Inside Out Chocolate Bundt Cake

This chocolate cake has been a family favorite years before I even had my own family.  It was made many times by my mom and I think I made it for the first time for my dad's birthday after I had been married for three months.  Since then, I have made it a multitude of times.

It starts with a boxed mix which places this cake in the easy-peasy category.  You can take that theme all the way through if you buy a ready-made chocolate frosting (which I've done) to finish it off, but I usually opt for a homemade frosting, which was the cake this time.  Hershey's cocoa is in my pantry at all times and right there on the canister is the frosting recipe I use:  "Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Frosting.  So simple and yummy!  

My daughter requested this for her birthday the other day, and I was happy to comply:) The m&m's were added as a festive touch and they match the cute, mini bunting that I picked up at Target a couple of weeks ago.  

If you have a hankering for chocolate, you've found the perfect way to satisfy it in record time with this recipe! 

Inside Out Chocolate Bundt Cake

Ingredients:

1 box of devil's food cake mix

1 small box of (JELL-O) instant chocolate pudding

1 12-ounce package (two cups) of chocolate chips

1 3/4 cups milk

2 eggs

Chocolate frosting

 Directions:

Combine cake mix, pudding mix, chocolate chips, milk, and eggs in a bowl. Mix by hand until well blended, about two minutes.

Pour into a greased (and "floured" with cocoa) bundt pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes, or until cake springs back when lightly pressed.  Do not overbake. Cool 15 minutes before removing from pan.

Let cake cool completely before frosting it. 

ENJOY! 

Cookie Catch Up

I've been busy making cookies lately, but have not been keeping up with posts to feature the cookies, other than posting them on facebook.  Today I thought I'd use one post to catch up:) All three are sugar cookies, decorated with royal icing...

{Who knew that hanging onto our beat up picnic table would come in handy as a photo prop, and a popular one at that?!?}

My daughter and son-in-law traveled to Idaho recently to visit his family, and while they were there they celebrated his mom's 60th birthday.  I heard that she liked tulips, so sent along these cookies for her.  

Recently, my sweet friend Heather of SprinkleBakes, sent me a surprise package with some sweet baking supplies: cupcake cookie cutter, a cupcake kitchen towel, and some cupcake icing decorations; it made my day!

Last Tuesday, my friend (since 2nd grade) came for a couple of days to visit. She asked beforehand if we could decorate cookies when she came, so I thought it would be the perfect time to put all the cute cupcake supplies to good use. These cupcake cookies were made using the sugar cookie recipe from Heather's fabulous book,  They turned out perfectly shaped and delicious!  Thanks Heather for the fun goodies! 

Lastly, I made about 50 (plus some for my grandsons) Thomas the Train (and Percy) cookies for a friend's twin nephews celebrating their third birthday.  I was very busy last week, so started these a little later than I had planned to.  I stayed up till 3:45 a.m. finishing them and then had to be up at 6:30 a.m (on the day they were due).  2.5 hours of sleep is not enough, and I vow never to do that again.

At least everyone loved the cookies.

A special Thanks to Elizabeth of SweetArt Sweets for the Thomas cookie design inspiration! 

Strawberry Jam Jar Cookies

Well, I'm back with more strawberries.  I can't seem to get enough of nature's ruby red gems...even in cookie form. I also get a kick out of this jar cookie cutter. It's just so fun! 

Don't these cookies just exude happiness?  I don't know if it's the jars, the color combination of pink (pale) and red, or the tiny strawberries. Whatever it is, I like it. 

If you'd like to make your own jam jar cookies, now is the perfect time.  These "preserves" won't be able to sit on a shelf in your basement (I don't have one) for a year, but no worries, they won't even last a day or two anyway once your friends and family get a hold of them.

Strawberry Jam Jar Cookies

Supplies:

Sugar cookie dough

Royal icing

Pink gel food color

Red gel food color

Green gel food color

Jar cookie cutter

Small round cutter with fluted edge

Twine

Roll out cookie dough.  Use cutters to cut out jars and small round cookies. Bake cookies. Let cool.

Make royal icing.  Color most of it red, some of it pink, a small amount green, and leave some white.

Using the pink icing and a number 3 tip, outline the "fabric" for the jar lids. Let dry for about 15 minutes.

While pink outline dries, outline the mini, round cookies with the pink icing. Let dry for about 15 minutes.

Fill the pink on the jar lids. While the pink is still wet, add polka dots to the pink icing (of the same consistency). Let dry for an hour, at least.

Fill the mini cookies with pink icing and let dry completely.  With the red icing make a small strawberry and add white dots (of the same consistency).  Let dry for about 15 minutes and add the green leaf details. Let dry.

Outline the body of the jar with the red icing using a #3 tip and let dry for about 15 minutes. Fill the cookies with the red icing.  Let dry overnight. Add the red dimension details to the opposite "corners" of the jar.

Put a dab of royal icing on the back of the round, mini cookie and place on the center of the jar. Add a "strip" of pink royal icing, starting from the center to the outer edge. Let dry completely.

Using twine, tie a ribbon around the jar top and make a bow. 

Admire your handiwork:) 

Linked to:

Get Your Craft On Tuesday

Time to Sparkle

Two Cup Tuesday

I'm Lovin' it Party

Kitchen Fun and Crafty Friday

Weekend Wrap Up Party

Strut Your Stuff Saturday

Sundae Scoop Link Party