Happy (Late) Halloween!

This is the chocolate cake and frosting recipe already on the blog. I swear it's the best recipe I have come across yet. It bakes up moist and even every time. Just added a few marshmallow eyeballs to keep it festive! Happy Halloween!

Strawberry-lime Shortcake with Coconut Cream

This is my baby sister Erica with my new niece. This is what I made this weekend for my baby sister Erica's birthday. It was delicious. That is all.

Cake Decorating

Recently I have been really into looking at other people's food blogs rather than posting on my own. Sorry to be away for so long, but in my spare time I found this. I thought wow that looks so pretty and so fun I must do it immediately! So I did.

Here are the finished results -

I could use a bit more practice, but I thought it turned out great for my first try! This decoration is so easy to do and all the tools you need can be found at a very reasonable price at Wal Mart.

Remember, baking should be tasty AND good-looking.

Chocolate Frosting

So this frosting is super easy and really really good. DO NOT buy frosting from the store because making it yourself makes all the difference in the world. You will want to dip your fingers in this frosting and lick it all off. Ok go ahead and do it, you know you want to, just make sure there is enough left to frost the cake!

10 oz. finely chopped chocolate

1 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup light corn syrup

1/4 tsp. salt

1 1/3 cups powdered sugar

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 1/4 sticks butter, cut into chunks and softened

Bring the cream, corn syrup, and salt to a boil in the microwave. While it's heating in the microwave, put the chopped chocolate in a blender. Pour the hot cream mixture over the chocolate and process until smooth.

Add the sugar and vanilla and blend again until smooth. Add the softened butter, one piece at a time, blending after each addition.

Once everything is all smooth, put the frosting in the fridge for about an hour to an hour and a half until thick and spreadable. Then frost your gorgeous cake!

Old-Fashioned Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Frosting

For each family member's birthday, I take requests. Whatever kind of dessert they want, I make for them. This year, my dad wanted a regular, 0ld-fashioned chocolate cake and this is what happened. Everyone ate it, then went into a food coma from sheer bliss. The end.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1 3/4 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 cup buttermilk

2 tsp. vanilla extract

4 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped

1/2 cup hot water

1 3/4 cups sugar

4 large eggs

2 large egg yolks

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter cut into pieces and softened

A lot of frosting :)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans and dust with a little extra cocoa powder. Trace the bottom of each pan onto parchment paper. Cut out the two circles and place one in the bottom of each pan.

Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. In a different bowl, mix the buttermilk and vanilla.

In a glass bowl, mix the cocoa powder, chopped chocolate, and hot water. Place over a pan of simmering water, making sure the water does not touch the bottom of the bowl with the chocolate in it. Whisk the mixture until melted and smooth, for just a couple of minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup of sugar and whisk until thick and glossy. Remove the bowl from the heat and set it aside to cool.

In a separate, large bowl, whip the eggs and egg yolks with an electric mixer, gradually adding the remaining 1 1/4 cups sugar. Whip about 4 to 8 minutes until thick and voluminous.

Beat the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture.

Beat in the butter, one piece at a time.

Beat in a third of the flower mixture, then half of the buttermilk mixture, the next third of the flour mixture, the last half of the buttermilk mixture, then the last third of the flour mixture. After each addition, make sure everything is mixed in well.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pans, making sure it's divided in half pretty evenly. Smooth out the tops, then tap the pans on the counter to make sure the batter settles.

Bake the cake about 25 to 30 minutes until a toothpick comes out of the center of the cake with only a few crumbs attached.

Let the cakes cool for about 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edges of the cake and flip each cake on a wire rack. Let the cakes cool COMPLETELY before you try to frost them.

Coming up next....amazing chocolate frosting.

Special thanks to America's Test Kitchen :) Only my favorite cookbooks in the world.

Here's to a Healthy New Year

So I realize the last three recipes I have posted have been all about cookies. I think you can tell where my heart truly lies. However, like every other American out there, I have been trying to be more health conscious lately. I always run out of ideas for healthy things to eat, so I thought I would share a few of my quick and easy staples. If you feel like sharing some of your own, please feel free in the comments section. I love to hear from you!

- Half a peanut butter and honey sandwich with an apple

- Reduced fat wheat thins and fat free cottage cheese

- Baby spinach, slivered almonds, avocado, tomato, and Ken's Steakhouse Lite Walnut Raspberry Vinaigrette (this salad dressing is awesome)

- Egg whites on whole grain toast

- Edamame

- Chipotle Black Bean burgers from Costco (also awesome)

So if you are in a crunch for something to eat. All of the above are quick, delicious, and pretty good for you!

Snickerdoodles

Ask and you shall receive!

Funnily enough, when I got a request for snickerdoodles I had just made them two days before. I have tried a couple of recipes for snickerdoodles, and this one is my favorite so far. The cookies turn out light, moist, and tasty, which is just the way I like them.

Word of warning: Tread carefully or you will pound half a dozen no problem. I'm not saying this happened to me or anything....

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups flour

2 tsp. cream of tartar

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 cup butter

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1/4 cup sugar for rolling

1 tsp. each of cinnamon and nutmeg

Whisk the flour, cream of tartar, soda, and salt together. With a had blender or a standing mixer, cream the butter and sugar for about 4 to 5 minutes until the mixture is super light and fluffy (this is important). Add 1 egg and mix, then add the second egg and mix until just incorporated. Add the flour mixture in 4 different additions, mixing after each addition.

Chill the dough for one hour. This is important and don't skip it.

Mix the cinnamon, nutmeg, and 1/4 cup of sugar in a small bowl while you are waiting. After the dough has chilled, form it into 1-inch balls and roll it all around in the cinnamon/nutmeg/sugar mix. Get as much of it on the dough as you can because the cinnamon mix is the best part!

Place a couple of inches apart on a baking sheet and bake for 8 to 9 minutes.

Note: I found some Vietnamese cinnamon in a specialty spice shop and I used that. It isn't necessary but it makes for a really delightful cookie. If you live in Boston, you can find it at Christina's spice shop in Inman square.