My Favorite Cupcakes: Hummingbirds

 Before I talk about the best cupcakes ever, I just want to say thank you to everyone who reached out to me about my previous post. I was NOT expecting the outpouring of support and similar feelings, and I was shocked by the number of emails/messages/comments I received and was frankly very touched. Here's to following our dreams and making our own happiness!

Okay so I first made these Hummingbird Cupcakes for Easter and I have been craving them since. Before i made them, I had no idea what a hummingbird cupcake was. Honestly they kind of sounded gross like some sort of ambrosia or nut cake type of thing and I was like what are these? But when I made my first batch and tried the batter, I literally almost ate all of it before I could bake it. Seriously, the combination of cinnamon, pineapple, walnuts, coconut, and banana is out of this world. They have the moistness and spice of a carrot cake, but the texture is divine and the fruit in it adds an extra sweet kick. I love them. Add the sweet and tangy cream cheese frosting and I am over the moon. Is it possible to love something so much?

 

Hummingbird Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Adapted from Martha Stewart

3 cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup (2 sticks) butter

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 cups sugar

3 eggs

2 cups mashed bananas (about 3 large)

1 8 oz. can crushed pineapple, drained

1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

1 cup unsweetened coconut (I used Bob's Red Mill)

Preheat the oven to 350 and line 2 cupcake pans with liners and set aside. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt and set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, vanilla, and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until combined after each addition. Beat on medium speed for 3 minutes or until light and fluffy.

In a separate medium bowl, mix together bananas, nuts, pineapple, and coconut. Add into the butter mixture and beat until just barely combined.

STIR in the flour mixture until just combined. Scoop batter into the cupcake pans, filling each well about 3/4 full. 

Bake for about 23-27 minutes or until a knife inserted in the middle of a cupcake comes out clean. 

For the frosting:

8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature

2 tsp. vanilla extract

4 cups powdered sugar

Combine the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add in the powdered sugar until combined. Turn up the speed and beat until mixture is a frosting consistency. Frost onto cooled cupcakes. Enjoy!

Rhubarb Cupcakes with Fresh Strawberry Buttercream

Before we talk about important things like cupcakes, some things have been happening lately:

1. I graduated! Technically in December, but in April I flew back to Provo to walk at BYU's commencement and convocation. Gosh I missed Provo. It was surreal being back there. Everything was the same and familiar, but different too because life keeps on going for everyone still there. Somebody different lives in our old apartment and somebody else is studying in my favorite chair in the Brimhall. I was on the verge of tears all weekend because I couldn't believe that this part of my life was coming to a close. The best part of my life so far (I'm still deciding how I feel about the med school part), very officially done with. I'm grateful for it and can't believe that I was lucky enough to attend BYU. It was the best thing to ever happen to me (I met my best friends, my husband, and received a world class education).

2. Christian officially finished his first year of medical school at the U of R. Can you believe it?! What a whirlwind of a year it has been. It's had plenty ups and plenty downs as well, and I can't get over the fact that he is 1/4 of the way done! I wish there was a way to say how proud I am of him, but I don't think anything can really do it justice. He is the most incredible man on the planet so there's that. 

3. Chin also left yesterday to go to Officer Training. I don't know if I've shared it here on the blog or not, but Chin is doing medical school through an Air Force scholarship. Basically, they pay for medical school, and at the end of residency he'll be an AF doctor for 4 years before he can go into private practice. I was worried at first, but the prospect of potentially living overseas while he does his payback makes it seem like a pretty good deal to me. So anyways, he's off to Officer Training in Alabama for the month of June, while I'm here in Rochester. I'm terrified of him leaving because we've had enough time apart this year (e.g. a whole semester) but I'll make do. Lady and I will stick together. 

