Bonnies Cuckoo Cake Recipes

BONNIE'S MARGARITA CAKE

Steps:

• BEFORE YOU BEGIN It is important to read through this recipe before you attempt to make it. Have all the ingredients ready and measured. Note: Measure dry ingredients in measuring cups and level off the measurement with a knife, and use a glass measuring cup for liquids. It is best to use brands mentioned for best results. Substitutions not recommended. A word about the photo...it came out more yellow than it really is. It is closer to an clear off-white color, like a margarita. COMBINE COCONUT AND ZEST Process the coconut and zest until they are coarsely ground. Measure a reserve of 1/2 cup and set in fridge.
• MAKE THE CRUST Add pretzels to the remaining coconut mixture and process it until it is finely ground, and transfer to a small mixing bowl. Add the melted butter, stir with a fork to combine. Press the butter and pretzel mixture into the bottom of the pan to make a crust. Pat it down firmly. (I used a flat measuring cup for this) Grease a 9-inch springform pan and line the perimeter with a 3-inch wide strip of parchment paper. Bake in a 350 degree oven until golden brown, about 12 minutes. Let it cool on a rack in the pan completely before proceeding.
• MAKE TEQUILA GLAZE In a small saucepan, combine 1/4 cup of water and the gelatin, and let it sit until it softens. Add margarita mix, tequila, triple sec, and cook over low heat, stirring constantly until gelatin dissolves. (About 5 minutes) Let it cool completely before proceeding.
• MAKE THE FILLING You will need two medium sized mixing bowls. In the first bowl: With a mixer, whip the cream on medium low speed until it is foamy, increase the speed to high and whip until soft peaks form. In the second bowl: Add the sweetened condensed milk to the softened cream cheese. Mix until combined. Add one cup of the margarita mixture and mix well. (Set the rest aside for the glaze) Now fold in 1/3 of the whipped cream, then gently fold in the remaining whipped cream. (fold, don't stir) Pour this filling into the prepared crust and refrigerate one hour.
• GLAZE THE CAKE Stir the remaining 1/2 cup of water into the tequila mixture in the sauce pan, and strain the mixture through a wire mesh strainer into a 2 cup measuring cup. Pour the mixture slowly over the chilled cake, covering the surface evenly. (It will have a nice glassy finish when chilled.) Chill the cake at least 4 hours before garnishing.
• GARNISH After 4 hours, the cake should be ready to garnish. Remove the sides of the pan and parchment. Using the reserved chilled coconut mixture, press it into the sides of the cake ONLY. Slice very thin slices of lime to garnish the top like my photo. Serve and Enjoy!

BUTTER RUM BONNIE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. While waiting, grease and flour a 13x9 inch pan. You can also use two 9 inch pans or three 8 inch pans if you prefer a layer cake.
• Start with the cake ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, mix the sugar, butter, eggs and vanilla on low speed until the mixture begins to get fluffy. This usually takes two or three minutes if your butter is nice and soft.
• Beat the mixture on high speed (the highest your mixer will go!) for five minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl to ensure complete mixing. This step is very important; do not skip it to save time! It will make all the difference in the fluffiness of the cake. The mixture should be pale and resemble cheesecake filling by the time you are finished mixing.
• Beat in the flour, baking powder, salt and milk alternately on low speed. The mixture will thicken considerably as more flour is added. This is great for giving those arm muscles a workout!
• Add the rum or rum flavoring and give the mixture a final mix on low speed. You can add a little more rum if you're so inclined, but too much will ruin the consistency of the cake. Save it for the glaze or get yourself a drink!
• Pour the mixture into your pan(s).
• Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. For 13x9 pans this is approximately 45-50 minutes; for layers this is approximately 30-35 minutes.
• Let the cake cool while you make the glaze.
• Heat the butter in a small saucepan over low heat until it is fully melted.
• Slowly add the rum or rum flavoring and the powdered sugar. Make sure you take the time to dissolve the sugar, it can take a few minutes to fully melt. The glaze should thicken considerably by the time the last of the sugar is added. You can add more rum than the amount listed if you're so inclined, but too much will cause consistency problems.
• If the glaze is too thick, add hot water one tablespoon at a time until it reaches the consistency you want. For this cake I prefer leaving it on the thicker side (1-2 tablespoons of water at the most) but it is a matter of personal taste.
• Add the nutmeg and cinnamon. These spices are optional, but they add a lot of character to the glaze and give it a flavor similar to a hot buttered rum - yum! Add more if you like this combination, the amounts listed are conservative for what my family in particular enjoys!
• Let the glaze cool for a minute or two and then pour it over the top of the cooled cake. Use a spatula or spoon to help make sure the cake gets fully covered if the glaze is on the thicker side. To really make sure the glaze gets into the cake, you can poke holes in the top of the cake with a fork before pouring - this will help the cake soak up the glaze.
• Let the cake sit for at least half an hour before serving. This will give the glaze time to harden up a little and become more like a smooth frosting than a wet glaze.
• Serve and enjoy! You can sprinkle a little extra nutmeg and cinnamon over the top for presentation, but I've found that the taste of the cake requires no bells and whistles to get attention! It may look and feel simple, but this is deceptive once you get a taste of what you've made.

BONNIE'S CRAB CAKES

Steps:

• Mix crabmeat, bread crumbs, seafood seasoning, parsley, salt, and pepper together in a bowl.
• Beat egg with mayonnaise, and mustard in a separate bowl. Stir egg mixture into crabmeat mixture; shape into 6 patties.
• Lightly grease a baking sheet. Arrange patties onto baking sheet; refrigerate 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Bake patties in preheated oven until golden brown, about 30 minutes.

BONNIE BUTTER CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom and sides of rectangular pan, 13 x 9 x 2 inches, or 2 round pans, 9 x 1 1/2 inches; lightly flour.
• Beat sugar, butter/margarine, vanilla and eggs in large bowl with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed 5 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Beat in flour, baking powder and salt alternatively with milk on low speed. Pour into pan(s).
• Bake for 45 to 50 minutes if using the rectangular pan, 30 to 35 minutes if using the round pans, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool rectangular pan on wire rack. Cool round pans 10 minutes; remove to wire rack. Cool completely.
• TO MAKE THE FROSTING: Mix all ingredients except vanilla in 2 1/2 quart saucepan. Heat to rapid boil, stirring occasionally. Boil 1 minute without stirring. Place saucepan in bowl of ice and water. Beat until frosting is smooth and of spreading consistency. Stir in vanilla.

BONNIE'S CRAB CAKES

Steps:

• Mix crabmeat, bread crumbs, seafood seasoning, parsley, salt, and pepper together in a bowl.
• Beat egg with mayonnaise, and mustard in a separate bowl. Stir egg mixture into crabmeat mixture; shape into 6 patties.
• Lightly grease a baking sheet. Arrange patties onto baking sheet; refrigerate 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Bake patties in preheated oven until golden brown, about 30 minutes.