Hershey's Chocolate Cake with Fudge Frosting

I've made (and consumed) a lot of chocolate cake in my life, but I'm positive nothing will compare to Hershey's chocolate cake. I mean, they've got that down to a science (test kitchens exist for a reason). So I've decided from now on that will be the base of all of my chocolate cakes, leaving room to explore different kinds of frosting.

For my first experiment, I made a cake for my final project in my Journalism 4551 New Media and Culture Class. There was a YouTube video that you can watch here, but really know that wrote a message against rape culture on the cake. So. Yeah. Pretty serious stuff.

Anyways, since I just gave you the link to the Hershey's recipe (it's also on the back of the jar of cocoa powder), I can just give you the frosting recipe!


Fudge Frosting

What you'll need:

• 4 cups bittersweet baking chocolate
• 1/2 cup hot water
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup corn syrup

-Melt chocolate in microwave. Pour in mixing bowl add hot water and mix until combined. Add butter and mix. Mix in powdered sugar and corn syrup. Let sit until it stiffens and frost cake.

Miscellaneous Baked Goods

Yeah. These are just photos. Sorry, peeps.

Brooklyn Blackout Cake

Oh, crap. It's been awhile since I've posted anything. Since I'm at my favorite coffee shop today and my interview is cancelled, I guess it's time to update the blog, yo. It's not as comprehensive as I'd like, but I still think it'll be good. Because I made some pretty fantastic things. That's all that matters, right?

Mmmm lopsided looking cake. This is my take on the Brooklyn Blackout Cake which is from the Ladybird Bakery in well. Brooklyn, New York. I'd heard a lot of fuss about this cake, and I'm not one to reject chocolate. The bakery takes the fudgey crumbs and uses it to decorate the exterior of the cake and a frosting that is essentially chocolate pudding. I'm a fan. I used raspberries because apparently I'm a rebel and I can do things like that. Not really. I just couldn't get my crumbs fine enough for me to want to put them on my cake.

What you'll need

For the cake:

• 3/4 cup butter (1 and 1/2 sticks), softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 1 cup milk

-Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and butter/flour two 9 inch round cake pans. Set aside.

-Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add in eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition.

-At low speed, add the vanilla, cocoa powder, baking soda, and baking powder.

-Add in part of the flour, then milk. Mix and alternate with each addition

- Bake for 30-35 minutes. Let cool before frosting.

For the frosting:

• 3 cups water
• 2 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
• 1 1/2 cups cocoa powder
• 2/3 cups corn starch
• 6 tablespoons butter, cubed
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

-Pour 2 1/2 cups water, sugar, corn syrup, and cocoa powder in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking occasionally.
-Dissolve the corn starch in 1/2 cup water and whisk into the cocoa mixture.
-Return to a boil, whisking constantly. Cook until thick.
-Remove from heat and add butter and vanilla, whisking until smooth.
-Place in refrigerator for an hour, then frost cake.

Banana Cake with White Chocolate Peanut Butter Ganache

It is one dreary day in Minnesota. I know that whole expression "April showers brings May flowers" is a thing, but I'd love some sunshine. Since those clouds didn't look like they were anywhere near ready to part, I made my own sunshine in my kitchen.

Sunshine and happiness to me is having my whole environment smell like cake. I love when it sinks into my skin- it makes me feel a bit more at peace. Today it was necessary to find my peace. I found it in banana cake. Because banana bread seemed too simple. I wanted peanut butter too. I also wanted a use for my white chocolate bunny that I received for Easter so I didn't stuff it in my face in .5 seconds.

Seriously... Who could say no to this?


Banana Cake with White Chocolate Peanut Butter Ganache

What you'll need:

• 1 cup loosely packed brown sugar
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
• 3 ripe bananas, mashed
• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

White Chocolate Peanut Butter Ganache

• 6 oz white chocolate *would recommend 8 if you have it (all I had was my white chocolate bunny)
• 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 cup heavy cream

To make:

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease and line a 9 inch cake pan with parchment paper. Set aside.

