Molten Chocolate Cake for Two

That man of mine is in Vegas with the guys...

Yes, it's scary.

But he works so hard, he deserves to play hard every now and then know what I'm sayin'?

It just means sleepless nights and lots of wine for the girlfriend...but relationships sometimes require sacrifices right?

One more day and I can sleep again. ;)

I bring him up because this dessert was how we ended our Valentine's dinner this year. I'm the chocolate freak but even he floated out of his chair a bit after taking a bite into this.

What's great is this is a recipe for two.

Cute right?

Molten Chocolate Cake for Two
From Traceysculinaryadventures.blogspot.com

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg, at room temperature
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
pinch of salt
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
cocoa powder (for the ramekins)
confectioners' sugar (for dusting, optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 F. Generously butter two 6-oz ramekins and dust them with cocoa powder.

Place the butter and chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave until melted and smooth. I like to do 30-second bursts at 50% power and stir in between each. In total, it'll probably take about 1 1/2 - 3 minutes, depending on your microwave.

In a medium bowl, beat the egg with a hand mixer on medium-low speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and continue to beat until the egg forms soft, billowy mounds, about 1 minute. Still beating, gradually add the sugar and salt. Once incorporated, beat for another 5-10 minutes, until the mixture is very thick and pale yellow in color.

Use a rubber spatula to transfer the egg mixture to the bowl containing the melted butter and chocolate. Sift the flour over the top, then use a rubber spatula to gently fold everything together, just until incorporated.

Divide the batter between the prepared ramekins, smoothing the tops with your spatula. Put the ramekins on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 10-13 minutes, or until the cakes have puffed slighty and jiggle just a bit in the center when gently shaken. Immediately upon removing the cakes from the oven, run a knife around the edges of the ramekins. Invert the ramekins onto serving plates and let them sit for about 1 minute or so, until the cakes release from the ramekins. Remove the ramekins and, if using, dust the cakes with confectioners' sugar then serve immediately.

Double Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake

I finished reading "The Huger Games" series.

I am conflicted.

You see, every time that I finish a book or series that I really get into I go through a roller coaster of emotions.

It starts with an excitement...like "Alas! I conquered you" But the feeling of accomplishment is immediately followed by a feeling of mourning and grief...like "Wow, I am really going to miss you."

I love to always have something to read but I generally need a 1-2 day grace period to get over the last book I read and my strange attachment to the characters...it's like losing friends.

There are worse things to have problems with am I right? Growing a little too attached to fictional characters is only cause for minor concern.

Right?

Up next? "Water for Elephants"...once I get over Katniss, Peeta and Gale that is...

Wish me luck.

Until then, the other companion I like to turn to, aside from the carefully crafted personalities I read about into the wee hours of the night, is food. Particularly food that has sugar, or carbs...or anything to make me feel guilty about eating it. Because that's what you need when you are grieving the loss of your new friendships...to feel guilt.

Like this cheesecake.

This would make a grand companion right about now.

Unfortunately, it did not last me that long.

These coconut M&M's will have to do.

(Don't mind the blur...one can only hold so still when they are excited to eat something)

Double Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake
From Allrecipes.com

Ingredients:

2 (8 ounce) packages neufchatel cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 (9 inch) prepared reduced-fat graham cracker crust
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 pinch ground cloves
1 pinch ground nutmeg
1/2 cup reduced-fat frozen whipped topping, thawed

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Blend in eggs one at a time. Remove 1 cup of batter and spread into bottom of crust; set aside.
Add pumpkin, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg to the remaining batter and stir gently until well blended. Carefully spread over the batter in the crust.
Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until center is almost set. Allow to cool, then refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight. Cover with whipped topping before serving.

Chocolate Cream Cheese Coffee Cake

I love stand-up comedy. I find it most funny when they joke about something you can relate to. One night, when I should have gone to bed early I was distracted by some comedy special and the comedian was making me literally laugh out loud. It was probably 2 AM and I was alone, in my full bed and fuzzy brightly colored cupcake pajama bottoms giggling like a little girl.

The comedian brought up how when you buy clothes there is always an extra button or two attached to the tag. He brought to my attention "why do they give you buttons? why can't they just sew the (bleep!) shirt well enough so that I don't need an extra button!?"

It was funnier when he said it.

But seriously, why is that? Whenever I do happen to lose a button I can never find that extra one anyway. It's quite annoying.

