Dark Chocolate Fudge Mint Cake

I came up with this cake recipe for my little brother's birthday. I can't believe he's 17 already. He loves mint chocolate chip ice cream, so this was definitely the perfect birthday cake for him. However, I really love this flavor combination for the holiday season. This recipe is perfect for a holiday party or a get together because it uses a cake mix. It is simple and easy to pull together if you're in a time crunch but it tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen making it from scratch. This cake is so decadent and rich, everyone will ask you for the recipe. Give it a try, you'll definitely be the hit of the party!

Ingredients

1 Dark Chocolate Fudge cake mix

4 eggs

2/3c. butter, melted

1 c. milk

2 Tbs. strong coffee

Icing

4c. Powdered sugar

2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

2 tsp peppermint extract

dark chocolate, finely chopped

green food coloring

Glaze

1/2c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

2-3 Tbsp. butter

1 tsp. milk

Directions

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Grease and flour 2 8" or 9" round cake pans, set aside. In a large mixing bowl combine cake mix, melted butter, eggs, milk and coffee. Mix well to combine all ingredients. Evenly divide cake batter between cake pans, bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick can be inserted and removed clean. Let cool completely before frosting.

for the icing:

Cream together butter and powdered sugar in mixing bowl, until light and fluffy. Add mint extract and finely chopped chocolate pieces, mix well. Add food coloring until desired color of green is reached. (To achieve mint color, use 12 drops of blue and 12 drops of yellow food coloring). If frosting is too stiff, add a small amount of milk until desired consistency is reached.

for the glaze:

In a microwave safe bowl, combine chocolate chips, butter, and milk. Microwave 30-45 seconds at a time until chocolate and butter are completely melted and glaze is shiny and smooth. Pour glaze on top of cake, spread to edges with spatula and let glaze run down sides of cake. Decorate as desired. Enjoy!

Butter Pecan Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Icing

My mom and dad celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary this week. I couldn't have asked for two better people to be my parents. Something I remember from my childhood that my parents always enjoyed together was butter pecan ice cream. I made them this cake to help them celebrate their incredible achievement. 

Recipe is adapted from Phyllis Edwards, Taste of Home Magazine

Ingredients

• 1¼ cup butter, softened, divided 
• 2 cups chopped pecans
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 cup buttermilk
• Icing:
• 2 pkgs (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 1 pkg (2 lbs) confectioners’ sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 to 3 Tb milk, as necessary
• extra chopped pecans for garnish, optional

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour three 9″ round cake pans.
2. In a medium heavy skillet, melt ¼ butter over medium heat. Add pecans; cook until toasted and fragrant, about 4 minutes. Spread across sheet of foil to cool.
3. In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to combine; set aside.
4. In a separate large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla.
5. Add flour mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with the flour (flour in 3 parts, milk in 2). Fold in toasted pecans.
6. Divide between cake pans and bake 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack before removing from pans. Cool completely.
7. For Icing: In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla. Beat in enough milk, as necessary, to achieve spreading consistency. Frost cake. Store in refrigerator.

Oatmeal Carmelitas

These are the best little cookies! I feel like everyone should have this recipe in their collection. This recipe is very simple, and more importantly very tasty. Perfect for when you need something quick and easy. And, in my opinion, since there is oatmeal in them it gives you a good excuse to eat dessert for breakfast. 


Click here for the recipe!     

Banana Spice Cake with Cinnamon Cream Glaze and Candied Walnuts

I always have one or two bananas in the bunch that don't get eaten in time before they turn brown. But I don't waste them, it gives me a good excuse to use them for baking. These bananas make the best banana flavored desserts. They just give an unbelievable sweet flavor to the recipe. So next time you have extra bananas you don't know what to do with, don't throw them away. Give this recipe a try!

