Give Thanks for Dessert!
Ours was, and still is, not a family that would have a separate side board just for desserts at Thanksgiving or any other gathering. We serve one dessert, and it is sooo worth it. Here are a few of our favorites....
Caramel Cake
1 lb butter, softened
3 1/4 cups sugar
10 eggs
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp vanilla extract
Cream butter and sugar together in a large mixing bowl. Alternately add eggs, one at a time, and flour until all incorporated. Beat well. Beat in vanilla. Divide evenly between three greased and floured 9-inch cake pans. Bake in a pre-heated 325 oven for 45 minutes. Cool completely and frost with caramel frosting.
Caramel Frosting
3 cups sugar
3/4 cup evaporated milk, undiluted
3/4 cup butter
1 tbs white corn syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
Brown 1/2 cup sugar in a heavy skillet. Add remaining ingredients and cook for 5 minutes over medium heat. When mixture boils, remove from heat and beat until thick enough to spread.
Pound Cake
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
3 cups sugar
5 eggs
3 cups cake flour, or 3 cups plus 6 tbs all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp almond extract
1/2 tsp baking powder
Cream butter, sugar and shortening together until really smooth- about 10 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating until well blended. Add flour a little at a time, beating after each addition. Slowly add milk, then flavorings. Mix well. Add baking powder last. Pour batter into prepared, greased and floured, 10-inch bundt pan. Put cake in cold oven and bake at 350 for 1 hour or 1 hour and 15 minutes. Cool slightly and remove from pan.
Chocolate Chip Pecan Pie
My grandmother would serve pecan pie, if someone sent her one. Even though she lived in a pecan grove, pecan pie was not often on the menu. This recipe is from my friend Bonnie Montgomery.
1 unbaked pie crust (store-bought or homemade)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup coconut
3/4 cup chopped pecans
1 stick melted butter
2 eggs
Mix all ingredients together and spoon into unbaked pie-shell. Bake at 350 for 25 - 30 minutes.
Toppings and additions
Caramel cake is always good with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream; pound cake and chocolate pecan pie too! Whipped cream made by hand is 1,000 times better than store-bought. And you can add your own flavorings.
For whipped cream: chill your smaller mixing bowl for about 30 minutes in the refrigerator. Poor 1 or 2 cups (depending on how much you plan to serve) of heavy cream into chilled bowl. Beat with mixer on high until stiff peaks form, usually about 3 minutes or so. When it is getting close to ready, add your flavors- 1 tablespoon of powdered sugar, or 1 teaspoon of vanilla, orange, or almond flavoring. The chocolate pecan pie is even better with whipped cream sweetened with orange extract. And when you add an extract, you can omit the sugar.
Other dessert recipes can be found by clicking on the links below. Happy Thanksgiving!
Bet's Boiled Custard I and II
Aimee's Pie (fudge pie)
Pie Crust
Pumpkin Crisp (easy!)
Caramel Cake
1 lb butter, softened
3 1/4 cups sugar
10 eggs
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp vanilla extract
Cream butter and sugar together in a large mixing bowl. Alternately add eggs, one at a time, and flour until all incorporated. Beat well. Beat in vanilla. Divide evenly between three greased and floured 9-inch cake pans. Bake in a pre-heated 325 oven for 45 minutes. Cool completely and frost with caramel frosting.
Caramel Frosting
3 cups sugar
3/4 cup evaporated milk, undiluted
3/4 cup butter
1 tbs white corn syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
Brown 1/2 cup sugar in a heavy skillet. Add remaining ingredients and cook for 5 minutes over medium heat. When mixture boils, remove from heat and beat until thick enough to spread.
Pound Cake
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
3 cups sugar
5 eggs
3 cups cake flour, or 3 cups plus 6 tbs all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp almond extract
1/2 tsp baking powder
Cream butter, sugar and shortening together until really smooth- about 10 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating until well blended. Add flour a little at a time, beating after each addition. Slowly add milk, then flavorings. Mix well. Add baking powder last. Pour batter into prepared, greased and floured, 10-inch bundt pan. Put cake in cold oven and bake at 350 for 1 hour or 1 hour and 15 minutes. Cool slightly and remove from pan.
Chocolate Chip Pecan Pie
My grandmother would serve pecan pie, if someone sent her one. Even though she lived in a pecan grove, pecan pie was not often on the menu. This recipe is from my friend Bonnie Montgomery.
1 unbaked pie crust (store-bought or homemade)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup coconut
3/4 cup chopped pecans
1 stick melted butter
2 eggs
Mix all ingredients together and spoon into unbaked pie-shell. Bake at 350 for 25 - 30 minutes.
Toppings and additions
Caramel cake is always good with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream; pound cake and chocolate pecan pie too! Whipped cream made by hand is 1,000 times better than store-bought. And you can add your own flavorings.
For whipped cream: chill your smaller mixing bowl for about 30 minutes in the refrigerator. Poor 1 or 2 cups (depending on how much you plan to serve) of heavy cream into chilled bowl. Beat with mixer on high until stiff peaks form, usually about 3 minutes or so. When it is getting close to ready, add your flavors- 1 tablespoon of powdered sugar, or 1 teaspoon of vanilla, orange, or almond flavoring. The chocolate pecan pie is even better with whipped cream sweetened with orange extract. And when you add an extract, you can omit the sugar.
Other dessert recipes can be found by clicking on the links below. Happy Thanksgiving!
Bet's Boiled Custard I and II
Aimee's Pie (fudge pie)
Pie Crust
Pumpkin Crisp (easy!)
Thanks for the recipe, Kathleen! I'm Heather and I was wondering if you would be willing to answer my question about your blog! My email is Lifesabanquet1(at)gmail(dot)com :-)
ReplyDeleteHey Heather! Check your email! :)
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