Evening Under the Stars - Pie & Cakes Virtual Auction

There is nothing more ubiquitous for dessert than a good old fashioned apple pie.  Summer through the fall brings in the best varieties. Crisp, tart, sweet and juicy, the Grannie Smiths used in this pie promises a rich and satisfying flavor reminiscent of Grandma's recipe.  People will want to share this one with you, but you just may want to take it home for the next morning's breakfast. 

What is in a name?  That which we call a rose.  Need I say more about this cake?  YES, I do... ooohhh so good. This is a rich chocolate poke cake infused with sweetened condensed milk and caramel sauce, then topped with Cool Whip Cream and toffee bits. Once you take a bite, you're sure to let out a few "ahhhs!"  Those around you may ask what the secret ingredient is to illicit such a response.  

I don't think there is anything that preserves the taste of summer like an old fashion cherry pie.  The bigness of Bing Cherries, their tart, sweet juiciness and firm flesh equates to a mouthful of sunshine.  We, Californian's are so spoiled in being able to enjoy some of the most sought after fruit in the nation.  Other folks outside the west coast have to rely on the canned stuff to make a cherry pie, but nothing out of a can compares to what fresh fruit offers.  You know this one will be very popular, so make your bid and keep an eye out!

If you've ever traveled to the Caribbean, chances are you've had the amazing rum cakes that the islands are famous for.  Sadly, these cakes are not often found in the northern latitudes but this recipe is the closest I've ever had to the "real" thing.  The addition of banana gives it a moistness akin to banana bread but not as dense.  Yes, there is a lot of rum in this cake, definitely not for the faint of heart but the texture and flavor are unbeatable.  Moist, rich and deeply satisfying.  Whisk yourself away to white sandy beaches with this incredible cake.

Any human that thinks that chocolate (any kind) doesn't go with fresh strawberries is from outerspace.  These beauties will send you straight to the moon they are so good.  Made with a rich chocolate cake, they are lovingly frosted with a fresh strawberry buttercream (none of that store-bought junk) then crowned with a big white chocolated covered strawberry.  These aren't just any berries.  No ma'am.  These are our fresh, luscious Ventura County berries that we know are the best in the country.  There will be a dozen of these on the tray.

The perfect brownie is NOT cake-like nor is it made from a box.  It's a sinful mouth-feel of smooth, gooey, luscious chocolate dancing in and around the pallet.  You will be screaming for a glass of milk or a cup of coffee with this one.  Fudgy, ram-packed with chocolate and chocolate chips, you may horde all these to yourself. There will be a dozen of these beauties on the plate, so it's entirely up to you.  This is nut-free but flavor-abundant.

I remember this cake when I was a child.  My mom would bring this sublime yet so gratifying cake to potlucks and tea parties.  After one bite, you are transported to Andalusia.  The experience may be akin to a kiss from a pretty Flamenco Dancer or a tango with a handsome Spaniard.  Elevated by the Cream Sherry that robes this moist yellow cake, I used to ask mom to bring home the leftovers so I could enjoy it the next day.  But alas, more times than not, there was none left.   

We've heard or know first hand that fire fighters are renowned for their cooking.  A certain LA Fire Chief was famous for his Chocolate Chip Cookies and the recipe well-guarded until... The good Chief after making a batch for the crew, left out the recipe which was not quite purloined, but was surruptitiously copied by another fire fighter.  The offender gifted his beautiful wife with the recipe which she to this day bakes and offers to friends and family. In honor of the good Fire Chief, she refuses to share the recipe with anyone. These chewy morsels are made with Ghiradelli dark chocolate chunks, Heath Bar candy chunks and pecans.  One bite and you'll be wanting to slide down a fire house pole for the fun of it!  There will be 2 dozen cookies on the plate.

It's not just the premium chocolate or the pecans or moist coconut but their perfect melding in this supreme cake.  I really love this one because it oozes with yumminous. How did this cake get its name when coconut has no origin in the Deutschland.  Rather it refers to Samuel German, an English immigrant and employee of the Walter Baker & Company of Dorchester, Massachusetts. Before German’s arrival, Baker only offered an unsweetened bar chocolate. In 1852, German formulated a dark baking chocolate containing sugar, a larger amount than modern semisweet chocolate, which assumed the name “German’s Sweet chocolate” or simply, with the apostrophe dropped, “German chocolate.”  

Growing up, it was such a treat to devour a piece of super moist chocolate cake for my BFF's birthday. I watched her mom make it with the quintessential box of Hershey's cocoa powder.  When we were that young, we LOVED the sugary chocolate and proceeded to bounce off everything including the kitchen sink. Now that I'm all grown up with grown up taste, I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE this recipe using Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa Powder.  The recipe is the same as the "Perfect Chocolate Cake" but the difference is the richness and bitterness of dark chocolate.  I liken it to a kiss from a handsome man versus one from my Aunt Aggie. Enjoy!

A Southern favorite, the Hummingbird Cake contains more fruit than flour.  Chock full of pecans, bananas and pineapple, then robed in cream cheese frosting, every bite promises a super moist tropical treat.  Thought to hail from Jamaica, originally, it was called the “Doctor bird cake”, a nickname for a Jamaican variety of hummingbird called the Red-billed Streamertail. The name came from the way the bird’s long beak probes flowers, like a doctor inspecting a patient. So what does that have to do with a pineapple and banana cake? Some say the cake was named after the bird because it was sweet enough to attract hummingbirds (who eat only nectar), while others say the yellow streaks of banana was reminiscent of the bird’s plumage. Either way, the Doctor bird took flight.  Of course it took a Southerner to shorten the name.  Ya'll hurry on up and grab this one!

