Red Velvet Cupcake Bites

So, it's been a few weeks since I last posted...  I thought about writing the obligatory post on balance and what having a blog means to me and how I'm gonna just do what I can when I can and let the rest fall where it may...   But instead, I've decided to share with you one of the things I've actually had time to bake recently.  Baking has definitely slowed down here since work has gone crazy.  It's okay because I am taking a great cake decorating class where I'll be decorating my first non-styrofoam cake next week and I'm really excited!

On to the cuties that I made last week.

These were the perfect two bite cupcake.  I want to eat more now that I see them again :)  The taste of red velvet cake and cream cheese icing with fresh raspberry is amazing!  I had never really thought to put it together before seeing it in a photo.  I thought it would just be a cute garnish but after eating it, I want a little raspberry in every bite of red velvet from now on.

I made these using a muffin pan from Ikea with the liners they sell to go with it.  They are taller and thinner than our normal pans so I used about 2 tablespoons of batter per cake instead of the 3 that I normally use and it worked perfectly.

The pan was about 10 bucks and totally worth it!  I want to pick up a few more so that it will be quicker to make a bunch of these next time.  Oh darn, another excuse to spend time at Ikea, like I needed that...  We don't have one very close to our house so it's always a good day when we get to go and roam through Ikea or hang out in their decorated rooms and pretend that we live in those spaces.

I'm linking up!!!  Melt in Your Mouth Monday, Recipe Sharing Monday, Mouthwatering Mondays, Makin' You Crave Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Too Cute Tuesday, Tip Me Tuesday, Tuesdays at the Table, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, These Chicks Cooked, Works for Me Wednesday, Cast Party Wednesday, What I Whipped Up Wednesday, Foodie Wednesday, Whisking Wednesday, Show & Share, {Wow Me} Wednesday, Full Plate Thursday, Sweet Treats Thursday, Turning the Table Thursday, Sweet Tooth Friday, Chic & Crafty Party, I'm Lovin It, Tasty Thursday, Bake with Bizzy, Friday Favorites, Friday Flair, Foodie Friday, Sweets for a Saturday, Strut Your Stuff Saturday, Sweet Indulgences Sunday, My Inner Baker, Simply Delish

Double Doozies: Chocolate Chip Cookies with Chocolate Buttercream

It's time for the second edition of the Crazy Cooking Challenge!  And for October, we are in search of the ULTIMATE chocolate chip cookie recipe!  Enjoy the post and don't forget to vote at the bottom for your favorite recipe!

Growing up, my sister and I were always delighted when our mom would let us get a cookie at the local snack shop in the mall.  We were beyond ecstatic when she agreed to a Double Doozie!  Have you ever had one of those?  It's two cookies with icing between them.  We usually couldn't finish them because they were so big and it was just too much of good thing.  Wait, did I really just say that?  Is there such a thing as too much of a good thing???

So you can imagine my excitement when I stumbled across Crumbs and Chaos' Double Doozie recipe while surfing on Pinterest for chocolate chip cookie recipes.  If you haven't checked out this blog, I highly recommend it!  It's written by sisters who have so many creative and yummy ideas in the kitchen.  So fun!

I made this delicious dough from the recipe (I'm sure you can't imagine how I know the dough is delicious...).  It was so simple and quick that I forgot to take any photos of the process.  Oops!

I placed scoops of the dough on my bar pan stone spaced evenly apart from one another.  These cookies didn't spread too much so next time I could probably place them a little closer to one another.

I used the back of a spoon to flatten the dough a bit.  I didn't do that on the first batch and they  came out in the same shape as the scoop.  Again, it's a thick batter that doesn't spread too much.

Golden brown and oh, so, yummy!  It was hard to not eat them just like this.

But once I had one like this, with the chocolate buttercream in the middle, I knew it was worth the wait!

