Southwestern Decor 101

 Bringing The Beauty Of The Desert Inside

Have you ever looked out at a sunset and thought, "I love the way that looks"? Or seen a picture of the Grand Canyon in the middle of winter and been amazed by the riot of colors? The people that started the southwestern decor style did too. Southwestern decor is absolutely stunning, and there are many people that love it in their homes. This week we are breaking down just what it is that makes the design work.

What defines it? 

Southwestern style is a hodgepodge of different influences that have melded to create an incredibly popular style. It blends together Indigenous, Spanish, Mediterranean, and 'American West influences into a unique and homey design. 


Southwestern style seems to have originated in the 1920s in Southern California, mixing together the Hopi, Pueblo, and Navajo history, and textile crafts, with the utilitarian Spanish building methods and the more rustic charm of the American West. It also draws inspiration from Mediterranean architecture and pairs it with the flat-roofed homes of the Hopi and Pueblo tribes. 

All of the influences that make up Southwestern decor come together in the color palettes often used. In Southwestern decor, the desert isn't just a place that's deadly; it is also beautiful. The earthy tones of sandstones and terra cotta mix with bright blue skies, dusty purples, and cactus greens. None of the colors are chosen at random and instead are carefully selected and balanced one against the other. 


How to pull it off in your home 

Start With Your Color Palette

Courtesy of Sherwin Williams

While there are many, many beautiful and stunning colors in the desert, you need to build from neutrals like sand, oak, pale yellows, and windswept woods. Then from there, you can bring in the terracotta reds and shades of blue and purple, and gold from the sunsets. We suggest starting with neutral colors that you'll use throughout your home and then allowing different colors to pop out at different points. Say, bringing in lots of vibrant reds in one room or purples and golds and another. But the whole of it is balanced by the neutral undertones. 







Tiles Are For More Than Backsplash 

Tiles are a common staple in southwestern homes and decor styles that emulate them because they are great at cutting down on your cooling bills. Tiles will stay cool during hot summer days, but they retain heat on those equally cold nights. Terracotta tiles are not only fantastic for decorating, for backsplashes, or for the odd nook or cranny in your home, but also for just this purpose. You can also bring in turquoise blue tiles in strategic areas to add a lovely pop of color and add a visual surprise to a room.



Go Bold With Geometric Patterns

Courtesy of Mission Del Rey

If you talk about the Southwest, many people will bring up Navajo-created or inspired textiles. You can also bring in other similar but different patterns that work based on geometric designs, as many of the Navajo patterns do. If you're not comfortable with using them for a couch or a chair, you could use them for a throw or a table runner.



Find the Soft Spots

Although the word 'deadly' might be what comes to mind for most of us when thinking about deserts, there are hidden gems. Think about the gentle arcs of a windswept canyon or the soft clouds that stretch across the sky. Think of pocket springs and saguaro cacti. All of these can add a sense of calm within the desert, and you can mimic that within your own home. 







Act Natural

Much of the furniture within the Southwestern style is different from the fast furniture of today. The style is not clean or sleek. Think big plank tables, oversized chests, and intricately carved pieces spread throughout the house. Or chair backs and side tables and cabinets. There are little gems of detail everywhere. Pine was an easily sourced material, and so it's very commonly seen. The paleness of it also works very well with the neutral base of Southwestern style. Pine also pairs beautifully with woven fabrics and leather.







Bring In The Green

Courtesy of Moins-Despenser

No matter where we live, most humans love plants. In a southwestern home, that might mean cacti. They come in so many different shapes and sizes, everything from the giant saguaros to tiny bunny-eared cacti. You can decorate with all sorts of cacti inside and outside of your home, and since they are very hardy plants, they cut down on your water bill too.






