It's All About Me

Week 12/Recipe 11- Lowfat Carrot Cake?

Does it get better than that?  A home baked dessert that isn't super, uber, duper fattening?  Gotta love that....

A few years ago, I was on a mission to find a carrot that I really liked and was super easy to make... the hardest part being the grating of the carrots, a recipe that didn't have too much going on, no raisins or crazy stuff like that!  Well, I think I found something that I love and the people that have had a taste of it, haven't complained either!  I modified a Paula Deen recipe and it turned out great...

Perfect... except next time I "think" I might want to add some candied walnuts!  Actually, this recipe could have been used for 3- 9" pans but I wanted to make some cupcakes with them also and the little candied walnut would have looked great right on top... couldn't get to the store in time though, those guys were GONE quick :) Ok recipe time!!!

INGREDIENTS:

- 2 cups all purpose flour

- 1 1/2 cups of flour

- 2 teaspoons baking soda

- 2 teaspoons cinnamon

- 1 teaspoon salt

- 1 1/2 cups of apple sauce (the secret ingredient :) )

- 3 eggs

- 1 1/2 cups of sugar

- 3 cups grated carrots

1 1/2 cups candied walnuts

FOR FROSTING:

- 1 8 oz package softened cream cheese

- 1 stick butter

- 1 box powdered sugar (16 oz's)

- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat over to 350 degrees, grease 2- 9" circle pans.  I also put parchment down just in case this thing felt like sticking :)

 

1. grate approximately 5 large carrots (to yield 3 cups).  I LOVE using my food processor for this kind of madness.  Totally worth cleaning the thing to have it done in literally 60 seconds or less!

2.  In the bowl of your mixer or any large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.  Stir to combine.  Or have your helper do it :)

3.  Add eggs and apple sauce... 

 

 
 loving the fact that it's not oil or butter by the way :)

4.  Add in shredded carrots AND nuts if you choose to use those bad boys!

 

Batter will obviously be chunky!

 

5.  Divide batter into the 3 pans.  I like using a cup measure to make sure I get them as even as possible! 

Ok seriously... how easy was that?  Throw the pans in the over and bake for approximately 30-40 minutes.  Bake just until you touch the tops and they bounce back ever so slightly.  Also, as soon as you see the cake pulling away from the pans and its light golden brown, pull em out!

 

Let the cakes cool completely before frosting them!  You can take them out of the pan after about 15 minutes and cool them on a wire rack also if you are so inclined.  I left mine in because I had a lot of crap to do lol!

6.  Go ahead and make your frosting.... YUM and I don't really even like frosting that much, but this stuff is good AND perfect for the cake!  Combine butter, cream cheese, vanilla, and powdered sugar and beat until soft and fluffy.  My batch was pretty "loose" so I put it in the fridge for a few minutes just to make it a bit more firm.

7.  Once the cakes have cooled, grab the frosting and go to town!  Because I am not a huge frosting fan, I only frosted the top and middle of the cake.  I found that this was just the right amount of "sweet" without over powering the cake.  I guess you could even put the nuts in between the layers also instead of IN the batter?  That might be a nice little surprise too!

 

Just put a big ole dollop on and spread to the edges!  Then put the 2nd layer on...

 

and frost that too the same way!   

 

Viola..... remember,I made cupcakes with extra batter so I don't have a 3rd layer!

and yum....

  

{ Baby Sophie }- North County, San Diego Newborn Photographer

Thought I would take a break from all the goodies and post a sneak peek of my latest newborn session...

 

oh those pouty little baby lips....

 

can you ever have enough baby hands and feet?

 

and I so love this little cap I knitted just in time for the session.... the colors are so sweet and soft.

    Newborns are definitely my favorite type of session BUT can also be the hardest!  Luckily for me, this time anyways, I had a pure angel!  Oh man, she was a good baby!  Slept through almost all of it and the times she was awake, you didn't hear a peep out of her.  

I wanna do another newborn session now lol!!!

