First of all, let me just apologize now for introducing you to this cake. I’m usually not a fan of sheet cakes – but this one is in a stratosphere all it’s own. It’s totally a cake that your Southern grandmother would have made, that is – if you had a Southern grandmother. But with this cake, you can totally pretend you did, and say it’s a recipe that was handed down from her!

Our friends Jamie & Alex came over for dinner a couple weeks ago, and Jamie brought this as dessert.  I’d heard her rave about it before, so I was excited to try it. She said an old woman who used to come to her mom to get her hair cut would bring this cake, and she loved it as a little girl. Then, thanks to Pinterest – she found a recipe and gave it a whirl. I was enamored – rich, gooey, sweet deliciousness.

The traditional version is make with Coca-Cola, but when I made my version I used Cheerwine. It’s a cherry-ish flavored soda that hails from North Carolina (or “Cackalacky” as we like to call it). We rarely drink soda, but I’m always looking for an excuse to buy some Cheerwine! There’s also a bit of soda in the glaze/frosting (it’s kind of somewhere in the middle) and I added some maraschino cherry juice to bump up the flavor a little bit more. It always stays a little bit soft, but forms this awesome glaze-like slightly crunchy top layer.

This will be the moistest chocolate cake you’ve ever had the pleasure of enjoying. And, it’ll be the easiest chocolate cake you’ve ever had the pleasure of making. Do you see why I apologized in advance? Have a great weekend everyone!

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Cheerwine Cake

2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup butter
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 cup Cheerwine or Coca-Cola
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

For the frosting:
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup Cheerwine or Coca-Cola
1 Tbsp maraschino cherry juice

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9×13 inch pan well with butter or shortening.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment combine the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and cinnamon. Mix to combine.

In a small saucepan combine the butter, cocoa powder, Cheerwine, and buttermilk. Stir over medium heat until butter has melted and mixture has combined.

Remove chocolate mixture from heat, and with the mixer running on low, slowly pour into the flour mixture. Add in eggs one at a time, then the vanilla. Mix until combined, then pour into prepared baking pan.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

While cake is baking, make the frosting/glaze. In a large saucepan, combine the butter, cocoa powder, Cheerwine, and maraschino juice. Bring to a boil, remove from heat, and carefully whisk in 4 cups of confectioner’s sugar until smooth.

Pour the frosting over the warm cake. Let sit for at least 2 hours before cutting, or even overnight. I’ve found it’s even better on the second day than it is on the first!

Source: adapted from MayFlaum.com, originally published from The Junior League of Athens, GA

Those folks at America’s Test Kitchen – I just don’t know how they do it, or what I’d do without them! They’re working tirelessly, churning out great recipes for us, day in and day out. They’ve taught me probably 75% of what I’ve learned in the kitchen, the other 25% being owed to Alton Brown. Anywho, they’ve got a new cookbook on the shelves that gives our favorite comfort foods a revamp, making them a little bit more figure friendly. A few of my favorite bloggers have been sharing recipes, and when I saw this lightened-up chocolate cupcake – well, I just couldn’t resist giving it a try!

Now, if I hadn’t just told you they were low-fat – you’d honestly never know! Everyone that tried them enjoyed them, and there was nary a peep about them being low-fat. You honestly couldn’t tell! They were incredibly moist and chocolatey, and the frosting was delicious and rich – without being too sweet, like many frostings can. The secret to the cupcakes is the boiling water, which does a great job of “blooming” and releasing the flavors of the cocoa, but also adds moisture. And for the frosting, instead of copious amounts of butter being used – milk is the main component to bring everything together. Along with delicious bittersweet chocolate, and a small amount of butter to give a gorgeous sheen and richness to the frosting.

I’m definitely looking forward to trying more recipes out of this cookbook. I love to cut calories where I can, but refuse to sacrifice taste! I know I can always count on the good people at ATK to do just that for me! I hope everyone has a great weekend!

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“Skinny” Chocolate Cupcakes

2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine
1/3 cup cocoa
3/4 tsp instant espresso powder
3/4 cup boiling water
3/4 cup bread flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
5 tablespoons canola oil
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the frosting:
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
7 tablespoons one-percent milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 ounce bittersweet chocolate, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.

In a large bowl add the chocolate, cocoa, and espresso powder. Pour the boiling water over the top and allow the mixture to sit for a few minutes to give the chocolate time to melt. Whisk until smooth and then let the mixture cool, about 10 minutes.

In a small bowl combine the flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda. Whisk to combine.

Once the chocolate mixture has cooled add the eggs, vinegar, and oil to the bowl and whisk until smooth. Add the flour mixture and whisk everything together until well combined and a smooth batter is formed.

Measure out 1/4 cup of batter into each muffin tin. Bake the cupcakes for 17-19 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached. Pull the done cupcakes from the oven and place the pan on a wire rack. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan, on the rack, for 10 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the pan once the 10 minutes are up and allow them to cool completely on the wire rack, about 1 hour.

For the frosting, combine the powdered sugar and cocoa together in the food processor and pulse a few times to combine. Add the milk, butter, melted chocolate, and vanilla, and process until smooth.

Frost cupcakes as desired. I used Wilton 2D.

Source: Comfort Food Makeovers by America’s Test Kitchen via Bless This Mess

Top o’ the mornin’ to you lads & lassies! We’re busy getting our green beer and carbomb cupcakes ready here on the Eastern Shore, but I wanted to share one more St. Patty’s Day related treat for you – and it’s Friday, so I thought something sweet was in order.

The first time I made these brownies was the 1st St. Pat’s Day that we were married, if my memory serves me correctly (which, it’s entirely possible that it doesn’t). My mother-in-law had gone to get Paula Deen’s new book signed for me when she was in Ft. Lauderdale, and it was the first recipe I’d made from it. This green-studded treat is a breeze to make – but it does take some time for cooling the layers, so keep that in mind before you start.

A moist chocolate brownie, topped with a gorgeous mint buttercream, then covered in a layer of chocolate. What’s not to love? Sure, they may not be the most authentic Irish treat – but, I can assure you it will be festive and delicious! And that’s what really matters, doesn’t it? Have a great, fun filled weekend everyone – and stay safe!

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Crème de Menthe Brownies

4 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate
1 cup unsalted butter
4 large eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup flour

For the mint buttercream:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
4 tablespoons Crème de Menthe
green food coloring
peppermint extract

For the chocolate topping:
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
6 tablespoons unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9×13 baking pan with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

In double boiler, melt baking chocolate and 1 cup butter over simmering water; cool slightly.

In medium mixing bowl, beat eggs with a whisk until blended, then add the 2 cups granulated sugar and continue whisking until mixture is light and fluffy. Add cooled chocolate mixture, salt, vanilla and flour. Keep whisking until thoroughly blended.Pour batter into prepared pan and bake 25 minutes. Remove from oven and leave brownies to cool in pan.

To make the buttercream, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the 1/2 cup butter and confectioners’ sugar together until well blended. Stir in the creme de menthe and blend well. Add additional food coloring and peppermint extract if desired. Spread over cooled brownies. Refrigerate in original baking pan until filling is firm.

To make the topping, melt the chocolate chips and butter in the top of a double boiler, stirring until smooth.Pour the warm glaze over the filling and tilt pan to distribute the icing evenly.

Refrigerate until chocolate sets, then cut into squares and serve. They’re rich, so I usually cut them fairly small.

Source: adapted from Paula Deen Celebrates!