Instant Pot Chocolate Cake

I hope that all of you had a wonderful Christmas!  I'm relaxing and having a slice of this rich cake and a cup of tea from my new poinsettia teacup that my darling daughter gave me, which also has a matching pitcher. 

Isn't the teacup a pretty one?  Red is my favorite color, too!  I'm having some Candy Cane Lane tea today, which goes nicely with the cake.

My son, Mike, who lives with me, has a New Year 's Eve birthday, and I thought I'd try the cake out to see how it tastes.  it was my first time baking a cake.  I like that the 6-cup bundt pan makes for a smaller size cake. 

Yield: Depends on how big you slice

Author: Adapted from shugarysweets.com

Instant Pot Chocolate Cake

This cake is very chocolate-y and dense!

ingredients:

• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3/4 cup hot water
• 1  and 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 and 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 and 1/3 cup flour
• 3/4 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
• For the ganache
• 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

instructions:

How to cook Instant Pot Chocolate Cake

1. In a small bowl combine hot water with cocoa powder. Whisk until smooth and set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar, baking soda, kosher salt, and eggs. Add in sour cream, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract.
3. Whisk until smooth. Stir in flour until fully combined. Add cocoa mixture and beat for 2 minutes, scraping down sides of the bowl as needed. Fold in chocolate chips.
4. Pour batter into a 6 cup bundt pan, that has been greased very thoroughly with baking spray.
5. In the bottom of the Instant Pot add 1 1/2 cups of water. Put the bundt pan on a trivet with handles (and for easier lifting, you can make a sling out of foil if your handles are not long enough) and lower into the pressure cooker.
6. Secure the lid and turn the valve to "SEALING."
7. Select "HIGH PRESSURE" for a cook time of 32 minutes.
8. When cook time ends, allow to naturally release for ten minutes, then do a quick release and remove the cake pan from the pressure cooker.
9. Allow cake to cool in pan for about 5 minutes, then invert onto a cake plate.
10. For the ganache, add chocolate chips and heavy whipping cream to a glass bowl. Heat for 30 second intervals in microwave stirring between each interval.  Let the ganache set to thicken before spreading on top of the cooled cake. 

NOTES:

Decorate the cake with sprinkles, or even leave off the ganache and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

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Sparkling Spice Spritz Cookies

 Here's one more Christmas treat to make, if you have the time.  I'm hoping that Lynn, from Happier Than A Pig In Mud  will try these sometime.  Lynn is the Queen of Spritz (and also Deviled Eggs, crafts, and always good recipes!).

 This is probably my favorite Christmas plate, which is by Johnson Brothers, and the pattern is Merry Christmas.  I just love the old fashioned look of it. 

 The teacup has this pretty Christmas tree inside. 

 I love these vintage salt and pepper shakers that belonged to my late beloved mom.  Don't they have the sweetest faces?

 Harper decorated this tree for me with the little cooking utensils that my daughter bought me years ago. 

 Cissy performed in a Christmas program that we so enjoyed.  She's the one on top!

 Here is my daughter and I with our little star.

 Harper also performed in a Christmas program, where she was the Innkeeper, and sang so many sweet Christmas songs with her class.  I'm so blessed to be able to attend these wonderful events.  That's Hayden on the left, with me, my daughter-in-law, Harper, and my youngest son.  

 

 Merry Christmas to all of you!  

