Sweet Treats: Summer Berry Cool Whip Cake

I am taking a little summer vacation to see family and get crap done, so I leave you with a treat that I like to think is *healthy*, and takes but minutes to make. We have made this cake a few times this summer. The fun thing is, you can play with what fruits and berries (cherries, kiwi, banana, blueberry, blackberry, raspberry, strawberry, mandarin oranges) you want to use and the frosting too. I used chocolate frosting this time, but last time I used pink lemonade frosting and it was amazing!! Plus, you can make it all pretty and festive!!

Mix together some of your cool whip and a frosting flavor of your choice.

  Slice your angel food cake in half and frost the middle. Top that with chopped strawberries.

 I added extra dollups of cool-whip to decorate the top. Then add your berries, sprinkles, chocolate shavings, fresh mint leaves, shredded coconut or whatever. The cake tastes best if you chill it for at least 30 minutes. And enjoy, for a light and fluffy, refreshing summer treat!

Sweet Treats: Perfect and Easy Pumpkin, Chocolate Chip and Blackberry Muffins Recipe

 

The pumpkin muffin bandwagon is hopping this time o' year. So, I made this recipe with my own spin.

The EASIEST method is to mix 1 can of pumpkin with 1 box of spice cake mix and THAT IS IT!!!

If you only have yellow cake mix, (like I did), just spice it up. A mix of nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and/or pumpkin pie spice will do the trick and THAT IS IT!!!!

If you want to up the yumminess factor, than go cray-cray with some add ins. My weapons of choice: Chocolate chips and blackberries. (Cranberries, walnuts, raisins, strawberries, mint or white chocolate chips, anything would be good). I mix in about 3 cups of chips, then after the mix is in the muffin tins, I cut the blackberries in half and dot them on the tops of the muffins. Then, bake at 350 degrees till toothpick inserted in center comes out clean and the muffins pull away from the sides. Easy, peasy and soOooOOoooOoooo delicious.

Sweet Treats: Mother's Day Blackberry Surprise Cake

My mother, sil and I were all together today with our families to meet my new little Elisabeth Rose, so a Mother's Day cake seemed fitting. I wanted something special, but had little time (due to a plumber showing up at 9:30 am!), so I came up with this recipe using basic cake mix and store bought frosting. You can incorporate it into your favorite yellow cake and cream cheese frosting recipe for something truly special.  This is easily one of the most delicious cakes I have ever tasted!

Ingredients:

Yellow Cake Mix Box, mixed to directions (I used Duncan Hines)...
* replace oil with equal part applesauce for healthier recipe if desired
2 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 tsp almond extract
lemon juice  (once cake is baked)


2 Layer Filling:
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted
1/4 c sugar
1 1/2 pint blackberries


Topping:
2 cans cream cheese frosting (I used white, use food coloring if desired)
pearly white Cupacke gem sprinkles
a few blackberries for garnish

Directions:

Preheat oven according to cake mix recipe. Prepare cake mix. Add vanilla and almond extracts.
Prepare 2 round cake pans with baking spray. Pour cake mix evenly into both pans. Bake according to directions.

While cakes are baking, prepare filling. Mix sugar and mash blackberries together in bowl. Allow to stand to firm up for 20 mins to 1 hour. (I let it stand only for about 10 mins because I was in a hurry, and that's why it seeped into the lower layer).

Once cake is baked and cool to touch, cut off rounded top of lower cake to create an even layer. Position lower cake layer on cake stand. Poke tops of both cakes multiple times and lightly sprinkle with lemon juice. Place foil or parchment paper strips around bottom of cake layer to prevent icing from getting all over cake stand.

Melt chocolate chips and liberally drizzle on top of the bottom layer.

Add blackberry filling on top of chocolate drizzle.
Place top cake over filling.

Frost cake in large dollops using a 'swirly' motion to create peaks in the icing.
Lightly sprinkle with pearl Cupcake Gem sprinkles and add blackberries to garnish.
Remove the foil/paper layer and clean up any icing on cake stand.

Nursing mommas get to eat bigger slices ;)   ALSO... if making Mother's Day cupcakes, A Fanciful Twist is giving away free downloads of her adorable cupcake toppers here!

