Cupcakes Week 25

Samoas

For the Cupcakes

• 2 cups  sugar
• 1-3/4 cup flour
• 3/4 cup Cocoa (I used Hershey’s special dark)
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 teaspoons coconut flavoring
• 1 cup coconut, packed
• 1 (scant) cup boiling water

1. Preheat oven to 350° and line 24 muffin tins with cupcake liners.

2. In a large bowl, combine sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

3. Add in eggs, milk, oil, vanilla, and coconut flavoring.  Mix well.

4. Fold in coconut, then add boiling water.  (Batter will be very thin)

5. Pour batter into muffin tins, filling each cup no more than 3/4 full.  Bake at 350° for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Let cool for several minutes, but then remove cupcakes from tins on cool on a wire rack.

For the Salted Caramel Buttercream

• 2 sticks butter, softened
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup caramel topping, plus more for drizzling (I used butterscotch caramel)
• 1 pound powdered sugar (about 4 cups)
• 1 teaspoon salt

1. Cream butter until fluffy.

2. Add in vanilla extract and caramel topping.  Add powdered sugar and salt and mix until smooth.  If icing is still too thin add a bit more powdered sugar (the consistency differs based on the type of caramel topping you use)

3. Wait until cupcakes are completely cool, and use a pastry bag with a 1M tip to ice the cupcakes.

For the Homemade Chocolate Syrup

• 1/4 cup cocoa powder (I used Hershey’s special dark)
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup cold water
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Combine all ingredients except vanilla extract in a small saucepan over medium-heat, and whisk until smooth.

2. Bring sauce to a boil and continue to whisk until sauce becomes thick.  Remove from heat, let cool slightly and drizzle over cupcakes or store in an airtight container in the fridge until needed.

To Finish:  Top cupcakes with toasted coconut and using small squeeze bottles (or simply a spoon) drizzle with chocolate sauce and remaining caramel sauce.

Cupcakes Week 24

Mudslide Cupcakes

Servings: approximately 20 cupcakes

Ingredients

For the cupcakes:

3 eggs, separated and at room temperature

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup light brown sugar, packed

2 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

3/4 cup strong cold coffee

3/4 cup Kahlua

For the Kahlua buttercream:

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

3 cups (or more, if needed) powdered sugar

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

4 tablespoons Kahlua

3 tablespoons hot coffee

For the Bailey’s buttercream:

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, shaved in curls

16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

3 cups powdered sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

4 tablespoons Bailey’s Irish Cream

Instructions

1. For the cupcakes:  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and prepare your cupcake pan with your desired liners.

2. In the bowl of your standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites until foamy.

3.  Add the granulated sugar to the eggs with the mixer running and continue to whisk, at medium-high speed, until the mixture is thick, stiff, and glossy.  Transfer the egg white mixture to another bowl, and clean out your standing mixer bowl thoroughly.

4. In your clean mixer bowl, combine the butter and brown sugar and mix on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute.

5. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

6. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, and baking soda.

7. With the mixer speed on low, slowly add the flour mixture, coffee, and Kahlua alternately, ending with the flour mixture.

8. Stop the mixer, and gently fold in the egg whites into the batter using a rubber spatula, until well-combined.

9. Fill each prepared cupcake liner about two-thirds full.

10.  Bake the cupcakes for about 20-25 minutes, depending on your oven, or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool completely.

11. For the Kahlua buttercream:  In the bowl of your standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and powdered sugar on low speed until smooth.

12. Add the cocoa powder, Kahlua, and coffee, adding more powdered sugar if necessary.  Set aside.

13. For the Bailey’s buttercream: In the bowl of your standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or another bowl if you are getting tired of cleaning your mixer bowl out….), combine the butter and powdered sugar until smooth.

14. Add the vanilla extract and Bailey’s Irish Cream, mixing well until combined.

15. Pipe the buttercream (description of how-to above) onto the cupcakes and garnish with chocolate curls.

Homemade Hot Chocolate

I vow to never buy instant again!

We've been slammed with snow again. So much so, that both myself and my husband were told no work today! I felt like a little kid with school being canceled.

After Paul went out to shovel for the final time tonight, I decided I would make hot chocolate from scratch, since I didn't have any instant.

A quick google seach and here it is! So easy and so good. Of course i added a shot of Godiva Liqour to give an extra little warmth ;)

Homemade Hot Chocolate

4 Servings
INGREDIENTS:
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 cup white sugar
1 pinch salt
1/3 cup boiling water
3 1/2 cups milk
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup half-and-half cream
DIRECTIONS:
1. Combine the cocoa, sugar and pinch of salt in a saucepan. Blend in the boiling water. Bring this mixture to an easy boil while you stir. Simmer and stir for about 2 minutes. Watch that it doesn't scorch. Stir in 3 1/2 cups of milk and heat until very hot, but do not boil! Remove from heat and add vanilla. Divide between 4 mugs. Add the cream to the mugs of cocoa to cool it to drinking temperature.

Love.

Simple enough title for what my feelings are towards these little pieces of heaven. have these for dessert, breakfast, snack, whatever!

Chilly Chocolate Mousse Crepes

Ingredients:

2 Ready to Use 9 Inch Crepes
1 Jell-O Sugar Free Reduced Calorie Pudding Snack; Chocolate Vanilla
1/2 cup Cool Whip Free

Directions:

Fold Cool Whip into pudding and stir until blended. Gently tear or cut each crepe in half. Into the center of each crepe half, spoon 1/4 of pudding mixture. Fold crepes envelope-style, ensuring that there is nowhere for mixture to seep out. Place crepes in freezer for at least 1 hour. Spray a skillet with nonstick spray and set on medium heat. Beginning with the thinner crepe side down, heat for 1 minute. Carefully turn crepe and heat for an additional minute or two. Crepes will be slightly browned ‘n toasty on outside but cool ‘n creamy on the inside!

Nutrition Info
1 crepe: 55 calories, 1g fat, 90mg sodium, 8g carbs, 0g fiber, 5g sugars, 1g protein
Weight Watcher Points=1