Antique Caramel Cake

Sometimes when I'm baking and think everything is going just fine, that is usually the sign that something is going to go wrong.

So it was with this cake. 

Cake- easy and straightforward to make- came out perfect. 

Frosting- a different story. Actually the making of the frosting went fine. The recipe did say that if it seemed a bit loose to use right away, to refrigerate it for a few hours. OK.... did that. When I got ready to frost the cake, it seemed a bit more spreadable , but the minute I started frosting the cake it ran down the sides and wouldn't  hold it's shape. How disappointing...:-(

Now that is not to say anything about the flavor. "A rose by any other name would still smell as sweet". The cake AND the frosting, both separate and together are delicious. What I particularly like about the frosting is that it's not too sweet and because of the cream cheese has a slight tang that makes it special. The cake is light, not over sweet either and the combination is great. I could really see this cake being presented very elegantly, but for me, it didn't work visually. Maybe as cupcakes it could work better. next time.

Try it anyways- have it with afternoon coffee, for a sweet breakfast or a late night treat. You can find the recipe here at Baked Sunday Mornings.

Next day note- I just ate the piece of cake I cut for the photo and droopy or not, it's worth it!

droopy mess!

Good Morning Sunshine Bars

Good Morning Sunshine Bars- if your morning sun is not shining, then these will certainly remedy that situation. If you're feeling sluggish- these will definitely get you up and going. 

But they should come with a warning- HAZARD- ADDICTIVE !

The taste reminds me of a snickers bar but with a crunchy texture, thanks to the cereal.  These are easy to make, no baking involved. Just heating the corn syrup, brown sugar, peanut butter, vanilla and a touch of salt, so that's one pot. Mix the cereal and peanuts in a large bowl(that's two) pour the heated mixture over them and stir, transfer to an oblong baking dish(that makes three) and drizzle chocolate on top. That's three bowls/pots/pans I counted- not a bad clean-up.

Depending on the size baking dish you use, they can be thicker or thinner. I used a 9x13 dish and they came out fairly thick. I might try a larger pan next time to have them spread out thinner.  Either way, they are really, really good! Really!

 You can find the recipe here, at Baked Sunday Mornings. Enjoy!

Devil Dogs

Anybody remember Ring Dings, Yodels or Devil Dogs? I do, especially Yodels- I think my brother used to eat them by the box. That is if my memory serves me correctly. Mom, do you remember something along those lines?  I don't remember eating Devil Dogs so much but certainly they are familiar. 

A bit of history on Devil Dogs and the like. They were made by a company called Drake's that originated in Brooklyn. They have since been sold out to a large food corporation.

The description of a Devil Dog:

An unfrosted devil's food cake sandwich with vanilla creme with round edged cake wafers resembling a hot dog. This is what the box looked like.

I think the description is pretty accurate.

Last week's assignment for Baked Sunday Mornings ( which I missed , so posting this now-better late than never) was for Devil Dogs with a Malted Milk Buttercream filling.

These were fairly straightforward to make and assemble. I put them all together from start to finish in about an hour. The only change I made to the recipe was the malted milk in the buttercream. The closest I can come to malted milk powder here is Ovaltine. This also has a malted flavor but gives the cream a darker color. It is a fine substitute, though you could completely change the filling with your own preference of flavors. 

The texture of the cookie is soft and chewy- quite yummy. The slight malted flavor of the cream really adds some depth to the whole experience. 

If you are nostalgic and looking for an update on a childhood treat, this is it. And even if you're not nostalgic, try them anyways- they're just good!

Perfect with a cold glass of milk!

You can find the recipe here- Baked Sunday Mornings