One of the "Best Baking Blogs on the Web" !?!?!

Wow, not alot of pressure there, huh???

I am a simply an easy blogger. I am also thrilled to pieces!!!

Thank you FoodBuzz!
I am thrilled to be featured as one of

 "The Best "Baking" Blogs on the Web".

Can You believe it??

Me ??? I am so shocked! (A little proud too).

I do bake, but I have to admit, there are lots of bloggers that bake alot more than I do. The only thing I think I do differently is that I try to make it easier for Everyone to bake. I so hope that comes across. I want everyone to feel that if they take my recipe and instructions into their kitchen that they will come out with the result they see here on my blog. That's my mission for everything I post here. I bake or cook every single dish I post. I go through every ingredient and concentrate very intently on making the ingredient lists available to anyone who can get to a grocery store. I truly want to empower anyone who wants to cook, but has been intimidated to do so or just thinks it's too much trouble.

Since the concentration of this honor is on my baking..I thought I'd highlight a few of the things that have been most popular in my baking efforts. I so hope you enjoy them.

Streusal Pumpkin Bread
 ~ Featured on Foodbuzz ~

Homemade Hamburger Rolls

Boston Cream Pie Cheesecake

Lemon Coconut Tartlets

As always Thank You EVERYONE who reads, comments and follows Food is Love.

 I truly am honored for the privilege to be a part of your Food Experience! 

Chocolate Divinity Cupcakes

Have you ever looked at a dessert and thought...it doesn't look like much, 

but when you take a bite...You were wowwed by it's perfection? 

This is that cake! This is that Dessert!

Here we have an unassuming little chocolate cake

Seems innocent enough. 

Looks like a Simple Chocolate Cake with A nice Chocolate Ganache on top.

Right?

Nice enough. looks moist...and yummy chocolaty. 

Bet that Ganache is really good. I love Ganache, don't you?

But wait...what do we have here?

A surprise inside?? Is that Cream oozing out the side??

Can looks be so deceiving?

Let's slice this Lil Cake open... I want to know what's inside now...

WOW !!!

Layers of Pastry cream

and a Cheesecake Layer Too?!?!

Can it be?

This little unassuming cake. All Chocolaty and sweet on the outside and then

 WOW on the inside!

I need a closer look. I need details!

Let's look at the diagram!

Let me get this straight.

A chocolate cake, with a cheesecake layer.

Stuffed with Pastry cream.

And then slathered in Chocolate Ganache??

"How does she do it?" You Ask.

It is so easy you'll be making them before you stop reading this! 

Here we go:

Mini Chocolate Boston Cream Cheesecakes

Ingredients

Chocolate Cake:

Chocolate Cake Mix

3 eggs

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 1/3 cup water

Cheesecake Mixture:

16 oz Cream Cheese Softened

2 eggs

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp Vanilla

Pastry Cream:

1 cup whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp Butter

7 tbsp Sugar
2 tablespoon cornstarch
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
pinch of salt

Chocolate Ganache

8 oz Dark Chocolate (chopped)

1 cup Heavy cream

2 tbsp Butter

Instructions:

Prepare Pastry cream.

I was always intimidated by Pastry cream, but once I saw this video from Food Wishes Videos, I was fine.

In a Mixing bowl combine eggs, sugar and cornstarch. Set aside.

In a Medium Saucepan on medium high heat, combine milk, cream and butter.

Bring to a boil.

Lower to low heat and add egg mixture.

Whisking constantly, the mixture will thicken.

Whisk for minimum 1 minute.

Remove from heat.

Strain.

Cover mixture and refrigerate for minimum 2 hours.

(this is really important. mixture must be cold and thick for inserting into cake)

Prepare Ganache

In a medium sauce pan place 1 1/2 cups of water.

Top with oven proof bowl.

Add chocolate and cream.

Stir until chocolate melts and cream incorporates.

Once chocolate is incorporated into cream add butter.

Continue to stir until butter has melted into Ganache and the mixture becomes glossy.

Cover bowl and set aside until fully cooled.

Preheat Oven to 350

Grease or Paper Cup the Cupcake tins

(I used a rectangular cupcake pan, so mine are rectangular)

Prepare Cupcakes:

Prepare Chocolate Cake Mix to box ingredients.

Pour 2 tbsp of batter into each muffin tin.

Bake at 350 for 7-8 minutes

Remove from oven and set aside

Leave oven on!

Prepare Cheesecake Mixture

In a mixing bowl beat together eggs and sugar.

Add in cream cheese.

Beat well.

Add vanilla.

Add 2 tbsp of batter into each muffin tin.

Add remaining Chocolate Cake batter evenly divided over top of each cupcake.

Fill each well only 3/4 full.

Place a baking pan half filled with water in lower shelf of the oven

Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes on middle shelf of oven.

Cakes are done when touched top bounces back.

Cool 1 hour on a rack.

Assembly:

Take each cake and slice into cake top on an angle inward.

Continue around cake until you can remove cupcake top. (keep top intact!)

Fill each cupcake well with Pastry cream. (may  use pastry bag or teaspoon)

Top each cake with it's top.

Press top down, gingerly so cream stays intact.

Frost with Ganache.

Refrigerate 1 hour.

Serve! 

Notes:

**Once cakes have set up they can remain out of refrigerator for decent periods of time.

They just need time to set up in fridge. once that happens you are all set.

I so hope you enjoy this recipe. It was alot of fun!

Thank you again Food Wishes video for your Pastry Cream Divinity!!!!