Hi-Hat Chocolate Banana Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

So, I was bored today, had a ripe banana, and decided to bake.  The End.

I GOT TWIN CHICKENS!!! This is from one egg!! 

Chocolate Banana Cupcakes - From JoyofBaking.com

Yield about 24

Ingredients:

2 Cups Sugar

1 3/4cups Flour

3/4 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

1 1/2 Teaspoons Baking Powder

1 1/2 Teaspoons Baking Soda

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

2 Eggs

1 Cup Ripe Bananas (about 3 medium sized bananas mashed)

1 Cup Warm Water

1/2 Cup Milk (I used soy milk because that is what I had)

1/2 Cup Canola Oil

1 1/2 Teaspoons Vanilla

Directions:

1. Set oven to 350. 
2. In small bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. 
3. In another larger bowl, or with your KitchenAid and paddle attachment, mix together the eggs, banana, water, milk, oil and vanilla. 
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix just until combined. 
5. Scoop the batter into 24 cupcakes, or until they are about 3/4 full. 
6. Bake for about 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick is inserted in the center and comes out clean. 
7. If you are going to do hi-hat cupcakes like the ones in the photos, you should freeze the cupcakes in-between putting the frosting on, and the dipping stage. 
8. Enjoyy! 

Peanut Butter Frosting Recipe - From http://acupfullofcake.blogspot.com/
Yield enough for 12 cupcakes so you might want to double it...
Ingredients:
½ Cup Softened Unsalted Butter
1 Cup Creamy Peanut Butter (skippy or jif is preferred)
2 Cups Powdered Sugar
¼ or so Heavy Cream (I used soy milk)

Directions:

1. Combine butter with peanut butter and cream add powdered sugar, mixture will be stiff. 
2. Then add the heavy cream a little at a time until you get the consistency you like for spreading or piping. 
3. Make sure that the cupcakes are cool before you frost them - even freeze them. 
4. After they are frosted freeze them!! 

Chocolate Coating Recipe
Ingredients:
2 Cups Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips (or whatever chocolate you have)
2-3 Tablespoons Canola Oil

Directions:

1. Melt chocolate in a double boilers or in a heat proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir frequently until everything is mixed and smooth. OR microwave the chocolate but be sure to stir it at least every 30 seconds so it doesn't burn. It should take about 2 minutes. 
2. Once the chocolate is smooth, mix in the canola oil and transfer to a smaller deeper bowl that will be better for dipping. 
3. Let the chocolate coo for 10-15 minutes before dipping. I put it in the freezer to speed up the process. 
4. Take frozen cupcakes and dip them quickly into the chocolate then let the excess chocolate drip off for a few seconds. Make sure that you don't get too much chocolate on the top because that will make them too heavy and you could lose your top into the chocolate... that happened to me when i tried to dip one twice. 
5. Enjoy with a cup of milk! 

P.S. These are amazing cupcakes!! Sooo Delicious!

Belmont Shores Chocolate Festival

So I need some help deciding what I am going to make for the Belmont Shores Chocolate Festival that is on Febuary 5th.  There are 3 categories; best chocolate cake or pie, best chocolate cookie or brownie, and best unique chocolate treat.  If you have any suggestions, please leave a comment, or vote in the poll on the right side of the webpage.  I only have until Friday to decide and turn in my application.  Thanks in advance for any suggestions or recipes!!

Soda Pop Cake and a Swiss Meringue Buttercream

So everyone likes to eat less calories but still have a great taste, right!?  Well this is a perfect way to cut a few calories.  All you need is any flavor or box cake mix, and a diet soda.  I made chocolate cake mixed with diet coke and it was so moist and delicious!  You can do this with any flavor soda and any flavor cake.  I was very skeptical at first but I tried the batter and it had no cola flavor, and tasted just the way it would have if you used the eggs, oil, and water.  Then the cupcakes cooked pretty fast and puffed up really nicely.  Then came the taste test and it was truly amazing.  I don't think that I will ever follow the directions again, the soda method is crazy good!


Now about the buttercream.  This recipe is so light and fluffy you could eat the whole bowl and not have a stomach ache.  You can add whatever flavor you want also, so it is a good base recipe.  It is a little harder to make, and takes more time, but it is definately worth the effort!  

Now my friend Monica and I made these for our friend Alysha's 23rd birthday.  I hope you enjoyed your cupcakes Alysha!!!!  

