Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting

This post is all about frosting. Choose your favorite brownie recipe or make a box mix. This frosting will elevate any brownie!

This is the only chocolate frosting you will ever need, it's that good. It is yummy on brownies, cake, cupcakes and graham crackers too! And it is easy.

Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting

1 cup semi sweet chocolate pieces that's about 6 ounces. I like Ghirardelli. If I can't find Ghirardelli chocolate chips I will chop up a semi-sweet baking bar. Please don't cheat and use milk chocolate or cheap chocolate--you can, it just won't be wonderful!

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup sour cream

pinch of salt

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Melt chocolate and butter over low heat or in the micro--watch carefully as it scorches easily. In my old age I can't multi-task. So when I melt chocolate, I melt chocolate! Sad but true. Let mixture cool for a few minutes then add sour cream and salt. Gradually add powdered sugar and beat till smooth. It's delicious! Frosts a 9x13 pan of brownies or 24 cupcakes.

Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

This yummy dessert comes from America's Test Kitchen. I have quit taking cooking magazines and buying cookbooks because there are so many great recipes on line. However, I do pay for a yearly membership to America's Test Kitchen. I love this site--it has so many excellent recipes, cooking tips and product reviews. It includes recipes from Cooks County, America's Test Kitchen and Cooks Illustrated. It is my go to sight for any good recipe!
This recipe was for a 9x13 cake, a perfect family size cake. But there are just two of us now and I really don't need a 9x13 cake tempting me! I halved the recipe and it made 16 beautiful cupcakes. I ate a cupcake and then quickly shared the remainder with friends. It is a win/win.

Carrot Cupcakes
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon (rounded) baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound carrots, peeled
3/4 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup toasted pecans, chopped
Mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt.
Shred the carrots using the large holes of a box grater (you should have about 1 1/2 cups). Mix together the granulated sugar, brown sugar and eggs until thoroughly combined, about 45 seconds. While mixer is running add the oil in a slow steady steam. Mix about a minute longer or until mixture is light in color and well emulsified. Turn off mixer and stir in carrots and dry ingredients until incorporated. Stir in toasted pecans.
Using a large scoop put batter into a paper lined muffin cup. Bake at 350 degrees for about 18 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Let cool and frost.

Cream Cheese Frosting
8 ounces cream cheese, softened but still cool
5 tablespoons butter, softened but still cool
1 tablespoon sour cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups confectioners sugar (4 1/2 ounces)
Mix together cream cheese, butter, sour cream and vanilla using a mixer set at medium speed. Mix about 30 seconds or until well combined. Add confectioners sugar and mix unticakel fluffy--about 1 minute. Put frosting in a pastry bag with a large star tip. Pipe frosting onto cupcakes. Refrigerate cupcakes. This cream cheese frosting is perfect, it is my go to cream cheese frosting recipe.
If you really want a 9x13 cake just double the cupcake ingredients and bake for about 35-40 minutes. The frosting recipe will make enough for a 9x13 pan. I like cupcakes because they are just so cute, they also have more frosting per cake ratio. That is always a good thing!
Printable Recipe

Peanut Butter Temptations--Cookies for Santa

Sometimes the best place to look for recipes is on the back of the product package. These delicious little gems come right off the back of the Reese's Miniature Peanut Butter Cup package. They are easy to make, the perfect treat to leave for Santa--and Santa will love them. I know!


Peanut Butter Temptations
about 40 Peanut Butter Cups Miniatures
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cup flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Have little helpers remove wrappers from candy. Beat butter, sugar, brown sugar, peanut butter, egg and vanilla until fluffy. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt. Using Pampered Chef small scoop shape dough into a ball and place in an ungreased mini muffin pan. Do not flatten. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes until puffed and lightly browned. Remove from oven. Immediately press peanut butter cup in center of each cookie. Cool completely in pan. Remove, put on a plate and leave for Santa!
Printable Recipe

 

Packable Brownies

Talk about a fun tasty bite. These Packable Brownies are perfect for picnics, lunches, tailgating parties etc.  Hide them in the freezer for those unexpected or expected brownie attacks. They are also a perfect portion for hot fudge brownie cake. Just make these--I am sure you will find many ways to enjoy them.
Thanks Mary from One Perfect Bite for another incredible recipe.

