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!

German Chocolate Fudge Pie

There is absolutely nothing to dislike about this pie. Unless you dislike chocolate, coconut, or pecans, and then we have problems. This German Chocolate Fudge Pie consists of a fudgy, chocolate, brownie-like filling on top of a buttery pie crust, and the icing on the pie is coconut pecan frosting. Delicious perfection.

Ingredients: Chocolate Fudge Pie (adapted very slightly from here)

1 nine-inch pie crust

1 and 1/2 cups granulated sugar

3/4 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup half-and-half

1/4 cup unsalted butter

4 ounces German chocolate

2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 large eggs

3 large egg yolks

Coconut Pecan Frosting (from here)

1 (14oz) can condensed milk

3 large egg yolks

1/2 cup salted butter

1 and 1/2 cups flaked coconut

1 cup roughly chopped pecans

Recipe: Chocolate Fudge Pie

Preheat the oven to 350F.

In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, cocoa powder, flour and salt.

In a medium saucepan, melt together the half-and-half, butter, and chocolate, over medium heat, until smooth.

Let it cool slightly while you mix the eggs into the dry mixture. Then mix in the chocolate batter until smooth and well-combined.

Pour into the pie shell and bake for about 45 minutes, or until cracks start appearing on top of the pie.

Cool before serving.

Coconut Pecan Frosting

In a large saucepan over low heat, stir the condensed milk, eggs, and butter until the mixture has thickened and is slightly bubbly.

Take off heat and mix in the flaked coconut and pecans. Let come to room temperature before putting on the pie.

Enjoy!

 

Candy Corn Peanut Butter Potato Chip Cookies

Okay, these don’t actually have any real candy corn in them but they do have those mini candy corn creme bars Hershey has. Which are, by the way, delicious. The ingredients in these cookies may not seem to go together but they really, really do. Candy corn is known to go with salted peanuts and I think candy corn is perfect with potato chips so they are perfect! Also, these cookies are soft, chewy, and thick (i.e. PERFECTION)

Ingredients: Candy Corn Peanut Butter Potato Chip Cookies

1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1/4 cup peanut butter (I used homemade)

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 and 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon half and half

1 cup crushed potato chips

1 cup chopped candy corn white chocolate

Recipe: Candy Corn Peanut Butter Potato Chip Cookies

Preheat oven to 350F.

Cream butter, peanut butter, and both sugars until light and fluffy.

Beat in egg and vanilla until creamy.

Slowly mix in dry ingredients.

Add in half and half.

Mix in the potato chips and chocolate.

Scoop them onto two baking trays using a medium cookie scoop. Bake for 14 minutes.

Enjoy!

Halloween Cake [Pumpkin-Marshmallow-Chocolate]

I know this cake isn’t nearly as “elegant” as the previous one I posted, but I promise you it’s just as good. Three layers of dense, spiced pumpkin cake filled with fluffy homemade marshmallow cream (!) and chocolate frosting. Perfect for Halloween and all other occasions.

Ingredients: Pumpkin Cake (adapted from here)

1 (15-0unce) can pumpkin puree

4 large eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

2/3 cup water

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups granulated sugar

3 and 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon apple pie spice

1/4 teaspoon ginger

Homemade Marshmallow Fluff

Two Batches of this Chocolate Frosting

Recipe: Pumpkin Cake

Preheat oven to 350F.

Grease and flour three 8-inch round cake pans.

In a large bowl, combine first 6 ingredients.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the next 6 ingredients.

Pour the dry mixture into the wet batter and mix until barely combined.

Pour evenly into prepared pans. Bake about 40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Let cool on wire rack.

Enjoy!

Orange Chocolate Cake

Oh. My. God. I cannot believe how good this cake is. A soft, moist cake full of orange flavor covered in a rich, deep, shiny, chocolate ganache. This cake is perfection for any occasion ever.

Ingredients: Orange Sour Cream Cake (slightly adapted from here)

1 cup butter, softened

1 and 1/4 cups granulated sugar

4 large eggs, separated

1/4 cup orange zest

1 tsp vanilla (or 1 teaspoon buttery vanilla dough emulsion)

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 and 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 and 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 and 1/2 cups full-fat sour cream

Orange Syrup

1 cup fresh squeezed orange juice

1 cup granulated sugar

Chocolate Ganache (from here)

1 cup heavy whipping cream

9 ounces finely chopped chocolate

1 tablespoon corn syrup

Recipe: Orange Sour Cream Bundt Cake

Preheat oven to 325F.

Grease a 9-inch tube pan; dust with flour. Set aside.

In large bowl, beat butter with 1 cup of the sugar until light and fluffy; beat in egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating well after each.

Beat in orange zest and vanilla.

In separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; stir into butter mixture alternately with sour cream, making 3 additions of dry ingredients and 2 of sour cream.

In separate bowl and with clean beaters, beat egg whites until frothy; beat in remaining sugar, 1 tbsp at a time, until stiff peaks form. Fold one-third into batter; fold in remainder. Scrape into prepared pan; smooth top.

Bake until toothpick inserted comes out clean, about 1 hour. Let cool in pan on rack for 20 minutes. Turn out onto rack.

Orange Syrup

Boil orange juice and sugar together, and then simmer on medium-low until syrup reduces.

Let cool for 5 minutes. Poke holes liberally in cake and brush syrup over.

