Dark Chocolate Butterfly Cupcakes

I made these adorable cupcakes for my little one’s second birthday. The cupcake itself was SUPER chocolately and delicious.

Mia getting ready to blow out her candles!

Cook’s Note:

Both the cupcakes and chocolate butterflies can be made a day or two ahead of time (this is what I did and I highly recommend it).

If you double this recipe, only bake one pan at a time as the cupcakes will not rise properly if baked with 2 trays in the oven. Store leftover cupcakes (frosted or unfrosted) in the refrigerator, and let them come to room temperature before serving.

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes

Ingredients:

For the Cupcakes:
8 T unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
2 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 C Dutch-processed cocoa
3/4 C unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 t baking soda
3/4 t baking powder
2 large eggs
3/4 C sugar
1 t vanilla extract
1/2 C sour cream
1/2 t table salt

For the Frosting:

I used Wilton’s Vanilla Whipped Icing Mix – just follow the directions on the box (all you have to do is add ice water and whip!)
Lemon Yellow Icing Color

For the Chocolate Butterflies:

Wilton’s Dark Cocoa Candy Melts
Wilton’s Yellow Candy Melts
2, 6-Ounce Mini Melting Decorating Squeeze Bottles
Parchment Paper
Funnel
Toothpicks
Chocolate Chips

Directions:

For the Cupcakes:
Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position; heat oven to 350°F. Line standard-sized muffin pan (cups have 1/2-cup capacity) with baking-cup liners.

Combine butter, chocolate, and cocoa in medium heatproof bowl. Set bowl over saucepan containing barely simmering water; heat mixture until butter and chocolate are melted and whisk until smooth and combined. Set aside to cool until just warm to the touch.

Whisk flour, baking soda, and baking powder in small bowl to combine.

Whisk eggs in second medium bowl to combine; add sugar, vanilla, and salt and whisk until fully incorporated. Add cooled chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. Sift about one-third of flour mixture over chocolate mixture and whisk until combined; whisk in sour cream until combined, then sift remaining flour mixture over and whisk until batter is homogenous and thick.

Divide batter evenly among muffin pan cups. Bake until skewer inserted into center of cupcakes comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes.

Cool cupcakes in muffin pan on wire rack until cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes. Carefully lift each cupcake from muffin pan and set on wire rack. Cool to room temperature before icing, about 30 minutes.

Makes 12 cupcakes

Source: America’s Test Kitchen

For the Frosting:

Follow the directions as per the Wilton’s Vanilla Whipped Icing Mix for both making the icing and coloring it.

Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes.


For the Butterflies:
To make your pattern, use a piece of cardstock or note card to draw the outline of your butterfly wing.

Cut out the pattern and trace onto a sheet of parchment paper.

Melt the candy melts as per the manufacturer’s instructions and transfer the chocolate to squeeze bottles using a funnel.

Flip the parchment over so you’re not going to make your chocolate butterfly directly on the ink/pencil marks.

First outline the edges of the butterfly with the dark cocoa.

Then squirt some of your colored chocolate into the voids.

Using a toothpick spread the chocolate, filling the design.

Using another toothpick (make sure it’s clean) swirl a little of the dark chocolate into the colored chocolate.

Let the chocolate butterflies set before putting them on the cupcakes.

To Decorate:

Place a swirl of frosting on your cupcake.

Place 4 chocolate chips in a line down the center of the cupcake.

Place your butterfly wings on either side of the chocolate chips.

Finally place the antennas into the cupcake and voilá, you’re done!

Source: adapted from Annie’s Eats

I’m linking this post up at:

Metamorphosis Monday, Menu Plan Monday , Skip to My Lou, Tip Me Tuesday, Today’s Creative Blog

Celebration Cupcakes

The original name of these cupcakes is “Milk Chocolate Birthday Cupcakes”, but I re-named them “Celebration Cupcakes” because you don’t have to have a birthday to enjoy these amazing cupcakes! And secondly, I renamed these to celebrate major accomplishments and milestones in my little family’s life.

