Tag: Desserts

Cakes · Chocolate · Desserts

Mississippi Mud Cake

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To continue our month of Chocolate Desserts, this cake has always been one of my favorites.
1 cup butter, melted
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
4 large eggs, beaten
1 teas vanilla
1/8 teas salt
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped pecans, toasted
1 (10.5 oz) bag miniature marshmallows
Chocolate Frosting:
1 ( 16 oz) package powdered sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup butter (4 tables), softened
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa

Cake:
whisk together the first 6 ingredients in a large bowl. Stir in flour and chopped pecans. Pour batter into a greased and floured 15×10″ jelly-roll pan.
Bake in a preheated 350 oven for about 20 min, or until cake tests done. Remove from oven and sprinkle the marshmallows over the top of the cake. Return to oven and bake about 3-4 min. Drizzle the Chocolate Frosting over the warm cake, over the melted marshmallows. Top with more chopped pecans if desired.

Frosting:
Beat all ingredients at medium speed with mixer until smooth.

Chocolate · Cookies · Desserts

Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies

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A few days ago I read on a blog called, Two Chums about substituting some of the butter in chocolate chip cookies with cream cheese for a moist chewy cookie. I had to try it so today I made my regular chocolate chip cookie (if you make the one on the package of chocolate chips, the only difference is that I use half unsalted butter and half Crisco which gives you a much more fluffy cookie) using 1 stick unsalted butter, 4 tables Crisco and 4 Tables softened cream cheese. I always only use 1 large egg instead of 2. The cookies are so soft and chewy.

Plus a little cream cheese flavor, which always is a plus! Try it and see what you think. Will look forward to hearing your thoughts.

Cakes · Chocolate · Desserts

Chocolate Fudge Cheesecake

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A Perfect Valentines Day Dessert
A Perfect Valentines Day Dessert

2 (1 oz) squares of unsweetened chocolate
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs (room temp)
1/2 cup flour
1 teas vanilla
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 (8 oz) packages of softened cream cheese
1/4 cup sugar
4 large eggs
1 teas vanilla
Chocolate Glaze
Microwave chocolate sq in glass bowl on high for 1 min and 15 sec, stirring once after about 45 sec. Stir until melted and smooth.
Beat butter and 1 cup of sugar at medium speed with mixer until light and fluffy. Add 2 eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Add melted chocolate, beating just until blended.
Add flour, beating at low speed just until blended. Stir in the 1 teas vanilla and chocolate morsels.
Sprinkle toasted pecans evenly over bottom of a greased and floured 9″ greased and floured spring form pan. Spoon batter over pecans. (You can skip the pecans if you desire and just pour the batter into the pan.)
Beat cream cheese at medium with mixer until smooth, add 3/4 cup sugar, beating just until blended. Add 4 eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition. Stir in 1 teas vanilla. Pour cream cheese over brownie batter.
Bake at 325 1 hour or until set. Remove from oven immediately running a knife around edge of pan, releasing sides. Let cool on wire rack. Spread warm Chocolate Glaze over top of cooled cheesecake; cover and chill at least 8 hours. Remove sides of pan before serving.
Garnish with Fresh Strawberries, mint springs or chocolate curls.
(*Taken from Southern Living Desserts)

Cakes · Chocolate · Desserts

Mocha Brownie Cake

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Chocolate, Chocolate, Chocolate! What a great month to try all new chocolate desserts Finding the Southern Living Chocolate Dessert cookbook, well,what better place to look for all new recipes. 2015-02-06 11.27.02

1 (21 oz) box chewy fudge brownie mix (Duncan Hines is recommended)
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup oil
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 tables instant coffee granules
1/4 cup powdered sugar
Garnish: chocolate shavings
Coat 2 ( 8″) round cake pans with cooking spray. Line pans with wax paper and coat with the cooking spray.
Combine brownie mix and next 3 ingredients in a large bowl. Stir in pecans (Hum…I might be tempted to add about 1/2 cup chocolate chips). Spread batter evenly into prepared pans; bake for almost 23-25 min or until they test done.
Remove from oven and place on wire racks to cool completely.
Combine whipping cream and coffee granules. Beat at medium speed with mixer until starting to hold shape. Gradually add the powdered sugar and continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Spread whipped cream mixture on top of one brownie layer that you have placed on a serving platter. Top with remaining brownie layer and spread the rest of the whipped cream mixture over the top and sides of the brownie cakes. Store in fridge and garnish as desired.

