{ Chocolate Peanut Butter Layer Cake with Ganache }

Certain things are just meant to go together: biscuits and gravy, bacon and eggs, rum and coke, and last but not least, chocolate and peanut butter! Independently, these items are all delicious, but put them together, and they are like an orgasm for the tastebuds. So when I came across this recipe for a Chocolate Peanut Butter Layer Cake with Ganache on Pinterest the other day, I knew it would be divine. It’s just kind of hard to justify a three layer cake for one person with no real special occasion. But I wasn’t about to just “Pin” this recipe and forget about it. No, I was determined to make this cake ASAP. And so I began scrolling through my Facebook calendar in search of upcoming birthdays #Diary of a fat girl.

My Uncle’s 50th Birthday was the perfect excuse, and given his borderline unhealthy obsession with peanut butter, the dessert couldn’t be more perfect for him.

This  was my first time ever making a layer cake, and I am proud to say that it was much easier undertaking than I had initially anticipated. So do not be nervous if you are a layer-cake virgin too! Just do NOT rush the cooling/assembly process and you will be fine.

NOTE: This will make a lot of cake. This cake is very rich. Be prepared to share with lots of friends, family, and neighbors! 

*Recipe Originally from The Pixelated Crumb

{ Ingredients }

For the Chocolate Cake Layers:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I use Ghirardelli)
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (I ONLY use Madagascar vanilla, makes a huge difference)
• 2 eggs

For the Peanut Butter Frosting: (I found that I had to double this recipe to frost the entire cake, so you may want to double it as well!)

• 10 ounces of cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 5 cups of confectioner’s sugar, sifted
• 2/3 cup of smooth peanut butter (preferably, a commercial brand so that the oil doesn’t separate out)

For the Chocolate Peanut Butter Ganache:

• 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 3 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 1/2 cup half-and-half

{ To Make the Chocolate Cake Layers }

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Prepare three 9″ round cake pans by buttering the bottoms and sides. Line the bottom of each pan with a sheet of parchment paper and then butter the surface of the paper. (I traced the cake pan on the paper and cut it out to get a good fit….this really helps the cake pop of the pan nicely.)

Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Whisk to combine them well. Add the oil and the sour cream and whisk to blend.

Gradually beat in the water. Mix in the vanilla and the vinegar.

Whisk in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Beat until will blended. Divide the batter among the 3 prepared cake pans, filling them up only half way.

Bake for approximately 25 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in the pans for at least 20 minutes on a drying rack. Then run a knife around the outer edge of the pan, and invert onto plate to remove the cake. Peel back the parchment paper and allow to cool completely. (If you are making the cake layers in advance, you can wrap them in parchment paper and store them in the freezer for a couple of days!)

{ To Make the Peanut Butter Frosting }

In the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy (about 5 minutes). Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar 1 cup at a time, scarping town the sides of the bowl after each addition. Continue to beat on medium speed until light and fluffy (about 3-4 minutes).

Add the peanut butter and beat until well blended.

{ To Make the Chocolate Peanut Butter Ganache }

NOTE: Make this after you have already assembled and frosted your cake, because the ganache is used immediately!

In the top of a double boiler system, combine the chocolate, peanut butter, and corn syrup. Cook, whisking often, until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.

Remove from the heat and whisk in the half-and-half, beating until smooth. Use immediately, while the mixture is still warm.

{ To Assemble the Layer Cake }

Image taken from The Pixelated Crumb

Place one layer on a cake stand and spread 1/3 of the frosting evenly on the top of the cake. Repeat with the next layer.

Place the last layer on top and frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting (unless you doubled the frosting recipe like I did, in which case, you will probably have some left over!).

Refrigerate the frosted cake for at least 1 hour to set the frosting.

To decorate with the Chocolate-Peanut Butter Ganache, simply pour the warm glaze over the top of the cake and help spread it evenly so that the mixture runs down the sides of the cake in long drips. I used a spoon to help guide the chocolate down!

Refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 30 minutes so that the glaze has time to set completely.

Remove 1 hour before serving to bring to room temperature!

 

{ Coconut Cupcakes & Cream Cheese Frosting }

These were my absolute favorite cupcakes as a kid. I remember my mom would bake them in huge muffin tins rather than cupcake pans, letting the batter spill over the tops so that each one resembled a miniature-sized cake (sometimes we would only get 8 to a batch!). Then as they cooled, she would make the cream cheese frosting, allowing me to lick the beaters of the mixer before she put them into the sink—a chore that I was more than happy to do.

