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Cocoa Medallion Cake

¾ c cocoa
¾ c boiling water
¼ c softened butter
¼ c shortening
2 c sugar
1 t vanilla
½ t salt
2 eggs
1-1/2 t baking soda
1 c buttermilk or sour milk (1 T vinegar plus milk to equal 1 c)
1-3/4 c flour

Stir together cocoa and boiling water until smooth; set aside. Cream butter, shortening, sugar, vanilla, and salt in large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs. Stir baking soda into buttermilk; add alternately with flour to creamed mixture. Blend in cocoa mixture.

Pour into 2 greased and wax paper–lined 9-inch pans or a 13x9 pan. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes (40-45 for 13x9); cool 10 minutes; remove from pans. Frost as desired.

Chocolate Town Cake

½ c cocoa
½ c boiling water
2/3 c shortening
1-2/4 c sugar
1 t vanilla
2 eggs
2-1/4 c unsifted flour
1-1/2 t baking soda
½ t salt
1-1/3 c buttermilk or sour milk (4t vinegar plus milk to equal 1-1/3 c)

Stir together cocoa and boiling water until smooth; set aside. Cream shortening, sugar, and vanilla in large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt; add alternately with buttermilk to creamed mixture. Blend in cocoa mixture.

Pour into 3 prepared 8-inch pans or 2 prepared 9-inch round ones. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes (for 8-inch) or 35-40 (for 9-inch). Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans. Frost as desired.

Malted Chocolate Cake

1 package chocolate cake mix
¾ c malted milk powder
1 16-oz can whipped chocolate frosting
1-1/2 c chopped malt balls

Preheat oven to 350. Prepare cake mix according to box directions, and add 1/3 c malt powder to the batter. Pour batter into a prepared baking pan. Bake as directed on the box (until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.) Place pan on a wire rack and cool completely.

In a bowl, stir together the frosting and remaining malt powder. Spread over cake. Top with chopped malt balls.

Brownie Pie

2 eggs, separated
¾ c butter, softened
¾ c sugar
¾ c brown sugar
2 oz unsweetened chocolate, melted
¾ c flour
¼ c chocolate liqueur

1 9-inch unbaked pie crust

Beat egg whites with wire whip on speed 8 until stiff. Set aside.

Beat butter and sugars with paddle on speed 4 for 1 minute. Add chocolate and egg yolks and mix on speed 2 for 1 minute. Scrape bowl; add flour and chocolate liqueur and mix on speed 2 for 30 seconds. Increase to speed 4 for 15 seconds. Scrape bowl; add egg whites on stir speed and mix for 15 seconds.

Pour mixture into shell and bake at 375 for 35-40 minutes.

Chocolate Eggnog Pie

Crust
1 8-oz package chocolate wafers, crushed
2 T sugar
4 T butter, softened

Mix all together with paddle on speed 2 until well combined, about 1 minute. Press firmly against bottom and sides of 9-inch pie plate. Bake at 350 for 5 minutes; cool.

Filling
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
¼ c cold water
1/3 c sugar
2 T cornstarch
½ t salt
2 c eggnog
½ t rum extract
1 c cream

Sprinkle gelatin over water to soften. Combine sugar, cornstarch cad salt in saucepan; gradually stir in eggnog. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened. Cook 2 minutes longer; remove from heat and stir in gelatin until dissolved. Stir in rum extract and chill.

Place cream in clean, chilled bowl. Beat on speed 6 with wire whip until stiff. Fold whipped cream into gelatin mixture. Pour filling into cooled crust. Chill until set.

Topping
1 c cream
¼ c powdered sugar

Place cream in clean, chilled bowl. Beat on speed 8 with wire whip until cream begins to thicken. Add sugar gradually, whipping to soft peaks. Spread over pie; Chill.

Cream Pie

1 9-inch pastry shell

Filling
½ c sugar
6 T flour
¼ t salt
2-1/2 c milk
3 egg yolks
1 T butter
1 t vanilla

Mix sugar, flour, and salt in saucepan. Add milk and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened. Lower heat, cover and cook 10 minutes longer, stirring occasionally. Beat egg yolks on speed 8 with paddle for 1 minutes. Slowly add small amount of mixture to yolks. Add to pan and cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat for 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and add butter and vanilla. Cool and pour into shell.

