Ao54G's baking goodies thread!

[ArmyOfFive4God]

My turn!

 

Friday, Keenan & I made peanut butter cookies. Since I went grocery shopping yesterday, I didn't get any baking done. But I am stocked to do it today! hehe!

 

Here are our PB cookies:

 

1 cup shortening

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup peanut butter

2 eggs

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

 

Heat oven to 375ºF. Mix sugars & shortening. Add peanut butter, eggs & dry ingredients in large bowl. Stir until well blended (you may need to use your hands).

 

Roll into 1 inch balls. Place about 3 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten in crisscross pattern with fork dipped into sugar or flour.

 

Bake 9 to 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool on wire rack. Makes 6-8 dozen

 

[ArmyOfFive4God]

Lemon Bars

 

* 1 cup margarine (2 sticks)

* 2 cups flour

* 1/2 cup sugar

* 4 medium eggs

* 2 cups sugar

* 1/4 cup flour

* 1/2 cup lemon juice

* powdered sugar

 

Soften up the margarine by leaving it on the counter for an hour or so, or do it in the microwave. Add the flour and 1/2 cup of sugar. Mix very well to make a dough similar to pie crust. Turn the dough into a 9 by 13-inch pan. Use your hands or the back of a spoon to pat and press the dough into an even layer on the bottom of the pan. This is the crust. Bake at 325° for about 20 minutes. Do not overbake.

 

Now prepare the lemon layer. In the same bowl combine the eggs, 2-cups sugar, 1/4-cup flour and lemon juice. Blend with a whisk until smooth and thick. Carefully pour this over the baked crust. Shake the pan gently to level it all out. Bake at 325° for another 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and allow to cool before cutting. If desired, sprinkle a bit of powdered sugar on top of the bars to make them pretty and because it tastes so good.

 

[ArmyOfFive4God]

I am freezing the layers & the frosting & will assemble them this next weekend at our get together:

 

Double Chocolate Kahlua Cake

 

Double Kahlua Cake

 

Cake:

1 package (18.25 ounces) plain devil's food cake mix

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

3/4 cup Kahlua

3/4 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

3 large eggs

 

Fluffy Chocolate Kahlua Frosting:

2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

6 tablespoons boiling water

2 tablespoons Kahlua

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, softened

4 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

 

1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans with solid vegetable shortening, then dust with flour. Shake out the excess flour. Set the pans aside.

 

2. Place the cake mix, cocoa, Kahlua, buttermilk, oil, and eggs in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more, scraping down the sides again if needed. The batter should look well combined. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans, smoothing it out with the rubber spatula. Place the pans in the oven side by side.

 

3. Bake the cakes until they spring back when lightly pressed with your finger, 28 to 30 minutes. Remove the pans from the oven and place them on wire racks to cool for 10 minutes. Run a dinner knife around the edge of each layer and invert each onto a rack, then invert again onto another rack so that the cakes are right side up. Allow to cool completely, 30 minutes more.

 

4. Meanwhile, prepare the Fluffy Chocolate Kahlua Frosting. Place the cocoa powder in a large mixing bowl and pour in the boiling water and Kahlua. Stir with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until the cocoa comes together into a soft mass. Add the butter and blend with an electric mixer on low speed until the mixture is soft and well combined, 30 seconds. Stop the machine. Add the confectioners' sugar and cinnamon and beat with the mixer on low speed until the sugar is incorporated, 1 minute. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat until the frosting lightens and is fluffy, 2 minutes more.

 

5. Place one of the layers right side up on a cake plate or stand. Generously and evenly frost the top of the layer. Place the second layer on top, and generously frost the top of the cake creating decorative swirls with the spatula. With the remaining frosting, frost around the sides of the cake using smooth, clean strokes.

 

6. Slice, then serve.

 

[ArmyOfFive4God]

I made these without raisin, as not too many people in the family like raisins (me included). I made one batch with nuts, one without as my FIL has diverticulitis & I plan on serving these Saturday when we have out get together. Be careful not to over grease the pans unless you want pancake style cookies, LOL. Don't ask how I know

 

The picture is of the batch with nuts.

 

Pumpkin-Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Estimated Times:

Preparation - 30 min | Cooking - 14 min | Cooling Time - 15 min cooling | Yields - 48 cookies

 

Ingredients:

 

* 2 cups all-purpose flour

* 1 1/3 cups quick or old-fashioned oats

* 1 teaspoon baking soda

* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

* 1/2 teaspoon salt

* 1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margaine, softened

* 1 cup packed brown sugar

* 1 cup granulated sugar

* 1 cup LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin

* 1 large egg

* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

* 3/4 cup chopped walnuts

* 3/4 cup raisins

 

Directions:

 

PREHEAT oven to 350° F. Lightly grease baking sheets.

 

COMBINE flour, oats, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in medium bowl. Beat butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar in large mixer bowl until light and fluffy. Add pumpkin, egg and vanilla extract; mix well. Add flour mixture; mix well. Stir in nuts and raisins. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto prepared baking sheets.

 

BAKE for 14 to 16 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned and set in centers. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

 

[HSmom]

OMG! That Kahlua cake sounds great! I love Kahlua. :cocktail:

 

It's for adults only, though, right? I know the alcohol will burn off the cake, but the frosting...?

[ArmyOfFive4God]

You could always use VERY strong coffee in place of, I'm sure.

[Snowmom]

 

They all look so good. I've never made Lemon Bars, not to many around here would eat them. Probably just me, and I don't need them.

 

Now, that other thing, the cake, I've never heard of it. Sounds like it would be good though.

 

Your pictures are sooooooo nice, and it all looks soooooooooo good.

 

for sharing with us.