Thursday, November 17, 2011

Andes Mint Chocolate Cake with Ganache

I am very excited to share this recipe with you today! It is SO delicious!!
My daughter even declared this one of her top 5 favorite cakes!
That is pretty good, considering how many cakes I have made.



Andes Mint Chocolate Cake
  • 1 cup boiling water
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 3/4 cups flour
  • 3/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup buttermilk (OR 1 c. milk mixed with 1 T. vinegar)
  • 1/2 cup oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 cup chopped Andes Mints

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottom of three 8 inch cake pans with wax paper and spray the sides of the pan with cooking spray. Bring some water to a boil and keep it simmering while you mix the other ingredients.

In a large mixing bowl combine the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add the eggs, buttermilk, oil and vanilla. Beat with mixer until combined.

Add 1 cup of the boiling water and carefully stir until it is mixed in. Beat for 1 1/2 minutes with mixer. Shake the chopped Andes Mints in a ziploc bag with a tablespoon of flour, until they are lightly coated. Fold the mints into the batter and pour into prepared pans. Bake for 20-23 minutes (until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean).



Mint Buttercream Frosting
  • 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 6 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
  • green food coloring
  • 1/2 cup milk (may use less)
Mix butter, sugar, vanilla, peppermint and food coloring on low speed in large mixing bowl. Gradually add milk until you reach the desired consistency. Keep covered.

Decorating Tip: I used a cake decorating comb to make the ridges on the sides of the cake.

Ganache
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Place the chocolate chips in a metal bowl. Heat cream over medium heat. Watch it closely and immediately remove from heat when it starts to boil. Pour over chocolate chips. Let stand for 1 or 2 minutes. Then slowly stir the mixture until all the chips have completely melted. Stir in the vanilla.

Allow the ganache to cool and slightly thicken before you use it. Let it sit at room temperature for a couple hours, or put in the refrigerator if you want to speed things up. Start pouring the ganache over the center of your cake, and slowly move outward in circles.

You can actually cut this recipe in half and still have enough to cover the cake. But you will love having leftovers to pour over ice cream, drizzle over cupcakes...so many possibilities! Cover and store refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.



Please go make this cake! You will thank me. Your family will thank me. :0)

Enjoy!

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Friday, November 11, 2011

Autumn Leaves Cake

Yes, I realize that the stores are full of Christmas stuff.
There was Christmas music playing as I did my grocery shopping yesterday.
 But I'm not giving in!

My Christmas decorations are not coming out until after Thanksgiving.
And today I made this autumn leaves cake in lots of yummy fall colors...


Here is how you make the leaves:
First, put several colors of candy melts in piping bags.
I used Wilton decorating tip #3.


Make a leaf template (or print this one). I found a leaves coloring page online, and my graphic designer hubby removed the stems and sized them for me.


Tape your template on to a piece of cardboard, and tape wax paper over that.
Pipe the outline of each leaf.


Then go back and fill in each leaf with a contrasting color.
Pop them in the fridge so they can set up.


Carefully peel the wax paper off the leaves (they are a bit delicate) and arrange them on your cake. Then you could take your lovely cake outside for a photo shoot...





Happy Autumn!
I hope that you will visit again! Be a follower, and don't miss out on any of the fun! :0)


Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Cookie Monster Cupcakes

It is time to celebrate my favorite furry, blue monster.
November 2nd is Cookie Monster's Birthday!


You may wonder how I came to know this little nugget of information.
I do love to celebrate birthdays, and I am pretty good at remembering dates.
But, Sesame Street characters?
Let me show you something...


My daughter has written the birthdays of ALL the Sesame Street characters on my calendar.
(We now know that my oldest daughter shares her birthday with Ernie.)

This calls for some Cookie Monster cupcakes!



Here is what you will need to make them:


Famous Amos chocolate chip cookies (they are the perfect size!)
White Candy Melts
Blue buttercream frosting in a piping bag
Wilton #233 decorating tip
Chocolate chips
A batch of your favorite cupcakes


First, cut out a mouth for Cookie Monster.
Eat the cupcake scraps.


Place a cookie in the mouth.
Pipe frosting fur all over the cupcake.


Melt a few candy melts. Put a dab on the back of a chocolate chip, and stick it on the flat side of a candy melt. Put a dollop of frosting on the backs of 2 candy melts, and give Cookie Monster some eyes.


  Om, nom, nom, nom!!
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