Archive for the ‘DESSERTS’ Category
Banana Pudding
This is an excellent and easy recipe! When I return to Thailand, I will be taking pudding mixes back with me so I can make this there! There is two ways to make this, one with fresh whipped cream and the other way with ready made Cool Whip. I used Cool Whip this time.
Ingredients
- 250 grams Cream cheese, softened, (8 oz)
- 1 can condensed milk, (14 oz)
- 2 cups milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large box instant vanilla pudding mix, (6 serving size)
- 3 cups whipping cream, or three 8 oz containers Cool Whip
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar, omit if using Cool Whip
- 1 box vanilla wafer cookies
- 4-5 bananas, sliced
- 1-2 bananas, sliced, for serving, optional
Instructions
- Line the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish with the vanilla wafer cookies.
- Add a layer of banana slices.
- Add the cream cheese, condensed milk to a mixing bowl
- Beat with an electric mixer.
- Add the dry pudding mix, vanilla, and milk. Beat until fully combined then set aside. Wash and dry the mixer blades if you are using fresh cream.
- In another mixing bowl, add the whipping cream and beat until soft peaks form.
- Add the powdered sugar and beat until stiff peaks form, then set aside 2 1/2 cups.
- Take the remaining whipped cream and fold that into the pudding mixture. OR fold in two containers of Cool Whip.
- Spread the pudding mixture evenly over the bananas.
- Top the pudding with the reserved whipped cream OR another container of Cool Whip. Cover and place in the fridge for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
- To serve, slice into serving size pieces, top each serving with a slice of banana if desired.
- Enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Variant: 1. Use Cool Whip in place of the whipping cream and powdered sugar. Fold in two 8 oz containers of Cool Whip into the pudding mixture, then top with one 8 oz container before placing in the fridge.
Inspired by Spend With Pennies and the link to this recipe is here.
United States.
United States.
Peach Dump Cake I
This is a 4 ingredient dessert that is much like a cobbler, and is quick and easy to put together. Links to the shortcuts are listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 3 cans sliced peaches, in syrup, (14-15 oz / 425 g cans)
- 1 box yellow cake mix, Shortcut
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, Shortcut
- 3/4 cup butter, cut into 24 slices, (1 1/2 sticks)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180 C (350 F). Get out a 9x13 baking dish. Slice the butter.
- Open all 3 cans of peaches, drain 1 can only. Pour the cans of peaches with the syrup into the baking dish and pour the drained peaches into the dish as well.
- Add the boxed cake mix to a mixing bowl, just the contents of the box, no items listed on the box are used. Add the pumpkin spice to the cake mix and whisk that together.
- Sprinkle the cake mix over the peaches, covering all the peaches, smooth out the dry mix evenly.
- Place the butter slices equally over the cake mix. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until nice and golden brown and bubbly.
- Remove from oven and let rest for 15 minutes before serving.
- Serve with whipped topping or vanilla ice cream.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Shortcut: Yellow Cake Mix, Pumpkin Pie Spice.
Inspired by Spend With Pennies and the link to this recipe is here. United States.
Egg & Bacon Candies
This is a fun recipe to make and would be great to show children how to do this. Only 3 ingredients needed. This is a make what you want recipe. I used 12 oz (half of a 1.5 lb block) of almond bark and made about 35 candies.
Ingredients
- white chocolate compound, or white almond bark
- MM candies, sort and save the yellow ones
- pretzel sticks, thin, broken in half
Instructions
- I used 1/2 of a 1.5 lb block of almond bark and melted it in a double boiler, by just using the steam from the lower pot to heat the inner pot. Pretzels and MM's ready as well. I lined a baking sheet with foil to place the candies on.
- When the almond bark is melted, use a teaspoon to scoop up some bark and pour it out on the foil or parchment, it will form a circle about 1 to 1 1/4 inches in diameter.
- Place a yellow MM candy, writing side down on the bark, just off from center. Then place two pieces of pretzel on the white part of the "egg."
- As a variant, lay down two pretzel sticks, and drop bark on top of them, then add a yellow MM candy, this way the egg looks like it is on top of the bacon. You can also use two yellow MM candies to make it look like two "eggs."
- And for some fun, use green MM candies to mimic Dr. Seuss's "green eggs."
Fruit Cocktail Pie I
I found this recipe while looking for recipes that use fruit cocktail as an ingredient, and this does sound not only good, but easy as well.
Ingredients
- 2 cans fruit cocktail, (15 oz / 425 g cans)
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 2 pie crusts, (for top and bottom)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180 C (350 F). Line a pie dish with one pie crust, store bought or homemade, your choice.
