Cake, cake, and more cake !

I first made this recipe for a cake for my husband’s 50th surprise birthday party last June.  I received a lot of compliments about this rich and moist cake, and it’s now my go-to recipe for birthdays and other special occasions.  
Super easy to make, there’s no need for a boxed cake mix or canned frosting for this delicious chocolate layer cake!  
Since last June, I've made quite a few variations on this cake. 
My husband's choice was with vanilla frosting.  

In November, my middle child wanted a quasi-black forest cake with chocolate frosting and cherry pie filling.  This was quite messy to make, as the cherry pie filling kept oozing out the side while I was trying to frost it.  

In early March, my youngest child wanted chocolate on chocolate with sprinkles on top. Simple and delicious. 

I also used this cake (with vanilla frosting) for the cake in my Kit Kat Cake I made this past weekend.  This cake was a huge hit!

Note:  The recipe for the vanilla frosting is made exactly the same as the one below, except it omits the cocoa.  

I hope you enjoy this cake as much as we all do!

Super Easy and Delicious Chocolate Cake

For the Cake

Ingredients

2 cups granulated sugar

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup natural cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour two nine inch round pans.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. 
3. Add the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla, mix for 2 minutes on medium speed of mixer. 
4. Stir in the boiling water last. Batter will be thin. 
5. Pour evenly into the prepared pans.
6. Bake 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, until the cake tests done with a toothpick. 
7. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the Frosting

(makes enough for one 8" or 9" round layer cake, or about 30 cupcakes)

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup natural cocoa, sifted

5 cups icing sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup milk or cream

Directions

1. In a large bowl, beat butter and cocoa together until smooth.
2. Stir in vanilla and icing sugar.
3. Slowly add milk, a little at a time, until frosting reaches desired consistency.
4. Scrape sides of bowl and whip until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

Rice Pudding

So, after finding the ramekins for the bacon baskets I bailed on, I decided that I should put them to good use (since they were already out) and make some rice pudding.

I LOVE rice pudding, but it's such a pain to make it.  Invariably, I eat some, the kids don't, and then I have a large casserole dish of rice pudding I need to (a) eat, (b) find a home in my fridge for, or (c) toss out.  If you've ever seen the inside of my fridge, you'd know (b) is not an option.  
A while back I took my favourite rice pudding recipe and converted the grams to tablespoons (etc.) and re-wrote the recipe to make in ramekins (for a change, I actually wrote them down so that I don't have to continue to look up the conversions EVERY TIME I make them!!).  Made in ramekins the "leftovers" are easier to find a place for in the fridge, and they're a good individual portion size.  

This recipe is SO fast and easy to prepare, though cooking takes some time.  I prefer mine without nutmeg or raisins, and like to serve it with a dollop of raspberry jam (must be the British in me!).  Feel free to add those if you'd prefer.

Ingredients

4 tbsp short grained rice

2 tbsp white sugar
600 mL milk

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325°F.
2. Spray four (5 oz) ramekins with non-stick spray.  
3. Into each ramekin, place 1 tablespoon of rice, and 1/2 tablespoon of sugar. 
4. Pour 150mL milk into each ramekin.  Stir to blend.
5. Place ramekins on rack in the centre of oven.  Place a cookie sheet on the rack below in case of spillage. 
6. Bake for 30 minutes.  Stir gently.
7. Bake for a further one hour.  
8. Remove from oven. Serve hot or cold. Top with a dollop of red jam to serve.

Makes 4

Garfield's Spaghetti Cupcakes

My ten year old son wanted his birthday party to be held at home this year.  More to the point, he wanted a sleepover.  His first.  My first.  I do know my limitations, in some instances, so I did limit him to two boys staying the night, although he did manage to talk me into seven coming for the party.  He decided to have a movie party, and so we scoped out the "on demand" movies available, and settled on something all parents would be okay with,  The Garfield Movie.  

I had recently seen a recipe for Spaghetti Cupcakes on one of my favourite food blogs.  I showed my son who thought they'd be cool, and appropriate, so I decided to be nuts daring and give them a go.  

As I've discovered, ten year old boys don't want any sort of "organized" party.  You can't plan for pin the tail on the donkey, or other silly party games.  You can barely plan to even eat, since they don't want to sit for any length of time.  We did put the movie on, and some of them did watch it.  Then my son opened presents.  One of his gifts was a Nerf "bullet" launcher.  All of a sudden, I had nine boys, all somehow armed with Nerf weapons, plastic swords, and throwing stars (thanks to my mini-ninja), racing around my house playing some sort of survival game. 

When they finally did stop for dessert, they were all (but one) keen on trying these amazing looking cupcakes. 

After a few false starts with the icing, I can tell you that you need to allow A LOT of time for making the spaghetti.  I never imagined that it would take SOOO long to ice them.  My false starts were (a) using a zipper bag that was not a good quality.  All I had were "No Name" brand in the size I needed, but unfortunately, it sprung a leak before I'd finished icing two cupcakes, (b) moving the icing to a new, proper icing bag, but forgetting to drop in the tip first (!!), and (c) ultimately using too small of an icing tip to ice them (I ended up using a #2 round, but should have used at least a #3, if not a #4). 