Packable Brownies

1 square butter, 8 tablespoons

3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped

1 cup sugar

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup flour

1/2 cup pecans or walnuts, toasted and chopped (yes, toast the nuts--it really makes a difference)

Microwave butter and chocolate--I have a wonderful setting on my microwave just for this purpose. If you don't have a chocolate setting, microwave for about 2 minutes, stir until smooth. Cool slightly.

In a large bowl whisk together the sugar, eggs, vanilla, baking powder and salt. Add the melted chocolate mixture and stir. Gently stir in the flour with a rubber scraper until just incorporated.

Using a large scoop portion batter in a 12 cup muffin tin that has been sprayed with Pam. Sprinkle nuts on top. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes. Let cool slight and remove from pan. Now you can make 12 people very happy!

Printable Recipe

One Year Ago-------Orange Glazed Blueberry Scones

Two Years Ago-----Everything but the Kitchen Sink Cookies

Three Years Ago----Smoky Potatoes--Summer Side

Four Years Ago-----Blueberry Crumb Bars

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bites with Nutella Swirl

 Chocolate Chip Cookie Bites with Nutella Swirl

1/2 cup butter, soft

1/2 Crisco

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 eggs

1 tablespoon water

2 1/4 cup flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup mini chocolate chips

3/4 cup finely chopped pecans

Cream butter and Crisco till smooth, add sugars, vanilla and eggs beating after each addition. Add water.

Mix together flour, salt and baking soda. Add  to creamed mixture, stir gently. Add chocolate chips and pecans. Using a small Pampered Chef Scoop put a level scoop of cookie dough in each cup of a sprayed mini muffin tin.  Bake at 325 for 8-10 minutes till top appears light brown. Cool in tin and remove when just cool. Frost with Nutella Swirl!

Nutella Butter Cream Swirl
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) softened  butter

1/2 cup Nutella
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon milk (I used 1%)
1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar

Mix butter and Nutella add vanilla and milk, add powdered sugar. Whip and pipe onto cookie bites.

Frosting recipe comes from Tracy's Culinary Adventure

Sometimes you just want a winner. I know these cookie bites are delicious and get rave reviews wherever I take them. I like them because I always have everything in the house to make them. They come together in a jiffy, they are portion controlled and it is easy to change them up a bit.

Last time I made them for a 'garden party' for adults--so I went with an Almond Butter Cream Swirl. This batch was for kids so I went with my grandson, Gregory's favorite flavor--that would be Nutella!

The Nutella Butter Cream was silky smooth and was a dream to pipe. I used a disposable pastry bag fitted with a very large star tip. They are fancy and delicious. Perfect for summer gatherings.

Kids will love them but adults will make sure they get a couple!

TWD/BWJ Rhubarb Baby Cakes

While Rhubarb Baby Cakes may not win a beauty pageant they do taste delicious! This sweet cake starts out with a brown sugar caramel sauce and chopped pecans.  Thin slices of rhubarb are layered over the pecan/caramel sauce. Top all of this goodness with yummy cake batter. This bakes into a delicious little cake with tart rhubarb and sweet pecan caramel sauce on top.
You can make this recipe with any kind of fruit--think apple, peach or how about blueberries? This is a baby cake but you can also make the cake in a larger cake or spring form pan. The possibilities are endless.
Check Erin's blog for the complete recipe. Then check the TWB/BWJ  LYL and see what other bakers did with this recipe.

Molten Lava Cakes--my way!

I love hosting Book Club. Who doesn't like a reason to make a special treat for good friends. Tonight we discussed the book The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman. This books has been around for awhile but it is one that you can read and reread. I always like to read books on improving relationships. This book has plenty of food for thought. I decided my love language is desserts!
We enjoyed this dessert with chocolate covered strawberries. Strawberries are sweet and delicious right now so enjoy--with or without chocolate.

