Twinkie Cupcakes!

That's right....I did it....I made a cupcake that tastes like a twinkie!  Don't tell me you don't miss twinkies....maybe even just a little bit.  No?  It's just me?  I will admit it, I took the twinkie for granted.  Once a year I would buy that little package of Hostess Twinkies with those two golden twinkie logs.  I would open them up and lick all of that yummy marshmallow filling out and then, eat the empty halves!  Sounds gross?  Nope....it was heavenly.   But only once per year, any more than that and I probably would have gotten sick of them.

I never even bought that "last" twinkie before the company closed.  I figured it was no big deal.  But over time my mind has started to stray to the twinkie.  I'm kinda wishing I'd had just one last twinkie.  

Luckily....these twinkie cupcakes are all over the internet.  The Lady Behind the Curtain makes a pretty convincing twinkie cupcake....it's also really easy to make.  Shhhh....we don't need to tell anyone that we used a box....it can be our little secret!

If you are having a little twinkie craving...try these cupcakes.  Super yummy with that delicious marshmallow filling and the added bonus of a marshmallow buttercream on top!  :)

Enjoy!

Twinkie Cupcakes adapted from Lady Behind the Curtain

Cupcake:
1 yellow cupcake mix

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Follow directions on box but add 1 tablespoon of vanilla to the mix.  I usually get 18-20 cupcakes from one box.  

Cool completely and use a melon baller or sharp knife to core the center of the cupake.


Marshmallow Filling Recipe:
7 ounce jar marshmallow fluff

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract


Beat together the marshmallow cream, butter, confectioners’ sugar and vanilla until fluffy. Mixture should be light but not as stiff as frosting.

Scoop filling into a zip top bag, seal tight, and snip off a corner of the bag.  Pipe the filling into each cupcake.  Filling just to the top.



Marshmallow Butter Cream Recipe:
7 ounces marshmallow fluff

1 cup butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

32 ounce confectioners’ sugar

3 to 4 tablespoons water (if needed)

Beat together the fluff, butter, and vanilla until combined and creamy.  Gradually add confectioners’ sugar.  NOTE:  Frosting may be too thick.  If so add 3 to 4 tablespoons of water to frosting ONLY 1 tablespoon at a time until the frosting reaches piping consistency.  Pipe frosting onto cupcakes, careful to cover the filled center. 

Toffee Caramel Rice Krispies Treats Post #100!!!

I don't think I have ever been so absent from blogging as I have these last few weeks.  Between work and school I have hardly had time to sleep.  There is a light at the end of the tunnel...finals next week and then summer break!  But I have really missed blogging, I've missed all of you and I've missed all of my blogging friends.

This post is special to me.....it is #100!!!!!  I've been blogging for over a year now and I finally have my #100 post.  Wooo hooo!  So excited that I have made it this far (especially considering how crazy busy I am with full time work, school and kids).

To celebrate, I made some Caramel Toffee Rice Krispies Treats!  I am really just a kid inside...I love me some rice krispies treats!  Plus...you all know I am a fan of caramel and toffee.  What better combo could there be?

Super easy and yummy!  You could swap out any chopped candy to put in the middle of this gooey treat....pb cups, snickers, rolos, etc!!

Ok...enough blogging...I've gotta get back to work (shhhh....don't tell anyone.....I'm supposed to be working right now)!!

I hope you all have a great weekend and a fabulous Mother's Day to all of you Moms out there!!!!

~B

Toffee Caramel Rice Krispies Treats

Make Kelloggs recipe for rice krispies treats (x2) in two 9 x 13 inch pans.  Set aside to cool.

For the caramel filling:

14 oz. caramel candies, unwrapped

1/3 cup heavy cream

Combine the caramel candies and cream in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat.  Heat, stirring frequently, until melted and smooth.   Immediately spread the caramel mixture over one pan of rice krispies treats.  

Assembly:

Take the pan with caramel spread over the treats and sprinkle chopped toffee (can sprinkle any other candy or chocolate chips if you prefer).  Loosen the second pan of treats and invert over the candy mixture, if the treats stick, help them out using a spatula.  Sandwich the two layers together and press down.  The caramel should still be soft, as this works as the glue to hold the two layers together.  Allow the treats to set until the caramel has hardened.  Cut into squares.

