Tag Archives: Easter

Almond Joy Cake

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I’m a little delayed on this post… This was actually a cake on made for Easter this year. It was also my first attempt at making buttercream flowers, and I only managed to snap one picture take from an iphone.

Almond Joy Cake | Beautiful Disasters

Needless to say, this wasn’t the most optimum recipe and cake for a post, but I just HAD to share this recipe with y’all!

This cake was requested by my mom this year that I believe was partly to celebrate her birthday in addition to the Easter festivities.  Anyways her request was [the best ever] chocolate cake with coconut whipped cream filling and frosted with chocolate mousse. So basically an Almond Joy in cake form (minus the almond part…does that make it more of a Mounds cake?)

This was was super delicious, even my coconut-hating uncle enjoyed it! It’s a very decadent cake that is perfect for the spring/summer time with the refreshing coconut. Maybe not awesome for bikini season, but cake wins over bikini body in my book ;)

Almond Joy Cake

(Makes one 2-layer, 6-inch round cake)

FOR CAKE:
1 prepared & baked chocolate cake recipe, I of course used my favorite chocolate cake recipe!
FOR FILLING:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup shaved coconut
2-3 Tablespoons powdered sugar
2 teaspoons coconut extract
TO FROST OUTSIDE OF CAKE:
1 prepared batch of my super easy 2-ingredient chocolate mousse

  1. Prepare chocolate cake according to recipe and let cool. Once cool, slice in half lengthwise into two equal rounds.
  2. Prepare coconut whipped cream filling by whipping heavy whipped cream in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.  Beat cream with powdered sugar and whip until heavy peaks are formed, whip in coconut extract. Whip cream until it takes on the thick appearance of whipped cream you would buy from the store. Fold in shaved coconut.
  3. Place bottom cake layer on plate that you plan on using to frost the cake. Spread coconut filling on bottom cake layer, evenly.  Let sit in fridge to set up slightly for about 30 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, prepare chocolate mousse that you will use for frosting the outsides.
  5. After 30 minutes, take bottom cake layer that has been spread with coconut filling out and place top cake layer on top of the filling.  Frost cake as desired with prepared chocolate mousse. If desired, pipe whipped cream in small rosettes on top of cake or spread chocolate chips, shavings, or coconut on cake for garnish. I took my first stab at buttercream flowers! Mine turned out a little flat. I think I will need thicker frosting for my next attempt, but practice makes perfect! I also did a little border with some leftover yellow buttercream I had from the buttercream roses.

Random Fact of the Day: The Chinese ideogram for ‘trouble’ depicts two women living under one roof.

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Apple Layer Coffee Cake

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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.

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Apple Crumb Cake

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Times have certainly changed. Even within the past 5 years, it is crazy how much the whole “searching-for-a-college-roommate process” has changed. My brother and sister both did totally random roommates, people they had never met before, maybe seen their facebook profiles, but literally know basically nothing about them.

Apple Crumb Cake | Beautiful Disasters

Me…well, I’m a little different. No, I am not choosing one of my good friends to be my roommate, but I’m too scared to go the totally-stranger-roommate route. It isn’t even that I’m really scared I’ll end up with a complete psycho, my fear is almost that they might not like me. It would be harder for me to live with someone who doesn’t like me, rather than live with someone who doesn’t particularly lift my skirt.

Apple Crumb Cake | Beautiful Disasters

Is that totally, completely insane?

Apple Crumb Cake | Beautiful Disasters

I’ve been talking to several girls about rooming together for next year, I almost feel like I’m cheating on them for talking to so many people! But, I figure that even if I don’t room with them, it’s a good idea to get to know potential hangout buddies for the next year, or at least the first couple week to get my feet wet.

Apple Crumb Cake | Beautiful Disasters

Talking to girls about rooming together sort of feels like on-line dating. I can’t exactly say I’ve ever done on-line dating before, but it’s what I imagine it would be like! We post little bios of ourselves on the University facebook page, trying to make ourselves sound as marketable as possible, and it just feels a little fake. Buuuut, some girls have actually asked me to meet with them in person. AH! So scary, but I know it’s the smart thing to do, to actually get to know them and find out if they really are psychopaths. I did meet with one (who was my top choice) and we ended up REALLY hitting it off and talked for like 2 HOURS! Can you imagine that? Two people that have never met before just meeting up and chatting it up for a couple hours…I’m so excited for next year!!

