Category: Bakery

Classic Carrot Cake

Amanda JaneLeave a comment

Moist, flavorful, and delicious classic carrot cake.

What better way to celebrate Easter than with a delicious carrot cake? This recipe has been in my family for a very long time; my dad would make this carrot cake for my mom when they were dating, and it has been a staple in the family ever since. This Classic Carrot Cake has the perfect blend of carrots, crushed pineapple, and coconut, with a delicious, chopped pecan crunch. This cake is so versatile. It could be a bundt cake, a layer cake, muffins, cupcakes, or cake bars, the list is endless!

Most of the time, I make this carrot cake for a sweet breakfast or brunch, so I don’t pair it with frosting. Even alone this cake is still perfectly delicious! However, for more special occasions, I love to pair the cake with either a coconut frosting or a classic cream cheese frosting.

To make the cake, boil about 4 medium-sized carrots until very soft. Once cooled, mash completely. You should have about 1 1/3 cups of mashed carrots, a little more or a little less is not a big deal. Once the batter is made, the shape of the cake you want to make will determine the cook time.

  • Bundt Cake- 1 hour
  • Layer cakes- 30-35 minutes
  • Cupcakes- 30-40 minutes

The cake will be done once browned and when a toothpick is inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool completely before serving and/or decorating with your choice of icing.

I would love to see your carrot cake creations! Tag me on Instagram @beyondbakingwithamandajane and use the #beyondbakingwithamandajane.

Classic Carrot Cake

  • Servings: 36 Cupcakes
  • Rating: ★★★★★
  • Print

Ingredients

    FOR THE CAKE:
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3 cups sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 Tablespoon baking soda
  • 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 Tablespoon vanilla
  • 1 1/2 cups pecans, chopped
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded coconut, unsweetened
  • 1 1/3 cups cooked carrots, mashed (about 4 medium size carrots)
  • 3/4 cup drained crushed pineapple
    • FOR THE COCONUT FROSTING:
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 5 cups confectioners sugar
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 6 Tablespoons coconut milk, unsweetened

Directions

  1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F and line 36 cupcake tins.
  2. In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients. Add the oil, eggs, and vanilla. Beat well.
  3. Fold in walnuts, coconut, carrots, and pineapple.
  4. Pour batter into prepared cupcake tins. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  5. Let cool completely on wire racks while making the frosting.
  6. To make the frosting, cream together the butter, sugar, salt, and coconut milk until smooth.
  7. Frost the completely cooled cake, and enjoy!

Taste tested by friends and family with love.

No Yeast, 45 minute Cinnamon Rolls

Amanda JaneLeave a comment

The quickest, most delicious, fluffy cinnamon rolls for your last-minute cinnamony cravings.

We all love a warm, light, and delicious cinnamon roll, but sometimes, the long hours of waiting for the dough to rise, not once, but twice, is just too much. I understand the struggle of wanting a cinnamon roll as soon as possible, not 4-6 hours later, or, having to whip up something sweet and delicious for a last-minute dinner party. These 45 minute cinnamon rolls will not disappoint. There’s no excessive kneading, finicky yeast, or 2 hour rise time. All you need is a combination of baking powder and baking soda, and you will have beautifully light, fluffy, and flavorful cinnamon rolls.

When I first came across this new way of making cinnamon rolls without yeast on the New York Times Cooking page, I thought it was crazy. I thought: no way they would actually taste like cinnamon rolls. Oh how very wrong I was. I found that they are actually moister and fluffier than traditional cinnamon rolls, and they are a perfect alternative to cinnamon rolls when you don’t have the time to make the traditional ones.

The recipe is very straightforward. Begin by making the cinnamon filling. Using a wooden spoon in a medium bowl, cream the butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and chopped pecans together until smooth. Set aside.

For the dough, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low speed, add the oil. It will be a little lumpy, this is normal. Add buttermilk until just combined. Don’t skip out on the buttermilk because the acidity of it will react with the baking soda, helping the dough rise in the oven. Turn the dough out on to a floured surface and knead a couple of times until the dough comes together in a smooth ball.

Then, roll the dough into a 15 x 8 inch rectangle. Spread the filling evenly across the dough, leaving about 1/4-inch boarder around the edges. Tightly roll the dough along the long end of the rectangle. Unlike traditional cinnamon rolls, this dough is not very elastic, so do not pull the dough slightly back to create a tighter roll or the dough will break.

