Frozen Cherry Ganache Cake

Boys/Men are the hardest to come up with gifts for. Every year at Christmas, it's a no-brainer that my Dad and little brother (who's no longer that little) get at least one box each of chocolate covered cherries. They practically inhale those things with their minds.

But what do you do when their birthdays fall earlier in the year, when you're wishing for something slightly refreshing but still packed with that decadent chocolate-cherry combination? Frozen ganache cake, that's what.

This is another one of those ice cream-esque cakes that melts a little differently than regular ice cream but is so rich and creamy. The cherries cut beautifully in the center layer, making for a very eye-catching presentation. Perfect to wow the birthday boy!

Plus, this is one of the easiest cakes of your life! The hardest part is exercising self-control as you wait for the layers to set!

Frozen Cherry Ganache Cake [click to print]
makes 3 mini loaves

• 2/3 c. heavy cream 
• 2 c. semisweet chocolate chips
• 2 c. cherry pie filling

1) Line mini loaf pans with parchment paper, or one regular loaf pan, and set aside. 

2) Heat the cream in a small saucepan until hot but not boiling. Pour over chocolate and allow to sit about 30 seconds. Stir chocolate mixture until smooth. 

3) Divide chocolate among loaf pans, filling each about 1/3. Carefully spoon cherry filling over chocolate layer. Top each loaf with remaining chocolate and chill in freezer until firm. To serve, cut with a knife dipped in hot water. 

Red Hot Velvet Cupcakes with Whipped Ganache

It's true. I quite literally turn up my nose at Red Velvet cake. I mean, really, who does that cake think it is? Kinda chocolate? Electric red? Let's be honest with ourselves here. Beyond looks, your typical Red Velvet Cake isn't a strong competitor. Plus it's usually coated with thick cream cheese frosting, which I adamantly despise.

Enter Red Hot Velvet. Now this cake's got it going on.

Imagine a moist and tender chocolate cake speckled with spices and crushed red hots. Seriously. Look at that beautiful texture! And then to finish things off, these little babies are topped with a thick pillow of Whipped Ganache Frosting. Oh. My. Goodness. Somebody get the rest of those cupcakes out of my kitchen asap.

So in honor of Cinco de Mayo and my (slightly) Mexican heritage, let's bring on the heat!

Red Hot Velvet Cupcakes with Whipped Ganache [click to print]
Makes about 12 cupcakes


For the Cake

• 1-1/2 c. flour
• 3/4 c. sugar
• 1/2 c. cocoa powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp. chipotle chili powder
• 1/2 c. butter, softened
• 1/2 c. sour milk
• 1/2 c. warm water
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 1/2 c. red hot candies, crushed

For the Whipped Ganache

• 1-1/3 c. semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/3 c. heavy cream
• 2-3 T. heavy cream

Preheat oven to 350 F. Prepare muffin tin with liners or coat generously with nonstick cooking spray.

Whisk together flour, cocoa, soda, salt, pepper and chili powder. Add butter, milk, water, vanilla and egg. Mix just until no butter chunks remain. Stir in red hots. Scoop batter into cupcake liners and bake for 20-25 minutes or until center springs back when lightly touched.

While cooling, prepare ganache. Put chocolate chips in small, deep bowl and set aside. Heat 1/3 c. cream in small saucepan until just simmering. Immediately pour over chocolate chips and allow to sit for one minute. Stir until mixture is smooth and allow to cool until just firm. Whip with a handheld mixer until fluffy, adding an additional 2-3 T. cream until reaching the desired consistency. This stuff will firm up nicely so frost your cupcakes immediately. Devour.

Source: Cupcake recipe adapted from Oh SO Delicioso

S'more Bars

I was chattin it up with a friend last week about my sudden urge to buy a tent. And go camping. On the beach. And that, of course, reminded me how bad I'm pretty much always craving s'mores.

Unfortunately, I don't have a grill and I'm kind of scared of flaming gas stovetops. So my best option was to whip up a fat pan full of s'mores!

These bars have a nice thick layer of homemade graham cracker, smothered in a thick layer of marshmallow and coated with creamy ganache. The only thing they're missing is a little charcoal stuck in the mallows. But maybe that's not such a bad thing...

S'more Bars [click to print]
Makes about 25 squares


For graham cracker crust

• 1-1/3 c. flour
• 1/2 c. brown sugar
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 c. unsalted butter
• 2 T. plus 2 tsp. honey
• 2-1/2 T. whole milk
• 1 T. vanilla extract

For marshmallow fluff

• 2 egg whites
• 1-1/3 c. light corn syrup
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1-1/3c. powdered sugar

For the chocolate layer

• 2 c. milk chocolate chips
• 1/2 c. heavy cream

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line 9x9 or 8x8 pan with parchment paper or generously coat with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

Whisk together flour, sugar, soda, salt and cinnamon in bowl of stand mixer. Fit mixer with paddle attachment and beating on low speed, add butter. Continue beating until mixture looks like coarse meal.

In a separate bowl, whisk together honey, milk and vanilla. With mixer still on low speed, add to flour mixture and continue beating until just combined. Press dough evenly into bottom of pan.

Bake 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned. It should be a little firm to the touch. And it will smell amazing. Allow graham cracker crust to cool in pan on wire rack while you prepare marshmallow layer.

In large bowl, whisk egg whites until frothy. Add syrup, vanilla and salt. Beat with mixer on high speed until thickened (about 10 minutes). Reduce mixer to low speed and beat in powdered sugar. Add vanilla and mix until combined. Spread marshmallow fluff over graham layer. If you spray a spatula with cooking spray it's a little easier to spread.

Place chocolate chips in medium bowl and set aside. In a small saucepan, bring cream to a simmer over low heat. Pour hot cream over chocolate and allow to stand for 1-2 minutes. Stir or whisk mixture until chocolate is completely melted and texture is even. Pour over marshmallow layer and spread evenly. Allow to set in fridge until firm.

Source: Base adapted from Cherry Tea Cakes; Marshmallow adapted from 6 Bittersweets

Mint Chocolate Leprechaun Cake

When I was little, my favorite color was purple. I loved purple shirts, purple crayons, purple freeze pops, purple people-eaters... And then, suddenly, I was just tired of it, so I changed my mind and decided my favorite color was green. An excellent choice, if I do say so myself. The only bad thing is, I choke on green freeze pops pretty much every time I eat one. Lame.

Every St. Patrick's Day, I get all decked out in as much of that blessed Irish green as possible or suffer the pinches of a handful of eager siblings and our dear father. This year is no exception. I have some green shoes and several appropriately colored shirts just kickin it in my closet, begging me to wear them now!

But I'm not stopping there this year. It's time to go green from the inside out. It's time for a striped leprechaun cake! The bonus being you get all that green goodness without the chokeable aspect of those lime-flavored tubes of ice.

This cake is striped vertically (to make leprechauns feel taller) with super moist chocolate and mint cake, covered in the fluffiest vanilla buttercream I ever made in my life, coated with chocolate ganache and sprinkled with shimmering gold dust. Seriously, what leprechaun wouldn't be attracted to this!

So Happy St. Patty's Day (tomorrow)!

Mint Chocolate Leprechaun Cake [click to print]
Makes one super thick 9" round layer (which I strongly recommend) OR three 8" round layers

• 4 large eggs, whole
• 2 egg yolks
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1-1/4 c. buttermilk
• 3 c. flour
• 2 c. sugar
• 4-1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 c. unsalted butter, softened
• 5 T. dark cocoa powder
• 1 tsp. mint extract
• green gel food coloring
• edible gold pearl dust

Line cake pan(s) with parchment paper and set aside. Preheat oven to 325 F if using 9x3" round cake pan or 350 F if using 8x1" round cake pans. 

In medium bowl, whisk together eggs, yolks, vanilla and 1/4 c. buttermilk. Set aside. In large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, powder and salt. Add remaining buttermilk and butter; beat on low speed until combined then increase speed to medium and beat until fluffy, about 2 minutes. 

Add egg mixture in about three additions and continue beating until just combined, scraping sides of bowl as needed. Divide batter in half. Add cocoa to half the batter and stir until evenly distributed. Add mint extract and food coloring (I used about 1 tsp) to the other half of the batter and stir to combine. 

Starting with chocolate, pour about 1/2 c. batter into center of pan, then pour 1/2 c. mint batter directly in center of chocolate to create a second layer. Continue alternating batters, always pouring in center of pan, allowing a few seconds between each addition for batter to start spreading (by itself, don't you dare spread it out with your cute little spatula!) towards edges of pan. Once your pan(s) are filled, bake 9" layer for 65-75 minutes or bake 8" layers for 28-32 minutes. 

Whipped Vanilla Buttercream

Makes enough to frost top and sides of 9" layer cake, you might want to double it if you are filling and frosting three 8" layers instead.

• 3-1/2 c. powdered sugar
• 1/4 c. unsalted butter, softened
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 3-5 T. milk

Combine sugar, butter, vanilla and salt in large mixing bowl and beat on low until just combined, adding milk one tablespoon at a time until the right consistency. You want this stuff to be able to hold a peak and not just run right off the cake. Increase speed to medium-high and whip until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. 

Semisweet Chocolate Ganache

Makes about 1 cup, just enough to smother the top of this cake!

