Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

I don't know why but there are two Holidays each year when I immediately start craving Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.  The first is Easter.  I just can't get enough of those Reese's Peanut Butter Eggs.  The second is Halloween.  I loved it when I got Reese's Peanut Butter Cups in my Trick or Treat Bag. I would hide them so I could savor and enjoy them all by myself as an after school snack. With Halloween right around the corner the craving has me buying bags of miniature Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and hiding them in my desk at work for an afternoon snack. Then I thought, what would be better...so I made Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting. These cupcakes are the perfect combination of chocolate with a peanut butter center and then topped with a sinful peanut buttter cream cheese frosting. They will definitely satisfy your chocolate peanut butter craving.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

Yields: 24 cupcakes

Ingredients Filling and Cupcakes:
2/3 cup(s) confectioners' sugar
½ cup(s) creamy peanut butter
10 tablespoon(s) (1 1/4 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
1 1/4 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
1 2/3 cup(s) all-purpose flour
3/4 cup(s) unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon(s) baking soda
½ teaspoon(s) salt
1 cup(s) sour cream
2 tablespoon(s) milk
1 ½ cup(s) granulated sugar
2 large eggs

Directions

Prepare Filling:
In bowl, with mixer on medium speed, mix confectioners' sugar, peanut butter, 2 tablespoons butter, and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla until blended. Shape mixture into 24 balls using heaping measuring teaspoons. (Balls will be sticky and don't need to be perfectly shaped.) Place balls on waxed paper-lined cookie sheet; set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 24 standard muffin-pan cups with fluted paper liners.

Prepare Cupcakes: On waxed paper, combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, and ½ teaspoon salt. In 2-cup liquid measuring cup, mix sour cream, milk, and remaining vanilla; set aside. In large bowl, with mixer on low speed, beat granulated sugar and remaining 8 tablespoons butter just until blended. Increase speed to high; beat 1 minute. Reduce speed to low; add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat 1 to 2 minutes more or until light and fluffy. Add flour mixture alternately with sour cream mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat just until ingredients are combined, occasionally scraping bowl with rubber spatula.

Spoon 1 heaping measuring tablespoon batter into each muffin-pan cup. Drop 1 peanut butter ball in center of each cup and top with another heaping tablespoon batter. Bake cupcakes 25 to 28 minutes or until toothpick inserted in cupcake comes out clean. Immediately remove cupcakes from pans and cool completely on wire rack.

When cupcakes are cool, prepare :

Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:

2 sticks of unsalted butter at room temperature

2 8 oz. packages of cream cheese at room temperature

1 1/2 cups of peanut butter

8-12 cups of confectioner’s sugar

Miniature Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups

Chopped peanuts

In large bowl, with mixer on high speed, beat the butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy (approximately 5 minutes).  Add the peanut butter and mix together.  Blend in the sugar, starting with about 6 cups and adding more sugar till it reaches the desired taste and piping consistency. Increase speed to medium-high; beat until light and fluffy, scraping bowl often with rubber spatula. Pipe frosting on cupcakes and top with a miniature Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup and chopped peanuts.

Try not to eat them all at once.

Enjoy!

Heinz Ketchup Spice Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

When fall rolls around I immediately think of the house filled with the aroma of yummy spices like cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. All week I have been wanting to try something different in the spice cupcake category. Now if you're one of those (like my father was) who thinks ketchup makes everything taste better, then these are the cupcakes for you. And if you think ketchup in baked goods is gross, well, these cupcakes may surprise you. 

To commemorate its Canadian Centennial, Heinz created a recipe for Ketchup Cake. The ketchup lends a nice red color, moist texture, and "spice" to the cake, mimicking a spicy carrot cake without all the extra work of shredding carrots.  I think I'll just call them my Spicy Red Velvet  Cupcakes and let people wonder what the secret ingredient is that makes it so moist and delicious. 

Heinz Ketchup Cupcakes

Recipe adapted from the Heinz website

Cupcake Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp each ground nutmeg and ginger
1/2 cup Heinz tomato ketchup
1/2 cup water
2 tbsp red food coloring
3/4 cup butter, softened
11/2 cups dark brown sugar, packed
2 eggs

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place liners into two 12 cup muffin pans.

