Cooking Classy

If there are two things I love it's brownies and marshmallows. Okay okay there are a lot of foods I love and adore but two of them are definitely brownies and marshmallows. I also love the combination of the two. The chocolate just compliments the marshmallows perfectly. Like a S'more or a chocolate covered marshmallow, they just wouldn't be what they are without the chocolate.  This cupcake took three attempts to get the cupcake base just where I wanted it. I don't like a brownie that's so chocolaty rich I can only eat a bite or two. I also don't like a brownie that has no body to it and it's completely gooey. It's needs some chew and bite to it. Basically I'm more of a traditional, milk chocolate brownie kind of gal.  Just an fyi these cupcakes aren't a fluffy dome like cupcake. They will likely sink just a bit in the middle once they are removed from the oven, that's supposed to happen. If they don't then it's a sign they are likel...

All the deliciousness of a cannoli without the frying mess!? Yes indeed. These cupcakes are complete and utter bliss! I have a total weakness for cannolis so I was so excited to see they come in cupcake form. I love all things pastry and all things cupcake and these are the best of both worlds combined into one decadent, out of this world dessert. These are deliciously indulgent and perfectly dainty. They are fancy enough that I felt it was an occasion worth getting out my Grandmother's fine china set, sipping milk out of a tea cup and gently using a fork as if I were a Queen. That is until after one bite, I quickly forgot that fancy mannered moment and rather wanted to drop my fork and shove the entire cupcake in mouth and devour all of it in it's entirety without leaving a smidgen of a crumb behind. And then steal everyone else's. Yes just that good. These are one of the best cupcakes I've ever had and they will definitely be going on my list of favorite cupcakes t...

Wahoo! Time for the holidays... er... I mean next month, time for the holidays! My favorite time of year is the holidays. Why? All the food of course =)! That's why I'm getting way ahead of myself. I can't help it though, I saw these little candy pumpkins at the store the other day and thought, Oh I've just got to bake something with these. I bought a big bag then hid some up in the cupboard but somehow my family managed to sniff them out.  I guess the baking cupboard is a given, everyone knows I've got a huge stash of goodies up there =).  Luckily there were just enough left to make the perfect cupcake toppers for these delicious, bite size, Mini Pumpkin Cupcakes.  For this recipe, I basically combined my Pumpkin Bars recipe with the cupcake portion of my Pumpkin Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache and Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting (one of my favorite cupcakes). These cute mini cupcakes pack a lot of sweetness, moisture, flavor and pumpkin-y goodness into one l...

Have you been searching for an unforgettable, perfect chocolate cupcake recipe? I think it's fair to say your search will likely end here. While I was relaxing outside a light summer breeze that only evenings have to offer gently swept across my face, and I slowly sank my teeth through that whipped, lightly tangy, kissed with cocoa frosting and into the cupcakes fluffy, tender crumb with a moisture that was bound to stick to my teeth, then my taste buds touched that rich yet perfectly sweet chocolate divinity I knew my search was over. Pure bliss? Yes it was =).  The secret to this recipe is that I adapted it from one of my all time favorite cupcake recipes that I recently created, my Red Velvet Cupcakes. I knew how similar red velvet is to chocolate so I knew it would be fairly easy to create this one. Let me tell you I have been having a rough time creating the perfect white cupcake, maybe this was much easier for me because chocolate is my true love. Why settle for wh...

Oreos, one of life's simple pleasures. Oreos can give any dessert an instant upgrade. I love love love them. One of my all times favorite desserts is Cookies and Cream Ice Cream (with Cold Stone's Sweet Cream of course). That crisp, chocolate cookie with rich, sweet cream combination is a match made in Heaven. When I saw these cupcakes over at Beantown Baker I knew I had to try them. That ice cream deliciousness in cupcake form. Yes! "Please! Please! Gimme, Gimme, Gimme. I need, I need, I need!"( What About Bob , one of my favorite movie's and quotes =). I made a few small changes to the recipe, I didn't think 1 stick of butter was quite enough moisture for 24 cupcakes so I added in 1/3 cup sour cream and reduced the amount of milk slightly, then increased the baking powder just a tad. Other minor changes I made were, I didn't use room temperature egg whites and I didn't add the 2 tbsp flour to the chopped Oreos because I cut mine into small pieces s...

