Baking Shenanigans

So, if you know me, you know I love to bake.  Typically I bake without issues.  Yes, my kitchen is a COMPLETE disaster, and I eat more dough than I bake, but Saturday was more than a mess in my kitchen.

I had a zucchini to bake up, and since Jacob was taking an epic nap, I figured I would bake up something pumpkin as well. Both had massive issues.  And there are several witnesses.

With the zucchini, Mike had wanted a chocolate cake.  The recipe is listed below, it's really good with ice cream.  So I mixed the cake, poured it in the bundt pan and popped it in the oven.

While that was baking, I started on the Pumpkin Pops.  I had mixed up all the dough when the Wildt family showed up to visit.  While the boys stole toys from each other (the little boys, not the big boys...) I figured  I would get the pumpkin baking.  As I am pouring the batter into the muffin tins, I heard some popping in the oven.  I opened the oven, and thought my pan had shattered.

There was white batter dripping onto the bottom.  Note the color, i was making a chocolate cake...

I said to Serena and Mike, that I thought the pan cracked.  So, I pulled the pan out, and realized it was applesauce.  I lifted up the pan, and wedged in the middle of the underside was a package of applesauce.  Seriously. 

I must have set the bundt pan on top of the container and put in the oven without realizing it.  (I did test my theory later last night, and yes, it does stick.  The container was in the oven for about 40 minutes before it started leaking.  Mike popped the container off, and back into the oven it went.  (Side note, cake still tastes yummy!)

So, after that fiasco, I finish baking the pumpkin pops.  I'm talking with Serena (obviously not a good combo for me and baking.)  Once they are done baking, I melted the butter, added the cinammon and sugar, and tried to roll the pumpkin pop in the butter.  While doing this i realized the stupidity in what i had done, and Serena got to watch the lightbulb finally click in my brain. 

Yes, I was supposed to melt the butter.  And mix sugar and cinammon.  But not mix the two together.  And I did try, but no, it does not work to roll the pumpkin in the sugar butter. 

So, I then started from scratch with new butter, and proceeded to run out of both cinammon and sugar.  So, half of the bites aren't sugared, but they still taste good.  Luckily, it all still tastes good, but seriously, I dont even know how the thought even crossed my mind that I should dump the sugar into melted butter...

Pumpkin Poppers

• 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp. allspice
• 1/8 tsp. ground cloves
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup pumpkin
• 1/2 cup milk

For Coating

• 1 stick unsalted butter, melted
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 tbsp. cinnamon
• Preheat oven to 350 F and spray mini muffin tins with non-stick cooking spray.
  
  Combine flour, baking soda,salt, and spices in a bowl and whisk until combine.
  
  In another bowl, mix oil, brown sugar, egg, vanilla, pumpkin, and milk.  Pour in flour mixture and mix until just combined.  Fill mini muffin tins until almost full and bake 10-12 minutes. 
  
  Melt butter in small bowl.  Mix sugar and cinnamon in a separate small bowl.  After popper cool for a few minutes, dip them in the butter and roll them in the sugar mixture.  Enjoy.  :)

Zucchini Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups white sugar
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
• 3 cups grated zucchini
• 3/4 cup choc chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Add the eggs and oil, mix well. Fold in the chips and zucchini until they are evenly distributed. Pour into the prepared pan.
3. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes in the preheated oven, until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool cake completely before frosting with your favorite frosting.