Stir the flour with the baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg and ginger into a bowl. Stir the ketchup, water and coloring in a separate bowl. Set aside.

Beat the butter and blend in the sugar in a large bowl until smooth. Beat in the eggs. Add the flour mixture and ketchup mixture. Beat on low, scraping down the bowl as needed, until combined. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat for one minute.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared liners.

Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Cool the cupcakes for 10 minutes before turning onto a rack to cool completely.

Cupcakes just out of the oven...

Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients:

8 oz brick-style cream cheese, softened
1 cup butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 cups icing sugar

Frosting Directions:

Beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla on medium speed for  3-5 minutes or until smooth. 

Gradually beat in the sugar on low, scraping the bowl as needed. Beat on high until fluffy.

Frost the cupcakes or pipe on frosting with your favorite piping tip and decorate as you wish.

Don't be afraid to try these.  They are delicious.

Enjoy!

Wow!!!  That's all I can say.  One of my personal favorite cupcakes - my Oreo Cupcake is featured today on Cupcakes Take the Cake. Click on the link to go to the mention. I am really honored to have had three of my cupcakes featured on this amazing Blog all about cupcakes.

These Oreo cupcakes are absolutely delicious and kids love them (there's an Oreo Cookie baked in the bottom).  Click here to go to my post with the recipe. Thanks again Cupcakes Take the Cake for the shout out!

Chocolate Buttermilk Cupcakes with Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Valrhona Chocolate

I am still searching for the perfect, fool proof chocolate cupcake recipe.  I like the Billy's Chocolate Cupcakes, but they are a bit dry and produce a lot of crumbs.  Making them somewhat messy to eat.  I want a chocolate cupcake with a little denser flavor and moister texture.  I love a challenge.  Especially one that involves trying out numerous chocolate cupcake recipes and baking lots of chocolate cupcakes.  Because that means only one thing...eating lots of chocolate cupcakes!  

I figured I would start with my most reliable Cupcake Cookbook - 125 Best Cupcake Recipes by Julie Hasson.  Every recipe I have made from this cookbook has turned out great.  If you only have one cupcake recipe cookbook in your library, I suggest this one.  These cupcakes turned out delicious and are definitely a keeper.  Combined with the Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream they were pure heaven.  I can tell I'm going to be making these chocolate cupcakes a lot and pairing them with many different frostings and buttercreams.

Just out of the oven...perfectly domed cupcakes.

Chocolate Buttermilk Cupcakes (Best Chocolate Cupcakes)

from 125 Best Cupcake Recipes by Julie Hasson

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Makes 12 cupcakes

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder, sifted (I use Valrhona)

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

3/4 cup buttermilk

Optional:  1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

In a small bowl, mix together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.

In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, oil, egg and vanilla until smooth.  Alternately whisk in flour mixture and buttermilk, making three additions of flour mixture and two of buttermilk, beating until batter is smooth.  Stir in chocolate chips if you want (I chose not to this time).

Scoop batter into prepared muffin pan lined with paper cups.  Bake in preheated oven for 22-27 minutes or until tops of cupcakes spring back when lightly touched.  Let cool in pan on rack for 10 minutes.  Remove from pan and let cool completely on rack.  Top cooled cupcakes with your choice of frosting or buttercream.

Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Ingredients:

5 large egg whites, room temperature

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

Pinch of salt

1 lb. (4 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:

To make the frosting, combine the egg whites, sugar and salt in a heatproof bowl (I used the bowl of my Kitchenaid mixer) set over a pot of simmering water.  Heat, whisking frequently, until the mixture reaches 160 degrees F and the sugar has dissolved.  (A candy thermometer is crucial anytime you are cooking sugar.)

Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (using the bowl of your mixer makes this step a breeze).  Beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form and the mixture has cooled to room temperature, about 8 minutes.

Reduce the speed to medium and add the butter, 2 tablespoons at a time, adding more once each addition has been incorporated.  If the frosting looks soupy or curdled, continue to beat on medium-high speed until thick and smooth again, about 3-5 minutes more (don't worry, it will come together!).  Stir in the vanilla extract and mix until incorporated.  Tint with paste icing color if desired.