Details Mean Everything 

Courtesy of Mission Del Rey

 We talked about the major facts; let's look at the details. Wrought iron, pottery, and woven baskets. Not only are all of these very much a staple within the Southwestern design, but they're also utilitarian. Wrought iron is stable and weather resistant, so you can use it inside and outside while still being utterly beautiful. Pottery serves so many different purposes within a home, so it's only limited by what you can dream up. Woven baskets are much the same; you can use them for everything from laundry storage to wall decor to grab-and-go kids baskets. Whatever you go with, don't be afraid to get creative with it. Use something in a way that's unexpected. Look to other aspects of the desert that you might not see popularly used. These are the elements that are going to make your house uniquely yours.




As always, we hope that you enjoyed our take on this aspect of home decor. Will you take on a southwestern design at some point? Let us know why or why not over on our Facebook page.




If it is not your love of decor but instead your hatred of your malfunctioning refrigerator that has brought you to us today, you're still in the right place. At Appliance Rescue Service, we take care of all major appliances and work with you to get your home running smoothly again. When you reach out to us via our contact page or by giving us a call at ((214) 599-0055), we'll work with you to set up a time and date that works with your schedule to send out one of our experienced technicians. Whether you live in Dallas, McKinney, or Frisco, we want to help.




Layered Veggie Bowl

Perfect For When You’re Craving A Taste Of Spring

Spring is theoretically coming, and it has us craving veggies! Fresh peas, green beans, lettuce! We want soft spring breezes and the chance to work in our gardens! Although most of the vegetables in the recipe are typically ripe in late summer to early fall, we are craving vegetables, given how weird the weather has been lately. Boost up your vitamins and enjoy plenty of protein as well with this delicious and layered dish.

  • 1 red pepper

    1 green pepper

    1 stalk celery

    3 Roma tomatoes

    1 can roasted corn

    1 can chunk chicken

    1 cup cooked chickpeas

    3 cups spinach

    2 Tbsp butter, divided

    1 Tbsp garlic

    1 tsp garlic salt

    1 Tbsp fresh black pepper

    1 avocado, chopped

  • ¼ c sour cream

    2 Tbsp lemon juice

    ¼ tsp red wine vinegar

    1 tsp corn syrup

    ½ tsp smoked paprika

    ¼ tsp cumin

    ¼ tsp salt

    ¼ tsp chili powder

    ¼ tsp smoked chipotle pepper

  • Knife

    Cutting board

    Frying pan

    Deep heavy-bottomed pot

    Whisk

To start out, grab your peppers and tomatoes and dice them up into even pieces. Set those aside in a large bowl and grab your celery. Give your celery a rough chop and toss it into the bowl as well. 


If you can get fire-roasted corn for this recipe, that’s the best option for the flavor. If you can’t, or if you’re in the mood to be adventurous, you can always make your own ahead of time. If you purchased the corn, drain it of the liquid and set it aside. 


Next up, rinse and drain your 1 cup of cooked chickpeas; we don’t advise saving the aqua faba for this recipe, although you can use it in a variety of other recipes. 


Finally, we’re done with prepping the ingredients! Now grab your frying pan, set it over high heat, and melt 1 Tbsp of butter. Once it’s fully melted, toss in 1 Tbsp of minced garlic, and sear it. Then toss in your spinach, turning the heat down to let it wilt. Once the spinach has wilted, cover the pan and remove it from the heat. 


Next up, grab a deep, heavy-bottomed pot. Go ahead and toss in another Tbsp of butter and let it melt. Once it’s melted, add in your peppers, celery, and tomato. Once the peppers are soft, add the corn to the pot and heat thoroughly. When all you can smell is corn, you’ll know you’ve got it heated all the way.

Now add in your chickpeas, cover the pot, and allow the chickpeas to heat fully. Keep an eye on your pan, stirring occasionally as you might need to add more butter to keep everything from sticking. 


Take your can of chunk chicken, drain it, and break it up, then season it with garlic salt and fresh black pepper. Stir that into your veggie mixture, and then add the cover and allow it to warm while you make the dressing.

