Black Bottom Cupcakes

I made these for a work celebration today, they were a huge hit! And oh so yummy! I doubled the recipe and highly recommend doing the same!

Black Bottom Cupcakes

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1 egg
1/3 cup white sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
** I added about a tsp of vanilla to the crm chz recipe

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly butter muffin tins and set aside.

Beat together the cream cheese, egg, sugar and salt. Stir in chocolate chips and set aside.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Add the water, oil, vinegar, and vanilla. Beat until well combined. Batter will be thin.

Fill muffin cups 1/3 full with the chocolate batter. Top each one with a spoonful of cream cheese mixture.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes.** I found that 25-30 (I did 27 minutes) was perfect

Amazing Cupcakes

These are not at all healthy, but they are oh so good. Imagine a Hostess cupcake with cream filling, only homemade and 10x better. They are time consuming to make, but are great! Make sure the icing on top is in swirls just like the Hostess ones!!

Ingredients
For the Cupcakes:

* 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 2 teaspoons baking soda
* 2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
* 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
* 1 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces
* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 2 large eggs, lightly beaten

For the Filling:

* 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
* 1 cup confectioners' sugar
* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 3 tablespoons heavy cream
* 1 cup marshmallow creme

For the Ganache and Icing:

* 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
* 1/2 cup heavy cream
* 1 stick plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
* 2 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 1 tablespoon milk
* 2 cups confectioners' sugar

Directions

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Place paper liners in two 12-cup muffin pans.
Prepare the cupcakes:

Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Bring the sugar and 1 cup water to a boil in a saucepan, stirring until the sugar dissolves, about 3 minutes. Pour into a large bowl; add the chocolate and butter and let sit, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate is melted and the mixture has cooled slightly. Stir in the vanilla. Using a mixer, beat in the eggs, then mix in the dry ingredients.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans (about 1/4 cup batter per cupcake) and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool in the pans for about 25 minutes, then transfer cupcakes to a rack to cool completely.
Meanwhile, prepare the filling:

Using a mixer, cream the butter until light and fluffy. Beat in 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar. Add the vanilla and 1 tablespoon heavy cream; beat until smooth. Beat in the remaining 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar and 2 tablespoons heavy cream in batches, alternating after each addition. Beat in the marshmallow creme; set aside.
Prepare the ganache:

Place the chocolate in a stainless-steel bowl. Heat the cream and 1 tablespoon butter until just boiling, then pour over the chocolate; let stand for 5 minutes. Whisk until smooth. Add 2 teaspoons vanilla; let stand until cool but still glossy and liquid.

Spoon the filling into a pastry bag with a medium tip. Insert the tip into the center of each cupcake top; fill until the cupcake is heavier (do not overfill). Dip the cupcake tops in the ganache. Chill for at least 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the icing: Using a mixer, beat the remaining 1 stick butter, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla, the milk and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Spoon into a pastry bag with a small tip; pipe onto the cupcakes to decorate.

Birthday Boy!

Happy 25th Birthday Rich!

Sadly, he is under the weather for his birthday, but that didn't stop him from eating some cake!! This cake is actually made for only 2 people. They are baked in 14.5 oz cans (soup, fruit, vegetable cans) that are washed out and sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Take a piece of parchment paper and cut it to fit the bottom of the can before pouring in the batter. It's a great way to eat cake and make sure there isn't any left over to snack on!!!

1/4 c plus 2 T all purpose flour
3 T buttermilk
yolk of 1 large egg
1/2 t vanilla
3 T butter, melted and cooled
2 T unsweetened cocoa powder
1/8 t baking soda
1/8 t salt
1/3 c sugar

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 325.

Grease the insides of the cans and lightly dust with flour, tapping out the excess. Place the cans on a baking sheet.

Combine the buttermilk, egg yolk, & vanilla in a bowl, and whisk to mix. Gradually pour the melted butter into the buttermilk mixture, whisking constantly.

Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, & salt in a medium bowl. add the sugar and whisk to combine. Add the buttermilk mixture and whisk just until the dry ingredients are moistened.

Spoon the batter into the cans, dividing evenly. Bake cake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 25-30 minutes.

remove the baking sheet from the oven and cool for 15 minutes. run a thin sharp knife around the inside of the can and invert them to release the cakes. Turn the cakes right side up let cool completely.

To frost, cut each cake in half horizontally. Spread a layer of icing on one side of the cake, then stack the other half on top of it. Frost the sides and top of the cake.

Use your favorite icing recipe or...

Double Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting:

6 oz milk chocolate
3 oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
1/4 c plus 3 T sour cream (room temp)
1/2 t vanilla


Place chocolate in a medium microwave bowl and microwave on high 2 to 2 & 1/2 m.

Let chocolate mixture cool for 5 min; then add the sour cream, vanilla, salt and whisk to blend well. let frosting cool to room temp, stirring occasionally. spread on cake..

Warning: This is incredibly chocolate-y!

Check out this great book by Debby Maugans Nakos "Small Batch Baking"

Thanksgiving Treats!

I got a new bundt type pan the other day (made by Nordic Ware and bought at Bed Bath and Beyond) and love it! It's so fun and cute! It makes 30 mini tea cakes! I used a pumpkin cake recipe and it turned out well. Next time, I think I'll go with a simple chocolate cake to really show the form of each little cake.

This is the recipe I used. It's pretty good. http://www.joyofbaking.com/PumpkinSpiceCake.html
I also have a chocolate pumpkin cake under october 2005.

So I also made some turkey sugar cookies. I finally found a sugar cookie recipe that I can work with. Usually I have a really hard time making sugar cookies and give up and just make them round, but I think this one will work!!!

SUGAR COOKIES:
Will make cut-out, slice, or spritz cookies
1 c (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp
1 c granulated sugar
1/2 t salt
1 lg. egg
1 t vanilla
3 c flour

In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, cream butter with sugar and salt until light and flyffy. Add egg and beat well to combine. Mix in vanilla. With mixer on low speed add flour and mix until incorporated.

Preheat oven to 350. Space cookies 2" apart on parchment paper line cookie sheets. Bake until just barely golden around the edges, 7-12 minutes.

Decorate and let dry at least 2 hours. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

I found the key to these cookies is to chill the dough for AT LEAST 2 hours, I let it chill overnight. Then, only use a small portion of the dough at a time, keeping the rest in the fridge to stay firm. When I was using cookie cutters, the stiffer the dough, the easier it was to cut the shapes!!

A friend gave me this recipe and said it came from Blue Print Magazine.

I just looked it up and here is the link to the magazine:

http://www.marthastewart.com/article/essential-sugar-cookies?lnc=9bd9cf380e1dd010VgnVCM1000005b09a00aRCRD&rsc=tocblueprint_magazines_blueprint

Angel Food Cake Topping

This is from a lady at work. It's a delicious topping for an angel food cake or really any cake!

1 can crushed pineapple; drained
1 box instant vanilla or french vanilla pudding
1 container cool whip (or alternative)

Mix above ingredients together and spread on the cake! Enjoy!

Pumpkin Roll

I made a rolled cake for the first time for a food day at work. I never made one b/c I thought they were super hard to make.. a rolled cake? That is against nature! But, much to my shock, it was incredibly easy, and of course delicious! I didn't have a "jelly roll pan" so I just used a cookie sheet and that worked just fine. Just remember to refrigerate and don't let the cream cheese get to soft before you cream it with the butter!

Get that spatula dirty!!

Pumpkin Roll:

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 cup pumpkin puree
3 eggs
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup confectioners' sugar

To make Pumpkin Pie Spice (makes 1 teaspoon):
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger, ground
1/8 tsp allspice
1/8 tsp nutmeg, ground


Preheat oven to 375 F . Grease and flour a 9x13 inch jelly roll pan or cookie sheet.