- In a bowl, whisk together the brown sugar and egg yolks until smooth. Add in vanilla, then slowly add in melted butter and whisk until completely smooth. 

- Mix in mashed bananas until evenly incorporated, then add baking soda, flour, and salt and whisk until blended.

-Pour mixture into cake pan and bake for 30-35 minutes or until the cake is golden in color and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted. Allow cake to cool.

Ganache

- Chop the white chocolate and put in bowl with peanut butter. Set aside.

- Heat cream in a saucepan on medium heat until hot, but not boiling. Make sure to remove from heat once you notice bubbles forming on the sides of the pan.

-Pour hot cream on the white chocolate/peanut butter mixture. Let sit for 1-2 minutes then using a whisk, mix until everything is melted and incorporated. This could take up to five minutes, but be patient!

-Pour over cake and spread.

I hope you just drooled. I sure know I did. But then again, I can actually smell this whole thing right now. You have to only imagine.

Last but not least, cut the cake into slices and serve! Also, allow your dog to stick her snout in the left side of the picture just to make your readers question things. It works. I promise.

Enjoy!

White Truffle Red Velvet Cupcakes

I was home over the weekend so naturally I Facebook spammed my mother and told her that I needed to bake something or I'd lose my mind. Luckily I have an amazing mother, and she bought me ingredients to bake (not before telling me that I have issues, of course).

Of course I easily could've made something simple for everyone to enjoy, but does that sound like me? Of course not. I knew I wanted red velvet because it seemed very fitting for the holiday, but I figured Lindt white chocolate truffles would complement the cupcakes excellently (and yeah. they did. I'm a genius, I know). I also decided to melt some chocolate chips and draw with chocolate to top the cupcakes. Most of what I decorated was sweet typical cliche stuff.

By most, I definitely do not mean all. We shouldn't let me decorate with chocolate after I've worked all day and it's after my bed time. I get inappropriate. 

What would Valentine's Day be without a reference to genitalia?! I don't want anything to do with that kind of Valentine's Day because I act like a twelve year old boy and I think body parts are hilarious. Really, you should find a more mature blogger to read. I think that's a good idea. P.S. Gabe thought that "vagina" said "neglect." I guess my chocolate writing needs some work.

Okay. Enough nonsense! On to the actual recipe!

White Truffle Red Velvet Cupcakes
Yields twelve regular sized cupcakes

What you'll need:

• 4 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar 
• 1 egg
• 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons red food coloring
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup & 2 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar
• 12 white chocolate truffles (I used Lindt), unwrapped

-Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line cupcake pan with liners.

-Cream butter and sugars together on medium until light and fluffy, then beat in the egg. 

-In a separate bowl, mix together the cocoa powder, vanilla, and food coloring to make a paste. Add this paste to the butter/sugar/egg mixture and beat until the color is fully incorporated.

- Add half the buttermilk, mix, then add half the flour and mix until incorporated. Repeat. 

- Add baking soda and vinegar and beat. 

-Fill each liner with 1/4 cup batter and drop a truffle in the center. Bake for 15-20 minutes, and let cool before frosting. Use whatever frosting you'd like. Since I don't have fridge space in my dorm, I used buttercream and that recipe can be found here.

 I think this cupcake adventure went pretty well. My taste tester, Cooper agrees. 

Teehee. Vagina.

Owl Cupcakes

I forgot about these. Whoops. I made owl cupcakes (with the help of Gabe, my mom, and Nick... The first two had a couple of drinks in them. Whoops.)

All I did was made a boxed cupcake, topped them with frosting, then used the frosting halves of Oreos for eyes, other broken bits of Oreos for eyebrows (?) and Reese's Pieces for the eyes and beak.

My helpers. 

Some of the more "normal" looking ones.

