Recipe of the Week: Churro Con Chocolate Cupcakes

Mmmm the spanish doughnut, also known as churro. I have many fond childhood memories of these cinnamon sugary delights. The aroma especially is what always attracted me to them as a child. And there is something so simple and fun about them, who doesn't like to dip things in chocolate, right? I've seen other recipes for such cupcakes but I wanted to develop it a little further. I made 2 different versions of these scrumptious cupcakes and used Dollhouse Bake Shoppe's churro recipe as my base.

I first did a cinnamon graham cupcake with a chocolate ganache filling and a cinnamon graham cream cheese frosting.

The 2nd type was the same base cinnamon graham cupcake but instead of filling the cupcakes I simply used the ganache as the frosting and dusted them with cinnamon + graham cracker crumbs.

So far the verdict in the family is they enjoy the simplicity of the 2nd version but are in love with the frosting in the first so it is hard for them to decide. If you make these, come back and let me know the version you went with and what you thought, I'd love to hear others opinions :) Happy Baking!

Churro Cupcakes
(Cinnamon graham cupcakes w/ chocolate ganache filling and cinnamon graham cream cheese frosting)
3 1/4 cup cake flour, shifted
1 tbsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp
1 1/2 cup sugar
5 large eggs (separated into 5 yolks, reserving only 3 egg whites)
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 1/3 cup whole milk, room temp

Ganache:
8oz chocolate
1 cup heavy cream

Frosting:
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 8oz packaged cream cheese
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temp
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups confectioners sugar

Directions:
Cake-Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Sift together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl, set aside. Combine graham cracker crumbs and brown sugar in a small bowl and pour in the melted butter. Stir until combined, set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy. Gradually add the sugar and beat about 3 minutes more, or until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Reduce the speed to low and add the egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Beat in the vanilla extract and cinnamon. On low speed, mix in 1/3 flour mixture and 1/2 the milk, repeat alternating between the flour and milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix just until the flour is incorporated. Do not over beat once the flour mixture is added.

With an electric hand mixer, beat the egg whites until medium-stiff peaks form and fold into the batter. Fold in the graham cracker-brown sugar mixture. Scoop the batter into the lined cupcake pan. Bake 22 minutes for mini cupcakes or 27 minutes for regular-size cupcakes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool the cupcakes completely before frosting.

Ganche-Place cream in a microwave safe bowl and heat on high for 2-3 minutes (watch cream, when it begins to boil take it out). Put chocolate in a medium sized bowl and pour hot cream over the top. Let sit for a few minutes, then stir or whisk until well combined and completely smooth. Chill the ganache to a thick spreading consistency. Best to leave in the fridge over night, but if your inpatient like me placing in the freezer for a bit works awesome too ;) Using a knife, in the center of the cupcake cut out a cone, slice off the "pointy" end of the cone, leaving just the circular base. Fill cake with the ganache and place the circular piece onto as a plug to seal the filling in.

Frosting-Combine the graham cracker crumbs and brown sugar in a small bowl and pour in the melted butter. Stir until combined and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the cream cheese and butter on medium speed until smooth. Beat in the vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt. Reduce the speed to low, and add the confectioners' sugar until well blended. Increase the speed to high and beat about 3 minutes more, or until light and creamy. Fold in the graham cracker-brown sugar mixture. Place the icing in pastry bag fitted with a pastry tip. Pipe the icing on the cooled cupcakes. Garnish the cupcakes with graham cracker crumbs, a piece of cinnamon sugar graham cracker, and a sprinkling of cinnamon.

Recipe of the Week: Chocolate + Peanut Butter= Best Combo Ever!

Don't even try to argue with me, chocolate and peanut butter married together is pure bliss! This recipe came about because #1 currently can't leave the house due to recovery from a recent surgery, which meant no going to the grocery store, had to use what I had. And #2 brownies sounded like fun, but I'm completely and utterly addicted to making cupcakes...so what was left to do?...combine the 2!! Brownie mix + extra chocolate + peanut butter frosting, really does it get any better then this?! These rich cupcakes are so delicious and make the house smell INCREDIBLE. Just try not to give yourself a tummy ache with all the bowl licking you'll be doing while making the scrumptious frosting.

