Cake & Cupcakes

Springtime Coconut & Lime Curd Layer Cake featuring Zenker Cake Slicer

April 15, 2017 by Alyssa

Springtime Coconut & Lime Curd Layer Cake combines a light, fluffy coconut cake with a creamy, tart lime curd for the perfect bite of Spring!

I love coconut cake, if fact, it’s probably my favorite kind of cake. I especially love coconut cake mixed with tart, fruity flavors which originally inspired my holiday Festive Italian Cream Cake with Cranberry Curd and led me to create this Springtime Coconut & Lime Curd Layer Cake!

Except for the Springtime Coconut & Lime Curd Layer Cake, I simplified the coconut cake recipe a bit since my prior recipe was labor intensive which means making a scratch-made cake plus homemade lime curd & buttercream frosting results in a 4-5 hour baking project and that’s before doing the dishes. And seriously, who has time for that when all you really want to do is eat cake?

In addition to my quickie coconut cake and lime curd recipes, I’m also sharing the COOLEST baking tool used to create beautiful, even cakes that make layering a breeze!

Let’s get to it!

The Cake

Let me start by saying this is a judgment free zone and utilizing box cake mix is 100% acceptable because we’re still jazzing it up with a few key ingredients to make our Springtime Coconut & Lime Curd Layer Cake.

With the addition of coconut milk, coconut oil, and shredded coconut this semi-homemade box cake recipe turns out 3 luscious layers of super moist, super coconut cake.

You can utilize white or yellow cake mix for my Springtime Coconut & Lime Curd Layer Cake — I prefer white because I love the pristine white layers and it’s more representative of coconut when you dig your fork into it. I will advise against using the coconut box cake mix though as sometimes that flavor can be very artificial and with all the true coconut we’re adding into the mix, there’s no need to jeopardize the flavor with fake coconut extract.

The Curd

Curd of any sorts is SO easy to make as long as you’re attentive while it’s cooking. The key to cooking curd is to cook it slowly over low heat and stir it constantly. Since curd is egg based, you don’t want to cook it on high heat or you’ll end up with lime flavored scrambled eggs.

The curd within the Springtime Coconut & Lime Curd Layer Cake is a bit on the tart side but I chose to add less sugar on purpose since the coconut cake and vanilla frosting are sweet.

You must cool the curd before layering it into the Springtime Coconut & Lime Curd Layer Cake. When cooling the curd, be sure to place plastic wrap on top of curd where the plastic wrap touches the curd itself. This will ensure a skin doesn’t form overtop of the curd while cooling.

Pro Tip: Use a vegetable peeler to peel strips of rind from your lime then stick it in your food process to save time zesting!

The Layering

To ensure an even cake once stacked and layered, it’s best to cut the dome top off of each cake prior to frosting and stacking to assemble this Springtime Coconut & Lime Curd Layer Cake. Creating flat cake tops will help ensure stability in your cake. Unfortunately, no matter how many times I’ve tried to carefully cut even layers off my cakes, they always end up slightly slanted.

Until now, with the help of Zenker Stainless Steel Layer Cake Slicing Kit I can now cut perfectly even layers every. single. time.

This Zenker’s Slicing Kit is SO easy to use, you simply drop your cake in the middle and using the large knife provided, slide it into the metal guides and slice away. Remove the knife, spin the slicer around and repeat! As long as you cut at the same level for each cake, your cakes will be equal in height and be perfectly level and ready for their lime curd! Check out my step by step below! Or check out Zenker’s quick how-to video

Step 1: Place your cake in the middle of the Zenker Cake Slicer and determine where you’ll cut your cake to evenly remove the dome. For this cake, I cut 3 up from the bottom.

Step 2: Using your large knife, cut halfway through the cake, spin the slicer around and cut the cake from the other side so the dome’s cut all the way off

Before & After: A straight even top from the Zenker Cake Slicer!

The other tip for layering the Springtime Coconut & Lime Curd Layer Cake is for you to very lightly coat the top and bottom of each cake with a thin layer of frosting before putting the curd on.

The first time I made this Springtime Coconut & Lime Curd Layer Cake, I didn’t seal in the cake with frosting and the curd soaked right into the cake. It was still super delicious but it simply looked like three cake rounds stacked on top of one another without the beautiful lime curd filling visible in-between. Here’s a couple pictures and a little diagram to help you assemble the Springtime Coconut & Lime Curd Layer Cake!

The Frosting

I went with a classic, vanilla buttercream frosting for the Springtime Coconut & Lime Curd Layer Cake

When making frosting, I like to use half butter and half shortening. The shortening adds stability while the butter adds flavor. In my mind, it’s the best of both worlds.

I also prefer to use clear vanilla extract rather than the brown extract as the colored vanilla adds a slight tint to your frosting. That, mixed with the yellow butter often results in a beige colored buttercream which isn’t super appealing to the eye.

My last pro tip, which is completely optional, is to add a bit of meringue powder to your frosting for additional stability and instead of using water or plain milk as the liquid component, I highly recommend using half & half.

The addition of half & half leaves the frosting light and silky when spread onto the cake. Whenever I make frosting with half & half, I always get compliments on its texture and taste!

Alright friends, that’s my tips and tricks for this Springtime Coconut & Lime Curd Layer Cake! It’s perfect for Spring or even this upcoming Easter weekend! Enjoy.

I did receive the Zenker product in return for a post. All thoughts and opinions about the product are my own.

