These brownies could only get better in one way: they are super easy to make. Thank you, Trader Joe’s for your high quality, no scary ingredient box mixes! You better cut these into small pieces or you will need a gallon of milk to wash away the sumptuous chocolate and peanut butter.

Sweet Black Hole Brownies
Makes 8x8x2 pan

Ingredients
1 box Trader Joe’s Truffle Brownie Mix
1 stick of unsalted butter
2 large eggs
1 container Trader Joe’s mini chocolate peanut butter cups

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Melt 1 stick of butter in a glass bowl in the microwave for about 1 minute or until creamy. Add 2 large eggs and mix with the butter. Add entire package of Trader’s Joe’s Truffle Brownie Mix into the butter and eggs – combine until completely mixed. Add 1/2 container of Trader Joe’s mini chocolate peanut butter cups.

3. Pour batter into an 8x8x2 pan and bake for 25 minutes.

4. After 25 minutes in the oven, remove the brownies from the oven and sprinkle the remaining 1/2 container of Trader Joe’s mini chocolate peanut butter cups over the top. Return to oven for another 3-4 minutes or until the chocolate peanut butter cups are soft.

5. Remove the brownies from the oven and, using an offset spatula, spread the melted peanut butter cups over the top of the brownies to cover the top. This is the frosting.

I made this cake a year ago for Keldon’s surprise birthday. Since he’s from Hawaii and loves Spam, what better way to shower him with birthday surprises than a Spam cake?

Let’s not be too judgmental when taking my decorating skills into account here. It’s the idea that counts, right? Right. I had some major challenges with the frosting.

In any case, this was a basic white cake blended with some red food coloring (although not blended all they way to give it the distinctive Spam look) with white frosting blended with red, yellow, and blue food colorings.

I found some inspiration from epicurious.com for their Fig and Raspberry Galette recipe, but I didn’t want to make the crust (short on time and poor reviews) so I ran over to the store and purchased some frozen puff pastry.

I have to leave for book club in an hour. And I had just bought frozen puff pastry. I had no idea what I was doing, but I figured I make something work. Turns out…the how-to-thaw-frozen-puff-pastry on the back of the package works! WHY have I never tried this before? Essentially lay it out on the counter for 40 minutes.

I also didn’t want to make one giant galette, so instead I pulled out my Donna Hay cookbook (remembering seeing a galette recipe in there) and worked some magic into individual servings…

Fig and Raspberry Galette

serves: 12

time: 1 hour 30 min (includes puff pastry thawing time…exclude 40 minutes if it’s already thawed)

Ingredients

1 pound fresh ripe figs (about 10), sliced

4 T sugar, divided

3/4 cup fresh raspberries

1 large egg yolk beaten to blen with 1 t water (for glaze)

1 sheet puff pastry

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Slice figs and place in a bowl with 2T sugar. Toss together and let sit. Toss raspberries in another bowl with remaining 1 T sugar.

Roll out puff pastry to approximately 14 x 10 inches. Using a pizza cutter, cut into 12 even rectangles. Place on a jelly roll pan evenly spread out.

Put 4 slices of figs on each of the puff pastry pieces, leaving about 1/2 – 1 inch edge. Top with raspberries. Using a pastry brush (or your finger if you don’t have a pastry brush), brush the edges of the puff pastry. Sprinkle the remaining 1 T sugar on the edges.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the puff pastry is browned and the filling is bubbling.

ALTERNATIVE: I haven’t tried this, but I think soaking the raspberries in balsamic vinegar and honey instead of the sugar would give this some depth of flavor. Try soaking raspberries in 1 T balsamic vinegar and 1/2 T honey.

Either way, I came up with what I thought to be a hilarious birthday cake concept: a pirate and his bounty of treasures! How perfect, right? And then! I come to find out that the special saying of the word “bounty” came out of Pirates of the Caribbean. Who knew? And how perfect!

