Pumpkin Cupcakes with Brown Sugar-Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Brown Sugar-Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
source: Sally's Baking Addiction

1 and 3/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
2/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350°F and line two cupcake tuns with 14 cupcake liners.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice and set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix together the brown sugar and eggs together until combined. Then whisk in the pumpkin, oil, milk, and vanilla until combined. 

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.

Spoon the batter evenly into 14 cups and bake for 17-18 minutes.

Cool completely before frosting.

Brown Sugar-Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
1 (8 oz.) block cream cheese (room temperature)
1 stick butter (room temperature)
4–6 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar (packed)
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2–4 tablespoons water


Cream together cream cheese, butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla until fluffy. Add powdered sugar one cup at a time, adding water as needed one tablespoon at a time. Beat well until spreading consistency.

Raspberry White Chocolate Cupcakes

I make a lot of cupcakes. And I'm always trying to come up with new and exciting flavors. One of my favorite frostings is raspberry buttercream. It's sweet and tart and pairs well with both chocolate and vanilla cupcakes. For the base, I decided to add some melted white chocolate to my vanilla recipe and fill them with whipped white chocolate ganache. The result was a sweet and decadent cupcake sure to please a crowd.

White Chocolate Cupcakes
Source: Adapted from Melissa Bakes
1 stick butter (room temperature)
2/3 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 and 1/2 cups flour
1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup milk

1/4 white chocolate chips, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a cupcake tin with 12 cupcake liners.
In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside.
In another bowl, beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla extract.
Turn mixer to low and alternately add flour mixture and milk in three additions, ending with flour.

Fold in melted white chocolate.
Fill the cupcake liners about 2/3 full and bake for 18 - 20 minutes.
Cool completely on a wire rack.

Raspberry Buttercream
2 sticks salted butter (room temperature)
3–4 cups powdered sugar
2–4 tablespoons seedless raspberry preserves
1–2 tablespoons water or milk (or any other liquid)

Beat the butter on high speed for about 5 minutes until light and fluffy. Turn mixer to low-medium speed and add powdered sugar one cup at a time. Add raspberry preserves and water, until desired consistency is reached. Beat well.

Whipped White Chocolate Ganache
Source: Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 tablespoon butter

Place white chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl and set aside. Simmer the heavy cream in a small saucepan until hot. Pour hot cream over the white chocolate chips and let sit for one minute. Add the butter and stir until silky and smooth. Cool completely. With a hand mixer, beat ganache on high speed for several minutes until light and fluffy.

Recipe Remake: Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

Chocolate peanut butter cupcakes are my most requested recipe. I make them quite a few times a year—sometimes a few times a month when I have a lot of special events going on. And they always get rave reviews! I have to agree. These are pretty great, plus they are no fail. The chocolate cupcakes are bouncy, chocolately, and perfect every time. (Shh, they also happen to be vegan!) The peanut butter icing is fluffy, salty, and amazing enough to eat with a spoon. If you're looking for a cupcake to win over a crowd, try this one.

Chocolate Cupcakes 
Source: Martha Stewart's Cupcakes
1 and 1/2 cups cake flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa (unsweetened)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 and 1/4 cups water

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a cupcake tin with 12 paper cupcake liners. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt, and set aside. In another bowl, beat together oil, vinegar, vanilla, and water with a hand mixer on medium-high speed. Add flour mixture and beat until smooth on low speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Fill cupcake liners about 3/4 full and bake about 18–22 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Salted Peanut Butter Icing
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 stick butter (room temperature)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (or 1/4 teaspoon regular salt)
2–3 cups powdered sugar
2–3 tablespoons milk

Beat together peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and salt until smooth with a mixer on medium speed. With mixer on low speed, add powdered sugar one cup at a time and milk one tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached. Add more milk or powdered sugar if needed. Beat until smooth and fluffy.

