Sinister Saturday – No Bake Cherry Cheesecake (Semi-win!)

Sinister Saturdays in October is the horror part of my web blog, with my failed baking attempts that are simply terrifying!😄

Today I tried Jell-O brand’s No Bake Cherry Cheesecake. Perfect choice for me, not only is it 103 degrees in SoCal.🥵 No baking means less chance to screw up the recipe.

Ah, but I didn’t say zero!

First thing you need is a box of Jell-O brand’s No Bake Cherry Cheesecake. Super easy, only 3 other ingredients needed, milk, butter and sugar.

Next, you follow the instructions on box, mixing butter and sugar together to make the crust first; and then, add milk to create cheesecake mix.

Unfortunately, my attempt to make a crust with just two ingredients, just two, derailed my plan to successfully make a no bake cherry cheesecake.

The crust results were so awful and I got so frustrated, I forgot to take a picture before tossing. Basically it was too clumpy and wouldn’t lie flat in the pan. It was just a big mess. No idea what I did wrong. Too much butter?

But folks, this ain’t my first rodeo. You can look back previous years to see I’m no Rachel Ray (Haunted cake pan fail). I suspected I’d mess up and so I bought a back-up. Keebler elves to the rescue!

Poured the mix into my store bought ready made graham crust and popped it in the fridge for a few hours.

Finally, time to decorate by adding the cherry topping.

The cherry filling packet was actually a little sparse. I suggest buying a can of cherry pie filling to supplement. It’s probably how other people’s pictures of their cherry cheesecake looks so good. Mine, not so much.😄

Now, anyone about to chastise me about using store bought ingredients or lazy baking, let me tell you to fuck right off as plainly as I can. I have no time for that. I have no time for you. Go hit up the Food Network. The rest of us got a Halloween to celebrate! This is Sinister Saturday, bitches!🎃

Happy Halloween!

Sinister Saturday – Halloween (Box)Cake (Nailed it?)

Sinister Saturdays are turning out to be a showcase for my failed baking attempts.

And, this Saturday is no different!😄

Yes, I used box cake. Middle finger to the haters. But the box cake wasn’t the reason why my Red Velvet Tombstone Cakes were a little well done, it’s just my inability to pull pan out of the oven when the box says!

They looked alright, but were dry as a bone and when I flipped them over, the cakes didn’t retain the pan designs.

I did however manage to bake another cake in my my lovely Wiltern pumpkin pan and it turned out kinda nice.

First thing you need for box cake is box mix and I prefer Duncan Hines Perfectly Moist Red Velvet cake mix. This is the easiest cake mix, only 3 other ingredients are needed to bake the cake, 1 cup of water, half cup of oil, and 3 eggs.

Follow the instructions and you’ll get a nice fluffy red velvet cake.

Next, you add 4-5 drops of orange food coloring into buttercream frosting to get that nice classy orange color. If you want it brighter, I suggest using 2-3 more drops of orange and 1 drop of red. Next, spread frosting all over your cake.

Lastly, you add Halloween style sprinkles and viola, Halloween Cake!

It was a bummer the Red Velvet Tombstone Cakes didn’t turn out, but I was happy with the pumpkin cake pan version.

Happy Halloween!

Sinister Saturdays – Graveyard Brownies

Every year, I see recipes for decadent desserts for Halloween and it makes me so jealous. One, I can’t bake for beans, and two, apt living means tiny kitchen, but I thought I’d give it another go this year.

I’ll be honest, I’m picking the laziest, no fuss recipes I can find. For me that means box mixes and pre-made shit. This is a judgement free zone when it comes to cooking and baking. If you have time to make from scratch, knock yourself out. I don’t. End of story.

Besides, work smarter, not harder!🎃

For this first Sinister Saturday, I made GRAVEYARD BROWNIES.

Inspired by the recipe for Graveyard Halloween Brownies over at Dish ‘n in the Kitchen, I too used Giarardelli’s Double Chocolate Brownie mix. This box mix is to die for. You only need to mix in an egg, 1/4 cup water and 1/3 oil, and 40 minutes later, so much deliciousness, you’ll think it’s a sin.

After waiting for the Brownies to cool down, I cut them into squares and added my other pre-made ingredients crushed Oreos for Graveyard dirt, and Milano cookies for tombstones. I didn’t have any black icing, so I just used some chocolate syrup and wrote RIP on the Milano cookies.