Chocolate Glazed Almond Cupcakes

Ohmigod. I cannot believe how perfect these cupcakes are. These cupcakes are fancy cupcakes, like, wedding worthy cupcakes. They have the moistest golden almond cake you will ever have (seriously) and are topped with a rich dark chocolate ganache. Perfection.

Ingredients: Almond Cupcakes (the tiniest bit adapted from here), makes 18

1 and 1/3 cups granulated sugar

7 ounces almond paste

1 cup all-purpose flour, divided and spooned in and leveled

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature, cubed

1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon almond extract

6 large eggs, at room temperature

Chocolate Ganache Glaze

1 and 1/3 cups chocolate chunks

1 cup heavy cream

Recipe: Almond Cupcakes

Preheat the oven to 325F. Line 1 1/2 cupcake tins with liners.

In a food processor, grind the sugar, almond paste, and 1/4 cup of flour until the mixture resembles sand.

In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 3/4 cup of flour, baking powder, and salt.

To the almond mixture add the butter and the vanilla and almond extracts, then process until the batter is smooth and creamy.

Add the eggs one at a time, processing a little in between. After you add all the eggs, the mixture might look curdled- that’s okay.

Transfer the batter to a bowl and mix in half of the flour mixture Stir in the other half until the dry ingredients are just incorporated.

Spoon the batter into the prepared cupcake tins and bake for about 30 minutes, or until the top is a deep golden brown.

Let cool before dipping in the ganache.

Chocolate Ganache Glaze

Put the chocolate in a medium bowl and set aside.

Pour cream into a small saucepan over medium heat. When the cream comes to a simmer pour over the chocolate and whisk until smooth.

Let sit the ganache for 20 minutes before dipping the cupcakes unto it.

 

 

Enjoy!

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Peppermint Patty Cupcakes

These are definitely the best cupcakes I’ve ever eaten. Moist, fluffy, and deeply chocolaty cupcakes stuffed with a peppermint patty and topped with the fluffiest peppermint buttercream. The chocolate cupcake is my favorite recipe ever. They are perfect for the Christmas season. I decorated them with York Peppermint Patty Pieces and Mini Peppermint Patties. So good!!

Ingredients: Chocolate Peppermint Patty Cupcakes (slightly adapted from here)

3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

1/3  cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder

3/4 cup hot coffee

3/4  cup bread flour

3/4  cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

6 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 large eggs, room temperature

2 teaspoons white vinegar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

12 peppermint patties

Peppermint Frosting (adapted from here)

1 an 1/2 cups + 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened and cubed

3 cups powdered sugar, sifted

3 tablespoons whole milk

1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract

1/8 teaspoon salt

Recipe: Chocolate Peppermint Patty Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 350F and line a muffin tin.

Place the chopped chocolate and cocoa powder in a medium bowl.

Pour the hot coffee over the chocolate/cocoa mixture and stir until smooth; refrigerate the mixture for 20 minutes.

Whisk together the flour, sugar, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl; set aside.

Whisk the oil, eggs, vinegar and vanilla extract into the cooled chocolate mixture until smooth.

Slowly add the flour mixture and stir until smooth.

Place about 3 tablespoons of batter into each liner and top with a peppermint patty.

Bake until the cupcakes are set and just firm to the touch, about 19 minutes.

Peppermint Frosting

Beat butter for 8 minutes on high speed.

Add remaining ingredients and mix on low speed for 1 minute, then on medium-high speed for 6 minutes.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

So, I’ve been searching for the best chocolate cupcake recipe and I’m pretty sure that I’ve finally found the one. It’s “The Ultimate Chocolate Cupcakes” by Brown Eyed Baker. That’s the recipe for the cupcakes I used.  The frosting is absolutely delicious! Creamy, tangy, warm and cinnamon-y; the perfect compliment to the chocolate cupcakes.

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

1 (8-oz) package cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/4  teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Recipe: Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

Beat cream cheese until smooth. Sift in powdered sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon.