Tandy Cake Cupcakes—Take 3

I get a lot of requests for peanut butter. Usually it's for chocolate peanut butter. This time I had a request for vanilla, peanut butter, and chocolate, so I decided to make a tandy cake -inspired cupcake. I used a vanilla cupcake filled with peanut butter icing and topped with chocolate icing. I topped them with a peanut butter cup since you can never have too much chocolate and peanut butter.

Banana Peanut Butter Cupcakes aka "The Vegetarian Elvis"

I make a lot of cupcakes. I love exciting flavor combinations. However, I get a lot of requests for chocolate peanut butter cupcakes. While I love this flavor combination, it can get boring. So when my friend Wendy requested banana cupcakes for her birthday, I was excited to make something different. I decided to top them with peanut butter (think of an Elvis without the bacon: "The Vegetarian Elvis") and drizzle melted chocolate over the tops. This combination was amazing!

Banana Cupcakes

Source: slightly adapted from Martha Stewart

1 and 1/2 cups flour (spooned and leveled)
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick butter (melted and slightly cooled)
1 and 1/2 cups mashed bananas (I used 2.5 large ripe bananas.)
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and line a cupcake tin with 12 cupcake liners. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a small bowl, mix together melted butter, mashed bananas, eggs, and vanilla. Make a well in center of flour mixture and pour in banana mixture. Using hands, incorporate flour mixture (do not overmix). Fill cupcake liners about 2/3 full, and bake for about 25 to 30 minutes. (Mine baked in 20 minutes, so watch them!). Remove cupcakes from pan and cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.

Salted Peanut Butter Icing
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 stick butter (room temperature)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (or 1/4 teaspoon regular salt)
2–3 cups powdered sugar
2–3 tablespoons milk

Beat together peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and salt until smooth with a mixer on medium speed. With mixer on low speed, add powdered sugar one cup at a time and milk one tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached. Add more milk or powdered sugar if needed. Beat until smooth and fluffy.

Cinnamon Swirl Cupcakes

It's no secret that I love cupcakes. And cookies. One of my favorite flavors is cinnamon.  I love snickerdoodle cookies. So I decided to make a cinnamon-swirl cupcake in honor of my favorite cookie. I took a basic vanilla cupcake, added a cinnamon-sugar swirl, and topped with cinnamon cream cheese. It was the perfect amount of cinnamon, and the tang from the cream cheese frosting complimented the cupcakes perfectly.

Cinnamon Swirl Cupcakes
Source: adapted from Melissa Bakes

1 stick butter (room temperature)
2/3 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 and 1/2 cups flour
1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup milk

1/4 cup cinnamon-sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a cupcake tin with 12 cupcake liners.
In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt, and set aside.
In another bowl, beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla extract.
Turn mixer to low and alternately add flour mixture and milk in three additions, ending with flour.
Fill the cupcake liners about 1/3 full and top with a heaping teaspoon of cinnamon sugar. Top with batter until 2/3 full and sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar.

Bake for 18 - 20 minutes.
Cool completely on a wire rack.

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Icing
8 oz. cream cheese (room temperature)
1 stick butter (room temperature)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3–4 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2–4 tablespoons milk

Beat the butter, cream cheese, and vanilla extract on high speed until light and fluffy. With the mixer on low speed, add cinnamon, powdered sugar one cup at a time, and milk one tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached. Beat well.

Hummingbird Cupcakes

Coconut is one of those flavors you either love or hate. I love it! I think the people who hate it, actually hate the texture more than the flavor. When it's mixed with other flavors, such as banana and pineapple, it's heavenly—especially if it's whipped up into a frozen drink and rum is involved. These hummingbird cupcakes take all three flavors and meld them perfectly. The tangy coconut cream cheese enhances the light coconut flavor of the cupcakes.

Hummingbird Cupcakes
Source: adapted from Martha Stewart

3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 sticks butter (melted and cooled)
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
3 bananas (mashed)
8 oz. crushed pineapple (drained)
1 cup unsweetened desiccated coconut (I used sweetened shredded coconut.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and line a cupcake pan with paper liners.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.

