Low Carb Strawberry Shortcake

Tomorrow is my hubby's birthday and I wanted to make him something yummy, but more geared towards his low carb diet. We have been "cheating" on our diets lately with Valentine's Day and other birthdays, so it is time to get back on track. My hubby loves those cakey cookies you see in the store...the yummy ones with the frosting. A few years ago, the funfetti cake mix had a recipe for them. I made them for him when I first met him and he LOVED them. It is actually what he requested for his birthday "cake." We stopped at a fruit stand yesterday and picked up a half flat of strawberries, so I put them together and viola, low carb strawberry shortcake. So delicious!

Low Carb Strawberry Shortcake

Shortcake/Cake cookies
1 box sugar free (or low sugar) cake mix- I used yellow (Pillsbury)
2 eggs
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce (the recipe calls for oil, but I used the applesauce)

1 quart strawberries, sliced
1-2 tsp Splenda sweetner

Cool Whip Free (or ohter sugar free or low sugar whipped topping)

1. Preheat the oven to 375F. In a large bowl, combine cake mix, eggs, applesauce and mix until combined and minimal clumps. If too dry and stiff, I add 1 tsp water. The dough should be thick.
2. Grease baking sheet. Scoop dough onto baking sheet. With a floured spoon/fingers/glass, flatten tops of cookies.
3. Bake cookies at 375 F until lightly browned (approx 6-8 minutes). Allow to cool completely.
4. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine strawberries and Splenda. I add 1 Tbsp water. Allow to cool in refrigerator while cookies cool.
5. When ready to eat, place cookie on plate, top with strawberries and whipped topping. Enjoy!!

Almond Joy Cupcakes

Yum! Try these! I used a recipe for the topping and glaze from foodnetwork.com. You can find that recipe here Almond Joy Cupcakes CAKE 1 box coconut cake mix 1/3 cup applesauce (substitution for oil in cake mix) 3 eggs 1 1/3 cup water 1/3 cup minced almonds COCONUT TOPPING 14 oz shredded coconut 1 Tbsp powdered sugar 2 cups milk (original recipe calls for whole milk- I used 1/2 cup coffee creamer and 1 1/2 cup skim milk) 1/2 tsp vanilla extract Pinch of salt CHOCOLATE GLAZE AND GARNISH 6 oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate 3 Tbps light corn syrup 1 Tbsp unsalted butter 3 Tbsp hot water (I forgot to put this in and it came out fine) Whole almonds for garnish 1. Preheat oven as directed on box of cake mix. Line cupcake pan with paper liners 2. In a large mixing bowl, combine cake mix, eggs, applesauce, water, minced almonds and mix with electric mixer as directed on box. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full. 3. Bake cupcakes as directed on package. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. Using a spoon, scoop out the center of the top of the cupcake to make room for coconut topping. 4. While cupcakes are cooling, prepare the coconut topping. In a medium saucepan, stir together milk, coconut, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Bring to a boil over medium high heat stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium or medium-low and allow to simmer until most of the milk has absorbed (approx 15 minutes) stirring occasionally. Allow to cool. 5. In a microwave safe dish, combine chocolate, corn syrup, butter. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Microwave at 50% power for 1 minute. If chocolate is completely melted, remove from microwave, stir and keep warm. If not completely melted, continue to microwave until melted. 6. Fill top of cupcakes with coconut topping and top with chocolate glaze. Top with whole almond for garnish.

Cookies and Cream Frosting

If you don't have any reason to make cake....FIND ONE. This frosting is SO good, that you will want to make it right now to try it. We were having a farewell party for one of our nursing staff and I came across a recipe for oreo cupcakes . When I heard this nurse liked chocolate cake, I knew this would be the perfect time to try it! Now, it is in the middle of the work week, so I had to used a box cake mix. I used Duncan Hines dark chocolate....YUM!!! I am stocking up next time it is on sale. It is SO moist. I got so many compliments...wish I could say it was my own cake recipe.

Cookies and Cream Frosting

2 cups whipping cream
3 Tbsp powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 package of chocolate sandwhich cookies (approx 12 cookies) crushed

1. In a large bowl, pour whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Whip with mixer fitted with whisk attachment on medium high until the mixture holds stiff peaks. Viola- you have made homemade whipped cream. Now to make it cookies and cream flavored...
2. Fold crushed cookies into whipped cream. Carefully fold in the cookies so as not to mash the air out of the cream (or you will end up with milk again).
3. Apply to top of your favorite cake recipe. Enjoy!

Caramelized Banana Upside Down Bread

During our most recent cruise aboard the Carnival Legend, we had a pretty busy day at one of our stops. We hadn't eaten lunch and by the time we got back on the ship, it was getting near dinner time. We had to pass the buffet to get back to our room, so I decided to pick up a quick treat to get me through until dinner. When I saw this treat, I knew it had to be mine....there was what looked like banana bread (yummy enough in itself) topped with caramelized bananas. OMG! It was one of the top 5 most yummiest things I ate during that cruise....and I ate a lot, so it is really saying something! I had to have another piece, so after dinner I went back up to the buffet, but alas, it must have been a lunch treat, and there wasn't any to be had for dessert :(. I have been dreaming of this treat since we got off the cruise. We had friends over and my brothers were both in town, so I decided to try to recreate it. I found a few recipes and decided to try the following Rachel Ray recipe. I loved the caramelized banana topping, but was not 100% crazy about the banana bread...I think she makes a banana cake, and it was just too soft for me. I will definitley try again and repost, but if you want a banana cake try this one out!