Happpy Birthdayyy!!!  

Cake Mix Directions:

1 Box of cake mix, any flavor

1 Can of Diet Soda

1. Set oven to directions on box.
2. Empty box mix into medium size bowl. Open can of soda and pour all around the bowl.  With a hand mixer, mix the ingredients together til you get a nice batter.  
3. Fill the Cupcakes liners 2/3 full and bake for about 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Cool for at least 10 minutes.
4. Frost and enjoy!!

Swiss Meringue Buttercream - from Martha Stewart
Ingredients:
1 1/2 Cup Sugar
6 Egg Whites
Pinch of Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Cream of Tartar
2 Cups of Butter, unsalted and room  temperature, cut into tablespoons
1 Teaspoons Vanilla


This recipe makes enough to frost a 2 layer cake or frost 24 or more cupcakes, depending on the amount of frosting per cupcake...

1. Heat sugar and eggs: Bring a saucepan filled with about 2 inches of water to a simmer. Meanwhile, combine sugar, egg whites, and salt in a large heat-proof mixing bowl. Set bowl over (not in) simmering water, and whisk until whites are warm to the touch and sugar is dissolved, 2 to 3 minutes. (Heating the eggs relaxes their proteins, enabling the eggs to whip up higher and more quickly; the sugar also melts, for a silky smooth consistency.) Test by rubbing between your fingers; the mixture should feel smooth.
2. Whip meringue: Attach bowl to a standing electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and beat on low speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar, and beat on medium-high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form and mixture is cooled completely, about 10 minutes.
3. Mix in butter: Reduce speed to medium-low; add butter 2 tablespoons at a time, beating to incorporate fully after each addition. Don't worry if the buttercream appears curdled at this point; it will become perfectly smooth again with continued beating. After all the butter has been incorporated, beat in vanilla.
4. Finish: Switch to the paddle attachment. Beat on the lowest speed to reduce air bubbles, 3 to 5 minutes. Let stand, covered with plastic wrap, at room temperature. (If not using the same day, transfer to airtight containers and store in the refrigerator up to 3 days or the freezer up to 1 month. Before using, bring to room temperature; beat with paddle attachment on the lowest speed until smooth and pliable, about 10 minutes.)
5. I frosted the cupcakes with a large pastry bag and a 1M tip, and sprinkled them with some pink sprinkles.

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Swiss Meringue Buttercream - Martha Stewart Recipes 




Check out Sweets for Saturday 2 on Sweet as Sugar Cookies blog!
sweet-as-sugar-cookies blog - sweets-for-saturday 2

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

These muffins are for Lakeshore Learning Materials Accounting Department Friday Treat Day!  I normally make cookies or scones, but today I went for muffins!  They turned out very good and everyone loved them.  They are fairly healthy too because of the little amount of butter and they should count as a serving of fruit because of the banana.  This is a perfect recipe if you have at least 3 ripe bananas chillin in your fruit basket.  I didn't, but luckily Trader Joe's had a lot of over-ripe bananas for sale.  Another plus about this recipe is you get a work out while mushing the bananas.  I doubled the recipe and let me tell you mashing 6 bananas is harder then it sounds, or maybe I am still recovering from 3 days of snowboarding.  Anyway, I hope everyone enjoys these muffins as much as I did.

The original recipe is from  http://bakingbetweencities.wordpress.com but i added way more cinnamon to the recipe...I love cinnamon!
Yield: about 15 muffins


Muffin:
1 1/2 Cup Flour
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
3 Ripe Bananas
1/2 Cup Sugar
1 Egg
1/3 Cup Butter, Melted
1/2 Cup Chopped Chocolate (I used 1/2 Milk and 1/2 Dark Chocolate)


Topping:
1/3 Cup Sugar
2 Tablespoons Flour
1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon
1 Tablespoon Butter


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375. Line with muffin pan with paper liners.
2. In a small bowl, mix together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. In another bowl, or KitchenAid mixer, beat together bananas, sugar, egg and melted butter. Stir in the flour mixture just until moistened. Add chocolate. 
3. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.
4. In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and cinnamon. Cut in 1 tablespoon butter until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle topping over muffins, don't be skimpy about the topping.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 16-18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.

