Rhubarb Custard Cake

I have about eight mounds of rhubarb in my garden (which is otherwise pretty scarce due to the horrible weather here in South Dakota!) and I've noticed it's screaming at me to be picked.  I went out and got a little over 10 cups of rhubarb picked.... still leaving much more to enjoy later!  (I'm a newbie when it comes to growing/picking rhubarb... these just happen to come with the house we've recently moved into.  Yay me!)

So I decided to spend quite a while on Pinterest with a specific search in mind - this time.  Rhubarb recipes!!  I could make the same 'ol cake I already know how to make, but I thought I'd change things up a bit, since I know I'll have more opportunities to make wonderfulness later.  I came across this wonderful custard type cake.... made a few alterations and it turned out amazing!!! 

INGREDIENTS:

1 box cake mix - vanilla flavor (and all necessary items to make cake)

sprinkles of nutmeg

roughly 3 C of chopped rhubarb

1 1/2 C sugar 

2 C of vanilla coffee creamer

DIRECTIONS:

1) Make cake according to instructions and sprinkle a bit of nutmeg into the batter.  

2) Pour into greased cake pan... I wanted them to be more bar-ish than thick cake-ish, so I split my batter into a normal sized cake pan and a smaller size brownie pan.  That way, I would have more rhubarb-to-cake ratio - - tartness is wonderful!

3) Mix together the chopped rhubarb and all the sugar.... let sit for a moment, then pour over the batter.  Do not mix or stir into the batter.  Just plop it on top.

4)  Carefully pour the creamer on top of the rhubarb.  Again, do not mix or stir... just let it sit.

5)  Bake 'cake' according to the box instructions... when a toothpick comes out clean, it's done, like always.  

** The rhubarb and cream will form a custard-like yumminess and sink to the bottom... the cake bakes to the top and comes away from the sides of the pan.  So don't expect it to look exactly like your normal cake will, when it comes out of the oven.  

My boys ate this up!!  It's not too sweet or sugary like some desserts turn out to be - - and the rhubarb gives it just enough tartness to make you happy!!  

YUM!! 

Enjoy!

Creamy Peanut Butter Topped Brownie

Well... Christopher loves, loves, loves brownies so I am continually trying to find new things to do with them.  Things to add, mix in, top with or things to just completely transform them all together.  Because..... Chris loves brownies and I love Chris.

And.... I love Peanut Butter!  So what could be better than combining brownies and peanut butter??  Yumm!   I looked around and found something similar on Pinterest.  I looked at that recipes and it called for Peanut Butter chips.  I'm not a fan, so I improvised and dabbled to make my own.  However, you want to try the other recipe, here's the link:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/brownies-with-peanut-butter-fudge-frosting/detail.aspx

However.... here's mine.  Mmm Mmm Mmm.

SO EASY:
1) Make your favorite brownie mix like normal.  (Yes, from a box.... why not?)

2) Mix together in a bowl: roughly 2 to 2 1/2 cups of your favorite peanut butter (Jif is awesome, for me!) a whole can of Sweetened Condensed Milk and a few Tbsp of milk.  Use a hand mixer or your arm will get tired very quickly... that peanut butter is thick!  Add in the milk a few Tbsp at a time until it's a nice, spreadable and wonderful creamy consistency.

3)  Once the brownies have cooled slightly, top with PB goo.  The brownies can be a little warm, but if it's too warm then the PB will just slide right off.... no good.

Slice & Eat!
Yummy!!  

Chris was very happy to get some brownies..... just make sure you have a nice glass of milk to drink with it.  You'll need it!!

Enjoy!

Lemon-Raspberry Cake

I always tend to have interesting things on hand and I was in the mood to make something sweet today.  I put together these things (after sending my husband to the store for fresh raspberries, of course.  Who honestly has THOSE on hand??)  Then I just started making......  

Lemon-Raspberry Cake

INGREDIENTS: 

Boxed lemon cake

Favorite cream cheese frosting

Raspberry pie filling

Raspberry Jello

3 C Whipped Cream

Fresh Raspberries

Make lemon cake according to directions... let cool.

Once cooled - room temperature, use a plain 'ol butter knife and make many, many slits in the cake.  I went one direction over the whole cake, then made X's, going the other directions.  Doesn't really matter how you do it... just make a lot of slits.  

Make the raspberry jello according to directions, but only use 1/2 as much boiled water and 1/2 much cold water.  Let it sit on the counter until needed - - which is now.  Take a large spoon and 'pour' over the cake, making sure to cover the entire cake and drip a little down the sides.  I had a little left over, but you can use it all if you wish.  

Yum!!

Slather a nice, thin layer of the raspberry pie filling on top of the cake.  I didn't want too much, because the combination is already pretty tart, but it's all there if you want to use it all.  

