Yellow Cake with Silky Chocolate Frosting

The best chocolate frosting. Ever. Silky, smooth, and really chocolaty. The yellow cake is the best yellow cake ever. Soft, fluffy, and yellow.

Ingredients: Yellow Cake (from here)

6 large egg yolks

1 cup whole milk

2 and 1/4 teaspoons vanilla

3 cups sifted cake flour, spooned and leveled

1 and 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 tablespoon + teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

Silky Chocolate Frosting

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 and 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted and slightly cooled

Recipe: Yellow Cake

Preheat the oven to 350F and grease two round cake pans.

In a measuring cup  lightly whisk the yolks, 1/4 cup milk, and vanilla.

In a large mixing bowl combine the dry ingredients and mix on low speed for 30 seconds to blend.

Add the butter and the remaining 3/4 cup milk. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened.

Increase to medium speed and beat for 1 and 1/2 minutes. Scrape down the sides.

Gradually add the egg mixture in 3 batches, beating for 20 seconds after each addition to incorporate the ingredients and strengthen the structure. Scrape down the sides.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pans and smooth the surface with a spatula. Bake 25 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. The cakes should start to shrink from the sides of the pans only after removal from the oven.

Let the cakes cool in the pan on racks for 10 minutes. Loosen the sides with a small metal spatula and invert onto greased wire racks.

Silky Chocolate Frosting

Beat the butter and sugar together, on medium-high, for at least 5 minutes. Beat in the vanilla and salt.

Pour in the melted chocolate and beat, scraping down the sides, until fully combined.

Enjoy!

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Fiori di Sicilia Buttermilk Pound Cake

This is no doubt the best pound cake I’ve ever made. Soft and fluffy, but still a perfect pound cake. The glaze just makes it perfection. P.S. Fiori di Sicilia is a extract flavored with a combination of citrus and vanilla.

Ingredients: Buttermilk Pound Cake

1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon Fiori de Sicilia

2 large eggs, room temperature

1/2 cup buttermilk

Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar

5 tablespoons heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon fiori de sicilia

Recipe: Buttermilk Pound Cake

Preheat oven to 350F and grease a 9×9 loaf pan.

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

In another bowl, beat the butter until pale; add in the sugar until light and fluffy.

Beat in the extracts and eggs, one at a time.

Slowly add the dry mixture to the wet batter until almost completely combined.

Mix in the buttermilk.

Bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Glaze

Mix all ingredients together until smooth. Pour on warm cake.

Enjoy!

Red Velvet Roll Cake

 

 

I just wanted to show you this cake and where I got the recipes from. It’s a gorgeous red velvet cake roll with the best cream cheese frosting. You’ll want to make this at least everyone Valentine’s Day.

I used this cake recipe and this recipe for cream cheese frosting.

Enjoy!

Spicy Flourless Chocolate Cake

Well, it’s almost February. So it’s almost Valentine’s Day which means I have an excuse to decorate this cake in pink and marshmallows and sprinkles. Underneath all the glitz this cake happens to be very, very dark and chocolatey with the warm heat of cinnamon and cayenne pepper. The spicy ganache and the mascarpone cream perfectly complement the cake.

Ingredients: Cake

2 and 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips

3/4 cup unsalted butter

5 large eggs, cold

1 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 tablespoon water

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Spicy Ganache

9 ounces dark chocolate, chopped

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Mascarpone Whipped Cream

8 ounces mascarpone cheese

1 cup heavy whipping cream

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Recipe: Cake

Preheat the oven to 300F. Grease a 9″ round springform pan and line it with parchment paper. Dust with cocoa powder.

Melt the chocolate and butter in a medium metal bowl set in a skillet of simmering water, stirring until smooth.

Remove bowl from heat and let cool slightly.

Combine the eggs, sugar, vanilla, salt, and water. Beat on medium-high speed until the mixture is very foamy, pale in color, and doubled in volume, about 2 minutes.

Gradually pour in the chocolate mixture. Increase the speed to medium high and continue beating until well blended, about 30 seconds.

Add the cocoa powder and mix on medium low just until blended, about 30 seconds.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until a pick inserted in the center comes out looking wet with small gooey clumps, about 40 minutes. Don’t overcook. Let cool in the pan on a rack for 30 min.

If necessary, gently push the edges down with your fingertips until the layer is even. Run a small knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the cake.

Cover the cake pan with a wire rack and invert. Remove the pan and parchment and let the cake cool completely. The cake may look cinched in around its sides, which is fine.

Transfer to a cake plate. Cover and refrigerate the cake until it’s very cold, at least overnight.

Spicy Ganache

Put chopped chocolate into a medium bowl.

