One of my friends sent this to me Via email …

5 MINUTE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE
4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)
A small splash of vanilla extract
1 large coffee mug (MicroSafe)

Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well.  Add the egg and mix thoroughly.
Pour in the milk and oil and mix well…
Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla extract, and mix again..
Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts.
The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don’t be alarmed!
Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired.

I was thinking you could disperse this into a few smaller teacup mugs and make sort of a cupcake! I don’t think you would have to microwave it for 3 minutes, but this is something you would have to test out. Unfortunately we don’t have a microwave as my place so i cant experiment! But someday I will!!

This weekend my best friend Heidi and I made some yummy cupcakes! I wasn’t too sure about what kind to make, but my mom spoke up and said she wanted Pineapple Coconut Cupcakes and Mom’s always get what they want. :-)

Off to the store Heidi and I went to get the ingredients …

• Yellow Cake Mix, Crushed Pineapple, Cream Cheese, Flaked Coconut, & Confectioners Sugar

And you can grab these items from your fridge and cupboards at home…

• Vegetable Oil, Eggs, Butter, & Vanilla

And GO …

Drain the crushed pineapple and save the juice.

Follow the directions on the box of cake mix … substitute the water for pineapple juice (if you don’t have enough juice, just use as much juice as you have and use water for the rest).

Once you have filled the cupcake liners with the batter spoon crushed pineapple into each liner on top of the batter, make sure you start off with a little at a time because you want to be able to get it into all of the cupcakes. If you have more after all are filled disperse to your hearts content into the rest of the liners. ( Psst … you can also save some to throw into the frosting)

Throw em’ in the oven and bake according to box.

While those are cooking you can go ahead and start on the frosting. Make sure that the butter is  at room temperature (if you take it  right from the fridge you will have a hard time mixing the frosting).

Mix together one 8 ounce package of cold cream cheese , 5 tablespoons butter and 2 teaspoons of vanilla until light and fluffy. Gradually add 2 cups sifted confectioners sugar.

Once you have mixed this all together gently fold in about 3/4’s of a cup of Coconut! (if you want to add crushed pineapple in you can do it at this time)

Once the cupcakes have come out of the oven and have cooled all the way through you can go ahead frost and ENJOY!

My family LOVED these cupcakes! They gave em’ and A+!

Here are a few photographs (sorry they aren’t the best, they were from a camera phone)!

(I am the one on the Left)

My husband brought me home a nice little present from BJ’s Wholesale Club this weekend.  It was this box of Ghirardelli Triple Chocolate Cupcake Mix. 

Recently I have been brave and tried some new scratch cupcake recipes but boxed mixes will always have a special place in my heart.   This box came with 2 powdered cake mixes,  2 powdered frosting mixes and liners to make 2 dozen cupcakes total.  Both mixes needed a few simple liquid ingredients.  Here’s the finished cupcakes:

These cupcakes were so yummy!   Although the recipe stated that each bag made 12 cupcakes, I ended up with 15 and had to resort to some Betty Crocker frosting to finish them off (that’s why you see 2 shades of brown).   We are also big frosting lovers in my house so if I had put on less I may have had enough for all 15. I added some chocolate sprinkles to a few so maybe these were actually quadruple chocolate cupcakes!    They tasted best the same night they were made because the chocolate chips in the cake were still melted.   I can’t wait to make the other batch!

Halloween inspires fear in us…  and fear motivates us to innovate?  ATC is happy to celebrate the creativity of its readers this Halloween season.   Here is a halloween cupcake idea sent in by Erin from Sandy, UT:

I just wanted to tell you how much i love your site and  share a cute halloween cupcake idea with all of your readers. My boyfriend Chris and i love to make rainbow/tie-dye cupcakes, so to celebrate the season we put i little twist on the traditional look.

We used the Betty Cocker Neon Gel Food Coloring to get all of these awesome colors(even the green for the icing)

All you need is a boxed white cake mix made according to the instructions. then divide the batter up in to separate bowls and dye each bowl a different color.

