Raspberry-White Chocolate Bombe

 Yeah, I made this for Dessert Club back in April.  Yeah, I'm that behind in my posts.  But I'm making a comeback.  And I also made this for my friend's birthday in late May, so by that measure, I'm only two months behind.  See, I'm already catching up.

Sometimes when I get behind, I just give up and start where I am, allowing the intermediate goodies to fade into obscurity.  But I could NOT do that with da Bombe.  First, because it was a little bit of work, and I want credit for that.  Second, it is so pretty!  Or would be at more artistic hands.  Third, I love it!  Cake, mousse, raspberries, and white chocolate!  It's light, summery, sweet, whimsical, and oh-so-pretty-in-pink!  Couldn't let it slide.

The first time, I made the white cake layer from scratch.  Recipe below.  The second time, I just didn't have time so I made it from a mix, and it was just as good, if not better, so you can totally go for that option. 

The most important thing in making this cake is choosing the right mold.  It must be symmetrically rounded, preferably with a rounded bottom rather than flat.  And at the top few inches, it should be 9 inches in diameter, or as close as possible.  The first time, I used a glass dish from a nesting set I have.  But the second, I hit jackpot with a ceramic IKEA serving dish I had - it was the perfect size, and gave it a beautifully tall, rounded top.  Everything else about this cake is pretty easy, just has a few steps.  Enjoy!

 Raspberry-White Chocolate Bombe (print recipe)

Serves 12

1/4 cup raspberry liqueur, such as Chambord (I used cran-raspberry juice; you can use water)
1/4 cup raspberry-flavored gelatin
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 pound white chocolate, finely chopped
2 cups heavy cream
2 cups fresh raspberries
1 (9-inch) white cake round (see recipe below)

White chocolate curls, for decoration

FOR THE MOUSSE: Line 10-cup-capacity mixing bowl with plastic wrap. Bring liqueur to simmer in small saucepan. Stir in gelatin and salt until dissolved; remove from heat. Microwave 8 ounces white chocolate and ½ cup heavy cream in medium bowl, stirring every 30 seconds, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth, about 1½ minutes. Stir in gelatin mixture and let cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Whip remaining 1½ cups cream with electric mixer until soft peaks form, 1 to 3 minutes.

 Gently fold one-third of whipped cream into cooled white chocolate mixture. Fold in remaining whipped cream until incorporated. Scrape one-third of mousse into prepared bowl and stud with raspberries.

  Repeat twice with remaining mousse and berries. Place inverted cake round on top of mousse, trimming cake to fit if necessary. Cover with plastic and chill until mousse is set, about 4 hours (and up to 24 hours).

 

TO ASSEMBLE: Turn out bombe onto large cake platter. Remove plastic. Microwave remaining 8 ounces chopped chocolate in bowl until melted and gently spread over mousse and cake. Press chocolate curls into white chocolate. Cut cake with warm knife and serve.

HOW TO MAKE CHOCOLATE CURLS: Use a vegetable peeler to peel curls off of a large block of chocolate. (Large blocks of chocolate make nicer shavings than thin bars of chocolate.) 

White Layer Cake

Makes one 9-inch cake round

Nonstick cooking spray 
1 1/8 cups cake flour, plus more for dusting pans
1/2 cup whole milk, at room temperature
3 large egg whites, at room temperature 
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
7/8 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon table salt 
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened but still cool

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray one 9-inch round cake pan with nonstick cooking spray, dust with flour, and tap pan to remove excess flour. Mix milk, egg whites, and vanilla together in 2-cup measuring cup.

Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together in bowl of electric mixer at low speed. Add butter and beat at low speed until mixture resembles moist crumbs, with no powdery streaks remaining.

Add all but 1/4 cup of milk mixture to crumbs and beat at medium speed (or high speed if using handheld mixer) for 1 1/2 minutes. Add remaining 1/4 cup of milk mixture and beat 30 seconds more. Stop mixer and scrape sides of bowl. Return mixer to medium (or high) speed and beat 20 seconds longer.  Pour batter in to prepared cake pan and using rubber spatula, spread into even layer. Bake until thin skewer or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 21 to 25 minutes.

Rest cake in pans 3 minutes, then loosen from sides of pan with a knife. Invert onto large plate, re-invert onto wire racks. Cool completely, about 1 1/2 hours.

