Food Fun Family

Cupcake Recipes – Delicious Dishes Recipe Party #103

Lolli — Tue, 13 Feb 2018 15:34:47 +0000

Hi guys! The recipes our readers submitted last week officially have me drooling. And wouldn’t you know it….my 18-year-old daughter made a double batch of cupcakes last night for a get-together last night, so I got to smell them baking in my oven, but couldn’t eat any of them.

That’s torture.

I love cake and cupcakes, but ONLY when topped with homemade frosting. The frosting MAKES THE CAKE. Here’s my never-fail recipe (it’s an old post, but the frosting is oh-so-good!)

Welcome to Delicious Dishes Recipe Party! In case you’re new to the party, here’s what you need to know:

Delicious Dishes is a weekly link party where bloggers can share their most delicious recipes while checking out the amazing recipes that other bloggers are sharing.

Each link you share here will be seen on each of the hostess’ blogs listed below >>

Food Fun Family – Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

She Saved – Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

Walking on Sunshine Recipes – Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

5 Minutes for Mom – Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

This Mama Loves – Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

Clever Housewife – Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

Bunny’s Warm Oven –Blog / Facebook / Pinterest

Each week we will be featuring our favorite recipes from the week before and pinning them to our Delicious Dishes Pinterest board.

We hope you’ll have fun with our party…we know we will!

The Recipes with the Most Clicks Last Week Were…

#1: Pan Fried Cinnamon Bananas from Dizzy Busy and Hungry

#2: Mini Chocolate Bundt Cake from Cooking with Curls

#3: Almond Joy Chocolate Torte from Bunny’s Warm Oven

Delicious Dishes Party Favorites from Last Week:

These are the recipes that the hosts loved the most…

I loved Flower Cupcake Tutorial from Rose Bakes

Lois loved Double Chocolate Strawberry Cupcakes from Delightful E Made

Brett loved Chocolate Cupcakes with Lavender Buttercream Frosting from Sparkle Living Blog

Susan loved Festive Snowflake Candy Cupcakes from She Saved

Keri Lyn loved Yellow Cupcakes with Peach Cream Frosting from Cookie Dough and Oven Mitt

Emily loved Cinnamon Bun Mini Oreo Cheesecakes from Living on Cloud Nine

Mary loved Homemade Gluten Free Hostess Cupcakes from Strength and Sunshine

Follow us along on our Pinterest board. We pin a ton of recipes that are shared to our linky party each week. So get your recipes ready. We can’t wait to see what’s cooking in your kitchen this week.

Now let’s get this party started!

An InLinkz Link-up

Light Carrot Cake Cupcakes {With Hatching Chick Cookies}

Lolli — Tue, 03 Mar 2015 15:18:58 +0000

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Bakery Crafts for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.

If you know me, you know that I enjoy any excuse to bake. Last week, my youngest son, AJ, had a Blue and Gold banquet for Cub Scouts, and I was tasked to bring a dessert to share. It was the perfect time to try out Bakery Crafts.

I was at Wal-Mart earlier this week, where I was able to pick up a few Bakery Crafts cupcake and cookie decorating kits that took my cupcakes to the next level. I had so much fun with my “Bunny Talk Cupcakes” at the Blue and Gold banquet that I made a fresh batch of cupcakes – this time a whole new recipe! – just for my family.

Many of you who read my blog regularly have seen my “cupcake makeovers.” I am hooked on making a basic cake mix into something extraordinary – and much lighter than the regular treats made straight from the box. Because Easter is coming up next month, I was curious to see if I could make a lighter carrot cake cupcake (because carrots and bunnies just go together!), and I was pleasantly surprised by my results.

I had no idea if my kids would turn their noses up at cupcakes filled with carrots and pineapple (even if they were decorated so adorably) but they were such a hit that we finished them off in less than 2 days!

The best part (beyond the fact that they’re lighter AND delicious)? They’re so easy to make! And with a Bakery Crafts decorating kit, they can taste great and look great, too.

