Thursday, December 2, 2010

Christmas Cake

This recipe is from one of my MOPS friends. We moms like easy, yummy recipes! I am sending the email she sent to us in its entirety.

Some of you asked for the recipe for the bunt cake I brought to brunch on Wednesday. It's super easy.

Start with your basic Yellow Cake Mix. I just happened to use the Pillsbury Moist Supreme Yellow Cake this time because it was on sale.

What you want to do is follow the directions on the box (eggs, oil or butter etc.) EXCEPT substitute Dry Sherry as your liquid instead of water. I bought the Fairbanks brand of Dry Sherry. Toss in a 1 tsp of NUTMEG, mix and bake as directed.

After the cake is cooled dust it with some powdered sugar and you are done.

I don't know where my mom got this recipe but she's been making this cake for holiday parties since I can remember.

I'm happy to share it with all of you.

Jackie (Lorenzo) Cox

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Gingerbread Men

http://joyofbaking.com/printpages/GingerbreadMenprint.html
Gingerbread Men:
3 cups all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup granulated white sugar
1 large egg
2/3 cup unsulphured molasses (To prevent the molasses from sticking to the measuring cup, spray with a non stick vegetable spray.)
Confectioners Frosting:
2 cups confectioners sugar (icing or powdered sugar), sifted
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 tablespoons milk or light cream
Gingerbread Men: In a large bowl, sift or whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, and spices.
In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and molasses and beat until well combined. Gradually add the flour mixture beating until incorporated. Divide the dough in half, and wrap each half in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least two hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and place rack in center of oven. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside while you roll out the dough.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a thickness of about 1/4 inch. Use a gingerbread cutter to cut out the cookies. With an offset spatula lift the cut out cookies onto the baking sheet, placing the cookies about 1 inch apart. If you are hanging the cookies or using as gift tags, make a hole at the top of the cookies with a straw or end of a wooden skewer.
Bake for about 8 - 12 minutes depending on the size of the cookies. Small ones will take about 8 minutes, larger cookies will take about 12 minutes. They are done when they are firm and the edges are just beginning to brown. Remove the cookies from the oven and cool on the baking sheet for about 1 minutes. When they are firm enough to move, transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
If desired, you can press raisins, currants, or candies into the dough for eyes and buttons while the cookies are still warm. Otherwise, confectioners frosting can be used to decorate the cookies. You can also use the icing as a glue to attach candies, raisins, and sprinkles.
Confectioners Frosting: In an electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), cream the butter until smooth and well blended. Add the vanilla extract. With the mixer on low speed, gradually beat in the sugar. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beater. Add the milk and beat on high speed until frosting is light and fluffy (about 3-4 minutes). Add a little more milk if too dry. Place the frosting in a pastry bag fitted with a decorative tip and decorate the gingerbread men as desired.
Tint portions of frosting with desired food color. Makes about 3 dozen cookies depending on the size of cookie cutter used.
Store in an airtight container.