Recipe: Banana Split Cupcakes

Over Labor Day weekend, Graham & I took a day trip to DC and we experienced Georgetown Cupcake for the first time. I've never waited in a line like that for a cupcake before... but the banana split cupcake that I ordered was absolutely worth it. 

When I got home, I googled and I actually found "their" recipe. And eventually I made it. 

And, to be honest, it was an utter disappointment. The addition of bananas to cake batter instantly turn any cake into a fancy banana bread. Maybe I waited too long to make it, but it tasted nothing like the cupcake that I remembered. 

So, for Graham's birthday, I decided to make them again, using the method that I use for my banana pudding cupcakes. These were a HUGE hit. Graham's friends and family devoured them, and gave them rave reviews.

(If you're against doctored up cake mixes, turn away now. Or just use this as inspiration and make a from scratch version of this delicious cupcake =))

I also made another change to the original cupcake... A banana split has pineapple, strawberry & chocolate toppings. This was a banana cupcake, filled with hot fudge, and then more fudge drizzle on top. Too much chocolate, and not enough fruit for me. So when I made it again, I filled the cupcake with strawberry jam & then drizzled the chocolate on top. The fruity addition was exactly what this needed!

So, here is a banana split cupcake that I'm in love with, and I hope you enjoy it as well.

Banana Split Cupcakes

For the Cake

Ingredients:

• 1 box of yellow cake mix
• 1 3.9 ounce box of instant banana pudding
• 1 cup of vegetable oil
• 1 cup of sour cream
• 1/2 cup of hot water 
• 4 eggs
• 2 tsp. of vanilla
• hot fudge
• sprinkles
• maraschino cherries 

Directions

Mix all ingredients together, except the bananas and the Nilla wafers. Spoon one spoon full of the batter into the lined muffin tins. Place one cookie and then two slices of banana in the batter. Then finish filling all of the tins. The batter should completely cover the bananas.

Bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes (I baked mine for 19 minutes) or until a tester comes out clean.

For the Frosting

Ingredients:

• 1 stick of softened, unsalted butter
• 12 oz. of softened cream cheese
• 2 T. of vanilla extract
• 1 lb. of powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Beat the cream cheese & butter together. 
2. Slowly add in the powdered sugar. 
3. Add in the vanilla extract. 
4. Mix until combined, scraping the sides as needed. 

Garnish with a drizzle of hot fudge, sprinkles & a maraschino cherry =)

That one weekend where I ate way too much cake.

And then wrote a blog post with a much too long title.

Oh well.

This past weekend, Graham took a few days off and we headed back to Charlotte. He didn't get to go with me two weeks ago, and Friday was his birthday, so we went home to celebrate.

I baked some banana split cupcakes a few weeks ago, but I didn't love the way they turned out. So, I tweaked the recipe, & used the guests at his party as my guinea pigs. These were a HUGE success. 

He requested a strawberry cake for his birthday, so I made that as well. He teased me about the four layers, and the homemade jam filling. I know he would have been happy with a cake baked in a 9x13 pan and iced... but, I had to get creative somehow! 

As if that wasn't enough cake, my friend Kelly & I attended the Sweet Tooth Festival on Sunday. 

Thanks to the power of social media, I found out about this AWESOME event. Tickets were $30, the proceeds went to RAIN (an organization that provides support services to HIV+ individuals in the Charlotte area), and you got sample all kinds of delicious stuff from local bakeries and sweet shops. We left with a bakery box full of all kinds of delicious items.

Most of what we sampled was absolutely wonderful. I had only heard of two of the vendors that were participating; Cupcrazed (a winner of Food Network's Cupcake Wars) & Got What it Cakes, my new favorite Charlotte bakery, so I was excited to try some new places. Here my favorites of everything I got to sample. 

This little bit of deliciousness was called "Gone Wild" from Sweet Elations. It had peanut butter and coconut (which reminds me of my beloved Earth Balance peanut butter) and was so good! 

These brownie bliss bites from My Sweet Celebration were so good. This one had toffee and caramel, and I would have loved about five more. 

