chocolate

Peppermint Bark Fudge Brownies

November 30, 2020 By Ashley Leave a Comment

One of my favorite treats during the holiday season is peppermint bark. It’s nostalgic, and it’s a tradition to make a homemade batch or pick up a box from a chocolate shop while Christmas shopping. My peppermint bark fudge brownies are inspired by that tradition, combining the flavors of peppermint bark into a chocolatey, fudgy, and minty brownie that is incredibly delicious. These brownies are perfect for cookie swaps, and are fabulous for gifting.

Not only is the brownie base fudgy, but there is an actual layer of white chocolate peppermint marshmallow fudge on top of the brownies. Then the white chocolate fudge layer is topped with silky dark chocolate and crushed peppermint candy canes. Oh. my. yes.

Now, I’ve never been a huge fan of overly minty things. Too much mint and I feel like it just overpowers the other flavors and tastes too artificial. In this recipe, peppermint extract is used in the white chocolate fudge layer, and crushed candy canes on top for a definite peppermint flavor but not so much that peppermint is all you taste. You can use as little or as much peppermint as you like, depending on your preference.

The base layer is a half batch of my favorite brownie recipe. There is both chocolate and cocoa powder in this recipe. I use chopped chocolate from chocolate bars, but you can totally use chocolate chips. I recommend Ghiradelli, Guittard or Godiva. Butter, espresso powder and good quality dark chocolate are melted together over low heat. Brown and white sugar are whisked in, followed by eggs and vanilla. Flour, salt and cocoa powder are stirred in until just combined. The brownies are spread evenly into a 8×8 pan and baked.

The white chocolate fudge is super easy to make and takes little time to come together. You can totally make this fudge recipe on it’s own too. Double the recipe if you want to make a full batch of fudge. You can also switch out the white and use semi or bittersweet chocolate as well.

White chocolate, sweetened condensed milk, and marshmallow fluff are melted together. Peppermint and vanilla extracts is added, and the mixture is spread out over the cooled brownies. Pop the brownies in the fridge for 30 minutes or so to set the fudge.

Bittersweet chocolate is melted with a bit of butter to keep the chocolate from getting too hard and cracking when cut. Spread the chocolate layer over the fudge, and top with crushed candy canes. Let the chocolate firm up before cutting into the brownies. These are best served at room temperature.

I hope you love these peppermint bark fudge brownies as much as I do. If you make them, let me know! Tag me on Instagram or leave a comment below.

Enjoy!

Ash xx

For more holiday recipes, check out these posts:

Florentine Bars

Snowflake Sugar Cookies

Chai Spiced Apple Cranberry Pie

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Peppermint Bark Fudge Brownies

Fudgy, chocolate brownies topped with creamy peppermint white chocolate fudge and covered in smooth dark chocolate topped with crushed candy canes

Prep Time20 mins

Cook Time30 mins

Course: Dessert

Ingredients

Brownie Layer

3/4 cup (94g) all purpose flour
3 tablespoons (16g) cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 cup (120g) unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon espresso powder
2/3 cup (114g) bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
1/4 cup (50g) light brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

White Chocolate Peppermint Fudge

1 1/2 cups (336g) white chocolate, coarsely chopped
2/3 cup (208) sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup (64g) marshmallow fluff Alternatively, you can use 1 cup of mini marshmallows
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Chocolate Topping

1/2 cup (112g) dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons (30g) unsalted butter
1/2 cup (100g) crushed candy cane pieces

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350F and line an 8x8 pan with two pieces of parchment paper which extend over the sides to give you a ‘"handles" (this helps with removing the slice easily once it is set).
In small bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder and salt to combine. Set aside.
Combine the chocolate, butter and espresso powder in a medium saucepan. Place over low heat on the stove. Stir until melted.
Remove the pan from the heat. Add in both the granulated and brown sugars and stir until combined. The mixture should now be room temperature. If not, let it cool just a bit before adding the eggs.
Add in the eggs, one at a time, stirring just to combine after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
Stir in the flour mixture until just combined. Pour the brownie mixture into the pan and spread evenly with a spatula.
Bake the brownies for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with with moist crumbs.
Leave the brownies to cool to room temperature before adding the fudge layer.
In a medium saucepan, combine the white chocolate, sweetened condensed milk, and marshmallow fluff. Stir until melted and combined.
Remove the fudge from the heat. Stir in the peppermint and vanilla extracts.
Evenly spread the fudge mixture over the cooled brownies. Work quickly as the fudge will start setting up and will be hard to spread.
Refrigerate the fudge for about an hour or two, or until the fudge is cooled and set.
Combine the butter and chocolate in a microwave safe bowl. Melt the butter and chocolate in the microwave at 30 second increments until melted and smooth.
Spread the melted chocolate evenly over the fudge.
Top the chocolate layer with crushed peppermint pieces. Let the chocolate firm up before serving. Serve at room temperature.

Florentine Bars

November 25, 2020 By Ashley Leave a Comment

Christmas baking has began in my house, and what better way to start the season off than with these truly magical Florentine bars. Flavored with honey and orange, these caramel and almond topped shortbread bars are so delicious and so very hard to eat just one. Drizzle the bars with dark chocolate, and they rival any candy bar. These bars would make a beautiful addition to any cookie box or gift. and they ship really well too.

What are Florentines?

Florentine cookies, or lace cookies as they are sometimes called, are typically filled with nuts, dried and candied fruits. They are usually dipped in chocolate, and can be fickle to make in their traditional form. Traditional Florentines are delicate, chewy, sticky and absolutely amazing. One of my favorite cookies. To make my Florentines a bit easier to make, and ship to family, I put my Florentine mixture on a thin shortbread crust. Crisp, chewy and sticky and delicious.

How to make the shortbread crust

The shortbread crust is easily made in a food processor (yay for shortcuts!) and pressed into a lined 8×8 square pan. My trick for getting flat and even crust is to push it in with the flat side of a bench scraper. For you weirdos like me that must have a perfect looking, even crust, this method is super satisfying and makes for a super flat crust. The crust is baked until lightly golden and cooled.

How to make the caramel topping

While the crust cools, the sugar, corn syrup, and water are combined and heated until amber in color. Butter and honey are added followed by cream. orange zest, vanilla and salt. Toasted, sliced almonds and any other dried or candied druit are mixed into the caramel. Glacé cherries, dried cranberries, figs, or candied oranges are so good in these bars. You can also use any nut you like. Hazelnuts would be delicious. When the nuts and fruit are mixed in, the caramel is spread over the cooled crust. The bars are baked until bubbly.

When the bars are cooled, they are cut into servings. Whilst baking, the caramel seeps down the side and coats the sides shortbread. Sometimes I cut off the outside edges of the bars (and I eat them, obvs) so that you can see the crust and topping, especially if I’m gifting these. Drizzle the bars with melted dark chocolate. Once the chocolate sets, the bars can be wrapped in parchment and tied off with twine or a decorative. Stack the wrapped bars in cookie boxes and they make a gorgeous gift.

If you make these Florentine bars, let me know! Drop a comment or tag me on Instagram. I love seeing your creations.

Enjoy!

