Blueberry Cheesecake Bites Recipe

These little cheesecake bites are moist, rich, and loaded with blueberries. For convenience and speed, it begins with a cake mix and uses canned blueberry pie filling. The recipe makes a lot which is a good thing, since no one can eat just one.

 

INGREDIENTS:
Bottom:
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 egg, at room temperature
8 Tablespoons butter, melted, but at room temperature (1 stick)
1 box (18.25 ounces) French vanilla cake mix

Filling:
2 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature
3 eggs, at room temperature
1-1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 can (21 ounces) extra-fruit blueberry pie filling, drained
PREPARATION:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line mini-muffin pans with papers.

For the Bottom:
Cream 4 ounces of cream cheese, 1 egg and butter together on low speed until combined, about 1 minute.

 

Blend in cake mix by hand until combined. It will be very thick, but piable like a soft dough. Press 1 teaspoon mix into bottom of each mini-muffin paper.

 

For the Topping:
Place cream cheese, 3 eggs, powdered sugar, and vanilla in a small bowl. Begin mixing on low speed until sugar is incorporated. Increase to medium speed and beat until smooth, at least 3 minutes or longer if need be. Drop about 1/2 Tablespoon of mix into each muffin cup over vanilla base. Press 2 to 3 drained blueberries into the filling in each muffin.

Bake at 350 degrees F. for 15 to 17 minutes. Cool completely before serving.

Double Chocolate Mint Meltaway

This cake packs a chocolate-mint surprise. Chocolate-covered mint patties are baked into each chocolate cake layer as well as layered between the frosted cake layers.

 

Ingredients:
1 Package 2-layer-size chocolate cake mix
2 Containers Rich and Creamy Milk Chocolate frosting
30 chocolate-covered mint patties
Tubed Icing (optional)

Method

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 2 9-inch round baking pans; set aside. Prepare cake mix according to package directions. Pour batter into prepared pans. Put 10 unwrapped chocolate mint patties in a circle on each cake before baking. Bake about 30 minutes or until done. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans. Cool completely. Spread some of the icing on 1 side of each of the cakes. Arrange 10 more unwrapped candies on 1 of the cakes. Invert cake with no candy on top of other cake, frosting side down. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Use tube of icing to write on cake, if desired.

 

Submitted By: Spider monkey

Decadent Triple Layer Mud Pie

Instant pudding and a pre-made Oreo crust make this decadent dessert easy as pie. Give it plenty of time to cool so it cuts cleanly.

Ingredients:
3 squares semi-sweet baking chocolate, melted 
1/4 C canned sweetened condensed milk 
1-6oz Oreo pie crust 
2 C cold milk 
2 pkg (4-serving size each) chocolate flavor instant pudding & pie filling 
1-8oz tub cool whip whipped topping, thawed

Method

Mix chocolate and condensed milk until well blended. Pour into crust. Pour milk into large bowl. Add dry pudding mixes. Beat with wire whisk 2 minutes or until well blended. (Mixture will be thick) Spoon 1 1/2 cups of the pudding over chocolate layer. Add half of the whipped topping to remaining pudding; stir with wire whisk until well blended. Spread over pudding layer in crust; top with remaining whipped topping. Refrigerate 3 hours.

Shortcut Cookies Recipe

There is nothing wrong with taking short-cuts when baking. These chewy, moist, and delicious cookies start with a cake mix and are loaded with both white and dark chocolate chips. They are incredibly easy to make. Feel free to adapt with your own additions to the basic recipe.

 

INGREDIENTS:
1 (18.25 ounces) devil's food chocolate box cake mix, dry
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

PREPARATION:
Using a large dinner fork, combine cake mix with vegetable oil and eggs. Mixture will be thick. Fold in white and semisweet chocolate chips.

Chill dough for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or Silpats.

Scoop dough by the teaspoonful and use your hands to roll and compress into small balls. Place on prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake about 10 minutes. Do not over-bake.

Cool on racks. Store leftovers in a covered container.

Yield: about 5 dozen cookies

Note: These are best made small as bite-sized cookies.

 

From Peggy Trowbridge Filippone,

Black & White Chocolate Home Cake Recipe

 

Start with a plain vanilla cake mix and end up with a luscious layered cake of vanilla and chocolate with white and dark chocolate chips. This cake mix is beefed up with an extra egg, buttermilk instead of water, and butter instead of oil. The instructions are for 9 x 13-inch sheet cake, but may be adapted for use as a bundt cake or traditional layer cake. Easy to make and impressive on the table.

INGREDIENTS:
1 (18.25 ounces) package vanilla cake mix with real vanilla beans
1-1/4 cups buttermilk or sour milk (see Note)
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
4 eggs at room temperature
1 cup white chocolate chips, divided use
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1-1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided use

PREPARATION:
Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with non-stick foil or grease with butter liberally.

In a large bowl, combine cake mix, buttermilk, softened butter, and eggs.

Beat on low speed only until combined. Some small lumps may remain. Pour half of cake batter into a separate bowl and set aside.

To one half of the cake batter, fold in 1/2 cup white chocolate chips, reserving the remaining 1/2 cup for later use.

