A Wordless Weekend Recap

Recipe to come!

Sorry for the blurry pic of the ribs--I was too busy wiping the drool from my chin : )

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Let's eat, drink, and play Jenga!

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Summer + Birthdays (If only there was snow, and a jolly man dressed up in red...wait, that's another one...)

July is apparently the month of birthdays.  In honor of my boss’ birthday tomorrow, I am making, by her request, a chocolate cake.

Now, let me tell you.  When I asked her what she would like me to make, stressing that she could have anythinggg that she desired (Reese’s, Oreo, or coconut cake to name a few), she told me chocolate cake.  With buttercream frosting.

Me: With peanut butter filling?

Her: No

Me: With chocolate chips?

Her: No

Me: Chocolate/Peppermint/Strawberry Buttercream?

Her: Just.plain.buttercream.

Now I must confess, when she gave me this wish, I was a little bummed.  I always want to challenge myself in the kitchen…but plain old chocolate cake?

Boy, was I wrong!

After tasting a little bit of the end result, I was blown away by the taste of the rich, fluffy chocolate cake, paired with the decadent, yet classic buttercream.  I was transported back to when I was a child and I would get cake with buttercream for my birthdays and how everyone would fight over the flowers on top.

Even though there weren’t any flowers on this cake, it definitely was memorable.

I used this recipe for the chocolate cake. 

Below are Annie’s instructions:

2 cups all-purpose flour


½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder


½ tsp. baking powder


½ tsp. baking soda


½ tsp. salt


2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature


1 ½ cups sugar


2 large eggs


2 large egg yolks


1 tsp. vanilla extract


1 cup buttermilk (I used 1 cup of whole milk and 1 tablespoon of vinegar—got to love those substitutions!)

Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Grease and flour 2 9-inch round pans.

Mix the first five ingredients in a bowl.  Whisk together.

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until soft and creamy.  

Add the sugar and beat for about 2 minutes, until thoroughly blended into the butter.  Add the eggs and yolks one at a time, beating for one minute after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.  Beat in the vanilla.  

Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk; add the dry ingredients in 3 additions and the buttermilk in 2 (beginning and ending with the dry ingredients).  Mix each addition only until it is blended into the batter.  Scrape down the bowl and add the melted chocolate, if using, folding it in with a spatula.  Divide the batter between the prepared cake pans.

Bake for 26-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Cool to room temperature.

I used this recipe for the frosting (so easy!!!!).

Beat 2 sticks of butter for about 2 minutes, until completely smooth.  Gradually add 2 ½ cups of powdered sugar until combined.  Add 1 tablespoon vanilla extract.  Beat for 2 minutes until smooth.  Add a little water if too thick.

(Sorry that there are no pictures--I was too impatient to frost the cake, that I made the frosting in about 5 minutes!)

I also cut each cake in half to add additional layers—yum!  Hope my boss enjoys this as much as I did making it!

Happy Birthday : )

Buckeyes....Happy Birthday, Rachel!

The Occasional Oenophile made these for me for my bday!  See how she did it : )

Buckeyes

1/2 stick of butter
1c peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla
lots of powdered sugar (1 cup or more)
1 12oz bag semisweet chocolate chips (watch out for parrafin wax and hydrogenated oils)
1 extra tbsp butter

Mix the 1/2 stick of butter and the peanut butter together with the vanilla til blended.  Then add the powdered sugar a little at a time, so it blends.  It's best to do this part with your hands.  The peanut butter ball should be firm, and peices of it should break off more than melt away when you've added enough sugar, kinda like the consistency of the inside of a Reese's cup.  You'll end up with a giant ball of peanut butter dough.  Chill this in the fridge for at least 30 mins.  If you're in a rush, the freezer will do.

 

In a separate bowl, melt your chocolate chips.  Many cooks like to do this in a water bath, but I find that it saves time to just nuke them (sacrilege, I'm sure!).  The trick is to be very careful and methodical about the melting, or you'll end up with nasty, burnt chocolate.  I find that this works in my microwave: 30seconds on high, take out and mix, 30 seconds on high, take out and blend completely.  The morsels will continue to melt as you blend, so don't put it back in the microwave even if it doesn't look melted all the way.  Once your chocolate is smooth, mix in the extra tablespoon of butter until blended completely.  This adds a sheen to the chocolate that most American chocolate companies get by adding parrafin wax (ew!).

 Take the peanut butter out of the fridge. 

 Break off a small piece (1/2" diameter) and roll into a ball.  Be careful not to handle it too much or your dough will begin to melt in your hands, making the next step that much harder.  Once your ball is formed, stick a toothpick in the top, about halfway through. 

Holding the toothpick, dip the ball into the melted chocolate to coat the outsides. 

Carefully remove the ball without dislodging the toothpick (it usually helps to have a spoon ready in the bowl to catch defectors).  Place the finished product on a baking sheet covered in wax paper.   Repeat this process until you run out of peanut butter and/or chocolate. 

Chill your buckeyes on the baking sheet in the fridge or freezer overnight, and make sure to store them in a cool place.  I find that they keep in the freezer quite well.  If you allow them to melt, they'll start to stick together and fall apart. 

I feel compelled to warn you that they are addictive and contain 119 calories a piece, so pace yourself. :)

Happy Birthday Rachel!