White Cupcakes with Mexican Chocolate Frosting

Today is one of my friend's yearly parties. His birthday was on Monday and his party usually coincides with my family reunion. This is one of the first years that it hasn't. This also gave me time to try something really new to bake for his party. Not that they need anymore food. The party is huge with most his family there, a bunch of our friends and his siblings friends.

There is a huge spread. It's all really good too. His Filipino and they always have Filipino food and its really good. I asked his girlfriend, who happens to be one of my best friends what I should make and she said don't go crazy and make whatever. So I decided to something a little outside the box.

I seem to be making cupcakes a lot. Last weekend and this weekend. I'm certainly on a roll. I also plan on making vegan cupcakes for one of the girl's I work with in about two weeks. I guess August will be the month of cupcakes! Let it be written, let it be done, to quote my grandfather. I know Brian really likes spicy food so I decided to give my frosting a little kick. And as usual, I doubled my cupcake recipe because God knows I never make enough... My cupcakes from the family reunion literally disappeared in about five minutes. My dad was all upset because he didn't even get to eat one.

 

White Cupcakes with Mexican Chocolate Frosting

 

 

Ingredients:

[cupcakes]

2 cup sugar

1 cup butter

4 eggs

4 teaspoons vanilla

3 cups flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 cup milk

[frosting]

1 cup butter, unsalted, room temperature

2 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar

2 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, melted

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon salt

 

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a muffin tin with paper liners.

 

In a medium bowl, cream together sugar and butter. Beat in eggs one at a time then stir in the vanilla. Combine the flour and baking powder and add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Finally, add the milk and combine until batter is smooth.

 

Bake cupcakes for 20 to 25 minutes. They are done when the cake springs back to the touch.

 

For the frosting, chop the chocolate into smaller pieces. In a double boiler, melt the chocolate and set aside.

 

Cream together the confectioner's sugar and butter. Add the chocolate and mix until smooth and chocolate is incorporated. [The sugar and butter mixture will come together nicely when you add the chocolate.] Add the spices and salt and mix until blended.

 

Ice your cupcakes and get ready for a bit of a spicy and sweet kick to your cupcakes! YUM!

 

 



Chocolate Cupcakes with Marshmallow Frosting/Chocolate Ganache

So it's that time of the year again. The time when the whole lot of my family gets together for our family reunion. My father's side of the family always gets together on the first Saturday in August to catch up, eat delicious food and be, well, us. There are always at least 30 to 40 people there, several pounds of food and we do a raffle every year to raise money for Paul Newman's charity, Hole in the Wall Gang. Visit the website, www.holeinthewall.org. It's a wonderful organization and we have been donating to them for the past 10 years or so. They're always kind enough to send us baskets to raffle off and we consistently raise a minimum of $600 every summer for them. We previously raised money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, another wonderful organization. Both are aimed to help children who are coping with serious illnesses and their families.

This year's reunion was a little bittersweet. One of my great uncles is passed away last night. [I'm not religious, but to whoever is out there in the Internet, a prayer for my family is always appreciated.]

Not to say on a happier note, but I usually get the pull out my family baking status again.I usually just make my reunion staple, but this year I decided to split from that. They take so long to make that it's just a pain in the butt, especially in the middle of the summer. I also thought this was the perfect opportunity to bake something new and add to my repertoire. I decided I would make cupcakes with two different kinds of frosting. I decided on chocolate cupcakes, one with marshmallow frosting and graham cracker crumbles for the children and one with chocolate ganache and pearl sprinkles for the adults. But who are we kidding? Children pretty much eat whatever is in front of them. The recipe for the marshmallow frosting was supposed to yield 10 cups which is way too much. I cut the recipe because I sure as heck did not need that much frosting.

They were a hit [as is everything I make! I'm conceited? Why ever would you think that? ;)] and I'm glad everyone enjoyed them! They definitely looked very delicious. As usual, you can see what works of art they are.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Marshmallow Frosting/Chocolate Ganache

Ingredients:

[cupcakes]

3 ounces dark [semi-sweet] chocolate, chopped

2/3 cup light cream

2/3 cup self-rising flour

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1/8 teaspoon of salt

1/3 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar, superfine

2 large eggs

[chocolate ganache]

2 ounces bittersweet [dark] chocolate, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup light cream

[marshmallow frosting]

4 large egg whites

1 cup granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon cream of tarter

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract
crumbled graham crackers

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper baking cups.

Melt the chocolate with the cream in a double boiler over barely simmering water. Set aside and let cool slightly. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cocoa and salt.

Beat the butter and sugar in the stand mixer at a high speed. Add the eggs one at a time, beating until just combined after each addition. With the mixer on low speed, gradually beat in the dry ingredients and the melted chocolate mixture.

Spoon the batter into the prepared cups, filling each one three-quarters of the way full. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown on the top and firm to the touch. Let them cool completely.

For the chocolate ganache, melt the chocolate with the cream over a double boiler over barely simmering water. Remove from the heat and refrigerate for 20 minutes until thickened. Spread frosting on the cupcakes and decorate with the pearl sprinkles.

