White Chocolate Candy Cane Cheesecake {12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS GOODIES}

12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS GOODIES

White Chocolate Candy Cane Cheesecake

 

This is a pie I have been trying to repeat for many years. I still haven't quite got it yet, but this one is good, it's a close second. We use to buy every year a Candy Cane cream pie at a local coffee shop until they went out of business. It's the ONE dessert I miss MOST at Christmas time.

White Chocolate Candy Cane Cheesecake
from magazine clipping - Holiday Baking 2008

8 oz white chocolate melting chips, chopped
2 cups finely crushed graham crackers
6 tbsp butter, melted
2 (8oz) pkgs cream cheese, softened
1 (3oz) pkg cream cheese, softened (or just 19 oz all together)
1 (8oz) mascarphone cheese
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp peppermint extract
3 eggs
3/4 cup finely crushed hard peppermint candies (candy canes, candy sticks, etc), and a little extra for garnish
2 oz white chocolate melting chips

Preheat oven to 325. For crust, in a medium bowl, stir together graham crackers and melted butter until combined. Press mixture onto the bottom of an ungreased 9" spingform pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

For filling, Melt 8 oz of the white chocolate in microwave, starting at 20 second increments until completely melted, set aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, mascarpone cheese, sugar and salt. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until combined. Add in melted white chocolate and peppermint extract; beat until smooth. Add in eggs one at a time, beating after each until just combined. Stir in by hand about 3/4 cup of peppermint candies. Pour over crust, spread evenly.

Place a springform pan in a shallow baking pan. (I've heard so many tricks about adding water and such so your cheesecake doesn't fall in the middle! Mine fell so feel free to adjust that here)! Bake for 40 to 50 minutes of until outside edge appears set and center appears done.

Cool in pan on wire rack for 15 minutes, Remove spring form outer pan and cool for another 30 minutes. Cover and chill overnight before serving.

Transfer to a serving plat to complete. Melt the remaining 2 oz of white chocolate in the microwave to drizzle over top of the cheesecake and sprinkle with a little peppermint candy and add a dollop of cool whip to the top before serving!

Chocolate Peanut Buddy Bars {SECRET RECIPE CLUB}

My life is BEYOND busy! I don't know why? I have two less kids at home, but it seems like I am so busy all the time, even my blogging has slowed way down, not due to lack of recipes, I have plenty of those. It's the season to BE BUSY, I guess! Although my busy is decorating for Christmas and watching Christmas movies, YEP! I started early this year, earlier then ever. I am just skipping Thanksgiving all together and going straight into Christmas. All 3, YEP 3 Christmas Trees are all up in my house already. And then today was Secret Recipe Club, I can't believe I almost missed it.... ah! Here is is at last!

Here is my SECRET RECIPE CLUB post for the month of November. The blog I had was called A Spoonful of Thyme and I pinned a whole bunch of fun recipes to try, but this one was made for my adopted son Garrett for his birthday.

Here we go with my 20th post for the Secret Recipe Club; Group C .

Chocolate Peanut Buddy Bars

original recipe found at A Spoonful of Thyme

1 cup chunky peanut butter
6 tbsp butter, softened
1-1/4 cups granulated sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
1-3/4 cups chocolate chips, divided

Preheat oven to 350. Beat peanut butter and butter in large mixer bowl until smooth. Beat in sugar, eggs and vanilla. Beat in flour and salt. Stir in 3/4 cup chocolate chips. Spread into ungreased 9x13 inch baking pan.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Sprinkle with remaining chocolate chips. Let stand for 5 minutes or until morsels are shiny and melted; spread evenly. Cool completely in pan . Cut into bars.

