Peanut Butter Cookies and more!

Hey there! I know it’s been a little while, but rest assured, I have been baking. I just haven’t had enough time to blog it all. I made mini pumpkin spice bread loafs. They were delicious and very cute. I was in a quick-bread mode, so I made some mini chocolate pound cake loafs. Also tasty, but not my personal favorite. I also made my famous chocolate chip cookies. They have some EXTRA secret ingredients that make them the best chocolate chip cookie EVER.
My friend Robert’s birthday is today, so I made him a cake for Friday [which was the closest i could see him to his birthday]. This could be a long post :) .

Chocolate Cake with Mocha Buttercream

Cake
2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup+ 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup whole milk
2 large eggs
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 cup hot water
1 tablespoon instant espresso powder or instant coffee

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Butter two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides. Line bottom of each with parchment paper; butter paper and dust pan with flour.
Sift sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into large bowl. Add milk, eggs, and melted butter. Using electric mixer, beat at low speed until blended. Increase speed and beat 2 minutes. Stir 1 cup hot water and espresso powder in small bowl to dissolve. Add to batter; beat until blended (batter will be thin). Divide batter between pans (about 3 cups each).

Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 32 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks 10 minutes. Cut around cakes; turn out onto racks. Peel off parchment and cool completely. Let cake stand at room temperature 1 hour. Cut cake horizontally in 2 halves. Using an offset spatula, spread mocha buttercream between layers generously. Position second part of cake on top. Continue with however many layers you choose. Frosting the sides and top of cake. Enjoy decorating!

Mocha Buttercream
2 1/4 sticks unsalted butter
Pinch of salt
2-3 cups of powdered sugar
3/4 cup Dutch processed unsweetened cocoa powder
2-3 teaspoons of coffee extract

Peanut Butter Cookies

2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
1 cup sugar, plus more for later
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F.
In an electric mixer with paddle attachment, cream butter and peanut butter until smooth. Add both sugars and mix until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With mixer running on low speed, add flour mixture in 2 turns. Continue mixing until dough forms. Form dough into a ball and flatten slightly into disc shape in plastic wrap. Refridgerate 1-2 hours. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using 1 1/2″ batter scoop, make balls. Roll in sugar, covering the ball completely. Use a spatula to flatten ball and use a fork to make ‘#’ shape. Bake for 16 minutes, rotating the pan at 8 minutes. At 15 minutes, use spatula to flatten puffed-up cookies. Remove from over and let cool completely.

These cookies are the best peanut butter cookies I’ve ever had. They are crunchy on the outside, soft and chewy inside. So good. Mmm…

I’ll put the recipes for the pumpkin spice bread and the cookies up later. My hands are cramping.
xoxo
Natalie