Peanut Butter Cake

If you have been following my son Dan's blog Urban Veggie Garden you will know he is making hard cider. He found Hergott's Cider Mill in Waterloo that does not pasteurize the cider. They are selling the cider part of the business and keeping the honey which they will be selling at their new location. They have a store as well and I bought this cookbook. In browsing through the book I saw this cake and it sounded like it would be very good. It is really good, moist, tender the frosting is not to sweet.

Peanut Butter Cake

Ingredients:

1/4 cup soft butter
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup warm water
1 cup thick sour milk (add 2 tbsp. vinegar, let stand a couple minutes to thicken)
2 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350º.

In small bowl combine flour salt and baking soda with whisk. In mixer bowl combine butter and peanut butter until smooth. Add brown sugar and mix until smooth, add eggs, one at at time. Add warm water and sour milk and mix until smooth and silky. Add flour a little at a time. Combine until just mixed.

Pour mixture into prepared baking pans. Either 2 9" baking pans or a 9 X 13" pan. Grease and flour pans.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes for the 9" pans and 30 to 40 minutes for the 9 X 13" pan.

Frosting:

1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted
2 tbsp. butter
1/4 cup peanut butter
2 cups icing sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
4 to 5 tbsp. milk

Melt the chocolate in microwave.
In mixer bowl combine chocolate butter and peanut butter and mix until smooth.
alternate icing sugar and milk until you have the desired consistency is reached.
Spread on cooled cake.

Good Morning To All

Double Oatmeal and Peanut Butter Cookies

When I saw this recipe for Double Oatmeal and Peanut Butter Cookies, I was intrigued with the addition of Cherrios. The recipe came from Culinary in the Country. These cookies are so good, moist, chewy, crispy. I took them to work and everyone really enjoyed them.

Double Oatmeal and Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups unbleached flour
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (large flake)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup peanut butter ( use all natural)
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 cup water
3 cups Cheerios cereal
1/2 cup golden raisins (I used dark raisins)
1/2 cup peanut butter chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375º.

Whisk together flour, oats, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.

In your mixer, beat together butter and peanut butter until smooth.
Add white sugar and brown sugar, beating until creamy.
Mix in egg, vanilla and water.
Add dry ingredients and mix just until combined.
Fold in Cheerios, raisins and peanut butter chips.

Scoop dough using a 1/4 cup measure (or a large spoon) and drop onto parchment lined baking sheets, spacing them about 3" apart. flatten the dough slightly.

Bake for about 10 minutes ( I found this was perfect time). Remove from the oven and let cookies cool for 5 minutes before placing them onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes about 24 large cookies.

Fudge Pudding Cake

Last Saturday I got up and went to a Thrift store I have been wanting to go see. I found a cookbook called Better Homes and Gardens Chocolate. In going through the book I came across Fudge Pudding Cake. It is the best pudding cake I have ever had for sure. Creamy Fudge layer on bottom and the cake is so moist.

Fudge Pudding Cake

Preheat oven to 350º.

Ingredients:

1 cup unbleached flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup milk
2 tbsp. cooking oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (I added white chocolate chips)
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups boiling water
whipped cream or sifted powdered sugar

Directions:

In large mixing bowl stir flour, the 1/2 cup sugar, 2 tbsp. cocoa powder, baking powder and salt.
In another bowl combine milk, oil and vanilla: add to flour mixture and stir till smooth. Stir in nuts.

Add this mixture to a 8 x 8 x 2" baking pan un-greased.

Combine the 3/4 cup sugar and the 1/4 cup cocoa powder: gradually stir in boiling water. Pour the liquid mixture evenly over the batter already in the pan.

Bake for about 30 minutes or until tester comes out clean.

Serve warm or chilled in individual dessert dishes. Serve with whipped cream or sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Makes 8 servings.