Here is a list of my past Secret Recipe Club recipes:

• Blueberry Muffins (Gluten-Free)
• Bean Roll-Up (extra post)
• Cucumber Salad
• Raspberry & Nutella Pizza (extra post)
• Pioneer Woman's Chicken Pot Pie 
• Frozen Breakfast Burritos
• Pink Pearl Applesauce (crock-pot)
• Peanut Butter Marshmallow Cake (extra post)
• Cake Mix Cinnamon Chip Brownies
• Sweet and Smokey Roasted Cauliflower
• Cheesy Bacon Ranch Dip
• Trail Mix Cookies
• Creamy Noodles
• German Chocolate Cracker Candy
• Brownie Trifle
• Raspberry Greek Breakfast Parfait
• Dutch Apple Pie
• Banana Bread (special post)
• Homemade Granola Bars

Camping Cake CUPCAKES

This is a recipe I learned almost 15 years ago when I first met my husband. It's a recipe his mama makes all the time and a recipe that I've made for him ever since it was past down to me. Here is my original post about the camping cake, but today I wanted to make this oh so delicious cake into some cupcakes. This was a trial run and they came out PERFECT, I will be making these on our trip this week. Even though we are camping, motorhome'ing and driving 12 hours a day to get to our destination of St. Charles, Missouri there is always time to bake some dessert for my family even if it's while we are driving on the road going 70 miles per hour down the highway.

Camping Cake CUPCAKES
original recipe from my wonderful mother-in-law Charlotte

1 box Deviled Food Chocolate Cake Mix
1 box of Jello COOK & SERVE Pudding (can NOT be instant; either size box is fine, I use big box)
Chocolate Chips
Walnuts (or favorite nuts)

Make the pudding according to the directions on the box (the cook & serve, add the milk and cook on the stove; yea, that's the one!). Then add the dry cake mix to the cooked pudding and mix well (you do NOT add anything else, no eggs, no oil, no nothin').

For cupcakes, I lined my muffin pan with cupcake liners, then with an ice cream scoop pour one large scoop of mix into each cupcake liner. Sprinkle with chocolate chips and nuts (about 1/2 a bag, more if you'd like). Bake. (approx. 30-35 minutes; I usually follow the cooking directions on the back of the cake box) There you have it, perfect cupcakes to serve! The cake is extremely moist and everyone loves it!

Better Then {Anything} Cake

This cake is a famous cake, which I am sure many of you have heard of before {Better Then Sex Cake}. I've had it many times myself at a Bed and Breakfast in Big Bear, but have never really tried to make it myself. I came across this cake on Pinterest over and over again and thought, I need to try this out. With kids in my house, posting on facebook for youngin's to look at, I felt that a new name for this cake would better suit my family. I came across a different name {Better then Anything Cake} I liked this name better and more appropriate for a food item and thus this is what we call this OUT-OF-THIS-WORLD delicious cake. I will be making this again this week for my husband's work.

Better Than {Anything} Cake
adapted by me, recipe found on Barefoot and Baking

1 box chocolate cake mix (plus ingredients it calls for on the back of the box)
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 jar hot fudge sauce or 1 jar of caramel sauce
1 (8 oz) container of cool whip
4 Heath Bars, Skor Bars or 1 pkg of Andes Toffee Crunch Candies, crushed

Make and bake cake according to box directions in a 9x13 in pan. As soon as it comes out of the oven, poke holes with the handle of a wooden spoon all over the cake. Pour sweetened condensed milk over the top. Let cool completely. Next spread fudge over the cake, and put in the refrigerator to set. When it is cool, spread cool whip over the top and then top with crushed candy. Serve after the cake has been refrigerated and cooled. Some people like this cake better the next day as the cake gets more moist, and make sure to refrigerate leftovers.

Happy Birthday to my Hard Working Husband & a German Chocolate Cake

Today is my husband's birthday and yep you guessed it! He is at work (again), birthdays, holidays, weekends or not, he is almost always, always working. Although we LOVE the overtime (it really helps with the whole Dave Ramsey plan), we do miss him a lot. He had requested a few months ago a German Chocolate Cake (yep, noted and pinned so I wouldn't forget). I had never made a German Chocolate Cake, but that's what he wanted, that's what he was gonna get.

He almost blew my whole idea because yesterday he requested that I make him Camping Cakes for him to take to work for his birthday (camping cakes is his one and only cake recipe he always requests for his birthday). And so, of course, I did. I made THREE camping cakes and he took them to work last night (because he said his birthday is at midnight, so he must take birthday cake last night). Today is his actual birthday and so today I made him the German Chocolate Cake he requested (it was something NEW and exciting and I really wanted to make one).

