DIY Mocha Icing

Espresso is the base of most fancy coffee drinks - lattes, cappuccinos, macchiatos, and mochas.  One of my favorites is a mocha - hot chocolate mixed with espresso.  I found an easy way to bring espresso to your dessert with two-toned mocha icing.

Bill of Materials

Chocolate Icing

Vanilla Icing

Espresso

First mix your icings - one spoon full of vanilla in the chocolate and one spoonful of chocolate in the vanilla.  This mix will provide the chocolate base needed, but with a light chocolate and dark chocolate. 

Next add about a shot of espresso (approximately two tablespoons) to each bowl of icing and mix thoroughly!  The smell is delish!






Use icing, as you normally would on cakes, brownies, coffee cake, etc.  Your kitchen will smell like a coffee shop!

I made these a delicious mocha treat for Easter.  I used the two toned icing to decorate egg shaped brownies.  Yum Yum!

Decorated Easter Egg Brownies

This year for Easter I wanted to decorate eggs and make a fun dessert - I didn't have time to do both so I compromised!  I made egg shaped brownies and decorated those!  I guess you could say I got my "cake" and ate it too! 

Bill of Materials

Brownies

Icing

M&Ms

Egg Shaped Cookie Cutter

First, I baked a sheet of brownies per the instructions.  As soon as they came out of the oven, I used the thick cookie cutter to cut the brownies into the egg shape and allowed them to cool.  I wanted to cut the brownies before they cooled all the way so they wouldn't get too flaky before trying to cut. 

Then, I removed the brownies from the pan by removing the surrounding brownie and using a spatula to lift out each egg.

Next, I iced the brownies using vanilla icing.

Decorating time!  I used the M&M's to decorate shapes and patterns to create fun Easter Eggs!

This dessert would be a great activity for older kids as well! Try different candy, or different colored icing - mix it up!

Two Recipes: CAKE MIX Cookies and Brownies

I thought I would share a little secret…

I LOVE CAKE !!!

(okay that’s not much of a secret)… 

but I have two AWESOME recipes that use cake mix to make cookies and brownies!  This little trick is useful for an impromptu get together if you need desserts in a jiffy and just have cake mix in a cupboard (or if you just want a delicious snack).

Cake Mix Brownies:

Ingredients:

1 Cake Mix (any kind will do!)

1/4 cup Water

1 Egg

Directions:

1.  Mix all ingredients together.

2.  Grease pan and then press thick batter into pan.

3.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 - 25 minutes.

5.  Enjoy! 

Cake Mix Cookies:

Ingredients:

1 Cake Mix

1/2 cup Oil

2 Eggs

Icing {if desired}

Directions:

1.  Blend all ingredients.

2.  Place dough balls onto ungreased cookie sheet.

3.  Bake at 320 degrees for 10 - 12 minutes.

4.  Enjoy!

5.  Add icing for a cake mix cookie sandwich!

Smores Brownie Bites

I love making treats that look decadent, but are no trouble at all to create!  These little beauties are SUPER easy to make, and you probably have all the supplies in your house already (and if you don’t, you can easily pick them up at your nearby grocery store).  The best part about this recipe, is that you can mix and match items that you currently have on hand to make something delicious AND pretty! 

Bill of Materials:

Brownies

Marshmallow Fluff

Graham Crackers

Chocolate Sauce

Start with Brownies – seems a bit simple, but seriously, you can make small ones (I used a mini cupcake pan and made them using my favorite boxed recipe).  But, you can also make large brownies, cut out brownies, heck, even buy them (I won’t tell!).  But you will need brownies!

After the brownies are cool, dollop some marshmallow fluff on top of each one.

Drizzle your chocolate sauce (any ol’ kind will do! – I used a Ghridelli chocolate sauce, it’s what I had on hand at the time!).   Then, top it off with some crushed graham crackers – or crushed teddy grahams, or Nutella wafers… you get the idea.

Yum!