Brownie Pudding Cake

This recipe showed up in my mailbox inside a Penzey's Spice magazine.

 It grabbed my attention because it's chocolate and saucy and chocolate. 

I browsed through the ingredients and instructions and came across the strangest instruction:

-Mix the remaining cocoa, brown sugar, and boiling water and pour over the cake batter- 

WHAT?!?!

  I gotta give this a try!

So here is the weirdest cake recipe you'll probably ever make. 

But somehow that dark watery mess on top of your cake batter going into the oven magically turns into a delicious gooey chocolate sauce on the bottom.

Plus you serve this cake hot from the oven so you don't have to wait to enjoy!

Brownie Pudding Cake

Penzey's Spice Magazine

1 c flour

2/3 c cocoa powder, divided

3/4 t baking powder

3/4 t salt

2 eggs

1 c sugar

6 T butter, melted and cooled

1/2 c milk

1 t vanilla

3/4 c brown sugar

1 1/3 c boiling water

In a large bowl sift flour, 1/3 c cocoa, baking powder, and salt.

In a separate bowl beat together eggs, sugar, butter, milk, and vanilla.

Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and mix well.

Spread batter into an ungreased 8x8 pan.

Mix the remaining cocoa, brown sugar, and boiling water until dissolved.

Pour over the batter.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 min, until a toothpick comes out with some crumbs, or it has risen and is pulling away from the sides of the pan. Do not overbake.

Serve hot and spoon some delicious saucy chocolatey goo over the pieces.

Soft-Baked Monster Cookies

 While looking for my standard monster cookies recipe, 

I came across this soft-baked version which sounded tasty. 

It's described as a peanut butter cookie with oats rather than an oatmeal cookie with peanut butter. Because it bakes likes a traditional peanut butter cookie, you need to flatten them before baking.

Soft-Baked Monster Cookies

adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction

1/2 c  butter

1/2 c brown sugar

3/4 c peanut butter

1 egg

1 t vanilla extract

1/2 t baking soda

1  1/4 c flour

1/2 c oats

3/4 c m&m's

1/2 c chocolate chips

Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy 
Mix in the peanut butter, egg, and vanilla. 

Add in the baking soda and flour. Do not overmix. 
Fold in the oats, m&m's, and chocolate chips. 
If the dough is very soft and unmanageable by hand, chill the dough for 30 minutes before rolling.
Scoop out balls of dough (about 2 T) onto prepared baking sheet. 
Press with fork or back of spoon to flatten. 
Bake for 9-10 minutes. Do not over bake. The cookies will appear undone.  
Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack. Cookies will firm up as they cool.

Tiramisu

Everyone should have a great tiramisu recipe in their repertoire. 

You just should! 

This one is altered from the back of the ladyfingers I bought. 

They are Alessi Savoiardi Cookies (I found them at Cub Foods) and it was a-mazing! 

It takes a little time, but the nice thing is that it tastes best the next day, so it's a great make-ahead dessert. 

And let's face it, it looks pretty darn impressive! 

Maybe you want to make it for Mother's Day?

Tiramisu

zabaglione cream

5 egg yolks

1/4 c sugar

1/2 c espresso

In the top of a double boiler, beat eggs and sugar together until it is pale yellow in color.

Gradually add espresso and beat continuously.

Scrape bottom and sides occasionally and cook 6-10 minutes or until soft mounds can be formed.

Remove from heat, cover with plastic wrap making sure to touch top of cream with the wrap to avoid a skin from forming.

1 c whipping cream

4 T sugar

1 lb mascarpone cheese (I substituted with 16 oz cream cheese + 1/2 c whipping cream + 5 T sour cream)

1 recipe of zabaglione (above)

3 c espresso or other strong brew coffee

1 T vanilla

1 14oz pkg of Savoiardi cookies (ladyfingers)

3 T cocoa powder

Whip cream with 2 T of sugar until soft peaks form.

Fold in mascarpone (or equivalent) and zabaglione and mix until well blended.

Cover and chill for 1 hour.

In a small bowl, mix espresso 2T sugar, and vanilla.

Arrange 16 cookies on bottom of a 9x13 pan. (i had to break a few to fill in spots)

Carefully spoon coffee mixture over each cookie so they are well saturated, but not falling apart. (about 2 T)

Spoon 1/3 of the cream mixture over the cookies.

