Mickey Mouse Pops!

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of helping a friend make these pops for her son’s second birthday. We had so much fun hanging out, but the actual pop making experience was challenging.  It was definitely a learning experience for both of us, but I’m glad we jumped in with both feet.  I think the finished pops were really cute!

One major change we made from the source of this recipe is that we used Oreo truffles as the base instead of cake balls.  We much prefer the taste of Oreo truffles over the cake ones, even though they are very rich and decadent.  I do think the cake balls generate a smoother ball, but again, the taste is more important in my opinion.  Also the Oreo balls are a little heavier than the cake ones, so that made dipping them difficult, but we managed.  I think the keys are to have really runny chocolate (but not too hot.  See step 11 about adding shortening to thin it out.) and to dip as fast as possible.

Please excuse my fuzzy photos, they were taken with my phone rather than a camera.  If you’re friends with me on facebook, you can see a couple more pictures there.  Also, I’m super excited that this counts as the first thing to check off from my 30×30 list.  Score!

Mickey Pops

Source:  Bakerella

You’ll need:

• 1 box cake mix (bake as directed on box for 13 X 9 cake)*
• 1 16 oz can of ready-made frosting*
• Wax paper
• Baking sheet
• White bark coating {we omitted}
• Black candy color {we omitted}
• Chocolate candy melts
• Round cookie cutter
• Paper lollipop sticks
• Styrofoam block

*One cake makes about 48 cake pops. If you don’t need that many, then cut the cake in quarters and freeze any cake sections for another day. You’ll need at least one ounce of candy coating for each generic Mickey Mouse cake pop you plan on dipping and more for any extra decorating.

*If you substitute Oreo balls for the cake balls, you obviously won’t need any cake or frosting.  You will need one package of Oreo cookies and one package of cream cheese.   Crush the Oreos in a food processor, then add the cream cheese and pulse until combined.  Pick up at step 3 below.

Instructions:

1. After cake is cooked and cooled completely, crumble into a large bowl.

2. With a large spoon, mix thoroughly with about 3/4 of the can of frosting. You won’t need the rest.

3. Roll mixture into quarter size cake balls and place on a wax paper covered baking sheet.

4. Place balls in the freezer for about 15 minutes to firm up. Then transfer to the refrigerator to keep chilled and avoid freezing.

5. Prepare the ears. Use round chocolate candy melts and with a round cutter, cut off a small portion of each candy melt. Set the ears aside.

6. Melt white candy coating (we just used chocolate) in a heat-proof plastic bowl so that the coating is at least four inches deep for easier dipping. Melt in the microwave in 30 second intervals on low, stirring in between. Repeat until melted and smooth.

7. Add several drops of black candy color (that does not contain water) into the white candy coating and stir until combined. Add color until you achieve the desired shade. {We skipped this}

8. Remove a couple of cake balls from the refrigerator at a time to work with.

9. Dip the tip of a lollipop stick into the melted coating and insert into the cake ball. Then, grab two candy melt ears and dip the cut side into the melted candy coating. Attach the ears to the top/side of the cake pop and the coating will set like glue.

10. Place in a styrofoam block to dry.

11. When dry, carefully dip the entire cake pop with ears attached into the bowl of melted candy coating. Dip and remove in one motion without stirring. Make sure the entire cake ball is covered. Using a deep bowl is helpful here. If your coating is too thick, you can add a few drops of vegetable oil or shortening to help thin it and make it easier to work with.

12. Remove and allow any excess coating to fall off the pop and back into the bowl.

13. Place in a styrofoam block to dry.

14. When dry, wrap in small treat bags and tie with a decorative ribbon.

Note: You can use dark chocolate candy coating instead of tinting white coating black. Then, you can use the same glueing technique to attach the ears right on the surface.

You can also attach other items like Junior Mints or separated miniature Oreo Cookies to the surface of the cake pop right after dipping and before the coating sets.

Rhubarb Crisp

My sister grows rhubarb and she graciously gave me some to bake with about a week ago.  After deliberating with Tim, I decided on this simple rhubarb crisp.

Also, sorry about not adding pictures at the moment, my computer is still on the fritz.

Rhubarb Crisp

Source:  grocery store flyer

Ingredients:

1.5 cups flour, plus 2 Tablespoons

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup old-fashioned oats

1 cup ( 2 sticks ) butter, cold and cut into small pieces

2.5 pounds fresh rhubarb, coarse ends removed and cut into 1/2″ pieces (about 8 cups) – I used appprox 6 cups rhubarb and 2 cups chopped fresh strawberries.

ice cream for serving

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl, whisk together 1.5 cups flour, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 granulated sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, and 1/4 tsp salt until well mixed.  Add oats and stir to combine.  With fingertips or pastry blender, cut in butter until pea sized crumbs form (will be dry).

