carrot cake

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1.5 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 3/4 cup granulated sugar
1.5 cups vegetable oil
4 eggs
2 cups grated carrot
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup crushed and drained pineapple
1/2 cup golden raisins

Preheat oven to 350 F (325 F if using nonstick aluminum pans). Grease and flour two 9 " round cake pans.

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. In another large bowl, mix sugar and oil. Beat in eggs with electric mixer. Stir in carrots, nuts, pineapple and raisins. Stir in flour mixture. Pour into prepared pans.

Bake for 45 minutes (35 if using nonstick aluminum) or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove pans from the oven and place on a wire rack. Cool for 15 minutes before removing the cakes from the pans. Finish cooling on the rack.



Cream Cheese Icing:

16 oz cream cheese
1/2 cup butter, softened
2.5 cups confectioner's sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract

In a large bowl cream together the cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer. Add the vanilla and mix. Beat in the sugar. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat again.

Place one of the completely cooled cakes on cake stand and spread some of the icing on the top. Place the other cake on top and use the rest of the icing on the sides and top of the cake.

Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

1st Birthday

2nd Birthday

3rd Birthday

Ingredients:

* 3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
* 2 cups sugar
* 5 extra-large eggs at room temperature
* 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
* 3 cups flour
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
* 1 cup buttermilk

For the frosting:

* 1 pound cream cheese at room temperature
* 3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
* 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
* 1 1/2 pounds confectioners' sugar, sifted

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Add the vanilla extract and mix well.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In 3 parts, alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry. Mix until just combined.



Line a muffin pan with paper liners. Fill each liner to the top with batter. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Remove to a baking rack and cool completely.

Meanwhile, make the frosting. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, on low speed, cream together the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla and almond extracts. Add the confectioners' sugar and mix until smooth.



Frost the cupcakes.

Le Bus Brownies

Ingredients:

1 lb unsalted butter
2 cups sugar
1 cup cocoa
1.5 tbsp vanilla extract
4 large eggs
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup chocolate chips


Preheat oven to 325 F. Melt butter in saucepan. Set aside. Combine sugar and cocoa at low speed. Add butter and vanilla in a steady stream until blended. Raise speed to medium for 30 seconds. Beat eggs in one at a time. Continue beating for one minute. In a small bowl, blend flour, salt, and baking powder. Add to chocolate mixture and blend briefly until smooth. Add 1 cup of chocolate chips. Blend and spread mixture in a 9 X 12 pan. Bake for 10 minutes and reduce oven temperature to 275 F. Bake for another 40 minutes.

Pot of Dirt

Ingredients:

1 large package Oreo cookies
1/2 stick butter
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
3 1/2 cups milk
2 packages instant French vanilla pudding mix
1 (12 oz) carton Cool Whip
8 inch diameter (at top) new clay pot or plastic pot
Artificial flowers to insert into dessert

Instructions:

Crush the Oreos and set aside. Cream together the butter, cream cheese and powdered sugar. In a separate bowl, mix together the milk and pudding mix, and add to the creamed mixture. Fold in the Cool Whip.

Starting and ending with the crushed Oreos, layer the cookies and pudding mixture, adding gummy worms if desired. Decorate with artificial flowers and freeze. Remove from freezer 30 minutes prior to serving.

Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
14 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cups packed dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon table salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 1/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips or chunks


Instructions

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk flour and baking soda together in medium bowl; set aside.


2. Heat 10 tablespoons butter in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until melted, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking, swirling pan constantly until butter is dark golden brown and has nutty aroma, 1 to 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and transfer browned butter to large heatproof bowl. Stir remaining 4 tablespoons butter into hot butter until completely melted.


3. Add both sugars, salt, and vanilla to bowl with butter and whisk until fully incorporated. Add egg and yolk and whisk until mixture is smooth with no sugar lumps remaining, about 30 seconds. Let mixture stand 3 minutes, then whisk for 30 seconds. Repeat process of resting and whisking 2 more times until mixture is thick, smooth, and shiny. Using rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir in flour mixture until just combined, about 1 minute. Stir in chocolate chips, giving dough final stir to ensure no flour pockets remain.


4. Divide dough into 2-inch balls. Arrange 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.


5. Bake cookies 1 tray at a time until cookies are golden brown and still puffy, and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft, 9 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking. Transfer baking sheet to wire rack; cool cookies completely before serving.

Peach Crumb Pie

1/2 stick unsalted butter
3 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 lb (8-10) firm, ripe peaches
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
1/2 recipe thin butter crust

Crumb topping:
1 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (I omitted since our son has a nut allergy)
1 stick cold butter, cut into small pieces

Knead the crumb topping ingredients together until crumbly.

In a saucepan, melt the butter with water and lemon juice. Peel and slice the peaches, add to the saucepan and cook to warm through. Stir in sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and nutmeg until thickened. Let cool. Turn into a pie shell, cover with the crumb topping. Bake at 400 F until the filling bubbles - about 45 minutes.

buttercream eggs

1 stick unsalted butter
1 tsp vanilla
2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
6 cups confectioners sugar
8 oz unsweetened chocolate

Cream the butter til light and fluffy.
Add vanilla and milk.
Beat until blended.
Add sugar, 2 cups at a time, blending well after each addition.
Knead to a smooth consistency.
Pinch off 2 Tbsp and roll smooth between palms, forming an egg shape.
Place on a wax paper covered tray and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
Melt chocolate in a double boiler. Pour a little in a round dish and drop the eggs into the chocolate and coat. Place back on the tray and chill until the chocolate is hardened.

apple pie

Recipe taken from here.

The recipe for the thin butter crust is linked within the apple pie recipe and is awesome. It's surprisingly simple to make (I usually use a box mix recipe for pie crusts because I assume pastry crust is too difficult and that I need a working food processor, which we don't have), and super flaky & tasty.

vanilla ice cream

From The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz

Makes 1 quart

1 cup whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups heavy cream
pinch of salt
1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise
6 large egg yolks
3/4 tsp vanilla extract

Warm the milk, sugar, 1 cup of the cream, and salt in a medium saucepan. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the warm milk and add the bean as well. Cover, remove from the heat, and let steep at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Pour the remaining 1 cup of cream into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer on top. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.

Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream. Put the vanilla bean into the custard, add the vanilla extract, and stir until cool over an ice bath.

Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator. When ready to churn, remove the vanilla bean, and then freeze the mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.