Ash xx

For more holiday cookie recipes, check out these posts:

Snowflake Sugar Cookies

Brown Butter Maple Pecan Cookies

Espresso Toffee Chocolate Chunk Cookies

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Florentine Bars

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time45 mins

Total Time55 mins

Course: Dessert

Servings: -12 servings

Ingredients

Shortbread Crust

1 ¼ cups (210g) all purpose flour
1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, cold

Caramel Topping

3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
1/3 cup (76ml) water
1 tablespoon corn syrup
6 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup (84ml) honey
1/2 cup (114ml) heavy cream
1 teaspoon orange zest
2 cups (172g) sliced almonds, toasted
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/3 cup (70g) bittersweet chocolate, chopped

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350F and line an 8x8 pan with two pieces of parchment paper which extend over the sides to give you a ‘"handles" (this helps with removing the slice easily once it is set).
In the bowl of a food processor, place the flour, sugar, and salt, and pulse to combine.
Add the butter and pulse until the mixture begins to form clumps.
Press the dough into the prepared pan, then level and smooth it with a bench press or measuring cup. Chill the crust for 10 minutes.
Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the shortbread is pale golden. Let cool completely.
In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, water and corn syrup. Stir just to mix. Bring to a boil and heat until the mixture reaches 350F on a candy thermometer, or is amber in color.
Remove from the heat, and whisk in the butter and the honey. Be careful as it will steam and bubble.
Place back onto the heat and bring the mixture to a boil. Add the heavy cream and the orange zest.
Cook the mixture until it reaches 250F on a candy thermometer.
Remove from the heat and add the almonds (and any other fruit or nuts you wish to add).
Immediately pour the caramel mixture over the shortbread crust, using a spatula to smooth out the mixture.
Bake the bars until the caramel begins to bubble, about 15-18 minutes.
Let the bars cool completely. Run a knife or spatula around the pan between the parchment and pan to loosen any caramel that may have escaped.
Remove the bars from the pan. Cut into bars or squares.
Melt the chocolate in the microwave at 30 second increments until melted and smooth.
Transfer the chocolate to a piping bag or a zip top bag and drizzle the bars with chocolate. You can also drizzle the chocolate with a fork.
Let the chocolate firm up before serving. Serve at room temperature.

Under the Sea Cake Tutorial

August 21, 2020 By Ashley 1 Comment

I love the sort of cakes where I can make all the decorative components in advance. Then, when the time comes to decorate, I can just pop everything on the cake, make it look fab, and then it’s done. My Under the Sea cake is that sort of cake. All the decorative components can be made and stored in advance. The decorative components themselves are also relatively quick to make, and don’t take hours like sugar flowers or sculpted figures, but are still impressive and beautiful. I absolutely loved making this impressive cake, and it’s certainly a cake that is sure to wow your guests or clients.

Supplies:

6″square cake

8″ square cake

bench scraper

white chocolate ganache – pale peach, cream and pale blue (recipe below)

royal blue, ivory, and orange gel colors

white chocolate, melted

modeling chocolate or fondant, pale peach

edible sand

ball tool

dresden tool

white non-pareils

pearlized white dragées

white rock candy

The ganache

I’ve really been embracing the “messy” cake look lately. Appreciating flaws, and still making something gorgeous even if it isn’t perfect. After years of making cakes with perfect buttercream and flawless fondant (perfect, perfect, perfect all the things), I’m really loving these intentionally rough edged, textured cakes. For this cake, I used white chocolate ganache. Ganache is a total dream to work with. I find that when I want a specific texture or a flawless finish, ganache is my cake covering of choice. On this cake, I wanted texture.

My preferred ganache ratio for covering a cake is 3:1. Three parts chocolate to one part cream. This makes a ganache that is firmer and spreadable, like peanut butter. I colored the ganache three different colors – cream, pale peach, and a soft, pale blue. I wanted the colors to be soft, muted and able to blend together well, so very little color is needed. Just add a little color with just the tip of a toothpick.

Covering and Texturing the Cake

1. Cover the tops of the cake and the upper third of the cake with the cream color ganache. Smooth out the cream colored ganache with a bench scraper. It doesn’t have to be perfect.

2. Add the pale peach ganache to the middle of the cake. Smooth out the ganache with a bench scraper, blending the cream and the peach colors together as you scrape and even out the ganache.

3. Cover the lower third, or bottom of the cake with the blue ganache. Smooth out the ganache with a bench scraper, blending the peach and the blue as you scrape and even out the ganache. Even out and clean up the edges of the cakes with an offset spatula to define the square edges.

4. Let the ganache firm up for 5 – 10 minutes or so, just so that it’s not wet to the touch. Use a bench scraper to lightly scrape the cake. This will create a light stucco-like, sandy texture in the ganache.

The Coral

I made three different types of coral for the Under the Sea cake. I made piped coral pieces with white chocolate, mesh coral pieces with cake lace, and sculpted coral with modeling chocolate. I made the edible lace coral with white cake lace and a cake lace mat with a mesh design. You only need a small batch of cake lace for this cake (I used SugarVeil). The mat I used is the SugarVeil Mesh Mat. Any white edible lace will work, and any mesh/netting type mat will work as well. Follow the instructions on the package to make the lace. Let the lace dry on the mat overnight, so that it’s still pliable but also firm enough to hold its shape. You can also bake it, according to the package directions if you wish to speed up the process. Tear pieces from the large sheet of lace, in round-ish shapes, with jagged edges to create coral-like pieces. Use piping gel to attach these to the cake, shaping some them to give them a bit of movement, while leaving others flat.

For the chocolate coral, place a piece of parchment paper or waxed paper over a printed off coral template. I found one in a google search for “coral template”. Any template you like when you search will work. Alternatively, you can pipe some freehand chocolate coral shapes, without a template. Then, pipe onto the parchment, over the template, with melted white chocolate. Make several of these as they are fragile and break easily. I found that the pieces I liked and used the most were mostly just fragments rather than whole piped pieces. Let the chocolate set up completely before using. Carefully place the coral onto the cake with more melted chocolate, and lightly hold in place for a few seconds. Overlap and leave gaps when placing your coral.

I created the shells and the starfish using moulds. Any seashell moulds will work just be sure they’re not too large. I used cream/peach colored modeling chocolate for my shells, starfish and sculpted coral, but fondant will also work too.

How to make sculpted coral

1. Roll the modeling chocolate into different size teardrop shapes. You want them to be various lengths and sizes.

2. With a ball tool, press into the large, rounded side of the teardrop shape to create an indentation.

3. Place them in clusters on the lower left bottom tier, and the lower right top tier, attaching to the cake with melted chocolate or piping gel. Place them close together, even sort of squeezing them together, so that they look like a mass of coral. Make 5-7 per tier.

4. For the smaller coral attached to the cake, roll out small pea size balls with modeling chocolate. Use the ball tool to make indentations.

5. Use piping gel to attach these close together to the side of the cake, trailing upwards from the clusters sculpted coral on the lower left bottom tier and lower right top tier. Make as many or as few as you would like.

6. Use the thin side of a dresden tool to make small indentations all over to give the coral some texture.

Finishing Touches

Once all of the of coral is placed on the cake, place the starfish on with piping gel or melted chocolate. Place the shells onto the cake or cake board. I only ended up using two shells and placed them on the cake board with the edible sand. To make the edible sand, mix together 1/4 cup of finely ground butter crackers, or Ritz crackers, and 3 tablespoons of light brown sugar.

Place some white rock candy in the sand on the cake board, but also attach some along with the coral with melted chocolate to fill any gaps, cover any big breaks, or to fill out the design. Add some white pearlized dragées around the coral with piping gel. I think these look like little bubbles or pearls, and I like the pearlized look they contribute to the cake.

