Tuesday, July 31, 2012

These Cupcakes are Bananas!

Does anyone else ever get a craving for bananas? 
I started to think I was going bananas for how much I wanted one! 
Then the LIGHT BULB came on and I was like "BANANA CHOCOLATE CHIP CUPCAKES!"
Hellllloooo...Awesome idea! 

So I went onto good ol' Google and searched for a recipe to get myself goin' and low and behold, I think I may have found the best cupcake recipe out there! (Ok, so every cupcake recipe kind of turns out to taste like the best, but these were so good...!)
The recipe I used was from Baked Perfection. 
Stop on over there and check out her blog, it's a real treat!

And that my friends is where these bad boys came from
 There is just something about bananas and chocolate..and that something is sooo good!

If you would like to try these on for size here is what you will need:
FOR THE CUPCAKES:
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 ripe bananas, mashed
3/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS FOR CUPCAKES:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  
2. Line a cupcake pan with paper liners. (12)
3. In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  
4. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until combined. Add the milk and vanilla.  
5. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition until thoroughly combined.  Slowly beat in the flour mixture, until just combined.  
6. Slowly add in the bananas.  
7. Once all is combined, stir in the chocolate chips by hand.  Divide batter evenly among cupcake cups.  Bake in preheated oven until tops are golden, approximately 17-20 minutes. 

Now before I get into the frosting I just want to say that this is possibly the best chocolate frosting EVER! I should first tell you that it is labeled 'Chocolate Fudge Buttercream Frosting'. Oh yeah, I said it.

In case you didn't read me correctly the first time...Let me say it again...
CHOCOLATE FUDGE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING.

AHHHHH-MAZING!

I almost didn't have enough to frost all the cakes due to my inability to control myself around something so delicious. Did I feel guilty afterwards? Heck yeah but I loved every minute of it!

Okay, so I actually found this recipe on AllRecipes.com and how glad I am that I did, well I can't even describe how happy it made me. I usually have bombed every time when trying to make chocolate frosting. It always gets really dry and not very pretty when piping, but this time, wow. 

Here is the secret recipe ;) 

1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup shortening
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1 cup hot fudge topping
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS FOR FROSTING: 

1. Cream together the butter or margarine with the shortening. 
2. Sift the cocoa with the confectioners' sugar and add to the creamed mixture. Mix together adding 1 tablespoon at a time of milk to keep mixture smooth. Don't add more than 1/4 cup of milk. 
3. Add the hot fudge topping and the vanilla extract. Blend until smooth and creamy. 

There you have it. And yes, there is hot fudge topping in this frosting. Can it get any more naughty than that!? 

I mean, look at it!
 
 
 Now bake those cupcakes up!
And frost!
 And add some banana chips!
Now go on and share them with some friends...but most importantly...

indulge in one yourself.
(I won't tell if you even put a little extra frosting on yours.) ;)

I hope you enjoyed these cupcakes as much as I did. I hope I didn't make you gain 10 lbs just from reading either!

Now lets see what I will be craving next week....hmmm decisions decisions. 
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Posted by at 7:43 PM 8 comments

Sunday, July 22, 2012

Chocolate Peanut Butter Layered Cake w/ Chocolate Peanut Butter Glaze

Chocolate Peanut Butter Layered Cake w/ Chocolate Peanut Butter Glaze..Did you catch all of that? 
I strongly recommend making this if you have a chocolate peanut butter lover in your life. I wouldn't say this is my first choice for flavors but I couldn't get enough of this cake! It was just that good!

The layers of peanut butter frosting with Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and the wonderfully smooth chocolate peanut butter glaze on top really make this a rich and delicious..and AMAZING cake. 

I am going to get right to it, enough talking, more baking!

Ingredients for the cake:
2 cups all purpose flour
2 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup canola oil
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs

Directions for cake:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom of three 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper then butter the sides of pans.
2. Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt into a large bowl. Whisk to combine them well. Add the oil and sour cream and whisk to blend.
3. Gradually beat in the water. Blend in the vinegar and vanilla. Whisk in the eggs and beat until well combined. Scrape down the sides of bowl as needed.
4. Dived the batter among the three cake pans.
5. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool in the pans for about 20 minutes. Invert cakes onto wire racks, carefully peeling off the paper liners. Put into freezer for about 10 minutes to firm them up before frosting.



Ingredients for peanut butter frosting:
10 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
5 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
2/3 cup smooth peanut butter

Directions for peanut butter frosting:
1. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add the confectioners' sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition and scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Continue to beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.

This frosting is to die for! Just picture it, cream cheese and peanut butter..mmm!! Anything with cream cheese is a hit in my book though! ;)

Now we get to assemble this thing! 

Grab your cakes, frosting and some Reese's.
 Unwrap and chop up your Reese's. You can use as many as you like. I cannot remember how many I used but it's really up to you and how your feeling that day. :)

Start with your first layer and spread some frosting on the top followed by some crushed Reese's. Next, add on your next layer of cake and repeat. 