ENJOY!!!

Shared on:
Foodie Friends Friday

Lemon Bars

I don't like to brag, but I'm a pretty good baker. Ok....fine....I'm an excellent baker!  Not everything I bake is perfect but I tend to be pretty successful more times than not.  I say all of this because I think you should know......lemon bars do not like me!

I absolutely LOVE lemon bars!  I especially love them when they are on the tart side and when the lemony custard is still creamy while the shortbread crust is flaky.  

Lemon bars are the perfect thing to make when your friends bring over bags of lemons from their trees.  They are yummy and pretty and classy and everyone loves them.  AND....everyone seems to be able to make them...except for me!

I'm sure I'm exaggerating a little too much, I mean....I've probably made them perfectly fine before.  But all I can remember is that the last three times I tried to make them, they didn't turn out.  One time, the crust wasn't done enough.  The next two times, I over baked the filling.  Everyone said they were good, but I wanted creamy perfection!

DONE!  This time, I tried Ina Garten's recipe.  Perfection!  I love that she pre bakes the crust a little bit before adding the filling.  Makes for a flakier crust.  Her recipe calls for a lot of sugar in the filling (3 cups) but I decreased it a bit (used 2 1/2 cups).  Feel free to modify the sugar in the custard to suit your taste.

This recipe is a keeper!  It probably helps that I watched that timer closely to make sure I didn't over bake them.  Success....look at that creamy custard!  I guess the lemon bars like me after all!  :)

Lemon Bars Via Ina Garten
makes 24 squares


For the crust:
1/2 pound butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 cups flour
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

For the filling:
6 extra-large eggs at room temperature
3 cups granulated sugar
2 tablespoons grated lemon zest (4 to 6 lemons)
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup flour

Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

For the crust, cream the butter and sugar until light in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Combine the flour and salt and, with the mixer on low, add to the butter until just mixed. Dump the dough onto a well-floured board and gather into a ball. Flatten the dough with floured hands and press it into a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking sheet, building up a 1/2-inch edge on all sides. Chill.

Bake the crust for 15 to 20 minutes, until very lightly browned. Let cool on a wire rack. Leave the oven on.

For the filling, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour. Pour over the crust and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the filling is set. Let cool to room temperature.

Cut into squares and dust with confectioners' sugar.

Recipe shared on:
Tumbleweed Contessa - What'd You Do This Weekend
Foodie Friends Friday
Esskunst Food Coaching - Cake Friday Coffee Klatch

Chocolate Turtle Brownies

Chocolate and caramel and pecans....oh my!  I like to call these my "pimped out" brownies.  Sure, chocolate brownies are yummy but why not add some caramel and pecans to push them over the top?  

I am having a "day" (a pretty rough day) and I need some chocolate...badly!  We are talking about one of those "stay in your jammies all day, lying on the couch eating cheese puffs" kind of days.  

Please don't tell anyone, most people think I'm pretty happy go lucky all the time and I hate to break the illusion (I basically hide my bad moods behind chocolate, red wine, and mashed potatoes).  I once had a grumpy woman accuse me of having butterflies flying out of my butt!  I'm not sure what that means....but I think it means I try to find the positive in life!  

So today I am going to try and focus on these beauties that I have created!  They are pretty darn yummy and not too hard on the eyes!  They are also super easy!  One might even say they are cheater brownies (yes...I used a box....I try not to do it often....but I'm human....and it was a super yummy, good brand).

This does not mean that you need to use a box....you can use your favorite recipe....or my favorite recipe from my blog!  My Triple Chocolate Espresso Brownies would be perfect for this recipe.  You could omit the espresso if you feel it would be too much (I do it all the time when I want to create a new brownie creation).