I also used some white nonpareils to add some bubble like detail as well. Brush a little bit of piping gel onto the cake to attach them. I had a happy decorating accident when placing the nonpareils. You can see that in some areas I pushed in the nonpareils but they didn’t stick, leaving little holes in the cake. I had hoped they’d just stick to the ganache but no luck. Well, I totally loved the little holes and thought they added great texture so I left them.

One of the great things about this cake design is that you can really make it your own by rearranging the different coral, creating different shaped corals, adding more or less of a type of coral or shell, using different color palettes or adding some cool features – like octopus tentacles, oysters, and fish.

Please feel free to leave any questions you have below, and if you make this cake, be sure to tag me on Instagram so I can see your amazing cake!

Ash xx

For more cake decorating tutorials, check out these posts:

Woodland Tree Stump Cake Tutorial

Vintage Gilded Buttercream Cake Tutorial

Mini Tutorial: Romantic Roses Cake

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White Chocolate Ganache

Thick and creamy, white chocolate ganache that's perfect filling and coating cakes and cupcakes.

Ingredients

1 cup (227ml) heavy whipping cream
3 cups (680g) white chocolate, chopped or chips

Instructions

Place the heavy cream in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium low heat.
Meanwhile, place the chocolate in a medium size bowl.
When the cream begins to bubble around the edges, remove from the heat, and pour over the white chocolate. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes.
Gently whisk the chocolate and cream from the center of the bowl to the outer edges of the bowl. Do not mix too fast as you want to avoid incorporating air.
If the chocolate isn't melted all the way, place in the microwave in 15 second increments, whisking after each session, until smooth. Do not overheat.
Let the chocolate ganache firm up until it's the consistency of peanut butter before using.

Funfetti Vanilla Cupcakes with Chocolate Fudge Frosting

August 12, 2020 By Ashley Leave a Comment

It’s my birthday! So I’m celebrating with funfetti vanilla cupcakes with chocolate fudge frosting. Yellow cake and chocolate frosting is the quintessential birthday cake I grew up with, as so many of us have, and it’s a nostalgic combination I make for birthdays year after year. These funfetti vanilla cupcakes are deliciously soft, moist and full of vanilla flavor. The chocolate fudge frosting is light but rich, super chocolatey and creamy delicious. And we can’t forget, it’s not a true birthday cupcake unless there are lots and lots of sprinkles!

How to make funfetti cupcakes

These funfetti vanilla cupcakes are tender, buttery, and moist with a tight, delicate crumb. I’ve loaded these cupcakes with vanilla bean paste, but these are also great with almond extract. They’re the perfect go-to vanilla cupcake. Pop in some sprinkles and they’re the perfect funfetti cupcake.

These cupcakes are quick and easy to prepare. They use my favorite mixing methods, the reverse creaming method. Check out my Strawberry Rose Buttermilk Cake for more information on the reverse creaming method. Room temperature ingredients are key to a perfect cupcake. The egg, egg white, oil and vanilla bean paste are combined together in bowl and lightly beaten, to mix. The dry ingredients – cake flour, sugar, baking powder and salt – are mixed together in the bowl of a stand mixer. Room temperature butter is mixed into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. The milk is added just until the flour mixture is moistened, then the batter is whipped for a full 90 seconds. This aerates and stabilizes the batter for fluffy cupcakes.

The remaining milk is mixed in with the egg/oil mixture. The egg/oil mixture is added to the batter in two additions, scraping the bowl after each addition. Be sure to scrape the bowl when noted to make sure the ingredients are being thoroughly incorporated. Fold in the sprinkles of your choice. Divide the batter between the cupcake liners, filling about 2/3 of the way full. The cupcakes are baked a slightly lower temperature at 325F, so that bottoms and sides of the cupcakes don’t get over baked while the middle is still baking. Do not over bake.

This cupcake recipe is super versatile. They’re soft and fluffy, but still stable enough for a variety of fillings and frostings. The baked cupcakes will keep for 3 days at room temperature in an airtight container. I do not recommend refrigerating these, as I don’ t recommend refrigerating scratch cupcakes in general. Unless they’re individually wrapped, I find that they dry out a bit to much.

How to make the chocolate fudge frosting

This super chocolatey frosting is super light and creamy. There’s lots of chocolate in it, but whipping the butter and the confectioner’s sugar first, then whipping the buttercream after the chocolate is added ensures a light and creamy frosting, rather than a dense and cloying frosting. It’s so good, it’s hard to not just eat it out of the bowl with spoon.

I like to use bittersweet chocolate in my frosting to offset the sweetness from the confectioner’s sugar. Choose a quality bittersweet chocolate that you like, because the chocolate flavor is front and center. Melt the chocolate in the microwave or over a double broiler until the chocolate is melted and smooth, and let it cool to room temperature. While the chocolate is cooling, whip the butter and the confectioner’s sugar until super light and creamy. Add in the cooled chocolate, and beat again until combined. Add in the vanilla, milk and salt and beat on medium speed until light, creamy and thoroughly mixed. I like to whip the frosting for 3-5 minutes or so to get it really light and fluffy. Spread or pipe the buttercream onto the cooled cupcakes and top with your favorite sprinkles. Enjoy!

For more cake and cupcake recipes, check out these posts:

Black Forest Cupcakes

Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

Chocolate Stout Cake with Irish Cream Buttercream

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Funfetti Vanilla Cupcakes with Chocolate Fudge Frosting

Buttery, tender and moist vanilla bean funfetti cupcakes topped with creamy, and decadent chocolate fudge frosting

Course: Dessert

Servings: cupcakes

Ingredients

Vanilla Funfetti Cupcakes

1/2 cup (119g) whole milk, room temperature
1 large egg, room temperature
1 large egg white, room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla bean paste
2 tablespoons (26g) canola oil
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups (175g) cake flour
3/4 cups (150g) granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 cup sprinkles

Chocolate Fudge Frosting

1 cup (170g) bittersweet chocolate, chopped or chips
1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, cubed and softened
1 3/4 cup (210g) confectioner's sugar
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon milk or cream

Instructions

Vanilla Funfetti Cupcakes

Heat the oven to 325F. Line two cupcake pans with paper liners and set aside.
In a measuring cup, combine the egg, egg white, vanilla and oil. Whisk to combine.
In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the cake flour, sugar, baking powder and salt and mix on low speed for a minute to combine.
With the mixer still running, add in the softened butter pieces. Mix on low speed until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. You should be able to gather a bit in your hand, squeeze and you have a solid piece. This means the butter is evenly distributed.
With the mixer still on low, slowly pour in the milk, mixing JUST until the flour mixture is moistened. You will not use all the milk at this time. Pour the remaining milk into the bowl with the eggs and oil, and whisk to combine. Set aside.
Turn the mixer speed to medium and whip for a full 90 seconds. The mixture should be whipped up, thick, and lighter in color.
Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure everything is properly mixed.
With the mixer speed on low, add the egg/oil/remaining milk mixture in two additions, scraping down the bowl after each addition has been mixed in.
Once all the wet ingredients have been added, give the bowl a final scrape and mix with a spatula.
Fold in the sprinkles. Evenly divide the batter among the cupcake liners, 2/3 full.
Bake the cupcakes for 18-22 minutes, until a toothpick comes out with a crumb or two when inserted in the center of the cupcake. Don't over bake.
Place the baked cupcakes on wire racks to cool for 2 minutes. Carefully remove the hot cupcakes from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack.