Sprinkle with cocoa powder until covered. (works great through a sifter)

Repeat layers 2 more times, ending with cocoa.

Cover and refrigerate at least 5 hours, but best overnight so that the cookies can soften and absorb all that yumminess!

Cranberry-Pecan Tassies

'Tis the season for my favorite Christmas treat

--Pecan Tassies-- 

This year I decided to add cranberries.

I think it was a good decision.

Pecan Tassies

-crust-

1/2 c butter

3 oz cream cheese

1 c flour

beat butter and cream cheese until well mixed

add flour

roll into nickle-sized balls and press into mini muffin tins

bake at 350 for 10 min

-Filling-

1 egg

3/4 c brown sugar

1 T melted butter

1/2 c chopped pecans

24 cranberries

combine all ingredients

fill par baked crusts and make sure each has a cranberry in it

bake for 12-15 min until golden brown

makes 24 tassies

Chocolate Sheet Cake

 Here's an old time classic brought into the present by 
adding a little course sea salt. 

Oh Yeah.

Chocolate Sheet Cake

1/2 c butter
1/2 c coconut oil
1 cup coffee (or water or combo)
3 T cocoa powder
1 c sugar
2 c flour
1 t  baking soda
1 t salt
1/2 c buttermilk
2 eggs
1 t vanilla

frosting
6 T butter
6 T cream (or milk)
1/2 c sugar
1 c chocolate chips

In a small sauce pan combine butter coconut oil coffee/water, and cocoa and stir until melted.
In the bowl of a mixer whisk the flour and sugar then add the melted butter mixture and beat well.
Next add in the soda, salt, buttermilk, eggs and vanilla.
Pour into a greased jelly roll pan and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 min.

For the frosting, melt butter, cream and sugar and bring to a boil for 30 seconds.
Remove from heat and add chocolate chips. 
Stir until smooth then pour over cake.
Sprinkle with course sea salt and nuts.

Chocolate Cake

cold chocolate cake 

with whipped ganache filling 

covered in ganache.....need i say more?

Chocolate Cake

adapted from Ina Garten

-for the cake-

1 3/4 c flour

1 c sugar

3/4 c cocoa powder

2 t baking soda

1 t baking powder

1 t salt

1 c buttermilk, shaken

1/2 c oil

2 eggs, room temp

1 t vanilla

1 c hot coffee

-for the filling-

1/2 c cream

1/2 c chocolate chips

-for the frosting-

1 1/2 c cream

1 1/2 c chocolate chips 

-directions for the cake-

butter two 8-inch round cake pans.

line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans.

sift the dry ingredients into the bowl of mixer and mix on low speed until combined. 

in another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. 

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.

pour into the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes.

cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.

store in fridge until ready to assemble. can be done a day ahead of time.

-directions for the filling and frosting-

heat 2 cups of cream in a sauce pan until almost a simmer.

in two small bowls, measure out 1/2 c chocolate chips in one, and 1 1/2 chips in another.

once cream is heated, pour 1/2 c of cream into the 1/2c chips, and the rest into the 1 1/2c chips.

let chips melt for about 30 seconds, then stir both until combined and all the chocolate has melted.

for the whipped ganache, place melted cream/chocolate bowl into an ice bath and stir with a whisk until it lightens in color and resembles whipped cream. Do not over whip. spread between the cake layers.

for the frosting, stir until it cools down and is thick enough to stick to the cake and not run off. you may need to place in the fridge for a few minutes.but dont let it harden too much or you'll have fudge...really yummy fudge, but not what we are going for here!

pour it all on to the top of the cake and gently help it run down the sides by smoothing with an off-set spatula.

store in the fridge to 'set' the ganache.

Rice Pudding

I haven't made rice pudding in years....I guess I forgot about it. 

But, I had a craving the other day and this totally satisfied it!

It was even preferred over Dairy Queen ;)

Rice Pudding

1 c rice or brown rice*

1 c cream

1 c milk

1-15 oz can coconut milk

1 tsp salt

1/4 c sugar

2 t vanilla

cinnamon

Combine all ingredients except the vanilla and cinnamon in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil

lower to a simmer and stir occasionally until liquid is mostly absorbed (about 20 min)

remove from heat and stir in vanilla

garnish with cinnamon

tastes great warm or cold!

