Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

     Last night I needed a little bit of therapy. You see, things are just falling apart around me. It seems every day it's something new. And just when I think " O.K., I can deal with this," I get hit with another thing.

     Well last night I was pretty much at my breaking point and it was time for therapy!

     Now I could have gone out and done some retail therapy, but I'm on a strict budget. I don't buy it unless I need it. I'm trying to live a minimalistic life. I feel like people on a whole have too much stuff. I just don't want to be one of those people with too much stuff. In fact, even though I would love to go buy some more fabric to sew with or even some new cake decorating stuff, I am refraining from going to the store to spend money. I have save quite a chunk of change already. Yeah!

     My other type of therapy would be to do some sewing, but I did that the night before. I finished a quilt and sewed a cozy bowl. I still have stuff to finish up, but I just wasn't in the mood.

     So my last choice was baking. I needed something with chocolate in it. After all chocolate is what I go to when I've had a tough day and boy these last few weeks have been that and more. After perusing my pinterest cupcake board I found the perfect treat to make.

     I give you the

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER CUPCAKE!!!!!! 

     Not only does it have chocolate it has peanut butter. And the icing on the cupcake has a mini Reese's Peanut Butter Cup on it.

     Now I had a little trouble with the frosting on this one. It started out super stiff, so I added milk. Well, too much milk, so I had to add some more powdered sugar to stiffen it up some. After a little messing around I got it back to the right consistency and it was perfect.

     So if you're have a tough day, week or month give these little cupcakes a try. I guarantee you'll feel a little better....at least while you're eating it.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes
2 1/2 Cups all purpose flour
1 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 cups sugar
2/3 cup canola oil
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 Cup sour milk*
1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Frosting
1/3 Cup peanut butter
4 1/2 Cups powdered sugar
1/4 Cup milk
2 teaspoon vanilla
24 mini Reese's Peanut Butter cup

Instructions for cupcakes
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 muffin tins with cupcake liners and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl mix sugar, canola, eggs and vanilla until the mixture is smooth. Alternately add the flour/cocoa mixture with the sour milk. Be careful not to over mix. Fold in the chocolate chips.
3. Using an ice cream scoop, add the batter to the muffin tins and bake the cupcakes for 23-27 minutes. Cool the cupcakes in the tins for 10 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.

Instructions for Frosting
1.Unwrap 24 peanut butter cups and place in a bowl and set aside. Beat the peanut butter in a bowl of a stand mixer until lightened, about 2 minutes on medium-high speed. Drop the speed to low, and begin adding half the powdered sugar, a little at a time. Add the vanilla, and slowly stream in the milk. Add the remaining powdered sugar.
2. Once all the powdered sugar has been added, increased the speed back to medium-high, and beat 1-2 minutes.
3. Using a M1 tip and a disposable bag frost your cooled cupcake. Decorate with a mini peanut butter cup.

*To make sour milk, place 1 Tablespoon of white vinegar into a measuring cup. Fill the remaining 8oz cup with milk. Stir together, then allow to sit for 5 minutes before using.

Recipe adapted from Tramplingrose.com

Chocolate Cheesecake Turtle Cupcakes

Chocolate Cheesecake Turtle Cupcakes

     Over the weekend I was a super busy girl. I was either making something in the kitchen or working in my sewing room. A lot of the time I had something cooking or baking in the kitchen while I was sewing down in my sewing room.

     One of the treats that I made was these delectable cupcakes. When I first saw the post for this recipe I knew I had to make these. How could I pass this up? I mean look at that picture. They just say YUM!

     These cupcakes are very easy to make, which is a plus in my book. One never knows how difficult some of these luscious goodies can be to make and I know that I don't want to toil too long in the kitchen. God knows I love to bake and cook, but I don't want to be in the kitchen forever. It needs to be quick and easy, plus taste good.

     These little cupcakes meet all my expectations and more. I am definitely going to make these babies again. They took very little time and they made a great little dessert. In fact I'm taking some of these into work for my friends to sample. I'm sure they are going to love them.

Chocolate Cheesecake Turtle Cupcakes
1 1/2 C all purpose flour
1 C sugar
1/4 C cocoa powder
1/2 t salt
1 t baking soda
1/3 C vegetable oil
1 C water
1 T vinegar
1 t vanilla

For the Cheesecake
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 C sugar
1 egg

Preheat oven to 350 F and line 18 cupcake tins with cupcake liners.
In a large bowl mix the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt & baking soda. Mix well until combined.
In a small bowl mix oil, water, vinegar and vanilla. Make a well in the dry ingredients and add the liquid mixture. Stir mixture until it is well combined. Fill cupcake liners 1/3 full with chocolate mixture.

In a small bowl mix cream cheese, sugar and egg with an electric mixer. Blend until smooth and creamy. Use a small cookie scoop to put a dollop of the cream cheese mixture on top of the chocolate mixture.

