Triple layer Applesauce Cake

Who says a birthday cake
has to be the traditional white frosting
with yellow or blue roses?

Of course,
I do love a traditional cake
as I am a traditional kind of girl
...but there is ALWAYS room
for something new
in my tattered old recipe box.

I've made many birthday cakes over the past few months
...all of the them the non traditional variety.
My latest was no exception...
a towering, triple layer Applesauce Cake.

The batter boasts a whopping 3 cups of applesauce
making this cake supremely moist!
Spicy undertones of cinnamon, nutmeg and clove
conjure up warm memories of golden autumn afternoons.



No matter we are smack dab in the middle of summer...
every bite will have you droopy eyed and smiling
on the hottest of summer days.

The sweetened whipped cream,
kissed with just the right amount of cinnamon
marries the rustic flavors
of apple, sugar and butter
found in the cake.



What a treat this would be
at backyard picnic
amongst family and friends.

You'd better bring copies of the recipe though...
as I'm sure there will be many requests!

TRIPLE LAYER APPLESAUCE CAKE

3 C FLOUR
3 TSP. BAKING SODA
1 1/2 TSP. BAKING POWDER
3/4 TSP. GROUND CINNAMON
3/4 TSP. GROUND NUTMEG
1/4 TSP. GROUND CLOVES
3/4 C. UNSALTED BUTTER (SOFTENED)
1 1/2 C. SUGAR
2 EGGS
3 TSP. VANILLA
3 C. UNSWEETENED APPLESAUCE

CINNAMON WHIPPED CREAM

2 C. HEAVY WHIPPING CREAM
3/4 C. POWDERED SUGAR
1 TSP. GROUND CINNAMON
1/2 TSP. VANILLA EXTRACT

DIRECTIONS FOR CAKE: PREHEAT OVEN TO 350 DEGREES. SPRAY THREE, 9 INCH CAKE PANS WITH NON STICK COOKING SPRAY. DUST WITH FLOUR. IN MEDIUM BOWL, COMBINE FLOUR, BAKING SODA, BAKING POWDER, CINNAMON, NUTMEG AND CLOVES. SET ASIDE. BEAT BUTTER WITH MIXER FOR 1 MINUTE. ADD SUGAR, BEAT. ADD EGGS AND VANILLA AND BEAT FOR 2 MINUTES. REDUCE SPEED TO LOW AND ADD FLOUR MIXTURE BY THIRDS ALTERNATING WITH ADDING THE APPLESAUCE. BEGIN AND END WITH THE FLOUR MIXTURE. DIVIDE BATTER AMONGST THE 3 CAKE PANS AND BAKE FOR 35-40 MINUTES. COOL IN PANS AND INVERT CAKES ON BAKING RACK TO CONTINUE TO COOL.

WHEN CAKE IS COMPLETELY COOL, PREPARE CINNAMON WHIPPED CREAM. COMBINE HEAVY CREAM, POWDERED SUGAR, CINNAMON AND VANILLA EXTRACT IN MIXER BOWL. BEAT ALL TOGETHER ON MEDIUM-HIGH SPEED UNTIL STIFF PEAKS FORM. DO NOT OVER BEAT. FROST AND STACK ALL THREE LAYERS.

Enjoy!

OMG! Bacon, tomato and mayo sandwich!

Tomato, bacon, mayo, salt and pepper on toasted Italian bread.
Can you please tell me if there is anything better than that?

I think not. :)

magnificent mini chocolate chip raspberry muffins!

Mini chocolate chip raspberry muffins are the bomb! In my last post, I spoke of freshly picked sun ripened raspberries. I used a tried and true recipe that was perfect for my raspberries. I mixed up a batch of these babies and they were so delicious, I wanted to share the recipe!

MINI CHOCOLATE CHIP RASPBERRY MUFFINS

1 HEAPING CUP FRESH RASPBERRIES
2 C. FLOUR
3/4 C. SUGAR
1 TBSP. BAKING POWDER
1/4 TSP. SALT
2 EGGS, SLIGHTLY BEATEN
1/2 C. MILK
1/3 C. VEGETABLE OIL
6 OZ. SOUR CREAM
2 HEAPING TBSP. STRAWBERRY JELLY
2 BIG HANDFULS CHOCOLATE CHIPS

PREHEAT OVEN TO 400 DEGREES. SPRAY MINI MUFFIN PAN GENEROUSLY WITH NONSTICK COOKING SPRAY. COMBINE FLOUR, SUGAR, BAKING POWDER AND SALT. MAKE A WELL IN THE CENTER. COMBINE EGGS, MILK, OIL, SOUR CREAM AND STRAWBERRY JELLY IN A MEDIUM BOWL. ADD EGG MIXTURE ALL AT ONCE TO FLOUR MIXTURE. STIR JUST UNTIL MOISTENED. FOLD IN RASPBERRIES

AND CHOCOLATE CHIPS.