Caramelized Banana Upside Down Cake (bread recipe to follow when I have more people to experiment on/feed)

4 bananas (yellow spotty ones)
3/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp water
2 Tbsp butter
1 whole egg
1 egg white
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil (I used applesauce instead)

1. Preheat oven to 325F. Grease a loaf pan and set aside.
2. Trim both ends off of 3 bananas and place ends in a separate bowl. Slice banana lengthwise into 3-4 long strips.
3. In a heavy skillet, put 1/4 cup of sugar and 2 Tbsp water over medium- medium-high heat. DO NOT STIR. Allow to come to a boil. Cook until water is evaporated and mixture comes to an amber color. Remove from the heat and add in butter. After butter has melted, add bananas cut side down into caramel mixture. Put over low heat for 1 minute. Transfer the bananas to the prepared loaf pan. Arrange cut side down trying to completely cover bottom of pan. Drizzle caramel over bananas.
4. In a medium bowl, mash remaining banana and trimmed edges. Add in 1/2 cup and mix well. Beat in the whole egg, egg white, and vanilla.
5. Mix together dry ingredients -flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt-in separate bowl (I never do this). Add to wet ingredients and add oil/applesauce. Stir until well combined. Pour batter over bananas and caramel in loaf pan.
6. Bake at 325F 50-55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes, then invert over a platter.

YUM!!!

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese frosting

I had a block of cream cheese just waiting to expire in the refrigerator. It was pushed all the way to the back of the fridge...one of those extra ones I got because I had a coupon. Well I decided to make my stuffed chicken breasts (see previous post for those). That only used half of the block, and it was about to expire, so I decided I needed to use it up somehow. I decided then, a sweet treat was in order. I looked online for something and found a recipe for banana nut cake with cream cheese frosting by Paula Deen. I do have LOTS of leftover bananas in the freezer just waiting to be used....but I made a banana bread and brought it to work and nobody ate it...so I decided to nix that idea. I remembered that a lot of my co-workers love carrot cake and it is typically made with a cream cheese frosting...so that is what I made. This is my FIRST attempt at carrot cake....everyone raved about it. They were fighting over the cupcakes....yup, even mad at me for not making enough of them. One girl asked for the recipe! So here it is....

Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Cream Cheese Frosting
Courtesy of Paula Deen

4 ounces of cream cheese (I used 1/3 less fat) at room temperature
1/4 cup unsalted butter (1/2 stick) at room temperature
1/2 pound confectioners sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1. In a bowl with a hand mixer, blend together the cream cheese and butter.
2. Gradually add the confectioners' sugar and beat until light and fluffy.
3. Beat in the vanilla.
4. Store in refrigerator until cakes are baked and cool.

Carrot Cake
Courtesy of Allrecipes.com

2 eggs
1/2 cup all natural, no sugar added applesauce
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1-1/2 cups grated carrots

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. Prepare muffin/cupcake tins- either grease them or use paper liners.
3. In a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat together eggs, applesauce, white sugar and vanilla.
4. Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir in carrots.
5. Pour even amounts into prepared cupcake tin. Sometimes using an ice cream scoop or a measuring cup will allow for more even amounts and therefore more even cooking times.
6. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
7. When cool, decorate or frost with cream cheese frosting.

If you let these sit in the refrigerator overnight they get so much more tasty!

Chocolate Raspberry Ganache Cake

Today is my mom's birthday and I knew I wanted to make her a cake. Every year for my birthday she always makes me a special cake. Last year it was a chocolate cake with a super yummy white chocolate frosting. My birthday usually falls right around Thanksgiving which has plenty of it's own desserts, but my awesome mom always goes out of her way to make my birthday special. I wanted to do something nice in return for her. I made this cake and it was a hit! I could probably eat the whole thing (and be awfully sick). This isn't the prettiest photo. It was so tasty, we cut into it as soon as we could.

Chocolate Raspberry Ganache Cake

Cake (recipe from Hersheys.com)

2 cups sugar
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil (I used apple sauce)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Prepare two 9-inch round baking pans with cooking spray.
3. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.
4. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely.
5. When cool cut each cake in 2 layers (will be a 4 layer cake)

Raspberry Buttercream
1/2 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup seedless raspberry jam

1. Cream together butter and raspberry jam until smooth with stand mixer or hand mixer.
2. Sift in powdered sugar and continue to beat until smooth.
3. Refrigerate while cake cools


Chocolate Raspberry Ganache
8 oz semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup cream (I used half and half)
1/2 cup raspberry jam

1. Bring cream to a bubble over medium high heat. Add to chocolate chips and stir until melted. Add in raspberry jam and stir until well incorporated.
2. Refrigerate while cake cools.

Chocolate Ganache
4 oz semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup cream (I used half and half)

Bring cream to a bubble over medium high heat. Add to chocolate chips and stir until melted.



PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
1. Put 1 layer of cake on serving platter. You may want to first put wax or parchment paper around edges to keep serving platter clean.
2. Top 1st layer of cake with half of the chocolate raspberry ganache. Cover with 2nd layer of cake.
3. Spread raspberry buttercream over the second layer of cake. Cover with 3rd layer.
4. Top 3rd layer of cake with remaining chocolate raspberry ganache. Cover with top layer of cake.
5. Pour cooled chocolate ganache over the top of the cake and let it drip over the sides. Frost cake with ganache.