Tag Archives: recipe

Coconut Cupcakes

Posted on August 31, 2013 by Ruthanne

These coconut cupcakes are infused with coconut cream and topped with smooth coconut buttercream frosting….YUM!!!

Coconut is one of my very favorite flavors. So many people dislike it and I just can’t understand!! Starbucks used to have the most amazing coconut mochas– discontinued due to lack of interest. Recently, Cheesecake Factory discontinued my favorite cheesecake- coconut cream pie. What is this world coming to?

If you like coconut, you will enjoy these cupcakes so much- they are positively bursting with coconut flavor. Honestly, they are my new favorite cupcake, followed closely by cookie dough cupcakes. If you don’t like coconut you should make cookie dough cupcakes. You need cupcakes today.

Yum…..

Here’s how to make them: (printable recipe)

INGREDIENTS: (makes 12 cupcakes)

Cupcakes

1 ¼ cups of cake flour
1/2 cup of sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
3 egg whites and ½ egg yolk at room temp
1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
1 teaspoon coconut extract
1/3 cup cream of coconut (plus a little to brush on top)
2 teaspoon water

Coconut Buttercream Icing:

2 sticks (1 cup) of butter at room temperature.
2 cups powdered sugar
3 teaspoons coconut extract
1/2 cup shredded coconut
White food coloring gel.

DIRECTIONS:

Cupcakes:

Preheat oven to 325F
Add flour, sugar, baking powder and salt to a large mixing bowl and using an electric mixer combine these dry ingredients well.
Cut (room temp!) butter into 1 tbs pieces.
Add these pieces one at a time to dry ingredients while blending on low speed.
Mix until butter pieces are separated into small bits (no bigger than pea-sized)
In a smaller bowl, whisk together the rest of ingredients.
Slowly add half of liquid mixture to dry, while mixing on medium. Mix until completely combined.
Slowly add the rest of the liquid and mix on high for about a minute until well combined.
Divide batter into 12 cupcake liners in a cupcake tin.
Bake for 15-18 minutes until a toothpick inserted into middle comes out clean.
Allow cupcakes to cool in pan for about 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Poke holes into tops of each cupcake and use a pastry brush to brush coconut cream on top of each cupcake.
Allow coconut cream to soak in while you make icing.

Icing:

Add all ingredients except shredded coconut into a mixing bowl and combine with a mixer on low. Then whip on high until light and fluffy.
Frosting will be an off-white color because of the butter. To make it more “coconut” colored you can add white food coloring gel to your desired shade of white.
Add shredded coconut and blend well.
Scoop icing on top of each cupcake using a cookie scoop. Evenly divide icing among the 12 cupcakes.
Press coconut on top and sides of entire scoop of frosting.
Enjoy!

My thoughts: There are so many fun little cupcake stores out there. I’ve been trying them out and picking my favorites. I’ve come to the conclusion that made-from-scratch cupcakes have more potential than boxed mixes. Potential for both good and bad. I’ve had some terrible cupcakes and some absolutely heavenly ones. I’ve decided that I need to be brave and venture into developing my own from-scratch recipes for cupcakes. This was my 1st attempt and I was really excited they turned out well! If you need a QUICK coconut cupcake recipe, use a white cake mix with some coconut flavoring and this coconut buttercream. Here’s to new adventures in life! Enjoy!! ~r

Love cupcakes? Try one of our four most-viewed recipes!

36 Comments

Posted in Cupcakes and tagged baking, best cupcake recipe, coconut, coconut buttercream, coconut cream, cream of coconut, cupcake, dessert, homemade cupcakes, photo, recipe, shredded coconut, vanilla, white cupcakes. Bookmark the permalink.

Dark Chocolate Espresso Cookies

Posted on August 22, 2013 by Ruthanne

Dark chocolate cookies infused with espresso powder. Once you’ve had one you will be craving a plateful!!! They are really easy to make, and since they are a cut-out cookie they can be made in any shape you want. Aren’t the plain round ones so fun though???

