Lincoln Cake

Happy Birthday Lincoln!  January 19th was Lincoln's (nephew) birthday.  I made cake to help him celebrate!

I was searching the internet to find a special cake to honor Lincoln.  What better find than Lincoln Cake, vanilla almond cake.
Here's the website: http://www.visit-gettysburg.com/mary-todd-lincoln-cake.html.

Cake Ingredients:
1 cup almonds (I didn't have almonds so I replaced them with 1/4 cup all-purpose flour and 1/4 tsp almond flavoring.)
1 cup butter
1-1/2 cups sugar
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1-1/3 cups milk
6 egg whites
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Confectioners' sugar (I didn't use the confectioners' sugar for the topping.)

Frosting Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar (I didn't have any on hand, so I went without.)
Dash of salt
2 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla

Cake Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.  Grease and flour two nine inch round layer cake pans or one bundt cake pan.  (I accidentally 'floured' the pan with powered sugar.  It still turned out just fine.  I also used the bundt cake pan because I didn't want to go to all the work of a two layer cake.)  If using almonds, use a food processor to grind them into a course flour.

Cream the butter and sugar to and mix until well blended.  Sift the flour and baking powder.  Fold the dry flour mix into the creamed butter/sugar mix, alternating with milk, until well blended.  Stir in the almond powder and mix thoroughly.  (At this point I added 1/4 cup all purpose flour.  Folded it in, then added the almond flavoring and folded the batter a couple more times.)

In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks.  Add a pinch of salt for easier stiffening.  Add vanilla extract as eggs are forming still peaks.  Gently fold the egg whites into the batter with a rubber spatula.

Pour the batter into the pan(s) and bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Cool for at least 15 minutes before flipping the cake out of the pan.  Allow the cake to cool completely before serving.  If layer cake was made, use a jam for filling.  Sift confectioners' sugar on top for decoration or make the frosting and smother the cake with it.

Frosting Preparation:
Bring to boil sugar, water, cream of tartar and salt.  Boil until sugar dissolves.  Beat egg whites in mixing bowl.  White egg whites are beating, very slowly add hot syrup.  Beat until still peaks form, about 7 minutes.  Beat in vanilla for 1 more minute.

Cut the cake and scarf it down!

 Happy Birthday Lincoln!  I hope you enjoyed the look of the cake!  It was delicious!

Double Frosted Brownies

This recipe came from http://www.tasteofhome.com/.  It is a very rich dessert.

1 package fudge brownie mix (13x9 inch pan size)
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons instant vanilla pudding mix
2 to 3 tablespoons 2% milk
1 can (16 ounces) chocolate fudge frosting

Prepare brownie mix according to package directions.  (I bought a Duncan Hines fudge brownie mix.  It called for 2 eggs for fudge like brownies or 3 eggs for regular brownies.  Since the Double Frosted Brownies called for fudge frosting, I choose to use 2 eggs for more fudge-ness.)  Spread the batter into a greased 13x9 inch baking pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted 2 inches from side of pan comes out clean.  Cool completely on wire rack.  In a large mixing bowl, beat butter, sugar, and pudding mix until blended.  Add enough milk to achieve spreading consistency.  Frost brownies.  Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.  Spread with fudge frosting.  Cut into bars.  Store in the refrigerator.

Marshmallow Crisp

5 cups rice cereal  (I didn't measure.  I just poured a little in a bowl and kept adding more cereal as needed)
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
1 pkg (14 oz.) caramels
1 cup butter, cubed
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 pkg. (16 oz.) large marshmallows

Line two baking sheets with wax paper; set aside.  Place cereal in shallow bowl.  In large saucepan, cook and stir milk, caramels, and butter over low heat until melted and smooth.  Remove from the heat; stir in cinnamon and vanilla.  With toothpick inserted in each marshmallow, dip into warm caramel; turn to coat.  Press marshmallow bottoms in cereal; place on prepared pans.  Let stand until set.

I had troubles with the rice crispies and caramel running off the marshmallows and "pooling" at the base, but they still tasted great!

Chocolate Peanut Fudge

This fudge recipe is simple and only requires three or four ingredients.  I have no clue where I got this recipe from.

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 pkg milk chocolate chips

3 large snicker candy bars cut into small chunks (I use 4)

nuts optional

Melt all ingredients together in sauce pan.  Be careful, it scorches easily.  When all melted, pour into 8x8 dish.  I would suggest buttering the dish because I have a hard time getting it out when the dish is not buttered.