Royal Oats Granola was there with something a little healthier. Their blueberry lemon granola was the best granola I've ever had. 

 My favorite treat of the day was this lemon bundt cake from Nothing Bundt Cakes (and how cute is that name!). The cake was so moist, had tons of flavor, and the perfect amount of lemon. 

I'm not a 100% sure, but I'm pretty sure this amazing chocolate mousse cake (with a rum soaked cherry =)) was from Neet's Sweets (if it wasn't, please correct me). The cake was delicious, but what's even better is what the shop does for women who are victims of sexual trafficking and exploitation. 

The Secret Chocolatier was giving out amazing truffles and chocolates. I had a chocolate sea salt butter toffee and a violet truffle. Both were amazing, but the toffee absolutely knocked my socks off. 

I'm honestly not a huge peanut butter fan, but this slice of chocolate cake with a PB filling from Got What It Cakes was wonderful. And they were definitely the most generous with their serving size =)

The Sweet Tooth Festival is an annual event, so if you're in the Charlotte area you should check it out. The money raised goes to a great cause, it's a great way to learn about awesome local businesses, and you leave with a box full of cake. =)

Peanut Butter Overload!

I don't really like peanut butter.

There, I said it.

I am obsessed with really like the Earth Balance Creamy Coconut & Peanut Spread and Peanut Butter & Co.'s White Chocolate Wonderful, but regular peanut butter? Eh. Yet for some reason a few weekends ago I wanted to bake and I wanted to bake with peanut butter. I made cookies stuffed with so many good peanut buttery things, I knew they would be either really good, or really bad. And I made chocolate cupcakes, stuffed with said cookie dough and topped with a peanut butter buttercream.

The result: total epicness.

Coconut Cream Cupcakes

It was just about five years ago that I became interested in cupcakes, and baking in general. A cute, fun cupcake shop opened up near Southpark Mall, and a college friend and I stopped there for a treat all the time. My favorite cupcake from Polka Dot was a Pina Colada cupcake, and five years later I've still yet to taste one that I've loved as much.

The first cupcake I ever made from scratch was the Barefoot Contessa's coconut cupcake. I made it for my BFF's bridal shower. After that, I was hooked on baking from scratch. The difference in flavor between homemade cupcakes and cake from a boxed mix was crazy. Every once in a while I do still use a box. I used a boxed mix for Graham's birthday cake, because it's what he wanted. And I do love doctoring up cake mixes... sometimes you end up with something epic (like the banana pudding cupcakes). But for the most part I bake from scratch.

Pineapple Upside Down Cupcakes

I don't want to bake professionally, but I get asked quite a bit to make certain things. A coworker is having a 1920's themed event in a few weeks and wanted to serve a 1920's dessert. Pineapple upside down cake originated in 1925, so these cupcakes will be absolutely perfect!

I had never made a pineapple upside down cake before and hadn't eaten one in years, so I wasn't really sure what to expect with these. My expectations were exceeded about a thousand times. These were absolutely amazing, and Graham said it was the best pineapple upside down cake he had ever had.

Typically this cake is made with a ring of pineapple & a cherry baked with the cake. I don't like cherries, so I decided to make it a garnish instead of part of the cake. Also, this cake doesn't come with a frosting of any sort. I personally don't think something can be called a cake without a fluffy topping. I made a super fast & easy whipped cream frosting that was absolutely incredible on these (and out of the bowl with a spoon). I had never made homemade whipped cream before, and now I have no idea why people use whipped cream in a can or Cool Whip. It is SO easy to make it from scratch and is so delicious.

I can't wait to make these again, and I hope my coworker & her guests love these as much as we did.

Pineapple Upside Down Cupcakes 
Makes 12 cupcakes
(Recipe adapted from this one.)

