My Big Boy's Chocolate Birthday Cupcakes

Yesterday was my son's birthday. I am now the proud mother of an eight year old, sigh. Where has the time gone, it seems like just yesterday he was small enough to fit in my arms. I am truly blessed to be his Mommy. Being that his birthday is during the week, he wanted to share his day with his classmates. So at his request, I made him chocolate cupcake with chocolate icing.

We are big chocolate lovers here, so I wanted to make sure to find a good chocolate cake recipe. And boy did I; you can never go wrong with Martha Stewart. This was the most moist and delicious cupcake ever, and topping them off with chocolate swiss meringue buttercream just sent them over the top. The kids in his class really enjoyed them.

Chocolate Cupcakes
fromMartha Stewart's Cupcakes
makes 36 cupcakes

For cupcakes:

3/4 c cocoa powder
3/4 c hot water with a tsp of decaf instant coffee ( I always add a little coffee to chocolate)
3 c All Purpose Flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 1/4 tsp coarse salt
1 1/2 c (3 sticks) unsalted butter
2 1/4 c sugar
4 eggs-large and always room temp
4 tsp vanilla extract
1 c room temperature sour cream

For Icing:
fromMartha Stewart

5 large egg whites
1 c plus 2 tbsp of white sugar
pinch of salt
1 pound of butter
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
4 1/2 ounces of melted semi- sweet chocolate


Preheat oven to 350. Line cupcake pans with paper liners. In a 2 cup measuring cup combine hot water with coffee and cocoa powder until smooth. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

In a medium saucepan combine sugar and butter over medium heat. Stir occasionally until butter is melted. Remove from heat and add to mixing bowl with paddle attachment. Mix on medium 4-5 minutes or until cool.

Add eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl as needed. Add vanilla and coca mixture.  Then with the mixer on low add dry ingredients in two batches add flour then sour cream. Mix just until combined.

Fill liner 2/3 full and bake for 18-20 minutes, rotating halfway through. Check for doneness with a toothpick, when it comes out clean, cupcakes are done. Let cool for 5-10 minutes in pan then move to wire rack to finish cooling. While cupcakes are cooling prepare icing.

For Icing:

In a heatproof bowl add egg white and sugar. Then place bowl over a simmering pot of water, and whisk constantly until mixture is warm to the touch and feels smooth between your fingers. Transfer to mixing bowl, and with the whisk attachment beat, starting on low and increasing gradually to medium high, beat until stiff peaks form. Continue mixing until fluffy and glossy, and bowl is cool to the touch. This should take about 10 minutes.

With mixer on medium- low add butter a few tablespoons at a time, and mix until incorporated. Once all the butter has been added whisk in vanilla. At this point if you want chocolate buttercream add in the melted chocolate. If not, skip to the next step.

Switching to the paddle attachment, continue beating on low speed to remove any air bubbles (about 2 more minutes). Scrape down the bowl and continue beating until completely smooth. Then using your favorite decorating tip, pipe icing on cooled cupcake (make sure cupcakes are cooled, we don't want any Cupcake Wars incidents).

These were definitely the best chocolate cupcakes, just another reason to love Martha. She knows what she's doing. Hopefully you will use this recipe for the next celebration you have. Be blessed and enjoy.

Caramel Pound Cake with Caramel Sauce

I love a good pound cake. A nice slice of pound cake with a cup of coffee or tea is a good breakfast. My great- grandmother was a great cook and baker and made some of the best pound cakes ever. So this is in honor of  her, unfortunatly I don't have her recipe. But I found a one that came close thanks to Southern Living.

The cake had a great caramel flavor, but I didn't really like the frosting part so I reworked it. That's the great thing about cooking and baking is that you can change the recipes to make them your own. Someone once said that recipes are just guidelines, and that is so true. So don't be afraid to change things up if you want.

Caramel Pound Cake with Caramel Sauce
adapted from Southern Living

1 cup Dark Brown Sugar
1 cup Light Brown Sugar
1 cup White Sugar
1 cup Unsalted Butter, softened
1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
5 Large Eggs
3 cups Flour
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
1 cup Heavy Cream
1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract

Caramel Sauce

1 cup White Sugar
1 cup Brown Sugar (like used dark, but it you choose)
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
1tbsp light corn syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Beat sugars and butter with an electric mixer on medium.

Next add the oil and beat until incorporated. Add eggs one at a time just until you see the yolk disappear.

Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Now add to flour alternately with the heavy cream, being sure to start and end with the flour on low speed.

Then with a spatula stir in vanilla, making sure to scrap the bottom of the bowl.

Pour into a tube pan preped with butter and flour. Bake for 1hour and 20 minutes.

