Husband's *Favorite* Chocolate Cupcakes

The husband celebrates one more lap around the sun tomorrow, and when I asked him what he would like as a treat to celebrate such a milestone, he responded with, "chocolate cupcakes with coffee buttercream!" I didn't really need to ask, because the answer is the same every year. He loves this cake so much that I instinctively purchase the ingredients every April. I wish I could say that I am to credit for the recipe of his FAVORITE dessert, but alas, I am not.

When my husband and I were first married I looked far and wide for a chocolate cake recipe for his birthday. I wanted to wow him with my baking skills AND put to work my new Kitchen Aid stand mixer that I was able to purchase with wedding gift cards (thanks to awesome friends and family). I stumbled upon Barefoot Contessa's Beatty's Chocolate Cake recipe and haven't looked back. It's a winner EVERY time, and it's ridiculously easy (so much for showing off my skills)!

I don't even eat chocolate (GASP-- I know, what kind of a woman doesn't eat chocolate?  But if you suffered from severe migraines due to food allergies, you wouldn't be eager to eat chocolate either-- I'm
happy avoid it!), so when I make this recipe I freeze about 1/2 of the cupcakes/ cake for future events.

**Fun fact-- the first time I made this cake my husband ate so much of it in one day that he made himself sick-- really, I'm shocked he even still likes it**

Usually I follow Ina's recipe exactly... sometimes I will add a little a little ceylon cinnamon to add a little spice.

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup good cocoa powder (I use the special dark because my husband LOVES dark chocolate)
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup buttermilk (shaken)
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 extra large eggs (room temperature-- you don't want cooked eggs in your cupcakes!)
• 1 teaspoon pure (good) vanilla extract-- I use Madagascar vanilla from Green Man Gourmet in Avondale-- they are awesome!
• 1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee (brings out the rich flavor of the chocolate-- cake doesn't taste much like coffee believe it or not)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 and line muffin tins. 
2. In your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix: flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cocoa on low until combined.
3. In a small mixing bowl, stir together the buttermilk, eggs, oil, and vanilla. 
4. With the mixer on low, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. 
5. Add the cup of hot coffee and stir only to combine (make sure to scrape down sides and bottom of bowl). 
6. Pour batter into a glass measuring cup with spout (this will make pouring batter into muffin tins easier-- batter is very thin). Fill each muffin tin 1/2 full (no more or cake will spill over). 
7. Bake for about 15 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean. 
8. I swear it is just that easy!

**I usually make 1-2 dozen cupcakes and then pour the rest of the batter into small rounds, bake for about 25-30 minutes, and freeze for later occasions**

 Vanilla Coffee Buttercream

It's taken me a few times to perfect my attempts with coffee buttercream, but I do believe that this recipe is my favorite so far! I used the base of the recipe from The Kitchen is my Playground and then just made it work with what I had in my kitchen. I didn't have instant coffee, so I adapted the recipe using fresh brewed and then chilled coffee. 

Ingredients:

• 4 Tablespoons freshly brewed and chilled coffee 
• 1 Tablespoon real Madagascar vanilla extract
• 3 sticks unsalted (softened) butter
• 3 cups confectioners sugar

Directions:

1. Beat softened butter in bowl of stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed for about 1 minute or until fluffy.
2. Turn speed to low and add confectioners sugar one cup at a time (scrape down sides and make sure it is fully incorporated).
3. Increase speed to medium and beat for about 3 minutes.
4. Add coffee and beat on low speed to combine. Scrape down sides and increase speed to medium and beat for about 4 minutes. 
5. Fill pastry bag and have fun piping away! I added a little dark chocolate chip to the top just for a little extra decoration.

**should make enough to frost 24 cupcakes**

Happy 31st birthday to the best husband in the whole entire world. Doodle Bug and I are so lucky to have you!

Not your average politically incorrect brownie

St. Patrick's Day was quickly approaching this year, and I wanted a a new recipe to try. I love a good Car Bomb (I mean the tasty kind that comes from a pint glass of Guinness and shot glass full of Jameson and Bailey's), so I trolled pinterest until I found something that spiked my interest-- A Spicy Perspective's Brownies. I had every intention of following her recipe exactly-- take one look at her photos and you would want an exact replica as well, but my body had other plans for me.