Chocolate Fudge Frosting

Place the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 30 seconds. Stir well. Return the chocolate to the microwave and heat for another 15 seconds and stir again.
Continue heating the chocolate for 15 seconds, stirring after each increment, until chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Let the chocolate cool to room temperature.
Combine the softened butter and confectioner's sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
Mix on low speed for one minute. Turn the speed to medium and beat for 5 minutes, stopping to scrape the bowl every so often.
On low speed, add the cooled, melted chocolate. Mix for a minute, until everything is incorporated. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
Add the salt, vanilla and milk. Increase the mixer speed to medium, and whip for 5 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
Pipe or spread the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes. Decorate with sprinkles.

Notes

Baked and frosted cupcakes can be stored for up to 3 days at room temperature in an airtight container.

Salty Bourbon Millionaire Bars

July 6, 2020 By Ashley Leave a Comment

Salty, sweet, smoky, and rich, these salty bourbon millionaire bars are super decadent and so, so delicious. These bars consist of a pretzel shortbread crust, topped with a thick bourbon caramel, topped with bittersweet chocolate and sprinkled with applewood smoked flaky salt. These bars are like a cookie and candy bar in one, and are a total crowd pleaser. Think of these like a Twix candy bar, but a bit more fancier, and soooo much better.

About the ingredients

My salty bourbon millionaire bars have a few ingredients that really make these next level amazing. Typically, millionaire bars have a shortbread crust. In this version, I’ve added salty, crunchy pretzels to the crust. The pretzel flavor really gives these bars more depth of flavor that plays well with the smoky bourbon and salt.

The caramel layer is made with sweetened condensed milk, sugar, unsalted butter, salt, golden syrup and bourbon. Golden syrup is one of my absolute favorite baking ingredients. Similar to corn syrup, golden syrup is made from cane sugar, has an amber color and a delicious caramel flavor. It’s thicker and more stable than corn syrup and provides much more flavor. Though it is a staple in the UK, sometimes golden syrup can be a challenge to find in the US. You can find it in many stores and on Amazon, but if you can’t find it, light corn syrup will work in its place.

Bourbon gives the caramel a smoky, boozy kick. You can use bourbon, whiskey or scotch here – each will lend just a bit of a different flavor to the caramel. You can also omit it, if you don’t want to use alcohol. If you omit the whiskey, replace it with 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract. Really though, this caramel is so good, you’ll want to eat it out of the saucepan with a spoon.

Bittersweet chocolate tops the bars, followed by smoked flaky salt. This salt is a gem, guys. I stumbled upon this applewood smoked flaky salt in my local spice shop, and purchased it, having no idea what I was going to use it for. Until, I developed this recipe. Adding finishing salt to baked goods really makes the individual flavors pop. Adding smoky, almost bacon-like flavor, takes these bars over the top. You can find a variety of smoked salts in supermarkets and online. Maldon makes a great smoked salt that can be found here.

How to make Salty Bourbon Millionaire Bars

The shortbread crust comes together easily and quickly in a food processor. Combine the dry ingredients, and cut in the butter. Pulse in pretzels, taking care to not pulverize them too much. You want them to remain in small chunks for crunch and texture. The crust is pressed into a 13×9 pan. Use an offset spatula to press the dough into the pan evenly. The crust needs to be chilled for 20-30 minutes before baking. Bake the crust until light golden brown, and allow to cool completely.

While the crust is cooling, make the bourbon caramel by combining the sugar, golden syrup, butter and sweetened condensed milk into a large saucepan and simmer until thick, fudge-y and a deep caramel color. Add the salt and the bourbon. I usually use 2 tablespoons of bourbon, but you can add an additional tablespoon or two if you prefer a stronger, boozier flavor. Pour the caramel over the cooled pretzel shortbread crust and allow to cool completely before adding the chocolate.

Once the caramel is cool, melt the chocolate and the syrup for the topping. Choose a good quality chocolate that you enjoy eating. I like using bittersweet chocolate for flavor and to cut through some of the sweetness of the caramel filling. Spread the chocolate over the caramel layer and allow to set. Sprinkle the bars with smoked flaky salt. The chocolate topping will set firm.

Sometimes I like to rush the cooling process by popping these in the fridge for a few minutes. It’s totally fine, but the chocolate will likely crack on top. To avoid this, score the chocolate into squares, when the chocolate is just set, and then pop in the fridge to firm up a bit more. Then cut the bars into squares using the pre-scored lines. It’s best to store and serve the bars at room temperature.

For more decadent, and chocolatey sweets, check out these recipes:

Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake Brownies

Chocolate Stout Cake with Coffee Irish Cream Buttercream

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Salty Bourbon Millionaire Bars

Salty, sweet, smoky, and decadent, these bars consist of a pretzel shortbread crust, topped with a thick bourbon caramel, topped with dark chocolate and sprinkled with applewood smoked flaky salt.

Prep Time35 mins

Cook Time25 mins

Chill and Cool1 hr 30 mins

Course: Dessert

Servings: servings

Ingredients

Pretzel Shortbread Crust

1 cup (150g) all purpose flour
1/2 cup (50g) salted pretzels
1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed

Bourbon Caramel

1 can (396g) sweetened condensed milk
2/3 cup (140g) granulated sugar
1/4 cup (75g) golden syrup, or light corn syrup
1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
2-3 tablespoons bourbon
1 cup (150g) bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 teaspoon golden syrup
applewood smoked salt, for sprinkling

Instructions

Make the pretzel shortbread crust:

Heat the oven to 350F. Line a 8x8 or 9x9 pan with parchment paper.
Combine the flour and sugar in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine.
Add the cold, cubed butter and pulse until the mixture starts to resemble coarse meal, with pea-sized butter pieces throughout.
Add the pretzels and pulse until the mixture starts to form large clumps.
Turn the dough out into the prepared pan. Press the dough evenly into the pan using the bottom of a measuring cup or an offset spatula.
Chill the crust for 20-30 minutes.
Bake the crust for 25-30 minutes or until light golden brown. Let the crust cool completely.

Make the caramel:

In a large saucepan, combine the sweetened condensed milk, sugar, golden syrup and butter and mix over low heat until the butter has melted.
Turn the heat up to medium so that the mixture starts to simmer. Stir the mixture over a simmer (slow bubbles) until it turns a deep golden brown and looks like thick caramel fudge, about 10-15 minutes. The mixture will start to pull away from the sides of the pan when stirring.
Remove the mixture from the heat. Add the salt and the bourbon and whisk to combine.
Pour the caramel over the shortbread crust and allow it to cool completely.
Melt the chocolate and the golden syrup in a small saucepan over low heat. Pour the melted chocolate over the caramel layer. Sprinkle the smoked salt over the bars.
Cool until the chocolate is set, then cut into squares. Serve at room temperature.

Woodland Tree Stump Cake Tutorial

April 2, 2020 By Ashley 2 Comments

After a couple weeks of rainy weather, I’m welcoming warm, sunny Spring days with this woodland tree stump cake tutorial. Tree stump cakes have been pretty popular for quite a while now, and I think (I hope!) they’re here to stay. Tree stump cakes are incredibly versatile, can be simple or extravagant and fits lots of themes – woodland, garden, lumberjack, and more.

