Gulf Coast recipes for your sweet tooth

My mother-in-law, Barbara McClanahan, and her friend Cheryl Gilges are out to showing everyone up by sending in recipes two weeks in a row. This week it is all cake recipes from the Gulf Coast. Cheryl lives in Gulf Shores and all of these recipes are ones she has shared with Barb, and I am sure they are delicious. Give them a try, or clip them out and file away for your next special occasion.

Orange Creamsicle Cake

1 box orange supreme cake mix

1 1/3 cups water

1/3 cup vegetable oil

2 whole eggs

2 egg whites

For the filling:

16 ounces sour cream

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

For the frosting:

8 ounces cream cheese

1 cup granulated sugar

8 ounces whipped topping

Grease and flour two, 9-inch round cake pans. Mix cake ingredients according to package directions. Bake cakes until toothpick comes out clean. After removing cakes from oven, mix filling. Put bottom cake layer onto cake plate, and put top layer on wire rack before spreading filling on it after cake has cooled completely. Frosting: Cream sugar and cream cheese until very smooth. Make sure sugar has dissolved. Add whipped topping and beat until fluffy. Frost cake.

Butter Pecan Cake

2 2/3 cups chopped pecans

2 cups sugar

3 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon almond flavoring

1/2 teaspoon butter flavoring

1 cup butter, softened

4 eggs

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 cup milk

For the frosting:

1 cup butter

4 ounces cream cheese

8 cups powdered sugar

1 (5-ounce) can evaporated milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Chopped pecans for sprinkling on top of cake

Cream sugar and butter together until creamy; add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture, alternating with milk. Stir in flavorings and 1 cup of pecans. Pour batter evenly into 3 greased and floured 9-inch cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes until toothpick comes out clean. Remove from pans and let cool on racks.

For the frosting: Cream butter, softened cream cheese and sugar together; add milk and vanilla extract. Beat until smooth and creamy. You can add pecans into frosting or sprinkle them on top of cake frosting. Assemble cake and frost between layers, top and sides.

Honey Bee Lemon Cake

1 cup butter

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1/3 cup honey

2 cups self-rising flour

1/3 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice

2 tablespoons grated lemon peel

For the glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice

Heat oven to 375 degrees and grease an 8-by-11-inch pan. Melt butter in microwave. Combine butter, sugar, eggs, flour, lemon juice and lemon peel. Mix with an electric mixer. Heat honey in microwave for 30 to 45 seconds, add to batter and mix again with electric mixer. Pour batter into greased pan and smooth evenly. Bake for 30 minutes or until top is golden in color. Remove cake and mix glaze ingredients in a small bowl. Pour glaze on top of cake and smooth with back of a spoon. Allow glaze to cool and firm up, cut and serve. Makes about 15 servings.

Caramel Carrot Cake

1 box caramel cake mix

3 large eggs

1/3 cup butter or applesauce

2 cups grated carrots

1/2 cup pomegranate Craisins, plump Craisins in 1/2 cup boiling water

Zest from 2 small oranges

1 1/3 cups liquid; in cup combine liquid from plumped Craisins, juice from the oranges and finish filling cup to 1 1/3 cups with water

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, or fresh grated

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, preferably fresh grated

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

For the Orange Cream Cheese Frosting:

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup heavy cream

2 cups powdered sugar

Zest from 1 orange

1 teaspoon vanilla

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat two 8- or 9-inch pans with non-stick baking spray. Combine cake mix, eggs, butter or applesauce and liquid. Fold in carrots, Craisins, walnuts, spices and orange zest. Put into cake pans and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely on rack before frosting. For the frosting: Combine cream cheese and heavy cream. Beat until fluffy. Add powdered sugar a little at a time and beat until smooth and fluffy. Add orange zest and vanilla. Then beat until fluffy. Spread between cake layers and on top.

Milky Way Cake

4 1/2 regular Milky Way candy bars

1 cup butter, divided

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup pecans, optional

For the frosting:

4 1/2 regular Milky Way candy bars

1/2 cup butter

1 tablespoon vanilla

8 ounces powdered sugar

Cream or milk

1/2 cup pecans, optional

In a double boiler, melt and stir together candy bars with half the butter (1/2 cup). In a small bowl, cream together the rest of the butter (1/2 cup) and the sugar. Add one egg at a time. In another bowl, combine flour and baking soda. In another bowl, combine buttermilk and vanilla. Combine all ingredients by alternating adding flour and liquid mixture to the cream and butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour, beating thoroughly with each addition. Fold in nuts, if desired. Pour into a 10-by-16-by-2-inch baking pan. Bake at 275 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Frosting: Melt candy bars and butter in a double boiler. Add vanilla and sugar. Use milk or cream to bring frosting to a good spreading consistency. Once cake has cooled, frost. Sprinkle with nuts if desired.

Chocolate Chip Pound Cake

1 box yellow cake mix with pudding

1 small package instant chocolate pudding

1/3 cup sugar

3/4 cup vegetable oil

3/4 cup water

4 eggs

8 ounces sour cream

1 cup milk chocolate chips

Mix cake mix, instant chocolate pudding and sugar, getting all lumps out. Add vegetable oil, water, eggs and sour cream. Mix well, add chocolate chips. Pour into greased and floured Bundt pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Take out of pan right away.

Have a great week and until next time, happy cooking.

Susan McClanahan is administrator at the Cape Girardeau Senior Center. Send recipes to her at news@semissourian.com or by mail at P.O. box 669, Cape Girardeau, MO 63701. Recipes published have not been kitchen-tested by Southeast Missourian staff.