Burnt Butter Frosting

This picture does not do  justice to the amazing-ness of this frosting.  It is SO good!  Seriously.  A friend of mine made this once and I loved it somuch I went on the hunt.  I found it at my favorite recipe site http://www.allrecipes.com/. It's great with yellow cake or spice cake or carrot cake or pumpkin cake...you get the idea.  Or you can just eat it straight out of the bowl--whatever.  Try it!  Just don't substitute margerine, real butter is the only option here!




Burnt Butter Frosting
1/2 c. butter
4 c. powdered sugar
4 Tb milk
1 tsp vanilla

Cook the butter in a saucepan on medium-high heat. Stir constantly until the butter is tan. If it gets dark brown or black you have allowed it to burn too long (and it can turn fast!). When butter has been "burned" remove the saucepan from the heat.  Mix in powdered sugar in batches with a hand mixer on medium speed.  Then stir in the vanilla and the milk.  Spread the frosting immediately because it will set up quickly.  Enjoy!!

Texas Sheet Cake

I made this cake for my friend's goig away party--they were moving to Texas so it seemed appropriate.  It was a hit.  One of Rob's favorite things in life is Texas Sheet Cake so I've made it a few times since then too.  This cake probably contributed to my pregnancy weight gain.  Ok, I'm sure it definitely contributed.  Make it.  You'll love it.  I added a little cinnamon to the cake and we really like it that way but if that doesn't sound good to you, leave it out.




Texas Sheet Cake

Cake:
2 c. flour
2 c. sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c. sour cream
2 eggs
1 c. butter
1 c. water
5 Tb cocoa powder

Preheat the oven to 350.  Combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, soda and salt.  Beat in eggs and sour cream.  Melt the butter in a saucepan add in water and cocoa powder.  Bring the butter mixture to a boil and remove from heat.  Cool slightly then stir it into the dry ingredients.  Pour batter into a jelly roll pan and bake 20 minutes.

Frosting:
6 Tb milk
5 Tb cocoa powder
1/2 c. butter
4 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp cinnamon

In a saucepan combine mlk, cocoa and butter.  Bring it to a boil and remove from heat.  Stir in powdered sugar, cinnamon and vanilla andmix until blended.  Spread the frosting over the warm cake. 

Chocolate Cake

Mark this date down. I actually made a cake from scratch. it was worth it. Really, really worth it. During college and after one of my best friends was from Colorado and her parents were like a pseudo second family to me and her mom is a goooood cook. She made this cake and it is super simple and turns out great every time. I mean, when in doubt, just note that there's three sticks of butter in the cake and frosting. What could be bad about that? This is not a beautiful cake, but it tastes beautiful and Rob requests it regularly. (Along with lots of other foods.)

Barbara's Chocolate Cake
Cake:

2 c. flour
2 c. sugar
½ t. salt

2 sticks butter
1 c. water

4 T. cocoa powder

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1 t. baking soda

1 t. vanilla

Mix together flour, sugar and salt in a mixing bowl and set aside. In a saucepan bring to a boil
butter, water and cocoa powder being careful to stir constantly and avoid scalding. Pour boiling mixture over the flour mixture and add in 2 beaten eggs, milk, soda, and vanilla. Stir until combined and pour into a greased 9x13'' pan. Bake at 350 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Icing:

1 stick butter

4 T. cocoa

4 T. milk

3 c. powdered sugar

1 t. vanilla

Bring butter, cocoa powder and milk to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat stirrin continuously. Remove from heat and stir in powdered sugar and vanilla. Pour hot icing directly over warm cake. Cool completely.

Pineapple Cupcakes

I love pineapple. I saw a recipe for a cupcake like this on a blog and I can NOT find the original blog post mostly because I can't remember which food blog I found it on--so my apologies! I will continue to look for it.

Anyway, I love pineapple. It's so sweet and juicy and yummy. Fresh pineapple is like no other. But I'll always settle for canned too. These cupcakes turned out really moist and delicious.




Pineapple Cupcakes:

1 16 0z can crushed pineapple divided, juice reserved

Cupcakes:

1 box white cake mix, mixed as directed1 small box instant vanilla pudding

1 c. crushed pineapple (from the drained can of crushed pineapple)

Frosting:

1 8 oz block cream cheese

the remainder of pineapple

1 stick butter, softened

4 c. powdered sugar

1 c. cool whip or freshly whipped cream

Preheat your oven. Drain the can of pineapple, reserving the juice. Mix the cake mix as directed substituting the reserved pineapple juice for some of the water. Stir in the pudding mix and 1 c. pineapple. Bake as directed.

While the cupcakes are cooling prepare the frosting. Puree the remainder of the pineapple in a small food processer or blender. Cream together cream cheese and pineapple and butter. Mix in sugar 1 c. at a time. Gently fold in whipped cream or cool whip. Frost the cupcakes with a generous amount of frosting and refrigerate until serving.