other

Blueberry Scones with Maple Glaze

I think I’d make a fantastic grandfather. I don’t have a “walking three miles to school! in the snow! uphill both ways!” story, but I have a tale of effort and hardship almost as edifying-and-simultaneously-annoying. I like to call it the tale of the forgotten essay.

My students hear it so often that I’m sure they know it by heart. All I have to say is, “Have I told you that story–” and they all cry, “Yes!” I think they hope that this affirmation will prevent me from telling it again; alas, I always launch right in.

They’ll be glad that I’m finally writing it down (if only so that they can print it out and ceremonially shred it).

I tell the tale of the forgotten essay for the same reason many other storytellers have told many other great stories: to inspire young people towards responsibility, honor, and success. And groans. And the occasional eye roll, apparently.

It also begins the way many other great stories begin: “When I was your age…” (Incidentally, it was at this point in the story recently when one of my students dropped his head into his arms melodramatically. I think he was overcome with excitement about the inspiring tale he knew was coming.)

See, when I was their age, I was a driven, successful student. Any grade below an A was unacceptable. I stayed up until 3 a.m. most nights working diligently on homework assignments or projects.

One day I walked into my first period English class around 10 minutes before the schoolday began. When I sat down at my desk and looked around, I knew something was amiss. My classmates each had a lengthy piece of writing in front of them. It suddenly hit me like a freight train: I’d forgotten to write the essay assigned for homework.

I sheepishly approached my teacher, who was monitoring the hallway before class. “Ms. S,” I began, “I made a big mistake: I forgot to write the essay last night. I’m so sorry. Is there any way I could have a little extra time?”

I have to admit, I expected leniency. I was a superb student and tried harder than almost any of my classmates. I had never missed an assignment before. I always tried to go the extra mile.

Ms. S peered at me over her glasses and replied, “No.”

I was crushed and admittedly a touch bitter, but I didn’t have time to dwell. I walked back into the classroom and looked at the clock. There were eight minutes left until the bell would call Ms. S into the classroom. My bitterness was replaced by a rush of adrenaline and resolve. I took out a sheet of paper, grabbed my pencil, and began writing.

Eight minutes later, Ms. S stood at the front of the room collecting the essays. With a sigh of relief, I placed my work on the stack. She raised her eyebrows in approval.

Believe it or not, I got the paper back a few days later (oh, Ms. S, I now know what a miracle it was that you were able to grade papers so quickly) with a good grade scrawled across the top. I don’t remember the grade exactly (like a striped bass, it gets more impressive every time I tell the story), but it was solidly acceptable.

…And now I can lovingly goad my students with this story whenever they have an excuse for not trying their best.

Truthfully, though, we all have times when we’re in an unexpected pickle, and continuing to try can be daunting. Last Sunday I found myself in that position. I was supposed to make a special cake for a Mother’s Day dinner, but for reasons I won’t bore you with (I’ll just cry to Byrd about them), I found myself unable to commit to a long recipe.

There was at least an hour where I lay curled up on my bed with Byrd, wondering how I could make anything at all. Finally, though, with Mike’s encouragement, I began poking about online. As soon as I found a recipe for blueberry scones, I knew it was the eight-minute-essay of a dessert that I’d been looking for.

Thankfully, they turned out delicious. And even more lovely is the fact that I now have another story about determination to bore my students with.

When have you pushed past an obstacle to succeed?

One year ago: Coffee Mousse Filled Double Chocolate Chunk Cookie Sandwiches
Two years ago: Lemon Raspberry Cake

Blueberry Scones with Maple Glaze


Recipe by: Adapted slightly from Tyler Florence (scones) and Recipe Girl (glaze)
Yield: 8 scones or 16 mini-scones

These scones are delicious, quick, and easy. They can literally be mixed, baked, and glazed within 45 minutes — perfect for my crisis Sunday! I love the combination of maples and blueberry because it reminds me of a sweet blueberry pancake breakfast.

Scone Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar, plus more for sprinkling
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut in chunks
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 cup heavy cream, plus more for brushing the scones

Maple Glaze Ingredients:
1/3 cup icing sugar
2 Tbs maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Sift flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar together (I usually do this on a piece of wax paper that I can then use as a chute to pour the ingredients into a bowl) and place them in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse the cold butter into the mixture 6-8 times until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs (you can do this with a pastry cutter or two knives if you don’t have a food processor.) Pour the flour mixture into a bowl and fold in the blueberries gently so as not to break them. Make a well in the center of this mixture, add the heavy cream, and slowly work the flour and cream together to form a dough, being careful not to overmix.