Bake cupcakes for 20 minutes or until cream cheese is firm.
Let cupcakes cool for 5 minutes in the pan and then remove and cool on a cooling rack.

Turtle Topping
14 caramels
6 T half and half
1/2 C milk chocolate chips
1/2 C chopped pecans

Unwrap the caramels and put in a microwavable bowl. Add 3 T half and half. Microwave for 1 1/2 minutes or until melted. Stir until smooth and let cool slightly.
Place chocolate chips and 3 T half and half in another bowl and microwave for 1 1/2 minutes or until melted. Stir until smooth and let cool slightly.
Using a spoon drizzle the caramel and chocolate on top of the cupcakes and sprinkle with chopped pecans.
Makes 18 cupcakes  

Recipe from thecakeblog.com

 
 

Pina Colada Cupcakes

   

Pina Colada Cupcakes

 Sunday was the big celebration for my son's skills graduation. We did a Mexican themed buffet and it was a big hit. We had tacos, chicken fajitas, Mexican rice, chips and salsa, guacamole, hot cheese dip, brownies and pina colada cupcakes.

     My husband makes some really awesome tacos, so I had him do his magic and make his world famous tacos for our event. People just love his tacos. People were going back for thirds on Sunday and needless to say we did not have very much taco meat left after the party.

     My chicken fajitas ran a close second to the tacos. It did well, but not as good as the tacos. I had one full pan left of fajitas which isn't too bad because we love them and we don't mind eating them as leftovers.

     Now the Mexican rice was a different. I doubled the recipe and it made a boat load of rice. I should of just made one recipe and not doubled it, but the recipe said it served 6 so I thought well I'll need to make more. It was, however, very good and next time I would just make the recipe without doubling it.

     For dessert I made brownies and some pina colada cupcakes. The brownies are just some brownies from a box and canned frosting, but the cupcakes were a doctored up cake mix that was amazing and the frosting was canned frosting with a little kick.

     Pina Colada Cupcakes
1 box (18.25 oz. box) Yellow Cake mix
1/3 C Vegetable oil
1/2 C water
1/4 C pineapple juice, reserved from the crushed pineapple
1/4 C Malibu coconut rum
3 whole eggs
1/2 C sweetened shredded coconut
1/2 C crushed pineapple, drained

Icing
1 container (16oz size) white frosting
2 T pineapple juice, reserved from the crushed pineapple
2 T  Malibu coconut rum
1/4 C sweetened shredded coconut, toasted

Preparation Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin pan with paper muffin liners.
Blend together cake mix, oil, water, pineapple juice, coconut rum and eggs with a hand mixer for two minutes. Use a spatula to scrape the edges of the bowl. Fold in shredded coconut and crushed pineapple.
Portion mix into paper liners, filling 2/3 full. Bake for 19 minutes. Let cool in pan for 3-4 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool. Store over night in an airtight container.
Whip together frosting, pineapple juice and coconut rum. Refrigerate overnight to allow flavor to maximize and icing to thicken.
Keeping the icing as cold as possible,spread the icing over the cupcakes with a spatula. Sprinkle with toasted coconut. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Recipe adapted from Tasty Kitchen

How to toast coconut
 Preheat oven to 350ºF. Spread unsweetened coconut shavings, or sweetened shredded or flaked coconut on a rimmed baking sheet and bake, stirring once or twice, until golden, about 5 to 10 minutes. If toasting sweetened coconut, check and stir more frequently because the added sugar causes irregular browning.

Read More http://www.bonappetit.com/tipstools/tips/2008/04/how_to_toast_coconut#

    

Peanut Butter Cupcakes with Chocolate Peanut Butter Frosting

Peanut Butter Cupcakes with Chocolate Peanut Butter Frosting

Today my little girl comes home from her study abroad trip to Thailand. It seems like forever since she's been home and truthfully it's only been three weeks. I know that's not very long for a study abroad trip and I probably shouldn't have missed her like I did, but the fact is I did and I'm glad she's coming home.

Now I know most people would think I'm crazy or my daughter is a mama's baby, but that is far from the truth. For one I'm not crazy. I just love the heck out of my kids. Both of them are super amazing children and I couldn't ask for any better kids.

As far as my daughter being a mama's baby she's far from that. She is Miss Independent! She is a go getter and wants to do anything and everything on her own and on her own terms. Although I'm hoping she missed me too while she was gone I'm sure she enjoyed every minute of her time in Thailand.

I'd like to think that I missed her so much because we have a very good relationship. I don't know how many parents can say that truthfully. It's not the same going to the gym and working out with out her. Even though we go do our own thing when we go to the gym it's nice to have that work out partner to go with. And shopping? Well it's nice to get someone's opinion and she tells it to me straight. I don't want to dress like an old lady nor do I want to dress too young either. With her I get the truth serum.