I’ve done various tutorials on fondant tree bark for tree stump cakes on a couple online cake decorating schools, but after many requests for a tree bark tutorial without fondant, I created tree bark for this cake using chocolate. There are plenty of different ways to make chocolate tree bark, with relatively similar techniques, out there on the web, but this is my preferred go-to method to create them. This tree stump cake is easy and fast to make, and most of the components can be made in advance.

My woodland cake features edible moss, edible meringue mushrooms, sugar flowers, leaves, insects on a ganache covered cake with chocolate tree bark. Before decorating my cake, I made some meringue mushrooms. I’ve included the recipe for these in the bottom of the post. The recipe will make more than you need for the cake. The recipe can be halved, but if you halve it, I recommend using a hand mixer because it’s hard for a stand mixer to properly whip such a small amount of egg white. I used a Wilton 1A round tip to pipe various size stems and mushroom tops from about 1/2″ to 1 1/2″ diameter. I sprinkled a little bit of cocoa powder on top before baking. When they cooled, I attached the mushroom tops to the stems with melted chocolate.

To make the chocolate shards, you don’t need an expensive chocolate, nor do you need to temper it. You can use any type of chocolate including candy melts. I used half and half dark chocolate and milk chocolate chips because I had both on hand. I also used this combination because I didn’t want a super dark bark, so I cut the dark chocolate with a lighter color milk chocolate. Alternatively, you could make shards in various shades of brown – they don’t all have to be the same. I used 8oz of dark chocolate and 8oz of milk chocolate.

I melted the chocolate in the microwave in 30 second increments until melted, stirring after every 30 seconds until melted. One thing that I do love about this cake is that it is very forgiving. You’ll notice in my chocolate photos that my chocolate shards have air pockets and have lots of imperfections. Luckily, we’re not looking for pretty chocolate for this cake. In fact, the uglier, the better. I poured the chocolate onto a large piece of parchment paper, and spread it out thinly, and fairly evenly with an offset spatula. Place another piece of parchment on top of the chocolate and roll like you would cinnamon roll dough. How tight you roll the parchment/chocolate will depend on how wide your chocolate shards will be. I like mine pretty wide so I rolled up the parchment a bit loose. I secured the parchment with small binder clips (paper clips work too) to keep the parchment/chocolate rolled. Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or so.

Carefully unroll the parchment. The chocolate will break a bit to create the shards as it is being unrolled and flattened out. If the chocolate is still a bit soft towards the center of the roll, pace the clips back on, and pop it back in the fridge for a bit longer. You want the shards to be completely set, cooled and able to crack.

I used ganache as the outer layer of my cake. I suggest using ganache or a chocolate buttercream as the ganache will peek through some of the shards a bit. I placed the large shards on my cake first, adhering them to the ganache with melted chocolate. Once the large shards were in place, I filled in any gaps with smaller pieces of chocolate shards. I melted the remaining chocolate shards, and using a coarse pastry brush, I paint the melted chocolate evenly over the cake in vertical strokes, filling in gaps and texturizing the shards. I wasn’t heavy handed with the melted chocolate, just placing it where it was needed to achieve the look and texture. Let the chocolate set completely.

At this point, I wanted to add some depth and color to the bark so, with a dry pastry brush, I dusted areas of the cake with cocoa powder. I mixed in a little bit of cornstarch to lighten the cocoa powder and dusted some additional areas. This gives it a little bit more of a realistic look.

I opted for a moss covered top for my cake rather than the traditional tree stump rings. I used a mixture of desiccated coconut and crushed graham cracker mixed with leaf green, golden yellow and brown gel food color. Let the mixture dry on a parchment lined cookie sheet before using. I sprinkled the top of my cake with the moss and placed some up the sides of my cake as well. I also placed some around the bottom of the cake to cover the cake board.

To finish my woodland tree stump cake, I placed a few meringue mushrooms on top of the cake and the base of the stump. I added a few leafy vines, some blossoms, a gum paste butterfly and some gum paste ladybugs. To see my tutorial on gum paste ladybugs, check out this post here.

Check out these posts for more cake decorating tutorials:

Mediterranean Tile and Flowers Cake

Mini Tutorial: Romantic Roses Cake

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Meringue Mushrooms

Meringue mushrooms, perfect for topping cakes and Buche de Noels.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time1 hr 30 mins

Total Time1 hr 40 mins

Course: Dessert

Keyword: Meringue Mushrooms

Ingredients

2 large, fresh egg whites, room temperature
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
1-2 teaspoons cocoa powder
1/4 cup chocolate, melted

Instructions

Heat the oven to 225F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
Place the egg whites and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer, and with the whisk attachment, mix on high speed until foamy.
Slowly add the sugar and whip until stiff, glossy peaks form.
Add the vanilla extract and beat to combine.
Transfer the meringue to a large pastry bag fitted with a 1/2" tip (Wilton 1A). Pipe mushroom tops, about 1/2" to 1 1/2" diameter, leaving about an inch apart between them.
Put a little bit of water into a small bowl. Using a clean finger, dip your finger in the water, wiping off the excess, and gently tap down the peaked tops of the mushroom tops.
Pipe the mushroom stems by holding the piping bag directly above the parchment, about 1/2" or so from the parchment. Apply pressure to pipe a thicker base with a tapered, thinner top in a variety of sizes. It's best to pipe these as straight up and down as possible to keep them from falling over when baking.
Using a fine sieve, sift the natural cocoa powder on top on the mushroom tops. Sift as little or as much cocoa powder as you would like.
Bake the meringue mushrooms for about 60-75 minutes until the meringue is dry to the touch, and can be easily removed from the parchment. I start checking the meringues every so often about 50 minutes into baking. Let the meringues cool completely.
Fill a small piping bag with melted chocolate. Cut off the tip of the piping bag. You are going to need just a small amount of chocolate per mushroom.
Using a small paring knife, make a small hole in center of flat side of each mushroom top. Pipe a little bit of chocolate into the hole and fit the smaller end of meringue stem into hole. Let the chocolate harden before decorating with the mushrooms.

Gum Paste Ladybug Tutorial

March 30, 2020 By Ashley Leave a Comment

These gum paste ladybugs are super easy and fast to make, and they are a super cute addition to any spring time garden or woodland style cake. I like to pair them with other insects, like butterflies or bees, and they look amazing in sugar flower arrangements. You can tape them in with flower petals so they sit in a flower, or you could tape them on to branches and vines, like I did for this cake.

Supplies:

white gum paste, 26 gauge floral wire, small jewelry pliers, sugar glue, cornstarch, vegetable shortening, ladybug body mold (Optional, but I got mine here), edible paints in red, black and white, foam for drying, paintbrushes, dresden tool, confectioner’s glaze

Step 1: Make a small circular hook at the end of a piece of 26-gauge wire with jewelry pliers. Bend the hook down so that it lays flat against the wire. Grip the top half of the circle hook and bend down so that the circle is perpendicular to the stem.

Step 2: Condition a small ball of white gum paste with just a little bit of vegetable shortening until the paste is no longer sticky. If you are using the ladybug mold, press the gum paste into the mold, firmly, to make sure that the paste completely fills the mold. Remove excess paste.

