Candied Sweet Potato Cupcakes

Oh my, these little gems were absolutely amazing!  I am a huge fan of Sweet Potatoes, so my expectations were pretty high, and they did not disapoint. 

We started by baking three large sweet potatoes until the juices began to seep, and carmalize.  While that cooled, we made the Candied Pecans to put on top!  Once done we mixed all the other ingredients together and bake until our little cupcake perfections came out.  The frosting isn't really a frosting, more like a mound of mini marshmallows you place on a sheet and broil until browned.  After they are done you carefully scrap them up and place on top of the cupcake, quickly followed by a few of the pecan pieces.

The end result is so delightful, if you are a fan of Sweet Potatoes, and really who isn't?  Then make these, seriously right now, and don't be afraid to serve them as a side for Thanksgiving, they are that good!

Up next, Gingerbread cupcakes!!!

Until then,

t & k

Maple Cupcakes

Yesterday we finally got back in our groove, and made cupcakes again.  Our schedules have been crazy and we have been missing out on our cupcake cure! 

With the cost of pure maple syrup so outrageous we were hoping these would be amazing, and they were.  The cupcake was moist, and flavorful and the frosting was a maple version of a classic buttercream, the end result was a perfect combination.  We thought these would be extra delightful with some crispy bacon on top, so this morning, we fried some up and ate these for breakfast, they were AMAZING!!!!!!  Cupcakes with bacon, a new favorite!


Continuing on our fall theme, up next is Candied Sweet Potato Cupcakes!

Until then,

t & k

Pumpkin Patch Cupcakes

We were so excited to try some of the fun fall flavored cupcakes in the book, and this was first on our list!  Nothing screams cool weather like some pumpkin cupcakes.  These had a great blend of spices which made for a really fantastic flavor combination.  The frosting was the basic cream-cheese, but I think these would also pair well with the fluffy vanilla, one of my favorite!

We sadly forgot to take any pictures, so I pirated the one off of Martha Stewarts website.  We didn't make the marzipan pumpkins, we used a sugard pumpkin candy from Harry & David.

Next up is Maple Cupcakes!

Until then,

t & k

Devil's Food Cupcakes

We decided to make this cupcake for Ashden's birthday party, since he was having a Pirate themed party (hence the devil's food), and the recipe makes 32!  The cupcake was a great version of a devil's food, but we decided to frost it with a Chocolate-Sour Cream frosting!  The frosting was a little bit of heaven with a whole lot of chocolate.  How can you go wrong with powdered sugar, cocoa, cream-cheese, sour-cream, butter and melted bittersweet chocolate?!  You can't, the end process was amazing, and sadly wasted on a bunch of five year olds!

Until next time,

t & k

German Chocolate Cupcakes

  This all time cake classic makes a wonderul little cupcake.  The batter uses melted semi-sweet chocolate rather than cocoa powder for a really intense chocolate flavor.  Having never made a German Chocolate Cake, I was unprepared for how the frosting is made, it is a process.  You start by heating the egg yolks, evaporated milk, brown sugar and butter until thick, about 10 minutes, strain, and then stir in vanilla, salt, coconut and pecans.  Let cool completely, and then frost.  Who knew all of those ingredients make up that delicious frosting?

I took the left overs to a community pot-luck the next day, and they were a hit.  They are so rich and sweet, that it is easier to divide the cupcake into two, and instead of eating the whole thing!

Until next time,

t & k

S'mores Cupcakes

I bought the cupcake book for this cupcake alone, and when we started this project in January, I knew we would have to wait until summer camping season to make this cupcake, and then the day finally arrived!!!  These lived up to all the hype and then some.  We went on a quest to find graham flour, and then we had to buy a torch (although, you can put them under the boiler too).

 

The base tastes just like a graham cracker, really dense with a hint of cinnamon and honey.  Then you make a chocolate ganach glaze, need I say more?  And then top the whole thing off with marshmallow frosting, piped tall and then scorched for that just sitting around the campfire feel.  Holy hannah banana these were good!

Until next time,

t & k

Pound Cake with Swiss Meringue Vanilla Bean Buttercream

So after you get over spending a small fortune on real vanilla beans, you will fall in love with these cupcakes, and especially the frosting!  The cupcake was a delicious version of the classic pound cake, but where these little puppies really shine is in the frosting, wow, wow, wow!!

