Banana Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

I feel like there is a new craze with Greek yogurt.  It's super healthy and everyone is eating it.  I feel like it's dominating the yogurt aisle.  However, there is just something about Greek yogurt that I don't like.  It's just too tangy for me.  With that said, I do love cooking with Greek yogurt and substituting it instead of sour cream. 

I tend to buy Fage Greet yogurt the most.  I am not sure why.  Maybe it's because Bobby Flay sponsors it.  I dunno.  The power of advertising. 

Now if you are anything like El Husbee and me, there is never a shortage of bananas in the house.  I mean, bananas are the perfect snack food.  They are healthy, filling, and super easy.  I like to buy lots of bananas in hopes of leftover to make treats such as these cupcakes. 

Banana Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting
Recipe from Two Peas and Their Pod

Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs, large room temperature
1 cup Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 rip bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)

Peanut Butter Frosting:
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/2 cup peanut butter, creamy
3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line cupcake pan with liners.
2.  Whisk together flour, baking soda and salt and set aside.
3.  Cream together butter and sugar until creamy and smooth.  Beat in eggs, one at a time.  Stir in the Greet yogurt and vanilla extract.  Mix in the mashed bananas.
4.  Add the dry ingredients and mix until flour disappears.  Do not over mix!
5.  Use a ice cream scoop and scoop batter in cupcake liners.
6.  Bake for about 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
7.  While cupcakes are cooling make the peanut butter frosting.  Cream butter and peanut butter on high until smooth.  (make sure to use a spatula to scrap down the bowl to make sure butter and peanut butter is fully incorporated)  Slowly add the powdered sugar.  Add milk and vanilla extract.  Beat until frosting is smooth.
8.  Frost the cooled cupcakes. 

I made these cupcakes for my grandmother's birthday.   The cupcakes are super moist and full of banana flavor.  If you can resist waiting they taste even better the second day.  There is just something about baked banana goods that get better the next day. 

Keeping making yummy food for your family.

XOXO

Mother's Day Funfetti Cupcakes

Since I had a full day planned on Mother's Day I knew I did not have that much time for baking.  If you know me you know that El Hubby gets mad because my sense of time management is bad.  I always think I have more time than I do.  Hence, we were late to Mother's Day brunch because of me. 

Funfetti Cupcakes cooling

In my head I knew I wanted to make cookies for sure, but a holiday is just not right without cake.  So to make my life easier and still satisfy the craving for cake I used a box mix.  I don't think there is really anything wrong with a box cake.  But when there is the option for scratch I will also go with scratch.  You can taste the extra effort in scratch/homemade cooking/baking.

Mother's Day funfetti cupakes

I apologize to critics.  Everything about these cupcakes were store bought.  Box cake mix, frosting, and decorative sparkle icing.  Whatever!  Funfetti is yummy.  Case close. 

I am currently taking a cupcake class at the local adult school.  We are learning to decorate and make cupcakes.  Lets see what I learn.  I think El Hubby is excited because that will mean more baked goods since I need practice.  

Happy Mother's Day!

XOXO

Carrot Cupcakes

So this year my uncle came up with this idea to combine birthdays since within 1 week span there are 3 birthdays to celebrate and Mother's Day. Since my uncle is always going on and on about how much he likes carrot cake and how Costco makes the best carrot cake I decided to make carrot cupcakes.

Seriously?!? Costco makes the best carrot cake? That is one weird man.

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup butter milk
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups grated carrots
1 can crushed pineapple (strain juice out)
1 cup coconut
1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 F

2. Stiff all dry ingredients

3. Beat eggs, oil, buttermilk, sugar, vanilla extract. Add wet ingredients until combined. Do not over mix!

4. Mix in pineapples, carrots, coconut, and walnuts until combined.

5. Bake for about 20 minutes. Keep an eye on the cupcakes. (if you are baking a cake bake for about 55 minutes)

6. Cool in pan for about 10 minutes and then move them to a cooling rack.

7. Frost with your favorite cream cheese frosting!

This recipe makes 2 dozen cupcakes.

After taking a bite out of a carrot cupcake my uncle says to my mom, "don't eat a cupcake cause it's too sweet for you" then he continues to gobble up his cupcakes. Of course my mom yells "it's not too sweet! I told her to make these". Oh my crazy family! Gotta love them! The best part about baking things that people enjoy is that you don't have to try very hard to pawn off the extras.

Enjoy!

XOXO

Lemon Cupcakes

So a friend of mine has a lemon tree and gave me some lemons. What happens when you give a cupcake fanatic lemons? You get lemon cupcakes! I followed a really simple lemon cake recipe I found online. You know me, easy means good.

Now since I had real lemons you get zest!

The batter. Which was super easy to make.

My little lemon cupcakes look so cute naked. But lets be honest, who likes a naked cupcake?

Lemon cream cheese frosting! Super yummy! The recipe is super simple. Just a package of cream cheese, some lemon juice, lemon zest, and powered sugar.

I have come to the conclusion that real fruit and imitation makes a big difference. There is definitely more of a fresh taste to fresh fruit.

Mmmm ... the frosting was super yummy. I think next time I might add a package of vanilla pudding to the batter to make it more moist. But over all the lemon cupcakes were a hit with the husband and co-workers. Yay!

XOXO

Icing Shots: Good or disgusting?

Photo from Cupcakes Take the Cake

Apparently some bakeries are trying to make icing shots a new craze. I do not think this is a good idea and my friends at Cupcakes Take the Cake agree with me. Why would you only eat frosting when you can have a whole cupcake. Now isn't the whole point of having a cupcake is to indulge a little and not have a huge slice of cake? (Wait they are cute too!)

Photo from Cupcakes Take the Cake

I know we all try to find ways to cheat on our diet, but trust me skipping the cake and just eating frosting is not the way to go. Plus, my friends at Cupcakes Take the Cake "you wouldn't go to a ice cream shop and leave with just hot fudge".

So do you think? Is this tasty treat good or disgusting?

XOXO

Simple Frosting

Bobbie Lloyd of New York's Magnolia Bakery shows us how to frost a cupcake. She makes it look so simple. I need to work on my frosting skills.

XOXO

Cupcake Pebbles

Now cereal is awesome. You can have it for all 3 meals. Heck! That's what a lot of college students do.

Now I have been informed of a new product that I am dying to try.

I have read articles about this new cereal from Post and rumor has it this is fantastic.

Looks like little sprinkles. Yum! So I went to my local Target to find this so I can make my own judgement. Sadly Targt did not carry it. I am so sad. If anyone has tried this please let me know.

XOXO

http://cupcakestakethecake.blogspot.com/2010/02/cupcake-pebbles.html