Caramel Apple Cupcakes

Thanks To: justJENN

Apple cupcakes
ingredients:
(frosting to follow)

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2 large eggs
1/2 cup melted butter
1 cup applesauce
1 cup shredded or finely chopped, Granny Smith apples

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Prep a cupcake pan with liners.

In a large bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.

In a mixer, stir the eggs, butter, and applesauce. Mix until combined. Carefully add the dry ingredients.

Now is when I chop the apples. This may seem like last minute, but I hate how quickly apple brown up after cutting. So I do it right before I throw them in. The way I do it – peel and slice the apple. Then using a grater, grate the apple into fine shreds, like cheese. You can also chop it finely which works just as well. Now stir the shredded apples into the batter mixture.

I like to fill the cupcake liners 2/3 full to almost full, so that they have a nice rounded top like an apple. This batter will make 12 cupcakes.

Bake for 15-20 mins, 17 works best for me. Test with a toothpick for done-ness.

See how they rise a little and puff and overflow? That is perfect to me, because then when you frost it – it gives it a little roundness, and makes it more…apple-y? If that makes sense. Cool on a wire rack. While they are cooling…make the frosting.

Caramel Frosting
ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup whole milk
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1tsp cinnamon
1 TB maple syrup

In a saucepan on medium heat, melt the butter and brown sugar. Paula Deen would be in heaven right now. Give it a stir now and again. When they are melted and bubbly, add the milk. Carefully raise the heat and bring the mixture to a quick boil. Careful – you don’t want to burn it. Once it foams up and turns that lovely caramel color, take it off the heat immediately.

Remove pan from heat and stir in the powdered sugar and vanilla, cinnamon and syrup, mixing until frosting is smooth. I like to put it in the fridge for about 20 mins to cool down. Then I simply frost the cupcakes by dipping them into the frosting. It’s more of a glaze – in the sense that it will firm up.

Now the fun part – you can roll the sides in sprinkles and of course, for effect, put in a popsicle stick to make it look like a real caramel apple. It’s totally useless but lots of fun. Even without the sticks, these are really tasty and I think they’d be great for a party.

Vanilla Bean Baby Donuts

Thanks To: Sprinkle Bake

Yield: 5-6 dozen baby donuts

Donuts:

2 cups all purpose flour, sifted
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tbsp. butter, melted
Seeds from one vanilla bean

Preheat oven to 425°F. Spray donut pan with nonstick cooking spray.

In large mixing bowl, sift together all purpose flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add buttermilk, eggs, vanilla extract, vanilla seeds and butter and beat until just combined. Spray doughnut cavities with cooking spray or brush with butter. Fill each donut cup approximately 1/2 full.

Bake 5-8 minutes or until the top of the donuts spring back when touched. Let cool in pan for 4–5 minutes before removing. Finish doughnuts with vanilla glaze. Donuts are best served fresh.

Vanilla Glaze:

1 cup confectioner’ s sugar
1 tbsp. milk
½ tsp. vanilla extract
4 drops of liquid blue food coloring
White nonpareils

In small bowl, stir together sugar, milk and vanilla extract until sugar is completely dissolved. Add food coloring and stir until color is uniform. Use immediately to glaze donuts. Sprinkle on nonpareils.

Coffee & Donuts Cake

Thanks To: Sprinkle Bakes

12 servings

Cake Layers:

3 ounces fine-quality semisweet chocolate such as Callebaut
1 1/2 cups hot brewed coffee
3 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process)
2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
3 large eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups well-shaken buttermilk
3/4 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 300°F. Grease pans with shortening. Line bottoms with rounds of parchment paper and grease paper.

Finely chop chocolate and in a bowl combine with hot coffee. Let mixture stand, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.