Ingredients:

• 1 20 oz can of pineapple chunks (reserve the juice) 
• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar  
• 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
  
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup pineapple juice
• 1 egg  
• 1 t. of coconut extract
• 12 Maraschino cherries
• Whipped cream frosting (recipe to follow)
  

Directions: 

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray or grease a nonstick muffin pan. 
2.  Drain the pineapple chunks, reserving 1/2 cup juice for the batter. 
3. Place the pineapple on a 2-3 sheets of paper towels to drain completely.
4. Melt butter in a small sauce pan or microwave safe bowl.
5. Mix together the brown sugar and melted butter. Divide evenly among the muffin pan cups (about 1 T. per cup).
6. Arrange the pineapple chunks on top of the sugar mixture (about 4 per cup). Set aside. 
7. In the bowl of a mixer, or a large mixing bowl if using a hand mixer, combine the flour, sugar, and baking powder. Mix in the butter and pineapple juice, beating for 2 minutes or until smooth.
8. Beat in the egg & the coconut extract.
9. Spoon the batter over the fruit in the muffin pan. 
10. Bake on the middle rack for 30 minutes, or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
11. Cool the cupcakes in the pan for 5 minutes, then place a wire rack on top of the muffin pan and flip the pan over so the pineapple is on top. Let cool completely before topping with whipped cream.

Whipped Cream Frosting
(Recipe modified from this one.)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pint of heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 cup of powdered sugar

Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl (or bowl of a stand mixer) beat whipping cream with a whisk or whisk attachment until stiff peaks form.
2. Mix in the powdered sugar.

Pipe the whipped cream onto cupcakes & top with a cherry. Enjoy!
 

Pistachio Cupcakes with Rosewater Buttercream

 
I'm on the search for a cupcake that has the perfect flavor combination of pistachio, rosewater, and cardamom. Some friends are getting married in March and want a cupcake with those flavors, a flavor combination kind of modeled after kheer (an Indian dessert).

This cupcake was absolutely delicious, but is so difficult to describe. There are cardamom and ground pistachios in the cupcake, and rosewater in the buttercream, but you really can't taste any of those elements. They all come together really nicely and you end up with a cupcake that has a fantastic & unique flavor, but you really can't place what makes it different.

These are moist and delicious, and the frosting (my go-to buttercream only with rosewater instead of vanilla extract) is creamy and fluffy.

Pistachio Cupcakes with Rosewater Buttercream
(Cupcake recipe adapted from this one; frosting recipe adapted from this one.)

Cupcakes
Ingredients:

• 1/3 C. of shelled pistachios
• 2/3 C. of all purpose flour
• 1 t. of baking powder
• 1/4 t. of salt
• 1/4 t. of ground cardamom
• 4 T. of butter (1/2 a stick)
• 1/2 C. of sugar
• 1 large egg; room temperature
• 1/2 C. of whole milk
• 1/2 t. of vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees & line 8 cupcake tins with muffin liners. 
2. Place the pistachios in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until finely ground. 
3. Sift the flour, salt and cardamom together and set aside.
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. 
5. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the egg. Beat until well incorporated, making sure to scrape down the sides.
6. Add half of the flour mixture & mix until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
7. Add the milk and the vanilla extract, and then the rest of the flour. Mix until just combined after each addition. 
8. Add the pistachios and mix into the batter. 
9. Fill each muffin cup 2/3 of the way full and bake for 15-18 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. 
10.  Let cool completely before frosting.

Frosting 
Ingredients:

• 1 & 1/2 sticks of butter
• 3 & 1/2 C. of powdered sugar
• 2 T. of whole milk
• 2 T. of rosewater

Directions:

1. Beat butter in the bowl of a stand mixer until creamy.
2. Add powdered sugar in stages.
3. Add milk and extract and beat frosting on high speed until smooth and creamy.

(I tinted the frosting pink, and if you do that, add one drop of food coloring when you add the liquid.)

Raspberries and cheap wine =)

I'm currently working at two offices in our company, and both offices had their Thanksgiving luncheons today. I of course made desserts for both. Neither was a traditional fall dessert, because I am honestly already sick of pumpkin & apple.

Anyways, my initial plan was to make
1) Lemon cupcakes, filled with strawberries and topped with a cream cheese frosting
2) Vanilla cupcakes with lemon curd, raspberry jam and topped with buttercream
3) Chocolate cupcakes with raspberry frosting.

