Calling All Peanut Butter Lovers

Chocolate and Peanut Butter, has there ever been a better marriage of flavors? I think not! While I am not feeling up to the task of googling it right now, I would bet money that Reese's PB Cups are among the top 5 selling candy bars on the market, and for good reason. These two flavors are like a party for your tastebuds, and this cupcake version of a Reese's will leave your tastebuds hung over from the crazy ass party they attended after you polish of not one but at least six of these in one sitting...not that I know of anyone who did that.............awkard silence.......anyway, moving right along. These are truly incredible. The cake is moist, the frosting tastes like a fluffernutter sandwich sans the bread, and then like a stripper popping out of a cake, the surprise inside will get your adrenaline pumping! Are you ready for this??? I think you should sit down for this! Inside this cute little cupcake is essentially a buckeye candy without the chocolate coating. It truly makes the cupcake, and I know these will make all you PB and Chocolate fans go crazy and gain about 40 extra pounds this year as these will be your go to dessert for any and all functions you attend this year. With that said, here is the awesome recipe for these little gems!
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes:
Ingredients:
For the filling:
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
¾ cup creamy peanut butter
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ tsp. vanilla extract
For the cake:
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1 cup sour cream
2 tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1½ cups sugar
2 large eggs
For the frosting:
8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
½ cup creamy peanut butter
3¼ cups confectioners’ sugar
1 cup frozen whipped topping, thawed
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350° F.  Line two cupcake pans with paper liners.
To make the filling, combine the confectioners’ sugar, peanut butter, butter and vanilla extract in a bowl.  Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until well combined.  Roll the mixture into 1-inch balls (at least 24) and set aside on a baking sheet.
To make the cake batter, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl; whisk together and set aside.  In a liquid measuring cup, stir together the sour cream, milk and vanilla extract.  In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and sugar, and beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl as needed.  With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the dry ingredients and the sour cream mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.  Mix just until incorporated.
Spoon a tablespoon or two of batter into the bottom of each cupcake liner.  Place a ball of the peanut butter filling in each cupcake well and top with the remaining batter so that all the cups are filled.  Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Allow to cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the frosting, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the cream cheese, butter and peanut butter until smooth.  Slowly mix in the confectioners’ sugar, beating until smooth and well blended.  Mix in the whipped topping until smooth and fluffy.  Frost cooled cupcakes as desired.
Recipe from Annie's Eats

Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes

Hello Fall, well sort of fall. This fall has been unseasonably warm, leaving me sad. I crave the fall. I love to see the leaves change colors, I love wearing light sweaters in the cool crisp air, I love curling up on the couch with a cup of hot cocoa, and I love making chili to warm my bones after being out on a cool, fall afternoon. Everything I love about fall has been delayed! It was 80 degrees last week, and the light sweater I packed to wear today made me sweat balls all afternoon! Grrrr! If fall had a facebook page I would "dislike" it and leave a nasty comment on their page! But, regardless of fall's not so fashionably late arrival, I have decided to carry on with all the fall things I like to do, and decided it was time for some pumpkin! So I got my pumpkin on and made this delightful creation!
Ok, this is like no cake you have ever had before, and here's why...it's moist, it's sweet, it's spicy, it's savory...it's more than your taste buds can handle yet they keep coming back for more and more and more. Sort of like that girl who doesn't get it when "he's just not that into you." You know this is cake is bad for you but it feels so good you just can't stop at one. You'll tell yourself it's ok because it has a vegetable in it's name, but while I am not a nutritionist, I am pretty sure the calories in this are off the charts! Worth every bite?? You bet your ass they are! So here's the break down:
Pumpkin Cake, with Maple Cream Filling, and Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting. Topped with Homemade Pie Crust!!! EVERYTHING FROM SCRATCH!!!!
So yummy! A must have for your holiday season...I will not be posting the recipe for these however, because these will be my signature cupcake when I open my shop some day! I will however share my recipe with those of you who purchase a cake for your holiday party if you would like it. I also make a cake version and here is a pic of it. To order your holiday cake shoot me an email at gaga4gordon@gmail.com
Cupcakes: $2 Each
Cakes: $30 for a double 8" layer cake

Tiramisu Cupcakes: Not Quite Sure...

     First and foremost, pictures shall be posted later. I need these cupcakes for Friday night so they are not frosted yet, but here's what went down with this babies...
     So I found this recipe for Tiramisu Cupcakes at www.cakecentral.com, and I love tiramisu almost as much as I love the hubs. It's one of my favorite desserts, but I have never even attempted to make it because it seems awfully involved. When I found this recipe I knew I had to try it! I will admit it looked a little intimidating as well with all the steps, but still less involved than actual Tiramisu so I went for it.
     I prepped myself with a pep-talk about how I was going to remain calm, and that I had all day to make these and was in no rush whatsoever. I have started to notice that if I even feel the slightest bit rushed my desserts just do not turn out, and with as expensive as this dessert is to make, I did not want to have a ton of inedible cupcakes due to a technical error. All in all, it took me about 2.5 hours to complete all the steps with the exception of frosting and glazing them, which I will do on Friday.
     As they baked I was nervous because yesterday I baked some cupcakes that ended up baking into each other completely and looking more like a sheet cake than individual cupcakes, and after using a hammer and chisel to remove them from the pan, I pitched each and every one of them. However, as I checked on my cupcakes midway through cooking, they looked incredible. They were rising into these perfectly shaped cupcakes, and I was thrilled. I took out the first batch and set them aside to cool. I wasn't sure if I had enough batter to make 12 more regular sized cupcakes so I opted for the mini cupcake pan and made 25 mini cupcakes. I also did this so I could sample a couple!! These too baked up perfectly.
     As the cupcakes cooled, I made the espresso syrup. This was super easy to make, and nothing to exciting to report. So, onto the frosting. I was excited to get to this part because the frosting is a Marscapone Buttercream. I did it just as instructed, and it turned out delicious! At this point the cupcakes were cooled and ready to be frosted. Of course I had to know if they were any good so I did frost a few mini ones, but not in any pretty fashion so again, no pictures til Friday. I ate one, it was good...I think...I needed to try one more. "I think I like em" I thought to myself, but I wasn't sure so I tried another one. It left me more confused than the first bite...the problem, however, is that I couldn't keep trying them because the syrup and the frosting have kahlua in them, and my doctor seems to frown on liquor while pregnant...I know, he's a prude. Well, anyway, I am a bit stuffed up from allergies and can tell my taste buds are off, but at this point I have no idea if these are good or not. I hope they are, because again they are pretty expensive to make and I will be very sad if they are not yummy and usable! So, I will report back with the recipe and how they really taste once my allergies clear up. Sigh...

Much Love and Happy Cooking Friends,
Amelia