Cake Batter Fudge

If you're like me, you're addicted to cake batter flavored everything!  This fudge is amazing and so easy to make anytime you're hit with one of those cravings.

I cut these into pretty big bite size pieces, but you could easily get 36 squares out of this dish.  They will be more of a one-bite dessert, but perfect if you are making this to feed a crowd! 

Serves 16 (or more)

 Cake Batter Fudge

2 cups + 2 tablespoons yellow cake mix
2 cups powered sugar
1 stick of butter, cut in pieces
1/4 cup milk
2/3 white chocolate chips
1/2 cup rainbow sprinkles

Spray an 8 x8-inch baking pan with non-stick spray.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together the cake mix and powdered sugar.  Add milk and butter but do not mix.  Microwave for 2 minutes and immediately mix everything together until the butter is fully melted.  Fold in white chocolate and sprinkles.  Be careful not to over mix as the sprinkles tend to bleed their color.

Spoon into baking pan, making sure it is level and smooth on the top.  Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.  Cut into squares and store leftovers in fridge.

(Source:  Recipe from Sally's Baking Addiction)

You may also like:

Cake Batter Blondies

Chocolate Chip Gooey Butter Cake

Banana Pudding Poke Cake

Chocolate Pudding Cake

Chocolate Chip Blondies

Pineapple Carrot Banana Cake

If you've been following along, you know I have quite a few banana bread recipes on my blog.  I LOVE banana bread and am also a huge fan of carrot cake.  This is an amazing combination of the two!  Add in some pineapple and pecans and you get this sort of tropical version of banana bread!  

Similar to carrot cake, this cake gets topped with a cream cheese icing - you'll have enough leftover that you can ice the entire cake (rather than just drizzling) or use the extra to slather on the individual slices you're serving.  Because you'll want more.  It's so good!!   

This cake can be a dessert or if you're like me, who eats cake for breakfast all the time, you can eat it with your morning cup of coffee!  Would be great at a brunch too, because it's so pretty. 

Super moist, and so flavorful.  Greek yogurt, mashed bananas and crushed pineapple (along with a little of the pineapple juice from the can) make this cake so scrumptious.  The original recipe called for pineapple flavored greek yogurt, but I had plain on hand so that's what I used.  There is so much flavor from the other ingredients that I didn't miss the extra pineapple taste.

I also forgot to mention raisins!  I love raisins in anything.  There is so much texture in this bread - the chewy raisins, crunchy carrot bits, pecans.  It's so hearty!  You'll love it.  You can also make this in 2 loaf pans, just adjust your time accordingly (you'll need to add extra time - maybe about 15 minutes, but don't quote me on that!).

Pineapple Carrot Banana Cake

Serves 12-14

1/4 cup butter, melted

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 light brown sugar, packed

2 eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

6 ounces plain Greek yogurt

3 ripe bananas, mashed

1/2 cup grated carrots

1/3 cup crushed pineapple, plus juice

1/3 cup raisins

1/4 cup chopped pecans

2 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

For the cream cheese icing

1/4 cup butter, room temperature

4 tablespoons cream cheese, room temperature

1 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 tablespoon of milk

Preheat oven to 325 degrees, grease and flour bundt pan.  

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the butter, sugars, eggs, vanilla and stir.  Add yogurt, bananas, carrots, pineapple, raisins and pecans.  Mix slowly until everything is incorporated.  

Add the flour, baking soda and salt and mix until just combined.  Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 50-60 minutes or until top is golden and a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.  Start checking around 40 minutes - if the top is getting too dark, cover with foil until middle is done.

Allow bread to cool for 15 minutes before inverting it onto a wire rack to cool completely.  Meanwhile, make the icing. 

In a medium bowl, combine the butter, cream cheese, confectioner's sugar and vanilla extract.  Use an electric hand mixer to mix everything together.  Add the tablespoon of milk (and possibly more) to make the icing more spreadable and to the consistency you desire. 

(Source:  Adapted from Averie Cooks)

Easy Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

 So easy and fast, you'll use this as your go-to recipe from now on.  This is a basic vanilla buttercream and it is amazing.  There's no need to buy store bought anymore!  

If you have this recipe up your sleeve, then you can very easily add to it to make different flavors.  To make chocolate, just add 4 ounces of melted and cooled semi-sweet chocolate when you add the vanilla.  

So light and fluffy!  Spreads easily and you can control the consistency by adding more or less cream (or none at all!).  I should point out that I have used everything from whipping cream to milk (depending on what was in my fridge) and got pretty consistent results every time.  

