Death By Chocolate Cake

An attorney that I work with asked me months ago to make her husband's birthday cake. Her husband has requested a "perfect, moist, chocolate cake with chocolate icing" for years on end for his birthday and has yet to find it. Now it's my turn up at bat. Eeeek! :-/ PRESSURE!!

BUT... I really, honestly think this is going to satisfy his request! This cake is so insanely good I am finding it hard to come up with adequate words to describe it. It's rich and chocolately and moist and.... awesome! The frosting is also pretty much the perfect chocolate frosting.  I'll let you know what her husband says about the cake :)

 Death By Chocolate Cake
makes one 3-layer 6" cake
serves 6-8
courtest of My Baking Addiction

Ingredients

2 cups sugar

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Hershey's Special Dark cocoa powder)
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup strong black coffee (I bought a cup at 7-11)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

 Directions

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour three 6-inch round baking pans or one 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Set aside.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or in a large bowl with an electric mixer, combine the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder. Mix on low until dry ingredients are thoroughly combined. Add eggs, buttermilk, coffee, oil and vanilla. Beat on medium speed for about two minutes; the batter will be thin. Pour batter evenly into prepared pans.

3. Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes for round pans, 35 to 40 minutes for rectangular pan or until wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely.

4. Frost as desired.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
makes appx. 3 cups frosting
adapted from Savory Sweet Life

 Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks or 1/2 pound), softened (but not melted!)

3 cups confectioners (powdered) sugar
3/4 cup cocoa powder (I used Hershey's Special Dark cocoa powder)
1/2 teaspoon table salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2-4 tablespoons milk or heavy cream

 Instructions

 
Cream butter for a few minutes in a mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed. Turn off the mixer. Sift 3 cups powdered sugar and cocoa into the mixing bowl. Turn your mixer on the lowest speed (so the dry ingredients do not blow everywhere) until the sugar and cocoa are absorbed by the butter. Increase mixer speed to medium and add vanilla extract, salt, and milk/cream and beat for 3 minutes. If your frosting needs a more stiff consistency, add a little more sugar. If your frosting needs to be thinned out, add additional milk 1 tablespoon at a time.

Hawaiian Ham Sandwiches

    My friend Jace came to visit this weekend and I wanted him to meet some of my favorite people in Dallas, so we had a pool party at my friend's apartment. Obviously I was bringing food and I had seen these sandwiches on Pinterest and thought this would make the perfect pool party food. I was right. These things are INSANELY good. Make them for your next party and I promise you they will be the first things gone. Well, not promise, but I wouldn't be surprised if they were the first things gone :)

I stole this picture from this blog because I forgot to take a picture
in my excitement at being surrounded by some of the greatest people!

Hawaiian Ham Sandwiches
Makes 24 sandwiches

24 Hawaiian sweet rolls
1 lb thinly sliced deli ham
12 slices of Swiss cheese
Poppy seeds
1 stick (1/2 c.) butter, melted
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp. minced dried onion

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cut the rolls in half, keeping each half in one piece if possible
3. Line a 13x9 pan with aluminum foil and place the bottom rolls in the pan.
4. Layer the ham and then cheese on top of the rolls. Sprinkle poppy seeds over the cheese. Place the tops of the rolls on top of the sandwiches.
5. Combine the melted butter, Dijon mustard and dried onion in a bowl and mix well.
6. Pour the butter mixture over the tops of the rolls and cover with foil.
7. Bake for 15-20 minutes.
8. Cut the rolls apart and serve.

NOTE: These are the rolls I used and you can find them in the bread isle (or sometimes in the bakery deparatment) at almost any grocery store or Wal-Mart.

Pizza Balls

These are so easy! I made them in an effort to take my lunch to work more often (instead of eating pretzels while I sit at my desk). The best part is, they are easily adaptable. I made mine with pepperoni and cheese, but you could easily make them vegetarian, sausage, etc. These would be great for kids, at a football party or any party really :)

Pizza Balls
makes appx 12

Ingredients

1 can of refrigerated pizza dough
8 oz mozzarella cheese (I cut a 1 lb. block into 32 pieces)
Pepperoni
Italian seasoning (optional)
Olive oil
Dipping sauce (tomato, ranch, etc)

Directions

1. Unroll the can of pizza dough and use a rolling pin to roll it very thin. (You don't have to do this, but I did to avoid have too much crust around the filling).

2. Using a biscuit cutter/cup/small tupperware, cut out as many circles of dough as you can.

3. Place a cube of cheese and whatever filling you like inside the dough.

4. Pinch the dough around the filling, being sure not to leave any openings so the filling doesn't leak out.

5. Place pizza balls in a pie plate that has been sprayed with cooking spray.

6. Spray the dough lightly with cooking spray and sprinkle with italian seasoning.

7. Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden brown on top.

8. Serve with dipping sauce.