For the Meringue Kisses:
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
3 large egg whites
Gel-paste food coloring

Directions:
1. For the cake: Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 8-inch round cake pans; line pans with parchment, grease, and flour, tapping out excess flour; set aside. In a bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

2. Beat butter and sugar until light, about 2 minutes. Add vanilla and eggs one at a time, beating after each. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately in 3 parts, beginning and ending with flour and scraping down sides of bowl often. Divide batter between pans and bake until a cake tester inserted into center of cakes comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool in pans 15 minutes. Turn out and cool, top side up.

3. For Meringue Kisses: Heat oven to 175 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Prepare 4 large pastry bags fitted with 1/2-inch plain tips or plain couplers; set aside.

4. In a small, heavy saucepan combine 3/4 cup sugar, corn syrup, and 2 tablespoons water over medium-high heat. Stir until sugar dissolves; remove spoon. Brush insides of pan with a wet pastry brush to remove any sugar crystals. Boil, without stirring, until syrup registers 230 degrees F. on a candy thermometer, about 4 minutes.

5. While syrup cooks, whip egg whites and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar until soft peaks form. With mixer on low speed, pour sugar syrup into egg whites in a slow steady stream. Increase mixer speed to high and beat until mixture is thick and glossy, about 5 minutes.

6. Working quickly, divide meringue between 4 bowls, then tint pink, orange, yellow, or blue. Stir each one before transferring to prepared pastry bags. Pipe 1-1/4-inch round kisses onto lined baking sheets as close together as possible. Bake until set and cooked through, about 2 1/2 hours. Turn oven off, leaving meringues to dry completely, about 1 hour.

7. Assemble the cake: Trim domed tops from cooled cakes. Fill with a 1/4-inch-thick layer of frosting and frost the entire cake. Decorate sides with meringue kisses.

Directions:
Crumble the yellow cake mix into large chunks. Press a small amount of the crumbled cake mix into the bottom of four small canning jars. In a small bowl, mix together the frosting and whipped topping. Spoon a small amount on top of the cake layer. Spoon a few strawberries on top of the frosting layer, add another layer of cake, frosting, and strawberries.

Top each jar with a lid and ring. Store in the fridge up to 12 hours before serving.

Frosting:
1 c. butter
6 Tbl. evaporated milk
4 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/8 tsp. salt
1 c. chopped pecans, opt.

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Melt butter and water in a large saucepan over medium-low heat until butter is melted. Remove from heat and stir in the sugar, flour, salt and baking soda. Stir with a wire whisk until smooth. Add eggs and vanilla. Stir in the sour cream and mix until blended. Pour the batter into a well greased 11”x17” sheet pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the cake springs back when lightly touched or a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove cake from oven and allow to cool slightly while you make the frosting. Put the butter and milk into a medium saucepan. Heat until butter is melted and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and stir in the powdered sugar, vanilla and a dash of salt. Whisk until completely smooth. Add nuts (if desired) and spread over cake.

From The Blogger:
Jenn’s Notes: I love this cake. I tried it with non-fat plain yogurt instead of the sour cream and it was not as rich as it is with the sour cream, but it was just as moist. By the time I added my frosting, my cake was completely cool.

Adapted from: Frieda Loves Bread

For the Frosting:
6 oz. (180 g) quality unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
4-1/2 cups (563 g) confectioners’ sugar (no need to sift)
1-1/2 cups (3 sticks)(340 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
6 tablespoons (90 ml) half-and-half
1 tablespoon (15 ml) pure vanilla extract

Instructions:
For the Cake:
1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Butter the bottoms and sides of three 8-inch round cake pans, line bottoms with parchment round, butter the rounds and dust with flour.

2. Put the eggs and yolks in a medium mixing mixing bowl, add 1/4 cup of the buttermilk and the vanilla. Whisk to blend well.

3. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large mixer bowl; whisk to blend. Add the butter and the remaining 1 cup buttermilk to these dry ingredients and with the mixer on low, blend together. Raise the mixer speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

5. Divide batter evenly among the 3 prepared pan (use a kitchen scale to ensure 3 even layers). Bake the cake layers for 28-32 minutes, or until a cake tester or wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes clean and the cake begins to pull away from the sides of the pan. Let the layers cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then carefully turn out onto wire racks, peel of the paper liners, and let cool completely.

For the Frosting:
6. Place all of the ingredients in a food processor and pulse to incorporate. Then process until the frosting is smooth.

