Let there be Cake Balls

This is part two of my Thanksgiving-I'm-not-just-bringing-chips throwdown. These are super easy but a bit on the sweet side. Anything that requires a box cake is a friend of mine. To make them less sweet, cut back on the amount of icing you put in.

Red Velvet Cake Balls

Source: Bakerella.com

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Ingredients:

1 box red velvet cake mix (cook as directed on box for 13 X 9 cake)

1 can cream cheese frosting (16 oz.) (I used 3/4 can)

16 oz semi-sweet chocolate
white chocolate (optional)
food coloring (optional)

Directions:

1. After cake is cooked and cooled completely, crumble into large bowl.

2. Mix thoroughly with 1 can cream cheese frosting.

3. Roll mixture into quarter size balls and lay on cookie sheet.

4. Chill for several hours. (You can speed this up by putting in the freezer.)

5. Melt chocolate in a saucepan on med-low, constantly stirring so chocolate doesn't burn.

6. Roll balls in chocolate and lay on wax paper until firm. (Use a spoon to dip and roll in chocolate and then tap off extra.)

Optional: Melt white choclate in a saucepan until completely melted. Add food coloring and drizzle across balls while they are still wet.

I seriously thought my husband was going to cry when he saw me destroy the freshly made red velvet cake (his favorite).

Do the Oreo Truffle Shuffle

I made these truffles for the first time last year when the recipe was circulating the internet cooking world and I've never looked back. They are so simple to make and taste like they took hours! This year when I asked what I should bring to my husband's grandmother's house for Thanksgiving I was told potato chips for the evening leftover turkey sandwich meal. Chips? Thats it? I was very disappointed because it would have given me a reason to bake since I've been trying to cut back on my random baking sessions that has left my waist in expanding proportions.

So I decided to be a rebel and make some truffles and cake balls (post to follow). They could munch on these before and after the meal, plus they are a favorite of my husbands!

Oreo Truffles

Source: KraftFoods.com

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Ingredients:

1 package (3 sleeves) Oreos
8 oz cream cheese (softened)
16 oz semi-sheet chocolate

For decorating: (optional)
sprinkles
white chocolate
cookie crumbs

Directions:

1. Crush Oreos either using a food processor or a freezer bag and a meat tenderizer (my preferred method). Mix cookie crumbs and cream cheese until when blended using a mixer or wooden spoon.

2. Line a cookie sheet with wax paper. Shape cookie mixture into one inch balls and place on sheet. Put baking sheet in freezer for 10-15 minutes so truffles can firm up.

3. Melt chocolate in saucepan on low, continuously stirring so chocolate doesn't burn. Once completely melted, dip balls into melted chocolate and place back on wax papered covered cookie sheet. I found that the easiest way is to use a fork in a spoonlike form. Not stabbing but ladling and allowing excess chocolate to drip back into pan through the prongs.

4. Sprinkle with cookie crumbs, sprinkles, or drip white chocolate onto the truffles to decorate. Refrigerate for at least one hour. Store in a tightly covered container or can be frozen.

The Best Oatmeal Cookies

This month I participated in an online recipe exchange and the theme was Fall Favorites. I was lucky enough to not get some crazy chicken pumpkin ice cream or something.

This recipe came with the name Best Oatmeal Cookie and while I can say that they don't beat my mother's neighbor's oatmeal cookies (I swear he slips a bit of crack in those babies) these came pretty damn close!

They are more cakey than cookie...y? cookiey, is that a word? Whatever, you catch my drift! I'll definitely make these again until I can break into that cookie crack dealer's house and steal his secret recipe.

I subsituted dried cranberries for the pecans because, less face it, I'm too cheap to pay 5.99 for a bag of nuts that I could live without. It's a recession, people! I also ditched the vanilla because I forgot to grab some at the store. Oh, and I have no clue what rolled oats are so I just grabbed some regular Quaker Oats. Readers, help?

Best Oatmeal Cookies

Source: Allrecipes.com

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Ingredients:

3 eggs, beaten
1 cup raisins
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups rolled oats
3/4 cup chopped pecans (I subsituted 1 cup dried cranberries)

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, combine the eggs, raisins, and vanilla. Cover and chill for 1 hour.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

3. In a medium bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt, cinnamon and baking soda; add to the creamed mixture and stir until all of the dry ingredients are absorbed. Next, stir in the egg and raisin mixture, then stir in the rolled oats and pecans. Dough will be stiff. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto an unprepared cookie sheet.

4. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, until the edges are golden. Allow cookies to cool 5 minutes on the baking sheet before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Apple Spice Cookie Bars

I had this recipe saved for a while from Good Things Catered. Luckily I had almost all the ingredients. Except for cloves, but they remind me of those nasty clove cigarettes that the hippies always smoke at the bar. NO THANKS.

These bars were great! Very easy to throw together on a whim.

Apple Spice Cookie Bars
Source:Good Things Catered
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Ingredients:
2 c. plus 2 Tbsp all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp allspice
small pinch ground cloves (omitted)
1/2 c. butter, melted
1 c. packed brown sugar
1 c. white sugar
2 eggs
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
2 apples, cored and diced (a little less than 2 c.)
cinnamon sugar for sprinkling

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 9x13 pan with foil and baking spray.

2. In medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves. Whisk to combine well and set aside.

3. In bowl of stand mixer, combine sugars and butter and beat on medium high until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well to combine. Add vanilla extract and beat to combine. Turn mixer on slow and fold in flour mixture a little at a time until just combined. Fold in apples.

4. Spread mixture evenly into prepared pan and sprinkle top generously with cinnamon sugar. Place in oven and bake until cooked through, when top slightly bounces back to the touch, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely before removing from pan, cutting and serving. (bars will be very soft)

Triple Chocolate Cookies

After making these cookies, they are my new favorite cookie. I can't wait to pimp them out to my family and friends at Christmas. They are a chocolate lover's dream!

Triple Chocolate Cookies

Adapted from: Very Best Baking

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Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup baking cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) white chocolate chips
1 cup milk chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat Oven to 350 degrees.

2. Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels. Drop by well-rounded teaspoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

3. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until centers are set. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Makes approximately 5 Dozen Cookies

Decadent Peanut Butter Pie

My boss loves peanut butter so I went in search of a great recipe to make him for Boss's Day. I wanted something really simple since I needed it for the next day and didn't have too much time that night. Well, my prayers were answered. This recipe is incredibly simple and oh so very good. Everyone loved it and I had a couple of coworkers ask for the recipe!

My decorating could use some practice but I blame my method of using one of those condiment bottles for the topping. About half way through the fudge stripes ::giggle:: it got some air in it and went pbfffffffffff all over my pretty pie. Their method of using a plastic baggie was much more clean.


Decadent Peanut Butter Pie
Source: Jif.com
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Ingredients:
1 prepared chocolate cookie pie crust
1 cup Creamy peanut butter
8 oz cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
4 1/2 cups (12 oz) cool whip
1 (11.75 oz) jar hot fudge ice cream topping

Drizzle:
2 T peanut butter
2 T hot fudge

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, beat together the peanut butter, cream cheese and sugar. Gently fold in 3 cups whipped topping. Spoon mixture into the pie shell. Using a spatula, smooth mixture to edges of pie.

2. Reserving 2 tablespoons of hot fudge, place remaining hot fudge into microwave safe bowl or glass measuring cup. Microwave for 1 minute. Stir. Spread hot fudge over pie to cover the peanut butter layer. Refrigerate until serving time. Just before serving, spread the remaining whipped topping (1 1/2 cups), over hot fudge layer, being careful not to mix the two layers.

3. Place the 2 Tbs. hot fudge in a small baggie and knead for a few seconds. Cut a tiny hole in the corner of the bag and drizzle over pie. Do the same with 2 Tbs. peanut butter going in the opposite direction of the hot fudge.

Save the Tatas!

Unless you live under a rock, you are probably aware that October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. I've been lucky enough in my life to have never been directly affected by breast cancer but the importance of awareness has never been more evident. In 2008 alone, it's estimated that 182,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer. For more information or to donate to breast cancer research, visit Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

I thought it would be nice to make something for all the women in my life for Breast Cancer Awareness month. So I made pink lemonade cupcakes. They are super easy (they use a box cake!) and they turned out really good. The buttercream lacked a bit of flavor after I mixed it so I added a few ingredients to give it some more umph. Also, one batch of the buttercream wasn't enough for me so I had to make an emergency additional half-batch of it. I ended up having some leftover so I froze it for another time.

