Chocolate Banana Cream Cheese filled coffee Cake

I made this as a Thank you for some of the guys at work.  We had moved to a new Corporate office and had file cabinets that needed to be put together and after waiting 2 months they finally had time to do the job.  

This cake out really moist and yummy.  A bit of work but worth the effort.  Give it a try.  
Adapted from here
Cinnamon Walnut Streusel
1/2 cup walnuts
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 tablespoon cinnamon
4 tablespoons cold butter, cubed
Banana Cake

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup mashed bananas (about 2 large ripe bananas)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups sour ream (not nonfat)
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional)
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)
Cream Cheese Filling

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup Reserved Batter (see instructions)
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Vanilla Glaze

1 cup Powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons milk

Garnish (optional)

Garnish (optional)
mini chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and spray all inside surfaces of a 16 cup nonstick tube pan with nonstick cooking spray WITH FLOUR or grease and flour the inside of your pan. Set aside.*

Cinnamon Walnut Streusel: Add walnuts to your food processor and pulse 3 times. Add flour, brown sugar and cinnamon and pulse a few times to combine. Sprinkle cold butter over top and pulse until the walnuts are chopped and the mixture resembles small pebbles. (You may also combine in a bowl and cut butter in by hand). Set aside in the refrigerator.

Cake: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.

Using a stand or hand mixer, beat butter and sugar until fluffy on medium high speed, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating just until the yellow disappears after each egg. Mix in vanilla and bananas until just until combined.

Gradually add flour mixture to banana/butter mixture in thirds, alternately with sour cream in between each third. Beat until just combined. Measure out 1/4 cup batter and set aside for cream cheese filling. Stir chocolate chips and walnuts into remaining batter until just until combined.

Measure out 1 cup batter (to top cream cheese layer) and spoon the rest of the batter into the prepared pan.

To your now empty mixing bowl, add 1/4 cup reserved batter, cream cheese, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1/4 cup sugar. Beat on medium high speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Spoon Cream Cheese Filling over batter and gently smooth, but do not touch the sides of the pan. Spread reserved 1 cup batter evenly over filling (it will be very thin).

Tap pan on counter a few times to get rid of any air bubbles then sprinkle 
evenly with Cinnamon Walnut Streusel.
Bake for 55-60 minutes at 350 degrees F or until toothpick inserted comes out clean (without inserting in cream cheese). Let baked cake cool on wire rack for 1 hour. Gently invert cake onto a baking sheet, remove pan, and invert back onto cooling rack streusel side up. Let cool to room temperature.
When ready to serve, whisk Vanilla Glaze ingredients together in a medium bowl and drizzle over cake. Sprinkle cake with mini chocolate chips (optional)
Store in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.

Thanks for stopping by, have a wonderful week and Always Remember to Find the Time to Do ALL the THings you love.
Donna

Different Chocolate Chip Cookie

OMG these are delicious!!!  I made this last summer as yet another work treat.  I've been trying to use up some of my baking goods before the get to old.  I've never really put salt on top of a cookie before but WOW..  These make large size cookies and made 41 cookies.  These will be a great addition to my Holiday cookie list.  Sure hope you try them.

Ingredients

• 14 ounces assorted dark, milk, or white chocolate (not commercial chips), roughly chopped (2 1/2 cups; 395g)
• 12 1/2 ounces all-purpose flour (2 3/4 cups, spooned; 355g), such as Gold Medal
• 8 ounces unsalted butter (2 sticks; 225g), soft but cool, about 65°F (18°C)
• 7 1/4 ounces white sugar (1 cup; 205g)
• 8 ounces light brown sugar (1 cup, gently packed; 225g)
• 1/2 ounce vanilla extract (1 tablespoon; 15g)
• 2 teaspoons (8g) Diamond Crystal kosher salt, plus more for sprinkling; for table salt, use about half as much by volume or the same weight
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg
• 1 large egg (about 1 3/4 ounces; 50g), straight from the fridge

