My Papa Bob came to visit a week ago. He only visits about once a year so I had to make his favorite food, Snickers, into a cupcake. (His other favorite food is coney dogs but that would be nasty!) He loved them! I'm pretty positive he ate the whole dozen by himself! haha. These cupcakes include every element of a Snickers bar except for nougat (which would be odd in a cupcake). I think he really enjoyed his time here and we really enjoyed getting to see him. These cupcakes are honorarily named just for him!
P.S. I am without a photo for this cupcake because my photographer was unavailable. Sorry! For a reference, look at the Monster Peanut Butter cupcake, substituting the peanut butter cup for a snicker bar.
Papa's Snicker Cupcakes
Cupcake Ingredients
1 cup sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
¾ teaspoons baking soda
¾ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 large egg
½ cup warm water
¼ cup milk
¼ cup vegetable oil
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a 12 regular-sized muffin pan with paper liners or spray each cup with cooking spray.
In a large bowl mix together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.In another medium bowl, beat together the egg, water, milk, oil, and vanilla extract.Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and beat until combined.
Pour the batter into the muffin cups about ¾ full.Bake for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove from oven and let cool.When your cupcakes have cooled, remove a hole from the center, making sure to leave some cupcake on the bottom.This will stop the caramel fill from leaking out of the bottom of your cupcake.If you are using muffin cups (paper liners), you do not need to worry about this.I use a small spoon to scoop out the center in order to stop the hole from caving in.Fill each cupcake with the caramel sauce and then top with the peanut butter frosting.To finish off these cupcakes top with peanuts.
Caramel Filling
Saunders Caramel Sauce
I know I should have my own caramel sauce recipe but this stuff is too good to be true!Any sauce I make cannot even compare to Saunders Caramel filling!If you choose you can make your own caramel sauce but I will stick to my favorite.Just follow the directions on the back of the jar to melt the caramel sauce.
Peanut Butter Frosting Ingredients
4 teaspoons heavy whipping cream
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
¾ cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup powdered sugar
Peanuts (for topping)
Mix all ingredients except the heavy whipping cream in a large bowl until combined.Add whipping cream slowly until the frosting is thin enough to spread.You may not need to use all of the whipping cream.
Sorry to my followers for the lack of new cupcakes! I have been busy at work and with family events. Get ready for a lot of new cupcakes coming this week! Every summer my family and I make s'mores in our backyard at our bonfire. A few weeks ago, my mom bought all the supplies for s'mores but unfortunately random Michigan weather led to rain. We ended up staying in all night playing board games and watching movies. Why leave perfectly good graham crackers and marshmallows to just sit when they can be made into a cupcake?!? I made a s'more cupcake to enjoy with our family game night. This treat is perfect for a rainy day or even the winter when a bonfire just isn't an option, especially in Michigan.
S'mores and Mores
Cupcake Ingredients
1 cup sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
¾ teaspoons baking soda
¾ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 large egg
½ cup warm water
¼ cup milk
¼ cup vegetable oil
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a 12 regular-sized muffin pan with paper liners or spray each cup with cooking spray.
In a large bowl mix together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In another medium bowl, beat together the egg, water, milk, oil, and vanilla extract. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and beat until combined.
Pour the batter into the muffin cups about ¾ full. Bake for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Frosting Ingredients
1 Teaspoon of vanilla extract
2/3 cup of milk
32 marshmallows
3/4 cup of unsalted butter, COLD
Topping
Graham crackers (4-6)
Hershey's Chocolate bar
Put all of the marshmallows and milk in a sauce pan on low heat. Stir occasionally until completely dissolved. Remove from heat and let it stand until it becomes room temperature. Using a electric beater, mix the butter and vanilla into the marshmallow mixture until well blended. Mine came out in a liquid form so I put it in the fridge for an hour and them remixed it with the electric mixer.
Coat each cupcake with the marshmallow frosting. Crush at least 4 of the graham crackers and dip each frosting covered cupcake into the graham cracker crumble. Then top it off with a single piece of Hershey's chocolate. Enjoy!
