Tag Archives: birthday

Happy Birthday to Me (and the Chocolate-Peanut Butter Obsession Continues)

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I’m here, I’m alive, I’ve survived another year! Go me! I know it’s been awhile since we’ve seen each other, but it’s been a busy year so it’s been hard to find time to sit down and blog. But, I’M BACK KIDS! It’s my birthday gift to me (and you)! For those of you who have been around awhile, you may be aware that every year I make my own birthday cake. This year was no exception. Previous birthdays included:

When I saw this cheesecake over on Smitten Kitchen, I just knew I needed to make it for my birthday. With layers of chocolate cookie crust, rich chocolate fudge, and creamy peanut butter cheesecake, all topped off with a chocolate ganache.

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Chocolate-Peanut Butter Cheesecake

Ingredients

    For the crust
  • 9 oz (1 package) Nabisco chocolate wafers
  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
  • 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
    • For the fudge
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 13 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
    • For the cheesecake
  • 2 8-oz packages full fat cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1 1/4 cups smooth peanut butter
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup full fat sour cream, room temperature
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
    • For the ganache
  • 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 4 1/2 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon smooth peanut butter

Instructions

    Prepare the pan
  1. Cover the outside of a 9 inch springform pan with two layers of aluminum foil.
    2. For the crust
  2. Finely crush wafers in a food processor until they make fine crumbs. Add chocolate chips and brown sugar a pulse to combine. Add butter and continue pulsing until thoroughly moistened. (If you don't have a food processor, you can crush the cookies in a heavy duty ziploc bag using a rolling pin, then pour into a bowl and add the remaining ingredients).
  3. Transfer the crumbs to the springform pan and press them up the sides of the pan almost to the top (within a half inch) and into the bottom of the pan to form the crust. Place in refrigerator to chill while you make the fudge.
    4. Make the fudge
  4. Bring heavy cream to a simmer in a saucepan. Remove from heat and add the chocolate and peanut butter, whisking until smooth. Pour into pan and spread into an even layer. Place in the freezer for about 30 minutes, until firm.
    5. Make the cheesecake
  5. Preheat the oven to 325°F
  6. Using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, peanut butter, and sugar until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides as needed.
  7. Scrape down the sides and add the sour cream, beating to combine.
  8. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until incorporated.
  9. Add vanilla and beat until incorporated, scraping down the sides and bottom to ensure everything is evenly mixed. Pour cheesecake over the fudge layer.
    10. Bake in a water bath
  10. Place foil-wrapped springform pan into a roasting pan large enough to hold it.
  11. Fill the pan with enough hot water to come 1 inch up the side of the springform pan and transfer very carefully to the oven.
  12. If you don't want to use a water bath, you can bake it without a water bath as well, but the water bath is more gentle. To bake without a water bath, simply place your springform pan onto a baking sheet in the oven. (The baking sheet will make it easier to remove when the cheesecake is done).
  13. Bake the cheesecake for 75 to 90 minutes until the cake is mostly firm but will still jiggle a bit in the middle when poked. If you like to be more scientific, the center of the cheesecake should reach about 150-155°F on an instant read thermometer. The top will be a light golden brown.
  14. When done, allow to cool about 30 minutes on a wire rack, then transfer to the refrigerator for at 3 hours (or longer).
    15. Make the ganache
  15. Heat cream in a small saucepan until simmering.
  16. Remove from the heat and add the chocolate and peanut butter, whisking until smooth and shiny.
  17. Pour onto the cheesecake and spread evenly across the top of the cheesecake.
  18. Return cheesecake to fridge for at least 30 minutes, until the ganache has set.
    19. Serve the cheesecake
  19. Run a small offset spatula or butter knife around the outside of the cake to make sure it doesn't stick to the pan. Unhinge the sides to remove the bottom piece containing the cheesecake.
  20. To cut the cheesecake, run a sharp knife under hot water and wipe with a warm damp cloth. Cut into thin slices, pressing firmly at the bottom to ensure you cut through the crust layer at the bottom, wiping the knife as needed.
https://wee-eats.com/2017/03/15/happy-birthday-chocolate-peanut-butter-cheesecake/

[ Recipe from Smitten Kitchen ]

a momofuku-inspired peanut butter & jelly birthday cake

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pbj_cake_wee_eats_1340

It’s become a tradition around here where every year I bake my own birthday cake. It’s my gift to myself every year that I challenge myself a little bit to come up with a recipe and execute it.