Molten Lava Cakes--my way
3 tablespoons butter
heaping 1/3 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
3 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Melt the butter and chocolate chips together in the microwave. Add the flour and powdered sugar--mixture will be thick. Stir in eggs and vanilla. Mix until smooth. Pour into 4 or 5 muffin tins that have been sprayed with Pam. Bake at 425 for 8 minutes. Let cakes cool in the pan for a minute or two. Remove and serve with whipped cream, vanilla ice cream and berries. This is one decedent delicious dessert. It is so quick you can mix it up while your oven heats and in 8 minutes you have the best dessert. It is too easy!
I cut the recipe way back and make smaller portions. But one cake with ice cream is a perfect dessert.
Printable Recipe
Inspired by a recipe on Savory Sweet Life.

 

One Year Ago------Apple Cinnamon Bites
Two Years Ago-----Ham and Bean Soup
Three Years Ago----Fresh Cranberry Scones

Lemon Yogurt Muffins

It is cold in Utah, very cold! It is also pretty smoggy so don't take a deep breath when you are outside! What has this got to do with muffins?? Well somewhere it is sunny and warm and lemons are at their peak. These little citrus morsels are about as good and sunny as it gets in January! They come together quickly and are delicious. The original recipe from Mel's Kitchen Cafe is for lemon loaves. But I'm quite impatient--loaves takes so long to bake. These little mini muffins are ready in minutes. Whatever pan you bake these in they are sure to brighten your day!

Lemon Yogurt Muffins
3 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups granulated sugar
3 tablespoons lemon zest--from 3 large lemons
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla
1/2 vegetable oil
1/2 cup applesauce
1 1/2 cups plain yogurt
Glaze
1/3 to 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (from the lemons you zested))
4 tablespoons sugar

Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl combine the sugar and lemon zest--rub between your fingers until the sugar is moist and smells out of this world. This is one of my favorite cooking activities! Stir in the eggs, vanilla, oil, applesauce and yogurt. Add the dry ingredients and mix till just combined. Never over mix muffins or quick breads they will become tough--who wants a tough muffin??

Pour batter into pans that have been sprayed with Baker's Joy. This makes plenty. I would probably make some mini loaves and mini muffins. I really can't say how many it will make as pans vary so much. I do know that I have muffin recipes with 1 cup of flour and they make 24 mini muffins. Mel said she makes 2 loaves that are 8 1/2 by 4 1/2 inch pans and has some batter left over for a few muffins. Sorry I can't give you better guidance here! Make them and see what works with your pans!

Bake at 350 till a toothpick comes out clean. A loaf pan will be 45-55 minutes and muffins will be 14-25 minutes. Watch closely you don't want an over baked dry muffin!
While the bread/muffins are baking combine the glaze ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat. While muffins are still warm brush glaze over tops. You may want to poke holes in your muffins so the glaze will soak in. Brush muffins several times until all glaze is used. Enjoy your bite of sunshine!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies and The Night Time Baker!

Coming home from school was my favorite part of the day. Mom was always home, as soon as I opened the door I knew just what she had been doing. More often than not wonderful smells hit me. Chocolate cake, cookies, fresh bread, cinnamon rolls and maybe in winter a pot of beef stew. School cares were left at the door as we ate a home baked treat and chatted about our day.
I do think the power of smells is magical.

We had been married about 13 years, we had 6 small children and hubby was the mayor of our very small but rapidly growing town. He had meetings every week--oft times the meetings would get heated, tempers flared. My mild mannered hubby put up with this surprisingly well. I wanted home to be a place of love and happiness--and good smells! Hubby's meetings often went till late at night. I think that is when I became the "night time baker". I remembered my childhood and how troubles seemed to melt away at the smell of good food. So I put it to the test. Luckily my kids had early bedtimes. Once they were asleep the kitchen came to life. I would make brownies one night, cookies another and occasionally sweet rolls with caramel frosting.
Hubby opened the door from his harried meetings and a waft of delicious smells greeted him. I'm not saying all his problems disappeared but a waft of deliciousness met him at the door.

