Week 14: Ben's Oreo Cake

I made this cake for Ben Schulthies's farewell last Friday. I am so excited for him and hope him the best of luck in Portland Oregon.

Recipe

1 box Devils Food cake mix
2 6oz packages chocolate
1/2 c oil
1/2 c water
1 c sour cream
4 eggs
crushed oreo's

I got the frosting recipe from Bakerella.

Mix together and pour into floured and greased 9 inch round layer cake pans. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes. Remove cake to wire rack and let cool completely. Frost then cover with more crushed oreo's.

If you dont want the crushed oreo's to melt into the cake freeze them first.

Week 13: White Almond Pistachio

This cake is another mix up of the Retired Models cake. I hope you guys aren't getting board of this cake, because I definitely am not. And sadly I have the recipe memorized now which makes life so easy when you make a lot of cakes.

Recipe

1 box white cake mix
4 eggs
1/2 c oil
1/2 c milk (i used heavy whipping cream)
1 c sour cream
2 6oz packages vanilla pudding
1 t vanilla
2 t almond extract

frosting

2 6oz packaging of pistachio pudding
2 c milk
2 c heavy whipping cream

Mix together and pour into floured and greased 9 inch round layer cake pans. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes. Remove cake to wire rack and let cool completely.

Mix the pudding and milk until pudding is dissolved add whipping cream and whip with beaters.

Halloween and a Ghostly Cake

Halloween is so fun! This Halloween I went down to Spanish Fork for a visit to my awesome brother and my super cute sister-in-law Sierra. I has so much fun, we had a great Halloween.

For lunch we had Halloween pasta with black and white bowtie and bloody Alfredo.



For dinner we made Octopus Chicken Pot Pie. We found easy Chicken Pie recipe on Pillsbury.com and the Octopus Pot Pie from this site.





Then for dessert we had a Ghostly Cake!



I found this on I am Baker.

I did do some substitutes. Instead of making a red velvet cake from scratch I once again used the Retired Models Cake Recipe.I didn't add any pudding. I used their Butter Cream Marshmallow frosting, and I tried the Betty Crocker Ganache for the dripping chocolate icing.It wasn't as good as home made but was still yummy.

Hungry..Grab a Snicker Cake!

I took some inspiration from the Praline Turtle Cake and did a little twist and instead of pecans I added peanuts and chopped up snickers. Also because I'm all about the box cake mix to save time I made the cake batter from the Retired Models cake recipe.

I have to admit this was a fun cake to make, who doesn't love a snickers? And Bruce thought it was one of my best yet. Make it for your next event and see what you think?

Recipe

- 1/2 c butter

- 1 c brown sugar

- 1 can (14oz) sweetened condensed milk

- 1 c chopped peanuts

- 1 box devil chocolate cake

- 4 eggs beaten

- 1/2 c oil

- 1/2 c water

- 2 6oz packages instant chocolate pudding

- 1 c sour cream

- chopped mini snickers

- your favorite chocolate icing ( I wimped out and bought some betty crocker chocolate icing)

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottoms of two 9-inch round cake pans and fit a circle of parchment paper large enough to cover 1 inch up the side of each cake pan. Heat the butter, brown sugar, and sweetened condensed milk in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat until the butter melts and the sugar is dissolved. Do not boil. Divide the sugar mixture between the prepared pans. Sprinkle 3/4 cup peanuts over sugar mixture and set aside to cool. Mix cake, eggs, pudding, sour cream, oil, water together. Add chopped up snickers if desired. Pour into the prepared pans.

Bake until a wooden skewer inserted into the cake center comes out clean -- 35 to 40 minutes. Cool cakes in the pans for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the pans and turn cakes out onto a cooling rack. Remove the paper and cool completely.

Spread the fudge topping over the sugar mixture side of one cake layer. Place the second layer over the first and drizzle with the melted chocolate and the remaining chopped snickers. Frost the cake sides with your favorite chocolate icing.

I used my new frosting decorating pen around the edges and the bottom.

ENJOY!

Texas Sheet Cake

I got this recipe from the College Station cookbook my mom gave me a few years back. That is my go to cookbook. For one it has most of my favorite recipes of my mom's and second i know everyone in it which is nice. A very trusted source! This sheet cake is from Meg Anderson.

Recipe

2 c flour

2 c sugar

1 tsp baking soda

2 beaten eggs

1/2 c sour milk

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 c oil

1 stick butter

3 Tbs water

Icing

1 stick butter

4 Tbs cocoa

1/2 cups sour milk

3-4 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Combine flour, sugar and soda in a bowl. Boil butter, oil, cocoa & water, then pour over the dry mixture. Add renaming ingredients and then pour into a greased cookie sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

Boil the butter, cocoa and *sour milk. Add to shifted powder sugar and vanilla, stirring well. Add chopped nuts if desired.

You can use either vinegar or lemon juice to make your milk go sour.

Thanks Meg this was very yummy and super easy to make!

PS If you dont want your icing to look like mine let the cake cool before you frost. Although it was tasty because it melted into the cake. YUM YUM

Pig Lick'n Cake

This is a good quick cake to make and it is yummy too!