Only #3 worked out.

I used the same recipe for the first two cakes, and it was AWFUL. I made the lemon ones first, and I shouldn't have made the plain ones next, but I was concerned I had made an error, so I made it again. Both were really, really bad. They looked like little white hockey pucks, were not at all moist or fluffy and were just really disappointing. I should have known, because all of the reviews I've read for this recipe say that it's really sturdy and gives off little crumbs (which is true), and handy when making a layered cake. But this really does not translate well into cupcakes. I just really wish I had read more reviews for the recipe before baking four dozen of them. Oh well. You win some, you lose some,

I definitely won with the chocolate ones though! They were so, SO good. And the frosting was INSANE. Sweet, a little tart, SO creamy and the color is SO pretty!

The cupcakes were my favorite Martha recipe and the frosting was adapted from Jamie over at My Baking Addiction.

Raspberry Buttercream
(Adapted from My Baking Addiction)

Ingredients

• 1/3 of a cup of raspberry puree
• 2 sticks of unsalted butter; room temperatue
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 6 cups of powered sugar4 tablespoons of milk

Directions 

1. Cream the butter and shortening in the bowl of an electric or stand mixer until fluffy.
2. Mix in the raspberry puree.
3. Slowly incorporate the sugar. Do not put in to much at once unless you want your new knives covered in sugar dust... grrrr.  
4. Once all of the sugar is combined, add enough milk to get to your desired consistency (I just used two).

For the other office, I used some of the leftover raspberry puree and made an insanely good raspberry swirl cheesecake. OH. MY. GOD. So effing delicious! I actually messed up with the eggs. All of my cupcakes called for four eggs, and I guess I was on a four egg kick. The recipe only called for three, but I didn't realize that until the stand mixer was mixing in the fourth egg. *sigh* At that point I just went along and hoped for the best.

The cheesecake was the PERFECT consistency. I don't like super creamy cheesecakes, I like them to be firmer. I guess the extra egg did that? Anyways. It was really, really delicious. I managed to salvage a good sized chunk of it to bring home... (I'm supposed to welcome someone home tomorrow who LOVES my cheesecake =) =) =)) and I may have had a slice for dinner tonight.

Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake
  
Graham Cracker Crust
Ingredients

• 2 cups of Graham Cracker crumbs
• 2 tablespoons of sugar
• 1/2 cup of melted butter

Directions

1. In small bowl toss together graham crumbs, margarine or butter and 2 tablespoons sugar. 
2. Press remaining crumb mixture onto bottom and 2 inches up sides of 9-inch springform pan. 
3. Wrap pan tightly in aluminum foil.
4. Chill in freezer while preparing filling.

Cheesecake Filling

Ingredients

• 4 8 ounce packages of softened cream cheese
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon of lemon extract
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup sour cream
• Raspberry puree

Directions

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat cream cheese on medium speed until fluffy. Add 1 1/3 cups sugar, cornstarch, lemon zest and vanilla. Beat until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until just combined after each addition. Stir in sour cream. 
2. Take spoonfuls of the puree and drop onto the cheesecake. With a toothpick (or a skewer, which is all I ever have) swirl the puree around. I did about 5 dollops of the raspberries.
3. Pour hot water in a large roasting pan. Once the cheesecake is in the water bath, the water should come up about one inch up the side. Bake the cheesecake at 325 degrees for 1 hour & 10 minutes. Once done open up the oven door a few inches and let cool in the oven for about 25 minutes. Take out of the oven and cool on a wire rack for 45 minutes and then transfer to the refrigerator. 
4.  The cheesecake needs to refrigerate for at least 4 hours, but over night is preferable.

And as a fairly decent end to the night, I stopped by the store on the way home and picked up a cheap bottle of wine to help me relax. The Flip Flop Wines are pretty good for their crazy low price tag. AND they donate a pair of shoes to someone in need for every bottle sold (up to 100,000 pairs). And at $7.00 a bottle? Yes, please. I bought the Riesling last time, and it was good. It was crisp, but not as sweet as I like. I like the Moscato better a little better. It's sweet, but doesn't have the crispness. Still good though!

