CakeSpy

So, I recently received a very large parcel of boxes of cereal from General Mills with which to try out some recipes for consideration for the Betty Crocker Halloween recipes section of their site. Naturally, I immediately set out to find as many delicious recipes as I could for baked goods which include cereal. One recipe for "Chewy Cereal Bars", which called for Grape-Nuts, intrigued me, but I suspected the recipe could be improved upon: first and foremost, by using Reese's Puffs instead. After making some other alterations to make the recipe uniquely my own, I can say that it's a pretty delicious end result, like chewy blondies with little crispy explosions of peanut butter and chocolate. Top 'em off with some buttercream frosting (and maybe even double deck 'em and decorate them for Halloween or the occasion of your choosing) and you've got yourself a cereal winner.


Reese's Puffs Bars

Ingredients (bars):

• 1/3 cup butter
  
• 1 cup Reese's Puffs Cereal
  
• 3/4 firmly packed brown sugar
  
• 1 egg
  
• 1 1/2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
  
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  
• Optional Halloween garnish: candy corn and mellowcreme pumpkins
  

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan. In a medium saucepan, melt butter; once melted, add cereal and incorporate for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
   
2. Remove from heat; stir in brown sugar until incorporated. Add egg and vanilla, and stir until completely blended.
   
3. Add flour and baking powder; stir until completely blended.
   
4. Spread into greased pan, and bake about 20 minutes or until golden around the edges. Let cool completely, and then frost. If desired, cut the batch in half and create double decker treats and slice them into thin fingers; if desired, garnish with candy corn and/or mellowcreme pumpkins.
   

Ingredients (frosting)

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  
• 6 cups confectioners' sugar
  
• 1/2 cup half and half
  
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  

Directions:
Cream the butter and about 4 cups of the confectioners' sugar until smooth and creamy; add the vanilla and the rest of the sugar bit by bit until the frosting reaches your desired consistency (you may not need all of it). For orange frosting, add about 1 drop of red and 4 drops of yellow food coloring and mix until the color is even; frost the cooled bars. Do not freeze or chill this frosting.