A Bold Pillsbury Giveaway! (CLOSED)

At the first of the month, I shared with you some fun and pretty flower cupcakes I made for Mother's Day using Pillsbury® bold Funfetti cake mixes and frosting. You're going to get the chance to make these at home because today I'm having a giveaway for a Pillsbury Celebration Starter Kit valued at over $100!

Included in the prize pack from Pillsbury® is: 

• Funfetti® Aqua Blue Cupcake and Cake Mix
• Funfetti® Orange All Star™ Cupcake and Cake Mix
• Funfetti® Neon Yellow Cupcake and Cake Mix
• Funfetti® Vibrant Green Cupcake and Cake Mix
• Funfetti® Orange All Star™ Vanilla Flavored Frosting
• Funfetti® Neon Yellow Vanilla Flavored Frosting
• $100 Visa Gift Card

Learn more about the bold product line by visiting Pillsbury on Facebook, PillsburyBaking.com and Pillsbury on Pinterest.

To enter this fabulous giveaway, simply leave me a comment on this blog post telling me what your favorite kind of cake is. That's it! There are no right or wrong answers, lets just talk cake and maybe even drool a little bit in the process :-)

One entry per person. Open to U.S. residents only. 

*I was provided with product samples and compensation by Pillsbury®, though the opinions I express here are my own. ©/® The J.M. Smucker Company. Pillsbury is a trademark of The Pillsbury Company, LLC, used under license. 

Spring Bouquet For Mother's Day

I bought these tulip cupcake liners about 3 years ago with the thought that I would make some really pretty Mother's Day cupcakes and that just never happened. Life got in the way, there were other recipes requested and then I misplaced the liners until recently when Hayden was pulling my baking supplies out of a cabinet and playing with them in the living room :-). When Pillsbury® sent me some samples of their new bold Funfetti cake and cupcake mixes, I knew the yellow would be perfect for Spring cupcakes. Sometimes, life just works itself out and things fall into place.

My second mom, Olivia, gave me this Pillsbury Poppin' Fresh doll when she came to visit for Easter. He was the perfect little helper and inspiration in the kitchen and he's just so cute, don't you think? I think he'd approve of my use of  bold Pillsbury flower cupcakes. I'm kind of funny about colored mixes and drinks- I want the flavor to reflect the color so I added some bright lemon zest and juice to the batter along with buttermilk for some extra tang and to provide maximum moisture. So not only do they look like Spring, they taste like it too! The neon pink Funfetti icing was the perfect compliment to the pop of yellow underneath. 

These cupcakes are fun and worthy of a celebration, but they're easy enough that you don't have to stress about making them. They can be decorated any way you want, these flowers are just an idea but you can get more inspiration by visiting Pillsbury on Facebook, PillsburyBaking.com and Pillsbury on Pinterest. Any decorative tips, colors or sprinkles will work. Have fun with it and let everyone help and decorate their own for a truly unique experience. 

Lemon Buttermilk Flower Cupcakes

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• 1- 8.25 oz. package Pillsbury Funfetti Neon Yellow Cake Mix
• 2/3 cup buttermilk
• 1/4  cup vegetable oil
• 1 large egg
• 1 Tablespoon lemon zest
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line cupcake tin with paper liners and set aside. 

Place all ingredients in a large bowl and beat with a hand mixer until batter is smooth and creamy and no traces of cake mix remain. 

Evenly divide the cake mix between the paper liners, filling them no more than 2/3 full. 

Bake for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 

Makes 10-12 cupcakes, depending on size. 

Once cupcakes are baked, allow them to cool in pan for five minutes before removing them to a wire rack to cool completely. 

For the Frosting: 

Transfer your favorite colors of Pillsbury Funfetti frosting to a piping bag fitted with your favorite icing tips and decorate the tops of the cooled cupcakes to resemble flowers. Use the sprinkles and colored sugar that come with the frosting to bring your cupcake flowers to life!

I used these Wilton tips for decorating: 

• leaf tip- #67
• round dot tip- #12
• small flower tip- #224
• swirl tip- #21

Store cupcakes at room temperature, in an airtight container. 

*I was provided with product samples and compensation by Pillsbury®, though the opinions I express here are my own. ©/® The J.M. Smucker Company. Pillsbury is a trademark of The Pillsbury Company, LLC, used under license. 

Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes & The Pillsbury Giveaway Winner

Yesterday, October 15th, was Infant and Pregnancy Loss Awareness Day. It's a day to remember all the babies that left this world too soon. I lit a candle for my boys and set out a few things that remind me of them. In my cookbook, I shared my story about how I got into blogging, and my struggle with becoming a mom to a live baby. I questioned whether or not to add this to the book because I know many people are uncomfortable with death and some will think that it's irrelevant to baking. However, for me, this is my reality and I never would have started this blog or have written a cookbook if it weren't for the loss of my sons. Losing them made me see things differently, made me love deeper, and opened my life up to so many more opportunities. 

To stabilize the cones, line a cupcake pan with foil, cut a small hole in the center of each indention and place the cone snugly in the center. Don't make the hole too big or the cones will wobble. 

I made these ice cream cone cupcakes for my first born Sam's 6th angel birthday. I've always wanted to make cupcakes in ice cream cones for him and this was finally the year. I had some leftover vanilla buttercream that was tinted a lovely shade of sky blue from a previous project, so I used that to top them. The chocolate malted cupcakes come from Martha's Cupcakes. They were good but the malt flavor was very mild. A malted frosting would be nice on these, maybe even a few malted milk balls, if you're a fan of those. I opted for colorful sprinkles because I imagine any 6 year old boy of mine would love that. 

I love you Sam. Thinking of you and Jack, today and always.

Chocolate Malted Cupcakes 

from Martha's Cupcakes

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• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup milk, at room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups malted milk powder
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 cup sour cream, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line cupcake pans with paper liners.

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, both sugars, the baking soda and salt together.  Whisk the milk and malt powder in a measuring cup.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the oil, flour mixture and milk mixture until smooth.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, and stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl once or twice.  Beat in the sour cream and vanilla, mixing just until combined.

Divide the batter among the prepared pans, filling each well about half full.  Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the tops of the cupcakes spring back when lightly pressed and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Transfer the pans to wire racks and let the cupcakes cool for about 5 minutes before removing them from the pans.  Cool completely before frosting.

Makes 28 cupcakes.

NOTE: I made 1/3 batch of this cupcake recipe and yielded 10 ice cream cone cupcakes. To make the ice cream cone cupcakes, fill cones 2/3 full and bake til a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 15-18 minutes. 

The winner of the Pillsbury Celebrate More Fall Celebration Kit and $100 gift card is....

Commenter #4 Lisa Ghenne from The Cutting Edge of Ordinary. This is what she said she loves about Fall...

"EVERYTHING! I can't wait for autumn to arrive. Sweaters, cozy socks, pumpkins, apples, chilly nights by the fire pit, soups, stews, casseroles! I love it all! Thanks for the chance at this sweet prize! Pun intended!"

Congratulations Lisa! Please email me with your address to claim your prize!

My Birthday Cakes and No-Bake Cake Pops

I had a birthday a couple weeks ago. What is it about birthdays after 30, that just aren't so exciting? Maybe when I turn 40, I'll get a party, though I might be mourning my 30's by then. Who knows?! Anyway, my 31st birthday was spent mostly hanging out with Hayden and working on my cookbook. See that strawberry topped cake? That was the birthday cake I made myself. It was also the cake that will adorn the cover of my cookbook. I'm pretty thrilled about that! Then family came over and brought me more cake...and I went into a sugar coma! 

My sister made me pink lemonade cupcakes in adorable penguin cupcake liners. I have a deep love for penguins, so I absolutely loved the look of these, they were delicious too. And my mom made me a Funfetti cake with rainbow chip icing. You can't eat Funfetti cake and not feel like a kid. I loved that they baked for me- it made me feel special. What's funny is that Hayden thinks that when you sing 'happy birthday' that it's for him. He gets a big grin on his face and starts clapping. I'm more than willing to give that to him :-)

I made these no-bake cake truffles a couple months ago when I had leftover Funfetti cake mix from making these rice crispy treats. Mix, roll, and dip. No baking necessary. Since they were so simple to make Hayden and I decided to decorate popsicle sticks to jazz them up. 

Can you guess which stick Hayden decorated?

I had a minor issue with these though. After I dipped them in the coating and they set up overnight, the truffle expanded and the candy coating cracked on some of them. I made a couple batches to test them out, some I refrigerated, some I did not and the results were the same. I think that maybe I rolled the balls too tight, but I'm not sure. I read through the comments on the blog I got the recipe from and others had the same issue. I googled my problem and found that this is a common issue when making cake pops. Anyway, they were fun and simple and tasty. Don't let a little cracked coating deter you from making them. Kids will have fun with these too and will eat them up so fast you'll forget about all the imperfections. 

