Dessert | Good Dinner Mrs Mellen

Category: Dessert
- Easter Milk Chocolate Layer Cake
  
  Posted at 3:15 pm by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Mar 19th
  Easter Milk Chocolate Layer Cake
  
  1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
  
  3/4 cup granulated sugar
  
  1/4 cup light vegetable oil
  
  2 large eggs, room temperature
  
  2 1/2 cup cake flour King Arthur
  
  1/4 cup dried nonfat milk
  
  1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder Ghirardelli
  
  1 teaspoon kosher salt
  
  1 teaspoon baking soda
  
  1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  
  6 ounces milk chocolate, melted
  
  1 cup whole buttermilk, room temperature
  
  1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  
  1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  
  Chocolate Fudge Frosting (Recipe below)
  
  Crushed Cadbury Milk Chocolate mini eggs
  
  1. Preheat oven to 350F. Butter and flour two 9-in round cake pans.
  
  2. Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat in a bowl butter, sugar, oil and eggs at medium speed until well combined about 2 minutes.
  
  3. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, dried milk, cocoa, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Add flour mixture, alternating with buttermilk in thirds starting and ending with flour. Beat until well combined. With mixture at low speed add chocolate, vanilla and almond until chocolate is combined. Ddivid batter between prepared pans.
  
  4. Bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes. remove from pans, and let cook completely on wire racks. Spread Chocolate Fudge Frosting between layers, sprinkle with half crushed chocolate eggs. Place remaining cake layer on top, frost top and sides. Garnish with remaining crushed chocolate eggs.
  
  Milk Chocolate Frosting
  
  12 ounces mild chocolate, chopped
  
  1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  
  1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  
  3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
  
  1.Combine chocolate, vanilla, and salt in medium bowl.
  
  2. In a small sauce pan heat cream over medium heat until just boiling. Pour hot cream over chocolate mixture; whisk until melted and smooth. Refrigerate for one hour.
  
  3. Beat chocolate with whisk attachment of stand mixture at medium speed for 3 minutes.
  
  Enjoy!
  
  www.gooddinnermrsmellen@blogspot.com
  
  www.buzzchomp.com
  
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  Posted in Baking, Cake, Chocolate, Dessert, Easter Recipes | Tagged cadbury mini eggs, cake, Easter recipe, Ghirardelli Chocolate, King Arthur Flour, milk chocolate
- Snowy Winter White Chocolate Cranberry Cake
  
  Posted at 4:03 pm by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Dec 23rd
  Snowy Winter White Chocolate Cranberry Cake
  
  Looking at this cake makes me think of glistering fresh new snow illuminated by a bright lite full moon! Not only is this cake a beautiful show stopper it also taste wonderful. I love this tender white cake filled a heavenly white chocolate ganache. Sugared cranberries finish this storybook cake to perfection to be a glorious finish to any holiday meal or party!
  
  Sugared cranberries
  
  2 cups fresh cranberries
  
  1 1/2 cups sugar, divided
  
  1 cup water
  
  Cake
  
  2 1/4 cups cake flour
  
  1 3/4 cups all purposed flour
  
  1 tablespoon baking powder
  
  1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  
  1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
  
  3 cups granulated sugar
  
  6 large eggs, at room temperature
  
  1 1/2 cups whole milk
  
  2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  
  1 teaspoon almond extract
  
  3 cups cranberries
  
  White Chocolate Icing
  
  12 oz white chocolate chips
  
  3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
  
  3/4 cup butter, room temperature
  
  8-9 cups powdered sugar
  
  Sugared Cranberries:
  
  1. Bring 1 cup sugar and water to a simmer in a saucepan. Simmer until sugar is completely dissolved.
  
  2. Pour simple syrup into a heatproof bowl and allow to cool for about 10 minutes.
  
  3. Add cranberries and stir to coat.
  
  4. Refrigerate cranberries in syrup overnight, stirred a couple times to coat with syrup.
  
  5. Remove cranberries from syrup and roll in remaining 1/2 cup of sugar. You’ll need to roll them a few times to get a couple layers of sugar on them.
  
  6. Set cranberries aside to dry for a hour or so.
  
  Cake
  
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour three 9″ round cake pans.
  
  2. To make the cake: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, and salt.
  
  3. In a large bowl, beat the butter until smooth.
  
  4.Gradually add the sugar and beat until fluffy.
  
