Salted Caramel Chocolate Cake

This is a Martha Stewart, not a Kate, creation. 

I made it 4 layers instead of 6. 

I made it for Ryan's birthday.

It was amazing.

I'm married to a carb-aholic. He also happens to be a runner, golfer, and incredible athlete. 

And he's in the medical profession and would not counsel his patients 

to have the same "favorites" as he does. 

But in all honesty if you ask Ryan what his favorite foods are he will 

say, "cake, bread, biscuits, crackers, brownies, pizza, and cheese." yes.

I tell you these things because he is PICKY about his cakes, etc....and 

this cake is his new favorite, hands-down.

(http://www.marthastewart.com/857647/salted-caramel-six-layer-chocolate-cake) from Martha:


Ingredients

• 
  

  For The Cake

  • Unsalted butter, room temperature, for pans
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
  • 3 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
  • 1 tablepoon baking soda
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • Coarse salt
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups low-fat buttermilk
  • 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons safflower oil
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

• For The Caramel

  • 4 cups granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup light corn syrup
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • Coarse salt
  • 2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons

• For The Frosting

  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons Dutch-process cocoa powder
  • 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
  • Coarse salt
  • 1 pound semisweet chocolate, chopped, melted, and cooled
  • Garnish: flaked sea salt, such as Maldon

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make the cake: Butter three 9-inch round cake pans, and dust with flour, tapping out excess. Sift flour, granulated sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and 1 1/2 teaspoons course salt into the bowl of a mixer. Beat on low speed until just combined. Raise speed to medium, and add eggs, buttermilk, 1 1/2 cups warm water, oil, and vanilla. Beat until smooth, about 3 minutes.

Divide batter among pans. Bake until cakes are set and a toothpick inserted into the center of each comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Let cool in pans set on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Turn out cakes onto racks, and let cool completely.

Make the caramel: Combine granulated sugar, corn syrup, and 1/4 cup water in a medium saucepan over high heat. Cook, without stirring, until mixture is dark amber, about 14 minutes. Remove from heat, and carefully pour in cream (mixture will spatter); stir until smooth. Return to heat, and cook until a candy thermometer reaches 238 degrees, about 2 minutes. Pour caramel into a medium bowl, stir in 1 teaspoon coarse salt, and let cool slightly, about 15 minutes. Stir in butter, 1 tablespoon at a time. Let cool completely.

Meanwhile, make the frosting: Whisk together cocoa and 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons warm water in a bowl until cocoa dissolves. Beat butter, confectioners' sugar, and a generous pinch of coarse salt in a clean bowl with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Gradually beat in melted chocolate and then cocoa mixture until combined. Let stand for 30 minutes before using.

Trim tops of cakes using a serrated knife to create a level surface. Cut each in half horizontally to form 2 layers. Transfer 1 layer to a serving platter, and spread 3/4 cup caramel over top. Top with another cake layer, and repeat with remaining caramel and cake layers, leaving top uncovered. Refrigerate until set, about 1 hour.

Frost top and sides of cake in a swirling motion. Sprinkle with sea salt.

some notes from me:

-yes, use a candy thermometer

-make cake and caramel ahead of time (a day before)

-use floss and toothpicks to easily cut your 2 cakes in half to create your 4 layers

 (imagine each round cake is a clock. if your cooled cake 

is on a piece of parchment paper on your counter 

place 2 toothpicks on the outside of "12 o'clock", "3 o'clock", "6 o'clock", and "9 o'clock". 

toothpicks should be centered in a way that when you slide the floss through, 

the cake is cut into 2 even layers.

 put a long piece of floss in between each set of toothpicks. pull floss through.

your cake is cut evenly and without a mess!)

