Tag Archives: Baking powder

Double Chocolate Brownies

Posted on by

0

I’m in a little need of some chocolate therapy

Double Chocolate Brownies | Beautiful Disasters

My life as a soccer player ended on Wednesday and it was nothing short of devastating.

Double Chocolate Brownies | Beautiful Disasters

Everyone else in my senior class was getting all sad and sentimental about graduation tomorrow, but I can honestly say I truly felt nothing until Wednesday night when we lost that game. I really didn’t even feel like I was graduating. It felt like no big deal, like I was going to be back in the high school halls come August.

Double Chocolate Brownies | Beautiful Disasters

After double overtime and penalty kicks, after losing the sectional semi-final game, I felt like a part of my childhood ended. No more tournaments, no more full-field suicide runs, no more shooting drills, no more will I be able to lace those cleats on for another real game. It finally hit me that soccer was over and high school was done.

Double Chocolate Brownies | Beautiful Disasters

I have had the best parents, some great coaches, and loads of unforgettable teammates that have become friend I will have for life.

Needless to say, there was lots of crying. “Lots” is an understatement. So I present you all some double chocolate brownies that can cushion any sorrow!

Double Chocolate Brownies

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder (I used dark cocoa powder)
pinch salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoons vanilla extract

  1. Preheat oven to 350˚F and spray a 8×8 square pan with cooking spray.
  2. In a large bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder. Stir in chocolate chips.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
  4. Pour batter into prepared baking pan and bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool for about 45 minutes, then cut into squares. Enjoy!

Double Chocolate Brownies | Beautiful Disasters

Random Fact of the Day: Jennifer Aniston’s original name is Jennifer Anastassakis

Related articles

Coconut Blondies

Posted on by

2

Life is good.

Coconut Blondies | Beautiful Disasters

I finished all my AP tests last Friday. We are a few breaths away from summer. Charles Ramsey’s heroic actions and great humor got me through AP testing week last week. And I have some delicious coconut blondies to share with you all.

Coconut Blondies | Beautiful Disasters

Maybe I am getting a little coconut-happy lately, but I kind of like it. Coconut signifies summer and tropical things to me, so being land-locked, coconut is one of those ingredients that has grown on me.

Coconut Blondies | Beautiful Disasters

I hope you all have a great day full of smiles, sunshine, and most of all, some coconut blondies.

Coconut Blondies

1/2 cup coconut oil (room temperature)

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1/2 teaspoon coconut extract

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons whole wheat flour (all-purpose is fine, too!)

pinch of salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup unsweetened coconut

1/4 cup chopped walnuts (or desired nuts)

1/4 cup chocolate chips

  1. Preheat oven to 350˚F. Spray an 8 x 8-inch baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, cream together coconut oil and brown sugar unti completely combined. Mix in eggs until incorporated. Add in extracts. Stir in flour, baking powder, and salt. Finally fold in coconut.
  3. Spread dough into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle chocolate chips over the top and slightly press into the top of the spread dough. Bake in preheated oven for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean. Let cool and cut into bars. Store leftovers in sealed container or cover with plastic wrap.

Random Fact of the Day: The blesbok, a South African antelope, is almost the same color as grapejuice.

Related articles

Apple Layer Coffee Cake

Posted on by

1

Talk about a disaster. I wish I took a picture of this cake when it got totally defaced. It would have been a perfect picture to go next to “disaster” in the dictionary.

Apple Layer Coffee Cake | Beautiful Disasters

This cake took me about 2 hours to bake. Yes, 2 HOURS!

Apple Layer Coffee Cake | Beautiful Disasters

I originally thought it would take just about 1 hour, but nooo, you have been warned.

Apple Layer Coffee Cake | Beautiful Disasters

All my talk really should not deter you from this cake, because despite the trouble it gave me, it may be one of the most delicious things I have ever put in my mouth.

Apple Layer Coffee Cake | Beautiful Disasters

Holy apples. I put just about as much apple in here as it could take, which is why I think it took so long for mine to bake, because the apples were so juicy and the moisture was just not letting the batter bake. Granny smiths may be better for this recipe, but I used a mix of gala and honey-crisp and it was prime.

Apple Layer Coffee Cake | Beautiful Disasters

Apple Layer Coffee Cake

(Makes 1 Large tube cake)

4 Tablespoons brown sugar

5 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 1/2 cups white sugar

pinch of salt

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 cup vegetable or canola oil

1/3 cup apple cider

4 eggs

1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

5 small-medium apples, peeled, cored, and sliced thin

  1. Preheat oven to 325˚ F and grease and flour a large tube pan.
  2. In a small bowl, with a fork, mix cinnamon and brown sugar until fully combined and set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together flours, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Mix in oil, apple cider, and vanilla extract. Add the eggs, beating well after each addition.
  4. Slice peeled and cored apples and set aside. Spread a third of that batter into the bottom of the prepared tube pan. Arrange a layer of the apples over the spread batter, sprinkle 1/3 of the cinnamon-sugar mixture over apples. Add another layer of the batter of cinnamon-sugar mixture, then another layer of apples and another layer of the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Add the final layer of batter, then sliced apples, then generously sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar over top.
  5. Bake cake in preheated oven for 90-100 minutes, or until heavy, set, and the batter is baked up. Try sticking a toothpick through to see if batter comes out on the toothpick tester. Because the apples can have quite a bit of moisture, it can be difficult to tell when the cake is done, so it may actually take a lot longer than the given time. Mine took 2 hours to bake up, it all depends on your oven and how juicy your apples are. Let baked cake cool for about 10 minutes in pan on wire rack, then place cake pan on top of a long neck bottle (like a wine bottle) to let cool for about 30 minutes. Slide a knife around the edges of the pan and invert cake onto serving plate. Enjoy! When not eating, cover with plastic wrap.