  5.Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
  
  6.Add the dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, and beat for 1 more minute. Add cranberries by hand.*
  
  7.Divide the dough among the prepared pans. If you’re using a scale, put 1 1/2 pounds of batter in each pan.
  
  8.Bake the cakes for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool in the pans for 15 minutes. Turn the cakes out of the pans and cool completely on a rack.
  
  White Chocolate Icing
  
  1. Place white chocolate chips in a metal bowl.
  
  2. Microwave heavy cream until it starts to boil. Remove from microwave and pour over chocolate chips.
  
  3. Cover bowl with saran wrap for 5-7 minutes.
  
  4. Whisk chocolate and cream until smooth.
  
  5. Allow ganache to sit until mostly cool. It should be thick.
  
  6. Beat the ganache with a mixer for about 2-3 minutes, until smooth and fluffy.
  
  7. Add butter and beat until it is fully combined.
  
  8. Slowly add powdered sugar and beat until it is fluffy and the right consistency. Add more cream if needed.
  
  To assemble cake:
  
  1. Remove cake domes from cakes with a large serrated knife.
  
  2. Place first layer of cake on cake plate. Spread about icing on top in an even layer.
  
  3. Add second layer of cake and add more icing on top in an even layer.
  
  4. Add final layer of cake on top and ice the outside of the cake.
  
  5. Top the cake with sparkling cranberries and add some around the edge, if desired.
  
  *Tip: Dust cranberries with flour before adding to the batter to prevent their sinking to the bottom of the cake layers.
  
  Enjoy!
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  Posted in Christmas Recipes, Dessert, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen | Tagged cake, cranberry, White Chocolate
- Cranberry Pumpkin Bread
  
  Posted at 9:17 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Dec 8th
  Fall is one of my favorite baking seasons, because of all the beautiful produce now available. I love using pumpkin and fresh cranberries, so my Cranberry Pumpkin Bread is my own personal heaven. What makes my recipe so special are the aromatic spices. The aromas of cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg will make your home smell so good as you bake!
  
  Making loaf or tea breads is easy, so I like to make two. One loaf is for eating now and the other one you can freeze for later. What could be more perfect?!
  
  Cranberry Pumpkin Bread
  
  Ingredients:
  - 3 cups sugar
  - 1 cup vegetable oil
  - 1 16-ounce can solid pack pumpkin
  - 3 large eggs
  - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  - 1 teaspoon ground cloves
  - 3 cups all purpose flour
  - 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  - 1 teaspoon baking soda
  - 2 cups fresh cranberries
  - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  - 1/2 teaspoon salt
  Directions:
  
  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Butter and flour two 9x5x3 inch loaf pans.
  
  2. Beat sugar and oil in a large bowl to blend. Mix in eggs and pumpkin.
  
  3. Sift flour, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, salt, and baking powder into another large bowl. Stir into pumpkin mixture in two additions. Mix in cranberries.
  
  4. Divide batter equally between your prepared pans. Bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour and 10 minutes.
  
  5. Transfer to racks and cool for 10 minutes. Using a sharp knife, cut around the edges of your loaves. Turn loaves out onto racks and cool completely.
  
  Enjoy!
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  Posted in Baking, Dessert, Tea Breads | Tagged breads, cranberry, easy, quick
- Sweet Potato Cranberry Pound Cake
  
  Posted at 9:01 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Nov 18th
  Fall is a wonderful baking season filling with all the fruits and veggies that give your bake goods that fall crisp flavor and aroma. I just love this new take on pound cake adding cooked sweet potatoes and cranberries. Cream cheese make the cake very moist while the pumpkin spice adds the fall flavor.
  
  Sweet Potato Cranberry Pound Cake
  
  1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened
  
  1/2 cup butter, softened
  
  2 cups sugar
  
  4 large eggs
  
  2 1/2 cups cooked, mashed sweet potatoes (I baked, peeled then mashed)
  
  3 cups all-purpose flour
  
  2 teaspoons baking powder
  
  1 teaspoon baking soda
  
  1/4 teaspoon salt
  
  2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  
  1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  
  2 cups fresh cranberries, washed and picked over
  
  1. Preheat oven to 350º. Beat cream cheese and butter at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until yellow disappears. Add sweet potatoes, and beat well.
  
  2. Stir together flour, next 4 ingredients in a medium bowl. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating at low speed just until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla. Add cranberries folding over until cranberries are evenly distributed in batter. Spoon batter into a greased and floured 10-inch (12-cup) tube pan.
  
