Green Cake

This is my chocolate cake (from previous post) with a bright green, vanilla inside with a hidden white shamrock!! Okay, so I was making a traditional St. Patrick's Day cake! ;-) I was taking a shot in the dark and it did work, so I was thrilled! I think it would have worked better, had the colors been switched! Next time, I will try that!

Chocolate Swirl Cake

I decorated the cake to look like it was enveloped in roses or flowers. Husband thinks it's a "cool swirl pattern," but not flowers! I made it for dessert for our St. Patrick's Day dinner (corned beef and cabbage, what else?!). I know, I know, it doesn't look like a traditional St. Patty's cake with coins billowing out of black cauldron or green frosting covered with green sprinkles and clovers or a silly little leprechaun, but I like it regardless!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

Chocolate Mint Brownies

These are the brownies I made for dessert for our neighbor dinner Wednesday night, in honor of St. Patrick's day I chose to make them green. They take a little bit of time and dirty all the bowls in your house, but they are delicious!!

Chocolate Mint Brownies

*Brownie Layer*

1/2 cup of unsalted butter, cut into pieces

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped

1 1/4 cups sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 eggs

1/2 c all flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

*Mint Layer*

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 c powdered sugar (sifted)

1 tablespoon milk or heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract

green food coloring

*Chocolate Drizzle*

3 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped

1 tablespoon butter

1. Pre-heat oven to 325* and prepare a 9x9 or 8x8 pan by lining parchment paper across both sides of the pan. This is so the brownies can be lifted straight out of the pan and cut cleanly.

2. Brownie Layer: In a glass or steel bowl over a pan of simmering water (or double boiler), melt the butter and chocolate. (Stir constantly and make sure not to overheat; the chocolate will get lumpy and it can be hard to work with or cannot be used at all). Once melted, remove from heat and stir in the sugar and vanilla. Add eggs beating well between each one. Add flour and salt and stir until well combined. Pour the brownie batter evenly into the prepared pan.

3. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes. A tooth pick inserted into the center of the brownies should come out clean.

4. Let the brownies completely cool.

5. Mint Layer: Beat all the ingredients until smooth in your electric mixer. Add a few drops of food coloring. The frosting should be thin enough to spread, add more milk if it's too thick.

6. Spread evenly over the completely cooled brownies. Put in fridge for about 10 minutes to harden up or let stand until cool. (I added chopped andes mints to the freshly poured mint layer and then let it harden).

7. Chocolate Glaze: Just like the brownies, melt the chocolate and butter. The recipe says to spread over the brownies, however I thought there was enough chocolate. (gasp, i know!). So, i just drizzled the chocolate on top!

8. Remove brownies from pan, cut and serve!