Sweet Saturday

Hello everyone and welcome to another “Color me there” blog post!

This “Sweet Saturday” is bound to be a crowd please. Why? Because it’s all about EVERYONES favorite thing…DESSERT.

Facebook friends and family know I LOVE a good dessert and equally love to share delicious recipes of desserts, which is why today you soooooo want to get those mixers ready, because I am sharing my top 5 most popular Facebook cake recipes of all time!

So without further ado let’s start the countdown from bottom to top:

5. CHOCOLATE COVERED OREO COOKIE CAKE

Ingredients

1 (18.25 ounce) package devil's food chocolate cake mix

4 (1 ounce) squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate

1/4 cup butter

1 (8 ounce) package PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened

1/2 cup sugar

2 cups thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping

12 OREO Cookies, coarsely crushed

Directions

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Prepare cake batter and bake in 2 (9-inch) round pans as directed on package. Cool cakes in pans 10 min. Invert onto wire racks; gently remove pans. Cool cakes completely. Microwave chocolate and butter in small microwaveable bowl on HIGH 2 min. or until butter is melted. Stir until chocolate is completely melted.

Cool 5 min. Meanwhile, beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl with mixer until blended. Gently stir in COOL WHIP and crushed cookies. Place 1 cake layer on plate, spread with cream cheese mixture. Top with remaining cake layer. Spread top with chocolate glaze; let stand 10 min. or until firm. Keep refrigerated.

4. CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE DOUGH CHEESECAKE

Ingredients

Crust

1 1/2 cups finely crushed chocolate wafer cookies

2 tablespoons white sugar 1/4 cup melted butter

Cake

2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, cut into chunks

3/4 cup white sugar

2 tablespoons white sugar

1 cup sour cream

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cookie Dough

1/4 cup butter, softened

1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/4 cup white sugar

2 tablespoons water

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Topping

1 cup sour cream

2 teaspoons white sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Mix the chocolate wafer cookie crumbs, 2 tablespoons white sugar, and melted butter together in a bowl. Press firmly into the bottom and 1/2-inch up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake crust in the preheated oven until set, about 8 minutes. Beat cream cheese and 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons white sugar together in a bowl until creamy.

Add 1 cup sour cream, eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; beat until batter is smooth. Pour batter over crust into spring form pan. Beat 1/4 cup butter, brown sugar, and 1/4 cup white sugar together in a bowl. Stir water and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract into brown sugar mixture. Add chocolate chips and flour; stir until cookie dough is well-combined.

Drop cookie dough in 2 tablespoon portions evenly over the top of the cheesecake, pushing dough beneath the surface of the batter. Bake in the preheated oven until cheesecake is almost completely set and jiggles slightly in center when shaken, about 40 minutes. Stir 1 cup sour cream, 2 teaspoons white sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla together in a bowl until smooth. Spread sour cream mixture over hot cheesecake.

Cool cake to room temperature and refrigerate until cold, at least 4 hours. Top with whip cream or dollop around the cake perimeter with vanilla frosting.

3. STRAWBERRY CAKE

Ingredients

2 cups white sugar

1 (3 ounce) package strawberry flavored Jell-O®

1 cup butter, softened

4 eggs (room temperature)

2 3/4 cups sifted cake flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 cup whole milk, room temperature

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup strawberry puree made from frozen sweetened strawberries

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9 inch round cake pans.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, sugar and dry strawberry gelatin until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each.

Combine the flour and baking powder; stir into the batter alternately with the milk. Blend in vanilla and strawberry puree. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a small knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow cakes to cool in their pans over a wire rack for at least 10 minutes, before tapping out to cool completely.

Frost with buttercream, vanilla or strawberry icing and top with fresh strawberry slices for decoration.

2. ITALIAN CREAM CAKE

Ingredients

1 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup shortening

2 cups white sugar

5 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup flaked coconut

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 cups all-purpose flour

8 ounces cream cheese

1/2 cup butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 cups confectioners' sugar

2tablespoons light cream

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1 cup sweetened flaked coconut

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease three 9 inch round cake pans. In a small bowl, dissolve the baking soda in the buttermilk; set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together 1/2 cup butter, shortening and white sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in the eggs, buttermilk mixture, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 cup coconut, baking powder and flour. Stir until just combined. Pour batter into the prepared pans.

Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool.

Frosting: In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, 1/2 cup butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla and confectioners' sugar. Beat until light and fluffy. Mix in a small amount of cream to attain the desired consistency.

Stir in chopped nuts and remaining flaked coconut. Spread between layers and on top and sides of cooled cake.

1. HERSHEY CHOCOLATE CAKE

Ingredients

2 cups sugar

1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 cup milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup boiling water

"PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING (recipe follows)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.

2. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.

3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost with "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING. Makes 12 servings.

VARIATIONS

ONE-PAN CAKE: Grease and flour 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Heat oven to 350° F. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely. Frost.

THREE LAYER CAKE: Grease and flour three 8-inch round baking pans. Heat oven to 350°F. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost.

BUNDT CAKE: Grease and flour 12-cup fluted tube pan. Heat oven to 350°F. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 50 to 55 minutes. Cool 15 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely. Frost.

CUPCAKES: Line muffin cups (2-1/2inches in diameter) with paper bake cups. Heat oven to 350°F. Fill cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake 22 to 25 minutes. Cool completely. Frost. About 30 cupcakes.

"PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine

2/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa

3 cups powdered sugar

1/3 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency.

Add small amount additional

milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. About 2 cups frosting.

That conclude this delectable countdown peeps and happy baking to all and please share your cake creations with me on www.facebook.com/vincenteart!

I love to see what other people’s works of deliciousness look like.

See you next week ~Tony Vincente