Dutch Crumb Cake

Fall. It brings with it visions of colourful leaves, hot drinks on cool evenings, & homey flavours in the kitchen. 

For as long as I can remember, my mom has made this cake during the fall & winter months. I specifically remember my Grandpa really liking it & therefore receiving it for his birthday almost every December (along with a package of smoked cheese, a block of halva, & a bowl of marinated vegetable salad - funny the things we remember about our loved ones... those were some of his favourite foods.)

Anyway, back to cake.

As a kid, I didn't enjoy raisins in baking, so when my mom made this I would often eat the yummy crumb topping & then make up some excuse not to eat the rest. Happily, my tastes have become more refined over the years & now I enjoy this cake in its entirety. I think you will too. 

Dutch Crumb Cake

2 cups flour

1 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

1/2 cup butter

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

1 cup evaporated milk

1 tsp. baking soda

1 egg, beaten

2 Tbsp. molasses

1/2 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 350º & grease a 11"x7" baking pan.

Mix dry ingredients together. Cut in butter with pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles cornmeal. ***Reserve 1 cup of mixture for topping.***

Combine lemon juice & milk. Add baking soda & stir to dissolve. Add to flour mixture in bowl along with egg, molasses, & raisins; stir until dry ingredients are moistened. (Batter will be lumpy.) Turn into pan. Sprinkle reserved crumb mixture over top. Do not stir.

Bake 35-45 minutes. Cool in pan on wire rack. May be served warm or cooled - delicious either way!

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{Very Easy!} Mix-It-Up Ice Cream Cake

  

Having to turn on the oven during a hot, summer day is a thing of torture, don't you think? Having a few no-bake desserts in one's collection is certainly a necessity.

  I came across this recipe from Kraft last week, & thought how easy it would be to mix it up & make almost any combination of cookie, ice cream, & candy.

  While my daughter & I were sampling this cake this weekend, we were thinking about some different combinations a person could use. Here's what I used to make it & some of our other imaginations:

• Oreo cookies, chocolate mint swirl ice cream, & grated chocolate
• Chocolate chip cookies, chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream, & chocolate chips
• Peanut butter cookies, peanut butter cup ice cream, & chopped peanut butter cups or chopped peanuts
• Vanilla Oreo cookies, Strawberry ice cream, & sliced strawberries
• Oatmeal cookies, maple walnut ice cream, & chopped walnuts

It would be easy to customize this recipe to any taste!

Mix-It-Up Ice Cream Cake  {Print recipe}
makes 16 servings

1 bag cookies - Oreos, chocolate chip, vanilla Oreos, Fudge-Os, peanut butter, etc.
1 tub ice cream, softened - Pick your favourite
(*Note* Since you need to soften your ice cream, choose a flavour that looks good melted. For instance, rainbow ice cream turns grey-ish when melted, so it likely wouldn't work for this recipe.)
3 cups thawed frozen whipped topping, such as Cool Whip
Cookies, candy, or grated chocolate for the top

Line 13x9 inch pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides.

Crush 20 cookies; sprinkle crumbs onto bottom of prepared pan.

Spread ice cream evenly over crumbs in pan; top with whipped topping & sprinkle with candy or grated chocolate.

