Peanut Butter Cake With Chocolate Buttercream

The coolest thing in the world has happened. I, Hannah Jeffries of Burnaby, British Columbia of the former British colony that is now known as Canada, and the daughter of Dan and June; met Joy the Baker. Thee Joy the Baker. Not just some Joy that bakes, not that they aren't cool too, but the one and only Joy the Baker.

Back in February, Salivz and I woke up at an ungodly hour after a night of facetime and wine to drive all the way down to Seattle (otherwise known as C-@Z) for her book signing in Fremont. Now I've never been cool but, boy, did I fool her. Not only did I have the shakes and the sweats but whenever anything exciting happens, tears pour. Thank God I locked the tears down.

She is totally awesome and pretty and she looks so hip, hop and happening. After I walked out of the book store, I broke out into a dance that was a mix of a crump and Irish dancing whilst singing 'Ni**as in Paris.' Please don't judge me, I was definitely in my zone.  

Peanut Butter Cake With Chocolate Buttercream

From the Joy the Baker Cookbook

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

6 tbsp butter, softened

3/4 cup smooth peanut butter 

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

3 eggs

1 cup + 2 tbsp buttermilk

Preheat the oven to 350 with the racks in the upper and lower third. Butter and flour, or baking spray it up, two 9 inch cake pans. Set them aside. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a larger separate bowl, beat together the butters and sugars until they are light and creamy. Beat it up for about three minutes with some elbow grease. Then beat in the eggs one at a time until it is all nice and combined. Add half of the flour mixture to the butter mixture until just combined and then pour in all of the buttermilk. Stir and just as it's about to come together, add the rest of the flour mixture. Now divide the batter between the two pans. Bake the cake for 15 to 25 minutes, alternating halfway through, until a cake tester comes out clean. Let them sit in the pan for ten minutes before removing them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Chocolate Buttercream

From the Joy the Baker Cookbook

3/4 cup butter, room temperature

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 tbsp milk

1 tsp vanilla

2 1/2 to 3 cups of powdered sugar, sifted

Scant 1/2 cup of heavy cream 

1/3 cup ovaltine powder

In a stand mixer, beat together the butter, cocoa and salt at a medium speed until combined and fluffy. Reduce the speed and slowly pour in the milk and vanilla. Beat to combine. Now add 2 1/2 cups of the powdered sugar. Slowly beat at first so that it doesn't fly up everywhere and attack you and then increase the speed to combine it all up. That should take about 2 to 3 minutes on medium speed. In a one cup measuring cup, mix together the cream and ovaltine to combine. With the mixer going at a slower speed, slowly pour in the cream mixture until it is all combined. Keep beating until it looks nice and fluffy and delicious. I threw mine in the fridge for 30 minutes before I used it on the cakes.. and ate some while I waited.

Assembly Line Time

2 cups quartered mini reese's cups (optional)

Take one of the cooled cakes and plop it on a cutting board. Grab a big old serrated and thin blade knife. I run this puppy along the top to get rid of the dome on the cake. Mine normally dont turn out to even but as long as you have most of the dome top gone, you're in the clear. Repeat with the other cake. Now grab a pretty cake stand and throw a cooled cake on it, with the cut side facing up. Grab some of the buttercream and spread it on the cake so there is about 1/4 to 1/2 inch of buttercream. Cover the buttercream with some quartered reese cups, if you wish. You can skip this part if you don't like them, which is strange because you are making a peanut butter and chocolate cake. Anyways, then plop the other cake on top, with the cut side down. Once it's secure, spread a thin layer of buttercream all over the cake. Put the cake in the fridge for about 30 minutes. This is the crumb coat. It keeps all the crumbs from ruining the pretty appearance of the cake. Once the 30 minutes are up, grab the cake and spread the rest of the buttercream on the cake. Sprinkle the rest of the peanut butter cups on top of the cake. Eat up! Makes one two-layer cake.

Peanut Candy Bar Caramel Corn

It was one of those mornings that was really the afternoon when I woke up with a pounding head. As I went to rub my face, as if to wipe away the pain, this inflicted even more pain on my throbbing nose. On the floor beside the bed, two dirty and wet socks were thrown near a pile of last night's clothes. At this point, I reached around for the time. But alas, no phone. 

And nope, it wasn't the morning after New Years so there is no logical reasoning except that my cousin had just arrived to town and a certain friend is very encouraging. Turns out, the pounding is because of a dance battle that involved a head stand. The wet socks are from an evening stroll that was so important that shoes were not. And to add insult to injury, my phone was at the taxi office on the other side of town.

When all is wrong, make some caramel corn. It gives a sense of accomplishment and it softens the blow of a hangover and the jokes being thrown around about last night's dance off. Don't worry, they are clearly just jealous of my mad dance skills.. and popcorn.

