Let’s start from the beginning. On December 6th, my work hosted its annual cookie bake off. Last year I came in 4th place (out of 12), and this year I was determined to move up in the rankings. So with this challenge presented, I decided to make two batches of test cookies. The first batch was the cookie below, double chocolate crackles. It was a recipe that I found in the December issue of The Food Network Magazine.
The second test batch was my own recipe: Double chocolate cake mix, 2 eggs, ½ cup of oil, pecans and toffee bits. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes. The result is the image you see below. These were the cookies I chose as my bake off representatives. Although, in the end I think the crackles might have been the more successful of the two. Needless to say, I came in 3rd, and that was third out of three entries. It was a somewhat sad bake off all round, due to lack of entries and participants, but at least it gave me an excuse to try two new recipes.
Once the bake off was over I thought I might have some time to relax until Christmas. Well as it turns out a baker’s work is never done. A few days later my mom and I were hanging around when she told me she had a craving for a really good, classic chocolate cake. Well I can’t ignore a craving, let alone one that involves baking AND comes from the woman who gave me life! So that weekend my mission was clear…Make a fantastic, classic chocolate cake. Right away I found Ina Garten’s recipe called Beatty’s Chocolate Cake. It was 2 layers of moist chocolate cake smothered in chocolate butter cream frosting (both of which were enhanced by mixing in coffee in some way, shape or form). And the result, well you can see for yourself:
So after the cake was made, and what seemed like not a second later, did it come time to figure out what to bake for Christmas this year? See every year on Christmas Eve my family hosts a holiday open house, and every year my mom and I have to come up with the menu. We brainstorm and come up with about 5-6 different appetizers/finger foods to serve along with dessert. Well you can guess who takes care of the dessert portion. So this year I decided to make Bobby Flay’s gingerbread cupcakes with mango butter cream frosting, but instead of regular sized cupcakes they would be miniature. Well with exception to a few hiccups that occurred during the frosting making process, they were another baking success!
So as you can see I have been quite the busy baker. But at this time of year, it’s to be expected. It is, after all, the most wonderful time of the year!
