Cookies n' Cream Cupcakes

 Ingredients: 

Cookies n' Cream Cupcake: 

• 24 Oreo halves, with the creme filling still attached
• 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temp
• 1 2/3 cup sugar
• 3 large egg whites, room temp
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup milk
• 2 cups of finely chopped oreo cookies (don't use the filling for this part)

Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 8oz cream cheese, room temp
• 8 oz (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces, room temp
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• heavy cream or milk, as needed to achieve desired thickness

Instructions:
Cookies n' Cream Cupcake: 
Preheat oven to 350º. Line a muffin pan with 56 mini cupcake liners or 24 regular cupcake liners.

Separate your eggs and leave the egg whites out until you are ready to use them. Place a mini oreo, cream filling side up, at the bottom of your mini liner. Place a regular oreo, cream filling side up, at the bottom of your regular liner. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt, in a medium sized bowl and mix to combine. With an electric mixer cream the butter and sugar for about 2 minutes. Add in the egg whites along with the vanilla extract, and mix until incorporated. Alternate adding the milk and flour mixture into the batter: starting and ending with the flour. With a spoon mix in the oreo crumbs, be careful not to over mix. Bake the cupcakes for 15 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Let the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting:
Cream the butter and cream cheese in a large bowl with an electric mixer. Add in the vanilla extract. Very slowly start adding in the powdered sugar, until the mixture is completely combined. Add 1 tablespoon at a time of milk or heavy cream (ONLY IF NEEDED). Pipe the Cream Cheese Frosting onto the Cookies n' Cream Cupcakes and dust with some Oreo cookie crumbs!

Banana Whoopie Pies

Ingredients: 

Banana Whoopie Pie:

• 1 lb. (about 4) bananas
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup canola oil
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Vanilla Buttercream:

• 2 sticks (1 cup) butter, very softened
• 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon milk, ONLY IF buttercream is too thick

Instructions:

Banana Whoopie Pie:

MAKES 24. Preheat oven to 350º. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. 

Peel and mush bananas with a fork until there are only a few small lumps. Blend together the lemon juice and the banana with an electric mixer. In a separate bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Beat eggs, oil, sugars, and vanilla into the banana mixture. Slowly add the dry ingredients into the banana mixture. 

Using a pastry bag or  plastic dip lock with a hole, squeeze the banana whoopee pie mixture onto the pan with a 2 inch diameter. Leave at least an in between each banana circle. Immediately put the whoopee pies into the oven for 10 minutes or until lightly golden brown and spring back when touched. Remove from oven and let cool completely. 

Vanilla Buttercream:
Cream the butter in a bowl with an electric mixer until there are no chunks. Slowly, with the mixer on a low speed add the powdered sugar, very slowly. Increase the speed of the electric mixer and add the vanilla. Once the entire mix is well combined, continue to mix the buttercream for 2 more minutes to get the light and fluffy effect. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Now if the buttercream is too thick add only 1 teaspoon of milk at a time until desired thickness is achieved. If the buttercream is too think and liquidly add more powdered sugar gradually until thickened.

Assembly:
To fill the whoopie pies turn half of them over. Using a pastry bag, pipe a good amount of Vanilla Buttercream into the center of each whoopie bottom. Top with the remaining whoopies and slightly push down.

Nutella Cappuccino Cupcakes with Nutella Buttercream Filling

Ingredients:

Cappuccino Cupcake:

Yield: 12 cupcakes

Adapted from Alice Medrich for SCHARFFEN BERGER Chocolate Maker

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 cup PLUS 2 tablspoons sugar
• 1/3 cup PLUS 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter melted
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablspoons instant coffee
• 1/2 cup hot water
• 12 regular cupcake liners

Nutella Buttercream:

Yield: enough buttercream to frost 24 cupcakes or fill and frost 12

Adapted from My Baking Addiction

• 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
• 13 ounce gar of nutella
• pinch of fine grain sea salt
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1.5 pounds or 3 cups powdered sugar
• 6-8 tablespoons milk

Instructions:

Cappuccino Cupcake:

Preheat oven to 350.  MAKES 12 CUPCAKES.

Combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl, and on a low speed mix with an electric mixer. Add in butter, eggs, and vanilla and beat for 1 minute. Boil the water, and remove it from heat. Add in the instant coffee to the hot water and mix. Pour the coffee into the cupcake batter and mix for 30 seconds. Put 12 regular cupcake liners in a cupcake pan and fill them with an equal amount of batter. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of a cupcake comes out clean with only a few crumbs.

Nutella Buttercream:

In a large bowl cream the butter and Nutella with an electric mixer until well combined, and fluffy; this should take about 4 minutes of mixing. Slowly add in the powdered sugar. Once completely mixed, add in the salt, vanilla, and 3 tablespoons of milk. Blend on a low speed until buttercream is moist. Add in 3 to 5 tablespoons of milk until desired consistency. Beat for an additional 3 minutes to get the buttercream nice and fluffy. 

Assembly:

Once the cupcakes are completely cooled take a knife and cut a small cone out of the top of your cupcake, as shown in the picture below. 

                                             

Cut off the pointy half of the cone, so you create a little lid for the hole. 

                                             

Fill a piping bag with the Nutella Buttercream frosting or just plain Nutella. Pipe the Nutella Buttercream or Nutella into each hollowed out center of the cupcake and then place the lid back on before frosting. Frost the Cappuccino Cupcakes with the Nutella Buttercream and enjoy! 

                                             

Caramel Cappuccino Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Buttercream

Ingredients:

Cappuccino Cupcake:

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 cup PLUS 2 tablspoons sugar
• 1/3 cup PLUS 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter melted
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablspoons instant coffee
• 1/2 cup hot water
• 12 regular cupcake liners

Salted Caramel Buttercream:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup carmel sauce

Instructions:

Cappuccino Cupcake:

Preheat oven to 350.  MAKES 12 CUPCAKES.

Combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl, and on a low speed mix with an electric mixer. Add in butter, eggs, and vanilla and beat for 1 minute. Boil the water, and remove it from heat. Add in the instant coffee to the hot water and mix. Pour the coffee into the cupcake batter and mix for 30 seconds. Put 12 regular cupcake liners in a cupcake pan and fill them with an equal amount of batter. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of a cupcake comes out clean with only a few crumbs.

Salted Caramel Buttercream:

Cream butter with an electric mixer. Add in the powdered sugar and salt, beat until combined. Add in caramel sauce and beat for a minute.

Assembly:

Let the Cappuccino Cupcakes cool completely before frosting them with the Salted Caramel Buttercream. Drizzle caramel sauce over the top of the buttercream for a finishing look.

Mini Chocolate Chip Cookie Bottomed Vanilla Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream

This makes 48-52 cupcakes

Click on the following link to find ingredients and instructions;

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bottomed Vanilla Cupcakes

NOTES:

1. Instead of putting a heaping tablespoon for the cookie dough at the bottom of the liner, use a heaping teaspoon to put the cookie dough into the mini liners. 
2. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE MINI CUPCAKE LINERS! 
3. Bake at 350º for 10 to 13 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of one comes out with a few crumbs. If the toothpick comes out with batter on it, cook the mini cupcakes for 1 more minute and check again. 

Cookie Brownie Sandwhiches with Salted Caramel Buttercream Fillling

Ingredients:

Brownie Cookies:

• 12 oz semi sweet chocolate chips
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 eggs
• 2/3 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Salted Caramel Buttercream: 

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup carmel sauce

Instructions:

Brownie Cookies:

Preheat oven to 350.

Place 7 oz of chocolate into a double broiler with the butter and melt them. Set aside to cool. Beat the eggs, sugar, and vanilla, in a bowl for about 15 minutes with an electric mixer. Add in the flour, baking powder, and the melted chocolate/butter mixture.. Mix well with an electric mixer. Melt the remaining 5 oz of chocolate, add it into the brownie mix. Let sit for 10 minutes before baking.

Spoon 2 tablespoonful of the brownie mixture, onto parchment lined cookie sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until a toothpick insterted into the middle of one comes out with crumbs, no gooe. If the toothpic comes out gooey cook for 1 minute longer and then repeat the toothpick process.

Salted Carmel Buttercream:

Cream butter with an electric mixer. Add in the powdered sugar and salt, beat until combined. Add in caramel sauce and beat for a minute.

Assembly:

Spread 2 teaspoons of salted carmel buttercream on the under side of one cookie brownie and press another cookie brownie bottom side down on top of the buttercream.

Coffee Cake

Ingredients: 

Cake:

• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup butter softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cup flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder

Topping:

• 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons cole unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Instructions: 

Cake:

Preheat oven 350º. Grease and flour an 8 by 8 pan.

Combine sour cream and baking soda in a bowl with an electric mixer, set aside (this will double in size). Cream butter and sugar. Add in the eggs and vanilla extract. Combine flour and baking powder in a separate bowl. Alternately add in the flour mixture and the sour cream mixture into the batter, ending with the flour mixture. 

Topping:

Place the brown sugar, all purpose flour, cinnamon, salt, and butter in a bowl and mash up with a fork until it forms a crumble. 

Assembly:
Pour half of the cake batter into the greased and floured pan, sprinkle half of the topping over the batter evenly. Cover with remaining batter and sprinkle with the left over topping mixture.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes. 

Banana Bread Bars With Brown Butter Frosting

Ingredients:

Banana Bread Bars:

1 1/2  cups sugar

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 eggs

1 3/4 cups (3 or 4) ripe or browning bananas, mashed

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

Brown Butter Frosting:

1/2 cup butter boiled to turned brown

4 cups powdered sugar

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

3-5 tablespoons milk

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375º. Grease and flour a 15 by 10 inch jelly roll pan. 

Banana Bread Bars:

In a large bowl mix together sugar, sour cream, butter and eggs with an electric mixer until creamy. Mush bananas with a fork until no lumps. Add in the bananas and vanilla extract to the sour cream mixture. Add flour, baking soda, and salt, blend for at least a minute. Pour the banana bread mixture into the 15 by 10 inch pan and let bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. 

Brown Butter Frosting:

While the banana bread is cooking, start the brown butter frosting. Bring butter to a boil in a medium sized sauce pan. Let boil until butter turns just brown. Take right off the stove top after the butter turns brown, you don't want to burn the butter. (read on)

Butter Boiling

Butter Browned

Frosting Continued…. : 

With an electric mixer add powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and  2 tablespoons of milk. Mix for an additional 2 minutes to make frosting completely combined. If the frosting is too think add another tablespoon of milk, and add one more if it is still to thick.

Spread the frosting on to the cooled banana bread. Cut about 32 big bars. If you want to frost like i did, cut the bars first and then frost. Use a piping bag or a plastic bag with a small hole cut at the corner to create the look i did!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter softened
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter 
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 375º.

Mix butter and peanut butter together with an electric mixer until smooth. Add in the sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, and baking powder until well combined. Mix in the egg and the vanilla extract, and then slowly beat in the flour. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Store the cookie dough in the fridge until it is easy to handle. Grease a cookie sheet with cooking spray and place a heaping teaspoon of the cookie dough, unformed. Bake for 7 to 9 minutes, or until the bottom is golden brown. Let cool before moving to a cooling rack. Makes about 3 dozen cookies!