Chocolate Raspberry Icebox Cake

1/3 cup chilled heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon vanilla
5 chocolate wafers such as Nabisco Famous
1/3 cup fresh raspberries
Garnish: grated bittersweet chocolate (not
unsweetened)

Beat cream with sugar and vanilla in a small deep bowl
with an electric mixer until it just holds stiff
peaks.

Spread 1 heaping teaspoon cream onto each of 4 wafers.
Arrange enough raspberries side by side (as close
together as possible) on 1 cream-topped wafer to form
an even layer. Stack 2 cream-topped wafers on a plate
(cream sides up) and top with berry wafer, then
carefully spread another teaspoon cream over berries.
Top with last cream wafer and cover cream with
remaining plain wafer. Frost top and sides of cake
with remaining cream. Cover with an inverted bowl and
chill at least 4 hours.

Serve cake with remaining berries.

Yield: 1 servings

Not sure on the size of mug, but I'm guessing a large, very large size, maybe a tall, large, capaccino size?
Enjoy
MINUTE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE

1 Coffee Mug

4 tablespoons flour(that's plain flour, not self-rising)

4 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons baking cocoa

1 egg

3 tablespoons milk

3 tablespoons oil

3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional) Small splash of vanilla

Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well . Add the egg and mix thoroughly. Pour in the milk and oil and mix well. Add the chocolate chips (if using)

and vanilla, and mix again. Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts. The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't

be alarmed! Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired. EAT! (this can serve 2 if you want to share!)

And why is this the most dangerous cake recipe in the world? Because now we are all only 5 minutes away from chocolate cake at any time of the day or night.

from "Small Batch Baking"

Debby Maugans Nakos

makes 2 personal-sized frosted layer cakes

 

MOIST APPLE CAKE  w/ MAPLE BUTTERCREAM

 

unsalted butter at room temp for greasing cans

1/2 c. all purpose flour, sifted (plus flour for flouring cans)

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons buttermilk

yolk of 1 large egg

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar

14 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

3/4 cup coarsely grated peeled tart green apple (about 1 medium-sized apple)

3 tablespoons finely chopped black walnuts, plus 2 tablespoons for garnish [you can use regular walnuts, but the black walnut has a special taste]

Maple buttercream (recipe follows)

PANS REQUIRED: Two 14 or 14.5 oz cans [pineapple cans with top cut off smoothly... don't use a regular can opener] washed in dishwasher if possible, all labels removed

1 baking sheet

 

1. place a rack in center of oven, preheat to 350F.

2. grease the insides of the cans and lightly dust them with flour, tapping out the excess. place the cans on a baking sheet for easier handling, and set aside.[they also suggest that you use a circle of greased & floured baking parchment at the bottom of the can to facilitate removal, but i couldn't wait and if you grease & flour the bottom well, it's fine.]

3. place the oil, buttermilk, egg yolk, and vanilla in medium-sized mixing bowl & whisk to mix.

4. place the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon & nutmeg in a medium-size mixing bowl & whisk to blend well. Add the buttermilk mixture & whisk just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Stir in the apples & the 3 tablespoons of black walnuts. (the batter will be thick)

5. spoon the batter into the prepared cans, dividing it evenly between them. smooth the tops with the back of a teaspoon. Bake the cakes until a toothpick inserted into the center of one comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes.

6. remove the baking sheet from the oven and transfer the cans to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Then run a thin, sharp knife around the edge of each can & invert them to release the cakes. Turn the cakes upright on the the wire rack & allow to cool completely.

7. to frost the cakes, cut each cake in half horizontally. Spread a layer of maple buttercream about 1/4 inch thick on the cut side of one cake half, then stack the other half on top of it. Frost top & sides of cake. Repeat with the remaining cake and frosting. Garnish the cakes with the remaining 2 tablespoons of black walnuts.

 

*note: since you are making small servings, it is important to measure accurately. you can't just eye and dump, at least not until you get used to it. spoon the flour into the measuring cup & use a knife to level it off. don't pack it in.

 

MAPLE BUTTERCREAM

 

Makes about 1 cup

1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

2 teaspoons packed dark brown sugar

1/8 teaspoon instant espresso powder [I used ¼ teaspoon of instant coffee, ground in my blender to pulverize it cos I couldn’t wait to go out & buy espresso]

5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon unsalted butter, at room temp

1 cup confectioner’s sugar

1. place maple syrup, brown sugar, & espresso powder in a small bowl and stir until the espresso powder dissolves & the mixture is smooth.
2. place the butter in a medium-size bowl and beat with a hand-held electric mixer at high speed until fluffy, about 30 seconds. Sift the confectioner’s sugar into the bowl and beat until the mixture is smooth, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the maple syrup mixture. Beat the frosting at high speed until fluffy, about 1 minute, scraping down the sides of the bowl as often as you need to.
3. spread the frosting on the cakes. (you can store the frosting in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 1 day. Let it stand at room temperature for 2 hours before spreading it on the cakes.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

1 TB margarine or butter
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 can (8 oz.) sliced pineapple in unsweetened juice
Maraschino cherries, halved
1 cup pancake mix
2 TB sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Heat oven to 350° F. Place margarine in 8" x 4" loaf pan; heat in oven until
melted.
Sprinkle brown sugar over margarine.

Drain pineapple, reserving liquid; add water to make 1/2 cup. Set aside.
Arrange 3 slices pineapple side by side on top of brown sugar mixture.
Cut fourth slice into quarters; place between slices along sides.
Decorate with cherry halves.

In small bowl, combine reserved 1/2 cup pineapple liquid and all remaining
ingredients;
mix until smooth. Pour over fruit in pan.

Bake at 350° F., for 28 to 32 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center
comes out clean.
Cool upright in pan 2 minutes. Invert cake onto serving plate.
Serve slightly warm with sweetened whipped cream, if desired.

Serving size: 3 servings.

 

Banana Cake

1-3/4 cups cake mix from two layer box
1/2 cup miniature chocolate chips
2/3 cup water
1/2 cup mashed banana
2 Tbsp. oil
1 egg

Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl. Pour into greased 8" square pan and bake 350 degrees 30-40 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.

 

Bake a Cake for Two

Unless you buy cake mixes for one, you're probably going to have too much left over. Use this formula to make two cakes out of one two layer mix.

1-3/4 cups cake mix from two layer box
2/3 cup water
1/4 cup oil
1 egg

Combine ingredients in an ungreased 8 or 9" square pan and beat with fork until well blended. Spread batter evenly in the pan when mixed. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.