So in honor of her coming home I came up with this new cupcake. I kind of took a cupcake recipe here and a frosting recipe there and combined the two. The result was delicious! The kind of remind me of Reese Peanut Butter Cups. Since she loves peanut butter and she loves Reese Peanut Butter cups I thought this was appropriate.

The cupcake recipe came from the blog Your Cup of Cake. I took it from her Take 5 cupcake recipe. This girl is amazing with her cupcakes. Go check out her blog. I've put her on my blogroll to make it easy access for all. I've also linked it here for you too.

The frosting recipe I kind of just created by looking at other frosting recipes so it's not down to quite an art yet, but tastes good just the same. I tried to use the same measurements like when I do decorators frosting and it was good just might need a little tweaking as you go.

Peanut Butter Cupcake
1/2 C creamy peanut butter
1/2 C butter, softened
4 eggs
2 t vanilla extract
2/3 C buttermilk
1 box of white cake mix
1/2 C sour cream

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees and line pans with cupcake liners.
2. Beat peanut butter and butter together, scrape down the sides of the bowl constantly.
3. With your mixer on slow, beat eggs in one at a time until fully incorporated.
4. Add vanilla extract and buttermilk.
5. Add cake mix (sift it before if you need to).
6. Add sour cream and mix until well combined.
7. Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until an inserted knife comes out clean.
8. Let cupcakes cool before frosting.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Frosting
1/2 C butter, softened
1/2 C creamy peanut butter
1/2 C unsweetened cocoa powder
1t vanilla
3-4 T milk
3 C powdered sugar

1. Blend butter and peanut butter together until well combined.
2. Add cocoa powder and blend.
3. Add vanilla and blend.
4. Alternately add a tablespoon of milk and a cup of powdered sugar mixing well each time. If you get too much milk in and it becomes too running just add some more powdered sugar.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes

So I'm finally getting around to posting a new recipe. I'm so sorry that I hadn't gotten to it sooner, but with the first week back to work after Spring Break and the nice weekend that we just had it was hard to sit down and type.

I did, however, do some baking and I want to share with you one of the best recipes that I tried this past weekend. I made Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes. They are truly amazing! I did not know how this was going to turn out, but I was pleasantly surprised.

I ultimately combined two recipe ideas to make these cupcakes. I got the cookie dough filling and frosting from recipegirl.com. The cake part was simply a boxed white cake mix. I did have to make some changes to the recipe a bit to make it work, but it worked out rather well.

These cupcakes have a cookie dough center and the frosting tastes just like chocolate chip cookie dough. I think you could even make these with a chocolate cake mix if you prefer. You've got to give this one a try.

 Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes
Cookie Dough Filling
3/4 C all-purpose flour
1/8 t baking soda
1/8 t salt
1/2 stick of unsalted butter, melted
1/4 C brown sugar
2 T sugar
2 T milk
1 t vanilla extract
1/2 C miniature chocolate chips

1 white cake mix, make per directions on box

Cookie Dough Frosting
3 sticks salted butter
3 1/2 C powdered sugar
2/3 C brown sugar
1 C all-purpose flour
3 T milk 
2 t vanilla extract

1. Prepare the cookie dough filling: In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. In a medium bowl, use an electric mixer to stir together the butter, sugars, milk and vanilla. Stir in the dry ingredients and the chocolate chips. Refridgerate for 15 to 30 minutes, or until the cookie dough is firm. Scoop out dough in 1 Tablespoon scoops and place on a cookie sheet . Freeze until firm, at least 30 minutes.
2. Prepare the cake mix per the directions on the box. Preheat the oven to 375. Line cupcake pan with 24 liners. Using an ice cream scoop place cake mix into each liner. Place a cookie dough ball in center and push down slightly. It's ok if it sticks up a bit. 
3. Bake the cupcakes for 20-25 minutes. Cool cupcakes on a wire rack completely before frosting.
4. Prepare the frosting: In a medium bowl, use an electric mixer to combine the butter and sugars until smooth and creamy. Mix in the flour, milk and vanilla and contiune to mix until all is well combined. Pipe frosting on cupcakes using a piping bag and a 1M tip. Sprinkle with mini chocolate chips.

Chocolate Mint Oreo Cupcakes

I was really craving something sweet to eat the other day. So I was kind of perusing Pinterest looking for yummy stuff to eat. I can really get carried away on this site with all the great recipes out there, but today was different.

On this occasion I found a recipe for Chocolate Mint Oreo Cupcakes. The picture had intrigued me so much that I just had to check it out. I ended up at www.thecakeblog.com. I was worried that the recipe might be difficult or may require items that I just don't normally buy, but this was not the case.

