Portillo's Chocolate Cake

Anyone that lives in Chicago knows (or should know) the deliciousness of Portillo’s Chocolate Cake.  It is the BEST chocolate cake anywhere.  Now that I live in Atlanta, not only do I miss the hot dogs and cheese fries (I'm on a personal quest to bring Portillo's to Scenic Hwy.), I also miss the chocolate cake.  I’ve even converted Joe into a lover of Portillo’s chocolate cake.  He requests it when we’re back visiting my family.  He even went on a business trip to Chicago a couple of years ago and had to get some cake while he was in town!  I had seen copycat recipes for quite some time, but I was always a little leery of trying one in fear of it not being anything like Portillo’s cake.  I decided to make one for Sam’s 2^nd birthday.  It was a hit with the three of us and really easy to imitate.  If you like chocolate cake, this is a really close second to the actual, real Portillo’s Chocolate Cake.

Here are a few notes about the recipe.  I didn't have large eggs the day I was baking the cake, so I used 4 medium eggs.  The original recipe I used called for 3 large eggs.  The recipe also called for 2 cans of frosting and I opted to use one.  One was plenty, but if you like a lot of frosting, similar to Portillo's, go with the two cans of frosting.

Copycat Chicago’s Portillo’s Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

1 Betty Crocker Super Moist Devil’s Food Cake Mix (It's important to get the Super Moist kind even if you use another brand.)

3 large eggs (or 4 medium if you don't have large)

1 cup ice cold water

1 cup mayonnaise

1 can creamy Chocolate Frosting (or 2 if you really like frosting. I use one.)

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

 Grease 2 9” cake pans.  Beat all ingredients together for 4 minutes until smooth.  This will make the batter creamy and fluffy.  

Pour in pans and bake 30-35 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean.

 Cool on wire rack.  Frost double-layer cake.

Original recipe found here.

Easy Pumpkin Muffins

Fall is finally here!  I absolutely love fall...the colors, the sounds, the festivals--all of it!  I decided to try this simple, two-ingredient recipe for pumpkin muffins that I found on Pinterest.  I figured if they didn't turn out, it would only waste two ingredients.  They turned out great and people have loved how they taste!  Give 'em a try this autumn.  They'd go great with a cup of hot apple cider.

Cake Up-sizer...who knew?

Today I discovered something new.  Did you know that boxed cake mixes have gotten smaller in recent years?
Really?!?!
Yes!
I had no idea.
I KNOW!

Here are two instances where it might actually cause a problem:
1.  Making a recipe that calls for a boxed cake mix
2.  You need 24 cupcakes and can barely get 22 out of the mix!

I came across this little discovery while browsing Pinterest for a sewing pattern.  (Yes, yes, my mind wanders from one thing to another while in Pinterest--just like yours does.)   This lady had an ingenious idea to come up with a mixture to make up for the missing 3 ounces of cake mix.  Go to her blog to get the recipe for the mixture.  You'll thank me later.

Go here to Make A Jar of Cake "Up-Sizer"

Click photo to get the recipe!

Wonderful One-Bowl Banana Bread

I ran across this recipe the other day, and it seemed simple enough to give it a try.  Plus, I had three bananas that were going to go bad soon, so why not try a new banana bread recipe?  This banana bread is easy and delicious!  All three of us have been enjoying it, and I think I’ll have to make another loaf this week!  If you want to cut the amount of sugar, I’m sure you could easily decrease it to a quarter to a half cup.  I dare you to try this recipe.  You might never try another banana bread recipe again! J

Wonderful One-Bowl Banana Bread

3 or 4 ripe bananas, smashed I used 3 this time.
1/3 cup melted butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 4×8 loaf pan. With a mixer or wooden spoon, combine melted butter and mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl. Stir in the sugar, egg, and vanilla. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in. Add the flour last, stirring just until combined. Pour mixture into pan and bake for 50-60 minutes, or until the center doesn’t jiggle when you shake the pan lightly. Cool on a wire rack. Makes 1 loaf.

Variation:  You could add chocolate chips or nuts to the batch.

