Chocolate S'mores Cake

This recipe was inspired by the February 2014 Family Circle S'mores Cake recipe.
I used the chocolate cake recipe on the back of the Hershey's Cocoa container Hershey's "Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Cake Recipe. If you have never made this chocolate cake, I strongly encourage you to do so! It is perfect. C'mon, they would not have put it on the back of the container if it was not amazing. However, I personally do not care for their frosting recipe.

I was just not feeling the plain crumbled graham crackers in the layers, so I switched them out for crumbled chocolate pie crust. Valentine's day is all about the chocolate, right? I do think a crumbled graham cracker pie crust would be yummy for any other day of the year.

Instead of using Family Circle's filling recipe, I used King Arthur Flour's Marshmallow Icing Recipe. It was light and not too sweet.

I simplified the layering process because it is just too dangerous for me to be flipping cakes around. The original recipe calls for mini marshmallows on top, which look really pretty when toasted. However, if you do not have a cooking torch to brown the marshmallows, don't worry, I think I have come up with an equally pretty option.

Ingredients
Cake:
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup Hershey's cocoa
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

Marshmallow Icing:
2 cups (1 pint) heavy or whipping cream
1 bag (10 to 10 1/2 ounces) marshmallows; mini-marshmallows are easiest to use
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 to 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Filling/Layers:
1 jar of hot fudge topping
Keebler® Ready Crust® Chocolate Pie Crust, crumbled
1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows, if desired

Directions
Prepare cake according to recipe directions: Hershey's "Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Cake Recipe

Prepare icing according to recipe directions: King Arthur Flour's Marshmallow Icing Recipe

Assembly without cooking torch:
Place one cake layer on a plate. Spread 1/2 of the jar of fudge on top (the fudge will spread a bit more easily if slightly warmed first). I just put the jar in the microwave for a few seconds. Allow some of the fudge to ooze over the the sides for delicious effect.

Let the fudge set for at least 10 minutes. I found that if the fudge is set, it is easier to spread the marshmallow icing. Spread with about 1/3 of the marshmallow icing. Sprinkle with 2 Tbsp. of the crumbled chocolate crust. 

Place second cake layer on top and top with remaining fudge.

Spread 1/3 more of the marshmallow frosting on top of the fudge and sprinkle with 2 Tbsp. of crumbles.

Assembly with cooking torch:
As above, but instead of using marshmallow icing on second layer, top with marshmallows and lightly brown the marshmallows with a cooking torch.

Cake Batter Blondies

Thank you, thank you to Girl Meets Life for the wonderful Cake Batter Blondies recipe!

 

I followed her directions and used just 1/4 cup of milk.

      

                                 
             

Cheese Danish

Thank you to the The Country Cook for the amazing Cheese Danish recipe! So easy and so delicious! I followed her recipe, except used a little less brown sugar, and let me tell you, the whole family loved them. Yum yum yum! My husband loves cheese danish, and every time he brought cheese danish or strudel home from the grocery store I thought, I can do better. Thanks to The Country Cook, I did!

Jon’s Favorite Banana Bread

Ingredients

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup sugar
2 egg
1/2 cup oil
3 1/2 ripe bananas, mashed
2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup walnuts, chopped

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper and spray with Pam.
3. Beat sugar and eggs with a whisk or electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 10 minutes. This is an important step and I actually time it.
4. Drizzle in oil and beat until combined.
5. Add mashed bananas, yogurt or sour cream, and vanilla.
6. Now, you can be a purist and sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt, OR you can just put these dry ingredients on top of the wet ingredients (flour first) give them a little stir on top before folding them into the wet ingredients.
7. Stir in the walnuts.
8. Pour the lined loaf pan and bake for about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Granola Bars

*Adapted from King Arthur Flour Chewy Granola Bars Recipe

Dry Ingredients

1 2/3 cups quick rolled oats

1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup oat flour (or 1/3 cup oats, processed  until finely ground in a food processor or blender)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 to 3 cups dried fruits and nuts

Wet Ingredients

1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
6 tablespoons melted butter
1/4 cup honey and/or 100% pure maple syrup (I like to use a mixture; agave syrup would be good too)
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 tablespoon water
1/3 cup peanut butter or another nut butter (optional)
 

*I think 1/4-1/2 cup of sugar is perfect, but if you prefer them sweeter or less sweet, feel free to adjust the recipe. The original recipe called for over 1 cup of sugar!  Part of this was something called "Sticky Bun Sugar" which I substituted by adjusting their suggestion of sugar, corn syrup and butter.

