Hershey's Perfect Chocolate Cupcakes

Hershey's Perfect Chocolate Cupcakes, originally uploaded by queenofthemoodswingset2.

www.hersheys.com/recipes/recipes/detail.asp?id=184#

*HERSHEY'S "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" Chocolate Cake* *Ingredients:*

- 2 cups sugar
- 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
- 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup boiling water
- "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING(recipe follows)

*Directions:*
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.

2. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in
large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2
minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into
prepared pans.

3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out
clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely.
Frost with "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING. 10 to 12 servings.

CUPCAKES: Line muffin cups with paper bake cups. Heat oven to 350°F. Fill cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake 22 to 25 minutes. Cool completely. Frost. About 30 cupcakes.

"PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter or margarine
2/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating
to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir
in vanilla. About 2 cups frosting.

Sour Cherry Pie with Star and flower cut-out pattern

Sour Cherry Pie with Star and flower cut-out pattern, originally uploaded by queenofthemoodswingset2.

This is basically the pie that my grandmother would make.  I decided to put a pennsylvania dutch hex symbol on top and it worked out pretty well!

Cherry Pie Recipe

2 pie crusts (I use store bought crusts and roll them super thin)

2 cans sour cherries (for 1 small pie)
1/4 cup corn starch
1 cup sugar

Drain the juice off the cherries (reserve the juice!! )

Add cornstarch to a little bit of the juice to dissolve it. Add Sugar and cornstarch mixture to the juice and cook on medium high until it thickens. Add cherries after the juice starts to thicken.

Pour cherries and juice into pie crust and top with 2nd pie crust.

bake at 375 for an hour

Sour Cherry Pie with Star and flower cut-out pattern, originally uploaded by queenofthemoodswingset2.

King Cake

I've always wanted to make a King Cake for Mardi Gras, but never got around to it.  This year, I had a party to go to and decided to make it!  I love the Publix King Cakes, this is similar with a very moist coffee cake sort of taste and texture.

King Cake

Dough. This is a Bread machine recipe (I used the recipe for cinnamon rolls and added ½ tsp cinnamon and substituted butter for oil)

1 egg at room temperature, plus enough warm water to equal 3/4 cup
3 Tbsp Oil (I substituted 3 Tbsp melted butter)
1 tsp lemon juice
2 1/2 cups bread flour
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup sugar
½ tsp cinnamon
1 tsp active dry yeast

FILLING:

1 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2/3 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup melted butter

FROSTING:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon water


Follow the bread machine instructions for making dough.
To Make Filling: Combine the brown sugar, ground cinnamon, chopped pecans, 1/2 cup flour and 1/2 cup raisins. Pour 1/2 cup melted butter over the cinnamon mixture and mix until crumbly.
Roll dough out into large rectangle (approximately 10x16 inches or so). Sprinkle the filling evenly over the dough and roll up each half tightly like a jelly roll, beginning at the wide side. Bring the ends of each roll together to form 2 oval shaped rings. Place each ring on a prepared cookie sheet. With scissors make cuts 1/3 of the way through the rings at 1 inch intervals. Let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
Bake in preheated oven at 350 for 15- 30 minutes until golden brown. Push the doll into the bottom of the cake. Frost while warm with the frosting..



If you don’t have a bread machine, I’d use this recipe: allrecipes.com/recipe/mardi-gras-king-cake/

king cake (before frosting), originally uploaded by queenofthemoodswingset2.

King Cake, originally uploaded by queenofthemoodswingset2.

Funfetti Cupcakes

Funfetti Cupcakes

I was looking for a homemade version of the classic funfetti cupcake.  This recipe is perfect, fluffy, and has an almost caramelized crust on the top.   The only change I made to the cupcake recipe was to substitute 1/2 of the cake flour with all purpose flour.  I've had a problem with some cake recipes that use cake flour spreading too much when made as a cupcake.
www.thekitchn.com/cake-recipe-funfetti-cake-from-147011
Funfetti Cake from Scratch 

makes two 9-inch round cakes and serves at least 8 people, Or makes about 28 cupcakes
4 egg whites from large eggs
1 cup milk, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
3 cups cake flour (1 1/2 cups cake flour and 1 1/2 cups all purpose if you are making cupcakes)
1 1/2 cups white sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, very soft
8 tablespoons non-hydrogenated shortening
2/3 cup multi-colored jimmies (original called for 1/3)
Heat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease two 9-inch round cake pans. (Or, for a four-layer cake, grease four cake pans.) In a small bowl mix the egg whites, 1/4 cup milk, vanilla and almond extract. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer mix the cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Mix for 30 seconds or until well-combined. Add the butter and shortening and mix for another 30 seconds, or until well-combined with the flour mixture. Pour in the remaining 3/4 cup milk and continue mixing on medium speed for about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Gradually pour in the egg white mixture, mixing for 30 seconds after each addition. Mix for one more minute. Gently fold in the multi-colored jimmies.
Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans (see this tip on the best way to divide batter between cake pans). If baking four layers, bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the tops are slightly golden and spring back when pressed. If baking two layers, bake for 25 to 30 minutes.
Remove from the oven and place the pans on baking racks to cool for about 10 minutes. Turn the pans over onto the rack. Flip the cake layers over and let them cool completely before icing.

This is my favorite butter cream frosting.  The 1/2 and 1/2 mix of crisco and butter makes it extra light and delicious.

Buttercream Icing
    www.wilton.com/recipe/Buttercream-Icing
    1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
    1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine softened
    1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
    4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar (approximately 1 lb.)
    2 tablespoons milk

Makes: About 3 cups of icing, enough for 2 dozen cupcakes
In large bowl, cream shortening and butter with electric mixer. Add vanilla. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry. Add milk and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Keep bowl covered with a damp cloth until ready to use.

For best results, keep icing bowl in refrigerator when not in use. Refrigerated in an airtight container, this icing can be stored 2 weeks. Rewhip before using               
For thin (spreading) consistency icing, add 2 tablespoons light corn syrup, water or milk. (do not use lactaid milk, it's too sweet) 

sprinkles, originally uploaded by queenofthemoodswingset2.

 

Funfetti Cupcakes, originally uploaded by queenofthemoodswingset2.

 

Funfetti Cupcakes, originally uploaded by queenofthemoodswingset2.

 
Funfetti Cupcakes, originally uploaded by queenofthemoodswingset2.

Birds Nest Cookies

In a large bowl, microwave 11 oz butterscotch chips and 1/4 c. chunky peanut butter until melted (30 seconds, stir, then 10 second intervals until melted).

Stir in 11 oz Chinese noodles and 11 oz mini chocolate chips. (Adding the mini chips last will give the twigs a mottled bark.) 

Keep paper towels handy, this next part is really messy: grease hands liberally and form nests onto waxed paper or parchment paper. 

Add yogurt-covered raisins “eggs” while nest is still sticky. Allow nests to harden.

Sweet, salty, crunchy, adorable, and fun to make. So much packed into such a simple, no-bake cookie!