Ingredients

Cake

3/4c. butter, room temperature

1 1/3 c. brown sugar

3 over ripe bananas

2c. flour

1 1/2 t. apple pie spice

3 eggs

1 T. vanilla extract

2 t. baking soda

1/4t. salt

1 1/2c. buttermilk

Cinnamon Cream Glaze

1 1/2c. powdered sugar

1/4c. whole milk

1/4t. cinnamon

1/8t. rum extract

1/4t. vanilla extract

Candied Walnuts

1t. canola oil

1t. honey

2T. sugar

1/2t. vanilla

1/8t. salt

3/4c. walnuts, roughly chopped

Directions:

for the cake

Preheat oven to 325˚F. Spray cake pan with non-stick cooking spray. In a small bowl, mash 3 over ripe bananas and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, add butter and brown sugar mix together with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs on at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add in mashed bananas and vanilla extract. Sift flour, pie spice, baking soda and salt in separate bowl. Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk to batter, about 1/3 at a time mixing well after each addition. Mix until all ingredients all well combined. Pour into prepared cake pan. Bake for 45 minutes or until done in the center. Let cool slightly before icing.

for the glaze:

In a small bowl combine powdered sugar, cinnamon, and both extracts. Mix well. Gradually add milk, until a thick pouring consistency is reached. Pour glaze onto cooled cake.

for the glazed walnuts:

In a small skillet over medium low heat combine oil, sugar, honey, vanilla and salt. Cook until mixture starts to bubble, add chopped nuts. Stirring constantly, cook until walnuts become caramelized. Remove from heat. Once cooled, sprinkle on to cake. 

This cake is best if eaten warm, fresh from the oven. It would be even more amazing with a scoop of butter pecan or vanilla ice cream. 

Chocolate Hazelnut Cupcakes with Hazelnut Truffle Filling and Swirled Vanilla and Nutella Buttercream Icing

Because sometimes you just need to indulge a little. 

Ingredients:

Cupcakes:

2c. flour

2/3c. unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2c. sugar

1 1/2 c. shortening

1/2 c. chocolate hazelnut spread (Nutella)

2 eggs

1t. salt

1 t. vanilla

1 1/4t. baking soda

1/4 t. baking powder

1c. hot water

24ct. Chocolate Hazelnut Truffles (Lindt) 

Nutella Buttercream Icing

1/4c. butter

1/4c. vegetable shortening

1 c. Nutella

4c. powdered sugar

1/4c, milk

Vanilla Buttercream Icing

3/4c. butter

3/4c. vegetable shortening

4c. powder sugar

1 t. double strength vanilla extract

1/4c. milk

Directions:

for the cupcakes:

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Place liners in two 12 cup muffin pans. In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda, salt and baking powder; set aside. In a small bowl, mix hot water and cocoa until dissolved; set aside. In a large bowl, beat shortening and nutella with electric mixer on medium speed 30 seconds. Gradually add sugar, about 1/4 cup at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping bowl occasionally. Beat 2 minutes longer. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. On low speed, alternately add flour mixture, about 1/3 of mixture at a time, and cocoa mixture about 1/2 at time, beating just until blended. Pour batter into cupcake liners, filling each cup 3/4 full. Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick can be inserted and removed cleanly. Remove from oven. Carefully, make a deep criss-cross cut in the shape of an "X" on the top of each cupcake. Place one truffle in the space that was cut, pushing the truffle down into the cake until fully submerged. Let cupcakes continue to cool in baking pan for 20 minutes, then remove and cool completely on wire racks.
*cupcake recipe adapted from Betty Crocker's chocolate cupcakes*

for the nutella buttercream icing

Cream butter, shortening, and nutella together in a mixing bowl with electric mixer. Add in powdered sugar. Gradually mix in milk until light and fluffy.

for the vanilla buttercream icing

Cream together butter and shortening in a mixing bowl until fully combined. Add vanilla and powdered sugar, mix well. Pour in milk gradually, mix until light and fluffy.

To frost cupcakes:

Put nutella icing and vanilla icing in separate piping bags. Snip the ends of both bags. In a larger piping bag, fit a coupler and tip, then place nutella icing and vanilla icing inside large piping bag. Twist top of bag and gently apply pressure, frosting should come out in swirled pattern. Frost and garnish cupcakes as desired. Enjoy!  

Banana Cream Pie

Cream pies are a favorite in my family. Well, I guess I should say any type of pie is a favorite in my family especially if you ask my older sister or my father. Pies are always in high demand around here. I blame my mother for spoiling us. Growing up, we were lucky enough to have homemade pies made by her, who I will crown the "queen of pie making". Today I'm sharing my own recipe for banana cream pie. I don't know if it's as good as momma's but I gave it my best shot. 

