Cookies and Cream Cake

Posted on August 4, 2009 by kitchenbelle

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I made the above Cookies and Cream Cake on the same day that I made the Cookies and Cream Fire Engine Birthday Cake below.  You see, a small group in my office organized a bake-off and this cake was my submission to the finals.  It just so happened to be the same day as my nephew’s birthday, which worked out perfectly.  I was able to bake the first cake in the morning as sort of a trial run (and to get the extremely important feedback from our family!) and then come home and bake this cake for the bake-off.  Make sense?  So while I didn’t really make any adjustments the first time around, I decided to do one part differently the second time.  Instead of only incorporating one layer of filling between the two cakes, I sliced both cakes in half so that there were three layers of filling (plus on top).  YUM. 

In this case, I didn’t have to make extra filling because I had leftover filling that I did not use on top of the fire engine cake.  However, if you are going to make the cake into four layers I suggest making one and a half times the filling recipe below. 

And now I am sure you are just dying to know the result of the bake-off…wellllll…I won!  Thank you Annie!

Cookies and Cream Cake:

For the cake:

  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup Hershey’s cocoa powder
  • 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup boiling water

For the filling:

  • 1 ¼ cups heavy cream
  • 1/8 cup confectioners’ sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 10-20 chocolate sandwich cookies (Oreos!),  chopped 

For the frosting:

  • ½ cup unsalted butter
  • 2/3 cup Hershey’s cocoa powder
  • 3 cups confectioners’ sugar
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

To make the cake, preheat the oven to 350 F.  Grease and flour two 8 or 9-inch round baking pans.

Stir together the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.  Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.  Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin).  Pour batter into prepared pans.

Bake 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks.  Cool completely.

 To make the filling, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the heavy cream, confectioners’ sugar and vanilla.  Beat on low speed until all sugar is incorporated; increase speed to high and whisk until stiff peaks form.  Gently fold in chopped cookie pieces with a rubber spatula.

 To make the frosting, melt the butter in a medium bowl.  Stir in the cocoa.  Alternately add confectioners’ sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency.  Add small amount additional milk, if needed.  Stir in vanilla.

 To assemble the cake, slice two cakes in half cross-wise using a serrated knife.  Place one cake layer on a cardboard cake circle.  Pipe a ring of the chocolate frosting around the outside edge of the cake.  Fill the area inside the ring of frosting with a thick layer of the cookies and cream mixture.  Repeat with remaining layers. Place the last cake layer on top.  Frost the sides of the cake layers with chocolate frosting.  Pipe a decorative border of the chocolate frosting on top of the cake.  Fill the area inside this border with a thick layer of the cookies and cream mixture.  Garnish with extra chocolate sandwich cookies and chocolate frosting.

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Adapted from Annie’s Eats.

Filed under: cake, chocolate, cookies, Dessert, frosting, icing | 10 Comments »

Cookies and Cream Fire Engine Birthday Cake

Posted on August 3, 2009 by kitchenbelle

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Is it me, or does it seem like it was just yesterday that a certain adorable little guy turned one and we celebrated with monkey cakes?  His auntie is finding herself quite nostalgic—he is growing up so  fast!  I remember the details of the day he was born and the first time I saw him like it happened this morning. And then woooosh.  Two years pass and our little bug is running around, jumping on the sofa, “vrooom vroooming” his trucks, hugging (and kissing!) little girls, playing dress up, riding a trike, and capturing our hearts over and over with each little smile, giggle, and silly voice.

(I’d better move on to discussing the cake before I am a weeping mess!)

I made this year’s fire truck cake using  Annie’s Cookies and Cream recipe.  The one and only adjustment I made is that I did not top the cake with the filling.  (I needed a place for a shiny red fire truck!) 

I found this cake to be exceptionally rich, moist, and delicious!

a

Filed under: cake, chocolate, cookies, Dessert, frosting, icing | 3 Comments »

Chocolate Cupcakes with Rich Chocolate Frosting

Posted on July 27, 2009 by kitchenbelle

j

These cupcakes are rich and delicious!

Chocolate Cupcakes:

 (I used the Flour Bakery recipe.)

