Testing Out The New Toys: Sherry Bundt Cake & Mexican Chocolte Cake

I just had to try out my new toy, the mini bundt pan that I mentioned earlier. I can't believe it took me this long to use it!



So I made some cakes last night, and some more today, maybe I'll test out another recipe tomorrow...Anyway they're beautiful! And I love them! And I think these are my new favorite things to make.

First I made the good ole Sherry Bundt Cake that we've made in my family for as long as I can remember. This recipe is one of the easiest and yummiest that I know.

Sherry Bundt Cake

1 Cake Mix

1 T All-purpose Flour

1 Small Instant Pudding

4 Eggs

1/4 c Oil

1/2 c Sherry (water if you're boring)

Sift the cake mix, flour, and pudding mix together. Beat the eggs and oil together and add to the dry mix. Add the sherry and mix until moistened. Pour (spread) into a greased bundt pan (or mini) and bake for 25 minutes at 350*F (I did about 15-20 for my minis).

Remove cake from oven, flip it onto a rack or serving plate and remove the pan. Dust with powdered sugar and serve warm.

**I don't have a picture of these, because I made them at a friend's house, but as soon as I get the ones he took I'll post them.**

I tried one of the recipes that came with my pan today with Eli and Cavan. They turned out amazing, and the recipe made about 12 mini cakes!

Mexican Chocolate Cake

4 (1 oz.) Squares Unsweetened Chocolate

3/4 c Finely Chopped Walnuts (I left these out)

2 t Cinnamon

1/4 c Butter, Softened

2 Eggs

1/2 c Brown Sugar

1/2 c Granulated Sugar

2 c Sifted Flour

2 t Baking Powder

1/2 t Baking Soda

1/2 t Salt

1 c Buttermilk

1 t Vanilla

Grate chocolate and chop nuts finely; add the cinnamon. Set aside. In large bowl, cream butter and eggs; add brown and granulated sugar. Beat until smooth. Add chocolate mixture and blend. Sift together flour, baking powder, soda and salt; add alternately with buttermilk to creamed mixture, add vanilla. Bake in greased and floured bundt pan at 325*F for 40-45 minutes or until cake tests done. Cool in pan 10-15 minutes; turn out on wire rack or serving plate to complete cooling.

I cooked my minis for about 20 minutes and tested them by making sure they bounced back when I touched the top. I also turned them onto a rack immediately.

Mexican Chocolate Glaze

1/2 c Chocolate Chips

1/4 c Boiling Water

1/2 t Cinnamon

1 c Powdered Sugar

Combine chocolate chips and water and mix well (this didn't fully melt the chips for me so I put it in the microwave for 20 seconds). Add cinnamon and powdered sugar and blend until smooth. Drizzle over cake. The glaze set really fast for me, so I had to glop it on the last few cakes. But it tastes amazing. You can also refrigerate it to get the consistency you want.

¡Buen apetito!

Chocolate Heart Cookies

The Chocolate Heart Cookies tasted rather like chocolate shortbread, and did look sorta pretty, but not nearly as nice as they should have. I got the recipe from RecipeZaar and it had a lot of good reviews. Maybe if you get the frosting right.


Chocolate Heart Cookies

1 c Butter, softened
1/2 c Sugar
1 t Vanilla
2 c All-purpose Flour
1/4 c Cocoa
1 c Vanilla Chip or White Chocolate Chips
2 T Shortening, divided
1/2 c Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips

In a small mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour and cocoa; gradually add to creamed mixture.

On a lightly floured surface (you can also used powdered sugar) roll the dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut with a heart-shaped cookie cutter placing 2-inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes.

Remove to wire racks to cool.

In a microwave safe bowl, heat vanilla chips and 1 tablespoon of shortening until melted, stirring frequently. Dip both sides of the cookie into melted mixture (so you make a V-shape from the point of the cookie out to the middle of both rounded tops).

In another microwave safe bowl, melt chocolate chips and remaining shortening, stirring frequently. Drizzle over the cookies. Place on wire rack to dry.

Red Velvet, Cookies If You Please

I made 2 types of cookies this week. The Chocolate Heart Cookies were not that great, but the Red Velvet ones were amazing. They were perfect with or without frosting! Wow.

The amazing ones! I got this idea from Bakerella (my link to Cupcake Pops) but got the cookie recipe from RecipeZaar, with a few slight changes.

Red Velvet Cookie Sandwiches

1 2/3 c Flour, +2 T For high altitude

1 1/2 T Cocoa

1/2 t Baking Soda

1/2 t Salt

1/2 c Butter, softened

3/4 c Sugar

1 Egg

1 T Red Food Coloring

1 1/2 t Vanilla

1 c Buttermilk, -1 T For high altitude

Sift the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt together in a small bowl. In a larger bowl cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the egg, food coloring and vanilla and mix well. Add the buttermilk, alternating with the flour mixture.