Spoon a little bit of each color into a cupcake liner to get the cute layered look then bake according to the box. these cupcakes are always a big hit and very fun to make.

-Erin from Sandy, UT

I will give all my thanks to my friend Laura for sending me this link about Irish Cupcakes. I spent three weeks in Ireland and I am sure if I were to taste these cupcakes it would bring me right back to the lovely feeling I had while I was there. These Guinness and Bailey’s Cupcakes came from the website Irish Central. Click HERE for the recipe!

I think that we all have that ONE dessert that someone in your family was famous for making! I certaintly do! My Nana always use to make a cake for our birthdays and other holidays. Our birthday would always roll around and she would always ask, ” What kind of cake do you want?’ We had 2 choices, Chocolate Cake or Banana Cake, both homemade. Most people ALWAYS chose the the Chocolate cake. And she would always put it on this super special Birthday Plate.

As the days go on she is unable to make this cake . So my family and I have taken upon ourselves to try and replicate this delcious treat.For some reason most people can not make it right.  My mother and brother have successfully made it and now it is my turn. So being the cupcake geek I am put a little twist on them … cupcake style!  Here is a quick photo adventure of my cooking venture …

I used a simple buttercream chocolate frosting. They were YUMMMY! If  anyone wants the recipe, reply to this with your email and I can send it to you!

Being the cupcake baker that I am I LOVE the Witon Website and I also follow them on Facebook and todays post was great. It is these Circle of Sorcery Cake and Cupcakes.

Wilton does a great job of telling you exactly what you need and exactly how to do it.

This would be a lovely addition to any Halloween Celebration!

Stonewall Kitchen’s mini Halloween candles make perfect cupcake toppers.  They are simple, fun, and most importantly festive. You can choose between candy corns which cost $11.95 or bats for $12.95.  Each set contains 16 candles that are 1 inch in size.  I think they would look great on top of Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting.

When I came across these I immediately wondered, “why didn’t I think of that?” For years my family has been making tie-dye style angel food cakes and this summer I made red, white, and blue vanilla bean cupcakes for my sister’s return to the US from a summer in Ireland.  But I Heart Cuppy Cakes put me to shame by coming up Candy Corn Cupcakes last October.  The recipe if extra easy if you decide to make your cupcakes semi-homemade by using a box cake mix.

One of the things I like about the internet is that one site leads you to another and then another and before you know it you have come across so many sites that you have tons of bookmarks.  In my case you also end up with more recipes from blogs then you will ever have time to make.  That is how I came across Culinary Concoctions by Peabody. Which always has delicious looking recipes, many of which are cupcakes.  One of the most recent posts was for Cinnamon Sour Cream Cupcakes with Oatmeal Raisin Buttercream Frosting. To me they sound like a delicious hybrid between sour cream coffee cake with oatmeal raisin cookies combined in the form of cupcakes.  Peabody made them in the form of cute little minis.  An additional benefit of getting recipes off blog is that the trial and error part has been done and recorded for you so you know what mistakes to avoid.

When is a savory cupcake too savory and becomes something else entirely?  It looks like a cupcake, and designed like a cupcake, but this Lamb Merguez Savory Cupcake on golden raisin couscous topped with white bean puree is definitely a cupcake inspired dinner.  Even the tomato on top looks like a maraschino cherry.

You decide.  Cupcake or imposter.  Full recipe here.

The cupcake baker is at it again …

I don’t know what most people think about right before they go to sleep .. maybe how the days events went, maybe something that you have to to get done the next day  … What I think about right before  I fall asleep, CUPCAKES! Chocolate orange cupcakes was the last thing on my mind the other night.

So I decided to try em’ out … this is how they turned out.

All that I did was use a box mix and used orange juice instead of water. And for the frosting instead of milk as the recipe calls for i used orange juice.

They weren’t as dense as i had hoped and they needed a tad more orange flavor! But they are all around Yummy!!

