HOMEMADE CAKE FROM SCRATCH RECIPES

Steps:

• For the Cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (This Recipe uses the Reverse Creaming Method of Mixing.) Grease and flour two 8 x 2 inch round pans. In the bowl of your mixer add the dry ingredients, flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. In a separate bowl, add the eggs, orange juice concentrate, milk, orange extract and zest. With the mixer on low speed, add the slices of butter a few pieces at a time to the dry ingredients. Increase the mixer to medium speed and beat until the dry ingredients look crumbly and moistened. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl. SLOWLY add 1/2 of the egg mixture, increasing to medium speed for 1 1/2 minutes, the batter will become thick and fluffy. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl. Add a small amount of Orange Coloring Gel to the bowl if you would like the batter to be orange. Add the remaining egg mixture in 2 pourings, beating for 20 seconds after each addition. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached. Let the cakes cool in the pan 10 minutes, then turn out. Works well for cupcakes. Makes 6 cups batter. For the Orange Cream Filling: Combine the pudding mix and heavy cream and orange extract in a mixing bowl. I prefer to mix with a hand held mixer, but a whisk is just fine too. If using a mixer, start on low speed until well combined. Then, switch to high speed and whip the pudding until thick and fluffy. If mousse is too thick, mix in small amounts of heavy cream to reach desired consistency. If mixing by hand, simply whisk rapidly for a couple of minutes or until mixture is nice and thick. Refrigerate until ready to use. Cakes with this filling should be chilled until close to serving time. For the Orange Cream Cheese Frosting: Cut the butter into slices and add to the bowl of your mixer. Beat on low to medium speed until the butter is softened and smooth. Cut the cold cream cheese into pieces and add to the butter, beating at low to medium speed until incorporated. Add the vanilla and orange flavorings. Gradually add the powdered sugar beating on low speed until blended. Cover the bowl with a towel to keep down the cloud of powdered sugar. Increase mixing speed and beat until fluffy. Don't over beat. This frosting will pipe best if used while still chilled. You can make it in advance, refrigerate and when ready to use let it soften slightly (do not microwave) and remix. Will frost a 3 layer 8 or 9 inch cake. When decorating our Dreamsicle Cake, we frosted our cake and then went back in with swirls of lightly tinted orange frosting for a pretty effect.

Steps:

• grease bottom and sides of pan (I use 2 round 10inch pans or 1 9 by 13). preheat oven to 350 degrees. I would even suggest lining the bottom with parchment paper and then spraying.
• Combine flour,  cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. 
• In a separate bowl beat butter for 30 seconds or so. slowly add sugar.
• Add eggs 1 at a time beating after each one. Beat in vanilla.
• Add dry ingredients beating after each addition.
• Add 1/2 of the milk, beat. Then add the other 1/2. Beat just until everything is combined nicely.
• Spread batter about into pans making them about 2/3 full. You may have remaining batter (I sometimes make a few cupcakes.)
• Bake for 30-35 minutes for round pans, 5 min longer or so for the 9 by 13 pan. Watch it though! a knife coming out clean from the center means it is done. NOTE: Many readers are finding they need to increase the baking time. This is probably due to the difference in ovens, pans, and elevation. Always go by the way the cake looks and if the cake is done in the center.