Since I needed to color the batter, I needed a basic white base to start with.  So, I whipped up a simple vanilla buttermilk cupcake.  But… you know me, nothing I do is ever basic.  These cupcakes have my favorite Madagascar vanilla beans, buttermilk and some added sour cream for flavor.  There is nothing basic about the flavor of these bad boys!

I topped them with a cinnamon cream cheese frosting and them embellished them with some fun sprinkles and mini cupcakes made with pb cups.  Topsy Turvy Cupcakes!

These cupcakes will be READY TO PARTY tomorrow morning!  I hope the radio station is ready for the sugar rush!

First, I used my favorite red and white liners from Sutton Gourmet Paper that owner Kellie sent me.  Seriously, these make any red and white cupcake so much more beautiful.  They hold their color so well… I just love them!

Second, I filled those awesome liners with my recipe for Red Velvet cake… which, I think I’ve pretty much perfected.

Third, I topped them with a simple cream cheese and vanilla bean frosting.

Finally, I added the cutest red heart sprinkles… making these the perfect Valentine treat!

Here’s to wishing all of my fantastic readers a very

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY! 

Please know how much I love each and every one of you and truly am thankful for your love and support over the years!

Imagine… peanut butter, cream cheese, and sugar… with pb and chocolate chips… rolling around in your mouth.  Seriously… my daughter, she took spoonfulls of this ball, didn’t even need crackers!

The only downside to this ball is that it really needs to sit overnight in the freezer to set up perfectly… so you have to make it a day ahead.  No biggie though, one less thing for you to do the day you party down with this ball!

Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Cheese Ball

8oz cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 tbsp packed brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla

approx 3/4 cup milk chocolate chips
approx 3/4 cup peanut butter chips

Nilla Wafers and Cinnamon Graham Crackers

Wax paper

1. Cream together the cream cheese and peanut butter.
2. Add the sugars and vanilla and mix until smooth.  NOTE:  If it seems a little sticky still, add a bit more powdered sugar until it firms up.
3. Place mixture onto a large sheet of wax paper and form into a ball.  Fold the sides of the wax paper to cover the ball and place in freezer for 90 minutes to set it’s shape.
4. After the 90 minutes, mix the pb and choc chips together on a plate. Remove the ball from the freezer and press the chips into the side of the ball until it’s covered.
5. Place the ball on plate you will be serving it on, cover and freeze 4-5 hours (AT LEAST) or over night.
6. Remove from 20-30 minutes before you want your guests to enjoy it.  Serve with Nilla Wafers, Cinnamon Graham Crackers or whatever other kind of cookie, cracker you want! YUM!

Today… it’s Red Velvet, Cream Cheese & Chocolate Brownies.  Now, you may have noticed that I don’t make many red velvet things… I’m not really a huge fan.  I don’t always have red food dye on hand and I’m not a huge fan of cream cheese.  Call it pregnancy hormones and cravings… but for the first time in my life, I’ve been wanting to use cream cheese in every dessert I make.

The recipe is pretty simple… there are a few steps, but it really didn’t take much time at all to put together!

I made these especially for the #ChocolateLove BlogHop that I’m apart of!  So make sure you visit the BlogHop Co-Hosts listed at the bottom of this post and add your favorite CHOCOLATE recipe to the list!

ENJOY!

Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies
Makes 12-16 brownies

Brownie Batter:
9 tbsp unsalted butter
7oz 70% dark chocolate

3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla

2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tbsp red food coloring gel/dye

3/4 cup + 2 tbsp flour
1/4 tsp salt

Cheesecake Batter:
12oz cream cheese, room temperature
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.  Line 9×13 glass pan with parchment paper and spray lightly with cooking spray (or grease/flour pan – I prefer parchment paper, makes the brownies easier to pull out at the end).
2. In a double boiler, melt the butter and chocolate together.  Stir often.  Set aside to cool slightly when melted.
3. While that’s melting, in a small bowl, whisk together the flour and salt and set aside.
4. In an even smaller bowl, with a fork, stir together the cocoa powder and food coloring until it becomes a paste and set aside.
5. While the chocolate/butter is cooling, in the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the eggs, sugar and vanilla until smooth.
6. SLOWLY pour in the slightly cooled chocolate.  Start with a little bit at a time, you don’t want to add it all too much, too hot and cook the eggs.
7. Add the cocoa powder/food coloring.  Scrape the sides of the bowl and beat until your batter turns a dark red color.  If you want, you can add more red coloring at this time.  Make sure the food color is very well incorporated before you move on.
8. Slowly add the flour and mix until smooth.  Don’t beat too much… just enough until all the clumps are out and the batter is smooth.
9. Remove 1/2 cup of batter and set aside.
10. In a clean bowl for the stand mixer, mix together the cream cheese, egg yolks, sugar and vanilla on high speed until whipped and smooth.
11. 
    Spread brownie batter in the bottom of the pan, making sure to get it into the edges and corners.
12. 
    Dollop the cream cheese mixture on top of the brownie mixture.  Using an offset spatula, gently spread to cover the brownie mixture.
13. 
    Drizzle remaining brownie mixture on top of the cream cheese.  Using your offset spatula, swirl the three layers together.  NOTE:  Don’t swirl too much!  You want a lot of the white cream cheese to show through!
14. Bake for 20 minutes, rotate pan, and cover with foil.  Bake another 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with crumbs, not wet batter.
15. Allow to cool completely in pan before removing to cut into squares.

Recipe adapted from An American Cupcake in London

ChocolateLove BlogHop CoHosted by:

A Little Bit of Everything ~ Roxana ~ @RoxanaGreenGirl * ASTIG Vegan ~ Richgail ~  @astigvegan * Badger Girl Learns to Cook ~ Kimberly ~ @BdgrGrl * Baker Street ~ Anuradha ~ @bakerstreet29 * Baking and Cooking, A Tale of Two Loves ~ Becky Higgins * Baking Extravaganza ~ Samantha * BigFatBaker ~ Erin ~ @BigFatBaker * Bon a croquer ~ Valerie ~ @Valouth * CafeTerraBlog ~ Terra ~ @CafeTerraBlog * Cake Duchess ~ Lora ~ @cakeduchess * Cakeballs, Cookies and More ~ Sue * Cooking with Books ~ Marnely ~ @nella22 * Creative Cooking Corner ~ Karriann ~ @KarriannGraf * Easily Good Eats ~ Three Cookies * Elephant Eats ~ Amy * Georgiecakes ~ Georgie ~ @georgiecakes * Hobby And More ~ Richa ~ @betit19 * Java Cupcake ~ Betsy ~ @JavaCupcake * Kitchen Belleicious ~ Jessica * Mike’s Baking ~ Mike ~ @mikesbaking * Mis Pensamientos ~ Junia ~ @juniakk * No One Likes Crumbley Cookies ~ TR ~ @TRCrumbley * Oh Cake ~ Jessica ~ @jesshose * Preheat the Oven ~ Jason ~ @officialchefjae * Rico sin Azucar ~ Helena ~ @ricosinazucar * Savoring Every Bite ~ Linda ~ @Spicegirlfla * Simply Reem ~ Reem ~ @simplyreem * Smart Food and Fit ~ Lisa ~ @LisaNutrition * Soni’s Food for Thought ~ Soni ~ @sonisfood * Sprint 2 the Table ~ Laura ~ @Sprint2theTable * Teaspoon of Spice ~ Deanna ~ @tspbasil  * That Skinny Chick Can Bake ~ Liz ~ @Thatskinnychick * The Dusty Baker ~ Jacqueline ~ @dustybakergal * The More Than Occasional Baker ~ Ros ~ @bakingaddict * The Spicy RD ~ EA ~ @thespicyrd * The Wimpy Vegetarian ~ Susan ~ @wimpyvegetarian * Vegan Yack Attack! ~ Jackie ~ @veganyackattack * Vegetarian Mamma  ~ Cindy ~ @VegetarianMamma * You Made That? ~  Suzanne ~ @YouMadeThatblog

My favorite though… the bag of pink, white and red M&M’s.  Simple yet so darn cute when used just right!

Today, there is 3 inches of new snow on the ground and it’s a perfect day to stay inside and whip up something sweet with these Valentine themed M&M’s for my daughter and her friends.  They’re spending the afternoon sledding and playing in the snow… so they’re definitely going to need a little energy from these cookie bars!

Normally, when I make sugar cookies, I use a dough that needs to be chilled and rolled… but I thought I’d try something a little different this time.  A sugar cookie that is cut, like a bar or with a cookie cutter, already frosted and decorated… and I use the Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie Recipe.  This recipe is just as easy, if not simpler and it gets pressed into a jelly roll pan!

The frosting, it’s my new favorite.  A bit of cream cheese and a lot of Madagascar vanilla!  YUM!

Sweetheart Sugar Cookie Bars
Makes 18+ bars

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp almond extract
the seeds of 1 Madagascar vanilla bean (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)

5 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 drop of Americaolor “Red Red” food gel

1. Preheat oven to 375 F degrees.  Line 13x18x1 in jelly roll pan (really big, deep cookie sheet!) with parchment paper and spray paper and sides of pan with cooking spray.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer using a paddle attachment, cream together the butter, sugar, eggs, almond and vanilla.  You want to beat this mixture on high for 4-5 minutes to get it very light and fluffy!
3. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and baking soda.
4. With the mixer on low, add the flour in three parts.  Scrape the sides of the bowl and mix until incorporated thoroughly.
5. Press the dough into the pan.  NOTE: I used a piece of wax paper to help spread out the dough into the edges and corners.
6. Bake in the center of the oven for 15-20 minutes or until the edges begin to turn golden.
7. Cool completely on a wire rack, in the pan, before frosting.

Madagascar Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting

2oz cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 lb powdered sugar
3-5 tbsp Madagascar Vanilla Cream

1. Cream together the cream cheese and butter.
2. Slowly add the powdered sugar and mix until smooth.
3. Add the cream until you get your desired consistency.  I like a thinner, smoother frosting for cookies so I add more cream than less.
4. Beat on high for 5-6 minutes.

To Assemble Cookies: 

Cutting board
Offset spatula
Large knife
Cookie bar
Frosting
M&M candies
Heart shaped cookie cutter

1. Use a knife to loosen cookie from the pan.  Gently slide the cookie out of the pan and onto the counter or a large cutting board.
2. Using an offset spatula, spread a thin layer of frosting evenly over the cookie.
3. Sprinkle whole M&M’s evenly over the cookie bar.  Chop more M&M’s into small pieces, even crushed a bit, and sprinkle evenly over the cookie bar.
4. Cut into squares and serve with a big glass of milk!
5. You could also cut a few using a heart shaped cookie cutter too if you wanted to be really creative!

