L.A.-BOUND PINEAPPLE CHIFFON CAKE

Please note cake flour is used and liquid is variable (start with 2/3 cup first) as not all flour are created equal. My Aunt Edith who resides in LA specially requested for this chiffon cake. Also you only invert the cakes after it comes out from the oven when you bake in tube or tall baking pans.

Ingredients:
1 cup egg whites (about 7)
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided into 2 portions is separate bowls
2 1/4 cups Swans-Down Cake Flour
3 teaspoons double-acting baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup corn oil
drained/reserved juice from a 20 0z can of crushed pineapple plus water to equal 3/4 cup
5 egg yolks

Preheat oven to 325 F. In a medium bowl, mix cake flour, 3/4 cup sugar, baking powder and salt, aerate using low speed of electic mixer. Add oil, egg yolks and pineapple juice. Beat until smooth. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar together until large bubbles disappear. Slowly add remaining 3/4 cup sugar and continue beating until very stiff peaks form. Pour egg yolk mixture over beaten egg whites, folding with rubber spatula making sure it is well blended from the bottom.
Pour into a 10-inch ungreased tube pan and bake for 60 to 75 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched. Immediately invert and cool. Remove cake from pan. Frost with Pineapple topping.

Pineapple Topping:
2 cups whipping cream
little sugar to sweeten cream
1 (20 oz) can crushed pineapple, well drained
Whip the whipping cream and sugar in a cold bowl. Fold in the crushed pineapple and use to top or frost the Pineapple Chiffon Cake.

Notes:
Betty Crocker begged for this recipe in the 40s from an insurance car salesman named Harry Baker who made this light as angel food cake and rich as a butter cake famous in the LA area. At first Mr. Baker didn’t want to give the recipe but Betty Crocker kept on pleading in one radio show and the rest is history. The chiffon cake was then considered the cake discovery of the century.

Variations:
Maple-Nut chiffon cake. Substitute ¾ cup packed brown sugar in the egg yolk mixture. Substitute cold water for the pineapple juice and add 2 teaspoons maple flavoring. Fold in 1 cup very finely chopped nuts.

Orange chiffon cake. Substitute cold water for the pineapple juice . Add 2 tablespoons grated orange zest.

WAZZUP-7UP CAKE

Wash it down with, of course, icy 7-up!

Ingredients:
3 sticks (1 1/2 cups) butter or margarine
2 ¾ cups sugar
Zest of 1 small lime
2 tablespoons honey
5 pcs large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups all purpose flour
1 ½ tsps baking powder
1 can 7 - UP

Preheat oven to 325 F. Grease and flour a non-stick bundt pan. Aerate all purpose flour and baking powder using low speed of mixer; set aside. Rub lime zest into sugar; set aside.

Cream butter, sugar and honey until light. Add eggs one at a time, beating well. Stir in vanilla extract. Alternately beat in flour mixture with 7- up, ending with flour mixture. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 75 to 90 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean (some few crumbs will be just perfect) and cake is golden brown. Allow cake to cool on rack for about 20 minutes, then invert to serving dish. Cool completely before slicing. Slice then serve with banana pudding and yes, 7 UP.

DIVA DIVINE BROWNIES

Philippine Embassy's CONGEN's (Consul General) daughter couldn't resist these superyummy squares. Don't worry about cracks in baked brownies; brush top with sugar syrup or warm thinned Karo light syrup and pack coarsely chopped cashew nuts on top.

Ingredients:
1 12 oz pkg (2 cups) good quality semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter or margarine
1 1/3 cups white sugar
1/4 cup water
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour, divided
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup coarsely chopped cashew nuts or walnuts
1 cup white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease-line-grease again 9 x 13 pan; set aside.

Transfer semi-sweet chocolate chips in a large mixing bowl and add vanilla. In a saucepan, bring to just boil: butter, sugar and water. Pour over semi-sweet chocolate chips and stir until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time. Stir in flour (reserve about 2 tablespoons to dredge cashew nuts and white chocolate chips) and baking soda. Fold in dredged white chocolate chips and cashew nuts. Spread into prepared pan.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until brownies are slightly firm to touch. Transfer to rack and cool completely in pan. Spread sugar glaze and pack with coarsely chopped nuts. Cut into squares. About 24 good size brownies. Just absolutely divine!

