Crazy Cakes - Chocolate and Spice

I think the name fits my life at the moment.

Oh folks, I miss cooking so much.  I feel like I've been living on easy peasy boring meals for the past month and I'm just ready to move, get settled into the new house and start cooking again.

Once in a while I try to bake a cake or something sweet for my kiddos, and this one is so easy to make.  It's great for those who can't eat eggs because this wacky crazy cake does not have eggs, milk or butter and just like the other yummy Mix in a Pan Cake, you mix it all right in your baking pan.

The recipe comes from Sweet Little Blue Bird and she has quite a few flavor combinations, my kids couldn't decide on what they wanted, the boy wanted chocolate, and the girl wanted spice, so I made both since they're small cakes baked in an 8x8 inch pan.

I'm giving you the recipes to the chocolate and the spice, but there is also a vanilla and a lemon variation.  Yum!

Crazy Chocolate Cake

Ingredients
1 1/2 Cups flour (all-purpose)
3 Tbsp. cocoa (unsweetened)
1 Cup white sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. white vinegar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
5 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 Cup water

Directions


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Mix first 5 dry ingredients in a greased 8" square baking pan.

Make 3 depressions in dry ingredients - two small, one larger. Pour vinegar in one depression, vanilla in the other and the vegetable oil in third larger depression.

Pour water over all. Mix well until smooth.

Bake on middle rack of oven for 35 minutes. Check with toothpick to make sure it comes out clean. Cool. Top with your favorite frosting. Enjoy!

Tip - You can double this recipe, just use a 9x13 baking pan.

Spiced Crazy Cake

Ingredients
1 1/2 Cups flour + 2 Tablespoons (all-purpose)
1 Tbsp. Pumpkin Spice
1 Cup white sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt


1 tsp. white vinegar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
5 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 Cup water


Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Mix first 5 dry ingredients in a greased 8" square baking pan. Make 3 depressions in dry ingredients - two small, one larger. Pour vinegar in one depression, vanilla in the other and the vegetable oil in third larger depression. Pour water over all. Mix well until smooth.


Bake on middle rack of oven for 35 minutes. Check with toothpick to make sure it comes out clean. Cool. Top with your favorite frosting (I use vanilla). Enjoy!


Tip - You can double this recipe, just use a 9x13 baking pan.

Plan your summer with Musselman's Apple Butter

Summer's here and so are barbecues with friends, yummy grilled food and delicious sides and desserts.

Musselman's Apple Butter offers the perfect combination for all.

With recipes like Southwest Apple Butter BBQ Sauce, Honey Apple Butter Baked Beans, and Caramel Apple Crumble Bars.

I wish that I had more time to try them all out, but being crunched for time during this move, I picked the quickest to make and that was the Southwest Apple Butter BBQ Sauce.  Since I was grilling pork chops it was the best time to try it out.

Now I will say that I personally didn't enjoy the sauce but that is because I'm not a big fan of mixing apple butter with anything savory.  Give me apple sauce in desserts and I'm in heaven, but add it to meats or side dishes and I am not a big fan at all.

My friend tried it and actually liked it, so I made another batch for her this morning.   If you like pork chops and applesauce, you'll enjoy this barbecue sauce.

Southwest Apple Butter BBQ Sauce

1 c MUSSELMAN'S Apple Butter
1/2 c ketchup
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp chile powder
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp smoked Spanish paprika (optional)

Directions

Mix all ingredients in medium bowl. Store covered in refrigerator at least 1 hour before using. (Can be covered and refrigerated for a couple of weeks.)

Serving Suggestions:
•Brush on chicken or pork during last few minutes of grilling.
•Heat with your favorite meatballs for an instant appetizer.
•Stir into cooked ground beef for BBQ Sloppy Joes.
•Heat with cocktail wieners for a quick appetizer.
Servings: 6-8

Along with the recipes and the apple butter, Musselman's also sent along a nifty little gadget that is going to be wonderful for grilling this summer.

It's called a Pig Tail and it flips food while cooking. Not just for grilling but indoor cooking as well, it does not bleed or mark the meats, and it also flips and carries food safely.

It is sharp folks.

And now for the best part, Musselman's wants you to enjoy your summer as well, so they are giving away to a lucky reader, a prize pack which consists of Apple Butter, a recipe card and a sauce mop for Barbecuing.  :)

Just fill in the form below and you'll be entered into the contest, it will run until next week Monday the 10th of June, 2013.

In the meantime, don't forget to head on over to Musselman's Recipes for some yummy ideas and you can also check them out on Facebook.

Big thank you to Musselman's for providing me with a kit for this review.  All opinions are my own.

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