Chocolate Fudge Oreo Bundt for National Chocolate Day!

I had a major craving for chocolate cake one night. It was almost time to start dinner, so I didn't really have time to search for a recipe or bring butter to room temperature so I pulled out one of my favorite baking books- Bundt Classics. I immediately found a recipe that looked good to me and I had all the ingredients on hand. Of course, I added my own touches to it and it took this cake to a whole new level of chocolate deliciousness!

This recipe starts with a chocolate cake mix but you'd never know it. I took the help of the mix and got this cake in the oven in less than 15 minutes. It baked while I made supper then we had it for dessert. Win! I have to be honest, when I was making this, I had no intention of adding Oreos to the batter. I was getting the ingredients from the pantry and Hayden grabbed the Oreos- positioned right at his eye level. He said we needed to add Oreos, so I did! I keep that little genius child around for a reason ;-).

This cake was over the top, a chocolate lovers dream! I mean really, there's the chocolate cake, chocolate pudding, chocolate syrup, chocolate chips and chocolate cookies. Then I had the audacity to top it off with silky ganache and even more chocolate chips. This was fudgy and decadent and cured my cravings. Coincidentally, it's National Chocolate Day, so make this Bundt! 

Chocolate Fudge Oreo Bundt adapted from Bundt Classics

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Cake:

• 1 (18.25 oz) box chocolate cake mix
• 1 (3.4 oz) box instant chocolate pudding
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup Hershey's chocolate syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup mini chocolate chips
• 10 Oreos, coarsely broken

Ganache: 

• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Decoration: 

• Mini chocolate chips or Oreos, optional

To Make The Cake: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Generously grease a 12 cup Bundt pan with non-stick baking spray (with flour). Set aside. 

In a large mixing bowl, combine all the cake ingredients except the chocolate chips and Oreos. Blend with a hand mixer over medium speed until well blended. Scrape the sides of the bowl down and stir in the chocolate chips and crushed Oreos. 

Pour the batter into the prepared Bundt pan. Bake for 55-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan for 20 minutes. Unmold cake onto a cooling rack or a serving platter and allow to cool completely. 

To Make The Ganache: In a small mixing bowl, heat cream in the microwave until hot and steamy, about 60 seconds. Add the chocolate chips to the hot cream and let them sit for 5 minutes. With a spatula, gently stir the chocolate chips and cream together until the mixture comes together and becomes shiny and silky. Do not use a whisk or stir too vigorously, this will cause air bubbles in the ganache. If tiny lumps of chocolate remain, let the mixture sit a little longer, then stir again until smooth. 

The longer the mixture sits, the thicker it becomes. Allow ganache to thicken a bit before pouring onto cooled cake. You want it pourable but not so thin that it runs off the side of your cake. 

Immediately top with additional mini chocolate chips or Oreo cookies, if desired. Allow ganache to set before serving. Store leftover cake in an airtight container at room temperature.

Black Bottom Cookie Bars

Have you ever had a recipe on your "to-bake bucket list" for so long that when you finally make it, you're kinda disappointed? That's how I felt about these black bottom cookie bars. Don't get me wrong, these bars were quite tasty, but not at all what I was expecting. I bookmarked this recipe from Bake or Break back in 2011 and just now made them. They were very simple to throw together. You melt butter, mix it with other ingredients, then divide the batter in half and add cocoa powder and chocolate chunks to one half, then layer and bake. I appreciate the ease, because I'm sometimes lazy in the kitchen, but I didn't love the heavy texture. 

I was hoping for a soft, chewy sugar cookie consistency, instead they were kind of dense and fudgy. We ate half then they just kind of sat around on the counter for a few days til they got stale and I eventually threw them out. Then I realized there are no leavening agents in this recipe- no baking soda, no baking powder and that probably was the reason they were a little heavy. These had great flavor and I think with a little tinkering of the recipe they could be great. However, if you like dense and fudgy treats, then leave it as is and enjoy!

Black Bottom Cookie Bars from Everyday Food via Bake or Break

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• 1 cup unsalted butter, melted 
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly butter an 8-inch square baking pan. Line with parchment, leaving about a 2-inch overhang on two sides. Lightly butter parchment.

Whisk together butter and both sugars in a large bowl. Whisk in eggs and vanilla. Gradually add flour and salt, mixing just until moistened.

Divide batter in half, and transfer one half to a separate bowl. Stir in cocoa powder and chocolate chips until combined.

