Vanilla Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Ganache Filling and Chocolate Buttercream #cupcake #recipe

I made these vanilla cupcakes with peanut butter ganache filling and chocolate buttercream frosting for my husband's birthday this past weekend, and they were a huge hit!

Preheat oven to 375F

Cupcakes

2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

Mix all of your dry ingredients, then add in your butter, eggs, milk and vanilla extract. Mix well, then spoon into lined muffin tins (fill 2/3 full).

Bake for 18 minutes, then cool for 5-10 minutes in the muffin tin. Continue to cool completely on a wire rack.

To hollow out your cupcake for the filling, you can either cut an inverted cone with a sharp knife, use a small melon baller or use a mini metal cookie cutter.

Filling

In a microwave safe mixing bowl, combine...

1/2 cup milk (or heavy cream)
1 tbsp cocoa
splash of vanilla
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter

Microwave for approximately 15 seconds, then stir to combine. Put in the fridge to set immediately, for about 15-20minutes.

 

 

Frosting

While your ganache is setting, cream together...

1/2 cup softened butter
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar (or icing sugar as we call it here in Canada!)
2 tbsp cocoa

Mix well, and thin with milk if necessary.

Fill the cupcakes with the peanut butter ganache, then frost with the chocolate buttercream. I like to get all fancy with my cupcakes and put the buttercream into a piping bag with star tip to frost, but it's definitely not necessary! Frost however you like, and then devour!

Enjoy!

Valentine's Gift Guide Feature: Custom Iced #bakery #ldnont

Have you ever had a sugar cookie that was just too good to be true? Well, I have and it came from Custom Iced, owned and operated by Claire Jackson, in Ilderton, Ontario. It was sugary and sweet, with the right about of buttery goodness...{mouth watering yet??}

This small batch bakery is whipping up delicious goodies...everything from custom designed cupcakes with handmade fondant toppers to beautiful cakes for first birthday cake smash photography sessions!

Claire's attention to detail and excellent customer service is getting her rave reviews! Check out these hand sculpted Minion fondant toppers!

She also specilazes in snowstopping pieces, like this giant cupcake that has been iced with flowers of all different colors. This is my personal favorite!

How fun would that be for a tea party, baby or bridal shower?! I love it!

To check out more of Claire's work, you can find Custom Iced on Facebook and on her website.

Valentine's Gift Guide #valentine #giftsforher #giftguide

It's here! It's here!! It's finally here!

The Valentine's Gift Guide is here, and there are so many great promos, discounts and deals from really beautiful companies in it, that you won't want to miss a page!

Over the next couple of weeks, I will be featuring some of the amazing companies in the Gift Guide, talking about their products, services and why they are so amazing.

Need to send it to your honey and tell him which page your gift is on? Here's the direct link.

Happy Valentine's Day!

 

A Cake for a Swashbuckler

When it comes to the cake for the pirate themed birthday party, I am torn. Do I do a cake-cake that is amazing like this one...

{and by me, I mean hire my amazing cake girl Leah}

Or do I do cupcakes and put them on the Pirate Booty table {stay tuned for details on that coming next week!}

I went ahead and picked up these pirate sprinkles from The Bakers Confections in February, along with black cupcake liners, thinking that I would do both cupcakes and a traditional cake

I'm leaning toward having both options so that we have a cake to cut on his actual birthday (June 16th, also Father's Day) with our family, and then the kiddos can have some really awesome cupcakes (likely chocolate with vanilla buttercream and dipped in these awesome sprinkles).

What do you do when it comes to the cake for your toddlers birthday party?

Fabulous Finds Friday; North Pole Cupcakes

These are just way too adorable not to post on a Fabulous Finds Friday



and you could definitely have the snow made from shredded coconut! Y-U-M!

Talk-To-Me Tuesday: French Toast Cupcakes

This past weekend, I had the pleasure of creating a cupcake tower for a very good friend's wedding. Her theme was very simple...fall


tiny fondant, handsculpted pumpkins and leaves


set up and ready to be devoured!

One of the recipes in particular turned out so deliciously well and I wanted to share it with you all. My husband and I decided that these are probably the best cupcakes that I've made yet!

