5 Minute Coffee Cake In a Mug

Ohmygoodness.  This is pure GENIUS.  Who wants to go through the trouble of baking a huge pan of coffee cake one morning that would take over an hour to prepare when you're super hungry?? Not me, that's for sure..  I prefer eating not long after waking up.  This recipe is absolutely amazing.  It's SO delicious!  It's perfectly sweet, moist, buttery, and pairs perfectly with --- shocker --- coffee! I can honestly say it's one of the best coffee cakes I've ever had.  It's definitely THE BEST classic coffee cake I've ever had (yup, even yummier than Starbucks).  And it's ready in minutes.

You can find this incredible recipe here.  BUT make the alterations below!

The alterations I highly suggest are:
~Do not let the butter get melty. It should be softened; just soft enough to cream the sugar in.  You will get a much moister cake when the butter is soft like this.
~Cook it based on your microwave.  All microwaves are different levels of power. Check it after 45 seconds.  My microwave is pretty powerful, so my cake was perfectly cooked in only 45 seconds.  The very tippy-top was still slightly gooey (in a good way!), but the inside was definitely cooked.  To check, try sticking a knife into the center of yours to see if it comes out clean.
~Use 1 tablespoon of flour in the topping. The topping was way too floury with 2 tablespoons.  You may have to crumble it a little with your hands cause it was kind of wet, but super yummy.
~Mix half of the topping into the batter. This assures a delicious, buttery, brown sugary, cinnamon-y delight in every bite(: Instead of a heaping sugar-butter blob on top.

BEST Fudgy Brownies

  

Ohhh the love of brownies....I don't know even know where to begin.  They truly are the key to any person's heart.  If you ask somebody what they crave the most for dessert, brownies are always one of the first things that come to mind.  What's not to love about a fudgey, moist, chocolatey explosion of pure deliciousness??? I made these brownies for a bake sale at my school, and they vanished in - literally - minutes.  I almost didn't bring them to the bake sale because I wanted the whole pan for myself.  They are super duper moist on the inside (due to a low amount of flour/dry ingredients and many eggs/wet ingredients), with a perfectly cracked, thin, crispy surface - everything you could possibly dream of the perfect brownie to be.  The melted chocolate chips in the brownies give an incredibly amazing flavor that cocoa powder just can't compete with. Using butter instead of vegetable oil also makes them wonderfully rich.  And the addition of dark chocolate chips and coffee allow the pure chocolate flavor to really pull through without being overly sweet.  These are incredible served warm with vanilla ice cream (french vanilla is my fave), and also killer at room temperature.  One thing I wouldn't do is frost these brownies because they're so perfectly rich by themselves and may be too sweet if frosted.  When you make this recipe, I guarantee you will never, ever, ever buy box mix brownies EVER again.

Yield: one 13x9 inch pan (about 16 servings)

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
•  
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 1/4 cup strongly brewed coffee
• 2/3 cup butter
• 1 (12 ounce) bag semisweet chocolate chips
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
•  
• 4 large eggs 
• 1 (12 ounce) bag bittersweet chocolate chips  (I used Ghirardelli 60% cocoa)
• 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts  (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat an oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl; set aside. Grease a 13x9-inch baking dish.
2. Combine the sugar, coffee, and butter in a saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat and stir in semi-sweet chocolate chips and the vanilla extract until the chocolate has melted. Pour the mixture into a mixing bowl, and beat in the eggs one at a time until smooth. Fold in the flour mixture until incorporated, then fold in the bittersweet chocolate chips along with the (optional) walnuts. Pour into prepared pan.
3. Bake in the preheated oven until the top is dry and the edges have started to pull away from the sides of the pan, 40 to 50 minutes. Cool for at least 15 minutes before serving warm.  If serving at room temperature, cool completely before cutting into bars.

Chocolate Fudge Balls

 

I made these fudge balls for a party at my school, and they were a huge hit!  I made half coated with coconut and the other half coated with powdered sugar (in case some people didn't like coconut...what freaks).  They are nice and sweet on the outside, and fudgey and chocolatey and slightly chewy and rich on the inside. The addition of melted bittersweet chocolate (i used Ghiradelli) and coffee powder makes the chocolate incredibly delicious. They literally melt in your mouth and you have to stop and treasure the moment when you pop them into your mouth.  I was skeptical before I made them because they use raw oats, and I thought it would give them a weird, chewy, texture...but the result was so amazing.  You don't taste the oats; they just hold the balls together and make them chewy like fudge. 

