Dark Chocolate Wacky Cake with Broiled Peanut Butter Frosting

Wow, my last post here was more than a month ago. Sometimes life just happens, you know? But one of the really exciting things that has been taking up my time is real estate hunting. Yes, Big Man and I are close to choosing a great piece of land to buy so we can start building our home! We are so excited to be moving forward with our dream and amazed by the blessings God has poured out upon us. I’m looking forward to getting back to blogging more often and including posts about the progress of our home-building adventure! But in the meantime, I do have a fantastic chocolate-and-peanut-butter treat to share with you.

When I made this cake I didn’t really intend to post about it; I just wanted an easy recipe that didn’t require lots of ingredients or steps. I figured I’d get a tasty dessert, but it since it wasn’t really creative or beautiful it wouldn’t end up on the blog. But then Big Man and I ate some and agreed that it is possibly that best cake I’ve ever made, so I knew I had to share it here.

This cake is the perfect example of two good things coming together and creating something outstanding. The cake is simple and mixed right in the baking pan, so there is almost no cleanup. I used dark cocoa powder to add a deep chocolate flavor, and the cake’s light texture is a perfect complement to the rich frosting. Speaking of frosting, what happens when you take simple peanut butter frosting and broil it? Magic happens. Pure magic. The flavor takes on great complexity and the top gets a crispy sugar shell reminiscent of creme bruleé. Plus watching the frosting in the oven as it bubbles like sugar-lava is really fun!

If you are a chocolate and peanut butter fan, I hope you’ll try this version of the classic combination. The balance of dark chocolate cake and decadent peanut butter frosting is really spectacular. Plus, this recipe is simple, fast, and full of inexpensive staple ingredients. It’s definitely at the top of our favorite desserts list and I know I’ll be baking this cake again in the very near future.

Dark Chocolate Wacky Cake (adapted from Big Red Kitchen)

1-1/2 cups flour

1/2 tsp. salt

3 rounded Tbs. dark cocoa powder (I used Hershey’s Special Dark)

1 cup sugar

1 tsp. baking soda

1 Tbs. white vinegar

5 Tbs. butter, melted & cooled

1 Tbs. vanilla extract

1 cup cold milk

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a 9-inch-square pan, whisk together the flour, salt, cocoa powder, sugar, and baking soda. Make three evenly spaced wells. Pour the vinegar into one well, the butter into another, and the vanilla into the third. Pour the milk over the entire pan and stir until everything is well combined and there are no dry spots.

Bake in the preheated oven for 20-30 minutes, until the center is set and a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool completely before frosting.

Broiled Peanut Butter Frosting (adapted from Tasty Kitchen)

1 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

1/4 cup coconut oil*

*I used refined coconut oil because I didn’t want any coconut taste to compete with the peanut butter. You could substitute vegetable shortening for the coconut oil

Combine the ingredients in a stand mixer and mix until extremely smooth (we’re talking no lumps at all). I used the paddle attachment on medium speed for about 3 minutes.

Pour/spread the frosting onto the cooled cake.

Set the oven to broil and place the cake on the middle rack. Broil for 2-4 minutes, or until deep golden brown, watching very closely to prevent burning. I actually stand next the oven and hold to door open a crack so I can watch the whole time. The frosting can go from perfectly broiled to burnt in about 10 seconds.

Let cool at least 20 minutes before serving, otherwise the frosting will be too runny.

Enjoy!

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Dark Chocolate Bundt Cake with Salted Caramel Glaze

I know, I know, it’s December. The month where cookies have a monopoly on all baking. If it’s not a cookie, chances are you won’t see it in any food magazines or blogs. And Christmas cookies are great; I definitely bake and eat my fair share of them. But sometimes you just don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen rolling and shaping and decorating cookies. Sometimes you want to make an easy mix-bake-glaze recipe that will still look impressive and taste amazing. And for those times, there is no better choice than this fantastic cake.

Honestly, I’ve never been a huge fan of bundt cakes. Most of the ones I’ve had before were a little dry and pretty bland. But then I found this recipe from Joy the Baker and decided to give the bundt cake another try. And I am so glad I did. This cake is amazing! Full of dark chocolate flavor and perfectly tender. Then I decided to add a salted caramel glaze because salted caramel is one of the greatest flavors ever and goes really well with dark chocolate. Dark Chocolate + Salted Caramel = Best. Decision. Ever.

I made a couple minor changes to the original recipe to compensate for the high altitude here. The changes are noted in the recipe below. I hope you’ll try this cake soon.  It is a nice change from the usual December-overload of cookies and is a wonderful flavor combination. It’s a great choice to bring to a party, or to keep and savor with your sweetie while watching a Christmas movie. Whatever you do, I hope you enjoy this spectacular cake!

Dark Chocolate Bundt Cake (adapted from Joy the Baker)

1-1/3 cups brewed coffee

3/4 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Hershey’s Special Dark)

2 cups* sugar

1-1/4 tsp. sea salt

2-1/2 tsp. baking soda

2 whole eggs

1 egg yolk

1-1/4 cups plus 1 Tbs. buttermilk

1 cup plus 2 Tbs. canola oil

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2-3/4 cups* all purpose flour

* These measurements are for high altitude. If you are not at high altitude use 2-1/4 cups sugar and 2-1/2 plus 2 Tbs. flour

1. In a small saucepan, whisk together the coffee and cocoa powder and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour (or spray generously with “For Baking” cooking spray) a 10-inch bundt pan.

3. Fit a stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Add the sugar, salt, baking soda, eggs, and egg yolk to the bowl and mix on low for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the buttermilk, oil, and vanilla and mix on low for another minute.

