Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cinnamon Buttercream

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cinnamon Buttercream

It's that time of year, I love fall! It's the best time of year for someone who loves to bake. I made these for my sweet friend Sarah's baby shower. They have an amazing cream cheese filling.

Cupcakes:

(adapted from Rachel Ray recipe)

1 package (8oz) cream cheese

1/2  cup powdered sugar

2 eggs/plus 1 egg white

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups flour

2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

                                                                 1 cup canned pumpkin

                                                              1 cup sugar

                                                                  1/2 cup vegetable oil

                                                               

Combine cream cheese , powdered sugar. Once combined add 1 egg white and 1/2 tsp vanilla. Set aside.

In a separate bowl combine flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, and 1/2 tsp salt. In mixer combine

pumpkin, 2 eggs, granulated sugar, oil, and 1 tsp vanilla. Once combined add in flour mixture.

Layer 12 cupcake liners with batter then cream cheese then small amount of batter on top. Bake at 350 for 25 mins.

Cinnamon Buttercream:

2 sticks butter

4 oz cream cheese

3 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2 tsp cinnamon

Cream butter, cream cheese, vanilla, and cinnamon. Then add powdered sugar. Pipe onto cupcakes!!!

Root Beer Float Cupcakes

Root Beer Float Cupcakes

This was my second go at these. They were great the first time and even better the second time!! Chocolate cupcakes with root beer filling and vanilla butter cream. They are a perfect mix!!


Cupcakes:
1 1/8 cups flour
1/4 cup dark cocoa powder
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
                          1/2 cup heavy cream
                          1/2 cup melted butter
                          2 tbsp sour cream
                          1 tsp root beer extract
                          1/3 cup root beer

It is honestly easier to hand mix this recipe.
In a separate bowl combine dry ingredients. Flour, cocoa powder, soda, and salt.

In another bowl combine egg and sugar, mix completely. Add cream, butter, and vanilla. stir in sour cream. Add dry ingredients. Mix well. Last add the root beer extract and the root beer. Mix together. Bake 350 for 15 mins.

Vanilla butter cream/root beer filling
3 sticks butter
6 cups powdered sugar
1 tbsp vanilla
3 tbsp heavy cream
1/2 tsp root beer extract

In a mixer combine first 4 ingredients and set 2/3 of it aside. In the remaining butter cream mix in the root beer extract. Using a piping tip fill center of each cupcake with root beer butter cream. Frost top of cupcakes with vanilla butter cream. Top each one off with a small amount of root beer butter cream.

Yields 12 cupcakes

Mint Chocolate Cupcakes (Grasshoppers)

These mint cupcakes are super moist and have just enough mint flavor. The cookies in the frosting make them extra good! This cupcake recipe is a simple chocolate recipe and can be used for anything!! Enjoy!

Cupcakes:

1 2/2 cups flour
3/4 cups unsweetened cocoa
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup sour cream
1/3 cup water
2 tsp. vanilla
2 sticks butter
1 1/3 cups packed brown sugar
3 eggs

In medium bowl combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In a small bowl mix together sour cream, water, and vanilla
In mixer cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs. Add flour mixture to butter mixture. Then add Sour cream mixture to the batter.

Separate in to cupcake liners. Place 1 andes mint in the center of each batter filled cup!
Bake 350 approx. 25 mins.

Frosting:
1 block cream cheese
2 sticks butter
2 tsp. vanilla
4 cups powdered sugar
2 cups crushed mint oreo cookies

Mix together cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until smooth
Add other ingredients. And combine.
Spread on to cooled cupcakes
Top with another Andes mint!!

I sprinkled these with green dusting powder!

Almond Joy Cupcakes

So after thinking long and hard about my options for Almond Joy
Cupcakes I decided to do something different. No traditional chocolate cupcake. I chose an almond cupcake with chocolate ganache and coconut almond topping.

Almond Cupcakes

1 3/4 cup sour cream
2 sticks of butter
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups sugar
2/3 cups slivered almonds
4 large eggs
2 tsp. almond extract
1 tsp. vanilla

Cream 1 cup sour cream, butter, and oil in mixer

In a separate bowl mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Then add sugar and almonds to dry mixture

Add dry ingredients to to wet ingredients.

