Salted Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Fluffy Peanut Butter Icing

These are so light and fluffy, you won’t feel like you’ve consumed an awful amount of calories. No guilt! How great is that? And, they are really easy to make. The cupcakes do not even require a mixer.

Chocolate and peanut butter. You can’t go wrong with that. Add a little salted dark chocolate and it takes it to another level. The sour cream in the batter makes the cake moist and light. The peanut butter icing is like a fluffy cloud.

I started off wanting to make a mousse icing, but I didn’t have any heavy cream and as much as I tried, Half & Half would not whip into anything, so I ditched that idea and added the cream afterwards. It still came out amazingly fluffy.

Salted Dark Chocolate Cupcakes:

• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
• 2 ounces salted, dark chocolate, chopped ( I used Lindt with Sea Salt)
• ½ cup Hershey’s Special Dark cocoa powder
• ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¾ teaspoon baking powder
• 2 eggs
• ¾ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup sour cream

Pre-heat oven to 350°. Position rack in upper-most part of oven.

Line a muffin pan with 12 cupcake liners.

Chop 2 ounces of bittersweet chocolate.

Place butter, chocolate, and cocoa in a heatproof bowl. Set bowl over saucepan with two inches of simmering water.  Gently stir butter and chocolate until melted and combined. Set aside until mixture is warm to touch.

Whisk flour, baking soda, and baking powder in small bowl to combine.

Whisk eggs in another bowl to combine; add sugar, vanilla, and salt until fully incorporated.

Add cooled chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. Sift one-third of flour mixture over chocolate mixture and whisk until combined; whisk in sour cream until combined, then sift remaining flour mixture over and whisk until batter is well-combined and thick.

Fill cupcake line 2/3 full. Bake until skewer inserted into center of cupcakes comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes.
Cool cupcakes to room temperature before icing, about 30 minutes.

Fluffy Peanut Butter Icing

• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened 
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 cups confectioner’s sugar
• 3/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons of cream or half & half

In a large mixing bowl, combine butter and peanut butter and beat with electric mixer, until creamy.

 

Add two cups of confectioner’s sugar, vanilla and cream to mixer bowl, starting on low, and mix. Once it is partially combined, increase speed to medium-high and mix until well combined.

Place icing into a piping bag, fitted with your tip of choice. I used a closed-star tip and also a large, round tip for these, and pipe icing onto your cooled cupcakes.

 

Banana Frangelico Cupcakes with Nutella Banana Liqueur Icing

It’s been  a while, and my lovely collection of cupcake liners were crying out in loneliness. So, with that said, I decided to finish off the jar of Nutella, sorry kids, and bake today.

This is a banana cupcake to which I added a few tablespoons of Frangelico. For those of you who do not know, Frangelico is an Italian liqueur made from Hazelnuts. It is quite delicious. Now, of course, you can omit this.  This also holds true for the icing. You can, by all means, omit the banana liqueur in that, but I would replace it with milk or cream.  I just happen to like it and the little kick it gives.

This recipe makes about 18 cupcakes.

Banana Frangelico Cupcakes

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups of sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 cup, mashed, ripe bananas
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 3/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 3 to 4 Tbsp. of Frangelico Liqueur

Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners.

Preheat oven to 350°.Mash the bananas.

Aren’t these cute?

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add the eggs, vanilla, bananas and buttermilk. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to banana mixture. Mix in Frangelico.

I use this dry buttermilk. It’s great. I always have it on hand.

Fill 18 paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Once again, I used the handy ice-cream scooper.

Put into the oven and cook for about 22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

No peeking! ( I peeked)

When done, remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.

See? I used all the Nutella.

Nutella Banana Liqueur Icing

• 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup Nutella
• 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
• 2 pounds confectioners’ sugar, sifted (one bag)
• 4 Tbsp. milk, Half and Half or heavy cream
• pinch of kosher salt
• 2 Tbsp. banana liqueur

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and Nutella until well combined. Slowly add in confectioner’s sugar, and continue creaming until well blended.

