Pink Lemonade Cupcakes

Last Friday I hosted my first Bunco party and wanted to make pink lemonade cupcakes for dessert.  I had seen a recipe on Pinterest, but used this recipe instead (found here).  I modified the recipe slightly.

Ingredients:

For the cake
*  1 box white cake mix
*  3/4 cup pink lemonade frozen concentrate
*  1/2 cup water
*  1/3 cup vegetable oil
*  4 egg whites

1.  Preheat oven to 350* and line muffin tins with liners.
2.  Combine all ingredients and mix with an electric mixer on low for about 30 seconds, then increase speed to medium for another minute.
3.  Fill liners until 2/3 full.
4.  Bake for about 25 minutes.
5.  Let cupcakes cool completely before icing.

For the icing
*  3 cups powdered sugar
*  1 stick unsalted butter (room temperature)
*  4 tbsp. pink lemonade frozen concentrate
*  pinch of salt
*  food coloring

1.  Combine all ingredients and mix slowly until blended.
2.  Increase speed and beat until you have desired consistancy.  It took about 5 minutes for me.
3.  Add a few drops of red food coloring to make pink icing.

Then I topped the cupcakes with pink sprinkles and straws.  They were a huge hit.  Come back on Thursday to see more of my Bunco party!



Linking to:
Tasty Tuesday
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday

Lemon-y Cupcakes

Ingredients:

*  1 package white cake mix
*  1 (3.4 oz) instant lemon pudding mix
*  1 cup water
*  4 egg whites
*  2 tbsp. vegetable oil
*  16 oz. powdered sugar
*  8 oz. cream cheese, softened
*  1/4 cup butter
*  2 tbsp. lemon juice

1.  Heat oven to 350*.  Beat cake mix, pudding mix, water, egg whites, and oil in a large mixing bowl on low speed till moistened.  Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.  Spoon batter into cupcake cups.

2.  Bake for 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.  Let cool completely on wire rack.

3.  While those are in the oven beat sugar, cream cheese, butter, and lemon juice on low until well blended.  Frost cupcakes.

I sprinkled mine with pink sprinkles cause I ran out of yellow and served as dessert to my tortellini recipe.  Very yummy!





Linking to:

 
Tasty Tuesdays

Lesson 101-Mint Chocolate Cupcakes

One Sunday morning I woke and decided that I needed to make cupcakes.  Conveniently it was Husband's grandma's b-day, so I used that as an excuse to make cupcakes.  I chose mint chocolate cupcakes.

Ingredients:
* 2 cups self-raising flour
* 4 tbsp cocoa powder
* 1 tsp baking powder
* 2 cups sugar
* 2 cups unsalted butter, softened
* 4 eggs
* 1 tsp. mint extract
* 3/4 cup chocolate chips
 For the Icing:
* 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
* 2 cups powdered sugar
* 1 tsp. mint extract
* green food coloring
* 3/4 cup chocolate chips

Preheat the over to 325*F.  Place baking cups in to muffin tin.  In a medium bowl, sieve the flour, cocoa, and baking powder.  Set aside.  Beat the sugar and butter together in a large bowl until smooth.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add the flour mixture gradually, stirring until well combined.  Stir in the mint extract and chocolate chips.  Spoon the mixture into the cups.  Bake for 20 minutes.  Remove the tins from the oven and cool for 5 minutes.  Then remove the cupcakes and cool on a rack.  To make icing, beat the butter and icing sugar in a small bowl until smooth and creamy.  Stir in the mint extract and just enough food coloring to turn the icing a mint green.  Ice the cupcakes and decorate with chocolate chips. 

The amount of butter in this recipe would make Paula Deen proud.  They were yummy, but not my favorite.  If I were to do this recipe again I would only add mint to the frosting and not the batter.

And Grandma J loved em!

Lesson 94- Peanut Butter Chocolate Cupcakes

The other day I was definitely in need of some cupcake therapy.  And the combination of peanut butter and chocolate sounded heavenly.

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
3 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp. baking soda
3 tbsp. baking cocoa
1 1/4 cups milk
1 tsp. vanilla
3 large eggs
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line cupcake pans with paper liners. 
 
Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl.  Mix at low speed for 30 seconds while scraping bowl.  Mix at high speed for 3 minutes, scraping bowl every minute.

 
Spoon cupcake batter into liners until they are 1/2 to 2/3 full.  You should have enough batter for 24-36 cupcakes.
 
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

 
Cool 10 minutes in pans then move to wire rack to cool completely.

Frosting: 

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

Place the butter and peanut butter into a medium bowl, and beat with an electric mixer. 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. Beat for at least 3 minutes for it to get good and fluffy. 

Then I put 3 chocolate chips on top for decoration.  

I enjoyed them thoroughly even though they almost put me in a sugar coma.  Husband however, didn't like them.  But...I took them to Bible study where there were enjoyed.  So, I'm gonna go with the majority on this one. 

 

Lesson 77-You're Killin' Me Smalls

Did you know that today is National S'more Day?  Nope?  It's okay, neither did I till last week when I was watching Food Network.  So I thought it would be appropriate to try out a recipe I found a while back to honor this National holiday--and maybe start a petition to not have to go to work on National S'more Day.

Ingredients:

• 1 (18.25 ounce) package French vanilla cake mix
• 2 tablespoons graham cracker crumbs
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 3 egg whites
• 24 milk chocolate candy kisses (I ended up using about 15 chocolate chips per cupcake instead)
• 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1 (7 ounce) jar marshmallow creme

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.
2. In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, 2 tablespoons graham cracker crumbs, water and egg whites. Beat for 2 minutes at high speed of an electric mixer.

3. Divide batter evenly among paper lined cups, filling about 2/3 full. Place a chocolate kiss (or chocolate chips) in each cupcake, pressing in lightly. Spoon 1 teaspoon graham cracker crumbs onto each cupcake.

4. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 18 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and top each cupcake with 1 teaspoon marshmallow creme. Dip spoon into hot water to prevent sticking. Return to oven for about 1 minute to melt slightly.

Warning:  These are just as messy as traditional S'mores--and just as yummy!

And while we're at we can't forget this line from Sandlot--that movie is filled with so many classic quotable lines.

Ham: Hey, Smalls, you wanna s'more? 

Smalls: Some more of what? 

Ham: No, do you wanna s'more? 

Smalls: I haven't had anything yet, so how can I have some more of nothing? 

Ham: You're killing me Smalls! These are s'more's stuff! Alrite now pay attention. First you take the graham, you stick the chocolate on the graham. Then you roast the 'mallow. When the 'mallows flaming... you stick it on the chocolate. Then cover with the other end. Then you scarf. Kind of messy, but good! 

Hahahahahahahahahahahaha!  Hysterical! 

Oh, and another bit on the s'mores topic.  One of my favorite memories from living in England: introducing them to my youth group.  Too fun!!! 

Okay, so pretty much you can never go wrong with s'mores.  Or cupcakes.  Or a classic movie.  Or crazy teenagers.

Linking to:

Tuesdays at the Tablea href="http://hoosierhomemade.com/cupcake-tuesday/" target="_blank" title="Cupcake Tuesday at HoosierHomemade.com">a href="http://www.itsablogparty.com" target="_blank">