French Toast Cupcakes

• 1 1/2 cup(s) sifted cake flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoon(s) baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon(s) salt
• 1/2 cup(s) (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup(s) sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract (or substitute maple syrup)
  
• 1/2 cup(s) whole milk
• 1/2 bag of Hershey's Cinnamon chips
  

Preheat oven to 400F, and line muffin tin with cupcake liners

Mix dry ingredients, then add wet and mix well

Mix in cinnamon chips

Bake for 10 minutes, using a toothpick to check for doneness. Bake for an additional 3-5minutes if needed.

Frost with buttercream

Buttercream

1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
3 cups icing sugar (confectioner's sugar)
splash of vanilla

Seriously, to die for!! Complete sugar overload, but I promise you that it's worth it! For the wedding, I made mini's (and we kept some full sized ones at home...shhhh!) so the sugar overload wouldn't be so potent! You could even drizzle a bit of maple syrup on top, or garnish with a maple sugar candy!

Enjoy!! (we certainly did!)

Talk-To-Me Tuesday: LemonBerry Cupcakes

I'm blogging late Monday night with this recipe for you, so you have a nice sweet treat to wake up to on Tuesday morning!

Here's my Lemonberry Cupcake!



Cupcake

• 1 1/3 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 6 tablespoons butter, softened
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 tablespoon ground lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/2 cup yogurt
• 1/4 teaspoon lemon extract

Preheat oven to 350F, and line muffin tins with desired paper liners.

Mix ingredients and spoon into liners so they are 3/4 full

Bake for approx 20 mins (check after 15 mins)

Cool completely

Filling

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine 1 pint of blueberries with 1/2cup sugar (adding sugar to taste), mashing the blueberries slightly to allow for the sugar to melt. Simmer, then cool.

Using a teaspoon, scoop out some of the cupcake. you can discard this...or eat immediately ;)

Once the filling is cool, use the teaspoon measure to fill each cupcake with the blueberry sauce

Frosting

1 cup butter
3 cups confectioners sugar (icing sugar, powdered sugar)
dash of vanilla, to taste

Frost using a piping bag and large star tip.

Garnish with lemon zest and a blueberry

Enjoy!!

(yield 12 cupcakes, but they won't last long...I promise!)

Wow-Me Wednesday: Wedding Cupcakes

I just realized that I completely forgot to post the photos that I took once all of the 12 dozen cupcakes, one 8" cake and cookie favours were all set up!

Here they are!!

Vanilla, Chocolate and Blueberry cupcakes


Carrot cake with cream cheese frosting


Gluten-free Chocolate truffle cupcakes


The entire cake display!

Pretty awesome and I'm really proud of how they all turned out!

Have you made something pretty great lately? Link up with Ginger Snap Crafts!!

What's Next Wednesday: Shipping To The Emmy's!

Well...now that my notestacks are all packed up and ready to go {being shipped in the morning}...What's Next??

The next big project that I'm working on is more baking than anything else. I have a wedding order for cupcakes, a cake and cookies for this coming weekend...and then in just over a month I am doing the wedding cake for my best friend's wedding.

Here's what I've been working on!


Chocolate, Blueberry and Vanilla cupcakes


Frosted to look like Hydrangea's...how did I do?



Carrot cake with cream cheese frosting...that tastes like Cinnabon!


Chunky Peanut Butter Hershey Kiss thumbprints

And oh darn...I may have baked too many...and we may have needed to taste test some!

Simple Things Thurday: Cupcakes

I've got a lovely bunch of cupcakes...{diddly-dee}



Here they are sitting in a row...{diddly-dee}

Chocolate and vanilla, One with a banana!

Freshly baked on an antique silver tray from Hungary...then off to a bridal shower where they were enjoyed by all!

Is your mouth watering yet?

Don't forget to link up your Simple Things!!

How-To Tuesday: Luscious Lemon Cupcakes

How's your sweet tooth doing today?

This past weekend, I played host to my best friend, her fiance, their son and her mom for her cake tasting, and I thought I'd share one of the recipes with you!

Luscious Lemon Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream

Preheat oven to 350F

1 1/3 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon ground lemon zest
Juice from 1 freshly squeezed lemon


adapted from http://www.food.com/recipe/extra-moist-lemon-cupcakes-124660

Divide into lined muffin pan and bake for 18 minutes, checking for doneness with a toothpick when the timer goes off.

