Holiday Lane Cake

Adorn your table with a show-stopping cake that starts with a cake mix and store-bought icing, then adds rich homemade flavor in the fruit-and-nut filling and the festive garnishes.

Ingredients:

• 1 (18.25-ounce) package white cake mix
• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• Nutty Fruit Filling
• 1 (7.2-ounce) package fluffy white frosting mix
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• Holly Leaves
• Assorted red candies
• Candy Bow
• Fruit-shaped candies (optional)
• White sugar crystals

Directions:

1. Beat first 4 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer 2 minutes. Pour into 3 greased and floured 8-inch round or square cakepans.
2. Bake at 350° for 15 to 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks.
3. Spread Nutty Fruit Filling between layers. Set aside.
4. Beat frosting mix and 1/2 cup boiling water at low speed 30 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl; beat at high speed 5 to 7 minutes or until stiff peaks form.
5. Spread frosting on top and sides of cake. Arrange Holly Leaves around top of cake to resemble a wreath. Arrange candies for berries and place Candy Bow on wreath. Place fruit candies between leaves, if desired. Sprinkle cake with sugar crystals.

Southern Living
DECEMBER 1999

Bûche de Noël

Bûche de Noël is a traditional French Christmas cake shaped and decorated to look like a tree log. It's filled and frosted with silky chocolate buttercream. Crunchy meringue mushrooms are the perfect contrast. Chopped pistachios scattered around resemble moss growing on the (chocolate) log.

Ingredients:

• 4 large eggs, separated 
• 2/3 cup sugar, divided 
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup ground almonds
• 1/2 cup sifted cake flour
• 3 tablespoons cocoa
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
• Dash of salt
• 2 to 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
• Rich Chocolate Buttercream
• 1/2 cup chopped pistachios 
• Meringue Mushrooms (optional)

Directions:

1. Grease bottom and sides of a 15- x 10-inch jellyroll pan; line with wax paper, and grease and flour wax paper. Set aside.
2. Beat egg yolks in a large mixing bowl at high speed with an electric mixer 5 minutes or until thick and pale. Gradually add 1/3 cup sugar, beating well. Add water and vanilla. Fold in ground almonds. Gradually fold in cake flour and cocoa.
3. Beat egg whites at high speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar and salt; beat until soft peaks form. Add remaining 1/3 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form. Gently fold into egg yolk mixture.
4. Spread batter evenly into prepared pan. Bake at 375° for 10 minutes or until top springs back when touched.
5. Sift powdered sugar in a 15- x 10-inch rectangle on a cloth towel. When cake is done, immediately loosen from sides of pan, and turn out onto sugared towel. Peel off wax paper. Starting at narrow end, roll up cake and towel together; cool completely on a wire rack, seam side down.
6. Unroll cake, and remove towel. Spread cake with half of Rich Chocolate Buttercream; carefully reroll. Cover and chill. Cut a 1-inch-thick diagonal slice from 1 end of cake roll.
7. Place cake roll on a serving plate, seam side down; position cut piece against side of cake roll to resemble a knot. Spread remaining Rich Chocolate Buttercream over cake.
8. Score frosting with the tines of a fork or a cake comb to resemble tree bark. Garnish with pistachios and, if desired, Meringue Mushrooms. Store cake (but not mushrooms) in refrigerator.

Southern Living
JANUARY 1999

Cranberry Obsession Snow Cake

This stunning white cake features a brilliantly-colored cranberry filling and a rich buttercream frosting. The crowning glory, and the feature that will generate “oohs” and “ahhs,” is the topping of white chocolate curls.

Ingredients:

• Cake
• 10 ounce unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for pans
• 3 1/2 cups cake flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 7 large egg whites, at room temperature
• Cranberry filling
• 3 3/4 cups cranberries, divided
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 cups cranberry or cherry preserves
• Buttercream
• 5 large egg whites, at room temperature
• Pinch of salt
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 12 ounces white chocolate (bars or a block, not chips), divided
• 1 pound unsalted butter, cut into pieces and at room temperature
• Assembly
• 1/2 cup colorless liqueur such as crème de cacao or kirsch
• About 2 tbsp. powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325°. Butter two 9-in. cake pans; set aside.
2. Make cake: In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter and sugar together on low speed until light and fluffy. Add egg whites in 3 batches, scraping inside of bowl as needed. Beat in flour mixture in 5 batches, adding 1/4 cup water after each addition (you will begin and end with flour); make sure flour is completely blended each time before adding water. Pour batter into prepared pans, dividing evenly. Smooth tops with a spatula.
3. Bake until center of cake feels firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool cakes completely in pans on a rack.
4. Meanwhile, make cranberry filling: Combine 3 cups cranberries, the sugar, preserves, and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan and cook over high heat until cranberries pop and preserves melt, 5 to 10 minutes. Add remaining 3/4 cup cranberries, stir to combine, and remove from heat. Transfer to a small bowl and chill until ready to assemble cake.
5. Make buttercream: Fill a 2-qt. pan with about 1 in. water and bring to a simmer over low heat. Put egg whites, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk to combine. Place bowl over hot water, making sure bottom of bowl isn't touching water, and heat whites, whisking constantly, until hot to the touch, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove pan and bowl from heat.
6. Put bowl of warm whites on the mixer and whisk on high speed until tripled in volume and side of bowl is cool to the touch, about 10 minutes.
7. Meanwhile, chop 4 oz. white chocolate, put in a medium metal mixing bowl, and set in same pan of warm water off the heat to melt slowly, stirring occasionally. Remove bowl from pan and let cool to room temperature.
8. Reduce mixer speed to low and whisk butter into whites, about 1/4 cup at a time, until incorporated. Continue to whisk on low speed until smooth and fluffy, about 10 minutes (mixture may look grainy at some point but will come together).
9. With a rubber spatula, gently fold melted chocolate into buttercream until completely combined.
10. Assemble: Rub tops of both cakes gently with your hands to remove browned outer surface, then carefully invert cakes and rub undersides so that cakes are completely white. Place 1 cake layer on a cake stand or serving plate, top side up. Using a pastry brush, brush top with half the liqueur. Spread about 1 1/2 cups cranberry mixture over layer with a metal spatula, leaving a 1/2-in. empty border around edge. Place second cake layer on top, flattest side down, and brush with remaining liqueur. Spread top and sides of cake with a thin layer of buttercream to seal in crumbs and chill 30 minutes. Cover with remaining buttercream, starting with the sides and covering the top last.
11. Use the palm of your hand to warm remaining chocolate. Shave smooth side of chocolate bar with a vegetable peeler to make thin curls; scatter curls over cake's top. Sift powdered sugar over cake. Serve with remaining cranberry mixture on the side.
Make ahead: Baked cake layers can be wrapped in plastic and stored at room temperature or in the fridge up to 2 days ahead. Cranberry filling can be made up to 2 days ahead and chilled.

Note: 

 

Bakers' tip: To make a pure white cake, use your fingers to rub off the browned surface of each layer before assembling.

Sunset
DECEMBER 2008

Marbled Pumpkin Praline Cake

Home style cakes, with casual icing swirls, are welcoming and inviting. Plus, they hide any last-minute finger swipes you might make as you pass by the dessert table.

Ingredients:

• Pumpkin Batter
• Parchment paper
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• Cream Cheese Batter
• 2 (3-oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 6 tablespoons butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• Pecan-Praline Filling:
• 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup corn syrup
• 1/2 cup half-and-half
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 cup chopped toasted pecans
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Spiced Whipped Cream:
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 6 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

1. 1. Prepare Pumpkin Batter: Preheat oven to 350°. Grease 3 (9-inch) round cake pans. Line bottoms with parchment paper, and grease and flour paper. Combine 2 cups flour and next 6 ingredients in a small bowl. Beat 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar and next 3 ingredients at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until blended. Add pumpkin, beating until blended. Add buttermilk, beating until blended. Gradually add flour mixture, beating at low speed just until blended after each addition. Pour batter into prepared pans.
2. 2. Prepare Cream Cheese Batter: Beat cream cheese and next 4 ingredients at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until creamy. Add eggs, beating until blended. Drop Cream Cheese Batter by heaping tablespoonfuls onto pumpkin batter in pans, and gently swirl with a knife.
3. 3. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove cakes from pans to wire racks, and cool completely (about 40 minutes).
4. 4. Meanwhile, prepare Pecan-Praline Filling: Bring 1/2 cup brown sugar and next 2 ingredients to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly. Boil, whisking constantly, 1 minute or until sugar is dissolved. Whisk together half-and-half and cornstarch in a small bowl until smooth; gradually add to brown sugar mixture, whisking constantly. Return to a boil, and boil, whisking constantly, 1 minute or until thickened. Stir in pecans and 1 tsp. vanilla. Cool mixture 20 minutes.
5. 5. Spread filling between cooled cake layers.
6. 6. Prepare Spiced Whipped Cream: Beat heavy cream at medium speed with an electric mixer 1 minute. Add powdered sugar and next 2 ingredients, beating until soft peaks form. Spread frosting on top and sides of cake.

