PB&J Cupcakes

Here it is, just as I promised. The second recipe in a two-part series on cupcakes. I will admit, I am not a big peanut butter and jelly girl, but I think even I would love these delicious bites! Cupcake Master Stacie said they were met with rave reviews by husband, sister, and colleagues...next time, I am hoping I am included in her cupcake groupies...hint, hint ;0)

Peanut Butter & Jelly Cupcakes
Originally from Peanut Butter and Jelly Co.

1-1/2 cups flour
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1/2 cup whole milk (I did use 2% milk since that is what we use)
3/4 cup strawberry jam (I didn't measure this-I just put approx a teaspoon of jam in the center)
2 cups Peanut Butter Frosting (recipe will follow)

Makes 1 dozen cupcakes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 12 muffin cups with paper baking cups.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt, and set aside.

In a separate bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixer. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, then add the milk. Slowly add the flour mixture and combine until the batter is uniform. Do not overmix.

Fill each cupcake liner halfway with batter. Drop a tablespoon of the jam in the center of each cupcake and then top with more batter so they are a little more than three-quarters full.

Bake for 20 minutes or until the cupcakes spring back when touched lightly. Let them cool completely before icing with Peanut Butter Frosting.

Peanut Butter Frosting
1-1/4 cups (2-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup peanut butter (smooth)
5 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp whole milk (I used 2% here also)

In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to whip the butter and peanut butter together. Add the confectioners' sugar, salt, and then the milk. Add additional tablespoons of milk or sugar to loosen or tighten the icing, respectively. For best results, use immediately.

A Little Coffee in Your Cupcakes...

This is one of a two-part series on cupcakes. Both recipes are of course from my friend Stacie, who I should refer to as the Cupcake Master. No one can make cupcakes like this girl. Her cupcakes are always delicious and stylish...and these are no exception. I love the little espresso bean on the top of each one.

Here are a few of her notes from baking these mocha treat: word to the wise on the frosting... whip the heck out of it after you take it off the double boiler (this is a technical baking term, I promise). Otherwise, it will start to get soupy when you add the butter. Also, the less hot water added to the instant coffee to melt it, the better (and let it settle to room temp before you add to mixture). Otherwise, all around GREAT!


Mocha Cupcakes
Cupcake recipe adapted from Cupcakes by Shelly Kaldunski.
Frosting recipe courtesy of How to Make a Cupcake

Adaptations from HTMAC: I used half regular cocoa powder + half Hersheys Special Dark (I think all Special Dark is too chocolatey, all regular cocoa powder is not chocolatey enough). The book said this recipe yields 12 cupcakes. I got 16. Mine were done at 16 minutes.

Mocha Cupcakes
Makes 12-16 (book says 12, I got 16)

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup strong brewed coffee, at room temperature
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper or foil liners.
Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a bowl. In a measuring cup, combine the milk and brewed coffee. In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Add the egg and beat until combined. Add the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the milk mixture in 2 additions, beating on low speed until just combined; scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling each about ½ to ¾ full. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 16-20 minutes (book says 22-24 minutes, mine were done at 16). Let the cupcakes cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Transfer the cupcakes to the wire rack and let cool completely, about 1 hour.

What I would serve them with: Hot Tea (just kidding, Coffee of COURSE!)

My Kind of Birthday Cake

This is the kind of cake worth traveling across states for...literally. I had this cake while in Jacksonville visiting family and friends. It was my father-in-law's birthday, and my sister-in-law, who happens to be an awesome cake-baker, made this melt-in-your-mouth chocolate mint cake and cut no corners! Now, I admit, I am a pretty easy sell when it comes to chocolate and mint, but this cake is especially tasty. The recipe comes from Southern Living and all I will say is that everyone that night became a member of the clean plate club. Enjoy!

Chocolate-Mint Cake

1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate morsels

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 (16-oz.) package light brown sugar

3 large eggs

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 (8-oz.) container sour cream

1 cup hot water

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Peppermint Frosting (see below)

Chocolate Ganache (see below)

INSTRUCTIONS

Melt chocolate morsels in a microwave-safe bowl at HIGH for 30-second intervals until melted (about 1 1/2 minutes). Stir until smooth.

Beat softened butter and brown sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer about 5 minutes or until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Add melted chocolate, beating just until blended.

Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add to chocolate mixture alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Gradually add 1 cup hot water in a slow, steady stream, beating at low speed just until blended. Stir in vanilla. Spoon batter evenly into 2 greased and floured 10-inch round cake pans.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until a wooded pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans, and let cool completely on wire racks. Spread Peppermint Frosting evenly between cake layers. Spread Chocolate Ganache evenly on top and sides of cake.
INGREDIENTS – Peppermint Frosting

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 (16-oz.) package powdered sugar

1/3 cup milk

1/4 teaspoon peppermint oil

INSTRUCTIONS

Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add powdered sugar alternately with milk, beginning and ending with powdered sugar. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Stir in peppermint oil.

