Fresh Strawberry Cake

Fresh Strawberry Cake

Ingredients

Cake
• 3 cups (370g) cake flour
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup (8 oz) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 3/4 cup (390g) granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 1/4 cups milk (anything but skim)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
Strawberry Cream Cheese Whipped Cream
• 3 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup (125g) powdered sugar, divided
• 8 oz cream cheese, left at room temperature until partially softened (about 20 - 30 minutes)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 lbs strawberries, hulled and sliced into pieces slightly under 1/2-inch
• Sliced strawberries for decorating (optional)

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter 3 9-inch round cake pans then line bottom with a round of parchment, butter parchment and lightly dust pan with flour, shake out excess. Set pans aside.
• Sift cake flour into a medium mixing bowl. Add baking powder and salt and whisk 20 seconds, set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (if you don't have a paddle that constantly scrapes bowl while mixing then stop mixer occasionally throughout entire mixing process and scrape down sides and bottom of bowl to ensure even mixing), whip together butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Mix in eggs and egg yolks one a time adding in vanilla with last egg yolk. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture at a time (to the butter/egg mixture) alternating with 1/2 of the milk and mixing on low speed just until combined after each addition. Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl and gently fold batter several times.
• Divide batter among prepared baking pans. Bake in preheated oven 25 - 30 minutes until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean. Cool in pan about 5 minutes, run knife around edges of cake to ensure they are loosened then invert onto wire racks to cool completely (I recommend transferring them to gallon size resealable bags after about 25 minutes of cooling so they don't dry and let them finish cooling in the bag).
• Once cool frost with Strawberry Cream Cheese Whipped Cream. Store cake in an airtight container in refrigerator. Best served day prepared.
• For the topping:
• In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip heavy cream until soft peaks form (occasionally scrap down sides and bottom of bowl to ensure even mixing), add 1/2 cup powdered sugar and whip until stiff peaks form (make sure they are stiff or your topping will be runny, it should get to the point where it doesn't have a wet sheen). Scrape cream out into a separate bowl, rinse bowl clean and dry.
• Add cream cheese to bowl of stand mixer, fit with paddle attachment and whip cream cheese until smooth and fluffy, mix in remaining 1/2 cup powdered sugar and vanilla. Add strawberries and mix until uniform in color. Remove bowl from stand mixer, add whipped cream and fold into mixture. Frost over cooled cake.

Almond Joy Cupcakes

INGREDIENTS:

For the Cupcakes
1 (15.25 ounce) package devil’s food cake mix (see note below)
1 (3.4 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding mix
3/4 cup sour cream
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup warm water
10 snack size Almond Joy candy bars, cut in half

For the Butter cream frosting
3 sticks (1 1/2 cups) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 ½ pounds (24 ounces) confectioners' sugar, sifted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2-4 tablespoons heavy cream

For the Garnish
shredded coconut

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line muffin tin with paper liners.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat together the cake and pudding mixes, sour cream, oil, eggs, vanilla and water. Beat for about one minute on medium speed until well combined.

3. Using a large cookie scoop, distribute the batter between 24 muffin wells; about 3 tablespoons of batter per well.

Push half a snack size Almond Joy into the center and use a spoon to cover the candy bar.

4. Bake in preheated oven for 18-22 minutes or until the tops of the cakes spring back when lightly touched. Allow cupcakes to cool inside muffin tins for about 5 minutes or so before removing them to a cooking rack to cool completely. Once cupcakes are cool, prepare the butter cream frosting

5. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter on medium-high speed for about 8 minutes. This process will lighten the color of the butter and ensure you butter cream in extra smooth and fluffy.

6. Turn speed down to low and gradually add in the confectioners' sugar. Continue mixing on low speed until the powdered sugar is completely incorporated. Add in 1-2 tablespoons heavy cream and vanilla extract and mix until combined. Turn mixer back up to medium-high speed and beat the mixture for an additional 5-6 minutes. If needed, add in a little more cream 1 teaspoon at a time until you reach the consistency you desire. Pipe the butter cream onto cupcakes and topped with shredded coconut.

Chocolate Chunk Cream Cheese Cake

Ingredients 
1 cup all purpose flour 
1/2 cup sugar 
1/2 tsp baking powder 
1/2 tsp baking soda 
1/4 tsp salt 
2 eggs 
5 tbsp butter, melted 
5 oz cream cheese, softened 
2 cups powdered sugar 
1/2 tsp vanilla 
1 bag DOVE Dark Chocolate Promises (I prefer Milk Chocolate)
Instructions 
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
2. In a large bowl mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar to prepare the cake mixture. Add in melted butter and stir to combine. Add in one of the eggs and stir to combine well. Press mixture into an 8 x 8 sized baking pan and set aside. 
3. Place approximately 24 of your DOVE Dark Chocolate Promises into the pan on top of the cake mixture (four rows of six works well in 
 8 X 8 pan). 
4. In a separate bowl mix together softened cream cheese, egg, vanilla and powdered sugar. Stir until well combined then pour mixture over the top of your cake mixture and DOVE Dark Chocolate Promises. Spread gently with a spatula to cover. Chop up remaining DOVE Dark Chocolate Promises and sprinkle over the top of the cream cheese layer. 
5. Bake for approximately 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack. Enjoy!

