Chocolate & Salted Caramel Cake

So, last week was my birthday.  And you know what that means:  

B I R T H D A Y   C A K E ! ! ! 

I did my research and decided on this sweet and salty number.  It was pretty amazing.   And very rich.  I suggest either a strong cup of coffee to enjoy with it or a glass of milk.  The cake is very moist, rich, dark and chocolaty.  And then you spread caramel on top of each layer.  And then slather salted caramel chocolate frosting on top of each layer as well as frost the cake altogether.  Definitely make it a day ahead of time and keep refrigerated.  You will not be disappointed.

Chocolate & Salted Caramel Cake

 Cake Ingredients:

3/4 Cup Cocoa Powder
1 and 1/4 Cup Hot Water
2/3 Cup Sour Cream
2 and 2/3 Cup All-Purpose Flour
2 Teaspoons Baking Soda
1 Teaspoon Salt
3/4 Cup Butter (unsalted), softened
1/2 Cup Shortening
1 and 1/2 Cup White Sugar
1 Cup Brown Sugar
2 Large Eggs, room temp
1 Teaspoon Vanilla

Step 1:  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Prepare two 9-inch round cake pans.  I use silpats in the bottom of mine - but you can grease and flour the pans instead.

Step 2:  In a bowl, combine the sour cream and cocoa powder.  Slowly stir in the hot water.  Stir together until well blended.  Set aside until needed later.

Step 3:  In large mixing bowl, add the butter and shortening - beat until smooth and well combined.  Then add the white sugar and brown sugar and beat again until smooth and fully incorporated.
Step 4:  In a seperate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Step 5:  This is where you will combine the flour mixture and cocoa mixture with the creamed mixture.  To being, add 1/2 the flour and incorporate until well blended.  Add 1/2 the cocoa mixture and mix well.  Add remaining flour mixture and mix well.  Add remaining cocoa mixture and mix well.  Be sure to always scrape down the bowl between additions.

Step 6:  Divide the batter among the baking pans and bake for 25-35 minutes.  Ovens may vary, so be sure to test for doneness.  Once baked, remove from oven and cool completely.

Caramel Ingredients:

1 Can of Dulce de Leche (I buy mine at our local grocery store in the Hispanic section)



If you cannot find this product, you will want to use a very thick yet soft caramel.

Chocolate & Salted Caramel Ingredients:

1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 LB Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
1 and 1/2 Cup Heavy Cream
2 Cups Butter (slightly softened, but yet cool and cut into tablespoon chunks)

Step 1:  Add the chocolate chips to a large mixing bowl as well as 1/2 the can of dulce de leche.

Step 2:  Heat the cream in a small saucepan until boiling.  Add the salt and stir to combine.

Step 3:  Carefully pour the cream over the chocolate chips and caramel.  Cover the bowl and let stand for 5 minutes.
Step 4:  Uncover the bowl and stir the mixture with a large spatula/rubber scraper.  Stir until combined, but don't fret about getting it fully incorporated.  Just stir it enough to get it mixed up - then beat it with the electric mixer until smooth.  Start on low and slowly increase the speed to medium and beat for roughly 5 minutes, until it is fully cohesive and incorporated.  Next, while the mixer is still on medium speed - add one tablespoon of butter and beat until well combined.  Continue to add the butter, 1 piece at a time and incorporated, until all the butter has been added.  Continue to beat for approximately 5 minutes until fluffy and smooth. Refrigerate until ready for cake assembly.

To Assemble the Cake:

Step 1:  Chill the cake layers for at least a few hours.  This will really help you with the assembly.

Step 2:  Carefully slice each layer in half to make 4 rounds.  I should have take pictures, but I didn't (bad blogger!).  To do so, take a ruler and mark 1/2 up the side of the cake and insert a toothpick.  Do this four times around the cake (spaced as if there were a north, south, east and west).  Carefully, with a sharp serrated knife, score the cake by "connecting the toothpicks" with the knife. Once you've made that score, carefully slice through the cake.  You will know have two pieces.  Repeat this process with the other cake.