• 3/4 c. semisweet chocolate chips
• 2/3 c. heavy whipping cream

Place chocolate in small bowl and set aside. Heat cream on stovetop until just frothy and steaming. Remove from heat before it boils and pour over chocolate. Allow mixture to sit about 2 minutes and then whisk until smooth. 

Allow ganache to cool to room temperature and thicken just enough to coat a spoon. 

To Assemble the Goodness

When cake is completely cool, spread a nice thick coating of frosting and allow to set about 15 minutes in refrigerator. Pour ganache in center of cake and spread over surface, allowing it to drip down over edges.

Sprinkle gold dust over surface of cake and enjoy!

Source: Cake adapted from Sweetapolita, Ganache from Betty Crocker

Homemade Hostess Cupcakes

I'd be lying if I told you I remember downing cellophane wrapped packages of Hostess cupcakes in my elementary school cafeteria. Or if I said I rummaged through our kitchen cabinets when my mom was at work to sneak a chocolatey treat. I mostly remember being fascinated by their delicate white swirls across the middle of a deep, smooth chocolate frosting staring at me from the aisles of the gas station mini market. 

But please don't doubt my credibility here! I have ever eaten these little guys. Every time I do, though, I wish for a little richer, less greasy cupcake with a bigger blob of fluffy white cream filling. Thanks to some great bakers and my crowd of ever ready taste testers, these homemade Hostess cupcakes fit the bill!

Hostess Cupcakes [click to print]
Makes about 1 dozen


For the Cupcakes:

• 1/2 c. plus 2 T. flour
• 1/3 c. cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 2 eggs, large
• 1/3 c. unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 c. plus 2 T. sugar
• 2 T. buttermilk
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

For the Creamy Filling:

• 1/2 c. milk
• 2-1/2 T. flour
• 1/2 c. shortening
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 2 c. powdered sugar

For the Ganache Frosting:

• 1/3 c. heavy whipping cream
• 1 T. unsalted butter, softened
• 6 oz. dark chocolate, chips or chunked

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line cupcake tin with liners and set aside.

Whisk together flour, cocoa, powder, soda and salt; set aside. Combine butter and sugar in mixer bowl and cream until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, incorporating well between each addition. Add dry ingredients and continue mixing until mostly combined, then add buttermilk and vanilla. Mix on low speed an additional 30 seconds.

Scoop batter into cupcake liners, filling about 2/3 full. Bake at 350  F for 13-15 mminutes. Allow cupcakes to cool completely before filling.

In small saucepan, gradually blend milk into flour, whisking until there aren't any lumps. Cook on medium low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture turns to a thick paste. Be careful, though, because it will seem like nothing's happening and then all of a sudden it's really thick and can burn easily. Allow mixture to cool to lukewarm.

Meanwhile, cream shortening, sugar and salt in mixer. Add warm paste and continue beating until light and fluffy. Add vanilla. Mix in powdered sugar in about three additions.

Scoop filling into pastry bag fitted with large tip. If you have a fancy cupcake filling tip, use that one, but I used a Wilton #12 tip and it worked just perfectly. Poke tip about 1/2" into top of cupcake and squeeze in a small amount of filling. You'll know you squeezed enough when you see the top of the cupcake rise a little bit. Remove tip and fill remaining cupcakes. If the filling oozes a little, just scrape it off.

To make the frosting, place chocolate in deep bowl and set aside. In small saucepan, heat cream and butter until simmering, but not boiling. Pour over chocolate and allow to sit about 5 minutes. Stir mixture until smooth and evenly combined. Dip the top of each cupcake in ganache and allow to set about 10 minutes in refrigerator. Repeat 1-2 times or until desired thickness is reached.

Change tip on pastry bag to a fine, plain point; I used Wilton #3. Pipe swirls across the top of each cupcake. Refrigerate about 10 minutes to set.


Source: Cupcakes and frosting adapted from Culinary in the Country; Filling from my Great Grandmother Mattie Foote

Sweet Sixteen: Makin' Whoopie

What else would you possibly do with your Valentine's Day? Enjoy this week's round up of Whoopie Pie deliciousness!

(Left to Right and Top to Bottom)

Healthy Whoopie Pies, S'more Whoopie Pies, Whoopie Pie Surprise, Whimsical Whoopie Pies

Whoopie Pie Bar, Pumpkin Whoopie Pies, Vegan Spicy Chili Chocolate Whoopie Pies, Hot Chocolate Whoopie Pies

Strawberry Milk Whoopie Pies, Real Maine Whoopie Pies, Snickerdoodle Whoopie Pie Stuffed Cinnamon Roll, Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Maple Cream Cheese Filling

Mini Funfetti Fudge Whoopie Pies, Chocolate and PB Whoopie Pies, Lemon Polenta Whoopie Pies with Chocolate Ganache, Blueberry Pancake Whoopie Pies with Ricotta Cheese Frosting

Quoth the Raven...

"Nevermore!"

Back in 7th grade English, we studied Edgar Allen Poe's poem The Raven. I'm not sure why exactly we spent so many weeks on it, but we did. Like all of Poe's work, it's a bit creepy and dark...perfect for Halloween! So with middle school flashbacks haunting my memory, I set out to create my The Raven, in honor of Mr. Poe himself and one of the most sugar-filled holidays of the year. Happy Halloween!

Quoth the Raven   [click to print]
Supplies Needed: 
One batch of cake ball mixture/dough (see this post if you need a refresher; I used peanut butter cake and chocolate frosting because I had it on hand, but I recommend red velvet and cream cheese frosting if you're going for creepy)
One batch of chocolate ganache (see this post for recipe)
2 small pretzel rods (not "sticks"!)
1/2 c. chocolate chips; melted, spooned into ziploc bag with corner cut off
Wax paper for work surface
Cooling Rack and Empty Cake Pan

Procedure:

• Shape two wings, using about 1/3 to 1/2 c. dough per wing. Flatten to just over 1/4 in. thick throughout with the top of the wing (where the bird's shoulder will be) forming a 90 degree angle. Wing should be about 1/2 in. shorter than length of body. Gently press wings to sides of body, lining up tip of wing where body and tail feathers join together; top of wing should be about 1/2 in. below top of body. Smooth shoulder joints to join wings to body.

• Flatten about 1 T. dough and cut two small triangles about 1-1/4 in. long and 3/8 in. wide. Line up triangles and pinch ends together to form beak. Chill in freezer for about 5 minutes.
• Roll about 1/2 to 3/4 c. dough into a round head. Carve a slot about 1/4 in. deep to fit beak; coat thinly with melted chocolate. Remove beak from freezer and carefully insert into slot. Line head up with top of body. Place strip of dough at head and neck seam; smooth to join together. Place bird in freezer while you do next step.

• Dip two small pretzel rods in melted chocolate and allow to set. Pipe two bird feet on wax paper and all to set. When legs and feet are firm, pipe blob of melted chocolate on base of feet, attach to legs and allow to set until firm. Carve two round slots about 1/2 in. deep near bottom of body for legs; squeeze small amount of melted chocolate into slots and insert legs. Chill in freezer about 15 minutes.
• Remove bird from freezer. Transfer bird from wax paper to a cooling rack set over dish or cake pan; this is your glazing station. If ganache has hardened at this point, microwave at 15 second intervals until it's about the consistency of warm syrup. Carefully spoon ganache over entire bird. While ganache is still warm, use a toothpick to smooth and remove excess ganache from around wings and beak. Chill about 15 minutes or until ganache is set.

Source: Inspired by PhotoBasement

Spooky Ghost Cake

Remember those little ghost meringue cookies from earlier this week? Well it's time for them to creep out of the shadows and claim their rightful place as delicate toppers to a most deadly cake...

Ever since I got my 6lbs of deep chocolate cocoa powder in the mail, I've been up to my eyeballs in chocolate cakes and treats! Seriously, my eyeballs. And I'm not that short, either. I'm still experimenting to develop my go-to chocolate cake recipe, so this go around, just use your old stand by chocolate cake recipe and bake in round pans as directed. And remember, a box mix is fair game!

Once your layers are cooled, frost and fill with Almond Buttercream and smother top with Semisweet Chocolate Ganache, allowing it to drip down the sides of the cake. Gently arrange several of your ghosties on top of the ganache while still soft and drippy. 

Almond Buttercream   [click to print]

3 c. powdered sugar

1/4 c. butter, softened

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. almond extract

2-3 T. whole milk

Combine sugar, butter, salt and extract in mixing bowl. Turn mixer on low speed and gradually add milk, one tablespoon at a time, until frosting reaches desired consistency. For this cake, you want the frosting to be stiff enough that when you lift the beaters, stiff peaks form. If it droops back into the bowl, it will be too soft to hold its shape on the cake. To fix that, just add a little more powdered sugar until it stiffens.

Chocolate Ganache   [click to print]

3/4 c. chocolate chips (milk or semi-sweet)

2/3 c. heavy whipping cream

Measure chocolate chips in small mixing bowl; it should hold about 4-6 cups to allow for stirring room. Heat cream in saucepan until it begins to get frothy. Immediately remove from heat and pour over chocolate chips. Allow mixture to sit for two minutes then stir until well combined and smooth. Allow ganache to cool about 15 minutes or until it is the consistency of thick molasses and mounds slightly when dropped from a spoon.

Source: Adapted from Betty Crocker Ultimate Cake Mix Cookbook