Drop by tablespoon onto a greased cookie sheet and bake at 350* for 12-15 minutes. Remove to a rack and let cool.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1/2 c Butter, softened

8 oz. Cream Cheese, softened

1 lb Powdered Sugar

1 t Vanilla

Cream the butter and cream cheese. Add the vanilla and mix. Slowly add the powdered sugar and mix until smooth.

Frost the bottom of one cooled cookie, and make a sandwich with another.

I didn't want the whole batch of frosting, so I used 2 T butter, 2 oz Cream Cheese, 1 1/2 c Sugar, and 1/4 t Vanilla. This made about 14 sandwich cookies.

Mmmmm...red velvet, if you please.

It's a Party! Chocolate Mashmallow Cookies

Sunday is Steve's birthday so the party was today, in case he takes tomorrow off. I made some Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies. They are quite amazing. And SO easy!



Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies
1/2 c Butter, softened
1 c Sugar
1 Egg
1/4 c Milk
1 t Vanilla Extract
1 3/4 c All-purpose Flour
1/3 c Cocoa
1/2 t Baking Soda
1/2 t Salt

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add egg, milk and vanilla; mix well. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; beat into creamed mixture.

Drop by rounded teaspoonful onto un-greased baking sheets. Bake at 350*F for 8 minutes.



Press a marshmallow half, cut side down, onto each cookie. Return to the oven for 3 minutes.



Cool completely on wire rack.

Icing
6 T Butter
2 T Cocoa
1/4 c Milk
1 3/4 c Powdered Sugar
1/2 t Vanilla Extract
Pecan halves, Almonds, Peanut pieces, whatever you want on top

In a small saucepan combine butter, cocoa and milk. Bring to a boil; boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Cool slightly; transfer to a small mixing bowl. Beat in powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth. Spread over the cooled cookies. Top each with your choice of nuts.



Or not.



I took these cookies, although they told me I didn't have to. That they would provide them this time. When I got there they revealed that this was also a going away party for me. (I guess they didn't get the memo that I am not leaving until April, now) Anyway they all pitched in and got me a new toy! Since I take so many goodies to the office. YAY! A mini bundt pan! I'm so excited to experiment!

Aaahhhh Artichoke Dip

I forgot to add this recipe! I almost forgot we ate it the other night for dinner. Aaahhh!

Hot Artichoke Dip

1 can Artichoke Hearts, chopped

8 oz. Cream Cheese, softened

1/2 c Mayonnaise

4 oz Mozzarella, grated

1 c Parmesan, grated

1/8 t Garlic powder, (or 1/2 T Minced Garlic: my family likes lots of garlic!)

Mix together all ingredients, place in a baking dish (pie pan) and bake for 25 minutes at 350*F. Serve with veggies, crackers, chips, or toast.

Apple Cinnamon Muffins

After looking up and testing the lovely PB&J muffins (which were fine with no changes!), I found out that half the kids have peanut allergies. Well, at least I liked them.

My substitute was Apple Cinnamon Muffns. They weren't too bad either.

Apple Cinnamon Muffins

1 c All-purpose Flour (you can use 2 c All-purpose and leave out the wheat if you want)
1 c Whole Wheat Flour
1/2 t Baking Soda
1/4 t Salt
1 t Baking Powder
1 t Ground Cinnamon
1 c Apple Juice
2 T Oil
1/2 c Aapplesauce

In a bowl, mix together dry ingredients. Add the wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Spoon into lightly greased muffin tins and bake at 350*F for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. While still warm, dip in melted butter and then topping.

Topping

1/4 c Melted Butter

3 T Sugar

1/4 t Cinnamon

1/4 t Nutmeg

Mix sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in a shallow bowl. I didn't dip as the recipe said. I used a brush for the butter, and sprinkled the cinnamon sugar over the muffins.

This one's for you, peanut allergy kids.

PB&J Muffins

I was asked to make 30 muffins for the local pre-school class for this Tuesday. I like the boxed blueberry muffins, but that is so boring. And the kids are probably sick of blueberries. So I decided to make some PB&J muffins for them.

I went on another action packed adventure of RecipeZaar.com. This is what I came up with.

PB&J Muffins

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 c unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
3/4 c natural creamy peanut butter
3/4 c 1% milk
1/2-3/4 c honey
1/2 c finely grated carrot
1/2 c finely grated zucchini
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 c canola oil
1/4 c all-fruit strawberry preserves or raspberry preserves

Spray paper muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With two knives or a pastry blender, cut in peanut butter until coarse crumbs form and mixture is no longer powdery. Add milk, honey, carrot, zucchini, eggs, and oil; stir until well moistened. Spoon about 2 tablespoons batter into each muffin cup.
Top each with about 1 teaspoon fruit preserves. Cover with remaining batter. Bake 15–20 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

I think this recipe needs about 1 c milk, and 3/4 c honey to be easy to work with. I'll let you know when I try it. Also I used peach preserves for my test batch. I'll use good ole grape jelly for the kiddies. I also cheated and left out the carrots and zucchini, though you probably wouldn't be able to tell they were there.