I can’t resist.  I bought 10 boxes.  Yes.  You read that correctly.  10 boxes.

2 to eat (with in the first 24  hours).

8 to bake with.

Yeah… you read that correctly.  8 boxes to bake with.

Last year I made Samoa Cupcakes and Tagalong Brownies.  This year… I started with Thin Mint Cupcakes.  These cupcakes are a super decadent chocolate cake filled with a whipped chocolate ganache topped with a mint buttercream.  Serious amounts of NOM NOM NOM.

PS…. This is my new favorite chocolate cake recipe.  I know it’s got beer in it… but I’m totally using it for every chocolate cake I make from now on!!

Chocolate Stout Cupcakes
Makes 24 cupcakes

1 bottle of Guinness Stout Beer
1 cup unsalted butter
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tbsp espresso powder
1 tsp vanilla

2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt

2 eggs
2/3 cup sour cream

1. Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.  Line cupcake pans with liners.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt.
3. In a medium sauce pan, melt the butter on medium-high heat.  Add the vanilla beer, whisk together and heat until it just begins to simmer.  Whisk in the cocoa powder and espresso powder and heat until it just begins to bubble up.  DO NOT BOIL.  Remove from heat and whisk until smooth.   Cool slightly.
4. In the meantime, in a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and sour cream.  Slowly pour in the slightly cooled chocolate mixture. NOTE:  DO THIS SLOW! You don’t want to cook the eggs, so start pouring a very small amount of the warm chocolate mixture into the egg mixture… DO NOT DUMP IT IN ALL AT ONCE.
5. In three parts, add the flour mixture to the chocolate/egg mixture.  Whisk until smooth.  Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, making sure everything is incorporated.
6. Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full with batter.
7. Bake 18-20 minutes, rotating pan after 12 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
8. Cool in pan for 3-4 minutes then remove to a wire rack to cool completely before filling and frosting.

Whipped Chocolate Ganache

4 oz dark chocolate, chopped

1/3 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp corn syrup

1 tbsp butter
1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Place the chopped chocolate in a medium glass bowl.
2. In a small sauce pan, heat the heavy cream and corn syrup just until it bubbles.
3. Pour heavy cream over chocolate and stir until smooth.  If the chocolate doesn’t melt all the way, place the bowl over a double boiler and continue to stir until smooth.
4. Mix in the butter and extract.
5. Allow ganache to cool to room temperature.
6. Using a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whisk the cooled ganache until fluffy.  Don’t over mix or it will get grainy.

Vanilla Bean Peppermint Buttercream

12 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
4 tbsp cream cheese, room temperature
2 lbs powdered sugar
1/2 cup Madagascar Vanilla Bean Cream
1/2 tsp peppermint extract
pinch of salt
Wilton Green Food Gel

1.  Cream together the butter and cream cheese.
2. Add half the powdered sugar and mix on high until incorporated and smooth.
3. Beat in half the vanilla bean cream until smooth.  Scrape the sides of the bowl, making sure all the sugar is combined.
4. Add the remaining sugar and the peppermint extract.
5. Mix in the food gel until it’s the color you desire.
6. Add remaining vanilla bean cream until you get the consistency you want.  Mix on high 3-4 minutes until smooth and fluffy.

To Assemble Cupcakes:

Thin Mint Cookies
Peppermint Buttercream
Chocolate Shavings
Piping bag & large round tip
Apple corer

1. Core each cupcake using the apple corer.
2. Fill each cupcake with whipped ganache.  (I filled a disposable piping bag, cut off the top and filled each one with that.)
3. Using a large round tip and a piping  bag, pipe a round swirl of buttercream on to each cupcake.
4. Top with a Thin Mint cookie and chocolate shavings.
5. EAT! ENJOY!

And this is what you do when you have left over peppermint buttercream.  NOM NOM NOM

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Maple Frosting

Makes 12 servings

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature

1 cup canned pumpkin purée (8 ounces), not pie filling

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed

1/2 cup vegetable oil

Maple Frosting (recipe follows)

1/2 cup coarsely chopped Heath bars, for serving (2 1.4-ounce bars)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Brush or spray the top of 10 muffin tins with vegetable oil and line them with 10 paper liners.

2. Into a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. In a larger bowl, whisk together the eggs, pumpkin purée, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vegetable oil. Add the flour mixture and stir until combined.

3. Divide the batter among the prepared tins (I use a level 2 1/4-inch ice cream scoop) and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Set aside to cool completely.

4. Spread the cupcakes with the Maple Frosting and sprinkle with the chopped toffee bits.

Maple Frosting

6 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/4 teaspoon Boyajian Natural Maple Flavor (I used Mc Cormick)

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (I just used a wooden spoon and mixed it well), cream the cream cheese and butter on low speed until smooth. Stir in the maple flavoring and vanilla extract. With the mixer still on low, slowly add the confectioners’ sugar and mix until smooth.

ENJOY!

You may remember the Tree Hugger Apple cupcakes I made before!  I brought them to my first Cupcake Camp and they were a HUGE success!  My very first recipe I came up with on my own from scratch!  I knew I didn’t want to make these caramel apple cupcakes exactly the same, but some elements of it I knew were too good to pass up.

I started these Caramel Apple Cupcakes with the same pan cooked chopped apples that I used with my Tree Hugger Apple cupcakes.  Sugar, apples, lemon, and spices cooked on low heat to create a ooey gooey apple filling.  Seriously, I could eat it by the spoonful.

Apple Mixture
Makes about 2 cups apple mixture

3 Granny Smith apples, diced
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 tbsp hot water + 1 tbsp corn starch

1. Over medium high heat,  mix together all the ingredients in a frying pan on the stove.
2. Bring to a boil then reduce to low and cook for about 10 minutes.  Stirring frequently.
3. Set aside to cool completely.

Apple Cream Cheese Filling

8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup apple mixture
1 tbsp heavy cream (optional)

1. Cream together the cream cheese and butter using an electric mixer with a paddle attachment.
2. Slowly add the powdered sugar and mix until smooth.
3. Mix in the vanilla.
4. Add the apple mixture and mix on low until just combined.
5. If mixture is too thick, add a tbsp of heavy cream to smooth out.

Apple Cupcakes
Makes 18 full size cupcakes and 24 mini cupcakes

2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 cup canola oil
1/2 cup applesauce
1/4 cup apple juice
1 tbsp vanilla extract

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg

1 cup apple mixture

1. Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.  Line cupcake pans with liners.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, eggs, oil, applesauce, juice and vanilla.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk/sift together the flour, soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
4. Add the flour to the wet mixture and mix together just until combined.
5. Fold in the apple mixture.
6. Fill regular size liners about 2/3 full.  Fill mini liners 1/2 full.
7. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until tops are golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.  Rotate pan after 12 minutes of baking.
8. Cool in pans for about 7 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Assembly

1. After cool, cut a cone out of the center of each regular size cupcake.  Trim off the bottom of the cone.
2. Core out the center of each mini cupcake using an apple corer.
3. Fill each cupcake with the cream cheese apple mixture.  Replace to tops of the regular size cupcakes only. (I used a small ice cream scoop to fill the regular size cupcakes and a piping bag to fill the mini’s)
4. Top with caramel buttercream and then rim with your favorite topping. (Nuts, candy, sprinkles, caramel sauce)
5. Insert popsicle stick or lollipop stick into center of cupcake.

I hope that you’re all doing well and enjoying your summer.  Or, if you live in the great PNW-then enjoying the summer that has finally decided to show up-not hatin’ just sayin’.  I’ll take the sunshine and be happy about it

These cupcakes were my first attempt at vegan AND gluten free cupcakes.  Interesting.  That’s probably the best way to describe this little adventure.  The first batch I tried to make, ummm. Epic fail to the maximum capacity.  2nd batch. Much much much better.  Idk if I would bake like this all the time… (lies. I tell lies… I love butter and bacon like it’s no one else’s business) but I’m glad that I at least tried and I have a recipe under my belt for the next time I may need one

Just as an FYI-I was a little intimidated by some of the ingredients in this kind of baking (xanthan gum, anyone??) but I was able to find EVERYTHING I needed in the natural food section of my grocery store.  In my case, Fred Meyer.  If you live closer to a whole foods or trader joe’s, I’m sure they have everything you could want and more!

Banana & Blueberry Cupcakes (Gluten Free & Vegan-yay!)

• 2 cups high quality gluten free flour (I used Bob’s Red Mill)
• 1 teaspoon xanthan gum (also Bob’s Red Mill)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sugar in the raw
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 4 ripe bananas
• 1/4 cup coconut milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup fresh, organic blueberries

As always, if you have any questions about this recipe, please please please let me know I’m happy to help however I can!

One of my favorite things about baking cupcakes is that they’re super easy to modify.  This banana cupcake recipe has become a staple around my house, whether we’re using them for muffins (minus frosting) or a simple dessert

Banana Cupcakes: (Recipe Source: Martha Stewart)

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (about 4 ripe bananas)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350F.  Line 16 muffin tins with cupcake liners.
2. In  medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
3. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture.  In the well combine, melted butter, mashed bananas, eggs and vanilla extract.  Combine with flour until incorporated.  Do not over mix.
4. Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Jenn’s JavaCupcake Honey Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 8 oz package cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/4 cup high quality honey
• 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream, as needed to get desired consistency

1. Cream butter and cream cheese until light fluffy in a standing bowl mixer on medium-high speed for about 3 minutes.
2. Reduce speed to low, add the honey and mix until combined.
3. Add the powdered sugar and combine on low speed until incorporated, about 2-3 minutes.
4. Pipe frosting with a large star tip.
5. Enjoy!

Just a FYI, I brought these to work and a friend said that this is the best frosting she’s ever had.  It’s definitely pretty high up there on my favorites list as well, it’s nice and tangy (thank you cream cheese) but it was also super light and fluffy and paired with the banana cupcake, it was divine.  Just sayin’

I baked these for a student event at work and everyone loved them!  Something about snickerdoodles that brings out the happiness in folks I think it’s cause they’re sort of like Cinnamon Toast Crunch yum & yum.  I preferred the mini version of these cupcakes, just because they were SOOOOO stinkin’ cute, but the regular cupcakes were fun too because they crackled a little bit at the top so they sort of looked like a snickerdoodle cookie!

