Chocolate-Frosted Orange Bon Bon Cake

Cake
1/2 cup shortening
1/4 cup butter, room temperature
3/4 teaspoon salt
Grated rind of 1 orange
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 eggs
3 teaspoons baking powder
3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
Juice of 1 medium-size orange
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Water

Frosting
2 teaspoons finely grated orange rind
6 tablespoons orange juice
1 tablespoon shortening
2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted
2 to 3 tablespoons whipping cream, scalded

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease and flour two 9-inch layer cake pans.

Cake: Combine shortening, salt and grated orange rind. Add sugar gradually and cream until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. Add baking powder to flour and sift 3 times.

Combine orange juice and lemon juice in a 1-cup measure; add water to make 1 cup.

In small batches, add flour to creamed mixture, alternating with fruit juice mixture, beating after each addition until smooth.

Pour batter into prepared cake pans. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.

Spread frosting between layers and over top and sides of cake.

Frosting: Let orange peel stand in orange juice for 10 minutes, then strain.

Cream shortening, butter and salt together. Add 1/2 cup sugar gradually, creaming until light and fluffy. Add melted chocolate and blend. Add remaining sugar, alternating with orange juice mixture; beat until smooth. Add just enough cream to make a good spreading consistency, beating well.

Makes enough frosting to cover tops and sides of two 9-inch layers.

Devil’s Food Cake

1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter, margarine or Crisco?
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk
Salt, to taste
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 tablespoons cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 cups flour

Mix sugar, cocoa and shortening; add egg and vanilla extract. Beat with mixer for about 2 minutes.

Sift together flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Mix alternately with buttermilk to the above mixture. Beat about 2 minutes more or until creamy and smooth. Pour into greased and floured 13 x 9-inch oblong cake pan. Spread evenly. Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees F.

When cool, top with favorite icing.

Delicate White Cake with Lemon Filling

White Cake
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 1/4 cups sifted cake flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 egg whites, stiffly beaten

Cream shortening; add sugar gradually and cream thoroughly. Sift flour, baking powder and salt together and add to sugar mixture alternately with the milk and water mixed. Add vanilla extract and fold in egg whites. Pour into 2 well-greased and floured 8-inch cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 to 35 minutes. Cool. Remove from pans.

Lemon Filling
5 egg yolks
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons grated lemon rind
Confectioners? sugar

Beat egg yolks and add remaining ingredients. Place mixture in top of double boiler and cook over hot water until thick. Let filling cool, then spread between cake layers. Dust cake with confectioners’ sugar.

Cream Puff Cake

1/2 cup butter
1 cup water
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 eggs
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
4 cups milk
3 small boxes instant vanilla pudding
1 pint cream, whipped
Chocolate syrup

Melt butter in water. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, until it forms a ball. Turn into a bowl and beat in eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition. Spread flat on a greased 13 x 9-inch pan. Bake at 400 degrees F for 35 to 40 minutes. Cool. Mix together cream cheese and milk and beat until smooth. Add instant pudding, one package at a time. Spread over cooled shell. Top with whipped cream and drizzle chocolate syrup on top. Chill at least one hour before serving.

Crazy Cake

Cake
1 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup cold water

Set oven rack in the center of oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Mix flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt very well directly in an ungreased 8-inch square baking dish. Be sure these ingredients are mixed thoroughly. Make three depressions in the dry ingredients. Into one pour the oil. In the second add the vinegar. In the third add the vanilla extract. Pour cold water over all. Stir all the ingredients together with a fork until nicely blended, but do not beat. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.

Cream Cheese Frosting
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar or honey
2 to 4 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Beat cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar until fluffy. If necessary, thin with milk and beat until smooth. Mix in vanilla extract. Spread cooled cake with frosting, cut into squares, and set on a serving platter.

Makes 9 squares.

Cocoa Cake

1 cup sifted cake flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
6 eggs
1 1/3 cups firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
Confectioners? sugar

In a small bowl, mix dry ingredients. In a large bowl, beat egg whites, brown sugar, sour cream, vanilla extract and almond extract until well blended. Stir in flour mixture and beat just until evenly moistened. Pour batter into an 8-inch square greased baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees F until center of cake springs back when lightly pressed (30 to 40 minutes). Let cake cool in pan on a rack for 15 minutes, then invert it onto a serving plate. Serve warm or cool.

Just before serving, sift confectioners’ sugar over cake. To serve, cut cake into rectangles.

Clabber Cake

1 cup (2 sticks) margarine
2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
1/4 to 1/2 cup cocoa
3 1/2 cups cake flour
2 teaspoons baking soda (dissolved in a little water)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs. Sift cocoa and cake flour. Add alternately flour and cocoa with milk, salt, baking soda and vanilla extract. Bake in 13 x 9-inch pan at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes. Ice with chocolate or butterscotch icing.