Busy Brunette Bakerista

This is no written recipe for this so it's been a secret until now. It was handed down to me when my kids where in Kindergarten from another mom. I made it for my daughter’s birthday when she was little and it was such a big hit I make it every summer!   Secret Ice Cream Cake 24 ice cream sandwiches 1 container of regular Cool Whip (or homemade whipped cream) chocolate syrup caramel syrup chopped up chocolate candies such as Butterfingers, Snickers, Kit Kats, or Skor or Heath toffee bars strawberry for garnish Unwrap candies and chop up into bite-size pieces and set aside.  Unwrap ice cream sandwiches as you layer…place the first layer of   ice cream sandwiches on the bottom of a large casserole or baking dish (9” x 13” size).   Cut up sandwiches to fill in narrow spaces.  Spread a layer of Cool Whip topping to cover entire layer of sandwiches.  Next, drizzle chocolate syrup in one direction over...

After reading the entire New York Times Cookbook , I decided to try the most requested and published recipe from the Times archives. Initially a Purple Plum Torte, I made this instead with peaches and it was easy, sweet, and moist. I can see why it is so popular! Great for fancy parties or casual sleepovers.  Peach Times Tart 1 cup all-puporse flour 1 teaspoon baking powder large pinch of salt 1 cup granulated sugar, plus 1 Tablespoon depending on the tartness of the fruit 8 Tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened 2 large eggs 12 peaches (sliced and pitted) 2 teaspoons fresh lemon nice 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon Heat oven to 350 degrees. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Set aside. Cream 1 cup sugar and softened butter into a large bowl with a hand mixer until light and fluffy. Add sifted dry ingredients and then the eggs.  Spoon the batter into an ungreased 9-inch springform pan (the kind you use for making cheesecak...

My homemade coffee cake recipes don't call for actual coffee but they are delicious. Well, I tired another recipe in the fabulous cookbook Back in the Day Bakery Cookbook and this coffee cake is moist, light and has the sweetest crumble in the middle (also has no coffee ). It does take a while so remember to follow the directions to every detail. Enjoy! BITDB Coffee Cake Streusel Ingredients ¼ cup packed light brown sugar ½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt 3/4 cup chopped pecans (optional) 3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes Cake Ingredients 2 ½ cups cake flour (not self-rising) 2 teaspoons baking powder, preferably aluminum-free ½ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon fine sea salt ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom (I used pumpkin pie spice to give it a little more texture) 12 tablespoons (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature 1 ½ cups granulated sugar 3 large eggs,...

Every day is Valentine's Day when you make these treats for someone special. Gooey, sweet, and salty popcorn balls are just the right size for party favors, a dessert buffet, or hostess gift for any time of year . I’ve made them with different colored candies for every holiday:  red and pink for Valentine’s Day,  green for St. Patrick’s Day,   black and orange for Halloween,  green and red for Christmas, and multi-colors for our summer birthdays. Sweet Sweetheart Treats 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter (plus more for your hands) 1 bag (10oz.) mini marshmallows ¼ cup packed light brown sugar 12 cups popped   popcorn (about 3 (3oz.) bags) 1 cup M&Ms, or Reece’s Pieces* parchment paper Cook popcorn to measure out to 12 cups and pour into a large bowl. Remove any kernels that may have not popped. Set bowl aside. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside. Melt butter in a large heavy-bottom large pot on low heat . Pour in marshmal...

Happy National S'mores Day!  S'mores on a stick? Why didn't I think of this earlier? No more long sticks, messy graham crackers, and marshmallow everywhere  over a bonfire. You can make these any time of year and enjoy them during a festive winter party, neighborhood potluck, or team dinner. HOBO* S'mores 36 large marshmallows  1 container (16 oz.) of dark chocolate frosting 2 cups of graham cracker crumbs  2 cups of semi-sweet mini chocolate chips 36 lollipop/cake pop sticks (find them at any craft store or baking supply store) First, line cookie sheets with wax paper. Insert one stick into one marshmallow at a time and place on cookie sheet.  If you can't find graham cracker crumbs, take whole graham crackers, break into quarter pieces, place into a food processor and blend until it turns into crumbs. Then, scoop out frosting from the container into a glass bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds or until frosting fe...

I've seen this type of recipe several times and finally tried it out for myself. You can make it with a cake mix too but I think a brownie mix is more moist with the ice cream cone. Very fun to make and great for parties! Brownie Cone Dessert Cups 1 box of brownie mix (18 oz.) 12 - 18 ice cream cones 1 can of prepared frosting - I used vanilla  sprinkles or cake decoration toppings Prepare brownie mix according the instructions on the back of the box using milk instead of water. For my easy brownie mix recipe click here . Set batter aside. Preheat oven to 325 or 350 degrees according to directions on brownie box. Take a 9" x 13" casserole dish, or rimmed baking dish, and lay a sheet of tin foil across the top securing at the ends. Using a small knife, cut an "X" at 12 spots across the foil. Place one ice cream cone in each "X" so it can stand up by itself. If you want to make another dish for more cones, you can do it with a smalle...

Year-Round Holiday Cookie Bars *I will be taking a break for a while so look for my next post in April or May 2018* Happy Baking Everyone!! Sometimes the best cookie recipe is the easiest. Bake these for any special occasion, holiday, or birthday and I bet they’ll be a family favorite. You can use different colored sprinkles, sugar, or cupcake toppers too. 2 eggs (1 cup) two sticks of butter, softened 2 bags of sugar cookie mix {17.5 oz. bag} 1 can of vanilla frosting (or homemade frosting of your choice) sugar sprinkles (holiday colors) Follow instructions on bag of cookie mix. Heat 350 degrees for nonstick or 375 degrees for regular cookie sheet. Using a large spatula or wooden spoon stir two bags of cookie mixes, two eggs, and two sticks of softened butter in a large mixing bowl.  Spread dough into a large baking pan with a rim (you can use a sheet cake pan, jelly roll pan, etc.).  Bake for 15 min. Cool.  ...