For the marshmallow frosting, fill a medium sauce pan with one inch of water and bring it to a simmer over medium heat.

Place the egg whites, sugar, cream of tarter and salt the clean bowl of a stand mixer and whisk by hand to combine. Nest the bowl over the sauce pan, making sure the bottom of the bowl is not touching the water.

Heat the egg white mixture, whisking constantly until the sugar has dissolved and the mix is hot to the touch [about six minutes].

Transfer the bowl to a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Turn mixer to a medium speed and mix for one minute. Increase the speed until stiff, glossy peaks form [about 5 minutes]. Add the vanilla and whisk until just incorporated [one minute].

Transfer frosting into a large piping bag fitted with a 1/2 inch star tip and ice the cupcakes. Using a kitchen blow torch or oven broiler, carefully brown the marshmallow frosting. Sprinkle the cupcakes with the crushed graham crackers. [I didn't do this because I don't have a kitchen blow torch.]

 

Marshmallow frosting

Chocolate ganache





Baking Hiatus or the Time It Was Too Hot To Bake

I have been very lax in my baking lately as well as my updates, for which I apologize. It is currently the middle of summer and about eight million degrees in my house. Baking would make it almost unbearable considering I don't have air conditioning in my house.

I promise that I will find something new to bake soon. I was supposed to bake cheesecake brownies for a gentleman that is getting married in my office but I completely forgot due to it being a slightly hectic week on top of us having to put down one of our dogs today.

I promise, promise, promise that I will bake something new relatively soon. If any of my readers [I have some, right?] have any suggestions, please make sure to comment and request a recipe!

Happy baking!

Nutella Stuffed Chocolate Chip Muffins

So I guess I'm jumping on what one of my friend's calls the "Nutella craze." When I think about it, there has been an increase in Nutella-based products on BuzzFeed and Pintrest. And I heard that a Nutella bar was being opened. I finally tried Nutella for the first time about a year or so ago and I really enjoy it. Yes. It's terrible for you but all the good things are.

One of my old co-workers had posted a picture of him eating a Nutella snack pack and he and I got onto the conversation of baking something with Nutella. I looked up a recipe and decided that I would make them. Once the second batch is out of the oven, I'm probably going to be delivery girl and give one to him as he is the one who inspired this venture.

I'm currently typing gingerly as well because I suffer for my art. When attempting to see if the tops of the muffins were firm, I burnt my thumb on a molten chocolate chip and am thus handicapped in terms of typing. The space bar is being hit with much caution. Also, batteries kept in the freezer make wonderful ice packs.

Despite my grievous injury... Or lack there of. [I'll admit I'm being a drama queen!] The muffins are very yummy looking and I'm rather proud of the effort. I've also become quite the little chef. I purchased a crock pot about a week and a half ago and made pork with apples and onions. Very delicious. My next adventure is chicken caprese and chicken stroganoff.

Anyway. Here is the delightful recipe! I doubled the recipe, but still used the same amount of yogurt. The batter was very thick so I'm glad I kept it the ratio.

 

Nutella Stuffed Chocolate Chip Muffins

 

Ingredients:

Nutella

3 cups of all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

10 tablespoons butter, softened

1 1/4 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cup Greek vanilla yogurt

3/4 cup regular vanilla yogurt

1 cup and 2 tablespoons mini chocolate chips

 

Instructions:

On a wax paper lined baking sheet, drop 15 round teaspoonfuls of Nutella [make sure they don't touch]. Place the baking sheet in the freezer for at least two to three hours or until the Nutella is frozen solid. [It unfreezes really fast!]

 

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line 15 muffin cups with paper or foil liners and set aside. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to combing and set aside.

 

Cream the butter and the sugar in the bowl of the stand mixer until light and fluffy. [This is honestly one of the best smells ever. I think I'm just weird.] Beat in the eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

 

Alternate adding the flour mixture and yogurts into the butter mixture. The batter will be really thick. Add the chocolate chips. [I used regular sized. I also used plain Greek yogurt because, confession, I didn't exactly pay attention the recipe.]

 

Divide the mixture evenly into the prepared muffin tin and fill all the way to the top. Remove the Nutella from the freezer and quickly push the frozen Nutella into the middle of the muffin.

 

Bake for 20 to 25 minute or until the tops are golden brown.

 

 

I can't wait to bring these to work! But maybe I'm the only with an appreciation of Nutella... That would be sad.



Chocolate Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

So in honor of my birthday [which is today and everyone should leave me happy, shiny comments], I made cupcakes to bring into the office. It seems sort of sad that I would bake for my own birthday, but it's my birthday so I do what I want! Plus, none of the girls in the office are huge bakers and it isn't like I would have gone in demanding that they bake me something. I bake for their birthdays because I enjoy it. Most people I know hate baking. And hello. New recipes!

So, happy 26th birthday to me. Here's to hoping 26 is better than 25! Whoo!

