Mile High Coconut Cream Cake

This is so easy to make! It's a combo of mug cake and pudding frosting. Here's how to make both:

Mug Cake:

Ingredients:

1 box mix of angel food cake

1 box mix of vanilla cake

Water

Directions: 

Combine the two cake mixes in a large container or plastic bag. 

In a large mug or soup bowl (you need something that is large and flat on the bottom, not rounded), spray with non-stick spray and then mix 6 tablespoons of the combined cake mix with 4 tablespoons of water. 

Microwave that for 1 minute and you've got mug cake. 

You can repeat this as many times as you want for as many layers of mile high cake that you want.

Pudding Frosting:

Ingredients:

1 small box of instant pudding (I used coconut cream flavor)

1/2 cup of milk

1 tub of cool whip

Directions: 

Combine instant pudding mix with milk. Mix for a minute until it's pretty thick. Then fold in 1/2 of the cool whip. (Don't let the milk/pudding mix sit for too long before adding in the cool whip bc it will get too thick to deal with).

Now it's time to layer your little mug cakes with frosting in between (I made 3 mug cakes and cut each cake in half so I had a total of 6 layers). Use the rest of the cool whip to frost the outside of the cake and sprinkle it with coconut. If you find your cake is too flimsy and falling apart, try frosting each cake separately, then put each cake in the freezer. Once it's firm it might be easier to layer the cake and frost the outside. 

German Chocolate Cake

Chocolate Cake
Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cocoa powder (dark or regular)
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

Directions:
Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.

Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Note: When baking cakes, I usually set the timer for half the time a recipe says. Then I just keep checking on the cake every five minutes to see if it is cooked through.

Recipe source: Hershey's Especially Dark Chocolate Cake

Coconut Walnut Frosting
Ingredients:
2 cups chopped walnuts
1 (12-oz.) can evaporated milk
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup butter
6 egg yolks, lightly beaten
2 cups sweetened flaked coconut
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°. Bake walnuts in a single layer in a shallow pan 8 to 10 minutes or until toasted and fragrant.

Meanwhile, cook evaporated milk, sugar, butter, and egg yolks in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, 15-18 minutes or until mixture becomes a light caramel color, is bubbling, and reaches a pudding-like thickness. Note: After this time, the mixture may still seem too thin, that's ok! Once you add the rest of the ingredients and let it all cool down, it will thicken :)

Remove pan from heat; stir in coconut, vanilla, and walnuts. Transfer mixture to a bowl. Let cool completely. Note: If at this point the frosting is too thick, you can mix in more evaporated milk until you get the desired viscosity. Just add more coconut as well.

Best frosting I've ever made...and I don't even like coconut. 

The Crepe Cake

It's supposedly the new thing in baking.

Crepes

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 cups whole milk

6 large eggs

1 1/3 cups all purpose flour

7 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions:

In a small pan, cook the butter until it is fragrant and the milk solids turn brown. Set aside.

In another pan, boil the milk. Turn off heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes. 

Beat together eggs, flour, sugar, and salt in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. Slowly add the hot milk and browned butter. Mix until smooth and combined. Pour into an airtight container and refrigerator overnight (or at least 2 hours).

When ready to cook crepes, first bring crepe batter to room temperature. Place crepe pan (9 in. pan is good) over medium heat. Lightly grease pan with oil and add ~3 tablespoons of crepe batter. Cook until bottom begins to brown. Flip crepe. Cook on other side until it begins to brown. Remove crepe from pan and set aside on parchment paper. (Makes 15-20 crepes).

French Pastry Cream

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups whole milk

6 egg yolks 

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup call purpose flour

5 tablespoons cornstarch

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract (or almond extract)

Directions:

In a small saucepan, warm milk over low heat until it is just hot enough to steam. While the milk is warming, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, flour, and cornstarch until the mixture is completely smooth. 

Once milk is steaming, add half of it, whisking constantly, to egg mixture. Add milk and eggs back into hot milk, continue stirring, and heat it for 1-2 minutes (should be very thick). Remove from heat, stir in the vanilla or almond extract, and chill.

Assembly

Layer crepes with a thin spread of pastry cream between each layer. Top with fruit!

Not going to lie, it was only alright, but it looks cute.

Oreo Cheesecake

For le brother's birthday, I made his favorite...Oreo Cheesecake.

Ingredients Crust:
1 cup slivered almonds, lightly toasted

2/3 cup chocolate graham cracker crumbs or crushed Oreo cookies
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Sugar (optional)

Filling:
3 (8-ounce) packages low fat or fat free cream cheese, room temperature
1 (8-ounce) container mascarpone cheese, room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 large eggs, room temperature

1 1/2 cup crushed Oreo cookies

Topping:
Cool Whip (optional)

Directions:
First thing...pull out the cream and mascarpone cheeses so they can be at room temperature by the time you need them!

For the crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Tightly wrap the outside (including the sides) of a 9-inch diameter springform pan with 3 layers of aluminum  foil. Finely grind almonds, graham cracker crumbs or Oreo cookies in a food processor. Add the butter and process until moist crumbs form. At this point, test taste the crumbs for sweetness. Add sugar if needed. Press the graham mixture onto the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake the crust for about 12 minutes. Cool. Decrease the oven temperature to 325 degrees F.

For the filling:  Beat the cream cheese, mascarpone cheese, and sugar in a large bowl until smooth, occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Beat in the lemon juice and vanilla. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Stir in crushed Oreos.

Pour the cheese mixture over the crust in the pan. Place the springform pan in a large roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the springform pan. Bake until the center of the cheesecake moves slightly when the pan is gently shaken, about 1 hour 10 minutes (the cake will become firm when it is cold). Transfer the cake to a rack; cool for 1 hour. Refrigerate until the cheesecake is cold, at least 8 hours and up to 2 days.

Top with cool whip if you want :)

Business is Booming

Cupcakes for a wedding.

Baby shower cake:

The insides!

For a baby boy :)

Cake pops:

Eid Mubarak!

Eid Mubarak to all and to all a very Mubarak Eid :)