Dark Chocolate Raspberry Curd Filled Cupcakes

July 15, 2012 by 30 Comments

Dark Chocolate + Raspberry = Heaven

100% Dark Chocolate from a little chocolate shop in Southern Germany + Fresh picked German raspberries turned into raspberry curd = Heaven x1000000!

These cupcakes are probably one of the most decadent, sophisticated cupcakes I’ve ever made.  The intense dark chocolate paired with the tart raspberry curd plus the sweet buttercream are a combination unlike anything I’ve ever had before.

I made the raspberry curd a few days before I made the cupcakes, so it made for really easy assembly.

And the vanilla buttercream is my most favorite recipe for vanilla buttercream EVER! I’ve made it before and it’s become my “go-to” recipe for vanilla.

The chunk of chocolate on top… yeah, that’s a German chocolate.  Raspberry Chocolate.  PERFECT for this cupcake.

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Dark Chocolate Raspberry Curd Filled Cupcakes

51

Yield: 2 dozen cupcakes

Decadent, rich, dense chocolate cake filled with fresh, tart raspberry curd topped with sweet vanilla buttercrea.

Ingredients

    Dark Chocolate Cupcakes
  • 1/2 cup strong brewed coffee
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup 100% Edel-Kakao extra brut chocolate cocoa powder (or the darkest cocoa powder you can find)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 2/3 cup sour cream
    • Vanilla Buttercream
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 4 Tbsp cream cheese, room temperature
  • 2 lbs powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1/4-1/2 cup heavy cream infused/steeped with vanilla beans
  • 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
  • 1/8 tsp salt
    • Raspberry Curd
  • Recipe can be found HERE
    • Dark Chocolate
  • Cut dark chocolate into chunks to top each cupcake.

Instructions

    Dark Chocolate Cupcakes
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Line cupcake pans with liners.
  2. In a medium sauce pan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in the cocoa powder until smooth. Add the heavy cream, brewed coffee and vanilla extract. Heat until just barely simmering. Remove from heat and allow to cool as you prep the other ingredients.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
  4. In another medium bowl, whisk together the sour cream and eggs.
  5. Slowly pour the slightly cooled chocolate mixture into the egg/sour cream mixture and whisk until smooth. 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.
  6. Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture. In three parts, add the chocolate mixture to the flour. Whisk until just combined and smooth after each addition. Scrape the sides of the bowl to ensure everything is incorporated. Finally, whisk batter about 20 strokes.
  7. Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full with batter. Bake 17-19 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
  8. Cool in pans for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
    9. Vanilla Buttercream
  9. Cream together the butter and cream cheese.
  10. While that is creaming, steep your heavy cream with 1 vanilla bean. To steep: Split the vanilla bean and scrape the seeds and add to the cream. Whisk. Bring the bean/cream to a simmer, remove from heat and cool slightly. Remove the pod.
  11. Add the sugar, one cup at a time, to the butter/cream cheese. Mix on high until smooth.
  12. Add the vanilla extract and beat until incorporated.
  13. Add 1/4-1/2 cup vanilla cream until you get the desired consistency you desire. Beat on high for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy.
  14. Mix in the pinch of salt.
    15. Assembly
  15. Core the center of each cupcake using an apple corer.
  16. Spoon in raspberry curd into each opening.
  17. Pipe frosting using a Wilton 1M tip onto each cupcake.
  18. Top each cupcake with a chunk of dark chocolate.
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Filed Under: buttercream, chocolate, chocolate cupcakes, cupcake recipes, curd, dark chocolate, featured, filled cupcakes, frosting and icing, raspberries, raspberry, recipes, vanilla, vanilla frosting

Vanilla Cupcakes

June 4, 2012 by 21 Comments

I’ve thought a lot about what makes the perfect vanilla cupcake… will it be moist? dense? crumbly? cakey? white? cream? vanilla beans? extract? I’ve tried a lot of recipes, but none really taste like vanilla… just plain cake.

I posed this question to you on Facebook & Twitter, “What ingredients make up the perfect vanilla cupcake?”… and this is what you said:

  • vanilla bean powder
  • vanilla beans
  • coconut flour paired with a good vanilla bean extract
  • vinegar
  • homemade vanilla extract
  • whipped egg whites folded into the batter
  • box of vanilla pudding mix

Yesterday, I ventured into the kitchen to make a vanilla cupcake that truly tasted like vanilla.  I began with Sweetapolita’s recipe for vanilla cake and added my own spin on it to really bring out the vanilla flavor.  I did things like steep the milk in vanilla beans, use my homemade vanilla extract and vanilla sugar and of course use the seeds of 2 fresh Madagascar vanilla beans.

