Homemade Funfetti Cupcakes

I recently made a three layer cake for a birthday and had leftover blue and white frosting.

What's the only logical thing to do when you have leftover frosting? Make cupcakes, of course!
Somehow I found this recipe for Funfetti Cupcakes and thought it would be a fun one to take to a family dinner that was happening later that evening. There were going to be a bunch of kids, so I knew these would have no problem being consumed.

I heard from a few people who tasted these cupcakes that they were really good. I didn't try one, because I am not eating sugar this month, but I trust the sources that said they were tasty. Plus, they look kind of cool too.

Here is the recipe for Homemade Funfetti Cupcakes
* I didn't use the frosting recipe that accompanies this cupcake, but the one I used was pretty similar

Vanilla Buttermilk Cake with Instant Fudge Frosting

Today, my husband and I are celebrating our 10th anniversary. In a couple of hours, we are flying to Miami for a long weekend. I am so very excited!

I will be celebrating by basking in the sun, on the beach for a few days, so I thought I would share a cake with you today and celebrate here as well. I shared these pictures on my sugar blog , which is where I share all the goodies that I am baking up for people these days, but when I tasted a little crumb of this cake and a dab of the leftover frosting, I figured someone out there might need to bake it up for themselves. Have a great weekend everyone!

p.s. This frosting is also really great on Martha Stewart's One Bowl Chocolate Cupcakes

Vanilla Buttermilk Cake
from Sky High Irresistible Triple Layer Cakes
By Alisa Huntsman and Peter Wynne
For the cake:
4 whole large eggs
2 egg yolks
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup buttermilk
3 cups cake flour
2 cups sugar
4 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature

Preheat the oven to 350F degrees. Butter the bottom and sides of three 8-inch cake pans. Line with parchment paper and grease the paper.

Place the eggs and the yolks in a medium bowl. Add the vanilla and 1/4 cup of buttermilk and whisk all the ingredients well. Set Aside.

Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in the bowl of a mixer; whisk to blend. Add the remaining buttermilk and butter to the dry ingredients and with the mixer on low speed, blend together. Raise the mixer to medium speed and beat until light fluffy; 2minutes.

Add the egg mixture in three additions, scrapping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Divide the batter among all the pans.

Bake the cake layers for 28-32 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake layers cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Turn out the cakes onto a wire rack and remove the paper from the bottoms. Cool completely.

Instant Fudge Frosting:
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate melted and cooled
4 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
6 tablespoons half and half
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Place all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse to blend together. Then pulse until the frosting is smooth.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes

I found these cupcakes months ago and knew that they would be the perfect birthday treat for my hubby. He is an absolute lover of chocolate chip cookies and the dough you have to make to get them.
My hubby's birthday is on December 23rd. That was the perfect day to make these cupcakes because we were having a Christmas get together with some family that night and I knew I would be able to take these to share as a dessert.
I wouldn't say any part of these cupcakes was complicated, but there were 4 separate things to put together, so it took a fair amount of time. First- the cupcake batter, then the eggless cookie dough filling, the cookie dough for the cookies to top the cupcakes, and lastly, the frosting.
The cupcakes turned out beautifully. I didn't get my cookie toppers as small as I could have, but I was happy with the results. Tracey nailed these a couple weeks ago- check hers out!
The thing about these cupcakes is that each part tastes like cookie dough. I'm not a big fan of chocolate chip cookies or the dough, but I was amazed at how much the frosting in particular, tasted like CCC cookie dough.
These were really popular with certain people. My brother-in-law, who usually passes on all desserts I make because he just doesn't care, ate 2 whole cupcakes. I couldn't believe it.
I think they were a little too complicated for some of the kids, who just ate the cookie off the top or a few bites here and there. My hubby was happy with them, but I think he would've been just as happy with just the cookies on top. (Go figure!)
Overall, these were a beautiful, delicious hit of a dessert.

