Have you ever made a chocolate chip cookie-cake?
I make a cake for my children each year for their birthday. I wonder how many cakes I have made over the years?
This year, I am made a Chocolate Chip Cake for my youngest son's birthday.. I made this once or twice for my oldest son when he still lived at home.
Making a cake is a gift from me to my children. It has been worth the work (and even stress at times) because of their appreciation of the celebration.
What do you do for your children's birthday? We rarely have a 'birthday party' other than with just our immediate little family (OK nine people isn't a small family!!)
How to Bake in the Kitchen
When my daughter bakes, she occasionally comes up with a dire emergency finding she is missing a very necessary ingredient!! When you live 7 miles from the closest store, and gas is higher than $3.50 a gallon, you sure try to avoid a kitchen crisis!!
I've been there, done that!!
Here are some tips to avoid finding out you NEEDED an ingredient YESTERDAY when you were out shopping!!
- Keep a running grocery list on a clipboard on the fridge.
- Don't expect your diligent children (no matter what their age) to conscientiously record what they used. Make sure YOU add the needed items.
- Get ALL the ingredients OUT and set them on the counter!! I can't stress this enough!! Do you know how many emergency trips to the store this would have saved me over the years (not to mention abandoned baking when a trip to the store was impossible?!)
- When making a cake or cookies, mix all the dry ingredients in a separate bowl so someone doesn't get a horrible bite of a clump of baking soda in that otherwise delicious cake!!
- As you add each ingredient, PUT THE ITEM AWAY!! That way, you won't wonder if you added the salt, or sugar, or whatever. This is to become a HABIT. Habits take time to form with CONSISTENCY!!
- When making a cake, take the time to sift your flour as it will render a smoother consistency.
- Clean-as-you-Go!! Wipe the counters with that clean rag you kept handy. Do the dishes BEFORE starting another project.
- Baking isn't the time for multi-tasking!! Proceed with caution here!!
I took the batter out of the mixing bowl and kneaded it on the counter just long enough to make sure the chocolate chips were evenly distributed.
I put the cake pans onto the same shelf in the pre-heated stove so the heat will cook them evenly and not one more than another.
I don't know what my dear husband would say if I spilled flour or some gooey mass onto my laptop's keyboard!! I don't know what yours would say either!! So BE CAREFUL if you keep recipes on Pinterest or Plan to Eat. My husband never thought twice about spills on my cookbooks but spills on my high-techy-cookbook will cause me to work tripple-time on my Love Dare!!
The Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
(18 cookies)
2 1/2 c all-purpose Flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 c butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1 pkg vanilla instant pudding
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 375
Combine flour, baking soda and salt..set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat together butter, sugars, vanilla, and pudding mix. Beat until smooth and creamy. Beat in eggs. Add flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips. Place in refrigerator for 1 hour. Place heaping Tbsps of batter onto un-greased cookie sheet and bake until golden appx 10-12 mins. Take out of oven and let sit 2 mins on cookie sheet before transferring to cooling rack.
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~Judith~
Looks yummy. My kids don't like cake. When they were little we'd throw a birthday party and everyone else could eat the cake.
ReplyDeleteFor their birthdays I usually make their favorite meal but I don't make a dessert since they won't eat it anyway.
I agree about starting the morning ahead with a clean kitchen. Works for me!
Thanks Nan!! I can't believe your kids (and Mindy's) don't like cake. Wow!!
DeleteThat looks amazing! Like Nan's family, my silly six kids don't like cake. But, I'm pretty sure this is a cake they would like!
ReplyDeleteThanks for this reminder!
"Don't expect your diligent children (no matter what their age) to conscientiously record what they used. Make sure YOU add the needed items."
My five oldest kids are 16-25, but RARELY do this for me. I get frustrated because I had expectations of what adult children would act like. Children are children. I'm giving them tools to be successful in THEIR homes someday.
Adult children sometimes stop doing what they were expected to do while growing up. I have learned to let that go. I used to be so concerned that they wouldn't do these things in their own homes when they were grown. I think they will. I know you have done a wonderful job with your children, Mindy as I have seen evidence of it on your blog.
DeleteMy youngest just turned 18...so fast!!
My dear Judith, my mouth fell open when I saw the picture of this divine-looking cake! WOW! Can I come over and have a piece with you and enjoy some sweet fellowship? :)
ReplyDeleteI will definitely have to make this sometime....maybe for my son's birthday. Thanks for sharing!
Hugs to you,
Stephanie
Stephanie, I would really, really love it if you came over for some cake and fellowship!!
DeleteThat looks yummy! My 4 year old was next to me when it came up in Blogger, and told me he wanted one of those....then added he wanted it for his birthday. :)
ReplyDeleteThat is so neat!! I hope his birthday is soon so he doesn't have to wait too long!!
DeleteWell, he has awhile to wait. :) His birthday is in October, but we might not wait that long to make the cake. :)
DeleteSo you use the cookie recipe and put it in cake pans? If that works, I may just do it for Lee who says he doesn't like cake. He used to get peanut butter pie for his birthday, but now that he can't have milk, I am looking for new treats for him.
ReplyDelete