And finally, let's talk about cupcakes. One of my absolute favorite parts about our tiny little house is our backyard. We have a nice, secluded chunk of lawn (front and back!) that's surrounded by pine trees. We borrowed my parents' fire pit for the summer and have a nice patio set, with lights strung along the back of the house, making our yard ideal for dinners outside and weekend gatherings. I just love how cozy it feels. I also love that we have plants! It sounds silly, but we have a beautiful rhododendron bush as well as new pumpkin plants, rose bushes, hydrangea, lavender, and best of all, a rhubarb plant.

Our rhubarb plant was HUGE this year, and consequently I was able to make these cupcakes with fresh rhubarb straight from the garden. And they were divine. Chin dubbed them as his favorite cupcakes I've ever made, and that was without the frosting on them. They're thick and dense (my favorite type of cake) and have a perfect tang, tempered slightly by some sweet sugar and butter.

The frosting is the perfect compliment. Fresh, sweet, and smooth, you can really taste both the rhubarb and the strawberry, a divine combination for summer. 

I made these pretty in pink cupcakes for the last Med School Wives Club get together of the season (we'll all be off in different directions for summer), and I loved how girly they were. I didn't take any pictures with my real camera, so iphone pictures will have to suffice for now!

Rhubarb Cupcakes with Fresh Strawberry Buttercream
Adapted from Kitchen Konfidence and Martha Stewart

For the stewed rhubarb:
3 cups fresh rhubarb, ends trimmed and diced
1 cup water
3 tbsp. sugar

For the cupcakes:
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, room temperature
1 cup plus 2 tbsp. sugar
2 large eggs
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/3 cup milk

In a medium saucepan, combine rhubarb, water, and 3 tbsp. sugar over medium heat. Stew, stirring occasionally, until rhubarb starts to soften and breakdown, and the mixture starts to boil, about 7-8 minutes. Pour the mixture into a clean bowl with a fine mesh strainer or small colander. Discard of the rhubarb juice in the bowl, and transfer the stewed rhubarb into the bowl that previously held the juice. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 and line a 12-well cupcake pan with liners. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until well incorporated, scraping down the bowl as needed. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking powder, and ginger. With the mixer on low, pour in half of the flour mixture, mixing until just incorporated. Then add the milk, followed by the rest of the flour mixture. Mix until just combined. Gently fold the stewed rhubarb into the batter. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pan, about 2/3 full for each cupcake well. Bake for 22-24 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer cupcakes to a cooling rack and let cool completely.

For the strawberry buttercream:
1/2 cup fresh strawberries*
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, firm and slightly cold
Pinch of coarse salt
4 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Place strawberries in a food processor or blender, and blend until completely pureed. Set aside. Meanwhile, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and salt on medium speed until light and fluffy. Turn mixer to low speed and slowly add the powdered sugar, beating until combined. Add 3 tbsp. of the strawberry puree and the vanilla, beating until combined, but be careful not to over mix to avoid the mixture becoming to airy. Frost the cooled cupcakes and enjoy!

*You could use frozen strawberries that have been thawed, but fresh are best in my opinion.

Healthy Chocolate Coconut Granola

Have you guys heard of Bobby Flay Fit? I was never really a Bobby Flay fan before (his weird hair and long island accent are BUGGIN), but on the Food Network website he has a mini web series about how he got into shape and stays there. It's an amazing series and the food he makes- oh my gosh I die. 
He made this recipe for chocolate coconut granola, and I was drooling on my keyboard and seriously went home right after work and made it. I was like, "I NEED THIS. Screw dinner." Chocolate granola became my only conquest for a Wednesday night. 

Turns out it tastes as good as it looks. Chocolatey oats with almonds and coconut flakes, white chocolate and chocolate chips, and a light coconut flavor that turns Greek yogurt into an almond joy in breakfast form. You can thank me later. I adapted the recipe to make it even HEALTHIER, and more low-cal. Because let's be honest, men can tend to eat more than women, and even though Bobby's version is "healthy," it still has 1/4 sugar per batch (plus honey and chocolate which can add up). That's a lot for a healthy snack or breakfast topping! So I did you all a favor and made this recipe even more healthy, without cutting back on any flavor.