  3. Bake at 350º for 1 hour and 5 minutes to 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a long wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pan to wire rack, and cool completely (about 1 hour).
  
  or try:
  
  Sweet Potato Pound Cake Loaves: Prepare batter as directed; pour into 2 greased and floured 8 1/2- x 4 1/2-inch loaf pans. Bake and cool as directed.
  
  Enjoy!
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  Posted in Baking, Baking, Cake, Dessert, desserts, Food, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, Thanksgiving | Tagged cranberry, easy baking, pound cake, Sweet Potato
- Candied Apple Fudge Bundt Cake
  
  Posted at 8:45 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Nov 17th
  Bundt cakes have gotten a bad name over the years, remember ‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding’, where the wishy-washy mother-in-law brings a bundt cake to the over the top engagement party and the bride’s Greek families reaction. Bundt cakes can be elevated to a show stopping dessert so easily. I have a repertoire of deliciously eye popping bundt cakes that are a great addition to any dinner or party. My Candied Apple Fudge Bundt Cake is a great dessert for your Thanksgiving table. Or if you are asked to bring a dessert dazzle your host and hostess with this fabulous cake.
  
  Candied Apple Fudge Bundt Cake
  
  CREAM CHEESE FILLING:
  1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened
  1/4 cup butter, softened
  1/2 cup granulated sugar
  1 large egg
  2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  
  APPLE CAKE BATTER:
  1 cup finely chopped pecans
  3 cups all-purpose flour
  1 cup granulated sugar
  1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  1 teaspoon salt
  1 teaspoon baking soda
  1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
  3 large eggs, lightly beaten
  3/4 cup canola oil
  3/4 cup applesauce
  1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  3 cups peeled and finely chopped Gala apples (about 1 1/2 lb.)
  
  PRALINE FROSTING:
  1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  1/4 cup butter
  3 tablespoons milk
  1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  1 cup powdered sugar
  
  CARAMEL TOPPING
  
  1 bag of caramels
  
  1 tablespoon water
  
  CHOCOLATE GLAZE
  3/4 cup semisweet chocolate morsels
  3 tablespoons butter
  1 tablespoon light corn syrup
  1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  
  Pecan halves
  
  Preparation
  
  1. Prepare Filling: Beat first 3 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended and smooth. Add egg, flour, and vanilla; beat just until blended.
  
  2. Prepare Batter: Preheat oven to 350º. Bake pecans in a shallow pan 8 to 10 minutes or until toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through. Stir together 3 cups flour and next 7 ingredients in a large bowl; stir in eggs and next 3 ingredients, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Stir in apples and pecans.
  
  3. Spoon two-thirds of apple mixture into a greased and floured 14-cup Bundt pan. Spoon Cream Cheese Filling over apple mixture, leaving a 1-inch border around edges of pan. Swirl filling through apple mixture using a paring knife. Spoon remaining apple mixture over Cream Cheese Filling.
  
  4. Bake at 350º for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a long wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan on a wire rack 15 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack, and cool completely (about 2 hours).
  
  5. Prepare Praline Frosting: Bring 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup butter, and 3 Tbsp. milk to a boil in a 2-qt. saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly; boil 1 minute, whisking constantly. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Gradually whisk in powdered sugar until smooth; stir gently 3 to 5 minutes or until mixture begins to cool and thickens slightly. Pour immediately over cooled cake.
  
  6. Combine caramels with water in microwave proof bowl. Microwave on high for 2 1/2 to 3 minutes. Stir for one minute and drizzle over cake.
  
  7. Prepare White Chocolate Glaze: Melt chocolate and cream in double boiler. Let cool slightly. Whisk in powdered sugar. Drizzle glaze over cake.
  Top with pecan halves.7. Prepare White Chocolate Glaze: Melt chocolate and cream in double boiler. Let cool slightly. Whisk in powdered sugar. Drizzle glaze over cake. Top with pecan halves.
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  Posted in Apples, Baking, Baking, Cake, Chocolate, Dessert, desserts, Food, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen | Tagged Apple, bundt cake, chocolate, cream cheese filling, fudge
- Blueberry Poppy Seed Scones
  