5.0 from 2 reviews

Springtime Coconut & Lime Curd Cake

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Ingredients

For the Cake:
2 boxes white or yellow cake mix
16 ounces sour cream
15 ounces coconut milk
6 large eggs, beaten
½ cup coconut oil, melted and cooled
1½ cups sweetened, shredded coconut
1 cup of sweetened, shredded coconut, toasted
For the Curd:
½ cup, 1 stick butter softened to room temperature
zest of 4 limes, medium to large in size
½ cup fresh lime juice
1 cup granulated sugar
4 large eggs
pinch of salt
For the Frosting:
½ cup, 1 stick butter softened to room temperature
½ cup vegetable shortening
2 pounds confectioner’s sugar
2 tablespoons meringue powder
pinch of salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extra
4-6 tablespoons half & half

Instructions

For the cakes:
Preheat oven to 350*
Lightly grease and flour 3 9-inch cake pans. If available, line the bottom of each pan with a round parchment circle to make cake removal even simpler. Set aside while you assemble the batter.
Pour the 2 cake mixes into a large bowl. Using a whisk, combine the cake mix with the sour cream, coconut oil, coconut milk, and eggs.
Fold in 1½ cups of shredded coconut.
Evenly distribute the batter among the 3 prepared cake pans.
Bake for 30 minutes or until a cake pin inserted into the middle comes out clean.
Let cool 10 minutes then turn out on to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing, layering and frosting.
To toast the remaining 1 cup of coconut, place a pan on the stove over medium heat.
Stir the coconut constantly for 5-7 minutes until lightly brown and golden.
Remove from heat and set aside until you are ready to assemble the cake.
For the curd:
In an electric mixer, cream together the softened butter and sugar.
Add in the zest of 4 limes.
One at a time, add in the eggs mixing each well into the butter & sugar before adding the next.
Lastly, add in the lime juice and a pinch of salt.
Transfer the entire mixture to a medium-size saucepan and place it on low to medium-low heat.
Stir the mixture constantly for 10-15 minutes, being sure to scrape the bottom of the pan.
The curd will begin to thicken after 10 minutes, when the mixture reaches 170-175*
Once thickened, remove from heat and transfer to a clean bowl
Place plastic wrap on top of curd so the plastic touches the curd itself. This will ensure a skin doesn’t form overtop of the curd.
Place the curd in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours until chilled before layering in the cake.
For the frosting:
In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter and shortening.
Add in 4 tablespoons half & half and the vanilla extract. Combine well.
Add in the meringue powder, salt and 1 cup of confectioner’s sugar and combine.
Continue adding the confectioner’s sugar, 1 cup at a time until it’s all combined into the frosting.
Add in the additional tablespoons of half & half to achieve desired thickness.
To Assemble:
Slice the top off of each cake so an even top is formed.
Frost a thin layer of buttercream on the top of each cake layer.
Place the first frosted layer on the serving tray.
On top of the thin layer of frosting add a spoonful of cooled lime curd and spread it evenly across the cake.
Taking the next cake layer, place the frosted side down, facing the curd.
Now frost the top of the 2nd layer with a thin layer of frosting. Add a spoonful of curd on top of the thin layer of frosting and spread it evenly across the cake.
Taking the last cake, place the frosted side down, again facing the curd.
Using the rest of your frosting, frost the top and sides of the cake.
Top the cake with the toasted coconut.

Dirty Chai Cupcakes — Chai Spiced Cake with Espresso Frosting

October 25, 2016 by Alyssa

Dirty Chai Cupcakes combine the best of both worlds with chai latte cakes swirled with creamy, espresso buttercream frosting and topped with a chocolate covered espresso bean!

These Dirty Chai Cupcakes were inspired by a friend who’s a fan the Dirty Chai butter coffee at Picnik — a local, Austin-based food truck (and now brick & mortar) that specializes in food that accommodates all dietary restrictions. Truthfully, these cupcakes don’t have any special dietary accommodations. In fact, they only accommodate those who love coffee and crave cupcakes.

If this sounds like you, read on!

Never heard of a Dirty Chai?

It’s the best of both worlds, combining the dessert like spices of a chai latte with the toasty notes of espresso. Think sweet, creamy & caffeine!

The cake in these Dirty Chai Cupcakes is made with a parade of spices — cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, allspice, clove, nutmeg and a dash of black pepper for a hint of spiciness and warmth. This combined with the caramelly, molasses notes of brown sugar bring a subtle, toasted sweetness to the Dirty Chai Cupcakes. A friend who tasted these cupcakes mentioned they’d be great sans the frosting as a chai breakfast muffin!

Bake the Cupcakes!

These Dirty Chai Cupcakes bake up thick and chewy yet moist! The key to these cupcakes is the addition of an apple cider vinegar & baking soda mixture added just before scooping the batter into cups for baking.

Much like in science class, mixing these two ingredients together forms a quick reaction and a mass of bubbles. Adding the bubbling vinegar and baking soda mixture to the batter creates air within the cake when it bakes, allowing the cupcakes to rise up and bake into fluffy, Dirty Chai Cupcake masterpieces!

Whip up the frosting!

Since you can’t have Dirty Chai Cupcakes without some sort of coffee involved, I’ve topped these delicious chai cakes with rich, creamy espresso flavored frosting. To make this frosting, I created a high-concentrated instant coffee mixture that’s drizzled into the buttercream as it’s mixing. The coffee flavor has the rich notes of espresso without any bitterness.

To bring an extra jolt of coffee flavor, these Dirty Chai Cupcakes are topped with a simple chocolate covered espresso beans! This small dark chocolate bean also adds a beautiful contrast to the espresso colored frosting and a hint of class to the Dirty Chai Cupcakes.

