Perfectly Not Too Sweet Frosting

1 1/2 cups Sugar
3 sticks butter (1 1/2 cups butter)
1/4 cup flour
4 Tablespoons Cornstarch
1 T Vanilla bean paste (or regular vanilla extract) ***You can use any flavoring of your choice here***
1 1/2 cups milk

In a medium saucepan mix together the sugar, flour and cornstarch. Add 1/2 cup of the milk and mix very well. Pour in remaining milk slowly while stirring. Place over medium heat and stir constantly until mixture becomes very thick. Remove from heat. Place into a clean mixing bowl and allow to cool completely. (I place mine in the freezer and stir it frequently) Slice the butter into small sections and allow them to sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes. When the mixture is cool (I mean COLDER than room temperature) beat in the vanilla and start adding the butter 1-2 pieces at a time. Keep beating the frosting until all of the butter in whipped into the mixture. Now you are going to continue to whip the mixture until it resembles whipped cream. If it isn't fluffy, don't stop. HERE IS MY SECRET: every other blog I have seen a similar recipe on says that if you beat it too long the frosting will start to break down; that is the opposite of what I have found. If it appears to be broken down, you didn't beat it long enough. I can store mine in the fridge and then re-whip it the next day for another 10-15 minutes and it will be perfectly fluffy again.

** Chocolate variation *** Add 1-2 hershey's bars as soon as the cooking stage is finished. Stir in until completely melted and combined. Continue on as directed. Not too chocolatey, but perfect for chocolate cupcakes! Yum!

Pumpkin Cupcakes

1 c sugar
1 c brown sugar
1 c melted butter
4 eggs
1 t baking soda
1 t baking powder
1 t salt
2 c flour
1 1/4 t cinnamon
1/2 t ground cloves
1/2 t nutmeg
1/2 t ginger
1/2 package instant vanilla pudding mix
1 can pumpkin

Combine both sugars, butter and eggs in bowl; beat well. Add salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and ginger and mix well. Mix in flour and then add the pudding mix and pumpkin puree. Mix well. Pour into prepared mini cupcake pans and bake at 350* for 12 minutes. (or 20-25 minutes for regular size cupcakes) Makes 75 mini cupcakes or 18 regular cupcakes.  Frost with Cream Cehese Frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 cube butter, softened
1 package cream cheese*
3-4 cups powdered sugar (you can use more if you want)
maraschino cherry juice (optional)
1-2 t. vanilla
1 t. almond extract (optional)
1 c. heavy whipping cream, whipped

Cream butter and cream cheese together and whip until fluffy. Add in powdered sugar and extracts**. Add maraschino cherry juice (1-2 T.) for desired consistency. You can add more powdered sugar if you get it too thin. Add in whipped cream.
*If you want a stronger cream cheese flavor use 2 packages of cream cheese. You will probably want to up the amount of powdered sugar.
**Always add extracts before the milk because they will thin out your frosting somewhat.

Caramel Frosting

1 c butter, divided
2 oz cream cheese, softened
3 lbs powdered sugar
2 t vanilla
8-10 T water
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 c brown sugar
1/4 t sea salt

Brown 1/2 cup of the butter and let cool completely. It should look like this.

In the mean time, place cream and sea salt in a small sauce pan. Bring to a near simmer and add brown sugar. Bring to a low boil stirring nearly constantly until thickened, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool completely.

In your stand mixer, combine both butters and cream cheese and beat until smooth. Add powdered sugar slowly. Continue beating and pour in the caramel mixture  and vanilla slowly. Add water 1 T at a time until you reach desired consistency.

Chocolate Beet Cupcakes w/ Cream Cheese Frosting

Yep! You read that right. Beets made into dessert. You say you have a friend/neighbor/family member who grew beets in his/her garden and didn't know what to do with them so he/she handed them over the fence and challenged you to turn them into something delicious? Me too! So you have come to the right place! (Don't tell me that I'm the only one that has things like this happen to them.) Anyways, I did some searching and found a beet cake recipe at Taste of Home. This is like a carrot spice cake only not. :) It was a huge hit with all NINE kids. (My five plus the friends' who gave me the beets) Come to find out, (AS I WAS BAKING!) the men were discussing baking a cobbler because they were worried that my "beet dessert" would be nasty. They were amazed! These are moist and so yummy. And I can justify it by saying they are a vegetable. (Just play along!)