In a saucepan bring the cream and spices to a simmer then pour over the chocolate.

Let stand for a minute before whisking until smooth.

Mascarpone Whipped Cream

Beat all ingredients together on medium-high speed until thick but fluffy.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Glazed Almond Cupcakes

Ohmigod. I cannot believe how perfect these cupcakes are. These cupcakes are fancy cupcakes, like, wedding worthy cupcakes. They have the moistest golden almond cake you will ever have (seriously) and are topped with a rich dark chocolate ganache. Perfection.

Ingredients: Almond Cupcakes (the tiniest bit adapted from here), makes 18

1 and 1/3 cups granulated sugar

7 ounces almond paste

1 cup all-purpose flour, divided and spooned in and leveled

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature, cubed

1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon almond extract

6 large eggs, at room temperature

Chocolate Ganache Glaze

1 and 1/3 cups chocolate chunks

1 cup heavy cream

Recipe: Almond Cupcakes

Preheat the oven to 325F. Line 1 1/2 cupcake tins with liners.

In a food processor, grind the sugar, almond paste, and 1/4 cup of flour until the mixture resembles sand.

In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 3/4 cup of flour, baking powder, and salt.

To the almond mixture add the butter and the vanilla and almond extracts, then process until the batter is smooth and creamy.

Add the eggs one at a time, processing a little in between. After you add all the eggs, the mixture might look curdled- that’s okay.

Transfer the batter to a bowl and mix in half of the flour mixture Stir in the other half until the dry ingredients are just incorporated.

Spoon the batter into the prepared cupcake tins and bake for about 30 minutes, or until the top is a deep golden brown.

Let cool before dipping in the ganache.

Chocolate Ganache Glaze

Put the chocolate in a medium bowl and set aside.

Pour cream into a small saucepan over medium heat. When the cream comes to a simmer pour over the chocolate and whisk until smooth.

Let sit the ganache for 20 minutes before dipping the cupcakes unto it.

 

 

Enjoy!

Coffee Cake

This is the fluffiest, moistest, and easily the most delicious coffee cake I have ever made (or eaten.) It has the best crunchy brown sugar topping and underneath a super awesome cinnamon sugar layer. All I can say is- make this now!

Ingredients: Crumb Topping (adapted from here)

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup pecans, toasted

6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed

Cinnamon Swirl

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Cake

1 and 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs, room temperature

8 ounces full-fat sour cream

2 teaspoons buttery vanilla bakery emulsion

Recipe: Crumb Topping

In a food processor, pulse together the flour, sugar, and salt until combined.

Add the pecans and pulse until they are finely chopped and incorporated.

Add the butter and pulse until mixture looks like coarse sand.

Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Cinnamon Swirl

Mix ingredients together.

Cake

Preheat the oven to 350F. Butter a 9-inch spring-form pan.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl.

Cream the butter until smooth. Add sugar and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy, about three minutes.

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping bowl as needed.

Add the sour cream and vanilla and beat just until incorporated.

Add the dry ingredients in three additions, scraping down the bowl before each addition and beating only until each addition is just incorporated.

Pour cake batter into the prepared pan. Use an offset spatula to spread batter evenly in pan. Top with cinnamon swirl mixture. Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the top of the batter. (Yes, there’s a lot of crumb topping, but that’s what makes it so good!)

Bake in the center of the oven for one hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes.

Enjoy!

White Chocolate Christmas Tree Cakes

I love these cakelets! Soft and fluffy cake delicately flavored with white chocolate coated in green candy melts and covered in sprinkles; the perfect amount of softness and crunch. These are the perfect Christmas Eve dessert!!

Ingredients: White Chocolate Cakes (adapted from here)

2 (4 oz.) white chocolate baking bars

2 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 and 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

10 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cubed

1  and 1/3 cups granulated sugar

4 large eggs, room temperature

1 and 1/2 teaspoons buttery vanilla bakery emulsion

1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons whole milk

1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons full-fat sour cream

Green Candy Melts

Sprinkles

Recipe: White Chocolate Cakes

Preheat the oven for 350F. Grease a silicon Christmas tree pan with Bakers Joy.

Melt chopped chocolate in a double boiler and let cool for ten minutes.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, a baking soda and salt; set aside.

Cream butter and sugar for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy.

Add eggs one at a time, and buttery vanilla bakery emulsion, beating after each addition.

Stir together the milk and sour cream.

With mixer on low speed, alternately add flour mixture and sour cream/milk, mixing until just combined.

Gently mix in white chocolate.

Fill Christmas tree pans about 3/4 of the way through. You will need to do this twice.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Release cakes from molds after cooling and chill in fridge for at least 30 minutes before rolling in melted candy melts and decorating in sprinkles.