In a large bowl, stir rhubarb (and strawberries) with remaining 2 Tbsp flour, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, and 1/4 tsp salt until well combined.  Spread rhubarb mixture evenly into lightly sprayed 13″ x 9″ glass or ceramic baking dish.  Sprinkle oat mixture evenly over rhubarb mixture.

Bake 45 to 55 minutes or until top is golden brown; let stand 10 minutes before serving.  Serve warm with ice cream.

Enjoy!

Root Beer Bundt Cake

I was assigned to cover the dessert category for the Easter meal at my mom and dad’s house and I immediately wanted to make a bundt cake of some kind.  After much deliberation, I decided on this root beer cake.

Overall it was a very good cake, super dense and moist as bundt cakes tend to be.  But I was disappointed that the root beer flavor wasn’t very strong.  However, I’m sure that the root beer enhanced the chocolate flavor though.

Root Beer Bundt Cake
Source:  Pink Parsley who adapted from Baked:  New Frontiers in Baking

For the cake

• 2 cups root beer (not diet)
• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1-1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1-1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 large eggs

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.  Generously spray the inside of a 10-inch bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray.

In a small saucepan, heat the root beer, cocoa powder, and butter over medium heat until the butter is melted.  Add the sugars and whisk until dissolved.  Remove from heat, pour into a large mixing bowl, and let cool.

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together.

In a small bowl, whisk the eggs until just beaten, then whisk them into the cooled cocoa mixture until combined.  Gently fold the flour mixture into the cocoa mixture.  The batter will be slightly lumpy; do not over beat as it could cause the cake to be tough.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake 35-45 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking time, until a small knife or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool completely.  Gently loosen the sides of the cake from the pan and turn it out onto the rack.

For the Root Beer Fudge Frosting

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup root beer, plus more as needed
• 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2-1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

To make the frosting, cream the butter, root beer, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer.  Then gradually add the cocoa powder, then the powder sugar.  Mix until the frosting is shiny and smooth.  Add more root beer, a few teaspoons at a time, if the frosting is too thick to spread easily with a spatula.

Use a spatula to spread the frosting over the crown of the cake in a thick layer.  Let the frosting set before serving.  Serve with vanilla ice cream on the side.

Pineapple Casserole

I heard about this dish about 2 years ago and have been intrigued ever since.  I finally got around to making it for Easter this year.  Boy am I glad that I did.  It was a hit!  It is a great side dish for ham, but is sweet enough that it could be served as a dessert.  The texture is between bread stuffing and bread pudding, definitely not too mushy though.  I thought it was perfect.

Pineapple Casserole

Serves 8-10

Ingredients:

12-14 slices (1/2 of a loaf basically) regular white sandwich bread, cut or torn into 1″ pieces

3 eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 cup milk (I used vanilla soy milk)

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

1 can (20 oz.) of crushed pineapple with juice

3/4 cup sugar

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

sprinkle of cinnamon and sugar for topping

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Spray a large baking dish (such as a 9×13) with Pam or grease with butter.

Mix the eggs, milk, butter, and sugar in a large bowl.  Add the crushed pineapple with juice, cinnamon and nutmeg.  Then add the cubes of bread and stir just to coat.  Don’t over mix.  Pour into the prepared baking dish, top with a sprinkle of cinnamon and sugar and bake at 375 degrees for 40-45 minutes.

Can be served warm or cold.

Bob Andy Pie (custard pie)

I wanted to make a new pie recipe for Thanksgiving this year, possibly even an unusual or nontraditional pie.  That’s when I remembered the custard pie that was served at the restaurant that I worked at for (too) many years.  I went in search of a similar recipe and found one on Tasty Kitchen.  I have no idea where the name came from, but I guess it has something to do with the Amish??

It was pretty good, but not exactly like the one from the restaurant.  Next time I’ll reduce the amount of cinnamon and probably add a dash of nutmeg.

Bob Andy Pie

• 3 whole large eggs
• 9 Inch unbaked pie shell
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon – I will probably just use 1 tsp next time.
• ½ teaspoons salt

Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Crack eggs in a medium bowl; brush pie shell with a little of the egg whites. Whisk eggs until thoroughly mixed; whisk in milk. Mix sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt in a separate bowl, then whisk into milk mixture.

Set pie shell on oven rack and pour filling into shell. Bake until custard has set and crust is golden, about 50 minutes.  {I baked it for 60 minutes and it was still jiggly, but it set up once it had cooled.}

Cool and serve room temperature or chilled.