Just an FYI, the Martha Stewart recipe I used from her Cupcakes book, calls for her 7-minute frosting.  I didn’t read super great things about the pair, so I decided to use a cream cheese frosting, topped off with a cinnamon/sugar sprinkling.  I loved it and so did everyone else.  If you decide to use the 7-minute frosting, please let me know what you think

mini snickerdoodle kisses

Snickerdoodle Cupcakes (Martha Stewart’s Cupcake Book)

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups cake flour (not self- rising), sifted
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups milk

Yield: 28 cupcakes (or 1 1/2 dozen regular & 1 dozen mini cupcakes)

1. Preheat oven to 350F.  Line muffin pans with cupcake liners.
2. In a medium sized bowl, sift together both flours, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.
3. In a standing bowl mixer, with the paddle attachment, on medium-high cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes.
4. Add eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl, as needed.  Beat in the vanilla.
5. Reduce speed to low and add the flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour.
6. Mix until combined.
7. Evenly divide batter among cupcake liners, filling 2/3 way full.  Sprinkle cupcakes with a mixture of cinnamon and sugar (1 teaspoon cinnamon/2 tablespoons sugar).  Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester comes out clean, about 20 minutes (modify to about 10 minutes for mini cupcakes)  Transfer cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely.

*Cupcakes can be stored up to 2 days at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months in an airtight container.

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 pound (4 cups) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
• 3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. Beat butter and cream cheese with a mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.
2. Reduce speed to low. Add sugar, 1 cup at a time, and then vanilla; mix until smooth.
3. Pipe with a large round tip.  Sprinkle with remaining cinnamon/sugar mixture.
4. Frosted cupcakes can be refrigerated for up to 3 days; bring to room temperature before serving.

happy snickerdoodle week!

I made two kinds of cupcakes for the party, Glazed Jelly Doughnuts and these Red, White and Blue Velvet!

These cupcakes, according to my husband, taste just like sugar cookies.  Personally… I think they’re better.  They were moist, full of flavor and really quite delicious!!!

I topped these cupcakes with an Almond Cream Cheese frosting and a cupcake star. The stars on top are made from a few extra cupcakes that  I cut into slices and used a star cookie cutter to cut out stars.  Really so simple but such a great effect!

Not gonna lie… they were a HUGE hit!

JavaCupcake’s Red, White and Blue Velvet Cupcakes
Inspired by Sprinkle Bakes
Makes 2 dozen
2 cups sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 eggs, room temperature

1 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tbsp dark blue GEL food coloring
1/2 tsp violet GEL food coloring

2 1/2 cups cake flour
1 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp salt

1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla extract

½ tsp baking soda
1 tbsp vinegar

1. Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Prepare cupcake pan with liners.
2. With a mixer, cream the sugar and butter, beating until light and fluffy – at least 3-4 minutes.
3. While that is mixing, in another bowl, sift together the flour, salt, and cocoa powder. Set aside.
4. In a small measuring cup that pours, mix together the buttermilk and vanilla.  Set aside.
5. One at a time, add the eggs to the sugar/butter.  Mix well after each egg and scrape the sides of the bowl.
6. Mix cocoa and food colorings together to form a paste, and then add to sugar mixture.  Using a scraper/spatula mix until the batter is one uniform color.
7. In three batches, add the flour to the batter.  Between each addition, add half the buttermilk.  Mix until until combined.
8. In a small bowl, combine baking soda and vinegar and add to batter.  Mix only until combined.
9. Scoop batter into liners 2/3 full.
10. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  (The batter is THICK and really needs this much time!)
11. Cool in pan for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Almond Cream Cheese Frosting
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 8oz package of cream cheese, room temperature
2 lbs powdered sugar, sifted
1/4 cup milk or heavy cream
1 tsp almond extract

1. Cream together the butter and cream cheese.
2. One cup at a time, add the sifted powdered sugar.
3. Add the almond extract and combine.
4. As needed add the milk until you get your desired consistency.  You may not need the entire amount.

I found a few recipes online that had great reviews, including Ina Garten’s Coconut Cupcakes, I love me some Barefoot Contessa… but she used buttermilk instead of coconut milk, so I decided to go with a super, slightly adapted version of Simply Recipe’s, Coconut Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting.  If you have a little bit  more time, Bon Appetit has an amazing version that calls for reduced coconut milk and vanilla bean.

Instead of doubling this recipe, I just made 2 batches separately.  I used large liners so I ended up with 15 from each batch, which was great since I was gifting a dozen, if 1 or 2 didn’t work out, it was going to be okay.  Ps. these liners. THE BEST.  They’re sturdy enough to bake standing on their own, no muffin pan needed, and since they’re so big I was able to fit a hefty ice cream scoop full of batter into each cup.  I already have a few more packages in my cart because I want to use them all the time!

Coconut Cupcakes

• 3/4 cup of unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 1/4 cup of sugar
• 3 eggs, room temperature
• 1 cup of canned coconut milk*
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups of flour
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1 cup of sweetened desiccated coconut

*Coconut milk can be found at your grocery store in the Asian aisle, I usually have some on-hand from the actual Asian store, but if you don’t have one of those in your area, your grocery store should carry some.  They also may have some in the natural section of your store.

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners and set aside.
2. In a medium sized bowl, combine & whisk the flour, salt and baking powder.  Measure 1 cup of well shaken coconut milk to a liquid measuring cup and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.  Mix well.
3. In a standing bowl mixer, with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and the sugar until light and fluffy at least 3 minutes.
4. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating for 30 seconds each to ensure mixing. Be sure to scrape down the sides after each egg to ensure even mixing.
5. Alternate adding the dry and wet ingredients to the mixer, with 3 additions of flour, beginning and ending with the flour.  Mix the batter until there are still a few streaks of dry batter and stop.  You do not want to overmix.
6. Gently fold in the shredded coconut. Scoop batter into cupcake liners and bake for 18-22 minutes.  (If you’re using the same cupcake liners that I used, I baked my cupcakes for about 25 minutes, but you’ll want to keep an eye on them.)
7. Remove cupcakes from oven when a tester comes out clean.  Allow to cool completely before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1 cup (1 stick) of unsalted butter, room temperature
• 8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
• 2 cups powdered sugar (more if needed to reach desired consistency)
• 2-3 tablespoons coconut milk (as needed)
• 2 cups toasted, sweetened, shredded coconut

1. Cream the butter and cream cheese in a standing bowl mixer, with the paddle attachment, for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy.
2. Add the powdered sugar with the mixer on low and mix until combined.
3. Add coconut milk as needed to reach desired consistency.
4. To toast coconut: Add coconut to a baking tray, toast for 3-5 minutes until golden brown.  Remove from oven, allow coconut to cool before garnishing cupcakes.
5. Frost as you wish! Either with large dome of frosting that is covered in toasted coconut, or with a large star tip and a sprinkling of toasted coconut

These cupcakes are super delish.  They’re dense, but in the best way possible.  The cupcake is heavy, but the texture is still super light and fluffy.  They’re not too sweet and the coconut flavor isn’t overpowering at all, instead it’s nice and subtle.  Please don’t skip out on the toasted coconut, in my opinion, that’s what really makes these special. The aroma of the coconut is really great from the toasted coconut and it’s just so pretty!

As always, if you have any questions, please let me know! Happy baking!

xo-Jenn

I made these as a birthday present for my dad’s girlfriend.  She received a dozen packaged up super cute, with pink ribbon (for her Mary Kay lovin’ self) and I took a dozen to work.  They didn’t last very long.  I snatched up the last one right before I left for lunch around 11:00.  Usually cupcakes make it through our campus lunch hour… at least.  These babies?   Not. A. Chance.  I’ll probably make them again very soon… because they just scream SPRING!! (Please don’t remind me that it’s almost summer, because WA doesn’t seem to care that it’s June already. sad. face.)

"life is good. let's make this day very good."

Carrot Cake Cupcakes (Slightly Adapted From: Martha Stewart)

• 1 pound medium carrots, peeled and finely grated
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup plain yogurt
• 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped, pod reserved for another use (or 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract)
• 1 cup walnuts, toasted and finely chopped
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Yield: 24 cupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 325F. Line 2 muffin tins with 24 cupcake liners.
2. In a medium sized bowl, combine: flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ground ginger and nutmeg and whisk until combined.
3. In a standing bowl mixer with the whisk attachment, add: carrots, eggs, sugar, vegetable oil, yogurt, vanilla bean (or extract) and walnuts.  Whisk until combined.
4. Remove whisk attachment and add paddle attachment.  Add flour to the carrot mixture and mix on low until combined.
5. Add a full ice cream scoop of batter to each liner or fill each liner 2/3 full.  Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean in the center.
6. Let cool, transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
7. Unfrosted cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen for up to 2 months in airtight containers.

*These cupcakes can easily be made without a standing bowl mixer… you just need 2 bowls and a whisk! I’m just lazy! lol

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 pound (4 cups) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
• 3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup walnuts, toasted & finely chopped

1. Beat butter and cream cheese with a mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.
2. Reduce speed to low. Add sugar, 1 cup at a time, and then vanilla; mix until smooth.
3. Pipe with a large round tip.  Roll edges of frosting in chopped walnuts.
4. Frosted cupcakes can be refrigerated for up to 3 days; bring to room temperature before serving.

Tray & Napkins: Party City (the tray fit 1 dozen cupcakes nicely!)

happy aloha friday! xo-Jenn

Even though I’m not a huuuuuge fan I really wanted something with a lime zest/graham cracker crust, punchy but not overwhelming cake batter and a light and refreshing cream cheese lime zest frosting.  Sort of like summertime in Maryland, close to the water, eating crab with a bib.  LOL, if that makes any sense at all… if not, no worries… work with me here!