If you have never made swiss meringue buttercream, you are in for a treat.  The process is extensive, you combine egg whites, with sugar, and a pinch of salt (and in this variation, the seeds from inside a vanilla bean) and heat over simmering water until the sugar is dissolved.  Then you beat the egg white mixture until stiff but not dry peaks form, about 10 minutes.  After that you add the butter a little at a time, and beating until smooth, and all air bubbles are eliminated.  Once that is all done, you have created the most delightful frosting ever!

This cupcake has to be saved for someone who can appreciate the process of making a real buttercream!

 Until next time,

t & k

Blackberry-Cornmeal Cupcakes

OK, so this one was super delish.  Tee, Tess and her friend Haley picked fresh blackberries the morning we made these, which is a must!  We have decided that any cupcake that uses buttermilk in the batter turns out super moist, and extra delightful, so this one lived up to our expectation.  I would make these all summer long, and an alternative to a blackberry muffin.  So good!

Until next time,

t & k

Peanut Butter Cookie Cupcake

This was one of the cupcakes in the 'cookie' section, it is a take on the classic.  The cupcake was just a basic peanut butter batter, but the frosting was to die for!!  Cream-cheese, powdered sugar, butter and peanut butter, yummy!!

Until next time,

t & k

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Tee's niece spent the summer here, and this was her pick.  I have to say, I don't know what all the hype is about Red Velvet, I was not impressed!  We burned the first batch of these babies, and had to do them twice.  We credited it to the vinegar and oil in the batter, we lowered the oven temp, and watched them closer the second time around.  It has a traditional cream-cheese frosting.  Let me know what you think of Red Velvet, maybe it is just me!!

We did use the red gel paste to attain the color, and I would use more to get a richer red!

Until next time,

t & k



Zucchini-Spice Cupcake

Thanks to an over abundance of zucchini from my friend Tiff, this cupcake was a super fantastic alternative to bread!  We used a Cream-Cheese frosting, and I have to say isn't my favorite.  I thought these cupcakes were fabulous on their own, straight out of the oven.  We will definately be making these again next summer, and I hope you will too!

Until next time,

t & k

Peanut Butter and Jelly Cupcakes

We did this cupcake in the beginning of September as an after-school snack for back to school.  Has there ever been a better pairing than peanut-butter and jelly?  It is a peanut butter cupcake with fresh peanuts in the batter, and a creamy peanut-butter frosing, with a dallop of jelly in the center.  This was a huge hit, and went well with a nice cold glass of milk!

I don't know what is up next, since I am blogging out of order!  I need to get back on track!

Until then,

t & k

Update...

So I took a hiatus from updating this blog, and now I am playing catch up!  Enjoy the last few months of our cupcake creations!!

Mint-Filled Brownie Cupcakes

OK, so this one was just as good as it sounds.  Your own little cupcake brownie with a hidden peppermint pattie inside, can you say delightful???  We had a new helper today, Tee's niece Natalie who is spending the summer here before she heads off to OSU.  Isn't her apron just adorable?  She picked that up in L.A., just for cupcake days!!

This recipe only makes 12, so we must make another batch, so we can share these little treats, they were a HUGE hit with the kids!!

Next up, Red Velvet, (on Natalie's request), and stay tuned for the much anticipated S'mores cupcake!!  With a homemade marshmallow frosting, and a cupcake made with Graham flour, Yummo!!

Until then,

t & k

Blueberries and Cream Cupcakes

We let Tess pick this week's cupcake, and this is what she chose!  Considering blueberries are in full bloom, I think she did a fantastic job.  This cupcake was super easy, and was a lighter version of a blueberry muffin.  The addition of the whipped cream frosting was delightfully refreshing. 

Next week is Mint-Filled Brownie Cupcakes, so you better count on that one being a hit!!

Until then,

t & k

Coconut Cupcakes

These little beauties were a pleasant surprise!  Not a cupcake Tee or I would usually make, but we were more than satisfied with the outcome!  We had to find a few special ingredients that we don't normally have on hand, coconut milk, coconut extract, and unsweetened shaved coconut.  After that we were good to go.

This recipe uses the seven minute frosting, which we have become quite the pro's at now.  Before this we had never or would have never even attempted to make that frosting, and it has become one of our favorites!!  We just wish it wouldn't make so much, because you can't store it to use for later!

This cupcake was super delish, and looks too beautiful to eat, definately a special occasion cupcake!

We have been on a little hiatus due to scheduling conflicts.  Next week we will hopefully be mixing it up, with Tee doing cupcakes in Los Angeles with our friend Kimmy, and me doing cupcakes in Salt Lake with my sister Sheri!  We chose a simple one, so we didn't scare our new recruits.  It is Martha Stewarts basic yellow buttermilk cupcake!!  Yumm-o!!