This tradition continued through another 5 years as he served as the Bishop of our church congregation. Starting a batch of brownies at 10 PM is normal at my house. Then breakfast is taken care of too!
Why this ramble down memory lane? Hubby spent a week in Alaska, he didn't get home till 10 PM. I started these yummy Peanut Butter Chocolate cookies at 9. He opened the door to hugs, kisses and a waft of sweetness. That is a good thing! And these are one delicious cookie. Very soft--don't be tempted to over bake. The drizzle of chocolate is the perfect finish. These would be yummy any time of the day or night!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
1 1/3 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cube butter (4 ounces)
2/3 cup smooth peanut butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar (3 1/2 ounces)
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla

In a small bowl whisk together the flour. baking soda and salt.
In your mixer put softened butter, peanut butter and sugars. Mix about 3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and mix well. Gently stir in the flour mixture. Please don't over mix. Bake at 350 degrees on parchment lined stoneware. Did you know you can get huge rolls of parchment paper at Costco. It's by the plastic wrap and foil. I do love my big roll of parchment paper!
I use my small Pampered Chef Scoop for these little gems. I did flatten them slightly before cooking. Bake for 9-11 minutes. My cookies needed the 11 minutes. Cool cookies for a few minutes on the sheet pan--they have to set up. When they can be safely moved to a cooling rack you are ready to pop them in the freezer for a few minutes. I'm usually in a hurry and the freezer is my friend! This batch makes about 3 dozen smallish cookies.

For the drizzle put 1/3 cup milk chocolate chips and 1/3 cup semi sweet chocolate chips in a heavy duty zip lock baggie. Add a heaping teaspoon of Crisco. Seal the bag and melt in microwave. My micro wave has a setting for melting chocolate--I love it. Without a setting just melt it at 50% power and stir every 30 seconds. When chocolate is warm, melted and very squishy--mix it together good. Cut a very, very small hole in the corner of the baggie. Pretend like you are on Cup Cake Wars and drizzle the now cold cookies. Have fun--you get to play in your food! Let the chocolate harden and serve. Or just enjoy before they are cool--they may be messy!
This recipe was inspired by Cooking Classy a blog I found while looking at quilting blogs. I have no idea how I found it!

Frosted Cookie Bites

Blame it on book club. We were discussing Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman. This is a delightful debut novel packed full of Southern Charm. Strong woman, wacky humor and good old-fashioned heart. From the moment you first step into young Cee

Cee's unique world, you'll never want to leave. We all loved this novel. One feels better for reading it.

Book Club brings treats--we went for ribbon sandwiches, brownie bites and frosted cookie bites. A Frosted Cookie Bite takes a humble Toll House Cookie and elevates it to a party status. A small cookie scoop is used to place cookie dough in a mini muffin tin. These bake to a golden brown. Don't worry if they fall in the center; this makes a perfect place to swirl some Almond Butter Cream. This is one delicious bite!

Frosted Cookie Bites

1/2 cup butter, soft

1/2 Crisco

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 eggs

1 tablespoon water

2 1/4 cup flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup mini chocolate chips

3/4 cup finely chopped pecans

Cream butter and Crisco till smooth, add sugars, vanilla and eggs beating after each addition. Add water.

Mix together flour, salt and baking soda. Add  to creamed mixture, stir gently. Add chocolate chips and pecans. Using a small Pampered Chef Scoop put a level scoop of cookie dough in each cup of a sprayed mini muffin tin.  Bake at 325 for 8-10 minutes till top appears light brown. Cool in tin and remove when just cool. Frost with Almond Butter Cream Frosting. Recipe makes about 72 cookie bites. That is one big party! Dough can easily be frozen. Flash freeze dough balls and store in a freezer bag. Pop the frozen dough balls in your mini muffin pans and bake for a quick treat.