- Add the sugar, cornstarch, and cinnamon to a medium size saucepan and whisk together.
- Open the cans of fruit cocktail and drain the syrup into the saucepan. Set the cans aside. Place the saucepan on medium heat, stir and cook until thickened. Remove from heat.
- Stir the fruit from the cans into the syrup.
- Pour the fruit mixture into the prepared pie dish.
- Cover the pie with the second pastry and crimp or flute the edge as desired. Cut several slits for steam to escape, and brush the top with beaten egg.
- Bake the pie for 50 minutes or until the crust is nicely browned. Remove from the oven and let cool before serving.
- Slice, serve, and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
Orange Juice Cake
This recipe comes from a cookbook and restaurant guide for Tennessee, and this recipe is from Yoder's Country Market and is Amish, a featured dish at their restaurant on Bulls Gap, TN. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 1 box yellow cake mix, Shortcut
- 1 box instant vanilla pudding mix, small box, 3.4 oz size
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1/3 cup cooking oil
- 4 eggs
For the Syrup
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1/2 cup butter, (1 stick)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180 C (350 F), get out either a bundt cake pan or a 9x13 baking pan, grease the pan of your choice with butter.
- Place the juice, eggs, and oil in a mixing bowl and mix to combine, then add the cake and pudding mixes.
- Using an electric mix, beat the ingredients for 4-5 minutes until the batter is smooth.
- Pour the batter into the pan of your choice and smooth out evenly. Place in the oven and bake for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- While the cake is baking, add the Syrup ingredients to a saucepan. Heat the saucepan to melt the butter and dissolve the sugar, bring to a boil and stir until thickened. Turn off the burner for the syrup and leave the saucepan on the burner to stay hot.
- When the cake is done, remove from the oven.
- While the cake is hot, either a bundt or 9x13 pan, pour the hot syrup over the cake while the cake is in the pan. The syrup will flow into the pan where the cake separated from the edge and will soak into the cake.
- Allow a bundt cake to cool completely then invert onto a plate.
- For a 9x13 pan, allow the cake to cool for 20-30 minutes then slice and serve warm or cool completely to serve later. Enjoy.
Variant 1, Using Mandarin Oranges
- Open and drain two 15 oz cans of mandarin oranges, spread the orange slices evenly in the pan before adding the batter. Bake as stated and make and use the syrup as directed in the instructions.
- Slice and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost.
Shortcut: Yellow Cake Mix.
Variant: 1. Add 2 cans (15 oz each) of mandarin oranges, drained well, to the pan before adding the batter.
Adapted from a recipe from a cookbook.
Any Flavor Cake
I got this recipe from my Mom, and she has made this for years. This is an easy and delicious cake to make. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 1 box cake mix recipe, any flavor, Shortcut
- 1 box instant pudding mix, small box, a flavor that compliments the cake flavor
- 4 eggs
- 1/2 cup cooking oil
- 1 cup warm water
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180 C (350 F) and pick out a baking pan, either a bundt pan or 9x13 pan. Grease the pan of your choice lightly with butter or cooking spray.
- For the cake mix and the pudding mix, DO NOT follow the instructions on the boxes, just use the ingredients listed in this recipe. If you are making the homemade cake mixes, prepare per those instructions using the dry ingredients listed.
- In a mixing bowl, add all the ingredients and mix, beat 2 minutes.
- Pour into the prepared baking dish and spread out evenly.
- Bake the 9x13 cake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. For a bundt cake, adjust the baking time to 50 to 60 minutes. Allow a bundt cake to cool completely before removing it from the pan.
- Frost with your choice of frosting if desired, serve and enjoy.
Suggested Cake & Pudding Combinations
- Devil's Food cake mix and chocolate pudding mix, add 1 cup of chocolate chips to the batter before baking, frost with a chocolate butter cream frosting.
- White cake mix and vanilla pudding mix, use coconut milk in place of the water, egg whites instead of the eggs, frost with butter cream and sprinkle with coconut.
- White cake mix and white chocolate pudding mix, use egg whites instead of eggs. (Very slight taste of white chocolate.)
- Spice cake mix and butterscotch pudding.
Notes
Low cost per cake but keep in mind, adding extras to the cake increases the overall cost per serving.
Shortcuts: Chocolate Cake Mix, Yellow Cake Mix, Spice Cake Mix, White Cake Mix.
Provided by my Mom, Joann Thayer, United States.
Fruit Cocktail Dump Cake
Excellent use for canned fruit cocktail. I made this on 22 Nov 2019 exactly as written and it was very much liked. This will be a regular now.
