Salted Caramel Mocha Cupcakes

So I have these friends at school. They love chocolate and peanut butter. I don't mean that they just kind of like the combination, I mean they are pretty obsessed. I asked them for ideas for cupcakes (I feel like I haven't been baking much lately), and the flavor combo they kept coming back to was chocolate and peanut butter, so I told them I would make them some buckeye cupcakes.

Well, as you can tell by the title, these are not buckeye cupcakes. Much to my surprise, we were almost out of peanut butter. And let me tell you, I was already in my PJs so I was not about to drive to buy some. I love my friends, but not that much :)

So what is a girl to do when she has promised to make delicious cupcakes that she apparently can't deliver on? Make even more delicious cupcakes. Or at least try.

I came up with these guys. After some whining to EW about how we didn't have any heavy whipping cream so I couldn't make caramel, I googled making caramel with whole milk and fortunately found a very instructional step-by-step recipe.


Salted Caramel Filling and Drizzle: From Bright Eyed Baker

This recipe is wonderful and I recommend just clicking the link and following her precise instructions. Don't forget to add the salt!

Mocha Cupcakes:

1 box of super chocolatey cake mix
1 packet of instant coffee

Make the cupcakes by following the instructions on the back of the box with the addition of the instant coffee. (I know this seems like cheating, but when I am making a pretty involved cupcake (i.e. making my own caramel sauce) I am okay with this shortcut. And, most people can't tell the difference.

After the cupcakes have cooled, use a paring knife to cut a small up-side-down cone out of the top of the cupcake. Make it just large enough to pour in ~1/2 Tbs of caramel. Pour in some caramel. I warmed my caramel up so it could pour more easily, but then the cupcake started to absorb it. I went back and poured some extra into the cupcakes. I also sprinkled a very small amount of sea salt on top of the caramel.

Be sure to save some of the caramel to drizzle on top of the frosted cupcakes.

Coffee Frosting: Adapted from Wilton (My go-to buttercream base)

1 stick of butter
1/2 cup of shortening
1 tsp vanilla
1 packet of instant coffee
4 cups powdered sugar
2ish tablespoons of milk (or coffee, or coffee liquor, or other tasty liquid)

Beat together the butter and shortening. Add in the vanilla and half of the powdered sugar. Add the instant coffee. Finish by adding the rest of the sugar and add enough milk/liquid to make the frosting a good consistency.

I frosted the cupcakes using a 1M tip (pretty much the only one I ever use...). Finish them off by drizzling the extra caramel over the top.

Kristi's Banana Birthday Cake

There was a very special date on the calendar last week.  Kristi's birthday!  It was a big one... she's finally able to rent a car without paying extra fees.  As usual we chose a cake from our "I need to make this but don't have an occasion special enough to justify it" list.  And once again we were disappointed in ourselves for having waited so long to bake our selection.  This is three layers richly dense banana cake separated by a light chocolate whipped cream, topped with decadent dark chocolate ganache and toasted coconut.

Enough about cake, we talk about that all the time here.  Let's celebrate the birthday girl with 25 things I love about her.

1. Her skills in the kitchen (I had to!)
2. Kristi-rules for board games.
3. We can have an entire conversation without saying a single word.  This used to get us in trouble at the dinner table all the time.
4. She's my twin born two and a half years late.
5. Style. My wardrobe is much improved when I can raid her closet.
6. Passion about science and her research.
7. Eggs and bacon for breakfast. Every. Morning.
8. She puts up with my version of the day of her birth.
9. She bought a chest freezer so we could buy half a cow's worth of local beef.
10. Photography skillz.
11. Landscaping skillz. (read: she mows the lawn)
12. Lack of hairstyling skillz.
13. She measured our heights on the kitchen wall every day until her line surpassed mine.
14. Dinner is waiting for me in the fridge when I get home late from work.
15. We have a MRSA stuffed creature hanging from a lamp in our living room.
16. Every wall in our house would be painted purple if she had her way.
17. Descriptions of foods she doesn't like are quite vivid.
18. She has just about as many pairs of socks as me.
19. She wants to do the photo quizzes from my medical journals together.
20. Princess Bride. JAG. NCIS.
21. She's the biggest copy cat I know.
22. Her cat calls me auntie.
23. She's converted me into a coffee drinker.
24. That some people think we look the same.
25. She'll always be my favorite little sister. And never a day older than a high school freshman.

