Baking Junkie

January, 2011

Sunday, January 30th, 2011

Cake Batter Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

I have a bit of an obsession with both cookie dough and cake batter. I have a really hard time not sampling when I am making either of them, so when I saw these cookies a few months ago I couldn’t wait to try them out. I don’t really think it can get much better than biting into a chocolate chip cookie and tasting cake batter!

At least that’s what I was hoping for.

These cookies were a slight baking fail for me. I tried to work as fast as possible to get the cookie dough wrapped around the cake batter and get them in the oven as fast as possible like recommended, but I think it wasn’t fast enough. I took them out of the oven after 10 minutes, but they really didn’t look done to me so I left them in a little longer, and I think that was my mistake. The cake batter cooked more than I wanted it too, which is the reason for the fail, however, the taste was still amazing, so I am only considering them a slight fail. I have plans to try these again with the hope that the cake batter will still be gooey (click the link above for a picture of how they are supposed to look). If you have the same problem, fear not; they still taste like a cookie on the outside and cake on the inside, so you are still getting the best of both worlds. Enjoy!

Cake Batter Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies
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1 box yellow cake mix
1/3 cup oil
2/3 cup water
½ cup (1 stick) salted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup milk chocolate chips

In a medium sized bowl combine cake mix, oil and water. Roll into 1 inch balls, set on baking sheet and freeze for at least 12 hours.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cream together butter and sugars, then add vanilla and egg. In a separate bowl whisk together baking soda, salt and flour, then add to wet ingredients. Stir in chocolate chips.

Take about 2 tablespoons of dough and wrap it around a frozen ball of cake batter. Roll into ball. Repeat this process until dough is gone. Place onto parchment lined cookie sheet and bake about 10 minutes.

*Leave the cake batter balls in the freezer and remove one at a time while forming cookies. Try to work as quickly as possible to get everything in the oven. DO NOT OVERBAKE.*

~I’m sharing this over at Tasty Tuesdays~

Tags: Cake, chocolate, Cookies

Posted in Cookies | 14 Comments »

Wednesday, January 26th, 2011

Chocolate Peanut Butter Blowout Cookies for a Good Cause

Recipe adapted from Better Homes and Gardens

These were one of the very first cookies I put on the blog back in June and I had several requests to make them again from my friends. A few weeks ago my friend Steph over at Steph’s Bite by Bite announced that she was hosting an online bake sale for Team in Training with the profits going towards the Leukemia and Lymphoma society, so I instantly volunteered and began pondering the perfect item to donate. I knew cookies would be easy to ship, but no one wants to pay for regular old chocolate chip cookies right? I decided to remake these in a muffin top pan so they would be giant, monster-sized cookies, plus the picture definitely needed some updating too.

These were just as good as the first time I made them, if not better because you get to enjoy one huge cookie! You will have the chance to bid on these lovelies on Monday, January 31. All you have to do is visit Steph’s site and email her with your bid. Now of course I want you to bid for these, but there are a lot of other great food bloggers donating their baked goods too. Steph is really doing all the hard work here…the girl is running a marathon for goodness sake! All you have to do is buy some baked goods The winner will have one dozen of these cookies shipped directly to your house. So mark your calendars and tell your friends! How often do you get to say you’re eating a cookie to help cure cancer?

You can see the original post and recipe HERE

Check out the rules and logistics of the bake sale HERE

And by the way,remember that you can follow Baking Junkie on Facebook and Twitter

~I’m sharing this recipe over at Recipe Swap Thursday and Tip Day Thursday~

Tags: chocolate, Cookies, peanut butter, Peanuts

Posted in Cookies | 10 Comments »

Sunday, January 23rd, 2011

Barbecue Pulled Pork

Recipe adapted from Allrecipes

I know that this is a baking blog, and you all come here to find fabulous dessert recipes. The truth is I also spend a lot of time in my kitchen cooking, so I have decided to start sharing some of non-dessert recipes with you as well. Don’t worry, you will still find plenty of sweet treats and that will continue to be my passion and main theme of the blog. I have discovered that the more I dive into the world of baking, the more I find myself expanding my cooking skills as well. I still fail in this area much more often than in the world of baking, but I can also make some darn good main dishes if I do say so myself.

If someone would have told me a year ago that I would be making this recipe I would have laughed in their face. I had never even tried pulled pork before! That all changed this summer when some friends and I discovered a fantastic barbecue restaurant in LaCrosse, WI called The Train Station. I had never cared much for the taste of barbecue until I ate there, and now I’m hooked. Derek requested pulled pork a few months ago when he was craving Train Station so I found this recipe and gave it a try.

I honestly don’t see how it can get easier than this. Cut up a pork roast, season and brown it, stick it in the crock pot with a few other ingredients, shred and add barbecue sauce. Easy peasy.

I use the Famous Dave’s seasoning and barbecue sauce, but you could use any brands or flavors you prefer. The first time I made this I used a KC Masterpiece original sauce, which was good, but Derek and I both prefer the Famous Dave’s sauce.* We mainly use the pork for sandwiches, but you could serve it plain as well. This is a perfect idea for upcoming Superbowl parties! Enjoy!