Here’s what my little family is celebrating:

1. My return to blogging: I know, I know it’s been over a month since my last post…I have good excuses, I promise (like life being a little hectic while my hubby was away for 10 weeks, emergency eye surgery and a little complication with that, planning and re-planning our cross-country move {slowly learning the uncertainty of military life}, driving across country TWICE in a 3-week period, and unpacking, organizing and all that fun stuff that goes along with moving).
2. My husband graduating from OCS: My hubs started Officer Candidate School with the Marine Corps in January and graduated the end of March. I am SO proud of him and more importantly excited that our 10-week stint apart is now over! We’ll be in the Quantico, VA area while he attends TBS (The Basic School) until the end of the year, and we’re super excited to reconnect with old friends her in VA!

Curtis getting "pinned" by his dad and sister.

Curtis receiving his first salute as an officer in the Marine Corps! 

3. Our cross-country move is FINALLY over: We knew our stay in Arizona was temporary, so we were almost always planning our move…we just didn’t know if would take almost 2 years for us to do so!
4. Mia’s 2^nd Birthday: She’ll officially turn 2 on Saturday. I still can not believe our amazing little girl is going to be 2!

My little cutie, Mia.

 

5. My blog will be moving: Sometime in the near future I will be making the switch from blogger to wordpress and I am doing the work all on my own! I figured to really learn the wordpress interface I might as well make the switch myself. I hope to have the new site up and running sometime in May, so stay tuned with more news on that front!

Cook’s Note:

***While making the chocolate buttercream for this recipe it is crucial that you melt the chocolate and let it cool to room temperature; if you don’t your frosting won’t come together and you’ll have a gloppy mess on your hands. Also note that once the melted and cooled chocolate is added to the frosting it will take a good 3-5 minutes with your mixer on medium-medium high speed for the mixture to come together—be patient and try not to freak out (like I did J), it will come together).

I get a lot of questions from readers about special kitchen equipment and specific ingredients I use in recipes.

Here’s the specific equipment and ingredients I used in this recipe:
Nielsen-Massey pure Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Extract
4 Tablespoon Scoop (a.k.a. my favorite scoop ever!!!)
Pastry Tip Set
The Cupcake Diaries Cookbook
White Cupcake Liners
Jumbo Rainbow Nonpareils

These cupcakes are awesome! The frosting tastes just like fugde!

Celebration Cupcakes

For the Cupcakes

Ingredients:

2 ½ C all-purpose flour
2 ½ t baking powder
¼ t salt
8 T unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 ¾ C sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 ¼ t pure vanilla extract
vanilla seeds from 1 vanilla bean
1 ¼ C whole milk, at room temperature

For the Milk Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients:

2/3 C milk, at room temperature

5 C confectioners’ sugar
12 T unsalted butter, at room temperature
5 t pure vanilla extract
½ t salt
2 ½ C chocolate chips, melted and then cooled to room temperature***(see Cook’s Note)

Jumbo Rainbow Nonpareils (optional)

For the Cupcakes

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 standard cupcake tins with twelve baking papers each, set aside.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl and set aside.

Using a stand mixer or a handheld electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar for 3-5 minutes, or until light & fluffy and pale yellow in color (I used a stand mixer on medium speed and it took me about 3 minutes).

Add the eggs one at a time, mixing slowly after each addition.

Add the vanilla and vanilla bean seeds to the milk in a large liquid measuring cup.

Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients followed by one third of the milk mixture, and mix thoroughly. Repeat. Stop to scrape down the bowl as needed. Add the last 1/3 of the dry ingredients followed by the last third of the milk, mixing slowly until well incorporated.

Scoop the batter into the cupcake pan using a 4-tabelspoon scoop and bake for 16-18 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the Frosting:

Directions:

Combine the milk, confectioners’ sugar, butter, vanilla, and salt at high speed until light and airy, approximately 3-5 minutes. Slowly add the melted and cooled chocolate until well incorporated (this may take several minutes with the mixer on medium-medium high speed for the come together).

Frost cupcakes and top with jumbo rainbow nonpareils (optional).

Makes 24 cupcakes

Source: adapted from The Cupcake Diaries by the sister’s of DC Cupcake/Georgetown Cupcake, Katherine Kallinis & Sophie Kallinis LaMontague

I’m linking this post up at:
Metamorphosis Monday, Menu Plan Monday , Skip to My Lou, Tip Me Tuesday, Today’s Creative Blog

Z is for Zebra Cookies!

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Before becoming a SAHM (Stay At Home Mom) I taught for 7 years (mostly 4^th, 6^th, 7^th, and 8^th grade). I really miss teaching kids and seeing them come alive when they learn new things, so when my brother and sister-in-law asked me to teach their 4-year-old how to read, I jumped at the opportunity!

