Gooey Toffee Butter Cake

 

My husband was having a charity bake sale at his work.  His first and only request was for me to bake some toffee butter cakes for them to sell.  I’ve baked it so many times for him over the years, that I don’t even need a recipe.  If you’ve never had a butter cake, it’s similar to chess squares.  Let’s be real…this is not a healthy recipe, but it’s so ooey, gooey, good.  Sometimes you just need to indulge your sweet tooth!

Let’s Bake!

This cake has two layers.  For the bottom cake half, combine the cake mix, 1 egg, and 1 stick melted butter in a large bowl.  Make sure your butter isn’t hot or else you’ll make scrambled eggs and we don’t want that!   Mix well.

It will form a sticky dough ball.

Pat into the bottom of prepared pan(s).  The recipe calls for 1 (13x9x2 inch) pan.  Because I made these cakes for a bake sale, I used smaller disposable pans.  It doesn’t change the recipe at all.

Next, you make the filling or second layer of the cake.  Beat the softened cream cheese with your electric mixer until it’s smooth and fluffy.

Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until combined.

Then you add the box of confectioners’ sugar and combine.  I add it a little bit at a time, so it doesn’t make a big mess.

Lower your mixer speed and slowly add another stick of melted butter.  Mix well.  It isn’t called a butter cake for nothing!

Fold in 1 cup of toffee bits.

Pour the filling over the cake mixture and spread evenly.

I like to sprinkle the remaining toffee bits on top of the filling.

And now, they’re ready to bake!

Bake for 34-45 minutes.  You want the center to still look a little gooey and jiggly.

Let them cool completely before serving.  Slice into small squares.  It’s a rich cake and little goes a long way!

Enjoy!

 

Ingredients:

Cake:
1 (18.25-ounce) box yellow cake mix (I used Butter Recipe Yellow)
1 large egg
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
Filling:
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 (16-ounce) box confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 cup toffee bits (I buy a bag of Heathy toffee bits in the baking section.  I use 1 cup in the filling and the remaining toffee bits sprinkled on top of the cake.)

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 13 by 9 by-2-inch baking pan.

For the cake: In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the cake mix, egg, and butter and mix well. Pat into the bottom of prepared pan and set aside.

For the filling: Still using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Dump in confectioners’ sugar and beat well. Reduce the speed and slowly pour in butter. Mix well. Fold in toffee bits.

Pour filling onto cake mixture and spread evenly. You can top the cake with the leftover toffee bits.  Bake for 35-45 minutes. Don’t be afraid to make a judgment call on the cooking time, because oven temperatures can vary. You want the center to be a little gooey, so don’t bake it past that point!

Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. Cut into squares. Just remember that these wonderful cakes are very, very rich, and a little will go a long way.

Mine are packed up and ready to for the bake sale!

#choosejoy

Recipe from Paula Deen

Pillowy Pumpkin Spice & Honey Cookies

If you are excited about the fall weather, you need to bake these cookies!  I love that this recipe uses brown sugar and cornstarch.  It guarantees a super soft, puffy, and chewy cookie!  The honey makes them melt in your mouth, and the pumpkin pie spice is perfect for fall.

You have to chill this dough for at least 3 hours before baking.  No exceptions.  Warm dough won’t make thick puffy cookies.  Make sure you have plenty of time before starting the recipe.

That said…let’s bake!

Combine your butter, sugar, egg and cream.  It takes about 5 minutes, so a stand mixer makes life a little easier.  A handheld will work just as well.

Add the pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, and…

the honey.  This was my first time using honey in a cookie recipe and it works so beautifully!

Mix until smooth.

Add the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, salt, and mix for a minute until combined.

Use a cookie scoop to make mounds.

Fill a small bowl with sugar.  I used white sparkling sugar.  It gives a nice crunch to the cookie and it looks pretty.

Roll into a dough into a ball and then coat with sugar.