Once rolled, cut into 8 even pieces. Place in a greased 9-inch pie plate, and bake at 400 degrees F for 20-25 minutes, or until golden.

When the rolls come out of the oven, stir together confectioners sugar, vanilla extract, and milk until smooth. Drizzle over cinnamon rolls and serve warm!

As you can see, this recipe is easy and quick! I hope you try it out and tag me in your creations @beyondbakingwithamandajane on Instagram and use #beyondbakingwithamandajane

No Yeast, 45 Minute Cinnamon Rolls

  • Servings: 8 Rolls
  • Rating: ★★★★★
  • Print

Ingredients

    For The Filling:
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 3/4 cup chopped pecans
    • For The Dough:
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 Tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 vegetable oil
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk
    • For The Glaze:
  • 2 cups confectioners sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2-3 Tablespoons milk

Directions

  1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F and grease a 9-inch pie pan.
  2. Make the filling. In a medium bowl, using a wooden spoon, cream together butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and pecans together until smooth. Set aside.
  3. Make the dough. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough attachment, stir flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. On low speed, slowly add in oil. It will be a little lumpy, this is normal. Sir in the buttermilk until just combined.
  4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until the dough all comes together.
  5. Roll the dough out in to a 15 x 8 inch rectangle. Spread the filling out evenly, leaving 1/4- inch boarder around the edges.
  6. Roll the dough along the long edge of the rectangle. Cut into 8 pieces using dental floss or a very sharp knife.
  7. Place rolls into greased pie pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown.
    8. 8 While the rolls are baking, make the glaze. Combine powder sugar, vanilla, and 2 Tablespoons milk. Stir until well combined. Add additional milk slowly until desired consistency. Drizzle glaze over cinnamon rolls and serve warm!

Taste tested with love by friends and family.

Grandma’s Traditional Chinese Sweet Rice Pudding Cups (Boot Jai Goo 缽仔糕)

Amanda Jane4 Comments

Sweet, jello-like traditional Chinese snack or dessert.

Last week, my family and I celebrated Chinese New Year, and in celebration, I am sharing my Grandma’s Traditional Chinese Sweet Rice Pudding Cups, or Boot Jai Goo 缽仔糕! Long before I was even born, my Grandma has been making Boot Jai Goo for my family on special occasions like Chinese New Year. It has always been one of my favorite treats she makes. These sweet rice pudding cups are most similar to almond Jello in consistency, but they are slightly firmer and are perfectly sweetened by plain white sugar. These are truly a unique and delicious sweet treat, and they are super simple to make.

Boot jai goo originates in Hong Kong, and the name “boot jai goo” literally means a cake that is shaped like a bowl. As you can see in the pictures, the signature look of these pudding cups have a dimple in the center of them, making them look like a bowl. These pudding cups are steamed in small metal or ceramic baking cups to get the perfect dimple. However, if you have small tart molds, you can use those.

For these yummy puddings, wet rice flour will give you the best results. However, this may be hard to find depending on your location. The best place to look for wet rice flour is at your nearest Chinatown. Dry rice flour will be easier to find at your local Asian supermarket, and it will still yield a pudding that is just as amazing.

Begin making these pudding cups by dissolving sugar in water over low heat. Once dissolved, remove from heat and let cool. In a large pot, add the rice flour. Pour the sugar water in very slowly, stopping every 1/2 cup of liquid to knead out the lumps of flour. Keep slowly adding sugar water until the batter is thin and leaves a thin coating on the back of a ladle.

Now it is time to test out our batter. My grandma always makes a “test” pudding to make sure the consistency of the pudding is perfect. Pour the batter in the unlined cup, to the rim, and steam for 20 minutes. Once cooled enough to touch, using chopsticks, slip the pudding out of the cup and give it a try! My favorite part about making these with my grandma is sharing the test pudding with her. If the consistency is too hard, add more sugar water. Remember it is always easier to add more sugar water to get the right consistency rather than adding more flour.

