White Chocolate Filled Kahlua Cupcakes

My daughter wakes up for the day anywhere between 4:30-5:30 these days. And that's after she has woken up anywhere from 4-10 times during the night. I'm beginning to think there is a problem. The only thing that has gotten me through is knowing she wont be like this forever! Most people with sleepless babies have said there kids usually grow out of it in between 12-18 months. So I'm keeping those fingers crossed!

It is okay, I suppose...I get to see my husband before he leaves for work which is nice. But it also makes for reeeeaaally long days. For example, yesterday when it was only noon, I could have sworn it was at least 3/3:30.

So I'm trying to make the best of it, and get more stuff done with my extra hours...But I'm pretty sure I would be more efficient with maybe a couple hours of more sleep. But I could be totally wrong. It truly is amazing how your body changes and learns to function on only 3-4 hours of solid sleep a night and the fact that I haven't killed anyone yet is nothing short of miraculous. 

One thing I have found that really really helps on those mornings my daughter wakes me up to watch the sunrise (which is a plus), is knowing I have a yummy breakfast awaiting me. Like cupcakes.

Kahlua is coffee- right?!?!

But really, these have a slight hint of the kahlua coffee taste without being all boozy tasting. 

I like a lot of frosting, so I piled mine up so it was almost as much frosting as there was cupcake, but for the normal person, I don't think they would like that. So it's your call with how much frosting goes on....

For some reason, when I set out to make kahlua cupcakes, I had it in my head that they had to be chocolate cupcakes with that coffee/kahlua depth, but I actually found a great white cupcake I used instead and I'm really glad cause they came out perfect and were WAY better than I had imagined they would be!

White Chocolate Filled Kahlua Cupcakes

Pre-heat oven to 325.

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

3/4 cup sugar

3 eggs

1 1/2 cups AP flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 cup Kahlua (I used French Vanilla)

12 unwrapped white chocolate Lindt Balls

Freeze Lindt balls for no less than 30 minutes.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Scrape down sides of the bowl, and beat in eggs 1 at a time.

After everything is well mixed, add in flour, baking powder, salt and Kahlua all at once.

Mix until everything is well combined.

Divide batter evenly between 12-16 cupcake liners.

Push a Lindt ball down into the center of each one.

Bake for 22-24 minutes until lightly golden brown on top.

After a few minutes, remove liners from tin, and allow to cool completely before frosting.

Chocolate Kahlua Frosting

1/2 cup non-hydrogenated shortening (or Crisco- GROSS!)

3 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup cocoa

1/4 cup Kahlua

For White Chocolate Drizzle:

1 Cup White chocolate chips

3 Tbsp. Shortening

Beat all ingredients on medium high until light and fluffy and perfect for frosting.

Pour frosting ingredients in a ziploc bag lined bowl, snip off a corner and frost your cupcakes.

Put cupcakes in the freezer for 20-30 minutes so when you drizzle the white chocolate it hardens quicker.

Melt white chocolate and shortening in microwave at 20 second intervals til smooth, and drizzle oven frosted cupcakes. 

Return to freezer for a few minutes to harden chocolate completely.

Enjoy!

Fluffernutter Nutella Filled Cupcakes

I think its a command, that when you grow up, you have to eat peanut butter and jelly, or peanut butter and fluff sandwiches for lunch every day.

At least in my house growing up it was/we did.

Every day. 

And we somehow never got sick of it? And then nutella was invented- well, it probably was invented a long time before we had it in our house, but we were food-sheltered children growing up. My mom was a health nut....I mean nut in the best sense of course.

So then the lunches became peanut butter, nutella AND fluff sandwiches. Gourmet, much?

I have strong, passionate feelings for Nutella- It's like creamy gold.

If it was appropriate for adults to do such a thing, I would eat it right out of the jar.

Oh, right. I already do that. Last night as a matter of fact.

These cupcakes are a magical marriage of PB, Fluff and Nutella, all in one, adorable, delicious little cupcake. These little cupcakes are packed with yummy-ness. And they are Husband approved.

Fluffernutter Nutella Filled Cupcakes

Makes around 48 mini cupcakes- or 12 regular sized. But Mini is best :)

Pre- heat oven to 350.

