dr. pepper snacking cake

A week before Father's Day my son and I had this conversation, "Son, what would you like to get your dad for Father's Day?"  "Hmmmm, how about Dr. Pepper!"  "So....you want to buy your dad soda for Father's Day?  Nothing else?"  "No, I want a Dr. Pepper dinner-everything Dr. Pepper!"  "Hmmmm, that sounds like a great idea."  "LET'S DO IT!!!," he squealed.

For some reason the son thought Dr. Pepper soaked fruit was an excellent choice for dessert and I quickly suggested a Dr. Pepper Cake.  He promptly took me up on the offer.  Every good southern church cookbook or school fundraiser cookbook should contain at least 2-3 recipes for Coca Cola Cake.  It's a southern tradition and evidently the law according to what is found in the depths of my recipe archives. So why not Dr. Pepper Cake?  Just substitute one soda for another, right?  Right.

And so I did just that.  This cake has a very lovely and delicate chocolate flavor.  So mellow that it reminded me of an afternoon snacking cake.  I poured a thin layer of Dr. Pepper icing over the top rather than bombard the delightful little cake with a ton of icing and it became a perfect balance between cake and sweet icing.  It is addicting and seems to get better with time.  The crumb is moist and tender and it needs to leave my kitchen before I eat the entire thing.  I am a very weak person with no self control.  So make this and tell me just how strong you are. :)

Dr. Pepper Snacking Cake
yield:  9 servings

2 sticks butter
1 cup Dr. Pepper
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Butter and flour an 8" square pan lined with parchment paper.  Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Melt butter and Dr. Pepper in a small saucepan.
3. Meanwhile, sift together cocoa powder, cinnamon, flour and sugar into a large bowl.  Stir in the butter mixture and combine.
4. In a separate small bowl or measuring cup, mix the eggs, buttermilk, baking soda and vanilla and add to the rest of the ingredients. Stir to combine.  Pour into prepared pan.
5. Bake for 40-45 minutes until cake is done and cake tester comes out clean.  Cool in pan for 10 minutes.  Remove from pan and cool completely on cooling rack.

Dr. Pepper Icing
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 tablespoons Dr. Pepper (+1 Tablespoon if needed)
8oz. Confectioners Sugar

1. Place butter, cocoa powder and 2 tablespoons Dr. Pepper into a small sauce pan.  Whisk over low heat until butter has melted.
2. Place sugar in a medium bowl.  Add butter mixture and stir.  If mixture is too thick, add another tablespoon until icing is thick but pourable.
3. Pour over cooled cake.

Print Me!

oh you may stray...(recipe: honey roasted peanut butter cups)

but you'll always return to your dark master, the cocoa bean.

 ~Cosmo Kramer, Seinfeld episode The Secret Code

Made these little beauties in honor of International Chocolate Day!

Pour a teaspoon of melted chocolate into paper lined cups

Place peanut butter filling onto the center

Top with one teaspoon of melted chocolate and sprinkle with sea salt

I came across a peanut butter cup recipe in Good Things (Best of Martha Stewart) during my college years. I admired the little morsels on the page but never took the time to make them.  And now, after all these years (time undisclosed) I finally gave homemade peanut butter cups a try.  They are so simple to make!

Honey Roasted  Peanut Butter Cups
yield:  12-15 pieces

7 oz. semi sweet chocolate
1/2 cup honey roasted peanut butter, natural
2 tablespoons confectioners sugar
1 1/2 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
pinch of kosher salt

grey sea salt, for garnish

12-15 paper lined candy or mini muffin cups

1. Place chocolate in a bowl over a double boiler and melt until smooth.
2. Spoon a teaspoon of chocolate into the bottom of a paper liner, roll and tilt the chocolate up the sides of the liners until covered.  Repeat with remaining liners.  Place in the refrigerator to harden, about 5-10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, combine peanut butter, sugar, honey, vanilla bean paste and salt together in a small bowl.  Scoop out a teaspoon amount of filling (approx. 1/2 ounce) and roll between your hands forming small spheres.  Press to flatten.  Repeat.  Set aside.
4. Remove the liners from the refrigerator and place peanut butter filling onto the center of each chocolate candy cup.  Spoon melted chocolate into each cup until filled.  Sprinkle with sea salt.  Chill in the refrigerator to set.