RECIPE:

1 pkg yellow cake mix w/pudding in the mix
1 can mandarin orangesn w/juice
1/2 c sour cream

Mix cake according to directions of box, adding oranges, (use juice from oranges + water to make 1 cup liquid). Bake and cool. Frost cake, then refrigerate, garnish with mandarin oranges and sprigs of mint.

FROSTING:

1 sm package vanilla instant pudding
2 6oz can crushed pineapple w/juice
1 8oz carton cool whip

Mix pineapple juice and pudding together. Fold in cool whip.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

I am so glad it is finally fall and I can start making fall food, one of my favorite types of food! What better way to kick it off then with Pumpkin Cheesecake.



Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups gingersnap crumbs (25 -30 cookies)
3 tablespoons butter, melted
3 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened
1 1/4 cups sugar, divided
1 tablespoon vanilla
6 large eggs, separated
1 (30 oz) can pumpkin pie mix*
2 large eggs
1 cup whipping cream
1 tablespoon powdered sugar

*I have never been a fan of the canned pumpkin pie mix so I just got the canned pumpkin and added all the spices listed on the back for the pumpkin pie recipe.

Directions:

Combine crumbs and butter; press into bottom and 1 inch up sides of a lightly greased 12-inch spring-form pan. Set aside.

Beat cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth; add 1 cup sugar and vanilla, beating until creamy. Stir in 6 egg yolks. Pour 2 1/2 cups mixture into prepared crust; set aside.

Add pumpkin pie mix and 2 eggs to remaining cream cheese mixture, stirring well; set aside.

Beat egg whites at high speed until foamy. Add remaining 1/4 cup sugar. 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form and sugar dissolves. Fold into pumpkin mixture pour over cream cheese mixture in crust.

Bake at 300 degrees for 1 1/2 hours. Turn oven off, and run a knife around edge of cheesecake to loosen. Let stand in oven with door partially open for 1 1/2 hours. Remove sides of pan; cover and chill.

Beat whipping cream and powdered sugar at high speed until soft peaks form; spread on on top of cheesecake. I added some ginger snap crumbs to the top as a garnish.



This turned out great! It does take a bit of time but it is totally worth it. It taste a lot like pumpkin pie and I cannot decide which one I like better? I might have to make both for thanksgiving now?

Wish List

Cuisinart ® Mini-Prep Plus Food Processor

A food processor would make my life a LOT easier. Specially with cheesecake.

Kuhn Rikon Frosting Decorating Pen

This is so cool! Its battery operated frosting set. Can you say AWESOME!

Baker’s Edge Brownie Pan

Make every piece of brownie with the chewy edgy and gooey center. Also great for lasagna.

Straight Plastic Handle Icing Spatulas

I think about this knife every time I frost a cake. I should just make time and go get it.

Dos Amigos Cupcakes

This week I decided to try a cupCAKE instead of cake. My favorite Blue Bell ice cream was called Dos Amigos, chocolate and vanilla. So I used that as my inspiration.


Ingredients:

You have to make two different batters for this recipe.

Chocolate batter:

1 Chocolate cake mix (i used one with the pudding in it to make it moist)
1/2 C water
1/2 C oil
1 C sour cream
4 eggs
1 t vanilla

White batter:

1 White cake mix (with pudding)
1/2 C water
1/2 C oil
1 C sour cream
4 eggs
1 t vanilla

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine ingredients in two seperate mixing bowls. Spray inside of cupcake holders with nonstick spray. Using either two spoons and scooping vanilla and chocolate into cupcake holders or rolled up parchment paper filling with chocolate and then another filled with vanilla squeeze into cupcake holders. Bake for 18 min.



These were so good I ate most of them without icing, not to mention my icing was no good! I tried to make a butter cream frosting but it turned out to be sugar glue. Any suggestions?

Birthday Booty!

Bruce got me this AMAZING sewing matching! I am so excited about it. I am already making a cake apron :)










This is a super cute recipe book journal from anthro! I totally love it and cannot wait to fill it with my favorite cake recipes.



















Ok so I bought these for myself, does that count? Well this is the rose water, and I had to get the Orange Blossom as well.




















Yeah Cake Plates!

I had such a great birthday, thanks everyone for making it Number 1.

Week 6: White Almond Cake and... Rose Water?

Yep that's right I said Rose Water! I was searching for good recipes for my birthday cake and found a cake that called for Rose Water. I was immediately intrigued and wanted to try it out. It was... interesting! I feel like it is something I need to keep working on to perfect. The white almond cake was super yummy though! I loved it except I over cooked it so it wasn't as moist as I usually like.

Ingredients

* 1 boxes white cake mix
* 1 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 cups granulated sugar
* 1 teaspoons salt
* 1 1/3 cups water
* 1/4 cup vegetable oil
* 1 teaspoons real vanilla
* 1 teaspoons almond extract
* 1 cups sour cream
* 4 large egg whites

Directions:

Place all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir together with a wire whisk.
Add the remaining ingredients and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.
Pour into greased and floured cake pans, filling each pan a little over half full.
Lightly tap cake pans on counter to bring air bubbles to top.
Bake in preheated 325° F oven until cake tests done.



