Hot Chocolate Cupcakes with Peppermint Buttercreme

So I got an order for two dozen cupcakes for a holiday party about a week ago. I decided to make two kinds of cupcakes and these were the first. Both turned out pretty good if I may say so myself.

These were a little on the sweet side so if you want to cut back just add less sugar to the cupcake batter and test the frosting as you add the powdered sugar until you get the desired taste.

Cupcakes:
(this is the recipe off the back of the Hershey cocoa box)

2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup veg oil
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup boiling water

(this makes about 30 cupcakes!)

1) preheat oven to 350. Get cupcake pans ready
2) Mix dry ingredients
3) add wet ingredients, boiling water last. Batter will be very thin.
4) mix until all ingredients are incorporated
5) fill cupcake holders about 2/3 of the way
6) bake about 20 min

These are super moist and go amazingly with the chocolate frosting on the back of the box as well.

Peppermint Buttercreme:

1/2 cup butter softened
Powdered sugar to taste (about 7 cups)
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp peppermint extract

1) beat together butter and half of the milk
2) slowly add about four cups of the powdered sugar
3) add the peppermint
4) keep alternating milk and powdered sugar until it reaches the desired taste and consistency

To put the cupcakes together:
Use an apple corer to take the center out of the cupcake if you want to. Pipe in some of the peppermint Buttercreme (I added some instant hot chocolate mix to about half a cup to do this to make the cupcakes extra hot chocolaty) I think since the cupcakes are so moist you don't need to fill them with anything though.
Pipe a generous amount of icing on the top of each cupcake. Top with a chunk of peppermint bark (recipe to come soon..or you can use store bought)

Update on pumpkin pie...

So I posted earlier on a completely made from scratch pumpkin pie...and have come to the conclusion that it is much better and easier just to make pumpkin pie using the recipe on the back of the can.

This is why...

1: boiling (or roasting for that matter) doesn't give you the same pumpkin taste or consistency as the canned stuff.
2: molasses did not go well with the favors of the pie...and I cut what the recipe called for in half
3: it's a big pain

So in conclusion make the pie from the can, it is easier and much tastier.

Post Baby Blogging

It just hasn't happened yet. Having a baby is a lot of work. I won't go into all the details of t he last six weeks but I now have a wonderfully awesome baby boy named Dominic!

The last week or so I have slowly started to learn how to juggle baby and baking. The baking is needed to relax me and let me have some time to be a little creative.

First thing I baked some things for the church cookie and candy walk.  I made some pumpkin and chocolate fudge.  I also make some peppermint bark.  The recipe for pumpkin fudge has already been put up on my blog...I made it earlier to rave reviews.  I'm going to wait and post the peppermint bark recipe for when I have pictures to put with it.  (I plan on making a few batches for Christmas presents soon.)

I was going to make peanut butter fudge and peppermint fudge but I learned quickly that baking with a baby takes a lot more time then baking on my own. 

Here is the chocolate fudge recipe:
1 lb. milk chocolate
1 lb. semi-sweet chocolate
2 1/2 tbs. butter
2 cups marshmallow creme
12 oz evaporated milk
4 cups sugar

1. Line a 9x13 pan with wax paper (you can spray butter it too if you want)
2. Heat the butter, evaporated milk and sugar in a large saucepan.  Bring to a boil.  Continuously stir and let boil for four to five minutes. 
3. Put chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and heat in the microwave until softened.  (I just did two 30 sec. rounds) 
4. Add the chocolate to the butter/milk mixture.  (take it off the stove first) Mix until all the chocolate is melted.
5. Mix in the marshmallow creme and mix until smooth. 
6. Pour the mixture into the pan and let it sit for a few hours (you can put it in the fridge to harden if you need to)

I only made this once and I made a few mistakes.  One: I wasn't watching the mixture while it was boiling (even though you are supposed to stir it constantly) and it boiled over...made a terrible sticky mess and I lost about 1/3 of the mixture.  Two: I didn't have good quality chocolate chips and you since it is just chocolate the quality of the chocolate is very very important.  Three: 4 cups of sugar is probably way too much...the fudge was very sweet.  

So if I had payed attention and shelled out for some more expensive chocolate it would have made all the difference.  I also might have just used semi-sweet chocolate with all the sugar that was called for in the recipe. 

Stay tuned for these recipes I have made recently:
Peppermint bark
Hot Chocolate cupcakes with peppermint buttercream icing
Gingerbread cupcakes with lemon cream cheese icing and
Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with lemon cream cheese icing

Made From Scratch Pumpkin Pie

The worst thing about cooking and baking right now...besides being four days overdue with this baby...is not having a dishwasher! Yeah, it sucks.  I absolutely hate doing dishes. It's the worst.  Anyway...

Pumpkin Pie time. 

For a while I tried to find a pumpkin pie recipe online that told me how to make it completely from scratch.  None of the ones I could find had rave reviews...they were all lacking something or other.  Then I remembered a friend of mine who likes to bake, and had made a pumpkin pie from scratch last year.  He graciously gave me the recipe.  I made a few minor adjustments...just because I like my pumpkin pie spicy and will post my modified recipe below. 

For the crust see my past recipe.  I just took it out of the fridge for about 20 min. and then rolled it out and put it in my 9'' pie pan, cut of the excess and crinkled the edges.  The crust does not have to be cooked before the pie. 


Ingredients: (this makes one 9'' pie)
1 cup pumpkin puree*
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. molasses
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups (one 12oz can) evaporated milk
1 tsp. vanilla

*To make pumpkin puree: Take a small baking pumpkin, cut into quarters.  Scrape out the innards.  Put into a pot of boiling water.  Boil until soft and mushy.  Pull out the pumpkin and use a spoon to separate the skin of the pumpkin from the flesh.  Put into a blender or food processor (I used my immersion blender...I never pass up the chance) and blend until smooth.  If you have any extra, you can save it and use for later...It freezes fine.  Note: Boiling pumpkin does not smell very good...make sure you have a way to ventilate the area! (It could just be the pregnant me talking, any strong smell turns my stomach.)

1) Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. 
2) Mix all the ingredients in a bowl.  (It will be thinner than the pumpkin recipes you find on the cans, and darker in color)
3) Pour into unbaked pie shell. 
4) Put in the oven for 15 min.  Then reduce the heat to 300 degrees.
5) Cover the edges with foil so the crust doesn't burn (I just use a long sheet of foil and tent it over the pie. 
5) Leave in the oven for 45-60 min.  (until set in the middle)
6) Remove from oven, let cool completely and enjoy!