Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Cake

I really, really love making cakes. The baking, layering, and decorating. It's all so fun! Part of me is actually sad every time I finish a cake because it's all over so quick, lol. This cake was so awesome. It has two chocolate cake layers, and a chocolate chip cheesecake layer! Woah, right? It's absolutely delicious. The whole thing goes together so well, it's actually surprising. I made this for my father's birthday and he loved it :) Well, everyone at the party loved it! It's definitely a crowd-pleaser and I don't think there are many who wouldn't like it. 

This cake was not hard to make, you may just have to space it out a bit. I made the cheesecake layer and the cake layers the day before, and stored them in the fridge. The day of the party, I made the icing and assembled and decorated the cake. I tried to write with melted chocolate, and I don't recommend that method... It was much trickier than I thought it would be! I garnished it with gold chunky sprinkles that added a beautiful touch and a nice crunch. I love this cake I will definitely be making it again :)

Beautiful layers!

Amazing.

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

• 3 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese (room temperature)
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Line the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan with wax paper. Grease the sides.

Use an electric mixer to beat cream cheese and sugar together. Mixing by hand, add eggs one at time. Blend in vanilla. Fold in chocolate chips and pour in to pan.

Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce temperature to 250 degrees and continue baking for 35 more minutes. Remove from oven and run a sharp knife around the edge of the pan to release the cheesecake. Cool completely in the pan, then chill in the refrigerator.

Chocolate Cake

• 1 cup boiling water
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup buttermilk (OR add 1 T. vinegar to 1 c. milk, let sit for 5 minutes)
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottom of two 9 inch round pans with wax paper. Grease the sides. Bring some water to a boil and keep it simmering while you mix the other ingredients.

In a large mixing bowl combine the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add the eggs, buttermilk, oil and vanilla. Beat with mixer until combined.

Add 1 cup of the boiling water and carefully stir until it is mixed in. Beat for 1 1/2 minutes with mixer. Pour the batter into pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes (until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean).

  Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 6 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 1/2 oz. unsweetened baking chocolate, melted
• 1 t. vanilla extract
• 1/2 c. milk (may use less)

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar on low speed. Add chocolate and vanilla, mix well. Gradually add milk until you reach the desired consistency. Keep covered.

Chocolate Ganache

• 1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 c. heavy cream
• 1 t. vanilla extract

Place the chocolate chips in a metal bowl. Heat cream over medium heat. Watch it closely and immediately remove from heat when it starts to boil. Pour over chocolate chips. Let sit for 1 or 2 minutes. Then slowly stir the mixture. Continue to stir until all the chips have completely melted. Stir in the vanilla.

Assembling Your Cake:
Level the tops of your chocolate cake layers. Place one of the cake layers on top of the cheesecake in the springform pan. Invert the pan onto a cake stand, release the spring and remove the pan and wax paper. Top with the second layer of cake and spread buttercream frosting over the entire cake.

Press mini semi-sweet chocolate chips (approx. 2 cups) onto the sides of the cake. Put the cake in the fridge for an hour, then pour ganache on the top and smooth with a spatula. I used melted white chocolate in a piping bag to make the design on the top of my cake.

Here's a picture of the brick oven our family friend built himself! We went to his house for the party. So awesome. And he makes the BEST pizza.

Source: http://birdonacake.blogspot.com/2012/03/chocolate-chip-cheesecake-cake.html

Reese's Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake

I believe peanut butter and chocolate are a match made in heaven. This cake is a perfect example of that! It is one of the best cake's I have ever made... It starts off with a moist chocolate cake, layered with possibly the best peanut butter frosting I have ever had, and Reese's cups! Then the whole thing is frosted with the peanut butter frosting and a chocolate peanut butter ganache is poured over that. All the components are very quick and easy and if you allow yourself enough time, you can make the whole thing in a couple hours! Just thinking about it makes me drool.

I made this for my bestfriend's birthday and it's the third birthday cake I've made for him over the years we've been together. A cookie's n' cream cake, a chocolate fudge cake, and this. He said this is his favorite of them all! His favorite candy is Reese's cups though, so he may be biased ;) It's so good it may actually make a reappearance this year. This cake is truly amazing and I recommend it to all.

Mm the frosting shot!

Many Reese's were used in the making of this cake...

I seriously love this picture so much. That icing was amazing.

Reese's Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake 
Chocolate Cake:
1 cup boiling water
2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk (OR 1 c. milk mixed with 1 T. vinegar)
1/2 cup oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Peanut Butter Frosting:
1 cup salted butter (softened)
2 cups creamy peanut butter
4 cups confectioners' sugar
approx. 1/3 cup milk

Chocolate Peanut Butter Ganache:
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
4 tablespoons peanut butter
1 cup heavy cream
4 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions
Chocolate Cake
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottoms of three 8 inch round cake pans with wax paper; grease the sides of the pans. Bring a small pan of water to a boil and keep it simmering while you mix the other ingredients.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add the eggs, buttermilk, oil and vanilla. Beat with mixer until combined.
Add 1 cup of the boiling water and carefully stir until it is mixed in. Beat for 1 1/2 minutes with mixer. Batter will be thin. Pour the batter into prepared pans and bake for 18-22 minutes (until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean).

Peanut Butter Frosting
In a medium bowl, beat the butter and peanut butter with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add the sugar. When it starts to get thick, add the milk a little at a time until frosting is spreadable. (The amount of milk you use depends on the thickness of your peanut butter.) Beat for 3 minutes or until fluffy.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Ganache
Place the chocolate chips and peanut butter in a metal bowl. Heat cream over medium heat. Watch it closely and immediately remove from heat when it starts to boil. Pour over chocolate chips and peanut butter. Let sit for 2 minutes. Slowly stir the mixture until all the chips have completely melted and it is thoroughly combined. Stir in the vanilla and corn syrup. Let the ganache cool if you prefer a thicker consistency.

Assembling your cake:
You need one 12 oz. bag of Reese's miniatures. Eat 2 peanut butter cups, save 12 to garnish the top of the cake, and chop up the rest. Level your cake layers and place one on a cake stand. Spread peanut butter frosting on the first cake layer, then sprinkle half of the chopped Reese's on top. Press them down into the frosting with your spatula. Repeat with the second cake layer. Place your third cake layer on top, then cover the whole cake with peanut butter frosting. Pour ganache on the top of the cake, and smooth it with a spatula. Garnish the cake top with your remaining 12 Reese's minis.

I think that is chicken behind the cake... Looks kinda funny! Hehe :)

Source: http://birdonacake.blogspot.com/2012/01/reeses-chocolate-peanut-butter-cake.html