No-Bake Funfetti Cake Truffles

loosely adapted from Chef In Training

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• 1 cup dry Funfetti cake mix (any flavor will work)
• 1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• candy coating or chocolate for dipping

Mix dry cake mix, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla together until combined. 

Roll into 1-inch balls. Coat with candy coating or melted chocolate. Top with sprinkles while the coating is still wet. Allow to set.

Hayden playing with the sprinklers and trying to spray his momma!

Why Did I Wait So Long?!

I have wanted to make these cupcakes since 2008 when I saw Kristin from The Kitchen Sink Recipes make them. The contrast of the white filling against the dark cocoa cupcake intrigued me. Not to mention that I love anything with chocolate and cream cheese. Add a few fresh strawberries and I'd have the perfect trifecta. 

Yet, for some reason I never made them. I didn't forget about them, but I kept waiting for a special occasion to make them. I don't really know what I was waiting for but earlier this year my aunt made them and texted me a picture of these cupcakes she made and I got jealous. Silly, I know. I was bound and determined to make these cupcakes so once I finished up my cookbook baking I made these cupcakes and they did not disappoint. They were everything I hoped they would be. It's like a moist chocolate cupcake meets cheesecake studded with chocolate chips. 

I'm not generally a fan of warm cream cheese but I ate one of these when it was still slightly warm and the chocolate chips were nice and soft. So good! The only issue I had with this recipe was that it was supposed to make 12 cupcakes, but I had a lot of filling leftover so I ended up making another 1/3 batch of cupcakes. I made the adjustments in the recipe below and you should get about 18 full sized cupcakes. More cupcakes is never a bad thing. Please don't wait 5 years like I did to make these cupcakes!

Black Bottom Cupcakes adapted from TheKitchenSinkRecipes

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Cream Cheese Filling:

• 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Chocolate Cupcakes:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/3 cups brown sugar, packed
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 
• 1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/3 cups brewed coffee, cooled 
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons vinegar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For The Filling: Beat together the cream cheese, sugar and egg until smooth. Stir in the chocolate chips. Set aside.

For The Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin tins with 18 paper liners.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix to combine then add the cooled coffee, oil, vinegar, and vanilla. Stir until just combined and no traces of flour remain but try and avoid over mixing the batter. 

Divide the cocoa batter evenly between the paper liners. Then spoon about 3-4 teaspoons of the cream cheese filling into the center of the cupcake. The cups will be about 3/4 full. 

Bake for 22-25 minutes, or until the tops are set and the cupcakes spring back when gently pressed. 

Allow to cool for a few minutes in the baking tin before removing the cupcakes to a cooling rack. 

Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. 

Note: You can use plain water instead of the coffee if you prefer. Or you can use water and instant coffee or espresso powder in place of the brewed coffee. 

Hot Cocoa Cupcakes

Hi Everyone, 

I mentioned last week that my Hot Cocoa Cupcakes were going to be featured on People.com. The link for Kid Friendly Holiday Cupcakes went live on Tuesday and out of the 14  festive cupcakes featured, mine were front and center. I am beyond thrilled! Thank you for stopping by and sharing in my joy. And thank you Brooke for asking me to be a part of this segment- I'm honored to be included with so many other talented bakers. 

~Monica h

Hot Cocoa Cupcakes for People.com!

I still haven't made any Christmas cookies, but I made these adorable cupcakes for People.com. As in People Magazine!!! Outside I'm calm and collected, inside I'm jumping up and down with glee! How exciting is that? I was asked to contribute a kid friendly holiday cupcake photo and I didn't have anything on my blog that was quite right, so I came up with these hot cocoa cupcakes that were not only cute but tasty and full of holiday flavors. 

I started off with my favorite chocolate cupcake recipe and substituted prepared hot cocoa in place of the water and added a handful of chocolate chips for extra richness and flavor. Then instead of frosting, I used an array of cocoa toppings that included fresh whipped cream, mini marshmallows, mini chocolate chips and crushed peppermints. Since these cupcakes are essentially mugs of hot cocoa, I finished them off with edible mini candy cane handles. I loved how these turned out! If you like chocolate and mint, these are sure to be a hit with your little elves. 

Hot Cocoa Cupcakes from Monica h

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For The Cupcakes:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1 cup prepared hot cocoa, cooled
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

For The Whipped Cream

• 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
• 1/3 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Garnishes:

• mini marshmallows
• mini chocolate chips
• crushed peppermints
• 18 mini candy canes

For The Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line cupcake tins with 18 paper liners and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Using a wire whisk, blend the dry ingredients thoroughly.

