Eggnog & Sour Cream Bundt Cake with Sugared Captain Morgan Rum Glaze

 

If you have leftover eggnog dwindling in the fridge with it's expiration date looming...this is the cake for you.  Or if you simply love eggnog and rum (any holiday work party wouldn't be complete without it) well then this is the cake for you too. 

 

Spices are key with eggnog.  Nutmeg is a must.  I also added cinnamon as nutmeg and cinnamon almost always go hand in hand.  Also, the great thing about this cake is its two-ply complexity.  The inside is super soft and spongy due to the addition of the sour cream.  The outside of the cake has a thick, chewy crust slathered with rum infused granulated sugar giving it a nice hearty crunch.

 

Finally this recipe best suits a 12-cup bundt pan.  If you're like me and only have a 10-cup, bake the remaining batter in a smaller tin for a second, teeny cake.  Nothin' wrong with a little extra cake...especially a rum infused one during the holidays...you know to take the edge off screaming children acting like their in a cock fight waiting in line to see Santa, or after spending half an hour circling the mall parking lot in pursuit of a spot 5 feet closer than the one you just passed...or my favorite, pleading and puffing at the sales lady that she is running your credit card wrong and acting clueless as it keeps getting declined.  This truly is the best time of the year. 

 



Eggnog & Sour Cream Bundt Cake with Sugared Captain Morgan Rum Glaze 

makes one 12-cup bundt cake *see my note above if you have a 10 cup pan

printable version

 

Ingredients

For the cake:

3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon cinnamon

8 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

3 large eggs (or 4 medium)

1/2 cup sour cream

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup eggnog

 

For the Glaze:

3/4 cup sugar

2 hefty tablespoons Captain Morgan Spiced Rum

2 tablespoons water

 

Directions:

 

Grease the bundt pan using either butter or shortening. I use a sandwich baggie as a glove to make this step easy. If you have an intricate pan like mine be sure to grease all the nooks and crannies so the cake won't stick.  Because trust me it wants to.  Grease grease grease.

 

 

Add about 2 tablespoons of flour to the pan and dust thoroughly.

 

Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon.

 

Whisk to combine.

 

Add the butter and sugars to the bowl of a stand up mixer (hand mixer ok) and beat together for about 3 minutes until light and creamy.

 

Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

 

Add sour cream and vanilla and beat until incorporated.

 

Add the flour in 4 separate additions, alternating with the eggnog, starting and ending with the flour.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula after each addition.

 

Transfer batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula.  If you're using a 10-cup bundt pan, bake the extra cake batter in a smaller tin or muffin pan if you prefer.

 

Bake for 55-60 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.  Remove from oven and cool pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes.  Invert pan onto plate and remove cake from pan.  Transfer cake back to the wire rack.

 

While the cake is still warm, prepare the glaze.  Combine the sugar and water in a microwave safe bowl.  Heat for one minute and stir.  Add rum and stir (mixture will still be granulated). 

 

Using a pastry brush, evenly coat the entire cake with the glaze.

 

Allow glaze to harden at room temperature for about an hour.

 

Pour yourself a spiked glass of eggnog, slice up and enjoy!

 

 

 recipe adapted from Baking for All Occasions by Flo Braker 



Spicy Cinnamon & Toblerone Fudge

 

If you're in an pinch for time this holiday season and need to whip up a show-stopper dessert for your next potluck or impromptu guests stopping by, this fudge can be thrown together faster than Santa can say 'giddy-up-Rudolph.'

 

Although I made mine over a double broiler, the fudge can also be zapped in the microwave for extreme speediness.  I decided to add the cayenne pepper to spice things up this season because let's face it, fudge can be a bit ho-ho-ho-hum.  The cayenne and cinnamon blend fairly effortlessly together while the white chocolate adds a smoothness that inhibits the heat from overtaking your pallet.  The fudge has just enough of a kick to tickle your throat but certainly not enough to make you gulp down the nearest spiked eggnog (although that sounds like just as much fun too).  The heat hits your throat after taking a bite but is subtle enough for you to say 'Ooh what was that?  Give me another.'

 

This fudge tends to be on the soft side, so I find it best to keep in refrigerated until you're ready to serve.  That is if you can keep it around long enough. 

