Banana Toffee Cake

September 13, 2012 17 Comments
Things I’ve learned recently are…
banana cake, sweet recipes, dessert recipes
1.  Don’t set the kitchen timer for your cookies and then go out of the room, down the hall, and into the bathroom.  Chances are you won’t hear the timer go off and then your cookies will be slightly overdone when you remember that you have cookies in the oven.
2.  If you do 100+ crunches on an exercise ball on day 1, don’t laugh, sneeze, or cough for at least 3 days after these said crunches.
3.  Don’t let sick babies slobber all over your necklace and cough in your face, unless you like being sick for 2 weeks straight.  (it’s ok…he was really, really cute:-)
4.  When you buy 4 bunches of already ripened bananas on discount, you need to bake with them very soon or your kitchen will become home to fruit flies very quickly.
5.  If you come out of the gym, don’t just assume the first black van you see is yours.  There are other black van owners that go to your gym too.   Always look inside the window first to see if you recognize the items in the front cup holder:-)
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Chocolate Chip Banana Cake with Honey Peanut Butter Frosting

April 23, 2012 59 Comments

I used to decorate cakes…

Pin It
For other people. Real life people.
Do you know how stressful that is?
I am kind of a perfectionist (in some areas of my life).
So when I would have a cake order, it would make me kind of neurotic.
I would spend hours at a time making sure everything
looked absolutely perfect.
There were times I would scrape it off and start over if
there was a line that I couldn’t make right.
Then I had to make sure that I was doing it
exactly how the customer wanted it.
My most fun cakes were the ones that they said “just do whatever”.
Actually those were fun but VERY stressful…
because what if they hated what I came up with?!?!?
Reality set in and I realized that I couldn’t charge
enough to balance out the time I was putting into these cakes.
So now I just bake when I want to and what I want to.
There is waaaay less stress baking for my family.
Although every once in a while I will take a cake order
and then kick myself when I actually have to work on it.
In fact, I will try to talk people into cupcakes 9 x’s out of 10
because they are much easier to do.
Plop a swirl on top and they are good to go:-)
This bad boy was what I created for my birthday this year.
Yes, I know my birthday was almost a month ago
and I am just now sharing.
Remember what I said about less stress.
That is the fun about blogging…
I can share whenever I feel like it.
Today feels like a cake day to me.
Plus with all the veggies I have been eating…
I wanted to drool over some peanut butter frosting:-)

One of my favorite designs to do is the basket weave.

This is the one that I will do most times if I have my own choice.
It makes such an impressive cake AND
everyone thinks it took you hours.
Want to know a secret?
This awesome looking design is actually one of the easiest…
once you have mastered it.
I thought it would be fun to show you step by step
so you believe me when I say it is easy.
**One thing to remember…use a flat plate.
I had this one on a plate with an edge and it was hard
to get the bottom strips of frosting straight down at the bottom.
First gather your supplies.
You are going to need a round cake, a frosting bag, frosting,
a plastic coupler, and metal tip #47 .
You can purchase all of those at your local Michaels or Hobby Lobby
in the cake decorating aisle.
Level the cakes and completely cover the cake with a thin layer of frosting.
Put the bigger part of the plastic coupler in the inside of the bag.
Fill the bag with frosting.
Add the metal tip and the small screw part of the coupler.
Twist the bag at the top and hold it between the thumb and index finger
in the palm of your hand. (sorry I should have had pics of that too)
Make sure the bag is twisted so that the edged part of the tip is facing up.
Squeeze the bag gently while moving down the side of the cake.
Don’t worry if it isn’t perfectly straight.
When you get all the lines on, no one will even notice.
Go back to the top and start squeezing small strips across the line.
Make sure you leave a space the size of the metal tip in between each one.
You will have to continue twist the top of the frosting bag to keep it tight in your hand.
Always make sure the edged part of the tip is facing upward.
This is what gives your line the basket look.
Now squeeze another straight line over the ends of each small strip.
It starts to get a little tricky right about here.
You want to pipe your small strips opposite the ones you did on the first line.
Each time you add a small strip…
make sure the metal tip is down into the frosting.
In fact it will be slightly under the straight frosting line.
This makes it look like the frosting is all one piece.
Now I say this is seriously so easy…
and it really is.
But it does take a lot of practice to get it right.
My first cakes like this were sorry to look at,
but I kept trying and now I can whip one out in less than an hour.
Don’t give up!! They are so fun to do
and believe me, everyone loves them!!!
After you get all the way around the cake with your lines,
add a decorative border to the top as a finisher.
I usually do a backwards S using metal tip #18.
Each time you do another S, you need to make sure the tip is under the last one.
By starting under the frosting, it keeps it looking like one giant strip of frosting.
You could also just do a shell border or even a star border on it.
After all that hard work,
you deserve a GIANT slice of cake!
Yes, I know, that after putting all that time into making it pretty,
you will feel kind of sad to make the first cut.
Believe me, it gets easier each cake you do:-)

