Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

Posted on October 31, 2009 by kitchenbelle

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HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!!!!!!!

 Halloween is truly one of my favorite holidays.  I have so many great childhood memories associated with Halloween.  Every year my grandmother, who was the type of woman who always looked for a reason for a celebration, would have an over-the-top Halloween party in her basement.  I remember going to her house days prior to decorate and prepare.   We would tie strings from the ceiling pipes in preparation of the doughnut eating contest.  We’d tape black cat and witch cardboard cutout decorations to the walls and the mirror behind the bar.  We’d fill a bucket of water so that we could bob for apples.  (Those were the days when bobbing for apples was fun and not fearful–no one seemed to worry about transmitting viruses like they would today!)  We’d even create a haunted house in the unfinished portion of the cellar!  After my grandmother died my mom continued the tradition by having Halloween parties and always keeping the holiday fun and festive.  What’s funny is we don’t really have any traditional family foods or recipes associated with Halloween.  It’s more about using it as a good reason to have some fun.

I always look for a reason to bake sweet treats and there is certainly not a shortage of Halloween-centric desserts!  From the moment I saw this cake on Smitten Kitchen I couldn’t let it go.  The chocolate ganache seemed like the perfect canvas for a spider web and the chocolate peanut butter combo speaks for itself. I would say this is the perfect dinner party dessert.  It has that wow factor and the richness means a small slice goes a long way.  You will not be sorry you made this cake!

Notes:

  • I only have two round cake pans so I made a double rather than a triple layer.  (I used the leftover batter and frosting for cupcakes!)
  • Deb stresses the fact that these cakes are really soft and somewhat difficult to work with. I highly suggest you follow her advice and wrap the cakes in plastic wrap and freeze prior to frosting with a crumb coat.  Return the assembled and crumb-coated cake to the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before frosting with your final layer of frosting.  Refrigerate again before topping with the warm ganache.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake:

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease and flour the bottoms and sides of three 8-inch round cake pans.

Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl. Whisk to combine them well. Add the oil and sour cream and whisk to blend. Gradually beat in the water. Blend in the vinegar and vanilla. Whisk in the eggs and beat until well blended. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and be sure the batter is well mixed. Divide among the 3 prepared cake pans.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean. Let cool in the pans for about 20 minutes. Invert onto wire racks, carefully peel off the paper liners, and let cool completely.

 To frost the cake, place one layer, flat side up, on a cake stand or large serving plate. Spread 2/3 cup of the Peanut Butter Frosting evenly over the top. Repeat with the next layer. Place the last layer on top and frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting.

To decorate with the Chocolate–Peanut Butter Glaze, put the cake plate on a large baking sheet to catch any drips.  Pour the glaze over the top of the cake, and using an offset spatula, spread it evenly over the top just to the edges so that it runs down the sides of the cake in long drips. Refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 30 minutes to allow the glaze and frosting to set completely. Remove about 1 hour before serving.

Peanut Butter Frosting
Makes about 5 cups

10 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
5 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
2/3 cup smooth peanut butter

In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl often. Continue to beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes.

Add the peanut butter and beat until thoroughly blended.

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Glaze
Makes about 1 1/2 cups

8 ounces seimsweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (I used the Scharffen Berger Chocolate I received in the swag bag from BlogHer Food)
3 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 cup half-and-half

In the top of d double boiler or in a bowl set over simmering water, combine the chocolate, peanut butter, and corn syrup. Cook, whisking often, until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.

Remove from the heat and whisk in the half-and-half, beating until smooth. Use while still warm.

Adapted from Deb at Smitten Kitchen.

Filed under: cake, chocolate, cream cheese, Dessert, Fall, frosting, icing, Peanut Butter | 4 Comments »

Mini Pumpkin Cupcakes

Posted on October 26, 2009 by kitchenbelle

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My friend hosted a costume Halloween Party and I couldn’t have been more excited!  I love getting dressed up and it is so much fun to see how creative others can be with their costumes.  I wanted to bring a little treat so I made Mini Pumpkin Cupcakes.  Each one was like a bite of perfectly moist pumpkin bread!  (Don’t forget to keep an eye on mini cupcakes while they are in the oven–even just one little minute too long and they can end up dry.  They bake much faster than full-sized cupcakes.) 