And, after tasting them… I’m pretty darn certain that these are one of the most delicious vanilla cupcakes I’ve ever tasted!  I’m definitely adding this recipe to the rotation!

PS… Love these liners?  I got them from Sutton Gourmet Paper!!

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Vanilla Cupcakes

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Cook Time: 18 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours, 30 minutes

Yield: 18-20 cupcakes

Ingredients

    Vanilla Cupcakes
  • 3/4 cup milk steeped with 2 vanilla beans/pods and strained/cooled

  • 1/4 sour cream, room temperature
  • 3 egg whites, room temperature
  • 1 egg, room temperature
  • 1 Tbsp Madagascar vanilla bean extract

  • 2 cups cake flour, sifted 3 times
  • 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 1/8 cup Madagascar vanilla bean sugar

  • 5 Tbsp unsalted butter, soft & at room temperature
  • 4 Tbsp vegetable shortening
    • Vanilla Buttercream
  • 12 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 pound powdered sugar, SIFTED
  • 1 Tbsp Madagascar vanilla bean extract
  • 1/4 cup Madagascar vanilla bean infused milk/cream, room temperature (use same method as used for the cupcakes)
  • pinch of salt

Instructions

    Vanilla Cupcakes
  1. Split 2 Madagascar vanilla beans and scrape out the seeds. Combine the pods and seeds in a small sauce pan with 1 cup of milk and bring to a simmer over med-high heat while whisking constantly. Remove from heat as soon as it begins to bubble and allow to cool for 30 minutes. Reserve 1/4 cup for the buttercream.
  2. Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Line cupcake pan with liners.
  3. In a small bowl , whisk together the egg whites, egg, vanilla extract, 1/4 cup of the vanilla milk and sour cream. Set aside.
  4. In a large bowl, sift the cake flour three times. Add the baking powder, salt and sugar and sift two additional times.
  5. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour mixture with the butter and shortening on medium speed for about 30 seconds or until it looks finely clumped.
  6. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the remaining 1/2 cup vanilla milk and mix until just combined. It will be thick. Scrape the sides of the bowl again.
  7. Add the egg mixture in three parts, mixing for 20 seconds on medium speed and scraping the sides of the bowl between each addition. NOTE: DO NOT OVER MIX the batter. You want it to be smooth with all the ingredients incorporated.
  8. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full and bake for 17-19 minutes, rotating pan after 12 minutes. A toothpick will come out clean when they are done.
  9. Allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
    10. Vanilla Buttercream
  10. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth.
  11. One cup at a time, add the sifted powdered sugar and mix on high until smooth.
  12. Add the vanilla extract and salt and mix until combined.
  13. Add 2 Tbsp of the milk and beat on high for 3-4 minutes or until frosting is smooth and fluffy. Add more milk if necessary to reach your desired consistency. NOTE: Make sure to add as many as the vanilla bean seeds as you can to the frosting!
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Filed Under: cupcake recipes, Madagascar vanilla beans, recipes, vanilla, vanilla cupcakes

Mardi Gras Cupcakes

February 20, 2012 by 12 Comments

Tomorrow, I’ll be ON THE RADIO!!!!  AFN Bavaria here in Germany is hosting me for a 2 hour segment to talk cupcakes and baking!  And, well… since it’s Mardi Gras tomorrow, I thought it’d be a perfect reason to make some party cupcakes!

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!

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Mardi Gras Cupcakes

51

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 18 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Yield: 2 dozen cupcakes

These cupcakes are ready to PARTY for Mardi Gras!

Ingredients

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 4 eggs, room temperature
  • the seeds of 2 Madagascar vanilla beans
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 ¼ cups Buttermilk
  • ¼ cup sour cream
  • 3 cups cake flour
  • 3 ½ tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • Green, Purple and Yellow food coloring gel (I used Wilton brand)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Line cupcake pans with white liners.
  2. In the bowl of your stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar for 3-4 minutes.
  3. While that is creaming, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
  4. In another medium bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the buttermilk, vanilla beans, vanilla extract and sour cream. Whisk until combined. It will look lumpy, which is okay.
  5. Add the wet mixture to the butter/sugar and mix on medium speed. Scrape the sides of the bowl and make sure everything is incorporated. NOTE: It will look curdled. DO NOT FRET! It will smooth out once you add the flour.
  6. Add all the flour at once and mix on low to medium speed until smooth. Don't over mix!!
  7. Separate batter evenly into three bowls.
  8. Add food coloring and mix until uniform in color.
  9. Using a tablespoon, scoop one color into the liner against one edge. Quickly, scoop the second color next to/overlapping the first color. Finally, add the third color. NOTE: By the time you get to scooping the third color, you should still be able to see a 1/3 of the bottom of the liner.
  10. Add another smaller scoop of each color until the liners are 1/2-2/3 full. NOTE: Do not fill these more than 2/3 full. They puff up nicely and you don't want overflow!
  11. Bake 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Rotate pan after 12 minutes.
  12. Cool in pans for 7-8 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting and decorating.
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Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

