Drunken Pumpkin & Bacon Cupcakes with Toasted Marshmallow Frosting

Can't you just taste them already just looking at the photo?

Ingredients (makes 14 cupcakes)

2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
1 cup pumpkin puree
6 oz pumpkin ale
4 tbsp butter (1/2 stick)
2 eggs
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
6 strips candied bacon (recipe below)

Preheat oven to 350*.  Add cupcake liners to a 12-cup cupcake tin.  Set aside. Dice 3 strips of candied bacon and set aside.
In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice and salt, set aside
In a non stick frying pan, melt butter over low heat until slightly browned
In a glass mixing bowl, combine browned butter with granulated and brown sugars, whisk together until combined, wait 1 minute and then whisk again
Add eggs, pumpkin and beer to the butter sugar mixture. Fold together with a rubber spatula. Add diced bacon. Carefully fold wet mixture into dry, being careful not to over mix.
Using a large scoop, scoop batter into prepared cupcake tins.
Bake for 16-20 minutes, until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Cool

The Marshmallow Frosting:

8 large egg whites, at room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/8 teaspoon fine salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Candied Bacon:
6 strips thick sliced bacon
1/2 c dark brown sugar
3 T pure maple syrup

Preheat oven to 400*. Combine brown sugar and maple syrup in small bowl.  Place strips of bacon on a rack on a foil-covered rimmed baking sheet. Spread with brown sugar mixture.  Bake for approximately 40-50 minutes until crisp-baked.  Let cool and prepared as directed in directions.

Place the cooled cupcakes on a baking sheet and set them aside.

Fill a medium saucepan with 1 inch of water and bring it to a simmer over medium heat.

Place the egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar, and salt in the clean bowl and whisk by hand to combine. Nest the bowl over the saucepan, making sure the bottom of the bowl is not touching the water. Heat the egg white mixture, whisking constantly, until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is hot to the touch (about 120°F on an instant-read thermometer), about 6 minutes.

Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, whisk for 1 minute on medium speed. Increase the speed to high and whisk until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 5 minutes more. Add the vanilla and whisk until just incorporated, about 1 minute.

Transfer the frosting to a large piping bag fitted with your preferred piping tip and pipe onto the cupcakes. Broil until the tops are starting to brown, about 20 to 30 seconds—watch carefully to avoid burning. (Alternatively, you can use a kitchen torch).
Cut remaining 3 strips of candied bacon into 14 equal-sized pieces. Place one piece on top of each cupcake.

Strawberry Explosion Cupcakes

Ingredients:

1 Box White Cake Mix
1/3 c oil
3 eggs
1 small box Strawberry Jello, dry
2/3 c + 1/4  c frozen strawberries in syrup, thawed & divided
1/3 c toasted pecans, chopped

12 oz. jar seedless Strawberry Jam

1 c butter, softened
4-5 c confectioners' sugar, sifted
1/4 c strawberries

Marshmallow Peeps & Easter Sprinkles, optional

Preheat oven to 350*.  Line 24 cupcake cups with paper liners. Set aside.

Add cake mix, oil, eggs, jello & strawberries to large bowl of an electric mixer and beat on medium speed until smooth.  Stir in pecans.
Fill each cupcake cup 2/3 fill with batter.  Bake for 18-20 minutes or until tops spring back when gently touched.  Cool completely on wire racks.

Empty jar of jam into a small microwave safe bowl.  Heat 30 seconds and stir until smooth.  Fit pastry bag with a #230 metal tip or use a small round tip.  Fill bag with jam and inject into the center of each cupcake.

In a large bowl of an electric mixer beat butter on medium-high speed until pale and creamy, about 3 minutes.  Add confectioners' sugar 1 cup at a time and beat after each addition.  Add strawberries and syrup. Beat until incorporated.  Add milk 1 T at a time until the frosting is the desired consistency.

Fit a pastry bag with a coupler and fill with frosting. Pipe onto each cupcake.  Decorate as desired.  Since I was making these for Easter, I sprinkled on nonpariels in Easter colors and sat a Peep in the center of each one.

Maraschino Cherry Cupcakes w Marshmallow Creme Filling

Ingredients:

1 box white cake mix
3 eggs

1/3 C. oil

3/4 C. milk or buttermilk

1/2 C. sour cream

2 tsp. almond extract

1 C. Maraschino cherries, roughly chopped

Marshmallow Creme

Almond Buttercream:

1 C. butter, softened

1 1/2 tsp. almond extract

3-4 C. powdered sugar

milk, if needed

20-24 Maraschino cherries with stems for decoration

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line pan with cupcakes liners.