 

Recipe from Cook's Country, Feb 2012

OREO's Birthday Cake

Finally, finally, here is the star of Dessert Club: Cakes!  This beaut won first place for PRETTY and second place for YUMMY, with a very discerning crowd, so you know it's amazing.  And I happen to know its maker worked long and hard to perfect it.

She was inspired by the birthday-cake-flavored Oreos that have been about, probably limited edition, to celebrate the classic cookie's 100th birthday.  I have always liked Oreos, but also took them for granted until I served a mission in Toronto, Canada, for eighteen months.  Turns out Canada's Oreos are different from America's - why did no one tell me?! - and I had to write home begging for regular installments of the "authentic" treat. 

And finally, just a trivia tidbit.  I've typed "oreo" so many times putting this post together, I had to wonder where the name came from.  Five seconds of research just taught me there is no definitive word on the matter, but the most popular theory is that the name is a combination of taking the "re" from "cream" and placing it between the two "o"s in "chocolate" - making "o-re-o."  Good enough for me.  

OREO’s Birthday Cake (print recipe)
Chocolate Oreo cake with Cake Batter Cream Cheese Frosting
In honor of, and inspired by, Oreo’s one hundredth birthday!

Birthday Cake Oreos - 1 package Oreos (21 cookies)
1.  Chop 12 Oreos (a little more than 1/2 of them), and toss with 2 Tbsps flour and set aside for the chocolate cake.
2.  Separate cookies from filling for remaining Oreos (9 cookies), reserve filling for frosting and cookies for decoration.

Chocolate Oreo Cake
Butter, for greasing the pans
1 3/4 cups flour, plus more for pans
2 cups sugar
3/4 cups cocoa powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk, shaken
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee (I used an “Americano” from an espresso machine)
1/2 package Oreos, prepared as above

1.  Preheat the oven to 350. Butter two 8-inch round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans.

2.  Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs and vanilla.

3.  With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
Stir in the Oreo chunks.

4.  Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.

Cake Batter Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
2 stick salted butter, softened
8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
5 cups powdered sugar
1 cup yellow cake mix (DRY MIX–NOT BATTER)
Filling only (not cookie part) from Oreos reserved for frosting, 9 cookies

1.  In the bowl of a mixer, beat butter, cream cheese, Oreo filling and extracts on medium speed until smooth. Add powdered sugar and cake mix and beat on low until just combined. Increase speed to medium and beat until fully combined.

2.  If frosting is too thick, mix in a bit of heavy cream or milk until desired consistency is reached.

Cake from Ina Garten adapted by Bean Town Baker
Frosting inspired by angieriver.com and confessionsofacookbookqueen.com but created by Dessert Club member S.W.

Orange Marmalade-Ricotta Cupcakes with Marmalade Buttercream Frosting

You think the title's a mouthful, put one of these on your plate. They are delicious little four-bite wonders. My favorite over-the-top part is that the cakes get a brushing of orange juice when they're still warm from the oven. And THEN you frost them. Super yummy whipped orange frosting, too, by the way.

Orange Marmalade-Ricotta Cupcakes
1 (18.25-ounce) package plain white cake mix
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons orange juice, divided
2/3 cup ricotta cheese
1/3 cup orange marmalade
1/3 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons orange zest

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Insert paper liners into 20 muffin cups; set aside.

2. Beat cake mix, 1 cup orange juice, and next 5 ingredients at low speed with an electric mixer until combined. Scrape sides of bowl with spatula, and beat at medium speed 2 minutes or until batter is thick and well combined. Spoon about 1/3 cup batter into each liner.

3. Bake at 350° for 18 to 22 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

4. Brush tops of warm cupcakes evenly with remaining 2 tablespoons orange juice. Let cool in pans on wire racks 5 minutes. Remove from pans, and let cool completely on wire racks.

5. Spread about 1 heaping tablespoon of Marmalade Buttercream Frosting on each cupcake. Store at room temperature in an airtight container up to 3 days, up to a week in refrigerator, or (unfrosted) up to 6 months in freezer.

Marmalade Buttercream Frosting
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 tablespoon orange marmalade
1 1/2 teaspoons orange zest
2 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar
2 to 3 tablespoons orange juice

1 tsp orange extract, optional

Beat first 3 ingredients at low speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until combined. Gradually add orange juice, beating at medium speed 30 seconds or until frosting is spreadable. Beat at medium-high 30 seconds or until fluffy.

