Salted Caramel Chocolate Cupcakes

As a person who loves baking and cooking, there are a lot of garbage foods that people don't expect me to like.

McDonald's Quarter Pounders? Get in my face.

Cool-Whip? Guilty.

Little Debbie Strawberry Shortcake Rolls? Until someone comes up with a way for me to bake these at home, Little Debbie will get two of my hard-earned dollars the one time a year I allow myself to buy these hydrogenated oil-laden treats.

Cake mix is another one of those processed junk foods that I like...kind of. I love that boxed cake mixes bake up consistently fluffy, moist, and light, but I don't love that they don't taste very strongly of chocolate. They just taste sweet, with a barely discernible chocolate flavor.

These cupcakes have all the wonderful qualities of a cake mix - the light, fluffy texture, the moist crumb, and the ability to stand up to a huge mound of frosting, while also actually tasting like real chocolate.

You can certainly make these as basic chocolate cupcakes, but I made them even better by following Emily's instructions to transform these into Salted Caramel Chocolate Cupcakes. The center of the cupcake gets cored out and filled with salted caramel sauce, and then topped with a rich chocolate ganache, and a sprinkling of fleur de sel. If you've been reading my blog for awhile you're probably aware that I'm a HUGE fan of sweet + salty desserts, and these were absolute perfection.

I brought these over to a friend's house for dinner Friday night, and one of the girls there brought a couple cupcakes home to her husband. I got this message from her on Facebook the next day (B = her husband). Sooo, ladies? Make these for the man in your life this Valentine's Day. Just sayin'...

Peanut Butter Cupcakes with Chocolate Fudge Frosting

Happy blog birthday to me!!!

Tomorrow, my blog baby turns 3, and according to WebMD that means that it should be able to bend over without falling, use age-appropriate scissors, and clearly state its name and age. Oh...never mind, that's only for real live toddlers and not my silly little website. If we were talking about a toddler and not my blog, you'd all think I was a pretty terrible mother. I definitely forgot about this milestone until 6 p.m. last night when I was in the grocery store and saw these glittery number candles. I sincerely hope that when I have children someday, I remember their birthdays without glittery things reminding me.

I can't believe I've been sharing recipes and saying weird things here for 3 years. I'm one of those people who has an unfortunate tendency to abandon projects and hobbies, so I'm truly astonished that I've made it this long. For example, there was the time in the spring of 2008 when I decided I wanted to go to law school. Well, I'm $1,500 poorer after an LSAT prep course, have a stack of LSAT practice books, and no law degree to show for that undertaking. There was also the time I bought a $400 bicycle with the noble intent of riding it on the Mt. Vernon Trail every weekend. Well guess what? Beer doesn't drink itself, so that bike spends its weekends indoors and lonely.

I'm so glad I had the idea to stop spending large sums of money on things like knowledge and exercise, and start taking photos of my food. In all seriousness though, it means so much to me that people come here and make my recipes and read the goofy things I write. If I could give each one of you a hug and a cupcake as a thank you I totally would!

Let's talk about these cupcakes. What we have here is a moist, fluffy peanut butter cupcake, slathered with chocolate frosting that tastes exactly like brownie batter. Best of all? This recipe makes just three cupcakes! It's perfect for when you want something sweet, but don't necessarily need two dozen cupcakes tempting you.

And in case you're wondering...yes, I did blow out the candle.

Here's what you'll need:

For the cupcakes:

1 egg white
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon vanilla flavored Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter (I don't recommend using the natural kind here)
1/4 teaspoon, heaping, baking powder
1/4 cup cake flour
1 1/2 tablespoons milk

For the frosting:

1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup + 3 tablespoons powdered sugar, divided
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of kosher salt
2 teaspoons dark cocoa powder (I used 1 teaspoon Hershey's Special Dark, and 1 teaspoon KAF Black Cocoa)
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and line a cupcake tin with 3 paper liners.

In a medium bowl, whisk together egg white and sugar until thoroughly combined.

Whisk in melted butter, vanilla, yogurt, and peanut butter.

Whisk in baking powder. Gently whisk in flour until just combined. Stir in milk.

Divide the batter evenly among the 3 prepared liners - they should each be about 2/3 full. Bake in the preheated oven for 15-17 minutes, until the cupcake springs back when lightly pressed in the center.

Cool in the pan for 2 minutes, and the turn out on to a wire rack to cool completely.

When the cupcakes are cool, make the frosting.

Beat together 1/2 cup powdered sugar and butter until fluffy. Beat in the vanilla, salt, cocoa powder, and melted chocolate until thoroughly combined. Add in the remaining powdered sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, until the frosting has reached the desired consistency.

You may also like these other tiny batch recipes: Vanilla Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting for Two, Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cinnamon Buttercream for Two, and Chocolate Peanut Butter Lava Cake for One

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Source: Cupcake portion inspired by How Sweet's Vanilla Cupcakes for Two, and the frosting is an A Bitchin' Kitchen original

Shirley Temple Cupcakes

Posted by: Annie

Growing up, my sisters and I were not really allowed to have soda. Soda was reserved for "special occasions," like when we had birthday parties, or the occasional babysitter (poor babysitter.) So, on the occasions we were allowed to have it, it was a a BIG DEAL. 

Typically the no soda rule applied to when we ate out in restaurants, but on the rare occasion we were given the "go," I can remember choosing a Shirley Temple. I think my main motivation behind ordering this classic drink was because I adored the maraschino cherries that came on top. When considering recipes to make for Valentine's Day, Shirley Temples came to mind - specifically, a recipe for Shirley Temple cupcakes that I had discovered on The Curvy Carrot a few months back.

These cupcakes are delicious and festive, and are the perfect addition to your Valentine's Day celebration.

What you will need:

For the Cupcakes:

1 1/2 cup flour, plus 1 tablespoon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup cherry 7-Up
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 tablespoon maraschino cherry juice
Red food coloring

For the buttercream frosting:

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
Pinch salt
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon maraschino cherry juice

For garnish:

12 maraschino cherries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and line a cupcake pan with paper liners.

In a large bowl, combine 1 1/2 cup flour, baking powder, and salt and whisk. Set aside.

Using a stand mixer and paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, and combine well.