Here’s how to make them: (printable recipe)

INGREDIENTS: (makes 36 medium cookies)

2 sticks (1 cup) butter, softened
1 1/2cups sugar
2 eggs
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 teaspoons instant Espresso Powder
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

DIRECTIONS:

Cream together butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl.
Mix in eggs and then cocoa.
Place vanilla and Espresso Powder together in a small cup until coffee dissolves. Add this mixture to the batter and mix until completely incorporated.
Gradually add dry ingredients and mix until smooth (use clean hands at the end, to knead into a soft ball of dough)
Wrap in plastic and chill for at least one hour.
Allow cookie dough to soften a little at room temperature
Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
Roll out cookie dough on floured counter.
Cut into desired shapes and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Bake for 8 to 11 minutes until the edges are firm.
Gently slide parchment paper off of cookie sheet and onto a flat surface. Cool completely before removing cookies from paper.

You can serve these cookies plain, or with a little cocoa powder sprinkled on top, or you can ice them.

I iced these with royal icing that I added a little espresso powder to.

For my royal icing recipe and techniques, click here.

To get the tiny heart shape at the center I used a little melted chocolate. While the icing is still liquid, pipe a little circle just a bit above the center of the cookie. Use a tooth pick to pull down through the icing and the chocolate, making a heart. Allow the icing and chocolate to harden completely. Enjoy!!

My thoughts: These are SO GOOD!!!! I’m on a diet….and I wanted to eat them all….but I didn’t. I gave them away. sigh.

These are simple to make and probably the easiest cut-out cookie dough I’ve ever worked with. Not sticky or fussy at all! I adore anything with coffee in it, so I would add even more espresso powder next time. Make them to your taste by adjusting the amount you add. Paired with a cup of coffee, they are just…..perfect! Enjoy!!! ~r

A few other desserts that would go well with your coffee:

35 Comments

Posted in Cookies and tagged baking, beautiful cookie, best cut out cookie recipe, chocolate, chocolate cookies, cocoa, cocoa powder, coffee, Cookie, cut out cookie, dessert, espresso, espresso powder, instant espresso, mocha, recipe, royal icing, royal icing recipe, sweets. Bookmark the permalink.

Malted Milkshake Cupcakes

Posted on August 9, 2013 by Ruthanne

Dark chocolate cupcakes topped with the creamiest malt frosting ever. Like a malted milkshake minus the cup!

I have an addiction to chocolate malts. Not chocolate shakes, just malts. The creamy, chocolatey kind that you drink through a striped straw at the pool. My mom makes the best chocolate malts ever. They are really simple to make, but there’s just something about her leaning out of the patio door and asking, “Anyone want a malt?” that makes me smile. It’s one of our summer traditions.

{Her easy recipe? Ice cream, malt powder, cocoa and milk~ a blender full of ice cream plus cocoa and malt to taste, and milk to desired consistency}

I wanted to make a frosting that tastes like a malt. It took me a couple of tries, but I finally hit the mark. It’s wonderfully creamy and smooth. It is also a very soft whipped icing that must be kept refrigerated because it has milk in it, and because it will not keep a pretty piped finish if it gets warm.

Believe me, the flavor and texture are worth it!

Here’s how to make these yummy cupcakes! (printable recipe)

INGREDIENTS:

One boxed dark chocolate cake mix (plus water, eggs and oil to make according to box)
4 packets of Dream Whip
1 1/2 cups of cold milk
6 Tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder
6 Tablespoons of malt powder
1/2 -1 cup of powdered sugar (to desired consistency)

DIRECTIONS

Make cake mix according to box and bake in 24 cupcake liners placed in muffin tins.
Cool cupcakes completely.
Put Dream Whip, milk, cocoa powder, malt powder and powdered sugar into a mixing bowl and blend together.
Using a mixer, beat until stiff peaks form (3-4 minutes)
Add extra powdered sugar if needed, to desired consistency. This is a soft whipped frosting, so it won’t be the consistency of a stiff buttercream~ even with lots of powdered sugar. (believe me, I tried!)
Spoon frosting into a zip-top bag fitted with a decorating tip and pipe frosting on cupcakes.
Refrigerate until serving and just before serving add a malted milk ball and sprinkle with cocoa powder if desired for garnish.

ENJOY!!!

