Betty Crocker’s™ Bunny Butt Cake

Yield: 15 Servings

Photo by Betty Crocker™

Ingredients:

• 1 box Betty Crocker™ SuperMoist™ yellow or white cake mix  (Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box)
• Tray or cardboard covered with wrapping paper and plastic food wrap or foil
• 1 container Betty Crocker™ Rich & Creamy vanilla frosting or make the Buttercream Frosting recipe below
• Red food coloring
• 1 large marshmallow, cut in half
• 3 cups shredded coconut
• Green food coloring
• 2 strawberry or cherry stretchy and tangy taffy candies (from 6-oz bag)
• 1 roll Betty Crocker™ Fruit Roll-Ups® punch berry chewy fruit snack (from 5-oz box)
• 3 green-colored sour candies, separated into strips
• Construction paper

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 325°F. Grease 1 1/2-quart ovenproof bowl (8 inches across top) with shortening; coat with flour (do not use cooking spray). Lightly grease 3 muffin cups in regular-size muffin pan.
2. Make cake batter as directed on box. Pour cake batter in 3 muffin cups, filling two-thirds full. Pour remaining batter into 1 1/2-quart bowl.
3. Bake cupcakes 17 to 21 minutes, bowl 47 to 53 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Remove cakes from muffin cups and bowl; place rounded sides up on cooling racks. Cool completely, about 1 hour. If necessary, cut off rounded tops of cakes.
4. Spoon frosting into large bowl. Add red food color to make desired pink color. Place bowl cake on tray cut side down; spread 1/3 cup frosting over cake. Use frosting to adhere cupcakes to bowl cake for feet and bunny tail. Use toothpicks if necessary. Place marshmallow halves, cut sides down, on tops of 2 cupcakes to make heels of feet. Spread thin layer of frosting over side and top of cake to seal in crumbs. Freeze cake 30 to 45 minutes to set frosting.
5. Spread remaining frosting over cake. Sprinkle with 2 cups of the coconut; press gently to adhere. Shake 1 cup coconut and 3 drops green food color in tightly covered jar until evenly tinted. Surround bunny with tinted coconut. Use rolling pin to press strawberry candies into 2 large rectangles. Cut 2 large ovals and 6 small circles out of candy. Press onto bottoms of bunny feet, using frosting if needed.
6. Roll up fruit snack to make carrot shapes. Cut green sour candies in half crosswise; press into large end of each carrot to make greens on carrot. Cut ears from construction paper; wrap ends that will be inserted into cake with plastic food wrap. Insert into cake. Remove ears, plastic wrap and toothpicks before serving. Store loosely covered.

Further Instructions on how to assemble your Bunny Butt Cake, click here!

Click here for assembly instructions for the Betty Crocker™ Bunny Butt Cake (Photo by Betty Crocker™)

Expert Tips: 

• Need to bake cake layers in batches? Just cover and refrigerate batter in the mixing bowl while the first batch is baking. An extra minute or two for baking the second batch may be needed.
• Sprinkle chocolate cookie crumbs behind the feet and around the carrots to make it look like the bunny was digging.

Buttercream Frosting

Photo by Betty Crocker™

Ingredients:

• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 2 to 3 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract

Directions:

1. In large bowl, beat powdered sugar, butter and shortening with electric mixer on low speed until blended. Beat in milk and vanilla on medium speed until smooth. If necessary, stir in milk, a few drops at a time, until spreadable.

   Frosts two 13×9-inch cakes, or fills and frosts two 8- or 9-inch two-layer cakes.

Halloween Candy Bark Recipe

Photo by Taste of Home©

Yield: 44 Servings (2-3/4 pounds)

Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons butter
• 1-1/2 pounds white candy coating, coarsely chopped
• 2 cups pretzels, coarsely chopped
• 10 Oreo cookies, chopped
• 3/4 cup candy corn
• 3/4 cup dry roasted peanuts
• 1/2 cup milk chocolate M&M’s
• 1/2 cup Reese’s Pieces

 

Directions:

1. Line a 15x10x1-in. baking pan with foil; grease foil with butter. In a microwave, melt candy coating; stir until smooth. Spread into prepared pan. Sprinkle with remaining ingredients; press into candy coating. Let stand about 1 hour.
2. Break or cut bark into pieces. Store in an airtight container.

