Chocolate Malt Texas Sheet Cake

You have important work to do this week. Yes, in the midst of end-of-the-school-year parties, making teacher gifts, planning summer vacation...you're going to make this cake. You are.
(Really though, make this cake.)


I was literally walking down the peanut butter aisle in the grocery store when the idea for this version of a Texas sheet cake came to me. Why? I have no idea. I do know that I'll be walking down that aisle more often, hoping for more divine cake intervention.


Texas sheet cake is traditionally a moist chocolate cake with a chocolate pecan icing. This one, however, is a CHOCOLATE MALT Texas sheet cake. Both the cake and the icing are flavored with malt powder.


Instead of pecans, the icing is topped with Whoppers.
[Note: do NOT open the Whoppers before making the cake...unless you want to have to run to the store for more Whoppers because you've inadvertently eaten the entire container. *ahem*]


There's something so nostalgic about malt. Whenever I have a chocolate malt or malt-flavored anything, I'm transported to the 1950's.

Copyright © 1978 Paramount Pictures Corp. Credit: © 1978 Paramount Pictures / Courtesy: Pyxurz.*

I blame the movie Grease for these malt associations... "to you from me, Pinky Lee!"  Can we please make malt shops a thing again?



The cake is super moist and the icing is silky and shiny. Cut it in big pieces. Have two. Maybe with a chocolate malt.


Chocolate Malt Texas Sheet Cake
{adapted from Ree's Chocolate Sheet Cake, make one 18"x12" cake}

for the cake:
2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1/3 cup malted milk powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup salted butter
4 TBSP unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-processed)
1 cup boiling water

for the icing:
14 TBSP salted butter
1/3 cup malt ed milk powder
4 heaping TBSP unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-processed)
6 TBSP milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 pound powdered sugar
1 1/2 cups roughly chopped Whoppers

Preheat oven to 350.


In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, malt powder, and salt together. Set aside.


In a large measuring cup, whisk the buttermilk, eggs, vanilla, and baking soda together. Set aside.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Once melted, stir in the cocoa powder. Pour in the boiling water and stir together for a minute. Remove from heat.

Stir the chocolate mixture into the flour mixture until incorporated. Stir in the buttermilk mixture. Continue stirring until smooth. Pour into an ungreased 18"x12" half sheet pan. Bake for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the icing. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir in the malt and cocoa powder until smooth. Add the milk, vanilla, and powdered sugar, stirring over low heat until smooth and most of the lumps from the sugar have dissolved. Keep warm while the cake bakes.



Immediately upon removing the cake from the oven, pour the icing over the cake as evenly as possible. Let the cake cool for about 20 minutes, then scatter the Whoppers over the top, pressing in slightly. Cool the cake in the pan, then cut into large pieces for serving.



Chocolate Malt Texas Sheet Cake..."to you from me, Pinky Lee!"

Sweet on Trader Joe's Sunday : Sublime Ice Cream Sandwiches

Really...how can one pass up a dessert labeled as "sublime?" I cannot. Marketers, please don't start labeling everything as sublime, I have college tuition to pay for next year.


Trader Joe's Sublime Ice Cream Sandwiches. Vanilla ice cream sandwiched between two chocolate chip cookies, then rolled in mini chocolate chips. A box of 4 sandwiches costs $4.49.


A mom's (my) take: Honestly, I was sure these would fall short of their "sublime" designation. Most cookie ice cream sandwiches just don't live up to their potential. Well, I was wrong. These ice cream sandwiches ARE sublime. Soft chocolate chip cookies are the perfect texture...no crumbling, no breaking apart. The vanilla ice cream is creamy and luscious. The mini chocolate chips add a little extra chocolate flavor and a bit of crunch. These are going straight on my "might-be-too-tempting-to-keep-in-the-house list."
Overall rating: 5 of 5 stars

A teenager's (Jack's) take: In the past, sandwiches like these seem to be eclipsed by the raw cold that comes from their being frozen--not with this one. Right out of the freezer, these have a powerful taste. A good ol' chocolate chip cookie taste is complemented perfectly by the cool, refreshing vanilla ice cream. Perfect. Now, the only problem is the size of your stomach...
Overall rating: 5 out of 5 stars



Trader Joe's Sublime Ice Cream Sandwiches:


[note: We have no affiliation with Trader Joe's. I'm sure they have never read this blog and have no idea who we are. Hey, we like being incognito, although we never wear sunglasses indoors. ;)]

Read all of our Trader Joe's sweet treats and dessert reviews! 

Using corn syrup to apply printed frosting sheets to cookies...

Once upon a time, there was a cookie maker who had a dedicated printer for frosting sheets with edible ink. The printer caused so many headaches that the cookie maker banished it to a land far, far away called The Dumpster. The cookie maker wised up, started purchasing printed frosting sheets from the kingdom known as Etsy, and everyone lived happily ever after.