Perfect for Fall!

My Dirty Chai cupcakes are the perfect afternoon treat paired with a cup of coffee. Their chai spice flavor is on par for the Autumn season and they’re a bit of a change up from the traditional ol’ Pumpkin Spice hype this time of year!

5.0 from 4 reviews

Dirty Chai Cupcakes -- Chai Spiced Cake with Espresso Frosting

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Prep time

90 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

1 hour 50 mins

Dirty Chai Cupcakes are the best of both worlds, combining the dessert like spices of a chai latte with the toasty notes of espresso.

Serves: 32

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 cup granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup milk (1%, 2% or Whole)
3½ cups all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons cardamom
2 teaspoons ginger
½ teaspoon allspice
¼ teaspoon clove
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
6-7 cups confectioner's sugar*
1 cup butter, softened
½ cup shortening
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon instant coffee
4 tablespoons warm milk
dark chocolate espresso beans, optional for decorating

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350*F
Line 2 cupcake pans with cupcake liners and set aside
Before making the cake, prepare the coffee for the frosting by whisking together the instant coffee and warm milk. Once mixed, set aside to cool.
To make the cake, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, allspice, clove, nutmeg, black pepper and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
In a stand mixer, add 1 cup softened butter and beat on high for 2-3 minutes
Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add both sugars and the 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
Cream on high for an additional 1-2 minutes
Scrape down the sides and one at a time, add in the eggs, mixing well before each new addition
In separate additions, add the ⅓ of the flour mixture followed by ⅓rd of the milk mixing on medium speed between each new addition
Once fully incorporated scrape down the sides and prepare the baking soda & vinegar mixture
In a small bowl, whisk together the baking soda and vinegar, quickly, while it's still bubbling pour the mixture into the batter and mix together on medium speed
Evenly distribute the batter into the prepared cupcake liners (makes ~32 cupcakes total)
Bake for 19-20 minutes
Remove the cupcakes from the oven and allow cakes to cool completely before frosting
To make the frosting, cream 1 cup softened butter and ½ cup shortening on high for 2-3 minutes
In 1 cup additionals, add in the confectioner's sugar
After 4 cups, add ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract
With the mixer on low drizzle in the cooled coffee extract
Add in the remaining confectioner's sugar, 1 cup at a time until the desired consistency is reached
To frost the cupcakes, place the frosting in a piping bag with a star tip
Cupcakes will keep 2-3 days, covered at room temperature

Notes

* I used 7 cups as I prefer a stiffer frosting to pipe with

Cinnamon Sugar Crumb Coffee Cake

September 29, 2016 by Alyssa

The secret to this Cinnamon Sugar Crumb Coffee Cake is pancake mix — creating a moist, chewy cake with a crunchy cinnamon-sweet topping. Whipped up in minutes, this coffee cake is weekend perfection!

Some weekends just call for coffee cake. Except if you’re like me, when I get a weekend coffee cake craving, I want it NOW. Well, this Cinnamon Sugar Crumb Coffee Cake recipe is the perfect weekend recipe for when that coffee cake craving comes-a-callin’ and you just can’t wait.

This recipe starts with pancake mix as a base and requires a few staples that you likely already have on hand in your kitchen. It takes less than 15 minutes to mix up and bakes to perfection in just 22 minutes. Less than 45 minutes from start to finsih? Now thats #CoffeeCakeWinning!

The part I love most about this Cinnamon Sugar Crumb Coffee Cake is how the crumb topping forms a crunchy, sweet coating atop the cake when it bakes. I swear this crunchy coating helps seal in all the moisture in the cake itself! Besides being quick and cinnamony delicious, I also favor this coffee cake because it’s just the right amount of light and fluffy while also being slightly chewy and moist. It’s not overly sweet and has a heartiness to it from the pancake mix. It’s perfect to pair with a cup of creamy hot coffee!

For this recipe, I used a local Austin favorite, Kerbey Lane Vanilla Pancake Mix, but you can use pretty much whatever you have on hand — whether it be a multi-grain pancake & waffle mix or an old stand by like Bisquick. If I’m feeling extra fancy on the weekend or plan on bringing the cake to a friend’s brunch, I make a quick icing to drizzle on top of the coffee cake to make it a bit more special!

If you’re looking for other easy weekend coffee cakes, check out my Raspberry Coffee Cake recipe. It’s a family favorite, and like this Cinnamon Sugar Crumb Coffee Cake, it’s quick to make and always a crowd pleaser.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Cinnamon Sugar Crumb Coffee Cake

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

22 mins

Total time

37 mins

Cinnamon Sugar Crumb Coffee Cake's secret ingredient is pancake mix creating a moist, chewy cake with a crunchy cinnamon-sweet topping. Whipped up in minutes this coffee cake is weekend perfection!

Serves: 8 pieces

Ingredients

2 cups Kerbey Lane Vanilla Pancake Mix*
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅔ cup milk of choice
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
⅓ cup Kerbey Lane Vanilla Pancake Mix
⅓ cup brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400*F
Lightly grease a round 9 inch round pan with baking spray or butter and set aside
In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together the 2 cups of pancake mix, granulated sugar, and 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
Add in the milk, egg, and vanilla extract
Whisk together until all lumps are removed
Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and set aside
To make the crumb topping, combine the remaining ⅓ cup pancake mix, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a small mixing bowl
Using a fork, knife or pastry blender, cut in the chilled butter
Sprinkle the crumb mixture on top of the coffee cake batter and bake for 22-25 minutes
Let cool 5-10 minutes and serve*

Notes

* I used Kerbey Lane Vanilla Pancake Mix but any pancake/waffle mix you have on hand will work. Bisquick is also a great option.
* If you choose to drizzle the cake with icing, whisk together 1 cup confectioners sugar, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract and 1-2 tablespoons of milk until the desired consistency is reached. Drizzle atop cooled coffee cake and serve.

