Snickerdoodle Cake with Cinnamon Brown Sugar Buttercream

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Birthday's are big at my work.  I am responsible for keeping the list of birthday current with my fellow employees, getting birthday cards, making sure they all get signed, and getting a cake.  After an unsuccessful trip to the grocery store to get a cake, I figured I would just make one.  I asked my co-worker what kind of cake she wanted and we browsed my Pinterest page to find something that looked delicious.  This cake was the winner.  I am a huge fan of cinnamon so I was very excited to get home to start baking.  The cake turned out great, everyone loved it.  I work for a high end catering company so most of my taste testers were chefs and people with a passion for food.  I think the buttercream was my favorite part.  It has a different texture then a typical buttercream because of the brown sugar but the flavor was divine and was a perfect compliment to the snickerdoodle cake.  I think ill start making different cakes every month for my co-workers.  Hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

Snickerdoodle Cake - Adapted from Always With Butter Blog
Ingredients:

1 1/2 Cup Flour
1 1/2 Cup Cake Flour
1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1 1/2 Tablespoon Cinnamon
1 Cup Butter (2 sticks) - unsalted and room temperature
1 3/4 Cups Sugar
4 Eggs - room temperature
2 Teaspoons Vanilla
1 1/4 Cups Milk

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven 325.
2. Butter and flour two 8 or 9 inch cake pans
3. Sift together both flours, baking powder, salt and cinnamon and set aside
4. Cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy
5. Add eggs one at a time then add vanilla
6. Alternating, add dry mixture then milk in three batches
7. Divide up the batter into the two pans.
8. Bake for 30 - 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean
9. Let the cake cool completely before frosting

Cinnamon Brown Sugar Buttercream
Ingredients:
3 Sticks Butter - unsalted and room temperature
2/3 Cup Brown Sugar - packed
1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
3-4 Cups Powdered sugar

1 Teaspoon Vanilla
4 Tablespoons Milk or Half and Half

Directions:

1. Cream the  butter, brown sugar and cinnamon on high speed
2. Add the powdered sugar and then the vanilla and half and half and beat until light and fluffy
3. Frost the cake
4. ENJOY!

Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Cake

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Its that time of year again where I have to think of a good cake to make for my Fiance's birthday.  This year I decided to hoard all the Reese's I could find around Halloween time and save them to make this cake.  This cake was a huge hit with him, his family, and all our neighbors.  My future brother-in-law requested it for his birthday as well.  The frosting is what makes the cake, its perfectly rich and creamy. I got the idea for this cake from Make Bake Celebrate but I used a different recipe.   If you know a peanut butter lover, I am sure they will love this cake!

Happy Birthday Joe!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes - Adapted from My Baking Addiction

Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:
1 Box Devil’s Food Cake Mix
1 4oz Package Instant Chocolate Pudding Mix
1 Cup Sour Cream
1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil

1/2 Cup Water
4 Eggs, room temperature

1 Bag of Reese's Mini - (I used a combination of Reese's regular size and some of the small ones)

Peanut Butter Buttercream
Ingredients:
3 Sticks Butter, unsalted and room temperature
1 Cup Creamy Peanut Butter
2 Tablespoons Vanilla
5 1/2 Cups Confectioners' Sugar, sifted
6-8 Tablespoons Heavy Cream - I used about 4 tablespoons milk

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare your cake pans, I used 2 8in round pans.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the cake and pudding mixes, sour cream, oil, water, and eggs. Beat for about two minutes on medium speed until well combined.
3. Divide the batter between your two pans.
4. Bake in preheated oven for about 30 minutes or until the tops of the cakes spring back when lightly touched. 
5. Allow cake to cool for about 10 minutes.
6. Remove cakes from pans and allow to fully cool on a wire rack. Once cakes are cool, you can either freeze them or frost them right away.  I would reccomend you freeze them becuase it makes it easier to frost them.    
7. In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, cream butter and peanut butter on medium speed until fluffy. 
8. Turn your mixer down to low speed and slowly add in the confectioner’s sugar, and continue mixing until well blended.
9. Add vanilla and 4 tablespoons of heavy cream or milk. Blend on low speed until moistened. Add an additional 1 to 4 tablespoons of heavy cream until you reach the desired consistency. Beat at high speed until frosting is smooth and fluffy
10. To assemble the cake, I spread one later of frosting on the bottom layer of cake and then put a layer of chopped Reese's.  Put the second layer of cake on top and then cover the whole cake with frosting.  I then melted some chocolate and poured that over the top.  I then put the remaining Reese's on top.
11. ENJOY!!