Recipes from Anne Byrn, MyRecipes, APRIL 2006

Triple-Decker Strawberry Cake with Strawberry Buttercream Frosting

(I know, I know. "That's not Strawberry Frosting," you say. I can't fool you people for one second. Just read on and everything will be explained.)

Berry season is coming up, and there's nothing like fresh strawberries. But honestly I can get pretty good ones year-round at the grocery store so it's always a good time of year to make this cake. But don't substitute frozen - they get too mushy and juicy. I think it's important to have at least one big pink cake in your repertoire; you never know when it will come in handy, especially in a house like mine, full of girls.

This cake is supposed to be frosted with Strawberry Buttercream Frosting (recipe follows.) But for my daughter's birthday this year she wanted a strawberry cake with chocolate frosting, and in our house the birthday girl gets what the birthday girl wants, at least when it comes to cake. It was still really good with the chocolate, but I think it would be out-of-this-world with strawberry frosting, or even simple vanilla.

Triple-Decker Strawberry Cake (print recipe)

1 pkg (18.25 oz.) plain white cake mix

1 pkg (3 oz.) strawberry gelatin

4 T all-purpose flour

1 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup whole milk

4 large eggs

1/2 cup finely chopped fresh strawberries and juice

1. Preheat oven to 350. Spray three 9-inch round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray, then line the bottoms with rounds of wax or parchment paper, also sprayed. Set pans aside.

2. Place all cake ingredients (cake mix through strawberries with juice) in a large mixing bowl and blend on low speed for 1 minute. Stop machine and scrape down sides. Increase mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes more. Divide the batter among the prepared pans and place in oven on center rack. (If your oven is not large enough, place two pans on the center rack and place the third pan in the center of the highest rack.)

3. Bake cakes until they spring back when lightly pressed with your fingers and just start to pull away from the sides of the pans, 33 to 35 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on wire racks for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edges, invert each onto a rack, remove wax or parchment paper from bottom, and invert again onto a wire rack to cool completely (so the cakes are right side up.) Allow to cool completely, 30 minutes more.

4. Prepare the frosting and assemble the cake.
Since we had strawberry cake with chocolate frosting for her family-party, I made chocolate cupcakes with strawberry frosting for my daughter's friends-party. I pretty much just wanted that frosting! It makes plenty so I had lots leftover to make graham cracker sandwich treats, which I love with any flavor frosting, but they are especially great with this fresh fruity spread.

Strawberry Buttercream Frosting

8 T (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

4 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted, or more if needed

1/2 cup finely chopped fresh strawberries and juice, or more if needed

1 cup halved fresh strawberries, optional, for garnish

1. Place butter in large mixing bowl and blend on low until fluffy, 20 seconds. Stop the machine and add 4 cups powdered sugar and 1/2 cup strawberries with juice. Blend on low speed until the frosting is creamy and of a spreadable consistency. If it is too thin, add more sugar; too thick, add more chopped strawberries.

2. To assemble cake, stack layers right side up with frosting between each. You can do 1/3 of the frosting between each layer and on top and leave the sides unfrosted, torte style, with strawberry halves to garnish the top. Or you can do a little less between each layer and finish it by frosting the top and sides. Either way is fabulicious.

Recipe adapted from:

Chocolate Pudding Layer Cake

This is one of those crowd-pleasing treats that's hard to beat. With pudding and Cool Whip, kid's love it, but with cream cheese and a brownie-like crust, so do adults. It is one of our family's all-time favorites; the ultimate recommendation is that Hazel chose this over ice cream for dessert, something I've never seen happen with anything else I've made. I give you direct quotes:
Hazel (4) - "This is delicious-tastic!"
Ginger (3) - "This is scrumptious! Scrumptious means 'hungry' in Spanish, did you know that?"

What could be better than that?

Chocolate Pudding Layer Cake
3/4 cup cold butter
1 pkg (18.4 oz) chocolate cake mix
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 (8 oz.) pkg cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
4 cups Cool Whip (a 12 oz. tub), divided
3 cups cold milk
2 small pkgs (3.9 oz.) instant chocolate pudding
2 T chocolate curls for each slice, optional

1. Preheat oven to 350. Cut butter into cake mix until crumbly. Add egg and mix well. Press into greased 9x13 pan. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes until set. Cool completely on wire rack.

