My Top 10 Cake Recipes

All traditional fruitcake needed was chocolate! Baked in a fancy shape, this jeweled holiday cake is studded with brandy-soaked fruits, chocolate chips and pecans. Just one bite will turn your guests into fruitcake fans.

Tools:

* 10 in. Fancy Ring Mold Pan

Ingredients:

* 1 cup Candied Pineapple Chunks
* 1/2 cup Candied Red Cherries, halved
* 1/2 cup Candied Green Cherries, halved
* 2 tablespoons Candied Lemon Peel, diced
* 1 tablespoon candied citron, diced
* 1/2 cup brandy
* 9 eggs
* 1 1/2 cup light brown sugar , packed
* 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
* 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
* 2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
* 1/2 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
* 1/2 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
* 2 teaspoons Grated Fresh Orange Peel
* 14 oz. White Candy Melts®
* Candy Clay
* Garden Candy Color Set
* cornstarch

Makes: 20 servings of fruitcake.
Chocolate Fruitcake

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instructions

Preheat oven to 300°F. Spray pan with non-stick vegetable pan spray. In medium bowl, combine pineapple, cherries, lemon peel, citron and brandy. In large bowl, beat eggs with electric mixer until frothy. Slowly beat in sugar and vanilla until well blended. Add flour, cocoa powder and baking powder, mixing well. Stir in fruit with brandy, pecans, chocolate chips and orange peel. Mix until well blended. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 65-70 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on rack 10 minutes. Turn out of pan; cool completely. Melt white Candy Melts® according to package directions. Spoon over top of cake. Garnish with candy clay holly leaves and berries.

Prepare candy clay recipe. Then add candy color. Knead a small portion at a time. Candy will be very hard at start. If it gets too soft, set aside at room temperature or refrigerate briefly.

When rolling out candy, sprinkle surface with cornstarch to prevent sticking. Thickness of rolled out candy should be approximately 1/8 in.

Cut leaves, using knife and your own pattern. Use a toothpick to trace veins in leaves.

Roll red berries between fingers. Dry leaves over rounded surface for shape.

This garnish can be made ahead of fruitcake.

*Brand confectionery coating.

Ingredients:

* 14 ounce pkg Candy Melts®
* 1/3 cup light corn syrup

Makes: 1 pound.

instructions

Melt Candy Melts® following package directions.

Add corn syrup and stir to blend.

Turn out mixture onto waxed paper and let set at room temperature to dry.

Wrap well and store at room temperature until needed.

Candy clay handles best if hardened overnight.

To Use

Candy clay will be very hard at the start; knead a small portion at a time until workable. If candy clay gets too soft, set aside at room temperature or refrigerate briefly. When rolling out candy clay, sprinkle work surface with cornstarch or cocoa (for cocoa clay) to prevent sticking; roll to approximately 1/8 in. thick.

To Tint

White candy clay may be tinted using Candy Color or Icing Color. Knead in color until well blended.

To Store

Prepared candy clay will last for several weeks at room temperature in an airtight container.
Special Hints

You can make dozens of differently shaped treats just by using any cutters from the many Wilton cookie cutter collections. Sports, holidays, seasons and much more from which to choose.

*Brand confectionery coating.

Tools:

* Dimensions® Tulip Pan

Ingredients:

* 3 cups sifted cake flour
* 1 tablespoon baking powder
* 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
* 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
* 3/4 cup milk
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 5 egg whites
* Bake Easy Non-Stick Spray

Makes: 10-12 cake servings.
Tulip Pan White Cake

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instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray pan with vegetable pan spray. In bowl, sift together flour and baking powder. In large bowl, cream butter and sugar together with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add flour mixture alternately with milk; mix well. Add vanilla. In separate bowl, beat egg whites until stiff but not dry; fold into batter. Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake 45-50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 15 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely.

Decorating Tip: Dust with confectioners' sugar or "paint" tulip with raspberry jam and stem/leaves with green piping gel to create vivid, colorful Tulips. Instead of the recipe above, another idea is to use a strawberry or orange cake mix that provides a slight color and additional flavor to the finished cake.

Tools:

* ">Dimensions® Queen of Hearts Pan

Ingredients:

* 1 1/4 cups butter room temperature
* 2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
* 4 eggs
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 3/4 teaspoon No-Color Almond Flavor
* 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 3/4 cup milk
* 3/4 cup raspberry pastry filling

Makes: Cake serves 10-12.
Raspberry Swirl Butter Cake

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instructions

Preheat oven to 325°.

Spray pan with vegetable spray.

In mixer bowl cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in vanilla and almond flavor.

Mix flour with baking powder and salt. Add flour mixture alternately with milk, starting with flour.

Pour half the batter into prepared pan. Swirl in half of raspberry filling. Pour in remaining batter and raspberry filling.

Swirl together. Bake 70-75 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes in pan.

Loosen sides and remove from pan. Continue to cool on rack.

If desired serve with melted raspberry jam drizzled over top.

This is a very nice and popular cake that is loved by many people. It is a delicious cheese cake topped with black forest and chocolate paste. Do give this recipe a try.

Preperation Time : 30 Minutes
Cook Time: 1 Hour 30 Minutes
Ready In: 2 Hours
Serving: 12 person

Ingredients

* 1 1/2 cups of cracker crumbs
* 1/4 cup butter, melted
* 1/4 cup granulated sugar
* 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
* 3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
* 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
* 4 large eggs, at room temperature
* 1/4 cup amaretto liqueur
* 1/4 cup maraschino cherry juice
* 4 ounces (2/3 cup) semisweet chocolate, melted
* 1/2 cup sour cream

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325*F (160*C).

Combine cracker crumbs, sugar, cocoa powder and butter. Mix well. Press into bottom and 1-inch up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Set aside.

With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Gradually add sugar, mixing well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in amaretto and cherry juice until well blended.

Pour filling into crust. Bake 1 hour. Turn oven off, and let stand in oven with door ajar at least 1 hour. Remove from oven to wire rack. Cool about 1 hour, or until room temperature.

Combine melted chocolate and sour cream. Spread evenly over top of cooled cheesecake. Chill overnight. Garnish with whipped cream and maraschino cherries.