One of my favorite parts of the holiday season is...all of the BAKING, like with this Chocolate Turtle Cake Recipe! Y'all know how much I love to bake, right? So you can probably imagine me around the holidays...I totally go baking crazy!
Between our family holiday dinners (there are many), Christmas parties with our friends, creating homemade baked goods for my family as gifts, and sending baked goods to Chris's coworkers...you see where I'm going with this, right? I do a lot of baking.
One baking product I can't go without during the holiday baking season is my PAM Cooking Spray. Of course it's fantastic for regular, every day cooking too, but it really makes my life so much easier when I'm baking!
No one wants a cake that sticks to the pan, right?
PAM cooking spray recently came out with a new formula that leaves less residue on your dishes, and I figured I'd go ahead and share a fun new recipe while I tried it out! I've been really sick this week, so I went with an easy twist on a box cake mix. I know many prefer cakes from scratch, but this one's so good that you would never be able to tell it's from a box!
Chocolate Turtle Cake Recipe & Holiday Baking Tips #PAMSmartTips
Ingredients
- 1 Devil's Food Cake box cake mix
- 1 package Turtle JELL-O mix you can use chocolate pudding if you just want a chocolate cake
- 3 eggs
- ½ cup applesauce
- 1 ¼ cups water
- ½ cup dark chocolate chips you can use milk chocolate chips if you prefer
- PAM non-stick spray for baking
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 and spray a cake pan (or a pie pan, like I used) with PAM non-stick baking spray.
- Mix all ingredients in a large bowl, making sure they are thoroughly combined. Your batter will be a little lumpy, don't worry about getting all of the lumps out.
- Pour into prepared baking dish and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. I used a ceramic pie pan and my cake took 45 minutes to be done, yet still moist. If you are using a metal or glass pan, I suggest checking your cake at 30 minutes and then adding additional time depending on how done it is.
PAM comes in Original, Butter and Baking formulas, so there's an option for all of your cooking needs. I like to have one of each in the cabinet so that I'm never left empty handed! I use the original and the butter for stuff like frying eggs and making pancakes instead of using butter because they have zero calories!
The new PAM Cooking Sprays leave up to 99 percent less residue buildup than margarine or other cooking spray brands and sill deliver no-stick results. My cake came right out of the pie pan when I turned it upside down, and not only did it not stick, but the pan didn't have that filmy residue on it.
Yay for easy clean up!
There are quite a few varieties of PAM cooking spray available in stores, including organic options as well as these new less residue options. When you're out shopping, keep an eye out for that 99% less residue writing on the cap for the new formula!
If you're anything like me, then you're probably busy organizing your recipes, making your shopping lists while mapping out your baking schedule. Thanksgiving is already coming up next week!
How do you make it through the holiday baking season with your sanity intact - and your kitchen in order?
My Holiday Baking Tips and Tricks
For me, the planning and baking is fun! I pull out all of my favorite recipes and line up the ingredients assembly-line style.
Before you start baking, make sure all of your dishes are clean, the counters are wiped down, the kitchen table is clean and clutter-free, etc. You want a clean work space, and you don't want to have to worry about rummaging around for a clean anything while you're in the middle of things!
Make sure you check the expiration date of your baking supplies - an expired baking powder won't make your cookies and cakes rise, and expired flour can cause all sorts of kitchen mishaps!
Use parchment paper or aluminum foil on your cookie sheets, and when one batch is done, simply slide the sheet off onto your kitchen counter instead of sitting around waiting for them to cool down before putting the next batch in.
To make your baked goods a teeny bit healthier, you can use substitutes in your baking: I substitute melted butter for oil or shortening in cookies and I use applesauce instead of oil in cakes and breads.
Are you getting ready for your holiday baking? Enter my awesome giveaway and bake in style with Le Creuset and PAM cooking spray!
Le Creuset Pie Dish & PAM Cooking Spray Giveaway (Valued at $50.00)
- Full size sample of PAM
- Le Creuset Pie Dish
In order to enter the giveaway, just leave me a comment telling me what you would bake using your Le Creuset Pie Dish and PAM cooking spray!
WINNER: Margot C
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of PAM Cooking Spray.
For more information, visit http://www.pamcookingspray.com.
Tammy S says
I would make a Blueberry Pie using Pam and the Le Creuset Pie Dish.
Sara Wagner says
I would make an apple pie in the dish.
Melanie P says
I'd make quiche or some Kentucky pecan pie! Big favorites in our house. Though, that turtle cake looks tempting...
Tracy says
I'd make Food52's Quinoa and Kale Crustless Quiche (also known as a frittata...) I've made it many times before -- and always use PAM to spray the dish.
Billie says
I think I would go all out and try my hand at my first apple pie from scratch!
Emilie C says
This dish would be awesome! then I can have pie without crust, cause I don't like crust, lol!
Alexis K. says
I would start by baking a christmas breakfast quiche!
Clarissa H. says
I'd bake a giant chocolate chip coolie and top with ice cream! MMMMmmm....
Margot C says
I think I would for once make a delicate crushed cookie crust (ginger snaps maybe) and a cream pie inside.
Sadie B. says
I would love to make pumpkin pie with this pie plate.
Alisha Fitch says
I'd make a pecan pie or that turtle cake. Looks so yummy.
David says
I would bake either a sweet potato pie or a pecan pie.
Robin Wilson says
I am a sucker for Pumpkin Pie this time of year ~ that is what I would bake!
Stephen A says
I'd use the Le Creuset Pie Dish to make giant chocolate chip cookies with my daughters!
Meghan Finley says
I'd make huckleberry apple pie
latanya says
I would make a cherry pie
D SCHMIDT says
I would make a salted caramel apple pie for my family
Jamey says
I would love to make a cranberry-apple pie in this dish!
Rona B says
I would bake a banana cake.
Crystal says
I would make a cheesecake. Although your cake looks good too!
Shannon S. says
i would love to make my apple crumble cake..so good so messy!