For the cupcake:

1 cup flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

pinch of salt

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened

1/2 cup smooth peanut butter

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

2/3 cup milk

Filling:

1 Cup Nutella

Frosting:

2 Cups Fluff

1/4 Cup Shortening

1 Cup powdered sugar

1 Tsp. Vanilla

(I didn't Actually measure the frosting...so these are approximate guesses.Sorry! It's not rocket science though- so you should be fine)

Line mini muffin pan with liners.

Mix together flour, baking powder and salt.

In the large bowl of an electric mixer, mix both sugars together, then beat in butter and peanut butter until smooth.

Add in the egg and vanilla- mix until well beaten and fluffy.

Alternately add the flour mixture and milk to the creamed sugar/butter/PB mixture.

Beat until smooth.

Divide batter between liners, filling 3/4's of the way.

Bake 12-14 minutes for the mini's and 20-22 minutes for regular sized cupcakes, or until cupcakes spring back when you touch them.

Let them cool on a wire rack.

Mean while, make your frosting.

Combine all ingredients, and beat, beat, beat, for a minute or two- until its light and fluffy, but thick.

If it's too thick, add a teaspoon of milk at a time til it's at the desired consistency.

If it's too thin, add more powdered sugar.

Once cupcakes are cooled, take out a pinky size amount from the top middle of your cupcake with a knife.

Fill a plastic ziplock bag with nutella, snip off the corner a little and fill the middle of each cupcake. 

Fill another ziplock bag no more than 1/2 way with frosting, snip off the corner, and frost the top of your cupcake, making a little swirly design to be all fancy.

If you want, and are feeling extra creative, do a nutella swirl around your frosting swirl.

There is never such a thing as too much Nutella.

Peppermint Patty Cupcakes

My husband hates peppermint.

I mean he HATES it.

So, being the good wife that I am, I never make things with peppermint in them. Or onions. He hates those too.

I've never been a cupcake person. I would SO much rather have cake over a cupcake ANY day. Cupcakes are such a tease. At least with cake you can decide what size (very large, please) you want.....But cupcakes, it's like, here. No choices. One size. Hope you're not really craving dessert. This is a joke.

Now FILLED cupcakes on the other hand.........I will eat those. there's something about biting into something filled. Surprise! It's like Christmas!

My little brothers birthday was yesterday. So, naturally, I had to bake him something. And since I never ever ever get to make peppermint anything, It had to be peppermint. I knew my sweet 9 year old brother would appreciate and love it.

And I benefited a little. 

I had to do some research...............and by research, I mean tasting.

But really,these things are GOOD! The chocolate is soooo moist and wonderful and scrumptious.

And seriously, putting peppermint patties in the middle and in the frosting is just genius. 

Yes, I am a genius.

Peppermint Patty Cupcakes

Inspired by: bakingdom

Makes 16- 18 cupcakes

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup sour cream18 mini peppermint patties, plus a few more for garnish

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin pan with paper liners; set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

In a large bowl, or the bowl of a standing mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until just combined. Stir in the vanilla.

Sprinkle 1/3 of the flour mixture into the mixing bowl and mix until just combined. Add half of the socupur cream, mixing until just combined. Repeat, alternating the remaining flour in 2 more additions with the remaining sour cream in one more addition (ending on flour).

Place 1 tablespoon of batter into each prepared muffin cup. Lay a peppermint patty in each cup and press down gently. Place another tablespoon of batter on top of each patty. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the tops of the cupcakes spring back lightly when touched. I baked mine for 16 and they were peeerfect!!! There is nothing worse than a dry cupcake. Better a little underdone then overdone, for sure.

Transfer to a wire cooling rack and allow to cool completely before frosting.

Hint of Mint Buttercream Frosting

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 lb. (16 ounces) confectioners’ sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 to 2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract10 peppermint patties, cut into quarters
Green Food coloring (optional)

In a large bowl, or the bowl of a standing mixer, beat the butter for about 30 seconds. Beat in the sugar and salt until combined. Add 1 tablespoon milk and whisk on high for 3 to 4 minutes, until light and fluffy. If the frosting is too thick, add more cream, 1/2 teaspoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached. Add peppermint patties, extracts, and food coloring and beat on high or another minute. Refrigerate until ready to use.

                                                                 
                                                                                    Enjoy :)