glazed doughnut muffins

i love breakfast.
i love the sweet, the savory,
and everything in between.

these glazed doughnut muffins
gave you the nostalgia of a glazed doughnut,
but in muffin format. YUM.

also: are you a donut person or a doughnut person???

recipe via cooking classy 

makes 1 dozen muffins

ingredients

3 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

3/4 cup milk

1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons buttermilk

10 tablespoons butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

glaze ingredients

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

3 tablespoons milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

directions

1. preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. in a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, 

baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. set aside.

3. in a separate small bowl, whisk together milk and buttermilk. set aside.

4. in a large mixing bowl, using an electric hand mixer on medium speed, 

blend together butter and sugar until well combined. 

mix in eggs one at a time mixing after each addition.

blend in vanilla.

5. using wooden spoon to mix, add flour mixture in three separate batches, 

alternating with two additions of the milk mixture.

mixing until just combined after each addition.

6. divide batter into 12 paper lined muffin cups, filling each one nearly full.

bake in preheated oven 15-20 minutes until toothpick inserted into center of muffin comes out clean.

transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool for about 10 minutes.

do not overbake! my muffins were probably perfectly done at like 17 minutes.

7. during the last few minutes of cooling, prepare glaze by whisking together 

powdered sugar, milk and vanilla in small bowl. dip each muffin in glaze, 

while twirling and rotating to evenly coat tops 

(and allowing it a few second to get a good layer of coating). 

then, lift and allow excess glaze to run off. 

enjoy warm or allow glaze to harden and store in an airtight container.

  

 

pumpkin cupcakes with maple cream cheese frosting

did i mention that my friends are really good at dinner parties? :)

my new favorite thing is the once a week 

cooking adventure we have at marcy & luke's house.

yes, stickers are involved :)

this week we made lasagna and these amazing pumpkin cupcakes.

because i'm on a bit of pumpkin overload 

i actually thought these might be just so-so.

they were awesome.

try them. you will not regret it! :)

recipe via smitten kitchen

cupcake ingredients

1 stick unsalted butter, room temp

1 cup dark brown sugar

1/3 cup sugar

2 cups cake flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
(we omitted this)

2 large eggs

1/2 cup buttermilk mixed with 1 teaspoon vanilla

(we actually didn't have any vanilla) :)

1 1/4 cup canned pumpkin

frosting ingredients

2 8 oz packages cream cheese, softened

2 cups powdered sugar

1 stick unsalted butter, room temp

1/4 cup maple syrup

directions

1. preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

line cupcake pan with liners

2. beat butter and sugars on medium speed until fluffy, about 5 minutes.

meanwhile, sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, 

ginger, nutmeg, cloves, salt, and pepper into a medium bowl.

3. add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides after each addition.

alternate adding the flour and milk mixtures, beginning and ending with the flour.

beat in the pumpkin until smooth.

4. scoop batter into cupcake liners, until about 3/4 full.

bake about 20-25 minutes. cool completely.

5. for the frosting... beat all ingredients on medium until fluffy.

frost each cupcake and sprinkle with nutmeg.

6. enjoy!!

cupcake royale

i live about 4 blocks from the ballard cupcake royale.

now, i have to be honest. i used to consider myself a cupcake connoisseur.

and after taste testing nearly every shop in the city,

i had decided that trophy was my very favorite.

but, due to location, i decided to give cupcake royale another chance.

(especially now that they're serving ice cream!)

you know how i feel about cake pops!

these were not my fave. i'm a sucker for home-made!

but they were adorable :)

but, hello, this pumpkin spice cupcake was delightful!

can't decide which ice cream flavor to choose? 

try a flight! genius!

i got salted caramel and red velvet.

both were AMAZING!

happy saturday! :)

orange berry marmalade cake

last week i had 2 doctor appointments, 1 dentist appointment,

1 tetanus shot, and my blood drawn.

don't worry. i'm healthy. just annual check-ups and such.

my favorite part of the visits are the routine questions the doctors ask...

do you smoke? no

have you ever smoked? no

do you drink? yes

how much? 2 drinks, 2x per week

(under exaggeration)

do you eat healthy? yesss(?)

(i honestly have no idea how to answer this question)

in fact, when the lady asked me, i thought about this cake.

LOL.

my original cake didn't turn out as great as i wanted.

don't get me wrong, it TASTED great.

it just didn't LOOK all that great.

(don't judge a cake by it's cover)

so, i actually recreated the same recipe but in cupcake form

for my 2nd annual 4th of july party, pictured here.

recipe via epicurious, modified by me.

cake ingredients

nonstick vegetable oil spray

4 1/2 cups cake flour

4 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (2 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

2 cups sugar, divided

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups whole milk

9 large egg whites

frosting ingredients

1 tablespoon orange extract

12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

5 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

1/2 teaspoon orange-flower water

1/4 cup orange marmalade

1 12-ounce container fresh strawberries

1 6-ounce container fresh raspberries

1 4.4-ounce container fresh blueberries

directions

(these direction are for the cake version. but you can easily modify for the cupcake version)

1. preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. spray bottom and sides of two 10-inch-diameter cake pans

with 2-inch-high sides with nonstick spray.

line bottoms with parchment paper rounds; spray parchment.

dust pans with flour, tapping out any excess.

3. whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl.

4. using electric mixer, beat butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar

in large bowl until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. beat in vanilla.

5. add flour mixture in 3 additions alternately with milk in 2 additions,

beating until well blended between additions.

6. using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites in another large bowl until foamy.

with mixer running, gradually add remaining 1/2 cup sugar.

beat egg white mixture until stiff glossy peaks form, about 3 minutes.

7. gently fold egg white mixture into batter in 3 additions. 

divide batter between prepared pans; smooth tops.

8. bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes.

cool cakes in pans on rack 10 minutes.

invert cakes onto rack; remove parchment paper,

turn cakes over, and cool completely.

9. for the frosting....

using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter in large bowl until smooth. 

add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, beating well.

add 1 tablespoon orange extract; beat until smooth.

          

10. place 1 cup orange buttercream in medium bowl;

mix in orange marmalade.

set marmalade buttercream aside to use as filling.

11. to assemble...

hull and cut half of strawberries lengthwise into 1/2-inch wedges.

trim cake tops to flatten. place 1 cake on plate, cut side up.

12. place 1/2 cup plain orange-flower buttercream into pastry bag fitted with 1/3-inch tip.

pipe 1/3-inch line of buttercream around edge of cake.

spoon marmalade buttercream into center, spreading just to line.

gently press sliced strawberries, half of raspberries,

 and half of blueberries into filling, leaving 1/2-inch border

(chill remaining berries for garnish)

13. top with second layer

frost top and sides with remaining plain orange buttercream.

chill at least 2 hours.

14. remove cake from refrigerator 1 hour before serving.

hull and cut remaining strawberries lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick wedges.

sprinkle sliced strawberries and remaining raspberries and blueberries over cake.

(not my best work, but still delicious!)



champagne cupcakes

no better way to celebrate than with champagne cupcakes.

this recipe was delightful.
thanks to some kitchen stories

the only things i would do differently:
*grease my cupcake liners (the cupcakes stuck slightly)
*filled each liner a bit higher (they didn't rise as much as i expected)

cupcake ingredients 

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2/3 cup butter
1 1/2 cups white sugar
3/4 cup champagne
6 egg whites

buttercream frosting ingredients
 3 1/4 cups powdered sugar
1 cup butter, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons champagne, at room temperature

directions

1. preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
prepare a cupcake pan with liners.
(it should yield about 20)


2. in a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until very light and fluffy.

3. sift flour, baking powder, and salt together, and then blend into
creamed mixture alternately with champagne.

4. in another large clean bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. 

5. fold 1/3 of the whites into batter to lighten it, then fold in remaining egg whites. 

6. fill the cupcake liners about 3/4 full.
bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
let cool completely.

7. meanwhile, with an electric mixer, beat together sugar and butter.
mix on low until well blended, and then on medium for another two minutes. 
add vanilla and champagne, beating on medium for another minute.

8. frosting & sprinkle cupcakes to your heart's desire.
enjoy with someone you love :)

vanilla citrus pinwheel cupcakes

guess where i am right now?

10,000 feet in the air, en route to colorado to watch

my little sister graduate from college. HELLO, so proud!

to celebrate her birthday just last month,

i made these delightful little cupcakes.

i served this alongside my chocolate mess cake.

so i wanted something a bit simpler and less rich!

i tried out these vanilla cupcakes with citrus frosting from bon appetit.

honestly - the cupcakes themselves weren't that amazing.

i followed the instructions exactly and they turned out a bit dry. bummer.

the frosting, however, was FANTASTIC!

it gave the cupcake a light citrus-y taste.

loved that little twist.

also - i could not pass up these pinwheels

(found at crate & barrel)

ADORABLE!

happy thursday!

cupcake ingredients

1 1/4 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup sugar

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup plus 3 tablespoons self-rising flour

2 tablespoons whole milk

frosting ingredients

7 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

2 cups powdered sugar

4 teaspoons fresh orange juice

4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

directions

1. preheat oven to 350 degrees.

line 12 muffin cups with paper liners

2. using electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in medium bowl until fluffy.

add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. beat in vanilla.

3. mix in flour, then milk.

(the batter will be pretty thick)

4. divide batter among prepared cups (about 1/3 cup for each).

bake until golden brown and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 23 minutes.

transfer cupcakes to rack and cool completely.

5. now for the highlight of this recipe... the FROSTING!

using electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in another medium bowl until smooth.

beat in orange juice and lemon juice. spread frosting over cupcakes.

6. decorate with pinwheels, sprinkles, or whatever your heart desires.

the aftermath... :)