This Ain't Your Mother's Better-Than-Sex Cake

Seriously.  This is my twist on a pretty old favorite - I've heard of this and I've seen the same basic concoction for years.  I never made it.  I've sampled it....people make it with chocolate OR vanilla cake, a bunch of ooey-gooey-goodness, and some sort of candy on top.  Sometimes whipped cream is involved.  You could google it and find out for yourself, I suppose, instead of me droning on.  You probably just want me to get to the good stuff. 

Like this.

I'm not sure if this picture is speaking to you, but let me tell you what it says to me:  ooey.  gooey.  CHOCOLATE.  Throw in a few Oreos and I'm sold!

Here's how I make this party for your mouth:
1 dark chocolate (or devil's food) cake -- you can use a (gasp!) box mix, or use  your own favorite recipe
1 c. mini chocolate chips
1 small can sweetened condensed milk
Caramel ice cream topping
Dark Chocolate Fudge ice cream topping
About 12 Oreos, coarsely chopped

After mixing up cake batter as directed, add mini chocolate chips.  Bake in a greased & floured Bundt pan at 350 (it's okay if it's not done done, as long as it's mostly done.  Trust me on this).  Cool about 10 minutes. Leaving in pan, poke several holes in the still-warm cake with the handle of a wooden spoon.  Pour sweetened condensed milk over cake, filling holes, and drizzling over the rest of the cake.  Let cool completely.  Invert onto serving dish (it's best if it is a dish with sides or something that will keep the ooey-gooeyness from running off the dish!).  Drizzle with caramel liberally, then with fudge.  Top with crushed Oreos, and drizzle just a little more caramel over top.  Slice into slabs and serve with a smile!

We're almost there! V-day is TOMORROW!

You'll have to forgive me...I spent yesterday and today preparing for and celebrating the birthday of my two tiny Valentine Twincesses.  They'll be three tomorrow.  I'm a little weepy knowing my babies, most likely my last, are growing up so fast!  They're not babies anymore (as they inform me on a daily basis).  Sigh.

So, while my hubby is my #1 Valentine, and I will have something special to share with you tomorrow (aka the Big Day), today I'm going to share what I made for my girls.  They were an unexpected blessing, a miracle in my eyes, and I cannot imagine what life would be like without them. Without any of my kids!  

I suggested a ladybug party, I figured that would be easy.  They insisted on UNICORNS.  Really?!?!  So I did what I could and here it is:

I will share with you my recipe for this buttercream that I used -- it is SO creamy and smooth!!!

1 c. butter (the real deal, people), softened
1 c. crisco (I used butter flavor)
1 Tbs vanilla
1/2 c. heavy cream
4 to 6 c. powdered sugar

In a mixing bowl, combine the butter and shortening.  Beat for 10 minutes (yes!  10 minutes!); it should be a nice light, whipped texture.  Beat in vanilla and heavy cream.  Add powdered sugar a bit at a time, until you reach the right consistency and flavor.

Store leftovers in fridge.

Pumpkin Dump Cake

I was looking for something fairly quick and easy to throw together today to take to our friends' house after trick-or-treating tonight.  I'd heard of "dump cake" before, but I'd never tried it myself.  I got this recipe from a friend, and since I had everything on hand, I figured I'd give it a whirl.

It was easy to mix together, and "dump" it all in the pan, and the taste?  Sooooooo good!  Like pumpkin pie with a crispy topping!  It would have been excellent with a little whipped topping, had I thought ahead to pick some up.  But it's delicious by itself!

Recipe for Pumpkin Dump Cake:

1 (29 oz.) can pumpkin
1 c. sugar
1 (13 oz.) can evaporated milk (I used heavy cream, because that's what I had :))
3 eggs
4 tsp. pumpkin pie spices
1/2 tsp. salt
1 box yellow cake mix
1 1/2 cubes (3/4 c.) butter, melted
1 c. pecans, chopped (optional -- I left them off)

Combine pumpkin, sugar, evaporated milk, eggs, pumpkin pie spices and salt in mixing bowl. Beat well. Pour into greased and floured 9 x 13 inch glass pan. Sprinkle cake mix over pumpkin mixture, then sprinkle on the pecans. Pour melted butter over all. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes until knife inserted in center comes out clean.  Store in fridge.

(I actually only used one full stick of butter, and I didn't melt it, I just cut it up and placed it on top of the cake mix before putting it in the oven, and it turned out beautifully!)