My thoughts: these are *almost* as good as my moms malts. This frosting is really yummy. It would be a great filling for a layer cake too~ or even a filling for cupcakes. You could fill chocolate cupcakes with this and then just spoon some chocolate ganache over the top. Oh the possibilities! Hope you get to try these and enjoy them as much as we did! ~r

More recipes you might like:

17 Comments

Posted in Beverages, Cupcakes and tagged baking, chocolate, chocolate cake mix, cocoa powder, cupcake, cupcake liners, dessert, dream whip, fun cupcakes, malt, malt balls, malted milk, malted milk balls, milkshake, muffin tins, recipe, summer dessert, unique cupcakes, whipped frosting. Bookmark the permalink.

Raspberry Lemon Cream Cups

Posted on August 2, 2013 by Ruthanne

These adorable chilled lemon and raspberry treats are creamy, sweet summer dessert perfection!

I love lemon and raspberry together and I just couldn’t resist trying a new flavor combination in my mini cheesecake pan ! The sweet raspberries and tart lemon cream are a perfect ending to any meal! Want to try them???

Here’s how: (printer friendly recipe)

Ingredients:

40 Nilla Wafers
4 Tablespoons of melted butter
1 package (4-serving size) of instant lemon pudding
1 1/2 cups of cold milk
1 container of Cool Whip topping
2-3 cups of fresh raspberries (about 60 berries)

Directions:

In a food processor or a large food chopper, crush Nilla wafers to fine crumbs.
Add melted butter to crumbs and pulse a few more times to combine.
Prepare mini cheesecake pan by placing metal disks in the bottom of each cup.
Evenly divide crumbs between all 12 cups.
Press firmly into bottom of each cup using a mini tart shaper or the end of a wooden spoon.
In a large mixing bowl, combine cold milk with packet of pudding mix. Beat on medium for 2 minutes.
Mix in HALF of the Cool Whip topping (the rest will be used on top once dessert is frozen, so you can return it to the refrigerator).
Spoon/pour pudding mixture into a large zip-top bag and carefully clip a corner off.
Pipe filling into each cup, covering crust and filling only half way.
Place 4 to 5 fresh raspberries on top of filling in each cup.
Pipe filling over raspberries until it reaches top of cup (be sure to push filling down around berries and not just on top of them). You will probably have a little lemon filling left at the end. I can tell you from experience that Nilla Wafers dipped in this filling are AMAZING!!
Use a knife to level the tops of each cup.
Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for several hours (or overnight!)
Once frozen, (and just before serving) allow pan to warm just slightly at room temperature and then use your fingers to push up on metal disk and push each dessert out of the pan.
Remove metal disks from bottom crust.
Pipe remaining Cool Whip on top and garnish with remaining raspberries on top.

These can be served frozen, or allowed to warm at room temperature for a little while before serving. Don’t leave them at room temperature for longer than an hour or so, or your crust will start to get soggy!

My thoughts: I cannot even think of the words to describe how yummy these little cups are. Plus they are EASY to make and quick (except for the freezer time, of course!) If you do not have a mini cheesecake pan, you can make these in cupcake liners in a muffin tin…or you could get a mini-cheesecake pan and add to the fun in your life. I absolutely love mine!!! So many possibilities!!

Other recipes that use the mini-cheesecake pans:

15 Comments

Posted in Easy recipes, Frozen desserts and tagged baking, cool whip, cream, dessert, dessert cups, fresh raspberries, fruit dessert, lemon, lemon pudding, mini cheesecake pan, Nilla wafer crust, nilla wafers, pudding mixture, raspberry, recipe, summer desserts. Bookmark the permalink.

Key Lime Layer Cake

Posted on July 23, 2013 by Ruthanne

Moist cake layered with buttercream and tart key lime filling. A perfect summer treat!

Key lime pie is one of my favorite desserts. It’s just so refreshing and fun! Whenever I am pondering the question of what dessert to try in a restaurant I am always caught between chocolate and anything key lime.

I’ve already done a few key lime recipes here on Easybaked, but never a cake. Until today…..

The key lime filling is tart, but the sweet buttercream layered with it makes each bite a refreshing treat!

Here’s how to make it: (printable recipe)

INGREDIENTS:

One boxed yellow cake mix (with eggs, oil and water to make according to package)
1 cup of key lime juice
1 can (14 oz) of sweetened condensed milk
1 egg
2 sticks (8 oz.) of salted butter
2 sticks (8 oz.) of unsalted butter
3 cups of powdered sugar
2 teaspoons of clear vanilla
1/4 cup crushed graham crackers

DIRECTIONS: (make filling 1st to save time)

Cake:

Make cake mix according to package and bake in two 8 or 9 inch round pans.
Turn cakes out of pans onto a cooling rack and cool completely.

