Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cake

Several times a year, I make birthday cakes for friends or family members.  Last year, when it was my friend's birthday, I asked her whether she wanted a s'mores cake or a chocolate chip cookie dough one.  She chose the s'mores.  So, this year, when her birthday rolled around again, I decided that I'd do the chocolate chip cookie dough one.

For the decoration on top, I decided to make some mini chocolate chip cookies and spiral them on top.  You can use your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe if you want.  I used the Tollhouse Cookie recipe since it's quick.  To make them mini sized, I found that I had to scoop the dough no larger than the size of marbles.  Honestly, I've never made such tiny cookies in my life.  I was worried they might be too small, but they were just right.  Baking them for 11 minutes makes them a little crisp, but after sitting on top of the frosting for a while, they will soften up.  And, baking them firmer to begin with also ensures that they won't fall apart as you lay them on top of each other. 

I also decided to use a few of the cookies to decorate the sides of the cake.  I got a little whimsical and made some of the cookies look like a bite had been taken out of them.  I promise, it only "looks" that way.  I did NOT go and take a bite out of those cookies myself and then put them onto the cake.  :)

The cake was amaaazing!  I was absolutely thrilled with the way that it came out and the way that it tasted.  My only change would have been to put even more cookie dough balls into the frosting middles.  But, even so, this cake was enjoyed by all.    

 

  

Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake  

Golden Vanilla Cake (adapted from King Arthur Flour)

2 c. sugar
3 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
3/4 c. unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 c. milk
2 tsp. vanilla
4 eggs

Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in the eggs and vanilla until well combined.  Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt, and sift the mixture.  Mix in half the flour mixture, then all the milk, then the rest of the flour mixture until well combined.  Divide into two greased and floured (I also line the bottoms with parchment paper) 9-inch round pans.  Bake at 350F for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.  Let cool in pans for at least 10-15 minutes before removing from the pans.  Then let cool completely on wire racks. 

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough (slightly adapted from Recipe Girl)

4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
1/4 c. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. baking soda
3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. mini chocolate chips

Cream the butter with the sugars.  Beat in the milk and vanilla.  Add the salt, baking soda, and flour and mix well.  Stir in the mini chocolate chips.  Chill the dough in the freezer until firm, about 30 min.  Once chilled, form the dough into marble-sized balls and keep them chilled until ready to use. 

Buttercream Frosting (Sweet as Sugar Cookies)

2 1/2 c. salted butter, softened
6 1/4 c. powdered sugar
5 tsp. vanilla
1-2 Tbsp. milk (to desired consistency)

Beat the butter in a stand mixer until creamy.  Beat in the powdered sugar until light and fluffy.  Mix in the vanilla and add milk as desired until you reach your desired consistency.  

Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies (slightly adapted from Tollhouse Cookie recipe)

1/2 c. + 1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
4 Tbsp. butter
3 Tbsp. sugar
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/4 tsp. vanilla
2 Tbsp. egg
1/2 c. mini chocolate chips

Cream the butter and sugars.  Beat in the egg and vanilla.  Mix in the flour, salt, and baking soda.  Stir in the chocolate chips.  Chill for 30 minutes in the freezer until firm.  Form the dough into marble-sized balls and drop onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet.  Bake at 350F for 11 minutes until golden brown.  Let cool.

For the assembly:

Slice each cake layer, horizontally, into two layers.  Place one layer on a cake plate and spread with 1/5 of the frosting.  Stud with half of the mini balls of chilled cookie dough.  Place the second cake layer on top and spread with 1/5 of the frosting.  Place the third cake layer on top, spread with 1/5 of the frosting and stud with the rest of the mini cookie dough balls.  Place the fourth cake layer on top and cover with the rest of the frosting, saving about 1/2 cup of frosting for decoration.  Once the cake is completely frosted, use the reserved frosting to pipe a decorative border around the top and bottom of the cake.  Take the baked chocolate chip cookies and spiral them on the top of the cake.  You can also use several of the cookies and place them around the sides of the cake, if desired.   

Red Velvet Cheesecake Cupcakes

For this month's SRC, I was assigned to Angela's blog, Spinach Tiger.  Her blog is simply gorgeous.  It's like looking at a cookbook in a bookstore, even better because many of the recipes are her own special creations, so it's really her own unique cookbook.  And, unlike other cookbooks you find where the recipes look good but are practically impossible to follow, have no fear, Angela's recipes are all super easy and anyone can make them.  Did I mention she has her own cooking channel too?  I'm totally impressed!

Her husband is from the South, so her blog likewise, has a lot of Southern influenced recipes, including numerous recipes for the biggest, fluffiest, yummiest looking biscuits ever.  I made her Parmesan Honey Biscuits and they were so fluffy that I would have sworn they were bread rolls.  Unfortunately, I have no pictures because they all got eaten up before I could take them.  But, believe me, they were good.

So, since I missed the photo op on the first recipe, I went ahead and made another Southern based oldie but goodie - Red Velvet Cupcakes.  I decided to do what Angela recommended in another post and turned them into Red Velvet Cheesecake Cupcakes.  I did make one substitution.  Since I had run out of cocoa powder, I substituted one ounce of unsweetened chocolate and removed one tablespoon of butter from the recipe.  It seemed to work just fine.  Now, onto the cupcakes themselves.

 

I apologize, Angela, but I just don't seem to have your touch with these.  They did not come out half as pretty as yours did.  So, to sort of cover up my flaws, I drizzled them with melted chocolate.  As for taste, however, I am sure that these were spot on.  The red velvet taste was just right, that sort of tanginess, a bit of chocolate that's not too overpowering, not too sweet, and moist.  I've been looking for a good red velvet cake recipe, and have tried several others, but I think this is it!      

Thanks Angela for a real keeper of a recipe!

Red Velvet Cheesecake Cupcakes (adapted from Spinach Tiger)

1 1/4 c. cake flour (I used 1 c. + 1 1/2 Tbsp. flour + 2 1/2 Tbsp. cornstarch)
1 oz. unsweetened chocolate, melted
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 Tbsp. liquid red food coloring
1/2 c. buttermilk (I used 1/2 Tbsp. vinegar + milk to make 1/2 cup)
1/2 c. + 1 Tbsp. butter
1 c. dark brown sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt
1 egg + 1 egg yolk
1/2 Tbsp. white vinegar

Cheesecake filling:
6 oz. cream cheese (I used 1/3 less fat)
1/3 c. sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Combine the cake flour with the baking soda and salt and set aside.  Cream the butter with the sugar.  Stir in the melted chocolate.  Beat in the egg, yolk, and vanilla.  Add in the red food coloring.  Add half the flour mixture, followed by the buttermilk mixture, and add in the rest of the flour.  Mix in the vinegar.  

