Lemon Strawberry Coconut Cupcake

This post has been sitting in my draft folder for over a year. That's ridiculous. The other thing that is ridiculous is that I haven't blogged for over a year. What's the problem? I guess now that I'm retired, life has become either so busy or so boring that I don't have time to blog or I have nothing to blog about. Either way, there's a total lack of blogging going on. Here's the post that's been in the draft folder forever. 

Agnes wanted to make cupcakes a couple weeks ago. I wasn't too excited about it since I had made cupcakes for two separate events in the last 48 hours prior to that, but I didn't want to tell her no so we made more cupcakes. We had some leftover frosting from the other events' cupcakes and we used that as a jumping off point to decide what kind of cupcakes to make. After a couple of failed suggestions because I didn't have specific ingredients (limes or coconut milk) Agnes came up with lemon strawberry coconut cupcakes. We gave a plate of them away and got rave reviews, which was comforting because I was concerned with the amount of different flavors we were using. I should have taken a better picture, but again, I didn't know if they were going to work, so I only took the one picture.

Lemon Strawberry Coconut Cupcakes

I adapted Lizzy Early's lemon blackberry cupcake recipe found here.

Cupcakes

1 box white cake mix

1/3 C. oil or melted butter

3 eggs

zest of 2 lemons

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup sour cream

3/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup freeze dried strawberries

Glaze
zest of half a lemon
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 2/3 cup powdered sugar

Frosting
1/2 cup butter
4 oz cream cheese
4 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp coconut extract
1 cup heavy cream
Toasted coconut, sliced strawberries and sanding sugar for garnish

Preheat oven to 350°F. For the cupcakes, put all the ingredients except the strawberries in a mixing bowl and blend together for 30 seconds. Increase speed to medium and beat for about 2 minutes. Stir in the strawberries. Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full and bake for 17-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into baked cupcake comes out clean.
Allow cupcakes to cool. Meanwhile, stir glaze ingredients together. When cupcakes are cool to the touch, spread about 1 teaspoon of glaze over the top of the cupcake.

Frosting
Beat butter and cream cheese together in a mixing bowl for 3 minutes. Mix in coconut extract. Add powdered sugar one cup at a time and whip until light and fluffy. In a separate bowl, whip cream until it holds stiff peaks. Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese frosting until blended well. Frost cupcakes and top with toasted coconut. Dip strawberry slice in the lemon glaze and sprinkle with sanding sugar. Add another dollop of frosting and top with glazed strawberry.

Piña Colada Cupcake

I had a missionary reunion a couple weeks ago. It was so great to see some of the people I worked with from April 2012 to 2014. I was assigned to bring salad, but that was boring so I brought cupcakes, of course (I'm a rebel). It was a good thing I did because so many people asked when they saw me if I brought cupcakes! The next morning I needed more cupcakes for a Relief Society event I was teaching, and after Laura tasted a cupcake I took to the reunion, she made suggestions on how I could make the cupcake taste better. I followed her suggestions and this was the result.

I realized that particular pineapple slice looked a little weary, so we bought a whole new one. 

Cute, but then my friend scouted out some umbrellas for me which made them super cute! 

Here are my cupcakes at the reunion. I didn't get a picture of the new and improved version after Laura made her suggestions, but they would have looked the same anyway. They just tasted better.

Piña Colada Cupcakes
Cupcakes
1 box white cake mix
1/3 cup butter, melted
3 eggs
1 1/4 cup crushed pineapple with juice
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup sour cream
Preheat oven to 350°F. In a mixing bowl, add the melted butter and pineapple with juice. Stir to cool the butter before adding the eggs. When butter is cooled enough, add the eggs, vanilla extract, and sour cream and stir to combine. Add the cake mix and mix until incorporated. Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full and bake for 17-20 minutes or until toothpick tests clean.
Frosting
1/2 cup butter
4 oz cream cheese
4 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp coconut extract
Toasted coconut, maraschino cherries and pineapple slices for garnishing
Beat butter and cream cheese together in a mixing bowl for 3 minutes. Mix in coconut extract. Add powdered sugar one cup at a time and whip until light and fluffy.
Frost cupcakes, sprinkle with toasted coconut and top with a maraschino cherry. Insert a toothpick into the pineapple slice and stick it into the edge of the cupcake. Top with a festive umbrella, if you have some on hand!

