A Child Like Cake with a Twist: Vanilla Chocolate Chip Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

So July is a particularly busy birthday month in my office, literally 5 within 2 1/2 weeks, which is a good thing cause I need to bake to take my mind off of all the life changes occuring. 

 Lots of big girl changes this week!  It's crazy to be at the point in life where your are having to make serious, life changing decisions.  Work is just crazy, but awesome at the same time. Do you know those times where things just keep spinning and nothing is really certain until its actually happening?  Strange, I know, but that's what is happening. 

Then, the bomb dropped this week and my bestie, who I have worked with for the past two years, is moving to Birmingham of all places.  Thing is, I couldn't be happier for her.  Yes, I will miss her lots, really tons, but this is an amazing opportunity and now I have someone to visit in Alabama!  Seriously though, I go from sad to happy all in the same minute when I think about her moving for this new position.  (I know there are a lot of run-on sentences right here and I don't care.)

Okay then, back to the cake.  The first birthday cake request for July was as follows:

--some kind of chocolate icing or else a light & not too sweet icing

--strawberries or blueberries

--layers!

This is what I came up with...two layers of  vanilla chocolate chip cake, with a whipped cream, strawberry and blueberry filling, then covered with a light and fluffy chocolate buttercream frosting.  I hope this cake fits the bill, because I had a great time making it.

Starting at the top going clockwise:  chopped chocolate chips tossed with flour, dry ingredients and wet ingredients

Dry and wet ingredients combined.

Cakes waiting to go in to the oven to bake up in to deliciousness.

Yum!

Bottom layer, with top cut off, so the top layer will lay flat and make frosting the cake easier.

Bottom layer topped with whipped cream.

Berries, berries and more berries!

Light, fluffy chocolate buttercream frosting.

The cake ready to be eaten, but for now into the refrigerator.

Vanilla Chocolate Chip Cake:  (adapted from Magnolia Bakery Vanilla Cupcake Recipe)

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

2 cups sugar

4 large eggs at room temperature

1 1/2 cups self-rising flour

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips, chopped or 1/2 cup mini semi sweet chocolate chips

1.  Pre-heat oven to 350 degree F.  Spray two 9 inch cake pans with non-stick cooking spray and lightly flour.

2.  In a large mixing bowl, with a whisk, cream butter until well beaten and fluffy.  Whisk in sugar until well combined.

3.  Whisk eggs in one at a time in to the creamed butter and sugar.

4.  In a separate mixing bowl, combine flours.

5.  Measure out milk and vanilla.

6.  Starting and ending with flours, alternate adding the flour and milk mixture to the wet ingredients, mix just until combined. Do not over mix.

7.  In another small bowl, lightly coat the chocolate chips with flour.  This will help them to not fall to the bottom of the cake while baking.  Then gently fold the chocolate chips in to the cake batter.

8.  Pour batter in to prepped cake pans and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until tester comes out clean.  Let cakes cool for 20 minutes, then carefully remove the cakes to a cooling rack, to cool all the way before frosting.

9.  Once cakes have cooled, pick out the one that is the flattest and using a serrated knife cut off the top to make it flat.  This will be the bottom layer of cake.

Filling: Whipped Cream and Berries:

1 cup heavy cream, cold

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 medium strawberries

2 handfuls of blueberries

1.  In a medium mixing bowl, using an electric mixer on high, beat the first three ingredients together until peaks form.

2.  Slice strawberries and lay on a paper towel to dry, wash and let blue berries dry on a paper towel.

3.  Place bottom layer of cake, that has been "flattened" on cake stand.  Spread whipped cream evenly over cake and then top with the strawberries and blue berries. 

4.  Place top layer of cake on and then place the cake in the refrigerator while making frosting.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting: (from Magnolia Bakery)

1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

2 tablespoons milk

9 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled to lukewarm

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups powdered sugar

1.  Using a double boiler(I use a metal mixing bowl over a medium sauce pan filled 1/3 full of water) over medium-low heat, melt semi sweet chocolate.  Remove from heat and let cool to lukewarm or room temperature.

2.  In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter until light and fluffy, approximately 1-2 minutes.

3.  Add in the milk and beat until well incorporated and smooth.

4.  Add the melted chocolate and beat for another 1-2 minutes.  Then add in the vanilla and beat until well combined. 

5.  On a lower speed, one cup at a time, beat in the powdered sugar until desired consistency.  This should turn out to be very light and fluffy and not too chocolaty.

6.  Remove cake from the refrigerator and carefully frost.  I place parchment paper under the edges of the cake to keep the cake stand surface clean.  Just gently pull these out when done frosting.  If you will not be eating the cake right away place in the refrigerator until 10 minutes before serving.  Enjoy!