In a small bowl mix eggs, remaining sour cream, and vanilla

Add to batter.

Fill cupcake liners and bake at 325 for 20-25 mins.


Chocolate Ganache

Boil 1 cup of heavy cream and 2 tsp vanilla.
Take off heat and pour over 12 ounces of chopped chocolate.
Let sit for 5 mins. prior to stirring. Stir mixture and let cool approx. 15 mins. Dip tops of cupcakes into ganache.


Coconut Topping

Simmer 3/4 cup heavy cream, 1/4 sugar, and a pinch of salt until sugar dissolves.

Remove from heat and add 2 tsp. vanilla and 3 cups shredded coconut. Once cooled stir in 1 1/2 cup almonds. Place a mound on to of each cupcake.

Pineapple Coconut Cupcakes with Coconut Buttercream

Must Bake Now! My family and I have been in Hawaii on vacation, and as we got home at 2 am today I was thinking about what kind of cupcakes I could make. So many things I should be doing today and instead I must bake now! I got several fun baking items while we were there and can't wait to start using them! Enjoy!

Pineapple Coconut Cupcakes

2 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup buttermilk
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 cup crushed pineapple
1 cup shredded coconut

Combine Flour, soda, and salt. In mixer combine oil, buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla. Stir in sugar, pineapple, and coconut. Add flour mixture. Bake at 325 for 20 mins.


Coconut Butter cream

2 sticks butter
1/2 cup coconut syrup (to taste)
3 cups powdered sugar

Combine all ingredients, pipe and spread onto cakes!

I garnished these with pineapple sugar!

Banana Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Frosting

I have been wanting to make a cupcake that combined bananas and caramel. My pregnant friend asked if I could fill hers with banana custard! So I made a couple different versions of the same cupcake and believe me they are yummy!

 Banana Cupcakes:

1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 stick of butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 large bananas mashed

Mix sour cream & baking soda, set aside

Cream butter and brown sugar in mixer

Add eggs and vanilla to mixer, combine

Mix flour, baking powder, & salt, set aside. Mix mashed bananas to sour cream mixture. alternate adding dry ingredients and banana mixture to mixer.

Add batter to cupcake pan! Bake approx. 15 mins.

Once cooled, spread a small amount of caramel (below) on top of each cupcake before frosting!


Salted Caramel Frosting
1/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp water
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla
2 sticks salted butter
1 pkg of cream cheese
1/2 tsp sea salt
3 cups powdered sugar

Stir together sugar and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, cook without stirring until sugar mixture is a dark amber color. Remove from heat, and slowly add heavy cream and vanilla. Stir until smooth. Let cool.

Mix butter, cream cheese,  and salt in mixer. Add powdered sugar and mix. Add caramel, mix on in high until light and fluffy.

Pipe or spread onto cupcakes!

As a garnish I fried banana discs in butter and sugar until golden brown!


Banana Custard

1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp cornstarch
1/8 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups milk
3 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla
1 medium banana

In saucepan combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Gradually ass milk and stir over medium heat until mixture boils. Cook an additional 2-3 mins. Stir in egg yolks slowly and whisk. Add mashed banana and vanilla and cook until thickened. Cool for 1 hour before using.

Remove centers of cupcake with small knife and fill with custard. Then pipe frosting on top!

Guinness Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

SO today I was on a mission for my husband to have a favorite cupcake. After all if your wife is gonna bake all the time it is crazy not to have a favorite. So in the past he loved the Guinness Chocolate cupcakes (pretty sure it's the concept of beer and cake that realed him in on that one!) and then he always loves Peanut butter frosting no matter what. So I combined them both in hopes of creating a favorite! Hope you love them too!


GUINNESS CUPCAKES

1 cup guinness stout
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon butter
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 cups brown sugar
3/4 cup sour cream
2 eggs
1 tbsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking soda

Heat oven to 350

Combine Guinness and butter and heat in saucepan until butter is melted. Add cocoa powder and brown sugar.