Add the oil, prepared hot cocoa, vanilla and eggs to the dry ingredients. Whisk until well incorporated and no lumps remain. Stir in the chocolate chips. 

Evenly divide the batter between the lined cupcakes tins.

Bake the cupcakes for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool for 10 minutes; then place them on a rack to cool completely.

For The Whipped Cream: In a medium bowl, combine heavy cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract. With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat until thick, creamy, and slightly stiff, being careful not to overbeat. 

To Assemble The Cupcakes: Pipe or mound the sweetened whipped cream onto the cooled cupcakes. Garnish with a sprinkling of mini marshmallows, mini chocolate chips and crushed peppermints. Add a mini candy cane tucked into the side of the cupcake, to make a handle for the "mug" of hot cocoa. 

Serve immediately. Cover and refrigerate any leftovers. 

Makes 18 cupcakes. 

A Classic Recipe With A Twist

The members of the "Lick The Bowl" household are Texas Sheet Cake lovers. Being fans of chocolate cake, cinnamon kissed fudgy icing loaded with homegrown toasted pecans....What's not to love? Well if you're not nut or chocolate fans, then move on, but if you're a sucker for the good stuff like I am, then stick around and pour yourself a glass of icy milk, because I turned the Southern potluck favorite into cupcakes!

Traditionally, a Texas Sheet Cake is baked and served in the same pan. While the cake is still warm from the oven, you pour the molten icing over it and allow it to cool. This gives the icing and the cake ample opportunity to bond and become one with one another as the icing oozes into all the nooks and crannies. It's a good thing, trust me. My version starts off with a simple one-bowl chocolate cupcake then after it's cooled,  gets iced with a rich and sweet cocoa icing loaded with toasted pecans. Allowing the cupcakes and icing to cool a bit before topping them them helps keep the icing intact, rather than sliding off the cupcake and onto the counter. 

"Momma give me a cupcake!" 

These cupcakes were rich and decadent, just like the typical sheet cake. All the elements of the classic cake are still there, just in a new and prettier (updated) package, which makes them perfect for gift giving or celebrations. I don't know about you, but I like classic recipes with a twist- it keeps things fresh and exciting. If you're a Texas Sheet Cake fan, I sincerely hope you'll consider whipping up a batch or two and sharing with your loved ones. 

Texas Sheet Cake Cupcakes from Monica h

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Chocolate Cupcakes:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line cupcake tins with 18 paper liners and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Using a wire whisk, blend the dry ingredients thoroughly.

Add the oil, water, vanilla and eggs to the dry ingredients. Whisk until well incorporated and no lumps remain.  

Evenly divide the batter between the lined cupcakes tins.

Bake the cupcakes for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool for 10 minutes; then place them on a rack to cool completely before topping with pecan fudge icing.

Toasted Pecan Fudge Icing: 

• 1/2 cup pecans
• 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 Tablespoons milk
• 4 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, optional
• 1 1/3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

While the oven is still on, place your pecans on a rimmed baking sheet and place in the oven for 10 minutes until the pecans become aromatic and have turned a slight golden brown, being careful not to burn them. 

Remove from the oven and allow them to cool on the baking sheet. Once cool, chop the pecans and set them aside. 

In a medium sauce pot, combine butter, milk, cocoa and cinnamon (if using). Stir over low heat until butter is melted. Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time while continuing to stir until smooth. Stir in vanilla extract and chopped pecans. 

Take the pan off the heat but leave the icing in the pot. Allow the icing to cool for 15-30 minutes until the pot is cool enough to touch. The icing will thicken as it cools. You want the icing to be thick enough to stay on top of the cupcake but not too thick that it doesn't spread. If your icing becomes hard and too thick to handle, place it back on the stove over low heat and stir until the desired consistency is met. 

Using a small ice cream scoop, place a small mound on top of each cupcake. The icing will spread slightly and possibly drip down the sides a bit, depending how warm your icing is. Divide evenly over each cupcake. Allow the icing to cool completely and set before enjoying. 

Store loosely covered at room temperature. 

Makes 18 cupcakes. 

Hayden's 1st Birthday Cupcakes

Hayden celebrated his 1st birthday last Saturday, September 1st. We went up to Mount Bonnell for an evening picnic and to watch the sunset over Lake Austin. We didn't have a birthday party for him until a week later, but I did make him a batch of kid friendly cupcakes. You can't have a birthday and not have a cupcake, right? For that matter, you can't have a birthday and not lick the beater either! 

