Graveyard cupcakes

GRAVEYARD CUPCAKES

 

 These cupcakes are made with greek yogurt, which adds 14 grams of protein to the mix, as well as grated, fresh zucchini. It's a great way to "trick" your kids with a treat.



 

Cupcakes:

 

1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
1/4 cup melted butter
3/4 cup plain greek yogurt
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 cups grated zucchini
1 cup dark chocolate chips
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup dutch processed cocoa, sifted
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Line two muffin pans with paper liners and set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix together the brown sugar, butter, and yogurt. Beat in eggs, one at a time until well incorporated. Stir in vanilla extract, buttermilk, zucchini, and chocolate chips.

In a separate large bowl, mix together all of the dry ingredients. Add the liquid ingredients and mix until well combined. Using an ice cream scoop, spoon batter into liners. Bake in the center of the oven for about 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool cupcakes on a wire rack completely.

Once cooled, core the center of the cupcakes and pipe marionberry preserves into them. I use a small pumpkin carving knife to core my cupcakes.



Frosting:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened (but not melted)

3 1/2 cups confectioners sugar

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon table salt

1 teaspoon almond extract

4 tablespoons milk or heavy cream

 

Cream butter for a few minutes in a mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed. Sift 3 cups powdered sugar and cocoa into the mixing bowl. Turn your mixer on the lowest speed, so the dry ingredients do not blow everywhere, until the sugar and cocoa are absorbed by the butter. Increase mixer speed to medium and add vanilla extract, salt, and milk/cream and beat for 3 minutes. If your frosting needs a more stiff consistency, add a little more sugar. If your frosting needs to be thinned out, add additional cream, 1 tablespoon at a time. Pipe onto cupcakes.

 

 

 

Garnish:

 

Crushed chocolate graham crackers

Gummy worms, halved

Ginger cookies

     See recipe link:

         http://tastebudsgrubonthis.blogspot.com/2012/05/ginger-snaps-to-snap-up.html

 

Roll out dough onto floured surface, and cut into desired tombstone shape. Bake as directed.

 

Pour crushed crackers into bowl. After piping frosting onto cupcakes, turn upside down, and dip into crumbs. Insert cooled cookie into the top of the cupcake, and garnish with a worm.

 

 

Dark Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

My husband, Sence, was hinting (not so subtly) that he wanted peanut butter cookies, but I wanted something chocolate-y, so this is my compromise: dark chocolate chip, peanut butter, oatmeal cookies.

1 cup quick oats
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
dark chocolate chips, as desired

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, beat butter and peanut butter together with an electric mixer until smooth. Beat in both sugars, then the eggs and vanilla until well blended.

In a small bowl, combine the oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Slowly add dry mixture to the wet mixture until blended evenly. Add the chocolate chips.

Drop dough by the rounded spoonful on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 13 minutes, or until slightly golden. Remove the cookies to a wire rack and cool.

Makes 3 approximately 3 dozen.

The boys are hovering over them on the counter, eyes wide, chocolate moustaches...

ROOT BEER FLOAT CUPCAKES

 

Who doesn't enjoy a Root Beer Float?

 

 

CUPCAKES:



makes 12 cupcakes
1 1/8 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup dark cocoa powder
1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons root beer concentrate
1/3 cup root beer
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons sour cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a bowl, whisk the egg and brown sugar together until smooth and no lumps remain. Add the cream, butter, and vanilla, and mix until well combined. Stir in the sour cream. In a separate bowl, sift all the dry ingredients together, then add the dry mixture to the wet mixture. Add the root beer concentrate and the root beer. Mix until the batter is smooth. Line a muffin tin with liners and using an ice cream scoop, add batter to each cup. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely, then core the center. I use a small pumpkin carving knife to core. 





My husband brought me this bottle of root beer for the batter.

 

 

VANILLA ICE CREAM FROSTING FILLING:

 

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened at room temperature

1 tsp vanilla extract

4 cups powdered sugar

1/3 cup vanilla ice cream, softened

 

Beat the butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract and blend well. Slowly add in the confectioners' sugar, and alternate with the vanilla ice cream until desired consistency is reached. Scoop into a piping bag, and pipe into the center of each cored cupcake.

 

 

ROOT BEER FROSTING:

 

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon root beer concentrate
1 box (16 ounces) confectioners' sugar, sifted
1/4 heavy cream

Beat the butter in a large bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Addthe root beer concentrate, and mix well. Gradually add the confectioners' sugar, beating until well blended after each addition.  Add the heavy cream, and beat until light and fluffy. If frosting is too thick to spread, gradually beat in additional cream. Scoop into piping bag and pipe onto cupcakes.

I garnished these with large sugar gems and alternated root beer and cream soda jelly beans. You may also add a halved pixie stix for a straw effect.