Salted Caramel Bananas Foster Cake featuring Dollop Gourmet Frosting

September 5, 2016 by Alyssa

A rich, thick Bananas Foster Cake with traditional caramel and rum Bananas Foster flavors topped with a decadent Salted Caramel Frosting.

I’m a big advocate for cooking food at home and making meals from scratch, but once in a while there’s a product on the shelf that catches my attention, meets my ingredient standards and actually tastes good. This time around, it was Dollop Gourmet’s Sea Salted Caramel Frosting and it inspired my Salted Caramel Bananas Foster Cake. It’s a cake that whips together quickly, bakes up in a single large cake pan, so there’s plenty to share with minimal mess, and it’s made even simpler with Dollop’s Salted Caramel Frosting!

In order to achieve the caramelly, brûléed flavor that’s rich throughout Bananas Foster, I used brown sugar in the cake in place of traditional granulated sugar. The molasses in the sugar gives the cake a golden brown hue when baked, that basically screams caramel deliciousness and hits all the brûléed notes of the pan seared bananas in traditional Bananas Foster!

This caramel flavor is matched with an equally heavy dose of sweet bananas. When you choose the bananas for this recipe, I recommend choosing large, fat bananas that have been browning for a day or two. The riper and sweeter they are at the time you make this cake, the more decadent, moist and sweet this cake will be. My favorite part about the cake itself is how thick it is! I mean, look at that slice, it’s a cake lover’s dream!

The star ingredient of the traditional Bananas Foster dessert is the splash of rum that’s used to flambe the bananas right before serving. Since I’m not a big proponent of baking with alcohol, as it sometimes plays tricks with the cake when baking, I added a splash of rum extract to the batter. This splash gives just a subtle hint of rum to the cake that tips it towards the edge of Bananas Foster perfection!

The cherry on top of my Salted Caramel Bananas Foster Cake is Dollop Gourmet’s Sea Salted Caramel Frosting. Its caramelly sweetness is a delightful match to the brown sugar and bananas in the cake while Dollop’s hint of sea salt in the frosting brings the final flavor component to my Bananas Foster cake. I love the added touch of sea salt, as it brings a modern twist to the traditional Bananas Foster dessert, making it sweet, decadent and oh so, craveable!

It’s rare for me to promote packaged food, as I’m a huge proponent for cooking and baking from scratch but my views were swayed when it came to Dollop Gourmet Frosting. Often times, packaged food is chalked full of unnecessary ingredients and generally, it’s not great for your health — but this is NOT the case with Dollop.

Dollop Gourmet’s frosting can definitely hold its own against a homemade frosting. While I haven’t done any official experiments, I’d bet my Kitchen Aid mixer that you can’t tell the difference between a homemade frosting and Dollop’s when paired side by side.

I also love that Dollop’s frosting doesn’t contain any wacky ingredients. It’s pretty much the same ingredients I’d use if I were making my own frosting from scratch (with no mess!). I trust this frosting and that’s saying something, as I’m typically one to quickly turn up my nose at the fake, oily frostings regularly found on a grocery store shelf. Seriously, look at these frosting stats!

Do you know any frosting that can pull of these types of stats and still taste good? Seriously impressive.

Now, if these drool-worthy Salted Caramel Bananas Foster Cake photos haven’t convinced you yet, here’s my advice — get yourself some bananas so they start to ripen, hop on over to your Amazon Prime account, order yourself a jar or 2 of Dollop’s frosting and prepare to slather this cake with Dollop frosting to dig into later this week! You won’t regret it and you’ll be back to thank me for the most decadant banana cake you’ve ever tasted.

5.0 from 2 reviews

Salted Caramel Bananas Foster Cake featuring Dollop Gourmet Frosting

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Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

45 mins

Total time

1 hour 5 mins

A rich, thick Bananas Foster Cake with traditional caramel and rum Bananas Foster flavors topped with a decadent Salted Caramel Frosting.

Serves: 20 pieces

Ingredients

3 large ripe bananas, mashed
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup + 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1½ cups brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon rum extract
1½ cups milk
1 jar Dollop Gourmet's Salted Caramel Frosting
caramel sauce, optional for serving

Instructions

Preheat the over to 350*
Grease a 13x9 inch pan with a bit of butter and set aside
In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and set aside.
In a larger mixer, cream the softened butter for 1-2 minutes
Add in the brown sugar and beat until creamy
One at a time, add in the eggs
Once well incorporated, add in both the vanilla and rum extract
Add in the mashed bananas and mix well
Next add in the flour and milk to the batter, alternating each addition
Pour the batter into the prepared 9x13 inch pan
Bake for 40-50 minutes until a cake pin inserted into the center comes out clean
Place the cake on a wire rack to cool completely.
Once cooled, ice with Dollop frosting
To serve, slice the cake and drizzle with caramel sauce

Oreo Mocha Java Ice Cream Cake

August 11, 2016 by Alyssa

This Oreo Mocha Java Ice Cream Cake is decadent, chocolatey & delicious with an Oreo crust, layers of coffee ice cream, hot fudge & a dollop of whipped topping!

Since it’s still wicked hot here in the South (I’m not complaining, I love it) — I thought I’d continue my trend of no-bake desserts and venture into the coolest of categories with an Oreo Mocha Java Ice Cream Cake!

