IT'S SUMMERTIME & the LIVING IS EASY FRESH PEACH CAKE

It's summertime and the living is easy, fish are jumping and the cotton is high, your Daddy's rich and your Mama's good looking, so hush little baby don't you cry....Mama's got a fresh Peach Cake in the oven!

3 eggs, well beaten
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon each of baking soda, salt and cinnamon
2 cups sliced fresh peaches ( I really like the white ones in this cake)
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl thoroughly by hand. Pour into a greased and floured 13X9 pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 50 minutes.

"I never met a peach cake that I did not like."~Adele Forbes

KEY LIME CAKE

The smell of a Key Lime Cake cooking in the oven stirs up not only my taste buds but my senses. Here is an easy recipe for you to try.

1 (18.25oz) pkg. lemon supreme cake mix
1 (3.4oz.) pkg. lemon instant pudding mix
4 big eggs
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup fresh Key lime juice
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 cups sifted powdered sugar
1/4 cup Key lime juice

Combine first 6 ingredients; beat 2 minutes at medium speed of an electric mixer. Pour batter into a greased and floured 13x9-inch pan. bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Let cake cool completely on a wire rack.
Combine powdered sugar and 1/4 cup Key lime juice; drizzle over cake. Cut into squares to serve.
15 to 18 servings

QUICK CARAMEL CAKE

You cannot begin to imagine just how good this cake is. A white cake mix is what makes it quick and easy. Enjoy!

1 pkg. plain white cake mix
1 cup whole milk
1 stick butter-melted
3 big eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare 2 9-inch pans. Beat all ingredients. Pour in pan. Bake 30 minutes. cool 10 minutes. Remove and cool. Frost with:

QUICK CARAMEL FROSTING

1 stick butter
1/2 cup each of light and dark brown sugars
1/4 cup whole milk
2 cups confectioners sugar-sifted
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Place butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir and cook until it comes to a boil. Add milk and bring back to boil. Remove from heat. Add sugar and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Frost cake between layers, top and sides.

BLACK WALNUT CHOCOLATE POUND CAKE

Relish in the pure pleasure of chocolate and black walnuts in this irresistible pound cake. A slice of heaven in every bite.

2 sticks softened butter
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
3 cups sugar
5 eggs
3 cups plain flour
1/2 teaspoon each of baking powder and salt
5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup sweet milk
1 teaspoon black walnut flavoring
1 square unsweetened chocolate, melted
1/2 cup chopped black walnuts

Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Cream well the butter, shortening, and sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time. Sift flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa together three times. Add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, starting with flour mixture. Add flavoring and chocolate. Fold in nuts. Bake in well greased tube pan for 1 hour and 55 minutes. DO NOT OPEN OVEN DURING BAKING. It's the law. Frost with chocolate icing if you like, or leave it plain.

"I never met a pound cake I didn't like."~Adele Forbes

SIMPLY SENSATIONAL STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE

Strawberry Shortcake makes me smile...always has...always will.

1 1/4 cups cold milk, divided
1/4 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons sugar
2 1/4 cups Bisquick baking mix
1 pkg. (3.4oz.) Jello-O vanilla flavored instant pudding
8oz. Cool Whip, thawed, divided
4 cups sliced fresh strawberries
1/3 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Beat 1/2 cup milk, sour cream and 3 tablespoons sugar in large bowl with whisk until well blended. Stir in Bisquick just until moistened. Spread over bottom of greased 9-inch round cake pan. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pan 5 minutes. Remove cake from pan to wire rack; cool completely.

Beat pudding mix and remaining milk in bowl with whisk 2 minutes. Stir in half the Cool Whip. Toss the strawberries with 1/3 cup sugar.

Cut cake horizontially to make 2 layers; stack on plate, filling with half the strawberry mixture and all the pudding mixture. Top with remaining Cool Whip and strawberry mixture. Serve immediately.

Serves 8

TOASTED COCONUT CAKE

Coconuts are actually not nuts at all but the seeds of coconut palm trees. When purchasing a coconut, shake it up baby! If you don't here the liquid in it sloshing around then don't buy it. Empty coconuts are dry and flavorless.

1 cup whole milk
2 tablespoons butter
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

TOPPING:
6 tablespoons butter
2/3 cup dark brown sugar
1 (4oz.) can shredded coconut
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9X13 pan.

In small saucepan, heat milk and butter to scalding. Set aside.

Thoroughly combine flour, baking powder and salt. Beat eggs in electric mixer, add sugar and continue beating until thick and foamy. With mixture turned on, gradually add hot milk, then vanilla. Beat in flour at low speed. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 30 minutes. Cool slightly in pan.

Prepare Topping:
Melt butter in saucepan. Stir in brown sugar, then add coconut and vanilla. Spread topping over the cake. ?Turn oven to broil and place cake 4 to 6 inches below heat. Broil until bubbling and dark brown, turning if necessary to assure even browning. It should be beyond golden, a definite brown-be careful- it can burn in an instant.
Serves 16

"I love coconut, because when you think you`re done eating coconut, 25 minutes later, a little piece of coconut comes out of the back of your mouth, and then you say, Hey! It`s more coconut!" I think any food with that kind of determination needs a little respect."~John Mayer

LEMON IRISH WHISKEY CAKE

Ideally this recipe should be started the day before baking.

1 lemon, zest of, cut into julienne
3/4 cup superfine sugar (regular sugar can be processed in a blender of food processor)
3 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup Irish whiskey
3/4 cup butter, at room temperature
2 cups flour
3/4 cup almonds, ground
1 pinch salt

Place julienned lemon zest in a small bowl. Let it soak in whiskey overnight. The next day, preheat oven to 350°F .Grease a 9 inch cake pan. Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy and then whisk in the eggs. Sift the flour and add to the butter mixture together with the salt. Stir to blend. Fold in the ground almonds. Strain the whiskey, discarding the zest, and stir the whiskey into the batter. Pour into the prepared pan, and bake for about one hour, until golden brown, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 10 servings

"St. Patrick's Day is an enchanted time - a day to begin transforming winter's dreams into summer's magic."~Adrienne Cook

PEANUT BUTTER CAKE

My daughter Joielle's birthday is today and this cake is for her. It is made 'from scratch', and is some where beyond delicious. Peanut butter lovers Rejoice! I rejoice everyday in having the most wonderful daughter. She is not only my daughter, she is my friend.
1 1/2 sticks of butter
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup milk
Peanut Butter Frosting or Chocolate Frosting
1/2 cup chopped peanuts
Combine butter and peanut butter in a large mixing bowl, cream well. Add sugar and beat well. Add vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well. Spoon into a greased and floured 13X9X2-inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes until done. Allow to cool, then frost with which ever frosting you like. Sprinkle with peanuts. Serves 15 to 20.

PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING
1/2 stick butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar
1/4 cup peanut butter
2 Tbsp. plus 2 tsps. milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Combine butter and 1 cup sugar in bowl; beat until creamy. Add remaining 1/2 cup sugar, peanut butter, milk, and vanilla; beat until fluffy. Add additional milk, if needed. Yield: About 1 1/4 cups.

CHOCOLATE FROSTING
1 (6oz.) pkg. semisweet chocolate morsels
1/3 cup evaporated milk
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Combine chocolate morsels and milk in a saucepan; place over low heat, stirring until melted. Stir in sugar; beat until smooth. Yield: About 1 cup.

“If you can give your son or daughter only one gift, let it be enthusiasm.”-Bruce Barton