Peanut Butter Cup and Oreo Cupcakes with Oreo Butter-cream Frosting!

Peanut Butter Cup and Oreo Cupcakes with Oreo Butter-cream Frosting!

Chocolate Oreo Peanut Butter Cup Cupcakes (adapted from The Sweet Little Book of Cupcakes)

yield: 20 cupcakes

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 1 ounce bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 20 chocolate sandwich cookies
• 20 mini peanut butter cups, unwrapped

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line 20 muffin cups with paper liners.  Place an oreo in the bottom of each liner.
2. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl.  Stir in the chopped chocolate.
3. In a large bowl or the bowl of stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar on high until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.  Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition.  Beat in the vanilla.  With the mixer on low, slowly pour in the buttermilk and allow to incorporate for 30 seconds.
4. Pour in the flour mixture and beat on medium until fully incorporated, about 1 minute.  Divide the batter evenly among the paper liners, filling each about 2/3 full.
5. Bake for 8 minutes, then remove from oven and press a peanut butter cup into the center of each cupcake.  Allow to bake for 10 more minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.  Allow to cool for 5 minutes, then remove cupcakes from the muffin tin to cool completely on a wire rack.  Frost with oreo peanut butter buttercream (recipe below).  Store in a sealed container at room temperature.

Oreo Peanut Butter Buttercream

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1/4 cup vegetable shortening
• 1/4 cup peanut butter
• 2-3 cups confectioner’s sugar
• 2-3 tablespoons milk
• pinch of salt
• 3 tablespoons oreo cookie crumbs

Directions

1. Separate ~8 oreo cookies and discard the cream filling.  In a food processor or plastic bag, crush the cookies into fine crumbs.
2. In a large bowl, beat butter and shortening on high until fully combined.  Beat in peanut butter.
3. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add 2 cups of the confectioner’s sugar, 2 tablespoons milk, and a pinch of salt.  Start the mixer on slow, then eventually crank it up to high and beat for 2 minutes.  Add more confectioner’s sugar, 1/4 cup at a time, until you reach your desired consistency (more sugar = thicker buttercream).
4. Add the cookie crumbs and beat on high for 2 minutes.

Double Chocolate Mini Donuts!!!!

Chocolate Donuts with Chocolate Icing :)
Double Chocolate Donuts!!!!

Chocolate Doughnuts

From King Arthur Flour

• 2/3 cup good quality cocoa powder
  
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  
• 1 1/4 cups light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon espresso powder, optional
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  
• 2 teaspoons vinegar, white or cider
• 1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) melted butter or 1/3 cup vegetable oil

Chocolate Glaze

• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 6 tablespoons half & half or cream (light or heavy)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease the wells of two standard doughnut pans. If you don’t have two pans, simply bake the batter in two batches.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cocoa, flour, sugar, baking powder, espresso powder, baking soda, salt, and chocolate chips. Set aside.
3. In a large measuring cup or medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, vanilla and vinegar.
4. Add the wet ingredients, along with the melted butter or vegetable oil, to the dry ingredients, stirring to blend; there’s no need to beat the batter, just make sure everything is well-combined.
5. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan(s), filling them between 3/4 and full.
6. Bake the doughnuts for 13-15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of one comes out clean.
7. Remove the doughnuts form the oven, and after 30 seconds or so, loosen their edges, turn the pan upside down over a rack, and gently let the doughnuts fall onto the rack.
8. For sugar-coated doughnuts, immediately shake the doughnuts in 1 tablespoon granulated sugar; add 1/2 teaspoon cocoa powder to the sugar for an additional touch of chocolate.
9.  If you want to ice the doughnuts rather than shake them in sugar, allow them to cool completely before icing.
10.  To make the glaze: Combine the chocolate chips and half & half or cream in a microwave-safe bowl or measuring cup. Heat in 20 second increments, stirring the mixture in between until you get a smooth consistency.
11. Remove from the microwave, and stir until the chips have melted and the glaze is smooth.
12.  Spread glaze on the doughnuts.

Makes 18 doughnuts

** I used my mini donut machine and it made 30 mini donuts!

Cake Mix Cookies with Mini Eggs!

Cake Mix Cookies

*I used chocolate cake mix and french vanilla cake mix. The chocolate ones were very brownie-esque but I preferred the vanilla ones :)

CAKE MIX COOKIES

Printed from COOKS.COM

1 package of cake mix (any flavor)

1 large egg

1/4 cup of oil

1/4 cup of water

1 cup of chopped nuts, raisins, oatmeal, coconut, chocolate chips,

M&M'S® etc. (anything you like in cookies)

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Combine cake mix, egg, oil, and water. Beat until well blended. Stir in

remaining ingredient (s).

Drop by teaspoon about 1 inch apart onto greased cookie sheet.

Bake for 15 minutes or until done.

Makes about 4 dozen. Yummy!

Bird Nest Easter Treats

Bird Nest Easter Treats

Chow mein noodle birds nest cookies are so simple to make, and so adorable, too. If you are making these chow mein noodle cookies for Easter, you can also use jelly beans in place of the peanuts for a more festive cookie.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 2 cups chow mein noodles
• peanuts

Preparation:

1. Line a baking sheet with waxed paper.


2. Place chocolate chips and peanut butter in a microwave-safe container. Heat on 50% power for 1 minute. Stir, and repeat, until chocolate chips are melted.


3. Stir in chow mein noodles until fully coated.


4. Drop by tablespoonsful onto prepared baking sheet, forming a nest shape with your fingers.


5. Place a few peanuts in the center of each nest for eggs.


6. Refrigerate until firm.
7.