51

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Yield: Enough to frost 2 dozen cupcakes

Is there anything better than cinnamon and cream cheese together?

Ingredients

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 4 oz cream cheese, room temperature
  • 2 lbs powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4-1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
  • pinch of salt
  • green, purple and yellow sprinkles
  • Rolo candies
  • Mini Reese's peanut butter cups

Instructions

  1. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, cream together the butter and cream cheese.
  2. 1/4lb at a time, add the powdered sugar. After the first addition, add the vanilla extract and cinnamon. Beat until smooth.
  3. After the next additions of powdered sugar, add whipping cream and beat on high until smooth. After the last addition of sugar, add enough cream until you get your desired consistency.
  4. Add the pinch of salt and beat on high for 5 minutes.
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How to assemble Mardi Gras cupcakes

Ingredients

  • Baked & cooled Mardi Gras cupcakes
  • Cinnamon Cream Cheese frosting
  • green, purple and yellow sprinkles and rainbow jimmies
  • Mini Reese's peanut butter cups
  • piping bag with star tip
  • purple food coloring gel

Instructions

  1. Reserve 1/2 cup of frosting and tint with purple food coloring gel. Put it in a piping bag with a small star tip. Set aside.
  2. Using the white frosting and a large star tip, pipe a swirl of frosting on top of each cupcake. Embellish with sprinkles and jimmies.
  3. Put a swirl of the purple frosting on top of the Reese's pb cups and embellish with sprinkles and jimmies. (You want it to look like a mini cupcake.)
  4. Place a pb cup on top of each cupcake, off center.
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Filed Under: buttermilk, candy cupcakes, cinnamon buttercream or frosting, cream cheese, cupcake recipes, cupcake toppers, decorating ideas, featured, frosting and icing, holiday, Madagascar vanilla beans, Mardi Gras, novelty cupcakes, recipes, seasonal, seasonal and holiday cupcakes, tips & tricks, vanilla, vanilla cupcakes

Frosted Sugar Cookies for Valentine’s Day

February 13, 2012 by 8 Comments

One of the things I baked this weekend as a part of the Valentine’s Day Love Boxes I made were my favorite sugar cookies frosted and decorated.  I make these cookies several times a year and I devour at least a dozen of them myself every time.

I’ve posted the recipe before (Spring Sugar Cookies) for the cookies, but have since then added my own homemade buttercream to the mix instead of a jar of pre-made frosting.

So, here they are together… my favorite sugar cookie recipe with my favorite vanilla buttercream recipe.

These cookies are full of flavor, soft, and puff up perfectly when baking. The frosting, it’s smooth, creamy and so delicious!!

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Roll & Cut Sugar Cookies

Prep Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours

Yield: 5-6 dozen cookies (depending on cookie cutter size)

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup shortening
  • ¾ unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 tsp almond extract
  • 5 cups flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tsp salt
  • heart shaped cookie cutters

Instructions

  1. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter and shortening.
  2. Add the sugar, eggs, and almond extract and mix on high until light and fluffy – about 4-5 minutes.
  3. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
  4. Add the flour to the butter mixture and mix until combined. Make sure you are scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl.
  5. Cover and chill at least 1 hour.
  6. Preheat oven to 400 F degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
  7. Roll dough ¼ inch thick on lightly floured surface. Cut with cookie cutter and place on baking sheet.
  8. Bake 6 to 8 minutes or until cookies are a delicate golden color. NOTE: Mine only take 6 minutes! Do not let the edges get too brown, you want the bottoms to just barely start to turn a golden color.
  9. Remove immediately from pan to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
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Perfect Vanilla Buttercream

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Yield: Enough to frost 5-6 dozen cookies with left-overs

Ingredients

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 4oz cream cheese, room temperature
  • the seeds of one Madagascar vanilla bean
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 2lbs powdered sugar
  • 1/4-1/2 cup Madagascar vanilla bean infused heavy whipping cream (Recipe here)
  • pink food gel – optional
  • sprinkles – optional