In a separate bowl, mix together the sour cream, corn syrup, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, cumin, salt, chili powder, smoked chipotle pepper, and smoked paprika, whisking thoroughly. 

You can add additional sour cream if you want to soften the spices or a very small quantity of water if you want to thin it out. 


To serve, take a bowl and layer in the spinach, the veggie & chicken mixture, and top with the dressing and avocado. 



We can see this recipe being taken in a number of different ways. You might bulk it up by layering in even more spinach or adding in bulgar wheat. You could go full tilt on the tomatoes and add in both roasted and sun-dried tomatoes. The two of them work together along with the fresh to bring in multiple different complex textures and flavors.  Alternately, you can layer this over short-grain rice or top it with croutons if you need to ensure carbs. Let us know what you come up with over on our Facebook page! 


When you’re done, you’ve got nothing to worry about when it comes to cleaning up, everything wipes out nice and easy, and your dishwasher shouldn’t have any trouble.  If it does give you trouble, though, of the “my dishwasher isn’t getting things clean anymore!” variety, we can help. At Appliance Rescue Service, we’ll work with you to set up an appointment that works with your schedule. We’ll send out one of our expert technicians to diagnose the problem and move forward with a plan that works for you. To solve your major appliance problems, give us a call at ((214) 599-0055) or head over to our contact page today. 


Kickstarter in the Kitchen

 Bringing Innovation To The Kitchen 

  • GoSun Grill

    Company Name: GoSun

    The GoSun Grill is very much what the name suggests, a solar grill. Think about the little charcoal grills that people take while traveling during the summers. Now replace it with a grill that doesn’t need any fuel. It doesn’t need chips, tanks, or fluid. All it needs is a mostly clear sky, and you can grill without having to worry about accidentally lighting your eyebrows on fire. (We haven’t done that, no, why do you ask?) You don’t even have to watch over it. Set the timer and go do hang out with your family while it cooks. We love this idea not only for the innovation but also because it is a very clean product with little mess or risk. They even solved the issue of being able to cook at night with a ‘thermal battery!’

    Min pledge & what you got: $1 or more would get you the Creation Book for the GoSun Grill. The ebook was not only a behind-the-scenes look at the story of the grill, from ideation to creation, but also how the company builds products that others haven’t thought of.

    Max pledge and what you got: At $3200, one person would be given the chance to meet and work with the team of designers for GoSun. They’d head to the company retreat in Mendocino County, CA to learn about the next project for GoSun, test out the latest tech and stay for three nights.

  • Blackbeard Cookware Set

    Crowd Cookware

    The Blackbeard pan was the first item that Crowd Cookware brought to market, and people wanted more, which brought this amazing set of pans to Kickstarter. They’re stainless steel and work for any heat source on the market today, including induction stoves. They’re even supported by Michelin chefs around the world.

    We love this one because it’s entirely made up of products that the company’s fans requested. Even the minimum pledge is made for people who wanted something very specific. Rather than offering a large number of items, or increasingly… spectacular pledge levels, you could get individual pieces that they were testing out or get the entire set at a greatly discounted price.

    Min pledge & what you got: For roughly $20, you’d get a lid that fit both their frying pan and wok.

    Max pledge and what you got: For roughly $306 you got the entire set of Crowd Cookware’s pans and dishes. A versatile pan set that every chef could use, without having to purchase multiples of anything you didn’t need.

    Queen Anne Saucepan ø16cm/6.3” - 1.7L

    Queen Anne Saucepan ø20cm/7.9” - 2.8L

    Concord deep casserole ø20cm/7.9” - 3.6L

    Concord deep casserole ø24 cm/9.5” - 7.5L

    The Blackbeard frying pan ø24 cm/9.5”

    The Blackbeard frying pan ø28 cm/11”

