Gluten Free Cinnamon Roll Cupcake

Luke has drill this weekend, and there is no way I am waking up before 4 to make my sweet husband breakfast. So normally I'll pick up some pop tarts or some store bought muffins for him to take with him. But after seeing this recipe I decided to spruce it up a little and combine two of Luke's favorite things...cupcakes and cinnamon rolls.

Here is what you need...

1 -stick of butter

1- cup of brown sugar

1-box yellow cake mix (We used Betty Crocker Gluten Free)

2-TSP Almond Extract

1/2-TSP Vanilla Extract (you may want to use a little more, I cut the amount down because I used vanilla flavored milk)

4 TBS- Ground Cinnamon

3 Eggs

1/8 cup -vegetable oil

1/8 cup- milk

1/4 cup of chopped pecans

* If making this a GF recipe make sure to double check all your ingredients- I knew that everything I had on hand was GF.

Preheat your oven to 350 and get the pan ready- Seriously I can not sing enough praises for the silicon cupcake liners... They are AMAZING!!!

Mix all the ingredients together in a big bowl - I would add the nuts last, once you have the batter smooth, because it would be a little difficult to tell the difference in this batter between lumps and pecans.

Pour your mix into your liners- I filled mine almost all the way up

Bake for the amount of time on your box of cake. Mine was for 25. It ended up being more like 30 minutes to achieve the crunchy outer texture I wanted for this cake. This cake was super yummy. Crunchy on the outside and ooey gooey in the middle. Just like a good cinnamon roll.

I was pleasantly surprised with the gluten free cake mix. I have read mixed reviews on it, but it did work really well in this cake.

Now for the fun part, the icing... I was lazy, I'll admit it. I used good old store bought cream cheese icing in a tub. I also told myself that I needed to use everything in my pantry before the big move, and this tub has been travelling around with me for a little while. I was also able to use some of my new cupcake goodies when icing these babies. I finally broke down and bought icing tips and a featherweight bag. This is all after a trip to Williams Sonoma Friday (I will post on that later today).

 Luke loved them, I loved them, I loved icing them (I will be buying larger tips today because I could only do one before my hand and wrist started cramping up.

 

 But here is my cupcake, all iced and decorated and ready to be eaten!

I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Vegan and Gluten Free Red Velvet Cupcakes!

While sitting in work passing out the pupcakes from two days ago, I had a request for Red Velvet Cupcakes. Coincidentally I had just found this yummy recipe on pinterest, http://www.noveleats.com/dessert/vegan-red-velvet-cupcakes/. Red velvet is a favorite of many, so i decided to give it a try.

For the past few months I have been developing food allergies and issues to so many different things, that until I can get a grip on what exactly is causing the problem, certain known allergens are being removed from my diet. Craving a cupcake, I decided to make sure this one was adapted from the above recipe to make it gluten free as well.

Preheat your oven to 350 and get all your ingredients together

For the Cake:

• 1 cup vegan milk ( I used Silk Light Vanilla Soy Milk)
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour ( I used Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour)
• 1 cup vegan granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup canola or vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons red food coloring
• 11/2 teaspoons vanilla extract ( I used less than the original recipe called for because of the vanilla in the milk)
•  1/4 teaspoon of almond extract

First you need to mix the milk and the vinegar into a separate bowl and the let the milk curdle with the vinegar. Set the bowl aside.

Then, sift all dry ingredients together into a big bowl.

Next add in the wet ingredients including the milk mixture.

Whisk everything together. Be careful not to over mix, some lumps in the batter are fine.

Pour into your lined cupcake pan and bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

Take your yummy yummy cakes out of the oven and let cool. Remember to let your cakes cool completely before icing... I have to keep reminding myself this =/

Now for my favorite part, the frosting....

• 1/4 cup of softened vegan butter (earth balance in my brand of choice)
• 1/4 cup of softened vegan cream cheese
• 2 cups of vegan powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix everything together and enjoy!