In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking soda, and pumpkin pie spice. Stir in pumpkin puree, eggs, and lemon juice. Pour mixture into prepared pan. Spread the mixture evenly.

Bake at 375F for 15 minutes.

Lay a damp linen towel on the counter, sprinkle it with confectioner's sugar, and turn the cake onto the towel. Carefully roll the towel up (lengthwise) with the cake in it. Place the cake-in-towel on a cooling rack and let it cool for 20 minutes.
Make the icing: In a medium bowl, blend cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and sugar with a wooden spoon or electric mixer.
When the cake has cooled 20 minutes, unroll it spread icing onto it. Immediately re-roll (not in the towel this time), and wrap it with plastic wrap. Keep the cake refrigerated or freeze it for up to 2 weeks in aluminum foil. Cut the cake in slices just before serving.

An October Birthday

Well, today is Oct 1! Not only are we just 2 months away from the end of 2006, it is also my dad's 56th birthday! What birthday is complete without an awesome birthday cake? Inspired by Martha, this cake entitled, Cocoa Buttermilk Cake, is very rich and delicious! Serve with ice cream or frozen yogurt to make it a little less intense. If you are into very chocolate-y cakes, this is your cake! The icing is also chocolate containing both cocoa and bittersweet chocolate morsels. So yummy!

Enjoy!

Cocoa Buttermilk Cake

Find the recipe at:
http://www.marthastewart.com/page.jhtml?type=content&id=recipe2210044&contentGroup=MSL&site=living
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pans

1 1/4 cups unsweetened Dutchprocess cocoa powder, plus more for pans

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 3/4 cups sugar

3 large eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups low-fat buttermilk

Chocolate Frosting (it makes a TON!)


1. Preheat oven to 350°. Butter two 8-by- 12-inch cake pans, and line with parchment paper. Butter parchment, and lightly dust with cocoa powder; set aside. Sift cocoa powder, flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl; set aside.

2. Put butter and sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Mix in eggs, 1 at a time, and vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Add cocoa mixture in 2 batches, alternating with the buttermilk.

3. Divide batter evenly between pans. Bake until a cake tester inserted into centers comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack 15 minutes. Invert cakes onto rack; remove parchment, and reinvert. Let cool completely.

4. Trim cakes level. Place 1 cake on a platter. Spread with 1 cup frosting. Top with remaining cake. Spread 4 1/2 cups frosting on top and sides.

For the icing:

4 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

3/4 cup (11/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

18 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted

1 1/2 cups sour cream

1. Sift sugar, cocoa powder, and salt into a large bowl. Put cream cheese and butter into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Reduce speed to low. Gradually add sugar mixture; mix until combined, 1 to 2 minutes. Mix in chocolate and sour cream. Use immediately.

Orange-Blueberry Angel Food Cake

This is a delicious cake with a little tang to it! So yummy!

1 1/2 c egg whites (10-12 large)
1 1/2 c sifted powdered sugar
1 c sifted cake flour or sifted all-purpose flour
1 t vanilla
1 1/2 t cream of tartar
1 c granulated sugar (or substitute Splenda baking sugar just make sure to read the equivalency directions)
1 1/2 c freeze dried blueberries (I used the little "wild" blueberries in the frozen food section)
1 T finely shredded orange peel
1 C sifted powdered sugar
3-5 t frozen orange juice concentrate thawed (I didn't have this, just regular OJ and it tasted fine!)

~Directions~

In a very large mixing bowl allow egg whites to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, sift the 1 1/2 c powdered sugar and the flour together 3 times. Set aside.

Add cream of tartar and vanilla to egg whites. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form (tips curl). Gradually add granulated sugar, about 2 T at a time, beathing until stiff peaks form (tips stand straight).