 Finally, put on the third layer of cake and now you are going to frost the whole sha-bang! 
Have at it! Go crazy! 

Make it look nice and smooth...
Or if your like me, you can at least try..
 Beautiful isn't it? 

Now time for that chocolate peanut butter glaze. Yes!

Here is what you will need:
6 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 cup half and half

And here is what you do:
1. In the top of a double boiler or in a bowl set over simmering water, combine the chocolate, peanut butter and corn syrup. Cook, whisking often until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.
2. Remove from the heat and whisk in the half and half, beating until smooth. Use while still warm.

 Here is the fun part (besides eating it!) Take the chocolate pb glaze and pour right over the top of the cake. It will start to run over the sides of the cake and make a very pretty topping! Make sure to have a pan underneath your cake to catch all the glaze that will drip off. 


There you have it! One of thee best chocolate peanut butter glazed cakes that I have ever had! 

Put that rich and delicious beauty right on the pedestal it deserves, then dig in!


 Ohhh yeahhhhh! 

Wanna peek inside? I'll let ya take a look...
 Amazing! 

Have a glass of milk on hand when trying to tackle this, it will be greatly needed. 

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Posted by at 3:52 PM 8 comments

Baked Doughnut!

Doughnuts are one of those things that when you think about one, you have to have one! That's why when I was walking down the aisle at Target and seen a doughnut pan on clearance (Clearance Queen here) I had to have it, and I had to use it...right away....like that day...no joke.

The pan had an easy peasy recipe right on it so I swung my cart around and headed down the food aisles collecting the odds and ends that I did not already have at home. 

I have never had a baked doughnut before, but I had to give it a shot. And since it's baked, it's good for you right? ;) 

I also couldn't decide what i wanted to top my doughnuts with. I love chocolate so okay, I am going to top them with chocolate glaze. Then I thought "Ohhh, I love powdered doughnuts!" Okay, so I will top half with powdered sugar. Then cinnamon sugared doughnuts popped into my head and it was all over from there. I was making all 3. Nobody was talking me out of it.

It was almost like I had to turn my brain off so I would stop thinking of new ideas, otherwise I would have had each doughnut with a different topping! I guess that wouldn't have been so bad, but then I would have had to try them all...which probably wouldn't have been such a hot idea. Eh, I've been known to down a few doughnuts in my day, I bet I could have done it! :)

Here is the recipe that I used on the Wilton doughnut pan:

Ingredients:
2 cups cake flour, sifted
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Spray doughnut pan with non-stick cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, nutmeg and salt. Add buttermilk, eggs and butter; beat until just combined. Fill each doughnut cup approximately 2/3 full.
3. Bake 7-9 minutes or until the top of the doughnuts spring back when touched. Let cool in pan for 4-5 minutes before removing. 
4. Finish off doughnuts with topping (or toppings) of your choice. 

This recipe made 12 delicious doughnuts!

For the chocolate glazed doughnuts, here is how I made the chocolate glaze:

Ingredients:
1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon corn syrup
1 teaspoon hot water

Directions:
1. In medium bowl, microwave chocolate chips, butter and corn syrup for 1 minute, stirring frequently until completely melted. Stir in 1 teaspoon of hot water until the glaze is thick and smooth. Use immediately. 

That was easy huh? Just dip the tops of those doughnuts right in the glaze and set on a cooling rack. I advise to put a pan underneath to catch all the drippings. Easy clean up. That is the way I like it!


 Look how smooth that chocolate looks!! 

Now we have the powdered sugar doughnuts. No big thang here, just need some powdered sugar and a baggie. Once the doughnuts are out of the oven and cooled a bit, drop a doughnut in the baggie with some powdered sugar and shake....shake shake...shake your booty! (might as well, all that work will give you room for 1 more bite!)


 Yummy! I tried to get more powdered sugar to stick, but it wouldn't. They were good either way.

Last but not least we got the cinnamon sugar doughnuts. Here is what I used:

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions:
1. In a shallow bowl, stir together the sugar and cinnamon.
2. Dip the baked doughnut in the melted butter and roll in the cinnamon sugar mixture to coat. 

That's it! 

  
 I would have to say that it was a close tie between the sugared and chocolate glazed doughnuts as being my favorite. 


 Arrange on a plate and show off those beauties! People will think they were store bought! 
I would also have to say that they were best eaten right away (well, what isn't?) because day 2, they were a bit soggy. Enjoy!

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Posted by at 3:21 PM 2 comments

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Chubby Hubby Cupcakes...Hubba Hubba ;)

What comes to mind when you hear the words Chubby Hubby?
My first thought is something that is really unhealthy for you, and very rich, and very fattening....and ohh so good! 

I am so right.

 Drooling yet? 

I never could have imagined so many flavors in one cupcake...I guess that is why I had to make these giant ones. See how big those suckers are? 

They are a yellow cake battery, peanut buttery, chocolate ganachey, sweet and salty crunchy good time. Ohhhh yeah!

These take a little bit of extra work to make but in all reality, sitting down and eating one of these totally makes all the sweat and hard work worth it! Now lets get down to business here and get you making them yourselves!

