My first Pinterest lesson...

Not long ago, I discovered Pinterest.  Not gonna lie...I'm addicted.  I even have this handy dandy app on my iPhone that I can cruise while holding Aidan.  I spend a few minutes a day wayyyy too much of my day pinning thing.  I pin everything.  Things I want to cook, things I want to make, places I want to go, ways to better our blog...EVERYTHING.  So, I have since decided that I need to actually make some of these things that I've haphazardly obsessively pinned to my various boards.  So, on Saturday, I packed up 4 bags of a few carefully selected items and schlepped them and me, and Aidan off to a friends house to bake.  Yes, it would have been more convienent to bake in my own kitchen where I have obsessively organized everything I'm familiar with everything, but by taking it all to a said friends house, I had built in baby sitting, since Nick was working.  I had intended on  making Samoa Cupcakes, the recipe for which I found on Pinterest and then on this blog.  As the night progressed, I changed things up, and ended up making Samoa Layer cake instead.  So, here's the recipe that I did end up using.

Cake

• 2 cups  sugar
• 1-3/4 cup flour
• 3/4 cup Cocoa (I used Stop & Shop)
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 teaspoons coconut flavoring
• 1 cup coconut, packed
• 1 (scant) cup hot hot water (I brewed a small cup of water through a Keurig and used that, perfect amount)

1. Preheat oven to 350° and butter/flour 2 - 9" cake pans, make sure to use flour/butter ( I used pan spray, and my cakes stuck.)
2. In a large bowl, combine sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt, eggs, milk, oil, vanilla, and coconut flavoring.  Mix well.
3. Stir in coconut, then add boiling water.  Mix on low until incorporated (Batter will be very thin)

4. Split batter into cake pans, Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Let cool completely
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For the Salted Caramel Butter-cream

• 2 sticks butter, softened
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup caramel topping, plus more for drizzling (I used Hershey's Caramel Topping)
• 3-4 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt

1. Cream butter until fluffy.
2. Add in vanilla extract and caramel topping.  Add powdered sugar (3 cups to start, then add more until you're happy with the consistency) and salt and mix until smooth.  If icing is still too thin add a bit more powdered sugar (the consistency differs based on the type of caramel topping you use)

3. Wait until cakes are completely cool, take out of the pans.  Place 1 cake on a cardboard cake disk or plate, frost top and sides so you have a completely evenly covered cake.  Place second cake on top of the first cake and frost top and sides, blending into the bottom cake. 


For the Homemade Chocolate Syrup

• 1/4 cup cocoa powder (I used Hershey’s special dark)
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup cold water
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Combine all ingredients except vanilla extract in a small saucepan over medium-heat, and whisk until smooth.
2. Bring sauce to a boil and continue to whisk until sauce becomes thick.  Remove from heat, let cool slightly and drizzle over cupcakes or store in an airtight container in the fridge until needed.

To Finish:  4. Toast some coconut in a dry skillet on the stove at medium-high heat, until brown.  Sprinkle coconut onto the cake.  Using small squeeze bottles (or simply a spoon) drizzle with chocolate sauce and remaining caramel sauce.

Seriously...AMAZING...VERY rich, but soooooo good!!  I am a fan.