Lightly flour a surface and press the dough out (careful not to handle it too much; the butter should stay in tiny, cold pieces) into a long, skinny rectangle: about 12 inches by 3 inches. Cut the rectangle in half and in half again so that you have a row of 4 3-inch squares. Cut each square in half diagonally to form your scones (you can cut them in half on the other diagonal, too, if you want mini-scones.) Place the scones on the prepared baking sheets, brush on heavy cream, sprinkle with sugar, and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden.

Let scones cool while you mix the glaze. Whisk icing sugar, cinnamon, and maple syrup together until smooth and drizzle over the scones. Eat immediately.

If you liked this post, please:
–Subscribe to Willow Bird Baking
–Follow Willow Bird Baking on Twitter
–Follow Willow Bird Baking on Facebook

by | 32 Comments
cakes, cupcakes, other, pies and tarts

Ten Willow Bird Coconut Recipes

You guys have probably noticed that I’ve been a little coconut nutty (coconutty?) lately. I hated coconut as a child, so now that I understand its unadulterated deliciousness, I have to make up for lost time. If you’re trying to catch up as well, here’s a round-up of 10 delicious coconut recipes for you to try.

1. Banana Coconut Cream Cakes
2. Banana Coconut Cream Cupcakes
3. Pumpkin Oat Snack Cake with Broiled Coconut Icing
4. Caramelized Banana Upside-Down Coconut Cake & Coconut Whipped Cream


5. Brownie-Bottom Coconut Chocolate Cream Cake
6. Tres Leches Coconut Cake Trifle
7. Oatmeal Cake with Broiled Coconut Icing
8. Nanaimo Bars


9. Coconut Cream Tart
10. Buttery Coconut & Almond Morning Buns


If you liked this post, please:
–Subscribe to Willow Bird Baking
–Follow Willow Bird Baking on Twitter
–Follow Willow Bird Baking on Facebook

by | 18 Comments
cakes

Gooey Butter Strawberry Shortcake

At one of my first jobs, I’d get so bored that getting up to refill my water was the highlight of my day. It was even better when the ice machine on our floor was broken, because then I got to go on a little mid-afternoon odyssey, if you will. The quest for ice was full of exciting choices: should I try the break room upstairs or head down to the cafeteria? Should I take the stairs or elevator?

Yep, it was straight out of Indiana Jones.

I finally started doing this thing where around 1 o’clock, I’d think to myself: “It’s 1 o’clock! Which is almost 2 o’clock! And that’s almost 3 o’clock. And 3 o’clock is basically 4 o’clock. So essentially, it’s time to go home.” My absurd time logic got me through the day. That and paperclip art projects.

Thankfully, I love my current job and don’t have a spare moment to count down the hours of the day. I do occasionally find myself counting down with the students towards summer, though, in spite of myself. And right now I’m thinking, “It’s finally May! Which means it’s almost the end of May! Which means June is basically here! Which means it’s essentially summer!”

Really, though, I need summer told hold off a bit while I finalize my summer to-do list. This summer I have a lot of very important plans. For instance:

1. Find an entire day to set aside for painting my nails so that, for once in my life, I can let them fully dry instead of immediately smearing them all over everything.

2. Convince Byrd that going for a walk is not some unique form of doggie torture. What kind of a dog doesn’t like walks? (I ask her all the time, and she has yet to provide a reasonable response.)

3. Drink lots of berry or lemon water, preferably while wearing a ridiculous floppy hat.

4. Go to the gym. And maybe even exercise there instead of getting nervous and awkward and deciding to run back out the door before anyone notices me. I bought a Groupon, so I have to do it now, right? Groupons are like little mini contracts I make with myself: “Here, self, you have to go to the gym for a month,” or the less productive, “Here, self, you have to go buy $30 worth of Mexican fare at this taqueria.”

5. Continue the chronological reading of the Bible that I’m doing with my church.

6. Bake all the things, photograph all the things, post all the things! Blog blog blog.

7. Drive to the beach with Mike with the windows rolled down and the 80s pop music turned up. Note to self: This will probably require convincing Mike that he likes the beach, driving with the windows down, and 80s pop music.