 

 

Nutritional Facts
1 ounce: 152 calories, 7g fat (5g saturated fat), 1mg cholesterol, 84mg sodium, 21g carbohydrate (18g sugars, 0 fiber), 1g protein.

 

 

Originally published as Halloween Candy Bark in Taste of Home September/October 2013, p2-8

 

 

Popcorn Month – Rocky Road Popcorn Clusters

October is Popcorn Month.  Click HERE to learn more!

 

Rocky Road Popcorn Clusters

By Jessy Yancey

Recipe Created By: The Popcorn Board

Photo by Farm Flavor, The Popcorn Board

Ingredients:

• 6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 4 cups popped popcorn
• 1½ cups miniature marshmallows
• ¾ cup walnuts, chopped

Instructions:

• Place chocolate chips in a small microwave-safe bowl. Heat in microwave on high for 1 minute, until melted. Stir in oil.
• Place popcorn, marshmallows and walnuts in large bowl. Pour chocolate over mixture, tossing to coat.
• Drop mixture by tablespoonful onto wax paper-lined jellyroll pan.
• Refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours or overnight.
• For a pretty presentation, drop the chilled clusters into paper baking cups.

Watermelon Salad

Recipe by Better Homes & Garden™

Photo by Better Homes & Garden™

Servings: 9

Ingredients:

• 2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
• 2 cups watermelon juice*
• 1 ½ cups white grape juice
• 1 teaspoon shredded lemon peel
• 1 ½ cups assorted chopped fruit (such as peeled peaches, nectarines, pears, and/or green grapes)
• ⅓ cup crumbled feta cheese
• Mint leaves

 

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan sprinkle gelatin over watermelon juice. Allow to stand 5 minutes. Cook and stir until gelatin is dissolved. Stir in grape juice and lemon peel.
2. With a ladle or cup transfer half of the watermelon juice mixture to a 2-quart square baking dish. Cover and refrigerate about 1-1/2 hours, or until thickened to the texture of egg whites (keep remaining watermelon juice mixture at room temperature). Add fruit. Carefully spoon remaining watermelon juice over set mixture. Cover and refrigerate 1-1/2 hours more or until all layers are set.
3. Top with feta and mint leaves before serving. Makes 9 servings.

 

 

Tip:

*Process 6 cups cubed watermelon (about 3 1/2 pounds whole watermelon) in a food processor; strain to remove seeds and pulp.

 

 

Nutrition Facts:

Per Serving: 92 calories, (1 g saturated fat, 0 g polyunsaturated fat, 0 g monounsaturated fat), 5 mg cholesterol, 68 mg sodium, 18 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 16 g sugar, 3 g protein.

 

Fat-Free Watermelon Sherbet

Recipe by Better Homes & Gardens™

Yield: 8 Servings; Serving Size: 1/2 cup

Photo by Better Homes & Gardens™

 

Ingredients: 

• 5 c. cubed, seeded watermelon
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 1/3 c. cranberry juice
• 1 envelope unflavored gelatin
• Watermelon wedges (optional)

 

Directions:

1. Place watermelon cubes in a blender or food processor. Cover and blend or process until smooth. (You should have about 3 cups of watermelon mixture.) Stir in sugar.
2. In a small saucepan combine the cranberry juice and gelatin. Let mixture stands for 5 minutes. Stir mixture over low heat until gelatin is dissolved.
3. Stir the gelatin mixture into the melon mixture. Pour into an 8x8x2-inch baking pan. Cover and freeze about 3 hours or until firm.
4. Break up frozen mixture and place in a chilled mixer bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium to high speed until mixture is fluffy. Return to pan. Cover and freeze about 1 to 2 hours more or until firm.
5. To serve, let stand at room temperature for 5 minutes before scooping. Serve with watermelon wedges, if desired.

 

 

Nutrition Facts: Per serving: 83 kcal, 3 mg sodium, 20 g carb., 1 g pro.

