Banana Chocolate Cupcakes

It all started with ripe bananas on the counter.  When I'm feeling like being good, I throw said bananas in the freezer for smoothies.  When I'm craving a treat, they end up in my kitchen Aid, being used to make some flour-filled treat that I most often regret. 

And that's what happened.

Oh yeah, and we have a friend in town who had a birthday--

so I sorta blame these cupcakes on him.

Banana Cupcakes

3 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 1/8 cups oil

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

3 ripe bananas, mashed

1 1/2 cups milk

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

2.  In a large bowl, mash bananas.

3.  Add in eggs, oil, vanilla, milk and mix together.

4.  Add dry ingredients and mix together gently.

5.  Fill muffin liners a little fuller than 3/4 full.  When I did this I got taller cupcakes.

BUT variances in oven heat, altitude, baking powder etc. may be factors. 

To be safe you could start out to 3/4 full.

6.  Bake for 20-24 minutes; until a toothpick comes out clean.

7.  Cool completely before frosting.

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

1/2 cup butter--cool

8 oz. cream cheese cold

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup cocoa powder

4 cups powdered sugar

1-2 tablespoon heavy cream

1. Blend together butter and cream cheese in large mixing bowl.

2.  Add vanilla and cocoa powder and mix together until the cream and cocoa combine.

3.  Add powder sugar and mix on low, gradually increasing to medium
until mixture is fluffy.

4.  Add in 1-2 tablespoons of cream and mix till even more fluffy.  Keep in mind the consistency that you would like if you are planning to frost cupcakes.  When the beaters in the frosting form peaks and stay there, is my rule of thumb for a good consistency for frosting cupcakes.
5.  Frost your cakes.
6.  Devour.

cupcake recipe adapted from here.

frosting recipe adapted from glorious treats.

Primrose Bakery's Lemon Cupcakes

I'm a sucker.
...for all things lemon that is.
But most of you already know this.

So, when my good friend whose birthday we celebrated this last weekend, said she, too, loved lemon, I was all over it.

Fresh Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Buttercream Frosting

from the book, 'Cupcakes From the Primose Bakery'.

Makes about 16 cupcakes

8 Tbsp. unsalted butter at room temp.

1 C. plus 2 Tbsp. sugar

2 large eggs

1 C. self-rising flour*

3/4 C. plus 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

1/3 C. 2% milk, at room temp.

2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 Tbsp. sour cream

Grated zest of 1 lemon (you need 1 tsp.)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.

2. In a large mixing bowl cream the butter and sugar until mixture is smooth (may take 3-5 minutes using an electric hand mixer).  Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing for a few minutes after each addition.

3.  Sift the flours together into a separate bowl.  Mix the milk, lemon juice, and sour cream together.  Add one-third of the flours to the creamed mixture and beat well.  Pour in one-third of the milk and beat again.  Repeat these steps until all the flour and the milk have been added, incorporating the lemon zest with the last third of the flour.  Don't work if the mixture starts to curdle: simply add another spoonful of all purpose flour and beat well.
4.  Carefully spoon the mixture into the cups, filling them about two-thirds full.  Bake for about 25 minutes until slightly raised and *golden brown.  To check if they are cooked, insert a toothpick in the center of one of the cupcakes--it should come out clean.
5.  Remove from oven and leave the cupcakes in the pan for about 10 minutes before placing on wire rack to cool.  Once they are completely cool, frost the cupcakes with lemon buttercream and decorate with a candied lemon slice or a little finely grated lemon zest.

NOTES:

This recipe makes a perfectly citrus denser cupcake.  Husband and I were a tad surprised when we shared one on the way to the party.  They were good, but didn't have the spongy, moist texture that I am used to.  This makes me curious if all of Primrose's cupcakes have this same texture? 
*They don't need to get very golden brown before they are done.  Mine were fairly light in color and were plenty done.
*I used only all-purpose flour.