 Almond Butter Cream Frosting

4 ounces very soft butter

3 cups powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon pure Almond Extract

heavy cream as needed
Mix butter and powdered sugar, add almond and a pinch of salt. Add heavy creamy until the desired consistency. Pipe on cookies as desired.
Printable Recipe

Orange, Cranberry Pecan Muffins or The Best Muffin I've Ever Made!

We are not coffee or tea drinkers so Starbucks is not somewhere we frequent. We recently spent too many hours in the O'Hare Airport. Our terminal happened to be next to a Starbucks. Out of boredom and hunger I looked at the yummy pastries in the glass window. Finally I could resist no longer and purchased a Cranberry, Orange Scone. It was delicious. I dream about food and that yummy scone has been in my dreams often!
Hubby and I were ready to find a Starbucks so I could have another scone. But thanks to Pinterest I made my own Cranberry/Orange treat in a muffin form. This muffin was perfect. Cranberry and orange are meant to be together, I added some chopped pecans because I love pecans. This is the perfect holiday muffin

Orange, Cranberry, Pecan Muffins
3/8 cup milk
3/8 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup fat free Greek Yogurt
1 egg
1/2 cup butter melted
1/2 cup sugar
Zest of 1 large orange
1 3/4 cups flour
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ginger
1/2 cup fresh cranberries, chopped (I used my Pampered Chef Chopper)
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
Preheat oven to 350 and spray muffin tins with Pam.
In medium bowl combine milk, juice, yogurt, egg, and butter. Whisk until well combined. In a large bowl add sugar and orange zest, rub together with your finger tips. This is the best smell in the world! Add in flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and ginger. Pour the milk mixture into the dry ingredients. Mix gently. Add cranberries and pecans. Do not over mix. I use a cookie scoop to portion batter in muffin tins. Sprinkle coarse sugar on top of each muffin.

Bake muffins for 18 minutes, mini muffins 12 minutes. I got 12 regular muffins and about 8 minis.
This recipe is adapted from Homemade by Holman. Thanks Pinterest!

Pumpkin Muffins with White Chocolate Chips

 

 

I found the blog Sugared Whisk several months ago. I knew I wanted a blog makeover but didn't know where to go, I really didn't know what I wanted. I knew I just wanted something different. As I came upon Sugared Whisk, I loved it! She had great recipes but she had a design that spoke to me. Long story short, I contacted Rebaka at Monkeys Love Donuts. She redesigned my blog, I love it. So take a trip over to Sugared Whisk, you'll see why I fell in love with it!

A great fall recipe, yummy Pumpkin Muffins with White Chocolate chips. I think you will like them too. If you need a blog makeover. Check my side bar, you'll see Monkeys Love Donuts. A great blog designer! 

  Pumpkin White Chocolate Chip Muffins 

Ingredients
1/2 cup of walnuts
1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup pumpkin
4 oz (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
6 oz white chocolate chips
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, spices, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
3. In another bowl, mix together the eggs, pumpkin, and unsalted butter. Add in the chocolate chips and nuts.
4. Combine the wet and dry ingredients and mix until the dry ingredients are moistened. Do not over mix.
5. Scoop batter into greased or paper cup lined muffin cups. Bake for about 20 minutes or until puffed and springy to the touch. Cool then remove from cups.
-makes approximately 12  muffins-

Perfect Blueberry Muffins

We were in Chicago visiting our daughter Amber. One morning she made the best blueberry muffins I have ever eaten. They were perfect. A hint of lemon, tender crumb, juicy berries and a tasty streusel topping. What's not to like? I asked for the recipe, that's just what we do. She explained it was on Our Best Bites. What? I look at that site every day. Somehow I had missed it.
I hesitated to make them at home. Food always tastes better when someone bakes it for you and Amber lives at sea level, we live above 5000 feet. But I tried the recipe and I'm happy to say the muffins turned out perfect. This recipe is a keeper. Thank you, Our Best Bites!