Frost with your favourite vanilla or almond buttercream recipe!

Enjoy! The cake is very delicate and soft, so handle with care and eat immediately!

Whimsical Wednesday: Cup of Tea Photo Cards, Guest Post!

Good morning everyone!

Well...my YouTube video for yesterday was going to take 371minutes to upload...and then I had to get all of the supplies, ingredients, boxes and supports for the 3tier cake that I'm creating for this weekend's formal.

Busy busy!

So! Today, I've invited Andrea from Cup of Tea Photo Cards to write a guest column. She has some fabulous new products listed on Etsy, and I would be pleased if you'd check them out (and order!! The invitations are simply spectacular!)

~

I have been working hard on creating special custom wedding invitations and have been dreaming an extra special way of highlighting my designs. Wedding invitations are a special hybrid product I've been working on!

I took my digital wedding invitation designs and paired them with handmade pocket fold cards. The pocket fold cards are made out of acid free cardstock, which ensures that the high quality digital prints will be unharmed!

Some of the invites I used a nice shimmer cardstock, and lined it with a coordinating patterned paper for a little flair. Others, I used shiny cardstock and created a pocket fold to perfectly pair with the invitation. Wedding invitations can be made with a ribbon closure, embellishment closure, or both!

Each invitation comes with matching RSVP cards and standard A5 and A7 envelopes.

Use coupon code SPRINGSPECIAL to get 10% off your next purchase on anything from my Etsy shop!

~ Cup of Tea Photo Cards

You can check out the brand spankin' new Cup of Tea Photo Cards blog here, and her Esty shop as well!

Y3W Friday: Happy Super Bowl!

Happy Friday everyone!

What's on tap for you this weekend?

Like many years in the past, we're hosting lots of friends for Superbowl Sunday!

What does this mean for me? Well...baking! Tomorrow, I will be in the kitchen with the best 8 year old sous-chef a girl could ask for, whipping up...

Mint Chip cupcakes

Cotton Candy cupcakes

And Vanilla Bean cupcakes

Fun!

Stay tuned for upcoming How-To Tuesday's when I share the recipes, and finished results!

Until then, have a fabulous weekend!

How-to Tuesday: Cookies and Creme Cheesecakes

I made these for New Years Eve, and let me just say...YUM!

Cookies and Creme Cheesecakes

Ingredients:

1pkg of Oreo cookies

2lbs of cream cheese (for a healthy version, select fat free!)

1 cup of sugar

1 tsp of vanilla (I made these without it because we didn't have any on vacation, and they tasted delish!)

4 large eggs, room temp and beaten

1 cup of sour cream (again...fat free!)

pinch of salt

Preheat over to 275F and line muffin tins with paper liners. Place 1 Oreo at the bottom of each lined cup.

Mix with an electric mixer: cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla

Drizzle in eggs, beating to combine. Beat in sour cream and salt. Crumble in Oreo cookies.

Divide batter evenly among cookie-filled cups, filling almost to the top.

Bake until set, about 22 minutes (mine took about 30minutes to set).

Cool on a wire rack, and refrigerate in tine for at least 4 hours (or overnight if you can).

Top with a Treat Flag and serve on a lovely cake stand!

Source: Martha Stewart's CUPCAKES

How-to Tuesday: Apple Cider Cupcakes

These were absolutely sinful, and made a huge hit at my husband's staff Christmas potluck!

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1/3 cup margarine or unsalted butter

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

splash of vanilla

1 1/3 cups flour (use whole wheat to make extra healthy!)

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt (or omit if all you have in the house is salted butter)

1 tsp ground cinnamon

3/4 cup applesauce (for you baby-food-makers, that's about 9 cubes)

Handful of cinnamon chips (optional)

Preheat over to 350F

Now, I'm not a sift-this or mix-these-two-things-together kind of baker. I mix the dry together, and then put in the wet, using my lovely Kitchenaid Standmixer.

Fill cupcake liners about 2/3 full

Bake for 22 minutes, checking often so the cupcakes don't burn

Toothpick test for doneness

Let cool completely on a wire rack

Frost with Vanilla Cinnamon Buttercream

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter

2 cups icing sugar

spalsh of vanilla

1 tsp of cinnamon (or cinnamon sugar)