Applesauce Cupcakes

Applesauce Cupcakes  are the taste of fall! These cupcakes made with applesauce AND apple juice for extra apple flavor are soft, tender, and moist cupcakes. Applesauce Cupcakes are EASY to make and delicious too! Perfect for fall.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cupcakes

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cupcakes My hubs loves chocolate chip cookies! He is always asking me to make them, but it gets kind of boring always making the same thing - you know.  In an attempt to mix things up a bit, I decided to try making a cupcake that looks and tastes like a chocolate chip cookie and according to Don, I was successful!  I made these yesterday and when he came home he said "ooooooooh!!" As he's downing his first one. Then he said all surprised like "Wow, that is really good!"  as if it wasn't going to be good! Sheesh!  He ate another right away! and then when we got home late last night, he ate two more!!  Me thinks he likes 'em haha Guess what he had for breakfast this morning?? He's a monster! A cupcake monster!! Luckily I took 1/2 of them over to his mom's house, so there are only two left. Scratch that...he ate one when he got home - there's one lone cupcake left and that poor thing will not make it through the night haha Ingredients 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened 3/4 cup light brown sugar 2 large eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup milk 1/2 cup chocolate chips Directions Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line cupcake pan with liners (makes 12-14).  In a large bowl mix 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Mix well and set aside. In a mixing bowl, cream 3/4 cup butter with an electric mixer on mid-high speed. Add 3/4 cup light brown sugar and beat until mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in 2 eggs one at a time, mixing after each egg and scraping bowl as needed. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla and mix until combined. Add flour mixture and milk alternately, beating just until combined after each addition. You should start with flour mixture and end with flour mixture until all ingredients are just combined. Try not to over-mix. Fold in the chocolate chips and divide batter evenly among cupcake liners, filling 3/4 full. Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 mins until the tops spring back when lightly pressed. Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. I topped these with a marshmallow meringue frosting because the cupcake is rich just like a chocolate chip cookie. I didn't want to take away from the wonderful flavor of the cupcake, so using this simple frosting works great! Also, I didn't have ingredients to make a butter-cream or cream cheese frosting, so I went with what I had :)

Marshmallow Meringue

3 egg whites
1 cup sugar

Mix 3 egg whites and 1 cup sugar in a bowl. Mix this well.  Heat a pan on the stove. When heated, add the egg white mixture and stir constantly until warmed and all the sugar is dissolved. You don't want to scramble the eggs, but you do need to be sure all the sugar grains are dissolved. The mixture should be warm to the touch and should not feel grainy. Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl. Using the whisk attachment, whisk the whites on the highest setting until stiff peaks form. This will take about 6-8 minutes. Frost as desired. Top with mini chocolate chips. You can toast the marshmallow meringue by popping the cupcakes under the broiler for about 30 seconds - 1 minute. Watch them closely so they don't burn. Toast them to your liking and enjoy!

Chocolate Cupcakes with Toasted Marshmallow Meringue Frosting

Chocolate Cupcakes with Toasted Marshmallow Meringue Frosting are really delish and you only need 1 bowl to make 'em!! How awesome is that?? This is the moistest cupcake and full of chocolaty flavor! It's our fave! Even Don gobbles these up and ask for me, and he says he doesn't like chocolate <smile>

Harvest Pumpkin Cupcakes, Pretzel Bread, and Table Decor Tips

Don and I traveled to Tallahassee this past weekend to see our girl.  She was riding in the first show of the season at FSU, and we wanted to be there to support her and the team.  Madison won her class! She pointed out of her division and qualified for the Regional show at the end of the year!  Way to go Mads!! The team did very well all around. Everyone came home with a ribbon, and they were high point team for the day!  Go Bees!! Thank you FSU and Little Pond Farm for hosting a great show!!

Last year we were fortunate to be able to attend all the shows with the exception of one. We always made sure to bring goodies for the team, so they've come to look forward to seeing us. This mom knows how to get in good with these college kids <big grin>

When it comes to setting out food for a crowd, I always like to make the table look pretty. I keep a storage bin ready to go with table linens, napkins, plates, utensils, etc.  I toss in some seasonal or team related decorations and I'm always ready for a party!

