Cakes/Pies from Scratches

[4me2conly]

I have gotten into baking from scratch but do not have alot of recipes. I know there are some great bakers on this site and would love to have some of your recipes. I would especially like to have a German Chocolate Cake recipes since it is my DH fav. Please post any baking from scratch recipe you have. Thanks a million in advance. Waiting to hear from you. By the way if you haven't baked Gary Soloman Carrot Cake then you have missed out on "the best" Carrot Cake ever put in your mouth.

[janabanana]

Re: Cakes/Pies from Scratches

The Sunshine Cake is a hit. But it's not made from scratch. It uses a yellow cake mix.

[luvs2eat]

Re: Cakes/Pies from Scratches

I have to bake gluten free, which uses some weird alternative flours so anything I bake has to be from scratch ... but I just got the tiny little jars to make individual pies... that was the cutest idea! I can use regular pie crust (which I always make from scratch... from the back of the Crisco can) or my gluten free crust.

[Ro-Ro]

Re: Cakes/Pies from Scratches

I knew I should have printed out the indiv. jarred pies....could someone help me find it or just reprinted it here.

Thanks

[Angel]

Re: Cakes/Pies from Scratches

Found this in the tried and true and had this recipe I came across on a site!
Miniature pumpkin pies Mini pumpkin pies make for a perfect fall party hors-d'oeuvre, and save you the hassle of having to wash up plates, forks and the like, since they're sized as finger food. You can prepare the pies as far ahead in advance as you like, saving just the last baking step for the day of your get-together.
crust
4 cups flour
3 sticks butter, chilled
2 Tbsp. sugar
2/3 cup ice water
filling
1-1/2 cups (small can) pumpkin puree
12 oz. evaporated milk
3 eggs
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
garnish
pecan halves, broken in half again to make a sliver

for the crust
The easiest way to make the crust is in a food processor. I divide the ingredients in half, then use my mini-processor to make the dough in two batches; if you have a normal-capacity processor, you can do it all in one go. Alternatively, you can do it the low-tech way, using either two knives (cutting in opposite directions until the butter is just-incorporated) or a pastry blender.

Pour the flour and sugar into the food processor bowl. Cut up the chilled butter into ¼" cubes, and toss them in as well. Give the mixture a dozen or so good pulses until the butter is just barely worked into the flour, and looks like coarse cornmeal. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. If there are any big butter chunks left, quickly rub them into the flour using your fingers. Add ice water tablespoon by tablespoon, until you can gather the dough into a coherent ball using a spatula and your hands. Wrap in plastic; flatten into a disk; refrigerate for several hours, or overnight.

for the filling
Combine the sugars, cinnamon and ginger in a mixing bowl. Beat in the eggs and stir in the pumpkin; add the evaporated milk and mix well. Refrigerate if you aren't using it right away.

prepping the pies
You'll need a mini-muffin pan and mini-muffin liners. Take your chilled dough and break off a piece about the size of a walnut. Form it into a ball. Press it into a lined tin using your thumb, then press the dough up the edges of the liner until you've formed a nice, not-too-thick crust. Continue doing this until you've filled your muffin pan, then toss the pan into the freezer. After about twenty minutes, the crusts should be good and firm. Remove the crusts from the muffin pan and place them on a baking sheet that will fit in your freezer. Pour in the pumpkin mixture to fill each crust, and return the pies to your freezer to chill until firm. If you have room in your freezer, you can make and freeze more crusts; otherwise throw any remaining dough and pie filling in the refrigerator. When the prepared pies are frozen solid (this takes several hours), transfer them to a large plastic container, and arrange in single layers separated by waxed paper. Freeze until party time.

baking the pies
Just before party time, preheat your oven to 350F. Bake the pies for 30 min, until the filling is puffed-up and set. Place a sliver of pecan in the center of each, then bake for another 5 minutes. Let cool slightly, and serve.

