Marshmallow Buttercream Frosting

I know it's been entirely too long since I posted a recipe over here.  Life has been busy, to say the least.  I hope to bring you more sooner than later!

This week we celebrated my daughter's birthday and this frosting was used!  If you love marshmallows and the sweetness of buttercream, you won't be disappointed!

Enjoy!

Marshmallow Buttercream Frosting

2 Cups Butter, softened
2 1/2 Cups Powdered Sugar
1 Tsp Almond Extract
1 - 13 oz Jar Marshmallow Creme

Cream butter with electric mixer until butter is fluffy.  Gradually add in powder sugar a 1/2 cup at a time and then beat in almond extract.  Gently fold in (or mix on low speed) marshmallow creme into frosting until incorporated.  Now you can frost away or fill your favorite cookie and make a creme pie!

Salted Caramel Mocha Cupcakes

This recipe is brought to you by Krysta and her cupcake craftiness!  She has contributed many other yummy recipes to MCC over the last couple of years and this one sure won't disappoint!  If you're a fan of chocolate, coffee, salted caramel, and cupcakes (who isn't?), you better whip up a batch of these!

Enjoy!

Salted Caramel Mocha Cupcakes


The Best Chocolate Cake Ever: (Adapted from kevinandamanda.com)
1 Devils Food Cake Mix (I used chocolate fudge)
1 Small Box Instant Chocolate Pudding
1 Cup Greek Yogurt (can substitute with sour cream)
3/4 Cup Vegetable Oil
4 Eggs, beaten
1/2 Cup Almond Milk
1 Tsp Vanilla
2 Cups Mini Chocolate Chips
1 Packet Starbucks VIA Instant Coffee (I used caramel)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a very large bowl, mix everything together except the chips. Whip until somewhat fluffy. Batter will be THICK. Stir in chips and pour batter into cake pan of choice (I use cupcakes - it will make 24 cupcakes at LEAST).  Bake as directed on the back of the cake box (I use as a guide and usually add a few minutes - typically takes 22 min for cupcakes).

When cooled completely, use a sharp knife and cut in a circle around the middle of the cupcake to “core” the cupcake for the filling.

Salted Caramel Creme Filling:
1 Jar Archer Farms Salted Caramel Fudge Dessert Topping (bought at Target)
1/2 Pint Heavy Whipping Cream

Whip dessert topping in mixer 2-3 minutes until fluffy - slowly add whipping cream and whip until stiff peaks form. Put into gallon ziploc bag and refrigerate for 10 minutes.  Cut the corner off the bag and pipe into cored cupcakes.


Espresso Buttercream Frosting: Makes enough to frost 12 cupcakes (double this recipe)
1 cup (2 sticks) Unsalted Butter, at room temperature
2½ Cups Powdered Sugar
1½ Tsp Vanilla Extract
1½ Tsp Espresso Powder (I used 1/2 packet starbucks VIA caramel)

Mix the espresso powder into the vanilla until dissolved; set aside.  Using the whisk attachment of a stand mixer, whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes, stopping once to scrape the sides of the bowl. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the powdered sugar a little at a time, waiting until it is mostly incorporated before adding more. Once all of the powdered sugar has been added, scrape the sides of the bowl and increase the speed to medium-high and whip until fluffy, about a minute or two. Add the espresso and vanilla mixture and continue to mix at medium-high until it is completely incorporated, scraping the sides as necessary.

Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Icing

As soon as fall rolls in and I start looking through my recipes, I gravitate right towards anything with pumpkin in it!  I came across this recipe awhile back and was finally able to bake up a version in my kitchen.  So yummy and every bit of fall with the lovely mix of spices! I used frozen pumpkin puree I had on hand, but you could also use canned pumpkin puree.  I left my icing a little thicker and just spread it with a spatula the best I could.  If you want a little thinner and "drizzly" go for it!

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Icing

Cake:
3 Cups Flour
1 Tsp Baking Soda
2 Tsp Baking Powder
1 Tsp Salt
2 Tsp Cinnamon
1/2 Tsp Ginger
2 Tsp Nutmeg
1 Cup Butter, softened
1 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Brown Sugar
4 Eggs
1 Cup Milk
1 Cup Pumpkin Puree (put the whole 15oz can of pumpkin puree in, if it's what you have on hand)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour bundt pan, set aside.  In medium bowl, whisk together flour, soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg - set aside.  Cream together butter and sugars until fluffy.  Add eggs one at a time and then milk and pumpkin puree until well combined.  Slowly add in flour mixture - beat for 2 minutes.  Pour into prepared bundt pan and bake for 50-60 minutes (until cake tester comes out clean).  Let cool for 15 minutes before inverting.  Continue to cool another 10-20 minutes before icing.

Icing:
1/3 Cup Butter, softened
4 oz Cream Cheese, softened
2 Cups Powdered Sugar
1/2 Tsp Cinnamon
1 Tsp Vanilla
1/4-1/3 Cup Milk, depending on preference

With a mixer, blend together butter and cream cheese until fluffy.  Add powdered sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla.  Slowly add in milk until icing is to desired consistency.  Pour/spread over you cake!

Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes

I love lemonade, especially strawberry lemonade!  So, when I came across this recipe, I just had to whip up a batch!  Let me tell you, these beauties are INCREDIBLE!!  The cake is so moist and yummy (and delicious right out of the oven warm).  I will NEVER pick up a box mix of strawberry cake mix again!  Then, with the simple lemon frosting topping them off, it's the perfect pairing!

Enjoy!!

Strawberry Cupcakes

1 White Cake Mix (I prefer Duncan Hines)
1 - 3oz Box Strawberry Jello mix
1 Cup Fresh Strawberries, mashed/pureed
1 Cup Oil
1/2 Cup Buttermilk
4 Eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In mixing bowl, stir together cake mix and jello powder until well combined.  Make well in center and pour in strawberries, oil, buttermilk, and eggs.  Mix on slow speed until just combined, scrap down the sides.  Then beat on medium speed for 2 minutes (this is important).  Pour batter (approximately 1/4-1/3 cup) into prepared cupcake pan (I use liners).  Bake for 15-20 minutes - until tooth pick comes out clean.  Put on wire rack to cool completely before frosting.


Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

1/2 Cup Crisco Shortening
1/2 Cup Butter, softened
1 - 8 oz Brick Cream Cheese
1 Tbsp Clear Vanilla Extract
2 lbs Powdered Sugar
1/2 Tsp Salt
2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
2 Tbsp Lemon Curd (this can be made from scratch or purchased in a jar by the jams/jellies)
1-2 Drops Yellow Food Coloring
Milk, as desired

Cream shortening, butter, and cream cheese until smooth and fluffy.  Add vanilla and beat until smooth.  Slowly add powdered sugar and salt (sifted together) to creamed mixture until well combined.  Add lemon juice, curd, and food coloring - mix well!  If frosting is too thick or sweet to your taste, add milk until desired consistency (I added approximately 1/4 cup milk).  Frost cooled cupcakes!

'Touch of Lemon' Cupcakes!

I'm a chocolate girl ALL.the.way.  Sometimes though, I don't feel like something so rich - I want something light and yummy!  Which leads me to this creation!  They are SO yummy and a nice refreshing hint of summer during these long days of winter.

Enjoy!!

Lemon Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Cake:
1 Yellow Cake Mix
1 Small Box Lemon Instant Pudding Mix
1 Cup Sour Cream
1 Cup Vegetable Oil
4 Eggs, beaten
1/2 Cup Milk
1 Tsp Vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix all ingredients above thoroughly with mixer - approximately 3-5 minutes on medium speed, making sure to scrape down sides every few minutes.  Measure out into paper lined muffin tin.  Bake for 25-28 minutes until toothpick in center comes out clean.  Let cool before frosting.

Frosting:
1 - 8 oz Brick Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 Cup Butter, softened
1 Tsp Vanilla
3 Cups Powdered Sugar

Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until smooth and fluffy.  Slowly add powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time.  Once all powdered sugar is added, beat on high for several minutes until smooth and fluffy.

Almond Frosting

The perfect cut-out cookie frosting recipe!  Vanilla extract can be used in place of the almond (if your pantry needs stocking like mine).  This recipe makes the perfect amount of frosting for one batch of these cookies.  :)

Almond Frosting

2 Cups Powdered Sugar, sifted
2 Tbsp Butter, softened
1/4 Tsp Almond Extract
4-5 Tsp Milk

In bowl, beat powdered sugar, butter, and extract until smooth.  Beat in enough milk until frosting gets to piping consistency.  For spreadable frosting, add a little more milk.  Stir in a few drops of food coloring, if desired.

Penuche Frosting

pe.nu.che (noun) Also, panocha. Northern, North Midland, and Western U.S. a fudgelike candy made ofbrown sugar, butter, and milk, usually with nuts.

I came across the recipe for this frosting in a book of my grandma's treasured recipes that was passed on to me.  It took me a minute to remember what this tasted like or looked like based on the name of it (amazing how fast we get attached to having a picture with a recipe), then it dawned on me, this was the stuff that tasted like caramel!! :)

This is an incredible frosting!  I love it on spice cake, but it's yummy on many other cakes too!  

Enjoy!

Penuche Frosting

1/2 Cup Butter
1 Cup Brown Sugar
1/4 Cup Milk
1 3/4 - 2 Cups Powdered Sugar

In medium saucepan, melt butter then add brown sugar.  Bring to boil, stir constantly for 2 minutes.  Stir in milk and bring to boil again.  Remove from heat, cool to lukewarm (I only let it sit for about 5 minutes), then add powdered sugar (too keep from having to whisk your wrist off to get lumps out, pre-sift powdered sugar...or just don't worry about it like me).  Add a little hot water if it becomes too thick to spread.  Spread quickly onto cooled cake.  

Chocolate Peanut Butter Birthday Goodness!

Today is my birthday and birthdays call for yummy treats!  I love peanut butter, I love chocolate, and when you put them together - bliss!

