TEQUILA-LEMON TRES LECHES CAKE

Cake:
INGREDIENTS

1-3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup tequila (80 proof)
3 large eggs, separated
1 vanilla bean scrapings
1 teaspoon lemon zest
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon cream of tartar

Topping:
INGREDIENTS

8 fluid oz. whole milk
8 fluid oz. evaporated milk
8 fluid oz. condensed, sweetened milk

COOKING DIRECTIONS

In a large mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, dissolve sugar in tequila. Add egg yolks, and combine, until mixture is light yellow and fluffy. Add half of flour mixture, and beat, until completely dissolved. Add other half and beat again, until flour is dissolved. And vanilla bean scrapings, lemon zest, and lemon juice, and stir until combined.

In a clean mixing bowl with an electric mixer, beat egg whites until they start to get white and frothy, about 1 or 2 minutes. Add confectioners' sugar and cream of tartar and continue to beat until egg whites form soft peaks.

Add egg whites to cake batter. Gently fold in whites until completely incorporated. Pour into a well-greased or lined 9x13 inch baking pan.

Bake in a preheated, 375°F, 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Set aside.

While cooling, mix all three milks together. After cake is finished cooling, with a fork, remove the thin layer of crust on the top. Pour milk mixture over top. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

FAST POUND CAKE

INGREDIENTS

1 box Pillsbury pudding cake mix
1 cup plain flour
1 cup sour cream
1 cup sweet milk
4 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp each vanilla, butter, almond
lemon extract

COOKING DIRECTIONS

Put all in large bowl of mixer. Beat 2 minutes, pour into prepared pound cake pan. Bake 350 degrees for 1 hour and 10 minutes or till test done. Cool 5 minutes in pan, then ice if desired.

Serves 16.

NO FAIL CAKE

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup milk
1 tablespoon butter
2 eggs, well beaten
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla or lemon extract

COOKING DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a small saucepan, heat together milk and butter until butter melts. Beat eggs well, adding sugar gradually.

On a sheet of waxed on parchment paper, mix together flour, baking powder, salt and extract. Stir dry ingredients into egg mixture. Pour in hot milk and butter mixture. Stir together only enough to combine ingredients.

Butter and flour a 9x9 inch cake pan (or spray with Baker's Joy). Pour in batter and level it with a spatula.

Bake 35-45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Variation: Increase baking powder to 1 1/2 teaspoons, add 3/4 cup pared and chopped Granny Smith (or other tart apples), 1 tsp cinnamon and 1/4 tsp ground ginger to batter when mixing.

LEMON SPONGE CAKE

INGREDIENTS

6 eggs
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
zest of 1 lemon
1 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped pecans

COOKING DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 325°F.

Beat yolks of eggs until thick and lemon colored. Gradually beat in the sugar, grated lemon rind, and juice. Fold in half of the stiffly beaten egg whites.

Cut in sifted flour and salt, add nuts, and remaining egg whites.

Bake in a slow oven for about one hour or until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out nearly clean.