What possessed me to write about this on my blog? I just found some spare buttons in my desk drawer...and yes, I chuckled to myself.

This dessert is another thing I love. I mean really really love. I have declared my love countless times for chocolate and cream cheese and this beauty pairs the two. It's delicious, and yes, I made it for myself...and only myself.

This, I never do. I tend to bake for others...if I were always baking for myself I would be immobile...if you catch my drift....

But this here was a treat to myself...for those endless days of gym, class work, sleep, gym, class, work, sleep...repeat...repeat...repeat....

This got me through my days. This had me salivating in class...salivating at the bar in fact...salivating in my sleep. This will forever be that special treat I will make myself whenever I need it...because we all need that little "me" treat. 

Chocolate Cream Cheese Coffee Cake
Adapted from ConfessionsofaCookbookQueen.com

Ingredients:

Chocolate Velvet Cake Batter:
3/4 cups dark chocolate chocolate morsels
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 egg white
1 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
1/2 cup hot water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Toppings:
3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup cold butter, cut up
4 oz neufchatel cream cheese (1/2 package), softened
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 tablespoon flour
1 egg white
1/2 tsp vanilla extract, divided
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon skim milk

Directions:

For Chocolate Velvet Cake Batter:
Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour 1 9 inch springform pan.

Melt dark chocolate in a microwave safe bowl at HIGH for 30 second intervals until melted. Stir until smooth.

Beat butter and brown sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer, beating about 5 minutes or until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until just blended after each addition. Add melted chocolate, beating until just blended.

Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add to chocolate mixture alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed until just blended after each addition. Gradually add 1/2 cup hot water in a slow, steady stream, beating at low speed until blended. Stir in vanilla. Spoon evenly into springform pans.

For toppings:
Stir together 3/4 cups flour and brown sugar in a small bowl. Cut butter into flour mixture until crumbly. Set aside.

Beat cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth; add granulated sugar and 1/2 tablespoon flour, beating until blended. Add egg and 1/4 tsp vanilla, beating until blended.

Dollop cream cheese mixture over cake batter, and gently swirl through cake batter with a knife. Sprinkle reserved crumb mixture evenly over cakes.

Bake for 45 minutes or until set. Let cool on a wire rack.

Whisk together powdered sugar, milk and remaining 1/4 teaspoon vanilla. Drizzle evenly over tops of coffee cake.

Cinnamon Brunch Cake

I went putt-putting for the first time in a long time Friday. It was sunny with a slight breeze...aka perfect. My putt-putting "skills"...not so much.

I was terrible. By my 5th miss being 4 inches from the hole I was yelling profanities and threatening my golf ball forgetting that there were children around. Poor Shawn has to deal with my innappropriateness (I think I just made that word up) in public.

But I make food for him so that balances it out right?

I guess I need to brush up on my putt-putting though. I had rehearsed and was prepared to showcase my sweet victory dance...unfortunately I only got to put my moves into action like once.

Does this mean I'm getting old?

Guess I gotta stick with what I know...food.

This brunch cake was featured on food.com and I couldn't pass up how easy it was. For some reason my oven was not wanting to coorporate the day I made it and the cake baked unevenly but it was still tasty.

Cinnamon Brunch Cake
From food.com

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups sugar (add in more for a sweeter taste)
1 1/4 cups milk
1 -2 teaspoon vanilla (optional) or 1 -2 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 pinch salt
1 large egg (optional)

Topping:
1/2 cup brown sugar (can use more or less)
1 -2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup melted butter
chopped walnuts (optional) or pecans (optional)
Directions:

Set oven to 350 degrees F.

Prepare a greased 13 x 9-inch baking dish, or two 8 or 9-inch round cake pans (although the batter will seem like it will fit into only one 8 or 9-inch pan, this flop rises very high and will run over the sides if baked in just one pan).

In a bowl mix the 2 cups flour, 1-1/4 cups white sugar, milk, vanilla or almond extract, baking powder, pinch of salt and egg (if using) until just combined careful not to overmix. Pour into prepared baking pan/s.
Generously spread brown sugar and cinnamon on top. If desired sprinkle chopped walnuts or pecans over top. Drizzle melted butter over top.

Bake for about 20-25 minutes for 8 or 9-inch round cake pan, and about 30 minutes for a 13 x 9-inch pan.

