Food: Cookies and Cream Cupcakes

I'm finally settled into my summer schedule, including a new internship and a couple of online classes. I think I mentioned before that my new internship allows me to see screenings of virtually every movie before they come out in theaters (YAY!) for free (YAAAAAAY!!!), so I've been checking out 2-3 movies during the week and exhausting all my theater going options for the weekend. Now I have 3 days free to devote to my other passion: food. I've got quite a few recipes to share with you within the next week or so. First up, is a new cupcake (surprise surprise...I know). It's cookies and cream, which isn't my number one flavor choice but they came out really good and I thoroughly enjoyed.

Cookies and Cream Cupcakes
Remixed version of oreo cupcakes from Lovin' From the Oven. Cake recipe courtesy of Cupcakes From The Cake Doctor by Anne Byrn



Ingredients

* 1 package (18.25 oz) plain devil's cake mix
* 3 tablespoons Dutch process unsweetened cocoa
* 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
* 1/2 cup vegetable oil
* 3 large eggs
* 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
* 24 Oreos

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tin with 24 paper liners.

Remove top half of the Oreos and place one cookie, cream side up, in each liner. Crush remaining halves in Ziploc baggie, set aside.

Place the cake mix, cocoa powder, buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium beat two minutes more.




Fill the cupcake tins 2/3 full with batter. Bake until they spring back when lightly pressed with your finger, 17-20 minutes.

Buttercream "Dream" Icing
Recipe courtesy of The Repressed Pastry Chef



Dream is quoted for a reason. This frosting is a bit annoying to make (check out the sugar to liquid ratio) and didn't taste good at first bite. However, after it set awhile and we frosted the cupcakes I did change my mind. It works well with the cookies and cream because it really tastes like the cream from an Oreo. Definitely not a frosting I'd run to for everything, but for these cupcakes it worked nicely in the end.

* 1 stick salted butter, room temp
* 1 stick unsalted butter, room temp
* 1 cup shortening
* 1 tbsp vanilla extract
* 2 pounds powdered sugar (about 3 1/2-4 cups)
* 4-6 tbsp cold milk

Cream butter and shortening. Add vanilla extract and combine well.

Begin slowly adding in the sugar and mixing thoroughly after each addition. After all the sugar has been added, begin adding the milk, one tablespoon at a time, combining very well after each addition with the mixer on medium-high to high speed until you reach the desired consistency.

Tip: If the mixture becomes too hard to mix before all the sugar is incorporated, start adding milk to thin it out, then continue adding the rest.

Frost cupcakes and sprinkle with crushed cookie crumbs.

ENJOY!

Food: Hamburger Cupcakes

As promised I'd like to share a fabulous summer treat perfect for the upcoming 4th of July weekend! I saw a picture of these while flipping through a magazine and was inspired to figure out how to make them at home. They turned out ridiculously cute and it screwed with a lot of my friend's minds. They come out looking like real mini slider burgers and are the perfect fun dessert for any picnic or your next bbq.

Hamburger Cupcakes
By Desiree Roughton

Ingredients:
*1 box store bought chocolate cake mix (prepare as directed)
*1 box store bought yellow cake mix (prepare as directed)
*1 can white frosting
*red, yellow, and green and food coloring
*8 oz. a bag of white chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.

Fill 24 muffin tins 2/3 with yellow cake mix and bake 20-25 minutes until toothpick comes out clean. Set aside and let cool.

Fill 24 muffin tins 1/3 of the way full with chocolate cake batter. (You can use the rest of the batter for regular sized cupcakes if you wish.) Bake 15-20 minutes. Set aside and let cool.

Mix half a can of frosting with red food coloring until the frosting turns red (NOT PINK). Make the other half of the can bright yellow.

Melt the white chocolate in a microwave safe bowl on high in 30 second increments until smooth. Fold in a few drops of green food coloring.

Allow the chocolate to re-harden as a small block in the refrigerator.

Assembly:

Cut each of the yellow cupcakes in half to create top and bottom "buns."

Lightly frost the bottom section with yellow frosting. Make sure there is enough frosting on the outer edges to slightly spill over.

Top with thin chocolate cupcake. (Depending on how the cakes bake up you may need to shave off the curved top for easier assembly and aesthetics.)

Lightly frost the "patty" with the red frosting, allowing spill over again.