Into a large bowl sift together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In another large bowl with an electric mixer beat eggs until thickened slightly and lemon colored (about 3 minutes with a standing mixer or 5 minutes with a hand-held mixer). Slowly add oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and melted chocolate mixture to eggs, beating until combined well. Add sugar mixture and beat on medium speed until just combined well. Divide batter between 2- 10” pans or 3- 9” pans and bake in middle of oven until a tester inserted in center comes out clean, approx 50 minutes to 1 hour.

Cool layers completely in pans on racks. Run a thin knife around edges of pans and invert layers onto racks. Carefully remove wax paper and cool layers completely. Cake layers may be made 1 day ahead and kept, wrapped well in plastic wrap, at room temperature.


Coffee Buttercream

1 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
2 large eggs
3 sticks (1 1/2 cups) unsalted butter, softened
3 tablespoons instant espresso powder dissolved in 1 tablespoon hot water

In a small heavy saucepan set over medium heat, dissolve the sugar in the water. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Continue to cook until it registers 240°F on a candy thermometer.

In the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the eggs until they are frothy. While mixer is running, add the sugar syrup in a thin stream, carefully tempering the syrup into the eggs without cooking them. Beat until it is cool. Change to the paddle attachment and add the softened butter, 1 tablespoon at a time. Add the espresso mixture, and beat until it is light and fluffy.


Mini Cake Donuts (3 dozen)

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cups sugar
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup melted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, mix flour, 3/4 cup sugar, baking powder and salt.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat milk , egg and vanilla together. Add flour mixture to egg mixture and beat on low speed to combine. Stop mixer and pour melted butter over dough. Mix again until just incorporated. Transfer batter to a piping bag and pipe into the cavities of a donut baking pan.

Bake for 10 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean.

Chocolate Glaze for Donuts

2/3 cup heavy cream
6 oz. bittersweet chocolate finely chopped
1 tbsp. light corn syrup

Nonpariels or sanding sugar

Place cream in a small saucepan over medium heat and cook until very hot but not boiling. Place chocolate and corn syrup in a small bowl then pour hot cream over mixture and stir until smooth.

Quickly dip cooled donut tops into glaze and allow the excess to drizzle back into the bowl. Sprinkle with sugar or nonpareils. Allow glazed donuts to dry, about 40 minutes to 1 hour. Chocolate glaze will darken in color as it cools.

Assembly

Espresso powder for sprinkling
Decorative large-crystal sugar for sprinkling

Frost and stack cake layers. Press unglazed side of donut gently into the side of the cake. Repeat with entire batch of 3 dozen donuts. Sprinkle top of cake with espresso powder and decorative sugar. Extra donuts can be used to garnish the top of the cake.

Please note, I used the entire batch of 3 dozen donuts for decorating. You may want to resist snacking on a few donuts while you are making them, or else you may not have enough to complete the cake.

Jello Cloud Parfait

Thanks to: BChsMamaof3

What you will need:

• 2 packages of Berry Blue Jello
• 2 cups of whipping cream
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 cups of ice
• parfait glasses or any clear containers that you can see through

Start by placing your whipping cream in a large bowl, beat on high speed until just starting to thicken. As you continue to whip the cream slowly pour in your sugar, continue whipping cream until it forms super stiff peaks. You want to make sure that it is good and stiff so that if will hold it’s shape later in the jello. Keep chilled in fridge until needed.


Now it’s time to get your jello ready. Pour 2 cups of boiling water into a large bowl and add both boxes of berry blue jello powder. Stir until all of the sugar has dissolved. Now you are going to add your 2 cups of ice, this is going to set up your jello nice and quick Stir the ice around in the bowl for about 5 minutes until the jello has thickened and remove any left over ice that didn’t melt. Your jello won’t be super thick like after it has set in the fridge but it will be jelled enough to scoop out on a spoon in a blobby form.


Now the fun begins! Start by placing a few spoonfuls of jello in the bottom of your parfait glass, then take your whipped cream from the fridge and drop in a spoonful or two and press it against the side of the glass. This is going to form your cloud in the sky. Try not to smear any of the whipped cream where you don’t want a cloud, it will show up as streaks when you put more jello in so wipe away any unwanted marks.


