Three Easy Cakes To Make From Scratch
Can you use three easy cakes to make from scratch? I know summer is coming and we are starting to hear about family reunions. Taking cakes to family reunions is something I love doing. There’s a fond memory I have of a very yummy cake that Mark’s aunt brought to the Loosli family reunion every year. We all fought to get in line to get a piece of her cake. It was a white sheet cake, topped with real whipping cream and topped with homegrown elderberries or loganberries in a rich gooey sauce. Oh my goodness, I can almost taste it, right now!
Have you heard about the famous chocolate Texas sheet cake? I’m not sure if it was REALLY a Texas cake or not. Maybe it started in Texas, I don’t know. In Utah, we tend to take this cake to every funeral or family reunion because it’s easy to make and serves a lot of people. I think anything with chocolate is always my favorite. So let’s get started with three of my favorite easy cakes to make from scratch.
Easy Cakes:
Texas Chocolate Sheet Cake
- 2 cups flour (I use bread flour)
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup butter (the original recipe calls for margarine)
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 cup butter
- 5 tablespoons buttermilk or regular milk
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup chopped nuts optional
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Preheat the oven to (350°F) = (176°C) degrees. Grease the pan of choice below. Combine the dry ingredients flour and sugar in a bowl. Bring the butter, cocoa, and water to a boil. Turn the stove off. Add the buttermilk, baking soda, salt, eggs, and vanilla extract to the pan with the boiling mixture. Use a hand mixer or electric mixer to combine the flour and sugar in the pan, blend until smooth. Pour into a greased sheet cake pan.
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Baking time: jelly roll/cookie sheet, 20-25 minutes (when a toothpick comes out clean)
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Baking time: 9-inch by 13-inch pan, 35-40 minutes (when a toothpick comes out clean)
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Grab a medium saucepan and melt the butter, add the cocoa and the milk. Bring to a boil stir or whisk constantly, add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and nuts. I make this frosting while the cake is baking and then spread it on the semi-cooled cake.
Carrot Cake
- 2 cups flour
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 tsp. soda
- 2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 cup oil
- 4 eggs
- 3 cups shredded/grated carrots
- 1 tsp. vanilla
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the flour, sugar, soda, seasonings, and oil. Add the rest of the ingredients and thoroughly mix together. Grease a bundt cake pan or two 9-inch cake pans. You can also make 24 cupcakes.
Baking times: Bundt cake: bake 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean
Two-9-inch cake pans: 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean
Cupcakes: bake approximately 20-30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1-eight ounce cream cheese softened
- 3 to 3-1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1-2 teaspoons vanilla
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Cream the butter with the cream cheese and slowly add the powdered sugar to the thickness you desire
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Add the vanilla until blended.
Add 3-4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa to make chocolate frosting.
Oatmeal Cake with Brown Sugar Glaze
- 1-1/4 cup boiling water
- 1 cup regular uncooked oatmeal not instant
- 1/2 cup softened butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 eggs
- 1-1/2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 cup butter melted
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons cream
- 1/3 cup chopped nuts
- 3/4 cup shredded coconut
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Pour the boiling water over the oatmeal and let it sit for 20 minutes. Grab a bowl, use a mixer to beat the butter until creamy, add the sugars and beat until fluffy. Blend in the vanilla and eggs and thoroughly blend until smooth. Add the remaining ingredients and mix them together. Pour into greased pan and bake for 30-40 minutes at 350 degrees, depending on altitude. While the cake is baking mix the frosting recipe below and spread carefully on the cake after it is done. Put the cake back in the oven and broil until the glaze bubbles.
Sometimes we just need to make some easy cakes and enjoy a treat with family, friends, and neighbors. Who wouldn’t love a piece of cake from a friend? Thanks again for following my blog and giving me input so we can learn together.
My favorite things:
KitchenAid KHM512ER 5-Speed Ultra Power Hand Mixer, Empire Red
I think I gained a pound just looking at the recipes. Yum.
Janet, those are my three favorite cakes. If we lose power I can make all of them in my Sun Oven, Camp Chef Oven, or Dutch oven. Let’s do it! Hugs, Linda
Gosh they all look good! I’m a “freshly ground grain flour” girl…so I’ll sub that…and trade out the sugars for sucanat…..but, what easy-peasy-yummy-tasty recipes they appear to be. Now….what to make first…….???
Hi, Robin, oh yes, you can substitute freshly ground flour! I love hearing your ideas! I have to have easy recipes that are quick to make and I have the ingredients at home. I want to make carrot cake right now because I have some carrots in the frig! Hugs, Linda
I’ve copied all 3 recipes. My 81 yr old mom loves the Texas Sheet cake. And since I have a house full of chocolate lovers, I know we wont have any left. LOL I have always loved baking from scratch. I have gluten free bread in the oven right now. So I think I will try a gluten free version of this also. Thank you for continuing to be absolutely awesome. God Bless.
Hi Judy, oh my gosh, gluten free bread in the oven, I love hearing that! I love chocolate, I have eight containers of Hershey’s unsweetened cocoa in my storage. I can’t be without chocolate. My daughter made a Vegan version of the cake, I’m sure gluten-free would work! Hugs, Linda
Made the Texas Sheet Cake yesterday. Oh, gosh! Sooooo delish. Posted it on my FB page….and had everybody swooning! Thanks again for the recipes! Going to make them all.
Robin, oh my gosh, I need to make one. I have some buttermilk in the frig staring in the face. When my husband turned 70 last year and my daughters had a surprise party for him, my daughter made that Texas Sheet cake for the group that stopped by to celebrate. I will only admit to YOU that I had TWO pieces. I LOVE that cake. Hugs, Linda