Carrot Cake with Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting

This cake is haunting me.  I didn't know what to do about this post.  Do I update the cupcake post?  Do I have a new post exclusively dedicated to the cake?  After much pondering, I decided there was enough new information for a new post.  The cake is the same recipe as the cupcakes, but since instructions are different and the frosting is different, I thought it would be easier to just do it this way.  And also, this cake is so freaking good, I might just start posting about it daily.  Two posts might not be enough.  In the next few posts, I will talk about how good this cake is, even days after it's made.  I love desserts like that!

Bake 52: Large Danish Braid

I knew when I looked at this recipe a few days ago that it was probably a 2 day process.  It doesn't have to be but it's easier to give yourself a couple days so you don't feel rushed.  Yesterday I made the danish dough and did all the rolling and folding, which really isn't that hard, just takes a little time.  You roll it out and fold it over a few times, refrigerate for 2 hours and then repeat.

This morning, I rolled it out, made the fillings and baked it.  I chose cream cheese and strawberries (1 cup frozen strawberries, pureed with 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 tsp lemon juice, simmered until thick) for the filling.  Of course we all loved it.  We are strawberry lovers around here and you all know how I feel about cream cheese.  I almost threw some Nutella in there too but I figured after folding all the butter into the dough, we were going to be consuming enough fat and calories without it.

 After baking it at 400 {Next time I would go with 375 degrees maybe.  It seemed like mine was more done that I'd like on the bottom.  Or maybe just double up on the baking pans like Betsy suggested a while ago.} for 22-25 minutes, the glaze is brushed over it.  I was maybe supposed to brush all the glaze over it, but I just did one coat and still had plenty left.  

 Since I had glaze left, instead of starting over with the icing, I just added some powdered sugar to my left over glaze to make the icing.  And I still had some left over.  Maybe I was just supposed to douse this thing?

This is super fancy, super delicious and not too hard.  It would be perfect for a special brunch or dessert on a special occasion or just a Wednesday. :)

Jen O was our host this week.  If you'd like the recipe, you can head over to her blog.  Thanks for hosting this week Jen, it was a great pick!

Bake 52: Spiced Pumpkin Cheesecake

 Update 11/14/12:  This was so good the next day, it tasted more cheesecake-y and delicious.  I am not sure if I was just being a cheesecake snob yesterday or if it's just REALLY good for breakfast (oops), but I am taking back my wishy-washy sentiments from the past.  So add that to the list; can and should be made ahead. :)

This was my week to host. I have been wanting to make pumpkin cheesecake for a while so I decided to try the recipe in our book, and make everyone do it with me.  :)

Bake 52: Red Velvet Cupcakes

 We are officially in the home stretch of our baking year.  This week marks the end of another cycle and leaving only one cycle left.  Only 7 weeks left!  I can't believe it.  

This week was red velvet sheet cake and it should surprise no one that I made cupcakes instead.  Because that's what I do.  Cake isn't usually on the top of my dessert list but the last couple cakes we've made have started to change my mind.  It might be the cream cheese frosting.  Cream cheese makes everything better.  These were pretty quick and simple and easy to share with friends.

Was anyone else surprised with how little chocolate is actually in these? 

The only complaint I had was that the recipe stated I would get 24 cupcakes (but since I halved the recipe I expected 12) if I used a 1/4 cup scoop.   And I did, and I was careful about it.  And I only ended up with 9 cupcakes.  So if you are okay with only 18 cupcakes, then use the 1/4 cup scoop.  If you want 24, then use a 3 T of batter for each cupcake.  And yes, I did the math.  I think the only time I use math is when I am cooking. :)

So the difference in the directions would be:  Line cupcake pans with liners or spray with cooking spray.  Make batter, and spoon 1/4 cup (or 3 T depending on how many you want) batter into each liner.  Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.  Cool and frost.  

 I also halved the frosting recipe and it was plenty for half a batch of cake.  Each of these cupcakes has PLENTY of frosting, as you can see.  You might even be able to get away with 1/4 a batch of frosting.  I also added about 2 cups of extra powdered sugar (to half a batch) to get it to a firmer consistency.   If you are just spreading it on the cupcake, it doesn't really need to be firmer though.

If you are sad about the election, maybe whipping up a batch of these will make you feel a little better.  Remember what I said about cream cheese?  Makes everything better. ;)   You can get the recipe at Janet's blog.  She was our host for the week and chose the recipe.  Thanks for picking a great recipe Janet!

Bake 52: Pumpkin Sheet Cake with Caramel and Cream Cheese Frosting

I had very good intentions of sticking to the recipe this week.  Really, I did.  It's just that this is what was on the page right next to our recipe:  Buttermilk-Caramel Cake

And the only thing I love as much as pumpkin + chocolate is pumpkin + caramel.  How could I do anything but what I did?  I did stick exactly to the recipe for the cake and cream cheese frosting except I halved them both (and baked the cake in an 8x8 pan) and then I made the caramel frosting.  I don't regret it for a minute.  The only thing I do regret is not having pecans.  I think some toasted pecans either in the caramel frosting or on top of the whole thing would have been nothing short of amazing.  