INGREDIENTS – Chocolate Ganache

1 (12-oz.) package semisweet chocolate morsels

1 1/2 cups whipping cream

3 tablespoons butter, softened

INSTRUCTIONS

Microwave semisweet chocolate morsels and whipping cream in a 2-qt. microwave-safe bowl at MEDIUM 2 1/2 to 3 minutes or until chocolate begins to melt. Whisk until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Whisk in butter, and let stand 20 minutes. Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer 3 to 4 minutes or until soft peaks form.
NOTES

Ganache thickens as it cools. Pour the ganache onto the center of the cake; spread quickly, using a spatula to push the frosting down the sides of the cake. Ganache becomes firm enough to shape into truffles after chilling for several hours.

Coarsely chopped chocolate-covered peppermint patties add a simple but striking garnish. For quick, clean cuts, partially freeze the candy before chopping.

Bran Muffins that Actually Taste Good?

I have been searching for months for a good bran muffin recipe. I love to make muffins and they seem healthy, but when it's all said and done, most have tons of sugar and white flour. Although these do contain molasses AND brown sugar, they are mostly bran and whole wheat flour as well as blueberries. These even got husband approval, which means the healthiness was properly disguised.

This also happens to be the first recipe I have tried from my new favorite food website: www.tastespotting.com. Check out my older post to read more. The only changes I made to this recipe were to sprinkle the tops with a little white sugar and take them out of the oven after 15 minutes instead of the recipe's recommended 18-20. You should know, however, that my oven cooks a little faster than some.

Hope you enjoy!



Whole Wheat Blueberry Bran Muffins

1 cup unbleached whole wheat flour
1/3 cup white flour
3/4 cup wheat bran
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 egg white
1/4 cup molasses
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup plain low fat yogurt
1 cup blueberries
white sugar for tops (optional)

Preheat oven to 375.

In large bowl, stir together flours, wheat bran, sugar, powder, soda, salt & ground cinnamon.

In another bowl whisk, egg white, molasses, vanilla extract, oil and yogurt.

Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, and stir until just combined.

Gently fold in berries.

Fill lined muffin cups about 3/4 full (use a traditional ice cream scoop if you have one handy). Sprinkle sugar on the tops and bake 15-17 minutes. Cool on wire rack before serving.

Smoked Salmon Spread

I LOVE Barefoot Contessa, but I will say she overdoes it on the smoked salmon recipes. I don't know if it is something people really enjoy in the Hamptons or what, but she really likes it. This is one of the only smoked salmon recipes of hers I've tried, and I've got to say it's pretty delicious. The only tweaking I did was to substitute chives for dill. Dill is one of those herbs you either love or hate, and I am not a fan. However, if you really love it, go ahead and dill it up. I think the spread is a great make ahead appetizer and goes well with hard crackers or bagel chips. Oh, and she recommends using Norwegian salmon, saying that it's drier and less salty than other smoked salmon. Of course, if you can't find Norwegian, I am sure another would be fine.

Smoked Salmon Spread

Ingredients

* 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
* 1/2 cup sour cream
* 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
* 1 tablespoon finely chopped chives (or dill, or parsley)
* 1 teaspoon prepared horseradish, drained
* 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1/4 pound (4 ounces) smoked salmon, minced

Directions

Cream the cheese in an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until just smooth. Add the sour cream, lemon juice, dill, horseradish, salt, and pepper, and mix. Add the smoked salmon and mix well. Chill and serve with crudites or crackers.

My New Favorite Cooking Website

I know, I know. Don't you hate it when someone starts a REALLY cool blog and then you notice there are less and less posts until finally the last one is older than the moldy cheese in your fridge? Yeah, me too. I am rededicating myself to posting more often. Some might say (and have said) I am crazy for trying to blog while caring for a little one, but mostly I have just been lazy. Lazy in the blogging department, not in the cooking department. Which is why I will be posting a few recipes today, as well as my thoughts on a fun cooking website Brooke sent to me...check it out:

Tastespotting
http://www.tastespotting.com/browse/4

Now, I will admit, I have not attempted any of the recipes on this site YET, but I promise to try a few in the coming weeks and post about them. However, I will say the close ups of the food are enough to make a girl drool ever so slightly on her Mac. If only I had found this site before the 4th (Check out her holiday recipes to see what you could have been making)! What I also like about this site is how creative some of the recipes are. For example: Lemon Poppyseed Pancakes, Jalapeno Potato Salad, and Cherry Limeade Cupcakes all caught my eye. Getting hungry yet?

Later today, I will post two cobblers (actually, one cobbler, one crisp...but who cares, they're both awesome!). I will also be posting a recently requested recipe for Smoked Salmon Spread. Get ready, set, I'm back!