I chose to use Ferrero Rocher chocolates because they look textured like a meatball, and because they are made in the town where I live!

I used "1/3 less sugar, 1/3 more fruit" E.D. Smith Triple Fruits (strawberry, raspberry & red plum) jam.  I would have preferred an even less sweet jam for this recipe, as I found it a bit too sweet for my taste.  

Do try them -- they're an awesome fake-out, and great for April Fool's too!

Ingredients

1 boxed cake mix (any flavour) (Betty Crocker/Duncan Hines, etc.)

1 - 450g tub vanilla frosting

2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder

6 drops yellow food coloring

1 & 1/2 cups low sugar strawberry jam

24 Ferrero Rocher chocolates, unwrapped

3-4 tablespoons grated white chocolate

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.
3. Prepare the cake mix according to package directions.
4. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.
5. Bake until cupcakes are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 20 minutes.
6. Transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack and cool completely.
7. Place frosting into large bowl.  Add cocoa powder and food colouring, and mix well with stand mixer or hand mixer to whip and combine.
8. Spread a thin layer of frosting on top of the cupcakes.
9. Place the cupcakes on a serving platter with edges touching.
10. Spoon the remaining tinted frosting into a Ziploc or cake decorating bag.
11. Snip a small corner from the bag (1/8 inch), or use a #3 or #4 round tip.
12. Pipe the frosting all over the cupcakes to make the spaghetti.  Pile it high and have some of the frosting hang over the edges of the cupcakes. 
13. Place chocolates in a bowl, and add the jam.  Stir to coat.
14. Spoon one teaspoon (or more) of jam on top of each cupcake.
15. Place a jam-coated chocolate on top of each cupcake.
16. Top cupcakes with any remaining jam.
17. Grate white chocolate over each “meatball”.

Dark Chocolate Raspberry Banana Bread

So, I'm planning a play date with a new commuter friend and two of her children.  We have decided that we Mommies are going to bake some Christmas cookies while my boys have fun destroying the house playing nicely with their new friends.  

In hunting down some tasty recipes that will hopefully not disappoint, I tripped across this delightful little banana bread recipe and bookmarked it for a rainy day.  To be honest, I really didn't think I'd ever end up making it since I already have a couple of favorite banana bread/muffin recipes that I'm very happy with, and really, who needs another banana bread recipe, even if it does contain something as delicious as raspberries?  Well, I'll tell you who does, YOU DO!  This banana bread is heavenly!  

It is super easy to make, and keeps wonderfully -- even three days after making it it was still very fresh and moist.  Three days?  I'm not sure how there was anything more than crumbs left after three days in this house (other than the fact I *HID* it -- the things one has to do with a household full of boys!)

So, this morning I shared some with two co-workers (who always seem to love my baking creations), as well as with my new commuter friend and her husband.  She said it put her banana bread to shame (I doubt it!), and her husband said that now he's confident he won't be disappointed with the Christmas cookies we're making (apparently for him!).  So, do try it... it's delicious!

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
2 large eggs
1  &  1/2 cups mashed very ripe banana (about 3 medium or 5 small bananas)
1/3 cup vanilla yogurt
1 tbsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup dark chocolate chips (or semi-sweet)
1 cup halved raspberries, tossed in 1 tbsp all-purpose flour

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan with cooking spray.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter until fluffy.  
4. Add the sugar and continue to beat on medium speed until well blended (about 3 minutes). 
5. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. 
6. Add the mashed banana, yogurt, and vanilla. Continue beating until blended.
7. Gradually stir in the flour mixture by hand, until just combined (do not over mix). 
8. Fold in the chocolate chips and then gently stir in the raspberries (you do not want the raspberries to bleed their color).
9. Sprinkle a few extra raspberries and chocolate chips on top if desired.
10. Spoon the batter into the prepared loaf pan (it will be very thick).
11. Bake for 60-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
12. Cool 15 minutes in the pan on a wire rack. 
13. Remove from pan and cool completely on a wire rack.

Recipe adapted from RecipeBoy

THE BEST EVER chocolate chip cookies!

                    HELLO, AND WELCOME TO MY BLOG!

I've posted my ultimate go-to recipe as my first blog post. When my co-workers see me coming in to work with my big Tupperware® storage container (see picture), I immediately have people hovering over me searching out these amazing cookies!  I tend to bring these as treats to work most often as they travel quite well during my two hour commute in to work – they don’t need refrigeration on the way like, say, éclairs would.  Darn it, now I’m craving éclairs...  :o)

BEST EVER CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Yield:     6 dozen

Prep Time:    15 Min
Cook Time:    13 Min

Ingredients

4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups butter, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
1-1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 (3.4 ounce) packages instant vanilla pudding mix
4 eggs
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
2 cups milk chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Set aside.
3.  In a large bowl, cream together the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar.
4.  Beat in the instant pudding mix until blended.
5. Add the eggs and vanilla and blend until smooth.
6. Gradually blend in the flour mixture.
7. Stir in the chocolate chips.
8. Form the dough into balls using about 1 1/2 tbsp of dough for each cookie (or use an OXO Good Scoops Medium Cookie scoop).
9. Place about 2" apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
10. Bake for 13 minutes or until edges are golden brown.

adapted from Debbi Borsick