What’s better than chocolate? Chocolate and peanut butter.
Seriously, it’s my favorite combo – and by blog shows it. Below, I’ve rounded up two dozen of my favorite chocolate and peanut butter treats that I’ve blogged so far.
Tag Archives: cake
Peach Cobbler
Peach cobbler is one of my favorite summer desserts. Fresh Jersey peaches are plentiful right now, so this easy dessert always seems to find it’s way to our table around this time of year.
This cobbler has just a few simple ingredients, but the batter helps the fruit shine beautifully – I especially love the extra boost from the almond extract.
Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes
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Both kids got cookbooks for Christmas, so for the past several weeks, both kids have been obsessed with playing restaurant. They browse through their stack of cookbooks, deciding what to make, and then cook and serve it out of their play kitchen.
It’s adorable, and I’ve been eating up every second of it.
Chocolate Poke Cake
I don’t think any of my regular readers are surprised I’m posting in honor of National Chocolate Cake Day today. Chocolate cake and I are practically BFFs.
I’ve shared recipes for impressive chocolate layer cakes and chocolate melting cakes perfectly sized for two; triple chocolate cheesecake and deliciously boozy chocolate cupcakes. I’ve yet to meet a chocolate cake I don’t like – but this poke cake is something special.
Black Forest Cheesecake #ChristmasSweetsWeek
This post is sponsored in conjunction with ChristmasSweetsWeek. I received product samples from sponsor companies to aid in the creation of the ChristmasSweetsWeek recipes. All opinions are mine alone.
I always feel a little more nostalgic about my German heritage at Christmas. I think it’s a remnant of Opa’s Christmas cookie packages, which were synonymous with Christmas for all of my childhood. Without even thinking about it, I end up planning some German-inspired dessert for our holiday table – like this Black Forest Cheesecake.
This is obviously not traditional, but the flavors are there – and, I’ll be honest, this is going to be easier than your traditional Black Forest Cake.
Chocolate Witch’s Brew Cupcakes #Chocotoberfest
Note: I received complimentary product for this post. All opinions are my own.
Double, double toil and trouble,
Fire burn and cauldron bubble…
What shall we add to the witch’s brew today? Essence of mummy? A pumpkin picked at midnight?
These adorable cupcakes are reminiscent of a witch’s cauldron, so of course, there’s a magic potion inside – courtesy of Sprinkle Pop! I used two of their sprinkle mixes in these cupcakes and they were so, so perfect for getting the desired effect.
I used the Lime Green Sprinkle Mix on top of the cupcakes to give the image of a bubbling cauldron. The cupcakes are stuffed with their Monster Mashup Sprinkle Mix. The kids had so much fun biting into the cupcakes to see what the witch had cooked up in her cauldron – ghosts, eyeballs, mummies, and pumpkins!
These were a quick from-scratch batch of cupcakes and buttercream, but you could always use a boxed mix and icing if you’re more comfortable – the sprinkles are the real stars here!
This is also the first recipe I’m sharing for this year’s #Choctoberfest – you can check out a TON of other chocolaty goodness from my fellow bloggers right here: An InLinkz Link-up
Chocolate Witch’s Brew Cupcakes
(adapted from Sugar Spun Run and Wine and Glue)
Makes 12 cupcakes
For the cupcakes:
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
6 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup hot coffee
For the icing:
1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
5 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 cup milk
Green food coloring
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cupcake pan with liners. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Whisk in the oil and milk until combined. Add the egg and stir to combine. Add the vanilla and stir to combine. Add the coffee and stir until evenly combined – it will be quite thin.
Pour the batter into the prepared cupcake pan, filling each well 2/3 of the way.
Bake for 20-24 minutes, until a knife inserted comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for a few minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
To make the buttercream, beat the butter until light and fluffy. Add the sugar 1 cup at a time and beat. Add in the vanilla, milk, and food coloring. Beat until fully incorporated.
After the cupcakes are cooled, use an apple corer or small knife to cut holes into the cupcakes. Fill the holes with sprinkles. Ice with the butter cream then dip each cupcake into the green sprinkles. Top with additional sprinkles if desired.