Chocolate Ganache

For the glaze, place heavy cream in a large microwaveable bowl. Heat in the microwave at 40 second intervals until very hot but not boiling. Stir in chopped chocolate. Let stand for 3 minutes then begin gently stirring mixture. When chocolate and cream are thoroughly mixed and smooth, add corn syrup. Stir until combined.

Transfer to a 4-cup measure with a pour spout and pour glaze over entire surface of the cake. Allow the cake to stand until the glaze dripping subsides.

Enjoy!

Pecan Caramel Cookies

Soft, chewy cookies full of brown sugar and stuffed with caramel bits and pecans. So good. I love these cookies and you will too.

Ingredients: Pecan Caramel Cookies (makes 30)

1 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

1 and 1/2 cups brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs, room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 cup roughly chopped pecans

1 cup caramel bits

Recipe: Pecan Caramel Cookies

Preheat oven to 350F.

Mix butter and both sugars together until well combined.

Beat in eggs, one at a time, and vanilla extract.

In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients, flour, salt, and baking soda.

Slowly mix dry ingredients into wet until barely combined.

With a spoon, mix in pecan halves and caramel bits.

Using a medium cookie scoop, spoon onto cookie sheets and bake on the bottom rack of the oven for 10 minutes, or until the bottom is brown.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

So, I’ve been searching for the best chocolate cupcake recipe and I’m pretty sure that I’ve finally found the one. It’s “The Ultimate Chocolate Cupcakes” by Brown Eyed Baker. That’s the recipe for the cupcakes I used.  The frosting is absolutely delicious! Creamy, tangy, warm and cinnamon-y; the perfect compliment to the chocolate cupcakes.

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

1 (8-oz) package cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/4  teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Recipe: Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

Beat cream cheese until smooth. Sift in powdered sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon.

Whip in the heavy whipping until the frosting is of a pipe-able consistency.

Enjoy!

Cherry Bread Pudding with Chocolate Sauce

If you like bread pudding, cherries, and chocolate you will love this. Soft warm cinnamon-y bread pudding filled with dried cherries and covered in homemade chocolate sauce. Absolutely delicious.

Ingredients: Bread Pudding (from here)

8 cups cubed day-old bread (I used Challah)

9 eggs

2 and 1/4 cups whole milk

1 and 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

1 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup butter, melted

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup dried cherries

Chocolate Sauce

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1/2 tablespoon butter

4 ounces dark chocolate, chopped

Recipe: Bread Pudding

Place bread cubes in a buttered 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, cream, sugar, butter, vanilla and cinnamon. Pour evenly over bread and sprinkle on dried cherries.

Bake, uncovered, at 350F for 40-45 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand for 5 minutes before cutting and pouring on chocolate sauce.

Chocolate Sauce

Melt together the cream and butter over medium-high heat, add the chocolate and mix until smooth. Let cool.

Enjoy!

Cinnamon Apple Walnut Muffins

These muffins are a perfect transition into fall. They’re soft, cinnamon-y, fluffy, with chunks of apple and walnuts. Perfect for breakfast or a sweet snack. And don’t skimp on the cinnamon-sugar topping; it adds an extra splash of cinnamon and a delicious crisp top.

Ingredients: Cinnamon Apple Walnut Muffins (adapted from here)

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

4 tablespoons wheat germ

1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 and 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats

1 cup diced apples

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup canola oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1/2 cup boiling water

Cinnamon Sugar Topping

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon (plus more to taste)

Apple Cinnamon Walnut Muffins

Grease a muffin tin.

Lightly spoon flour into a measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, both sugars, wheat germ, baking soda, and salt.

Mix in oats, diced apple, and walnuts.

Make a well in the center of the mixture. Combine the buttermilk, oil, vanilla extract, and egg; add until dry mixture, stirring until just moist. Stir in boiling water.

Let batter stand for 15 minutes and preheat the oven to 375F.

Spoon batter into the muffin tin. Bake for 20 minutes, or until muffins spring back when touched.

Let cool slightly before topping.

Cinnamon Sugar Topping

Combine sugar and cinnamon in a bowl.

Dip muffins into butter and then cinnamon/sugar mixture.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Silk Pie with Mascarpone Whipped Cream

This pie is delicious. Absolutely delicious. And as far as pies go, really super easy. The graham cracker crust is  super good, the chocolate filling is creamy and rich, and the mascarpone whipped cream is sweet and fluffy. Perfect for anytime.

Ingredients: Graham Cracker Crust (from here)

1 and 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 9 graham crackers)

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Chocolate Pie Filling  (from here)

1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk

2 large egg yolks

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Mascarpone Whipped Cream

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1/2 cup mascarpone cheese

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Recipe: Graham Cracker Crust

Preheat oven to 325F.

Crush the graham crackers in a food processor.

Stir graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt together in a large bowl. Add melted butter and stir with a fork.

Bake crust for 8-10 minutes, or until it just starts to brown.

Chocolate Pie Filling

Whisk together evaporated milk and egg yolks in medium saucepan. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is very hot and thickens slightly; do not boil. Remove from heat and stir in the chocolate chips until completely melted and mixture is smooth.

Pour into crust and refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving.

Mascarpone Whipped Cream

Beat all ingredients together until soft peaks form. Spread smoothly on pie.

Enjoy!