Anything cake is good

The holidays get me in the baking spirit... Or maybe it's the fact that I'm too cold to go outside and would rather be cooped up by a stove. Regardless, I have found the best bark. I know a lot of people are into peppermint chocolate bark, but peppermint ain't everyone's thing. HOWEVER I know what IS everyone's thing-- cake.

The author of "How Sweet Eats" posted a recipe that had me drooling instantly... And feeling alright that my birthday isn't until June. Cake batter bark is the answer to all of the world's problems, at least my own.



For one batch of bark (enough to fill 4-5 nice sized gift bags) you'll need:
2 bags of white chocolate chips (I used Ghiradelli)
1 bag of dark chocolate chips (at least 70% cacao, preferably)
1 tsp. yellow or white cake mix
Sprinkles to top

(You can also use chocolate bars, but in my case, finding white chocolate bars in Moscow, Idaho is more difficult than you'd think.)

*Line a baking sheet with wax paper.
*Melt dark chocolate in a double boiler or microwave. If you choose to microwave, be cautious as it can burn easily. Put the chocolate in for 60 second intervals, stirring after each time. Stirring will also help move the heat around and expedite the melting process.
*Pour the melted dark chocolate onto the wax paper and smooth it out.
*Freeze for 20 minutes
*While the dark chocolate is freezing, melt the white chocolate.
*Mix in 1 tbs. of cake mix to the white chocolate... And then stop worrying about what you'll do with the opened box of cake mix. 1 tbs. (even 2 or 3) will not affect a cake. But, if you're so worried, you can always add in flour to make up the difference. Or, you can make cookies out of the mix and not need all of the package, anyway. Are you so worried, though? You're about to have great bark, come on!
*Take the dark chocolate out of the freezer, pour the white chocolate on top and shake sprinkles all over. You can't have enough sprinkles, so go crazy. Just make sure you do it before the white chocolate starts to harden.
*Freeze the bark for another 20 minutes. When it's ready, break that bad boy into a million little pieces and have at it. Or, get candy baggies and make gifts for people; the choice is yours.

It's the season for giving, but it's also the season of weight gain... So make sure there's enough for you.

Happy holidays!

For more recipes from How Sweet, visit
www.howsweeteats.com

Fizzy fantastic

It was a success.

I'm not one to dabble with science experiments in the kitchen. Until I have children whose teachers are sending them home with assignments to produce green gak and erupting volcanoes, the most experimenting my kitchen will see is applesauce replacing butter in a muffin. However, I was feeling adventurous last week. The wind had taken over our original plans to play tennis, so baking was the obvious substitution. Down the street from where we were going to buy rackets is a market. We were craving lemon cake, I was craving something new. I remembered multiple blogs writing about this soda in cake substitution, so I thought, "why not? If this doesn't work out, it's a sign from the health gods that I wasn't meant to compensate exercise with baked goods."

I slowly combined a 10 oz. sprite with boxed cake mix. All of the other ingredients listed on the box are omitted but the recommended cooking temperature and time remains the same. Because this wasn't a normal cake, I took the chance to not use normal frosting. I don't know if I was expecting the final product to be some type of carbonated, floating dessert, but the thought of it being so made me want a really light topping. I mixed a tub of fat-free cool whip with a packet of cheesecake instant pudding.

It was a success.
When the timer went off and I saw my cake, I was surprised. The real test was in the taste, though. As the blogs promised, you could not tell a real difference using this substitution. Because we didn't use sugar-free soda (we probably will if we make it again), I'm thinking that the added sugars contributed to a little bit of a stickier cake than usual. The stickiness wasn't significant; it was just on the top, anyway. We put a dollop of the whipped cream mixture on each slice and had at it.
*For white cakes, use clear colored drinks. For chocolate, darker drinks will work great. A chocolate cake with a cherry Pepsi drink might add a subtle cherry flavor. Try it!

Twice as nice?

I'm trying to bring back the lost art of letter writing, more specifically, package sending. Bonnie mailed me mint brownies and cookies on my birthday. There were a few crumbs, but the food stayed surprisingly well. This of course meant I could eat all of the brownies and all of the cookies within the first few minutes of opening the package-- at 9 am.

So, it's my turn to return the favor. Tonight I made cookies for Bonnie and Lauren. Ok, well, tonight I started to make cookies for Bonnie and Lauren.

When I bake, I usually substitute the butter or other fat (like oil) with something healthier. This can be mashed banana, pumpkin puree, yogurt or applesauce. I had just the right amount of applesauce to finish off the jar, so I used that. Usually, the ratio for the substitute will be the same, but it's a matter of preference. Some people prefer to use 1/2 the required amount of fat with 1/2 substitute. The consistency is a little different when you substitute the fat, though. Cookies turn out more cake like, cakes are more moist. This doesn't work with everything so you have to toy around. Using eggs in recipes can also be altered. If a recipe calls for one whole egg, you can use two egg whites (keeping with a 1:2 ratio). Or, if more than one egg is required, you can use both whole egg(s) and substitute egg(s) with egg whites. For all of these changes, cooking times will vary. Until you get the hang of it, you'll have to check the oven frequently. Most times, the flavor doesn't change too much, but be cautious. Sweetened applesauce will make a bigger difference than unsweetened, etc.

Tonight I made sugar "cookies" (more like cake-cookies) with m&m's mixed in. Because they were so light, I figured I could have another.. then another.. then another.. Eight cookies later, here I am, full and ashamed. Bonnie and Lauren's boxes to be mailed remain empty, while I waddle around, sickeningly full. I'll do better next time!

Squash me

I didn't want to turn this into a cooking blog, but I can't resist. We just got a table to eat our meals at. As nice as the oriental/homeless feel the floor was, the table adds an element of cleanliness and just plain goodness. Tonight I made acorn squash stuffed with cous cous and a chocolate fudge and peanut butter pie (guess which dish I chose to make and which one Nick requested). I really like to cook. So much so that, if given a time machine, I can't say I wouldn't re-consider college and scope out a culinary institute instead. But, I'm not above selling cookies out of of the trunk of my car, either.