Perfect Cinnamon Rolls

I love, love, love cinnamon rolls!  I got this recipe from my aunt, and they always turn out perfectly.  I alter this recipe a lot, so it's very versitile.

You Need:

4 t. yeast
1 c. warm water
1 c. warm milk
2/3 c. sugar
2 teaspoons salt
2 eggs
2/3 c. shortning or butter
7 c. flour
Dough Enhancer (optional)
brown sugar, sugar, butter and cinnamon

Combine the yeast, water, milk, sugar, and salt in mixer with a dough hook.  Add in 3 cups of flour and the shortning.

Mix a little bit, then add the eggs.

Add the rest of the flour and the dough enhancer.

Knead for 6-8 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.

Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.

I love this part! So beautiful.  Punch down.  Spray a counter top with cooking spray.  Roll dough to 1/2 inch thickness.

Spread about 1/4 to 1/2 cup softened butter over the dough.  Sprinkle liberally with sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon.  (I use about 1/2 c. each sugar and 2 T. cinnamon.)

Roll up starting with one long side. 

To cut, I take a long piece of dental floss and scoot it under the edge of the dough.  I cross it over the top and pull the floss taught.  It slices right through, doesn't squish like a knife and is more even.  I couldn't get a picture, though, because I didn't have anyone else around to take pictures of the process.  Lay the cut rolls on a cookie sheet sprayed with cooking spray.

Cover and let rise til doubled, about 45 minutes.  I forgot to take a picture of that part, but they were all touching at the edges.  Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes.  They should be evenly golden brown. 

Frost with Cream Cheese Frosting, and enjoy.  To reheat, place one on a plate and microwave for about 20 seconds.  YUMMY!!!  So good that you won't want to share!

Close ups of the cinnamon-y, frosting-y goodness!

Smore's Bars

I am a smore's fanatic.  I LOVE SMORE'S.  Well, I was at a coffee shop called Rembrandt's, and they had Smore's Bars.  I bought two, one for me and one for my hubby.  Well, after I ate both of them, I felt guilty and decided to create my own.  These things are AmAzInG!!  They are so good.  You should definately make them RIGHT NOW.  Don't hesitate; don't finish the show you're watching; don't do it tomorrow; do it now.  SOOOOOOOOO good!

You need:

1 1/2 c. flour
1 1/2 c. oats
1 1/2 c. brown sugar
1/4 t. salt
1/2 t. soda
1 package graham crackers, crushed
1 c. butter, melted
2-3 c. chocolate chips (I used milk chocolate, but dark would be good, too.)
2 7-oz. containers marshmallow fluff

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Mix the first six ingredients together. 

Slowly add the melted butter until completely incorporated.  It will be a crumbly mixture.  If it seems too dry, feel free to add an egg. 

Spray a 9 x 13 pan with cooking spray.  Pat half of the mixture into the bottom of the pan.  Spraying your hands with cooking spray before patting the dough into the pan makes it easier and less sticky.

Bake for about 6 minutes.  It will not be cooked through.  It will look doughy and puffy.  You don't want to over bake it.  Sprinkle on the chocolate chips.

I didn't have any more chocolate chips, and this didn't look like enough.  So I threw on some mini-MMs to fill in the bare spots.

Spread the marshmallow fluff over the chocolate.  To make it less messy, spray a spatula with cooking spray.  This will help it slide into the fluff and spread it without sticking. 

Crumble the rest of the dough onto the marshmallow fluff. 

Return the pan to the oven for about 10-15 minutes.  Do not over bake.

(I popped the pan under the broiler for a minute to toast the marshmallow.)  Let cool in the pan to make it easier to cut.

Here's a close up of the gooey goodness!

If you throw a bar in the microwave for about 15 seconds, it returns to the gooey warm deliciousness that reminds you of summer, campfires, and playing outside all day long.

Chocolate Raspberry Cake

So, this is the cake I made myself for my birthday.  It was very sad because my camera broke halfway through it.  Well, I had to make the cake again when I got my new camera.  My poor family had to suffer through eating this delicious confection again.  I''m posting the finished result first so it will tempt you into making it ASAP. 

