Brown Butter Apple Spice Layer Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

I made this apple spice cake several months ago, typed up a whole blog post, edited and uploaded pictures, and apparently never hit the publish button? Whoops!  I must have been planning to go back to re-read it the next day and never actually got back to it.  I am really surprised it slipped my mind because this cake was absolutely amazing and not even the slightest bit worthy of being forgotten. The cake itself had beautiful fluffy texture with a very tender crumb and soft apple chunks throughout.  The combination of the nutty, rich brown butter and the apple pie blend spices put the flavor of this cake over the top. Then, when you top a cake like this with maple cream cheese frosting, you get one of the greatest things ever!

I really like this rustic style of frosting a cake between the layers and on top but not doing the sides and not worrying too much about how perfect the frosting looks, especially on a cake with an interesting appearance or with fruit inside.  Don't get me wrong, I love a beautifully and perfectly decorated cake as much as the next foodie but this was simple and lovely in its own way.  Another great thing about this is that you don't end up with a cake that is too heavily frosted.  This cake was so delicious, it really only needed a small amount of frosting to taste just right.  Try making this cake for your next holiday party, for the apple lover in your life, or just because it might make you smile. I am sure you won't be disappointed!

Brown Butter Apple Spice Cake

3 cups diced granny smith apples (1/4" cubes)
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup canola oil
3/4 cup apple sauce
1/2 cup brown butter

Preheat the oven to 350F and grease and then line three 8 inch cake pans with parchment circles. Heat a small pan over medium heat and add 1 stick (1/2 a cup) butter.  Stir and cook the butter until it begins to get foamy, turns light brown, and smells fragrant. Set the butter aside to cool while you prep the other ingredients.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, spices, baking soda, and salt until well combined.  In a separate medium bowl combine the sugars, eggs, vanilla extract, canola oil, brown butter, and applesauce.  Add the flour mixture into the wet ingredient mixture in two additions. When the second addition of flour is almost fully mixed in, add the apples and continue to stir until barely combined.  Bake on the center rack of your oven for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.  Let the cakes cool completely before frosting.  

Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

1/2 cup (4oz) softened butter
1 cup (8oz) softened cream cheese
3 cups confectioner's sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup pure maple syrup

Use an electric mixer to blend the butter and cream cheese together until well combined and fluffy.  Add the confectioner's sugar in three additions.  Once the sugar is fully incorporated, mix in the vanilla extract, cinnamon, and maple syrup.  If the frosting is too thick, add a little more syrup or if the frosting is too thin, add a little more powdered sugar.  This batch of frosting will probably not be enough to completely frost a three layer cake, so if you want to frost the sides too I would suggest doubling this recipe.

Enjoy!

Overnight Pumpkin Caramel Monkey Bread

This monkey bread is the perfect, delicious breakfast or brunch item to serve during the holiday season.  The dough takes about 10 minutes to prepare and then you can let all the rising happen overnight in the refrigerator.  A few more minutes of assembly in the morning and you have an  amazing pumpkin bread covered in gooey, sweet caramel that will impress everyone!

Overnight bread recipes are my absolute favorite.  The long, slow rise process gives the bread wonderful, fluffy texture and this dough is extra special with the pumpkin puree and seasonal spices blended in.  Of course, you could make this all in one morning, using a traditional room temperature rise but that process doesn't develop the flavor or texture of the dough as well and it makes your morning prep time longer.  This recipe is super easy for entertaining guests during the holidays or even just for a family weekend brunch.  With my two little ones running around all over the place and/or needing to be held 24/7 I just love a good recipe like this one.  Little K (age 2.5) really loved helping assemble the dough in the morning. He was great at rolling the dough into balls and he had a blast coating them (and my entire kitchen) in cinnamon/sugar. Feel free to add-in an additional ingredients like raisins or pecans to kick the flavors up even more.  Please let me know if you give this recipe a try and how you like it!