Super Fudgey Brownie Cupcakes

Okay this is the end of me getting caught up and being a lazy a-hole. I made these yesterday. I was really in the mood for chocolate and a cupcake, but I wanted it to be as fudgey as possible (God, why won't Google Chrome recognize 'fudgey' as a word? It should totally be one). We were going to an old family friend's house for dinner and needed a dessert that would be kid friendly. What kid doesn't like a brownie? Well, what person doesn't like a brownie?

Deliciousness. That's all I've got.

What you'll need:

• 1 stick of butter, melted
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 oz milk chocolate, melted
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

To make:

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line muffin tin with 12 liners

-In a large bowl whisk together the melted butter, sugar and vanilla extract. Add one egg at a time and whisk. Mix in melted chocolate and oil. 

-Add flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda to wet mixture and whisk until combined.

-Fill liners and bake for 10-12 minutes. Let cool. I topped mine with cocoa infused whipped cream. 

Coconut Cream Cupcakes

This is the last of my Thanksgiving baking. I promise. I didn't post anything for Christmas, because you guys already have the recipes (apparently I'm getting less creative).

Or am I? I made these babies after my failure of a coconut cream pie. The pie wouldn't set and it was a disaster, but I felt compelled to make sure my family had a coconut-y dessert. So this is what happened.

What you'll need:

• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 shredded, sweetened coconut
• 1 1/2 sticks butter, softened
• 2 eggs and 2 egg whites
• 3/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• The frosting found here
• toasted coconut for topping

To make:

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line muffin tin with liners.

- In a mixing bowl, mix together butter, sugar, then add eggs, egg whites, coconut milk, and vanilla extract.

-In a separate bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, salt, and coconut then add to wet mixture and mix until combined.

-Fill cupcake liners, bake for 20 minutes, let cool, then frost and top with toasted coconut. 

French Silk Pie

Yeah. I'm still working on posting my Thanksgiving recipes. I've only been on winter break for a month... I have no clue how I haven't found the time to post them, but I swear. I'm finishing them today! Better late than never, right?

Let me entice you with chocolate curls and whipped cream. Is it working? If it isn't, you're clearly a Communist (If you're a Communist, good for you. Thanks for reading my blog).

French Silk Pie is probably my favorite treat on Thanksgiving. My mom has been making this recipe for years, so there's a bit of nostalgia attached to it.  


What you'll need:

• 1 graham cracker crust
• 1 jar marshmallow fluff (7 oz.)
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup butter, cubed
• 2 oz unsweetened baker's chocolate
• 2 tablespoons strongly brewed coffee
• 1 cup heavy cream, whipped

(topping)

• 1 cup whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
• chocolate shavings to top

To make:

-In a heavy saucepan, combine marshmallow fluff, chocolate chips, butter, unsweetened chocolate, and coffee; cook and stir often on low heat until everything is melted and the mixture is smooth. Cool. Fold in whipped cream. Pour into crust.

- Prepare whipping cream by beating heavy cream and powdered sugar together until stiff peaks form. Top the pie then add chocolate shavings, if desired.

Pumpkin Pie

I don't even have anything clever to start this one off with. My brain is fried after finishing finals.
I guess I can tell you that I've never eaten pumpkin pie and probably never will. But I made it for my family!

What you'll need:

• one pre-made pie crust
• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups, canned, pureed pumpkin
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg plus two egg yolks, beaten
• 1 cup cream
• 1/2 stick melted butter 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

To make:

-Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

-Place a piece of pre-made (whether store-bought or homemade) pie crust on the bottom of a 9-inch pie plate. Pinch and crimp ends to make a pattern, or really do whatever you can. (I'm not exactly good at this part...) Put the pie shell in the freezer for an hour to form shape, then cover in foil and bake for ten minutes. Remove foil.

-To make the filling, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the pumpkin then beat until combined. Mix in the sugar salt, then the eggs (one at a time). Add the cream, melted butter, vanilla, then pumpkin pie spice. Beat until combined.

-Pour mixture into the pre-baked pie shell. Bake for 50 minutes, then let cool completely before serving. 