I found a recipe on bettycrocker.com for Pirate’s Hidden Treasure cupcakes. Chocolate cupcakes with peanut butter cups inside. YUM! But mostly I liked the decorating, so I used parts of that recipe. The actual cake and frosting recipe is a mix of 2 other recipes too. I’ve made the cupcakes and the frosting before, but I’ll include the recipes here just in case (since this recipe is a conglomeration of 3 recipes).

continue reading for the recipe

Pirate’s Bounty Cupcakes

makes: 30

INGREDIENTS

Cupcakes (based off this recipe)

1 cup boiling hot water

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup whole milk

1 t vanilla

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 t baking soda

rounded 1/2 t salt

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened

2 cups packed dark brown sugar

4 large eggs at room temperature for 30 minutes

30 mini peanut butter cups

Buttercream Frosting (based off this recipe)

3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 T vanilla

pinch salt

yellow food coloring

Decorations

Red fruit by the foot (1 package)

M&Ms (1 bag)

black string licorice

chocolate gold coins (you can find these at a party store or halloween store)

DIRECTIONS

Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place gold foil cupcake liners in muffin tin.

Whisk together hot water and cocoa powder in a bowl until smooth, then whisk in milk and vanilla. Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in another bowl.

Beat together butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Reduce speed to low and add flour and cocoa mixtures alternately in batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture (batter may look curdled).

Fill cupcake liners just under 2/3 full. Unwrap the peanut butter cups and place one on top of each of the filled cupcake liners. Push them down so the tops of the peanut butter cups are even with the cupcake batter. Then put another dollop of cupcake batter on top – just enough to cover the peanut butter cups.

Bake cupcakes for about 20-25 minutes. Cool completely before frosting.

Frosting & Decorating

Beat butter on medium-high speed while adding sugar until combined. Add vanilla and beat for 5-7 minutes until pale and fluffy.

Depending upon how many pirate cupcakes you want to make, frost white frosting on enough cupcakes for pirates. For the remaining golden treasure cupcakes, add enough yellow food coloring to get desired coloring. Top with a chocolate gold coin.

For the pirate decorations, cut a 12-inch piece from 1 fruit by the foot. From the rest of that fruit by the foot, cut 2-inch pieces – 1 for each pirate cupcake you’re making – and cut it into a crescent shape for the top of the kerchief; place on each of the pirate cupcakes.

From the reserved 12-inch piece of fruit by the foot, peel off backing and cut into 1-inch pieces. Cut in half lengthwise and twist the end and add to the side/bottom of the kerchief top for the tie of the kerchief. Do this for the remaining pirate cupcakes.

Add M&Ms for the eyes, using a brown one for the eye patch, and use the black licorice for the eye patch string and the pirate’s mouth.

Peach Brown Betty

recipe from Simple Suppers, Moosewood Collective

serves 6-8

4 cups sliced peaches

1/4 cup butter

1 large egg

1/2 cup milk or cream

2 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 loaf, or about 8 ounces, crusty bread, cut in 1/2-inch cubes (slightly stale Italian, French, cinnamon or challah are good choices)

Preheat oven to 400°. Lightly grease a two-quart baking dish. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Add peaches and cook, stirring, until peaches are hot and beginning to give off juice. Remove from heat.

Beat egg in a large bowl, and then mix in milk, vanilla cinnamon and half of the brown sugar. Add the bread cubes and mix well. Stir in peaches with their juice and melted butter. Spread the mixture into the prepared pan and sprinkle with remaining sugar.

Bake uncovered about 20 minutes or until bubbling and golden brown. Note: A cup of fresh or frozen blueberries may be added with the peaches.

Serve this with fresh whipped cream. It’s delicious.

Rhubarb Cake

makes 9 x 13 cake pan

I finally found it-Meredith has written on a recipe card(go figure)that would be the last place to look!!

