Chocolate Turtle Bundt Cake

This cake makes a statement!

Chocolate Cake:
1 pkg chocolate cake mix
1 small pkg instant chocolate pudding mix
1 cup sour cream
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1/2 cup warm water
1 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 (8oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
3 Tbl caramel ice cream topping

Milk Chocolate Drizzle & Toppings:
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
1 Tbl shortening
caramel ice cream topping
pecans, chopped
mini chocolate chips
toffee bits

Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl with electric mixer, combine cake mix, pudding mix, sour cream, oil, beaten eggs and water. Stir in the chocolate chips. Pour batter into a well sprayed bundt pan. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until top is springy to the touch and a wooden toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool cake in pan at least 15 minutes before inverting onto wire rack to cool completely. Transfer to serving plate.

In a bowl with electric mixer, whip cream cheese. Mix in powdered sugar one cup at a time. Add caramel and mix well. Spoon into pastry bag with large tip and pipe back and forth around (completely cooled) cake. In small bowl, microwave milk chocolate chips and shortening until just tempered, just melted enough to drizzle (hot or too warm on the cream cheese caramel frosting would melt frosting). Drizzle the caramel topping all around the cake. Sprinkle with pecans, mini chocolate chips and toffee bits. Inspired by chefintraining.

Vanilla Caramel Macchiato Cupcakes

Have some fun with flavor!

Vanilla Caramel Macchiato Cupcakes:
1 box french vanilla cake mix
1 cup flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup Coffee Mate Caramel Macchiato Powder
3/4 tsp salt
1¹/3 cups water
2 Tbl oil
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup sour cream
2 eggs

Preheat oven to 325°. Place cupcake liners in cupcake pans (makes approx 24 cupcakes).  In large bowl, whisk together cake mix, flour, sugar, Coffee Mate Caramel Macchiato powder, and salt. Stir together water, oil, vanilla, sour cream, and egg white. Add liquid mixture to dry ingredients and beat with electric mixer for 2 minutes, or until well blended. Scoop batter into prepared cups, filling 3/4 full. Bake 18-22 minutes. Cool Completely.

Vanilla Caramel Macchiato Buttercream:
1 cup butter, softened
4½ cups powdered sugar
2 Tbl Coffee Mate Caramel Macchiato Powder
1 tsp vanilla
3-4 Tbl whole milk or cream (milk works)

With electric mixer, whip butter until light and creamy. Add powdered sugar, Coffee Mate Caramel Macchiato powder, vanilla and 3 Tbl milk. Whip until well combined, add more milk if needed to make desired frosting consistency. Pipe onto completely cooled cupcakes. Garnish with vanilla chips and toffee bits if desired.

More Cupcake Ideas:

 

Brown Sugar Pound Cake

This is a winner! Moist, flavorful, beautiful, tall bundt cake with toffee bits, pecan pieces, and caramel sauce. This cake might almost make you forget about chocolate!

Brown Sugar Pound Cake:
1½ cups butter, softened
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup sugar
5 eggs
1 cup whole milk
3 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 (8 oz) pkg toffee bits
1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 325°. Spray bundt pan with nonstick spray and sprinkle with flour. In large bowl of mixer, cream butter, brown sugar, and sugar. Mix in eggs one at a time. In medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add dry ingredients alternately with milk, mix until well combined. Mix in toffee bits and pecans. Spoon batter into prepared pan. Bake 75-85 minutes, until pick inserted in center comes out clean (I had to bake mine about 90 min). Cover cake during baking if starts to get too brown. Cool cake in pan 30 minutes. Remove cake from pan and cool completely on wire rack. Put cake on serving plate and drizzle with caramel sauce. Cake recipe from ladybehindthecurtain.com.

Caramel Sauce:
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup brown sugar
2 Tbl butter
1/2 tsp vanilla

Combine sweetened condensed milk and brown sugar in saucepan. Bring to boil over medium-high heat whisking constantly. Remove from heat, add butter and vanilla. Drizzle sauce over cake while it is warm, it thickens as it cools.

One Year Ago: Chocolate Chip Cookies 52

Two Years Ago: Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cinnamon Rolls

Three Years Ago: Double Chocolate Walnut Brownies

Toffee Chocolate Bars

A quick little something. A little bit like eating Almond Roca but much better. It has tender shortbread crust with caramely middle, creamy milk chocolate and a little toffee crunch. A Sweet Little Treat!

Base Layer:
3/4 cup butter,softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
1½ cups flour
Creamy Center Layer:
1 (10 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
2 Tbl butter

Topping Layer:
1¾ cups milk chocolate chips
1¹/3 cups toffee bits
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray 9″x13″ baking pan. Cream together butter, brown sugar and add flour; mix until well blended and mixture sticks together. Press into prepared pan. Bake 20 minutes or until light golden. Leave oven on.

