Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

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Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

A couple of weeks ago I woke up on a Saturday morning, and wanted to bake something to take to our local homebrew store to share with our buddies there. They are always so informative and helpful, and I’m always promising them some goody the next time I come in – and then never deliver. That needed to end. So, I took my favorite chocolate cupcake recipe and had a little bit of fun with it the morning before we left.

The only thing I really changed was adding a bit of peanut butter to the frosting. Then topped with some chopped peanuts for a garnish. Yowza – talk about a good cupcake! The cake is tender and moist, but the frosting – the frosting is where it’s at. Rich and decadent, but with a salty kick from the peanut butter. And the peanuts resting on top were just the perfect crunch to set the whole thing off.

The guys at the brew shop of course loved them, even Jon who’s really trying to watch his weight for the “Biggest Loser” competition at work (the guys been eating Greek yogurt for lunch everyday – talk about committed!) even broke down and ate one. And I pretty much ate the rest. One for me…three for baby.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup hot coffee
chopped peanuts, for garnish

For the frosting:
4 oz. unsweetened chocolate, roughly chopped
3 cups confectioners’ sugar
8 Tbsp (1 stick) butter, room temperature
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Add milk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla to flour mixture and mix together on medium speed until well combined. Reduce speed and carefully add the coffee to the cake batter. Beat for about 1 minute to combine well.

Fill cupcake liners about 2/3 of the way full. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.

For the frosting, melt the chocolate in a double boiler. Combine butter and peanut butter and beat until fluffy. Carefully add the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and salt and beat until no lumps remain. With the mixer on low, slowly add the chocolate and mix until combined. If frosting is too thick, add a splash of milk to reach desired consistency.

Frost cupcakes as desired and garnish with chopped peanuts.

Blood Orange Yogurt Cake

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Blood Orange Yogurt Cake

By this time of year, I’m ready for spring to come. However there’s one thing that I look forward to…the arrival of all kinds of delicious and exotic citrus in the stores. Things like meyer lemons, sweet Cara Caras, plump Tangelos, and of course blood oranges. With their mottled color orange and red skin, along with the deep red colored flesh…they make for such a special treat that I can never pass up when I come across them in the store.

My favorite thing to do with them is usually make margaritas, but since that’s out for me this season I’ve had to turn to other things. I’m freezing some juice, by the way, so that I can enjoy some of those delicious cocktails come summertime! I’ll probably need a margarita or two with 3 little boys to to look after…Ahhh, fun times ahead.

Anyways, this cake. Yogurt cakes are one of my favorite baked goods on the planet. So much moisture and they love to take on the flavor of whatever fruit you want to throw into them. Case in point – blood oranges. The cake itself is studded with plenty of fresh zest and juice, and then topped with a gorgeous glaze simply made from some confectioner’s sugar and a bit of additional juice from the orange. Can you believe that color? So gorgeous.

I topped with candied orange slices for a garnish that is almost too pretty to eat. Almost. So, if you’ve seen these funny looking oranges in the store, but weren’t quite sure what to do with them – this easy cake is a great place to start. It’s wonderful for dessert, or a slice with your tea or coffee in the morning, or even for a fancy brunch…t’s sure to please everyone.

Blood Orange Yogurt Cake

Blood Orange Yogurt Cake

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 cup Greek yogurt
1 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs
zest of two blood oranges
1/3 cup freshly squeezed blood orange juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup vegetable oil

For the glaze:
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
2-3 tbsp. freshly squeezed blood orange juice

For the candied orange slices:
1 blood orange
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour a 8.5 inch x 4 inch loaf pan and set aside.

In a small bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to combine.

In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment combine the yogurt, sugar, eggs, orange zest, orange juice, and vanilla. Whisk to combine. With the mixer on running on low, add in the dry ingredients into just combined. Then pour the vegetable oil into the batter and mix until it’s combined well.

Pour batter into loaf pan and bake in preheated oven for about 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

To make the candied orange slices, wash and dry the orange thoroughly. Cut the orange in half lengthwise, then use a sharp knife to make very thin slices of orange. Poke out any seeds using a toothpick. Combine the sugar and water in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Heat the mixture until the sugar dissolves. Add the orange slices to the mixture so that they are in a single layer, reduce the heat to medium-low and let simmer about 20 minutes, turning the slices at least once so both sides are candied. Remove from the heat. Let air-dry on a cooling rack (place some paper towels underneath the rack to catch the syrup drips) until ready to garnish.

When the cake is completely cool, combine the confectioners’ sugar and orange juice in a small bowl and whisk to blend until smooth. Adjust the consistency as needed with additional juice or confectioners’ sugar. Drizzle the glaze over the top of the cake and garnish with the candied orange slices. Let stand briefly until the glaze sets. Slice and serve.

Cake can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Source: cake adapted from Picky Cook, glaze and candied oranges from Annie’s Eats

Southwest Potato & Corn Chowder

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Southwest Potato & Corn Chowder

I haven’t been able to stop thinking about this soup since I made it two weeks ago. I thought a potato corn chowder sounded great, and remembered  a poblano potato soup my friend Katie had posted. I didn’t have any poblanos on hand, but I did have a couple bell peppers. So I went with that, added a little bit more corn, and topped with some cilantro before serving for a Southwestern twist.