It started with the chocolate peanut butter cake, from there I moved on to fluffernutter cake, sweet & salty cake, and then the Momofuku themes with confetti cake, and last year’s chocolate chip cake. This year I fulfilled my childhood dream with my very own peanut butter and jelly cake.

I didn’t just want a white cake filled with peanut butter and jelly frostings, I wanted to create a cake that would literally be like eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. And, I think I succeeded.

pbj_cake_slice_wee_eats_1356

I bit of a warning though, while making me extremely happy and excited about achieving my goal, it simultaneously blew my mind eating a cake that tasted like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Sort of like eating purple ketchup. It tastes so good but it breaks my brain when I eat it.

That being said, this cake was a huge hit and I highly recommend making this for the PBJ lover in your life.

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peanut butter and jelly cake

Ingredients

    You will need
  • 1 recipe browned butter cake
  • 1 recipe peanut butter frosting
  • 1 recipe berry milk crumbs
  • 1 jar of your favorite jelly (you won't use the whole jar)
  • 1/4 cup milk with 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 gallon-size Ziploc bag (for frosting)
  • 6-inch cake ring
  • 2 acetate strips
    • For browned butter
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
    • For the cake
  • 4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons brown butter (recipe below)
  • 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup tightly packed brown sugar
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • ½ cup shaken buttermilk, room temperature
  • 1/3 cup grapeseed oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ cups cake flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
    • For the peanut butter frosting
  • 1 stick (8 ounces) cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 2/3 cup smooth peanut butter
    • For the berry crumbs
  • 1/2 cup powderd milk
  • 1/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/4 cup powdered milk (separate from the first)
  • 3 ounces white chocolate, melted
  • 1/4 cup crushed freeze dried berries of your choice (I used strawberries)

Instructions

    Make the browned butter
  1. Place butter in a microwave-safe bowl put a microwave-safe plate on top.
  2. Microwave for 3 to 5 minutes, watching carefully. The butter will pop while browning.
  3. If the butter has not browned enough, microwave again in 1 minute increments.
  4. While the brown butter is cooling, stir periodically to incorporate the caramelized bits of butter. Cool completely before using. (I put mine in the fridge and stirred every 5 to 10 minutes).
    5. Make the cake
  5. Heat the oven to 350°f and line a quarter sheet pan with parchment.
  6. In a small bowl, stir together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt.
  7. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter, brown butter, and sugars. Cream together on medium-high for 2 to 3 minutes and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the eggs, one at a time, and mix until combined after each addition. Turn the mixer up to medium-high for 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl once more.
  8. With the mixer on low, slowly stream in the buttermilk, oil, and vanilla. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat another 5 to 6 minutes, until the mixture is nearly doubled in size.
  9. * Remember you’re basically forcing too much liquid into an already fatty mixture that doesn’t want to make room for it, so if it doesn’t look right after 6 minutes, keep mixing.
  10. Once homogenized, stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl.
  11. Add the flour mixture on low speed and mix for 45 to 60 seconds, just until your batter comes together and any remnants of dry ingredients have been incorporated. scrape down the sides of the bowl. mix on low speed for another 45 seconds to ensure that any little lumps of cake flour are incorporated.
  12. Spread the cake batter in an even layer in the prepared pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the cake bounces back when gently touched and a toothpick entered into the center comes out mostly clean.
  13. Cool cake completely on a wire rack (you can turn it out after 15 minutes, or let it cool completely in the pan). The cooled cake can be stored in the fridge, wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to 5 days.
    14. For the frosting
  14. Frosting should be made when you are ready to assemble the cake.
  15. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the butter and cream cheese together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.
  16. Scrape down the sides of the bowl then add peanut butter and vanilla, beat on medium-high to combine.
  17. Scrape down the sides of the bowl again and add the powdered sugar. Beat on low until the sugar is incorporated, then turn speed up to high and beat another minute or so until the mixture is very light and fluffy.
  18. Scoop frosting into a gallon size Ziploc bag or into a pastry bag fitted with a large tip. Set aside.
    19. Make the crumbs
  19. Preheat the oven to 250°F and line a baking sheet with parchment.
  20. In a small bowl, combine the ½ cup milk powder, the flour, cornstarch, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl, stirring to combine. Add the melted butter and toss, using a spatula, until the mixture starts to come together and form small clusters.
  21. Spread the clusters on prepared sheet pan and bake for 20 minutes. Cool the crumbs completely.
  22. Crumble any milk crumb clusters that are larger than ½ inch in diameter, and put the crumbs in a medium bowl. add the extra ¼ cup of milk powder and 2 tablespoons of the berry powder and toss together until it is evenly distributed throughout the mixture.
  23. Pour the white chocolate over the crumbs and toss until your clusters are covered, then continue tossing them every 5 minutes until the white chocolate hardens and the clusters are no longer sticky. You can add additional berry powder while tossing, if desired.
  24. The crumbs will keep in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer for up to 1 month.
    25. Assemble the cake
  25. Mix 1/4 cup of milk with 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
  26. Warm jelly for 15-30 seconds in the microwave (this makes it much easier to spread).
  27. Using a 6-inch cake ring, stamp out two full circles and two half circles from the sheet cake.
  28. Clean the cake ring and line with an acetate strip.
  29. Place the cake ring atop a cake board or a plate and place the first cake circle into the bottom of the cake ring.
  30. Using a pastry brush, brush with 1/3 the milk mixture. Spread a layer of jelly atop the cake layer and sprinkle with berry crumbs.
  31. Snip 1/2-inch opening from the corner of the Ziploc and twist the top of the bag so the frosting doesn't ooze out. Squeeze a line of frosting around the outside of the cake, and then a smaller circle or two towards the middle. Using a small offset spatula or the back of a spoon, spread the frosting into an even layer.
  32. Top with the two halves of the cake circle to create one full circle, pressing gently but firmly down on top of the cake layer to secure it in place. If necessary, use any cake scraps to fill any gap there is between the two cake halves.
  33. Wedge your second acetate strip between the cake ring and the first acetate strip to secure it in place.
  34. Brush your fraken-cake layer with 1/3 of the milk mixture, spread with a layer of jelly, crumbs, and frosting (deja vu, right?).
  35. Top with final layer of cake, brush with final 1/3 of milk mixture, and spread with peanut butter frosting. Top with berry crumbs.
  36. Place the entire assembled cake into the freezer to set for at least 8 hours, or up to one week. I usually freeze mine for 6 to 8 hours until firm enough to handle, then you can take it out, remove the cake ring (leaving the acetate strips in place) and cover with saran wrap. Return to the freezer until serving day.
  37. Take cake out of the freezer at least 4 to 6 hours prior to serving. You can take it out the night before and place in the refrigerator the thaw, if desired.