Chocolate Banana Cake (adapted from A Spicy Perspective)
Serves 10-12

Banana Cake
3 sticks butter, softened
2 cups sugar
3 egg whites
1 tablespoon homemade vanilla2 large ripe bananas, smashed
3 cups cake flour (replace 6 tablespoons of flour with cornstarch)
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups buttermilk (add a splash of white vinegar to whole milk and let it sit for a bit)

Chocolate Ganache
10 oz. dark chocolate
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoon corn syrup

Chocolate Whipped Cream
3 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons homemade vanilla
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup cocoa powder

1 cup toasted coconut



Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cream butter and sugar until fluffy.
Add egg whites, vanilla, and bananas.
Combine dry ingredients (flour through salt) in a separate bowl.
Sift flour mixture together several times.
Add 1/3 of flour to wet ingredients.
Mix in half of the butter milk.
Alternate wet and dry ingredients, ending with dry. Scrape bowl as necessary.
Divide evenly into 3 greased and floured 9-inch rounds.
Bake for 30-35 minutes until lightly golden.
Cool on wire rack. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in freezer for at least 4 hours.

Finely chop dark chocolate.
Microwave heavy cream in microwave until it just starts to bubble.
Remove and stir in chocolate until it completely melts.
Stir in corn syrup.
Let cool until just barely pourable.

Beat all frosting ingredients together until stiff peaks form.

To assemble cake, remove layers from freezer and unwrap.
Place first layer on cake plate and top with one quarter of the whipped cream. repeat with layer two.
Gently place third layer on top of the other two and top with remaining whipped cream.
Press toasted coconut along the bottom half of the cake.
Pour ganache over the top so it flows onto plate.

Eat a piece for dinner and another for dessert (which may or may not have been what I did!)

                                                                                         A sneaky kitty ^^

Fig-Almond Cast Ion Skillet Cake

Todays blog post will begin with a fun little factoid I learned from our local zoo's website about figs and my current university's mascot:

"A bearcat eats a fig, travels a ways, then passes the seeds out the other end, helping fig trees grow in new places."

So, if you enjoy this blog post and/or this cake, thank your friendly neighborhood bearcat for his contribution. :)

I had never had a fresh fig before making this cake, but they have started popping up in recipes across the blogosphere/pinterest. I was at our local Meijer, saw these beauties on sale, and decided to give them a try. 

Fresh figs are surprisingly mild, juicy, and sweet, but they still have that distinctive fig flavor that everyone can recognize from their childhood Fig Newtons! 

Fig-Almond Cast Iron Skillet Cake (Adapted from JoytheBaker)

Serves 8-10

2 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
1 teaspoon homemade(!) vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
1/2 cup finely chopped, dried figs
10-12 fresh figs (depending on the size), sliced in half
1/2 cup sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 375.

Gently whisk together all of the dry ingredients (flour through nutmeg) and set aside.
In mixer, beat eggs, buttermilk, and butter.

Add sugar to blender and beat until fluffy.

Blend in vanilla and almond extract.

While mixing, pour in dry ingredients.  Stir until just combined.

Fold in dried figs.

Prepare your cast iron skillet with butter and flour.  Pour batter into skillet.

Arrange sliced figs and almonds on top of the cake.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until just golden brown.

Mint Chocolate Chip Cake

The sweltering humidity here in Cincinnati is no indication, but we are quickly nearing the end of summer.  I certainly couldn't let the season come to a close without trying out a frosting which claimed to taste exactly like mint chocolate chip ice cream.  With a few minor adjustments, I'd say it comes pretty close.  Chocolate ganache is completely unnecessary, but delightful addition to this refreshing, yet rich cake.  And 9.95/10 of my resident physician colleagues would agree.  It isn't every day you get that sort of consensus from doctors.

Mint Chocolate Chip Cake (adapted from Shugary Sweets)
serves 8-16

Cake Batter
Your favorite chocolate cake recipe (or box mix).
Substitute hot, freshly brewed coffee for the water.
Bake in two 9-inch rounds per recipe.