Whip in the heavy whipping until the frosting is of a pipe-able consistency.

Enjoy!

Cinnamon Apple Walnut Muffins

These muffins are a perfect transition into fall. They’re soft, cinnamon-y, fluffy, with chunks of apple and walnuts. Perfect for breakfast or a sweet snack. And don’t skimp on the cinnamon-sugar topping; it adds an extra splash of cinnamon and a delicious crisp top.

Ingredients: Cinnamon Apple Walnut Muffins (adapted from here)

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

4 tablespoons wheat germ

1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 and 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats

1 cup diced apples

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup canola oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1/2 cup boiling water

Cinnamon Sugar Topping

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon (plus more to taste)

Apple Cinnamon Walnut Muffins

Grease a muffin tin.

Lightly spoon flour into a measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, both sugars, wheat germ, baking soda, and salt.

Mix in oats, diced apple, and walnuts.

Make a well in the center of the mixture. Combine the buttermilk, oil, vanilla extract, and egg; add until dry mixture, stirring until just moist. Stir in boiling water.

Let batter stand for 15 minutes and preheat the oven to 375F.

Spoon batter into the muffin tin. Bake for 20 minutes, or until muffins spring back when touched.

Let cool slightly before topping.

Cinnamon Sugar Topping

Combine sugar and cinnamon in a bowl.

Dip muffins into butter and then cinnamon/sugar mixture.

Enjoy!

Dirt Cupcakes

Do you remember dirt pudding? They were plastic cups of chocolate pudding covered in Oreo crumbs and topped with gummy worms. I loved those and decided to make them into cupcake form. This chocolate cupcake recipe is from The Cupcake Project and amazingly dense, moist, and chocolaty, they are filled with pudding, and topped with chocolate frosting, Oreo crumbs, and gummy worms. Delicious!

Ingredients: Chocolate Cupcakes (from here)

1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

2 ounces of chocolate

2 large eggs, room temperature

2 large egg yolks, room temperature

1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon (4 1/2 fluid ounces) vegetable or canola oil, measured in a liquid measuring cup

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/3 cup full-fat sour cream

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1/2 cup (4 fluid ounces) room temperature water, measured in a liquid measuring cup

Filling

1/2 cup chocolate pudding

“Dirt” Frosting

1 stick butter, softened

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1 and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

2 tablespoons milk

1 and 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup Oreo crumbs (8 Oreos)

1/2 gummy worms (each cut into 2 pieces)

Recipe: Chocolate Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 350 F.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, mix butter and sugar until fully combined. The end result should look like wet sand.

Melt the chocolate in the microwave or in a double boiler.

Once the melted chocolate is cool enough to touch, add it to the butter/sugar mixture and mix until just combined.

Mix in eggs and egg yolks one at a time until just combined.

Mix in oil, vanilla, and sour cream until just combined.

Sift together flour, salt, baking soda, and cocoa powder into a separate medium-sized bowl. Use a fork or a whisk to ensure that the ingredients are mixed well after sifting.

Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in three additions, mixing until just combined after each addition.

Mix in water until just combined.

Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full and put in the oven.

Check for doneness at 15 minutes – a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake should come out clean. If they are not done, check again every three minutes until they are done.

Immediately remove cupcakes from the cupcake tin and place on a cooling rack or on the counter to cool to room temperature. Although they are really good when they are hot, be sure to wait until they are room temperature to give your evaluation.

Filling

Cut a small part out of the top of each cupcake. Fill the holes with a scoop of pudding. Cover with a piece of the cupcake top.

“Dirt” Frosting

Beat butter until fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Mix in cocoa powder, vanilla, and milk.

Beat in powdered sugar until smooth.

Frost cupcakes and cover cupcake tops in Oreo crumbs and gummy worms.

Keep in the fridge.

Enjoy!

 

Red Velvet Cupcakes

These red velvet cupcakes paired with this cream cheese frosting are absolutely to die for! The cupcake comes from Joy the Baker and is a gorgeous dark red and the frosting is delicious 🙂 I thought I’d make these cupcakes for you guys because red velvet isn’t just for Valentine’s Day anymore- it’s also for the Fourth of July!