8. Cart my laptop (!!) all over creation, and do fancy things on the internet anywhere I can find some wi-fi and a fountain soda. Fancy things include (but are not limited to) posting witty Facebook statuses, pinning ridiculous baked goods, and checking my email obsessively.

9. Lead a Cupcake Capers summer camp for middle schoolers that will end in a cupcake picnic every single day (if you know of a middle schooler in Charlotte who might want to join in, get in touch!)

10. Eat berries. Eat cake. Eat berries with cake!

I’ve always loved strawberry shortcake, but this Gooey Butter Strawberry Shortcake is a new take on the summery dessert. Gooey Butter Cake itself is a super-moist, almost custard-like buttery cake that hails from St. Louis. By most accounts, it began life as a happy culinary accident, but it’s now a well-beloved local quirk in the Lou.

My fear is that you’re going to immediately deem Gooey Butter Strawberry Shortcake too sweet for your taste, so let me address that next: this dessert has the perfect balance of sweet cake, tangy berries, and freshly whipped cream that, without sugar added, lends a rich background bitterness. In short, it’s quite a savvy combination and not cloying in the least.

Indeed, it’s one of those desserts where you take the first bite and just have to give yourself a hearty, full-mouthed, back-patting, “Uh-huh!”

It’s rare to find a treat that manages to be so decadent and summery at the same time. Also — a real plus for busy summer days — it’s easy to throw together and (you know me) eat straight from the skillet.

What are your summer plans?

One year ago: Pasta Carbonara
Two years ago: Mini Doughnuts for your coffee cup: a creative use for yeast dough scraps!

Gooey Butter Strawberry Shortcake


Recipe by: Willow Bird Baking, adapted from one provided to St. Louis Today by Fred and Audrey Heimburger of Heimburger Bakery.
Yield: would easily serve 4-6 people

I don’t know if I really need to sell this to you, but just in case: this is gooey butter cake + strawberry shortcake, so basically, it’s perfect. The tart strawberries and soft whipping cream are unsweetened, and the gooey butter cake itself has a surprisingly balanced sweetness (I expected it to lean more towards cloying), so altogether, this dish has the perfect sweetness level. It’s a beautiful, simple harbinger of summer.

Crust Ingredients:
1 cup cake flour
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/3 cup butter, softened

Filling Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
1 egg
1 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
icing sugar

Toppings Ingredients:
1 pound strawberries, quartered
2 cups heavy whipping cream

Directions:
NOTE: If you don’t have a skillet, I believe you can bake this in a greased 9-inch square baking dish (I’d use a glass one if you have it, and check it early and often. Remove when there’s some jiggle left.) Let us know how it goes if you try it this way for all the other skilletless people!

Make the crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together cake flour and sugar in a medium bowl. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or two knives until the mixture resembles fine crumbs and starts to cling together. Press the mixture into the bottom (this step is a lot harder than it sounds, but be patient and use the back of a spoon to help spread/press the mixture down. I also stuck mine in the fridge for a bit to make the butter less sticky) and up the sides of a 10-inch cast iron skillet.

Make the filling: Cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy and pale yellow (about 2-3 minutes). Mix in the egg until just combined. Alternate adding the flour and evaporated milk, mixing after each addition. Mix in the corn syrup and vanilla. Pour the filling into the crust and sprinkle the top with icing sugar (I forgot to do this, and did it afterwards. Oops).

Bake and assemble the cake: Bake for 25 to 35 minutes or until cake is nearly set (mine was probably ready around 30). Some jiggle is fine — do not overcook! It’ll finish setting up as it cools. Let it cool in pan for 2 hours. In the meantime, beat heavy cream to stiff peaks. Pile heaps of fresh strawberries into the center of your cooled, set gooey butter cake, top with a mountain of freshly whipped cream, and serve.

P.S. This lovely background fabric is from a sweet local fabric shop in Cornelius, NC, called Cotton Ginny’s. If you’re in the area, you should stop in — there’s great stuff there and a sweet little canine greeter named Maggie.

If you liked this post, please:
–Subscribe to Willow Bird Baking
–Follow Willow Bird Baking on Twitter
–Follow Willow Bird Baking on Facebook

by | 48 Comments
cookies, other

Malted Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bars

Mornings are usually sluggish for my 7th graders, but this morning they were just barely reining in their excitement. Really, my hands were the only ones on the reins. I had a few last minute instructions to issue before letting them dive into the hip hop project we’re working on. Before I could finish, Jake’s hand shot up.