Sift 1/4 of the powdered sugar mixture over beaten egg whites; fold in gently. Repeat, folding in the remaining powdered sugar mixture by fourths. Gently old in freeze-dried blueberries and orange peel. Pour into an ungreased 10-nich tube pan. Gently cut through batter to remove air pockets.

Bake cake on the lowest rack in a 350F oven for 40-45 min or until top springs back when lightly touched. Immediately invert cake in pan; cool completely in pan. Loosen cake from pan; remove cake.

In a small bowl combine the 1 c powdered sugar and 3 t of the OJ concentrate. Stir in enough of the remaining OJ, 1 t at a time, to reach drizzling consistency. Drizzle over cooled cake.

You will LOVE this cake and want to eat more than just one piece! and at only 208 c and 0g fat per serving (makes 12 servings) you can!!

YUM!

Chocolate Cake

Not only is this a perfect opportunity to share a GREAT chocolate cake recipe, I can also show off my birthday present from my sister, Pam. It's from thecakepanlady.com and it's so cute! I love it!!!

Enjoy!

HERSHEY'S "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" Chocolate Cake

http://www.hersheys.com/recipes/recipes/print-recipe.asp?psize=35&id=184

Ingredients:
. 2 cups sugar
. 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
. 3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
. 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
. 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
. 1 cup boiling water

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.

2. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.

3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost with Buttercream or any frosting you prefer.

VARIATIONS:
ONE-PAN CAKE: Grease and flour 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Heat oven to 350 F. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely. Frost.

THREE LAYER CAKE: Grease and flour three 8-inch round baking pans. Heat oven to 350F. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost.

BUNDT CAKE: Grease and flour 12-cup Bundt pan. Heat oven to 350F. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 50 to 55 minutes. Cool 15 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely. Frost.

CUPCAKES: Line muffin cups (2-1/2 inches in diameter) with paper bake cups. Heat oven to 350F. Fill cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake 22 to 25 minutes. Cool completely. Frost. About 30 cupcakes.


Buttercream Frosting:

1 cup butter or margarine, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 . Beat butter and powdered sugar in medium bowl on medium speed until smooth. Gradually beat in vanilla until smooth and spreadable

Birthday Celebration

Happy 25th Birthday Kari!

What better than a home-made birthday cake with UDF ice cream to start a new year?! It's even better with it's kind of okay to eat!!

This cake seems to bake really fast, so make sure to watch it so it doesn't overcook! Don't forget to add a little flair to your birthday celebration, even if you are celebrating in a restaurant! Bring a bday table cloth and Target has some super fun square bday cake plates!


CHOCOLATE-BANANA CAKE WITH WALNUTS
Healthy bonus: 1/2 serving of fruit per slice, potassium from bananas, iron from walnuts
Makes 16 servings.
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 cup Splenda Sugar Blend for Baking
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp baking soda
4 large overly ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 cup plain lowfat yogurt
2 egg whites
2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup walnuts, chopped
Vegetable-oil cooking spray
Frosting
1 cup lowfat milk
3/4 cup Splenda Sugar Blend for Baking
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 tbsp butter
2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine flours, Splenda, cocoa, and baking soda. Add bananas, yogurt, egg whites, vanilla, and 1/2 cup walnuts. Stir. Coat a 9" x 13" cake pan with cooking spray. Pour batter into pan, spreading evenly. Bake about 35 minutes. Cool.

Raise oven to 375°F. Toast remaining 1/4 cup walnuts 6 minutes. To make frosting, pour 1/4 cup milk into a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in Splenda, cocoa, and cornstarch. Slowly add remaining 3/4 cup milk and bring to a low boil, stirring continuously until thick. Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla. Cool and spread over cake. Sprinkle walnuts over cake.

Seasons Restaurant at the Nemacolin Woodlands Resort & Spa, Farmington, PA
Nutritional analysis per serving: 203 calories, 5.4 g fat (1.3 g saturated fat), 26.1 g carbohydrates, 5.9 g protein, 3.8 g fiber

Recipe from Self.com and Self Dishes Spring 2006

Easter Treats

Well, the bunny cake didn't turn out so well, but what can you do?