I took a bite of this and then almost ate the whole batch and then had it for breakfast the next morning, then for an afternoon snack, and then for dessert that night. It's like crack, people. Coconutty, chocolatey, almondy crack for people who are addicted to dessert but are trying to be skinny too.

Healthy Chocolate Coconut Granola
Adapted from Bobby Flay Fit

Ingredients:
1/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp. Coconut oil
1/3 cup cocoa powder (organic is good or something dark and delicious. Bobby suggests Valrhona but I just used Hershey's)
1/4 cup honey
2 tbsp. Stevia granulated baking blend (OR 1/4 white sugar*)
Pinch of sea salt
1/8 tsp. coconut extract
1/8 tsp. vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups oats (not quick-cooking)
1/2 cup raw whole almonds, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes (I used Bob's Red Mill organic)
1/4 cup chocolate chips
1/4 cup white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Brush a cookie sheet/baking pan with 1 Tbsp. coconut oil. 

Heat the remaining 1/4 cup of coconut oil in a small saucepan over medium heat (until melted and clear). Whisk in cocoa powder, honey, stevia (or sugar), and salt and bring to a simmer. Whisk until stevia is completely melted and the mixture is smooth. Add the vanilla and coconut extracts and whisk until smooth. Turn off the burner but leave the saucepan on the burner, put a lid on to keep warm.

In a large bowl, combine the oats, almonds, and coconut flakes. Pour in the cocoa/honey mixture and mix with a rubber spatula until oat mixture is completely coated. Transfer the mixture to the prepared cookie sheet and spread into an even layer. Bake for 40-45 minutes (depending on your oven) then turn off the oven. Leave the pan in the warm oven for another 20 minutes. Remove, then put on a cooling rack to cool. After 5-10 minutes, sprinkle the chocolate chips and white chocolate chips on top. 

Once completely cool, transfer the granola to a big bowl and break into small, granola sized pieces. Enjoy! 

Serving Suggestion: Pour 1/4 cup of delicious granola (140 calories) over 1/2 cup vanilla, fat free greek yogurt (about 80-90 calories) and half of a banana (45 calories) for a delicious and filling breakfast that's under 300 calories. 

Per 1/4 cup serving: 140 calories, 6g fat, 4g sugar

*Using sugar instead of Stevia baking blend adds 15 calories per 1/4 cup serving and 5g sugar per serving.

Spring Treats #8: Green Velvet Cake

I think I go a little bit overboard on holidays.

For a while I kept thinking to myself, "wow, there are like six holidays in a row that are my favorite ones." But now I just think I like holidays a little too much. Every holiday. I don't discriminate.  

I had to make a dessert. A fancy one to impress some people we were having over for dinner (not that I do that of course). I saw this green velvet cheesecake cake on Recipe Girl, and since I was short on time, I decided to just omit the cheesecake part (sad day) and make the cake, because it looked equally delicious. 

And it turned out wonderfully. The recipe is relatively simple, and the cakes rose in the oven and turned a very festive, bright, turn-your-insides-green green.  

The frosting is a marshmallow cream cheese frosting that's sticky and thick, and about 1000 calories per bite. Happy St. Patrick's day to your stomach, maybe not so much to your hips.

I found these awesome sugar shamrock decals at the Peppermint Place in Alpine, and loved what they added to the cake. They made my tacky decorating job look a little bit more put together.

No matter what you're doing for St. Patrick's Day, you should probs make this cake. Just sayin'. 

