Dark Chocolate Guinness Cake with Bailey’s Buttercream

This was the best homemade cake I have ever made. It's totally from scratch and just super super easy. I think this would be really good all year around, personally, but I know it has the Irish booze in it so it only makes sense that you would make it around St. Patrick's Day.

In the recipe, it calls for Bailey's in the frosting, I totally just used Emmett's. There's no need to splurge on the good stuff. Then again, you will have a lot left over, so get what you like, I guess. Guinness in a cake sounds gross, I know, but trust me, my coworkers were raving about this cake. So delish.

The recipe has you stacking the cake for a layered round cake, but I just kept them seperate and brought one to work and kept one for myself. They are thinner that way too so no one feels too guilty getting seconds.

The original recipe is from the blog Global Table Adventure (they have pictures that go with the recipe):

Dark Chocolate Guinness Cake with Bailey's Buttercream

Ingredients:

1 1/2 sticks butter
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 cup Guinness Extra Stout
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 eggs

For the buttercream:

3 sticks unsalted butter, softened
3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
2-4 Tbsp Bailey’s, as needed

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.

2. In a small saucepan, melt butter and whisk together with Guinness, vanilla extract and cocoa. Remove from heat.

3. While the Guinness mixture is cooling, grease and line 2 eight inch cake pans with parchment paper. Next, whisk together the dry ingredients (sugar, flour, baking soda). Pour the Guinness mixture onto the dry ingredients, then whisk in the 2 eggs.

4. When the batter is shiny and smooth, pour evenly into two prepared cake pans. Lick the bowl when no one is looking.

5. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean.

6. Meanwhile make the buttercream by whipping together the softened butter and sugar in a standing mixer, then adding in just enough Bailey’s to get it loose and fluffy. The key to white frosting is to whip it a long time – the longer you whip it, the whiter it will become. I whipped this for 5-10 minutes. I just poured some Irish cream in. It's to your own taste, this recipe says 3 Tablespoons should be enough.

7. Once the cakes are done baking, cool completely.

8. Now, assemble the cake. But be very sure it's cool, if you try to ice it when it's warm it will get all crumbly and part of it will stick in the icing and it won't be pretty.

Happy Valentine's Day

The past weekend was really the time to go all out for V-Day. Tuesdays are kind of inconvenient days to stage a really romantic night out, especially if you or your special someone have work or class in the morning. I spent my birthday/ Valentine's weekend in Virginia with my sailor. Not that this has anything to do with my post, but it was fantastic besides how I forgot warm clothing and was cold the entire time. Virginia is indeed for lovers and that's why I haven't posted in a couple days.

Hints for the day, if you don't have a Valentine, that's OK. Things will still be fine, no worries. Mine is in Virginia so I understand that feeling. To make up for this I am bringing children's Valentine's for my coworkers. These are complete with hamburger erasers. That's right.

Also, I'm bringing cupcakes! Which is sad because today two people brought cupcakes in and tomorrow I think me and another coworker are. I mean, you can never have too many cupcakes. Right? Well, hopefully the work crew can choke down multiple tasty treats or we are going to have an insane surplus on our hands. The point was, you can bake treats! Baking things from boxes or scratch, it makes no difference really. And you can give them away, treats always make a person's day.

Send e-cards to friends. These tend to be funny and occupy time. They tend to be adorable and who doesn't like to get a nice little message in your email that isn't about work or a sale and a store that you don't need to go to.

Take your friends to a movie. The Vow is out, that's the most popular lovey movie to see. This Means War is more action packed and less tooth-decay inspiring. I'm sure other movies like The Iron Lady and such are still out. Go see whatever you want, entertainment is a nice escape.

Don't get too bummed out. I know Valentine's Day can seem a little too lonely and a little too harsh of a reminder that you aren't with your true love, but it should just be a reminder that romance exists. So, don't run from the heart-shaped pizza and donuts. If cowokers bring in desserts that are going to go straight to your thighs, dive in. Calories don't count on St. Valentine's Day, and anyway it's good to indulge every once in a while. V-Day is a decadent holiday with chocolate and wine, fancy dinners and jewelry. It doesn't have to be that way for everyone. Even a quiet night with Lady and the Tramp a bottle of wine and a pint of ice cream can be enough for a good night.