SPOON BATTER INTO PREPARED MUFFIN CUPS, FILLING EACH A LITTLE OVER 3/4 FULL. BAKE FOR 18 MINUTES, GIVE OR TAKE A FEW MINUTES....KEEP AN EYE ON YOUR MUFFINS. THEY SHOULD HAVE A NICE GOLDEN COLOR TO THEM. COOL IN PAN. ENJOY!!

MAKES APPROX. 62 MINI MUFFINS

*OF COURSE THIS RECIPE CAN BE MADE IN A REGULAR SIZED MUFFIN PAN...IT JUST WON'T BE AS MUCH FUN!!

Happiness is...sun ripened raspberries!

One of my greatest loves is the many delicious treasures the earth gives us to nourish our bodies. I am always in awe of how everything we need to survive is provided from the earth...be it animal, plant, or water. To me, after my children and husband, it is the greatest gift from God.
Just yesterday, my children and I went to visit some friends. We had a great time enjoying nature, picking red raspberries and visiting with farm animals.

I feel at peace when I am in these surroundings.
I am a country girl at heart...for sure!





This sweet little boy is my friends son. He is so adorable! He gobbles up raspberries like there is no tomorrow! Of course he eats them as he picks them! But, mostly his Momma picks them for him.



My friend and her hubby raise pigs. This little piggy (will eventually go to market) is a cutie, but I had a hard time with the smell! Umm...it was quite pungent on a 94 degree day! I have smelled cows before...stinky...but I can deal with it...but oh my...this was the first time I have ever smelled a pig pen! Sorry little piggy. I don't mean to offend...but oh my!!



Ah, the alpacas...now I can get close to these animals. I did not smell a thing! Ha Ha! They will come right up to the fence to greet you. I have secretly named them!

I call the white one Snowball.
The "hairdo" alone is killing me!

..and I named the brown one Snufalufagus!

These beautiful sunflowers were growing here and there and everywhere. I was not about to miss the opportunity to take some great photos!

Our kids!
Cute kids!

me...hoping the sunflowers will help me look beautiful!

Yesterday was just what the doctor ordered. It left me feeling happy and peaceful inside. I have been eating the freshly picked raspberries and searching through my recipes. I have decided to make Chocolate Chunk Raspberry Muffins. Oh ya!! I made these last year with berries that were picked from the same place!! The muffins were to die for! I will be posting the recipe and photos very, very soon!



Stay tuned!

Misc. stuff and the best darn zucchini cake

My week in review.
Seems like a rather slow week.
I worked Monday and Tuesday evening,
and I've been at home the remainder of the week.

Here's what went on:
Lots and lots of laundry
played Chinese Checkers with my youngest son
took a walk on a sunny day
took a walk on a rainy day

took a photo of my house

baked a zucchini cake
which, I MUST share the recipe at the end of this post!
It is simply to die for!
Do not let your summer slip away without baking this cake!

weeded the garden
had coffee on the back porch
listened to the birds chirp
baked a black raspberry cobbler

snapped a couple photos of wildflowers

sent my son off on a Boy Scout camping trip

did lots of dishes
baked a poppy seed cake
enjoyed a rain storm
made zucchini pancakes
stayed up too late
slept in every morning
pulled a carrot from the garden

...and I think that is it.

Just every day normal life going on around here.

P.S. Here's the recipe for:

ZUCCHINI CAKE

4 EGGS
2 1/2 C. SUGAR
1 C. OIL
1 TSP. CINNAMON
3 C. GRATED ZUCCHINI
2 C. FLOUR
2 TSP. BAKING SODA
2 TSP. BAKING POWDER
1 C. CHOPPED WALNUTS

BEAT EGGS. ADD OIL, SUGAR AND CINNAMON. ADD DRY INGREDIENTS. STIR IN NUTS AND ZUCCHINI. USE A 9 X 13 PAN, GREASED AND FLOURED. BAKE AT 350 DEGREES FOR 30 TO 40 MINUTES.

FROSTING FOR ZUCCHINI CAKE

1 STICK BUTTER SOFTENED
2 C. POWDERED SUGAR
8 0Z. PACKAGE CREAM CHEESE SOFTENED
1 TSP. VANILLA

BEAT ALL INGREDIENTS TOGETHER AND SPREAD OVER COOLED CAKE.