*Step 2: Alternative Method: If you are not using a mold, roll a piece of gum paste into a small ball, depending on the size you would like your ladybug. Flatten the ball slightly, and taper one end to create a blunted point. Use the thin side of a dresden tool to draw a line to separate the head from the body. Draw a line down the center of the body to create two segments.

Step 3: Brush the wire with sugar glue and insert the wire into the ladybug in the mold. Let dry for a minute or two. This will allow it to be a little bit more stable before removing the ladybug from the mold.

Step 4: Gently peel the mold away from the ladybug to remove it from the mold. Place the wired ladybug in a some foam to dry completely.

Step 5: Paint the body with edible red paint. Paint the underside of the body as well.

Step 6: Paint the head with edible black paint. Paint the underside of head as well.

Step 7: Paint small, evenly spaced black dots on the body of the ladybug. Let the paint dry completely.

Step 8: Paint two white dots on the front of the head and two white dots on the body near the head. These dots will be larger than the black ones. Let dry completely.

Step 9: Dip the ladybug in confectioners glaze to give the ladybug a shiny coating. Avoid brushing the glaze as this will smear the paint. You can skip this step if you want your ladybugs to be matte.

To see the cake that I used these ladybugs for, check out my Woodland cake tutorial here.

Black Forest Cupcakes

August 30, 2019 By Ashley Leave a Comment

[This post is written in partnership with Bialetti. All text and opinions are 100% mine. Thank you for supporting brands that help me and my business grow!]

Hello, friends! Is it officially considered fall when pumpkin spice starts popping up in coffee shops? As much as I love fall, I’m having a hard time dealing with the fact that summer is nearly over. But I won’t pretend that I’m not excited about hauling out the slow cooker and making ALL the soups. And fall baking, also love it. Pumpkins, apples, warm spices – comfort baking at its best. I’ve got so many fab recipes and tutorials lined up for this fall season and can’t wait to share them all with you.

I couldn’t possibly finish out summer baking on the blog without posting a cherry recipe. My littlest loves cherries so we’ve had a steady supply on hand since they were first available. These black forest cupcakes are the perfect way to use up the last of those cherries. And what better to pair with cherries than chocolate. These chocolate cupcakes are moist and fluffy, filled with homemade cherry filling and topped with a tangy whipped cream cheese buttercream frosting. This is my go-to cream cheese buttercream frosting I use for my wedding cakes.

I’ll admit, these black forest cupcakes aren’t authentically black forest in the traditional sense. Both feature a rich chocolate cake base, but the cherry filling differs a bit. Traditional black forest cake has that unmistakable flavor of Kirsch, or cherry liquor. I chose to leave it out and flavored my cherry filling with vanilla and a hint of almond. I left it out because I don’t keep Kirsch on hand and didn’t feel like it was worth buying a bottle of Kirsch for this one recipe. It would never be used except for this recipe. However, you can add Kirsch to the filling if you have it and wish to use it. I also used sweet cherries for my filling in place of the traditional sour cherries. Traditional black forest cake is filled and covered with a light whipped cream. I opted for a whipped cream cheese buttercream frosting because the tanginess of the cream cheese is fabulous with the cherries and the chocolate.

This chocolate cupcake recipe is one I’ve been using for years and it’s pretty much the *perfect* chocolate cupcake. It’s fantastically chocolate-y with a tight but fluffy crumb. Be sure to use a good quality dutch processed cocoa here. Not only will the flavor be highlighted, but also good quality cocoa powder has a higher fat content (ie: adds moistness to the cupcake).

The only liquid in this chocolate cupcake recipe is coffee. I used Bialetti’s Moka Express to brew the coffee for my cupcakes. I don’t own an espresso machine, so the Moka Express is a fast and easy way for me to make a quality espresso drink without having to hit the local coffee shop drive-through. Bialetti’s Milano coffee blend is my favorite to drink – it’s lighter, more floral and more delicate than the Bialetti Napoli blend that I used for these cupcakes. I opted to use a more robust and dark roast to really enhance the chocolate in the cupcakes and I wanted the natural roasted and cocoa aroma of the coffee to really shine through.

The coffee and cocoa powder are mixed together to “bloom” the cocoa powder. Combining the cocoa powder with a liquid allows the cocoa powder to dissolve and essentially release it’s flavor. Pretty much means you’re unleashing it’s ultimate chocolate-y potential. The cupcakes are made by combining sugar and butter in a saucepan and heating just until melted. The mixture is then poured into the bowl of a stand mixer and beaten until room temperature. Eggs and vanilla are added, followed by the chocolate mixture and finished by alternating between sour cream and the flour mixture. When baked they’ll be perfectly domed, moist and flavorful chocolate cupcakes.

The cherry filling for these black forest cupcakes is super easy and fast to make. Combine all the ingredients into a saucepan. I use a potato masher to break up the cherries a bit more and get them to release some of their juices once they start to cook down a bit. Let the cherry mixture simmer until thickened, add in extracts and let it cool completely before using. Easy peasy. The cherry filling can be made in advance and refrigerated for up to a week.

Whipped cream cheese buttercream frosting is so versatile and great for topping cupcakes, filling cakes and spreading on brownies. It’s also super easy to prepare and definitely a no fuss recipe. Combine softened butter and chilled cream cheese and beat until combined. I use the cream cheese while it’s still cold because it will heat up quite a bit with all the mixing. Using chilled cream cheese helps keep it more stable. Add in the powdered sugar and the vanilla and beat on low until combined. At this point, it’s going to look yellow and pretty lumpy. Turn up the mixer to medium speed and whip until the buttercream has lightened in color and texture, about 3-5 minutes.

If you really wanted to get extra, after filling the cupcakes, puree the remaining cherry filling and drizzle it over the top of the cupcakes. So. Much. Yum. These black forest cupcakes are a must try.

If you try my black forest cupcakes, let me know! Leave a comment in the comment area below and be sure to snap a photo and tag it #littlevintagebaking on Instagram. I love seeing your Little Vintage Baking creations!

For more chocolate desserts, check out these recipes:

Chocolate Stout Cake with Coffee Irish Cream Buttercream and Irish Whiskey Ganache

Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Black Forest Cupcakes

Moist chocolate cupcakes filled with homemade cherry filling and topped with a tangy whipped cream cheese buttercream frosting

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Total Time35 mins

Course: Dessert

Keyword: Black Forest Cupcakes

Servings: cupcakes

Ingredients

Chocolate Cupcakes:

1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons Dutch processed cocoa powder
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons espresso or coffee
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup (120ml) sour cream, full fat

Cherry Filling:

1 cup (1/2lb) sweet cherries, cut in half, stems and pits removed
1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
Pinch of fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract

Whipped Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting:

1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 block (250g) cream cheese
4 cups (500g) confectioners sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt

Instructions

Make the chocolate cupcakes.

Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a 12 cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
In a small bowl, combine the cocoa powder and espresso and whisk until thoroughly incorporated. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to combine.
Place the sugar and the butter into a saucepan over low heat. When the butter is almost melted, transfer the mixture to a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.
On medium low speed, beat the butter mixture until it is room temperature.
Adjust the speed to low. Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping the bowl after each addition. Add the vanilla.
Add the chocolate coffee mixture. Scrape the sides of the bowl.
Add the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the sour cream, mixing only until just combined after each addition.
Remove the bowl from the mixer and scrape down the sides and the bottom to make sure that all the ingredients are fully mixed.
Divide the batter among the cupcake liners. Bake the cupcakes for 16-19 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few stray crumbs.
Cool for 10 minutes in the pan. Transfer the cupcakes to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Make the cherry filling.

