Carrot Cake Cupcakes!

This past weekend, my mother-in-law asked me if I could cover the desserts for our Easter dinner. She works as an executive assistant and her work has been pretty hectic. Of course I responded with, “Absolutely! I'd love to help out!” I was trying to decide what I was going to make and so as I began to look up recipes for Easter desserts, I came across several carrot cake recipes. I’ve never really been a fan of cake with vegetables in it so that’s probably why I didn’t think of it on my own. But the orange color makes it perfect for this holiday. One thing almost stopped me from choosing this dessert – I had never made carrot cake before. My husband warned me that his granny was always saying how hard carrot cake is to make so I was a little scared. But I went with it anyways… and it turned out great! The recipe I chose has pecans and no raisins. I personally don’t like raisins but you could always add them in if you want. Also I found the cutest picture of a carrot cake with little decorative icing carrots on top so I decided to place a little carrot on each cupcake. It was adorable! Here is the recipe I used…

Ingredients

 4 eggs

 1 1/4 cups vegetable oil

 2 cups white sugar

 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

 2 cups all-purpose flour

 2 teaspoons baking soda

 2 teaspoons baking powder

 1/2 teaspoon salt

 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

 3 cups grated carrots

 1 cup chopped pecans

 

 1/2 cup butter, softened

 8 ounces cream cheese, softened

 4 cups confectioners' sugar

 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 1 cup chopped pecans

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place cupcake liners in a muffin pan.

2. In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, oil, white sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir in carrots. Fold in pecans. Pour into prepared pan.

3. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean. Let them cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.

4. To Make Frosting: In a medium bowl, combine butter, cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Stir in chopped pecans. Frost the cooled cake.

 I chose to forego the pecans in the icing since they were already in the cake batter but you can always add them in the icing too if you wish. I hope you enjoy!

(For the decorative carrots, I just whipped up some orange and green icing and used an icing bag to pipe them on.)

White and Dark Cookies

Today we had my in-laws over for lunch after church. We had barbecue chicken, corn, and some potatoes. So I was trying to think of the perfect dessert for this menu. Since I had to be in church Sunday morning, I knew I’d have to bake this dessert the night before. I decided to keep it simple and go with cookies. I ransacked my pantry to see what options I had for cookies. I immediately saw some white chocolate chips and thought white chocolate macadamia nut cookies! I proceeded to make these cookies and when I got to the part where I fold in the nuts and chips, I realized I had no macadamia nuts! So I went back to the pantry and found some semi-sweet chocolate chips. I decided to throw those in and see how they turned out. I have to admit I felt like a professional chef changing up this recipe. They were delicious! The white chocolate chips were super sweet and the semi-sweet chips gave that cocoa flavor. They were absolutely to die for! So I’m going to share the recipe with you with the changes I have made…

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

2 eggs

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup white chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla and almond extracts. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; gradually stir into the creamed mixture. Mix in the semi-sweet chocolate and white chocolate. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.

3. Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown.

As always, make sure you use room temperature eggs. Also, these cookies are not going to spread out as much as most cookies do, so try not to make the cookie dough balls too big. Hope you all enjoy!

White Chocolate Bark

This week I chose to share a dessert that anyone can do! It is super simple, and very versatile. You can mix up the ingredients to whatever you or your familiy likes. So what dessert am I talking about? It’s white chocolate bark! This recipe is candy making made simple. You certainly don’t need a forensic scientist to accomplish this one. This is also a great recipe that you can use when you want your kids to help out in the kitchen! For my recipe, I use pistaccios, dried cranberries, and apricots. These give great color and I think they taste great. However, if your kids won’t eat apricots, you can definitely change out these ingredients to suit your needs. Speaking of kids, this is a great way to get them to eat some fruits that they normally would not because they are in a big bar of white chocolate. They probably will not even notice. So let’s talk about how to make these…

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Using a pencil, draw an 8 by 10-inch rectangle on a piece of parchment paper placed on a sheet pan. Turn the parchment paper over so the pencil mark doesn't get into the chocolate.