*cooking time will be longer with brown rice

Applesauce Snack Cake

A nice little cake to snack on, and it has no eggs!
Perfect for those days you want to make something, but realize you are out of eggs!

Applesauce Snack Cake
adapted from Allrecipes.com

1/2 c butter
1/2 c sugar
1 c applesauce
1 c flour
1 c whole wheat flour
1 T ground flax
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
2 t cinnamon
1/4 t ground clove
1/2 c walnuts

Cream butter and sugar.
Add applesauce.
Stir in flours, flax, soda, and spices.
Add walnuts.
Pour into a greased and floured 9x9 pan.
Bake at 350 for 40 min.

Summer Shortcake

This recipe comes from Martha and was quite easy to prepare, yet looks like you spent a lot of time! It is basically a sweet biscuit dough shaped into two large circles that you bake and layer with whipped cream and berries.
Give it a try!

Summer Shortcake
from Martha Stewart

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 8 ounces cold cream cheese, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 3/4 cup buttermilk, plus more for brushing
• Raw sugar or fine sanding sugar, for sprinkling
• 2 pints blueberries
• 2 pints strawberries, hulled (small berries left whole, large berries halved lengthwise)
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 cups (1 pint) heavy cream

1. Make the biscuits: Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a food processor, pulse flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until combined. Add butter, and pulse until largest pieces are the size of peas. Add cream cheese, and pulse again until largest pieces are the size of peas. Add buttermilk, and pulse until dough comes together. Transfer to a bowl, and gently knead into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap, and let rest in the refrigerator at least 1 hour (or overnight).

2. Divide dough in half. Working with one portion at a time on a lightly floured work surface, pat into a disk, then roll into a 10-inch round. Transfer to baking sheets lined with parchment paper.

3. Brush biscuits with buttermilk. Generously sprinkle raw or sanding sugar over tops and sides. Brush off sugar from parchment. Bake until dough has risen slightly and is golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes (if bottoms brown too quickly, reduce temperature to 400 degrees). Leave biscuits on sheets. Using a 2 1/2-inch star cutter, cut out (but do not remove) 7 stars from one biscuit while it is still warm. Let cool.

4. Using a paring knife, carefully remove star shapes. Reserve for snacking or another use. (Biscuits can be made up to 8 hours ahead; store on wire racks, and cover loosely with plastic wrap.)

5. Make the filling: Combine blueberries, strawberries, and 2 tablespoons sugar, and let macerate until juicy, 10 minutes.

6. Just before serving, beat cream to medium peaks with remaining tablespoon sugar and the vanilla.

7. Assemble the cake: Place uncut biscuit on a large plate. Spoon half the berries and their juices on top of biscuit, then spread the whipped cream over berries. Top with all but about 1/2 cup berries. (Make sure surface is even; it will support the top biscuit and prevent it from breaking.) Carefully place cutout biscuit on top. Fill star cutouts with reserved berries. Serve immediately, or refrigerate, uncovered, up to 3 hours.

Angel Food Cake

Not really even a recipe, but an easy summery dessert idea.

Throw together an angel food cake, this yummy cream cheese-whipped cream frosting,
and add some berries!
Light, tasty, easy!

Cheesecake Swirl Brownies

For those times you can't decide between brownies or cheesecake....make these!

Cheesecake Swirl Brownies

brownie:
6 oz chocolate chips
1/2 c butter
1 c sugar
3 eggs
1 t vanilla
3/4 t salt
3/4 c flour

mix above ingredients and pour into a greased 9x13.

cheesecake:
8 oz cream cheese
2/3 c sugar
2 t lemon juice
1 egg
1/2 t vanilla
1/4 t salt
2 T flour

combine and drop by spoonful over brownie mixture.
swirl with a knife.
bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 min.

Pecan Tassie

Another favorite holiday treat that I need to have at least once around the holidays.....Pecan Tassies!

Pecan Tassie

crust
1 c butter
6 oz cream cheese
2 c flour

filling
2 eggs
1 1/2 c brown sugar
2 T butter, melted
1 c pecans, chopped

for the crust:
Beat the butter and cream cheese.
Add the flour.
Roll into bouncy-ball sized balls and press into mini muffin tins.
Bake at 325 for 8 minutes.

for the filling:
Combine all ingredients.
Fill crust cups and bake another 20ish minutes, until tops look crackly.
Let cool and enjoy!

