Oreo Cake

I made this delicious cake to celebrate my favorite fathers on fathers day.  Make it for your next special occasion...you won't regret it!  

Chocolate Oreo Cake

For cake:

2 c. sugar

1-3/4 c. all-purpose flour

3/4 c. Hershey's Cocoa

1-1/2 tsp baking powder

1-1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 eggs

1 c. milk

1/2 c. vegetable oil

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 c. boiling water

10-15 oreos twisted to separate cookies and reveal cream center

15 oreos, chopped directly in half through cookie

For icing:

1/2 c. (1 stick) butter, melted

2/3 c. Hershey's Cocoa

3 c. powdered sugar

1/3 c. milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

For filling:

1/3 c. whipping cream

2 tsp powdered sugar

small dash vanilla extract

1/8 c. oreo cookie crumbs, made from reserved oreo sides

Directions:

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare two 9-inch round baking pans, lining with parchment. -On one layer of cake, place cookie halves that have been separated into the bottom of one pan, cream side up.

-Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl.

-Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes.

-Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin).

-Pour batter very carefully into prepared pans.

-Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

-Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans and place onto wire racks.

-Remove parchment and cool completely.

-Meanwhile, make frosting:

-Stir melted butter into cocoa.

-Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency.

-Add small amount additional milk, if needed. -Stir in vanilla. (About 2 cups frosting.)

-Meanwhile, make filling:

In the bowl of an electric mixer, whip the cream, sugar and vanilla until stiff.

-Gently fold in the cookie crumbs.

-Scoop the mixture into a piping bag (or gallon sized ziploc bag).

-When cake is completely cooled, make icing dam around the top edge of the layer of cake that has oreos baked into it.

-Fill icing dam with a layer of cream filling.

-Place other cake layer on top, and frost with chocolate frosting.

-Place oreo halves around bottom edge and top of cake.

-Serve or store in refrigerator.

Source: "Mommy?  I'm Hungry!"

Chocolate Eclair Cake

Let me just say that this cake pictured above may look innocent, but it is actually very dangerous.  This may be one of the easiest desserts that I have even made.  Combine that with how incredibly delicious it is, and I think I may have a problem.  I am not going to tell you how many pieces of the cake that I had because I am moving on with my life.  That said, you can choose to make this cake lighter by using reduced-fat or fat-free milk and whipped topping.  That way, your frosting is the only big offense;)  The only change I might make next time is to use a homemade frosting.  I am kind of partial to this one that I like to frost cupcakes with.  In my opinion, canned frosting just isn't as good.  If you want to keep it simple though, go ahead and use canned, it is still delicious!  This was one of MANY dishes that I made for Easter so I was glad to keep this one simple this time around!

Chocolate Eclair Cake

2 (3.5 ounce) packages instant vanilla pudding mix

1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

3 cups milk

1 (16 ounce) package graham cracker squares

1 (16 ounce) package prepared chocolate frosting

In a medium bowl, thoroughly blend the pudding mix, whipped topping, and milk.

Arrange a single layer of graham cracker squares in the bottom of a 13x9 inch baking pan. Evenly spread half of the pudding mixture over the crackers. Top with another layer of crackers and the remaining pudding mixture. Top with a final layer of graham crackers.

Spread the frosting over the whole cake up to the edges of the pan.  The frosting will be easier to spread if the cake is covered and chilled for about 30 minutes before spreading. Cover, and chill at least 4 hours before serving, but preferably overnight so that the graham crackers really get a chance to soften.

Source: allrecipes.com

One Year Ago:  Crockpot Baked Beans & Sausage

Strawberry Shortcake Cake

Today, my daughter and I holed up in the kitchen and whipped up some comfort food.  For dinner, we had Cheesebuttons, a family tradition.  For dessert we had this Strawberry Shortcake Cake, per request of Grace.  It was very good even though I did mess up the recipe a bit!  I divided the batter between 2 round cake pans instead of putting all the batter in one, then cutting it in half like the recipe states.  The reason you need to have those cut halves is that the inside serves as a wonderful "sponge" for the strawberries in their juices.  I knew mine wouldn't absorb the sauce right, so we spooned it over the top.  Still delicious, but I am looking forward to giving it another go!