Yields 2 cups

Easy Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

3 cups confectioner's sugar
1 cup butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-2 tablespoons cream or milk

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk, beat the butter and sugar on low until combined.  Increase speed to medium and beat for about 3 minutes.  Add the vanilla and 1 tablespoon cream and mix for 1 more minute.  Add more cream if desired.

Use immediately or store covered in fridge for up to 3 days.  Bring to room temperature before using.  

Honey Bun Cake

This really does have the flavor of those Honey Bun cakes you can buy in the grocery store - only 1000 times better!  It's an incredibly sweet cake, which topped with a powdered sugar glaze makes it that much sweeter.  Great with a huge glass of milk or cup of coffee (yes, I eat cake for breakfast!). 

Not only it is super sweet, it's super moist.  I recommend storing it in the fridge, which will firm it up a bit.  You can also use sour cream in place of the buttermilk.

I made the glaze thin and sort of runny so it seeped into the cake more.  Use less milk in yours if you want it a bit thicker.  Can you tell my family enjoyed it?  

Serves 12

Honey Bun Cake

1 box of yellow cake mix

2/3 cup oil

4 eggs

1 cup buttermilk

1 cup packed brown sugar

3 teaspoons ground cinnamon

For the glaze

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

3 tablespoons milk

2 tablespoons butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 9 x 13-inch pan with non-stick cooking spray.  In a large bowl, beat the cake mix, oil, eggs and buttermilk with an electric mixer for about 2 minutes.  Pour the batter into the pan. 

In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over top of the cake batter.  Use a butter knife to swirl the brown sugar mixture throughout the cake.  Bake for 45-50 minutes, until golden.  Prick the surface of the cake with a fork several times.  

To make the glaze, whisk all of the ingredients until smooth.  Pour glaze over warm cake and allow it to cool completely.  Store covered in the fridge.  

(Source:  Adapted from Betty Crocker)

Top Ten Most Viewed Recipes of 2013

I took a look back at my posts from 2013 and decided to compile a list of my Top Ten Most Viewed Recipes.  So in case you missed them the first time I've listed them all here...just click the title and it will take you directly to that recipe!  Enjoy!  

#10 - Graham Cracker Eclair Cake 

#9 - Crispy Buffalo Chicken Wraps

#8 - Crock Pot Baked Potato Soup

#7 - Double Layer "Dirt" Cake 

#6 - Crock Pot Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches

#5 - Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies

#4 - Buffalo Ranch Pretzels

#3 - Cinnamon Roll French Toast Bake

#2 - Banana Pudding Poke Cake 

And the #1 most viewed recipe of 2013...Pennsylvania Dutch Chicken Corn Soup

Happy New Year!  I'm looking forward to sharing many more recipes with my readers in 2014!  

Don't forget to follow me on Pinterest and Facebook!  

Lemon Ricotta Pound Cake

Any kind of cake or bread that has ricotta immediately makes me think of my grandmother, my Nona.  Specifically around Easter time we always had Ricotta cake, which from what I remember, is just yellow cake with ricotta mixed in and powdered sugar dusted on top.  So good, so Italian.  When I was looking for something to make with the lemons I just picked off my tree (sweet, right?), I came across this Lemon Ricotta Loaf from Alexandra's Kitchen.  

Look at those beautiful lemons!  The tree we had took 3 years to produce any fruit and since then, we've been getting 6-9 lemons each year (it's potted and not a huge tree).  I'm not sure why the loaf sank in the middle so much, but it didn't affect how wonderfully delicious it was! 

It makes one regular loaf or 3 mini loaves - I might double it next time to make two full size loaves.  We devoured one of these in less than a day!  Instead of spraying the loaf pan with non-stick spray, you butter the heck out of it.  It keeps it so moist and gives it that pretty golden color.  

  

Serves 8

Lemon Ricotta Pound Cake

1 1/2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 sticks of butter, room temperature, plus more to grease the pan

1 1/2 cups whole milk ricotta cheese

1 1/2 cups + 1 tablespoon sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

zest of 1 lemon

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and butter (very well) a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan.  Combine flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. 

Using a mixer, cream butter, ricotta and sugar for about 3 minutes.  Beat in eggs one at a time.  Mix in the vanilla, lemon zest and lemon juice.  Add the dry ingredients, slowly, until just incorporated. 

Pour batter into pan and bake for 50-60 minutes.  Check at 40-45 minutes and if the top is getting too brown, cover loosely with foil.  It is done when the cake starts to pull away from the pan and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Let cool for about 15 minutes before turning out of the pan onto a wire rack to cool completely.  