Fastest Fudge Cake

Fastest Fudge Cake Instagram Shot

As if you hadn't had enough chocolate indulgence this past week.  Believe it or not, I did not succumb to my dark master (the cocoa bean) this Valentines.  I did make this cake for a little wedding shower though.  My BIL loves ganache, so I made this cake for him.  It seemed to be a hit. 

It is really simple to make (though my instructions below seem extensive).  There is no need to break out the KitchenAide, it is a simple bowl & stir recipe.  Ganache is always simple to make.  Simply bring heavy cream to a boil, pour over chocolate and stir.  This recipe really is representative of simple elegance.

Fastest Fudge Cake
serves 8-10

1 cup flour
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1//4 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) melted butter, warm
1 1/4 cups brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (extract may be substituted for paste)
1/2 cup hot tap water
 Chocolate Ganache (recipe follows)

1. Lightly butter the bottom of  an 8-inch square or 9-inch round cake pan and line it with parchment.  Lightly butter the parchment.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a mixing bowl, whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.  Sifting only if the cocoa powder remains lumpy.  Set aside
3. In a large bowl, combine the warm melted butter and brown sugar.  Add the eggs and vanilla and stir until well blended.  Add the flour mixture all at once.  Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir only until all the flour is moistened.  Pour the hot water over the batter all at once.  Stir only until the water is incorporated and the batter is smooth.  Scrape batter into the pan.
4. Bake 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.  Cool the cake in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes before unmolding.
5. To unmold, slide a paring knife around the edges of the cake to release it from the pan.  Invert the cake and peel off the paper liner  Turn the cake right side up and cool it completely on a rack before glazing it with ganache.

Chocolate Ganache

1 cup heavy cream
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips (I use Guittard)

1. Place chocolate into a mixing bowl.  Pour heavy cream into a small saucepan over medium heat.  Once heavy cream begins to boil pour it over the chocolate.  Stir the mixture until it is all incorporated and smooth.
2. Let ganache sit out at room temperature until it has cooled and thickened slightly but is still pourable.

Cake Assembly

1. Spoon a dollop of corn syrup or honey onto a cake board to assure your cake does not slip off of the board.  Place cake on a cake board (my local bakery sells them for $1).  Take a serrated knife and trim the cake board so it will be the exact same size as the cake.
2. Place a small bowl upside down onto a rimmed cookie sheet or large platter (making sure it is larger than your cake).  Place your cake on top of the bowl (you've just made a homemade Lazy Susan).
3. Pour ganache over the cake, starting from the center of the cake and working your way outward in concentric circles.  Glaze will run off onto the cookie sheet and can be used for another use.
4. Place glazed cake onto a cake platter and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or until ganache has set.  Decorate with berries.

a silent moment (recipe: hot chocolate mix)

I rarely have a silent moment.  Those moments are so few that when I do experience absolute quiet I stop and immediately acknowledge it.  I meditate.  I exhale.  I cherish it.  I suppose I had taken silence for granted for so long that I never knew how beautiful silence could be.  Until now.

I sit here writing this post in quiet.  Just me, my fingers tapping the keys and the sound of a fan spinning overhead.  I've wrapped presents, vacuumed the stairs and rug, swept and polished Eli's floor and now I sit in the still, silent calm for a moment.

A few nights back my family took a stroll through our neighborhood000. admiring the lights.  The air was cool, the kind of coolness that seems to push the heft & weight of hot air far away, leaving the wind cleansed and pure.  And for a moment, just a hint of time, there was absolute silence.  It was a dream.  I breathed it in.  I recharged.  I exhaled.  I cherished that split second of time.

We returned home, laid Eli to bed and I poured myself a mug of Hot Chocolate.