Place the rolled dough on a large plate.  Lightly flatten the mounds with the palm of your hand, cover with plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours.  Do not bake with warm dough.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line your cookie sheet with a Silpat or spray with non-stick spray.

Bake for 8-9 minutes until the edges have set.  The middle will still look a little undercooked.

Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes and then transfer to a rack to finish cooling.

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 large egg
1/4 cup honey
2 Tablespoons pumpkin pie spice (yes Tablespoons, not teaspoons)
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons corn starch
1 teaspoon baking soda
pinch salt, optional and to taste

***Optional: Sugar to coat the outside of the cookie dough mounds.  I used White Sparkling Sugar Sprinkles.

This recipe yielded 18 medium cookies for me.

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.  To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter, sugar, egg, and beat on medium-high speed until well-creamed, light and fluffy, about 5 minutes (or use a hand mixer and beat for at least 7 minutes). Do not shortcut the creaming process; make sure dough is very light in color and fluffy, stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.

2.  Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the honey, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, and beat on medium-high speed until combined and smooth, about 2 minutes.

3.  Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, optional salt, and mix until just combined, about 1 minute.

4.  Using a medium 2-inch cookie scoop, form heaping two tablespoon mounds (I made 17). Put the Sparkling Sugar in a small bow.  Using your hands, roll the dough into balls.  Then roll the dough in the sugar to coat.   Place dough on a large plate, flatten mounds very slightly with your palm, cover with plasticwrap, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or up to 5 days, before baking. Do not bake with warm dough because cookies will spread and bake thinner and flatter.

5.  Preheat oven to 350F, line baking sheets with Silpats, or spray with cooking spray. Place mounds on baking sheets, spaced at least 2 inches apart. Bake for 8 to 9 minutes, or until edges have set and tops are just beginning to set, even if undercooked, pale, and glossy in the center. Do not bake longer than 9 minutes for soft cookies because they firm up as they cool; bake for 9-10 minutes if you like firmer cookies.  Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before removing and transferring to a rack to finish cooling.

6.  Store cookies airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 4 months. Alternatively, unbaked cookie dough can be stored airtight in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, so consider baking only as many cookies as desired and save the remaining dough to be baked in the future when desired.

One accidentally broke and I had to eat it.

I boxed up the rest for my Gran’s birthday and made a little gift for a friend:)

#choosejoy

Recipe from Averie Cooks.

The Friday Five

1.  Apple iWatch. I know it doesn’t have GPS.  I know it won’t replace my Garmin.  I know it’s still 5 months away.  It still looks so cool and I can’t wait to buy one!

2.  Major Girl Crush…Vogue did an interview with Christy Turlington Burns about running the Chicago Marathon.  She is running to raise awareness for her non-profit Every Mother Counts.  She has also partnered with my favorite running brand, Oiselle to create apparel for EMC.  Guess who else is running Chicago?  Me!  Do you think she wants to run with me and become friends?!!  Read the article HERE.

3.  Every night before bed, I drink a cup of chamomile tea to unwind and I have a new favorite from Dean & Deluca.  It’s a sweet and floral herbal tea made from chamomile flowers harvested in the winter months in Egypt.  Basically…it’s really good.

4.  The sun is rising a little later and setting a little earlier.  It’s so important to run with a Road ID!  (Coupon Code Below)

I prefer the Shoe ID.  The Shoe ID is a lightweight, Velcro walking or running ID. In fact, it’s great to wear anytime and is a popular ID for kids. Includes a 3M reflective strip for high visibility. Peace of mind is standard and the ID plate is interchangeable with the Wrist ID Sport. Go!

To save 15 % off all ID Products use COUPON CODE: DU68M4N98S

5.  Teaser: I am currently baking these cookies and my house smells like Autumn! Recipe coming soon.

There’s a lot of joy in this little container.  PS. My label maker also makes me very happy:)

Happy Friday!!

Who’s racing this weekend? Long run? I love to hear about it!!

#choosejoy