Step 3:  Place one cake on a large plate or cardboard round.  Carefully spread 1/3 of the caramel (dulce de leche) across the top of the cake.  To make it easy spread, you can heat it up a little bit in the microwave or a saucepan.  Next, spread about 1 cup of the frosting on top of the caramel.  Do not spread to the edges - only go about 1/2 from the edge.  The frost will disperse itself when you add the next layer of cake.

Step 4: Place the next cake round on top of the first frosted round.  Repeat the above steps by spreading on the caramel and then the cake.  You will do this again with the next layer.  Once you have three layers of cake topped with the caramel and frosting, add the last cake layer.

Step 5:  Frost the sides of the cake sparingly (crumb coat).  I recommend using an offset spatula if you have one.  Then, frost the top the cake sparingly.  Once it looks smooth, frost the cake again with the remaining frosting - starting with the sides and finishing with the top of the cake.

Step 6:  Decorate the cake at one's own will. It would be beautiful with some chocolate shavings.  We decided to pipe out some words on it :)

Keep this cake in the fridge!  The frosting is very delicate.  Let it come to room temp to serve.  Enjoy.
And  .. . Happy Birthday to Me :)

Oatmeal Breakfast Bars

I have this love of oatmeal that is in-explainable.  I am at a loss of words for how I feel about it.  It makes me who I am today.  It completes me.  

Although, I must admit . . .I don't like prepared oatmeal aka a bowl of mush.  Yuck.  Can't stand it (it's a texture thing).   I do enjoy oatmeal in all other forms though:  granola, pancakes, cookies, breads, muffins, etc etc etc.  

And thus, I was searching for a new breakfast option.  The protein bars I so love are a little bit spendy.  So, I thought I would try to find something else to have for breakfast.  I'm not a health nut by any means.  But, I do love oatmeal and I like something sweet in the mornings.  As well, it must keep me full until lunch time.  These seem to fit the ticket for me.  I tweaked this recipe.  Next time, I may try to sub some applesauce in place of the oil.

Oatmeal Breakfast Bars

Ingredients:

4 Cups Oatmeal

1.5 Cups Flour

1 Cup Brown Sugar

1/2 Cup White Sugar

1 Teaspoon Cinnamon

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

4 Eggs

3/4 Cup Canola Oil

3/4 Cup Raisins

3/4 Cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

3/4 Cup Coconut Flakes (unsweetened)

Step 1:  Preheat oven to 350 degree Fahrenheit.  Measure out the dry ingredients into a large bowl (oatmeal, flour, both sugars, salt and cinnamon).  Stir together to combine.

Step 2:  Add the eggs and oil to the dry ingredients.  It may be a little tough to mix together using a spoon - I  ended up using my hands to mix it all together.

Step 3:  Add in the raisins, chocolate chips and coconut.  Mix well.  Holy Moly . .. does this look good already or what?!?!?!?!

Step 4:  Spray a 9x13 cake pan and press mixture into the pan.

Bake for 20-25 minutes - until it is slightly puffy and the edges are starting to turn golden.

I cut the pan into 24 bars.  1 bar = 240 calories, 2 grams fiber and 5 grams of protein.  And they are delicious!!!

Deviled Eggs

Every once in while you might crave a little super-simps savory treat.  This fits that ticket:  Deviled Eggs. No occasion needed.  

Deviled Eggs

Ingredients:

6 or 7 Hard Boiled Eggs, Peeled and Silced in Half

4 Tablespoons Mayonnaise

1 Teaspoon (generous) Yellow Mustard 

1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper

Step 1:  Place mustard and mayonnaise in a small bowl.  

Step 2:  Remove the yolks from the eggs and add to the bowl with the mayo/mustard.  Mash together until smooth.  Add pepper and mix thoroughly.

Step 3:  Carefully divide the mixture among the egg whites.  I like to use my little scooper.  It makes it go quickly and cleanly and seems to measure out the perfect amount!  If you don't have a scoop, you can use a spoon.  