No worries, it's one day of the year, if it makes you too bitter, it'll be done and over with soon.

Valentine's Day gifts

I know that Valentine's Day can be an awkward time for people trying to give gifts. If you're new to a relationship you don't know what's acceptable to give. If you've been in one for a while you wonder what the other person expects, should you give something to your best friend?

I know these things are confusing, but it's kind of like Christmas but less of a big deal. If you have a significant other definitely get them something. Guys can't go wrong with flowers, chocolates or jewelry depending on the length of the relationship. Girls can't go wrong with baking treats and possibly something else. Guys are a mystery to me with gifts sometimes.

Homemade gifts are always good. You know, painted frames, a list of things you love about the person (try this craft), or maybe a nice old school mix tape. But you know it will have to be a CD because God knows none of us have the knowledge anymore of how to make that, and who knows if the recipient would even have a tape player? There's this one, a fabric love note in a frame, which looks a little too complicated for me. But on a similar note to that you could just get a frame, but lined paper in it, possibly decorate the frame a bit, and then use a dry erase marker to leave messages to each other on it. Get it? You'd write on the glass!

I'll give you a little example of a Valentine's Day CD I made for my parents. I themed it from the 60s because I remember my mom playing these songs on the radio. This could work as a theme for anyone. I mean, who wouldn't want a 90s love song CD? I'm sure everyone would appreciate that. Or if you have a friend that likes country...you could theme it by genre. I would want that CD, not going to lie.

Vintage Valentine's Playlist

Earth Angel - The Penguins

Then He Kissed Me - The Crystals

Be My Baby - The Ronettes

Baby Love - The Supremes

Build Me Up Buttercup - The Foundations

I Hear A Symphony - Diana Ross and The Supremes

I'm A Believer - The Monkees

Will You Love Me Tomorrow - The Shirelles

Baby, I Need Your Loving - Four Tops

You Can't Hurry Love - Diana Ross and The Supremes

Please Mr. Postman - The Marvelettes

I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch) - Four Tops

Second That Emotion - Smokey Robinson

Ain't Too Proud To Beg - The Temptations

Happy Together - The Turtles

What The World Needs Now - Jackie DeShannon

A Groovy Kind Of Love - The Mindbenders

I Say A Little Prayer - Dionne Warwick

Pre-Valentine's Day dangers

I bought a little box of chocolates for my parents at Walmart. It was so cute. It had a little panda on it with a karate outfit and it said "I get a kick out of you." How cute is that? Especially since my dad and I have this weird thing for King Fu Panda. I don't know why exactly, but we both think it's the funniest thing. He tells me to "Have a dumpling" sometimes, it's a line that the little sensei with the huge ears said. I figured you wouldn't know that if I didn't tell you.

So I was going to send this tiny box of candy to my parents, the thing cost a dollar, and then I realized it would cost me, at least $5 to get it there. Now, I'm not usually cheap, but I made them a CD instead with old love songs from the 60 and slipped it into their card. Don't judge be for this, but I kept the box of chocolate myself.

Needless to say, I've been eating on it. Eating on chocolate originally intended for my parents. Lord. That has to be a new low.

There are so many things to watch out for, the candy being one, before Valentine's Day. The chocolate and heart-shaped treats are so hard to avoid. They're staring at you from every aisle at Walmart. Confetti cake with pink and red sprinkles, cupcakes decorated with little plastic ring hearts and those Pillsbury cookies that have the little pictures on them. Commercials on TV have red and pink Hershey's kisses that are dancing with each. How adrobs and fattening all at the same time. Seriously, I can feel my thighs widening from the entire box of chocolates I ate. And I still want more, maybe I'll make hot chocolate...