Mix together the whole container of cream cheese frosting (I don't recommend the specific kind that I bought, Pillsbury Whipped Supreme.  For some reason it was sort of bitter and tasted like funny powdered sugar.  Nonetheless....) mix it with about 3 cups (or a whole, small container) of cool whip and about 3 tbsp of milk.  Should come out light, creamy and easy to spread.  Carefully smother the top of the cake with your new frosting.  Use a light touch, though, or you'll end up 'dragging' the pie filling into the frosting, then it'll be pink and smeary and not look cute at all.  

Complete with a layer of fresh raspberries on top and slightly push down, into the frosting.  Just so they are 'secured' a bit.  Let it all cool some more, settle into each other and wait.  Just wait.... 

Then cut out a piece and enjoy.

It was tart and sweet and oh so yummy!!! 

Enjoy!!! 

Birthday - Red Velvet & Cheesecake Cake

Hey everyone!  Today is my husbands birthday and he loves Red Velvet Cake.  I don't know why, I don't see the appeal, it's very bitter and blah to me, but he loves it.  So.... I thought I'd mix his favorite and MY favorite (cheesecake) and see how things turn out.

I searched the internet for awhile and found many recipes but I mostly stuck to just one.  I used this cake recipe AND cheesecake recipe.  For ingredients and instructions - check this out: 

http://galexicupcakes.blogspot.com/2011/02/ultimate-red-velvet-cake-cheesecake.html

I have made many, many different types of cream cheese frosting on my own and I always taste the powdered sugar.  I am MUCH better at just adding yummies to already made frosting, if needed.  So for this cake, I just used store bought, creamy cream cheese frosting.

I bought a spring form pan (finally) just for this project and was super excited to use it.  I can't believe how much easier everything was and even more fun!!  Can you believe it?  It made cooking more fun.... no, BAKING!  I hate baking, to be honest and now it's fun.  LOVE my spring form pan!  I used it on all three layers... the 2 with Red Velvet and 1 Cheesecake.

May I mention - - do you have ANY idea how much 2oz of food coloring is?  I thought I'd be fine with my normal red that comes in the 4 pack, it was full, I'd be good.  Right?  Nah... that's only 0.3oz.  What the hey?  I had to make an extra run to the store (across the street.... lol) to get two large bottles, 1oz each, of red food coloring.  Holy cow - that's a lot!  My hands look as thought I had a bloody run in with an intruder. Luckily I changed my shirt before I started.  Anyhoo - enough on that.

I'm not a layer person.... (remember the orange layered cake - Jan '12??) .... but I followed these instructions to a T and it turned out great.  I'm proud.  I had to trim a little bit around the edges, but all 3 layers stuck together and were completely servable and edible.  Yay!!  Success!!  (Now, the visual appearance of the outside was not so fancy, but I hid most of that with pretty red sprinkles!!)  

This cake was a bit rich for the little ones - I just ate the middle cheesecake layer.  However, the birthday boy enjoyed it.  Hope he plans on eating the rest.  xoxo

Old Fashioned Orange Layer Cake

I enjoy baking but I'm not good at it.  Measuring specifics.... timing things in the oven.... and truth be told, I'm quite afraid of sticking my arms in the oven (I've often had Chris do it for me, which he's more than happy to do. Not sure why, guess he feels needed when I cook, now.)  But I try.  I try and try and try and things still don't turn out perfect, just like this cake.  Boy does it taste good, my execution however has quite a bit to be desired!!!

Old Fashioned Orange Layer Cake

(.....for the cake)
2 C granulated sugar
1 C soft butter
5 eggs (at room temp)
1 Tbsp grated orange zest
1/2 C orange juice
2 1/2 C self-rising flour
1 C milk

(.....for the icing)
1/4 C butter
1 Tbsp grated orange zest
1/3 C orange juice
1 lb powder sugar

1) Preheat (PH) oven to 350', grease and flour 2 9" round cake pans.

2) Combine sugar & butter, cream well with mixer.  Add in eggs & orange zest.   Once creamed, add in the flour and milk, alternating; beat well & pour into the two round pans.

3) Bake 22-25 min (mine had to bake over 35min, so adjust accordingly - using the toothpick trick.)  Cool in the pans for 15+ min, remove from pan & cool completely.

4) Mix all the icing ingredients together but only 1/2 the powder sugar - on low with your mixer.  Gradually add the rest of the sugar in, while mixing.

5) Put the icing on top of 1 cake (about 1/3 C).... layer the cake & ice the whole cake, top & sides!

And you're done!   Hopefully yours turns out a bit better than mine, but tastes just as good!!  Looks bad, taste yummy!