Blackberry sorbet

I went blackberry pickin’ again today and it occurred to me that we had an ice cream maker somewhere in our house! God only knows how old that thing is but as long as it works…

So first I started out with about 4 cups of freshly washed blackberries. 

I made a simple syrup with a cup of water and 1 1/2 cups of sugar. 

I puréed the blackberries with 3 tablespoons of lemon juice. Then I added the simple syrup. 

*make sure the simple syrup is cool before you do it. Stick it in an ice bath or the freezer. Blend in a few ice cubes if needed. 

Put into your ice cream machine and blend and freeze as directed. 

Viola! Fresh blackberry sorbet🍧

Chocolate Cupcakes with Buttercream

Who doesn’t love a rich, but fluffy chocolate cake after a long day? This cake incorporates a little touch of coffee to bring out the flavor of the cocoa powder.   
Below is a link to a video I made for my public speaking class. I apologize in advance for my poor raspberry buttercream and icing skills. Don’t laugh too hard, I was nervous and the icing wasn’t coming out then it wasn’t firm😂 but it’s alright. Look how pretty they look with vanilla buttercream that’s not running everywhere.. 

Recipe video

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• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1 egg room temperature
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup coffee, lukewarm
• Buttercream frosting
• Chocolate ganache if desired

1.  Cream butter and sugar.
2. Add egg and mix only until combined.
3. Add vanilla.
4. In a separate bowl, mix cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and flour.
5. Mix the coffee and buttermilk together.
6. Alternate adding dry mixture and milk mixture to the butter.
7. Bake for 18 minutes.
8. Top with buttercream and chocolate ganache. 

 

 

Lemon Blueberry Pound Cake

As summertime approaches, blueberries are in abundance! What better flavor to compliment blueberry than with zesty lemons! This pound cake is packed full of berries and topped with a lemon glaze that soaks into the cake then iced with buttercream. Yum! 

First, preheat the oven to 350 and flour and grease a bundt pan. 

Then combine 2 3/4 cups of all purpose flour, 1 1/2 tsp of baking powder, and 1/4 tsp of baking soda in a small bowl. 

Then beat 1 cup of butter with 1 3/4 cup of sugar for a few minutes or until fluffy. 

Add 4 room temperature eggs, one at a time to the mixture. Don’t over beat! 

Then add 4 tablespoons of lemon juice and zest from 2 lemons as well as a dash of vanilla. Once combined, add a cup of buttermilk. 

Fold in flour mixture and a pint of blueberries. 

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes. 

For the lemon glaze, whisk together juice from one lemon and a cup of powdered sugar and pour over cake. 

Decorate with buttercream and lemon zest and enjoy! 

*Recipe adapted from chewoutloud.com 

 

 

Carrot cake

With Easter only a day away, here’s a recipe for a classic carrot cake! 

Begin with beating two eggs until they are fluffy.  

 
Next, slowly add 1/2 a cup of vegetable oil. 

  
In a separate bowl combine 1 cup of all purpose flour, 1 cup of sugar, 3/4 teaspoon of cinnamon, and 1/2 a teaspoon of baking soda. 

   
   
Add the dry mixture into the egg mixture. 

   
 
Stir in 3/4 a cup of chopped walnuts and 2 cups of shredded carrots. 

   
 Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until the center is baked through. 

Let cool and frost! Happy Easter!

   
   

*Recipe adapted from wilton.com

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

Since you’ve probably already given up on your new years weight loss resolution, here’s a recipe to a rich chocolate cupcake with a Reese’s peanut butter cup in the middle, topped with creamy peanut butter icing. If you haven’t given up on your resolution yet, make these anyway.

First, cream a stick of butter and 1 1/2 cups of sugar.

In a separate bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups of all purpose flour, 1/2 a cup of cocoa powder, and 1 teaspoon of baking soda.

Add two eggs (room temperature) and 2 teaspoons of vanilla to the butter mixture.

Combine 1/2 a cup of buttermilk with 1/2 a cup of cooled coffee (can be decaf). If you do not have buttermilk, add 1/2 a tablespoon to whole milk and let curdle.

Alternate adding the milk mixture and the flour mixture to the butter mixture until combined. Do not over mix. Fill 24 cupcake holders with a scoop of the batter. Add mini Reeses cup then top with another scoop of the batter. Bake for 18 minutes at 350.

Let cool completely and top with your favorite buttercream recipe with 1/2 a cup of peanut butter added to it.

http://www.gimmesomeoven.com/chocolate-peanut-butter-cupcakes/       Recipe Credit.

 

Salted Caramel Cake Pops

Who doesn’t love salted caramel? These cake pops are wonderful and are a great way to use left over cupcakes or cake!

 

I used 18 vanilla cupcakes I had frozen (you can freeze uniced cupcakes for up to 4 months!). I let them thaw and then crumbled them into small crumbs. 

Next, I mixed about 3/4 to 1 cup of buttercream ( I used homemade but store bought works fine of course) and 1/2 a cup of caramel syrup. I used the sundae syrup but homemade would taste even greater! I mixed this into the cake until I got the consistency I wanted. Roll them into balls and place on wax paper. Freeze for about ten minutes. 

Melt chocolate with a little bit of oil in a double boiler. If using sticks, dip the ends into chocolate and stick into the cake balls. Freeze for another 5 minutes. Using the melted chocolate (I used Hershey’s milk chocolate but dark or white would work) coat each cake ball and set back on wax paper. Freeze until hardened. 