Then there's the previews on TV for The Vow - the newest Nicholas Sparks film that makes everyone want to just explode from the overload of lovey dovey sweetness. Explode in a bad way, not a good one. It's enough to make the happiest couples doubt their relationship. How can a real life couple ever really compete with a dude trying to get his wife to fall in love with him AGAIN. Its hard enough the first time. And for everyone else that gets bitter around V-Day, that whole mushy story is just one big slap in the face. It's saying "Don't you wish you could find this? I know you're jealous, but how sweet!" I hate that.

You spend a lot of money you still have quite earned back from the holidays on gifts for your significant other, Valentine's Day cards and treats for the office. I definitely bought some old school, elementary style Valentine's Day cards for the office. They come complete with a little eraser. I'm not going to lie, I think they're going to love them...or think I'm crazy but I'm not going to trip on it.

I don't think Valentine's Day has to be this fluffy, cotton-candy-esque holiday. I think it can be sweet and sensual without overloading the senses and causing sugar decay and a need to buy a gym membership. Let's just focus on the love and friendship aspect shall we? Be nice to one another and all that. Show them you care about your friendships and loved ones if you neglect to do that on a regular basis.

Let's be real though, those heart-shaped Dove chocolates taste the best don't they? I'm totally making hot chocolate for myself this second as it's the only thing in my apartment right now that's chocolate flavored. Curse you Cupid, I know it's all you doing this and I have no will power of tasty delicious things.

UPDATE: I have no milk to make hot chocolate. I had to settle for wheat bread with apple butter and honey. So disappointed right now.

Cookie Dough Bites

Made these little little guys last night. They are very delicious except that I'm pretty sure you can feel your thighs expanding every time you pop one in your mouth. I'm planning on bringing some to the Christmas Tea tomorrow held by the alumnae association of my sorority. Actually, I'm really supposed to make brownies, so guess I'll be bringing two things. Whatever, who doesn't like cookie dough? The answer is, unless it will kill you, everyone likes it. And this recipe won't make you sick because no raw eggs. I guess it could make you sick because of the amount of butter and sugar but if we try not to OD then I think it'll be OK.

Cookies Dough Bites

Hands-On Time: 20 minutes
Ready In: 1 hour
Yield: 2 dozen cookies

Ingredients

1 cup salted butter, softened
1½ cups packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups flour
6 ounces miniature chocolate chips

Directions

1. Cream butter and sugar together.
2. Add remaining ingredients and mix well -- use your hands to get it together the best.
3. Roll into 1-inch balls.
4. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes. Dip in chocolate, drizzle with chocolate or eat as is -- equally delicious no matter what!
5. Let stand at room temperature for about 10 minutes before serving.
6. Store in the refrigerator.

Brie-stuffed Latkes

So, excited, now I have leftover brie to eat with crackers! Brie is my favorite cheese. I bet if you really think hard about it you have a favorite cheese, too. That'd be a pretty good ice breaker question instead of what's your favorite color I think. Anyway, these took FOREVER to make, as do most things.

They are good though, but I almost lit my apartment on fire...again. I was holding a paper towel that was on fire, staring at it trying to figure out the best course of action. I ended up throwing it into a pot and pouring water on it.

Also, Happy Hanukkah from your Catholic friend. I know it doesn't start until the 20th, but I'll be surrounded by Christmas time festivities then, so I figured I'd make these early.

Brie-Stuffed Latkes

4 large potatoes, parboiled and peeled
2 large eggs, scrambled
1 medium onion
3 cloves garlic
2/3 pound Brie, rind on
Handful of all-puropse flour
1 tsp baking powder
Dash of milk, soymilk, cream, or water
Salt and pepper, to taste

Vegetable oil, to shallow-fry

We're following this technique almost totally - the only difference is the stuffing part, which happens in the pan, so procede as decribed - parboiling, peeling and shredding your taters - shredding the onion over the same disc, adding your minced garlic, salt and pepper, then mix. Add your eggs, flour, baking powder, mix, and then a tiny pour of milk, until you see batter thinly coating each shred of tater.

Heat about 1/2 inch of oil in a heavy iron skillet to medium. Have your cheese at the ready. We're keeping the heat a little lower than usual to give us time to make and stuff three latkes at a time.