Don't forget to check out all of the other wonderful recipes linked up below.  And please vote for your favorite Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe!!!  My recipe is number 65, just in case you're wondering... :)

I'm linking up!!!  Melt in Your Mouth Monday, Recipe Sharing Monday, Mouthwatering Mondays, Makin' You Crave Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Too Cute Tuesday, Tip Me Tuesday, Tuesdays at the Table, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, These Chicks Cooked, Works for Me Wednesday, Cast Party Wednesday, What I Whipped Up Wednesday, Foodie Wednesday, Whisking Wednesday, Show & Share, {Wow Me} Wednesday, Full Plate Thursday, Sweet Treats Thursday, Turning the Table Thursday, Sweet Tooth Friday, Chic & Crafty Party, I'm Lovin It, Tasty Thursday, Bake with Bizzy, Friday Favorites, Friday Flair, Foodie Friday, Sweets for a Saturday, Strut Your Stuff Saturday, Sweet Indulgences Sunday, My Inner Baker, Simply Delish

Red Velvet Cake

This past Sunday, I was searching for comfort.  It was a sad day.  As I usually do, I turned to food.

I am a southern girl so it had to be Red Velvet Cake.  I mean is there anything better to make you feel like all is right with the world?

I have tried tons and tons of Red Velvet recipes over the years and I've recently found one that I love!  It was over at Moments of Twenty.  My only modifications to this recipe are that I don't make a paste out of the cocoa and food coloring.  I add them in separately.  I don't like how the paste can be lumpy...  And I use CREAM CHEESE FROSTING.  I do love the icing recipe featured in the post but not for Red Velvet Cake.  For me, Red Velvet Cake must have Cream Cheese Frosting.  It's just a law in my world.

This cake makes everything better!

I'm linking up!!!  Melt in Your Mouth Monday, Recipe Sharing Monday, Mouthwatering Mondays, Makin' You Crave Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Too Cute Tuesday, Tip Me Tuesday, Tuesdays at the Table, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, These Chicks Cooked, Works for Me Wednesday, Cast Party Wednesday, What I Whipped Up Wednesday, Foodie Wednesday, Whisking Wednesday, Show & Share, {Wow Me} Wednesday, Full Plate Thursday, Sweet Treats Thursday, Turning the Table Thursday, Sweet Tooth Friday, Chic & Crafty Party, I'm Lovin It, Tasty Thursday, Bake with Bizzy, Friday Favorites, Friday Flair, Foodie Friday, Sweets for a Saturday, Strut Your Stuff Saturday, Sweet Indulgences Sunday, My Inner Baker, Simply Delish

Chocolate Irish Cream Cupcakes

I know, I know, I just did a filled chocolate cupcake recipe but I have to tell you about another one... And this one, well, I don't even have words.  Just take a look at them!

I shared these with girlfriends tonight with rave reviews!

These started with my chocolate cupcake recipe that I've previously shared.  They are my favorite cupcakes to make and it's hard to imagine that these cupcakes can be made better.  But what's not better with Bailey's Irish Cream?  Or with a chocolate ganache filling?  I filled these with my cooked chocolate sauce and then saved some to drizzle over the top just for good measure!

The frosting I chose is a basic chocolate frosting recipe that I love but this time, I replaced the milk I typically use in it with Bailey's Irish Cream Liqueur.  And I am so glad that I did.  And if you make these, you will be so glad that you did, too!

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Irish Cream Chocolate Icing          Printable recipe card here! 

1 c semi sweet chocolate morsels
3/4 c butter, room temperature
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
3 c powdered sugar
3 tbsp Bailey's Irish Cream Liqueur

In microwave safe bowl, add chocolate chips. Heat in the microwave for 30 seconds. Remove bowl from microwave and stir the chocolate. Repeat these steps until chocolate is melted completely. Take care not to over cook. Set to the side and allow to cool but not harden.
Cream butter in mixing bowl of stand mixer with paddle attachment until whipped. Add vanilla and cooled chocolate and mix thoroughly. Add sugar, one cup at a time, fully incorporating each addition into the mixture.
Slowly add the Bailey's and allow the icing to whip at medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy.

