Ingredients
For the cookie cake:
1 Bag Betty Crocker sugar cookie mix
1/2 Box (about 8oz) vanilla cake mix
1/2 C melted butter
1/2 C water
2 Eggs
1 TBL vanilla (real is best!)
1 1/2 tsp Almond extract (or more to taste!)
Other:
About 3/4 C buttercream frosting
Melting chocolate (I used white, but milk or dark would work too!)
More buttercream for a raspberry filling (optional)
Freeze dried raspberries (optional)
Directions
1. Combine cake / cookie ingredients and bake at 350 until golden brown.
2. Once cake is cooled, crumble completely and mix in dollops of buttercream until you get a mixture that will hold together when pressed gently (I used about 3/4 C).
3. Scoop into the small mold of your Benty Cakes mold set (you can use regular or mini!), press down, and scrape flat. You can pop these in the fridge to chill now or if you want to add the raspberry filling follow step 4!
4. (Optional step) Mix together freeze dried raspberries (to taste) and additional buttercream. Using a Puck Press, an apple corer, or a small spoon, cut out the centers of your cores, and fill with raspberry buttercream.
5. Refrigerate your cores until completely chilled (You'll know they're ready when you can pop them out of the mold and they hold their shape).
Dipping Instructions
1. Melt your chocolate for 1 minute. Add a tsp of Crisco or coconut oil to thin if needed. Continue to microwave in increments of 20 seconds (mixing each time) until chocolate silkily slides off your spoon (110 F-120 F).
2. Place larger mold (with the Benty Cakes logo on the bottom) on the plastic tray and fill one cavity with 2 tablespoons (less if you’re using the mini cake puck mold set) with melted chocolate.
3. Place chilled center on melted chocolate. Gently apply even pressure as you slowly press the center down until chocolate comes up from the sides and covers the top of the center.
4. Scrape off any excess chocolate. If there is not enough chocolate to cover the center, add chocolate and then scrape away excess.
5. Tap the mold tray on the counter to allow air bubbles to rise to the top, removing them from the sides of your cake pucks.
6. Repeat these steps until all cavities are filled. Start out pouring chocolate for one at a time, once you are comfortable begin pouring 2-3 at a time. Take care not to pour too many at the same time as chocolate will set.
7. Because the centers are cold your pucks will set up quickly. Usually, it takes about 15 minutes on the counter depending on how warm your house is, but you can stick them in the fridge if you're in a hurry!
8. You can tell your pucks are ready to pop out if the mold pulls away cleanly. If you see any chocolate stick as you gently pull, they are not set yet.
The most satisfying part is popping out your shiny, professional looking Pucks! Check out my other posted videos for decorating ideas / tricks!!
Tips + Tricks
SPACES ON THE SIDE: If there are spaces on the sides there wasn't enough chocolate or not all the air bubbles were eliminated. To avoid this take care to tap out air bubbles each time a puck center is covered with melted chocolate. More chocolate may be needed to ensure the melted chocolate comes up over all the edges when centers are being pressed down. Scrape off excess chocolate.
CRACKED TOPS: If tops are cracked, centers were pressed too far down. That's ok! You will get the feel for it, or the "eye" for it, as you press your centers in you will start to see how much of a chocolate layer you want on the bottom.
DIFFICULTY PRESSING CENTERS IN: If there's difficulty pressing centers in, then chocolate is too thick. It should come up over the sides. Ensure if using candy melts they are thinned with a little shortening or coconut oil.