4. Scrap down the sides of the bowl again and add the flour. Mix on low for 2 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl, add the cooled coffee mixture, and mix on medium speed for 3 minutes. Pour the (very thin) batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

5. Keep the cake in the pan until it is completely cool. Then invert the bundt pan onto your serving platter and the cake will come out cleanly. Drizzle with glaze (recipe below).

Salted Caramel Glaze (adapted from Better Homes & Gardens)

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 tsp. sea salt

In a small saucepan, melt the butter. Whisk in the sugars and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Whisk in the whipping cream (it may bubble a lot) and return to a boil, stirring often. Boil for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and whisk in sea salt. Let cool slightly (about 5 minutes) and pour over cooled cake, allowing excess to run down the sides.

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DIY: Homemade Pop Tarts

As you know, I really enjoying finding common store-bought foods that I can DIY. I make my own vanilla extract, chocolate syrup, and pizza crust. I love that my homemade versions are less expensive and full of ingredients that I choose myself and can easily pronounce.  In general, most of my DIY recipes are pretty simple and don’t take much work. With two Little Ones running around I don’t have the time or energy to commit to labor-intensive recipes just for the sake of making everything from scratch. There are some things that I can make at home, but I still choose to buy because the homemade version isn’t worth the extra work.

However, once in a while I find a recipe so good it’s worth the time and effort involved to make it. Such is the case with these homemade pop tarts. I can’t tell you that they are simple to make, or that you’ll have them done in less than an hour. In fact, I usually make them on days when I have a bit of extra time on my hands and the kids are out with Big Man or at a grandparents’ house. But I can tell you that they are totally, completely worth the time and effort. I feel bad calling them “pop tarts” because they aren’t even in the same league as the boxed toaster pastries.

Seriously, these things are awesome. Flaky crust, decadent filling, and a simple glaze in a hand-held pocket of deliciousness. And they freeze and re-heat beautifully so spending the time to make a batch is worth it to have a freezer stocked with tarts ready to be heated and devoured. Yep, totally awesome.

You can use any type of filling you like. I’ve tried various fruit preserves, jams, and of course Nutella. It’s all good. I’m planning to try a pumpkin pie version in the near future, and maybe a brown sugar/cinnamon combo as well.  Homemade jam or preserves are the best, but if you don’t have any on hand, just use a high-quality store-bought version.

I hope you’ll take the time to make these. I promise you, they’re worth it. You’ll feel like a gourmet superhero when you serve these to your family and they’ll never want store-bought pastries again. DIY win!

Homemade Pop-Tarts

My own method; makes 9 tarts

Crust (adapted from Joy the Baker, original source King Arthur Flour)

2 cups flour

1 Tbs. sugar

1 tsp. salt

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, cut into cubes and chilled

1 egg

2 Tbs. milk

1 egg, beaten, for brushing dough

Filling

10-12 Tbs. high-quality jam, preserves, or Nutella

Vanilla Glaze (optional)

1 cup powdered sugar

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1-2 Tbs. milk

Tools

Food processor (or mixing bowl and pastry cutter), rolling pin, ruler/measuring tape, pizza cutter or sharp knife, pastry brush.

 

Step 1: Add the flour, sugar, and salt to the bowl of a food processor and pulse briefly to combine. Add in the butter and pulse until the mixture is homogeneous and most of the butter pieces are the size of peas. Whisk the egg and milk together in a small bowl and add all at once to the flour/butter mixture. Pulse until liquid is distributed and the dough just starts to come together. Do not over-process.  Remove dough to a generously floured work surface and knead until dough is a cohesive ball. Separate into two halves, flatten each into a disk, wrap with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Step 2: In a small bowl, whisk the remaining egg until well-beaten. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or spray with cooking spray. Generously flour a work surface and roll out one half of dough into a 9 x 12-inch rectangle. If necessary, use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to even out the edges. It is important to measure and make a nice rectangle so the tarts can be a uniform shape and size. Use the pizza cutter to cut the rectangle into thirds both directions, creating nine 3 x 4-inch rectangles. Brush each rectangle with the beaten egg and place on the prepared baking sheet.

Step 3: Roll out the remaining dough into a 9 x 12-inch rectangle, and cut into nine rectangles using the same technique as above. Place a rounded tablespoon of filling in the middle of each dough rectangle (on the baking sheet), and use the back of a spoon to spread in an even layer. Be sure to leave a 1/2-inch border all around so that tart can be sealed properly. Brush the second set of dough pieces with the beaten egg and place, egg side down, onto the tarts on the baking sheet. Using a fork, crimp all 4 edges of each tart, sealing in the filling and creating an outer crust. Use the tines of the fork to poke steam holes in the top of each tart. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and return to the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes.

Step 4: Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Remove the chilled tarts from the fridge and brush the top of each one with the rest of the beaten egg. Bake for 25-32 minutes until crust is golden brown. Remove tarts to a rack and allow to cool completely before glazing.

Step 5 (optional): In a bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk until a thick-but-pourable glaze forms. Add more sugar or milk as needed to create desired consistency. I find it best to be quite thick, just barely thin enough to still drizzle/spread. Drizzle the glaze onto each tart or use a knife to spread glaze in an even layer.

Step 6: Enjoy the best hand-held pastry you have ever tried, and debate whether or not to share with others!

Freezing and Re-Heating: Make sure tarts are completely cool and glaze is set. Arrange in an even layer on a baking sheet and freeze for at least 30 minutes. After this period, the tarts can be stacked on top of one another and placed in a zip-top freezer bag. To reheat, microwave a single tart on high for 30-45 seconds. You may also reheat in an oven or toaster-oven. I do not recommend using a toaster to reheat tarts that have been glazed.

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