Chubby Hubby Cupcakes

I come from a family where we had ice cream every single Sunday night.   And when I say every, I mean EVERY!  I honestly don't remember a Sunday growing up where we did not have ice cream.  We would make special trips to the grocery store on Saturday night if we didn't have any in the freezer.  I remember loving it when my Dad would let one of my brothers dish it up...they always gave us big helpings!

As an adult I've noticed that my ice cream taste buds have matured.:)  I now crave the good stuff!  I'm in love with anything Ben & Jerry's and I love Tillamook ice cream as well.  (but just so you know...I don't turn down any ice cream!)  One of my favorite Ben & Jerry's flavors is Chubby Hubby.  If you haven't had the pleasure of eating an entire carton...it's vanilla ice cream swirled with fudge with peanut butter filled pretzels.  Oh. My. It's good!!

So to keep this cupcake in harmony with the ice cream we just had to fill it with delicious chocolate ganache & broken pretzel pieces.  And then we had to top it with the MOST RIDICULOUSLY AMAZING peanut butter frosting.  And to top it off...a chocolate drizzled pretzel!

Chubby Hubby Cupcakes

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For the Cupcake:
3 cups cake flour
1 tablespoons baking powder
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup malted milk powder
5 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups buttermilk

For the filling:
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup heavy whipping cream
4 tablespoons butter, softened
1 1/2 cups chopped pretzels

Peanut Butter frosting:
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter, at room temperature
1 cup peanut butter
4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

Pretzels drizzled with chocolate, for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line muffin tins with cupcake liners; set aside.

Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl.

Beat butter in an electric mixer until smooth.  Add the sugar a little at a time beating well in between additions.  Mix in the malted milk powder.  Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.  Add vanilla.  Alternate adding in the flour and the buttermilk and beat after each addition just until incorporated.

Fill liners 2/3 full with batter.  A large cookie scoop works wonders here!  Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted come out clean.  Cool for 10 minutes in the pan and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Make the ganache by placing the chocolate chips in a glass bowl.  Heat the whipping cream in a microwave safe bowl until simmering.  This takes about 2 1/2 minutes in my microwave, but it will vary with each microwave so just watch it.  Pour the hot cream over the chocolate chips and let sit for a couple of minutes.  Whisk until combined.  Add the butter and stir until butter is melted and incorporated.  Place in the fridge for about 30-45 minutes or until it starts thickening, about the consistency of pudding.  Whisk occasionally throughout the waiting period.

Take a serrated knife and hollow out the middle of the cupcakes.  Add the filling to the middle of the cupcakes about 3/4 the way full.

Place chopped pretzels on top of the ganache.

To make the frosting, combine butter and peanut butter and beat until smooth.  Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time and beat until incorporated.  Add in the vanilla and cream and beat on medium high speed until light and fluffy...about 3 minutes.

Place frosting in a pastry bag and pipe onto the top of the cupcakes.  I used a large round tip, Wilton 2A.  Garnish with drizzled pretzel.

Hot Fudge Pudding Cake

My sweet little Rhett is home sick today, thus I'm home with him.  He's so content just laying on the couch watching some cartoons.  Every once in a while he'll ask me to bring him a drink or to change the channel for him...so sweet!  So...while he's watching TV I've been able to get some much needed spring cleaning done!  Windows washed, floors mopped, decluttering the top of the piano, and getting this blog post to you all!

This is one of my absolute all-time favorite desserts EVER!  The ooey gooey fudgey sauce and the moist chocolate cake is perfect paired with some moose tracks ice cream (or vanilla or whatever you like).  Just make sure to serve the cake warm...yummy!

(Side note...my little one just came and asked me if he could unload the dishwasher for me...then he adds "for a buck".  Apparently he saw something on TV that is calling his name!:)  So now I've got my 6 year old doing dishes while he's home sick...he must be feeling better!)

Hot Fudge Pudding Cake

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1 cup sugar,divided

1/2 cup cocoa powder, divided

1 cup flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup milk (I used skim, but any will work)

4 tablespoons butter, melted

1 egg yolk

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup boiling water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease an 8" square baking pan with cooking spray.  Set aside.