Filling:

In a medium mixing bowl blend together key lime juice, sweetened condensed milk and egg until combined.
Pour into a small casserole dish and bake at 325F degrees for 15-20 minutes until center is set.
Cool completely (I make this 1st and place it in the fridge while I make the cake and frosting)

Frosting:

In a large mixing bowl, add softened butters, powdered sugar and vanilla.
Beat on high for several minutes until frosting is light and very fluffy.

Putting the cake together:

Trim the tops of cakes to make them flat using a large serrated knife.
Cut each cake into 2 layers using the same serrated knife.
Place 1st layer on a serving plate and lightly layer with frosting.
Spread 1/3 of the cooled key lime filling over layer
Place 2nd layer on top and repeat until last layer has been placed on top.
Frost entire cake (top and sides) with buttercream frosting.
Crush a few graham crackers and gently press the crumbs along the sides of the cake.
Decorate as desired. I used little dollops of extra frosting and little lime green chocolates.

(Aren’t they cute?!?)

My thoughts: I love this cake so much! It’s not only one of my favorite flavors, but it’s pretty and it holds together so well and cuts beautifully! If you love key lime like I do, this is the cake for you! I hope you get a chance to try it!!! Enjoy! ~r

Other layer cake recipes you might enjoy:

34 Comments

Posted in Cakes and tagged baking, buttercream, cake, cake mix, dessert, easy cake, food, frosting, key lime, key lime filling, key lime juice, key lime pie, key lime recipes, layer cake, recipe, sweetened condensed milk, sweets, yellow cake, yellow cake mix. Bookmark the permalink.

S’mores Cookie Cups

Posted on July 12, 2013 by Ruthanne

These mini graham cracker cookie cups are overflowing with soft marshmallow and chocolate~ a perfect replica of the summertime favorite~ in cookie form!!

These little cookie cups were eaten up faster than any dessert I can remember. You simply can’t stop at one! I guess that’s because they are made with all the ingredients used in S’mores! The marshmallow stays soft, and the soft chocolate layer on the inside….? Oh my.

Here’s how to make them: (printable recipe)

INGREDIENTS: (makes 48 mini cups)

One tube of refrigerated sugar cookie dough
1 cup of finely crushed graham crackers
1/4 cup of heavy cream
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 (13oz) jar of Jet-Puffed Marshmallow fluff
48 Hershey Kisses (unwrapped!)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
Place cookie dough and crushed grahams (save 2 to 3 tablespoons of crumbs to sprinkle over cups at end) in a mixing bowl and using hands, combine crushed grahams with cookie dough until completely incorporated.
Evenly divide dough into mini muffin tins (I used a medium cookie scoop to do this and got about 48 cookies)
Bake at 350F degrees for 7 to 9 minutes, until turning a light brown at edges.
Remove from oven and immediately press centers in using a mini tart shaper (or a wooden spoon~ although I highly recommend the tart shaper as it is a small and inexpensive tool that I love and use all the time!)
Allow cups to cool for 2-3 minutes and then gently run a small knife around the edges and pop the cup out of the tin. Allow cup to completely cool on counter.
Place all cups on a cookie sheet (preferably one with raised edges)
In a small sauce pan, heat up heavy cream until just bubbling at the edges (20 seconds or so).
Add chocolate chips, cover and allow them to sit for 5 minutes.
Stir melted chips with cream until smooth (turn heat back on if needed)
Place chocolate sauce in a zip-top bag, clip a corner and pipe chocolate evenly into each cup.

Fill a mug or small bowl with HOT water, and place a medium cookie scoop into it. Shake off excess water and scoop one scoop of marshmallow fluff into each cookie cup. Place scoop back in hot water as soon as the fluff starts to stick to the scoop.

Turn broiler on high and place entire cookiesheet full of cookies in the oven under the broiler. WATCH the cookies– in about 30 seconds the marshmallows will start to brown. Take the cookie cups out and immediately place a Hershey kiss on the top of each hot marshmallow top. Sprinkle with graham crumbs (and drizzle with a little white chocolate if you like).
Let these sit for about an hour. The bottom of the kiss will melt and attach to the marshmallow.
You can serve these warm, or at room temp.
Once they are cooled, you can store them in an airtight container for about a week.