Since it is already the middle of September, that means it is apple season.  I think the perfect way to acknowledge that fall is rapidly approaching is to bake apple cupcakes.

This delicious looking recipe is courtesy of Food Network.    Calling for only one apple, the apple flavor comes from an additional ingredient needed, apple butter, which is piped into the center.  Apple butter does not contain any dairy, the name comes from the consistency since it is so think and spreadable.  It can easily be made at home or when short on time, it can be bought from most grocery stores. The cupcakes are finished with a cream cheese frosting and in the picture they are garnished with an apple sliver.

Upon one of my cupcake searches I found this lovely twist on cupcakes.

Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes!

Here is what you would need to replicate this delicious cupcakes …

1)  A scrumptious cake recipe.  I recommend Straberry Cupcake Recipe

2) A simple frosting recipe (better to color you with my dear) Buttercream Frosting

3) Tools to frost with Cupcake Decorating Kit ( this includes the disposable bags and tips to decorate, use the 1M tip to get the swirly ice cream effect) this includes a great tutorial as well!

4) This is how you make a rainbow of colors Icing Color Set (you can also use just plain old food coloring if you don’t want to spend that much, ya just got to get creative with the colors)

5) Top it off with these Star Sprinkles , Daisy Sprinkles and/or Confetti Sprinkles ( you can choose which ones you want according to the color of frosting used) or you can go old school with these Rainbow Jimmies

Bake the cake, prepare the frosting, cool the cake, fill the bags, frost & sprinkle away!

Let me know how they turn out!

Psst … If you dont want to spend all the money on the expensive stuff you can just with all the boxed goodies (boxed cake, canned frsoting, etc. [it will just be our little secret] )

Fans of HBO’s True Blood will enjoy Sweet Paul’s True Blood inspired cupcakes.

These Vanilla Cupcakes with Raspberry Jam look perfect to sink your teeth into as you settle in for an episode with your favorite vampires.   And what might be the best part, aside from actually getting to eat the cupcakes is that it is a fairly simple and straight forward recipe without the fuss of fancy decorating.

So I know am renting a place with a full kitchen at my disposal!  Oh Full Kitchen, Let me count the ways …

So with this past weekend being my 1st full weekend in my new place I decided to give my kitchen a test run. I tested it with Caramel Apple cupcakes (or i tried).Apple cupcakes with caramel frosting.

I found the apple cupcake recipe in one of my cupcake books and the frosting recipe from an old cookbook.

Here is a lil’ photo show of my baking adventure!!

Getting Started ...

Getting Ready to Go In ...

Baking ...

Mhhh, Didn't Really Turn Out Like I Had Hoped ...

So I Improvised!

Okay … so they didn’t rise as I would have hoped so they turned out more like muffins than cupcakes. I cut off the extra liners to make mini cakes . The frosting wasn’t working at all either, so I had to think quick and I added confectioners sugar to make it all better, it was really sweet but good. I was told by everyone who munched on them that they fantabulously yummy!

Even though they weren’t as I hoped they would be, taste buds were titillated by all that enjoyed!

PS: I then found another recipe for caramel apple cupcakes, who would have thunk it! I will try that one next time! :-)

The results are out from the Londonist Cupcake Throwdown.  Faircake Bakeries takes first prize with a magnificent domination of the judging categories with its limoncello and white chocolate cupcake.  The rules for the throwdown were quite different from other contests, prizing natural colors and balance of flavors.

Faircake Bakeries was nice enough to share the winning cupcake recipe with the general public as well.   You guys know what I will be doing this weekend.

Summer is just too hot to bake cheesecake.

If you are looking for a quick and easy cheesecakin filling or topping for your cupcakes, try this.