This past weekend we took along some fall decorations for the table as well as made sure to have some black and yellow accents for the team colors. The fondant bees add a nice touch as well - SCAD's mascot is a Bee (Art the Bee)

Most decorations I find at the dollar store, so I don't spend a lot. To save money on table linens I buy discount fabric and I use iron on fabric tape to create hems. It is cheap and easy for this non-sewing girl!  Another money saving tip is to be on the lookout for baskets that go on clearance. They are a quick and easy way to dress up a table and the goodies. They travel well too!

 

The table looked so festive

Harvest Pumpkin Cupcakes!

These pumpkin cupcakes are easy to make and delicious. They taste just like a pumpkin pie! I cheated a little and purchased some buttercream frosting from the bakery. Because these were going to be outside the cream cheese frosting wouldn't hold up, but I look forward to making these again with the frosting that is in the recipe - it sounds like a perfect pairing!!

So happy to be partnering with Karo Syrup this month for my allrecipes.com Brand Ambassador program! Karo Syrup, Argo, and Fleischmann's brands are making for a very tasty month!!

I also made these yummy pretzel rolls as part of my monthly activities. These are perfect for sandwiches and they traveled well too! 

They are fairly easy to make using Fleischmann's Rapid Rise Yeast. TIP: Don't skip the boiling part - it is essential to getting the pretzel flavor in these rolls! Also, be sure to measure the water and baking soda according to the amounts in the recipe. If you use less water these will turn out too salty. If you use less baking soda they won't have that salty pretzely flavor

this is Mikey. Because we had a table full of food - he decided to be our friend for the day!

High Point Team!

Fondant Bees for the SCAD Bees

As an Allrecipes.com Allstar I have some activities to work through each month to fulfill my commitment. One of the activities this month was to make, review, and photograph something that tastes like summer. I chose these Neapolitan Cupcakes because ice cream is a real summer treat and these just sounded really good.  Also, this particular recipe needed a photograph so I thought it was a good choice!

It was a good choice alright! These were easy to make, and Don said they really do taste like Neapolitan Ice Cream! I didn't believe him - I thought he was just trying to be the sweet hubs he is. So I had to try one for myself. I ended up trying to be good and only ate 1/2 of one and you know what?  He wasn't just being sweet (I should have known better haha)!  They really DO taste like Neapolitan Ice Cream!  Very cool!

They turned out so pretty too!

  

...off to eat that other half!!

Neapolitan Cupcakes

By Life Tastes Good
Published 06/23/2012

Ingredients

• 1 (19.8 ounce) package brownie mix
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 (18.25 ounce) package strawberry cake mix
• 1 cup water
• 3 eggs
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 8 ounces confectioner's sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and line a muffin tin with cupcake liners (about 24).
2. Combine brownie mix with 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 2 eggs, and 1/4 cup water. Mix until combined. Set aside.
3. In a separate bowl, combine strawberry cake mix with 1 cup water, 3 eggs, and 1/3 cup vegetable oil. Beat on low for about 30 seconds and then on medium for about 2 minutes.
4. Fill 1/3 of each of the cupcake liners with brownie mix. Top the brownie mix with strawberry cake mix so the cupcake liners are 2/3 full. You will have cake mix leftover. I like to freeze it to make another batch later. It freezes well.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for about 18-20 minutes or until the cupcake tops spring back when lightly pressed.
6. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes and then remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack.
7. Beat 3/4 cup softened butter until creamy. Add 1 cup confectioner's sugar and beat until combined. Turn mixer speed to high and beat until fluffy. Keep adding confectioner's sugar until desired taste and consistency is achieved. Add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and beat until combined.
8. Pipe icing onto cooled cupcakes and enjoy!

Yield: about 24 cupcakes
Prep Time: 20 mins.

Cook time: 18 mins.
Total time: 38 mins.
Tags: cupcakes, dessert, snack, party, summer, strawberry, brownies

recipe inspired by Allrecipes Neapolitan Cupcakes

Chocolate Chip Pistachio Cupcakes

My sweet hubs has developed a sweet tooth! He never used to have cravings for sweets.  When we were a young couple I was working full time and didn't cook or bake all that much.  About once a month I would make brownies, and that was a real treat!  

Come to think of it, we really didn't eat at home all that much back then. I was working the 2nd shift at the police department, and Don was going to fire school during the day.  He used to meet me for dinner - we would often meet at the Pizza Hut for a quick bite on my dinner break.

  

It wasn't until Madison was born that we started eating at home.  