2. In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth. Fold in 1 cup Cool Whip. Carefully spread over crust and refrigerate.

3. Whisk milk and pudding mixes for about 2 minutes. Let stand until soft set, a few minutes. Carefully spread over cream cheese layer. Top with remaining Cool Whip. Refrigerate 2 hours, garnish, cut and serve.

Recipe from some Taste of Home cookbook I looked at once

Rainbow Cake

Saturday was my daughter's third birthday. She had a rainbow-themed party, which made me immediately think of the Rainbow Cake (a.k.a. Jello Poke Cake) my Grandma used to make when I was little. The recipe is simple. The process is so colorful and fun. Fun for kids to help with, or you can just do it yourself. The result is crowd-pleasing and super pretty.

Can a three-year-old's birthday cake get much better than cake, jello, pudding and Cool Whip? I'm not sure, but I don't think so. It felt a bit like something out of Willy Wonka making the different Jellos and pouring them into and onto the cake. And of course we served it with - what else? - rainbow sherbet.

Rainbow Cake

(a.k.a. Jello Poke Cake)

• 1 white/yellow/vanilla cake mix (and the ingredients to make it - I substituted buttermilk for the water but otherwise followed the box instructions)
• Several different flavors of gelatin (small boxes) - or just one if you're feeling monochromatic
• Cool Whip or whipped cream for topping
• Vanilla pudding, optional, prepared
• Colored buttercream frosting for rainbow decoration, optional
  

1. Make the cake in a 9x13 pan according to box directions. Allow to cool for 15 minutes. Make lots of holes by poking cake with a the handle of a wooden spoon, or I prefer to use a straw.

2. Dissolve each flavor of gelatin in 1 cup boiling water. Drizzle all over cake, making sure it goes in the holes. You don't have to use all the gelatin but be fairly generous. Refrigerate at least 4 hours. Jello will set in the cake.

3. If desired, spread a layer of cooled vanilla pudding on the cake. Then spread with Cool Whip to complete. Decorate as desired. Serve. (Refrigerate leftovers.)Recipe from Grandma Cummings

Cranberry-Pear Bars (by Kat)

Another winning mix of flavors not seen often enough! The sweetness of the pear is perfect coupled with the tartness of the cranberries. And for me, the star of the show is actually the frosting, and I'm not such a frosting girl! The combination of the orange and cinnamon is so yummy. Not such a surprise since those two friends make an excellent pairing in tea, but it really made me wonder why I don't combine them more often in baking. That needs to be fixed!

These bad boys are more of a cake than a bar cookie, so I don't think they would work well as part of a goody plate ensemble. They would be great to bring to a holiday potluck or to close a holiday meal - they're moist but not too dense, with just the right level of sweetness to make a nice dessert. Or a nice snack, say, as you walk through the kitchen.

While mixing these, I kept checking the recipe to see if I'd forgotten something. Nope, they really are this simple. I didn't bother thawing the cranberries - I'm not the most patient girl - and I also gave them a rough chop. For the frosting, I made a basic butter cream frosting and added 2 T of orange juice concentrate instead of the orange zest. (Are you listening, Santa, I really need a new micro-plane grater!) I don't have a jelly roll pan (again, Santa!), so I just baked these in a 9x13 pan, which worked well but required slightly longer in the oven to cook through.Cranberry-Pear Bars
1 white or yellow cake mix
2 eggs
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 T finely grated orange peel
1 firm pear, peeled, cored and diced
1 cup fresh or frozen (thawed) cranberries
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Easy Orange Frosting (see recipe below)
Ground cinnamon, optional

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 15x10x1 baking pan.

2. In a large bowl combine the cake mix, eggs, melted butter and orange peel. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds or until combined. Fold in the chopped pear, cranberries and pecans.

3. Spread mixture in the prepared pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Frost with Easy Orange Frosting. If desired, sprinkle with ground cinnamon on top. Cut into bars; makes 48.

Easy Orange Frosting: In a medium bowl, combine one 15 to 16 ounce can of vanilla frosting (or better yet make your own), 1/4 tsp cinnamon and 1/2 tsp grated orange peel.