Grandma's Traditional Chinese Sweet Rice Pudding Cups

  • Servings: 2 dozen
  • Rating: ★★★★★
  • Print

Ingredients

  • 2 cups water
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 lb wet rice flour (1 lb dry rice flour is okay too)

Directions

  1. Set up steamer with water and a wire rack. Begin boiling the water.
  2. In a small pot over low heat, dissolve the sugar into the water. Remove from heat and cool.
  3. In a large bowl, break up the wet rice flour, or pour the dry rice flour in the bowl.
  4. Slowly add the cooled sugar water, stopping every 1/2 cup to knead out any lumps.
  5. Slowly keep adding sugar water until the batter is thin and leaves a light coating on the back of a spoon or ladle.
  6. Pour batter into a metal cup, to the rim, for the “test” pudding. Steam for 20 minutes. If the pudding is too thick, add more sugar water.
  7. Once you have the right consistency, fill the cups to the rim and steam for 20 minutes.

Taste tested by friends and family with love.

Pastel Christmas Sugar Cookie Pinwheels

Amanda Jane4 Comments

It’s finally December and you know what that means, Christmas cookie season is here! This is my favorite time of year! So, every week until Christmas, I will be sharing some of my favorite Christmas cookie recipes with you! To kick things off, I want to share my Pastel Christmas Sugar Cookie Pinwheels. Every year, when I plan out my cookie list, I never have enough color in my cookie assortment to make the platter look holly and jolly. BUT these cookies do just the job; they are bright and colorful and pop out on a plate full of cookies. AND they are absolutely delicious!

You may recognize this pastel sugar cookie recipe from my Pumpkin Shaped Pastel Cookies that my mom and I make together every Halloween. Instead of making orange pumpkins, we are going to make pinwheels!

Once you make the dough, divide it into 3 equal portions. You can dye these portions any color you may like, to suit any holiday you may celebrate, but for the spirit of Christmas, I dye one portion red, the other green, and leave the last portion as it is.

Once you dye your dough, roll each portion of dough until it is 1/4-inch thick between two pieces of parchment paper (roll each portion of dough out between their own two sheets of parchment paper). Once you have rolled each portion out, place everything on a baking sheet and refrigerate for 2 hours. This dough will be so much easier to work with when it is very chilled.

When the dough is chilled, it is time to layer the sheets of dough. I like to layer my colors with green at the bottom, then white, then red. I like to have the red on the outside of the cookie, but it doesn’t matter what order you choose to do! To start, leave the bottom sheet of parchment paper on the bottom layer of dough. For the next layer, remove the top sheet of parchment paper, line up the edges of dough, and slowly lay the top layer down. Repeat with the final layer of dough.

Gently press all of the layers together so they stick. Using the very bottom piece of parchment paper, begin to tightly roll the dough starting at the long edge. Freeze the roll for 1 hour.

When the roll is very cold, take a very sharp knife and cut 1/4-inch thick slices of dough. Place them on a cookie sheet, about 1 inch apart, and bake for 7 to 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Enjoy these colorful cookies!

I would love to see your version of my Pinwheel Cookies! Tag me in your pictures on Instagram @beyondbakingwithamandajane and use the #beyondbakingwithamandajane!

Pastel Christmas Sugar Cookie Pinwheels

  • Servings: 3 dozen cookies
  • Rating: ★★★★★
  • Print

Ingredients

  • 3 1/4 c all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 6 Tablespoons milk
  • Red food coloring
  • Green food coloring

Directions

  1. In a medium sized bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar.
  3. Beat in the egg yolks. Beat in the milk.
  4. Gradually add in the dry ingredients until dough is formed.
  5. Divide the dough into 3 pieces and dye. (one red, one green, and one with no dye)
  6. Roll each piece between two sheets of parchment paper until 1/4 inch thick. Place all 3 sheets of dough on a tray and chill for 3-4 hours.
  7. Stack each layer on top of each other, gently pressing down to make sure the layers are stuck together.
  8. Roll the dough, beginning on the long edge, into a tight cylinder. Freeze for 1 hour.
  9. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  10. Once chilled, cut 1/4-inch thick discs of dough and place on a baking sheet, about 1 inch apart. (note: if the dough begins to soften, put in the freezer for another 30 minutes)
  11. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes.

Taste tested by friends and family with love.

Maple Butter Pecan Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Amanda Jane2 Comments

Decadent, moist cake with a maple simple syrup and a butter pecan crunch. This cake is paired with a delicious cream cheese frosting, perfect for a fall dessert!

