cupcakes.today.com

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
• 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 tablespoons red food coloring
• 1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 1 pound cream cheese, softened
• 2 sticks butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
• Chopped pecans and fresh raspberries or strawberries, for garnish

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 (12-cup) muffin pans with cupcake papers.

In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. In a large bowl gently beat together the oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla with a handheld electric mixer. Add the sifted dry ingredients to the wet and mix until smooth and thoroughly combined.

Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake tins about 2/3 filled. Bake in oven for about 20 to 22 minutes, turning the pans once, half way through. Test the cupcakes with a toothpick for doneness. Remove from oven and cool completely before frosting.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla together until smooth. Add the sugar and on low speed, beat until incorporated. Increase the speed to high and mix until very light and fluffy.

Garnish with chopped pecans and a fresh raspberry or strawberry.

Cook’s Note: Frost the cupcakes with a butter knife or pipe it on with a big star tip.

Recipe courtesy: Paula Deen

An easy peppermint marshmallow recipe for a DIY holiday hot chocolate kit.

(2) 3½ ounce instant French vanilla pudding
(1) pound of honey graham crackers
8 ounce Cool Whip thawed
3 cups of milk
6 tablespoons butter (melted)
6 tablespoons boiling water
6 tablespoons baking cocoa
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Place a single layer of graham crackers in the bottom of a 9×13 dish (breaking to fit if necessary). In a large bowl, whisk the instant pudding with 3 cups milk until well mixed, then fold in the Cool Whip. Immediately pour half of this mixture over the graham crackers (spreading evenly). Put another layer of graham crackers on top of the pudding and then another layer of pudding mixture. Top second layer of pudding with a final layer of graham crackers. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about an hour before you frost (to make it easier).

After an hour of chilling, mix melted butter, boiling water, cocoa and vanilla until well blended. Add powdered sugar and whisk until smooth. Immediately pour over chilled pudding dessert. Place dessert (uncovered) in fridge for an hour or so (until the frosting feels dry to the touch). When frosting is set (feels dry to the touch), stretch plastic wrap (tightly) over the pan so that it doesn’t touch the frosting. Refrigerate overnight.

from: coleensrecipes.blogspot.com 

CakeLove owner Warren Brown walks you through the process of baking CakeLove’s standard buttercream cake, the Italian Meringue Buttercream. With egg whites, hot sugar syrup, and butter in hand, Warren shows you all the secrets to whipping up the perfect meringue.

A mouth watering, vegetarian sushi cake, that has been made to perfection by Whipped Bakeshop.