Key Lime Pie Cupcakes (Recipe slightly adapted from: Bananas for Bourbon)

Graham Cracker Crust:

• 2 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 TB lime zest
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Key Lime Cupcakes:

• 3 cups cake flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 16 tbsp (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 cups sugar
• 5 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups plain yogurt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Juice of 1 small key lime
• 1 tbsp key lime zest

Yield: 24 cupcakes

1. Preheat your oven to 350 F.  Line 2 muffin tins with cupcake liners.
2. In a small bowl, combine crushed graham crackers, melted butter, sugar and lime zest.   Add 1 tbsp crust to each liner and press down with a small shot glass.
3. Bake the graham cracker crusts for about 5 minutes.
4. In a standing bowl mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 2-3 mins.  Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl after each egg is combined.
5. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, combine the yogurt, vanilla extract, lime juice, and lime zest in a bowl. With the mixer on low speed, alternate adding the flour mixture and yogurt mixture in 3 batches beginning and ending with flour, beating until each addition is just combined. Mix until combined, but do not overmix.
6. Add the batter into the cupcake liners, with a full ice-cream scoop of batter. Bake the cupcakes, rotating pans halfway through, until the tops are firm and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer the tins to a wire rack and let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove them and let cool completely.

*Tip: Don’t forget that you can make your own cake flour, if you don’t have any on hand & just an FYI, the original recipe calls for buttermilk but if you don’t have that at home, you can substitute an equal amount of plain vanilla yogurt for buttermilk.

Cream Cheese Lime Zest Buttercream

• 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2-3 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lime peel
• Juice of 1 small lime

1. Cream butter and cream cheese in a standing bowl mixer with a paddle attachment until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
2. Add half of the powdered sugar to the bowl, with the mixer on low.
3. Add lime zest and juice and mix until combined.
4. Add the rest of the powdered sugar and mix until everything is combined (if your frosting is too runny-bc of the lime juice you can add more powdered sugar, to receive the consistency you desire).
5. Frost & enjoy!

Ps. I’m sure you all know that I’m a frosting whore, I’m okay with that… the more the better.  Especially because I love making huge mountains of frosting with my Bake it Pretty pastry tips, but, since these were for a friend who doesn’t eat sweets very often I was reserved and respectful of his wishes next time, more frosting baby!

Are you baking anything this weekend? Let us know!

Happy Saturday! xo-Jenn

Usually, I try to use fresh fruit when I bake, but I had a few bags of frozen blueberries in my freezer and I wanted to use them, so in the cupcakes they go.  I just took them out in the morning and thawed them in the refrigerator… before I started baking them I drained all the juices, just so that they didn’t add more liquid to the batter.  I plan on making these again with fresh blueberries but these did not disappoint at all.  I bring all of the cupcakes I bake to work with me and a friend said these were their favorite I always love hearing that!

Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes (Cupcake: Annie’s Eats)

• ¾ cup plus 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour, divided
• ¾ cup cake flour
• 1½ tsp. baking powder
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 8 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• Zest of  1 lemon
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice
• ½ cup plus 2 tbsp. milk, at room temperature
• 1 cup fresh or thawed (frozen) blueberries

Yield: 16 cupcakes

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F and line muffin tins with cupcake liners.
2. Combine the ¾ cup all-purpose flour, the cake flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl, whisk and set aside.
3. In a standing bowl mixer with the paddle attachment, combine the butter, sugar and lemon zest until light and fluffy for 2-3 minutes.
4. Beat in the eggs one at a time, until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
5. Beat in the vanilla and lemon juice.
6. With the mixer on low speed, mix in half of the dry ingredients just until incorporated, add the milk, mix in the remaining dry ingredients, beating just until incorporated.
7. In a small bowl, toss the blueberries with the remaining 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour.
8. Using a spatula gently fold the berries into the cake batter.  Divide the batter evenly between the prepared liners, filling each about ¾ full.  Bake 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.   Allow cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.

Jenn’s Java Cupcake Lemon Blueberry Buttercream

• 8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• zest of 1 lemon
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1/4 cup of blueberry puree
• 3-4 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp. milk (as needed)

1. Cream butter, sugar, and lemon zest in a standing bowl mixer until light and fluffy for 2-3 minutes.
2. Add lemon juice and blueberry puree to the mixture and mix until combined.
3. With the mixer on low, add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time.
4. If needed, add milk to reach your desired consistency.
5. Pipe with a large star and enjoy

*Tip: If you don’t have cake flour at home, don’t worry… it’s super easy to make! For every 1 cup of all-purpose flour, remove 2 tablespoons of flour and add 2 tablespoons of corn starch.  Then sift and sift and sift some more (at least 5 times) Ta-da! Cake flour! (source: Joy the Baker)

x0-Jenn

My god-daughter turned 1 a few weeks ago and I had the privilege of making cupcakes for her big day!  I went with a trio of flavors, wanted to keep it kind of simple but still tasty.  Unfortunately the weather was ALL kinds of terrible that day, so it was super cold outside, but the cupcakes were a big hit and they were also fun to make

I made 6 dozen total, 2 dozen of each flavor… Vanilla with Dark Chocolate Buttercream, Banana with Caramel Buttercream and Strawberries and Cream.  I don’t think there was a favorite, but I wanted to eat all of the Strawberries and Cream by. myself. no. sharing.  They were pretty delish they’ll definitely be a summer staple in my house.

They took a few hours to make, but I was able to get everything done Friday night and ready to go for the party the next day!  My strategy for making so many cupcakes was to bake first and then frost everything last.  I felt like it was easier to make each cupcake flavor, let it cool, start on a new batch and then by the time they were all done baking I started on the frosting.  Most of the time I prefer to have everything uniform, cause I’m a little crazy like that… but that would have meant washing the piping tip too and that didn’t seem like a fun time! lol… The colors were lime green & hot pink so I went w/ a pattern for 2 and a plain liner for the 3rd.

Banana Cupcakes (Source: Martha Stewart) with Caramel Buttercream:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, (spooned and leveled)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (about 4 ripe bananas), plus 1 whole banana, for garnish (optional)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
2. Make a well in center of flour mixture. In well, mix together butter, mashed bananas, eggs, and vanilla. Stir to incorporate flour mixture (do not overmix). Dividing evenly, spoon batter into muffin cups.
3. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a cupcake comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pan; cool completely on a wire rack.

(Yield: 12 cupcakes)

*If you’ve been keeping up with the blog, then you know that I heart heart heart these banana cupcakes like crazy, why fix something if it ain’t broke, right? They’re super easy to make, taste delish and I haven’t found a banana cupcake/frosting combo that I don’t like yet… so, basically what I’m saying is don’t get mad if they keep showing up lol

Caramel Buttercream (Source: Joy the Baker)

*Disclaimner #2: I didn’t actually use caramel for these… I used the dulche de leche that I still had in a jar, because *miracle*music* I still had some left over from the last time I baked with it.  But, you can’t really tell the difference AND you don’t have to ask me twice to eat more dulce de leche than is neccessary

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 3/4 cup dulce de leche, plus more for drizzling
• 2 to 3 cups powdered sugar

1. Cream butter & cream cheese together in a standing mixer until light and fluffy about 2-3 minutes.
2. Add dulce de leche to the mixture and cream together for 30 seconds.
3. Add powdered sugar to the mixture, on low speed, and mix until incorporated.
4. Pipe with a large star tip.

Vanilla Cupcakes (Source: Joy the Baker) with Dark Chocolate Buttercream

• 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Yield: 2 dozen

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line two cupcake pans with paper liners and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.  Set aside.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together milk and vanilla extract.  Set aside.
4. In a stand mixer, fit with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy 3 to 5 minutes.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure everything is well incorporated.
5. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating for one minute after each addition.  The batter may look like it’s curdled, that’s okay (true story, so don’t let it stress you out)
6. On low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and the vanilla milk mixture in three batches, starting and ending with the flour.  When the batter is almost combined, stop the mixer and finish mixing the batter with a spatula.
7. Fill liners 3/4 full with batter and bake 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

*I decided not to use the vanilla bean this recipe calls for, because I wanted to save what I had on hand for creme brulee

Dark Chocolate Buttercream (Recipe Source: Bakerella)

• 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
• 8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (recommended: Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa)
• 1 box (1 lb) confectioner’s sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1-3 Tbsp milk (*if needed)

1. Cream the butter and cream cheese with a mixer.
2. Add the cocoa and vanilla.
3. Add the confectioner’s sugar in small batches and blend on low until combined. Scrape down sides with each addition.
4. Add 1 tablespoon of milk at a time until you get the consistency you desire.

You’ve seen this before here too… it’s such a tasty frosting, nice & rich, the perfect compliment, in my opinion to these cupcakes!

Strawberries and Cream (Source: Martha Stewart’s Cupcakes Book)

• 2 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cake flour (not self rising)
• 1 tbs baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 large who eggs plus 1 egg white
• 1 cup milk
• 2 cups finely chopped strawberries (about 20)

Yield: 34 cupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Line muffin pans with cupcake liners.  Sift together both flours, baking powder and salt.
2. Using a standing bowl mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter, sugar and vanilla until pale and fluffy.  Add whole eggs and white, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Reduce speed to low, add flour in 2 batches, alternating with milk and beating until combined.  Fold in chopped strawberries by hand.
3. Divide batter evenly among liners, filling 3/4 way full.  Bake, rotating pans 1/2 way through for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.

Frosting:

• 8 oz cream cheese
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/4 cup strawberry puree (I used my blender to puree the strawberries and probably used about 10-15)
• 2-3 cups powdered sugar

1. In a standing bowl mixer, cream together the butter and cream cheese on medium speed, about 2-3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
2. Add 1/2 of the strawberry puree to the mixer and blend until combined (*you may or may not use all of the puree, keep an eye on the consistency of your frosting.)
3. With the mixer on low, add the powdered sugar and mix until combined.

*I used more strawberry puree than I probably needed, so my frosting wasn’t very stiff, but I liked the consistency and the flavor, so that worked for me.  If you would like to pipe your frosting into a pretty shape, I would suggest using less puree and more powdered sugar.  Ps. This isn’t the frosting from the book, I’m still not quiet brave enough to make a Swiss Meringue Buttercream, but one day soon

I know this was a long post, if you’re still with me, then I thank you I hope that you’re having a great week… I’ll be back soon with more good stuff!  Can’t stay away too long! *hugs*

xo-Jenn

The verdict…. UHM YUM!  The cupcakes were a chocolate Nutella cupcake which I filled with a simple vanilla pudding then topped with Nutella buttercream and chopped hazlenuts.  Some of the cupcakes I topped with a Nutella and peanut butter cream cheese frosting swirl.  Double yum.