1 cup uncooked, peeled and shredded beets
2 t lemon juice
4 eggs
1 1/4 c melted butter
1/2 c milk
2 T honey
2 t vanilla
2 1/2 c flour
2 c sugar
1/2 c cocoa
2 t baking soda
1 t salt

In a small bowl, toss beets with lemon juice; set aside. In a bowl, beat the eggs, butter, milk, honey and vanilla. Combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt; add to egg mixture and beat just until blended. Stir in beet mixture. Scoop batter into lined cupcake pans (makes 24+ cupcakes) and bake at 325* 22-25 minutes until toothpick comes out clean. Cool and frost with cream cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

 1 cube butter, softened
1 package cream cheese*
3-4 cups powdered sugar (you can use more if you want)
maraschino cherry juice (or milk)
1-2 t. vanilla
1 t. almond extract (optional)
1 c. heavy whipping cream, whipped

Cream butter and cream cheese together and whip until fluffy. Add in powdered sugar and extracts**. Add maraschino cherry juice (1-2 T.) for desired consistency. You can add more powdered sugar if you get it too thin. Add in whipped cream.

*If you want a stronger cream cheese flavor use 2 packages of cream cheese. You will probably want to up the amount of powdered sugar.

**Always add extracts before the milk because they will thin out your frosting somewhat.

Octopus Cake

My baby turned 2 on April 1st. I pretty much always let them pick their own cake out of my ridiculous stack of cookbooks. (Ever want to get me something? A cookbook is a safe bet!) Little Peanut picked this. This cake may have caused some minor cussing to leap from my mouth. It almost ended up in the garbage can. Let's just say it's lucky to have survived my wrath.

Strawberry Cupcakes

Cupcake batter:
2 cups flour
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t sea salt
3/4 cups smart balance butter spread
2 1/2 c sugar
1 t. almond emulsion
2 t. vanilla
1 c. sour cream
3 eggs
1 box french vanilla instant pudding mix (3.4 oz)


Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and sea salt in a medium bowl. In a large bowl (or your stand mixer) combine sugar and smart balance butter spread until fluffy. Add eggs in one at a time beating til combined. Add in almond and vanilla mixing well. Mix in flour mixture and mix until combined. Add sour cream and beat well. Mix in pudding and beat well for a minute or two. Fill cupcake tins with batter and bake at 350* for 20-23 minutes.

Strawberry Rhubarb Mixture:
1 pound strawberries, tops cut off and sliced small
1 c sugar, divided
1 t. lemon juice
1 stock rhubarb, diced into 1/4" pieces (optional)
1/2 c. water

Mix strawberries with 2/3 cup sugar and 1 t. lemon juice and let set while you prepare the rhubarb, stirring occasionally. Combine rhubarb, 1/3 c. sugar and 1/2 c. water in a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil. Turn heat down to low and cook for 5-7 minutes until tender. Spoon rhubarb out of pan and into strawberry mixture without the extra liquid. (I prefer this recipe WITHOUT the rhubarb.)

Whipped Cream Topping:
Heavy Cream
Powdered Sugar
Vanilla

Whip heavy cream till it holds a peak adding powdered sugar and vanilla to taste.

Assembly:
Cut cupcakes in half and top with strawberry mixture. Replace top. Top with whipped cream and more mixture if you choose.

Brown Sugar Cake with Browned Butter Frosting

Tonight was my first real attempt at cake decorating. I want to learn cake decorating, not just pretty frosting. I had to start somewhere. No laughing. The recipes I combined are amazing!

Brown Sugar Cake
3 cups flour
5 T cornstarch
2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1 c salted butter, softened
1 c sour cream
2 1/4 c brown sugar
4 eggs
3/4 c buttermilk (3/4 c milk w/ 2 t vinegar)

Mix flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt to combine. Set aside. Cream butter and brown sugar. Add eggs one at a time. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately until all combined. Beat in sour cream.

Bake at 350* in two 9 in rounds (or an 8 and 10 like I chose) for 20-30 minutes depending on pan sizes. Let cool and then frost with browned butter frosting.

Browned Butter Fosting
1 c butter, divided
3 lbs powdered sugar
1 t almond extract
2 t vanilla
8-10 T water

Brown 1/2 cup of the butter and let cool completely. It should look like this.

Combine browned butter with 1/2 cup softened (not browned) butter. Beat in powdered sugar and extracts. Add as much water as needed to get desired consistency. Frost cake. Here is my crumb coating and finished cake photos. (No laughing! It was my first attempt.)

