Tag Archives: food

Halloween Bundt Cake

Posted on October 6, 2012 by Ruthanne

Creepy colors all swirled together inside make this bundt cake a holiday hit!  Drizzle it with gooey frosting and fun colors for a perfect (EASY!) party dessert!

Confession:  I needed a fast dessert a few nights ago, saw this online and decided to use a recipe rather than create a new idea.  Its a FABULOUS and EASY idea, so I just couldn’t help but share it!  Kudos to Lets get Cookin’ for this idea- wonderfully creative!  Here’s how I made my own: (printable recipe)

INGREDIENTS:

  • One box of white cake mix (and oil, water and eggs to make according to box)
  • One box of chocolate cake mix (and oil, water and eggs to make according to box)
  • Orange, Black and Purple gel icing colors (these gel colors give the batter the vibrant colors you see without having to add much–I invested in the Wilton set of 12 colors months ago and I LOVE them.  Click here to see them on Amazon.  You can order them there or sometimes find them at craft or cake decorating stores).
  • One tub of chocolate pre-made frosting
  • Wiltons Candy Melts in purple (and orange too if you want!)

DIRECTIONS:

  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
  • Make both cake mixes according to packages.
  • Divide the white cake batter into two bowls, equally.
  • Add black coloring to the chocolate cake to darken it.
  • Add purple to 1/2 of the white batter and orange to the other half.
  • Pour about 1/3 of the chocolate batter into the bottom of a well-greased bundt pan.
  • Pour all of the purple batter over the chocolate
  • Pour all of the orange batter over the purple
  • Pour another 1/3 of the chocolate batter over the colors.  You can use more than 1/3, but you want to give the cake room to rise- so leave a bit of room.  You can discard the remaining chocolate batter or make a couple of cupcakes with it.
  • Bake at 325 degrees for about 45-55 minutes (until the center is set and a cake tester inserted comes out clean).
  • Tip over on a cake rack and cool completely
  • To finish, melt the tub of frosting in the microwave (about 15-30 seconds) and stir well.
  • Place frosting in a zip-top bag, clip a corner and drizzle over entire top of cake.
  • Melt candy melts in the microwave in 30 second increments, stirring between until smooth and pipe these colors over the top as well.  I think both purple and orange would be fun, but I only had purple in my cabinet!

My thoughts- quick and easy and yummy moist cake that makes people smile and ask– “how’d you do that”?  Very fun!!  I have to add that the recipe over at Lets Get Cookin’ used vanilla frosting colored with the gels and drizzled over the top.  I decided to use chocolate because its what I had 😉  It was really yummy with the chocolate– I think you would get a better color match doing it with the vanilla frosting though- my candy melts color clashed a little with the inside purple color.  Also, I put a cookie sheet on the rack below the cake while it baked– just in case it dripped over.  It didn’t, but you might want to do that just to save yourself an oven-cleaning day!  Hope you get to try this cake– I think you are gonna love it!!!  ENJOY!  ~r

23 Comments

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Dark Chocolate Ganache Cupcakes

Posted on September 30, 2012 by Ruthanne

Dark chocolate cupcakes topped with ganache and vanilla buttercream– so rich and smooth because they are flour-less (lets hear it for my gluten-free friends!!)!!!  YUM!

Ingredients: (makes about 40 mini cupcakes)

Cupcakes:

  • 1 1/2 cups of dark chocolate chips
  • 1 stick (4 oz.) salted butter
  • 2 T. cocoa powder
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 6 egg whites
  • pinch of salt
  • 1/2 c. sugar

Ganache:

  • 1/2 c. dark chocolate chips
  • 1/4 c. heavy whipping cream

Frosting:

  • 1 stick (4 oz.) salted butter (room temp)
  • 1 stick (4 oz.) unsalted butter (room temp)
  • 1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
  • 2 t. clear vanilla flavoring

DIRECTIONS:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees
  • In a microwave safe bowl, melt chocolate with butter in 30 second increments, stirring between until smooth and creamy.
  • Whisk cocoa powder into melted chocolate.
  • Add egg YOLKS and whisk until smooth.  Set aside.
  • Add a pinch of salt to the egg whites and whisk until foamy.
  • Add sugar gradually to egg whites while beating on high until medium peaks form.
  • Add 1/3 of egg whites to chocolate and mix well- until completely combined and smooth.
  • Add remainder of egg whites and fold in gently until completely incorporated.
  • Spoon batter into mini-cupcake liners in tins and bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.
  • Remove from oven and cool completely. (Cupcakes will rise high in oven and as they cool they will sink and even become a little concave— perfect spot for our yummy ganache to sit!!)
  • To make the ganache, heat chips and whipping cream in the microwave in 30 second increments, stirring in between, until completely melted and smooth.
  • Gently spoon or pipe ganache into the concave top of each cupcake until all ganache is used up.
  • Allow ganache to cool and harden (place in fridge to speed this process up)
  • Make frosting by combining remaining room temperature butters with powdered sugar and vanilla and beating on high until light and fluffy.
  • Pipe frosting on tops of each cupcake, covering the ganache.
  • Decorate as desired.