With a mixer, beat butter, vanilla, and sugar until combined. Add eggs one at a time. Beat at medium speed until mixture is pale yellow and fluffy (about 3 minutes.)

In another medium bowl, stir together banana, pineapple, and coconut. Add to egg mixture, mixing until combined. Stir in flour mixture.

Fill cupcake liners about 2/3 full. Bake, rotating pans halfway through, until golden brown for about 25 to 28 minutes.

Cool completely on a wire rack. 

Coconut Cream Cheese Icing

8 oz. cream cheese (room temperature)
1 stick butter (room temperature)1 teaspoon coconut extract
3–4 cups powdered sugar
2–4 tablespoons water (or milk)

Beat the butter, cream cheese, and coconut extract on high speed until light and fluffy. With the mixer on low speed, add powdered sugar one cup at a time and water one tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached. Beat well.

Coffee Stout Cupcakes

If I had one word to describe these cupcakes, it would be phenomenal. These coffee stout cupcakes were damn near perfect in every way. They were not too sweet, nor too bitter. The flavors did not compete; they complimented each other perfectly. I baked these cupcakes for me. It's very rare I bake for myself these days, but when I do, I try to come up with a flavor that encompasses all my likes. This cupcake really hit the spot because it had my three favorite flavors: chocolate, coffee, and beer. I topped them with a chocolate-covered espresso bean.

Stout Cupcakes
Source: adapted from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes

1 and 1/2 cups cake flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa (unsweetened)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 oz. stout beer (I used Terrapin Wake-n-Bake Coffee Oatmeal Stout.)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a cupcake tin with 12 paper cupcake liners. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt, and set aside. In another bowl, beat together oil, vinegar, vanilla, and beer with a hand mixer on medium-high speed. Add flour mixture and beat until smooth on low speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Fill cupcake liners about 3/4 full and bake about 18–22 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Coffee Icing

1 stick butter (room temperature)
2–3 cups powdered sugar
3–4 tablespoons very strong coffee

Beat butter until smooth and fluffy with a mixer on medium speed. With mixer on low speed, add powdered sugar one cup at a time and coffee one tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached. Add more coffee or powdered sugar if needed. Beat until smooth and fluffy.

Sweet Baby Jesus! Cupcakes

We're big craft beer lovers. I feel like we're always on the hunt for a special brew. I love IPAs, but my favorite will always be a dark, heavy porter or stout (black IPAs also hold a special place in my heart!) Most of my friends are winos, but my friend Becca appreciates beer almost as much as I do. So when her birthday came around, I had the perfect idea for her cupcakes: chocolate peanut butter with beer incorporated into the cake. I used a chocolate peanut butter porter called Sweet Baby Jesus! by Duclaw. The brewery boasts that the beer is so good that you will exclaim it's name!

Sweet Baby Jesus! Cupcakes

Source: adapted from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes

1 and 1/2 cups cake flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa (unsweetened)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 oz. Sweet Baby Jesus! chocolate peanut butter porter

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a cupcake tin with 12 paper cupcake liners. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt, and set aside. In another bowl, beat together oil, vinegar, vanilla, and beer with a hand mixer on medium-high speed. Add flour mixture and beat until smooth on low speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Fill cupcake liners about 3/4 full and bake about 18–22 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Salted Peanut Butter Icing
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 stick butter (room temperature)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (or 1/4 teaspoon regular salt)

2–3 cups powdered sugar

2–3 tablespoons milk

Beat together peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and salt until smooth with a mixer on medium speed. With mixer on low speed, add powdered sugar one cup at a time and milk one tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached. Add more milk or powdered sugar if needed. Beat until smooth and fluffy.

