PEANUT BUTTER CAKE WITH PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING

 

PEANUT BUTTER CAKE WITH PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING

2 & 1/4 CUPS ALL PURPOSE FLOUR
2 CUPS LIGHT BROWN SUGAR (packed)
1 CUP PEANUT BUTTER
... 1/2 CUP BUTTER (room temperature)
1 TEASPOON BAKING POWDER
1/2 TEASPOON BAKING SODA
1 & 1/4 CUPS MILK
2 TEASPOONS VANILLA EXTRACT
3 EGGS
Preheat your oven to 350 and grease and flour a 10 x 15 cake pan. In a large bowl, mix the first 4 ingredients with an electric mixer; blend at low speed until crumbly. Add the next 5 ingredients and blend at low speed until everything is wet, then beat at medium speed for 3 minutes.

Pour into prepared pan and bake, in the middle of your oven, for 35-40 minutes or until the toothpick test comes out clean.

Let the cake cool (in the pan) for 10 minutes, then spread the frosting on the hot cake (recipe follows) and sprinkle one cup of mini-chocolate chips over the frosting.

PEANUT BUTTER-HONEY FROSTING

1/2 CUP PEANUT BUTTER + 2 TABLESPOONS HONEY + 1 TEASPOON VANILLA EXTRACT + 2 CUPS POWDERED SUGAR + 4 to 5 TABLESPOONS MILK

Warm the peanut butter and honey in the microwave just until it gets soft and easy to stir, then add everything else and beat until smooth. Spread over hot cake and sprinkle with one cup of mini-chocolate chips.

NOTE: You might like to double the frosting -- but still only use one cup of mini-chocolate chips.

Chocolate Lasagna

Chocolate Lasagna

INGREDIENTS

1 package regular Oreo cookies (Not Double Stuff) – about 36 cookies
... 6 Tablespoon butter, melted
1- 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 Tablespoons cold milk
1- 12 ounce tub Cool Whip, divided
2 – 3.9 ounce packages Chocolate Instant Pudding.
3 1/4 cups cold milk
1 and 1/2 cups mini chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS

1. Begin by crushing 36 Oreo cookies. I used my food processor for this, but you could also place them in a large ziplock bag and crush them with a rolling pin. When the Oreos have turned into fine crumbs, you are done.
2. Transfer the Oreo crumbs to a large bowl. Stir in 6 tablespoons melted butter and use a fork to incorporate the butter into the cookie crumbs. When the butter is distributed, transfer the mixture to a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan. Place the pan in the refrigerator while you work on the additional layers.
3. Mix the cream cheese with a mixer until light and fluffy. Add in 2 Tablespoons of milk, and sugar, and mix well. Stir in 1 and 1/4 cups Cool Whip. Spread this mixture over the crust.
4. In a bowl, combine chocolate instant pudding with 3 and 1/4 cups cold milk. Whisk for several minutes until the pudding starts to thicken. Use a spatula to spread the mixture over the previous cream cheese layer. Allow the dessert to rest for about 5 minutes so that the pudding can firm up further.
5. Spread the remaining Cool Whip over the top. Sprinkle mini chocolate chips evenly over the top. Place in the freezer for 1 hour, or the refrigerator for 4 hours before serving.

HONEYCAKES

Honeycakes

2/3 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp honey (I like orange blossom or wildflower)
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp white wine / apple cider (I use cider more often - I like the taste of apple in the cakes)
1 tsp herbs or spice for your intention (charged as usual - see note at bottom)
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt2 tbsp oats

Directions:
Cream shortening, sugar, eggs, honey, vanilla and wine/cider. Add herbs or spices. Blend in baking powder, flour, salt, and oats. Mix well.

Spoon batter onto a cookie sheet, or roll out and cut into the shape of a crescent moon. (I usually go with the quicker spooning method). Bake at 350 degrees F for 9 to 10 minutes.

As with this kind of cookieish recipe, if the cakes look brown and done in the oven, they are overdone.

Some herbs I have used for Samhain:
thyme - for courage and communing with the deceased
lotus - for aiding spirits in reincarnation. It's sold as a paste or as seeds in some asian groceries.
chervil - aid in communing with the deceased, and in guiding spirits to peace and serenity
apple - I have used little bits of dried apple in the cakes, since apples are part of most (including mine) Samhain rituals.