How to Make Hatching Chick Light Carrot Cake Cupcakes

Ingredients:

CUPCAKES:

1 box spice cake mix
2 eggs, whole
1 egg white
1 cup carrots, pureed
1 cup crushed pineapple, drained
5 ounce container vanilla or plain Greek yogurt

FOR DECORATING:

1 Hatching Chick Cookie Cupcake Decorating Kit
Cream Cheese Frosting (you can buy pre-made frosting, or make my favorite recipe here)
Sugar cookie dough (I bought refrigerated dough to save time, but you can use your favorite recipe, of course)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Line cupcake tin with paper liners found in decorating kit.
In a blender or food processor, add carrots and pineapple; blend until carrots are finely chopped. Add yogurt and eggs and blend briefly to mix.
In a large mixing bowl, combine wet ingredients with cake mix and stir til combined (batter will be lumpy).
Fill each cupcake liner at least 2/3 full. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until toothpick inserted at center comes out clean).
Meanwhile, prepare sugar cookies. Roll out sugar cookie dough and cut out hatching chick shapes. Place on a cookie sheet and bake according to package or recipe directions.
Let cupcakes and cookies cool completely.
To decorate: Start with cookies. Using the icing tubes in the kit, frost cookies (I just copied the look of the cookies on the package, although mine didn’t turn out half as cute!).
Color cream cheese frosting green. Pipe green frosting onto cupcakes.
Press decorated cookies onto the top of the cupcakes. Sprinkle finished cupcakes with flower candies from kit.

I am no cake, cupcake or cookie decorator, but I loved how these turned out! Note: the cupcakes alone are light…but the frosting and cookie aren’t! But they’re totally worth it!

About Bakery Crafts

For a limited time only, Bakery Crafts will carry select items at select Walmart in-store bakeries and Easter holiday aisle:

Easter Bunny Cookie Cupcake Decorating Kit: This kit combines a cookie and a cupcake to make an adorable Easter Bunny! Includes: (1) Cookie Cutter, Cupcake Liners, Candy Decorations, and (2) Tubes of Icing.
Hatching Chick Cookie Cupcake Decoration Kit: This kit combines a cookie and a cupcake to make a cute Hatching Chick! Includes: (1) Cookie Cutter, Cupcake Liners, Candy Decorations, and (2) Tubes of Icing.
Easter Cake Decoration Kit: Perfect for finishing off Easter themed Cupcakes or Cakes! Includes: (1) Banner and (3) Easter Themed Picks.
Bunny Tail Icing Decorations: Great for adding the last touch to cupcakes. Includes: Edible Bunny Tail Decorations.

Check out Bakery Crafts on Pinterest and Like Bakery Crafts on Facebook!

Which Bakery Crafts kit would you like to try?

Toffee Cupcakes with Browned Butter Frosting

Lolli — Tue, 13 Jan 2015 12:00:06 +0000

I was heading to a party this past Saturday night and had made somewhat healthy appetizers to bring along (that recipe will be coming soon). After licking so much black bean-cheesy goodness off my fingers, I got hungry for something sweet, so I headed downstairs to my food supply shelves to see what kinds of cake mixes we had on hand.

I found a butter pecan cake mix and immediately had a vision of what I could create with it. I still had English toffee left over from my holiday baking, and since it had been staring me in the face for the past few weeks, calling to me to eat it, I figured it was time to put it to use.

This recipe is entirely experimental…but I got enough fantastic feedback from these cupcakes (I shared with several friends and family members) that I knew it was good enough to share.

Oh…and they smell heavenly. Heavenly! I’ve been trying to be SO good about not stuffing my face with these for the last 3 days and it’s been torture. The frosting alone is enough to squash my best will power. The good news is that mini cupcakes like these are not AS bad for you as the full-sized ones. So when I pop a cupcake in after lunch, I’m only using up, say 3 or 4 Weight Watchers points+ instead of 8 or 10…

Toffee Cupcakes with Browned Butter Frosting

Prep time

1 hour

Cook time

14 mins

Total time

1 hour 14 mins

Author: Lolli

Serves: 48

Ingredients

1 butter pecan cake mix, mixed according to package directions (add eggs, oil and water)
¼ cup cocoa powder
⅓ cup crushed English toffee (or 2 candy bars like Skor, crushed)

Frosting:

1 cup butter
2½ cups powdered sugar
¼ cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

Line mini or regular-sized cupcake pan with paper liners or spray cupcake tin with non-stick cooking spray. Pre-heat oven to 350°.
Mix cake mix according to package directions (you'll probably need to add eggs, water, and oil, but each cake mix varies slightly). Add cocoa powder and crushed toffee candy, reserving about 1-2 tablespoons of toffee to sprinkle on top of the cupcakes when finished. Mix just until all dry ingredients are incorporated.
Pour batter into lined cupcake pan, about ¾ full. Bake according to cake mix directions (about 12-14 minutes for mini cupcakes and 18-20 minutes for regular cupcakes).
Let cupcakes cool completely.