I'm linking up!!!  Melt in Your Mouth Monday, Recipe Sharing Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Too Cute Tuesday, Tip Me Tuesday, Tuesdays at the Table, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, These Chicks Cooked, Works for Me Wednesday, Cast Party Wednesday, What I Whipped Up Wednesday, Foodie Wednesday, Whisking Wednesday, Show & Share, {Wow Me} Wednesday, Full Plate Thursday, Sweet Treats Thursday, Turning the Table Thursday, Sweet Tooth Friday, Chic & Crafty Party, I'm Lovin It, Tasty Thursday, Bake with Bizzy, Friday Favorites, Friday Flair, Sweets for a Saturday, Strut Your Stuff Saturday, Sweet Indulgences Sunday, My Inner Baker, Simply Delish

Cream Filled Chocolate Cupcakes

I am going to let ya'll in on a little secret.  I have always hated chocolate cake.  There I said it...  Growing up, my mother was the world's biggest chocoholic.  She loved all things chocolate but my sister and I just couldn't get on board.  At least not on board with chocolate cake or ice cream...  Brownies were okay, as was candy. 

These days, I have found that I like GOOD chocolate cake.  I've shared that one of my favorites is from Barefoot Contessa -- who's surprised that Ina can make anything delicious???  But today I want to share my favorite chocolate CUPcake recipe.  And how I made it even better :)

Aren't they pretty?  Wait till you see what I did to these...

I filled them up with CREAM!  I was baking these cupcakes for a friend the other day.  She only needed a dozen but if I'm baking, I might as well make two dozen and have some for my family, right?  I'm sure you would do the same...  I was also baking a key lime pie for her and I had some left over whipped cream from that.  Inspiration struck!  And now I'm sharing it with you!

I sifted together cake flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

I creamed butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.  Then I added the eggs and vanilla and beat it until it was a beautiful golden batter.

To this I added about a third of the dry ingredients I had sifted together.

And mixed it until it was just blended.  Then I added half of the water.

I continued alternating until everything was mixed together into this gorgeous batter.



I divided it between the cupcake liners and placed them into the oven to bake until done.

I iced these with a basic vanilla buttercream.  And threw a few sprinkles on some.  These were the dozen packed up for delivery.

And these were all for me...  I mean, my family...  :)  I filled them with whipped cream that I had blended with gelatin to make sure it would hold up well.  I made it just like my Bourbon Whipped Cream but I replaced the bourbon with water.

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My Favorite Chocolate Cupcakes, adapted from Betty Crocker

2 1/2 c cake flour, sifted
2/3 c cocoa
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 2/3 c sugar
3/4 c butter, softened
1 1/4 c water
1 tsp vanilla
2 large eggs, room temperature

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Line muffin tins with cupcake liners for 24-30 cupcakes.

Sift together the dry ingredients other than sugar -- the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt -- set aside.  In the bowl of your mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add vanilla and eggs and mix until well incorporated.  Alternate mixing in the dry ingredients and the water, mixing until just blended after each addition.

Divide batter evenly between the liners.  Bake for 17-20 minutes or until the tops spring back when pressed.  Place on cooling rack to cool.

I'm linking up!!!  Melt in Your Mouth Monday, Recipe Sharing Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Too Cute Tuesday, Tip Me Tuesday, Tuesdays at the Table, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, These Chicks Cooked, Works for Me Wednesday, Cast Party Wednesday, What I Whipped Up Wednesday, Foodie Wednesday, Whisking Wednesday, Show & Share, {Wow Me} Wednesday, Full Plate Thursday, Sweet Treats Thursday, Turning the Table Thursday, Sweet Tooth Friday, Chic & Crafty Party, I'm Lovin It, Tasty Thursday, Bake with Bizzy, Friday Favorites, Friday Flair, Sweets for a Saturday, Strut Your Stuff Saturday, Sweet Indulgences Sunday, My Inner Baker, Simply Delish