Pink Lemonade Cupcakes

Source: Confections of a Foodie Bride

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Ingredients:

1 1/8 cup (9 oz) frozen Pink Lemonade Concentrate, thawed*

White cake mix

3 egg whites

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

Non-stick spray

1 recipe Lemon Buttercream Icing (recipe follows)

* For a less tart cupcake,try reducing the amount of pink lemonade. 3/8 cup water and 3/4 cup pink lemonade will cut the tartness.

Directions:

1. In a stand mixer, add the cake mix, egg whites, vegetable oil, and the pink lemonade concentrate. Mix on low for about 30 seconds and then increase to medium speed for 90 seconds (the batter will still be a bit lumpy; take care not to overmix so you don’t end up with dry cupcakes).

2. Spray each cupcake liner with the non-stick spray and spoon the batter into a prepared muffin pan (fill the cups between 2/3 and 3/4 full). Bake at 350 for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick registers “done” in the center cupcake. Remove the pan from the oven and cook 5 minutes.

3.Remove the cupcakes and cool completely on a baking rack. Once the cupcakes have cooled, make the icing and ice the cupcakes.

Lemon Buttercream Icing (this is the original serving size)

3 cups + 3 Tbsp confectioner’s sugar

1 stick unsalted butter at room temperature

1/8 tsp salt

2 Tbsp lemon juice

Red food color

my additions:

1 T vanilla extract

1 T lemon extract

1. Add the butter, confectioner’s sugar, salt, lemon juice, vanilla extract, lemon extract, and food coloring (if using) to the stand mixer and mix on low using the paddle attachment until combined. Turn the speed to med-high until the icing is fluffy and uniformly pink.

2. Add the icing to a pastry bag fitted with a 2D tip and ice the cupcakes.

*Icing can be frozen for 3-6 months. To reuse: thaw and remix to fluff.

Applesauce Spice Bars

Oh Dorie, you've done it again! This is another recipe from Dorie Greenspan's Baking: From My Home to Yours. If you don't already own this cookbook, I highly recommend it. Everything I've made from it so far has been great!

I was thinking of mixing it up next time I make them and using caramel chips. Whatever you do, don't skimp on the glaze. Its the best part!

Applesauce Spice Bars

Source: Baking: From My Home to Yours

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Ingredients-

For the Bars:

1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground allspice

1/4 tsp salt

1 stick (8 tbsp) unsalted butter

1 cup (packed) light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 tbsp applejack, brandy, or dark rum (optional) (I used Captain Morgan's Spiced Rum)

1 baking apple, peeled, cored and finely diced or chopped (I used Granny Smith)

1/2 cup plump, moist raisins (dark or golden)

1/2 cup chopped pecans (omitted)


For the Glaze:

2-1/2 tbsp heavy cream (I used half and half)

1/3 cup (packed) light brown sugar

2-1/2 tbsp unsalted butter

1 tsp light corn syrup

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Directions-

1. Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350F. Butter a 9x13-inch baking pan, line the bottom with parchment paper, butter the paper and dust the inside of the pan with flour. Tap out the excess flour and put the pan on a baking sheet.

2. In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Add the brown sugar and stir with a whisk until it is melted and the mixture is smooth, about 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat.

3. Still working in the saucepan, whisk in the eggs one at a time, mixing until they are well blended. Add the applesauce, vanilla and applejack, if you're using it, and whisk until the ingredients are incorporated and the mixture is once again smooth. Switch to a rubber spatula and gently stir in the dry ingredients, mixing only until they disappear, then mix in the apple, raisins and nuts. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula.

4. Bake for 23 to 25 minutes, or until the bars just start to pull away from the sides of the pan and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer the baking pan to a rack and let the cake cool while you make the glaze.

5. In a small saucepan, whisk together the cream, sugar, butter and corn syrup. Put the man over medium heat and bring the mixture to a boil, whisking frequently. Adjust the heat so that the glaze simmers, and cook, whisking frequently, for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla.

6. Turn the bars out onto a rack, remove the paper and invert the bars onto another rack, so they are right side up. Slide the parchment paper under the rack to serve as a drip catcher, (I omitted this step and left the bars in the pan to glaze. No one died.) grab a long metal icing spatula and pour the hot glaze over the bars, using the spatula to spread it evenly over the cake. Let them cool to room temperature before you cut them.