Mix 1/2 cup of the sugar with 1/4 cup of the cocoa in a small bowl and set aside.  Mix the flour with the remaining sugar, cocoa, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.  Set aside.  Now whisk together milk, butter, egg yolk and vanilla in yet another bowl (I know there's a lot of bowls involved in this one...but the clean up is easy and it's so worth it!!!) until smooth.  Stir the milk mixture into the flour mixture and stir until combined.  Don't over mix, just get all the ingredients combines and you're good.  Fold in the chocolate chips.

Pour batter into greased pan and spread out evenly using the back of a spatula.  Sprinkle the sugar/cocoa mixture evenly over the batter.  Heat your water to boiling and then slowly pour over the sugar/cocoa mixture.  Do not stir the water!

Bake for 22-24 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling and a toothpick inserted comes out with moist crumbs. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.

Serve warm with your choice of ice cream.

Recipe source: Cook's Country

Lemon Lime Poke Cake

This is one of my favorite desserts that I loved having when I was growing up.  And it's one that hasn't gone out of style.  Just ask Pinterest.  Do a search and you'll be amazed at all the different flavors they have.  I have the urge to try every last one of them!

This is so easy and everyone will love it.  Even my "I don't like frosting" kids (the CrAzY ones!!)  love this.  And it is a perfect dessert for spring.  Anything lemony is wonderful this time of year!  I always start craving Lemon Cheesecake Bars every year around this time, and Lemon Bundt Cake, and Crack Cookies (aka Lemon Drop Cookies) along with anything else lemon!

This recipe is also so versatile.  If you're not a fanatic about lemon like I am...do a strawberry cake or raspberry and just use a vanilla pudding package instead of lemon.  The sky's the limit!

Lemon Lime Poke Cake

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For the cake:
1 white cake mix (plus ingredients listed on box)
1 small package lime jello
1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup cold water

For frosting:
1 envelope Dream Whip
1 small package instant lemon pudding
1 1/2 cups cold milk

Cool Whip or whipped topping

Make the cake according to package directions.  Cool cake for about 20 minutes.  Using a utility fork poke cake about every 1/2 inch or so; set aside.

Make jello by dissolving the jello mix in the boiling water.  After it is dissolved add the cold water.  Pour the jello slowly over the cake covering all the holes.  Chill for 3-4 hours.

After cake has chilled start the frosting.  Add all ingredients into a mixer and beat until it thickens.  Then frost away.

Now just top the pudding frosting with Cool Whip or sweetened whipped cream and add some green sprinkles...or whatever...or nothing!

Strawberry Yogurt Bundt Cake

Easter is in 2 days.  The last 2 years I've been out to Walmart or Target on Saturday night at around 10:00 trying to find some stuff to stuff into my kid's Easter baskets.  Not very fun.  Needless to say, there is slim pickins for procrastinators like me.  So this year, I had such good intentions of having everything all ready the week before Easter, but guess what?  Yep...nothing...nada!

But the good news is that my husband and I are planning our Friday date night as a "go to the store and find Easter basket stuff for the kids."  What romance fills our lives.:)  But at least it's not Saturday night & at least I'll have Tony with me to make it bearable!  

We're going to try something a little different this year though.  Instead of just stuffing baskets full of mostly junk food, we're going to try a theme basket instead.  I found this awesome list of ideas and also this list of boys baskets ideas over on Pinterest.  I'm so thankful for creative people that share!! (Check out our Easter board for more great ideas!)

If you need something fun to take to friends/family/neighbors...these Chocolate dipped Peeps are a lot of fun to make (and eat).  Just attach a tag that says "to one of my/our favorite peeps" and you're good to go.  And last year we had the kids "plant" jelly beans outside on Saturday night (they just scattered them...I would only do like 10 each kid or so) and in the morning they grew into suckers!  (Just poke the sucker stick into the ground...it looks really cute!)  Last year it was still pretty cold and the group was pretty hard when I went to do it so there were quite a few bent sucker sticks!:)  But the kids loved it!

