Midnight Moon Cake

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 1/4 cups white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup hot water
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 2 fluid ounces lemon juice

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and line with parchment paper one 9 inch round cake pan.
2. Cream shortening, add white sugar gradually and cream until fluffy. Blend in the well beaten eggs.
3. In a separate bowl, slowly add hot water to cocoa and mix until smooth, dissolving cocoa completely.
4. In a third bowl, sift together the flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder; add to creamed mixture alternately with the cocoa mixture. Blend in vanilla. Pour batter into one 9 inch round pan.
5. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 to 35 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean. Let cake cool then ice with Lemon Icing.
6. To Make Icing: Combine confectioner's sugar with enough lemon juice to make the icing spreadable without being runny or stiff (about 1/4 cup). Stir in the grated zest. Pour icing over top of cake. See the full moon.

Gluten Free Red Velvet Cake

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup brown rice flour
• 1/4 cup coconut flour
• 3/4 cup sorghum flour
• 3/4 cup tapioca starch
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, divided
• 1 cup canola oil
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 2 eggs at room temperature
• 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 ounce red food coloring
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour 2 9-inch round cake pans with gluten-free flour. In a bowl, whisk together the brown rice flour, coconut flour, sorghum flour, tapioca starch, baking soda, xanthan gum, salt, and 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder in a bowl.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat canola oil and sugar until thoroughly combined, and beat the eggs in one at a time until fully incorporated. Stir in the applesauce. Beat the flour mixture into the wet ingredients, alternating with buttermilk, in several additions, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Mix the remaining 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder with the red food coloring and vanilla extract to make a paste; gently stir into the batter. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pans.
3. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cake comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Allow the cakes to cool completely before frosting.

White Chocolate Fruit Tart

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• FILLING:
• 1 (10 ounce) package vanilla or white chips, melted and cooled
• 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 (20 ounce) can pineapple chunks, undrained
• 1 pint fresh strawberries, sliced
• 1 (11 ounce) can mandarin oranges, drained
• 2 kiwifruit, peeled and sliced
• GLAZE:
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

Directions:

1. In a small mixing bowl, cream butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually add flour; mix well. Press into an ungreased 11-in. tart pan with removable bottom or 12-in. pizza pan with sides. Bake at 300 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.
2. For filling, in a small mixing bowl, beat melted chips and cream. Add cream cheese and beat until smooth. Spread over crust. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Drain pineapple, reserving 1/2 cup juice; set juice aside. Arrange the pineapple, strawberries, oranges and kiwi over filling.
3. For glaze, in a small saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch. Stir in lemon juice and reserved pineapple juice until smooth. Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Cool; brush over fruit. Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving. Refrigerate leftovers.

Tie Dye Fruity Cup Cakes

Ingredients:

• 1 package (2-layer size) white cake mix
• 1/4 cup JELL-O Lemon Flavor Gelatin
• 1/4 cup JELL-O Lime Flavor Gelatin
• 1/4 cup JELL-O Strawberry Flavor Gelatin
• 1 (16 ounce) can ready-to-spread vanilla frosting

Directions:

1. Prepare cake batter as directed on package; divide evenly into 3 bowls.
2. Stir different flavor dry gelatin mix into batter in each bowl. Alternately spoon batters into 24 paper-lined muffin cups, adding about 2 Tbsp. of each batter to each cup. Bake as directed on package for cupcakes. Cool completely.
3. Pipe frosting onto cupcakes.
   

   Note:

• How to Pipe Frosting: Insert desired decorating tip in pastry bag. Fold down top of pastry bag about halfway, forming a cuff. Spoon enough frosting into bag to fill halfway. Unfold cuffed top and twist bag until it meets level of frosting in bag, To pipe, hold bag firmly and squeeze from top of bag, keeping bag twisted to prevent frosting from leaking out from top of bag. If you don't have a pastry bag, you can use a resealable plastic bag instead. Spoon frosting into bag, then cut piece off one corner of bag. Twist top of bag as directed, then use to pipe frosting onto cupcakes.
• How to Use the Remaining Dry Gelatin Mixes: Combine leftover dry gelatin mixes in medium bowl. Add 1-1/2 cups boiling water; stir 2 min. until mixes are completely dissolved. Stir in 1-1/2 cups cold water. Refrigerate several hours or until firm.

Orange Cake

Ingredients

• 1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
• 1 (3 ounce) package instant lemon pudding mix
• 3/4 cup orange juice
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 4 eggs
• 1 teaspoon lemon extract
• 1/3 cup orange juice
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup butter

Directions

1. Grease a 10 inch Bundt pan. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, stir together cake mix and pudding mix. Make a well in the center and pour in 3/4 cup orange juice, oil, eggs and lemon extract. Beat on low speed until blended. Scrape bowl, and beat 4 minutes on medium speed. Pour batter into prepared pan.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
4. In a saucepan over medium heat, cook 1/3 cup orange juice, sugar and butter for two minutes. Drizzle over cake.