Barbecue Pulled Pork
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3 pounds boneless butt pork roast
¾ cup chopped onion
5 cloves garlic, crushed
Famous Daves Rib seasoning (or any other seasoning you’d like)
1 can chicken broth
2 cups water
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 ¼ cup barbecue sauce

Chop garlic and onion and set aside. Cut pork roast into smaller pieces (I cut mine into 8 or 9). Season generously with rib seasoning. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Place pork in skillet to brown on all sides. Halfway through cooking add in garlic and onion. When pork is browned transfer to crock pot along with garlic, onion and juices. Add chicken broth, water, worcestershire sauce and extra sprinkling of rib seasoning. Cook on high for 4-6 hours. Pierce meat with a fork to shred. If needed, use two forks and shred along the side of the crock pot. Using a slotted spoon, remove the meat and place into a medium sized bowl. Add barbecue sauce (more or less to taste) and mix well.

*I am not benefiting from mentioning Famous Dave’s in any way. They have no idea I even exist, I just like their products.*

Tags: Barbecue, Main Dish, Pork

Posted in Main Dishes | 2 Comments »

Wednesday, January 19th, 2011

Nutella Banana Bread

Recipe adapted from RecipeGirl

Let me just say that I love Nutella. It’s sad, but I had to travel all the way to Germany to discover it for the first time. One of our friends there asked if I wanted to try it, so I asked her what it was. When she told me it was “sort of like a chocolate-y peanut butter”, I was instantly smitten! I don’t think it can really get much better than that. I remember thinking how incredibly it was, and how we really should get it in America . You can imagine my dumbfounded-ness when I later see it in my grocery store once we were back in the states!

Back when I first started the blog I had a Nutella banana bread on my list to make, and it seems I have finally gotten around to it. My initial plan was to just swirl the Nutella through my usual banana bread batter, but when I saw this recipe I knew it would be even better. The Nutella is actually mixed into a portion of the banana bread, then swirled together with the original batter. Because of the sour cream used this banana bread is always very moist, and this was no different. The Nutella and banana flavors both compliment each other really well without either being overpowering. Between this and the caramel toffee version, I don’t think I will ever just make plain banana bread again. Enjoy!

Nutella Banana Bread
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1/2 cup salted butter
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 tsp cinnamon
2 cups flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
Dash of salt
3 over-ripe bananas, mashed
¾ cup Nutella

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In medium sized mixing bowl cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs and sour cream, then cinnamon, flour, baking powder, soda, and salt. Save bananas for last. Place nutella in a small bowl and microwave for 20 seconds. Stir until smooth. Add one cup of the banana bread batter into the nutella and mix well. Place large spoonfuls of batter into a greased 8 x 4 inch loaf pan, alternating between the banana and nutella batters. Swirl the two batters together with a knife. Bake 60-65 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

~I’m sharing this recipe over at Recipe Swap Thursday and Sweets for a Saturday~

Tags: Banana, Bread, Nutella

Posted in Bread | 18 Comments »

Sunday, January 16th, 2011

German Chocolate Cake

Recipe adapted from The Cake Mix Doctor

German chocolate cake has always been one of those take it or leave it cakes for me. It’s honestly because I don’t care for the coconut in the frosting. The cake, however, happens to be my mom’s favorite and today happens to be her birthday! Apparently it takes a birthday for me to buy coconut for the first time ever in my life.

I have been in a Cake Mix Doctor phase lately so that’s exactly where I turned for this recipe. Her recipes always call for adding pudding and sour cream which make the cakes incredibly moist and delicious. The coconut pecan frosting was surprisingly much easier than I thought it would be, just a little time consuming. I have seen some german chocolate cakes made with chocolate frosting around the sides which I think would taste phenomenal, but because of time constraints I opted just for the frosting between and on top of the layers. Enjoy!

German Chocolate Cake
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1 package German chocolate cake mix
½ of a 3.4 oz box vanilla instant pudding
¾ cup water
½ cup sour cream
¼ cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
1 ½ cups sugar
12 Tbsp (1 ½ sticks) butter
4 egg yolks, beaten
1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
2 cups sweetened flaked coconut
1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl combine together cake mix, pudding, water, sour cream, vegetable oil, and eggs. Divide batter evenly between two greased and lightly floured 9 inch round cake pans. Bake for 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool in cake pans for 5-10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

Meanwhile, place evaporated milk, sugar, butter, egg yolks and vanilla in a large saucepan over medium high heat. While stirring constantly cook until thickened and bubbly, approximately 15 minutes. Remove from heat then mix in coconut and pecans. Place in the refrigerator to cool and thicken for 30 minutes.

Once cakes have cooled completely tort them to make the layers even and level. Place half of the frosting between the cake layers and the other half of the frosting on top.

Tags: Cake, chocolate, Coconut, Pecan

Posted in Cake | 3 Comments »