Easy Chocolate Frosting

Quick and easy--just what the baker called for. And don't forget yummy...this frosting is definitely yummy...

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 6 tbsp baking cocoa
• 3-4 tbsp milk

With a mixer, combine all ingredients until smooth. Frost your cupcakes.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Cupcakes

Reese's Peanut Butter Cup in a cupcake? I am so there. Who can resist the mix of peanut butter and chocolate?? Not very many of us, that's for sure!

Ingredients

Filling

• 1 (3 oz) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup peanut butter
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp milk

Batter

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 3/4 cup cake flour
• 1/2 cup baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1. For filling: in a small mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, peanut butter, sugar, and milk until smooth.
2. Preheat oven to 350°. Place paper baking cups into 24 muffin cups.
   
3. In a large bowl, combine sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, water, milk, oil, and vanilla. Stir into dry ingredients until just moistened (batter will be runny)
4. Fill paper-lined muffin cups half full with batter. Drop 1 tsp of peanut butter filling into the center of each; cover with remaining batter.
5. Bake 18-22 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched. Remove from pans. Cool completely.
6. Frost with Easy Chocolate Frosting.
   

Whipped Cream

We're going back to basics with this easy whipped cream recipe. You could always use a frozen whipped topping, but why? Making your own whipped cream is so easy and tastes soooo much better!

Ingredients

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream, chilled
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1. Place a large (preferably metal--but only if you have it) mixing bowl and electric mixer beaters in the freezer for 10 minutes.
   
2. Pour the cream into the chilled bowl and beat with an electric mixer on high speed until the cream is thickened, about 1 1/2 minutes.
   
3. Stop beating and add the sugar and vanilla. Beat on high speed until stiff peaks form, about 1 to 2 minutes.
   

Pina Colada Cupcakes

Don't you just love the tropics? I do! And I really enjoy just sitting on the beach enjoying a cool pina colada. Yum! Well, we can bring the tropics home with these great cupcakes! Filled with all the great flavors of the drink, this is one cupcake you won't want to miss!

Ingredients

• 1 (18.25 oz) box yellow cake mix
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tsp rum extract
• 1 (8 oz) can crushed pineapple in juice, undrained
• 3 eggs
• Whipped Cream
• 1 tsp coconut extract
• 1 tsp rum extract
• 3/4 cup shredded coconut

1. Heat oven to 375°. Place paper baking cup in 24 muffin cups.
   


2. In a large bowl, beat cake mix, oil, water, 1 tsp rum extract, pineapple, and eggs with an electric or stand mixer on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat an medium speed for 2 minutes, Divide batter equally between muffin cups.


3. Bake 15-22 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched. Remove from pan; cool completely.


4. Stir coconut extract and 1 tsp run extract into whipped cream. Spread onto cupcakes. Dip tops of frosted cupcakes into coconut.
   

Chocolate Marshmallow Frosting

This is a great frosting that tastes great, transports well (yea!), and has a nice marshmallow-y flavor, which is awesome for adding a touch of sweetness to your "plain" cupcakes, and adds a nice marshmallow-y punch when paired with marshmallow cupcakes.

Ingredients

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3/4 cup marshmallow fluff
• 4 tbsp butter
• 1/4 cup (whole) milk
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1. Sift the sugar and cocoa powder together into a large mixing bowl.
   


2. Place marshmallow fluff, butter, and milk in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir until the butter and marshmallow fluff have melted. Remove pan from heat and stir in the sugar cocoa mixture and vanilla. Stir until the frosting is smooth and satiny.


3. Frost your cupcakes.
   

~This frosting is courtesy of the Cake Mix Doctor.

Chocolate Marshmallow Cupcakes

This is a gourmet version of a Hostess cupcake. It has the creamy center and the chocolaty cake, but it's been taken up a notch with a bit of marshmallow-y goodness.

Ingredients

• 1 (18.25 oz) package devil's food cake mix
• 1 1/4 cups water
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 3 eggs
  
• 3/4 cup shortening
• 2/3 cup powdered sugar
• 1 cup marshmallow fluff
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• Chocolate Marshmallow Frosting

1. Heat oven to 350°. Place paper cupcake liners in 24 muffin cups. Mix cake mix, oil, water, and eggs in a large mixing bowl until well blended. Divide evenly between muffin cups.


2. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched. Remove from pans and cool completely.


3. In a large mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugar together. Add marshmallow fluff and vanilla. Mix well.


4. Insert a small pastry tip into a pastry (or plastic) bag. Fill with creme filling. Insert tip halfway into the center of a cupcake and fill with a small amount of creme. Repeat with each cupcake. Frost with Chocolate Marshmallow Frosting.
   

Black Walnut Frosting

Let's just talk about gourmet frostings for a moment. You can take an extraordinary frosting and dress up an every day cupcake with it. Or you can put an extraordinary cupcake over the top with an extraordinary frosting. And this frosting is one of those out of this world, extra-special frostings.

Ingredients

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/3 cup butter, room temperature
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla Nut extract
• 1/2 tsp Black Walnut extract
• 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1. Beat cream cheese, butter, and extracts in a medium bowl until smooth.


2. Add powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, beating until frosting is of a spreading consistency.
   

Carrot Cupcakes

Looking for a change in your cupcake flavors? Try these little gems for a "just like grandma" makes kind of flavor. And make them really gourmet by frosting with some Black Walnut Frosting. Oh, joy...

Ingredients

• 1 (18.25 oz) package spice cake mix
• 1 1/4 cups water
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 3 eggs
  
• 1 1/2 cups shredded carrots
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1. Heat oven to 350°. Place paper cupcake liners in 18 muffin cups. Mix cake mix, oil, water, and eggs in a large mixing bowl until well blended. Stir in shredded carrots and walnuts. Divide evenly between muffin cups.
2. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched. Remove from pan; cool.
3. Frost.

Suggested frosting include Cream Cheese Frosting or Black Walnut Frosting.

White Fudge Cupcakes

I love this recipe--it comes from an old Watkins Vanilla recipe pamphlet. I've adapted it for cupcakes. So yummy!

Ingredients

• 4 ounces coarsely chopped white chocolate
• 1/2 cup hot water
• 2 1/2 cups flour (I suggest cake flour)
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 1/2 cup chopped almonds
• White Chocolate Frosting

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Place paper baking cups in 18 muffin cups.


2. Melt white chocolate with hot water in small saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently; cool. Combine flour, sugar, butter, buttermilk, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Beat with electric or stand mixer on low speed until just moistened. Beat for 1 minute on medium speed. Add eggs, melted white chocolate, vanilla and almond extracts. Beat for 1 minute more on medium speed. Mix in almonds. Divide batter evenly between muffin cups.


3. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched. Frost with White Chocolate Frosting.
   

Marshmallow Frosting

This is about the easiest and the tastiest frosting you can find, using on 3 ingredients. You can use this on so many different types of cupcakes!

Ingredients

• 1 (13 oz) jar marshmallow fluff
• 3 tbsp sour cream
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1. Remove the lid from the jar of marshmallow fluff. Microwave on high for about 45 seconds. Scrape the fluff out of the jar and into a mixing bowl.
   
2. Add sour cream and vanilla extract.
3. Using an electric or stand mixer, beat on medium speed about 1 minute, or until the frosting is fluffy.

Banana Split Cupcakes

Here in the desert of Southern Nevada, it's starting to warm up. The days have reached a balmy 85°, and my family is starting to crave ice cream. And I am obliging them. You, too, can oblige a craving for ice cream with these darling little cupcakes, although there isn't a lick of ice cream in them.

Ingredients

• 1 package (18.25 oz) yellow cake mix
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup mashed ripe bananas
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup drained and chopped maraschino cherries
• 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• Marshmallow Frosting

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line 30 muffin pan cups with paper baking liners.
2. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the dry cake mix; set aside. Combine remaining cake mix, water, bananas, and eggs in a large bowl. Beat with an electric or stand mixer for 30 seconds on low speed. Scrape sides of bowl. Continue beating at medium speed for 2 minutes. Combine chopped cherries and reserved cake mix in a small bowl. Stir cherry mixture and 1 cup of the chocolate chips into cake batter.
3. Spoon batter into muffin cups, filling 2/3 full. Bake 18-20 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched. Remove from pans and cool completely. Frost with Marshmallow Frosting.
4. Melt remaining chocolate chips one minute in microwave, stirring every 10 seconds. When melted, drizzle across the top of your frosted cupcakes.