    The Blackbeard ø28 cm/11” wok

    Blackbeard’s Tricorne, lid for ø28 cm/11” Blackbeard frying pan and wok

  • DIY Dairy-Free, Vegan, Paleo Cheese Kits

    Urban Cheesecraft

    Imagine a world in which you cannot have cheese. It’s a sad and horrible thing to think about, we know. Many people, due to dietary restrictions or personal beliefs, are unable to enjoy the wonders of brie, gouda, mozzarella or even provolone! Urban Cheesecraft said, “Why, though?” The owner Claudia came up with the idea of DIY kits and recipes that would allow anyone, anywhere, to create their own delicious cheeses without access to or need for a dairy cow. She had already made kits and a book for you to make it at home, and decided the next goal was to do the same for Dairy-free cheese! (and from what we can tell, the reviewers love both varieties!)

    Min pledge & what you got: $5 supported the product and got you a BIG CHEESY Smile!

    Max pledge and what you got: For $5,000 you got a travelling DIY cheese teacher! At this rate Claudia would travel anywhere in the United States to teach 20 students to make dairy-free cheddar, mozzarella, and to enjoy it along with a delicious spread of food at the same time. (As cheese lovers, we have to say this caught our interest immediately.)

  • Fourneau Bread Oven 2.0

    Strand Design

    Ahead of the curve by 3 years, Strand Design created the Fourneau Bread Oven 2.0, an upgrade on an earlier design of theirs. This oven works inside your regular oven, with a special base to generate steam and provide an even heating surface. The pan slots in easily over that, to give you an easy way to move the dough around, without having to assemble the bread oven around the dough. Then there’s the cloche that sits on the base to trap all the heat and air, and give you a perfect crust. All of this fits together to give you a wonderful loaf of bread every time, as if you were working with an old fashioned baker’s oven. It’s also safer than other options on the market, as the entire assembly stays inside the oven the entire time. Instead, the tray comes out, which is just as easy to remove as any normal cookie sheet. What’s not to love about being able to take your standard oven and get a perfect loaf of bread?

    Min pledge & what you got: For $5 you would get a digital cookbook for all sorts of bread recipes. Sure you might not be able to get the same quality as if you had the Bread Oven, but you could still experiment with making your own bread!

    Max pledge and what you got: For $280 you would get the Forneau 2.0, as well as an upgrade kit for your original Forneau Bread Oven. So, for that price (only $65 more than buying just the 2.0) you would upgrade the bread oven you had so you could work with two of them at the same time. That is a fantastic deal in our opinion. Think of all the bread you could make!

    (and it might even pair well with the Dairy-Free cheese kits, or even just DIY cheesekits.)

  • UKeg Pressurized Growler

    Growler Werks

    Last but not least we’ve got one that a lot of people in the Dallas area are going to love, a way to keep your microbrew fresh! Beer brewing is undergoing a renaissance right now, with people of all ages learning about one of the oldest crafts in the world. The downside to that is that once your microbrew is open, it goes flat. Really fast. GrowlerWerks wanted to solve that so they came up with the idea of the UKeg pressurized growler. “One that doesn’t let air into your beer, maintains perfect carbonation from the first pour to the last, and keeps beer cold for hours – all in a product you'll love showing off at your friend's next BBQ or party. GrowlerWerks was created by local Portlanders who love craft beer. We've drawn on a combined 47 years of engineering and product-design experience to make a better way to store beer, so it always taste exactly how the brewmaster intended.”

    Min pledge & what you got: $5 got you two GrowlerWerks coasters to show off and get people talking about beer.

    Max pledge and what you got: For $800 you got a brewery tour with the GrowlerWerks team in Portland, OR, as well as getting to pick your own uKeg from the design shop.

Kitchen Trends for 2023

What We See Happening In the Heart of Our Homes

What is in, in 2023, and what's on the way out? This week we're looking at the trends designers are predicting around our kitchens. We're looking at the cabinets, surfaces, paints, and materials. Everything is up in the air this year, with just one thing staying constant, the kitchen is the place to be. 