I woke up Sunday morning feeling exhausted; I had spent all day Saturday (literally 12 hours) at a lactation convention passing out samples of my Smart Lactation Cookies and talking about a mile a minute about my product. Overall, it was such a fantastic day and a wonderful opportunity to get my name and product "out there", but boy was I tired! After packaging up some cookies for sale and meeting a repeat customer-- YAY!!--, I headed off to my school's annual Carnival fundraiser to work the booths and socialize with the masses. About two hours after arriving I had to leave, and my husband had to tuck me into bed-- I had a fever. I stayed in bed for about 4 hours, and when I woke up and was fever free all I could think about was how I wanted to promised the guys I would make these delicious brownies.

The husband and his friends went to the grocery store to pick up my supplies, but I was not geared up for a "from scratch" dessert, so I asked for a brownie mix instead to help speed things along.

The original recipe seems AMAZING, and next year I might just give it a shot because usually I really love baking from scratch, but if you aren't a freak like me, my simplified rendition of A Spicy Perspective's decadent dessert will have your family and friends toasting their Irish Coffee and asking for more.

** I know that the name of the cake is incredibly politically incorrect, and I in NO way agree of promoting the heinous act that inspired the name, BUT I do love the mixture of Guinness, Jameson, and Baileys... so, can we think of a more appropriate name for this delicious beverage already??**

Ingredients for Brownies (will depend on brand purchased):
I bought Ghirardelli Double Chocolate 

•  1 egg
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• Recipe on box calls for 1/4 cup water, but instead use 1/2 cup Guinness

Ingredients for Cream Cheese Swirl (same from A Spicy Perspective):

• 8 oz cream cheese softened
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup Bailey's Irish Cream

 Ingredients for Jameson's Ganache:

• 1 bar of dark chocolate
• 1/2 shot of whiskey 
• 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions:

Fresh from the oven

1. Preheat oven to 325 (or whatever your boxed brownie mix suggests), and butter and prepare your brownie pan
2. Stir together all the brownie mix ingredients in a medium mixing bowl and set aside.
3. In your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the softened cream cheese and sugar. Add the egg and Bailey's (mix until completely smooth and incorporated).
4. Pour 1/2 of brownie mix into prepared pan.
5. Drizzle cream cheese on top
6. Pour the rest of the brownie mix into the pan and use a spatula to "swirl" the ingredients (do not over mix).
7. Bake for 30 minutes or until inserted tooth pick comes out clean.
8. While brownies are baking make the ganache.



With ganache

1. In a double boiler melt together the baking bar and heavy cream, add the whiskey and stir until completely incorporated. 
9. After brownies are cooled pour on the ganache (I made them last minute because I wasn't feeling well, so I popped them into the deep freezer for about 10 minutes to allow the ganache to set before cutting the brownies).

 Serve with your favorite Irish Coffee and enjoy!

the tasty beverage

It's a DIY Christmas

It's something about the season of Christmas, and the thick cloud of holiday cheer, that beckons my crafty and creative alter-ego to surface and shine for the month of December. Many nights (like tonight) I end up staying up late to organize and devise plans for my Christmas DIY gifts. I walk through the crafting stores consumed by my eagerness to get to work, and overwhelmed by endless possibilities that await on each aisle. I am indecisive enough as it is... give me 500 different colors and patterns of craft paper to choose from and I'm done for!

I love to create, and I love to gift my creations. I have always preferred to give and receive thoughtful homemade items... and I can remember being enveloped by this urge as a child as well. I love the consideration and time that goes into the art of the home good... thinking about how and what to make is the most fun.

Last year because money was a little tight I decided to make all the women in our family and my 6th grade room moms scented sugar scrubs. This year it's Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix!

I took the idea from Pennies on a Platter's Hot Cocoa mix (originally The Brown Eyed Baker's Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix), and then I just revised it based on what I had available in my pantry.

This recipe is SUPER easy to make-- all you need is a powerful food processor or blender and some canning jars for your finished product.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups dry milk powder
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 cup unsweetened dark chocolate cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Stir all ingredients together in a large mixing bowl
2. Blend in a food processor in small batches until all is combined and chocolate is finely ground.
3. Transfer into small air tight canning jars  
1.  I decorated my canning jars with Christmas craft paper and mod podge (gotta love the mod podge!), instructions, and a ribbon with gift tag

Yield: about 20 servings 

Hot Cocoa, Anyone?

Good for up to three months.

