Ghirardelli Triple Chocolate Truffle Cake & Outstanding Brownie Pecan Pies

I hope that everyone had a wonderful, relaxing, and restful Thanksgiving and Thanksgiving weekend! I sure did, I was surrounded with family and loved ones and ate lots of delicious food, my favorites to eat on Thanksgiving are sweet potatoes and stuffing covered in my grandma's mushroom gravy! I also went to see Disney's Tangled, the movie, which was just too cute for words, and did a little shopping, but not on black friday. Dessert is my favorite meal of the day, everyday, and Thanksgiving is no different! We had the classics like pumpkin pie and some kind of jello dessert and I wan ted to makea dessert that wasn't so traditional so I made this deliciously rich and decadant truffle cake. It was very chocolately, smooth and creamy and melted in your mouth. It was almost like pudding, yummy! Everyone enjoyed it and liked the little change. I also made two fabulous brownie pecan pies from Bakerella, you can find the recipe on her site, I made the fudgey version, and oh boy was it ever fabulous, I was super excited when I saw this pie posted on her blog. I didn't have time to snatch any pictures, but, they were so good! All you do is take a couple frozen deep dish pie shells and whip up a simple boxed brownie mix and a quick pecan pie filling. Then you divide the prepared brownie mix and pecan pie filling between the two pie shells and bake. They turned out perfectly, a flaky pie crust, topped with fudgey brownie and gooey, sweet, and crunchy pecan pie filling! You get to eat two desserts in one! And, if you really want to make it a little richer, you can top it with whip cream and drizzle it with caramel! 

Ingredients:

-3 cups Ghiradelli semi-seet chocolate chips

-1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

-8 large eggs, chilled

-1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup heavy cream

-1 cup Ghirardelli milk chocolate chips

-1 (6-ounce) container fresh raspberries, for garnish

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Arrange a rack in center of oven. Butter or spray the bottom and sides of a 9 by 2-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.

2. In the top of a double boiler or in a heatproof bowl, over barely simmering water, melt the semi-sweet chocolate chips and butter, stirring occasionally until smooth. Cool slightly.

3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl with an electric mixer fitted with the whip attachment, whip the eggs and salt on medium speed until doubled in volume, about 5 minutes. Gently fold the whipped eggs, a third at a time, into melted chocolate. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan.

4. Prepare a water bath for the cake by placing the cake in a larger pan, and filling the large pan halfway up the sides of the cake pan with hot, but not boiling water.

5. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until the cake pulls away from the edges and the center is set. Remove the pan from the water bath to a cooling rack, and cool the cake completely in the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Remove the cake from the pan and invert onto a plate to unmold. 

6. To prepare ganache, bring heavy cream to a simmer in a small saucepan over low heat. Pour the heated cream over the milk chocolate chips. Stir gently until smooth and allow to cool slightly. When the ganache is still warm to the touch, pour over the top of cake and spread evenly to cover. Garnish with fresh raspberries if desired. Chill the cake until the ganache sets, about 30 minutes. 

Butterscotch Apple Cake

This is a simple recipe for a yummy apple snack cake filled with diced apples and cinnamon and it gets topped off with butterscotch chips. This is really quick to come together and get in the oven and it comes out moist from the apples and the oil. The aroma throughout the house while it is baking is very enticing and smells like just like autumn. The flavor combination of the apples, cinnamon and butterscotch chips is so tasty!

Butterscotch Apple Cake: (recipe courtesy Sugar Plum)

-2 1/2 cups flour

-2 teaspoons baking powder

-1 teaspoon baking soda

-1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

-3/4 teaspoon salt

-1 cup oil

-1 cup granulated sugar

-2 large eggs, room temperature

-1 teaspoon vanilla extract

-3 cups diced peeled apple

-2 cups butterscotch chips

Heat oven to 325 degrees F. Coat a 13x9-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray.

In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.  

In a large mixing bowl, using a mixer on medium speed, beat together the oil, sugar, eggs and vanilla for 2-3 minutes or until well combined and doubled in volume. Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in flour mixture until just combined. Stir in apple until combined. Batter will be thick.

Spread batter into prepared baking dish. Evenly sprinkle with butterscotch chips. Bake 45-50 minutes or until well risen, golden brown, and cake pulls away from edges of the dish. Cool on a wire rack.

Souffled Pumpkin Pancake

This souffled pumpkin pancake is super tasty, I absolutely loved it! It is a great way to make one giant pancake in one pan, instead of standing over the stove making pancakes one by one. It is quite simple to put together as well, the most tedious part is beating the egg whites until soft peaks forms, it only takes a few minutes and it is well worth it! The pumpkin flavor is absolutely delicious and it is flavored with pumpkin pie spice and vanilla. The pumpkin puree keeps this nice and moist and the texture of the pancake is oh so light and fluffy. It gets topped off with candied pecans that get cooked in a little butter and brown sugar and make the perfect sweet and crunchy topping. Sprinkle it with a little powdered sugar and drizzle it with warm maple syrup and you have the perfect breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, or dessert! Enjoy!

