Chocolate Celebration Cake

My sister-in-law first made this cake and sent down a slice and let me tell you I had to have the recipe for it!! Chocolate dipped strawberries are one of my favorite things, so a cake with them piled on top of sounded perfect to me!!

Original recipe is from Taste Of Home-I love their recipes and use them often.

Love, love, love these;)

I can't for the life of me get my frosting to go on smooth-so I used a butter knife to make this design on the sides.

This cake is basically just a boxed mix thats been "enhanced" with extra ingredients added

for moistness.

This recipe makes a lot of frosting and next time I won't make the full amount of ganache either but I will definitely be making it again!

Full recipe available in the printable

The top has a ganache poured over and dripping down the sides a little.

Thats a ton of frosting!!

This would make an excellent Valentine's Day cake:)

Enjoy!!

Printable Recipe

Cookies & Cream Stuffed Chocolate Cookies

Inspired by Picky Palate-LOVE her blog!

She just posted Brownie Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies!

I originally planned on just using her cookie recipe and leaving out the chips.

{above}

They were yummy like that...

but since Valentine's Day is coming right up I threw in some cocoa powder cuz

it's all about the chocolate right:)

Here is the link to here Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe with the original concept-

Oreos!

Here is a little how to-:)

Roll cookie dough into about 24 balls.

I couldn't resist throwing these little sprinkles on top!

The candy centers melted just enough-YUM!

The kiddos were very excited to try them!!

Be sure to check out those scrumptious looking Brownie Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies!!

Enjoy!!!

Printable Recipe

"Funfetti" Cupcakes

I was inspired to try my version of Funfetti by Little Bitty Bakes blog-this girl does everything funfetti!! I'm talking granola bars, pancakes and even oatmeal!!

Instead of using funfetti cake mix I used sprinkles as my fetti in a basic white cake recipe.

Here's to a Valentine's Day cupcake!!

I used Magnolia Bakery's buttercream frosting recipe.

I used softsilk cake flour this time hoping for a lighter cake but it was still a little dense-I think it's me and something I'm doing wrong-I'm going to keep trying different recipes:)

My "funfetti":)

I just poured the sprinkles in with the cake mix.

poured them into liners and baked them.

I used pink melting candy to make these hearts.

Frosted the cupcakes

Maybe more sprinkle???;)

Enjoy!!

Printable Recipe

Marshmallows 2 Ways

These marshmallows are simply delicious!!

I made 2 different recipes and came out with 2 very different marshmallows.

The first 1 was from Joy of baking and the second Martha Stewart-I personally loved Martha's better-it was light, airy and melt in your mouth yummy:)

While Joy's was more thicker and chewy-most people who have tried them really like Joy's version better. The recipe I'm giving here today will be Martha's but feel free to try them both! I'm linking to Joy's marshmallow post-printable. I'll have Martha's recipe available through our printable link. With Martha's recipe I decided to add Saigon cinnamon-which is a little spicier than regular cinnamon and added just the right amount of flavor. With Joy's I added peppermint extract.

This may look more complicated than it actually is-it's actually pretty easy!

The first thing is to get your pan ready by sifting powdered sugar on all surfaces.

In a medium saucepan bring to a boil, over high heat, corn syrup, sugar, and water.

Meanwhile dissolve gelatin in 3/4 c. cold water.

About 5 minutes.

Oops!

Just about forgot the salt!

Once the sugar dissolves, boil for about 9 minutes or until temp reaches 238 degrees.

With the mixer on low speed slowly stream the hot syrup into the gelatin mixture.

Gradually raise the speed to high; beat until very stiff, about 12 minutes.

Beat in vanilla and in our case, cinnamon.

Sorry for the lack of step by step on these next ones it gets a little crazy busy here!:)

So I'll just tell you-Pour the marshmallow into the prepared pan and smooth with an offset spatula. Set aside uncovered, until firm about 3 hours-I laid a sheet of tin foil lightly over mine and left it out over night.

You then unmold the marshmallows from the pans-above is the peppermint ones.

Cut into whatever size and shape you want.

You can see that these ones are thinner and more compact.

These {above} are the cinnamon flavored marshmallows, they almost over flowed the pan!

Un-mold onto a powdered sugar covered counter top.

Can you tell how much lighter and thicker these ones came out?!?

Be sure to dip all sides into powdered sugar to avoid them sticking together.

Store in an airtight container.

I will definitely be making more and trying different flavors in the future!!

