eats: gooey butter cake.

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Pardon me for being pompous, but I like to consider myself an expert when it comes to sweets.

I might not be the biggest fan of chocolate (blasphemy, I know), but when it comes to cookies and cakes and ice cream (oh my) I know a good thing when I taste it.

So please take me seriously when I say that butter cake is the dessert of the gods. It’s ooey, gooey, decadent buttery perfection.

Gooey Butter Cake

I don’t make butter cake often - maybe about once a year - but when I do, it brings all the boys to the yard.

Gooey Butter Cake

I follow Paula Deen’s recipe because…well, she’s the butter cake queen.

Aside from being ridiculously delicious, butter cake is actually quite easy to make. You can’t really screw it up (unless you over-bake it…so don’t over-bake it!).

Gooey Butter Cake

So if you’re looking for a relatively easy and definite crowd-pleasing dessert for the holidays - trust me on this one.

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What’s your favorite decadent dessert? What have you been baking so far this holiday season?

 

 

eats: red velvet cake batter brownies with cream cheese frosting.

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Second only to my Original Cake Batter Blondies, this recipe has been my most popular post. It’s been a while since I shared it, so I thought it would be a good time to do a little re-post. You know, since it includes those Christmas colors and all ;)

Red Velvet Cake Batter Brownies || girlmeetslife.com

brownie ingredients:

  • 1 box red velvet cake mix
  • 1/4 cup canola oil
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1/4 cup milk

frosting ingredients:

  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 1/4 cup butter, softened
  • 1 + 3/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

cream cheese frosting

directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put cake mix in a large bowl and mix in the oil and egg. Then add the milk slowly JUST until the batter is combined – you want it to remain as dense as possible. Place batter in a greased 8×8 pan or 8-inch cake pan and bake for 22-25 minutes.

While the brownies are is in the oven, get started on the frosting. Beat the cream cheese and butter until fully combined. Add vanilla and sugar, and continue beating until creamy.

Let brownies cool for at least 30 minutes before cutting/frosting because the gooey center needs to set. The result will be a decadent, brownie-batter texture.

Red Velvet Cake Batter Brownies || girlmeetslife.com

These babies - especially combined with the cream cheese frosting - are pretty much guaranteed to be a crowd pleasing dessert for the holidays.

(Check out all of my Cake Batter recipes here)

eats: Cinnamon Brown Sugar Apple Crisp.

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We’ve all got them – those family favorite recipes that you just have to make every holiday season.

Growing up, I can’t remember a year where we didn’t make Apple Crisp some time around Thanksgiving. It’s the perfect delicious and comforting dessert, which also happens to be quite easy to make. So when asked to partner with Grain Foods Foundation to bring you a holiday favorite recipe, I knew exactly what to share!

Cinnamon Brown Sugar Apple Crisp

ingredients:

  • 4 medium (or 3 large) apples, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 1 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 3/4 cup flour (I used almond flour)*
  • 1 cup regular oats
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted
  • 1 tablespoon + 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons granular sugar

directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place apples in a greased 8×8 baking dish, and sprinkle with granular sugar and 1/2 tsp cinnamon.
In a separate bowl, mix together the melted butter and brown sugar, then add the oats and flour.
Spread topping on the apples and bake for 28-30 minutes.

Cinnamon Brown Sugar Apple Crisp

* I was really excited that using almond flour in this recipe turned out well! White flour and oat flour work great too. You can use the flour of your choice.

Cinnamon Brown Sugar Apple Crisp

One of the best things about this recipe is that you don’t have to (and shouldn’t) wait for it to cool before digging in ;) Don’t forget the vanilla ice cream!

Cinnamon Brown Sugar Apple Crisp

Please note that this post is sponsored by Grain Foods Foundation. All opinions herein are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make this blog possible.

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What’s one of your family’s favorite recipes during the holidays?