Cupcakes
Strawberry Margarita Cupcakes
May 1, 2013 | 
Author I have a bad habit of forgetting about Cinco de Mayo every year because my birthday is the day before and it is also Star Wars Day (may the fourth be with you). I pretty much have the most amazing birthday ever, right? But when I was contacted by Karla of Truco Enterprises recently, asking if I’d like to try out any On The Border products, I knew it was a sign that I wouldn’t be missing out on posting any recipes for the holiday this year.
Of course, the first thing I was drawn to was the strawberry margarita mix. What’s Cinco de Mayo without a good margarita in hand? As a bonus, On The Border’s margarita mixes are made with all natural flavors and juices, setting them apart from many other manufacturers. After seeing many different margarita cupcake recipes, I knew I had to try making a strawberry margarita cupcake with their mix. And I have to say, they taste fantastic and look brilliant! I even gave them a sugar rim just like the drink itself. Obviously these are not kid friendly cupcakes since they do contain small amounts of tequila, but you can substitute with extra margarita mix if you want a “virgin” cupcake.
These are actually displayed in a huge margarita glass that I own, and will likely need to fill it up with the actual strawberry margarita beverage with the remaining mix on Sunday! Yummy 
STRAWBERRY MARGARITA CUPCAKES
Makes 12 cupcakes
Ingredients:
CUPCAKES
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
3 Tbsp pureed, thawed frozen sweetened strawberries
1/4 cup On The Border Strawberry Margartia Mix (regular also works)
2 Tbsp tequila
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup buttermilk
BRUSH
1-2 Tbsp tequila
FROSTING
2 Tbsp pureed, thawed frozen sweetened strawberries
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2-1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 Tbsp On The Border Strawberry Margartia Mix (regular also works)
1/2 Tbsp tequila
Pinch of salt
GARNISH
1/4 cup crystal sugar sprinkles mixed with 1/4 tsp salt
Lime wedges
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line a standard muffin tin with paper liners; set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.
- In an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the butter and sugar together until pale, light, and fluffy (about 5 minutes).
- Reduce the mixer speed to medium and add the eggs one at at time, mixing thoroughly after each addition.
- Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the strawberry puree, margarita mix, tequila and vanilla extract. Mix until combined. (The mixture may start to look curdled at this point, but don’t worry)
- Reduce the mixer speed low. Add the dry ingredients in three batches, alternating with the buttermilk in two batches. Mix only until just incorporated, using a rubber spatula to give it one last mix by hand.
- Divide the batter between the muffin cups. Bake for approximately 25 minutes or until just slightly golden and a skewer shows only moist crumbs attached, rotating the pan at the halfway point.
- Allow cupcakes to cool for 5 to 10 minutes, and then remove to a cooling rack. Brush the tops of the cupcakes with the 1 to 2 tablespoons of tequila. Set the cupcakes aside to cool completely before frosting them.
- To make the frosting, whip the strawberry puree and butter on medium-high speed of an electric mixer using the whisk attachment for 5 minutes. Reduce the speed to medium-low, and gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing and scraping the sides of the bowl until all is incorporated. Give it a mix on medium speed for about 30 seconds. Add the margarita mix, tequila, salt and mix on medium-high speed until incorporated and fluffy. If the frosting appears a bit too soft, add some additional sugar, one spoonful at a time until desired consistency is reached.
- Frost cupcakes by first piping a circle around the edges. Dip the frosted edges iton the sugar/salt mixture, then finish frosting and garnish with a lime wedge.
Source: Adapted from Brown Eyed Baker, with inspiration from Confessions of a Cookbook Queen and Love From The Oven.
Disclosure: I was provided with a complimentary bottle of On The Border’s Strawberry Margarita Mix by Truco Enterprises. I was not compensated for this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Strawberry Stuffed Cupcakes
Just in time for Easter weekend, I present to you this fun and easy cupcake. You all know how much I love stuffing cookies and cupcakes with various truffles and what not, but this time I went with something more natural – a whole strawberry! It is a basic white cupcake that gets a small part of it cored after baking in order to fit the strawberry inside. Then top it off with some fresh strawberry buttercream and you’ve got one heck of a spring-time cupcake.
After celebrating Passover with my brother’s in-laws this past weekend, I don’t have much planned for Easter this weekend. I am working a regular day in the lab today, and am going to a Circa Survive concert tonight. Not exactly festive, but still fun! I will be attending my friend’s annual Easter brunch on Sunday so maybe I can bust out some bunny ears for that 
.
