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Dessert of the Month
Go ahead and add your own creativity to the mix when baking treats and sweets for loved ones

Banana Split Cake
Easy Brownie Torte

Mini Chocolate Chippers, Mini Peanut Blossom Cookies and Snicker-Do Littles

(Family Features) - For many home bakers, there's an added amount of personal satisfaction that comes with perfecting delicious desserts. Finessing recipes — both old favorites and new finds — enables bakers to put their own signature touches on one-of-a-kind desserts.

Now, the world of baking just got better for those who enjoy expressing themselves through measuring, mixing, frosting and decorating! A new Dessert of the Month recipe source delivers a foolproof and fabulous dessert idea to your computer in-box at the beginning of every month. Helpful tips, baking hints, seasonal features and fun suggestions add up to dozens of great ideas suited for today's confection connoisseurs. And, hold on to your oven mitt ... it's free.

Betty Crocker Dessert of the Month may be the perfect complement to your kitchen creativity. Versatile, kitchen-tested recipes call for easy-to-find ingredients and are sure to impress — especially when you add a dash of personal flair to the ingredient list. Visit www.BettyCrocker.com, select Baking, scroll down and click on Dessert of the Month to expand your recipe repertoire.

Sweet Success — Month After Month

Keep these shortcuts handy to ensure sweet baking success even when time is tight.

Fix a mix — Don't shy away from using a baking mix — they're versatile and often deliver the quality and taste you expect from scratch.
Divide & conquer — Recruit family members to help. Even the littlest hands can help place drop cookies onto a baking sheet.
Secret pal — Keep a trusted cookbook within reach, and bookmark a favorite Web site for reliable and delicious recipes.

Mini Cookie Collection

Hold on, Sweetie! — Cookies and childhood go hand in hand. Maybe that's why you can't help but feel like a kid again when you enjoy a home-baked cookie paired with a glass of cold milk. These are particularly irresistible during back-to-school season.

Mini Chocolate Chippers: Heat oven to 350°F. Make 1 pouch Betty Crocker chocolate chip cookie mix as directed. Drop dough by rounded 1/2 teaspoonfuls 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 1 minute before removing from cookie sheet. 9 1/2 dozen cookies

Mini Peanut Blossom Cookies: Heat oven to 350°F. Make 1 pouch Betty Crocker peanut butter cookie mix as directed. Shape dough into 1/2-inch balls; roll in sugar. Place balls 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Immediately press 1 miniature chocolate candy drop for baking (from 10-ounce bag) on top of each cookie. Cool 1 minute before removing from cookie sheet. 9 1/2 dozen cookies

Snicker Do-Littles: Heat oven to 350°F. Make 1 pouch Betty Crocker sugar cookie mix as directed. Shape dough into 1/2-inch balls. Mix 1/4 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Roll dough balls in sugar mixture. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 1 minute before removing from cookie sheet. 9 1/2 dozen cookies

Banana Split Cake
Take the Cake — Need a dessert to go? This Banana Split Cake featured as September's Dessert of the Month travels well in a bake-and-take pan. If you're really in a pinch for time, try Betty Crocker Pour & Frost, which can be used to frost a warm-from-the-oven cake.

1 box Betty Crocker SuperMoist white cake mix
Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for in cake mix directions for Whole-Egg Recipe
1 cup mashed bananas (2 medium)
3/4 cup Hershey's miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 container (15 ounces) Betty Crocker Pour & Frost chocolate frosting
Banana slices, whipped topping, candy sprinkles and cherries, if desired

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease or spray bottom only of 13 x 9-inch rectangular pan.
In large bowl, beat cake mix, water, oil, eggs and mashed bananas on low speed 30 seconds; beat on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour into pan.
Bake 38 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes. Microwave frosting uncovered on High 20 seconds. Stir thoroughly or until smooth. Pour over warm cake; spread evenly. If desired, serve each piece with banana slices, whipped topping, candy sprinkles and a cherry.

16 servings

Easy Brownie Torte
Big on Brownies — Warm up the oven when the fall weather sets in, and surprise the chocolate lovers in your family with a beautiful, rich brownie torte. Or, top it off with orange- and yellow-colored sugars or jimmies for a terrific Halloween treat.

1 box Betty Crocker chocolate chunk or triple chocolate chunk brownie mix
Water, oil and eggs called for on brownie mix package
1 container (15 ounces) Betty Crocker Pour & Frost chocolate frosting
1/2 cup coarsely chopped chocolate-covered peanut butter cup candies

Heat oven to 350°F. Line 13 x 9-inch pan with foil so foil extends about 2 inches over sides of pan. Spray foil with cooking spray.
Make brownies as directed on package for 13 x 9-inch pan. Cool completely, about 1 1/2 hours. Remove from pan by lifting foil; peel foil away. Cut brownie in half lengthwise; place one half on serving plate.
Microwave frosting uncovered on High 20 seconds. Stir thoroughly or until smooth. Pour half of frosting over half of brownie on plate. Place other half of brownie on top; pour remaining frosting on top. Sprinkle with candies. Refrigerate 30 minutes to set. Store loosely covered.

8 servings

SOURCE: Betty Crocker