June's Cupcakes, Light Versus Dark

I made cupcakes for Relief Society's June meeting. No surprise there. The hardest part is always deciding what flavor to make. I know some people don't like chocolate, so I when I know I'm making something chocolate, I try to offer a second choice. I was told they were both really good, and I have one person who has been waiting for me to post the recipes, so here they are. 

It gave me another reason to use my new ladder display that we (Bud, Laura and I) made last month. I'm loving that thing!

Forgive the off-balance display of the cupcakes. One container of chocolate cupcakes tipped over and were no longer presentable, so we were a little lopsided on how the remainder were arranged on the stand. None of the cupcake recipes are original, so I will just link you to where I found them. 

Peanut Butter Chocolate Cupcakes, by Lizzy Mae Early (Your Cup of Cake), found here. The only thing I did differently was to drizzle some leftover peanut butter ganache over the top of the cupcake and used a regular chocolate frosting instead of the peanut butter frosting. 

Chocolate Frosting (this may or may not have been the frosting I used. Sorry if it is not!)

1 lb. powdered sugar (that's about 4 cups or so)
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Beat the butter and cocoa powder in a standing mixer until mixed well. Add powdered sugar a cup at a time until you've added it all. Slowly add in the cream and beat for about five minutes until it is smooth. 

Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes, again by Lizzy Mae Early, found here. 

After I made the cupcakes (I only put in the zest of one lemon instead of two, but I did use 1/4 cup lemon juice as directed), I cored out the center of the cupcakes and added a dollop of lemon curd from Leigh Anne Wilkes (Your Homebased Mom), found here. I replaced the top of the cored-out cupcake and frosted it with OBB's strawberry cream, found here, then added half of a strawberry to the top. 

That's pretty much it! If you tried one, I hope you liked it. If you didn't try one, you should have come to the Relief Society extra meeting! 

A Double Birthday Celebration

On Friday, June 3, my mom turned 85. We were supposed to have a party for my step father in May when he turned 95, but it was postponed because my mom had a 24 hour bug. Laura and I made a few desserts for the party. I baked everything and she did almost all the decorating. Her skills far and away outshine mine. 

Walt and Mom were given leis by my mom's sister, and my niece, Amy, had the very same idea, so my mom is wearing two leis! 

Here's the dessert table-

Mom was happy with how everything turned out. Here are a few close-up pictures of what we made. 

The cupcakes were supposed to be stuck into a styrofoam ball which had been glued to a clay flowerpot, but it was so warm that the cupcakes wouldn't hold onto the toothpicks, so because I didn't have enough time (traffic was miserable and it took twice as much time to drive there as it normally does) to go to plan B, which was to add frosting to the ball as a glue, I gave up on that idea and just set the cupcakes on the little table stands. 

The flowerpots are holding Rice Krispies treats. The flowers were supposed to be on a stick and standing up in the silicone pot, but I didn't put enough treats inside the pots for a base, so they wouldn't stand up. After the party, I had to fish through the trash can to find two of my little pots that had been thrown away. Yikes!

Here's the premier for the ladder stand that I made with some assistance from Bud and Laura. It had been so long since I used my scroll saw that I forgot a few key elements, but eventually we got it all to work. I'm happy with how it turned out. I bought the little stands as separate pieces from The Wood Connection, then stained and glued them together. I forgot to bring the doilies I bought to put under the large cookies. I always forget something! 

The sunflower ganache balls were a little too delicate and I had trouble keeping the petals in tact when I tried to peel away the liner. 