Ingredients:

• 4 cups regular rolled oats
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 2 tablespoons strong coffee
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup 60% bittersweet chocolate, melted
• 1/2 cup coconut flakes or 1 cup powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Mix the oats, sugar, and cocoa together in a bowl. Add the butter, and use your hands to mix the ingredients together to make a thick dough. Mix in the coffee, vanilla, and chocolate until thoroughly blended.
2. Place the coconut flakes or powdered sugar in a small bowl. Pinch off small amounts of dough and roll between your hands to make small balls, about 1-1/2 inches in diameter. Roll the balls in the coconut flakes or powdered sugar. Balls are ready to eat, or may be refrigerated 2 hours to become firmer.

Mocha Nut Cookies

 

Okay...so I gave up coffee for lent (I know...it's totally awful, right!?) but I can have foods with coffee in it, like ice cream, tiramisu, etc.   I spotted a recipe in my recipe folder called Mocha Nut Cookies, and of course, I had to make them on first sight of the "mocha".  I've been craving coffee majorly (still 2 weeks till lent ends!), and this would satisfy the craving at least a little bit.  And I was right...these definitely satisfied my craving because they were so good!  The coffee flavor isn't very strong, so if you don't like coffee, you'll probably still enjoy these cookies. They're so chocolatey and delicious, with a slight crunch from the nuts.  The addition of melted chocolate makes them very moist, rich, and more chocolatey. And the addition of coffee powder brings out the chocolate flavor even more!  Oh yeah...the cookie dough is incredible as well.  And you know the cookie is gonna turn out good if the cookie dough is good.  Whether you're having a chocolate craving, coffee craving, or just a big dessert craving from a major sweet tooth (that's my life right there), this recipe is sure to satisfy it.

Yield: about 2 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 2 tablespoons instant coffee powder
• 2 teaspoons boiling water
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Melt over hot (not boiling) water 1/2 cup of the chocolate morsels. Stir until smooth. Cool to room temperature.
3. In small cup, dissolve the instant coffee in the 2 teaspoons boiling water. Set aside.
4. In small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
5. In large bowl, combine butter, sugars, and coffee. Beat until creamy. Add egg and melted morsels. Mix well. Gradually add flour mixture. Stir in remaining 1-1/2 cups chocolate morsels and nuts. Form into walnut-sized balls and place on ungreased cookie sheets.
6. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 10-12 minutes. Allow to stand 2-3 minutes before removing from cookie sheets.

Vanilla Coffee Cupcakes w/Tiramisu Filling & Coffee Buttercream Frosting

   

I recently took a cooking class called "The Art of Cupcakes," by Chef Wynton Mann (you can check out his site at www.wyntonsworld.com), and it was so much fun!  We made five different types of incredibly delicious cupcakes: these, pumpkin cupcakes with maple and ginger buttercream frosting, banana nut cupcakes with cinnamon buttercream frosting, chocolate cupcakes with strawberry mascarpone cream cheese-filling and chocolate cream cheese frosting, honey pear cupcakes with white chocolate and pistachio buttercream frosting.  I know you're probably drooling right now just reading over that. Imagine actually biting into them.  They were all sooo good...not one of them was even close to forgettable.  And none of the recipes are available online, so I guess you'll just have to make them all from my blog(:

Of all the cupcakes we made in the class, these are tied for my favorite with the honey pear cupcakes.  If you like coffee, then you will LOVE these cupcakes...especially the frosting.  Oh my goodness, the frosting is so rich and the best coffee-flavored thing I've ever tasted ---> I would totally eat it straight with a spoon.

Yield: 12 cupcakes

Ingredients:

For the Vanilla Cupcake:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

4 oz. butter, at room temperature.

1 cup sugar

2 eggs, at room temperature

1/2 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon lemon zest

For the chocolate covered espresso beans:

1/3 cup roasted coffee beans

1/2 cup chocolate chips (good quality...like Ghiradelli)

For the Tiramisu Filling:

3 large egg yolks

1/8 cup sugar

1/8 cup dark rum

1/8 cups espresso coffee

8 oz. mascarpone cheese

For the Frosting:

1/4 cup whole milk

2 tablespoons instant coffee granules

4 oz. butter, at room temperature

4 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

Directions:

For the Cupcakes:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners; set aside.  In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.  In another bowl cream butter until smooth and creamy.  Gradually add sugar, beating until fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add dry ingredients in 3 parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla, and scraping down sides of bowl in between each addition; add in lemon zest; beat until ingredients are incorporated but do not overbeat.  Divide batter evenly among liners, filling about 2/3 full.  Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 20-25 minutes.

For the Filling:

Whisk the egg yolks and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment on high speed for about 5 minutes, or until very thick and light yellow.  Lower the speed to medium and add 1/8 cup rum, 1/8 cup espresso, and the mascarpone.  Whisk until smooth.