Cookies & Cream Cake

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It was time to make a cake and this cake caught my interest.  It lived up to my expectation and everyone love it.  The cake is very moist and has great flavor.  I love the whipped cream frosting as its not as heavy and filling as a normal buttercream frosting.  I don't have much else to say other then, THIS CAKE ROCKS!

Cookies & Cream Cake - Adapted from Bird On A Cake

Cake Ingredients:
2 Cups Flour
1 1/2 Cups Sugar
1 Package (3.4oz) Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix
1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil
1/2 Cup Lukewarm Water
3 Eggs (room temperature)
1 Cup Sour Cream
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
14 Oreo Cookies (chopped into quarters) 

Oreo Whipped Cream Frosting Ingredients:
1 Quart Heavy Whipping Cream
3/4 Cup Sugar
14 Oreo cookies (remove the filling and crush the cookies)

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 325. Line the bottoms of two 9 inch round cake pans with wax paper and grease the sides or spray the whole pan with Pam.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, pudding mix, baking powder and baking soda. 
3. Add the oil, water, eggs, sour cream and vanilla extract. Beat with mixer on medium speed until well blended. 
4. By hand, mix in the Oreo cookies.
5. Pour the batter into prepared pans and bake for approx. 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Let the cakes cool completely - or even freeze.
6. With an electric mixer, whip the cream and sugar until it forms stiff peaks (3-4 minutes). Fold in crushed Oreos. Keep refrigerated.
7. To assemble your cake, level your cakes and slice them each in half, to make four cake layers. 
8. Spread frosting between the layers and cover the entire cake with frosting. Keep refrigerated and garnish with Oreo cookies right before serving.
9. ENJOY!

Choco-nilla Birthday Cake

Its that time of year again, my boyfriends birthday.  Every year I make him a cake and this year I was struggling with an idea.  He is pretty laid back and will eat whatever so that makes it even harder.  I found this cake (a cake for "fence-sitters") and I figured it would be perfect for everybody.  A little chocolate and a little vanilla, nobody can complain.  It was a huge hit and was gone in about 2 days.  I made the banner on the computer from a blank word document because I couldn't find any templates I liked.  It was easy enough, and then I used a needle and double thread to hang it all together.   I am very happy with how it all came out and I hope my boyfriend loved it too!

Happy Birthday Joe!

Idea adapted from Kingarthurflour.com

Chocolate Cake - 

1 Box Devils Food Cake Mix
1 4oz Box of Instant Chocolate Pudding
1 Cup Sour Cream
4 Eggs
1/2 Cup Canola Oil
1/2 Cup Water or Milk

Vanilla Cake

1 Box Vanilla Cake Mix
1 4oz Box of Instant Vanilla Pudding
1 Cup Sour Cream
4 Eggs
1/2 Cup Canola Oil
1/2 Cup Water or Milk

Chocolate Buttercream - MY NEW FAVORITE!
1 Cup (2 Sticks) Butter, Unsalted and Room temp
5 1/2 Cups Powdered Sugar
1 1/2 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder, sifted
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
2/3 Cup Milk

Directions:

1. For the cake, follow directions on box but with the listed ingredients. Bake according to the box. I did 4 - 8in pans and it was about 30 minutes each.
2. For the buttercream, cream the butter with the whisk attachment of your kitchen aid until light and fluffy. Alternate adding the wet ingredients and the dry until everything is in the bowl. Whip up until desired consistency, add more milk if needed. 
3. Frost you cake, and ENJOY!

Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Buttercream

Its my cousin's birthday and every year my aunt calls me to make him a cake.  He loves chocolate so I search for a new super chocolaty recipe every year.  This year wins!  This cake is so moist and very rich!  I feel like I am cheating using a box mix, but of all the chocolate cake recipes I have tried, the box mix is always better and never disappoints.  Chocolate buttercream has been a challenge too.  I have found that most recipes are not very fudgey or are too sweet.  This recipe was perfectly chocolaty and a great consistency for the cake.  So stop your endless chocolate cake search like I have and try this recipe!  The best part is its super EASY!

It says "Happy Birthday" but its kinda hard to read...

Chocolate Cake - Adapted from kevinandamanda.com
1 Box Devils Food Cake Mix
1 4oz Box of Instant Chocolate Pudding
1 Cup Sour Cream
4 Eggs
1/2 Cup Canola Oil
1/2 Cup Water or Milk
For additional chocolate you can add chocolate chips to the batter

Chocolate Buttercream
1 Cup (2 Sticks) Butter, Unsalted and Room temp
5 1/2 Cups Powdered Sugar
1 1/2 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder, sifted
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
2/3 Cup Milk

Directions:

1. For the cake, follow directions on box but with the listed ingredients.  Bake according to the box.  I did 2 - 8in pans and it was about 30 minutes each.
2. For the buttercream, cream the butter with the whisk attachment of your kitchen aid until light and fluffy.  Alternate adding the wet ingredients and the dry until everything is in the bowl.  Whip up until desired consistency, add more milk if needed.  
3. Frost you cake, and ENJOY!

Real Fruit Birthday Cake

Hello Everybody!  Sorry I have been MIA lately.  I have been busy moving and working.  I have still been baking just not posting.   I really wanted to share this post with because I think it is so fun for birthdays and any other celebrations!   You can put whatever fruit you want on it to change the colors.  I made this cake for my aunt because every year she wants me to make carrot cake.  I don't like making carrot cake so I found this to make her.  She was asking me for weeks before if I was going to make her a carrot cake and I kept saying "NO! I am making you a cake but its not baked."  It kept her guess and she was so surprised when she did see the cake.  She is the kinda of person who only eats fruit for breakfast every morning so this cake didn't last long.

Making this cake I had some difficulties.  It was hard making all the layers flat, and the grape flowers were impossible.   You will use a lot of toothpicks and its kinda tedious.  It was fun to make though and my aunt loved it!

Adapted from Simplify, Live, Love - She has great directions and measuring techniques that I didn't use, but might have been helpful!

Ingredients:
1 Large Watermelon
1 Large Honeydew
1 Large Cantaloupe
1 Bag of Grapes - Red or Green
Any other fruit you want ( I used Kiwi for the "65" and blueberries)

Directions:

1. Cut up melons, use toothpicks to hold together.
2. Add decorations.
3. Enjoy!

Oreo Cake

It was my boyfriends 25th birthday yesterday so I made him OREO Cake.  His favorite is white cake with store bought chocolate frosting, but I had to get more creative then that so I made Oreo Cake!  I got too busy today to make the cake from scratch so I gave in and used box mix, it happens to the best of us sometimes.  I wanted to make sure that there was at least one thing he asked for in the cake so I bought the chocolate frosting at the store for the middle of the cake and put the Oreo buttercream on the outside.  I had a really hard time spreading the chunky frosting round the cake but it turned out okay.  I used the left over Oreos to surround the outside of the cake, because why not.   This was a huge hit with my boyfriend and his friends, very chocolaty though so be sure to serve a glass of milk with every slice of cake.  Enjoy!

Happy Birthday Joe!!

Oreo Cake - Adapted from My Baking Addiction

Yield: 2 Layer 8 Inch Cake

Cake Ingredients:
1 (18.25 ounce) Package Devil’s Food Cake Mix
1 (5.9 ounce) Package Instant Chocolate Pudding Mix (I used 2 small packages which was about 2.5 oz)
1 Teaspoon Salt
2 Teaspoons Vanilla
1 Cup Sour Cream
1 Cup Vegetable Oil
4 Eggs
1/2 Cup Warm Water - I think I forgot this in my rush to get the cakes in the oven!
2 Cups Semisweet Chocolate Chips - I dont think you need this much extra chocolate....

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease (2) 8 or 9 inch round cake pans thoroughly.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the cake and pudding mix, salt vanilla, sour cream, oil, beaten eggs and water. Stir in the chocolate chips and divide batter into the prepared pans.
3.  Bake for 25-35 minutes, rotating pans half way through baking the baking time. Bake until the top is springy to the touch and a wooden toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool cake for at least 30 minutes before inverting. Allow cake to cool completely on wire rack.

Oreo Buttercream
Ingredients:
2 Stick Unsalted Butter – room temperature
1 Tablespoon Vanilla
1 1/2 Pounds Powdered Sugar
3-4 Tablespoons Very Cold Milk
25 Oreo cookies chopped - or they will chop themselves if you put them in the mixer and turn up the speed!

Directions

1. Cream the butters in the bowl of a Kitchen Aid mixer with the whisk attachment. Add the vanilla extract and combine well.
2. Begin adding in the sugar and mixing thoroughly after each addition. After all of the sugar has been added and mixed thoroughly, begin adding the very cold milk… one tablespoon at a time, combining well after each addition until you reach the desired consistency.
3. Add the Oreo Cookies and mix until light and fluffy.
4. Frost your cooled cake layers and decorate.
5. Enjoy!!