Maple butter pecan is the perfect cake flavor for any fall event, especially during the holiday season! The deliciousness of the cake starts with the pecans that are toasted in browned butter. These butter-roasted pecans are then folded into the cake batter. Each cake layer is doused with maple-flavored simple syrup for a hint of maple flavor. It gets even better when it is paired with cream cheese frosting which adds a little bit of tang to the overall flavors. This cake is definitely a hit with my family, and it can be a hit for yours too!

The process for making this cake is pretty simple. You begin by roasting your chopped pecans in browned butter. I find that when you buy chopped pecans, the pieces are still too large for the cake. I like to put the pecans in a food processor and pulse until they are about pea-sized. While I process the pecans, I have the butter browning on a skillet, so when the pecans are chopped, the butter is almost ready. Roast the pecans in the browned butter until fragrant and slightly brown. This should take about 4 minutes. Spread them out on a baking sheet to cool.

The batter uses whipped sour cream to add moisture and airiness to the cake. I whip the sour cream until medium-stiff peaks form and then gently fold it into the milk. It’s important not to skip out on the sour cream, opt for the full-fat version of sour cream and whole milk for the best results.

Once the cakes are done baking, let them cool completely. This is a good time to wrap your cakes very well in plastic wrap and refrigerate them overnight if this cake is going to be a two-day project.

When you are ready to assemble your cake, make your maple simple syrup, and let it cool completely before brushing the cake layers with the syrup. Be sure to level off your cake layers because it will not only keep your stacked cake straight, it will also expose the pores of the cake, allowing the syrup to better absorb into the whole layer. I add about 4 Tablespoons to each 9-inch cake. Finally, when frosting the cake, sprinkle some roasted pecans between each layer for added texture. Have fun decorating this cake!

I would love to see your Maple Butter Pecan Cakes! Tag me in your pictures @beyondbakingwithamandajane and use the #beyondbakingwithamandajane! I look forward to seeing your creations!

Maple Butter Pecan Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

  • Servings: 3-9 inch round cakes
  • Rating: ★★★★★
  • Print

Ingredients

    For The Cake:
  • 2 cups pecans, chopped
  • 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup sour cream, whipped
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
    • For The Maple Simple Syrup:
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon maple extract
    • For The Cream Cheese Frosting:
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 12 oz. cream cheese, softened
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 5 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 cup pecans, chopped, for layering

Directions

    For The Cake:
  1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and line 3 9-inch round cake pans, and dust with a little flour.
  2. Melt 3 Tablespoons of butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Once the butter is slightly browned, toss chopped pecans in the brown butter until fragrant, about 3-5 minutes. Toss frequently to avoid burning. Pour out onto a parchment lined baking sheet to cool.
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whip the sour cream until medium peaks form. Add the milk and set aside.
  4. In a medium size bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  5. In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla and mix well.
  6. Mix in the flour alternating with the milk mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Be sure to not overmix during these steps, or the cake will be very dry.
  7. Fold in the cooled roasted pecans. Divide the batter among the 3 prepared pans.
  8. Bake for 20-28 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cakes cool completely.
    9. For The Maple Simple Syrup:
  9. In a small sauce pan, combine the water and sugar. Melt over medium-low heat until the sugar has completely dissolved.
  10. Stir in the maple extract and remove from heat. Let cool.
    11. For The Cream Cheese Frosting:
  11. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, whip together the butter and cream cheese until very smooth.
  12. Stir in the vanilla and powdered sugar.
    13. Assembly Notes: – Level off each layer of cake to create a flat top, and brush about 4 Tablespoons of syrup onto each layer. – Between each layer, sprinkle about 1/3 cup chopped pecans. – You can also use the remaining chopped pecans for decorating the outside of the cake!

Taste tested by friends and family with love.

One Pot Chocolate Gooey Brownies

Amanda Jane3 Comments

Fudgy yet cakey, rich chocolate brownies. Perfect for every type of brownie lover.

Over the years, I have started to perfect my brownie recipe. I have to admit, I used box brownie mix for a while because I thought that the box mix was comparable to homemade. Oh how very wrong I was. I liked the box mix because it was easy and fast, but I finally made a simple homemade brownie recipe that made me not want to use the box ever again.