Two years ago: Eggplant Parmesan
STRAWBERRY STUFFED CUPCAKES
Makes 12 cupcakes
Ingredients:
CUPCAKES
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
Pinch salt
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 egg whites
1 tsp almond extract
2/3 cup buttermilk
FROSTING & FILLING
2 sticks (8 oz.) unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
4 cups (1 lb.) powdered sugar
1/4 cup pureed strawberries (about 1/2 cup whole strawberries)
12 whole strawberries, hulled
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin pan with paper liners.
- In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat together sugar and butter until well combined. Add egg whites, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in almond extract. Alternatively beat in flour mixture and buttermilk, making three additions of lour mixture and two of buttermilk, beating until smooth.
- Scoop batter into prepared pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until tops of cupcakes spring back when lightly touched. Let cool in pan on rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and let cool completely on rack.
- While the cupcakes are cooling, make the frosting. In a medium bowl, beat the butter until creamy then add the powdered sugar, lemon juice, sea salt and pureed strawberries. Continue beating until very light and fluffy.
- Using a paring knife, carve out a portion from the top of the cupcake resembling an upside-down cone (sized to fit the strawberries). Insert strawberries, pointed end down. Pipe or spread frosting on each cupcake. Enjoy!
Source: Cupcakes adapted from 150 Best Cupcake Recipes, page 85 (gifted to me from Carla). Frosting adapted from Eat, Live, Run.
Posted in Cupcakes, Desserts, Easter, Holidays | 
Tags: almond extract, buttermilk, powdered sugar, strawberries | 
11 Comments »
Review: Wilton’s Two-Tone Cupcake Pan Set & Hidden Pot o’ Gold Cupcakes
I have shared quite a few stuffed cupcakes on this blog of mine. Today you get to see what happens when Wilton and I team up because their latest creation is a Two-Tone Cupcake Pan Set, allowing you to create a perfect center of colored batter inside of a cupcake of another color. Imagine all the festive possibilities! With that thought in mind I decided to go all out for a St. Patrick’s Day cupcake, but before I get too excited about those awesome cupcakes let’s talk about this two-tone cupcake pan set (you can also purchase the insert alone in case you already have a fully stocked baking arsenal).
Normally, you would mix up a batch of your favorite cupcake batter. But before coloring, reserve about a cup of the batter in a separate bowl for the cupcake centers. Then color the outside or inside batter however you please. The insert fits right into three cavities of a regular cupcake pan (I even checked with a non-Wilton pan to make sure), and then you either spoon (if you batter is more runny) or pipe (for thicker batter) into the appropriate sections (2/3 full) for how you would like your cupcakes to appear. Once all three are filled, you simply lift it straight up, hold it just slightly off the top of the batter to let it drip and then transfer it to the next row and repeat!
However, I decided to make things more difficult on myself by using a chocolate batter for the outside and yellow on the inside. As you can imagine, it’s a little difficult to dye a brown batter to yellow. As a result I ended up with slightly more batter than needed and filled up my cupcakes 3/4 full (as you can see) instead of the recommended 2/3. They baked perfectly fine but came out with slightly higher domes than normal. Also, the two batters were slightly different in consistency – The yellow was slightly thicker but again this didn’t cause any problems with the end product. That being said, one thing I recommend doing before filling in your cupcakes is to spray the insert with nonstick spray, especially if your batter is thick! Otherwise it will stick and you won’t get your perfectly shaped centers.
Now, can we please talk about how freaking adorable these cupcakes are!? When they existed in my brain they weren’t nearly as cute as they turned out to be in real life. And before I even made them, I had a difficult time deciding on a name for them: “Follow the Rainbow Cupcakes” or “Hidden Pot o’ Gold Cupcakes”? Obviously you can see which one won, and I chose it because I felt it fit the theme of using the two-tone insert. These cupcakes have a chocolate stout outside batter, and a yellow-dyed vanilla inside (hence “hidden” pot of gold). For the clouds, I dotted on a Bailey’s frosting and then dusted with powdered sugar to make it look more puffy and cloud-like. Top it off with a rainbow striped candy and viola! You have a full rainbow cascading over some pretty, delicious clouds.
Thank you Wilton for yet another awesome baking tool! I’m absolutely in love with the cupcakes I made (they’re so cute it hurts) and I definitely see more two-tone cupcakes in my future. But what I am most thankful for is that the insert it is top-rack dishwasher safe because hand washing after getting nonstick spray and batter all over it would be a challenge in order to get it out of all the crevices.