Pumpkin Roll

You gotta do this at least once this season. Such an impressive but easy holiday treat.

Pumpkin Roll
adapted from Libby's

3/4 c flour
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t ground cinnamon
1/2 t ground cloves
1/4 t salt
3 large eggs
1/2 c sugar
2/3 cup pumpkin puree

1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, at room temperature
1 c powdered sugar
1 t vanilla extract

FOR CAKE:
PREHEAT oven to 375° F. Grease 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan; line with wax paper. Grease and flour paper. Sprinkle a thin, cotton kitchen towel with powdered sugar.

COMBINE flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt in small bowl. Beat eggs and granulated sugar in large mixer bowl until thick. Beat in pumpkin. Stir in flour mixture. Spread evenly into prepared pan.

BAKE for 13 to 15 minutes or until top of cake springs back when touched. (If using a dark-colored pan, begin checking for doneness at 11 minutes.) Immediately loosen and turn cake onto prepared towel. Carefully peel off paper. Roll up cake and towel together, starting with narrow end. Cool on wire rack.

FOR FILLING:
BEAT cream cheese, 1 cup powdered sugar, and vanilla extract in small mixer bowl until smooth. Carefully unroll cake. Spread cream cheese mixture over cake. Reroll cake. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving, if desired.

Slice into 1 inch rolls.

Fudgy Pecan Pie Bars

Here's another big pan bar recipe good for feeding a crowd. It's like a pecan tassie, but in bar form and then you add some cocoa to the crust. Oh, and throw in some chocolate chips on top. It's a keeper!

Fudgy Pecan Pie Bars

crust:
2 c flour
3/4 c butter, softened
1/2 c brown sugar
1/4 c cocoa
1 t vanilla

filling:
4 eggs
1 c sugar
6 T butter, melted
2/3 c molasses
1 t vanilla
2 c chopped pecans
1/2 c chocolate chips

Combine crust ingredients until crumbly.
Press into cookie sheet or jelly roll pan.
Bake at 375 degrees for 18-20 minutes.
Meanwhile, beat eggs, sugar, melted butter, molasses, and vanilla until smooth.
Add pecans and chocolate chips.
Spread evenly over baked crust.
Bake again for about 15 minutes or until set.
Cool completely, about 1 hour.

Chocolate Chip Cookie

Tony was in the mood for chocolate chip cookies and found this recipe from America's Test Kitchen. ATK has never disappointed us yet with one of their recipes, and this is no exception. It is a bit putz-y, mind you, but it you have the time and are up for it, they'll be worth your effort!

Chocolate Chip Cookies
from America's Test Kitchen

10 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup sugar ( white)
3/4 cup dark brown sugar ( soft & fresh)
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 eggs
1 egg yolks
1 3/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees farenheit. Line two cookie sheets with parchment.
2. Take 10 tablespoons butter and melt and brown in in a metal pan, swirling mixture as milk solids in the butter begin to brown. Pour into a heat-proof bowl.
3. Add in 4 tablespoons cold butter and whisk until melted.
4. Whisk in the two types of sugar.
5. Whisk in the salt, vanilla and then the eggs.
6. IMPORTANT: Let mixture stand for three minutes and whisk again. REPEAT this process two more times.
7. Combine flour and baking soda. Stir into wet mixture with a large spoon until incorporated.
8. Stir in chocolate chips.
9. Place 3 tablespoons of dough into mounds 2" apart onto cookie sheets.
10. Place in center of the oven (only one sheet at a time) and bake for 11-14 minutes.
11. Remove from oven and let cookies cool ON THE SHEET for 30-60 minutes to ensure the ideal cookie.

Strawberry Pinwheel Shortcake

These are kind of a cross between a cinnamon roll and a biscuit. They're good for breakfast or brunch or even make for a good dessert. Sometimes I add a glaze on top or some whipped cream with the strawberries.

Strawberry Pinwheel Shortcake
America's Best Recipes

1 1/2 c flour
1 1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1/2 c shortening
1/2 c milk
1 T butter, melted
1/3 c brown sugar
2 T ground almonds
2 T cinnamon

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt.
Cut in shortening until mixture is crumbly.
Add milk, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened.
Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead 4-5 times.
Roll into a rectangle 11x8 inches.
Brush with melted butter.
Sprinkle with brown sugar, ground almonds, and cinnamon.
Roll up like a jelly roll and pinch seam closed.
Slice into 1 inch sections and place on baking sheet.
Bake at 425 degrees for 12-14 minutes.