Viola!  Deviled Eggs:

Optional Step 4:  Garnish!  I typically sprinkle the deviled eggs with paprika.  But why stop there?  You can garnish with almost anything.  The sky is the limit!  In the below photo I garnished each with paprika and two of each with the following:  bacon bits, black sesame seeds, green onion, capers, parsley, broccoli and salami.  Now, that's what I call a sampler!

Avocado Salad

Another beautiful day, another reason to enjoy a great salad.  This recipe is slightly adapted from Cook's Country Guacamole Salad.  I slightly modified it to make it work for my family's tastes.  This goes great with a nice juicy steak or along side grilled chicken.  

Avocado Salad

Ingredients

2 Roma Tomatoes, diced

4 Green Onions, sliced

1 Teaspoon Chopped Garlic

1/4 Cup Lime Juice

1/4 Cup Olive Oil

1 Poblano Chili, seeded and sliced into matchsticks

2 or 3 Avacados, pitted, skinned and cubed

1 Tablespoon Dried Cilantro or 1/4 Cup Finely Chopped Fresh Cilantro

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

1/2 Teaspoon White Pepper 

Step 1:  Make the Dressing.  Combine the garlic, lime juice, cilantro, salt and pepper in a large bowl.  Let stand for 5 minutes and then whisk in the oil until well blended.

Step 2:  Toss the Salad.  Add chiles, avocados, tomatoes and green onion to the bowl.  Toss gently to combine.  Season with additional salt and pepper as needed.

Sugar Cookie Bars

Oh my, my . . .these bars are simply divine.  And cute.  And easy.  I found the recipe via Pinterest . . it was the first recipe I had ever tried from Pinterest. . . .and I've since made it multiple times.  They are that good.  The recipe was via a blog called A Little Bit Crunchy  A Little Bit Rock and Roll. When I had done a quick Pinterest search, a bazillion hits came up with these sugar cookie bars . . .and not all from the same source.  So, I looked at a quite a few - and they were all the same.  Usually, it was just the frosting recipe that varied.  Could all these people be wrong?  

Be sure to bust out your fat pants - because these are (in the words of the dearly departed Robert Palmer) SIMPLY IRRESISTIBLE!  

Sugar Cookie Bars

Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

5 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Directions:

1. Cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy. 

2. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. 

3. Meanwhile, mix the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl. 

4. Add the vanilla to the creamed mixture and then slowly add the dry ingredients.

5. Press into a greased 13 x 18 inch pan (jelly roll pan) and bake at 375F for 10-15 minutes.

6. Cool and frost (see directions below).

Frosting Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup shortening

1 teaspoon vanilla

pinch of salt

4 cups powdered sugar

5 tablespoons of milk

food coloring (optional)

sprinkles (optional)

Directions:

1. In a mixing bowl, beat the shortening and butter until creamy. 

2. Add the vanilla and powdered sugar. 

3. Gradually add the 5 tablespoons of milk until you reach your desired constancy.

4. Frost the bars and decorate at own will.

Dulce de Leche Chocolate Truffles

The son of a friend of ours recently graduated high school.  And guess where he is going to college . . . .to my Alma mater!  I'll give you a hint . . . 

"Hail the Bison, Hail the Bison .. . ."

Still no clue?  Well, it's North Dakota State University.  And I'm pretty excited that he is going there.  Well, I'm excited when anyone I know decides to go to school there - not just him.

To celebrate, I made some truffles in school colors:  Green and Gold.  

How could I resist?  

I've made thousands of truffles . . .I've been rolling them now for almost 20 years.  I certainly have my favorite recipes.  however, whenever it comes to summertime - I get a little nervous about the weather:  specifically the heat and the humidity.  

And then I had a thought.  I love this blog - Hungry Happenings - this lady is my hero.  She makes such cool stuff .. .and is so incredibly creative!  I've had my eye on this recipe for a while.  I was intrigued by using the dulce de leche . . .and wondered if it could double as a filling for a truffle.  And so I tried it.  And it was wonderful.  

And don't be intimidated by these tasty morsels - they are very easy to make!  

Dulce de Leche Chocolate Truffles

Yield:  approx. 40 truffles using a 1-inch scoop

Ingredients for the Truffle Centers:

1 (13.4 oz) can of Dulce de Leche (I found it in the Hispanic section of our grocery store)

14 oz Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Ingredients for Coating:

1 lb and 4 oz of Vanilla Candy Coating

Optional:  Colored Candy Coating for decorating

To make the truffle centers:  

Step 1:  In a double-boiler, melt the the chocolate chips.  

Step 2:  Once the chocolate is melted and smooth, add in the Dulce de Leche.  Keep stirring until it is completely blended.  This may take a little work, but it will come together. Cover and let rest for about a 1/2 hour.

Step 3:  Line two baking sheets with wax paper.

Step 4:  Pinch off small pieces of the chocolate dough or use a small scoop.  Roll it into a ball.  Experiment with a variety of sizes to decide what size you like best.  I have a small, 1-inch scoop that I've used for years.   With your hands, roll the dough into a smooth ball and the place on the wax paper.  Repeat until all dough is rolled into balls.

To Dip:

Step 1:  In a double-boiler, melt the vanilla candy coating until smooth.  Let it cool down until you can easily touch it without it being too hot.   You want it to be fluid and warm, not hot.  

Step 2:  Dip each chocolate ball into the white coating (one at a time).  I like to do so by tipping the bowl slightly side-ways, tossing the ball in it, retrieving it with a fork and then tapping the fork to remove any excess coating.  Place on wax paper to set.  Repeat until are truffle centers are coated.

Step 3:  Decorate at own will :)  I melted a little green candy coating and also gold candy coating to drizzle atop the candies.  

Brownie Sundaes in a Mug

BEWARE:  Addictive Recipe Below . . .And Not-Very-Good Photos!  EVIL and ADDICTING!

Okay.  That's my PSA for the week.

We've all seen them:  recipes in a mug / single serve recipes / cooked in the microwave.  Yeah yeah yeah.  So, I finally gave in and tried one out.   I always thought that I never would.  I have a family.  Why would I need a single-serve ANYTHING??  Especially a brownie!  The fam would kill me if I didn't make a whole pan for them to devour.

And then opportunity knocked.  Or perhaps just shut the door.  As in, the teenager was gone for a few days and the little was already asleep for the night.  And hubby wanted something sweet to eat.

Hello . . .. Google search!  And here is where it lead me:  http://www.lovefromtheoven.com.  Specifically, http://www.lovefromtheoven.com/2012/07/14/brownie-a-la-anytime-single-serving-brownies-made-in-the-microwave/ .

E.V.I.L.

I warned you.  But if you still want to move forward . . .here is the recipe with very little tweeks.  All credit really goes to the blog above.  I didn't really change much.

Brownie Sundae in a Mug

4 Tablespoons Flour

2 Tablespoons Sugar

Pinch Of Salt

1/8 teaspoon Baking Powder

2 Tablespoons Cocoa Powder

1 Tablespoon Melted Butter

1.5 Tablespoons Oil (such as vegetable, canola or coconut)

1 Tablespoon Water

1/4 Teaspoon Vanilla

1 Tablespoon Chocolate Chips

Melt the butter in your favorite mug via the microwave (took mine about 20 seconds).  Add the remaining ingredients and stir well.  

Scrap the sides down and press firmly into the mug.  Microwave for about 1 minute.  Then check for your desired done-ness.  I nuked mine in-total for 90 seconds.  Please note, it will be very hot!!!  Let cool for 5 minutes.   Not too pretty .. . but I warned you!

To serve, top with HUGE scoop of ice cream.  Eat slowly . . .it's delicous.  So delicious, we had them not just one night . . .but two nights in a row.  SHHHHHHHHHHHHhh . . .don't tell the kids!!!