Mint Frosting
1 cup butter, room temperature
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
6 cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
8-10 drops of green food coloring (because everyone knows green mint chocolate chip ice cream is best!)
1 1/2 cups mini chocolate chips

Beat butter and cream cheese together until smooth.
Combine with powdered sugar, adding 2 cups at a time.
Stir in peppermint and food coloring.
Gently fold in chocolate chips.
Frost cooled cake.

Chocolate Ganache
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup half and half
splash of peppermint extract

In a double boiler, heat half and half to near boiling.
Remove half and half from heat and stir in chocolate chips until completely melted.
Add peppermint extract.
Allow to cool before pouring over frosted cake.

Fresh-picked Blueberry and Peach Pie

There are many, many things I miss about home.  In summertime, its watching a sunset over Lake Michigan and the endless amount of fresh produce everywhere you turn.  While home a few weeks ago we went blueberry picking.  Mom and Dad and purchased a flat of peaches grown across the street from our house.  Obviously, I needed to bake a pie.  Using the every trustworthy Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook I whipped up a blueberry peach pie which was served warm and a la mode shortly after pulling it out of the oven.  I also must admit, it was was probably more delicious eaten for breakfast the following morning.

Blueberry Peach Pie (adapted from Better Homes and Gardens)
serves 6-8

Pie Filling

1/3 cup sugar

2 tablespoons  flour

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon cloves

4 cups peeled, thinly sliced peaches

2 cups blueberries
Mix together the sugar and spices.
Gently fold in fruit. Set aside until pie crust is ready.

Pie Crust

2 1/4 cup flour

3/4 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup shortening

8-10 tablespoons cold water

Mix together flour and salt.

Cut in shortening until pieces are pea size.

Sprinkle 1 T of the water at a time over flour mixture and toss with a fork.  Repeat until flour mixture is moistened.

Divide in half and form into balls.

On lightly floured surface roll one ball into 12 inch circle.  Use rolling pin to carefully transfer into pie pan.  Trim pastry.  Add filling.

Roll out  top crust. Cut into strips.  Weave strips on top of pie and press down edges.

Bake in 375 degree oven on top of a cookie sheet for 45-50 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

 

 

Coconut Chai Ice Cream

I'm not even gonna make you wait for the punch line... this is quite possibly the best ice cream I've ever had!  The perfect balance of coconut, vanilla, and spices.  Freshly ground nutmeg is so worth it.  Don't think I'll ever be able to go back to the stuff in a jar.  And even after deep freezing, it has an incredibly creamy consistency thanks to the coconut milk.  Chance are there won't be any left for our parents to enjoy when they visit Memorial Day weekend.  We'll just be forced to make (and eat) another batch.

Coconut Chai Ice Cream
1 cup coconut milk
2 vanilla beans, split in half
3 eggs
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 cup white sugar
ground cinnamon
whole nutmeg, grated
ground cloves

Simmer coconut milk and vanilla beans over medium heat for 10 minutes.
Beat eggs in a bowl.
Remove vanilla beans from coconut milk.  Scrape out seeds and return them to the pan.
While whisking, slowly pour coconut milk into eggs.
Add whipping cream and sugar to coconut and egg mixture.
Heat on the stove.
Stir in spices.
Cool in refrigerator for 4 hours.
Freeze in ice cream maker as directed.
Ours was a little soft and required some time in the freezer before we ate it.

Paleo-ish Pad Thai

So EW and I decided that we needed to get back to eating lots o' veggies and this was the recipe we decided to try. It has the wonderful flavor of peanut-y Thai sauce, but without all of the useless carbs of rice noodles. :)

"Noodles":
3/4 of a small head of cabbage, thinly sliced
Bell pepper, thinly sliced
2 eggs, scrambled
Pre-cooked shrimp
Bean sprouts
3 scallions, thinly sliced
Lime

Saute the cabbage and bell pepper in a wok with your favorite oil (coconut or olive would work well). 


Sauce: (Adapted from theclothesmakethegirl)
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 clove garlic, minced (about 1 teaspoon)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon powdered ginger
1/2 teaspoon rice vinegar
1/4 cup sunflower seed butter (I used half almond butter, half peanut butter)
1 tsp ground fresh chili paste
1/4 cup coconut milk

Put all the sauce ingredients into a blender or small food processor, and blend until smooth.
Pour over the cabbage and bell pepper, add shrimp, and heat through.

Serve with bean sprouts, and scallions and a wedge of lime to squeeze on top.