Now the challenge was to get the cake to his work, a large oil refinery. My little guy and I came up with a plan. We would bake the cake after he left for work and then take it down there around 8pm. We arrived at the oil refinery, and had to get him to meet us outside somehow. We lured him out to his truck, my son was hiding in there (yes we brought a spare key) and then we SURPRISED him with his German Chocolate Cake. Mission Accomplished and my little guy was SO HAPPY! He was thrilled that he got to scare his dad even more then bringing him the cake.

Okay, we did give him a whole cake, but I knew I would NEVER get a piece unless I stole one in the parking lot. I even brought my own knife, plate and fork just so I could cut a piece of cake before he whisked it away. :-) And good thing I did. He said all the guys ate it in a matter of minutes (I even had to call him when I got home because our three kids and I were all trying to share the ONE piece I cut and it was just not enough. He had to steal another piece for the kids, and I am sure they will be eating it for breakfast tomorrow). The kids said "this cake is AWESOME"!!!

Now, I will say this cake is not a throw together, bake, frost and your done in 30 minutes or less (the cake actually took me from start to finish 3 hours). This cake takes a little time. It's not hard, it's just a lot of steps but I can tell you that everyone says "it is worth it". If you want to make a German Chocolate Cake, then I would definitely recommend this recipe.

German Chocolate Cake
recipe found at Big Mama's Home Kitchen, originally from David LeBovitz

For the cake:
2 oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chopped
2 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
6 tbsp water
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1-1/4 cup + 1/4 cup sugar
4 large eggs, separated
2 cups all-purpose flour (or cake flour)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract

To make the cake:Butter three 8-inch cake pans, then line the bottoms with rounds of parchment or wax paper. Preheat the oven to 350°.

Melt both chocolates together with the 6 tablespoons of water. Use either a double-boiler or a microwave. Stir until smooth, then set aside until room temperature.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, or by hand, beat the butter and 1-1/4 cup of the sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the melted chocolate, then the egg yolks, one at a time.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Mix in half of the dry ingredients into the creamed butter mixture, then the buttermilk and the vanilla extract, then the rest of the dry ingredients.

In a separate metal or glass bowl, beat the egg whites until they hold soft, droopy peaks. Beat in the  1/4 cup of sugar until stiff.

Fold about one-third of the egg whites into the cake batter to lighten it, then fold in the remaining egg whites just until there’s no trace of egg white visible.

Divide the batter into the 3 prepared cake pans, smooth the tops, and bake for about 22-26 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Watch them closely.

Cool cake layers completely.

While the cakes are baking, make the the filling, the syrup and the icing.

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For the filling:
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup sugar
3 large egg yolks
6 tbsp (or 3 oz) butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup pecans, toasted and finely chopped
1-1/2 cups unsweetened coconut, toasted (or sweetened)

To make the filling:Mix the cream, sugar, and egg yolks in a medium saucepan. Put the butter, salt, toasted coconut, and pecan pieces in a large bowl.



Pour the hot custard immediately into the pecan-coconut mixture and stir until the butter is melted. Cool completely to room temperature. (I will try this again, but I was unable to get this mixture to thinken. I added about 1 cup of powdered sugar threw it in my blender and was good to go). I've been told if you wait, it WILL thicken.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------For the syrup:
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp dark rum (we used Malibu Dark Rum with coconut flavor)

To make the syrup:In a small saucepan, heat the sugar and water until the sugar has melted. Remove from heat and stir in the dark rum.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For the chocolate icing:
8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 tbsp light corn syrup
3 tbsp (or 1-1/2 oz) unsalted butter
1 cup heavy cream

To make the icing:

Place the 8 ounces of chopped chocolate in a bowl with the corn syrup and butter.

Heat the cream until it just begins to boil. Remove from heat and pour over the chocolate. Let stand one minute, then stir until smooth. Let sit until room temperature, then refrigerate until ready to use.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To assemble the cake:

Remove the cake layers from the pans.

Set the first cake layer on a cake plate. Brush well with syrup. Spread 1/3 of the coconut filling over the cake layer, making sure to reach to the edges. Set another cake layer on top.

Repeat, using the syrup to brush each cake layer, then spreading 1/3 of the coconut filling over each layer, including the top.

Ice the sides with the chocolate icing, then pipe a decorative border of chocolate icing around the top, encircling the coconut topping. David LeBovitz says: "It may seem like a lot of chocolate icing, but use it all. Trust me. You won’t be sorry."

