I am a Honey Bee

All about my adventures with cooking, crafts, and travel

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Super Rich Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting

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I served this cake yesterday at our monthly staff meeting for our September birthdays. It’s easy to make and it provides great results. The cake is rich, crumby and chocolately and it’s topped with a smooth frosting that is full of peanut flavor. I doubled the recipe to make 2 9×13 cakes that I stacked. I can cut about 48 slices of cake when I use an 9×13 pan. I perfer cupcakes but 1 single cake it a lot easier to transport than a lot of cupcakes.

Super Rich Chocolate Cake

Serves 12-16 people

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 cup coffee*
  • 1/2 cup cold water*
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) of unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 3 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 6 ounces of unsweetened chocolate, melted (Baker’s Brand is good)

Cake pans:

  • Two or three 9 x 2- inch round cake pans
  • One 9 x 13-inch cake pan
  • Muffin Tin (Makes 24, No need to grease & flour prior to using cupcake liners)

 Process 

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare baking pans by greasing and lightly flouring the cake pans. Line the bottoms with waxed paper
  2. In a small bowl, wish together the cocoa, coffee, and water. Add in the vanilla extract. Set aside
  3. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  4. In a large bowl (or freestanding mixer), using medium speed cream the butter and sugar until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Mix in the melted chocolate, mixed thoroughly. Add the dry ingredients into the butter mixture in thirds, alternating with the liquid ingredients, beating well after each addition.
  5. Pour the batter into the pans, dividing evenly. Bake for 20-25 (cupcakes for 20-22) minutes or until cake tester comes out clean. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack.
  6. When the cake has cooled, ice it with the Peanut Butter Frosting.
 

*If you want to taste more coffee flavor the use more coffee and less water, and wise versa. Any adjustments need to equal 1 1/2 cups of a coffee/water combination

 

Peanut Butter Frosting

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, very soft
  • 2 cups of creamy peanut butter (do not use natural)
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 4 cups sifted confectioner’s sugar (with more to add to reach desired consistency)
Process
  1. Beat the butter and peanut butter until creamy, about 3 minutes.
  2. Add the milk and vanilla extract slowly and beat for 3 minutes, gradually add in the sugar and beat until creamy and of desired consistency.

 




Beyond excited!!!!!!!!!

I was really bad and skipped my second class for a concert Monday night. But any trouble that I get into will be totally worth it because I saw an amazing show!!!! AMAZING!! I went to the Perez Presents Tour and saw Frankmusik, Semi Precious Weapons, Ida Maria, and LadyHawke. Plus I got to meet all but 1 of the performers- Ida Maris had a meltdown on stage and stoped after 2 songs and came back to cry through the third. I chatted with Dan (drummer for SPW) for awhile after their set so when it all ended I was invited backstage with some other people. Then I went out with Vincent Frank (Frankmusik) and his players to find an open bar. Once we settled in at Landsdowne LadyHawke came in with her band. And then after I walked with Vincent and 2 others to a pizza place. Finally I went home and went to bed a bit after 3. The excitement from the night before carried me through the day on about 2 1/2 hours sleep. Kinda crashing now but it all was worth it!!!

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Me and Vincent- Frankmusik

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Me and Justin, singer from SPW

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Me and Dan, drummer from SPW

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Me and Cole, bassist from SPW

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Me and Stevy, guitarist  from SPW

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BPD posing with SPW backstage

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Frankmusik using my iphone to Google his friend Peter Glam to show everyone that Justin from SPW and Peter Glam look alike

Such a perfect night.

I’ll upload picture to Facebook and videos to youtube sometime this week.

And so it begins, again.

My final semester at the BAC began today.

While I should be excited that the end is finally in sight, I just spent the class listening to some guy talk and talk and talk. Luckily he only teaches for 1 1/2 hours and the other half is with someone else.

In addition to the notes I took, Jim (classmate who went on the Greece trip too) and I entertained ourselves by counting the number of times he said “You see/know….” and “You see/know what I’m saying…”  Want to guess the grand total in 96 minutes???

-108-

P.S. We will continue to track this to see if this is was a nervous first class fluke or if this is him ‘Umm’

Coquito- The Puerto Rican Eggnog

Coquito is the Puerto Rican Eggnog like drink that is made with lots of coconut and rum. It’s a boozy drink that will transport you to the island.

Post from 9/8/2009, Pictures Updated 11/4/18

Post Contains Affiliate Links. Read my full disclosure HERE

Coquito season is one of my favorite seasons. I love it sooo sooo much. Are you ready for it? Are you gifting it?

…

Read More

Mini Book- 4th of July

I have been on a mini book crazy lately. First with Kaylie’s 4th Birthday Book and now one for the 4th of July, and I have others planned!

 I did not take to many photos at the 4th… too busy falling asleep on the front of the boat while laying out! So when I came across a mini book kit for $1 at Michaels I knew that it would work perfectly. This is similar to what I got.

I first started by painting all chip board pieces- red, white and blue, of course! I added some lettering that I cut out with my Cricut and some rub-ons from SU! Then I sponged all pieces with Sahara Sand classic ink from SU! to distress the book a bit. (I liked it on the White pieces the most- not as impressive on the red & blue)

 I used Maggie Holmes’  photoshop actions to edit my photos. I love her actions because they are so easy to use and have a great outcome.

