Danita's Recipe Box

• 8 Tbsp (1 stick, 4 ounces) unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup Dutch processed cocoa
• 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 3/4 cup flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons peppermint extract
• 1/2 cup sour cream

Preheat oven and line muffin tin: Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare a muffin tin by lining it with cupcake liners.

Melt chocolate and butter in double boiler: Use a double boiler or add an inch or two of water to a medium sized saucepan and place a metal bowl over it, bringing the water to a simmer. Add butter (cut into chunks), chocolate, cocoa to the bowl. As the butter and chocolate melt, whisk until the ingredients are well combined and smooth. Remove from heat and let cool to touch.

Whisk dry ingredients: In a small bowl, vigorously whisk together the flour, baking soda, and baking powder.

Beat eggs, salt, sugar, mint extract, then add chocolate mixture: In a large bowl (can use a mixer), beat the eggs. Add the salt, the sugar, the mint extract and beat until well combined. Slowly add in the chocolate butter mixture and beat until combined.

Combine dry and wet ingredients, sour cream: Add in half of the sifted flour mixture, mix to combine. Mix in the sour cream. Mix in the remaining flour mixture.

Bake: Spoon the batter evenly into the lined muffin cups. Place in oven in middle rack. Bake at 350°F for 18-20 minutes, until tops spring back when touched and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Cool: Let cool in muffin tin on a rack for 15 minutes. Then gently remove cupcakes from the tin and let cool completely before frosting.

Recipe originally found at simplyrecipes.com

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet real chocolate chunks
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup light butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup cold water
• powdered sugar, if desired

Heat oven to 325°F. Combine flour, sugar, chocolate chunks, cocoa, baking soda and salt in ungreased 8-inch square baking dish. Make three depressions in flour mixture. Pour light butter into one, vinegar in the second and vanilla in the third. Pour water over all ingredients; stir until well mixed. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

• 6 cups strawberries, sliced
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 package (12 oz) pound cake, cut into 24 slices
• 1 tub (8 oz) Cool Whip, thawed

Toss strawberries with sugar in medium bowl; let stand 10 minutes or until sugar is dissolved. Place 1 cake on each of 12 dessert plates. Spoon 1/4 cup strawberries over each cake slice. Top with 2 tablespoons of the whipped topping. Serve immediately.

• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs (6 whole)
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 3 tablespoons margarine, melted
• 3 8 ounce packages cream cheese (softened)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 eggs
• 2 1 ounce packages Nestle unsweetened pre-melted chocolate

Combine crumbs, sugar and margarine; press onto bottom of 9 inch springform pan. Bake at 350°F for 10 minutes. Combine softened cream cheese, sugar, flour and vanilla, mixing at medium speed on electric mixer, until well blended. Blend in eggs. Blend in chocolate. Bake at 450°F for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 250°F; continue baking 30 minutes. Loosen cake from rim of pan; cool before removing rim of pan. Chill.

• White cake mix (we used an 18-1/4-ounce box)
• Food coloring (red, blue, green, and yellow)
• Baking cups
• Whipped cream (optional)

Prepare your favorite white cake mix, then divide the batter evenly among six small bowls. Following the chart below, dye each bowl of batter a rainbow color.

RAINBOW COLOR DROPS OF FOOD COLORING
Purple: 9 red and 6 blue drops
Blue: 12 drops
Green: 12 drops
Yellow: 12 drops
Orange: 12 yellow and 4 red drops
Red: 18 drops

Line 16 muffin pan wells with baking cups. Evenly distribute the purple batter among the cups, then the blue, and so on, following the order shown. As you go, gently spread each layer of batter with the back of a spoon to cover the color underneath.

Bake the cupcakes according to your recipe directions. Before serving, remove the paper wrapping, and if you like, top each cupcake with a whipped-cream cloud.

• 1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® party rainbow chip cake mix
• Water, vegetable oil and egg whites called for on cake mix box
• 24 flat-bottom ice cream cones
• 1 to 2 containers Betty Crocker® Rich & Creamy frosting (any flavor)

1. Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups.
2. Make cake batter as directed on box. Fill each cup 2/3 full of batter (1 heaping tablespoon each). Place ice cream cone upside down on batter in each cup.
3. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in cake comes out clean (cones may tilt on batter). Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Remove paper baking cups. Generously frost cake with frosting, and decorate as desired. Store loosely covered.

Cake:

• 1 (1 pound) box graham crackers
• 2 small packages instant french vanilla pudding
• 3 1/2 cups milk
• 1 (9 oz.) container Cool Whip

Frosting:

• 2 packages unsweetened pre-melted chocolate
• 2 teaspoons white Karo corn syrup
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 3 tablespoons softened butter or margarine
• 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 3 tablespoons milk

Butter bottom of 9×13 pan, line with graham crackers. Mix pudding with the milk. Beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. Blend in Cool Whip. Pour half the mixture over graham crackers. Place second layer of crackers over pudding. Pour remaining pudding mixture over graham crackers, and cover with more crackers. Refrigerate for 2 hours, then frost.

For frosting, beat all ingredients until smooth. Spread over cake. Refrigerate 24 hours.

• 1 package pudding
• 1 8 oz. package softened cream cheese
• Ready-made graham cracker pie crust

Mix pudding according to directions. Add cream cheese and mix until well blended. Pour mixture into pie crust. Refrigerate until set. Top with favorite pie filling and serve.

• 24 OREO Cookies, crushed (about 2 cups)
• 1/4 cup  (1/2 stick) butter or margarine, melted
• 4 pkg. (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
• 1 cup  sugar
• 2 Tbsp. flour
• 1 tsp.  vanilla
• 1 pkg. (8 squares) BAKER’S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, melted, slightly cooled
• 4   eggs

HEAT oven to 325ºF.

MIX crumbs and butter; press onto bottom of 13×9-inch foil-lined pan. Bake 10 min.

BEAT cream cheese, sugar, flour and vanilla with mixer until well blended. Add chocolate; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended. Pour over crust.

BAKE 45 min. or until center is almost set. Cool completely. Refrigerate 4 hours. Use foil to lift cheesecake from pan.

• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
• 5 packages (8 oz. each) cream cheese
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 1 cup sour cream
• 4 eggs