Make for someone you love and share with friends! 

enjoy!

peanut butter fudge brownie trifle

hello again. remember me? i have been a total blog failure as of late. i'm not even going to make excuses (insanely busy summer, school year starting, not enough hours in the day, k enough said.)  i have lots of things to share with you....a delicious green bean recipe and lentil soup (yes, soup already) and others, BUT today is about this: a peanut butter fudge brownie trifle. it's from pinterest (originally from this blog: howsweeteats) you may have seen it. yes, it really is as good as it looks and i recommend you make a plan to have lots of friends over  before making it so you're forced to share this divine little treat with others.

this is sinfully rich (and not at allllll good for you) BUT it's so worth it. promise.

ingredients:

1 batch of your favorite brownies, boxed or from scratch, cooled and cut into cubes (i used ghirardelli dark chocolate with chocolate chips)

1 large box (5-ounce) of instant chocolate pudding, prepared and chilled (this will most likely call for 3 cups of milk)

1 bag of peanut butter cups, chopped (I used Recess mini cups)

2 cups heavy cream

3-4 tablespoons granulated sugar, depending on your desired level of sweetness (3 for me and it was plenty sweet!)

1 cup of creamy peanut butter

1 cup of powdered sugar

2 tablespoons milk

8 ounces of whipped cream cheese, at room temperature

what to do:

Using a hand mixer (or in the bown of an electric mixer), beat heavy cream and sugar on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form.

 Transfer the whipped cream to an separate bowl and stick in the fridge until ready to use. I did not even clean the bowl of my electric mixer and just began mixing the peanut butter mixture.

Add the peanut butter and cream cheese to the bowl and beat at medium speed, scraping down the sides a few times until mixture is creamy.

 Add in powdered sugar and mix until combined, then mix in 2 tablespoons of milk.

Remove the whipped cream from the fridge and add 1 cup of it to the peanut butter, folding it in until the mixture turns lighter in color and is mostly combined.

Grab your trifle dish (I got one that I really like from Walmart for $6...score! :) ) and begin to layer your ingredients however you’d like.

 I did a layer of brownies, then peanut butter, then a handful of chopped peanut butter cups, chocolate pudding, whipped cream, and so on. I repeated it until I got to the top, then piped the remaining whipped cream on top and sprinkled the candy on.

You really can’t go wrong with layering – just use a long spoon to serve!

we had some friends over last weekend. we packed on our front porch. the girls drank wine and talked. the guys grilled. it was a lot of fun. then the trifle happened. the most social of the social butterflies were quieted by this dessert. "it's like heaven in my mouth.", "shhh don't talk to me right now, i just want to be alone with my trifle" -emily...i mean anonymous :)

make it, you're friends will love you for it!

enjoy.

pumpkin bread pudding with dulce de leche

I'm not traditionally a "bread pudding person". I don't know why. I love bread and I love dessert, but I've just never gotten into the bread pudding thing.  I'm into this one though. It's fun to make, it's festive, and damn...it's just really good!! (oh, there's not a healthy thing about it. we can all splurge once in a while... :) )

what you need for the bread pudding:
1 can (15 oz.) pure pumpkin puree
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup light-brown sugar
1/2 t coarse salt
3/4 t pure vanilla extract
1/2 t ground cinnamon
1/2 t anise seed, roughly chopped
10 oz. day-old bread, such as brioche or sourdough, cut into 1 inch cubes
1/2 cup pecans, roughly chopped

what you need for the dulce de leche:
6 cups whole milk
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 t coarse salt
*remove from heat and whisk in:
3/4 t baking soda (mixture will foam)

what to do for bread pudding:
Butter a 2-quart baking dish.
In a large bowl, whisk together the custard: can pumpkin puree, 1 cup whole milk, 1/2 cup heavy cream, 2 large eggs, lightly beaten, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon anise seed, roughly chopped.
Arrange bread pieces in a dish and pour custard over bread and top with pecans, roughly chopped.
Bake at 350 until custard is set, 45 minutes. Let cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature, drizzled with dulce de leche. To store, cover and refrigerate, up to 2 days.

what to do for dulce de leche:
In a medium saucepan combine ingredients, then cook over medium heat and bring to a simmer.
Remove from heat and whisk in 3/4 teaspoon baking soda (mixture will foam).
Return to simmer and cook over low, stirring occasionally and skimming off any foam, until sauce is deep golden brown and lightly coats a spoon, about an hour.

s'more cups!

