German Chocolate Cake

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The best recipe for a scratch-made German chocolate cake that you'll ever make! The boxed stuff can't even compare - this version is rich, moist, and incredibly decadent.

Six months ago, my dad came to visit us and I wanted to surprise him with his favorite dessert. I am not a baker but I really wanted to attempt a scratch-made version. So, I went in search of a German Chocolate Cake I thought I could handle. Handle is probably an overstatement; like I said, I am not a baker. However, I worked on this cake over the span of 2 days and while there may have been tears shed, I was so darn proud of how it turned out.

Thankfully it not only looked pretty, it tasted fantastic. I'm not even a huge German Chocolate Cake fan and this was one of the best cakes I've ever tasted. It's incredibly rich, super moist thanks to the run syrup, and so decadent.

To say he loved it would be the understatement of the century! He was only here for 4 days but did his best to finish it off (it's a BIG cake!). I took one for the team and helped him out :)

Don't look too closely at my frosting technique - I don't own an icing spatula and ended up using a butcher knife! Not as pretty but still tasty :)

 

German Chocolate Cake

For the cake:

2 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped

6 tablespoons water

16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/4 cup + 1/4 cup sugar

4 large eggs, separated

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the filling:

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup sugar

3 large egg yolks

6 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup pecans, toasted and finely chopped

1 1/3 cups sweetened coconut, toasted

For the syrup:

1 cup water

3/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons dark rum

For the icing:

8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup heavy cream

To make the cake:

Preheat the oven to 350. Butter two 9-inch cake pans, then line the bottoms with parchment paper. Set aside.

Combine both chocolates and the water in a microwave safe mixing bowl and microwave, stirring often, until melted and smooth. Use very short bursts so you don't burn the chocolate. Set aside and let come to room temp.

In a medium mixing bowl, beat the egg whites on high until they form soft droopy peaks. Slowly add in 1/4 cup of the sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter and 1 1/4 cup of the sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the melted chocolate, then the egg yolks one at a time, scraping the bowl as needed to fully incorporate.

In another large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. 

Add half of the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix on low until incorporated. Mix in the buttermilk and vanilla extract until combined. Use a rubber spatula and gently fold in 1/3 of the egg whites; once combined, add the remaining egg whites until just combined.

Divide the batter into the 2 prepared pans, smooth the tops, and bake for about 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the cakes in the pans for 10 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

While the cakes cool, make the rum syrup:

Combine the water and sugar in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and cook, stirring often, until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and stir in the rum. Set aside.

Next, make the filling:

In a medium saucepan, combine the cream, sugar, and egg yolks. Place the butter, pecans, and coconut in a large mixing bowl and set aside. 

Heat the cream mixture over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly (and scraping the bottom) until the mixture begins to thicken and coats the spoon. An instant read thermometer should read 170 degrees.  

Immediately pour the hot custard over the pecan-coconut mixture and stir until the butter is melted. Cool completely to room temperature. It will thicken as it cools; however, if your coconut was not packed tight, you may need to stir in additional coconut to help thicken it up even more.

To make the icing:

Place the 8 ounces of chopped chocolate in a bowl with the corn syrup and 1 ½ ounces of butter.

In a small saucepan, heat the cream until it just begins to boil. Remove from heat and pour over the chocolate. Let stand one minute, then stir until smooth. Transfer to the fridge until firm enough to decorate. I made my icing the night before and it was firm enough the next day. 

To assemble the cake: 
Cut the two cake layers in half horizontally, using a serrated bread knife. Set the first cake layer on a cake plate, cut side up. Liberally brush well with syrup. Spread ¾ cup of the coconut filling over the cake layer, making sure to reach to the edges. Set another cake layer on top. Repeat, using the syrup to liberally brush each cake layer, then spreading ¾ cup of the coconut filling over each layer, including the top.

Ice the sides with the chocolate icing, then pipe a decorative border of chocolate icing around the top, encircling the coconut topping.

Source: David Lebovitz and Annie's Eats

Peach Cobbler

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My very favorite cobbler recipe! Fresh peaches are simmered in simple syrup and spooned over a cake-like batter before baking. The results are sweet, cakey, and delicious! This foolproof cobbler will be the hit of your summer picnic.