To make:  Mix 1/3 cup of cocoa mix with 1 cup warm milk. Enjoy :)

One Trifling Fool

My parents are directors of a local youth ministry, and they are having a fundraiser this weekend for their annual ski trip. Mom likes to sign me up to make desserts, so this time I made a Chocolate-Strawberry-Trifle. I love to make this recipe for many reasons.

1. It gives me a reason to make my husband's favorite chocolate cake from Barefoot Contessa.
2. I get to layer all the ingredients in the trifle bowl (something about this is calming to me- it's like a challenge each and every time I make a trifle)
3. I get to experiment with different toppings and textures. Let my creative hair down for a bit :)

This time for the trifle guts I chose: chocolate cake, strawberries and raspberries, Cool Whip, and chocolate pudding.

The first thing that I do is bake the cake. The Barefoot Contessa recipe will make two 9 inch round layers. I usually bake one 9 inch round and then make about 15-16 cupcakes with the remaining batter. The cupcakes only need to bake for about 15 minutes (or until inserted toothpick comes out clean).

While the cake is cooling (needs to be cooled completely) I cut up the strawberries (one whole package) and sprinkle them with about a Tablespoon of white sugar. I let the strawberries sit in the sugar mixture for a few hours in the refrigerator.

Once the cake has cooled, I break it up into 1 inch pieces. I use two bowls to separate the pieces of cake (this way I know the layers will be even in the trifle). I always have a little bit of the layer cake left (enough for a taste test for the hubby).

Next I make the pudding. I buy two large boxes of instant pudding and prepare it just as the box indicates. Because I am making a double batch (two boxes), I mix the pudding on low (to avoid splash). Heads up--this much pudding calls for 6 cups of milk.

While the pudding is setting in the refrigerator (takes about 5 minutes), I begin to layer the ingredients. I always start with a layer of strawberries on the bottom and around the bottom of the trifle bowl. I then pour 1/2 of the pudding mixture inside the ring of strawberries. Next I add the chunks of chocolate cake. On top of the chocolate cake I spread a thin layer of cool whip. On top of the Cool Whip I add another layer of strawberries (and a decorative ring against the trifle bowl). On top of strawberries I add the rest of the pudding mixture. On top of pudding I add cake. On top of cake I add Cool Whip. For decoration I add another ring of sliced strawberries. I also add four halved strawberries in the center with a raspberry. I cover the trifle with cling wrap and refrigerate until time to serve.

Scoop and enjoy!

I had a little extra of all of the ingredients this time... so I made four small ramekins of personal size trifles.

Chewy Brownie Cookies

Bakery Club students were in a deadlock on Friday... cookies or brownies? 

At first I thought I would make a cookie cake, but then I realized... what would a cookie cake have to offer to the students wanting brownies? Okay, scratch cookie cake idea...what about brownie bites? Not quite the sweet treat the cookie students would be hoping for either.  This realization then lead me to google "brownie cookies" (while simultaneously crossing my fingers and hoping such a thing would already be in existence). Luckily, and to my delight, the Brown Eyed Baker had already taken this plunge into the big brownie or cookie debate. 


I followed her recipe, and my husband (quite the chocolate expert) approved...and approved...and (just for good measure) approved the recipe one last time. 

So, in case you get the hankerin' for a chewy brownie with a crunchy outer shell, give this recipe a GO!

Ingredients:

16 ounces bittersweet chocolate (I bought 4 Ghirardelli 4oz bittersweet chocolate baking bars)
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter (softened)
4 eggs
1-1/3 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup semisweet chocolate chunks (that ooey gooey center)

Directions:

1. Chop up 16 ounces bittersweet chocolate. Put butter and chopped chocolate into a heat proof bowl and double broil over simmering water. If you don't have a double broiler--I use a large soup pot and fill with about 2 inches of water. I let it come to a simmer. I put the ingredients that need to melt in a smaller pot (or any heat proof bowl). I hold the smaller bowl/pot over the simmering water and stir ingredients until completely incorporated and mixture is smooth. Put melted chocolate mixture to the side and allow it to come to room temperature. 
2. Preheat oven to 350 and line baking sheets with parchment paper (wait until chocolate mixture is cooled)
3. Whisk together eggs, vanilla, and sugar in a medium size mixing bowl.
4. In a small mixing bowl, sift together flour and baking powder.
5. Add the cooled chocolate mixture to the eggs, vanilla, and sugar mixture. Stir well to combine. 
6. Slowly add the dry ingredients, FOLDING them into the batter. 
7. Once the flour mixture is incorporated, add the chocolate chunks.
8. I have a large cookie scoop, so I filled the scoop about 3/4 full for each cookie. Cookies will spread just a little, so make sure you don't place them too close together on the prepared sheets. 
9. Bake for 10-11 minutes or until firm on the outside. DON'T over bake. Cool on baking sheets or transfer to wire cooling racks after a few minutes if you need to reuse baking sheets. 

