Ingredients

Filling

3 pounds ricotta cheese (fresh if possible)

2-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

1/4 cup semi-sweet-chocolate pieces or grated sweet chocolate

2 tablespoons chopped citron

candied cherries, finely chopped

Cannoli Shells

3 cups sifted all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

3/4 cup Port Wine

Salad oil or shortening for deep-frying

1 egg yolk, slightly beaten

Confectioners' sugar 1. Make Filling: In a large bowl, with portable electric mixer, beat ricotta cheese one minute. Add 2.5 cups confectioners' sugar, and beat until light and creamy-about 1 minute. 2. Add chocolate, citron, cherries; beat at low speed until well blended. Refrigerate, covered, until well chilled-at least 2 hours. Meanwhile, make Cannoli Shells. 3. Sift flour with sugar and cinnamon onto a board. Make a well in center, and fill with Port. With a fork, gradually blend flour into Port. When dough is stiff enough to handle, knead about 15 minutes, or untill dough is smooth and stiff (if too moist and sticky, knead in a little more sifted flour). 4. Refrigerate dough, covered, 2 hours. 5. In deep-fat fryer, electric skillet, or heavy saucepan, slowly heat salad oil (3 to 4 inches deep), to 400 F on deep-frying thermometer. 6. Meanwhile, on lightly floured surface, roll one third of dough to paper thinness. Cut into eight 5-inch circles, or just cut into 5-inch squares. Wrap a circle loosely around a 6-inch-long cannoli form or dowel, 1 inch in diameter; seal with egg yolk. 7. Gently drop dough-covered forms, two at a time, into hot oil, and fry 1 minute, or until browned on all sides (turn, if necessary). With tongs or slotted utensil, lift out of oil, and drain on paper towels. Carefully remove forms. Continue until all dough is used. 8. Just before serving, with teaspoon or small spatula, fill shells with ricotta mixture. Garnish ends with chopped pistachios; sprinkle tops with confectioners' sugar. Makes 24. NOTE: Cannoli Shells can be made a day or two ahead (if tightly sealed in coffee cans in the dark, will keep for up to 2 weeks) and stored, covered, at room temperature, then filled about 1 hour before serving.
Submitted by: Mary from Arizona (aka Fearless Leader)

Ingredients

2 sticks margarine

2 C flour

1 C pecans -- chopped

1/2 C powdered sugar

FILLING

2 8-oz pkgs cream cheese

2 C whipped topping

2 C powdered sugar

2 C cooked sweet potato puree

TOPPING

Whipped topping

Pecans -- chopped

Melt margarine, add flour, nuts and sugar. Press into 9X13-inch baking pan. Bake 15 minutes at 375 degrees or until lightly browned. Combine filling ingredients, mix well and spread over cooled first layer. Top with a layer of whipped topping and sprinkle with chopped pecans.

Ingredients

1/2 C unsalted butter

2 squares (2 oz) semisweet chocolate

6 slightly beaten eggs

1 C sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 C all-purpose flour

Espresso Buttercream recipe below

Grease and lightly flour two 9x1-1/2 inch round baking pans. In a saucepan melt butter and chocolate over low heat, stirring often; set aside. In a large mixing bowl combine eggs, sugar and vanilla. Set bowl over (not touching) 1 to 2 inches of hot (not boiling) water in a large saucepan. Heat over low heat, stirring occasoinally, about 10 minutes or till lukewarm. Remove from heat; remove bowl from saucepan. Beat with an electric mixer on high speed about 15 minutes or till nearly tripled in volume. Gently fold in flour, 1/3 cup at a time. Gradually fold in chocolate mixture. Spread evenly in prepared pans. Bake in a 350 degree oven 25 to 30 minutes or till a wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes on wire racks. Remove from pans; cool. Meanwhile, prepare Espresso Buttercream. Fill and frost cake with Espresso Buttercream. Pipe chocolate buttercream around the edge of cake.

Espresso Buttercream

6 egg yolks

1 C sugar

1/3 C water

4 tsp instant espresso coffee powder

1-1/2 C unsalted butter, softened

1/4 C semisweet chocolate pieces, melted and cooled

Beat egg yolk with electric mixer till thick and lemon colored; set aside. In a medium saucepan combine sugar, water, and coffee powder; bring to boiling, stirring till dissolved. Cook over medium high heat. Stir constantly, till mixture reaches solt-ball stage (236F). Quickly pour the hot mixture in a steady stream over yolks, beating contantly on high speed. Continue beating till mixture is thick and smooth. Cool 15 minutes. Meanwhile, beat the unsalted butter till light and fluffy. Beat butter, 1 tablespoon at at time, into cool yolk mixture. Cover and chill for 30 minutes or until stiff enough to spread. Stir semisweet chocolate pieces into 1/2 cup of the buttercream.