Double Chocolate Brownie-Cupcakes w. Peanut Butter Frosting
Chocolate fudge brownie mix
3 eggs
2 oz good quality dark chocolate
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup water
3 tbsp milk

Peanut butter frosting
1 cup confectioners sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter
5 tbsp unsalted butter, room temp
3/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup heavy cream

Heat oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 12 cup muffin pan (or line with cupcake liners if preferred). Set a small heatproof bowl over a saucepan containing barely simmering water; heat mixture until chocolate is melted. (Alternately, you can microwave the mixture at 50% power, stirring every 30 seconds until completely melted.) Set aside to cool until just warm. Whisk eggs in a medium-large bowl to combine; add milk, water and vegetable oil until fully incorporated. Add cooled chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. Gradually add in brownie mix. Divide the batter evenly among muffin pan cups. Bake until skewer inserted into center of cupcakes comes out clean, 28-35 minutes. Cool cupcakes in muffin pan on wire rack until cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes. Carefully lift each cupcake from muffin pan and cool to room temperature before icing.

PB Frosting: Place the confectioners’ sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium-low speed until creamy, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula as you go. Add the heavy cream,beat on high until light & smooth.

Recipe of the Week: Peanut Butter, Oats & Chocolate, Oh My!

Are you a fan of peanut butter, chocolate chips, oatmeal? Well these are most definitely for you! Such a wonderful combination of smooth peanut butter, a toasted oat flavor with a touch of sweet chocolate. The texture is perfectly crisp on the outside with a chewy indulgent middle. This scrumptious recipe is from one of my favorite baking bloggers Brown Eyed Baker, make sure to take a peak at all her other fabulous recipes!

Peanut Butter & Oats Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
½ cup all natural creamy peanut butter (I used Skippy)
½ cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar
½ tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
½ cup oats
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

2. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a bowl; set aside.

3. On medium speed, cream together the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract, about 2 minutes. Add peanut butter and mix together for another minute. Add the egg and beat to combine. On low speed, gradually add the flour until just combined. Stir in the oats, and then the chocolate chips.

4. Drop heaping tablespoons of dough onto prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly golden. Cool completely on the baking sheet and then store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Note: The cookies will not look 100% “done” when you pull them out of the oven, but they will continue to bake on the hot baking sheet once taken out of the oven. If they are slightly brown, and are puffy in the middle they are ready to come out promise :)

Makes about 18 cookies

Recipe of the Week: Jelly Doughnut Cupcakes

Is your mouth watering yet? Now I personally am not a fan of jelly doughnuts (I'm more of a glazed girl myself) BUT these cupcakes might have me changing my mind! The perfect combination of moist cake with a kick of sweet jam in the center and of course a jelly doughnut is not complete without the powder sugar on top! Your eyes do not deceive you, this is indeed another cake mix recipe-the simplicity and ease of developing new textures and flavor combination's is too wonderful for me to resist lately! Hope you all enjoy this fun, scrumptious cupcake. Next weeks recipe will be 100% homemade goodness with a chocolate theme, be on the look out!

Jelly Doughnut Cupcakes

Ingredients:
1 (18.25 ounces) yellow cake mix
1 (3.4 ounces) cheesecake (or vanilla) instant pudding mix
1 cup milk
1 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs
1 jar (12 ounces) strawberry preserves
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar


Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 24 cupcake cups with paper liners. Set the pans aside.

Place the cake mix, pudding mix, oil, milk in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer. Add eggs one at a time making sure to incorporate fully. Spoon batter into cupcake liners, filling them two thirds of the way full.

Bake the cupcakes until they are golden and spring back when lightly pressed with your finger, 1 12-15 minutes. Place them on a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes before filling.

Fit a pastry bag with a metal tip that has a large round hole and spoon preserves into the bag. Insert the whole tip into the top center of the cupcake. Generously squirt 1 to 2 Tablespoons preserves into each cupcake (you may need to wipe the tip clean as you go). Continue filling the cupcakes, refilling the pastry bag as needed. When done, sift the cupcake tops with confectioners' sugar.