Chocolate & Vanilla Holiday Cupcakes

Well, this was my first paid baking order! One of my coworkers asked me if I would bake her 2 dozen cupcakes for her to give to her department and family for the holidays. I was so ecstatic! This was definitely an experience for me. I had a fun time making these but, being the perfectionist that I am, I probably spent way more time on them than I should have. I charged her $1 per cupcake. Tell me..would you pay $1 for one of these cupcakes? :)

I made 1 dozen chocolate & 1 dozen vanilla. I mixed and matched Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate recipes with Katie's recipes. I got the sprinkles at Central Market. The lady I baked these for said they were awesome and everyone in her department gave rave reviews, especially for the vanilla cream cheese frosting. Thanks, Katie! :) Happy Holidays & enjoy!!

Chocolate Cupcakes adapted from Hershey's with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting adapted from Good Things Catered

Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup HERSHEY'S cocoa
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk (I used 1%)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

8 oz cream cheese, softened but still cool
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened but still cool
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
sprinkles to decorate

Directions:
Line cupcake tins with paper cups. Heat oven to 350 F. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Fill cups 2/3 full with batter. About 24 cupcakes. Bake 22 to 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until creamy. Add confectioners sugar and process until smooth. Refrigerate until cupcakes are completely cool and ready to decorate. Frost and decorate cupcakes with sprinkles as you like.



Classic French Vanilla Cupcakes adapted from Good Things Catered with Chocolate Frosting adapted from Hershey's


Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups cake flour, sifted
1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup whole milk (I only had 1%)
1 vanilla bean
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/3 cup HERSHEY'S cocoa
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 F and line cupcake tins with paper cups. In large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and whisk to combine thoroughly. Set aside. In bowl of stand mixer, beat butter on high until soft, about 30 seconds. Add sugar and beat on high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, fully incorporating after each addition. Add innards of vanilla bean and extract. Turn mixer to low and alternatively add milk and flour mixture until fully incorporated. Divide batter evenly among baking cups (should fill about 3/4 full). About 18 cupcakes. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center of cupcakes comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool completely.

Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. Frost and decorate cupcakes with sprinkles.

Double Chocolate Bundt Cake

Well, I wasn't planning on using Hershey's "Perfectly Chocolate Cake" recipe until later this week for cupcakes, but when my husband asked me to bake a chocolate bundt cake, I decided to try out the recipe now! Wow, I am so glad he saved me a piece (he brought it to work today) because it was definitely perfectly chocolatey! ;) The changes I made to the recipe are that I added sour cream and chocolate chips.

Thank you again to TPOX for my brand new bundt pan which she sent me for the WC Holiday Exchange. Here is the first of many bundt cakes that I will make with it! :)

Adapted from hersheys.com

Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup HERSHEY'S cocoa
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk (I used 1%)
1/2 cup vegetable oil 
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 cup sour cream (I added this)

1 cup chocolate chips (I added this)

1 cup boiling water

confectioners sugar

Directions:
Heat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour 12-cup Bundt pan. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil, sour cream and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin) and chocolate chips. Pour batter into prepared pan. 

Bake 50 to 55 minutes. Cool 15 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely. Dust with confectioners sugar.

Lemon Bundt Cake with Glaze

My great friend Kacy at work let me borrow her Bundt pan after much begging. :) I decided to bring this lemon cake as a breakfast treat during one of our HR meetings and it went over very well. Everyone loved it!  Goes great with your morning coffee or tea. Two things I will change next time: I will definitely add more lemon juice & zest to the cake mixture, for more lemon flavor, and also more milk for texture. 

Oh, and I now have my very OWN Bundt pan (thanks to Stefany!) so next up is my Mom's very own banana bread recipe. I can't wait!!

Adapted from about.com

Ingredients:

Cake:
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/3 cup lemon juice (next time I will do 1/2 cup)
5 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup milk
grated lemon zest from 1 large lemon (next time I will do 1 cup)

Glaze:
1 cup confectioners sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 F. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add in the 1/2 cup lemon juice until well blended. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. In another bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture, a little at a time, alternating with the milk. Stir in lemon zest. Pour batter into a greased 12-cup Bundt cake pan.

Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until cake springs back when touched. Cake will slightly pull away from sides of pan. Cool for 5 minutes in the pan; invert and cool completely on metal rack.

Glaze:
Blend confectioners sugar with 2 tablespoons lemon juice until smooth. Drizzle over the cake.

Vegan Banana Oat Chocolate Chip Muffins

What else is there to whip up when you have ripe bananas other than good ol' banana muffins??

I just found a new website tonight and I think I am officially obsessed! It is veganyumyum! Wow, this girl has some awesome recipes..and they are all vegan! This particular recipe was not on there, so I searched online and found one I liked. I changed just a couple things, like I do not have whole wheat flour so I used all-purpose.

I just ate one fresh out of the oven and they are YUMMY! So, the next time you have some ripe bananas, forget the eggs and milk and whip up these easy, delicious vegan muffins!

Adapted from gleek.net's flickr

Makes 10 large muffins

Ingredients:

3 ripe bananas
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup canola oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup oats 
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease muffin tins or use paper liners.

Mash bananas in a bowl. Mix in oil, sugar and vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices. Add flour mixture to banana mixture and combine. Stir in chocolate chips.

Spoon into muffin tins and bake for 20-25 minutes until muffins are done and slightly browned on top.