Cupcakes were easy and cute to make! Just an extra drop of icing and some marshmallow ears!

An Easter Tradition

This cake is so yummy and so easy! It is an Easter tradition in our house.

Carrot Cake w/ Toasted pecan cream cheese frosting

3 sticks, plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 cups grated carrots
1 cup chopped toasted pecans **be careful not to over toast**
Pecan Cream Cheese Icing:
8 ounces cream cheese
1 stick unsalted butter
1 (1-pound) box confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup chopped toasted pecans


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Butter 3 (9-inch) cake pans with 1 tablespoon of the butter and set aside. In a large bowl, cream the butter with an electric mixer. Add the sugar, and beat. In a medium bowl or on a piece of parchment, combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt, and mix well.

Add the dry ingredients, alternating with the eggs, beating well after the addition of each. Add the vanilla extract and mix. Add the carrots and beat on medium speed until well incorporated, about 2 minutes. Fold in the nuts. Divide between the 3 cake pans and bake until set and a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest in the cake pans for 10 minutes. Invert onto wire racks, remove from the pans, and let cool.

For the Frosting: In a large bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Add the sugar gradually, beating constantly. Add the vanilla and pecans.

When the cake is cool, place 1 cake layer on a cake plate or stand. Spread the top with cream cheese frosting and top with a second and third cake layer, spreading the icing between each layer. Spread the icing around the sides of the cake and let harden slightly before serving. To serve, cut into wedges.

Chocolate Pumpkin Cake

This recipe comes from the October 2005 issue of Country Living. I make the cupcake version today and decorated them with gummy spiders and worms. The recipe is great not to hard to make and contains many things that you already have in your pantry. The mixture of the orange frosting and the pumpkin chocolate cake is outstanding! YUM!!

The photo shows the cupcakes and also the very fun Martha-inspired fall wreath I made. It originally had little pumpkins on it which were hollowed out and tea lights were placed inside, but there were some issues with that.. it would have worked except I bought pumpkins that were too old...

The recipe:


2 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons good-quality cocoa
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon fresh-grated nutmeg
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 cups pumpkin purée
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/4 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
5 large eggs
1 recipe Orange Cream-Cheese Frosting


1. Prepare cake pans: Heat oven to 350° F. Lightly butter three 8-inch cake pans and fit each bottom with an 8-inch circle of parchment paper. Lightly butter the parchment paper. Set aside.

2. Make the batter: Sift the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl and set aside. Combine the buttermilk, pumpkin, and vanilla in a medium bowl and set aside. Beat the butter and sugar together in a large bowl, with an electric mixer set on medium speed, until fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, until the mixture is smooth and light. Alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture, blending well after each addition.

3. Bake the cake: Divide the batter among the pans and bake until a wooden skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean ‑- about 35 minutes. Cool the cakes in the pan for 20 minutes. Remove cakes and cool. (For cupcakes: Heat oven to 375° F. Place cupcake liners in standard cupcake tins and fill each with 1/4 cup of batter. Bake for 22 minutes.)

4. Assemble the cake: Trim each of the layers. Place one layer on a cake plate and top with one third of the frosting. Repeat with the second and third layers. (To ensure that the cake layers do not shift, cut three skewers to 1/4 inch shorter than the full height of the cake and insert them before icing the top layer). Refrigerate until ready to serve.


Orange Cream-Cheese Frosting


One 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup unsalted butter (1/2 stick), softened
1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 teaspoon orange food coloring

Make the frosting: Blend the cream cheese, butter, orange juice, orange zest, and vanilla in a large bowl, using an electric mixer set at medium speed, until smooth. Add the sugar and continue to beat until light and creamy ‑- about 3 more minutes. Add the food coloring and gently stir until the color is uniform. Chill the frosting until ready to ice the cupcakes or cake.