The best part of making cupcakes is definitely decorating them! I love coming u with unique ways to make cupcakes beautiful! I decided to make a chocolate peanut butter pleasure cupcake just the other night. I make all my own cupcake recipes so I whipped up some chocolate cake batter and put them in the oven. Little did I know, but a monster was growing in my oven! After leaving the cupcakes in the oven for 15 minutes I opened the oven door to see how the cupcakes were cooking. It looked like a giant cupcake had blown up all over my oven! There was cupcake batter splattered everywhere and the cupcakes were oozing over the sides. There were no longer 12 individual cupcakes but one giant blob of chocolate cake. I tried to rescue the cupcakes but the top were so heavy that they started to crumble. It was a mess, but very yummy!! Unfortunately, they failed in the decorating department. To change these cupcakes from monsters to beautiful creations only fill the cupcakes half-way. I hope you enjoy a delicious monster in your oven and in your tummy!
Chocolate Peanut Butter Monster Cupcake
Cupcake Ingredients
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
1 ½ cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1 cup milk
¾ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 12 regular-sized muffin cups with paper liners or spray each cup with cooking spray.
In a large bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa, and salt.In another bowl, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy.Add each egg one at a time and beating together with each addition.Stir in the vanilla.Alternately beat in the milk and the dry ingredients.Beat until combined.
Fill each muffin tin 1/2 of the way.Bake for 15 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean of batter.
Remove from oven and let cool.Frost with the peanut butter frosting and then top with a peanut butter cup.
Peanut Butter Frosting Ingredients
4 teaspoons heavy whipping cream
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
¾ cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup powdered sugar
Mix all ingredients except the heavy whipping cream in a large bowl until combined.Add whipping cream slowly until the frosting is thin enough to spread.You may not need to use all of the whipping cream.
Sorry for the shortage on cupcake recipes! I have been busy at work and making cupcakes at midnight when I got home from work didn't sound very appealing. haha. Today was a beautiful sunny day, a rarity in Michigan. It was perfect for watermelon, barbecuing, and my brother's favorite, Kool-Aid! I decided to do something drastic, make a Kool-Aid cupcake! I have to say this is my favorite cupcake so far! They came out of the oven bright pink! (And yes, pink is my favorite color). Now, what frosting goes with Kool-Aid? hmmmm.... Kool-Aid frosting! This cupcake is the perfect finish to a family barbecue on a beautiful day. I hope you enjoy this summer treat as much as I did.
Fruity Fruit Punch Kool-Aid Cupcake
Cupcake Ingredients
Yields: 15 cupcakes
1 cup sugar ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature 2 eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (and about 2 tablespoons for the blueberries) 1 ¾ teaspoons baking powder ½ cup milk ½ teaspoon of Kool-Aid powder
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 12 regular-sized muffin cups with paper liners or spray each cup with cooking spray.
In a large bowl mix together the sugar and butter until fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Stir in vanilla. Combine flour and baking powder in a separate bowl. Once combined add to the butter-sugar mixture and beat until combined. Stir in milk until completely combined. Finally mix in the Kool-Aid. If you do not think the batter is pink enough or it needs more Kool-Aid flavor, add an 1/4th of a teaspoon at a time.
Bake 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick can be removed clean from the center of the cupcake. Remove from oven and let cool. Frost with the Kool-Aid whipped cream topping, red sprinkles, and a straw.
Kool-Aid Whipped Cream Frosting
1 cup heavy whipping cream 1 tablespoon sugar 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract ½ teaspoon of Kool-Aid powder
Mix together the whipping cream, vanilla extract, and sugar. Beat on high until the mixture becomes fluffy and peaks form. Mix in the Kool-Aid powder until the whipped cream tastes of Kool-Aid or turns a pink color. Chill for about 10-15 minutes and then frost your cupcakes.
