honey and peanutbutter heaven

Chocolate Cupcake with Honey and Peanut Butter Butter Cream

*I know the picture sucks, the lighting in our apartment is terrible :/

On Tuesdays John has a meeting with his manager friends from work, and he asked me to make some cupcakes. With out even knowing, January 24th is National Peanut Butter Day. I though of this cupcake. it was a sign, meant to happen, and meant to be delicious.

growing up a always made peanut butter and honey sandwiches. The best part was when by the time lunch came around the honey was hard and crunchy. I love those sandwiches. After biting into this amazing creation all my childhood memory's resurfaced of all those sandwiches I had. everyone loved these cupcakes. John said that some took one for the road. It makes me happy when I hear or see people enjoying my baking as much as I do, and I know you will love them too!

*use your favorite chocolate cake recipe
honey peanut butter buttercream
2 sticks of room temperature butter or margarine (I use blue bonnet brand)
4-5 cups of powdered sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla
2 tablespoons of honey
1/2 cup of creamy peanut butter

Cream you butter, slowly add in powdered sugar (about 3 cups worth) until smooth. Add vanilla and mix. Slowly add in honey and peanut butter and mix until creamy and smooth. Lastly add in a little more powdered sugar (maybe a cup or a cup and a half) until you find the consistency you desire. Should be thick and creamy

white chocolate mocha cup cake

John's cupcake

I had been thinking for a while about the best cupcakes for John. Since all he drinks is white chocolate mocha's I thought, why not :) It turned out delish (minus the coffee filling). I forgot to add the butter. It was still good but not as good as it could be. and because of this a lot of them went to the garbage monster (the trash). so i hope for your sake they turn out fabulous and that you don't forget to add the butter!

*use your favorite chocolate cup cake recipe!

Chocolate Coffee Ganache Filling
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
Makes enough to fill 12 cupcakes (with a little leftover)
Ingredients
4 ounces semisweet chocolate
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 packet Starbucks VIA Italian Roast
1 tablespoon butter, room temperature

Method:

Chop the chocolate and transfer it to a heatproof bowl.  

Heat the cream until simmering then empty the packet of Starbucks VIA into the cream and stir until dissolved.   

Remove from heat and pour the cream over the chocolate. Let it sit for one minute and then stir until smooth. (If this has not sufficiently melted the chocolate, you can return it to a double-boiler to gently melt what remains. 20 seconds in the microwave, watching carefully, will also work.) Add the butter and stir until combined.
* do not forget to add the butter or the filling will be very bitter.

White Chocolate Swiss Meringue Butter cream
Adapted from Whisk Kid
Makes enough to frost about 18 cupcakes
Ingredients
1 cup sugar
5 egg whites
18 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened slightly and sliced
1/4 cup white chocolate, melted and cooled

Method: 

Cook the egg whites and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the sugar is completely dissolved (test by rubbing some between your fingers. If it’s completely smooth, it’s done).

Pour into another bowl (a stand mixer is preferable) and whip on high speed until room temp.

Then, on a medium-slow speed, add the butter, waiting until each piece is completely incorporated before adding the next. The butter cream may turn into a soupy curdled mess, but I assure you it will be ok; just beat it for a few minutes longer. It’ll come together!
When the butter cream has reached the ideal consistency, add the melted and cooled white chocolate carefully. Try not to get any on the walls of the bowl as it will cool and harden there. Whip to incorporate.

homemade vanilla extract

Vanilla.

The ingredient I, and most ,uses in baking (besides sugar, and lots of it). I came across a blog Baked Bree about how to make your own vanilla extract, and many more like it. it is so easy to make. only three ingredients are needed. Vanilla beans, vodka, and a glass jar. Baked Bree used a lot of vanilla beans and I'm wishing I would have used more also. On a budget, I only used 2 vanilla beans and a 750 ml bottle when I should have used 4 or 5 beans. Even though my vanilla isn't strong it sure is delicious.

Ingredients

• 1 bottle vodka
• 10-15 vanilla beans
• 1 large bottle with a tight fitting lid

Instructions

1. Split the vanilla bean in half. You can use a sharp knife or a pair of scissors.
2. Add the split beans to the bottle.
3. Pour the vodka over the vanilla beans.
4. Put the lid on the bottle, and store for a few weeks. Give the bottle a shake every few days.
5. 3 weeks later, you have a deep, dark, vanilla extract.
6. Pour the vanilla into smaller bottles (a funnel is helpful), add a label and a bow, and you have a perfect holiday gift.