Fork about a tablespoon of batter into the pan and flatten it with the back of a spoon. Quickly press a piece of brie into the batter, leaving a border of pancake free from cheese all the way around it. Fold it to fit if need be. Fork an equal portion of batter over the cheese, making sure to enclose it completely. Procede to make 2 more latkes in this way - by time you finish the third, it'll be time to flip the first.

When you flip these babies, press down slightly to compress, but be gentle. You don't want to squash your cheese out of its pocket.

Continue making latkes until the batter is gone. You'll have 10-12 large pancakes.

The most wonderful time of the year...

You know that seasonal depression stuff, this is about the time it strikes. In college I came down with this every year. The holidays are both the warmest and coldest period on the calendar. A time to see family which can be as stressful as it is comforting, and a time to be with those you love or to see others with people they love. Overall, it can add to a lot of anxiety with gifts to buy, travel, parties and decorating. I love all of this stuff more than I can say, but being away from home like I am, it's a little isolating no matter how many gifts I wrap or cookies I bake.

So here are some things that are cheering me up now while my SAD is kicking in. First, a cartoon a coworker showed me that is completely unrelated to the holidays. It's kind of a feel-good thing for when you are depressed.

My list of feel-good Christmas movies (along with some of my favorite clips from each):

Love Actually

White Christmas

A Muppet Christmas Carol

Elf

Scrooged

Just Friends

Going My Way

It's a Wonderful Life

A list of Christmas songs:

All I Want For Christmas Is You-Mariah Carey (NOT Justin Beiber, that never should've been a thing)

My Grown-Up Christmas List-Kelly Clarkson

Where Are You Christmas-Faith Hill

I'll Be Home For Christmas-Frank Sinatra

Baby, It's Cold Outside-Dean Martin

O Come All Ye Faithful-Nat King Cole

Fum, Fum, Fum - The Mormon Tabernacle Choir

Ave Maria-Celine Dion

Auld Lang Syne-Mairi Campbell

I hope all of this helps you get through the season in some way. Remember, 2012 is a fresh start.

Gifts for Parents

When I'm at home or around my family I tend to stop blogging for some reason. I'm not sure if it's because I never get to see them or if it's because they think it's rude if I'm around them and messing with my phone or computer. Either way, I usually don't mess with Tweeting and blogging. But this post is dedicated to family members.

Giving gifts to parents and relatives might as well be impossible. They always tell me to never get them anything, but I always want to, because let's be honest, even if we aren't living under their roof and they aren't paying for our schooling anymore, we have cost them a fortune. So, although they tell me to not waste my money, I feel like it's my duty to show some gratitude.

One year I got all three of us tickets to see the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. That was by far the most expensive present I've purchased for them, and the most awesome. With very little money to spare this year I decided to put together a little basket of ethnic southern foods. You know, Louisiana hot sauce, grits, Moon Pies (in Mobile, AL they drop a Moon Pie on New Years, dead serious) Cajun spices, and an ornament that says "Merry Christmas, y'all." Adorable, I know. This would work for where ever you are living, assuming it isn't the same city as your parents or extended family. Just put together things that are native or common in your area that might not be for them. This whole idea is pretty cheap.

Another cheap idea is making them a CD. I know that sounds weird to make a mix tape for your parents, but I did it when I first moved to the South for my job. I mailed a CD to them and I could tell they really loved it. Here are a few songs you can put on it. Oh, and they're country songs but my parents hate country and they still liked these songs because of the lyrics.

Love Your Baby Girl - Sugarland

Like My Mother Does - Lauren Alaina

Watching You - Rodney Atkins

Who Says You Can't Go Home - Bon Jovi

Coming Home - Gwyneth Paltrow from Country Strong

This year I also made them something. I bought one of those square frames that are shadow boxes. That means you can put 3-D things in them without them touching the glass. So I printed out three different pictures of me with my parents, bought some scrapbook paper and some pearls that stick in scrapbooks, I already owned these little black square tiles that look like they could almost be scrabble pieces but they're black and not wooden. So I cut the scrapbook paper into a square, used another piece of scrapbook paper that was in the same color scheme (I was going with gold) to add kind of an accent. I glued the pictures onto the paper, clued the tiles to say family across the bottom of the paper, used the pearls to accent and then pained the word "Love" in cursive in the free space. Sounds like it took lots of time but it really didn't I gave them something they can put in the house that doesn't just look like I threw it together. So there's another idea.

