Mint-filled brownie cupcakes

I recently got Martha Stewart's Cupcake book. It is great, and I love that it has a picture of every cupcake! This is one of her recipes:


You need: 8 oz of bittersweet/semisweet coarsely chopped chocolate, 3 eggs, 1/2 c of butter, 1/4 c of unsweetened cocoa, 12 york peppermint patties, 1 C of sugar, and 1/2 C of flour, and 3/4 t of salt. Preheat oven to 350.


First, melt chocolate and butter on the stove with in a glass bowl over simmering water in a pan.


Stir occasionally until melted and smooth


When mixture is smooth add the cup of sugar


and the 3/4 t of salt


And whisk together


Then whisk in the three eggs


Add 1/2 C of flour


1/4 c of cocoa


Mix together just until smooth. DO NOT OVER MIX. I don't know why, that is just what the recipe says. Makes me wonder what would happen if I did over mix! :)


Then place 1 heaping tablespoon of mixture in cupcake liner.


Place the peppermint patty on top and push down into the mixture.


Cover with 2 tablespoons of batter. Bake in the oven at 350 for 35 minutes, rotating the pan 1/2 way through.


YUM!! I liked these and can't wait to try more from her book!

Coconut cupcakes with lime buttercream frosting

For the cupcakes you need:
4.5 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 cup), 3 tablespoons potato starch, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 3/4 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons butter, softened, 1 large egg, 1 large egg white, 2/3 cup fat-free milk, 2 tablespoons flaked sweetened coconut, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract.


What is potato starch you might ask? You can't find it at Walmart, or Target...I finally found it at Akins natural food store.


Mix the dry ingredients together


Mix the butter and sugar together, beat with a mixer at medium speed until blended (mixture will be the consistency of damp sand). Add egg and egg white, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture and milk alternately to egg mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Fold in coconut and vanilla.

For the icing you need:
3 tablespoons butter, softened, 1 teaspoon half-and-half, 1/2 teaspoon grated lime rind, 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, 4.75 ounces powdered sugar, sifted (about 1 1/3 cups); Optional: I added a 1/2 t of coconut flavoring, which made it even better.


To prepare frosting, combine 3 tablespoons butter, 1 t of half and half, 1/2 t grated lime rind, 1 T of fresh lime juicel; beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar, beating just until smooth.


When cupcakes have cooled, frost them. YUM!

These cupcakes are from Cooking Light. They are more sponge-like in texture rather than cake-like, but really good for a light cupcake. The icing was really tasty! These are only 4 WW points which is half the points of most cupcakes. Printable recipe here.

Strawberry Cupcakes

This is the only cupcake recipe that has been shared by Sprinkle's Cupcakes. It has lots of steps, but it wasn't too difficult. If you don't have an electric mixer a hand mixer would work just fine.


Place strawberries in a small food processor; process until pureed. You should have about 1/3 cup of puree, add a few more strawberries if necessary or save any extra puree for frosting; set aside.


In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.


In a small bowl, mix together milk, vanilla, and strawberry puree; set aside.


In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter on medium-high speed, until light and fluffy. Gradually add sugar and continue to beat until well combined and fluffy.


Reduce the mixer speed to medium and slowly add egg and egg whites until just blended.


With the mixer on low, slowly add half the flour mixture; mix until just blended.


Add the milk mixture; mix until just blended.


Slowly add remaining flour mixture, scraping down sides of the bowl with a spatula, as necessary, until just blended.


Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups. Transfer muffin tin to oven and bake until tops are just dry to the touch, 22 to 25 minutes. Transfer muffin tin to a wire rack and let cupcakes cool completely in tin before icing.


NOW FOR THE ICING:

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and salt on medium speed until light and fluffy.


Reduce mixer speed and slowly add confectioners' sugar; beat until well combined.


Add vanilla and 3 tablespoons strawberry puree


Mix until just blended. Do not overmix or frosting will incorporate too much air. Frosting consistency should be dense and creamy, like ice cream.


They didn't taste exactly like the ones at the store, but they were really good.

Click here for a printable recipe and the list of ingredients needed.

Coconut Cupcakes

I recently made these delish cupcakes for a friend's birthday. The recipe is from the cooking class I did at W-S .

The team of ingredients for the cakes: flour, sugar, coconut, plain yogurt, butter, eggs, vanilla, baking powder, salt

First measure out the flour in to a bowl 1 3/4 C


Then add 1.5 t of baking powder & 1/4 t of salt and mix together


Then in a mixer (or a bowl using a hand mixer) add together 1 stick of butter, 1 C sugar, 1 t vanilla. Mix together on a low speed until creamy. Then add the eggs, mixing in one at a time. (Notice in the picture I messed this part up).


Beating everything together.


Now add 1/2 of the flour mixture to the wet mixture


Then add 1/2 C of plain, unflavored yogurt


And then 1/2 C of shredded coconut


Let the mixer go to work, and mix just until blended.


Now line a muffin tin with paper liners, and fill all 12 with equal amounts. (You will pretty much fill each cup to the top).
Cook at 375 for about 20 minutes (or until a toothpick comes clean, mine cooked a bit faster, so check before 20 min)


Now for the YUMMY icing. The cast of characters as above: coconut extract, vanilla, butter, coconut, heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and salt.


You will need 3 C of powdered sugar


1 t vanilla and 1 t coconut extract (the recipe just calls for 2 t vanilla if you don't have any coconut on hand, but the flavoring is great!)


Add in 2 T of the whipping cream


AND MIX (my fav part!)


After the cakes cool, then ice using an icing spatula or a knife and try not to lick the ENTIRE bowl!


Then roll the cakes in shredded coconut to top.
VIOLA!! These babies are delicious! This picture does not do justice. (These are the cupcakes I made at Easter and topped with green colored coconut and jelly beans to make a "birds nest")
But watch out they measure in at a whopping 8 WW points!
Click here for a printable recipe