More for your consideration: APRICOT BRANDY SOUR CREAM POUND CAKE 1 cup coarsely chopped dried apricots 1/2 cup apricot brandy, Cointreau, Grand Marnier, Triple Sec or Amaretto 3/4 cup apricot nectar or orange juice 1 tsp. finely grated or finely chopped orange zest 2 cups sugar 1/2 lb. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature 6 eggs, at room temperature 1 Tblsp. vanilla extract 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup sour cream 2 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. baking soda Place the apricots, brandy, and apricot nectar in a small saucepan and bring to a low boil over medium heat. Off heat, cover and set aside for at least 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 325° F. Lightly grease a tube or bundt pan. Place the orange zest and sugar in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle and spin/mix for 5 minutes. Add the butter and beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well and scraping down the sides of the bowl before each addition. Add the vanilla and mix. Add 1-1/2 cups flour and beat well. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add 1/2 cup sour cream. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the remaining 1-1/2 cups flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda, and beat well. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the remaining 1/2 cup sour cream. Drain the apricots and set aside the extra liquid. Fold the apricots into the batter, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and gently spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Transfer to oven and bake until a tester comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool for 5 minutes and prick the surface of the cake with a toothpick. Brush on the reserved liquid and cool to room temperature. From The Bake Sale Cookbook by Sally Sampson. ISBN 0-684-86229-8. DRUNKEN CHOCOLATE PECAN CAKE INGREDIENTS FOR CHOCOLATE PECAN CAKE: 12 oz. semisweet chocolate 1 cup unsalted butter 8 egg yolks 1/2 cup bourbon 1-1/2 cups sugar 8 egg whites 1-1/2 cups whole shelled pecans, ground INGREDIENTS FOR CHOCOLATE FROSTING: 1 lb. semisweet chocolate 3/4 cup butter 1/2 cup shelled pecan halves Whipped cream TO PREPARE THE CAKE: Preheat oven to 300° F. Melt the chocolate and butter in a saucepan, stirring to blend. Combine the egg yolks, bourbon and 3/4 cup of the sugar in the top of a double boiler. Cook over simmering water until creamy and light yellow, beating constantly with a wooden spoon. Beat the egg whites and the remaining 3/4 cup sugar in a large bowl until stiff peaks form. Fold in the egg yolk mixture. Fold in the melted chocolate and the pecans. Spoon into a 10-inch springform pan. Bake for 1-3/4 hours. Let cool in the pan. Remove the pan side. TO PREPARE THE FROSTING: Melt the chocolate and butter in the top of a double boiler over simmering water, stirring constantly until smooth. Let stand until thick enough to spread, stirring frequently. Level the cake top, using a serrated knife. Frost the cooled cake. Decorate with pecan halves. Serve topped with whipped cream. Yield: 10 to 12 servings. From Dining by Design Stylish Recipes * Savory Settings. Copyright 1999. By The Junior League of Pasadena, Inc. FRANGELICO CHOCOLATE CAKE SUPREME 3 eggs, separated 3/4 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup butter 1 cup light brown sugar 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1-1/2 Tblsp. baking soda 3/4 cup strong cold coffee 3/4 cup Frangelico liqueur Grease and flour two 9" cake pans. Preheat oven at 350° F. Beat egg whites until frothy then beat in sugar until stiff peaks form. Set aside. Cream butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg yolks one at a time. Sift flour, cocoa, baking soda together. Add to creamed mixture alternately with coffee and Frangelico. Blend well. Fold egg whites into batter. Pour into prepared pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until done. Cool 10 minutes, invert on wire rack, and remove pans. Cool before frosting. Frangelico Frosting: 6 Tblsp. Butter 1 lb. sifted powdered sugar 3 Tblsp. Frangelico liqueur 2-3 Tblsp. hot coffee In large bowl, cream butter and powdered sugar. Add Frangelico and hot coffee, beat until smooth. Source: Frangelico Liqueur Recipe Booklet. BAILEY'S CHOCOLATE MOUSSE PIE 1 ready-made piecrust (graham or chocolate) 1 envelope unflavored gelatin 1 tsp. vanilla extract 3/4 cup milk 3/4 cup Bailey's Irish Cream liqueur 6 oz. semisweet chocolate chips 2 cups frozen whipped topping Chocolate-dipped strawberries, if desired In saucepan, sprinkle unflavored gelatin over milk; let stand about 1 minute. Stir over low heat until gelatin is dissolved, about 5 minutes. Add chocolate and continue cooking, stirring constantly until chocolate is melted; stir in vanilla. Remove from heat and stir occasionally, adding Bailey's about five minutes after removal from heat. When mixture forms mounds when dropped from spoon, fold in whipped topping. Turn into crust. Garnish with more whipped topping and strawberries, if desired. Chill at least 4 hours before serving. DRUNKEN CHOCOLATE TART Crust: 2 cups flour 2 Tblsp. sugar Pinch of salt 1-1/2 cups cold, unsalted butter 3 Tblsp. shortening 3 - 4 Tblsp. ice water Place flour, sugar, and salt in bowl of food processor and blend. Add butter and shortening, blending until crumbly (like cornmeal). Add 2 to 3 Tblsp. of ice water; blend and add more water, if needed. Process until dough forms a ball. Remove dough, wrap in plastic, and chill for at least one hour. Press dough evenly into sides and bottom of an 8- to 10-inch tart pan, with a removable bottom. Prick the bottom with a fork and chill until ready to fill. Filling: 1 cup dark brown sugar 3/4 cup light corn syrup 1/4 cup melted butter 3 large eggs 6 Tblsp. bourbon 1/2 tsp. vanilla 1 cup walnuts 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips Mix brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, eggs, whiskey, and vanilla. Sprinkle walnuts and chocolate chips over bottom of chilled tart crust. Pour filling mix over nuts and chocolate. Bake approximately 35 to 45 minutes at 350° F. until the center is softly set. Let cool before serving. Serves 8-12. MARGARITA FROZEN PARTY PIE 1-1/2 cups crushed pretzels 1/4 cup granulated sugar 2/3 cup butter or margarine, melted 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk 1/4 cup fresh lime juice 1/4 cup Tequila 4 Tblsp. Triple Sec liqueur 1 cup fresh or frozen strawberries, chopped 2 cups whipped cream food coloring Mix crushed pretzels, margarine, and sugar. Press into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie pan. In a bowl mix Tequila, Triple Sec, condensed milk, and lime. Pour half of the mixture in another bowl. Add strawberries and a few drops of red food coloring to one half. Fold in 1 cup whipped cream. To other half, add only a drop or two of yellow food coloring and 1 cup whipped cream. Spoon into crust, alternating colors. Freeze for 4 hours or overnight. Makes 1 (9-inch) pie. PAPPADEAUX'S SWEET POTATO PECAN PIE WITH BOURBON SAUCE 1-1/4 cups cooked mashed sweet potatoes (2 medium potatoes) 1/4 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1 Egg -- lightly beaten 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract Pinch of salt 3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon 3/4 tsp. allspice 3/4 tsp. nutmeg 3 Tblsp. softened butter 1 unbaked pastry for a single -- crust 9"-10" pie shell Pecan filling and Bourbon sauce PECAN PIE FILLING: 1-1/4 cups sugar 1-1/4 cups dark corn syrup 3 eggs -- lightly beaten 3 Tblsp. unsalted butter -- softened 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract Pinch of salt 3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon 1-1/4 cups chopped pecans BOURBON SAUCE: 1-1/2 cups heavy (whipping) cream 1 cup milk 1 pkg. instant vanilla pudding mix (4-serving size) 3 Tblsp. bourbon, brandy or rum 1 tsp. vanilla extract Preheat oven to 325° F. Combine mashed sweet potatoes, sugars, egg, cream, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and butter in an electric mixing bowl and beat at medium-low speed until smooth, do not overmix. To assemble pie, spoon sweet potato filling into the pastry-lined pie pan. Fill shell evenly to the top with pecan filling. Bake 1-1/2 hours or until a knife inserted into the center of the pie comes out clean. Store pie at room temperature for 24 hours. Serve pie slices with Bourbon Sauce on top or to the side. Prepare Pecan Pie Filling: Combine sugar, syrup, eggs, butter, vanilla, salt and cinnamon in an electric mixing bowl and beat on low speed until syrup is opaque, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in pecans, mix well. Prepare Bourbon Sauce: Combine cream and milk in a large mixing bowl. Slowly whip in pudding mix. Add bourbon and continue whipping. Add vanilla and whip until mixture is well blended to sauce consistency (should not be as firm as pudding, but should not be runny). Sauce should be made about one hour before use; it will thicken as it sits.