Here's a little history I found at David LeBovitz : Although Germany is famous for tall, multi-layered torten with alternating layers of cream, cake, fruit, nuts, beer, sausages, etc…German Chocolate Cake is decidedly the result of good-old American ingenuity. Deep, dark chocolate cake is layered with a rich filling of toasty coconut and pecans, then glazed with a slick, bittersweet chocolate icing. It’s based on a recipe using Bakers™ Chocolate, a company which employed Samuel German in 1852, hence the name. The first version of German’s Chocolate Cake—of which the apostrophe is part of the original name, was created in the mid 1950′s.

Whopper Chocolate Cake: CRAZY COOKING CHALLENGE

CRAZY COOKING CHALLENGE #6

Whopper Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Almond Buttercream

Welcome to challenge #6 of the CRAZY COOKING CHALLENGE. I know this linky party and challenge is going to be A-MAZ-ING!!! Chocolate! What could be better then CHOCOLATE? This month bloggers all over the world have made, baked and then blogged about a Chocolate Cake. It just makes me SMILE when I think of all of the people around the world who got to enjoy eating the chocolate cakes that were made! That's even more A-MAZ-ING!!!

I know my family and friends ENJOYED my Whopper Chocolate Cake.

Wondering what the CRAZY COOKING CHALLENGE is? Want to join the CRAZY COOKING CHALLENGE? If so, we'd love to have you. Just click on the button above or the tab and fill out the form. You will then be sent an email with all the details. Only participants of the CRAZY COOKING CHALLENGE will be able to have their recipes linked-up, so if you missed this month please come join us for next month when we will be searching for the ULTIMATE recipe of Spaghetti with Red Sauce.

Now, onto the chocolate cake recipe I picked to make for this challenge. I had seen this wonderful whopper cake when it came across Pinterest, of course I saved it. When this Chocolate Cake challenge came up, I knew this would be the perfect recipe (except I never really looked at the recipe until the day before I went to make my said cake.. more on that story coming up). My sister's birthday party was just around the corner, so now I had the perfect cake and a perfect reason to make the cake (this way my family and I would not have to indulge all by ourselves, even though we could of totally polished off this cake, no problem).

Now, for the cake story, the blog that made this great looking cake with Whoppers on it is Urbane Fruits which is written by Sonja and to my surprise the blog is based in London (hence the food measurements were not what I was use too). I went to try and bake this cake and I could not figure out the conversions, I guess maybe if I took a little more time I could of tried to convert them, but I really did not even know where to start, and this cake was so AWESOME I knew that I couldn't give up. I really wanted to make it. I remembered another blog that had a chocolate cake recipe on it which was Kevin and Amanda Blog with The Best Chocolate Cake and then since I wanted Chocolate Frosting I went a searchin' again and came across this via Pinterest Chocolate Buttercream Frosting from Savory Sweet Life. Okay, now my cake was complete. It took three blogs and three recipes, but the results were OUT-OF-THIS-WORLD!

Whopper Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Almond Buttercream Frosting

cake idea from Urbane Fruits and cake recipe from Kevin and Amanda Blog 

1 box Devil Food Cake Mix
1 pkg instant chocolate pudding mix (larger box)
1 cup sour cream
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. In a very large bowl, mix together everything except chocolate chips. Batter will be thick. Stir in the chocolate chips. Pour batter into cake pan of choice (normally 2 round cake pans, so you can frost the middle). For cooking time use the back of the box directions and maybe add about 10 minutes. Use the toothpick method.

Chocolate Almond Buttercream Frosting
frosting found at Savory Sweet Life

1 cup unsalted butter (softened, not melted)

3-1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp almond extract

4 tbsp heavy whipping cream

Cream butter for a few minutes in a mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed. Sift 3 cups of powdered sugar and cocoa into a mixing bowl. Turn your mixer on the lowest speed, add in the sift ingredients until it is absorbed by the butter. Increase mixer speed to medium and add almond extract, salt, and heavy cream; beat for 3 minutes.

To decorate the Whopper Cake, you will need two (12 oz) boxes of Whoppers and some gold dust from a cake store. The first thing you need to do is sprinkle the cake with the gold dust, this helps the Whoppers stick and not slide. I began with a center strip of Whoppers from left to right and continued row by row. Your ULTIMATE Chocolate Cake is now complete.