Beat together 8 ounces cream cheese, with 1 tablespoon flavouring extract

( Neilson Massey chocolate extract, cotton candy,  madagascar vanilla are our favourites) If using chocolate  flavouring then also beat into cream cheese 1/2 cup brute cocoa powder. You of course can colour the cotton candy pink <3  Then beat in a little at a time 1 — 1 1/2 cups powdered icing sugar (to taste)

When quite fluffy FOLD in 2 cups cool whip dessert topping ( no substitutes please) You will see the transformation into a quick setting cheesecake that you can use to pipe on top or fill your cooled cupcakes. We use a large open star tip for topping and a filler tip for filling. (we fill and top) Use a piece of Salt Water Taffy in delicious summer colours to adorn your masterpiece. Only use taffy as needed or it will DISSOLVE! These are our triple chocolate salt water taffy sweet cuppins. You will be glad you did.

Lyns

ATC Reader Ami sent us this photo and recipe…

a soda cupcake recipe:

Wet:
1 c soda (root beer, orange cream, black cherry, vanilla cream, etc.)
1/3 oil (you can sub applesauce for a lower fat version)
1 1/2 t vanilla extract (if you have other flavors that will work with your soda flavor, use 1 t of that flavor and a 1/2 t of vanilla)

Dry:
1 1/4 c all purpose flour
1/2 c sugar
3/4 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/4 t salt

Preheat oven to 350. Mix wet and dry in separate bowls. Mix wet into dry. Don’t over mix! The batter should be bubbly from the vinegar and baking soda reaction and the soda itself! Fill 2/3 full into muffin pan with cupcake liners. It will make a dozen cupcakes. Bake for 18-22 minutes (depending on your oven), and check with a toothpick, it will come out clean when finished.

Chocolate Ganache

Depending on your soda flavor, chocolate ganache might be a great addition.

2/3 c chocolate chips
2 T soy milk

Heat up the soy milk on the stove or in the microwave if you’re really lazy. Mix in the chocolate chips when soy milk is just about to boil. The chips will melt when stirred. After fully melted, let it sit for a few minutes and drizzle over the cupcakes with a spoon or squeeze bottle.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Can’t go wrong.

1/4 c shortening (or use all shortening)
1/4 c butter (or use all butter)
1 1/2 c confectioners sugar
1 T soy milk
1 t vanilla extract

Cream shortening and butter. Add sugar 1/2 c at a time. Slowly add milk, a little bit at a time. You may have to add a little bit more. Add vanilla last when frosting is at the desired consistency. Note: if you’re kitchen is ridiculously hot like mine at times, stick the frosting in the fridge right after you make it so it can set up a little bit. Add the frosting when the cupcakes have completely cooled.

Thanks for sharing Ami! It sounds amazing!

I originally posted this recipe over at my blog, Bake and Destroy. As the story goes, my mother in law Jo is obsessed with powdered ice tea. She simply cannot get enough of it. I wanted to make frosting with the iced tea powder she loves, but couldn’t bring myself to do it. So instead, I made her these dairy-free tea cupcakes with vegan lemon buttercream. They’re perfect for a spring cook out, which is exactly how we’re celebrating her birthday this week end! So enjoy the cupcakes, and happy birthday, Jo! We love you!

For the cupcakes you will need:

• 1 cup soy milk
• 4-6 iced tea teabags*
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1/2 cup soy yogurt (plain or vanilla)
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract**
• 2 tsp fresh lemon zest
• 1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour***
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

*Use 4 bags if you just want to say they’re iced tea cupcakes, use 6 or more bags if you want to know it.
** Replace up to 1/2 tsp of this measurement with a flavor complimentary to ice tea- lemon, orange, mint, etc. I’d recommend 1/4 tsp if you’re using something as strong as mint or citrus oil.
***These are very moist cakes. Not fall-apart moist, but they stay squishy for a long time. If you want something a little more firm to the touch up this measurement to 1 1/2 cups of flour.

Then you:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line tin with cupcake liners. In a small saucepan heat soymilk till almost boiling, add tea bags, cover and remove from heat. Let sit for 10 minutes. When ready to use stir teabags and thoroughly squeeze to insure as much tea is dissolved in milk as possible.