Quintuple Chocolate Brownies

Baking: From My Home to Yours is one of my favorite cookbooks. In fact, Dorie Greenspan and I are BFFs. If you don't believe me check this out Do you see that right below the last picture? Having Dorie comment on my blog ranks right up in great days of my life, just behind the birth of my Dyson vaccuum cleaner and my wedding day, in that order. :)

These brownies are great! Heavy on the fudginess and light on the cakiness. I think I will omit the nuts altogether next time and maybe add some white chocolate chips or Andes mints, instead.

Quintuple Chocolate Brownies
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Source: Baking: From My Home to Yours

For the Brownies:
1/2 cup all- purpose flour
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
½ tsp salt
1 stick (8 Tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
3 ounces bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 T strong coffee
1 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
6 ounces premium- milk chocolate, chopped into chips, or 1 cup store-bought milk choc. chips
1 cup chopped nuts (your choice)

FOR THE GLAZE:
6 ounces white chocolate, finely chopped, or 1 cup store- bought white chocolate chips
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions:

1. Getting Ready: Center a rack in the oven, and preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a 9-inch baking pan with foil, butter the foil and place the pan on a baking sheet. Sift together the flour, cocoa and salt.

2. To Make the Brownies: Set a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and add, in the following order, the butter, the two chocolates and the coffee. Keeping the pan over low heat, warm just until the butter and chocolates are melted- you don't want the ingredients to get so hot they separate, so keep an eye on the bowl. Stir gently, and when the mixture is smooth, set it aside for 5 minutes.

3. Using a whisk or a rubber spatula, beat the sugar into the chocolate mixture. Don't beat too vigorously- you don't want to add air to the batter- and don't be concerned about any graininess. Next, stir in the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla. You should have a smooth, glossy batter. If you're not already using a rubber spatula, switch to one now and gently stir in the dry ingredients, mixing only until they are incorporated. Finally, stir in the milk chocolate chips and the nuts. Scrape the batter into the pan.

4. Bake for about 35 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted into the center comes out streaked but not thickly coated. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and let the brownies rest undisturbed for at least 30 minutes. Invert the brownies onto the rack and let cool completely.

5. To Make the Glaze: Put the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Bring the heavy cream to a boil and pour it over the chocolate. Wait 30 seconds, then, using a rubber spatula, gently stir until the chocolate is melted and the glaze is smooth. ( Please see my recommended changes)

6. Hold a long metal icing spatula in one hand and the bowl of glaze in the other. Pour the glaze onto the center of the brownies and use the spatula to nudge it evenly over the surface. Don't worry if it dribbles over the edges, you can trim the sides later (or not). Refrigerate the brownies for at least 30 minutes, or until the glaze is firm.

Recommended changes: I lost a lot of my glaze when adding it to the top of brownies as instructed. Next time, I would place them back into the pan, or not take them out, and add the glaze with the brownies still in it. This would keep the glaze from oozing all over the place and making me sad. I hate sad.

Iced (Kinda) Lemon Poundcake

Apparently, you can get in a lot of trouble for copying trademark recipes from well-known chains. So for the sake of me not going to jail, we will call this *Shmarbuck's Iced Lemon Poundcake.

I used to work within walking distance from a *Shmarbuck's and love, love, loved their iced lemon poundcake. Now the closest *Shmarbuck's is 30 miles away! That has to be a crime, right? Most places have these coffee shops every 50 ft and on every corner but I digress. Anyway, I've been on a bit of a lemon kick lately so I figured I'd try to find a really-similar-but-not-the-same-because-then-I'd-be-arrested recipe. Unfortunately, it was no where near the same as *Shmarbuck's but fortunately, it was still awesome!

My favorite part of *Shmarbuck's is the dense icing the sits on top. Well, this "icing" just absorbed into the cake. BUT it made it incredibly moist and lemony. Its also much more light and airy. Also, the recipe lied and said it makes one loaf pan. Well, one overflowing loaf pan and a 8x8 cake pan later I realized it must have been a misprint. Next time, (and my husband is already begging me to make it again) I will use a 9x13 and I think it will be perfect.