The sugar cookies were the hit of the party. Laura's diligence in making the flowers which went on top of the cookies had everyone in awe.

These puff pastry shells were filled with whipped cream and topped with a raspberry-chocolate chip flower. We had a different plan for these guys too, but went with a time saving option instead.

Laura made and arranged the flowers for the six layer orange-flavored cake. At the base of the cake are mini lemon tarts with homemade lemon curd. We never cut the cake. Cheryl took it home. 

The cupcakes are filled with strawberry cream. I didn't try one on the night of the party, but the couple bites of scraps I tasted earlier in the day were yummy. 

So there you have it. My mom provided the appetizers on a separate table. I think the guests who came all had an enjoyable time. I know these kids had a good time! 

Cupcake Recipe found here at McGreevycakes.com. This is a great recipe to use when you need to doctor a mix. We used half of the recipe, using one cake mix. 

Strawberry Cream Filling for the cupcakes found here. Bonus on this one is you get the recipe for cream puffs as well as ganache. Thanks OBB girls!

Swig Sugar Cookies copycat recipe found here at the Idea Room. Please try to overlook her misspelling of tartar (as in cream of). The cookies are fabulous. 

Lemon Curd found here at Your Homebased Mom.

Ultimate Bakery-style Rice Krispies Treats found here on Brown Eyed Baker who adapted it from Cookies and Cups, but this is a double recipe which makes a ton. I've done the math for you in case you want to make a single batch. 

Ultimate Bakery-style Rice Krispies Treats- slightly adapted (half recipe)

5 T. unsalted butter (71 grams)

16 oz. bag of miniature marshmallows (453 grams), divided

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

6 cups (158 grams) Rice Krispies cereal

Line a 9x9-inch pan with parchment paper; set aside. In a large pan, melt the butter, then add 8 cups (340 grams) of marshmallows. Over low heat, stir until the marshmallows are melted, then remove from heat. Add the salt and vanilla extract. Stir in the Rice Krispies cereal and stir until they are well coated. Add the remaining marshmallows and stir briefly. Don't over-mix though. Pour mixture into prepared pan and press down lightly (don't compact it). When treats are cool, cut into bars. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 to 3 days. 

Happy birthday to Mom and Walt. I hope you had a fun party! 

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Coconut Cupcakes

I've recently been given the responsibility of being the coordinator for my ward's Relief Society extra meetings. For January we talked about happiness, how to make and keep goals, and household budgets. We made a "happiness jar" where the sisters can write down one happy thing that happened each day and at the end of the month or year (depending on the size of their jar) they can review their happy moments. For a treat afterwards, I made coconut cupcakes that looked like snowmen, and some chocolate cupcakes with mini marshmallows and sprinkles. I've had so many comments on the coconut cupcakes (one sister said it was the best cupcake she had ever eaten, and another sister confessed she ate three cupcakes- one chocolate, and two coconut. She told the others that the coconut cupcake had a filling that was to die for.) I knew I needed to post the coconut cupcake so I would remember which recipe I used for easy retrieval in the future. You can find the original recipe here, but I have adapted their recipe a little and changed the frosting completely, because their frosting was way too sweet.

I forgot to take pictures at the meeting. My niece, Kyanna, happened to snap a couple, but you can see it was after a coconut cupcake had been taken. 

Coconut Cupcakes (recipe adapted)

Cupcakes

1 box white cake mix

4 egg whites

1/2 cup oil (I used coconut oil)

1 cup canned coconut milk

2 tsp coconut extract (I used 1 tsp coconut emulsion)

Filling

2/3 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 tsp coconut extract (I used 2 drops of coconut oil)

1 T sweetened shredded coconut

Frosting

1/2 cup butter, softened

4 oz cream cheese, softened

4 cups powdered sugar

2 T heavy whipping cream

1/2 tsp coconut extract

1/4 tsp almond extract
2 T coconut milk (if necessary)