Ok, I lied... I was going to leave this post at this, but since I have a couple of more pictures to show that aren't related to my "treat a week", I might as well show em off here :)

 

Oreo Cupcakes w/ Vanilla Buttercream and mini chocolate chips

 

the whole sha-bang!

 

One of my very good girlfriend's was going to throw her son his 2 year birthday party and since he is a sucker for all things fireman, choosing the theme was obvious.  When she told me about it, I hopped on board and offered to make the cake/cupcakes.  Originally, I was going to make a cupcake tower with a small cake on top, but then I found this adorable firetruck cake by Betty Crocker.... not only would it be easier, but I figured it would look better too lol!

So instead of doing the cake covered in fondant, I decided to make some cute cupcake toppers.  I made hats, boots, hoses (which my husband swears looks like yellow poop... nice huh?), and fire hydrants. Luckily I had seen a few on Flickr so I grabbed the idea and then did what I could!  I think everything turned out A-OK!

Alrighty, Im out :)  Will be back soon with a super good carrot cake recipe which is also LOW FAT!  Doesn't get better then that right?

Week 11/Recipe 10- Chocolate Ganache Cupcakes W/ Peanut Butter Frosting

So a few weeks ago, some girlfriends and I went on a little spa weekend getaway and had a BLAST!  Definitely a trip that was TOO short, but we had a chance to get massages at the spa, go to a nice dinner, and have lots of laughs... nothing like having a group of girls who can laugh, laugh, and laugh together :)  I *heart* them.....

 

Anyways, on our way home, we made a little stop to "Sprinkle's" for some cupcakes.  I got 6 cupcakes in a few different flavors, red velvet, lemon, marshmallow (YUM), and peanut butter (more YUM)!  

 

A couple of them didn't make it too long, as you can tell!  They were delicious of course, but now here I am a couple of weeks later and totally craving the flavors!  So what else could I do, but whip up a batch myself right?  I really wanted to make a knock off marshmallow batch, but it was late last night before I started baking and didn't have any marshmallow fluff to use in the center of the cupcake... those will have to wait until another time!  I did have what I needed for some peanut butter ones though.

 

 
 Loved how they came out, not too sweet, chocolate-y, peanut butter-y, super moist, and fluffy!  I contemplated putting peanut butter in the cupcake batter, but kind of forgot lol.  I'm thinking that maybe it's better off since it might have made them too peanut-y?  Maybe next time :)  Ok here is the recipe!

To make approximately 14-16 cupcakes

YOU WILL NEED: (for cake)

- 4 oz's semi sweet baking bar (chopped into small pieces to melt)

- 1 cup flour

- 1/4 cup baking cocoa

- 1/2 tsp baking soda

- 1/4 tsp salt

- 1/2 cup buttermilk

- 1/4 cup water

- 1 cup packed light brown sugar

- 1/2 vegetable/canola oil

- 3 large eggs

- 1/2 tsp GOOD vanilla extract

(for ganache)

- 4 oz's semisweet chocolate chips

-1/4 cup heavy cream

(for frosting)

- 1/2 cup of milk

- 3 tablespoons all purpose flour

- 1/2 cup of sugar

- 1/2 cup of butter (1 stick)

- 1/2 peanut butter

- 1 tsp vanilla

- dash of salt

OPTIONAL: Chocolate Sprinkle's

DIRECTIONS (from Nestle):

Bake cupcakes!!! Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease or line cupcake pans.  I got exactly 15 cupcakes filling 3/4 full :)

1.  Microwave the chocolate pieces in a small bowl in 30 second increments.  Stir after each increment until smooth.  You will probably need to do 3-4 rounds.  Set aside to cool slightly.

2. In another small bowl or large measuring cup, combine dry ingredients (flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.  Whisk until combined.

3. In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine buttermilk and water.

4.  In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat brown sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla until well combined and silky smooth.  Beat in melted chocolate.  Alternately add the dry ingredients with the buttermilk mixture.  Spoon 3/4 full into prepared cupcake pans.  And bake for 17-20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.