Cabinet Trends in 2023

Mixed Metals

Courtesy of Vivian Homewares

As we predicted last year, we're seeing lots of different metals and finishes mixing in the kitchen. Stainless is no longer the default; people want brass, bronze, nickel, and more, giving a rich, layered look.






Oversized Hardware

Courtesy of Kulpany Handle store

Many designers, both for cabinets and kitchens in general, are seeing more requests for oversized hardware in the kitchen. Since we are mixing metals so much, it's not surprising that people want the hardware for their drawers, shelving, and doors to get a spotlight.






Creative Cabinet Options

It's no longer about whether your cabinets are recessed versus floating. People are getting creative and going even further against the idea of cabinets being meant only to store and hide items. We're seeing unique and interesting outside designs for them, such as using butcher block cabinets.






Drawers Please! 

Building off the last point, the trend of having only lower cabinets is morphing into having only lower drawers. People want the ability to pull out what's inside the cabinets for easier access, and we don't blame them.






Furniture-Like Cabinets

Courtesy of Homebunch

Because we have more drawers and people want them to look like the rest of this house and make it appear more furniture-like. They're adding details like trim and specific styles of hardware that are seen in other rooms, such as bedrooms or bathrooms.








Sustainability is Going Strong

People also aren't hesitating to use unconventional materials. Sustainable materials are here to stay, and that trend is only getting bigger year after year. Materials like bamboo or wood that's harvested sustainably or built using scraps from other industries. All of these are being experimented with to see what brings the best look.







Surface Trends in 2023





'Soft' materials 

Although this one doesn't apply just to the surfaces within your kitchen, many people are going for more neutral and soft materials. In 2023 we see very neutral colors on the rise, like light oak, linen, and terracotta.





Stone 

Stone is everywhere we look this year. People are loving having stabilized stone in all sorts of unique colors. They're using them on the ceilings or to wrap around their Islands. And they are absolutely right to do so. These stones are gorgeous, and we cannot wait to see where else people use them.





Backsplashes In Solid Pieces 

Courtesy of MyGlassArtworks

Bouncing right off, the last point is using stone or other materials such as wood or resin in one giant slab for the backsplash. Subway tiles are considered to be officially out as of this year. And although we expect to continue seeing them as a trend, at least it seems that having a solid slab is on the rise.









Color Trends in 2023








Bold

With colors being chosen like Viva Magenta, we're seeing that people aren't scared to go bold in their kitchens. More and more unexpected and bold color choices and combinations are being shown off in homes large and small. And this is a trend we don't expect to go away any time soon.









Unexpected Places 

Courtesy of Christie Chase

Just like we called in an earlier post of ours, people are painting the most unexpected places to brighten up their kitchens. It's no longer just your walls or cabinets that deserve the chance to shine. It's your kitchen island. Or the insides of drawers. Or even your ceiling! All of these places and more are a chance to blend together to create a space that is uniquely yours.









Blues and Greens 

Blues and greens are still a very prominent color pairing within kitchen design. As we pointed out last year, people want their homes to be places to shelter to be safe in all aspects. And blues and greens are very calming and soothing colors for many of us.









Brights and Woods 

Right after that, though, there's nothing that says those blues and greens have to be pastels or muted tones. People are absolutely willing to take bright greens or vivid blues and pair them with rich woods. And the pairing works really well. We expect to see this one continue for quite some time as people try out different combinations and different woods come and go in popularity. 

 





Details and Miscellaneous Trends in 2023









Unique Finds

We've mentioned in the past that people no longer see the point in keeping their personality out of their kitchens; this is another factor that's proving true this year as people are bringing more and more of their art into the kitchen. Whether it's unique finds from their travels, things they've created themselves, or things they've picked up in thrift stores and antique malls, the kitchen is no longer seen as a sterile space. While we expect that pendulum to swing back at some point, it certainly isn't right now.









Statement Lighting 

You need to end custom lighting is another way people are looking to dress up their kitchens. 

