Chocolate Marble Cake 

ilovedessert:

Brown Donuts - Cake Sprinkles for Kids (by browndonuts)

(via dietkiller)

cooking-confessions:

Toffee Crunch Cupcake

Cupcake Ingredients:

• 1 cup (4.5 ounces) all purpose flour
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (7.3 ounces) sugar
• 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1.5 ounces) SCHARFFEN BERGER Unsweetened Natural Cocoa Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and warm
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoon instant coffee (recommended: Starbucks Via)
• 1/2 cup hot coffee
• 1/2 cup chocolate covered toffee bits

Caramel Frosting Ingredients:

• 5 large egg whites
• 11/2 cup sugar
• 4 sticks unsalted butter, diced and softened
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 1/3 cup caramel sauce 

Chocolate Dipping Sauce Ingredients:

• 2/3 cups dark chocolate
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 4 tablespoons powdered sugar, sifted
• 5-8 tablespoons water, warm

Cupcake Directions:

1. Add flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a blow and mix thoroughly to combine.
2. Add the butter, eggs, and vanilla and beat on medium speed for one minute.
3. Add the butter and egg mixture and beat for 20 seconds.
4. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the hot coffee. Beat for 20-30 seconds until the batter is smooth. The batter will be thin enough to pour.
5. Divide it evenly among the lined cups.
6. Bake 18-22 minutes just until a toothpick inserted into a few of the cupcakes comes out clean. Set the pan on a rack to cool.
7. Frost the cupcakes when they are completely cool. Store and serve at room temperature.
8. TIP: For light tender cupcakes, spoon flour and cocoa lightly into measuring cups (instead of dipping the cups into the flour or cocoa) and then sweep the measures level without tapping or shaking them.

Caramel Frosting Directions:

1. Combine egg whites and sugar in a bowl placed over simmering water. Bring mixture to 150 degrees F while whisking constantly.
2. Transfer mixture to stand mixer bowl, fitted with a whisk attachment and beat on medium speed until mixture cools and doubles in volume.
3. Add butter in one piece at a time, mixing to incorporate after each addition. The mixture may appear clumpy and almost curdled looking-this is normal. Keep mixing and it will become even and smooth again.
4. Add salt and vanilla and mix to combine.
5. Add caramel sauce and mix to combine.

Chocolate Dipping Sauce Directions:

1. Place chocolate and heavy cream in a bowl over simmering water.
2. Let chocolate and cream sit for 2-3 minutes to melt without stirring. Then slowly stir mixture to combine.
3. Add powdered sugar and mix to combine.
4. Add water one tablespoon at a time, mixing after each addition until pouring consistency is reached.
5. Set aside and let sauce cool to warm.

To assemble cupcake:

1. To frost the cupcakes: Fill a pastry bag fitted with a large round tip and start piping from the outside working in to the center to create one even layer.
2. Freeze cupcakes for 20 minutes before dipping in warm chocolate sauce, so that the frosting does not melt.
3. Remove cupcakes and dip in warm chocolate sauce, and then rim with chocolate covered toffee bits.
4. Return cupcakes to freezer for five minutes for chocolate to set.
5. Remove from freezer and finish piping frosting on top.

(Source: bakersroyale.com)

(Source: melissa912, via dietkiller)

ohsopictures:

http://weheartit.com/entry/26398912

(Source: stonerparty, via vodkafactory)

(via bakeddd)

(via numpty-ly)

cooking-confessions:

Sparkling Champagne and Strawberries Jello

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons (3 envelopes) unflavored gelatin powder
• 2 cups cold water
• 1 cup sugar
• 11/2 cups cold champagne
• 11/2 cups cold ginger ale
• 1 cup sliced fresh strawberries

Directions:

1. In a saucepan, sprinkle the gelatin evenly over the cold water and allow the gelatin to absorb the water for 2 minutes. Bring the water to a boil over high heat and stir until the gelatin is fully dissolved. Remove from the heat.
2. Transfer the gelatin mixture to a bowl, add the sugar, and stir until dissolved. 
3. Stir in the champagne and ginger ale. 
4. Refrigerate until thickened. [This does not mean set] 
5. Fold in the strawberries and spoon into 7 to 10 individual molds or a 7-cup mold. Refrigerate until firm . 
6. Unmold and serve.