A few nights ago, my younger brother, Ryan, had his girlfriend and her mom over to meet our family. His girlfriend's mom didn't really like the idea of her daughter dating but she wanted to get to know Ryan before making a decision on their future together (which is just ironic since they are only in 10th grade). My mom decided I should make dessert since I was going to work and unfortunately missed out on telling embarrassing stories about my brother. I decided to make a white cupcake with strawberry filling, a whipped cream frosting, chocolate drizzle, and a fresh strawberry on top. I came home from work to not only find that all of the cupcakes were gone but also that the girl's mom had stayed for hours just hanging out. I guess she loved Ryan and decided it was great that her daughter was dating him! Now my brother would like to take all the credit for this, saying it was his "charm." That's not the case though. We all know this miracle was performed by the warm, fuzzy feeling my cupcakes gave his girlfriend's mom. So this is my conclusion.... Strawberry Kiss Cupcakes are the perfect date cupcake. From meeting your significant other's parents to having a first date, these cupcakes should always tag along! Enjoy a Strawberry Kiss!
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Strawberry Kiss Cupcakes
Cupcake Ingredients
5 ½ ounces cake flour (yes, cake flour. NOT all-purpose flour)
5 ½ ounces sugar
¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
3 large eggs
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking powder
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and place 12 muffin cups in a muffin pan.If you don’t have muffin cups, spray the pan with cooking spray.In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar with an electric mixture until fluffy.Beat the eggs in a separate bowl and slowly combine them with the butter-sugar mixture.Add vanilla.
In a small bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder.Combine the dry ingredients in the wet ingredient bowl.Scoop into muffin cups, 2/3 full, and place in the own.Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick placed in the center comes out clean.
Let your cupcake cool and then cut a hole out of the center of each cupcake.I like to use the smallest spoon I have because this prevents the cupcake from crumbling around the hole in the center.You can discard the middle sections that you remove, or have a little cake snack! :)Fill each hole with the strawberry filling at then top with the whipped cream frosting.To finish off your cupcake, top it with a chocolate drizzle and a whole fresh strawberry.
Strawberry Filling Ingredients
1 cup of strawberries
¼ cup sugar
1 teaspoon gelatin
2-4 teaspoons hot water
To make the fantastic strawberry filling, slice the strawberries into small pieces and set them aside.In a separate bowl, combine the gelatin with hot water until it dissolves.Start with 2 teaspoons but if the gelatin starts to form into a solid mass make sure to add another tablespoon.
IMPORTANT TIP: Gelatin is not fun to work with.You might be thinking: But I loved Jello as a kid or maybe even today!Jello and gelatin are a little different.If your water is not HOT the gelatin will become a gooey solid.Gooey solids do not mix into anything well!
Mix the strawberries into the gelatin-water mix. Then stir in the sugar. The filling should be able to move as a liquid.If the filling begins to gel make sure to mix it again.Put the filling in the refrigerator until you are ready to stuff your cupcakes.
Whipped Cream Frosting
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Topping
One square of melting chocolate
Mix together the whipping cream, vanilla extract, and sugar. Beat on high until the mixture becomes fluffy and peaks form.Chill for about 10-15 minutes and then frost your cupcakes.Melt the chocolate (about one square of melting chocolate) and drizzle over the top of the cupcakes. Top your cupcake with a whole strawberry (make sure to wash them first).
Tips!
In order to melt chocolate you can either use a double boiler or your microwave.I prefer the microwave personally because I think its time-saving.When melting chocolate in the microwave start at 30 seconds.After that put the chocolate in for intervals of 15 seconds, mixing in between each interval.This will help you successfully melt your chocolate without burning it.
To drizzle chocolate over a cupcake, place an individual cupcake on a surface you don’t mind getting dirty.I use a butter knife to create a drizzled effect by placing the end of the knife in the chocolate and then swinging it back and forth over the cupcake.