1. Directions:
3. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat to 350°F (180°C). Set aside a handful of chopped chocolate (about 2 ounces) and place the remainder in a medium bowl. Sift flour on top and toss together. Combine butter, white sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and nutmeg in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on low to moisten, then increase to medium and beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With mixer running, add egg and continue beating only until smooth. Reduce speed to low, add flour/chocolate all at once, and mix to form a stiff dough.
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6. Divide in 2-tablespoon portions (about 1 1/2 ounces or 40g each) and round each one into a smooth ball. (If you like, portioned dough can be refrigerated in a heavy-duty zipper-lock bag up to 1 week, or frozen 6 months. Stand at room temperature until quite soft, about 70°F or 21°C, and proceed as directed.)
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9.  Arrange portions on a parchment-lined half sheet pan, leaving 2 inches between cookies to account for spread. Garnish each with reserved chocolate and a pinch of kosher salt. Bake until puffed and pale gold around the edges but steamy in the middle, about 15 minutes. For crunchy cookies, continue baking until golden, 3 to 5 minutes more. Cool directly on baking sheet until crumb is set, about 5 minutes. Enjoy warm or store in an airtight container up to 2 days at room temperature.
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11. Thanks for stopping by, have a great week and Always Remember to Find the Time to Do ALL the things You L♥ve.
12. Donna
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Chocolate Cupcakes with PB icing

A co worker had a birthday a week after mine and her favorite treat is chocolate and peanut butter.  I was going to make a pb chocolate pie but we were  having a Thanksgiving lunch that same week, so thought these would be a better option.  Also she could take the leftovers home.

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons coconut OR canola oil
1 stick unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, not packed
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs + 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup full fat sour cream
1/2 cup hot coffee OR hot water
18 peanut butter cups (mini)

icing:

1/2 cup creamy pb

4 oz cream cheese

1/2 stick butter soft

2-3 cup confectionery sugar 

** optional 1/2 tsp vanilla

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (F). Line a 12-cup cupcake/muffin tin with cupcake liners and lightly spray the liners with non-stick spray (optional but it does help them peel right off). Set aside.
2. Melt the oil, butter, and chocolate together in the microwave, heating in 30 second increments, stirring between. *You can also melt the oil, butter, and chocolate over very low heat on the stove top, but I find the microwave to be much easier. Whisk mixture completely smooth and set aside to cool.
3. In a medium-sized bowl combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa powder, and salt; stir together until thoroughly combined and set aside.
4. In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, yolk, sugar and vanilla together; beat until smooth. Add the cooled oil/butter/chocolate mixture and whisk until smooth. Add half of the flour mixture, then half of the sour cream. Repeat the process until everything is added, and be sure to mix until JUST combined. Quickly stir in the hot coffee/water. It's important not to over mix, here! Just stir until evenly combined.
5. Scoop 2 tablespoons of batter into the bottom of each cupcake tin, press a peanut butter cup into the batter, then top with another 3 tablespoons of batter; each cupcake mold should be 3/4 full. You will have leftover batter (enough to make another 6 cupcakes).
6. Bake for 16-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.

Icing:

1. Using an electric mixer, beat the peanut butter and butter on medium-speed until completely smooth. Beat in vanilla. Reduce the speed to low and add in the remaining ingredients, beating until fully incorporated. Increase speed to medium-high and beat the frosting for 1-2 minutes, or until light and fluffy.
2. Once the cupcakes are cooled, spread or pipe the frosting on top then press half of a peanut butter cup on top.

Thanks for stopping by, have a great week and Always Remember to Find the time to Do ALL the things You L♥ve.

Donna

Chocolate Banana Muffins

It's always great to have banana's on hand.  Our local grocer has them on special every Tuesday and Thursday for 19 cents a pound.  Yup, believe that!  So on occasion I will buy a bunch, eat some and then put the rest in the freezer for future baking.  There are so many different things you can make with bananas and adding chocolate can never be a bad thing.  Give these a try, they are great and easy to make too, just uses one bowl to prepare so easy clean up too.

INGREDIENTS

2 medium bananas (about 1 cup), over-ripe
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 large egg
1/2 cup canola oil
1/3 cup + 1 tbsp unsweetened almond milk (or sub 2% dairy milk)
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tbsp (packed) light brown sugar
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder (look for dutch-processed)
1/2 tsp sea salt
1-1/8 tsp baking soda
1-2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup miniature chocolate chips (bittersweet or semisweet)
1/3 up chopped walnuts *optional*

• INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a large mixing bowl, use the back of a fork to mash the banana until only very small lumps remain. Add the vanilla and the egg and use the fork to whisk the mixture together until completely combined. Add the oil and milk and stir to combine. Add the sugars and stir again.
3. Using a spatula, stir in the cocoa powder, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Mix until the cocoa is completely incorporated. Stir in the salt and baking soda, then gently fold in the flour, until just combined.
4. Divide the batter among 12 paper-lined muffin cups, about 3/4 full. Sprinkle with the chocolate chips. Bake for 15-17 minutes, rotating once, until the muffin tops look set, and a cake-tester inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool in the muffin tin for 5 minutes, before removing and cooling completely on a baking rack. Serve warm or at room-temperature.