Iced Lemon Poundcake

Source: Kitchenlink

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Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened

1/4 cup vegetable oil

3 cups sugar

5 eggs

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup milk

1 teaspoon lemon extract

Lemon Glaze-

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup water

1/3 cup lemon juice

1 teaspoon grated lemon rind

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9x13 pan.

2. Beat butter in a large bowl at medium speed of an electric hand-held mixer; gradually add oil, beating until well blended. Gradually add sugar, beating well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour. Mix just until blended after each addition. Stir in lemon extract.

3. Pour batter into a prepared pan. Bake at 300F for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center of the cake comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes.

4. Lemon Glaze: Combine glaze ingredients, stirring until sugar dissolves. Spoon glaze over top, a little at a time. Let lemon pound cake cool completely.

*Name has been changed so I don't go to the Penn.

Frozen Lemon Cupcakes

These are a great refreshing treat for summer!

Frozen Lemon Cupcakes
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*Makes around 12 cupcakes

Ingredients:
Lemon Cream
1 cup sugar
Juice and finely grated rind of one lemon
2 cups whipping cream

"Crust"

1/2 stick unsalted butter
1/2 cup crushed graham crackers
1/2 cup crushed corn flakes
2 tablespoons sugar

Directions:

1. Making lemon cream: combine sugar and lemon juice and rind in a large bowl. Gradually beat in cream.

2. To make the bottom crust: melt butter in a pan over low heat and stir in crushed graham crackers, corn flakes, and sugar. Remove from heat.

3. Press down crust mixture into the bottom of a silicon cupcake holder or cupcake liner. Freeze for at least 3 hours. Unmold and top with a jellied lemon slice or a small berry of some kind.

Blueberry Crisp

Warning: The following recipe may be hard to understand and could cause random feelings of nauseousness. I beg you to believe that I would never steer you wrong!


So I had some blueberries in the fridge and wanted to make some dessert. I searched through allrecipes looking through recipes for cobblers and crisps until I found one that appeared to be simple enough. Blueberries, sugar, flour, mayonaise, cinna....WHAT? Mayonaise? What kind of freak would put mayonaise in a blueberry crisp!? So I read through the reviews and reviewer after reviewer gave the recipe 4-5 stars and proclaimed that the mayonaise was unrecognizable in the crisp. I felt intrigued.

Now I'm not a mayonaise lover to begin with. If I ever went on one of those reality shows where you had to eat giraffe testicles or mayonaise straight from the jar, I'm fairly certain I'd pick the testicles. Even mixing the ingredients together was a bit difficult for me. I figured I'd make the husband try it first and see what he said.

Then I realized that mayonaise is really just oil and eggs. Most cake recipes call for both of those ingredients anyway, right?

So the verdict is..... it was good! It tasted like any other blueberry crisp I've had. AND it only took 3 minutes to prep. Can't beat that!

Blueberry Crisp
AllRecipes.com

Ingredients:

4 cups fresh blueberries
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup mayonnaise

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. Place the blueberries into an 8 inch square baking dish. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, and cinnamon. Stir in the mayonnaise until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over the top of the berries.

3. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven, until the top is lightly browned.

**Serve warm with vanilla ice cream**

My First Layer Cake- A Photo Essay

I decided to venture into layer cake territory for my nephew's birthday. The following is a documentary of my trials and triumphs.


I used this recipe for chocolate cake with buttercream icing. I baked the cakes for around 33 minutes in two round cake cake pans. I allowed the cake to cool for about 20 minutes in their pans, then flipped them out on a cooling rack until completely cool.



I flipped the cake onto the pan with the rounded top face down and used a spatula to cover in icing.

Looks like a giant oreo! Or a whoppie pie! Have you ever had a whoopie pie? Please try one. Kthanxbai.


I learned from Barefoot Conmtessa that if you want your cake to be more casual keep the rounded side on top and flat side on top if you want it to look more formal. I went for a more formal look since what's more formal than an 11 year old's birthday?


Voila! Okay, these are the problems I had and would love some help from any experienced cake-icingers. I had the hardest time getting the edges covered. Everytime I ran the knife around them they were completely bare. I ended up just caking on some leftover icing at the end but I figured I was doing something wrong.

It also didn't turn out as pretty as I had hoped. But you know what?



It was gooooood.