Heath Bar Cupcakes

Last summer I stumbled upon the Snickers cupcakes on My Baking Addiction. Who would have known that one recipe would eventually result in the displacement of my cupcake idol, Martha Stewart in favor of Jamie at MBA.

I have made several of her recipes, starting with the Snickers cupcakes. I've even branched away from her cupcakes and made her beautiful Apple Cinnamon Cheesecake last Thanksgiving. Every recipe I've ever made of hers (or was inspired by one of hers) has turned out nothing short of incredible and this one was no exception.

I don't use her doctored cake mix (although I have in the past and it is delish!), but instead I use the easiest chocolate cupcake recipe ever, which is from Martha.

These cupcakes are SO good. The cake is moist and rich, and the little bits of Heath bar baked into the batter is a nice little surprise. The frosting is SO creamy and delicious. I go a little shy of the 2 pounds that Jamie's recipe calls for, so that it isn't overly sweet. Guys, this is seriously the BEST buttercream recipe ever. If you only use one buttercream for the rest of your life, make it this one.

Unfortunately I'm taking these cupcakes to work with me tomorrow... although I may keep one or two here for my own enjoyment over the weekend =)

Heath Bar Cupcakes

Chocolate Cupcakes
(Recipe courtesy of Martha Stewart)


Ingredients

• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup warm water
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup of Heath Bar bits (Not part of Martha's recipe, obviously.)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners; set aside. Sift together cocoa powder, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. Add eggs, warm water, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla, and mix until smooth, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of bowl to assure batter is well mixed. 
2. Fold in Heath bits into the batter.
3. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full. Bake until tops spring back when touched, about 20 minutes, rotating pan once if needed. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely.

Buttercream Frosting
(Recipe courtesy of My Baking Addiction)

Ingredients

• 3 sticks unsalted butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 7 cups of confectioners’ sugar, sifted
• 4-6 tablespoons milk

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter until fluffy. Slowly add in confectioner’s sugar, and continue creaming until well blended.
2. Add vanilla, and 3 tablespoons milk. Blend on low speed until moistened. Add an additional 1 to 3 tablespoons of milk until you reach the desired consistency. Beat at high speed until frosting is smooth and fluffy.

Garnish

• Take 4-5 Heath Bars.
• Cut into triangular shaped pieces. 
• Stab that incredible mound of frosting with one. 
• Immediately eat any leftover pieces.

Gigi's Cupcakes

A week ago today I was making the very LONG trip from Little Rock to Charlotte. By car. With a cat.

It was a looooooong drive.

Anyways. I stopped in Nashville to get gas and I was filled with excitement when I stopped at a red light and saw Gigi's Cupcakes on the corner.

I LOVE cupcakes. LOVE them. And the shop was cute and I thought a cupcake would definitely make the car ride a little more enjoyable. So, I manuevered into the parking lot (the parking lot was a pain!) and went inside to get a cupcake.

The shop was cute and the girls behind the counter were friendly. As it was close to the end of the day, they only had a few left. Mostly vanilla and chocolate. I'm not a fan of "plain" cupcakes. I like special flavors. But then I saw it: a lemon icebox cupcake.

I picked that one and oh my goodness was I happy with my decision. The cupcake was a "lemon cake filled with cream cheese, topped with a lemon cream cheese frosting and crushed vanilla wafers" (from the website) and it was absolutely DELICIOUS. It was by far one of the BEST cupcakes I have ever had. It surpassed everything I've tried at Cupcakes on Kavanaugh in Little Rock and Polka Dot Bake Shop in Charlotte.

Unlike CoK, the cake was MOIST and so light and fluffy. Don't get me wrong, CoK has tasty cupcakes. The flavor is good, but the icing is overly sweet and the cake is dry. This cupcake was perfection. I purchased it at nearly 6:00, didn't eat it till almost 10:00 and it was still so moist and the frosting was so creamy.