My thoughts~ These cookie cups were a big hit. They really capture the flavor of a s’more and they aren’t very difficult to make. The marshmallow fluff was a little fussy, just because it is so sticky. I highly recommend it though- it was perfect biting into the gooey soft cream rather than an actual marshmallow. It captured that melted marshmallow feel. I *highly* recommend you use a cookie scoop for these. You can get a scoop almost anywhere these days, but if you can’t find one, try ordering one at Amazon. I hope you really enjoy making (and eating!) these yummy little treats!!! ~r

Other cookie cup recipes you might enjoy:

25 Comments

Posted in Candy, Cookie Cups, Cookies and tagged baking, best smore recipe, best summer dessert, chocolate, chocolate ganache, chocolate layer, cookie cups, cookies, dessert, food, graham crackers, hershey kisses, jet puffed marshmallow, marshmallow fluff, melted chocolate, muffin tins, recipe, s'mores, S'mores desserts, sugar cookie dough, summer dessert, sweet chocolate chips, toasted marshmallow. Bookmark the permalink.

Baileys Irish Cream Cupcakes

Posted on July 4, 2013 by Ruthanne

These amazing cupcakes are made with Baileys Irish cream and topped with a Baileys buttercream frosting. They are incredibly good–and the way I came across this recipe is quite the story!

Have you watched the TV show that’s out right now called The American Baking Competition? The one with all of the challenges each week– breads, cakes, pies…? I love it. Aaaaand…I auditioned for it last fall. I’m actually not one of those “I wanna be on TV” people, but I am one of those “that sounds like a crazy fun adventure, let’s do it!” people. In 2002, my coworkers dared me to audition for The Weakest Link game show and they picked me– I’d never actually seen the show which made things a little awkward at first…lol! So auditioning for a cooking show? Why not??

I know you are dying to know how these cupcakes are made, so I will save my story-telling for later, but long story short– I met a ton of wonderful bakers at the audition and one of them was Lauren Shilt. She brought these Baileys cupcakes to her audition and gave me an extra. I fell in love with this cupcake! It is so dense and moist and rich….so I begged for the recipe and Lauren kindly obliged.

Here you have it… Baileys Cupcakes: (printer friendly recipe)

INGREDIENTS: (makes 30-36 cupcakes)

Cupcakes:

2 1/2 cups cake flour
3 teaspoons of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar (use super fine sugar, if you can find it!)
3/4 cups unsalted butter room temp.
3 eggs room temp.
3 teaspoons of vanilla
1 cup Bailey’s Irish Cream (separated, 1/2 cup for the cakes, 1/2 cup to pour over the cakes after they have been baked)

Buttercream Frosting:

2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter, room temp.
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, room temp.
3 cups of powdered sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 to 1/2 cup Baileys Irish Cream-enough to get the frosting to the desired flavor and consistency.

For the Chocolate Ganache to drizzle over the top:

1/2 cup of heavy cream
1/4 cup of semi sweet chocolate chips (or if using a bar, chopped)
3 tablespoons Baileys Irish Cream

(I used 1/4c. heavy cream and 1/2c. semi-sweet chips plus 3 teaspoons of Baileys for mine, and I made it at the end since it was thick enough to use as soon as it cooled a bit. It’s just how I always do ganache and I needed to save time.)

DIRECTIONS:

Make the Ganache first (unless you use my recipe)

In a saucepan bring the cream to simmer over med heat
Remove from heat and whisk in chocolate until it is melted and incorporated
Whisk in the Baileys Irish Cream
Refrigerate until it has a good consistency to drizzle over the top

Cupcakes:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line the muffin tins with 36 cupcake liners (my batch only made 30)
In a large bowl mix together the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon
In a large bowl, use a mixer to cream together the sugar and butter for about 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
Add eggs once at a time until incorporated and then mix in vanilla.
Add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the Bailey’s Irish Cream, starting and ending with the flour mixture.
Fill cupcake liners about 2/3 full and bake for 17-20 min. (mine were slightly over-baked at 17 min, so check often!)
Cool in pan for a few minutes
Using a toothpick poke holes in the tops of the cupcakes and using a pastry brush, brush the additional 1/2 cup of baileys over the cupcakes.