Place chocolate batter in baking pan. Spread evenly and smooth top. Spread plain batter on top of chocolate batter. Smooth top.

Bake 25-35 minutes, or until top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (mine took longer to bake). Cool completely in pan on wire rack.

Little Bit was ready for that glass of milk :-)

A Classic Recipe With A Twist

The members of the "Lick The Bowl" household are Texas Sheet Cake lovers. Being fans of chocolate cake, cinnamon kissed fudgy icing loaded with homegrown toasted pecans....What's not to love? Well if you're not nut or chocolate fans, then move on, but if you're a sucker for the good stuff like I am, then stick around and pour yourself a glass of icy milk, because I turned the Southern potluck favorite into cupcakes!

Traditionally, a Texas Sheet Cake is baked and served in the same pan. While the cake is still warm from the oven, you pour the molten icing over it and allow it to cool. This gives the icing and the cake ample opportunity to bond and become one with one another as the icing oozes into all the nooks and crannies. It's a good thing, trust me. My version starts off with a simple one-bowl chocolate cupcake then after it's cooled,  gets iced with a rich and sweet cocoa icing loaded with toasted pecans. Allowing the cupcakes and icing to cool a bit before topping them them helps keep the icing intact, rather than sliding off the cupcake and onto the counter. 

"Momma give me a cupcake!" 

These cupcakes were rich and decadent, just like the typical sheet cake. All the elements of the classic cake are still there, just in a new and prettier (updated) package, which makes them perfect for gift giving or celebrations. I don't know about you, but I like classic recipes with a twist- it keeps things fresh and exciting. If you're a Texas Sheet Cake fan, I sincerely hope you'll consider whipping up a batch or two and sharing with your loved ones. 

Texas Sheet Cake Cupcakes from Monica h

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Chocolate Cupcakes:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line cupcake tins with 18 paper liners and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Using a wire whisk, blend the dry ingredients thoroughly.

Add the oil, water, vanilla and eggs to the dry ingredients. Whisk until well incorporated and no lumps remain.  

Evenly divide the batter between the lined cupcakes tins.

Bake the cupcakes for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool for 10 minutes; then place them on a rack to cool completely before topping with pecan fudge icing.

Toasted Pecan Fudge Icing: 

• 1/2 cup pecans
• 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 Tablespoons milk
• 4 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, optional
• 1 1/3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

While the oven is still on, place your pecans on a rimmed baking sheet and place in the oven for 10 minutes until the pecans become aromatic and have turned a slight golden brown, being careful not to burn them. 

Remove from the oven and allow them to cool on the baking sheet. Once cool, chop the pecans and set them aside. 

In a medium sauce pot, combine butter, milk, cocoa and cinnamon (if using). Stir over low heat until butter is melted. Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time while continuing to stir until smooth. Stir in vanilla extract and chopped pecans. 

Take the pan off the heat but leave the icing in the pot. Allow the icing to cool for 15-30 minutes until the pot is cool enough to touch. The icing will thicken as it cools. You want the icing to be thick enough to stay on top of the cupcake but not too thick that it doesn't spread. If your icing becomes hard and too thick to handle, place it back on the stove over low heat and stir until the desired consistency is met. 

Using a small ice cream scoop, place a small mound on top of each cupcake. The icing will spread slightly and possibly drip down the sides a bit, depending how warm your icing is. Divide evenly over each cupcake. Allow the icing to cool completely and set before enjoying. 

Store loosely covered at room temperature. 

Makes 18 cupcakes. 

A Taste Of The Islands

I'm embarrassed to tell you how long ago I made this fudge, so I won't. :-) Does it matter how long ago I made, as long as I'm sharing it with you now? I didn't think so either. I've made a version of this fudge before, last July for my mom's birthday. It was loaded with her favorite flavors- orange, cranberry and macadamia nuts. This version incorporates dried pineapple, coconut and nuts!

This summery concoction was requested by my mom's friend as a paid order. In fact she requested this flavor as well as the cranberry orange version and a semisweet chocolate and walnut fudge. This was my favorite of the three and it's so easy to throw together. You can use the basic recipe (below) and add any kind of flavorings, fruits, nuts, and chocolate to make it your own. Don't like nuts? Don't add 'em. Love dried fruit? Add more. It's that simple.

