Cherry Cheesecake Coca Cola Brownies

This post is for the February Behind the Curtain Dessert Challenge! Every month Miss Sheryl @ The Lady Behind the Curtain hosts this amazing challenge.  We are given two new ingredients every month to work with and then we must create a new dessert recipe using those ingredients.  For Valentine's Day we were given Cherry and Coke. Since I've already made Cherry Coca Cola Cupcakes I had to put on my thinking cap and come up with something new.  After a few baking fails I did find a winner! Enter the Cherry Cheesecake Coca Cola Brownies.

Cherry Cheesecake Coca Cola Brownies

Brownie
18.4 oz Supreme Original Brownie Mix with Hershey's in a pouch
1/4 cup Coca Cola
1/2 cup oil
1 extra large egg, lightly beaten

Cheesecake
8 oz cream cheese, softened
6 Tbsp (1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp) sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 extra large egg

1/2 recipe for Easy Homemade Cherry Pie Filling or 1 15 oz can of Cherry Pie Filling.

Preheat oven to 375˚ F. If making your own cherry pie filling follow these directions now. Set aside to cool.

In a large bowl add the brownie mix.  Snip the end of the Hershey's syrup and add to the dry ingredients along with the Coca Cola, oil, and lightly beaten egg.  With a rubber spatula or wooden spoon mix until all the dry ingredients are completely incorporated. But don't over-mix.

Spray a 8x10" baking dish and pour in the brownie batter, spreading evenly with the spatula.

In a separate bowl beat the softened cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth.  Add the sugar, egg, and vanilla.  Beat for 2-3 minutes until smooth and creamy.

Carefully spoon the cheesecake mixture on top of the brownie batter already in the pan.

Using a knife, swirl the batters together using a figure 8 motion.

Spoon the cherry pie filling over the top of the cheesecake and brownie mixture.  Repeat the figure 8 pattern using the knife again over the mixture creating a marbled pattern with all three layers.

Bake in your preheated oven for 40-50 minutes until the top is set completely but not cracked. Remove to a cooling rack.

Cool completely.

Cut and serve. This is fabulous topped with whipped cream.

Refrigerate any leftovers! 

This tastes even better the next day which makes it the perfect make ahead dessert.

Rocky Road Cookies

This post is for the January Behind the Curtain Dessert Challenge! Every month Miss Sheryl @ The Lady Behind the Curtain hosts this amazing challenge.  We are given two ingredients to work with and then we must create a dessert using those ingredients.  Fabulous I know! Who can say no to desserts?

I was struggling to come up with what I was going to make for January using Chocolate Pudding or Cocoa and Marshmallows.  I've already made S'More's Cookies but those don't have pudding or cocoa... Then I was thinking Fudge, but that's Marshmallow creme not true marshmallows.  Then I was trying to justify still making fudge thinking it was close enough to work, but I still wasn't sure so I kept thinking... One of my all time favorite things as a kid was Rocky Road ice cream.  Perfect! I had a winner.  

Then I ran into two problems.  I didn't have any cream, and I really wanted Rocky Road right away. As in now, not in three hours from now when the ice cream is set.  Then, since my world practically revolves around cookies I thought,  "I can make Rocky Road cookies!" Brilliant.  And, I even had everything I needed to make cookies! A new favorite was born.

Print Recipe

Rocky Road Cookies

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 3.9 oz box of chocolate instant pudding and pie filling mix
1 Tbsp cocoa powder
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup flour
1 cup bread flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp kosher salt
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup Kraft marshmallow bits

Preheat oven to 350˚ F. In a mixing bowl or Kitchen Aid combine the butter, shortening, sugar, and brown sugar.  

Beat for 2 minutes until all the sugar is incorporated and the mixture starts to look creamy.  

(My new Kitchen Aid I got for Christmas!!!)

Scrape down the sides of the bowl.  Add the pudding mix, cocoa powder and 1 egg.  

Beat well.  

Scrape the bowl again, and add the second egg and the vanilla and beat well until the mixture looks lighter and fluffy.

In a separate bowl sift together the flour, bread flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. 

Add to the sugar mixture in two additions mixing only until the flour is incorporated each time.  

