Cherry Coke Parfait!

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This month the ingredients for the Behind the Curtain Dessert Challenge are coca cola and cherry. Since I  officially became a resident of the south this past December, I felt it was time to embrace my new home, and make my first official cola cake. I have heard about these cakes before, but until now, I had never made one. I am sure glad I did. It is moist and has those yummy pockets of marshmallow that just make your mouth smile! I cut the cake into small bites, stuffed it in a mason jar, piled on some cherries, topped it with whipped cream, and make Cherry Coke Parfaits. Yum! I hope you enjoy them!

Cherry Coke Parfait

(cake recipe from Cake Doctor)
1 package White Cake Mix

4 tablespoons Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

8 tablespoons Butter-melted

1 cup Cola

1/2 cup Buttermilk

2 large Eggs

1 teaspoon Vanilla 

1 1/2 cups Mini Marshmallows

1 can Comstock Canned Cherries

1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream

1/2 cup Confectioners Sugar

1 teaspoon Vanilla

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Spray a 13'x9' pan with vegetable cooking spray.

Don't add flour.

Put the cake mix, cocoa powder, melted butter, cola,

buttermilk, eggs and vanilla in your mixing bowl. Blend on low 

for 1 minute, then kick it up to medium for 2 more minutes.

Scrape down the sides of your bowl. 

Add the mini marshmallows, and fold them into the batter.

Place the batter into your baking dish and cook for 40-42 minutes.

Let it cool for 15 minutes. 

Once cool, cut some of the pieces into small bite sizes.

Place the small pieces in the bottom of your jar or cup.

Top with some cherries.

Then add another layer of cake and a layer of cherries.

Pour your heavy whipping cream into your mixing bowl.

Start to mix on medium using a whisk beater.

 Add your sugar and vanilla.

Turn mixer to high and mix until the cream becomes
whipped cream.

Place whipped cream in a pastry bag,

and use Wilton M tip to top the parfait.

Garnish the whipped cream with

hearts or chocolate sprinkles!

Enjoy your Cherry Coke Parfait!

Thank you for stopping by The Freshman Cook Today!

I am so glad you did!

Check below for all the other entries in the Dessert Challenge:
 

 

Hot Chocolate w/ Marshmallows Sugar Cookies

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Today I am participating in the Lady Behind The Curtain Dessert Challenge, and I made Hot Chocolate with Marshmallows Sugar Cookies. The ingredients for this month are cocoa or chocolate pudding and marshmallows. This is always such a fun challenge, and I am so glad to finally be participating again. I made these sugar cookies because I am always trying to improve my decorating skills, and because they were fun!

Hot Chocolate w/ Marshmallows Sugar Cookies

I used my "go to" sugar cookie recipe to make the cookies, and then I used 

my favorite frosting recipe for the top.

When I made the chocolate in the mug, I used some of the frosting and added 

a tablespoon of cocoa powder to the frosting. It came out really tasty!

I drew on a little mug with a food marker, and then
outlined the mug with the frosting.

I filled in the mug and .....

added hot chocolate and a handle.

Pop the marshmallows on top, and that's it!

One of my resolutions for the new year is to become
a better cookie decorator, so this is the beginning
of the journey. We will see.

Thanks for joining me today!

Check out what everyone else made below:

Creamy Peach Hand Pies

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Today I am participating in the Behind The Curtain Dessert Challenge. This is a fun challenge that really gets your creativity flowing. This months two ingredients? Peaches and Cream. Can you say yum!? I wanted to make something special, and several different ideas came to mind, but these Creamy Peach Hand Pies were the clear winner! They are simple to make (I used ready made pie crust), incredibly cute, and you can be sure that whoever tastes these pies will love them!

Creamy Peach Hand Pies

(loosely adapted from A Feast for The Eyes)

3 ripe Peaches

1/4 cup Sugar plus 2 teaspoon Sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons Flour

Pinch Salt

1 1/2 ounces Heavy Whipping Cream

1 large Egg Yolk

1/4 teaspoon Vanilla

1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon

1 box unbaked Pie Shells

1 Egg,  beaten

Peel, halve, and pit your peaches.

Place your peaches in a pan on top of the stove.

Heat the peaches over medium heat until they are soft 

and the juices have emptied into the pan.  

This will help prevent the crust from becoming soggy.

This should take about 10-15 minutes.

Once the peaches are nice and soft, cut the peaches

into thin slices. Set aside.

Mix together the 1/4 cup sugar, flour and salt.

In a separate bowl , mix together the cream, egg yolk,

 vanilla and cinnamon. Add in the dry ingredients and mix 

until smooth.

Pour the cream mix over the peaches.

This is the pie mold that I used. It isn't really necessary

to use this mold to make the pies, but it is fun to use!

  Place the closed mold on the pie crust.

Cut two for each pie. One will become the 

pie top and one will become the pie bottom.

Set your mold up like this. I put 2 teaspoons of

 peaches and cream filling in each pie.

Edge each of the pie crust pieces with the beaten egg.

This will help the edges stay together.

Fold the two pie pieces together.

Pierce the pies in a few places, and sprinkle with the

2 teaspoons sugar. Bake at 400 degrees for 18-20 minutes.

Enjoy your pies!

Thanks for joining me today, and please check out 

all the other recipes for today's challenge!

Chocolate and Cherry Biscotti

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Today is the first reveal of a new Dessert Challenge called Behind The Curtain!
 The Challenge is hosted by Sheryl, the blogger behind The Lady Behind The Curtain blog, and I am sure it will be a big success! I had such fun choosing what to make with this months ingredients, which are chocolate and cherry! Perfect for Valentine's Day, wouldn't you say? I had several different ideas, and I finally decided on a Chocolate Cherry Biscotti, and I am so happy I did. They turned out great, and they were the perfect gift for a friend!

Chocolate and Cherry Biscotti

1/2 cup Butter

3/4 cup Sugar

2 Eggs

1/4 cup Maraschino Juice

1 teaspoon Vanilla

1/2 teaspoon Orange Peel

2 3/4 cups Flour

2 teaspoon Baking Powder

1/4 teaspoon Salt

1/2 cup Maraschino Cherries, rough chopped

1/4 cup Pistachio Nuts, rough chopped

1/4 cup Mini Chocolate Chips

4 ounces Milk Chocolate, chopped

Let's do some prep first:

 Zest your orange to get your orange peel.

Chop your pistachios.A rough chop will work fine.

A rough chop is a chop where the pieces do not have to be

a consistent, matching size.

Chop your cherries. This should be a rough chop also.

Now on to your recipe:

Cream your butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time.

Mix well. 

Blend in cherry juice, vanilla, and orange peel.

In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder,

and salt. Gradually stir this into the butter mix. Fold in the

cherries and nuts.

Add the chocolate chips.

Cover your dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate

for 30 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Use parchment paper, or spray your baking sheet.

 Shape your dough into 2 logs that are 1 1/2" in diameter.

Place the logs on your cookie sheet and bake for

20-25 minutes, or until golden and firm.

Remove the logs from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes.

Cut the logs into 1/2" slices and lay flat on your baking sheet.

Return to the oven and bake about 15 minutes, until golden.

Place the cookie slices on a cooling rack until completely cooled.

While your slices are cooling, melt your chocolate in a double boiler.

Dip the end of each slice into the chocolate.

I often use a spatula to help me get the chocolate 

where I want it and looking pretty.

Place the dipped cookies on your baking sheet

so the chocolate can set.

Once the chocolate is set, eat and enjoy!

Don't forget to tale a look at what everyone else
made today!