Pumpkin Caramel Monkey Bread

Pumpkin Bread
1/4 cup salted butter (if using unsalted, add a pinch of salt)
2/3 cup milk
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white granulated sugar
1 packet (2 1/4 tsp) quick rise yeast
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp ginger
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 egg
1 egg yolk
5 cups all-purpose flour, approximately

Heat the milk and butter in the microwave or in a small saucepan over low heat to the temperature recommended on your yeast.  This was 120F to 130F for me. If you don't have a thermometer the mixture should feel very warm to the touch (be careful)! Add the butter, milk, sugars, spices, and yeast to a stand mixer bowl or other large bowl. Give everything a stir and let the yeast activate for about 5 minutes, it should get foamy or bubbly. Add the pumpkin, egg, and egg yolk and mix until well combined. Mix in the flour, one cup at a time, until just combined. The dough will be sticky to the touch.  Form the dough into a ball and place in a greased bowl covered with plastic wrap to rise. If making the monkey bread right away, let the dough rise at room temperature for one to two hours or until doubled in size.  If making the the monkey bread in the morning, place in the refrigerator overnight to rise.  Let the dough sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before assembling. Once the dough has risen, punch it down and get ready to assemble.

Assembly
1/2 cup white granulated sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter

Preheat the oven to 350F and grease a bundt pan. Combine the white sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl, Pinch off one inch size pieces of dough, roll into balls, and then roll into the cinnamon/sugar mixture.  Continue this process until you have rolled the entire batch of dough into balls and placed them evenly around the bundt pan.

Heat the brown sugar and butter in a small pot over medium heat until the butter is melted and the sugar crystals are dissolved (about 5 minutes).  Pour the butter mixture evenly over the top of the dough and place in the center of the oven to bake for about 40 minutes.  You may want to put the bundt pan on a baking tray to avoid any potential bubble overs into your oven.

When you remove the bread from the oven, let it rest for about 5 minutes before turning out onto a plate or serving tray.  The bread is VERY hot and sticky so be sure to let it cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

Chicken Orzo Soup

Why, yes I did take a photo of my leftover soup that I ate at work with a plastic spoon, under florescent light and you know what, I'm not even worried about it because this soup is that comforting. I usually fuss and stress about not having the time to photograph food the way I want to for the blog but I have decided today that it's more important to share the recipe than have a great picture. This time of year, whether you have the sniffles, daylight savings blues, or are just in need of comfort after the latest election results, this is the soup for you. There is nothing quite like a big bowl of steaming hot, delicious soup to make you feel better, in body and soul.  I hope you give this recipe a try and that it brightens your day a little or makes you feel warm and comfortable!


Chicken Orzo Soup

1/2 cup carrots, diced
1/2 cup leek, diced
1/4 cup red bell pepper, diced
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp flour
2 cups cooked, cubed chicken (recipe below)
6 cups chicken broth
1 tbsp soy sauce
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup Orzo pasta, cooked separately

Step 1: In a large heavy bottom pot melt the butter over medium high heat. Add the vegetables, season with salt and pepper, and sautee for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in the flour, cook for about one minute and then add the chicken broth and soy sauce.
Step 2: Bring the soup to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, add the cooked chicken,  and simmer for about 15 minutes.
Step 3: While the soup simmers, bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the Orzo pasta according to your package directions to al dente. Drain the Orzo and add it to the soup immediately before serving. Don't cook the Orzo in the chicken broth because your soup will be very starchy.
Step 4: Check the soup's seasoning, serve in warm bowls and enjoy!

Chicken recipe (optional, can use any leftover or rotisserie chicken):
Place 4 to 5 boneless chicken breast tenders in an oven safe dish and season to your liking (salt, pepper, poultry seasoning, etc). Cover the dish with foil and bake at 400F for 20 minutes or to until an internal temp of 165F.

Caramel Apple Crisp

Yum! I love apple crisp, it is definitely one of my absolute favorite desserts.  Next to strawberry shortcake, and chocolate chip cookies, and carrot cake, and chocolate cream pie, and....sorry you get the picture, I really like dessert. The best part about this crisp is the addition of the caramel sauce.