These are best served the same day.
Apple Cinnamon Cake #appleweek
This post is sponsored in conjunction with AppleWeek . I received product samples from sponsor companies to aid in the creation of the AppleWeek recipes. All opinions are mine alone.
I’m wrapping up #appleweek today with the simplest dish of the week – and my personal favorite.
One of the things I’ve learned over the years is that while the over-the-top, super involved recipes can be really fun, simple recipes with great ingredients are often just as good – if not better.
This cake falls into the super simple category. The whole thing takes just about 10 minutes to prep, and instead of something super polished, it’s got the rustic beauty thing going for it.
And honestly, it’s delicious. This is the perfect cake to pair with a hot cup or tea or coffee, a book, and some of this crisp fall air. Who wants a slice?
Also, now that you’ve seen all the apple goodness, be sure to pop over and enter to win some amazing prizes from #appleweek sponsors! You can enter here: a Rafflecopter giveaway
Apple Cinnamon Cake
(adapted from Skimbaco Lifestyle)
Makes 1 9″ Cake
3 eggs
1 cup flour
1 cup + 2 Tbsp. sugar, divided
1 large apple
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract (I used Rodelle)
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
Powdered sugar
Preheat the oven 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9″ baking pan and set aside.
Peel, core, and slice the apple. In a bowl, toss the apple slices with 2 Tbsp. sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg, until evenly coated.
Using an electric mixer, beat together the eggs, flour, sugar, and vanilla until fluffy.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Arrange the cinnamon-sugar coated apple slices on top, pushing them down just slightly.
Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool for several minutes, then remove from the pan and dust with powdered sugar.
Out with a bang! Check out these Saturday Recipes:
- Apple Bourbon Pork Tenderloin with Butternut Squash by Girl Abroad
- Apple Butter Cheesecake Tart by Soulfully Made
- Apple Cheesecake Breakfast Quesadillas by 4 Sons R Us
- Apple Cinnamon Cake by Kate’s Recipe Box
- Apple Cider Spiced Donut Cake by Love and Confections
- Apple Cinnamon Oat Bars by Daily Dish Recipes
- Apple Crisp Breakfast Bowl by Shockingly Delicious
- Apple Fennel and Beet Salad by A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Apple Hand Pies with an Oatmeal Crust by The Freshman Cook
- Apple Nachos by Jolene’s Recipe Journal
- Apple Peanut Butter Ebelskivers by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
- Apple Tortas Fritas (Argentinean Fry Bread with Apples) by Palatable Pastime
- Apple Oatmeal Pancakes by Simple and Savory
- Apple Rosette Frangipane Tart by Culinary Adventures With Camilla
- Applesauce Oatmeal Bread With Vanilla Honey Butter by Cooking With Carlee
- Caramel-Stuffed Apple Butter Snickerdoodles by The Redhead Baker
- Chicken Salad with Apples, Cranberries, and Pecans by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
- Cinnamon Apple Iced Oatmeal Cookies by Jonesin’ For Taste
- Harvest Apple Cakelets with Maple Drizzle by Everyday Eileen
- Pink Peppercorn & Curry Leaf Chicken Salad by Faith, Hope, Love & Luck
- Stuffed Apples with Cheddar and Sausage by Strawberry Blondie Kitchen
Disclaimer: Thank you AppleWeek Sponsors: Swiss Diamond, Nordic Ware, Envy Apples, Imperial Sugar, The Spice House, Rodelle Vanilla, Flahavan’s Irish Oats and Nairn’s for providing the prizes free of charge. These companies also provided the bloggers with samples and product to use for AppleWeek recipes. All opinions are my own. The AppleWeek giveaway is open to U.S. residents, age 18 & up. All entries for the winner will be checked and verified. By entering you give the right to use your name and likeness. The number of entries received determines the odds of winning. Seven (7) winners will be selected. The prize packages will be sent directly from the giveaway sponsors. The AppleWeek Bloggers are not responsible for the fulfillment or delivery of the prize packages. Bloggers hosting this giveaway and their immediate family members in their household cannot enter or win the giveaway. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter or any other social channel mentioned in the AppleWeek posts or entry.