Gigantic Cinnimon Rolls

I made these for my family for Christmas this year. I have been wanting to make giant cinnamon rolls for a while. All the recipes that I have made are tiny and WAY to thin! This cinnamon rolls really are huge! They are sweet and delicious! I used a vanilla frosting recipe. I like my rolls better with it other than cream cheese. But use whatever floats your boat. These are amazing even by themselves. I made a half batch and they were still huge! Enjoy my friends!

Giant Cinnamon Rolls

2 TBSP. yeast
4 1/2 cups hot water
2/3 cup honey
1/2 cup of unbleached bread flour
1 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
2 TBSP. salt (scant)
about 12 cups unbleached bread flour
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 cup sugar
2-3 TBSP. ground cinnamon

Mix yeast, water and honey and add the 1/2 cup flour to feed the yeast. Mix lightly and let it sit for a few minutes.

Then stir in the oil, eggs, and salt. Mix.

Add flour a cup at a time, using somewhere around 12 cups, give or take, depending on the weather. You want a soft, slightly sticky dough that pulls away from the sides of the bowl, but not stiff. Then turm your mixer on and knead the dough. Knead for 10 minutes! The kneading is the key.

Place dough into an oiled bowl, cover with a damp tea towl, and let rise for about 30 minutes or over night. Divide the dough in half. Roll out into a long, rectangle. Spread 1/4 cup of the softened butter over top to within an inch of one long edge.

Mix the sugar and cinnamon, and sprinkle half of the mixture over top.

Roll dough and pinch seam to close.

Cut the roll into 12 slices and place 3 across and 4 down on one large greased cookie sheet. Repeat with the second piece of dough. Cover the pans and let rise until doubled.

Bake @ 375* F till done. Check on them @ 20-25 minutes, as they are done when lightly browned. Let cool in pan. Heat cinnamon roll in the microwave for 10-15 seconds if you like to eat yours warm, or eat it as is.

Frost rolls individually as you serve them with your favorite cream cheese or vanilla frosting. Enjoy! Makes 24 giant cinnamon rolls.

spaghetti sauce in a pinch

We have been waiting a few weeks for my Army/school money to come and our cupboards and fridge we BARE! I’ve never seen a kitchen so bare in my life. So, in the cupboard we had cans of tomatoes, spices, and noodles (the few things left) so ahha! Spaghetti. I put a can of crushed tomatoes and petite diced tomatoes in a pot cut up some onion, plopped in garlic, and sprinkled some seasoning and spices in. let it simmer for about an hour and BANG!! We had spaghetti sauce. I feel like an accomplished cook. It was delicious.

Spaghetti sauce:

1 14oz. can crushed tomatoes

1 14oz. can petite diced tomatoes

Handful diced onions

1 clove garlic

2 tsp. onion powder

2 tsp. dried basil

2 tsp. dried oregano

2 tsp. Italian seasoning

1-2 Tbls. Sugar

1. Dump all together in a pot over medium heat. Stir.

2. Bring to a boil, turn heat to low and let simmer at least an hour stirring occasionally

*serves 2

garlic butter toast:
4 slices Texas toast
4 Tbls. room temp. butter
2 tsp. garlic salt (or to taste)
2 tsp. Italian seasoning

1. turn oven to broil
2. stir all ingredients together, and spread on bread.
3. place in oven for 3-4 minutes.

lemony day

i was browsing baking blogs, like i do almost every day, on my spare time. i had done the apple cupcakes so what next? my mom got a recipe from my grandma for a lemon cake. its amazing so i decided to make a lemon cupcake and stumbled upon javacupcakes triple lemon cupcakes. But oh my was i excited! the original recipe leaves way too much curd and not enough frosting so i made it into an easier to follow, more equivalent recipe.

Triple lemon cupcakes

*CAUTION!!! very lemony!

adapted from javacupcakes.com

Lemon curd (make this before so it has time to cool)

1 cup sugar

2 eggs, lightly beaten

3 tablespoons butter

2 lemons

1.      zest and squeeze the lemons; set aside

2.      Using a double boiler, melt the butter on medium heat.

3.      Add the sugar, lemon juice and zest, whisking until smooth

4.      Bring to a soft, slow simmer, NOT boil, and temper the eggs by adding a spoonful of lemon mixture into eggs and Wisk. (This brings the eggs up to temp without scrambling them) then add to lemon mixture.

