This yummy treat has that perfect blend of salty and sweet. If you’re not serving it right away, keep the caramel topping separate and heat and add right before serving. While you can add it earlier, I love it fresh and warm!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt

For topping:
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Sea salt for the top

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.   
Spray a 9″ square baking pan with cooking spray.
Blend butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then add the eggs and vanilla, mixing well.
Stir in flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt and mix until well blended.
Spread into prepared pan.
Bake for 30-40 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center of brownies comes out clean.

Caramel sauce topping:
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium low heat.  
Stir in the brown sugar and whisk for approximately 2 minutes.
Add in the whipping cream and  whisk for approximately another 2 minutes.
Stir in vanilla.

To serve:  
Cut brownies into squares.  Drizzle with caramel topping.  Sprinkle top with sea salt.   

Summer is here and along with long, lazy days of summer vacation come summer celebrations!  My birthday falls right smack dab in the middle of July with my husband’s coming two weeks later.  Whether you’re celebrating summer birthdays, or another event like a family reunion, anniversary party, bon voyage or “just because”, Betty Crocker has lots of fun summer cake ideas to get your creativity flowing.

Ice Cream Cone Cakes – Kids of all ages will love personalizing these single-serving cakes! And this infographic shows easy step-by-step directions to make these unique cakes that are both adorable AND delicious!  (Keep reading below to find more fun cake ideas!)

This is an easy way to make a cake that requires NO slicing and is much easier than making and frosting a cake that is made up of a bunch of individual cupcakes stacked together.  Ours was designed to look like a snowball, but that “snowy” look is totally optional!

NOTE:  This actually makes TWO cakes!

Prepare white cake mix according to package directions.
Using two 9″ round pie plates, nestle 12 cupcake papers into each.
Fill the wrappers half-way with batter:

Bake according to box directions for a layer cake.  Once they start to barely brown, stick a toothpick in the center to see if it comes out clean – if so, they’re done! (I cooked these just a bit too long.)

Let the cake cool thoroughly, and then transfer to a serving plate.  It’s ok if the pieces come apart while you’re doing this – it’s easy to fit them back together like a puzzle.  Frost with your favorite frosting.

These yummy brownies are a classic mixture of chocolate, marshmallows and nuts. If you want to take a shortcut, you can always put the topping mixture on a boxed brownie mix. 

Chocolate Rocky Road Brownies Recipe

1/2 cup flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups mini marshmallows
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt in a small bowl.  In a large bowl, beat together butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla.  Stir in dry ingredients.  Spread into a greased 9-inch square baking pan.  Bake for 22 minutes.  Sprinkle top with marshmallows, chocolate chips and walnuts.  Return to oven for 5 minutes or until marshmallows start to puff up and brown.  Let cool completely before slicing into squares.

These yummy cupcakes are perfect for packing in lunches, taking on car trips, bringing to a picnic…or basically for anyplace where traditional cupcakes with soft gooey frosting on top could end up being a mess.  These have a fun surprise in the MIDDLE instead!

Ingredients:
Yellow Cake Mix
(additional ingredients as listed on cake mix box)
8 oz package of cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line 24 muffin tins with cupcake papers.  Prepare cake mix as directed on box.  Fill liners 1/2 full with batter.  In a small bowl, mix together cream cheese, egg and sugar until smooth.  Stir in the chocolate chips.  Drop appx 1 Tbsp of cream cheese mixture onto each of the half-filled cupcake liners.  Bake for 20 minutes or until tops are golden and they spring back when lightly touched.

Trying to figure out what to do with all that leftover Halloween candy, or the bagful your kids brought home?  You can use that extra chocolate to make candy bar cookies. The candy bars melt right into the cookies – YUM!

1 1/4 cup flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup any variety chocolate candy bar, cut into 1/2″ pieces

1. Preheat oven to 325 F.
2. Mix flour, baking powder and salt. Set to side.
3. In large bowl, beat butter and sugar on medium speed and until smooth and fluffy, or about 30 seconds.
4. Blend in egg and vanilla.
5. Reduce mixer speed and add flour mixture, mixing just until flour is well mixed.
6. Gently blend in candy bar pieces.
7. Drop batter by large tablespoons on baking sheets. Bake for approximately 8 minutes, watching to prevent burning.
8. Remove while warm to prevent sticking and cool on wire racks.