Amish Banana Cake Recipe

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup butter 2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted 1 cup sour milk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 2 bananas, creamed 2 eggs, beaten

COOKING DIRECTIONS

Cream butter and sugar together. Add well beaten eggs. To this mixture, add the sour milk alternately with the sifted flour, baking powder and the baking soda. Add creamed bananas and vanilla extract. Beat with an egg beater. Grease and flour a pan and bake cake at 350 degrees F for about 40 minutes. Cool before removing from pan.

CARROT CAKE

Cake:
INGREDIENTS

1 cup melted butter
1 cup sugar
2 cup flour
3 eggs
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 cup shredded carrots
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 can crushed pineapple; do not drain
3-4 oz. bag coconut flakes

Frosting:
INGREDIENTS

1 box powdered sugar
1-8 oz. pkg. softened cream cheese
1/2 cup melted butter

For the cake:
COOKING DIRECTIONS

First sift dry ingredients into a large bowl. Mix wet ingredients in a separate bowl, then mix the two together.

Pour into a greased bundt pan.

Bake at 350°F for 45-50 minutes.

For the frosting:
COOKING DIRECTIONS

Mix together until well blended. Spread on cake when cooled.

STRAWBERRY CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Cake:
INGREDIENTS
1 pkg plain white cake mix
1 pkg strawberry gelatin
1 cup mashed strawberries with juice
1 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup whole milk
4 large eggs

Frosting:
INGREDIENTS
1 pkg (8oz) cream cheese
1 stick of butter
3 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar
3/4 cup mashed strawberries (drained)

Cake:
COOKING DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350°F degrees.

Lightly grease three 9 inch round pans. Set pans aside.

Place cake mix, strawberry gelatin, mashed strawberries, oil, milk, and eggs in large mixing bowl and beat on low speed for 1 minute. Strawberries should be well-blended.

Divide batter among pans and place in oven.

Bake cakes until lightly brown (about 28-30 minutes). Remove from oven and allow to cool for 40 minutes.

Frosting:
COOKING DIRECTIONS

Combine cream cheese, and butter and mix on low speed for a minute. Add sugar and strawberries. Blend frosting on low until sugar is incorporated.

To assemble: place one cake layer on plate and spread top with frosting, add another cake layer and frost the top, add last cake layer and frost the top. Use remaining frosting for the sides of the cake.

Optional: Place fresh strawberries on top of frosting for decoration.

LEMONADE CAKE

INGREDIENTS

1 package white cake mix
1 package lemon jello, diluted in 2/3 cup hot water
4 eggs
2/3 cup vegetable oil

Frosting:
INGREDIENTS
6 oz. frozen lemonade
2/3 c. sugar

COOKING DIRECTIONS

Mix first four ingredients together and pour into greased and floured tube pan.

Bake at 350°F for one hour. Boil lemonade and sugar together and pour over cake right out of the oven.

Let the cake cool in pan before turning out.

PINEAPPLE-ORANGE SUNSHINE CAKE

Cake:
INGREDIENTS

1 box yellow cake mix
1/4 cup applesauce
4 eggs
1 can (11 oz.) Mandarin oranges

COOKING DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350*F.

In a large bowl, mix all of the cake ingredients until moist. Beat by hand for 2 minutes.

Coat a 13" x 9" pan with non-stick spray.

Pour the batter into the pan. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely.

Frosting:
INGREDIENTS

1 container (8 oz.) cool whip
1 pkg. instant vanilla pudding
1 can (15 1/2 oz.) crushed pineapple in juice

COOKING DIRECTIONS

In a large bowl, mix together all of the frosting ingredients until well blended. Spread over cake. Store in the refrigerator.

Note: To make a multilayer cake, bake in two 9" pans for 25 minutes, or until they test done. Place the cooled layers on platter and spread frosting on bottom layer, then place top layer on top and frost top and sides.

