Banana Cupcake with Peanut Butter Frosting

Cupcake Connesaurs! My name is Kate and as a guest blogger it is my job to thoroughly delight and entertain you. So entertain I shall, I have decided it would therefore be best to write this blog in rhyme.

I figured it was about time.

I’m glad to introduce,

A cupcake that will produce

Such an exquisite taste

It probably isn’t chaste.

I apologize for the illusion

But upon eating, you may see delusion

Of resting in the Havana

As this is a cupcake full of banana!

Topped with peanut butter frosting

This recipe will not be costing.

Friends will circle you

Begging you to be true

And bestow upon them a cupcake

Of which your oven is most proud to bake!

Banana Cupcakes  (yields about 12 cupcakes)

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (about 4 ripe bananas), plus 1 whole banana, for garnish (optional)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
2. Make a well in center of flour mixture. In well, mix together butter, mashed bananas, eggs, and vanilla. Stir to incorporate flour mixture (do not overmix). Dividing evenly, spoon batter into muffin cups.
3. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a cupcake comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pan; cool completely on a wire rack. Spread tops with Honey-Cinnamon Frosting. Just before serving, peel and slice banana into rounds, and place one on each cupcake, if desired.

Thoughts: This cupcake recipe Olivia has used previously with a Honey Cinnamon frosting. Because those cupcakes had turned out so well we decided to re-recipe!  I will also add that this cupcake batter is fantastic both pre-oven and post-oven encounter. Whether it was improper measuring, we filled exactly 12 cupcake tins and just had a little too much batter left over (but we were out of cupcake tins). So I will say that this batter also makes for fantastic dollar size banana pancakes!  

Peanut Butter Frosting (yields about 2 cups)

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 3 tablespoons milk, or as needed
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar

Directions

1.     Place the butter and peanut butter into a medium bowl, and beat with an electric mixer.

2.     Gradually mix in the sugar, and when it starts to get thick, incorporate milk one tablespoon at a time until all of the sugar is mixed in and the frosting is thick and spreadable.

3.     Beat for at least 3 minutes for it to get good and fluffy.

Thoughts: We were slightly worried about peanut butter frosting becoming overwhelmingly peanut buttery, however it was decided this frosting was perfect! There was a great balance between fluffiness/taste of a frosting and the peanut butter flavor!

 Sincerely yours in all baking endeavors,

Kate

Pizza Puffs

So last Sunday as everyone know was the Super Bowl, and since I am a native Pittsburgher having the Steelers in the game was absolutely thrilling.  I had been looking forward to this game for weeks and could not have been happier when I “Stumbled Upon” this recipe for Pizza Puffs.  They were a huge hit and it is definitely necessary to double and possibly triple this recipe (depending on the rest of the snacks you are serving).  We had a lot of food at the beginning of the game so I mixed my batter and saved it in the refrigerator until half time.  Since the game did not end as I would have liked it was nice to have an excellent snack to warm my stomach and soul.

If you are not a fan of pepperoni I believe these would be excellent with all kinds of pizza toppings.  I plan to try them with mushrooms, tomato chunks, pepper, onions, or sausage.    

Pepperoni Pizza Puffs

3/4 cup flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup whole milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
4 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)
4 ounces pepperoni, cut into small cubes (about 1 cup) – I just bought the Hormel mini pepperoni circles
1/2 cup pizza sauce
finely chopped fresh basil

Preheat oven to 375^o.  Grease a 24-cup mini muffin pan.  In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder; whisk in the milk and egg.  Stir in the mozzarella and pepperoni; let stand for 10 minutes (or refrigerate until needed).
Stir the batter and divide among the mini-muffin cups.  Bake until puffed and golden, 20 to 25 minutes.

In a sauce pan heat the pizza sauce and sprinkling of basil until heated all the way through, be careful not to let it stick and burn.  Serve the puffs with the pizza sauce for dipping.

Oreo Cupcakes

Our third cupcake for Chocolate Day is an Oreo Cupcake.  These are both appealing to look at and also to eat!!  Please enjoy them.

Oreo Cupcakes

Ingredients:
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups flour, plus 2 Tbsp for the Oreo chunks
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 2/3 cup sugar
3 large egg whites, at room temperature
1 pkg Oreos

Preheat over to 350F. Insert liners into a medium cupcake pan.
Twist apart 24 Oreos. Place the wafer with filling on it, filling side up, in the bottom of each paper liner. Cut other wafers in half. Save 24 halves to place in the frosting. Crush the other wafer halves, also for garnishing.
Cut the remaining Oreo cookies into quarters with a sharp knife. Toss with 2 Tbsp flour and set aside.
In a large bowl cream the butter until fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Add the milk and vanilla and mix to combine.
In a separate bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
Add the dry ingredients to butter mixture. Mix until integrated. Stir in sugar. With an electric mixer on low speed, beat for 30 seconds. Turn the mixer up to medium speed and beat for 2 minutes. Add the egg whites. Beat for 2 more minutes. Stir in the quartered cookies.
Fill the cupcake lines three-quarters full. Bake for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of cupcakes comes out clean. Cool cupcakes in the pan.

