Peanut Butter M&M Chocolate Cupcakes

May 9, 2013 by 6 Comments

Peanut Butter M&M Chocolate Cupcakes by JavaCupcake.comThese cupcakes came together on a whim this morning.  I was making the chocolate cake layer for an upcoming cake project and had extra batter so I made 10 chocolate cupcakes.   About a week ago I bought a bag of Peanut Butter M&M (under the influence of PMS HAHA!) and thought that they’d make an excellent addition to a peanut butter filling for chocolate cupcakes.  But… as I was whipping up the filling I realized that what I was making would make an even better frosting! So these Peanut Butter M&M Chocolate Cupcakes were born!

You can use any chocolate cupcake recipe you want for these.  Heck, use a box mix.  Cause let’s be honest here… it’s the frosting that’s the highlight of these cupcakes.  Giant mound of peanut buttery, chunky candy goodness.  I even used crunchy peanut butter for this frosting to add a little texture to each bite!

Yummmmmm-o!

Peanut Butter M&M Chocolate Cupcakes by JavaCupcake.com

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Peanut Butter M&M Chocolate Cupcakes

Ingredients

    Chocolate Cupcakes
  • Use this recipe ! It makes 2-3 dozen cupcakes so either HALF this recipe of DOUBLE the frosting recipe.
    • Peanut Butter M&M Frosting
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1/2 heaping cup crunchy peanut butter (I used JIF)
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 Tbsp vanilla
  • 2 Tbsp milk
  • pinch of salt
  • 1/2 cup Peanut Butter M&M's
  • 1/4 cup Peanut Butter M&M's for garnish

Instructions

  1. Prepare your chocolate cupcakes and allow to cool completely before frosting.
  2. Using a food processor, crush 1/2 cup of M&Ms until they are broken into very fine pieces. Remove from food processor and set aside. Repeat with 1/4 cup of M&M's and set aside for garnish.
  3. In a medium mixing bowl, using your hand mixer on high, cream together the peanut butter and butter.
  4. Add half the powdered sugar and mix until smooth. Mix in the vanilla, salt, and milk.
  5. Add the remaining powdered sugar and combine until incorporated. Turn your mixer to high and whip for 1-2 minutes until the frosting lightens in color and becomes fluffy.
  6. Add the 1/2 cup crushed M&Ms and mix until incorporated.
  7. Using an open star tip, pipe frosting onto each cupcake. Sprinkle more crushed M&Ms on top and garnish with a single M&M in the center of the frosting.
  8. Eat and enjoy!
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Filed Under: buttercream, candy, candy cupcakes, candy frosting, chocolate cupcakes, cupcake recipes, frosting and icing, peanut butter, peanut butter frosting, recipes

Candy Corn Cake

November 1, 2012 by Leave a Comment

No no no… this cake doesn’t actually taste like candy corn.  If it did… I probably wouldn’t eat it.  What this cake is though… is super duper cute and super simple to make!

Since I was more excited about how this cake would look than the ingredients I used to make it… I decided to use white boxed cake mix and canned frosting.  I know.   It’s unheard of for me to do this.  But to be honest, I really wasn’t in the mood to do dishes or cream butter and all that jazz.  I wanted a three layer cake that looked like candy corn!  Yes!  Sometimes… we take shortcuts.  Yes!  Sometimes… we give ourselves a break and use box cake mix!  And you know what… this cake didn’t taste bad either!

I served this cake to my family and my neighbors tonight after Trick or Treating.  Not that we needed any more sugar after the amount of candy we all consumed today… but I thought this would be a fun way to end the evening! Yum!

I hope you all had a fantastic, fun and safe Halloween!

Enjoy!

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Candy Corn Cake

Ingredients

  • 1 box of White cake mix + the ingredients needed to prepare it
  • 3 tubs prepared vanilla frosting
  • Wilton Lemon Yellow food coloring gel
  • Wilton Orange food coloring gel
  • 3 8in cake pans - greased and floured
  • Candy Corn candy - for garnish

Instructions

    Cake
  1. Preheat oven to temperature on the cake box. Grease and flour cake pans.
  2. Prepare the cake as directed on the box.
  3. Separate batter evenly into three bowls. Set one aside to remain white.
  4. Color the remaining two bowls of batter. One yellow and one orange.
  5. Pour batters into prepared cake pans and spread evenly and level.
  6. Bake 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
  7. Allow to cool in pans for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
    8. Frosting
  8. Color about 1 cup of vanilla frosting with orange food coloring gel. Color another 1 cup with yellow food coloring gel.
  9. Place the yellow cake layer on your cake stand and frost just the top with yellow frosting.
  10. Place the orange layer on top and frost with orange frosting.
  11. Finally, place the white layer on top of the orange layer.
  12. Cover the entire cake with a crumb coating of white frosting. Place cake in the freezer for 15 minutes or until firm.
  13. Use remaining white frosting to cover the cake completely with an even layer.
  14. Use candy corn candy to rim the top of the cake as a garnish.
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Filed Under: cake, cakes, candy, recipes, tutorials

Peanut M&M Brownies

June 5, 2012 by 2 Comments

I’m always in the mood to bake.  Especially when I don’t have to dirty up my stand mixer.  Especially when it’s cloudy and rainy outside.  Especially when I have no plans for the day.  Especially when I already have pie and cupcakes in my kitchen.  Especially when I am craving chocolate.  Especially when… oh, uhm…  well… I guess whenever really!

