Filed under: baking, Uncategorized | Tags: Baking, Cheesecake, cream cheese, red velvet
So my blogging nightmare has come true. I waited a long while after having the initial desire to start a food blog before actually starting it because of the huge fear that I would ultimately neglect it… and so I have.
My sincerest apologies to anyone who noticed or missed it.
Onward to my post. 
This incredibly delicious ultimate perfection of a dessert.
A creamy Cheesecake sandwiched between to moist, fluffy Red Velvet Cakes.
Combining two of the most delicious desserts to make one magical concoction.
I found the original recipe Here. There’s a link there to a tutorial for these awesome icing roses.
Jon started work at a new tattoo studio recently and a few weeks after he did I had the crew and their lovely ladies over for dinner to meet and mingle with them (seeing as my kids keep me pretty much house bound having them come to me was my best option) As if I need ANY excuse to cook for people.
We dined on an array of Italian dishes and I made this incredible cake for dessert.
I sincerely enjoyed our evening. Delicious food, great company and a decadent dessert!
I’m going to make an honest effort to more regularly update and post the things I’m baking. I do bake a lot I just never make it as far as talking pictures and getting them up here, but I’m gonna try! Thanks so much to everyone who is still reading and enjoying!
Have you ever been baking something you just knew was going to be delicious?
That was the case with these cupcakes. As soon as I licked the batter off my finger I knew they were magic.
I was right.
Soft, moist and full of spices. They were the perfect dessert to bring to a pumpkin carving get together with family.
I topped them with a double batch of super fluffy French Icing that I whipped the crap out of and finished ‘em off with some cute fall inspired leaf sprinkles.
Adorable, no?
We had such a fantastic time hanging out with my family (some of which we hadn’t seen or spent time with in way too long) I thoroughly enjoyed every minute.
It didn’t hurt that it was an autumn inspired event since I love everything fall!
The above photo is one of my absolute favorites, ever. My beautiful little girl, Sierra carving her pumpkin (all by herself!) Plus my handsome boys, Jon and Gage and of course littlest love, Mila enjoying themselves. <3
If you know me at all you know I couldn’t bring just one dessert!
So I also whipped up these awesome Cookie Sandwiches & Candy Corn Fudge
AND I got to tote my cupcakes around in my nifty new cupcake holder- holds 24 cupcakes and is shaped like a giant cupcake, right up my alley… (thanks for the gift babe, you know me too well!)
So I did totally cheat and use canned pumpkin for this recipe but I fully intend to make it again and use fresh.
I also put an OBSCENE amount of spices in the batter… I love me some spices!
This recipe was adapted from Annie’s Eats and I may even adapt it a little more next time… I’ll keep you posted 
Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
3 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tbls. All spice
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp. salt
1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin puree (or 1 1/2 cups fresh)
1 cup sugar
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup canola or vegetable oil
4 large eggs
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
In a medium bowl, sift or whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices and salt. Set aside.
Blend together the pumpkin, granulated sugar, brown sugar and oil. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture in two or three additions, mixing just until incorporated. Fill the cupcake liners about three-quarters full. Bake until the cupcakes are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 18-20 minutes.
Again, I doubled this frosting recipe (leaving out the Oreo crumbs) and piled it on. Delish!
Mmm!
My beautiful little boy turned 2 yesterday! Gage is such a special soul. I don’t think there’s anyone who’s met him that didn’t fall in love a little bit. Gage has an ASD (Autism spectrum disorder) and doesn’t usually like crowds but this birthday was so great for him. He really took part in the fun and even had a sincere interest in opening his presents. But I have to say, more than anything, he loved his cupcakes! He’s always a sucker for Mama’s cupcakes (and all my other baked goods!)
I set out to make him something extra special, and extra decadent – just the way he likes ‘em!
They really came out AMAZING… And so fun to photograph! (Obviously!)
I love these little bitty cupcake bites!
The Oreo baked inside makes these cupcakes extra special but the icing recipe I used is very special to me.
