Tag Archives: Cakes & Pies

Karen’s Killer Fixin’s: Kahlua Chocolate Cake & Kahlua Frosting

  It’s time for Karen’s Killer Fixin’s!

Over the years, I’ve filled two 4-inch, 3-ring binders with my own creations as well as recipes my family and friends were willing to share with me.  I simply love to cook and want to share that love with my readers.

So every Friday, I share one recipe I think you and your family might enjoy.  It might be a main course recipe.  A cookie or baked item.  Candy.  Salads.  Whatever strikes my eye and fancy…which today is KAHLUA CHOCOLATE CAKE and KAHLUA FROSTING.

You’re getting two recipes this week!  Kahlua is such a wonderful liquore to sip after a satisfying meal. Imagine how good it is to extend that flavor to dessert. A delightfully rich cake for that special occasion.

I hope you enjoy today’s Killer Fixin’s.  Happy eating!

Karen

P.S.  We’re at 43 recipes and counting with this posting.  Hope you find some recipes you like. If this is your first visit, please check out past blogs for more Killer Fixin’s. In the right hand column menu, you can even look up past recipes by type. i.e. Desserts, Breads, Beef, Chicken, Soups, Author Specials, etc.

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 KAHLUA CHOCOLATE CAKE

3 egg whites
¾ cup sugar
½ cup shortening
1 cup light brown sugar
3 egg yolks
2 ¼ cups flour
½ cup cocoa
1 ½ tsp. baking soda
¾ cup strong cold coffee
¾ cup Kahlua

Grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans, set aside.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Beat egg whites until soft peaks form.  Gradually add granulated sugar, beat until stiff peaks form.  Set aside.  Cream shortening and brown sugar until fluffy.  One at a time, add egg yolks, beating well after each.  Sift flour, cocoa, and baking soda together.  Add to creamed mixture alternately with coffee and Kahlua, beating well with each addition.  Fold egg whites into batter.  Pour into pans.  Bake 30-35 minutes or until done.  Cool 10 minutes.  Turn out of pans onto wire racks.  Cool completely.  Frost with Kahlua Frosting.

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 KAHLUA FROSTING

6 T. butter
1 lb. box sifted powdered sugar
3 T. unsweetened cocoa powder
3 T. Kahlua
2-3 T. hot coffee

In bowl, cream butter.  Add powdered sugar and cocoa, beat continually while adding Kahlua.  Still beating, add hot coffee to a thick and smooth consistency.

Karen’s Killer Fixin’s: Chocolate Turtle Cheesecake

  It’s time for Karen’s Killer Fixin’s!

Over the years, I’ve filled two 4-inch, 3-ring binders with my own creations as well as recipes my family and friends were willing to share with me.  I simply love to cook and want to share that love with my readers.

So every Friday, I share one recipe I think you and your family might enjoy.  It might be a main course recipe.  A cookie or baked item.  Candy.  Salads.  Whatever strikes my eye and fancy…which today is CHOCOLATE TURTLE CHEESECAKE.

Cheesecake? Chocolate? Caramel? Pecans? Fudge? There’s something here for everyone. Put it all together and you have something sinful on the plate.

I hope you enjoy today’s Killer Fixin’s.  Happy eating!

Karen

P.S.  We’re at 40 recipes and counting with this posting.  Hope you find some recipes you like. If this is your first visit, please check out past blogs for more Killer Fixin’s. In the right hand column menu, you can even look up past recipes by type. i.e. Desserts, Breads, Beef, Chicken, Soups, Author Specials, etc.

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CHOCOLATE TURTLE CHEESECAKE
[Serves 12]

1 (14 oz.) pkg. caramels
1 (5 oz.) can evaporated milk
1 ¼ cups chopped pecans, divided
1 (9”) chocolate pie crumb piecrust
1 (3 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
½ cup sour cream
¼ cup milk
1 pkg. chocolate instant pudding
½ cup fudge topping

 

  1. Place caramels and evaporated milk in heavy saucepan.  Heat over med-low heat, stirring continually, until smooth, about 5 minutes.  Stir in 1 cup chopped pecans.  Pour into piecrust.
  2. Combine cream cheese, sour cream and milk in blender.  Process until smooth.  Add pudding mix; process for about 30 seconds longer.
  3. Pour pudding mixture over caramel layer, covering evenly.  Chill, loosely covered, until set, about 15 minutes.
  4. Drizzle fudge topping over pudding layer in a decorative pattern.  Sprinkle top of cheesecake with remaining pecans.  Chill, loosely covered, until serving time.

