Chocolate Cheesecake Turtle Cupcakes

Hey CIS readers...it's been forever since I've posted and I am so so very sorry! Things have been a little hectic lately leaving little to no time for blog updates! I promise I am trying to get back on a regular posting routine so hang tight! I've been baking and decorating some cute sweets lately and can't wait to share them with you soon! In case you didn't see these when they were posted earlier this week on Half Baked...here's my latest creation, Chocolate Cheesecake Turtle Cupcakes! They are super delicious and a nice change from your typical cupcake loaded with buttercream frosting! You are going to love the cheesecake center inside of these chocolate cakes with drizzled chocolate and caramel on top! So head on over to Half Baked for the recipe!

I'm super excited for the first day of fall this week! This is one of my favorite times of year to bake and I'm ready to start making recipes with pumpkin, apples and cinnamon so check back soon!

What are some of your favorite fall recipes?

Chocolate, Caramel, Peanut Butter Heaven

I saw this cake a month or so ago on Sprinkle Bakes, one of my favorite blogs and my jaw dropped in awe of the complexity, the beauty, the ingredients and just the overall WOW factor of this cake. I mean the cake is absolutely gorgeous on the outside garnished with the chocolate curls, but then you cut into the cake and a whole new world is waiting for you...there's chocolate cake, peanut butter cups, caramel, nuts and cheesecake. Holy Cow this is my kind of dessert!

These are all of my favorite flavor combinations wrapped into one sweet package! I mean look at the caramel oozing out in between the chocolate cake and cheesecake layers...oh and those little brown specs peaking out of the cheesecake, those are peanut butter cups! They are a nice little surprise hidden inside only to be revealed when you take a bite!

Thank you Sprinkle Bakes for creating this AMAZING cake! The moment I laid eyes on your fabulous dessert I just knew I had to try and recreate it. I will flat out admit my cake doesn't even come close to being as perfect as yours was, but I can tell you this it tasted absolutely delicious!

My biggest struggle with the cake was the chocolate curls, they gave me fits! I think my very first piece of chocolate curled and then all the rest just ended up as chocolate shavings. Your video makes it look way too easy! I am definitely going to have to have another go at making chocolate curls one day but the heat and humidity hear in Mobile this time of year is tricky with chocolate.

I made this cake for a very special occasion and for a couple who loves all things chocolate and peanut butter! My good friend Katie is getting married soon and some of our friends recently threw them a crawfish boil couples shower! Of course I volunteered to bring the dessert and I knew this cake would be the perfect treat and something that no one had ever tried before.

Katie & Derek. Aren't they the cutest couple!

How sweet, feeding each other the cake for practice on their wedding day!

There is just one word to describe this cake....HEAVEN! Ooey gooey, caramely, chocolatey, peanutty, heaven!

I must admit this cake did require a lot of time, patience, ingredients and dirty dishes but it was absolutely worth it once you sink your teeth into a slice! It received rave reviews and there were literally only crumbs remaining after everyone kept going back for 2nds and 3rds.

If you want to be so adventurous to make this Peanut Butter Cup Chocolate Cake Cheesecake you can find out all the details here. This pretty much walks you through everything step-by-step with the recipes for each layer of the cake, photos for each step of assembling the cake and even a how to video on making the chocolate curls (which I WILL master one of these days!) So what are you waiting for hop on over to Sprinkle Bakes and check out the most divine, decadent and delicious cake I have ever tasted in my entire life! And while you are over there, stick around and check out some of her other fabulous recipes. She creates desserts unlike anything I have ever seen before and her photos are absolutely gorgeous! If only I could spend a day in her kitchen learning some of her baking secrets!

Hope you decide to give this cake a try, you won't be disappointed!

Brownie Oreo Cheesecake Bars

As you all know 2010 was the year of the cupcake, at least on my blog it was! I can't believe I got wrapped up in those sweet little cakes that I didn't have a single post devoted to cheesecake. Well the wait is over and today I'm excited to share with you my oh so yummy Brownie Oreo Cheesecake Bars. I thought I would take a walk on the wild side and combine brownies and cheesecake into one dessert with a few Oreos (only the greatest cookie invented) mixed in the middle. The result is a creamy and chocolately bite of heaven, with a little cookie crunch! I took these to a football party last night for the BCS College Championship game and everyone devoured them! If you have a pack of Oreos in your pantry right now I highly recommend you give this recipe a try.

I love the layered look to this bar. I'm already envisioning even more flavor combinations. Turtle cheesecake, strawberry or raspberry cheesecake or even a chocolate marble cheesecake would all be fabulous with the brownie base.

Brownie Oreo Cheesecake Bars (30 servings)

For the Brownie Batter:
-2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
-3 oz milk chocolate chips
-3 oz bittersweet chocolate chips
-1 1/2 cups sugar
-2 eggs
-1 tsp vanilla
-1/4 tsp salt
-1 cup flour
-1 tsp baking powder

• Line a 9 x 13 pan with aluminum foil. Spray with cooking spray.
• In microwave safe bowl melt butter and chocolate about 1 - 2 minutes and stir to combine.
• Add sugar, eggs, vanilla and salt to chocolate mixture and stir.
• Whisk in flour and baking powder.
• Spread brownie batter evenly in prepared pan.

For the Oreo Cheesecake batter:
-2 8 oz packages of cream cheese, softened
-1/2 cup sugar
-2 eggs
-1 tsp vanilla
-20 Oreo sandwich cookies, chopped

• Combine cream cheese and sugar in medium bowl and cream with electric mixer.
  
• Mix in vanilla and eggs.
• Stir in chopped Oreos.
• Spread cream cheese batter over top of brownie batter.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Cool on wire rack.
• Refrigerate 2-3 hours or until ready to serve.

Hope you enjoy these as much as I did. I'm off to the fridge to grab another one for a bedtime snack! It's only my 3rd one today, don't tell!