One year ago: Split-Pea Soup
Two years ago: Creamy Baked Chicken Taquitos
HIDDEN POT O’ GOLD CUPCAKES
Makes 12 cupcakes
Ingredients:
CUPCAKES
1/2 cup stout (such as Guinness)
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
6 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg
1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
FILLING
4 Tbsp (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg white
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
Yellow food coloring
2 Tbsp plain Greek yogurt
6 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
Pinch salt
FROSTING
8 Tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2-1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp Bailey’s Irish Cream
Extra powdered sugar for dusting
4 strips of Airheads Extremes rainbow berry sour candy, cut into thirds
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cupcake tin with 12 liners and lightly coat cupcake inset with nonstick cooking spray, set aside.
- To make the cupcakes: Bring stout and butter to simmer in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.
- Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in large bowl to blend. Using an electric mixer, beat egg and Greek yogurt in a small bowl to blend. Add to the stout-chocolate mixture and beat just to combine. Add flour mixture and beat briefly on slow speed. Using rubber spatula, fold batter until completely combined.
- For the filling: In another medium bowl, beat together with an electric mixer the butter and sugar. After a few minutes when the mixture is fully incorporated and fluffy, add in the egg white, vanilla extract, food coloring, and Greek yogurt. Once the wet ingredients are thoroughly incorporated, add in the flour, baking soda and pinch of salt then beat together but do not over mix.
- Place cupcake insert into first row of baking cups; fill center 3/4 full with yellow batter. Fill remaining outside cup 3/4 full with chocolate batter. Remove insert. Repeat with remaining baking cups. Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until cake tester or toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
- While the cupcakes cool, prepare the frosting. Beat butter and vanilla together. Add sugar slowly and beat until combined. Scrape down the sides and add Bailey’s. Mix until smooth and creamy.
- To make the frosting cloud-like, use a decorating bag fitted with wide round tip and pipe large random dots of frosting around the cupcake. Sift a little powdered sugar on top so the frosting looks fluffier. Top with rainbow candy.
Source: Cupcakes adapted from Tracey’s Culinary Adventures. Filling adapted from from Dessert for Two. Frosting adapted from Bakerella.
Disclosure: I received a complimentary Two-Tone Cupcake Pan Set from Wilton. I was not compensated for this post. Thoughts and opinions are my own.
Posted in Cupcakes, Desserts, Holidays, St. Patrick's Day | Tags: Baileys, cocoa, Greek yogurt, Guinness, powdered sugar | 6 Comments »
Skinny Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirl Cupcakes
I feel like my baking rate has gone down significantly, which is likely due to trying not have as many sweets lying about to tempt me. But when I saw these skinny cupcakes on Sally’s Baking Addiction, I knew they were destined to be made in my oven. After all, I never miss an opportunity for some peanut butter and chocolate lovin’. However, even thought they are titled as “cupcakes” I actually ate them more often in the morning than as a dessert. So they can either be a treatful breakfast, or a healthier dessert.
Two years ago: Irish Car Bomb Brownies
SKINNY CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER SWIRL CUPCAKES
Makes 12 cupcakes
Ingredients:
2 large very ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)
1/2 cup sugar
2 egg whites
3/4 cup Greek yogurt (I used 0% vanilla Chobani)
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup white whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter, melted
1/3 cup peanut butter chips
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a muffin tin with baking cups. Set aside.
- In a large bowl stir together the banana, sugar, egg whites, Greek yogurt, and vanilla extract.
- In a medium bowl, sift together the flours, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Slowly stir into the wet ingredients, being careful not to overmix. Fold in chocolate chips.
- Divide the batter between the 12 muffin cups. Take 1 teaspoon of melted peanut butter and spoon it on top of the batter. Swirl it around with a knife or a toothpick. Sprinkle with peanut butter chips. Repeat with remaining cupcakes.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Allow muffins to cool for 3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Muffins stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Source: Sally’s Baking Addiction
Posted in Breakfast, Cupcakes, Desserts, Muffins | Tags: bananas, cocoa, dark chocolate, Greek yogurt, peanut butter, whole wheat | 11 Comments »
Buckeye Cupcakes
Alright folks, the moment has finally arrived. THE Game! Today we finish off our season right with a match up against our rival, M*chigan (no that is not a typo, I am bleeping out a bad word). Since we are ineligible to proceed into the B1G championship game or to a BCS bowl, this will sadly be our last game of the season. Too bad, since we are ranked #4 in the AP Poll and with the implosion that was last weekend we may have advanced even higher (obviously I have high expectations for our game today). Alas, maybe next year…
For this once-a-year event, I had to make something super special for the last Peanut Butter & Chocolate Saturday. Chocolate cupcakes stuffed with buckeye candies, topped with peanut butter frosting and a miniature buckeye candy on top – BOOM! They are outstandingly wonderful and therefore incredibly dangerous. Hopefully I won’t need to take out any emotional trauma, because my already limited self control will be completely lacking in order to prevent me eating more than one, or two, or ten…
GO BUCKS!