Madison started helping me in the kitchen at a very young age. She took to it right away - it doesn't seem like all that long ago she was standing on a chair flipping pancakes! So it was no surprise when she started baking and creating original recipes. Madison really knows how to make a yummy cupcake, and don't get me started on her pies!! 

 Being the good dad he is, Don happily tasted all of her creations!  This MUST be how he developed a taste (addiction) for sweets! The past couple days the cupboards have been bare and each night I hear "What do we have sweet to eat?"  I got tired of hearing it, so today I made some cupcakes for him. I'm sure they pale in comparison to Madison's Oreo Cupcakes, but beggars can't be choosers!

I did this despite the fact that I am trying to cut out the carbs to lose some pounds!  That is LOVE!  I think he appreciated the effort though, he snatched up a cupcake as soon as they came out of the oven! 

Chocolate Chip Pistachio Cupcakes

Cupcake

1 box Yellow Cake Mix

3 whole Eggs

1/2 cup Oil

3/4 cup Buttermilk

3/4 cup Sour Cream

1 Vanilla Bean split and scraped (or 1 teaspoon vanilla)

1/2 cup Mini Chocolate Chips

1/2 cup Pistachios, shelled and chopped

Line cupcake pan with cupcake liners (makes 20-24 cupcakes). Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl combine eggs, oil, buttermilk, sour cream, and seeds from vanilla bean. Mix well. Add cake mix and mix until just combined. Gently mix in mini chocolate chips and chopped pistachios. Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full and bake for 15-17 minutes until the tops bounce back when lightly pressed. Cool completely.

Icing

4 ozs Cream Cheese

1 stick of Butter (1/2 cup)

1 vanilla bean, split and scraped for the seeds (or 1 teaspoon vanilla)

1 cup Confectioner's Sugar

In mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and butter about 2 minutes, until light and airy. Add vanilla. Reduce speed to low and add sugar about 1/3 cup at a time and mix well. Ice cupcakes and decorate with chopped pistachios.

Banana Cupcakes

My sweet mother-in-law always brings me lots of fruit whenever I host a dinner for the family, and she did not disappoint on our Easter gathering.  She showed up with bunches of beautiful fruit! I don't know what I was thinking when I bought a big bunch of bananas the day of our gathering - clearly I wasn't thinking!  I guess the mind goes first...  As you can imagine we had a houseful of bananas this Easter, and I'm not just talking about the fruit!  (just joking Myers' family - heehee)

Now, the way we go through bananas in this house you'd think I'm living with monkeys! (hmmm...that could explain a lot of things)  Anyhoo, having all those bananas wouldn't normally be a problem.  That particular week, however, we had plans to go out of town, and being the conservative that I am I did not want those bananas to go to waste.  I just knew I could find something yummy to create with them...... later, so I popped them in the freezer - peel and all!  

Today I dragged those bananas out and made the most delicious cupcakes!  I don't know if this is a fact, but somehow the bananas seem to have more flavor for baking after they've been in the freezer - maybe it's just my imagination, but it works for me!

Banana Cupcakes

1 box yellow cake mix

1/2 cup flour

3 ripe bananas

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

3 eggs

1/3 cup oil

3/4 cup buttermilk

3/4 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and line muffin pans with cupcake liners (24)

In a large bowl whisk eggs, oil, buttermilk, sour cream, and vanilla. Mash bananas and add to the egg mixture - stir to combine. Add cake mix and flour to the wet ingredients and stir just enough to combine. Fill liners about 2/3 full and bake for 18-20 minutes until the tops bounce back when lightly pressed. Remove from oven and let cool in pan about 10 mins - then remove from pans and cool on baking rack.

Icing

6 oz Cream Cheese, softened (don't use the light or fat free - go all out - it is icing afterall)

1/2 cup butter, softened 

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2-3 cups powdered sugar

Beat butter and cream cheese until well combined - about 3 minutes. Add the vanilla, and then slowly add the sugar 1/2 cup at a time until desired consistency and taste.  If it gets too thick you can thin the icing by adding a little bit of milk until you reach a good consistency.

When the cupcakes are cooled, pipe the icing onto the cupcakes and decorate as you please.  Enjoy!

As you can see in the picture I also made some donut muffins (aka CrackCakes as they are known in my house)!  These little muffins don't last long around here - they really are addictive!

