Key Lime Cupcakes

National Cupcake Week was last week and I did manage to bake a batch of cupcakes that went over in a big way here at work. This recipe is courtesy of Mrs.Beth and is a refreshing light cupcake with a citrus flavor and to-die-for icing. It’s also great because its one of the few that is not completely from scratch so it can be made in a hurry with minimal effort for last minute school functions and potlucks! Everyone (even the best cooks/bakers) need a recipe like this hanging around!

Key Lime Cupcakes

For the cake:

1 box white cake mix
3 eggs
1/3 cup oil
(B uses the zest of two limes, I left that out)
One small container of Key Lime Juice (gives you about ¾ cup) (then add enough water to this to make 1 cup of liquid) ( B uses-juice of 6 limes plus the water)

Mix and bake as directed.
Cool on a wire rack.

For the icing:

1 8oz package of cream cheese-softened
1 stick butter -softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup finely crushed graham crackers
splash of milk if needed (you will need it)

I mix my cream cheese and butter really well first, then slowly add the
sugar. Add a splash of milk if needed to bring icing to proper consistency. Add graham cracker crumbs last and mix well.

I think you know how to combine the icing and cupcakes. If you need directions, we have bigger problems than my blog can address. ;)

Blueberry Cream Cheese Muffins

One of my Dad's neighbors has HUGE blueberry bushes the size of houses with the most amazing blueberries. She doesn't charge to pick them and people who know her drive from states away to come pick her berries. My father brought me a gallon of blueberries this past weekend. I was in heaven.

Since it was a co-workers birthday yesterday, I decided to try out a new recipe that has been formatting itself in my head for awhile. A cross between my Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins and the Blueberry Muffins I love so much.

I think they need a little tweaking to notch that flavor up a level but they are yummy just the same!

Blueberry Cream Cheese Muffins

Heat oven to 375° F. Lightly coat a 12-cup standard muffin tin with oil and set aside. Mix 8 ounces (one block) cream cheese, 1 egg, and 3 tablespoons sugar in a small bowl and set aside.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
3/4 cup white sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
1 cup fresh blueberries
Splash of vanilla
1 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cup sugar, salt and baking powder. Place vegetable oil into a 1 cup measuring cup; add the egg and enough milk to fill the cup. Mix this with flour mixture. Fold in blueberries. Fill muffin cups 3/4 to the top.

Place two teaspoonfuls of cream cheese filling in the center of each cup. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until done.

I use a cookie scoop to fill muffin cups. So I used two scoops of blueberry batter and one scoop of cream cheese mixture.

Hummingbird Cupcakes

I made the first Hummingbird Cake years ago when it first made an appearance on the Martha Stewart show. I fell in love with the pineapple flowers she did. Everyone loved it, especially my mom. Fast forward to last year when I found out a new friend’s favorite cake was Hummingbird but she paid 9.75 per SLICE at a local bakery. I made her this cake for her birthday. She loves me now. LOL

For Mother’s Day, I decided to do a little portion control since we are all losing weight (well, and I’ve become a cupcake fiend…I don’t eat them, but I LOVE to make them) and make Hummingbird Cupcakes topped with a single Pineapple flower. They came out SO well. I left out the nuts and coconut because of food allergies in some members of the family, but I took a few of the cupcakes and topped them with nuts and coconut. I’m going to write the recipe down WITH the nuts and coconut but its your choice. The batter works fine without them.

Hummingbird Cupcakes
From Martha Stewarts Cake Recipe

Ingredients:
3 cups Self Rising Flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup vegetable oil
2 tsps vanilla extract
2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
3 large ripe bananas mashed
1 (8ounces) can crushed pineapple, drained
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1 cup coconut (shredded)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, sift together dry ingredients: flour and cinnamon. In KA Mixer (or bowl with hand mixer), cream oil, vanilla, and sugar. Add eggs one at a time. Beat for about 3 minutes until mixture is pale yellow and fluffy.

Add in banana, pineapple (and walnuts and coconut if you choose to use them). Stir until combined. Add flour mixture 1/3 at a time until completely incorporated. Pour ( or use an ice-cream scoop like I do) into lined muffin tins. Bake for 25 minutes or until done. Let cool completely. Makes about 24.

Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients:
1 pound (16 ounces) cream cheese
2 tsps vanilla extract
1 cup softened/room temp butter (2 sticks)
2 pounds confectioners’ sugar

Directions:
In KA MIXER, beat the vanilla and cream cheese about 2 minutes. Gradually add in the butter and cream together until fully incorporated. On low speed, slowly add in sugar until a whipped consistency.