Yield: about 28 ooey gooey brownie cookies 

**TIP- do NOT put batter into fridge in between batches. My second batch of cookies came out a little lumpy... husband says they still taste just as good, but aren't as nice looking as the first batch. 

Cookie on the right is from the first batch, and the cookie on the left is from the second batch (cooled batter). It also took about a minute longer to bake the second batch.

German Chocolate Cake for Pop

Today was my first attempt at a German Chocolate Cake. It took me a few hours start to finish, and after many sink-fulls of dishes and one failed attempt at the frosting/filling I am finally finished. I have to say that it wasn't quite as difficult as I expected, but it surely was no walk in the park either. 

The cake smelled so yummy when it was baking that I broke down and had to have a tiny taste.I haven't had chocolate in a few years, but I made an exception tonight by trying the bits that I had to trim off the top to make the cake level...WOW!

I sure know Pop will love his birthday cake tomorrow!

I'm including the recipe I used. My MIL gave me the recipe-- it came out of one of her cookbooks. I made 1/2 the original recipe and used 6 inch rounds. The recipe below is for  three 6 inch rounds.

Cake:

1/2 4 oz package German sweet chocolate
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup butter (softened)
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, separated
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/4 cups cake flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup buttermilk

Frosting:

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1/4 cup butter
1 egg yolk (beaten)
2/3 cup flaked coconut
1/2 cup chopped pecans  
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-3 squares semisweet chocolate  

Directions:

1. Line three greased 6 inch round pans with parchment paper. Grease and flour pans and set aside.

Quick tip for cutting parchment paper for layer cakes: 

Tear off one sheet of parchment paper

Fold parchment in 1/2 and then 1/2 again

Use sharp knife to trace around the pan and then cut through. You will have 4 rounds.

2. In a double broiler, melt chocolate with water and then set aside to cool. 

3. In stand mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in two egg yolks (one at a time) beating well after each addition. Blend in melted chocolate and vanilla. 

4. In a large bowl sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk. Blend well after each addition. (When adding my dry ingredients to my mixture in stand mixer I always use one of Doodle Bug's tiny cups. This allows you to add about 1/2 a cup at a time-- reducing flour spray all over the kitchen.)

Okay-- this is where it becomes a little complicated (unless you are a baller and own more than one stand mixer, but considering my husband and I are BOTH teachers... well-- I'll just have to roll up my sleeves and bust out the dish soap.  

5. I own one stand mixer, so after step 4 I had to rinse the large bowl I used to combine my dry ingredients, and then transfer my creamed mixture to the large bowl. Set bowl aside and wash and dry stand mixer bowl. 

6. In stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment beat 2 egg whites until stiff white peaks form (about 4-6 minutes). Fold 1/4 of the beaten egg whites into the creamed mixture. Fold in the remaining egg whites. While in the prep stages, after I separate the eggs, I always allow egg whites to come to room temperature  before beating. Room temperature eggs whites will beat better than cold egg whites.

7. Divide mixture evenly into prepared pans.

8. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool in pan for 10 or so minutes before removing to continue to cool on wire cooling racks. 

Frosting: (I'm including the way I used, because the directions from the original recipe resulted in sugary scrambled eggs for me)

1. In a small saucepan melt butter and set aside to cool. Whisk together yolk, sugar, and evaporated milk.

2. Heat mixture on low whisking CONSTANTLY until mixture thickens and is golden brown (this will take a few minutes... at least you will have a nice arm workout by the end!). Remove from heat.

3. Stir in coconut, pecans, and vanilla extract, and set aside to cool. 

Assembly: 

Level the cakes using a large serrated knife. Spoon frosting mixture between each layer and on top. Melt semisweet chocolate and drizzle down the sizes and top of cake. Sprinkle top with coconut and pecans. 

Slice and ENJOY!