Aunt Kim's Bran Muffins

1/2 C. shortening (I use butter, and it works fine.)
1 C. boiling water
1 1/2 C. sugar
Combine above ingredients and cool 1 hour.

Add remaining ingredients:
2 eggs
1 C. bran flakes (cereal)
2 C. All-Bran cereal
2 C. buttermilk
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 1/2 C. flour (I use freshly milled whole wheat.)
2 1/2 tsp. baking soda

This mixture can sit up to six weeks in the fridge as a batter.  Bake muffins 15-20 minutes at 400 degrees.

Butter Cream Frosting

1/2 - 2/3 stick softened butter
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 box confectionery sugar
Cream together above ingredients and then slowly add small amounts of milk to consistency desired. Frost cake when it is completely cooled.

Jenny's Mom's Banana Cake

I got this recipe years ago from the mother (Joan Phillips) of a former colleague of mine (Jenny Good). I went to stay at her house and she served this delicious banana cake. Though I've never seen the mother since, and have lost touch with the daughter years ago, this is still "Jenny's Mom's Banana Cake." I've never found a better recipe for banana cake.

2 1/4 C. flour (I use half whole wheat if it is freshly ground)
1 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 lb. (1 stick) butter, softened
1 1/2 C. sugar
2 eggs
2-3 mashed bananas (she used only fresh, but I'll use over-ripe ones if I need to)
1/2 C. sour cream (be generous)
1 tsp. vanilla

Sift together first four ingredients and set aside.
Cream together butter and sugar.
Add eggs, beating after each addition.
In a separate bowl, cream together bananas, sour cream, and vanilla.
Finally, add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with banana mixture.
Bake in 2 9" square greased-and-floured pans at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. (Unless I'm going for a serious special presentation, I use a 9 x 13 pan and make excess batter--there's not much--into muffins.)

Frost when completely cooled with butter cream frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz. cream cheese
1/2 C. butter
1 box confectionery sugar (or less, to taste)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 C. chopped walnuts (optional)

Cream together softened cream cheese/butter. Add other ingredients. If using optional nuts, sprinkle on top.

Iivo's Yummy Carrot Cake

2 C. flour (I use all whole wheat if it it freshly ground)
2 C. sugar (I use less - about 1 1/2 C.)
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 C. oil (I use light olive oil)
4 eggs
3 C. grated carrots

Sift dry ingredients. Add oil then eggs. Blend in carrots. Bake in 3 9-in. round cake pans if you want to make a spectacular layer cake. Otherwise, I use a 9 x 13 pan. (If it feels like too much batter, I make a couple of muffins with the excess.) Bake 30 min. at 350 degrees. Frost while still slightly warm with cream cheese frosting. If using optional nuts, sprinkle on top after frosting.