There's nothing better to assuage the desire for something sweet and tart than a good Lemon Bar.  This recipe does NOT dissapoint!  The sweet tangy lemon curd blanketing the buttery shortbread cookie is then lightly dusted with powered sugar.  Some recipes can be cloying but not this one.  The perfect balance of sour and sweet presents a perfect meritage of flavor.  Developed in 1963, the recipe was published by the Betty Crocker company.  By 1970, everyone was baking Lemon Bars. There will be healthy Bakers Dozen on the plate.

The ruffly white meringue called a Pavlova is all about sublime textures. Here, the crunchy yet marshmallowy meringue meets silky lemon curd and billows of more meringue.  The acidity of the curd is the perfect foil to the dreamy pillow underneath. Virtually the national dish of Australia, the dessert is claimed by New Zealand as well; it was named for the Russian prima ballerina Anna Pavlova, who toured both countries in 1926. 

What's better than a Cherry Cheesecake?  Mini Cherry Cheesecakes that you can easily share and not feel guilty that you ate 2 because who's going to know.  These little cuties are the same flavor and smooth richness as you would find in the big honkin cakes, but their size may be just right for your diet...  Oh let's stop kidding ourselves, one may not be enough and you may scarf down the whole lot.  Well, maybe just one for your date.  There will be a dozen of Cherry Cheesecake Cuties on the plate.  

I'm at a loss for words.  Not really.  I'm actually full of them.  And they all revolve around my chef crush on Christina Tosi, and my food crush on Crack Pie.  Addicting.  Buttery.  Chewy.  Sweet.  Brown-sugar-y.  Melt-in-your-mouth. Out-of-this-world.  Oat Cookie crusted.  This most decadent of pies sells in New York's Milk Bar for a whopping $44 a pie.  Just think, if you get this beauty, you won't have to fly to New York to try it. 

Before the internet and world wide web, we women would cut out recipes from magazines and newspapers.  We would copy down recipes on napkins or trade those cute little recipe cards, too.  Eventually, they would be lovingly put into recipe boxes, photo albums, folders or stuffed into a shoe box.  This particular cake was acquired years ago in just such a fashion and baked throughout the years.  With fond memories of family celebrations,birthdays, special occasions and 1 or 2 potlucks, this cake has always been a crowd pleaser with only crumbs left on the plate.  Eat this one at the Evening and take home what's left for a wonderful breakfast with coffee.  

We are some lucky people with our weather and location here in California.  Enjoying elongated summer growing seasons allows us some awesome fruit filled desserts. I am so impressed with our peaches whether they are August Pride, Babcock, Bonita, or Dessert Golds, whatever you can get from local farmers markets or local grocer, they're all good. This simple rustic tart exemplifies the peach without pretension of creams or custards.  A light complement of a brown sugar cinammon crumb is all it takes to bring out the lush flavor of the all-mighty peach.  Enjoy! 

Lovingly known as "THE CAKE" amongst the Sunset Hills CC Women's Golf Association, this cake is a throwback to the seventies, when my dad had thick sideburns, leisure suit and white patent leather shoes.  He sometimes still wears those crazy shoes on special occassions. The hint of pistachio flavor is from the Jello brand Pistachio Pudding that is added into the recipe.  The center of the cake has a mixture of nuts, cinammon and sugar and the top dusted with powered sugar.  Very showy, this homey treat may fuel you up to boogie to some oldies during the Evening Under the Stars. 

Normally I'm all for piling the frosting sky high on cupcakes and cakes.  The more the better! BUT not in the case of this cake.  The great thing about this pumpkin cake is that you can truly eat it for snack or dessert!  Slice off a piece and enjoy whenever or pair with the homemade sweetened cinnamon whipped cream for a light and flavorful Fall Treat!  This pumpkin cake is hands down the absolute best pumpkin cake you'll ever have.  It's perfect.  It's super moist and packed full of AMAZING flavor, from the pumpkin to the traditional seasonal spices.  Just be sure to grab a slice quick if you're sharing, this snack cake is a crowd pleaser and will disappear in no time!

Autumn will soon be upon us and what better way to celebrate than with a Pumpkin Cheesecake.  This is a fluffier, lighter version of cheesecake compared to NY-style that is denser from the starch/ flour added in the recipe.  The pumpkin pie spices will remind you of an old fashioned pumpkin pie, but its richly smooth texture tells you that it is a delectable cheesecake. THIS one will be a delightful finish to your meal.  Definitely large enough to share, but you may want to save a slice to take home and enjoy later.  

With pioneer origins, the inventiveness of combining different components of well-loved desserts together in this pie has not escaped me.  Hopefully it won't escape you, dear bidder. This is it -- Loads of thinly sliced apples layered in a decadent sour cream custard, all nestled in a graham cracker crust and finished with a cinnamon streusel topping.  The transition from tart sweet apples to smooth rich custard then to the crunch of topping and crust.  A perfect medley of texture and flavor.  

As described, this milky cake is the moistest cake BAR NONE.  The reason?  It's absolutely swimming in different milks and cream. You won't need a glass of milk to wash this one down because it's in the cake.  YUM!  With Spanish origins, this scratch cake is made with a classic vanilla sponge cake that soaks up the condensed, evaporated and whole milks then topped with whipped cream.  With the first spoonful, you will know how perfectly the cake holds onto its liquid love then releases it into your mouth. Keep the napkins ready, because you will be gobbling this one down!