Annie's Chamorro Kitchen

Ahhh…the delicious aroma of cake baking is rivaled only by that of gooey chocolate chip cookies baking and filling your home with happiness. 🙂

Red velvet cake topped with sweet cream cheese frosting is one of my favorites.

These cupcakes were topped with a marshmallow flower made by slicing marshmallows (use a pair of kitchen scissors for easy cutting) then sticking the petals together to form a flower.

This is a super-easy recipe.  Mix a box of red velvet cake mix with eggs, milk, oil, instant chocolate pudding, and red food coloring (for a deeper red color).

Fill cupcake lines 3/4 full.

Bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes.
Let the cupcakes cool then frost and ENJOY! 🙂

Easy Ultra-Moist Red Velvet Cupcakes

 

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Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

20 mins

 

Author: Annie @ Annie's Chamorro Kitchen

Serves: 2 dozen

Ingredients

• 1 box Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe red velvet cake mix
• 1 box (3.9 oz) instant chocolate pudding mix
• 4 large eggs
• ¾ cup oil
• ¾ cup milk*
• 12 drops of red food coloring

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix all ingredients together.
3. Pour into cupcake tins lined with paper liners, ¾ full.
4. Bake 18-20 minutes.
5. Frost with your favorite frosting.

High Altitude Adjustments (for altitudes higher than 3000 ft):

1. *Use 1 cup of milk (instead of ¾ cup)
2. Do not preheat the oven. Prepare the batter and fill the cupcake tins, THEN turn on the oven. When the oven temperature reaches 250 degrees, place the pans in the oven.
3. Bake for 10-15 minutes; the time starts when the temperature reaches 350 degrees (check for doneness at 10 minutes). The cupcakes are done when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

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Some of my favorite desserts are chocolate cake, coffee ice cream, and toffee candy.  This dessert combines all three in one very decadent dessert.

I combined my love of these three sweet indulgences into one rich and luscious ice cream cake.

If you’ve read through my directions below, you may be thinking that this is a difficult desert to make.  Don’t let the number of steps fool you, however.  This is actually very simple to make; just follow each step as I’ve described them below and before you know it, you’ll be enjoying this heavenly dessert!  The only hard part is waiting for the ice cream to re-harden! 🙂

Give my recipe a try.  I know you’ll love it. 🙂

Chocolate Ice Cream Cake

Ingredients: Cake:

• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons cake flour
• 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted
• 3 large eggs
• 2 large egg YOLKS
• 1/2 cup white, granulated sugar

Filling:

• 1 cup milk chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup half-and-half (or heavy cream)
• Half gallon coffee ice cream (or your favorite flavor)
• 1/2 cup toffee bits

Ganache:

• 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup half-and-half (or heavy cream)

Topping:

• 1/2 cup toffee bits

Directions:

1.  In a small mixing bowl, sift together the cocoa powder and cake flour.  Add the instant espresso powder and salt to the bowl.  Whisk to combine.

2.  In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter.  Set aside to cool.

3.  Place a small pot filled with about 2 inches of water over medium heat; bring to a simmer.  In a large heat-safe mixing bowl, place the eggs, egg yolks, and sugar.  Place the egg and sugar mixture over the simmering water, whisking constantly until the mixture is warm to the touch.

4.  Switch to a hand-held mixer.  Mix on high speed until the mixture thickens and turns a very pale yellow.

5.  Fold the dry ingredients into the thickened egg mixture.

6.  Drizzle the cooled melted butter down the side of the bowl.  Gently FOLD the butter into the batter.  Do NOT overmix; the batter will be very airy and light.

7.  Line a large baking pan (a jelly-roll pan works well) with parchment paper.  Pour the batter onto the lined pan.  Gently and evenly spread batter out over the pan (be careful not to over-handle the batter as you spread it out; you do NOT want to deflate the air bubbles).

8.  Bake at 450 degrees for 7 minutes.

9.  While the cake is still warm, flip it out onto a clean dish cloth that’s been dusted with cocoa powder.  Peel the parchment paper off the cake.