I also really loved their packaging. Without asking, they put the cupcake in one of their cute pale green boxes and sealed it with a pink and white sticker. I loved that they just gave you the box and didn't charge extra. At Polka Dot and CoK they put the cupcakes in a paper bag unless you're willing to pay extra for a box and the frosting ends up smooshed.

My only complaint with the cupcake? So. Much. Frosting. It was fine in this case because it wasn't ridiculously sweet, but it was still a lot of frosting. But the amount of frosting will not be enough to stop me from going back to Gigi's next time I make that very long, very painful drive.

The ride home was long, but so cute thanks to Buddy. He is officially the cutest cat ever.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

 

Heaven. 

   

No, seriously. I've made cupcakes with an orange buttercream before. And they were awesome. But these? Oh. My. God. 

Orange infused cream cheese frosting may be the most delicious frosting ever created. It's smooth and creamy. It has this delicious orange-y sweetness and it's (I'm channeling Paula Deen here) out of this world, y'all =)

I'm only posting the recipe for the frosting. I've posted my go to recipe for chocolate cupcakes before (Martha Stewart's recipe for chocolate cupcakes technically), so I'm just going to post this insanely good frosting recipe.

Orange Cream Cheese Frosting 

Adapted from My Baking Addiction

Ingredients 

• 2 lbs. of powdered sugar
• 2 8 oz. packages of  softened cream cheese
• 4 T. of unsalted, room temperature butter
• 3 T. of shortening
• Zest of one orange
• 1/2 t. of orange extract
• Orange food coloring to your specifications

Directions

1. Cream together the cream cheese, butter, shortening, and orange zest together (I just grated the orange over the bowl of the stand mixer once the other ingredients were already in it).
2. Slowly add the powdered sugar. Turn the stand mixer on low before adding sugar so you (and your kitchen) not covered in a cloud of the stuff. 
3. Add the food coloring (I added just two very small drops of the gel stuff) and the orange extract and mix well.
4. Attempt not to eat all of it with a spoon out of the bowl, because it's so good on cupcakes.

Food Blogger Bake Sale

This Saturday I'm taking part in my first blogging event since moving to Arkansas and I'm excited about it. Not only does it combine two of my favorite things (blogging & baked goods), but all of the proceeds go to Share Our Strength, a national organization whose goal is to end childhood hunger in America by 2015.



More about the event over at Fancie Pants Foodie

When: Saturday, May 14, 2011 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: 6th and Main Streets in North Little Rock, adjacent to the Argenta Certified Arkansas Farmers’ Market.

I don't have many Arkansas blog readers, but I hope those of you who do keep up with my babbling will show up and show your support. I will be making Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes. Cupcakes my husband says are the best cupcakes he's ever eaten. EVER. =)

Carrot Cheesecake Cupcakes

Yum! These were SO moist! You couldn't taste the actual cheesecake that was spooned into the batter, but it made them even more moist and so, so creamy.

Carrot Cupcakes
(Recipe adapted from this Martha Stewart one.)

Ingredients

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
• 1 1/2 cups shredded carrots

Cheese Cake Filling

Ingredients

• 8 ounces of cream cheese
• 1/3 cup of sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Cream sugar & cream cheese together. Add egg & vanilla. Mix until filling is smooth. Set aside.

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake tins with paper lines. In a bowl, carrots, sugar, vegetable oil, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, and eggs.
2. Mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, allspice, and salt. 
3. Slowly incorporate flour mixture into wet mixture. 
4. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups (fill about 1/2 the way full). Add one tablespoon of cheesecake filling to the middle of the cupcake. Bake until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean, 25 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting. 

Cream Cheese Frosting
(Recipe courtesy of the Repressed Pastry Chef)



Ingredients

• 1 8 oz package of cream cheese; room temperature, divided in three parts
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon shortening
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cup powdered sugar

Directions

1. Beat butter in large bowl until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and combine very well. 
2. Add the first third of the cream cheese and combine very well. 
3. Add the shortening and combine very well. 
4. Add the remaining cream cheese one piece at a time, combining very well after each. 
5. Gradually add the sugar and combine thoroughly.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Oreo Buttercream

Yummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

These were so delicious. I used the "Buttercream Dream" recipe from My Baking Addiction, since I only had two sticks of butter and was NOT going back to the store. It was a little creamier than my usual buttercream, but it was delicious.

