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Mini Funfetti Cinnamon Buns with Cake Batter Icing

(Makes 16 mini cinnamon buns)

INGREDIENTS:

Cinnamon Rolls:
1 – 8 oz. tube crescent roll dough
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup Funfetti cake mix
1/4 cup sprinkles (any color, any style will work)
2 Tablespoons brown sugar

Cake Batter Icing:
3/4 cup Funfetti cake mix
2-4 Tablespoons half and half

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to temperature listed on the crescent roll package. Spray 16 tins of a mini muffin pan with nonstick spray. Set aside.
2. Roll out half of the dough (4 triangles) and close the seams together by pinching. Flip the dough over and pinch together again. You want to have one large rectangle.
3. Sprinkle the dough with 1/8 cup sprinkles and smooth out with a rolling pin- pressing the sprinkles into the dough.
4. Brush dough with 1 Tbsp melted butter and cover with 2 Tbsp of the cake mix. Brush 1 Tbsp melted butter over the cake mix and sprinkle with 1 Tbsp brown sugar.
5. Roll into a log and cut into 8 equal buns.
6. Repeat steps 2-5 with the other half of the crescent roll dough.
7. Place 16 buns into the prepared muffin tins. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until the buns are lightly browned.
8. Make the icing: whisk together Funfetti cake mix and half-and-half until fully incorporated and there are no more lumps in the cake mix. Add more or less half-and-half depending on how thick you want the icing. Spoon over warm cinnamon buns and top with sprinkles (optional). Enjoy!

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Red Velvet Oreo Truffle Brownie Bars

(makes 16 bars)

INGREDIENTS:

1 box Red Velvet cake mix
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 eggs
1 package white chocolate pudding mix
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
12 Oreos
8 ounce package cream cheese
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
Mini Oreos for garnish (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Combine cake mix, melted butter, eggs, pudding mix, vegetable oil and mix well until thoroughly combined (2-3 minutes on medium of electric mixer).

2. Spray a 9×13 with nonstick cooking spray. I like the baking variety that has flour in it. Then spread the red velvet brownie layer into the pan. It will be VERY thick, use the back of a spoon (or clean hands) to help spread it into all edges of the pan.

3. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean (ovens vary so watch closely). Let cool completely before flipping out.

4. Crush package of Oreos in a food processor (or in a large plastic bag and rolling pin).

5. Melt cream cheese for 15 seconds in a microwave to soften.

6. Stir together crushed Oreos and cream cheese until blended smooth.

7. Carefully spread out Oreo truffle mixture on top of baked red velvet brownies. Use your hands to help press it down instead of spreading to avoid tearing the brownies.

8.Melt chocolate chips and pour over top Oreo truffle layer.

9. Top with a mini Oreo and give that Oreo a “chocolate chip hat” if you’d like.

10. Let cool competely before cutting into squares (or circles). Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from: Glamorous Obsessions

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Strawberry Ombre Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

(Makes 1 four layer, 6″ cake)

INGREDIENTS:

Strawberry Cake:
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon strawberry extract (sub: raspberry extract)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups cake flour
1 3 oz. package Strawberry Jello
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 large egg whites
Stabilized Whipped Cream:
1/4 cup cold water
1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 Tablespoon white sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups powdered sugar, sifted

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray four 6″ cake pans with cooking spray, next line the bottom and sides of pan with parchment or wax paper (this makes the cakes pop out of the pans so easily – no torn edges, yay!) 2. For Strawberry Cake: Mix butter and sugar together with a hand mixer, beat at medium speed for a full 3 minutes, until the butter and sugar are very light. Beat in the extracts.

3. Sift together the flour, Jello, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl.

4. Whisk together the milk, oil and egg whites in a medium bowl. Alternately add the milk mixture and the flour mixture to the butter/sugar mixture, mixing thoroughly after each addition, and ending with the flour.

