Triple Layer Peanut Butter Brownies

Can I say yummy? I think these were the best brownies I have ever made or eaten. I couldn't get enough of them and I am so thankful for Kraft Family Magazine for including this recipe in their recent issue. It is a must try! It has sparked other flavor combos for future baking, what do you think about hazelnut chocolate Brownies? It could be a great combo as well. Happy baking!

Ingredients

• 1 pkg. (19 to 21 oz.) brownie mix(13x9-inch pan size)
• 1 cup cold milk
• 1 pkg. (3.4 oz.) JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1-1/2 cups COOL WHIP Whipped Topping (Do not thaw.)
• 3 squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate
• 1/2 cup PLANTERS Dry Roasted Peanuts, coarsely chopped

Directions

1. Prepare and bake brownies in 13x9-inch pan as directed on package; cool. Meanwhile, beat milk and pudding mix with whisk 2 min. Add peanut butter and sugar; mix well. Refrigerate until brownies are completely cooled.
2. SPREAD pudding mixture over brownies.
3. MICROWAVE COOL WHIP and chocolate on HIGH 1 min., stirring every 30 sec. Spread over pudding; sprinkle with nuts. Refrigerate 1 hour.

Of course Kraft's picture looks way more amazing but I almost forgot to take a picture because I couldn't stop "oh my gosh-ing".

Maple Pecan Streusel Cupcakes

I have been feeling a little under the weather this week (hence, why I am still awake...I mistakenly took daytime cold medicine) and had an itch to make cupcakes, but I couldn't bring myself to leave my house on Wednesday on my day of rest. I know I have an entire pantry full of food and something in there was bound to spark some creativity. I opened my white pantry doors and my eyes went straight toward a box of Maple Pecan Bundt cake mix that I purchased from Williams Sonoma nearly two years ago. At first I was hesitant that it had gone bad but the expiration date is for this January. I was going to make it as the box suggests for a bundt cake but after taking out my bundt pan I couldn't do it. Cheat on my cupcake pan? How dare I! I made the recipe according to the box but changed it slightly for the cupcake size. As soon as the cakes came out from the oven I brushed over the Jack Daniels glaze to soak into the warm cake and then when cooled I topped them off with a Maple Whipped Topping. I would like to say I did it like Sandra Lee and made it a little semi-homemade. At least it curbed my baking itch and Jim's co-workers had a sweet piece of cake for breakfast. I would post the recipe, but it is really long and it's a boxed cake mix, not my own.


As you can tell I was easily amused today...

The finished product...they were like a stack of pancakes! yummy.

Caramel Apple Crumb Donut Cuppy Cakes

First of all, Happy Birthday to my amazing husband and happy first day of Fall. This is an amazing time of year and what better than caramel apples sandwiched in between light and airy cupcake batter? This recipe was inspired when my husband gave me his request for his birthday Kŭp’kāks. I knew I had to do a little research for the donut part but the rest I have down. These were really fun to make and the cake rises so nicely! Give 'em a try. . .



Ingredients:



For donut cupcake:

(Recipe adapted from Laura Rebecca’s Kitchen Seen on I heart cuppycakes)

• 2 cups flour


• 1 Tbsp baking powder


• 1/2 tsp baking soda


• 1/2 tsp salt


• 1 tsp cinnamon


• 2 large eggs


• 1 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt (I used Yoplait Light Vanilla)


• 2/3 cup packed brown sugar


• 4 tbsp oil


• 1 tsp vanilla


• 1/2 can of Apple Pie Filling (I would have made this from scratch, since I don't care for canned fruit, but to have the Dunkin Donuts taste I opted for canned).

For Crumb Topping:

• 1/4 cup Sugar
• 1/4 cup Melted Butter
• 1/4 cup Brown Sugar
• 2 teaspoons Cinnamon

For Frosting:

• 1 cup Homemade Caramel Sauce


• 1 stick Butter, at room temperature


• 3 cups Powdered Sugar


• Whipping Cream

For Homemade Caramel Sauce:

(Marthastewart.com)

• 1 1/4 cups Sugar


• 1/2 cup Water


• 1/2 cup Whipping Cream

Directions:

To make cupcakes—

Preheat oven to 400-degrees F. Line a standard muffin pan with paper cups.
Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, yogurt, sugar, oil, and vanilla. Add flour mixture and mix with light strokes until the dry ingredients are just moistened. Do not over mix; batter will not be smooth.

Divide a small amount of batter among the muffin cups and then add in about a tablespoon of apple pie filling, topping with additional batter. Bake until a toothpick inserted in one or two of the muffins come out clean, about 18 minutes. While the cupcakes are baking blend all the crumb topping ingredients together, when the cupcakes come out from the oven dip into butter and the sugar mix. Let cool and then frost.

