BUCKEYE CAKE

http://bunsinmyoven.com/page/8/


Ingredients

For the Peanut Butter Cheesecake:
2 8 ounce packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 eggs
1/2 cup milk (I used 1%, but 2% or whole milk would be great too)
For the chocolate cake:
1 box chocolate cake mix, prepared according to package directions (homemade works too, if you're feeling adventurous) and baked in 2 9 inch round cake pans
For the Peanut Butter Frosting
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup creamy peanut butter
4 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
For the chocolate peanut butter glaze
8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
Instructions

For the Peanut Butter Cheesecake:
Bake the cheesecake one day in advance so that it has plenty of time to chill in the fridge before layering with the chocolate cake!
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Beat together the cream cheese, peanut butter, sugar, and flour until light and smooth and creamy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Stir in the milk.
Grease a 9-inch round springform pan VERY WELL. There is no crust on this cheesecake, so it is imperative that you really grease the pan so that the cheesecake will release from it easily.
Pour batter into the greased pan.
Bake for 10 minutes at 325 degrees.
Reduce heat to 260 and bake for 50 minutes or until just the center is slightly jiggly.
Cool on the counter for 2 hours. Transfer to a refrigerator to chill overnight.
For the chocolate cake:
Prepare the cake mix according to the package or use a recipe for homemade cake.
Bake in 2 9-inch round, well greased cake pans. Cool completely.
For the peanut butter frosting:
Cream together the butter and peanut butter until light and fluffy. Add half of the powdered sugar and mix well. Beat in half of the cream. Add the remaining powdered sugar and continue mixing until combined. Beat in the remaining cream.
For the chocolate peanut butter glaze:
In a double boiler or a bowl set over a pot of simmering water, melt the chocolate, peanut butter, and corn syrup. When melted remove from heat and whisk in the cream until it is a smooth, creamy consistency.
To assemble:
Place one layer of chocolate cake on your cake stand and top with 1/4 of the chocolate peanut butter glaze. Spread to the edges.
Very carefully remove the sides of your springform pan and place the entire cheesecake upside down on the chocolate cake layer. The bottom of the springform pan should now be on top of the cheesecake. Carefully slide a knife in between the cheesecake and pan bottom to loosen. If you greased your pan well this should be fairly simple and the pan bottom will easily lift off.
Pour another 1/4 of the chocolate glaze over the cheesecake and spread to the edges.
Top this with the second layer of chocolate cake.
Place the whole cake in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to harden up a bit.
Cover the top and sides of the cake with the peanut butter frosting. Smooth it out as best you can.
Microwave the chocolate glaze for about 5-10 seconds to soften it back up. Whisk well and then pour over the top center of the cake. Use an offset spatula to spread the glaze to the edges, letting it drip down in some areas.
Store in the refrigerator.

WHIPPED ICING

http://bunsinmyoven.com/page/8/

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
24 tablespoons (3 sticks) butter, cut into 24 pieces, softened
Instructions

Combine the sugar, flour, cornstarch and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk in the milk and pour through a fine mesh strainer set over a medium sized pot. Cook the strained mixture over medium heat, whisking constantly, until it boils and becomes thick. This should take between 5 and 10 minutes and should thicken to the point that it becomes difficult to stir, like a very stiff gravy.
Transfer the mixture to a clean bowl and allow to cool to room temperature. Place the bowl in the fridge to cool it down faster if you are in a hurry, but be sure that the mixture is at room temperature (not too warm or too cool!) before adding the butter.
Beat the mixture on medium speed and add the vanilla extract. Beat in the butter one piece at a time until all 24 pieces are fully incorporated, about 3 minutes. Increase the speed of the mixer to medium high and beat the frosting for 5 minutes.
Place the frosting in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes to thicken a bit before frosting your cake.

CUPCAKE DECORATING

March of 09 we had this big snowstorm and while snowed in I decided to try my hand at free forming royal icing. I thought for my first time at ever doing anything of the sort it all turned out pretty good. I made giant sized cupcakes with different colored cream cheese icing and spring decor for my grandmother's 95th birthday. I prefer cupcakes over cake because you can mix & match flavors. I'm very indecisive. :P






Happy Birthday Nanny!



