Happy Birthday, Dan!
So, DH's bithday was earlier this month. I'm a little behind in posting. Not to mention in our family we celebrate birthMONTHS, not days. He did get his cupcakes on time, along with a wonderful dinner with our good friends.My husband isn't huge on sweets, he usually goes for yellow cake with chocolate frosting. But he also loves peanut butter. And bacon. The bacon got the boot, but I kept the chocolate & peanut butter. The end result? Banana cupcakes with swirled chocolate and peanut butter buttercream frostings they have been named the Naughty Monkey.
A disclaimer on the recipes - I never follow them to the T. I usually add more or less as I like them. Below are the recipes I started with, but I know I added more banana to the cakes & more peanut butter to the frosting. Make them yours!Naughty Monkey Cupcakes
Banana Cupcakes:
1/3 cup butter flavored shortening
2/3 cup sugar
1 cup mashed ripe bananas
2 eggs
2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1. In a mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugar. Beat in the bananas, eggs, milk and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture until combined.
2. Fill paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 350 degrees F for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.
Chocolate Frosting:
6 tbsp. butter, softened
3/4 c. Hershey's cocoa
2 2/3 c. unsifted confectioners' sugar
1/3 c. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
Salt, to taste
Cream butter in small mixer bowl. Add cocoa and confectioners' sugar alternately with milk; beat to spreading consistency (additional tablespoon milk may be needed. Blend in vanilla. A pinch of salt to taste. About 2 cups frosting.
Peanut Butter Frosting:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup creamy peanut butter
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1/3 cup cream
In a large bowl, beat butter and peanut butter until light and fluffy. Slowly beat in 1/2 of the confectioner's sugar. Mix in 1/4 cup of the cream. Beat in the remaining confectioners' sugar. If necessary, add a little more cream or milk until the frosting reaches a good spreading consistency. Makes enough to frost one 2 layer 9 inch cake or one 9x13 inch cake.
Now for the fun part. To get the frosting to "swirl" you'll need a piping bag & attachments (whatever tip you like), a large ziptop plastic bag & a large cup for balancing. First, fill the baggie with chocolate frosting, twist the top & snip one of the bottom corners; set the bag in the large cup to balance. Fit attachments to the piping bag. Carefully spoon the peanut butter frosting so it is only on one side of the bag. Once that is full, use the baggie to easily get the chocolate frosting into the other half of the piping bag. Now, frost away!
Pear & Brie Cupcakes
Simple beginningsI made these in both regular & mini sizes. The mini sizes would be an amazingly, surprising appetizer.
Baking afficianado's will gasp at my use of a box mix. But personally, I'd rather spend my time enjoying the end product than all that measuring & tasting & measuring & tasting. I like to get back to the party!
Cake:
1 box white cake mix
1 can pear nectar
1 fresh pear, grated
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup oil
Food coloring, optional
I used a cheese grater to grate the pear & just mixed it in for extra texture.
I mixed green, yellow & brown food coloring to get a more pear-like color.
"Frosting":
Ultra thin pear slices
Brie slices
White sugar
Brulee Torch
After cupcakes have cooled, remove from wrapper. On top of cupcake, overlap cheese, pear, cheese, pear (if mini - pear, cheese, pear). Sprinkle white sugar over all. Light the brulee torch & work back & forth over pear & cheese. Focus more heat on pear slices to carmelize & soften the fruit.
Enjoy with a wonderful glass of Riesling or Chardonnay. Who would eat brie without wine??Please remember to VOTE HERE October 26 - 30.
Orange Crush Cupcakes
These cupcakes were inspired by my friend over at the Red Velvet Armadillo Bakeshop. These mini cupcakes went wrapper free & had a yummy sugar crusted bottom. Such a yummy treat that's sweet on both sides.
1 box of yellow cake mix
1 can of mandarin oranges
2 eggs
Sugar crust:
Colored sugar (duh)
Frosting:
1 stick butter, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt or more as desired
milk or whipping cream, as needed
food coloring, optional
Preheat oven as directed on box. Mix together cake mix, eggs & mandarin oranges - juice included. You can add the juice a little at a time to make sure you get the desired consistency. You might need to add some water which is fine.