Chocolate Bavarian Torte

Ingredients

• 1 package devil's food cake mix (regular size)

• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1/8 teaspoon salt

• 2 cups heavy whipping cream, whipped

• 2 tablespoons grated semisweet chocolate

  
  

  Directions

  1. Prepare and bake cake according to package directions, using two 9-in. round baking pans. Cool in pans for 10 minutes before removing to wire rack to cool completely.
  2. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and salt until smooth. Fold in cream.
  3. Cut each cake horizontally into two layers. Place bottom layer on a serving plate; top with a fourth of the cream mixture. Sprinkle with a fourth of the chocolate. Repeat layers three times. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight. Yield: 12 servings.
  
  
  From:
•  http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/chocolate-bavarian-torte#ixzz3X0VQRuwX

Oreo Cheesecake Cake

Ingredients

Chocolate Cake
• 1 3/4 (219g) cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups (400g) sugar
• 3/4 cups (94g) good unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons (10g) baking soda
• 1 teaspoon (5g) baking powder
• 1 teaspoon (5g) kosher salt
• 1 cup (240g) buttermilk
• 1/2 cup (110g) vegetable oil
• 2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons (10g) pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup (249g) freshly brewed hot coffee
• 30 Oreo's for bottom of pans
Oreo Cheesecake
• 2 packages (16 oz.) of cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup (100g) sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon (5g) vanilla
• 13 Oreos
Ganache
• 6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 3 ounces heavy cream
Cool Whip
Oreo's for garnish

Instructions

Chocolate Cake
1. Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl and mix until combined.
2. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla.
3. 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, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
4. Prepare two 8-inch round cake pans with baking spray and line with parchment.
5. Arrange 15 (or however many fit) Oreo's on the bottom of the pan.
6. Divide the batter between the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes at 350 degrees F, or until a cake tester comes out clean.
7. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.
Oreo Cheesecake
8. Place cream cheese and vanilla into bowl of stand mixer. Mix on medium-low speed for 30 seconds. Add in sugar and eggs and beat until smooth. (3-5 minutes)
9. Scrape down the sides of the bowl if needed.
10. Prepare an 8-inch spring-form pan by spraying with bakers spray and lining with parchment.
11. Arrange Oreo's on the bottom of the pan.
12. Pour the filling into the pan (over the Oreo's) and bake until set, 35-40 minutes at 325 degrees.
13. Set the pie on a wire rack and let it cool completely.
14. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours before assembling cake.
Ganache
15. Bring heavy cream to a boil and remove from heat.
16. With chocolate chips in a heat safe bowl, pour cream over chips and slowly stir until all chips are melted.
17. Let sit to cool and thicken.
Assemble Cake
18. Make sure cheesecake and cakes are very chilled.
19. Place one layer chocolate cake on cake stand. Try to get the side with the Oreo's to face down. (Oreo's on the bottom)
20. Gently place cheesecake on top of chocolate cake, again with the Oreo's on the bottom.
21. Place final layer of chocolate cake (Oreo's on the bottom) on top of the cheesecake.
22. Cover with cooled chocolate ganache.
23. Put Cool Whip® in a piping bag fitted with a closed star tip and pipe out dollops on top of the cake.
24. Press Oreo's that have been halved into whipped cream dollops.
25. Keep chilled until ready to serve.

from iambaker.net

Easy Slow Cooker Caramel

Recipe: Oh-So-Easy Slow Cooker Caramel

Ingredients

• 2 cans sweetened condensed milk
• 3 small canning jars with lids and rings (optional)
• a slow cooker

Instructions

1. (Optional) Divide the sweetened condensed milk from 2 cans equally into 3 small canning jars. Close jars with lids and rings.
2. Place jars (or the unopened can of sweetened condensed milk) into slow cooker and fill slow cooker as full as you possibly can so that jars or can are completely submerged in the water. This is important! No part of the jar or can should be out of the water at any time! Turn slow cooker to low for 8-10 hours, refilling water if necessary.
3. Let caramel cool on counter at room temperature before opening. The canning jars may appear to seal but the caramel will NOT be shelf stable–it should be stored in the refrigerator! Use as a topping for ice-cream, as a dip for apples, or in recipes.

Preparation time: 5 minute(s)

Cooking time: 8 hour(s)

Texas Turtle Sheet Cake

Texas Turtle Sheet Cake

Ingredients:
2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups self-rising flour
1 cup butter
1 cup strong black coffee
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk

chocolate frosting:
1/4 cup butter
4 tablespoons buttermilk
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

turtle topping:
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup caramel sauce, to drizzle

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9×13-inch baking pan. In a large bowl, combine self-rising flour and granulated sugar. Set aside.

2. In a saucepan, combine 1 cup butter, 1 cup coffee, and 1/3 cup cocoa. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Pour into the prepared dry ingredients. Using a hand-held mixer, mix on medium speed until wet and dry ingredients are thoroughly combined. Add eggs and the 1/2 cup of buttermilk. Mix on medium speed for another minute or so, until well combined.

3. Pour into baking pan, and bake for 25-30 minutes. When cake is done baking, a toothpick or fork inserted into the middle of the cake should come out clean.

4. Prepare the frosting. In a medium saucepan, combine 1/4 cup butter, 4 tablespoons buttermilk, and 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.

5. Remove from heat and use a wire whisk to gradually mix in powdered sugar, a 1/2 cup at a time.

6. Spread or pour the warm frosting over the cake. While the cake is still warm, sprinkle with chopped pecans, and chocolate chips. Drizzle with caramel sauce.

from www.aboutamom.com