Lemon Buttercream Frosting
Makes enough to frost 15-20 regular cupcakes or 1 "two-layer" cake

8 Tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
2-3 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
Grated zest on 1-2 unwaxed lemons (you need 2 tsp.)
4 1/4 cups of powdered sugar, sifted

1.  In a large mixing bowl beat the butter, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, lemon zest, and half the powdered sugar until smooth-this can take several minutes with an electric hand mixer. 
2.  Gradually add the remainder of the powdered sugar and beat again until smooth and creamy.  If needed, thin with additional lemon juice.

Now enjoy! 

Do you have any favorite lemon dessert recipes?
I'd love to know about them!

Hearts and Cupcakes

Wishing I could send you each one of these this Valentine's...

There is love in a cupcake, no?

I'm linking up to Friday Pretties. 

Go visit all the pretty things!

dONt FoRgET tHe GIvEaWAy!!

1. Edible Purple Heart by Christina Gills Photo by Jodi Miller Photography

2. Red Velvet Cupcakes

3. Creature Comforts' Cupid Arrow Cupcake

Cupcake toppers and bands downloads found here.

Pumpkin Cupcakes

One of my favorite parts of this time of year, is the many ways you can use pumpkin.

Pumpkin bread, cookies, pancakes, waffles, cheesecake, and of course pumpkin pie.

You might also like to know that my Mother makes the most delicious pumpkin soup.  Mmm. Mmm.

Yesterday, I tested Martha to see if she really knew how to pull off a pumpkin cupcake.

I was going to use my new cupcake cookbook's Pumpkin Cupcakes recipe, but I was short of buttercream.

Guess what? 

Martha takes the cake.

They are perfect pumpkin cupcake bliss.

Read it.  Make it.  Eat it.

{They're worth it.}

Pumpkin Cupcakes

Martha S.

Makes 18.

{More like 27 regular cupcakes--enough for a small army.}

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon coarse salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1 cup packed light-brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

4 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree

Directions:

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice; set aside.

2.In a large bowl, whisk together, brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter, and eggs. Add dry ingredients, and whisk until smooth. Whisk in pumpkin puree.

3.Divide batter evenly among liners, filling each about halfway. Bake until tops spring back when touched, and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating pans once if needed. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely.

Need a delicious

Cream Cheese Frosting recipe?

Here's my favorite.

8 oz. cream cheese softened

4 C. powdered sugar

1 cube melted butter

2 tsp. vanilla.

There will be plenty for your cupcakes.

Do you have a favorite pumpkin recipe?

please share!

my man can decorate a cake.

It is true.  And it's not the first time.

The latest cake comes on the heels of an engagement!

Our little brother Timmy, caught himself a keeper!

He proposed on the Washougal River, here in Camas,

while he and his perused the early morning waters in their waders.

Luckily, the river was high that special September morn,

and not one caught a fish...

except for Timmy, of course.

Aimee!!!  Welcome to the McCully clan!

We're so glad you're hooked and a keeper!

Tim is lucky to have you and we think you're lovely.

We are so excited about the engagement, that we celebrated last weekend,

and ate a fish cake!

Here is the evolution of the fish cake.

Husband is an artist and builder of many things...

in wood, ink and cake {to name a few}.

No tracing here.  Nope.  Just a vision.

It was realized early, that cutting and decorating the likes of a salmon fish

would be pushing our luck.  Whimsy it was.

Husband even added a little oomph to the middle section

to give the belly curvature.

Lotsa corn starch!  Possibly too much!

He insisted this eye be "bugged."  I thought we might be eyeless by the end of the night,

but she held up!

I love the beaded outlining he chose.

and of course the newly-engageds' names.

Besides a couple minor cracks and bumps, the fondant cooperated,

and Husband prevailed.

Husband receives an A+ in my book

and with all the party goers!

There were some of these, too, in the same flavors as the cake.

Carrot for him.

Vanilla for her.

{with cream Cheese frosting, of course}.

Hope your Friday is great!

P.S. I'm linking up to Joyce's Friday Pretties!  Go see the other pretty things here.

A Giveaway!

Happy Blogoversary...!

Tomorrow marks three wonderful,
inspiration-filled, {at times heartbreaking,} lovely years.

I haven't regretted a moment.

This site is very much my life...on a blog page.  I feel blessed to be able to share the innermost--

the excitement, aches, loves, and the learning with you.