10.  Sprinkle more cocoa powder over the cake.  Roll the cake — including the dish cloth — starting at the short edge.  Set aside until the cake is completely cooled.

11.  After the cake is completely cooled, carefully unroll it.

12.  Make the ganache for the filling.  In a small microwave-safe bowl, heat the 1/2 cup of half-and-half for about a minute.  Add the milk chocolate chips to the heated half-and-half,  whisking until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth.

13.  Spread the ganache over the cake, staying about 1 inch from the edge.

14.  Spread the ice cream over the cake.  I found it easier to use a spatula to “slice” pieces of ice cream, then I placed the slices of ice cream over the cake, staying about 1 1/2 inches from the edge.

15.  Sprinkle 1/2 cup of toffee bits over the ice cream.

16.  Re-roll the cake, jell-roll style, starting from the short edge.  Be careful not to squeeze too tightly or all of the ice cream and chocolate ganache will ooze out of the cake.

17.  Tightly wrap the rolled cake with plastic wrap.  Place in the freezer and freeze until the ice cream firms up.

18.  To finish the cake, prepare more ganache using the remaining half-and-half and semisweet chocolate chips.  Once again, heat the half-and-half in the microwave for a minute.  Add the semisweet chocolate chips to the hot half-and-half, whisking until smooth and creamy.  Pour the ganache over the cake.  Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of toffee bits.

19.  Slice the cake, serve and ENJOY! 😀

Carrot cake is one of my favorite cakes. I like it plain with no frosting–this cake is that good–but it’s really delicious with a rich cream cheese frosting, or, try it Chamorro-style and top it with Latiya (find my recipe here).

I call this “loaded carrot cake” because it’s chock full of raisins, walnuts and crushed pineapples (which makes it so moist). The raisins and walnuts are optional, but this cake tastes so delicious if you add them, especially if you add that “kick.” I’ll tell you about that later. 😉

Give my recipe a try. I think you’ll like it. 🙂

Loaded Carrot Cake with a Kick

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 3/4 cups brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup finely grated carrots (about 4 medium or 3 large carrots)
• 1/2 cup canned crushed pineapple in juice, drained
• 1 1/2 cups raisins plus 1/2 cup water (optional)
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 cups powdered sugar

Latiya:

• 1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 12 ounces water
• 4 tablespoons corn starch
• Cinnamon, for dusting

Directions:

1. Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with parchment paper.

2. Place the raisins into a small bowl and cover it with water. Soak the raisins in the water while you make the batter. To give this cake a “kick,” soak the raisins in rum instead of water. 😉

3. In a small bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.

4. In a separate and larger mixing bowl, mix together the brown sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract.

5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, a half cup at a time. Using a large mixing spoon or spatula, gently stir the mixture until the dry and wet ingredients combine (do not over mix; a few lumps are okay).

6. Stir in the crushed pineapple and grated carrots.

7. Drain out any liquid remaining in the bowl of raisins, then fold the raisins into the batter.

8. Fold the walnuts into the batter.

9. Pour the batter into the baking pan. Bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes then run a butter knife around the sides to loosen it. Invert the cake onto a serving dish or cooling rack to let it finish cooling completely.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

1. Using a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla extract until fluffy.

2. Add the cinnamon and half of the powdered sugar to the mixing bowl. Mix until smooth and creamy. Add the remaining powdered sugar; mix until creamy.

3. After the cake is completely cooled, top with cream cheese frosting (or latiya).

Serve and ENJOY!

Latiya:

1. In a small sauce pan over medium heat, place the milk, butter, vanilla extract and sugar.  Whisk the ingredients together until the butter melts.

2. Mix the water and corn starch together.  Once the butter melts, pour the corn starch mixture into the pan.  Continuously whisk the mixture until it comes to a boil.

3. Cook the mixture for another minute after it comes to a boil, whisking constantly to prevent lumps.

4.  Pour the hot mixture over slices of carrot cake.  Sprinkle the top of the latiya with cinnamon.  Let the mixture cool at room temperature to allow the latiya to set.

Serve and ENJOY!