Devil's Food Bundt Cake

Recipe adapted from AllRecipes

I've had a box of devil's food cake mix in my pantry for a while and each time I reach in there it just stares at me…saying "eat me, eat me"! Well I was organizing my pots and pan and I noticed my lonely bundt pan that I've only used once. The only changes I made to the recipe were b/c I was just working with the ingredients already in my home…I'm sure the recipe is fine as is too.

It was so moist & yummy! I think it was even better the 2nd day. I wrapped it in some foil and believe it or not it seemed even more moist than before, love it!

Ingredients:

1 (18.25 oz) package devil's food cake mix

1 (3.9 oz) package instant chocolate fudge pudding mix

1 cup vegetable oil

3/4 cup hot water

1 cup sour cream

1 tsp vanilla 

3 eggs 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a bundt pan with baking spray with flour. Combine all ingredients and pour in the pan. Bake for 45 minutes. Allow to cool. 

Sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired or better yet just serve it warmed with vanilla ice cream! 

Bing Cherry Thumbprint Cookies

Recipe from CalCherry

So I bought too many cherries for me to eat all by myself before they might go bad so I had to figure out something to do with them! I tried to get my hubby to eat them with me, but he doesn't care much about fruit. Oh well, we get cookies instead :) I googled bing cherry cookie recipes and this is the one I picked.

My first batch of cookies I made WAY too large! Oops! The second batch was a better size, but they still didn't look anything like the picture on the webpage (shown to the right). They just never came out exactly right. The cherry jam would run over the sides while cooking and they just didn't look quite right.

I must also say I wasn't a fan of the whole cherry on top either so next time I think I will puree the jam before using it. Other than that the cookies tasted pretty good, the cookie dough makes for a yummy simple buttery cookie.

Ingredients:
Cherry Jam
1 pound bing cherries, washed & pitted (about 2 cups)
1/8 cup water
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
1 cup sugar

Cookie Dough
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour

Directions:
Jam
Combine cherries and water in a small pot and simmer over low heat until fruit is tender, about 10 minutes. Add lemon juice, zest, and sugar and stir gently until sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil and boil and boil rapidly for 10 minutes, stirring on occasion, until thick and syrupy. Pour into a shallow bowl and cool, or alternately refrigerated until jam is set. This can be made a day ahead.

Cookies
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until creamy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Add flour and mixed until combined. Form dough into 1-inch balls and arrange on ungreased cookie sheet. Using your thumb make an impression in the center of each ball. Fill each cookie with cherry jam, making sure each has a cherry in the center. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until the dough is set and lightly browned. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack.

Makes 2-3 dozen

Blueberry Crumb Bars

Adapted from AllRecipes.com 

These were easy to make and pretty tasty! I really liked the crumbly crust it made.

Ingredients:
1 cup white sugar
1 tsp baking powder
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup cold unsalted butter, softened
1 egg
1/4 tsp salt
Zest and juice of one lemon
4 cups fresh blueberries
1/2 cup white sugar
4 tsp cornstarch

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 F. Grease a 9x13 inch pan.

In a medium bowl, stir together 1 cup sugar, 3 cups flour, and baking powder. Mix in salt and lemon zest. Use a fork or pastry cutter to blend in the butter and egg. Dough will be crumbly. Pat half of dough into the prepared pan.

In another bowl, stir together the 1/2 cup sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice. Gently mix in the blueberries. Sprinkle the blueberry mixture evenly over the crust. Crumble remaining dough over the berry layer.

Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until top is slightly brown. Cool completely before cutting into squares.

Tiny Pecan Tarts

Recipe revised from AllRecipes.com 

So around every holiday I try to bring some type of dessert. Since father's day is this month I decided to try to make some pecan tarts. The recipe I picked had rave reviews so it seemed like a good one to  use...it was a great decision! These things are amazing! Fluffy light crust and sweet delicious filling! I only made slight changes and that was thanks to reading the reviews. Pressing the dough into each mini cup is a little tedious, but everything else is very simple.

Ingredients:
1 cup butter
6 oz cream cheese, softened
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 tbs melted butter
1 pinch salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans

Directions:
To Make Pastry - Cream butter and cream cheese. Add flour and mix well. Make into 3 or 4 balls and place in the freezer for about 45 minutes. Once chilled make the dough into 48 balls (I only did 24 at a time since I only had one pan). Use your thumb to press each ball into a mini cupcake pan. Then use your thumbs and fingers to spread each ball evenly.