Topping

Sweetened shredded coconut
Regular and mini chocolate chips (optional)
Chocolate sprinkles (optional)
Orange noses (optional. Mine were from Orson Gygi, or you can try orange Starbursts shaped to look like a nose, or jelly beans)

Preheat oven to 350°F. In a mixing bowl, beat together the egg whites, oil, coconut milk and extract. Add cake mix and beat until mixed well. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full of batter. Bake for 16 minutes, or until top of cake springs back lightly when touched. Cool cupcakes.
For the filling, place the powdered sugar, cream and extract in a mixing bowl and beat it for about two minutes. Stir in coconut. Core out the center of the cupcakes, reserving the cake you just removed. Use a spoon or piping bag to add the filling to the center of the cake, then plug the hole back up with the cake that was removed earlier. You may have to remove a portion of the cake, and just put the very top part of the cake back into the hole. 

For the frosting, beat butter and cream cheese for several minutes, then slowly add the powdered sugar. Add the cream and beat for about 2 minutes longer. Add the extracts and check for consistency of the frosting. If it is too thick, add a little of the coconut milk to thin it. Frost the cupcakes and then turn them upside-down into a bowl of shredded coconut to cover the frosting. 

I decorated my cupcakes with a snowman face. Thanks, Michele, for the mini chocolate chips! Can you believe I was "out" of something? I had inadvertently used up the last of my mini chocolate chips earlier that same day. 

Depending on how you place the eyebrows, your snowman will look happy or cross, 

confused or goofy. 

Buckeye Cupcakes

The peanut butter obsession continues over here. I was told that this was "one of the best cupcakes I've ever had." She continued to say, "The Buckeyes were so very yummy! Perfect peanut butter frosting." So if you're looking for chocolate and peanut butter yumminess, try this out. Thanks for the glowing review, Michele!

Buckeye Cupcakes

For the buckeyes:

1/4 cup butter, melted

3/4 cups smooth peanut butter (I used Skippy)

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups powdered sugar

Chocolate candy melts or other chocolate for dipping

Using a hand-held mixer or a stand mixer at low speed, stir the meted butter and peanut butter together until blended. Stir in the vanilla extract, then slowly add the powdered sugar. Beat until smooth. Roll peanut butter mixture into small balls, then freeze the balls for at least 20 minutes. I made mine ahead of time, putting the frozen balls into a Ziplock bag. Remove the balls from the freezer. Poke a toothpick into the ball and dip into melted chocolate so that the chocolate comes up to the top of the ball but doesn't cover it completely. Use a second toothpick to free the ball from the first toothpick. Use the back of a spoon (or your finger) to smooth over the hole left by the toothpick. Place buckeye on parchment paper until chocolate solidifies. Work quickly so the peanut butter balls don't get to soft. If necessary, return un-dipped balls to the freezer until firm again.  

For the cupcakes:

1 (15.25-oz) box devil's food cake mix (or other chocolate cake mix)

1 (3.4-oz) box chocolate instant pudding

3/4 cup sour cream

3/4 cup vegetable oil

3 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 cup buttermilk or 1/2 cup regular milk

Preheat oven to 350°F. You'll need about 24 cupcake liners in a cupcake pan (or pans). In mixing bowl, blend together the sour cream,  vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla and buttermilk. Add cake mix and pudding, blending just until combined. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full with batter. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until cupcakes test clean with a toothpick. 

Cool cupcakes for 2 minutes in the pan, then remove warm cupcakes to a container that can be covered, such as a couple of 13x9-inch pans. Cover pans with plastic wrap. Doing this helps lock in the moistness of the cake. Keep cupcakes "under wraps" until they are completely cool. 

For the peanut butter frosting:

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp salt

4 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup heavy cream (or more, depending on desired consistency)

Beat together the peanut butter and butter, then add in vanilla extract and salt. Slowly add the powdered sugar, beating until well combined. Add the heavy cream (you can use milk if you want, but start with a little less than 1/4 cup and see what your consistency is before adding the entire amount). Beat until light and fluffy. 