Add salt, vanilla, and 4 tablespoons of heavy cream or milk. Blend until creamy and moist.

Add about 3 Tbsp. of banana liqueur. If you omit this, use the same amount of cream or milk instead.

Fill a piping bag with frosting and decorate cupcakes, as desired. I used chopped hazelnuts and a banana chip for a garnish.

Dog approved…

Sugar Cookie Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting

Friday was my daughter’s 13th birthday. I like to refer to this year as “Juliet the 13th.” Yes, just like the horror movie. In honor of her, I decided to make these cupcakes and frost them with vanilla and chocolate buttercream and decorate them with blue topaz sanding sugar to represent her December birthstone.

As I was piping on the icing, I noticed it resembled a rose, which is wonderful, since it’s her middle name. So, these are pretty much perfect for my girl.

This recipe is wonderful. It’s basically a sugar cookie batter with some added milk to get the consistency of a cupcake batter. And it really does taste like a sugar cookie. Normally I change things up a little, but this one, I went directly by the recipe that I found here: http://www.tastebook.com/recipes/2114641-Sugar-Cookie-Cupcakes.

Makes about 2 dozen cupcakes.

• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 cup (2 sticks) softened unsalted butter
• 4 eggs
• 3 cups flour
• 3 tsp  (1 Tbsp) baking powder
• 1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350°.

Line a muffin pan with 24 liners. This should make 24, unless, like me, you eat one’s worth of the batter raw.

I love these brown liners! So pretty and they retain their color when baked.

In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until creamy smooth.

Add in the eggs, one at a time, until well blended. Add in vanilla. Mix on low speed.

Combine flour and baking powder, add to the creamed mixture and mix well.

Finally, add the milk and mix until smooth. Spoon into paper-lined muffin pans

Cook until cooked through, about 22 minutes and let them cool on a rack.

When ready, frost with Basic Buttercream or Basic Chocolate Buttercream or any frosting of your choice, and decorate as desired.

Basic Buttercream Frosting

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 3-4 cups confectioners (powdered) sugar, sifted
• 1/4 teaspoon table salt
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• up to 4 tablespoons milk

Beat butter for a few minutes with a mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed.

Add 3 cups of powdered sugar and turn your mixer on the lowest speed (so the sugar doesn’t blow everywhere) until the sugar has been incorporated with the butter.

Increase mixer speed to medium and add vanilla extract, salt, and 2 tablespoons of milk and beat for 3 minutes. If your frosting needs a more stiff consistency, add remaining sugar. If your frosting needs to be thinned out, add remaining milk 1 tablespoons at a time.

Basic Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

• 1/3 to 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3 to 4 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 2 sticks of unsalted butter, softened
• up to 4 Tbsp of milk

In a large bowl, beat butter until smooth.

Slowly beat in powdered sugar 1/3 cup at a time.

Add milk, one tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached.  Beat in cocoa. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Margarita Cupcakes with Tequila-Lime Buttercream Frosting

Being a lover of margaritas, I thought what would be almost as good as that intoxicating beverage, but a cupcake.

The frosting contains tequila as do the top of the cupcakes. But of course if you’d rather not add it, that is fine too.  But we will make them here using it.  After all, that’s the heart of the margarita.

For the cupcakes:

• 2 sticks of room-temperature, unsalted butter
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs, room temp. and 1 large egg white
• 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• 2 3/4 cups flour
• 2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• 3/4 cups of whole milk PLUS 2 Tbsp.
• Grated peel of 4 limes, PLUS 1/4 cup of lime juice
• 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extact
• tequila for brushing tops of cupcakes

Preheat oven to 350°. Line 24 cupcake pans with baking liners.

Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and the sugar until creamy.  Gradually beat in the eggs, egg white and oil. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

In a measuring cup stir together the milk, TWO tablespoons of the lime juice and the vanilla.  With mixer on low speed, add one-third of the wet mixture, alternating with one-third of the dry mixture, ending with the dry mixture. Mix in HALF of the grated lime peel.

Fill the baking cups about 3/4 of the way full. Bake in oven for about 22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Remove from oven, transfer to cooling racks. Brush tops with tequila.

For the frosting:

• 1 stick room-temperature, unsalted butter
• 2 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 2 Tbsp. gold tequila
• 1 drop green food coloring
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 Tbsp. remaining lime juice
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• remaining lime peel

Before I begin, I must say I wound up making a second batch of frosting. I wouldn’t recommend trying to double it at once, since there is so much sugar. I can only see a disaster coming out of that.  I pipe mine on, so it goes quicker. Spreading it on, I think one batch would be sufficient.

Using the mixer, beat the butter until creamy. Beat in one cup of the sugar until creamy.  Beat in the tequila, the lime juice, vanilla, salt, lime peel and food coloring until smooth and creamy. At first this looks awful. Adding and acid to butter makes it pretty lumpy and goopy and unappealing. Just continue beating and scaping until it’s creamy. It will happen.

Add the remaining confectioners’ sugar one-third at a time, until just soft enough to spread.

Add to piping bag or spread with a knife on the cupcakes. Decorate as desired.

S’mores Cupcakes

I had to host a Girl Scout meeting and I decided that we should bake. I had a couple of the girls choose a cupcake of their liking and they decided on S’mores.

This was a fun recipe to make. It does take some time though and it can be a little messy. But messy usually tastes good and the girls did a great job helping! I think they really enjoyed themselves.

The recipe consists of a chocolate cupcake stuffed with a large marshmallow, topped with marshmallow frosting, graham cracker crumbs and fudge. You can decorate them however you like, put a whole S’more on top or even use a graham cookie with chocolate. It’s up to you. Have fun with it!

Chocolate Cupcakes

• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 2/3 cup boling water
• 2/3 (4 oz.) bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup plain yogurt, at room temperature
• large marshmallows

Preheat oven to 350°. Fill muffin tins with cupcake liners.

Place cocoa in a small bowl and pour the boling water over cocoa and whisk until all lumps are dissolved. Add the chopped bittersweet chocolate and stir until melted and smooth.

In your mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat one minute after each addition. Add the vanilla.

In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda and salt.

Add half of the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Mix at low speed until well blended. Add the yogurt and mix well. Then add the remainder of the dry ingredients. Mix until combined. Add the chocolate. Mix until blended. Do not overmix.

Fill the cupcakes liners about half-full and place a large marshmallow in the center of each. Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Remove to wire rack to cool. Meanwhile, prepare the frosting.

Marshmallow Frosting

•  2 Tbsp. milk
• 6 Tbsp. sugar
• 1 package mini marshmallows
• 2 Tbsp. boling water
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• graham crackers and prepared fudge for decorating

In a saucepan over low to medium heat, warm the milk and sugar for 6 minutes without stirring.

I a double boiler heat the marshmallows. When they are very soft, add boiling water, stir until smooth.

Remove from heat. Add the vanilla and with an electric mixer on medium speed, blend in the hot sugar mixture. Keep beating until partly cool.

What we did for decorating was, we drizzled the marshmallow over each cupcake. Then we added crushed graham crackers and a dollop of fudge topping. Finally, we added a graham cracker to it. But as I said before, have fun with it and decorate however you like.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes

My son is a chocolate chip cookie fanatic. He asked me if I could make him a cupcake that tastes like a cookie. So, of course, I could not disappoint my child. I found the recipe from another blog, “Annie’s Eats.” I modified it a tiny bit. I used less confectioners’ sugar in the icing, because it seemed too sweet with 3 1/2 cups and I used salted butter in the icing as well, and omitted the salt, but that was because I ran out of unsalted butter.