For the cheesecake mixture:  Beat the cream cheese until smooth.  Add in the sugar and mix well.  Beat in the egg and vanilla.  

Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.  Fill each one with 1/4 c. cake batter.  Spoon 2 Tbsp. of the cream cheese mixture into each cup.  Bake at 350F for 30-35 min.  Let cool in pan for at least 15 minutes before removing.  

Notes:  I had some leftover batter, so I made 12 mini cupcakes.

An InLinkz Link-up

Red Velvet Cheesecake Cupcakes

For this month's SRC, I was assigned to Angela's blog, Spinach Tiger.  Her blog is simply gorgeous.  It's like looking at a cookbook in a bookstore, even better because many of the recipes are her own special creations, so it's really her own unique cookbook.  And, unlike other cookbooks you find where the recipes look good but are practically impossible to follow, have no fear, Angela's recipes are all super easy and anyone can make them.  Did I mention she has her own cooking channel too?  I'm totally impressed!

Her husband is from the South, so her blog likewise, has a lot of Southern influenced recipes, including numerous recipes for the biggest, fluffiest, yummiest looking biscuits ever.  I made her Parmesan Honey Biscuits and they were so fluffy that I would have sworn they were bread rolls.  Unfortunately, I have no pictures because they all got eaten up before I could take them.  But, believe me, they were good.

So, since I missed the photo op on the first recipe, I went ahead and made another Southern based oldie but goodie - Red Velvet Cupcakes.  I decided to do what Angela recommended in another post and turned them into Red Velvet Cheesecake Cupcakes.  I did make one substitution.  Since I had run out of cocoa powder, I substituted one ounce of unsweetened chocolate and removed one tablespoon of butter from the recipe.  It seemed to work just fine.  Now, onto the cupcakes themselves.

 

I apologize, Angela, but I just don't seem to have your touch with these.  They did not come out half as pretty as yours did.  So, to sort of cover up my flaws, I drizzled them with melted chocolate.  As for taste, however, I am sure that these were spot on.  The red velvet taste was just right, that sort of tanginess, a bit of chocolate that's not too overpowering, not too sweet, and moist.  I've been looking for a good red velvet cake recipe, and have tried several others, but I think this is it!      

Thanks Angela for a real keeper of a recipe!

Red Velvet Cheesecake Cupcakes (adapted from Spinach Tiger)

1 1/4 c. cake flour (I used 1 c. + 1 1/2 Tbsp. flour + 2 1/2 Tbsp. cornstarch)
1 oz. unsweetened chocolate, melted
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 Tbsp. liquid red food coloring
1/2 c. buttermilk (I used 1/2 Tbsp. vinegar + milk to make 1/2 cup)
1/2 c. + 1 Tbsp. butter
1 c. dark brown sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt
1 egg + 1 egg yolk
1/2 Tbsp. white vinegar

Cheesecake filling:
6 oz. cream cheese (I used 1/3 less fat)
1/3 c. sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Combine the cake flour with the baking soda and salt and set aside.  Cream the butter with the sugar.  Stir in the melted chocolate.  Beat in the egg, yolk, and vanilla.  Add in the red food coloring.  Add half the flour mixture, followed by the buttermilk mixture, and add in the rest of the flour.  Mix in the vinegar.  

For the cheesecake mixture:  Beat the cream cheese until smooth.  Add in the sugar and mix well.  Beat in the egg and vanilla.  

Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.  Fill each one with 1/4 c. cake batter.  Spoon 2 Tbsp. of the cream cheese mixture into each cup.  Bake at 350F for 30-35 min.  Let cool in pan for at least 15 minutes before removing.  

Notes:  I had some leftover batter, so I made 12 mini cupcakes.

An InLinkz Link-up

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Cake

 

Since my sister's birthday was coming up, I asked her what kind of cake she wanted me to make.  She replied that she wanted a mint chocolate chip ice cream cake.  I had never made an ice cream cake before, but, your wish is my command.

I used my go-to chocolate cake recipe and baked it in two smaller cake pans.  To form the ice cream layer, I lined one of the pans with plastic wrap, filled it with the ice cream, then froze it.  It worked out perfectly.  The ice cream layer fit right on top of the cake layer, no mess, no fuss.  I then froze the cake and ice cream layers to prepare the cake for frosting.

 

Here's where the funny part came in.  So, I envisioned this gorgeous cake in my mind.  I was going to cover the cake with some delicious ganache, all dripping down the sides, contrasting with the green of the ice cream, etc., etc.  But, when I told my sister about my idea, she said she didn't want any fancy topping, she just wanted a simple buttercream frosting.  Okay, then what about chocolate buttercream?  "No, not chocolate," she said, "I want vanilla."  Vanilla??!!!  Not my first choice, but it is her cake after all.

Then, she tells me that she wants the frosting to be colored purple.  Okay, now I had to put my foot down.  Vanilla frosting you may have, but I am not going to color it purple.  Purple with the green and the chocolate?  Really?  So, she said she'll have green frosting instead.

I told her that the only green food coloring I had was kind of a froggy, psychedelic green.  To my surprise, she liked it.  So, there I was frosting my cake with this green frosting and wondering if either of us was a little crazy.  I dressed up the top with some Andes mints and was ready to call it good.  But, then she said she wanted chocolate dots on the side of the cake.  "Okay, I'll see what I can do."  As I piped on the chocolate dots, I was amazed to see that it really looked kind of neat.  In fact, the dots looked like mini chocolate chips and made the cake look like a giant scoop of mint chocolate chip ice cream.  Very cool.  My sister took one look at the finished cake and was thrilled.  And, to top it off, the cake tasted every bit as good as it looked.  I have a feeling this won't be my last ice cream cake if she has anything to say about it.

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Cake (created by Sweet as Sugar Cookies)

Chocolate Cake (adapted from Recipegirl):
1 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 c. white sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 c. hot water
1/2 c. melted, unsalted butter
1 large egg
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla


3 c. mint chocolate chip ice cream, slightly softened

Buttercream Frosting:
1 c. butter, softened
3 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1-2 Tbsp. milk (to desired consistency)
green food coloring

6-7 Andes mint candies
1/4 c. melted semisweet chocolate chips

For the cake:
Grease and flour two 6-inch round cake pans.  Cut out two parchment paper circles to fit inside the pans and grease and flour the parchment paper as well.  Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350F.  Combine the melted butter with the sugars.  Mix in the cocoa powder.  Beat in the egg and vanilla.  Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt.  Add half the flour mixture and beat well to combine.  Add in the hot water and mix well.  Add in the rest of the flour mixture and mix well.  Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans.  Bake for 30-35 min., or until a toothpick comes out clean.   