For the ganache: (recipe is adapted from My Baking Addiction)

4 oz. semi-sweet baking chocolate, chopped finely

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

2 T honey

2 T light corn syrup

2 T vanilla (yes, that is tablespoons)

Heat the heavy cream in a saucepan just until bubbles begin to form around the side of the pan, but do not boil. Place chopped chocolate in a bowl. Pour the hot cream over chopped chocolate and let it sit for about 5 minutes. Stir the cream and chocolate together until it is combined. Add remaining ingredients. Let the ganache set up for about 15 minutes and then transfer to a Ziplock baggie. 

To assemble: 

Frost the cupcakes a few at a time (because if the frosting sits too long, you can't get the chopped peanuts to stick). I used a Wilton 2D tip. Snip off a tiny corner of the bag of ganache and drizzle the cupcake, then sprinkle with chopped peanuts. Top cupcake with a buckeye, pressing down very gently. Continue until all cupcakes are decorated, or you can take a break from the assembly process and test-taste your creation. 

You'll probably have a few buckeyes left over. That's a bonus! I think I could eat those all day long!

Mississippi Mud Brownies

It's not unusual for me to crave peanut butter with my chocolate. I was thinking about making Tim Riggins Brownies from Our Best Bites, but it wasn't exactly what I was wanting (the brownie, that is. You'd be crazy to not be in the mood for Tim Riggins at all times!). Somehow I found a different recipe which was exactly what I wanted, but because I was feeling lazy that day, I simplified it and the results were fast, easy and delicious.

I had read somewhere that baking in condiment cups was a great idea because you don't need cupcake pans since the cup is sturdy enough to stand on it's own. While that is true, using cupcake pans is not a problem for me; I have several! I found the cup to be a little too sturdy, and it was difficult to get the brownie out of its wrapper. I won't be doing that again.
These are smaller than a normal cupcake, and the brownie to peanut butter cup ratio was off just a little, in my opinion. The next time I make these (which will be soon), I will make them in a normal cupcake size.

Mississippi Mud Brownies
1 box of your favorite brownie mix, plus ingredients listed on box to make brownies (I used Pillsbury)
Miniature Reese's Peanut Butter cups (or bells if they're available), unwrapped
Regular size marshmallows, cut in half (use a clean pair of scissors instead of a knife)
Chocolate frosting
Reese's Baking Bits and sprinkles (optional, but not really)

Heat oven to 350°F. Prepare brownie mix according to package directions. Fill cupcake liner 1/2 to 2/3 full.

Place a Reese's cup into the batter. If you can find the bells, put the bell into the batter upside-down. Bake for 18 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately top with a marshmallow half.

I had those flat marshmallows but didn't have regular ones, so you've gotta go with what you've got! Place back in the oven for 2 minutes or until marshmallows barely start to puff up. Remove from oven and allow to cool a few minutes in the pan and then remove from pan and cool completely.

When cool, frost with your favorite chocolate frosting.

Decorate, if desired. Go ahead, break out your stash of yumminess! 

If you need a favorite chocolate frosting recipe, try this one.

Chocolate Frosting
1/2 cup butter, softened
4 oz. cream cheese, softened (I used low-fat)
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp vanilla extract
3-4 cups powdered sugar
milk (or heavy cream) if needed

Beat butter and cream cheese together for about three minutes, scraping down the bowl if necessary. Add cocoa powder, vanilla extract and slowly add 3 cups of powdered sugar. Check the consistency and sweetness, adding more powdered sugar if necessary. If it is too thick at any point, add a tablespoon of milk or heavy cream. 

Butterfinger PB Rice Krispies Treats

For the past two years, my husband and I have been serving a mission at the local employment center for our church. Today was our last day. Again. That part is a long story, so let's just say that this time it was really, truly our last day. 