 

sorry I couldn't help it, that's just hilarious.

 

Spicy Cinnamon & Toblerone Fudge

 

Ingredients

2 bags (10 ounce each) Hershey's Cinnamon Baking Chips

1 can sweetened condensed milk

2 ounces unsalted butter, cut into small chunks

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more to taste)

3/4 teaspoon sea salt

1 1/4 cups White Chocolate Toblerone, chopped into small chunks

 

Directions

Line a 8 x 8 baking pan with aluminum foil and set aside.

 

 

Combine all ingredients (except the Toblerone) in a glass bowl.  Place over a simmering pot of hot water (double broiler).

 

Heat until thoroughly combined and mixture is smooth and creamy.  Pour into the prepared pan. 

 

 

Evenly sprinkle the chopped Toblerone over the melted fudge. 

 

 

Gently press the larger pieces into the fudge so they won't fall off after the fudge has cooled.

 

Cover pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about two hours until completely firm.  Cut into pieces and enjoy!

 

 

fudge recipe adapted from allrecipes.com

Reese's Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Egg Brownies with Peanut Butter Filling and Hershey's Chocolate Coating

 

Nothing quite screams Easter like Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.  Especially in the 'egg' form.  The geniuses over at Hershey's release a seasonal version of Reese's Peanut Butter Cup candy at Easter time, the REESE'S Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Eggs:

It's the exact same components of a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup, Hershey's chocolate outside, sweetened peanut butter filling inside, but in a bite-sized-shove-in-your-mouth-much-faster except for the blasted foil wrapping, egg-form.

Growing up my mom always made home-made chocolate peanut butter eggs at Easter time.  It's such a loving memory for me thinking about her standing in the kitchen dipping all those sticky peanut butter eggs for me and my Dad.  It was always a once-a-year kind of treat that we adoringly looked forward to.  So this year I decided to attempt a brownie version of her peanut butter eggs, but Gina-style...totally over the top and somewhat ridiculous.  But in a fun, fatty way.

Wishing you all a wonderful-peanut-buttery Easter with your families.  God bless and thanks for always supporting my wicked creations. 

Reese's Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Egg Brownies with Peanut Butter Filling and Hershey's Chocolate Coating
printable version

Ingredients

For the Brownies:
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons water
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (10 ounce) bag Reese's Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Eggs, cut in half

For the Peanut Butter Filling:
1 cup creamy peanut butter
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup powdered sugar

For the Chocolate Topping:
9 ounces semi sweet chocolate chips
9 ounces milk chocolate chips
1 tablespoon vegetable shortening

Directions
To prepare the brownies, preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (165C). Grease an 8 x 8 square pan. I use a sandwich baggie as a glove to make this step easier.

 

In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, butter, and water. 

 

Cook over medium heat until boiling.

 

Remove from heat and stir in chocolate chips until melted and smooth.

 

Add eggs and vanilla, whisk to combine.

 

 

In another bowl, combine flour, soda, and salt. Whisk to combine.

 

In two additions, add the dry ingredients to the chocolate mixture. Stir until just combined. 

 

Gently fold in the halved peanut butter eggs.

 

Spread batter into prepared pan and bake for about 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

 

Transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

 

 

To prepare the peanut butter filling, place the peanut butter, butter, and salt in a microwave safe bowl and heat for one minute until just soft, but not melted completely. 



 

 

Stir to combine.

 

 

 

Sift in powdered sugar. Be sure to sift otherwise you run the risk of adding lumps of sugar.

 

 Stir to combine. 

 

Spread filling evenly over the cooled brownies using an offset spatula.

 

 

 

To prepare the chocolate coating, melt the chocolate and shortening over a double broiler until smooth.

 

 

Pour melted chocolate evenly over the peanut butter filling. Chill until solid.

 

The smell of chocolate and peanut butter cause small children to flock with laser guns so be careful.

 

To serve, let the bars sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes. If you try to cut them straight from the fridge the peanut butter and chocolate layer will separate from the brownie.

Happy Easter and enjoy!

 

 

peanut butter filling and chocolate coating recipe courtesy of Joy of Baking