German Chocolate Cupcakes

I made some cupcakes and let me tell you something, they are Gooooooood!

My husband actually asked me what bakery I got these from, because you know... I don't know how to bake anything. 

PRINT RECIPE HERE

Chocolate Cake:

1 box Devil’s Food Cake Mix

3 eggs

½ cup oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¾ cup buttermilk

1 cup sour cream

German Chocolate Frosting:

1 cup evaporated milk

1 cup sugar

3 egg yolk, lightly beaten

1/2 cup butter

1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1 ½ cup chopped pecans

1 ½ cup flaked coconut

Chocolate Buttercream:

4 ounces cream cheese

½ cup butter

2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa

3 cups powdered sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 tablespoon milk or cream

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line two muffin tins with 24 cupcake liners.

2. In a electric stand mixer, gently combine oil, eggs and vanilla extract.

3. Add in about 1/3 of the cake mix and mix until combined.

4. Add Buttermilk and mix until combined.

5. Add another third of the cake mix.

6. Add sour cream, then final third of cake mix.

7. Fill cupcake liners ¾ full and bake for 18-22 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

8. German Chocolate Frosting: On medium heat in a sauce pan, constantly stir evaporated milk, sugar, egg yolks and butter until thickened. (Basically, until it boils and it will take approximately 10 minutes.) Stir in vanilla extract, pecans and coconut. Then transfer to a large bowl and stick in the fridge to cool.

9. Chocolate Buttercream: Beat cream cheese and butter for 4 minutes. Add cocoa, powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Let beat for 3 minutes. add milk. If it is too thin, add powdered sugar. Or if it is not dark enough, add more cocoa.

10. Pipe Chocolate Buttercream around the edge of the cupcakes to create a barrier, and scoop a small amount of cooled German Chocolate Frosting into the center.

And then you can enjoy...

"Tikvinki" or "Pumkini's"

This is one of my favorite snacks from childhood, The crispy, flaky crust filled with warm squash. So good, my mouth starts to water whenever I think of them.

I serve these with some soup on a rainy day. ( unfortunately we still have lots of rainy days here in the NW)

PRINT RECIPE HERE

First make the dough:

1 egg

1 cup water

1/2 tsp salt

3 1/2 cups flour

Knead the dough and leave to rest while you prepare the squash.

Peel and seed the squash, and shred and add 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper:

Prepare the butter. Take 1/2 cup of salted butter. Cube 1/4 of the butter and melt the other 1/4:

Take half of the dough and roll out to 1 cm thick and butter with the melted butter:

Roll up the dough:

Cut into 1 inch sections:

Press each section into flour:

Roll out each section to about 2 cm thick

Put one butter cube onto the dough and 1 TB of the squash:

Fold each piece up like so:

Place on a greased sheet.

Beat one egg and brush each pumkini:

Bake at 350 for 24 minutes, or until slightly golden. Then take the melted butter and brush each pumpkini:

All Done:

Yummy!!!

Vanilla Cupcakes

This is my go to recipe for delicious vanilla cupcakes, I have tried lots of recipes and this one beat them all. The cupcakes smell delicious, they taste scrumptious!

CLICK HERE TO PRINT RECIPE

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups of cake flour

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

2 cups Sugar

1 TB Baking soda

3/4 tsp salt

1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks) softened

4 large eggs

1 cup of 2% milk

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325. Line cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer combine flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt; mix on low speed until combined. Add butter, mixing until just coated with flour.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk and vanilla. With mixer on medium speed, add wet ingredients in 3 parts, scraping down sides of bowl before each addition; beat until ingredients are incorporated do not over beat.

3. Divide batter evenly among liners, filling about 2/3 full. Bake for 20-23 minutes, or until a tooth pick comes out clean.

4. Once the cupcakes have cooled, frost with this frosting:

Vanilla butter cream

1 cup of unsalted butter (2 sticks) Softened

6-8 cups of confectioners sugar

1/2 cup of milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

In a bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter until creamy (2-3 minutes)

add 6 cups of confectioners, milk and vanilla and beat on low until light and fluffy.

If necessary add remaining 2 cups of the confectioners sugar until you reach the desired consistency.