One lemon pound cake recipe four different flavors!!!!

We have a lemon tree at our house, so heavy with lemons the branches touch the ground.

So am always on the look out on ways to use  lemons, what better way then lemon pound cake.

Lemon in the dough, lemon in the glaze give these mini loaf cakes a delicious citrus flavor.

Pair the lemon with buttery goodness and you have a cake decant enough for special gathering, and

gift giving, but easy enough that you will want to make it to enjoy yourself.

I started with my basic lemon cake recipe, divided the batter among four bowls,

added chocolate to one, cranberries to another, and almonds and poppy seeds

to the third, and left the fourth alone.

You may be asking,  what is pound cake anyway?

Pound cake is a type of cake traditionally made with a pound of four ingredients, flour, sugar,

butter and eggs. Crazy isn’t it?

I strayed from the traditional recipe added vanilla and  didn’t use a pound of anything.

baked them in this cute little mini loaf pans

they are a prefect addition to your holiday cookie tray, also great for gift giving. Wrap the whole thing, mini loaf pan and all  in Christmas gift paper,

tie a ribbon with the recipe on it and you have a home baked delicious gift. I was them to make individual meat loafs.

If you want just one cake you can use a bundt pan. Personally this time of year the mini pans are my favorite for gift giving. Sometimes I use

pretty festive dish towels as wrapping paper.

I like layer cakes, but I like simple better, so most of my cakes are single layer.

Single layer cakes are less labor intense than multiple  layer cakes, I don’t know about you,  me

I like simple, easy desserts that taste delicious, come together in less than a hour but have your friends thinking it took much longer.

These little cakes cake be frozen for year- round gift giving or tea time treats. The point, don’t save this recipe just for the holidays,

it’s prefect all year around.Ingredients

3 cups flour

2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3 eggs

2 cups sugar

2 sticks butter at room temperature

1 cup buttermilk

2 tablespoons each lemon rind, lemon juice and vanilla

Instruction

Heat oven to 350 degrees

Coat  four 11 oz. mini loaf pans or 9 inch bundt pan with non sick cooking spray

Beat eggs and sugar until light and fluffy

Add butter, milk, lemon juice,  and vanilla mix until well blended

Mix flour with baking powder, baking soda and lemon rind

Slowly mix flour mixture into liquid ingredients

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes if using mini loaf pans 55 minutes if using a bundt pan,

or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Drizzle with a simple glaze by mixing 2 cups of powered sugar with juice of one lemon.

Enjoy!!!!!

Hi everyone,

It’s pumpkin season, from pumpkin pie to pumpkin cake and everything  in between.

I start cooking with pumpkin in November and it usually ends in January, but I use it in a lot of recipes,

I often wonder why I don’t use it more often, I mean it”s always available and I like it, but it’s a Fall thing right??

Well  let the Fall season begin, this pumpkin cake is all about Fall, it’s a Fall dessert with Fall flavors.

The smell from the pumpkin spice and cinnamon fill your home with the most cozy, comforting aroma

like a warm cozy blanket

if you like layer cakes you can use two 9 inch cake pans, I used a bundt pan.

As much as I like layer cakes I like simple better, so most of my cakes are single layer.

Single layer cakes are less labor intense than multiple  layer cakes, I don’t know about you, but for me

I like simple, easy desserts that taste delicious, come together in less than a hour, but has your friends thinking it took hours I like to use a bundt pan for this cakeIngredients

2 cups flour

3 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoon each pumpkin spice, cinnamon, and vanilla

1/12 sticks butter at room temperature

1/12 cups packed brown sugar

4 large eggs

1/2 cup mike

1 cup canned pumpkin

Sunflower seed brittle recipe follows

Instruction

Heat oven to 350 degrees

coat a 9 inch bundt pan with non sick cooking spray

Beat eggs, sugar, vanilla and butter until light

Add the pumpkin and milk mix until well blended

Combine baking powder and spices  with flour

Add flour to liquid ingredients

Mix until well blended

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes

Sprinkle cooled cake with powered sugar

Top with Pumpkin seed brittle

For the brittle

Line a cookie sheet with non stick foil, in a sauce pan heat 1/2 cup sugar on medium heat

until a golden amber color about 10 minutes, swirling the pan continuously

Add pumpkin seeds remove from fire spread on cookie sheet

Let cool completely

break into pieces

Enjoy!!!!!