Spray mini muffin pans with cooking spray. Sprinkle a layer of sugar into the bottom of each cups. Scoop batter over top of sugar layer. Bake approximately 10-14 minutes. Allow to cool in pan before removing. You may want to run a knife around cupcake to help loosen it from pan if it doesn't come out easily.
Frosting - Whip together all ingredients & pipe onto cooled cupcakes. Sprinkle & decorate as desired.
Cupcake diversity
Happy Friday Giveaway!
To be eligible for this giveaway, leave a comment below telling me who you'll bake cupcakes for. Because cupcakes are truly made for sharing! I'll pick a winner using the integer generator on Random.org. Don't forget to leave your email and/or blog address so I can contact you if you're the lucky winner. I'll pick a winner on Monday evening. You might want to subscribe to this blog in order to get updated right away, subscription box to the right. Good luck everyone & have a great weekend! D, I'll see you soon! xoxo
ADD: I just found a link to another great giveaway! One of my favorite blogs Cupcakes Take the Cake is giving away a $50 gift certificate to Cheryl & Co. You actually could win real cupcakes!
Cupcakes Take the Cake Giveaway
Polka Dots!
I made these cupcakes for an office party. I was supposed to pick up a cake from a "real" bakery, but decided to play with my new fondant instead!
These are vanilla cake filled & frosted with a fluffier version of Chocolate Buttercream Frosting. I brought a dozen of these & milk into the office, all the guys took the extras home!
IronCupcake: 002_BASIL
Here is my entry for IronCupcake: 002_BASIL
Basil Berry Lemonade Cakes
Recipe
1 box white cake mix
3 eggs
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup Basil Berry Syrup
Fresh Strawberries, chopped & for decoration
Frosting
1 cup heavy whipping cream
5 tbsps lemon & basil infused white sugar (below)
1/2 cup Basil Berry Syrup
Juice of 1 lemon
Basil Berry Syrup
2 cups white sugar
2 cups lemon juice
Fresh strawberries, sliced
2 bunches fresh basil
In saucepan combine sugar, lemon juice & sliced strawberries. Let cook over medium high heat until strawberries begin to turn white. Reduce heat to medium low & add basil leaves. Allow to simmer for a few minutes.
Use a sieve to strain the syrup. Let syrup cool.
Lemon Basil Infused Sugar
Put 5 tbsps white sugar in bowl. Grate peel of one lemon into the sugar, add basil leaves. Stir, cover & allow to sit.
Cakes
Preheat oven to 350. Mix cake mix, eggs, oil and Basil Berry Syrup. Chop strawberries (as many as desired!), stir into batter. Separate into cupcake wrappers & bake for approximately 14 minutes. Allow to cool on cooling racks
Whipped Frosting
Place mixing bowl & whisk in refrigerator for 20 minutes. To cold bowl, add heavy whipping cream, lemon juice & Lemon Basil Infused Sugar. Whisk on medium high speed until peaks form.
Use remainder strawberries, lemon slices & basil leaves for decoration.
Remainder Basil Berry Lemon Syrup can be used in a cocktail. Mix syrup with water, Sprite/7-Up and/or vodka! Yummm.
Special Note: The crystal pitcher was a birthday gift from my grandmother. The pitcher had originally belonged to my great great grandmother, Lydia & is estimated to be over 100 years old. I absolutely love having such a piece of my family's history. And I even think the Basil Berry Vodka Lemonade tastes better in this heirloom. Cheers indeed!
Voting begins Sunday, September 28 & lasts until Thursday, October 1.
VOTE FOR ME HERE!!
Go Gators!
College football is back & the University of Florida is off to a great start! I've chosen to express my devotion to the Gators by baking cupcakes for the first watch parties of the season. Here they are:
SwampcakesDevil's Food Cake with Andes candy pieces mixed in
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting with Green Glitter
Handmade Green Candy Gators
Mini Orange & Blue Cupcakes
Orange & Blue Cake
Sugar Crusted Bottom
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