Bake 350-356 mins 9X13 pan

1 1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup oleo/margarine (I prefer Earth Harvest organic)

1 egg

1 t vanilla

1 cup buttermilk

2 cups all purpose flour

1 t baking soda

2 cups diced rhubarb (about 2 large stalks)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the sugar and oleo on medium speed for about 1 minute. Add egg and mix in. Add vanilla and buttermilk – mix together. (You can mix by hand too.)

Add flour and baking soda and mix until fully combined. Don’t overmix. Add rhubarb and mix into the batter by hand.

Pour into a greased 9 x 13 inch cake pan.

Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center of the cake.

These brownies are easy to make, and they’re excellent the next day.

This is adapted from a recipe by Ina Garten (the Barefoot Contessa) on Food Network’s website. Wait a minute – did I just say I adapted a BAKING recipe? What is happening to me? I do believe this is the first baking recipe I’ve hacked/riffed/made my own. And it was successful!

Outrageous Brownies with Caramel

makes: jelly roll pan (12×17)

prep time: about 30 min

bake time: 30 min

1 pound butter

8 oz unsweetened chocolate (the better quality chocolate, the better the brownies)

2 bags 12 oz semisweet chocolate chips – divided (the better quality the chocolate, the better the brownies)

7 large eggs

3 T instant espresso powder

2 T real vanilla extract

2 1/4 cups sugar

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour – divided (1 cup for batter and 1/4 cup for chips)

1 T baking poweder

1 t kosher salt

10 oz caramel (I used vanilla flavored and it was excellent)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a jelly roll pan (12×17″) with butter. You can dust the pan with flour, but I don’t like how it makes the brownies white on the bottom so I use loose cocoa powder instead.

Melt together the 1 pound of butter, 8 oz of unsweetened chocolate, and one 12 oz bag of semisweet chocolate chips on top of a double boiler. If you don’t have a double boiler, just boil about 3 inches of water in a sauce pan and place a glass or metal bowl (with the butter and chocolate) on top of the pan with boiling water. This will keep the chocolate from burning.

Once the butter and chocolate is melted, cool slightly. Stir together eggs, espresso, vanilla and sugar. Stir in the warm chocolate and cool to room temperature.

Stir together 1 cup of flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to the cooled chocolate mixture. Toss the remaining 12 oz bag of chocolate chips with the remaining 1/4 cup of flour. Add to the chocolate batter and pour into the prepared pan.

Warm the caramel in a microwave for 20-30 seconds just so it’s soft and a little oozy. Pour evenly over the brownie mixture. Take a knife and “cut” the caramel into the brownies. Do this by cutting vertically and horizontally through the entire pan. It will create a nice swirl pattern that looks elegant once baked.

Bake for about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Do not overbake! Cool thoroughly. You can refrigerate if you like, but just wrapping with plastic wrap is sufficient.

I like chocolate just as much as the next person, but I love baking with chocolate. Stop the presses…I just said “I love baking…” is this really happening? Sweet.

I was vacationing up north (Two Harbors, MN) this past weekend and it just so happened that two of the friends with were celebrating birthdays. And what do they like? Cupcakes. Chocoloate cupcakes. Lots and lots of cupcakes.

My friend and I essentially made homemade Hostess cakes. Oh yeah they were good.

Pictured above are the Cream-Filled Devil’s Food Cake cupcakes for the birthday boys.

As for the cake that I made the following night…I felt like making chocolate cupcakes a couple weeks ago. And they turned out pretty good with the exception of my complete and utter lack to successfully make that buttercream frosting. Never fear, I found the one that I made 4 years ago (that’s right, 4 years ago) that worked!

When I remade this chocolate cake with the new frosting, I added chocolate ganache topping…oh yeah. I love chocolate ganache like a nervous tic I can’t get rid of.

A friend and coworker has changed jobs and his last day was yesterday so I baked him this chocolate cake. It was pretty darn good.

In fact, I should quote another friend:

“Your cake is sick… by that I mean phat…or dope…”

You get the idea.