Instructions

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and cream cheese.
  2. Add the vanilla extract and vanilla bean seeds and mix until combined.
  3. 1lb at a time, add the powdered sugar. Begin on low speed and increase speed until mixture becomes smooth. Make sure to scrape the sides of the bowl.
  4. After each addition of sugar, add 3-4 tbsp of cream. Beat on high to combine.
  5. Add as much cream as you want until you have a smooth, spreadable consistency. NOTE: I like to make this buttercream a little thinner than what I’d make if I was using it for cupcakes, so I add more cream.
  6. Once you have your desired consistency, beat on high for 4-5 minutes.
  7. If you want to tint the frosting, add as much gel as you want until you get the color you need. Scrape sides/bottom of bowl to make sure it’s all uniform in color.
  8. Frost cookies and decorate with sprinkles!
  9. EAT!
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Filed Under: almond extract, buttercream, buttercream, cookies, frosted cookies, frosting and icing, recipes, sugar cookies, valentine's day, vanilla, vanilla frosting

Sweetheart Sugar Cookie Bars

January 28, 2012 by 4 Comments

I’m stocked with bags and bags and bags of chocolate.  Kisses, chips, m&m’s, bars, chunks, filled and fruity, seasonal… you name it, I have it right now.

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!

Filed Under: bars, bars, candy filled cookies, cookies, cream cheese, frosted cookies, recipes, sugar cookies, valentine's day, vanilla

Tagalong Cupcakes

January 28, 2012 by 6 Comments

I had surgery on Thursday… and I was SUPER nervous.  It’s nothing too serious, just having 3 teeth pulled that should have been fixed a long time ago.  But now, I’m 33 weeks pregnant and in TONS of pain and just can’t wait any longer to have them taken care of.

So… to keep my mind occupied the day before (and hopefully off the throbbing in my mouth), I decided to bake cupcakes!  Last week, I made Thin Mint Cupcakes with Girl Scout cookies so today I’m trying out a recipe for Tagalong Cupcakes made with my favorite peanut butter and chocolate GS cookie!

I asked on my Facebook page how exactly I should make this Tagalong cupcake and I really enjoyed the suggestion of one reader to make a thick crumb cake.  I’ve never actually tried to purposely make a cake with a big crumb and I thought this might be the perfect time to try that.  I did an internet search for thick crumb cake recipes and found lots of recipes for a New York Style Crumb Cake and I thought hmmm…. with a little tweaking, this could be pretty darn good as a cupcake!

And of course, the cupcake has to be filled with peanut butter… just like the cookie!  For this filling, I used a variation of my favorite peanut butter buttercream recipe, but made it more creamy and smooth than thick like a frosting.

Oh the frosting.  When you see a Tagalong cupcake…. you first see the dark chocolate covering the cookie.  It’s shiny and sometimes, I just bite the edges of the cookie off and eat just the chocolate part first.  So I knew this cookie had to have that same shine and color.  Creamy chocolate was a MUST!

New York Style Vanilla Bean Crumb Cake
Makes 12 cupcakes

Recipe updated: September 2012

1 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

6 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup vanilla sugar (regular sugar is okay too)
2 large eggs
seeds of one vanilla bean or 1 tsp vanilla extract (split bean length wise and scrape out seeds)
1 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup heavy cream (or milk)

  1. Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.  Line cupcake pan with liners.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
  3. In the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and vanilla sugar for about 2 minutes.
  4. Add the vanilla bean seeds egg, scrape the sides of the bowl, and beat on high for at least 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
  5. Mix in the sour cream, making sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.
  6. Add the flour in two parts and mix just until smooth.
  7. Add the heavy cream and mix only until incorporated.  DO NOT OVER MIX!
  8. Scoop evenly into 12 cupcake liners.
  9. Bake 18-19 minutes, rotating pan after 12 minutes.
  10. Cool in pan 4-5 minutes before removing to wire rack to cool completely.

Recipe inspired by: First Look, Then Cook

Whipped Peanut Butter Filling
Makes enough to fill & garnish 12 cupcakes 

2 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp heavy cream

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer using the whisk attachment, cream together the butter and peanut butter.
  2. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and add the powdered sugar.  Mix until smooth.
  3. Scrape sides again, add the vanilla and heavy cream.  Whip on high for 3 minutes until light and fluffy.