Ingredients:
8 oz cream cheese at room temp
1 stick butter at room temp
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
3-4 cups powdered sugar

Cream butter and cream cheese until fluffy.
Add vanilla extract. Slowly add powdered sugar until desired consistency is reached.
Once cupcakes have cooled completely, frost with cream cheese frosting. Sprinkle with crushed Oreos and place 1/2 of an Oreo on the frosting of each cupcake.

Double Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Filling

The second type of cupcake made for Chocolate Day is Double Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Filling.  They are delicious!!

Double Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Filling

Ingredients

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cocoa powder (not Dutch process)

1/2 cup boiling water

1 cup buttermilk

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 sticks plus 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 large eggs, at room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup creamy peanut butter

2/3 cup confectioners' sugar

1 cup heavy cream

8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350° and position 2 racks in the lower and middle third of the oven.  Line 24 muffin cups with paper or foil liners. 

Put the cocoa powder in a medium heatproof bowl.  Add the boiling water and whisk until a smooth paste forms. Whisk in the buttermilk until combined.  In a medium bowl, sift the flour with the baking soda, baking powder and salt.  In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat 1 1/2 sticks of the butter with the granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Beat in the eggs and vanilla, then beat in the dry ingredients in 2 batches, alternating with the cocoa mixture.  Carefully spoon the cupcake batter into the lined muffin cups, filling them about two-thirds full.  Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, or until the cupcakes are springy.  Let the cupcakes cool in the pans for 5 minutes, then transfer them to wire racks to cool completely.

In a medium bowl, beat the peanut butter with the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter until creamy.  Sift the confectioners' sugar into the bowl and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Spoon all but 3 tablespoons of the peanut butter filling into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch star tip.  Holding a cupcake in your hand, plunge the tip into the top of the cake, pushing it about 3/4 inch deep.  Gently squeeze the pastry bag to fill the cupcake, withdrawing it slowly as you squeeze; you will feel the cupcake expand slightly as you fill it.  Scrape any filling from the top of the cupcake and repeat until all of the cupcakes are filled. 

In a small saucepan, bring the heavy cream to a simmer.  Off the heat, add the semisweet chocolate to the cream and let stand for 5 minutes, then whisk the melted chocolate into the cream until smooth.  Let the chocolate icing stand until slightly cooled and thickened, about 15 minutes.  Dip the tops of the cupcakes into the icing, letting the excess drip back into the pan.

Transfer the cupcakes to racks and let stand for 5 minutes.  Dip the tops of the cupcakes again and transfer them to racks.  Spoon the remaining 3 tablespoons of peanut butter filling into the pastry bag and pipe tiny rosettes on the tops of the cupcakes.

Peppermint Mocha Cupcakes

Another great tradition that we have in my family is a holiday that we are surprised hasn’t been made a national holiday yet.  It is called Chocolate Day.  This holiday originated several years ago in my family.  The holiday is centered on pajamas, movies, and lots and lots of chocolate.  We all sit in our pajamas on the 26^th of December and eat chocolate all day.  It’s the best!  For this holiday I made three different types of cupcakes.

Peppermint Mocha Cupcakes

Ingredients:
For the cupcakes:
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2-3 tsp. espresso powder
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1 cup whole milk
1 cup strong brewed coffee
1 tsp. peppermint extract
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs

To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350° F.  Line two cupcake pans with paper liners.  In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt; stir together.  Combine the milk, coffee and peppermint extract in a liquid measuring cup.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and sugars.  Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.  Blend in the eggs one at a time.   Alternately mix in the dry and liquid ingredients, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients and mixing just until incorporated.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cupcake liners.  Bake 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.   Let cool in the pan 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Ingredients:

 1 stick of butter at room temperature

about 3 peppermint sticks, finely crushed

3 cupas of confectioners' sugar, sifted

2 to 3 tablespoons milk

Mix butter until soft then add in the milk and confectioners’ sugar.  Once thoroughly mixed add in the crushed candy cane.

I felt that the peppermint flavoring in the cupcake was too strong so I think that if the peppermint flavor was saved for the frosting and kept out of the cupcake then it would be a little less strong.

Swedish Coffee Cake

Merry Christmas Everyone!!!  The holidays are a time for families and traditions.  In my family we have a tradition that has been around since my mom was young.  My great Aunt Marge would make a Swedish coffee cake every Christmas Even to have on Christmas morning while opening gifts.  I have since taken over the job of coffee cake maker and it is delicious!!