Prepare center layer while base bakes. Heat sweetened condensed milk and butter in heavy pan, stirring constantly over medium heat for 5-10 minutes or until thickened. Drop in globs over base layer and gently spread. Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden. Sprinkle chocolate chips evenly over top. Bake for 1-2 minutes longer or until chocolate is shiny and soft. Remove from oven and spread chocolate evenly. Sprinkle toffee bits evenly on top, pressing lightly into chocolate. Cool completely and cut into bars.

One Year Ago: Nutter Butter Chocolate Cake

Two Years Ago: Peanut Butter & Chocolate Fudge Cream Pie

Three Years Ago: Blueberry Muffins

If you are interested in Demarle bakeware and kitchen tools such as Silpat & Perforated Baking Sheet please visit mydemarleathome.com/kristenparker or simply click on the Demarle at Home logo below.

Caramel Nut Bars

For my mother who is nuts about nuts! Love you Mom.

Crust:
1¾ cups flour
2/3 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cups cornstarch
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup cold butter, cut into pieces

Preheat the oven to 350°. Line 13″×9″ baking pan with parchment paper or foil, with 1″ overhang on short sides of pan, spray well with non-stick spray.

Stir flour, powdered sugar, cornstarch and salt until combined. Cut in butter. Press evenly into bottom of prepared pan and bake until set and lightly browned, about 25 minutes. Set aside while preparing topping.

Nut Topping:
1¼ cups brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup butter
6 cups deluxe mixed nuts
1/2 cup whipping cream
2 tsp vanilla

Stir brown sugar, corn syrup and butter in saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir until sugar dissolves and mixture boils. Boil 1 minute. Add nuts and cream and boil until slightly thickened, about 3 more minutes. Stir in vanilla and pour over crust.

Bake until caramel has darkened and bubbles, about 20 minutes. Cool completely on wire rack. Remove by lifting overhanging ends of parchment or foil and transfer to cutting board. Cut into bars with heavy sharp knife.

One Year Ago Today: Double Frosted Milk Chocolate Malt Cookies

Two Years Ago Today: Lemon Pound Cake with Candied Lemon Frosting

If you are interested in Demarle bakeware and kitchen tools please visit mydemarleathome.com/kristenparker or simply click on the Demarle at Home logo below.

Layered Rolo Caramel Brownies

I love a really good brownie. Throw in some more yummy stuff and I’m all over it! Here is a combination I came up with that I hope you might like, I certainly do!

Caramel Layer:
6 Tbl butter, softened almost melted
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup flour
1/3 cup powdered caramel coffee creamer (like Nestle Coffeemate Caramel Macchiato)
1¼ tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1¼ cup chopped walnuts, divided

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 9″x13″ pan. By hand, mix butter and brown sugar. Mix in eggs. Add flour, caramel coffee creamer, baking powder, and salt; mix well. Stir in chocolate chips and 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts (reserve 3/4 cup chopped walnuts). Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake for 15 minutes. While baking, prepare next layer.

Brownie Layer:
1/2 cup butter, softened almost melted
1½ cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 tsp salt
1 bag (12 oz) Rolo candies, cut into quarters, divided

By hand, mix butter and sugar. Mix in eggs and vanilla. Add flour, cocoa, and salt; mix well. Stir in 1/2 of the cut Rolo candy. Drop brownie batter in dollops over caramel layer and spread gently after if comes from the oven. Bake for 25 minutes more. As brownies come from the oven, sprinkle remaining cut Rolo candy and reserved chopped walnuts evenly over top and gently press down a bit into brownie layer and cool completely.

One Year Ago: Strawberry Mini Danish

If you are interested in Demarle bakeware and kitchen tools please visit mydemarleathome.com/kristenparker or simply click on the Demarle at Home logo below.

Marshmallow Caramel Popcorn

Gather the family, pick a movie. This is going to be fun and delicious! Recipe from pincookie.com with M&M’s and sprinkles added.

12 cups popped popcorn
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
10 large marshmallows (I added a few more)
M&Ms
Sprinkles/Jimmies

Put popped popcorn in extra large bowl, set aside. In large bowl, microwave butter and brown sugar 2 minutes. Stir in marshmallows, microwave 1½-2 minutes until marshmallows are melted and smooth. Pour marshmallow mixture over popcorn and stir until popcorn is evenly covered. Gently stir in M&Ms and sprinkles/jimmies, just until evenly distributed, not too much or M&Ms will start to melt.