It looks like THIS.

Happy gift hunting. You could always go with the tie or robe idea. I mean, everyone needs those things. Not ties of course but you get my drift.

Things To Brighten Your Week

"Happiness is a warm puppy." - Charles Schultz

It's Tuesday, nearly hump day, and for me, with my amazing schedule, today is actually my Thursday. That makes it, on average, Wednesday. Don't question it, it's science. I need a pick-me-up today, and who doesn't like things that make them happy?

Here are pictures of Betty White with animals. I know that sounds stupid, but think about how cute! Betty White is an adorable old woman and then you add zoo animals. I don't see how this could get any better.

The Muppets are out!! Here's the review on Rotten Tomatoes if you are skeptical. It is such a good movie and so made for both children and adults. There are 80s jokes the new generation just won't get, but I was laughing my ass off, and so was my mom. So much so that it was actually embarrassing and uncomfortable for me and my dad. That's a different story. I'd go see it again, that's how much I loved it.

This is a corgi going up the stairs. You know Welsh corgis? The little dogs with stubby legs and pointed snouts? I love those, they're my favorite. Please watch, it will make you squeel with the adorableness it's emitting.

Blondies, the opposite of brownies and even more delicious. A co-worker brought them in today, which I am very thankful for because I didn't bring lunch. They are yummy and he put sprinkles in them so they are extra cute. Here's a recipe, they'll pick you up when you're feeling low.

Oh Oh, The New Girl is on tonight! So excited for some twee television. Twee = sickeningly adorable, I just learned that yesterday.

As a Mizzou fan, it warms my heart to know kU's (I did that on purpose, they don't deserve to have the "K" capitalized in proper fashion) coach was recently fired after we beat them in our last border war game for a while.

I hope this helps. Power through it, the 25 days of Christmas start this week.

Holiday Crafts

Because I have pretty much nothing to do except go to work and cook (which is taken care of for me right now because of all the leftovers) I have started crafting. Not just a little, I've been doing a lot of crafting. I have a cute little 4 ft. Christmas tree decorated with ornaments from the Dollar Store, a beautiful canvas with a print of a Saturday Evening Post cover by Norman Rockwell that is to the right and some tiny button trees. Those are the extent of my Christmas decorations but I plan on changing this with crafts.

So, the button trees ended up looking like this. I got the idea off of Pinterest, surprise. It comes from the blog Two Peas In a Bucket but I didn't really go with a color scheme like they did. I just went out and bought some pins, a mix of cheap and pearl head pins. The pearl head ones look really pretty sticking out. Make sure to get the pins with balls at the head of some sort, otherwise they'll slip through the holes and won't stick to the styrofoam. I had this problem because I was trying to be cheap. The styrofoam cones are near the fake flowers at craft stores, fyi. I love how vintag-y and eclectic they turned out, although they were a little tedious to actually make.

Next on the agenda is this ridiculously cute wreaths. I think it can be used all year around personally. Under the Table and Dreaming has the how-to on making a Faux Curled Rosewood Wreath made from recycled paper. I went to Good Will today to pick up some books to craft with ( I have so many ideas that have book pages in them) and I picked up some classics for 50 cents. Unfortunately, now I'm hesitating actually tearing them apart. It feels like sacrilege or something. But I didn't feel right buying a Harlequin romance-type novel to rip apart either, even though they are less than classics. Those wouldn't mean as much. So now I have 1984, War of the Worlds and Frankenstein just hanging out in my apartment waiting for me to decide what to do. I'll tweet a picture when I'm done with this one.

Happy start of the holidays! I am already listening to the all Christmas music station since it came on after Thanksgiving. So excited!

Thanksgiving and other nonsense

My parents came to visit me for the first time in 4 months and I got one huge early Christmas. To make a long story short my apartment finally looks like a real apartment. It kind of looks like someone lives here now. Still sleeping on an air mattress though.