Creamy Chocolate Frosting
Makes enough to frost 12 cupcakes

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 oz cream cheese
1 lb powdered sugar
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup heavy cream

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and cream cheese.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and cocoa powder.
  3. Add the sugar/cocoa to the butter mixture and beat until smooth.
  4. Scrape the sides of the bowl and mix in the vanilla extract.
  5. Add up to 1/2 cup heavy cream or until you get the smooth consistency you want.
  6. Beat on high for 3 minutes.

To Assemble the Cupcakes:

6 Tagalong Girl Scout Cookies, halved
Whipped Peanut Butter Filling
Creamy Chocolate Frosting
Piping bags & tips

  1. Core the center of each cupcake using an apple corer.  I wanted to make sure these cupcakes had LOTS of peanut butter filling, so I cored them all the way down to the bottom liner.
  2. Using a small closed star tip, pipe the whipped peanut butter filling into each hole making sure a little bit peeps out the top.
  3. For half of the cupcakes, I stopped there with the peanut butter filling.  On the other half, I piped a small layer of the peanut butter filling on top of the cupcake as well.
  4. Using a Wilton 1M tip, pipe a beautiful pile of creamy chocolate frosting on top of each cupcake.
  5. With the remaining peanut butter filling, pipe a small dollop on top of the chocolate frosting on the cupcakes that are only filled in the middle.
  6. Garnish with half a Tagalong Girl Scout Cookie.
  7. EAT!
Filed Under: buttercream, chocolate, chocolate frosting, cookie cupcakes, cookie cupcakes, cupcake recipes, dark chocolate, frosting and icing, girl scout cookie cupcakes, recipes, vanilla, vanilla cupcakes

Madagascar Vanilla Bean Sugar & Cream for baking

January 21, 2012 by 8 Comments

Beanilla was having a HUGE sale on their vanilla beans, so I snatched up a 1/2lb of Madagascar beans this week.  Seriously, the BEST investment I’ve made for my baking in a long time.

These beans are so fresh, so moist, and so full of great vanilla flavor…  I really can’t wait to use them in EVERYTHING for the next few months.  I just hope that 1/2lb was enough!

First thing I made took me no time at all.  Vanilla Sugar.  Seriously, get some vanilla beans and make some of this yourself.  It takes 2 minutes and your sugar will thank you!!

Vanilla Sugar
airtight container
5lb bag of sugar
2 Madagascar vanilla beans, split length wise

  1. Empty the bag of sugar into the airtight container.
  2. Add the two vanilla beans to the sugar.  Put the lid on and shake until the beans are covered in sugar.
  3. Let the beans hangout over night in the sugar.
  4. Take the lid off, smell, taste, enjoy!  You now have vanilla sugar!

NOTE:  You can just keep adding sugar to the container as you go through it as well as any other used vanilla bean husks as you bake.  Just take the old ones out when they’re all dried up.  You can used the dried up beans in milk/cream to make vanilla cream! Nom nom nom.

And then I made Vanilla Cream.  You can use this cream in place of any recipe that calls for milk or heavy cream.  It will add such a rich, delicious vanilla flavor to whatever it is you’re baking.

You could also use it as coffee creamer.  Nom nom nom

Vanilla Cream
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 Madagascar vanilla bean

  1. Split the vanilla beans open length wise using a sharp knife.  Scrape out the vanilla bean paste from inside the pod.
  2. In a small heavy bottomed pot, whisk together the heavy cream, vanilla bean pod and paste.
  3. Cook on LOW for about 10 minutes, whisking often.
  4. Increase heat to medium until the milk just begins to simmer and bubble.  NOTE:  You don’t not want it to reach a full boil or burn.  Just a nice, slow simmer.
  5. As soon as the milk begins to bubble up, remove it from the heat and whisk.
  6. Allow to cool to room temperature.
  7. A film may form on the top of the cream, just whisk it until it’s smooth again.
  8. Remove the vanilla bean pod if you’re going to use all the cream immediately.  If you plan to store the cream for later use, leave the bean in the cream until you’re ready to use it.

Filed Under: featured, Madagascar vanilla beans, recipes, vanilla, whipping cream

Itty Bitty Bumblebee

August 7, 2011 by 3 Comments

I don’t mess around too much with classic cupcake combos… like chocolate & vanilla.  I have a fav chocolate cake recipe that I love and I’ve recently become attached to the most amazing, light & fluffy vanilla buttercream but, when it comes to dressin’ them up a bit… that’s where I get to have a little bit of fun!

[Read more...]

