If you're like me, the best part of any holiday meal is dessert! In this diary, I shared some recipes we have made off and on around Christmas at my house for several years.
I no longer know where most of these recipes originally came from. I have spent years collecting recipes from every source under the sun. I don't know how many thousands of them I have--I have been trying to get them all on my hard drive and organized somewhat over the last year or two.
I hope you enjoy these recipes--thanks for stopping by and reading!
Waldorf-Astoria Red Velvet Cake
This is the Red Velvet Cake Recipe I have followed for years. Nothing that comes in a box at the store, or frosting in a can, can compare to this.
Cake:
1/2 cup shortening
1-1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 oz. red food coloring
2 tablespoons cocoa (heaping)
1 cup buttermilk
2-1/4 cups cake flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vinegar
Frosting:
3 tbsp. flour
1 cup milk
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup butter (must be real butter!)
Cream shortening, sugar and eggs. Make a paste of food coloring and cocoa. Add to creamed mixture. Add buttermilk alternating with flour and salt. Add vanilla. Add soda to vinegar, and blend into the batter. Pour into 3 or 4 greased and floured 8" cake pans. Bake at 350°F for 24-30 minutes.Split layers fill and frost with the frosting--
Frosting: Add milk to flour slowly, avoiding lumps. Cook flour and milk until very thick, stirring constantly. Cool completely. Cream sugar, butter and vanilla until fluffy. Add to cooked mixture. Beat, high speed, until very fluffy. Looks and tastes like whipped cream.
To get cake layers to bake flat, you can take an old towel and cut it into strips, then wrap the outside of each of the pans in about 3 layers of wet towel, pinning it to the outside of the pans. You can buy "cake strips" but an old towel is free!
Easy Yule Log Cake
While Red Velvet Cake is best from scratch, this cake recipe seems to turn out just fine using commercially prepared cake mix and frosting. This is a kid pleaser and a time saver.
Cake:
6 eggs
1 box devil's food cake mix
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
Rich Chocolate Frosting:
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (6 oz)
1 tablespoon corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
Filling:
1 container whipped vanilla frosting
Heat oven to 375°F (350°F for dark or nonstick pan). Line bottom only of 15x10x1-inch pan with foil or waxed paper; spray with baking spray then sprinkle with flour. Place paper baking cup in each of 8 regular-size muffin cups.
In large bowl, beat eggs with electric mixer on high speed about 5 minutes or until thick and lemon colored. Add cake mix, water and oil; beat on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 1 minute, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour 3-1/2 cups batter into pan. Divide remaining batter among muffin cups.
Bake 14 to 16 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched in center and cupcakes test done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. If necessary, run knife around edges of pan to loosen cake. Turn cake upside down onto clean kitchen towel sprinkled with 1 tablespoon powdered sugar; carefully remove foil. While hot, carefully roll up cake and towel from narrow end. Cool completely on cooling rack, about 1 hour. Cool cupcakes 10 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely, about 30 minutes. Save cupcakes for another use.
Meanwhile, in medium microwavable bowl, microwave whipping cream uncovered on high 1 minute to 1 minute 30 seconds or until it just starts to boil. Stir in chocolate chips and corn syrup; let stand 3 minutes. Beat gently with wire whisk until smooth. Beat in vanilla. Refrigerate about 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes, until spreading consistency.
Unroll cake carefully, and remove towel. Spread filling evenly over cake; roll up cake. Place cooling rack on sheet of waxed paper. Place cake roll on cooling rack; frost cake. Using fork, drag tines through frosting to look like log. Let stand 15 minutes. Transfer cake to serving platter. Store loosely covered in refrigerator. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before serving.
Peppermint Ice Cream Pie
Here's an easy pie recipe that can be done several days ahead of time if you like--
20 oreo (regular or mint) or other creme-filled cookies
2 tbsp. butter, melted
1 quart peppermint ice cream
1 (8 oz.) container whipped topping
Small candy canes, as needed
Chocolate syrup or hot fudge sauce, as needed
In food processor, crush cookies into fine crumbs. In mixing bowl, stir together cookie crumbs and butter. With your fingers, press crumb mixture evenly onto bottom and sides of 9-inch pie plate. Place in freezer about 15 minutes or until firm. Meanwhile, place ice cream in refrigerator for about 15 minutes to soften. Scoop ice cream into crust and spread evenly with spatula. Pipe or spoon whipped topping around border of pie. Arrange small candy canes on top of pie. Place pie in freezer for several hours or until ice cream is firm.
To serve, cut pie into 8 wedges. Place each wedge on a dessert plate and drizzle with chocolate syrup or hot fudge sauce, if desired.
Dark Chocolate-Bourbon Pecan Pie
And now a little something for the adults at the table.
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup butter, browned and cooled slightly
1/4 cup white sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. whole milk
1 tbsp. bourbon (or bourbon flavoring)
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 cups pecans, chopped
4 oz. dark chocolate, chopped
1 pie crust
Preheat oven to 400°. In a large bowl, beat eggs until slightly foamy, then stir in browned butter, white sugar, and brown sugar. Whisk together until fully combined, then stir in flour, milk, bourbon, and vanilla. Add pecans and chocolate chunks and stir until fully combined. Pour mixture into prepared pie crust.
Bake 10 minutes, then lower oven to 325° and bake until top no longer jiggles in center, 40 to 50 minutes more. Let cool completely before slicing and serving.
No Bake Black Forest Cheesecake
Here is an easy version of a Black Forest Cheesecake.