 

Pink Lemonade Cake

by Better Homes & Gardens™

Photo by BHG.com

18 Servings

 

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup butter
• 4 eggs
• 3-1/3 c. all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 c. sugar
• 1-1/3 c. milk
• 1/4 c. frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
• 1 tsp. pure lemon extract
• Lemonade Butter Frosting*

 

Directions: 

1. Allow butter and eggs to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, grease two 9×2-inch round cake pans. Line bottoms with parchment; grease paper. Flour pans, tapping to remove excess; set aside. In medium bowl stir together 3-1/3 cups flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In an extra-large mixing bowl beat butter with mixer on medium to high for 30 seconds. Gradually add sugar, about 1/4 cup at a time, beating on medium until well combined. Scrape sides of bowl; beat 2 minutes more. Add 1/8 tsp. red food coloring; beat to combine. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
3. In bowl stir together milk, lemonade concentrate, and extract (mixture will look curdled). Alternately add flour mixture and milk mixture to butter mixture, beating on low after each addition just until combined. Remove half (4 cups) the batter; spread in one pan. In remaining batter, stir 1/4 tsp. red food coloring. Spread in second pan.
4. Bake about 35 minutes, until tops spring back when lightly touched. Meanwhile, prepare Lemonade Butter Frosting.
5. Cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove layers from pans; peel off paper. Cool completely on wire racks. Trim off domed tops of layers so cake will stand flat. Cut each layer horizontally in half, making four layers. Brush crumbs from layers.
6. Place one dark pink layer, cut-side down, on a plate. Spread 1 cup frosting just to edges. Top with a light pink layer, followed by second dark pink layer, spreading frosting on each just to edges. Stack final light pink layer, cut-side down. Spread frosting on top and sides as desired.

 

From the BHG Test Kitchen 

To incorporate food coloring evenly in batter, add the first portion of food coloring to butter and sugar mixture before adding eggs.

HOW TO SPLIT LAYERS

To split layers, stack small wooden blocks the width of the layer desired next to the layer. With a gentle sawing motion, slice around the cake to the center. Brush off crumbs.

*

Balsa wood blocks are sold at crafts stores.

LEMON GARNISH

Thinly slice lemons and remove seeds. Coat with sugar then arrange on cake just before serving.

 

*Lemonade Buttercream Frosting

Yield: 6 cups

Ingredients: 

• 3 cups (6 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• Two-16 ounces jars marshmallow creme**
• 1/4 cup frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoons pure lemon extract

Directions:

1. In very large mixing bowl beat softened butter with mixer on medium for 30 seconds, until light and fluffy. Add marshmallow creme and lemonade concentrate. Beat until smooth, scraping sides of bowl. Add powdered sugar and extract; beat until light and fluffy. (If frosting is stiff, soften in microwave no more than 10 seconds, then beat until smooth.)
2. Frost Pink Lemonade Cake. To store frosting, cover and refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze up to 1 month. Bring to room temperature before frosting cake. Makes 6 cups.

From the Test Kitchen

Room-temperature butter ensures that the frosting will be creamy and spreadable.

 

* * If only 13-oz. jars are available, add 6 oz. (1-1/2 cup) marshmallow creme.

 

Video Tips on How to Make a Layer Cake

 

Nutrition Facts (Pink Lemonade Cake)
Per serving: 583 kcal , 32 g fat (20 g sat. fat , 1 g polyunsaturated fat , 8 g monounsaturated fat ), 124 mg chol. , 442 mg sodium , 72 g carb. , 1 g fiber , 47 g sugar , 5 g pro.

Strawberry Parfait Recipe

Recipe by Marcela Valladolid for Better Homes & Gardens™ 

Photo by Better Homes & Gardens™

Serving Size: 3/4 cup

Yield: 8 Servings or 6 cups

 

Ingredients: 

• 1/2 c. water
• 2 envelope unflavored gelatin
• 16 ounces strawberries, hulled and quartered
• 1/4 c. sugar
• 16 oz. cream cheese (room temperature)
• 1/2 c. sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 c. evaporated milk
• 1/2 c. powered sugar
• 1/2 c. chopped strawberries

 

Directions: 

 

1. In a small saucepan, bring the water to boiling. Add gelatin; stir to dissolve. Let cool.
2. In a large bowl, toss quartered strawberries and sugar until combined; let stand 20 minutes or until juices form.
3. In a blender, blend the cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and powered sugar until very smooth. Add strawberry mixture; blend until very smooth.
4. Using a fine-mesh strainer, strain gelatin mixture into a medium bowl. Strain cream cheese mixture to remove any lumps and add to gelatin mixture, whisking constantly. Gently stir in chopped strawberries. Pour mixture into six goblets.  Chill about 6 hours or until set. Top with additional strawberries.

