudding mix in medium bowl. 
3. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl until creamy and fluffy.  Beat in eggs.  Mix in sour cream, milk, food coloring, and vanilla extract. 
4. Gradually beat in flour mixture, 1 cup at a time, on low speed only until blended.  Do NOT overbeat! 
5. Spoon batter into muffin tin/cups (2/3 full).  Bake 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.  Remove from pan and allow to cool completely. 
6. Beat cream cheese and butter in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Gradually beat in powdered sugar. Fold in whipped topping.
7. Spoon frosting into small freezer-weight resealable plastic bag; seal bag. Cut small corner off bottom of bag. Pipe frosting onto tops of cupcake in a swirl pattern.

Chocolate Pudding Cake

I got this recipe from a friend a while ago and just this past weekend tried it out. We're not cake fans here at our house, but this we DELISH! When you eat it warm, it tastes a lot like bread pudding, but better. We had it topped with whipped cream, but I think it would be just as good topped with ice cream. YUMMY!

Chocolate Pudding Cake

Ingredients:
1 pkg. devil's food chocolate cake mix
2 cups cold milk
1-1/4 cups water
2 pkg. (3.9 oz. each) chocolate instant pudding
1/3 cup sugar

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare cake batter as directed on package. Pour into greased 13x9-inch baking dish; set aside.
2. Pour milk and water into large bowl. Add pudding mixes and sugar. Beat with whisk 2 min. or until blended. Pour over batter.
3. Place baking dish on baking sheet to catch any sauce that bubbles over sides of dish as dessert bakes. Bake 55 min. to 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in center of cake layer comes out clean. Cool 20 min. (Sauce will thicken slightly as it cools).

25 Days of Christmas Recipes - Chocolate Candy Cane Cake

I got this recipe from Kraft. It's sooooooooo delicious. I like to have candy canes in anything chocolate, especially my hot chocolate. So when I found this recipe, it just made sense.

Chocolate Candy Cane Cake

Ingredients:
1 pkg. (2-layer size) chocolate cake mix
1 pkg. (3.9 oz.) Chocolate Instant Pudding
4 eggs
1 container (8 oz.) Sour Cream
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup water
4 squares Semi-Sweet Chocolate, chopped
18 small candy canes, coarsely crushed (about 1 cup), divided
1 tub (8 oz. ) Whipped Topping, thawed


Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease 2 (9-inch) round cake pans.
2. Beat first 6 ingredients in large bowl with mixer on low speed just until moistened, stopping frequently to scrape side of bowl. Beat on medium speed 2 min. Stir in chopped chocolate and 2 Tbsp. crushed candy. Spoon into prepared pans.
3. Bake 35 to 40 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool 10 min.
4. Loosen cakes from sides of pans with spatula or knife. Invert cakes onto wire racks; carefully remove pans. Cool completely.
5. Fill and frost cake with Cool Whip. Sprinkle with remaining crushed candy just before serving. Keep refrigerated.

Key Lime Cake

I found this recipe on Betty Crocker's website and decided to try it out on the missionaries this weekend. It was a huge hit, not only for them, but also for me because it was so easy to make. I also like it because I'm not a fan of cake in general, mainly because of the frosting. But this one is awesome because the "frosting" is light and tastes GREAT! I've altered it a bit because we don't like coconut and I've not had good experiences with citrus zest in baked goods. I also used light/fat free condensed milk and fat free whipped cream. Do you think anyone noticed? Ha ha ha, nope! Now I just need to figure out how to add flaxseed... maybe not. :)

Key Lime Angel Food Cake

Ingredients:
1 box angel food cake mix
1 can (14 oz.) light sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup lime juice
1 container (12 oz.) fat free whipped cream
Sliced strawberries

Directions:
1. Prepare angel food cake according to directions on box, using angel food cake pan/tube pan. Cool cake completely after baking and remove from pan.
2. Slice cake horizontally into three layers. Place bottom layer onto serving plate.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together condensed milk and lime juice until thickened. Fold in whipped cream until combined (DO NOT beat in the whipped cream, if you do the frosting will be runny).
4. Spread 3/4 cup lime mixture on bottom layer of cake. Place second layer on top and spread with 3/4 cup lime mixture. Place top layer on. Spread remaining lime mixture on top and sides of the cake. Place sliced strawberries on top of cake.