Filed Under: buttercream, buttercream, chocolate, chocolate cupcakes, cupcake recipes, cupcake toppers, frosting and icing, posts by jenn, Uncategorized, vanilla, vanilla frosting

Crème Brûlée

June 10, 2011 by 2 Comments

What’s your favorite dessert?  The other day Betsy asked me “if you had to be any dessert, what would you be?”   Before really thinking about it I said a cupcake (duh) but after a while I realized that if I was going to be any dessert it would be crème brûlée.  Super. Absolute. Fav.

[Read more...]

Filed Under: misc. baked goods, posts by jenn, recipes, vanilla

Birthday Trio

May 18, 2011 by 1 Comment

Hey folks ;) sorry things have been a little quiet around here from me lately… life has kind of been super busy lately.  Good busy, but still super busy.  I haven’t had much time to write posts, but have no fear I have been baking!

[Read more...]

Filed Under: banana, buttercream, caramel, chocolate, cream cheese, posts by jenn, strawberry, vanilla

Spaghetti & Meatball Cupcakes

May 9, 2011 by 2 Comments

I love love love these!  They’re super easy and suuuuuper fun! :) Here’s the best thing, you pick your fav cupcake and add your favorite vanilla buttercream and then go from there!

[Read more...]

Filed Under: chocolate, cupcake recipes, posts by jenn, recipes, tips & tricks, vanilla

Raspberry Jam Cupcakes

May 7, 2011 by 6 Comments

My mom died last year just after Mother’s Day… so this year is kinda difficult for me.  I’m in a new country, away from family and missing my Mom.   So, what did I decide to do to make things a little easier?  Make cupcakes for my new friends who are all fantastic mothers! [Read more...]

Filed Under: buttercream, cupcake recipes, featured, fruit, fruity cupcakes, raspberry, recipes, vanilla

Inspiration Station-Marble Cupcakes

April 5, 2011 by 2 Comments

Last week the student organization that I advise on campus hosted a Showcase to raise money for Japan.  It was a pretty amazing event, considering the students spent their entire Spring Break planning the program and folding over 1,000 cranes for folks to sign when they donate money. [Read more...]

Filed Under: chocolate, chocolate cupcakes, cupcake recipes, filled cupcakes, posts by jenn, recipes, vanilla, vanilla cupcakes

Happy Valentine’s Day!

February 14, 2011 by 5 Comments

With cupcake orders this weekend and requests from Emily’s teacher… it was time to make some more super sweet love cupcakes!  This year, I made them with a twist! [Read more...]

Filed Under: buttercream, chocolate, dipped, filled cupcakes, ganache, holiday, recipes, valentine's day, vanilla

White Velvet Vanilla Bean Cupcakes for a Green Bay Packers Party!

January 19, 2011 by 3 Comments

This is going to be a short post… I just wanted to quickly share with you the biggest, most elaborate display I have made for an order!  My husband’s boss ordered cupcakes from me for their daughters 7th birthday party and they are HUGE Green Bay Packers fans and wanted everything to be Packers themed! [Read more...]

Filed Under: recipes, sports, vanilla, velvet

A Collection of Homemade Baking Ingredients

November 29, 2010 by 1 Comment

With the Holiday Season in full swing,  I’m sure you’ve got your baking lists ready and plenty of holiday cupcakes to bake!  What better way to make your cupcakes then with a few homemade ingredients! [Read more...]

Filed Under: brown sugar, chocolate, tips & tricks, vanilla

Tahitian Vanilla Bean Cupcakes for ‘National Vanilla Cupcake Day’

November 10, 2010 by 5 Comments

Today is National Vanilla Cupcake Day!!! What better way to celebrate than with a cupcake packed full of vanilla flavor! [Read more...]

Filed Under: flags, recipes, vanilla

Mini Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes

August 7, 2010 by 7 Comments

It’s been over three months… three long months since I’ve baked a cupcake.  Today, I reclaimed my excitement, desire, and drive to bake again thanks to an old friend who called and asked me to make cupcakes for an upcoming bridal shower.

[Read more...]

Filed Under: buttercream, chocolate, featured, filled cupcakes, fruit, mini, recipes, vanilla

Guest Blogger: Army Wifey Debbie shares a tutorial for Froggie Cupcakes

April 20, 2010 by 1 Comment

Debbie is a fellow Army Wife who I met on Twitter over the last year.  We’ve shared some great tweets and I’ve enjoyed getting to know her.  Recently, Debbie tweeted about making some very sweet frog cupcakes and I asked her to blog about it for my readers! [Read more...]

Filed Under: guest blogger, novelty cupcakes, recipes, vanilla

White Butter Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream

April 5, 2010 by 2 Comments

This weekend was Easter and I was a baking fool! I made two bunny cakes and three dozen cupcakes! Yummm-0! The cupcakes I made were a White Butter cupcake with a classic Vanilla Buttercream frosting.  Delish! [Read more...]