Until then,

t & k

Blondie Cupcakes

 Wow, am I behind on updating this blog, so sorry. 

The Blondie Cupcake was surprisingly good.  We had all of the kids (sorry no photos), which was great fun, and each had their own task.  This recipe required, chopping cashews, measuring butterscotch chips and chocolate toffee bits, so each child was kept busy while only stealing a few to taste for themselves!!

If you are a fan of a Blondie Brownie, then this recipe is for you!

Next up, Coconut Cupcakes!

Until then,

t & k

Trying New Things

We are about six months into our cupcake cure. It has been a fun experience. Kari and I were discussing how we would have never tried many of our recipes before this experience. I can speak for both of us when I say, "It was all about chocolate" for us. But I have rather enjoyed many of our non-chocolate cupcakes. Especially the one we made this week! We used an ingredient I didn't especially like, so I was hesitant to even try it. But ohhhh so yummy. I know it seems small, but branching out always starts with small steps. A little strawberry treat here, or a lemon yogurt raspberry triple layer there. It's all good. We hope you are enjoying this endeavour as much as we are. Keep the comments coming. Who knows you may join us of "Cupcake Day" sometime?

tee & kari

Peanut Butter-Filled Chocolate Cupcakes

It has been a busy week, so this post is a bit late!  Last weeks cupcake was super yummy.  Tee's sister Mary was in town, and this time she didn't have to entertain the little ones, so we put her to work!  This was a two step cupcake, you make the chocolate batter and the peanut butter batter and then swirl them together.  A perfect marriage of our two favorite things, pure heaven.  Tee and I have been big fans of peanut butter and chocolate since our 49er days when we would always have to get a big bag of peanut butter M&M's to last us through the game!  Good times!

This recipe only made 12, so between my broad of seven and Tee's family plus Mary, we had none left to share, but all who tried it gave it two huge thumbs up!

Some of you have asked why we don't post the recipes on the blog.  Here is our simple answer, all of the recipes come from the Martha Stewart cupcake book, and we are not sure if we would be infringing on any copyright laws.  If anyone know the answer to this little predicament, please let us know, and we would be happy to post the recipes!

Next week is Blondie Cupcakes, based on the classic brownie, should be good!

Until then,

t & k

Strawberry Cupcakes

This cupcake is in the running for one of our favorites!  What is not to like about a cupcake made with fresh strawberries?  Tee picked them up from a local farmer, and they were delish!  The cupcake could stand on its own, but then when you added the Strawberry Meringue Buttercream, it turned this cupcake into something unbelievably delightful!

The recipe made 36, so we had lots for sharing.  I made special deliveries to some neighbor friends who all shared May birthdays, and Tee dropped some off to a few special ladies too!

The cupcake tasted much like a sweet strawberry muffin, we used cake and regular flour, so it had a lovely consistency.  The frosting was pure heaven, and if there had been any extra, we would have eaten it with a spoon right out of the bowl!  This cupcake is perfect for a ladies luncheon, a fun baby shower, or a Mother's Day brunch, we give it two big huge thumbs up!

Tomorrow was going to be cupcake Monday, but a family emergency with Tee, has put this weeks cupcake on hold.   Frankers, we love you, and pray for a speedy recovery from this little bump in the road.

Until then,

t & k

Tres Leches Cupcakes

Arriba, Arriba!  Our Cinco de Mayo cupcake was a big hit with the kiddo's!  Tee and I are not big fans of soggy cupcakes, so taking that into consideration, we give them one and a half thumbs up.  They were however, a big hit with everyone else.  So I guess we are the only ones who loved Captain Crunch growing up!!

Having never made a Tres Leches cake before, I didn't realize the process was so labor intensive.  Good thing I got the new Kitchenaid (thanks Ryan) to help make it easier.  After seperating the six eggs, and beating the egg whites, you gently fold in the rest of the ingredients, and bake them.

Immediately after they come out of the oven, you begin brushing all 20 cupcakes with the three milk concoction of cream, evaporated, and sweetened condensed, hence the 'tres leches', until all of the liquid is gone, or about 15 minutes of brushing!

You finish the cupcake off with a dollop of fresh whipped cream and a little ground cinnamon, and call it a day!

Next up, Strawberry Cupcakes, with a strawberry meringue buttercream frosting!

Until then,

t & k