To store: place bars in a single layer in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Recipe from Better Homes and Gardens Christmas Cookies magazine, December 2009

Gooey Mixed Nut Bars (by Maren)

Guest Baker Maren is my sister and she's awesome. While usually domesticating in Vermont, she and her family are in Virginia for a year, and would you believe it, they are living mere blocks from us. So this is one guest baker whose goods I have gotten to sample, sometimes fresh from the oven, including these gooey nutty delights. I'm not gonna lie, it's nice. Maren is an extensively accomplished cook and baker, with special talents in the realm of Middle Eastern foods and flavors. You know anything she makes is going to be special.

"Like pecan pie with mixed nuts."

Maren's notes: Yummy and rich. I used "light" corn syrup (reduced calorie) with no noticeable taste difference. I also added a touch of almond extract along with the vanilla and some ginger along with the cinnamon. I might try using reduced sugar cake mix in the crust as I've had good luck with that product before.

Next time, I would omit or reduce the melted butter in the filling layer. This recipe is a great base for experimentation: these could easily be improved (like most things) by adding chocolate chips, coconut, dried cranberries, snipped dried apricots, some granola, a layer of peanut butter, raspberry jam or cream cheese goodness between the crust and filling, or a top drizzle of melted chocolate, etc.

Gooey Mixed Nut Bars

Non-stick cooking spray

1/2 cup butter

1 package 2-layer size yellow cake mix

4 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup light-colored corn syrup

1/3 cup butter, melted

1 tsp vanilla

1/3 tsp cinnamon

2 cups mixed nuts, coarsely chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a 9x13 pan with foil, bringing the foil up to the top edges of the pan, and spray with cooking spray. In a large bowl, cut 1/2 cup butter into the dry cake mix until it resembles coarse crumbs. Press mixture evenly onto the bottom of prepared pan. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly browned and set.

2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix eggs, brown sugar, corn syrup, the 1/3 cup melted butter, vanilla and cinnamon. Stir in mixed nuts. Pour mixture over warm crust. Bake about 30 minutes more until golden brown. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Using edges of foil, lift the uncut bars out of the pan. Cut into bars using a sharp knife. Makes 32 bars.

Store between layers of waxed paper in airtight container in refrigerator up to 1 week or freeze up to 3 months.

Recipe from Better Homes and Gardens Christmas Cookies magazine, December 2009

Monster Cupcakes

Heh heh heh - hello, my pretties and Happy Halloween!

I found these adorable cupcakes in Family Fun magazine like six months ago, and have been holding onto the idea until I could make them for Halloween. Then this week was like one of my busiest ever, but if I didn't get these made I'd have to wait until NEXT YEAR which is out of the question so I made them in parts throughout the week and put it all together for Hazel's preschool Halloween party (where I was gratified to see many kids choose them from the dessert spread, which included a ghost cookie graveyard and candy eyeballs!)

I'm not usually one to focus on decorations, but for Halloween I made a special exception. Stretched myself a bit, buying melting candy discs and black gel icing, but it was worth it - so adorable! If you don't know where to find mini M&M's, I found them in a plastic tube at the check-out stand at CVS and then later also saw them at a party store and dollar store.

Monster Cupcakes
2 dozen cupcakes from your favorite recipe (I did a straight-up devil's food cake mix)
3.4 oz box of vanilla instant pudding (or if you have time really do the cooked pudding - it tastes so much better! - or you could just do pistachio instead of coloring vanilla pudding green)
Green food coloring
1 cup green melting candy (like Wilton - you can get it at Michael's)
24 large marshmallows
Skewers or toothpicks
Waxed-paper-lined baking sheet
Mini M&M's
Melon baller
Chocolate frosting (store-bought or make your own buttercream)
Black gel icing
1. Bake and cool 2 dozen cupcakes. Prepare pudding. Stir in drops of food coloring until you have a shade you like, then place it in refrigerator to chill.

2. Microwave green melting candy for 1 minute at 50% power, then stir. If necessary, heat at 15-second intervals until completely melted. (Never having used these before, I was sloppy and over heated them the first time so I know now that's possible to do - just heat until melted and stir smooth.) One at a time, spear 24 marshmallows with skewer or toothpick and roll them in melted candy, coating the sides. Set them on a waxed-paper-lined baking sheet. Add M&M's for eyes, and place in fridge to chill.3. Add black gel facial features on chilled and hardened marshmallows.
4. Using small serrated knife or melon baller, remove 1-inch-wide chunk from center of each cupcake. Fill each hole with a tablespoon of pudding, then spread chocolate frosting around pudding hole. 5. Cover each pool of pudding with a chilled marshmallow. Top each monster head with a bit of frosting and muss with your finger or a fork. Keep cupcakes chilled until serving time.Recipe from Family Fun magazine

Chocolate Pistachio Cake

This cake is such a favorite standby in our household that I've never even thought to post it! But when I asked Ed a few weeks ago what he'd like me to make him for our anniversary, there was no hesitation: Chocolate Pistachio Cake!

