Olympics Cupcakes!

I LOVE the Olympics! I could not be more excited that they're starting today! So, in honor of the Olympics, I made Olympics/British cupcakes! This was mainly just regular vanilla cupcakes with marshmallow buttercream, but I think they turned out super cute! (If you want these cupcake decorations, you can find them here)

For the cupcakes I just used a generic vanilla cupcake recipe, but I added a teaspoon of this pralines and cream flavoring. I think it works really well with a plain cupcake. Of course, since these cupcakes are really about the decorations, any flavor cupcake will do!

For the frosting, I used marshmallow creme butter cream. I didn't know that you could do this, but since I had a jar of marshmallow creme lying around, I decided to look it up. This recipe actually turned out so well! The frosting was thick, so it was easy to pipe onto the cupcakes, but not too thick. It was also so easy! I'll for sure be using this recipe again.

Marshmallow buttercream:

(adapted from: here)

1 16-ounce container of marshmallow creme/fluff

3 sticks butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon almond extract

1/2 - 3/4 cup powdered sugar

1. Whip the marshmallow creme in a stand mixer

2. Cut the sticks of butter into 4 pieces each. Add each into the marshmallow creme, incorporating well after piece.

3. Add in the vanilla and almond extract.

4. Add in 1/2 cup powdered sugar. Add in more if you think it'll be a better texture.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Two Frostings!

Today I had a little extra time, so I decided to make cupcakes! Because the hubby loves peanut butter cups, and my mom loves sending him them, we have an abundance of Reese's around the house. We also recently discovered Biscoff Spread (or the off-brand Trader Joe's Cookie Butter Spread). So, I decided to make chocolate cupcakes, half with peanut butter frosting and half with Biscoff frosting!

Chocolate Cupcakes

Recipe from: The Family Kitchen

 

Ingredients

1 3/4 cup flour

1 cup packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons white sugar (optional)

3/4 cup cocoa

1 cup milk (any type, dairy or non-dairy)

2 eggs

1 cup coffee (I used this)

1/2 cup oil (I used vegetable)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2-3 teaspoons vanilla

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix all ingredients together in stand mixer on low. Try to get all the lumps out (it's ok if there are a few left). 

Pour batter into 24 prepared muffin tins (about 1/2 - 3/4 full).

Bake 12 at a time for 25 minutes.

Peanut Butter or Biscoff Frosting

Adapted from: All Recipes

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter

1 cup peanut butter or Biscoff spread

2-4 tablespoons milk

2 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

Place all ingredients in mixer and mix until smooth. Note: this frosting will be VERY thick. That's ok! If you like it like that, you're done! If not, you can add more milk to thin it out. 

 








 

 


 












Fun Cupcake Tips!

I used a cupcake corer and put mini Reese's in the peanut butter frosted cupcakes. I also used the corer on the Biscoff frosted cupcakes and put these chocolate bars inside. 

I also garnished the peanut butter cupcakes with Reese's and the Biscoff cupcakes with Piroulines.

Vanilla Cookie Cupcakes

Vanilla Cookie Cupcakes!
Recipe from: How Sweet It Is
 
These cupcakes are two layers - one cookie, one cake. They're super fun and super easy to make! First make the cookie layer and spread evenly between about 20 cupcake liners (sprayed with non-stick spray, or else the cookies will stick!) Next, make the cake layer and spread evenly on top of the cookie layer. Bake at 350 degrees for about 17 minutes (some of my batches took 17 minutes, some about 19.)

Cookie Layer
1 1/3 cups flour
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Mix all ingredients but chocolate chips in mixer. Stir in chocolate chips by hand.

Cupcake Layer
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 cup milk

When the cupcakes have cooled, it's frosting time!

I used these two recipes: for Classic Vanilla Buttercream Frosting and Chocolate Buttercream Frosting. I also garnished the cupcakes with wafers, but anything would do!

Reese's Puffs Cupcakes

Hello fall flowers!

Reese's Puffs Cupcakes
2 cups Reese's Puffs (ground in food processor)
3/4 cup flour
1/2 coup cocoa powder
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup oil
1 cup milk
1 egg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup mini Reese's (chopped)

Bake at 350 degrees for 18 minutes (15 minutes if making mini-cupcakes)

Frosting
7 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1/3 cup milk

Recipe adapted from: My Baking Heart

 Mini and normal size cupcakes!

Candy Corn Cupcakes!

Ok, so they're creamsicle cupcakes meant to look like candy corn. Also, they turned out sort of tie-dyed, so not even really that candy corn-like, but oh well! They're festive!

1. Start by making your favorite vanilla cupcake recipe, but leave out the milk. I used this one.
2. Split the batter into three equivalent sections.
3. To two of the sections add the equivalent of 1/3 of the milk to each. Add yellow dye to one of these sections.
4. To the remaining section, add orange soda syrup (in the equivalent proportion of the milk).
5. There should be three sections now, one orange, one yellow, and one white.
6. In the cupcake tray, layer yellow batter, orange batter, and then white batter.
7. Bake as instructed.
8. Top with your favorite frosting (I used butter cream) 

Here is the recipe I used (adapted from Joy of Baking)
1 3/4 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup milk, divided amongst two sections
1/6 cup orange soda syrup (this is the one is used)
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

 Hello Fall!

S'mores Cupcakes

Cupcakes:
1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar (lightly packed)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 eggs
3/4 cup buttermilk
3 tablespoons oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup warm water

Frosting:
1 - 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
3/4 cup butter
4 ounces cream cheese
2-3 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Filling:
1 mini marshmallow or 1/4 large marshmallow

Bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes

Adapted From:
http://www.marthastewart.com/282243/one-bowl-chocolate-cupcakes
http://www.cupcakeproject.com/2011/05/key-lime-pie-cupcakes-upside-down-key.html