Graveyard mini cakes
Makes 18 mini cakes
Cake:
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon instant coffee
1/3 cup boiling water
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted and slightly cooled
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup chocolate chips
Topping:
1 cup chocolate chips
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup chocolate sandwich cookie crumbs
Skeleton Candies
Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray cavities of Wilton Petite Loaf Pan with vegetable pan spray.
In small bowl, dissolve instant coffee into boiling water; set aside to cool.
In medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside. In large bowl, beat butter and sugar with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each. Add vanilla, chocolate, and coffee; mix well. Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk, starting and ending with flour; mix well. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour into prepared pans.
Bake 16 to 18 minutes or until cake tester inserted into center comes out clean. Cool in pan 5 minutes; remove to cooling grid and cool completely before icing.
In microwave-safe bowl, heat chocolate chips and cream for one minute on 50% power; stir to combine. Continue heating at 30 second intervals until chips are melted and combined with cream. Let stand until thickened slightly. Spread the tops of each cake with a layer of chocolate cream; sprinkle with cookie crumbs, pressing lightly into chocolate. Insert skeleton candies.
Los Angeles police say two suspects have been arrested for the murder of 5-year-old Aaron Shannon, and are being held without bail. Leonard Hall Jr., 21, was taken into custody today (Friday) about at 2:10 a.m. at an apartment in the 200 block of West. 27th Str. Marcus Denson, 18, was arrested Thursday evening by Sheriff’s deputies in the 1100 block of East 83rd Street. Law enforcement officials say both suspects are active gang members.
Busy families looking to stretch their food dollars are discovering they can save time and money by starting or joining a cooking club. Three or four families team up, pool resources and spend part of one day cooking a week’s worth of meals together. It’s a fun way to put nutritious food on the table without spending a fortune.
LOS ANGELES, Calif.—With little ghosts and goblins heading out into the night for tricks and treats, the Los Angeles Department of Transportation is offering some safety tips to keep everyone safe this Halloween.
Here are some guidelines for demonstrating safe pedestrian behavior as children walk through neighborhoods today and tonight.
As each October creeps up on Cindy Flanagan, DDS, MAGD, spokesperson for the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD), her mind always wanders to the amount of sweets both children and adults will be consuming during the last few months of the year.
“Too many sweets can cause a spooky mouth,” says Dr. Flanagan. “People have the tendency to graze on the sugary treats lying around the house during the holidays, and this increases the likelihood of cavities.”
With warmer weather upon us, it’s time for coffee aficionados to find alternatives to that familiar steaming mug. Experimenting with iced coffee drinks is one way to put a cool twist on an old favorite.
If you love hot coffee, you will likely enjoy iced coffee if you learn to brew it correctly. Many people brew hot, regular strength coffee and pour it over ice, which can dilute the flavor; the secret to a perfect cup of iced coffee is to brew it double strength, chill and then add ice.