Author: King Arthur Flour, and made by Kitty

Sparkling Spice Spritz Cookies

Even though there are a lot of spices in these cookies, they are not overly spicy. I freeze my cookie sheets when making spritz because it makes it easier for the dough to stick.

ingredients:

• 16 tablespoons  soft unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup  sugar
• 1/2 cup soft cream cheese
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice or ground clove
• 1 large egg yolk
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• coarse sparkling sugar, for decorating

instructions:

How to cook Sparkling Spice Spritz Cookies

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Get out two cookie sheets; they don't need to be greased.  Chill the cookie sheets as you make the dough.
2. Cream together the butter, sugar, cream cheese, salt, vanilla, and spices.
3. Beat in the egg yolk, then stir in the flour.
4. Pipe the cookies onto the chilled cookie sheets.
5. Or drop the dough by the teaspoonful onto the baking sheets; a teaspoon cookie scoop works well here.
6. Top with colored sugar, if desired.
7. Bake the cookies for 10 to 16 minutes, until they're brown around the edges.  (Mine were done around 10 minutes).
8. Remove the cookies from the oven, and let them rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to racks to cool. Be sure to move the cookies to a rack before they're totally cool, as otherwise they may stick to the pan.

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No Place Like Home

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Microwave Peanut Brittle

 Do you need any last minute food gifts to give to family or friends??  I have the best Microwave Peanut Brittle that comes from my high school friend, Lois.  It is so incredibly easy and the BEST! 

 Lois (on the bottom left), and me (on the bottom right) were in theater together in high school, and this was not a class that we got credit for, either.  Our play director was Sister Phillip, and we practiced in the evenings during the school week. We did not have to try out, if I recall correctly, as Sister Phillip just cast us to what she thought was the best fit.  The photo above was in our local Columbus, Ohio newspaper for the promotion of The Imaginary Invalid.  Lois and I also were in You Can't Take It With You, which if you've never seen the play,  is about an zany, eccentric family with one normal person (played by me), who reluctantly, wants to bring her fiancé and his parents home to meet her family.  The moral of the story is that you can have all the riches in the world, but if you're not happy, "you can't take it with you".   We had such fun our Junior and Senior years!  Lois and I also worked together at a snack bar at a swimming pool in the summertime. 

 I'm using my December Royal Albert teacup that my friend gifted me from her late mother's collection.

 My late beloved Dad gifted me this sweet Goebel angel and baby Jesus, back in 1979 (I wrote it on the underside!). 

 My youngest son, Kevin, gifted this tea set when he was just a little boy.

 My late friend, Kathryn, gifted me this sweet angel. 

 My late beloved hubby made me this beautiful wooden box the Christmas before he passed away.  It's always on my dining room table.  My friend, Cheryl, at Homespun Devotions  honored me by including my treasured memory in her post, which can be found here.

My four children gifted me with this beautiful nativity set years ago. 

Author: Made by Kitty, but recipe was shared by Lois

Microwave Peanut Brittle

My friend, Lois, got this recipe from her late beloved mother, who was known as one of Ohio State Buckeyes biggest fans! Thank you for sharing the recipe, Lois! 

ingredients:

• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 and 1/2 cups Raw Spanish Peanuts (I found mine in a 30 oz. bag at Wal Mart)
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• Utensils needed:
• Cookie sheet with sides
• Large (2 quart) glass measuring pitcher with handle
• Wooden spoon

instructions:

How to cook Microwave Peanut Brittle

1. Butter the cookie sheet.  Set aside.
2. Mix the corn syrup and sugar with the wooden spoon in the glass measuring pitcher.  Microwave for 4 minutes* stirring halfway through.
3. Stir in peanuts and salt.  Microwave for 4 minutes* stirring halfway through.
4. Stir in vanilla and butter.  Microwave for 1 minute*.
5. Quickly mix in baking soda until mixture is foamy.  Pour onto buttered cookie sheet.  Tip from side to side to help spread the mixture.   Cool completely.  Crack.  Enjoy!

NOTES:

Lois's hints: *Microwave wattage varies from oven to oven. This recipe worked great in my microwave that is 10 years old, but Lois said that in her new microwave oven, which is 1200 watts, she had to reduce the power to 70%, but used the same times. Hint: Line up your ingredients and measure in advance. Put the salt and peanuts together; the vanilla and butter together; the baking soda in a small dish for the last step.

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Thank you for your visit!  xo

I am sharing this with these lovely parties:

Meal Plan Monday
No Place Like Home

Full Plate

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