Chocolate Chaud (Hot Chocolate Mix)
I've already packaged some of this hot chocolate mix into jam jars and will be giving them as gifts this year.  It will go great with homemade marshmallows.  It is not too sweet, dense & chocolaty.

yield:  10 cups of Hot Chocolate

6 ½ ounces dark chocolate (55-65%)

3 ounces unsweetened cocoa powder  

1 oz brown sugar

6 ½ ounces granulated sugar

1 oz cornstarch

Optional:  vanilla stick

1. Finely grate the dark chocolate using a food processor (though be careful of it getting too hot and melting) or by hand using a fine grater.
2. Mix the sugar, brown sugar and cornstarch into a bowl.  Rub the mixture with your fingers to ensure the cornstarch is incorporated throughout and has no lumps.
3. Add finely grated chocolate & cocoa into the bowl with the sugar and cornstarch.  Mix until combined.
4. Place into storage jars and store in a cool, dry place.

To make Hot Chocolate

1. Place 3 tablespoons of hot chocolate mix into a mug.
2. Heat 2/3 cup milk until hot, but not scalding.
3. Pour milk into mug and stir until chocolate in dissolved.
4. Add marshmallow or sweetened whipped cream.

The Monkey, A Toddler Story; Recipe: Boardwalk Bananas

from our family blog, July 9, 2011

Linkletter and Cosby had it right, kids say the darndest things.  Baking Toddler has been in speech therapy for almost a year and has improved greatly; and for that I am very grateful and pleased with all the work we have done.  Grateful yes, but today however was a different story.

As I was rifling through honeydew at our local grocery store, Baking Toddler became VERY excited and started to yell, "A MONKEY, A MONKEY!!!!"  I responded, "Really, where do you see a monkey?"  Following his tiny excited index finger, I turn around looking for a banner, sign, stuffed animal, picture on a shirt, and finally my eyes fell upon an older woman not more than 4'5" tall.  Her facial structure resembled that of a Neanderthal and she had wild, black, long hair.

A little tickled and a bit embarrassed, I strolled him a few feet over and quietly told him that his "monkey" was actually a lady.  He just sat there and looked at me for a minute, processing what I had said.  I pulled around the corner and the little old lady happened to be standing 15 yards from us.  Baking Toddler turned to her and chirped, "OOH OOH AHH AHH!"

Oh the things little ones will say, especially when they are just breaking out of their shell to talk.  This just so happened to occur a few days after Baking Toddler had a meltdown at school because his chocolate fell off of his frozen banana.  Therefore, this post is for my silly, sweet, happy boy who just so happens to love chocolate covered bananas and uhhhh....monkeys....

Boardwalk Bananas

makes 18 to 24 banana pops
adapted from Chocolate Holidays, Alice Medrich

6 to 8 firm ripe bananas
3/4 stick butter
10 oz. semisweet chocolate, cut into small pieces
1 cup chopped nuts, jimmies, sprinkles for toppings

2 dozen disposable wooden dowels (used for caramel apples) or Popsicle sticks
Tall Skinny Glass or container (I used a 6oz. pilzner)

1. To prepare the bananas, cut the ends off of the bananas and into thirds, leaving the peel intact.  Push Popsicle sticks 1 inch or more into the flesh of the banana.  Peel the bananas and place in the freezer.  If not dipping right away, transfer them to an airtight container or Ziploc bag and return to the freezer.
2. Clarify the butter.  Cut butter into small pieces and put it in a 1 cup glass measure or a small glass jar.  Set the glass in a pan of simmering water and heat without stirring, until the butter is melted and hot and has separated into three layers:  foamy milk solids on top, golden butter oil in the center, and a watery substance on the bottom.  Skim and discard white foam, spoon out the golden oil (clarified butter) and discard the rest.  ***Alternatively you can ditch the glass container and heat the butter straight in a pan until it separates; skim the foam off, save the clarified butter and discard the rest.  If you have never clarified butter however, watch it closely because your butter can burn easily this way.
3. In the top of a double boiler, combine the chocolate and 4 tablespoons of clarified butter.  Stir until the chocolate is melted and smooth.
4. Pour the chocolate mixture into the glass.  Line a shallow pan with wax or parchment paper.  Have the toppings ready.  Remove the bananas from the freezer.  Holding the stick, dip the banana quickly and completely in and out of the chocolate.  Hold it over the lined pan and sprinkle all sides with nuts or sprinkles before the chocolate sets, which will begin to harden immediately.  Set banana on the lined the pan.  Repeat with the remaining bananas.  Transfer the bananas to the freezer to harden completely, then to an airtight container or freezer bag.  Keep frozen until ready to serve.