Dried Pineapple Flowers

1 – 2 large pineapples (depending on how many flowers you want. One large did one flower on about 18 cupcakes)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 225 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Peel pineapples. Using a small melon baller (I actually find using a small pairing knife works well too for the tougher eyes) remove and discard “eyes”. Slice pineapple VERY thinly. Place rounds on baking sheets. Cook until the tops look dried about 30 minutes. Flip slices and cook an additional 30 minutes until completely dried and ruffled. Cool on wire rack.

TIP: Do the Pineapple First. Even the evening before and store in the refrigerator.

Homemade Vanilla Pudding

I love pudding. I love doing everything homemade. Even though boxes are often easy and quick and are convenient, I want to know exactly what’s in it, how its done etc. Plus I know if I make it homemade it doesn’t have extra preservatives and colorings to increase aesthetics and shelf life. I feel GOOD about serving even the simplest things from scratch. Pudding is one of them. Brownies are another. Really, the homemade version may take one minute longer then the boxed version. It’s insanely easy. So why pay for preservatives? How “convenient” to your body is that?

Homemade Vanilla Pudding
From allrecipes.com

Ingredients:
2 cups milk
½ cup white sugar
3 tbs corn starch
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbs butter

Directions:
In a sauce pan, heat milk until bubbling on the edges. In a bowl, combine sugar, corn starch and salt. Pour sugar mixture into sugar 1/3 at a time, whisking until dissolved. Once mixture is smooth and thickens to coat the back of the spoon, remove from heat. (do not boil). Stir in vanilla and butter. Chill before serving (or spooning into cupcakes).

Boston Ho Cupcakes

This is where I talk about the Pioneer Woman disaster. My great plan (that I had been working on for a month) was to travel an hour and a half away with two great girl friends to go to the book signing of Pioneer Woman. We were going to meet several awesome girls (friends and bloggers) there. It was one of my BFF’s birthdays so I was surprising her with the trip. So imagine: Beautiful day, got off work early, had made awesome gluten free cupcakes the night before, chicken salad and a veggie tray. I got the oil changed in the SUV and had it cleaned. I stopped by the grocery store to pick up ice for the cooler. Came out, my car wouldn’t move. It was dead. Engine purred, gas pedal would not engage. After several hours of working with mechanics, the Mitsubishi dealer via phone, arranging towing etc. it was too late to travel to Charlotte and get there in time. My surprise for my BFF was blown. My chance to meet the Pioneer woman and have a girl’s road trip, GONE in the blink of a failed Pedal Pressure Sensor.

I was distraught. My BFF and I tried to salvage the evening with a trip to Outback, a browsing session at our local bookstore, and a rousing game of scrabble. We have our PW cookbooks and each other’s company, and delicious simple desserts. In honor of Sarah’s Birthday, I created an easy gluten Free Cupcake. Simple and sweet decadent with a fancy trashy name. So what’s in a name? Since these little cupcakes came out crossed somewhere between a backwards Boston cream pie and a Ho Ho cake, they are named Boston Ho’s. And well, it makes the 12 yo boy that lives in my brain giggle like a school girl. Deceptively simple, extremely good, funny name, gluten-free.

Boston Ho Cupcakes
1 box Betty Crocker Gluten Free Devils Food Cake Mix
Vanilla Pudding (I used Homemade and will post the recipe soon)
Vanilla Icing (I use a homemade Butter Cream but you can use your favorite store brand).

Directions:
Make batter according to package directions. Fill cupcake tins with liners about ¾ full. Bake per box instructions. Let cool completely. Using a pairing knife, cut a cone out of the center of each cupcake. Cut tip off cone and save the top circle of each.

Gently spoon vanilla pudding into the hole. Cover with cake circle. Pipe with frosting. Serve.

Strawberry Lime Cupcakes

This recipe is from Food Network and they are oh so adorable and yummy. Another item baked up for my Easter dinner and they were a hit. (I know, i'm way behind on posts, as usual).

I've become a mega cupcake ho, because there is nothing better than a table set with wonderful food and a stand full of cupcakes. Perfectly portioned sweet treats for all ages. From the elegant fruity concoctions, to the liquor inspired, to the simple. And kids LOVE them. My nephews are all about the cupcakes and now I have the cupcake rep. Meh, I'll go with it. People expect cupcakes from me now? I'm happy to oblige! Cupcakes are my new passion!

Quick Note: I did not like the icing from Food Network's recipe. It was very thin and more like a glaze so I incorporated it into a Buttercream icing. Same lime flavor, fluffy buttercream topping. Perfection. (I had A LOT OF icing left over so you can half the recipe if you want or make extra cupcakes or a strawberry cake, up to you).