Green Velvet Cake
adapted from Recipe Girl
For the cake:
2 1/2 cups flour
2 tbsp. cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups canola or veg. oil
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. white vinegar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup buttermillk
2 tbsp. (1, 1 oz. bottle) green food coloring

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray two 9 inch pans with cooking spray, and cut out parchment paper to line the bottom of the pans. 
In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Set aside. 
In a large bowl or the bowl of your electric mixture, combine oil and sugar and beat on medium high speed until well combined. Add in eggs, one at a time, followed by the vanilla, beating well after each addition. 
In a small bowl combine the vinegar and baking soda, stirring to dissolve the baking soda. Add the mixture to the rest of the wet ingredients, then add the buttermilk and food coloring.
Mix all the wet ingredients on low speed for 1-2 minutes, until well combined.
Add the dry ingredients slowly, and beat on medium-low speed until all the ingredients are combined.
Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans and bake for 30-35 minutes.
Let cool in pans for 10 minutes, then invert cakes onto a wire cooling rack. Let cool completely.


For the frosting:
2 8-oz pkgs. cream cheese, room temp.
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temp.
1 7 oz. jar marshmallow creme
1 1/2- 2 cups powdered sugar


In a large bowl, or the bowl of your electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Add the marshmallow creme and beat again, until well combined.
Slowly add the powdered sugar, beating well and adding as much as you want to reach your desired thickness and consistency (I used about 2 cups).


Place one cake layer on a cake plate or platter, and frost just the top of the cake. Add another layer and frost the top, then the sides of both layers.
Decorate as desired, and enjoy!
 

Winter Treats #8: Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream Cake

So... this cake. It's a little bit sinful.

Like a lot bit sinful.

Let me tell you about my obsession with cookie dough.

As a child, I never really paid much attention to cookie dough ice cream. Because of course, there was always some peanut butter chocolately combo I could pick from instead. So I did.

But now, as an adult, that cookie dough craze has surfaced itself, and I could eat cookie dough for every meal.

Bring on the salmonella.

For months I've been wanting to make a cookie dough cake. 

Then when it finally came down to it, my friends helped me decide to make a cookie dough ice cream cake.

BEST DECISION EVER.

I made a two layer vanilla cake (which was a great great recipe. hold tight), put a nice big layer of chocolate chip cookie dough icecream in the middle of the layers. I froze the cake. Made some cookies and frosting. Frosted the outside of the cake, slammed some cookies on it, and sprinkled mini chocolate chips.

Overall, not too bad of a process. I wish I had cut the two layers in half so that is made 4 very thin layers. That would have allowed for more icecream in the cake. SO if you do decide to make the cake, that's my suggestion. Make 4 small layers instead of 2 big ones.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream Cake

You will need:

1 two-layer (or 4 small layer) cake. I used THIS recipe and it was perfect. 

1 carton (half gallon) of your favorite chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream

1 1/2 - 2 dozen cookies (I half my no fail chocolate chip cookie recipe)

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting (recipe below)

and mini chocolate chips for decorating 

 

 For the frosting:

2 sticks butter, room temp.

4-5 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1-2 tbsp. milk

In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with your hand mixer, beat the butter until light and fluffy. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the powdered sugar and beat to combine. Add the milk and vanilla and whip until it is a frosting consistency. 

For the assembly of the cake:

Bake your cake and let the layers cool completely. Cut the tops off to make them flat layers. Take your ice cream out of the freezer and let it soften. Lay one layer of your cake onto a platter or cake plate and spread as much icecream over the top of it to create the ice cream layer. Place the other layer on top (if you're using four small layers, just repeat this step two more times). Let freeze for 2-3 hours at least, or overnight. 

While the cake is freezing or once you are ready to decorate it, make your cookies and let them cool. While they're cooling make your frosting. Frost your cake as desired, then place the cookies around the side, pressing them into the frosting.

Sprinkle with mini chips and then let freeze for about 30 minutes more.

Serve and enjoy!

Day 9 & 10: All About Food

Once again I'm behind (leave it to me), but I'm happy to say that this post is all about food. And there is really nothing better than that. 

Before I get to day 10's recipe, I want to talk about day 9.

Yesterday (day 9) I was going to talk to you about a Valentine's Day dinner menu.

So I'm just going to talk about it now. 