 

Sweet Treats: Banana Bread Chocolate Chip and Blackberry Muffins Recipe

I was going to make banana bread. My last loaf was amazing... except for the entire burnt two inch layer on the bottom in that we had to hack away the delicious bread to eat. Let's just say, I'm still learning how to use this decrepit oven of mine.

I thought I would try muffins this time due to the tragedy of my first and last bread experiment. I used a very basic recipe, then as I loaded up the tin for the second batch thought, "Hey, lets have fun with this and try a few things out".

*please excuse my not so beautiful looking pan, thanks*

So, for one row of muffins, I added raisins. Another row, semi-sweet chocolate chips. Another row, blackberries... and one little muffin I mixed in all three (that one coveted muffin was delicious, especially all warm and gooey and smothered in butter!) I'm glad I mixed in some flavor, b/c quite honestly the first batch of banana/walnut muffins were a little bland.

So, as you can see, I still managed to burn these babies a smidgen... even though I seriously cooked them for almost 10 mins less than the suggested time. Maybe I had it set on the wrong heat? Yeah, that must be it... I will be more careful next time, because there WILL be a next time. I used his banana bread recipe and added a few things:

♥ Banana Muffins with Mix-Ins ♥

1/2 c oil
2 eggs
1 c sugar
4 mashed bananas (mashed very, very smooth.... no lumps!)

~mix all together in a bowl, then add in:

2 c flour
1 TB baking soda
1 pinch salt
3/4 c chopped walnuts
cinnamon
dash pure vanilla extract
1 c of either~ raisins, chopped blackberries or semi sweet chocolate chips (c. chips+blackberries are awesome)

~ Grease/flour muffin tin or use cupcake liners. Bake at 350 degrees 25 mins or until toothpick inserted in  center of muffin comes out clean. Top with a bit of butter (I use Smart Balance, makes me feel healthier) and serve.

 *If you are in a major blackberry mood, then try my scones or these ideas*

OH! Linked up to Sweet as Sugar Cookies' Sweets for Saturday
and  The Vintage Farmhouse

  

Sweet Treats: Blackberry Cake and la tartine Recipes

When we visited my Grandma Smith's home in Georgia as a child, she lived on a bit of land that was surrounded by gorgeous blackberries bushes. We picked them so she could make the best blackberry sweets for us, but we usually ate those huge plum pieces of heaven freshly picked.

I saw this Blackberry Cake Recipe on Living Locurto and I had to share. Blackberries are a staple around our home, so anytime I come across a recipe for them, I can't wait to make it. Visit Living Locurto's site as well for tons of free graphics, recipes and creative ideas.

spiced plum earrings by Jeweled Ambrosia

Black Berry Cake Ingredients

* 2 1/2 cups fresh blackberries
* 1 pinch of cinnamon
* 2 1/4 cups sugar (split)
* 1 cup softened butter
* 1 teaspoon vanilla
* 4 eggs at room temperature
* 3 cups self-rising flour
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 2 teaspoons lemon instant pudding mix
* 1 cup of milk

fine art prints by slg designs

Black Berry Cake Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and lightly flour three round 8-inch cake pans and set aside. (I use baking spray with flour.)
2. Mix 1/4 of sugar, a pinch of cinnamon and blackberries in a bowl and set aside.
3. Combine flour, pudding mix and salt in a small mixing bowl.
4. Beat butter or margarine with a mixer at medium speed until it’s whipped and fluffy.
5. Add the remaining sugar (2 cups) and vanilla, beat well.
6. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
7. Add dry flour mixture and milk alternately, beating on low speed after each addition.
8. Place berries in cake pan.
9. Pour batter over the berries and lighting swirl with a spoon.
10. Lightly tap the cake pan on the counter until the batter has spread in the entire pan.
11. Bake 25 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
12. Cool for 10 minutes before removing cake from pans.
13. When cake is completely cool, stack layers and ice the cake with butter cream icing.

blackberyy sage soap by sioxane

Enjoy some blackberry cake! What is your favorite way to eat them? (follow links for yummy ideas) On ice cream, with cream and sugar, in a smoothie, salad, pork chops, jam or freshly picked? If you like yours baked, don't forget to check out the blackberry scone recipe I posted a while back :)

ruffled collar by fancy picnic

I couldn't pass up posting this blackberry sweet below!!

la tartine recipe here