Chocolate Cake and Fresh Strawberries!!!

The first and third Sunday's of the month we have home fellowship with a group from our church. We meet at the home of one of our Asst. Pastors. We get started by eating an enormous amount of food and visiting with each other, then the kids go to the family room and play while the adults spend some time in worship, study, and prayer. After that, we get back to the kitchen for DESSERT!!! It's a really good time and we've had the opportunity to get to know people from our church that we wouldn't ordinarily have had the chance to build any type of relationship.

All that to say that the food comes from everyone in the group. We all volunteer to bring something or other. For tonight, I decided to make a chocolate cake, with a creamy cheesecake filling, and a whipped vanilla topping. Then to make the whole thing pretty and extra tasty, it is covered in sliced fresh strawberries and drizzled with dark chocolate.

Can we have dessert first??? PLEASE!!!

Banana Cream Cake Popcorn Cups

Aren't they cute!!! These are Banana Cupcakes, topped with sliced bananas, banana filling, and topped with a whipped banana topping. Then to make them look like they are my Dad's favorite food, they are placed in molded red chocolate cups with white stripes and topped with shaped and painted marshmallows to look like Pop Corn.

Think of the inside as more like a trifle. It's my creative way of decorating a "cake" and still offering my Dad Banana Cream Pie for his Birthday.

Want to know how to bake a moist delicious cake without baking from scratch???

I'll bet you do!!! And I'll be happy to share how easy it really is!


To doctor a cake mix so that you can create your own moist, melt in your mouth, delicious confection, all you need is...

1 cake mix (flavor of your choice)
1 package of pudding (If using chocolate cake, use chocolate. If using yellow cake, use vanilla)
1 cup of sour cream
3/4 - 1 cup of water (See how much your original recipe calls for and then drop it by 1/3 - 1/4 of a cup)
1/2 cup of oil
4 eggs

Mix according to the directions on the box and bake according to the box. Remember... if you have a little (just a little) cake sticking to your toothpick when you test to see if it is done, that is OKAY!!! Your cake will continue to cook after you take it out of the oven.

Is it worth the extra's? ABSOLUTLEY!!! I promise, you'll get compliments on that cake!

Monster Jam Birthday Cake

My son absolutely loves Monster Trucks. His favorite is Blue Thunder and for his Birthday, he asked for a monster truck cake. His cousin TJ is celebrating his Birthday in February also (the boys are 6 days apart), so this is for both of them.

It was most definitely a challenge. Matt was an indispensable part of this project. He put his carpentry skills to work and built an incredible frame for me to work with. He also helped carve the shape of the truck. He wanted to have a hand in our son's cake and he did a fantastic job!!! I love you baby!

Happy Birthday Garrick & TJ!!!

Double Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Believe it or not this is a healthy version of a double chocolate chip cookie! Amazing that such healthy ingredients can turn out such a moist, chewy, and oh so chocolaty delight! As opposed to a traditional chocolate chip, these have less than 1/2 the fat, about 1/2 the sugar, and they have whole wheat flour!

Want to make them yourself? Here's the recipe!

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES (HEALTHIER VERSION)

(side note: I spent about 6 months tweaking the ingredients to get this cookie just right. If you make substitutions or change measurements, I can't be held responsible. Make changes at your own risk!!!)

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees

3/4 cp Land O Lakes Light Butter (Softened)
1/4 cp Applesauce
1 pkg Chocolate Pudding
1/4 cp White Sugar
1/2 cp Splenda
3/4 cp Brown Sugar
2 tsp Vanilla

Combine the above ingredients and mix.

2 Eggs(room temperature) (or egg beater equivalent)

Add Eggs and mix

1 cp. White Flour
1 cp. White Wheat Flour (King Arthur Brand)
2/3 cp. Cocoa Powder
3/4 tsp Baking Soda
1/4 tsp Salt

Combine these ingredients in a separate bowl and whisk together lightly to incorporate. Then gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients just until they are thoroughly combined. Do Not Over Mix.

1 1/4 cps Mini Chocolate Morsels (Yes, it makes a difference!!!)

Add Morsels and stir

Spoon onto a greased cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Do not over bake. Pull them from the oven before they look "done". When cooled they will firm up and you'll have a chewy and chocolaty treat. You can add nuts if you like and you can also add dried cherries.

Snowman Cake

Red Velvet Cake with Peppermint Mocha Truffle Fudge Filling and Cream Cheese icing. Everything is home made right down to the fondant.

I really like how this chilly creature turned out!

Holiday Crunch

I've been making Holiday Crunch for 4 years now. It started as a gift I'd give friends and family for the holidays. So many people wanted my recipe but I just can't give it out! If my friends and family can make it for themselves, what would I give them at Christmas?

WHAT IS IT???? If that is your question, here's your answer! An irresistible combination of pecans, almonds, and popcorn covered with caramel toffee and drizzled with dark chocolate.


I've also got a test going this year that has peanut butter chocolate drizzle. It's a slight taste of peanut butter and WOWZA!!! It's good!

Wedding Cupcake Balls

This was a fun project and a first. Cake balls are made of strawberry cake with cream cheese icing dipped in dark and green chocolate. Gum Paste flowers, bows and royal icing accents.

Wrapped a ribbon around a terracotta pot and used styrofoam to hold them in place. What a cute and tasty little floral arrangement!



Here is the finished basket. I individually wrapped each cake ball and tied them with a ribbon. Then all the basket pieces were added, arranged, and shrink wrapped.