Frosting:

Start the frosting process while the cupcakes are in the oven. In a small pan over medium heat, cook butter, stirring constantly, for 6-8 minutes or until butter turns a golden brown.
Pour browned butter into a bowl. Chill until butter has cooled and begins to solidify (be patient...this will take a little while).
Beat butter with an electric mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy; add powdered sugar and milk, a little at a time, alternating between the two. Finally, add vanilla and beat on low, adding additional powdered sugar or milk if needed to reach desired consistency.
Spread or pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes and sprinkle with the reserved toffee crumbs.
Yields approximately 48 mini cupcakes or 2 dozen regular cupcakes.

I love the subtle chocolate and the slight hint of nuts from the cake batter and the English Toffee, but mostly I love the caramely flavors throughout. All of the flavors compliment each other perfectly! Next time, I’m going to try these cupcakes using a chocolate cake mix and see how they turn out!

Are you ready to indulge?

Triple Chocolate Cupcakes

Lolli — Wed, 12 Nov 2014 14:47:15 +0000

I don’t need much of an arm-twist to bake, especially when chocolate is involved, but this week I was challenged to come up with a recipe using some American Heritage chocolates, which are based on early American chocolate recipes from the 1700s, and a bag of classic M&Ms. I gladly accepted that challenge. This post is sponsored by American Heritage Chocolate but all opinions are my own.

When I receive packages like this…my imagination goes wild. I thought of several things that I could make with one or two of the items, but I was determined to figure out a way to use all 3 for extra chocolately goodness.

I thought of an old recipe for Texas Sheet Cake that I absolutely love and wondered how that might turn out as a cupcake instead of a sheet cake. The result was a very unique cupcake – moist and flavorful and more dense than the typical cake mix cupcake.

The real star of these cupcakes for me was the chocolate buttercream frosting. I ONLY eat frosting that it homemade (Ok, that might be a slight exaggeration, but believe me when I say that at our house, we love our homemade frostings). I have never been able to find the PERFECT chocolate buttercream. Everything else I’ve tried before has been too buttery and not chocolatey enough.

This chocolate frosting was rich and creamy with a deep milk chocolate taste.

I’ll definitely be making it again and again to top future desserts.

Ok, I hate to tease you with all of these pictures. Shall we get to the recipe? I am loving the unique, classic flavor of American Heritage Chocolate – it definitely made a huge difference in these cupcakes. By the way, American Heritage chocolate can replace (or be replaced by) semi-sweet chocolate at a one-to-one ratio, but the taste will be different. More about what goes in to American Heritage chocolates and why it’s so unique in tomorrow’s post.

Triple Chocolate Cupcakes

Save Print

Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

18 mins

Total time

33 mins

Author: Lolli

Serves: 24

Ingredients

1 cup butter
1 cup water
¼ cup American Heritage chocolate drink (finely grated chocolate)
2 cups sugar
2½ cups flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
2 eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ cup sour cream
1 cup M&Ms
Rich Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
1 cup butter, softened and divided (I prefer using salted)
½ cup of American Heritage chocolate drink (finely grated chocolate)
1 (3 ounce) American Heritage chocolate block, grated
1 tbsp low fat milk
3 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

Melt 1 cup butter in a small saucepan over medium low heat. Add water and ¼ cup cocoa and stir til chocolate melts; remove from heat and let cool slightly.
In a large bowl, mix sugar, flour, salt, cinnamon, eggs, soda, sour cream. Pour slightly cooled chocolate liquid into bowl and stir until combined. Batter will be slightly lumpy (but I like to get the big lumps out!)
Pour batter into lined cupcake tin, filling each cup about ?-3/4 full. Drop 5-6 M&Ms into each cup. Stir gently if desired (if you don't stir, the M&Ms will stay near the top and look delightful when baked!).
Bake at 350° for about 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Let cool before frosting.
Rich Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
Melt ½ cup butter and grated chocolate block in a small sauce pan over medium low heat. Remove from heat.
Add all ingredients to a large mixing bowl, including melted butter/chocolate. Beat with hand beater til creamy and smooth. Spread or pipe on cooled cupcakes and top with an M&M, if desired.

What will YOU make with American Heritage Chocolates? I am learning all about them today in New York City at M&Ms World, so be sure to check back tomorrow for more news about chocolate!

The cupcakes without frosting were almost too cute to frost….but I promise the frosting is worth it!