This ice cream cake begins with classic Oreo cookies, layers of coffee ice cream studded with chocolate chips, hot fudge sauce, a light dollop of whipped topping and more Oreos on top. It’s decadent, chocolatey and delicious. Perfect for those 100* days, an upcoming BBQ, or soon-to-be Labor Day picnics!

This Oreo Mocha Java Ice Cream Cake recipe is based on a family favorite and it’s a treat I’ve been enjoying since I was a little kid. When I was younger, my favorite part of the ice cream cake was the Oreo cookie crust and in all honesty, it probably still is!

Each summer when my Mom made this cake, usually for my Dad’s birthday, I’d first eat all the whipped cream and fudge sauce off the top of the cake. I’d then carefully work to scrape the ice cream off the Oreo cookie crust, trying to preserve the entire piece of crust, so I could enjoy it like an extra large Oreo cookie. I loved how chocolatey, thick and decadent the crust tasted!

In fact, I was so obsessed with this ice cream cake crust, I remember begging my Mom to make just the crust for dessert one night. Obviously, she laughed and refused to make it, informing me that it was nothing more than crushed Oreos & butter. (Tangent: My Butter Oreo request only strengthens Paula Deen’s argument that butter makes everything better)

Since this recipe is based on my childhood favorite, I kept the Oreo cookie crust as a key ingredient in my ice cream cake but swapped in Coffee Java Chip ice cream to please my grown-up taste buds!

If you’re a fan of mocha flavored anything, I guarantee you’re going to love this Oreo Mocha Java Ice Cream Cake. It’s like biting into a Starbucks Frappuccino or the best Coffee Sundae you’ve ever hard. It’s crunchy, sweet, gooey and creamy all in one bite! The perfect combination of flavors and textures.

Although I chose to make this ice cream cake with coffee flavored ice cream, creating an Oreo Mocha Java Ice Cream Cake, this recipe can truly be used as a base to create all sorts of flavor combinations by simply swapping your ice cream flavor, sauce, and toppings!

Sticking with the same Oreo cookie base and whipped topping ‘frosting’, here are a few other flavor combinations to try out if coffee ice cream isn’t your jam —

Since summer isn’t over yet, you still have plenty of time to try my Oreo Mocha Java Ice Cream Cake recipe and experiment with flavors of your own! Or if you’re searching for more no-bake desserts there’s also my No-Bake Cake Batter Cake Balls or Biscoff Cookie Butter Pie!

5.0 from 1 reviews

Oreo Mocha Java Ice Cream Cake

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This ice cream cake begins with the classic Oreo cookie, layers on coffee ice cream studded with chocolate chips, hot fudge sauce, a light dollop of whipped topping and more Oreos on top. It’s decadent, chocolatey and delicious.

Ingredients

24 Oreo cookies
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 quarts coffee or java chip ice cream, softened at room temperature for 15-30 minutes
1 cup hot fudge sauce, like Mrs. Richardson's
1 8-ounce container of whipped topping, like Cool Whip
Additional Oreos, for topping

Instructions

Lightly grease a 9-inch springform pan with a bit of the melted butter and set aside
Place 24 Oreos in a food processor and pulse until you reach a sand-like consistency
Pour in the melted butter and pulse 3-4 more times to combine
Empty the Oreo-butter mixture into the springform pan and press it into the bottom and sides of the pan, to form a bit of a dam or crust around the edges
Place the cookie crust in the freezer to set for 30 minutes
Once set, remove the crust from the freezer and smooth the softened ice cream into the pan, using a spatula to evenly distribute the ice cream across the crust
Place the cake back in the freezer to set for another 30-60 minutes
Once the ice cream has set, heat the hot fudge sauce in the microwave for 30-60 seconds until warm but not bubbling
Pour the warm hot fudge on top of the ice cream, spreading it evenly all the way to the edges of the cake
Return the cake to the freezer to set until serving
Before serving, allow the cake to thaw for 5-10 minutes, which will make cutting the cake a bit easier
to slice the cake. Remove the springform container and top each slice with a dollop of whipped topping and additional Oreos.

Hummingbird Cake with Honey Cream Cheese Frosting

April 11, 2016 by Alyssa

I’m going out on a limb here, but I’m pretty sure most people have never heard of Hummingbird Cake. In fact, I have no idea how I eve know about the cake! If you’ve never heard of it, Hummingbird cake is a moist banana cake filled with pineapple, pecans, and sometimes coconut then topped with a rich cream cheese frosting.

I’ve always associated Hummingbird Cake with the South and in my mind, it was a true Southern dessert. I even made up my own little story of its origin. I always picture Hummingbird Cake being originally created by a sweet, old grandma with a thick Southern drawl wearing a blue gingham apron who simply dumped some tropical fruits into her banana cake recipe. She then topped it with cream cheese frosting since her favorite Red Velvet Cake is finished with the same creamy frosting!

As much I love my made up version of the Hummingbird Cake’s origin, it not even close to the truth. If you want to know the truth, read on, if you want to stick with my great Southern story, skip the nest paragraph!

Here’s the true story — which I learned while reach searching the recipe! Hummingbird Cake was actually created in Jamaica — which makes sense when you think about it. The cake is loaded with tropical fruits and both bananas & pineapples are abundant in Jamaica. The cake also shares its name with a Jamaican-native hummingbird species. Some say it received its name because the cake is so sweet it would actually attract the hummingbirds which feed on sweet nectar.

I prefer my story but regardless of its origin, I love Hummingbird Cake because it’s super moist, flavorful, and has a wonderful texture from the mix of pineapple, coconut, pecans and luscious cream cheese frosting.

