Brown Butter Rice Krispie Treats 2.0

I have a recipe for brown butter rice krispie treats courtesy of Bravetart that is out of this world. My husband called them “the best dessert [I’ve] ever made” and I wholeheartedly agree. BUT they can be a bit of a pain to make.

I’ve spent the last few weeks making batch after batch of rice krispie treats mostly because I’ve been craving them but also because my goal is to replicate the consistency and flavor of Bravetart’s recipe but with store-bought marshmallows.

Instead of dirtying a bunch of bowls, needing a candy thermometer and gelatin, a stand mixer, etc. This recipe is about 98% of the way there and requires one pot and one extra large bowl…and about 17 minutes.

I promise that setting aside 17 minutes of your time this week to make these will be well worth it.

Brown Butter Rice Krispie Treats

8 oz butter
9 cups cereal (mix of rice krispies and anything you please)
16 oz. mini marshmallows (divided)
¼ tsp salt

Make the rice krispie treats: Prepare a 9x13 pan with parchment paper. Pour the cereal into an extra large bowl and add 4 oz or ¼ of the marshmallows to the cereal.

Melt the butter in a stainless steel pot over medium heat. Continue stirring, scraping the brown bits that form on the bottom of the pot, until the butter is golden and no longer bubbling (10 minutes). Add the rest of the marshmallows and salt to the pot and begin stirring until fully melted.

Immediately pour the marshmallow mixture to the bowl of cereal and begin mix until all of the cereal is fully covered. Once fully mixed, press evenly into the prepared pan.

Let cool…or not…

Almond Cake with White Chocolate Buttercream

I had the privilege of celebrating my grandfather's 90th birthday this summer with all of my aunts and uncles and cousins from far and wide. It was a great weekend honoring a man who has a way with words. Words that include (when surrounded by all of his grandkids): this is what happens when you get drunk 60 years ago.

This man deserved a celebratory cake. One made from almonds, filled with a MN tart cherry filling, and covered in a white chocolate buttercream.

We also lied profusely to my daughter telling her the party was Sunday morning when, in fact, it was an adults only Saturday evening event. So I made her a mini cake with a bow and sprinkles. And she will never know the truth until she is old enough to read and happens upon this blog post.

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Almond Cake with White Chocolate Buttercream
adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Almond Cake
510g (4 ½ cups) cake flour
4 ½ tsp baking powder
¾ tsp salt
⅔ cup prepared almond paste (7 ounces)
535g (2 ⅔ cups) sugar
283g (2 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, room temp.
1 tbsp almond extract
10 egg whites
370g (1 ½ cups) whole milk

White Chocolate Buttercream
226g (1 ⅓ cups) white chocolate, chopped
339g (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp.
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
3 tbsp light corn syrup
¼ tsp salt
226g (1 ¾ cups) confectioners’ sugar

Make the cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter or spray three 8 or 9-inch cake pans. Line the bottom of each pan with parchment paper. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. 

Place the almond paste and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat on low to break up the almond paste. Increase to medium speed for about 2 minutes, or until the paste is broken into fine particles.

Add the butter and almond extract and beat well, then add the egg whites, two at a time, just long enough to incorporate. Scrape down the sides of the bowl several times to make sure it is evenly mixed.

Add one-third of the dry ingredients to the mixture and fold with a large rubber spatula until combined. Fold in half the milk. Fold in half the remaining flour mixture, followed by the remaining milk. Finally, fold in the last of the dry ingredients until no streaks of white remain. Divide the batter among the three prepared cake pans.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. 

Make the white chocolate buttercream:
Put 1-inch of water in a saucepan and bring to a gentle boil.

Melt the white chocolate in a double boiler; stir constantly until the chocolate is just melted. Set aside to cool.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla, corn syrup and salt and mix until combined. Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the sugar. Beat until smooth. Add the white chocolate and beat on low until combined.

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Rainbow Cake with Black Frosting

I work for a great company filled with amazing people. One of those great people sits ten feet from me, loves my cakes, and has two daughters who happen to celebrate birthdays and holidays and request (read: demand) a cake at these events.

This friend’s youngest daughter requested a jet black cake filled with rainbow layers for her birthday. I used my favorite yellow cake recipe and dyed each layer a different color: pink, yellow, and green. I covered it with a smooth and glossy black frosting, added some sprinkles and then delivered it via the simplest delivery/pickup scenario: to a desk down the hall.

The birthday girl and her friends loved it which is all I can ask for.

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Rainbow Cake with Black Frosting
adapted from Sweetapolita and King Arthur Flour

Yellow Cake Layers
397g sugar
390g all purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
170g unsalted butter, room temp.
1 1/2 cups whole milk, room temp.
1 tbsp vanilla extract
4 large eggs
food coloring (optional)

Black Frosting
454g unsalted butter, room temp
500g powdered sugar
90g dark (preferably black) cocoa powder
1/2 cup hot water
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
240g dark chocolate, chopped or chips, melted
Soft gel paste color in Super Black

Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease three 6" cake pans and line with parchment paper.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the butter and beat with the paddle attachment at low speed, until the mixture looks sandy.

Combine the milk and vanilla and add all at once. Mix at low speed for 30 seconds, then increase the speed to medium and beat for 30 seconds.

Scrape the bottom and sides of the mixing bowl.

With the mixer running at low speed, add 1 egg. Increase the speed to medium and beat for 30 seconds.

Repeat this procedure with the second egg. Continue adding the eggs, scraping after each addition, until all 4 are added.

After the last egg is added, scrape the bowl once more, then beat at medium-high speed for 30 more seconds.

Transfer the batter to each pan, smooth the tops. and smack the pans on the counter to get the air bubbles out of the batter.

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the cake is golden brown around the edges and just beginning to pull away from the edge of the pan. A toothpick inserted in the center will come out clean.

Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool for 5 minutes, then turn it out onto a rack to cool completely.

Make the frosting: In a bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 6 minutes.

Sift together the powdered sugar and cocoa powder. On low speed, add the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, water, sour cream, vanilla, and salt and beat until incorporated.

Increase the speed to medium and beat for 2 more minutes. Add the melted chocolate and beat on medium speed until smooth. Add 1 tsp of the black gel color and mix until combined. Wait about 15 minutes for the color to develop fully. Add more color if necessary until you get the desired tint.

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