This is one of many no-fail recipes that comes from a great little book called The Cake Mix Doctor and I give full kudos to Anne Byrn, who painstakingly put it together. Personally I think it would be hard (in a boring kind of way) to make a whole book of cakes made with mixes, but she has wonderful tips and ideas and is really creative in making the most of a mix so it ends up as something much more than just a regular cake.

This one is a great example. Ed doesn't like frosting (I know, he's crazy) so this cake is perfect for him because it doesn't have frosting, but does have a cool crunchy pecan-and-chocolate-chip topping baked in.
And besides that, it's got pistachio flavor (from pistachio pudding mix) and a chocolate swirl. Fast, easy, and perfect with ice cream.

Vegetable oil spray for misting pan, and flour for dusting
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 pkg plain white cake mix
1 (3.4 oz) pkg pistachio instant pudding mix
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs
1/2 cup chocolate syrup


1. Preheat oven to 350. Spray and dust with flour a 12-cup Bundt pan; shake out excess flour.
Sprinkle the pecans and chocolate chips evenly in the bottom of the pan; set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl blend the cake mix, pudding mix, sugar, water, oil and eggs on low speed for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and increase speed to medium; beat for 2 more minutes, until batter is smooth and thick.

3. Remove 1 cup of the batter to a small bowl. Pour the chocolate syrup into the small bowl and stir until mixture is well combined. Set aside.

4. Pour remaining batter into the prepared pan. Pour the chocolate batter over the top, trying to keep it away from the edges. Swirl the two batters.

5. Bake 50 to 60 minutes, until cake is golden brown and springs back when lightly touched. Coll in pan on wire rack 20 minutes. Run a long sharp knife around edges and invert onto rack or plate to cool completely. Serve warm or room temperature. Can be frozen, wrapped in foil, up to 6 months.

Mrs. June's Heavenly Coconut Cake

Is this not gorgeous? I love this cake, and it has a story.
The Players:
Julia (my friend, a co-preschool mom)
James (her husband)
Mrs. June (a neighbor of James' family when he was growing up in Missouri)
Stacy (another co-preschool mom)
Stacy's in-laws
Stacy's in-laws' friends

The Setting: The preschool Fun Fair cake walk in June

The Story: Julia made this cake for the cake walk, and as you can see, it's impressive. In fact, she one-and-a-halved it so instead of four layers she made it with six. Even more impressive. Stacy's in-laws came to the Fun Fair and fixated on the cake. They did the cake walk every time it ran, trying to win that cake. The in-laws' friends were there, too, and when they won a cake walk round, they nabbed the coconut cake. Later that evening they had the in-laws over and everyone ate it. It was proclaimed "the best cake we've EVER eaten."

The next day Stacy emailed me to ask if I'd made it. I wish I had, but alas. I emailed the whole parents' list trying to find out who it was and finally Julia fessed up, to her unnecessarily humble embarrassment. She emailed us the recipe with the explanation. This is a southern classic that James' neighbor used to make and it's his favorite from boyhood. She shrugged it off as undeserving of praise since she buys her coconut at the store instead of shaving it herself. Whatever. This cake rocks.

I knew I had friends coming over in July - a friend I hadn't seen since college graduation (Ryan Rowberry) and his wife who I'd never met (Barbara Christiansen, who turned out to be the sister of Rich Christiansen who we knew in Brooklyn!) It was the perfect occasion for something cold, towering and fluffy. Trust me, none of us went hungry.

This cake is best when made two days ahead of time and allowed to just meld and ponder in the fridge. Make sure it's covered and leave it alone. And look forward to the reunion.

