What's Cookin'? - Cannoli Cake!

So, this happened today....

Can I just say, "YUM!!!"?

It snowed all day today.

Of course I made soup - an Italian soup that I grew up with called "Manaste". 

It's an odd concoction of ingredients (country ribs, pepperoni, escarole, white beans, tomatoes) and I love this soup.

Before my youngest son tried it (and liked it!), he named it "mah-nasty".

Funny, but unfair!

He later retracted that comment....

My mom used to make this soup a couple of times each year. I haven't made this soup in years! I was due. Today was the day.

Of course, we had to have an "Italian" dessert as well!

I found this Cannoli Poke Cake here:

http://lemon-sugar.com/?s=Cannoli+cake

I followed her recipe with a few variations:

-I did the substitutions "to make a boxed cake better", and 

- in the end I added some coconut milk instead of sweetened condensed milk.

This was a wonderful cake! We all enjoyed it! The frosting is divine- tastes just like cannoli filling!

If you prefer a cake with a sweet, buttercream frosting - this it is not the cake that you're looking for.

But, believe me when I say you won't be sorry for making this one!

Cannoli Poke Cake

• boxed white cake mix plus ingredients to make cake as directed on box (or follow my instructions below to "make any boxed cake better")

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•1 1/2 c ricotta cheese

•1 container (8 ounces) marscapone cheese

• 1t vanilla

• 1c powdered sugar (10x/confectioner's)

• 1/2t cinnamon

• 2 cans sweetened condensed milk (I used 1 can and 1/2 cup of coconut milk)

• 1/2c(?) mini chocolate chips

Bake white cake as directed. (Here is where I followed the directions I found on the Internet to "make any boxed cake better": I added one additional egg than called for on the box - in this case it was one additional egg white, I substituted an equal amount of milk for water, and I substituted an equal amount of softened butter instead of using the oil that it called for on the box)

When the cake, is done remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

When cake is cool, poke holes using a straw or end of a wooden spoon all over the cake about 1 inch away from each other.

Pour one whole can of sweetened condensed milk over cake, allowing milk to fill in holes.

Cover and chill 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Prepare frosting:

Using a mixer with whip attachment, blend together ricotta cheese, marscapone cheese and vanilla.

Add in one cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon.

Turn to high-speed ,beat in 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk (you will not use the whole second can; this is where I substituted the 1/2 cup coconut milk, simply because I did not have a second can of the SCM!)

Frost cake (all of the sweetened condensed milk that you poured on initially should now have seeped into the cake).

Sprinkle with mini chocolate chips. (Really? Who measures chocolate chips in this situation? Just sprinkle on as many as you want, I say!)

Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

For the whole "cannoli experience", sprinkle each piece with powdered sugar just before serving.

Try not to eat the whole cake!

What's cookin'? - "Crack" Cake

This past Friday night I followed the recipe that I had found on Pinterest. It was for "Crack" Cake.

No! There are no illegal substances used in this cake! My husband wouldn't allow that ,now would he?

But the name implies that it is addicting like crack!

Let me just say that I made this cake in the evening on Friday. By noon on Saturday it was gone.

One family of four devoured the "crack" cake. I'm embarrassed.

I am glad I didn't witness them sneaking to eat it or having the shakes or anything....

Seriously though, this cake was easy to make! It will be a hit when ever you choose to serve it!

For the cake:

• 1 box yellow cake mix 
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1 box instant vanilla pudding mix
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 4 eggs
• 3/4 cup water
• 3/4 cup oil
• 1/2 cup white wine (ANY kind; "real" or "cooking" wine)

For the glaze:

• 1 stick butter
• 1 cup white sugar
• ¼ cup white wine 

** Let me just say right here- you cannot taste the wine in the finished product! (For some that may be a bad thing - LOL - on the other hand, for me it was a good thing! )

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•Mix all cake ingredients together.

•Pour into a greased bunt pan. (That's what I used, but I'm sure you could use another kind of pan.)

•Bake on 350° for one hour (or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean)

•Mix ingredients together for the glaze.

•While cake is still hot pour on the glaze.

Yes! it's a lot!

•Let cool completely.

•Loosen sides of cake from Bundt pan as much as possible (trust me on this one! - This is why you see a picture of the finished cake that came from the Internet! But, I guess in the long run, it didn't matter what it looked like!)

•Flip onto serving plate.

•Take a picture of it because it won't last long! Hahaha

What's cookin'? - Dessert, dessert, dessert!

Three desserts in one post? Am I crazy?

I have been meaning to talk about these for a couple of weeks now, but always managed to get sidetracked by something else.