 

Notes:  May make ahead through step 3.  Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate.  Add topping and decorate with pecans before serving.  VARIATION:  Drizzle ¼ cup caramel topping over the cheesecake instead of the fudge topping for a gooey sweet treat.

Karen’s Killer Fixin’s: Killer Cupcakes

  It’s time for Karen’s Killer Fixin’s!

Over the years, I’ve filled two 4-inch, 3-ring binders with my own creations as well as recipes my family and friends were willing to share with me.  I simply love to cook and want to share that love with my readers.

So every Friday, I share one recipe I think you and your family might enjoy.  It might be a main course recipe.  A cookie or baked item.  Candy.  Salads.  Whatever strikes my eye and fancy…which today is KILLER CUPCAKES.

I’ve already admitted that I’m a chocoholic. But did you know I’m also a cheesecake fanatic? Yes, I do have some delicious psychological tendencies! What’s fun is when I can combine my two favorites into one dessert. Killer Cupcakes are “the bomb”! Delicious chocolate cupcakes with cheesecake-like centers. Oh! And did I mention chocolate chips?! 🙂

This recipe truly is to-die-for and so easy to make.  No frosting necessary — it really would take this cupcake over the top — which makes it a wonderful snack cake to tuck in your kid’s lunchbox…assuming there are any left for the little darlin’!

I hope you enjoy today’s Killer Fixin’s.  Happy eating!

Karen

P.S.  We’re at 30 recipes and counting with this posting.  Hope you find some recipes you like. If this is your first visit, please check out past blogs for more Killer Fixin’s. In the right hand column menu, you can even look up past recipes by type. i.e. Desserts, Breads, Beef, Chicken, Soups, Author Specials, etc.

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KILLER CUPCAKES
[Makes 20-22 Cupcakes]

Cupcakes:

2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
4 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 ½ cups sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1 cup flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Fill 20-22 cupcake tins with liners.  Melt chocolate pieces, vanilla and butter; cool.  Beat eggs until thick and add sugar.  Beat in flour.  Fold in cooled butter-chocolate mixture.  Spoon into tins, filling two-thirds (2/3) full.

Filling:

8 oz. pkg. cream cheese
dash salt
¼ cup sugar
¾ cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 beaten egg

Mix cream cheese, sugar, egg and salt until blended.  Stir in chocolate chips. Drop a rounded teaspoon of filling on top of each cupcake.  Bake cupcakes 30 minutes.  No need to frost!  Yummy!

Karen’s Killer Fixin’s: **Author Special** Ann Everett

Karen’s Killer Fixin’s **AUTHOR SPECIAL**

Welcome to my new Friday bonus feature called Karen’s Killer Fixin’s **Author Special**!!  Today, in lieu of one of my own recipes, I’m going to introduce you to a new author who will share one of her recipes. Not only will you and I occasionally learn how to make something new and delicious, but we’ll get a chance to check out some wonderful authors.

Introducing author, ANN EVERETT, and her recipe for Chocolate Coconut Pecan Pie ~ “Orgasm Pie”!

BOOK PEEK ~ Laid Out and Candle Lit

The nicest little town in Texas, Brownsboro, just had a murder.

Twenty-six year old Tizzy Donovan is a widow, single mother, daughter to the best baker in town, sister to the county Sheriff, and also known as the local girl who occasionally talks to the dead.

When Tizzy discovers a dead body in the cemetery, she goes to prime suspect number one, and lands in a decidedly unsweetened pickle. With lead after lead placing her in the crosshairs, her only hope and potential damnation come in the form of Texas Ranger Ridge Cooper. She won’t be able to wiggle her way out of this one with a sassy comeback and a helping of Better than Sex Cupcakes.

Cutting his teeth on his first murder case, Ranger Cooper becomes torn between duty and desire. His job gets a whole lot harder as he works to find a viable suspect other than Tizzy.

Adding some fun to the serious business of solving the crime is a skunk attack, a bar fight, and some downhome wit and wisdom served up Texas style by Tizzy’s mom, Pattiecake and Aunt Sugarpie.