Let cool completely!!!!

In the meantime, go ahead and make your frosting.... YUM :)

1.  Place a small saucepan over a low/medium heat.  Add flour to pan and slowly stir in milk.  Cook over low heat until very thick.  Now, I don't know how necessary this is, but mine came out a bit lumpy so I thought it wouldn't hurt to run the mixture through a sieve.

 

Cover with some plastic wrap, right on the top/skin so that a film doesn't form.  Let cool COMPLETELY to room temperature.

2.  Place into the bowl of your mixer once cooled.  Add sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and salt to a bowl for mixing.  Beat on high speed until fluffy and very well combined.  Sugar should be completely dissolved!  Mixture is fairly thin compared to say a buttercream frosting... should resemble a nice whipped cream consistency, but light and fluffy!  You won't be able to resist taking a big spoonful of this stuff!  Oh its good :)  Put frosting in the fridge to set up a bit before you start frosting!

 

Once the cupcakes have cooled, begin making your ganache.  Add chocolate chips and heavy cream to either a double boiler OR if you are lazy like I was today... throw them into a bowl and put that bad boy into the microwave!  Just be careful to not burn it!  Place on HIGH for 30 seconds, stir, and then place in microwave again for another 30 seconds.  If any more chips remain or it looks a bit lumpy, add another 15 seconds and stir.

3.  Go ahead and dip the tops of your cupcakes into the ganache.

 

Flip it over gently and then place back in cupcake tin/holder. 

 

You could totally stop here and eat away, I know I could :)

OK kids, you need to wait a few minutes just to let the ganache cool and harden up a bit!  I think I did my dishes and cleaned up some... maybe 10 minutes or so was all I could take!  Get the frosting and cupcakes back out and start frosting them!

I didn't do anything fancy with frosting since I was going to go a step further and add some sprinkles to the top... in honor of "Sprinkle's"!  The peanut butter cupcake I had from there was a bit different though.  It had a peanut butter cupcake with chocolate chips inside and then a really thick layer of peanut butter slathered right on top, then topped with a TON of sprinkle's!   I thought the sprinkle's would work on these too :)

 

Eat it... eat it now... you know you want to!  I have had 3 already today and thats not normally like me :) 

 
 
 

Week 10/Recipe 9- Orange Almond Crumb Cake

So anyone who really knows me, knows that Giada is my favorite all time TV/chef personality.  I swear, I tell my husband all of the time that if we still lived on Los Angeles, I would so be arrested because I would be stalking her, like literally finding her home and following her around lol.  I adore her personality, her simple recipes, her love of food... everything!  I would so be her BFF :)  Anyways, after watching LOTS of her shows and seeing the food profiles she tends to stick with, I was going to try this recipe on Food TV for an almond type of cake like this one.  When I saw the rating and reviews for the torta, I was kind of discouraged.  I also remember watching this episode for almond, pine nut, and apricot crumb cake, but I didn't have any pine nuts!  so, I was craving the cake, like that minute, and didn't want to have to run to the store for anything!  

So, I came up with something similar and equally delicious, I think... 

 

I love how it turned out and completely quenched my craving for something almond-y!  Super easy recipe also:

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup softened sweet butter

1 cup of sugar

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 tsp almond extract

zest of 1 orange

3/4 cup all purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking powder

1 cup sliced almonds (1/2 cup lightly toasted & then pulverized in a food processor until finely ground 1/2 saved for topping)

1/2 orange marmalade

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat over to 350 degrees and grease a 9" pan

1.  After you have ground the toasted almonds, combine with the the rest of dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking powder) and set aside.

2.  Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.

3.  Add eggs, 1 at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition.

4.  Add extracts and zest, mix well.  

5.  Slowly add the dry ingredients in 2 batches, mix until just combined.

Pour into prepared pan and bake 35-40 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the cake bounces back to the touch!

