{recipe: hostess with the mostest cupcakes}

Today’s post is on some delicious cupcakes I made for a BBQ we hosted a few weeks ago. Have you ever had a hostess cupcake; those yummy cream filled delights with the little white icing curls on top? They were one of my favorite childhood treats! I had a major craving for one so I thought it might be fun to try and make them myself. I searched throughout the net until I came across this well reviewed recipe. The cake came out very moist and just as I remembered, however the ganache topping and center filling are so much better (sorry hostess). I skipped the frosting curls as I ran out of time (my guests were arriving!) and instead left a cute little filling dot on top. Try them out and let me know what you think. My guests were impressed...hopefully yours will be too!

hostess with the mostest cupcakes:

Servings: 10 – 15 (less if you keep them to yourself…ha!)

Source: Bake at 350

Cake Ingredients:

1 & 1/4 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

1 & 1/4 cups granulated sugar

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped

1 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

How To:

Step 1: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350.

Step 2: Place paper liners in a muffin tin for about 24 cupcakes. We ended up with a little less as my hubs couldn’t keep his spoon out of the batter.

Step 3: Bring the sugar and 1 cup of water to a boil in a saucepan, stirring until the sugar dissolves.

Step 4: Pour the sugar water into a large bowl; add the chocolate and butter and let sit, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate is melted and the mixture has cooled slightly.

Step 5: Stir in the vanilla.

Step 6: Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.

Step 7: Using a mixer, beat the eggs into the chocolate, then mix in the dry ingredients.

Step 8: Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans (about 1/4 cup batter per cupcake) and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes.

Step 9: Cool in the pans for about 25 minutes, then transfer cupcakes to a rack to cool completely.

marshmallow filling:

Servings: 24 cupcakes

Source: Bake at 350

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1 cup marshmallow crème

How To:

Step 1: Using a mixer, cream the butter until light and fluffy.

Step 2: Beat in 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar.

Step 3: Add the vanilla and 1 tablespoon heavy cream; beat until smooth.

Step 4: Beat in the remaining 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar and 2 tablespoons of heavy cream in batches, alternating after each addition.

Step 5: Beat in the marshmallow crème; set aside or refrigerate.

Step 6: Once your cupcakes have cooled, use the back of a filling tip to cut out the center of each cupcake.

Step 7: Spoon some filling into each hole; don’t worry about the filling showing, the ganache will cover it.

ganache topping:

Servings: 24 cupcakes

Source: Bake at 350

Ganache Ingredients:

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

How To:

Step 1: Place the chocolate in a stainless-steel bowl.

Step 2: Heat the cream and 1 tablespoon of butter until just boiling, then pour over the chocolate; let stand for 5 minutes.

Step 3: Whisk until smooth.

Step 4: Add 2 teaspoons of vanilla; let stand until cool but still glossy and liquid. **Don’t let it cool too much as it will be harder to spoon over your cupcakes.

Step 5: Spoon the ganache carefully over each filled cupcake.

decorating icing:

Servings: 24 cupcakes

Source: Bake at 350

Icing Ingredients:

1 stick unsalted butter
1 & 1/2 - 2 tablespoons milk
2 cups powdered sugar

1/4 tsp vanilla

 How To:

Step 1: Using a mixer, beat the butter, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla, milk, and confectioners sugar until smooth, adding more milk if needed.

Step 2: Spoon icing into a pastry bag with the smallest tip you have and pipe onto the cupcakes to decorate. Check out Bake at 350 for a very cute decorating idea.

Make sure you give yourself plenty of time to make these as they can be a little time consuming. They are definitely worth the trouble!

That’s all folks! Enjoy!

Mrs. E



{recipe: olive garden breadsticks}

I was in the mood to make bread one day and decided what better recipe to attempt than Jesse’s favorite---olive garden breadsticks. I looked through a few different recipes until I found the perfect one. You can access the original here or just follow mine below (it’s the same). They came out incredibly amazing (I even ran around the house screaming “I can’t believe I made this!”). I was very proud of my bread making skills. The recipe was surprisingly very simple; what took the longest was waiting for the dough to rise. I have since made them again and they came out just as delicious!