  Posted at 6:33 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Mar 14th
  In my world of 24/7 where warp speed isn’t fast enough, where quantity not quality is the norm, how luxuriating enjoying a cup of tea with all the accompaniments, so Downton Abbey – tea hold a special place in my life. Slowing time, if just a little, Afternoon Tea is a wonderful pleasure I thank the British for cultivating. My spirit fills with joy sipping a cup of tea from a beautifully crafted English china tea cup while eating dainty little tea sandwiches along with freshly baked Scones topped with a dollop of clotted cream. Over time I’ve amassed an extensive collection of English tea china and accoutrements to host my own teas which have marked special moments in my life. Christmas mother/daughter teas with my daughter’s friends and their mothers, Mother’s Day Teas to celebrate the women in my life and a Bridal Shower Tea for my daughter – afternoon tea shares many cherished memories throughout my life. When traveling I am not only on the hunt for an additions to my collection but for new venues to enjoy afternoon tea. I enviable find a uniquely special new place to enjoy afternoon tea; an elegant stately hotel , an Alice in Wonderland-Mad Hatter room, a Tea Houses among the roses, all sharing impeccable British style service, aromatic teas and delectable treats. Life doesn’t get any better than this I’m reminded as I slowly savor life’s pleasures one sip at a time!
  
  Blueberry Poppy Scones:
  
  2 cups all-purpose flour – I use King Arthur Flour
  1 tablespoon baking powder
  1/2 teaspoon salt
  2 tablespoons sugar
  1 tablespoon poppy seeds
  5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut in chunks
  1 cup fresh blueberries
  1 cup heavy cream, plus more for brushing the scones
  
  Clotted Cream- Devon Cream Company
  
  Strawberry Preserves – Bonne Maman
  
  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
  
  Sift together the dry ingredients; the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and poppy seeds. Using 2 forks or a pastry blender, cut in the butter to coat the pieces with the flour. The mixture should look like coarse crumbs. Fold the blueberries into the batter. Take care not to mash or bruise the blueberries because their strong color will bleed into the dough. Make a well in the center and pour in the heavy cream. Fold everything together just to incorporate; do not overwork the dough.
  
  Press the dough out on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle about 12 by 3 by 1 1/4 inches. Cut the rectangle in 1/2 then cut the pieces in 1/2 again, giving you 4 (3-inch) squares. Cut the squares in 1/2 on a diagonal to give you the classic triangle shape. Place the scones on a parchment lined cookie sheet and brush the tops with a little heavy cream. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until beautiful and brown. Serve with Clotted Cream and Strawberry Preserves.
  
  Enjoy!
  
  www.gooddinnermrsmellen.com
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  Posted in Baking, Baking, Dessert, Food, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen | Tagged Scones, tea
- The Ultimate Cheesecake
  
  Posted at 12:31 pm by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Mar 5th
  My mother passed this recipe to me many years ago. It is the richest cheesecake that you can make. I save it for special occasions when I want to share a show stopping dessert that tops off a dinner or a party. I have included a recipe for a pineapple glaze, or you can thickly spread sour cream on top. Or if you want to make this for Christmas as I did this year I put candied cranberries on top. Ether way this cheesecake is the star of the show!
  
  Crust:
  
  1 cup sifted flour
  
  1/4 cup sugar
  
  1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
  
  1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  
  1 egg yolk
  
  1/4 cup butter, softened
  
  Filling:
  
  5 pkg(8-oz) cream cheese softened
  
  1 3/4 cups sugar
  
  3 tablespoon flour
  
  2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
  
  1 1/2 grated orange peel
  
  1/4 teaspoon vanilla
  
  5 eggs, plus 2 egg yolks
  
  1/4 cup heavy cream
  
  Pineapple Glaze:
  
  2 tablespoon sugar
  
  4 teaspoon cornstarch
  
  2 cans(8 1/4-oz) crushed pineapple in heavy syrup, undrained
  
  2 tablespoon lemon juice
  
  Sugared cranberries
  
  2 cups fresh cranberries
  
  1 1/2 cups sugar, divided
  
  1 cup water
  
  Crust:
  
  Preheat over to 400F. Grease the inside of 9-inch springform pan(3 inches high). Remove side. Make crust: In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, lemon, peel, vanilla. Make well in center; with fork, blend in yolk and butter. Mix with fingertips until smooth. Form half of dough into a ball and place on bottom of springform pan. Place wax paper on top; roll pastry to edge of pan. Remove paper. Bake 6 to ;8 minutes or until golden. Cool. Meanwhile divide rest of dough into three parts. Between waxed paper roll each part 2 1/4 inch wide and 9 inch long. Assemble springform pan with the crust on the bottom. Line sides fo the pan with pastry strips, over lapping ends. Remove waxed paper. Preheat oven 450F.
  