PS LOVE THE NEW CAKE PLATE!! Thanks Tiffy!

Week 5: Praline Turtle Cake

I wanted to make something special this week since it was also going to be my birthday cake. I did a lot of searching for a good recipe and when I found this one I was excited to try it. I found the recipe here

http://www.countryliving.com/recipefinder/praline-turtle-cake-3611

Ingredients

* 1/2 cup(s) butter
* 1 cup(s) brown sugar
* 1 can(s) (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
* 1 cup(s) chopped pecans
* 2 cup(s) all-purpose flour
* 3/4 cup(s) unsweetened cocoa
* 2 cup(s) granulated sugar
* 1 1/2 teaspoon(s) baking powder
* 1 1/2 teaspoon(s) baking soda
* 1 teaspoon(s) salt
* 2 large 2 large eggs
* 1 cup(s) sour cream
* 1/2 cup(s) canola oil
* 1 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
* 1 teaspoon(s) white vinegar
* 1/2 cup(s) fudge topping
* 1/2 cup(s) chocolate chips, melted

Directions

1. Make the cake: Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottoms of two 9-inch round cake pans and fit a circle of parchment paper large enough to cover 1 inch up the side of each cake pan. Heat the butter, brown sugar, and sweetened condensed milk in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat until the butter melts and the sugar is dissolved. Do not boil. Divide the sugar mixture between the prepared pans. Sprinkle 3/4 cup pecans over sugar mixture and set aside to cool. Combine the flour, cocoa, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Add the eggs, sour cream, oil, vanilla, and vinegar, and 1 cup hot water and mix with a wooden spoon until the batter is smooth. Pour the batter into the cake pans -- over sugar mixture -- and bake until a wooden skewer inserted into the cake center comes out clean -- 35 to 40 minutes. Cool cakes in the pans for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the pans and turn cakes out onto a cooling rack. Remove the paper and cool completely.
2. Assemble the cake: Spread the fudge topping over the sugar mixture side of one cake layer. Place the second layer over the first and drizzle with the melted chocolate and the remaining 1/4 cup pecans. Frost the cake sides with your favorite chocolate icing.


One thing that didn't turn out so great for me on this one was the parchment paper, but it was also one of my favorite parts. You make the praline by melting butter, brown sugar, and sweeten condensed milk then putting parchment paper down in the pan above 1 inch up the side. I might have gone a little higher than a inch and my cake had rivets in it. But it was still super yummy.





HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!

Week 4: Retired Models Cake

This is one of my favorite cakes to make. I got this recipe from my sister-in-law Tyan. Its basically a pudding cake but we call it a Retired Models cake because you have to be a retired model before you can eat it, its just that delicious! I must have retired a long long time ago :)

Recipe

Ingredients:

-1 Devil's Food Cake Mix (I used a butter chocolate last time and loved it)
-4 beaten eggs
-1/2 cup water
-1/2 cup oil
-2 6oz pkgs instant Chocolate Pudding
-1 cup sour cream
-1 cup chocolate chips (optional)*

Mix together and pour into floured and greased 9 inch round layer cake pans. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes. Remove cake to wire rack and let cool completely.

*I like to add the chocolate chips to give the cake a little texture, it gives it a chocolate chunk every few bites.

Frosting:

-2 6oz pkg instant Chocolate Pudding
-2 cups milk
-2 cups heavy whipping cream

Mix the milk and chocolate pudding in bowl until the pudding mix dissolved. Whip cream and fold into chocolate mixture. Frost cake.

As you can see, we also add strawberry's some dipped in chocolate, and then with the left over melted chocolate drizzle it on the cake.

Bon Appetit!

Recipe Idea's...

Now that I am totally pumped about my new goal, I realized if I am going to make 52 different cakes I better start looking into some recipes. If anyone knows of a good recipe or a good recipe book please share.

On a side note, Bruce and I went to the Greek Festival in downtown Salt Lake last night. It was packed!! We had no idea what we were getting into, and that the line for food would ever be so long. It would have taken us hours to get through it, so instead we got some pastries, left, and went across the street to Tony Caputos. It was so good! But now we know for next year, the Greek Festival isn't worth it, especially when we have a few favorite Greek restaurants around town.

Week 3: Chocolate Cheesecake

This was Kenny's birthday present. Good choice Kenny!



Also welcome to my new cake plate! I am in love!! And it was only $5!

HINT HINT: My birthday is in a week and I'm going to be needing some cake plates...

Week 2: Retired Models Cake Birthday Remix

This cake is not what it looks like. I made a vanilla pudding frosting (that's why it looks yellow) and a confetti cake mix to give it the color flakes on the inside with some white chocolate chip chunks. I wanted to do the rainbow frosting put couldn't find it in the store. But the raspberry's were a wonderful addition.



This cake was dedicated for Tiffany's birthday and was super sweet just like her!

Week 1: Carrot Cake

Mmmm..This is a family favorite! I love a "healthy" cake.