 

Peanut Candy Bar Caramel Corn

Adapted from my favourite recipe

3/4 cup butter
2 cups light brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda 

2 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 quarts popped popcorn (3 regular size bags of popped smartpop)

2 cups honey roasted peanuts
3 cups chocolate bars chopped (peanut butter cups and snickers are da-bomb)

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (95 degrees C). Place popcorn and peanuts in two very large bowl.* In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in brown sugar, corn syrup and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil without stirring 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in soda and vanilla. Pour in a thin stream over popcorn, stirring to coat.** Place in two large shallow baking dishes lined with tin foil and bake in preheated oven, stirring and alternating sheets every 15 minutes, for 1 hour. Remove from oven and immediately toss in the chocolate bar chunks. Let cool completely attacking it with your face.

* I didn't listen to my own advice from my own recipe. Two huge bowls are needed and it will still flop over the edges. Think of it as a bonus snack to eat along the way.
** The popcorn won't be completely coated but as it bakes it will melt and coat as it's tossed. So remember to stir it around in the oven for maximum awesomeness. 

Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

The minute I saw this creation from Picky Palate, I knew I would make them. She started with an Oreo cookie and then progressed to s'mores, peanut butter cups, you name it. So not only did I see it once but continued to have it put in my face for a few weeks. How can you deny it then? You can't. Here is some more reinforcement on her behalf.

Let me start by saying I loved them all. After all, it is simply chocolate chip cookie dough stuffed with more goodness. So I am putting them in order of which I liked best but let it be known even the last on the list was still liked! Now that the air is cleared, let's start. Skor was tied for last simply because the toffee doesn't melt and just become pretty hard to chew.

The pink marshmallow bunny is just a pink marshmallow. It was good but compared to the others out there it just didn't compare.

This is shocking. The fact that peanut butter cups are lower on the list is for one simple reason, and it is my fault, is because I used a mini peanut butter cup and not a large one. Therefore it did not compared to the others size wise. It is always number one in my heart.

This was pretty dang good. I think it was because of the cookie crunchy bits in the chocolate. This must only mean that an Oreo one is ridiculous.

The s'more one was just crazy. It was huge. The marshmallow, chocolate and graham just form together and it is like a rocky road cookie.

Symphony beat out s'more because I think the s'more taste didn't come through enough. I was expecting a s'more on chocolate chip cookie dough roids. This one was like Tom Arnold in True Lies. While everyone goes to see Arnold, it turns out the witty side kick steals the show. Great movie. 

My ultimate favourite. When I was raiding the house for things to throw in these cookies and I saw a bag of chocolate chip cookies. A chocolate chip cookie within a chocolate chip cookie? Oh yeah. (This is me. On top of that, he is voiced by Jason Segel. That just confirms it.)

Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies
Cookie recipe adapted from Gourmet and the brilliant beyond brilliant idea is from Picky Palate

cookies
3 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 tbsp vanilla
3 cups milk chocolate chips
stuffing
Symphony chocolate bars, Hershey's cookies and cream bars, marshmallows, peanut butter cups, s'mores, skor bars and bloody chocolate chip cookies

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl. Place the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Melt and continue to cook until brown bits form at the bottom. Beat together butter and sugars in a large bowl with an electric mixer at high speed until pale and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs *and vanilla. Reduce speed to low and mix in flour mixture until just blended, then stir in chips. Chill the cookie dough for at least 4 hours. Scoop out a hunk of dough and flatten it in your hand. Place one of the various stuffings on the dough and cover it with another mound of dough. Press and roll it together to seal in the stuffing.  Place similar sized cookies on one baking sheet at  least 3 inches apart. I used a separate sheet for the s'more and chocolate chip cookie stuffed ones because they were double the size. Form and place remaining cookies on additional sheets. Bake each sheet separately. Transfer cookies to a rack to cool and continue making cookies in same manner using cooled baking sheets. Makes a 3 dozen depending on the size.

* I just threw in 3 eggs. This was the directions as the original recipe says: Lightly beat 1 egg with a fork in a small bowl and add 1 3/4 tablespoons of it plus 2 remaining whole eggs to butter mixture, beating with mixer until creamy, about 1 minute.

Rocky Ledge Re-vamped

Another favourite bar! Every year these come out of the oven at least once. Every year is different too but this is the best yet. Subtle changes make a big difference I tell yarrr. It is a new year, a new me. The new me is pirate. Anyway, these little changes made them better when they were already the best. Such changes like big instead of little marshmallows, additional peanut butter cups and honey roasted peanuts, chopped chocolate instead of chips, more vanilla, more pan space, more more more. In this case, as with most, less is not more.