Chocolate Chile Cupcakes

My friend loves spicy foods. When we go out to eat, she will ask the chef to make her dishes extra spicy. For her birthday, I knew I had to incorporate spice into her cupcakes. I took a basic chocolate recipe and added cinnamon, cayenne pepper, and chipotle chile powder. I topped the cupcakes with a cinnamon chocolate icing. I have to admit I may have added a little too much cayenne pepper for my tastes, but they got rave reviews—even from my friends who do not like spicy foods. I topped my friend's cupcake with a red jalapeno from my garden, which she devoured as if it were a sprinkle.



Chocolate Chile Cupcakes
Source: Martha Stewart's Cupcakes

1 and 1/2 cups cake flour (I used all-purpose and subbed out three tablespoons for corn starch.)
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa (unsweetened)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 

3 teaspoons ancho chile powder (use less to make it less spicy)

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (use less to make it less spicy)

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 and 1/4 cups water

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a cupcake tin with 12 paper cupcake liners. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, salt, and spices, and set aside. In another bowl, beat together oil, vinegar, vanilla, and water with a hand mixer on medium-high speed. Add flour mixture and beat until smooth on low speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Fill cupcake liners about 3/4 full and bake about 18–22 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Chocolate Cinnamon Icing

Source: adapted from Hershey

1 stick of butter
2/3 cup cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon cinnamon

Melt the butter, and stir in cocoa.

Add cinnamon, and alternately add powdered sugar and milk while beating.

If needed, add in more milk. Stir in vanilla. 

One-Bowl Vanilla Cupcakes

I've been hunting for my go-to perfect vanilla cupcake and have tried many recipes. This one is very easy and only dirties one bowl, which is a plus. However, they are inconsistent. The first time I made them, they yielded delicate and light cupcakes. The second time, they were not as tender. The last time I made them they were dry. Although these are not the perfect vanilla cupcakes, they are delicious. Maybe with some slight revisions they could become my go-to vanilla cupcake.

One-Bowl Vanilla Cupcakes

Source: Baker By Nature via Pinterest

3 cups cake flour (or all-purpose with 6 tablespoons replaced with cornstarch)

2 cups sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 sticks butter (very soft but not melted)

1 tablespoon vanilla

4 large eggs (room temperature)

1 cup whole milk (room temperature)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and line a cupcake tin with 24 paper liners.

Whisk all of the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. 

Add the softened butter and vanilla and mix until the batter resembles a course meal. 

Add the eggs and beat until eggs are incorporated.

Add the milk and mix well.

Fill each cupcake liner about half-full, and bake for 18 to ­20 minutes. 

Cool completely before frosting.

Chocolate Peep Cupcakes

I made these for my cousin's birthday, which just so happens to be close to Easter. She asked for chocolate cupcakes, which was a surprise since she loves vanilla. I decided to make her triple chocolate cupcakes, but I instead filled them with whipped white chocolate ganache. I then decorated them with a festive Peep and some sprinkles.

Whipped White Chocolate Ganache
Source: Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 tablespoon butter

Place white chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl and set aside. Simmer the heavy cream in a small saucepan until hot. Pour hot cream over the white chocolate chips and let sit for one minute. Add the butter and stir until silky and smooth. Cool completely. With a hand mixer, beat ganache on high speed for several minutes until light and fluffy.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Icing

Who doesn't like cookie dough? Well, me actually! I'm not one to dig into raw cookie dough before it's baked. Now once a cookie is baked, watch out! I had a request for chocolate cupcakes and decided to see what all the hype was about and try the chocolate chip cookie dough icing. And guess what? I really enjoyed this icing. It was delicious on its own and tasted similar to cookie dough. So am I raw cookie dough convert? Probably not, but I love this icing and you will too!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Icing
Adapted slightly from Annie's Eats

2 sticks butter (room temperature)
1/2 cup brown sugar (packed)
2 and 1/3 cups powdered sugar
2/3 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup mini chocolate chips

With a stand mixer, beat together butter and brown sugar until light and creamy. Beat in powdered sugar, flour, salt, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Add more or less powdered sugar and milk until desired consistency is reached. Stir in chocolate chips.