Remove from the oven and let cool in the pans for 10 min.  Remove from the pans and let cool completely on a wire rack.

Line one of the pans with plastic wrap.  Fill with the mint chocolate chip ice cream and smooth out evenly.  Freeze till firm, about 30 minutes.

For the buttercream frosting:
Beat the butter with the powdered sugar until light and fluffy.  Add the vanilla and mix well.  Add the milk to your desired consistency.  Add the food coloring until you reach your desired color.  (If you want, save some of the white frosting for piping on top.)    

For the assembly:
Place one cake layer on a plate.  Remove the plastic wrap from the ice cream layer and place the ice cream onto the first cake layer.  Top with the second cake layer, wrap around with plastic wrap, and freeze till firm, about 1 hour.

Remove the cake from the freezer.  Frost with the green buttercream frosting.  Pipe rosettes of white frosting on top.  Decorate with the chopped Andes mint candies.  Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave and pipe dots on the sides of the cake (they'll harden instantly).  Keep in the freezer till ready to serve.      
 
Notes:
The buttercream frosting will be a little difficult to spread on the cake at first, since it will have a bit of trouble sticking to the ice cream part.  But, as you keep working, the frosting will harden on the frozen cake making it easier to work with.  

Samoas Cupcakes

 

One of my friends is totally crazy about Samoas cookies.  Not that I can blame her.  Chocolate, coconut, and caramel is a pretty hard combo to resist.  I'm just as crazy about the Samoas ice cream that Dreyer's recently came out with. 

So, with Samoas on the brain, I decided to make my own version of a Samoas cupcake.  I used King Arthur Flour's golden cake recipe as the base, whipped up a caramel coconut filling, and topped it all off with rich chocolate ganache. 

Oh boy was it ever good.  I loved KAF's cake recipe.  It was so moist and fluffy and had a nice crumb and great vanilla flavor.  I think this will be my go-to vanilla cupcake recipe, at least for now.  With the yummy, gooey filling and luscious frosting, this was the best Samoas I've ever eaten.  Thank goodness that I had people I could give these cupcakes to, or else I would have devoured the whole batch.  It's nice to know that I can now have Samoas more than once a year.

Samoas Cupcakes (Sweet as Sugar Cookies)

Vanilla Cupcakes (King Arthur Flour)
2 c. sugar
3 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
3/4 c. unsalted butter, soft
1 1/4 c. milk, at room temperature
2 tsp. vanilla
4 large eggs

Caramel Sauce (In the Pink and Green)
1/2 c. sugar
3 Tbsp. salted butter, cubed
1/4 c. + 1 Tbsp. heavy cream, at room temperature

10 Tbsp. sweetened shredded coconut

Chocolate Ganache 
1 c. semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 c. heavy cream

For the cupcakes:  
Line 2 muffin tins with paper liners.

Cream the sugar with the butter until light and fluffy.  Beat in the eggs, one at a time, and add the vanilla.  Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt and sift the mixture.  Add half the mixture to the wet ingredients and beat to combine.  Add the milk and stir to combine.  Then, add the rest of the flour mixture and mix well to combine. 

Divide the batter evenly into the muffin tins.  Bake at 350F for 20-25 min. until a toothpick comes out clean.  Remove from the muffin pans and place on wire racks to cool. 

For the caramel coconut filling:  In a medium saucepan, cook the sugar over medium heat, whisking as it melts.  When it turns a deep amber color, add the butter and stir until melted.  Add the heavy cream and whisk till the caramel is smooth.  Remove from heat and let cool.  Add the shredded coconut till combined.   

For the ganache:  Place the chocolate chips and heavy cream in a small bowl and heat for 1 min. at 50% power.  Stir and repeat the process as necessary till smooth.  Chill the ganache briefly until it reaches your desired consistency. 

For the assembly:  Cut a small cone from the center of each cupcake.  Fill with 1-2 tsp. of the coconut-caramel filling.  Spread with chocolate ganache. 

Makes 24 cupcakes

Peanut Butter Snickers Banana Cupcakes

Years ago, my dad asked me if I could make banana cake, not banana bread, but cake.  At the time, I didn't know of any good recipes for banana cake, so the request went unfulfilled.  Recently, I decided to try one of the banana cupcake recipes that was out there on the internet, but it turned out horrible.  The cake was dense beyond belief, gummy, and stuck to the wrappers.  Absolutely inedible.  After that, I worried that perhaps a good banana cake just did not exist.  Maybe bananas were meant to be made into bread and only bread, or, if cake was possible, it was always going to be heavy and dense.

 

Then, I came across this recipe for Banana Cupcakes on the blog, the Brown-Eyed Baker.  From the pictures, it looked like the cake would actually come out, dare I say, fluffy.  The crumb looked light and most definitely did not resemble banana bread of any sort.  So, I decided to give things another go.

 

And, I was thrilled with the results.  The cake, yes it was cake, was fluffy and soft and light and super moist to boot.  There was also a wonderful banana flavor in every bite. I frostedthese cupcakes off with a peanut butter buttercream and then, since I had a bag of peanut butter Snickers minis (which are totally yum), I decided to top the cupcakes off with them (cause more sugar is always a good thing).  Add a drizzle of melted chocolate and these cupcakes were a mouthwatering combination of banana, chocolate, and peanut butter.  Simply irresistible. 

 

So, what do you know, a good banana cake DOES exist.  Next time Dad, your wish is my command.  

Elvis Cupcakes (created by Sweet as Sugar Cookies)

Banana cupcakes (from Brown-Eyed Baker)

1 1/4 c. + 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
5/8 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
6 Tbsp. unsalted butter 
3/4 c. + 2 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
3/4 c. mashed very ripe bananas
1/4 c. buttermilk (I used plain nonfat yogurt)
2 Tbsp. milk (I added this)

12 Peanut Butter Snickers minis

Peanut Butter Buttercream (Sweet as Sugar Cookies)

1/2 c. butter
5 Tbsp. peanut butter
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
milk (to desired consistency)

Preheat oven to 350F.  Line two cupcake pans with paper liners.  Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and set aside. 