Ingredients: Red Velvet Cupcakes (from here)

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 egg, room temperature

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tablespoons red food coloring

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 and 1/2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar

Cream Cheese Frosting (from here)

2 (8-oz.) packages cream cheese, at room temperature

1 cup powdered sugar

2 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 and 1/3 cups cold heavy whipping cream

Recipe: Red Velvet Cupcakes

Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 350F and line a cupcake tin.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fit with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about three minutes.

Turn mixer to high and add the egg. Scrape down the bowl and beat until well incorporated.

In a separate bowl mix together cocoa, vanilla and red food coloring to make a thick paste. Add to the batter, mixing thoroughly until completely combined.

Turn mixer to low and slowly add half of the buttermilk. Add half of the flour and salt and mix until combined. Scrape the bowl and repeat the process with the remaining milk and flour. Beat on high until smooth.

Turn mixer to low and add baking soda and white vinegar. Turn to high and beat a few more minutes.

Spoon batter into the cupcake pan and bake for 18-23 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center cupcake comes out clean.

Let cupcakes rest in the pan for 10 minutes, then place them on a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Sift the powdered sugar into the bowl, beating to combine, then add the vanilla extract.

Remove the paddle attachment and attach the whisk attachment. Scrape down any cream cheese from the sides of the bowl, and then with the whisk beating at medium-high speed, stream in the cold heavy cream until the frosting is thick enough to pipe.

Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with your desired pastry tip. Pipe the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes and serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Cupcakes

This frosting is definitely in my top three favorites. It’s creamy and full of peanut butter flavor, and the mini peanut butter cupcake (hint: it’s a frosting topped mini peanut butter cup) makes the cupcake perfect. The chocolate cupcake is really good- I tried a new recipe, it’s from Sweetapolitia. The cupcake is denser than my other chocolate cupcake recipes, but it’s a perfect vehicle for the frosting. If you’re a peanut butter chocolate lover you have to make this cupcake

Ingredients: Chocolate Cupcakes (from here)

3/4 cup  all-purpose flour

3/4 cup superfine sugar

1/2 cup dark Dutch-process cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup buttermilk, room temperature

1/3 cup coffee, hot

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 egg, room temperature

Peanut Butter Frosting

1 cup creamy peanut butter

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 and 1/4 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

*12 miniature peanut butter cups

Recipe: Chocolate Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 360° F. Line a standard cupcake pan.

In the bowl of electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment sift together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

In a medium bowl or measuring cup, combine the buttermilk, coffee, oil, egg and vanilla.

Add liquid mixture to dry ingredients and whisk until smooth, about 1 minute. Divide batter among the liners (about 3/4 full).

Bake until a wooden pick inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out with a only a few crumbs, about 18-20 minutes. Let cupcakes cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then turn onto rack to cool completely.

Peanut Butter Frosting

Cream peanut butter and butter until smooth.

Beat in powdered sugar and vanilla.

When smooth, mix in heavy cream.

Pipe onto your cupcakes.

*For the mini cupcakes just pipe frosting onto miniature peanut butter cups.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Pomegranate Cupcakes

These are probably the most elegant cupcakes I’ve ever made.  Smooth and silky pomegranate frosting tops fluffy chocolate-pomegranate cupcakes. Yum. Even if this combination sounds weird at first, you can definitely be assured that these cupcakes are delicious.

Ingredients: Pomegranate Chocolate Cupcakes (makes 12)

1 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened natural cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup whole milk

1/4 cup melted butter

1/2 cup pomegranate juice (I used POM)

Cooked Pomegranate Frosting (adapted from here)

1 and 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup whole milk

1/2 cup pomegranate juice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

24 tablespoons (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature and chopped into 24 pieces

1 tablespoon pomegranate juice

*optional purple food coloring

Recipe: Chocolate Pomegranate Cupcake

Preheat oven to 375F and line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.