  Filling: In large mixer bowl, blend cheese, sugar, flour, peels and vanilla at high speed. Beat in eggs and yolks, one at a time: beat until smooth, occasionally scraping bowl with spatula. Beat in cream. Pour into pan. Bake 10 minutes. Lower oven to 250F. Bake 1 hour longer. Remove pan to rack to cool, 2 hours. Make glaze.
  
  Glaze: In small saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch. Stir in remaining ingredients. Over medium heat, bring to boiling, stirring; boil 1 minute, or until thickened and translucent. Cool.
  
  Spread surface of cheese cake with glaze; refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight.
  
  Sugared Cranberries: Bring 1 cup sugar and water to a simmer in a saucepan. Simmer until sugar is completely dissolved. Pour simple syrup into a heatproof bowl and allow to cool for about 10 minutes. Add cranberries and stir to coat. Refrigerate cranberries in syrup overnight, stirred a couple times to coat with syrup.
  
  Remove cranberries from syrup and roll in remaining 1/2 cup of sugar. You’ll need to roll them a few times to get a couple layers of sugar on them.
  
  Set cranberries aside to dry for a hour or so.
  
  To serve: Loosen pastry fro side of pan with spatula. Remove sides of springform pan. Top with either Pineapple glaze or sugared cranberries. Serves 16
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  Posted in Baking, Baking, Cake, Dessert, Elegant, entertaining, Food, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
- Salted Caramel Chocolate Bars
  
  Posted at 12:07 pm by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Mar 5th
  Who doesn’t love caramel and chocolate. These bars have both and are very easy to make. Cookies generally require time although worth all the effort to make homemade cookies. If you love cookies but thought you didn’t have the patients or time to make try a bar cookie. So easy to make without having to roll out or decorate. And so delicious, need I say more. Once you master the bar cookie you will always find time to whip up a batch.
  
  Ingredients
  
  1 cup butter, soften Cabot Butter
  
  2 cups packed brown sugar
  
  1 teaspoon baking soda
  
  2 eggs
  
  2 teaspoons vanilla
  
  2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  
  3 cups quick-cooking rolled oats, Quaker Oats
  
  1 14-oz package vanilla caramels, unwrapped, I use Kraft
  
  1 14 ounce can (1 1/4 cups) sweetened condensed milk or low-fat sweetened condensed milk , Eagle Brand my favorite
  
  1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate pieces, Ghiraredlli Chocolate the best
  
  2 teaspoons vanilla
  
  1 1/2 teaspoon fleur de sel or fine sea salt
  Directions
  
  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Set aside 2 tablespoons of the butter. In a large mixing bowl beat the remaining butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add the brown sugar and baking soda. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in eggs and 2 teaspoons vanilla until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour. Stir in the rolled oats.
  
  For filling, in a medium saucepan combine the reserved 2 tablespoons butter, caramels and sweetened condensed milk. Cook over low heat until chocolate melts, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Stir 2 teaspoons vanilla and 1/2 teaspoon sea salt.
  
  Press two-thirds (about 3-1/3 cups) of the rolled oats mixture into the bottom of an ungreased 15X10X1-inch baking pan. Spread caramel filling evenly over the oats mixture. Sprinkle chocolate chips.Dot remaining rolled oats mixture on filling.
  
  Bake for about 25 minutes or until top is lightly browned. Cool pan on a wire rack. Cut into bars. Makes 60 bars.
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  Posted in Baking, cookies, Dessert, desserts, Easy recipes, Food | Tagged bar cookies, caramel, chocolate, Cookies
- Applelicious Cupcakes
  
  Posted at 12:31 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Oct 9th
  Ah, fall is in the air! Time for wonderful apple desserts to herald the beginning of fall. Fall is my favorite time of year when the leaves start to change with the crisp Autumn air. And fall clothes, need I say more to soft cashmere sweaters, light wool pants, and boots! But I can’t forget about fresh picked apples right off the tree. Perfect for just taking a big juicy bite or using for outrageous apple desserts like the recipe that I am sharing today which is half cupcake, half muffin, but totally delicious.
  