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Then assembly, emblishments, and journaling!

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Polaroid addiction

I love how digital prints give your crisp photos but I miss the look of Polaroid photos and pics my parents took in the 80’s. You know, the ones that look like they have been faded by the sun although they are brand new. Like these of a photos……

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Nicole_blue dress

 Maybe I was 3 here? Apperantly my right hand was not so sure about it and needed my left hand for some help pulling off that one.

 

Well a  great website transforms you digital pics to look like they are Polaroids- white border included! (I saw this on this blog called Emily- My Place)

love polaroid

check out Rollip!

PLUS!!! FujiFilm has come out with the Instax. Its a new instant camera. OOOOO AHHHHHH

And mine is on its way from Amazon!!!

Chipotle Chocolate Cupcakes

I saw the Spicy Chipotle Chocolate Cake from What We’re Eating and have wanted to do it for awhile. I love Mexican hot chocolate so I thought they that I would enjoy this too. Our friend Essa is going back to Egypt to sort some Visa issues out so decided to make these his ‘pot luck good luck send off’.

It was fun to bring them to the pot luck dinner because I was able to have quite a few reviews of it. Everyone liked them but they liked the cake and frosting seperately. The cake gave you a hint of chili about the 3rd bite in, a slow mellow burn. They could not taste any nutella in the frosting, just cream cheese.  But people like the frosting since they were eating it out of the mixing bowl (frosting them there made transporting them a bit easier!). I will try it again with a plain chocolate buttercream frosting so the cream cheese does not battle with the chipotle. Such a good cake, I know I’ll make it again.Amanda had a great idea with the chili/chocolate combination. So good!

I made changes to the recipe to work for cupcakes and my convection oven. (You may refer to the original recipe here)

Chipotle Chocolate Cupcakes

Makes 24 cupcakes
2 sticks butter, unsalted
10 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
5 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp chipotle chili powder
 
For Frosting
16 oz cream cheese, room temperature
6 oz nutella
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1/3 cup milk, plus extra as needed

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Line 24 cups in cupcake pans with wrappers. Set aside.

In a medium size bowl, sift together the salt, flour, baking powder & chipotle chili powder. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl/stand mixer, combine the eggs and sugars. Beat until the sugars have completely dissolved into the eggs and the mixture begins to thicken- 3-5 minutes.

While the egg/sugar mixture is mixing, melt the butter in a double boiler. Once the butter has melted, add the chocolate chips. Stir until all chocolate has melted. Do not burn chocolate. Remove from heat.

Once the egg and butter mixture has thicken fold in the dry ingredients. Add the vanilla extract and chocolate-butter mixture into the batter. Fold to incorporate. Batter will be thin

Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake lines. Bake at 325 for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. (If it comes out with any gooey batter, let the cake bake longer, as needed.) Remove the cupcakes from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Cool for at least 2 hours before frosting, store frosted cupcakes in a cool place/refrigerator. Once cooled, the cupcakes may be covered and stored at room temperature for a day before frosting.

Making the Frosting:

Using a larger bowl and electric beater or standmixer beat the the cream cheese and nutella into until light and fluffy. Sift in the cocoa powder and powdered sugar. Add the milk then then gently beat to incorporate. Beat until the frosting is light and fluffy. Frost cupcakes!


My never ending to do list!

I got ‘The Freakin’ Never Ending To Do List’ from a blog by Emily Frame’s a bit ago. I fell in love with it because I have a lot of things to juggle, I like lists, and it is super cute. Love the fonts. Well this list was created by Erin Vale Design. She has a really cute blog that shows off her graphic design talents. You can make your very own Freakin’ to Do lists, Honey Do Lists,  blog topic lists, recipe cards, etc. She has free DYI prints on her blog and some others on her Etsy site.

Have some fun getting organized with some cute lists!

to do list

Fall is in the air….

September 1st stirs a lot of emotions for me.

When I was younger it meant starting a new school year. Excitement for shopping new few clothes and shoes for the perfect first day outfit, getting new supplies, and seeing friends again after a summer that felt way too short.

But now, it means the harsh Boston winters will be at my doorstep all too soon. With the weather station telling me its 56 out right now (7am) I worry if my tomatoes will continue to ripen. Will the sunflowers bloom or will it get to cold before they burst wide open? When will ice coffees be too cold to enjoy? When will my hair freeze in the morning on the days it has not completely dried before I leave for work?

Last night I switched out most of my summer clothes for my winter clothes. It is a depressing task that I must tend to every fall. I hate being cold so my wardrobe consists of a lot of sweaters and thick tights for my dresses. It was hard to put away bright floraly spaghetti strap dresses and pull out thick olive green sweaters. While sweaters and muted colors are cozy and comforting, like hot chocolate with homemade whipped cream, but they lack the vibrance that I crave. I get by with American apparel leggings and gap tights. I am the one in office wearing bright tights or leggings to offset my black dresses.

Or I wear these boots that I got in Santa Fe 2 years ago. 🙂

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