Cream the butter with the sugar till light and fluffy.  Add the bananas and mix well.  Add the vanilla and the eggs and beat for 1 min. until well combined.  Mix in the flour mixture, alternating with the yogurt, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.

Fill the cupcake liners about three-quarters full.  Bake for 20-25 min. until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Transfer the pans to a wire rack and let cool for 20 min.  Remove the cupcakes from the pans and place on the rack to cool completely.

For the frosting:  Beat the butter with the peanut butter until well combined.  Beat in the powered sugar till light and fluffy.  Add milk until it reaches your desired consistency.  

Makes 12 cupcakes

Notes:  
1.  The batter seemed a little dense, so I added a little extra milk to the recipe, about 2 Tbsp.
2.  The original recipe called for buttermilk, but I used nonfat yogurt since that's what I had.
3.  The original recipe called for a combination of butter and shortening, but I just used butter.    

Sweet Potato Cupcakes with Marshmallow Frosting

 

 

I've heard so much about baked goods made with sweet potatoes - like pie and cupcakes.  However, I've never tried them before, though I have eaten baked goods made from purple Okinawan sweet potatoes or Korean sweet potatoes.  People always say that it tastes a lot like stuff made with pumpkin.  Well, you know how much I love pumpkin, so I was sure I was going to love these cupcakes.  Plus, sweet potatoes were on sale, so it was definitely time to make them.

I' m not sure how well pureed other people get their sweet potatoes, but mine still had a lot of little chunks and bits in the mixture.  I wasn't sure how that would affect things, but decided to just go with it.  Knowing how I like things spicy, I also decided to double the amount of cinnamon in the recipe and added some ground ginger as well.

 

The cupcakes, first of all, smell amazing.  It's a sweet, spicy scent that's like pumpkin and yet not like pumpkin.  It just smells rich and golden.  As for those tiny remaining chunks of sweet potato, they melt right into the cake and you won't even know they're there anymore, except that you have a cake that is supremely moist and full of sweet potato flavor that will knock your socks off.  I never knew that sweet potato cake could be so good.  I'm a believer now.  As for the marshmallow frosting, it goes hand in hand with these cupcakes - think candied yams with lots and lots of marshmallows on top (oh yeah).  Sweet potato - you rule!   


Sweet Potato Cupcakes with Marshmallow Frosting
(adapted from How Sweet It Is)

1 1/3 c. loosely packed brown sugar
1 large egg
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 c. unsalted butter, melted and cooled
6 oz. cooked, mashed sweet potato (about 3/4 cup)
1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon (I doubled this to 1 tsp.)
3/4 tsp. ground ginger (I added this)
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 c. milk (I used 1/4 c. plain yogurt + 1/4 c. water)

Frosting:
1/2 c. butter, softened
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 c. marshmallow fluff (7 oz. jar)
3 c. powdered sugar (I decreased this to 1 1/2 cups)

Preheat oven to 350F.  Line a cupcake pan with liners.  

In a large bowl, whisk egg and sugar together until combined and no lumps remain. Add in vanilla extract and butter, then whisk in sweet potato. Add in flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg, then add in milk and stir until combined and smooth. Fill each cupcake liner about 3/4 full.  Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until cupcakes are set and spring back at the touch. Let cool completely before frosting.

For the frosting:
Beat butter in the bowl of electric mixer until creamy. Add in fluff and beat for 2-3 minutes, then add in vanilla extract. With the mixer on low speed, add in powdered sugar 1 cup at a time until fully incorporated. Once all the sugar has been added, beat on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes. If mixture if too runny, add a bit more sugar. If it’s too thick, add a bit of milk one teaspoon at a time. Frost cupcakes as desired. 

Peanut Butter and Jelly Cupcakes

Peanut butter and jelly brings back so many memories of my childhood.  There's all those times that I took a peanut butter and jelly sandwich in my Hello Kitty lunchbox to school.  Then there's that song we used to sing in elementary school, you know, the one that goes:  Peanut . . . peanut butter.  And jelly!  And jelly!  I even remember one time in fourth grade where we were supposed to write down the directions for making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and then the teacher would follow our directions exactly and try to succeed in making the sandwich.  Naturally, when you're only nine years old, you forget to write down things like, "Open the jar of peanut butter," or "Use a knife to spread the jelly."  Needless to say, it was an extremely funny exercise.  

And now, even as an adult, the peanut butter and jelly combo just never gets old.  It's just so good!  Which is why I had to make a peanut butter and jelly cupcake, for old times sake and for the kid in you that never gets old. 

 

I used the peanut butter cake recipe from Brown Eyed Baker and changed it slightly by using some brown sugar in place of the white and adding more milk.  I think the extra milk made for much tenderer cupcake and I was very pleased with how the crumb came out.  These cupcakes were super peanut buttery in every bite, soft, and stayed moist for days (even in the fridge).  Paired up with a grape jelly filling and topped with peanut butter cream cheese frosting, they were peanut buttery perfection. 

So go ahead, make these cupcakes, grab a glass of milk, and enjoy a sweet version of peanut butter and jelly that will make you smile. 

Peanut Butter and Jelly Cupcakes (adapted from Brown-Eyed Baker)

1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. baking powder
3/4 c. salted butter, at room temperature
2/3 c. sugar
2/3 c. light brown sugar
2/3 c. creamy peanut butter
3 eggs, at room temperature
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. Greek yogurt
1/2 c. milk 

1/2 c. grape jelly

Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting (Sweet as Sugar Cookies)
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
4 Tbsp. butter, softened
1/2 c. peanut butter, creamy or crunchy
2 c. powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350F.  Line standard muffin pans with paper liners.  Whisk together the flour, bkaing soda, and baking powder.

Cream the butter with the peanut butter.  Add the sugars and cream together till pale and fluffy.  Beat the eggs and add in two batches, beating for 1 min. after each addition.  Mix in the vanilla.  Add half the flour mixture, then the yogurt, then the rest of the flour mixture.  Beat until just combined.  Mix in the milk until just combined.

Divide the batter into the lined cups.  Bake for 20-25 min. until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean.  Transfer the cupcakes to wire racks to cool completely.

For the frosting:
Beat the butter with the cream cheese until mixed together.  Mix in the peanut butter, then beat in the powdered sugar until light and fluffy.

For the assembly:
Cut a small cone out of the center of each cupcake.  Fill with 1 tsp. grape jelly.  Pipe with the peanut butter cream cheese frosting as desired.  Eat the little cake cones to your heart's desire. 

Notes:

1. The original recipe called for 1 1/3 c. granulated sugar.  I used half white sugar and half light brown sugar instead.  
2. Instead of sour cream, I used nonfat Greek yogurt.
3. The batter, once mixed, looked a little thick, so I added 1/2 c. milk to thin it down a little.  
4. I used grape jelly instead of strawberry jam (just my preference).  
5. I chose to fill the cupcakes with the jelly instead of just dolloping it on top.  

Makes 24 cupcakes 

Blueberry Upside-Down Cake - SRC

 

For this month's Secret Recipe Club, I had such a hard time choosing what to make from Evelyne's blog, Cheap Ethnic Eatz, that I did not make a decision until yesterday morning.  At first, I was all set on making her chocolate covered peanut butter cheesecake (believe it or not, she made hers in the shape of a fish).  I even had all the ingredients for it.  But, then, at the last minute, I steered in a completely different direction and decided to make her Blueberry Upside Down Cake.  Of course, now, it means I've still got peanut butter cheesecake on the brain, but oh well.

I've made pineapple upside down cake in the past but had never tried it with blueberries.  It was such a nice change.  The blueberries get totally jammy and the lovely golden cake beneath it is the ideal pairing.  It's sweet, but not too sweet, and with all that anti-oxidant filled fruit I say it's healthy, which means that cake for breakfast in this instance is perfectly okay.  Plus, the cake is so versatile that you could add cinnamon, lemon, or oranges to it, something that I intend to do the next time I make it.  All in all, this cake made my Sunday morning a real treat.

Thanks Evelyne for your delicious cake!

Blueberry Upside Down Cake (adapted from Cheap Ethnic Eatz)

1/4 cup melted butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 cups blueberries (fresh or Frozen)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
3/4 cup milk (I used 6 Tbsp. yogurt + 6 Tbsp. water)

In 9 inch square cake pan, combine melted butter and brown sugar; spread evenly on bottom. Spread blueberries evenly over top. Sprinkle with lemon juice.
Cream butter; gradually add sugar, beating until light. Beat in egg and vanilla. Sift or mix together flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon if using. Add dry ingredients alternately with milk to creamed mixture. Spread batter evenly over blueberry layer.
Bake in 350°F oven for 45 to 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool 10 minutes in pan, then turn out on to large flat plate.

Cookies and Cream Cake

 

I found out a month ago that it would be my turn to make the cake to celebrate the March birthdays in my girls' youth group.  I've been dreaming about making this cake ever since.  The original recipe comes from the KRAFT website.  However, I knew that I'd want to change things up a bit.

To start with, I used my go-to chocolate cake recipe instead of a boxed mix.  I also decided to slice each cake into two layers for filling, which would give me a four-layer cake.

 

 Then, for the filling, I wanted it a little sweeter and more vanilla-y, so I added some powdered sugar and vanilla.  Finally, instead of covering the cake with melted chocolate, I decided to use vanilla buttercream instead.

 

This cake is definitely a labor of love.  From start to finish (making the components, baking, decorating), I think it must have taken me over two hours.  But, it is so worth it.  The chocolate cake is perfectly moist and chocolatey.  Then, you have a whipped cream cheese filling chock full of Oreo cookies (three layers of filling to be exact).  Plus, a vanilla buttercream frosting that tastes exactly like the cream in the Oreo cookies.  If I ever need another chocolate birthday cake again, you can bet I'm making this one!  I hope my girls like it as much as I do.  

Cookies and Cream Cake

Cake (adapted from Recipegirl)
2 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 c. sugar
1 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. hot water
1 c. unsalted butter, melted
2 large eggs
1 Tbsp. vanilla

Cookies and Cream Filling (adapted from Kraft)
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. sugar
2 Tbsp. powdered sugar
8 oz. Cool Whip
1 tsp. vanilla
17 Oreo cookies, coarsely crushed

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting (Sweet as Sugar Cookies)
1 c. butter, softened
3 c. powdered sugar
1-2 tsp. vanilla (depending on taste)
milk (add to desired consistency)

Oreo cookies (for decorating)

For the cake:
Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans.  Cut out parchment paper to fit in the pans and grease and flour the parchment paper too.  

Combine the melted butter with the sugars.  Beat in the eggs and vanilla.  Mix in the cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.  Add the flour alternately with the hot water, beginning and ending with the flour. Pour into the cake pans (about 3 cups of batter per pan).

Bake at 350F for 25-30 min. until a toothpick comes out clean.  Let cool in cake pans for 10 min., then remove and let cool completely on wire racks before filling and frosting.

For the filling:  Beat cream cheese with sugar and powdered sugar.  Add the vanilla.  Stir in the Cool Whip and crushed cookies.

For the frosting:  Beat the butter with the powdered sugar until light and fluffy.  Add in the vanilla and mix well.  Add milk as needed until you reach your desired consistency. 

For the assembly:
Slice each cake layer in half, horizontally, to form two layers.  Place one cake layer on a plate and frost with one-third of the filling.  Continue repeating with the rest of the layers.  Frost the cake with the buttercream frosting.  If desired, cover the outside of the cake with crushed Oreo cookies and use more cookies for the top. 

Mint Ganache Filled Cupcakes

 
Doesn't the word "ganache" just make you swoon?  It evokes an image of something deep, dark, rich, and utterly indulgent.  There's something so "ultimate" about it and you feel so luxurious eating it, whether it's in truffle form, topping a cake, or on a spoon in your hand.  Ahh, if only things like "calories" and "pounds" didn't exist.  Still, if there's one day of the year in which it's okay to go chocolate-crazy, I'd say it's Valentine's Day.  Which makes these ganache stuffed cupcakes the perfect dessert.

I used my go-to Chocolate Cupcake recipe as the starting point.  And, I made not one, but two dozen of them.  No, it's not because I love them so much, though I certainly do.  It's because I messed up on batch #1.  In copying down the recipe, I mistakenly wrote baking powder instead of baking soda.  Then, I found out that the two are NOT interchangeable.  The cupcakes made with baking powder did not rise and were totally gummy.  The cupcakes made with baking soda rose up high, were soft and fluffy and everything a cupcake should be.  Lesson learned.

Once I had my good batch of cupcakes, I whipped up some super fudgy, creamy, mint chocolate ganache to fill them and then made some mint buttercream frosting to pipe on top.  Once again, I opted to let the filling show and just piped the frosting around it.  As much as I loved the caramel cupcakes I posted earlier this week, I gotta say that these really take the cake!  I guess I'm just a chocolate girl at heart after all.

So, go ahead, give yourself a little chocolate love, and indulge this Valentine's Day.  You're worth it!

Mint Ganache Filled Cupcakes

Chocolate Cupcakes (adapted from Recipegirl)

1 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 c. sugar (I used 1/2 c. white sugar and 1/2 c. brown sugar)
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 c. hot water
1/2 c. vegetable or canola oil (I used melted butter)
1 large egg
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla




Mint Chocolate Ganache (from Mel's Kitchen Cafe)

1/2 c. semisweet chocolate chips
3 Tbsp. heavy cream
1 tsp. peppermint extract
1/3 c. powdered sugar
  
Mint Buttercream Frosting (by Sweet as Sugar Cookies)

1 stick salted butter, softened
1 1/2 - 2 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. mint extract
1 Tbsp. cream

For the cupcakes:  Line a muffin tin with 12 liners.  Combine the melted butter with the sugars.  Beat in the egg and vanilla.  Mix in the cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.  Add 1/2 cup of the flour and beat well to combine.  Add in 1/2 cup of hot water and mix well.  Add in the rest of the flour, then the rest of the hot water and mix well.  Fill each cupcake liner about 2/3 full with the batter.

Bake at 350F for 20 min. or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Let cool on a wire rack for 10 min.  

For the ganache:  Place the chocolate chips and heavy cream in a small microwafe safe bowl and heat for 1 minute at 50% power.  Stir.  Repeat the process until the mixture is smooth.  Stir in the peppermint extract and powdered sugar, whisking till smooth.  Let the mixture cool to room temperature and then fill your cupcakes. 

For the frosting:  Beat the butter with the powdered sugar until soft and fluffy.  Stir in the mint extract.  Add the cream until the frosting is at your desired consistency.

To assemble the cupcakes:  Cut out a small cone from the middle of each cupcake.  Fill with the ganache.  Pipe the cupcakes with the mint frosting. 

Caramel Filled Cupcakes

Caramel.  It's like my Everest.  I've always wanted to try making it, but was so intimidated by it that I couldn't bring myself to do it.  First, there's the hot molten sugar to deal with.  Hmm, I don't like the sound of anything "molten."  Then, you're supposed to add cream and I've heard that, once you do, the whole mixture starts spitting and spattering angrily at you.  Well, that can't be good.  Not to mention all that talk of the sugar mixture "seizing".  What's a girl to do?  There's only one thing to do - face that fear and laugh, or something like that.

At any rate, I was tired of staring longingly at the pictures of  these Caramel Cupcakes on the blog "In the Pink and Green."  I wanted to make them and to do that, I was going to have to make some caramel once and for all.

If any of you are like me and fear caramel, then this is the recipe for you.  It is super easy and foolproof.  You just need to melt some sugar, add a little butter, and then pour in the cream.  I used canned table cream, which is thicker than heavy cream, so it hardly spit and spattered at all.  And, there was no seizing either.  I will admit that I had some crystallization going on (my fault), which led to having some hard bits of toffee mixed in with the caramel.  Although I wanted the caramel sauce to be what we call in Hawaii - Broke da Mouth (which means that something is "very delicious"), I didn't want it to literally break someone's mouth, so I just poured the caramel sauce into a sieve and took those bits out (then ate them myself).  Luscious, simply luscious.

 

Spoon a little of that caramel into these Brown Sugar Cupcakes and you're ready to swoon with delight.  I finished the cupcakes off with some cream cheese icing.  But, rather than frost the whole cupcake, I thought, why hide the surprise in the middle?  So, I piped a little of the frosting in a ring around the filled center and left it at that.  It was so pretty, the cupcakes looked like flowers.  Plus, one look at that caramelly center and you know right then and there that you're in for something good.

So, now that I've got my fear out of the way, I'm definitely dying to make more caramel and soon.  It was awesome!


Caramel Cupcakes (from In the Pink and Green)

1 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 c. + 2 Tbsp. packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. + 2 Tbsp. buttermilk (I used 5 Tbsp. Greek yogurt + 5 Tbsp. water)

Salted Caramel Filling:
1/2 c. sugar
3 Tbsp. salted butter, cubed
1/4 c. + 1 Tbsp. heavy cream, at room temperature

Cream Cheese Frosting (by Sweet as Sugar Cookies)

8 oz. cream cheese
4 Tbsp. salted butter
1 c. powdered sugar

For the cupcakes:

Preheat oven to 350F.  Line muffin tin with paper liners.

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt.  Cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each until fully incorporated.  Mix in vanilla.  Add flour mixture to wet ingredients in 3 batches, alternating with half of the buttermilk, stirring after each until everything is combined.

Fill each cupcake liner 3/4 full with batter.  Bake 20-25 min. until a toothpick comes out clean. 

For the caramel filling:  Cook the sugar in a saucepan over medium heat, whisking as it melts.  When it turns a deep amber color, add the butter and stir until it is melted.  Add the heavy cream and whisk until the caramel is smooth.  Remove from heat and let it cool.

For the cream cheese frosting:  Beat the cream cheese with the butter until well combined.  Beat in the powdered sugar until soft and fluffy.  

To assemble the cupcakes:  Using a pastry tip, cut a small round piece out of the top of each cupcake.  Fill each cupcake with the caramel.   Pipe with the cream cheese frosting. 

Chocolate Truffle Stuffed Cupcakes with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

A while back, one of my blogging friends mentioned that you could get a coupon for a FREE bag of Lindor Truffles.  Free chocolate?  Nobody in their right mind would pass that up, including me.  I came home that day with a bag full of Extra Dark Lindor Truffles just waiting to be used for something special.  And, what better way than to stuff a cupcake.  

I had seen the recipe for these cupcakes on The Sisters' Cafe.  But, rather than using a box mix, I intended to use my go-to chocolate cupcake recipe from RecipeGirl.  Then, because I still had a ton of oranges in my fridge, I was going to top them with orange cream cheese frosting.  Yum!

 

The chocolate cupcakes are super moist and have a deliciously dark chocolatey flavor.  I think they're even better than the Hershey's Chocolate Cake recipe (which was my former go-to).  The best part is when you cut these cupcakes open and the melted chocolate truffle center just flows out, almost like a chocolate lava cake.  It's one sweet surprise.

 

Alternately, of course, you could also chill these cupcakes which then gives you a solid rock of chocolate to bite into - your choice.  Either way, it's chocolatey orange heaven.  


Chocolate Truffle Stuffed Cupcakes with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting (adapted from RecipeGirl and The Sisters' Cafe)

1 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 c. sugar (I used 1/2 c. white sugar and 1/2 c. brown sugar)
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 c. hot water
1/2 c. vegetable or canola oil (I used melted butter)
1 large egg
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

12 Lindor chocolate truffles by Lindt

 Line a muffin tin with 12 liners.  Combine the melted butter with the sugars.  Beat in the egg and vanilla.  Mix in the cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.  Add 1/2 cup of the flour and beat well to combine.  Add in 1/2 cup of hot water and mix well.  Add in the rest of the flour, then the rest of the hot water and mix well.  Fill each cupcake liner about 2/3 full with the batter.

Bake at 350F for 5 min.   Then, lightly press a Lindor truffle into each  partially baked cupcake.  Let the cupcakes bake an additional 13-15 min. until a toothpick comes out clean.  Cool completely, then frost with orange cream cheese frosting.

Orange Cream Cheese Frosting (Sweet as Sugar Cookies)

8 oz. cream cheese (you can use 1/3 less fat)
4 Tbsp. butter, softened
1 1/4 c. powdered sugar
4 tsp. freshly squeezed orange juice
2 tsp. orange zest  

Beat the cream cheese with the butter.  Add the orange juice, zest, and powdered sugar and beat until soft and fluffy.  Spread on the cooled cupcakes.

Makes 12 cupcakes   

Ultimate Chocolate Frosting

Do you ever have one of those baking days where literally everything goes wrong?  For instance, this past weekend, I experimented with a couple of new ideas for pull-apart breads, a pineapple one and a lime blackberry bread.  Coming out of the oven, they were all golden brown and fluffy.  I pulled off a couple pieces and reveled in the taste.  I was about to consider it a job well done, when . . . I noticed that halfway through, they were still doughy.  That was bummer number one.

That same day, I attempted to make some banana cupcakes.  I had planned to frost them with peanut butter frosting and chopped peanuts.  In my mind, I just knew they were going to be so good.  Well, that thought lasted until the moment I took them out of the oven and tried one.  The banana flavor was good, but they were the gummiest things I have ever seen.  Not to mention the fact that when I tried to peel the cupcake wrappers off them, half the cupcake came off with them.  *Sigh*  Into the trash they went.  Bummer number two. (btw - if you know of a good banana cupcake recipe, feel free to share). 

I decided to try one last recipe before the day was over - Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes.  Okay, surely redemption was on its way here.  I took them out of the oven, nibbled at the top, and they were fluffy, moist, and deliciously chocolatey.  Now we're talking!  Then, I cut one open.  Instead of the gooey, raw cookie dough center that I should have seen, I was greeted by this:

That's right.  What you're seeing is a BAKED cookie dough center.  Seriously???  You've gotta be kidding me.  How in the world did I mess up again?  Have I lost my baking mojo?  Was it time to turn in my apron?


I decided a chocolate chip cookie in the middle of a chocolate cupcake wasn't a bad thing (these cupcakes still got rave reviews from my co-workers) and I decided to go ahead and frost them.  That is when my baking day made a complete 180 degree turn for the better because I created what I believe to be the Ultimate Chocolate Frosting, hands down.  The secret?  A lot of chocolate and some chocolate ice cream.

Not only is it super chocolatey, but it also sets up perfectly.  No need to chill it in order to get it to harden.  No more frosting slipping off of your cupcakes.  No more worries about spending your time and effort to make beautifully piped decorations only to have them collapse.   It's rich and velvety smooth on your tastebuds and will have you wanting more.  Looks like my baking mojo hasn't left me after all.      

Ultimate Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
(created by Sweet as Sugar Cookies)

1 c. semisweet chocolate chips
4 Tbsp. butter
1 1/2 - 2 c. powdered sugar (depending how chocolatey you want it)
1/2 - 2/3 c. chocolate ice cream, slightly softened

Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave.  Stir in the butter until it melts and is combined with the chocolate.  Beat in the powdered sugar.  Add the chocolate ice cream.  At this point, your frosting may start to seize (freeze) up due to the coldness of the ice cream.  Just put it in the microwave for about 10 seconds and it will turn creamy and spreadable.

Use to frost your cupcakes or a cake.  But, be aware that this frosting does set up quickly, so work fast (or, you could probably put it back in the microwave to soften it again).   

Makes enough to frost 12 cupcakes

Note:  If you aren't going to eat the frosting right away, you should probably refrigerate it since it contains dairy products. 

P.S.  By the way, those chocolate cupcakes (with the exception of the cookie centers I goofed on) were also fantastically good.  I think it's gonna be my go-to chocolate cake recipe from now on. 

Lime Raspberry Layer Cake

When I was growing up, it seemed that the last thing I wanted was a homemade cake for my birthday. Somehow, storebought cakes seemed ten times better. Granted, our idea of "homemade" was something out of a box. But, the funny thing is that the storebought cakes weren't much better in reality. They were always dry, so-so in taste, and they all came with some sort of awful custardy filling. But, when you're a kid, all you care about is that the storebought cake has those pretty, super sugary roses on top.

Now that I'm older, I desire the finer things in life, and that means a homemade cake that is truly homemade. So, when a family member of mine had a birthday coming up, I started Pinterest-ing like crazy to find a cake that just screamed, "Make me!" And, what I found was a lovely Lemon Strawberry Layer Cake with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting on Baked Been's blog.

I did make a couple changes though. I didn't have any strawberry jam to fill the cake with, but I did have a jar of raspberry jam in my fridge, which you know goes perfectly with lemony flavors. Of course, I didn't have any lemons either, but I had a bunch of limes, which is close enough for me. So, my cake became a Lime Raspberry Layer Cake with Lime Cream Cheese Frosting.


The cake itself is a basic 1-2-3-4 cake, which, believe it or not, I've never had before. You can bet I'll be having it a lot more from now on because it was the best cake ever. So simple to put together and, because it's a denser cake, it was super easy to slice into layers. Not to mention that beautiful tight crumb, the moistness of it all, and a subtle flavor that makes it perfect for pairing with the stronger flavored fillings like lime curd and raspberry jam. One bite and I was in cakey heaven. From now on, when I need a vanilla birthday cake, this is going to be my go-to recipe. Buh-bye boxed mixes and buh-bye storebought cake!