5.      Cook the curd until it sticks to the back of a spoon or is thick and creamy (approx. 10 mins)

6.      Transfer to an air tight container and cool in refrigerator for at least one hour.

7.      Stores for up to a week in refrigerator

Lemon cupcakes

¾ cup butter (1 ½ sticks) room temperature

1 ¾ cup sugar

2 eggs

1 ½ tsp. vanilla

1 lemon, zested and squeezed

1 ¼ cup milk

3 cups sifted cake flour (¾ cup all-purpose flour+ 2 Tbls. Corn starch= 1 cup cake flour)

2 ½ tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. salt

1.      Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line pan with liners

2.      in a medium bowl sift cake flour, baking powder and salt

3.      in a small bowl combine lemon zest, juice, and milk

4.      in a large bowl cream butter, add sugar until smooth

5.      Mix in vanilla, add eggs one at a time mixing thoroughly after each addition. Scrape sides of bowl

6.      Beginning and ending with flour, add the four and milk mixture alternating on low speed. Scrape sides an mix only until incorporated.

7.      Fill liners ¾ full

8.      Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean

9.      Leave pan to cool for at least 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely before filling and frosting

Sweet lemon butter cream

½ cup butter (1 stick) room temperature

1 lb. sifted powdered sugar (approx. 4 cups)

1-2 Tbls milk

1 lemon zested and squeezed

½ tsp. vanilla

1.      Combine juice and zest of lemon and milk in a small bowl. Set aside

2.      Sift powdered sugar. Set aside

3.      In a bowl with an electric mixer, beat butter until creamy.

4.      Add the vanilla and mix until incorporated.

5.      Starting and ending with powdered sugar, alternately add powdered sugar and milk mixture until desired consistency is achieved.

apple cinnimon cupcakes

I’ve been apple crazy lately, and have been craving everything apples. It’s the season for apple desserts. I made apple pie for thanksgiving and wanted more. After browsing food blogs I found a delicious looking cupcake from javacupcake.com apple cinnamon. Yum, the perfect duo. After I took to cupcakes out of the oven I went to make the filling, finding that I was so anxious to make these cupcakes that I fudged the recipe a bit. It asks for ½ cup butter and silly I added 2 sticks of butter. I also had forgotten to add the cinnamon in the batter. Oops! But low and be hold they turned out amazing anyways. Next time I’ll calm down and focus. Not something I do best, may I remind you but, I’ll try. The end product was delicious and apple infused. But I wanted a little more apple flavor so ill add twice as much apples to the batter next time.

Apple Cinnamon Cupcakes
Makes 12 cupcakes
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup milk (you could use apple juice too)
1/2 cup chopped apples

1. Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Line your cupcake pan with liners.
2. Cream together the butter and sugars.
3. One at a time, mix in the eggs. Add the vanilla then beat on high for 2 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl.
4. Sift into the batter the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Mix by hand about 5-6 strokes.
5. Add the milk and mix only until all the flour and milk are incorporated.
6. Gently fold in the apples. Do not over mix!
7. Bake for 17-19 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
8. Leave in pan for 3-4 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Filling
1 large apple, chopped
2 tbsp butter
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp milk mixed with 1 heaping tbsp corn starch

1. In a medium pan, melt the butter on medium-high heat.
2. Add the apples, sugars and vanilla and stir. Cook until bubbling, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the milk + cornstarch mixture and bring to a bubble. Cook for 1-2 minutes until thickens.
4. Remove from heat and continue to stir for about 1 minute.
5. Set aside to cool.
6. Fill cupcakes and reserve remaining apple mixture for buttercream.

Apple Cinnamon Buttercream

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1/4 cup vegetable shortening

1 lb powdered sugar, sifted

2-3 tbsp heavy cream

remaining apple mixture

1/8 tsp salt

1/8 tsp cinnamon

1. Cream together the butter and shortening.
2. Add about 1/2 the powdered sugar and mix until smooth.
3. Add 1-2 tbsp cream and mix until combined.
4. Add all of the remaining apple mixture, cinnamon and salt. Mix until smooth.
5. Add remaining powdered sugar and beat until smooth.
6. Add enough cream until you get the consistency you desire.
7. Scrape sides of bowl and mix on high for 1 minute.
8. Frost cupcakes and drizzle your favorite caramel sauce over frosting.

Assembly

1. Core the center of your cupcakes out.
2. Fill with apple filling.
3. Top with apple cinnamon buttercream.
4. Drizzle with your favorite caramel syrup.