Yield: about 5 cups

 Enjoy!

Pink Velvet Cupcakes with Cosmopolitan Buttercream - "Sex And The City" Bridal Shower

I got a call on Tuesday from my girlfriend Ally.  Last weekend I made cupcakes for  her for a Baby Shower.  This time, she was calling to order cupcakes for a Bridal Shower with a "Sex and the City" theme.  Each of the attendees was being asked to come as their favorite "Sex and the City" character.  I knew the cupcakes had to be pink and had to taste like a Cosmopolitan.  I also wanted them to have some fun cupcake toppers.  I decided to make a Pink Velvet Cupcake with Cosmopolitan (Cranberry Lime) Buttercream accented with a Candy Lime Wedge.  I think the turned out pretty cute and they were really yummy!!  Ally loved them.

Pink Velvet Cupcakes
Makes 33 Cupcakes

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 1/4 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
3 eggs
1/4 teaspoon pink gel food coloring
1 1/4 teaspoons white vinegar
1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/8 cup water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line cupcake pan with paper liners.  Sift together flour, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder into a bowl and set aside.

In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix oil, sugar and buttermilk until combined.  Add eggs, food coloring, vinegar, vanilla and water and mix well.  Add the dry ingredients a little bit at a time and mix on low scraping down sides occasionally and mix until just combined.  Be sure not to over mix, or the batter will come out tough.

Using an ice cream scoop, scoop the batter into the liners and bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool.

 

Cosmopolitan (Cranberry Lime) Buttercream
1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
2 Tbsp Cosmopolitan drink mixer
1 tsp lime zest
5-1/2 cups powdered sugar
Pink gel icing color
Green Sugar Sprinkles
Lime Candy Slices cut in wedges

Directions: In a large bowl, beat butter until light and fluffy, approximately five minutes.  Add half the powdered sugar.  Add the lime juice, Cosmopolitan mix, and lime zest. Beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add more powdered sugar, one cup at a time, and continue beating until smooth. If icing is too thin, add more powdered sugar, a couple tablespoons at a time. Tint icing with food coloring. (Gel icing colors enable you to tint icing without watering it down.)

Spread or pipe icing onto each (completely cooled) cupcake. Garnish with sprinkles and a candy lime wedge.

 

 

The cute toppers were made from a free down loadable file from Hostess With The Mostess.

 

 

Happy Birthday to Me!!! Celebrate with a Cupcake!

Today is my Birthday.  I won't tell you how old I am but I'm over 50 and have spent a lot of those years baking.  To celebrate this Birthday, since it was on Sunday, I decided to take Friday and Monday off from work and give myself a four day weekend.  Of course I had to spend some of that time baking cupcakes.  My niece has been home in Utah visiting from New York City and has wanted to learn how to make some of my cupcake recipes. We planned Friday to be a full day of Cupcake baking.  Then a girlfriend called saying she needed cupcakes for a Baby Shower tonight.  Looks like cupcakes were definitely going to take up two days of my weekend.  What could be better?

I decided I needed a new Lemon Cupcake Recipe and decided to tweak a couple of recipes into one and create a new Lemon Cupcake with Lemon Buttercream in honor of my Birthday.  These cupcakes would serve double duty.  Some for the Baby Shower and the rest to celebrate my Birthday.  They turned out delicious!  

 

Linda's Luscious Lemon Cupcakes

Servings:  30-33

Ingredients:
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup milk

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (one large lemon)

Zest of one large lemon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions: Line muffin tins with cupcake papers.  In a small bowl, add the flour, baking powder and salt; stir to combine; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter using an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth.  Add the sugar gradually and beat for 3 minutes or until fluffy.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.   Add lemon zest

Add the dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with the milk, lemon juice and vanilla.  With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated but do not over mix.

Spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling about 2/3 full.  Bake in a 350° oven for 20-25 minutes.  Cool the cupcakes in the tin for 10 minutes.  Remove cakes from the tins and cool on a wire rack before icing.  Ice with your favorite Buttercream.