Baileys Buttercream Frosting:

Place butters, powdered sugar and cinnamon in a large bowl.
Beat on high until light and fluffy.
Add Baileys Irish Cream a bit at a time until buttercream is desired flavor and consistency.
Frost cooled cupcakes using a pastry bag, then drizzle with Bailey’s Ganache.

My thoughts: You are simply going to love these cupcakes. I’ve had 4 people (so far!) tell me that these are their favorite cupcake I’ve ever made. They are SO good!!!!! Plus, (be very proud of me!) they are not a cake mix! 😉

Ok. Story time.

So crazy, adventure-seeking me sent in my application for this “baking show” on CBS. I was invited to come to Chicago to do an in-person audition for the show. I needed to bring my “signature” baked good. Signature? How to choose from all my favorites? I decided on Salted Caramel Cookie Cups, because everyone loves them, they are easy to travel with and they are signature (in that they use lots of pre-made ingredients), making them EASYbaked 🙂 My motto.

A few days before the audition I got a call from CBS confirming my audition time and making sure I would be bringing everything I needed. This very nice man said–“now, be sure you plate your baked good”. I was like… “um…ok. I will make sure I put it on a plate.” Long pause. “No, you need to plate it.” “Yes,” I replied, “I will put it on a plate.” “You need to plate it- you know, make it look all fancy for the judges?”

Sigh. My 1st clue this isn’t going to go well. I hang up and google “how to plate a dessert”. Then I go to the store to buy little bottles with tips….and I practice “plating” my little desserts.

Laura and I pack up all my supplies and off we go to a very rainy and cold Chicago.

When I arrived and checked in I was seated in a room FULL of people carrying baked goods in all sorts of containers. I love meeting new people and within no time I had met all of the people sitting around me. It was SO much fun! A whole room full of people comparing ganache recipes and favorite frosting ideas. AMAZING! About 5 of us chatted while we waited to get called back and we all ended up getting called back together. We had to “plate” our items for the judges (thank goodness I got all of that sorted out ahead of time!) and they tasted our items and asked us questions. Lauren and I made it to the second round and we spent our waiting time really getting to know each other and exchanging our extra desserts with the bakers around us.

New Baking Friends!!!

The second interview was questions, asked in a group setting. Not too intimidating… The casting person (who, apparently was also a trained culinary person) asked me how I made my wonderful caramel filling. I explained that I use Kraft caramels, sweetened condensed milk and butter to make it.

There were audible gasps.

Everyone was staring at me.

What had I said wrong?

The interviewer said- you mean you didn’t make this from scratch?

Ummm…no.

Why would you bring this as your signature baked good if it isn’t from scratch?

Because my baking is rarely from scratch. Why slave over homemade caramel if you can just use caramels to make a filling?

But it’s not homemade….

Well, you loved it and sent me to the next round of interviews…?

I didn’t tell her that the crust was made of refrigerator cookie dough… yikes.

The next baker was a woman who literally forages in the woods for all of her ingredients. Literally. Forages.

I wanted to jump in and say that I foraged at WalMart on Black Friday for my ingredients…nearly died…got them cheap….?

I was fairly certain I was “out” of the running. Until I was handed a paper that said:

What?!?! This involved staying an extra day in Chicago (thank you dear, patient Laura!), panicking over the fact that I only brought a Green Bay Packer Jersey to wear home the next day…(can you interview on camera for a baking show dressed like a football player?), waiting for 2 hours, falling asleep in a hotel lobby and defending my use of Kraft caramels on camera for Hollywood to see.

Needless to say, I wasn’t called and invited to be a contestant on the show. Have you watched it? I would have gone down in flames the 1st week. These people are amazing! Francine is my favorite~ she uses crazy creative ingredients like bacon and red-hot candies in her recipes (anyone who bakes with candy is my hero!) Hope she wins!

After my long day of interviewing, Laura and I settled in at our hotel and pigged out on all the treats I exchanged with other bakers during the day. This was when I first tasted Lauren’s cupcakes…oh. my.

A collection of amazing baked goods!

A big BIG thanks to Lauren for sharing her recipe with us! If you’d like to get to know her and see some of her incredible baking creations, she is on facebook. Visit her page and give it a “like” by clicking here.