Click on your favorite recipes to cast your vote!
My recipe is #1 (please make sure to click on #1)
Whopper Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting!

Cake Mix Cinnamon Chip Brownies: SECRET RECIPE CLUB

SECRET RECIPE CLUB

Cake Mix Cinnamon Chip Brownies

Today is Group B: Secret Recipe Club reveal day. I am doing a blog this month that I have actually run into in the past which is always alot of fun, please hop on over Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker. If you haven't heard of the Secret Recipe Club or you'd like more information click on over and read all about it, there may be a little waiting list, but feel free to sign up anyway.

I always click right on over to my assigned blog Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker and pick out a handful of things I'd LOVE to make, this month was no different. I choice a few things...and PINNED them of course, but when it came time to pick what I was going to make I finally choose the Cake Mix Brownies, only I substituted the Peanut Butter Chips for Cinnamon Chips. I bought these Cinnamon Chips in Oregon over Thanksgiving and I've been racking my brain trying to figure out what to make with them and this recipe was PER-FECT!!!

Cake Mix Cinnamon Chip Brownies
adapted from Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker

1 chocolate cake mix

3 eggs
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup oatmeal
1 package cinnamon chips (original recipe called for peanut butter chips)

Stir the cake mix, eggs and oil together. Add the oatmeal and chips. Spread batter into a greased 9x13 pan and bake for 25 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

Here are a list of my past Secret Recipe Club recipes:

• Raspberry & Nutella Pizza
• Cucumber Salad
• Bean Roll-Up
• Blueberry Muffins (Gluten-Free)
• Pioneer Woman's Chicken Pot Pie 
• Frozen Breakfast Burritos
• Pink Pearl Applesauce (crock-pot)
• Peanut Butter Marshmallow Cake

This post is linked up one, two or all of these FABULOUS Linky Parties!

Peanut Butter Marshmallow Cake: SECRET RECIPE CLUB

SECRET RECIPE CLUB - Extra Post

Peanut Butter Marshmallow Cake

It's time for the Secret Recipe Club and I am doing an extra post today, for an orphan blogger A Pretty Life in the Suburbs. The person who had this blogger is in Paris (and the date of her post got mixed up). I didn't want this blogger to be without a linky today, so I just whipped up this dessert last night and sent it with my girls today to share with their math class. I know they are all going to LOVE it.

If you haven't heard of the Secret Recipe Club or you'd like more information click on over and read all about it, there may be a little waiting list, but feel free to sign up anyway.

Now that this blog A Pretty Life in the Suburbs was pointed out to me, I am excited to explore it a little bit more. I saw a ton of things on there that I would LOVE to make, so I am sure I will be PINNING away lots of ideas later on today.

Peanut Butter Marshmallow Cake
adapted from original recipe found at A Pretty Life in the Suburbs

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter (we used crunchy.. it's what I had on hand)

1/4 cup margarine or butter

1- packages of white chocolate (only because it's my favorite... original recipe is butterscotch chips)
1/2 package of mini colored marshmallows

In a saucepan on low to medium heat, melt butter, chocolate chips and peanut butter together.
Stir constantly. Let the mix cool (it doesn't have to be cold). About 15 minutes or so.  Add your marshmallows, and mix thoroughly. Transfer to an 8x8 square dish. Refrigerate, and serve when cooled completely. This square is best kept in the fridge.

Here are a list of my past Secret Recipe Club recipes:

• Raspberry & Nutella Pizza
• Cucumber Salad
• Bean Roll-Up
• Blueberry Muffins (Gluten-Free)
• Pioneer Woman's Chicken Pot Pie 
• Frozen Breakfast Burritos
• Pink Pearl Applesauce (crock-pot)
• Cake Mix Cinnamon Chip Brownie

This post is linked up to one, two or all of these FABULOUS Linky Parties!

