Thank Goodness for Baking!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

This year has been blow after blow and I honestly didn't think that I was going to be in the Thanksgiving mood, but after I started to bake. Wow, did I get myself back!!!! I got laid off this year and have been really depressed with just life and worried about what to do with my life. I mean I don't have it as bad but I worked at this place for more than 10 years and did enjoy it so when I got laid off, it was devastating. I began this baking fest thinking, ughhhhh but once I got "it" back, it just made me be thankful that I have talent for baking and how much love and how great I feel when I do it.

I have even been approached by a friend to work a Mary Kay party in Dec.,  so I am super excited because this is only the beginning. So I am very Thankful for what's to come and thankful that I have this passion.  And Thankful that life works in mysterious ways!


I made cupcakes and a Rum cake for Thanksgiving Day Dinner! This was a fun baking adventure. I made two Rum cakes and about a dozen chocolate cupcakes. The Rum cakes I make every year so it was like riding a bike but the cupcakes...... It's yummy but the Chocolate Cupcakes...OMG! They were amazing!

I can't believe that its taken me so long to try this recipe. They were soooo choco-licious! And they matched perfectly with my cream cheese frosting. Yeah the same one I make in the other blogs.....hahahaha! Trust me the next post will be different. 

Okay so the recipes I got from one of my favorite websites, All Recipes.com

The cupcakes were made from a recipe called Black Magic Cake Recipe and you can click on the name for the recipe.  Black Magic Cake Recipe.

I used the harvest sprinkles and the cute little pumpkins were made from fondant. 

The recipe for the Golden Rum Cake you can find  by clicking the link here.. Golden Rum Cake

I really like the fact that you can read reviews and get other bakers input and advice.  This website is the best. 

I cannot wait for Christmas now.  I will be making Christmas Cookies next.  Keep you posted on how they come out.  But for now, see below for the recipes. 

Golden Rum Cake

Ingredients

1 cup chopped walnuts (I didn't use the walnuts this time)


1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix


1 (3.4 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix


4 eggs


1/2 cup water


1/2 cup vegetable oil


1/2 cup dark rum (I used Flor de Cana...yum!)


1/2 cup butter


1/4 cup water


1 cup white sugar


1/2 cup dark rum


Directions


1.Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10 inch Bundt pan. Sprinkle chopped nuts evenly over the bottom of the pan.


2.In a large bowl, combine cake mix and pudding mix. Mix in the eggs, 1/2 cup water, oil and 1/2 cup rum. Blend well. Pour batter over chopped nuts in the pan.


3.Bake in the preheated oven for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Let sit for 10 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto serving plate. Brush glaze over top and sides. Allow cake to absorb glaze and repeat until all glaze is used.


4.To make the glaze: in a saucepan, combine butter, 1/4 cup water and 1 cup sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat and continue to boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup rum.

Black Magic Cake

Ingredients



1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour


2 cups white sugar


3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder


2 teaspoons baking soda


1 teaspoon baking powder


1 teaspoon salt


2 eggs


1 cup strong brewed coffee (I used Starbucks)


1 cup buttermilk


1/2 cup vegetable oil


1 teaspoon vanilla extract


Directions


1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9 inch round cake pans or one 9x13 inch pan.


2.In large bowl combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Make a well in the center.


3.Add eggs, coffee, buttermilk, oil and vanilla. Beat for 2 minutes on medium speed. Batter will be thin. Pour into prepared pans.


4.Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 to 40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes, then remove from pans and finish cooling on a wire rack. Fill and frost as desired.