Dulce de Leche Cupcake

Sometimes you just need a little something sweet to get you through a tough day.  If you're looking for that perfect little sweet little indulgence, here's the perfect cupcake that is sure to fit the bill and make you smile.  To make this delightfully sweet treat you'll need...

• Chocolate Cake Mix (plus ingredients to make the cake...usually eggs, oil, and water)
• Store bought Vanilla Icing
• 1 Jar of Dulce de Leche Topping
• Butter (room temperate...around 1/2 cup....but it's up to you)
• Icing Sugar (optional)
• Garnish (optional): Milk Duds

On to the recipe...

Step 1: Follow the direction of your Chocolate Cake Mix - from preheating your oven through to adding the eggs, oil, water, etc.  Mix together until the batter is smooth..

Step 2 : After that you have a few options on how you'd like to add in the Dulce de Leche topping into your batter.  Your first option is to add around 1/3 of a cup directly into the batter and mixing it through.  Your second option, and my preference, is to add a couple of small dollops of Dulce de Leche into each cupcake (alternating a small spoonful of batter then a small spoonful of Dulce de Leche) or spooning some Dulce de Leche directly on top of the cupcake batter as you fill your cupcake liners.  By doing it the second way, the bottom of your cupcake gets all sticky and gooey  - almost like you soaked it in the Dulce de Leche - YUM.  Either way, it's yummy and completely up to you.


Step 3: Fill you cupcake pan liners around 3/4 of the way. Don't overfill your cupcake liners because you'll need some space between the cupcake and the top of the liner to act as a barrier to top the cupcake with the Dulce de Leche topping.  Place in the oven and bake as directed on package.  Once done, cool completely before icing. 

Step 4: On to the icing.  Mix together your vanilla icing and butter on high until smooth.  Give it a taste and if it's too buttery for your taste, add some icing sugar.  Once you're happy with the taste, you're ready to put together your Dulce de Leche Cupcake .

Step 4: Now it's time to assemble your sweet Dulce de Leche Cupcake.  Spoon on as much or as little Dulce de Leche topping over the top of your cupcake.  The Dulce de Leche topping won't soak into your cupcake much, so you'll only need enough to spread over the top.  This is also why it it was important not to overfill your cupcake liners so that it can act as a barrier.

Step 5: Finally, it's time to ice your cupcakes.  Because of the Dulce de Leche topping, it's easier if you use a piping bag and tip, but if you'd like to can try spooning it on.  Finally, top your cupcake off with a Milk Dud or whatever garnish you choose.

Happy Faking! 

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Big Move, Big Counter... Bigger Messes?

Well, tomorrow is the big day...it's moving day.  Yes, at long last I will have a bigger kitchen with more counter space then I've ever been able to call my own.  Not only that, I am now the proud owner of a dishwasher, which I know JS is probably more grateful than me since he's normally the one to cleanup after my baking extravaganzas.  I can only hope - and I'm sure JS is hoping too - that my bigger space doesn't lead to bigger messes.

In honour of our new home sweet home, I'll be posting my recipe for the Dulce de Leche Cupcake. So be sure to check back in soon and stay tuned on what new treats will be turning out after the big move.
 

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Chocolate Peanut Banana-Buster Cupcake

When I was little, I grew up on two sandwiches: peanut butter & jam AND peanut butter & banana.  I've already made a cupcake version of my first classic childhood sandwich, so I felt it was time to make my other favourite as I bid farewell to my apartment and tiny galley  kitchen.   For this kinda healthy recipe you’ll need…

• Chocolate Cake Mix (plus ingredients to make the cake...usually eggs, oil, and water...but you won't need the water for this one, but maybe some milk!)
• Store bought Vanilla Icing
• Store bought Chocolate Icing
• 2 medium over-ripened  bananas puréed (you'll need enough to make up the  amount of water your recipe calls for- if you don't have enough banana just add some milk to top it off)
• Butter (room temperature...around 1 cup....but it's up to you)
• 1/3 cup Peanut Butter
• Icing Sugar (optional)
• Garnish Ideas: Peanut or Chocolate Covered Peanut

And here's my half healthy recipe...