12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS GOODIES (Day 8): Red Velvet Cake Balls - Reindeer

Day 8 of 12 Days of Christmas Goodies

Red Velvet Cake Balls - Reindeer

Red Velvet Cake Balls are an annual Holiday Tradition in our home! I only started making these a few years ago and now we don't go without them at Christmas time (and a few other times throughout the year). Everyone loves them and they are thee most requested holiday treat I've ever made. This year is no different. This is my first batch so far this month and I know there will be many more. My twins are taking these cute little reindeer to math class tomorrow. I know all the kids in their class (which are all girls) and their awesome math teachers are going to LOVE them!

This recipe is already on my blog. So, it's a repeat. But SO worth repeating. Here is my post from last year when I made them. Red Velvet Cake Balls

Grab Our Button & the Blog Hop Code if you wish to display the Linky on your own Blog. Or just link up and play along with us as we gather a ton of THEME recipes for the next 12 days.

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Red Velvet Cake Balls
recipe for cake balls received from a facebook friend

idea for Reindeer found at Lisa Storms

1 box Red Velvet Cake (cook as directed on box in a 9x13 pan)

1 can cream cheese frosting

2 pkg White or Chocolate Bark (or melting chocolate from a cake store)

Make sure cake is completely cooled. Crumble into a large bowl and mix in frosting. Roll into quarter size balls (it's easier to use a small melon scoop); place on wax paper and then freeze for at least 3 hours. (I freeze overnight) Melt chocolate (a little at a time). Roll cake balls into white chocolate (use a spoon for less mess); and place back on wax paper. (I like to use sprinkles too)

For Reindeer: You can buy eyes from any cake store or I used melted white chocolate and a tube of black chocolate, both that dry well (do not use the gell stuff it does not dry). For the nose andy red candy, we used Cinnamon candies. Then we wslipped them in a baggie and add the piping stick to hold it close and become the antlers.

To Store: I keep them in the freezer until ready to serve or give away.

This Post is linked to some of these FABULOUS Linky Parties!

We will  be having a linky party for the first 12 days in Decmeber. It's a BLOG HOP Party, so if you wish you can grab the blog hop code below or just link up some of your recipes with our THEME.

Here is a SNEAK PEAK of what's coming up and what's been happening.....

All the Blog Hops will be OPEN until Christmas Day (so there is plenty of time to link up)!

Day 1 - Candy Bark "Pretzel Bark"
Day 2 - Christmas Cookies "S'more Chocolate Chip Cookies"
Day 3 - Bread & Muffins "Reese's Peanut Butter Banana Bread"
Day 4 - Truffles "Egg Nog Truffles"
Day 5 - Cupcakes "Apple Pie Cupcakes"

Day 6 - Snowman "Anything SNOWMAN"

Day 7 - Fudge "Butterfinger Fudge"

Day 8 - Cake Pops or Cake Balls "Red Velvet Cake Balls - Reindeer"

Day 9 - Gifts in a Jar "Peppermint Hot Chocolate in a Jar"

Day 10 - Sugar Cookies "Swirl Sugar Cookies"

Day 11 - Homemade Candy "Peanut Butter Cups"

Day 12 - Anything Candy Cane "White Chocolate Candy Cane Pudding Cookies"

Today's Theme is CAKE POPS or CAKE BALLS!

I can't wait to see all of your CAKE POP recipes!

THIS WEEK'S CRAVINGS #54 (CAKES) and Twix Gooey Butter Cake

THIS WEEK'S CRAVINGS Linky Party

CAKE ONLY RECIPES

Twix Gooey Butter Cake

We've made it one-year, and still enjoying every minute. Our linky party started one-year ago by myself MOMS CRAZY COOKING, Kristen FROM MY TINY KITCHEN and Kristin DELIGHTFUL COUNTRY COOKIN'. We have had thousand upon thousands of link-ups.... I've found some of my favorite recipes-to-date through these linky parties and I am still LOVIN' all of the themes. If you are new here browse around some past themes at THIS WEEK'S CRAVINGS and you'll see why we are having so much fun. We host a theme linky party every Monday (and the party stays open all week long)! We hope to inspire you to make something with our theme or get an old post notice by linking it up to the linky party below. Since today is our 1 year Linky-versary, we have decided to make CAKES our theme. Please link up some of your favorite cake recipes.

This year will are sticking with the same SIMPLE RULES and now all of the themes for the entire year are list here on the THIS WEEK'S CRAVINGS tab, plan ahead, check out the weeks you want to make sure to link up or just browse them to see what's going on.