Ingredients
Cake Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 can fruit cocktail, undrained, (16 oz / 454 g can)
Topping Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup evaporated milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups shredded coconut, sweetened
- 3/4 cup pecans, chopped
Garnish Ingredients, as desired
- whipped topping
- maraschino cherries
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180 C (350 F), grease a 9x13 baking dish with butter or non stick spray.
- Add all Cake Ingredients to a large mixing bowl and stir to combine.
- Pour batter into the prepared baking dish and spread out evenly.
- Bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- About 10 minutes before the cake is due to come out of the oven, it is time to make the topping. To a saucepan, add all the topping ingredients and set the pan on medium heat.
- Bring to a boil, always stirring, and continue to boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
- After the cake is removed from the oven, go ahead and pour the topping over the hot cake and spread out evenly.
- Allow cake to cool, then slice, plate, and add a spoon of whipped topping and a maraschino cherry. Enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Adapted from an internet recipe and the original recipe is here.
Peanut Butter Cake
Excellent cake for those that love peanut butter, as the cake, the frosting, and the topping, are made with peanut butter, and this is delicious!
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup butter, softened, (1 1/2 sticks)
- 1 cup brown sugar, loosely packed
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup peanut butter
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 eggs
- 3/4 cup milk
For the Frosting
- 250 grams Cream cheese, softened, (8 oz block)
- 1/4 cup butter, softened, (1/2 stick)
- 1 1/4 cup peanut butter
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 pinch salt
For the Topping
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 1/2 cup Reese's, chopped
- 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
Instructions
For the Cake
- Preheat your oven to 180 C (350 F), get out a 9x13 baking dish and grease it with butter or cooking spray.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix together the butter and brown and white sugars with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time while beating the mixture, then beat in the peanut butter, sour cream, and vanilla.
- Beat in half the dry ingredients from the other mixing bowl, beat until just mixed in.
- Add the milk and beat until fully mixed. Add the remaining dry ingredients and beat until just mixed together.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and spread out evenly. Bake for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and place on a rack to cool completely.
For the Frosting
- When the cake is completely cooled, add the cream cheese and butter to a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until there is no more lumps.
- Add the peanut butter.
- Beat in the peanut butter until fluffy.
- Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt and mix until combined. Add the cream and mix in until well combined.
- Frost the cake.
For the Topping
- Melt the peanut butter (I used the microwave for 15 seconds, stirred, then another 15 minutes, perfect). Measure out the chopped Reese's (I used 10 mini Reese's and chopped those) and mini chocolate chips.
- Drizzle the cake with the melted peanut butter.
- Sprinkle with the Reese's and chocolate chips.
- Cut into squares, serve and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
Peanut Butter Marshmallow Squares
Sounds good and easy. Made as written, highly recommended!
Ingredients
- 2 cups butterscotch chips, (10-11 oz bag)
- 1 cup peanut butter
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 bag mini marshmallows, rainbow or white, (10 oz bag)
Instructions
- Grease a 8x8 baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
- In a medium suacepan on medium low heat, add the butter, peanut butter, and butterscotch chips.
- Stir and let everything melt until smooth, remove from heat and stir in vanilla and a pinch of salt. Let this cool to room temperature.
- When cooled, stir in the marshmallows.
- Pour into the prepared baking dish and spread out evenly.
- Place in the fridge to cool and set. Cut into 2 inch squares, serve and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Variant: 1. Replace the butterscotch chips with chocolate chips.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
Cherry Dessert Cake
I found this recipe on a can of cherries in water. One thing that stands out is a 8 oz boxed yellow cake mix, this would have to be a Jiffy brand 8-9 oz box mix, or you can make 1/2 the yellow cake mix I have listed on this site. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 1 can tart cherries, in water, 15 oz / 425 g can
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 box yellow cake mix, Jiffy brand, 8 or 9 oz box, Shortcut
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup cold water
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180 C (350 F). Get out a 9x9 baking dish.
- Open and drain the cherries into a measuring cup. Set the cherries aside and keep that liquid handy for the next step.
- In a sauce pan, add the sugar and cornstarch, whisk to mix together. Whisk in the liquid from the cherries. Place on medium heat and whisk continuously until mixture comes to a boil and thickens.
- Remove from heat and stir in butter, lemon juice, and cherries. Set this aside.
- In a mixing bowl, add the Jiffy yellow cake mix, egg, and cold water, stir to mix together, then beat for 3-4 minutes with an electric mixer on medium or 5-6 minutes by hand.
- Pour the cherry mixture into the baking dish and spread out evenly.
- Spoon the cake mix over the cherry mixture.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and place on a rack to cool.
- Cut into squares and serve with whipped topping if desired, enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Shortcut: Homemade Yellow Cake Mix.
Adapted from a recipe on a can of tart cherries.