Well, it is "Fat Tuesday", after all!

So choose one and have at it!

Chocolate Eclair Cake

This is not my picture. It is a picture that I found online. Mine looked exactly like this, except that when I realized I had to take a picture of it for the blog, it was already in my belly! Hahaha

It was surprisingly easy to make, even though it called for a crust that I had never encountered. Let's just say, now I know how they make creampuffs! It was easy too! Bring them on!

I found the recipe here:

http://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/2009/06/chocolate-eclair-cake.html

If you want to make this cake I think it is best that you follow this link and visit the site. She does a good job explaining it and has pictures to follow.

I do want to add that I took the easy way out in that I used Cool Whip and Hershey syrup instead of making homemade whipped cream and chocolate fudge sauce.

Yum!

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Black Forest Cake

This dessert  is really easy to make! 

The recpie originally called for cupcakes. 

Since I didn't have any cupcake liners on hand I just made it into a 9 x 13 cake.

It all taste the same going down, right?

First, you let your son bake, I mean, you bake a devil's food chocolate cake - I used the boxed kind. Only on special occasions do I make a cake from scratch!

Anyway, just bake the cake like it says on the box. Let it cool completely.

Using a mixer, mix one 8 oz. package of softened cream cheese, 1 c powdered sugar and 1 t vanilla. When that is all blended and smooth, fold in one 8 oz. container of thawed Cool Whip. Spread on top of the cake.

Evenly distribute the contents of one can cherry pie filling over top of cake.

 

We ate it as soon as I did that and it was really good.

But , after being in the refrigerator overnight it was even better! (Don't ask me how I know!)

The original recipe does say to refrigerate until it is ready to be served. That's good advice. But, in my house, as soon as I slapped on those cherries it was down our throats!

Also, because of the cream cheese and Cool Whip in the frosting, be sure to refrigerate any leftovers if there are any!

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Peanut Butter-Chocolate Ice Cream "Cake"

I have to admit, this was just something that I threw together because I had a craving. I love the combination of peanut butter and chocolate! And sometimes... once a month... you just have to have it! You know what I mean, ladies?

I made the crust with a 1 lb. package of Nutter Butter cookies +1/2 stick melted butter. Mix them together and then press, using your fingers, to the bottom of a  greased baking pan. I used a 13 x 9 pan for this cake, but my husband and I both agreed that next time I should use a smaller pan - maybe 8 x 8. That way, the ice cream portion of the cake will be a little bit thicker. We like our ice cream!

On top of the crust I added one half- gallon of softened vanilla ice cream.

Then, I slathered on one 8 oz. container of thawed Cool Whip.

I drizzled chocolate ice cream sauce across the top.

I had a bag of those Reese's mini peanut butter cups in my stash (for emergencies, of course).  This was, by all accounts, considered to be an emergency!

I put those in a Ziploc gallon bag and hit it with a meat mallet to break them into little pieces. This, by the way, was a good way to get out your monthly aggressions too. Picture someone you'd like to hit with the meat mallet (hahaha). See... This is what they call "dessert therapy"!

Sprinkle them on the top and you are done!

Return to freezer long enough for the ice cream to re-set. 

Yeah, you heard me right. You have to return it to the freezer - so put that spoon away! 

Although, now that I think of it... we could just call the recipe Peanut Butter-Chocolate Ice Cream "Soup"! 

 

What's cookin' - That damn cake...

It has earned the name "that damn cake" because that damn cake kept calling my name... It called my name when someone posted it on Facebook the other night... It called my name the next night when there were leftovers. 

I had to go to confession after eating that cake - I felt so guilty...

It's called Coconut Cream Cheese Cake.

It looked so good so I followed the link to the recipe. Hey! I had everything on hand, so why not make it? I've been eating veggies and drinking Nutribullet smoothies, so I could use a little cake, right? 

Wrong!

This is a cake from the Darkside! 

I'm not saying I'll never make it again - I would love to make it again! I just won't make it again for the four of us. I will definitely make it for a special occasion when there are lots of people to share it so I don't have more than one piece!

It really should be called "Coconut Cream cheesecake" because it's more like a cheesecake than a cake. The recipe said it was a dense cake. They were not kidding! There was no cake- like texture whatsoever. Think cheesecake... but even firmer. If you cut it into squares for serving, one could pick it up and not even drop a crumb.

It was delicious!

And the icing was to die for!

Excuse me while I go run a marathon....

Bottom line: we all loved this cake- But is it's not for the faint at heart! ❤

Here is the link to the recipe:

http://m.justapinch.com/recipes/dessert/cake/coconut-cream-cheese-sheet-cake.html

Enjoy!