To the other half of the cake batter, add the cocoa powder, mixing until combined. Fold in 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, reserving the remaining 1 cup for later use.

Pour the dark chocolate batter into the prepared pan and smooth to even it out.

Carefully spoon the vanilla cake batter on top of the dark chocolate layer. Gently spread to an even layer without disturbing bottom layer.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Spread reserved 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips on top of warm cake. Wait 5 minutes, then use a spatula to spread the melted chocolate on the top as a frosting. Let cool to room temperature. Sprinkle reserved 1/2 cup white chocolate chips on top of chocolate frosting and gently press into the frosting.

Cut and serve at room temperature.

 

Notes:
If you don't have buttermilk or sour milk on hand, add 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to 1-1/4 cups whole milk. Let rest 10 minutes to thicken before using.

The cake may also be made in a bundt pan or traditional round layers. Adjust the baking time up to about 50 minutes for a bundt cake and down to about 25 minutes for round layers. Test for doneness.

Yield: 24 to 36 servings, depending on cut size

From Peggy Trowbridge Filippone,

Decadent Chocoholic's Cake

If chocolate cake just isn't chocolatey enough, try this dessert recipe. Top it with nuts or coconut if you want to add some contrast to the flavor.


Ingredients:
2/3 cup butter
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
4 eggs
1 cup sugar (can use slightly less - depends on how sweet you prefer it) 1/2 cup flour (can use slightly less, depending on how moist you prefer it) 1 teaspoon baking powder
4 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 sour cream (can substitute with natural yoghurt)
2/3 cup heavy or whipping cream
9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
Finely chopped toasted nuts such as pecans, or flaked coconut (Optional)


Method

1. Preheat oven to 180 C/ 350 F/ Gas mark 4. Line a circular 9 inch cake tin with greaseproof or non-stick paper and grease the tin. 2. Melt the chocolate and butter in a saucepan over hot water. Stir gently until smooth. 3. Beat the eggs with the sugar, and then stir in the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and vanilla extract. 4. Fold in the melted chocolate and butter mixture gradually. Then fold in the sour cream. 5. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. 6. Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting. 7. To make frosting: Heat the 2/3 cup of whipping/heavy cream in a saucepan, then stir in the 9 ounces of chopped chocolate until smooth. If too thick, add more cream, if too thin, add more chocolate. Frost the cake, and then add optional chopped nuts or coconut if desired.

Submitted By: sandra021@gmail.com

Cool Forest Buttermilk Bars Recipe

1 can (14.5 ounces) pie cherries packed in water (not syrup), drained

1 (18.25 ounces) chocolate cake mix, divided use
1 egg
4 ounces cream cheese
1/2 cup butter, melted (1 stick)
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
4 ounces cream cheese
1 cup powdered confectioner's sugar
3 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
Powdered confectioner's sugar for topping

Instructions
Put cherries in a strainer to drain. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Reserve 1 heaping cup dry cake mix and set aside.

In large bowl, combine remaining cake mix, 1 egg, 4 ounces cream cheese and butter; blend well. Spread batter into bottom of foil-lined 9 x 13-inch baking pan. Sprinkle with chocolate chips and press lightly into batter. Bake for 15 minutes and set aside.

In medium bowl, cream 2 eggs, buttermilk, cream cheese, 1 cup powdered sugar, and cocoa until well blended. Slowly add reserved cake mix, and beat on medium speed until mixture is smooth and thickened (about 3 minutes).

Place drained cherries on paper towels and gently blot dry. Spread cherries evenly over baked crust. Top with batter, and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until lightly browned on top. Cool completely and cut into bars.

Dust bar tops generously with sifted powdered sugar just before serving as the moisture in the bars will cause the sugar to melt within a matter of hours.

Yield: 24 bars

Peggy's Note: You must love the flavor of cocoa to like these bars. The cherries give a hint of sweet and sour flavor, but the bars are not overly sweet.


Recipe from: Peggy Trowbridge

Banana Cheesecake Bars Recipe

Ingredients
Bottom
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 egg, at room temperature
8 tablespoons butter, melted, but at room temperature (1 stick)
1 box (18.25 ounces) chocolate devil's food cake mix

Topping
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 cup mashed ripe banana (about 1/2 pound or 2 large bananas)
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
Powdered sugar for dusting

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9-inch by 13-inch baking pan with foil.

For the Bottom:
Cream 4 ounces of cream cheese, 1 egg and butter together on low speed until combined, about 1 minute. Blend in cake mix by hand until combined. It will be very thick, but piable like a soft dough. Press into bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking pan.

For the Topping:
Place cream cheese, banana, powdered sugar, and vanilla in a small bowl. Begin mixing on low speed until sugar is incorporated. Increase to medium speed and beat until smooth, at least 3 minutes or longer if need be. Add eggs one at a time, beating only until incorporated. Spread cream cheese batter evenly over bottom chocolate layer.

Bake at 350 degrees F. for 45 minutes. Cool completely. Carefully remove from pan, peel off foil, and cut into squares. Just prior to serving, dust with powdered sugar.

Recipe from: Peggy Trowbridge, Home Cooking Guide