Today, this dessert remains one of the select few that I will eat with the frosting. In fact, I eat it predominately because of the frosting (same reason that I eat carrot cake, same frosting!). The cream cheese cuts a lot of the sweetness and gives the icing a dreamy velvety consistency. It pairs beautifully with these delicate coconut cupcakes, but you can put it on almost anything—red velvet cake, zucchini cake, pumpkin cake, carrot cake, ect…

The only notes I have on this recipe, which comes from Ina Garten’s amazing “Barefoot Contessa” cookbook, is to use unsweetened coconut when decorating the tops of the cupcakes. I think it looks prettier because it is shaved, not shredded, and it prevents the cupcake from being over-the-top sweet. Also, if you don’t have buttermilk, you can make your own by combining 1 cup of milk with 1 tablespoon of white vinegar. Just let it sit for about an hour and viola…buttermilk!

{ Ingredients }

• 3/4 pound unsalted butter at room temperature
• 2 cups sugar
• 5 extra large eggs at room temperature
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure almond extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 14 ounces sweetened, shredded coconut
• Cream cheese frosting (recipe follows)

{ To Make Cupcakes } Preheat the oven to 325 degrees, and prepare a muffin tin with liners.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and the sugar until it is light and fluffy (this takes about 5 minutes). With the mixer running on low, add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Then add the vanilla and almond extracts.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In three parts, alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry mix. Mix until just combined and then fold in the coconut with a spatula.

Use an ice cream scooper to put batter into the prepared cupcake pan. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until the tops are brown and a tooth pick comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes on a cooling rack.

{ Ingredients for Cream Cheese Frosting }

• 1 pound of cream cheese at room temperature
• 3/4 pound unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
• 1 1/2 pounds of confectioner sugar

{ To Make Cream Cheese Frosting } In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, blend together the butter, cream cheese, vanilla, and almond extracts. Gruadually add the confectioners sugar, until the mixture is blended smooth (about 5 minutes).

{ To Assemble the Cupcakes } Frost with cream cheese icing and top with the remaining shredded coconut. 

{ Triple Berry Lemon Curd Trifle }

I am always looking for an excuse to try out a new dessert recipe, and my parent’s garden party this past Sunday was a perfect occasion. The gathering was held in honor of my father’s boss, who will soon be retiring, and I was in charge of creating the sweet final note for the evening. Rather than go the cupcake route (which has become my signature), I decided to attempt my very first trifle. Given the beautiful summer weather, I figured I would keep the dessert light and do something with citrus flavors and fresh seasonal berries. I browsed the food network online, and was very drawn to Tyler Florence’s lemon curd trifle with fresh berries, however, there were an abundance of complaints with regards to the lemon curd recipe. So I took inspiration from his recipe, but tweaked it to my liking to produce this one! It might just become my new signature dessert because it is sinfully good. Everyone enjoyed it…including myself, which is rare. Most of the time once I see what goes into a dessert (i.e. a pound of butter, 3 cups of sugar, 2 cups of lard, ect..) I can’t enjoy eating it…some things are best not to know! This dessert isn’t exactly healthy either, but I couldn’t stop myself from devouring forkful upon forkful. It has the perfect balance of flavors and textures. The citrus from the lemon helps to cut the heaviness of the whipped cream, and the density of the pound cake is perfectly complimented by the fluffy lemon curd mousse. I used Paula Deen’s “Southwest Georgia Pound Cake” recipe, which I highly recommend. It has an awesome vanilla and almond flavor and it is strong enough to hold up the layers of the trifle.

{ Ingredients }

• 5 extra large eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• Zest of 3 lemons
• ½ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 1 stick of butter, cut into chunks
• 1 pint of fresh strawberries
• 1 pint of fresh raspberries
• 1 pint of fresh blackberries and/or blueberries
• 2 ½ cups heavy whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup confectioner’s sugar
• 1 prepared pound cake (I use Paula Deen’s “Southwest Georgia Pound Cake”)
• ½ cup orange liquor (such as Grand Marnier)
• Fresh mint leaves for garnish

{ Directions for lemon curd } Bring a shallow pot of water to a simmer over medium-low heat. Combine the egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice, and zest in a metal or glass heat-resistant bowl and whisk until smooth. Set the bowl over the pot of simmering water, without letting the bottom rest in the water and continue to whisk (I use a double-boiler to do this, but it you don’t have one then you’ll have to devise a contraption to make do).

Continue to whisk the egg mixture until it firms up and just about doubles in volume. I find that this takes anywhere between 10-15 minutes so get ready for an arm workout! It is really important that the egg mixture does not come to a boil so be careful that the bowl does not sit directly in the water and don’t stop mixing!! The curd should look like this once it is done:

When it does, remove from the heat and whisk in the butter a couple of chucks at a time, until melted and combined. Then put the curd into the fridge until it is good and firm (about an hour), or until you are ready to use it.

{ Directions for the homemade whipped cream } Using an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the heavy cream until soft peaks form. Gradually add the vanilla extract and confectioner’s sugar until stiff peaks form, but be careful not to over beat the cream or it will become grainy.

