Layer Cake Love: Four layer chocolate cake with oreo cream filling!

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I started 2012 with a resolve to make more layer cakes.

So, I made the sky high carrot cake for two (which turned out great). Then, I made the momofuku birthday cake (which had a few mishaps but tasted great nonetheless). In between the two, I  made the lavender chiffon cake again for my for my friend’s birthday in March. And then there was the mascarpone meringue layer cake thrown in as well.

But, three layers had been the furthest I had gone with my layer cake resolution.

And then came this cake.

The original cake is a two layer cake with oodles of oreo cream cheese frosting in between. But I decided to go big and made a four layer, very chocolatey cake with an oreo cream cheese frosting. Did I hear someone say yum? You betcha, it was!

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June Daring Bakers’: Battenberg Cake

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Being Indian I hate wastage. Of any kind. One of the reasons why I gained weight when I came to US (besides, the cliched that I got married) was that I was so used to finish everything on my plate, whenever we went out to eat, I ended up finishing the ridiculously huge portions of food served in restaurants here. Since we stay 4 hours away from all restaurants, doggy pack or to-go was not an option,  and since I had the habit of not wasting, I ate everything. That’s why this month’s Daring Bakers’ challenged proved to be double the challenge it was.

Mandy of What The Fruitcake?! came to our rescue last minute to present us with the Battenberg Cake challenge! She highlighted Mary Berry’s techniques and recipes to allow us to create this unique little cake with ease.

I have missed the last two challenges. Although I did a part of the April challenge, I could not get it posted because I was busy with my in-laws visit. Hopefully I should be able to post the recipe soon. ( I seriously have huge backlog!)

Now, I have been eyeing this cake- the Battenberg cake for a while now, ever since I was introduced to the Great British Bake Off cookbook. I don’t have it yet, but amazon’s site has a preview of the book and in that they show pictures of the cake. Since then it’s been on my mind. So when I saw this month’s Daring Bakers challenge, I knew come hay or sunshine, I would make it.

And make I did. Not one but two.

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Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Browned butter chocolate chip cookies
POST UPDATED December 2016: These browned butter chocolate chip cookies are still a favorite of mine. So easy to put together and taste absolutely heavenly. The original post went live in Feb, 2012, and so if after four years of cookie making this recipe is still one of my favorites you know it must be good. I have updated the post with a printable recipe and some recent pictures. Also I have successfully been able to substitute half of the all purpose flour with whole wheat flour making these tad bit better for you. In the picture above these browned butter chocolate chip cookies make an appearance along with another favorite of mine  Peanut butter cookies.

ORIGINAL POST February 2012: 

You know you are doing good with your exercise regime, when instead of avoiding to wash your jeans (since they get tight after a wash and you lose the “loose” fit), you actually prefer washing them so that they fit you better.

And that’s what I had been doing and felt good about my weight loss (of course there is a long way to go, but the jeans are getting looser, so I was happy).

But all this happy feeling went down the drain this past weekend.

All because of these damn browned butter chocolate chip cookies.

(I know I shouldn’t swear, but these damn cookies, they are just so good that they are no good!)

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