Rocky Road Fudge

I love Rocky Road!  I love Rocky Road ice cream, I make a mean Rocky Road Cheesecake, and my Rocky Road cupcakes are a best seller at the church bake sale!  So why not this old fashioned Rocky Road Fudge?  It is the easiest of all the fudge recipes to make and everyone loves it.  How could you not like chocolate and marshmallows and nuts, oh my!    The secret to making sure your marshmallows show in your finished fudge is to freeze them first because adding them. They won't melt so fast in the hot chocolate and you will see them peeking out at the end!  

Rocky Road Fudge

4 cups miniature marshmallows, frozen
4 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups evaporated milk (NOT sweetened condensed milk)
20 large marshmallows
12 oz pkg. semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup butter
1-2 cups chopped walnuts
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Freeze your mini marshmallows for about 3 hours before making your fudge. Do this only with your mini marshmallows and not the larger ones that are coming up.

Combine the sugar, milk and larger marshmallows in a large saucepan and bring to boil over medium high heat. You want to allow the mixture to boil for about 5-6 minutes stirring the whole time so it doesn't burn on the bottom.  You may see some little brown bits come up in your mix, but no worries. Ignore those.

Remove the mixture from the heat and stir in your chocolate chips and butter and vanilla. Set aside for about 10 minutes and then fold in your nuts if using.  I love walnuts but macadamia nuts are good too! Any kind of nuts will do or you can leave them out.

Allow your fudge to sit for about 10 more minutes and then stir in your frozen marshmallows. Then pour into a greased 9 x 13 pan and refrigerate until completely set. Cut in squares and treat yourself to a piece of heavenly Rocky Road Fudge!  

NOTE:  I store my fudge in the refrigerator, but you can just keep in a dry cool place if you prefer.

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Mini Pumpkin Pound Cakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

 

 

 

 

I love these mini cakes to give as gifts during the holidays.  They are so moist and the frosting is so creamy, you will want to make them every year!  I use a mini loaf pan, but you can use a standard size loaf pan if you want to make a larger cake. 

Mini Pumpkin Pound Cakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1 1/2 cup all Purpose Flour
• 1/2 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1/4 teaspoon Ground Cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
• 1 1/2 cup Sugar
• 1/2 cup c. Fat Free Vanilla Yogurt
• 3 Egg Whites
• 1 cup Canned Pumpkin
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• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a loaf pan, set aside. Sift the flour, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cloves, and nutmeg, into a mixing bowl. Set aside.
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• In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar, yogurt, and egg whites. Whisk thoroughly until blended. Stir in the pumpkin. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture. Stir until completely incorporated.
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• Pour into regular loaf pan and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.  Or bake for only 25 minutes if you choose to use mini pans as I did.  Allow to cool on a wire rack before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1/4 cup butter
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature
1 pound confectioners' sugar, about 3 3/4 cups before sifting
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Sprinkling of cinnamon

Using a mixer, combine all ingredients except for cinnamon and blend well.  You can spread on top of cooled cake or pipe on your frosting as I have done in the photo.  Follow with a light sprinkling of cinnamon.

Photograph is the property of and copyrighted to ©Welcome Home

 

Red Velvet Cake Roll

 

 



This is the perfect cake for the holidays and so easy to make.  It’s light and moist with that hint of chocolate that makes it perfect. Paired with luxurious cream cheese frosting, it is undeniably delicious. Just close your eyes and imagine a tender moist cake wrapped around a decadent, rich cream cheese filling – not only is it a beautiful presentation, it is utterly irresistible.

Red Velvet Cake Roll

3/4 cup cake flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 tablespoons buttermilk
1 teaspoon vinegar
2 (or more) drops red food coloring
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the cream cheese filling

8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
2-3 cups confectioners powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 10x15 inch jelly roll pan with nonstick cooking spray, line with wax paper, then generously spray again. On a flat surface, lay down a thin, clean kitchen towel and sprinkle with powdered sugar; set aside.

In a medium sized bowl, sift together cake flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In another bowl, using an electric hand mixer, beat eggs on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until frothy and pale yellow in color. Add sugar and oil beat until well- combined. Beat in buttermilk, vinegar, red food coloring, and vanilla.

Reduce hand mixer speed to low and slowly beat in dry ingredients until just combined.

Pour batter into prepared pan and spread evenly to the edges. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until cake springs back when lightly touched in the center.

 

 

Upon removal from the oven, immediately run a knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the cake. Swiftly invert the cake onto the kitchen towel that has been sprinkled with powdered sugar. Gently peel off the wax paper and discard. Then, starting at the short end, slowly roll up the cake and the towel together. Set aside on a wire rack to cool.

 

In the meantime, prepare the cream cheese filling. In a medium sized bowl, using an electric hand mixer, beat together cream cheese and butter until smooth and well-combined. Beat in powdered sugar until well incorporated.

Once cake roll is completely cooled, carefully unroll. Evenly spread cream cheese filling over the surface of the roll. Then, roll the cake up again, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.

Photography is the property of and copyrighted to Welcome Home.