(Source:  Recipe from Alexandra's Kitchen)

Salted Caramel Sauce

Oh my gosh - how in love with this sauce am I???  I could not stop licking the spoon, bowl, saucepan, you name it.  I could have poured it into a glass and drank it!  

It's creamy and glossy and sweet and perfect for swirling in brownies or Salted Caramel Blondies (which I can't wait to make).  Both recipes come from the blog Add a Pinch.  So glad I found it!  I made enough for about 1 1/2 cups - just store in the fridge in an airtight container and use some whenever you are in the mood!

Makes 1 1/2 cups

Salted Caramel Sauce

1 cup packed brown sugar
6 tablespoons butter, cut into cubes

1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons heavy cream

1/2 tablespoon sea salt 

In a medium saucepan, add brown sugar and melt over medium-high heat until sugar begins to melt and clump together.  Lower the heat to low, add butter, stir constantly until melted and sugar and butter are smooth.  

Remove from heat and gently stir in cream and salt.  Stir until caramel is smooth and glossy.  Let cool slightly and store in an airtight container.  Will keep in the pantry for a week or the fridge for up to a month. 

(Source:  Adapted from Add a Pinch)

Caramel Apple Bundt Cake

I love baking with apples in the fall!  I'm on Pinterest (obviously!) and there is just so much inspiration out there.  This recipe comes from the blog, Sugar 'n Spice Gals and it is delicious!  I have a smaller Bundt pan, just a bit skinnier than a normal one, so I ended up with extra batter and an adorable mini version of this cake.

Cute right?  This would be such a nice treat to bring to a Holiday dinner.  Just bring the caramel sauce separate and drizzle on right before serving.  I think you're family would be pretty impressed!

The caramel sauce, as the cake sits, seeps into it and keeps it so moist.  My thought was that I was going to walk the mini one over to my neighbors house, but by the time I allowed my family to cut into one (you know, after the pictures were taken) it was gone in a minute!  Baked goods do not last long in our house... 

Makes 1 large bundt cake (or a couple smaller cakes)

Caramel Apple Bundt Cake

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

3 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

3 cups flour

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 apples, peeled and diced

1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

For the glaze 

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup half & half

1/4 cup butter

dash of salt

1 cup confectioner's sugar

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Spray and flour bundt pan(s).  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the oil, sugars, eggs and vanilla extract.  Mix until everything is incorporated.  In a smaller bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg and salt.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and give it a stir.  Fold in the apples and pecans (if using).

Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 1 1/2 hours.  If using 2 smaller pans, you will need to adjust the time - the mini one took about 45 minutes and my thinner bundt pan took 1 hour and 15 minutes.  When your toothpick comes out clean, it's done.  

Let cool for 10 minutes, then gently slide a butter knife down the sides of the pan to loosen the cake.  Flip upside down onto plate or cake stand.  

Make the caramel glaze by combining the brown sugar, half & half, butter and salt in a medium saucepan; heat over medium heat until everything is melted and combined.  Let cool to room temperature then whisk in confectioner's sugar.  Drizzle over the top of the cake.  Cut into slices and serve room temperature.  

(Source:  adapted from Sugar 'n Spice Gals)
  

Chocolate Chip Gooey Butter Cake

If you've heard of Paula Deen, you've probably heard of her Gooey Butter Cake.  Her variation includes using cake batter as a crust with a topping made of cream cheese, powdered sugar, eggs.  Almost like a cheesecake on top of a cake!  I love chocolate chip cheesecake so I decided to make my version with chocolate chips.  

I'd say my family enjoyed it quite a bit!  1/2 the pan gone before I could take my pictures...

You can also sprinkle with powdered sugar right before serving.  It's suggested that it's served at room temperature or warm.  I have this habit of keeping most of my baked goods in the fridge so I did the same with this and ate it cold.  Tasted just fine to me!  

Serves 6-8

Chocolate Chip Gooey Butter Cake

1 package of yellow cake mix

1 egg

1 stick of butter, melted 

For the topping

1 (8 oz) package of cream cheese, room temperature

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 stick butter, melted

1 (16 oz) box of powdered sugar

1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Combine the cake mix, egg and butter and mix well with an electric mixer.  Pat the mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 9 x 13-inch pan. 

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth.  Add the eggs, vanilla and butter and beat together.  Add the powdered sugar and mix well.  Stir in the chocolate chips by hand.  Spread over cake batter and back for 40 to 50 minutes.  The center should be a little gooey so do not over bake.  