Recipe for Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes
* be sure to fill the cupcakes with a good amount of the cookie dough filling- I should've used more filling in my cupcakes


Recipe used for the Chocolate Chip Cookies to top the cupcakes from Annie's Eats

Sugar Cookie Bars

Once again, I was looking for an easy dessert that would serve lots of people when we made dinner for a local homeless shelter recently.
Bar cookies always seem to be one of the easiest things to make when it comes to crowds and I had a lot of pink frosting leftover in the fridge from a cake that I had made that weekend.

I had seen these sugar cookie bars on multiple blogs and they were the perfect way to 1- feed a crowd and 2- use a ton of pink frosting.
The cookie dough was really easy to mix up. I decided to add a little flavor by mixing in the zest of one lime to the sugar before creaming the sugar and butter together. That really added a nice little zip to these cookie bars.
These turned out to be perfectly chewy and delicious. A big hit with everyone who tried them.
I even snuck a little slice just to make sure they were yummy. They were.
I thought I would share a couple pics of the cake I made for a baby shower(which left me with all that leftover pink frosting). It turned out pretty cute.
I came up with the cupcake design by slicing the end off of jet-puffed marshmallows for the faces to match the cake.
Bad lighting since it was late at night when I took the pictures, but I heard that the cake and cupcakes were quite a hit at the shower.



Recipe for Sugar Cookie Bars
* I added the zest of one lime to the sugar-mixing it together with my fingertips until very aromatic, before creaming the sugar and butter together.
* I used a different frosting than the one the recipe called for

Basic Buttercream Frosting
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 1/2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 to 4 Tbls milk

With an electric mixer, beat the butter, sugar, and vanilla extract at low speed. Add in milk, bit by bit, until the mixture has reached a spreadable consistency.
Makes about 3 cups.

One Bowl Chocolate Cupcakes with Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting

I just can't seem to throw away leftover frosting.
And in my house, there is always leftover frosting after we have made cookies or cupcakes or whatever. Always.
Not a lot of frosting, but a couple of tablespoons or 1/2 cup, just enough to warrant a little plastic container, a lid, and a nice stay in the refrigerator.

Such was the case with this Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese frosting that I made a couple of weeks ago to be sandwiched between some of these Red Velvet Whoopie Pies.
This frosting was the more popular one between the 2 we had that day and it is one of the best frostings I have made recently. It has just a enough cream cheese flavor, but not overpowering and the vanilla bean is magical, somehow intensifying the flavor.
I absolutely love those little black flecks the vanilla bean leaves behind.

I decided to make some mini cupcakes, a recipe I have made before- Martha Stewarts One Bowl Chocolate Cupcakes. I made a 1/2 batch of the cupcakes and had just enough frosting to give each mini cupcakes a cute little dollop of frosting.
The combination of this cupcake recipe and the frosting was really good. Plus, when treats are this small you can get away with eating 2 or 3 and not feeling very guilty since they are so small and cute.


Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting from The Food Network Magazine
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise and seeds scraped

Beat the cream cheese and butter with a mixer until smooth. Beat in the confectioners' sugar and vanilla seeds.

Recipe for One Bowl Chocolate Cupcakes

Happy 2nd Blogiversary! Vanilla Buttermilk Cupcakes with Fluffy Vanilla Frosting

Happy Blogiversary to Meet Me in the Kitchen!
2 years ago I started this blog as a way to share great recipes. It has been a really fun way to share what I love and a great outlet for me.

Now about these festive cupcakes, with a little detour about cookies first.

A little over a month ago my girls wanted to decorate cookies. I wanted to use up 2 egg yolks that I had hanging out in my fridge.
I remembered that Dorie's Sugar Cookie recipe called for an extra yolk and I also knew that it was a wonderful recipe (I have made it multiple times), so I mixed up a double batch. I put half the dough in the freezer ( We used it for Valentines Day cookies) and the other half in the fridge to rest overnight.
Too bad I did this on a Friday night and promised my kids we would cut the cookies out in the morning. They woke up super early!! It was really fun cutting out millions of shapes with them. We made a big batch of frosting and made 3 colors- Neon pink, blue and greenish/yellow.
Why am I telling you all of this?