After you remove the cake and set it aside to cool make the sauce.

For the Sauce

In a medium sauce pan bring all ingredients except for vanilla to a rapid boil.

Cook for one minute. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

With a hand mixer beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes.

Remove bake from the pan to a large cake plate and pour half sauce over top. Reserving some to pour over individual slices.

This a wonderful and delicious cake to enjoy for breakfast or dessert. I hope you enjoy this recipe for your next potluck or just because it's that good. Be blessed and enjoy.

S'mores Blondies

I have always been a fan of s’mores, ever since my 1 year as a Girl Scout. I mean what’s not to love its marshmallows (gooey, melted and yummy), chocolate (enough said) and graham crackers. I had an addiction to graham crackers with I was pregnant with the youngest; I could eat a whole box if my oldest wasn’t asking for some too. So I decided to combine a blondie and s’mores; and let me just say they are a match made in heaven. They were chewy like a blondie, but still had the graham cracker taste. Then combine that with the chucks of dark chocolate (my fav) and toasty marshmallow just makes them that much better.

So I went on a search of recipes that used graham crackers in a blondie recipe and just gave it my own little twist. I think that is one of my favorite things about baking and cooking in general, that once you know the basics and rules you can mix it up and make it your own. So, since September is here and summer is quickly coming to an end; I decided to whip up a batch of these blondies to hold to summer a little longer. Plus, the s’mores blondies can be enjoyed year round when you want a little summer fix in the middle of winter.

S’mores Blondies (adapted from the Male Baker Graham Cracker Blondie)

2 1/3 c Flour

1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder

1 tsp Salt

¾ c Graham Cracker crumbs

14 tsp Unsalted Butter, softened

1 ¾ c Brown Sugar

3 Large Eggs

2 tsp Vanilla extract

1 4oz bar of dark chocolate, broken into chunks (I used Ghirardelli 60% dark, but use your favorite kind)

1 cup Mini Marshmallows, divided

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a 9 x 13 pan with parchment and spray with non-stick baking spray.

Combine flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and set aside.

In a bowl of mixer, cream butter and sugar; then add eggs one at a time and vanilla.

Add the flour in two parts and mix until combined.

Fold in the chocolate chunks and half of the marshmallows and pour into pan.

Sprinkle remaining marshmallows over the top (note: the marshmallows will expand in the oven, it is ok.)

Bake for 35-40 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Cool for 20 minutes, if you can. Enjoy.

These are a great treat for kids and adults alike. You can have one for dessert or even send one off to school with your kids, but you might not be able to eat just one. Be blessed and enjoy S’more.

Anniversary Cake

I know I haven’t posted anything in a while, not that I haven’t been baking or cooking. I just have been busy trying to keep the little ones entertained during the summer. And today I have something special to share; I made my first anniversary cake. I’ve done sheet cakes and cupcake cakes before, but nothing where I really got to get fancy with, so I was excited and nervous to do this.

I was asked to make a double heart anniversary cake; half marble half red velvet cake with fresh strawberry and banana filling and Italian meringue buttercream.  A tall order I know, but I was excited for the challenge. First, let me just say that I am in love with Italian Meringue Buttercream. I had a little mini heart attack making it; I thought it wasn’t going to come together when I started adding the butter and it turned to a soupy mess. But with a little prayer and patience it turned to the yummiest, pillowy (not a real word, but so) soft icing. Now when you start adding the butter put a clean towel over the mixer to avoid the mess I made in the kitchen. Yeah, soupy buttercream everywhere is not fun to clean up.

Red Velvet Cake

Baked: New Frontiers in Baking by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito

1/4 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tablespoons red gel food coloring (see note below)

1/4 cup boiling water

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, cut into small pieces

2 tablespoons vegetable shortening, at room temperature

1 2/3 cups sugar

3 large eggs

1 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups cake flour

1 teaspoon fine salt

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter two 12-inch heart cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment paper, and butter the parchment. Dust with flour, and knock out the excess flour.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder, food coloring, and boiling water. Set aside to cool. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and shortening until smooth. Scrape down the bowl and add the sugar. Beat until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

3. Stir the buttermilk and vanilla into the cooled cocoa mixture. Sift the flour and salt together into another medium bowl. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture, alternating with the cocoa mixture, to the egg mixture in three separate additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Beat until incorporated. In a small bowl, combine the vinegar and baking soda and stir until the baking soda dissolves; the mixture will fizz (yeah, I didn’t read all the directions and adding the baking soda to the dry ingredients and just added the vinegar and it worked out fine). Add to the batter and stir until just combined.