I decide to top them with chocolate frosting, but I think that many types of frosting would pair well:

My friend went above and beyond and served the cutest most creative cupcakes at her party.  I just have to share photos with you:b2

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How cute are they?! You can tell she is an artist!

Mini Pumpkin Cupcakes:

  • 1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 cup dark brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 1/4 cups pumpkin puree
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Use a mixer to cream together butter and sugars in a large bowl until fluffy, about 5 minutes.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after adding each.

In another bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt.  Use a wooden spoon to combine.

Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture alternating with the milk. Mix until combined.  Stir in the pumpkin and vanilla and beat until smooth.

Line cupcake tin with papers and fill three quarters of the way to the top with batter.  Bake 10-14 minutes.  Cool in pan for 5 minutes then finish cooling on rack.  When cupcakes are completely cool, top with your frosting of choice.

Adapted from Crazy About Cupcakes by Krystina Castella.

Filed under: cupcakes, Dessert, Fall, frosting, pumpkin | 11 Comments »

Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

Posted on October 6, 2009 by kitchenbelle

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Did you know Reese’s now makes dark chocolate peanut butter cups?  I know! So exciting!!! When I first spotted the bags of orange and black foiled cups in my grocery store, I assumed it was just a Halloween gimmick (which actually would have been okay with me–I love holiday-colored candies).  However, when I looked closer I discovered it wasn’t a gimmick.  The orange are milk chocolate and the black are dark chocolate–how thrilling!  I decided to buy a bag and immediately make the cookies I had noticed in October’s issue of Real Simple magazine.   

The result? DELICIOUS.  Deadly delicious. 

Isn’t there just something so satisfying about a big thick chewy cookie chock full of melty peanut butter, milk and dark chocolate chunks?  Add a tall cold glass of milk for dunking and you have yourself a little piece of heaven.  Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Cup Cookies:

  •  1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, at room temp
  • 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 12-ounce package small peanut butter cups, roughly chopped (Obviously I used a mix of milk and dark chocolate peanut  butter cups!)

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat.

In a large bowl combine flour, baking soda and salt.

Use an electric mixer to beat the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy.  (About 5 minutes.)

Add the egg and vanilla and beat to combine.

Slowly add the flour mixture to the wet mixture until just incorporated.  (Do not over beat.)

Use a rubber spatula to fold in the peanut butter cups.

Pinch a tablespoon and a half of batter and quickly roll into a ball using your palms to make each cookie.  Place on parchment paper or silpat-lined baking sheets at least 2 inches apart.

Bake until light brown, about 12-16 minutes.  Use a metal spatula to transfer to cooling rack to cool completely.

This recipe made about 16-18  large cookies.  (I can’t remember exactly!)

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Look at the beautiful peanut butter cups!  Yum, yum, yum…

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Recipe adapted from October issue of Real Simple magazine.

Filed under: candy, chocolate, cookies, Dessert, eggs, Fall, Peanut Butter | 9 Comments »

Maple Pumpkin Muffins

Posted on October 4, 2009 by kitchenbelle

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Saturday was a baking day.  There were no ifs, ands, or buts about it.  It was rainy and dark and I knew I needed to fill our kitchen with scents of the season.  This summer my in-laws visited Canada and brought back some delicious Canadian maple syrup.  I decided to bake something maple flavored so when I stumbled upon this recipe for Maple Pumpkin Muffins I was very pleased! 