(Source:  Adapted from Paula Deen)

Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes

I am so glad these cupcakes turned out as cute as I envisioned them!  The cake part is the exact recipe for my Chocolate Cherry Cake, but I had to use a different type of icing because I couldn't pour the icing over these cupcakes like the original cake recipe calls for.  I remembered that I saw Ina Garten do a ganache icing that she just dipped the top of the cupcakes in.  And how easy, right?  No taking the time to spread icing on each cupcake.  Although I'm quite certain that Ina didn't use store brand semi-sweet chocolate chips for her icing, these turned out so good.  

How cute are they??  How perfect for a birthday party.  Our Chocolate Cherry Cake is an absolute must for any birthday in our family and I know that these would be such a fun surprise for anyone expecting a regular cake.  

Makes 18 cupcakes

Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes

1 box chocolate fudge cake mix

1 can cherry pie filling 

1 teaspoon almond extract

2 eggs, slightly beaten 

Icing

1/2 cup half & half

1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

18 maraschino cherries 

Make the cupcakes:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees and fill a 12-cup and 6-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.  Combine the cake mix, pie filling, almond extract and eggs by hand and fill each cupcake liner about 3/4 of the way full.  Bake for 20-25 minutes until the cupcakes are puffed and a toothpick inserted into the center of one comes out clean.  Let cool before icing. 

Make the icing:  cook the half & half and chocolate chips in the top of a double boiler or heat safe bowl over simmering water.  Stir until smooth.  Dip the tops of the cooled cupcakes into the ganache and top with a maraschino cherry. 

(Source:  icing adapted from Ina Garten)

Banana Pudding Poke Cake

Every year for my husband's birthday I make him a banana cream pie, his favorite.  This year I stuck to the theme but made a cake instead of a pie...a Banana Pudding Poke cake!  Yum, yum, yum!!  It was SO good.  And easy.  I love easy...

Layers of yellow cake and banana pudding are topped with sliced bananas...

Then Cool Whip and crushed Nilla wafers!!  Incredibly easy and you entire family will flip over this.  

Banana Pudding Poke Cake

1 box of yellow cake mix and all the ingredients needed to make cake

2 boxes (3.4 oz each) banana instant pudding mix

4 cups milk

2 bananas, sliced

1 tub (8 oz) Cool Whip, thawed

1 box of Nilla wafers, cookies crushed

Prepare the cake according to the directions for a 9 x 13-inch pan and let cool slightly when done.  Using the handle of a wooden spoon, start poking holes in the cake.  You can poke holes all the way down to the bottom of the cake.  

Whisk together the instant pudding mix and milk until all the lumps are gone.  Let the pudding set for about 2 minutes until it is just slightly thickened, but still easily pourable.  Pour the pudding all over the cake and spread with the back of spoon to ensure that it gets in all the holes you poked!  Put the cake and pudding into the fridge until it completely sets.  Add the sliced bananas on top of the pudding.  Spread the thawed Cool Whip on top of the bananas, followed by the crushed Nilla wafers.  Serve chilled and store in the fridge.   

(Source:  Adapted from The Country Cook)

Super Sweet Cornbread

Cornbread made with cake mix ~ another fabulous Pinterest find!  It's truly the best cornbread!  Or cake...or cornbread.  I don't know which.  It's very sweet, so it is really a treat to make this once in a while.  We had it with my Turkey Two Bean Chili, but I also ate it over the next couple of days when I was craving something sweet.

The original recipe calls for a box of Jiffy Cornbread mix, but I made my own.  You make that first, then make the cake mix, then combine them both together.  I used Duncan Hines Butter Golden mix apparently (from the notes from the recipe that this is adapted from) it's the only mix without pudding in it, which makes it a little less "cakey".  This is also a mix that calls for 3 eggs - I used just two because you will be combining this with the cornbread mix that already has 2 eggs.  I felt like 5 eggs would be too much.    

If you wanted to, you could also add cheddar cheese, jalapenos, etc.  That would also make this mix a lot more savory.  I LOVE sweet cornbread so I was so excited to find this.  It's also so moist, which is another must.  

Super Sweet Cornbread

1 box yellow cake mix (I used Duncan Hines Butter Golden)
water, butter or oil and eggs (from the directions on the box - minus 1 egg if using what I used)

For the cornbread mix (or use 2 boxes Jiffy Cornbread Mix):

1 1/3 cups flour

1 cup cornmeal

6 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 eggs

2/3 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 9x13" baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.  Start with the cornbread by combining all ingredients through the vegetable oil.  After that is mixed together, add the eggs and milk.  Set aside.  Make the cake mix according to package directions in a large mixing bowl.  Combine the two mixes together and pour into the 9x13" pan.  Bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.   Cut into squares.

(Source:  Adapted from The Sisters Dish)