Blueberry Lemongrass Cheesecake #ImprovCookingChallenge
Another #ImprovCookingChallenge, another opportunity to get outside my comfort zone! I’ve never cooked with lemongrass before – I actually had to google a picture of it so I knew what to look for in the store – but I’m really loving the result here!
The base is beautifully rich and fluffy and then the swirl is the perfect blend of blueberry and lemon to compliment. Right after I tasted it, I texted my mom that this was going to be my contribution for Easter dinner – it’s that good!
The recipe makes more of the blueberry/lemongrass filling than you need for the cheesecake. Since it comes out as almost a jam-like consistency, we used our extras as jam for toast.
You can see the other bloggers’ blueberry and lemongrass creations here:
The #ImprovCookingChallenge is a monthly blogging event where two ingredients are assigned to a month. Bloggers can make any recipe they like as long as it features the two ingredients. If you are a blogger and would like to join us, please visit our Facebook page.
You can also read more about the event on our home page. If you’d like to see previous creations, check out our Pinterest board.
1 1/2 cups frozen blueberries
1/4 cup sugar
2 4-inch pieces lemongrass
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/4 cup sugar
2 4-inch pieces lemongrass
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. melted butter
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. melted butter
3 8 oz. packages of cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup sugar
1 cup sour cream
2 Tbsp. flour
2 tsp. vanilla extract
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 Tbsp. flour
2 tsp. vanilla extract
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
In a small saucepan, combine the blueberries, sugar, and lemongrass in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the berries begin to cook down and the sugar is dissolved. Remove the lemongrass and transfer the mixture to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Return to the saucepan and whisk in the cornstarch. Bring to a boil and cook until thickened and almost a jam-like consistency. Set aside
Mix together the graham crackers, sugar, and butter until well combined. Press into a 9″ springform pan, going up the sides slightly. Place prepared pan on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
In a stand mixer, beat together the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in the sour cream, flour and vanilla. On a lower speed, add in the lightly beaten eggs and mix until just combined. Pour the filling into the crust.
Dollop 3-4 Tbsp. of the blueberry lemongrass mixture. Use a knife to swirl it along the top of the cheesecake.
Return the pan to the baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes, or until the center of the cheesecake is nearly set. Transfer the pan to the cooling rack for 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen. Cool at room temperature for another hour, then refrigerate overnight.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Lava Cakes for 2 #RecipesforTwo
What’s better than chocolate lava cake? Chocolate lava cake with warm, melty peanut butter sauce in the middle. Seriously you guys – this is what dreams are made of.
We fell in love with lava cakes after a cruise a few years ago and they’ve since become my go-to special occasion dessert. And this one is freaking amazing. If you’re a chocolate-peanut butter fiend like me, you will love this! That melty peanut butter is really something special.
One of the best things about this recipe is that it makes just two little cakes – perfect for Valentine’s Day, an anniversary or any other occasion where you want something special for a smaller crowd. The recipe can, of course, be scaled up to make more – but sometimes it’s nice to have something already sized for two!
Chocolate Peanut Butter Lava Cakes
(adapted from The Cookie Rookie)
Serves 2
2 Tbsp. + 1 1/2 tsp. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
4 1/2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
6 oz. German Baking Chocolate, chopped
1 1/2 Tbsp. creamy peanut butter
1 1/2 tsp. powdered sugar
1/4 cup sugar
3 egg + 1 egg yolk
Pinch salt
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Spray two ramekins with non-stick spray. Combine 1 1/2 tsp. flour with the cocoa power and coat the inside of the greased ramekins with it – shake off any excess. Place prepared ramikins on a baking sheet and set aside.
Combine 4 Tbsp. butter and the chopped chocolate in a medium saucepan over low heat, stirring until completely melted and smooth. Remove from heat and set aside for a few minutes to cool.