Hi everyone,

Well…..It’s almost the end of October, although it’s Indian Summer in California am thinking warm, cozy, comforting food for the cooling temperatures.

Like most recipes you have fond memories of the craving don’t go away.

This banana bread pudding is one. In the restaurant years we had a lot of stale bread. I don’t like waste,  I was always looking for ways to use the

day old bread. So i came up with as many different bread puddings as there days in the week, maybe more.

This banana one was the most popular, not only in the restaurant but at home too. It’s a family favorite and because it’s so easy and uses ingredients

I have on hand it’s one of my favorites, and another way to use  those bananas,  I swear sometimes I  buy to watch them turn a darker shade of brown.

Good News…..this is one of those desserts that comes together quickly,is easy and oh so family pleasing.

Top it with the homemade caramel sauce and a scoop of vanilla ice cream and you have a restaurant style dessert, simplified for the home cook.

Speaking of the caramel sauce, it burns quickly so keep an eye on it, if it’s too thick add more water , if too thin less. the consistency should be

like maple syrup. When I make this I like to use these, oven to table

10 0z.  Sweejar  ramekins

They are prefect for puddings, creme brulea and custards, come in a variety of colors, and of course I love the oven to table.

I’ll keep you posted……Happy Day my dears!!!!!

…Enjoy!!!

If you try my recipes please leave me a comment or question. It’s my favorite part.Ingredients

4 cups cubed stale french bread

3 bananas thinly sliced

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter melted

4 eggs

2 cups  milk

1 tablespoon  each vanilla and cinnamon

1 teaspoon each nutmeg and salt

Instruction

Heat oven to 350

melt butter pour over bread

lightly toast bread

Mix rest of ingredients

Pour over bread

bake 45 minutes

Meanwhile make caramel sauce by mixing 1 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water, cook over low heat until

caramel turns a golden brown add 1/3 cup heavy cream and 1 teaspoon of vanilla cook just until heated.

Pour over pudding and ENJOY!!!!!

Hi everyone,

It is one of those hot days, when it feels like summer even though it’s almost fall.

I wanted one last fling with a summer berry dessert, or I should say one last

try at making a strawberry cake with real strawberries.

I had been thinking about a strawberry cake recipe using real strawberries, no jello.

It starting me thinking about cooking the strawberries to get the liquid out, like making applesauce.

I use applesauce when I make apple cake, so I’ll make strawberry sauce for a strawberry cake.

I would like to tell you it worked the first time,  it didn’t, it was dense,not fluffy and light like a white cake should be.

After a few failed attempts adjusting the the liquid ingredients it worked.

I used my basic white cake recipe, using whole eggs instead of egg whites.

Using whole eggs gives the cake a richer flavor an all white cake isn’t important if your adding beautiful strawberry color.

What is  important is to cook the strawberries until they are reduced by half and cooled completely. I cook the strawberries the night before and refrigerate them over night.

If you  like layer cakes you can use two 9 inch cake pans, I used a bundt pan.

As much as I like layer cakes I like simple better, so most of my cakes are single layer.

Single layer cakes are less labor intense than multiple  layer cakes, I don’t know about you, but for me

I like simple, easy desserts that taste delicious, come together in less than a hour, but has your friends thinking it took hours.

This is one of those cakes, light, fluffy and most importantly it  tastes like fresh strawberries.

I dusted it with powder sugar if you want, you can frost it with

a whipped cream or butter cream frosting. I kept this cake simple, but it got me thinking about strawberries and chocolate,

and how to combine the two into a cake, I see it in my cooking mind, I think the combination will be divine!!!!

I’ll keep you posted……Happy Day my dears!!!!!

…Enjoy!!!

If you try my recipes please leave me a comment or question. It’s my favorite part.