Strawberry Angel Food Cake Roll

Let me just start by saying I realize that these pictures are horrible...not my usual horrible but extra horrible (and yes, I use this disclaimer often). While this dessert tasted amazing it did cause me a little grief. Don't be alarmed, I'm sure I put the grief upon myself...

Not only did my lack of patience get the best of me when I decided to roll the cake while it was still warm, causing it to start to fall apart, but the original recipe called for a pan that I found to be too small. Halfway through the baking process, the angel food cake overflowed the pan and stuck to the sides and bottom of my oven...in fact, scratching it off with a butter knife is still an ongoing process and Shawn and I made this on Valentines day.

So I'm lazy...

And I procrastinate...so what?

Speaking of Shawn, he really made my day Monday. No, he didn't send me a bouquet or make me a cheesy cd with all the songs that remind him of me...I came home after a long day of class and work to an empty sink and a dish rack full of clean dishes...

Does anyone else find this to be exremely romantic and very sexy? No? Just me?

Well, this dessert was for him. He is not huge on sweets but I knew this is something he would love. He likes the lighter desserts with fruit and I like sinfully indulgent rich desserts...yes, we are opposite in so many ways, but fortunately I think it balances us out. I can be incredibly high-strung and tend to worry about everything, he helps mellow me out with his extremely laid back personality.

Thank God for that...

Ps: make this.

Strawberry Angel Food Cake Roll
Adapted from Allrecipes.com

1 (16 ounce) package angel food cake mix
5 teaspoons confectioners' sugar
1 (8 ounce) container reduced fat strawberry yogurt
1 (1 ounce) package instant sugar-free vanilla pudding mix
3 drops red food coloring
2 cups reduced-fat whipped topping

Directions:

Line a 12-in. x 18-in. x 1-in. baking pan with parchment paper. Prepare cake according to package directions. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Cool for 5 minutes. Turn cake onto a kitchen towel dusted with confectioners' sugar. Gently peel off waxed paper. Roll up jelly-roll style in the towel, starting with a short side. Cool on a wire rack.

In a bowl, whisk the yogurt, pudding mix and food coloring if desired. Fold in whipped topping. Unroll cake; spread filling evenly over cake to within 1/2 in. of edges. Roll up. Cover and freeze. Remove from freezer 30 minutes before slicing.

Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake

So I guess I said "so long" to winter a little too soon. The temperature has been in the 20's-30's all week...I'm not liking it one bit...

I'm back in hibernate and eat mode...

Needless to say I have been hiding from the cold in the kitchen and now have at least 15 recipes that I need to post...Now if I could just find the time...

This...dessert...is everything I could ever want...chocolate, cheese and cake and its a lighter recipe...yes! With every bite of this cheesecake, I was in heaven. No joke, I actually floated outside of my body and watched myself enjoy every bite of this silky smooth super chocolately piece of heaven...

This is one of the desserts Shawn and I made for Valentines day. We actually made two desserts...one for me (this cheesecake) and one for him (a strawberry angel food cake roll). The two didn't go well together, at all. They were complete opposites in terms of flavor and texture and...well...everything.

But separately, both desserts were the perfect sweet ending to a yummy Valentines day meal (grilled salmon, salad with homemade dressing and wild rice salad).

Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake
From Foodnetwork.com

Ingredients:

Cooking spray

Crust:
1 1/4 cups chocolate graham cracker crumbs, 8 whole sheets
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon melted unsalted butter

Filling:
2 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
24 ounces 1 percent cottage cheese
8 ounces 1/3 less fat cream cheese, at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 egg
2 egg whites
2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions:

Position the racks in the lower and upper thirds of the oven. Put a small roasting pan on the lower rack and fill about 1/3 full of water. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly coat a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray and wrap the outside bottom of the pan with aluminum foil to prevent any leaks.

Crust: Mix the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, water, and melted butter in a medium bowl until moistened. Press into the bottom of the prepared pan. Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes, while preparing the filling.

Filling: Put the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on medium power until soft and melted, about 1 minute, depending on the power of your oven. Stir until smooth. Puree the cottage cheese in the bowl of a food processor until smooth. Add the cream cheese, sugar, cocoa, and flour and continue to puree, scraping down the sides of the bowl, until smooth. Add the egg, egg whites, espresso, and vanilla and puree until incorporated. Add the melted chocolate and pulse until just combined. Pour over the prepared crust.

Put the pan on the upper rack in the oven and bake until just set and the center jiggles slightly, about 50 to 55 minutes. Turn off the oven and let stand in the oven for 1 hour. Remove the cheesecake to a cooling rack and run a knife around the edge of the pan.

Let stand at room temperature until cooled, about 2 hours, and then refrigerate until well chilled, 8 hours or overnight. Let stand at room temperature for about 1 hour before serving. For easier serving, slice with a clean hot knife, wiped clean after each slice.

Blog Birthday! Funfetti Cake Balls

Today is my blogs birthday! One year ago today I reluctantly started this blog looking for a creative outlet for all my crazy baking and cooking shenanagans (thats the best I can do with the spelling of that). I may not have 698+ blog followers and fancy pictures like many of the great blogs out there but I am still pretty darned proud of this thing and very thankful for the 108 of you that do follow...it makes me :) lots!

In the future, I am really really really hoping to get a nice camera. Sure I still wont really have the extensive knowledge on food photography and proper lighting but a reliable camera that actually works would be a great start!

Here's to another year of doing something that really makes me happy...getting fat and telling people how I did it ;)

I actually made these cake balls on thursday for a girl I had become friends with in the interpreting program. She definitely deserved something for her birthday so I stayed up all night doing these...trust me, this is a big deal with how impatient I am.

I thought these were the perfect little gifts to post on my blogs birthday...funfetti is my favorite favorite favorite! I know most cake ball recipes out there have you using one box of cake and one can of frosting. Funfetti is one of the few boxed cake I say "go for it" for, but that frosting? Blegh! Hate it...

So I made a frosting from scratch and played around with it and made cake balls a little different from your average cake balls...and thse are oh so good!

Funfetti Cake Balls
Dame Good

Ingredients:

1 (18.9 oz) box funfetti cake mix
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 cup water
3 eggs
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
4 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
32 ounces white chocolate
non-pariels (sprinkles)

Directions:

Follow directions on box to bake cake in a 9x13 in cake pan. Allow cake to cool for 10 minutes after baking. Crumble cake into a large mixing bowl.

Cream 1/2 cup butter in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla exract. Slowly add the powdered sugar until incorporated. Add another teaspoon of vanilla. Add the milk and whip frosting for about a minute.

Mix the frosting with the cake until fully mixed. Put the mixture in the freezer for about 30 minutes.

Using a cookie scoop, scoop 1-1 1/2 inch balls of cake. Roll into the shape of balls and place on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. When all the balls are rolled out, place the baking sheet in the freezer for about 30 minutes.

While the balls are cooling, melt the white chocolate in a double broiler over medium heat or in a microwave-safe bowl for about 1 min 30 seconds, stirring every 30 seconds.

Transfer the baking sheet to the refrigerator and work on a few balls at a time. Using a toothpick and a spoon, dip the cake ball into the melted chocolate, using the spoon to spoon chocolate over any uncovered parts of the ball. Once the ball is covered, remove the ball from the chocolate and tap any excess chocolate off the ball with the spoon. Place ball on a baking sheet lined with waxing paper by letting the ball slide off the toothpick...smooth the hole over with the spoon and sprinkle the top of the ball with non-pariels. Repeat until all balls are covered.

Store balls in an airtight container in the refrigerator (for several days), or zip lock bag in the freezer (for a couple weeks). Enjoy!

Ps. You can also attatch popsicle sticks to the balls and make cake-pops for a fun gift :)

Cake Mix Pudding Cookies

Happy Valentines Day everyone! Hope everyone is having a lovely holiday. Unfortunately for me, Shawn and I didn't get to spend much time together today but we did get to celebrate Vday yesterday. We decided to have a laid back, no fuss holiday. We just wanted to spend quality time together so we decided to make dinner together. This never happens as I am the queen of the kitchen...

I actually like cooking with him. Which is surprising because I tend to bite those who enter my kitchen while I am hard at work...true story. I was even nice enough to let him pick out the main course and the sides...as long as I got to pick dessert...

duh...

Shawn and I have two total opposite preferences when it comes to dessert. He likes things light, refreshing and fruity while I like rich, indulgent dessert. I was feeling romantic I guess and decided to make a "Shawn" dessert and a "Tarrah" dessert...

A strawberry angel food cake roll and a dark chocolate truffle cheesecake (both of which are lighter, slightly guilt-free recipes!)

Why I get so ambitious is beyond me...

But it worked out...for the most part...but the details will come when I post the said recipes. He chose a grilled salmon, wild rice and salad. We had a light and delicous meal and it was fabulous. He insisted on buying all the food and was such a jerk that he brought me my favorite color rose, peach, but I was prepared.

I know when I am on the road I love snacks and he is constantly on the road so I scoured the grocery store for all his favorites and even some stuff that I thought he would like and put together an "on the road survival kit" if you will...ha! Oh, and Kirby also got him a card so I had to throw together something small...

None of this is relevant to todays post...so onward!

I came up with these cookies to make for the woman who always does my hair. When I lost my car keys a few weeks ago (remember that long stressful post?) I missed my hair appointment and felt bad that I took up space on her schedule.

Cookies fix everything if you ask me so I searched my pantry and found a box of spice cake mix and a box of pumpkin spice pudding and was determined to make something out of it. The inspiration from the cake mix cookies I posted was still present so I figured I'd throw a little something something together and it worked!

These were fluffy cake-like cookies that I could not stop "testing". The pudding made them super moist and almost fudgy...I say everyone who reads this should go through their pantry and try to find these things and mix and match with different flavors...

fun fun!

Cake Mix Pudding Cookies
Dame Good

Ingredients:

2 eggs
1 (18.25 ounce) package cake mix
1 (3.4 oz) package dry instant pudding mix
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 1/2 tablespoons water

Directions:

Mix together cake mix, pudding mix, eggs and oil and water in a large bowl.

Scoop dough using a cookie scoop and set on ungreased cookie sheets. Flatten the top slightly.

Bake at 350 degrees F  for 8 - 10 minutes.

German Pumpkin Cheesecake

I love cheesecake, and I love fall, and I love being German. I decided to get crazy and combine these 3 loves for my German potluck and take a pumpkin cheesecake recipe and turn it into a German cheesecake recipe.

Changing baking recipes is always risky, at least for me anyway, so I was terrified. I think I held my breath the whole 3 hours it took to make. I know that sounds like a lot but it wasn't so bad. I was able to get a workout in while it baked and even some cleaning so if you're feeling the need to be productive, make this cheesecake!

It's one of the best cheesecakes I've ever had and I've had probably half of the cheesecakes available on the Cheesecake Factory menu. It's perfectly creamy and has a wonderful hint of fall flavors including pumpkin and cinnamon spices without being overpowering...mmm...my mouth is watering writing about this...

German Pumpkin Cheesecake
Adapted from foodnetwork.com and allrecipes.com

Crust:
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 1/2 cups cinnamon graham cracker crumbs
2 3/4 cups sugar
Salt

Cheesecake:
2 pounds Quark (or 2 8 oz neaufchatel and 16 oz Quark), at room temperature (if you can't find it, learn how to make it here)
1/4 cup sour cream
1 15-ounce can pure pumpkin
6 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 cups sweetened whipped cream

For dusting:
powdered sugar
pumpkin spice

Directions:

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

Brush a 10-inch springform pan with some of the butter. Stir the remaining butter with the crumbs, 1/4 cup of the sugar and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Press the crumb mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the pan, packing it tightly and evenly. Bake until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool on a rack, then wrap the outside of the springform pan with foil and place in a roasting pan.

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, beat the quark (or cream cheese and quark) with a mixer until smooth. Add the remaining 2 1/2 cups sugar and beat until just light, scraping down the sides of the bowl and beaters as needed. Beat in the sour cream, then add the pumpkin, eggs, vanilla, 1 teaspoon salt and the spices and beat until just combined. Pour into the cooled crust.

Gently place the roasting pan in the oven (don't pull the rack out) and pour the boiling water into the roasting pan until it comes about halfway up the side of the springform pan. Bake until the outside of the cheesecake sets but the center is still loose, about 1 hour 45 minutes. Turn off the oven and open the door briefly to let out some heat. Leave the cheesecake in the oven for 1 more hour, then carefully remove from the roasting pan and cool on a rack. Run a knife around the edges, cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight.

Bring the cheesecake to room temperature 30 minutes before serving. Unlock and remove the springform ring. To finish, place a dollop of the whipped cream on each slice and sprinkle with powdered sugar and pumpkin spice.