Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsweetened medium shredded coconut
• 3 large egg whites
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (pieces will vary in size from shavings to the size of small peas; about 2 1/2 ounces)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread coconut evenly on baking sheet; bake until toasted and evenly golden, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Cool.

Reduce oven temperature to 275°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment Using electric mixer, beat egg whites in large bowl to soft peaks. Gradually add sugar; beat until peaks are thick and fluffy. Fold in coconut and chocolate.

Drop generous rounded teaspoonfuls batter onto prepared sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. Bake until crisp on outside but still soft inside, about 27 minutes. Cool. (Can be made up to 3 days ahead; store in airtight container.)

Test-kitchen tip: Make these cookies extra-fabulous by drizzling them with melted chocolate after they have cooled.

Cake

* 2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
* 2 teaspoons baking soda
* 2 teaspoons baking powder
* 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 4 large eggs
* 3/4 cup vegetable oil
* 3/4 cup sugar
* 2/3 cup packed golden brown sugar
* 1/2 cup orange marmalade
* 1/2 cup orange juice
* 3 cups (lightly packed) grated peeled carrots
* 3/4 cup chopped toasted walnuts

Frosting

* 4 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
* 2 cups powdered sugar
* 1 1/4 cups (about) orange marmalade
* 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
* 2 teaspoons grated orange peel
* 1 1/4 cups finely chopped toasted walnuts (about 6 ounces)

Preparation

For Cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides. Sift first 5 ingredients into medium bowl. Beat eggs, oil, sugars, marmalade and juice in large bowl until blended. Stir in dry ingredients. Fold in carrots and nuts. Divide batter between cake pans. Bake until tester inserted into centers comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Transfer cakes to racks; cool 15 minutes. Turn out cakes onto racks; cool completely.

For Frosting:
Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl until smooth. Add 3/4 cup marmalade, butter and orange peel and beat just until smooth. If necessary, cover and chill until firm enough to spread.

Place 1 cake on plate. Spread with 1/4 cup marmalade. Spread 1 cup frosting over. Top with second cake. Spoon 2 cups frosting into pastry bag fitted with large star tip. Spread remaining frosting smoothly over top and sides of cake.

Pipe frosting in 4 parallel lines atop cake, spacing evenly. Pipe 5 lines atop cake in opposite direction, forming lattice. Press 1 cup nuts onto sides of cake. Pipe ring of frosting around top edge of cake. Stir 1/4 cup marmalade to loosen; spoon some into 1 row of lattice diamonds. Spoon some of remaining nuts into next row of diamonds. Repeat, alternating marmalade and nuts, filling rows completely. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover with cake dome and chill.)

From http://www.recipelink.com/cookbooks/2005/0743246616_4.html

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 6 to 8 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preparation:

Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add 4 cups of the sugar and then the milk and vanilla. On the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat until smooth and creamy, about 3-5 minutes. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition (about 2 minutes), until the icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency. You may not need to add all of the sugar. If desired, add a few drops of food coloring and mix thoroughly. (Use and store the icing at room temperature because icing will set if chilled.) Icing can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Makes enough for 24 cupcakes or a two layer cake.

From http://nataliecakes.wordpress.com/2007/06/21/billys-vanilla-vanilla-cupcakes/

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups cake flour, not self-rising
• 1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 325°. Line cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt; mix on low speed until combined. Add butter, mixing until just coated with flour.
2. In a large glass measuring cup, whisk together eggs, milk, and vanilla. With mixer on medium speed, add wet ingredients in 3 parts, scraping down sides of bowl before each addition; beat until ingredients are incorporated but do not overbeat.
3. Divide batter evenly among liners, filling about two-thirds full.
4. Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 17 to 20 minutes.
5. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat process with remaining batter.

From Mount Vernon

Martha Washington’s Great Cake recipes results in the type of cake traditionally served for Twelfth Night (January 6, the last day of Christmas or Epiphany), which was the Washington’s wedding anniversary (they were married January 6, 1759). The original recipe was copied down by Martha Parke Custis, the second of Mrs. Washington’s four grandchildren.

Original Recipe:

“Take 40 eggs divide the white from the yolks & beat them to a froth then work 4 pounds of butter to a cream & put the whites of the eggs to it a Spoon full at a time till it is well work’d then put 4 pounds of sugar finely powdered to it in the same manners then put it in the Youlks[sic] of eggs & 5 pounds of flower [sic] & 5 pounds of fruit. 2 hours will bake it add to it half an ounce of mace & nutmeg half a pint of wine and some frensh [sic] brandy.”

Modern Adaptation:

Ingredients:

• 10 eggs
• 1 lb butter
• 1 lb sugar
• 1 1/4 pds (20 oz) flour
• 1 1/4 pds (20 oz) assorted fruit & nuts
• 2 1/2 tsp ground mace
• 2 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 2 oz wine
• 2 oz French brandy

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Separate egg whites from yolks and set yolks aside. Beat egg whites to a “soft peak.” Cream the butter. Slowly add the beaten egg whites, one spoonful at a time, to the butter. Slowly add the sugar, one spoonful at a time, to the egg whites and butter. Add egg yolks. Add flour, slowly. Add fruit. The following items are suggested based on what would have been available to Mrs. Washington, either fresh or dried. (Note: nuts would have been considered fruit)

• 5 oz of pear (peeled, cored, and diced)
• 3 1/2 oz of raisins
• 9 1/2 oz of apple (peeled, cored, and diced)
• 2 oz of sliced almonds

Add ground mace and nutmeg, wine, and brandy. Lightly grease and flour a 10-inch spring-form cake pan. Pour batter into pan and bake about 75 minutes. Allow cake to cool after baking.

Modern Adaptation of an 18th-Century Icing:

Beat 3 egg whites and 2 tbsp powdered sugar. Repeat additions of sugar until you have used 1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar. Add 1 tsp lemon peel grated and 2 tbsp orange-flower water. Beat until the icing is stiff enough to stay parted when a knife cuts through it. Smooth it onto the cake. Let it dry and harden in 200 degree oven for one hour. (Note: icing will be brittle when cut with a knife.)

From Whole Foods

Ingredients:

• 6-8 slices thick-cut bacon
• 12 oz. semisweet chocolate chops
• 4 oz white chocolate, melted (optional for garnish)

Preparation:

1. Place the bacon on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake in the oven, until bacon is cooked to your liking.

2. Let bacon cool on parchment paper for 5 minutes, then transfer to a plate lined with paper towels.

3. Meanwhile, set up a double boiler. Heat a large saucepan filled with water over high heat until boiling. Reduce heat to a simmer.

4. Set a heat-proof bowl over the simmer water. Add the chocolate chips and stir with a fork until smooth and completely melted.

5. Cover another baking sheet with parchment paper.

6. Using tongs, carefully dip the bacon into the melted chocolate, turning to coat all sides in chocolate. Transfer to the clean sheet of waiting parchment paper. Repeat with remaining slices of bacon.

7. Drizzle with the white chocolate, if desired. Refrigerate until chocolate is hard.

From: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/WWII-Oatmeal-Molasses-Cookies/Detail.aspx

INGREDIENTS

* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 2 cups oatmeal
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 cup sugar
* 3/4 cup shortening
* 2 eggs, beaten
* 5 tablespoons light molasses
* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
* 1/2 cup raisins (optional)

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DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, oatmeal, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
3. In another large bowl, beat the sugar with the shortening until smooth and creamy; mix in beaten eggs, molasses, and vanilla. Gradually mix in the dry ingredients. Stir in walnuts and raisins. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets.
4. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until slightly browned. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.