We started by learning the alphabet; both the letter names and their sounds. Everyday we’d learn a new letter of the alphabet by first doing some workbook pages and then came the fun part, singing! I had 2 wonderful resources for this portion:

1-     I used the YouTube videos below from www.havefunteaching.com. They’re great videos that are exciting and super fun to jam to (my niece and I jammed to each one J).

2-     We sang a song the Kindergarten teachers at my last school had their students sing to get them to learn the letter sounds. It’s called “Who Let the Alphabet Out” to the tune of “Who Let the Dogs Out”:

“Who let the A out!?! /a/ /a/-/a/ /a/-/a/ “

“Who let the B out!?! /b/ /b/-/b/ /b/-/b/ “

… so on and so forth (you get the idea)

So, to celebrate the end of learning the alphabet & letter sounds we made zebra cookies! I thought this was the perfect activity to celebrate out accomplishment…and we totally sang “Who Let the Alphabet Out” while making the cookies! J

Sydney enjoying her Zebra Cookie

Sydney & Mia

Cook’s Note: I get a lot of questions from readers about what kitchen equipment and specific ingredients I use in recipes. I will try to list any specific ingredients & specific/super helpful kitchen equipment before each recipe. I hope this helps! J

Here’s specific equipment and/or ingredients I used in this recipe:
Pastry Mat for patting the dough out to the instructed dimensions
Bench/Dough Scraper I like this one in particular because it’s sturdy & has a ruler on it, bonus!
Silpat Non-stick Baking Mat
Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Extract
Dutch-Process Cocoa Powder

Zebra Cookies

Ingredients:

For the Vanilla Dough:
2 3/4 C  cake flour
1 C plus 2 T  powdered sugar
1/4 t salt
1 C butter, at room temperature
1 t vanilla

For the Chocolate Dough:
2 1/4 C cake flour
1 C plus 2 T powdered sugar
1/2 C plus 1 T natural or Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1/4 t salt
1 C butter, at room temperature
1 t vanilla

2 C (about 15 ounces)nonpareil sprinkles for decoration (optional)

Directions:

For the Vanilla Dough:
Combine flour, sugar and salt and mix on low speed until combined.

Add the butter and mix on low until the mixture appears to be lumpy.

Add the vanilla and mix on low until combined.  

Transfer dough to a bowl, cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

For the Chocolate Dough:
Combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder and salt and mix on low speed until combined.

Add the butter and mix on low until the mixture appears to be lumpy.

Add the vanilla and mix on low until combined.  

Transfer dough to a bowl, cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

To form into logs:
Divide the Vanilla Dough into thirds, with each piece weighing about 7 1/2 ounces. Divide the Chocolate Dough the same way. You will work with a third of each dough at a time.

On a piece of parchment paper or a pastry mat, flatten one piece of Vanilla Dough into a 7" x 5" rectangle. Repeat this with a piece of the Chocolate Dough. Place the chocolate rectangle on top of the vanilla rectangle, then cut the stack in half crosswise to create 2 pieces, each about 3 1/2" x 5". Place a chocolate rectangle on top of a vanilla to create 4 layers. You may need a bench/dough scraper to help with this. Press or roll the stack into a 9" x 4" rectangle. Cut the stack in half lengthwise to create two 9" x 2" pieces. Place one piece on top of the other to create a long narrow stack with 8 layers.

Carefully twist each end of the dough once or twice, gently working toward the center. Use your hands to twist the pattern and shape the swirled dough into a log about 8 1/2 ” x 2”. Set aside. Repeat this process with the remaining pieces of dough to form two more logs. Compress each log with your hands so it is compact, gently rolling back and forth until the log is round and uniformly shaped.

Place the sprinkles in a shallow pie dish and roll each log in the sprinkles to coat. If the dough is soft, set the coated logs on a baking sheet and refrigerate for about 1 hour or until firm enough to handle. Wrap each log in plastic wrap and return to the refrigerator for 2 hours to chill thoroughly.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Use a sharp knife to cut generous 1/4” slices and arrange 1/2" apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper or a Silpat.

Bake one sheet at a time just until they are no longer shiny on top and are lightly golden on the bottom, about 10 - 12 minutes. Cool completely on wire rack.

Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 10 days.

Makes about 12 dozen cookies

Source: Adapted from Pret a Gourmet

I’m linking this post up at:
Metamorphosis Monday, Menu Plan Monday , Skip to My Lou, Tip Me Tuesday, Today’s Creative Blog

Thin, Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies

A little over a week ago I had to have “emergency” eye surgery because of a detached retina in my left eye (if you get flashes of light or little black floaters in your vision, be sure to get them checked out ASAP by your eye doctor!). Since surgery I’ve been under doctor’s orders to “take it easy” and be on bed rest, but not today…I am going stir-crazy to say the least and I needed to get into the kitchen!

Luckily I had my daughter, Mia and niece, Sydney to keep me company in the kitchen today while I made these cookies.

My little helpers in the kitchen today: Sydney (front) & Mia (back).

Mia donning her chef's hat and the apron her grandma made her.

I call Mia my little Cookie Monster because she is frequently asking for a cookie; she says it so incredibly cute that it makes me laugh and she now asks with increasing frequency because of my amused reactions (as a matter of fact she’s asked for a cookie in her cute little way 3 times while I’ve been writing this post)!

Mia, my little Cookie Monster with her baby 'fro. :)

In any event, I didn’t want to turn to my go-to recipes for chocolate chip cookies from ATK (America’s Test Kitchen) because I wanted to turn my over-due return to the kitchen into a blog post! I’ve made 2 out 3 chocolate chip cookie recipes from ATK so I thought today would be the perfect day to try the third one.

Thin, Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies

While this isn’t my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe, it is definitely a keeper! Each of ATK’s recipes is so different from one another: one is thick and chewy, one is rich with a crisp exterior and chewy interior, and this one is just as the name suggests, thin and crispy.

From left to right: Thick & Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies, Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies (my personal fav), and Thin, Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Cook’s  Note: When wrapped well, the dough can be refrigerated up to 2 days or frozen up to 1 month. Be sure to bring it to room temperature before baking.

Thin, Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

1 1/2 C unbleached all-purpose flour (7 1/2 ounces)

1/4 t table salt

3/4 t baking soda

8 T unsalted butter (1 stick), melted and cooled

1/2 C granulated sugar

1/3 C packed light brown sugar

3 T light corn syrup

1 large egg yolk

2 T milk

1 T vanilla extract

3/4 C semisweet chocolate chips (about 4 1/2 ounces)

Directions:

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. Sift flour, salt, and baking soda onto large sheet of parchment paper; set aside.

In bowl of standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat melted butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and corn syrup at low speed until thoroughly blended, about 1 minute. Add yolk, milk, and vanilla; mix until fully incorporated and smooth, about 1 minute, scraping bottom and sides of bowl with rubber spatula as necessary. With mixer running on low speed, fold up 3 edges of parchment around dry ingredients to form a pouch (see illustrations below) and slowly shake dry ingredients into bowl; mix on low speed until just combined, about 2 minutes. Do not overbeat. Add chips and mix on low speed until distributed evenly throughout batter, about 5 seconds.

Leaving about 2 inches between each ball, scoop dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets with 1 1/4-inch (1 tablespoon capacity) ice cream scoop. Bake 1 sheet at a time, until cookies are deep golden brown and flat, about 12 minutes.

Ready for the oven!

Cool cookies on baking sheet 3 minutes. Using wide metal spatula, transfer cookies to wire rack and let sit until crisped and cooled to room temperature. (Can be stored in airtight container for up to 1 week.)

Hot from the oven, yum!

Makes about 4 dozen 2-inch cookies

Source: America’s Test Kitchen

Homemade Peppermint Patties

Peppermint is one of my most favorite flavorings; it’s crisp, clean, and a classic winter flavor. When I came across this recipe for homemade peppermint patties I just knew I needed to try them, and try I did <ahem…3 batches>. J They’re awesome and SO much better than the store-bought ones!

Homemade Peppermint Patties

Ingredients:

1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk

5 1/2 C powdered sugar, sifted

1 T peppermint extract

2 C bittersweet chocolate chips (I used Ghirardelli)

1 C semisweet chocolate chips (I used Ghirardelli)

3 T shortening

Directions:

Prepare two cookies sheet with either wax paper or a Slipmat, and set aside.

