Nutty Orange Coffee Cake

 Recipe from Foodnetwork by Paula Deen

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup chopped pecans

2 teaspoons orange zest

2 (12 ounce) cans refrigerated buttermilk biscuits

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese

1/2 cup butter (melted)

1 cup sifted confectioner's sugar

2 Tbsp fresh orange juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 12 cup bundt pan.

Combine sugar, pecans, and zest in a small bowl then set aside. 

Separate the biscuits.

Put 3/4 tsp cream cheese in the center of each biscuit. 

Fold each biscuit over the cream cheese and to seal press the edges down.

Dip the biscuits in the butter, then dredge in the sugar mixture.

Put biscuits curve side down into the bundt pan spacing them evenly do not stack.

Place any remaining biscuits around the tub to fill any gaps. 

Drizzle any remaining butter over the biscuits and sprinkle with any remaining sugar mixture. 

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until golden brown.

Immediately invert the cake onto a serving dish. 

Combine confectioner's sugar and orange juice, stir well.

Drizzle the glaze over the warm cake. 

Serve warm.

Banana Cream Bars

This is one of my favorite desserts that my mom makes.  The frosting is what makes this recipe and that is coming from someone who is not a huge fan of frosting :)  She actually bakes this like a sheet cake.  The consistency of this dessert is like cake not a bar.

Banana Cream Bars

½ cup butter, at room temperature

1 ½ cups sugar

2 large egg

2 tsp vanilla

¾ cup sour cream

2 cups flour

¼ tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

3 ripe bananas, mashed

Frosting:

3 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

6 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp milk

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans are good)

In a large electric mixer bowl, cream ½ cup butter and 1 ½ cups sugar together.

Add the unbeaten eggs and beat thoroughly.  Add 2 tsp vanilla and sour cream.  Mix well.

In a separate mixing bowl, blend together flour, salt, and baking soda.  Add alternately with the mashed bananas to the creamed ingredients.  Mix well after each addition.

Sppon into a greased 15x10x1 inch baking pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.  Cool on wire racks.

Make frosting:

Beat together a 3 oz package cream cheese, at room temperature, 6 Tbsp butter, 1 Tbsp milk, 1 tsp vanilla, and 2 cups powdered sugar.  Spread over cooled bars and sprinkle with ½ cup chopped nuts.

Recipe from Fix It and Enjoy It

White Texas Sheet Cake

Another favorite!  The frosting really makes this recipe.  Just a warning, this is very addictive it's best to have people to share it with.

White Texas Sheet Cake

Ingredients:

1 cup butter

1 cup water

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups sugar

2 eggs, beaten

½ cup sour cream

1 tsp almond extract

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

Frosting:

½ cup butter

¼ cup milk

4 to 4 ½ cups powdered sugar

½ tsp almond extract

1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:

In a large saucepan, bring butter and water to a boil.  Remove from heat; stir in flour, sugar, eggs, sour cream, almond extract, salt and baking soda until smooth.  Pour into a greased 15 x 10 x 1 inch baking pan.  Bake at 375 degrees for 20 to 22 minutes or until cake is golden brown and tests done.  Cool for 20 minutes.  Meanwhile, for frosting, combine butter and milk in a saucepan.  Bring to a boil.  Remove from heat; add sugar and extract and mix well.  Stir in walnuts; spread over warm cake.