Apple Pie

I've officially become the queen of procrastination. I'm about to post a bunch of recipes from Thanksgiving that I just haven't gotten around to blogging about because I'd rather spend my time lounging in sweat pants, watching Netflix, and pretending that I don't have some sort of work to do. Take this as an apology though, will you?

I'd never made apple pie before, but my step mom, Jeannie requested it for Thanksgiving. So I tried it out. Did I succeed?

What you'll need:

• 2 pre-made pie crusts (I just used store-bought. I had a lot of pies to make that day)
• 3 lbs. apples (I used Granny Smith)
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• pinch of ground cloves
• pinch of nutmeg

-Peel, core, and cut the apples into decent sized chunks and toss them in a bowl with the lemon juice and sugar. Set aside

-In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the apple mixture and cook until apples are tender but still hold their shape (this should take about 6-8 minutes).

-Sprinkle with the flour, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg and toss until it begins to thicken. Remove from heat and let cool completely.

-Preheat the oven to 375 degrees

-Lay one piece of dough in a 9 1/2 inch pie pan. Add the apple mixture, mounding slightly. Chill pie for 15 minutes then add other crust on top, slit on the top, brush top with egg yolk and sprinkle with sugar. 

-Bake for 55-60 minutes. Let cool completely before covering.

Pumpkin Spice White Hot Chocolate (For One)

I've been bedridden for the past week because I have mono. Now before you start chastising me and telling me to stop kissing so many boys, just stop. I've heard them all at this point! Mono sucks. If you've had it, you know that the only cure is lots of rest and fluids, but you poor sucker, you're going to have symptoms for about six weeks. So I've been sleeping, force feeding myself tea, and cuddling with this thing!

Isn't she cute?! Sorry, I couldn't resist. Screw having a boyfriend, all I need are my dogs to cuddle with. Seriously.

And. Well. Maybe this. I definitely think I need this in my life. 

This creamy, white chocolatey, pumpkiny monstrosity was everything I ever dreamed of and more. In a rooster mug. I know, I must have a death wish because there is absolutely nothing healthy in there for me, but just take a second. Look at it and tell me you don't want it in your life. 

Pumpkin Spice White Hot Chocolate (for one)

What you'll need: 

• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• whipped cream for topping (optional)

- Over medium heat, mix together the cream and milk and let simmer until hot, but not boiling.

-In a separate bowl, pour the chocolate chips and set aside. Once the dairy mixture is hot, pour over the chocolate chips, then stir until completely melted.

-Mix in the vanilla and pumpkin spice, then pour into a mug, top with whipped cream and additional pumpkin spice, if desired and enjoy.

And boy, did I enjoy it. Ruby definitely wanted some too and wouldn't leave me alone. So yes, to close this post there are going to be some more pictures of my dog. Why not?!

Caramel Corn Cupcakes

I think I've finally reached the point of insanity.

I reached that point today. Long gone are the days where I was satisfied by plain old chocolate cupcakes, or if I was really in the mood to go crazy, confetti cupcakes. I've cliff dived into a sugary ocean that will definitely end my life by losing a foot to diabetes. The worst part? I wouldn't have it any other way.

I mean, you've got to be pretty grateful that I'm addicted to making cupcakes. I could be addicted to sweet black tar Mexican heroin. But the point is, I'm not. I just really like sugar. So much that I was willing to make caramel cupcakes, caramel frosting, then top these monstrosities with caramel corn, candy corn, and white chocolate chips.

 I'm not totally to blame for these creations. I found them on The Cake Blog and Chelsea helped me actually make those. So if anyone is to blame, it's these enablers... Just kidding. I think.

Could anyone resist?

Caramel Cupcakes

For the cupcakes:

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 sticks butter, softened
• 4 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 cup caramel syrup (optional)

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees then line muffin pans with 24 liners. Set aside.

- In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set the bowl aside. In a measuring cup, mix together milk and vanilla then set aside.