 

Chocolate Chip Banana Cake with Honey Peanut Butter Frosting

by Inside BruCrew Life
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 38 minutes
6022767
Ingredients (1 cake layer)

For the Cake

  • 1 yellow cake mix
  • 3/4 c. water
  • 1/3 c. oil
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 c. brown bananas, smashed
  • 1/4 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1 c. mini chocolate chips

For the Frosting

  • 1 c. butter, softened
  • 1/2 c. peanut butter
  • 4 tbsp. water
  • 3 tbsp. honey
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 1/8 tsp. salt
  • 4 c. powdered sugar
Instructions

For the Cake

Combine the cake mix, baking soda, cinnamon, oil, water, and eggs and beat on low for 1 minute. Increase the mixer speed a little bit and beat for 2 more minutes. Stir in the bananas and chocolate chips by hand.
Grease and flour an 8×2 inch pan and pour the batter in. (I use a Wilton 8×2 round pan) Bake at 350* for 38 minutes. Check with a toothpick to be sure your cake is finished. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes then flip out on a wire rack to cool completely.  Repeat cake instructions if you want to make a double layered cake.  Place the first layer on a plate and spread frosting on top.  Place the second cake layer on top and cover the entire cake with frosting.

NOTE:   One single layer can also be baked in a 9×13 pan for about 30 minutes if you don’t have an 8″ pan.

For the Frosting

Cream butter and peanut butter. Add 2 Tbsp. water, salt, and vanilla and cream again. Slowly add the powdered sugar. After all the sugar is added, beat in the honey until creamy.   If the frosting is too thick, beat in another 1-2 Tbsp. water until creamy.
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Chocolate Cream of Coconut Cake

April 9, 2012 32 Comments
You know the days…
the ones that make you want to consume chocolate
at an alarming rate?
Chocolate Coconut Cake
Well…it was that kind of weekend.
And not because it was Easter and the bunny brought lots of chocolate.
First thing that made me want to dive into the chocolate bowl
was doing a research paper with the 2nd grader…
over a holiday weekend.
Yes, we knew about it for a couple of weeks
and yes, we could have (should have) worked on it before.
We did actually do the research part of it last week,
so all we had left to do was write it in his own words.
I now understand the phrase “like pulling teeth”
Sheesh!!! He wanted to take breaks, wanted to play with the kids,
wanted to eat something, wanted to not do it at all.
I had to be the mean mom
and make him sit at the desk for a whole hour.