PUMPKIN PIE CAKE

You can make your own pumpkin pie spice (combine and mix well 1 tablespoon cinnamon powder, 1 tablespoon ground ginger and 1/2 tablespoon nutmeg).

Ingredients:
1 can (16 oz) solid pack pumpkin or 2 cups
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
3 large eggs
1 tall can evaporated milk, undiluted
1 box yellow cake mix
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts or toasted pumpkin seeds
2 sticks (1 cup) butter or margarine, melted

Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray 13 x 9 x 2 baking dish with cooking oil spray.

In a large mixing bowl and using a whisk, combine pumpkin, sugars, pumpkin pie spice, eggs, and evaporated milk. Pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle cake mix evenly over pumpkin mixture. Top with walnuts or toasted pumpkin seeds. Using spoon, drizzle with melted butter. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until golden. You must cool completely before slicing/serving.

(MELT-IN-THE-MOUTH) BUTTERY ALMOND COOKIES

I always crave for these Chinese Almond Cookies, but I want it a bit lighter. So i made few changes in the basic Chinese Almond Cookies and made some "diva" effects (light, melt-in-the-mouth sensation and bit sweeter).

Ingredients:
2 sticks (1 cup) butter, softened
1/2 cup lard or shortening
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar or powdered sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon almond extract
1/2 cup almond slices, ground
2 cups flour
Almond halves or slices

Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly spray with cooking oil spray, line with wax paper and lightly spray again 2 large cookie sheets; set aside.

Cream butter and add the sugar in thirds (1/2 cup each addition). Beat in large egg. Mix together almond extract, baking powder and baking soda and add to cookie mixture. Add ground almonds and then add lastly the flour. With a mini scooper, drop balls of cookie dough on prepared cookie sheets two inches apart. Top with almond halves or slices, pressing on cookie dough lightly to flatten a bit. Bake for 15 minutes (watch closely) or just until cookies are nicely golden. Cool slightly, then transfer to cooling racks. Store in cookie jar or serve.
Yields 3 to 4 dozen cookies

ALMOND CRISPS

Barquillos is for Iloilo as Almond Crisps is for the US of A. I still prefer our own barquillos with scoops of ice cream, but this is my second choice. Easy to fix and yummy! And when you have more guests coming, you can easily double the recipe and divide between 2 large rectangular pans.

Ingredients:
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup all purpose flour
2 tablespoons liquid coffee creamer or milk
about 1 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup roasted sesame seeds

Preheat oven to 350 F.

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter, sugar, salt and extracts until light and fluffy. Mix in flour and liquid coffee creamer, beating until just blended. Transfer cookie dough onto the back of an ungreased large rectangular baking pan. Spread the dough thinly (clean off spatula in side of mixing bowl and occasionally dip large spatula in hot water when dough tends to be too sticky to spread). Sprinkle with sliced almonds and sesame seeds, pressing them lightly to stick to the dough. Bake for about 15 to 18 minutes or until just the edges turn golden and center still on the pale side and not brown. Remove pan from the oven and using pizza cutter, trim off the edges, then cut into diamond shapes. Bake further in the oven for about 5 minutes or until nicely browned. While hot, transfer to a cooling rack and let cool completely. Serve with your favorite ice cream.

BUTTERSCOTCH BARS

Think holidays...these are great "gifts from the kitchen". Biscocho Haus in Iloilo sells bars like these by the millions each year. Convert this recipe into a Food for the Gods by substituting cashew nuts with chopped walnuts and adding 1 cup chopped dates.

Ingredients:
2 sticks (1 cup) butter, softened
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon molasses
1 teaspoon brandy
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 cups all purpose (or bread) flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped cashew nuts

Preheat oven to 325 F. Spray with cooking oil spray a 7 x 11 or 8 x12 or 9 x 13 baking pan, line with aluminum foil and spray again with cooking oil spray. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together. Set aside.
Cream butter, brown sugar, molasses, brandy and vanilla until well-mixed. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until well combined. Stir in flour mixture and fold in cashew nuts. Spread in the prepared pan and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until top is firm and browned. Cool completely. Cut into bars or squares and wrap with cellophane.