(Source: therecipeclub.net)

cooking-confessions:

Chocolate-Dipped Beer Marshmallows with Crushed Pretzel Garnish

Ingredients for the Bloom:

• 1 1/2 tablespoons (just under 1/2 ounce) unflavored gelatin
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup (2.5 ounces) flat dark beer

Ingredients for the Sugar Syrup:

• 1/4 cup (2 ounces) flat dark beer
• 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons (5 ounces) corn syrup or sugar cane syrup
• 3/4 cup (6 ounces) granulated sugar
• pinch salt

Ingredients for Coating and Topping:

• 10-12 ounces milk chocolate
• 2-3 teaspoons canola oil, optional - for thinning the melted chocolate
• 1/2 cup stick pretzels

Directions:

1. To flatten the beer, open the bottle and let it sit overnight. If you’re in a rush, pour it into a bowl and stir the beer with a whisk to release as much of the carbon dioxide as possible.
2. Spray one standard bread loaf pan (8.5” x 4.5” or close) with nonstick spray or line it with parchment paper and then spray with nonstick coating. If using parchment, tape the flaps to the outside of the pan so the paper stays in place when you spoon in the marshmallow.
3. For the bloom, sprinkle the gelatin in the bowl of a stand mixer. 
4. Mix the vanilla and flattened beer, and pour this over the gelatin. Whisk until no lumps remain. 
5. Set the bowl back into your mixer and fit the mixer with a whisk attachment.
6. For the sugar syrup, combine the flattened beer, corn syrup, sugar, and salt in a 4-quart saucepan or larger. Clip a candy thermometer to the side. Turn the heat to medium-high and bring the sugar mixture to a boil. As the syrup heats, it will foam up to nearly fill the pan. Keep an eye on it so it doesn’t boil over. 
7. When the mixture is between 225° and 230°, let it bubble for another 5 minutes and then remove it from heat. (Ideally, the syrup should reach 240° - 250°, but I couldn’t get an accurate temperature reading in the foam. If your syrup starts to edge up toward 250°, take the pan off the heat and proceed with the next step.)
8. With the mixer on low speed, carefully pour the sugar syrup down the side of the bowl into the gelatin bloom. 
9. Turn the mixer to high once all the syrup has been added and let it whip for 8-10 minutes, until it looks like glossy meringue and is very thick.
10.  Pour the marshmallow into the loaf pan and let it cure, uncovered, for 10-12 hours or overnight.
11. When the marshmallows are cured, rub the top with a little powdered sugar and turn the marshmallows out onto a cutting board. Rub the top with more powdered sugar. Cut into 18-22 squares of equal size.
12. Melt the chocolate either over a double-boiler or in 30-second bursts on HIGH in the microwave, stirring between each burst until the chocolate is melted. If the chocolate seems too thick, whisk in the canola oil one teaspoon at a time until the chocolate is thin enough to coat.
13. Coat each marshmallow entirely and set them on a piece of wax paper to dry. We use a dinner fork and a chop stick to help turn the marshmallows in the chocolate and slide them onto the wax paper. 
14. While the chocolate is still wet, sprinkle the tops of the marshmallows with crushed pretzels. The chocolate might have difficulty setting up if the weather is very humid; try putting the marshmallows in the fridge to help things along.
15. Marshmallows will keep in a covered container for several weeks. In the summer, store in the refrigerator to prevent the chocolate from melting.

(Source: thekitchn.com)

cooking-confessions:

Guinness Chocolate Cheesecake

Ingredients:

• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 12 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup Guinness

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F
2. Mix the graham cracker crumbs, cocoa powder, sugar, and butter and press into the bottom of a 9 inch spring form pan.
3. Melt the chocolate in the cream in a double boiler.
4. Cream the cream cheese.
5. Mix in the sugar, chocolate, sour cream, eggs, vanilla, and Guinness.
6. Pour the mixture into the spring form pan.
7. Bake for 60 minutes.
8. Turn off heat and leave cheesecake in the oven with the door slightly ajar for 60 minutes.
9. Let it cool completely.
10. Chill the cheesecake in the fridge overnight.

(Source: closetcooking.com)

(via sugarspiceandeverythingtasty)

Rainbow cake

dietkiller:

Strawberry Marshmallow Cookies

Recipe too!