To Make Filling -  Break the eggs into a mixing bowl, do not beat. Add sugar, melted butter, salt, vanilla and pecans. Mix well. Fill the tarts 3/4 full. Bake at 350 for about 25 minutes. Use a butter knife to pop them out of the pan and place on a cooling rack.

Tips:

• Only make half of the filling at a time if you only have one mini cupcake pan. 
• I first sprayed the pan with flour cooking spray, but many reviews said it wasn't needed. Mine slipped right out w/o any problems. 

Super Simple Carrot Cake

Recipe from Stone Soup

So I've come across this cooking blog where a Food Scientist has chosen to only make recipes with 5 ingredients or less. I personally think that is a fabulous idea! The frittata I made was among her recipes and now I've decided to try one of her sweet treats...carrot cake. Click on the recipe link above to watch a YouTube video of her making this cake.

This cake is moist, sweet and delicious! Feel free to top it off with some cream cheese icing or serve with vanilla ice cream. Personally I thought it was great just by itself.

Ingredients:
8 1/2 oz brown sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil or peanut oil
3 eggs
8 1/2 oz almond meal or self-rising flour
8 1/2 oz carrots, coarsely grated
(I was lazy and just used a food processor for the carrots)

Directions:
Preheat your oven with a baking sheet on the middle shelf to 350F. Line a 8in springform pan with baking paper. Grease the base and sides of the pan with a little bit of oil.

In a large bowl, mix together the sugar and oil. Add eggs, one at a time mixing to combine. Stir in almond meal (or flour) and carrots. Pour mixture into prepared pan and level with a spoon.

Bake 1 hour if using almond meal or 30 minutes if using self-rising flour. Top of the cake should be golden and firm to the touch. Cool in the tin.

White Chocolate Macadamia & Maple Cupcakes

Adapted from I Love Sugar cookbook

As these cupcakes baked a wonderful sweet aroma filled the kitchen...that's one of my favorite things about baking. Mmm it's interesting how certain smells can remind you of past memories. If you've ever had a White Chocolate Macadamia Nut cookie then you can guess what these cupcakes might taste like. It's pretty similar just in cupcake form and less doughy. I typically like a more fluffy frosting for my cupcakes, but this was a nice alternative. 

Ingredients:

- Cupcakes -

6 tbsp butter, softened

1/4 cup light brown sugar

2 tbsp maple syrup 

1 large egg, lightly beaten

2/3 cup self-rising flour

1/3 cup macadamia nuts, chopped

1/3 cup white chocolate morsels

1 tbsp milk 

- Frosting - 

2 tbsp butter, softened 

2 tbsp maple syrup

1 cup confectioners sugar

1/3 cup cream cheese (room temp)

3 tbsp macadamia nuts, chopped

3 tbsp white chocolate morsels, chopped 

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 F. Put 9 paper liners in a muffin pan.

Put the butter, brown sugar, and maple syrup in a bowl and beat together until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the egg. Sift in the flour and using a metal spoon, fold into the mixture with the nuts, chocolate and milk. Spoon the mixture into the paper liners.

Bake the cupcakes in the preheated oven for 15 - 20 minutes, or until golden brown and firm to the touch. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool. 

To make the frosting, beat the butter and maple syrup together until smooth. Sift in the confectioners sugar and beat in throughly. Gently beat in the cream cheese. Swirl the frosting on the top of each cake and sprinkle with nuts and chocolate. 

Basic Brownies

This is a HERSHEY's recipe and they also list a frosting you can use on top of the brownies if you so desire (though I think they are sweet enough as is). I don't think you can find an easier brownie recipe than this, it's incredibly simple and they taste great! They are a little more cake-like than brownie, but either way they're yummy so I don't mind! Next time I will try using one less egg though and that should help make them more gooey and not as fluffy. 

Ingredients:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, melted
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

Directions:
Heat oven to 350 F. Grease 9-inch square baking pan.

Stir together butter, sugar and vanilla in bowl. Add eggs; beat well with spoon. Stir together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; gradually add to egg mixture, beating until well blended. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan.

Bake for 25 minutes or until brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan. Cool on wire rack.