Courtesy of Tomer Boutique

Instead of using recessed can lights, as has been done since the early 2000s, people see the value in having statement lights again. And when so many can be used to accentuate or highlights the colors and metals that surround them in the rest of the kitchen, it makes complete sense. We expect this one to stick around for quite some time. 








Recessed Outlets 

One thing that is being hidden away, though, is our electrical outlets! While having proper outlet placement in the kitchen is extraordinarily important, we find that the need for outlets that stick out is not nearly as appealing to us. We have showcased different options for recessed outlets in the past, and we're excited to see those and other options being made available to the common market.








What about you? What trends are you seeing in your neighborhoods? What are you excited about? What are you curious about? What are you bothered by? What trend do you wish would come back? Let us know in the comments below or over on our Facebook page. As always, we love hearing from you, and we want to know what your thoughts on the matter are.


If you've wound up on our site because your kitchen appliances are malfunctioning, fret not! Give us a call at ((214) 599-0055) or head over to our contact page. At Appliance Rescue Service, we'll work with you to find a date and time that works for your schedule. Our top goal is to get your home running smoothly again.

Chocolate Pecan Cake for a Special Date

Or Just For Whenever You Feel Like It, It’s Cake After All!

It’s almost time for the best day ever! No, we don’t mean Valentine’s Day, we’re talking about the day after, when all of the chocolate goes on sale! Now is the best time of year to snap up all sorts of delicious chocolates and make them into fun new desserts. This year, to celebrate, we made a layered chocolate pecan cake with frosting so rich and delicious you’ll have to force yourself to walk away.

  • 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate

    ⅔ c unsweetened, non-alkalized American-style cocoa powder (normally we’re all for substitutions, but due to the chemical reactions, you need to get specifically this type of cocoa)

    1 ¼ tsp baking soda

    ¾ c boiling water

    1 ⅓ c unsifted cake flour

    1 c all-purpose flour

    ¾ tsp baking powder

    ¼ tsp salt + a pinch

    2 ½ sticks unsalted butter, at room temp

    5 large eggs

    1 c sour cream

    2 ½ tsp vanilla extract

  • ⅔ c heavy cream

    ⅔ c granulated sugar

    1 Tbsp unsalted butter

    1 ½ Tbsp light corn syrup

    1 tsp vanilla extract + 1 ½ Tbsp vanilla

    8oz milk chocolate chips

    2 ½ oz unsweetened chocolate

    11 oz of cream cheese

    2 - 2 ½ c powdered sugar

    1-2 tsp water

  • Two 9 Inch round cake pans

    Sifter

    Heavy-bottomed sauce pot

    Several small bowls for ingredients

    Parchment paper

    whisk

    Electric mixer or stand mixer

    Silicon spatula

    Icing knife

    Wire racks

Making the Cake 

Let’s start by taking your chocolate, for both the cake and the icing and getting them chopped up and set into their own bowls. You don’t have to dice them or make sure they’re even, what matters is breaking it up so that the melting can happen more easily later. 


Next  up, let’s prep the pans and the oven. Set one of your oven racks into the middle of the oven and set it to preheat to 350*F. While that’s ticking away, take up your two 9-inch, round cake pans and parchment paper. You’re going to want to generously grease the bottom and sides of the cake pans and then insert rounds of the parchment into the bottoms. Then grease the parchment as well. Once you’ve done that, take up a little bit of all-purpose flour and dust the pans. Tip the pans from side to side, making sure you have everything covered, and then tap out the excess over the trash. 


Next up, pop your unsweetened chocolate (the 4oz you need for the  cake, not the amount needed for the icing) into the microwave. Microwave it on high power for 20 seconds, remove it and stir. Continue this process back and forth until your chocolate is almost melted. Once you can see the melted edges, stir continuously and allow the residual heat to melt the chocolate the rest of the way through. 


In a medium bowl, stir together your cocoa powder and baking soda until well blended. Pour your boiling water over the mixture, stirring consistently. It’s going to bubble up, and that is the reaction you want which is going to make the cake light and fluffy and so tasty. Let that cool while we move on to mixing the ingredients. 