Leftover coating may be frozen and used again.

It's been that kind of morning...(Chocolate Swirl Sour Cream Coffee Cake)

Have you ever had one of those mornings. You know, the kind of morning that just doesn't start off right, an honest to goodness bad morning. And I'm not talking about the 'woke up on the wrong side of bed' bad morning. I'm talking about the kind of morning where you need a chocolate pick-me-up by 8am. Need. Chocolate. Stat.

A while back I asked my friends to share some bad (though funny) morning experiences. Here are some of my favorites:

• As you get ready to leave for work you pack a beer in your lunch instead of what you thought was a Diet Coke.

• You get your son and yourself ready to go shopping and realize you still have your snowman pajama bottoms on when you drive into the parking lot of the grocery store.

• You put an energy fizz tab into the baby bottle instead of the water bottle-but luckily realize it before feeding the baby purple milk.

• You begin to put Barbie panties on your 1 year old son while your six year old daughter holds a diaper and says, "Seriously, mom?"

So I'm thinking mornings like these must need chocolate! For all of those who incur a bad morning every once in a while, you might need to nosh on a little Chocolate Swirl Sour Cream Coffee Cake-it is irresistible, decadent and delicious. And geez, with a name like that, doesn't it already brighten your day a little?Chocolate Swirl Sour Cream Coffee Cake
Chocolatier May 2002 yields: 10 servings

Chocolate streusel filling and topping:
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 cup pecans
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate morsels
1/4 cup cake flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter

Sour cream coffee cake:
2 1/2 cups flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups. sugar
3 eggs
1 egg yolk
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream, at room temperature

Confectioner's sugar for dusting

1. Make filling and topping: In food processor, pulse together sugar, pecans and cinnamon until nuts are coarsely chopped. Transfer 3/4 cup of mixture to a small bowl and stir in chocolate morsels (this is the filling). To remaining mixture in food processor add flour, cocoa powder and butter and pulse until mixture is crumbly. (this is the topping)
2. Make cake: Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. Butter bottom and sides of 9" springform pan. Dust pan with flour, tapping out excess.
3. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into medium bowl; whisk to combine and set aside.
4. In bowl of electric mixer, using paddle attachment, beat butter at medium-high speed for 1 minute, until creamy. Gradually add sugar and beat at high speed until well blended and light, about 2 minutes. Add eggs and yolk one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down sides of bowl as necessary. Beat in vanilla extract. Reduce speed to low and alternately add dry ingredients in 3 additions and sour cream in 2 additions, beginning and ending with dry mixture and mixing until combined.
5. Scrape half of batter into prepared pan and smooth top. Sprinkle with filling. Scrape remaining batter over filling and smooth top. Sprinkle with topping and bake for 65-75 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out cleaned and cake pulls away from edges of pan. Let cake cool in pan set on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove sides of pan and cool completely.
6. Dust cake lightly with confectioners' sugar before serving.
   

Decadent Double-Chocolate Brownie Torte

Hello, Lover! And yes, I'm talking about chocolate. I really didn't give props to my chocolate sauce in my last post, so let me do it now. If you haven't found a chocolate sauce that you love-you've got to adopt this one. It is delicious, easy to make, stores well and would make a great gift to give. Chocolate sauce is such a versatile little accompaniment. Drizzled over ice cream, poured into milk, spooned over strawberries...and so I've heard (made up), a spoonful of this elixir will cheer you up in a jiffy.

I made this brownie torte last weekend for my husband's birthday. It would also be perfect for a Valentine's Day dessert. Serve it warm with a nice soft dollop of sweetened whipped cream and berries atop it or, like me, ice cream and chocolate sauce (of course it would come back to the sauce!)

This torte is so easy and quick to prepare, about 15 minutes to put together and 30 minutes to bake off-which also makes for a great last minute dessert. I'll reiterate-serve it warm and gooey! Because who doesn't love the contrast of warm cake and cold ice cream??? And if you couldn't tell by the picture-I love my sauce!!!


