peppermint buttercream chocolate cake

my two favorite combinations for christmas baking? chocolate & peppermint. peppermint bark, peppermint chocolate cookies, peppermint hot chocolate. you name it, i'll probably like it. today i am sharing a recipe i made this past weekend... ricotta chocolate cake with peppermint buttercream frosting. i know, ricotta in a cake? trust me (or really, trust my aunt's recipe), the ricotta makes the cake so moist and no one will believe the cake started with a mix! and the buttercream frosting with crushed peppermint in it? perfect way to top the cake off.

ricotta devil's food cake

1 devil’s food cake mix

1 cup ricotta cheese

½ cup oil

1 cup water

2 eggs

1. preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and lightly flour cake pan and set aside. 
2. in a large bowl, mix all ingredients together using an electric mixer. Pour cake into floured cake pan. 
3. bake at 350 for amount of time specified on cake mix box.
4. allow to cool before icing.

*I made it in 2 9-inch rounds, but because it is so moist, I would probably next time just make it as a sheet cake and easier to slice.

peppermint buttercream frosting

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

3.5 cups (32 oz) powdered sugar

2 tsp peppermint extract

1 package crushed candy canes/peppermints – some reserved some for garnish

2-3 tbsp milk, added as needed

1. beat butter until creamed. 
2. gradually add remaining ingredients together with mixer, adding additional milk until desired consistency is reached.
3. store in an airtight container in fridge for up to two weeks. use on cake, cupcakes, cookies, brownies or just eat with a spoon!

it looked so good stella wanted a piece for herself! 

xoxo,

clp

soup, scandal & sheath cake

happy long weekend! its an extra long weekend for me since i have no classes on fridays this semester! i decided to take advantage of having four days off from school and come home! coming home, even this early in the semester, is always good for me. it gives me a chance to relax before everything at school really gets going. it also helps that i love my home so much. i came home yesterday and it honestly felt like i had only been gone for a day or two. i am so lucky that i have a wonderful home life to come home to.

today was spent getting beautified i guess you could say. i hit the MAC for my favorites classes and then went to get my eyebrows done and my haircut. i'm one of those types that only trusts my haircutter here so i have to get it cut when i am home!

i also got to spend the afternoon with one of my absolute favorite people in the world, my grandmother. today's freezing cold temperatures meant soup was on the menu and nothing beats mawsie's vegetable soup. i asked her to come help me make her vegetable soup so i could learn from the best. i love spending time with my mawsie. i am not sure if she knows how much i love visiting with her and how much of an inspiration she is to me. she has done so much in her life that i can only hope to do.

i can't exactly fit in her lap anymore, but i know she is always there for me. and though i did more observing than actually making today, the soup turned out perfect and now i know the method to the magical-ness that is her vegetable soup! of course, vegetable soup is not complete without cornbread so granny's cornbread it had to be! the lowe family recipes are getting good use today! 

i hope everyone is staying warm! i have just about had it with these extremely cold temperatures. if you know me well, you know that i am always cold so i have been bundled and layered up the past few days! tonight i will certainly have the fire on. along with the fire burning and vegetable soup, tonight's agenda includes season three of Scandal! mom and i are almost caught up! i also will be treating myself to a piece (or two) of my mama's chocolate sheath cake (courtesy of my mawsie actually), which is a family favorite! we made it last night as a treat since i came home for the weekend and i could hardly wait for the icing to cool! 

chocolate sheath cake

1. mix together 2 cups flour and 2 cups sugar. 
2. bring 1 stick margarine, 1/4 cup shortening, 4 tbsp cocoa and 1 cup water to a boil in a saucepan.
3. add 2 beaten eggs, 1/2 cup buttermilk, 1 tsp baking soda and 1 tsp vanilla. 
4. mix ingredients well and pour into greased pan.
5. bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes. 
6. 5 minutes before the cake is done, melt together 1 stick margarine, 4 tbsp cocoa and 6 tbsp sweet milk. bring to a boil.
7. remove from heat and add 1 box powdered sugar and 1 tsp vanilla. beat well. add 1 cup chopped nuts (walnuts are our favorite).
8. spread over cake, allow to cool and serve! 

next to mom's strawberry cake this is a favorite! not healthy at all but you have to indulge every once in a while! enjoy y'all!

xoxo,

clp