This is a one-pot recipe that you do not want to miss. This brownie is neither 100% fudgy nor 100% cakey. It is a perfect mix of both and will satisfy all preferences, perfect for the holidays! I just recently perfected my recipe, and it was by accident. I was making brownies for my friends and me to snack on while we were catching up, but I did not have enough chocolate chips to stir into the batter like I used to do. So, I chopped up 4 oz. of milk chocolate and folded that into the batter. Something about it made these brownies to. die. for. The chopped chocolate bar is better than plain old chocolate chips because when you chop chocolate the chunks are all going to be different sizes. The small pieces melt throughout the brownie adding more richness while the larger chunks are large pockets of gooey chocolate. This chocolate adds a little bit of a fudgy texture to the cakey brownies. This is why it is so perfect.

It doesn’t matter what type of chocolate bar you decide to chop up. I just use whatever is around the house. I prefer to use milk chocolate because it adds a little more sweetness, and I have a huge sweet tooth. I also like to spice things up with flavored chocolate like milk chocolate hazelnut bars, caramel milk chocolate, and dark chocolate almond.

Overall, this brownie recipe is super easy and basic, but the chopped chocolate brought this recipe to a whole new level. You only use one pot and mix everything together. It takes less than 20 minutes to make the batter and you bake it for another 20. I can’t wait for you all to try it!

I would love to see your brownies! Tag me in your pictures @beyondbakingwithamandajane on Instagram and use the hashtag #beyondbakingwithamandajane!

One Pot Chocolate Gooey Brownies

  • Rating: ★★★★★
  • Print

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened dark cocoa powder
  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 4 ounces chocolate bar of choice
  • Chocolate chips to top

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, grease an 8 x 8 in. pan. Place your 4 ounces of chocolate in the freezer.
  2. In a medium-large size sauce pan, melt butter until just melted (if butter is hot, let it cool before adding ingredients).
  3. Mix in sugar, eggs, and vanilla.
  4. Add the cocoa powder, flour, salt, and baking soda. Mix until just combined.
  5. Remove the chocolate bars from the freezer and chop into small chunks. Fold into the batter.
  6. Pour batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle top with chocolate chips, If desired. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Taste tested by friends and family with love.

Ruby Red, Red Velvet Cupcakes

Amanda JaneLeave a comment

Vibrant red, moist, and delicious cupcakes, just like the famous Magnolia Bakery’s in NYC.

July 4th was just last week, and what better way to celebrate than with red white and blue cupcakes? Every year, I make my famous Ruby Red, Red Velvet Cupcakes! They’re perfectly festive, and they’re also a huge hit with the crowd for any occasion.

I’ve been making this recipe for as long as I can remember. It’s a copycat recipe for the delicious Magnolia Bakery red velvet cupcakes. My mom clipped the recipe from a newspaper a while back, and there’s no better recipe. These cupcakes are so perfect. They’re light and fluffy, yet so moist. And even better, they’re so simple to make!

The most important part of this recipe is to not over mix otherwise the cupcakes will be too dry. To help with this, it’s important to make sure all of the ingredients are at room temperature. I would also suggest using real buttermilk as opposed to making your own with vinegar or lemon juice and milk.

For this recipe, you will need several bowls: a bowl of a stand mixer, two small bowls, one medium bowl, and a liquid measuring cup.

Begin by sifting the cake flour in a medium-size bowl and set it aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter until smooth then gradually add the sugar and beat until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. In a small bowl, whisk together the liquid food coloring, cocoa, and vanilla. This will appear to not come together at first, but keep whisking, it will come together. In a liquid measuring cup, mix the buttermilk and salt together.

Beginning with the buttermilk, add in three parts, alternating with the flour. Be sure not to over mix. Lastly, in a small bowl, stir together vinegar and baking soda. Add to the batter and mix well.

Fill lined cupcake tins for 3/4 of the way full and bake for 18-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Make sure you don’t over bake these cupcakes or they will be dry. Keep a close eye on them while they bake as every oven bakes differently.

Once the cupcakes are cooled, you can frost these cupcakes with anything you like ermine frosting, cream cheese frosting, or American buttercream. I personally top my cupcakes with American buttercream because my family and I are not big fans of cream cheese frosting, but you can cater these cupcakes to what your friends and family like! I like to decorate my cupcakes with blueberries so there can be red, white, and blue which makes it more festive!