These are also healthy because I used fat free milk and reduced fat Oreos (we're ignoring those two sticks of butter).

Chocolate Cupcakes
(Recipe courtesy of Martha Stewart)

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup warm water
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners; set aside. Sift together cocoa powder, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. Add eggs, warm water, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla, and mix until smooth, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of bowl to assure batter is well mixed.
2. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full. Bake until tops spring back when touched, about 20 minutes, rotating pan once if needed. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely.

Oreo Buttercream Dream Frosting

(Recipe from My Baking Addiction)

 

Ingredients

• 2 sticks of unsalted butter; room temperature
• 1 cup shortening
• 1 tablespoon Vanilla extract
• 2 pounds powdered sugar sugar
• 4-6 tablespoons cold milk
• 8 crushed Oreo cookies without the creams

Directions

1. Cream the butter and shortening in the bowl of an electric or stand mixer. 
2. Add the vanilla extract and combine well. Add in the sugar and mix thoroughly after each addition. 
3. After all of the sugar has been added and mixed thoroughly, begin adding the very cold milk… one tablespoon at a time, combining very well after each addition until you reach the desired consistency. 
4. Fold in the Oreo cookie crumbs (I crushed mine in the food processor).
5. Top cooled cupcakes with the buttercream frosting and garnish with 1/2 an Oreo.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting.

One word: Yum.
Other words: Rich, delectable, delicious, heavenly.

These were inspired by the fantastic and I could seriously just eat the frosting out of the bowl. It's THAT good.

Chocolate Cupcakes
(Recipe courtesy of Martha Stewart)

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup warm water
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners; set aside. Sift together cocoa powder, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. Add eggs, warm water, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla, and mix until smooth, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of bowl to assure batter is well mixed.
2. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full. Bake until tops spring back when touched, about 20 minutes, rotating pan once if needed. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely.

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
(Recipe courtesy of My Baking Addiction)

Ingredients

• 8 ounces of cream cheese; room temperature
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter; room temperature
• 4 tablespoons shortening (Crisco)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 3 ounces unsweetened chocolated; melted and slightly cooled.
• 4 cups confectioners’ sugar; sifted

Directions

1. In the bowl of the stand mixer (use the paddle attachment) cream the softened butter, cream cheese and shortening until well blended.
2. Add in the vanilla and salt; mix on low speed until well combined.
3. Gradually pour in the chocolate until thoroughly combined.
4. Add in the confectioners’ sugar one cup at a time until completely incorporated.
5. If the frosting is too thick, add a little milk or heavy cream. I added two tablespoons of milk.
   

Banana Pudding Cupcakes

I got the idea for banana pudding cupcakes from several blogs. But most of them were a banana cake, with a heavy buttercream frosting and a Nilla wafer for a garnish. I wanted something that Actually tasted like banana pudding.

This was perfect! The flavor was awesome and the cake was very moist. I suck at homemade whipped cream, so I used a mixture of fat free Cool Whip and vanilla pudding for the topping. I LOVED this, and will definitely make this again.

They need to be served immediately or refrigerated; and cold they taste even MORE like banana pudding. I am so in love with these cupcakes!





Banana Pudding Cupcakes (Makes 22-24 Cupcakes)

Ingredients
1 box of yellow cake mix
1 3.9 ounce box of instant banana pudding
1 cup of vegetable oil
1 cup of sour cream
1/2 cup of hot water
4 eggs
2 tsp. of vanilla
24 Nilla Wafers
2 Bananas; sliced

Directions
Mix all ingredients together, except the bananas and the Nilla wafers. Spoon one spoon full of the batter into the lined muffin tins. Place one cookie and then two slices of banana in the batter. Then finish filling all of the tins. The batter should completely cover the bananas.

Bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes (I baked mine for 19 minutes) or until a tester comes out clean.


