Andes Mint Chocolate Cupcakes

Recently, I made four types of cupcakes for a bridal shower, and this recipe was my favorite.  This is by far the BEST chocolate cupcake recipe ever - and I'm a chocolate and peanut butter fan!  And not just the complete package of flavorings -- I could eat just the cake by itself.  No kidding!  It's that good!  I'm anxious to try this in cake form.

Chocolate Cakes:
1 cup sour cream
½ cup oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 eggs
¼ cup water
½ cup buttermilk
Devil’s Food Cake Mix

Chocolate Mint Filling:
1/3 cup chocolate chips
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
¼ cup powdered sugar

Mint Buttercream:
8 oz cream cheese
6 tablespoons butter
3-4 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon heavy cream or milk
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
green food coloring


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line two cupcake pans with paper liners.


2. Using a whisk, mix sour cream, oil and vanilla extract together. Add eggs one at a time, stirring well in between each addition.

3. Alternate adding the cake mix and liquids (buttermilk and water), starting and ending with the cake mix.

4. Fill liners 2/3 full and bake for 14-18 minutes, or until and inserted knife come out clean.

5. Chocolate Mint Filling: Melt chocolate chips and heavy cream together in the microwave or on the stovetop over medium heat. Stir in peppermint extract and powdered sugar.

6. When cupcake come out of the oven, use a squeeze bottle to fill the cupcake with the filling, or use the filling as a ganache and dip the tops of the cakes into it. (I used an offset spatuala to smear it on top of the cupcakes.)

7. Mint Buttercream: Beat cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Add powdered sugar, heavy cream and peppermint extract and beat well. Add green food coloring and stir well.
8. Pipe buttercream onto cooled cupcakes and top with extra Chocolate Mint Filling and an Andes Mint.
Copyright © YourCupofCake

March Meeting 2012

Our next scheduled meeting is Friday, March 9, from 6:30 - 9:00 pm.  We will be meeting at Natalie Pflueger's House in Slippery Rock.  (Please let me know if you need her address or directions.)

Our guest speaker will be Kellie Langdon (pastor's wife from Fellowship Baptist Church, Emlenton).  Our "Fun Feature" will be Women's Health.

There is a sign up sheet in the hallway by the church office.  Please sign up if you plan to attend allowing our hostess to plan accordingly.

As always, appetizers and desserts welcome!  Natalie is planning to make soup!

A side note about the weekly recipes . . . my computer was down for a while and that put me behind.  Hope to be back with new recipes soon!  Thanks for your patience.

Pumpkin Spice Latte

OK. So my obsession with finding new recipes has gone a little overboard recently.  There are at least five new recipes I want to post (usually I'm panicing trying to find something to post every week) and those are only the ones that come to mind that I've written down!  I'm sure there are more lost in my head that may or may not resurface.

My addiction to Pinterest has not helped the situation.  I found this recipe a couple weeks ago and debated (with myself mind you) whether or not to make it.  Cutting out all carbonated beverages left me craving flavor in my drinks -- so here we are!

I added this pumpkin spice goodness to hot chocolate since I'm not a coffee drinker, and it was unbelievbly good!  The hardest part . . . the waiting.

Pumpkin Spice Latte

2 c milk
2 Tbs canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 - 2 Tbs white sugar
1 Tbs. vanilla
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
3 cloves (or a pinch of ground cloves)
pinch ground nutmeg
pinch ground ginger
1 to 1 1/2 c strongly brewed coffee

Mix first eight ingredients in a slowcooker.  Turn on low and leave for 2 hours. Strain mixture if you prefer.  Add coffee.  Pour into a mug and enjoy!
 
Hot Chocolate Option:  Using an 8 oz mug, add 6 oz hot water, 2 rounded Tbs hot chocolate mix and 1/2 c of pumpkin spice mixture.  Add whipped cream and sprinkle with cinnamon if desired.
 
Frothy Option:  Blend pumpkin spice mixture and coffee in a blender before drinking to add that latte feel.
 
Recipe Source:  Take the Side Street

Blueberry Cream Cheese Pound Cake

This is unbelievably good!  The pound cake texture was a welcomed change.  The original recipe calls for yellow cake mix.  My two tips: use white cake mix and shake your blueberries in a resealable bag with a tablespoon of flour to keep them from sinking. ;)  Oh!  Make that three tips.  Sprinkle sugar across the top of the unbaked cake before putting it in the oven.  Mmm, Mmm!  Good!

Blueberry Cream Cheese Pound Cake

1 (18.25 ounce) package white cake mix
1/4 cup white sugar
3 eggs
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups blueberries

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour a 10 inch Bundt pan.

2. In a large bowl, stir together cake mix and sugar. Make a well in the center and pour in eggs, cream cheese, oil and vanilla. Beat on low speed until blended. Scrape bowl, and beat 4 minutes on medium speed. Stir in blueberries. Pour batter into prepared pan.

3. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.