 It's so rich, over the top, delicious. The tender and sweet apples paired with the crunchy, crisp topping is the perfect balance.  Don't forget the ice cream, of course! 

Caramel Apple Crisp

Caramel Sauce
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 stick butter (4 tbsp)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla extract

Add all of the ingredients to a small saucepan over medium heat.  Stir constantly and bring the mixture to a slow bubble, reduce the heat, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.  Remove from the heat and cool while you prepare the apples.

Apple Crisp
6 to 8 apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
1 tbsp flour
1 tsp cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350F. Place the apples in a 9x13 pan and toss with the flour, cinnamon, and caramel sauce.

1 stick butter, cold and cubed
3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup old fashioned oats
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

Mix the flour, oats, sugar, and cinnamon together in a medium bowl.  Add the cubed butter and use your fingers or a pastry cutter to combine with the dry ingredients. Top the apples evenly with the crisp. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until bubbly and golden brown.

Enjoy!

Kettle Corn

I wish I had known that homemade kettle corn was so simple. I knew it was just a few basic ingredients but I thought the process was more difficult than it really turned out to be.  K bought one of those Whirly Pop stove top poppers a few years ago because we read an article about all the bad stuff in microwave popcorn. However when I was pregnant with our daughter I had a craving for kettle corn for several weeks so I bought a box of the microwave stuff. I should have looked up a recipe for the homemade version sooner because it was 1000 times better, tasted just like the extraordinarly overpriced yummy bags of kettle corn you can buy at the local fairs.  Speaking of pregnancy cravings, I haven't had time to blog for awhile  (again) because we recently welcomed our second baby into our family.  Aurora was born September 1 weighing 7lbs 10 oz. We absolutely love her and little K is doing a great job adjusting to being a big brother.  Popcorn is one of little K's favorite snacks so I decided to make us a special treat today while Aurora napped. I was pleasantly surprised that it only took about 3 minutes to pop the corn, just as long as it takes to microwave a bag. The kettle corn was so delicious, sweet and crunchy but also salty and buttery just like kettle corn should be. You could probably make this recipe in a regular nonstick pot, just be sure to shake it around the whole time so the popcorn pops evenly.  I hope you give this recipe a try soon!

Homemade Kettle Corn
1/2 cup corn kernels
1 tsp oil
3 tbsp white sugar
2 tbsp butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract
Salt to taste

Place corn and oil into the pot or Whirly Pop and cook over medium heat.  When the oil starts to sizzle add the sugar and mix well.  Stir or shake the corn constantly until you hear the corn stop popping.  Immediately pour the popcorn into a bowl and toss with butter, vanilla and salt. Best if served immediately, while warm.

Enjoy!

Sweet & Sour Dill Refrigerator Pickles

Hey friends, I am back! Although it probably won't last very long since baby girl is due to be here later this month and I am sure my cooking, photographing, and blogging time will be scarce once again.  We have been having an incredibly busy summer squeezing in lots of fun activities with little K, family visits and adventures, a quick getaway to Maine, and prepping for our baby's arrival soon!

We also grew our first successful veggie garden this summer.  Our yard has very sandy soil and gets full sunshine for at least 10 hours a day so our previous attempts went poorly.  For the past several years we have done a few potted plants on the deck just to have some fresh vegetables but this year big K suggested building a raised bed garden out of a large pallet.  He stapled fabric paper to the bottom, attached some support boards around the four sides and filled the whole pallet with great quality dirt/compost mix.  We planted cucumbers, scallions, lettuce, a selection of herbs, and lots of green beans.  A few weeks ago we made 10 pints of my delicious dilly beans with our very own beans and dill!