“We should work outside!” he cried. Ah, the inevitable springtime advent of the request.

Jake continued to build his argument: “It’s so nice outside right now!” Others chimed in: “We need space to work! It’ll be too loud in here! We need inspiration from nature!” Concluding their chorus, Jake slapped the final brick on the wall of pleading: he evoked the very outdoorsy nature of our school itself.

“It’s Woodlawn, Ms. Ruble.”

I looked around at their best attempt at persuasive puppy eyes. The battle was clearly won.

I sighed, vanquished, and that was all the permission they needed. They grabbed up laptops and lyrics and were out the door before I could so much as find my clipboard. They worked joyfully in the sunshine all class, pausing only to confer with me when I called them over to the picnic table where I sat.

I may sigh and “hmm” and squint when it’s made, but really, I don’t mind the request. At least once a week, one of my 6th or 7th graders issues it: can we read outside? Can we write our poems outside? Can we discuss outside?

My first instinct is always to say no, but I’m not sure why. Maybe it’s a relic of my first days of teaching, when a change in my schedule induced panic: What if I can’t adjust? What if my lesson plan fails today? The layers of experience and maturity I’ve gained over the years along with the pleasantly flexible atmosphere at Woodlawn have cured me by now, but sometimes my instincts seem to forget.

Thankfully, I can overrule them. And in so doing, I might even end up in the sunshine with some fantastic 13-year-old hip hop artists. Kids have the best ideas.

One idea kids love almost as much as being outside is eating cookie dough. Since I posted the three eggless cookie doughs to eat with a spoon, my students have been whipping them up like crazy. They come in with stories about how they made cookie dough at a sleepover, ate a whole bowl of it by themselves, or dumped way too much salt in their latest batch and had to throw it away. Okay, well they don’t always have the best ideas.

Their love of cookie dough has inspired me to work the treat into all of my middle school cooking camps lately, and that’s where these Malted Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bars were first created. Seven students in my Brownies & Bars after school camp were the first people in the universe to make this original Willow Bird recipe. Didn’t they do a nice job?

If you think they look pretty, you ought to taste one. The cookie dough has a unique twist: a malted chocolate flavor straight out of a 1950s soda shop and bits of Whopper candies strewn throughout. I think my favorite part, though, is how well the buttery graham cracker crust supports the other flavors. If you’re a cookie dough fan or love a good malty dessert, you must make these.

As a bonus, this is one of those super easy recipes. You bake the crust for about 6 minutes and then you get to turn your oven off. A little mixing and a little chilling and these bars are ready to eat. I have a feeling my students are going to have a new sleepover snack.

Now, time to go outside and enjoy the spring!

One year ago: Maple Bacon Doughnuts
Two years ago: Assorted Truffles in a Chocolate Bowl

Malted Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bars


Recipe by: Willow Bird Baking
Yield: 8-12 bars

These little bars are super simple to make but so delicious! A buttery graham cracker crust supports malted chocolate cookie dough filled with Whopper candy pieces. The bars are drizzled with chocolate and topped with, of course, more candy. If you have a cookie dough lover in your house, they’ll thank you for these.

Crust Ingredients:
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons butter, melted

Cookie Dough Ingredients:
3/4 cup butter, room temperature
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/8 cups light brown sugar, packed
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup chocolate malted milk powder (I used chocolate Ovaltine)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips (I like to use mini chips)
1 cup broken up Whopper candy pieces
about 2 tablespoons water (as needed)

3/4 cup chocolate chips (for decoration)
Whoppers (for decoration)
whipped cream (for serving)

Directions:
Prepare your pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Prepare a 9-inch square baking dish with a foil sling. To do this, tear off 4, 16-inch long pieces of aluminum foil and fold them in half. Situate two side-by-side in the pan, covering the bottom of the pan to the edge (they will overlap). Situate the other two strips in the same manner, but perpendicular to the first. The overhanging foil of the sling will make it easy to remove the cake from the pan after baking and cooling. Grease the sling with cooking spray or butter and flour.

Make the crust: Mix the graham cracker crumbs and melted butter with a fork. Use the bottom of a straight glass to press it into the prepared pan. Bake for about 6 minutes and let cool completely.

Make the cookie dough: While the crust cools, in a medium bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar. Add the cream cheese and whip the mixture until fluffy. Stir in the flour, salt, malted milk powder, vanilla, Whopper pieces, and chocolate chips. Add the water one tablespoon at a time stirring between each, until the dough reaches a consistency just a touch thinner than regular cookie dough (such that it will be thick but spreadable).