Basically I'm telling you.....make these brownies and maybe some mashed potatoes, open a bottle of wine and put in season one (through 10) of the "Friends" series, and wash your bad day away!!!!  That's what this crazy girl is gonna do!  :)

Chocolate Turtle Brownies

For the brownies:

1 box brownie mix (or your favorite brownie recipe)

Follow instructions on box to make the brownies.  Can pour the batter into a greased 9x9 inch pan or use your greased mini muffin tins, as I have done, to make little brownie turtle bites!  (actually I used my Demarle mini muffin tray that I got from my good friend Kim.....check out her page to order this fabulous non-stick tray....super cool).

Bake as per the instructions on box or until toothpick inserted into brownies comes out almost clean (I like mine a little fudgy).

For the turtle topping:

1/2 cup toasted pecan pieces, chopped

Sprinkle over cooled brownies

1/2 bag of caramels, wrappers removed

4 tablespoons cream

Microwave in 30 second increments, stirring in between, until melted.  Drizzle over top of brownies and pecans.

1/2 cup chocolate chip pieces or a really good dark chocolate bar, chopped (depending on your mood)

2 tablespoons cream

Microwave together for 30 seconds, stir and give it another 15-30 seconds if not completely melted.  Drizzle over the brownies.

Allow the chocolate to set....and....ENJOY!!!

(see....I told you it was easy)  :)    :)    :)

Recipe Shared On:

Chocolate, Chocolate, and More - Thursday's Treasures

21st Century Housewife - Hearth and Soul Blog Hop

Food Frenzy

Adorned From Above Blog Hop

Cinnamon Toffee Scones

Have you ever heard people say "no thanks, I don't like scones"?  This is what I heard from about a dozen people last week when I made these scones.  To which I would answer "ok, but they have toffee in them".  Of course, this was also followed by them taking a scone and then practically yelling "OH.MY.GOD"....."BEST SCONE EVER"!  Nobody took just one either...they were fighting over them and eating 2 or 3 each.  No joke...BEST SCONE EVER!

Seriously people.  I know that scones have a reputation for being dry, hard, hockey pucks that resemble biscuits; but, would I really do that to you?  NO!  I only make scones that are full of flavor and moisture and yummy goodness (yes...and butter, but that's beside the point)!

These scones are so easy to make (unless you don't have a food processor, then you have to do it by hand) and they are full of the best stuff....cinnamon and toffee bits!  Really, you can't go wrong with toffee!  I added the toffee bars with chocolate, chopped into little bits but you can use the packaged pre-chopped up toffee bits.

I will admit they are just as easily dessert as they are a breakfast food.  So I have made these scones three times now and every time I get the same reaction from people...."BEST SCONE EVER" and "CAN I HAVE ANOTHER ONE....PLEEEEAAASE"!  I guess this means you will have to try to make them. I dare you to try them and not LOVE them....not gonna happen!

Cinnamon Toffee Scones recipe adapted from Once Upon A Cutting Board

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sour cream
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup toffee bits

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly sprinkle flour over surface.

Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon to the large bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times to combine. Add the butter and pulse several times until coarse crumbs form.
Add the sour cream, egg, and vanilla extract and pulse a few times until mixed in. Add toffee bits and continue to pulse until dough starts to come together to form a ball.

Transfer dough to the floured parchment paper lined baking sheet. Pat dough into a square that’s roughly 7 by 7 inches. Cut into 9 squares, then cut each square diagonally in half to make 18 triangles.

Spread scones out about 1 inch apart and place baking sheet in oven. Bake for 10-12 minutes until scones are golden. Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes before eating. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Recipe shared on:
Chocolate, Chocolate, and More - Thursday's Treasures
21st Century Housewife - Hearth and Soul Blog Hop
Food Frenzy
Adorned From Above Blog Hop

Lemon Meringue Muffins - Guest Post From On Sugar Mountain

I can't begin to tell you how excited I am today!  Today is a day of firsts and I have my very first guest blogger on Baker Becky today!!!!  :)  Jess, from On Sugar Mountain, will be sharing one of her fabulous recipes for muffins (I have such muffin envy when I read her blog, she makes the BEST muffins ever).