Lower the speed of the mixer and add half the flour mixture. Next, add half of the 7-Up and continue to alternate adding flour and 7-Up until completely added. Next add vanilla and almond extracts, and mix well.

Remove 3/4 cup of the batter and place in a small bowl. Add flour, cherry juice, and food coloring (to desired red color.) Distribute red batter to the bottom of each cupcake liner (approximately 2-3 teaspoons per liner.)

Top with remaining cupcake batter, being careful not to mix the two. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Be careful not to over-bake.

For the frosting, using a stand mixer, cream butter for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy. Reduce the speed to low and add salt, powdered sugar, extracts, lemon juice, and maraschino juice. Frost cupcakes, and top with a maraschino cherry.

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Source: The Curvy Carrot

Sparkling Champagne Cupcakes

Posted by: Maggie

Happy New Year's Eve-Eve everyone! 

I've been wanting to make these cupcakes since seeing them on Heather's blog last December. I loooove champagne, and I love an opportunity to make a holiday themed cupcake even more.

If your New Year's resolution falls into the drink less booze/eat less junk category that so many resolutions do, I recommend making these pronto, while you still have the chance.

What you're looking at here is a vanilla cupcake spiked with champagne, a champagne flavored pastry creme center, and a champagne buttercream. Festive, right?

Here's what you'll need:

For the cupcakes:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup champagne (no need to use the good stuff here...my $4 bottle of Andre worked quite nicely)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and line cupcake tins with 17 paper liners. Adjust oven rack to middle position.

Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, and beat well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In a separate bowl, stir together sour cream and champagne.

With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture and the champagne mixture to the butter/egg mixture alternately, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.

Using level 1/4 cup measures, divide batter between prepared cupcake tins. Bake for 17-22 minutes, rotating cupcake tins halfway through baking time. Set aside to cool completely before filling and frosting.

For the pastry creme filling:

1/2 cup heavy cream, divided
1/2 cup champagne
2 tablespoons cornstarch
5 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 whole egg
2 egg yolks
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla

In a medium sized bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup of the heavy cream and the cornstarch. Set aside.

In a saucepan, combine the remaining 1/4 cup heavy cream, the champagne, and the sugar. Stir to combine, and bring to a boil over medium heat.

While waiting for the mixture to boil, beat the egg, and yolks into the heavy cream and cornstarch mixture.

When the champagne mixture is boiling, remove from the heat, and add 1/3 of it to the egg mixture, whisking constantly so the eggs don't cook. Return the champagne mixture to a boil, and add in the egg mixture in a slow stream, whisking constantly.

Continue to whisk until the mixture thickens, and remove from heat. Stir in butter and vanilla, and continue to stir until the butter has melted completely.

Allow the mixture to cool for 15 minutes before filling cupcakes. Using a paring knife, or one of these handy dandy cupcake corers (I got mine from Target) cut out the center of the cupcake, and fill with cooled pastry creme. I spooned mine into a large ziploc bag, and snipped off the end to make this easier.

You will have leftover pastry creme. I'm sure you can figure out what to do with it! Allow the filling to cool completely before frosting the cupcakes.

For the frosting:

1 cup plus 1 tablespoon champagne
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Add 1 cup of champagne to a small saucepan. Simmer over medium-high heat, until it has reduced to 2 tablespoons (about 7-10 minutes, but keep an eye on it!) Transfer to a small bowl to cool completely.

In a large bowl, beat together butter and powdered sugar on medium speed until fluffy. Add in reduced champagne, and the remaining 1 tablespoon of champagne and beat until smooth.

Store cupcakes in the refrigerator, and bring to room temperature 15 minutes before serving.

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Source: Sprinkle Bakes

Apple Pie Cupcakes

Posted by: Annie

I made these delicious cupcakes for my best friend's birthday. Thanksgiving often falls on or around her birthday, and I know that many of her birthday celebrations have involved a slice or two of apple pie. Two years ago I made her these filled Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes. This year I chose to stick with the Thanksgiving theme and fill vanilla cupcakes with apple pie filling, and then top them with a delicious buttercream. 

These cupcakes were actually part of a much larger gift. Back in October, one of my best friends, Dana, made me the most thoughtful birthday gift. She titled it "Annie's Favorite Things" and compiled a bunch of items that were specific to what I appreciate and love in life. Dana filled a colander with a vanilla cupcake candle, a cookbook, cocktail mix, Keurig pumpkin spice coffee, Diet Coke, and more. It was such a thoughtful gift that I totally ripped it off and reused the idea (thanks Dana!)

The birthday girl was thrilled with the cupcakes and her other "favorite things," and even though Thanksgiving has passed, these cupcakes still make a fabulous addition to any dessert table during the holiday season.

Lastly, don't forget to enter our blogiversary giveaway! It closes at 11:59 p.m. tonight!

What you will need:

For the cupcakes:

3 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 sticks butter, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup milk

For the apple pie filling:

2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons cinnamon
3 tablespoons sugar
3 large granny smith apples, peeled, cored, and diced

For the vanilla buttercream:

2 1/2 sticks butter, softened
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons heavy cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cupcake pans with paper liners.

To make the cupcakes, combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until fluffy (approximately 2 minutes.) Next, beat in eggs one at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Mix in vanilla extract. Alternate beating in the dry ingredients and milk, in small increments, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.

Divide the batter evenly among cupcake tins. Bake 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Place cupcakes on a cooling rack.

To make the apple pie filling, melt butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add cinnamon and sugar and heat until bubbly. Lower the heat and stir in apples. Coat thoroughly with cinnamon sugar mixture. Cover and cook for an additional 10 minutes, until apples are tender. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely before filling the cupcakes.

To make the frosting, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until creamy. Stir in sugar and salt and beat on medium-low speed until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add vanilla and heavy cream. Mix on medium-low speed for approximately four minutes, until frosting appears light and fluffy.

To assemble, use a paring knife to cut out the center of each cupcake. Fill each cupcake with apple pie filling, and frost with buttercream.

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Source: Adapted from Annie's Eats, originally from Fatty Fat Fats

Triple Chocolate Cupcakes

Posted by: Maggie

Things have been kind of cupcake heavy around here lately. Last month we had Annie's homemade funfetti, and my pumpkin spice cupcakes for two. A couple weeks ago, Annie shared some deeeelicious looking peanut butter cupcakes that had me wishing I lived up in NJ, just so I could try one. 