2. Sift cake mix into a small bowl to remove any lumps and set aside.

3. In a large bowl combine eggs, oil, milk, sour cream and almond extract until smooth.

4. Stir in cake mix.

5. Fold in chopped maraschino cherries.

6. Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full and bake for 17-22 minutes.

7. Almond Buttercream: Beat butter for 2 minutes. Add almond extract and slowly add in powdered sugar until you reach your desired consistency. If it becomes too thick, add a little milk.

8. When cupcakes are completely cool, remove some cake from the center of each with a paring knife or cupcake corer.  Fill a pastry bag with the marshmallow creme and fill each cupcake to the top.

9. Pipe frosting onto filled cupcakes and top with sprinkles and more Maraschino cherries, if desired. 

Recipe adapted from Your Cup of Cake.

Enjoy!

Turkey Cupcakes with Sour Cream & Chive Whipped Potatoes Frosting

This makes an awesome single serving turkey meatloaf and potatoe entree in one.  Makes you think of a Shepherd's Pie.  They are easy to make, and lend a unique look to your dinner party or Pot Luck.

Ingredients

2 pkgs. lean ground turkey
2 pkgs. Knorr's Spring Vegetable Soup, divided
2/3 c Buttermilk (you can use regular milk or evaporated milk)
1-1/2 c shredded Parmigiana/Reggiano cheese

6 Gold Potatoes, peeled & cut into 1-inch chunks
6 T butter
1/2 c sour cream
Chives (fresh or dried) for garnish

Preheat oven to 350*.  Spray 10 jumbo cupcake cups with Pam.  Set aside.

In a large bowl combine ground turkey, 1 entire soup package and only the dried vegetables from the second package (otherwise it will be too salty and overpowering), buttermilk and cheese.  Mix with hands until incorporated.  Divide among 10 cupcake cups.  Place on a cookie sheet and bake 20-25 minutes until done.

In the meantime, add potatoes to a large pot, cover w/salted water and boil until tender, approximately 12 minutes.  Remove from heat & drain.  In a large bowl, add the potatoes, butter & sour cream.  Beat with hand mixer until smooth.  Keep warm.

When turkey cupcakes are removed from the oven, transfer potatoes to a piping bad with a star tip and pipe onto each cupcake.  Sprinkle with chives.

Yield: 10

Irish Pub Cupcakes

These cupcakes incorporate the 3 Irish libations that everyone thinks of on St. Patrick's Day > Guinness Stout, Jameson's Irish Whiskey & Bailey's Irish Cream Liqueur.  Together it's a party in your mouth.  The Guinness accentuates the chocolate and the sour cream makes the cake desirably moist.  Then the Jameson's in the chocolate ganache makes for a wonderfully tasty surprise, while the Irish Cream frosting brings with it a bit of Irish heaven.

Recipe adapted from AllRecipes.com.

Ingredients

• 1 cup Irish stout beer (such as Guinness®)
• 1 cup butter
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 2/3 cup sour cream

• 2/3 cup heavy whipping cream
• 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon Irish whiskey, or more to taste
• 
  
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 3 cups confectioners' sugar, or more as needed
• 3 tablespoons Irish cream liqueur (such as Baileys®), or more to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.

Bring Irish stout beer and 1 cup butter to a boil in a saucepan and set aside until butter has melted, stirring occasionally. 

Mix in cocoa powder until smooth.

Whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a bowl until thoroughly combined.

Beat eggs with sour cream in a large bowl with an electric mixer on low until well combined. Slowly beat in the beer mixture, then the flour mixture; beat until the batter is smooth.

Divide batter between the prepared cupcake cups, filling each cup about 2/3 full.

Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, about 17 minutes.

Cool the cupcakes completely. Cut cores out of the center of each cupcake with a sharp paring knife. Discard cores.

Bring cream to a simmer in a saucepan over low heat; stir in bittersweet chocolate until melted.

Mix in 2 tablespoons butter and Irish whiskey until butter is melted; let mixture cool to room temperature. Filling will thicken as it cools.

Spoon the filling into the cored cupcakes.

For frosting, whip 1/2 cup butter in a bowl with an electric mixer until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.