I met Jess and started following her blog a little over a year ago. She was one of the first blogs I followed after I started my blog and we have become great blogger friends (with me drooling over all of her delicous recipes)!  She is super creative and adds all of these fun ingredients to a plain baked good to make something spectacular and delicious! I know you will love her and her blog as much as I do!
HERE'S JESS:

Hello friends!

My name is Jess and I am the blogger behind On Sugar Mountain. Baking is my stress-reliever, and for as long as I have been blogging, I remember having Becky as a supporter, fan, and most importantly, a friend in the blogging world. Through all my ups and downs, she has been rooting for me, and trust me...

There were a lot of downs to accompany the ups. I may only be 22 but I'm quite the pro at spiraling when it comes to the age old question:

WHAT AM I DOING WITH MY LIFE?

Ahem. We won't go there in this post heehee. Becky encounters these mini-spirals often on my blog and continues to be the best of friends and keeps me going. Plus, how can anyone stay bummed when looking (and dreaming about) those cupcakes of hers? Did you these heavenly strawberry surprise cupcakes?? She was even sweet enough to guest post those beauties for me last week during the last spring break of my life (WHAT?!) and so I am so so SO excited to be posting here with what I consider my specialty: muffins.

But not just any muffins.

I've said it before and I'll say it here: cupcakes can hate. They've got nothin' on my muffins.

Teehee. We won't get into how long it took me to come up with that little slogan. Let's just pretend it came to me right this second in a burst of creativity and passionate love for muffiny goodness.

Also: to be clear I do love cupcakes. I love Becky's cupcakes especially. But muffins are just so simple, and have the potential to be decadent, delicious, and downright ahmazing.

Case and Point: Lemon Meringue Muffins

A little homemade lemon curd goes a lonnnnnnng way in taking these muffins from good to oh-my-god-where-have-muffins-been-all-my-life?!

Please don't fear the homemade lemon curd. I promise you, this recipe is absolutely out-of-this-world and super simple. I still have an extra jar in my fridge for...umm...

eating with a spoon?

Yes. Let's go with that. This stuff is Spring in delicious edible form.

Oh and are you looking for an exciting Easter dessert that will be sure to shock and awe?

These Lemon Meringue Muffins aim to please: a light and fluffy vanilla muffin, with a hint of fresh lemon zest, cored out and stuffed with homemade lemon curd, then topped with a creamy drizzle. The fluffiness stems from egg whites beaten to stiff peaks, then folded into the muffin batter right before sending them on their merry way into the oven.

So there you have it friends: muffins are no longer ugly cupcakes. Instead, I think they may be giving cupcakes a run for their money. Does Muffin Wars sound awesome to you too? Or just me?

Don't answer that heehee. Just eat these muffins!

Happy Baking!

~Jess

Lemon Meringue Muffins

Ingredients:

•   2 cups flour
•   1/2 cup sugar
•   1 tbsp lemon zest
•   1 tbsp baking powder
•  1 tsp salt
•   1/4 cup vegetable oil
•   1 cup milk
•   2 egg whites
•    Homemade Lemon Curd (here's the recipe I used)

1.      Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease one 12-cup muffin pan with butter/cooking spray.

2.      In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, lemon zest, baking powder, and salt. In a separate small bowl, whisk together vegetable oil and milk.

3.      In a medium bowl, beat egg whites to stiff peaks, about 5-7 minutes.

4.      Pour milk mixture over dry ingredient mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until just combined. If a few streak of flour show, that's okay.

5.      Gently fold egg whites into muffin mixture until just combined. Do not overmix.

6.      Fill muffin cups 2/3 way full with the muffin batter. Bake at 350 for 15-17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Let cool completely.

7.      Make small cavity in muffin by cutting a circle out of the center of the muffin. Make the hole big enough to fill with lemon curd. Spoon lemon curd into each of the cavities.

8.      Drizzle with cream glaze, then refrigerate until ready to serve.

For the Drizzle:

•   1 to 2 tbsp heavy cream
•   1 cup powdered sugar

1.      Whisk together cream and powdered sugar until thick glaze forms. Add more heavy cream if mixture is too thick, or more powdered sugar if mixture is too thin.

Pour into ziploc bag and snip off small corner to drizzle over muffins.