Meringue
¼ t cream of tartar
1/8 t salt
3 egg whites
½ c sugar

Combine first 3 ingredients; beat with wire whip gradually increasing to speed 8 and until soft peaks form, about 1 minute Reduce to speed 4 and gradually add sugar; whip until stiff peaks form, about 1 minute. Lightly pile meringue on pie and spread to edges. Bake at 325 for 15minutes or until lightly browned.

For Chocolate Cream Pie: Add 2 oz melted, unsweetened chocolate to filling along with butter and vanilla.

Fudge Brownies

1 c butter, softened
4 oz unsweetened chocolate
2 c sugar
1 t vanilla
3 eggs
1 c flour
½ t salt
1 c chopped nuts (optional)

Melt ½ c butter with chocolate over low heat; cool. Cream remaining butter, sugar, and vanilla using paddle on speed 2 for 30 seconds; increase to speed 6 and cream for 2 minutes. Reduce to speed 4 and add eggs one at a time, beating 15 seconds  after each addition. Scrape bowl; add cooled butter and chocolate mixture; mix on speed 2 for 30 seconds. Reduce to stir speed and add flour, salt, and nuts; mix well until blended, about 30 seconds.

Pour into prepared 13x9x2 pan. Bake 350 for 45 minutes. Cool in pan.

Cream Puffs

1 c water
½ c butter
¼ t salt
1 c flour
4 eggs

Bring water, butter, and salt to full rolling boil. Reduce heat and quickly stir in flour, mixing vigorously until mixture leaves side of pan in ball. Remove from heat; place in mixing bowl. Add eggs using paddle attachment and mixing on speed 2 for approximately 30 seconds after each addition; increase to speed 4 for 30 seconds.

Drop dough onto greased cookie sheet, forming mounds 3 inches apart.

Bake at 400 for 10 minutes. Lower heat to 350 and bake for 25 minutes or until puffs have doubled in size. Remove from oven and cut small slits in the side of each. Let stand 10 minutes in turned off oven with door ajar. Cool completely, cut off tops and fill with custard.

Custard Filling
1/3 c sugar
1 T flour
1 T cornstarch
¼ t salt
1-1/2 c milk
1 egg yolk, beaten
1 t vanilla

Combine sugar, flour, cornstarch and salt in small saucepan. Gradually stir in milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and comes to a boil; cook 3 more minutes.

Combine egg yolk with small amount of hot milk mixture; add back to pan. Continue cooking until mixture boils; stir in vanilla. Remove from heat and cool completely.

Replace puff tops and dust with powdered sugar.

Double Chocolate Pound Cake

3 c sifted cake flour
3 c sugar
1 c cocoa
3 t baking powder
1 t salt
1 c butter, softened
1-1/2 c milk
3 t vanilla
3 eggs
¼ c cream

Sift dry ingredients into bowl. Make a well and add butter, milk, and vanilla. Beat on stir speed with paddle for 1 minute. Scrape bowl and beat on speed 6 for 5 minutes. Stop and scrape bowl. Set back on stir speed and add eggs one at a time, beating 15 seconds after each. Add cream; beat 15 more seconds. Beat 15 seconds on speed 4.

Pour batter into greased 10-inch tube pan and bake at 325 for 1 hour 40 minutes. When cool, remove from pan and drizzle with chocolate glaze.

Glaze
2 squares unsweetened chocolate
3 T butter
1 c powdered sugar
¾ t vanilla
2 T hot water

Heat chocolate and butter over low heat until melted. Remove from heat, stir in sugar and vanilla. Stir in water 1 t at a time until glaze is at desired consistency.

Easy White Cake

3 c sifted cake flour
1-3/4 c sugar
3 t baking powder
½ t salt
1 c shortening
1-1/2 c milk
3 eggs
1 t vanilla

Sift dry ingredients into bowl. Add shortening and 1 c milk. Beat 1 minute on speed 6.

Add egg whites, rest of milk, and vanilla. Beat 1 minute on speed 6.

Pour batter into 2 prepared 8- or 9-inch pans. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes.