Cake Wars Drop-Out

Buddy had a birthday this week.

This is the kid who is known for his over-the-top birthday cakes. (Who could forget his infamous M & M shooting catapult cake or his royal pika family surrounded by torches cake!) But this year he left the whole thing in my hands. He had no ideas, no requests, it was all up to me.

But don’t worry – I was ready! After all, I have watched every episode of Cake Wars. I’ve seen every mistakes ever made on cakes and besides, I had an idea.

I was going to make him an electric guitar cake!

Isn’t that an epic idea?! Mind-blowingly amazing!

This cake was going to be so awesome it would probably break Pinterest!

I started by mixing up my cake mix (yes – I cheated and used a cake mix!) but to bump up the flavor and keep it moist, I added sour cream. That was my first mistake.

There will be more.

While the cake baked, I measured Buddy’s guitar, sketched out my design so that everything would be proportional, and cut out a template. This was an amazing template – seriously – I even did fractions to make sure my sides were correct!

I actually thought to myself that I really should mass produce these things and sell them – because honestly – doesn’t every one need to make an electric guitar cake at some point in their life!

When the cake was cooled, I laid my template on top – anxious to get started on my masterpiece!

But the template was too big. What!! Wait, how could that have happened?! I even did the math!

My cake must have shrunk! In a panic I started to whittle sides off, then the top and the bottom. Cake was flying! Forget the proportions of neck to guitar – I barely had enough cake to make a neck!

Not only that – it was such a moist cake that it kept breaking when I tried to move it from the cooling rack to the serving tray.

I finally had it positioned – a guitar with a neck – and started spreading my buttercream as a crumb coat.

Crumb coat is right. I just kept pulling up cake with each swipe of frosting. This guitar was getting smaller and more messy with each knife stroke. I used up my entire batch of buttercream.

What a disaster! There were cake crumbs and frosting and powdered sugar all over my kitchen and myself.

I had to mix up another batch of buttercream to hide all the crumbs. More powdered sugar everywhere. My kitchen looked like a winter storm.

So did I.

At this point his amazing electric guitar cake looked more like a fuzzy dwarf electric ukulele.

This did not look Cake Wars worthy. Then I remembered that all the cakes on Cake Wars look so smooth because they are covered with fondant. Yeah – that wasn’t happening.

I considered briefly going with the fuzzy theme and just throwing coconut all over it and calling it a day – but Buddy doesn’t like coconut. So I kept working until my frosting was somewhat smooth – abandoning all thoughts of a piping bag and details.

Instead I turned to an old birthday cake stand-by, a friend that has never failed me, my go-to birthday cake rescue – M & M’s!

We now had a rainbow dwarf electric ukulele.

And Buddy loved it!

We put 16 re-lighting candles on it, sang Happy Birthday, and watched him try to blow them out over and over again!

It was awesome!

Another birthday cake done.

I’m hanging up my apron now. My dreams of ever winning Cake Wars completely destroyed.

Trust me people – they make it look easy on TV.

But boy was that cake moist!

Chocolate Bavarian Cupcakes

My sister-in-law introduced me to the wonders of Bavarian Cream recently when she brought some Chocolate Bavarian Cupcakes to a family gathering.

I must admit that I wasn’t too excited at first. After all, I’m really not a cupcake person.

But one bite of my husband’s cupcake and I was hooked.

I finished it for him.

So he went to get another one. I finished that one, too.

I’m so glad he loves me. 🙂

Of course I got the recipe! I made a batch – shared them with the family – then hid the rest in the freezer where it’s easy to grab one for Jan’s lunch (I owe him a few!) or when I need a treat.

Come for tea and I just might share!

The best thing – you use a cake mix. It doesn’t have to be a fancy one – the cake is just the socially acceptable way to get that amazing cream in your mouth.

My sister-in-law actually used a gluten-free cake mix and they tasted great.

Chocolate Bavarian Cupcakes

1 devils food cake mix
whatever eggs and oil or butter is needed to make the cake mix
1 – 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
pinch of salt
1 pint whipping cream
2 tablespoons sugar
Hershey’s chocolate bar (for shavings – you won’t need the whole thing – so plan to eat the rest!)

Make the cake mix as directed for cupcakes and bake.

Remove from the cupcake tins and let cool completely.

Mix the cream cheese, brown sugar, vanilla and a pinch of salt together until creamy. Set aside.

Whip the cream with the sugar to make whipped cream. You can add a touch of vanilla if you wish.

Slowly fold the cream cheese mixture into the whipped cream.

Then cut each cupcake into thirds, put a layer of Bavarian cream on each layer, and sprinkle with shaved chocolate.

Refrigerate.

If you’d rather have a full-size torte – just make the cake mix as directed for 2 round cake pans.

When the cakes have cooled, cut each one in half and spread the Bavarian cream and chocolate sprinkles on each layer while assembling.

Enjoy!

Cinnamon Apple Coffee Cake

I don’t often follow recipes.

I may start out with good intentions – but quickly begin second guessing the recipe or making substitutions.

I’ve creating some really amazing flops that way.

But I’ve also manged to pull off some pretty yummy dishes.

This is one of the yummy ones! Years ago I started playing with an oatmeal muffin recipe and in one of my creative moods – it morphed into a coffee cake.

Later I added the apples and – in a moment of brilliance – actually remembered to write down what I had down!

It’s remained a family favorite every since!

Cinnamon Apple Coffee Cake

1-1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
6 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cup oatmeal
4-1/2 tablespoon oil
2 eggs
1-1/2 cup milk
1 can apple pie filling

Crumb Topping:

2 tablespoons melted butter
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
3 tablespoons flour

Mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the oatmeal. Set aside.

In a separate bowl mix together the oil, eggs, and milk. Stir into the oatmeal mixture until just moistened.

Pour the mixture into a greased 9 x 13 pan.Carefully spread with the apple pie filling.

Mix together the sugar, flour, cinnamon and melted butter to make a crumb topping. Sprinkle over the apples.

Bake at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Peppermint Poke Cake

I must confess that we didn’t even wait until after Thanksgiving was over before we opened the first box of candy canes.

It is a little embarrassing.

But at least it went into something really yummy – a chocolate peppermint poke cake.

You remember the original poke cakes made with colorful jello poked into a white cake? This holiday version features a chocolate cake poked with a yummy peppermint simple syrup.

It’s rich and minty and most of all – super easy!

Chocolate Peppermint Poke Cake

1 – 9 x 13 chocolate cake (you can use a mix – or make your own from scratch)
1 cup water
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 tub of Cool Whip
1 or 2 crushed candy canes

Bake cake as directed.

While the cake is baking, combine the water and sugar in a saucepan. Heat over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture boils. Add the peppermint extract.

Reduce heat and let it simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, use a fork to poke the entire top and slowly pour the peppermint syrup over it all.

Let it cool completely.

Frost with the Cool Whip and garnish with the crushed peppermints.

Refrigerate until you are ready to serve.

The cake just gets more minty as it sits!

Enjoy!

I’ve linked this post with Tempt My Tummy Tuesday at Blessed With Grace and Tasty Tuesday at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam.

Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream Cake

Every year before Dagmar’s birthday – she pours over cookbooks and websites to find the perfect ice cream cake.

Her only requirements are chocolate and of course – peanut butter.

This year’s concoction was no exception.

It was a veritable feast of peanut butter – chocolate goodness with creamy peanut butter ice cream and crushed up peanut butter cups.

Warning – this is NOT low calorie. Sure is good though!

Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream Cake

Original recipe from Kittencal

1 quart chocolate ice cream
16 ounces peanut butter
6 Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, chopped and frozen
2/3 cup chopped salted peanuts

Crust

1-1/2 cups Oreo cookie crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
6 tablespoons melted butter

Combine all the crust ingredients in a a bowl and then press into the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Cool. Put in the freezer until ready to fill.

in a large bowl combine the softened ice cream with peanut butter until well combined. Then mix in 4 of the chopped peanut butter cups and 1/3 cup of chopped peanuts. Spread in the frozen crust.

Sprinkle with the remaining peanut butter cups and chopped peanuts.

Freeze until firm.

Enjoy!

This post linked up with Tempt my Tummy Tuesday at Blessed with Grace and Tasty Tuesday at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam.

Peanut Butter Devil’s Food Cupcakes

Peanut Butter Cupcakes I love church potlucks!

I love the massive variety of food from some wonderful cooks, the sweet time to fellowship with good friends, and – of course – the chance to try out new recipes on unsuspecting eaters! 🙂

At our last church potluck, Dagmar decided to try out a recipe from her new Taste of Home Cookbook.

Her friend Grace was here the afternoon she baked – and between the giggles and picture taking – I’m amazed they accomplished anything! 🙂

The highlight of making these tasty little treats was piping the peanut butter filling into the cupcakes. Since they had extra filling – they used it to pipe designs on the top instead of using the crushed peanuts the recipe called for.

When they still had filling to use – they piped it on their hands in different designs and licked it off! 🙂

The cupcakes were delicious, my kitchen evidently got clean, the girls weren’t a bit hungry for supper – but fun was had by all!

Peanut Butter Devil’s Food Cake
(From the Taste of Home Cookbook)

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 -1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1-1/4 cake flour
1/2 cup baking cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup strong brewed coffee

Filling

1 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup butter, softened
1-1/4 cup powdered sugar

Ganache

4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until crumbly, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt, and baking powder. Add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk and coffee, just until combined.

Fill paper-lined muffin cups half full. Bake at 325 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes in muffin tins, then remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks.

For filling, in a small bowl, beat peanut butter and butter until fluffy. gradually add powdered sugar, beat until smooth. Cut a small hole in a pastry bag or ziplock bag and insert a small tip. Add filling. Push the tip through the bottom of paper liner to fill each cupcake.

For the ganache, in a heavy sauce pan, melt the chocolate with the cream over low heat; stir until smooth. Remove from heat. Cool for 10 minutes or until slightly thickened.

Place a heaping tablespoon of ganache on the top of each cupcake and spread to the edges. Sprinkle with peanuts (or decorate with left-over filling!)

Chill for 20 minutes or until set. Refrigerate left-overs.

Enjoy!

I’ve linked this post up with Tuesday’s at the Table at All the Small Stuff, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday at Blessed with Grace, and Tasty Tuesday at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam.

Creamy Mocha Fudge Cake

Creamy Mocha Fudge Cake While my parents were here over the weekend – Dagmar and my Mom enjoyed some kitchen time together.We all like it when they bond there – some very yummy things result! 🙂

Since Dagmar really loves coffee and doesn’t get it very often, she picked a chocolate cake recipe that includes a mocha whipped cream frosting.

Can you say “rich and decadent”?

You really don’t want to know the calorie count on this one. No – you really don’t.

But it’s very worth the buzz – both sugar and caffeine – that one slice will bring. I went to such a happy place… 😉

Disclaimer : Do not feed this cake to a 10 year old before bed time. He will bounce off the walls while singing all 67 verses to the Arkie Arkie song. If there weren’t 67 verses before – there are now. Trust me on this one – you have been warned.

Creamy Mocha Fudge Cake

1-1/4 cups of butter (yes – that is 2-1/2 sticks)
3/4 cup baking cocoa
4 eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups sugar
1 cup flour
1 cup chopped nuts – we used walnuts

Creamy Coffee Filling

1-1/2 cup heavy whipping cream – cold
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons instant coffee

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter bottom and sides of 2 – 9 inch cake pans. Line with waxed paper and butter the paper.

Melt the butter in a sauce pan. Remove from heat and add cocoa, stirring until well-blended. Cool slightly.

Beat eggs in a large mixing bowl until foamy. Add salt and vanilla. Gradually add the sugar, beating well.

Add cooled chocolate mixture and mix well. Stir in nuts. Divide the mixture evenly between the 2 prepared pans.

Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees (or until toothpick come s out clean). Do not over bake!

Cool 5 minutes and remove from the cake pans, carefully peeling off the waxed paper. Cool completely on wire racks.

When cooled, combine whipping cream, brown sugar, and instant coffee in a chilled bowl. Stir until combined, then beat into stiff peaks.

(Note – you should really sample this often as it beats so that you have the proper buzz going to frost the cake!)

To assemble, place one layer of the cake on a serving platter, spread with the Creamy Coffee Filling, place the second layer on top and use the rest of the filling to cover the top and sides of the cake.

Then – sit back and contently lick the bowl – making appropriate smacking noises to show your appreciation for such delicious calories!

Enjoy!

I’ve linked this post up with Tempt My Tummy Tuesday over at Blessed With Grace, Tasty Tuesday over at Beauty and Bedlam, and Chocolate Friday over at Knit1Kids4.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream Cake

Cake

I can’t believe Dagmar’s sweet sixteen surprise party was over a month ago – and I’m just now getting the post written about her amazing birthday cake!

Dagmar is my aspiring chef – so you know this cake had some thought behind it!

We started weeks ahead of the day with some high level negotiations. The flavor profile was easy – chocolate and peanut butter. Finding the right recipe however – was not.

We both scoured recipe books and the web for that perfect combination of ice cream – chocolate – peanut butter and specialness.

Finally – we hit on a compromise using two different recipes – one from a Taste of Home magazine, and one from a favorite food blog Eggs on Sunday. The result was a rich and decadent hit!

It was easy to prepare and – the real selling point – could be made several days ahead of time since it’s kept in the freezer.

Just remember to allow time for the cake to freeze up between layers!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream Cake

2 cups crushed Oreo cookies
4 Tablespoons butter (melted)
1/2 gallon chocolate ice cream
1- 1/4 cup Reese’s Peanut Butter cups – coarsely chopped
3 ounces cream cheese
1/3 cup crunchy peanut butter
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 cup Cool Whip
8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup heavy cream

Mix the crushed Oreo cookies and the melted butter to make a crust. Press into the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan and freeze for about an hour.