*The original recipe did not call for almond extract, but I included it because it sounded like a yummy addition and it just smells so good! Have you smelled almond extract lately?

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Line a 13"x9"x2" pan (for thin bars) or an 8″x8″x2″ pan (for thick bars, which is my preference) with parchment paper. Lightly grease the parchment paper with butter or oil, or with a non-stick spray (although I sometimes skip this step and have no problems with sticking).
3. Stir together all the dry ingredients, including the fruit and nuts in a large bowl.
4. In a separate bowl, melt the butter in the microwave; add the vanilla, almond extract, liquid sweeteners, corn syrup, water, nut butter (if using) to the melted butter and stir until combined.  
5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture is evenly crumbly.
6. Spread the mixture in the prepared pan, pressing firmly (this is important, because if you do not press firmly, the granola will be crumbly and fall apart). The best way is to press it in firmly with your hands. If you don't want to get your hands dirty, you may cover the granola with plastic wrap and then press.
7. Bake the bars for 30 to 35 minutes  for an 8"x8"x2" pan or 25 to 30 minutes for a 13"x9"x2" pan, until they are brown around the edges.
8. Cool the granola completely in the pan on a cooling rack. Lift the granola out of the pan by lifting out the parchment paper. I usually just place the parchment paper and all on a cake plate and cover with the lid and cut pieces off as needed. feel free to cut into bars if desired.

After a few days I move them to the refrigerator because they will keep a little longer that way. They also freeze well.

Dried fruit and nuts suggestions: Dried cranberries, apricots, cherries, raisins, pecans, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, coconut, walnuts, sesame seeds, dried apples, chocolate chips.
 

Addendums:

First batch: 1/3 cup dried cherries, 1/3 cup dried chopped figs, 1/3 cup fig/cherry mixture, 1/3 cup pumpkin seeds, 1/3 cup golden raisins, 1/3 cup sliced almonds, 1/3 cup chopped pecans, 1/4 cup chia seeds. Yum.

 
Second batch: for the 1/4 cup sweetener I used 1Tbsp honey and for the remainder maple syrup); used 1 cup pecans, 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips, and 2/3 cup chocolate chips.
These now really have no business being called granola bars - they are more like chocolate chip pecan oatmeal bars. Yum, but they are very sweet from the chocolate chips, so next time I will lower the sugar to 1/4 cup and omit the mini chips and just use 2/3 cup of choc chips.

Third batch: used slightly less than 1/4 cup liquid sweeteners, 1c up pecans, 2/3 cup chocolate chips, omitted almond extract. Yummy, but still quite sweet. Maybe next time I will cut out the honey roasted peanut butter!

Fourth batch: 2/3 cup macadamia nuts, 1/3 cup toasted coconut flakes, 2/3 cup dark chocolate chips, 1/3 cup dried pineapple pieces, no nut butter. This is Jon's favorite batch yet!

Pineapple Upside Down Cake or "The Best Cake I Have Ever Made"

According to Jon, this is the best cake I have ever made. Bon Appetit!

Ingredients

 

4 Tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 cups freshly cut pineapple, sliced into 1/2" thick pieces
1/2 cup slivered almonds

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cake flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 Tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
3 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 325.

Combine the 4 Tbsp. melted butter with the brown sugar and spread into the bottom of a glass pie plate (or an 8" round cake pan); sprinkle the slivered almonds on the brown sugar mixture. Arrange the pineapple pieces on top.

Combine the 8 Tbsp. softened butter, yogurt, egg yolks, and extracts in a large bowl.

Now, you can combine the remaining dry ingredients in a separate bowl, then add them to the wet ingredients, or you can do as I do and save a bowl by adding the dry ingredients directly to the wet ingredients. I do this by placing the flour first, then sugar, powder, soda, salt in a heap on top of the wet ingredients. Then I gently give  the dry ingredients their own little stir on top of the wet ingredients before combining them all together. I think this mixes up the dry ingredients just fine, but if you are a purist, then go ahead and make more dishes for yourself!

Beat with an electric mixer at medium speed for 1 1/2 minutes until thick (it will be very thick).

Spread the batter over the pineapple slices, building up the outside edges so the cake will be level rather than domed in the center when baked.

Bake for 40-50 minutes, until golden and tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

Transfer pan to a rack to cool for 5 minutes, then invert onto a serving plate.