Green Velvet Cake

Adapted from Epicurious

I searched out some green velvet recipes, but was unimpressed. I HATE adding oil to anything. I try and avoid it. It just grosses me out. So I found this red velvet cake recipe at Epicurious at it didn't call for any oil, just real butter (so I'll probably die of heart failure - whatever). I changed it up a little and viola!

• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sour milk (milk with a T of vinegar or lemon juice)
  
• 1 oz green food coloring
  
• 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup sour cream
  

In a medium bowl whisk flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt together. In a small bowl mix milk, vinegar and food coloring. In the bowl of your stand mixer beat the butter and sugar to combine. Add eggs and mix well. Add the flour and milk mixtures alternately in several small additions. Beat in the sour cream.

Pour into prepared cupcake pans or 2 9" rounds greased with cake release.

Bake 30-35 minutes (for 9" rounds) or until toothpick inserted into the center of cake comes out clean.

Let rest for 10-15 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely. Frost with cream cheese frosting and serve.

Robot Cupcake-Cake

My oldest son turned 8 this week. So as per tradition we searched through my cupcake books (You know, the morning of his birthday - as per tradition - ha!). He chose the robot. I didn't have all of the candy pieces on hand for the robot decor (also as per tradition - what is wrong with me?!) so I told him I'd have to improvise. (You guessed it - as per tradition! Why mess with tradition?) So I set out on an adventure to search through all of my cake decorating items, remind me to post a picture of all of it someday. This was no small task! I added an '8' and 'Jordy' (I couldn't fit 'Jordan'- haha!) Here is the result.

Famous Coconut Cupcakes

Ok, ladies who have been hounding me for this recipe, here it is. Hope you all love it as much as they do! Like most of my recipes, it isn't an exact science. Feel free to play around with the amounts until you get what you love.

Cake:
Your favorite butter vanilla cake recipe made into batter (don't use a recipe that calls for oil. Use a recipe that calls for butter. Trust me)
I use pillsbury butter recipe vanilla cake and add a large vanilla pudding mix, 1/2 c. sour cream and 1/2 c. white sugar (along with the water, eggs and butter it calls for)
2-3 T. Coconut extract (I add it in until I can smell it strongly)
1/2 cup coconut, blended in your blender until fine (this is optional)

Bake cupcakes or cake according to directions for whatever cake recipe you use.

Frosting:

1/2 c. white shortening
1/2 c. (1 cube) Smart Balance Buttery Sticks partially softened
1-2 T. coconut extract
1 lb powdered sugar

Cream shortening and butter sticks, add extract and mix well. Add p. sugar slowly and mix well. (Add more or less p. sugar to get desired consistency.) Frost cupcakes with desired amount and top with coconut if you choose.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 cube butter, softened
1 package cream cheese*
3-4 cups powdered sugar (you can use more if you want)
maraschino cherry juice (or milk)
1-2 t. vanilla
1 t. almond extract (optional)
1 c. heavy whipping cream, whipped

Cream butter and cream cheese together and whip until fluffy. Add in powdered sugar and extracts**. Add maraschino cherry juice (1-2 T.) for desired consistency. You can add more powdered sugar if you get it too thin. Add in whipped cream.

*If you want a stronger cream cheese flavor use 2 packages of cream cheese. You will probably want to up the amount of powdered sugar.

**Always add extracts before the milk because they will thin out your frosting somewhat.

Rootbeer Float Cupcakes

I found this recipe for Rootbeer Float Cupcakes at Bitter Sweet. I have seen them around and thought I'd give them a go. I wasn't a fan of the frosting recipes that I have seen other bloggers using for them so I went on my own for that. I used Wilton's buttercream recipe and tweaked it just a teeny tiny bit. I could have eaten it with a spoon! It was that good.