Hummingbird Cake typically calls for a cup of oil and for most recipes, 2 or more cups of sugar! I chose to lighten the recipe by halving the oil. Instead, I relied on the bananas to bring moisture to the cake.

When it came to the sugar in the cake itself, I chose to only use 1/3rd of the sugar in standard Hummingbird Cake recipes (2/3 cups added sugar in all). To bring some caramel notes, which pair nicely with both the bananas and pecans, I used a mix of granulated and light brown sugar while again relying heavily on the mix of tropical fruits to bring natural sweetness to the cake.

Wanting to make the frosting a bit more special than typical cream cheese frosting, I chose to create a Honey Cream Cheese Frosting. I love the flavor the honey adds to the overall cake and it’s also a bit in tribute to the Jamaican hummingbird that dines on nectar.

With my fat and sugar swaps, this Hummingbird Cake is nothing you need to feel too guilty about eating. It’s a fruit & nut packed cake that’s super moist from mashed bananas, pineapple & coconut while being perfectly sweet when paired with the Honey Cream Cheese frosting.

I highly recommend enjoying this cake on a sunny afternoon on your patio with a bit lemonade or ice tea. After all, that’s how my Southern baking grandma would have enjoyed it when she first created the recipe!

Hummingbird Cake with Honey Cream Cheese Frosting

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Prep time

60 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

1 hour 20 mins

A fruit & nut packed cake that's super moist from mashed bananas, pineapple & coconuts while being perfectly sweet when paired with the Honey Cream Cheese frosting.

Serves: 24 cupcakes

Ingredients

1½ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 large bananas, mashed
½ cup oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
⅓ cup granulated sugar
⅓ cup light brown sugar
½ cup shredded coconut
⅓ cup crushed pineapple, drained
½ cup chopped pecans
8 ounces cream cheese, softened (1 brick)
½ cup honey
¼ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature (1/2 stick)
5 cups confectioner's sugar

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350*.
Line 2 cupcake tins with cupcake liners and set aside.
In a large bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon then set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil, eggs and vanilla extract.
Whisk in the mashed banana followed by both sugars.
Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture and combine with a spatula or wooden spoon.
Fold in the pineapple, coconut and pecans until fully combined.
Evenly distribute the batter among the 24 cupcake liners.
Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
Remove from oven and cool completely before frosting.
To make the frosting, place the softened cream cheese and butter into an electric mixing bowl and cream together on high for 1-2 minute until fluffy.
Add in the honey and mix on medium for up to 1 minute.
Begin adding in the confectioner's sugar, 1 cup at a time, mixing on high before each new addition.
Once the cupcakes have cooled completely, frost the cupcakes by placing the frosting into a piping bag or spreading on top of the cupcakes with a spatula.
Refrigerator the frosted cupcakes until serving.
Allow the cupcakes to come to room temperature (20 minutes) before serving.

Oreo Mint Chocolate Cupcakes

March 17, 2016 by Alyssa

These cupcakes are ridiculously delicious. I mean, they combine America’s favorite cookie, the Oreo, and mint — probably the best flavor combination to ever exist in the world of desserts! They’re super chocolatey, moist and fudgy. Their chocolate level is definitely in line with that of a brownie, the only difference being these are light and fluffy, rather than dense and crumbly.

…

Lemon Pound Cake

March 10, 2016 by Alyssa

Most people believe the origin of the name Pound Cake is based on the premise that eating it will likely cause them to gain a pound. Although stuffing your face with Pound Cake, or over indulging in anything for that matter, can definitely make you gain a few LBs around the middle, this cake’s origin is all ingredient based.

The first recipes date back to the 18th century in Europe. Its name was based on the premise that the cake required 1 pound of each ingredient (flour, butter, eggs and sugar) to make and weighed in at a hefty 4 pounds once baked. This original pound cake produced a very large cake due the quantity of ingredients involved. Nowadays, the ratio of flour, butter, eggs and sugar have been scaled back a bit resulting in a much more consumable portion of cake.

I love lemon which was my inspiration for this Lemon Pound Cake recipe. In Austin, it’s beginning to feel a lot like Spring and in my mind, lemons and Spring go hand and hand. This pound cake screams Spring with lemon throughout each layer, using a whopping half-cup of grated lemon zest and 1 cup of fresh squeezed lemon juice distributed throughout the cake, soaking syrup and glaze.

One of my first memories of pound cake is of my Mom making a lemon poppyseed pound cake. I remember her placing it on a wire cooling rack and watching her brush it with a sugar syrup after it came out of the oven. I also remember thinking “Oh man, that’s gonna be one soggy cake!” But oh was I wrong. The sugar syrup was definitely key in creating a super moist pound cake. The syrup helped balance out the tart lemon flavor, creating a sweet, subtle lemon flavored cake. The syrup also gave the pound cake a wonderful shiny exterior that she then drizzled with a simple confectioner sugar & milk glaze.

That cake was my benchmark for this Lemon Pound Cake. It had to contain the three components of my Mom’s — a dense loaf cake, a sweet lemon syrup, and a traditional glaze. This cake definitely hit the mark on the balance of lemon and sweet. It’s great as a late afternoon treat with a cup of coffee or as a light but flavorful dessert in the evening.