Filed Under: buttercream, recipes, vanilla

Guest Blogger Tracy from Sugar Crafter makes Homemade Vanilla Extract

January 2, 2010 by 13 Comments
JavaCupcake Note: This is a guest blog post from Tracy & Sugar Crafter.
Be sure to check out all the other delicious creations she’s making on her blog and follow her on Twitter!

I’m sure you’ve probably seen this everywhere by now, but since it was part of mine and hubby’s homemade Christmas gift baskets this year, I couldn’t post about it until now or I would have spoiled the surprise! When I first learned how easy it is to make your own vanilla extract though, I was so excited. It’s much cheaper than buying it in the store! And since I was about three months away from Christmas at the time, I knew they would make perfect gifts as well. I’ve been using the homemade vanilla extract in my baking ever since, and I don’t think I’ll ever go back to store-bought!
Here’s what you’ll need:

  • Vodka (any type will do – I used Skyy)
  • 1 vanilla bean per 1/3 cup vodka
  • Lidded glass bottles
First, grab your favorite type of vanilla beans. These are Tahitian beans.
Split each vanilla bean lengthwise with a knife or with scissors.

Drop the vanilla beans into the bottles. Mine held about one cup of liquid each, so I put in 3 vanilla beans per bottle. Fill up the bottles with the vodka. And, that’s it! Store the bottles in a cool, dark place for about three months before using, making sure to give them a shake every once in a while. The picture below was taken about a week and a half after making the extract; it’ll get even darker over time.

JavaCupcake side note:  As a part of my goals for 2010, I wanted to create a signature cupcake.  I’m hoping that this recipe (in three months!) can be used as a part of it!  Thank you Tracy for this great recipe!!

3/19/2010 Update:  My vanilla extra is READY and I”ll be using it in all my upcoming recipes!

Filed Under: guest blogger, vanilla

Cookies-N-Creme Cupcakes

December 29, 2009 by 3 Comments
Today is my niece Ashley’s 8th birthday party and she has requested for me to make her cupcakes!! She picked out these yummy looking Oreo Cupcakes from a book I got for Christmas for me to make! So, of course, I had to put my own spin on them!! Here’s what I came up with! Enjoy! [Read more...]
Filed Under: buttercream, cookies, recipes, vanilla

Rainbow Cupcakes

April 4, 2009 by 13 Comments

And finally, the last cupcakes I made were a tri-color cupcake with vanilla buttercream frosting. While making the lemon cupcake batter, I saved some aside that did not have the lemon, leaving a basic vanilla batter. I separated that into three and colored two of them pink and green. I spooned each color into the cups to creak the rainbow effect! :) For my first attempt, I think they turned out really great!

[Read more...]

Filed Under: buttercream, perfect for spring, rainbow, recipes, vanilla

Mini Cuppies

April 4, 2009 by 3 Comments
The second cupcakes I made were a mini cupcake with the same Lemon cupcake batter and a basic vanilla buttercream frosting. Of course the cupcake liners were blue with cute little chicks on them :)





Click on image for recipe :)
Filed Under: buttercream, fruit, mini, recipes, vanilla

Cupcakes for Dad’s birthday!

March 28, 2009 by 5 Comments

My dad turned 68 this week!!! Happy Birthday Daddy!!! :) He requested white/vanilla cake with chocolate buttercream frosting… so what did I make?? CUPCAKES!! :) They were a HUGE hit and everyone at his party loved them!

(hehehe Yes the frosting kinda looks like poop. It sure didn’t taste like poop though!!! DELISH!)



Click on the image for the recipe!
Filed Under: buttercream, chocolate, recipes, vanilla

Cupcakes with Eeerah

March 23, 2009 by 9 Comments
My good friend Sarah came over this afternoon for a bit of shopping and cupcake making. When my daughter Emily was a toddler, she couldn’t pronounce her name and called her Eeerah :) . We’ve called her that ever since! Today we made Super Moist Chocolate Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttecream frosting with chocolate sprinkles. I’ve made these before, but I piped the frosting differently on these. All we had was a flat rate box to send the cupcakes home with her. :)

Filed Under: chocolate, recipes, vanilla

Spring Cupcakes, Take 1

March 19, 2009 by 10 Comments

Tonight I decided to try decorating some cupcakes for Spring. I’ve never done it before and am not sure if I’ll try it again. I don’t know if I like how the flowers look and to be honest… I really prefer the extra large round tip for piping. The cupcake is a vanilla cupcake with buttercream frosting. I’m not a huge fan of vanilla cupcakes, but this recipe was decent. I’d love to hear if anyone else has a better recipe for vanilla cupcakes. :)