Frosting
Ingredients
One 16 ounce container of Cool Whip (I used fat free)
2 3.9 ounce boxes of instant vanilla pudding
1 cup of milk

Directions
Mix the pudding and the milk until smooth. When completely mixed, fold in the whipped cream until there are no streaks.

Frost cooled cupcakes and top with crushed Nilla wafers.

Edit: I recently made these for our Easter dinner, and wanted to share a new picture. I'd say my cupcake decorating has vastly improved in the past year! (4/12/2012)




Chocolate Chip Cookie Cupcakes

Recipe courtesy of My Baking Addiction

My adjustments to the original recipe:
-The recipe called for espresso powder, which I omitted that because I LOATHE anything coffee related.
-The recipe also called for a 5.9 oz. box of pudding; I only had a 3.9 oz. box, and these turned out perfect. They were incredibly moist and so light.

Red Velvet Cupcakes

recipe courtesy of the repressed pastry chef

Ingredients:
1 cups cake flour
1/3 cups cocoa
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cups vegetable oil
3/4 cups sugar
1 egg
1 oz (2 T) red food coloring
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cups buttermilk
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp white vinegar

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line 1 cupcake pans with cupcake liners.
Whisk cake flour, cocoa and salt in a bowl.
Place oil and sugar in bowl of an electric mixer and beat at medium speed until well-blended. Beat in egg.
With machine on low, slowly add red food coloring.
Add vanilla.
Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk in two batches. Scrape down bowl and beat just long enough to combine.
Place baking soda in a small dish, stir in vinegar and add to batter with machine running. Beat for 10 seconds.
Divide batter among the cupcake pans, filling each about 2/3 full. Bake for 27 minutes; until toothpick comes out clean.

Cream Cheese Frosting
1 8 oz package of cream cheese; room temperature, divided in three parts
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon shortening
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup powdered sugar

Directions:
Beat butter in large bowl until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and combine very well. Add the first third of the cream cheese and combine very well. Add the shortening and combine very well. Add the remaining cream cheese one piece at a time, combining very well after each. Gradually add the sugar and combine thoroughly.

I can't wait to try some of these recipes!

Hydrangea Cupcakes (Chocolate with Cream Cheese frosting)
Golf Cupcakes
Snickers Cupcake... The possibilities of other candy bar cupcakes are endless!

Peggy's Banana Nut Cupcakes

(Ugh. I must stop with the camera phone pictures...)

A sweet lady I used to work with at Hallmark gave me this recipe a few years back. She made this as a cake and I adored it. I'm awful at cakes, so I turned this into cupcakes and they worked perfectly.

Banana Nut Cupcakes

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 C Sifted All Purpose Flour
• 1 2/3 C Sugar
• 1 1/4 t Baking Powder
• 1 1/4 t Baking Soda
• 1 t Salt
• 2/3 C Shortening
• 2/3 C Buttermilk
• 1 1/4 C Mashed, ripe bananas (about 3)
• 3 Eggs
• 1 t Vanilla
• 2/3 C Finely chopped nuts

Directions
Grease & flour two nine inch layer pans. Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add shortening, 1/3 C buttermilk and bananas.

Beat two minutes. Add eggs, 1/3 C buttermilk & vanilla. Beat two more minutes. Fold in nuts. Pour into cupcake pans with liners. Fill 2/3 of the way full.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20-22 minutes or until cake tests done.

Let cool and ice with cream cheese frosting. Keep refrigerated.

Cream Cheese Frosting
(Recipe courtesy of the repressed pastry chef)

Ingredients

• 1 8oz pkg of cream cheese - room temperature, divided in three parts
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter - COLD
• 1 tablespoon shortening
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup powdered sugar

Directions
Beat sugar and butter in large bowl until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and combine very well. Add the first third of the cream cheese and combine very well. Add the shortening and combine very well. Add the remaining cream cheese one piece at a time, combining very well after each. Gradually add the sugar and combine thoroughly until light and fluffy. Pipe onto cooled cupcakes and garnish with any leftover nuts.