Almost every family birthday party (both immediate and extended) as far back as I can remember had a request for French Icing. Seeing as it’s always been my favorite, I knew right away it would be the icing I’d make for Gage on his birthday! It’s a not-too-sweet lick-your-fingers-clean kinda icing that my family traditionally paired with spice cake at our gatherings but it really is delicious on anything! I stayed true to the original recipe with the exception of adding Oreo crumbs. Delicious! I’m extremely excited to share it and I sincerely hope you try it, with or without the Oreos!
For the cup cakes:
2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
3/4 cups cocoa
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 package instant chocolate pudding
3 eggs
1cup sour cream
1/2 cup oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water (or strong brewed coffee – I would have used this but my coffee maker isn’t working!)
24 Oreo cookies, with one side twisted off and reserved for the frosting.
Preheat oven to 350. Line cupcake pans.
In a large bowl whisk together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pudding mix. Add oil, eggs sour cream and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until well blended (about 2 minutes) Continue beating while slowly adding in the boiling water. Beat about 30 seconds after adding the water.
Put the Oreo with one side twisted off cream side up and fill cupcake liners about 1/2 way. Bake 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean. Let them cool completely on cooling rack.
* I had extra batter after 24 cup cakes. I made cup cake bites using mini Oreos. I also used some mini Oreos as a garnish.
For the icing:
1 cup milk
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup butter -at room temperature
1/2 cup Crisco
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
24 Oreo cookie tops -crushed
Place milk in a small saucepan. Sprinkle the flour over the milk, 1/4 cup at a time and whisk until smooth. Place the saucepan over low heat and stir constantly until the mixture becomes thick pulls into a ball. Remove from the heat and put ball into a bowl. Place plastic wrap directly on the surface of the mixture and tuck around it to make sure there is no exposed parts. Refrigerate until cooled to room temperature or colder (at least 30 minutes). In a large bowl, cream the butter and Crisco. Add the cooled flour milk mixture and beat until well blended. Mix in the vanilla. With the mixer on medium speed, gradually add the sugar and then continue to beat the icing a
fter adding the sugar for an additional 10-12 minutes until noticeably whiter and creamy. Add Oreo crumbs and mix until just blended.
* Visit my wonderful friend at thepurplespoon for great step by step photos making this icing. She modified the recipe some but the basic steps are the same.
I was really excited about this post for a couple of reasons. For one thing I love anything mini and this being a double dose of mini was especially exciting. More than that I was excited because when I think of Heath, I think of my mom. When I was a kid we often indulged in the yumminess that is a DQ blizzard. I was always a sucker for cookies and cream and my mom always got Heath. I LOVED my cookies and cream but Oh how I envied her Heath…lucky for me she always shared. I don’t know why I never gave in and just got my own Heath blizzard. Maybe it was because I just couldn’t say no to Oreo…or maybe it was because I knew I’d always get to have the best of both worlds thanks to my always generous Mama . Either way as I’ve grown up anytime I’ve had a Heath bar it brings back warm and cherished memories. My mom and I are living in different states and have gone longer without seeing each other than we ever have. I miss her more than words can say so I thought it appropriate to dedicate a post (and a delicious dessert) just to my beautiful Mom! I wish you were here to enjoy these! <3
Now lets get to baking!
Start by being amazed how simple ingredients like this can transform into pure bliss in a bite.
Beat all those ingredients up then fold in a very special candy surprise!
Fill cupcake liners about half full
Bake until beautiful and let them cool completely.
What’s the secret ingredient to a rich, and yummy frosting?!
You guessed it…It all starts with butter!
Add sugar and whip whip whip!
Now on to the ganache….
The start to any good ganache is a nice high quality chocolate
Add warm cream and let it sit.
Add a few more things and whisk it up!
Now we get to assemble the cakes!
Make sure they’re even
Cut em in half
Fill with ganache
Top with heath candy pieces and eat!