There were three things though about this recipe that I didn’t like.  1) The cake was a little dry.  Now, I think that was probably my fault.  I could have taken the cupcakes out a little sooner and they probably wouldn’t have been so dry.  2) Next time I’ll fill them with something different, like Nutella or a different banana mixture.  The banana pudding tasted good, but it soaked into the cupcake too much after a day or so and when you bit into it you didn’t really see a lot of the filling because it soaked into the cupcake.  Yummy, but not perfect like I wanted.  3) It made FIVE DOZEN cupcakes.  The place I got the recipe from said it made 3 dozen, but really, I got five.  So… if you need A LOT of cupcakes, this a good recipe to use.

The cupcakes got rave reviews though… so I’m sure next time I make I’ll use half the recipe and probably a different filling, straight Nutella.

Nutella Bliss Cupcakes
Makes 5 dozen cupcakes
Adapted from Good Life Eats

3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
2/3 cup Nutella
2 1/2 cups buttermilk

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups cake flour
1 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt

1 cup milk

1. Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.  Line cupcake pan with liners.
2. In a medium bowl, sift together flours, cocoa, baking soda and powder and salt.  Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, mix together butter and sugar.  Add the eggs one at a time and beat until fluffy.  Add the Nutella then the buttermilk, mixing until combined.  Scrape the sides of the bowl several times.
4. Add the flour mixture in thirds alternating with the milk.  Begin and end with the flour and mix only until combined.  Do not over mix.
5. Fill cupcakes liners 1/2 full with batter.  Bake for 16-20 minutes or until a toothpic comes out clean.
6. Let cupcakes sit in the pan for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Vanilla Pudding Filling
2 packages of Vanilla Cream instant pudding mix and milk needed to make it
3 ripe bananas, mushed with a fork

1. Make pudding according to directions on the box.  Place in freezer for 10 minutes until set.  If you have time, you can put them in the fridge instead, but I’m impatient!
2. After the pudding has had time to set up, fold in the mashed bananas.  Return to refrigerator/freezer to set up more.
3. Using this method, fill the cupcakes with the banana mixture.

Nutella Buttercream
1/2 unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup Nutella
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2-4 tablespoons heavy cream

1. Cream butter and Nutella together. Add the vanilla extract and combine.
2. Mix in the powdered sugar, adding the cream as necessary until you get your desired consistency.
3. Mix until you have the texture you desire.

Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup peanut butter, creamy*
1 lb powdered sugar, sifted
1 tsp vanilla extract
3-4 tbsp heavy cream or milk

*(I like a really sweet frosting, so only use about 1 1/2 cups of sugar for a less sweet frosting. You may also need to use less cream if you reduce the sugar)

1. Cream together the butter, cream cheese and peanut butter. Add the vanilla extract and combine.
2. In small amounts, add the powdered sugar. Scrape the sides of the bowl as you add more.
3. Add the cream until you get your desired consistency.
4. Beat the crap out of the frosting too. It’ll make it yummier.

*Tips & Tricks*
To make a swirl of Nutella and Peanut Butter frosting on your cupcakes, fill one side of your piping bag with Nutella and the other with peanut butter.  You’ll get a nice swirl of each flavor on top of your cake! Yum!

Today was my god-son’s 4th birthday party.  He asked for cupcakes Cupcakes, I can do!  Oreo cupcakes in particular.  I’ve tried out a few different Oreo cupcake recipes (because Oreo’s are also the boy & both brother’s fav cookie) and I always come back to this one.  If you’re looking for something a little more grown up, I’ve made  these via Martha Stewart’s Cupcake Book, which are ah-ma-zing, but I wanted to stick with something sweet and sensible for a 4 year old.

These cupcakes are perfection.  They have the cream side attached Oreo at the bottom (double yumm), which is a nice surprise, Oreo chunks in the batter and a little sprinkling of Oreo crumbs over the cream cheese frosting.  Everyone loved them.  That’s an understatement, folks who don’t like sweets loved them.  I think it has something to do with the oreo-goodness in each bite

Cookies ‘n’ Cream Cupcakes: (Recipe Source: Annie’s Eats)

• 24 Oreo halves, with cream filling attached
• 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• ½ tsp. salt
• 8 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 2/3 cup sugar
• 3 large egg whites, at room temperature (*eggs are easier to separate when they’re still cold, so I do this 1st)
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 cup milk
• 2 cups coarsely chopped Oreos (I used mini Oreos that were quartered)

Yield: 2 dozen

1. * Separate your eggs and leave the egg whites aside until you’re ready to use them (by the time you get to that point they should at room temperature already)
2. Preheat your oven to 350F and line 2 muffin pans with 24 cupcake liners. Place an oreo at the bottom of each liner, with the cream side up.
3. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl and mix to combine.
4. Cream together butter and sugar in a standing bowl mixer with the paddle attachment for 3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
5. Add the eggs one at a time, and mix until incorporated.  Add the vanilla extract and mix for 1 minute.
6. Alternate adding the flour and the milk to the batter, starting and ending with the flour.
7. Fold in the Oreos, be careful not to overmix.
8. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
9. Allow cupcakes to cool, on a cooling rack before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter cut into pieces, room temperature
• 4 cups confectioners sugar, sifted
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• heavy cream, as needed to achieve your desired consistency
• Oreo crumbs, for dusting

1. Cream the butter and cream cheese in a standing bowl with the paddle attachment for 3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
2. Add the vanilla extract and mix until combined.
3. Slowly add the confectioners sugar to the bowl until it is well incorporated.
4. Add small amounts heavy cream (start with 1 tbsp), if needed.
5. Pipe with a large pastry tip.
6. Dust with oreo crumbs.

To frost: I used a large, closed-star tip, started in the middle, applied pressure and piped the frosting, pulling up towards the air and finished with a small curl.

I hope you enjoy! Have a great Monday!

xoxo-Jenn

happy birthday Oreo cupcakes!

just for fusnies, puppy on the cupcake prowl!

The original recipe calls for a lemon curd filling, which sounds super tasty, but I decided to use a raspberry jam (just the regular jam from my fridge) as the filling because I wanted to something sort of sweet to play off the lemon flavor in the cupcakes.  The cupcakes remind me of a lemon pound cake, they’re kind of dense but all of the flavors and textures definitely work well together.  The filling really works well with the cake, the cream cheese frosting is light and sweet with a nice kick from the limoncello!

These are definitely a grown-up cupcake!  I would love to make them for bachelorette party or a ladies night…

Limoncello Cupcakes (recipe slightly adapted from: Brown Eyed Baker)

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 ounces (½ stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons limoncello
• ½ cup buttermilk
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• Zest of one lemon
• 1 1/2 cups  raspberry jam

1. Preheat oven to 350F and line a muffin pan with 12 cupcake liners.
2. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt.
3. Cream together butter, cream cheese and sugar in a standing bowl mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
4. Add eggs one at a time until combined.
5. Add limoncello and mix for 1 minute.
6. On low speed add the flour mixture and buttermilk alternatively, beginning and ending with the flour.
7. Add the lemon juice and lemon zest to the batter, mix just until combined.
8. Bake cupcakes for 20 minutes, rotating 1/2 way through, until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cupcakes cool.
9. Core the center of each cupcake and remove to make room for the filling.
10. Pipe raspberry jam into each cupcake. (You can keep or discard the cores, up to you )

Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 2 ounces (½ stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon limoncello
• 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• zest of one lemon (reserve some to garnish cupcakes)
• 12 raspberries to top cupcakes

1. Cream butter and cream cheese in a standing bowl mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes
2. Add limoncello and mix until combined.
3. On low speed, add powered sugar and mix until everything is combined.
4. Add lemon zest to frosting and pipe frosting with a star pastry tip.
5. Top each cupcake with lemon zest and a fresh raspberry.

Just an FYI, these cute little cupcake wrappers are from World Market they were like $4 for a pack of 24… super cute!  Also, I linked to the brand of limoncello that I used ($24) but you could also make it!  If you’re looking for a fun project for presents, limoncello would be great!  Check out this cute post from Veronika of Tick Tock Vintage… (she’s one of my fav fashion bloggers!)

I hope that you’re all having a great weekend!  Oh, and just for funsies here’s a fun pic of favorite my baking companion Cupcake Wine? YES PLEASE!

xoxo-Jenn

This was my first time making whoopie pies, I’ll be honest, I don’t know if I’m going to be making them on a regular basis.  I’ve heard that some folks use an ice cream scooper (just like I do for my cupcakes) to get them the same size/shape but this batter is pretty sticky and they recommended piping the batter, so I did.  But, they still weren’t really that even and I kinda wasn’t the best at getting them uniform, and it stressed me out.  Just keeping in real… I didn’t use a few because they didn’t “match” another cookie.  Bummer.  BUT, they did taste AMAZING. Winner.

I just made these as a fun Friday night snack, if they were for a party or something, I might have had a mini melt down… I’m letting all the crazy out today lol… The boy, the little brother and his friend loved them.  So that was enough for me … (tonight) I think the reason I like the texture of whoopie pies so much is because they’re kind of like the top of a cupcake.  I’m sure I’m not the first person to ever say that, so not a huge baking revelation or anything like… but they’re fun and bite sized and pretty.

These were super simple to make, which was also a great thing.  I love recipes that take a lot of work, but sometimes, on a Friday night after a long work week all I want is a nice glass of wine and something simple and sweet.  These were perfect.

Banana Whoopie Pies:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup mashed banana (from 1 large ripe banana)
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a bowl. Combine banana and sour cream in another bowl.
2. Beat butter and granulated and brown sugars with a mixer on medium-high speed, until pale and creamy, about 3 minutes. Add egg and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, beating until incorporated. Add banana mixture in 2 additions, alternating with flour mixture.
3. Transfer batter to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch plain tip. Pipe batter into 1 1/4-inch rounds on baking sheets, spacing rounds 1 1/2 inches apart.
4. Bake until edges are golden, about 12 minutes. Slide parchment, with cookies, onto wire racks. Let cool. (Unfilled cookies can be stored for up to 1 day.)

Peanut Butter Frosting:

This is the same frosting I used for the banana cupcakes, just minus the honey

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
• 1-8oz. package of cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup peanut butter (creamy/smooth, not fresh ground)
• 2 cups powdered sugar (sifted)

1. Cream butter and cream cheese until light fluffy in a standing bowl mixer on low-medium speed for about 3 minutes.
2. Add the peanut butter until combined.
3. Add the powdered sugar and combine on low speed until incorporated.

I used 3 strips of bacon chopped up into itty bitty pieces for these Feel free to cook the bacon like you normally do, we like to bake our bacon for about 15 minutes at 425F and then flip it over and bake for just a few more minutes to get it nice and crispy.

