Brownie Pops!

Brownie Pops

BONUS! I made an extra goodie this week - Brownie Pops! I will take them in to work on Wednesday, since tomorrow I alradt have raspberry and lemon danish ready to bake before work.

I used the Wilton Brownie Pop silicone pans to make these, and although I have read numerous reviews with people complaining that the pop didn't release from the pans, I had no problem. I sprayed them with Pam, and they popped right out! After they cooled, I dipped them in melted peanut butter chips. I then dipped half in chocolate jimmies, and the other in Turtle sprinkles (just because they matched!). I think these would be really cute dipped in white chocolate, and the topped with pink, blue or yellow flowers or sprinkes for a baby shower favor.

These were fun to make and wrap, and I will definitly do them again!

Congo Bars vs Congo Bars

Congo Bars 1

The battle of the Congo Bars! So many recipes - what's a Libra to do?! Bake more than one, I guess!

Congo Bars 1 are the version found on Bakerella's site. They seem to be a cross between a Blondie with choholate chips and a chocolate chip bar cookie. But these are nice and chewy. I made her "hand mixed" version. Mine have milk chocolate chips and pecans.

Congo Bars 2 have toasted coconut, toffee chips, and semi-sweet chocolate chips. They seem to be a little more dense than Congo Bars 1. This recipe version can be found here on the Treat a Week Recipes blog.

Congo Bars 2

 So, who will reign supreme? Let the testers weigh in . . . .

Fudge Marble C*O*W

Ok - we are back to COWs! If you have been with me from the beginning you'l know that is Cupcake of the Week! I am so happy to be past the nightmare brownie adventure. This week it is a yellow and chocolate marble cupcake, filled with a rich fudge filling. Gotta have my favorite homemade Hershey's frosting piled hig on top! A few chocolate sprinkkles, and Voila! YUM!

Lemon Cupcakes with Candied Lemon Peel

~ Happy Birthday, Rhonda! ~

Like last year, Rhonda picked her favorite flavor for her birthday. Lemon cake with wedding-cake frosting. I took the liberty of making fresh lemon curd from scratch to use as a filling, and I also made candied lemon peel for garnish. I love the lemon curd - I could eat that straight. And the candied lemon peel was easy and tasty too. I baked the cake using a Wilton recipe. Very odd texture to this cake, but a good flavor. I added 1/3 cup lemon zest to it so it would be sure to be lemony. Success! Great lemon flavor, but I am still trying to find a scratch cake that I am happy with the texture of. At least no one minds that I am practicing! And I have another year to perfect the lemon recipe. . .

Olive Garden Lemon Crunch Cake

~ Before I go any further, Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there! ~

I was trying lemon recipes in anticipation of making a lemon cake for Rhonda's birthday. I found this recipe in Todd Wilbur's More Super Secret Restaurant Recipes cookbook. I am not impressed. Not very lemony at all, all though it does look like the restaurant version. But at $6.95 a slice, I'll pass!

Pineapple Crunch Cake

This was another version of my Peach Crunch Cake. I was trying it with another fruit. After it was baking I though, hmmmm . . . I should have sprinkled some coconut on the bottom! Ah well, too late.

I think the peach was better.

Death by Chocolate Upside Down Cake

This is VERY RICH! The frosting goes through the cake and ends up on the bottom of the pan. Cut pieces of cake and scoop the frosting off the bottom, or invert the cake onto a board.
I packaged these in individual plastic cups with lids, since I was transporting them to work for ny co-workers.

For the Cake:

1 cup flaked coconut

1 cup chopped pecans

1 package German chocolate cake mix

1-1/4 cup water

1/3 cup oil

3 eggs

3-1/2 cups (about 1-pound) powdered sugar

1 cup butter, melted

8 ounce package cream cheese,

3/4 to 1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375° F. Grease 13 x 9-inch pan.

Sprinkle coconut and pecans evenly over bottom of greased pan.

In large bowl combine cake mix, melted butter, water and eggs at a low speed until moistened.

Beat 2 minutes at high speed.

Spoon batter evenly over coconut and pecans.

Frosting:

In another large bowl combine powdered sugar, margarine and cream cheese and beat until smooth and creamy. Spoon evenly over batter to within 1 inch of edges. Sprinkle with chocolate chips,

Bake at 375° F for 40 to 50 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

** Learn from me! **
I spent a long time making sure the batter I spooned on top of the coconut and pecan layer was nice and even, completely covering the coconut and nuts. I think now, though, it would be better to leave the batter in blobs.That way, the blobs of frosting can melt down between the cake and really get to the bottom of the pan.
One more thing - if you're putting this into plastic cups, be sure to let the cake cool completely first!