If I'm making the basic cake (white, yellow, chocolate, etc.) I always sift the powder mix first. I use applesauce instead of oil and I always add vanilla no matter what flavor cake I'm making. If I use the whole egg (I usually use the whites only), I beat the whites separately from the yolk before adding anything else. I've been told that my cakes have the texture of wedding cakes. Now as for variations I have added peanut butter and chocolate (a personal favorite) to a white cake, sour cream to a chocolate cake, strawberries to a white cake (omit water) and I am currently making pumpkin bars from a spice cake mix (which led me to your site because I was looking for a way to turn a white cake into a spice cake so I can double it). Use four eggs instead of three, add a can of pumpkin and a quarter of a cup of applesauce (or oil if you prefer), omit water. Bake as directed on the box.

I've never made it because of the large amount of food coloring. I went looking for an alternative: Red Devil's Food Cake Made With Beets 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped 1 8 1/4 ounce can beets 2 1/4 cups allpurpose flour 1/3 cup cocoa powder 2 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. salt 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened 1 1/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar 1 cup granulated sugar 3 large eggs 2 tsp. vanilla 2/3 cup buttermilk 2 tsp. cider vinegar Frosting: 2 1/4 cups granulated sugar 1 tsp. cream of tartar Pinch of salt 6 large egg whites 1/4 cup cold water 2 tbs. vanilla Preheat oven to 350 ° F. Butter and flour two 9 by 2 inch cake pans. Melt chocolate in double boiler and set aside to cool. Drain beets and puree in a blender or food processor; you should have 1 cup. Sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. In a bowl with an electric mixer beat butter, sugars, eggs and vanilla until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in chocolate. With mixer on low alternately beat in flour mixture (in fourths) and buttermilk mixed with vinegar (in thirds), beginning and ending with flour. Beat until incorporated. Add pureed beets and mix on medium until blended. Divide the batter between the pans. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean and top of cake springs back when lightly pressed. Cool cakes in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes and invert onto racks to cool completely. Make frosting: In a bowl set over a large saucepan of simmering water beat sugar, cream of tartar, salt, egg whites and water with mixer for 5 to 7 minutes, or until mixture holds stiff peaks. Remove bowl from pan and beat icing for 3 minutes more. Beat in vanilla. To assemble cake: On serving plate spread one cake layer with a third of frosting and top with second layer. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides. Yield: 9 inch Layer Cake, 8 to 10 servings _________________________________________________________ Unique Red Velvet Cake Beet juice is the secret ingredient that substitutes for red food color in this traditional Southern specialty cake. Some people prefer a boiled white frosting, but I cannot imagine this cake without cream cheese frosting. Make this cake when you want to dazzle people -- or when you want superb taste. This is the kind of cake to take to a party. CAKE 4-1/2 C cake flour, sifted 1-1/2 t salt 4 T Cocoa 4 oz. beet juice (drain from one 15 oz. can of beets - add water to make 4 oz., if needed) 1 C vegetable shortening 2-3/4 C sugar 4 large eggs 2 C buttermilk 1-1/2 T vanilla extract 2 T white vinegar 2 t baking soda Preheat over to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans. Remember to use glass and metal utensils to avoid beet-juice stains. Add salt and cocoa to sifted flour and sift again. With mixer on medium, cream together vegetable shortening and sugar for at least five minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating at least one minute after each addition. Add beet juice and vanilla to buttermilk. Alternate adding these liquids and the flour-salt-cocoa mixture to the shortening/sugar. Use a spatula or put your mixer on low -- don't overbeat. Put white vinegar in a small bowl and add baking SODA (not powder). It will foam up briefly. Fold into the cake batter -- DO NOT BEAT. Batter should be somewhat thick, but add water, if needed, to make a pourable batter. Pour batter into prepared cake tins and bake for approximately 30 minutes in a 350 oven. Allow layers to cool for 10 minutes before removing from cake tins. Cool cake completely before frosting. Cut each layer in half to create a four-layer cake. CREAM CHEESE FROSTING 2 8-oz. packages cream cheese, softened (Neufchatel tastes great, too, and has less fat -- as if that mattered given the rest of the recipe) 2 sticks butter or margarine 2 T vanilla 4 C powdered sugar water or milk to thin, if needed