A couple of weeks ago, we went peach picking for the first time! While Georgia may be known for their peaches, South Carolina grows their own fair share of the sweet summer fruit. On a beautiful Saturday morning, we headed south to pick our own - and as a bonus, caught the end of blueberry picking season, too!

Before we knew it, we had filled an entire box of peaches. We ate what we could, I baked up 2 very different cobblers, and then we sliced and froze the rest for later. This cobbler was the result of our Saturday morning adventures - and it's an old favorite. I actually have made this recipe multiple times, and blogged it 6 years ago, but it deserved another look.

Baking is not my thing so I love when I can find an easy recipe that doesn't require a bajillion measuring cups. This recipe may be easy, but it's not lacking in flavor. It's absolutely my favorite cobbler recipe and is always a hit when I serve it to company! The key is self rising flour; while something most of us probably don't stock regularly in our pantry, it's inexpensive enough to pick up a bag just for this dish. I promise it's worth it!

I didn't bother peeling the peaches this time and it turned out just as delicious. The peel softened so much that you didn't have a typical peel texture or flavor. If you're uncertain, feel free to peel it if you feel so inclined :)

If you have access to it, this is best served with a big scoop of Blue Bell vanilla ice cream! 

Peach Cobbler
4 cups sliced peaches (peeled, if desired)
2 cups sugar, divided
1/2 cup water
8 tablespoons butter

1.5 cups self rising flour (not all purpose)
1.5 cups milk
ground cinnamon, optional

Preheat oven to 350.

In a medium saucepan, combine the peaches, 1 cup sugar, and water; mix well. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

Place the butter in a 3-quart baking dish and place inside the oven to melt. Once completely melted, remove from oven.

In a mixing bowl, stir together the remaining 1 cup sugar and flour. Slowly add the milk, stirring constantly to avoid clumping. Carefully pour the batter into the baking dish over the melted butter. Do not stir. Gently spoon the peaches and their syrup over top. Do not stir. Sprinkle with ground cinnamon, if desired.

Bake for 30-45 minutes or until the batter is set and browned around the edges. Serve warm.

Source: Paula Deen

Skillet Chocolate Chip Cookie (1 pan - no bowls!)

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This cookie will change your {baking} life! A gooey, chocolately, warm cookie is prepared and baked in the same skillet! You know what that means? No bowls, no mixer, no mess - yes!

I love baked goods... and I like the idea of baking until I get to the pile of dishes spread all over my kitchen. And can we talk about the flour that gets everywhere? All that sifting and stirring... mixing and resting... it just begs for me to stop by Costco and grab something sweet there instead. If you love that part of baking, you'll be sad making this cookie. But for those like me, that really just enjoy the eating part of baking, this will change your life.

You literally mix the ingredients right in the pan, press it down, and bake. 20 minutes later, you're noshing on hot, gooey chocolate chip cookie. You can mix in other kinds of chips, nuts, sprinkles, whatever floats your boat. My husband drowns his in ice cream while I like to eat it in it's purest form. Regardless of your method, you won't regret trying it.

I blogged this recipe nearly 5 years ago (!!!) and, while I've made it dozens of times since, neglected to give it a better pic and more love (typically because my husband is already slicing it up before I can grab the camera!). Regardless of what I throw in, it's consistently good.

 

Skillet Chocolate Chip Cookie

1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 egg

1.5 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350. While it's preheating, add the butter to an 8 inch cast iron skillet and place it in the oven. Watch carefully and remove once the butter has just melted; leave oven on.

To the melted butter, add both sugars and vanilla and stir until well combined. Let rest for 5 minutes, or until the pan is warm but not very hot.

Crack the egg into the butter/sugar mixture and use a fork to whisk until well combine. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt to the pan; carefully mix together until it starts to become a thick dough. Add the chocolate chips and continue stirring to combine.

Using a spatula, press the dough into the bottom of the pan, making sure it's even.

Bake in preheat oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the edges are browned and set and the center is soft. Allow to cool slightly before slicing into wedges. 

Starbucks Copycat Lemon Loaf

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Incredibly moist and bursting with lemon flavor, this easy lemon loaf is whipped up in just 1 bowl!