Freeze 3 hours or until set. When ready to serve, let cake stand at room temperature for a few minutes to soften. Lift dessert from pan with foil handles; cut into 16 squares. Top each piece with a cookie (or half of one).

~~~~~

Thanks for reading. If you like what you see here on Silver Boxes, I'd love it if you would become a follower, 

subscribe by email (sign up on the right sidebar), or follow along on Facebook, Pinterest, or Twitter. 

And please leave a comment when you do so I know who my new friends are! :)

Stay cool & enjoy your day!

I link up to these great parties

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Strawberry Daiquiri Pie

  Are frozen, fruity, slushy drinks a favourite part of your summer? We sure like them! So much so that we frequent convenience stores much more in the summer than any other part of the year. You too? Oh good, I'm glad we're not alone.  ;) I like fruity, but my family is more into the soda flavoured slushees. What's your favourite?

Speaking of slushy drinks, this is a way to take the yummy flavours of a non-alcoholic strawberry daiquiri & make it into a delicious, cool dessert. 

Strawberry Daiquiri Pie

Makes 8 servings

Crust:

1 1/4 cups Oreo baking crumbs

2 Tbsp sugar

1/4 cup butter, melted

Filling:

1 can sweetened condensed milk (the low-fat version works too)

1/2 cup frozen strawberry daiquiri concentrate, thawed (1/2 a can) *See note below

1 cup frozen strawberries in light syrup, thawed

2 cups frozen whipped topping, thawed (the light version works too)

Fresh strawberries for garnish

Spray an 8 or 9 inch springform pan with non-stick spray.

Crust: Combine crumbs, sugar, & melted butter in a small bowl. Press crumbs evenly over bottom of the springform pan. Place in the freezer while you mix up the filling.

Filling: Beat sweetened condensed milk & daiquiri mix on low speed of an electric mixer. Add strawberries & beat again until well blended. Fold in whipped topping. Pour into prepared crust. Cover with plastic wrap & freeze overnight. 

To serve, run a knife around the edge of pan & remove sides. Garnish individual pieces with fresh strawberries.

*Note: If you're not sure what frozen strawberry daiquiri concentrate is, this is the kind I use. It can be found in the freezer section of most grocery stores near the frozen juice.

Mmm, are you craving a slushee now??? ;)

Enjoy your day!

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Schmoo Torte

Happy leap day! Too bad having an extra day on the calendar doesn't actually mean having extra time.

To celebrate this special day :), indulge in this yummy dessert... one of our favourites, the Schmoo Torte.

This is a light concoction of angel food cake, whipped cream, caramel, & pecans. It's like a caramel cloud.

Schmoo Torte

sauce:

1 cup whipping cream

1/4 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

 In medium saucepan, over medium-low heat, mix together all sauce ingredients. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Boil 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Cool. Refrigerate until cold.

cake:

1 box Angel food cake mix

1 cup cold water or amount that cake mix says

1 cup finely chopped pecans

 Mix according to package directions. Gently fold in pecans. Bake according to package directions or at 350º for 40-50 minutes, until top is lightly browned & cracks feel very dry & not sticky. Turn upside down. Cool completely, at least 2 hours.

filling:

3 cups whipping cream

1/3 cup icing sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

 Whip cream. Add icing sugar & vanilla. Continue beating until soft peaks form. 

Putting it all together:

  Cut cake into 3 equal layers. 

Spread 1/4 of caramel sauce on bottom layer.

Top with 1 cup of whipped cream. 

Repeat the layers - cake, sauce, cream. Top & ice cake with remaining cream. Drizzle remaining caramel over the top. Decorate with pecans, if desired.

Refrigerate until ready to serve.

And here's the recipe again all together...

Schmoo Torte

sauce:

1 cup whipping cream

1/4 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

 In medium saucepan, over medium-low heat, mix together all sauce ingredients. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Boil 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Cool. Refrigerate until cold.

cake:

1 box Angel food cake mix

1 cup cold water or amount that cake mix says

1 cup finely chopped pecans

 Mix according to package directions. Gently fold in pecans. Bake according to package directions or at 350º for 40-50 minutes, until top is lightly browned & cracks feel very dry & not sticky. Turn upside down. Cool completely, at least 2 hours.

filling:

3 cups whipping cream

1/3 cup icing sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

 Whip cream. Add icing sugar & vanilla. Continue beating until soft peaks form. 

Putting it all together:

 Cut cake into 3 equal layers. Spread 1/4 of caramel sauce on bottom layer. Top with 1 cup of whipped cream. Repeat the layers - cake, sauce, cream. Top & ice cake with remaining cream. Drizzle remaining caramel over the top. Decorate with pecans, if desired.

Refrigerate until ready to serve.

~~~~~

So, what are you doing with your extra day? I'm planning for my husband's birthday tomorrow. 

Happy early birthday to him!!

Enjoy your day!

Check out these great parties I link up to!

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Mocha Torte

Hello, friends! It's February & love is in the air! 

Are you planning a special meal with your sweetheart on Valentine's Day? 

Or are you making a delicious dessert for your family?

Yes...but you don't know what?

Then say hello to my little friend, The Mocha Torte...