Last weekend the stack of fresh cucumbers was starting to pile up in the fridge and so I decided to try refrigerator pickles. When I was a kid my parents made and canned a big batch of amazing bread and butter pickles every summer.  I didn't think I would have enough cucumbers to bother with the whole canning process so I decided to give a new recipe a try.  I will have to track down that bread and butter pickle recipe for another year!  These pickles came out great.  The cucumbers stay super crunchy and have wonderful elements of both sweet and sour.  They are definitely more on the dill/sour side of pickles and less reminiscent of bread and butter but they do have a nice sweetness about them.  The combination of adding the onions, garlic, and various spices add nice complexity as well.  This recipe is so tasty and very easily scaled up or down, so whether you have a garden exploding with cucumbers or you would have a pick some up from the market, I really hope you give these pickles a try!

Sweet & Sour Dill Refrigerator Pickles

3 cups sliced pickling cucumbers, approx 1/8" thick
1 small onion, thinly sliced
small bunch of dill
3 small cloves garlic
1 tbsp mustard seeds
1 tsp whole peppercorns
1 tsp celery seed
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 1/2 cups cider or rice wine vinegar (good quality)
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
3 tbsp pickling or sea salt

In a medium saucepan, stir the vinegar, water, sugar, and salt together and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat.  Once the sugar and salt are dissolved, remove from the heat, add the turmeric, and let the mixture cool while you prep the other ingredients.  Evenly distribute the garlic, mustard seeds, peppercorns, celery seed and a few sprigs of dill between approximately 3 pint size (16oz) mason jars.  Layer the slices of cucumbers and onion into each jar and then pour over the pickling solution, filling to about 1/2" from the top of the jars.  Place lids and rings on the jars and refrigerator for at least 24 hours before eating.  The pickles should keep fresh in the refrigerator for approximately 2 months or longer.

Enjoy!

Spring Veggie Penne "Alfredo"

Sometimes a meal is so good that you decided the recipe must go on the blog, even though it is a crazy Tuesday night, your DSLR camera battery is dead, and you have exactly 12 seconds to finish eating dinner before your wild two year old demands he is "all done." So you whip out your cell phone, put your plate on the floor in the only place of the house that has any natural light available, tell your dog to scoot, and snap the world's most blah picture of this amazing pasta dish!  I have missed out on blogging lots of amazing recipes because I didn't have the opportunity to photograph the dish. I always tell myself, next time I will make sure to plan better, but that hardly happens. So I am putting my perfectionism away and posting this recipe for you! 

This pasta was so delicious and creamy but also very fresh and full of wonderful spring flavors. The sauce is reminiscent of an alfredo but has far less cream and butter and cheese in it than a traditional alfredo sauce.  It still has a great silky texture that coats the pasta nicely but doesn't feel too heavy and it tastes amazing too.  As always, feel free to change out any of the ingredients - use different shaped pasta, use a different combo of vegetables, add a protein if you wish - just customize away until the recipe suits your preferences.  Another huge plus for this recipe is that it took less than 20 minutes to make!  I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we did.  Let me know if you try any other combos of ingredients that work well together! 

  

Spring Veggie Penne "Alfredo"

2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
2 green onions, sliced
1 sm red bell pepper, diced
1 cup asparagus pieces, 1" pieces
1 cup quartered baby portabella mushrooms
2 tbsp flour
1 1/2 cups low/no sodium stock of your choice
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
Fresh parsely or basil, optional

Salt and pepper to taste
1 lb box Penne pasta

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt the water, cook the pasta for one minute less than the box's instructions for al dente, and drain well.  While the water is coming to a boil, prep all of your veggies. Then, heat the butter and olive oil over medium high heat in a large skillet or saucepan.  Add the veggies, season with salt and pepper to taste, and cook for about 10 minutes or until veggies are just tender.  Stir in the flour, cook for one minute and then whisk in the stock.  I used chicken stock because that is what I had on hand but veggie stock would work great too.  Let the sauce bubble for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens slightly.  Stir in the cream, the parmesan cheese and the cooked pasta.  Let this bubble away for about 2 more minutes until the pasta is cooked perfectly.  Serve with additional grated parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of chopped fresh herbs, if desired. 