I made these beauties with this recipe - one box of mix gave me over 40 cupcakes!  I just use my ice-cream scoop (or Pampered Chef Large Scoop) for uniformly sized cupcakes.  Instead of chocolate chips, I took a bag of mini Reese's peanut butter cups and diced them up.  Before I folded the peanut butter cups in, I tossed them lightly in flour to keep them from sinking in the batter while baking.

I could probably eat the cupcakes just by themselves, but to take them to that next level I decided to top them off with some peanut butter frosting!  I made this frosting and then at the end added 1/2 cup of creamy peanut butter.

Ohhh these are soo tasty!!  Enjoy!

Basic Buttercream Frosting

I love this buttercream frosting recipe!  I have several buttercream frosting recipes, but this one definitely is my favorite!  I've added cocoa powder, peanut butter, flavoring, etc to change this up with great luck.

Enjoy!

Buttercream Frosting

1 Cup Shortening (white, not butter flavored)
4 Cups Powdered Sugar
1/4 Tsp Salt
1 Tsp Vanilla
1/3 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream (May need a few additional Tbsp to get desired consistency)

In mixing bowl, cream shortening until fluffy.  Slowly add powdered sugar until blended; then add salt, vanilla, and whipping cream.  Beat for 2 minutes until good and fluff.  Add a tablespoon of cream at a time to get frosting to desired consistency.

Wacky Cake & Chocolate Frosting

I love this recipe for so many reasons - it's so easy, I usually have everything in my pantry, it's ooey-gooey goodness, and did I mention it's easy?!  Another added bonus it this is egg-free for those with allergies.  I've included my favorite frosting recipe for with this, but you could easily use pretty much any kind of frosting your heart desires!

Enjoy!

Wacky Cake

3 Cups Flour
2 Cups Sugar
1/2 Cup Cocoa
2 Tsp Baking Soda
1 Tsp Salt
2 Tbsp Vinegar
2 Tsp Vanilla
2/3 Cups Oil
2 Cups Cold Water

Mix flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt together well. Make three "wells" in the dry ingredients - add vinegar, vanilla, and oil into each well. Pour cold water over everything and mix well. Pour into 9x13 greased and floured pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.

I usually always heat my ingredients on the stove. Also, depending if I want the smooth (ganache-like) frosting shown in the picture above or a fluffy chocolate frosting changes how I complete the recipe. To make the glossy, thinner frosting above - once butter, cocoa, and buttermilk are heated whisk in (sifted) powder sugar, vanilla, and salt until smooth - pour onto hot cake. If I want the fluffier stuff (which is just as delish) I mix everything in my mixer with the whisk attachment until really smooth and fluffy!

Chocolate Frosting

1/2 Cup Butter
1/4 Cup Cocoa

6 Tbsp Buttermilk (I've used heavy cream with no problems)

2 1/2 Cups Powdered Sugar

1 Tsp Vanilla

1 Tiny Pinch Salt

(optional) 3/4 Cup Chopped Walnuts

Put butter, cocoa, and buttermilk in bowl - heat in microwave until boiling. Pour hot mixture in mixing bowl; add powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt - beat until smooth. Pour over hot cake (right after removing from oven). If using nuts sprinkle over frosting immediately.

 

Cream Cheese Frosting

I use this on The BEST Chocolate cake quite frequently, but it's delish on just about any other cake too. :)
Enjoy!

Cream Cheese Frosting

2 - 8 oz Bricks Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 Cup (1 Stick) Butter, softened
2-3 Cups Powder Sugar
1 1/2 Tsp Vanilla

Mix butter and cream cheese until well combined.  Add vanilla and combine.  Slowly add in powdered sugar - after second cup, taste test. If you like it sweeter add the remaining cup.

Sour Cream Banana Bars

This recipe has been around FOREVER in my family.  When I was growing up I don't think the pan ever had the chance to cool before they were all gone!  They're sooo moist and wonderful!

Enjoy!

Sour Cream Banana Bars

1 1/2 Cups Sugar
1 Cup (8 oz) Sour Cream
1/2 Cup Butter, softened
2 Eggs
1 1/2 Cups Bananas, Mashed
2 Tsp Vanilla
2 Cups Flour
1 Tsp Baking Soda
1 Tsp Salt
1/2 Cup Chopped Nuts (optional)

Grease and flour jelly roll pan.  Cream butter and sugar, add sour cream and eggs and beat for 1 minute.   Add bananas and vanilla - mix well.  Beat in flour, salt, and soda on medium for 1 minute.  Stir in nuts if desired.  Pour and spread dough in pan.  Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes.  Allow to cool about 15 minutes then frost with Brown Butter Frosting.

Note: you can make these in a 9x13 pan, they'll just be more like banana cake :)  Make sure to check for "done-ness" in the center with a toothpick before removing from the oven.

Brown Butter Frosting

1/4 Cup Butter
2 Cups Powdered Sugar
1 Tsp Vanilla
3 Tbsp Milk

Heat butter in heavy saucepan until a delicate brown.  Mix in powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk until smooth.  Spread on while warm.