White Chocolate Ice Cream

I don't know why I even bothered taking a picture. It looks like plain ole vanilla ice cream but I can assure you....IT IS NOT! I've been on a white chocolate kick since making the Blondies so I used a chocolate ice cream recipe from my ice cream maker manual and switched it up with white chocolate. The result is the most wonderful tasting ice cream I've had in a long, long time. My husband has this thing about all ice cream needing a topping of some sort so he added the only thing we had to his: Cinnamon Toast Crunch.

I hate to admit it but it was genius. So good!

White Chocolate Ice Cream
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Ingredients:
1 cup whole milk (used skim)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
8 oz white chocolate chips
2 cups heavy cream
1 t. vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Heat the whole milk until it is just bubbling around the edges (can be done on your stovetop or in a microwave).


2. In a blender or food processor, pulse the sugar with the chocolate until finely chopped. Add the hot milk, process until well blended and smooth. Transfer to a medium bowl and let the chocolate mixture cool completely.

3. Stir in the heavy cream and vanilla. Chill for 30 minutes or longer. Follow directions on ice cream maker, let mix until thickened.

Chewy, Chunky Blondies

I just bought a new cookbook Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan. It has a great mix of different baked goods recipes that sound amazing. The best part about it, for unexperienced bakers, is she tells you specifically how to do each step. I like to know how long to mix each ingredient. I've been spending the last week going through all 500 pages and flagging all the recipes I want to make. Because I'm a complete amateur baker, I decided to start with something simple. BLONDIES! I figured I couldn't mess these up.

But just as I was getting ready to place the pan in the oven, I noticed the vanilla on the counter that I forgot to put in. oops. sigh. Only I could mess up blondies.

Luckily, they were still amazing without the vanilla!

Chewy, Chunky Blondies

Source- Baking: From My Home to Yours

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 t. baking powder

1/2 t. baking soda

1/2 t. salt

2 sticks (8 oz) unsalted butter, at room temperture

1 1/2 cups (packed) brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1 t. pure vanilla extract

Add-ins from original recipe:

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup butterscotch chips or Heath toffee bits

1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

1 cup sweetened shredded coconut

My add-ins:

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup white chocolate chips

1 cup sweetened shredded coconut

Directions-

1. Center a rack and preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter a 9x13 baking pan and place on a baking sheet.

2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

3. Beat the butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Add both sugars and beat for another 3 minutes, or until well incorporated. Add the eggs one by one, beating for one minute after each addition, then beat in the vanilla. Reduce mixing speed to low and add the dry ingredients until they disappear into the batter.

4. Using a rubber spatula, stir in add-ins. Scrape the batter into the buttered pan and use the spatula to even out.

5. Bake for 40 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. They should pull away from the sides of the pan and the top should be a honey-brown. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for about 15 minutes before turning the blondies out onto another rack. Invert onto a rack and cool the blondies right side up to room temp.

Makes approx 32 bars.

S'more Bars

I saw this recipe on Baking Blonde's blog and it sounded so good I had to try it. They come out a bit crumbly but the taste makes up for the mess! I found that flattening them with a spatula after about 20 minutes of cooling made them conform more into bars.

S'mores Bars

Source: Baking Blonde

Ingredients:

1 egg, beaten
1/3 cup butter (no substitutions)
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
15 crushed graham crackers (I used 8 rectangular crackers)
1 1/2 cups small marshmallows
3/4 cup milk chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Line an 8x8 pan with foil and spray with cooking spray.

2. In a medium mixing bowl combine the graham cracker crumbs, 3/4 cup marshmallows and 1/2 cup chocolate chips. Set aside.

3. In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, combine the egg, butter, sugar and vanilla. Cook, stirring constantly until it comes to a full boil. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
Pour mixture in bowl with the graham crackers, marshmallows and chcolate chips. Stir to combine. (Marshmallows and chips will melt a bit).

4. Fold in remaining marshmallows and chips.

5. Press mixture into prepared pan.Cool until set. Remove foil and bars from pan, cut and serve. Store in airtight container either room temp or in fridge (if during warm months).

Chocolate Cake with Buttercream Icing

My coworker Debbie always bakes all of us a cake for our birthdays. She always goes to great lengths to try to surprise us each year with a lit cake and office serenade. We each try to act surprised like we forgot that the same thing happened to each of us last year.