In the empty mixing bowl combine the chocolate chips, pecans, and marshmallow bits.  

Add to the dough and mix on low just until all the ingredients are evenly incorporated.  The dough should be nice and soft and easy to work with.

Using a medium scoop evenly drop 12 rounds of dough onto baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  

With the palm of your hand lightly press each round to flatten.  

Bake for 9-11 minutes until puffed and cracks form on the surface of the cookies.  

Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet for 2-3 minutes then remove to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Or just devour warm!

Nutty, Fudgy, Marshmallow goodness!

Makes about 3 dozen cookies (but I won't tell if you want to eat a dozen yourself!)

Who needs ice cream anyway?

Merry Berry Eggnog Cake

I have always wanted to make an Eggnog cake but had never sat down and tried it.  This was my first try and I must say it was fabulous.  The filling was the highlight and the frosting was good enough to eat on it's own!  The cake itself is really dense, like a pound cake so the filling really helped not only with flavor but with the dryness of the cake.  Maybe with some more experimenting I can get a moister version for you but until then I have a feeling you won't mind this one little bit!  Yummo :)

Print Recipe

Merry Berry Eggnog Cake

3 Parchment Paper circles

Cake:

1 cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp milk
1 whole egg
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups granulated sugar
3 cups cake flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
4 egg whites

Filling:

1 cup fresh cranberries

1 cup frozen raspberries

1 cup frozen strawberries

1/2 cup sugar

3 Tbsp water

2 Tbsp cornstarch

1 Tbsp cold water

2 Tbsp butter

Frosting:

1 cup butter, softened
1/4 tsp kosher salt
4 cups powdered sugar
1/4-1/2 cup milk
1 Tbsp vanilla extract

For the Filling:

In a heavy bottomed sauce pan combine the cranberries, 1/2 cup sugar, and 3 Tbsp of sugar.  

Cook over medium heat stirring until the cranberries begin to pop about 4-5 minutes.  Whisk together cornstarch and cold water to make a slurry.  Add to the cranberries and cook stirring constantly for 1 minute until thick.  

Add the strawberries and raspberries.   

Add the butter and stir until melted. 

Cool for about 30 minutes until the filling reaches room temperature.  

Cover and chill in the refrigerator at least 3 hours until set.

For the Cake:

Preheat oven to 350˚ F or 325˚ F if using dark pans. Stack 3 sheets of parchment paper on top of each other. With a pencil trace the bottom of your 8" cake pans.  

Cut out the circles.  Spray a small amount of non-stick cooking spray in the bottom of the cake pans, then place the parchment paper circles in each pan and liberally spray each pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Stir together the cream, milk, whole egg, vanilla, nutmeg, and cinnamon.

In a kitchen aid beat the butter until creamy.  Add the sugar and beat for 2 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy.  

In a separate bowl sift together the cake flour and the baking powder.  

Add the cream and the flour in three additions mixing just until incorporated and scraping the sides of the bowl with a rubber scraper after each addition.

With an electric mixer beat the 4 egg whites to medium peaks.  

Gently fold the egg whites into the cake batter.  

 

Divide the batter into the 3 pans.  

Bake for 20-23 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center of each round comes out clean.  Cool the cake in the pans for 10 minutes then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the Frosting:

Add the butter salt and vanilla to a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer for 2 minutes until creamy.  Add 2 cups of the powdered sugar with 1/4 cup of the milk.  Beat until smooth.  Add 1 cup of powdered sugar with 1 Tbsp of milk and beat until smooth.  Add in the final cup of powdered sugar and more milk 1 Tbsp at a time if needed to reach desired spreading consistency beating well.

If the cake layers are rounded, choose the nicest one and set aside.  For the other two layers, use a bread knife and cut off the excess cake leaving a flat surface.  Place the bottom cake layer on your serving dish.  For easy cleanup cut strips of wax paper and slide just under the edges of the cake.

Spread filling evenly between each layer of cake.

Generously frost the sides of the cake and the top.  

Use an offset spatula to create a desired pattern in the icing.  

Top with fresh cranberries and red sugar sprinkles as a garnish.

* Recipe Adapted from December 2012 Southern Living pg.133 Mrs. Billet's White Cake with Merry Berry Filling