PISTACHIO NUT BREAD OR CAKE

Batter:
INGREDIENTS

1 box yellow cake mix
1 box pistachio nut pudding mix (instant)
4 eggs
8 oz sour cream
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup water

Nut Mix:
INGREDIENTS

1 cup sugar
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 tsp cinnamon

COOKING DIRECTIONS

Grease and flour two regular size bread pans or one bundt cake pan. Mix batter mixture with a mixer and set aside.

Mix nut mixture and set aside. In pan, layer batter mixture, nut mixture, batter mixture and then nut mixture on top. Bread pans will be about 3/4 full each before baking.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes. Check with knife to make sure completely cooked. Let fully cool before removing from pans.

Note: When making it as a bundt cake, cream cheese frosting is excellent on top.

MOIST BANANA CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

INGREDIENTS

3 small ripe bananas or 2 large ripe bananas
4 large tablespoons sour cream
1 white cake mix
3 egg whites
2 tablespoons oil
1 1/3 c. milk
1 tsp vanilla flavoring

Frosting:
INGREDIENTS
1 8 oz pkg cream cheese
1 stick butter
1/3 c. nuts of your choice (i use walnuts)
1 box of powdered sugar (4 cups)
1 tsp vanilla flavoring

COOKING DIRECTIONS

Blend bananas with mixer, adding your sour cream. When mixture is well blended, not lumpy, add your cake mix, egg whites, oil, milk, flavoring together and mix. Add milk last so you will be able to judge the consistency of the cake and adjust as needed.

Once well blended, pour mixture into a greased/sprayed, 9x13 cake pan or 3 cake layers.

Bake at 350F for about 25 min. or until the cake is done.

Cake will spring back in the center when touched if done, don't over bake! Remove cake from oven and allow to cool.

Tip: Place wax paper over cakes to capture the moisture while cooling; this adds to a really moist, delicious cake!

Mix cream cheese and butter together in a bowl. Add powdered sugar and vanilla. Mix until you get the consistency you like.

Add a little milk to the frosting while mixing if you like it to be creamy. When icing is done, add 1/3 chopped walnuts to the icing. Crush them right out of the package with the end of a blunt object to make smaller pieces.

Stir walnuts into frosting well. After cakes have cooled, frost each layer with icing.

This is a really good, moist cake! I hope you enjoy it as much as my family does!

ITALLIAN CHOCOLATE CAKE

Cake:
INGREDIENTS

3 cups all purpose flour
1-1/4 cupe unsweetened cocoa
2-1/2 tsp. baking soda
1-1/2 tsp. baking pwoder
1/2 tsp. salt
3 cups sugar
1-1/4 cups vegetable oil
2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup Whole Milk Ricotta
3 large eggs
2-1/2 cups water

Chocolate frosting:
INGREDIENTS

12 ox. quality milk chocolate
1 cup sour cream at room temperature

COOKING DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom and sides of two 9" cake pans. Sift dry ingredients, mix together in bowl, set aside. In mixer bowl, mix sugar, oil, ricotta and vanilla on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add eggs. Beat until incorporated. On low speed, beat in flour alternately with water in 3 additions. Scrape bowl and beat at medium speed for 1 minute. Divide equally in pans and bake for 35 to 45 minutes until cake test done. Cool in pans for 10 minutes and then turn onto plates. Frost when cakes are cool.

Frosting: Melt chocolate over simmering water, stir until smooth, ltet cool to room temp. Mix sour cream into chocolate with a wire wisk. Frost the first layer,to with second layer, then frost the top and sides. Garnish with chocolate shavings, raspberries and whippd cream as desired.

POUND CAKE WITH COCONUT ICING

INGREDIENTS

2 Estee brand white cake mixes
1 lg. sugar free vanilla instant pudding mix
1 c. water
4 eggs
1/3 c. oil
Dash of salt

COOKING DIRECTIONS

Mix all together. Pour into well greased and floured bundt pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup flaked, unsweetened coconut
1 recipe [low calorie frosting]
1/2 teaspoon coconut extract

COOKING DIRECTIONS

Mix coconut into frosting, and spread on cooled cake. Sprinkle with additional coconut and chopped macadamia nuts, if desired.