Combine the cherries, lemon juice, sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium low heat.
Use a potato masher or a wooden spoon to crush the cherries just a bit to release the juices and break them up a bit.
Let the mixture simmer until thickened and glossy, about 5-7 minutes.
Remove the mixture from the heat and cool completely before using.

Make the whipped cream cheese buttercream frosting.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fixed with a paddle attachment, on medium speed, combine the butter and the cream cheese and beat until combined, about a minute.
Adjust the speed to low and add the confectioners sugar a cup at a time, mixing until incorporated after each addition.
Once all the sugar has been added, scrape down the bowl. Add the vanilla and the salt.
Turn the mixer speed to medium and beat the buttercream until lightened and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes.
Place the frosting into a piping bag fitted with your preferred piping tip

Compile the black forest cupcakes.

Use a small knife to cut a cone shape out of the cupcake center.
Fill the cupcake with two teaspoons of the cherry filling.
Pipe the cupcakes with the whipped cream cheese buttercream frosting and top with a cherry. Enjoy!

Notes

The cupcakes, without frosting can be stored for up to three days at room temperature in a air tight container.

The cupcakes with frosting must be refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Chocolate Stout Cake with Coffee Irish Cream Buttercream

March 12, 2019 By Ashley Leave a Comment

St. Patrick’s Day is just around the corner! What better dessert to follow your corned beef and cabbage than this chocolate stout layer cake with coffee Irish cream buttercream and Irish whiskey ganache? This cake highlights some of Ireland’s best alcohols – Guinness Stout, Jameson Whiskey and Bailey’s Irish Cream liqueur. The chocolate stout cake is out of this world delicious on its own, or with a multitude of fillings and butter creams. But, layering and topping the cake with Jameson Whiskey infused chocolate ganache and a coffee and Bailey’s Irish Cream infused Swiss meringue buttercream takes this chocolate stout layer cake to a whole other level of amazing.

I actually have this stout cake on my wedding cake menu. It is one of my most popular flavors for groom’s cakes and is a huge hit with both beer lovers and non-beer fans alike. It’s a rich and chocolaty cake with deep coffee notes and a roasted flavor from the stout beer.

When I chose recipes for my business, I chose cakes with a tight, fine grain crumb, moist on it’s own without the need of moistening syrups, and incredibly flavorful, as well as being functional and a good foundation for stacked and tiered cakes. This chocolate stout cake is not only amazing because it tastes phenomenal, but also because it’s crazy functional. Especially, for making into a towering layer cake beauty. It can easily be scaled to make larger and smaller cakes, and it can also be carved for sculpted cakes.

The chocolate stout layer cake can be made with any stout beer you like. I used Guinness Stout because it’s easy to find and I enjoy the flavor of it. A chocolate milk stout would be fabulous here. I also baked my cakes in two pans, then sliced (or torted) those cakes into two. You can also divide the batter into three tins and bake as three separate layers if you wish.

You can use bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate for the ganache. The ganache is a standard 2:1 recipe, with two parts of chocolate to one part cream. This will allow you to use it as a drip consistency and as a spreadable frosting-like consistency between the layers. I like to add a little bit of corn syrup and butter to my ganache to allow it to have a bit more softer consistency when chilled. The butter and corn syrup allow it to be a bit creamier and gives it a bit more shine on the drip.

Avoid chocolate bark, low quality chocolate chips and candy melts for ganache. Use a higher quality chocolate here. The better quality the chocolate, the better the texture and the taste. I also add a little bit of Irish whiskey – I used Jameson – to my ganache for additional flavor. Allow the ganache to cool until it’s smooth and spreadable, like peanut butter.

I use Swiss meringue buttercream for this recipe as I love how well it holds the flavor of the coffee and the Irish Cream. Check out my post on Swiss meringue buttercream for the recipe and tutorial on how to make this silky and delicious buttercream. I flavored the Swiss meringue buttercream with cooled, prepared espresso (you can also use strong coffee) and Bailey’s Irish Cream. The coffee flavor complements the chocolate and the stout flavors from the cake. The Irish cream is the final touch, complementing the chocolate and the coffee so well. They are flavors that are meant to be. It’s so good! Definitely don’t leave out the Irish cream here.

I chose to keep the decoration on this cake pretty minimal. I was planning on doing a semi-naked drip but I actually loved how the Swiss meringue buttercream sort of had that two toned messy suede look, so I kept it. To get this look, I iced the cake completely and popped it in the fridge to chill. Once it chilled for 30 minutes or so, I pulled it out of the fridge, and filled in any holes or messy areas with buttercream. I used my cake scraper (or bench scraper) and smoothed the buttercream out completely, which blended both the chilled and room temperature buttercream and created that two tone look and some additional texture.

For the drip, I heated the remaining ganache just until it was the same consistency of what it was when I first made it. Then I poured it into a squeeze bottle to add the drips to the cake. You can also use a spoon to apply the drips instead, if you wish. I added the drips first then I filled in the top with the remaining ganache. Work quickly because the ganache wants to set up quickly on the chilled cake.

There you have it, chocolate stout layer cake with coffee Irish Cream buttercream and Irish whiskey ganache. After I was done shooting the photos for this cake, part of it went to weekend cake tastings and consultations, but the remainder of it was sent off with my husband to a business meeting where it was promptly polished off. They even sent me a video raving about the cake. It’s THAT good.

If you try this chocolate stout layer cake with coffee Irish cream buttercream and Irish whiskey ganache, let me know! Leave a comment in the comment area below and be sure to snap a photo and tag it #littlevintagebaking on Instagram. I love seeing your Little Vintage Baking creations!

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Chocolate Stout Cake with Coffee Irish Cream Buttercream

A moist and chocolaty stout cake filled and dripped with dark chocolate Irish whiskey ganache and filled with coffee Irish Cream Swiss meringue buttercream

Prep Time30 mins

Cook Time1 hr

Total Time1 hr 30 mins

Course: Dessert

Servings: 1" x 2" x 5" servings

Ingredients

Chocolate Stout Layer Cake:

1 cup (226g) unsalted stick butter, softened
2 1/4 cups (504g) light brown sugar, packed
2 1/3 cup (315g) all purpose flour
1 cup (120g) high quality cocoa powder, Dutch processed, sifted to remove lumps
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp fine sea salt
4 large eggs room temperature
1 bottle (12oz, 350ml) Guinness stout beer, or your favorite stout, room temperature
1/2 cup (120ml) buttermilk, room temperature
1/4 cup (60g) mayo, room temp
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp apple cider vinegar

Irish Whiskey Ganache:

8 oz (227g) chopped bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
1/2 cup (116ml) heavy cream
1/2 tbsp light corn syrup
1 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tsp Irish whiskey, I used Jameson
Pinch fine sea salt

Coffee Irish Cream Swiss Meringue Buttercream:

1 batch prepared Swiss meringue buttercream, omitting the vanilla
1/3 cup (80ml) brewed Espresso, room temperature
2-3 tbsp Irish Cream, I used Bailey's
1/8 tsp fine sea salt

Instructions

Make the chocolate stout layer cake:

Preheat the oven to 350F. Butter the bottoms and sides of 2 - 8" x 2" round cake pans. Line the bottoms with parchment. Create a parchment collar to go around the sides of the pans.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sifted cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Whisk to combine well.
In a measuring cup, combine the buttermilk and stout. Whisk to combine.
Place the softened butter and the brown sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the paddle attachment, cream the butter and the brown sugar on medium speed until it is very light in color and super fluffy, about 6-8 minutes.
Add the eggs one at a time, mixing just until combined. Scrape the bottom and sides of bowl with spatula after each addition.
Add one third of the flour mixture to the bowl and mix on low until just combined. Pour half of the beer mixture into the bowl and mix on low until just combined.
Remove the bowl from the mixer. Scrape the bowl to make sure the ingredients are incorporated. The mixture might look curdled at this point, but it will come back together.
Add an additional one third of the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Add the remaining beer mixture and mix just until combined.
Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure the ingredients are incorporated.
Add the remaining flour mixture and mix until just combined. Remove the bowl from the mixer. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure there are not any pockets of butter or flour remaining.
Place the bowl back on the stand mixer. With the mixer speed on low add the mayo. Mix for 10 seconds.
Combine the baking soda and vinegar in a small bowl. Pour the mixture into the cake batter and mix on low for an additional 10 seconds.
Remove the bowl from the mixer. Portion the batter evenly into the prepared pans.
Bake the cakes on the center rack of the oven for 40-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few crumbs. You will want to start watching for the cakes to be done, when the tops dome and start to crack a bit.
Remove the baked cakes from the oven. If they have domed at all, use a tea towel to gently press down the domes. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes.
Run a butter knife around the edge of the pans, remove the parchment collar and turn the cakes out onto a wire rack. Cool to room temperature.
Wrap the cakes tightly with a couple layers of plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill completely before assembling.
The cakes will keep tightly wrapped in plastic wrap and placed in a zip top bag in the refrigerator for up to three days. The cake layers can also be frozen, wrapped well in plastic wrap and placed in a zip top bag. I personally don't like to freeze longer than a week, but you can freeze these layers for up to three weeks. Defrost the layers in the refrigerator before using.

Make the Irish Whiskey Ganache:

Place the chopped chocolate and butter into a medium size bowl. Set aside.
Heat the heavy cream, salt and corn syrup in a small sauce pan over medium-low heat on the stove until the mixture begins to simmer.
Pour the hot cream over the chocolate. Let the mixture sit for a minute to allow the chocolate to melt. Gently whisk the chocolate and cream until smooth.
Add the Irish whiskey and whisk to combine.
Place the ganache into the refrigerator until it is a thicker, spreadable consistency, like peanut butter, about 30 minutes or so.

Make the Coffee Irish Cream Swiss Meringue Buttercream:

Add the salt, espresso and Irish cream to the prepared buttercream. Mix on low until incorporated completely and the buttercream is silky and smooth

Assemble the Layer Cake:

Work with chilled cake layers. Using a long serrated knife torte the layers, cutting them evenly in half. You will have four cake layers total. The tops of the cakes will be the center two layers of your cake.
Put one of the cake layers, cut side up onto an 8" cake board or directly onto a cake stand.
Spread a thin, even layer of the ganache on the cake layer with an offset spatula.
Spread about one cup of the buttercream on top of the ganache using an offset spatula to evenly distribute the buttercream. You're looking for the buttercream to be about 1/4 inch thick.
Place another cake layer on top, top up, and press down gently so that the layer is adhered to the buttercream. Repeat the previous two steps, applying the ganache and buttercream.
Place the third layer cake layer, top up, and press down gently so that the layer is adhered to the buttercream.
Add the final ganache layer. Add the final buttercream layer. Place the final cake layer (the bottom of one of the cakes) bottom side up on the buttercream, pressing gently to adhere.
Frost the cake with the remaining coffee Irish cream buttercream. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Microwave the remaining ganache in 3-5 second intervals, stirring after every interval until the ganache is loose and pourable but not hot.
Add the drips around the perimeter of the cake. Fill in the top of the cake with the ganache and smooth.
Slice into pieces and serve.
The completed cake will keep in the refrigerator for up to three days. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Notes

To adjust the recipe for different size pans: (Creates 2 - 2" layer cakes to be torted, or you can divide them into three pans)

Halve the recipe for 6" cakes

One and a half recipes for 10" cakes

Two and a half recipes for 12" cakes

Cake layers adapted from The Sweetapolita Bakebook

Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Cookies

June 24, 2018 By Ashley 20 Comments

These bakery style chocolate chip cookies are an essential staple in my house. They’re fantastically delicious and everyone goes crazy for them – they never stick around for long. The dough can also be made in advance, scooped and frozen so I always have a supply in the freezer. I just pop them in the oven when I need a sweet treat for last minute guests or for an after school snack for my girls.

There are many, many recipes and variations for chocolate chip cookies, but if you have been searching for the ultimate bakery style chocolate chip cookie, then this is THE recipe. These are everything a chocolate chip cookie should be. Thick, chewy, soft, buttery, caramel-ly and full of ooey-gooey chocolate chips. Use good quality chocolate chips here as it makes all the difference in flavor. Make these super indulgent by using chunks of chopped up semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate instead of chips. Melty chocolate puddles are life.

This recipe is similar to many other chocolate chip cookie recipes but with a few differences that take these over the top and make them bakery style chocolate chip cookies. Melted butter is used here, instead of softened butter, which results in chewier cookies and less spreading when baked (think thick and chewy!). It has both granulated and brown sugar but has more brown sugar which adds to the chewiness and contributes to more of a complex caramel flavor. I use high quality pure vanilla extract in all my baked goods, and if you can, use it here as the flavor is far more intense and complex than imitation extracts. You can use any size ice cream scoop to portion your dough (I used a standard size in these photos) but to get large bakery size cookies, use a large (quarter cup) ice cream scoop.

This dough does not need to be chilled before baking, BUT, I will say that you should. Refrigerating your dough allows the flavors to meld together and some of the water content to evaporate, concentrating that caramel flavor, as well as re-solidifying the butter for less spread. Less spread=thicker, gooey-er cookies. Even an hour in the refrigerator can make a difference, overnight is even better. I have baked these cookies right after mixing and they’re still amazing, but if you have some time to optimize the flavor and refrigerate, you’ll be happy you did so.

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5 from 2 votes

Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Cookies

These chocolate chip cookies are large, thick, chewy and full of melty semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time15 mins

Resting Time2 hrs

Total Time25 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Cookies

Servings: cookies

Ingredients

3/4 cup (170g) unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
2/3 cup (146g) light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
2 cups (240g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1 1/2 cups (262g) high quality semi-sweet chocolate chips - I use Guittard

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Melt the butter and let cool for a bit. You don’t want the butter to be too hot otherwise the eggs will scramble when added.
Combine the flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to combine.
Combine both sugars to the bowl of a mixer followed by the melted butter and beat together on medium low until well blended.
Beat in the vanilla extract followed by the egg and the egg yolk until light and creamy.
Slowly add in the flour mixture and mix on low until just combined.
Remove bowl from the mixer and fold in the chocolate chips.
Using an ice cream scoop (or ¼ cup measuring cup for larger cookies), scoop out the dough onto the cookie sheets leaving two inches or so between each cookie.
Bake for 14-16 minutes or until the edges are lightly brown and the tops look just set. Transfer to cookie sheets to wire racks to cool slightly.
Serve warm with a cold glass of milk for the ultimate indulgence.

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