Ingredients:

for the crust:

2c. finely crushed vanilla wafers

1/2c. melted butter

1/3c. packed brown sugar

for the filling:

3/4c. sugar

1/4c. flour

3 egg yolks

2T. corn starch

1/4t. salt

2T. butter

1 1/2t. vanilla extract

1-2 large bananas

2c. whole milk

for the meringue

3 egg white, room temperature

1/2t. vanilla extract

1/4t. cream of tartar

6T. sugar

Extras:
Caramel sauce, whole vanilla wafers, fresh bananas

Directions:

for the crust:

Preheat oven to 400˚F. Put vanilla wafers in food processor, pulse until ground into fine crumbs. Melt butter in microwave and cool slightly. Add cookie crumbs and brown sugar in pie pan, mix with hands or use a fork. Pour in melted butter, carefully using hands, combine butter and crumb mixture in pie pan and press crumbs evenly in to edges of pan. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely.

for the pudding filling:

In medium sauce pan over medium heat, combine sugar, flour, cornstarch and salt. Gradually stir in milk. Cook and stir until bubbly. Continue to cook and stir for 2 minutes, then remove from heat. Stir a small amount of hot mixture into egg yolks: immediately return to hot mixture and cook for 2 minutes. Stir constantly. Remove from heat. Add butter and vanilla. Pour into pie crust.

for the meringue:

In a stainless steel bowl, beat egg whites, vanilla, and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, beating until stiff, glossy peaks form and all of sugar has dissolved. Spread meringue over hot filling, sealing edges. Bake at 350˚F for 10-12 minutes, until meringue is golden. Garnish as desired. Let set in fridge for 2-3 hours. Enjoy!

Here's how I assemble this pie:
1. Make the crust, bake it for 10min. and cool completely.
2. Pour the caramel sauce in a thin layer on top of the crust
3. Slice 1 banana, place slices on top of caramel sauce.
4. Pour another thin layer of caramel sauce on top of bananas.
5. Pour pie filling on top of bananas and caramel. 
6. Slice another banana and put on top of pie filling
7. Make meringue topping, bake until golden brown
8. Drizzle caramel sauce over top of pie, garnish as desired. 

I don't use a traditional pie crust in this recipe but, if you want to, this pie would taste just as good. In fact, that's how my mom makes hers. Instead, I used a crumb crust. Most crumb crusts are made from graham cracker cookies. However, I chose to use crushed vanilla wafers, because in my opinion you can't eat banana pudding with out 'Nillas. It just can't be done. It's a classic combination and trust me, it's delicious! 

Ultimate Fudge Brownies with Walnuts

I happen to love chocolate and nuts together.  When I was growing up, my mom would make brownies and fudge she always put walnuts in them. So naturally that's how I make them too. This recipe has the best of both worlds, brownies and fudge. These brownies are absolutely to die for, rich, decadent and very chocolatey. Here's my recipe:

Ingredients

4c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

1c. dark chocolate chips

1 can sweetened condensed milk

4 eggs

1/2 c. butter

2c. sugar

1c. flour

1 T. vanilla extract + 1 tsp

1/2 t. salt

1 1/2 c. coarsely chopped walnuts

Directions

for the brownies:

Preheat oven to 325˚F. Spray baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Place butter, dark chocolate chips, and 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips in a large microwave safe bowl Slowly microwave butter and chocolate chips until completely melted. Stir in sugar with a wooden spoon. Add eggs. Add vanilla extract. Add flour and salt, mix well. Stir in 1 cup of chopped walnuts. Pour brownie batter into baking dish and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick can be inserted and removed clean. Let brownies cool completely.

for the fudge layer:

In a sauce pan over low-medium heat, melt remaining 3 cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk together. Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla extract. Stir in 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts. Pour and spread on to cooled brownies in an even layer. Let set up for a 2-3 hours. Enjoy!

The brownies without the fudge layer on top are delicious just on their own, but that fudge takes them to a whole new level. And, certainly if you are not a fan of nuts just don't put them in. The brownies will still be just as tasty. If you're having a chocolate craving these will definitely hit the spot!

Thank you so much for stopping by my blog!