LOAF CAKE

INGREDIENTS

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Frosting:

2 cups sugar
water
1/2 package marshmallows
pecans

COOKING DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 325°F.

Cream butter, sugar and egg yolks. Add milk and mixed and sifted dry ingredients alternately. Add pecans, and well beaten egg whites. Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out nearly clean (begin checking around 50 minutes).

To prepare Frosting: Add enough water to sugar to prevent it from scorching. Cook to a syrup, beat in marshmallows, whip until creamy, and spread on cake. Decorate with pecans.

CARROT CAKE WITH NUT FROSTING

INGREDIENTS

Carrot Cake:
2 cups sifted flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups vegetable or peanut oil
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 cups finely chopped carrots

COOKING DIRECTIONS

Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt onto a sheet of waxed or parchment paper. In a medium bowl, gradually add sugar to oil while stirring. When sugar has dissolved, beat in eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually add the sifted dry ingredients.

Add the grated carrots. (A food processor with the grating attachment makes this job an easy one).

Turn mixture into 3 well buttered and floured 8 inch baking pans. Bake at 350°F for 50 minutes or until done.

Nut Frosting:

1/2 cup butter
1 8oz. pkg cream cheese
1 lb. confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

COOKING DIRECTIONS

Beat butter and cream cheese together until light. Gradually add confectioners sugar. Stir in vanilla and walnuts. Fill and frost 3 layers of the carrot cake.

Garnish the top of the cake with extra chopped nuts and/or carrot curls, if desired. To make carrot curls, thinly sliver carrot with a vegetable peeler and drop strips into ice water. The carrot curls should be prepared just before serving.

Allow the cake to stand for 5 hours before slicing and serving so that it will set up properly (prevents it from falling apart).

Refrigerate for up to 4 days; freeze if keeping longer. Store one half in the refrigerator and freeze the other half. Cut into individual servings and wrap in aluminum foil; keep in the freezer until the last minute.

ORANGE CAKE

INGREDIENTS

1 cup sugar
1 whole egg
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup vegetable or peanut oil
1 3/4 cups cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon grated orange rind

COOKING DIRECTIONS

Combine ingredients in order given. Butter and flour two round layer cake pans, tapping out excess flour. Level cake batter evenly in pans. Bake in a preheated 350°F oven until cake tests done in center.

Frost with boiled orange frosting:

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
grated rind of 1 orange
1 tablespoon Karo syrup (white)
1/4 teaspoon baking soda

COOKING DIRECTIONS

Combine ingredients in a saucepan and boil for 7 minutes. Between the layers of the cake, place thin orange slices and orange frosting. Repeat for the top of the cake.

WHITE LAYER CAKE

INGREDIENTS

2 1/4 cups cake flour
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/3 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon lemon extract
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup egg whites
1 cup milk

COOKING DIRECTIONS

Sift together flour and salt with baking powder. Cream shortening until soft and smooth, then gradually blend in 1 cup of sugar. Add lemon and vanilla extract. Stir in half of the egg whites and beat vigorously until light and fluffy. Stir in the flour mixture and milk alternately in three portions, beginning and ending with the flour; beat well after each addition.

In a separate bowl, beat remaining egg whites until stiff, gradually beating in the remaining sugar. Fold this mixture lightly into the batter, carefully but thoroughly so as not to deflate.

Turn out into a 9 inch layer cake pan lined with wax paper or greased parchment paper on the bottom, and buttered on the sides.

Bake in a 350°F oven for about 30 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly pressed with finger tips in center.

Allow cake to cool in pans for five minutes, then run a butter knife along the sides to loosen. Turn out onto wire rack to cool.

Spread desired frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake. For cupcakes, fill pans or paper liners half full and bake about 5 minutes less.

