For those of you who are going to do some baking these last days before Christmas, I thought I would share some recipes from past posts.  If you have a recipe that everyone asks for each year, I would love for you to share it with us, either via e-mail or click on the title of this post and leave it as a comment.




Pecan-Caramel Cake

1 box of vanilla cake mix
3 eggs
1/3 cup veggie oil
1 1/2 cups water
3.4 cup finely chipped pecans
20 soft caramel candies
1/2 cup heavy cream

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Coat 2 round cake pans with cooking spray (I only had 1 so baked the cakes back to back).

Mix cake mix and eggs, oil and water.  Add pecans and bake for 24-29 minutes.  Cool 10 min. then remove from pan and let the cakes completely cool.

While the cake is cooling melt the caramels in a pan with the cream.  Then poke large holes into the cake and pour the caramel over it. Let the cake sit for 1 hour 

Icing
8 oz cream cheese softened
1/2 cup unsalted butter soft
1 box of powered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup pecans

Mix all but pecans together.  Ice cake and add pecans around the edges.  Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.



I named these Naughty Cookies because they taste too good not to be naughty!  They are so simple and a big hit.

1 box of peanut butter cookie dough or you can use a recipe you have
1 package of peanut butter cups
1 mini muffin tin

Mix peanut butter dough.  Spray a mini muffin pan and press a 1 inch ball of dough in the bottom and up the sides of each cup.  Bake for 10-12 minutes.  While still warm place one peanut butter cup into each cup holder.  Wait until they are cool and remove and place on a cooling rack. 

Makes 36 cookies



Cupcakes are so popular now.  Have you been to a wedding yet where there is no cake and just cupcakes?  We went to one last month, such a clever idea, and of course economical which is what we are all about here. 

My friend Amy had a baking craving over the weekend and made two different types.  I thought I would share them with you!

Oreo Surprise Cupcakes (pictured above)

1 pkg. (2-layer size) chocolate cake mix
1 pkg.  (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1 egg
2 Tbsp.  sugar
48 Mini OREO Bite Size Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
1-1/2 cups  cream cheese frosting

HEAT oven to 350°F.

PREPARE cake batter as directed on package. Mix cream cheese, egg and sugar until well blended.

SPOON half the cake batter into 24 paper-lined muffin cups. Top each with about 1-1/2 tsp. cream cheese mixture and 1 cookie; cover with remaining cake batter.

BAKE 19 to 22 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool 5 min.; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely.

FROST with cream cheese frosting. Top with remaining cookies. Frosted cupcakes can be stored in refrigerator up to 3 days.


Lemon Cheesecake Cupcakes

1 pkg. (2-layer size) white cake mix
1 pkg.  (3.4 oz.) JELL-O Lemon Flavor Instant Pudding
1 cup water
4   egg whites
2 Tbsp. oil
1 pkg.  (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
2 Tbsp.  lemon juice
1 pkg. (16 oz.) powdered sugar
Betty Crocker Butter Cream Frosting
Chocolate Springs
Coconut

HEAT oven to 350ºF.

BEAT first 5 ingredients in large bowl with mixer on low speed until moistened. (Batter will be thick.) Beat on medium speed 2 min. Spoon into 24 paper-lined muffin cups.

BAKE 21 to 24 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 min.; remove to wire racks. Cool completely.

FROST and sprinkle with chocolate and coconut.