Slightly soften the chocolate ice cream and press about 1/2 of it in a nice layer on top of the Oreo cookie crust. (We didn’t measure things very well – just eyeballed a nice layer and pressed it in!) Sprinkle about 1/3 of the peanut butter cups on the ice cream and freeze for about an hour.

While this layer is freezing, mix the cream cheese and peanut butter in a bowl. Add the powdered sugar and milk, mixing well. Fold in the whipped cream.

Spread the cream cheese layer over the chocolate ice cream/peanut butter cup layer, sprinkle with another 1/3 of the chopped peanut butter cups and freeze for another hour.

Spread the remaining chocolate ice cream over the cream cheese mixture and freeze for yet another hour.

Meanwhile – melt the chocolate chips and heavy cream together, stirring until the mixture is smooth. Let it cool for a few minutes so you don’t melt the ice cream when you pour it on!

Remove the springform pan full of chocolate -peanut butter goodness from the freezer and carefully pour the chocolate ganache over it. Sprinkle with the remaining peanut butter cups, cover with plastic wrap and freeze for at least an hour – although overnight is better.

To serve, dip a knife in warm water, wipe it dry and go around the outside of the springform pan to loosen it. Release the sides of the pan and admire your handiwork!

This should serve about 12 – or just 5 hungry chocolate loving teen-age girls! (I’m just kidding my wonderful daughters and nieces!) 😉

Enjoy!

I’ve linked this post up with Tempt My Tummy Tuesday at Blessed with Grace, Tasty Tuesdays at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam and Tuesdays at the Table at All the Small Stuff.

Raspberry Fudge Cake

Who doesn’t love a rich, dark chocolate cake with a fudge frosting just dripping off the edges?!

We do! And so did our dinner guests the other night!

A luscious combination of chocolate and raspberry – and the perfect proportion of cake to frosting made this cake my diet buster of the week!

Good thing I served it to friends so there wasn’t much left -over the next day. I seriously would have eaten it for breakfast. 😉

Raspberry Fudge Cake

1 cup flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate (cut in pieces)
3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup seedless raspberry jam
1 tablespoon Kirsch or maraschino cherry juice
3 eggs

Frosting:

1/4 cup seedless raspberry jam
1 ounce semisweet chocolate chips
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon light corn syrup

Heat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 inch springform pan and dust it with cocoa.

Mix together the flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.

In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the chocolate chips, unsweetened baking chocolate, and 3/4 cup butter. Stir till smooth. Remove from heat and cool slightly.

In a medium bowl, beat the sugar, 3/4 cup jam, the kirsch, and the eggs until well blended. Stir in the melted chocolate and the flour mixture.

Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 40 to 50 minutes.

Remove from the oven and carefully remove the sides of the pan leaving the cake on the pan bottom. Let the cake cool completely.

Spread the remaining raspberry jam over the top of the cooled cake. Let sit while you make the topping. In a saucepan over low heat melt the butter, corn syrup, and chocolate chips, stirring until smooth. Pour over the top of the cake.

This makes about 16 servings.

Enjoy!

I’ve linked this post up with Lisa over at Stop and Smell the Chocolates and at Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum.

Chocolate Ice Cream Layer Cake

Oh dear…the Chocolate Lady has been experimenting… again!

This time I was attempting to duplicate an Ice Cream Cake at Dairy Queen.

They look so simple – layers of cake followed by layers of ice cream – right?!

I can do that – right?!

Well – maybe not.

It sure tasted wonderful – but it didn’t look nearly as nice as the ones on TV!

I started with an Oreo cookie crust in the bottom of a springform pan.

When that cooled, I added a layer of softened chocolate ice cream and put the pan in the freezer. An hour later I added a layer of softened vanilla ice cream and refroze the pan.

I repeated this 2 more times until I got to the top of the springform pan.

I should have stopped there and just frosted it with Cool Whip – but no – I had to get creative.

I whipped up a chocolate sauce recipe – thinking that it would be the perfect topping. It tasted wonderful as I licked the spoon – but when I went to put it on the cake it became a gloppy mess! It never stuck to the top of the ice cream and slip off in little piles.

Oh dear!

I refroze it thinking (alright – hoping!) that it would stick. But alas – it didn’t work. The chocolate glaze remained a mud slick.

To serve the cake, I removed the side of the springform pan and cut the cake into wedges – then carefully pressed the chocolate glaze on the top before plating.

Everything tasted wonderful – you just had to overlook the fingerprints in the chocolate mud slide!

When the Chocolate Lady makes this dessert again – I will frost it with Cool Whip and make cute chocolate drizzles on the top with fudge sauce from a jar!

I may even get adventurous and trade out the ice cream flavors – wouldn’t a layer of coffee ice cream be delish with the chocolate? Or maybe a strawberry layer?

I sure do love to experiment – especially when it involves chocolate!

Enjoy!