Nutella Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

So I hope everyone has access to Nutella because it is by far the most delicious creation ever.  These cookies are ridiculously good and I would highly recommend everyone try these.  They are the idyllic combination of chocolate and peanut butter that makes your taste buds dance!  These are most definitely a crowd pleaser!  

                                     

I made these cookies to send to my aunt who was kind enough to put my boyfriend and I up in a hotel and treat us to wonderful dinners and spa treatments over the weekend so we could snowboard in Tahoe!  We had a great weekend and we hope she likes these cookies!

Recipe from http://sweetandsavorytooth.com

Yield: About 4 dozen tablespoon size cookies

1 Cup Flour

1 Cup Oats

1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder

1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda

1/4 Teaspoon Salt

1/2 Cup Butter, unsalted and softened for about an hour

1/2 Cup Sugar

1/2 Cup Brown Sugar

1/2 Cup Peanut Butter, smooth or crunchy, I used smooth

1 Egg

1 1/4 Teaspoon Vanilla

2/3 Cup Nutella

Directions

1. Heat oven to 375.
2. Cream butter, sugars, and peanut butter together.  Add egg and vanilla and mix well.
3. Add dry ingredients - flour, oats, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  Mix until just combined
4. Slowly stir in Nutella.
5. Using a tablespoon, scoop dough onto cookie sheet.
6. Bake for 8 minutes or until lightly brown and still soft.  
7. Enjoy with a cup of milk!

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

I think the title sums up these cookies.  It is a mish-mash of everything delicious!  They have the perfect combination of peanut butter, oats, and chocolate!  All i can say is, make them for yourself!

These are big cookies!  This is the mega size cookie sheet!

This recipe is from Brown Eyed Baker... a great website!


Recipe - Yield about 2 dozen

1 Cup Flour

1 Teaspoon Baking Soda

1/4 Teaspoon Salt

1/2 Cup Butter - 1 Stick - room temperature

1/2 Cup Peanut Butter

1/2 Cup Sugar

1/3 Cup Brown Sugar

1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla

1 Egg

1/2 Cup Rolled Oats

1 Cup Chocolate Chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350. 
2. In your KitchenAid, cream the butter, sugars, vanilla and peanut butter together on medium speed for about 2 minutes. Add the egg and beat to combine.
3. Add the flour baking soda and salt.
4. Stir in the oats and then the chocolate chips.
5. Using a cookie scoop, drop the dough onto the cookie sheet.  Bake for about 10 minutes or until golden brown. 
6. Enjoy!!

Crownies (a brownie cookie)

Who doesn't love brownies!?  Well now you can enjoy a brownie but in cookie form.  These are definitely "Got Milk" cookies!  They are so moist and soft and chewy and overall DELICIOUS!   I got these recipe from Lovin From the Oven but the original recipe is from Clinton St. Baking Company Cookbook.  I hope everyone had a happy new year and happy baking to everyone in 2011!

Recipe - Yield About 2 Dozen 

• 1 Tablespoon Canola Oil
• 1 Teaspoon of unsalted butter (yes, 1 TEASPOON!)
• 2 Cups of Semisweet Chocolate (52-62% Cacao)
• 2 Eggs
• 3/4 Cup Brown Sugar
• 1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla
• 1/2 Cup Flour
• 1/4 Teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1/4 Teaspoon Salt

Directions

1. Melt the oil, butter, and 2 cups of the chocolate together in a stainless-steel bowl of a double boiler. Let the mixture cool, you can speed this up by putting it in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes.
2. In another bowl, whisk the eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla together until combined.
3. Fold the melted chocolate mixture into the egg mixture using a spatula.
4. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the flour mixture into the chocolate mixture just until combined using the spatula - be sure not to over mix. 
5. Freeze the batter in a shallow pan for 6 to 8 minutes until the batter sets and hardens slightly. I lined a pan with wax paper so I didn't have to wash it afterwards.
6. Preheat your oven to 350°F at this time.
7. Scoop the cookie dough into balls and place on baking sheet.
8. Bake for 11 to 12 minutes until the tops look dry and cracked - if you don't bake them enough they will be very googy on the inside and will stick to the pan so make sure they are done.
9. Pour yourself a glass of milk and eat hot or cool for a soft and chewy Crownie.
10. ENJOY!

I had some Mint M&Ms left over from Christmas so I added these after they come out of the oven and they are heavenly!  I love the mint and chocolate combination and these were really good!  I definitely recommend them if you have the mint M&Ms in your pantry!