 

May I present, the bars to die for, Rocky Ledge Bars.

Re-Vamped Rocky Ledge Bars

Adapted from Martha Stewart Cookies

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 cups packed dark-brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup large marshmallows, quartered
1 cup milk chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 cup white chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 cup mini peanut butter cups, halved

1 cup honey roasted peanuts
1 cup soft caramel-candy cubes, quartered

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter two 8x 8 inch baking pans. Line with parchment paper, allowing a 2-inch overhang on the longer sides. Brush parchment with butter (not overhang). Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Mix butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; mix until well combined. Mix in flour mixture until combined. Fold in half of each of the marshmallows, chocolates, peanuts, peanut butter cups and caramels. Divide and spread batter into prepared pans. Scatter remaining marshmallows, chocolates, peanut butter cups, peanuts and caramels on top. Bake until top is golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack. Lift out of pan, and transfer to a baking sheet. Refrigerate until set, at least 30 minutes. Remove parchment, and cut each pan into about 16 small or 8 large triangles. Bars can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week. Makes 16 or 32 triangles.

Despite the previous pirate talk, I am not a big new years resolution gal. But I do apologize if these ruin yours.

Peanut Butter Surprise Cookies

This is my second peanut butter and chocolate recipe for the twelve weeks of Christmas cookies, I am aware but I do not apologize. How could I? There is no better combination. Try and name one! These pups are a regular around these parts. They are on the list of cookies my baby boy in baby blue jeans (formerly known as my little brother) loves. They are a staple in my kitchen.

Hom nom nom. 


Peanut Butter Surprise Cookies
From Everyday Food Cookie Special 

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup granulated sugar, for rolling dough
44 mini peanut butter cups, frozen and unwrapped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using an electric mixer, cream peanut butter and butter in a mixing bowl until smooth. Add brown sugar; beat until combined, scraping down bowl as needed. Add eggs and vanilla, and beat until incorporated. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. With mixer on low speed, gradually beat in flour mixture in two batches. Scoop off dough by an even tablespoon; roll into balls. Place granulated sugar in a shallow bowl; roll balls in sugar, coating completely. Place 2 inches apart on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake until cookies begin to puff up slightly, about 7 minutes. Remove from oven. Press one peanut butter cup in center of each cookie. Return to oven; continue baking until cookies are golden brown and chocolate has begun to melt, about 3 to 5 minutes more. Let cool at least 10 minutes on baking sheet before transferring cookies to rack to cool completely.

Birthday and Cake

It's my party and I will cry if I want to. But I won't because it was awesome! The big one nine. Officially legal throughout all of Canada and nearly everywhere else in the world but the good ol' South, also known as the States. Cigarettes, champagne and lottery tickets here I come. Only joking. About the cigarettes anyway.

 My beloved friend, Bo, made me this amazing card. 

Yes, this that Eric à la True Blood, Ryan Reynolds, Jake Gyllenhaal, Leo from Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants and, of course, Brad. And that is unfortunately me in the background with moose antlers found in the woods. My other gifts included such things as baking goods, books, a typewriter and loads of great stuff.

But one of the best parts of birthdays are making my own birthday cakes. Last year, it was the sweet and salty cake and this year was the peanut butter cake. While I made something similar for Pumpkin's birthday last year, changes were made to the frosting, a different cake and filling. It sounds completely different but it's the same concept.

Notice the knife, plastic wrap and open door.

Yum, yum, yum.. go find milk.

Peanut Butter Cup Cake
Cake from Barefoot Contessa and frosting from several places

cake

1 3/4 cups flour
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup natural cocoa powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 extra large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee 

icing

1 1/2 cups smooth peanut butter

1/2 cup butter

2 tsp vanilla

2 cups confectioner's sugar

1/4 cup cream

assembly

1/3 cup chopped, honey roasted peanuts

2 cups quartered mini peanut butter cups

cake Preheat the oven to 325º. Butter two 8 inch cake pans. Line the bottom with parchment paper. Butter the parchment paper and coat in cocoa. Tap off the excess. Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a large bowl. In smaller bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs and vanilla. Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry until just combined. Add the coffee and stir just to combine. The batter will be quite thin, don't worry! Divide the batter amongst the two pans. Bake for 35-40 minutes, alternating halfway through. Cool the cakes completely before removing them from the pans.