Top your favorite cup of hot chocolate or just by itself!!

Enjoy!!!

Printable Recipe

Spiced Sweet Potato Cake with Brown Sugar Glaze

Make this cake and bring it with you to Thanksgiving dinner-its so good you can't have it just sit on the counter and tempt you all day!!

Trust me on this one!

I found this recipe last year from a blog called Roost. She's a Southern girl now living in Seattle.

I love her blog-the earthy ingredients, the photos and of course her recipes:)

Sweet potatoes. Cooked. Peeled. Mashed.

Sift, Sift. Important step in any from scratch cake! Sift all dry ingredients.

You won't regret it!

Batter loaded into a bundt pan.

My, look how pretty that baked up!

Drizzly, Gooey glaze!

Sooo yummy!

Your family will love you more than before! They will love you from their insides;)

And their tummies will thank you!

Printable Recipe

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!!

From all of us at The Peppered Pantry!!!

Caramel Cake

Happy Fathers Day!!

This is one of the most decadent cakes ever!!

So I had to make it for Fathers Day!

I've made a Caramel Cake before but it was kinda lacking the right punch of caramel flavor so when I saw this one posted over at Our Best Bites I thought I'd give it a try.

Gotta warn you though-This is a very, very sweet cake!

Oh and the Hubby loved it!;)

For the Cake:

1 yellow cake mix-they recommend Duncan Hines-I used my favorite..Betty Crocker:)

1 8 oz. container sour cream

1 c. oil

3 eggs

1 tsp. butter flavor

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. almond extract

Preheat oven to 350*. In a large bowl, combine cake ingredients and beat on med-high for 3 mins. While they used a 9x13 in. pan I used 9 in. round pans-I like a layered cake:) Pour batter into pan of choice-you could totally do cupcakes if you wanted-Yummy! Bake according to box directions. Once baked allow to cool. While cooling, prepare the caramel frosting.

Frosting:

1 c. butter

2 c. firmly packed brown sugar-I used half dark brown and half regular brown

1/4 c.+2 T. whipping Cream

2 t. vanilla

3-3/4 c. powdered sugar

About 1 c. toasted, chopped pecans-I didn't use these hubby doesn't care for them.

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and , stirring constantly, bring the mixture to a boil. Carefully stir in the whipping cream and vanilla {be careful of splatters-it's HOT!} and then bring this mixture to a boil. Remove from heat and allow to cool for about 1/2 hour. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl and sift in the powdered sugar. Beat on high for 2-3 mins or until creamy and fluffy. If you do a layer cake press down on the cakes while still hot. You can do it in 2 layers if you like or you can slice the cake in halves to make 4 layers, which is what I did. Spread the icing over the cake and sprinkle with chopped pecans.

Soooo Yummy!

Enjoy with a nice hot cup of strong coffee!

Printable Recipe

Easter Cake How To

Here is a step by step how to on the Easter Egg Cake. Let me know if you try it I would love to see yours:)

First make a white cake with egg whites for your actual cake.

I used 2 box mixes for the white part and 1 to color for the Egg part.

When mixing the cake for coloring use whole eggs so you have a little denser cake to work with.

Pour about 1 c. into ramekins or 1/3 of batter into 8 inch rounds whichever you like.

Bake cakes in usual way.

Once they come out of the oven use clean towel to press the cakes flat

This way you won't have to try to cut it straight;)

Place them on a cooling rack for about 15 to 20 mins.

Then pop them into the freezer for 20 mins.

Start baking the colored cakes-we did ours in loaf pans because the shape doesn't

matter.

In the meantime you can get the frosting ready. I made Buttercream Frosting click the link for a printable recipe.

Once these cakes are cooled crumble into separate bowls being careful not to get

the browned edges into the bowl.

Then add a spoonful of frosting to each bowl and mix in.

Then get ready to start carving the cakes, by measuring across to find the center

Then you use a spoon or knife-we used a melon baller-to start cutting in the shape.

The above cake is the top piece.

Below is the middle and bottom pieces.

You frost them and freeze them before cutting into them.

Here is the carved out shape.

Then you start layering in the colored cake in any order you like.

The above picture is the top.

Do the same for the bottom.

Frost the middle ring and make sure to bring the crumbled cake up to level with the frosting

so it matches up with the top piece.

Assemble and frost the whole cake and decorate however you want.

Top with the crumbled cake.

Last but not least you get to cut into the cake and see the shape :)

Have fun!

Printable Tutorial