Continue layering the jello and whip cream alternating where you place your cream clouds so that you get a nice staggered effect.


Voila! You’ve created a little chunk of sky in a glass and guess what…. it tastes fabulous!!
Have fun making some of your own!

Brownie Pops

Thanks to: The Reluctant Entertainer.

INGREDIENTS

1 recipe for Grandma Barb's Brownies (below)

candy coating disks in color(s) of your choice **

a variety of sprinkles **

a bit of shortening, to thin the melted candy coating disks for easier coverage, about 1 tsp. per 2 cups of melted candy

Makes: 32 brownie pops

(**The possibilities are endless, as the colors and sprinkles can be tailored to any season, holiday, or special event you want to celebrate.)

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT (found at Michaels and other baking supply stores)

brownie pops silicone molds **

32 4" sticks

(**I used brownie pops silicone molds, since I couldn’t resist a 75% off sale at Target after Valentine’s Day last year. But if you don’t have these special pans, and you don't feel like buying them, don’t fret. Check out this post from my friend, Shaina, at Babble Food. She made brownie balls with no special equipment involved.)

PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 350°. Prepare your brownie pops silicone molds by spraying generously with cooking spray. Place on a baking sheet for added stability for transporting in and out of the oven. Set aside.

Mix up "Grandma Barb's Brownies" according to the recipe. I didn't include the optional chocolate chips or nuts for the brownie pops.

Fill each brownie pops mold cavity 2/3 full of brownie batter. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven. If the tops of your brownies are a bit uneven, simply press down any bumps while the brownies are still warm. Let brownies cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then invert pan and pop them out onto a rack. Immediately insert the sticks into the rounded tops, pushing them about 3/4 of the way down into the brownies. Be careful to not rearrange the stick once it is pushed in, as it will loosen the stick's hold. Press the brownies slightly around the base of the stick, to hold the sticks steady. Cool completely. These can be made a day in advance of decorating. Just store in an airtight container until ready to use.

And now, for the really fun part! Pour your sprinkles into small bowls, for dipping and sprinkling. Over a double boiler, melt your candy coating disks. Or, very carefully, use a microwave. Just be sure to not get them too hot. Only warm the candy disks until they are partially melted, then stir to melt completely. Add a bit of shortening to thin. I didn't want to be responsible for my daughter's young friends working over a hot stove, so I poured each color of melted candy into a separate glass. I found a glass works well, as it allows the brownie to get fully dipped. If you don't have quite enough candy in your glass to cover the brownie's top, just use a spoon to help cover the brownie completely. Also, do not twist the brownies once they are dipped in the melted candy, as it loosens the stick in the brownie. Once the brownies are completely dipped, tap off any excess candy coating, then dip and/or sprinkle with decorations of your choice. Set on wax paper to cool completely. Then enjoy!

Grandma Barb's Brownies

INGREDIENTS

2 c. sugar
1 c. vegetable oil
4 large eggs
1-1/2 c. flour
10 T. unsweetened baking cocoa
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla
semi-sweet chocolate chips, optional, to sprinkle on top (Chocolate chips are a MUST for me!)
chopped nuts, optional, to sprinkle on top (Mom likes to put nuts on half the pan. No nuts for me, thanks.)

PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 9" x 13" pan with cooking spray and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the sugar, oil, and eggs. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until incorporated. Stir in the vanilla. Pour into your prepared pan and spread evenly. Sprinkle with optional chocolate chips and/or nuts. Bake for 20 minutes. Then turn the heat off, leaving the pan in the oven for another 15 minutes. Remove pan to a rack to cool completely.

Source: Mom's recipe box, originally from Eleanor Hardie, who is married to Mom's cousin, Walter. Mom first enjoyed these at a Voss family reunion in Mitchell, South Dakota, when I was just a kid. We've been eating them ever since. Many thanks to you, Eleanor!