{ To assemble the trifle } Gently fold the lemon curd into the whipped cream so that it becomes a mousse. Do not mix too hard though, or the whipped cream will loose volume and get become runny. Next line the bottom of the trifle bowl with ½ inch thick slices of pound cake, cut to fit. Drizzle or brush the cake layer with some of the orange liquor until it is slightly moist (not soggy!!). Spoon a layer of the lemon curd mousse over the cake and then top with a layer of fresh berries. Repeat the layers until all of the ingredients have been used up, trying to end on the whipped cream layer so that you can decorate the top with berries! Chill and then serve!

{ Strawberry Shortcakes }

Strawberry Piking at Del Val Farm

I am fully aware that it is no longer strawberry-picking season (which seriously dates this blog post and/or showcases my aptitude for procrastination), but this recipe makes for a fabulous summer dessert and I figure that its only August, so better late than never! Anyways, the second largest BBQ celebration of the season (Labor Day) is just around the corner, and I know a lot of you are going to parties that will entail you to bring something…a dessert, perhaps?!

Rather than going the Betty Crocker brownie route or bringing the horrendously outdated and predictable pineapple upside-down cake, why not surprise everyone with these light and delicious strawberry shortcakes? I promise you that people WILL be relieved to see a desert that boasts fresh fruit, rather than miniature gems of unnaturally bright maraschino cherries. And I’ve never met anyone that doesn’t like shortcake. I’ve met people who love it and people who are indifferent to it, but its almost too cheerful of a desert to really hate. I mean its fresh fruit and whipped cream on a vanilla scented biscuit that’s composed of butter and sugar…what is there to dislike?

This recipe is very simple and especially perfect for a party because it can be made ahead of time. I usually make the shortcakes a day prior to serving them, using an airtight container for storage, and I also like to marinate the sliced strawberries in powdered sugar overnight so that they produce a naturally sweet syrup!

Depending on the number of people that you are serving, you can either allow guests to assemble their own shortcakes (using canned whipped cream or Cool Whip as a shortcut), or you can go for aesthetics, make homemade whipped cream, and put together the shortcakes for them with a lovely presentation. If you chose to go the latter route, then blackberries, raspberries, and mint leaves make for great plate garnishes (as well as a generous dusting of powdered sugar!).

{ Ingredients }

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) of cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 2 pints of fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
• Powdered sugar
• 1/4 – 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup heavy cream

{ To Make Shortcakes } Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a baking sheet (or line it with parchment paper as I do) and set aside. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl and stir to mix.

Add the butter cubes into the flour mixture, using your finger tips to crumble the mixture until it resembles a coarse meal. (You can also cut the butter into the flour using a pastry blender, but I don’t have one yet 😦 )

Add the cream and stir to mix until the dough begins to come together. Be careful not to overwork the dough though, or the shortcakes will be tough!

Move the dough onto a lightly floured surface and work into a round shape. Roll the dough to a thickness of 1/2 – 3/4 inch. Then use a round cookie cutter (I used 3″ in diameter) to cut out small biscuit shapes. Remove the disks and place on prepared baking sheet, baking for 12-15 minutes (or until the tops are a golden brown). Place on baking rack to cool completely.

Shortcakes, before they're baked

Shortcakes, after they're baked!

{ To Make Homemade Whipped Cream } In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the cream using a whisk attachment, until soft peaks form. Gradually, add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract and continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Do not over beat though, or the mixture will become grainy. Refrigerate up to 6 hours, until ready to use!

{ To Make Strawberry Topping } Place the hulled and stemmed strawberries into a large glass bowl and top with a generous dusting of powdered sugar, mixing to combine (Remember: The more sugar, the more syrup!). Allow to sit for at least a few hours or overnight.

{ To Assemble Shortcakes } Cut the shortcakes in half using a serrated knife. Using an ice cream scooper, put a generous dollop of strawberries with their syrup onto the bottom cake. Using another ice cream scooper, put a heap of whipped cream onto of the strawberries. Gently press the top piece of shortcake back on top of the whipped cream and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Magnolia’s Bakery **

Magnolia’s Vanilla Cupcakes

212.767.1123

1240 Avenue of the Americas

New York, NY 10020

I have postponed writing this blog post for quite some time now—almost a year, in fact—because I know what I have to say about one of “America’s most loved bakeries” will probably not be received well among the general public. However, in my defense, I have given it multiple chances of redemption. I’ve gone over five different times and tried multiple menu items, but yet I always find myself disappointed. Sure the little bakery is spectacular to look at, and everything is frosted and sprinkled to perfection, but the product itself isn’t that great (in my opinion, of course…I don’t want to upset any of the devout followers of Magnolia Bakery’s sweet-tooth subculture!).