Add condensed milk, 2 cups of powdered sugar, and peppermint extract to a large mixing bowl. Mix everything on medium speed using the paddle attachment until all ingredients are well incorporated.

Add the remaining powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough is stiff but still pliable.

Using a 1 ½ tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop the mixture and form into balls. Press each ball down slowly to make a flattened disk, and place the disks on one of the prepared cookie sheets.

Transfer peppermint disks to the freezer and freeze for 30 minutes.

While the dough is chilling, Place the chocolate chips and shortening in a microwavable bowl. Melt the chocolate in 30 second increments on half power, and stir. Repeat until chocolate is smooth.

Remove patties from the freezer. Place a patty on the tines of a fork and dip in the chocolate until completely covered. Allow excess chocolate to drip off the patty before setting each one on the second prepared cookie sheet.

Place the cookie sheet in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours, or until the chocolate is set.

Makes about 32-40 patties.

Source: adapted from Savory Sweet Life

I’m linking this post up at:
Metamorphosis Monday, Menu Plan Monday , Skip to My Lou, Tip Me Tuesday, Today’s Creative Blog

Day 8 of 12 Days of Christmas Fun: Almond Roca Brittle

♪♫ On the 8^th day of Christmas Food, Folks, and Fun gave to me…♪♫

Almond Roca Brittle

Christmas Cookie Round-Up

Jingle All the Way Shadow Box Tutorial

Gingerbread Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting & a GIVEAWAY!

Cranberry-Pecan Chicken Salad

CHRISTmas Subway Art Printable

Thick & Chewy Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

Christmas To-Do List Printables

FOUR ingredients never tasted so good! I’ve made 3 batches of this brittle so far and have given most of it away as gifts. I’m thinking of making another batch today because it to SOOOOOO good! The buttery toffee is incredibly addicting; my husband’s grandmother said it’s even better than See’s Candies, Score!

Cook’s Note: This recipe relies on 2 things to help make it so incredibly yummy: toasted almonds (really make the effort to toast the almonds and not use raw ones), and a candy thermometer—you really want to make sure you heat the butter and sugar mixture to exactly 290°F…you can’t “eye-ball” this one, I tried to on my first batch and ended up burning itL.

My 9x13 pan all buttered and ready to go!

Look at all that butter, Paula Deen would be so proud! ;)

My almonds toasting.

Chopping my toasted almonds; I like to do 1/4 cup at a time to make sure I chop all the nuts.

The toffee mixture (butter, sugar, almonds) all smooth in the pan.

The chocolate atop the toffee mixture.

Spreading the chocolate with the back of a spoon.

The almonds atop the melted chocolate--all ready to be chilled!

The finished product: Almond Roca Brittle!

Almond Roca Brittle

Ingredients:

2 ½ C toasted almonds, chopped and divided

1 ½ C tightly-packed brown sugar

1 ½ C (3 sticks) salted butter

6 Hershey’s Bars

Directions:

Butter a 9 x 13 pan and set aside.

Chop the toasted almonds and place 1 ½ cups in a small bowl, and the remaining 1 cup in another small bowl, set aside.

Unwrap the chocolate bars and set aside.

In a medium or large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Once the butter stops foaming, add in the brown sugar and stir. Once the mixture begins to bubble, place in the candy/instant-read thermometer and stir constantly until the mixture reaches 290°F.

Remove the mixture from the heat and add the 1 ½ cups of toasted, chopped almonds. Pour into the buttered pan and smooth the mixture so it sits in the pan evenly.

Place the chocolate bars on top of the mixture and let it sit for about 3 minutes so the chocolate has the chance to melt so it will make spreading easier (you’ll know it’s ready to spread when it gets all nice and shiny).

Using the back of a spoon spread the chocolate in an even layer. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of toasted almonds over the chocolate and gently press it in.

Cover and chill the Almond Roca Brittle for at least 4 hours before breaking it apart (I personally like to chill it over night).

Use a knife to break the brittle apart.

***NOTE: After breaking apart the brittle you’ll be left with about ¼ cup of brittle shards. My family and I have found that these little shards are delicious on top of ice cream, YUM!

Source: mostly mine, but inspired from this recipe.

I’m linking this post up at:
Metamorphosis Monday, Menu Plan Monday , Skip to My Lou, Tip Me Tuesday, Today’s Creative Blog