Decadent Double-Chocolate Brownie Torte
adapted from Caprial's Bistro Style Cuisine

• 5 oz unsweetened chocolate
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips
• 3 ounces white chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line the bottom of a 9 inch cake pan with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Melt unsweetened chocolate and butter in a bowl over a double boiler.
3. Place sugar, eggs, and vanilla in the bowl of a heavy duty mixer and mix on high until it is pale yellow and thick.
4. Decrease mixer speed and add the melted butter/chocolate mixture. Scrape down sides of the bowl and gradually add the flour until the batter just comes together. Set aside and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
5. Fold in bittersweet and white chocolate chips. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
6. Bake for 30-35 minutes until a knife inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow cake to rest for 10 minutes before cutting.

Serve warm or at room temperature-but preferably warm!

Chocolate For My Pity Party

I'm back...I've been having a love/hate relationship (solely in my head) with this blog. The initial reason I started a food blog was to document (mostly images) of the food I make. I had an amazing portfolio a few years back and before we moved back home-it was deleted from our computer. Everything lost. A shot in the heart.

I began Baking For The Boys a little over a year ago while I was struggling with a colicky three month old-it kinda took my mind off of things. My writing and photos really suffered. I could tell in the writing-I had "Mommy Brain" and to tell of the truth, I was a moron. So I could honestly say that I've been happy with only a few (yes, a few) posts.

And just as I sat down and logged in today, I noticed that I had lost a follower. Ouch...Not that I'm taking it personal but is that the equivalent of being defriended on FB??? Just a question. I have a feeling this person has given up on the blogging world entirely. She hasn't posted in several months.

In this community where you can find thousands upon thousands of food blogs (many very much alike), the tiny and insignificant Baking For The Boys will still be trekking on. I have a new look (thanks to my sister-in-law) and still look forward to hearing from readers and making new friends along the way.

So...enough with this pity party! I need something to make me feel better...something like chocolate!!!

Chocolate Sauce
Yield: approx. 2 1/2 cups

1 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

1. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the water, sugar, corn syrup, and cocoa powder.
2. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Once it's just begun to simmer and boil, remove from heat and stir in the chopped chocolate until melted.
3. Let the Chocolate Sauce stand for a few hours to thicken

Store in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 10 days

Fondue in Honor of Two

This past weekend we threw a baby shower for my sister. I had the idea of having a fondue station on the food table because she likes The Melting Pot and always has nice things to say about that restaurant. I made two different fondues, one cheese and one chocolate. We set out rosemary bread, buttermilk sourdough and vegetables to accompany the cheese fondue. Fruit, shortbread cookies and homemade marshmallows were made for the chocolate fondue. Fondue is super easy to make and is a great party idea. I think the people at the party really enjoyed it.

Chocolate Fondue
16 oz. semi sweet chocolate
2 c. heavy cream

Set a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water or double boiler. Using a wooden spoon, stir chocolate and cream together until smooth. Transfer to fondue pot and set over warming candle.

The marshmallows I made were from Ina Garten's Coconut Marshmallow recipe sans the coconut. I usually make marshmallows from a recipe that involves egg whites but taking a precaution for my pregnant sister I tried this egg-less recipe. I actually like it better than my old stand by!

This recipe received mixed reviews online, the lack of the marshmallow setting in humid climates being the main complaint. I made these at my parents house which sits pretty much on the Gulf of Mexico. It was a rainy, damp day and my mom had the windows open earlier making the house very humid. Nevertheless, I trucked on following the instructions but mixing the marshmallows with a hand mixer for 30 minutes rather than the suggested fifteen. They came out perfectly!

Homemade Marshmallows
adapted from Ina Garten; foodnetwork.com
nocoupons
3 packages unflavored gelatin
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Combine the gelatin and 1/2 cup of cold water in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and allow to sit while you make the syrup.

Meanwhile, combine the sugar, corn syrup, salt, and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Raise the heat to high and cook until the syrup reaches 240 degrees F on a candy thermometer. Remove from the heat.

With the mixer on low speed, slowly pour the sugar syrup into the dissolved gelatin. Put the mixer on high speed and whip until the mixture is very thick, about 15 minutes. Add the vanilla and mix thoroughly.