I would love to see how you decorate your Ruby Red, Red Velvet Cupcakes! Share your creations on Instagram and tag me @beyondbakingwithamandajane and use the #beyondbakingwithamandajane!

Ruby Red, Red Velvet Cupcakes

  • Servings: 36 Cupcakes
  • Rating: ★★★★★
  • Print

Ingredients

  • 3 1/3 cups cake flour
  • 1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 1/4 cups sugar
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 6 Tablespoons liquid red food coloring
  • 3 Tablespoons cocoa powder
  • 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 1/2 cup buttermilk, room temperature
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

Directions

  1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F and line 36 cupcake tins.
  2. In a medium bowl, sift cake flour. Set aside.
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Gradually add the sugar and beat until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
  4. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
  5. In a small bowl, whisk the food coloring, cocoa, and vanilla. Add to the batter and beat well. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
  6. In a liquid measuring cup, stir the salt into the buttermilk. Add this to the batter in three parts, alternating with the cake flour. Do not overbeat.
  7. In a small bowl, stir together apple cider vinegar and baking soda. Stir into the batter until combined.
  8. Fill cupcake tins 3/4 full and bake for 18-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
  9. Let cool completely on wire racks. Frost with the frosting of your choice.

Cookies and Cream Chocolate Cupcakes

Amanda JaneLeave a comment

Flavorful, rich, and creamy Oreo crumb buttercream frosting with a decadent and moist chocolate cake.

I am so excited to be sharing this recipe with you! I am officially back from college and can’t wait to share some of my delicious recipes with you all this summer! I’m kicking the summer off with Cookies and Cream Chocolate Cupcakes because who doesn’t love Oreos?! It is a crowd favorite, so it is perfect to bring to a summer BBQ.

I started making these cupcakes because my house always seems to have a half-eaten box of Oreos that get stale and then nobody wants to eat it. So, I had to find a way to repurpose these cookies to make them more enjoyable. Cookies and cream is one of my favorite flavors paired with chocolate. For these cupcakes, I use my chocolate cupcake recipe from my Peanut Butter Lover’s Chocolate Cupcake recipe; feel free to view that post for tips and tricks on how to perfect these cupcakes!

Bake the chocolate cupcakes first and set aside to cool completely. When the cupcakes are cooling, make the frosting. For the cookies and cream frosting, I suggest you use single stuffed Oreos to reduce the sweetness of the frosting from the Oreo cream. I generally use Trader Joe’s Joe-Joe’s which are Trader’s Joe’s versions of Oreos, but any brand of Oreos will work perfectly.

Make this frosting like any other traditional American buttercream. Using a food processor, process the Oreos until very fine crumbs. I find that the fine Oreo crumbs produce a better product because the frosting will easily come out of the piping tip. If the Oreo crumbs are too large, then you will have problems with the Oreo crumbs clogging the piping tip. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter. Slowly add the powder sugar and vanilla extract. Then, add heavy cream. At this point, the frosting may seem a little thinner than what you would expect. Add the Oreo crumbs. This will thicken the frosting to the perfect consistency for piping. If you still think the frosting is too thin, then add more powdered sugar. On the other hand, if you think that the frosting is too thick, add more cream. The frosting should form soft peaks. Transfer the frosting into a large piping bag fitted with a Wilton 4B tip, or something similar.

These cupcakes are a huge hit, and I hope you give them a try soon! I would love to see pictures of your cupcake creations! Tag me in your pictures on Instagram @beyondbakingwithamandajane and use the #beyondbakingwithamandajane!

Cookies and Cream Chocolate Cupcakes

  • Servings: 24 Cupcakes
  • Rating: ★★★★★
  • Print

Ingredients

    For the Cake:
  • 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cups dark unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup flavorless oil (I used vegetable oil)
  • 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup very hot coffee
  • 1/2 cup very hot milk

    • For the Frosting:

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature
  • 5 cups powder sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 cups Oreo crumbs (about 20 Oreos)
  • 1/3 cup heavy cream


Directions

    For the Cake:
  1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F and line 24 large cupcake tins with a paper liner.
  2. In a large bowl, stir together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until well combined.
  3. In a small bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the eggs, 1 cup milk, oil, and vanilla.
  4. Make a small well in the middle of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Gently mix until just combined. Don’t over mix.
  5. Mix together the hot coffee and hot milk. Slowly pour the hot liquid into the batter and stir until it is well combined. The batter will be very thin.
  6. Let the batter sit for 5-10 minutes, then fill the cupcake liners 2/3 of the way full. Clean any excess batter around the pan. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few crumbs. Let cool to room temperature, then put the cupcakes in the refrigerator while making the frosting.
    7. For the Frosting:
  7. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter. Add the powder sugar, then the milk and vanilla.
  8. Add in Oreo crumbs and whip on medium speed for 1 minute.
  9. Add more milk or powder sugar, if needed, to obtain soft peaks.
  10. Put the frosting in a large piping bag fitted with your desired tip, and decorate!