Lemon Buttercream

Ingredients:

2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter

6-8 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

Zest of one lemon

1-2 tablespoons whole milk

Pinch of salt

Directions: 

Cream butter until light and fluffy, approximately 5 minutes. Gradually add 4 cups of powdered sugar.  Add lemon juice, lemon zest, salt and vanilla. Continue adding powdered sugar and/or milk until frosting is of piping consistency. Fill piping bag with frosting and pipe frosting swirls onto cupcakes.

For the Baby Shower the only instruction I received from my girlfriend was that she wanted the cupcakes to be Pink and Yellow and very girly.  I knew my new Lemon Cupcakes would be perfect.  Now for the Pink...I thought about my Pink Lemonade Cupcakes but thought that would be a little too much lemon.  My favorite cupcake of all time is a Vanilla / Vanilla.  It's the first cupcake I order whenever I'm trying out a new Cupcake Shop.  So, why not a Pink Vanilla / Pink Vanilla Cupcake?  I used the recipe for Magnolia's Vanilla Cupcake which you can find here adding a few drops of rose pink gel food coloring to tint the cake a soft pink.

I frosted them with a basic vanilla buttercream again tinted a soft pink with the rose pink gel food coloring.  Sprinkled both the Pink and Yellow frosted Cupcakes with pastel non-pariels and topped them with pink and yellow baby bracelet charms.  My girlfriend was thrilled and they tasted yummy!!!

Now my Friday baking with my niece was spent teaching her how to make Swiss Meringue Buttercream and my Lemon Meringue Cupcakes.  We had so much fun baking together.  She did an awesome job on the cupcakes and is now a real pro.  we used the Magnolia Vanilla Cupcake as the base for the Swiss Meringue Buttercream.  You can find the recipe for this Buttercream and a great video demo here.  I think they turned out beautiful and the Buttercream was divine!

Next we tackled the Lemon Meringue Cupcakes.  This is a multi step cupcake.  First you have to make the Lemon Curd for the filling, second bake the cupcakes, third fill the cupcakes with the Lemon Curd, fourth frost them with the meringue and then fifth toast the meringue.  You can find the recipe and instructions here.  I think they turned out beautiful.  I'm very proud of my niece and her cupcaking skills. All in all I baked 10 1/2 dozen cupcakes in two days.  Luckily I don't have to eat them all. 

A great way to spend a Birthday weekend...baking cupcakes to eat and share.  Happy Birthday to me!

Cupcakes Take the Cake featured my Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes

I can barely contain my excitement, again.  My Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes were featured today on Cupcakes Take the Cake.  Click on the link to go to the mention.  I am really honored to have two of my cupcakes featured within two weeks.  I love sharing my recipes and inspiring other bakers to make amazing cupcakes!  Thanks again for the shout out!  

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes - Life is Good!!!

Chocolate Chip Cookies are a delicious treat in and of themselves.  Now, combine them with cupcakes and you have a treat that is chocolate chip heaven!  I have been searching for recipes for a Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcake for months.  None that I found combined the taste of the cookie dough and the baked cookie.  Until this week...when I found this recipe over on Tara's Smells Like Home Blog.  These cupcakes are delicious.  Truly a Chocolate Chip Cookie in a Cupcake. The flavors meld together beautifully.  The cake is full of chocolate chips and then the surprise of the cookie dough center topped with the delight of frosting tasting just like cookie dough too!  Don't be afraid of making these.  They look more labor intensive then they really are and the results will have your friends and family begging for more.  I took them into work today and my co-workers had them devoured in no time.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes
By Tara from Smells Like Home

source: Annie’s Eats (inspired by Hello, Baker!, cake adapted from Cupcake Bakeshop, frosting adapted from The Cupcake Review and How to Eat a Cupcake)

For the cupcakes:
3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1½ cups light brown sugar, packed
4 large eggs
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
1 cup milk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup mini chocolate chips (semisweet or bittersweet)

For the filling:
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
6 tbsp. light brown sugar, packed
1 cup plus 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
7 oz. sweetened condensed milk
½ tsp. vanilla extract
¼ cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

For the frosting:
3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
3½ cups confectioners’ sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
¾ tsp. salt
3 tbsp. milk
2½ tsp. vanilla extract

For decoration:
Mini chocolate chip cookies (I used Chips Ahoy Minis but you could make your own)
Mini chocolate chips

To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350° F.  Line two cupcake pans with paper liners (24 total).  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and brown sugar.  Beat together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Mix in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.  Stir together to blend.  Add the dry ingredients to the mixer bowl on low speed, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients, mixing each addition just until incorporated.  Blend in the vanilla.  Fold in the chocolate chips with a spatula.

