Sunday, August 14, 2011

Superman Cake

I made a chocolate cake in two round pans. Then I made 1/2 a batch of red velvet cake in a square pan. I was planning on having the two circle cakes as a base for the superman logo; cut out of the square cake.

This is where disaster struck! The red velvet cake crumbled to pieces when I tried to get it out of the pan! I was mad! A cuss word or two may have come out of my mouth. By the way I really do not cuss very often! I vow every year that I'm going to stick to cookies! It seems like once a year this happens!

Here's my process: I spray the pan first, sprinkle it lightly with flour before pouring the batter in. The cake is fully done; toothpick comes out clean! Then it's really cool before I decide to pop it out! I even help the edges with a spatula. What am I doing wrong?

I decided to wrap up everything {even the crumbled pieces} and go to bed. In the morning I had a brilliant idea. Why not use the crumbled up velvet cake? One of my worst pet peeves is discarding something that is perfectly edible! I crumbled the cake up even more, added frosting to the cake, and sandwiched the two chocolate cakes together with it. Then instead of using tons of red food coloring for the logo, I used red velvet cake/frosting mixture.


Sunday, August 7, 2011

Chocolate Malt Cookies

I found a new cookie recipe I LOVE! I found the recipe here. This is the second time I've made them. They are so yummy!

 

{Cookies}

    • 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
    • 1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
    • 1/4 cup plain malted milk powder
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
    • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
    • 1 3/4 cups sugar
    • 1 large egg
    • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
    • 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
    • 3 tablespoons hot water
    •  
    • {Cookie Directions}
    •  
    1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
    2. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, malted milk powder, baking soda, and salt. With an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy. Mix in egg, heavy wiping cream, and hot water. Reduce speed to low; mix in flour mixture.
    3. Space tablespoon-size balls of dough 3 1/2 inches apart on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. 
    4. Bake until flat and just firm, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool on parchment on wire racks.
    •  
  • {Filling}

     

    • 10 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
    • 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
    • 1 cup plain malted milk powder
    • 3 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
    • 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons half-and-half
    • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

 

{Filling Directions}

 

  1. Melt chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl. Stir. Let cool. With an electric mixer, beat malted milk powder and cream cheese on medium speed until smooth. Gradually mix in half-and-half, chocolate mixture, and vanilla. Refrigerate, covered, until thick, about 30 minutes. Mix on high speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes.

  

{Assemble Cookies}

 

  1. Spread a heaping tablespoon filling on the bottom of one cookie. Sandwich with another cookie. Repeat.