Piña Colada Cupcakes w. Coconut Rum

With all this nice weather lately, I've been thinking about summer and vacationing. And for me, like many others I'm sure, I find vacations and Pina Coladas synonymous. I was inspired! So I searched for various recipes for Pina Colada Cupcakes and decided to combine the parts of the ones that sounded most delectible! I came up with this:

Pina Colada Cupcakes w. Coconut Rum & Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting: 
(I know its a mouthful name, but wait till you try a mouthful of these cupcakes!)
What you will need:

• 1 box White Cake Mix (look for "Super Moist" mixes)
• 1 cup pineapple juice
• 1/3 cup coconut rum (I used Parrot Bay)
• eggs (according to cake mix package)
• veggie oil (according to cake mix package)
• 8 oz can crushed pineapple in juice, drained well
• 1/2 cup shredded, sweetened coconut (optional, but recommended)

Let's get started!


Preheat oven to temperature on cake mix package.
Add cake mix, eggs, and oil according to package instructions. Substitute the water (on package) for 1 cup pineapple juice and 1/3 cup coconut rum.
Blend ingredients well with electric mixer.
Add crushed pineapples. Make sure they were well drained, and mix until blended. Fold in coconut (optional but recommended!)


Bake accordingly to package instructions. 


When cupcakes are done, set aside to cool.


Stay posted for the Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting that goes perfectly with this delicious sweet cupcake! :)

Individual Cherry Cheesecakes!

Here's a fun, super easy recipe that will impress others with the presentation and excite their palate with flavor!
Individual Cherry Cheesecakes:
What you will need:

• 2 pkg Cream cheese (8oz each)
• 3/4 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbspn lemon juice
• 1 tbspn vanilla
• 12 Vanilla wafers (I used Nilla Wafers)
• 1 can of Cherry Pie filling

Let's get started!

Line muffin tin (12cup) with paper liners. Preheat oven to 375degrees.
Mix softened cream cheese, sugar, eggs, lemon juice and vanilla in a bowl.
Place wafer cookie in the bottom of each of the 12 cupcake liners. Spoon in the cream cheese mixture until liner is 3/4 full.
Bake in 375 degrees for 15mins. Once cakes are ready, let cool for approximately 15 mins.
Top each with a spoonful of cherry pie filling and refrigerate for 1 hour.
*Optional: Garnish with a dollop of Cool Whip or whipped cream. Crush 5 extra Nilla Wafers and sprinkle with cookie crumbs.


These little individual cheesecakes, much like my mini maple cheesecakes, are the perfect dessert to impress your guests without too much hassle! :)


Serve, Eat & Enjoy! :) 

German Chocolate Cupcakes

This recipe may sound like hard work, but I promise, you won't break a sweat!
I originally made this as a birthday cake for my father, but we can just as easily turn this into a decadent cupcake recipe to add to the list!

What you will need:

• German Chocolate Cake Mix, (Super Moist Duncan Hines, recommended) & ingredients in accordance to the box mix
• Bag of White Chocolate Chips (the bigger the bag, the better!)
• German Chocolate Cake Icing/ Chocolate Coconut Frosting (again, we used Duncan Hines)
• Coconut flakes (3/4 cup) for decoration

Let's get started!
Preheat oven according to cake mix, (375). Then line your muffin pans with paper/foil cupcake liners.
Follow directions on box to make batter. After German Chocolate Batter is made, combine about 1/2 of the bag of White Chocolate Chips into batter, mix well. (Save some for garnish/filling)
Scoop the new batter into paper liners and bake for appropriate time on box.
In the meantime, take a handful of remaining chips and set aside. Take the leftover chips in the bag and place into a microwavable bowl. In intervals of 30seconds, place in microwave until chips are melted; stirring after each 30 seconds.

After cupcakes are baked and cooled, with a knife, cut a small circle in your cupcakes and scoop it out (no bigger than a quarter). Cut that piece of cupcake in half, horizontally (so you have 2 small circles of cake). Drizzle in a spoonful of the melted white chocolate. Take the piece of cutout cake and place it gently back over the hole in your cupcake. Repeat with ALL cupcakes.

When finished filling, frost each cupcake with that delicious coconut icing. Garnish with the leftover white chocolate chips and/or shredded flakes of coconut.


The ingredients are minimal, but the taste is outrageous! Get creative according to your taste buds! Instead of white chocolate chips, like I chose, try peanut butter chips, milk/dark chocolate chips, chocolate with coconut...the list goes on!

Ps- Happy Birthday Dad! :) <3


Serve, Eat & Enjoy! :)

St. Patrick's Day Cupcakes!

Here's a fun way to celebrate Paddy's Day with a sweet green treat!

My friend Chelsea & I baked these delicious cupcakes and got creative. :)

Luck O' the Irish Lemon Cupcakes:

What you will need:

• Box of Lemon Cake Mix (we used Duncan Hines) & ingredients according to mix
• Tub of Lemon Frosting (again, we bought Duncan Hines- it was on sale!)
• Green Food Coloring
• *Optional: (but highly recommended) Package of Oreos for the bottom of the cupcakes, like the Oreo Cupcake recipe. Green and/or Orange sanding sugars for decorations.

Let's get started!
After preheating oven according to Mix directions, begin to line your muffin pans with paper liners. (Optional) If you choose, drop an Oreo flat in the bottom of the liner.
Batter: Follow directions on box to make batter. After the delicious lemon cupcake batter is even mixed, add 3-4 drops of Green Food Coloring into bowl. Stir until well blended & no yellow (lemon) coloring is left.
Scoop the green batter into paper liners & bake according to time on box.
Decoration: Once cupcakes are cooled, frost them with your lemon-yellow icing. Then, lightly shake the green and/or orange sugars on top for color!
Have fun decorating, grab a Guinness and Happy St. Patrick's Day! :)


                    

Outrageous Oreo Cupcakes

Okay, so these cupcakes are both delicious and incredibly simple...and not to mention, pretty cheap!

I made these cupcakes last minute for a friend's birthday but the reviews made it seem as if I worked all day!
Here's what you will need:

• 1 box of Devil's Food Cake Mix (& ingredients according to box-mix)
• 1 package of cream-filled chocolate cookies (Double Stuffed Oreos work best)
• 1 tub of Vanilla Frosting
• 1 zip-sealed plastic sandwich bag

Let's get started:
Line your cupcake/muffin pan with paper liners. Place an Oreo in the bottom of each liner.
For the batter: Follow the directions on the Devil's Food Cake Mix box for appropriate oven temperature,  batter mixture, and baking time. Once cupcake batter is ready, pour over the Oreos in the liners and bake for time indicated on box. (The Oreos will not affect baking time.)
For the topping: While those delicious cupcakes are baking, put aside about 10 Oreo cookies. Put those cookies, 5 at a time, into plastic bag and crush them with the back of heavy metal spoon until coarsely chopped. Repeat with the next 5 cookies.

Empty the contents of Vanilla Frosting tub into medium bowl. Pour the crushed cookie pieces into the bowl and mix well with the icing.


Once cupcakes are finished baking, let them cool for 15-20mins.
Once completely cooled, ice them with your (sort of) homemade Cookies'n'Cream Frosting.
*Garnish: If any cookies are left over, break them each in half and stick into top of icing on cupcake.
  Or buy a package of Mini-Oreos and garnish with those.


So there you have it! Probably the easiest, most delicious, and semi-homemade cupcake recipe I've made so far. :)
Please enjoy & get creative!

Super Simple Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Hello again! :)

So here is a great homemade vanilla buttercream frosting recipe...did I mention that it was super simple?

4 Ingredients that you probably already have:

• 1 (16oz) package powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Combine all ingredients in medium bowl. Beat with electric mixer at low speed until well blended and smooth. If frosting becomes to thick (from over beating), beat in additional milk by teaspoonfuls until frosting is spreading consistency. Makes about 2 1/2 cups.

Baked Maple Mini Cheesecakes

Now here's a simple delicious recipe that looks like they are fresh out of the bakery!  

 Mini Maple Cheesecakes!

What you will need:

• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 5 tbsp sweet butter, melted
• 2 cups ricotta cheese
• 2 cups cream cheese, softened
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 3 eggs
• pecans and/or caramel syrup(optional) 

Preheat the oven 325 degrees. Place 12 baking cups in muffin/cupcake pan.

Put cracker crumbs into medium bowl & stir in the butter. Spoon tablespoons of crumb mixture into the muffin cups, pressing firmly into bottom. Chill until set.

In a large bowl, beat ricotta until smooth. Add cream cheese, vanilla, and maple syrup, blending until smooth. Slowly add eggs, blending well.

Bake for 25 mins. Remove pan from oven & cool for 5 mins. Then remove the cheese-cupcakes & cool on a rack. Chill until time to serve.

*Optional: Garnish with caramel syrup & chopped or whole pecans. Make it look pretty!

Have fun & Enjoy! :)