Lemon Pound Cake

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Prep time

45 mins

Cook time

50 mins

Total time

1 hour 35 mins

Serves: 16 slices

Ingredients

1 cup butter, at room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature*
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup fresh zest**
3 cups all-purpose flour
½ t baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
¾ cup buttermilk***
For syrup:
½ cup lemon juice
½ cup granulated sugar
For glaze:
2 tablespoons fresh lemon zest
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2-3 tablespoons milk
3 cups confectioner's sugar

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350*
Butter and flour two loaf pans and set aside
In a stand mixer, cream together the butter and 2 cups of sugar until light and fluffy
Add in one egg at a time, mixing each egg on medium until fully incorporated
Scrape down the sides of the mixer then add in the vanilla extract and lemon zest
In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, soda, and salt
In 4 additions, alternate adding the flour mixture and buttermilk
Once incorporated, scrape down the sides of the mixer then add in the ¼ cup of fresh lemon juice
Evenly divide the batter between the two loaf pans
Bake in the oven for 45-50 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean
If while baking, you notice the tops beginning to brown, simply place some aluminium foil over the cakes to keep the tops from burning
While the cakes are baking, begin on the lemon soaking syrup
In a pot over low heat, combine the ½ cup of sugar and lemon juice until the sugar has dissolved
Remove from heat and set aside
When the cakes are done baking, let them cool for 15 minutes within their pans
Once cooled slightly, remove them from their pans and place them on a cooling rack atop a large sheet pan (to catch the soaking syrup)
Lightly brush the tops and sides of the cake with the lemon syrup (you will have syrup leftover, and that's okay)
Let the cakes cool completely while making the glaze
In a large bowl, whisk together the glaze ingredients, adding milk until you reach your desired consistency
When the cakes are cooled, pour the glaze over top while the cakes are still on the cooling racks
Let the glaze set a bit before slicing and serving

Notes

* If your eggs are not at room-temperature, fill a large bowl with tap-warm water and place the eggs in the bowl while you prep the pans and other ingredients. In about 5-10 minutes the eggs should be at room temperature.
**To quicken the prep period, first grate ¾ cup of lemon zest (about 6-8 lemons) ahead of time and then squeeze the zested lemons, resulting in about 1 cup of fresh juice. Use this source to make the cake, syrup, and glaze.
***To make 1 cup of buttermilk (if unavailable) add 1 teaspoon of distilled white vinegar to a measuring cup then fill the measuring cup to the 1 cup mark with milk and let sit 5-10 minutes

Cake Batter Cheesecake

March 2, 2016 by Alyssa

When I was younger, my Mom used to make ice cream cake with an Oreo cookie crust. I absolutely loved the crust of this ice cream cake so much that I requested my Mom to make ice cream cake crust cookies. She informed me that this cookie crust I loved was nothing more than crushed Oreos, sugar, and butter. And she would NOT be making be Ice Cream Cake Crust Cookies. But that sure did explain why I loved the crust so much, how could you not love Oreos, sugar and butter all mixed together?

My love for this crust inspired this Cake Batter Cheesecake recipe. I was doubtful when I first came upon Cake Batter flavored Oreos but boy was I wrong. They were spot on delicious. Exactly as you’d dream a Cake Batter Oreo to taste. (Hats off to you, Nabisco, you nailed it!)

Knowing I wouldn’t be able to control my cravings for these Cake Batter Oreos, I decided I had to make something with them. In other words, it’d let me share the wealth and remove the Oreo temptation from our pantry. I set out on creating a Cake Batter Cheesecake for a few reasons

Cake Batter anything is pretty darn spectacular
<3M love cheesecake
I love sprinkles
Cookie crust made of Oreos, sugar and butter = heaven

Using my pal, Martha Stewart’s cheesecake recipe as a base, I set out to make the ultimate Cake Batter Cheesecake.

When making something Cake Batter flavored, there’s only one route to take and that is to add actual cake mix – like the kind you get from a box at the grocery store.

You can dabble with adding a mix of Almond + Vanilla extract and some sprinkles but I promise you, that authentic buttery, vanilla marshmallow-like cake batter flavor will not be achieved. In reality, you just end up making Vanilla-Almond Cheesecake…with sprinkles.

I also modified the base recipe some when it comes to baking technique as I am not a fan of the water bath cooking method. For me, it’s just too much of a risk. You have to ensure your springform pan is perfectly sealed and even if you wrap the bottom with foil, there’s never a 100% guarantee water won’t seep into your cheesecake. I’m not sure about you, but nothing makes me more mad than seeing my hardwork turn into a soggy waterlogged, pudding cheesecake.

When baking this cheesecake, I still include water in the process to ensure a moist cheesecake but the actual springform pan is baked atop another pan that’s submerged in water, guaranteeing that the precious cheesecake won’t drown during the baking process.

The result is a moist, creamy flavorful cheesecake. It has the slight tang of a traditional sour cream cheesecake with a subtle sweetness and a distinct cake batter flavor. The added sprinkles make the cake fun to eat and look at while the Cake Batter Oreos bring in an extra hit of cake batter flavor with a complimenting crunch to match the creamy, smoothness of the cheesecake.

This is definitely a cake I’ll be making again in the future, if I don’t eat all the Cake Batter Oreos first.