Hopefully you guys are cool with the cupcake excess. I figure as long as we're bombarding you with sweets, and not like...liver, or haggis you'll keep coming back.

I made these cupcakes earlier this month for my dad's birthday, and we were both in agreement that they're mighty tasty! They're a dark chocolate cake, filled with a bittersweet chocolate ganache, and topped with a chocolate sour cream frosting. They're intensely rich, but not excessively sweet thanks to the use of bittersweet chocolate, and dark, dutch-processed cocoa powder.

I hope all of our U.S. readers have a wonderful Thanksgiving tomorrow with your friends and families! Don't forget to enter our Anthropologie apron giveaway if you haven't already. The winner will be randomly selected next week!

For the cupcakes (yields 13-14)

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup dutch-processed cocoa powder
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 eggs
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup full-fat sour cream

For the ganache filling:

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

For the frosting:

(if you don't like a 1:1 cupcake to frosting ratio like me, cut this recipe in half!)

14 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
9 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 cups powdered sugar, sifted after measuring
6 tablespoons dutch-processed cocoa powder
pinch of salt
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons full-fat sour cream

To make the cupcakes, adjust the oven rack to the lower middle position, and preheat the oven to 350 degrees (325 degrees if using a non-stick cupcake tin.) Line 14 cupcake wells with paper liners. Important note: obviously this recipe makes too much batter for one cupcake pan. I do not recommend baking the extra cupcake pan containing two liners at the same time as the full pan. The cupcakes will bake unevenly.

In a microwave-safe bowl, combine butter, chocolate, and cocoa. Microwave on 50% power for 30-second increments, stirring every 30 seconds until completely melted. Set aside to cool until slightly warm to the touch.

In a small bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, and baking powder to combine.

In a medium bowl, beat eggs with an electric mixer on low speed. Add in sugar, vanilla, and salt, and beat until fully incorporated. Add cooled chocolate mixture, and beat until combined. Pour about one-third of the flour mixture into the wet ingredients. Beat until just combined, and then mix in the sour cream. Add in the remaining flour mixture, and beat on low speed until just combined. The batter will be thick and mousse-like.

Divide the batter evenly among cupcake tins. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Be careful not to overbake!

Cool cupcakes completely before filling with ganache and frosting.

To make the ganache, combine the chocolate and heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat on full power in the microwave for 30-45 seconds. Stir, and continue heating at 15 second increments until fully melted. Remove from the microwave, and transfer to freezer. Allow the mixture to chill for 30 minutes. Stir every 5 minutes to promote even cooling. When the mixture has cooled and thickened, and is no longer runny, fill the cupcakes.

To fill the cupcakes, remove the core using one of the many handy cupcake coring doodads on the market these days (I got one at Target for about $6,) or just use a knife. Or an apple corer, whatever strikes your fancy. Fill the hole in the cooled cupcakes with the ganache, and set aside while you make the frosting.

To make the frosting, add the chocolate to a microwave-safe bowl, and microwave on 50% power for 30 second increments, stirring after each increment until chocolate is completely melted. Set aside to cool until barely warm. (This is important - if you add it to the other ingredients when it's too warm it will melt the butter and ruin your frosting!)

Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese for 3 minutes, until pale and fluffy. Slowly mix in the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and salt. Beat in the cooled, melted chocolate, and lastly, the sour cream. Continue beating on medium speed until the mixture is smooth and thoroughly combined. Use immediately, and refrigerate any leftover.

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Recipes adapted from: Cupcakes - Cooks Illustrated, Ganache - Post Gazette, Frosting - Annie's Eats

Peanut Butter Cupcakes with Chocolate Cheesecake Frosting

Posted by: Annie

Usually when I bake, I have a motivation for doing so - such as I promised my students baked goods, or it's someone's birthday, or it is a certain holiday. However, with these cupcakes I simply was just craving a delicious peanut butter dessert. 

My peanut butter craving all started last week. Lately, I have been in an oatmeal rut. I eat oatmeal almost every single morning, and at the urging of Maggie I started eating my oatmeal with a spoonful of peanut butter mixed in (heaven!)

When I ran out of peanut butter I attempted to be healthier, and purchased natural peanut butter. For years, I had looked at this peanut butter, warily examining the liquid that sat on top, and always concluded that natural peanut butter just wasn't for me. Well, all those years I was right - I still don't like natural peanut butter. The texture and the watery liquid brought out my inner picky child and I promptly chucked the peanut butter in the trash.

As a result, the next few mornings consisted of oatmeal without my delicious peanut butter mixed in, because day after day I would forget to pick up peanut butter after work. Finally, by the end of the week not only did I need the biggest container of Jif I could find, but I needed a dessert that gave me my peanut butter fix. Enter, peanut butter cupcakes with chocolate cheesecake frosting. Ahhhh-mazing.

What you will need:

1 stick of butter (softened)
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 cup skim milk
3/4 cup peanut butter chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare cupcake tins with 12 liners.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, cream together butter and peanut butter until smooth and creamy. Add in sugar and eggs and beat until fluffy. Stir in vanilla extract.

In a separate medium-sized bowl, combine flour and baking powder. Add half of the dry mixture to the peanut butter mixture, and beat on medium speed until combined. Add the milk, and beat until combined. Beat in the remaining dry ingredients. Stir in the peanut butter chips.

Fill each cupcake tin 2/3 of the way full with batter. Bake 15-18 minutes. Cool completely, and decorate.

Chocolate Cheesecake Frosting:

1 stick butter (softened)
8 ounces cream cheese, one block (softened)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup dark cocoa powder
1-2 tablespoons milk, as needed

Using a mixer on medium speed, cream together butter and cream cheese until well combined. Stir in vanilla. Continue mixing, and add in 1/2 cup powdered sugar at a time. Mix in cocoa powder. Add milk 1 teaspoon at a time if frosting is too thick.

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Source: How Sweet It Is

Fall Funfetti Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream

Posted by: Annie

I am officially in a very fall festive mood! This past weekend, Scott and I went out for Halloween dressed as Spartan cheerleaders from the 1990s Saturday Night Live skits that featured Will Ferrell and Cheri Oteri.  It was actually the first time Scott and I ever dressed up for Halloween together (and this was our FIFTH Halloween as a couple!) 