For the Frosting:

Cream butter and one cup of powdered sugar together. Add in a small amount of cream to moisten, adding in one cup of caramel. Mix in remaining sugar and cream until your desired consistency. Frost to your preference, I used a 1m tip.

For Caramel Sauce:

Combine 1 1/4 cups sugar and 1/2 cup water in medium saucepan; bring to boil over medium-high heat. Brush down sides with damp pastry brush to prevent crystallization. Continue cooking, without stirring, until dark amber color. Remove from heat; slowly stir in cream with wooden spoon until completely smooth; set aside until cool to touch

YUMMERS! These were very tasty but I will admit (and so will everyone else that tried them) that the frosting was a bit too much, extremely sugary! I think next time I will try a less sweet frosting to compliment the tender cake. Enjoy!

Grandma's Oriole Chocolate Cake

As a child I looked forward to any birthday because I knew if were going to Grandma Barr's house that we were going to get Grandma's Infamous Oriole chocolate cake. Since Grandma passed away in 2001 I have only made this cake recipe once for my Dad's birthday. Birthdays and this cake go hand in hand so what better than to make it for my Dad's and Jim's combined Birthday party. Yesterday at our home, I threw my two favorite men a dude ranch themed party, with plenty of barbecued chicken, buffalo wild wings (pork shanks) with my tangy homemade barbecue sauce and enough side dishes to serve an army. All of our friends were present and so were these light and perfectly chocolaty cupcakes. I urge you to give these a try!

Ingredients:

For the Cake:

(I doubled this recipe which made 36 Cupcakes)

• 1 1/3 c. Cake Flour
• 1 egg unbeaten
• 2 squares unsweetened chocolate, melted.
• 1 cup Buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 1 Cup Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla
  

For the Frosting

(I doubled this recipe)

• 2 squares unsweetened chocolate, melted
• 1 Stick Butter, at room temperature
• 3 Cups Powdered Sugar
• Whipping Cream (My Grandma used Milk)
• 2 teaspoons Almond Extract (This is what makes this frosting unique)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line muffin tins.
2. Cream butter and sugar. Add in the unbeaten egg and chocolate.
3. Combine dry ingredients together in separate bowl.
4. Alternately combine dry ingredients and buttermilk until well combined.
5. Spoon into muffin tins.
6. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until toothpick is inserted and clean.

While the Cupcakes are baking:

1. Cream butter and chocolate.
2. Add 1 cup of powdered sugar at a time, mixing in small amounts of whipping cream in between. Do this until you have your desired consistency.
3. Place in pastry bag fitted with tip of choice.

I cheated, I was going to make an edible sign but I saw this while I was at lunch on Friday at the Champagne Bakery...still totally cute.

Banana Cream Pie Kŭp’kāks

Summer is coming to an end and what better than a slice of banana cream heaven? Banana cream pie is one of my favorites and I truly couldn't imagine the cool pudding and bananas without a flaky pie crust, however, after indulging into these airy cakes you won't even notice that the pie crust is missing.

BANANA CREAM CUPCAKES
(Creatingpostitnotes.blogspot.com)

• 1 cup butter, at room temperature
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3 cups flour
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 Small Package Banana Pudding (I used Vanilla)
• 1 Large Banana
• 1 Container Cool Whip

1. In a bowl, cream together the butter and sugar, beating on high until nice and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well. Keep mixing on high until the batter becomes really light and fluffy. Slowly add the milk and vanilla while the mixer is on low speed.
2. In a bowl, sift together all dry ingredients. Spoon into the butter mixture with the mixer on low. The finished product will be light and airy. Spoon into lined muffin pan.
3. Bake at 350* for about 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove baked cupcakes from pan and let cool on racks.
4. While the cupcakes cool, make a package of Jello Banana pudding mix. Chill to set.Once chilled, add some chopped banana. Take another banana and slice, for garnish. ( I used Vanilla Pudding Mix)
5. To assemble: Cut out a hole on the top of the cupcakes. Put in some pudding. Cut some of the “cone” off the top you cut out. Put the top back on. Pipe with stiff whipped cream and then sprinkle with crushed graham crackers. Top with a banana slice. (I was under a bit of a time constraint when I made these, so I used French Vanilla Cool Whip since I had it in my freezer, I didn't have graham crackers, but I did have mini Nilla Wafers which was just as cute).
   

Light, Airy, Buttery Goodness!

Halloween Cupcake Paper Find

While I was perusing Crate and Barrel yesterday I stumbled upon these cute candy corn cupcake papers. They are so adorably spooky! I cannot wait until next month when I can put these to use! Crate and Barrel: $4.95 for 50 Papers
http://www.crateandbarrel.com/halloween/1 < Crate and Barrel's Halloween '08 Collection

Iron Cupcake Challenge. . .

What do Basil, Chocolate, Grapefruit and Honey all have to do with one another? You'll have to wait and see. . .