Cliche as it may be, I'm a Starbucks addict. I'm one of those people who know the staff and they always start my order when they see me walk in. I'm not a $7 drink person; I'm an iced coffee addict and theirs is pretty reasonably priced. Their food, however, is pretty overpriced so I rarely order it. My husband does not do coffee (or really, any drink that Starbucks offers) but he loves their lemon loaf! Occasionally, if he's with me on one of my iced coffee runs, he asks for a slice to go.

Their lemon loaf really is fantastic, but it's pricey! I can make this entire loaf for probably half of a single slice at Starbucks. The ingredient list has nothing weird, you don't need to use every mixing bowl in your cabinet (just 1!), and you don't even need a hand mixer. That's my kind of baking!

The verdict was two thumbs up in this house. It's moist and really loaded with lemon flavor! I think it may even be better than Starbucks... but don't tell my favorite baristas!

Do make sure your extract isn't old (ie: not alcohol-y); I actually had to replace mine before making this recipe because mine was more alcohol than lemon in flavor. The glaze can be thickened to your liking. I like mine thin, drizzly, and really soaked into the loaf so I sliced my cake and then drizzled the glaze so each layer really absorbs the lemon flavor.  

Don't make this right before going to bed. You might find yourself eating a few slices alone in a dark kitchen. Not that that happened to me.

Starbucks Copycat Lemon Loaf
For the loaf:
3 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
2 tablespoons lemon zest
2.5 tablespoons lemon extract, or to taste
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

For the glaze:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice, or as needed for consistency

Preheat oven to 350. Coat a 9x5-inch loaf pan with floured cooking spray and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the eggs, sugar, and yogurt or sour cream. Whisk vigorously until smooth and well combined. Drizzle in the oil and continue whisking until combined. Add the lemon zest and lemon extract; whisk to combine. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt; stir to combine but don't overmix. It's okay if there are some lumps present.

Transfer the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 40 minutes. Carefully pull the pan out and loosely drape a sheet of foil over top to help prevent over browning. Place back in the oven and cook another 10-12 minutes or until the top is domed and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Place the pan on a wire rack and let cool for at least 30 minutes before glazing.

To make the glaze, in a small bowl add the confectioners' sugar and slowly drizzle in the lemon juice, whisking as you go. Add juice until it's your desired consistency.

Drizzle the glaze over the loaf before serving. As noted above, I like slicing mine before drizzling so that glaze gets in between the slices.

Store airtight at room temp.

Source: Recipe slightly adapted from Averie Cooks

Warm Lemon Pudding Cake

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The perfect mix of pudding and cake - served hot! The lemon fan in your house will LOVE this easy dessert!

My husband is a huge lemon fan so I'm always on the hunt for new lemon flavored desserts to try. A friend passed this one on and we've been making it for years! We especially love it during the winter months when a warm dessert is even more appealing. Yeah, it's not the most photogenic dessert but I promise it's absolutely delicious.

This dessert is easy thanks to some store-bought helpers, such as boxed cake mix and packaged lemon pudding mix. Pair those items with some pantry/fridge staples and you can quickly whip it up. It makes an entire 9x13 pan and is very rich so a little goes a long way. This is perfect for potlucks, family gatherings, or company!

Warm Lemon Pudding Cake

1 (15.25 ounce) box yellow cake mix + ingredients needed for cake

2 (1 ounce) boxes instant lemon pudding mix

1/3 cup sugar

1 1/4 cup water

2 cups cold milk

2 tablespoons powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly spray a 9x13 baking dish.

Prepare cake mix as directed on package and pour the batter into the reserved baking dish.

Pour the milk and water into large bowl. Add the dry pudding mixes and sugar and whisk 2 minutes or until well blended. Pour over the cake batter and gently swirl with a fork mix together a bit.

Place the pan on a rimmed cookie sheet to catch drippings and bake 55 minutes to 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 20 minutes and then sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Spoon into serving dishes and serve warm.

Double Stuf Oreos

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These homemade oreos could not be easier - and they taste JUST like the real thing (maybe even better!).

Full disclosure: Oreos have always been my least favorite cookie. Rolled into a truffle? Or mixed into ice cream? Totally fine. Straight out of the package? Not interested.