I stubbornly decided that I was not going to pay an absurd amount for a polyester costume that I could easily make, so not only did Scott and I have our first costumed Halloween, but I made our first Halloween costumes! (And by made I mean carefully ironing on pictures to black sweatshirts without setting the house on fire.) We were very successful cheerleaders and took our roles very seriously, as made apparent by the seventy-one pictures I found on my camera the next day. I will spare you all and only share this gem:

In addition to Halloween, the weather is amazing and fall seems to be officially here. To celebrate this awesome weather and fall season, I made homemade funfetti cupcakes using autumn colored sprinkles and topped them with even more sprinkles and a chocolate buttercream. I am so pumped to make these for every possible holiday that stores sell sprinkles for. (President's Day Funfetti cupcakes anyone?)

What you will need: 

For the cupcakes: 

1/2 cup butter

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla extract 

1 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/3 cup milk

1/3 cup sprinkles (any color you like) 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare cupcake tins with 12 liners. 

In a large bowl using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, for approximately 3 minutes. Next, mix in eggs and vanilla until combined. 

In a medium bowl, combine flour and baking powder. Add half of the dry mixture to your sugar mixture and beat to combine. Beat in milk. Beat in the remaining dry ingredients. Lastly, stir in sprinkles. 

Fill each cupcake tin 2/3 of the way full with batter. Bake 18-20 minutes. Cool completely, and decorate. 

For the frosting:

8 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped

6 cups confectioners sugar

2 sticks butter

6 tablespoons milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

1/4 teaspoon salt

Heat chocolate in microwave at 30-second intervals until melted. Set aside and allow to cool completely. 

In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Using a mixer at low speed, beat well, frequently scraping the sides of the bowl. After one minute, increase the mixer speed to medium and beat an additional two minutes. Mix in the cooled chocolate and continue to beat at medium speed for an additional minute. If the frosting appears dry, add more milk, one teaspoon at a time. 

Makes 4 1/2 cups. 

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Source: How Sweet It Is (cupcakes) and Williams-Sonoma (frosting) 

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes for Two

Posted by: Maggie

Hey guys...we started a Facebook page! It would make our day if you'd go over there and "like" us! Please and thank you :) 

Moving along...

Remember back in August when I made Jessica's brilliant Vanilla Cupcakes for Two?

They were awesome, and I've showed a remarkable amount of restraint with this recipe. I thought that knowing how to make two delicious cupcakes would lead to doing so every day, but fortunately for my bottom I was incorrect.

However...I've had it in the back of my mind since first making the recipe that I wanted to try my hand at turning it into some different flavors. Well, Jeff was tired of listening to me whine about pumpkin shortages, and brought me a can. I immediately decided to come up with a pumpkin version of cupcakes for two, and 3 batches later I have a winner!

The first batch was awful, the second batch was mediocre, and the third batch was like a party in my mouth. This cupcake is moist and tender, with a light pumpkin flavor and a lot of fall spices. Top it with cinnamon buttercream, and shove it in your face hole. You will thank me.

Here's what you'll need:

For the cupcakes:

1 egg white
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 tablespoons canned pumpkin (not pie filling)
1/4 cup cake flour
1/4 heaping teaspoon baking powder
1/2 heaping teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
pinch of ground cloves
pinch of salt
1 1/2 tablespoons whole milk

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and line your muffin tin with two liners.

In a medium bowl, whisk together egg white and sugar until thoroughly combined. Whisk in oil, vanilla, and pumpkin until fully incorporated. In a small bowl, combine cake flour, baking powder, spices, and salt. Gradually stir dry ingredients into wet until just combined. Lastly, stir in milk. The batter will be very liquidy.

Divide the batter between two liners filling slightly more than 3/4 full. You will have a small amount of batter left that you can eat with a spoon, or just throw away, depending on how afraid of salmonella you are. Bake for 15 minutes, or until cake is set and a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs attached. Cool completely before frosting.

For the cinnamon buttercream frosting:

1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted after measuring
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Beat together butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in cinnamon until throughly incorporated into frosting. Makes enough to generously frost two cupcakes.

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Cupcakes heavily adapted from How Sweet Eats, and frosting is by me!

Vanilla Cupcakes for Two

Posted by: Maggie


I kind of wish I never made this recipe...

Now that I know how easy it is to make two perfect little cupcakes, I'm concerned that I'll do it way too often. Since there is no waiting for the butter to soften, these cakes were mixed up and baked in a matter of 20 minutes. Amazing. And addicting.

I topped these with cream cheese frosting since I had a little bit of cream cheese leftover from the blueberry lemon cheesecake bars, but you can use whatever you want. Even canned frosting...your secret is safe with me!

Here's what you'll need:

For the cupcakes...

1 egg white
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 heaping teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
1 1/2 tablespoons milk

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and line your muffin tin with two liners.

In a medium bowl, whisk together egg white and sugar until thoroughly combined. Whisk in butter and vanilla until fully incorporated. Add in flour, baking powder, and salt, and stir until completely incorporated. Stir in milk.

Divide the batter between the two liners, and bake for 15-17 minutes, or until cake is set. (Note: The original recipe said to bake for 10-12 minutes, but mine took 16. You may want to keep an eye on things starting around 10 minutes just in case my oven was running cool or something.)

Let cool completely before frosting.

For the frosting:

2 ounces cream cheese, softened (1/4 block)
1 tablespoon butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted

Beat together the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add in the powdered sugar and beat until fully incorporated and creamy. Color with gel food color if desired.

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Source: How Sweet It Is (cupcakes)
Muh Brain (frosting)

Campfire Delight Cupcakes

Posted by: Maggie

Have you noticed that we're big fans of cupcakes around these parts?

Not counting this post, Annie and I have 106 recipes on this blog, 12 of which are cupcakes. 11% of our recipes are cupcakes. Ridiculous. Yet, I continue to bake them.

Of all the delicious things I make (I'm so humble, I know...) nothing elicits a happier response from my culinary guinea pigs than cupcakes. I'm a sucker for praise and admiration, so I keep baking them. When I made lemon cupcakes back in April, one of my coworkers told me the unexpected treat made her day. That's some powerful cake, man.