We also have some new hostess this year, please help me in welcoming them.

Your Hostess for 2012 will be

MOMS CRAZY COOKING

From My Tiny Kitchen

Big Bear's Wife
The Daily Dish
Veggie Converter

As hosts, we will try our hardest to visit as many of the links we can. We all enjoy your links and look forward to gathering recipes each week. Please know, that if there is a recipe category you would like to suggest to us, email any of us or leave a comment anytime.

MY CAKE RECIPE FOR TODAY'S LINKY PARTY

Twix Gooey Butter Cake
found on Ginger Bread Bagels, originally from Paula Dean at The Lady & Sons Restaurant in Savannah, Georgia

Bottom Layer
2 cups of cake flour
1-1/4 cups sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 egg, at room temperature
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
2 tbsp whole milk

Top Layer
8 oz cream cheese, softened
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
2-2/3 cups powdered sugar
10-12 chopped Twix Bars, fun sized

Sift together the cake flour, sugar, baking powder and kosher salt into a lareg mixing bowl. Mix together with a paddle attachment. Add the egg, melted butter and milk. Mix to combine completely. Press the dough evenly in the bottom of a lightly greased 9x13 baking dish. Set aside.

In a bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment mix the cream cheese until it's smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla and melted butter. Mix on medium speed until the batter is combined. Then add in the powdered sugar (do not sift) and mix until the batter is completely combined and smooth. If there are some lumps, it's ok. Pour the batter on top of the bottom layer. Spread it out evenly.

Take 10 fun-sized Twix and chop them into about 5 pieces each. Place them on top of the Gooey Butter cake, befor eyou bake it. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes. Be careful not to over bake, because it will look like it is not done. Once cooled, cut into pieces and serve!

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This Week's Cravings Upcoming Linky "THEMES"

Here is a complete list of the past and what's coming up next on THIS WEEK'S CRAVINGS!

November 14 - Your Best PUMPKIN Recipes

November 21 - Thanksgiving Dinner & Desserts

November 28 - French Toast, Pancakes, Waffles & More

December 5 - Christmas Baking: Sweets, Treats, Candy & Gift Ideas

If you are a regular link-up we're excited to see what you made this week. If you are new please read and follow the simple rules, so that everyone can enjoy the linky party! If you forget to follow the theme, your post will be deleted. Please don't feel hurt, just come back and link up a recipe that follows the theme. Thanks a million, we look forward to blogging with you!

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This week's theme is: CAKES
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This week's theme is: CAKES
Please only link recipes with our theme!

Peach Blueberry Upside Down Cake from GUEST BLOGGER: J4C Home

Today’s guest blogger, Jan & Sarah from J4C Home. Please help me in welcoming them to my blog. I am excited they are here. I checked out their blog and I just love the California gardening. I would like to learn something from them as I have never gardened before and it's made it to my "to-do" list. ME! Yes, me gardening (someday)! Check out this recipe that they are sharing today it looks so fresh and delicious.

Blog: J4C Home

TAKE IT AWAY: We're a mom & daughter team, sharing our love of cooking, gardening, reading and crafting. We also post reviews and giveaways of products we love. Our Peach Blueberry Upside Down Cake is easy to make and pretty enough to serve to holiday guests. It also makes a nice gift. We hope you'll enjoy it as we do!

Peach Blueberry Upside Down Cake

1-1/4 cups flour

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 Tablespoons butter

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup milk

1 (15 oz.) can sliced peaches

3/4 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9” round cake pan. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. Place the 3 Tablespoons of butter and the brown sugar in the prepared pan, and put this in the oven for 3 to 4 minutes, just long enough for the butter to melt. Remove from oven, and stir in the melted butter and brown sugar to mix well. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the 1/3 cup butter and the granulated sugar. Beat in the egg, then stir in the vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the milk, mixing just until incorporated. (Overmixing will cause the cake to be heavy.)

Drain the peaches and pat them dry with a paper towel. Arrange the peaches around the edges of the prepared pan and distribute the blueberries in the center. Pour batter into the pan, covering the fruit completely. Bake in the preheated oven to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Enjoy the cake warm, or at room temperature.

Thanks again the cake looks delicious!