Vanilla Cupcakes

12 tbsp butter, room temperature
1 2/3 cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 2/3 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 tbsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350F.
Place 20 muffin wrappers (if using the stiff kind pictured above) on a baking sheet, or line 20 muffin cups with paper liners.
In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar. When light and fluffy, beat in the eggs one at a time.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. In a measuring cup, combine the buttermilk and vanilla extract.
With the mixer on low speed (or by hand), stir one third of the flour mixture into the butter mixture. Blend in half of the buttermilk, followed by another third of the flour mixture. Stir in remaining buttermilk/vanilla and the rest of the flour, mixing only until no streaks of flour remain. Divide evenly into prepared muffin cups, filling each about 2/3 full.
Bake for 22-24 minutes, until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean and the top springs back when lightly pressed. Cool in pan for 2-3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
I used my standard buttercream recipe for this cupcake.

2 sticks butter, 4 cups powdered sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, pinch salt and 2 tbls milk or cream.

Filed Under: buttercream, flowers, perfect for spring, recipes, vanilla

Mocha Vanilla Swirl cupcakes

March 1, 2009 by 13 Comments


Makes 12 cupcakes.

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup sugar
6 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temp
1 large egg, plus 1 large egg white, at room temp
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup+1tsp STRONG brewed coffee (Starbucks Pike Place roast was used for this cupcake)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare pan for 12 cupcakes.

Use mixer to combine sugar and butter until fluffy (3-5 minutes).

While that is mixing, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Add the egg and egg white slowly to the sugar and egg and beat well.

Add 1/3 of the flour mixture, then add the milk. Add 1/3 more flour mixture and then add the coffee.

Mix in the rest of the flour mixture until just combined (don’t overbeat your cupcakes or they will be disgusting).

Using an ice cream scoop, fill 12 cupcake papers with equal amounts of batter. Bake for 18-20 minutes at 350 degrees.

Vanilla Filling
1/2 package instant vanilla pudding
A little less than 1/2 cup milk
A little less than 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
3 tablespoons Bailey’s Irish creme

Mix all ingredients with electric mixture until it has the consistency of thick pudding.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temp
2 cups sifted powdered sugar
1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1-2 tbsp whipping cream

Beat the butter until it’s smooth and creamy.

Slowly add the powdered sugar until it’s smooth.

Add the milk and cocoa.

Scrape down sides of bowl.

Beat on high 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy.

Cupcake Assembly
Cool cupcakes completely.

Cut out a little cone shape in the tops of each cupcake.
Drop in a dollop of Bailey’s filling and squish the top back on the cupcake. If it squirts out the sides a little, no worries.
Pipe the frosting on top, making sure to cover the seams and the filling.
Add espresso bean on top.
Cupcake and Filling recipe adapted from: Frosted Creations
Frosting recipe happens to be the same as Frosted Creations, but is also one I use.

Filed Under: alcohol, buttercream, chocolate, Coffee, filled cupcakes, vanilla

Super Moist Chocolate Cupakes with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

February 18, 2009 by 2 Comments
I have tried several chocolate cupcake recipes as well as several buttercream recipes and have found these two to be my favorite.

Click on image for recipe.
Filed Under: buttercream, chocolate, recipes, vanilla

Valentine’s Day Cupcakes

February 12, 2009 by 7 Comments
UPDATE: 4 April 09
So, as I was sorting through my blogs… I realized I never posted my Valentine’s Day cupcakes. So now, two months later… here they are! They are my Moist Chocolate Cupcake with Vanilla Buttercream icing :)




More to come!!

Filed Under: buttercream, chocolate, holiday, mini, vanilla

More Cupcakes!!!

January 20, 2009 by Leave a Comment

I made another batch of cupcakes this weekend…. chocolate with chocolate buttercream frosting. Too many to eat myself… so I’m sending them all to work with my husband today. Let the soldiers eat them!!! hehe

Filed Under: chocolate, vanilla

Cupcakes: Round 1!

January 16, 2009 by 1 Comment

Cupcakes are my new hobby!!! And tonight, I tried making my first batch from scratch!! I made vanilla cupcakes with vanilla buttercream frosting. They look so yummy!! I think I like how I decorated the blue ones the best. I can’t wait to making them again!!!

Naked before frosting.


Filed Under: buttercream, vanilla