Seriously, what says Valentine's Day dessert more than chocolate & red berries? Um... nothing comes to mind. :)

This cake is a chocolately, creamy, coffee concoction of yumminess.

Mocha Torte

cake:

1 - 6 oz. package semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/4 cup water

1/2 cup margarine or butter

2/3 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 cup buttermilk or sour milk

1) Preheat oven to 350º F.

2) Combine chocolate chips & water in a microwave safe bowl. Heat for 45 seconds. Remove from microwave & stir until smooth. 

3) Cream margarine & sugar until light & fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Beat in vanilla & melted chocolate. 

4) Sift flour, baking soda, & salt. Add to the chocolate mixture alternately with milk. 

5) Turn batter into 2 - 8 inch round cake pans greased & lined with a circle of waxed paper. Bake at 350º F for 25-30 minutes. Cool 5 minutes & turn out on wire racks. Cool completely. With serrated knife, split each layer in half to make 4 layers. 

mocha cream:

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 Tbsp. hot water

2 tsp. instant coffee powder

1/4 cup sugar

250 ml. whipping cream

Combine first 4 ingredients in a microwave safe bowl. Heat for 30 seconds. Remove from microwave & stir until smooth; cool. 

Whip cream until it starts to thicken; add chocolate mixture & whip until stiff. Spread between layers & on top of torte. Chill at least one hour. Sprinkle shaved chocolate over top.

tip: I threw a handful of chocolate chips into my mini food processor & pulsed several times to make the shaved chocolate.

another tip: Before placing the cake on your serving dish, place some strips of waxed paper around the edges. They will catch the crumbs or cream while you're assembling your cake. When you're done, simply pull out the strips gently. 

Make sure to share some with your Valentine! ;)

Thank you for reading & a HUGE WELCOME to all my new readers & friends!!!

Enjoy your day!

Egg Nog Tarts

  Christmas is almost here! What happened to the month of December? I really would like to know. Are you ready for the big day? Here's my list: Shopping (check!), wrapping (check!), decorating (um, almost), cooking (nope), baking... I can at last check off the baking from my list. This was the last recipe I made for this year's sweet collection.

Eggnog Tarts

makes approx. 2 dozen

1 package (6 serving size) vanilla pudding mix

1 envelope unflavoured gelatin

1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg

3 cups purchased eggnog

1/2 cup whipping cream, whipped

24 tart shells (I used purchased)

nutmeg for garnish

1) Bake tart shells according to package directions. Cool.

2) Combine pudding mix, gelatin, & nutmeg in a saucepan. Slowly stir in eggnog. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils. Remove from heat. Chill 1 hour or until almost set.

3) Beat pudding mixture until fluffy. Fold in whipped cream. 

4) Spoon into tart shells & refrigerate until completely set, about 2 hours.

5) Sprinkle with nutmeg.

6) Store in the refrigerator. 

I ran out of tart shells & had some leftover pudding. And let me tell you that it's very good on it's own too! :)

Have a wonderful day!

Check out the great parties I'm linkin' up to!

Let Them Eat Cake!

  Today, I'm dreaming of birthday cakes. Why, you ask? Well, today is my 35th birthday. Each year, my mom & I share a birthday celebration since our birthdays are only a week apart. Some years we order a cake from a bakery. Some years my mom will bake one & some years I bake one. The celebration will be later this week, but this year I've offered to bring the cake, so I've been hunting around for some yummy inspiration.

  Here are some beauties I've found. As usual, Pinterest took the cake (so to speak)!

Blueberry Cheesecake

Red Velvet Cheesecake

Lemon Curd Layer Cake

Neapolitan Cake

And now for the chocolatey options...

Mint Chocolate Ice Cream Cake

Heaven & Hell Cake (Layers of angel food cake, devil's food cake, & peanut butter mousse)

Cappuccino Fudge Cheesecake

Godiva Dream Cheesecake

Chocolate Peanut Butter Torte

And now for the pièce de résistance...

Isn't this gorgeous?! I will not attempt to make this, but I wanted to share this beauty with you. 

(For those of you who don't know, I'm a huge fan of Paris, France & all things Eiffel Tower-ish.)

All these cakes look so delicious, I'm having a hard time choosing which one to make. 

What say you? What would be your first choice?