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pop Tarts

Remember when I made homemade S'mores pop tarts?  I may have mentioned that I don't like them from the box.  I may have also mentioned that I'm insane and a push-over and I make almost anything my kids ask me to make.  Proof I am a push-over...these brown sugar cinnamon pop tarts.  Proof I am insane...made these the same day as my Angelic Brownies and Pizza Spaghetti.  The boys both got it into their heads that they should start looking for recipes on the internet for me to make and then they both begged...and offered to help cook...and offered to help clean up....and basically....I'm a pushover....so.....I said yes. 

I did get some help with the pizza spaghetti, the pepperoni didn't make it on that casserole itself....and those oreos....they didn't climb into my angelic brownies on their own.  Yes, the kids did help that much....then they disappeared.  No where to be found....until it was time to eat.  Then they were both there and very excited about what "they" had created for dinner. Still...totally worth all of the work, they were so proud to have me make AND blog their recipes!

This one I did all by myself.  Kind of involved and a lot of steps to get the dough ready, but totally worth it!  They were gone before they even finished cooling (thus the lack of many photos) and I even got to eat one.  No pop tart has ever tasted so good!  Seriously, I liked them even more than my s'mores pop tarts (and those were super yummy).

Moral of the story?  Having your kids search for and choose recipes....great, having your kids help you cook...so much fun, having your kids help you clean up after all that cooking.....I wouldn't know, they keep disappearing, but I imagine it would be great!  (Just kidding!  Seriously, my kids are awesome and great helps in the kitchen.  Especially when I threaten to never bake for them again!)  

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Poptarts via Chow.com

Dough:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon fine salt

2 sticks (8 ounces) cold butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

2 large egg yolks

1/4 cup milk 

Filling:

5 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar

5 teaspoons granulated sugar

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Glaze:

3/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted

4 teaspoons milk, plus more as needed

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS:

Combine the ingredients for the filling and set aside.

Make the dough: Whisk the flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl until combined. Add the butter and toss with your fingers until well coated in the flour mixture. Using a pastry blender or your fingers, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until reduced to pea-size pieces.  Whisk the egg yolks and milk in a small bowl until combined and add to the flour mixture, mixing with your hands until large clumps form. 

Turn the mixture out onto a work surface and knead briefly, smearing the butter into the dough with the heel of your palm until the dough completely comes together, about 1 minute.

Divide the dough into 2 equal portions and shape into 2 (6-by-5-inch) rectangles. Wrap each tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. 

Heat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.

Lightly dust a work surface with flour and roll 1 dough portion out into a rough 12-by-10-inch rectangle, rotating the dough and re-flouring the surface and rolling pin often to prevent the dough from sticking.

Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, trim the dough to a 10-1/2-by-9-inch rectangle.

Cut that into 6 equal rectangles (each about 3 1/2 inches wide by 4 1/2 inches tall).

Using a flat spatula, transfer the rectangles to the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches of space between each.

Roll out the second dough portion to the same dimensions as the first, trim, and cut into 6 rectangles. Using a fork, prick the dough all over.  

Divide the brown sugar–cinnamon filling among the rectangles on baking sheet. Spread the filling into an even layer, leaving a 3/4-inch border.  Place the pricked rectangles on top of the brown sugar–cinnamon-covered rectangles.  Press on the edges to adhere, and push down gently on the filling to slightly flatten. Using a fork dipped in flour, crimp the edges of the tarts. 

Bake until golden brown, about 23 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely before glazing.

For the glaze:

Place all the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until evenly combined. (You may need to add more milk by the 1/2 teaspoon if the glaze is too thick.)

Set the wire rack with the tarts on it over a baking sheet. Using a spoon, drizzle about 1 tablespoon of the glaze over each tart. Let set before eating, about 15 minutes.

Recipe shared on:
Adorned From Above - Wednesday Blog Hop
21st Century Housewife - Hearth and Soul Blog Hop
Chocolate, Chocolate and More - Thursday's Treasures
Weekend Kitchen Creations
Foodie Friends Friday
Food Frenzy