1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup (8 oz.) sour cream
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 carton (8 oz.) frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 chocolate crumb crust (8 inches)
1/4 cup baking cocoa
1 tbsp. confectioner's sugar
1 can (21 ounces) cherry pie filling
In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in sour cream and vanilla. Fold in whipped topping. Spread half of the mixture evenly into crust. Fold cocoa and confectioners' sugar into remaining whipped topping mixture; carefully spread over cream cheese layer. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours. When ready to serve, cut into slices; top each slice with cherry pie filling.
Pistachio Cardamom Cheesecake
Here's something a little different we tried a few years ago that turned out quite nicely, and several of the adults in my family loved it. The cardamon is a bit much for most kids though. Note that this cheesecake must be made the night before.
Crust:
1-1/4 cups finely crushed animal crackers
3 tbsp. packed brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
Filling:
2 packages (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1-1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
1 drop green food coloring, optional
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup pistachios, finely chopped
Sweetened whipped cream, optional
Additional chopped pistachios and animal cracker crumbs, optional
Place a greased 9-in. springform pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18 in. square). Securely wrap foil around pan.
In a small bowl, combine cracker crumbs and brown sugar; stir in butter. Press onto the bottom of prepared pan. Place pan on a baking sheet. Bake at 325° for 15 minutes.
Cool on a wire rack.
In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Beat in the milk, lemon juice, cardamom and, if desired, food coloring. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Fold in pistachios. Pour over crust. Place springform pan in a large baking pan; add 1 in. of boiling water to larger pan.
Bake at 325° for 35-40 minutes or until center is just set and top appears dull. Remove springform pan from water bath; remove foil. Cool cheesecake on a wire rack for 10 minutes; loosen edges from pan with a knife. Cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight.
Remove rim from pan. Top cheesecake with whipped cream and sprinkle with pistachios and cracker crumbs if desired.
Figgy Pudding
This is similar to the "Figgy Pudding" we used to make for the annual Madrigals dinner at my daughter's high school during the years she was in choir. In order to avoid controversy, the choir teacher used to leave out anything that tasted like alcohol. One year, I managed to steal recipe.
1-1/2 cups flour
2-1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
3 eggs
1-1/4 cups milk
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 cups dried figs (8 oz.), chopped
1 cup golden raisins
1-1/2 cups dry bread crumbs
1 tbsp. orange zest
1 container (8 oz.) sour cream, divided
2 cups thawed (about 2/3 of 8-oz. tub) whipped topping
1 tbsp. brandy (or brandy or rum flavored extract to avoid alcohol)
Heat oven to 350°F. Combine flour, baking powder, sugar and spices. Beat eggs in large bowl with mixer 1 min. or until blended. Add milk, butter, dried fruits, bread crumbs, orange zest and 1/2 cup sour cream; mix well. Gradually add dry ingredients, mixing after each addition just until blended.
Pour into greased 12-cup fluted tube pan. Place tube pan in roasting pan before placing in oven. Add enough hot water to depth 2 inches up side of tube pan. Spray sheet of foil with cooking spray; place, sprayed side down, over tube pan.
Bake 2 hours or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Transfer tube pan from roasting pan to wire rack; cool pudding 10 min. Meanwhile, gently stir brandy and remaining sour cream into whipped topping.
Invert pudding onto cake plate; gently remove pan. Serve slices of warm pudding topped with whipped topping mixture.
Slow Cooker Gingerbread Pudding
Lately, I have been looking at ways to use the slow cooker to make desserts. Here is a take on gingerbread that sounds like it might go very nicely with the ham we are making on Christmas--
Nonstick cooking spray
1 (14-1/2 oz.) package gingerbread mix
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup raisins
2-1/4 cups water
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup butter
Vanilla ice cream (optional)
Lightly coat the inside of a 3-1/2- or 4 quart slow cooker with cooking spray; set aside. In a medium bowl, combine gingerbread mix and milk until mix is moistened. Stir in raisins (batter will be thick). Spread gingerbread batter evenly in the bottom of the prepared cooker. (I might put a slow cooker liner in there, too. I bet all that sugar will want to stick to the sides and make a mess!) In a medium saucepan, combine the water, brown sugar, and butter. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Boil gently, uncovered, for 2 minutes. Carefully pour sugar mixture over batter. Cover and cook on high-heat setting (do not use low-heat setting) for 2 hours (center may appear moist but will set up as it stands). Remove liner from cooker, if possible, or turn off cooker. Let cake stand, uncovered, for 45 minutes to cool slightly before serving. To serve, spoon warm cake into dessert dishes. If desired, serve with vanilla ice cream.
Buckeye Candy
Then, of course, we have to make some Buckeye Candy every year. This simple but delicious candy recipe has been passed down in my family and is one of those things that everybody expects to have on Christmas every year! This is the "old-fashioned" version of buckeyes, but if you want to make life a little easier for yourself, you can instead dip the peanut butter balls in chocolate bark.instead of making a coating out of the chocolate chips and shortening.
1-1/2 cups peanut butter
1/2 cup margarine or 1/2 cup butter
1 lb. powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1-1/2 cups chocolate chips
Shortening
Mix peanut butter, margarine or butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla in bowl (It helps to soften the margarine). Shape into 1" balls. Refrigerate balls.
Meanwhile, melt chocolate with a bit of shortening in double boiler. (so the chocolate will harden. Without shortening, chocolate will remain soft.)
Insert toothpick into refrigerated balls and dip into chocolate, leaving small area resembling a buckeye.
Cool on wax paper and store in refrigerator or freezer.
I had hoped to do a more extensive diary that included some home cake decorating ideas as well, but some last minute family obligations kept me from being able to get that done in time. Maybe at some point in the future, I'll do a cake decorating diary!
So what are the recipes you like to make at Christmas that are a tradition in your family? I would love to see your recipes!
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