Published December 16th, 2012 at 9:35 pm in bake it!, eat it!, holiday crafts, host it! with no comments
Tagged with baking recipes, easy entertaining, holiday recipes
I think everyone has had some version of the acclaimed Better-than-$&# cake. In my family, we innocently call it Heath Bar Cake but the result is the same – decadent, moist, fudgy deliciousness with a pillow of whipped topping and covered in crunchy bits. This is the Ultimate dessert, and for good reason, just check out the ingredients! Absolutely no health benefits here, this is pure indulgence. 
I changed up the recipe slightly for some holiday festivity, using the Betty Crocker Chocolate Fudge boxed cake (the original uses Devil’s Food) and some peppermint bark from Trader Joe’s (the original is crushed up Heath bars). I might prefer the original just for nostalgia’s sake, but this is definitely a fun and festive variation!
Ingredients:
- 1 box of Betty Crocker Chocolate Fudge Cake mix
- 1 can sweetened, condensed milk
- 1 jar Mrs. Richardson’s hot fudge
- 1 tub Cool Whip
- 6-8 ounces Peppermint Bark, like Trader Joe’s, coarsely chopped
Directions:
Bake chocolate cake according to box instructions. Allow to cool, slightly.
Using back end of a wooden spoon, poke holes through the cake.
Pour consdensed milk over top of cake, making sure milk gets down into poked holes. Wait a few minutes until condensed milk is absorbed.
Warm up your hot fudge to a spreadable consistency, then pour over top of cake. I like to then tap the pan against a kitchen towel on the counter to encourage the fudge to run down into the holes.
Refrigerate fudge-topped cake overnight for best results.
The next day, top cake with Cool Whip (that you shave stored in the fridge, not the freezer, otherwise you have to thaw and final consistency can be too wet, just ask me how I know) and sprinkle chopped peppermint bark pieces on top.
Don’t be a grinch now, share!
Published December 11th, 2012 at 10:05 am in bake it!, host it! with 2 comments
Tagged with baking recipes, easy entertaining, holiday recipes
Earlier this year, my husband and I moved into a cute little rental in a charming, established neighborhood, replete with mature fruit trees. Imagine my delight when, come autumn, my next door neighbor had not one, but two, persimmon trees bursting with the gorgeous orange orbs! I eat the Fuyus raw and put them in salads, but the Hachiyas, which I used in this modified recipe from David Lebovitz, are great for baking. Hachiyas should feel heavy and soft, with skins about to burst when ready to use.
Ingredients:
Cake
- 3/4 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup whiskey
- 2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups persimmon purée
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
Icing
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2/3 cup powdered sugar, sifted
- 4 or 5 teaspoons water
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Use an empty butter wrapper to grease the inside of a Bundt cake pan.
For the cake:
Prepare persimmon puree by scooping soft flesh from persimmons into a bowl, discarding skins and stem.
Transfer pulp to a blender and blend until smooth. Measure out 1 1/2 cups for this recipe, then store any extra in an airtight container in the freezer.
In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the cranberries and whiskey to a boil. Remove from the heat, cover, and let cool.
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg.
In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together the sugar and softened butter on medium until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat on medium-low until just incorporated. Gently mix in the persimmon purée and 2 teaspoons vanilla.
Add flour mixture to bowl, in 3 parts, beating just until incorporated. Fold in the cranberries and the walnuts. Do not overmix.
Scrape the batter into the prepared Bundt pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean, about 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let cool completely. Once cool, invert the cake onto your cooling rack, which has been positioned over a jelly roll pan.
For the icing:
In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together the cream cheese and 1 tablespoon butter on high speed until smooth. Beat in the 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and the lemon juice, then gradually add the powdered sugar, beating on high speed until smooth. Add the 4 teaspoons water; the icing should be pourable. If necessary, add 1 more teaspoon water.
Pour the icing around the top of the cake, then tap the plate on a folded kitchen towel on the countertop to encourage the icing to run down the sides of the cake.
Transfer cake to your favorite cake platter and serve. While my icing technique has never been great, this cake is gorgeous! Think of a decadently wholesome and delicious version of fruitcake, without any of those strangely fluorescent gooey things. So good!