Pina Colada Fudge. Ever heard of that before? It's sweet and creamy, with a slight taste of rum in the background. The macadamia nuts and pecans add a nice crunch, while the dried pineapple adds a chewy factor. The toasted coconut flakes are kind of a hidden surprise. They add to the overall texture but they don't overwhelm the fudge. And since it's toasted it's not going to be stringy and get caught up in your teeth. You're welcome. Go make this for yourself or as a treat for someone else. You don't even have to turn the oven on, what are you waiting for?!

Pina Colada Fudge adapted from HERE

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• 1 (12 oz.) package white chocolate chips
• 1 (16 oz.) tub cream cheese or vanilla frosting
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. rum extract
• 1/2 cup dried pineapple, chopped
• 1/4 cup toasted flaked coconut
• 1/3 cup chopped macadamia nuts
• 1/3 cup chopped pecans
• more nuts or fruit for garnish (optional)

1. Lightly butter an 8 x 8-inch baking pan or a 9-inch diameter pan*. Set aside.

2. Melt the baking chips in the microwave in a medium bowl.

3. Stir in the frosting, salt, extract, nuts and fruit until well combined.

4. Scrape into the prepared pan and sprinkle with additional nuts or fruit as garnish, if using.

5. Refrigerate for at least 1/2 hour or until firm. Cut it into squares to serve.

NOTE: *I used a silicone pan, so I skipped step one and it made popping out the fudge so easy.

This is the blueprint recipe for this fudge. You can use ANY combination of flavors to make your fudge uniquely yours. Have fun with it.

Easy Fudge from Nancy's Kitchen

• 1 (12-ounce) package of baking chips
• 1 (16-ounce) tub of prepared frosting
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon extract of your choice
• 3/4 cup nuts of your choice

1. Lightly butter an 8 x 8-inch baking pan or a 9-inch diameter pan. Set aside.

2. Melt the baking chips in the microwave in a medium bowl.

3. Stir in the frosting, salt, extract, and nuts until well combined.

4. Scrape into the prepared pan and refrigerate for at least 1/2 hour or until firm. Cut it into squares to serve.

I heart Pina Colada Fudge!

Triple Chocolate Cake and A Winner!

This cake was chose by the Cake Slice Bakers for this months cake. It also happens to be the last cake we are baking as a group from Sky High Cakes. It has been a pleasure baking this from this amazing book, but I look forward to different styles and flavors of cake from our new baking book, Southern Cakes by Nancie McDermott. Tune in next month for that wonderful cake!

Since we are switching to a new baking book, as are also accepting new members to bake along with us. We only bake one cake a month that we all vote on, then blog about it on the 20th. If you're interested in becoming a member (and I hope you are!) you can email Katie at: (appleandspice [AT] hotmail.co.uk) with ‘Cake Slice Member’ as the subject.

On to this fabulous confection-- Triple Chocolate Fudge Cake! Sounds great doesn't it? It consisted of a chocolate mayonnaise cake made with strong coffee and a bit of cinnamon. The mayonnaise serves in place of oil or butter as there are still eggs in this cake. It's filled with a white chocolate mousse and covered in sour cream fudge! So this cake uses cocoa powder, white chocolate, and dark chocolate. Yum!

I made 2 versions of this cake-- a 6-inch triple layer cake and a 9-inch double layer cake from one recipe. The 6-inch cake was a paid order for my boss' husband's birthday. He is a major chocoholic and loved this. The larger cake stayed home with Mr. H and I, but we graciously shared with our neighbors, family and friends. A little went a long way.

I only had one minor problem with this cake and it was the frosting. It wasn't really a problem it just wasn't the consistency I wanted. It makes a loose but fudgy frosting that's supposed to be the consistency of mayonnaise. It was just difficult to spread over the cake so I added about a cup of sifted powdered sugar and a little vanilla to thicken and smooth it out. It became very thick almost immediately so I then added a little milk and called it perfect.

It spread beautifully and I was even able to pipe a simple border on the cakes. A few of you have asked me how I get my cakes so smooth. I use an off-set spatula and a rotating cake stand. I haven't always done it this way though. I just bought the revolving cake stand a couple months ago, but it has made my life so much easier and my cakes so much smoother. I'm in love with it. See look how smooth. Does anyone else get turned on by super smooth frosting? Anyone?

Triple Chocolate Fudge Cake from Sky High Cakes

Printable Version

Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake

• 2 ¼ cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 ¼ tsp baking soda
• 1 ¼ tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 ½ ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 1 cup milk
• 1 ¼ cups hot, strongly brewed coffee
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup mayonnaise (not low fat or fat free)
• 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 2 ¼ cups sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottoms and sides of three 9 inch round cake pans. Line the base of each pan with parchment.

Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.

Put the chocolate in a large heatproof bowl. Bring the milk to a simmer. Pour the hot coffee and milk over the chocolate. Let stand for a minute, then whisk until smooth. Let the mocha liquid cool slightly.

In a mixer bowl, beat together the eggs, mayonnaise and vanilla until well blended. Gradually beat in the sugar. Add the dry ingredients and mocha liquid alternately in 2 or 3 additions, beating until smooth and well blended. Divide the batter among the 3 prepared pans.

Bake for 25 to 28 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the centre comes out almost clean. Let the cakes cool in their pans for 10-15 minutes before un-molding onto a wire rack and carefully peeling off the paper. Leave to cool completely.

NOTE: Do not use salad dressing, Miracle Whip or Lite Mayo. I used Hellman's or Best Foods Real Mayonnaise.

White Chocolate Mousse

• 4 ounces white chocolate, chopped
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 egg white
• 1 tbsp sugar

Melt the white chocolate with ¼ cup cream in a double boiler. Whisk until smooth. Remove from the heat and let the white chocolate cream cool to room temperature.

When it has cooled, beat the remaining ¾ cup cream until soft peaks form. In a clean bowl whip the egg white with the sugar until fairly stiff peaks form.

Fold the beaten egg white into the white chocolate cream, then fold in the whipped cream until blended. Be sure not to over mix.

Sour Cream Chocolate Icing

• 12 ounces bittersweet or semi sweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp light corn syrup
• ¼ cup half-and-half at room temperature
• ½ cup sour cream, at room temperature

Melt the chocolate with the butter and corn syrup in a double boiler over barely simmering water. Remove from the heat and whisk until smooth.

Whisk in the half-and-half and sour cream. Use while still soft.

NOTE: This was too soft for me so I added about a cup of sifted powdered sugar, a 1/2 tsp. of vanilla and whisked it together. It was a little thick so I added milk to thin.

Assembly: Place one layer, flat side up, on a cake stand or serving plate. Cover the top evenly with half the white chocolate mousse, leaving a ¼ inch margin around the edge. Repeat with the second layer and the remaining mousse. Set the third layer on top and pour half the sour cream chocolate icing over the filled cake. Spread all over the sides and top. Don’t worry if some of the cake shows through. This first frosting is to seal in the crumbs, and is known as a crumb coat. Refrigerate the cake for 30 minutes.

After this time cover the cake with the rest of the icing, smoothing it down the sides. It should be the consistency of mayonnaise. Use a palette knife or the back of a spoon to swirl the frosting around the cake.

* * * * * * * * * *

Thank you all so much for leaving me comments about your pets, your friends, your hairy children. I loved reading each and every one of them. They made me laugh, they made me smile, they made me sad. But mostly I just appreciated the love you have for them. They are just so special, aren't they?

On to the winner of my giveaway.... lucky number 44!

#44 is fellow Texan, Adele from Simply Delicious! Congratulations Adele. Contact me with your address so I can send your gift out.

And be sure to check out all the other fabulous chocolate cakes from the Cake Slice Bakers!

Wilton Course 1, Class 3 and A Recipe

Updated:

A reader emailed me to let me know that she made this recipe and added eggs and the cake didn't sink! I tried it out and it was perfect. The recipe below reflects those changes.

This is my final cake for my Wilton class. I'm not totally thrilled with it, but I think it's fair. I do have to say that the actual cake and frosting were excellent but the roses are much harder then they look.

I made a dozen roses in class but these were the best looking ones. I think they look like purple cabbages :-) The main issue I have with the roses is that the edges are jagged. In the Wilton instruction book, the roses are perfect and smooth. Clearly they are not using the same icing and they're photo shopped. Even the instructors roses were jagged so I don't feel too badly.

I do have to say though that I don't think icing roses are my thing. I understand they have their place on Grandma's 80th birthday cake, but I don't see myself putting them on very many cakes in the future. I'd still like to practice with other icings to see if I can get them smoother. I thinned my icing a bit and that helped, but the roses sagged a bit because the icing wasn't so stiff. Oh well.

My shell/snail border turned out okay. I think the bottom turned out better than the top, but with practice I'll get better.

