Sorry I have been away.  I’ve actually been on vacation with my family in Atlanta.  We are heading back to Florida tomorrow.  I have really enjoyed being “home” and seeing friends and family but I’m looking forward to getting back home to our house and our routine.  If that makes any sense?  It’s always different when you are in someone elses home, even if it’s my parents.  It’s also been non-stop since we’ve been here so I’m looking forward to being home and having one more day at home before heading back to work.  Maybe I’ll get that nap I’ve been dreaming about my whole vacation!

While here in Atlanta we had a cook-out with neighbors and family and my mom volunteered me to make desserts along with some other dishes.  I thought I would share with you one of the desserts I made for the cook-out.  I actually found it in the Pillsbury Baking Off Cookbook.  The recipe was pretty good but if I made it again I would definitely do some things differently.  I think I would sub the chocolate batter for my favorite chocolate cake recipe and perhaps add a peanut butter frosting.  It was just missing something.  It was still good and actually better the second day.  So here you go Chocolate-Peanut Butter Cupcakes….I hope you enjoy.

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend.  The weather has been beautiful here in Atlanta.  Hope it’s been nice where ever you are. 

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

Print Recipe

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa

1 cup brown sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/3 cup canola oil (or vegetable)

1 cup hot water

1 Tbsp White Vinegar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 egg

1 – 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup All Natural Creamy Peanut Butter

1/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup powder sugar

3/4 cup chocolate and peanut butter chips, divided

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a muffin tin with muffin liners, set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, brown sugar, baking soda and salt.  Add oil, water, vinegar and vanilla to flour mixture, stirring just until smooth (do not over mix).  Gently stir in 1/2 cup of chocolate and peanut butter chips.

In another large bowl, beat egg, cream cheese, peanut butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed.  Add powder sugar; beat until creamy.

Spoon 1 level tablespoon of chocolate batter into each cup; evenly spread 1 level tablespoon peanut butter filling on top.  Repeat layers.  Sprinkle with remaining chocolate and peanut butter chips.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean (do not over bake).  Cool in pan 15 minutes.  Remove from pan to cool on wire rack; 15 minutes.  Serve warm or cool.

Happy Easter everyone!!!  I hope everyone is having a hippity hoppity Easter day!  Last night I was busy putting the girls Easter basket together when the thought of cupcakes hopped into my head.  But what kind?  Then I thought Lemon Cupcakes would be perfect to celebrate the day.  The girls were so excited when they finally laid their eyes on these that they could hardly wait to have one.  Luckily, they didn’t see them until after lunch!  Of course, the bunnies on top added to the excitement.

I have to admit I’m not a lemon dessert fan and don’t usually make too many, but due to it being that lovely time of the year I thought they were only appropriate.  And in the end I’m glad I did!  They turned out light and fresh, but most of all the girls loved them. 

I hope you enjoy these as much as my household.  And again, Happy Easter!!

Lemon Easter Cupcakes with Fluffy White Lemon Frosting

Print Recipe

1 cup white whole wheat flour

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 Tbsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature

Zest of one lemon

1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp low-fat buttermilk

Fluffy Lemon Frosting

1 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 cups confectioners sugar

1 tsp lemon zest

1/2 tsp vanilla or lemon extract

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 325.  Line standard muffin tins with paper liners.  Whisk together flours, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.

With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.  Beat in zest and vanilla.  Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of buttermilk and lemon juice, beat until well combined after each.

Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full.  Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until golden brown and a cake tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 20 minutes.  Transfer tins to a wire rack to cool completely before removing cupcakes. 

For frosting: With an electric mixer, beat butter on medium-high speed until pale and creamy, about 2 minutes.  Reduce speed to medium and add confectioners sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of bowl as needed; after every two additions, raise speed to high and beat 10 seconds to aerate frosting.  Then return to medium and add vanilla and lemon zest and beat until smooth.

Spread or pipe frosting on each cupcake.  And eat!!