[AllieK]

Re: Cakes/Pies from Scratches

This thread should be in Recipe Request, but here goes

I love this pecan pie and it is so easy to make

Simply Superb Pecan Pie

3 eggs, beaten
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup dark corn syrup
1 tsp. vanilla
6 TBLS. melted butter or margarine
1 cup pecans, pieces or halves (pieces make the pie easier to cut)
1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust

Preheat oven to 350° or 325° if using clear glass or dark pie pan. Beat eggs thoroughly with sugar, corn syrup, vanilla and melted butter. Add pecans. Pour into unbaked pie shell. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until knife inserted halfway between outside and center comes out clean. If the crust starts getting too dark before it is done, cover rim with tin foil

***************************************

This has been well received

Sopapilla Cheesecake Dessert

Yields: 12 servings

"Cream cheese, canned crescent rolls, cinnamon, and almonds create this delicious, Mexican-inspired dessert."
INGREDIENTS:
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened (do not use fat-free cream cheese)
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 (8 ounce) cans crescent roll
dough
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup sliced almonds

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Beat the cream cheese with 1 1/2 cups of sugar, and the vanilla extract in a bowl until smooth. Unroll the cans of crescent roll dough, and use a rolling pin to shape the each piece into 9x13 inch rectangles. Press one piece into the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Evenly spread the cream cheese mixture into the baking dish, then cover with the remaining piece of crescent dough.
3. Drizzle the melted butter evenly over the top of the cheesecake. Stir the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar together with the cinnamon in a small bowl, and sprinkle over the cheesecake along with the almonds.
4. Bake in the preheated oven until the crescent dough has puffed and turned golden brown, about 45 minutes. Cool completely in the pan before cutting into 12 squares.

*Note...you can half this recipe and use a 8-in. pan. Use one can of crescent rolls and use half for top, and half for botton. Use a 8 oz pkg. + 3 oz. pkg. of cream cheese.

[Chocolate Moose]

Re: Cakes/Pies from Scratches

i have seen gluten free cake mixes btw.

[AllieK]

Re: Cakes/Pies from Scratches

I have a newspaper clipping of the original German Chocolate cake if you are interested. I have to go find it and it is more complicated than today's cake, but it is good.

Found it!!

The Original German Chocolate Cake


1 package (4 oz.) German sweet cooking chocolate
1/2 cup boiling water
1 cup butter, margarine, or other shortening
2 cups granulated sugar
4 egg yolks, unbeaten
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
4 egg whites, stiffly beaten

Melt chocolate in a half cup of boiling water. Cool. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg yolk, one at a time, beating after each. Add vanilla extract and melted chocolate and mix until blended.

Sift flour with soda and salt. Add sifted dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk, beating after each addition until batter is smooth. Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites. Pour batter into three 8- or 9-inch layer pans, lined on bottoms with paper. Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 35 to 40 minutes. Cool.

Frost top and between layers (garnish the top with whole pecans) with the following:

Coconut-Pecan Frosting:

Combine:

1 cup evaporated milk or half-and-half
1 cup granulated sugar
3 egg yolks
1/4 pound butter or margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In saucepan, cook over medium heat 12 minutes, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens. Add about 1 can tender-thin flaked coconut and 1 cup chopped pecans. Beat until cool and of spreading consistency.

Makes enough to cover three 9-inch layers.

[TexAnn]

Re: Cakes/Pies from Scratches

The recipe on the German Chocolate Baking Bar is the recipe my Mom always used and it was Dee-licious!
I am very fond of this cake......
This is a WONDERFUL recipe. Be sure to use real butter...

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

4 Eggs
1 cup Sugar
1 cup Flour
1 tsp.Baking Powder
1 tsp. Vanilla
1/4 tsp. Salt
1 cup Brown Sugar (packed well)
1 stick REAL Butter
Canned Pineapple slices
Maraschino Cherries
Pecan Halves (optional)
Raisins (optional)

Beat eggs until frothy: add sugar and mix well. Add flour, baking powder, vanilla, and salt. Beat well and set aside. In a 10-inch cast iron skillet, melt the butter and brown sugar. stirring constantly. Arrange pineapple slices in the brown sugar mixture putting a cherry in the middle of each slice, and between slices. (you may decorate more with pecans and or raisins at this point). Pour cake batter carefully over pineapple. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until the cake tests done. Cool15-20 minutes; turn out onto cake plate. Cut into wedges and top with whipped cream, Ice Cream, or just plain. Its very good!!!
Serves 6-8
__________________

[Damar12]

Re: Cakes/Pies from Scratches

Look in the dessert archives, there are a lot of scratch recipes.

[luvs2eat]

Re: Cakes/Pies from Scratches

i have seen gluten free cake mixes btw.

I've heard they were coming out... and were VERY pricey. I'll stick to my "from scratch" recipes. They're good and cheaper!

[Gess]

Re: Cakes/Pies from Scratches

Wow, thanks for the recipes! I'll definitely be trying the German Chocolate cake, and the Pineapple Upside Down cake!! Keep these coming...I love baking from scratch!