In a large bowl whisk together oil, yogurt, sugar, vanilla, lemon oil, zest and tea mixture until all yogurt lumps disappear. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add to wet ingredients and mix until large lumps disappear; some small lumps are okay. Fill tins full and bake about 20 to 22 minutes until a sharp knife inserted comes out clean.

For the lemon buttercream you will need:

• 1/4 cup shortening
• 1/4 cup margarine, softened
• 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 2 Tbs fresh lemon juice
• 2 tsp fresh grated lemon zest
• 1 teaspoons vanilla extract

Then you:

In a small bowl, cream the shortening and margarine until well combined. Add the sugar in 1/2 cup additions. After each addition add a splash of lemon juice and beat well with a handheld mixer. Add vanilla and beat for another 3-5 minutes until smooth, creamy and fluffy. I stuck cut-off straws in some of these and topped the rest with a sprig of organic mint.

Just received an email from Betty Crocker about a new recipe:

Add a tasty surprise to cupcakes with citrus and a creamy center.

Check out the new recipe (and other delicious cupcake recipes!) at the Betty Crocker website.

Martha Stewart Living

In our February issue, you’ll find inspired ideas for Valentine’s Day gifts and treats, plus dozens of new ideas for a perennial favorite — cupcakes! Plus, learn how to navigate the wine store, get the basics of making crepes, and make hearty recipes for meat and potatoes, and more.

“Hello, Cupcake!” by Karen Tack and Alan Richardson

Witty, one-of-a-kind imaginative cupcake designs using candies from the local convenience store.

America’s favorite food photography team, responsible for the covers of America’s top magazines, shows how to create funny, scary, and sophisticated masterpieces, using a zipper lock bag and common candies and snack items. With these easy-to-follow techniques, even the most kitchen-challenged cooks can

• – raise a big-top circus cupcake tier for a kid’s birthday
• – plant candy vegetables on Oreo earth cupcakes for a garden party
• – trot out a line of confectionery “pupcakes” for a dog fancier
• – serve sausage and pepperoni pizza cupcakes for April Fool’s Day
• – bewitch trick-or-treaters with chilly ghost chocolate cupcakes
• – create holidays on icing with turkey cupcake place cards, a white cupcake Christmas wreath, and Easter egg cupcakes

No baking skills or fancy pastry equipment is required. Spotting the familiar items in the hundreds of brilliant photos is at least half the fun.

I think this is a must have cookbook for cupcake addicts! I finally saw it in person tonight, and I was completely blown away! Every cupcake in this book is beautiful and creative.

Available at  for Cooking.com for $10.84!

Home Sweet Home cake stands over 12 inches high! This dreamy two-story confectioners’ cottage is made using the Wilton Dimensions® Large and Mini Cupcake pans. Please visit Wilton to find out how to make your own Home Sweet Home cake.

Spiced Pumpkin Cupcakes

Mmm! Toasted and sugared nuts top cream cheese frosting on sweet and spicy pumpkin cupcakes.

1. Heat oven to 350°F (or 325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups.
2. In heavy 8-inch nonstick skillet, cook pecans and 2 tablespoons of the sugar over low heat about 8 minutes, stirring constantly, until sugar is melted. Spoon and spread pecans onto sheet of waxed paper. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar; toss.
3. In large bowl, beat cake mix, pumpkin, water, oil, eggs and pumpkin pie spice with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups (about 2/3 full).
4. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pan to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.                                     
5. Frost cupcakes with frosting. Sprinkle edge of frosted cupcakes with pecans; press lightly into frosting.                                                   

Recipe courtesy of Betty Crocker.

**I made a batch of these Spiced Pumpkin Cupcakes this weekend for a Christmas Party with my local Moms group. The kids and adults loved them! They were very easy to make too. I left off the nuts because some of the kids in the group had nut allergies. **