Top with glaze or whipped cream and strawberries.

Cinnamon Roll Cake

If you are wondering if this tastes as good as it looks.....it does!
If you are wondering if you should make it......you should...right now!
Go preheat your oven to 350!

Cinnamon Roll Cake
adapted from Picky Palate

Cake

3 cups flour
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 ½ cups milk
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
3/4 stick real butter, melted

Topping

1 1/2 sticks real butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 T flour
1 T cinnamon
2/3 cups nuts, optional

Glaze

2 cups powdered sugar
5 T milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

For the cake:

In an electric or stand mixer mix the flour, salt, sugar, baking powder, milk, eggs and vanilla. Once combined well, slowly stir in melted butter.

Pour batter into a greased 9 x 13 inch baking pan.

For the topping:

In a large bowl, mix the softened butter, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and nuts.

Drop evenly over cake batter by the tablespoonfuls and use a knife to marble/swirl through the cake.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out nearly clean from center.

For the glaze:

Place powdered sugar, milk and vanilla in a large bowl.

Whisk until smooth.

Drizzle over warm cake.

Brownie-Peanut Butter-Ice Cream Cake

Here's what we had for Evan's birthday cake this year. He wanted something with chocolate and peanut butter, and we remembered this dessert from camp. It's super easy and super yummy!

There's not much of a recipe.

Bake a pan of your favorite brownies.
Let cool.
Spread with peanut butter.
Let it chill in the fridge for a while to harden up the peanut butter.
Spread with ice cream.
Cover and put it in the freezer.
When ready to serve, let it set out for 10 minutes, then drizzle (read: slather) with hot fudge. (I used my sister-in-law's recipe below)


Julie's Chocolate Sauce

1 c sugar
1/2 c butter
3/4 c water
1/4 c corn syrup
12 oz chocolate chips

Heat the 1st four ingredients in a saucepan on medium heat.
Stir constantly until a full boil (5-8 min.)
Boil for 3 minutes then remove from heat.
Add chocolate chips and beat with a whisk.

Berry Cobbler Pie Bars

Here is another big pan bar recipe. These are so nice when you need to feed a crowd!
These have a lemony-shortbread crust, a berry sour cream filling, and more shortbread crumbles on top! I thought they were yummy and very easy to make. Perfect for berry season which is coming up, but you can also use frozen berries, which makes this perfect anytime of year.

Berry Cobbler Pie Bars
joy the baker

Crust and Topping

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into cubes

zest of two lemons

Berry Filling

4 large eggs

2 cups sugar

1 cup sour cream

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

pinch of salt

2 (16-ounce) packages frozen mixd berries, defrosted and drained

(You can also use 6 cups of fresh berries, or 1 (16-ounce) package frozen berries and 3 cups of fresh berries)

To make the crust and topping-

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a half sheet baking pan (12×17-inch) with butter or cooking spray and set aside. If you use a 9×13-inch baking pan you’ll have thicker bars. Zest two lemons. Measure out the sugar onto a clean work surface. Rub the lemon zest into the sugar with a bench scraper or the back of a spoon. Rubbing the zest into the sugar will release oils from the zest and create a lemon scented sugar.

Combine lemon sugar, flour, salt and butter in an electric mixer fit with a paddle attachment. Beat the ingredients on medium speed until the mixture looks dry and crumbly.

Reserve 1 1/2 cups of the crust mixture to use as the topping. Press the remaining mixture into the bottom of the pan. Bake the crust for 12 to 15 minutes until it is golden brown. Let cool for 10 minutes while you make the filling.

To make the filling-

Whisk the eggs in a large bowl. Add the sugar, sour cream, flour and salt. Gently fold in the berries. Spoon the mixture evenly over the crust. You may have to distribute the berries evenly around.

Sprinkle the reserved crust mixture evenly over the filling. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes until the top is lightly browned. Cool for 1 hour before slicing.

**If you’re using frozen berries, be sure to defrost and drain the excess liquid. Place the frozen berries on a plate in the refrigerator overnight. They’re defrosted and ready for bar baking!