Week 4 :: Cake Bites

This recipe is super easy and can be mixed up in so many ways!  Use any flavor cake and icing combination you like.  These treats turn out great and are the perfect portion size, no fork needed!

Cake Bites:
Prep time :: 30 minutes
Yields :: 6 dozen

:: Ingredients ::

• Favorite cake recipe (I used French Vanilla cake below)
• Favorite icing recipe (I used Cream Cheese frosting below)
• Milk or semisweet chocolate to melt.
• Items to decorate such a sprinkles, nuts, coconut, etc

:: Directions ::

1. Bake cake according to recipe.  While still warm, crumble into a large bowl and mix well with prepared icing.
2. Melt chocolate in microwave or in a double boiler.  (If you use the microwave, microwave for 30 seconds, then stir.  Repeat until chocolate is melted--usually less than 2-3 minutes).
3. Use a rounded tsp. measuring spoon to scoop out cake mixture into balls about 1 inch in diameter.
4. Set the ball on a fork and dip into melted chocolate, let excess run off.  Place on wax paper lined baking sheet to dry.
5. Decorate with sprinkles, nuts, etc and place in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to set.

French Vanilla Cake (great for cupcakes too!):
Miss Homemade
Prep Time :: 10 minutes
Baking Time :: 25-30 minutes
Yields :: One two-layer cake

:: Ingredients ::

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups white sugar
• 4 eggs at room temperature
• 2 3/4 cups flour
• 2 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1 cup milk
• 1 Tbs. pure vanilla extract

:: Directions ::

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease two nine inch cake pans.
3. Sift dry ingredients together and set aside.
4. Beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, add eggs one at a time.
5. Add flour and milk to butter mixture, alternating flour and milk, ending with flour mixture.  Beat in vanilla extract.
6. Pour into prepared cake pans and bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes until center of cake in "springy" to touch or knife inserted into middle of cake comes out clean.

Cream Cheese Frosting:
All recipes
Prep Time :: 10 minutes
Yields :: Enough for a 2 layer cake

:: Ingredients ::

• 2 (8 ounce) packages of cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups confectioners sugar
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

:: Directions ::

1. Cream together cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy.  Add vanilla extract.
2. Slowly beat in confectioners sugar. 
3. Icing must be kept refrigerated.