And, last but not least, if you're looking for a great dessert for Easter Sunday...I've got you covered there!  This dessert is perfect for these beautiful spring days, and is so delicious!!

Strawberry Yogurt Bundt Cake

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1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

2 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

zest of 1 lemon

2 1/2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup vanilla yogurt (you can use greek yogurt if desired)

2 cups fresh strawberries, diced

For glaze:

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 cup powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  

Grease and flour a 10 inch bundt pan.

Mix together 2 1/4 cups of the flour with baking soda, salt and lemon zest.  Set aside.

In your mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Beat in the eggs one at a time until incorporated.  Stir in the lemon juice.  Alternate beating in the flour mixture and the yogurt into butter mixture.  Beat just until combined.

Toss the strawberries with the remaining 1/4 cup of flour.  This helps prevent the strawberries from all sinking to the bottom of the pan while baking! 

Gently fold the strawberries into the batter. 

Pour batter into your greased bundt pan.

Place the bundt pan into the preheated oven.  As soon as it's in the oven, turn the temperature of the oven down to 325 degrees.  Bake for 60-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and let sit in pan for 25 minutes to cool.  Turn cake out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Once cake is completely cooled, transfer to your serving plate.  Make your glaze by mixing the lemon juice and powdered sugar until smooth.  Use your spoon to drizzle the glaze over the cake.

Just keep on drizzling & drizzling until all your glaze is used up.  You may feel like your using too much, but trust me...you're not!  Isn't she perfect?!  Delicious!

Hope everyone enjoys a beautiful Easter Sunday!  And have some cake!!:)

Salted Caramel Chocolate Cupcakes

Kyla got inspired a couple weeks ago & this is the recipe that she came up with.  And I got to say...it's KILLER!!  We had some leftover cream cheese filling from this Strawberry Chocolate Cheesecake Trifle & she decided it would make a good filling for cupcakes.  Boy was she right.

We just had to come up with the perfect cupcake & frosting to go with it.  This is our favorite go-to chocolate cupcake recipe, and we decided a delicious salted caramel frosting would be an amazing combination!

Don't let the length of this recipe fool you.  They really are easy & pretty quick to put together.  The only time consuming part is waiting for the caramel to cool so you can use it in the frosting.  But that frosting is SO WORTH the wait!

Salted Caramel Chocolate Cupcakes

PRINT RECIPE

For the cake:
1 box devil's food cake mix

3 eggs

1/2 cup oil

3/4 cup buttermilk

3/4 cup sour cream

2 teaspoons vanilla

For the cream filling:

1/8 cup sugar

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped

For the Salted Caramel:

1 cup sugar

4 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

For the frosting:

2 sticks butter, at room temperature

8 ounces of cream cheese

3/4 cups powdered sugar

1 recipe salted caramel 

To make the cupcakes:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line 2 muffin tins with 24 cupcake liners. 

Mix the cake mix with the rest of the cake ingredients until nice and smooth.  Fill liners 3/4 way full with batter.  Use large cookie scoop to make this easier. 

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a knife inserted comes out clean.

Let cupcakes cool completely on a wire rack.

To make the Cream Cheese filling:

Beat cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy.  Fold in the whipped cream until combined.

Using a serrated knife, cut a hole in the middle of your cupcake.  My kids love to eat the cut out part...what a treat!:)  Spoon cream cheese filling into the cupcakes until it is flush with the top of the cupcake.

Now to make the Salted Caramel for the frosting:

Combine the sugar, water and corn syrup in a large saucepan and stir over medium heat with a wooden spoon until the sugar is dissolved.  Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.  Continue to cook until the caramel turns an amber color, stirring occasionally so it doesn't burn.  Remove from heat.  Slowly pour in the heavy cream.  Be careful because it will bubble up and it is very hot!  Stir until combined.  Add the butter, lemon juice and salt and stir to combine.  Allow to cool until warm to the touch and until it's thick like molasses.