Moving on to the cake... this recipe comes from Sky High Cakes. It has some excellent recipes in it, so I turned to them for this one bowl chocolate cake and instant fudge frosting. The frosting was super simple to make because it's made in a matter of seconds in the food processor. You MUST make this frosting. It smelled so good too.

And the cake was equally good but it SUNK in the middle. (Ingrid, I know you're laughing at me!) I made it twice because I thought I had done something wrong the first time, but it sunk AGAIN the second time around. It rose just fine in the oven but once it came out and cooled, it sunk and became fudgey in the center. (I had to level off my cake with extra frosting.) It was still very tasty so I'm not considering it a full blown disaster. I think it would be excellent baked into cupcakes and topped with a scoop of ice cream. NOTE: The addition of the eggs resolves the sinking in the center of the cake.

One-Bowl Chocolate Cake from Sky High ~makes two 8 or 9-inch layers

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 8 or 9-inch pans. Line the bottoms with parchment or waxed paper, butter the paper.

Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a large mixing bowl. Use a wire whisk to blend the dry ingredients thoroughly.

Add the oil and 1/2 cup of the water to the dry ingredients. Add another 1/2 cup water, eggs and the vanilla; again whisk until smooth. Divide the batter between the two prepared pans.

Bake the cake layers for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool for 10 minutes; then invert onto cooling rack. Remove the paper liners and let cool completely at least 1 hour before frosting.

Instant Fudge Frosting from Sky High

• 6 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
• 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 3 sticks (12 oz.) unsalted butter, room temp.
• 6 tablespoons half-n-half
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Place all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse to incorporate. Process until frosting is smooth.

~Makes 5 cups (I halved this recipe for a 9-inch 2 layer cake).

NOTE: A large food processor is the best piece of equipment to use for this frosting recipe. It whips up a perfect fudge frosting and there is no need for a boiled syrup.

Fudge It!

This recipe was sent to me by a reader (hi Betty!) She made my rainbow cupcakes for a class of first graders and they were such a hit so she emailed me and sent me pictures. We email eachother back and forth and chat and she occasionally sends me recipes. Awesome, right?

Here are the cupcakes she and the kiddos made. They look like they're having so much fun!

While I'm at it, I wanted to show you another cupcake that Selby of Selby's Food Corner made. I love her pastel version- pretty!

Onto the fudge! This is a very simple and versatile fudge. You melt a bag of chips of your choice (chocolate, peanut butter, butterscotch, etc.) and a tub of store bought frosting (any flavor, but according to Betty, Betty Crocker is preferred), and add flavored oils or extracts and nuts or dried fruit. The possibilities are endless and that's what's so amazing about this fudge.

I made this for my mom's birthday. When she goes to Starbucks, she always orders a white chocolate mocha with Valencia orange flavoring. Always. So I decided to make her this fudge using white chocolate chips, cream cheese frosting, Valencia orange zest, dried cranberries and macadamia nuts. She loved it!

Betty says this keeps for several weeks in the fridge. Which is a good thing because it's so rich! I plan on making a semi-sweet chocolate version with pecans so stay tuned!

White Chocolate Cranberry Orange Fudge

• 1 (12 oz.) package white chocolate chips
• 1 (16 oz.) tub cream cheese frosting
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. orange extract
• 1 T. grated Valencia orange zest
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 3/4 cup chopped macadamia nuts
• more zest and cranberries for garnish (optional)

1. Lightly butter an 8 x 8-inch baking pan or a 9-inch diameter pan*. Set aside.

2. Melt the baking chips in the microwave in a medium bowl.

3. Stir in the frosting, salt, extract, and nuts, cranberries and zest until well combined.

4. Scrape into the prepared pan and refrigerate for at least 1/2 hour or until firm. Cut it into squares to serve.

NOTE: *I used a silicone pan, so I skipped step one and it made popping out the fudge so easy.

Easy Fudge from Nancy's Kitchen

• 1 (12-ounce) package of baking chips
• 1 (16-ounce) tub of prepared frosting
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon extract of your choice
• 3/4 cup nuts of your choice

1. Lightly butter an 8 x 8-inch baking pan or a 9-inch diameter pan. Set aside.

2. Melt the baking chips in the microwave in a medium bowl.

3. Stir in the frosting, salt, extract, and nuts until well combined.

4. Scrape into the prepared pan and refrigerate for at least 1/2 hour or until firm. Cut it into squares to serve.

Thanks Betty! Keep the recipes coming!