Notes

* For help with the assembly, check out Shannon's post or this video from Bon Appetit

https://wee-eats.com/2016/03/29/momofuku-pbj-cake/

[ cake recipe adapted from Momofuku Milk Bar]

thursday things – a very momofuku birthday

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milk bar chocolate chip cake 0524

It happened. On Monday I officially said “goodbye” to my 20s and dove headfirst into the big 3-0. I’m officially a grown up, and I know this because I got furniture for my birthday. Yep. Furniture.

Not only did I get furniture, but I was excited about it. EXCITED. ABOUT FURNITURE. WHAT’S WRONG WITH ME?

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thursday things – i’m getting old and some other stuff

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sidewalk

IT’S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN! By “that time” I mean the time of year when I get another year older… Here is a little known fact. My neighborhood was built the same year that I was born. The sidewalk reminds me of this every day.

WHICH MEANS… In a few days I will officially be saying “goodbye” to my 20s and move into the big bad world of adulthood. Like, grown up adulthood.

Scary.

Last year I was indecisive so I made two cakes, this year I went back to Momofuku and have cobbled together a cake recipe from their Momofuku Milk Bar cookbook. Recipe will be coming next week (Monday is the big day!) but here’s a sneak peek at what’s coming up!

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sweet and salty cake

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sweet and salty cake 1178

I know that by now my birthday was like over a week ago and I should get over it.

Except I can’t, because … this cake.  Guys, this cake.

My god.

I don’t know what came over me because I was already super excited to have not only picked out what cake I was making but I had all the ingredients ready to go… Then, at the last minute, it happened.

It was just a quiet night, like any other night, lounging in my super awesome grown up monkey pajamas, watching Keeping up with the Kardashians some critically-acclaimed drama on TV with some of my best friends a stack of cookbooks by my side,  and I opened the book directly to this.