Chocolate Chip Mint Cupcakes

Chocolate cupcakes are my most requested. Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Cake used to be my go-to recipe for chocolate cupcakes until I found this vegan recipe from Martha Stewart. It comes out perfect every time. It produces a tender and fluffy cupcake with a deep chocolate flavor. I've made numerous different icings to top these cupcakes, and for a recent birthday outing, a friend asked for chocolate chip mint frosting. I used my basic vanilla buttercream recipe, subbed peppermint extract for vanilla, and added mini chocolate chips and a few drops of green food coloring. The icing was excellent and perfectly complemented the chocolate cake. Even our waitress at dinner could not resist snagging one for herself. The only problem is that I would not recommend piping this icing because of the chocolate chips. 

Chocolate Chip Mint Icing

2–4 cups powdered sugar

2 sticks of butter (room temperature)

2 teaspoons peppermint extract

4–6 tablespoons water (or any other liquid of choice)

a few drops of green food coloring

Cream butter and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer on medium speed for about 3 to 5 minutes until smooth and whipped. With the mixer on low, add peppermint extract, food coloring, powdered sugar one cup at a time, and water (or any other liquid) one tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached. Beat well until combined.

Triple Chocolate Cupcakes

I am the designated birthday cupcake baker in our circle of friends. My friend chose triple chocolate cupcakes for his birthday. I made my go-to chocolate cupcakes, filled them with chocolate ganache, and topped them with Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Chocolate Frosting. They were decadent and delicious!

Triple Chocolate Cupcakes

Chocolate Vegan Cupcakes
Source: Martha Stewart's Cupcakes

1 and 1/2 cups cake flour (I used all-purpose and subbed out three tablespoons for corn starch.)
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa (unsweetened)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 and 1/4 cups water

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a cupcake tin with 12 paper cupcake liners. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt and set aside. In another bowl, beat together oil, vinegar, vanilla, and water with a hand mixer on medium-high speed. Add flour mixture and beat until smooth on low speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Fill cupcake liners about 3/4 full and bake about 18–22 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Chocolate Ganache
Source: Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

1/2 cup chocolate chocolate chips
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon butter

Place chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl and set aside. Simmer the heavy cream in a small saucepan until hot. Pour hot cream over the chocolate chips and let sit for one minute. Add the butter and stir until silky and smooth.


Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Chocolate Frosting
Source: Hershey

1 stick butter
2/3 cup cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk (I use heavy cream.)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Melt butter, and stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Stir in vanilla. If needed, add additional milk and powdered sugar to get desired consistency.

Chocolate RumChata Cupcakes

When a friend asked me to make him cupcakes for his birthday using chocolate and RumChata, I was thrilled to get another chance to bake with RumChata. I had previously made these RumChata Coconut Cupcakes, but I wasn't 100 percent happy with the outcome. I think the pairing of coconut and RumChata came out too sweet. I wanted a do-over. I decided to make a chocolate cupcake, filled with a whipped RumChata white chocolate, and topped with a RumChata cinnamon cream cheese. These cupcakes were awesome! They were not overly sweet, and everyone loved them.

Chocolate RumChata Cupcakes
Source: Martha Stewart's Cupcakes

1 and 1/2 cups cake flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa (unsweetened)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 and 1/4 cups water

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a cupcake tin with 12 paper cupcake liners. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt and set aside. In another bowl, beat together oil, vinegar, vanilla, and water with a hand mixer on medium-high speed. Add flour mixture and beat until smooth on low speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Fill cupcake liners about 3/4 full and bake about 18–22 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking. Cool completely on a wire rack before filling and frosting.

Whipped RumChata White Chocolate Ganache
Ganache inspired by Smitten Kitchen
4 oz. white chocolate chips
1/3 cup heavy cream (minus 2 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons RumChata

Place white chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl and set aside. Simmer the heavy cream and RumChata in a small saucepan until hot and simmering. Pour hot cream over the chocolate chips and let sit for one minute. Stir until silky and smooth. Let cool for a few minutes. With a hand mixer, beat ganache on high speed for several minutes until light and fluffy.