I must have missed something. Are you teaching cooking classes or something? Anyway, I just made Ann T's bread pudding and it is fabulous. I also made the caramel sauce to go with it. We ate it for three days. Yummy. 5-6 slices of bread 1/2 cup butter 1 to 1-1/2 cups sugar 5 eggs 2 cups cream (or milk)(I use half and half) i tsp.vanilla pinch of salt ( I actually used 8 slices of sliced Italian loaf, which is smaller than standard bread. When I use more than 8 slices, it soaks up too much sauce and is rather dry) Cut crusts from bread and spread eachslice with butter. Then quarter the bread. Place bread buttered side up in oven proof dish. Beat the sugar and eggs together and thena add the cream, vanilla and salt. Pour over the bread and allow the bread to absorb. (May be refrigerated at this point and baked later). Sprinkle withsome white sugar and place dish into a pan of hot water. Bake in a 350 oven for 45 min to i hour until pudding is set and golden. Caramel Sauce 1 cup butter 1 cup sugar 1 cup brown sugar 1 cup cream pinch of salt 2 tsp vanilla Bring butter, white and brown sugars, and salt to boil and then simmer 3-4 minutes (I actually simmer close to 10 minutes). Remove from heat and add the vanilla. I serve all of this warm. It is very rich and very delicious. I never liked bread pudding until I tasted this recipe.

This is more of a cheesecake pie than a cake. But if you want something that tastes great and is quick to make and ready for dinner than you might like this. You can bake this in your oven, but the original recipe calls for baking it in the microwave. It is the only thing that I actually cook/bake in the microwave and it turns out perfect every time. Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table Marble Swirl Cheesecake Pie =========================== 1 1/2 cups chocolate wafer cookie crumbs (Or substitute Graham Cracker Crumbs) 1/3 cup of finely chopped walnuts 2 Tablespoons sugar 6 Tablespoons melted butter Filling 2 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese 1/3 cup granulated sugar 2 eggs 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips . To prepare crust: In a 9 inch glass pie plate place butter. Microwave on HIGH until melted, about 1 minutes. Mix cookie crumbs, walnuts and sugar and stir into the butter. Press on bottom and sides of pie plate. Microwave on HIGH for 2 minutes. Rotate 1/2 turn and microwave until crumbs are set, about 2 more minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Set aside To prepare filling: In a medium microwaveable mixing bowl place cream cheese; microwave on MEDIUM power until softened, 30 to 50 seconds. Add sugar; beat until combined. Beat in eggs, one at a time just until incorporated; beat in vanilla extract; pour into cooled crust; set aside. In a small microwaveable bowl place chocolate chips; microwave on MEDIUM until chocolate can be stirred smooth, 3 to 4 minutes. Drop spoonfuls of chocolate onto cream cheese mixture; using a fork, swirl chocolate through cheesecake for a marbling effect. Microwave, uncovered, on MEDIUM for 5 minutes; rotate pie 1/2 turn. Microwave on MEDIUM until edges are set but centre wiggles slightly when jiggled, about another 5 minutes. Cool on a wire rack, about 30 minutes. Refrigerate until cold about 4 hours. This one is also wonderful. But should be made a day in advance of serving. Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table Praline Cheesecake ================== 1-1/4 cup crushed graham crackers 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1/4 cup finely chopped pecans toasted 1/4 cup butter melted 3 - 8 oz packages cream cheese 1 cup packed brown sugar 2/3 cup evaporated milk NOte: I used coffee cream 2 Tablespoons all purpose flour 2 teaspoons vanilla 3 eggs 1 cup pecan halves toasted. Caramel Sauce topping 1 cup corn syrup - dark 1/4 cup cornstarch 2 Tablespoon Brown sugar 1 Tablespoon vanilla Nnte: I use my regular caramel sauce instead of the one mentioned above: Caramel Sauce 1 cup butter 1 cup sugar 1 cup brown sugar 1 cup cream pinch of salt 2 teaspoons vanilla Mix all the ingredients together and simmer for about 5 or 6 minutes. Serve over Bread and butter pudding, apple pie and icecream, warm gingerbread, etc.. . Combine graham crackers, sugar, pecans and stir in melted butter. Press mixture over the bottom and 1 1/2 inches up sides of a 9" ich spring pan. Bake at 350F for 10 minutes. Beat cream cheese, 1 cup brown sugar, evaporated milk, flour and vanilla. Add egss and beat until just blended. pour into crust. Bake 50 to 55 minutes or until set. Cool in pan for 30 minutes. Loosen sides and remove rim. Cool completely. Arrange toasted pecans on top of cake decoratively. Make Topping by combining corn syrup, cornstarch and brown sugar in a small saucepan. Cook and stir until thickened. Remove from heat and add vanilla. To serve cake, Pour sauce over top and serve remaining sauce in a pitcher at the table. NOTE: I baked the cake in a Baine Marie. I wrapped foil around the outside of the springform pan to prevent any water from seeping in to the cake. (Toronto Star Newspaper: 1981)