Assembly of the Vanilla Buttermilk Cake with Instant Fudge Frosting:

7. Place one layer, face-up on a cake stand or plate. Spread 3/4 cup of the frosting over the layer right to the edge using a small offset palette knife. Repeat with the next layer.

8. Place the last layer on top and use all but 3/4 cup of the frosting to cover the top and sides of the cake. With an offset palette knife or spatula, smooth out the frosting all over. Place the remaining 3/4 cup frosting in a pastry bag fitted with a medium star tube and pipe a shell border around the top and bottom edges of the cake.

Vanilla Custard:
Scald in the microwave or on the stove top:
3 cups whole milk
Microwave works best as there is no chance of burning the milk.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan combine
1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp flour
2/3 cup sugar
pinch of salt

Over medium low flame slowly add 1 cup of the scalded milk, whisking constantly. As you notice the filling beginning to thicken, add another cup of the scalded milk continuing to stir constantly until it begins to thicken again. Add the final cup of scalded milk, stirring constantly. Continue to cook over medium low heat until mixture begins to slightly thicken. At this point remove from heat and pour about a half cup of this mixture onto

3 slightly beaten extra large egg yolks

whisking constantly. Pour the egg mixture immediately back into the pot, continuing to constantly stir. Cook for an additional two or three until the filling reaches pudding consistency and remove from the flame. The mixture should just be beginning to boil at this point.

Cool almost to room temperature before pouring 1/3 of the custard into the baked pie shell. Add a layer of sliced ripe bananas, followed by another third of the vanilla custard, another layer of sliced bananas and the last of the vanilla custard. Pour about 1 cup of caramel sauce over the top and chill for about 3 hours or overnight in the fridge. Garnish with Vanilla Whipped Cream.

Vanilla Whipped Cream:
1 cup whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp icing sugar

Combine and beat to soft peaks and spread or pipe on top of the cooled pie. Garnish with sliced bananas and a drizzle of caramel sauce.

Caramel Sauce:
2 cups sugar
2/3 cup butter cut in small cubes
4 tbsp water
1 cup whipping cream

Begin by mixing the sugar and water in a large saucepan. NOTE: I use a large saucepan of about 3-4 quarts or larger because the sugar foams up when you add the butter and cream so make sure you have a large enough pot.

Boil the sugar and water over medium heat until the mixture begins to turn a light amber color. It is very easy to burn this mixture which can happen very quickly once the proper color is achieved, so have your butter and cream at the ready, as timing is crucial for this recipe.

When the color is right, quickly add the butter and stir quickly until the butter is melted. Remove from the heat immediately and pour in the whipping cream, stirring constantly until the sauce is uniformly smooth. Cool completely. Store in an airtight plastic container or in a mason jar.

Frosting and Decorations:
1 container Betty Crocker® Whipped fluffy white frosting
3/4 cup frozen (thawed) reduced-fat whipped topping
10 fresh strawberries
2 tablespoons miniature semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Generously grease or spray two 8- or 9-inch round cake pans. In large bowl, beat cake ingredients with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes. Pour into pans.

2. Bake as directed on box for 8- or 9-inch rounds. Cool 10 minutes. Run knife around sides of pans to loosen cakes; remove from pans to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

3. In medium bowl, add frosting; fold in whipped topping.

4. On serving plate, place 1 cake, rounded side down. Spread with 1/3 cup frosting almost to edge. Cut about 5 strawberries into 1/4-inch slices; arrange on frosted cake. Top with second cake, rounded side up. Frost side and top of cake with remaining frosting. Garnish with about 5 halved strawberries in center of cake. Sprinkle chocolate chips around outside edge of top of cake. Store loosely covered in refrigerator.

You can make this cake in a 13×9-inch pan following directions on the box. Frost, and top the cake with sliced strawberries. The mini chips can be sprinkled over the top or just around the outside edge of the cake.

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 300. Grease and flour a tube pan or two Bundt pans; set aside.

2. In the top of a double boiler over hot (but not boiling)water, combine candy bars (6) and syrup (1 1/2c) Stir until melted and set aside.

3. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add melted chocolate, beating well.

4. In another bowl, sift together flour and baking soda.

5. Add dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk to sugar mixture, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla.

7. Bake for 1 1/2 hours. Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Invert onto wire rack. Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream.

From the blogger: I take the four dove bars and another 1 1/2 c syrup and repeat step 2. After the cake is COMPLETELY cooled, I take this warm mixture and top over cake.

