Recipes to fill bakeware fans' jellyroll pans

I, like any other foodie, love my kitchen gadgets and especially my bakeware. I am a bakeware junkie. Any baking pan that is different or unique, I am just drawn to it. One of my favorite bake and go pans is the covered jellyroll pan, or sheet pan. When I found one that had a snap-on tightfitting lid, I just had to have it -- well, actually two of them. It is so nice to be able to take sheet cakes to carry-in dinners or to a family who needs food.

I thought today I would share a few recipes especially designed to use a jellyroll pan. Typically these pans are 10 by 15 inches or 11 by 14 inches with about 1-inch sides. If you don't have one, you might consider adding it to your bake ware collection. And be sure to get one that has the lid. You will love it.

Orange Texas Sheet Cake

3 1/2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

3 eggs, well beaten

3 tablespoons orange marmalade

2 tablespoons grated orange zest

1 (11-ounce) can mandarin orange segments, chopped

1 1/3 cups orange juice

Orange Glaze:

1 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 cup fresh orange juice

2 tablespoons finely grated orange zest

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons butter

Sift flour, baking powder and salt together. In a large bowl, cream butter until smooth. Gradually add sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Beat eggs; stir in marmalade, orange rind and orange segments. Beat in flour mixture alternately with orange juice, beating after each addition. Turn batter into a greased and floured 11-by-14-by-1-inch or cookie sheet pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes. Cool in pan on rack until cooled.

For the orange glaze: Combine the sugar and cornstarch in saucepan. Add lemon and orange juices slowly and stir until smooth. Add remaining ingredients and cook, stirring frequently, over low heat until thick and glossy. Cool and spread on cake.

Lemon Texas Sheet Cake

This cake is delicious using orange extract and zest changing it to orange sheet cake. I suppose other flavors could be used as well.

1 cup water

1 cup butter

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar

2 cups plus 2 tablespoon flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1/2 cup dairy sour cream

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon lemon extract

Frosting:

1/2 cup butter

6 tablespoons milk

3 1/2 cups powdered sugar, or a 1-pound box

1/2 teaspoon lemon extract

Grated lemon zest

1 cup toasted pecans

Measure flour, sugar and salt into a large bowl. Mix well together. In a small saucepan, bring water and butter to a boil. Remove butter/water mixture from heat and while hot, pour into the flour/sugar mixture, beating well with a wire whisk or an electric mixer. Beat in eggs, sour cream and baking soda into batter. Add lemon zest and extract. Beat well to combine. Grease or spray just the bottom of a jelly roll pan. Pour in batter. Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for about 20 minutes or until edges slightly pull away from sides and top of cake springs back when touched. Put cake on wire rack to cool.

For the frosting: boil butter and milk in saucepan. Remove from heat and add to powdered sugar in a bowl. Beat well. Add lemon extract and grated zest and pecans. Mix well. Frost the cake while it is still warm.

Pumpkin Sheet Cake

1 (15 ounce) can solid-packed pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling mix)

2 cups sugar

1 cup canola oil

4 eggs, lightly beaten

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

For the frosting:

1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

5 tablespoons butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 3/4 cups powdered sugar

3 to 4 teaspoons milk

Toasted pecans, either halves or rough chopped

In a large bowl, beat pumpkin, sugar and oil until blended. Beat in eggs. Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; gradually add to pumpkin mixture, beating until well blended. Pour into a greased 15-by-10-by-1-inch jelly roll pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

For the frosting: in a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla until fluffy. Gradually beat in sugar until smooth. Add milk until frosting reaches desired spreading consistency. At this point, you can either stir in pecans, or add the pecans on top after it is frosted. Frost cake. Add the pecans at this point, if desired.

Pineapple Sheet Cake

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 cup chopped pecans

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple, undrained

For the cream cheese frosting:

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup butter, softened

3 3/4 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup chopped pecans

In a large bowl, combine cake ingredients; beat until smooth. Pour into a greased 15-by-10-by-1-inch baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Cool.

For the frosting: in a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth. Spread over cake and sprinkle with nuts.

I am all out of room, and did not get to include my favorite banana sheet cake that I love so much, from my friend Clara Mae Tucker. I have had it in this column before, and it is a keeper. Also, vanilla Texas sheet cake that is amazing with almond flavoring and coconut frosting, and good old traditional chocolate Texas sheet cake the way it was originally made including cinnamon. But, maybe another time I can continue on with a sheet cake column.

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 699, Cape Girardeau, MO 63701. Recipes published have not been kitchen-tested by Southeast Missourian staff.