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

To make the cookie dough filling, combine the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and cream on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Beat in the flour, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla until incorporated and smooth.  Stir in the chocolate chips.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the mixture has firmed up a bit, about an hour.

To fill the cupcakes, cut a cone-shaped portion out of the center of each cupcake.  Fill each hole with a chunk of the chilled cookie dough mixture.

To make the frosting, beat together the butter and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until creamy.  Mix in the confectioners’ sugar until smooth.  Beat in the flour and salt.  Mix in the milk and vanilla extract until smooth and well blended.

Frost the filled cupcakes as desired, sprinkling with mini chocolate chips and topping with mini chocolate chip cookies for decoration.

Yields: 24 cupcakes

S'mores Cupcakes - Goodbye to Summer

As much as I love summer, the warm weather and long nights, I love fall even more (mostly because I have a Birthday the end of September).  Last weekend was Labor Day and what many consider the end to summer. Even though it's official end isn't for a few more weeks.  To celebrate, I finally made a cupcake I have been wanting to make since I started to seriously bake cupcakes a year and a half ago...S'mores Cupcakes.  Who can resist the combination of Graham Crackers, Milk Chocolate and Marshmallow?  Not me.  So fire up the oven and enjoy your very own S'mores in cupcake form.

S’mores Cupcakes

Makes 16-18 regular cupcakes

Graham Cracker and Milk Chocolate Cupcakes

from Cupcakes Galore by Gail Wagman

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups finely crushed graham crackers (about 20 grahams)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup milk

1 cup milk chocolate chips (I pulsed mine in the food processor to make them a lot smaller)

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Mix flour, crushed graham crackers, baking powder, and salt together and set aside.

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add vanilla. Alternately add flour mixture and milk and beat until batter is almost smooth. Fold in chocolate chips.

Spoon batter into cupcake papers, filling cups about 2/3 full. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean.  Remove from oven and cool.

Swiss Meringue Marshmallow Frosting

(NOT BUTTERCREAM)
by Cassie Baker of How to Eat a Cupcake

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar (I used 3/4 cup regular sugar and 1/2 cup vanilla sugar

4 egg whites

1-2 teaspoons vanilla extract (optional)

To make the frosting:

Combine egg whites and sugar in the top of a double boiler (or a glass bowl over but not touching a pan of simmering water). Whisk constantly over medium-high heat until mixtures reaches 160°F, about 5 minutes.

Pour egg white mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on high for 6 minutes or until room temperature. Add optional vanilla extract 1 teaspoon at a time until desired flavor.

Frost cooled cupcakes, sprinkle with graham cracker crumbs and top with a piece of Hershey's milk chocolate bar.

"Cupcakes Take the Cake" Featured My Lemon Ricotta Cupcakes with Raspberry Buttercream

I can barely contain my excitement.  My Lemon Ricotta Cupcakes with Raspberry Buttercream were featured today on Cupcakes Take The Cake.  Click on the link to go to the mention.  It is such an honor to be recognized by the wonderful cupcake loving women of this blog.  Thanks for the shout out!  

Lemon Ricotta Cupcakes with Raspberry Buttercream

Cream Soda Toffee Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

I discovered this recipe last summer and had to make it right away.  I'm fascinated by the use of soda pop in baking recipes and this recipe didn't disappoint.  My sister loves anything toffee, caramel or butterscotch so I knew these would be an instant hit with her.  The original recipe called for using a brown butter frosting but I opted for Cream Cheese instead.  I love the creaminess of the cream cheese frosting with the crunch of the toffee bits.