Heath Mini Cakes:
2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups flour
3/4 cups cocoa
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 package instant chocolate pudding
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water
1 cup heath bits
Heath Butter Cream:
8 oz (2 sticks) unsalted butter softened
3-4 cups confectioners (powdered) sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3-4 tablespoons heavy cream
3/4- 1 cup heath bits, ground. (I used what was left of the bag I had, which was about 3/4 of a cup but if you have extra I’d definitely add the extra 1/4 cup)
Chocolate Ganache:
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tablespoons corn syrup
Decoration:
2 Heath Candy Bars, broken into pieces
For the cake: Preheat oven to 350. Line cupcake pans.
In a large bowl whisk together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pudding mix. Add milk, oil, eggs and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until well blended (about 2 minutes) Continue beating while slowly adding in the boiling water. Beat about 30 seconds after adding the water. Fold in heath bits. Fill cupcake liners about half way. Bake 15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let them cool completely on cooling rack.
For the frosting: Grind heath bits in a food processor or blender until powder-like, set aside. Whip the butter with a mixer until light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar, a tablespoon or two at a time. Keep adding sugar until icing is nice and thick. Beat in the vanilla then add the cream one tablespoon at a time until smooth and spreadable. Beat in heath bits powder.
For the ganache: Cut chocolate into small pieces and place into a bowl. Heat heavy cream on medium heat until hot and simmering, do not let it boil. Pour the warm cream over the chocolate and let it sit for 5 minutes. Whisk smooth and whisk in vanilla and corn syrup.
-To assemble cakes: Flip the cupcakes upside down. Make sure the sides are level and even. (I used a small glass for this) Cut them in half and put ganache between the two layers. Put the top of the cupcake face down on the ganache. Frost and decorate with broken heath candy bar pieces!
*Notes: -For an easier time with assembling the cakes, freeze them for 30 minutes or so before handling.
- I also found the butter cream to be much more tasty after letting it sit in the refrigerator over night. I took it out, let it sit to a little cooler than room temp and whipped another tablespoon of cream into it. It really brought out the yummy heath flavor.
These were so delicious!
And these mini cupcakes were a special kinda one bite treat!
I love to cook and bake, and I LOVE to photograph and share my food! I went back and forth on whether or not to start a blog but when I pondered the question to my friends on Facebook this morning the supportive response really touched me and I felt very moved to start. So I’m excited! I spent most of the afternoon exploring the world that lives on the other side of the blogs I read so faithfully. Tweaking settings, themes and fonts. I worked myself up and now I am way too enthused to wait until I bake something new to post my first recipe… So I’m posting these awesome brownies I made yesterday. There are no step-by-step photos on this first post but there IS a recipe for a super rich, incredibly delicious treat. These ultimate chocolate fix caramel stuffed brownies are sure to appease even the strongest sweet tooth craving!
Enjoy!
For the brownies:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
12 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1½ cups sugar
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
For the caramel filling:
1 12 ounce package caramel melt bits (or 1 14 ounce package caramel candies, unwrapped)
1/3 cup heavy cream
Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with foil and grease the foil well with butter or cooking spray. Melt chopped chocolate and butter in a double boiler. Or In a large, microwave-safe bowl microwave in intervals of 20 seconds until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth, stirring in between intervals. Whisk in the sugar, eggs and vanilla until incorporated. Stir in the flour and salt just until combined. Spread about half of the brownie batter in the bottom of the prepared pan in an even layer. Bake for 18 minutes. Remove from the oven (keep the oven on) and let the brownies cool for 20 minutes.
To make the caramel filling, combine the caramels and cream in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds at 50% power. Stir. Repeat Continue the microwave process until the caramels and cream are melted and combined. Spread the caramel mixture over the bottom brownie layer. Let the carmel set about about 10 minutes. Scoop the remaining brownie batter in spoonfuls over the caramel layer and spread it evenly across the caramel layer (spooning the batter in piles over the caramel will help to get an even layer of batter over the caramel). Sprinkle the chocolate and white chips on top. Bake for 25-35 minutes or until brownie is set. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely before slicing and serving. (Who are we kidding, scoop some gooey-ness out and try a bite warm!)
I can’t wait to share more with all of you! A big thank you to you all, you have no idea what your support and encouragement means to me! <3
