just some cupcakes

hello... and happy monday to you all...

here are some cupcakes i baked up... not much back story into why i baked them up, other then the fact that i have not baked cupcakes in awhile... i went with my favorite vanilla cake recipe... and made a simple vanilla bean frosting... but i decided to top them two different ways... one with honey and toffee crunch pieces... and the other half with homemade hot fudge (post to come)...

here are some good looking pictures... try not to drool...

as always... happy baking everyone :)

dirty chocolate cake

the boys wanted cookies... i wanted something a little more exotic and challenging... the hubs asked for chocolate cake... why does this guy always get his way... i need to start reasserting my dominance as head of the house :) just kidding...

i'm just being too nice lately since he's leaving and will be suffering for 2 months without my home cooking and fatty desserts...

so here it is... a double chocolate cake... not a bad treat to be hanging about on the kitchen counter... i keep sneaking little slivers of cake every time i walk by, and then it's followed by cursing myself for having no willpower...

now... this cake was easy to make, requires minimal cleanup... it had a bit of a drier crumb, my hubs said it would be the perfect recipe for ice cream cake, and i think he's right...

one bowl chocolate cake
ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup cooking oil
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg

directions:
1. preheat oven to 350 and grease and flour your cake pan ( i made two 6 inch rounds)
2. in a large mixing bowl stir together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt
3. add milk, oil, and vanilla... beat with electric mixer on low speed just until combined
4. beat on medium speed for 2 minutes... add egg... beat 2 minutes more
5. spread into prepared pans
6. bake 20-25 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out clean... cool cake in a pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes before removing...

top of my head chocolate ganache frosting
ingredients (amounts unknown since i kinda threw it together)
1 cup chopped dark chocolate, melted and cooled
4 tbsp. butter, softened
heavy cream (as needed for consistency)
confectioners sugar (as needed for sweetness)
1-2 tsp. kahlua

directions:
1. melt chocolate over a double boiler, set aside to cool
2. beat butter in mixer, until smooth... then add melted chocolate and kahlua
3. start adding in the confectioners sugar and heavy cream until you reach your desired consistency and sweetness...

have a wonderful weekend everybody... and as always... happy baking :)

super big delicious chocolate cinnamon rolls

 i swoon for cinnamon rolls... i mean, don't we all... i am however not a fan of the long process of making them... but the moment they are cool enough to smear with frosting, all that annoyance just fades away...

a couple of months ago when my hubby was underway, i made some of these... the result... my constant bragging about how good they were... i think i was trying to make him jealous... he was sailing about the Caribbean at the time, and i had been wiping snotty noses... so i kept rubbing it in that he missed out on them...

but being the good wifey that i am, i decided to bake a batch for him before he gets underway again... he's leaving in 2 weeks (whaaaaaaa....)

and once again... these were no disappointment...they are big, fluffy, almost cake like... and bursting with warm and melty chocolate chips and buttery cinnamon... then topped with sweet vanilla cream cheese frosting (which is almost not even necessary)

chocolate chip cinnamon rolls:
ingredients:
1cup whole milk
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 large egg
2 ¼ teaspoons rapid-rise yeast
1 teaspoon kosher salt

filling ingredients:
¾ cup light brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
½ stick unsalted butter
½ cup mini chocolate chips
directions:
1. melt the butter and milk together in measuring cup in the microwave... add it to the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment and add the flour, sugar, cinnamon, egg, yeast, and salt... mix it well for three minutes... then add half of the flour and mix it just until the flour is combined... then add the rest of the flour and mix well...
2. switch the paddle attachment out for the dough hook and knead the dough with the mixer for about four minutes, or until it is smooth and pulls away from the sides of the bowl... tacky not sticky...
3. place the dough in large bowl that has been lightly oiled and cover it with a kitchen towel... and let it rise in a warm place to rise for about two hours, until doubled...
4. meanwhile, make the filling by melting the butter in a small bowl and stirring in the cinnamon and sugar...
5. once the dough has doubled in volume roll it out to a rectangle that is about 14×12... then spread the butter mixture over it, leaving a ½-inch border all the way around... then evenly sprinkle in the chocolate chips... roll up the dough lengthwise and cut it into ½-inch wide slices... place the rolls into a large baking dish, or two smaller dishes and cover them with a kitchen towel again... again allow them to rise for at least one hour... then, cover the dish with plastic wrap and keep it in the fridge overnight....
6. the next morning, preheat the oven to 375F and bake the rolls for about twenty minutes, or until they are golden brown on top... let cool enough to frost...

 topped with a dollop of cream cheese frosting...

look at that... oh man... pretty amazing huh :)

until nest time... and happy baking everyone