An ice cream you might just want to eat for breakfast

Its summer and for some reason, I think it goes all the way back to when I was a kid, I just crave ice cream in the summer.  In the summer, I Am even less picky about my ice cream flavor as long as it is smooth, creamy and delicious. 

So, the back story here is that four summers ago, for my 21st birthday, my friend Meghan gave me an ice cream maker.  Well the ice cream maker never made it out of the box until this past weekend.  I know terrible friend, right.  There are so many wonderful different ice cream recipes I should have tried my hand at over the past four years, and yet this is the first time I have ever made homemade ice cream all by myself. 

So here goes nothing...it is 4th of July weekend, my mom is in town, lets make some ice cream....

....well it turned out creamy, cinnamoney if I do say so myself, and I do delicious.

Sugar and egg yolks combined.

My oatmeal ingredients hanging out while the milk comes to a boil.

 

Oatmeal, cinnamon and salt right after being added to the boiling milk.

Cinnamon, milky oatmeal ready to go.

Oatmeal added to the yolks and sugar.

The finished product, cinnamon oatmeal ice cream!

Cinnamon Oatmeal Ice Cream:  adapted from grandparents.com

3/4 cup sugar

3 large egg yolks

2 cups skim milk

1/2 cup oats, not instant

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 heaping teaspoon cinnamon

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1.  In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar and yolks until well combined.

2.  In a medium sauce pan, bring milk to a boil.  Add in oats, cinnamon and salt.  Let simmer for 12-15 minutes over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until the oatmeal is thick and creamy.  (Note: Do NOT scrape the bottom of the pan; the milk will most likely have created a film on the bottom of the pan.  If you do have some of this dark brown film come off of the pan just remove it from the oatmeal before adding to the yolks and sugar.  Do not worry about small pieces, they will ultimately blend in to the ice cream and no one will know they were ever there.)

3.  Whisk 1/4 cup of oatmeal in to the sugar-yolk mixture to temper the eggs.   Then, whisk in one more 1/4 cup of oatmeal to the mixture.  Slowly add the remaining oatmeal to the mixture.  Let cool for 5-10 minutes.

4.  Once mixture has cooled slightly,  whisk in the heavy cream and refrigerate until cold, 2+ hours or overnight.

5.  Stir the chilled custard and then freeze in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instruction.  If you have the small Cuisinart ice cream/sorbet/yogurt maker it only takes about 20-30 minutes.  For firmer ice cream, transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze at least 2 hours.  Enjoy!

S'mores Brownies, a tribute to a summer bonfire on a beach

Sometimes life is like a dream and you really have to pinch yourself to check that you aren't dreaming.  Then when you can feel that pinch, you ask a friend to pinch you just to double check.  Last week was one of those weeks that you replay a few times in your mind because even though there were stressful times at work, the fun times definitely out weighed them in end.  It was one of those weeks where you really like your job and can't remember why you don't always.  

To remember the best work trip ever I wanted to make a dessert to represent a night spent on a beach, in Key Largo, making s'mores by a bonfire with our entire company of 30 people.  I told you I thought I was dreaming.  P.S. this is only post 1 for desserts to remember nights, post 2 will involve limes, its summer, we were in the keys, so yeah... (Oh Key Largo) 

FYI: I love pictures of things neatly organized into bowls or baskets.  Its like each ingredient has its own little home and is just waiting to get to hangout with the others in a big bowl, when it gets to be just the right time. 



Yummy vanilla added to the sugars and eggs





Wet ingredients and graham crackers hanging out waiting for the chocolate and butter to melt into tasty deliciousness.  (That's my toaster oven in the background...don't be jealous, I've had it since freshmen year of college.)



Melting the chocolate and butter in a double boiler.  I kind of just want to eat an entire spoonful of this, but I must resist because delicious brownies are on there way.

 Just fold in the graham crackers and pour into a 9 x 13" pan.

 Then top with marshmallows.

These brownies come out light and almost fluffy for brownies. They are not overly rich, the graham crackers retain their texture and the marshmallows stay slightly gooey even once cool.  Great with a large glass of milk!

S'mores Brownies: (adapted from Joy the Baker)

1 1/4 cup light brown sugar

3/4 cup sugar

5 large eggs or 1 1/4 cup egg substitute

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)

6 ounces (3/4 cup) semi sweet chocolate chips

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cup graham crackers, roughly crushed using your hands, about 4 whole graham crackers

12 campfire size marshmallows

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Spray a 13 x 9" cake pan with non-stick cooking spray.