For the Frosting:

Pour the milk into a small glass bowl and heat in the microwave oven on high power for 30 seconds, or until very hot.  Stir in the coffee granules until they dissolve.  Set the mixture aside.  Place the butter in a large mixing bowl.  Blend with an electric mixer on low speed until fluffy, 30 seconds.  Stop the machine and add 1 cup of the confectioners' sugar. Blend with the mixer on low speed until the sugar is incorporated, 30 seconds.  Alternating, add the coffee mixture and the rest of the sugar, beating on low speed until smooth.  Add more sugar if the frosting seems thin.  Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat until lightened, 1 to 2 minutes more.

For the beans:

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler until liquid and smooth.  Drop in a handful of beans, and stir them around.  Scoop them out with a spoon, and set them out on waxed paper.  Keep them separate.  Continue until all the beans are covered.  They will harden overnight, or if you are in a hurry, you can freeze them for about half an hour.  Once hard, they won't stick together and can be stored in any air-tight container.

Maple Almond Cinnamon Latte

Maple Syrup!!  Yum yum YUM!  Maple is one of my favorite flavors.  I love maple everything…maple cake, maple frosting, maple syrup on pancakes, maple flavored pie, maple fudge, maple ice cream, etc. So I incorporated it into a latte, to create this sweet drink.  I always use the optional extracts because I like lots of flavor, but it tastes really good without them too.  A lot of people don’t enjoy the taste of almond extract because it’s pretty strong, but I like it.  If you’re looking for a way to shake up you’re usual, some-old morning coffee, then this is the perfect recipe to try.  Feel free to use less or more maple syrup depending on how sweet you want it.

Ingredients:

1 cup brewed coffee

1 cup milk

¼ cup maple syrup

½ teaspoon cinnamon

1 drop almond extract (optional)

1 drop vanilla extract (optional)

Whipped cream (optional)

Instructions:

Combine all ingredients in a coffee mug and stir to combine. Top with whipped cream if desired.

***You may need to heat it to a pretty high temperature to make sure the cinnamon is fully dissolved.

Best Chocolate Cake

This is the absolute best, most perfect chocolate cake I’ve ever tasted.  I don’t know about you, but most cakes I’ve eaten are dry, and wouldn’t have tasted very good without whatever frosting was on them.  Even with boxed cake mixes…I think you just have to be really careful not to overcook them.  I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gone to a party and the cake was dry (I would never say anything, of course…and I still eat it). It’s pretty hard not to make a cake dry if it doesn’t use lots of butter, and you need to be sure not to over cook it.  However, this amazingly fantastic chocolate cake is not dry at all.  It’s very moist, but also fluffy.  It’s perfect.  The coffee in the cake really brings out the chocolate flavor.  And it’s so easy to throw together!  The frosting is the best chocolate frosting I’ve ever had also.  It’s so rich and smooth and delicious…I could eat it plain with a spoon.  I made this for my dad’s birthday last year and he wants it every year now. à I wish it was his birthday every day.

Yield: about 24 servings (2 9-inch round pans)

For the cake:

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups white sugar
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup strong brewed coffee
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9 inch round cake pans or one 9x13 inch pan.
2. In large bowl combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Make a well in the center.
3. Add eggs, coffee, buttermilk, oil and vanilla. Beat for 2 minutes on medium speed. Batter will be thin. Pour into prepared pans.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 to 40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes, then remove from pans and finish cooling on a wire rack. Fill and frost with chocolate frosting below.

For the chocolate frosting:

Ingredients

• 2 cups butter (no substitutes), softened
• 9 cups confectioners' sugar
• 2 1/2 cups baking cocoa
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup milk

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar, cocoa and vanilla. Add enough milk until frosting reaches spreading consistency.

Spiced Up Frappaccino

I have another obsession (besides oatmeal, chocolate, and peanut butter): coffee shops.  Like Starbucks for example: You see...I've had every single drink at Starbucks.  And almost every food. I know...it's a little extreme.  I have this "happy place" at the Starbucks in the Barnes and Nobles at my local mall.  It's so comforting, quiet, and peaceful.  That's why I love coffee shops so much..the atmosphere is so nice.  I could seriously spend all day in a coffee shop. And the smell! Ahhh the smell of freshly roasted coffee beans and freshly baked scones.  It's a smell like no other.  One of the most important reasons why I like coffee shops is also because I just loveeee COFFEE! I was pretty addicted to coffee a few months ago, and I had to force myself to only have few cups on weekends.  I would get really talkative and jittery and it just wasn't good for me.   Making drinks in a blender is something I've done since I was a little kid, and this is my classic frappuccino recipe.  Is it better than Starbucks? Well, you're gonna have to test it and see for yourself.


Ingredients:
1 1/2 tsp instant coffee granules
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 drop almond extract
1 small pinch of each: cloves, nutmeg, allspice, and cinnamon
8 ice cubes
4 tsp white sugar, or to taste
Whipped cream (optional)


Instructions:
Combine everything in a blender and give it a whirl.  Blend until smooth. Serve with whipped cream if desired.