Frosting Ingredients:

Cake Ingredients (salt is hiding behind the cute blonde;)

Delicious!

Cake

1-½ cup Flour

3 Tablespoons Corn Starch

½ teaspoons Salt

1 teaspoon Baking Soda

9 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, Softened

1-½ cup Sugar

3 whole Large Eggs

½ cups Sour Cream, Room Temperature

1 teaspoon Vanilla

_____

Icing

½ pounds Cream Cheese, Room Temperature

2 sticks Unsalted Butter

1-½ pound Powdered Sugar, Sifted

1 teaspoon Vanilla

1 pound Strawberries

Preparation Instructions

IMPORTANT: Be sure to use a cake pan that’s at least 2 inches deep! Before baking, the batter should not fill the pan more than halfway.

Sift together flour, salt, baking soda, and corn starch.

Cream 9 tablespoons butter with the sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well each time. Add sour cream and vanilla and mix until combined. Add sifted dry ingredients and mix on low speed until just barely combined.

Pour into greased and floured 8-inch cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes, or until no longer jiggly like my bottom. Remove from cake pan as soon as you pull it out of the oven, and place on a cooling rack and allow it to cool completely.

Stem strawberries and slice them in half from bottom to top. Place into a bowl and sprinkle with 3 tablespoons sugar. Stir together and let sit for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, mash the strawberries in two batches. Sprinkle each half with 1 tablespoons sugar and allow to sit for another 30 minutes.

Make icing: combine cream cheese, 2 sticks butter, sifted powdered sugar, vanilla, and dash of salt in a mixing bowl. Mix until very light and fluffy.

Slice cake in half through the middle. Spread strawberries evenly over each half (cut side up), pouring on all the juices. Place cake halves into the freezer for five minutes, just to make icing easier.

Remove from freezer. Use a little less than 1/3 of the icing to spread over the top of the strawberries on the bottom layer. Place the second layer on top. Add half of the remaining icing to the top spreading evenly, then spread the remaining 1/3 cup around the sides.

Leave plain OR garnish with strawberry halves.

IMPORTANT: Cake is best when served slightly cool. The butter content in the icing will cause it to soften at room temperature. For best results, store in the fridge!

Source: Pioneer Woman

Perfectly Chocolate Chocolate Cake

This past weekend, we celebrated my son's 8th birthday with his friends.  As you can see, he had a pirate themed party (which turned out to be a really fun theme to run with).  Quinn wanted me to make him a homemade cake.  Usually when I do homemade cakes, I don't really do homemade cakes.  I just doctor up the boxed mixes.  In the past I have had a hard time finding a cake recipe that was anywhere near as good as the boxed mixes.  Well, I'm so glad I tried this one because it was a total winner.  The recipe was a little odd, calling for 1 c. of boiling water to be added to the batter (making it very thin) but it resulted in a light, moist, delicious cake.  Dare I say, better than the boxed mixes?  Give it a try and be the judge yourself.  

Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Chocolate Cake

Ingredients (cake):

2 Cups Granulated Sugar

3/4 Cup Hershey's Cocoa

1 1/2 Teaspoons Baking Soda

2 Eggs

1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil

1 Cup Boiling Water

1 3/4 Cups All-Purpose Flour

1 1/2 Teaspoons Baking Powder

1 Teaspoon Salt

1 Cup Milk

2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract

-

Directions (cake):

Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl or mixer. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat until combined evenly. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin) Pour into 2 9-inch round greased and floured cake pans. Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes in pans and then remove to wire racks to cool completely. Frost and serve.