Strawberry-Lime Stuffed Cupcakes
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
2 large eggs, room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup milk

Icing:
1 1/3 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 1/2 tablespoons finely grated lime zest
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

1 stick butter, room temp
1/2 stick crisco
1 tsp vanilla
1 lb powdered sugar

Directions:
12 large ripe strawberries, hulled

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the muffin tin with cupcake liners.

Beat the eggs and sugar with an electric mixer until light and foamy, about 2 minutes. Slowly pour in the butter and then the vanilla.

Alternate Flour and Milk, starting and ending with flour. Take care not to over mix the batter. Batter is going to be super fluffy and it expands! One and a half cookie scoop per muffin tin is plenty because it will run out.

Bake about 30 minutes. Cool cupcakes on a rack in the tin for 10 minutes, then remove. Cool on the rack completely.

For icing: Mix the confectioners' sugar and lime zest. Add the lime juice. Set aside.

Cream butter and crisco. Add vanilla and slowly add sugar. Mix until fluffy. Add Lime juice mixture. If it becomes a little thick, just add splashes of milk until a piping consistency.

To assemble: With a pairing knife, remove cone shape (the size of the strawberries) from the cupcake top/center, leaving about 1/2 to 1-inch of cake in the bottom. Stuff each cake with a strawberry (without the green stems. Pipe Buttercream icing onto cupcake. Top with a small slice or fan of strawberry.

Triple Lemon Cupcakes

Disclaimer: I'm not sure where I retrieved this recipe from. I saw something similar on Food Network and then a few more by browsing blogs. This was from a word document so I'm not sure if I yanked it from someone's blog or pulled a few pieces from various sources which I am known to do. Please let me know if this is your exact recipe and I will be happy to give credit. Thanks.

On to the cupcakes: These were to die for adorable. Seriously. A refreshing sweet tart taste perfect for spring time. I will DEFINATELY be making them again! It seems like there are a lot of stages and steps but they really do not take long and can be broken up over time (like oh you know, a trip to TJMAXX while the cupcakes cool).

I used a basic Sugar Cookie Recipe and Lemon Icing Recipe from the Joy of Baking for the cookie toppers. I also used about 5 large lemons for this whole process.

Triple Lemon Cupcakes
Cupcakes:
1 1/2 cups Self-Rising flour
1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temp
2 ounces cream cheese, room temp
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1/4 plus 2 tbs fresh squeezed lemon juice.
1/2 cup buttermilk
Zest of 1 lemon

Directions:
Using a KAMixer bowl, gently mix lemon zest and sugar until fragrant with a fork or fingers. Ad the butter and cream cheese and cream with a paddle attachment for 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating till blended. Alternate adding the flour and the buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour. Add lemon juice and beat on low until smooth.

Fill each lined muffin cup about 2/3 of the way full (or two scoops with a cookie scoop). Bake for 20 minutes in a 350 degree oven or until done.

Lemon Curd:
4 egg yolks
Zest of 1 Lemon
1/4 plus 1 Tbs Lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar
5 Tbs unsalted butter, cold, diced

Directions:
Whisk everything except the butter in a sause pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture coats the spoon (8-10 minutes). Remove from heat, Add butter a few pieces at a time, stirring constantly. Some people strain their's, I did not since it was VERY smooth and I wanted the pop of the zest to stay in there. I poured into a greased corningware dish and covered with plastic wrap, pressing the plastic into the top of the curd.

Icing:
1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temp
4 ounces cream cheese, room temp
1 tbs lemon juice
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp lemon zest

Directions:
In KAMixer cream butter, cream cheese and lemon juice. Once smooth, add powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time. Add lemon zest and beat until smooth.

ASSEMBLY:
Using a paring knife, cut a cone shape out of each cupcake. Using a ziplock bag with the corner tip cut off (or a piping bag), fill each hole with lemon curd. Pipe a swirl of icing on top of each cupcake.

Top each cupcake with a sugar cookie chickadee for a spring party OR a ribbon of lemon rind.

*pictures posted this weekend! Come back to see them. They are adorable.

Grilled or Baked? It's a CUPCAKE BURGER

These little boogers have been surfing the net for some time from Blog to Blog in various forms. I chose to incorporate items from three different sources and use my own recipes instead of boxed mixes (because I'm difficult like that). It's really not as complicated as it looks. Messy? yes, a bit.

But well worth it. These were a big hit at the Birthday party yesterday!

