Until recently, I haven’t considered myself to be much of a baker.  I don’t much delve into the world of yeast doughs or pie crusts  (kitchen confession:  I’m intimidated by yeast.  Scares the b’jeepers outta me!).  Sendiks offers perfectly good pizza dough and French baguettes, and Pillsbury makes a fine pie crust.  So, as far as my baking expertise goes, cookies and cakes are about all I’m good for.

Today I have for you a little Valentine’s Day inspiration -– a couple of sweet ideas for you to bake up for the Valentines in your life!  One is over-the-top, and the other a bit more subdued.  You can probably tell from the photos which is which!

The cake…OH, the CAKE!  It’s super moist, absolutely amazing, and not at all difficult to concoct.  I made it in a heart-shaped bundt pan (everybody say ‘awe’!), but you could certainly divide it into two 9” rounds and use your favorite buttercream recipe for a layer cake.  I went the ganache route, but you could skip the frosting step all together and simply dust the cake with powdered sugar if you like.  I also recommend plopping a scoop of vanilla ice cream alongside each slice for good measure (gild the lily much, Leah?!).

As for the brownies: supposedly they’re ‘low fat’, although that seems like kind of a laugh to me.  Maybe ‘low-ER’ fat is more like it.  They’re decent, as far as a reduced fat brownie goes … definitely more cakey than fudgy.  I’m just throwing them out there for you…y’know, to give you a ‘healthier’ option.  Personally, they’re not my cup of tea (just keepin’ it real); I’d rather have a fudgy brownie.  These definitely could use a plop of ice cream!

Anyway, guilt “free” or guilt”y” — you decide.  I’ll never judge!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

SUPER MOIST CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE GANACHE

Serves: 12-14

• 2 c. sugar
• 1 ¾ c. flour
• 1 ½ t. baking powder
• 1 ½ t. baking soda
• ¾ c. good quality unsweetened cocoa
• 1 t. salt

• 2 eggs
• 1 c. milk
• ½ c. vegetable oil
• 2 t. vanilla
• ¾ c. hot, strong coffee (I used ¾ c. hot water and 2 t. instant Sanka)

For Ganache:

• ¾ c. heavy cream
• ½ lb. semisweet chocolate, chopped

Preheat oven to 350.

Grease well and flour two 9” baking pans, one 9×13” pan, or a bundt pan.  In a large mixing bowl, stir together all of the dry ingredients.  Add the eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla.  Beat on high for 2 minutes.  Stir in the coffee by hand (the batter will be very thin).  Pour the batter in to the prepared pan.  Bake for 30-35 minutes for round pans, and 35-40 minutes for a 9×13, and 40-45 minutes for a bundt pan, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Cool for 10 minutes, then invert onto wire cooling racks or a cake stand.  Frost as desired, or dust with powdered sugar.  For a bundt cake, ice with chocolate ganache, or dust with powdered sugar.

For ganache, pour whipping cream into a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium high heat.  Remove from heat and immediately add the chopped chocolate to the pan.  Allow to sit for a few minutes, then stir until  the chocolate is all melted and mixture is glossy.  Immediately pour ganache over the bundt cake, allowing ganache to run down the sides.  Cut and serve and enjoy!

LOWER-FAT CHOCOLATE BROWNIES

Makes:  24

Source:  foodnetwork.com

• 8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 2 T. butter
• 1 c. flour
• ¼ c. unsweetened cocoa powder
• ¼ t. salt
• ¼ t. baking soda
• 4 large eggs
• 1 c. packed light brown sugar
• ½ c. plain low-fat yogurt
• ¼ c. canola oil
• 2 t. vanilla
• ¾ c. Heath Bar bits, mini chocolate chips, or chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350.  Spray a 9×13”pan with cooking spray.

Melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler or heatproof bowl set over a pot of barely simmering water, stirring occasionally.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, salt, and baking soda.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar until smooth.  Add the yogurt, oil, and vanilla and whisk until combined.  Add the chocolate-butter mixture and whisk until blended.  Add the flour mixture and mix until just moistened.  Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and sprinkle with your topping of choice.  Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs attached (do not over bake).  Cool completely in the pan.  Cut into 24 squares and serve.