Well, we had leftover frosting and my daughter wanted to make cupcakes for her Sunday School teacher.
So, we threw together these Vanilla Buttermilk Cupcakes and used the leftover frosting.
My daughter was proud of the frosting and sprinkles, so I am sharing the recipe again. You can go to this older post to see how we enjoyed these cupcakes last time!
Vanilla Buttermilk Cupcakes from a Woman's Day Cookbook
makes 20-24 cupcakes

12 Tbls unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks)
1 cup buttermilk
2 large egg
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners. Melt butter in a saucepan or in the microwave. Pour into a large bowl and when cool add buttermilk, egg, and vanilla extract. Whisk until blended (The mixture may look curdled, but it will come together smoothly, as you whisk in the dry ingredients.)

In a separate bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk together and add to buttermilk mixture. Whisk until smooth. Fill muffin cups about 1/2 full and bake for 15-18 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes on rack. Remove from rack and let cool completely.

Recipe for Fluffy Vanilla Frosting

MSC- Coconut Cupcakes

It's that day of the month again, the day we celebrate Cupcakes!
This months MSC selection-Coconut Cupcakes, was chosen by Jennifer over at Cinema Cupcakes.
I decided to make these, as well as some Red Velvet Cupcakes (which I will post on the 20th for The Cake Slice) when I made dessert, as part of dinner, for the local homeless shelter.
I didn't have to cut the recipe in 1/2 or anything, because I needed as many cupcakes as I could get.
I got 24 cupcakes from the full recipe.
The recipe can be found on page 28-29 of Martha Stewart's Cupcakes.
The recipe calls for a 7-minute frosting, flavored with coconut extract, but that isn't my favorite frosting and since I was making red velvet cupcakes too, I decided to make 1 frosting that would be good with both. I decided on cream cheese frosting.
I ran to the store to pick up a few items for the dishes I was making for dinner, to serve at the homeless shelter and forgot cream cheese. Smart, I know.
Well, time was running out and I had the ingredients for Martha's Fluffy Vanilla Frosting, which is also found in the cupcake book, so I just used that for both cupcakes.

I didn't taste even a bite of these, but I let my son try one unfrosted and he said it was "Amazing!".
They received many compliments that night, so I think they are a winner.
Check out the MSC Blogroll to see what everyone else thought of these!

TWD 2nd Anniversary !!!! Cocoa-Buttermilk Birthday Cake

2 years ago, Laurie started Tuesday's with Dorie. Please go check out her blog to get the recipes for this week's anniversary and also to read about how she started this wonderful group.

We voted on what recipe we wanted to make for this years anniversary. It came down to Tarte Tatin and Cocoa-Buttermilk Birthday Cake. Laurie decided to let us make either one or both if we wanted too. (Last year Dorie chose the recipe for the 1st anniversary and it was one of my favorites ever! Check out the French Pear Tart. It is absolutely fabulous.)
I have to say I am a little burnt out from Christmas vacation and traveling, so I took the lazy way out on this one since I have made this cake twice already.
Yes, twice. I made it in the spring as a full sized cake and also last year as cupcakes.
You can read more details about this cake from when I posted about it HERE.

Both times I frosted it with The Barefoot Contessa's Peanut Butter Frosting instead of the options given in the book, just because it is really a perfect combination.
I also used Reese's Peanut Butter cups to decorate it.
It is a great cake.
Go check out the other b-day celebratory posts by visiting all the great blogs on the TWD Blogroll!
And enjoy a few pictures from our recent trip to DisneyWorld. It was soo much fun!!

Cinnamon Bun Cookies

A couple of my blogging/twitter friends started Secret Baker. Basically, a bunch of us bake and then send treats to our "secret" person, once a month.
This month I got these Cinnamon Bun Cookies. So, I didn't make them, but I took a picture of them because Margaret is going to post a round-up of all the goods that were received.
These were just so yummy, I thought I would give you the link, even though I didn't make them myself. They would be a great addition to a holiday treat plate!