Since my birthday is one week after Valentine's day, Chin and I tend to go low-key on good old V-day, simply because I'm a big fan of fancy birthdays. Anyways, last year instead of spending big bucks to go out to dinner on Valentine's day, we planned something a little different.

 For my gift to Chin last year I sent him a personalized invitation to a 4 course dinner at home. We dressed to the nines and even though the ingredients were a little pricy, we saved about $20-30 more than we would have if we had gone to a restaurant. 

And the night ended up being perfect. We ate on the floor, basked in candlelight, and sipped on Martinelli's. I made Parmesan-Artichoke Crostini, Slow-Roasted Tomatoes, Creamed Spinach, Pepper-crusted Filet Mignon, and  chocolate mousse. The end result? A night of pure bliss in the comfort of our home.

We decided to make it a tradition! This year, I decided to go with another traditional menu. I'm going to be making a salad of some sort, Roasted Asparagus, Homemade spaghetti and meatballs, Fresh Garlic Bread (no store bought bread for us), and the same Chocolate Mousse (it was too delicious and easy to not make at least one more time). 

I highly recommend trying a night in on Valentine's Day. If not this year, maybe next. And let's be honest, most men would love a simple meal that just takes a little bit more effort. It's one of the easiest and best ways to show them you care.

And now, onto day 10!

I was really looking forward to making heart shaped cinnamon rolls this year. I had seen some tutorials around Pinterest... but I am sad to report that it is a lot harder than it looks.

But no matter! You'd probably be better at making them than me anyways, and the recipe for the rolls themselves are too good not to talk about. 

I used Pioneer Woman's Cinnamon Rolls 101 recipe, and I don't think I'll use another one again. The rolls were melt in your mouth gooey and ooey and divine. I used a simple cream cheese glaze instead of her maple icing, and the result was better than that Tory Burch bag that I want. 

I hope you try to make these heart shaped cinnamon rolls, and if not heart shaped, at least the regular ones. Nothing says "I love you" like 334978 calories all rolled up into a roll!

Heart Shaped Cinnamon Rolls

One recipe of Pioneer Woman's cinnamon rolls, made just until the dough is rolled out and sprinkled with butter, cinnamon, and sugar (or your favorite recipe)

Your favorite icing

dental floss (for cutting the rolls)

Take your rolled out, prepared dough, and instead of rolling up one side to the other, slowly begin to roll up both sides to the middle. It should kind of look like a scroll, and the rolled up sides will meet in the middle. 

With your dental floss, cut pieces of the dough to make about inch thick rolls. Pinch the bottoms of the rolls together to make heart shapes, then place on greased cookie sheets. Bake at 375 for about 20 minutes, or until rolls are golden. 

Pour your icing over the rolls and let cool and set up, and let the icing sink into the rolls.

Enjoy!

 

Day 5&6: A Manicure & Red Velvet Cupcakes

So... I missed day 5 yesterday! Yeah about that. Between sleeping in until early afternoon, church, and the superbowl... this little bloggy got left behind.

But no worries, I consolidated day 5 and 6 for today. Don't fret my pet.

Anyways, Happy Monday! I'm currently laying in my bed listening to this song on full blast on repeat until for um EVER.

They play it at Zumba and I might be that crazy girl who goes to Zumba, but I kind of love it. 

 

So let's talk Valentine's. Are you sick of it yet? Sorry I'm not sorry.

I did this manicure the other day, inspired from Cupcakes and Cashmere (as always), and I really loved how it turned out. It wasn't your typical red and pink color scheme, but still feminine with a touch of fab. And doing one nail a different color adds so much to a paint job! 

What I used:

Essie "Ballet Slippers"

China Glaze "Icicle"

You know the rest... I used an OPI base and top coat, Ballet Slippers for all my fingers except my ring finger, then used Icicle for my ring finger.

And now onto the delicious part of this post. Last year I made red velvet cupcakes. And while they looked pretty with pink frosting and non-perils, they tasted like rocks. I had the nerve to serve them to a few people, who proceeded to ask if they were BRAN FLAVORED. I don't do bran flavored anything. I haven't tried to make them since, only because it was so embarrassing and not worth the effort. 