Cinnamon RumChata Cream Cheese Frosting

4oz. cream cheese (room temperature)

1/2 stick butter (room temperature)
3–4 cups powdered sugar
2–4 tablespoons RumChata
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Beat the butter and cream cheese on high speed until light and fluffy. With the mixer on low speed, add powdered sugar one cup at a time and RumChata one tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached. Add cinnamon and beat well.

RumChata Coconut Cupcakes

When I was asked to make another RumChata cupcake, I realized I never blogged the first ones I made. For those of you who aren't familiar with RumChata, it's a cinnamon cream liqueur. I think it tastes like rice pudding or close to Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal. A friend of mine asked me to make her RumChata cupcakes with coconut for her birthday. I could not figure out how to mix the two flavors. I came up with a RumChata vanilla cupcake, filled with whipped coconut white chocolate ganache, and topped with RumChata buttercream. The result was a sweet cupcake with flavors of RumChata and coconut. I wasn't thrilled with how sweet the cupcakes came out, but they were delicious. I vowed to rock a do-over.

RumChata Cupcakes
Cupcakes inspired by Melissa Bakes 

1 stick butter (room temperature)
2/3 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 and 1/2 cups flour
1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup RumChata

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a cupcake tin with 12 cupcake liners.In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside.In another bowl, beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla extract.Turn mixer to low and alternately add flour mixture and Rumchata in three additions, ending with flour.Fill the cupcake liners about 2/3 full and bake for 18 - 20 minutes.Cool completely on a wire rack and top with your favorite icing.

Whipped Coconut White Chocolate Ganache
Ganache inspired by Smitten Kitchen

4 oz. white chocolate chips
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon coconut extract

Place white chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl and set aside. Simmer the heavy cream and coconut extract in a small saucepan until hot and simmering. Pour hot cream over the chocolate chips and let sit for one minute. Stir until silky and smooth. Let cool for a few minutes. With a hand mixer, beat ganache on high speed for several minutes until light and fluffy.




Rumchata Buttercream
1 stick butter (room temperature)
2–3 cups powdered sugar
3–4 tablespoons RumChata

Beat the butter on high speed until light and fluffy. Add powdered sugar one cup at a time and RumChata one tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached. Beat well.

Cherry Velvet Cupcakes

Red velvet are one of my favorite cupcakes behind coconut, of course! They are tangy, moist, and delicious. They are also one of my good friend's favorites. This year for her birthday she asked me to jazz up my red velvet recipe up with cherries.The result was a tangy red velvet cupcake with a hint of cherry flavor, a cherry surprise in the center, and cherry-scented cream cheese frosting on top. I thought they might be too sweet, but they turned out perfect! Just about everyone loved them and declared them their new favorite! If you like cherry and red velvet, you have to try these!

Cherry Velvet Cupcakes

Source: adapted from Cakeman Raven as seen on Food Network

2 and 1/2 cups cake flour (I used AP and replaced 5 tablespoons with cornstarch.)
1 and 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cocoa powder
1 cup of buttermilk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 and 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 tablespoon red food coloring
2 tablespoons cherry juice (from jar of maraschino cherries)

1 teaspoon almond extract

24–48 maraschino cherries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a cupcake tin with 24 cupcake liners.

Whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder and set aside. 

In another bowl beat together buttermilk, eggs, vinegar, vegetable oil, food coloring, cherry juice, and almond extract on medium speed until blended.

Slowly add flour mixture and beat until combined.

Drop 1 or 2 cherries in the middle of each cupcake before baking.

Fill liners about 3/4 full and bake for 16 - 20 minutes. Cool completely before frosting.