IMG_2943

It was a sign. From the heavens above. A sign.

I had to make this cake.

You see, when I received this book some Christmases ago, I had never made a “real” cake nor caramel and making both at the same time seemed like an insane task that was doomed for failure.

Now, several years later, I was still pretty sure that I might fail, but there was a chance that I could not only accomplish this goal, but that it would make a fine birthday gift to myself.

The gift of self-satisfaction and accomplishment. And cake.

I like cake.

I especially like cake when it is sandwiched between layers of gooey caramel, and salted-caramel-chocolate frosting and then finished with a light dusting of crunchy fleur de sel.

sweet and salty cake 1198

I’m not usually the type of person who usually really cares for frosting. I’m usually that weirdo who is always scraping it off of my cake and pushing it to the side while people stare at me in horror “BUT THE FROSTING IS THE BEST PART”

1. If the frosting is the best part of your cake, your cake is awful.

2. If your cake isn’t awful and you still like the frosting best, then you’re awful.

Ok, you’re not awful. In fact we should probably be best friends because then I can eat all of your cake  guilt-free while you eat all of my frosting. It’s better for the environment – no waste!

But this frosting. I would inject it into my veins if I could just to get it inside of me.  It’s so fluffy and creamy and sweet and delicious and amazing and … you get the point. You should make it. Even if you don’t make the cake. Eating a bowl of frosting is a totally acceptable thing to do.

I did learn three things in the process of making this particular cake.

(Yay knowledge!)

First – I HATE chopping chocolate. Like, really hate it. An absurd amount.

Sometimes I will even skip making a recipe JUST because it calls for chopped chocolate. I will instead find a recipe in which I can use cocoa powder instead.

Chopping chocolate is messy and annoying and awful and it takes forever and shoots chocolate particles all over my kitchen.

My million dollar idea? Let’s sell pre-chopped chocolate! You know there are chocolate crumbs in factories somewhere – LET’S BAG THAT SH*T AND SELL IT!!

Second – If you have ever made caramel before, you know when it’s done. Trust yourself.

The book’s recipes call to bring the caramel to 350F degrees. I did not follow my instinct and instead waiting for it to reach the 350F degree mark, and then had to dump it down the drain because burned caramel, as it turns out, is not actually very delicious (trust me, as someone who hates wasting food, I really did try to salvage it and make it work in the recipe).

Lesson learned: Do not burn your caramel. Instead, do it like this:

I took mine off the heat a bit before 350 but the temp kept going up all on its own. When all was said and done I think I still added the cream a tiny bit before the official 350F mark, but just trust your eyes. And your nose. You want an amber color, maybe dark amber… think : color of brown sugar. If you see black or any HINT of black-like color, you’re done for. Just let it go and start over.

Third – I need to buy another 8-inch cake pan.

As for the frosting – Future Husband is NOT a fan of dark chocolate (I will get him to the dark side eventually, but he’s not there yet). Since I didn’t want to eat a whole cake (or two, for that matter) by myself, I used milk chocolate in the frosting recipe. And I loved it. It was amazing. If you’d rather use dark, go for it.

Dark chocolate will be amazing, but I liked the combo of the dark chocolate cake with the caramel layers and milk chocolate frosting. It was a winning combination for sure.

sweet and salty cake 1199

Print
sweet and salty cake

Yield: One 8-inch cake (3 layers)

Ingredients

    For the cake
  • 3/4 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 1/4 cups hot water
  • 2/3 cup sour cream
  • 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter,softened
  • 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 cup brown sugar, firmply packed
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
    • For the salted caramel
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon fleur de sel
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons light corn syrup
  • 1/4 cup sour cream*
    • For the frosting:
  • 1 pound chocolate, chopped
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons light corn syrup
  • 2 cups unsalted butter, soft but cool, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

