1/2 cup pecans
2/3 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups unsalted butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
18 pecan halves (garnish)
1 egg white, beaten

1. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Place the pecans in a food processor with the sugar and pulse until mixture resembles coarse sand. Add the butter, vanilla and salt, and pulse until creamy. Add the flour and continue to pulse to make a soft dough.
2. Turn the dough out into a 9-inch tart pan and spread it out evenly with a spatula. Dip the spatula into a little warm water to help smooth and even the surface of the shortbread. Cover and freeze until firm, about 20 minutes.
3. Place the pan on a baking sheet and prick the dough all over with a fork. Generously sprinkle the top with additional sugar. Toss the 18 pecan halves in the egg white and evenly arrange and press the nuts into the dough around the edge of the pan. Bake until golden brown, about 1 hour and 10 minutes.
4. Cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the tart ring and cut the shortbread with a sharp knife into wedges, each with a pecan half. Cool shortbread wedges on a rack.

Yields 18 cookies: Calories 211, Total Fat 16g, Cholesterol 34mg, Carbohydrate 16g, Protein 2g, Sodium 193mg

1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 16-ounce can pineapple slices, drained Maraschino cherries
1 18 1/2-ounce package yellow cake mix

Divide butter and brown sugar evenly in half. Place half of the butter in two 9-inch round cake pans. Melt butter over low heat.

Yields 2 9-inch cake

Layer Cake
1 cup butter or margarine (at room temperature)
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cream butter; gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Blend in vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk. Turn into 2 greased and floured 9-inch layer pans. Bake in 375 deg. oven 30 to 35 minutes. Cool.

Fruit-Topping:
Heat 3/4 cup apricot preserves and 1 tablespoon lemon juice in 1-quart saucepan to boiling, stirring occasionally. Cool preserve mixture. Arrange sliced strawberries, kiwi, pineapple and grapes on top of cake layer. (Any fruit of your choice maybe used.) Brush fruit with apricot mixture. Serve immediately or refrigerate no longer than 8 hours.

Yields 2 9-inch cakes

1 18.25-ounce package white cake mix
1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
1 12-ounce jar lemon curd
1 16-ounce container vanilla frosting
Assorted berries
Powdered sugar

Add lemon rind to cake mix in mixer bowl. Prepare, bake and cool cake layer as directed on package for two 8- or 9-inch round cake layers. Place the bottom cake layer on serving plate. Spread half of the lemon curd on top of cake layer. Place the second layer on top of lemon curd cake layer. Spread remaining lemon curd on top of the second layer. Frost the side of cake with vanilla frosting. Arrange assorted berries on top of cake. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Garnish with mint leaves if desired.

Yields 1 cake

1 cup butter or margarine
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 eggs
3 cups cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk

Cream butter; gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Blend in vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk. Turn into 2 greased and floured 9-inch layer pans. Bake in 375-degree oven for 30 to 35 minutes. Cool cake for 10 minutes and remove from pan.

Topping: Heat 3/4 cup apricot preserves and 1 tablespoon lemon juice in 1-quart saucepan to boiling, stirring occasionally. Cool preserves mixture. Arrange sliced strawberries, kiwi, pineapple and grapes on top of cake layers. (Any fruit of your choice may be used.) Brush fruit with apricot mixture. Serve immediately or refrigerate no longer than 8 hours.

Yields 2 9-inch cakes

1 14 1/2-ounce package angel food cake mix or
pound cake mix
2 3 1/2-ounce packages vanilla instant pudding
4 cups milk
1/2 cup sherry
2 pints fresh strawberries
1 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Bake angel food or pound cake according to package directions; cool thoroughly. Cut cake horizontally in 1/2-inch slices. Mix pudding and milk in a large bowl; refrigerate until thickened. Add sherry to pudding; blend well; refrigerate. Wash, drain and slice strawberries vertically; place in a separate container. Whip cream, powdered sugar and vanilla in one-quart bowl until soft peaks form. Pour one-third pudding into glass soufflé dish. Alternate with layers of cake, whipped cream and strawberries; repeat procedure. Cover and chill.

1 cup sugar
4 tablespoons cornstarch
1 8 1/4-ounce can crushed pineapple in juice, undrained
1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
1 tablespoon butter or margarine

Combine sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl. Place this mixture and the crushed pineapple with juice in small saucepan and cook slowly over medium heat until thick, stirring constantly. Stir in coconut extract and butter. Fill cake.

Boiled Frosting
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
2 tablespoons water
3 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix sugar, corn syrup and water in saucepan. Cover; heat the sugar mixture to rolling boil, over medium heat. Remove cover and boil rapidly to 242 degrees on candy thermometer or until small amount of mixture dropped into very cold water forms a firm ball that holds its shape until pressed. As mixture boils, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Pour hot syrup very slowly in a thin stream into egg white, beating constantly on medium speed. Add vanilla; beat on high speed until stiff peaks form. Frost the cake.

Yields 1 cake

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 2/3 cups sugar
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup shortening
1 1/4 cups milk
1 teaspoon coconut extract
5 egg whites
Pineapple Filling
Frosting
Toasted Coconut

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 2 round pans, 8 or 9×1 1/2-inch pans. Beat all ingredients except egg whites on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed for 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Beat in egg whites on high speed for 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour into prepared pans. Bake until wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean or until cake springs back when touched lightly in center, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from oven and cool in pans for 10 minutes. Turn out onto wire racks to cool completely. Spread Pineapple Filling between the layers and frost with Boiled Frosting. Sprinkle with Toasted Coconut.

1 1/2 cups butter, softened
3 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
5 eggs
2 teaspoons instant coffee granules
1/4 cup hot water
2 cups unsifted all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup buttermilk

Cream the butter, sugar, and vanilla in large bowl for 5 minutes at medium speed. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Dissolve coffee granules in water. Combine flour, cocoa, salt, and baking powder in separate bowl; add alternately with coffee and buttermilk to creamed mixture, beating just until mixture is blended. Pour into greased and floured 12-cup Bundt pan or 10-inch tube pan. Bake at 325 for 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until cake tester inserted comes out clean. Cool 20 minutes; remove from pan. Cool completely; sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar.

1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup milk
2/3 cup butter or margarine
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

Combine sour cream and milk; set aside. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two round 9-inch cake pans. Mix butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla and almond extract in large mixer bowl until fluffy. Beat on high speed, scraping bowl occasionally, for 5 minutes. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream mixture, beginning and ending with dry flour mixture. Pour batter into pans. Bake until wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool layers for 10 minutes; remove from pans and cool completely. Fill and frost layers with Caramel Frosting.