To decorate, I spooned a little bit of white chocolate onto the top of each pop, drizzled some caramel, and sprinkled each with sea salt. Enjoy!

Apple Cider Cupcakes with Caramel Frosting

Who doesn’t love hot apple cider on a cool, autumn day? These cupcakes are a twist on the traditional vanilla cupcakes and are topped with a caramel buttercream to add a little extra sweetness.

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So to start off, peel and dice 4 medium to large sized apples. I used gala.

In a separate bowl, combine 3 cups of cake flour (or all purpose) and 2 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder.

In another medium sized bowl, cream 2/3 cup of butter and 1 3/4 cup of sugar until light and fluffy.  Add two eggs, one at a time and mix just until they’re combined. And make sure the eggs are room temperature so they combine well!

Add 1 1/2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract. Then alternatively add the flour mixture and 1 1/4 cup of apple cider.

If you can find un-spiced cider, use that. If not, do not add any cinnamon or additional spices in the next step.

Finally, STIR in apples and a dash or so of ground cinnamon. Fill cupcake liners a little over 2/3rds full. These cupcakes do not rise too much so don’t worry about it overflowing. Bake for 18-20 minutes at 350. If a toothpick does not come out of the cupcake clean, it may be because it was stuck in an apple piece. After 20 minutes they are more than likely done. I iced mine with a caramel buttercream and drizzled a little extra caramel syrup on top. Enjoy!

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Apple Cider Cupcakes with Caramel Buttercream (2 dozen)

Cupcakes:

• 3 cups of cake flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2/3 cup salted butter
• 1 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cup of un-spiced apple cider
• 4 gala apples
• 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

Icing:

• 2 sticks of salted butter (room temperature)
• 1 cup of vegetable shortening
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 8 cups of powdered sugar
• 3/4 cup of caramel syrup
• Milk if needed

1. Peel and dice apples and set aside.
2. Stir together cake flour and baking powder until combined.
3. In a separate bowl, cream butter and sugar until fluffy.
4. Add eggs, one at a time, and vanilla.
5. Alternatively mix in apple cider and flour mixture.
6. Stir in apples and cinnamon.

Bake at 350 for 18-20 minutes.

Icing recipe:

Mix butter and shortening until combined. Add powdered sugar, a little at a time, until all it combined. Add vanilla and caramel syrup. If the icing is still too thick for you, add milk, a tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency.

Pumpkin Spice Cupcake

Who doesn’t love pumpkin spice lattes from your favorite coffee house? Well here’s a cupcake that tastes just like that and encompasses all the favorite fall flavors.

This recipe is from one of my favorite bloggers, sallysbakingaddiction.com. Go check her out!

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Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

Combine 1 teaspoon of baking powder as well as one teaspoon of baking soda with 1/2 a teaspoon of salt (unless your using salted butter). Add 1 3/4 cup of ALL PURPOSE flour and 1.5 teaspoons of cinnamon and 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice*.

In a separate bowl WHISK 2/3 a cup of brown sugar with two large room temperature eggs. When combined, add a cup of pumpkin puree, 1/2 a cup of vegetable oil, 1/3 a cup of milk, and a teaspoon of vanilla.

Mix the pumpkin mixture and the flour mixture but DO NOT over-mix. This will dry out the batter. Mix just until it is combined. Bake at 350 for 18 minutes. The cupcakes are so moist and the tops are a little sticky but icing always fixes that.

Top with cream cheese frosting, buttercream, or try my cinnamon browned butter buttercream that perfectly compliments this cupcake!

Cinnamon Browned Butter Icing

This nutty flavored icing pairs great with a carrot cake or anything pumpkin. The butter is cooked, turning it brown and giving this icing it’s main source of flavor. Add a dash of cinnamon in it and its perfect. If you add too much butter or not enough sugar, this icing get really runny. This is an adaptation from Southern Living.

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Cinnamon Browned Butter Icing (for about 2 dozen cupcakes)

Melt 1 cup of butter in a saucepan and let it cook until brown (between 5 and 10 minutes). Once cooled, mix 16 oz of powdered sugar, and a 1/4 a cup of milk. Add milk gradually because not all may be needed. Add a teaspoon of vanilla and a dash of cinnamon and mix until preferred consistency.

Vanilla Cupcake

A vanilla cupcake is one of the simplest but yet most versatile recipes. The best recipe I have found so far is from wilton.com. I’m normally not a fan of vanilla but these may have changed my mind. So without further ado…

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Vanilla Cupcake (2 dozen)

Mix 3 cups of cake flour with 2.5 teaspoons of baking powder and 0.5 of a teaspoon of salt*. (Use cake flour! It makes a difference in the texture). Also this step is very important so mix or sift the ingredients well. If not, the cupcakes bake with holes straight through the center because the baking powder wasn’t distributed evenly.

*I use salted butter and skip the added salt in this step.

In a separate bowl, cream 2/3rds a cup of butter and 1.75 cups of sugar. When mixed well, add 2 ROOM TEMPERATURE eggs and 1.5 teaspoons of PURE vanilla. Do not over mix! If all the ingredients are at room temperature it blends and mixes evenly.

Mix in flour mixture and 1.75 cup of milk alternatively.

Bake at 350 for 18-20 minutes. Usually I can follow the 18 minute rule and they turn out perfect. I fill about 2/3 of the liner full because they don’t rise extremely high.

The picture is from my sororities family day when I baked these cupcakes!