Here are some interesting Thanksgiving traditions from all over the country. It's a story I wrote for the holidays and could help you come up with some good ideas to spice up your next Thanksgiving because I know you're dreaming about the pumpkin pie and turkey already.

In cooking news, I love Stove Top stuffing. Just a little fyi, that stuff is great. We were too lazy to actually cook a dinner so we just pre-bought sweet potatoes, rice casserole, green bean casserole, turkey, and gravy from Sam's Club. It was all fantastic albeit totally not traditional. Also, my kitchen is tiny, so that's part of my excuse.

I've even started decorating for Christmas, currently I'm working on making this craft right now to decorate. I'm not doing one whole color scheme I'm doing multi. It seems to work better with my vintag-y eclectic style that has been more and more becoming the theme of my apartment. I'll tweet and link the finished products.

Happy start to the holiday season!

The Perfect Gift

Whether you're buying Christmas presents, Hanukkah presents, birthday or Valentine's gifting can be difficult. There's always that thought that maybe they already have it, it won't fit, or they just straight-up won't like it. Well, I have some advice on starting your holiday shopping excursions now. I mean, you can wait until Black Friday, but with all the stores opening at midnight (cough, Target) or even 10 p.m. (cough, Wal-Mart) you might be out of luck depending on what you're planning on Thanksgiving night.

Esquire has a decent guide of what to get basically everyone on your shopping list. The items they suggest are basically just easy go-tos. I mean, a watch is always a nice gift. Just make sure it's in a style he or she will like. I know, that's the tricky part. But that comes from knowing the person. Scarves and gloves are always nice and useful gestures that people will most likely actually wear. You don't have to go as high end as these, but they are good ideas to have in case you really can't think of anything more unique.

For something really interesting you could always look at products that are attached to a cause.At Filanthropist.com they have a ton of products that benefit a certain charity. If the person is a do-gooder, has strong feelings about a particular cause, or if you just want to feel warm and fuzzy about giving a gift and donating at the same time, try the website. Also, the recipient will probably be very impressed.

New York Magazine offers this great manifesto for gift-giving in 2011. Read this then go shopping. You won't regret it.

Personally, when I shop I like to go to places that other people aren't always going to. For example, everyone shops at Target, therefore, the recipient probably goes there too. I try to find items the person I'm buying for hasn't seen. It's kind of fun. Stores like World MarketorUrban Outfitters can be fun to look through for interesting ideas. Urban has great weird house ware type of objects or trinkets. World Market has house wares, interesting little trinkets, baskets for gifts, beautiful boxes to put presents in and an incredible assortment of interesting alcohol. In case thats what you're looking for. It could come in handy when hosting holiday festivities as well.

DIY gifts are always heartfelt and definitely appreciated, if not cheaper than store bought presents for the buyer. Here's one for any beer or root beer lovers from Life of a Modern Mom. Our Unexpected Journey, has the cutest wreath you can make for yourself or others. Here are some great gifts to give people in jars from Texas Cottage. You know, like dry cookie ingredients in a jar, and that sort of thing.

When you have actually narrowed down your gift, presentation is important. Granted, the present is the star, and really the only thing that matters, but what it looks like before they see it, that can really make a person's day. Wrapping a gift and tying a ribbon around it really changes the whole mood when you give that person the present. I mean, compare:

To this:

I'm totally being unfair I know. And I realize bags are reusable. But if you are going to use them, please be classy about it. Some other good ideas for wrapping: Wrap in a natural brown color then just add a colored ribbon, instant classy. Ornaments or candy canes on the ribbon on boxes or bags is always cute, especially if it matches the color scheme you have going.

I just learned that sometimes even when you think you nailed a present, it might not always turn out like you planned. For example, my boyfriend's birthday was earlier this month. I sent him a shirt, this shirt, for multiple reasons. We both grew up in the Midwest, met there, went to college there, it's different, and I thought he'd look attractive in it. I guess he was confused about whether it was a guys shirt. Well, great. He does like it for the record, but my advice is think about what they really are into first.

Good luck.