Red Velvet Cupcakes

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Whether your waiting for Santa to arrive or snuggling underneath the mistletoe, these Red Velvet Cupcakes are perfect for your holiday festivities. Personally, I love getting cozy by my Christmas tree and indulging in this delicious dessert. It's hard to share these with my family while they are in town, but there is no way I could eat all of them! Enjoy this recipe and leave comments; I am excited to hear your feedback!

Happy Holidays!

Red Velvet Cupcakes - Adapted from Brown Eyed Baker

Yield: 12 cupcakes or about 48 mini cupcakes
Ingredients:
For the Cupcakes:
4 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, at room temperature
3/4 Cup Sugar
1 Egg
2 1/2 Tablespoons Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
3 Tablespoons Red Food Coloring - way less if you are using gel food coloring!
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla
1/2 Cup Buttermilk
1 Cup + 2 Tablespoons Flour
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1 1/2 Teaspoons Distilled White Vinegar

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
4 Ounces Butter, at room temperature
4 Ounces Cream Cheese, at room temperature
3 Cups Powdered Sugar
1 Tablespoon Vanilla

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line a standard muffin/cupcake pan with liners.

2. On medium-high speed, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Turn the mixer to high and add the egg. Scrape down the bowl and beat until well incorporated.

3. In a separate small bowl, mix together the cocoa powder, vanilla extract and red food coloring to make a thick paste - or if you are using gel food coloring, just add it to the batter.  Add to the batter and mix on medium speed until completely combined. You may need to stop the mixer to scrape the bottom of the bowl, making sure that all the batter gets color.

4. Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly add half of the buttermilk. Add half of the flour and mix until combined. Scrape the bowl and repeat the process with the remaining milk and flour. Beat on high until smooth.

5. Again, reduce the mixer speed to low and add the salt, baking soda and vinegar. Turn to high and beat for another couple of minutes until completely combined and smooth.

6. Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake liners and bake for about 20 minutes, or until a thin knife or skewer inserted into the center of the largest cupcake comes out clean.

7. Cool for 10 minutes and then remove cupcakes from the pan and place them on a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.

8. To make the frosting: Using the whisk attachment, whip the butter and cream cheese on high speed for about 5 minutes, scraping the bowl down as necessary. Reduce the speed to low and slowly add the powdered sugar until all is incorporated. Add the vanilla and mix to combine. Increase the speed to medium high and whip for a few minutes until the frosting is light and fluffy, scraping the bowl as necessary.

*Note: This recipe can be doubled to make an 8 or 9-inch layer cake.

100th Post & Nutella Cream Cheese Swirled Brownies

Today is also my 100th post!! I have been blogging for almost a year now and I love still love it.  I started my blog while sitting in my biology class one day.  I already followed a few blogs and I thought to myself, I can do this too!  My style has changed over the months, and my photography has improved but I still love baking and sharing my treats with everyone.  I have a lot to make on my Baking Bucket List, so I will continue blogging and trying new recipes!  I hope you enjoy this recipe for Nutella cream cheese brownies!  They are truly amazing!!

P.S. The CMA's were AMAZING tonight!!!

Nutella Cream Cheese Swirled Brownies - Adapted from Lovin The Oven

Yield: 16 Squares

Cream Cheese Topping Ingredients:

5 Oz Cream Cheese - not whipped
2 Tablespoons Butter, room temperature and unsalted
1/4 Cup Sugar
1 Egg
1 Tablespoon Flour
1/4 Cup Nutella

Brownie Batter Ingredients:
3/4 Cups Flour
1/3 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Stick of Butter, room temperature and unsalted
1 Cup Sugar
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
2 Eggs

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350.  Grease and line a 8 x 8 baking pan with cooking spray.
2. Cream cheese topping - 
1. Cream together butter, sugar and flour. Add cream cheese and mix/blend until smooth.
2. Scrape bowl and add the egg and beat until the topping is nice and creamy. 
3. Scrap bowl and add Nutella, beat about one minute or until the nutella is mixed into the cream cheese mixture completely.
4. Set topping aside and mix brownie batter.
3. Brownie batter - 
1. Sift flour, cocoa, salt and baking powder into a medium sized bowl.
2. In a small bowl cream sugar and 1/2 stick of butter, add eggs one at a time, beat well then add vanilla.
3. Fold egg, sugar, butter and vanilla mixture into the bowl of dry ingredients.
4. Spread 3/4 of the brownie batter into the bottom of an 8 x 8 baking dish.
4. Randomly dollop the cream cheese topping over the brownie batter.
5. Randomly dollop the rest of the brownie batter on top of the cream cheese batter. Swirl with the tip of a knife.
6. Bake at 350 for 40 to 50 minutes.
7. Enjoy!!

