birthday cake Archives - Makin' it Mo'Betta

Oreo Cake with Oreo Whipped Cream Frosting

April 23, 2015November 7, 2015 Kim

I guess it’s Cake Week on the blog! I have almost always made my kids’ birthday cakes. My mom always made mine (and my siblings’…I would always choose chocolate cake with chocolate icing and my brother would want strawberry cake with chocolate icing and I would get mad. I hated strawberry cake! #itsallaboutme) Now that my girls are getting older, they like to go on Pinterest and find cakes that generally go beyond the “chocolate or vanilla – or strawberry“. I’m sure one day soon their requests will exceed my skill level, but for now, it’s pretty fun!

My oldest chose this Oreo Cake for her birthday this year. Somehow, I have a 14 year old. I’m not sure how this happened. Why does time speed up once you have children? (Unless they have a stomach virus in the middle of the night. Time slows WAY down then.)

The cake has Oreo cookies in the cake itself, Oreos in the icing, and then I added some mini Oreos on top. Both layers had Oreos baked right in, and I loved the flavor and crunch of the baked Oreos.

The only negative is that the whole Oreos made the cake a little difficult to slice. Next time I may use mini Oreos instead.

Oreo Cake with Oreo Whipped Cream Frosting

1 box chocolate cake mix (without pudding in the mix)
1 box (4 serving size) instant chocolate pudding mix (I used Hershey’s)
1 cup sour cream (can also use plain yogurt)
1/2 cup canola oil
3 eggs, room temp
1/2 cup coffee (room temp or slightly warm, not hot – leftover coffee is fine; can sub with water)
1 package Oreo Cookies, divided

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cake and pudding mixes, sour cream, oil, and coffee.
Add in eggs, one at a time, stirring until just combined. Scrape down sides.
Beat mixture on medium speed for 2 minutes.
Spray two cake pans with cooking spray, and line bottom of each pan with desired number of Oreo cookies. I used 11 whole cookies in each pan, but could have squeezed in a couple more!
Pour cake batter over cookies in prepared pans.
Bake for suggested time on back of cake mix box, or until top is springy to the touch and a wooden toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Allow cake to cool in pan for 10-15 minutes, then invert onto cooling rack to cool completely before icing.

Oreo Whipped Cream Frosting

1 quart Heavy Whipping Cream

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

12 Oreo Cookies (crushed with a rolling pin or pulsed in food processor until crushed in large crumbs. Do not over process.)

small “grab bag” mini Oreos (optional)

Place mixing bowl and mixer attachment in freezer for 10-15 minutes to chill.
After chilling, add cream to bowl and mix on medium speed until it starts to thicken.
Add vanilla and beat until mixture is to desired thickness and forms stiff peaks.
Fold in cookies. Keep refrigerated until ready to frost cake.

To Assemble:

Place one layer of cake on a plate. I would recommend Oreo side down on bottom layer, and up for top layer. Having the cookies in the middle made it a little more difficult to slice. Frost entire cake and keep chilled until ready to serve. If desired, add mini Oreo cookies on top for decoration.

This cake was inspired by , , Makin’ it Mo’Betta

This Oreo Cake with Whipped Cream Frosting was featured at:

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Easy Ice Cream Kit Kat Cake

February 6, 2015November 12, 2015 Kim

I know, some of you are thinking ice cream?! As cold as it is? Is she nuts?! Well, uh..probably, but that’s not the point. The point is…my middle child had a birthday in January (she’s twelve!) and this is the cake she wanted.

She is also the reason behind the now infamous (at my house anyway) Kit Kat Candy Cake and last year’s Reese’s Peanut Butter Better Than $#% Cake (so.good.) This year, she wanted an ice cream cake – but not a traditional one with layers of cake and ice cream…she doesn’t allow her ice cream and cake to touch. *insert eye roll* Nope, this ‘cake’ is made entirely of ice cream. And candy of course. With some Oreos thrown in for good measure.

I have to admit, it was very good. It has also given me some great ideas for future ice cream cakes. It was also much easier than I thought it was going to be, which is always a plus. My only complaint is she didn’t want chocolate ice cream. Are we related? I’m not so sure. (I’m kidding daughter of mine. KissKiss LoveYouMeanIt).

Don’t let the long list of “instructions” fool ya, it’s not difficult, I just added a lot of commentary in there. “Tips” if you will. You’re welcome or I’m sorry. Whichever fits.