Match your whoopie pies based on shape/size, pipe frosting onto the bottom, toss on a few bacon pieces, put on the top and enjoy

Cookies: Martha Stewart
Frosting: JavaCupcake

Inspiration:  Handle the Heat

—————————————————————————-

Hope you all have an amazing weekend!

xoxo-Jenn

The banana cupcakes are super simple and not very sweet, they’re just right.  I usually decide to bake with bananas because I have bananas sitting on my counter that are supppper ripe.  This time, I didn’t have any bananas but I wanted something tasty.  My grocery store sells ripe bananas for cheaper than “regular bananas.”  They were about $.34/lb, just in case you don’t have sitting on your counter but you want to make these too.  You’ll need 4 for this recipe.

The frosting… mmmmm the frosting.  I wanted to eat it by the spoonful.  It’s fluffy and sweet but not over powering.  Each flavor of this cupcake is distinct but not too much, the combo of banana, peanut butter and honey is pretty much amazing.  Like I said, we’re going to eat them for breakfast in my house… sshhhhh! Don’t tell

After piping the frosting with a large star tip, I drizzled a little bit of honey over them and topped them off with a few honey peanuts that were coarsely chopped.  They had a pretty gourmet look but they taste just like home… Hope you like!

Banana Cupcakes: (Recipe Source: Martha Stewart)

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (about 4 ripe bananas)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350F.  Line 16 muffin tins with cupcake liners.
2. In  medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
3. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture.  In the well combine, melted butter, mashed bananas, eggs and vanilla extract.  Combine with flour until incorporated.  Do not over mix.
4. Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Peanut Butter & Honey Frosting

*Just an FYI, I’m sure some variation of this recipe exists online I just kinda went with the flow and used what I thought would taste good

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
• 1-8oz. package of cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup  honey flavored peanut butter (creamy/smooth, not fresh ground)
• 2 generous tbs of honey
• 2 cups powdered sugar (sifted)
• honey (for drizzling)
• honey peanuts, coarsely chopped for garnish

1. Cream butter and cream cheese until light fluffy in a standing bowl mixer on low-medium speed for about 3 minutes.
2. Add the peanut butter until combined and then add honey to taste.  (I used a little bit more than 2 tbs to get it where I wanted it)
3. Add the powdered sugar and combine on low speed until incorporated.
4. Pipe frosting with a large star tip, drizzle cupcakes with honey and then add a sprinkling of honey peanuts.
5. Enjoy for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or… a midnight snack

xoxo-Jenn

I used the Lemon Poppy Seed muffin recipe that I posted a few weeks ago but with oranges instead (duh, lol) and I added frosting.  Cause well, isn’t it a cupcake if it has frosting?  I think that’s the rule.  Either way, they only took about 10 minutes to whip up and the cream cheese frosting is just the staple recipe that I use all the time with a little bit of fresh squeezed OJ and some zest. They’re fresh, they’re pretty (and you all know how I feel about pretty already!) and they’re fun.

Poppy seeds always seem to make everything a little bit more fun.  FYI, you can find a little jar of poppy seeds in the seasoning/spice section of your grocery store.  When spices are on sale you can get it for a pretty good deal.  I like to have them on hand because they’re a nice addition to salads and coleslaw as well.

Orange Zest & Poppy Seed Cupcakes (adapted from Simply Recipes):

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp baking powder (make sure your baking powder is no older than 6 months)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 Tbsp poppy seeds

• 10 Tbsp unsalted butter (1 1/4 stick), softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• 1 Tbsp orange zest (*If you don’t have oranges, you can also use orange juice-with or without pulp)
• *I used the zest of 1 medium orange for this recipe

1. Adjust the oven rack to the middle-lower part of the oven. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, poppy seeds, and salt and set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together, beating until fluffy (about 2 minutes with an electric mixer). Add eggs one at a time, beating until incorporated after each one. Beat in the orange zest (*I use my parmesan grater as a zester).
4. Beat in one third of the dry ingredients until just incorporated. Beat in one third of the yogurt. Beat in a third more of the dry ingredients. Beat in a second third of the yogurt. Beat in the remaining dry ingredients and then the remaining yogurt. Again be careful to beat until just incorporated. Do not over beat.
5. Line 24 cupcake pans with cupcake liners.  Evenly distribute the batter among the cupcake liners. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Test with a long toothpick (*I use a thin bamboo skewer) to make sure the center of the cupcakes are done. Set cupcakes on wire rack to cool. After 5 minutes, remove cupcakes from pan.
6. Whip up your favorite cream cheese frosting recipe (for these, I used about 3 cups of confectioners sugar). Add 2-3 teaspoons of orange zest and the juice from 1 orange (you can use the orange that you zested already for the recipe) to your frosting.  The frosting is super pretty when you can see the orange peel zest.

When I made the Lemon Poppy Seed muffins, I used my extra large muffin tins, so I only had about 7-8 huge muffins. With these, I wanted regular sized cupcakes so I used my ice cream scooper and filled it about 3/4 way with batter (so that my cupcake liners were 2/3 full with batter) and I had a full 2 dozen.  They turned out super cute

To pipe the frosting, use a large round tip.  Start in the middle of the cupcake and squeeze until you have a large dollop in on your cupcake, then swirl just a bit to get a little curly tip.  The cupcake liners are from Bake it Pretty, of course, lol.  How awesome would these be with orange creamsicle cupcakes?! Those are on the need-to-make agenda as well!

Are you baking anything exciting this weekend?  We’re having a big Hawaiian feast, so the Aloha Cupcakes are on our menu PS. don’t forget to let me know if you’re going to be at the opening of Burning Cupcakes on May 7th in Tacoma on 6th Ave!  Hopefully I’ll get to meet a few of you there!

Hazel, meet Javacupcakers. Javacupcakers, meet the puppy love, Hazel

I figured no one can resist a cute pic of the pup she was pretty interested in the cupcakes tonight!  She tried super hard to get a taste with no success, but she was cute nonetheless (I had to google that, bc I wasn’t sure if it’s a real word. Turns out it is.  lol)

Smile! Happy Wednesday!

I’m pretty sure that I’ve said this before, but I want to be Joy the Baker’s best friend.  Like real best friend.  You know the kind that bakes you delicious treats and comes to your house with them when you’re sick I need her to be that friend.  The woman can do no wrong in my book.  These little cupcakes were absolutely perfect for today.  They made me feel like Spring is really here.  They’re light, fluffy, tart and sweet at the same time oh, and pretty.  Pretty also wins extra points in my book…

The recipe calls for a chocolate ganache, which I was actually planning on using, until I saw them come out of the oven and then I fell in love with the pretty, little raspberry flecks and I couldn’t cover them all the way up.  Then, I remembered the dark chocolate buttercream that I used for the 14 Layer Cake (ps. have any of you made that cake yet?  Let me know! I’d love to hear how about your 14 layer experience!) and I was sold.  Seriously. Out. Of. This. World. Delish.  You won’t be disappointed.  I usually have some to share, these might not make it to work  ;) I decided just to pipe some frosting mostly in the middle of the cupcake, because I still wanted to see the edges… I really like the way these turned out and the fun cupcake liners help as well!  I went a little bananas the other day and ordered a bunch of stuff from Bake it Pretty so expect to see more fun liners in the future

Raspberry Almond Cupcakes (Recipe Source: Joy the Baker)

• 1 cup flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 5 Tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1/3 cup fresh raspberries, roughly chopped (*thawed, frozen raspberries would also work if you don’t have any fresh raspberries)

Yield: 12 cupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line muffin cups with paper liners.
2. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt.
3. Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Beat in egg and almond extract.  Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture and milk alternately in 3 batches, beginning and ending with the flour mixture and beating just until incorporated.  Fold in the raspberries.
4. Divide the batter among lined muffin cups.  Bake until pale golden and a wooden pick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean, about 20 minutes.

Dark Chocolate Buttercream (Recipe Source: Bakerella)

• 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
• 8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (recommended: Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa)
• 1 box (1 lb) confectioner’s sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1-3 Tbsp milk (*if needed, my cream cheese was reallllllly soft, so I didn’t actually add any milk, but if your frosting is too thick, add a few tablespoons as needed to get the desired consistency)

1. Cream the butter and cream cheese with a mixer.
2. Add the cocoa and vanilla.
3. Add the confectioner’s sugar in small batches and blend on low until combined. Scrape down sides with each addition.
4. Add 1 tablespoon of milk at a time until you get the consistency you desire.

*I may have gone a little overboard with the frosting on this one… don’t get me wrong, I still think they look and taste amazing, but the frosting was a little heavy (weight wise) for such a light cupcake.  No worries for me and other frosting lovers, but if you prefer something a little on the lighter side, have no fear… use a smaller pastry tip or stick to the ganache, which is also rich and delicious.

*Indicates helpful Tips & Tricks

Ps. Even though it’s been kind of a long week already I am SOOOOOOO looking forward to Cupcake Camp Seattle!!!! Are you going to be there?  I’ll be there with the boy and the little brother.  If you see me, please say hello! I’d love to meet you & be friends!  Tickets are $8 if you pre-order & $10 at the door.  If you would like to purchase tickets, here is the link.

Happy Wednesday! xoxo-Jenn

I also heart french toast.  This was an amazing little combo.  Kudos to the person who came up with this idea, I want to be your best friend as well!  I’m sure you’ll heart it too

These cupcakes were  super moist and after they came out of the oven and were still nice and hot, I poked them a few times with a skewer and drizzled some maple syrup over them and then let them cool before frosting them.  I used some tasty maple syrup (grade A, dark amber), the sort of expensive kind from the grocery store, but it was totally worth the few extra dollars.  By sort of expensive I mean a few more dollars than Aunt Jemima or Mrs. Butterworth but not out of control.  The syrup is also pretty awesome in the frosting… mmmmm, maple syrup cream cheese frosting.  Yes, please.  You’re welcome to cook the bacon the way that makes you the most happy… I like to bake mine in the oven.  It comes out crispy and delicious.