Marbled Pumpkin Brownies

Do you love brownies!? Do love pumpkin pie!?  If you answered yes to both those questions then you will love these!  Its basically a brownie swirled with a pumpkin pie.  Can you say delicious?  These were a huge hit with my friends and family.  These would even be a fun treat for Thanksgiving, traditional flavors in an nontraditional form.   I don't have much more to say other then, "TRY THESE!!!"

Happy Halloween!!

My only Halloween decoration is that pumpkin.... very sad!

Marbled Pumpkin Brownies - Adapted from Better Homes and Garden

Yield: 24 Squares

Pumpkin Ingredients:
3 Ounces Cream Cheese, softened
1 Tablespoon Butter, softened
1/2 Cup Sugar
1 Egg
1 Cup Canned Pumpkin
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1/8 Teaspoon Ground Cloves (optional)
1/8 Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg (optional)
1/4 Teaspoon Ground Ginger
1 Tablespoon Flour

Brownie Ingredients:

1 1/4 Cups Flour
3/4 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
6 Ounces Unsweetened Chocolate, Chopped (I used semisweet chocolate chips and reduced the sugar to 2 Cups)
3/4 Cup Butter, cubed
2 1/4 Cups Sugar
4 Eggs
1/4 Cup Milk
2 Teaspoons Vanilla
3/4 Cup Coarsely Chopped Walnuts, toasted (optional, I didn't use nuts)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325. Line a 13x9x2-inch baking pan with foil, extending foil over the edges of the pan. Grease or PAM the foil; set pan aside.
2. In a medium mixing bowl beat cream cheese and the 1 tablespoon butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. I did this step with a stand mixer with the paddle attachment.  Add the 1/2 cup sugar. Beat until well combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. 
3. Beat in 1 egg, the pumpkin, 1 teaspoon vanilla, the cinnamon, and ginger until combined. Stir in the 1 tablespoon flour. Set aside.
4. In a small bowl stir together the 1-1/4 cups flour, the baking powder, and salt; set aside.
5. In a large saucepan combine the chocolate and 3/4 cup butter. Cook and stir with a whisk over low heat until melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Gradually add the 2-1/4 cups sugar, beating with an electric mixer on low speed just until combined. I used a whisk to make the brownies.
6. Add the 4 eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in milk and the 2 teaspoons vanilla. Gradually beat in flour mixture just until combined.
7. Spread chocolate mixture evenly in the prepared pan. Spoon cream cheese mixture in several mounds on top of the chocolate batter. Using a knife, gently swirl the cream cheese mixture into the chocolate batter. If desired, sprinkle with walnuts.
8. Bake about 60 minutes or until center is just set when pan is gently shaken. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Use foil to lift uncut brownies out of pan. Cut into squares.
9. Enjoy!!

Spiced Pumpkin Cupcakes for Halloween

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I have a confession to make.  I have never made cream cheese frosting.  Big mistake, because now I love it!!  My previous philosophy was cream cheese was only meant to go on bagels, but now I know its delicious on cupcakes too!   A coworker asked me to make something with pumpkin in it, so I found this recipe and wanted to do a Halloween theme.  I wasn't thrilled with the pumpkin idea at first, but I figured then I wouldn't eat them.  Big problem, these cupcakes are so good I cant stop eating them.  Even my boyfriend cringed at the idea of a pumpkin cupcake with cream cheese frosting, but after one bite, he loved it and ate the whole cupcake!  The flavor in the cupcake is amazing with all the spices and pumpkin flavor.  Its a dense cupcake, almost muffin like, and not very sweet.  The cream cheese frosting adds a rich and creamy flavor and brings everything together perfectly.  This is a perfect fall treat, and the decoration is fun for Halloween!! 

Spiced Pumpkin Cupcakes - Adapted from Annies Eats

Yield: about 24-30 cupcakes

Ingredients:
2 2/3 Cups Flour
2 Teaspoons Baking Soda
2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
2 Teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
¼ Teaspoon Nutmeg
¼ Teaspoon Ground Cloves
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 (15 oz. Can) Pumpkin Puree
1 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Packed Brown Sugar
1 Cup Canola or Vegetable oil
4 Eggs

For the frosting:
8 oz. Cream Cheese
5 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, room temperature
2 Teaspoons Vanilla

3 Cups Powdered Sugar, sifted

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Line cupcake pans with paper liners. 
2. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt. Set aside. 
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, blend together the pumpkin, granulated sugar, brown sugar and oil. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. 
4. With the mixture on low speed, add the flour mixture in two additions, mixing just until incorporated.
5. Fill the cupcake liners about 2/3 full. Bake until the cupcakes are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 18-20 minutes. 
6. Transfer the pans to a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes, then remove the cupcakes from the pans and let cool completely.
7. To make the frosting, combine the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on medium-high speed until well combined and smooth, about 2-3 minutes. 
8. Mix in the vanilla extract. Gradually beat in the confectioners’ sugar until totally incorporated, increase the speed and then beat until smooth. Frost cooled cupcakes as desired.
9. Enjoy!!