So last night I had a fantastic pineapple sorbet for dessert, but what is dessert without a cupcake! I found only a few lemons, cream cheese, and blueberries in the refrigerator, and not wanting to bake just any old cupcake I had to come up with something different. That's when it came to me... a lemon blueberry cupcake with lemon cream cheese frosting! I added 2 cups of blueberries to my batter but feel free to add less if you would like. I was so excited but when I pulled my cupcakes out of the oven, to my dismay the cupcake had risen flat. In most cases the cupcake didn't even fill the muffin tin! With a little googling I found that some cupcakes are so heavy (i.e., blueberries, lemon, butter, etc.) that they do not rise as successfully as other fluffier batter. So here is my Tip of the Day: with these cupcakes make sure to fill the muffin cups almost completely to the top to make a perfect Lemoney-Snickitty Blueberry Cupcake that just might make you pucker! Happy baking!
Lemoney-Snickitty Blueberry Cupcake
Cupcake IngredientsYields: 12 cupcakes
1 cup sugar
½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (and about 2 tablespoons for the blueberries)
1 ¾ teaspoons baking powder
½ cup milk
3 tablespoons lemon juice (fresh squeezed suggested)
Zest of 1 lemon
1 ½ cup fresh blueberries
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 12 regular-sized muffin cups with paper liners or spray each cup with cooking spray.
In a large bowl mix together the sugar and butter until fluffy.Beat in the eggs one at a time.Stir in lemon juice and vanilla.Combine flour, baking powder, and lemon zest in a separate bowl.Once combined add to the butter-sugar mixture and beat until combined.Stir in milk until completely combined.
In a separate bowl, toss the blueberries in the 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour.Use a spoon to gently fold the berries into the cake batter.Pour the batter evenly in the muffin cups, filling each full.Bake 35 minutes or until a toothpick can be removed clean from the center of the cupcake.
Remove from oven and let cool.Frost with the lemon cream cheese frosting and top with fresh blueberries and a little lemon zest.
Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients (makes extra frosting)
11 oz. cream cheese (remove from the refrigerator for a few minutes before use)
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoon of lemon juice (fresh squeezed suggested)
Topping
Extra fresh blueberries
Lemon zest
Beat cream cheese and butter in a bowl for 2-3 minutes or until smooth.Mix in the lemon juice and gradually beat in the powdered sugar until completely combined and smooth.Put the frosting in a covered bowl in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.Frost your cupcakes and top with a little lemon zest and fresh blueberries.
Here is my first cupcake creation! The Little Monkey Cupcake is a spin-off of my mom's banana bread, one of my favorite foods as a kid. This is a fantastic combination of an original classic and a sweet treat. I hope you enjoy! :)
P.S. You can buy monkey muffin cups for a cute little addition to your cupcakes at Kroger!
Little Monkey Cupcake
Cupcake Ingredients
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup white sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup (1 cup) unsalted butter, melted
1 ½ cups mashed bananas
2 large eggs
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a 12-cup muffin pan with muffin cups or spray them with cooking spray.In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.In a separate medium bowl, mix together butter, mashed bananas, eggs, and vanilla.Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients bowl and mix until well combined.Divide evenly into muffin cups, ¾ full.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick placed in the center comes out clean.Once cool, top the cupcakes with maple frosting and a slice of banana.
Maple Frosting Ingredients
1 ¾ cups powdered sugar
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), room temperature
1 ½ tablespoons honey
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
In a large bowl, beat together all ingredients until smooth or about 4 minutes.
Topping
Sliced bananas tossed in lemon juice (to help the bananas from browning)
Tips:
If you plan on serving the cupcakes immediately and don’t think you will have any left over you can top the cupcake with a slice of banana dipped in chocolate.Melt chocolate and dip half of each banana into the chocolate.Lay each banana on a sheet of wax paper and then place it in the freeze.Wait until you are about to serve the cupcakes and then top them with a frozen chocolate banana.If you let the bananas sit for too long they will get mushy and brown.
If you choose not to freeze your bananas make sure to toss them in lemon juice. Slice the bananas and place them in a bowl. Squeeze lemon juice over the bananas and toss them in order to cover each banana. Make sure not to place the bananas in the refrigerator or a cold area because this will cause the bananas to brown faster.