Remember those peanut M&M in German colors I found a few weeks ago at the Edeka here in Germany?  Well, I haven’t gotten around to using them yet… until today.  But hmm… what should I put them in?  While browsing Pinterest, I came across a pretty simple recipe for brownies from Buns in My Oven which I used as my inspiration for these brownies. Fudgey brownies are my weakness, so I was sure I’d love this recipe!

Just a little note on these brownies, they are super sweet and call for a lot of sugar.  If you want them less sweet, I’d cut the sugar by at least 1/2 a cup… maybe more.  Also, they are really super fudgey, so if you want more cake like brownies, use only 2 eggs.

PS… These would be really good minus the M&Ms and add a cup of peanuts.  The crunch and saltyness of the peanuts go really well in these brownies… I found myself wanting more peanut in each bite!

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Peanut M&M Brownies

51

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Yield: 12 brownies

Ingredients

  • 1 cup *2 sticks) unsalted butter
  • 1 3/4 cups sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 3/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 Tbsp vanilla
  • 2 tsp espresso powder

  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt

  • 4 eggs
  • 1 cup chocolate chunk
  • 1-2 cups Peanut M&Ms, divided

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Butter a 9x13 baking pan. I also lined the bottom with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
  3. In a medium sauce pan, melt the butter on low-med heat. Whisk in the sugars and cook 1-2 minutes until the sugar has completely dissolved, whisking constantly.
  4. Add the vanilla extract, cocoa powder and espresso powder and whisk until dissolved, about 2 minutes.
  5. Fold the butter/chocolate mixture into the flour mixture until just combined. DO NOT OVER MIX.
  6. Add the eggs and whisk until combined.
  7. Fold in the chocolate chunks & 1 cup of the M&Ms. Use your spatula to scrape the sides and fold a few times to ensure everything is combined.
  8. Spread batter into prepared baking pan.
  9. Use the remaining M&Ms to place on top of the batter. It's always best when you have a few M&Ms showing on top!
  10. Baking 27-33 minutes or until the edges are firm and the center is still a bit soft. Allow to cool in pan before removing to cut and serve.
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Filed Under: bars, bars, brown sugar, brownies, candy, chocolate, desserts, Germany, M&Ms, recipes

Chunky Peanut Butter M&M Cookies & Cookie Bites

May 17, 2012 by 2 Comments

I don’t know what my obsession with M&Ms is lately, but I seem to be buying out the stock of them in the store and baking EVERYTHING with them.  Maybe it’s because I like how colorful they  make my cookies rather than using chocolate chips…. maybe it’s just cause I love chocolate… or maybe… well who cares, I just love them!

I’m pretty sure a lot of you have seen the chocolate chip cookies that have been floating around Pinterest and the internet that require 36 hours of chilling before baking.  I had often wondered myself what all this chilling really does for a cookie… I have never really tried it with a cookie other than my Chocolate Crinkle Cookies, but reading all these blogs talk about how amazing their cookies were after a prolonged chill… I got to wondering if this would work with other cookie dough recipes?

Peanut butter cookies are similar in ingredients to the chocolate chip cookie, brown sugar, butter, egg, flour, etc etc so I thought it might work.  Plus, everything I’d read about this long chill, the cookies turn out crisp on the edges and chewy in the centers… which is exactly what I wanted for these peanut butter cookies.

So, I’m patient… but I’m not THAT patient.  I didn’t chill these cookies for 36 hours, I made it about 19 hours.  But… I’m thinking that it’s a perfect amount of time because the cookies turned out perfect!! Chewy in the middle, a bit crisp on the edges, golden brown and so good!

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Chunky Peanut Butter M&M Cookies & Cookie Bites

Prep Time: 18 hours

Cook Time: 11 minutes

Total Time: 20 hours

Yield: About 32 3in cookies + 24 cookie bites

These peanut butter cookies are the perfect combination of crisp edges with chewy centers with a peanut & M&M in every bite!

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, slightly soft but still cold
  • 1 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 Tbsp vanilla

