Red Velvet, Avengers Birthday Cupcakes

Now how's that for a title! ha! My hubby's birthday is tomorrow and he's been asking me since his last birthday for these cupcakes and an Avengers theme. I think he's been feeling a tad left out since we always go kinda big on the kid's birthdays. ;) He's the one that found the cupcake liners and toppers on sale at Williams-Sonoma several months ago. You can find them HERE. I love how the website describes these toppers: "Team up with legendary superheroes as they battle evil, avenge dastardly deeds and spread delicious cupcakes throughout the universe."


Anyway! My husband requested red velvet cupcakes so I searched Pinterest and found a really delicious recipe via www.Torispelling.com.Don't they look scrumptious?! 

torispelling.com

INGREDIENTS FOR CUPCAKES:

• ½ cup of butter, softened
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 ½ tablespoons cocoa powder
• 2 ounces red food coloring
• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 ounces water
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda

INGREDIENTS FOR CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:

• 1 8 oz. package cream cheese
• ½ cup unsalted butter
• 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

MAKE CUPCAKES:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Grease cupcake pan or line with paper liners
3. Cream softened butter & sugar together until fluffy
4. Add eggs and blend well
5. In a separate bowl, combine cocoa & food coloring & stir
6. Sift flour and salt together into mixture
7. Add vanilla, buttermilk, and water to mixture
8. In another bowl combine vinegar and baking soda. Then fold into cupcake mixture.
9. Pour or spoon mixture into cupcake cups
10. Bake 15 to 20 mins or until a wood toothpick inserted into the middle of the cupcake comes out clean
11. Let cool for about 10 mins. Then put on rack or plate and let finish cooling.

MAKE FROSTING

1. Blend together softened cream cheese and softened butter
2. Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract
3. Blend until smooth
4. Frost cupcakes and enjoy!    

 Here is how the Avengers cupcakes turned out along with a few pictures of the happy birthday boy. =)

A little Thor action

Happy 29th Birthday!! =)

Black Bottom Cupcakes

These are chocolate and banana cupcakes with cream cheese and banana topping. OH MY...they are so good! I'll start with a picture by Bakerella because mine simply don't do them justice. If you ever get around to making these, here's a tip: warm them up in the microwave for 15-20 seconds and they're like little molten cakes. These cupcakes are best when warm! It's too bad most of them didn't stay at our house. I made them for a dear lady from our church that just had knee surgery this past week. 

Photo by Bakerella

Here is the recipe:

Black Bottom Cupcakes

Cream Cheese Mixture
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 small banana, pureed
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
8 oz. semisweet chocolate chips

Chocolate Mixture
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large bananas, pureed
1/3 cup oil
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

For the cream cheese mixture:

• Beat cream cheese and sugar until nice and fluffy.
• Add banana, egg and vanilla and mix together until combined.
• Stir in chocolate chips and set aside.

For the chocolate mixture:

• Sift together flour, cocoa, sugar, soda and salt using a wire whisk.
• Add bananas, oil and vanilla and mix together on low until combined.
• Use a large scoop to fill cupcake liners with batter.
• Repeat topping the cupcake batter with the cream cheese mixture.

Bake for about 30 minutes or until done.

Makes about 18 cupcakes.

Rudolph the Red Nose...Cupcakes

 

These cupcakes are so easy to throw together and so fun to take to a Christmas party or just have for your family. I made these for a Christmas party for school-aged kids and they were a hit! The kids had a blast eating and playing around with them. ;) 

What you'll need:

• Unsalted pretzels 
• Nilla Wafers
• Brown M&Ms
• Red Hots
• White Frosting
• Your favorite chocolate frosting
• Your favorite cupcake recipe (or I just used a Betty Crocker cake mix to save time)
• A festive cupcake liner (I found these red and green ones at Walmart)

After you bake your cupcakes and frost them you can start the assembling. I put a little white frosting behind the eyes and behind the red nose to make them stand out. The hardest part of the decorating might be breaking the pretzels just right to make them look like antlers. They don't have to be perfect. Just have fun! 

Linking up with:

Starbucks Caramel Frappe Cupcakes

These cupcakes have been so popular recently on Pinterest and many blogs that I decided it was time to try them. I first saw this recipe on pinterest via Pixie Crust. It is very time consuming but worth the effort. I made the cupcakes, coffee mousse and swiss meringue butter cream but I just cheated and bought some Smuckers caramel syrup instead of making that as well. It really does save time. =) I also left out the coffee liquer in the coffee mousse and it turned out delicious anyway.

If you're wondering if I went into Starbucks and stole some coffee sleeves and straws you're wrong. I asked the barista if I could purchase some (I made the cupcakes for a church activity) and the sweet lady said I could just have them. She even gave me some mini straws that worked wonderfully. So, if you ask nicely at your local Starbucks chances are they will give you some sleeves and straws for free. =) Check out the recipe HERE!

Linking up with:

www.itssoverycheri.com