So when I came across a recipe for them, I decided I had to try a homemade version. Just about everything homemade tastes better! I was right - these really were so much tastier than the mass produced kind. I mean, there IS real butter in these :)

We ate a couple and I took the rest to work where they were a big hit!

This makes a large batch but they take very little time to assemble. You may find a better icing technique than me. I tried piping, which I'm awful at, and then just straight up smeared it on with a knife, but unfortunately some of the cookie crumbles smeared right into the icing. Not perfect, but tasty!

I am not a baker and I found these to be super simple!

Double Stuf Oreos

For the cookie:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted and cooled

1 large egg

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup cocoa powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

For the filling:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

3-1/3 cups powdered sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 tablespoons milk

pinch of kosher salt

First, make the cookies. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the butter and sugar. Whisk in the vanilla and chocolate. Add the egg and whisk until well incorporated.

In a second mixing bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda until well mixed. Stir this into the chocolate mixture. You may need to use your hands to combine well. It will look like a mistake but don't worry - let it rest at room temp for 1 hour to firm up.

Transfer the dough to a piece of waxed paper. Using your hands, and working quickly, roll the dough into a long log - about 22 inches long and 1 3/4 inches in diameter. If it begins to stick to the paper, transfer it to a new piece of wax paper. Try to roll it as smooth and even as possible. Lightly wrap the roll in a piece of waxed paper and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until very firm.

Preheat oven to 325. Lightly coat a baking sheet with cooking spray and set aside. Roll the log of firm dough back and forth a few times, if needed to correct any settling that may have happened in the fridge. Cut the dough into 1/4 inch slices and place them on the baking sheet about an inch apart.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until they're firm when you press the center with the tip of your finger. Transfer to a rack and let cool.

To make the filling, beat together all the ingredients until smooth. Spread onto cooled cookies, about 4 teaspoons per cookie. Store at room temp for up to 5 days.

Source: adapted from Make the Bread, Buy the Butter by Jennifer Reese

Pumpkin Spice Latte Baby Bundt Cakes

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The popular seasonal drink - in a bundt cake form! Coffee, pumpkin, and spices are blended together to create a moist and delicious fall treat. Thanks to the help of a cake mix, these only take minutes to whip up! Once topped with a cream cheese frosting, you'll be hard pressed to resist eating the whole pan.

Are you on pumpkin overload? Pinterest right now is seemingly a collection of ALL THINGS PUMPKIN and here I am, adding another one to the chaos!

I'm slightly addicted to my baby bundt cake pan and this was a great excuse to use it. I've started to actually prefer baby bundts to cupcakes but this recipe easily translates to a cupcake if that's your thing.

I went round and round with my icing and as you can see from the picture, mine ended up thin and pooled in the center. This meant that when you stuck a fork in it, the icing ran down the middle and was fairly amazing but I know a lot of people like a "firmer" icing (and it's a lot easier to transport!). The recipe below is for a more traditional fluffy cream cheese icing. If you want it thinner, just add small increments of milk.

Pumpkin Spice Latte Baby Bundt Cakes

For the cakes:

1 box spice cake mix 

1 can pumpkin (15 ounce)

3 eggs

1/3 cup oil

1/3 cup strong brewed coffee, cooled (I used cold press coffee)

3 tablespoons espresso powder

For the frosting:

2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

1 stick butter, softened

1/4 cup milk (plus more if needed)

3-4 cups powdered sugar

For topping:

Caramel syrup

Ground cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350 and lightly grease a baby bundt pan.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, pumpkin, eggs, oil, coffee, and espresso powder. Using your hand mixer, beat on low for 1 minute then increase to medium and beat for 2 minutes. Pour the batter into your prepared pans about 3/4 of the way full. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven, let cool for 5 minutes and the transfer to a wire cooling rack until cooled completely.

In a second large mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, butter, and milk. Using your hand mixer, beat until well combined and smooth. Add half of the powdered sugar and beat well. Add remaining powdered sugar and beat until well combined, smooth, and fluffy. If too thick, add a tablespoon of milk and mix again. Don't add too much milk at one time - it thins very easily.

Pipe the frosting onto the cooled cakes, drizzle with caramel sauce, and sprinkle with cinnamon.

Source: adapted from BruCrew Life