Swedish Coffee Cake

Cake Batter:

½ cup of margarine (I use butter)

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup sugar

1 cup sour cream

2 cups of all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

Topping:

½ cup of chopped walnuts

1 teaspoon cinnamon

¼ cup sugar

Preheat you oven to 350 degree and grease a Bundt pan.  Cream together butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and sour cream.  Then mix together the dry ingredients in a separate bowl.  Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients until they are well mixed.  Pour half of the batter into the Bundt pan and coat with half of the topping mixture.  Then pour the rest of the batter into the pan and finish with the topping. 

This cake will bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean, be careful not to overcook it.

I hope you have had as wonderful a holiday season with your families as I have had with mine!!

Apple Pie :)

Merry Christmas! 

I don’t know about you, but my favorite dessert for the holidays (or any other time of the year) is apple pie.  Whether it’s traditional, caramel, crumble - you name it - it’s the first dessert on my plate! This year for Christmas Eve we are going to my aunt and uncles for dinner and our family is bringing dessert so I searched for a new apple pie recipe.  This break I’ve been particularly obsessed with my sister’s book, “Baked: New Frontiers in Baking,” and so far have enjoyed everything I’ve tried.  The recipe included is the Classic Apple Pie.  Although it is nothing crazy, I’ve found with apple pies sometimes less is more, the simplest of recipes turn out to be the best.  The recipe is as follows:

Classic Apple Pie from Baked

2 balls of Classic Pie Dough (recipe to follow)
½ teaspoon cornstarch
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
7 medium Granny Smith apples
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon whiskey
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 large egg, beaten
1 tablespoon raw sugar

Dust a work surface with a sprinkling of flour. Unwrap one of the balls of chilled dough and put it directly on the work surface. Roll out into a 12-inch round. Transfer the dough to a pie dish and carefully work it into the pie dish, folding any overhang under and crimping the edge as you go. Wrap and freeze the crust until firm, about 2 hours, or up to 3 months.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and the light brown sugar. Peel and core the Granny Smith apples, then cut them into 1/8-inch wedges.

Heat the butter over medium heat in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan. Swirl the saucepan occasionally until the butter begins to brown. As soon as the butter is evenly browned, add half the apple wedges and cook over low heat for 10 minutes, or until the apples are softened.

Add the remaining apples and the cornstarch/sugar mixture. Mix until the sugar has melted, then add the vanilla, whiskey, and cinnamon to the saucepan and cook for 5 minutes, or until the filling is bubbly and thick. Do not overcool.

Dust a work surface with a sprinkling of flour. Unwrap the remaining ball of chilled dough and roll out into a 12-inch round.

Pour the pie filling into the frozen pie crust, and top the second dough round. Trim the dough, leaving a ½-inch overhang. Crimp the edges together, brush with the beaten egg, and sprinkle with the raw sugar. Cut 3 steam vents into the pie crust.

Bake the pie until the filling bubbles and crust is golden brown, about 1 hour. Cool the pie on a rack for 1 hour. Serve warm or at room temperature. The pie can be stored in the refrigerator, tightly covered, for up to 2 days

Classic Pie Dough 

yields: two balls of dough, enough for 2 (9-inch) single-crusted pies or 1 (9-inch) double-crusted pie

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon fine salt

1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter

3/4 cup ice cold water

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, and salt together

Cut the cold butter into cubes and toss the cubes in the flour mixture to coat.  Put the mixture in the bowl of a food processor and pulse in short bursts until the pieces of butter are the size of hazelnuts. 

While pulsing in quick, 4-second bursts, drizzle the ice water into the food processor through the feed tube. 

As soon as the dough comes together in a ball, remove it from the food processor and divide it into two equal balls.  Flatten to a disk and wrap each disk first in parchment paper and then in plastic wrap.  Refrigerate the disks until firm, about 1 hour.  (The dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.  Thaw in the refrigerator before proceeding with the recipe.)

For the dough, as requested by my Dad, I used a little over 1/4 cup of ice cold vodka and the rest water.  What difference it makes, I’m not sure, but I find it better when I just listen to what my Dad says in the kitchen.  Also, I used light brown sugar to sprinkle on top of the crust at the end instead of raw sugar because I could not find any in our house.  Other than that I stuck the recipe pretty closely, although I found I had to use more apples than they called for.  I ended up using 11 granny smith apples because they were slightly smaller needed.  The aroma and taste from sautéing the apples in the sugar mixture, whiskey, vanilla and cinnamon was absolutely amazing.  The apples tasted great and I can’t wait to try some tonight.  

This break has been quite an adventure with cooking and baking as we are in our temporary house while my Dad builds our new house.  Below is a picture of the kitchen (note: there is no dishwasher ahhh) and please excuse the mess as I took the picture immediately after putting the pie in the oven.  There’s maybe 5 square feet of space between all the counters and about 1.5 feet of counter space.  While the kitchen is a mess to deal with, I could easily deal with waking up to the view from the living room every morning (pictured below)

Once again, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! I believe Liv will be posting sometime soon about the fabulous cupcakes she made the other day so look forward to that! And here's a picture o the finished pie! :)