Well in order for me to make these cupcakes I need some Mint Oreo cookies and some mint extract.( I also couldn't resist purchasing some cute cupcake papers while I was there). I was headed off to Cub Foods in no time to pick up my few items. So about nine dollars later I was at home whipping up some cupcakes.

Now I did not have enough Oreos to place an Oreo on top of the cupcake after frosting put believe me you won't miss it. And a word to the wise when making the frosting. Make sure you crush the cookies in a food processor before adding them to the frosting. I didn't do this and when I wanted to decorate the cupcakes with a decorating tip and bag I kept getting cookie crumbs stuck in the tip. So because of this I went to plan B and just used a spatula to slather the frosting on top. 

I'm also going to warn you that once you eat one of these cupcakes you will have satisfied your urge for sugar. I think I almost went into a sugar coma after having one. In fact I decided that I just could not keep two dozen cupcakes. I needed to bring them into work and share the wealth.

Well here's the recipe. I hope you enjoy them.

Chocolate Mint Oreo Cupcakes
(makes 24 cupcakes)

For the cake:
1 box Devils Food cake mix
1 small box (3.9 oz) Chocolate Instant pudding
1 Cup vegetable oil
3/4 Cup milk
4 eggs
24 Cool mint Oreos

1. Preheat oven to 35 degrees and line muffin pans with cupcake liners.
2. Place one cool Mint Oreo in the bottom of each cupcake liner.
3. In medium bolw combine cake mix, chocolate pudding, vegetable ooil, milk and eggs.
4. Beat with electric mixer until incorporated and then continue mixing 1-2 minutes.
5. Scoop batter over top of Oreos in cupcake liner.
6. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
7. Let cupcakes cool in pans for 5 minutes, then remove to wire racks to finish cooling.
8. Once cupcakes are completely cool frost with crushed Oreo Mint Frosting.

For the frosting
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup vegetable shortening
6 cups powdered sugar
3 T milk
1 t mint extract
green food coloring
12 cool mint Oreos, crushed

1. In a bowl beat butter and vegetable shortening until creamy.
2. Gradually add in powdered sugar one cup at a time, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary.
3. Add milk 1 T at a time as needed until reaching desired sonsistency.
4. Add mint extract and a few drops of green food coloring to tint to desired color.
5. Mix in crushed Oreos. Crush in a food processor.
6. Place icing in piping bag and snip off tip to creat a large hole. Swirl icing on top of cupcakes.
7. Garnish cupcakes with 1 cool Mint Oreo cookie on top if desired.

Cupcake extravaganza

Ok I know it's pi day (3.14), but I really wasn't in the mood for pie. I'm just now recuperating from being sick. I mean bed ridden sick. Although I kept going to work every day last week it finally got the best of me on Friday. I was in bed most of the day and it wasn't until Sunday morning that I realized "Man, I was really sick!" that just goes to show how much better I was feeling come Sunday.

Well even though I was not 100% myself yet I did make cupcakes on Saturday night. Now it wasn't from scratch cupcakes, but I did fix up a mix a little bit. Sometimes you just have to make do when obstacles stand in your way. The frosting, however, is homemade. It was the left over frosting from my cake decorating class and I just really needed to use it up.

Now the cake mix was just a generic brand of cake mix and I tried to give it a little something to wake it up a bit. My secret ingredient is coffee flavoring syrup. You know the stuff you pour into your coffee to jazz it up a bit. I buy the stuff at Sam's club to give my coffee a little zip, but I thought why not try it in the cake mix and see if it adds a little flavor.

The cake mix was a devils food cake  and I had raspberry syrup. What a nice combination. Instead of adding all the water that the mix called for I added only a cup and then put in the 1/3 cup of raspberry syrup. I then added the oil and eggs as usual and baked the cupcakes as directed.

Once the cupcakes were cooled I used my D2 decorating tip and a disposable decorating bag and got to work decorating some of the cupcakes with pink and purple frosting. I also used used tip 18 to make little stars on some cupcakes with green and yellow frosting.

The frosting is the buttercream icing that Wilton cake decorating classes has you make and it seems to pass the test with everyone so why not. I'll post the recipe so if you want to try your hand at decorating you have the stuff to do it right. You'll want it a medium consistency to decorate with decorating tips.

Buttercream Icing
(stiff consistency)
1C solid white vegetable shorting
1 t Wilton Flavor (vanilla, almond or butter)
7-8 t milk or water (add 2 1/2 t more for medium consistency)
1 lb. pure cane confectioners sugar
1 T Wilton Meringue Powder
pinch of salt (if you want to cut down on the sweet taste)

Cream shorting, flavoring and water. Add dry ingredients and mix on medium speed until all ingredients have been thoroughly mixed together . blend an additional minute or so until creamy. Makes 2 1/2 cups.