Several months ago my friend, Sarah, introduced me to these delicious (and horribly addicting!)  gooey chocolatey crumbly treats!! Perfect for a holiday party, or a shower, or a Friday night..or a birthday party...or Thanksgiving...or just cuz. catch my drift? they're great anytime! :)

Ingredients:
7 whole graham crackers (I use low fat honey graham crackers)
¼ cup powdered sugar
6 tbsp butter, melted
4 bars chocolate candy (or 2 KING size bars), divided
(I use dark chocolate Hershey bars. You will use 2 bars for the middle layer of chocolate and 2 bars to dip the s’more cups in…the final step) 
12 large marshmallows
Deluxe Mini Muffin pan
Yield: 24 cups

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Place graham crackers in food processor and blend until fine (or place in large plastic bag and crush)
3. Add graham cracker crumbs to melted butter. Add powdered sugar to butter and graham cracker mixture. Stir.
4. Put small scoop of graham cracker, sugar, butter mixture into bottom of each (24) cup of muffin pan.  5.Press crumbs to form shallow cups.
6.Bake 4-5 minutes
7. Break 2 candy bars into rectangles and place one rectangle into each cup when you remove from overn
8.Cut marshmallow in half crosswise using kitchen shears and place one marshmallow half, cut-side down, into each cup
9. Return to oven 1-2 minutes
10. Let cool for 15 minutes
11. Carefully remove cups from pan. Cool completely.
12.  Break remaining candy bars and place in microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high for 1 minute to 1.5 minutes or until melted and smooth, stirring every 20-30 seconds.
13. Dip the top of each marshmallow in melted chocolate. Turn top-side up and let stand 40 minutes-1 hour or until set. (I’ve never waited this long before I eat one… They’re too hard to resist! )

Paul & Kristen's Homemade Hot Chocolate

When we went to visit our friends, Paul & Kristen, in Denver last year we were completely spoiled by their homemade hot chocolate. For part of our wedding present, they finally shared the recipe with us. Hope they don't mind that I'm unleashing their drinkable secret....

Ingredients:
1 8 qt. box powdered milk
1 lb. box Nestle's Quick
1 (8 oz.) jar coffee creamer (I use french vanilla)
1/2 box powdered sugar

What to do:
Mix together!
Use 1/3 cup mix to 1 cup hot water
Top with whip cream or marshmallows

We have already enjoyed several cool nights on our porch, delcious cocoa in hand! :)

fall cookies

A few Fridays ago I brought a treat to school for some of my coworkers. 

just a little "we made it to the weekend!" pick me up :) 

I brought s'more cups, a delicious recipe from my friend Sarah that I will share with you soon. 

Today in a meeting, a s'more-cup-loving work friend said, "

Kate, I've been thinking about those s'more cups!! Will you pleaseee bring another treat soon?" 

How could I resist? I came home, looked in the pantry to see what I already had, and was able to make these! They are sort of a hodge podge type of cookie, so if you're 

not into nuts and oats and a party in your mouth, 

you may want to leave out a couple ingredients :)

Ingredients:

1 c. melted butter

1 c. sugar

1 c. brown sugar

2 eggs

1 c. peanut butter

1 tsp. vanilla

2 c. flour

2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 c. uncooked oatmeal

6 oz. chocolate chips

*1/2 c. chopped pecans

*cinnamon to taste (I used about 3/4 Tbsp)

*ingredients that I added to the recipe

*3 heaping Tbsp. homemade hot chocolate 

(I'll share that recipe soon!) (substitute with a packet of hot chocolate)

Directions: 

Mix all ingredients together and place by spoonfuls on ungreased cookie sheet. 

Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 10 minutes. 

Cookies will still be soft when done.