1 white or butter cake mix
12 oz. flaked coconut
16 oz. sour cream
2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups Cool Whip

1. Bake cake according to box directions in two 8" or 9" round pans. Allow to cool completely.

2. While the cake is cooking, combine the sour cream, sugar, and about 2/3 of the coconut (just leave out enough of the coconut to sprinkle on top of the cake.) Allow this mixture to set in the fridge as long as you can while the cake cooks and cools.

3. Once the cakes are cool, cut the layers in half longways using a long serrated knife or floss. *This is a tricky step for me of unsteady hands. I just took it slowly and worked my way around the cakes keeping an eye on both ends of the knife. My layers were pretty uneven but no one noticed since we were all eating with our eyes euphorically closed.

4. Remove the sour cream/sugar/coconut mixture from the fridge and set aside one cup of it. Use the rest of it to spread in between the layers of the cake (not on the outside). 5. Combine the extra cup you set aside to mix with the 2 cups of cool whip. Frost the outside of the cake with the cool whip frosting mixture. Then sprinkle the rest of the "dry" coconut on top of the cake. Cover, refrigerate for 2 days, and enjoy!

Lethal Peppermint Chocolate Cake

This was for the preschool fun fair cake walk. My friend's mom won it, got a knife from the school kitchen, brought it out to a picnic table, and starting cutting into it and serving it up to her grandkids on the spot. It was a beautiful, gratifying thing to watch from my nearby perch at the bake sale.

Below you've got three recipes: Chocolate Ganache for the outside, chocolate cake, and Peppermint Buttercream Frosting for between the layers. Make the ganache first so it can cool while the cake cooks. While the cake is cooking or cooling, make the peppermint frosting. Then be sure to inhale deeply while assembling (and lick your fingers - no one will know!)

Chocolate Ganache
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
8 oz. semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 T Peppermint Schapps or 1/2 tsp peppermint extract

1. Place the cream in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring. Meanwhile, place the chopped chocolate (yum!) in a large mixing bowl. Remove the pan from the heat and pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate (yum yum!) Stir until the chocolate is melted. Stir in the extract.

2. Let ganache stand at room temperature for 4 hours, or chill it until it thickens and is spreadable.

Chocolate Cake
Even with generous grease and flour, sometimes my layer cakes fall apart trying to get them out of a pan, so I usually do this extra step that's worth the effort. Trace cake pans on parchment paper, then cut out circles slightly smaller than the tracing. Place inside cake pan after greasing/flouring, and pour batter on top. Comes out every time, then all you have to do is peel the parchment off the cake.

1 pkg plain devil's food cake mix
3 T unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/3 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans with shortening and dust with flour. Set aside.

2. Place cake mix, cocoa powder, buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low for 1 minute. Stop, scrape sides, increase speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more until thick and well combined. Divide batter between prepared pans, smoothing it out with rubber spatula. Place pans in oven side by side.

3. Bake cakes until they spring back when lightly pressed with finger and just start to pull away from the sides of the pan, 28-30 minutes. Remove pans from oven and place them on wire racks to cool for 10 minutes. Run a dinner knife around the edge of each layer and invert each onto a rack, then invert them again onto another rack so that the cakes are right-side-up. Cool completely, 30 minutes more.

4. Prepare peppermint frosting.

Peppermint Buttercream Frosting
This recipe is just for filling between the layers; double it to frost a whole cake.

4 T (1/2 stick) butter, room temperature
1/4 cup finely crushed peppermint candy
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 to 1 1/2 T milk
1/4 to 1/2 tsp peppermint extract

1. Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Blend with electric mixer on low speed until fluffy, 30 seconds. Stop the machine and add the peppermint candy, sugar, milk and extract. Blend with the mixer on low speed until the sugar is well incorporated, 1 minute. Increase to medium speed and beat until frosting is light and fluffy, 1 minute more. Blend in more milk if frosting is too stiff.2. Place one cake layer, right side up, on serving platter or cake stand. Spread the top with peppermint frosting. Place the second layer, right side up, on top of the first layer and frost the top and sides of cake with chocolate ganache that has cooled and is spreadable. Work with clean, smooth strokes. Chill the cake until ready to serve.

I decorated the top with Junior Mints left over from the surprise mint cookies I was also making for the bake sale. Other garnish ideas: more crushed peppermint candy, crushed regular or mint Oreos, York peppermint patties, fresh mint leaves, shaved chocolate, drizzled melted white chocolate. I don't usually get too creative decorating cakes, but an empty canvas like a ganached layer cake calls for something!Recipes from The Cake Mix Doctor by Anne Byrne

Pear Upside Down Cake

Hi, it's me again! I wasn't expecting to be back so soon, but I was told in no uncertain terms that this cake recipe should be shared, so here it is.