I should have had the chocolate at the desk with us:-)
Then we started getting ready for church Friday night.
Not a big deal…
until my daughter started to get dressed.
Oh my word!!!
The first dress “made her look fat”…
and there was no convincing her otherwise!
The next dress she just “didn’t like it”.
There were many tears and outbursts
until she chose another dress.
And she is only 10…I am skeeered for the teen years.
Bring on more chocolate!!!!
Chocolate Coconut Cake
Fast forward about 4 hours…
and we are now home from church.
I walk into our bedroom and I am confronted with
the wrapper to all the Easter candy!!!!
I swear our dog goes into EVERY room and sniffs.
She finds anything and everything that is food if it isn’t put up.
I had the kids Easter stuff in tied up in plastic bags
and put on the table by my bed.
Bad idea!!!!
She tore the bags apart
and ate every single piece of chocolate!!!
AAAACCCCKKKK!!!
I needed that chocolate!!!!
Now just so you know…she is fine.
It was just 3 cheapy chocolate bunnies
and a few reeses pieces that she got.
But oh, I was SO not happy with her!!!!
The last thing that makes me want to bury myself in chocolate…
I am officially on the downward slope to 40!!!
Today is my birthday and I am now 36!
Chocolate needs to be a part of today for sure.
Maybe I should make another yummy chocolate coconut cake?
If you have had a bad day or WEEKEND,
I suggest this yummy cake:-)
It will make all the trouble melt away!!!
Print
Chocolate Cream of Coconut Cake

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 38 minutes

Yield: 20 servings

Chocolate Cream of Coconut Cake

Chocolate cake topped with Cream of Coconut milk and Cool Whip

Ingredients

1 chocolate cake mix
3 eggs
1/2 c. oil
1 1/4 c. water
1 can (15 oz.)cream of coconut
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
1 (8 oz.) container cool whip
2 c. shredded coconut, divided

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350*. Grease a 9x13 pan and set aside. Beat cake mix, oil, eggs, and water for 2 minutes. Spread in prepared pan and bake for 28 minutes. Take a fork and poke holes all over the cake.
  2. Place the can of cream of coconut in a pan of hot water for 5 minutes. Mix the sweetened condensed milk and the cream of coconut in a bowl and pour over the cake slowly, letting it soak into the holes. Let cool completely.
  3. Spread 1/2 c. coconut on a baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes, stirring often. Let cool. Frost the cooled cake with cool whip. Top with plain shredded coconut. Sprinkle the toasted coconut on top for color. Keep refrigerated.

Notes

I found the Cream of Coconut in the alcoholic aisle of Walmart. It is completely alcohol free though!

http://insidebrucrewlife.com/2012/04/chocolate-cream-of-coconut-cake/
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Best Banana Cake

February 17, 2012 31 Comments
Best Banana Cake

The most unused and under appreciated appliance in our house
is a large juicer!
Poor thing is so lonely,
because no one wants to play with it.
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Sweet Potato Crumb Cake

November 20, 2011 12 Comments
Let’s talk about one of the most controversial Thanksgiving dishes.
At least it’s pretty controversial in our house…
and by controversial, I mean everyone else hates it and I love it!
Sweet potatoes covered in brown sugar and marshmallows!!!
I am just curious…do you love or hate this delicious veggie?
And yes, I realize that I just called a dish that is loaded with sugar
and marshmallows a vegetable:-)
You’re right…it should be part of the dessert tray with the amount of sugar that I put in it!!!
Last week I wondered if I could trick my kids into eating sweet potatoes…
and I would have gotten away with it if I had remembered to put away
the list of treats that I was baking for the week.
(that list just keeps getting longer and longer each week:-)
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The joys of P90X…

May 25, 2011 44 Comments
Peanut Butter Explosion Cake, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, Hershey's

I wanted to stop in today
and let you know how my journey with P90X is going.
We are half way through week 2…
woo hoo only 10 more to go!
Uuuugggg!
Doesn’t sound as exciting that way, does it?
Let’s stick with HALFWAY through week 2:-)

Peanut Butter Explosion Cake, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, Hershey's

Align Center

Some things that I have discovered while doing these videos…

*It wasn’t as hard as what I was afraid of…now don’t get me wrong…
it is super tough and I am panting and sweating my way through each video.
*Yoga is for the birds. I have been doing the extra cardio video in place of it.
Anyone out there that likes yoga? More power to ya! I would rather be moving;-)
*New sore muscles each morning are just going to happen. Imagine the pain
I am feeling right now after about a billion girly push ups…and that was 2 days ago!
*Those of you who warned me of the superman and banana…uuuuggggg is all I have to say!
*You will actually gain weight the first week of doing this! Believe me NOT COOL!!!!
I realize that it is just muscles growing so that they can shrink…but come on already…
with all the sweating going on I should have lost some right?
*Determination is needed to keep yourself going each morning…
or even just to push play each day:-)

Peanut Butter Explosion Cake, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, Hershey's

Personally I would rather dive into a big slice of this yummy Peanut Butter Explosion Cake…
but probably not in the diet guide.
So if you make this cake…
remember me and my sugar deprived body
while you are enjoying it!