Anyway, she always makes this cake and it is always gone by the end of the day. I never thought I'd be making a cake from scratch but with this recipe its just as easy as those box cakes. The cake is incredibly moist and the buttercream is amazing! Not too sweet....just right.

Debbie's Chocolate Cake
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Ingredients-
3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
2/3 cup cocoa
1 cup oil
2 cups water
2 tbsp. vinegar (I used cider vinegar)
2 tsp vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Put all ingredients together and beat until smooth. Bake for 35-45 min. (until toothpick comes out clean)

Buttercream Icing

Ingredients-
1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 lb (4 cups) confectioner's sugar
2 tbsp. milk (or water)
1 tsp. vanilla

Directions-
1. Cream shortening and butter. Add sugar, milk, and vanilla.

2. Blend on medium until all ingredients all well mixed. Blend a minute or two more until creamy.

(If using a hand mixer and icing is not creamy, use high speed or add more liquid.Icing can be refridgerated in an air tight container for 2 weeks. Rewhip before using.)

Black-Bottom Cupcakes

I suddenly had a craving for these cupcakes out of the blue one day. We used to sell them at our high school bake sales and they were always a hit. ahhh...the good ole days...when I could eat three and not gain a pound. Anyhow, its a great classic recipe! If you haven't ever had a black-bottom cupcake, you are missing out! I made these with my niece for Easter and they were mixed, prepared, in the oven, and cleaned up in less than 15 minutes.

Black Bottom Cupcakes

Source: http://www.allrecipes.com/

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Ingredients:

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 egg
1/3 cup white sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line muffin tins with paper cups or lightly spray with non-stick cooking spray.

2. In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese, egg, 1/3 cup sugar and 1/8 teaspoon salt until light and fluffy. Stir in the chocolate chips and set aside.

3. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, 1 cup sugar, cocoa, baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Make a well in the center and add the water, oil, vinegar and vanilla. Stir together until well blended. Fill muffin tins 1/3 full with the batter and top with a dollop of the cream cheese mixture.

4. Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes.

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

I haven't had pineapple upside down cake since I was a kid and my mom used to make it for us. I decided to make it for my Mother-in-Law's birthday dinner. It was incredibly easy and came out very moist. The original recipe was made in a cast iron skillet but since I don't own one I just used a 9x13 pan.

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

Source- http://www.allrecipes.com/

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Ingredients-

1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 (20 ounce) can sliced pineapple
10 maraschino cherries
1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix

Directions-

1. Melt the butter over medium high heat. Remove from the heat and pour on the bottom of 9x13 pan. Spray the sides of the pan with cooking spray.

2. Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly to cover the butter in the bottom of the pan.

3. Next, arrange pineapple rings around the bottom of the pan, one layer deep. Place a maraschino cherry into the center of each pineapple ring.

4. Prepare the cake mix as directed by the manufacturer, substitute some of the pineapple juice for some of the liquid in the directions. Pour the batter over the pineapple layer.

5. Bake as directed by the cake mix directions. Cool for 10 minutes, then carefully turn out onto a plate. Do not let the cake cool too much or it will be stuck to the pan.

Strawberry Cream Cheese Tarts

I saw this recipe while watching Paula Dean's Food Network show and was intrigued by the use of vanilla wafers as the crust of the cupcake. The mix ended up being for more than 12 cupcakes like the recipe called for. When I took them out of the oven they were puffed up over the cupcake liner and I was concerned how the heck I would have any room for the pie filling. Once they cooled, they sunk in. I'm not sure if they were supposed to do this or if I did something wrong but either way it made for a perfect place for the pie filling. They were great but I think next time I'll add another teaspoon of vanilla.

Strawberry Cream Cheese Tarts

Source: Food Network's Paula Dean

Ingredients-

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 eggs

12 vanilla wafers

1 (21-ounce) can strawberry filling, or other pie filling

Directions-

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place a paper cupcake liner in each cup of a muffin pan.

2. Beat cream cheese with a handheld electric mixer until fluffy. Add sugar and vanilla, beating well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.

3. Place a vanilla wafer, flat side down, in each muffin cup. Spoon cream cheese mixture over wafers.

4. Bake for 20 minutes. Allow tarts to cool completely. Serve with blueberry filling on top, or pie filling of your choice.

5. Chill for at least an hour to set