And on to the frosting:

Beat the butter and cream cheese until creamy, about 3 minutes.  Add 2 cups of the powdered sugar and beat to combine.  Add the salted caramel and again beat to combine.  Add the additional powdered sugar until you reach your desired consistency.

And finally...pipe frosting onto cupcakes.  Add any sprinkles you would like, or eat them without any! (that is my husbands preference...he doesn't like anything with sprinkle!)

Have mercy!!

Recipe for salted caramel frosting adapted from Blooming on Bainbridge

Strawberry Yogurt Bundt Cake

Sorry for the hiatus!  It was just one of those weeks where my family needed me & they took the front seat over the blog.  Hope you can forgive me!:)

But we're back today with a guest post over at Or So She Says.

Go check it out & make it SOON!!  You will love it!

Strawberry Yogurt Bundt Cake

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cupcakes

I think I'm going into withdrawal.  I haven't made any cupcakes of any sort in over a month!  I think that's some kind of record for me.

 

These were the last cupcakes I made, and I'm just finally getting around to sharing them with you...so sorry, so sorry!  These are moist, chocolaty and just all around delicious.  I love the swirl frosting....just can't seem to get enough frosting in my life. 

 

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cupcakes

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1 box white cake mix
1/3 cup oil

4 egg whites

3/4 cup buttermilk

3/4 cup sour cream

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Mini Chips Ahoy, for topping

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

 

Line muffin tin with cupcake liners; set aside.

 

Combine cake mix, oil, egg whites, buttermilk, sour cream and vanilla extract.  Beat until smooth.  Add the chocolate chips and fold in.  Fill cupcake liners 3/4th the way full, using a large cookie scoop (or a spoon). 

 

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until an inserted knife comes out clean.

 

Let cool on a wire rack.

 

While cupcakes are cooling prepare the frosting.

 

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa

 

Beat the cream cheese and butter until fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Add the vanilla and powdered sugar.  If frosting is too thick, add a little milk until your desired consistency.  Remove half of the mixture to a separate bowl.  This is your vanilla.  Add the cocoa to the remaining frosting in the mixer and beat well.

 

Wrap some vanilla frosting in plastic wrap & some chocolate in plastic wrap and place them side by side into a large piping bag.  Pipe onto cooled cupcakes and top with a chocolate chip cookie and sprinkle with mini chocolate chips.

Chocolate Cookie Dough Cupcakes

Cookie dough is a favorite of mine.  So whenever I find a recipe that incorporates it I HAVE to give it a try!  Which is why this recipe had to be made A.S.A.P!  Cookie dough frosting??!!!  YUM!

I was not disappointed.  This cupcake was delicious.  I was a little concerned about the cinnamon in the cupcake & the flour in the frosting, but it totally works!!  (FYI, the cinnamon is not required...it just gives the chocolate a little kick.  You can use less or cut it out if it scares you!:))

Chocolate Cookie Dough Cupcakes

Recipe from Your Cup of Cake

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Cupcake:

1 box devil's food cake mix

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

2 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon (optional)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup oil

3 eggs

3/4 cup buttermilk

3/4 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon vanilla

Cookie Dough Frosting:
3/4 cup butter, softened

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla

2-3 cups powdered sugar

1-2 tablespoons milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line muffin pans with cupcake liners.

Combine all cupcake ingredients & beat for 2-3 minutes until smooth.  Fill cupcake liners 3/4 the way full, a large cookie scoop works well for this process. 

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a knife inserted comes out clean.  Remove from oven and let cook on a wire rack.

For the frosting:  Beat butter, cream cheese and brown sugar until smooth.  Add the flour and salt and mix until combined.  Add the vanilla and powdered sugar (I used all 3 cups).  Add milk to reach desired consistency (I just used 1 tablespoon).

Pipe onto cooled cupcakes and top with mini chocolate chips and a mini chocolate chip cookie.

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

I've never been the biggest fan of red velvet. 

Tony (the hubby) LOVES red velvet!

