Spiced Pear Muffins

I adapted this recipe from Taste of Home. I intended to make applesauce muffins, but when I discovered part way through making them that I was nearly out of applesauce, I made up the difference with mashed up bottled pears. The result was a deliciously moist muffin (or cupcake, if you're Jocilyn) with a fun pear flavor. Here's what the original creator (Linda Williams) had to say about them: "These are such a popular item at the restaurant I own that I had it printed up on a card to share with guests."

1 cup butter, softened

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 c. applesauce

1 1/2 c. very soft pear puree (canned pears work best)

4 cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. cloves

Cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla; mix well. Stir in applesauce and pears. Combine flour, baking soda, and spices and stir into creamed mixture. Spoon into muffin tins and bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpicck comes out clean.

Yield: About 2 dozen

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Layer Cake

Sam's birthday was on the 26th, and something I always look forward to is making his cake. We don't make cake much around here--there is always that issue of what to do with leftovers. Giving someone a plate of cookies or brownies somehow seems so much more socially acceptable than giving someone a plate of leftover birthday cake...

So I love dreaming up a fun cake combination for his birthday. I made these cupcakes for a recent piano recital, so they inspired me to make this cake. I used the same chocolate cake base for the 3rd year in a row--it's so good I can't seem to bring myself to try something else. Sam and I aren't huge cake fans, so this dense, moist cake is perfect for us.

After baking, allowing to cool, and leveling the cakes, whip up the amazing egg-less cookie dough filling (seriously, I love it even more than regular cookie dough) and sandwich a hefty layer between your two cakes. I used parchment paper this time to line my pan instead of just greasing and flouring, and that made a HUGE difference. I definitely suggest using it to prevent broken cakes!

Coat the cake with a thin layer of cookie dough flavored frosting and chill for at least 20 minutes.

To decorate, I used the "cloud cake" frosting technique. Simply pipe 3 large circles of frosting in a vertical line and smear them with the back of a spoon. Then repeat, overlapping each of the smears.

I did the top in a spiral pattern from the outside in. When you get to the end, you can shape the last blobs of frosting with your fingers so you don't have a messy seam.

Then decorate as desired! I made a chocolate chip border around the edge.

It was cute as-is, but I wanted to give it something a little extra.

So I whipped up some little chocolate chip cookies and stuck those in the frosting as well.

Yum! The birthday boy loved it!

Recipe inspired by and adapted from Annie's Eats

For the cake...

Mix together:

2 c. sugar

2 c. flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

Bring to a boil:

2 sticks butter

4 Tbsp. cocoa

1 cup water

Pour over the flour mixture and add:

2 eggs

1 c. buttermilk

1 tsp. vanilla

Mix well and pour batter into two 8-inch round pans lined on the bottom with parchment paper, greased on the sides. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

For the filling...

1 stick butter, slightly softened

3/4 c. brown sugar

2 1/4 c. flour

14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 c. chocolate chips (full size or mini)

Combine butter and sugar in a mixer and beat at medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Beat in flour, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla. Stir in chocolate chips.

For the frosting...

2 sticks unsalted butter, slightly softened

1/2 c. brown sugar

2 1/3 c. powdered sugar

2/3 c. flour

1/2 tsp. salt

2 Tbsp. milk

2 tsp. vanilla

Beat together butter and sugar at medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Add powdered sugar and stir until well incorporated. Add flour and salt, then milk and vanilla. Add milk as needed to create a good frosting consistency.

For garnish...

chocolate chips (full size or mini)

small chocolate chip cookies

To assemble...

Level cakes with a serrated knife. Top one cake with a thick layer of cookie dough filling (you may not use quite all of it). Top cookie dough filling with the second cake. Cover entire cake with a thin layer of frosting and let chill in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes. Pipe 3 large circles in a verticle line up the side of the cake and smear them with the back of a spoon, then repeat, overlapping the smears each time until the cake is covered. Decorate as desired with chocolate chips and mini chocolate chip cookies.

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Waffles

We love these waffles! They are packed full of good, nutritious elements but the chocolate chips make them kid-friendly. They do tend to be fairly dry, so serving them with fresh fruit and whipped cream is a good alternative to drenching them with syrup, although the photo says otherwise.

Recipe adapted from here.

Whisk together:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1/2 cup pure wheat bran (I use Bob's Red Mill)

2 Tbsp. baking powder

2 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. salt

In a separate bowl mix together:

2 cups milk

6 eggs

1/2 cup melted butter

1/2 cup applesauce

3 tsp. vanilla extract

Combine wet ingredients with dry ones and fold in 1-1 1/2 cups chocolate chips. Cook according to your waffle iron's instructions.