Taste tested with love by friends and family.

Quick and Easy Irish Soda Bread

Amanda Jane4 Comments

Soft, hearty, and moist Irish Soda Bread with the perfect sweet and crunchy crust.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! This year St. Patrick’s Day is going to be a little different with the pandemic, but that can’t stop me from eating my special Irish Soda Bread! I do have to admit that Irish Soda Bread is a year-round bread for me though, I just love it so much! I can literally eat a whole loaf on my own in a single sitting!

Growing up, my mom used to get Irish Soda Bread from a bunch of different places near our house around St. Patty’s. I’ve always been super picky with my Irish Soda Breads. No store bought or any bakery had the Irish Soda Bread that I really really loved. If I had to choose, my favorite was from Shoprite, but it had to be freshly made or the crust wouldn’t have that characteristic crunch to it. Some loaves were too dry, some used caraway seeds, and some were flavorless. And more importantly, they all had raisins, and I am not a huge fan of them. I would sit down at the counter, unwittingly preparing myself to eat the whole loaf, but I would spend more time picking out every single raisin than actually eating the bread (which is a good and bad thing)! I knew I could make a better loaf, plus, I could choose if I wanted to add raisins or not!

Irish soda bread is traditionally made with four ingredients: flour, salt, baking soda, and sour milk (what we know as buttermilk). Traditional yeast was not always available, so when baking soda was introduced in Ireland, they used this to make their bread. The combination of baking soda and buttermilk creates little air bubbles in the oven which will enable the bread to rise. It is important to have the buttermilk in this recipe as its acidic properties will enable the baking soda to do its job as a leavener.

After years of trying to create the perfect recipe, I have finally got it down, and it finally satisfies all the criteria I have for the perfect Irish Soda Bread. It is flavorful, moist, hearty, and has an amazing sweet crunch to the crust. It is also a huge hit with my family especially as an appetizer at our family gathering (before COVID-19, of course). This recipe is super easy to make too! There’s nothing not to love about it! The most important thing to remember while making the bread is to not over mix. If you over mix by even just a little, the bread will be dry and tough.

Begin by mixing all of the dry ingredients together. Using a pastry blender or two sharp knives, cut in a stick of cold butter into the dry ingredients until very small pieces of butter are evenly distributed throughout. This will make the bread have a flakier crust and texture. Next, add in the raisins, if desired, and for my chocolate lovers, you can add chocolate chips instead! Mix until well combined. Then, whisk the buttermilk and eggs together in a small bowl. Pour the wet ingredients into the rest of the ingredients. Mix with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms and everything is just combined. Do not over mix! Divide the dough in two, and place each half into two-8-inch greased cake pans. Using a sharp knife, cut a 1/4-inch deep cross across the top of each loaf. Sprinkle with a little granulated sugar for a sweet crunchy crust. Bake until golden for 60 minutes.

This bread also freezes very well. Once completely cooled, cut the bread into desired size. Wrap well with aluminum foil, and place in a large zip lock bag to freeze. Now, whenever you want a warm and delicious slice of Irish Soda Bread, you can always toast one up! I love to bring back a loaf (of two) from home to freeze when I am at college because warm Irish Soda Bread is the best late-night studying snack there is. I would make a loaf with raisins to leave at home for my family to enjoy, and I would bring the plain loaf back to school with me. It’s the best of both worlds!

I would love to see you make my favorite and delicious Irish Soda Bread! Tag me in your pictures on Instagram @beyondbakingwithamandajane and use the #beyondbakingwithamandajane! I can’t wait to see your creations!