Needless to say, he doesn't get it very often.  But, that may change after making this recipe.  I saved two, one for Tony and one for me so I could have a taste (since they were going to someone else).  And it's a good thing they weren't left sitting around in my home!  Dangerous I tell you!!  And DELICIOUS!

Red Velvet Cupcakes

(with cream cheese frosting)

PRINT RECIPE

For the cupcakes:

1 box red velvet cake mix (I could only find this in Duncan Hines brand)

3 eggs

1/2 cup oil

3/4 cup buttermilk

3/4 cup sour cream

2 teaspoons vanilla

For the Cream Cheese frosting:

2 packages (8 oz. each) Cream Cheese, softened

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

4 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line muffin tins with 24-30 cupcake liners.

Mix cake mix, eggs, oil, buttermilk, sour cream, and vanilla together until smooth.  Scoop into cupcake liners about 3/4 the way full.

Bake for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and let sit for about 5 minutes.  Place them on a wire rack to cool completely.

For the frosting (this is my fabulous cream cheese recipe found here!), beat the cream cheese and butter together until combined well. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk and beat again.

Pipe on to cooled cupcakes.  Top with red sprinkles or chocolate decorations.

(I just melted down chocolate almond bark & placed it into a sqeeze bottle.  Then I laid out some wax paper on the table and started making designs.  Just let them sit until they are hardened and then peel them off and top your cupcake!  It is so fun & cute!!

Devour & don't feel one bit guilty!!  That's an order!:)

Root Beer Float Cupcakes

Cute story I have to start out with today since I'm thinking about my youngest son Rhett.  These cupcakes were for his 5th birthday and he is graduating from preschool next week and I'm going to miss it because I'll be in Tennessee with my other 2 boys for their DI Competition.  This emotional momma's having a rough time dealing with that!

So please bear with me!
 

 

(Just a little teaser for you to help you make it through this momma's ramblings!:))

While we were sitting in church Sunday on Mother's Day (and after being spoiled by my family), Rhett turns to me and tells me that tomorrow (Monday) is going to be Rhetty Day and that everyone has to buy him pressents!  I guess he figured since Mom's get a special day he should too! 

I chuckled and didn't think about it much until Monday rolled around.  After I picked Rhett up from school he said, "Oh yeah, it's Rhetty Day!  Did you get me some presents?" 

Um, sorry...no.  But I did get Subway for lunch & he loves Subway, so that was his special lunch for Rhetty Day.  He was a little disappointed when there were no presents waiting for him at home, but we had a fun day & I guess that made up for it! 

I totally dropped the ball on Rhetty Day, but I only got a days notice that it even existed!:)  Next year!

Ok, back to the cupcakes.  Our family has been off soda/pop/carbonation of any kind since August 2011.  Our goal was to go the entire school year without any soda!  We have all done great & are almost there!  The kid's have missed it a bit and so I thought these would be fun.  No actual root beer, but we still get the root beer flavor...and in a cupcake!! 

YES!!

Root Beer Float Cupcakes

PRINT RECIPE

For the cake:

1 box vanilla cake mix

3 eggs

1/3 cup oil

2/3 cup sour cream

3/4 cup buttermilk

2 teaspoons vanilla

For the Root Beer Buttercream:

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

3-4 cups powdered sugar

2 teaspoons root beer extract

Root beer ice cream topping (for drizzle on top)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line 24 muffin tins with cupcake liners.

Mix cake mix, eggs, oil, sour cream, buttermilk, and vanilla until smooth.  Scoop batter into liners about 3/4 full.  Bake for 15-18 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Remove to wire rack and let cool completely.

When cupcakes are cooled prepare frosting by creaming the butter and cream cheese.  Add the root beer extract and mix to incorporate.  Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time until you reach the desired consistency.

Pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes and drizzle a little root beer ice cream topping on top.  You could also use root beer barrells to top.  You could just top it with a whole barrell, or you could crush some of the barrells and sprinkle them on top.

Just like eating a Root Beer Float!!

(Here's these pictures again of the birthday boy with his cupcakes.  He thinks it's fun to make a different face everytime I take a picture!  What a silly, cute boy!!)