-In a mixer, beat together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing in between additions. Add caramel syrup (if desired. It makes the cupcakes super caramely. I have an iron stomach for sweets, so I love it. I can't make any guarantees though).

- Add in flour mixture and milk mixture alternating until all combined. Pour batter into liners and bake for 18-20 minutes. Let cool before frosting.

For the frosting:

• 1 stick butter
• 1/3 cup cream
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 cups powdered sugar

-Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. Lower heat to medium-low then add cream and brown sugar. Mix and let cook until the sugar dissolves which should take about two minutes.

- Remove mixture from heat, then add vanilla. Let sit for ten minutes.

-Pour mixture into bowl, add powdered sugar one cup at a time until combined.

The actual website created a whole recipe for the topping of the cupcakes, but I was lazy. I just kinda threw some store-bought caramel corn, candy corn, and white chocolate chips on top of the frosted cupcakes. I also put a little salt on the cupcakes in attempt to counteract the sweetness. You know. I basically made up stuff as I went along and I guess it ended up working out.

In conclusion, I might've lost my mind to this baking addiction... But I don't think I'd have it any other way.

Pumpkin S'mores Cupcakes

I realize that Minnesota didn't get much of a summer. It was cool and rainy for the first half of the summer and only the last two weeks of August had heat (and it was plenty, especially since I'm now living in a dorm.) I also know that summer is Minnesota's chance to really enjoy the weather. I'm aware that it's not fall yet (we still have two more days until it's official), but I am ready for fall... These cupcakes just made me a little more excited.

I've only recently discovered the amazingness of all things pumpkin. As a picky eater, pumpkin had always scared me- especially pumpkin pie because let's be honest... That just doesn't look natural. In the past few years I've been a little more brave in my cuisine ventures (which really isn't saying much. I sorta started eating vegetables. I'm awful, I know). But now that I've been introduced to pumpkin, I don't think my love for it will ever end... Especially if chocolate and marshmallow can be involved. 

I found this recipe on my favorite food blogger's website. If you haven't checked her out yet, you really should. Everything she makes is just kinda amazing. Plus this idea of pumpkin and s'mores is just too amazing. 

 These cupcakes made me excited for the prospect of fall. It's my favorite season, and the Minnesotans who still want it to be summer can suck it. I mean. I don't know. Fall is all about nostalgia for me. I used to spend a lot of time on my grandparent's farm when I was younger. My grandma did quite a bit of baking whenever we visited and my grandpa sometimes let us have a fire and grandma would let us make s'mores. It's just all about nostalgia and I'm apparently in a very rambly mood today.

Just look at them. They're even filled with chocolate. Don't even tell me that you don't start drooling at the sight of them. 

Cupcakes (I doubled the recipe from the original website so these will yield 24 cupcakes)-

What you'll need:

• 2 2/3 cups lightly packed brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 4 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 cup butter, melted and cooled
• 1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 cup milk

Fudge ganache frosting:

• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 4 tablespoons heavy cream

Marshmallow frosting:

• 4 large egg whites
• 1 cup sugar 
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

To make the cupcakes:

-Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line 2 12 piece muffin tins with liners. 

- Mix eggs and sugar together in a bowl until smooth. Add in vanilla, butter, then the pumpkin puree. Add in flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, then pumpkin pie spice. Mix in milk until smooth. Fill liners and bake for 16-18 minutes. 

-Allow cupcakes to cool then core the cupcakes or make a dent in the center of the cupcakes.

To make the ganache:

-Melt cream and chocolate over a double boiler and mix until smooth. Allow to cool slightly then fill the middle of the cupcakes with the ganache. 

To make the frosting:

- Combine egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar in a heat proof bowl and place over a double boiler. Mix constantly for 3-4 minutes or until the sugar has dissolved and the eggs whites are slightly warm. 

-Remove from heat, add vanilla, then beat mixture for 6-7 minutes until the frosting stiffens and is glossy.

-Top cupcakes with frosting and feel free to torch them if you'd like.