Thanks for stopping by, have great week and Always Remember to Find the Time to Do ALL the things YOU L♥ve.

Donna

Chocolate Silk Pie

I made this as going away treat for a co worker.  This is his favorite dessert.  I have never made this before...imagine that!!!  I must say it came out really good and was a HUGE it not only with him but the entire staff.  I will make this again I'm sure.  Would be a great addition to the Thanksgiving dessert list. 

I

1 Ready pie crust, baked and cooled.  (I use Pillsbury)

 filling

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 & 1/2 cups granulated sugar

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled slightly 

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 TBSP cocoa powder (optional, but intensifies the chocolate flavor and color)(Did use this)

1/4 tsp instant espresso powder (optional, but intensifies the chocolate flavor)(I didn't use this)

4 large eggs

whipped cream for topping

chocolate shavings or curls

Instructions

for the crust
1. Preheat oven to 450ºF.  Follow directions on box
2. Gently roll out the crust and place it in a pie plate. Crimp edges as desired. Dock the dough by piercing with a fork several times around the bottom and sides.
3. Lay parchment paper into the crust and fill with dried beans, rice, or pie weights.
4. Bake in the bottom third of the oven for 15 minutes. Remove the pie weights and place back in the oven for 10 more minutes, or until the crust is golden brown.
5. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack before filling.
for the filling
6. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
7. With the mixer still running, pour the cooled melted chocolate into the butter/sugar mixture. Add the vanilla, cocoa powder, and espresso powder if using. Scrape down the bowl.
8. Add eggs one at a time, beating for 5 full minutes in between each addition
9. (20 minutes total) at a medium-high speed. The full mixing time of 5 minutes for EACH egg is necessary to get the silky texture and for the pie to set.
10. Pour the filling into the cooled crust and allow to set in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours and up to 2 days before serving.
11. Top with whipped cream and chocolate shavings or curls.

Thanks for stopping by, have a great week and Always Remember to Find the Time to Do all the Things You L♥ve.

Donna

Chocolate, coconut cranberry bundt cake

I have so many whole cranberries in the freezer I'm always looking for something new to do with them.  This cake sounded really yummy.  I took this to my friends house one Saturday back in September when I went to her house for one of our crafting sessions.  I always try to bring some sort of treat because my friend really doesn't like to bake.

Adapted from the here
ingredients:

1.5 cup all purpose flour 2 tsp baking powder 2 lemons -zest only 1/2 cup shredded sweetened coconut 1/2 tsp salt 2 cups fresh cranberries -or dried (I used frozen whole and cooked down, then cooled") 6 oz dark chocholate -roughly, chopped (use what you like) 1 package  cream cheese -softened 3/4 cup coconut oil 1.25 cup sugar 1.5 tsp vanilla extract 3 eggs - Pam Baking spray -for greasing pan before the icing

Instructions: 

1. In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder, lemon zest, shredded coconut, salt, cranberries and chocolate. Lay to one side for later. Spray bundt pan with Pam. Preheat oven to 325F.
2. In stand mixer, mix cream cheese and coconut oil until smooth and creamy, about 3-4 minutes.
3. Add sugar to cream cheese mixture and blend until combined, about 1-2 minutes.
4. Add vanilla & coconut extract to mixture and blend about 30 seconds or so.
5. Add eggs (one at a time) to mixture, blending each until just combined.
6. Add flour mixture to cream cheese mixture, blending until just combined, about 1-2 minutes.
7. Pour mixture into prepared pan. Bake about 60 minutes, or until wooden skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool in pan for about 30-40 minutes before removing to cool completely on wire rack. 

Icing:

4 oz soft cream cheese

1/2 cp confectionery sugar (make as tart of sweet as you like)

2/3 TBL soft butter

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2/3 TBL half n half

Combine above for icing, mix with electric mixer  and get to the consistency you like.

This was an easy and great cake to make.  Will probably make it again sometime.

Thanks for stopping by,  have a great week and Always Remember to Find the Time to DO ALL the things You L♥ve.

Donna