Magnolia Bakery opened its doors in 1996, and is often dubbed as the creator of the “cupcake craze” that took America by storm in the late 1990’s. Dessert suddenly evolved into a statement piece, and people were demanding bite-sized, “trendy cupcakes.” Being a foodie and a baker myself, I was super anxious to try the so called “Grand Daddy of all Cupcakes.” On my first visit, I ordered the German Chocolate Cupcake and the Red Velvet Cupcake, as well as a Double Fudge Brownie. The red velvet cupcake was dry, the German chocolate cupcake was painfully sweet, and the double fudge brownie was mildly redemptive and good in comparison to the rest. I actually threw away the two cupcakes after a couple of bites…wasn’t worth the calories!

Double Fudge Brownies

I attributed the terrible cupcakes to the time of day (it was night when I went, so maybe they weren’t freshly baked), the off-chance that there was a substitute baker, and the possibility that my taste buds were off. I didn’t want to believe that they were normally that bad, and so I went again…four more times!

I have tried several cupcakes, bars, pies, brownies, and cakes and the cake is always dry, the icing is always too sweet, and the Magic Cookie Bar is always the only thing that I enjoy from my purchase. So if you do go to Magnolia, I recommend that you order a magic cookie bar as a plan B in addition to whatever else you decide to try! The Magic Cookie Bar is divine combination of graham cracker crumbs, walnuts, chocolate chips, shredded coconut, and condensed milk. Other than that dessert, I am very under whelmed by Magnolia Bakery and think it is overrated.

Magic Cookie Bar

The Icebox Cafe ****

Assorted Cakes Offered by The Icebox Cafe

305.538.8448

1657 Michigan Ave

Miami Beach, Fl

CHECK OUT THE MENU!

This morning I did the ridiculous—I packed a bag and headed to Medellin, Colombia with two of my girlfriends, Sam and Ariana…with absolutely no game plan. You see, a few weeks ago Sam had mentioned that her family would be taking a trip there and after I expressed enough interest, she extended the opportunity for me to join her. I’m not really sure if she expected me to actually follow through or not, but since I am always looking for an excuse to get out of the country, I booked my ticket right away. Ariana also felt the itch to get away and decided to book one too!

So there we were at the airport this afternoon, passports and plane tickets in hand, with no idea what kind of trip we were in for. Sam’s uncle, who lives in Medellin, had planned out the entire weekend and we were just along for the ride. We didn’t know how long the flight was, whether or not there was a time difference, or just where exactly we would be staying once we got there. All we knew is that we were going and that the best way to travel there was drunk!

So as we headed to the gate, we kept our eyes out for a nice little bar to get some vino. After passing several dark, crowded, and unappealing bars we came across the Icebox Cafe. It was an all glass-encased restaurant with lots of natural light and a clean modern décor. It stood out from every other place in the airport and was conveniently located directly across from our gate (in the American Airlines terminal). Tons of people were in the little café area and so we figured it must be a good bet. This was then confirmed after we saw the generous pour of Chardonnay that we were receiving. I was tipsy after just ½ a glass and sufficiently drunk upon its completion. I really wanted to order some of the food at the Icebox Cafe, which all looked incredible, featuring: warm meatloaf sandwiches, thai chicken salads, egg breakfast platters, and a wide assortment of freshly baked pastries and cakes (a refreshing change from traditional airport food—sandwiches served on cardboard-like bread and hash browns from McDonalds), but I still was debating whether or not I would come off of my carb-slow diet altogether while on vacation. Sure, I had had some mishaps in the past two weeks (aka my Vietnamese Noodle binge the other night), but for the most part I have remained pretty loyal to the diet over the course of the past 14 days. As I sipped my vino, I pondered my dietary furture. When I finished my vino, I had my answer—no way was I missing out on Colombian food for the sake of an experiment!!!

I didn’t order anything at the Icebox Café (although they do serve Oprah Windfrey’s favorite cake in America, called The Bomb, which is layers of dark chocolate cake filled with creamy cheesecake brownie and imported chocolate mousse, topped with a dark chocolate ganache). My mouth just watered typing that. I think it’s pretty clear why that is Oprah’s favorite cake. I mean, how could anyone not like that?!?! But instead I saved my appetite for the delicious arepas that awaited my arrival in Colombia, and I made sure to eat two within my first 12 hours in the country!

Slice of Bomb Cake, which is layers of dark chocolate cake filled with creamy cheesecake brownie and imported chocolate mousse, topped with a dark chocolate ganache

The Icebox Café is not only located in the American Airlines Terminal at Miami International Airport, but they also have a main restaurant on Lincoln Road in South Beach, which I plan to visit for some food and cake this upcoming weekend! Even though I have not tried any of the food, I feel completely comfortable making a recommendation for the place, based on their concept and the satisfaction of others eating around me. They also score some brownie points for the generous pour of wine, which only cost $9!! Cannot beat that!

The Icebox Cafe located in Miami International Airport (AA Terminal)