LAID OUT AND CANDLE LIT is the first book in a series of three revolving around the same characters and set in the same location of small town Brownsboro, Texas.  Because many scenes take place in SWEET THANGS BAKERY, a recipe from one of those scenes will be included in each book. For LAID OUT AND CANDLE LIT, the choice was Chocolate Coconut Pecan Pie. A delectable, rich concoction guaranteed to become an addiction.

Owners of the bakery, Pattiecake McAlister and Sugarpie Monroe, will be releasing a SWEET THANGS cookbook very soon, brimming with…you guessed it…nothing but Sweet Thangs!

  A native of the Lone Star state, Ann Everett is a former school secretary. For many years, Ann enjoyed doing stand-up comedy for businesses, corporations, and non-profit organizations. She is an active member of the Northeast Texas Writers’ Organization, where she currently serves as Director for their  twenty-sixth annual writers’ conference.

Ann is an award winning short story author and has been published in on-line e-zines as well as several newspapers. She lives on a small lake in Northeast Texas with her husband.


FMI about Ann and her books… http://www.anneverett.weebly.com
Twitter: @TalkinTwang
Email: Ann.Everett@rocketmail.com

I hope you enjoy today’s Killer Fixin’s.  Happy eating!

Karen

P.S.  We’re at 23 recipes and counting with this posting.  Hope you find some recipes you like. If this is your first visit, please check out past blogs for more Killer Fixin’s. In the right hand column menu, you can even look up past recipes by type. i.e. Desserts, Breads, Beef, Chicken, Soups, Author Specials, etc.

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CHOCOLATE COCONUT PECAN PIE

     “Orgasm Pie”

2 eggs
1 ½ Cups sugar
½ Cup cocoa
6 oz. evaporated milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1/8 tsp. salt
¼ cup margarine, melted
1 tsp. ground cinnamon (secret ingredient)
½ cup chopped pecans
1 cup coconut
1 unbaked deep dish pie shell

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large mixing bowl beat eggs. (We use an electric mixer.)  Add sugar and cocoa and mix well.  Add milk, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, and melted margarine, mix well.  Stir in pecans and coconut, mix well by hand.  Pour into pie shell and bake for 45 minutes or until firm.**

** If the edges of your crust start to get too brown before the pie is firm, cover the edges with foil or a pie crust shield.

*** You can use a frozen store bought pie shell if you like. We make our crust by hand.

PIE CRUST

1½ cups sifted all-purpose flour
½ tsp. salt
½ cup shortening
4 to 5 tablespoons cold water

Sift together flour and salt.  Cut in shortening with a pastry-blender—Sugarpie does this by hand. Pattiecake uses the dough hook with her stand mixer. Either way is fine, but Pattiecake’s is easier.  Blend until pieces are the size of small peas.  Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the water over the flour-shortening mixture continuing to blend either with the pastry-blender or the dough hook. You keep adding water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until all is moistened. Your dough should be “wet” enough to gather into a ball and hold together.

On a lightly floured surface, flatten ball slightly and roll with rolling pin to 1/8 inch thick. If edges split, pinch together. Always roll spoke-fashion, rolling from center to edge of dough, using light strokes.

To transfer pastry, roll it over rolling pin, and then unroll it over pie plate, fitting loosely onto bottom and sides.

 

Karen’s Killer Fixin’s: Funnel Cake

  It’s time for Karen’s Killer Fixin’s!  Over the years, I’ve filled two 4-inch, 3-ring binders with my own creations as well as recipes my family and friends were willing to share with me.  I simply love to cook and want to share that love with my readers.

So every Friday, I share one recipe I think you and your family might enjoy.  It might be a main course recipe.  A cookie or baked item.  Candy.  Salads.  Whatever strikes my eye and fancy…which today is FUNNEL CAKE.

I have a guilty secret. As many times as I went to the carnival growing up, I never tried a funnel cake. Thankfully, one of my daughters took pity on her poor, deprived mother and bought me one at a county fair. Every time I see one now my mouth waters. Since I don’t attend fairs often, I was delighted to find this recipe. A fun, fast treat your family will love!

I hope you enjoy today’s Killer Fixin’s.  Happy eating!

Karen

P.S.  We’re at 21 recipes and counting with this posting.  Hope you find some recipes you like. If this is your first visit, please check out past blogs for more Killer Fixin’s. In the right hand column menu, you can even look up past recipes by type. i.e. Desserts, Breads, Beef, Chicken, Soups, etc.