4. Divide the batter among the prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean, about 20 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through the baking time. Transfer the cakes to a wire rack and let cool for 20 minutes. Invert the cakes onto the rack, remove the pans, and let cool completely. Remove the parchment.

Marble Cake

Basic Yellow Cake

(Found recipe on Cheftalk.com, but didn’t follow the directions. I didn’t like the texture, so I used a traditional method and it came out much better)

2 1/4 cups un-sifted all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1-teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups milk

Vegetable oil

1 stick butter, softened

1-tablespoon vanilla extract

3 large eggs

2 ounces of bittersweet chocolate melted and cooled

Preheat oven to 350°

Cut wax paper to fit the bottom of (2) 12-inch heart pans. Spray the pans with cooking spray, place the wax paper in the pans and spray the paper.

In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt, mixing well.

Measure the 1-1/4 cups of milk in a 2 cup measuring cup….then add enough vegetable oil to bring the liquid up to 1-1/3 cups.

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time until well blended. Then with mixer on low add flour in 3 additions switching and adding the milk mixture.

Take 1 cup of cake batter and blend with cooled chocolate. Divide yellow cake batter in 2 pans, then with a spoon place mounds of chocolate batter in pans. Now with a knife swirl to create marbled effect.

Bake at 350° for 15-17 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted near center of cake comes out clean, or until cake springs back when touched lightly in the center.

Taken with my cell phone.

Italian Meringue Buttercream

Adapted from Cake Journal

1/2 cup of cold water

2 1/4 cups of caster sugar (I used regular Sugar)

1 cup of egg whites (10)

1 1/2 pound of soft unsalted butter

1 tsp of vanilla extract

Kitchen stand mixer

First set the timer on 7 mins & pour the egg whites into the kitchen mixer with whisk attachment.

Step 1:

Place sugar & water in a sauce pan and bring it to the boil and start the timer. Boil it on medium high temperature.

Step 2:

When the sugar syrup has been boiling for 5 minutes, start the kitchen mixer on full speed and whisk the egg whites for the last 2 minutes. When the timer is up the sugar syrup is done. With the mixer still going on high speed slowly pour the hot syrup down the side of the mixing bowl. Discard any leftover syrup. Be very careful not to get burned on the hot syrup.

Step 3:

When all sugar syrup has been added it should look thick and fluffy. Stop the mixer and change for the paddle attachment. To avoid meringue splatter all over your kitchen place a clean tea towel over the mixer (Remember this part avoid the mess). Set the timer on 10 minutes and beat on high speed. This is how long it takes in my mixer for the mixing bowl to be cool to the touch.

After 10 minutes you should now have a lovely thick meringue.

Step 4:

Now it’s time to add the butter; Start the mixer on high speed and with a knife cut pieces of the butter then add it to the meringue. When all butter is added it will not take long for mixture to turn into nice thick smooth buttercream. When that happens slow down the mixer and add 1 tsp of vanilla extract. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl and start again. I do this two times. You should now have a bowl full of lovely Italian meringue buttercream.

Note: If the IMBC won’t combine just continue to whip, whip, whip. It will eventually get smooth. If you are still having problems, put the whole bowl with paddle attachment into the fridge and let it “cool” down a bit and then whip it again (prayer and patience).

Start of some of the detailing.

The finished flower detail.

Happy Anniversary!

Be blessed and enjoy!

How to Dress Up Store Brought Brownie Mix

Peanut Butter Cup Brownies

I am a big fan a brownies; fudgy, chewy, chocolaty and yummy brownies. I don't always get to make them from scratch. Sometimes I don't feel like chopping all the chocolate and the whole double boiling thing. I just want the instant satisfaction of a box mix (yeah, I know that's lazy but lazy can be good too). But that can be boring, so I like to dress them up to make them a little more homemade. You can use any box mix you like, just add a few simple ingredients to make it your own.

Chopped Snickers

Add to Brownie Mix

Substitute Coffee or Espresso for Water 

Add chopped Peanut Butter Cups

 


I like the combo of chocolate and coffee, so I like to add a teaspoon of coffee or espresso powder to the water in the recipe. Then, follow the rest of the recipe according to the package instructions. with adding the mix ins you will need to increase the oven temp to 350 and bake for about 45-55 minutes. Then mix is whatever you want, I did one batch of chopped up Snickers (my favorite) and one with chopped up peanut butter cups (my hubby's favorite). With this the possibilities are endless; and you can wow all the parents at the next school bake sale or class party with some brownies chopped up chocolate chip cookies in it (ooh, I think I might try that next).

Snicker's Brownies

 
I hope you get in the kitchen and experiment with your own mix in brownies. Be blessed and enjoy.