Place the pistaccios in 1 layer on another sheet pan and bake for 8 minutes. Set aside to cool and then chop roughly into large pieces. You can do this with whatever nut you decide to use.

Place 3/4 of the chocolate in a glass bowl and place it in the microwave on high power for 30 seconds. Stir with a rubber spatula. Put it back in the microwave for another 30 seconds and stir again. Continue to heat and stir every 30 seconds until the chocolate is just melted. Immediately, add the remaining chocolate and allow it to sit at room temperature, stirring often, until it's completely smooth. (If you need to heat it a little more, place it in the microwave for another 15 seconds at a time.) This is called tempering chocolate.

Pour the melted chocolate onto the parchment paper and spread it lightly into the drawn rectangle. Sprinkle the top evenly with the cooled pistaccios, the cranberries and apricots. Set aside for at least 2 hours until firm, or refrigerate for 20 minutes. Cut the bark in 16 pieces and serve at room temperature.

How simple was that? I hope you turn to this recipe the next time you want a simple candy recipe!

Strawberry Shortcake

In the town that I live in the weather has been beautiful here lately.  Although its only March, it feels like its summer outside. All of this warm sunshine has been making me crave my favorite summer desserts, so I decided to dig out a recipe and whip one up. I chose to make my favorite strawberry shortcake. You don't need to be a nutritionist to know this isn't the most healthy cake, but it is one that I promise you'll enjoy. Besides, everyone needs to indulge now and then. This cake is moist and delicious. It’s the perfect treat for a hot summer day. (Or a day in March when its 78 and sunny!)

Here is the recipe…

Ingredients:

3 pints fresh strawberries

 1/2 cup white sugar

 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

 4 teaspoons baking powder

 2 tablespoons white sugar

 1/4 teaspoon salt

 1/3 cup shortening

 1 egg

 2/3 cup milk

 2 cups whipped heavy cream

Directions:

1. Slice the strawberries and toss them with 1/2 cup of white sugar. Set aside.

2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Grease and flour one 8 inch round cake pan.

3. In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, 2 tablespoons white sugar and the salt. With a pastry blender cut in the shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in the center and add the beaten egg and milk. Stir until just combined.

4. Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Bake at 425 degrees F (220 degrees C) for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool partially in pan on wire rack.

5. Slice partially cooled cake in half, making two layers. Place half of the strawberries on one layer and top with the other layer. Top with remaining strawberries and cover with the whipped cream.

Here’s a tip – You don’t really need a pastry blender to cut the shortening into the mixture. Just use a regular old butter knife. It will do the trick!

Hope you all enjoy!

Orange Pound Cake

This past week was my sister's birthday and as her gift I made her favorite dessert - orange pound cake! She is a police officer and she took some into work. She said everyone at the station loved it! This is a recipe that I have used for many years now. It is just a regular pound cake with the added orange flavor. So it’s super easy to make! Here is the recipe…

Ingredients

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

2 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided

4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature

1/3 cup grated orange zest (6 oranges)

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon kosher salt

3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice, divided

3/4 cup buttermilk, at room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

To glaze one loaf (optional):

1 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted

1 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice

Directions

 Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2-inch loaf pans. Line the bottoms with parchment paper.

Cream the butter and 2 cups of the granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for about 5 minutes, or until light and fluffy. With the mixer on medium speed, beat in the eggs, one at a time, and the orange zest.

 In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, combine 1/4 cup of the orange juice, the buttermilk, and vanilla. Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately to the batter, beginning and ending with the flour. Divide the batter evenly between the pans, smooth the tops, and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until a cake tester comes out clean.

 While the cakes bake, cook the remaining 1/2 cup of granulated sugar with the remaining 1/2 cup orange juice in a small saucepan over low heat until the sugar dissolves. When the cakes are done, let them cool for 10 minutes. Take them out of the pans and place them on a baking rack set over a tray. Spoon the orange syrup over the cakes and allow the cakes to cool completely.

 To glaze, combine the confectioners' sugar and orange juice in a bowl, mixing with a wire whisk until smooth. Add a few more drops of juice, if necessary, to make it pour easily. Pour over the top of one cake and allow the glaze to dry. Wrap well, and store in the refrigerator.