Jeff and I went to a Memorial Day barbeque last Sunday, and when I asked the hostess what I could bring she specifically requested cupcakes. I was more than happy to oblige, since I look for any excuse to pawn off baked goods to willing recipients. 

When I saw Sweetapolita's recipe for a sky-high, dark chocolate and toasted marshmallow layer cake a few months ago, I'm pretty sure I drooled on my laptop for a solid five minutes while gazing at the delicious looking photos. But, I make cupcakes - I don't do layer cakes. I don't even own a cake pan. While I could have put forth a smidgen of effort and adapted the recipe for cupcakes myself, that's not my style. I forgot all about the cake until a couple weeks ago when she posted the cupcake adaptation of her Campfire Delight cake.

These cupcakes were crazy delicious (anyone remember that reference? I know it's so 2005.) My friends at the barbeque gobbled them up. One guy there compared the cake portion to "a Hostess cupcake that actually tastes fresh." Sorry Hostess, but he's right.

I doubled the recipe and ended up with 53 cupcakes. I sooo did not need that many. The original, un-doubled recipe (as written below) was supposed to yield 18, but be aware that you may end up with a lot more. These cupcakes expand a lot, so be sure not to overfill your cupcake tins.

For the Cupcakes:

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup Dutch process cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup black coffee
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and line your cupcake tins with paper liners.

Sift all dry ingredients into a large bowl. In a separate medium bowl, add all the wet ingredients. With your mixer on medium speed, slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry, and mix for 2 minutes. The batter will be quite soupy - this is ok!

Pour batter into the prepared cupcake fan, filling just slightly more than halfway. Bake for 15-17 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs. Cool cupcakes in pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes, and then remove from pan to cool completely.

While you're waiting for the cupcakes to cool, make your filling. DO NOT, make this filling with a hand mixer. You can cream together the butter and sugar with one, but put it away before adding the marshmallow fluff. I'm pretty sure mine is going to die very, very soon as a result of doing so, because the second I turned it on the filling spun around the beaters like cotton candy and got all up in the mixer's crevices. I don't know if a stand mixer would be any different, or if it would have helped had I used a paddle attachment like the recipe indicated. Use your best judgment about your kitchen tools, but I would recommend spraying a metal spoon with non-stick spray and just stirring this together the old fashioned way.


For the filling:

8 large marshmallows
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 stick butter, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 ounces Marshmallow Fluff
Pinch of salt

Arrange the marshmallows on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place baking sheet on lower rack of your oven, and toast marshmallows under the broiler until they are brown. Mine took about 3 minutes, but keep an eye on them since they burn very quickly. Cream together the butter and powdered sugar until well blended. Add vanilla and mix on high for 2-3 minutes. Add remaining ingredients, and stir well with a non-stick spray coated spoon until well combined.

When your cupcakes are cool, cut a small portion out of the middle with a paring knife, or use one of those handy dandy cupcake corers to make the job easier. I recently got mine at Target for around $5. Using a small piping tip, fill the hollowed out portion of the cupcake with the marshmallow filling.

For the Frosting:

(Double this recipe if you frost heavily, like I did in the picture.)

2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup icing sugar, plus more as needed
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/3 cup Classic Ovaltine
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted
1/4 cup whipping cream

In a large mixing bowl, beat together butter and sugar until well combined. Add in vanilla and Ovaltine, continue to beat until combined. Add in the melted chocolate, and beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes. Beat in whipping cream on medium high speed for about 2 more minutes. I added about 2 additional cups of powdered sugar to get it to piping consistency.

Frost cooled, filled cupcakes with frosting, garnish with chocolate sprinkles and a Whopper candy, if desired.

I recommend storing these in the fridge due to the cream in the frosting, but be sure to bring them to room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving.

Source: Sweetapolita

Lemon Cupcakes

Posted by:  Maggie

These cupcakes have officially surpassed my Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes as the best cupcakes I've ever made. Everything about this recipe is seriously perfect - the cake is moist but sturdy, the frosting is lemony but not too tart - I really just love it.

I shared these with my coworkers yesterday, and am still getting compliments as of this morning!

You *must* make these sometime soon. The bright citrusy flavor makes them so perfect for spring, and I will definitely be making these again sometime soon so Jeff can try them too. I saw him last night but didn't bring him a cupcake. I'm such a bad girlfriend.

Here's what you'll need for the cake:

2 1/4 cups cake flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
4 large egg whites
1 1/2 cups sugar
lemon zest from two lemons
1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pure lemon extract

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, and line cupcake tins with 24 paper liners.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk together the buttermilk and egg whites in a separate medium bowl.

Put the sugar and lemon zest in a large bowl, and rub them together with your fingers until the sugar is slightly moist and fragrant. Now take a break from cooking and click on the YouTube video that the word moist is linked to. When I typed that word, that scene immediately popped in my head. Moving on...

Add the butter into the large bowl, and cream together on medium speed for 3 minutes. Beat in the extracts, and then alternate adding in the flour and milk mixtures, beginning and ending with the flour. Beat for a minute to make sure everything is well combined, and scoop into your prepared cupcake tins.

Bake 18-22 minutes, or until cupcakes are well risen and spring back when touched. Cool on a wire rack.

Here's what you'll need for the frosting:

2 (8) ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 stick butter, softened
2-3 lbs. confectioners’ sugar (I started with a 2 pound bag, and probably added an additional 2 cups to get it to piping consistency.)
juice of one lemon

I know cream cheese frosting typically has vanilla extract, but I skipped adding it to maintain the white color of the frosting. It had plenty of flavor from the lemon juice without it. This makes enough frosting to generously frost 24 cupcakes, with a bit left over.

Beat cream cheese and butter until well combined. Gradually add in confectioners sugar, and beat to combine. Finally, mix in lemon juice.