-

Ingredients (frosting):

1 Stick Butter

2/3 Cup Hershey's Cocoa

3 Cups Confectioners Sugar

1/3 Cup Milk

1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

-

Directions (frosting):

Melt butter in the microwave or in a saucepan, and then pour into a large bowl. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to a spreadable consistency. If needed, add a small amount of additional milk. Stir in vanilla.

Note: DO NOT use pans smaller than 9 inches or you will end up with a hot mess in your oven.  Just trust me.  

Source: Hershey's 

Blueberry Snack Cake

Last night, while browsing through some of my favorite cooking blogs, I came across the recipe for this Blueberry Snack Cake on Mommy's Kitchen.  I checked in my freezer, and discovered that I had exactly the right amount of blueberries for this recipe (and they were looking like they may not last much longer).  That, coupled with the fact that my daughter was going to have her first day of school today and I wanted something special for breakfast, was enough to set the baking wheels into motion.  I'm glad I made it because my kids (and I) absolutely loved it.  It was dark when this finished baking, so please excuse my terrible picture.

 

Blueberry Snack Cake

2 c. all-purpose flour

1 1/2 c. sugar

1/2 c. cold butter

1 tsp. baking powder

1 c. milk

2 egg yolks

2 egg whites, beaten

2 c. fresh for frozen blueberries (if frozen DO NOT thaw)

In a mixing bowl, combine the flour and sugar.  Cut the butter into small pieces using a knife and add to the flour mixture.  Blend using a fork or pastry blender, until crumbly.  Set aside 3/4 c. mixture to use as a topping.  Add the baking powder, milk, egg yolks.  Mix well.  Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form.  Fold into batter.  Pour into a greased 9x13 inch baking dish.  Sprinkle with blueberries and reserved crumb mixture.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown or a toothpick comes out clean.  

Enjoy!

The Best Chocolate Sheet Cake

Ahhhh...what a beautiful day.  After all the fog/snow we have had in ND, I am so appreciative of days like today.  NO wind, sun shining, nearly 50 degrees (pretty much shorts weather in ND!).  I can't wait to get outside today to play with my daughter.  We will need to go for a walk, because our yard and driveway are still extremely wet but I just cannot wait to feel the sunshine on my face.  So, onto my recipe!  Today is not a day to spend too long on the computer!

This recipe is for Ree Drummond's Best Chocolate Sheet Cake.  Ever.  

If this isn't the best chocolate sheet cake ever, then I don't even want to go in search of the best.  Really, this was SO incredibly rich and delicious.  I ate it until my stomach hurt just like I tell my kids not to do.  This is a very dangerous recipe that I will not be making too often (or my pants will not fit anymore).  It is, however, perfect for special occasions.  The occasion the day I made this was that it was Monday.  Everyone needs a pick-me-up on Monday.  Right?  Perfectly reasonable. 

The Best Chocolate Sheet Cake.  Ever.

For the cake:

2 c. flour

2 c. sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

4 Tbsp. (heaping) cocoa

2 sticks butter

1 c. boiling water

1/2 c. buttermilk

2 whole beaten eggs

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. vanilla

For the frosting:

1/2 c. finely chopped pecans (I left these out)

1-3/4 sticks butter

4 Tbsp. (heaping) cocoa

6 Tbsp. milk

1 tsp. vanilla

1 lb. (minus 1/2 c.), powdered sugar

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt.

In a saucepan, melt butter.  Add cocoa.  Stir together.  Add boiling water, allow mixture to boil for 30 seconds, then turn off heat.  Pour over flour mixture and stir lightly to cool.

In a measuring cup, pour the buttermilk and add beaten eggs, baking soda, and vanilla.  Stir buttermilk mixture into butter/chocolate mixture.  Pour into sheet cake pan and bake at 350* for 20 minutes.  

While cake is baking, make the icing.  Chop pecans finely.  Melt butter in a saucepan.  Add cocoa and stir to combine, then turn off heat.  Add the milk, vanilla, and powdered sugar.  Stir together.  Add the pecans, stir together, and pour over warm cake. 

Cut into squares and enjoy.