Root Beer float Cake

Here's a cake recipe I had bookmarked for over a year. Tracking down the IBC Root beer was a bit of a challenge but thanks to the Soda Pop Central in whitby Ontario, where I found the root beer brand and discovered a whole lot of other unique sodas and goodies!

This cake is not only easy but it's super fudgy and chocolatey however to be very honest I did not taste any of the root beer. Everyone loved it though and I would make it again.

The only changes I did was soaking the cake in root beer too before frosting it to add more root beer-y flavour but the taste still didn't come through, the cake however was moist and tastes even better a few days after being left in the fridge to really meld together.

Root Beer Float Cake

From Baked, New Frontiers in Baking

2 cups root beer (don’t use diet)

1 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1 1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

Preheat even to 325 degrees F. Spray the inside of a 10-inch Bundt pan (or 2 round cake pans) with nonstick cooking spray, or butter generously and dust with flour, knocking out the excess.

In a small saucepan, heat the root beer, cocoa powder and butter over medium heat until butter is melted. Add sugars and whisk until dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool.

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

In a small bowl whisk the eggs until just beaten. Then whisk into the cocoa mixture until combined. Gently fold the flour mixture into the cocoa mixture. The batter will be slightly lumpy. You can give it a quick whisk if you like, but don’t over beat the batter or it could cause the cake to be tough. Don’t worry, the batter is very loose.

Pour the batter into prepared pan and cook for 35-45 minutes (or 25-30 minutes for 2 cake pans), rotating the pan halfway through baking until a sharp knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely then loosen edges with a butter knife and turn out onto a cake plate.

Chocolate Root Beer Frosting

2 ounces 60% cocoa, melted

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

1 teaspoon salt (you may want to use less… maybe just 1/2 teaspoon)

1/4 cup root beer

2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

In the bowl of a stand mixer, or using an electric hand mixer, beat softened butter and cocoa powder. Once combined add the melted chocolate, salt, powdered sugar and root beer. Beat together until smooth. Spread on top of cooled cake. Slice and serve with vanilla ice cream.

Thanks to Honey & Jam for the recipe

Date & Walnut brown butter "Chewy"

Date & Walnut brown butter "chewy" cookie.

Adapted from Alton's chocolate chip "The chewy" recipe (original recipe below)

Ingredients

2 sticks unsalted butter

2 1/4 cups bread flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar plus 2 tbsp

2 tbsp molasses

1 egg

1 egg yolk

2 tablespoons milk

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup chopped dates

1 cup walnuts

Directions

Heat oven to 375 degrees F.

Melt the butter in a heavy-bottom medium saucepan over low heat, you can stop here or you can let it "brown" which takes about 15 minutes or so (stir it from time to time and once it smells right and the bits are golden strain it through a sieve and set the butter aside to cool)

Sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda and set aside.

Pour the melted butter in the mixer's work bowl. Add the sugar and brown sugar, plus molasses. Cream the butter and sugars on medium speed. Add the egg, yolk, 2 tablespoons milk and vanilla extract and mix until well combined. Slowly incorporate the flour mixture until thoroughly combined. Stir in the chopped dates and walnuts.

Chill the dough, then scoop onto parchment-lined baking sheets, 6 cookies per sheet. Bake for 14 minutes or until golden brown, checking the cookies after 5 minutes. Rotate the baking sheet for even browning. Cool completely and store in an airtight container.

Alton Brown's The Chewy recipe

Ingredients

2 sticks unsalted butter

2 1/4 cups bread flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 cup sugar

1 1/4 cups brown sugar

1 egg

1 egg yolk

2 tablespoons milk

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

Heat oven to 375 degrees F.

Melt the butter in a heavy-bottom medium saucepan over low heat. Sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda and set aside.

Pour the melted butter in the mixer's work bowl. Add the sugar and brown sugar. Cream the butter and sugars on medium speed. Add the egg, yolk, 2 tablespoons milk and vanilla extract and mix until well combined. Slowly incorporate the flour mixture until thoroughly combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Chill the dough, then scoop onto parchment-lined baking sheets, 6 cookies per sheet. Bake for 14 minutes or until golden brown, checking the cookies after 5 minutes. Rotate the baking sheet for even browning. Cool completely and store in an airtight container.

Jamie's 30 minute rib eye stir-fry

This is a step by step menu featured on Jamie Oliver's new show (and in book) 30 minute meals
. We did pot stickers and sauteed assorted mushrooms on top of the original menu. I also did rib eye and

flank steak, both were equally delicious and tender. While I make asian-inspired recipes at home all the time this was fun to do and in the process I discovered black bean sauce which is fabulous!