Cherry-Scented Cream Cheese Frosting

1 8oz. block cream cheese (room temperature)

1 stick butter (room temperature)
5–6 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoons almond extract
2 to 4 tablespoons cherry juice (from jar of maraschino cherries)
a few drops of red or pink food coloring

Beat the butter and cream cheese on high speed until light and fluffy. Add almond extract and cherry juice. With mixer on low speed, add powdered sugar one cup at a time, until desired consistency is reached. Add food coloring and beat well.

Apple Cider Cupcakes

Fall is my favorite season. I love the leaves changing colors, fresh apples, everything pumpkin, and the overall feeling of the season. Every fall we make a trip to a local orchard for honey crisp apples, apple cider, and apple cider donuts. This year, I wanted to replicate those little delicious donuts in cupcake form. The little bites of heaven taste strongly of apple cider and are covered in cinnamon-sugar. I love them, but I only allow myself to eat two a year. The only thing I don't like about donuts is that they are fried. When I eat them, the oil slick covers my tongue and leaves an unpleasant taste in my mouth. This is why I opted for cupcakes. I make a spice cake spiked with apple cider and shredded apples and dipped the tops in melted butter and cinnamon-sugar. Boy we these addicting! I loved the light, airy texture and strong apple flavor of the cake, and the cinnamon-sugar topping added a nice little crunch to each bite. 

Apple Cider Cupcakes
source: adapted from So, How's It Taste?

Cake:
1 box Spice Cake Mix
1 teaspoon cinnamon3 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 cup apple cider
2 apples, peeled and shredded

Topping:
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cinnamon

Preheat oven to 325  degrees, and line two cupcake pans with 24 paper cupcake liners. Shred and peel 2 apples and set aside. Mix together cake mix, cinnamon, eggs, cider, and oil in a large bowl and beat at low speed until moistened. Turn the mixer to medium speed and beat for 2 minutes. Fold in shredded apples. Fill cupcake liners about 3/4 full and bake about 18–22 minutes. Remove cupcakes from oven and transfer to a wire rack. Mix together the sugar and remaining cinnamon in a small bowl. While the cupcakes are still warm, dip the tops in the melted butter and then the cinnamon-sugar mixture.

Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes

One of my friends celebrated a big birthday recently, and I made her cupcakes to celebrate. I wanted them to be special, exciting, and delicious. She likes chocolate and raspberry, so I decided on a vegan chocolate cupcake stuffed with chocolate raspberry ganache and topped with raspberry buttercream. I also wanted them to look super girly and pretty, so I decorated them with pink edible pearls and sparkling white sanding sugar and baked them in zebra-striped cupcake liners. These cupcakes were rich and sweet. The bittersweet ganache in the center was a nice surprise and a perfect complement to the sweet raspberry buttercream.

Chocolate Cupcakes
adapted from Martha Stewart Cupcakes
(makes 12 cupcakes)

1 and 1/2 cups cake flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa (unsweetened)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 and 1/4 cups water 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a cupcake tin with 12 paper cupcake liners. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt and set aside. In another bowl, beat together oil, vinegar, vanilla, and water with a hand mixer on medium-high speed. Add flour mixture and beat until smooth on low speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Fill cupcake liners about 3/4 full and bake about 20–25 minutes.

Chocolate Raspberry Ganache
adapted from Smitten Kitchen

4 oz. chopped chocolate or chocolate chips
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon butter (room temperature)
2 tablespoons seedless raspberry preserves

Place chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set aside. Simmer the heavy cream in a small saucepan until hot and simmering. Pour hot cream over the chocolate and let sit for one minute. Stir until silky and smooth. Add butter and raspberry preserves and stir until combined. Let cool for a few minutes.

Raspberry Buttercream
2 sticks salted butter (room temperature) 
3 - 4 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons seedless raspberry preserves
1 - 2 tablespoons water or milk (or any other liquid)

Beat the butter on high speed for about 5 minutes until light and fluffy. Turn mixer to low-medium speed and add powdered sugar one cup at a time. Add raspberry preserves and water, until desired consistency is reached. Beat well.