I finally got the courage to try them again, with the help of a few baking-expert friends. And they turned out great! The recipe was not difficult to follow and made pretty cupcakes perfect for any Valentine's Day treat.

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Adapted by Lion House

For the cupcakes:

2/3 c. shortening
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs
1/4 c. red food coloring

4 Tbsp. cocoa powder
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking soda
2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. buttermilk
2 tsp. vinegar
1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl or the bowl of your electric mixer, cream the shortening on medium speed. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. One at a time, add your eggs, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down the sides if necessary. 

In a separate small bowl, combine the food coloring and cocoa powder to make a paste. Add the paste to the shortening mixture and beat until well combined. 

In another small bowl, combine the dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking soda) and set aside. In ANOTHER (not conducive to an easy cleanup) small bowl, combine the buttermilk, vinegar, and vanilla. 

Starting with the dry ingredients, add half of the dry ingredients to the batter, then with mixer on low, combine until just incorporated. Add the buttermilk mixture and combine until just incorporated. Add the remaining dry ingredients and beat on low until the batter has just come together.

Pour batter into your prepared cupcake tins, about 2/3 full. Bake for 18-22 minutes. Let cool completely.

My baking beauty.

For the Frosting:

2 8-oz. packages cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature

5 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

In a large bowl or the bowl of your electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Reduce the speed of your mixer/hand mixer and slowly add the powdered sugar one cup at a time. Add the vanilla and then beat until fluffy and creamy. Pipe or spread over cooled cupcakes. 

 Hey I heard you were a wild one.

Winter Treats #7: Chocolate Ganache Cupcakes with Peppermint Candy Cane Buttercream

Okay I know that's a long title for a blog post, but these cupcakes deserve it.

Actually they deserve to be in my belly, because they are DELICIOUS.

I never classified myself as a mint person. I usually pass up a candy cane or mint chocolate chip ice cream. But recently I can't seem to get enough peppermint in my system. There's something so festive about the flavor, especially paired with chocolate.

And I'm not gonna lie, I'm pretty proud of this concoction i made. I don't really like to make chocolate cupcakes because I think they are hard to perfect. They either have flat muffin-like tops, or they are fluffy as air and have no substance. But these were different. 

Dense, rich chocolate cake, topped with smooth, creamy, sinful chocolate ganache, piled high with silky peppermint buttercream and crunchy candy canes.

Merry Christmas.

Chocolate Ganache Cupcakes with Peppermint Candy Cane Buttercream

For the cupcakes:

1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa

1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp. hot water

2 1/4 cups flour

3/4 tsp. baking soda

3/4 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

2 sticks plus 1 tbsp. butter, room temperature

1 2/3 cups sugar

3 eggs, room temperature

1 tbsp. vanilla extract

3/4 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 2 cupcake pans with paper liners. In a small bowl, combine the cocoa and hot water, whisk until smooth, set aside. 

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt, whisk to blend, set aside.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and sugar, and stir occasionally until mixture is smooth and butter is melted. Transfer the mixture into the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on medium speed for five minutes. until the mixture is cool. Add the eggs one at a time and mix well after each addition. Blend in the vanilla and the cocoa mixture until smooth. With the mixer on low speed, add half of the dry ingredients, mixing until just incorporated. Add the sour cream, mixing until just incorporated. Add the rest of the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. 

Pour the batter into the cupcake tins, dividing the batter evenly. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, rotating the pans halfway through. Let cool in the pan for 2 minutes, then transfer cupcakes to wire racks to cool completely.

For the ganache:

4 oz. good semi-sweet chocolate

4 oz. heavy cream

 Chop the chocolate finely and put in a large bowl.