Apple Layer Coffee Cake | Beautiful Disasters

Random Fact of the Day: The venom of a small scorpion is much more toxic than the venom of a large scorpion.

Related articles

Sour Cream Bundt Coffee Cake

Posted on by

1

When I was younger and my mom did all the baking in the house, it was always such a treat whenever she made her sour cream coffee cake (my grandma’s recipe).  You would smell the baking cake with cinnamon and a toasted nutty aroma.

Coffee Cake Bundt Cake | Beautiful Disasters

It certainly is something that will make you jump out of your bed in the morning!

Coffee Cake Bundt Cake | Beautiful Disasters

I decided to try something new and bake it in a tube pan…er…but found out later it was actually one of my grandma’s old jello molds. It was actually kind of a funny accident but only because, thankfully, it was oven-safe! I made one larger-mediumish cake and then one smaller cake. But this recipe would fit one regular, large tube pan.

Coffee Cake Bundt Cake | Beautiful Disasters

Cakes in bundt form are just more exciting than the classic ‘ol rectangular coffee cake, am I right?? Enjoy the layered goodness in this coffee cake because, trust me, it is worth savoring.

Sour Cream Bundt Coffee Cake

(Makes 1 large bundt cake)

1 cup white sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter

3 eggs

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup sour cream

FOR TOPPING:

1 cup chopped walnuts

3/4 cup white sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

  1. Preheat oven to 350˚ F and spray a large tube or bundt pan with cooking spray, set aside.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in eggs and vanilla extract. Slowly add in flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Beat in sour cream just until combined, be sure to scrape down the sides for everything to be completely incorporated.
  3. In a small, separate bowl, combine chopped walnut, 3/4 cup sugar, and ground cinnamon with a fork or whisk until evenly combined.
  4. Pour half the batter into the bottom of the prepared pan, then half the topping mixture, then the remaining batter, finish with the remaining topping mixture. Bake in preheated oven for 40-45 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool on wire rack for about 20 minutes, then use a knife to loosen the cake around the edges, invert onto cooling rack and allow the cake to cool completely. Enjoy! When not eating, cover with plastic wrap or in sealed container to avoid dryness.

Coffee Cake Bundt Cake | Beautiful Disasters

Random Fact of the Day: There are more than 50,000 earthquakes throughout the world every year!

Related articles

Pumpkin Oat Muffins

Posted on by

0

I really should not attempt watching new shows. Once I start, it is like I disappear into a black hole.

Pumpkin Oatmeal Muffins | Beautiful Disasters

I recently started watching Friday Night Lights and literally have stopped to go to the bathroom and that is basically it. It is just TOO GOOD!

Pumpkin Oatmeal Muffins | Beautiful Disasters

Any fellow Friday Night Lights fans? It makes me crave to have that high school football season back…and then I remember that I’m a senior, and there won’t be any more high school football seasons as a high schooler fan *tear*

Pumpkin Oatmeal Muffins | Beautiful Disasters

Football season is the best time of the year. Being a senior was the best, I was always first row in the student section, dressed in whatever crazy theme we had, screaming my face off. We broke out some giant speakers this year and would blast music in the stands and it was OUT-RAGE-OUS! Soo much fun, we would dance and cheer our little butts off even when we were losing. It makes me so sad to think of how much I’ll miss it, but then again, I have college football season to look forward to!

Pumpkin Oatmeal Muffins | Beautiful Disasters

Speaking of football and Fall things, these pumpkin muffins are a nice little bite of Fall. I absolutely love all the flavors that go along with Fall time, but I like to enjoy them all year long! These muffins are chock-full of pumpkin and oats, super healthy and flavorful!!

Pumpkin Oat Muffins

(Makes about 16 muffins)

15 oz. canned pumpkin

2 eggs

t’1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil

1/2 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon allspice

pinch of salt

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup oats

  1. Preheat oven to 350˚F and line muffin tins with liners. 
  2. In a large bowl, combine pumpkin, eggs, and oil. Mix in white sugar, baking soda, baking powder, ground cloves, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, allspice, and salt. Add in flours and oats.
  3. Scoop batter into prepared muffin tins and bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in pan for about 5 minutes then let finish cooling completely on wire rack.

Pumpkin Oatmeal Muffins | Beautiful Disasters

Random Fact of the Day: Baby whales grow at an average rate of 10lbs per hour

Related articles