Peanut Butter Fingers

Peanut Butter Fingers

Source:  Amish Friends Vol 2 Cookbook, page 71

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, soft

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1/3 cup peanut butter

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 cup rolled oats

1 cup flour

6 oz chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cream butter and sugars.  Blend in egg and peanut butter.  Add soda, salt, vanilla, flour, and oats.  Mix well then press into pan.  Bake in a greased 9×13-inch pan for 20-25 minutes.  Sprinkle chocolate chips over the top while hot, place back in the oven (turned off) for a minute or less.   Spread the melted chocolate with a spatula.  Cool.  Frost with peanut butter frosting.  Cut into bars, or “fingers”, for serving.

Peanut Butter Frosting:

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/4 cup peanut butter

2-4 tablespoons milk.

Combine all, stirring the milk in until it reaches the desired spreading consistency.

Ducky Cookies

The past few months have brought many new babies into my extended family so I had the opportunity to make a meal for two of the moms.  Along with the meals that I provided, I also took a treat in the form of cookies.  Who doesn’t love a cute cookie?

I was really excited for the chance to use royal icing again and to try to improve my decorating skills.  However, I’m still pretty new at it, so I stuck with one color.  I intended to add faces to the ducks, but they weren’t quite dry enough for the edible marker to work before I had to transport them.  Maybe next time.

I also wanted to do step-by-step instructions of how I made these, but my camera battery died.  And I also realized I have no business giving directions on something that I suck at.  Here’s what I did photograph though:

prepared work surface

cut out dough

baked and cooled cookies

decorated

I doubled this recipe for the sugar cookies.  But substituted lemon extract for the almond extract.  Honestly, I didn’t think the cookies were sweet enough so next time I’ll roll them out using powdered sugar instead of flour.  And I need to stop rolling the dough so thin!

And I used this recipe for the royal icing.

all packed up

I definitely encourage you to check out Bridget’s Blog called Bake at 350.  She is awesome at decorating cookies!!

Hamburgers

Did I fool anyone?  These are actually hamburger cupcakes!!  They are probably the most exciting thing I have made in a long time too!  They were ridiculously easy to make as well, and you’ll see why below.  With summer drawing to a close, I knew Labor Day would probably be my last chance to make these this year, since it pretty much wraps up the picnic season.  I’m so glad I went for it and that T could take them into work to be enjoyed. 🙂

There’s really no recipe here as everything was store-bought/mixes.  Sure, you could make each item from scratch but after a very busy weekend, I just didn’t go that route this time.  This is what you need:

1 white cake mix, prepared as 24 cupcakes {I went with french vanilla flavored}

1 box of brownies

1 can of frosting, divided

gel/paste food colors – yellow {mustard}, green {lettuce}, red {ketchup}

biscuit cutter {I used a 2″ square}

3 pastry bags and 3 couplers

two #3 tips for the ketchup and mustard

one leaf tip for the lettuce {#66 or #352}

sesame seeds

toothpicks

Make and bake the cupcakes as directed in greased muffin cups {or you can use paper liners, but they’ll have to be removed before assembly}.  When cupcakes are still warm from baking, sprinkle each with sesame seeds.  Cool completely, then slice in half to create buns.

Make and bake the brownies.  Cool completely.  Then cut with biscuit cutter into square {or round} patties, making sure the patties are the right size for the buns.

Divide the can of frosting into 3 bowls.  Color with yellow, red, and green or as desired.

Prepare 3 pastry bags, couplers, and tips and fill each with the prepared frosting.

Decorate on the brownie “meat” to create ketchup, mustard and lettuce.

I only put lettuce on the corners, but you can add as much as you would like.  Then top with the upper half of the cupcake and you are done!

Strawberry Lemon Cupcakes

Wow!  I now know why there has been so much hype over Swiss meringue buttercream.  It is dreamy and smooth and so, so good!  I really don’t know how I’ll be able to go back to my old buttercream!

I have to give myself a pat on the back for making this recipe.  It was a lot more labor than I’m used to putting into cupcakes, especially on one of the hottest days of the year, but it was so worth it.  So worth it!

Due to a work function at the hellhole, I had to make all 3 parts of this recipe about 48+ hours before assembling the final product.  I left the lemon curd and buttercream in the fridge and left the cupcakes in an airtight container at room temp until I could put it all together.

As my luck goes, of course there was a casualty.  Well as instructed, I brought the buttercream to room temperature {or so I thought?} and then mixed it using my stand mixer to fluff it up again.  And it totally curdled and separated into a runny mess.  I ended up starting over with a new batch which was not really how I wanted to spend my Friday night, but that’s okay.

So, I would recommend making it and using it immediately.  Also, I used unsalted butter in the first batch and salted in the second and I could definitely tell a difference.  I thought the batch using unsalted butter was much better.  I didn’t have as many strawberries as were called for to make my second batch, so that was disappointing too.