2.  In a large mixing bowl, whisk together sugars, eggs and vanilla until well combined.

3.  In a smaller mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt.

4.  Using a double boiler,  (I use a metal mixing bowl over a medium sauce pan filled with 1" of water) over medium-low heat stir the butter and chocolate until melted and smooth. 

5.  Whisk 1/2 cup of melted chocolate mixture in to the sugar mixture to temper the batter.  Then, slowly whisk in remaining chocolate mixture until well combined. 

6.  Whisk the flour in to the wet ingredients until just combined.

7.  Gently fold the graham crackers into the batter.  Then pour the batter into prepared 9 x 13" pan.

8.  Top with marshmallows and bake in the center of the oven for 35 - 40 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.  Enjoy!

Cranberry Orange Oatmeal Cookies

I just wanted to bake.  I needed to bake.  It has been one of those weeks where I wanted to think about nothing for an hour.  I just wanted to take some time, whisk together ingredients, take my mind off of life and bake up something delicious.  Cookies are easy and they make me smile.  When they are freshly baked, they are warm, chewy and remind me of home.  These cookies have twist, they are sugar and dairy free, and I hope you enjoy!

Cranberry Orange Oatmeal Cookies: (makes a small batch, 12-15 cookies)

1/2 cup vegan butter, softened, such as Earth Balance

1/2 agave nectar (for sweetening)

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

The zest from one orange

1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats

3/4 cup orange flavored dried cranberries or regular dried cranberries (Trader Joe's sells orange flavored cranberries)

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

2.  In a large mixing bowl, cream together vegan butter and agave nectar.  Whisk in the egg and vanilla extract until well combined.

3.  In another mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt.

4.  Combine flour mixture into the butter-sugar mixture.  Whisk the zest of one orange into the dough.

5.  Using a spatula, fold in the oats and dried cranberries.  If the dough is runny, refrigerate for 30 minutes.

6.  Scoop dough onto lined cookie using a cookie scoop or a tablespoon and bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove from oven and let cool on a cooling rack.  Enjoy!

Cuatro Leches Cake

I like throwing parties, its as simple as that.  I like the planning: the small details,  timing everything out, deciding on the food and drinks, picking out and setting up any decorations, even the stress of getting everything done before the first guest arrives.  Parties, gatherings, celebrations, etcs. are my thing!  So, since I missed one of my BFF's actual birthday I wanted to throw her party. (Again, Happy Birthday Meghan!  Two birthday cakes in one year.) 

I just happen to have this huge mint plant randomly growing in my backyard, so that helped me decide the drink for the night...Mojitos.  This got me to thinking, what goes well with mojitos, what do I want to be indulging in while I am drinking my ice cold delicious cocktail?  Empanadas! And Cuban chicken, chips, salsa and guacamole, lets have a salad for some green and last but not least a birthday cake for the occasion, tres leches cake with fruit.  (Which became cuatro leches cake while I was making it.)

*Warning this cake is rich, creamy and pretty darn delicious.  You will only really need a small piece.  So, make the cake, invite some friends over to share it with, and maybe if you feel like it make a pitcher of mojitos.

Cuatro Leches Cake:

Batter in the pan waiting for the oven.

Cake cooling, waiting to be covered with the delicious creamy, milky glaze.

So, we dove in and I didn't get a picture of the cake before half of it was gone. 

The Cake Batter: (adapted from Alton Brown's tres leche cake)

1/4 cup or 1/2 stick unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup sugar

3 large eggs, room temperature

3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 1/3 cups all purpose flour, plus extra for pan

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup skim milk, room temperature

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Spray with nonstick cooking spray and flour a 8 x 8 inch nonstick pan.

2.  In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar.  Add in the eggs, one at a time until well incorporated.  Whisk in vanilla extract and set aside.

3.  In another mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt.

4.  Add the flour mixture and milk to the sugar-butter mixture, alternating between flour and milk, mixing between the addition of each.  Begin and end with flour.  Batter will seem thick.

5.  Pour batter into an 8 x 8" pan and smooth out to make even.  Bake for 40 - 45 minutes or until tester comes out clean, checking after 30 minutes.  The middle of the cake should be somewhat firm. 

6.  Remove from oven and let cool on a baking rack.  After 30 minutes, using a fork or skewer poke holes all over top of cake.  Prepare the glaze.