So as far as the taste... My super picky husband LOVED them. He seemed a little upset that the entire dozen wasn't for him. But cupcakes are meant for sharing. =)

What is your favorite type of cupcake?

Birthday Pupcakes!

Two of my darling babies have the same birthday just a few years apart.



Lilly Belle



Tucker

Since finding out that Tucker is allergic to meat and animal fat (yes, my dog is a vegetarian), we haven't been able to find any treats that do not make him sick. But today I was determined to find something that he could enjoy on his first birthday. That's when all of my google searching FINALLY paid off and I found a recipe that not only did I have all of the ingredients for, but was also Tucker friendly.

I was also excited to bake something cupcake like so I could use all of my new cupcake related Christmas gifts. I love, and I mean really love the silicone liners! They are amazing!

To make the Pupcakes:

1/3 cup of honey

1/4 cup of vegetable oil

1/4 cup of peanut butter

1 cup of flour (i used brown rice flour because of Tucker's food sensitivities)

1 cup of shredded carrots (about 2 large carrots)

1 egg

1tsp of baking soda

1tsp of vanilla

Mix all ingredients together and bake at 350 for around 30 minutes.

You can make about 10 cupcakes or 1 8 inch round cake

For the frosting purée about 1 cup of large curd cottage cheese. Then top with swirls of peanut butter and a few shreds of carrot.

A few things I learned today about baking for your dog is to remember to use high quality ingredients. They have more sensitive stomachs so the more natural, the better. Also serving size is important. If you choose to do the whole cake remember to only give your dog a few bites not a large slice. Like with us, this is a treat and not a meal =)

I hope all of our four legged friends will enjoy!

Lilly and Tucker both approved!

Caramel Cake--- Cupcake Style =)

• I have been reading The Help and the book talks about Minny's caramel cake, and how delicious it was. Well I started craving this and lucked up and found a recipe inspired by the book.

 I love caramel, I mean really love, I had to stop myself from eating all the icing and the dozen cakes that will be making an appearance at a pool party tomorrow.

the start of the icing

After about 15 minutes of stirring!

This recipe was hard work, the icing took a good 30 minutes of constant stirring, but the outcome was so great that I will be making these again, and again, and again.

my tasting spoon and plate... =)

Normally I make my cupcakes with a hand mixer, but my stand mixer (which was a wedding present from my aunt and uncle) has been dying to make an appearance in my life, and man I am glad i finally decided to use it.


I adore these cupcakes!!! but my favorite part has to be the gooey caramel that sits in the center of the hollowed out cake!
I hope the everyone will enjoy them tomorrow ... and now I need to go work out after eating half a pot of caramel icing =/









Here is the recipe!!!!
Yield: 12 cupcakes 

• 1/2 C unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 C flour
• 1 C sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk 
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• caramel icing

1. In a medium-sized bowl, cream butter and sugar.
2. Beat in eggs one at a time. 
3. Add flour and sweetened condensed milk alternately into the mixture.
4. Add vanilla.
5. Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full.
6. Bake at 350 F for 20 minutes or until cupcakes bounce back when touched lightly are are slightly browned on top.
7. To make filled cupcakes: When cupcakes are cool, use a paring knife to cut a chunk out of the center of the cupcake.  Fill the entire hole with caramel. 
8.  Immediately eat the part of the cupcake that you removed--- i did and I promise it is worth it =)
9. Frost the tops of the cupcakes (right over the filled hole) with the remaining caramel. 
10. Serve while the caramel is still hot and gooey or wait until it hardens some.  

and now..... for the best part the icing =)

