Cool Forest Buttermilk Bars Recipe

1 can (14.5 ounces) pie cherries packed in water (not syrup), drained

1 (18.25 ounces) chocolate cake mix, divided use
1 egg
4 ounces cream cheese
1/2 cup butter, melted (1 stick)
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
4 ounces cream cheese
1 cup powdered confectioner's sugar
3 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
Powdered confectioner's sugar for topping

Instructions
Put cherries in a strainer to drain. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Reserve 1 heaping cup dry cake mix and set aside.

In large bowl, combine remaining cake mix, 1 egg, 4 ounces cream cheese and butter; blend well. Spread batter into bottom of foil-lined 9 x 13-inch baking pan. Sprinkle with chocolate chips and press lightly into batter. Bake for 15 minutes and set aside.

In medium bowl, cream 2 eggs, buttermilk, cream cheese, 1 cup powdered sugar, and cocoa until well blended. Slowly add reserved cake mix, and beat on medium speed until mixture is smooth and thickened (about 3 minutes).

Place drained cherries on paper towels and gently blot dry. Spread cherries evenly over baked crust. Top with batter, and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until lightly browned on top. Cool completely and cut into bars.

Dust bar tops generously with sifted powdered sugar just before serving as the moisture in the bars will cause the sugar to melt within a matter of hours.

Yield: 24 bars

Peggy's Note: You must love the flavor of cocoa to like these bars. The cherries give a hint of sweet and sour flavor, but the bars are not overly sweet.


Recipe from: Peggy Trowbridge

Banana Cheesecake Bars Recipe

Ingredients
Bottom
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 egg, at room temperature
8 tablespoons butter, melted, but at room temperature (1 stick)
1 box (18.25 ounces) chocolate devil's food cake mix

Topping
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 cup mashed ripe banana (about 1/2 pound or 2 large bananas)
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
Powdered sugar for dusting

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9-inch by 13-inch baking pan with foil.

For the Bottom:
Cream 4 ounces of cream cheese, 1 egg and butter together on low speed until combined, about 1 minute. Blend in cake mix by hand until combined. It will be very thick, but piable like a soft dough. Press into bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking pan.

For the Topping:
Place cream cheese, banana, powdered sugar, and vanilla in a small bowl. Begin mixing on low speed until sugar is incorporated. Increase to medium speed and beat until smooth, at least 3 minutes or longer if need be. Add eggs one at a time, beating only until incorporated. Spread cream cheese batter evenly over bottom chocolate layer.

Bake at 350 degrees F. for 45 minutes. Cool completely. Carefully remove from pan, peel off foil, and cut into squares. Just prior to serving, dust with powdered sugar.

Recipe from: Peggy Trowbridge, Home Cooking Guide

Chocolate Raspberry Torte

A dense confection of chocolate and raspberry topped with a light chocolate ganache and chocolate shavings. Did I mention that there was chocolate in there?

Ingredients:

2 pkg. (8sq) Baker's Semi-Sweet Chocolate, divided
3/4 cup butter or margarine
1 pkg. (85g) Jell-O raspberry jelly powder
1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs
1/3 cup flour
1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans (optional)
2 cups thawed Cool Whip Whipped Topping


Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 9 inch round cake pan; line bottom with parchment paper. Microwave 4 squares of chocolate and butter in large bowl on medium 1 1/2 to 2 minutes or until chocolate is almost melted, stirring after 1 minute. Stir until chocolate is completely melted. Stir dry jelly powder and sugar into chocolate until well blended. Mix in eggs. Stir in flour and pecans until well blended. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centre comes out with fudgy crumbs. Do not over-bake. Cool in pan 5 minutes. Run small knife around side of pan to loosen edge. Invert onto serving platter; remove parchment paper. Cool cake completely. Meanwhile, melt 4 squares of chocolate in microwaveable bowl on medium 1 1/2 minutes or until melted; stirring after 1 min. Stir until chocolate is completely melted; stir in whipped topping until smooth. Frost cake with whipped chocolate mixture. Garnish with chocolate strips. Melt 4 squares Baker's semi-sweet baking chocolate in microwave on medium. Spread on parchment paper covered 15 x 10 in baking sheet. Refrigerate 30 min. Cut into irregular shape pieces (if chocolate becomes soft, place in refrigerator 5 min). Arrange on cake. Sprinkle with icing sugar. Store cake in refrigerator.

Notes: Prep 20 min. Total: 1 hr. 30 min. (incl refrigerating)

Submitted By: joycedsumara

Apple Walnut Cake

Crunchy apples and walnuts make this cake stand out. Top it with whipped cream for a perfect dessert.

Ingredients:
4 cups coarsely chopped apples
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
2 t. vanilla
2 cups flour
2 t. soda
2 t. cinnamon
1 t. salt
1 cup chopped walnuts

Method

Combine apples and sugar and set aside. Beat eggs, oil, and vanilla. Set aside. Put flour, soda, cinnamon and salt into bowl. Mix apples and sugar alternatively with eggs and oil. Mix into dry ingredients. Stir in walnuts. Bake at 350 in 13x9" pan for 1 hr. Top with 10x sugar or whipped cream.

Submitted By: MargeSLP

Devil's Food Cake

This rich chocolate recipe makes a decadent cake any chocolate lover will enjoy. Try it for dessert tonight.

Ingredients:
1 2/3 cups cake flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/3 cup margarine, softened
1 large egg, separated
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1 1/2 cups skim milk
2 egg whites
2 cups prepared light chocolate frosting

Method

Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray two 9" round cake pans with vegetable spray. On a sheet of waxed paper, combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Mix well. In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer set on medium speed beat together sugar and margarine until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolk and corn syrup. At a low speed, alternately beat in mix and flour mixture until combined. In another large mixing bowl, using clean beaters, beat egg whites on high speed until stiff, but not dry, peaks form. Fold beaten egg whites into batter. Spread batter into prepared pans, smooth tops. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Place pans on wire racks, cool for 10 minutes. Turn cakes out onto racks and cool completely.