Cakes · Chocolate · Desserts

Triple-Chocolate Coffee Cake

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This recipe is from Southern Living Incredible Chocolate Recipe Cookbook that I had not looked through in quite a while. I was chocolate hungry so I knew that I would be making something chocolate today. This is a great one to freeze one of the layers for a later use or give one to a friend.
1 (18.25 oz) package devils food cake mix (I like Duncan Hines)
1 (3.9 oz) package chocolate instant pudding mix
2 cups sour cream
1 cup butter, softened
5 large eggs
1 teas vanilla extract
3 cups semisweet chocolate chips, divided
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
Beat first 6 ingredients at low speed with an electric mixer 30 seconds or just until moistened. Beat at medium speed 2 more mins. Stir in 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips; pour batter evenly into 2 greased and floured 9″ square cake pans.
Bake at 350 for 25-28 minutes or until cake tests done. Cool completely in pans on wire racks.
Microwave white chocolate morsels in a glass bowl at High for 30-60 intervals, until chips are almost melted. Stir to melt all the chips. Drizzle evenly over cakes; repeat procedure with remaining cup of semisweet chips. Sprinkle cakes evenly with pecans while chips are warm.

Chocolate · Cookies · Desserts · Super Bowl Recipes

Super Bowl Whoopie Pies

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Since Whoopie Pies are one of the best inventions EVER, I decided that they would make a great dessert for the Super Bowl Party. So I just made chocolate whoopee pies and made the frosting in the navy blue and green of the Seahawks for between the cookies. I just ate 3 of them. Hopefully there will be some left for Sunday. They are easy to wrap individually in Saran and then in a baggie to stay fresh for Sunday. Very easy make-ahead dessert.

1/2 cup softened butter

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 teas vanilla

2 cups flour

1/2 cup baking cocoa

1 1/2 teas baking soda

1/2 teas baking powder

1/2 teas salt

1 cup milk

Filling

1 jar (7 oz) marshmallow creme

1/2 cup shortening

1 teas vanilla

2 cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 400. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition.

Drop dough by tablespoonful (I used a medium size cookie scoop) 2″ apart onto greased baking sheet. (again, I use a coated sheet, so if you use them, do not grease the sheet) Bake 6-8 min or until set and tests done.

Remove from pans onto paper towels or wire racks to cool completely.

For Filling

In a large bowl, beat marshmallow cream and shortening until blended. Beat in vanilla and powdered sugar until smooth. I add food coloring to a little milk and beat into mixture. Spread on the bottom of half of the cookies and then top with the other half. Wrap in plastic and keep in sealed container for up to 3 days.

Makes about 2 1/2 dz.

Chocolate · Desserts · Super Bowl Recipes

Super Bowl Pie Bars

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This Southern delight is perfect for a finger dessert since we like to have desserts that we can just pick up every time we walk by the table, as to not miss any of the great commercials that will be played on Sunday. When I saw these, I knew that it would be one of our desserts this weekend.

Makes 2 dozen

Crust

3 cups graham-cracker crumbs

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/3 cup sugar

1 large egg white, lightly beaten

Filling

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup light corn syrup

1/2 cup dark corn syrup

1/4 cup butter, melted

3 large eggs

1 1/2 teas vanilla

1/4 teas salt

2 cups chopped pecans

1 (12 oz) bag mini-semisweet chocolate morsels

Preheat oven to 350. Line a 13×9″ baking pan with heavy duty aluminum foil. Spray the foil with nonstick baking spray with flour.

In a medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, sugar and egg white, stirring until well combined. Press crumb mixture into the bottom of prepared pan. Bake for 10 min; let cool completely.

In a large bowl, combine brown sugar and both corn syrups. Add melted butter, eggs, vanilla and salt. Whisk until well combined. Stir in pecans and chocolate morsels. Spoon mixture over prepared crust. Bake for 35-40 min or until middle is set.

Chocolate · Desserts

Chocolate-Caramel Banana Ice Cream Pie

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2015-01-15 10.21.04

The flavor of caramel-chocolate & banana is one of the all time favorite flavor combinations. Taken from the new Food Net Work magazine, this will become a permanent recipe in my dessert folder.

Crust

8 chocolate graham cracker sheets

5 tables unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 tables sugar

1 tables vanilla extract (1 tables, not teas)

Filling

4 oz milk chocolate, chopped

2 (14 oz) cartons vanilla ice cream, softened

2 bananas, thinly sliced

3/4 cup dulce de leche or caramel sauce

Glaze

2 tables heavy whipping cream

2 oz milk chocolate, chopped

1 tables light corn syrup

Make the crust; preheat oven to 350. Pulse the graham crackers, butter, sugar and vanilla in food processor until fine crumbs form. Press evenly into the bottom and up the sides of a 9″ pie plate. Bake until firm, about 15 min. Remove from oven and let cool completely.

Filling: Put the chocolate and 1/4 cup ice cream in a microwavable bowl and microwave in 30 sec intervals, stirring, until the mixture is almost melted. whisk until smooth. Beat the remaining ice cream in a large bowl with mixer until fluffy, but not melted. About 3 min. Beat in the chocolate mixture. Freeze until firm about 1 hour.

Meanwhile, arrange the banana slices in the pie crust. Spread the caramel or dulce de leche over the bananas and freeze until cold, about 30 min. Scoop the ice cream over the bananas and caramel and smooth with rubber spatula. Freeze until very firm, about 4 hours.

Glaze: Bring the heavy cream to a simmer in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Remove from the heat and whisk in the chocolate and corn syrup until melted and smooth. Let cool, whisking occasionally, until spreadable, about 15 min. Slowly pour the glaze over the ice cream, return to freezer until set. Let the pie soften 10 minutes at room temperature before slicing.