Whenever it is someone's last day, treats are brought. My friend, Kathy, brought oatmeal raisin cookies, which happen to be my husband's favorite cookies! Perfect! But I wanted a little more oomph to the treats on our last day. I went home at lunchtime and decided to use our last day as an excuse to try something out that's been nagging at me for a few weeks. These guys, right here. 

It only takes a few minutes to throw these guys together. Let me tell you how much you want these in your life. A lot! Unless you are on a sugar-free, peanut butter allergy kind of lifestyle. Then I would avoid them.

(Edited 4/23/14- I've updated this recipe to be a little more exact on the peanut butter frosting.) 

Butterfinger Peanut Butter Rice Krispies Treats (adapted from Your Cup Of Cake)

6 cups Kellogg's Rice Krispies cereal

12 oz. miniature marshmallows

3/4 cup smooth peanut butter (I used Skippy)

1 tsp vanilla extract

Peanut Butter Frosting (adapted from Your Cup of Cake)

1/4 cup smooth peanut butter

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 3/4 cups powdered sugar

4 tsp milk 

Chocolate PB Ganache

1/2 cup smooth peanut butter

1 cup milk or semi-sweet chocolate chips

Topping

crushed Butterfingers (about 1/2 cup)

Reese's Peanut Butter chips (about 1/4 cup)

Frosting-

You want to make the frosting first because the rest of this comes together so quickly. Add peanut butter and butter together in your mixing bowl. Blend for two minutes. Add vanilla extract and powdered sugar and beat for one minute, then add the milk and beat until smooth.

Treats-

Prepare a 9x13 pan by lining it with a sheet of parchment paper, allowing two of the edges to hang over the sides of the pan so you can lift the treats out before cutting them into bars. In a medium bowl, measure cereal and set aside. In a large microwaveable bowl, heat the marshmallows, vanilla and peanut butter for 30 seconds and then stir. Depending on how fresh your marshmallows are, it will need up to one minute more of heating time. Quickly add the cereal and stir to coat. Pour coated cereal into prepared pan and press to fill the pan (see photo- I like to make mine a little short of the pan size so they are thicker). 

You can either put water or butter on your hands to keep the cereal from sticking to you. Frost treats with the peanut butter frosting and either place it in the refrigerator while making the ganache or don't, depending on your preference. 

Ganache-

In a small to medium microwaveable bowl, heat the chocolate chips for 30 seconds. Stir well, and if needed, heat for an additional 30 seconds until chocolate is completely melted. Add the peanut butter to the melted chocolate and stir until smooth. This melts the peanut butter and cools the chocolate at the same time. Pour ganache over peanut butter frosting layer (this shows how thick the ganache is when adding it to the treats), 

smoothing gently so as to not disturb the frosting beneath the ganache. 

Immediately sprinkle smoothed ganache with the crushed Butterfingers and peanut butter chips. Refrigerate for about 10-20 minutes to harden the ganache a little bit. 

Remove treats from the pan by lifting up on the parchment paper overhanging the edges of the pan. Cut into bars and serve. I cut mine into 5 rows and 5 columns. 

You can even eat these for breakfast because the main ingredient is cereal!

People are starting to curse at me for bringing these to different events, but they always curse with a smile on their face and a treat on the way to their mouth! 

Samoas Cupcakes

I was asked to make a few dozen cupcakes for a church function last week. I made two kinds, both with a Girl Scout cookie theme- Thin Mints and Samoas, having recently purchased a box of each.

Here are the Samoas cupcakes. You can see the cupcakes sunk just slightly, but I figured it was just more room for frosting. It's all about learning to not sweat the small stuff. 

On display at the Relief Society birthday party

My friend, Michele, made the other stack of cupcakes. She made lemon-raspberry and the yummiest carrot cake cupcakes ever. I'll share that carrot cake recipe with you soon. 