Recipes:
Buttermilk Cupcakes and Cream Cheese Icing (just eliminate the chocolate from this recipe for white icing)

Scratch Brownies

What you will need:
A Round Cookie Cutter
Gel Food Coloring
White Fondant
shredded or Flaked coconut

Bake cupcakes and brownies per directions. Cool overnight (or several hours). Make icing per instructions leaving out chocolate. Seperate icing into three bowls.

Lettuce=Shredded coconut, icing and green food coloring (add a little at a time until your color is the way you want).

Ketchup=icing plus a few drops of blue food coloring and quite a bit of red (to get a deeper red.

Mustard=yellow plus icing.

Cheese= Fondant kneeded with yellow, roll out on floured board to very thin and cut into small square.

Directions:
Cut cupcakes in half, pipe on some "lettuce", place a circle of brownie, pipe on "mustard", place fondant "cheese", pipe on "ketchup", and top with the cupcake top! TA DA! Easy Peasy.

Buttermilk Cupcakes with Chocolate Icing

So I took a hiatus yesterday even though I have quite a backlog of entries because it was my birthday! Happy Birthday to me. (Not really, I'm not one who enjoys getting older at this stage of my life...oh to still be in my 20's and not care).

Now, I'm one of those freaks of nature that as a child, the one thing that made me happy for my birthday was grilled hamburgers and yellow cake with chocolate icing. Out of all the elaborate cakes etc, I always wanted yellow with chocolate icing. (I vaguely remember a strawberry cake one time but I think that was during my Strawberry shortcake doll phase). As an adult, my leanings are for coconut cake but I digress.

Last night I took a trip down memory lane and made homemade buttermilk cupcakes with chocolate icing courtesy of The Neelys. Let me tell you, this is by far the best tasting yellow/chocolate combination I've ever had. My one tip: do NOT fill the cupcakes as high as you do with other recipes because these expand a great deal and overflow. So mine are not that pretty but I will be making them again (and again and again).

Excellent Recipe and so simple!

Buttermilk Cupcakes with Chocolate Icing
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups Self Rising Flour
2 large eggs
2 egg yolks
1 cup sugar
1 and 1/2 sticks of butter (melted)
2 tsps vanilla
1/2 cup buttermilk

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 stick of butter (room temp)
8 ounces of cream cheese (room temp)
3 cups confectioner's sugar
4 ounces semisweet chocolate chips, melted
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In KA Mixer with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar together. Add eggs and yolks one at a time. Add vanilla and buttermilk.

Slowly add flour. Mix until smooth. Batter will be very fluffy.

Fill Muffin Cups 1/2-3/4 full and bake for 20 minutes or until tester comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.

For Icing: Cream butter and cream cheese until smooth. Blend chocolate and vanilla into mix and then slowly add confectioner's sugar. Pipe icing onto cupcakes. (I tried spreading and it makes a mess of the cupcakes; the piping worked much better).

As Promised: Picture! (Please ignore the bad icing job. I tried spreading icing first. Ended up piping the rest).

Red Velvet Cupcakes

I've always wanted to try Red Velvet and Valentines is a perfect time for Red. It was far easier than I thought and this recipe courtesy of Paula Deen, came out moist and fluffy. Now, I will be the first to admit that I've always had issues with cupcakes for some reason. Muffins, no problem. Cupcakes? They are the Murphy's Law of my kitchen. They never come out perfect and are a pain in my rear to make pretty. (and NO, you do not get to see the hole batch because it looked like a bloody warzone of cake carnage on my counter.)

I will caution you to be careful about what food coloring you use. There is some disturbing information out on the web about Red Dye 40 and how people can react to it etc. There are organic substitutes that will give you the rich red color such as beet powder. I see no reason that you can't change the color or leave it out completely (subsitute water).

Red Velvet Cupcakes
Ingredients:
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoon red food coloring
1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 (12-cup) muffin pans with cupcake papers. In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. Beat together the oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla. I used the paddle attachment and my KA Mixer on low. Add the sifted dry ingredients to the wet and mix until smooth.

Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake tins about 2/3 filled. Bake in oven for about 20 to 22 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely on wire rack before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting:
Ingredients:
1 pound cream cheese, softened
2 sticks butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
Chopped pecans and fresh raspberries or strawberries, for garnish

In a KA Mixer (or with an electric mixer), beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla together until smooth. Add the sugar and on low speed, beat until incorporated. Increase the speed to high and mix until very light and fluffy.

I put the cream cheese in a sandwich bag and cut the corner off so I could "pipe" it onto the cupcakes.