Souffled Pumpkin Pancake: (Recipe Courtesy Katie Lee Joel, Paula Deen's Family Cookbook)

Ingredients:

-5 tablespoons butter

-1 tablespoon brown sugar

-1/4 cup pecan halves

-2/3 cup all-purpose flour

-1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

-1/3 cup sugar

-1/4 teaspoon salt

-4 eggs, seperated

-2/3 cup buttermilk

-1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract

-1 cup pumpkin puree

-Confectioner's sugar, for dusting

-Maple syrup, for serving

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium-low heat. Add the brown sugar and stir until the sugar begins to melt. Add the pecans and cook for 2 more minutes. Transfer the pecan mixture to a small dish and set aside. Reserve the skillet for the pancake.

In a small bow, mix together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, sugar and salt. Set aside.

Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter. In a large bowl, add egg yolks, buttermilk, vanilla and melted butter and whisk until blended. Gradually whisk in the flour mixture. Stir in the pumpkin puree.

Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form and gently fold into the pumpkin mixture. Gently spoon the batter into the reserved skillet. Sprinkle the top of the pancake mixture with the reserved pecan mixture. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown.

Dust the pancake with confectioners' sugar. Cut into wedges and serve with maple syrup.

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

Beautiful presentation!

Bright red cherries that make the cake pop!

Mmmm pineapple, one of my favorite fruits!

Brown sugar and buttery goodness!

The idea of cooking a cake upside down is an old technique that started many centuries ago when cakes were cooked in cast iron skillets. It was simple to add various types of fruit and sugar in the bottom of a pan and then top it off with a simple cake batter and cook it over a fire. The history of the use of pineapple in an upside-down cake came about sometime after 1911 when James Dole's engineer invented a machine to cut his pineapple into rings, producing canned pineapple. Soon, the convenient pineapple rings were used in this old technique of the skillet cake. 

This pineapple upside-down cake has the perfect combination of flavors and textures. The cake is very moist, has a tender crumb, and has a slight kick from the use buttermilk. It has a rich, sweet, sticky, and caramel flavored topping from the melted butter and brown sugar combo, which is my favorite part, and the pineapple and sweet topping complement each other very well. This is a delicious, melt-in-your-mouth cake that makes such a beautiful presentation. 

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake: (Brown Eyed Baker)

Makes one 9-inch cake

-7 slices canned unsweetened pineapple, (20-ounce can)

-3 tablespoons unsalted butter

-3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

-19 maraschino cherries

-2 large eggs

-2 tablespoons buttermilk

-1/2 teaspoon vanilla

-1 cup all-purpose flour

-3/4 cup granulated sugar

-3/4 teaspoon baking powder

-1/4 teaspoon baking soda

-1/4 teaspoon salt

-6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, softened

-6 tablespoons buttermilk

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Have ready a 9x2-inch round cake pan. Drain pineapple and place in one layer on paper towels to absorb excess juice.

2. Place the 3 tablespoons unsalted butter in the cake pan. Place the pan in the oven until the butter is melted. Tilt to coat all sides with butter. The extra butter will settle in the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the bottom of the pan.

3. Place one pineapple ring in the center of the pan and arrange six more around it. Pace the cherries in the center of each ring and in the spaces between them.

4. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, 2 tablespoons of buttermilk and vanilla with a fork.

5. In a mixer bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the 6 tablespoons of unsalted butter and 6 tablespoons of buttermilk. Beat on low speed just until the flour is moistened, then increase the speed to medium, or high if using a handheld mixer, and beat for exactly 1 1/2 minutes. The batter will be stiff. Add on-third of the egg mixture at a time, beating for exactly 20 seconds and scraping the bowl after each addition. Scrape the batter over the fruit in the pan and spread evenly.

6. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean, 35-40 minutes. Remove the cake from oven and tilt the pan in all directions to detach it from the sides of the pan. Let cool for 2 to 3 minutes before unmolding.

7. Invert a serving platter on top of the pan. Cover your hands with oven mitts and turn the cake onto the platter. Lift off the pan. If any pineapple or cherry pieces askew, use a fork to push them back into place. If any brown sugar is left in the pan, scrape it up and spoon it over the cake. Serve warm or cool.

Mini Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Pies

This is another super simple tasty recipe from Picky Palate for adorable mini chocolate chip pumpkin pies that are just perfect for the holidays. Spicy pumpkin pie filling, sweet chocolate chips, and gooey mini marshmallows are all wrapped inside a flaky pie crust creating these little bite-sized desserts!