Funfetti Cake with Chocolate Buttercream

I love spur of the moment baking!  Yesterday I got a text from my boyfriend asking if I wanted to make a cake for one of his co-workers that got a new job.  Of course I said yes and immediately went into recipe search mode.  I had seen this recipe for homemade funfetti cake and really wanted to try it, and this was a perfect opportunity.  I made a super quick trip to the grocery store and was back in a flash to start baking.  This recipe is really great and easy!  The batter was the first sign the cake was going to be good, it was super light and fluffy and smelled amazing.  Also I have finally learned how to make a cake rise evenly in the oven so you don't get the rounded top.  If you cut a strip of towel, wet it, and wrap it around the outside of the pan, it makes for a perfectly flat cake!  So I double the recipe because i wanted a big cake, and divided the batter into the pans.  There was very little batter per pan but it had no problem rising in the oven.  For the icing, I wanted to do a chocolate buttercream but not one that was too sweet.  I found this recipe on epicurious.com and decided to try it.  It got amazing ratings but is more difficult then most buttercream recipes.  It turned out very light and fluffy.  It wasn't your typical sugary and thick chocolate buttercream.  If you are used to canned frosting, you might not like this, like my boyfriend didn't, but it is a great buttercream.  It is more like a Swiss meringue buttercream.  Needless to say, the cake turned out perfect and everyone loved it.  I thought my decorating skills were below par, but its the taste that matters.  If you are a from box baker, like I was only a few months ago, I highly suggest you try this recipe.  It is just as easy as a box mix, with all the staple ingredients you probably have in your house, and yet you can tell people you made it from scratch!!  

Sorry for the bad photos!  

Funfetti Cake - Adapted from Sweet Tooth
Yield: 1 Layer of a Cake, or about 12 cupcakes - I doubled the recipe
Ingredients:
1 1/4 Cup Flour
1 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
3/4 Cup Sugar
6 Tablespoons Butter, unsalted and room temperature
1 Egg + 1 Egg White, room temperature
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
1/2 Cup Whole Milk
2 Tablespoons Rainbow Sprinkles


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Grease and flour cake pans, or line muffin tins with paper liners for cupcakes.
2. In a medium size bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. 
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add in the egg and egg white, beating on low speed until just incorporated.  Add Vanilla.
4. Gradually add in the flour mixture and the milk, alternating until it is all mixed in.
5. Add the sprinkles.
6. Pour the batter into the cake pan, or fill the cupcake liners 3/4 of the way full.  For a cake, bake about 30-35 minutes, for cupcakes about 14-16 minutes.  Bake until the edges are lightly brown and a toothpick comes out clean.
7. Allow to cool then frost with your favorite icing
8. Enjoy

Chocolate Buttercream - adapted from Epicurious

Yield: Almost 4 Cups, just enough for a 2 layer cake or about 24 Cupcakes

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup Bittersweet or Semisweet Chocolate, best quality possible

3 Sticks Butter, unsalted and room temperature

6 Tablespoons Water

3/4 Cup Granulated Sugar

3 Egg Whites

1/4 Teaspoon Cream of Tartar

6 Tablespoons Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

Directions:

1. Chop chocolate. In a metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water melt chocolate, stirring until smooth, and let cool. Cut butter into pieces and soften to cool room temperature.
2. In a 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan bring water and sugar to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Boil syrup, without stirring, until a candy thermometer registers 250°F.
3. While syrup is boiling, in a bowl with an electric mixer beat whites with a pinch salt until foamy and beat in cream of tartar. Beat whites until they just hold stiff peaks and beat in hot syrup in a stream (try to avoid pouring onto beaters and side of bowl). Beat mixture at medium speed until completely cool, 5 to 10 minutes. 
4. Beat in butter, 1 piece at a time, beating until mixture is thickened and smooth. (Buttercream will at first appear very thin and at some point look like it is breaking but, as more butter is beaten in, it will thicken and become glossy and smooth.) 
5. Beat in cocoa powder, melted chocolate, and a pinch salt, beating until smooth. (Buttercream may be made 2 days ahead and chilled in an airtight container. Bring buttercream to room temperature and beat before using.) (If buttercream is too cold when beaten it will not be glossy and smooth.)
6. Frost your cake, or cupcakes, and ENJOY!

Lemon Pound Cake

I love lemons!  This cake is very lemony and moist, a crowd pleaser for sure.  I adapted this recipe by adding more sugar and lemon zest, which I think makes it sweeter and more lemony.  I don't have much more to say about this other then, try it!  Its yummy!