Enjoy!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse Pie {{No Bake}}

"Kaden, what did we make?"
"Pie!"
"Can my have some?"
"No, it has to go in the fridge and set. Plus you already licked the spatula!"
"Can my touch it?"
"No you can't touch it, you will smoosh it."

"Who did we make this pie for Kaden?"
"DADDY!"
"Does Daddy like pie?"
"PB pieeeee"
"Can my eat choc-O-lit?"
"I need choc-O-lit!"

"Just be patient for a few minutes and let Mama take some pictures."
"Please!"
"You can wait a few more minutes and then I'll let you have a piece of peanut butter cup."
"I want choc-O-lit!"
"Please wait Kaden, good boy."
"Can my touch it now?!"

"Kaden, go see what Daddy is doing; tell him we finished the pie."
"I want choc-O-lit!"
"How did we make the pie?"
"Bang it!"
"What did we bang?"
"Grams!"

"You're right we banged the graham crackers and then we melted chocolate and whipped up peanut butter filling!"
"All done now?"
"Yes, Mama is all done taking pictures!"
"Can my have choc-O-lit?"
"Okay! Just one!"

"YUMMMMMMY!"

~Conversation with Kaden, age 22 months

Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse Pie

Graham Cracker Crust
1 1/2 cups cinnamon graham cracker crumbs
(or chocolate cookie crumbs or pretzel crumbs)
1/2 cup melted butter
1/4 cup brown sugar

In a medium bowl, stir together the cracker crumbs and the brown sugar and then add the melted butter.  Stir the mixture well until all of the crumbs are well coated in butter.  Transfer the crust mixture to a 9" pie plate and press into an even layer along the bottom and up the sides.  Chill the crust in the fridge while you make the ganache and mousse.

Chocolate Ganache
1 1/3 cups chopped chocolate
1 cup heavy cream

Place the chocolate in a heat proof bowl or container.  Heat the cream in the microwave for about 2 minutes or on the stove just until you see little bubbles forming around the edges.  Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it sit for about 5 minutes.  The chocolate should fully melt in this time and then you can stir well to combine.  If you have any unmelted chocolate you can continue to heat the mixture until it is completely smooth.  Let the ganache cool for about 10 minutes and then pour a layer of ganache into the chilled pie crust.  The amount of your ganache layer is completely up to you.  Make sure to leave enough to garnish the top of the pie.  Return the pie to the fridge to chill while you make the mousse.

Peanut Butter Mousse
1 1/2 cups smooth peanut butter
1 cup softened cream cheese
1 cup confectioner's (powered) sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup heavy cream
Peanut Butter Cups, for garnish

In a medium bowl, use an electric mixer to cream together the softened cream cheese and peanut butter until smooth and fluffy.  Beat in the confectioner's sugar and vanilla extract until well combined.  In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream to soft peaks.  Fold the whipped cream gently into the peanut butter mixture, until well combined.  Transfer the peanut butter mouse to the pie plate and decorate with remaining chocolate ganache and chopped peanut butter cups, if desired.  Place the pie in the refrigerator for at least two hours to set firm.

Enjoy!

Inspired by Gretchen's Bakery

Frozen Princess Elsa Layer Cake {Vanilla Sponge Cake, Chocolate Cake, White Chocolate Ganache, & Swiss Meringue Buttercream}

I recently made this Frozen Princess Elsa layer cake for my niece's 2nd birthday and I was really excited about how beautiful it came out.  I shared all of the details and exact recipes that I used below, but what I really wanted to share this time was the general overall concept of this cake.  You could make this cake with any flavor of cake, any filling, or any frosting recipe that you prefer.  Actually speaking of that, if anyone has a foolproof, moist, tender, delicious vanilla cake recipe, please share it with me! I have been on the hunt for the perfect vanilla cake for a long time and this recipe was good but didn't fit 100% with what I am looking for.  Anyways, I just loved how the appearance of this cake came out with the pretty teal buttercream and the contrasting white snow/ice details.  I think the stars piped along the bottom gave the cake a cute ruffly, party dress look that was very sweet and girly, plus the border of white dots almost resembled a strand of big, beautiful pearls for an extra bit of elegance.  Don't skip the dusting of edible glitter or sanding sugar (which you can't see very well in the picture) because it adds that lovely sparkle of freshly fallen snow glistening in the sunlight that everyone loves!

