Crispy and Creamy Doughnuts

Brandon wanted to make doughnuts for our Conference treats, so he and Austin made the dough and then we fried them up and delivered them to neighbors between sessions. I must say they were pretty delicious and much like the spud-nuts my Grandma Pulsipher used to make. 

-Allrecipes.com

2 (.25 ounce) envelopes active dry yeast (4 ½ tsp.)

¼ cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees)

1 ½ cups lukewarm milk

½ cup white sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1/3 cup shortening

5 cups all-purpose flour

1 quart vegetable oil for frying

Glaze

1/3 cup butter

2 cups confectioners' sugar

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla

4 tablespoons hot water or as needed (we used milk)

Maple Frosting

2 cups powdered sugar

1 1/2 Tbsp. butter, melted

2 tsp. maple flavoring

Slowly add milk until frosting is the desired consistency.

Sprinkle the yeast over the warm water, and let stand for 5 minutes, or until foamy.

In a large bowl, mix together the yeast mixture, milk, sugar, salt, eggs, shortening, and 2 cups of the flour. Mix for a few minutes at low speed, or stirring with a wooden spoon. Beat in remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough no longer sticks to the bowl. Knead for about 5 minutes, or until smooth and elastic. Place the dough into a greased bowl, and cover. Set in a warm place to rise until double.

Dough is ready if you touch it, and the indention remains.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, and gently roll out to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut with a floured doughnut cutter. Let doughnuts sit out to rise again until double. Cover loosely with a cloth.

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in confectioners' sugar and vanilla until smooth. Remove from heat, and stir in hot water one tablespoon at a time until the icing is somewhat thin, but not watery. Set aside.

Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large heavy skillet to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Slide doughnuts into the hot oil using a wide spatula. Turn doughnuts over as they rise to the surface. Fry doughnuts on each side until golden brown. Remove from hot oil, to drain on a wire rack. Dip doughnuts into the glaze while still hot, and set onto wire racks to drain off excess. Keep a cookie sheet or tray under racks for easier clean up.

Graham Crackers & Frosting

Doesn't everyone put their extra frosting in between graham crackers? Guess not... What else would you do with your extra frosting? Throw it away? Gasp...

My Mom and Grandma C always made these with the extra frosting. I'm not a huge cake fan, and often I enjoy these more than the cake! :)

Spread a cracker with frosting and sandwich it with another cracker and put them in the fridge. You can eat them right away, but they're best after the frosting softens the crackers a little.  Yum!

Carrot Cake

Brandon loves carrot cake, but until now I have not been very successful in finding a recipe that produced a moist cake that had the right balance of carrots, pineapple, nuts and raisins. I finally decided to take several recipes, compare them, and then make up my own based on our tastes and preferences. I think we finally found a winner!

Cake:

4 extra large eggs
1 cup oil
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup crushed pineapple (drained, but not squeezed dry)
2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 3/4 cups finely grated carrots
3/4 cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup raisins (if desired)

Simple Syrup:
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water

Frosting:
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, room temperature
6 Tbsp. butter, room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 Tbsp. heavy or whipping cream

Preheat oven to 350. Grease two 9" round pans and line bottoms with parchment paper.

If using raisins; place in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Let them soak for 15 minutes until plump. Drain excess water and reserve on paper towel. Toss with 1 tsp. flour before adding to cake.

In a large bowl, beat together eggs, oil and sugars. Stir in pineapple and vanilla. Sift flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt and gently add to sugar mixture, stiring just until flour is incorporated. Stir in carrots, nuts, and raisins (if using).

Pour into prepared pans and bake for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes clean. Let cakes cool in pans for about 10 minutes, then turn out on a wire rack and cool completely. Brush tops of cake with simple syrup and frost as desired.

To make simple syrup: Bring sugar and water to boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Cool completely.

To make frosting: Beat the cream cheese and butter together in a medium-sized bowl with the mixer on high speed. Add the powdered sugar, then the vanilla, beating until smooth. With the mixer running, gradually add the cream and beat until the frosting looks whipped and creamy. Add a little more cream if necessary until it's easy to spread.

Chocolate Cake and Frosting

I usually don't like cake; there are only a few exceptions and this cake is one of them. This recipe comes from a fabulous cook and is the best recipe for chocolate cake you'll ever find - promise! We especially love this cake with a layer of Junior's cheesecake in the middle (dubbed The Diet Killer)- definitely rich, but oh so delicious - perfect for a special occasion!

-Thomalee Abraham

2 cups sugar
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cocoa
1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
1-1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

Heat oven to 350. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans (line with waxed paper for extra insurance!). Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in large mixer bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla; beat on medium speed of electric mixer 2 minutes. Stir in water (batter will be thin). Pour batter evenly into prepared pans. Bake 30-35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Frost when completely cool.

Chocolate Frosting
1/2 cup butter or margarine
2/3 cup cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk if needed. Stir in vanilla. Makes about 2 cups frosting.

Lemon Butter Cookies

-Shelly Hawkins/ Mom Roberts

Cookies:
1 cup butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2/3 cup cornstarch
1 c. flour

Frosting: (Half this recipe is plenty)
1/2 cup butter, melted
4 Tbsp. lemon juice
Zest of 2 lemons
1/2 tsp. lemon extract (Mom didn't include)
4 cups powdered sugar

Optional: Sprinkle frosted cookies with crushed lemon candy - suggested Lemonheads.

Cream butter and sugar. Stir in cornstarch and flour. Drop by teaspoonful on a cookie sheet. Bake at 325 for 15 minutes. Cool. Combine frosting ingredients. Spread on cooled cookies. Makes about 2 1/2 dozen.

Vanilla Butter Frosting

1/3 cup butter, softened
3 c. powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 T. milk

Blend butter and sugar. Stir in vanilla and milk. Beat until smooth.

Thick Sugar Cookies

This recipe comes from my good friend Debbie who introduced me to these delicious cookies one Christmas when we did our goodie plates together. They are thick and soft - perfect! They are our family favorites for frosting/decorating for holidays. I usually half this recipe if just making them for our family.

-Debbie Palmer/ New Era

1 c. butter
2 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 c. sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla
½ tsp. baking soda
4 tsp. baking powder
4 ½ c. flour
½ tsp. salt

Cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs and beat well. Add sour cream and vanilla. Mix dry ingredients together and add slowly to butter and sugar mixture. Mix well after each time you add flour to butter mixture. Refrigerate until very cold. Roll out on floured surface and cut thick cookies. Bake at 350º for 7-9 minutes. Cookies should be light golden brown on edges when done.

Vanilla Butter Frosting
Enough to frost about 3 doz. medium-sized cookies (1/2 the cookie recipe)

1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
3 c. powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
2-3 Tbsp. milk

Blend butter and sugar. Stir in vanilla and milk. Beat until smooth.