Root Beer Float Cupcakes with Root Beer Frosting

Lolli — Mon, 07 Apr 2014 14:50:46 +0000

About a week ago, I had an inkling to do some Saturday afternoon baking. I wasn’t sure exactly what I wanted to make…but there was a case of root beer in my kitchen that was calling out to me, so I scoured through the cookbooks on my shelves to find a recipe that might suit my fancy. Although the cook book had no photo and this recipe was simply a variation on another cupcake, I could picture them in my mind…looking something like this:

The kids had a blast watching these cupcakes bake – the carbonation in the cupcakes bubbled up and popped while they baked. The finished cupcakes were more dense than your typical cake mix recipe, and they had fun little bubble holes.

The real winner with these cupcakes, though, was the frosting. Absolutely incredible.

We’ll be making these root beer float cupcakes again and again.

Root Beer Float Cupcakes with Root Beer Frosting

5.0 from 2 reviews

Root Beer Float Cupcakes with Root Beer Frosting

Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

35 mins

Author: Lolli

Ingredients

1½ cups butter, softened (3/4 pound or 3 sticks)
2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup root beer
Root Beer Frosting
2 cups powdered sugar
¼ cup butter, room temperature
½ teaspoon vanilla
6 Tablespoons root beer
Chocolate sprinkles, if desired

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line cupcake pan with liners.
In a large bowl, mix butter and sugar; cream with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs and beat well. Mix in vanilla.
In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Add dry ingredients to the bowl with the wet ingredients a little at a time, alternating with root beer. Mix together until thoroughly combined.
Scoop batter into cupcake liners, bout ¾ full. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean.
Cool cupcakes completely on a wire rack.
TO MAKE FROSTING:
In a deep bowl, cream softened (not melted) butter with hand mixer til light and fluffy. Add powdered sugar a little bit at a time, alternating with vanilla and root beer, until mixed.
Spread or pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes and sprinkle with chocolate sprinkles, if desired.

I found this recipe in the cookbook that I own called Crazy About Cupcakes by Krystina Castella. I can’t wait to make the rest of the cupcakes in the book!

Orange Spice Cupcakes with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

Lolli — Mon, 17 Feb 2014 12:00:13 +0000

We’ve had a few too many snow days lately. And when we’re stuck inside, we tend to head to the kitchen and BAKE. On Friday (snow day #2 of our 5 day weekend), my 14 year old daughter decided she’d like to make some cupcakes. I tried to convince her that if she was going to go through the effort of making a bunch of cupcakes, then she might as well try some new flavors and variations. While she wanted to concentrate on the decorating, I jumped in and came up with my own variation of spice cake cupcakes.

And, OH MY! They were better than I could have imagined.

My oldest daughter even commented, after eating her first cupcake, that they were better than the fancy cupcakes you get at the cupcake bakeries.

They were so delicious that I would have eaten them for breakfast, lunch and dinner if I hadn’t run out of them (and thank goodness I did!).

I love that these cupcakes start with a simple base – aren’t cake mix hacks great?

Orange Spice Cupcakes with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

5.0 from 1 reviews

Orange Spice Cupcakes with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

Author: Lolli

Ingredients

1 box spice cake mix
1 cup orange juice
½ cup vegetable oil
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon orange zest
Orange Cream Cheese Frosting
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
½ cup butter, at room temperature
3¾ cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
½ to 1 teaspoon orange zest

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°.
Add spice cake mix to a large mixing bowl. Add orange juice, oil, eggs, ginger, and orange zest and mix just until combined. Scoop batter into prepared cupcake pan (either spray cupcake pan with non-stick spray or use cupcake liners).
Bake for 18-20 minutes at 350°. Remove from oven and let cool in the pan.
To prepare frosting: Beat cream cheese and butter together until creamy and light. Add powdered sugar gradually and continue beating. Add vanilla, ginger, and zest and best until smooth.
Frost cooled cupcakes and enjoy! *I added slices of mandarin oranges on top of each cupcake just for fun.

I think I need to make another batch of these. Have I told you how delicious they were and how fast they disappeared?

Now let’s see what you’ve been cooking!

I’m teaming up once again with From Val’s Kitchen and This Mama Loves for our weekly recipe linky. Since mine is a year-end favorite recipe round up, I would LOVE to see your favorite dishes from the past year.

Please post the direct link to your recipe (not your blog URL) and the name of your recipe below. Then be sure to visit again next Monday for a new recipe and another chance to link up!