Berry Cheesecake Squares

I've talked about being obsessed with fruit and cream desserts lately.  I wonder if you guys knew that I was this serious about it. :)  When we were looking for baking ideas for the 4th of July, one of my friends posted a link to this on Facebook and it was love at first sight.  

Patriotic Pavlova

We got home from our trip yesterday.  I am not sure why sitting in a car for hours on end makes me tired for days to come but I guess that's a lot of work for me.  Just sitting there.  Every once in a while turning my head to yell something at my kids in the backseat.  Not because we have a huge car and I have to yell for them to hear me but because we have a tiny car and everything they do starts to get on my nerves by the 11th hour.  The end of this trip marks the 8 billionth mile we have traveled since we got married.  And as of right now, going even to the grocery store seems too far.  (Although I did grudgingly go to the grocery store this afternoon, it was beyond ridiculous around here before that.)  

Another break from school has come and gone and today it was back to classes for the hubby.  It really went by in a flash, as it always does.  Some of our friends had a get together tonight to commemorate the start of another year.  They said to bring a side dish.  Doesn't dessert count as a side?  I really think it should also count as a main dish.  I have had this pavlova in my head since I saw this post the other day and knew if I made it for our family alone, I would eat it by myself.  

I have previously mentioned my love of pavlova.  And if you haven't tried it yet, I really don't know what you are waiting for.  I thought it would be an especially nice treat to bring because one of the guys can't have gluten.  (You really should have seen how excited he was when he found out it was gluten free.  It was worth it just for that.)  It is easy to make and everyone was impressed by it.  I felt a little guilty about how impressed they were knowing how little of my time it really took.  It does bake for 90 minutes and have to cool after that but it requires few ingredients and is simple to put together.  I understand your reservation, it has a weird name but you are just going to have to get over it!  

I am all about fresh fruit desserts right now, I can't seem to get enough.  The texture of the actual meringue is lovely.  It's light and pillowy with a slight crunch and then it melts in your mouth.  And not at all what everyone will expect you to bring. :)  It's traditionally shaped as a circle, but I opted for the rectangle since I had the flag theme going.  You can really put any kind of fruit you feel like on top, this is just what I used today.  Previously, I baked it at 200 for 90 minutes, turned off the oven and let it cool in the oven for 2 hours.  It seemed to crack less using that method and it stayed more white in color.  Today I was in more of a hurry and baked it at 225 for 90 minutes, then removed it from the oven to cool completely.  Either way works but if I have time, I will opt for the former.

Patriotic Pavlova

ingredients:

6 egg whites

1/4 + 1/8 tsp cream of tartar

1 tsp vanilla

1 & 1/2 cups sugar

topping:

large container of cool whip

1/4 cup sugar

8 oz cream cheese

Fruit:

watermelon, cut into star shapes with cookie cutter.

strawberries (about 3/4 to 1 cup chopped)

blueberries (about 1 cup)

Preheat oven to 200 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Add egg whites, cream of tartar and vanilla to the bowl of your mixer.  Mix on medium speed until frothy and light.  Add sugar a little at at time until all combined.  Turn mixer speed to high and whip until stiff peaks form. (about 5-10 minutes)

Spread into desired shape on parchment paper.  The meringue should be about 1 1/2 to 2 inches thick.  My rectangle was about 9x13 inches.  Bake for 90 minutes, then turn off oven temp and allow to sit in the oven for 2 hours.  Remove and cool completely.

For topping:

Mix 1/4 cup sugar and cream cheese until smooth and combined.  Mix in Cool Whip and refrigerate about 20 minutes.  Spread onto the cool meringue.  

Top with chopped strawberries, watermelon and blueberries.  Serve immediately.  (Since it was a rectangle, we cut it into squares)

Now if only I could sleep for a week to recover from all that hard sitting and yelling work I have been doing. ;)  Oh and on top of that, I picked now to try and quit drinking Diet Coke.  Feel free to shoot me in the head.  Anyone?

Fruit Dip-The caramel-ish kind

How do you feel about asking people for recipes?  I don't usually ask.  I think I have some kind of mental disorder where I can't handle rejection.  The idea of someone saying, "No, it's a family recipe."  and the awkwardness that follows is enough for me to just eat it and say, "This is delicious!" and go on my merry way.  I went to a party once and they had a fruit dip that was brown and unlike the normal dips I had seen (which are also delicious) and needless to say, I loved it.  But instead of asking, I just decided to figure it out myself.  No awkwardness there, just me and my kitchen, and most of the time the kitchen is super supportive.

Cookies and Cream (Oreo) Cheesecake (with a mint twist)

First things first; have you tried mint Oreos?  Completely delicious.  I bought some to use for this cheesecake and ate far too many of them.  I just used them for the crust because I didn't want it to be a mint-Oreo cheesecake, I just thought it would add a little something extra.  You could use all mint Oreos though and I am sure it would be nothing short of spectacular.

Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo

If it wasn't completely obvious before this, we are a family of pasta lovers.  This is our favorite Alfredo sauce.  It's delicious, easy and I usually have all the ingredients on hand.  I don't normally keep heavy cream on hand and this recipe doesn't require it.

Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting and Easter

 Last year, my brother, Matthew, requested carrot cake for his birthday.  He insisted that I make it from a box.  I rolled my eyes and told him that I would make one from a box and make a homemade one to see which he liked better.  I was completely convinced I would change his mind.

Lasagna

Tyler has a list of recipes he keeps requesting I write down.  In case I die.  Romantic, right?  I think he is only half joking when he says it, but he says it a lot.  

Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies

I feel like today is my last chance to post about Valentine's day.  I saw these brownies on Tracey's blog and had to try them.  The only thing about it is-I should have called them not-so-red velvet.  I skimped on the food coloring.  What can I say?  It gets a bad name, red.  Everyone hates it these days and I felt guilty dumping it into my brownies.  (They were so healthy otherwise)  I actually thought I had them pretty infused, but the proof is in the...uh.. brown.

Sausage and Mushroom Quiche

My computer and I are having a disagreement.  We have been at it since last night.  I was trying to finish this post and it was determined not to let me.  Needless to say, it won last night.  This morning, it is still out to destroy me.  I thought we were on the same team, but I guess not.  I had a photo of the quiche cut and ready to serve, but my computer doesn't want you to see it.  It doesn't want to download it from my email.  It's refusing.  So I guess for now, you will have to settle with the quiche in whole form.  What can I say, the computer has spoken.  If I can get it to work later, I will add it then.  Or maybe I will just decide that it's not that big of a deal.  Pick your battles and all that stuff, right?  Maybe this isn't a battle I should pick today.  After all, we are just really starting the day.  There might be some way more important things to chose from. I doubt it.  What could be more important than this quiche?  I find it hard to believe anything could be.

Crab Rangoon (Cream Cheese Won tons) with Sweet and Sour Sauce

I LOVE CHINESE FOOD!  It might be weird that I am posting about this, right now, with Christmas right around the corner.  Maybe you are having people over for a get-together and this would be the perfect addition to your party.  Or maybe not, but here it is anyway!  

Creamy Corn (Slow Cooker)

I posted not long ago about slow cooker mashed potatoes and still can't get over the genius of it.  I have since been in love with the idea of side dished in the crock pot.  Especially for special occasions.  The recipe for Candied Yams with Apples and Cranberries was also a bit hit.

I told you guys we went to Arizona for Thanksgiving to spend time with Jenni and her family.  Her mom cooked an AMAZING Thanksgiving dinner.  Seriously, amazing.  Part of dinner was a creamy corn that everyone loved.  Tyler seemed to think it was gravy and put it on top of everything on his plate.  It reminded me of a slow cooker recipe for creamy corn that I made a few years ago.  I couldn't remember the actual recipe so I just added some stuff to the crock pot and I liked the result.  I don't think it's exactly the same as what we had for Thanksgiving, but it's still delicious and would go great with Ham or Turkey or probably any holiday meal.  And the best part is, it's super easy.  It makes me want to get a few more slow cookers.

Crêpes with Strawberries and Nutella

(updated photo: 2/14/2013)

My family has a tradition involving these crêpes.  If you ask any of them they might say they came up with the idea.  But seriously, don't listen to them.  It was all me.  I was in San Francisco for a work conference a billion years ago (it sounds better for the story that way but it was really probably 9 years ago) and we went to an outdoor mall with a bunch of little shops; including a crêpe shop.  I wish I could remember the name of it.  That place changed my life.  

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

If you have been reading, you have probably guessed that I will eat just about anything with pumpkin or cream cheese.  Would you believe I also love the combination of the two?  Weird, right?  I saw these muffins a couple months ago on Tracey's blog and I have been wanting to make them ever since. 

Caramel Apple Cheesecake

I really love cheesecake.  I know, it seems like I really love everything.  (Hence, the name of the blog) But it's really serious.  I mean, really.  I forget many details about my past, but a lot of times food memories stick with me.  I remember when I was working, probably 9 or so years ago, eating a caramel apple cheesecake at a restaurant once for lunch.  My co-worker and I embarrassed ourselves with pleasure noises while eating dessert that day.  We tried to go back, just for the cheesecake, many times and they NEVER had it again.  It's been in the back of my mind ever since.  

4 Cheese and Spinach Ravioli

This is my second vegetarian meal for the week (unless you count the second night of pizza then it was 3 vegetarian meals for the me).  I am not surprised that I fell back on Italian food to help me in my time of need.  When I was trying to think of another vegetarian dish, of course, I came up with some kind of pasta.  I have mentioned previously that I have been seperated from a lot of my kitchen tools and recently reunited with them.  Since being reunited, I have been planning to use my ravioli maker.  Once I started thinking about pasta tonight, it didn't take long for my mind to wander right on over to ravioli.  My grandfather was Italian and when I was young we used to have homemade ravioli every Thanksgiving.  This is my take on what homemade ravioli should be (if we are talking about meatless, anyway).