Now, I’m not that much in to sweets – I like ‘em okay, but I’d much prefer salty snacks to their sugary counterparts.  But these cookies are a serious guilty pleasure of mine.  When they’re hanging around, staring me down from their spot on the cooling rack, lookin’ all innocent and whatnot, I simply cannot be held responsible for my actions.  That’s why I made up a system to keep myself honest.  I make up a huge recipe of dough, and divide it into thirds.  I bake a small batch of cookies for my twerps, then freeze the remaining dough for a rainy day.

Honesty.  It’s the best policy.  Helps the jeans fit a little better.  Also, it limits the amount of time spent hanging out on an uncomfortable bike seat at spin class.

Whip up a batch.  They’re great with a big glass of cold milk.  Plus, they make math homework a practically blissful experience!

Nestle Chips are on sale this week, but I’ve swapped in chocolate chunks and m&m’s too!  Enjoy!

BEST EVER CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Makes:  4 dozen

Source:  epicurious.com

• 1 c. brown sugar
• ½ c. white sugar
• ½ c. Crisco (I know, I know – but you must get over it.)
• 1 stick butter, room temperature (the real deal, no margarine – kindly get over this too.)
• 1 t. vanilla
• 2 eggs

• 3 c. flour
• 1 t. baking soda
• 1 t. salt

• 1 12 oz. bag chocolate chips (or m&m’s, or chocolate chunks)

Preheat oven to 350.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Using an electric mixer, beat both sugars, the Crisco, and the butter together until light and fluffy.  Add in the vanilla and the eggs.

In a separate bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients (except the chocolate chips).  Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, and beat to blend.  Add in the chocolate chips and mix gently.

Portion out the dough into desired amounts, based on how large you want your cookies to be.  Space dough two inches apart on the cookie sheet; bake for 12 minutes.  Check cookies; rotate pan in the oven, and continue to bake for an additional three minutes, or until golden brown on top.  Remove cookies to a cooling rack.  Remove yourself from the premises!

Wish I was more like her.  *sigh*

Obviously healthy choices are a good thing, but there should be room in everyone’s diet for a little treat now and again – especially for our kiddos who’ve worked hard at their studies all day and come home with the grumbelly’s.  All of my kids unanimously agree that this cake ROCKS.  I tell myself that it’s healthy because it calls for three huge bananas and two cartons of yogurt!

This is the perfect lunch box treat, after school snack, or casual (very casual, like don’t go serving it to your husband’s boss) dessert, and is a great way to use up any super-ripe bananas you have hanging around.  I have a BUNCH, because at .39 / pound this week, I bought some every time I went to the Store.  A little birdie told me they’ll be back on sale again tomorrow.  This cake also makes good use of the Dannon yogurt that’s on special through tonight!

So go bananas; whip up this cake for your little monkeys this afternoon!

I like to make this in two 8” round cake pans and freeze one for a rainy day.  Just cool the cake completely before you wrap it tightly and put it in the freezer.

BANANA SNACK CAKE

Serves:  10-12

Source:  Adapted from Epicurious.com

• 2 c. flour
• ¾ t. baking soda
• ½ t. baking powder
• ½ t. salt

• 1 stick butter, room temperature
• 1 c. sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 – 6 oz. containers of vanilla yogurt (I used the Sale Dannon)
• 3 – 3 ½ very ripe bananas, mashed
• 1 c. mini chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 350.  Spray a 9×13 baking pan with non-stick spray (or see note above regarding smaller pans and freezing).  In a medium bowl, combine all dry ingredients and set aside.  Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in a large bowl until blended.  Add the eggs and beat until fluffy.  Mix in the yogurt and bananas.  Add the dry ingredients to the banana mixture and beat until blended.  Add the chocolate chips if desired.  Transfer batter to baking pan(s).

Bake cake until top is golden and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 30 minutes.  Cool completely on rack; slice and serve.