Quick and Easy Irish Soda Bread

  • Rating: ★★★★★
  • Print

Ingredients

  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup butter, cold
  • 1 1/4 cup buttermilk
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup raisins (optional)
  • 1 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease 2-8in cake pans.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  3. Cut in cold butter until small pieces with a pastry blender, or two sharp knives.
  4. Add raisins or chocolate chips, if desired.
  5. In a small bowl, whisk together buttermilk and eggs. Add to the dry ingredients, and mix with wooden spoon until just combined.
  6. Divide the dough in two. Using a sharp knife, cut a 1/4-inch cross across the top of the dough balls. Sprinkle sugar on top.
  7. Bake for 1 hour. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.

Taste tested with love by friends and family.

The Best and Richest Chocolate Lava Cake

Amanda Jane4 Comments

Decadent gooey, warm, and rich chocolate lava cake, perfect to share on Valentine’s Day.

T-11 days until Valentine’s Day! If you’re struggling to decide what dessert to make, here you go! This is the best lava cake recipe I have ever made, better than any you could get from a restaurant! It is so rich in chocolate with a sweet and gooey center that just melts in your mouth. It is the perfect dessert for any day, especially Valentine’s Day!

Chocolate lava cake was actually accidentally created. The first-ever chocolate lava cake was just a chocolate cake that was taken out of the oven too early which caused the ooey-gooey center we all know and love. As for who made the first-ever lava cake, it’s heavily disputed between Jacques Torres and Jean-Georges Vongerichten. They both claim to be the creator, but it is unclear who truly made it first. Speaking of Jacques Torres, have you checked out my Fabulous Famous Jacques Torres Chocolate Chip Cookies? They’d go perfectly with these cakes!

This recipe is perfect for a small batch to share with a loved one on Valentine’s Day, and they are incredibly easy to make!

The main source of flavor comes from the chocolate, so it is important to get good quality dark chocolate. I like to use Ghirardelli or Trader Joe’s chocolate. Additionally, you will see that there is minimal flour in this recipe which contributes to the decadent, fudgy, rich cake.

Begin by melting the chocolate and butter in a double boiler. While the butter and chocolate are melting, whisk the whole eggs, sugar, salt, and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer until very pale and thick. The idea is to get as much air as possible in the batter in this step to create a slightly lighter cake. This should take about 4-5 minutes.

Then, fold in the flour and chocolate into the egg mixture until just combined. Divide into 4-7-ounce greased ramekins and bake for 6-8 minutes, or until the edges are just set and the center is still very soft. It took 6 minutes and 30 seconds for mine to be perfectly done. Do not over bake the cakes or there will be no fudgy center and you will be left with essentially a brownie. Let cool on a wire rack for 1 minute. Cover with an inverted plate and flip everything over. Let sit for 15 seconds and then unmold. Serve while hot with ice cream, and enjoy!

This dessert is meant to be served hot out of the oven, but they can also be baked and then warmed up in the oven when it is time to eat them. Warm up in the oven upside down, out of the ramekin. Be sure to keep a close eye on the cake to prevent the lava from baking through otherwise, you will not have any lava left! You can also let the batter sit in the refrigerator for several hours (in prepared ramekins), just let the batter come to room temperature fully before baking. Again, keep a close eye on the cakes when baking to make sure you have lava when you bite into it.

I hope you give his recipe a try! I’d love to see your chocolatey lava cake creations! Tag me on Instagram @beyondbakingwithamandajane so I can show you my support!

The Best and Richest Chocolate Lava Cake

  • Rating: ★★★★★
  • Print

Ingredients

  • 1 stick butter
  • 6 oz bittersweet chocolate
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 4 oz. sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 2 tablespoons flour

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F and grease 4-7 oz, 20 mL ramekins.
  2. In a double boiler, melt the butter and chocolate. Whisk occasionally until smooth.
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whisk the eggs, egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla until very pale and thick. About 4-5 minutes.
  4. Gently and quickly fold the chocolate mixture and flour into the egg mixture.
  5. Distribute the batter between the 4 ramekins and bake for 6-8 minutes, or until the edges are set and the center is still soft. Timing will depend on your oven and ramekin size, check often.
  6. Let cool on a wire rack for 1 minute. Cover ramekin with an inverted serving plate and flip everything over. Let stand for 15 seconds, then remove the ramekin. Serve hot. Garnish with powder sugar, berries, and/or hot caramel, if desired.

Tasted tested with love by friends and family.