Christmas Baking

The last few weeks have been pretty busy between school, exams, work, and getting ready for Christmas.  I don’t have a lot of shopping to do exactly, but am in charge of practically all the christmas baking for our family and am organizing some stuff at work as well.

 

Christmas Baking List

Sugar Cookies – done!

Gingersnaps – done!

Banana bread – done!

Pumpkin cake – done!

Fudge – done!

Peanut butter balls – not done, need icing sugar

Peppermint patties – not done, need crisco

Peanut Butter Cups – not done

Chocolate Toffee – not done, need butter

 

Lots to do in the next few weeks.  I’ve been working on a curried roasted potato recipe but don’t have any potatoes left to try again and it’s not quite right yet.  Tonight I’m making lamb and chickpea curry because that’s basically all I can make with the ingredients I have at home.

Sinful Deliciousness

While I was at my parents house this weekend I decided to do some baking as always.  (Free ingredients and a clean kitchen without the possiblity of mice, how could I resist??)  Since it was my dad’s birthday everything was chocolate.  For his birthday supper dessert it was molten chocolate cakes with fresh raspberries and icing sugar.  They were perfectly gooey and rich and chocolately.  The raspberries were the perfect counterpart to the sweet and richness of the cake.  I’m not going to post the recipe because I found it on the inside of the Bakers 70% chocolate squares box! 

The highlight of the weekend baking, for me, was this delicious, rich, fudgey, peanut-buttery concoction.  It tastes like reese peanut butter cups.  Honest.  Unfortunatly I left most of it at my parents place.  But that doesn’t mean I can’t make my own once my pieces are gone!!

Peanut Butter Fudge Cake

2 Cups All Purpose Flour (I used half whole wheat)

2 Cups White Sugar

1 Tsp Baking Soda

1 Cup Butter or Margarine

1/2 Cup Cocoa Powder

1 Cup Buttermilk (I used plain soymilk)

2 Eggs, beaten

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 Cup Peanut Butter

1/4 Cup Butter or Margarine

1/4 Cup Cocoa

1/3 Cup Buttermilk (I used soymilk again!)

2 Cups-ish Icing Sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Combine flour, white sugar, and baking soda in a large mixing bowl; set aside.

Melt 1 cup butter or margarine in a heavy saucepan; stir in 1/2 cup cocoa. Stir in buttermilk, and eggs until well blended. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils. Remove from heat. Mix into flour mixture, stirring until smooth. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla. Pour batter into a greased and floured 13 x 9 inch baking pan.

 

Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 20 to 25 minutes, or until an inserted wooden pick comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes on a wire rack. Carefully spread peanut butter over warm cake. Cool completely.

 

To Make Frosting: Combine 1/4 cup butter or margarine, 1/4 cup cocoa, and buttermilk in a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Pour over confectioners’ sugar, stirring until smooth. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla. Spread chocolate frosting over peanut butter on cake. Cut into squares.