If you've ever tried a Sprinkles Red Velvet Cupcake then I have the feeling you are really going to love this post. My family is obsessed with Sprinkles Cupcakes. Their Red Velvet Cupcake is simply  irresistible . It is one cupcake that is truly hard to compete with,  but  I was definitely up for the challenge. On my recent vacation to Southern California I was sure to stop by Sprinkles in Newport Beach so I could refresh my memory on just exactly what that rich, sweet and even velvety cupcake tasted like so I could come home and create my own Sprinkles Red Velvet Cupcake Copycat recipe. I LOVE making copycat recipes at home. It gives me such a fun challenge in the kitchen. Everyone who tried these cupcakes said they tasted just like Sprinkles! If you don't believe them, try for yourself. These are without a doubt melt in your mouth amazing! Not low fat by any means but worth it, I loaded the butter in these babies (just like I assume Sprinkles does). Enjoy and share (if ...

Why?? Why do I keep making cupcakes to just have around to temp me so all day long? Well, I love them so I'm not going to stop making them. I guess I'm just going to have to gift them a lot =).  These cupcakes will basically leave you speechless! I made this recipe because the lemon blueberry combo is one of my new favorites. I'm so proud of the how the results turned out with this recipe (sorry I just have to brag a little about these)! You get a fluffy, moist, blueberry cupcake generously covered with an amazingly delicious, fluffy and flavorful lemon buttercream frosting and then to finish it off its drizzled with a nearly pure blueberry blueberry sauce. Yes, they melt in your mouth!  P.S. if you're like me you may want to serve them with a side of blueberry sauce. I've never done it with a cupcake before but I kind of served it up like a pancake. I kept drizzling each bite with more blueberry sauce. I just couldn't get enough of it! I should be the new thing...

The greatest thing about these cupcakes (other than taste of course =), they are made using ingredients you likely already have on hand. I eat dessert everyday, I don't go a day without it. I sacrifice by having a low calorie breakfast and lunch so I can splurge at dinner and have dessert. I'd have to say I don't feel very guilty about eating 2 or even 3 of these cupcakes. They don't contain a whole lot of fat, because they get most of their moisture from the applesauce they contain rather than needing loads of butter. I'd say these cupcakes belong to the carrot cake family. They taste very similar but no extra time is needed to grate carrots, bonus! These may seem like fall cupcakes but to me they are perfect year round (I'll take one any day!), they don't require a fresh fruit that's in season. The cupcake recipe I found in the amazing Martha Stewart Cupcakes book but I added my own frosting. The other changes I made were omitting cloves (they listed u...

These are one of my new favorite cupcakes!  I love how they don't have pieces of the chewy coconut in them because you grind the shredded coconut in a food processor before adding it.  These cupcakes are pure bliss. Everyone loved them! The frosting melts in your mouth.  The cupcake recipe is one I found in the Martha Stewart Cupcakes book, but I decided to add my own frosting recipe.  They are perfect together!  I also like how the frosting recipe I used can be made in under 7 minutes =), it takes maybe 3. I hope you enjoy these dreamy cupcakes as much as I do! Coconut Cupcakes Yields 20 cupcakes Ingredients: ½ cup packed sweetened shredded coconut 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour 2 tsp baking powder ½ tsp salt ¾ cup butter, softened (1 1/2 sticks) 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar 2 large whole eggs, at room temperature 2 large egg whites, at room temperature 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract ¾ cup unsweetened coconut milk 1 recipe Coconut Buttercream Frosting, recipe follows Sweete...