Mini Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Pies: (Picky Palate)

-1 cup canned pumpkin

-1/4 cup granulated sugar

-1/4 cup evaporated milk

-1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

-1/4 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg

-1 egg, beaten

-2 rolls Pillsbury pie crust, thawed

-1/4 cup chocolate chips

-1/4 cup mini marshmallows

-1 egg, 1 teaspoon water; beaten for egg wash

-1/4 cup powdered sugar, for sprinkling

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray. In a bowl, mix together the pumpkin, sugar, milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, and egg until combined.

2. Roll out each pie crust. Use a 3-inch round cookie cutter or glass and cut out circles from pie crust. Be sure to re-roll extra dough. Place round pie crusts onto prepared cookie sheet. Place 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie filling into center of each pie round. Top with 2 marshmallows and 4 chocolate chips. Brush edges with egg wash and fold crust over filling and press edges with a fork to seal. Poke top of each crust with fork for steam to escape. Brush tops with egg wash and bake for 20-22 minutes or until golden brown.

3. Let cool for 5 minutes, dust with powdered sugar and serve warm.

Chocolate Candy Bar Overload Cake

I wanted to use up some leftover halloween candy and I was also having a craving for a moist and delicious chocolate cake, so, this is what I came up with! A Chocolate Candy bar Overload Cake. Of course, I used my favorite chocolate cake recipe from HERSHEY'S, which turns out perfectly everytime, no joke! It is the best, and then I frosted it with HERSHEY'S "Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Frosting recipe slightly modified. I used half regular cocoa and half dark cocoa and I really, really loved the flavor combo of the two. Then, I just sprinkled some chopped candy bars in between the 2 cake layers and then decorated the top with some more candy bars!  This sure hit the spot and satisfied my chocolate cake craving and my whole family couldn't rave about it more! My sister said it was the best chocolate cake she has ever had.

HERSHEY'S "Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Cake:

For the Cake:

-2 cups sugar

-1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

-3/4 cup HERSHEY'S cocoa

-1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

-1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

-1 teaspoon salt

-2 eggs

-1 cup milk

-1/2 cup vegetable oil

-2 teaspoons vanilla extract

-1 cup boiling water

-"Perfectly Chocoloate" Chocolate Frosting (recipe below)

-2 mini candy bars, coarsely chopped, and about 6 cut into bigger chunks (any kind will do!)

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans.

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

3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely.

4. Prepare frosting; spread between layers and sprinkle with about 2 of the coarsely chopped candy bars. Spread the rest of the frosting over the top and side of the cake. Decorate the top of the cake with the bigger chunks of the candy bars as desired.

"Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Frosting: (slightly adapted by me)

-1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

-2/3 cup HERSHEY'S cocoa, (I used 1/3 cup of regular cocoa and 1/3 cup of dark cocoa and I really loved the flavor of the combination of the 2, so I highly reccomend doing that : )!)

-4 cups powdered sugar

-1/2 cup-2/3 cup milk

-1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency, (I beat it for a few minutes on medium-high speed, which gave it a great texture and made it light and fluffy).

2. Stir in vanilla.

Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal

I haven't posted anything in over a week, I can't believe it! I must be honest though, I was going through a baking/blogging rut.......I haven't felt like my blog is as good as all the other amazing blogs that I look at, or that my pictures have been good enough to post for you, so I haven't posted anything. I know it just takes practice, practice, and more practice, and someday my blog will look like the blogs on foodgawker! I am hoping to get a new camera for Christmas, that is on the top of my wish list! On top of being in that short baking rut, I have also been super busy with school. This semester sure is kicking my butt, I am counting the weeks until it is over!

Anyway, I  can now say that I am officially back into baking mode and I am super excited to get started on all the holiday baking! I have bookmarked so many recipes lately and I am ready to get moving! Woo Hoo!

Now, what I have for you is a recipe for a delicious and delightfully decadant, yet healthy breakfast that is just perfect for these brisk fall mornings and will be great for the upcoming chilly winter mornings, and that is this Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal. It is filled with hearty oats, pumpkin puree, milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and vanilla. Although it takes a little longer to prepare then a bowl of cereal or toast, it is very simple to make and it is totally worth getting up a few minutes early just to make it! This is totally a comfort food breakfast, it has the perfect hint of sweetness and spice, it is comforting, filling, and satisfying. It has a wonderful pumpkin flavor and the spices will warm you right up from the inside out and keep you nice and cozy. If you are a lover of pumpkin, then be sure to give this a try!

Isn't that color just gorgeous? And I love how you can see the lovely specks of the spices!

Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal: (adapted from Chocolate and Tea) 

2 servings

-1 1/2 cups soy or almond milk or regular millk

-1 cup pumpkin puree

-1/2 teaspoon vanilla

-1 teaspoon cinnamon

-1/4 teaspoon ginger (I omitted this)

-1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

-1 cup rolled oats

-2 tablespoons brown sugar

In a large saucepan, whisk together the milk, pumpkin puree, vanilla, and spices over medium heat. When it starts to boil, add the oats and cook for 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the oats are soft and the liquid has been absorbed. Sprinkle with desired amount of brown sugar and enjoy!