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It's about traditional desserts today...cake. Cakes can be truthfully called "food for the gods," as cakes made with flour, honey and milk were presented to the gods in both the Greek and Roman civilizations and in the Far Eastern cults. However, man enjoyed cakes, too. A spicy cake much like our gingerbread is said to have been prepared by a Greek as long ago as 2800 BC. The custom of serving cakes at weddings dates back to Roman times with the bride and groom sharing the first slice as they do today. In about 1200 A.D. a nun created fine-textured, lightly flavored cakes by creaming butter with eggs and sugar for 2 hours, not minutes, but 2 hours! Do you think the information regarding this was an error in printing? I hope so! Anyway, In our own country, colonial cooks developed the rich Pound Cake name because the recipe called for a pound each of sugar, butter and flour (that must have made about 4 batches of batter). Well enough of a little history about cakes. Let's get to baking.

Today's recipes are those using cake mixes. I chose to use recipes with yellow or orange ingredients to remind us there is sunshine out there. It's just hiding behind the clouds. Let's pep up the day with delicious and sunny colored cakes.

PINEAPPLE-COCONUT CAKE

1 regular size cake mix

1-20 oz. can crushed pineapple, with juice

1 c. sugar

1 small pkg. instant coconut cream pudding mix

Whipped topping or whipped cream

1/2 c. flaked coconut

Bake cake mix according to pkg. directions. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine pineapple and sugar; heat to boiling over medium heat, stirring constantly. When cake is baked, remove from oven and poke a lot of holes in the cakes. (Don't go all the way to the bottom). Spoon boiling pineapple mixture over cake. Cool completely. Meanwhile make pudding according to pkg. directions. Spoon over pineapple. Spoon whipped topping over pineapple. Top with coconut. Chopped pecans or walnuts can be sprinkled over the coconut if you wish.

Makes 12-15 servings.

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CITRUS ANGEL FOOD CAKE

1 pkg. angel food cake mix (can also use a cake from the bakery)

1-1/3 c. cold lemonade - not dry mix

1 pkt. Sugar free orange flavored gelatin

Glaze:

1-1/3 c. powdered sugar

2 T. milk

Combine first 3 ingredients in large mixing bowl, beating for 30 seconds. Scrape bowl; beat on medium speed for 1 minutes. Pour batter in ungreased tube pan (not bundt pan). Bake cake on bottom rack of oven for 35-40 minutes or until top is golden brown. Immediately turn upside down onto a pop bottle or metal funnel to cool completely.

Turn cake right-side up. Using your finger tips, gently pull cake, away from pan, going down about 2 inches, all the way around pan. Lift out of pan and set on serving plate, flat side up. I don't use a knife, going up and down between the cake and the pan as the edge of cake can get jagged...do as you wish. Combine glaze ingredients in a small bowl; mix until smooth. Spread over top of cake, letting some of glaze drip down the sides of cake.

Makes 12-15 servings.

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ORANGE CRUNCH CAKE

1 c. graham cracker crumbs (15 rectangles)

1/2 c. each, packed brown sugar and chopped pecans

1 t. cinnamon

1/2 c. butter or margarine, melted

1 regular size pkg. Betty Crocker Super moist yellow cake mix

1-1/4 orange juice

2 T. grated orange peel or 2 t. dry orange peel*

1/3 c. canola or vegetable oil

3 eggs, slightly beaten

Orange Frosting - recipe follows

Peeled orange slices or orange pinewheels - optional

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Great bottoms only of 2 round pans, 8x8 or 9x9-inches with shortening. Line greased bottom of each pan with waxed paper to fit pan; grease and lightly flour entire pans.

Mix cracker crumbs with next 4 ingredients in medium bowl. Sprinkle 1 c. of this mixture evenly into bottom of each pan; press gently (not firmly as you would for bars). In a large mixing bowl beat cake mix with next 4 ingredients with electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds. Scrape bowl. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour equally into pans.

Bake 8" rounds 45-50 minutes, 9" rounds 40-45 minutes, or till toothpick inserted in center comes out clean and tops are dark golden brown. Cool, in pans, on wire racks 15 minutes. Carefully run sharp knife around side of pans to loosen cakes. Remove from pans to wire rack, placing crumb mixture side up. Cool completely, about 1 hour. Put 1 layer, crumb side up, on serving plate; carefully spread with 3/4 c. frosting to within 1/4-inch of edge. Add second layer, crumb side up. Frost side and top of cake with rest of frosting. Store cake, covered, in fridge. Cut cake with serrated knife. When serving, garnish with orange slices or pinwheels and a small sprig of mint leaves if you wish.

Makes 12-14 servings.

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ORANGE FROSTING

1 tub Betty Crocker whipped vanilla ready-to-go spread frosting

2 c. frozen, thawed, whipped topping

1-2 T. grated orange peel

Turn the ready-to-spread frosting into a medium bowl; fold in topping and orange peel, stirring until well blended.

TFD: Some people are like wheelbarrows...they have to be pushed and are easily upset.

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