Ice Cream Candy Cake

2 quarts of your ice cream of choice (We used mint chocolate chip and vanilla)
1 package Oreo cookies
1/4 c. milk
Kit Kat candy bars (I used about 10 Kit Kat bars…which is 40 ‘sticks’)
toppings of choice (we used leftover Kit Kat bars, mini M’s, chocolate chips)
(optional) 1 tub Cool Whip, thawed enough to spread, for ‘frosting’

*You will also need a 9 inch springform pan*

Remove ice cream from freezer and let soften so that it is soft enough to remove from carton, but not completely melted (The more melted it is, the more the ice cream will ooze through the Kit Kat bars surrounding the cake. This isn’t a big deal, but just something I learned in the process. It can always be cleaned up afterwards, if you want it really “pretty” on the outside.)
While ice cream is softening, combine 24 Oreo cookies and the milk in a food processor (a blender would probably work for this as well). Set aside. This will form the bottom layer or “crust” for the ice cream cake.
Spray the springform pan with non-stick spray. Cut a piece of parchment or wax paper into the same size circle as the bottom of the pan. Line the pan with the paper, then line the Kit Kat bars (standing upright) around the inside of the pan. I find that working with the bars in pairs of two works best. Place bars as close as possible to each other, all facing out the same way. You may find that you need a single bar to close a gap. (Another tip I’ve learned along the way…if you are making Kit Kat cakes in the hot summer time, refrigerate the candy bars and remove from the fridge a few at a time. It makes handling them a little less messy.)
Once Kit Kats are in place, press the Oreo crumb mixture evenly on the bottom of the pan.
Place in the freezer for 10 minutes.
Remove pan from freezer and spread one quart of ice cream evenly over the Oreo crust. I added some chopped Oreos over this bottom layer to kind of break it up. You could layer anything you wanted, or nothing at all…your choice! Place pan back in the freezer for 10 more minutes.
Remove from freezer again, and spread the second quart of ice cream over the first, and freeze again for 10 minutes.
At this point you can either leave cake in the freezer for 8-10 hours to firmly set or you can add the thawed Cool Whip topping as a ‘frosting’, then freeze for 8-10 hours. Since we used vanilla ice cream on top, I didn’t add the Cool Whip.
Remove from freezer 10 minutes prior to serving. Add your toppings of choice, and remove the springform outer ring of pan. Slice and serve!

*Tip – buy an extra Kit Kat bar or two in case you have a few broken sticks in your packs. Perk: you get to eat all the broken ones.

Source:

I may be linking up at any of the following – (Monday) , , , , (Tuesday) , , ,, , (Wednesday) , , , , (Thursday) , , (Friday) , , , ,, , ,

Delicious 5-Minute Chocolate Frosting

July 29, 2014November 15, 2015 Kim

Over the years I’ve tried several different variations of frosting. Most are the same basic ingredients with slightly different sugar to cocoa ratios and varying amounts of added liquid (some call for milk, some cream, etc.). Finally, I think I’ve found THE one. This will be my quick and easy go-to recipe from now on because of its great chocolate flavor and super creamy, easy, spreadable consistency.

I love that it whips up in just a few minutes, with just a few ingredients.

And it’s creamy and spreadable..but not so soft that it slides right off!

You can take 5 minutes to whip this up with butter, sugar, vanilla, cocoa and milk or you can buy the canned version with palm oil, high maltose corn syrup, distilled monoglycerides, polysorbate 60, and the list goes on.

The key to a great frosting is not only the texture/consistency, but even more important…the flavor! The amount of desired chocolate flavor is going to vary from person to person. I love dark chocolate, but some of my family prefers milk chocolate. For us, I found the perfect compromise by combining regular and dark cocoa powder.

5 Minute Chocolate Frosting

1 cup butter, softened

1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

1 cup cocoa (I used 3/4 cup regular Hershey’s cocoa and 1/4 cup Hershey’s Dark)

4 cups powdered sugar

1/3 cup half and half (mine was fat free, can also use milk of choice)

In a large mixing bowl, add softened butter and vanilla. Mix until creamy.
Add cocoa. Mix until blended.
Add 2 cups powdered sugar and half of the creamer (or milk). Slowly mix together (to prevent having sugar all over your entire kitchen!) Mixture is going to get thick.
Add remaining 2 cups powdered sugar and remaining milk. Stir until well blended and creamy.

