Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Snickerdoodle Cupcakes

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Only 3 1/2 days of school left.  I'm not sure if I should be elated or terrified.  I'm leaning towards terrified.

Yikes!

Let's focus on cupcakes, shall we.
I have a new favorite cupcake!
 


Oh my freakin' WORD!  Where have these babies been all my life?!  My chocolate-only-lovin' boy was impressed with these as well.  =Huge!

I've always liked Snickerdoodle cookies, but I'm not sure I would pick them over a more flashy option.  Hello...Triple Chocolate Chunk Cookies or Double Fudge Oreo Crunch Cookies or even Pretzel M&M Cookies.  It's another story with the cupcake version of this cookie.  Good grief.  Delicious!   

Make some soon!

Snickerdoodle Cupcakes
by Brandy's Baking
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15-20 minutes
Ingredients (24 cupcakes)
    For the Cupcakes
    • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
    • 1 1/2 cups cake flour
    • 1 Tbsp baking powder
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
    • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
    • 1 3/4 cups sugar
    • 4 large eggs, at room temperature
    • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 1/4 cups whole milk
    For the Frosting
    • 1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
    • 4 oz. cream cheese, softened
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 3/4 tsp cinnamon
    • 4 cups confectioners' sugar
    • 3-5 Tbsp whipping cream
    Instructions
    Make the cupcakes:
    Preheat oven to 350F. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Sift together both flours, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.
    With an electric mixer on medium speed, cream together butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated. Beat in vanilla. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of milk, and beating until combined after each.
    Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each about three-quarters full. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool cupcakes in tins for 10 minutes then remove cupcakes to wire rack to cool completely.
    Make the frosting:
    With an electric mixer, cream together the butter and cream cheese. Blend in salt, vanilla and cinnamon. Add confectioners' sugar and mix well. Mix in whipping cream, one tablespoon at a time, until mixture is spreadable. Frost cupcakes.
    Source: Cupcakes-Martha Stewart's Cupcakes, Frosting- Brandy's Baking original concoction :)
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    This post is linked to:Whatcha Baking Wednesday
    Thursday, May 17, 2012

    Symphony Brownies - Brought Back

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    Today I am grateful.  I'm just grateful.
    My children are healthy and they are really great kids...though I may be a little biased.
    My husband and I are healthy.  We are happy.
    We have a safe and comfy home.
    I have nice friends and a loving family.
    My children have wonderful teachers.

    I'm just taking a moment away from a bout of worry and heartbreak.  Having a child with ADHD has brought many interesting challenges into our lives.  Some of those challenges are fairly easy to overcome, some of them are a little more difficult to walk through with my baby.  This too shall pass.  I believe that.

    So, today I am grateful.  I have a smile on my face and happiness in my heart because I have so much to be grateful for. 

    I find a certain amount of comfort in baking.  I'm sure I've mentioned that before.  So, this week, I've been baking.  This is a brownie recipe that I LOVE, and have posted about before.  It's easy and it yields a super fudgey brownie with a little milk chocolate and toffee goodness in the middle.  I wanted to bring them back so you could be sure and enjoy them too.


    Go ahead, make some.

    Symphony Brownies

    by Brandy's Baking

    Prep Time: 15 minutes

    Cook Time: 30-35 minutes

    Ingredients (12 brownies)

    • 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate; coarsely chopped
    • 3/4 cup butter
    • 1 ½ cups white sugar
    • 3 eggs
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • 1 cup all-purpose flour
    • 2 (4.5 ounce) Symphony Chocolate bars; broken into little rectangles

    Instructions

    Preheat oven to 350. Line an 8 x 8 baking pan with parchment paper or foil, and butter or spray with non-stick cooking spray.

    Microwave chocolate and butter in a large bowl (slowly and at low power-don't burn the chocolate!) for 2-3 minutes (30 seconds at a time) or until butter is melted.

    Whisk until chocolate is melted. Whisk in sugar and add in eggs, vanilla and salt. Whisk until smooth. Gradually add in flour and stir until just combined.

    Spread ½ the batter into prepared pan. Add an even layer of Symphony bar rectangles and cover with remaining ½ of brownie batter. Gently spread the batter, making it smooth and even. Bake for 30 - 32 minutes; do not over bake.

    Let brownies cool completely on a rack before cutting.

    Source: My Baking Addiction
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     This post is linked to:  Sweets for a Saturday
    Sunday, May 13, 2012

    Zucchini Muffins

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    Can you stand one more breakfast-ish post?  These muffins are worth it, I promise.  I'll pull myself out of the breakfast bread lane with the next post, for sure.



    Don't be put off by the zucchini in the muffins, they don't taste at all vegetable-y.  Quelle Horreur!  My kids, the proudest picky picksters in town, love these muffins.  I keep them around for after-school snacks, lunch box treats, and most importantly...my breakfast. :)

    It took me many years to find a recipe for zucchini bread/muffins that I really like.  Lots of the recipes that I ran across called for crushed pineapple.  That's tasty and all, but in terms of texture...much too funky for my kids.  These little muffins come together so quickly and easily.


    Make some today!

    Zucchini Muffins

    by Brandy's Baking

    Prep Time: 15 minutes

    Cook Time: 20 minutes

    Ingredients (18-22 muffins)

    • 2 cups coarsely shredded zucchini
    • 3 cups flour
    • 1 tsp baking soda
    • 3/4 tsp salt
    • 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
    • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
    • 1/8 tsp ground ginger
    • 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
    • 3/4 cup sugar
    • 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
    • 1 cup canola oil
    • 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp milk
    • 2 tsp vanilla extract
    • 3 large eggs, lightly beaten

    Instructions

    Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease standard size muffin tins.

    Press shredded zucchini between 2 layers of paper towels to soak up excess moisture.

    Combine the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl: flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and nutmeg.

    In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the sugars, oil, milk, vanilla and eggs. Add to the flour mixture and stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. Fold in shredded zucchini.

    Fill muffin cups with batter and bake for about 20 minutes or until muffins spring back when lightly touched or a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

    Slightly adapted from Southern Living
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