Baking Contest Winners/Recipes

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2012 Baking Contest Winners & Recipes:

PA Preferred Chocolate Baking Contest
Mmmmm....chocolate. All of those mouthwatering chocolate cookies and cakes at the Cambria County Fair looked and tasted delicious. Our hometown master bakers created these tempting baked goods and competed in the PA Preferred Chocolate Baking Contest.

The 2012 contest winner is Priscilla Weakland from Johnstown, PA for her **LET'S ALL HAVE S'MORE CAKE!**.

CAKE INGREDIENTS:

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup gram crackers

3/4 cup cocoa

1/2 cup dark cocoa

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 cup brewed coffee

3/4 cup PA Preferred VALE WOOD FARMS buttermilk

1/2 cup PA Preferred VALE WOOD FARMS butter

1/4 cup shortening

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp maple extract

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9" round cake pans and one 8" round cake pan.

With a food processor grind up 3/4 cup gram crackers until they are fine dust. Set aside 1/4 cup for frosting

In large bowl combine flour, cocoas, 1/2 cup gram cracker dust, baking soda, and baking powder. Whisk together and set aside.

In a second large bowl combine PA Preferred VALE WOOD FARMS butter and shortening. Blend with a mixer until creamy. Add sugar, salt, vanilla and maple extract. Blend until fluffy. Add eggs room temperature and mix for about 2 minutes.

Add room temperature coffee and room temperature PA Preferred VALE WOOD FARMS buttermilk; blend well.

Add dry ingredients to wet. Blend until just mixed completely.

Pour evenly into prepared pans. Bake at 350 degrees 20 to 25 minutes.

Use a toothpick to test center of the cakes.

Cool for 10 minutes, then remove from pans.

Cool completely.

FROSTING

1 cup shortening

1/2 cup PA Preferred VALE WOOD FARMS butter

5 cups powdered sugar

1 Tbs clear vanilla extract

1 tsp salt

2-4 Tbs cold water

Other things you will need:

crushed gram crackers for bottom layer of frosting

1/4 cup cocoa powder for second layer

1/4 tsp instant coffee for second layer

1 cup of marshmallow fluff for top layer

1 bag of mini marshmallows for top layer

chocolate chips, shavings, or pieces of your choice for the top of the cake used as a garnish.

DIRECTIONS:

For base frosting, mix shortening and PA Preferred VALE WOOD FARMS butter in a bowl with a mixer until fluffy for about ten minuets on medium speed.

Add sugar one cup at a time. After three cups of sugar add salt, vanilla, and two Tbs of water.

Add all of the sugar. If the frosting is too stiff add more water.

Measure one cup of the frosting and set aside.

Half the remaining frosting. Put the other half in a separate bowl.

With a mixer add 1/4 cup gram cracker dust to half of your frosting. You can reserve1/4 cup of this frosting for the top of your cake to use as a garnish.

With a mixer add 1/4 cup cocoa and 1/4 tsp instant coffee to the other half of your frosting. Add more water if frosting is too stiff.

With a mixer add 1 cup marshmallow fluff to the reserved cup of frosting.

ASSEMBLY:

Put the first 9" cake layer on a cake plate and spread grain cracker frosting on top and sides evenly.

Place the next 9" cake layer on top of the first. Evenly spread chocolate frosting on top and sides of the second layer only.

Place the last 8" cake layer on top of the second. Evenly spread marshmallow frosting on top and sides of the top layer only.
Decorate the bottom of your cake by pressing crushed gram crackers into the frosting.
Decorate the second layer by running a spoon through the chocolate frosting in swirls.
Decorate the top layer by stacking mini marshmallows around the outer edge of the cakes top layer. Toast them using a mini torch. Use reserved gram cracker frosting, more toasted marshmallows, and chocolate pieces on the top of your cake.

Refrigerate. Enjoy!

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PA Preferred Chocolate Bars or Brownies
Not to be outdone by the decadent cakes, the contest featured equally tantalizing cookies, brownies, and bar. This contest was strictly for the youth, showcasing the talents of competitors between the ages of 8 and 18.

The winner was Madison Nihart from JColver, PA with the award winning PA Preferred Chocolate Frosted Peanut Butter Bars.

1 1/2 cups Valewood butter, divided

1/3cup Hershey's Cocoa

2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 large Eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 (18-ounce) Chunky Peanut Butter

1/3 cup Galliker's Milk

10 large marshmallows

1/4 cup Hershey's Cocoa

1 (16-ounce) package powdered sugar

Cook 1 cup butter and 1/3 cup cocoa in a saucepan over low heat until butter melts, stirring often. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.

Combine sugar, flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add chocolate mixture and beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended. Add eggs and vanilla, beating until blended. Spread mixture into a greased 15 X 10 inch pan.

Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove lid from peanut butter jar; microwave peanut butter at MEDIUM power for 2 minutes, stirring once. Spread over warm cooked chocolate layer. Chill 30 minutes.

Cook remaining 1/2 cup butter, milk and marshmallows in a large saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, until marshmallows melt. Remove from heat and whisk in ¹/4 cup cocoa. Gradually stir in powdered sugar until smooth. Spread over peanut butter, chill 20 minutes. Cut into bars.

2012 Apple Pie Contest Winner:
The winner of the Apple Pie Contest went to Debbie Watt from Gallitzin, PA for her Caramel Cheesecake Apple Pie

INGREDIENTS:

Crust:

4 cups flour

1 ½ cups Crisco

½ cup very cold water

Mix together flour and Crisco and the cold water. Roll out pie crust and put in pie tin.

Filling:

1 block cream cheese

½ cup sugar

1 egg

Use only half of filling

1 tsp vanilla

5 cups apples (peeled and sliced)

1 cup sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

Mix together cream cheese and sugar then add egg and vanilla. Pour into pie crust.

Mix apples, sugar, and cinnamon. Layer on top of cream cheese filling.

Topping:

1 cup flour

½ cup Oatmeal

1 cup sugar

½ cup butter

Mix together topping and place on top of apples.

Bake at 350^o for 30-40 minutes.

2012 Angel Food Cake Contest
The winner of the Angel Food Cake Contest went to Christine Mullen from Ebensburg, PA for her Tropical Angel Food Cake.

INGREDIENTS:

1 ½ cup egg whites (about 12)

1½ cup cups confectioners' sugar

1 cup cake flour

1 ½teaspoons cream of tartar

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar

1 (8-ounce) container nondairy whipped topping, thawed

1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple with juice

1 (3.4 ounce) package Jell-o vanilla pudding mix

1 cup coconut, toasted

4 slices fresh pineapple, cut in half

DIRECTIONS:

Place egg whites in a large mixing bowl; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Sift the confectioners' sugar and flour together twice; set aside.

Add cream of tartar, extracts and salt to egg whites; beat on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, about 2 tablespoons at a time, beating on high until glossy peaks form and sugar is dissolved.

Gradually fold in flour mixture, about ½ cup at a time. Gently spoon into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan. Cut through the batter with a knife to remove air pockets.

Bake on the lowest oven rack at 325° for 50-55 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched. Immediately invert baking pan; cool completely.

Cut cake horizontally into 3 equal layers. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine whipped topping, crushed pineapple and pudding mix. Mix well.

Spread on top of 1 cake layer cake ¾ cup whipped topping mixture. Place middle layer of cake on top of mixture. Spread ¾ cup mixture on top of cake. Place top of cake on top. Frost top and sides of cake with remaining topping mixture. Press toasted coconut onto sides of cake. Arrange pineapple half-slices around top of cake in a ring.

Enjoy!

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