Thank you for your kind comments, encouragement and friendship. 

You are dear to me.

Curious to see where it all began?  Click here.

I began on Typepad only writing to myself.  After a few months, I decided to invite friends and family along in my journey.  About a year later, I opened myself up to the public.

Now here we are.

It is nice to have you.

It's GIVEAWAY time!
This is one of three giveaways happening between Oct. 1-8th.
3 Years--3 Giveaways.

One special winner will have this delivered to their doorstep:

A half dozen cupcakes

from Portland's finest--

Since I've made your mouth water before,

and since you can't join me for an afternoon treat in the city,

I thought I'd have some of these shipped to YOUR doorstep!

It's not a party without cupcakes, right?!

Don't even get me started on this one--

the TCC

(Toasted Coconut Cream).

It is heaven in a cupcake.

The best part is that YOU get to do the choosing.

Flavor, frosting and toppings!

It really can't get much better, right?

HOW TO ENTER:
*This giveaway has closed*

Two ways.

1) Visit St. Cupcake and tell me what combination looks most delicious.

2) Become a follower of this blog and leave me a comment saying that you're here!

*Want another chance?*

3) Re-blog this giveaway and tell me about it!

Giveaway entry closes

Sunday, Oct. 3, 2010

11:59pm

Winner will be announced Monday, Oct. 4th!

This is not a paid advertisement.

image credits.

Sprinkles' Strawberry Cupcakes

Photo taken from Marthastewart.com

Brooklynn and I made these last Sunday night. I got the recipe from Martha Stewart's website and they turned out very good. The frosting is especially yummy, and I have to say that I enjoyed the cupcakes more on the second day. I wonder why this was so, or if I was just imagining it?

Sprinkles' Strawberry Cupcakes

Makes 1 dozen

2/3 cup whole fresh or frozen strawberries, thawed
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 cup whole milk, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
2 large egg whites, room temperature

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners; set aside.
2. Place strawberries in a small food processor; process until pureed. You should have about 1/3 cup of puree, add a few more strawberries if necessary or save any extra puree for frosting; set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a small bowl, mix together milk, vanilla, and strawberry puree; set aside.
4. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter on medium-high speed, until light and fluffy. Gradually add sugar and continue to beat until well combined and fluffy. Reduce the mixer speed to medium and slowly add egg and egg whites until just blended.
5. With the mixer on low, slowly add half the flour mixture; mix until just blended. Add the milk mixture; mix until just blended. Slowly add remaining flour mixture, scraping down sides of the bowl with a spatula, as necessary, until just blended.
6. Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups. Transfer muffin tin to oven and bake until tops are just dry to the touch, 22 to 25 minutes. Transfer muffin tin to a wire rack and let cupcakes cool completely in tin before icing.


Strawberry Frosting

Makes enough for 1 dozen cupcakes

1/2 cup whole frozen strawberries, thawed
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, firm and slightly cold
Pinch of coarse salt
3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions
1. Place strawberries in the bowl of a small food processor; process until pureed.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and salt on medium speed until light and fluffy.
3. Reduce mixer speed and slowly add confectioners' sugar; beat until well combined.
4. Add vanilla and 3 tablespoons strawberry puree (save any remaining strawberry puree for another use); mix until just blended. Do not over mix or frosting will incorporate too much air. Frosting consistency should be dense and creamy, like ice cream.

*I made one alteration to the frosting recipe and added more strawberry puree. It did change the consistency a bit, so I used the beaters a little longer to thicken it up a bit. I had quite a bit of frosting left over, so there is the option to double the recipe and make the cupcakes taller and make 18 instead of 12 (which the recipe says it makes), LOAD the frosting on just 12, or have frosting left over for other treats. I happen to think that it would make great crepe filling--which is my next cooking adventure. :)


Brooklynn LOVES to help in the kitchen!

She felt like this strawberry needed a hug!?


Raring to go!


I was laughing so hard when I took this picture. She was trying so hard to smile big!


Such a great helper!


And so sweet, too!


She mastered self-discipline that night at the counter!


Mmmm. The best part!


Our Sprinkles' Strawberry Cupcakes


Heavenly.