I debated between pumpkin, banana, carrot or apple his cupcakes. Mr. H doesn't love the first two so that left carrot cupcakes or apple cupcakes, except Hayden is kind of funny about textures in his food so I wasn't sure he'd like shredded carrots in his cake. And I was out of apple sauce. Enter his baby food- Plum Organics carrot and apple puree. It's delicious and worked perfectly in this recipe. You could use all carrot or apple if you prefer, but this is what I had on hand and it was a success. You could taste both fruits, but overall it was just like a moist and moderately sweet spice cake topped with a brown sugar and spice cream cheese frosting. It doesn't get much better than that! 

Carrot and Apple Spice Cupcakes from Monica h

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• 1/4 cup (4 Tbsp) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 2 large eggs
• 2 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup carrot and apple puree (Plum Organics Baby Food)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cupcake tin with paper liners and set aside. 

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars til fluffy and pale in color. Add the cinnamon and nutmeg and mix until the spices are fully incorporated. 

Add the eggs, one at a time, until well blended then add the maple syrup and vanilla and mix. 

Gently add the flour, baking soda and salt. Stir until just combined but avoid overmixing the batter. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula then add the pureed carrot and apple mixture. Stir until combined. 

Divide batter into 12 cupcake liners, filling each about 3/4 full. 

Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow cupcakes to cool slightly before removing to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting with Brown-Sugar and Spice Cream Cheese Frosting. 

Brown Sugar and Spice Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1/4 cup (4 Tbsp) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 6 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until creamy and smooth. Add the brown sugar and spices and beat on medium-high speed until fluffy. Use immediately. 

Makes 12 cupcakes. 

Our attempt at a family photo :-) Happy Birthday Hayden!

Summery Birthday Cupcakes & A Winner!

My sweet angel boy Sam would have turned 6 years old this past August 15th. It's hard to believe that that much time has passed. Every year we celebrate by baking him up a cake or cupcakes, and going to the cemetery for a balloon release. This year was no different only Hayden was with us and he sent the balloons up to his big brother. He will always be my first born even if he's not here. And I will always celebrate his life as long as I'm his momma. This year it was with strawberry lemonade cupcakes. 

Strawberries and lemons just scream summer to me and these were the perfect refreshing treat. They were sweet and tangy, bright and loaded with lemon zest in the cupcake, in the filling and in the buttercream. I found the recipe at Four Points Foodie and adapted it to my liking. I can't say that I've seen a cupcake filled with fresh diced lemony strawberries before so I was definitely intrigued. These were delicious and perfect for celebrating a sixth birthday. 

There are a few more days of Summer left and if you're looking for a seasonal recipe to whip up for your Labor Day weekend, these might be the cuppies for you! For the winner of the "Whatever Happened To Sunday Dinner?" cookbook head to the bottom of this post. 

Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes adapted from Four Points Foodie

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For The Cupcakes:

• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/8 tsp of salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• Zest of 1 lemon

For The Strawberry Lemon Filling:

• 1/4 cup diced strawberries
• 1 1/2 tsp sugar
• Zest of 1 lemon

For The Lemon Buttercream:

• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tsp lemon juice

For The Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 8 cupcake tins with paper cups.  

In a mixer, cream butter until light and fluffy then add the sugar and mix well. Add the egg and the vanilla  then stir.  Alternately add the flour and the milk, mixing well after each addition. Add the salt and baking powder then scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the lemon juice and zest then stir well.   

Scoop into cupcake papers filling no more than 3/4 full. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean.  Remove from oven and allow to cool completely on a wire rack. 

For The Strawberry Filling: In a small bowl, mix the strawberries, lemon zest and the sugar and let sit for 10 minutes.   

For The Buttercream: In a medium bowl, cream butter until light and fluffy. Add lemon zest then slowly add the powdered sugar til well combined. Mix well then add the lemon juice and beat until fluffy.

To Assemble The Cupcakes: Cut the center of each cupcake out with a sharp paring knife. Spoon strawberry lemon filling into hole then using a large tip, frost over the filling on each cupcake.   

NOTE: Makes 8 cupcakes. Recipe can be doubled. 

The winner of "Whatever Happened To Sunday Dinner?" by Lisa Caponigri chosen by random.org is my friend Heather of Kitchen Concoctions. Yay! 

