Reese's Cupcakes

So for some reason I've noticed that all of my recipes have been about chocolate. haha I don't know why...but everyone's gotta love chocolate, right? I love these! They taste and smell exactly like Reese's! Sooo yummy! So today I'm using a box cake mix instead of the "normal" ingredients. One of my sister pointed out to me a few months ago that the box cake mix is just all the "normal" ingredients just combined into a package! So it's no big deal, you're still an awesome baker, you're just cutting out time and money! =D

The Cupcake!

Your Weapons

Your Ammo

Ingredients

1 package (18-1/4 ounce) of chocolate cake mix.
1-1/4 cups water
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup canola oil
3 eggs
24 miniature peanut butter cups

1. Combine all ingredients, but miniature peanut butter cups, in a large bowl and mix.
2. Set oven to 350 degrees F, make sure rack is in the center for beautifully baked cupcakes.
3. Scoop mix into pan lined with cups, make sure it's only half full.
4. Place unwrapped peanut butter cup in center of each cupcake. Cover with 1 tablespoon of batter.
5. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean.
6. Remove safely and cool before frosting, about 10 minutes.

Remember to Lick That Whisk! 

Frosting!
Ingredients
6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped.
2/3 cup heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup peanut butter
1 cup powdered sugar
Additional miniature peanut butter cups, chopped

Directions
1. Place chocolate in bowl and microwave for 45 seconds-1 minute.
2. Stir in whipping cream, peanut butter, and powdered sugar until frosting is thick.

Remember to Lick That Whisk!

Frost Away!

3. Chop miniature peanut butter cups into small pieces and crumble on top of frosted cupcake.







Then you're done!

So I decided to hold a contest! Take pictures of you licking your baking whisk and post them to the Lick That Whisk like page on Facebook. I'll choose the winner with some outside help and the winner will be the face of the blog for a whole month! =) So, take some pictures of you, your kids, your dog, etc and we'll see if you're the winner! Until next time!
Love, Caitlyn
PS. I watched the Voice while baking these! Good show to watch if you like singing competition shows!

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

So I'm not doing a tutorial this week, because I'm just using the same chocolate cupcakes from my first post. But these taste better with the bittersweet chocolate. 

Chocolate Cupcakes!

Ingredients

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
¼ cup (2 ounces) semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate
½ cup (1.5 ounces) cocoa powder
¾ cup (3.75 ounces) all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon baking powder
2 eggs
¾ cup (5.25 ounces) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon table salt
½ cup (4 ounces) sour cream

Directions
1. Make sure your oven rack is in the lower-middle position. (Cupcakes will bake all pretty and perfect!)
2. Combine butter, chocolate, and cocoa in large heatproof bowl. Set bowl in the microwave for about 30-40 seconds (or until mix is melted.) Whisk it together and set a side for later!
3. Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and sugar in another bowl. Then add to chocolate mixture. 
4. Add vanilla and eggs. Whisk in sour cream until combined and whisk until batter is nice and thick.
5. Set oven to 350 degrees F and line pan with cups. Divide the batter evenly among the pan cups. Bake until skewer inserted into center of cupcakes comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes.
6. Cool cupcakes until cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes.

Peanut Butter Frosting

Ingredients
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
⅓  cup heavy cream

Directions 
Make sure the butter is soft. If not melt it in the microwave for 10-15 seconds. Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl. Mix until creamy. Then frost your cupcakes.

Chocolate Salted Caramel Cupcakes

Your Weapons

Your Ammo

Ingredients 

½ cup plus 1 tablespoon Dutch-process cocoa powder
½ cup plus 1 tablespoon hot water
2¼ cups all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 & 2/3 cups granulated sugar
3 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
¾ cup sour cream

Directions for the Chocolate cupcakes!

1. Mix together all of the dry ingredients. That means your, cocoa powder, flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and sugar.

         

2. If butter is not soft, set in the microwave for 15-20 seconds.Then add that with the water, eggs, vanilla, and sour cream to the dry mix.

3. Set oven to 350 degrees F. And place cups in pans.

4. Whisk together the ingredients until it's thick and creamy.

Remember to Lick That Whisk

                              

5. Scoop mixture into the cups. Set in oven for 18-20 minutes. 

6. Remove safely and set them aside to cool.

For the Salted Caramel Frosting

Weapons and Ammo.

Ingredients 
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature½ cup salted caramel sauce2 cups powdered sugar
¼ teaspoon salt




1. If butter is not soft then place in microwave for 20-30 seconds. Add that, cream cheese, caramel, powdered sugar, and salt in bowl and whisk.