I was looking through some old pics and realized that I never
shared this cake from my birthday.
Yes, I made my own cake if you were wondering:-)
Believe me it is better that way!
My hubby handles dinner and I do all the baking!
We work well together!!!
Plus I knew exactly what I wanted in it:-)
and I like doing it!

If you don’t like peanut butter,
you probably should stop reading right now.
This cake is not for you!

Otherwise onward to the deliciousness…

Peanut Butter Explosion Cake, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, Hershey's


Print
Peanut Butter Explosion Cake

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 12 servings

Peanut Butter Explosion Cake

Chocolate cake filled with Peanut Butter Butter Cream and Reese's Peanut Butter cups and topped with a Chocolate Butter Cream.

Ingredients

2 chocolate cake mixes
1 bag of the Reese's Mini Peanut Butter Cups
12 Reese's Peanut Butter cups
Honey Peanut Butter Cream
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 Tablespoons water
3 Tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 cups powdered sugar
Chocolate Butter Cream
1 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 Tablespoons water
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup dark cocoa powder

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350* Make up each cake mix individually and stir in half a bag of mini reeses in each mix. Bake in two 8x2 inch cake pans that has been greased and floured for about 30 minutes. (you will have a little extra batter…make cupcakes and freeze for later consumption:-) Follow your baking instructions on the back of the box. After each layer has cooled completely, cut each one in half.
  2. Start making the peanut butter frosting by creaming the butter and peanut butter. Add the water, salt, honey, and vanilla and cream again. Slowly add the powdered sugar. Fill each layer with the honey peanut butter frosting.
  3. Make the chocolate butter cream by creaming the butter, vanilla, 3 tbsp. water, and salt until creamy. Slowly add the powdered sugar and cocoa powder. If it is still too thick, add the other tbsp. water and beat. Cover the outside with a very thick layer of chocolate frosting. I used a fun frosting comb on the sides, but fork prongs would work too. Pipe some fun swirls of peanut butter frosting on top and accent with the extra Reese's.

Notes

If you are using a regular sized round cake pan, only use one cake mix and divide it between the pans. You will need 2 cake mixes if you use a cake pan that is two inches high.

http://insidebrucrewlife.com/2011/05/the-joys-of-p90x/

Linked to:

Blue Cricket Design, Dragonfly Designs
Trendy Treehouse, Rook No. 17
Seven Thirty Three, Someday Crafts
Sew Much Ado, This Chick Cooks
House of Hepworth, WhipperBerry
Tidy Mom, Taste & Tell

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I Scream, You Scream…

August 10, 2010 17 Comments
…we all scream for Ice Cream.My Tempt You Tuesday post today features the
Ice Cream Sandwich.

This is so easy to make and
can be customized to your flavor satisfaction.
We used hot fudge and peanut butter cups…
cause that’s how we roll around here:-)

But you could use any candy bar or topping
that you are craving.
It is so perfect to eat on a hot summer day!

Ice Cream Sandwich Delight

12 ice cream sandwiches
hot fudge
cool whip
candy bars

Put 6 bars into an 8×8 pan. (you will have to cut some to make them fit)
Layer hot fudge, cool whip, and candy on top.
Repeat all layers again, ending with candy.
Freeze until solid.
Try to resist the urge to eat it right away…
it will be gooey…
but still super good.

Thank you so much for reading my blog. If you liked this post, please leave a comment. Comments are a great way for me to see what is a blog hit or miss:-)
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Hello Caffeine!

May 4, 2010 26 Comments
Again with the chocolate baking…
I know, I know,
I should weigh like a gazillion pounds with my horrible sweet tooth
and all the baking I do.
But I have 2 words for you…
Slimfast
&
Exercise
That is the only way
that I can continue to bake these delish goodies
and also enjoy eating them.
That and the fact that I don’t eat the whole pan…
believe me
I am always tempted to just keep eating:-)Then I go and put on those pants in the drawer.

