White Cake with Chocolate Sour Cream Icing

Baking is one of my favorite things to do. When a special occasion arises I love to make this cake. When someone in my family has a birthday, I usually cook and bake their favorite things. I love baking and cooking for others, especially when it is so appreciated. This cake is my husband and step-son's favorite cake, so I make it often. It is the moistest cake that I have found and the icing is so good.

I found this recipe is my Better Homes and Garden New Cook Book I received as a gift in 1990. I have found some great recipes in this cook book.

I will give you a couple of my secrets. I always use vanilla bean paste. It makes a world of difference in the taste. It brings out the vanilla. I buy mine at Williams & Sonoma. I also use a large stand mixer with the paddle attachment. The paddle attachment gives you a smoother and thicker batter.

White Cake
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1 1/3 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup butter
1 t vanilla
4 egg whites

Oven 350 degrees

In a bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and 1/8 t salt. Add buttermilk, butter, and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping the bowl. Beat on medium to high speed for 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Add egg whites and beat for 2 minutes more, scraping bowl.

Pour into 2 greased and floured round baking pans. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean; do not over bake. Cool on wire racks for 10 minutes. Loosen sides. Remove pans. Cool thoroughly on wire rack.

Chocolate-Sour Cream Frosting

1 cup semisweet chocolate pieces
1/4 c butter
1/2 c sour cream
2 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar

In a saucepan, melt chocolate and butter over low heat, stirring frequently. Cool about 5 minutes. Stir in sour cream. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating till smooth and of spreading consistency. Frost sides and tops of cake layers.

Cabbage Casserole

This recipe changed my opinion of cabbage. I ate this at The Dillard House in Dillard Georgia in the summer of 2004. My husband and I used to travel to Franklin, North Carolina in the summers for golf and vacation. He had never been to The Dillard House, so we had to stop in. He was amazed at the amount of food and how delicious it all was. I tried the cabbage casserole that day and was surprised at how much I loved it. I have loved cabbage ever since that day.

Growing up in my southern family, we always ate big meals on Sundays after church. Mom would get up before sunrise and start Sunday dinner(actually it was lunch, but we called it dinner). People from church would always end up at our house, because there was always plenty. The Dillard House reminds me of mom's Sunday dinners. Each time I pass through Dillard Georgia I make a point to stop in for another wonderful meal. On my last visit I noticed The Dillard House Cookbook and knew I had to leave with one in my possession.

Once I was home from that last visit, I decided to cook something from the cookbook. The first thing I noticed was the cabbage casserole. It took me about three times to get it right, but I finally did. It is a wonderful side dish. The key is making the white sauce thick. Once you have mastered that skill, you have it. Hope this recipe brings you warmth and delight as it has for me.

1 LARGE head of cabbage

1 t salt

1/2 stick margarine

3 Cups basic white sauce(below)

2 Cups grated cheddar cheese

1 1/2 cups buttered bread crumbs

Shred cabbage. Cook 5 to 8 minutes in boiling water with 1 t salt. Don't overcook; cabbage should remain crisp. Drain well. Layer cabbage in buttered 2 qt casserole dish-cabbage, enough white sauce to cover, then cheese, repeat, then cover top with bread crumbs. Bake in preheated oven at 300 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

Basic White Sauce

1 cup margarine

3 T all purpose flour

Salt and Pepper

1 quart milk

Melt margarine in a sauce pot over low to med heat, add flour, salt, and pepper to make a paste.

Add milk and cook until thick, stirring constantly.

Cheesey Potaoes

This recipe I got from a friend back in the 90's. I altered the recipe a bit. This is always requested by my family for me to bring to any gathering. It is easy and always delicious. I can eat a whole pan myself. The secret to making this recipe taste the best is cooking it slow.

Here is what you will need.

1 package of frozen hasbrowns-not the shredded. The cubed work the best

1 package of shredded chedder cheese

1 16 ounce sour cream

1 can of Cream of Chicken soup

1/2 stick of butter-sliced

Preheat oven to 375, Place all ingredients except butter into a 13x9 baking pan. I usually spray the pan so it is easier to clean. Mix all together and add butter on top. Cook on lower rack or cover with foil. Bake 45 mins or until pototoes are tender.

Mamaw's Hamburger Casserole

This is my mothers recipe. I have cooked it for years and my girls love it. It goes great with homemade mashed potatoes and garlic bread. This recipe is very easy to make and taste wonderful. Enjoy

2 large cans of Tomato Sauce

2 blocks of Longhorn Colby cheese-shredded

1 package of egg noodles

1 pound of ground sirloin

Boil egg noodles according to package directions;drain. Brown sirloin and drain. Preheat oven to 375. Add the tomato sauce to sirloin and simmer in large pot or skillet for aprox. 20 mins. Using large casserole dish; layer the dish with half of the tomato sauce and sirloin mixture, then cover with noodles, cover noodles with cheese and repeat all steps. I use all of the cheese, but you can use less if you prefer. Also, I normally use half of the noodles. This recipe is it's best when all of the tomato sauce is used. Bake at 375 for 20-30 minutes, or until mixture starts to bubble.

Barbeque Meat Loaf

Meatloaf is a favorite of my husband. I have never been a big fan, until I found this recipe. My step-son Andrew says this may be the best thing he ever put in his mouth. I have to agree. If you have never found a meatloaf recipe you liked; try this one. This recipe is very easy and delicious. You need a little time to prepare and cook. But it is so worth it.

1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1 c fresh bread crumbs
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 1/2 t salt
1/2 t pepper
2-8 oz cans tomato sauce
3 T vinegar
3 T brown sugar
2 T Dijon mustard
2 T Worcestershire sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Mix together the beef, bread crumbs, egg, salt, pepper, and 1/2 c of tomato sauce. Form this mixture into a loaf pan and place on a shallow pan. Stir together the remaining tomato sauce, vinegar, sugar, mustard, and Worcestershire. Pour this sauce over the meatloaf. Bake for 1 hour, basting every 15 minutes with the pan juices.

Butter Sugar Biscuits

I grew up on homemade biscuits. My mom used to make them every weekend. It took me a little time to master the art of making a good biscuit. My mom always added a pinch of this and a bunch of that. Here is a recipe a found a few years back that is goof proof. I have made these lots of times and they keep getting better and better. To add my mother's touch, slice the biscuit when hot, add butter to one side and sprinkle sugar on the other side. This is called Butter Sugar Biscuits. They are yummy!

Butter Sugar Biscuits

Ingredients

8 cups all-purpose flour-plus more for baking sheet

2 teaspoons coarse salt

2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 cup sugar

3/4 c veg shortening

3/4 c cold unsalted butter- helps to cut into squares

3 c buttermilk

Directions

n a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together shortening and butter squares. Gradually add flour mixture to shortening mixture and mix together until crumbly. You may have to mix by hand if mixture gets to thick for blender. Add buttermilk and stir until incorporated.

Sprinkle a rimmed baking sheet lightly with flour. Turn biscuit dough out onto a 13 by 9 1/2 inch rimmed baking sheet and gently press dough to cover the entire pan. Using a rolling pin, roll dough until evenly distributed. Cover dough with plastic wrap and transfer to refrigerator to chill for at least 30 mins, and up to 1 day.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray with cooking spray or use parchment paper.

Cut biscuit dough using a 2 1/2 inch round cutter and transfer biscuit to baking sheet, re rolling scraps and reusing them. Bake until golden brown, or about 18 mins.

makes about 1 dozen