I used bacon this time around, but I’m thinking that chorizo might be a nice addition and spice it up even more – so I’m looking forward to trying that rendition next time. The tender potatoes and sweet corn, along with the colorful peppers made for a perfect marriage of flavor. And the cilantro on top was just the bright, fresh kick that it needed.

It was reminiscent of my favorite Loaded Baked Potato Soup – but much lighter in flavor without the addition of a bunch of sour cream. We all went back for seconds the first night I made it, and Andrew even went back for a third bowl. I enjoyed leftovers for lunch the majority of the rest of the week – and it was one of those things that I was very sad when it was finally gone. It’s definitely going to be making an appearance on our menu again very soon!

Southwest Potato & Corn Chowder

8 slices bacon, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 orange bell pepper, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp butter
1/3 cup flour
1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
1/2 tsp freshly-ground black pepper, plus more to taste
1 tsp ground cumin
8 cups chicken broth
4 cups starchy potatoes (Russet or all purpose), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 lb frozen corn kernels
1 cup half-and-half
1/2 cup grated Pepper Jack or cheddar cheese, for serving
1/2 cup fresh chopped cilantro, for serving

Cook bacon in a large stock pot until crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and reserve.

Reduce heat to medium and add the butter, onions, and bell peppers. Cook 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent. Add the garlic and cook for an addtional minute until fragrant.

Stir in the flour, salt, pepper, and cumin. Cook 3 minutes. Slowly add in broth and bring to a boil. Add the potatoes, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes, until the potatoes are fork tender.

Add the corn, as well as the half-and-half to the soup and cook for about 15 minutes more. Season to taste with salt and pepper. If you want a thicker consistency, give the chowder a few mashes with a potato masher to break down some of the potatoes and thicken the mixture.

To serve, ladle chowder into bowl. Top with cheese, bacon, and fresh cilantro.

Source: adapted from So Tasty, So Yummy

Red Velvet Whoopie Pies

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Red Velvet Whoopie Pies

Happy Valentine’s Day! I know it’s kind of last minute, but I wanted to share these adorable whoopie pies with you guys today anyways. I made them yesterday to send in with Andrew for his class party today, and I was just smitten with the cuteness factor.

I was debating making a red velvet brownie of some sort, or these – but since I’d not made whoopie pies before, I went with them. The first batch I made using another recipe turned out…not so good. They spread way too much and were just kind of flat. But, I can always count on my buddy Annie to steer me in the right direction – because the recipe that I found on her site turned out absolutely perfect.

I remember my first taste of a whoopie pie was when my mom traveled up to Pennsylvania to purchase a draft horse to pull our wagon for hayrides at the farm she was managing – the people were so friendly, stuffing my pockets with whoopie pies. After one bite, I was instantly hooked. Nowadays, I usually stock up on them when we visit Annapolis on the weekends and stop by the Pennsylvania Dutch Farmer’s Market – it’s this really cool spot where Amish families gather on the weekends to sell their goods…everything from produce, to baked goods, to meats. It’s wonderful, and everything they offer is top-notch!

At any rate, I’m glad to be able to make these at home. And, I’m looking forward to trying different flavors in the future. I embellished them with some Valentine sprinkles to make them a little more festive, and I think they’re really the perfect treat to send in with the little ones. Compact, hand-held, and relatively clean. I hope they have as much fun enjoying them as I had making them. Have a Happy Valentine’s Day everyone, and a great weekend too!

Red Velvet Whoopie Pies

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
8 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
1 oz. red food coloring

For the frosting:
8 oz. cream cheese
5 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 3/4 cups confectioners’ sugar

Preheat the oven to 375? F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, soft together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and brown sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the egg until incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Blend in the vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, beat in about a third of the dry ingredients, followed by half of the buttermilk, beating each addition just until incorporated. Repeat so that all the buttermilk has been added and then mix in the final third of dry ingredients. Be careful not to overmix. Blend in the food coloring.

Using a 1 Tbsp cookie scoop, scoop batter onto the prepared baking sheets – leaving about 2 inches between each cake. Smooth out tops with a moistened finger. Bake about 8 minutes, or until the tops are set. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets at least 10 minutes, until they can be easily transferred to a cooling rack. Repeat with any remaining batter. Allow cookies to cool completely before proceeding.

To make the cream cheese frosting, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment beat the cream cheese and butter on medium-high speed until well combined and smooth, about 2-3 minutes. Mix in the vanilla extract. Gradually beat in the confectioners’ sugar until totally incorporated, increase the speed and then beat until smooth.

Transfer mixture to a piping bag fitted with a plain round tip. Carefully pipe about 2 tablespoons of the cream cheese filling onto one side of the whoopie pie. Top with the other half. Let pies sit for an hour before wrapping them individually with plastic wrap and storing in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Source: adapted from Annie’s Eats