Marilyn Boone, Bartlesville, Oklahoma, Southern Living
DECEMBER 2012

Peppermint-Hot Chocolate Cake

We took every beloved flavor from the holidays and put them in a single cake. The results are heavenly. Be our guest!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 1 (4-oz.) milk chocolate baking bar, chopped
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs, separated
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk
• Fudge Filling
• Peppermint-Cream Frosting

Directions:

1. 1. Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour 3 (8-inch) round cake pans.
2. 2. Pour boiling water over chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Stir until chocolate is melted and smooth. Cool to room temperature (about 30 minutes).
3. 3. Beat butter at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until creamy; gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Add melted chocolate and vanilla, beating until blended. Combine flour and next 3 ingredients; add to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition.
4. 4. Beat egg whites at medium speed until soft peaks form; gently fold into batter. Pour batter into prepared pans.
5. 5. Bake at 350° for 20 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks, and cool completely (about 40 minutes).
6. 6. Meanwhile, prepare Fudge Filling; spread between cake layers. Spread frosting on top and sides of cake.

Britainy Shaw, Burleson, Texas, Southern Living
DECEMBER 2012

Lemon-Cranberry Cake

Layers of cake, frosting, and fresh cranberry sauce make this a fantastic holiday dessert. But keep a package of fresh cranberries in the freezer so you can make this treat any time of the year.

Ingredients:

• Cake:
• 3   cups all-purpose flour
• 1   tablespoon baking powder
• 1   cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2   cups sugar
• 4   large eggs
• 3/4  cup milk
• 1/2  cup fresh lemon juice (about 4 lemons)
• 1   teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1   tablespoon grated lemon rind
•  

  Filling:
• 1   bag (12 ounces) whole cranberries
• 1   cup sugar
• 1   tablespoon fresh lemon juice
•  

  Icing:
• 2   large egg whites
• 1 1/2  cups sugar
• 1/8  teaspoon salt
• 1/2  cup water
• 1   tablespoon corn syrup
• 1/2  teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2  teaspoon lemon extract
•  

  Sugared cranberries (see Note)
•  

  Thinly sliced lemon, for garnish

   

  Directions:

   

  Cake:

  
  

  1.Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour three 9-inch-round cake pans.

  2.In a medium-size bowl, stir together flour and baking powder.

  3.In large bowl, beat butter until smooth. Gradually beat in sugar until fluffy and light colored, 3 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time.

  4.In a measuring cup, whisk together milk, lemon juice and vanilla.

  5.On low speed, alternately beat flour mixture and milk mixture into butter mixture, ending with flour. Stir in lemon rind. Divide batter evenly among prepared pans.

  6.Bake in 350 degree F oven until tops spring back when lightly pressed, 25 minutes. Let cake layers cool in pans on rack 10 minutes. Invert cakes onto rack; remove pans. Let cool.

   

  Filling:

  
  

  1.In saucepan, combine cranberries, sugar and lemon juice. Bring to simmering over medium-high heat; cook, stirring, until berries pop and mixture thickens slightly, 5 minutes. Scrape into sieve over bowl; press through sieve, discarding seeds and solids. You should have 1 cup filling. Let cool to room temperature.

   

  Icing:

  
  

  1.In heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine egg whites, sugar, salt, water and corn syrup. Beat on medium-high speed with a hand mixer over medium-low heat until icing is thick, pure white and fluffy (soft, shiny peaks), about 7 to 9 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Add extracts; beat until very thick, 1 minute.

  2.Place one cake layer on serving plate. Top with half the filling, leaving 1/2-inch border around edge. Top with 3/4 cup icing. Repeat with second cake layer, remaining filling and 3/4 cup icing. Top with remaining cake layer. Spread remaining icing over sides and top of cake. Garnish with sugared cranberries and lemon slices just before serving, if desired. Makes 16 servings.

   

  Source:  recipe.com