DATE-NUT CAKE WITH RUM SAUCE

INGREDIENTS

1 1/4 cup butter
2 1/2 cups sugar
5 eggs
3 1/4 cups cake flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cups milk
1 cup pitted dates, firmly packed, finely chopped
1 cup nuts, finely chopped
2 tablespoons butter

COOKING DIRECTIONS

Beat butter and sugar until smooth and creamy. Add eggs, beating well after each addition.

Sift together baking powder, flour and salt.

Save 3 tablespoons of flour and fold the remaining flour gradually into the butter-sugar mixture. Stir in milk and mix until batter is nearly smooth.

Coat the dates and nuts with the reserved 3 tablespoons flour. Stir into the batter.

Grease Bundt or tube cake pan generously with 2 tablespoons butter. Dust pan with flour and turn pan upside and tap out excess. Pour batter into the pan and smooth the top surface of the batter with the back of a wet spoon.

Bake in preheated oven at 325°F for 90 minutes.

Cool in pan on rack for 10 minutes then slice along edges of pan with a butter knife to loosen cake before removing.

Rum Sauce (Optional):

1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup butter
2 tablespoons Myer's rum

Combine water, sugar and butter.

Heat over low heat until mixture reaches a boil. Remove from heat and add rum.

Invert cake on large platter and spoon rum sauce over warm cake.

Allow to cool before slicing.

Note: Serve frosted with Cream Cheese Frosting or spread whipped cream cheese on each slice (as you would spread butter on toast) just before serving.

CARROT CAKE WITH COCONUT CREAM CHEESE ICING

INGREDIENTS

2 cups sugar
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups grated carrots
1-1/3 cups vegetable oil
4 eggs, slighly beaten
1 cup chopped and toasted walnuts or pecans
1 - 20 ounce can crushed pineapple, drained
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

COOKING DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Grease and flour two bread loaf pans. Combine dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add carrots, oil and eggs. Beat well, until mixed. Add other ingredients and stir. Put into baking pans.

Bake for 1 hour or until done. Completely cool cakes before frosting.

Frosting:

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 - 8 ounce cream cheese, softened
1 - 16 ounce box powdered sugar, sifted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup chopped and toasted walnuts or pecans
1 cup flaked coconut

Combine butter and cream cheese; cream until light and fluffy. Add sugar and vanilla, mixing well. Stir in pecans and coconut. Spread on each cake. Store cakes in the refrigerator.

Note: This cake freezes beautifully. Place on foil covered baking sheet. Freeze until hard. Remove from freezer and wrap in plastic wrap and then in foil. Return to freezer. Unwrap totally and then defrost cake.

RICH CARROT GINGER CAKE

RICH CARROT GINGER CAKE:

INGREDIENTS

1 cup sugar
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger (not powdered!)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons Myer's Rum or 1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice (Jamaican preferred)
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
3 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 lbs peeled, grated carrots (4 cups)
2/3 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons melted butter

COOKING DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease and flour or spray 2 8 inch round cake pans with Baker's Joy. (If using butter and flour, tap out the excess).

Mix together flour, sugar, and spices in a large bowl. Add lightly beaten eggs and oil, grated carrots and remaining ingredients. Stir to combine.

Pour batter evenly into the two prepared cake pans.

Bake in preheated oven until cake tester or toothpick inserted in center is nearly clean when removed, approximately 25 minutes.

Allow cake to cool, then remove from pan and frost with cream cheese frosting (see below).

Variation: Use orange flavoring instead of vanilla or rum.

Frosting:

12 oz. Philadelphia Cream Cheese
1 stick butter (8 tablespoons)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 cups confectioner's sugar (slightly more if needed)

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together cream cheese, butter, and vanilla on high speed. Gradually beat in the sugar at reduced speed. Add more or less sugar to achieve desired consistency.

Spread first cake round with 1/3 frosting for the bottom, add the second layer and use remaining frosting on top or sides.

If desired, sprinkle with flaked coconut or chopped nuts before serving.