Italian Cream Cake
Ingredients:
Cake:
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup shortening
2 cups sugar
5 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup flaked coconut
1 tsp baking powder
2 cups all-purpose flour
Frosting:
8 oz cream cheese
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 cups powdered sugar
2 tbsp light cream
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup flaked coconut
Instructions:
Cake:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease three nine-inch round cake pans
2. Combine buttermilk and baking soda in a small bowl
3. Beat butter, shortening and sugar until fluffy
4. Mix in eggs, buttermilk mixture, vanilla, coconut, baking powder and flour
5. Stir until just combined
6. Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes
7. Let cool in the pan for five minutes
8. Put cake on wire rack and let sit for 20-25 minutes
Frosting:
1. Beat cream cheese, butter, vanilla and sugar until light and fluffy
2. Beat in cream a little at a time
3. Stir in walnuts and coconut
4. Spread frosting between each layer and the sides of the cooled cake
5. Serve
Greek Baklava
Ingredients:
1 (16oz) package phyllo dough
1lb chopped nuts
1 cup butter, melted
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup water
1 cup white sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup honey
Instructions:
Baklava:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Butter all sides of a 9×13-inch pan
3. Chop nuts and toss with cinnamon, set aside
4. Cut whole stack of phyllo dough in half; cover with a dampened cloth
5. Place two sheets of dough in pan, butter with pastry brush
6. Repeat until all eight sheets are layered
7. Sprinkle 2-3 tbsp of nut mixture on top. Top with 2 sheets of dough, melted butter and nuts
8. Cut into diamond or square shapes. Make 4 long rows then do diagonal cuts
9. Bake for 50 minutes, or until baklava is golden and crisp
Sauce:
1. While baklava is baking, boil sugar and water until sugar is melted
2. Add vanilla and honey
3. Let simmer for about 20 minutes
4. Remove from oven and immediately spoon sauce over it
5. Let cool
6. Serve
German Pfeffernüsse Cookies
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup butter
1 egg
3 tbsp honey
1 tsp anise extract
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cardamom
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup powdered sugar, for dusting
Instructions:
1. In a small saucepan, combine butter, molasses and honey over medium heat
2. Once the butter has melted, remove from heat and let cool
3. Add egg and anise extract to butter mixture; stir
4. In a large mixing bowl, sift together flour, white and brown sugar, cinnamon,
baking soda, cardamom, allspice, nutmeg, cloves, ground pepper and ginger and salt
5. Add dry and wet ingredients together and stir until well combined
6. Cover dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2-3 hours
7. Preheat oven to 325 degrees and line baking sheet with parchment paper
8. Roll cookie dough into 1” balls and place on cookie sheet
9. Bake for 12-13 minutes or until cooked through
10. Once the cookies have cooled, cover in powdered sugar
11. Serve