• 2 1/2 C sugar
• 1/2 C unsalted butter (the original recipe called for margarine, but I only use butter)
• 3/4 C evaporated milk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1. In a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat, mix butter, evaporated milk and two cups of sugar.
2. Heat and stir until sugar dissolves.  Do not allow to come to a boil.
3. Once sugar dissolves, reduce heat to low.
4. In a small cast iron skillet on medium-low heat, melt half cup of sugar - stirring constantly until liquid and brown 
5. Pour the browned sugar into the saucepan and quickly stir to incorporate.  
6. Stir regularly until the liquid reaches the soft ball stage. You can test by dropping a small amount of caramel into water to see if it forms a soft ball (hence the name). It may take up to thirty minutes to reach the soft ball stage.  Here's where the patience kicks in.  Resist the temptation to turn up the heat because the caramel can easily burn.
7. Let cool slightly.  If you wait too long, the caramel will become difficult to spread.
8. Mix in vanilla.  

the classics... redone

So, I am obsessed with the food network. Everyday during my daily nap (it is excusable I leave for work when the sun is coming up) I leave it on. Well today one chef was making a chocolate cake with a chocolate buttercream frosting, this cake looked amazing. I was inspired to make a chocolate cupcake with a chocolate frosting... however I found out my cupboard was out of cocoa powder. (Luke, I blame you and you're hot chocolate's =)) So I decided to make a vanilla cupcake with a hot chocolate/expresso whipped frosting.

The vanilla cake was really good... despite my slight mishap with the butter and just a tad bit too long in the oven =/. But still tasty for another first attempt at my own batter, and making the recipe to bake only 4 cupcakes (so i am not tempted to overeat).






The icing... I mean who needs a cake when you have frosting? This stuff was amazingly good. After my three cakes were iced i sat and ate the leftovers from the bowl. I found some instant coffee and some hot chocolate mix in my cabinet and volia... cocoa powder and expresso for the 20 somethings... Fishing out the mini marshmallows from the package wasn't fun, but the outcome was great. I will make this again, and I may frost some cupcakes with it... If I don't eat it all before then.


xoxo,
Kimberly

Peach Cobbler Cupcakes

Last week I attempted to make a blackberry cobbler... it was tasty, but nothing like a cobbler. It looked more like a pie and even though it was yummy tasted kind of like jelly. I have been craving peach cobbler ever since then, and I realized I hadn't made any cupcakes in a very long time... so here goes my crazy attempt at a peach cobbler cupcake.

I have never made a batter from my own recipe before, normally i take the work someone else has done and make a few slight changes to make it my own. But I am proud to say that this recipe is all mine =). I searched for a cake/ icing combo i liked and couldn't find one.

I started with a brown sugar and butter cake recipe... I changed up one that i had found and used sour cream in the batter and a lot less butter. Then instead of using canned fruit  (like everyone else online seemed to do) I decided to use fresh peaches, and mix them into the batter. It is summer and peaches are seriously everywhere!
Yield: 16 Cupcakes

• 1 1/2 C flour
• 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 C unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 C brown sugar
• 1/4 C sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 C sour cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 C peaches, roughly chopped (about 2 medium-sized peaches)

1. With a fork, whisk flour, baking powder, and baking soda in a bowl.
2. Beat butter and sugars in a large bowl for 1 minute until light and fluffy.
3. Beat in eggs, sour cream, and vanilla extract until blended.
4. Mix in flour mixture.
5. Fold in peaches.
6. Fill cupcake liners 1/2 full.
7. Bake at 350 F for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out of the cupcake clean.

The cakes took a little while to bake, but the result is amazing. They are so good that they do not even need icing.

Being a true southerner peach cobbler and vanilla ice cream are a staple in my family, and i decided to make a vanilla whipped cream frosting to mimic that ice cream flavor.

If you have never made whipped cream before it is well worth it so much better than the cans or the tubs of the stuff (and not to mention quick and easy). Seriously my recipe was

1 1/2 cups of heavy whipping cream
3/4 tsp vanilla extract
5/8 tbs granulated sugar

Then all you do is beat until it is thick and whipped cream like =)


This cupcakes are so good! I mean really really really good. I only baked 8 to see if I would like the way they turned out, i wish i would have made more, because I would have eaten them for every meal tomorrow =)

xoxo,
Kimberly