Ingredients

1/2 C butter

1 C sugar

2 large eggs, beaten

1 tsp baking soda

1 C sour milk or buttermilk

1-1/2 C sifted flour

2 heaping Tbl cocoa

1-1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp powdered ginger

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and generously flour a deep 8-inch square cake tin, two 8-inch round pans, or a small tube pan. Cream the butter, stir in sugar until it is well mixed, then add eggs. Dissolve soda in the milk. Sift together the presifted flour, cocoa, cinnamon, ginger, and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with the milk and soda mixture. Add the vanilla and beat 100 times by hand (today I use my portable electric mixer). Pour into the prepared pan or pans and tap pan on counter a few times to release any bubbles in the batter. Bake until cake begins to shrink from sides of pan and toothpick or broom straw comes out clean when inserted in center. I start testing about halfway through anticipated baking time, which will vary from about 25 minutes in 2 round pans to 45 minutes in a square pan and 50 to 55 minutes in a tube pan. Cool on wire rack for 5 to 10 minutes before removing from pan. This is a versatile cake, delicious served warm with a dollop of whipped cream and perhaps a garnish of fresh berries in season, or simply sprinkled with a bit of sifted confectioners sugar.

Ingredients

1 C brown sugar, packed

1/2 C butter (no subsitutes)

1/4 C whipping cream

3/4 C coarsely chopped pecans

1 pkg. (18 oz.) devil's food cake mix

Topping

1-3/4 C whipping cream

1/4 C powdered sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

chocolate curls (optional)

In a saucepan, combine brown sugar, butter and 1/4 cup cream. Stir over low heat until butter is melted. (May be done in the microwave) Pour into two sprayed 9" round cake pans. Sprinkle with pecans, then set aside. Prepare cake mix according to package directions. Carefully pour batter over pecans. Bake in a 325 degree oven for 35-40 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pans for ten minutes, invert onto wire racks to cool completely. For topping, whip cream to soft peaks, adding sugar and vanilla. Beat until stiff. Place one cake layer, pecan side up, on a serving plate. Spread with half of the topping. Top with second cake layer and remaining topping. Garnish with chocolate curls if desired. Store in refrigerator.

Ingredients

2 C flour

1-1/4 C sugar

1-1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp soda

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 C soft shortening

1 C buttermilk or sour milk

3 large eggs

3 oz semi-sweet chocolate, melted

Macaroon topping

2 C flaked coconut

2 Tbl flour

1/2 C light corn syrup

2 Tbl cream or evaporated milk

1 tsp vanilla

Prepare macaroon topping by combining all ingredients in a small bowl. Generously grease bottom only of a 9" x 13" pan. Heat oven to 350 degrees. For cake, put all cake ingredients into a large bowl. Beat on low speed until blended, then beat for 3 minutes on medium speed. Scrape down bowl occasionally. Pour into prepared pan, spreading to edges. With teaspoon, carefully drop topping all over top of cake. Don't try to spread. As the cake bakes, the topping will drop to middle of cake to make little macaroon pockets. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes until the top springs back when touched lightly in center. Cool completely and ice with a chocolate butter cream frosting.

Ingredients

1-1/2 C white sugar

3 large eggs (separated)

1 C buttermilk

1 C blackberry jam

1 stick butter

3 C flour

1-1/2 tsp soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp cloves

1 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp allspice

Cream egg yolks and sugar and butter. Add jam, beat well. Add dry ingredients alternately with milk, beating vigorously after each addition. Beat egg whites until stiff and fold into batter. Stir in pecans if desired. (If making in December, add a shot of bourbon.) Bake in 3 greased and floured 9-inch cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. Cool 5 minutes before removing from pans, then place cake layers on cake racks until cool.

Caramel Icing

1 lb box 10x sugar (confectioners)

1-1/2 C light brown sugar

1 stick butter

1 small can (5 oz.) evaporated milk

1/2 C chopped pecans, if desired

Melt butter with evaporated milk. Add brown sugar, stirring constantly until dissolved; cook 2 or 3 minutes. Add powdered sugar and beat until thick. Ices three layers. (Add a few drops of milk if icing gets too thick while icing cake.) Sprinkle pecans on top if desired.

Ingredients

1-3/4 C flour

1-3/4 C sugar

3/4 C cocoa

1-1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2/3 C unsalted butter, softened

2 C sour cream

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Blend in softened butter, sour cream, eggs and vanilla, using the low speed on the mixer. Beat 3 minutes on medium speed. Pour batter in greased and floured 13"x 9"x3" pan. Bake for 40-45 minutes. Cool. Serve with pureed raspberries, passed through a sieve to remove seeds, sweetened with sugar and flavored with a squeeze of lemon juice. Dust cake with confectioners sugar.