Coca-Cola Memories

I've been drinking Coca-Cola ever since I was a wee one. Except I never called it Coca-Cola, it was just "Coke". In fact, I referred to all soft drinks as Coke. What do you call them? Soda, soft drinks, pop? It was as if Coca-Cola was the king of all soft drinks, to me. Maybe it was the red and white striking can, or the fact that we could drink the fizzy beverage out of bottles when I was a kid, and that was just kind of cool. Coca-Cola is still my go-to soft drink when I'm craving something carbonated and refreshing.

Here is a picture of my older brother, Joe, and I bonding over a Coke when we were kidlets. In case you're wondering, that is a pink Miami Vice shirt I'm wearing. And if I remember correctly, he is wearing a He-Man tank. Ahhh, the '80's! Don't be jealous :-)

I've had that picture of my brother and I on my fridge for some time now and I've been wanting to make something sweet and delicious using Coke, when the people at Coca-Cola contacted me and asked if I'd like to make a recipe using the beverage. It just seemed like perfect timing and I couldn't wait to get started. I had so much fun with these cupcakes and photographing all the shiny red accompaniments- from the can to the cherries that topped the mounds of whipped cream on top of the cupcakes. Fun, I tell you!

I perused the My Coke Rewards website for a recipe that I wanted to make and  I couldn't decide if I wanted sweet or savory. But you know me, sweet always wins! I ended up adapting a recipe from Nigella Lawson for Coca-Cola cake and turning it into Coke Float Cupcakes. A Coke float is one of my favorite indulgences. When we were kids and we wanted soda my grandma would pour us a glass half full of Coke, then fill the rest up with milk. Sounds strange, I know, but it was like a less sweet version of a Coke float and it got us to drink our milk. Sneaky Grandma.

These cupcakes were kind of like that too. I started off with a cocoa cupcake infused with Coca-Cola, then added a Coca-Cola glaze and topped it off with a healthy scoop of vanilla ice cream and/or lightly whipped cream. I was a happy camper! The Coca-Cola taste was subtle against the chocolate, but it was distinguishable. I liked the glaze under the cream because it kept the cupcake from getting soggy as the ice cream melted and remained nice and light and fluffy. The glaze also added a bit of sweetness and added another texture to the dessert.

I ended up making two different versions because I'm indecisive and I like having options. I liked the ones with ice cream but I have to say the cupcake version with whipped cream and a cherry were my favorite. It was just the perfect package all wrapped up in a red foil liner. It was creamy, sweet, fluffy and fun and I felt like a kid again sitting in my grandma's kitchen. After all my hard work in the kitchen I rewarded myself with a coke float. I was on a sugar high the rest of the afternoon, but it was well worth it. I hope you'll treat yourself to one too.

Coke Float Cupcakes adapted from Nigella Lawson

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For The Cakes: 

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup + 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 2 Tbsp. cocoa
• 3/4 cup Coca-Cola

For The Glaze: 

• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1 Tbsp. cocoa
• 3 Tbsp. Coca-Cola
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Garnish: 

• vanilla ice cream
• whipped cream
• maraschino cherries
• sprinkles

Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin or line with paper liners and set aside. 

For The Cupcakes: In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. Beat the egg, buttermilk and vanilla in a measuring cup and set aside. 

In a heavy-based saucepan, melt the butter, cocoa and Coca-Cola, heating it gently. Pour into the dry ingredients, stir well with a wooden spoon, and then add the liquid ingredients from the measuring cup, beating until it is well blended.

Pour into prepared muffin tin and bake for about 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

For The Glaze: Sift the powdered sugar and set aside. In a heavy-based saucepan, combine the butter, Coca-Cola and cocoa and stir over a low heat until the butter has melted. Remove from the heat, add the vanilla, and spoon in the sifted sugar, beating as you do, until you’ve got a good, spreadable, but still runny, icing.

Carefully dip the top of the cupcakes into the glaze allowing the excess to drip off or simply spoon the glaze over the cupcakes while they are still warm, place on a wire rack and allow to cool completely.

Serving: Once the cakes have cooled and the glaze has set, serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or lightly sweetened whipped cream, cherries and sprinkles.

Makes about 15 cupcakes

DrinkCompensation was provided by Coca-Cola, but Coca-Cola is not a sponsor, administrator, or involved in any other way with this post. All opinions expressed are my own and not those of Coca-Cola.

Drink Coke. Make Cupcakes. Be Happy. 

For more Coca-Cola recipes, head on over to My Coke Rewards for more inspiration.