For the sauce:
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 stick butter, room temp
3 Tbs. cocoa
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup evaporated milk

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.

In a standing mixer, cream the butter and sugar together. Add one egg to the mixture at a time, beating after each one.

In a bowl, mix together the flour, salt and cocoa. Stir into butter mixture and combine well.

Add the vanilla and chopped almonds to the mixture. Stir to combine.

Lightly grease and flour a 9 x 13 baking dish. Pour brownie mixture into pan and bake 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Bring out of the oven, sprinkle the marshmallows over the top, and stick back in the oven for 5 minutes. You don’t want the mallows to brown, just starting to soften.

Drizzle the chocolate sauce over the brownies, let cool at room temperature for at least an hour (THE PAIN, I KNOW), slice and inhale!

Oh! Garnish with more chopped almonds if so desired. Which you should probably so desire.

From the blogger: This recipe comes from my late Memaw’s handwritten index cards. It’s not the healthiest, so don’t freak. But the taste will basically rock your whole entire life and world and beyond.

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350F. Butter a 9- by 5- inch loaf pan and dust with flour, shaking out the excess.

Working in a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, and salt for just a minute, until foamy and smoothly blended; the mixture should not thicken. Whisk in the grated zest.

Spoon the flour and baking powder into a sifter and sift about a third of the dry ingredients over the foamy egg mixture. Whisk the flour into the eggs, mixing lightly – there’s no need to beat. Sift the flour over the eggs in two more additions and whisk only until everything is incorporated. Whisk the heavy cream into the mixture. Switch to a rubber spatula and gently and quickly fold in the melted butter.

Pour and scrape the batter into the prepared pan – it will level itself – and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until the center of the cake crowns and cracks and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the cake to a cooling rack to rest for 10 minutes before unmolding. Cool to room temperature right side up on the rack. *

You can serve this cake as soon as it cools, although there are those who believe that a pound cake needs a day to ripen. Make a taste test for yourself. In any case, the cake should be sliced with a serrated knife and served in thin slices, a pair to a plate.

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Candied Meyer Lemon (from marthastewart.com)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1 meyer lemon (do not peel), washed well and sliced 1/4-inch thick

Bring sugar and water to a boil in a large saucepan, and heat until sugar dissolves. Add lemons, and cover surface with parchment. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer gently until rinds are translucent, about 30 minutes. Let lemons cool in syrup.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer lemons to a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. Let stand to allow excess syrup to drip off. Save the leftover syrup. [This is what I used to brush the tops of the baked cakes, before topping with the glaze.]

Meyer Lemon Glaze (from marthastewart.com)
2 3/4 cups confectioners’ sugar, plus more if needed
1/4 cup fresh Meyer lemon juice

In a medium bowl, whisk all glaze ingredients to combine. If necessary, add additional confectioners’ sugar to desired consistency.

To assemble the cake:
With a wooden skewer poke holes all over the top of the cool, baked cake. Using a small pastry brush, brush some of the leftover lemon syrup (from the candied lemons) on the top of the cake, but don’t over soak it! Let dry for about an hour. Pour the lemon glaze on top and let harden. Place a few slices of the candied meyer lemon on top of the glaze as decoration.

Dipped Strawberries:
1 pint (2 cups) medium-large strawberries (18 to 20 strawberries)
1/2 cup white vanilla baking chips
1 teaspoon shortening or vegetable oil

Filling and Frosting:
1 cup seedless strawberry jam
1 container Betty Crocker® Rich & Creamy milk chocolate frosting

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Grease and lightly flour bottoms and sides of two 9-inch round cake pans, or spray with baking spray with flour. In large bowl, mix cake mix and gelatin. Beat in water, oil and whole eggs with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour into pans.

2. Bake 28 to 33 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 1 hour.

3. Meanwhile, gently rinse strawberries and dry on paper towels (berries must be completely dry). Line cookie sheet with waxed paper. In 1-quart saucepan, melt vanilla baking chips and shortening over low heat, stirring frequently. Remove from heat.

5. Split each cake layer horizontally into 2 layers. On serving plate, place top of 1 layer, cut side up; spread with 1/3 cup of the jam. Add bottom half of layer, cut side down; spread with 1/3 cup jam. Add top of second layer, cut side up; spread with remaining 1/3 cup jam. Add bottom of remaining layer. Frost side and top of cake with frosting. Arrange dipped strawberries around top of cake. Store covered in refrigerator.