Lauren

I usually stick to sharing recipes in my posts, but this story was just too fun. Thanks for listening– now go and make these cupcakes— you will love them— I promise!!! ~r

Other “from scratch” recipes on Easybaked…yes, there are a few!!!!

72 Comments

Posted in Cupcakes and tagged american baking competition, bailey s irish cream, baileys, baileys cupcake, baileys irish cream, baking, buttercream, cake flour, chocolate ganache, cupcake, cupcakes with alcohol, dessert, food, fun dessert, homemade cupcake recipe, recipe, sweets. Bookmark the permalink.

Flip Flop Cookies~ a Recipe Revisited!

Posted on June 25, 2013 by Ruthanne

I’m excited to be back for day #2 of our walk down memory lane! Today’s treat just had to make the list of fun and colorful recipes to revisit. It’s not only fun and colorful, but the perfect summer treat…

This recipe was originally published during my first summer of blogging, on June 11, 2011. It is particularly memorable for me because it was my first photo published on Foodgawker. If you even knew how hard I was trying at the time to get a photo accepted on that site….oh my. I’m very competitive and I had about 60 photos rejected before this one. I was jumping up and down for joy! I took this photo at my friends Tom and Tina’s house at the lake. I knew the lighting was perfect that day and I pulled my little point and shoot out to snap some photos. Tom suggested I try his higher-end camera and Tina popped that pretty orange flower in the background and I learned two things: 1.Staging food is a must in photography and 2. I needed a better camera.

Since that date I’ve had 55 photos accepted on Foodgawker and SO many rejected. It has been so good for me to have outside judgement on my photography though. It is making me better. Will today’s photo be accepted? I think not. I’m not happy with the exposure in any of the pictures, but we will see!

These are white chocolate dipped Nutter Butter cookies (in case you were wondering!) Originally dipped in rainbow colors, these are dipped in patriotic red, white and blue and garnished with a little star sprinkle. Serving them on brown sugar gives them a beach feel. These are a perfect summer treat and really easy to make.

To see the original recipe (along with photos showing how to dip them) click here.

To print the original recipe and instructions click here.

Enjoy! ~r

We dip lots of things into candy melts and chocolate here at easybaked. Here are a few of our favorite candy melt treats:

1 Comment

Posted in Candy, Cookies and tagged baking, cookies, desserts, flip flop cookies, fourth of July, fun, Labor day, Memorial day, nutter butter cookies, Nutter Butters, rainbow colors, recipe, summer cookies, Wilton candy melts. Bookmark the permalink.

Lemonade Cookies…with a twist!

Posted on June 15, 2013 by Ruthanne

Chewy lemonade cookies made with bits of strawberry licorice…a fun treat that every kid (or kid at heart) in your life will love!

Months ago I received a baking challenge from an 8 year old boy named Zao. His mom Erika works with me and he asked her, “Do you think Ruthanne could make cookies with red licorice in them?” Well, of course we can!

Now, as a little warning to you: the bits of licorice are yummy, but they are very chewy and you end up eating licorice after the cookie is all gone in your mouth. Remember bubble gum ice cream? It’s a little like that sort of dilemma. The taste combination is wonderful though and if you can get past the consistency you will love these!

For those of you not-so-brave folks out there….the cookies are soooooo yummy without the licorice too! I made two batches– one with and one without the licorice. I loved both varieties (and it gave me an excuse to eat TWO cookies instead of one!)

Here’s how to make them: (printer- friendly recipe)

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup butter, at room temperature
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 packet (0.23oz.) Kool Aid Lemonade
Yellow food coloring gel
2 3/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup of chopped Twizzler Strawberry Licorice. (I just chopped them into chocolate chip-size bits using a sharp knife)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350F degrees
Using a mixer, beat together butter and sugar until smooth and creamy.
Add egg and vanilla extract and mix until combined.
Add Lemonade powder and coloring gel (if needed) to create a nice yellow color. Mix well.
Blend in the dry ingredients, using clean hands to knead the dough together at the end.
Add chopped strawberry licorice bits at the very end and blend well (this step can be skipped if you aren’t feeling wild and crazy– you’ll just have yummy lemonade cookies!)
Roll rounded tablespoons of dough into balls and place on baking sheets that have been covered in parchment paper.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until cookies are set.
Slide parchment paper (with the cookies still on top) onto a cool counter and allow cookies to cool right on paper.