Anyhoo, I hardly remember this apple crumb cake because it was literally gone in less than 24 hours. Yeah, it was that good. The grated apple gives a subtle hint of apple and adds a nice hint of apple-touch to the fluffy cake. The crumb topping: to. die. for.

Apple Crumb Cake

(Makes 1- 8 x 8 inch cake)

FOR CAKE:

1/2 cup plus 2 Tablespoons whole wheat flour

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 eggs

1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 medium-large apple, peeled, cored, and grated

FOR CRUMB TOPPING:

1/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

pinch of salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon allspice

2 1/2 Tablespoons melted butter

  1. Preheat oven to 350˚ F. Spray an 8×8 inch baking pan with cooking spray or grease with butter/oil.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder, and ground nutmeg. Mix in eggs, oil, and vanilla extract. Fold in grated apple. Spread batter evenly into the bottom of the baking pan and set aside.
  3. In a medium-small bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the crumb topping except the butter. Once combined, slowly add butter and mix up with hands to create crumb texture. Sprinkle crumb mixture evenly over batter spread in pan.
  4. Bake in preheated oven for 30-35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out mostly clean. Let cool on wire rack for about 15-20 minutes, slice and serve! Cover with plastic wrap when not eating.

Apple Crumb Cake | Beautiful Disasters

Random Fact of the Day: Rubber is one of the ingredients in bubble gum.

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Black Bean Salsa- SRC Post!

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Happy SRC Reveal day! Ah, I just love the Secret Recipe Club!! So much fun to explore new blogs, while someone else gets to try one of your recipes and post all about it.

Black Bean Salsa | Beautiful Disasters

This month, I got Renee’s blog, Eat. Live. Blog. Renee went from the busy business world to world of education. She keeps in touch with her creative side by keeping up with her blog. I think that it is awesome that she has truly found that perfect balance in her life!

Black Bean Salsa | Beautiful Disasters

Originally, I was going to make her black beans over rice dish, which sounds so yummy to me. A couple months ago, I made the switch over to becoming a vegetarian, so it is always exciting to find tasty, filling entrees.

Black Bean Salsa | Beautiful Disasters

However, I did not get around to making the beans and rice dish, so I whipped up her black bean salsa in a jiffy. Whew-eee! I’m glad I did! It was so quick and simple and I go through jars of salsa like crazy, so it was nice to have such a big homemade batch around. You guys have got to try this salsa, and check out some more of her yummy concoctions!

Black Bean Salsa | Beautiful Disasters

Black Bean Salsa

(From Eat Live Blog)

1 can black bean (drained but not rinsed)

1 jalapeno (seeded and roughly chopped – keep a few seeds for more heat)

1 small tomato (roughly diced)

1/2 small onion, roughly chopped

2 cloves garlic

2 handfuls fresh washed cilantro

1 lime

    1. Place beans in a bowl and lightly smash with a fork, I left about half of the beans whole, unmashed.
    2. Squeeze lime juice over the beans
    3. Place cilantro, garlic and onion in a food processor or blender and pulse until diced but not liquified
    4. Mix diced veggies into beans
    5. Add diced tomatoes and mix
    6. Salt and pepper to taste
    7. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, stir and serve!

Black Bean Salsa | Beautiful Disasters

Random Fact of the Day: Henry Ford produced the model T only in black because the black paint available at the time was the fastest to dry.

