Strawberry Lemonade cupcakes

Another great cupcake recipe and perfect for summertime. Warning this recipe makes at least 36 cupcakes so if you don't need that many make sure to half the recipe.

Cupcake:

1 c. butter, softened

2 c. sugar

Zest of one lemon

3 c. flour

3 tsp. baking powder

1 1/2 tsp. salt

4 large eggs, room temperature

2 tsp. vanilla

3/4 c. milk

the juice of 1/2 a lemon

4 c. strawberries, roughly chopped + 1 c. sugar+ 2 Tbsp. butter

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line cupcake pans with liners.

In a medium sauce pan, melt the butter. Add the strawberries and coat with melted butter. Stir in sugar and cook on medium heat for 3-5 minutes until strawberries begin to reduce and thick strawberry sauce is made. Divide in half and then set aside to cool.

Prepare the sugar by working the lemon zest into sugar by pressing the back of a spatula down into sugar, thus releasing the oils from the zest inot the sugar. The sugar will become very fragrant.

Cream the butter for 2-3 minutes using electric mixer. Add the sugar to the butter mixture and continue creaming until fluffy.

While butter/sugar mix is creaming in another bowl sift together flour, salt and baking powder.

Add eggs one at a time to butter and sugar, mixing thoroughly.

In a measuring cup that pours mix together the milk, lemon juice and vanilla.

Slowly alternate the flour and milk mixture starting and ending with flour mix. Then fold in half of the strawberry mixture . Do not over mix.

Bake 15-18 minutes.

Icing:

1 c. butter

6-8 c. of powder sugar

1/4-1/2 c. lemon juice

Mix together.

To Assemble:

Strain the second half of the strawberry mixture. Cut out the middle of the cupcake and spoon some of the strawberry mixture in the middle. Top with the cut out portion of cupcake. Frost cupcakes with frosting. You can add yellow food coloring to the frosting or just keep it white. Enjoy.

Turtle Cupcakes

Here is another very yummy cupcake recipe. Again you need to have some of the homemade caramel sauce made to use for this recipe.

Chocolate cupcake:

1 3/4 c. flour

3/4 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

3 squares (3 ounces) semi sweet baking chocolate

1/2 c. butter, softened

1 c. sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs

1 c. sour cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Fill muffin tins with cupcake liners

In a small bowl melt chocolate for 30 seconds, stir and then continue to melt. Set aside. In another bowl combine flour, baking soda and salt.

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Blend in the vanilla, Add the eggs and beat until creamy. Add melted chocolate. Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients until combined. Then add 1/2 of the sour cream followed by another 1/3 of flour, the last half of sour cream and then the rest of the flour. Blend until smooth.

Pretzel crust:

2 cups crushed pretzels

2/3 c. melted butter

1 c. sugar

Mix together.

Put 1 Tbsp. of pretzel crust in the bottom of each cupcake liner. Top with chocolate cupcake batter. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Take out and cool. Once they have cooled inject with homemade caramel sauce.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting:

1/2 c. butter

2 1/2 c. powdered sugar

1/2 c. baking cocoa

1 tsp. vanilla

2-3 Tbsp. milk (maybe more if to thick)

Mix well. Frost cooled cupcakes and sprinkle chopped pecans on top.

Caramel Cupcakes

Ok I have so gotten into the trend of cupcakes and have started finding recipes and putting my own twist on them. Here is one of my favorites.

First you need to make some of that yummy homemade caramel sauce that I just posted perviously.

Cupcake:

1 3/4 c. flour

3/4 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1 c. dark brown sugar

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 c. butter, softened

2 large eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 c. milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using 18 cupcake liners, line muffin tins.

In a bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. In another bowl combine sugars and butter together on medium high speed 2-3 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until combined. Add flour mixture, alternating with the milk beating on low speed until just combined. Divide batter evenly among the prepared muffin cup, filling about 2/3 full. Bake 20-22 minutes or until toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean. Once cupcakes have cooled inject caramel into the middle of each one.

Frosting:

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/2 c. butter, softened

4 c. powder sugar

4 heaping tablespoonfuls of homemade caramel sauce

Mix all together and frost cupcakes. Sprinkle crushed heath bars on top. Enjoy.

Homemade Caramel Sauce

When I saw this recipe I just had to try it. It did not disappoint at all and I can't get enough of it. Give it a try.

1/2 c. honey

1 stick butter

3/4 c. brown sugar

1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk

Mix together honey, butter and brown sugar in saucepan. Turn on medium heat and stir constantly. Bring the mixture to a rolling bubbling boil for 2 minutes. Add condensed milk and mix well, keep the stirrling and heat constant until completely mixed through. Store in airtight container in fridge. To warm up use a microwave on low setting. (This is what I used to fill the cupcakes and make the frosting. I also use it to dip apples in or on icecream. It is so good.)

Strawberry Syrup

I found this recipe on Karas Kreation blog. It is homemade strawberry syrup. I do not like maple syrup so I was so excited to find a fruit syrup that I could make. I also did some blackberry and it turned out just as good.

1 pint (2 cups) of berries, pureed

3/4 c. sugar

2 Tbsp. corn syrup

1 1/2 tsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp. butter

pinch of salt

1/4 tsp. almond extract (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a sauce pan and bring to a boil stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minute. Serve over pancakes, waffles or ice cream.

Orange Chocolate Chip Scones

When I have guests come I feel I make the same stuff over and over again, muffins, granola, waffles, etc. I found this recipe for scones and thought that would be something different and would give it a try. I also love orange and chocolate together and these did not disappoint. They turned out great. Once again I got this recipe from Karas Kreation blog.

1 3/4 c. flour

1/3 c. sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

5 Tbsp. cold butter, cubed

1/3 - 1/2 c. mini chocolate chips

1/2 c. + 2 Tbsp. orange juice

1-2 tsp. grated orange peel

milk and sugar for tops

Cut butter into dry ingredients till coarse and crumble. Stir in chips. Mix in orange peel and juice till dough is moist. Pat to 1/2 inch thick. Cut with round cookie cutter and place on cookie sheet. Brush tops with milk and sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 400 degrees for 12 mins.

Bar B Que Chicken Skillet Pasta

If you like bar b que you will like this little twist on pasta. I loved it and it is something different then your typical red or white sauce. I got this recipe from My Kitchen Cafe and it is one that you have to give a try .

1 Tbsp. olive oil

2 chicken breasts, cut into pieces

1 red onion, chopped

3 c. water

2 1/2 c. chicken broth

1/2 tsp. salt

12 oz. penne pasta

2/3 c. bar-b-que sauce

1/3 c. sour cream

1/2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

In a skillet heat olive oil. Add chicken and onion. Saute, stirring occasionally until chicken is cooked. Remove and put on a plate. In same skillet add water, chicken broth penne and salt. Bring to a boil and simmer for 12-15 minutes until liquid is almost gone and thick and syrupy and noodles are tender. Stir in bar b que sauce and sour cream. Add chicken and cheeses. Stir until combined and heated through.