This recipe adapted from Easy Banana Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache - be sure to browse yourcupofcake.com  for the most wonderful cupcake recipes of all flavors!

S'Mores Cupcakes

Today I woke up early and started these S'mores Cupcakes before work.  I wanted to get the cupcake part finished, so I could whip up the chocolate glaze and the marshmallow meringue after work.  Then I would only have to assemble and package them up to take to the hospital.  The staff on the 5th floor are all so wonderful!  They have been so kind and so attentive to my father-in-law. We so appreciate all the good care he is receiving.  That being said...we will be MOST happy when he is able to come home.  There is positive progress and hopefully he will be sprung soon!

Recipe source: S'mores Cupcakes

Graham Cracker Base 
3 cups graham cracker crumbs 
1/2 cup granulated sugar 

10 tablespoons butter, melted 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Line a cupcake pan with baking cups (24).

In a large bowl, stir together graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter until evenly coated. Place a tablespoon of the mixture in the bottom of each baking cup. Using a glass about the size of the base of the cupcake press down the graham cracker crumbs until they form a solid crust.

Chocolate Cupcakes

1 box devil’s food cake mix

1 cup sour cream

3 eggs

¼ cup milk

½ cup water

½ cup oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

Whisk eggs, sour cream, milk, water, oil, and vanilla together. Add cake mix and stir until well blended. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full. I use an ice cream scoop to spoon batter into cupcake liners. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until the top bounces back when lightly pressed. 

Chocolate Glaze
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped or use semisweet chips
4 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon light corn syrup

In a saucepan melt together the chocolate, butter, and corn syrup over medium heat and stir until completely combined. Remove from heat and allow to cool for about 30 minutes until chocolate thickens. Stir occasionally.

Marshmallow Meringue
4 egg whites
1 cup granulated sugar

Mix the egg whites and sugar in a bowl while heating a saucepan on low.  Place the egg mixture into warmed pan, remove from heat and whisk.  You will be putting this on and off the heat until the mixture is warm to the touch and all the sugar is dissolved.  We aren't trying to scramble the eggs here, so be careful with the heat.  This is best done in a double boiler like so: whisk together the egg whites and sugar until the sugar is completely dissolved and the egg whites are warm to the touch, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from the heat, transfer to a medium mixing bowl, and beat the egg whites until they form stiff, shiny peaks, about 5-8 minutes.

Assemble
Spread a thick layer of chocolate glaze on top of the cupcake being sure to get it all the way to the edge - yummm! Let set for a few minutes.

Fill a pastry bag or a plastic baggie (just snip off the corner) with the marshmallow meringue and pipe the meringue on top of the cupcake.  Turn the oven onto broil and place the cupcakes on a cookie sheet in the top shelf of the oven. Leave the door open and watch them closely! It will only take a minute (maybe even less) to get a nice toasty marshmallow look, so don't plan on doing anything else while these are under the broiler or you will ruin your cupcakes and that would be very, very sad!  Of course if you are lucky enough to have a kitchen torch then you can just torch the tops until nicely browned. I keep meaning to order one, although I think I might be dangerous!  HA!

I have my eyes on a Banana Cupcake recipe I think I will try to make next!  My mother-in-law brought me some bananas on Easter that got put in the freezer so they wouldn't spoil. I've been looking for things to make with my Easter bananas!

Lemon Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Lemon Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting are dressed up cake mix cupcakes. They are super easy to make and bursting with lemon flavor!!

Before Madison went off to college, we had a going away party for her. She was leaving early for pre-season with the equestrian team, so we wanted to make sure she got to say to goodbye to everyone before she left. Her team colors are black and yellow, so that was the theme of the party. 

I made these Lemon Cupcakes for the yellow part of the dessert table. They looked great on the table and everyone raved about them. Who doesn't love a good lemon cupcake??

Today, I made these cupcakes again for the hospital staff caring for my father-in-law. He has been in the hospital for a few days and they are taking such good care of him. The staff work so hard, I wanted to do something for them to show them how much we appreciate all their kindness. Plus, it's a good idea to be nice to the people who are watching over your loved one. The doctors and nurses will remember it and many times will give a little extra care and attention. These cupcakes sure got my father-in-law some extra visitors! Many of the staff on the floor stopped in to say thank you and that put a smile on his face! And now they call me the 'Cupcake Lady' on the 5th floor of our hospital :o)