Streusel-Topped Blueberry Muffins or Perfect Blueberry Muffins
Recipe from Our Best Bites

1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
2 3/4 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. table salt
1/2 c. sugar
2 tsp. grated orange or lemon peel
1 large egg
3/4 c. buttermilk
1/3 c. canola oil
1 c. fresh or frozen blueberries
1 Tbsp. flour
1 Tbsp. sugar

Streusel Topping
1/4 c. sugar
2 1/2 Tbsp. flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 Tbsp. butter

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and citrus peel is large bowl and stir. Make a well in the center of the mixture. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the egg, buttermilk, and oil. Add to the dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened.

In a small bowl, combine the remaining flour and sugar and then toss the blueberries in this mixture until they are well-coated. Gently fold the blueberry mixture into the batter. Spoon the batter into lined muffin tins, filling 2/3 full.

To make the streusel topping, combine the 1/4 c. sugar, 2 1/2 Tbsp. flour, and cinnamon. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or two butter knives until the mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle over the batter and bake for 18 minutes or until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the muffins comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack. Makes 12 muffins.

TWD Chocolate-Chocolate Chunk Muffins

Dorie says 'these slightly sweet goodies straddle the divide between cupcake and muffins'. I think I probably tipped the scale toward cupcake when I added an extra 3 ounces of dark chocolate. I made 48 mini muffins, they were just delicious. I took them to a holiday brunch and brought home an empty basket. They were light and chocolaty, the chunks of melted dark chocolate added interest. They were a hit.
The complete recipe can be found on Bridget's blog, The Way the Cookie Crumbles. Or purchase 'Baking: From My Home to Yours,' by Dorie Greenspan.

 Spend a few moments at Bridget's Blog. It is fun! She often does recipe comparisons, which lemon bar, red velvet cake, chocolate chip cookie, etc. is really the best? She also has a great section on Food Photography, read it and learn! It has been a pleasure to get to know Bridget.

Magic Blondies

This recipe is straight form the Martha Stewart Cookie Cookbook. It is a great resource, photos of every recipe and my favorite--a section on creative ways to give cookies. This cookbook should be in your library!
I tried this recipe in my quest for a workable Blondie recipe. It worked! It is basically a blondie in a cupcake.

Magic Blondies
2/3 cup sweetened coconut
2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2/3 cup chopped walnuts
2/3 cup dried cherries
1 2/3 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
9 tablespoons butter, room temperature
1 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a standard 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners. Stir together coconut, nuts, chocolate chips and cherries in a small bowl. Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt in another bowl.
2. Put butter and sugar in bowl of mixer fitted with paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla; mix until combined. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture. Mix until well combined. Mix in 1 cup of coconut mixture.
3. Divide batter among muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full. Sprinkle remaining coconut mixture over tops. Bake until a cake tester comes out with a few crumbs but is not wet, about 25 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
4. My changes: I used macadamias and white chocolate chips. This recipe can be a 'clean out the cupboard' recipe. Use whatever kind of chips, nut or dried fruit you have. I want to try it with dried blueberries. I made this recipe in mini muffin tins. It was the perfect little bite!
Linked to: A Well Seasoned Life 

Linked to This Chick Cooks

TWD Brownie Buttons--Rewind

Why did I rewind Brownie Buttons?

-- I love chocolate and orange, it is a great flavor combination.
--This recipe can be made in one pan, very easy.
--You can have 16 mini brownies ready in about 30 minutes.
--Brownie Buttons are delicious.
--Complete recipe can be found on Two Scientists Blog.
--Brownie Buttons will be a frequent treat at our house.

MSCC

I know the purpose of a baking group is to stretch ones self, try something new; but I'm afraid this months pick involved too much stretching! S'mores Cupcakes sounded fun, but as I read thru the recipe I realized I was lacking too many ingredients, tools and even the desire to make 'marshmellow' frosting. Sorry, maybe another day. I did have to bake, it was the birthday of my sweet Mother-In-Law. Cupcakes were certainly in order.