I'm feeling very blessed today. I am surrounded by wonderful friends & my precious family. 

I have so much to be thankful for.

Life is good.

Enjoy your day!

Christmas Fudge

  Christmas is the season of sweets. Cookies, cakes, pies, candies... and Fudge! 

  For as long as I can remember, I've loved fudge. I remember visiting The Fudgery in Banff, Alberta every summer & being able to choose my very own piece of sweet, gooey fudge from their vast selection of flavours. Another great part of the fudge shop was the big window they had in the front of their shop. You could stand outside & watch them make batch after batch of their amazing creations. 

  Several years ago, I found this super easy fudge recipe. It's a very versatile recipe - you can add whatever extras you want! Dried fruit, nuts, marshmallows, peanut butter, cookie pieces, candies... Let your imagination run wild! My kids love the marshmallow version so that's usually what I make.

Basic Chocolate Fudge

Makes about 2 lbs.

3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 can sweetened condensed milk

dash of salt

1-1/2 tsp. vanilla

2 Tbsp melted butter (if adding extras)

Over low heat, melt chips with sweetened condensed milk & salt. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla (and butter, if using). Fold in extras if desired. Spread evenly into wax paper lined 8 or 9 inch square pan. Chill 2 hours or until firm. Turn fudge onto cutting board, peel off paper & cut into squares. Store covered in refrigerator. Also freezes well.

Extras:

If you're putting in any extras, add 2 Tbsp melted butter to fudge mixture. Then fold in 2 cups of marshmallows, nuts, candies, cookie pieces, dried fruit, etc.

~~~

Enjoy your fudge creations!

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Merry Berry Cheese Bars

  So far, my Christmas baking is going well. Two recipes down, a few more to go. Today, I'm going to share a favourite recipe that I've been making all of my married life - 11 years now. 

If you like cheesecake or cranberries, then you'll enjoy these! This recipe originally came from Eagle Brand.

Merry Berry Cheese Bars a.k.a. Cranberry Cheesecake Bars
makes 24-36 bars


crust:
2 cups unsifted flour
1 1/2 cups oats
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup butter or margarine, softened

cream cheese layer:
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup lemon juice

berry layer:
1 can cranberry sauce (you can use whole berry, but I prefer jellied)
2 Tbsp. corn starch
1 Tbsp. firmly packed brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350°.

1) With mixer, beat flour, oats, 3/4 cup sugar & butter until crumbly. Set aside 1 1/2 cups of the mixture. Press remaining mixture on bottom of greased 13x9 inch baking pan. Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

2) With mixer, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk until smooth, stir in lemon juice. Spread over baked crust.

3) Combine cranberry sauce, corn starch, & 1 Tbsp. brown sugar. Spoon over cheese layer. Top with remaining crumb mixture.

4) Bake 45 minutes or until golden. Cool & cut into bars. Refrigerate leftovers.

~~~

I hope your family enjoys these as much as we do!

Enjoy your Monday!

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Made By You Monday

Everything Under The Moon

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Home For The Holidays

Handmade Holiday

Crafty, Scrappy, Happy

Tatertots & Jello

Cup Of Delight

'Tis the Season for... Peppermint

  Christmas is drawing ever closer. Thankfully, I got a bit more of my Christmas shopping done yesterday. One step closer to being done. I personally like being done with gift buying by the time December rolls around. Then I can focus on wrapping, decorating, baking, cooking, & having fun with my family & friends.

  One of my favourite flavours of Christmas is peppermint. I've found a wonderful collection of Christmas goodies featuring peppermint on Pinterest. I'm planning on making some (not all!) of these goodies this Christmas season. I am having a hard time deciding on which ones though. Any votes for your favourites?

Frozen Peppermint Cheesecake

Peppermint Crunch Chocolate Chip Cookies

Peppermint Sugar Cookies

Candy Cane Kiss Cookies

Peppermint Meltaways 

Peppermint Mocha Cupcakes

Hot Chocolate Cupcakes

Peppermint Profiteroles

All photos via Pinterest. 

So, what are your votes? Are you feeling inspired to make any of these for your family? I have the Peppermint Meltaways on my list to make this week.

Have a great weekend!

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5 Minutes Just For Me