Tag: Chocolate buttercream

One Happy Camper Birthday Cake!

Franklin Is One Happy Camper

My nephew Franklin just turned one and he had such a fun birthday party theme. He was “One Happy Camper”. This theme was perfect because he is always so happy and smiley! Just look at him!

Of Course he needed a cake (or two) for his party! (recipe below!) I love making the cakes for my family. It is so fun, and I always get to partake in eating them! LOL

The hardest part about making a cake is deciding on what to make. So when the theme is chosen by someone else it makes it easy for me!

I decided to do a tent and a campfire in the woods for the sheet cake. I frosted the bottom half with chocolate buttercream (recipe below) for the “ground” and used regular buttercream (recipe below) dyed blue for the sky. Once that was all smoothed out I did the details! Making the fire was my favorite part. I got the new Wilton color swirl coupler. How it works is you put up to three colored frostings that are in separate bags in the same coupler. So when you go to pipe the frosting it swirls the colors together out of one tip! Genius! It was super easy.

Here are the tips I used for the decorations

  • Logs
  • Tree
  • Writing
  • Tent
  • Fire

Here are the colors I used for the cake decorations. I always prefer to make the piping bags with the frosting before I start. It can be time consuming and when your in the “zone” decorating it’s hard to stop and fill more bags…

Since this was a 1st birthday party, we needed a smash cake of course! This was super fun and easy to make. I frosted the cake with chocolate buttercream (recipe below) and made a big campfire using the frosting and the color swirl tool I mentioned above. How easy is that?! Franklin definitely “smashed” this cake. It was such a mess, but well worth the cleanup. (especially because I didn’t have to clean it!)

How cute are these cookies?! I sadly did not make them, but someone did and they were awesome! We were all “One Happy Camper”!

The party was such a great time and a big success! As long as the birthday boy was “One Happy Camper”, so was everyone else!!

Check out my other cakes by visiting my cake gallery and also below are some more posts you might enjoy. Subscribe to Fun and Frosted to stay in the loop!!

12×18 Sheet Cake great for any Occasion
A Birthday Party in the Trees
Frozen Birthday Cake

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

I love chocolate chip cookies, and better yet chocolate chip cookie bars! And because of my allergies, I always have to make them from scratch. That is one of the reasons I got into baking.

These Chocolate Chip cookie bars are a mix between a cookie, a cake and a a blondie. They are chewy, a little cake like, but not too crumbly. In addition this recipe is fun and easy and can be changed up with different toppings. You can add sprinkles, any kind of baking chip and you can change up the cake mix! These are delicious served with Ice cream as well!

What’s in them?

  • 1 box of cake mix – I chose Betty Crocker French Vanilla
  • 1/4 Cup of canola oil
  • 1 Large egg
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 1/2 Cup white chocolate chips (I use Tollhouse Simply Delicious – They are soy free!)
  • 1/2 Cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (I use Tollhouse Simply Delicious – They are soy free!)
  • Chocolate Buttercream – Click here for my recipe!

Suggestions to change it up!

  • Use Butterscotch chips
  • Mint Chocolate Chips
  • M&M’s
  • Break up pieces of candy like Butterfingers, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
  • Add in Marshallow fluff and swirl it around
  • Use Chocolate Cake Mix
  • Use Cherry Chip Cake Mix
  • Serve with ice cream!
  • The possibilities are endless!!!

How to Make it

  • Mix together the cake mix, egg, vanilla, and milk
  • The batter will appear thick and almost sticky, but that is okay. If you need to add more milk you can
  • Add in your chocolate chips
  • Grease a 11×9 baking dish with a baking spray or my Cake Pan Release (Soy Free!)
  • Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes
  • Let cool completely before frosting – or you can eat without frosting!
  • You can top with any type of frosting. I chose Easy Chocolate Buttercream and topped with sprinkles! Delicious!!

These Chocolate Chip Cookies Bars are great for any type of occasion – Birthday parties, Holiday occasions or just because you want a chocolate chip cookie! I love them because they are quick and easy, and they get eaten up fast.

Here are some other Fun and Frosted Recipes

Here are some other great recipes from Fun and Frosted you will be sure to enjoy. I invite you to comment on my site if you have tried these!

Cinnamon Swirl Cake
Easy Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

I hope you enjoyed this recipe. Be sure to subscribe to be the first to know when I post a new recipe!

Chocolate Chip Cookies Bars is a recipe derived from Sally’s Baking Addiction

Easy Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

If you are familiar with my Easy Buttercream Frosting recipe, you’ll be sure to love this Chocolate Buttercream! It’s creamy and silky, but not too rich. In addition, it has a great chocolate flavor and has the right amount of sweetness. Perfect for any cake, cupcake or even cookie! Above all, it only takes about 10 minutes to make and is super easy.

Good For Piping

Easy Buttercream is great for piping on a cake. I decorate a lot of cakes that require a lot of detail and this doesn’t disappoint! It will harden overtime, so make sure you frost the cake completely in good timing.

Storing Your Buttercream

When you are not using the buttercream keep it in an air tight container so it doesn’t dry up. You can store this buttercream for up to a couple of weeks in the refrigerator. And as I noted in the recipe, make sure it comes to room temperature before using!

How to make Easy Chocolate Buttercream

In your stand mixer (I love my Kitchen Aid!) with the paddle attachment, add the softened butter

You are going to want to beat the butter on medium to high until fluffy and make sure it gets creamy. You don’t want chunks of butter in your frosting (or maybe you do?! Up to you.)

Add in the cocoa, vanilla and salt.

Add in one tablespoon of cream and then gradually add the powdered sugar then mix a bit and alternate adding in cream. Keep doing this until you have used all of the sugar and cream.

Continue beating the buttercream for 2-3 minutes on medium

Turn to high speed once sugar is fully incorporated – You will know!

If the frosting is too stiff add in more cream

If you want a stronger chocolate taste, add more cocoa, but be sure to add more cream too!

Spread on your dessert, or fill up a piping bag to pipe on to your dessert!

If you like this Easy Chocolate Buttercream Recipe, be sure to check out my Easy Buttercream recipe.

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