My thoughts: With or without the strawberry bits, these are great cookies. I think they balance perfectly between sweet and tart. I was surprised at how many people loved the idea of putting licorice bits into cookies. I think they would be great with a strawberry or raspberry icing on top. Yum….! Enjoy!

Enjoying his cookies– thanks for the recipe idea Zeo!

You might also enjoy:

11 Comments

Posted in Candy, Cookies and tagged baking, candy, cookies, cookies for kids, crazy cookie ideas, fun cookies, lemonade, lemonade cookies, recipe, red licorice, strawberry, strawberry lemonade cookies, strwaberry licorice, taste combination, Twizzler licorice, unique cookies. Bookmark the permalink.

Chocolate Fudge Cut-Out Cookies!!

Posted on May 24, 2013 by Ruthanne

The rich dark cocoa flavor of these cut-out cookies sets them apart as one of the yummiest cookies I’ve ever had!!

This weekend was a special treat — my good friend (and fellow baker/blogger) Megan came to visit me from Pennsylvania. We met in 2010 on a mission trip to Russia and we have been best of friends ever since.

Megan and her mom and sisters create the most beautiful and unique cakes I’ve ever seen, and they blog about life and caking on their blog Happily Ever Cakes. Megan has such great decorating ideas and she promised to share some of her recipes and techniques with me this weekend.

We spent hours in the kitchen (often accompanied with friends who wanted to help and learn too!) It was so much fun, and I’m so excited to share with you all the things I learned!!

Holding our personalized mug cupcakes–technique coming soon to Easybaked!
Such a fun weekend!

I wasn’t sure which project to tell you about first, so I decided to begin by dedicating this post to some truly yummy chocolate cut-out cookies.

Megan wanted to prove to me that royal icing isn’t always a tedious mess…. but honestly, royal icing is a tedious mess no matter what your technique or recipe (in my humble opinion!)

They are cute. Super super cute cookies. But 24 cookies took three of us about 3 hours….which means if I’d done them alone they would have taken me 9 hours….yeah.

So there are a lot of pictures because this will likely never happen again.

We even put some of them on lollipop sticks which was a really fun way to display them.

When Megan suggested a royal icing project I immediately thought of this great family recipe. I’d never made them as a cut-out cookie or attempted to bake them with sticks inserted, but I thought it would be worth experimenting with since they taste SO good. The verdict?? These dense chocolate cookies are easy to cut into shapes and worked great with or without lollipop sticks. The dark cookie really made all the fun colors in our frosting stand out too!

Ready for the recipe? (printer friendly recipe)

INGREDIENTS: (makes 24 large cookies)

2 sticks (1 cup) butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
Add butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla and cocoa together in large mixing bowl.
Blend on medium speed with a mixer until smooth.
Gradually add dry ingredients and mix until smooth (use clean hands at the end, to knead into a soft ball of dough)
Wrap in plastic and chill for at least one hour.
Allow cookie dough to soften a little at room temperature
Roll out cookie dough on floured counter. If you are adding sticks, you will want to roll the cookies out thick (about 1/3″)
Cut into desired shapes and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Insert lollipop sticks, if desired, by gently pushing stick into cookie about 1- 1 1/2 inches. You will need to arrange cookies to fit with sticks on top of cookie sheet.
Bake for 8 to 11 minutes until the edges are firm.
Gently slide parchment paper off of cookie sheet and onto a flat surface. Cool completely before moving- this allows the cookie to “set” around the stick. Even when it is cooled, handle it with care. It takes a little time for the cookie to harden around the stick.
Frost as desired. A simple powdered sugar glaze will be delicious on these, or if you want to get fancy (and have a nice hard surface on your cookie) click here for Megan’s royal icing recipe and instructions for use.

Fun chocolate cookie cut-outs My thoughts: These cookies are SO yummy. I’m not usually a huge fan of cut-out cookies, but these are truly worth the effort of rolling out and cutting! I like them thick- even if you don’t add sticks to make them into pops. They are so much fun all set up in a vase~ what a perfect way to serve cookies at a party! You could wrap these in cello bags and tie them with cute ribbons too- a perfect favor for a wedding or shower! Hope you have fun with these treats!!! Enjoy!! ~r