Let them eat cake.....

All four boys taking a nap....

Butchie

Okay, I took a couple of days off...well, I mean from here...not really days off....and as I re read my last blog, a well, I felt ashamed....It must have been an "in the moment" thing for me to write about my puppies and blame them for my love of hot apple cider....

I DO love it, but not because my dogs are unruly yappers..They really are NOT..but,.they ARE my little fur balls of love...Truly, I don't know what I would do without their love and affection....I adore them-- spoil them and enjoy every minute of it.  So, this morning I woke up and remembered something very important--today is my dog Kai's birthday--she is 2 years old today!! and last month was the puppies birthday-- Chocky, Bixy, and Kashi are now a year old....this calls for a celebration!!!!  Cake for everyone!!!  I am serious here...they get cake.

 Bixy

What is a birthday without birthday cake?  Knowing my dogs, they want spice cake....no chocolate for them!! ( it is lethal for dogs), and so,I will make a spice cake....it does not hurt that I am in the mood for spice cake with cream cheese frosting, does it?

So, today I have in front of me two things to do-- I get to make the dogs their special birthday spice cake, and peanut butter fudge....

 Kashi

Now, you might be wondering where does the peanut butter fudge fit in?  Well, I am going to visit my parents tomorrow, and I have to bring them something besides the Beef Enchiladas I made for them yesterday.  My dad loves peanut butter, and my mom just loves sweets in general, so it makes sense--peanut butter fudge.

Chocky











It is mid afternoon, so I have to get my butt in gear, I have kickboxing this evening, so everything must be done before then.

Mama Kai

I am using Alton Brown's Peanut butter fudge recipe.  It is absolutely the best fudge ever, and easy---I mean REALLY easy.

Peanut Butter Fudge

• 1 cup butter, plus more for greasing pan
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 pound powdered sugar

Microwave butter and peanut butter for 2 minutes on high. Stir and microwave on high for 2 more minutes. Add vanilla and powdered sugar to peanut butter mixture and stir to combine with a wooden spoon.  Now sometimes this does not mix well by hand, so I put it in the mixer, and give it a good beating... Pour into a buttered 8 by 8-inch pan lined with wax paper or large bread pan, if you prefer to slice long logs, versus tiny squares of fudge.  Place a second piece of waxed paper on the surface of the fudge and refrigerate until cool. Cut into 1-inch pieces and store in an airtight container for up to a week-- if it lasts that long...you can melt semi sweet chocolate chips and pour on top of fudge before cutting, insuring you put it back in the icebox and let it set up....

Yummy!!!

Now for the spice Cake....I have made several versions of this cake over the years, but I like this one best...simple, moist and satisfying....I usually double this recipe as the quantity here only makes a 8x8 cake....which is fine for some, but I have 5 dogs and an eighteen year old to cook for, so I usually make a 9x13 cake....plenty.

Buttermilk Spice Cake

2 cups cake flour
3/4 cups sugar3/4 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. cloves
2 Tbls. ground ginger
3/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup brown sugar
8 Tbls. butter, softened at room temperature
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 eggs

Before you start, preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Toss all of your dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, salt, and brown sugar) in the bowl of your stand mixer or a large mixing bowl. Mix together well....add the butter milk and softened butter, cream together well, then add eggs continue mixing together until creamy....pour into greased and floured baking pan...spread, to even out batter, and place in the center of your preheated oven....bake for an hour, testing near the last 10 minutes or so, as all ovens bake differently.

While the cake is baking prepare the Icing!

Cream cheese icing...

3 sticks of butter

2 pkgs of cream cheese, 8oz each
1.4 lbs of powder sugar
1/2 tsp of salt
4 tsp vanilla

In your electric mixer, beat the butter until smooth, add the cream cheese and mix well...next add the salt and vanilla, once completely creamy add the powder sugar by 1/2 cup increments until the icing is thick and creamy.  You can add more or less powder sugar to thicken icing to your preference.  I like a not too stiff icing...


Once the cake is completely cooled, you can remove it from the pan and ice, or just ice the top, and leave it in the pan--I prefer to leave it in the pan, as it stays moist that way....