Take a sheet of parchment paper and lay it down on your counter and grab your sifting mesh. Sift together your flours over the paper.

In a separate large bowl, using a mixter on medium, beat your butter until it’s light and fluffy. You’ll need to scrape the sides down a few times as you, as the butter gets tossed everywhere by the mixer. Next, beat in one egg at a time, until just blended. Then add in your cocoa mixture and continue beating, still at medium, until the mixture is free of lumps. Again, you’ll need to scrape the sides down as you go. The mixture might look kind of curdled at this stage, it’s ok. 


Now let’s grab the chocolate we melted earlier. If it’s still warm and runny, that’s great! If not, pop it back into the microwave for a few seconds until it is nice and fluid again. Then add it into the batter until it’s smooth and fully incorporated. 


Switch the mixer down to low and beat in half of your dry ingredients. Once those are mixed in, add both the sour cream and the vanilla. Mix that together for 1 minute, scraping the sides of the bowl down as needed. Then beat in the rest of the dry ingredients just until the batter becomes smooth. 


Split the batter between the pans, using the  back of a spoon to spread it to the edges. Back it in the oven for 25 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, but still moist and the cakes are starting to pull away from the sides of the pan. Transfer the pans over to a wire rack and let them cool completely. (Don’t do what we did and make the icing at this time.) 


When the cakes are fully cooled, carefully run a knife around the side of the pans and under the parchment. Go all the way around and then rap the pan on the counter to loosen the parchment from the bottom. Grab a plate and holding it tight against the top of the plan, flip the cake onto the plate and remove the paper. Once both cakes are out of their pans, give them a few more minutes to cool. 


Making the Frosting



Now that your cakes are on their way to being completely cool, it’s time to make the icing!

Take your 2-quart saucepan and put that on the stove, over medium-high heat. You’re going to add in, in order, your butter,cream, granulated sugar and then the corn syrup. (it’s best to do this quickly so nothing scorches, but that’s also why the butter goes in first.) Stir consistently while everything bubbles and melts and begins to blend. You can wash down the sides of the pan using a pastry brush in warm water, although we found this to be difficult. 


Once you’ve brought it up to a boil, keep it there for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. When the 3 minutes are up, remove it from the heat, add in the vanilla mixture and your chocolate until they completely melt. (It’s ok if they look slightly separated at this point.) 


Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and grab your mixer again. Turn it on to low speed and beat in your cream cheese, one chunk at a time. Continue beating until all of the cream cheese is mixed in, scraping down the sides as needed. 


Next up, add in one cup of powdered sugar at a time, beating just to incorporated each time. Now raise the speed to medium-low and beat until the icing is completely smooth, approximately 1-2 minutes. It should be cool to the touch at this point.

If the frosting is too thin, add in up to ½ cup more of powdered sugar, until fully incorporated and smooth.  Let it sit for 5-10 minutes, and then ice your cake. Because of the base, this is not a frosting you can make ahead of time and use later. 



Spread a tiny bit of icing onto your serving plate of choice and place your first cake layer centered on top of it. Add a dollop of icing on the center and spread evenly. Cover the icing in pecan halves and then add a slightly thinner layer of icing on top of that. Place the second layer of cake and then put icing on top of that. Spread the icing evenly on top, and then use it to coat the sides. When finished, wrap the bottom of the cake in a layer of pecans. 


Slice and enjoy!


With that, enjoy your cake, and eat it too! (After all, what’s the point of a cake if you can’t?) 

If you do make this one, let us know over on our Facebook page! We love to hear what y’all get up and what changes you make. 


If your oven is giving you fits in trying to make this, reach out to us on our contact page or by giving us a call at ((214) 599-0055). We’ll work with you to set up an appointment that works with your schedule. Our goal at Appliance Rescue Service is to get your home running smoothly again.