If frosting is not at desired consistency:

-too thick? add small amounts of milk until desired consistency is reached

-too thin? add small amounts of powdered sugar or cocoa until desired consistency is reached

Recipe adapted from

NOTE: I made a double batch to frost this 4 layer cake, however, I had a lot leftover. It freezes great! Place leftover frosting in a sealed container in the freezer, when ready to use again allow to thaw and then mix well to “fluff” it up again!

My son was very specific on what kind of birthday cake he wanted for his 6th birthday. He wanted four layers, chocolate cake, chocolate icing, with M&M’s and Kit Kats on top! He also picked out his Lego candles. Nothing fickle about this kid…he knows exactly what he wants! What can I say…my boy has his mama’s heart and generally gets what he wants!

I may be linking up at any of the following – (Monday) , , , , , , (Tuesday) , , , ,,, , , (Wednesday) , , , , ,, , (Thursday) ,, , (Friday) , , , , , ,, , ,, , (Saturday) ,

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake with Chocolate Chip Cookie Crust

February 11, 2013November 22, 2015 Kim

Boy, that was a long title, and a lot of chocolate chip talk, but if you have a chocolate lover in your life, then you might want to see how easy it is to make this cheesecake. Since, you know, we have that holiday this week. The one all about chocolate and hearts and luuuvvv stuff. Excuse me while I barf in my mouth a little. Sorry, my cynical nature is shining through. I love LOVE, and chocolate. I just don’t do mushy. Moving on…

It’s a rare occasion to find my husband in the kitchen cooking something, but when one of his children asks for something, they usually get it. So, when my daughter asked for a chocolate cookie crusted cheesecake that he has made one time before, for her birthday, he made her one.

He is of the mentality, go big or go home, so this was no wimpy cheesecake.

I mean, just look at that crust! A chocolate lover’s dream.

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake with Chocolate Chip Cookie Crust

from Mr. Makin’ it Mo’Betta

for crust:

1 tube refrigerated cookie dough (like )

for cheesecake:

3 pkg. (8 oz) 1/3 reduced fat cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup sugar*

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

3/4 tsp. vanilla

3 eggs

1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

*This cheesecake can be sugar free by using a sugar substitute, like Splenda and leaving out the chocolate chips. And using a different crust of course! We make it this way often.

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 300 F.
Take raw cookie dough and cover the bottom and halfway up the sides of a springform pan. Mash down firmly. (Cover the outside bottom of pan with aluminum foil to catch drips.)
In a medium bowl, mix together the cream cheese, sugar, lemon juice, vanilla and eggs until well blended.
Fold in chocolate chips.
Pour cream cheese mixture over cookie dough.
Bake for 45 minutes or until center appears almost set (it will be just a little jiggly in the center).
Remove from oven and allow to cool before removing from pan.

Yep, this was a happy girl. She had two over-the-top birthday cakes! (Check out her Chocolate Candy Cake for her birthday party if you missed it. It is also a chocolate lover’s fantasy!)

This would make someone pretty happy on V-day, don’t cha think?!

I am linking this recipe up at (Monday) , , , ,, , , , , , , (Tuesday) , , , , , , , (Wednesday) , , , , , , (Thursday), , , , (Friday) , , , , , ,, , , , (Saturday) , , , , (Sunday)

Chocolate Candy Cake

February 4, 2013November 22, 2015 Kim

I gave a little overview of my middle child’s 10th birthday last week, with a pic of her Pinterest inspired over-the-top cake. I mean a cake surrounded in Kit Kat candy bars and covered with M&M’s…every kids dream right?! (and me being the chocoholic that I am was secretly super excited to have an excuse to make it!) Her friends were quite impressed, and deemed me the best baker ever. hahaha, candy will win them over every time!

However, the outside wasn’t the only yummy part of this cake. The inside was also delicious. It was chocolate cake and chocolate icing…per Miss Two’s request. The inside was moist and chocolate-y and the icing was the new Cool Whip frosting, which was light and the perfect match for this cake.

This cake is adapted from this one. I’ve been making it for years, but usually make it as a bundt cake. Since I wanted this cake to be a layer cake, I changed the recipe a little to have a cake that was a little less dense and heavy. The result was ‘fluffier’, but not dry.