Now, even though this was a time consuming project, no step was difficult.  At times I questioned the vagueness of certain directions, but I went with my gut and everything turned out great.  Erin also made some great suggestions, so I’ve included some combined tips throughout the instructions below that may make things more clear or clear as mud…

Strawberry Lemon Buttermilk Cupcakes

Source:  Milk and Honey and Martha Stewart

Makes 24 cupcakes {I got 27 cupcakes}

First, make the filling:

LEMON CURD

• 8 large egg yolks
• Finely grated zest of 2 lemons
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 3 lemons)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 sticks (10 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cold, cut into pieces

1. Combine yolks, lemon zest, lemon juice, and sugar in a heavy-bottom saucepan; whisk to combine. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon (be sure to scrape the sides of the pan), until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon, 8 to 10 minutes, and registers 160 degrees on an instant-read thermometer.
2. Remove saucepan from heat. Add salt and butter, one piece at a time, stirring until smooth. {I had to move the saucepan back to very low heat to finish adding the butter, it just wasn’t melting for me off the heat.} Strain through a fine sieve into a medium bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface of the curd to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until chilled and set, at least 1 hour or up to 1 day.

Next, make the cake:

LEMON BUTTERMILK CUPCAKES

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• Finely grated zest of 3 lemons (about 3 tablespoons), plus 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup buttermilk

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners.
2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
3. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is until incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in zest and vanilla. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of buttermilk and lemon juice, and beating until just combined after each.
4. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full (or less, I had issues with 2 or 3 being too full and running over while baking}. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until golden brown and a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 25-30 minutes. {My were still pretty light colored, but center was done so don’t just go by color.} Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes. Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.

Make the frosting and assemble:

STRAWBERRY SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM

• 1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries (8 ounces), rinsed, hulled, and coarsely chopped
• 4 large egg whites
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter, cut into tablespoons, at room temperature {I recommend unsalted butter}

1. Puree strawberries in a food processor. Combine egg whites and sugar in the heatproof bowl of a standing electric mixer set over a pan of simmering water.  {I may have messed up here, I just used a large shallow stainless steel frying pan, but realized later that it was supposed to be more of a double boiler set up.  So I guess I should have used a deeper pan for the simmering water?  My way seemed to work out though.} Whisk constantly by hand until mixture is warm to the touch and sugar has dissolved.  The mixture should feel completely smooth when rubbed between your fingertips.
2. Attach the bowl to the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Starting on low and gradually increasing to medium-high speed, mix until stiff (but not dry) peaks form. {I don’t think I truly got to stiff peaks, but went ahead anyway because it was glossy and fluffy.} Continue mixing until the mixture is fluffy and glossy, and completely cool (test by touching the bottom of the bowl), about 10 minutes.
3. With mixer on medium-low speed, add the butter a few tablespoons at a time, mixing well after each addition. Once all butter has been added, scrape down sides of bowl with a flexible spatula and switch to the paddle attachment; continue beating on low speed until all air bubbles are eliminated, about 2 minutes. Add strawberries and beat until combined. Stir with a flexible spatula until the frosting is smooth.*  {Taste the frosting at this point and you will think you went to heaven!!!}
4. Using a small paring knife, cut a small cone shaped portion out of the middle of each cupcake. Reserve the cones. Spoon about a 1/2 teaspoon of the lemon filling into each cake. Top with reserved cone and press it down slightly into place.
5. Pipe or spread the frosting on top of each filled cupcake. Garnish with a strawberry and a lemon wedge. Serve immediately. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator but bring to room temp before serving again.

*The frosting can be made ahead of time. Just transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze up to 1 month. Before using, bring to room temperature and beat with paddle attachment on low speed until smooth again, about 5 minutes. {I don’t recommend this, but left in for anyone who wants to take the chance.}

Chocolate and Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Bars

I had a pretty intense craving for these bars out of nowhere one day and luckily I had some time on my hands to make them.  And it really was good that I had extra time on my hands because I couldn’t find a freaking recipe for them anywhere!  How is it possible that I’ve never made them before, therefore blogging them and therefore knowing where to find my recipe?!  So, over the next hour I searched through about 10 cookbooks before finding a recipe.

They really hit the spot and reminded me of the school cafeteria too.  Weird.

Aside:  What is with all of my flashbacks to childhood?  Today I was thinking about the movies I watched all the time as a kid like Top Gun, Rags to Riches, and Grease!  I need to get copies of them so I can watch them soon.

Chocolate and Peanut Butter rice Krispie Bars

Source:  a hometown cookbook

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar

1 cup Karo syrup

1-1/4 cup peanut butter {I used half smooth and half chunky}

2 tsp vanilla extract

6 cups rice krispies

1 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup butterscotch chips

Directions:

Butter a 9 x 13-inch baking dish and set aside.

Heat the syrup and sugar on the stove until melted.  Add the peanut butter and vanilla, mixing well.  Then add the cereal.  Press into the prepared pan.

Melt the chips together and spread over the top.  Allow to set up, then cut into bars.