German Chocolate Cake

I found this recipe for German Chocolate Cake in my very first issue of Food Network Magazine. My very favorite magazine and now our family's favorite cake! One thing I discovered in making this recipe is that I am no good at making jelly rolls. Every time I make it the cake just flops into three sad, broken layers, but it still tastes amazing. :) This time I made the cake for our 16th wedding anniversary and since I wanted to post pictures of it, I added one teaspoon of baking powder so that the cake would rise a bit. Then I used two 8-inch round pans and made an actual layered cake.



Look at how pretty their jelly roll cake turned out! Good thing this cake is fabulous no matter how it is baked. One note, though...this recipe uses a lot of bowls, measuring cups, pots, pans, ingredients, and counter space. That's why I only make it on special occasions.



You will need:

1 cup evaporated milk
2 1/4 cups white sugar
3 large egg yolks
3 large eggs
2 1/2 sticks butter (Smart Balance!)
3 tsp vanilla
1 2/3 cups sweetened, toasted coconut
1 cup chopped pecans (optional--I don't use them)
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 ounce finely chopped German chocolate
1/3 cup strong, hot coffee
1/3 cup buttermilk

See, lots of ingredients.

If you can't find toasted coconut you can do it yourself. Spread out the coconut on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 5 minutes, then remove, toss, and put it back in the oven for 5 more minutes. Then toss it again and see if it is toasted to your liking. You can always give it a couple more minutes. Then just leave the oven on at 350.



While the coconut is toasting, add the evaporated milk, 1 cup sugar, 1 stick of the butter (cubed), and the 3 egg yolks to a pot.



Whisk constantly over medium heat until it is thick and creamy. It will take about 10 minutes.



Remove from heat and add one tsp of vanilla and the coconut. Pecans, too, if you are using them. Unfortunately, my youngest has braces and can't have nuts. Mix together and set aside to cool completely.



Try not to taste it while it cools. Seriously, it is so good that you won't be able to stop "tasting." I put the frosting in another room because it is just too darn tempting!

Whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and baking powder in a medium bowl and set aside. Whisk the cocoa and chocolate in another, smaller bowl. Add the hot coffee mixture to the chocolates and whisk until smooth. I measure 1/3 cup of hot water in a 2-cup measuring cup and add one full single-serving envelope of instant coffee, then mix. You get a nice strong coffee flavor. Then add the buttermilk and vanilla to the chocolate/coffee mixture.





Set both bowls to the side.



Beat together the remaining (1 1/2 sticks) softened butter and 1 1/4 cups sugar in a large mixer bowl on high speed until light and fluffy. It should take about 4 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and add the 3 whole eggs, one at a time, until combined. Add one third of the flour mixture and beat just until combined.



Then add one half of the chocolate mixture and beat on low until combined.



Add another third of the flour, combine, add the rest of the chocolate mix, combine, and end with the rest of the flour. Your final mixture will be a light chocolate color and very fluffy.



I greased two 8-inch round pans with cooking spray and evenly divided the cake mix between them. Bake for about 20 minutes, checking them after 18 minutes. I used a toothpick to check for doneness. (The dark coloring on the edges of my cake is from the cooking spray.)



When the cakes are completely cool spread about 1/2 to 3/4 of a cup of frosting on the bottom round, top with second cake, then dump all of the remaining frosting on top. I spread it just to the edges and then let it slide down however it likes. There is enough frosting to completely cover the cakes, but I like the way it looks with the natural drips.





This cake is worth every dirty pan, pot, cookie sheet, mixing bowl, measuring cup, and teaspoon. Absolutely delicious!!

Whoopie Pies

Have you heard? The whoopie pie is the new cupcake. Whether or not that is true, whoopie pies are making a comeback. The story of their origin depends largely on the storyteller's heritage. Was it the Pennsylvania Dutch who carried the little pies in their lunchboxes while working the fields and would "whoop" with delight at the treat? Or did they originate in the South where cooks would make them to keep children out of the kitchen, like hush puppies created to keep dogs quiet? Anyone familiar with my blog knows which side I back. :) I scoured the internet for a cream filling that did not include shortening and found this one.



Personally, I'll take a whoopie pie over a cupcake any day and this recipe is the best I have found. In fact, it is so perfect that I will stop trying out other recipes and use it exclusively. When Tinker Bell took a bite she said, "there are no words for how good this is." I agree!! Then she said, "you're pretty good at this baking stuff." Aw, shucks.

But the best part of this recipe is that the little pies are even better the next day. They should be wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in the fridge, but allow them to come to room temperature before eating.

For the cakes:
2 cups flour
1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder (it has a stronger, deeper flavor than regular cocoa)
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt (I used less, about 1/2 tsp)
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla
1 stick butter, softened (I used Smart Balance 50/50)
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg



For the filling:
1 stick butter (again, I used Smart Balance)
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
1 cup Marshmallow Fluff
1 tsp vanilla



Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and set aside. Combine buttermilk and vanilla in another, small bowl and set that aside. Beat the butter and sugar together in mixer on medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and beat until combined.



With mixer on low, alternate adding the flour mix and buttermilk mix, beating after each addition. Begin and end with the flour mixture. Grease or line with parchment at least two cookie sheets. I used two large and one small and greased them with cooking spray--I was out of parchment paper. The original recipe calls for using a 1/4 measuring cup, but I just used a large soup spoon and got 24 cookies total, which makes a dozen whoopie pies. Using a 1/4 cup with give you 9 pies total.



They are not exactly round and perfect, are they? It won't matter when you eat them!

Bake at 325 for 13 minutes, let set on the cookie sheets for 2 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool.



While they are cooling (and they do need to be completely cool before frosting), beat together the butter, sugar, marshmallow, and vanilla on medium speed until smooth. About 3 minutes or so.



I turned over 12 of the 24 cookies and evenly distributed the unbelievably delicious filling amongst them, then topped them with the remaining cookies.





We couldn't wait until the next day and ate, well, most of the pies right after they were made. I stacked the leftovers on a plate, covered them in plastic wrap and put them in the fridge. The next day...oh, wow. Perfection.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

These cookies were a huge hit in our house. They seem to have the perfect combination of peanut butter and chocolate. Peanut butter cookies are dense and do not cook evenly, which is the original reason for pressing the tines of a fork into each one. With the addition of the chocolate chips, it is not necessary to do so.




1 3/4 cup flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup butter (2 Smart Balance sticks)
1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips (or semi-sweet)
1/2 cup white chocolate chips



Using the paddle attachment of your mixer, beat the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, beating after each addition.



Add vanilla and peanut butter...



and beat just until combined.



Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and add just half of that to the cookie mixture. Mix for 30 seconds on a medium low speed, then add the rest of the flour and mix until incorporated.



At this point you can refrigerate the dough for about 30 minutes, a few hours, or even overnight, but it is not absolutely necessary. Refrigerating cookie dough gives you a chewier cookie texture, but these cookies are great either way.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and line cookie sheets with parchment paper or lightly grease them. I use a rounded scoop of a soup spoon for cookies and am not at all concerned with uniform shape. Use a cookie scoop or small ice cream scoop if you like every cookie to look alike. It's important to use basically the same amount so that they will cook evenly, but I like the uneven shape of homemade cookies.



Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly browned on top.



Let them set on the cookie sheets for 2 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool...if you can leave them alone that long! They are amazing while still warm from the oven. I stored the very few leftover cookies in a plastic bag in the fridge overnight. I don't know what happened to them after that...they had mysteriously disappeared by the time I got up the next morning.

Cast Iron Skillet Corn Bread

An old, well-seasoned cast iron skillet is a thing of beauty. My skillet belonged to my grandmother and I think about her whenever I use it.

This recipe is the only one I make anymore. I take a basic homemade cornbread recipe, sweeten it to our Southern tastes, and bake it in my skillet.



1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup yellow self-rising cornmeal
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup honey
2 eggs, lightly beaten
*******
3 T butter



If you don't have self-rising cornmeal then add one tablespoon of baking powder to whatever you do have.

In Florida we have honey made from bees who frequent our many, many orange groves. I use Orange Blossom honey exclusively, which is much sweeter than Clover, but for this recipe, any honey will do.



Don't have any buttermilk? You probably know the trick of adding one tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to a cup of whole milk and letting it sit for five minutes, but here's another trick that I think gives you a result closer to the real thing: mix equal parts plain yogurt and milk (even skim). For this recipe you would use one half cup of plain yogurt and one half cup milk. Whisk together and there is no need to let it sit.





Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Put three tablespoons of butter into your skillet and place it in the oven while it preheats. The butter will melt and not only grease your pan, but add an amazing crust to your cornbread.



Mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl, make a well in the center, and add the buttermilk, oil, honey, and eggs.



Mix until just combined and pour into hot skillet. Be careful with the handle. A cast iron skillet has no protective plastic to keep you from burning your hands.



Bake for 20 minutes, but check it after 17. Overbaked cornbread is dry, which is one reason some people don't like it. Your bread should be golden and barely brown around the edges.



Store the leftovers in a plastic bag in the fridge for at least three days. It usually doesn't last that long around here!



Enjoy!

my recipe card:

Apple Muffins

I found this recipe online when I was looking for a decent homemade apple fritter recipe. Then I realized that I did not have enough oil to fry the fritters and started looking for a baked apple doughnut. These are absolutely amazing, but definitely more muffin than doughnut. I am dedicating this post to my father-in-law, who for 16 years has been trying to get me to eat apple pie. There is something about the apple/cinnamon combo that just doesn't do it for me, but I'm trying. If I love these muffins, I know he will, too!



I changed just a couple of minor things, so here's my version:

1 1/2 cup flour
1 3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup shortening
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup half and half (or any milk)
1 1/2 cup finely diced apples (I used Fuji)
************
1/3 cup butter
cinnamon sugar

Mix first three ingredients and cut in shortening. Add egg and milk, mix, then add apples.



Stir just until combined and fill 12 paper-lined muffin cups about 3/4 full.




Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. While baking, melt the butter and get out your cinnamon sugar. I keep mine in a cute little shaker. Makes cinnamon toast easy peasy.



When the muffins are done they will be lightly brown.



Brush with melted butter...



then top with cinnamon sugar.



These are best eaten warm. They are so moist that they do not need any butter.