I tried to think of the perfect cupcake for her, one she would love (and that I didn't need graham flour, unflavored gelatin and a torch to make). I knew she liked spice, cream cheese, lemon, she is not a fan of nuts and oft times chocolate is not her favorite.
I came up with the perfect birthday cupcake, it combined all her favorite flavors and was delish! Did you realize that you can make Zucchini Cupcakes anytime?? You really do not have to have a huge zucchini begging to be used!I remember Martha's moist spicy zucchini cupcakes we made last fall. They have a good amount of lemon zest in them, this provided the springboard for my birthday cupcakes.

I knew the cupcakes would be yummy but I really wanted the frosting to shine. The frosting was a perfect combination of cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice and pure lemon extract. It was creamy and so good. I topped the cupcakes with toasted walnuts. I left a few plain for those that don't like crunch in their cake.

They were a success. My mother-in-law was quite happy with my choice. Last year I began my blog with her birthday cake--The Perfect Party Cake! Has it really been a year? Stay tuned for a little blog candy! Coming soon. Check out our MSCC and see what S'mores Cupcakes really look like.

TWD Milk Chocolate Mini Bundt Cakes

Well friends I'm afraid to say that we have another 5 star recipe. It is rich, delicious and cute. I don't know what it is about mini pans, they are just fun to use and fun to serve. Dories recipe made 6 mini bundts but my Pampered Chef Mini-Bundt Stoneware pan must make bigger cakes, I only had batter for 4 minis. These minis really were too big for one serving, we cut them in half for a generous serving. Which defeats the purpose of a Mini, maybe that is why PC no longer sells this piece of stoneware. Sorry, more pointless info.

The important info will be on  Kristins blog 'I'm Right About Everything', she is hosting  TWD this week. This recipe used 'premium-quality' milk chocolate, melted. I had a yummy bar of milk chocolate just waiting for the right recipe. The cake had a mild milk chocolate flavor with a delicious cocoa-walnut swirl. I topped my cakes with a generous drizzle of chocolate ganache. Served with vanilla ice cream it was a delicious special occasion dessert.

I will make this recipe again, I would like to try it without the swirl in cupcake pans. Can one really have too many chocolate cake recipes? I think not! I'm anxious to see what other TWD bakers did with this recipe.

MSCC Coconut Cupcakes

I really had high hopes for these sweet treats. I love coconut, I love cupcakes. I purchased coconut milk, shredded coconut and unsweetened coconut ribbons. I made batter as per recipe, I thought I was on track but this is what greeted me when I opened the oven. Failure.

I thought I could just pile on frosting and no one would know. I did. I have photos to prove it. But they just weren't great. They stuck to the pan, they stuck to the cupcake wrapper. They were coarse, heavy, dense and they just fell apart. And they didn't have a real coconut flavor. Is it my altitude, sometimes baking at over 4000 feet can cause trouble. Anyone baking at high altitude have success with these?

Check what other bakers did at MSCC.
Makes me wonder--do other bakers frost bad cupcakes just for a photo??
Will I make this again? No, not this recipe but I would love a yummy coconut cupcake recipe!
I'm excited to make granola with the coconut ribbons--they are tasty!

MSCC Apple Spice Cupcakes

I really do bake more than cupcakes! And later this week I will prove it. But for now I will share another 5 star recipe from  Martha Stewart's Cupcake cookbook. The bonus round this month was Applesauce-Spice Cupcakes on page 55. This was a great fall pick, it mixed together quickly with ingredients in my pantry. The recipe called for toasted pecans, an ingredient I use often. I toast several cups at once on my large Pampered Chef bar pan and keep them in the freezer.

The cupcakes were spicy, the toasted pecans added a fun texture but the frosting really brought all these fall flavors together. A simple frosting of butter, cream cheese and brown sugar was the perfect topping for another fun cupcake. Check MSCC and see what other bakers created.

I'll be back later this week with my favorite tomato soup--a great 30 minute meal. I also have a pecan pie bar that was a hit at Thanksgiving.