When your crust is completely cool, spoon cookie dough in big dollops around it and use an offset spatula to gently level it out into an even layer. Chill this while you prepare your chocolate.

Assemble the bars: Melt chocolate chips according to package instructions in the microwave (usually you heat on half power for a minute and stir, followed by 15 second intervals until the chips are melted, stirring between each heating) and let them cool slightly before pouring the melted chocolate into a plastic zip bag and cutting off the tip of one corner. Drizzle chocolate across the surface of the cookie dough. Press on Whoppers to decorate. Chill to set the chocolate, then use the ends of the foil sling to pull the bars out of the pan and then slice them into squares. Top with whipped cream to serve.

If you liked this post, please:
–Subscribe to Willow Bird Baking
–Follow Willow Bird Baking on Twitter
–Follow Willow Bird Baking on Facebook

by | 29 Comments
cakes

Gooey Chocolate Skillet Cake Ice Cream Sundae

Gooey Chocolate Skillet Cake Ice Cream Sundae

Gooey Chocolate Skillet Cake Ice Cream Sundae

The only time I’ve lived away from my hometown was during my sophomore year in college when I moved to Beaufort, a small town on the coast of North Carolina. I lived there for a few months before traveling for a month down the Eastern seaboard to study marine zoogeography. That semester changed my life, and I’ve continued to process the memories over the years. Periodically I’ll share stories here on Willow Bird Baking from that time.

In a week’s time we would be sitting in the hot black night, lit by a strand of round bulbs on a bustling restaurant patio in Key West. Having not glanced in a mirror even once for days, I would be unaware of my white blonde hair, my dark sienna face. I would be blissfully aware, though, of the cool soda bathing my tongue in the heat. My first taste of sweet potato fries. The rolling beat of the reggae pouring from a club somewhere down the street.

That was in a week’s time. Right now, though, all I could see was the long 8 miles we were about to paddle to Camp Lulu Key in the Everglades.

Gooey Chocolate Skillet Cake Ice Cream Sundae

I climbed in the canoe quickly, trying to look like I had an ounce of a clue. Blair, not fooled for a moment, showed me how to move my oar and tugged at my lifejacket buckles to test their security. The rest of the group lumbered into our 8-seat canoe and we were off.

My eyes constantly skimmed the surface of the water, waiting to catch sight of the crocodile I felt sure must be following our canoe Tick-Tock style. The occasional tour boat would throw up a wake and I’d brace for the impact of the waves, frantically hoping not to end up in the mouth of said crocodile.

Gooey Chocolate Skillet Cake Ice Cream Sundae

Finally we arrived on the island — not that it was much of a relief. This was our Thanksgiving Break, but turkey was nowhere in sight. Instead, we were spending four days on this obscure island in the Everglades with no electricity, no running water, and some very skinny, solicitous raccoons. The boys were ecstatic. I was less enthused.

There wasn’t a comfortable spot on the entire island. The sun was oppressive, so we tried to retreat to the woods only to find ourselves covered in noseeums, or biting gnats. We tried to hide in our tents only to find they’d turned into ovens in the sunlight. Finally, we settled into the only tolerable routine we could find: spending a half hour or so in the Gulf until we were pruny, followed by a half hour or so in the sun until we were baked. We repeated this cycle incessantly for four days until we’d been bleached out like cow skulls in a Clint Eastwood movie.

Gooey Chocolate Skillet Cake Ice Cream Sundae

There were also the raccoons. The pitiful little things were hungry and thirsty, but we weren’t allowed to disrupt the ecosystem of the island by feeding them. We’d wake up each morning to the whispers of little raccoon tongues across the outside of our tents: they were licking the condensation up as fast as they could. More than once I considered “dropping” a quesadilla or two into the bushes, ecosystem be darned.

Then there were the bathrooms, or lack thereof. I’m not generally shy, but when it comes to announcing to a group of my peers that I have to pee, so would they please avoid this certain shrubbery, thanks very much . . . well, it was a bit much for me.

Gooey Chocolate Skillet Cake Ice Cream Sundae Gooey Chocolate Skillet Cake Ice Cream Sundae
Step 1: Eat some cake.

Every mealtime we battled the insects for our meal. Dinner was eaten in darkness, so there’s no telling how many gnats were ingested with our food. I just tried to shovel in each bite without thinking about the added “protein.” Even the dishes disgusted me, though, since we washed them ourselves with few supplies. Every bowl and fork I ate from felt gritty and germy to my overanxious imagination.