Chocolate Cupcakes with Caramel Frosting

1 box chocolate cake mix

4 oz (or whatever size they've cut it down to these days) instant chocolate pudding

1/2 cup oil

1/2 cup water

4 eggs

1 1/2 tsp coconut emulsion (or extract)

1 cup sour cream

12 oz chocolate chips

Mix the oil, water, eggs, coconut emulsion and sour cream together until blended. Add the cake mix and pudding and beat on low speed for 30 seconds and then at medium speed for two minutes. Stir in the chocolate chips. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full. Don't fill more than that or you will have spillage when they are in the oven. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until toothpick tests clean. Remove from oven, let cool in pan for five minutes and then transfer to a covered container to lock in the moisture until cupcakes are completely cool. While your oven is still on, add 1 cup of coconut to a cookie sheet and spread it out. Toast it in the oven, stirring every 3-4 minutes until nicely brown, which will take about 10 minutes. 

Frosting- (slightly adapted from this recipe)

1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)-if you use salted butter, omit added salt in the next step

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup whole milk (I used 1/3 cup 2% milk and added heavy whipping cream to make 1/2 cup)

2 tsp vanilla extract

4 cups powdered sugar

1 cup sweetened shredded coconut, toasted

In a medium saucepan, melt butter, salt (if using) and brown sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil for two minutes and then add the milk. Bring mixture back to a boil, still stirring constantly. When it comes back to a boil, remove it from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Allow the sugar mixture to cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally (you can speed up the process by putting it in the refrigerator, but the best way to do it is to make the frosting to this point before you bake the cupcakes, then it will be ready when the cupcakes are cool enough to frost). When the mixture is cooled, transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer. Add powdered sugar and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. You may have to add a little more powdered sugar to get it to the consistency you desire. 

Drizzle-

1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

Frost cupcakes and then sprinkle them with the toasted coconut. Put the chocolate chips into a baggie and melt in the microwave for one minute, pausing at the 30-second mark to squish the bag a little bit. Snip off the tiniest corner of the baggie and drizzle the melted chocolate over the coconut. These are deceptively more delicious than you might think. Laura tasted one and she exclaimed that they need to go on my everyday list for when I "open my bakery." Another friend, who took one home from the church event, told me she ate it the next day and was disappointed she hadn't taken home more than one! In other words, she wanted "Samoa." 

Wearing Green on the Inside!

Today is Saint Patrick's Day. I don't know why we make a big deal about this day other than it's fun and gives us a reason to have a holiday for the month of March. If you don't wear green today, you run the risk of getting pinched, which may or may not be a good thing for you. If you don't own anything green, you can make these awesome mint brownies and tell everyone you are wearing your green on the inside!

Thanks to my friend Jenny for sharing the recipe with me (but I don't know where it came from before that). She says there are 231 calories per 2-inch square in case you're counting. 

We both agree they are worth it!

Chocolate Mint Brownies  (the straight version)

Brownies-

1 cup butter, melted

1/2 cup cocoa powder

2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups sifted flour
Mint Frosting-
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 T milk
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp peppermint extract
green food coloring
Chocolate Ganache Topping-
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Brownies-
In stand mixer, mix melted butter and 1/2 cup cocoa powder together, then add the sugar, mixing briefly. Add eggs, one at a time until well blended. Add vanilla extract. Whisk salt into the flour and then add to the chocolate mixture, stirring just until blended. Do not over mix.
Pour batter into a 9x13-inch baking pan. I lined my pan with parchment paper, with the ends of the paper hanging over the sides of the pan for easy removal. You can also spray it with non-stick cooking spray. Bake brownies for 25 minutes. Cool for a few minutes, then put them in the freezer for 20 minutes. While you are waiting, make the mint frosting.
Mint Frosting-
Beat butter until it is creamy, about one minute. Add the powdered sugar, milk and peppermint extract and beat until smooth. Add green food coloring a drop at a time until you reach your desired color. Remove brownies from freezer and spread the mint frosting over the top of the brownies. Return to the freezer for 20 more minutes. While you are waiting, make the ganache.
Chocolate Ganache-
Melt butter and chocolate chips in a microwaveable bowl, being careful not to overheat the chocolate. Heat for one minute. Remove and stir to blend mixture together. Drizzle warm chocolate over brownies and spread smooth with a spatula. Return brownies to the freezer for 20 more minutes, then cut into squares and serve.