Step 1: Preheat your oven as directed on the cake mix package.  Add all the ingredients your Chocolate Cake Mix calls for EXCEPT for the water.  Instead of the water, replace the called for amount with puréed bananas. If you don't have quite enough bananas, top it off with some milk. You'll want to use really ripe bananas, ideally over-ripened bananas because they are easier to purée and taste better too. Mix the ingredients together until it is smooth.

Step 2: Spoon the batter into your cupcake liners and bake as directed on the package.  Once they are done baking, let them cool completely.

Step 3: On to the icing.  For this cupcake I made two icings for fun!  Really you could just make one, but I decided to go big since I'm leading my home!  First, icing number 1... this is the chocolate one that isn't really necessary.  All you need to do is mix together your chocolate store bought icing and 1/2 cup of butter on high until smooth.  Taste the icing and add some icing sugar if it tastes too buttery for your liking.  For icing number 2... the most important icing since it has the peanut butter... mix together your vanilla store bought icing, 1/2 cup of butter, and 1/3 of a cup of peanut butter on high until smooth.  If it seems too runny or isn't sweet enough for you, just add some icing sugar.

Step 4: Now it's time to ice your cupcakes.  First, layer on your chocolate icing.  I just used a spoon. After that, it's time to add the peanut butter icing.  I put mine in a piping bag and used tip #1M.  And that's it!  If you want to garnish your cupcake, you could use a Peanut or a Chocolate Covered Peanut.

Happy Faking!

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Mixer is Packed and Wants Out!

In just a few short weeks I will be saying good-bye galley kitchen and hello counter space!  We’re moving on up and I’m so excited to be baking up a storm in some new diggs soon.  Although I still have a few weeks to go before the big move, I had to tragically pack up my mixer the other day and it already wants out.  You see, I have kindly opted for a ten day visit to the Rock and will be leaving my significant other to pack while I’m enjoying the delicacies of my favourite province.  So, the least I could do was to pack up my most precious of things including my mixer and ice cream maker, among many other things.

But before I packed up my mixer, I baked one last cupcake in my old galley kitchen.  It’s a flavour I’ve been meaning to make for a while and it was thoroughly enjoyed at an impromptu barbeque at AM and JM’s – Chocolate Peanut Banana-Buster Cupcake.

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White Chocolate Raspberry Cupcake

My friends LOVE the Red Velvet Cupcake, but they needed some white or vanilla flavoured cupcakes for their wedding to complement the decadent milk chocolate wedding cake being served.  So, I created something that would be the perfect pairing - a White Chocolate Raspberry Cupcake.  It was a huge hit!  For this summery treat you'll need... 

• White Cake Mix (plus ingredients to make the cake...usually eggs, oil, and water)
• Buttermilk (how much? Whatever amount of water you're suppose to add to your mix)
• 4 ounces of White Chocolate (melted)
• 1/2 cup finely chopped Raspberry Flavoured Craisins
• 1 - 8oz package of Cream Cheese (room temperature)
• 1/4 cup of Butter (room temperature)
• 2 teaspoons of Vanilla
• Icing Sugar
• Garnish:  Fresh Raspberries

Here's the recipe...

Step 1: Sort of follow the directions on your White Cake Mix. Start by preheating your oven and add the oil and eggs...but DO NOT add the water.

Step 2: Replace all of the water your cake mix calls for with Buttermilk.  Mix the ingredients together until it is smooth.

Step 3: Melt down the 4 ounces of White Chocolate and be careful not to overheat or burn the chocolate.  Mix the melted chocolate into your batter until fully incorporated.

Step 4: Now, that your batter is nice and smooth, stir in 1/2 cup finely chopped Raspberry Flavoured Craisins.

Step 5: Spoon the batter into your cupcake liners and bake as directed on the package.  Once they are done baking, let them cool completely.

Step 6: Now it's time to make the BEST part of this cupcake...the cream cheese icing!  Beat the Cream Cheese and Butter together until fully incorporated.  Add in the vanilla and slowly add in icing sugar until it tastes the way you like it.  Once it's as sweet as you like it, make sure that your icing is mixed well and is smooth.

Step 7: Icing time!  I always top my cupcakes with HEAPING amounts of icing, so you may want to double your icing recipe.  To ice these I used a piping bag and tip #1M.  Then, I topped it with a fresh raspberry.  Finito!

Happy Faking!

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