One year ago: Apple Blackberry Pie
Two years ago: Cranberry Sauce
BUCKEYE CUPCAKES
Makes 12 cupcakes
Ingredients:
CUPCAKES
8 Tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
2 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup cocoa powder
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup (4 oz.) plain Greek yogurt (I used 0% Chobani)
12 buckeye candies, plus more for topping (I made mini ones for the top)
PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter
5 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup heavy cream
Directions:
- To make the Cupcakes: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat to 350 degrees F. (If you are using a non-stick muffin pan, heat the oven to 325 degrees.) Line standard-size muffin pan with baking cup liners.
- Combine butter, chocolate, and cocoa in medium heatproof bowl. Set bowl over saucepan containing barely simmering water; heat mixture until butter and chocolate are melted and whisk until smooth and combined. (Alternately, you can microwave the mixture at 50% power, stirring every 30 seconds until completely melted.) Set aside to cool until just warm to the touch.
- Whisk flour, baking soda, and baking powder in small bowl to combine.
- Whisk eggs in second medium bowl to combine; add sugar, vanilla, and salt until fully incorporated. Add cooled chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. Sift about one-third of flour mixture over chocolate mixture and whisk until combined; whisk in Greek yogurt until combined, then sift remaining flour mixture over and whisk until batter is homogeneous and thick.
- Divide half the batter evenly among muffin pan cups. Place a buckeye in the center of each and cover with remaining batter. Bake until skewer inserted into center of cupcakes comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes.
- Cool cupcakes in muffin pan on wire rack until cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes. Carefully lift each cupcake from muffin pan and set on wire rack. Cool to room temperature before icing, about 30 minutes.
- To make the Peanut Butter Frosting: Place the confectioners’ sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium-low speed until creamy, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula as you work. Add the cream and beat on high speed until the mixture is light and smooth.
- Frost cupcakes, and top with additional buckeye candies.
Source: Adapted slightly from Brown Eyed Baker.
Posted in Cupcakes, Desserts, Sports Events | Tags: buckeye, chocolate, cocoa, Greek yogurt, heavy cream, peanut butter, powdered sugar | 11 Comments »
Chocolate S’mores Cupcakes
When I set out to make these cupcakes I had planned to make these s’mores cupcakes, but while searching on Tracey’s Culinary Adventures I wasn’t aware that she had 2 other s’mores cupcake recipes! Don’t even get me started on all the bars, cookies and other s’mores delights she has shared as well. But as a result, I accidentally used a different recipe than originally intended. I didn’t recognize the switch until my plans to cut the recipe in half and only make 12 were ruined by odd values of things (such as 1 egg yolk). Luckily for me (and my friend the-birthday-girl for whom I baked these), the cupcakes were everything I had hoped for and therefore 24 were very much so welcomed.
CHOCOLATE S’MORES CUPCAKES
Makes 24 cupcakes
BASE
1-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 large Hershey’s milk chocolate bar
CUPCAKES
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/4 cups cocoa powder
2-1/2 cups sugar
2-1/2 tsp baking soda
1-1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 eggs, plus 1 egg yolk
1-1/4 cups milk
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1-1/4 cups warm water
TOPPING
24 large marshmallows
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with paper liners.
- Combine the graham cracker crumbs and melted butter in a small bowl. Mix to ensure all graham cracker crumbs are moistened. Add about a teaspoon to a teaspoon and a half of the mixture into the bottom of each paper-lined cup. Pat the mixture down to form a “crust” (a shot glass is an excellent tool for pressing the crust in!). Top each crust with a bit of the chopped chocolate.
- In a large bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Whisk together. In a medium bowl, whisk together all of the wet ingredients (eggs, milk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract and water). Add the combined wet ingredients to the bowl of dry ingredients and stir to combine until smooth.
- Top the graham cracker base and chopped chocolate with the cupcake batter. Fill each tin about three-quarters full. If you have graham cracker base remaining, sprinkle some over the top of each cupcake before they go in the oven. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the tops spring back when touched.