There is a ton, and I mean a ton, of butter, flour and brown sugar in these. So, if that scares you, back away now. Hey, but one isn’t going to hurt. Right? And what is better than brown sugar and butter?

Nothing.

As I mentioned, I didn’t have all the correct ingredients. For one, I did not have sweetened, condensed milk. Nor condensed milk. for that matter. I had to make my own. A bit of a pain, but it all worked out. The other thing I ran out of was unsalted butter. So for the icing, I used salted and omitted the salt. It turned out just fine. I’ll post the recipe as it’s supposed to be, but keep in mind, if you’re absent-minded like me, you can always work your way around a road block.

Makes 24 cupcakes.

Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

• 3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1½ cups light brown sugar, packed
• 4 large eggs
• 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips   

To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350° F.  Line two cupcake pans with 24 paper liners.  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and brown sugar.  Beat together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Mix in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.  Stir together to blend.

Add the dry ingredients to the mixer bowl on low speed, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients, mixing each addition just until incorporated.  Blend in the vanilla.  Fold in the chocolate chips with a spatula.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cupcake liners. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  

When completely cooled, you’ll need to make a hole in the cupcake for the cookie dough filling. I used the small side of a melon baller for this. Fun part – you have cupcake center to munch on whilst you finish!

Now that that’s done, you can go ahead and make the cookie dough filling. Don’t fret, it’s egg-free.

Cookie Dough Filling

• 4 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 6 tbsp. light brown sugar, packed
• 1 cup plus 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 7 oz. sweetened condensed milk*
• ½ tsp. vanilla extract
• ¼ cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

*Since I didn’t have the sweetened condensed milk, I made my own by simmering 2 cups of milk until reduceed by about 60% and then added 1 1/4 cups of sugar until disolved. Cool, and you have it.

Combine the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and cream on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Beat in the flour, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla until incorporated and smooth.  Stir in the chocolate chips.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the mixture has firmed up a bit, about a half hour.

Using a teapoon, fill the cupcake holes with the cookie dough filling. Set aside and prepare icing.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Icing

• 3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
• 3 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ¾ tsp. salt
• 3 tbsp. milk
• 2½ tsp. vanilla extract
• Mini chocolate chips for decorating

Beat together the butter and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until creamy.  Mix in the confectioners’ sugar until smooth.  Beat in the flour and salt.  Mix in the milk and vanilla extract until smooth.

Pipe icing onto cupcakes and sprinkle with additional mini chips and take a bite.

Enjoy!

Bananas Foster Cupcakes

A friend of mine inspired me to make these. She posted a picture of her son eating the delicious concoction and right then and there, I knew I had to make these.

After much pondering of how to go about this and comparing other recipes, I finally came up with this one.

I made a banana cupcake, in which I added a few tablespoons of rum. I wanted a filling, so I made the classic Brennan’s Bananas Foster, but I only added two bananas and then pureed it in a food processor, to get it thick enough for a filling. For the icing, I decided on a Vanilla Cream Cheese. I’m not a fan of super-sweet icing, so if you like it really sweet, up the sugar content on it. Finally, I drizzled some of the remaining filling over top for an additional kick and nice presentation.

I hope you enjoy.

Banana Rum Cupcake

adapted from an allrecipes.com recipe

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2 large did it for me)
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 to 4 tablespoons of rum (I used 3)

In a large mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugar. Add the eggs, vanilla, bananas and buttermilk. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to banana mixture. Mix in rum.

Fill 18 paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Once again, I used the handy ice-cream scooper.

In a preheated 350° oven, bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool on a wire rack and prepare filling.

Classic Bananas Foster Filling

adapted from Brennan’s Classic Bananas Foster recipe

• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 cup banana liqueur
• 2 bananas, sliced in rounds
• 1/4 cup rum

Combine the butter, sugar, and cinnamon in a flambé pan or skillet.

Place the pan over low heat either on an alcohol burner or on top of the stove, and cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves.