That's how the story starts. If you want more info on having an icing printer of your own, please check out this post from years ago. If you want to save your sanity, let someone else do it for you. ;) 

I've always applied frosting sheets using the same method: pressing the image directly onto wet royal icing. The problem with this is, the edges will curl. It was driving me a little crazy, so I decided to try applying using corn syrup. I'd heard many raves about this method from other cookie makers. 

First, apply a base layer of royal icing to your cookies and let dry completely. 

I ordered pre-cut round images and it was so much nicer than trying to cut a perfect circle on my own. (I am scissor-challenged....my circle are always wonky and I can't cut a straight line to save my life.) 

Once the icing is completely dry, use a brush to apply a thin layer of light corn syrup to each cookie.


Place the image on top, lightly smoothing all over, including the edges.

That's it.


I like to add a decorative border to cookies with printed images. A small star tip used with thick royal icing works like a charm. 

Pros of using corn syrup:

• quick and easy
• divides the work into two days
• no curled edges

Cons of using corn syrup:

• the tops remain somewhat sticky
• color from the image seemed to bleed, especially when frozen
• frosting sheet remained separate as opposed to "melting" into wet royal icing

My conclusion: I think I'd rather cover curled edges with a border than have cookies that are somewhat sticky and susceptible to bleeding. 

Here are a couple of my favorite cookies made using frosting sheets: All Saint's Day and Uncle Mike's Birthday.

Have you tried frosting sheets on cookies? What application method do you prefer? 

Salted Caramel Butterscotch Blondies

There's no story that goes along with these blondies other than the fact that my love for caramel brownies runs deep. I first fell in love with the original, probably 20 or more years ago. Next came these double chocolate caramel brownies. Oh, the good times we've shared. ♥


Last week, I decided to make a blondie version. A butterscotch blondie version. A salted caramel butterscotch version. (Are you tired of me saying version?)

Just like caramel brownies, these blondies are ooey, gooey, sticky, and sweet. Rich, but not so rich that you can't eat a few in one sitting. You'll want more than one. 


You bake the blondies part-way, then add on toasted pecans and butterscotch chips.


Then comes the melted caramel and a sprinkling of fleur de sel. Oh baby.


Next, more of the blondie batter dolloped right on top.

I love the way the caramel makes pretty lava flow patterns in the blondies...like this half-and-half-one:


...or this bow-tie:


For those of you with an aversion to using a boxed cake mix, please avert your eyes.



Salted Caramel Butterscotch Blondies

1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 bag Kraft caramel bits
2/3 cup evaporated milk, divided
3/4 cup salted butter, melted
1 box butter cake mix
1 cup butterscotch chips
fleur de sel or other fine sea salt

Preheat oven to 350.  

Place the chopped pecans in a skillet over medium heat. Toast, tossing frequently, for about 5 minutes or until fragrant. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Over low heat, melt the caramel bits with 1/3 cup evaporated milk.  Set aside.

In a bowl, stir together the cake mix, remaining 1/3 cup evaporated milk, and melted butter.  Use an offset spatula to spread 1/2 of the batter in an ungreased 9x13" pan.  Bake for 6-8 minutes.

Take the pan out of the oven and sprinkle with the butterscotch chips and toasted pecans. Pour the melted caramel evenly over the top. Sprinkle with a few pinches fine sea salt.

Dollop the remaining batter on top.  You'll see some of the caramel peeking through.

Bake for 15-20 minutes more, until done.  Do not overbake, caramel brownies are meant to be ooey gooey. :)

Cool on a wire rack before cutting.

Sweet on Trader Joe's Saturday : Blueberry Breakfast Biscuits

Hello, Saturday. Hello, Trader Joe's. These two things just belong together. ♥


Today we review Trader Joe's Blueberry Breakfast Biscuits. They've caught my eye the last few times I've been in TJ's. I think they must be new.

Inside the box, you'll find 5 packets of 4 biscuits each. (A serving size is 4 biscuits.) Each serving contains 22 grams of whole grains and 5 grams of fiber. Part of the description reads, "...biscuit is British for cookie...Blueberry Breakfast Biscuits are ultimately cookies. That you eat for breakfast."

A box will set you back $2.49.


A mom's (my) take: Crispy and thin, yet substantial at the same time, these biscuits hit just the perfect note of sweet and grains. The dried blueberries are just right (as Goldilocks would say), adding chewy bits and fruity sweetness. I'm a huge fan of bars...I eat them often for breakfast and always stash a few in my bag for lunches on the run or when traveling. Crossing my fingers that these are a permanent TJ's item, and not seasonal. These will be on my weekly must-buy list.
Overall rating: 5 of 5 stars

A teenager's (Jack's) take: The blueberry taste permeates the whole thing, which is awesome. They have a whole-grain-y flavor to them, which I'm not normally a huge fan of, but it helps give the biscuits a substantive taste. Also, they're filling, which I wasn't expecting! So, overall, nice flavoring and consistency. My only problem is that it can get stuck in your teeth quite easily :)
Overall rating: 5 out of 5 stars


Trader Joe's Blueberry Breakfast Biscuits: A+ for breakfast or snacking!