I absolutely love when I am given the opportunity to make a special cake for a family member or friend, even though my husband would probably tell you differently!  I tend to get myself a little worked up during the process of just about every cake that I have ever made, but in the end it is all part of the fun.  Even if I end up having to re-make the entire giant batch of buttercream because for some unknown reason the first batch completely imploded, every minute of making the cake is worth it; all for that smile and happiness that comes along with first seeing the finished product or taking the first delicious bite!  Being able to create something special to share with the people I love is a truly wonderful feeling and I am so lucky to have the opportunity to do so :)

Vanilla Sponge Cake
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
7 eggs, separated
1 cup cold water
1/2 tsp cream of tartar

Preheat the oven to 325F. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together until evenly combined.  Stir in the vegetable oil, vanilla extract, egg yolks, and water until the wet ingredients are incorporated into the dry ingredients.  In a separate, very clean bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the egg whites and cream of tartar until stiff peaks form.  Stir about 1/3 of the egg whites into the cake batter, to begin lightening the mixture.  Carefully fold the rest of the egg whites through the cake batter until you can no longer see any streaks of white.   Divide the batter into two 8" cake pans that have been greased and lined with parchment circles.  Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.  Let the cakes rest in the pans for 10 to 15 minutes, run a knife around the outer edge of the cake, and then turn out onto wire cooling racks to cool completely.
Inspired by How To Cook That

Chocolate Cake
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp instant espresso powder (optional)
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup white sugar
1/3 cup canola oil
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350F.  In a medium bowl, stir together the first six, dry ingredients and then stir in the remaining wet ingredients until no large lumps remain.  Divide the batter into two 6" cake pans that have been greased and lined with parchment circles.  Bake for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.  Let the cakes cool in the pans for a few minutes and then turn out on to wire rack to cool completely.
Inspired by Movita Beaucoup

White Chocolate Ganache
2 cups heavy cream
3 cups good quality white chocolate, chopped

Heat the heavy cream to a simmer over low heat, remove from the heat, and stir in the white chocolate.  Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes and then stir well until everything is combined.  Alternatively, you can heat the cream in the microwave and then stir in the chocolate.  You may need to briefly reheat in the microwave (20 seconds at a time) to get the chocolate completely melted.  Let the ganache cool to room temperature or can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to one week.  Once the ganache is cooled, use an electric mixer to whip the ganache until soft peaks form.

Swiss Meringue Buttercream
10 large egg whites
2 1/2 cups white granulated sugar
3 cups (6 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cubed
2 tbsp vanilla extract

Add the egg whites and sugar to the (very clean) bowl of an electric stand mixer. Place the bowl over a pot with about 1 inch of simmering water (like a double boiler set up) and whisk until the sugar is dissolved and the egg whites are hot (about 140°F if you have a candy thermometer.) Place the bowl back on the base of your stand mixer and beat the egg whites on medium-high speed with the whisk attachment until the mixture is glossy, thick, and the outside of the bowl has cooled to room temperature. This will likely take at least 10 minutes. Switch to the paddle attachment, turn the mixer on to low speed, and begin adding small cubes of the butter, one at a time, until each is incorporated. I waited between 5 and 10 seconds between adding each cube of butter. Don't worry if the mixture curdles or starts to look a little soupy, just keep mixing until it comes together into a smooth, silky consistency. Stop and refrigerate the buttercream for about 15 minutes if it really starts looking soupy and then continue to beat. Add the vanilla and salt and mix to incorporate. Remove about 1 cup of the buttercream to a separate bowl to keep white and color the remaining buttercream with teal gel food color.