So make this cake. It’s easy and it’s fun to get a lot of stuff like flour and cocoa all over the kitchen and yourself.

Recipes after the jump…

Chocolate Cake

1 cup boiling-hot water

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup whole milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

Rounded 1/2 teaspoon salt

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened

2 cups packed dark brown sugar

4 large eggs at room temperature for 30 minutes

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 2 (9- by 2-inch) round cake pans and line bottom of each with a round of wax paper. Butter paper and dust pans with flour, knocking out excess.

Whisk together hot water and cocoa powder in a bowl until smooth, then whisk in milk and vanilla.

Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in another bowl.

Beat together butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Reduce speed to low and add flour and cocoa mixtures alternately in batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture (batter may look curdled).

Divide batter between cake pans, smoothing tops. Bake until a wooden pick or skewer comes out clean and edges of cake begin to pull away from sides of pans, 25 to 35 minutes total. Cool layers in pans on racks 10 minutes, then invert onto racks, removing wax paper, and cool completely.

Assemble cake:

Put 1 cake layer, rounded side up, on a cake stand or platter and, using offset spatula, spread top with about 1 cup buttercream. Top with remaining cake layer, rounded side down, and frost side and top of cake with 2 cups buttercream.

from epicurious.com

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

1 1/2 pounds sweet butter, soft

3 cups sifted powdered sugar

2 tablespoons vanilla extract

1 pinch salt

To make the frosting: In an electric mixing bowl place the soft butter and beat it on a low speed while adding powdered sugar. When all the sugar is mixed in, turn off the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add in the vanilla and salt and let the mixer beat for 5 to 7 minutes on a medium speed. Fill and frost the cake and refrigerate it for 10 to 20 minutes to set up the frosting.

Chocolate Ganache

1 1/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips

3/4 tablespoon light corn syrup

3/4 cup heavy cream

In a heatproof bowl, place the chocolate chips and the corn syrup. Bring the heavy cream to a full boil. Pour the cream over the chocolate and whisk it until smooth then set it aside. Pour ganache over the top of the cake and, with a cake spatula, smooth the top of the cake and allow ganache to spill over the sides. Refrigerate for 20 minutes or longer.

Serve the cake cold or allow it to come to room temperature before serving.

frosting and ganache from foodtv.com

A lot of my collage this year had to do with food, cooking, and my kitchen. I’ve got some ideas about revamping my kitchen in my apartment to make it something more communal and inviting. That’s gonna take some $$ but I’m getting there. (tax return anyone?)

But part of my collage was about baking. I don’t really like baking. It’s somewhat of a science and I just don’t get it. I love cooking because you can play around with the ingredients and, most importantly, fix it in the middle if it goes awry.

But baking? You have to be so precise. It’s chemistry. Granted, I was really into chemistry and science for 5 or 6 years but quickly changed to art and the humanities when I realized the bio lab was the last place I wanted to be. So now I’m collaging about baking?

Yep. This year I’m going to bake more. And I have been. (It’s time for a non-curry post, don’t you think?)

It all started Super Bowl Sunday. I decided I wanted to make a cake with buttercream frosting. The cake was a disaster – dense and more like cornbread than cake. The frosting? What a complete mess. I know I’ve successfully made buttercream frosting before but this was unlike anything I’d made. It was all curdled and gross. And the worst part? I had no idea how to fix it.

So the next day I made cupcakes. Mmmmm….chocolate cupcakes. And they were good! I got the recipe from epicurious.com Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Buttercream. They were really delicious. But the frosting? I messed it up again. It was a totally different recipe but I still couldn’t do it. I’ll try again another time.

I am able to make pie though. I made pie crust last night so I can make blueberry pie tonight to take over to a friend’s house for dinner. The Joy of Cooking is a life saver. Especially when it comes to describing how to make pastry. We’ll see how it goes tonight.

Wow. I just added my first “Baking” tag. I wonder where this will go…