My thoughts: Usually, I use a cake mix for my cupcakes and focus on the fillings and frostings for that “wow” factor.  The wow factor in these is definitely the cupcakes themselves….wow.  I tried cupcakes made with a flour-less recipe this past weekend in Chicago at Molly’s cupcakes.  (AMAZING!)  I just had to try making them for myself and the reason I made them mini is because they are SO rich and heavy.  A full-size cupcake would be too much.  These cupcakes are definitely worth the extra effort!  The tiny hearts on top I just made on wax paper using Wilton’s candy melts. Click here for some photos of how to pipe designs in chocolate.  Enjoy!!!  -r

14 Comments

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Lemon Lime Cupcakes

Posted on September 21, 2012 by Ruthanne

Refreshing lime cupcakes topped with lemon butter cream- SO easy and fun!!

I just can’t say goodbye to those summer flavors and colors….I know I should be sharing my apple and pumpkin recipes with you, but these just make me so happy!!  The tart and the sweet….lime green and yellow….if you are missing summer already these are the perfect remedy this weekend!

INGREDIENTS:

  • One boxed white cake mix
  • Oil, eggs and water to make mix according to box
  • 1 small box(3 oz) of lime jello
  • 2 sticks of salted butter
  • 2 sticks of unsalted butter
  • 3 c. powdered sugar
  • 3 t. lemon extract
  • 1 t. vanilla extract
  • Yellow food coloring (to desired shade)

DIRECTIONS:

  • Make cake according to directions on box, but add lime jello before mixing.
  • Pour into 24 lined cupcake tins and bake according to package.
  • Cool cupcakes completely.
  • Make frosting by combining butters (softened), powdered sugar, lemon and vanilla extracts and coloring in a large bowl and beating on high until light and fluffy.
  • Pipe frosting onto cupcakes (watch this video for techniques)
  • Decorate as desired.  I topped with heart sprinkles and sour fruit heart candies, but I thought it might be fun to top with course salt and a cute straw and call them Margarita cupcakes!  Be creative!

 

My thoughts:  These are so easy.  Because they use Jell-O, the flavor possibilities are incredible.  Raspberry and Lemon?  Peach?  If you want a really easy twist on a plain cupcake these are your recipe!  Enjoy!!!  ~r

17 Comments

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Coconut Lemon Drop Cookies

Posted on September 4, 2012 by Ruthanne


These crunchy little cookies are full of sweet coconut and tart lemon drop flavor- yum!!!

INGREDIENTS:

  • 12 T. (1 and 1/2 sticks) butter -room temp.
  • 1/2 c. sugar
  • 1 t. vanilla extract
  • 6 t. lemon juice
  • 1 1/2 c. flour
  • 1 c. finely crushed cornflakes
  • yellow food coloring (to desired shade)
  • 1 c. shredded coconut
  • 1/2 c. Wilton’s candy melt in white chocolate
  • 15 lemon drops (or other lemon-flavored hard candy)

DIRECTIONS:

  • Heat oven to 250 degrees.
  • Place 1 c. shredded coconut on a small cookie sheet and place in oven for 10-15 minutes until it is dried and crunchy— not browned– just dry and crunchy.  Remove from oven and cool.
  • When coconut is cool, use your hands to crush it up  into smaller pieces, set aside.
  • Heat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
  • Cream sugar and butter together, add vanilla.
  • Add lemon juice, food coloring, flour and coconut, beating until well combined.
  • Add crushed cornflakes and mix (use clean hands if you want!) until well combined.
  • Use a small cookie scoop to spoon batter onto parchment paper. Press tops down a little to make the cookie flat on top.
  • Bake at 350 degrees for 12-16 minutes.
  • Allow cookies to cool.
  • Crush candies in a small zip-top bag using a hammer.
  • Melt Wilton’s candy melts in a small bowl in the microwave in 30 second increments until smooth and completely melted.
  • Spoon melted white chocolate into a zip top bag, clip a corner off and drizzle over each cookie.
  • Before chocolate hardens, sprinkle generously with crushed candy.  Allow chocolate to harden and ENJOY!!

My thoughts:  These cookies were really a stretch as far as inventing goes– I was really unsure if they would be any good at all.  They are SO yummy- I’ve had 4 now…(shhh….) I took them to a Labor Day picnic and everyone loved them– especially the “crunchiness”.  Well, everyone but my Uncle Keith who hates coconut….who hates coconut?  Just seems wrong.  Anyway– if you like lemon and candy and coconut and cookies—you are gonna love these little treats!!!!  Enjoy!  -r

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Caramel Fudge Brownies

Posted on August 31, 2012 by Ruthanne

Layers of brownie, soft caramel and fudge make this dessert irresistible!!!
If these brownies look familiar to you, it is because they are the very same recipe as my Mint Creme Brownies but with a thick layer of caramel instead of the mint creme.  I love these brownies because they hold together so well and are so chocolatey and rich- the sky is the limit as far as different toppings you could layer on top of them, but here’s a recipe for caramel:
INGREDIENTS:
BROWNIE:

  • 1c. butter
  • 2c. sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 tsp. vanilla
  • 1/2c. cocoa
  • 1/2tsp. salt
  • 2 c. flour
  • 1c. milk
  • 1 c. chopped pecans (optional)

CARAMEL:

  • 32 Kraft caramels (unwrapped)
  • 1/2c. butter
  • 1 (14 oz.) can of sweetened condensed milk.

FUDGE GLAZE:

  • 12oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 12 T. butter (do not substitute margarine here!)

DIRECTIONS:
BROWNIE:

  • Preheat oven to 350.
  • Cream butter and sugar together. 
  • Beat in eggs, cocoa, vanilla and salt.
  • Add flour and milk (alternating them and mixing well in between).
  • Spread evenly in greased jelly roll pan.
  • Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until done in center and just starting to pull away from sides.
  • Cool.  

CARAMEL:

  • Place unwrapped caramels, butter and sweetened condensed milk into a saucepan and heat until completely melted.
  • Stir this constantly to prevent scorching (about 6-8 minutes).
  • Gently pour over cooled brownies and spread to edges.
  • Put entire pan in freezer while you make the glaze (10-15 min) to allow the caramel to harden a little.

FUDGE GLAZE:

  • Melt butter and chocolate together in the microwave in 30 second increments, stirring in between until completely melted and smooth.
  • Pour over cooled caramel and gently spread evenly over top
  • Chill until top layer is hard and cut into bars.

My thoughts:  The mint creme brownies are one of my favorite desserts— add caramel instead and these are just soft gooey sweet amazingness.  If you want a harder caramel layer just store these in the fridge until you serve them.  Softer caramel?  Leave at room temperature and serve with a fork!   I wish I didn’t have a plate of them left in my kitchen….they are calling me….do you hear them??   Enjoy!!! r-

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Mini Boston Cream Pies

Posted on June 28, 2012 by Ruthanne


These miniature Boston Cream Pies are the CUTEST treat!  Covered in chocolate glaze with a surprise yummy filling in the middle, these are sure to make you and your family smile!

When you are as obsessed with desserts as I am, you get really fun kitchen presents!  For my birthday last year, my friend Angie got me the most adorable Mini Cake Pan ever.  They are made by Wilton and they create cute little layer cakes that have a square of filling on the inside.  I love them and decided to use them with this Boston cream Pie recipe instead of just a plain old regular size cake.  If you want to try the pans out just click on Mini Cake Pan and you can see them on Amazon– if you don’t want another kitchen gadget (I totally understand the dilemma!) just make this recipe in two regular round cake pans- put the filling in the middle and just pour that glaze right over the top.

Ingredients:

  • One white cake mix (with water, oil and eggs to make according to box)
  • One box (3.4 oz) JELL-O instant vanilla pudding
  • 1 c. milk
  • 1 1/2 c. Cool Whip Topping
  • 2 c. semi sweet chocolate chips
  • 1c. unsalted butter
  • 1 T. corn syrup

Directions:

  • Make glaze 1st: Melt together chocolate chips, butter and corn syrup and mix well.  Refrigerate at least one hour.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Make cake mix (whole egg method) according to box.
  • Spoon about 1/2 c. batter into each well greased Mini Cake Pan.
  • Place pans on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes.
  • Tip pans over onto a cake rack and allow cakes to cool completely.

  • Repeat process (one cake mix makes 4 to 5 full (two piece) cakes).
  • To make filling, combine pudding mix with milk and whisk for 2 minutes.
  • Fold Cool Whip topping in and set aside for at least 5 minutes.
  • Trim bottoms of cakes flat and spoon filling into each cavity.

  • Tip one cake on top of the other, keeping the filling in the center.
  • Remove glaze (it will be pretty thick) from the fridge and frost tops and sides of each cake.
  • Reheat remaining glaze and pour over the top of each cake to make a smooth outer layer (do this on a cake rack over a cookie sheet so excess glaze can drip through).
  • Chill until glaze is hard.




My thoughts:  I just served these last night and they were a huge hit.  Everyone loved how cute they were and the surprise filling in the center.  I loved the creamy filling with the rich glaze…YUM!  The glaze is a little difficult to get right (I thought!)  I was hoping for a smoother finish- but it tasted GREAT!  –Enjoy!!!!!!!  -r

12 Comments

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