I copied this recipe too as my kids love seeing those "cookie cakes" at the bakery, but we never buy them. Thanks Sheliajoyce! Last time i made cookies, I didn't feel like making individual ones, so I made a double batch and spread the dough into a 9X13 pan (lasagna pan). I had to cook about 10-12 minutes longer for the center to be done. Tasted like cookies, but texture of brownies. My husband who is not normally huge on sweets-LOVED them!

I've been reading these and all of trailrunner's post. They are just great. All the hints were great. I bake bread out of boredom, I rarely use a recipe, for better or worse and like the wet doughs as well as quicker higher yeast doughs for pizza. Someday I'll get that "super peel" with the cloth belt thingy. I am forced to pre-cook my thin pizza crusts without one- My favorite bread is an olive bread that is made locally in the East Bay and sold now only at the local Berkeley farmer's market- you can go to their bakery, and they will sell stuff to you, but it's not a store front, no sales help, no hours- if they are there they'll sell it to you- they're also fresh pasta makers- 'Phoenix Pastificio'- if you're ever in the area. I've never tried to make that bread, it's almost Holy to me...( although I know he uses a biga and those black Kalamata olives). It has a thin almost black burnt crust, with large ciabatta holes to the crumb and flavor to die for.

Linda, I never doubted your oil recipe worked. Try substituting oil in sugar cookies and see what happens if you don't believe me about the spread. I watched a friend of mine do it. I've read up on the science since. If the recipe were meant for oil, then I'm sure it's fine. Lizbeth, I'm sorry I ever mentioned the cookies. There are some cake recipes that were meant for oil, as well. When you substitute, you change the texture of the crumb as well as the loft. I'm no Grainlady when it comes to the science, but it has to do with the amount of water in the fat (because it all has some) and especially the size of fat globules. I know flake lard has the big ones that make the nice steam pockets for flaky pastry. I'm assuming it's also the steam pockets that affect the crumb and loft of cakes as well. In my experience, butter can be soft and airy with the right recipe, but can be heavy and greasy if there's too much. Solid vegetable shortening makes for loft but not as soft a crumb and if you're not careful can have a chemical flavor. Oil gives less loft and a denser crumb, but that can be good. Baking sticks (100 Calories per ounce margarine) have a firmer, drier crumb, more crumbly, if I remember right, and doesn't have the chemical taste that veg shortening can. But that's from making a bunch of different cakes with similar underlying recipes, not a side by side test. As I said you can make the substitution measure for measure, but there might be some differences in the loft and crumb. Good luck with your cake.