Source: My Baking Addiction

Cherry Limeade Cupcakes

Posted by: Maggie

I'm back from Vegas, and back to cooking and baking! I got back on Sunday night after what seemed like the longest travel experience ever. Jeff and I had initially booked the same flight leaving Las Vegas around noon, connecting in Los Angeles (completely illogical, but cheap), and arriving at Dulles airport around 1:00 a.m. Eastern time. Well, Continental Airlines sucks, and canceled our return flight about 10 days before our trip for undisclosed reasons. I managed to get on a new flight leaving Vegas at 8:45 am (also connecting in LA), but they were completely uncooperative when it came to Jeff's flight, and never re-booked him. He ended up having to buy a completely new return flight home with JetBlue, and we could no longer suffer through the long flight together.

Not to be all Negative Nancy on here, but every time I fly it reaffirms what a horrendous experience flying really is. First, most airlines make you pay for everything. I spent $50 just for the privilege of checking a suitcase (in addition to my $380 ticket!) Second, they hate tall people. I'm 5'7" and Jeff is 6'2". My knees touch the back of the seat if the person in front of me even reclines an inch. I can't imagine how miserable it must be for a truly tall person.

Anyway, on to happier things. Vegas was awesome despite having to fly home early on a Sunday all by myself. The first night we were there was Jeff's 30th birthday dinner, and by far my favorite night of the trip. We went to a restaurant at the Planet Hollywood Casino called Strip House, that was by far one of the best meals I've had in my life. Out of the 20 people who went on the trip, 15 of us attended the dinner, and we were able to get a private room (with a big tv to watch the basketball games), a big family style meal, and a 2-hour open bar. I stuffed myself with Riesling, Caesar salad, NY Strip AND Filet Mignon, garlic fries, creamed spinach, and potatoes romanoff. I used to hate steak as a kid because I'd only ever had it cooked well done. Now that I'm an adult and know to order it medium-rare or medium, it is pretty much the best meal I can imagine.

I think you can tell from the carnage on the table that we all enjoyed the meal immensely:

I was glad that Jeff and I got a nice picture out of the evening, pre-meat fest. You can't tell from the picture, but I was extremely glad that my dress was kind of flowy, to disguise the food baby I was carrying throughout the rest of the evening.

Since I knew we'd be too stuffed for birthday cake immediately after our dinner, I arranged to have Retro Bakery deliver 3-dozen mini-cupcakes to our hotel. They were there when we checked in, and I cannot put into words how impressed I was with this bakery. Usually I turn up my nose at bakery produced stuff, and prefer to make my goodies homemade, but I would give my left thumb to have the recipes they used for these cupcakes. They were, in a word, fantastic. They lasted awhile since we were barely in the room, and still tasted fresh two days after they were delivered. The cupcakes weren't a surprise, so I solicited flavor input from Jeff when placing the order. He selected milk and cookies, cinnamon toast, and maple bacon, and I rounded out the order with chocolate fountain, red carpet, and peanut butter cup. I basically wanted to try every flavor on the menu (except mint chocolate chip...mint is for toothpaste, not for baked goods).

'Scuse the crappy photo, the kitchen in our hotel was kind of dark:

All in all, it was a great trip. I could probably write a ton more about the trip, but I don't want to bore you with every detail. I will leave you with one final photo that I took from the patio at Koi. So. Stinkin'. Pretty.

Now, onto the cupcakes. I stayed home from work on Monday to recover from my long flight, unpack, and relax. Vegas may be a fun vacation, but it's certainly not a relaxing one. Since I had a whole day to kill, I decided to whip up these cupcakes to bring to work today. They were so moist and flavorful, and I got quite a few compliments from co-workers on them. Don't skip the lime syrup step - the frosting is insanely sweet, and you will want the tartness of the syrup to balance it out. The lime syrup makes a huge quantity. The recipe states that you should just pour the syrup over the cupcakes after poking holes with a skewer, but I just poked the holes and spread about a teaspoon of syrup on top instead. I didn't want sticky syrup running all over the cupcake liners. I ended up having a lot left because of how I put the syrup on, but the flavor was definitely noticeable and preferable if you don't want to make a huge mess.

What you'll need:

For the cupcakes:

3 cups cake flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp. limeade concentrate
3 eggs
3/4 cup milk (I used 2%)

For the lime glaze:

3/4 cup limeade concentrate
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar

For the buttercream: *If you're a heavy froster you will want to double this.

3 3/4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1/2 cup butter, softened
4 tbsp. (or more) maraschino cherry juice (I ended up using 5 tbsp.)
Food coloring (optional - I used a tiny bit of Wilton's pink gel color to achieve the color in the pic)

For decoration:

Maraschino cherries (drained and slightly dried on a paper towel)
Sliced limes (drained and slightly dried on a paper towel)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and line a cupcake pan with foil or paper liners. In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

Using a mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar, and beat on medium-high until creamed. Add the limeade concentrate into the mixture and mix to incorporate. The batter will look really weird, but it's ok, you're not doing anything wrong! Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl between additions. Add in the flour mixture in thirds, alternating with the milk, and beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix ingredients just long enough to incorporate.

Evenly divide the batter among cupcake cups. Bake in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. My cupcakes took 17 minutes. Cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely before glazing and frosting.

For the lime glaze, mix together limeade concentrate and sugar until well blended. Poke holes in cupcakes with a skewer or a toothpick, and spoon or pour over the cupcakes.

Let it soak in for a few minutes before frosting.

For the frosting, combine all the frosting ingredients with a stand mixture. Beat on low speed until the sugar is incorporated, and then increase to medium-high speed and beat until smooth.

Frost cooled cupcakes, and decorated as desired.

Source of recipe and decorating inspiration: Annie's Eats

Green Velvet Cupcakes

Posted by: Maggie

St. Patrick's Day is almost here!!! I'm Irish, I love the color green and love beer even more, so this is such a fun holiday for me.  Last year, Jeff, our friends, and I celebrated St. Patrick's Day in a pretty awesome way.  We all took the day off work, and did a daytime bar crawl through DC on the Boomerang Bus.  I have to say, riding on a party bus past your office at 2 pm on a weekday is a pretty good feeling.

This year, our St. Patrick's Day plans are even better.  We're going to Las Vegas! Jeff's 30th birthday is the day before St. Patrick's Day, so it was decided last year right around his 29th birthday that we'd do a trip to celebrate the big 3-0, St. Patrick's Day, and to watch and gamble on all the March Madness games.  Personally, I couldn't give a hoot about basketball, which is why I'll be spending a lot of time here.  At last count, there were 20 people going on this trip including me and Jeff, so I know there will always be someone fun to hang out with even if half the group is glued to the basketball games.