Now for my twisted version (because I can never leave good enough alone).
Increase the vanilla extract to 1 T in the brownie section. In the mint section, add 4 oz of softened cream cheese, adjusting powdered sugar to taste (the straight version was a little too sweet for me). In the ganache section, use the leftover chocolate frosting that is sitting in the refrigerator instead of making new ganache. Ignore the extra calories this adds to the 231 number.
Happy Green-wearing day, even if it is only on the inside!

Diet Cupcakes- Almost!

My last post was about superifically-calorified cupcakes. These, on the other hand are practically calorie-free. Okay, so not quite but they are "slimmed down." 

A friend of mine was having some challenges with her three-year-old son's escapades, so I figured she needed a treat. I had just cleaned out the refrigerator and knew I had some strawberries, and I had some chocolate frosting that I'd made a couple days earlier. Why not put them together? By the way, you know it's time to clean the fridge when you have absolutely no idea what is inside a particular container and/or your plasticware drawer (I'd say Tupperware, but it's actually all Rubbermaid or Snapware) is empty!  

Another friend of mine was celebrating a birthday, so she got a plate too. 

Another friend has a two-year-old boy who is my best pal, so they got a plate too. The first friend wasn't home (she was the reason I turned the oven on in the first place!) so I picked a different friend and it seemed to brighten her evening a lot. I'll try the first friend again tomorrow. My idea came from here, but I've changed the recipe a lot. Still, let's give credit where credit is due. My eighth-grade history teacher, Mr. Beglinger always said, "Fair is fair." So thanks to Lizzy Early over at Your Cup of Cake for the recipe idea. Anyway, let's get to how I slimmed these down. 

Neapolitan "Diet" Cupcakes

3 eggs 

1/2 cup applesauce

1/2 cup strawberry greek yogurt (I use Dannon Light and Fit, 2X protein, 0% fat- so that's 80 calories and 12 grams of protein!)

1/2 cup strawberry jam (I used my homemade freezer variety) 

1/4 cup milk (I used 1%)

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 box chocolate or devil's food cake mix (I used Duncan Hines Swiss Chocolate)
Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix together all the ingredients except the cake mix until the mixture is blended. Add the cake mix and beat at low speed until it's moistened, then beat on medium speed for two minutes.
I use a medium-sized cookie scoop to put the batter into the cupcake liners. It makes the process a breeze. Bake cupcakes for 17-21 minutes (mine were just right at 19 minutes) or until toothpick tests clean.
Cool in pans for about one minute and then remove the cupcakes to either a cooling rack or a couple of 9x13 pans and cover them with plastic wrap while you make your frosting.
I used the chocolate frosting from this post and then I made some vanilla frosting too.

Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting
1/2 cup butter, softened
4 oz cream cheese, softened
2 tsp vanilla extract
5 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream (or if using milk, start with only 2 T and add a little more milk if necessary, until you reach your desired consistency)
Fresh strawberries for garnish
Beat butter and cream cheese for three minutes. Add vanilla extract and then the powdered sugar. Beat until creamy and there are no sugar lumps remaining. Add cream or milk and whip until it's smooth, about three minutes.
I have a nifty bag that you can fill with two different frostings and then place that bag into another bag with a tip and then you can just pipe away and get the two-toned effect. If you don't have a nifty bag but you do have regular bags, put one flavor in a bag and the other flavor in another bag and then put those two bags into a third bag that has a tip on it and you're all set. Pipe away and top with a fresh strawberry half.
Now go take them to a few of your favorite friends, or treat yourself. Way less guilt on these if you do eat them all because of the applesauce and greek yogurt!
The app, My Fitness Pal, counts these at 98 calories (without the frosting!). They'd be even less if I left out the strawberry jam (86 calories).