When my first daughter was born some 9 years ago, I was looking for an alternative to the messy standard First Birthday fare. I wanted her first cake to be special... maybe even slightly healthy... but not too much. In a stroke of brilliance, I decided to try a spice cake made with pears and thus all four of our children have had Pear Upside Down Cake for their first birthdays. One year I tried frosting it with cream cheese frosting, but that was no good. This year I think I finally got it right. The tangy brightness of homemade raspberry freezer jam was the perfect foil for the sweetness of the cake.


Maren's Pear Upside Down Cake
(Makes 2 cakes*, 8 slices each)

Cake:
1 box of Duncan Hines Spice Cake mix (see, it's not health food)
1/2 cup applesauce
3 eggs
1 cup water
1/3 cup oil
1/2 tsp ginger

Fruit:
2 pears
1/2 cup light brown sugar

Raspberry freezer jam, regular raspberry jam, or raspberries for topping

Heat oven to 350º. Mix the cake ingredients together on low to blend, then on medium for 2 full minutes. Grease and flour or spray two 9 inch round cake pans (layer pans). Core and peel the pears and cut into slices or pieces. Spread the pears and brown sugar evenly in the bottom of the pans. Top with cake batter, spreading evenly, shaking lightly and tapping to remove trapped air.

Bake the cakes for 30 minutes or until the center springs back when touched and cake pulls away from the edges of the pans. Cool, invert onto 2 plates. Serve with raspberry sauce or fresh berries on top of each slice.

*If you don't need 16 servings at once, you can wrap one cake tightly in plastic wrap and then foil and store it in the freezer.

Birthday Cake Cones

So after the family party, and the preschool party, we finally had Hazel's "official" birthday party last weekend - finally the end of birthdays for our family this year! She had a "park party" at the park next door so portable, non-utensil edibles were essential. It was the perfect chance to make cupcake cones!
The first time I'd ever heard of cupcake cones was when I was working in a middle school in Colorado. One day around lunchtime there was a hubbub in the teacher's lunchroom. The home ec teacher was in there making these in the microwave and handing them out to teachers for dessert - talk about fun!

To do it in the microwave, you make a regular cake mix and fill a flat-bottomed cone up about halfway. Put it on a plate or paper towel in case it overflows. Then microwave it on HIGH for about a minute or a minute and a half. Then frost and decorate. Of course, they turn out better if you cook them properly in an oven but the microwave trick can be fun for a rainy afternoon or playdate when you need something fun and quickly gratifying to do with the kids. Or slightly older kids could make these themselves! (I'm envisioning girly sleepovers at my house in about 8 years or so...)
But here's the recipe I made for the party. The cones become a little soft and chewy but the cake keeps supremely moist in there. It comes from The Cake Mix Doctor, and it's essentially a regular devil's food mix with some cinnamon to boost the flavor. And don't forget the Special Dark Fluffy Chocolate Frosting!

Cupcakes:
28 flat-bottomed ice cream cones
1 pkg plain devil's food cake mix
1 1/3 cups water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Fluffy Chocolate Frosting (recipe below)
Colored sprinkles for decoration

1. Preheat oven to 350. Stand cones in ungreased mini muffin tins; set pans aside.

2. Place cake ingredients in mixing bowl and blend on low for 1 minutes. Scrape sides and mix for 2 minutes more. Spoon about 1/4 cup of batter into each ice cream cone. DO NOT fill more than halfway, or barely past the line where the cone widens. Place pans in oven.

3. Bake until cake springs back when lightly touched, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove and cool for at least 30 minutes.

4. Frost and decorate.

Fluffy Chocolate Frosting:
8 T (1 stick) butter, room temperature
2/3 cup cocoa powder (I used Hershey's Special Dark!)
3 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted, plus more if needed
1/3 cup whole milk, half-and-half, or heavy cream
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt

Beat butter and cocoa powder on low 30 seconds. Add sugar, 1/3 cup milk, vanilla and salt, adn beat on low until frosting lightens and is fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Add more milk if frosting is too thick or sugar, 1 T at a time, if frosting is too thin.