Stir in the banana liqueur, then place the bananas in the pan.

When the bananas soften and begin to brown, carefully add the rum.

Continue to cook the sauce until the rum is hot, using a long match or something similar, carefully ignite the rum.

When flame subsides, let cool and place in a food processor or blender. Puree until smooth. Place into refrigerator until cooled and slightly more thickened.

I put the goo, as I call it, into one of those ketchup/mustard containers. It worked well to squirt it into the cupcakes.

Once cupcakes have cooled, take a large piping tip and push it down into the center of each cupcake, creating a well.

When the filling is cooled and thickened, squirt the filling, going from the bottom and pulling up to the top of the cupcake, into the hole.

Now you can prepare the icing.

Vanilla Cream Cheese Icing

• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 to 3 cups of confectioners sugar (use as much as your taste for sweetness can handle)
• 1 to 2 tablespoons half & half

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and cream cheese until nice and fluffy. Add the vanilla. Beat again.

Slowly add the sugar into the bowl, about a 1/2 cup at a time, beating after each addition. Continue to beat until a desired consistency is reached.

Add the half & half if it’s too thick.

Place into a piping bag and decorate cupcake as desired.

Squirt additional filling on the top of the icing.

Now, you may eat.

Orange Creamsicle Cupcakes with Orange Liqueur

First off, let me say, “Oh my goodness!” These came out incredibly delicious. So delicately sweet with the flavors of orange and vanilla. Gets me in the mood for summer, waiting for the ice cream truck to drive by and get one of my favorite treats, an Orange Creamsicle.

My version I’m posting is a grown-up recipe. I spiked the cake with some Triple Sec. But really, it’s not overpowering. Of course, you can leave it out and it won’t affect the recipe at all. I just tossed in about a tablespoon at the end. Everything else stayed the same.

So, here you have it. Orange Creamsicle TiniCaketail.

Vanilla Cupcake with Orange Zest and Orange Liqueur

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2/3 cups sugar
• 3 large eggs
• Zest of one medium orange
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4  cup milk
• 1 to 2 Tbsp orange flavored liqueur. Such as Triple Sec or Curaçao (optional)

Preheat oven to 350° F (177 C). Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.

In the bowl of electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Add eggs, one at a time, blending well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla and the orange zest. Also add the orange liqueur at this time if using.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.

With the mixer on low-speed, alternately add the milk and the flour in three additions. Start with the milk and end with the flour. So milk, flour, milk, flour, milk, flour. Scrape down the sides of bowl as needed.

Evenly fill each muffin cup with batter. I use an ice-cream scoop filled to the top. Works like a charm.

Bake for 17 to 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove and place on wire rack to cool.

In the meantime, prepare the frosting.

Creamsicle Icing

• 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp orange extract
• 3/4 tsp vanilla
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• food coloring, red and yellow
• Nonpareils

In the bowl of a mixer, using paddle attachment (if you have one, if not use what you have), combine cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and both extracts. Beat on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes.

Transfer to a small bowl and set aside. Wash bowl.

In the cleaned bowl, add the heavy cream. Use a whisk attachment for this step. Whisk, starting on low, for about 30 seconds or until little bubbles begin to form.

Increase speed to medium, beat an additional 30 seconds until the beater leaves a trail.

Increase speed to high, until stiff peaks form. Do not over beat, unless you want butter.

Add the cream cheese mixture to the bowl and beat until combined and light and fluffy.

Add 2 parts red food color and 3 parts yellow to make orange. Stir thoroughly to combine. (This part is optional. It only makes it orange)

Fill a decorating bag fitting with a tip and swirl cupcakes to create an ice cream look.

Sprinkle with white nonpareils, if desired. Or just decorate as you wish. A candy orange wedge would be cute. Even a white chocolate “popsicle stick” would be really fun. Maybe I’ll attempt that another time. : )

Enjoy!

Tasted good.