  • 1 cup unsalted peanuts, chopped into chunks
  • 1 12.6oz bag of M&M candies

  • 1/2 cup sugar for rolling cookies

Instructions

  1. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix in the chopped peanuts and set aside.
  2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the peanut butter, butter and sugars for 3-4 minutes.
  3. Add the eggs one at a time and vanilla and cream for another 3 minutes. Make sure to scrape the sides of the bowl often to ensure everything is incorporated.
  4. Add the flour mixture in two parts, mixing until just combined.
  5. Fold in the M&Ms using a spatula (NOTE: You can use your mixer for this, but make sure you do it on low so the M&Ms don't break.)
  6. Cover dough and refrigerate overnight or at least 18 hours.
  7. Preheat oven to 350 F degrees and line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
  8. Roll out 2 inch balls of dough and coat with sugar.
  9. Place balls on cookie sheet 2 inches apart and press down with a fork in a criss-cross pattern until slightly flattened.
  10. Bake for 10-12 minutes or the cookie is slightly golden brown. NOTE: DO NOT over bake these cookies!! You want the middles to seem gooey still! I baked mine exactly 11 minutes, but every oven varies.
  11. Allow to cool on pan for 3-4 minutes before removing to wire rack to cool completely. (Or if you're like me, you'll eat them straight from the oven!)
  12. Keep dough refrigerated between batches so it stays chilled.
    13. Cookie Bites:
  13. Spray lightly the insides of a mini muffin pan with cooking spray.
  14. Place 1in balls of cookie dough into each opening.
  15. Bake at 350 F degrees for 7-9 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden brown.
  16. Allow to cool at least 5 mins in pan. Use a toothpick to pop out each bite. NOTE: If you try to remove the cookie bites too early, they may fall apart. You want to give them enough time to set up before removing.
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Filed Under: brown sugar, candy, candy filled cookies, chocolate, cookies, featured, M&Ms, mini, peanut butter, peanut butter and chocolate, peanut butter cookies, recipes

Whopper Robin Eggs Cookies & a Story about New Mommyhood

April 10, 2012 by 7 Comments

As you might have been able to tell… things have been quiet in my kitchen for the last 5 weeks.  You see, there’s this new little thing in my life that screams, eats, poops and pees… every 2 hours… that makes getting into the kitchen a little difficult.

I don’t know what I was thinking before Matty was born… but I honestly believed I’d have more time to bake.  At least once or twice a week I thought to myself.

I. Was. Wrong.

Before today, I’ve been in the kitchen to bake exactly ONCE.  And even then… it wasn’t really baking, it was throwing together canned prepared stuff from the grocery store to make something that resembled home baked goodness.  (Click HERE for that recipe.)

This morning, I set Matty down in his crib for a nap and headed to the kitchen.. but it wasn’t 5 minutes later (I just happen to be in the middle of creaming the butter & sugar) that he started to scream.  Shoot… it was time to feed him.   Thank goodness for my daughter, Emily.  Because today she is on Spring Break and is home to help Mommy.  YAY FOR TEENAGERS!  So, I fixed Matty a bottle and took him upstairs to my beautiful daughter and she fed him for me so I could get my much needed time in the kitchen.

Back to the kitchen I go. Now, mind you… I’m still in my jammies with an apron on but hey, who needs to be dressed while baking?  I mean… do people really do that?  Get dressed before baking?  (I’m trying to convince myself that it’s okay I’m not dressed before 11am haha).

Ok… the kitchen.  As I’m putting together the cookies I’m pondering why it is I really need to be in the kitchen baking.  I mean really, why is there always a burning desire to bake.  I came to the conclusion that it’s for a couple of reasons.

First, I love being creative with baking.  I’ve never really been a creative person artistically, but once I started seriously baking I realized that I am really good at it.  Creating new recipes, coming up with creative ways to use ingredients is my way of expressing myself… it’s my artistic outlet.  I’ve never had an outlet for creativity before my baking.

Second… and this one I’ve said before, is that I LOVE to see other people happy.  I love to bake because when I give my creations to someone, it fills my heart with joy to see the expressions on their face when they light up as they take a bite into whatever I’ve made.  That truly  makes me happy.

So… with all that said. I hope to be able to get into the kitchen once a week to bake.  If I don’t, that’ll be okay too.  I’ve got this adorable little bundle of joy here to keep me happy.

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Whopper Robin Eggs Cookies

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 11 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Yield: 3 dozen cookies

As many as you can eat!

Got left over Easter Egg candies?? This is the perfect cookie for you!

Ingredients

  • 2 1/4 cups flour flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1 egg
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 1 tsp.vanilla extract
  • 2 cups crushed Whoppers (I used the Easter Robin Eggs Whoppers)
  • NOTE: You want both fine pieces and chunks of the Whoppers.

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
  3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. (About 3-4 minutes.)
  4. Add the egg and mix on high for 2 minutes.
  5. Beat in the milk and vanilla.
  6. Add the flour and mix just until combined and no flour remains visible.
  7. Set aside 1/4 cup of the crushed Whoppers. Fold in remaining 1 3/4 cup into the batter.
  8. Roll 1in balls and place on baking sheet 1-2 inches apart. Using the reserved 1/4 cup of Whoppers, place a few pieces on top of each ball, color side down. (You'll be able to see what's inside the cookies better if you place a few pieces on top!)
  9. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until cookies begin to turn golden brown.
  10. Allow to cool on baking sheet for 1-2 minutes then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
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Recipe Inspiration: Cast Sugar

Filed Under: candy, candy filled cookies, cookies, holiday, perfect for spring, recipes

Butterfinger Ice Cream Cake

June 29, 2011 by 21 Comments

Every year my husband wants an ice cream cake for his birthday.  Unfortunately, he’s usually in Iraq on his birthday… but not this year!! He’s home this year and I wanted to make his ice cream cake super special by making it myself.  He requested a Butterfinger ice cream cake!  [Read more...]

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