Chocolate Layer Cake

1 package devil’s food cake mix (without pudding in the mix)
1 small box instant chocolate pudding mix
1 cup plain non-fat yogurt (or sour cream)
1/2 cup canola oil
4 eggs
1/2 cup warm coffee
1 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, mix together the cake and pudding mixes, yogurt, oil, beaten eggs and coffee.
Stir in the chocolate chips and pour batter into two greased and floured cake pans. (or pan of choice!)
Bake for suggested time on back of cake mix box, or until top is springy to the touch and a wooden toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Allow cake to cool in pan for about 20 minutes, then invert onto cooling rack to cool completely before icing.

To assemble “Kit Kat” cake – frost cake as desired, then place full size Kit Kat bars all around the outside of the cake. My cake used 3 “king size” Kit Kats plus one “regular size”. I just broke the bars into singles (but I think leaving them as double sticks would be better) and stick them to the frosting on the cake.
Once the cake is covered all around the sides with Kit Kat bars, you can cover the top in whatever you like. We used pretzel M&M’s and mini M&M’s. You could make this cake match whatever theme you are using, or Holiday, based on the color candy you use on top. It makes for such a cool presentation. I added ribbon around the cake, b/c that is what I had seen on Pinterest. I thought maybe the ribbon was needed to keep the Kit Kats from falling off, but we didn’t have any issue with that (it might happen if the frosting started to melt however).

This is definitely a “special occasion” cake, with all that candy on top makes quite an impression on kids and adults alike!

I am linking this recipe up at (Monday) , , , ,, , , , , , , (Tuesday) , , , , , , , (Wednesday) , , , , , (Thursday), , , , (Friday) , , , , , ,, , , , (Saturday) , , (Sunday) , (Ingredient Spotlight: Chocolate), (Ingredient Spotlight: Coffee),

Belated Birthday Post (I’m 40!!!)

August 31, 2012November 24, 2015 Kim

With the hassles and disasters of moving and pup’s emergency surgery, which all happened either ON or immediately following my 40th birthday, the pics from that day and subsequently this post got pushed to the back burner. But HELLO, I’m FORTY!!!!! How the hell did that happen? Seriously, how has 40 years gone by already? Especially the last 20….it’s like a freakin’ blurrrr. And add kids to the mix, and somehow time speeds up that much more. *sigh*

Too all you young’uns out there, just remember, time is precious. And fleeting. Tomorrow is guaranteed to no one, so I am thankful for my 40 years, however quickly they have passed.

On that note…you better go make this cake today, b/c it is something you do not want to miss out on. Provided you like chocolate. If you don’t like chocolate, uhmmm, you may be at the wrong blog.

For my 40th, my dear mommy had a cook out for me, and my dear made me this . I don’t know how she knew I would love such a thing (other than she knows I am a chocolate freak, and I with the caption ‘I want this for my birthday’. Because I’m subtle like that.)

Me, being a big fatty, with my awesome cake (and awesome daughter, Number One)

The cake is made with cake mix, brownie mix (family size), TWO cans of frosting, and chocolate chips. wowza!

For the complete recipe and great step-by-step assembly pics, go !

Not only did my sister make me a super, duper, chocolate brownie cake, she also gave me something every food blogger covets….

A light box! Or more accurately…a ! I am so excited! I can’t wait to start using it, especially since it is already getting darker much earlier and has been impossible to get natural light at dinner the last couple of nights. I will be setting this up ASAP! I’ve just been trying to clear out enough boxes…and I am finally getting there! Yes, everyone needs an awesome sister like mine. She also gives me shoes…you will have to read to understand why that is such a wonderful thing.

To work off all that cake, my parents gave me a kayak (since we now live on the sound)…

But they didn’t want me to lose too much weight, so they also gave me….

an ice cream maker!!! Yay!

(Sorry for the blurry pic, one of my kids was in charge of the camera)

My brother gave me a super cute casserole dish and candle from the . And when I say my brother, I mean my brother’s girlfriend, thanks M.! My brother always gives me liquor when left to his on devices…which I am SO not complaining. I mean really….hauling kids to the liquor store? I don’t think so. (However, you never know, desperate times call for desperate measures. lol)

So – that’s the OH MY LORDY, I’M FORTY wrap up. It was a great bday, and quite the milestone. I don’t feel like I should be 40, I mean, I still listen to Metallica & AC/DC for goodness sake. Aren’t old people supposed to listen to….uhmmm….well, I have no idea. My own mom has a more awesome (& current) CD collection than I do.

Of course, I’m feeling the eye strain from staring at the computer.

Damn, I am getting old.