Ingredients

2 Eggs

2 C Sugar

3 C Flour, sifted

1 tsp Baking soda

1/2 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp ground Cinnamon

1-1/2 C oil

2 tsp Vanilla

1-1/2 C Walnuts, chopped

3 C Apples, peeled and chopped

Beat eggs and sugar together in large bowl. Add sifted flour, soda and cinnamon. Stir well. Add remaining ingredients. Pour into 9 x 13 baking dish. Bake in a 300 degree oven for 1-1/2 hours. Top with whipped cream and with the following rum sauce:

Rum Sauce

1/2 C Butter

1 C Sugar

1 C Hot Water

1 Egg, beaten

4 Tbl Dark Rum

In a medium saucepan, cream butter and sugar together. Gradually stir in hot water and boil gently until the mixture is slightly thickened. Add egg and beat mixture well. Remove from heat, stir in rum. Serve warm over slices of cake or split muffins. Makes 1-1/2 cups sauce

Ingredients

3 C All Purpose Flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

2-3/4 C sugar

1-1/4 C margarine or butter, softened

5 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 C evaporated milk

3/4 C chopped M&M's plain chocolate candies

Glaze

1 C powdered sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

2-4 tsp milk

1/4 C whole or chopped M&M's plain chocolate candies

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease and flour tube pan, 10x4 inches, or 12-cup bundt cake pan. Stir together flour, baking powder and salt; reserve. Beat sugar, margarine, eggs and vanilla in large bowl on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed 5 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Beat in reserved flour mixture alternately with milk on low speed. Reserve 2 cups batter; pour remaining batter into pan. Carefully spoon chopped candies in ring shape in center of cake (avoid edge areas). Decorate with reserved batter. Bake until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes. Cool 20 minutes; remove from pan. Cool completely. Mix all glaze ingredients together until smooth. Spread glaze over cake, allowing some to drizzle down side. Decorate with 1/4 cup candies. 16 servings

Ingredients

1/2 C vegetable shortening

1-1/4 C sugar

2 C sifted cake flour

2-1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 C milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 egg whites

Coconut milk

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cream the shortening and sugar until fluffy. Sift the flour, baking soda and salt together three times. In a mixing bowl combine dry ingredients and milk alternately, adding a small amount of each and beating after each addition until smooth. Add the vanilla. Beat the whites until they peak and stir into the batter. Bake in two greased and floured 8 or 9 inch cake pans for thirty minutes or until done. Let cool and then dribble coconut milk over the cake before frosting.

Frosting

1-2/3 C sugar

1/2 C water

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

1/2 C egg whites (3 eggs)

2 C flaked coconut

Combine the sugar, water and cream of tartar. Stir over low heat until the sugar is dissolved. Then boil the mixture without stirring until the syrup threads from a spoon. Beat the egg whites until stiff. Gradually add the syrup to the egg whites, beating constantly until the frosting is cool enough to spread. Frost the top and sides of the cake. Then sprinkle coconut on the top and sides. Makes 10 to 12 servings.

Ingredients

4 squares unsweetened chocolate

1/2 C of hot water

1/2 C granulated sugar

2 C presifted (before measuring) cake flour

1 tsp salt

1/2 C butter, soft

1-1/4 C granulated sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 eggs

2/3 C milk

In double boiler put in the chocolate and hot water. Stir constantly, but not to the boiling point. Melt chocolate, add 1/2 cup of the sugar. Cook, stirring for 2 minutes; remove and cool to lukewarm. Sift the flour with the soda and salt. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two cake pans. In a large mixing bowl beat the butter and gradually add the 1-1/4C sugar, beating this until it's very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the vanilla and the eggs one at a time, on low speed. Blend in the chocolate that has cooled by this time. Turn into your pans and bake, approx. 25 minutes.

Frosting

3 C heavy cream

1-1/2 C sifted confectioners sugar

1/2 C sifted unsweetened cocoa

1/8 tsp salt

2 Tbl instant coffee

1/2 square semisweet chocolate, melted

14 whole almonds (or your choice of nuts)

Combine the cream, sugar, cocoa, salt and coffee. Refrigerate covered for 1/2 hour. Beat with rotary beater until stiff. With sharp knife cut the two layers of cake into four layers. Apply the frosting...and enjoy!

Submitted by: Mary Clendenin (aka Fearless Leader) from Arizona

Ingredients

Serves: 12 to 16

6 Tbl (3/4 stick) butter

2 packages (10 ounces each) marshmallows

12 C crispy rice cereal

1 package (16 ounces) M&M chocolate candies

Coat a 10-inch bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray. In a soup pot melt the butter over low heat. Add the marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from the heat and add the cereal, stirring until well coated. Allow to cool slightly then add the candies; mix well. Lightly press the mixture into the bundt pan and allow to cool completely. Run a knife around the edges of the pan to loosen, then invert onto a serving platter. Cut and serve. Note: You can fancy this up by simply drizzling 1/2 cup melted chocolate chips over the top of the cake.

Submitted by: Debbie (PreciousMoments7)