Sunday, September 3, 2023

Easy 4-Ingredient Pineapple Frosting

Ingredients
6 tablespoons crushed pineapple, well drained, juice reserved
4 ounces (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
4 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 to 2 tablespoons pineapple juice

Place a mesh sieve over a bowl and, from the canned pineapple, strain the pineapple juice into the bowl. Set the juice aside.
Measure 6 tablespoons (about 1/3 cup) of crushed pineapple into a small bowl and set aside. Refrigerate or freeze any remaining crushed pineapple and juice for another use, if desired.
Add butter to a large bowl. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth and pale.
Gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar. Continue beating until light and fluffy. 
Stir in the 6 tablespoons of crushed pineapple and just enough of the reserved pineapple juice to make it spreadable. Beat to blend thoroughly.
Spread over cake layers or cupcakes. If desired, add more crushed pineapple and spoon the mixture over a Bundt cake. 
This pineapple frosting recipe makes enough to fill and top a layer cake. Crushed pineapple gives the frosting its wonderful fruity flavor. Only four ingredients go into this simple topping, so it's as foolproof as it is delicious.
This recipe makes enough for a two-layer cake. For a Bundt or tube cake, halve the recipe but increase the ratio of pineapple and spoon the topping over the cake. Add about 1/2 cup of flaked coconut (toasted, if you like) to the topping for a fun tropical kick.
Recipe Variation
Add about 1/2 cup of toasted shredded coconut to the topping. To toast coconut, spread it out in a dry skillet and place the skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring and turning constantly until the coconut is browned and slightly dry. 
How to Store
Since this frosting has pineapples in it, any cake or cupcakes that it is spread on should be kept in the refrigerator. Make sure to let the frosting harden a bit before covering; to do this, put in the fridge uncovered for approximately 15 to 20 minutes, then pull back out and cover. Keep your cake airtight so it stays fresh and doesn't dry out. Return it to the fridge until ready to enjoy again.


Original recipe from thespruceeat

Tuesday, June 20, 2023

Cinnamon Fruit Biscuits

 Ingredients
1/2 cup sugar (1/4c)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (1/4-1/2t)
1 tube (12 ounces) refrigerated buttermilk biscuits (the small tube), separated into 10 biscuits
1/4 cup butter, melted
10 teaspoons (1t/biscuit) strawberry preserves (3/4t/biscuit, any flavor preserves)

Directions
1. In a small bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon. Dip top and sides of biscuits in butter, then in cinnamon-sugar.
2. Place on ungreased baking sheets. With the end of a wooden spoon handle, make a deep indentation in the center of each biscuit; fill with 1 teaspoon preserves.
3. Bake at 375° for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 15 minutes before serving (preserves will be hot).

What I did:
1. Lightly grease 8x8 baking dish. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. In a small bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon. Form biscuits into balls, dip entire biscuit into butter, then dip top and sides in cinnamon-sugar.
3. Place biscuits cinnamon side up in the baking dish leaving space between them. Press wooden spoon handle straight down 3/4 of the way into the biscuit, widen hole with your thumb. Sprinkle a little bit of the cinnamon sugar into the hole. Fill with 3/4-1t of preserves each.
4. Dust top of each filled biscuit with cinnamon-sugar.
5. Drizzle remaining melted butter around the biscuits, covering the open spaces on the bottom of the baking dish.
6. Bake at 375° for 18-22 minutes or until golden brown. .
7. Remove from baking dish to cooling rack. Allow to cool for 8-10 minutes. 
8. Enjoy!



Original recipe from tasteofhome.com
Purple text – my changes


Thursday, June 8, 2023

Southern Pecan Praline Cake

CAKE:
1 box Betty Crocker Butter Pecan cake mix
16 oz. can Betty Crocker Coconut Pecan Frosting (goes in with the cake mix)
1 small box instant pudding (vanilla or butterscotch - I use butterscotch) 
4 large eggs
3/4 cup canola oil or coconut oil
1 cup half-and-half for increased flavor, instead of water
1/2 cup pecans chopped (measure after chopping)
Preheat oven to 350°.
Grease or spray a 9x13” baking dish with cooking spray.
In a mixing bowl, combine all the cake ingredients except for the chopped pecans.
Mix well.
Add chopped pecans and stir to combine.
Pour batter into prepared baking dish.
Bake for about 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.


BUTTER PECAN GLAZE:
14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
3T butter
1/2t vanilla
1/2 cup pecans chopped (measure after chopping)
In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter.
Add condensed milk and stir.
Heat thoroughly, then add chopped pecans and vanilla.
Stir again to combine and remove from heat.
Spoon sauce over individual slices of cake or spread over entire cake.




Recipe from cantstayoutofthekitchen.com

Sunday, March 26, 2023

Pineapple Sheet Cake

INGREDIENTS
1 Box Yellow Cake Mix (French Vanilla Cake Mix)
1 Box Instant Vanilla Pudding (small)
3 eggs
1/2 c. vegetable oil
20 oz. crushed pineapple

Cake Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 Degrees and spray a 9X13 rectangular pan with baking spray and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, add the yellow cake mix, add the 3 eggs, vegetable oil, and the crushed pineapple and mix using a handheld mixer. Blend until smooth. Pour in the sprayed prepared pan and bake on the middle rack for 35 minutes or until a toothpick can be inserted and comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely.

Cream Cheese Frosting Option One
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 c. heavy whipped cream
2 tsp. Vanilla extract
1/2 c. powdered sugar

In a  large bowl, add the cream cheese and use a mixer to blend until creamy. Use a spatula to scrape the sides of the bowl. On a slow speed, add 1/2 cup of the whipping cream to combine the cream and cream cheese together.
Increase the speed to medium. Once you see the cream begin to firm, add the remaining 1 cup of cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract and whip the cream on high speed until firm peaks form about 3 minutes. Once the peaks are firm stop the mixer.
Spread the whipped topping to the top of the cake, cut into squares, and serve.


Recipe from bsugarmama.com


Cream Cheese Frosting Option Two
Ingredients
1 (8-ounce) package brick style cream cheese softened
1/2 cup (115 grams) unsalted butter softened
2 cups (240 grams) powdered sugar (2 1/2 cups)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (1 1/2 teaspoons)

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle or whisk attachment, or in a large mixing bowl using a handheld mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the butter and mix for about 30 seconds to 1 minute until well combined and smooth.
Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract and continue mixing until fully combined, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Pipe or frost on cooled cupcakes, cakes, or other desserts.

Recipe from livewellbakeoften.com

black text - original recipe
purple text - my changes