Deborah Raney's Blackberry Cream Cake

Deborah Raney dreamed of writing a book since the summer she read Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House books and discovered that a Kansas farm girl could, indeed, grow up to be a writer. After a happy twenty-year detour as a stay-at-home mom, Deb penned her first novel, A Vow to Cherish, which won a Silver Angel Award and inspired the acclaimed World Wide Pictures film of the same title. Since then, her books have won the RITA Award, HOLT Medallion, ACFW Carol Award, National Readers' Choice Award, as well as twice being finalists for the Christy Award. Deb teaches at writers' conferences across the country. Her newest novel, After All, is the conclusion to the three-book Hanover Falls Novels series from Howard/Simon & Schuster. Deb and her husband, Ken Raney, love small-town life in their native Kansas––the setting for many of Deb's novels. They have four children and four precious grandchildren who all live much too far away. Visit Deb on the Web at www.deborahraney.com.

Deb's Newest Release: After All

Eighteen months after the tragic Grove Street Fire took the life of her husband, David, and four other heroic firefighters, Susan Marlowe thinks she's finally beginning to heal. But then she discovers that David carried a secret to his grave. A secret that changes everything she thought their marriage had been. For the sake of their sons, can Susan forgive the unforgivable?

Andrea Morley lost her closest friend in the fire. But she has no right to mourn him. Instead, she must forever grieve in silence--because her dearest friend was someone else's husband. Peter Brennan carries the weight of the world on his shoulders. As Hanover Falls' fire chief, he was responsible for the brave firefighters who lost their lives that awful November night. 

Can he ever shake the feeling that he should have somehow prevented the tragedy? As Pet tries to rebuild the team at Clemens County's Station 2, is seems he might find comfort in the arms of the woman he least expected. Purchase Deborah's book here 

Deborah's Blackberry Cream Cake Recipe:

Cake Layer:

Mix a yellow cake mix and bake in a 9x13 or 10x15 baking pan according to package instructions. Cool completely. 

 Cream Layer:

1 8 oz. package cream cheese

1 8 oz. tub Cool Whip

2 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

Beat till smooth and creamy, then spread over cooled cake.

Topping:

Stir 2 Tablespoons of lemon juice (or ReaLemon) into one can of blackberry pie filling. 

OR, if fresh blackberries are in season, you can make your own topping:

Mix 1 cup sugar, 2 Tablespoons cornstarch and a pinch of salt with 1/2 cup water and 2 Tablespoons lemon juice (or ReaLemon). Stir on stovetop with wire whisk until smooth. Add 2-3 cups fresh or frozen blackberries and simmer until sauce is thickened.

Spread gently over cream layer and chill till ready to serve. Keeps well for several days in the refrigerator.