Last year I didn't make one single St. Patrick's Day dessert, so I couldn't let this year go by without making something green.  These cupcakes are originally from Bakerella, but I actually spotted them on Love from the Oven a few days ago.  I couldn't believe what a gorgeous shade of green these came out to be.  I wish I had cut open a cupcake and photographed it for you, because they are the prettiest shade of kelly green I've ever seen.  As you can see from my accident below, they use a LOT of food coloring to achieve that result.

Oh hai, man hands. P.S. You can't see most of my shirt, but York College represent! 

I'm a messy cook, what can I say? Soap and water did little to get the food coloring off my skin - interestingly enough, when I took a shower the next morning my shampoo that's intended for color treated hair washed it away!

These are mixed together somewhat unconventionally (no creaming of butter and sugar), but they were moist and fluffy, which is all that matters! I halved the recipe, but the amounts below are for a full batch of 24.  I didn't follow an exact recipe when I made the cream cheese frosting, but there are a few listed on our site already.  I would suggest this one, sans cinnamon if you want a stiffer cream cheese frosting that holds its shape.  I used the "Giant French Tip" from Bake it Pretty for these.  It was my first time using it, and it's my new favorite.

If green velvet isn't your cup of tea, make sure to check out co-blogger Annie's recipe for Irish Car Bomb cupcakes from back when we started blogging! They would also be perfect for St. Patrick's Day.

 

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Here's what you'll need:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups sugar

1 T unsweetened cocoa powder

1 t salt

1 t baking soda

2 eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

1 cup buttermilk

1 T white vinegar

1 t vanilla

1 oz green food coloring

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, and line cupcake pan with paper or foil liners. 

In a medium bowl, lightly beat eggs with a whisk.  Add in the oil, buttermilk, vinegar, vanilla, and food coloring.  Whisk til blended and set aside.  

In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, cocoa, salt, and baking soda.  

Pour your wet ingredients into your dry ingredients, and beat on medium speed with an electric mixer for about 1 minute, or until everything is well combined.  Don't overbeat, or your cupcakes will turn out tough! 

Pour the batter into prepared cupcake pans.  Bake for 17-19 minutes.  Let cool for a few minutes, then remove from pans.  Cool completely before frosting.  I'm impatient, and usually just stick my cupcakes in the freezer for 10 minutes to cool them off! 

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Source:  Adapted from Bakerella and Love from the Oven

Hummingbird Cupcakes

Posted by: Annie

Craving warmer weather anyone? Despite growing up on the Jersey Shore*  I am not the biggest fan of what is considered "beach" weather, but I am definitely sick of twenty-degree mornings, panty-hose and close-toed shoes. These cupcakes remind me of the lovely spring time weather that I am craving. When I saw them on Annie's Eats, I immediately fell in cupcake love with the ingredients and the name - Hummingbird Cupcakes. The pineapple and banana flavors mixed with coconut are out of this world, and become addictive when topped with a rich cream cheese frosting.

*(Disclaimer: it is nothing like the show people- I only Snooki poof my hair for special occasions)

What you will need:

For the Cupcakes:

2 cups flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

11 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/3 cups sugar

2 large eggs

1 1/3 cups mashed ripe banana (approximately 3 medium-sized)

2/3 cup crushed pineapple, drained

2/3 cup chopped walnuts, toasted (optional- I omitted)

2/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

For the frosting:

8 oz cream cheese

5 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 tsp. vanilla extract 

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake tins with paper liners.

In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.

In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed,  beat the butter, vanilla and sugar until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the mashed banana. With the electric mixer on low speed, slowly mix in the dry ingredients just until incorporated. Using a spatula fold in the pineapple, nuts and coconut.

Fill the liners until 3/4 full. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick entered in the center of the cupcake comes out clean. Cool in the pan for approximately 10 minutes then remove and cool completely on wire racks.

To make the frosting, combine the cream cheese and butter in a large mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer on high speed beat until the cream cheese and butter are well combined and smooth. Mix in the vanilla extract. Gradually beat in the powdered sugar, initially on slow speed, and then increase the speed until smooth. Frost cooled cupcakes. Garnish with coconut if desired. 

Source: Annie's Eats

Black Magic Cupcakes

Posted by: Annie

Confession: I actually made these cupcakes for Valentine's Day, but knew that I would not have the post ready, so I purposely set one cupcake aside and decorated it with non-Valentine's sprinkles. (Boo me and my slow posting.) These cupcakes were very rich, but the super light frosting balanced out the cupcake perfectly. I shared these cupcakes with my co-workers on Valentine's Day, and actually used them to bribe two students to finish their multiplication problems. Behold the power of cupcakes...

For the cake:

1 3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup dark cocoa powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup oil
2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup strong coffee

For the frosting:

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup sour cream
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line cupcake tin with paper liners.

In a medium bowl, sift flour, cocoa powders, baking soda and powder, and salt.

In a separate large bowl, use a mixer to beat together oil and sugar, on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla until combined, approximately two minutes. Beat in buttermilk and coffee. Reduce the mixer to low and slowly add in the flour mixture.

Fill each cupcake tin 3/4 of the way full. Bake 25 minutes until the top of the cupcakes appear firm. Remove from pan and cool thoroughly before frosting.

For the frosting...beat cream in a large bowl on high speed until stiff peaks form.

In a separate large bowl, beat butter and sour cream on medium speed until creamy. Add in sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla and salt, and beat for approximately 2 minutes. Beat in melted chocolate and fold in whipped cream until well blended.

Frost cupcakes and decorate!
 
Source: Sugar Plum

Carrot Cake Cupcakes

Posted by: Annie

The other day I did a very dangerous thing- I went food shopping without a shopping list. I ended up with three bags of shredded carrots...and I had no recipe in mind. This led me to make a cupcake version of one of my favorite desserts- Carrot Cake. The original recipe called for raisins, but I left them out because I am not a huge fan of them in carrot cake. 