A couple of notes:

  • The original recipe suggested baking at 400 F, and though it struck me as odd, rather than follow my gut I followed the recipe.  Unfortunately the oven was way too hot and a few of my muffin bottoms burned.  These should be baked at either 350 F or 375 F.
  • Rather than top these muffins with pecans, I added a crumbly streusel-like topping.
  • As you know I am a lover of chunks, so I almost added some chocolate chips but I feared it would overpower the maple flavor so I refrained.  These were more “breakfast” without chocolate chips.  Adding chocolate would make them more “dessert.”  🙂

Maple Pumpkin Muffins:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin or squash
  • 3/4 cup evaporated milk
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 5 tablespoons maple syrup, divided
  • 1 package cream cheese, softened

    • Topping:

  • 3/4 cup oatmeal
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4  teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 4 tablespoons butter

    • Preheat oven to 350 F.  Line muffin tins with papers.

    Prepare topping by combining first five topping ingredients in a small bowl.  Cut butter into this mixture and use your finger tips or a fork to crumble the ingredients together.  The texture should be like that of coarse sand/pebbles.  Set aside.

    In a large bowl, combine the flour, 3/4 cup brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice and salt.

    In another bowl whisk together the eggs, pumpkin, milk, oil and 3 tablespoons maple syrup.  Slowly add dry ingredients to this mixture and stir just until moistened.  

    In a small mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and two tablespoons brown sugar and 2 tablespoons syrup until smooth. Gently stir into batter until mixture appears swirled.

    Fill paper-lined muffin tins about three-fourths full.

    Sprinkle about a tablespoon of topping over each muffin cup.

    Bake at 350 F for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. 

    Adapted from Made by Melissa.

    Filed under: Breakfast, cream cheese, Dessert, eggs, Fall, muffin, oatmeal, pumpkin, squash | 2 Comments »

    Oatmeal Birthday Cake

    Posted on September 16, 2009 by kitchenbelle

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    When I made this oatmeal cake for my father-in-law’s birthday back in April, I knew it was well-received but I had no idea that it would become the most requested birthday cake!  MONTHS ago, my brother-in-law requested this cake for his 30th birthday dinner held this weekend.  While we were eating it every single person was ooo-ing and ahhh-ing about how much they loved it.  More than one person claimed they could drink the frosting—and I had to agree!  If you haven’t made this cake yet–I suggest you give it a try!   

    Oatmeal Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting:

    • 1 tablespoon  all-purpose flour
    • 1 1/3  cups  boiling water
    • 1  cup  quick-cooking oats
    • 3/4  cup  granulated sugar
    • 3/4  cup  packed dark brown sugar
    • 1/3  cup  vegetable shortening
    • 2  teaspoons  vanilla extract
    • 3  large eggs
    • 1 1/2  cups  all-purpose flour
    • 1  teaspoon  baking soda
    • 1  teaspoon  ground cinnamon
    • 1/2  teaspoon  salt
    • 1/2  teaspoon  ground nutmeg
    • 1/2  cup  buttermilk
    • Cream Cheese Frosting
    • pecans for garnish (optional)

    Preheat oven to 350 F.

    Coat bottoms and sides of 2 (9-inch) round cake pans with shortening  and dust well with flour.

    Combine boiling water and oats in a medium bowl; let stand 20 minutes. Beat granulated sugar, brown sugar, shortening, and vanilla at medium speed of a mixer for 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add oatmeal, beating until blended.

    Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg, stirring well with a whisk. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture.

    Pour batter into prepared pans. Sharply tap pans once on counter to remove air bubbles. Bake at 350 F for 30-35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on a wire rack.

    Place one cake layer on a plate.  Pipe one thick circle of frosting around perimeter of cake.  Fill with a layer with frosting (recipe below), and top with the remaining layer. Spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of cake.

    Cream Cheese Frosting:

    • Two 8-ounce package of cream cheese, at room temperature
    • 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
    • 3 cups confectioners’ sugar
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

    In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter using an electric mixer, until smooth.  Slowly sift the confectioners’ sugar into the butter/cream cheese, about one cup at a time.  Continue to beat until all lumps are gone.  Add the vanilla and mix until fully combined. 

    Oatmeal Cake recipe adapted from Cooking Light.  Frosting recipe adapted from Crazy About Cupcakes by Krystina Castella.

    Filed under: cake, cream cheese, Dessert, frosting, oatmeal | 9 Comments »

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