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FUNNEL CAKE
[Makes 6 cakes]

1 large egg                                                                   1 T. baking powder

¾ cup milk                                                                  1/8 tsp. cinnamon

1 cup unsifted flour                                                    Powdered sugar

 

In heavy, wide saucepan, heat 1½ to 2 inches salad oil to 360 degrees.  In medium bowl, beat egg with milk; stir in flour, baking powder, ¼ tsp. salt and cinnamon.  Mix until smooth.  Holding finger under funnel with a 1/3-inch wide opening, pour ¼ cup batter into funnel.  Starting in center of skillet, drop batter into hot oil; move funnel in circle to make snail-like coil of rings, each about 6-inches in diameter.  Fry cake, turning once, until golden, about 2 minutes each side. Place on paper towel lined wire rack in warm oven while frying remaining cake.  If batter thickens, add more milk.  Sprinkle powdered sugar over cakes before serving.

 

Karen’s Killer Fixin’s: Rum Cake

It’s time for Karen’s Killer Fixin’s!  Over the years, I’ve filled two 4-inch, 3-ring binders with my own creations as well as recipes my family and friends were willing to share with me.  I simply love to cook and want to share that love with my readers.

So every Friday, I share one recipe I think you and your family might enjoy.  It might be a main course recipe.  A cookie or baked item.  Candy.  Salads.  Whatever strikes my eye and fancy…which today is RUM CAKE.

In honor of the season, here’s another favorite holiday recipe. This is NOT your Aunt Mae’s ten pound fruitcake. Similar in texture to pound cake, it’s infused with enough rum to make a party. (Just be careful not to overeat and drive. You’re not using fake rum! 🙂 ) This truly is scrumptious.

I hope you enjoy today’s Killer Fixin’s.

Happy eating!

Karen

P.S.  We’re at 15 recipes and counting with this posting.  Hope you find some recipes you like.  If you don’t want to miss any future recipes, be sure to return to my blog next Friday. Even better, subscribe to my blog and the recipes will come directly to your email Inbox.  If this is your first visit, check out past blogs for more Killer Fixin’s. In the right hand column of my blog page, you can even look up past recipes by type. i.e. Desserts, Breads, Beef, Chicken, Soups, etc.

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RUM CAKE
[Makes 1 Bundt cake]

1 pkg. yellow cake mix with pudding
¼ cup water
¾ cup rum
3 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil

Grease and flour tube or Bundt cake pan.  Mix dry cake mix, water, rum, eggs and vegetable oil until blended.  Pour in pan. Bake 325 degrees for 1 hour.  Take out of pan and let cool for 1 hour.  Put back in pan, poke a few ¼-inch holes in cake and pour glaze on cake.

Glaze:

¼ lb. butter
1/8 cup water
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup rum

Melt butter in saucepan.  Stir in water and sugar.  Boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat. Stir in rum.  Pour rum mixture over cake and let soak in. Cover and store in refrigerator.

 

Karen’s Killer Fixin’s: Karen’s Easy Chocolate Cake

It’s time for Karen’s Killer Fixin’s!  Over the years, I’ve filled two 4-inch, 3-ring binders with my own creations as well as recipes my family and friends were willing to share with me.  I simply love to cook and want to share that love with my readers here.

So every Friday, I share one recipe I think you and your family might enjoy.  It might be a main course recipe.  A cookie or baked item.  Candy.  Salads.  Whatever strikes my eye and fancy…which today is KAREN’S EASY CHOCOLATE CAKE.

This cake is so chocolaty and moist you almost don’t need to frost it. (I’ve been known not to!) It’s a piece of cake <g> to throw together.

I hope you enjoy today’s Killer Fixin’s.  Happy eating!

Karen

P.S.  We’re at 5 recipes and counting with this posting!  Hope you find some recipes you like.  If you don’t want to miss any future recipes, be sure to return to my blog next Friday.  Even better, subscribe to my blog and the recipes will come directly to your email Inbox!  If this is your first visit, check out past blogs for more Killer Fixin’s. In the right hand column of my home page, you can look up past recipes by type. i.e. Desserts, Breads, Beef, Chicken, Soups, etc.

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KAREN’S EASY CHOCOLATE CAKE
[Makes 9 x 12-inch cake]

Sift together:
3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/3 cup cocoa
2 tsp. baking soda

Add:
¾ cup oil
2 cups cold water
2 T. vinegar
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix well and pour into ungreased 9 x 12-inch pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Frost when completely cooled.