- Top with a marshmallow and broil in the oven until golden brown, watching the entire time to avoid burning (and to make sure no marshmallows roll off). To reheat, warm in the microwave for 10-15 seconds.
Source: Cupcakes from Tracey’s Culinary Adventures. Topping from Kevin & Amanda.
Posted in Cupcakes, Desserts | Tags: chocolate, cocoa, graham crackers, marshmallows, milk | 13 Comments »
Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes with Chocolate Cheesecake Frosting
Head on over to Culinary.net to check out these cupcakes that will remind you of chocolate covered strawberries!
FRESH STRAWBERRY CUPCAKES WITH CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE FROSTING
Source: Cupcakes and Frosting from How Sweet It Is.
One year ago: Pumpkin Spice Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Posted in Cupcakes, Desserts | Tags: cocoa, cream cheese, milk, powdered sugar, strawberries | 2 Comments »
Homemade Funfetti Cupcakes
The giveaway for Tate’s Bake Shop Cookie & Bar Tower has now ended!
Find out if you are a winner HERE.
How is it possible that this is the first time I’ve ever made regular homemade funfetti cupcakes? I say regular because I made a two-serving funfetti cupcake recipe for my birthday earlier this year, but it was stuffed with cake batter and topped with white chocolate peanut butter cream cheese frosting. Absolutely nothing wrong with that cupcake! But I decided it was time for the original funfetti to not come out of a box (even though I stock pile that stuff every time it goes on sale).
First question that came to mind while making these – I want to know how people mix in their sprinkles without the color spreading all over the place and therefore dying the cupcake batter. I fold as little and as delicately as possible, but in order to get them uniformly distributed I end up with streaks of color in the batter. Not that it was all that big of a deal, but seriously what kind of magic sprinkles does Pilsbury use in their boxed Funfetti mix that they don’t streak? I am a scientist and I must know!
But moving on. These cupcakes came out very pretty despite the defiance of the sprinkles. Funfetti just makes me so happy, and it was great to make them myself. I even went so far as to decorate a bit of frosting that accidentally landed on the counter when I was first squeezing the piping bag. Sometimes I make more of a mess before cleaning up, okay?
FYI: This recipe halves well if for some reason you only want 6 cupcakes.
One year ago: Red Beans and Rice
HOMEMADE FUNFETTI CUPCAKES
Makes 12 cupcakes
Ingredients:
CUPCAKES
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup milk
1/3 cup assorted brightly colored sprinkles + more for topping
VANILLA BUTTERCREAM
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
2-1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1 Tbsp of milk, if needed
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- For the cupcakes, cream butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until combined.
- Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. Add half of the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. Add the milk. Once mixed, add remaining dry ingredients. Fold in assorted sprinkles.
- Pour into cupcake tins and fill 2/3 of the way full. Bake for 18-20 minutes. Let cool completely.
- For the frosting, cream butter in the bowl of an electric mixture until completely smooth and creamy. With the mixer on low speed, add in powdered sugar slowly. Gradually increase mixer speed and add vanilla, then beat for 2-3 minutes, scraping down sides and bottom of the bowl.
- If frosting is too thick, add milk 1 teaspoon at a time until desired consistency is reached If it’s too thin, add sugar gradually until it thickens.
- Frost cupcakes and top with sprinkles.
Source: How Sweet It Is
Caramel Apple Cinnamon Roll Cupcakes
Every holiday comes with it’s own blend of specialty candies. However, it always seems like fall has the best variations. Even though I don’t favor Milky Way candy bars normally, when I saw this season’s caramel apple version I had to pick them up. But it took until now to figure out what to make with these fun treats. Why not stuff them into cinnamon rolls?
I wasn’t fully convinced on the apple flavor of the candies when I tried one by itself, so I went ahead and added in some real apple into the rolls as well. And then topped them off with a caramel glaze. It may still be reaching into 80 degree weather here, but it certainly tastes like fall with these cinnamon roll cupcakes.
While making these, I was almost certain I had killed the yeast with milk that was too hot, because it didn’t look like it was rising much. In the end they came out just fine! I really enjoyed these as individually portioned cupcakes too, but you could easily throw them all into a pan together like traditional cinnamon rolls. Also, I halved these from the original recipe, so feel free to double it back for a larger crowd!
