Candy Apple Cupcakes

Have you ever walked by the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory and noticed that you stopped to stare at the amazing candy apples in the window? Yeah, me too. So I thought it would be fun to bring that same look to a cupcake.

First bake the apple cupcakes

Cream together:

1/2 C shortening

1 1/2 C sugar

Add:

2 eggs

1 t vanilla

Cream for about 2 minutes on medium speed. If you don't have a mixer enjoy the workout.

Add:

1 C applesauce

1/4 c water

In a separate bowl combine:

2 1/4 C flour

2 t cinnamon

1/2 t nutmeg

1/4 t ground cloves

1 t baking soda

1 t baking powder

1/2 t salt

Slowly add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture until well combined.

Fold in 1 1/2 C peeled and diced granny smith apples. (2 apples)

Spray muffin tins, fill each 2/3 full, bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Let cool in pan for 3-5 minutes. Cool completely on a cooling rack.

Melt a little vanilla almond bark, or white choc. chips, or vanilla candy wafers. Dip the end of a lollipop stick into the melted vanilla whatever and stick it in the center of the cupcakes. I pushed them in deep, but not enough to go through the other side. Freeze these for several hours. (If you don't the rest of this project will NOT be fun)

In a microwave safe mixing bowl place 3/4 C butterscotch chips and 1 can sweetened condensed milk. Microwave for 30 seconds and stir. Continue microwaving in 30 second intervals until butterscotch chips are melted and mixture is smooth.
Dip each frozen cupcake in the butterscotch mixture, use a fork to lift cupcake out (be careful, the little sucker stick is easy to yank out) tap off excess and roll in topping of choice. (chopped nuts, crushed oreos, mini m&m's, sprinkles, whatever sounds good to you)
place on wax paper to set up. This can take a couple hours if left on counter, the fridge will help speed it up.


To drizzle your apple cakes melt some chocolate chips in the microwave, on reduced power (I do 40%, but every oven is different) place melted chips in a sandwich bag and snip a little tiny tip off one of the corners, drizzle away!
I put these in cello bags and tied them with ribbon for extra fun give aways.

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cakes

I've posted this before, but I wanted to share it today on Hoosier Homemade.

I LOVE chocolate chip pumpkin cake smothered in cream cheese frosting, hope you do too!

The cakes are super easy to make just 5 ingredients:

1 spice cake mix

2 eggs

1 15 oz can pumpkin

1/2 C water

1 C mini chocolate chips

Mix everything together, spoon into greased muffin tins and bake at 350 for 14 minutes.

(The little guilt comes from not adding extra sugar or oil to the recipe)

Let the cakes cool on racks and enjoy plain. . . or. . .

Top with cream cheese frosting:

1 8 oz pkg cream cheese (softened)

1/2 C butter (softened)

3 1/2 - 4 C powdered sugar

1 t vanilla

Cream the butter, vanilla and cream cheese together. Add powdered sugar one cup at a time until the frosting is spreadable. (Is that a word?)

Here I swirled the cream cheese frosting with a twist of cinnamon. Kinda complicated, but if you are feeling fancy here's and easy idea:

Put your cream cheese frosting in a Ziploc bag, quart or gallon is best. Snip a 1/2 inch tip off one of the bottom corners. Now you have a pastry bag. Swirl your frosting on each little cake in a circular motion. I garnished these with a hershey bar and a potato peeler AND of course the marshmallow pumpkin!

Zing!

These swirly goodies are packed with super tangy fruity flavor. They were kinda like a starburst on steroids.

This fruity combo is cherry orange and lemon all swirled together.

The secret? Kool Aid. Just add a packet of Kool Aid to your favorite frosting recipe. If you are going to divide your frosting and flavor smaller amounts don't add the whole packet of Kool Aid, kinda strong (whoops!!)

Maybe they're not for everyone, but the kids sure seemed to love 'em!

White Chocolate Strawberry

Talk Show Cookies

The other day I was listening to the radio in my car when a favorite young singer of mine came on the show (okay I'll just say it. . .it was Taylor Swift!) She was talking about the cookies she made for the radio hosts. She said her favorite new trick is to cut back on the sugar and add cake mix to the dough. What a fun idea! I like chocolate chip cookies, I like cake mix cookies. Why not put the two together? So I tried it. Good one Taylor!!! They are yumm-o!

I had left over cake mix so I made a crumb topping out of it and sprinkled in on my cookie balls before baking. My husband and kids loved them. So did I, that's why they went to work with my husband today!

Thanks Taylor Swift!

Chocolate chip/Cake Mix Cookies

1/2 C Granulated sugar

1/2 C Brown sugar

1 C White or yellow cake mix

1 C butter

2 Eggs

1 t vanilla

3 C flour

1 t salt

1 t baking soda

1 bag chocolate chips

Cream together sugar, cake mix and butter. Add eggs and vanilla. Combine dry ingredients in separate bowl and slowly add to creamed mixture. Add chocolate chips. Roll into one inch balls and place on greased cookie sheet. Sprinkle with crumb topping. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes.

Crumb topping:

1 C cake mix (white or yellow)

1/2 C butter

Using a fork cut the butter into the cake mix until coarse crumbs are formed. Sprinkle crumbs on top of cookie dough before baking.

Chocolate Cake

Chocolate cake with raspberry filling and chocolate butter cream.

Sugar Cookies

I must admit I am addicted to buying new cookie cutters. I don't know how many I have, lets just say it is many. Here are a few cookies I have made lately.