I got this recipe over @ Annie's Eats. Thank goodness for such talent :)

Here is what you will need to get these babies started...

For the cupcakes:
 3 cups cake flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temp
 1½ cups sugar
1 cups malted milk powder
5 large eggs, at room temp
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
1¼ cups buttermilk, at room temp

For the ganache filling:
8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup heavy cream
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temp
1½ cups coarsely chopped pretzels

For the frosting:
3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temp
1 cup creamy peanut butter
4½ cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
Pinch of coarse salt
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 tbsp. heavy cream  

And of course some pretzels and whatever else you want to garnish with!

Get that oven preheated to 350 degrees F and lets get to mixin'.
In a medium bowl, combine the cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter on medium-high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Gradually add in the sugar, mixing for 1 minute after each addition. Blend in the malted milk powder. Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl and mixing well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients and mixing each addition just until incorporated.  

Got all that? Great! 

Divide the batter into liners in your cupcake pan. Bake for 18-20 minutes. Allow to cool in the pans 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. 

Now you can start the ganache. Put the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Put the cream into a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat and pour the hot cream over the chocolate; let stand 1-2 minutes. Whisk together until it becomes smooth. Whisk in the butter 1 tablespoon at a time until completely incorporated. Let stand at room temperature, whisking occasionally, until slightly thickened. 

Now you get to stuff your cupcakes, yes!!

 The way I did it was cut out a hole in the center of each of the cupcakes.

 Using a spoon, fill ganache a little over half way full into the holes. 

Then I chopped up some pretzel M&M's and sprinkled a few into each of the holes just to the top.

You could also use chopped up pretzels, or chopped up anything! Whatever you may be craving that day, throw it in there!

Lets get this frosting started so we can frost our cupcakes and dig in!


Combine the butter and peanut butter in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on medium-high speed until smooth. Mix in the confectioners’ sugar and salt. With the mixer on low speed, mix in the vanilla and cream just until incorporated. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and whip until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Do not even try it to see what it tastes like, because you will not stop! I used a ziploc bag with the corner snipped off to frost my cupcakes since I was out of pastry bags, worked just fine! Now frost and then top with whatever your little heart desires. I used some pretzel M&M's, some crushed pretzel M&M's and some whole mini pretzels. 

Ta Da!







 You can totally see why these are called Chubby Hubby cupcakes. I mean, if you fed these to your hubby...he might get chubby. Well, anyone might get chubby. 

Oh and a piece of advice, don't try to eat one of these without a glass of milk on hand. I tried and I failed. Just warning you. 

These cupcakes got a 10 out of 10 from all who tried one, they are a "must make again" for sure!

Enjoy!
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Posted by at 4:42 PM 9 comments

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

HAPPY 4th of JULY!!

I may be a day ahead of myself but the 4th of July just gets me so excited that I couldn't help but post a day early. 
Not only do I like the 4th for the fireworks, parties, food and friends gathering around but I also get a day off from work. BOMB!
That means I can do whatever I want tonight, and sleep in as late as I want tomorrow....Best. Feeling. Ever! :)

Since my co-workers and I will not be at work tomorrow, I baked them a treat a day early because I never miss a holiday treat for these ladies!

I knew I wanted to do cupcakes. I knew that I wanted to make them red, white and blue. I knew that I wanted them with lots of frosting. I knew, I knew, I knew. 

So here is what I did.

I made a regular ole' vanilla cupcake (which came out soooo good! Melted right in your mouth!) and then made a double batch of vanilla butter cream. (Evil laugh goes here)

I tinted that butter cream in red and blue and left the third part white. Which the red came out kind of pink-ish, but I was using red sprinkles on it as well, so I thought it would be okay and let the red sprinkles pop. It did!

Here's what came to be..


 I am really getting into the whole burlap thing. I could honestly probably cover anything in burlap and be happy with it! 

Are those pinwheels just not adorable!? I loved how other bloggers where making pinwheel cupcake toppers and originally wanted to go that route, so I got some red card stock and some old vintage music paper (glued the music paper onto the back of the card stock) and started pinwheelin' away...only to find out that 
1. Made them way too big for cupcakes :)
2. It is hard to fold card stock any smaller than that!
& 3. When I said vintage paper, I meant OLD vintage paper. It started ripping when I bent it. Oops! Anywho, they were still a cute little prop for my 4th Cupcakes! 

This is not my last pinwheel attempt, I will be back!


And here are some mini's I threw in there! 

Is anyone else like me and when they see a mini cupcake wrapper, they just cannot control themselves and have to buy it!? I mean seriously, I will not be called a cat lady, I will be called a cupcake wrapper lady. Ugh!

I wish everyone a safe and happy 4th of July holiday! Enjoy!

I partied @
Crazy Sweet Tuesday 
&
Whimsy Wednesday 
&
Frugal Friday
&
Sweets For A Saturday
&
Serenity Saturday
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Posted by at 10:27 AM 0 comments
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