Texas Sheet Cake

2 cup flour
2 cups sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
2 cubes of BUTTER
4 Tbsp. powdered cocoa
1 cup water
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 c. buttermilk

Mix flour, sugar, and baking soda togehter and set aside. Heat BUTTER, cocoa, and water in a small sauce pan on low to a low boil. Add the dry mixture and mix well. Then add the vanilla, eggs and buttermilk. Mix well and pour into a greased 10x15 pan. Bake in oven at 400 for 20 mins.

Frosting:
4 cups powdered sugar, set aside in a bowl. Melt 2 cubes of BUTTER and 4 Tbsp cocoa. Stir constantly. When completed melted, add 1 tsp of vanilla and 6 Tbsp. buttermilk. Pour this mixture into the powdered sugar and mix well with hand mixer, scraping sides frequently. Pour/spread the frosting on the cake right when it is removed from the oven. Optional: Sprinkle chopped walnuts on top.

Peanut Butter Crunch Cake

This is a recipe from Aunt Eileen.

1 pkg super moist yellow cake mix
1/2 c packed brown sugar
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup water
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1/3 cup chopped peanuts
1 cup chocolate chips
Heat oven to 350. Grease 13x9 pan. Beat cake mix dry, brown sugar, and peanut butter on low speed until crumbly. Reserve 2/3 cup of the crumbly mixture. Beat remaining crumbly mixture, water, oil and eggs on low speed, scraping bowl frequently, 2 minutes. Pour batter into pan. Stir nuts into reserved crumbly mixture; sprinkle over batter. Sprinkle with chocolate chips. Bake until cake springs back when touched lightly in the center. 40-45 minutes.

Melissa’s Chocolate-Mouse Dessert Cake

Ingredients: 1 package angel food cake mix, sifted
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate, grated
3 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar, sifted
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions: 1. Preheat oven and prepare cake mix as package label directs, adding grated chocolate to flour mixture. 2. Turn batter into ungreased 10" tube pan; bake 30 - 40 minutes, or until surface springs back when gently pressed. 3. Invert pan over neck of bottle. Let cake hang to cool completely. 4. Meanwhile, make cocoa cream filling and frosting. Refrigerate cream, confectioners sugar, and cocoa ( in large bowl) until very cold. 5. Sprinkle gelatin over 2 tablespoons cold water; let stand 5 minutes to soften. Heat, stirring, over hot water until dissolved. Let cool. 6. Add vanilla and salt to chilled cream. Beat with portable electric mixer until stiff enough to hold its shape. 7. Remove 3 cups cocoa cream; into this, stir the cooled gelatin. Use for filling cake. 8. To prepare cake for filling; remove cake from pan, place upside down on cake plate. Cut 1 inch slice crosswise from the top of the cake, set aside. With knife outline a cavity in cake, leaving 1 inch thick walls. Carefully remove cake from center area leaving a 1 inch base. Reserve the removed cake pieces. 9. Fill cavity of cake with cocoa cream with gelatin. Replace the top portion . Toss cake pieces with a bit of frosting and fill the center hole with them. Frost with remaining cocoa cream. Chill several hours or overnight.

Serves: 12

Joanne’s Famous Chocolate Orange Cake

Cake

Substitute orange juice for the water in a boxed chocolate cake (like Devil’s Food cake) and add half a bag of chocolate chips.

Frosting

1/4 c orange juice (less if using concentrate)
1/2 bag chocolate chips
2 T milk

Melt in chocolate chips with milk and juice in the  microwave, on low heat. Stir every minute. Be careful not to over-cook the chocolate in the microwave.  When it’s melted, add more juice to taste if needed. Beat with fork till shiny and drizzle over cake.

Tamara zests an orange over the top for an added touch of fanciness.

Sour Cream-Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting and Chocolate-Peanut Butter Glaze

This is the recipe from Janet Lawrence that she made for Suzanne's birthday! It is fantastic, but does take time.

Sour Cream-Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting and Chocolate-Peanut Butter Glaze
Sky High: Irresistable Triple-Layer Cakes
Makes an 8-inch triple-layer cake; serves 12 to 16
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably Dutch process
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup neutral vegetable oil, such as canola, soybean or vegetable blend
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottoms and sides of three 8-inch round cake pans. Line the bottom of each pan with a round of parchment or waxed paper and butter the paper.
2. Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl. Whisk to combine them well. Add the oil and sour cream and whisk to blend. Gradually beat in the water. Blend in the vinegar and vanilla. Whisk in the eggs and beat until well blended. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and be sure the batter is well mixed. Divide among the 3 prepared cake pans.
3. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a cake tester or wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean. Let cool in the pans for about 20 minutes. Invert onto wire racks, carefully peel off the paper liners, and let cool completely. (Deb note: These cakes are very, very soft. I found them a lot easier to work with after firming them up in the freezer for 30 minutes. They’ll defrost quickly once assembled. You’ll be glad you did this, trust me.)
4. To frost the cake, place one layer, flat side up, on a cake stand or large serving plate. Spread 2/3 cup of the Peanut Butter Frosting evenly over the top. Repeat with the next layer. Place the last layer on top and frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting. (Deb note 1: Making a crumb coat of frosting–a thin layer that binds the dark crumbs to the cake so they don’t show up in the final outer frosting layer–is a great idea for this cake, or any with a dark cake and lighter-colored frosting. Once you “mask” your cake, let it chill for 15 to 30 minutes until firm, then use the remainder of the frosting to create a smooth final coating. Deb note 2: Once the cake is fully frosted, it helps to chill it again and let it firm up. The cooler and more set the peanut butter frosting is, the better drip effect you’ll get from the Chocolate-Peanut Butter Glaze.)
5. To decorate with the Chocolate–Peanut Butter Glaze, put the cake plate on a large baking sheet to catch any drips. Simply pour the glaze over the top of the cake, and using an offset spatula, spread it evenly over the top just to the edges so that it runs down the sides of the cake in long drips. Refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 30 minutes to allow the glaze and frosting to set completely. Remove about 1 hour before serving.
Peanut Butter Frosting
Makes about 5 cups
10 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
5 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
2/3 cup smooth peanut butter, preferably a commercial brand (because oil doesn’t separate out)
1. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl often. Continue to beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes.
2. Add the peanut butter and beat until thoroughly blended.
Chocolate-Peanut Butter Glaze
Makes about 1 1/2 cups
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 cup cream
1. In the top of double boiler or in a bowl set over simmering water, combine the chocolate, peanut butter, and corn syrup. Cook, whisking often, until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.
2. Remove from the heat and whisk in the cream, beating until smooth. Use while still warm.