Cake Batter Cheesecake

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Prep time

60 mins

Cook time

1 hour 30 mins

Total time

2 hours 30 mins

Serves: 12

Ingredients

1 package Cake Batter Oreos
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melt
1 tablespoon sugar
4-8 ounce bricks of cream cheese, at room temperature
4 eggs, at room temperature
1 cup sour cream
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup yellow cake mix
½ cup sprinkles
whipped cream, optional

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375*
With a bit of the melted butter, lightly brush the bottom and sides of the springform pan
Line the bottom of a spring form pan with parchment paper and set aside
To make the crust, place the Oreos in a food processor and pulse the cookies until a fine crumb forms.
Add the remaining melted butter and 1 tablespoon of sugar and pulse again until combined.
Press cookie crumb mixture into the bottom of the springform pan.
Place the springform pan in the oven and bake for 15 minutes
Once baked, place the crust in the fridge for 5 minutes to cool.
To make the cheesecake filling, beat the softened cream cheese in an electric mixer on medium for 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
Add in the sugar and beat again for 1 minute until fully combined.
Add in the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl before each new egg addition
Add in the sour cream and vanilla extract
Once combined, add in the cup of yellow cake mix until fully incorporated
Remove the mixture from the electric mix and fold in the half cup of sprinkles by hand.
Pour the cheesecake mixture into the cooled springform pan
To prepare for baking, place a round, 9 inch cake pan upside down in a roasting pan
Pour boiling water into the roasting pan until the cake pan is ½ to ¾ covered with water
Place the cheesecake springform pan on top of the upside down cake pan and place the entire setup into the oven.
Bake the cheesecake at 375 for 45 minutes.
After 45 minutes, lower the temperature to 325 and cook for an additional 30 minutes.
Once baked, removed the cheesecake from the oven and place it in the refrigerator to cool for 6 hours or overnight.
When ready to serve, remove the cheesecake from the fridge and let it stand at room temperature for 5 minutes.
Release the cake from the springform pan.
To cut, use a sharp knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry to make cuts into the cake.
Be sure to submerge and dry the knife in hot water in between each cut.
Serve with a dollop of whipped cream on top and extra sprinkles, if desired.

Indian Cupcakes: Rose Cake with Orange Cardamom Frosting

December 7, 2014 by Alyssa

I’m not sure all of you know this or not but I am not a fan of Indian desserts. They’re either too sweet – as the case with kaju burfi or the texture is too different for me – such as ras malai.

Since I usually pass on desserts when at an Indian restaurant or at <3M’s family’s home, I wanted to create a dessert that still had Indian flavors but catered more to my taste and texture preference while still make it something <3M would enjoy and associate with home.

In all, this cupcake was truly inspired by <3M. Indian desserts are something I would never make myself but I wanted to treat him to a Indian sweet of my own and thus I was inspired to merge an American favorite (cupcakes!) with Indian flavors.

The idea for rose cupcakes had been floating around in my mind for months. Now, in all honesty, I don’t even care for rose!
I’m not a fan of it in perfume, I don’t like it in a lassi or kulfi but the thought of it as a cupcake appealed to me – maybe because I knew I could control the depth of the rose flavor if I myself were making it.

Now, the rose cupcake idea was easy, it was the frosting that had me stuck for a while. I have always loved Orange Cardamom cupcakes. The flavors are unique – it has a citrusy sweet touch from the orange and a slight spiciness from the cardamom. Since cardamom is a prominent flavor in Indian foods, I wanted to incorporate it into the cupcake in some way.

How they’d pair with rose, I wasn’t quite sure. I was hopefully though that the delicate rose would off se the spice that cardamom brought and decided to wing it.

I initially searched online for a cupcake recipe within the rose & orange cardamom spectrum but was unable to find one. There were lots of rose vanilla cupcake recipes out there but after reviewing the recipes, they didn’t fit with my baking preferences. Most used a rose extract which I thought would be too strong or too fake tasting.

In my mind, I was set on using rose water. Rose water itself is slightly diluted but fragrant. And after tasting these cupcakes, I knew my intuition was correct – using rose water was perfect. The cake itself doesn’t have a strong flavor of rose but the scent is there and because eating is a multi-sensual experience, you believe you truly are eating a rose flavored cupcake – but it’s enjoyable without the flowery potent taste one tends to associate with rose.

As for the frosting, again – that citrusy sweet, spice combination pairs perfectly with the delicate rose. And there’s the added crumble of pistachios on top for a bit of texture to balance the light fluffy cake and the creamy frosting.

If you decide to make them, I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Indian Cupcakes: Rose Cake with Orange Cardamom Frosting

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Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

40 mins

Rose Cake with Orange Cardamom Frosting

Serves: 2 dozen

Ingredients

1 and ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup unsalted butter, melted
2 egg whites
¼ cup greek yogurt
½ cup milk (any kind - almond, coconut, cow..)
¼ cup rose water
2-3 drops red food coloring (if you wish cupcakes to be pink)
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
2½ - 3 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons half and half
1 tablespoon orange juice (fresh or bottled)
zest from ½ orange
2 teaspoons cardamom
¼ cup pistachios, finely chopped

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Line muffin tin with 12-15 cupcake liners. Set aside.
In a bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter and sugar. Once combined, whisk in the egg whites, yogurt, milk, and rose water until combined.
Slowly add the dry ingredients into the butter, egg, milk mixture ingredients until well combined. If using food coloring, add it at this time.
Divide batter among 12-15 cupcake liners (or 24-30 mini) and bake for 14-17 minutes. Meanwhile, make the frosting.
To make the frosting, beat softened butter on medium speed with a stand mixer until smooth and creamy (at least a minute)
Add 2½ cups powdered sugar, half and half, orange juice, orange zest, cardamom. Increase to speed and beat for 1-2 additional minutes. At this time add the food coloring (if using) and additional powdered sugar if the frosting is too thick - or more cream if the frosting is too thick.
Chill frosting for 15 minutes prior to using.
Once the cupcakes are completely cooled, frost the cupcakes and sprinkle with pistachios.

Notes

**If you care to color your frosting orange, follow your food coloring's directions for doing so. My coloring was 7 drops yellow to 1 drop red.

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