 

Nutrition Facts: 

Per serving: 360 cal., 23 g. gat (13 sat. fat, 1 g. polyunsaturated fat, 6 g. monounsaturated fat), 68 mg. chol., 220 mg. sodium, 34 g. carb., 1 g. fiber, 31 g. sugar, 9 g. pro.

 

 

National Strawberry Parfait Day – June 25

National Strawberry Parfait Day is observed annually on June 25.

Celebrate National Strawberry Parfait Day. Bon Appetit!

Parfait is French for perfect.  The traditional parfait is a dessert of ice cream or frozen custard layered in a tall glass stemmed glass with fruit and topped with whipped cream.

Today, the ice cream is often replaced with yogurt or pudding and additional layers of granola are added. Strawberries are in season during the month of June, so it is a good time for National Strawberry Parfait Day.

How to Observe?  Enjoy a Strawberry Parfait today, of course!

 

Strawberry Parfait

Ingredients:

• 2 pkgs. (3 oz.) strawberry Jello
• 2 c. water, boiled
• 2 pts. strawberries, sliced
• 2 pts. strawberry ice cream
• 1 pkg. unflavored gelatin (dissolved in 1/2 c. water)
• 3 drops red food coloring (opt.)

 

Directions: 

1. Dissolve Jello in boiling water. Add gelatin already dissolved in 1/2 cup cold water. Cut in ice cream. Mix until ice cream is melted.  Add food coloring, if so deserved.
2. Refrigerate for 10 to 15 minutes. Then remove from refrigerator, fold in strawberries. Pour in pie shell or dessert dishes.
3. Celebrate and enjoy National Parfait Day!

 

Cheesecake Layered Red Velvet Cake

“I love both red velvet cake and cheesecake. So why not combine them into one stunning dessert? It’s best when served chilled, right out of the fridge”. —Melissa Gaines, Knoxville, Tennessee

Photo by Taste of Home©

Yield: 16 Servings

Ingredients:

• 2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 4 teaspoons all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten

 

CAKE:

• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• 1-1/2 cups canola oil
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 large eggs
• 1 bottle (1 ounce) red food coloring
• 2 teaspoons cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2-1/2 cups cake flour
• 2 tablespoons baking cocoa
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt

 

FROSTING:

• 3 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
• 1-1/2 cups butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 3 to 3-1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325°. Line bottom of a 9-in. springform pan with parchment paper; grease paper.
2. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in sour cream, flour and vanilla. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until blended. Pour into prepared pan. Place on a baking sheet.
3. Bake 40-50 minutes or until center is set. Cool on a wire rack 10 minutes. Loosen sides from pan with a knife. Cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate until ready to assemble, covering when completely cooled.
4. For cake, increase oven setting to 350°. Line bottoms of two greased 9-in. round baking pans with parchment paper; grease paper.
5. In a large bowl, beat sugar, oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar and vanilla until well blended. In another bowl, whisk flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into sugar mixture.
6. Transfer to prepared pans. Bake 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks; remove paper. Cool completely.
7. For frosting, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla until smooth. Gradually beat in enough confectioners’ sugar to reach desired consistency. Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread with 1 cup frosting. Carefully place cheesecake over frosting.
8. Spread cheesecake with another 1 cup frosting. Top with remaining cake layer. Frost top and sides of cake with remaining frosting. Refrigerate overnight before serving.

Originally published as Cheesecake Layered Red Velvet Cake in Taste of Home Christmas Annual Annual 2016, p168

July is Ice Cream Month

Adapted from Ina Garten’s recipe.

Easy Vanilla Ice Cream

Everyone screams for ice cream!

Makes 1 quart

Ingredients:

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 vanilla bean, scraped

Directions:   

1. Combine cream, milk, sugar and vanilla in a saucepan and heat until the sugar is completely dissolved.
2. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean and stir in to the cream mixture just before removing from the heat.
3. Pour into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator or in an ice bath until completely cool.
4. Freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. (If you don’t have an ice cream maker, check out this post from TheKitchn on how to make ice cream without one.)
5. Store in an air tight container and freeze for an additional 2 hours.

For more recipes, click here at Real Simple.com