Golden Butter Cake w/Creamcheese icing & Toasted pecans YES PLEASE!

This one is just a quick blog for my sister...She asked for this recipe oh so long ago and I'm just getting around to posting it because...I mentally checked out for a few days lol.  ANYWAY  I used a box cake mix for this cake, but I do have a Butter Cake recipe from scratch that I will be posting soon...don't roll your eyes I promise I will :-).

What You'll Need:

• Duncan Hines Golden Butter Cake mix
• Eggs
• Milk
• Butter/Margarine
• (6oz) Cream cheese
• (1cup) Powdered sugar
• (2TBS) Vanilla separated
• (1cup) Chopped Pecans

Prep:
Preheat the oven based on box directions

Prepare the cake mix according to the box measurements with the following substitutions: Milk instead of water and Butter or Margarine instead of oil.  Mix the cake with a hand blender for 2 additional minutes extra from box recommendations.  This helps make the cake fluffier.  After it 's all nice and mixed add an overflowing teaspoon of vanilla and mix again for about 30 seconds. 

Grease and flour your pan (I prefer this to using non stick spray and even with a non stick pan I still grease it. But you do whatever cranks your tractor).

Wait for it....don't pour yet. 

Once the oven is ready beat just one more time for about a minute and then pur your batter into the pan.  Make sure to get it nice and even after its poured and pop it in the oven for about 35 minutes.  Check on it (do the knife test) if it's still a little runny give it 3-4 more minutes and you should be good to go.  Take it out of the oven and let it cool for about 20-30 minutes. 


The Icing:
In a mixing bowl, using a hand blender, cream the cream cheese (chuckle break...I'm just weird and I like to laugh. LOL) and 2 tablespoons of Butter...make sure it gets nice n'creamy. Add in a cup of powdered sugar, plus a handful more if you're feelin' froggy.  Then add in an overflowing TBS of vanilla and mix everything together.

It should be thin enough for a thick drizzle over the cake. If you want to thicken it for spreading add a tablespoon of cornstarch or flour and 1/4 cup granulated sugar mix and let it sit for about 5-10 minutes at room temperature. 

Sprinkle it with chopped pecans and enjoy!

Toast em'

For added flavor toast your pecans...

heat the oven to 375

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter a put the pecans in it to soak up the butter.  Spray a cookie sheet with PAM or any non-stick cooking spray and spread the pecans out on the sheet.  Dust them with granulated sugar and and just a hint of ground nutmeg (nutmeg is optional...they're just as tasty without)

Pop em' in the oven for about 4 minutes

Instant deliciousness! 

Southern Banana Pudding from Scratch

So I decided to make some banana pudding from scratch and I was completely impressed with my outcome :).  My family is...well very southern, not to mention we all loves to cook as well so we can be amature food critics at times lol. Needless to say when I get something with a "stamp of approval" I know "baby done good!"  If you try it, or plan to try it leave a comment and let me know.  If you're happy with the outcome please share my blog - pin it, stumble, tumblr, facebook, twitter, etc (anything I missed lol).  Here we go...

Ingredients: 

• Sugar - 1/2 Cup & 1/4 Cup separated
• Flour - 1/3 Cup
• Salt - A Dash
• 3 Egg Yolks - Separate the white/yolk *you'll need the whites later*
• Whole Milk - 3 cups *Whole milk is important* if you use anything other than, see my alteration notes below
• Pure Vanilla - 2 overflowing tsp.
• Brown Sugar -  Handful
• Molasses - Dash *Optional
• Cream of Tartar - 1 tsp *Optional
• Box of Nilla Wafers - Regular or mini
• Bananas - 6 or 7

 

Step 1: If you have a double boiler pull it out.  I just used two pots, of course one needs to not fit completely into the other.  Or a pot and a Pyrex bowl - you get the idea. Once the water starts to boil mix the Sugar(1/2 cup), Salt, Flour, Eggs & Milk into the top pot.  Stir constantly until custard begins to thicken.  Make sure there are no lumps.  Should look smooth.

• Note: if you are using anything other than whole milk, add additional flour to help thicken up the custard.  About an additional 1/4 cup.  Sprinkle in a little more to satisfaction as custard starts to thicken.  Also add additional sugar to balance.  About another 1/3 cup here.  

 

Step 2: Once the custard has thickened whisk in the brown sugar and molasses. Mix in well and remove from heat then whisk in the vanilla.

Step 3: Let it sit on the stove for about 10 minutes and then put it in the refrigerator to cool and thicken some more.   *I used 1% milk last time and because my guy likes think custard I let it sit in the fridge overnight*

Step 4: Once the custard is cooled and thickened to preference, pull it out of the fridge and get your bowl or pan that you will put it in.  *Make sure it's an oven safe dish*

• I like to do mine in a glass bowl so you can see my pretty layers, but this time I did it in a foil pan because I was making a few pans of it and it was more convenient.  

Step 5: Line your dish with Nilla Wafers; the bottom and around the edge with the round part facing outward.  Then add a layer of bananas (not too thinly sliced).  Next, add a layer of pudding.  How think or thin you make it is entirely up to you!

Step 6: Repeat Step 5 until dish is full.  *Note* You don't have to layer, some folks just like to dump the cookies and bananas in the bowl along with the pudding and mix it accordingly.  Chef's choice.  The layers are mainly for presentation.  Nothing like a pretty dish :)

~ ~ Prepping for Meringue ~ ~
*Tip* - Put your mixing bowl and the mixers (for hand blender) in the freezer until you're ready to make the meringue. It helps the egg whites not stick

Step 1: Remember the egg whites from earlier (make sure they're at room temperature) and pur them into the mixing bowl.

Step 2: Using a hand blender; mix the eggs until the become nice and frothy

Step 3: Keep mixing, we're almost ready for the sugar.

Step 4: Once you start to see peaks, we're ready to start adding the 1/4 cup of sugar a little at a time.

Step 5: Keep mixing as you add the sugar then add the cream of tartar *optional*.  I don't always add it to my meringue. It all depends on how thick you want it.  My guys isn't big on it on top of banana pudding so it's a preference thing.  Anyway keep mixing until the meringue thickens and you see peaks.  At this point, you should be able to turn the bowl upside down and nothing will fall out.  All done!

• *Note* Wait until the pudding is complete to start on the meringue.  Otherwise it gets all watery in the bowl just sitting. 

Finally: Scoop the meringue on top of the pudding then place it in the oven for just a few minutes.  All we want to do is brown the peaks - not burn them.  Keep a close watch.  Then pull it out of the oven and enjoy! The meringue is optional...depends on preference. I like it cause it's pretty but the southern doesn't care for that "nonesense." He say's it's just an obstacle in the way to the pudding lol. 

Don't forget - If you try it, or plan to try it leave a comment and let me know.  If you're happy with the outcome please share my blog - pin it, stumble, tumblr, facebook, twitter, etc (anything I missed lol).