Enjoy!

 

 

 

Peppermint Mocha Cake

This cake is. so. good. A deeply chocolaty mocha cake with smooth, fluffy, and almost whipped cream like peppermint frosting. I decorated the cake with mini candy canes, peppermint pop rocks, and peppermint rolled wafers. It’s perfect for Christmas.

Ingredients: Mocha Cake

2 cups granulated sugar

1 and 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Hershey’s Special Dark)

1 tablespoon espresso powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup boiling coffee

Espresso Syrup (I omitted the rum)

Peppermint Flour Frosting (adapted slightly from here)

5 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup whole milk

1 teaspoon peppermint extract

1 cup unsalted butter

1 cup granulated sugar

Recipe: Mocha Cake

Heat oven to 350F. Grease, line with parchment paper, and flour two 6-inch round baking pans.

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

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

Beat in boiling coffee. Pour batter into prepared pans- you will have left over!

Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool 10 minutes. Then remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely before brushing on syrup.

Peppermint Flour Frosting

In a small saucepan, whisk flour into milk and heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens. You want it to be very thick, almost like a paste.

Remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature. It must be completely cool before you use it in the next step.

Stir in the peppermint extract.

While the mixture is cooling, cream the butter and sugar together until very light and fluffy, about four to six minutes.

Then add the completely cooled milk/flour mixture and beat heavily. If it looks separated, you haven’t beaten it enough! Beat it until it all until it almost resembles whipped cream, about six minutes.

Enjoy!

 

Cranberry Spice Muffins

These are my favorite muffins. Soft, fluffy, a little spicy, and bursting with tart cranberries. They are so easy to make and infinitely adaptable. I give you the recipe for a really delicious spiced sugar topping, but it’s not in the pictures- but use it!

Ingredients: Cranberry Spice Muffins (adapted from here)

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup dark brown sugar

4 tablespoons toasted wheat germ

1 and 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon apple pie spice

1/4 teaspoon cloves

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons orange zest

1 and 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats

1/2 cup packed shredded apple

1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup chopped cranberries

3/4 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup orange juice

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1/2 cup boiling water

Spicy Sugar Topping

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon apple pie spice

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

Recipe: Cranberry Spice Muffins

Lightly spoon flour into a measuring cup and level with a knife.

With a spoon, combine first 8 ingredients in a large bow.

Stir in oats, shredded apple, dried cranberries, and cranberries.

Make a well in the middle of mixture. Combine buttermilk, orange juice, oil, vanilla, and egg; add to the dry mixture, stirring just until moist.

Stir in boiling water. Let batter stand 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375F.

Spoon batter into a greased muffin tin. Bake for 20 minutes or until muffins spring back when touched lightly in center.

Spicy Sugar Topping

Mix together the sugar and spices.

Dip the muffins in the melted butter and then in the sugar.

Enjoy!

Peppermint Patty Cupcakes

These are definitely the best cupcakes I’ve ever eaten. Moist, fluffy, and deeply chocolaty cupcakes stuffed with a peppermint patty and topped with the fluffiest peppermint buttercream. The chocolate cupcake is my favorite recipe ever. They are perfect for the Christmas season. I decorated them with York Peppermint Patty Pieces and Mini Peppermint Patties. So good!!

Ingredients: Chocolate Peppermint Patty Cupcakes (slightly adapted from here)

3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

1/3  cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder

3/4 cup hot coffee

3/4  cup bread flour

3/4  cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

6 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 large eggs, room temperature

2 teaspoons white vinegar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

12 peppermint patties

Peppermint Frosting (adapted from here)

1 an 1/2 cups + 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened and cubed

3 cups powdered sugar, sifted

3 tablespoons whole milk

1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract

1/8 teaspoon salt

Recipe: Chocolate Peppermint Patty Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 350F and line a muffin tin.

Place the chopped chocolate and cocoa powder in a medium bowl.

Pour the hot coffee over the chocolate/cocoa mixture and stir until smooth; refrigerate the mixture for 20 minutes.

Whisk together the flour, sugar, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl; set aside.

Whisk the oil, eggs, vinegar and vanilla extract into the cooled chocolate mixture until smooth.

Slowly add the flour mixture and stir until smooth.

Place about 3 tablespoons of batter into each liner and top with a peppermint patty.

Bake until the cupcakes are set and just firm to the touch, about 19 minutes.

Peppermint Frosting

Beat butter for 8 minutes on high speed.

Add remaining ingredients and mix on low speed for 1 minute, then on medium-high speed for 6 minutes.

Enjoy!