Lime Raspberry Layer Cake (adapted from The Baked Been)

Cake:

1 c. salted butter, softened (I melted my butter)
2 c. sugar
4 eggs
3 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. whole milk (I used 2%)
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 Tbsp. vanilla

Lime Curd (adapted from David Lebovitz)

1/4 c. freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 c. sugar
1 large egg yolk
1 large egg
dash salt
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cubed

Lime Buttercream Frosting (Sweet as Sugar Cookies)

12 oz. cream cheese, softened (you can use 1/3 less fat)
6 Tbsp. butter, softened
6 tsp. lime juice
1 Tbsp. lime zest
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar

1/2 c. raspberry jam

For the cake:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease and flour two 8-inch cake pans. Cut out a circle of parchment paper to fit inside each pan and grease and flour the parchment paper.

Melt the butter in the microwave or in a saucepan. Combine the melted butter and sugar in a bowl. Add in the vanilla, then the eggs, one at a time, and beat until fully incorporated. Combine the flour and baking powder. Add half the milk, then half the flour mixture, then the rest of the milk, and the rest of the flour mixture, beating after each addition.

Divide the batter into the cake pans. Bake 25-30 min. until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of the cake. Let cake cool for 10-15 min. before removing from the pans. Set out onto wire racks to cool completely for another 30 min. before slicing in half, horizontally.


For the lime curd:
1. Place a mesh strainer over a bowl, and set aside.

2. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the lemon juice, sugar, egg yolks, eggs, and salt.

3. Add the butter cubes and set the pan over low heat, whisking constantly until the butter is melted.

4. Increase the heat and cook over moderate heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and just begins to become jelly-like. It’s done when you lift the whisk and the mixture holds its shape when it falls back into the saucepan from the whisk.

5. Immediately press the curd through the strainer. Put into a bowl and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour before using to fill the cake.

For the frosting:
Beat the cream cheese with the butter until smooth. Add the zest and juice. Beat in the powdered sugar until fluffy.

For the assembly:
Put one layer of cake onto a plate. Spread evenly with the raspberry jam. Top with a second layer of cake and spread with some of your cream cheese frosting. Top with the third layer of cake and spread evenly with the lemon curd. Top with the final layer of cake and frost the top and sides with the rest of your cream cheese frosting. Decorate as desired.

Muddy Buddy Cake Balls

Like I said, when it comes to Muddy Budd-ifying stuff, the possibilities are endless. So, when I made these chocolate cake balls the other day, I just knew that some of them were destined to be Muddy Budd-ied.


And, believe me, they do not disappoint. It is chocolate peanut butter nirvana.


Muddy Buddy Cake Balls (created by Lisa of Sweet as Sugar Cookies)

1 batch of chocolate cake balls
2 c. semisweet chocolate chips
1 1/3 c. peanut butter
powdered sugar (for coating)

Put some powdered sugar into a bowl and set aside. Melt the chocolate chips with the peanut butter in a double boiler or in the microwave and stir to combine. Dip the cake balls in the muddy buddy mixture and coat with the powdered sugar. Let sit on a sheet of waxed paper to let the chocolate set. Alternately, you can chill them in the fridge (which I'd recommend).

Cake Balls

Wanna know a secret? Shhh, don't tell anyone. I actually ruined this cake. But, you'd never know it by looking at these lovely cake balls now would you?


See, I had intended to make a beautiful two-layered chocolate cake using the recipe for Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Chocolate Cake. I could see it all in my mind. It would be frosted with a white buttercream and I would use melted chocolate to make a spiderweb pattern on the top. Oh yeah, it was going to be stunning.


Except, that I messed up on the cake itself. I knew I should have used parchment paper in the pans. But, I rationed that it would all be alright and they would come out right as rain. I was wrong. They stuck to the pans leaving me with half a cake here and half a cake there, here a cake, there a cake, everywhere a cake, cake. I still figured that I could somehow glue it back together with the buttercream. Did I also mention I had them cooling on plates since I don't have actual cooling racks? So, they stuck some more and broke apart some more and looked like they had been hit by an earthquake. I had to admit that no amount of buttercream was going to remedy this.


Onto Plans B, C, and D. I could make another cake in a 9x13 pan and that would work. But, then what am I supposed to do with THIS cake? After all, the cake itself was absolutely delicious (super chocolatey and moist) and it seemed such a shame to waste it. Well, I could crumble the cake up and make this Chocolate Trifle. That's it, a trifle. But, then I'd have to go out and buy more ingredients, a cost that I did not plan for and would rather avoid. That only left one solution - cake balls!


I made several different types - white chocolate covered, mint chocolate covered, and another one that I'll share tomorrow (one hint - it's my specialty). They were fairly easy to make, though I did learn some things along the way. One - if you made a dark colored cake, use a dark colored coating, especially if you're the type that stresses like me when you can clearly see the cake peeking through. Two - using melted chocolate chips is a lot easier than candy melts. Somehow, the candy melts just didn't work as well for me. As you can see from the picture (the white ones), they came out kind of fraggly. Three - before you dip, freeze those cake balls! Believe me, I speak from experience. It'll save you a world of mess and fuss. Other than that, they are totally easy to make and I think they're even better than a cake.

They say when life gives you lemons, make lemonade. I say, when life gives you a ruined cake, make cake balls!

Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Chocolate Cake (adapted from Hershey's)

2 c. sugar
1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt (I decreased this to 1/2 tsp.)
1 c. milk (I used skim milk)
2 tsp. vanilla
3/4 c. cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 eggs
1/2 c. vegetable oil (I used melted margarine)
1 c. boiling water

Heat oven to 350F. Grease and flour two 9" inch found baking pans or a 9x13 cake pan.

Stir together the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Combine the wet ingredients (except for the boiling water) and add. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Stir in the boiling water. Pour batter into the pans.

Bake 30-35 min. or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool 10 min. before removing from pans. Let cakes cool on a wire rack.

Cake Balls (Sweet as Sugar Cookies)

1 ruined cake
1 1/2 c. buttercream frosting (recipe below)
white candy melts or melted mint chocolate chips

Buttercream Frosting:
1/2 c. butter, softened
2 1/2 - 3 c. powdered sugar
1/4 - 1/3 cup milk (depending on how thick/thin you want it to be)

Beat the butter with the sugar. Add the milk a little at a time until you have the consistency you want.

Line a cookie sheet with waxed paper. Crumble up the cake and mix it with your frosting. Form the mixture into balls, lay them out on the cookie sheet, and freeze until firm.

Melt the candy melts or chocolate chips in a double boiler or in the microwave. Dip the cake balls into the melted chocolate and lay out on the waxed paper to let the chocolate set. Chill in the fridge for the tastiest results.