CARAMEL APPLE CINNAMON ROLL CUPCAKES
Serves 12
Ingredients:
ROLLS
1 cups 2% milk
1/2 Tbsp active dry yeast
2 Tbsp + 2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
3-1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1 egg
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
FILLING
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1-1/2 Tbsp cinnamon
1/2 cup finely chopped tart apples
1 cup (about 16) chopped Milky Way caramel apple mini candy bars
TOPPING
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 Tbsp light corn syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp milk
Directions:
- In a small saucepan or a microwave oven, warm milk to about 110 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in the milk. Add salt and one cup of flour and beat for two minutes. Beat in egg and butter. Stir in the remaining flour a half cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic (about five minutes).
- Place the dough in a large bowl and cover it with a towel. Set in a warm place and allow to rise for 40 minutes or until approximately doubled in volume.’
- While waiting for it to rise, make the filling. In a medium-sized bowl, mix sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, apples and chopped candy bars.
- Roll out dough into a long rectangle (about 22″x10″) about 1/4” thick. Brush with about half of the melted butter.
- Spread the apple/candy bar mixture evenly over the dough, leaving about an inch empty on all sides.
- Roll dough over itself from back to front along the long side of the rectangle to form a log. Slice the log into 12 even pieces.
- Line cupcake tins with cupcake liners and place each piece of the log in a cupcake liner. If they don’t fit, fold the ends together to make a “C” shape. The pieces should come to about the top of the liners.
- Cover the cupcake tins and set in a warm place to rise for another 40 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Evenly distribute the remaining 1/4 cup of melted butter over the tops of the cupcakes. Bake for 20 minutes or until the tops are golden. Allow to cool for 5 minutes in the pan before removing to a wire rack.
- While the rolls are cooling, make the topping. In a small saucepan, cook brown sugar, butter, and corn syrup over medium heat for about 4 minutes or until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and milk. Allow to cool slightly before drizzling over rolls.
Source: Rolls adapted slightly from Pass the Sushi. Topping adapted from Confessions of a Cookbook Queen.
Guest Post: Mini Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecakes by Tracey’s Culinary Adventures
I am very excited to have Tracey from Tracey’s Culinary Adventures guest posting today. She is definitely one of my go-to food bloggers and there is absolutely no reason why you shouldn’t also follow her if you are not already. I remember the first tip Tracey gave me. I was attempting whoopie pies for the first time and couldn’t decide if I should buy the special pan for making them. But she suggested using a medium cookie scoop – and they came out perfect! I fell in love with my cookie scoop that day.
Tracey has also mastered my visual-taste buds on more than one occasion. From Garlic-Rubbed Grilled Cheese with Bacon and Tomatoes, to Cinnamon Toast Cloudcakes, and even a tutorial on How To: Homemade Gnocchi. Of course for my favorite meal of the day (dessert!) check out her Peanut Butter S’mores Brownies, Thousand-Layer Chocolate Chip Cookies, and this Strawberry Cream Cheese Crumble Tart. Yum!
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If you’ve been a reader of The Spiffy Cookie for a while, then you probably know there is no bigger fan of peanut butter than Erin. I can’t even begin to tell you how many of her peanut butter desserts I’ve bookmarked – Funfetti-peanut butter layer pie or peanut butter fudge brownie bricks, anyone? In my mind, it wasn’t even an option not to share a recipe that incorporated peanut butter in some way today!
Mini Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecakes
adapted from Paula Deen (via FoodNetwork.com)
Crust
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (from about 12 whole graham crackers)
3 tablespoons sugar
pinch salt
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
Filling
12 miniature peanut butter cups
2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs, at room temperature
Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a muffin pan with paper liners.
To make the crust: Using a fork, stir the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, salt and butter together in a medium bowl until the crumbs are evenly moistened. Place about 2 tablespoons of the mixture in each well, and press into the bottom to form the crust (you can use a shot glass or similar small glass to help if necessary). Place 1 miniature peanut butter cup on the top of each crust (I put the wider end down, but I don’t think it matters).
To make the filling: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer until light and fluffy (I used a hand mixer, but you could do this in a stand mixer too). Add the sugar, flour and vanilla and beat until well combined and smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until each is completely incorporated. Divide the cheesecake batter evenly among the wells of the muffin pan (about 1/4 cup each). You can fill the wells all the way to the top. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the cheesecakes are just barely set. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and allow the cheesecakes to cool completely. Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Serve garnished with chopped peanut butter cups, whipped cream and chocolate sauce, if desired
Makes 12 mini cheesecakes
Posted in Cheesecake, Cupcakes, Desserts | Tags: cream cheese, graham crackers, peanut butter | 23 Comments »