Once it's out of the oven, let cool completely.  Once cooled, place marmalade in the microwave and heat for 30 seconds.  Put your cake on a pretty cake stand or plate.  Gently brush the top of the cake with the marmalade and then top off with the rest of the sliced almonds...

Easy peasy right?

 

Week 9/Recipe 8- Chocolate Hazelnut Banana Bread or just the BEST Banana Bread Ever

Banana bread has always been one of my most favorite desserts... well not really dessert, but a good snack anyways!  I used to have a REALLY good recipe for it, but lost it a couple of years ago in the shuffle of moving.  Since then I have tried quite a few recipe's I have found on the internet, but none of them made me smile.  Last week, I had some banana's that were just on the verge of going bad, the kind that are PERFECT for some banana bread, so I thought what better time than now to come up with a recipe... I kind of pulled parts from here and there and I think I ended up with something very close to perfection! It's so moist, full of banana flavor, and personally, anything that has Nutella in it can't be bad right?

 

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup of unsalted butter (room temperature)

1/3 cup of granulated sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 cup sour cream

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 very rip banana's... already turning brown perferably

3/4 cup Nutella (hazlenut spread)

1/2 chopped toasted hazelnuts (OPTIONAL)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat over to 350 degrees and grease 2 large loaf pans or 4 small loaf pans like I did (perfect for gifts for friends) :)

 

When I bake, I kind of like getting all of my ingredients together and all lined up, ready for me to use. Not sure if it ever saves any time, but at least I dont have to run around the kitchen while I'm mixing stuff up!  

1.  Before you get your mixing started, go ahead and put all of the dry ingredients into a small bowl (flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt).  I like having a kiddo do this because they seem to like mixing stuff up!  Makena was my helper of course :)

 

You can also have a kiddo mash the banana's up... this is my daughter's favorite part!

2.  Once that's done or while your little helper is doing those things, go ahead and cream butter and both sugars together until light and fluffy.  

3.  Add eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides after each addition.

4.  Add sour cream AND vanilla... and mix until well combined and incorporated.  

 

Now up until recently I was always super hesitant to cook or bake with this stuff because I HATE sour cream!  Fortunately, it doesn't give any baked goods the flavor, just a bit of moisture and maybe even just the tiniest bit of tang.  I find myself using it more and more in baked goods!  I just try and hold my breath while I am getting a big scoop of it AND until its all mixed in lol!

5.  Add mashed banana's and mix until everything is combined.

6.  Now add dry ingredients in 3 batches, mixing well in between each addition and then after until flour has all been absorbed and incorporated.

Batter will be thick and lumpy!

If you are planning on adding the optional nuts, not would be the time :)  Most of my friends have small children, so nuts wont work for me!

7.  Divide batter into the 2 large loaf pans OR 4 small loaf pans.  I like using a 1/2 or 1 cup measuring when dividing batter... this will ensure you divide evenly!

8.  Now the fun part... adding the chocolate!   Put the Nutella in the microwave for about 30 seconds just to thin it out a bit and get it nice and smooth.  Take a spoon and drizzle the tops of each loaf with about 3 tablespoons of Nutella (for large loaf pans- use at least 6 tablespoons).

 

7.  Now take a knife and just run it through the loaf to swirl the Nutella... I actually used a chop stick for my 2nd batch and liked that much better.  You want to get nice, big swirls, but be careful NOT to over mix!  I like seeing the big swirls and gobs of chocolate :)

8.  Place in the over and bake for 30-35 minutes (for large loaf pans, bake for 45-50 minutes).  The tops of the loaves will slightly brown!  Do NOT overbake... that would be a shame!  I actually think this 2nd batch I did could have used about 3 minutes less time!  I was busy playing Super Mario Bros. on the WII lol!  Hopefully the people I made these for couldn't tell!

 

Um, YUM :)

 

Enjoy with a nice glass of COLD milk!!!

 
I have 2 crock pot recipes I tried over the past week also, hopefully I can swing some time to post them soon!