In a separate bowl whisk together sour cream, eggs, and vanilla.
Add to the Guinness mixture.

Sift together flour and soda. Combine wet and dry ingredients.

Fill Cupcake liners and bake.


PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING 

8 tbsp of butter
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp of honey

Combine all ingredients and pipe or spread on cooled cupcakes.

Key Lime Cupcakes

Key Lime Cupcakes with Graham Cracker Frosting

These are perfect for summer. The graham cracker frosting sets them apart from other lime flavored treats!


1 1/2 cups cake flour
2 tsp. baking powder
pinch of salt
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
3/4 cup key lime juice

In a small bowl combine flour, baking powder, and salt
In mixer cream butter and sugar together
Mix in eggs one at a time
Mix sweetened condensed milk and key lime juice into wet ingredients
Add flour mixture to wet ingredients
Divide into cupcake liners
Bake 350 fro 30 mins. Centers may still be wet, that's normal they will set as they cool.



Graham Cracker Frosting
1/4 cup butter
8 oz cream cheese
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup key lime juice
1 1/3 cups crushed graham crackers

Mix cream cheese and butter. Mix in all other ingredients, adding powdered sugar a little bit at a time.
Pipe onto cooled cupcakes!



Lemon White Chocolate Cupcakes

Tart and Sweet Lemon White Chocolate Cupcakes with Fresh Lemon Curd Filling and Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting!! Yum!

Happy Fourth of July....

Lemon White Chocolate Cupcakes
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 sticks butter softened
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup plain yogurt
Lemon zest from 2 lemons
1 cup fresh lemon juice
5 eggs
1/2 bag of white chocolate chips

Heat over 350 degrees
mix flour, salt, powder, & soda in a large bowl
cream butter and sugar in mixer
In a medium bowl mix yogurt, lemon zest, and lemon juice
Add eggs to butter and sugar one at a time
Alternate flour mixture and yogurt mixture in to mixer. Mix until combined. Add White Chocolate Chips and stir.
Fill lined baking cups and bake approx 16 mins. until golden around the edges.

Once cooled press in a small section of the center and pipe
 Fresh Lemon Curd into center of each cake.

Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
1 pgk of cream cheese
1 1/2 sticks of butter
Juice from 2 lemons. Zest from both also
2 large spoon fulls of lemon curd
4 cups powdered sugar

Cream first 5 ingredients.
Add powdered sugar slowly until combined.
Refrigerate for 20 mins.
Pipe onto each cupcake

Fresh Lemon Curd

Fresh Lemon Curd

12 Tbs. butter softened

2 cups sugar

4 large eggs

4 egg yolks

1 1/2 cups fresh squeezed lemon juice

2 bsp. lemon zest

Yields 4 cups

Beat butter and sugar in mixer.  Add eggs and yolks slowly. Beat for 1 min.

Add Lemon juice.

Mixture will loook curdled.

Cook on low heat until mixture looks smooth. Mixture will no longer appear curdled.

Increase to medium heat stir constantly about 15 mins. until mixture thickens.

Transfer to a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap to avoid skin from forming on top.

Once cooled transfer to canning jars or use.

Curd is good for 1 weeek in the refrigerator or 2 months in the freezer.

Adapted from finecooking.com



Lemons, Lemons, Lemons...

So I ended up with a huge bag of fresh lemons from Brian's grandma Mary. I am gonna try to make my first fresh Lemon Curd.

So later today I am hoping to have White Chocolate Cupcakes with Lemon Curd filling and Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting.

YUM! Pictures and Recipes to come!!

Cupcakes!

These are just some cupcake pictures to get started! Recipes to follow!

Where to Start....

A food blog is something that I have been thinking about for a long time. Being someone who loves bake and share ideas with others makes blogging seem logical. The question is where to start? I bake to realieve stress, there is nothing like throwing on an apron and finding that peace in the kitchen. Why Sweet Jewel? My sweet grandmother Jewel and the way she looked in her apron and the way the house smelled while she baked, it was amazing.  She is such a tender part of my life, so why not start with her.