French Toast & Bacon Cupcakes (Recipe Source: Life is Better with Cake):

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 cups cake flour, sifted
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 1/2 cup milk, at room temperature
• 1 ½  teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg (fresh, if you have it)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature, separated
• 6 slices of bacon

Yield: 12 cupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Line the muffin pan with cupcake liners.
2. In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and sugar and mix on low speed until just incorporated. Raise the speed to high and mix until light and fluffy, about 10 minutes. (Occasionally turn the mixer off, and scrape the sides of the bowl down with a rubber spatula.)
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together the milk and vanilla, and also set aside.
4. Add the egg yolks to the creamed butter one at time, waiting for each one to be fully incorporated before adding the next.
5. Reduce the speed of the mixer to low. Alternately, add the flour mixture in 3 additions and the milk in 2 additions, waiting for each to be fully incorporated before adding the next (scrape the bowl down occasionally). Raise the speed to medium and mix briefly until a smooth batter is formed. Transfer the batter to a large bowl.
6. In a medium bowl whisk the egg whites with a handheld mixer. Whip the egg whites on high speed, until stiff peaks are formed.
7. Working in 3 batches, using a rubber spatula, fold the egg whites into the batter, until just incorporated. Divide the batter evenly among the cups in the muffin pan. Bake, rotating the pan once, until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean, about 30 minutes.
8. Poke cupcakes with a skewer and drizzle maple syrup over the top of each cupcake.
9. Allow cupcakes to cool before frosting.
10. Cook your back as desired.

Maple Syrup Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1 package (8oz) cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
• 4 cups confectioners sugar
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• milk, as needed to receive desired consistency

1. Cream butter and cream cheese in a standing bowl mixer with the paddle attachment for 2 minutes.
2. Slowly add 2 cups of confectioners sugar to the mixer.
3. Add maple syrup.
4. Add the remaining 2 cups of confectioners sugar to the mixer.
5. Add milk if necessary to achieve desired consistency.
6. Pipe frosting with a large pastry tip.
7. Cut each slice of bacon in half.  Add a piece of bacon to the top of each cupcake.
8. Enjoy!

Hope you enjoy… have an amazing weekend, Javacupcakers! See you next week

xoxo-Jenn

They are sort of like a mini turtle pie brownie… They’re very rich and decadent, which is why I think I like them better as a mini sized cupcake.  The 2 bites of deliciousness is just enough to satisfy my cupcake cravings

Mini Brownie Cupcakes: (Recipe Adapted from: For the Love of Food)

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
• 2 1/4 cups Sugar
• 4 Eggs
• 1 1/4  cups Dutch Processed Cocoa Powder
• 1 tsp Sea Salt
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 1 tbs Vanilla Extract
• 1 1/2 cups Flour
• 2 cups Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

1. Preheat oven to 350°F
2. Line 24 mini cupcake tins with paper liners.
3. In a medium sized bowl melt butter for 30-45 seconds in the microwave.  Add the sugar and melt the mixture for another 1-2 minutes, just until it’s hot.
4. In a standing bowl mixer crack the eggs, add cocoa powder, salt, baking powder and vanilla extract and mix until combined.
5. Add the butter & sugar mixture to the standing bowl mixer.
6. Add flour to the mixture and then combine.  Mixture will be thick, but combine until smooth.  Add the chocolate chips with a rubber spatula.
7. Spoon batter into mini cupcake tins, about 1 1/2 tsp for each mini cupcake.
8. Bake for about 20-25 minutes.
9. Let cupcakes cool for a few minutes.

Cream Cheese Frosting: (Source: Martha Stewart)

• 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter cut into pieces, room temperature
• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• caramel bites
• almond slivers
• mini chocolate chips

1. Place cream cheese in a medium mixing bowl. Using a rubber spatula, soften cream cheese. Gradually add butter, and continue beating until smooth and well blended. Sift in confectioners’ sugar, and continue beating until smooth. Add vanilla, and stir to combine.
2. Pipe frosting with a star pastry tip.
3. Melt caramel bites in the microwave until smooth, if the caramel gets stiff, you can add milk to make it workable.
4. Drizzle caramel onto the cupcakes, add a few almond slivers and mini chocolate chips to each cupcake.

Hope you all have an amazing weekend!

xoxo-Jenn

This recipe, well it’s better a few hours after you make it.  Seriously,  make it, chill it, then eat it.  The flavors come together so deliciously… even the sour cream on top ( I normally hate sour cream) I liked with this recipe!

Pumpkin Chocolate Cheesecake Bars
recipe from Hostess with the Mostess

1 package of graham crackers
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted
—–
1 8oz package of cream cheese
1 8oz package of Pumpkin Spice cream cheese
1-3/4 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
—–
6 1oz squares of semisweet bakers chocolate + 1 1oz square for garnish
2 tablespoons butter
—–
1-1/4 cups sour cream
1/4 cup sugar
—–
Garnish: ground nutmeg + chocolate shavings

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly grease a 13x9x2-inch baking pan; set aside. In a medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs and 1/4 cup sugar. Stir in the 1/3 cup melted butter. Press mixture evenly into bottom of the prepared baking pan; set aside.

2. In a large bowl, combine cream cheese and the 1-3/4 cups sugar. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Beat in pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, and salt on low speed just until combined. Remove 1-1/4 cups of the mixture.

3. In a small heavy saucepan, combine the 6 ounces chocolate and the 2 tablespoons butter. Cook and stir over low heat until melted. Whisk chocolate mixture into the 1-1/4 cups pumpkin mixture. Pour over crust, spreading evenly. Bake for 15 minutes.

4. Carefully pour the remaining pumpkin mixture over baked chocolate layer, spreading evenly. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes more or until filling is puffed and center is set. Cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes.

5. In a small bowl, combine sour cream and 1/4 cup sugar. Gently spread over cookies. Cool completely. Cover and chill for at least 3 hours. Cut into bars.* Before serving, sprinkle with nutmeg and/or chocolate curls. Makes 24 to 36 bars.

Originally, I wanted to call it a cupcake… but let’s be honest here, there’s no frosting and it’s got a struessel topping and fruit. It’s a muffin. *le sigh*

These muffins have a vanilla base topped with a creamy cheesecake and a brown sugar crunchy topping. After baking and cooling, they are topped with a strawberry glaze, fresh raspberries and blueberries and a dusting of powdered sugar.

I just shared one with my husband… it was still warm. Oh em gee….. YUM!

JavaCupcake’s Very Berry Cheesecake Muffins
Makes 12 muffins

Topping
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1/8 tsp salt
2 tbsp butter, melted

powdered sugar for dusting

1. With a wooden spoon, mix together the dry ingredients.
2. Add the butter and mix until crumbs form.
3. Set aside.

Fruit
4 large fresh strawberries
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla

1. In a small sauce pan, combine the strawberries, sugar and vanilla.
2. On low heat, mash strawberries until broken down into tiny pieces, creating a lot of juice.
3. Heat until just starts to bubble.
4. Strain and reserve the juice. Eat the remaining berries. Yum.

24 fresh raspberries
40-60 fresh blueberries

Filling
8oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 large egg, room temp
1 tsp grated lemon zest
1 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/2 tsp vanilla

1. Using an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, cream together the cream cheese and sugar.
2. Scrape the sides then beat in the egg.
3. Mix in the lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla.
4. Set aside.

Muffin
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
1 tbsp vanilla
1/2 cup sour cream

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12 cup pan with liners.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and the salt. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, cream together the egg, egg yolk and sugar.
4. Add the oil and vanilla. Scrape the sides, then add the sour cream. Mix on high for 2 minutes.
5. With the mixer on low, add the flour, half at a time. Scrape the sides of the bowl. Mix only until the flour is completely incorporated.
6. STOP: See note below on how to assemble the cupcake before baking.
7. Bake for 22-25 minutes or until the top is firm, golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.
8. Cool in the pan for 20 minutes before cooling completely on a wire rack.
9. STOP: See note below for after cooling assembly.

Assembly BEFORE baking
Scoop muffin batter into baking cup no more than 2/3 full.
On top of the batter, scoop 1 heaping tablespoon of the filling.
Using a toothpick, swirl together the batter and cream cheese. You’re just trying to mesh the two together slightly, not mix it.
Generously top with the brown sugar topping. Press down into the cupcake.

Assembly AFTER baking
Top each muffin with 2 raspberries and 3-5 blueberries (depending on size of blueberries).
Drizzle strawberry sauce over the cupcake.
Dust with powdered sugar.

It is believed that the first Whoopie Pie was made in the 1920s. The state of Maine likes to claim the fame of inventing it. However, residents of Pennsylvania say the first Whoopie Pie originated there. There are also those who give the Amish credit for making the original Whoopie Pie. Some believe it was the Amish who traveled to Maine and actually introduced this cake-like dessert. Regardless of the true origination, the delicious taste is almost always agreed upon.

My mother-in-law Linda told me that she used to make these in high school and called them “Gobs”… She also said they’re a  Pennsylvania Dutch dessert! She’d know too… she’s from PA!

So without further adieu… here are mine!

JavaCupcake’s Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

Adapted from Rachel Rae’s Pumpkin Whoopie Pies
Makes 2 dozen whoopie pies

Cakes:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 15 oz can pure pumpkin puree
1/4 cup Lucerne Limited Edition Pumpkin Pie lowfat yogurt
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon all spice
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon
1 2/3 cups flour

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter and brown sugar until smooth.
3. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition.
4. Add pumpkin puree, yogurt, spices, and vanilla; whisking thoroughly after each addition.
5. Add the baking powder, the baking soda and salt and whisk together.
6. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the flour.
7. Using an small ice cream scoop or tablespoon, drop batter, spaced evenly, onto each baking sheet.
8. With the back of a spoon, smooth out the tops of the batter balls in a circular motion.
9. Bake 10 minutes, rotating pan after 7 minutes. They should be springy to the touch.
10. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Filling:
8oz Lucerne Special Edition Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese
1/2 cup butter
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon vanilla

1. In an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and cream cheese on high until light and fluffy.
2. One cup at a time, add the powdered sugar. Incorporate well after each addition.
3. Mix in the vanilla and spice. Scrape the sides of the bowl.
4. Mix on high 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy.

To Assemble:

1. Fill a piping bag with the filling and attach a large round tip to the bag.
2. Pipe a thick layer of filling onto the flat side of one cake.
3. Place another cake on on top, flat side to the filling, and gently press down until the filling reaches the sides.
4. Enjoy!

Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese frosting, red dye for the bite marks.  I used a boxed cake, but left out one egg and it was incredibly moist and delish!

Pumpkin spice cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese frosting.  Added fresh pumpkin to a spice cake mix, and made the frostings both from scratch…  I used JavaCupcake’s cream cheese frosting recipe with cinnamon in the pumpkin spice one.