A no fun weekend in the household.  “S” has a stomach bug.  We aren’t sure if it’s food poisoning or a stomach bug.  He is keeping a safe distance from all of us here in the house just in case it is indeed a stomach bug.  We are all hoping it will pass, me especially.  I do have to admit having a sick husband is like having another child in the house.  I’m sure many women out there can relate?  Maybe?  Or is it just my husband?  I know one thing my husband is so dramatic when he is sick.  Don’t get me wrong I feel bad for him but I lived with hugging the toilet my whole pregnancy.  I’m mean pretty much my whole pregnancy.  Up to about 32 weeks I was sick and then the last 5 weeks after I was on bed rest.  I remember when we were vacationing in SF and Napa right around my 6 and 7the weeks of being pregnant and I was completely unable to leave the hotel room for about 2 days.  Not at any point did I complain.  I knew it came with being pregnant.  It’s been a day in half and you would have thought he was on his death bed.  Wow the differences!  Since “S” is sick that means I have been super busy mommy with the girls.  It’s been fun though.  They have a little bit of a runny nose but you would never know based off their energy level. 

Today during the girls nap I decided to make these cinnamon chip cupcakes.  It’s been awhile since I made my last batch of cupcakes so I thought it was time.  I also had cinnamon chips and as I have mentioned before I love cinnamon so I thought a cinnamon cupcake sounded like a good idea.  Plus it made the house smell delicious.  I love that when you bake something and it fills the house with the most pleasant smell.  Don’t you?  Now these treats could be enjoyed with or without frosting.  You could several different things if you want frosting too.  You can do a regular vanilla frosting (as included below) or you could do a cinnamon frosting.  I’ll let you decide.  I ended up just using a vanilla frosting and sprinkling cinnamon chips on top.  

Wish me luck with the rest of the weekend with a sick household. I’m keeping my fingers crossed I stay germ free.  Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

Cinnamon Chip Cupcakes

Print Recipe

1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour

1 1/2 cups cake flour, sifted

1 Tbsp baking powder

1/t tsp salt

1 Tbsp ground cinnamon

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cup sugar

4 large eggs, room temperature

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 1/4 cup milk

2/3 cups mini cinnamon chips, plus more for sprinkling on top of cupcakes

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line standard muffin tins with paper liners.  Sift together both flours, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.

With an electric mixer fitter on medium-high speed, cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.  Beat in vanilla.  Reduce speed to low.  Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of milk, and beating until combined after each.  Stir cinnamon chips into batter.

Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full.  Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes.  Transfer tins to a wire rack to cool completely before removing cupcakes.  Cupcakes can be stored up to 2 days at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in a airtight container.

For Vanilla Frosting:

3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

With an electric mixer, beat butter on medium-high speed until pale and creamy, about 2 minutes.

Reduce speed to medium.  Add the confectioners’ sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of bowl as needed; after every two additions, raise speed to high and beat 10 seconds to aerate frosting, then return to medium.  This process should take about 5 minutes.  Frosting will be very pale and fluffy.

Add vanilla, and beat until frosting is smooth.  Frosting can be refrigerated up to 10 days in an airtight container.  Before using, bring to room temperature, and beat on low speed until smooth again.

To finish cupcakes, using a pastry bag fitted with tip of choice and pipe frosting on each cupcake.  You can also use a knife and spread the frosting evenly among cupcake.  Sprinkle tops with addtional cinnamon chips.

and….Enjoy!

I thought after a whole week of posting every day that I would be tired and would need a break.  I guess I was wrong!  I had a sweet tooth today, which seems to happen when I’m trying to not have one.  Does that make sense?  I wasn’t sure what I wanted to make but I remembered I had cream cheese frosting leftover from a baking expedition earlier this week.  To use up the cream cheese frosting, I decided to make these delicious Apple Spice Cupcakes.  The applesauce in the batter makes these cupcakes incredibly moist.  They have a nice spice from the cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and apple pie spice.  If you don’t have apple spice in your cabinet you can easily replace it with cinnamon.  These have whole wheat pastry flour in them as well.  If you don’t have that in your kitchen you can just replace with regular all-purpose flour.  The cream cheese frosting has a nice twist to it too with the addition of the cinnamon.  You can a little or a little more, just depends on how much cinnamon you prefer.  These cupcakes make the house smell delicious too. 