One Year Ago Today: Orange Vanilla Yogurt Cake

If you are interested in Demarle bakeware and kitchen tools such as the Silpat & Perforated Baking Sheet please visit mydemarleathome.com/kristenparker or simply click on the Demarle at Home logo below.

German Chocolate Pie

I knew my parents were coming over today so I made a pie. I served them and they said it was the best chocolate pie they have ever had. Now it might just be my parents trying to make their little girl feel good about herself, but after I sent the rest of the pie home with them I sure was wishing I had more ;o). I love my parents, they are great! Even if they did exaggerate a little, I do think this pie is really good and you will be happy you took the time to make it!

1 pre-baked 9″ deep dish pie shell

Caramel Coconut Pecan Layer:
1/2 cup caramel ice cream topping
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup shredded coconut

Chocolate Cream Layer:
2 egg yolks
2 eggs
2 cup milk
3/4 cup sugar
3 Tbl corn starch
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
2 Tbl butter
6 oz chopped German chocolate (or 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips)

In small bowl, mix together caramel, pecans, and coconut, mixture will be thick. Gently spread over bottom of pre-baked pie shell.

In saucepan, whisk egg yolks, eggs, milk, sugar, corn starch and salt. Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil one minute then remove from heat. Stir in vanilla, butter, and chocolate. Cool to lukewarm, stirring occasionally. Pour into pie shell over caramel coconut pecan layer. Cover with parchment or wax paper and refrigerate at least 5 hours until chilled and set. Serve with whipped cream.

One Year Ago Today: Individual Coconut White Chocolate Cream Pies

If you are interested in Demarle bakeware and kitchen tools like the Round Trays and Perforated Sheets please visit mydemarleathome.com/kristenparker or simply click on the Demarle at Home logo below.

Caramel Filled Peanut Butter Brownies

My name is Kristen and I am a chocoholic. Today I needed something chocolate (well, everyday I need something chocolate), so this is it. Inspired by a recipe Caramel-Filled Brownies, this is my twist. I think you want one…

1 pkg (18.25 oz) dark chocolate cake mix
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup evaporated milk, divided
1 pkg (8 oz) Nabisco Nutter Butter Bites, coarsely chopped, divided
1 pkg (8 oz) Reeses Peanut Butter Cup Minis
1 pkg (14oz) caramels, unwrapped

Preheat oven to 350°. With pastry blender or two knives, cut butter into cake mix until crumbly. Add 1/2 cup of evaporated milk and mix well to make brownie dough. Mix in half of the chopped Nutter Butter Bites (about 1 heaping cup). Press 2/3 of the dough into a sprayed 9″x13″ pan to make brownies base. Bake for 12 minutes, or until set, cool on wire rack about 10 minutes.

Melt caramels and remaining 1/2 cup evaporated milk together in microwave or in saucepan over low heat, stir until smooth. Set aside, to cool slightly.

Evenly sprinkle remaining chopped Nutter Butter Bites and Reeses Minis over baked brownie base. Pour melted caramel all over the top of Nutter Butters and Reeses Minis. Drop remaining brownie dough in little globs evenly over caramel. Bake for 15-18 minutes. Cool completely. Refrigerate a bit for easier cutting. Store at room temperature.

One Year Ago Today: Valentine Chex Mix

If you are interested in Demarle bakeware and kitchen tools please visit mydemarleathome.com/kristenparker or simply click on the Demarle at Home logo below.

Fresh Cranberry Cake with Caramel Sauce

This cake has the perfect mixture of tart and sweet.  The cake is best if made the day before you plan on serving, the tartness of the cranberries mellows and then hit it with the sweet caramel sauce and whipped cream!

Cranberry Cake:
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp nutmeg
1 cup evaporated milk
zest of ½ an orange
2 cups fresh cranberries

Preheat oven to 350°.  With electric mixer, cream butter and sugar.  Add egg and mix well.  Stir together flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg.  Add dry ingredients alternately with milk, and mix well.  Stir in orange zest and cranberries.  Pour batter into sprayed 11″x7″ or 9″x9″ baking pan.  Bake 35-40 minutes or until pick inserted in center comes out clean.

Caramel Sauce:
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla
pinch salt

In saucepan, melt butter over low heat.  Add sugar, brown sugar, heavy cream, vanilla, and salt.  Bring to boil slowly, stirring constantly.  Continue cooking and stirring for 5 minutes until thickens.

One Year Ago Today:  Crispy Crunchy Peanut Butter Brownies

If you are interested in Demarle bakeware and kitchen tools please visit mydemarleathome.com/kristenparker or simply click on the Demarle at Home logo below.