You can see what a "normal" sized cupcake looks like compared to my giant sized ones. :P

RACHAEL RAY VALENTINES COCOA CAKE W/ ICING

RACHAEL RAY VALENTINES COCOA CAKE W/ICING

Ingredients
For the cake:
1/2 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup lukewarm water, divided
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 cups cake flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
2 large eggs at room temperature, beaten


For the frosting:
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter
1 1/3 cups light brown sugar
1 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 24 muffin tins.

For the cake, whisk cocoa and 1/2 cup lukewarm water in a small bowl. Whisk the remaining 1/2 cup water with the buttermilk in another small bowl. Sift flour, baking soda and salt into a medium bowl and add cinnamon, cloves and cayenne. Stir to combine.


Using electric mixer, beat both sugars and butter in a large bowl until pale yellow and fluffy (mixture will appear granular), about 5 minutes. With mixer running, gradually add beaten eggs; beat until smooth and fluffy, about 15 seconds. Add cocoa mixture; beat to blend. Add flour mixture and buttermilk mixture alternating in 3 additions, beating to blend after each addition. Divide batter among the muffin tins. Bake for10 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

For the frosting, melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in sugar, cocoa, espresso powder and salt. Gradually stir in cream. Stir until mixture is very hot and just begins to simmer at the edges. Reduce heat to low; stir 1 minute to let flavors blend. Transfer to medium bowl; stir in vanilla (frosting will resemble chocolate sauce) Chill until just thickened, stirring occasionally, about 1 1/2 hours, or in a bowl set in an ice bath.


To frost the cakes, bring frosting to room temperature. Run a knife around cake sides and invert mini cakes out of the muffin tins. Spread about 1 tablespoon of frosting on the first layer of cake and repeat for the remaining 2 layers of cake.


*I watched the Valentines Rachael Ray show and she made these little mini chocolate layer cakes with this frosting. She said she isn't a baker but this is one thing she will make. If you don't make the cake you have to make the icing. She was absolutely right, "you will want to eat it off your arm it's so good!" After pouring the icing into a bowl to cool I stood over the pan and scrapped every last drop out and ate it. I was thinking that strawberries would be so good freshly dipped into it.





*I used a store bought chocolate fudge cake and added 2 tbs of instant coffee and the chocolate flavor intensified and got so deep. While making the icing I was afraid it was going to be gritty with all the sugar but once you add the heavy cream it thins out and melts together beautifully. Definitely a winner. Can't wait for the cake to bake and cool.

**I just made this icing for the second time and I kept thinking this just isn't right. I followed the recipe to a t and kept tasting it thinking wow this has a super dark chocolate flavor that just isn't as appealing as last time. I kept going over what I did different and finally remembered. The first time I made the icing I didn't have any light brown sugar and only had like cup dark brown sugar. I put in 1/3 cup regular sugar along with the dark sugar. That was the difference. The combo of the sugar last time made the icing twice as sweet as just using the light brown sugar. I definitely recommended using a combo of white sugar and brown sugar tasting along the way for your desired sweetness.


Ammended Recipe For the frosting:
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup white/regular sugar
1 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

BANANA CAKE W/CREAM CHEESE ICING

BANANA CAKE W/CREAM CHEESE ICING



INGREDIENTS:

1 white cake mix
2-3 ripe bananas, mashed

Directions:
Follow cake mix directions on box and prepare as usual. Add in mashed bananas and stir. Bake as directed.

Allow to cool and frost with cream cheese icing. Simple right? haha

ICING:

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup of butter (1 stick), room temperature
8 oz of Philly cream cheese (1 package), room temperature
2 - 3 cups of powdered sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

METHOD:
1 With an electric mixer, mix the butter and cream cheese together, about 3 minutes on medium speed until very smooth. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure even mixing.
2 Add the vanilla extract and mix. Slowly add the powdered sugar. Keep adding until you get to desired sweetness and thickness.
3 Either spread on with a blunt knife or spatula, or spoon into a piping bag to decorate your cake or cupcake.

*I also sometimes add a tablespoon of crisco if you want a creamier icing.
My mom actually made the cake and I just iced it. We needed to use up some over ripe bananas and instead of the usual banana bread recipe we tried cake. It made the cake so moist and was a different from just a plain ol' white cake. I think a peanut butter cream cheese icing would also be good on this, a la the elvis. haha