Finally, there was no naturally occurring fresh water and there certainly weren’t any faucets. We brushed our teeth with water bottles, washed dishes with water bottles, drank water from our water bottles. My OCD was on overdrive as I tried to ensure no sand or bugs got into my precious water. One night, consumed with frustration after trying to brush my teeth, I threw my water bottle down into the swash of waves on the shore. I was feeling very sorry for myself and cried a little under the cover of complete darkness. Darkness so complete, actually, that once I managed to look up, I realized that I’d never seen so many stars.

Gooey Chocolate Skillet Cake Ice Cream Sundae
Step 2: Stick some ice cream in that cake.

I called out and my friends joined me. Craning our necks, we saw what the sky was like with no light pollution whatsoever. It was awesome. Not like the pie you ate last night was awesome or like your new skirt is awesome. It was truly AWE-some.

A satellite sliced through the air hundreds of miles above us. After a night of joking, complaining, and storytelling, we were all suddenly silent.

Gooey Chocolate Skillet Cake Ice Cream Sundae
Step 3: Put some caramel on that cake.

Now I think back on Camp Lulu Key as one of my favorite memories. The stars are part of it, certainly (I still stand and stare up at them every night when I take Byrd out, hoping to catch a glimpse of the quieter ones in the breaches).

But maybe even more than that, the memory of discomfort is something I treasure. The inconveniences were small, but they were significant obstacles for me then. They forced me to grow, to settle, and to flex; they started building patience in me that God is still working on today.

Gooey Chocolate Skillet Cake Ice Cream Sundae
Step 4: Eat more cake.

When I compare my current self to my Camp Lulu Key self, I’m pleased to say that I’ve grown and mellowed since then. I can deal with a little dirt and grit. And as for keeping my dishes pristine, well, sometimes it’s nicer to forgo dishes altogether.

After my lovely experience eating Pumpkin Skillet Cake with Mike straight out of my cast iron skillet, I wanted a repeat performance. My birthday this past weekend was the perfect chance to indulge in a warm, gooey skillet cake sundae — chocolate this time, and with heaps of vanilla bean ice cream and a drizzle of hot caramel sauce.

I received many thoughtful birthday gifts (including a hand-baked cake from two of my students — how sweet is that?), but one of my favorite gifts was scooping forkfuls of cake out of a skillet with Mike, pausing only to take pictures of our escapades or for a giant gulp of milk.

Gooey Chocolate Skillet Cake Ice Cream Sundae
Step 5: Make a gratuitous animated gif to illustrate deliciousness of cake.

Have you had an experience that changed you for the better?

One Year Ago: Banana Coconut Cream Cupcakes
Two Years Ago: Coffee Cookie Dough Fudge Cheesecake

5 from 1 reviews
Gooey Chocolate Skillet Cake Ice Cream Sundae
 
Print
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
This Gooey Chocolate Skillet Cake Ice Cream Sundae was my birthday cake and I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed it! It’s chocolatey and indulgent without being too rich. Eating the hot frosted cake with vanilla bean ice cream and caramel sauce straight out of the skillet has to be one of the most rewarding sensory experiences in the world. And it’s so easy! It’s really a must-make.
Author:
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
Cake Ingredients:
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup sugar
  • dash salt
  • 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/4 cup buttermilk
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Frosting Ingredients:
  • 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
  • 2 tablespoons cocoa
  • 3-4 tablespoons milk (as needed for consistency)
  • 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • ice cream (for serving)
  • caramel sauce (for serving; this one is delicious!)
  • whipped cream (for serving)
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, sugar, and salt together and set aside.
  2. In a 10-inch cast iron skillet, bring the butter, vegetable oil, cocoa powder, and water to a boil. Remove it from the heat and whisk in the dry ingredients well. Mix in the buttermilk, egg, and vanilla. Bake the skillet cake at 350 degrees F for about 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs.
  3. While the cake starts to cool, make the frosting. In a medium saucepan, bring the butter, cocoa, and milk to a boil. Remove them from heat and add the icing sugar, nuts, and vanilla. Stir to combine. Pour over the warm cake, spread with a spatula, and serve with vanilla bean ice cream, caramel sauce, and whipped cream.

 

by | 278 Comments

1 … 73 74 75 76 77 … 127