Cake Assembly
1 cup strawberry or raspberry jam (optional)
Sanding sugar, or other edible glitter

I like to bake my cakes at least one day before the party and once they are cooled, wrap them in plastic wrap and freeze them until I am ready to decorate. I find that working with frozen cake is much easier, especially if you are cutting your cakes into more layers. The cakes thaw really quickly, so by the time you are done decorating, the whole cake is thawed and ready to eat!

Cut each of your cakes in half, so that you have four layers of sponge cake and four layers of chocolate cake. Place a dollop of buttercream on your cake board or plate and place your first layer of sponge cake down. Frost this layer with white chocolate ganache. I also added a layer of strawberry jam here too for additional flavor (optional). Repeat this process until all the layers of sponge cake are stacked up. Frost the outside of the cake with a thin layer of teal buttercream (crumb coat) and place this in the fridge to set while you work on the chocolate layer. Place the first round of chocolate cake on a 6" cake circle or cardboard covered in aluminum foil. Spread a layer of white chocolate ganache on the cake and continue until you have all of the layers stacked up. Frost the outside of the cake with a thin coat of teal buttercream. Remove the sponge cake from the fridge and place the chocolate cake on top of the sponge cake, right in the center. Frost the entire cake with teal buttercream and smooth it out as best as you can. Add several rows of teal stars around the bottom of the cake using a piping bag fitted with a star tip (I used a Wilton 2d). Place the white buttercream in a separate bag fitted with a round tip (I used Wilton #12) and pipe small dots around the bottom border of the chocolate cake. For the top of the cake, I started in the center and piped lines of frosting, out cascading over the edge, in a random pattern to create the look of icicles. I sprinkled the cake with a dusting of edible glitter to give it a little extra sparkle and topped it off with an Elsa figurine.


Enjoy!

Overnight French Toast Casserole

Hi there, it's me again!  Some time during the busy holiday season, I seem to have fallen off the really great schedule of blogging almost weekly that I had developed.  Plus it doesn't help that I ran out of stock piled photos of recipes to post and since it is that lovely time of year that darkness is upon us by 5 p.m. that really limits my photo taking opportunities.  Anyways, I finally have a few moments to get back into this and post this amazing, super indulgent overnight french toast casserole. This sweet breakfast casserole is one of the most delicious, easy things that I have made recently.  Just make sure that you have an entire army of people to help you eat this because it makes a ton and you don't want any excuses to break your new year's resolution to be a healthier this year!  

This french toast casserole is absolutely a treat but it makes for a fantastic brunch item that will be sure to impress everyone.  I baked my casserole for the full hour, that I mention below, because I wanted more of a firm set bread texture.  The edge pieces are my favorite because they have both the soft, gooey texture of perfect french toast with just a little bit of crusty, crunchy bread around the outside.  The streusel topping is crunchy too and adds the perfect layer of sweet, cinnamon richness.  Serve this beautiful casserole with a fruit salad, maybe a slice of quiche or some scrambled eggs,  roasted veggies, a little bacon and you have my perfect idea of a delicious Sunday brunch!

Overnight French Toast Casserole

1 loaf challah, french, or sourdough bread
8 large eggs
2 cups milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup white sugar
2 tbsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 stick (1/2 cup) cold butter, cubed

Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.  Tear the bread into small chunks and place them evenly into the pan.  In a medium size bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, cream, white sugar, and vanilla extract.  Pour the egg mixture evenly over the bread, cover tightly and refrigerate at least two hours, or for best results, overnight.

In a separate small bowl, mix the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt together.  Add the cubed butter into the bowl and use a pastry cutter, two forks, or your hands to cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles the texture of pebbles.  Store this mixture in a zipper baggie or you can do this right before you bake the casserole.

When you are ready to bake, remove the casserole from the refrigerator, uncover it, and sprinkle the crumb mixture all over the top.  Bake in a 350F oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on how firmly set you like your french toast.  Serve immediately and top with a dusting of powdered sugar, fresh fruit, or a little drizzle of maple syrup.

Enjoy!