Set mixer to low speed and slowly beat in confectioners' sugar, 1 cup at a time, until frosting is smooth and spreadable. Beat in the Irish cream liqueur; adjust thickness of frosting with more confectioners' sugar if needed.

Spread frosting on filled cupcakes or apply using a piping bag.

Decorate as desired.  I sprinkled on a variety of St. Patrick's Day appropriate on decos and made shamrocks using green Candy Melts. Since I was making these for a friend for her Dad's 75th Birthday, I also made 75s from the Candy Melts and decorated half with those.

Slainte'!

Dulce de Leche Cupcakes

For my girlfriend's 60th birthday party, she asked if I could do a caramel cupcake.  Caramel is what she got!  This is a brown sugar cupcake, with a soft caramel center, dulce de leche and cream cheese frosting, drizzled with heated dulce de leche.  Can I do caramel?  You betcha!

Here is the link to recipe I used for these outrageous cupcakes: Dulce de Leche Cupcakes.  These are not filled, so following my directions below to add the soft caramel center.

To make the soft caramel center, place 3/4 c caramel chips and 1/4 c heavy cream in a medium sauce pan.  Heat on low, stirring until caramel is melted.  Remove a 1" center from each cupcake using a paring knife.  Set aside.  Spoon caramel into each cupcake and replace with the center you removed.  Frost according to recipe.

Chocolate Syrup Cupcakes with Marshmallow Butter Cream

Ingredients:

1/2 c butter, room temperature
1 c granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla
4 large eggs
1 1/4 c all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 c (1 16-oz can) Hershey's chocolate syrup

Heat oven to 350*F.  Place cupcake liners in cupcake tin, set aside.
Cream the butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine the flour and baking soda and add alternately with the chocolate syrup to the creamed mixture.  Pour the batter into paper-lined muffin cups, filling each 1/2 full.  It is important that you fill no more than 1/2 full.  This batter is thin and tends to bake over the top of the cupcake well causing the outer edges to burn and the center to sink and pull away from the cupcake liner. Bake 20-25 minutes.  Yield: About 30 cupcakes.

Marshmallow Butter Cream

1 stick butter, room temperature
7 oz. jar marshmallow creme
1 c sifted confectioners' sugar

Beat butter until light & fluffy.  Beat in marshmallow creme until well incorporated.  Add confectioners' sugar.  Beat until combined.  Add more confectioners' sugar, if necessary, to reach desired consistency.  Frosts approximately 30 cupcakes.

Drizzle frosted cupcakes w Hershey's syrup and add chocolate sprinkles, if desired.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes

My husband's birthday is Halloween.  He loves anything with chocolate chips and especially chocolate chip cookie dough.  I made these cupcakes for him as the following day his team at work is having a Pot Luck and he signed up for dessert.  So, with cupcakes, we can celebrate his birthday by indulging an then he gets to take the other 22 to work for the Pot Luck.  Win-Win!

Ingredients:

For the cupcakes:

3 sticks unsalted butter (1 1/2 cups), at room temperature

1½ cups light brown sugar

4 large eggs

2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

For the filling and frosting:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temp

1 1/2 cups light brown sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup milk

1 1/2 cups mini chocolate chips (you may want more to put on top)

Preheat the oven to 350° degrees. Line cupcake pan with 24 liners.

For the cupcakes: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and brown sugar. Beat together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir together to blend. Add the dry ingredients to the mixer bowl on low speed, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients, mixing each addition just until incorporated. Blend in the vanilla. Fold in the chocolate chips with a spatula.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cupcake liners. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the filling and frosting: With a mixer, cream together the butter and sugar at medium speed. Add the vanilla and beat well. Add the flour and salt and mix until combined. Add just a little milk until it's cookie dough consistency. Once it is, gently fold in chocolate chips. Then take half of the mixture out and chill it in the fridge. This will be the filling. For the frosting you'll want a little thinner consistency. Add more milk to the remaining mixture gradually until desired consistency is reached. This is your frosting.

To fill the cupcakes, cut a cone-shaped portion out of the center of each cupcake. I found this a little tricky to get the hole out but then you get to eat what you take out! Fill each hole with a chunk of the chilled cookie dough mixture.

Frost cooled cupcakes. Store in refrigerator.

My husband thinks they are best served chilled. I think they are way better at room temperature where the frosting just melts in your mouth.

Recipe adapted from The Girl Who Ate Everything.

Happy Birthday to my Loving Husband!