You may think 1/3 cup of orange zest is a whole lot, and it is, but it’s what gives the cake the great orange flavor. I hope you enjoy this zesty dessert!

Apple Caramel Crostatas

About a week ago, my husband and I went out to eat at our favorite Italian restaurant. They had a new dessert on the menu that I was dying to try as soon as I saw it. It was an apple caramel crostata, which is basically like apple pie in a bowl. The bowl is lined with flaky, buttery pastry dough and then filled with apples, cinnamon and caramel. It does not get much better than that. So I tried it and it was delicious. Then I got home and of course, had to re-create in my own kitchen. The lady that had been sitting next to us at the restaurant just happened to be an aspiring pastry chef and she shared with me the two things that I should include to make this specific crostata. So I used my favorite apple pie recipe and tweaked it.  I didn’t change the pastry dough. But I added the two things to the filling that make this dessert perfect… orange zest and caramel. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

For the pastry:

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons granulated or superfine sugar

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 pound (1 stick) very cold unsalted butter, diced

2 tablespoons ice water

For the filling:

1 1/2 pounds McIntosh, Macoun, or Empire apples (3 large)

1/4 teaspoon grated orange zest

1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup granulated or superfine sugar

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, diced

2 tablespoons caramel sauce

Directions

For the pastry, place the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Pulse a few times to combine. Add the butter and pulse 12 to 15 times, or until the butter is the size of peas. With the motor running, add the ice water all at once through the feed tube. Keep hitting the pulse button to combine, but stop the machine just before the dough becomes a solid mass. Turn the dough onto a well-floured board and form into a disk. Wrap with plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Flour a rolling pin and roll the pastry into an 11-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Transfer it to a baking sheet.

For the filling, peel, core, and cut the apples into 8ths. Cut each wedge into 3 chunks. Toss the chunks with the orange zest. Cover the tart dough with the apple chunks leaving a 1 1/2-inch border.

Combine the flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, and allspice in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture is crumbly. Pour into a bowl and rub it with your fingers until it starts holding together. Sprinkle evenly on the apples. Drizzle the caramel sauce over the apples. Gently fold the border over the apples to enclose the dough, pleating it to make a circle.

Bake the crostata for 20 to 25 minutes, until the crust is golden and the apples are tender. Allow to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature

…and there you have it! A delicious, restaurant worthy dessert that is sure to please anyone!

Double Dark Chocolate Cupcakes

This week's desserts is one for the chocolate lovers! It is a decadent, rich dark chocolate cupcake, topped with a semi-sweet chocolate frosting. You have to be a true chocoholic to enjoy this one. Paired with some strawberries or raspberries, this dessert would be perfect for anytime! Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

Cupcakes:
1 1/8 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup Unsweetened Cocoa

1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 large egg

1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated white sugar

1/2 cup whole milk plus

2 tablespoons whole milk

1/3 cup strong brewed coffee or espresso

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

Frosting:

6 ounces Semi-Sweet Chocolate baking bar, broken or chopped into 1-inch pieces

3/4 cup heavy cream

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup Milk or Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 12 cupcake molds or muffin tins with paper liners or spray with nonstick spray.            

To make the cupcakes, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.           
In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg, brown sugar, and white sugar. Whisk in the milk, coffee, and melted butter. Whisk in the dry ingredients. Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake molds, filling them about three-quarters full.               
Bake for 15 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the middle of the cupcakes comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes. Using a small spatula or knife, remove the cupcakes from the pan. Continue to cool on a wire rack to room temperature.
To make the frosting, melt the chopped chocolate in the top of a double boiler, or in a heatproof bowl, over barely simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth. Heat the cream until hot. Remove from the heat and whisk in the chocolate. Transfer to a bowl and cool to just warm. Whisk in the butter until smooth. Let sit until it reaches a spreading consistency, about 1 hour. Spread the frosting on top of the cupcakes. Sprinkle them with chocolate chips.               

The component that really makes this dessert special is the coffee. This is a trick I use anytime I'm baking with chocolate. The coffee really brings out the taste of the chocolate. I hope this dessert is perfect for you!