Cakes & Cup Cakes

Best spice cake

• 2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour [2 cups + 3
  tablespoons all purpose flour]
  
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon cloves
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 3/4 teaspoon allspice
• 1/2 cup soft butter or margarine
• 1/2 cup light-brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease well and flour two 8 x 1 1/2-inch layer cake
pans, or a 13-by-9-by-2-inch baking pan.
Sift flour with baking powder, soda, salt, cinnamon,
cloves, and pepper [,and nutmeg, and allspice].
In large bowl of electric mixer, at high speed,
beat butter, sugars, eggs, and vanilla until light
and fluffy - about 5 minutes - occasionally
scraping side of bowl with rubber scraper.
At low speed, beat in flour mixture (in fourths),
alternately with buttermilk (in thirds), beginning
and ending with flour mixture.

Beat just until smooth - about 1 minute.
Pour batter into prepared pans; bake layers 30 to
35 minutes
Bake oblong 40 to 45 minutes; or until surface
springs back when gently pressed with fingertip.
Cool in pans 10 minutes. Remove from pans; cool
thoroughly on wire racks. Fill and frost as desired.

CHOCOLATE SWEETHEART CAKES FOR TWO

Prep Time: 30 min.
Start to Finish: 1 Hr. 50 min.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons HERSHEY'S Cocoa
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup water
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon white vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

CHOCOLATE FROSTING (recipe follows)

• 1 tube pink decorating icing

Instructions:
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 8-inch
square baking pan.
2. In medium bowl, stir together flour, granulated
sugar, brown sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt.
Add water, oil, vinegar and vanilla; beat with
whisk or spoon until smooth. Pour batter into
prepared pan.
3. Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until wooden pick
inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10
minutes; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool
completely. Transfer to cutting board.
4.Using 3-1/4 inch heart-shaped cookie cutter,
cut cake into 4 pieces. Spread CHOCOLATE FROSTING
on top of two pieces; place remaining two hearts
on top. Garnish with decorating icing. 2 small cakes.

CHOCOLATE FROSTING

• 1 tablespoon butter or margarine
• 2/3 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon HERSHEY'S Cocoa
• 2 to 3 teaspoons milk
• 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
In small microwave-safe bowl, place butter.
Microwave at HIGH (100%) 20 seconds or until
butter is melted. Stir together powdered sugar
and cocoa; add to butter mixture alternately
with milk, beating with spoon or whisk until
smooth. Stir in vanilla. About 1/3 cup frosting.