[note: We have no affiliation with Trader Joe's. I'm sure they have never read this blog and have no idea who we are. Hey, we like being incognito, although we never wear sunglasses indoors. ;)]

Read all of our Trader Joe's sweet treats and dessert reviews! 

Here's what else we're (ok, I'm) loving this week: 

• Did you happen to see Claire Danes dress for the Met Gala?!? Oh. My. Gosh. She wore the ultimate Cinderella dress that LIT UP....in a good way. Amazing. 
• Let's continue on the the fashion motif for a minute. If you're on the fence about joining Stitch Fix, it's time to GET OFF OF THAT FENCE. You know they recently added shoes? Well, they are so fun. I'm in love. So is Spike. 
• Summer must be fast approaching because all of a sudden, I have hot dogs on the brain. Specifically these and these. 
• Not to be bossy, but you're going to need these chocolate cheesecake-filled strawberries in your life. I mean it. 

*Stitch Fix is an affiliate link, thank you. 

Chocolate Cheesecake-Filled Strawberries

Go ahead and turn on your printer. You're going to want this recipe.


Not only are these Chocolate Cheesecake-Filled Strawberries habit-forming, fantastic, stupendous...they're also something you need in your arsenal of recipes for bridal showers, brunches, dinner parties, and well, random Tuesdays.

 *this post is sponsored by Imperial Sugar

There's no baking here. You'll spend about 40 minutes making the filling and prepping the strawberries. Then, they spend a little time in the fridge setting up, but your work is finished.


[Note: yeah, I have about 237 pictures of these guys; they're just that pretty.]
I used a star tip for piping the cheesecake filling. The first time I made them, though, just to test the recipe, we literally spooned the cheesecake into and onto every strawberry we could get our hands on. Not fancy, but still delicious.


Oh, for transporting...place two strawberries in each cavity of a cupcake carrier or a muffin tin. If you're traveling more than a few minutes, you'll want to keep them chilled.


I'm sharing the recipe for these over on Imperial Sugar today.
Go ahead and print it, I promise it's going to be one of your go-to recipes.

Sweet on Trader Joe's Sunday : Macarons a la parisienne

Ooo la la! Macarons! Oui, Oui!  {insert French sayings here.}


Jack and I are reviewing Trader Joe's Macarons a la parisienne this week. You'll find them in the freezer section. Each box contains 12 macarons: 6 vanilla and 6 chocolate. A box costs $4.99.


I actually used these macarons a few weeks ago. Remember prom? Yes. You do. Well, of course, three days before prom, I thought, "Self, what prom needs is a platter of gold painted macarons. You have time to make them." I was wrong. I did not have time to make them. So, I bought them from Trader Joe's....the same ones we're reviewing today....and I used gold luster dust to paint on them.


Easiest dessert table idea ever.

Let's get on with the reviewing, shall we?

A mom's (my) take: OUI! Oh, these are real and they are spectacular. The thin crunchy shell, the chewy cookie, the perfect amount of filling...it's all there. The chocolate ones, while the shells aren't super chocolatey, have a fudgey, rich ganache center. The vanilla macarons taste like the best vanilla bean ice cream you've ever tasted. They thaw from the freezer in just 30 minutes. I think I'll keep a stash of these on hand at all times.
Overall rating: 5 of 5 stars

A teenager's (Jack's) take: I love these! The vanilla ones are actually my favorite--they are super flavorful and have a "cool" taste. The chocolate ones are slightly more subdued in flavor, a little chewy, and they are dark chocolate. I know I'm not that big of a fan of dark chocolate, but I can definitely put up with these. All in all, you really can't go wrong.

Overall rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Trader Joe's Macarons a la parisienne: Ooo-la-la x 2!

[note: We have no affiliation with Trader Joe's. I'm sure they have never read this blog and have no idea who we are. Hey, we like being incognito, although we never wear sunglasses indoors. ;)]

Read all of our Trader Joe's sweet treats and dessert reviews! 

Here's what else we're (ok, I'm) loving this week: 

• Dancing. With. The. Stars. Why have I never watched this before? Well, maybe I watched a little the first season with John O'Hurley, but...I've never cried so much watching dancing. I mean, how AMAZING is Nyle? Seriously. 
• Since The People vs. OJ Simpson is over, I started reading one of Marcia Clark's novels, Blood Defense. It's good...and you can't help but picture Marcia as the lead character. Go, Marcia! 
• My fashion-forward cousin, Meg, alerted me to this great blog post by StitchFix this week. Loving these outfit ideas! 
• I'm really wanting to make these Strawberry Rhubarb Crumb Bars from A FarmGirl's Dabbles! 

*post contains affiliate links, thank you.