Use a spoon or knife to create green shavings from the white chocolate. Sprinkle on the outer edges of your red frosting layer. This will look like lettuce.

Top with yellow cupcake top.

Enjoy!



sorry about the terrible picture quality. I tend to misplace things like my digital camera...a lot, so I had to use my cell phone.

Food: Black Bottom Cupcakes

I'm doing a market research project in school for a bakery idea I have and one of my team members has been nagging me to bring in some "samples he can try." I finally had time to whip something up this weekend. These cupcakes are delicious, made completely from scratch, and surprisingly quick and easy to make. The original recipe calls for mini chocolate chips, but I like how the regular size stands up and gets a little melty. Also, make sure to add plenty of the creme cheese mixture to each cupcake, it's a bit more than what I consider a dollop. Enjoy!



Black Bottom Cupcakes
Recipe courtesy of Lovin From the Oven via AllRecipes.com and slightly revamped by me

Ingredients:
* 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
* 1 egg
* 1/3 cup white sugar
* 1/8 teaspoon salt
* 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
* 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 cup white sugar
* 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 cup water
* 1/3 cup vegetable oil
* 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line muffin tins with paper cups or lightly spray with non-stick cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese, egg, 1/3 cup sugar and 1/8 teaspoon salt until light and fluffy. Stir in the chocolate chips and set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, 1 cup sugar, cocoa, baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Make a well in the center and add the water, oil, vinegar and vanilla. Stir together until well blended. Fill muffin tins 1/3 full with the batter and top with a dollop of the cream cheese mixture.

Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes.

Enjoy!

Food: Box of Chocolates Mini Cupcakes

I know a lot of people out there have major hate for Valentine's Day, but I've always loved it, in a relationship or not. The candy, the colors, the little hearts, I'm a sucker. Plus I love doing Valentinesy stuff for my friends who don't enjoy singledom as much as they should. This year I was inspired by one of the ideas in the Hello, Cupcake! book I got for Christmas for mini cupcakes that look like truffles. The shirt box full went into the office and the small boxes are going to some friends and of course my boyfriend.

This was also my first chance to use my mini electric cupcake maker, which is awesome! The cupcakes cooked up in 7 min, cleanup was easy, and the kitchen didn't get scorching hot because the oven was on.

Box of Chocolate Mini Cupcakes
by Desiree Roughton

Ingredients:
Mini Cupcakes:
*1 box store bought cake mix (any favor) prepared according to package
 (I used the $.69 store brand from Fresh and Easy)

Ganache Frosting:
*16oz. milk or semi-sweet chocolate chips
*2 c. heavy creme

Decorations and wrapping:

What you could use:
*sprinkles
*colored sugar
*chocolate colored mini marshmallows
*melted white chocolate
*candy boxes
*anything else to make your cupcakes look like fun or gourmet chocolates

What I got:
*pink shirt box - Target - $1.50 (on-sale)
*dot sprinkles - $1 - (seasonal)
*pink and purple colored sugar sprinkles - $1 each (seasonal)
*mini cupcake liners - Wal-Mart - $2 (seasonal)
*small heart shaped boxes - $.99 - 99 Cent Only Store
*melted white chocolate chips (pantry raid)

*NOTE: this makes a lot of ganache but you might as well utilize all the chocolate and creme that comes in those predetermined sizes. This will give you a generous amount to glaze your cupcakes and leave some extra to make quick truffles or top ice cream or other desserts. You can also slowly reheat ganache after its been refrigerated.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.

Fill mini cupcake tins 2/3 full with cake batter (You want to fill them enough so that the tops will bake above the liners.)

Bake for 8-12 minutes, watching closely. (Smaller cupcakes burn more easily!)

Let cool and set aside.

For the ganache:

Pour chocolate chips in mixing bowl, set aside.

Bring creme to a boil. (Make sure to keep an eye on it!)

Pour hot creme over chocolate and let sit 30-60 seconds. Stir thoroughly with wisk until smooth and shiny. (At first it may seem like the creme and chocolate are not mixing well, keep going and they'll start to come together.)

Dip cupcake tops into glaze.

Decorate as you please. This can be time consuming but is what makes these little treats so special!

Tip: Use a toothpick dipped in water or a little bit of oil to pick up and place sprinkle shapes.

Enjoy!