You know the ones we all have…
the ones that if I just lose a few more pounds
I could actually go in public wearing them.
Those are my motivation for not eating all the choc I see.
(exercise is working though cause stuff from last year is a little baggy)

Mocha Fudge Cake

This recipe says cake, but the consistency is more like a fudge brownie.

1 1/2 c. butter
3/4 c. dk. choc. cocoa powder
4 eggs
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. sugar
1 c. flour
1 c. chopped pecans (optional)

Heat oven to 350*
Butter and flour the sides of 2 (9 in) round pans.
(I actually used a 9×13 pan instead.)
Melt butter in saucepan.
Add cocoa powder, stir until blended. Let cool slightly.
Beat eggs in large bowl until foamy; add salt and vanilla.
Gradually add sugar, beating well.
Add cooled choc mixture, blend thoroughly.
Fold in flour and pecans
. Pour in prepared pan. Bake 20-25 min.
Don’t overbake.
Cool 5 min and remove from pan.
Cool completely and fill with coffee filling and top with choc curls.
(Yea, my choc curls need some work)
Refrigerate 1 hour before serving.

Coffee Filling

1 1/2 c. cold whipping cream
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
2-3 tsp. powdered instant coffee

Combine all ingredients, stir until dissolved. Beat until stiff.

Jolted Brownies

A much easier way to get your choc and caffeine fix fast…

Take a box brownie mix
Make like the box says
Add 3-4 tbsp. espresso powder to the batter.
Bake and Cool
Make buttercream frosting
Add 2-3 tbsp. espresso powder right into the frosting.
MMMMM MMMM GOOD!!!

Too bad I ate all the choc covered coffee beans the other day,
they would have been a perfect garnish!!

(no you can’t tell you used reg coffee powder instead of instant)
(I think it gives it a stronger coffee taste)
Thank you so much for reading my blog. If you liked this post, please leave a comment. Comments are a great way for me to see what is a blog hit or miss:-)
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Spring Teasing…

January 26, 2010 10 Comments

So Sunday afternoon was such a teaser!
Check out the blue skies and puffy clouds…
I can’t remember the last day I saw blue skies.
It was warm
(if 55* can be considered warm)
and felt just like a spring day.
Too bad it didn’t last!
We got snow yesterday,
so everything is white again & the dreary sky is back.
It was just enough of a tease to get my hopes up for spring.
Winter is by far my least favorite season.
Honestly one good snowstorm & I am done with winter!
I have been avoiding the dreary cloudy sky by hiding in my craft room.
(i have more cards to post, but I wanted to change up the posts a bit)
(don’t want to bore you noncard people:-)

I also made this coffee cake for our sunday school class.
OMGoodness!
It was amazing!
By far the. best. coffee. cake. recipe. ever.
I don’t like coffee cakes that are made from baking mixes
because they are always so dry.
So when I found this recipe on allrecipes.com…
I just had to try it.
It was super easy too.
But don’t take my word for it…
try it out yourself:-)

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

1 c. butter
 1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 c. white sugar
 2 c. flour
2 eggs
 1 tsp. baking powder
1 c. sour cream
 1/8 tsp. salt
1/3 c. flour
 2 tbls. melted butter
1/2 c. brown sugar
 1 tsp. cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350* Grease a 9×13 pan.
2. In a large bowl, cream 1 c. butter and white sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the sour cream and vanilla. Mix in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Spread half the batter in the pan.
3. Prepare the filling: In a med bowl, mix 1/3 c. flour, brown sugar, 2 tbsp. melted butter, and cinnamon. Sprinkle half over batter in pan. Spread the rest of the batter on top and sprinkle with the remaining filling.
4. Bake 35-40 min. or until toothpick comes out clean
5. Cool and Eat!
Thank you so much for reading my blog. If you liked this post, please leave a comment. Comments are a great way for me to see what is a blog hit or miss:-)
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