In a small saucepan, heat the cream over medium heat, until barely boiling. Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate and let sit one minute. Whisk vigorously until the cream and chocolate is well incorporate and a ganache forms. Dip the tops of the cooled cupcakes in the ganache, and let set for at least 20 minutes.

For the peppermint buttercream:

1 cup butter, room temperature

6-7 cups powdered sugar

2-3 tbsp. milk

1 tsp. peppermint extract

4-5 candy canes, crushed

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until light and fluffy. Gradually add 2 cups of the powdered sugar, beating well. Put the mixer on low speed, then add the milk and peppermint extract, mixing well to combine. Slowly add the rest of the powdered sugar, until a thick frosting forms.

Spread or pipe the frosting on top of the ganache covered cupcakes, then sprinkle with crushed candy canes.

Enjoy!

Winter Treats #6 and a Winner!

So. I've been missing from the blogosphere for a few days and I am sorry to have abandoned you! 

While most BYU students are pulling their hair out this week for finals, my week from Hades was last week. And so I'm relatively calm and pretty much only have a few loose ends to tie up towards the end of this week. 

So here it goes. I like chocolate cake. Milk, dark or white, you name it I'll eat it.

But while I'll eat any chocolate cake you give me, I am secretly kind of picky.

If I'm going to fill my body with all the calories of a piece of cake, I want to really enjoy it. I want to be able to cut through a cake that's dense and thick, and decadently rich.

And that's where this little number comes in. A tuxedo cake, which means that it's a dark chocolate cake with a light and whipped cream frosting. Covered with melted dark chocolate and we're good to go.

Another plus about this cake, the recipe is relatively simple, and the cakes turned out perfectly.

 They rose in the oven and weren't dry even at all. They came out of the pan without a fuss and layered perfectly.

Can you say holiday dinner party dessert?

HOLIDAY DINNER PARTY DESSERT.

that is all.

 

Chocolate Tuxedo Cake

For the cake:

2 sticks butter

2 cups water

1 cup canola oil

4 cups sugar

1 cup cocoa powder

4 cups flour

4 large eggs

1 cup buttermilk

1 tbsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tbsp. vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and butter and flour 2 ten inch round cake pans, or 3 9 inch round cake pans. 

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter, water, and oil until the butter is melted. 

In a separate large bowl, combine the sugar, cocoa, and flour. Pour the butter mixture into the flour mixture, whisking to combine well. 

One at a time, add the eggs, whisking to combine. Whisk in the buttermilk. Finally, add the baking soda, salt, and vanilla, and whisk until just incorporated.

Divide the batter evenly between your prepared pans and let bake for 35-40 (if you're using 3 pans) or 45-50 (if you're using 2 pans) minutes.

Let the cakes cool in the pans for 15 minutes, then remove from the pans to let cool completely. Then wrap each layer in plastic wrap and freeze for at least two hours, or up to 12. 

For the frosting:

4 cups cold heavy whipping cream

1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar

Once the cake is frozen, remove the plastic wrap and cut the rounded tops of the top of the cakes, so that they are flat. 

In the bowl of your electric mixer, combine the whipping cream and conf. sugar, and whip on high until stiff peaks form.

To frost the cake, put one layer of your cake on a cake plate, and frost the top. Then add another layer and frost the top. Repeat this step one for time if you are doing three layers. Then frost the sides. Refrigerate for at least two hours.

For the chocolate dripping:

4 oz. good dark chocolate (I used Ghiradelli semi-sweet)

2 tbsp. canola oil.

Chop the dark chocolate into small pieces and add in a bowl with the oil. Heat in the microwave for 30 seconds, stir. Then heat with intervals of 15 seconds, stirring each time, until the chocolate is melted. Let cool for 2-3 minutes, then pour over the refrigerated and frosted cake. Let the chocolate drip down the sides. Add sprinkles if you wish. Refrigerate until chocolate is firm.

p.s. CONGRATS to the winner of the Photoshoot giveaway!

So excited for you Elizabeth!

Ali and Aaron will contact you with details about your giveaway. :)