For the glaze:

1/2 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk

1/2 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

1/2 cup half-and-half

1.  Mix all three ingredients together in a large measuring cup, or any bowl with a spout.

2.  Once cake has completely cooled, pour glaze over the top of the cake.

3.  Let cake refrigerate for 8 hours or over night.

For the topping:

1 cup heavy cream, cold

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1.  In a large mixing bowl, using a hand mixer, mix together all three ingredients.  Start the mixer on a lower speed and gradually bring up to a high speed.  Mix until soft peaks form. 

2.  Right before serving, spread the whipped cream over the top of the cake.

3.  Serve with an assortment of mixed fruit on the side.  I used diced peaches, strawberries and blueberries.  Enjoy!

This is Cake, no wait its actually a Pie Cake, well to be exact it is a Key Lime Pie Cake

This was a challenge, no questions asked, by a birthday girl that I met in 7th grade and now work with, and beside, party with, gossip, etc.  She started by saying she would like a key lime cake, and then it some how morphed, grew legs and arms and became a cake with an entire key lime pie in the middle.

I might have even said at one point if I can pull this off I should just quit, give my two weeks notice and become a real time baker.  A friend said if I can pull this off, I should take the cake and other treats directly to the bank, let them try them and ask for a loan. 

Well the cake turned out...it didn't fall apart.  It is two moist layers of rich graham cracker cake with an entire key lime pie with its own graham cracker crust in the middle topped with Cool Whip, because everything is better with Cool Whip and really what kind of icing goes on a key lime pie cake?

Happy 25th Birthday Meghan!  I hope you liked the pie-cake, cake-pie?

Key Lime Pie Cake:

 The bottom layer of graham cracker cake, awaiting its friend, the key lime pie.

Hello friend.

To prep for this graham crackery goodness, using a food processor, I took 4 packages of graham crackers, one package at a time, and pulsed them all until completely broken down.

Key Lime Pie: (recipe by Emeril Lagasse)
Graham Cracker Crust
1 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup sugar
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick butter), melted

Pie Filling
2 cans (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
1 cup lime juice
2 large eggs

1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2.  First prepare a 9 inch cheese cake pan.  Measure out parchment so there is excess hanging out side of pan.  Then fold the paper in half and cut a circle in the middle of the paper so that when placed on top of the bottom of the cheesecake pan there is still an inch of paper left around the outside of the pan.  It will look like the parchment paper is framing the bottom of the pan.  Then close up the cheesecake pan with parchment paper in place.  Spray with non-stick cooking spray.

3.  In a mixing bowl, using your hands, combine butter, sugar and graham cracker crumbs.  Press into the bottom of the cheesecake pan, on top of the parchment paper, in an even layer.  Bake for 18 minutes.  Then remove from oven and allow to come to room temperature.

4.  Reduce oven temperature to 325 degree F.

5.  Prep key lime pie.  In another mixing bowl, combine sweetened condensed milk, lime juice and eggs.  Pour into cooled pie crust.  Bake for 15 minutes.

6.  Allow pie to come to room temperature.  Then allow it to chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or over night.

*I made the key lime pie the night before, so as to not have to make pie and cakes all at the same time.

Graham Cracker Cake: (adapted from Better Homes and Gardens http://www.bhg.com/recipe/layer-cakes/graham-cracker-cake/)
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 large eggs, at room temperature
3 1/3 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup all purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 tub Cool Whip
1 lime

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degree F.  Spray and flour two 9 inch cake pans.

2.  In a large mixing bowl, using a whisk, cream softened butter with sugar.

2. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time with the vanilla extract.

3.  In a seperate mixing bowl, whisk together the graham cracker crumbs, flour, baking powder and salt.

4.  Add the flour and milk to the sugar-butter mixture, alternating between flour and milk, mixing between the addition of each.  Begin and end with the flour mixture.

5.  Divide the batter between two 9 inch cake pans and bake for 22-25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

6.  Remove cakes from the oven and let cool on a cooling rack for 30 minutes, then remove from pans and let them finishing cooling.

To Assemble:
1.  Place one layer of graham cracker cake on cake stand or carrier. 

2.  Then carefully remove the key lime pie from pan.  To pick the pie up, I slid two chef's knives, flat side down, under the pie and parchment paper, and carefully picked up and placed the pie on top of the bottom layer of cake.  You will be able to adjust the pie slightly if not directly in the center.  Tear the parchment paper on one side and remove from between layer.

3.  Next carefully place top layer of cake on top of the pie.  Warning, once it ha been placed you will not be able to re-adjust this cake layer.  Refrigerate cake until just before serving.  If you are transporting the cake, I recommend placing the ring of the cheesecake pan back around the layered cake and locking in place.

4.  Top pie with Cool Whip and lime zest just before serving.  Enjoy!