 

Chocolate Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

 

Ingredients:

[cupcakes]

1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons butter, softened

1 1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

3/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup milk

[frosting]

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 1/2 packages cream cheese, softened

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

2 teaspoons vanilla

pinch of salt

 

Instructions:

Cream the butter and cream cheese on a medium high speed until smooth.

Slowly add the sifted powdered sugar. Beat the mixture slowly until incorporated. Add the vanilla and salt and beat on medium high until mixed. The frosting should be slightly fluffy and smooth.

Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. [I would make the frosting first since it has to chill.]

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin tin pan with paper liners [I used my beloved mini muffin tin]. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa, and salt and set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy [This is a huge pain in the but with the small amount of butter, but the minute you add the eggs it starts to look normal]. Ad the eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition, then stir in the vanilla [which I totally forgot to do, but my cupcakes taste fine. Again, I do what I want.] Add the flour mixture alternately with the milk. Beat well. Fill the muffin cups 3/4 of the way.

Bake for 15 to 17 minutes In the oven or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.

And they are delicious! My dad asked why I was eating them... I just looked at him and was like, it's my birthday. I can do what I want! Be jealous that you don't work in my office.


Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars

I don't exactly need an excuse to bake, but as I am using Easter [Happy Easter by the way] and my co-worker's birthday tomorrow as my reason for trying out a new recipe. I was going to make baklava cups for my co-worker's birthday, but I really do hate working with phyllo dough. And I feel like that is more of a refreshing, summer dessert. But also, I'm really lazy and don't want to work with phyllo dough, especially not on a holiday.

There are always the someecards that talk about going on Pintrest to find a recipe to bake and then you end up spending hours on Pintrest and don't bake anything. For once, this did not happen to me, but I do have a tendency to get off track at times. I found this recipe after my mother asked me what I was going to bake for my grandmother's for Easter. [I happen to be designated family baker.]

I am a huge fan of cookie dough and cheesecake so what better to make than cookie dough cheesecake bars. While very involved, it is a delicious recipe. I did alter it a little because the cookie dough says not to use any egg, but to me, that does not make sense and it is difficult for the dough to keep together, but maybe they wanted it to be like that on purpose. Whichever the reason, mine came out fine so it doesn't matter anyway!

Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars

Ingredients:

[crust]
1 1/2 cups graham crackers crumbs
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
[chocolate chip cookie dough]
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
[cheesecake filling]
10 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line an eight inch square baking pan with parchment paper or foil, allowing a little to overhand, and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside. [I don't like to line my baking dishes because everything comes out looking strangely shaped. I just buttered a casserole dish a per my usual method.]

Mix the melted butter and graham cracker crumbs [I crumbled them in a food processor.] until thoroughly combined. Press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 6 minutes. Remove pan to a cooking rack. Do not turn off the oven.

While the crust is cooling, prepare the chocolate chip cookie dough. In a bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt, and vanilla until smooth and thoroughly combined, about 1 minute. Mix in the flour on low speed and mix until just incorporated. Add egg until dough comes together. Mix in the chocolate chips then set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixed, mix together cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Mix in the egg and vanilla on low until just incorporated. Pour the cheesecake batter into the prepared crust. Smooth out to cover the entire crust. Using your hand to form clumps of cookie dough. Flatten the clumps of dough in your palms to flatten them out a bit. Distribute the cookie dough on top of the cheesecake batter. Be sure to use all of the dough. You will cover most of the cheesecake batter. [To make it a little more chocolatey, you can sprinkle some extra chocolate chips on the batter.]

Bake for about 30 minutes until the top feels dry and firm [the cookie dough layer] and the entire pan looks set if given a gentle shake. [I stuck a toothpick in it to see if the cheesecake layer was done. It will come out clean if it is baked all the way through.]

Just for the record, my house smells absolutely amazing right now. Even when I was baking the graham cracker crust my house smelled like heaven. Add chocolate and cheesecake. Ultimate deliciousness.

 

I will post a picture of them actually cut them. I'm really excited to try one! Yum!



Upcoming Projects

So it's not that I haven't been baking lately. Just all I seem to be baking is the M&M sugar cookie bars that I made in my last entry.

I actually have a batch in the oven right now for my mother. I think this is my new staple considering she usually asks me to make cream cheese brownies, which is a half day project half of the time. What's so great about the sugar cookie bars is that they are delicious but take about 15 minutes to prepare. Though binge watching all three seasons of The Walking Dead on Netflix is a food deterrent.

But I figured I would give an update on what is coming up. I still have a few older recipes that still have to be posted, but I have a few new recipes that I'm excited to try. One of the boys I work with suggested I make popovers and I found a great recipe for them along with strawberry butter.

I also plan on making Nutella Rugelach, which is made in the form of a crescent by rolling a triangle of dough around a filling. I also plan on starting this adventure soon: http://www.buzzfeed.com/tashweenali/bite-size-desserts

Bite-sized desserts! Yay! I'm very much looking forward to making baklava cups. I haven't eaten baklava in ages, but it's delicious and very fun to eat.

I have another work friend's birthday coming up soon as well, so maybe I'll make that. Thus ends the random update. New recipes to come soon!