Stir together sugar, flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder.

Add the egg, vanilla, butter, and milk on medium-high speed for 2 minutes or until smooth.

Stir in pomegranate juice.

Fill cupcake liners 2/3 of the way. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Let cool for ten minutes on a wire rack, then take cupcakes out of tray and let finish cooling.

Cooked Pomegranate Frosting

In a medium bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cornstarch and salt. Slowly whisk in the milk and pomegranate juice until the mixture is smooth. Place a fine-mesh strainer over a medium saucepan and pour the milk mixture through the strainer into the saucepan.

Cook the mixture over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture boils and is thick enough that it starts to become difficult to easily whisk, almost the texture of lemon curd before it sets. This could take anywhere between 5-10 minutes, depending on your stove, heat, etc. It should bubble quite a bit at the end (be careful of the splatters) and thicken considerably.

Transfer the mixture to a clean bowl and cool to room temperature – this is extremely important! If it is even slightly warm, the frosting won’t beat up properly.

Once the frosting is completely cooled to room temperature (it should have no hint of warmth at all!), beat the mixture with the vanilla on low speed until it is well combined, about 30 seconds (a stand mixer will work best for this).

Add the butter, one piece at a time, and beat the frosting until all the butter has been incorporated fully, about 2 minutes. Increase the speed to medium-high and let the mixer work it’s magic. Beat the frosting for five minutes, until it is light and fluffy, then add the tablespoon of pomegranate juice and purple food coloring.

Enjoy!

 

M&M Cupcakes

I wanted to make a fun cupcake, a cupcake perfect for a party (except not funfetti) so I decided to make M&M cupcakes. I chose to do a yellow cupcake base with mini m&ms throughout and frosting with a cup of crushed M&Ms inside it. The frosting is amazing, but it’s very thick, so very hard to pipe. These cupcakes are so yummy and perfect for all occasions. 😀

Ingredients: Cupcakes (adapted from here)

1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 egg, room temperature

3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons 2% milk

1/4 cup mini M&Ms

M&M Frosting

1 and 1/2 sticks butter, room temperature

2 and 3/4 cups powdered sugar

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup mini M&Ms, pulverized

1 and 1/2 tablespoons milk

Recipe: Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 350° and line a cupcake tin with liners.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition.

Fill paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full and top each with a teaspoon of M&M’s.

Bake 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely

M&M Frosting

Beat butter until very light in color.

Slowly beat in powdered sugar and vanilla.

In a food processor, crush the 1 cup mini M&Ms until crushed. Mix M&Ms into frosting.

Beat in the milk.

Frost the cupcakes!

Enjoy!

Chocolate Malt Cupcake

Ever had a chocolate malt? Well, I haven’t, but I’m pretty sure if I ever did these cupcakes would taste exactly like one. There’s malted milk powder in the cupcake and in the frosting. The chocolate malt frosting is creamy, dreamy, full of flavor and perfection to pipe. These cupcakes would be great for a party!

Ingredients: Chocolate Malt Cupcakes *makes 12 cupcakes (from here)

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cocoa powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup malted milk powder

1/2 cup vegetable oil

3 ounces whole eggs, mixed

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Malted Milk Buttercream (frosts 12 cupcakes)

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1/4 cup malted milk powder

2 tablespoons natural unsweetened cocoa powder

2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Recipe: Chocolate Malt Cupcakes

Preheat the oven to 350F and line a cupcake tin.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In a small bowl, mix milk and malted milk powder.

Pour the milk/malt mixture into the dry batter and mix.

Beat in the vegetable oil and egg until combined.

Then mix in the sour cream and vanilla.

Fill cupcake liners 3/4 of the way. Bake for 15 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Chocolate Malt Buttercream

Beat butter until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes.

While on medium high speed, mix in powdered sugar.

When combined, add in malted milk, cocoa powder, and vanilla.

Beat until fluffy.

Enjoy!