I'm baking four dozen of these today for a girlfriend to take for a Birthday Celebration tomorrow.  She called to see if I would make cupcakes for her and of course I said yes.  Any excuse to bake cupcakes!  When I asked what flavor she wanted, she said the person celebrating the Birthday loved anything toffee, caramel or butterscotch.  I told her these cupcakes would perfectly fit the bill.  Enjoy and Happy Birthday!

Cream Soda Toffee Cupcakes
from Better Homes and Gardens
Makes 18 cupcakes.

Ingredients:
2  cups  all-purpose flour
1-1/2  tsp.  baking powder
1/2  tsp.  baking soda
1/2  cup  butter, softened
3/4  cup  granulated sugar
1/4  cup  packed brown sugar
3    eggs
1  Tbsp.  molasses
1-1/2  tsp.  vanilla
1/2  cup  buttermilk
1/2  cup  cream soda (not diet)
1/2  cup Heath toffee bits
   
Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line eighteen 2-1/2-inch muffin cups with paper bake cups; set aside. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; set aside.

In large bowl beat butter with electric mixer on medium to high 30 seconds. Add sugars; beat until well combined. Beat in eggs, one at a time, on low until combined. Beat in molasses and vanilla.

Alternately add flour mixture, buttermilk, and cream soda to butter mixture, beating on low speed after each addition until combined. Stir in toffee pieces. Fill cups 3/4 full.

Bake about 18 minutes or until tops spring back when lightly touched. Cool in pans on racks 5 minutes. Remove from pans; cool.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 lb. cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 lb. unsalted butter, room temperature

1 lb. powdered sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Dash of salt

In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment whip the butter and cream cheese for 5 minutes.  Set a timer, do not under beat. Gradually add the powdered sugar to the mixture and scrape down the bowl as needed.  Add the vanilla and salt and mix until combined.  Pipe frosting onto cupcakes using a decorative tip and sprinkle with Heath Toffee Bits.

The frosting can be used right away or stored in the refrigerator up to a week.

As I mentioned, these are my sister's favorite cupcakes, so of course I had to make them for her Birthday last June.  She is a Costume Designer for a local theater, so I topped them with these custom Cupcake Toppers and delivered to her at work.

How to Frost a Cupcake with a Piping Tip

I absolutely love frosting.  All kinds of frosting.  In fact, to me, cupcakes are merely a frosting delivery service.  The more frosting on a cupcake the better in my opinion.  The question I probably get asked the most is,  "How do you get the frosting swirl on your cupcakes and what type of decorating tip do you use?"  It's no big secret.  My favorite piping tip is an Ateco #885.  

Ateco 885 Tip

It's a very large tip that I discovered at NY Cake and Decorating Distributors in New York City.  If you are in NYC and love cake decorating and baking supply stores this is a must stop.  This tip uses a large amount of frosting and gives your cupcakes a beautiful swirl.

Wilton M1 Tip

I also use the Wilton M1 tip.  It's a smaller tip but still gives a nice swirl and a lot of cupcake bakers use this tip.  It's available at most Michael's Craft Stores or any store that carries Wilton cake decorating supplies and tips.  It's also a part of the Wilton Cupcake Decorating Kit available at Walmart.

I always use a 16" decorating bag and large coupler with my tips when I frost cupcakes.  If you have never used a decorating bag don't be afraid to take the leap.  You can handle a lot of frosting in a decorating bag and won't have to continually refill the bag as you frost your cupcakes.  Here's a great little video to show you all you need to know about the various types of piping bags.

I was going to make a little video showing you how I do my frosting swirls but You Tube and the internet is full of videos showing all you need to know.  Jamie over at My Baking Addiction was kind enough to share the following video.

 Cupcake Piping How-To from My Baking Addiction on Vimeo.

Here are two more videos showing how to pipe cupcakes.  One with the M1 tip and the other showing four styles used in England to frost cupcakes.  There are plenty more videos on You Tube if you still want to see more demonstrations.  The best way to learn is by doing.  So grab yourself a piping bag and your favorite decorating tip and start practicing.

Enjoy your frosting!