Banana Oat Muffins

Banana Oat Muffins
from Allrecipes.com

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup mashed bananas

Directions

1. Combine flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, soda, and salt.
2. In a large bowl, beat the egg lightly. Stir in the milk, oil, and vanilla. Add the mashed banana, and combine thoroughly. Stir the flour mixture into the banana mixture until just combined. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper bake cups, and divide the batter among them.
3. Bake at 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) for 18 to 20 minutes.

Yields 12 muffins

Birthday Cupcakes

Star Cupcakes
Idea from Wilton Cupcake Fun book

I made these cupcakes for Chase's birthday. They turned out really cute and they were tasty. The kids loved them. I don't think Chase tried even one though. He doesn't like sweets. I think the cupcakes looked much better in person than in photos. I'm still getting used to my new camera.

Ingredients

1 recipe of your favorite cupcakes (24 cupcakes)
white frosting
1 recipe sugar cookies (I used the Wilton one below and here)
colored sprinkle sugar


Sugar Cookie Recipe

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp baking powder
3 cups flour

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer. Beat in egg and vanilla. Sift baking powder with flour. Add flour mixture, 1 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. The dough will be very stiff. Blend in the last of the flour by hand. Do not chill dough. Roll and cut out shapes. Bake 8-10 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned. remove cookies to cooling grid to cool completely. One recipe should yield 24 star cookies.

Bake 24 cupcakes and let cool. Frost cupcakes. Frost star cookies and sprinkle with sugar. Place cookies on top of cupcakes.

Wedding Cake

My co-worker asked me to make a cake for her wedding. I was honored. It was a small wedding. The colors were gold and white. She requested a single tiered white cake covered in fondant. I used the same fondant recipe from this post.

Reeses Cake

Reeses Cake
from Goodthingscatered.blogspot.com

I made this cake back in September 2009 for my mom's birthday but I'm just now getting around to posting it. I had a terrible time getting the frosting consistency right. It might be the difference in humidity. I had to play with the measurements quite a bit and I still don't think I got it right. The cake was still very tasty.

Ingredients:
1 recipe your favorite chocolate cake baked into 2-8inch rounds
1 stick butter, room temperature
1 c. creamy peanut butter
5 c. powdered sugar, sifted
1/4 – 1/3 c. milk, divided
6 full sized Reeses cups

Directions:
-Bake your favorite chocolate cake recipe according to instructions and let cool completely.
-Place Reeses cups into freezer for later use.
-In bowl of stand mixer, add butter, peanut butter and 1/8 c. milk.
-Mix on slowest setting to combine well.
-Slowly add powdered sugar, mixing on slowest setting.
-1 Tbsp at a time, add remaining milk, just until desired consistency is reached (you may not need all of it depending on climate and temperature).
-When cake layers are cooled completely, level off, and place one layer on serving plate.
-Scoop about 1 c. of frosting onto top of layer and spread out with off-set spatula.
-Place second, leveled, layer on top of frosting and frost cake fully, reserving about ½ c for decorating.
-Remove Resses cups from freezer, unwrap and quarter two cups.
-Unwrap remaining Reeses and chop.
-Pipe 8 frosting spirals around top of cake, topping each with a Resses quarter.
-Place chopped candies in middle of cake top.
-Place in fridge until meal time.
-Remove cake from fridge 1-2 hours before serving to let come to room temperature.

If you like this then you should also try Reeses Cupcakes.

Valentine's Cookie Basket

Valentines Cookie Basket

After much prodding from my co-workers, I have decided to sell my baked goods creations for the first time. I am making Valentines Day Cookie Baskets. I will not be shipping this year and I am only making a limited quantity. I have already taken several orders. I am excited and nervous about my new business venture.

Oatmeal Cookies

Oatmeal Cookies
from allrecipes.com

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
3 cups quick cooking oats

1. In a medium bowl, cream together butter, white sugar, and brown sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla. Combine flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon; stir into the creamed mixture. Mix in oats. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour.
2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets. Roll the dough into walnut sized balls, and place 2 inches apart on cookie sheets. Flatten each cookie with a large fork dipped in sugar.
3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Yields 24 large cookies

Reeses Cupcakes

Reeses Cupcakes
Idea from The Food Network Magazine Jan/Feb Issue

Here is another cupcake idea from the Food Network Magazine with my own twist. Unfortunately the peanut butter sank to the bottom of the cupcakes during baking. If I were to make this recipe again I would probably fill the cupcakes with peanut butter after baking.

Ingredients
your favorite chocolate cake recipe for 24 cupcakes
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup chocolate melts

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with cupcake liners. Prepare your favorite chocolate cupcake recipe per recipe directions. Fill cupcake liners 1/3 full with cake mixture. Add 1 Tablespoon of peanut butter to the center of each cupcake. Fill cupcakes with additional cake mixture until 2/3 full. Bake at 350 degrees for 18 to 21 minutes. Allow cupcakes to cool completely. Frost each cupcake with creamy peanut butter. Heat chocolate melts in the microwave until melted (approximately 1 minute on high, stirring frequently). Spread a circle of chocolate over each cupcake. Place cupcakes in freezer for a few minutes or until chocolate hardens. Serve immediately.