In a small bowl, combine the remaining butter, peanut butter and powdered sugar until smooth.
Using a stand mixer, beat the sugar, eggs, and salt on medium-high for about three minutes, until the mixture is think and pale yellow. Using a spatula, fold in the chocolate until no longer streaky. Fold in the flour and mix until smooth.
Use 2/3 of the batter to fill the ramekins, then place half of the peanut butter mixture on top of each ramekin. Cover the peanut butter with the remaining batter.
Bake for 14-16 minutes – the top should be set but the cake should still have a little jiggle. Let sit for 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edge and invert onto a plate. Dust with powdered sugar and serve immediately.
Need more ideas for Valentine dishes for two? Here are some great ideas!
Savory
- Chicken Florentine for 2 by Strawberry Blondie Kitchen
- Jerk Scallops with Pineapple Salsa over Coconut Rice by Books n’ Cooks
- Pork Filet Mignon by A Day in the Life on the Farm
Sweet
- Banana Split Cookie Trifle for Two by Palatable Pastime
- Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie for Two (Pizookies) by House of Nash Eats
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Lava Cakes for 2 by Kate’s Recipe Box
- Do You Carrot All Cake by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
- Heart Cocoa for Two by Amy’s Cooking Adventures
Roasted Sugar Chocolate Cake #Choctoberfest
Note: I received complimentary products for this post. All opinions are my own.
Imperial Sugar returned as the Choctoberfest Gold Sponsor this year – and if you follow me on Facebook, you’ve already seen the amazing package they sent. I’m not sure who was more excited about it – me or the kids. (PS – if you want to win your own year’s supply of sugar, check out their Scary Scramble Contest going on now!)
When I started planning recipes for this week, I asked Jake if there was anything special he wanted to make, and without hesitation he told me, “Chocolate cake”. So, it went out our list.
It was also a great excuse to try out roasting sugar. Have you heard of this technique? I’ve seen it on a few food sites and I was super intrigued – you cook the sugar for a few hours and it gives the sugar a caramel-like flavor but you can still use it like you would regular white sugar. The results in this cake were pretty amazing – it’s more or less a regular chocolate cake, but then you get this beautiful caramel flavor at the end of the bite. I can’t overstate how awesome that touch is!
Roasting the sugar was also the only part of the cake that Jake didn’t have a hand in. He was particularly excited about helping frost the cake – and overrode my plans of topping it off with dark chocolate curls in favor of mini chocolate chips.
I absolutely love how excited he was to see the end result – and hear again and again from friends and family we shared the cake with how awesome it was. Jake kept telling me, “I made that! I’m Baker Jake!” and they recreated the cake a million times over in his play kitchen. In the middle of a crazy week, it was such a good reminder to slow down and savor the moment. Thank you, Imperial Sugar, for helping create such a fun memory with my little guy!
Roasted Sugar Chocolate Cake
(a Kate’s Recipe Box original)
Makes 1 9″ 3 layer cake
4 lbs. white sugar (I used Imperial brand Sugar)
3 cups of flour
1 1/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
1 Tbsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. salt
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups plain yogurt
2 cups water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 Tbsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups butter, at room temperature
7 cups powdered sugar (I used Imperial brand Sugar)
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 Tbsp. vanilla
Pinch of salt
Start by roasting the sugar. Pour 4 pounds of sugar into a glass or ceramic 9×13″ baking dish. Roast at 350 degrees for 2 hours, stirring well every 20 minutes. You want the sugar to start to turn a lightly browned color, but not to melt. Once done, cool completely and store in an airtight container.
To make the cake, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and 3 cups of the cooled roasted sugar. Add in the eggs, water, vegetable oil, and vanilla and mix until just combined.
Grease 3 9″ cake pans and divide cake batter evenly between pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Let cake layers cool completely before assembling the cake.
To make the frosting, sift together the powdered sugar and cocoa powder. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter. Add the remaining ingredients and beat until smooth and fluffy.
Once the cake layers are cool, frost and decorate as desired.
See the rest of today’s #Choctoberfest recipes here:
