Chocolate Malt Cupcakes

Chocolate cupcakes:

(makes about 34 cupcakes) 

- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa (sifted)

- 2 cups sugar

- 2 1/2 cups flour

- 2 teaspoons baking powder

- 1 teaspoon baking soda

- 1/2 teaspoon salt

- 1 cup hot water

- 1 cup buttermilk

- 2 eggs

- 1/2 cup vegetable oil

- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1. Line cupcake tins and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

2. In a small bowl, stir flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

3. Sift cocoa into a medium size bowl. Pour in the cup of hot water, and whisk until completely dissolved.

4. Add buttermilk, then add sugar, and whisk until combined. Add eggs, oil, and vanilla. Mix again.

5. Take flour mixture and whisk into wet mixture. Stir in heavy cream until evenly mixed in. 

6. Pour batter into cupcake tins, and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. 

7. Let cupcakes cool completely.

For the frosting: 
(enough for about 20 cupcakes) I doubled the recipe below to make sure I had enough frosting
Recipe from: yourcupofcake.com

- 1/2 cup butter, softened

- 8 oz cream cheese, softened

- 3/4 cup cocoa powder

- 2 - 3  cups powdered sugar

- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup malted milk powder  (We used Ovaltine "Classic Malt" as a substitute)
- Whopper candies (optional) 

1. Beat butter and cream cheese for about 2 minutes. Then add vanilla extract.
2. Add cocoa powder, then slowly add powdered sugar until desired consistency is reached.
        If it gets too thick, add about a teaspoon of milk. If it gets too thin, add a little more powdered sugar.
3. Frost cupcakes and add a Whopper to the top :)

LOL.. Dad is such a good sport ;)

Cookies N' Cream Cupcakes

You should probably know I'm kind of a picky eater... And I'm not a big fan of anything "crunchy" in my cupcakes. Because of this I always just use a "basic" cupcake and then play with the frosting. For any chocolate cupcakes I make, I stick with the same recipe, and I've shared that below :) They are so moist, and stay that way for a few days, everybody loves them! 

Chocolate cupcakes:

(makes about 34 cupcakes) 

- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa (sifted)

- 2 cups sugar

- 2 1/2 cups flour

- 2 teaspoons baking powder

- 1 teaspoon baking soda

- 1/2 teaspoon salt

- 1 cup hot water

- 1 cup buttermilk

- 2 eggs

- 1/2 cup vegetable oil

- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1. Line cupcake tins and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

2. In a small bowl, stir flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

3. Sift cocoa into a medium size bowl. Pour in the cup of hot water, and whisk until completely dissolved.

4. Add buttermilk, then add sugar, and whisk until combined. Add eggs, oil, and vanilla. Mix again.

5. Take flour mixture and whisk into wet mixture. Stir in heavy cream until evenly mixed in. 

6. Pour batter into cupcake tins, and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. 

7. Let cupcakes cool completely.

For the frosting: 
(enough for about 24 cupcakes)
Recipe from: yourcupofcake.com

- 1/2 cup butter, softened

- 8 oz cream cheese, softened

- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

- 4 - 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar

- 1/2 finely crushed Oreos 
                   (I crushed the oreos, then sifted them so I didn't have chunks of cookie in the frosting)

1. Beat butter and cream cheese for about 2 minutes. Then add vanilla extract.
2. Slowly add powdered sugar until desired consistency is reached.
                           If it gets too thick, add about a teaspoon of milk.
3. Gently stir in the crushed oreos.
4. Frost cupcakes and top with an oreo! (Or half of an oreo like we did) 

Single Serving Rice Krispie Treats!

recipe from: number-2-pencil.com

I know, I know... Another recipe with rice krispie treats? Last one for awhile, I promise :) And this one is the easiest one yet! It's so easy that I'm going to have to make sure I don't keep the ingredients in the house all the time or it could be very dangerous ;) Each serving is about 300 calories. Even better idea, share it with someone and it's around 150 calories and so yummy! :) 

- 1/2 Tablespoon butter

- 4 large marshmallows

- 1 cup rice krispie cereal

1. Melt butter in a microwave safe bowl (about 20 seconds)

2. Add 4 marshmallows and microwave for about 25 more seconds. 

           (marshmallows will puff up a bit, they'll deflate once you take them out)

3. Stir melted butter and marshmallows together.

4. Mix in 1 cup of rice krispie cereal and stir until well coated.

I even took some inspiration from my strawberry shortcake rice krispies :)

S'mores Rice Krispie Treats

I know I've been on a bit of a rice krispie treat kick lately.. but I can't help it! They're so yummy and it's been fun to play with different kinds :) These are the perfect ones for the upcoming 4th of July holiday!

- 6 cups rice krispie cereal

- 1 (10 oz) bag mini marshmallows

- 1/4 cup butter

- 1 cup crushed graham cracker pieces

- 1 cup milk chocolate chips

1. Line 9x13 baking pan with wax paper, or spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, mix rice krispie cereal and graham cracker pieces. Set aside. 

3. Melt butter in large, non-stick, saucepan over medium heat. 

4. Stir in marshmallows, and keep stirring constantly until melted.

5. Remove from heat and gently stir in cereal/graham cracker mix. Mix well.

6. Gently fold in chocolate chips. (I think next time we'll make sure they come out of the fridge so they don't melt so fast)

7. Pour into prepped 9x13 baking pan, and press evenly.

8. Let cool and cut into squares.