Oh, Y'all! This week we celebrated some really special days such as National Milk Chocolate Day and National Cheesecake Day. Who knew July included so many delicious holidays?! A week of chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, and cheesecake is our kind of week!
Chocolate Italian Creme Cake
Chocolate and Italian Cream Cake...what's not to love? Adding them together takes this recipe to a whole new level of deliciousness!
Ingredients:
Cake
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup shortening
2 cups sugar
5 eggs, separated
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup chopped pecans
Frosting
2 - 8 oz. cream cheese
1 cup salted butter
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
8 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans for topping
Directions:
Cake
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour three 8-inch round cake pans. Separate the eggs.
Cream 1/2 cup of the butter, shortening, and sugar together. Add egg yolks, one at time, beating after each addition. Stir in 1 teaspoon of the vanilla.
Sift together baking soda, flour and 1/4 cup cocoa together. Add alternately with buttermilk to the creamed mixture, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Stir in the coconut.
Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form and fold into the batter. Pour batter into the three prepared cakes pans.
Bake at 325 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes. Let cakes cool completely before frosting between layers and on sides.
Top with chopped pecans.
Frosting
Cream the cream cheese and butter together. Add powdered sugar and cocoa, beating in a little at a time until well-creamed. Add in vanilla and mix until all combined.
Milk Chocolate Frosted Brownie Bites
Let's celebrate another delightful combination: Milk Chocolate Buttercream and Brownies! Yum, Y'all!
Ingredients:
Brownies
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup pecan pieces
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter
2 Tbsp cocoa butter
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbsp milk
Directions:
Brownies
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease an 8x8 square baking pan or line with parchment paper and set aside. If lining your pan, leave some hanging over the edges to easily pull brownies from the pan once cooled.
In large mixing bowl, combine melted butter, sugars, and vanilla. Beat in eggs.
In separate bowl, stir together flour, cocoa, and salt. Slowly stir dry ingredients into egg mixture until combined.
Stir in chocolate chips and pecan pieces.
Pour into 8x8 pan and spread evenly to the edges. Batter will be thick.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until toothpick comes out with only a few crumbs.
Place brownies onto a wire rack and allow to cool completely.
Use a round cookie cutter to cut out assorted brownie bites.
Pipe buttercream frosting onto brownie bites.
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
In large bowl, cream powdered sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Beat in cocoa powder and vanilla. Add milk one tablespoon at a time and continue beating until desired consistency is achieved.
Pipe frosting onto brownie bites.
Yields: 10 to 12 brownie bites depending on size of cookie cutter.
Raspberry White Chocolate Cheesecake
We can't think of a better way to celebrate National Cheesecake Day than with the Raspberry White Chocolate Cheesecake!
Ingredients:
Crust
1 1/2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs (filling removed)
1/3 cup butter, melted
Filling
1/2 cup raspberry preserves
1/4 cup water
4 - 8 ounce packages cream cheese, softened
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tsp. vanilla extract
5 eggs
4 ounces white chocolate, chopped into chunks
Whipped Cream
3/4 cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp. powdered sugar
Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Combine the raspberry preserves with 1/4 cup water in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Heat for 1 1/2 minutes in microwave. Stir until smooth. Strain to remove the raspberry seeds then let the strained preserves cool.
Measure 1 1/2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs into a medium bowl. Mix in 1/3 cup melted butter. Press the cookie crumb mixture into a 9-inch spring form pan lined with parchment paper in bottom of pan. Press mixture into bottom of pan and about 2/3 up the side. Put crust in freezer until the filling is done.
Using a stand mixer with paddle attachment to combine the cream cheese with the sugar, sour cream and vanilla. Mix for 4 to 5 minutes until smooth and creamy. Be sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl.
Add the eggs one at a time to the mixture with the setting on medium. Blend the mixture until incorporated.
Remove the crust from freezer and sprinkle the white chocolate onto the bottom of the crust.
Pour half of the cream cheese mixture into the crust. Drizzle the raspberry preserves over the entire surface of the filling. Use a knife to swirl the raspberry into the cream cheese. Pour the other half of the cream cheese mixture into the crust.
Carefully place the cheesecake into a larger pan with about 1 inch of water to create a water bath. Bake for 12 minutes at 450 degrees then turn the oven down to 350 degrees and bake for 60 minutes or until the top of the cheesecake turns a light brown.
Turn oven off and crack door of oven. Allow to cool in oven for 2 hours. Remove springform from cheesecake and refrigerate overnight.
Before serving, pipe whipped cream and serve with fresh raspberries and white chocolate shavings.
Yield: 8 servings Whipped Cream
In mixing bowl, add in the heavy cream. Beat until soft peaks form.
Add in powdered sugar. Continue to beat until it becomes thick and stiff peaks form.
Add the whipped cream into a piping bag and pipe onto cheesecake.
Chocolate Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
Just like the Narwal itself, these cupcakes are so awesome people think they are a myth! They're almost too good to be true!
Ingredients:
Cupcake
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 large egg
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup hot water
Frosting
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened
5 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. salt
6 Tbsp. heavy cream
Directions:
Cupcake
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
Combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl and whisk together.
Combine the egg, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla in another bowl and whisk together.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment until combined.
Add the hot water to the batter and mix again, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary, until combined. Please note that the batter will be very thin.
Fill cupcake liners only 1/2 full, then bake for 20 to 22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Let cupcakes cool in pan for about 5 minutes before removing to a cooling rack.
Cool completely before frosting with vanilla buttercream.
Yields: 20 cupcakes
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
In the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment , beat the butter on medium until creamy for about 5 minutes.
Add half the powdered sugar and beat on low speed just until the sugar has been combined, then turn the speed until medium and beat until incorporated, about 4 to 5 minutes.
Add the remaining powdered sugar and beat until well incorporated, for another 4 to 5 minutes.
Add the vanilla and salt. Turn the mixer on low and slowly add 3 tablespoons of heavy cream to the mixture. Beat on medium for about 3 minutes. Be sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl before continuing.
Check consistency of the frosting and add the remaining cream if needed.
Yields: 5 cups
We can't wait for you to join our celebrations and taste these scrumptious desserts!
Cue the confetti, Y'all!