2. Fill a frosting bag with a 1m tip. 

3. Pipe away!

Optional Decoration on Cupcakes

Chocolate and Caramel Drizzle. Drizzle on Chocolate and left over caramel sauce with piping bag or dip a spoon in sauce and drizzle on top of cupcake.

To make Chocolate Drizzle 

Ingredients 

½ cup milk chocolate chips

3 tablespoons of butter

Directions

1. Add chocolate and butter to a bowl. Set in microwave until fully melted. Stir together.

More optional decorations!

Drizzle chocolate and caramel onto pretzel and place on cupcake. 

        

And there you go! =D All done!! 

Love, Caitlyn

PS. I don't have a playlist this week, because I watched The Lion King ½. It's a great movie to move and dance to! =D

Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream

So today I'm making chocolate cupcakes with chocolate buttercream! =) They're really good and rich tasting. My friend Meagan G gave me the idea that I can do a tutorial and that's what I intend to do! These are really simple and yummy!
*Little note, if you don't want to spend your time making the batter with all of these ingredients you can just go to the store and pick up some cake mix. I personally love Betty Crocker Cake Mix. 

Chocolate Cupcakes

Your Weapons!

Your Ammo! 

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
¼ cup (2 ounces) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped½ cup (1.5 ounces) Dutch-processed cocoa powder¾ cup (3.75 ounces) all-purpose flour½ teaspoon baking soda¾ teaspoon baking powder2 eggs¾ cup (5.25 ounces) granulated sugar1 teaspoon vanilla extract½ teaspoon table salt½ cup (4 ounces) sour cream

What You'll Need To Do!

1. Make sure your oven rack is in the lower-middle position. (Cupcakes will bake all pretty and perfect!) 

2. Combine butter, chocolate, and cocoa in large heatproof bowl. Set bowl in the microwave for about 30-40 seconds (or until mix is melted.) Whisk it together and set a side for later!

Tip: Don't spill cocoa on iPhone.

3. Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and sugar in another bowl. Then add to chocolate mixture. 

                           

4. Add vanilla and eggs. Whisk in sour cream until combined and whisk until batter is nice and thick.

                           

Remember to Lick That Whisk!

5. Set oven to 350 degrees F and line pan with cups. Divide the batter evenly among the pan cups. Bake until skewer inserted into center of cupcakes comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes.

                           

6. Cool cupcakes until cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes.

Chocolate Buttercream

Your Weapons!

1 cup (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ cups (6 ounces) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled
1 tablespoon + ¼ teaspoon cocoa powder

Your Ammo!

 1. Place butter into medium or large bowl. If butter is not soft place in microwave for 20-30 seconds. Let sit and place chocolate in separate bowl or your cup and melt in microwave for 30 seconds at a time until almost fully melted.               

2. Add chocolate, vanilla, 1 cup powdered sugar, and 1 tablespoon chocolate into bowl and mix.

 3. Taste. If you like how it tastes then you are done. If not then add the rest of ingredients and mix.

Remember to Lick That Whisk!

Decorating!

  1. Fold bag over so you don't over fill and so you can keep your hand clean while filling!

 2. Add buttercream in the bags with a cake spatula.

 3. Unfold bag. Then hold the top together.

4. Cut tip of bag.

 

5. And pipe away!!

6. Add some chocolate chips.

And that's how it's done! It's that easy! They come out tasting yummy and rich and they taste perfect with a glass of milk!

With Love, Caitlyn!

P.S here's the list of songs I listened to while baking!


Cupcakes Playlist:

1. Near To You by A Fine Frenzy
2. Come Away to the Water by Maroon 5 feat Rozzi Crane
3. Nothing to Remember by Neko Case
4. Shameless by All Time Low
5. I See the Light by Mandy Moore and Zachary Levi
6. Comin' to Your City by Big & Rich
7. Your Guardian Angel by The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
8. Somebody to Love by Queen
9. Sparks Fly by Taylor Swift
10. The Violet Hour by The Sea Wolf
11. Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen
12. Better Than Revenge by Taylor Swift

Buttercream Playlist

1. Done All Wrong by Motorcycle Club
2. Back to December by Taylor Swift
3. Eyes Open Taylor Swift
4. Run Daddy Run by Miranda Lambert feat Pistol Annies
5. Lover is Childlike by The Low Anthem
6. For a Pessimist I'm Pretty Optimistic by Paramore
7. Satellite Heart by Anya Marina
8. ET/Waiting for the End Cover by Michael Henry and Justin Robinett