Enjoy!

 

Apple Spice Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

Print Recipe

Makes 24 cupcakes

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

½ tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp apple pie spice

1/8 tsp nutmeg

1/8 tsp ground cloves

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup sugar

½ cup light brown sugar, packed

4 large eggs, room temperature

1 1/2 cups applesauce, unsweetened

Preheat oven to 350.  Line standard muffin tins with paper liners.  Whisk together flours, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, apple pie spice, nutmeg, and cloves.

With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and both sugars until pale and fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.  Reduce speed to low, add applesauce and then the flour mixture.  Beat until just combined.

Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarter full.  Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 20 minutes.  Transfer tins to a wire rack to cool completely before removing cupcakes.  Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in an airtight container.

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1 package (8 ounces) organic Neufchatel cheese, room temperature
• ¼ cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1 ½ vanilla extract
• ¼ to ½ tsp cinnamon

Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese, butter, and confectioners’ sugar until smooth; beat in vanilla and cinnamon.  Top each cupcake with 2 tbsp of frosting and spread to cover.  You can also pipe the frosting onto the tops of the cupcakes.

Frosted cupcakes can be refrigerated up to 3 days in airtight container; bring to room temperature before serving.

Take a bite and enjoy!

We are back home!  We made it back to sunny South Florida on Sunday afternoon.  Walking back into the house was great!  It was sad to leave Charleston, but we were all happy to get back home and back to our surroundings.  It also helped that the weather was 78 and sunny!  A great change from the cold weather in Charleston.  It makes you appreciate the mild climate we have in the winters.  However, today we are experiencing a slight cold front.  I think those of you up North would laugh at our version of a cold front.

While on our trip to Charleston I had the pleasure of making dessert for Christmas Eve dinner.  As I said in my previous post being in my mother-laws kitchen was interesting.  Let’s just put it this way, next year for Christmas I’m going to get her an electric mixer.  It was very comical watching me mix the batter for these cookie cupcakes.  Once the batter got to a certain thickness the beaters would come out of the mixer and into the bowl making a big mess.  At first I thought I was doing something wrong.  After several attempts I realized it wasn’t me but it was the mixer!  I ended up having to go back to the old method of mixing it by hand.  It made me appreciate my wonderful standing mixer sitting on my kitchen counter back at home.  I have to say I almost kissed it when I walked into the door on Sunday! 

This recipe is adapted from Martha Stewarts Cupcake Cookbook.  This was a Christmas gift from my wonderful assistant at work.  Thanks Jenn!  I have had such a great time looking through the cookbook and have so many marked that I want to try.  I thought these cookie cupcakes would be a nice easy dessert and something the girls would enjoy too.  I made just a few slight changes to the recipe but for the most part I have to give Martha all the credit.  Thanks Martha! 

Just a quick note: Make sure to check them towards the end and don’t let them get too golden.

Enjoy!

Chocolate and White Chocolate Chip Cookie Cupcakes

Print Recipe

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

¾ tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

¾ cup sugar

¾ cup light brown sugar, packed

3 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup milk

½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

½ cup white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Line standard muffin tins with paper liners.  Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.

With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and both sugars until pale and fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.  Beat in vanilla.  Reduce speed to low.  Add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the milk, and beating until combined after each.  Stir in chocolate and white chocolate chips by hand.

Fill each lined cup evenly with batter.  Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until pale golden and cake tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 20 minutes.  Transfer tins to a wire rack to cool completely before removing cupcakes. 

For chocolate topping: Place 1 cup chocolate chips in a heat proof bowl and microwave on high for 1 minute.  Remove dish carefully from microwave and stir chocolate.  If the chocolate is not melted, continue to microwave on high at 30 second intervals until melted through.  Once melted, use a fork and dip into chocolate and then drizzle on tops of cooled cupcakes.

Cupcakes can be stored up to 3 days at room temperature in airtight containers.

« Previous Page — Next Page »