Original recipe found here.

Baking with Martha - Cream Cheese Pound Cake

A couple of weeks ago we happened to stop on a PBS channel that featured the Martha Bakes TV show.  We only meant to stop for a minute, but we ended up watching for quite a while.  She made several good looking desserts, but this is the one that my husband really liked.  We are both fans of pound cake.  Typically I make a Tastefully Simple Absolutely Almond pound cake, but I decided to give this “from scratch” recipe a shot.  We loved it!  It wasn’t too sweet and baked in just about an hour.  I also halved the recipe, since the original recipe makes two whole loaves and that would have been way too much.

Cream-Cheese Pound Cake

Ingredients

1 1 1/2 sticks butter, room temperature

   1/2 bar (4 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature

   1 1/2 cups sugar

   3 large eggs

   1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

   1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

   1 teaspoons salt

   Nonstick cooking spray

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. With an electric mixer, beat butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar; beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla. With mixer on low, add flour and salt in two additions, beating until just combined.

Generously coat one 8 1/2-by-4 1/2- by-2 1/2-inch loaf pans (1 1/2 quarts) with cooking spray; immediately pour in batter (pan will seem full). Tap pan on work surface to eliminate any large air bubbles.

Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean, 60 to 75 minutes (if the tops begin to brown too quickly, tent with aluminum foil).

Cool 10 minutes in the pan. Turn out the cake; cool completely, with top sides up, on a wire rack.

Original recipe found here.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles

These.  Are.  Delicious.  Edible raw cookie dough?  Yes, please!

I was craving something sweet but didn’t want a boxed cake or cupcake-type of treat.  Upon seeing I had all the ingredients for chocolate chip cookies, I turned to this fabulous recipe I found about a year ago.  Who can resist chocolate chip cookie dough?  Not many.  This is a safe-to-eat raw cookie dough recipe since there are no eggs included.  I dare you to try it.  Someone you know may or may not have simply kept the dough in a bowl in the fridge to eat periodically with a spoon.

 photo credit

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles

Makes approx. 3-4 dozen. 

Ingredients:

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/3 cup milk or soy milk

1 tsp vanilla

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt
1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

14 oz dark chocolate candy coating

Directions:

1.     Beat butter and sugars in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add milk and vanilla. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt and mix on low speed (or stir by hand) until incorporated. Stir in chocolate chips.

2.     Cover and chill freeze dough for 1 hour. (I just chill batter in a Tupperware, air-tight container, skip the rest of the steps, and eat with a spoon, when ready.  It will last at least a week for me, doing it this way.)

3.     When dough is firm enough to handle, form dough into 1″ balls and arrange on baking sheets lined with waxed paper. Place sheets in freezer and let chill for 30 minutes.

4.     Melt chocolate candy coating in microwave according to package directions.  (Work quickly here.  The chocolate hardens fast; reheat in microwave as needed.)  Using toothpicks as a dipping tool, dip cookie balls into candy coating to cover. Tap on side of pan to remove any excess coating, and return to waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Chill (or freeze for quicker route) until set. Store, chilled, in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

These can be frozen for up to three weeks.  Thaw for a little bit before serving.

Recipe from Love and Olive Oil.

Easy Almond Thumbprint Cookies

Many of you know that I love Tastefully Simple products.  No, I don't sell it but it's not totally out of the question for the future.  Anyhow, I decided to make some cookies using a recipe from the Tastefully Simple website.  They were delicious!  I highly recommend trying out their products.  You can get them online or many craft fairs have a table set up with a consultant selling it.  You can also host a party with friends at your house, and you'll get lots of free product.  (If you are interested in that, let me know.  I know a couple of consultants.)

So...on to the super easy recipe...

Absolutely Almond Thumbprint Cookies Ingredients Absolutely Almond Pound Cake Mix™ 1 egg 1/2 cup (1 stick) very soft butter Directions Combine ingredients; roll into generous 1-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on greased baking sheet.   Press thumbprint into each cookie; top with half a maraschino cherry.  Bake at 350° for 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Makes 8-10 servings.  You can find the recipe here.