Ingredients

3 cups cleaned strawberries

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs

1/2 cup  butter milk

1 tablespoon vanilla

3 cups flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

Instruction

Cook strawberries over low heat until reduced to half  (about 30 minutes)

cool completely

Heat oven to 350

Grease a bundt  pan with butter

Beat eggs, sugar, vanilla and oil until light

Add the cooled strawberry puree

Combine baking powder,  with flour

Add flour to liquid ingredients

Mix until well blended

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes

Sprinkle cooled cake with powered sugar

Enjoy!!!!!

Hi everyone,

I had to make this this morning as i watched my bananas turn a deeper shade of brown.

I swear, i buy bananas just to watch them ripen, sometimes beyond recognition.

I don’t like waste, so that pushes me into using or freezing them, to use in baking or smoothies.

This banana, cherry coffee cake is a good way to make use of those over ripe bananas.

It’s a simple recipe and can be ready in less than a hour.

The tartness of the cherries combined with the sweetness of the bananas takes a plain

coffee cake to a higher level.  Cherries are in season for a short time, so if you have bananas

but no cherries, use blueberries that are more readily available

I like to use a spring form pan for this recipe, it releases the cake easily and makes a pretty presentation.

If you don’t have a spring form pan use a square or round cake pan.

To make it more  elegant for special occasions, I drizzle it with a lemon glace, sprinkle it with powered sugar and almonds.

Oh and don’t forget the ice cream….Enjoy!!!

If you try my recipes please leave me a comment or question. It’s my favorite part.

Happy day my friends!!!!

Ingredients

3 ripe bananas mashed

1 cup pitted chopped cherries

2 cups chopped walnuts divided

1 1/2  cups sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 1/2 cups flour

3 teaspoon baking powder

2 Tbs lemon rind

1 teaspoon each vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg

Instruction

Heat oven to 375

grease a 9 inch spring from pan with butter

Beat eggs, sugar, vanilla and oil until light

Combine baking powder, nutmeg and cinnamon with flour

Mix well

Add bananas, cherries, and walnuts

mix until blended

pour into greased pan

Make strudel

Combine 1 cup chopped walnuts, 1/4 cup sugar, i/3 cup flour and 1/2 stick butter

until crumbly

Drop over cake batter

Bake in a 375 degree oven for 45 minutes

Make a glaze of powder sugar and lemon juice to drizzle over cooled cake.

Enjoy!!!!!

Hi everyone,

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, the kids are going back to school. Not only that but it’s still summer in California when they do,

giving me more time for summer baking. And what would summer be without a blueberry cake?

I love summer fruit desserts, what I don’t like is spending a lot of time making them.

This blueberry cake comes together quick,  is simple and can be on your table in less than a hour.

Blueberries tend to sink to the bottom in cakes,  in this recipe we put them on top of the batter.

Rolling berries in flour also prevents the helps to keep them from looking like a upside cake.

I like to use a spring form pan for this recipe, it releases the cake easily and makes a pretty presentation.

If you don’t have a spring form pan use a square or round cake pan.

To make it more  elegant for special occasions, I drizzle it with a lemon glace, sprinkle it with powered sugar and almonds.

Oh and don’t forget the ice cream….

Summer is exciting, not only for warm , lazy days laying in the hammock daydreaming, although I love these simple pleasure,

I look forward to  the fruits and vegetables of the Summer . My food becomes more relaxed, not so fussy in Summer.

This recipe is a prefect example, using fresh berries, but if fresh isn’t in season I’ve used frozen,

no one knew the difference but me.

.Leave  a comment let me know your experience cooking my recipes

Ingredients

3 cups  fresh or frozen blueberries

1 1/2  cups sugar

2 eggs

1 stick of butter melted

juice from two lemons

1 cup sour cream

1 1/2 cups flour

3 teaspoon baking powder

2 Tbs lemon rind

1 teaspoon each vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg

Instruction

Heat oven to 375

grease a 9 inch spring from pan with butter

Beat eggs, sugar, and butter until light

Add sour cream, vanilla and lemon juice mix well

Combine baking powder, nutmeg and cinnamon with flour

Mix until just blended

Pour into greased pan

Mix blueberries with 1/3 cup sugar 2Tbs. of flour, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, nutmeg and  1 tablespoon lemon rind

Pour blueberry mixture over cake batter

Bake in a 375 degree oven for 45 minutes

Make a glaze of powder sugar and lemon juice to drizzle over cooled cake.

Enjoy!!!!!

This peach cobbler may  one of the  easiest one  you’ll ever make.It’s a simple biscuit batter the fruit is dropped into.

We have a peach tree, loaded with peaches so heavy the limb were breaking, so that’s what I used.

My recipes are almost always custom able to fit your life style and taste. if don’t have peaches save a trip to

the grocery store and use what summer fruits you have on hand,

Summer is exciting, not only for warm , lazy days laying in the hammock daydreaming, although I love these simple pleasure,

I look forward to  the fruits and vegetables of the Summer . My food becomes more relaxed, not so fussy in Summer.

This recipe is a prefect example, using fresh stone fruit paired with a light simple biscuit batter.

In this recipe you can use any combination of stone fruit or berries or a contamination of both.

Sprinkle with sliced almonds, powder sugar and what is any cobbler without a scoop of your favorite vanilla ice cream.

This dessert is elegant enough for a special occasion,or family summer back yard gatherings

Remember to melt the butter in the same pane you will be making the cobbler

Dont over nix the batter it should be lumpy….Enjoy!!! and my favorite part…. come on guys you know….

..Leave  a comment let me your experience cooking my recipes

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Ingredients

6 cups sliced  peaches

2 cups sugar divided

1/2 stick butter

1 cup flour

1 Tbs baking powder

1 cup milk

2 Tbs lemon juice

ground cinnamon, sliced almonds and powder sugar for garnish

Instruction

Heat oven to 375

Melt butter in hot cobbler pan

combine biscuit ingredient together just until moistened

pour over melted butter, do not mix

In the meantime cook the peaches with the remaining 1 cup of sugar and lemon juice

Simmer 10 minutes pour over batter

Bake in a 4 x 8 pan in a pre heated 375 degree oven for 45 to 50 minutes

Sprinkle with almonda, powered sugar and a scoop of vanilla ice cream

Enjoy!!!!

I love the fruits of summer, and I try to use them in sweet and savory recipes.

This simple cake is one of my favorites. It’s simple, quick and uses ingredients you have on hand.

It’s similar to the old classic pineapple upside cake, using peaches. Experiment using different fruits and flavorings.

This cake will have your family and friends asking for seconds, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and you have a

dessert for causal or special occasion gatherings. I make this cake for Summer potlucks or home barbecues.

Melt the butter before adding the fruit, then add the sugar until melted and golden in color, layer your fruit, if you don’t like peaches

try other Summer stone fruit.

You can make an easy, quick camel sauce to drizzle over the ice cream by cooking one cup of sugar with 1/2 cup water

until golden brown about 10 minutes, add 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream last 5 minutes. The caramel sauce will keep for about 1 week refrigerated.

To warm the caramel sauce heat over a double boiler or put the container in hot water. I store my desert sauces in plastic  squirt bottles.

Makes it easier to pour and you can heat the sauce right in the  bottle by leaving it in hot water for a few minutes.

Try this cake I’am sure it will become one of your family favorites too, and let me know what you think.

Leave me a comment, that’s my favorite part you experiences cooking my recipes.

Happy cooking my Dears!!!!

Ingredients

1 Lbs. sliced, peeled peaches

4 Tbls butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

11/2 cup flour

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup shortening

11/2 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 cup milk

1 egg

Instruction

Heat oven to 350 degrees

Melt butter and brown sugar in cast iron skillet

Arrange peach slices in pretty circular pattern

Mix liquid ingredients until light

Add dry ingredients mix just until well blended

pour batter over  peaches

Bake 45 minutes in iron skillet

Cool invert pan on plate to release cake

sprinkle with powder sugar and almonds….Enjoy!!!!!