How to Make Delicious Desserts for Christmas

Note:If you don’t want to use the amaretto, replace it with 1/2 teaspoon almond extract.Link: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/amaretto-apple-streusel-cupcakes-10000001924729/Mrs. Billetts White Cake

This white cake is a mouthwatering, eye sparkling, kind of cake.

• Parchment paper
• 1 cup milk $
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract $
• 1 cup butter, softened $
• 2 cups sugar $
• 3 cups cake flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 5 egg whites $
• Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
• Garnish: fondant snowflakes

Preparation

1. 1. Preheat oven to 350°. Grease 3 (8-inch) round cake pans; line bottoms with parchment paper, and grease and flour paper.
2. 2. Stir together milk and vanilla.
3. 3. Beat butter at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until creamy; gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Sift together flour and baking powder; add to butter mixture alternately with milk mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition.
4. 4. Beat egg whites at medium speed until stiff peaks form; gently fold into batter. Pour batter into prepared pans.
5. 5. Bake at 350° for 20 to 23 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks; discard parchment paper. Cool completely (about 40 minutes).
6. 6. Spread Vanilla Buttercream Frosting between layers (about 1 cup per layer) and on top and sides of cake.

Last, but not least!

Gingerbread Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

This spicy confection is topped with a rich cream cheese frosting. In place of a traditional lemon sauce, a dollop of Lemon Curd adds the finishing touch.

• Cake:
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar $
• 1/4 cup butter, softened $
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1 large egg $
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (about 6 3/4 ounces) $
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2/3 cup fat-free milk $
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract $
• Cooking spray $
• Frosting:
• 1/4 cup (2 ounces) fat-free cream cheese, softened $
• 1/4 cup (2 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract $
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 3/4 cups powdered sugar
• Remaining ingredient:
• 1/3 cup Lemon Curd

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. To prepare cake, place 1/3 cup granulated sugar and butter in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed for 2 minutes or until well combined. Add molasses and egg; beat well.
3. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients (through cloves) in a medium bowl. Add flour mixture and milk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla. Spoon batter into an 8-inch square pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack.
4. To prepare frosting, place cheeses, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar; beat at low speed just until blended (do not overbeat). Spread frosting evenly over top of cake. Top each serving with Lemon Curd.