Rootbeer Cupcakes

1 Cup Rootbeer Soda (non-diet)
1 Teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar
3/4 Cup Sugar
1/3 Cup Canola Oil
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
2 Teaspoons Root Beer Extract
1 1/3 Cups Flour
3/4 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
Pinch of Salt

• Preheat your oven to 325
• Combine root beer soda and vinegar and let stand for a few minutes.
• Add in the sugar and oil, whisking until slightly frothy.
• Mix in your extracts, and slowly add the flour, along with the baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Careful not to over mix.
• Fill cupcake liners approximately 3/4 full. (At first I thought I had a lot more batter than 12 cupcakes, but then I noticed the batter would settle, so I went back and added a little batter to each liner, which made 12 cupcakes)
• Bake for about 20 – 22 minutes.
• Yields 12 full size cupcakes or 50 mini cupcakes. (bake minis 12-15 minutes)

Rootbeer Buttercream Frosting

• 1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine softened
• 1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract (I didn't use the clear because I wasn't going for white frosting)
• 1/2 - 1 teaspoon rootbeer extract (to taste)
  
• 4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar (approximately 1 lb.)
• 2 tablespoons milk

Yields about 3 cups of icing.

In large bowl, cream shortening and butter with electric mixer. Add vanilla & rootbeer extracts. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry. Add milk and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy.

Not Just A Chocolate Cupcake - Cupcake

Though this idea is not new, this recipe is my own. If you take it, please link back to me.

This is a two part recipe, meaning you actually have to make 2 dessert recipes to get one final result. You start by making chocolate chip cookie dough and end by making chocolate cupcakes. The cookie dough recipe is my very own creation while the cake recipe is an adaptation of a few different recipes I have found.
*Note: I personally, LOVE these as minis because they are rich! The recipe below is for full size. If you wish to change this into minis cut tubes into 5 pieces after freezing, top with 1 T. of batter and bake 12-15 minutes.

Cookie Dough:

1 cube butter, softened
1 cube margarine, softened
2 c. Brown Sugar
1 c. White Sugar
3 eggs
1/2 T. vanilla
1 t. Almond extract
1 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
4 c. flour
1/2 bag milk chocolate chips
2 Hershey's Bliss Chocolate Meltaway Center Candy Bars, chopped small
Whip butter and margarine until light and fluffy. Add brown sugar and white sugar. Mix until fluffy. Add vanilla and almond extracts and eggs. Mix well. Add baking soda, baking powder and salt. Mix well. Add flour and mix well. Stir in chocolate chips and candy bar chunks.

*This recipe makes about 75-80 cookies. You will need about 18 cookie scoops rolled into cylinder shapes and frozen solid. I placed them in the deep freeze over night. You can either freeze the rest for another day or bake them.

Hot Chocolate Cupcakes

• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons Unsweetened Cocoa
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) margarine, melted
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
  
• 2 T. Hot Chocolate powder (1 packet hot chocolate mix)
  
• 1/2 cup hot chocolate (1 packet of hot chocolate mixed into 1 cup hot water)
  

Instructions:

1. Add flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, hot chocolate powder, and salt in a bowl and mix thoroughly to combine. Add the butter, eggs, and vanilla and beat on medium speed for one minute. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the hot chocolate. Beat for 20-30 seconds until the batter is smooth. The batter will be thin enough to pour.

Final Steps:

Place one tube of frozen cookie dough, vertically, in each cupcake tin (prepared with paper liner). Fill each liner 3/4 full with cake batter. Bake at 325* 20-25 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Try not to over bake. Cool completely and frost with cookie dough frosting. See recipe below.

Cookie Dough Frosting:

1 1/2 sticks softened butter
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
3-4 cups powdered sugar
1-2 tbsp. milk (as needed)
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and mix well. Add powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time adding milk as needed for desired consistency.
*Note* This frosting will have sugar granules that are noticeable. It is supposed to resemble cookie dough so it will not be smooth like butter cream frosting.

Perfect Fluffly Bakery Style Frosting

What you'll need:
1/2 c. white shortening
1/2 c. (1 cube) Smart Balance Buttery Sticks partially softened
1 1/2 t. almond extract
1 t. clear vanilla
1 lb powdered sugar

Mix together shorteneing and butter blend with hand mixer or kitchenaid. Add almond extract and vanilla and mix well. Add powdered sugar in small amounts mixing well after each addition. Once all powdered sugar is blended mix 1 minute longer on medium-high speed to fluff frosting. Frost as desired.


I use the Wilton decorator.

This recipe will frost 12-16 cupcakes if you are doing high piled fluffy bakery style as shown below. It will go a lot further if you aren't.

Preschool Graduation Cupcakes

I made these silly little graduation cupcakes for the boys' preschool graduation last weekend. They are easy, but VERY time consuming. Each one is different. This is one I probably won't be doing again. At least not any time soon. They were a HUGE hit at the party though.