Cakes · Chocolate · Desserts

Hazelnut Chocolate Cake

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I guess you can tell that I’m in my cake mode. I get in cookie mode, pie modes and now cake. I have one piece left of the Tuxedo cake and am saving it for tonight to eat during The Good Wife. But this cake, (once again, thank you Paula Deen) well…I will be making it Tues so I can watch Adventures of Laura and have cake.

1 1/4 cups butter, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1 tables vanilla

5 large eggs

2 1/2 cups flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

1 1/2 teas baking soda

1 teas baking powder

1/4 salt

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

1/2 cup sour cream

Chocolate-Hazelnut Frosting

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup butter, softened (1 stick)

1 1/2 cups chocolate-hazelnut spread (such as Nutella)

1/2 cup sour cream

5 cups powdered sugar

Cake:

Preheat oven to 350. Spray 3 (9″) cake pans with Pam. Coat with flour if you are not using the Pam with flour.

In a large bowl, beat butter, sugars and vanilla with mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and next 4 ingredients. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating just until all is combined. Stir in sour cream. Spoon batter evenly into cake pans. Bake for 15 to 20 min, or until cake tests done. Let cool in pans for 10 min and remove from pans onto wire racks.

Spread frosting between layers and on sides and top of cake when completely cool. Garnish with chopped hazelnuts if desired.

Frosting:

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter with a mixer at medium until creamy. Beat in Nutella and sour cream until combined. REduce speed to low and gradually add powdered sugar, beating until well combined and no lumps remain.

Cakes · Chocolate · Desserts

Chocolate Tuxedo Cake

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2015-01-09 16.27.07

This truly is my favorite cake. I know I say that about several cakes, but really, this time I mean it. If I knew that I could only have one piece of cake before the doctor told me I couldn’t have any cake the rest of my life, it would be this one. I made it for friends who were coming over last night after we all went out to eat. One of the friends who I won’t name but is the tallest of all my friends, was sitting there enjoying the conversation when she got up and went into the kitchen. I assumed she was going to go get another cup of coffee (yes, I am a terrible hostess, I forget to ask people if they want more coffee). When she returned to the conversation, she was standing there with her plate; she had gone and cut herself a 2nd piece of cake. One of the guys in the living room began to yell, “Trudy, this is the most awesome cake EVER!!! It is spectacular” (but in all fairness, that is Jack’s go to word.) But the layers of chocolate and vanilla cake layered with chocolate frosting and then vanilla almond frosting on the outside with the chocolate ganache on top, just tops it off. It is really easy and just makes such a great presentation.

1 Duncan Hines French Vanilla Cake mix

1 Duncan Hines Dark Chocolate cake mix

1 box of Dream whip (contains 2 envelops-use 1 envelope with each cake mix)

8 eggs

2 cups water

1 teas almond extract (for making the vanilla cake mix)

Mix the vanilla cake mix with 4 eggs, 1 package of Dream Whip and one cup of cold water, and 1 teas almond extract.  Beat for 4 minutes. Pour into 2 greased and prepared 9″ cake pans. Bake for about 25 min at preheated 350 oven or until cake tests done. Cool on wire racks.

Repeat with the chocolate cake mix. Follow same instructions as you did with the vanilla cake mix, except do not add the almond extract. Pour into 2 prepared greased 9″ cake pans and bake as directed above. Cool on wire racks.

You will notice that when using the Dream whip, the cake will bake up a little higher than without it. I like that because it makes the cake moister and looks so much higher on the cake plate.

Chocolate Frosting for between the cake layers.

1 stick butter, softened

2 cups powdered sugar

1 teas vanilla

Enough milk to get frosting to spreading consistency. About 1/4 cup…maybe a little more. Don’t add the 1/4 cup all at once, in case you don’t need all of it.

Vanilla Frosting

1 stick butter, softened

1/4 cup Crisco

2 teas almond extract

3 cups powdered sugar

Enough milk or whipping cream to make it spreading consistency (about 1/3 cup, possibly a little more). Beat all ingredients until smooth and well blended.

Chocolate ganache

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2cup heavy whipping cream

Melt chocolate chips in the cream, stirring over low heat until chips are melted and mixture is smooth. I had to add a little more whipping cream to be able to spread over top of cake so it would drip over sides of cake.

Use one of the chocolate cake layers and place on a serving platter. Spread chocolate frosting on top, but not the side. Place one vanilla cake layer on top of chocolate frosting. Spread Vanilla frosting on sides and top of cake. When chocolate ganache is made, allow to cool so it won’t melt frosting on cake. When ganache is cool, spread on top of cake allowing it to fall down the sides of the cake. Set in fridge to allow the frostings to set. Take out at least one hour before serving.

If you want to use all 4 layers, you will need to increase the amount of frosting you make, as you will need more.

If you don’t use but the 2 layers, you can wrap the other two layers and freeze in freezer bags for a later use.