  • 2 ounces chocolate (you can use unsweetened or semisweet)
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 stick unsalted butter
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Chop chocolate and place it in a bowl with the cocoa powder. Mix butter, water and sugar in a pan over medium high heat. Whisk until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes. Pour hot buttery mixture over chocolate mixture and whisk until chocolate melted and ingredients are combined.  Whisk the egg, milk, and vanilla extract together then whisk into the chocolate mixture until combined.  Sift the dry ingredients together.  Pour the dry ingredients onto the wet ingredients. Whisk  until the dry ingredients are totally mixed into the chocolate mixture.  Let stand about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, line muffin tin with liners and then pour the batter (or use an ice cream scoop) into the muffin cups, dividing batter evenly among the 12 cups.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for 26-29 minutes. Cool in tin on rack for 15 minutes. 

    Rich Chocolate Frosting:

  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
  • 2/3 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate morsels
  • 3 cups confectioners’ sugar
  • 1/3 cup whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

    • Melt butter along with cocoa powder and chocolate morsels in a small saucepan.  Transfer to a stand mixer. Add powdered sugar and milk and whip to spreading consistency. Add more milk or sugar as needed until desired consistency is reached. Stir in vanilla.

    j

    Filed under: chocolate, cupcakes, Dessert, Flour Bakery, frosting | 3 Comments »

    Better than Brownie Cookie Peanut Butter Sandwiches

    Posted on July 24, 2009 by kitchenbelle

    july 23 001

    Yum, yum, yum, yum!  The classic combination of chocolate and peanut butter is successful yet again!  These cookie sandwiches are chewy, rich, and delicious.  Be wary of the urge to overfill–just a thin layer of peanut butter filling will do.  Overfill and you run the risk of (1) a treat that is too sweet and (2) the frosting squeezing out the sides. 

    Enjoy!

    Some notes:

    –This cookie  recipe made about 55 small cookies (about 1/2 tablespoon of dough each), which I sandwiched together to make about 27 sandwich cookies.  (To make about 25 large cookies use about 1 1/2 tablespoons of dough for each.)

    –Parchment paper or a silpat (a non-stick baking mat) are a must here. 

    –I used a combination of dark chocolate and milk chocolate (about half and half) to yield a rich, yet not overpowering chocolaty flavor.

    –I used a bit less baking powder than the recipe below indicates so that my cookies would be a little thinner and less poofy.

    –I doubled the peanut butter filling recipe and ended up with some leftover. 

    Better than Brownie Cookie Peanut Butter Sandwiches:

     Better than Brownie Cookies

    • 2 2/3 cups (466g) dark chocolate, chopped
    • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
    • 4 eggs
    • 1 1/3 cups sugar
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
    • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
    • 1 cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips

    Preheat the oven to 350ºF.  Line two large baking sheets with baking paper.

    Melt the chopped chocolate with the butter in a small saucepan over low heat – stir constantly until smooth. Mix eggs, vanilla and sugar in a medium bowl. Combine thoroughly. Set aside.

    Sift flour and baking powder together in a small bowl.

    Add melted chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and slowly add dry ingredients. When combined, add the cup of chocolate chips and stir.

    Scoop dough (more like batter!) onto prepared sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until they are firm on the outside (dough loses its sheen). Leave to cool completely on sheets.

    Peanut Butter Filling

    • 3 tablespoons butter, softened
    • 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
    • 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
    • 2 1/2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

    In a stand mixer (or using a hand mixer) cream 3 tablespoons butter  with the confectioners’ sugar, 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter, and the cream. Fill the filling into a pastry bag and squeeze  filling onto half of the cooled cookies, then top with the other half to form sandwiches.

    july 23 004jj

    Cookie recipe adapted from Culinography.  Peanut butter filling adapted from Savory Sweet Life.

    Filed under: brownies, chocolate, cookies, Dessert, frosting, Peanut Butter | 16 Comments »

    Oatmeal Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

    Posted on July 8, 2009 by kitchenbelle

    j

    I made these cupcakes for a cookout and they were a huge hit!  All of the children at the party found them and ravaged them before dinner was even served.  Then the adults followed suit!  I had to snag one for myself in order to have a taste before they were gone!  DELICIOUS! 

    I used this recipe for the cupcakes-

    Oatmeal Cupcakes:

    • 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

    Preheat oven to 350 F.

    Insert liners into cupcake pans.

    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, 1 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.

    And this recipe for the cream cheese frosting–

    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. 

    june 23 021

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

    Filed under: cream cheese, cupcakes, Dessert, frosting, icing, oatmeal | 7 Comments »

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