Lemon Pound Cake - Adapted from foodnetwork.com
Yield: 10 Slices
Ingredients:
1 1/2 Cup Flour
1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1 Cup or 2 Sticks Butter, unsalted and room temperature
1 1/2 Cup Sugar
4 Eggs, room temperature
2 Teaspoons Vanilla
1/4 Cup Lemon Juice, fresh squeezed is preferable
Zest of 1 Lemon


Ingredients for Glaze:
2 Cup Powdered Sugar
3-4 Tablespoons Lemon Juice


Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 8 inch loaf pan and line it with parchment or waxed paper. 
2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.
3. In a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (or using a hand mixer), cream the butter. Add 1 cup of the sugar and mix. 
4. With the mixer running at low speed, add the eggs one at a time. Add the vanilla.
5. Working in alternating batches, and mixing after each addition, add the dry ingredients and 1/4 cup of the lemon juice to the butter mixture.  Add the lemon zest.  Mix until just smooth.
6. Pour into the prepared pan and bake until raised in the center and a tester inserted into the center comes out dry and almost clean, about 50-60 minutes.
7. When the cake is done, let cool in the pan 15 minutes (it will still be warm). Run a knife around the sides of the pan. Set on a wire rack to cool.
8. While the cake cools, mix together the glaze in a small bowl with a whisk.  When cake is cool enough, pour the glaze over the top.  Cut into 1/2 inch slices.
9. Enjoy!!

Soda Pop Cake and a Swiss Meringue Buttercream

So everyone likes to eat less calories but still have a great taste, right!?  Well this is a perfect way to cut a few calories.  All you need is any flavor or box cake mix, and a diet soda.  I made chocolate cake mixed with diet coke and it was so moist and delicious!  You can do this with any flavor soda and any flavor cake.  I was very skeptical at first but I tried the batter and it had no cola flavor, and tasted just the way it would have if you used the eggs, oil, and water.  Then the cupcakes cooked pretty fast and puffed up really nicely.  Then came the taste test and it was truly amazing.  I don't think that I will ever follow the directions again, the soda method is crazy good!


Now about the buttercream.  This recipe is so light and fluffy you could eat the whole bowl and not have a stomach ache.  You can add whatever flavor you want also, so it is a good base recipe.  It is a little harder to make, and takes more time, but it is definately worth the effort!  

Now my friend Monica and I made these for our friend Alysha's 23rd birthday.  I hope you enjoyed your cupcakes Alysha!!!!  

Happpy Birthdayyy!!!  

Cake Mix Directions:

1 Box of cake mix, any flavor

1 Can of Diet Soda

1. Set oven to directions on box.
2. Empty box mix into medium size bowl. Open can of soda and pour all around the bowl.  With a hand mixer, mix the ingredients together til you get a nice batter.  
3. Fill the Cupcakes liners 2/3 full and bake for about 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Cool for at least 10 minutes.
4. Frost and enjoy!!

Swiss Meringue Buttercream - from Martha Stewart
Ingredients:
1 1/2 Cup Sugar
6 Egg Whites
Pinch of Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Cream of Tartar
2 Cups of Butter, unsalted and room  temperature, cut into tablespoons
1 Teaspoons Vanilla


This recipe makes enough to frost a 2 layer cake or frost 24 or more cupcakes, depending on the amount of frosting per cupcake...

1. Heat sugar and eggs: Bring a saucepan filled with about 2 inches of water to a simmer. Meanwhile, combine sugar, egg whites, and salt in a large heat-proof mixing bowl. Set bowl over (not in) simmering water, and whisk until whites are warm to the touch and sugar is dissolved, 2 to 3 minutes. (Heating the eggs relaxes their proteins, enabling the eggs to whip up higher and more quickly; the sugar also melts, for a silky smooth consistency.) Test by rubbing between your fingers; the mixture should feel smooth.
2. Whip meringue: Attach bowl to a standing electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and beat on low speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar, and beat on medium-high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form and mixture is cooled completely, about 10 minutes.
3. Mix in butter: Reduce speed to medium-low; add butter 2 tablespoons at a time, beating to incorporate fully after each addition. Don't worry if the buttercream appears curdled at this point; it will become perfectly smooth again with continued beating. After all the butter has been incorporated, beat in vanilla.
4. Finish: Switch to the paddle attachment. Beat on the lowest speed to reduce air bubbles, 3 to 5 minutes. Let stand, covered with plastic wrap, at room temperature. (If not using the same day, transfer to airtight containers and store in the refrigerator up to 3 days or the freezer up to 1 month. Before using, bring to room temperature; beat with paddle attachment on the lowest speed until smooth and pliable, about 10 minutes.)
5. I frosted the cupcakes with a large pastry bag and a 1M tip, and sprinkled them with some pink sprinkles.

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Swiss Meringue Buttercream - Martha Stewart Recipes 




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