JavaCupcake’s Black Velvet Cupcakes
Recipe from Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook

Makes approx 12-14 cupcakes

4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
2 1/2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
3 Tablespoons black food coloring
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar

In the bowl of a stand mixer fit with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about three minutes. Turn mixer to high and add the egg. Scrape down the bowl and beat until well incorporated.

In a separate bowl mix together cocoa, vanilla and black food coloring to make a thick paste. Add to the batter, mixing thoroughly until completely combined. You may need to stop the mixer to scrape the bottom of the bowl, making sure that all the batter gets color.

Turn mixer to low and slowly add half of the buttermilk. Add half of the flour and mix until combined. Scrape the bowl and repeat the process with the remaining milk and flour. Beat on high until smooth.

Turn mixer to low and add baking soda and white vinegar. Turn to high and beat a few more minutes.

Spoon batter into a paper lined cupcake baking pan and bake for 20-25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center cupcake comes out clean.

Let rest in the pan for 10 minutes, then place them of a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
adapted from Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook

2 1/3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
3 Tablespoons butter, room temperature
4 ounces cream cheese, cold
scant 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract (not in the recipe, but I added it)

Beat the powdered sugar, cinnamon, and butter together in the bowl of a stand mixer fit with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium-slow speed until it comes together and is well mixed.

Add the cream cheese all at once and beat on medium to medium-high until incorporated.

Add the vanilla and mix until incorporated.

Turn the mixer to medium-high and beat for 5 minutes, or until the frosting becomes light and fluffy.

Do not over-beat as the frosting can quickly become runny.

How to make a pumpkin out of frosting

Supplies
Large round tip + piping bag
Pretzel sticks
Green decorating icing (small tube you can get in the baking isle at the grocery store)
Orange frosting (I used cream cheese frosting above and tinted it orange with food coloring)

Technique

1. Attach the large round tip to your pastry bag and fill with orange frosting.
2. Pipe a tall/wide mound of frosting onto your cupcake.
3. Break a pretzel stick in half and place in the top of the frosting until about 2/3 cm is showing.
4. With the green decorators icing, pipe on the vine in a curly q pattern.
5. Enjoy!

So moist, so full of flavor and topped with a cream cheese frosting that is to die for, these Red Velvet cupcakes are definitely ones for the recipe book!

Made from a recipe found on Joy the Baker’s website, these Red Velvet cupcakes are super easy to put together!  The cocoa and vinegar add such a unique flavor to the cake which allows the cinnamon in the cream cheese frosting to explode with flavor!

Plus, Joy the Baker said they were her favorite! So I knew they HAD to be good!!

Red Velvet Cupcakes
Recipe from Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook

Makes approx 12-14 cupcakes

4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
2 1/2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
3 Tablespoons red food coloring
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar

In the bowl of a stand mixer fit with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about three minutes. Turn mixer to high and add the egg. Scrape down the bowl and beat until well incorporated.

In a separate bowl mix together cocoa, vanilla and red food coloring to make a thick paste. Add to the batter, mixing thoroughly until completely combined. You may need to stop the mixer to scrape the bottom of the bowl, making sure that all the batter gets color.

Turn mixer to low and slowly add half of the buttermilk. Add half of the flour and mix until combined. Scrape the bowl and repeat the process with the remaining milk and flour. Beat on high until smooth.

Turn mixer to low and add baking soda and white vinegar. Turn to high and beat a few more minutes.

Spoon batter into a paper lined cupcake baking pan and bake for 20-25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center cupcake comes out clean.

Let rest in the pan for 10 minutes, then place them of a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
adapted from Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook

2 1/3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
3 Tablespoons butter, room temperature
4 ounces cream cheese, cold
scant 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract(not in the recipe, but I added it)

Beat the powdered sugar, cinnamon, and butter together in the bowl of a stand mixer fit with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium-slow speed until it comes together and is well mixed.

Add the cream cheese all at once and beat on medium to medium-high until incorporated.

Add the vanilla and mix until incorporated.

Turn the mixer to medium-high and beat for 5 minutes, or until the frosting becomes light and fluffy.

Do not over-beat as the frosting can quickly become runny.

Notice anything different about these little cuties?  Yup… they are TALL!!  I used this pan I found at IKEA and the liners that go with the pan!  I seriously think the Swedes are on to something here!

My name is Katrina and I’m an Army wife and a mother of one beautiful little girl. I have always had a passion for cooking and baking. It’s my therapy. I feel that it brings families closer and it gives me something to share with my family and friends. I am currently working on my very first cookbook!!! I have a lot of work to do to get it done, but we (my family) are having a great time making recipes and testing.

This recipe, carrot cake cupcakes, came from a very old cookbook that I had. When I first tried it, it really wasn’t that good. The cake came out too dry and something was missing. About a week ago Richard, the hubby, got a craving for some carrot cake, so I pulled out that old recipe and used it as a “rough draft” for the perfect carrot cake. I added 1 more egg and 1/2 cup more of sugar, and my secret ingredient…crushed pineapple. It adds the right amount of sweetness and make the cake so moist. When I was getting ready to put the cake in it’s pan and in the oven my daughter Lily asked if we could have “pupcakes” so I lined my cupcake pan with liners and baked this little treats. I topped them with a simple vanilla cream cheese frosting and filled the insides with the frosting and shoved a piece of pineapple in the middle!! These are definitely going in my cookbook!! ENJOY!!!!

Perfect Carrot Cake Cupcakes
2 Cups Flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
2 cups grated raw carrots
1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple in juice, drained (reserve some pineapple for garnish and 1/2 teaspoon juice for frosting)
1/2 cup chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans)

Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting
1/2 cup butter
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 pound of confectioners’ sugar (sifted)
1/2 teaspoon pineapple juice

*Preheat over to 350*
*Sift together flour, baking powder, soda, salt and cinnamon
*in mixing bowl, beat eggs and add sugar. let stand until sugar dissolves (about 10 minutes)
*stir oil, carrots, drained pineapple and nuts into the egg and sugar mixture
* stir in dry ingredients and beat until well blended. about 3 minutes with blender set on medium speed
*line cupcake pan with paper liner and fill 3/4 the way full with batter.
*bake for 20 minutes and check with toothpick to make sure they are done in the middle
*cool in pan for 15 minutes then put them on a wire rack and allow to cook all the way before frosting.

Frosting
* combine butter, cream cheese, vanilla and pineapple juice in a large bowl until well blended.
*add sugar gradually, beating vigorously.
*frost cupcakes only after they have cooled all the way, since the frosting is made of mostly butter and cream cheese it will melt off.

ENJOY!!!

These cupcakes are an apple cupcake with chunks of apple, filled with a homemade caramel then topped with a cream cheese frosting and decorated with sugar crystals, mint and pretzel stick!  So cute!

JavaCupcake’s Caramel Apple Cupcakes

Adapted from I Heart Cuppycakes
http://iheartcuppycakes.com/2008/10/06/aye-1-caramelappleautumn/

Makes 16 cupcakes

INGREDIENTS

For apple cupcake
3 medium granny smith apples
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup apple juice
1 teaspoon vanilla

For caramel
2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1-1/2 tablespoon light corn syrup
2/3 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature

For cream cheese frosting
8oz cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla
4 cups powdered sugar, sifted

pretzels
green & red sprinkles

mint leaves

INSTRUCTIONS

To make cupcakes—

1. Preheat oven 350F.
2. Rinse, cut in half and core the apples. Place them on an ovenproof pan or baking sheet and sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. Bake for 35-45 minutes until soft.
3. Remove the apples from the oven, let cool slightly, then remove peel and mush the apple with the back of a fork. Measure out 1 cup of apple mush and set aside to cool.
4. Combine flour, sugar, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt in a medium sized bowl and whisk to combine.
5. In an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, mix together the eggs, oil, and vanilla.  Add the cooled apple mush and mix just to combine.
6. Add the flour and apple juice in three parts, beginning and ending with the flour. Mix until just combined.  DO NOT OVER MIX!
7. Scoop into cupcake papers about 2/3 full.
8. Bake for 15 minutes, rotate pan 180 degrees, then bake 3-5 more minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

To make caramel—

1. Measure sugar, water and corn syrup in a large pot and stir just to combine ingredients.
2. Turn to medium-high heat and without stirring, bring sugar mixture to a boil.  Boil 10-15 minutes until sugar turns an amber color.
3. Remove from heat and stir in the butter with a whisk. Be careful, it’s HOT and the caramel will bubble!
4. Wait about 30 seconds and slowly stir in the heavy crème.
5. Scrape sides of pan and mix until thoroughly combined.  Pour into a heat safe glass bowl/measuring cup to cool.

To make frosting—

1. In an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and cream cheese.
2. Add vanilla and mix to incorporate.
3. One cup at a time, add the powdered sugar mixing after each. Scrape down the bowl as needed.

To assemble cupcakes—

1. Fill cupcakes with caramel using this method.
2. Top the cupcake with frosting in a rounded shape.
3. Roll cupcake in green sprinkles to cover the frosting.
4. Break off pretzel and stick into the top to resemble a stem. Insert a mint “leaf” in the frosting near the stem.

The recipe and instructions comes from Betty Crocker… and let me tell you, this bunny is SO EASY to make!

1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® carrot cake mix

Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box

Tray or cardboard, covered with foil

1 container Betty Crocker® Whipped fluffy white frosting

1 cup shredded coconut

Construction paper

Jelly beans or small gumdrops

1 cup shredded coconut

Green food color

1. Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Make and cool cake as directed on box for two 8-inch or 9-inch round pans.

2. Reserve 1 layer for another use or to make a second bunny. Cut 1 layer in half as shown in diagram. Put halves together with frosting to form body. Place cake upright on cut edge on tray.

3. Cut out a notch about one-third of the way up one end of body to form head (small end) as shown in diagram. Attach half of cutout piece from tail with toothpicks. Frost with remaining frosting, rounding body on sides. Sprinkle with 1 cup coconut. Cut ears from construction paper; press into notch on top. Use jelly beans for eyes and nose.

4. Shake 1 cup coconut and 3 drops food color in tightly covered jar until evenly tinted. Surround bunny with tinted coconut. Add additional jelly beans if desired. Store loosely covered.

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Follow High Altitude directions on cake mix box for two 8- or 9-inch round pans.

I made two bunnies… TWINS!

The first batch got a little crispy on the bottom (darn my oven)… but the rest turned out beautifully! I’m taking these to my Art Class tomorrow for our end of the quarter potluck. I hope they enjoy!!

Click on image for recipe.