Instructions

    For the cake
  1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Prepare three 8-inch round cake pans with butter and parchment.
  2. In a medium bowl, combine the cocoa powder, hot water, and sour cream; set aside to cool.
  3. In another medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together until combined; set aside.
  4. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and shortening on medium speed until well smooth and creamy, about 5 minutes. Scrape down the sides and add the sugars to the butter mixture, beating until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
  5. Scrape down the sides again and add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, then add the vanilla and beat until incorporated. Scrape down the bowl and mix again for another 30 seconds.
  6. With the mixer on low, carefully add the flour mixture, alternating with the cocoa mixture, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. (flour-cocoa-flour-cocoa-flour). Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure the batter is well-mixed.
  7. Divide the batter among the prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through the baking time, until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean. Transfer the cakes to a wire rack and let cool for 20 minutes. Invert the cakes onto the rack, remove the pans, and let cool completely.
  8. *These cakes are VERY delicate. Since I made mine a week in advance, I very carefully wrapped my cooled cakes and kept them in the freezer until I was ready to use them. Be gentle.
    9. For the salted caramel:
  9. In a small saucepan, combine the cream and fleur de sel. Bring to a simmer over very low heat until the salt is dissolved. (I hate dirtying extra pans, so I cheated and warmed mine in the microwave for just under a minute, stirring to ensure the salt dissolved).
  10. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan combine 1/4 cup water, the sugar, and corn syrup, stirring them together carefully so you don't splash the sides of the pan.
  11. Cook sugar mixture over high heat until an instant-read thermometer reads 350 degrees F*(see note above), 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool for 1 minute.
  12. Add the cream mixture to the sugar mixture. Whisk in the sour cream. Let the caramel cool to room temperature, then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate until you are ready to assemble the cake.
  13. *You can make the caramel up to two days in advance.
    14. For the frosting:
  14. Put the chopped chocolate in a large heatproof bowl and set aside.
  15. In a small saucepan, bring the cream to a simmer over very low heat (again, you can cheat with the microwave if you like. You don't want to BOIL the cream, only heat it to a gentle simmer).
  16. Meanwhile, MAKE ANOTHER BATCH OF CARAMEL. Don't worry, you just did this at least once (or twice, if you're me) so you've got some practice in...
  17. In a medium saucepan combine 1/4 cup water, the sugar, and corn syrup, stirring them together carefully so you don't splash the sides of the pan. Cook over high heat until an instant-read thermometer reads 350 degrees F*(unless yours is done before it reaches 350F), 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the caramel cool for 1 minute.
  18. Add the cream to the caramel and stir to combine. Stir slowly for 2 minutes, then pour the caramel over the chocolate.
  19. Let the caramel and chocolate sit for 1 minute, then, starting in the center of the bowl, and working your way out to the edges, slowly stir the chocolate and caramel mixture in a circle until the chocolate is completely melted.
  20. Let the mixture cool, then transfer it to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
  21. Mix on low speed until the bowl feels cool to the touch (This took about 8 minutes and I started to worry about my poor mixer but he pulled through).
  22. Increase the speed to medium-high and gradually add the butter, beating until thoroughly incorporated. Scrape down the bowl and beat on high speed until the mixture is fluffy. Transfer to a container until ready to use.
  23. *You can prepare the frosting up to two days in advance. Bring to room temperature before using.
    24. To assemble the cake:
  24. Place one cake layer on a serving platter. Spread 1/4 cup of the caramel over the top and let the caramel soak into the cake.
  25. Spread 3/4 cup of the ganache frosting over the caramel and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of the fleur de sel over the frosting.
  26. Top this with the second cake layer and repeat with caramel, frosting, and fleur de sel.
  27. Top this with the third cake layer and spread with caramel. Crumb coat the cake and place cake in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to firm up the frosting.
  28. Frost the sides and top with the remaining frosting. This frosting is amazing. I would say it spreads "like butter" but it spreads SO MUCH BETTER than butter. It spreads like a soft, buttery, cloud.
  29. Garnish with a sprinkle of fleur de sel.

Notes

* You may notice that my cake is only two layers while the recipe makes three layers. I realized (a bit too late) that I only had two cake pans of each size, so I opted for a 2-layer cake, and got about 12 cupcakes in addition to my two cake layers. This worked out in my favor as now I have a bunch of frozen cupcakes to enjoy at my leisure.

* This cake can seem overwhelming. Help yourself out by breaking it into steps. Day one: Make caramel. Day two: Make frosting. Day three: Make cake. Day four: ASSEMBLE ALL THE THINGS .

* This cake can be stored in a cake saver at room temperature (cool and humidity free) for up to 3 days. If your room is not cool, place the cake in a cake saver and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Remove the cake from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for at least 2 hours before serving.

https://wee-eats.com/2014/03/25/the-baked-bakerysweet-and-salty-cake/

[ Recipe from: Baked: New Frontiers in Baking ]

sweet & salty cake | wee-eats.com