You Need:

Cake
1 c. butter, softened
2 c. sugar
4 eggs
1 t. vanilla
11/2 c. flour
2/3 c. baking cocoa

Glaze

1/4 c. boiling water
4 t. raspberry gelatin
1/4 c. raspberry preserves

Filling/Topping-- Ingredients Not Pictured

1 1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 pint heavy whipping cream
1 pint fresh raspberries

Grease a 15 x 10 x 1 inch baking sheet with shortening and heat the oven to 350.  In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar.  Add in the eggs, one at a time, until well blended.  Add the vanilla, flour, and baking cocoa.  The batter will be very thick.  If you're in a hurry, try using two boxes of brownie mix.  I bet that would work.

Spread the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.

Run a knife around the edges of the pan to loosen, but let the cake cool completely in the pan before trying to remove.  When cooled, cut the cake into three equal pieces.  Carefully remove each piece to a cooling rack.

To prepare the glaze, put all ingredients in a small sauce pan and heat until thickened (about 5 minutes).

To prepare the topping, heat 1/2 c. cream and the chocolate chips in a small pan.

Stir over medium heat until smooth.

Pour mixture into a container and cool to room temperature in the fridge.  When the chocolate is almost cool, whip the cream until stiff peaks form.  If you like, add 1/2 c. powdered sugar to the cream to sweeten it.

Pour the cooled chocolate into the whipped cream.  Carefully fold the chocolate into the cream until well blended.

To assemble the cake, place one layer on a tray, spread 1/3 of the raspberry jam sauce on the top.

Spread about a 1/4 c, chocolate cream on top of the raspberry sauce.

Repeat with other two layers.  The cake can be placed in the freezer to let the cream set up if it gets too warm.  Once all layers are stacked, Arrange fresh raspberries on the top.

Place the chocolate cream in a Ziploc bag and cut off the tip.  Pipe the remaining cream in between the raspberries and around the cake.

Slice the cake the short way so everyone gets berries and chocolate.  Serve immediately or refrigerate until needed. 

This is a decadent cake.  It is so worth every calorie, though!!!

Chocolate Almond Frosting

It was the best of cupcakes; it was the....ha ha.  There's no "worst" cupcake here, but this is a tale of two cupcakes.

It was my son's 2nd birthday, and I couldn't decide what kind of cake I wanted--don't judge, he's too young to tell me!!  I REALLY wanted coconut-lime; I REALLY wanted chocolate almond.  So I made both.  Click here for Coconut-Lime Frosting.

This Chocolate Almond Frosting is super chocolate-y.  I don't like things that are "kinda" chocolate-y.  They must be super chocolate-y or something different! 

You need:

12-24 cupcakes, previously made
1/2 bag of powdered sugar
1/2 c. butter
4 oz. cream cheese
2 t. vanilla extract
2 t. almond extract
1/2 c. cocoa powder

Cream together the butter and cream cheese.

Add the extracts and cocoa; mix well.

Add the powdered sugar, mix well.

If the frosting seems too stiff, you can thin it.  You can use milk or water, however, in keeping with super chocolate-y, I added chocolate syrup!

If it is too thin, add more powdered sugar.  When it is the right consistency, beat on high for about 5 minutes, until it is creamy and smooth and perfect.

To frost your cupcakes, scoop your frosting into a pastry bag or other frosting device, frost with a butter knife, or use my fave method.  I put a gallon sized ziplock bag into a small bowl and fold the top over the sides of the bowl.

Scrape the frosting into the bag.  Pull the sides of the bag up and remove the bag from the bowl.  Press the air out of the bag and seal it.  Squeeze the frosting into a corner.  Cut about 1/4 to 1/2 inch off the corner of the bag.

 Pipe frosting onto cupcakes.

This recipe will frost 24-30 cupcakes like this:

It will frost 12-15 cupcakes like this:

I prefer lots of frosting with my cake!!