With thanks to Bobbi, in Cleveland, Ohio, for these:

COOL WHIP COOKIES

Ingredients:

• 1 cake mix (any flavor, not the butter recipe)
  

• 2 eggs
  

• 1 carton (8 oz.) thawed cool whip
  

Method:

I mix together with a large spoon until well blended and no lumps. Then drop by teaspoons into a bowl with powered sugar in it. (about a cup.) Use one hand to dip and drop the dough in and one hand to kinda coat the dough with powered sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheet, bake at 350 degrees. About 8 minutes for a soft cookie, about 10 for a little more crispy cookie. I usually get about 4 dozen cookies.

 

NUT AND APPLE CAKE

This coffee and nut sponge cake has an apple and apricot jam filling.

Ingredients:

• 4 oz butter
• 2 eggs, separated
• 4 oz self-raising flour
• pinch salt
• 4 oz caster sugar (superfine sugar*)
• 1½ oz roasted ground hazelnuts
• 1 tbs warm milk
• 1 tsp instant coffee

Filling:

• peel and juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1 lb apples, Cox's Orange Pippin are best
• 2 tbs apricot jam
• 2 oz melted plain chocolate or sifted powdered sugar for topping

Method:

Set oven to 375F or Mark 5. Grease and line an 8" round cake tin. Soften the butter in a bowl, add the sugar and beat until fluffy. Add the egg yolks, nuts, sifted flour, and salt. Dissolve the coffee in the milk and add to the mixture; then fold in the stiffly beaten egg whites. Turn into the prepared tin and bake for about 25 minutes until firm to the touch. Turn onto a wire rack and leave to cool.

Meanwhile peel, core, and slice the apples and place in a pan with the jam and the peel and juice of 1/2 lemon. Cover and cook gently until soft. Cool.

Split the cake in half and fill with the apple/apricot mixture.

For the top of the cake, either spread with 2 oz melted plain chocolate or sprinkle with sifted powdered sugar. Enjoy!

* - I suspect that we in the UK would use 'Icing Sugar'.