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Marble Pound Cake

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Spring break is coming up! WOOOHOO

Marble Pound Cake | Beautiful Disasters Normally my mom, dad, and I always go somewhere tropical but this year my dad is gonna stay home and work. It stinks that he can’t come with my mom and I to Key West, but I’ll be happy to spend the week with my mom. It’s weird that it will be my last spring break with them before I go to college! :o

Marble Pound Cake | Beautiful Disasters Marble Pound Cake | Beautiful Disasters Marble Pound Cake | Beautiful Disasters Marble Pound Cake | Beautiful Disasters

Normally by now, I would have composed about 3 different packing lists for spring break with about 60 different possible outfit combinations and everything planned out to a T on which cosmetic bag I will be bringing and what shoes I will wear with each outfit and what underwear to wear with what clothes…I mean, I guess you could say I’m a bit of a list-maker.

Marble Pound Cake | Beautiful Disasters

But this year is like woah, totally different. Not a single list has been made yet! Scratch that-I sort of have a mental grocery list going on in my head of the food we’ll need my dad to get because Easter is the day after we get back. Yikes.

Marble Pound Cake | Beautiful Disasters

So anyways, I guess most normal people might not make a packing list (let alone, multiples) a month ahead of their trip, but I am having slight anxiety from not having a list yet. It’s just there has been SO MUCH to do! Senior year is not as “care-free” as some people may make it out to be. I have projects on projects on projects, and now that soccer season is in full swing, it is a bit of struggle to keep up with everything and then have the blog on top of that.

Marble Pound Cake | Beautiful Disasters

Needless to say, a vacation to sunny Key West is very much needed :) And a pedicure wouldn’t do any harm…Soccer feet are not a pretty site with flip flops, friends.

Marble Pound Cake | Beautiful Disasters

Oh and one more thing, this marble pound cake was a sinch to whip up! It looks so impressive with the swirls, but it really takes hardly any effort, just refer to the pictures if my written instructions in the recipe don’t make sense. This pound cake has the perfect amount of sweetness for a nice breakfast treat, but isn’t too sweet that you would call it a dessert. Perfect for out anti-dessert-during-Lent family!

Marble Pound Cake | Beautiful Disasters

Marble Pound Cake

(Makes 1 loaf)

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

1 cup all purpose flour

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

1 Tablespoon cornstarch

2 teaspoons baking powder

pinch of salt

1 cup white sugar

3 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

a little less than 2/3 cups combined with a heaping 1/2 Tablespoon white vinegar (or just 2/3 cup buttermilk)

1/4 cup plus 1 Tablespoon cocoa powder (I used dark cocoa powder)

1/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons hot water

  1. Preheat oven to 35o˚F. Spray a 9-inch by 5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
  2. In a medium bowl, sift together flours, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Using a stand mixer or a hand mixer, cream together butter and sugar in a large bowl. Add in eggs one at a time. Mix in vanilla extract. Alternating with the milk-white vinegar mixture, add in the dry ingredients in 3 batches, starting with dry ingredients. So add about 1/3 of the flour mixture, then half the milk mixture, then another 1/3 of the flour mixture, remaining milk mixture, then remaining flour mixture.
  3. Place 1/3 of the of the batter into a medium bowl. Combine cocoa powder and hot water until thoroughly mixed. Mix chocolate mixture into separated batter, until thoroughly combined.
  4. To put together the pound cake, drop 3 dallops of the plain batter into the bottom of the loaf pan, be sure they are in a zig-zag formation and make it look like a checkerboard, by dropping 3 dallops of the chocolate batter into the bottom next to each of the plain batter dallops. Repeat this for 3 layers, dropping alternating batters on top of eachother (so the chocolate batter will now go on top of plain, and plain on top of chocolate). Refer to the picture above in the post!!
  5. When you have finished adding the final layer of batter (You should have about 3 layers), use a knife and swirl through the batter in whatever patterns you like to make swirls. Be creative! Be sure you get your knife all the way to the bottom of the loaf pan so that the swirls go throughout the entire cake.
  6. Bake in preheated oven for 40-50 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool on wire rack or about 15 minutes, then invert out of loaf pan and let cool on wire rack completely. Slice and enjoy! Store leftovers in cake dome or sealed container.

Marble Pound Cake | Beautiful Disasters

Random Fact of the Day: Oak trees do not have acorns until they are fifty years old or older.

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