  Applelicious Cupcakes
  
  Cream Cheese Filling
  
  1 8 ounce package cream cheese
  
  1/4 cup butter, softened
  
  1/2 cup sugar
  
  1 large egg
  
  2 tablespoon flour
  
  1 teaspoon vanilla
  
  Apple batter
  
  1 cup finely chopped pecans
  
  3 cups flour
  
  1 cup sugar
  
  1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  
  2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  
  1 teaspoon nutmeg
  
  1 teaspoon baking soda
  
  1 teaspoon salt
  
  1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
  
  3/4 cup canola oil
  
  3/4 cup apple sauce
  
  1 teaspoon vanilla
  
  3 cups peeled Gala apples, finely chopped
  
  Praline Frosting
  
  1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  
  1/4 cup butter
  
  3 tablespoon milk
  
  1teaspoon vanilla
  
  1 cup powered sugar
  
  Prepare Filling: Beat first three ingredients at medium speed with electric mixer until blended and smooth. Add egg, flour and vanilla, beat until blended
  
  Prepare Batter: Preheat oven to 350. Bake finely chopped pecans in a shallow pan 8-10 minutes until toasted. Stir together flour and next seven ingredients in a large bowl; stir in eggs and next three ingredients, just until dry ingredients are moistened. Stir in apples and pecans.
  
  Spoon batter into cupcake lined pans, filling half. Then spoon about 1/8 cup of cream cheese filling using all the filling. Top with remaining batter.
  
  Bake 20-25 minutes until wooden tester comes out clean.
  
  Makes 24 cup cakes
  
  Prepare Praline Frosting: Bring brown sugar, butter, milk to a boil in 2-qt sauce pan over medium heat, whisking constantly. Boil one minute. Remove from heat, add vanilla, stir. Gradually whisk powder sugar until smooth. Stir for 3-5 minutes until frosting slightly thickens. Before the frosting is cool icing cupcakes. Top with chopped pecans and one dried apple chip.
  
  Enjoy!
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  Posted in Apples, Baking, cupcakes, Dessert, Food, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, Soups | Tagged apples, cupcakes, fall baking
- Chocolate Ganache Velvet Pound Cake with chocolate dipped strawberries
  
  Posted at 6:02 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Aug 21st
  Summer time parties should be as fun for the hostess as the guests. That is why I love this chocolate pound cake packing a lot of punch for not much work. Bake the cake, drizzle the ganache, decorate with chocolate dipped strawberries and you have a cake that will dazzle you guest!
  
  Ingredients
  
  1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate morsels, I use Ghirardelli Chocolate
  
                   1/2 cup butter, softened
  
                   1 (16 ounce) packages light brown sugar
  
                   3 large eggs
  
                   2 cups all purpose flour
  
                   1 teaspoon baking soda
  
                   1/2 teaspoon salt
  
                   1 (8 ounce) containers sour cream
  
                   1 cup hot water
  
                   2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  
                   Chocolate Ganache
  
                   Vanilla ice cream
  
     9 strawberries, washed with stems
  Directions
  1. Melt semisweet chocolate morsels in a microwave-safe bowl at HIGH for 30-second intervals until melted (about 1 1/2 minutes total time). Stir until smooth.
  2. Beat butter and brown sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer, beating about 5 minutes or until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Add melted chocolate, beating just until blended.
  3. Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add to chocolate mixture alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Gradually add 1 cup hot water in a slow, steady stream, beating at low speed just until blended. Stir in vanilla. Use immediately, following directions for desired cake.
  4. Spoon batter evenly into a greased and floured 10-inch tube pan. Bake at 350° for 55 to 65 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pan, and let cool completely on wire rack.
  5. Sift powdered sugar over top of cake.
  6. Dip small spoonfuls of warm ganache over cake.
  7. Decorate with chocolate dipped strawberries
  Ganache
  
  1 (12-ounce) package semisweet chocolate morsels, I use Ghirardelli Chocolate
  
  1/2 cup whipping cream
  
  3 tablespoons butter
  
  1. Microwave chocolate morsels and whipping cream in a 2-quart glass bowl at medium 2 1/2 to
  
  3 minutes or until melted. Whisk until smooth then whisk in butter. Let stand 30 minutes. Beat
  
  at medium speed with electric mixture for 3 to 4 minutes. Dip strawberries in chocolate
  
  Ganache. Place on wax paper and chill.
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  Posted in Baking, Cake, Chocolate, Dessert, Easy recipes, Elegant, entertaining, Food, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen | Tagged cake, easy baking, Ghirardelli Chocolate, strawberries
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