  {can you say yum?}

Olive Garden Breadsticks:

Servings: 8 - 9

Source: Top Secret Restaurant Recipes

Ingredients:

·         2 tablespoons granulated sugar

·         3/4 teaspoon active dry yeast

·         1 cup plus 1 tablespoon warm water (105 to 115 degrees F)

·         3 cups of bread flour

·         1 1/2 teaspoons salt

·         1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened

For topping:

·         2 tablespoons butter, melted

·         1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

How To:

Step 1: Dissolve the sugar and yeast in the warm water in a small bowl or measuring cup and let the mixture sit for 5 minutes, or until it becomes foamy on top.

Step 2: Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl. Use the paddle attachment on a stand mixer to mix the softened butter into the flour. If you don't have a stand mixer, use a mixing spoon to combine the butter with the flour.

Step 3: When the yeast mixture is foamy, pour it into the flour mixture and use a dough hook on your mixture to combine the ingredients and knead the dough for approximately 10 minutes. If you don't have a stand mixer, combine the ingredients and then knead the dough by hand on a countertop for 10 minutes.

Step 4: Place the dough in a covered container and let it sit for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until it doubles in size.

Step 5: When the dough has doubled, measure out 2-ounce portions and roll the dough between your hands or on a countertop to form sticks that are 7 inches long. Place the dough on parchment paper-lined baking sheets, cover and set aside for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until the dough doubles in size once again. (I usually sprinkle a little cornmeal on the parchment paper before placing the dough to keep it from sticking).

Step 6: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bake the breadsticks for 11 minutes or until a slight golden brown. (It’s important not to let them stay in the oven too long so that they don’t dry out.)

Step 7: When the breadsticks come out of the oven, immediately brush each one with melted butter and sprinkle with a little garlic salt.

Step 8: Serve or devour—you will definitely want more than one!

I hope you enjoy!

Love,

The Mrs.

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{recipes: rustic italian bread}

{isn’t he lovely?}

Hello friends!

One of our wedding presents was this lovely mixer from Mom Ellis. I have wanted one for sooooooooo long and finally it’s mine! It is beautiful and I can’t wait to make so many things with it! I did bring it out for a few projects recently; chocolate chip cookies (I found a tutorial on how to make the perfect batch---I’ll share later) and rustic Italian bread, which I will share today. I am by no means a skilled baker but I’m learning new tips and tricks all the time and maybe one day I can earn that title. Bread is one particular baked good I have wanted to attempt, especially since I married a boy with a deep love for bread. I scoured the internet for beginner bread recipes and finally found this one, on Food.com. It had lots of great reviews and modifications for Kitchenaid users (versus a bread machine). I just found a recipe for Honey Wheat Bread ala Outback style; I’ll have to let you know how that one goes.

Enjoy!

{in action…it has ninja skills}

{bun in the oven…hehe}

Rustic Italian Bread

Servings: 8

Prep Time: 3 hrs

Cook Time: 35 mins

Ingredients:

·         1 cup warm water

·         2 tablespoons olive oil

·         3 cups bread flour or 3 cups all-purpose flour

·         2 teaspoons granulated sugar

·         3/4 teaspoon salt

·         2 teaspoons active dry yeast

·         cornmeal, to sprinkle on the baking sheet

·         1 egg white, slightly beaten

How To (with modifications):

Step 1: Add the sugar and yeast to the warm water, let it foam for 10 minutes, then add it to the flour, salt, and oil.

Step 2: Attach the dough hook to your Kitchenaid, cover it with a little oil (so the dough won’t stick), then use it to knead the dough for a few minutes. Make sure you use the stir setting.

Step 3: Cover the dough in your mixer for about 30 minutes so that it can rise. You can just lay a kitchen towel over the top of the bowl.

Step 4: Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and sprinkle cornmeal onto a baking sheet.

Step 5: Take the dough out of the mixer and punch it down. Form a loaf on the baking sheet, and then cover it again for another 25 minutes.

Step 6: Your loaf should have risen to a larger size by now. If not, keep it covered and let it rise a little longer.

Step 7: Uncover your loaf and slash the top with a sharp knife.

Step 8: Brush the beaten egg white all over the loaf. This will give it that nice golden color.

Step 9: Bake 25 minutes to 35 minutes, until hollow sounding when you tap the bottom of the loaf.

Step 10: Let cool, then enjoy!
 

{voila!}

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