What you will need:

Cupcakes:

2 c sugar

1 1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 t vanilla extra

3 extra-large eggs

2 cups flour

2 t cinnamon

2 t baking soda

1 1/2 salt

3 cups grated carrots 

1 cup raisins 

1 cup chopped walnuts (1/2 cup extra for garnish)

Frosting:

3/4 lb cream cheese (room temperature)

1/2 pound unsalted butter (room temperature)

1 t vanilla extract

1 lb confectioners' sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl beat together sugar, oil and vanilla. Add the eggs, one at a time. In a separate large bowl, sift the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Slowly mix in half of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Stir in the carrots, raisins, and walnuts to the dry ingredients and add to the batter. Mix well until combined. 

 

Line a muffin pan with liners and scoop batter into 22 muffin cups; each cup should be about 3/4 of the way full. For the first ten minutes bake the cupcakes at 400 degrees. Lower the temperature to 350 degrees and cook for an additional 30 minutes. Remove from cupcake pans and cool.

For the frosting, cream the cheese, butter and vanilla. Stir in the sugar and beat until the frosting is smooth. 

 

Frost cupcakes when cool, and garnish with walnuts if desired. 

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Posted by: Maggie

Let me tell you, the universe did NOT want me to make red velvet cupcakes.  The problem started back in September, which you can read about here. 

Next, co-blogger Annie texted me saying that she was going to make red velvet cupcakes.  There isn't really any point in having two red velvet recipes on the blog, so I kind of scrapped the idea.

Then, I decided that I would go ahead and make them anyway, and that Annie and I could have a throw down of sorts.  Not that we could actually taste each others cupcakes being that we live three hours apart.

The next thing I know, Annie doesn't want to make them anymore because it's after Christmas (she was going to have a Christmas twist to hers) and I was in a post Christmas anti-sweets funk.

Then, on January 2nd I thought hey, why don't I finally make those cupcakes?

Nope, not happening, my eggs are expired.

Fast forward to January 3rd - I now have fresh eggs, but decided to cook something healthy to start off the new year instead.

I finally made these darn cupcakes on Thursday night.  And you know what? They were definitely worth the wait. 

This is the second recipe in a row we've posted by Brown Eyed Baker for a reason.  Everything she posts on her blog is awesome, and I have complete confidence that whatever I make from her site will work.  This is exactly what I look for in a red velvet cupcake - dark red, not that artificial pinky-red, a hint of chocolate taste, and a light, moist texture. 

This recipe makes a dozen cupcakes...most of which I decorated with a dollop of cream cheese frosting like you see above.  The normal ones will be brought to my coworkers.  This Redskin's themed version will be for Jeff.  I think the frosting looks like Velveeta, but it's really just the Wilton gel color in "golden yellow".  The decoration is from Fancy Flours.

Redskins cupcake:

Here's what you will need:


For the cupcakes...

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 egg
2½ tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
3 tablespoons red food coloring
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup buttermilk
1 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
1½ teaspoons distilled white vinegar


For the frosting...

4 ounces butter, at room temperature
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
2½ cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and line a muffin tin with paper liners.

On medium-high speed, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes.  Crank up the mixer to high and add your egg, beating until well incorporated.

In a separate small bowl, mix together the cocoa powder, vanilla, and food coloring.  Stir until well combined, then add to the batter, mixing on medium speed until thoroughly combined.

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

Reduce your mixer speed to low, and add the salt, baking soda, and vinegar.  Turn the mixer back up to high, and beat for a couple minutes until completely combined and smooth.

Divide the batter evenly in your pan, and bake for 18-20 minutes (mine took 18) or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean.

Cool for 10 minutes in the pan, and then remove to cool completely prior to frosting.

To make the frosting, whip the butter and cream cheese on high speed for about 5 minutes, scraping the bowl as necessary.  Reduce the speed to low, and gradually add in the powdered sugar until incorporated.  Add the vanilla and mix to combine.  Increase mixer speed to medium high, and whip for 2-3 minutes or until frosting is light and fluffy.

Gingerbread Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

Posted by: Maggie

I can't believe Thanksgiving was 10 days ago and I'm just finally putting up a Christmas recipe now!  Christmas is hands down my favorite time of the year.  I love the cold weather, pretty decorations, holiday baking, and everything else that goes along with the month of December.

Not to mention the Christmas music.  Thank goodness I live alone because I have listened to nothing but Christmas songs for the past week:

 

I made these on Friday before Jeff came over since he's always willing to be a guinea pig for my cooking.  It's Saturday afternoon as I write this and he's had 3 so far, so I think he approves!  They are moist and extremely flavorful - I will definitely be making this again.    

Jeff wanted me to take the cupcake picture in front of the Christmas tree instead of in front of my sunroom window.  My camera is a piece of junk so I try and take pics over there and at least get decent lighting, but I decided to take his suggestion as well.  It turned out dark and blurry, but purty! 

 

I adapted this recipe from Baked by Rachel.  I discovered her blog on Tastespotting when looking for a gingerbread cupcake recipe, and liked the look of her recipe best.  She topped hers with mini-gingerbread men which is a super cute alternative to sprinkles! The cinnamon cream cheese frosting comes from the site My Baking Addiction.  The recipe makes a LOT of frosting (I have about 2 cups leftover in my fridge and I frost my cupcakes very heavily).  You may want to cut it in half if you frost your cupcakes lighter and don't have a purpose for leftover frosting.

Here is what you will need:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup water

1/3 cup molasses

1 egg

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ginger

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon cloves

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees, and line a cupcake pan with paper liners.  In a medium sized bowl, cream together your softened butter and sugar.  Add in flour, water, and molasses.  Mix well until combined, and add in egg, baking soda, and spices.  Continue to mix until just combined. 

Using a large cookie scoop, evenly fill your cupcake pan.  Don't worry if they don't look very full - these cupcakes rise quite a bit.  

Bake in preheated oven for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean or with just a few crumbs.  Let cool completely before frosting.  Makes 12 cupcakes. 

Frosting recipe:

2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened

1 stick butter, softened

2 lbs (2 boxes) confectioners sugar

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

2 t vanilla extract

Cream butter and cream cheese together in an electric mixer until well combined.  Gradually add in the sugar until fully incorporated.  Finally mix in cinnamon and vanilla.  I used a Wilton 1M tip to frost these.