Thanks to Whitney of Nosh and Tell who sent these to me!

The post on Nosh and Tell about these cookies.

Recipe for Cinnamon Bun Cookies

Spiced Pecans, S'mores Cookie Bars, Chocolate Gingerbread Bars, and Peppermint Brownies, oh & a Birthday Cake

I had so much fun this morning helping one of my best friends with her daughter's 8th birthday party. It was a tea party, very fancy. The cake I made was so cute. I had a great idea and it worked. Can't wait to get photos up of that cake.
I haven't yet, so these delicious treats will have to do.
The first thing here is Spiced Pecans. I made these a couple of weeks ago, along with the Holiday Biscotti as an idea for a Holiday Gift.
They were a big hit. They are coated in a sweet/spicy mixture. Mostly sweet, because of the cinnamon, sugar but also spicy because of the cayenne pepper and ground ginger.
Delicious. We couldn't stop munching on them. I am making a big double batch next week to send out with some cookies in the mail. Yum...
Next, is a treat that I made for one of the Thanksgiving Dinners we went to. I was asked to bring a kid-friendly treat and remembered some S'mores Cookies that I had seen awhile ago.
What is more kid friendly than something covered in marshmallows and chocolate?
I thought I would turn these cookies into bars and just made them in a 9x13-inch pan, instead of making individual cookies. I let the pan of cookies bake for about 23 minutes or so, and then I dumped on an entire bag of mini marshmallows and some chopped Hersheys milk chocolate.
Put them back under the broiler and let the marshmallows get really toasted.
These were very sweet (not like that is a surprise or something) and had to be eaten in small doses. They were good. The graham cracker crumbs in the cookie base made them taste like a real S'more.
Ooey and gooey, which is a great combination for kids, even if parents might not agree!
Next are Chocolate Gingerbread Bars. I threw these together for a potluck over Thanksgiving weekend. They came together really quickly and disappeared just as quickly. I think most people probably thought they were brownies, so they must have had a little surprise when they tasted the molasses/ginger. A great christmas treat.
Then we had some Peppermint Brownies. I saw this idea in a Holiday Baking magazine, but can't remember which one it was. My sister was visiting for Thanksgiving and we had a lot of fun with all these marshmallows.
We just made basic brownies and then covered them with marshmallows, chopped candy canes and drizzled melted milk chocolate over the top.
Gooey and delicious.
The last thing I wanted to share was a picture of the birthday cake my little girl got to share with her great grandpa. They share the same birthday, November 27th and we decided to celebrate with a sheet cake at our Thanksgiving Dinner. My mother-in-law requested the same cake that I made for her birthday back in July, so I just doubled it and tried out a new frosting recipe. The frosting recipe was really great to decorate with. It also had just a hint of cream cheese that was really delicious. I am definitely going to be using the frosting recipe in the future. You can find the frosting recipe at the bottom of this post. My sister helped me come up with the design for the cake. It was fun. The birthday girl and grandpa were very happy to share the cake and their birthdays with everyone.
Recipe for Spiced Pecans

Recipe for S'mores Cookies

Recipe for Chocolate Gingerbread Bars

Recipe for Vanilla Buttercream

MS: Cupcake Club (MSC)- Chocolate Salted-Caramel Cupcakes

MSC started as an idea by Sugar B- she had bought Martha Stewart's Cupcakes Cookbook and she sent out a plea;
she had owned it a month and not a cupcake had been made, she need motivation and a gameplan (we all joined in!);
we decided to bake 1 cupcake a month starting with these delicious, chocolate mini-cupcakes, filled with salted-caramel (don't be scared of this part- watch it close and act fast!), topped with satiny dark chocolate frosting and a sprinkle of sea salt;
I made 1/4th of the recipe and they disappeared fast- go check out Sugar B's blog for the Blogroll of MSC!


You can find the recipe HERE or on page 148 of Martha Stewart's Cupcakes


One Year Ago- Cheesecake Pops, Lemon Meringue Cupcakes, and Chocolate & Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars