Vanilla Buttermilk Cake with Instant Fudge Frosting

After noticing my friend, Michele, joined another baking blog, I decided to check it out. It was The Cake Slice! This is a new blog and I just signed up. As usual, we are having dinner at my parents on Thursday night so I decided to bring a dessert. I thought I would try the cake on one of the blog creators, Gigi. As you can see, mine is not a triple layer cake like the recipe called for. First, I thought my mom would die if I brought a triple layer cake over instead of the traditional two layer, and second, I was out of parchment paper and had to only butter the bottom and sides of the pans. Well.....one cake kinda stuck. I frosted it and will take to work. They don't care what it looks like. This isn't the first cake of the new blog, but I had most of these ingredients.

So, anyway.....I tried the bits of cake that fell off the disaster layer and the frosting. I must say YUMMY! I can't wait to have it after dinner!

The recipe is from the book Sky High Irresistible Triple Layer Cakes By Alsia Huntsman and Peter Wynne.

For the cake:
4 whole large eggs
2 egg yolks
2 tsp of vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup of buttermilk
3 cups of cake flour
2 cups of sugar
4 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
8 ounces of butter at room temperature

Preheat the oven to 350F degrees. Butter the bottom and sides of three 8-inch cake pans. Line with parchment paper and grease the paper.

Place the eggs and the yolks in a medium bowl. Add the vanilla and 1/4 cup of buttermilk and whisk all the ingredients well. Set Aside.

Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in the bowl of a mixer; whisk to blend. Add the remaining buttermilk and butter to the dry ingredients and with the mixer on low speed, blend together. Raise the mixer to medium speed and beat until light fluffy; 2minutes.

Add the egg mixture in three additions, scrapping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Divide the batter among all the pans.

Bake the cake layers for 28-32 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake layers cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Turn out the cakes onto a wire rack and remove the paper from the bottoms. Cool completely.

Fudge Frosting:
6 ounces of unsweetened chocolate melted and cooled
4 1/2 cups of confectioners sugar (1 16 oz bag)
12 ounces of unsalted butter at room temperature
6 tablespoons of half and half
1 tablespoon of vanilla extract

Place all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse to blend together. Then pulse until the frosting is smooth.


The disaster layer!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

I like to call these PMS cookies. they have three different kinds of chocolate in it! I received this recipe in the mail last week in an advertisement for Great American Home Baking.

3 c. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. salt
1 c. (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
1 c. sugar
3/4 c. firmly packed light brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 pkg (12 oz) semisweet chocolate chips
1 pkg (11 1/2 oz) milk chocolate chips
1 pkg (12 oz) white chocolate chips
1 c. coarsely chopped walnuts

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl; set aside. combine the butter, sugar and brown sugar in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer set on high speed until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time; stir in the vanilla.

2. Gradually add the flour mixture, beating well after each addition. Fold in all the chocolate chips and the walnuts.

3. Drop the dough by rounded tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets (or lined with parchment paper). Flatten the dough slightly with the back of a fork. Bake the cookies until golden, about 15 minutes. Cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool completely.

Yield: 5 dozen

I made some smaller, but I like the ones I made bigger since they were a little more soft.

I made the dough up the night before and baked the next day. Still excellent!

TWD: Snickery Squares

Yes, I know I'm late again! I decided not to do the creme brulee. I had spotted the Snickery Squares recipe on page 120-121 and thought it looked luscious. This was chosen by Erin of Dinner & Dessert for March 4th. I made it for dinner at my parents' (every Thursday night). It was a hit! I loved it, but it was soooo rich. Needed big glass of milk! I had never caramelized peanuts before. Delicious! Jimmy and I could have just ate the peanuts.
before baking the shortbread bottom


the caramelized peanuts


the peanuts on top the dulce de leche

Barbecued Beef Ribs for Two

I had some country style ribs out for dinner last night and wasn't sure how I wanted to make them. We had a Boy Scout meeting at 7:00 so I knew time would be short. I went to my favorite source of on-line recipes - www.tasteofhome.com/recipes and found the following recipe. The recipe called for beef back ribs, but I used my country style ribs. I didn't have cider vinegar so I substituted white vinegar, but just cut it down by a 1/4. I only boiled ribs until they started to look done on outside which cut down the baking time. It didn't take too long to bake. The sauce was delicious! I served it with sliced potatoes baked with butter and parmesan.

2 lbs beef back ribs
1/2 c. ketchup
2 T finely chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 T cider vinegar
1 T brown sugar
1/2 t. chili powder
1/2 t. Worcestershire sauce
1/8 t. garlic powder
dash hot pepper sauce

Cut ribs into serving size pieces; place in a large kettle and cover with water. Simmer, uncovered, for 50-60 minutes or until tender. Meanwhile, combine remaining ingredients in a small saucepan. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

Drain ribs; place in a greased shallow 2-qt baking dish. Cover with sauce. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes.

Yield: 2 servings

Crispy Chicken

This A Taste of Home recipe is one of my all time favorites. No one ever guesses that the main ingredient is Rice Krispies!. Every time I have baked this, the chicken comes out so tender and delicious. It's a family favorite - my mom and daughter make it often.

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 cups crisp rice cereal, coarsely crushed
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (4 ounces each)

Directions:

In a shallow bowl, combine cereal, flour and seasonings. Place butter in another shallow bowl. Dip chicken in butter, then roll in cereal mixture.

Place in a greased 11-in. x 7-in. baking pan. Drizzle with remaining butter. Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 20-25 minutes or until juices run clear. Yield: 4 servings.

Upside Down German Chocolate Cake

I opted not to make this week's Tuesdays with Dorie recipe. It just did not appeal to me. Instead, I decided to make Upside Down German Chocolate Cake from A Taste of Home. The man I am currently seeing mentioned that German Chocolate was his favorite cakes. So, when I had him over for dinner, I made him one.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup butter, cubed
• 2/3 cup pecan halves
• 2/3 cup flaked coconut
• 1/4 cup evaporated milk
• CAKE:
• 1/3 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 package (4 ounces) German sweet chocolate, melted
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• Whipped topping, optional

Directions:

In a saucepan over low heat, cook and stir brown sugar and butter until sugar is dissolved and butter is melted. Spread into a greased 9-in. square baking pan. Sprinkle with pecans and coconut. Drizzle with evaporated milk; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in the chocolate, eggs and vanilla. Combine the dry ingredients; add to the creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk. Pour over topping in pan.

Bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before inverting onto a serving plate. Serve with whipped topping if desired. Yield: 9 servings.

TWD: Chocolate Malted Whopper Drops

I know this post is late, but I had a hectic week. I actually baked these last weekend.

Rachel of Confessions of a Tangerine Tart chose the Chocolate Malted Whopper Drops. I found these cookies absolutely delicious! I didn't think they were to chocolately like some. I loved how they were soft in the middle. They sure were a big hit! Of course, eating the leftover Whoppers was a plus!



I won't be posting a blog this week since I always bake on the weekends and I was gone this weekend camping with the Boy Scouts. Had a great weekend at Peanut Island, Riviera Beach, FL, playing in the surf and sun.