*If making this ahead of time, wrap the cakes completely in plastic wrap overnight. 

frosting Beat the butter, peanut butter and vanilla together. Sift in the confectioner's sugar. The frosting will be quite thick so slowly add the cream until the desired consistency.

assembly Unwrap the cakes from the plastic wrap. Cut the cakes across the top so that the tops are even. I used a huge, jagged bread knife to get the top even. Place one of the cakes on a cake stand. Spread about 1/2 cup of the peanut butter frosting on the cake. Top with the honey roasted peanuts. Place the next cake on top. Frost the rest of the cake. Don't worry about a crumb coat. With the peanut butter cups, cover the cake. Cover the cake loosely with plastic wrap. Put it in the fridge until serving, preferably within the day of assembly.

Peanuttiest Blondies

My little baby brother turned the big one four the other day. It is so hard to believe. For some odd reason, I group people into age categories and they seldom change. Ben is still ten in my mind, my little cousins are all about five years old when they are all nearly fourteen as well. The whole family has this age number that doesn't change as they do. But let's just look at how bloody cute my brother is.

This was his twelfth birthday, hitting up that cheesecake. I really need to stop bragging about how cute he is. Let it be known though that this is the only time I admit that he is cute and talented. Normally the little butthead is, well, a butthead. And I could never tell such a boy that he is actually not that bad. Got to keep him from thinking I'm going soft. 

And the other day when I was thinking of what to bake, I remembered that he and I have something very important in common. Love of peanut butter. Peanut butter cups in particular. These blondies are the second good I have baked from my new Dorie baking book. She did not disappoint again. Even though I undercooked them, they were still tasty. How have I gone so long without Dorie Greenspan?

Peanut Butter Blondies

Adapted from Baking: From My Home To Yours

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon*
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter, not natural
5 tbsp unsalted butter
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup coarsely chopped honey roasted peanuts
16 mini peanut butter cups

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Spray a 9 inch square baking pan with non stick spray and line with parchment paper. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Set aside. Cream the peanut butter and butter together until smooth. Add the white sugar and then the brown sugar and continue creaming. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating for one minute after each egg goes in. Beat in the vanilla extract. Slowly add the dry ingredients. Stir in the nuts, do not over stir. Scrape in half the dough and evenly place the peanut butter cups so there is one for each bar. Smooth on the rest of the dough. Bake the blondies for 40-50 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out mostly clean. Check halfway through, you may need to cover the pan with foil if the blondies are browning too fast. Cool the blondies completely before removing from the pan and slicing. 

*Another reason I love her, she understands the importance of cinnamon! 

Peanut Butter Bombs

Oscars!

Clothes.. Kate Winslet is one of my favourites, looked great. How cool was Zoe Saldana's dress? Miley's is my dream dress. She looked gorgeous! 

Olivia Wilde was sporting a vintage like outfit, lovely. Robert Downey Jr. and his wife were a well dressed couple. But..

Jeff Bridges, I would marry him regardless of age.

I was so excited that Jeff Bridges won! It was predicted by everyone that he would win but he completely deserved it. I had to drive a half hour to go and see Crazy Heart the night it was released and it was worth it. His Bad Blake is truly bad and yet he makes you fall in love with him. And when he sings, my heart melts.

For the oscars, I set myself up real nice. On the couch with a thick blanket, diet coke and lime, smart pop and these cookies. It kind of cancels out all the healthy bits but balance is good. I shall describe these. The outside is a peanut butter cookie dough which is pressed into a mix of peanuts, cinnamon and cocoa, then a half of a peanut butter cup is tucked inside, rolled up and baked, then dusted with more cocoa and cinnamon. BOOM.. that would be a bomb.

Peanut Butter Bombs
Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens Christmas Cookies 2009

cookie
3/4 cup softened butter
1/2 cup smooth (unsalted and unsweetened, like Kraft brand, if possible) peanut butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
filling
3 tbsp cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon (I really love it)
3 tbsp finely chopped unsalted peanuts
19 miniature chocolate-covered peanut butter cups, halved
topping
1 tbsp cocoa
1/2 tsp cinnamon 

Preheat oven to 375º. In a large bowl, combine butter and peanut butter. Beat until light and fluffy. Add the sugar, baking powder, and salt. Beat until completely combined. Beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Add half the flour mix and combine. Add the remaining and thoroughly mix. If necessary, cover and chill about 30 minutes or until dough is easy to handle. In a small shallow bowl mix the cocoa, cinnamon and peanuts together. Shape dough into 1-1/2-inch balls. Flatten the ball into a disk and press into the cocoa mixture. Place a peanut butter cup half on the cookie and enclose the dough around it to form a ball. Place cookies 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are firm and bottoms are very lightly browned. They may not look like they are done but they are! 10 minutes resulted in a browned bottom with a drier cookie so really make sure you watch them. Transfer cookies to a wire rack; let cool. Once they are cooled, sift the cookies with the cocoa and cinnamon mixture. Makes about 38 cookies. 

P.S. Those top photos were from google