5. Divide batter evenly into four separate bowls and tint each one with red food coloring (start with a couple drops in the first bowl and tint each bowl darker pink).

6. Pour into prepared cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 18-24 minutes, or until cake is golden brown on top and springs back when touched.

7. Cool in pan for 20 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. **Important – cake must be completely cooled before its frosted. If you’re in a hurry, stick the cakes in a fridge for 1 hour to rush the process.

8. While waiting for cake to cool, prepare frosting. For Cream Cheese Frosting: In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter until creamy. Mix in the vanilla, then gradually stir in the confectioners’ sugar. Store in the refrigerator after use.

9. For Stabilized Whipped Cream: Chill mixing bowl and beaters for at least 15 minutes before using. Place water in a small microwave-safe bowl. Sprinkle gelatin over water and allow to soften 5 minutes.

10. Dissolve gelatin by microwaving for 3 minutes, stirring after every minute. Remove from microwave and let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes; gelatin must be liquid but not warm when added to cream.

11. Remove bowl and beaters from refrigerator and pour in cream, sugar, and vanilla extract. Beat together just until beater marks begin to show distinctly.

12. Add gelatin mixture to cream, pouring in a steady stream while beating constantly. Beat until stiff peaks form. Use immediately.

13. Now it’s time to frost! Start with the darkest pink layer on the bottom. Spread the top of that layer with some whipped cream. Repeat with remaining cake layers. Next frost the outside and top of the cake with cream cheese frosting. I like to do a “dirty icing” layer, then refrigerate the cake for 1 hour, then frost with the remaining frosting. This will give the cake a clean, crumb-less look.

14. Dig in!

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Mini Caramel Cookie Dough Cheesecakes

(makes 24 mini cheesecakes)

INGREDIENTS:

6. Let the mixture stand at room temperature until slightly thickened for piping onto the cheesecakes.  (Speed this process in the refrigerator or freezer, but be sure to whisk every 10 minutes or so.)  Once the ganache has thickened, transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a decorative tip and pipe onto the cheesecakes.  (I used a large, unlabeled tip to decorate these.)  Cover and refrigerate until the ganache is set.

7. Top with small cookie dough balls and enjoy!

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Mini Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecakes with Oreo Crust

(makes 24 mini cheesecakes)

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Mini Dark Chocolate Nutella Cupcakes

(Makes 2 dozen mini cupcakes)

INGREDIENTS:

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes:
Recipe here!

Nutella Butter Cream Frosting:
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup Nutella
pinch of fine grain sea salt
1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
3-4 tablespoons heavy cream or milk

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare Dark Chocolate Mini Cupcakes according to directions. (Should make between 24-36 mini cupcakes).2. Once cupcakes have baked, removed from oven and cool completely on a wire rack. While cooling, prepare Nutella Butter Cream Frosting.3. Beat butter and Nutella on medium for 2 minutes until creamed thoroughly. Add vanilla, confectioners’ sugar, and heavy cream (one Tablespoon at a time). Beat on medium-high speed until ingredients are fully incorporated. Add more cream or sugar depending on desired consistency. 4. Frost your Mini Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Nutella Butter Cream Frosting. I used a 1M Wilton tip to add that beautiful tall swirl! Enjoy!

Gluten-Free Caramel Coconut Brownies

INGREDIENTS:

Gluten-Free Brownies:

Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Brownie Mix + ingredients on package
1/2 cup chocolate or butterscotch chips
Caramel Coconut Topping:

1/2 cup unsweetened raw, shredded coconut
1 teaspoon coconut extract
1/2 cup caramel topping

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9×13″ pan with cooking oil spray.

2. Prepare Gluten-free baking mix according to package directions and chips to batter.

3. Pour into prepared pan.

4. Toss coconut with 1 teaspoon coconut extract. Top brownies with raw coconut mixture and caramel topping. Bake according to directions on package (or for 25-30 minutes). Top with more caramel topping (if desired) and with a scoop of dulce de leche ice cream.