 What is your favorite thing to mix in your brownies?

Snickerdoodle Blondies

I love Snickerdoodle cookies-- buttery cookie rolled in cinnamon sugar. What’s not to love? But sometimes I’m not in a cookie mood. I am a big fan of blondies also. You know the underappreciated cousin of brownies. They are moist, chewy little brownie wannabes (minus the chocolate); and know I took them to another level by using my favorite little secret weapon Brown Butter. Brown butter is a little reduction I call blessed. I am finding ways to incorporate this into all of my baking recipes and even some savory ones. It is nutty and has a more concentrated butter flavor, that for me is just all in all goodness.

 Ok, Back to the blondies; and the Snickerdoodles.

Snickerdoodle blondies (just add brown butter and cinnamon sugar).

I have found recipes that use melted butter or just softened butter, but the brown butter keeps the blondie really moist. Just like with any good base you can add different things to it like chocolate chips, nuts, or anything you can think of and it will be good. The recipe isn’t too difficult and brings big flavor. When I made these blondies the first time my husband took a bite and knew he had to have another. They are addictive and don’t usually last too long in my house.

Snickerdoodle Blondies

Adapted from Martha Stewart

1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 cups packed dark-brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Pinch of nutmeg

3 large eggs

2 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 tsp sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

Pinch of nutmeg

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with non-stick spray.

In a saucepan over medium heat, cook the butter until it turns golden brown; remove from heat, and let cool. Check out my Wordless Wednesday Post for more instructions.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine browned butter and both sugars; stir with a wooden spoon until combined. Attach bowl to mixer; add eggs.

Then using the paddle attachment, beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Add vanilla, and beat to combine.

Add flour mixture.

 Mix until thoroughly combined, and pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture.

Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean; 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before turning out of pan onto a cutting board.

I hope you love Snickerdoodle Blondies as much as I do. Be blessed and enjoy!

Crumb Cake

Crumb Cakes hold a special place in my heart. Now, I am a Jersey girl always and forever. I was born there and spent half my life there. I don’t get to go back as often as I like, as a matter of fact I haven’t been there since my little man was 1 (he just turned 7). But, wherever I get a chance to go there is always one place I HAVE to go is Pinho’s Bakery. I worked there in high school up into the time I moved to VA. I loved it; during the summers I worked the morning shifts and there is nothing better than the smell of fresh warm pastries. Every morning bring the big sheet pans of crumb cake and other warm baked goods; did I mention the best perk of my job whatever I ate on the job was free. So my breakfast would include a warm square of crumb cake with a double shot of espresso (Don’t judge. 5:30 is early for a high schooler, especially during the summer).

Back to the crumb cake; I loved the soft tender cake, to the thick crumb topping with the powdered sugar. So when I went to my favorite place, my local library, and found the crumb cake recipe in Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook I had to get it. There are actually quite a few recipes I will be trying from this book so be prepared. If you don’t know what a crumb cake is let me explain; it is a coffee cake with a thin layer of cake and a thick layer of crumb mostly found in the New York and New Jersey area. A quick tip: I made the Crumb Topping first and placed it in the fridge until cake batter was done. This way you will get better clumping of the crumb. I also don’t have a pastry cutter so I just used my hand held mixer to bring the crumb topping together.

Classic Crumb Cake

From Martha Stewart’s Baking Handbook

Crumb Topping

3 cups all- purpose flour

1 cup light brown sugar

1 tbsp cinnamon

1 ½ tsp coarse salt

3 ½ sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt; cut butter in using a pastry blender or hand held mixer, until large, moist clumps form. Topping can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Cake

1 ¼ sticks (10 tbsp) unsalted butter, room temperature

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

1 cup sugar

3 large eggs

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 ¼ cups sour cream

Powdered Sugar for dusting (Optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously butter and flour your 13x9 pan or us a baking spray like Pam. Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl; set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes, scraping down the side of the bowl as needed. Add eggs on at a time until incorporated after each addition. Mix in vanilla. Add flour mixture and sour cream; beat until just combined.

Spoon batter into prepared pan, and smooth with an offset spatula. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the batter. Bake, rotating halfway through until cake is golden brown and toothpick comes out clean, 40-50 minutes. Transfer to wire rack to cool. Before serving sprinkle with powdered sugar, if using.

This crumb cake is great to have in the morning with your cup of Joe, in the afternoon just because or in the evening with a nice cup of tea. Any time of day is good for enjoying this treat, be careful of crumb snatchers like the ones in my house. I hope you enjoy this wonderful treat, maybe for brunch this Easter Sunday. Be blessed and enjoy.