Funfetti and Mint Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

 As I said on Monday, I made funfetti and mint chocolate chip cupcakes for Lexi's birthday party. I actually only used 4 of the chocolate cupcake part for the Elmo cake, but with the rest I made into the mint chocolate chip cupcakes. (Which BTW were totally AWESOME! Thank goodness I had one before they were all gone! =o)


Since Lexi is a sprinkle MONSTER as well as a chocolate monster, I wanted to try and get both. I already found the chocolate cupcake recipe, so it was time to find the sprinkles one. Funfetti cupcakes were the perfect idea! =o) I really don't like using boxed cake mix so I wanted to find a way to make them.I figured that they would just be a vanilla cupcake with sprinkles mixed in with them. I was right! =o)

I found this interesting recipe that used yogurt, so I gave it a try. They were good, but I think next time I am going to try and find a regular vanilla cupcake recipe. I felt that the cupcakes were a little dry, but maybe I kept them in the oven just a tad too long. Not sure, but I will be trying that recipe again.
Overall both cupcake went over REALLY well with everyone, adults, children, and dogs alike. =o) So I would call these recipes a success.

Just a note, I linked the original recipes since I did change them a little. As I have mentioned in previous postings, I like to cut the sugar a little. These cupcakes had frosting on them so I figured that no one would notice. =o)




Mint Chocolate Chip Cupcakes
Recipe Adapted from:Sally's Baking Addiction

Makes 16 cupcakes. Cupcakes taste best the day of or 1 day after they are made. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Ingredients

Chocolate Cupcakes
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 and 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Mint Chocolate Chip Frosting
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 3-4 cups powdered (confectioners') sugar
• 2 Tablespoons heavy cream (see note below about substitutions)
• 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract (or more, see recipe instructions)
• 4 drops green food dye
• pinch of salt, as needed
• 1 cup mini chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Make the cupcakes: Preheat oven to 375F degrees. Line 16 muffin cups with liners.
2. Over high heat, bowl the water in a small saucepan. Pour the unsweetened cocoa powder into a medium sized bowl and mix with boiling water until smooth. Allow to cool to room temperature by placing in the refrigerator as you prepare the other ingredients.
3. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium sized bowl. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl, using an electric hand or stand mixer, cream the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla extract. Slowly add the flour mixture and beat only until just combined. In a steady stream, add the cooled cocoa mixture and stir until smooth.
5. Fill each muffin tin 3/4 of the way full with batter. Bake for 16-19 minutes, keeping an eye on them to avoid even the slightest burning (which will lend dry cupcakes). My cupcakes took 17 minutes and a toothpick inserted in the middle came out clean. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool before frosting.
6. Make the frosting: beat softened butter on medium speed with an electric mixer. Beat for about 30-60 seconds until smooth and creamy. Add 3 cups of powdered sugar, cream, peppermint extract, and food coloring. Increase to high speed and beat for 3 minutes. Add more powdered sugar if frosting is too thin (up to 4 cups) or more cream if mixture is too thick. Add salt if the frosting is too sweet. You may also add more food coloring if desired or more peppermint extract if it is not minty enough. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand.
7. Frost cooled cupcakes. There may be leftover frosting depending how much you use on each cupcake.

Notes

*replacing the heavy cream in the frosting with milk or half-and-half will result in a less creamy consistency.

Homemade Funfetti Cupcakes:

Recipe Adapted from: Sally's Baking Addiction

makes 12 cupcakes or 24 mini cupcakes

Ingredients

• 1 and 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup yogurt (plain or vanilla; or greek yogurt; or sour cream)
• 1/2 cup milk (Skim cow's milk)
• 1/4 cup whole milk 
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup sprinkles (I used the kind you put on ice cream, not the round ones)
Vanilla Buttercream
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 3-4 cups powdered (confectioners') sugar
• 1/4 cup heavy cream (see note above about substituting milk or half-and-half)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• salt, to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Line muffin tin with 12 cupcake liners. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt butter in the microwave. Stir in sugar - mixture will be gritty. Chill in the refrigerator for 1 minute. Stir in egg, yogurt, milk, and vanilla extract until combined. Slowly mix in dry ingredients until no lumps remain. Batter will be thick. Slowly stir in sprinkles, but do not overmix because the sprinkles will bleed their color.
3. Divide batter among 12 cupcake liners (or 24 mini) and bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Bake for 8-9 minutes if making mini cupcakes. Allow to cool.
4. To make the frosting, beat softened butter on medium speed with an electric or stand mixer. Beat for about 3 minutes until smooth and creamy. Add powdered sugar, cream, and vanilla extract with the mixer running. Increase to high speed and beat for 3 minutes. Add more powdered sugar if frosting is too thin or more cream if mixture is too thick. Add salt if frosting is too sweet (1/4 teaspoon). Frost cooled cupcakes and top with sprinkles. There may be leftover frosting depending how much you use on each cupcake.
5. Store cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 7 days.

Oreo Cupcakes

 My friend Stephanie, from Stephanie cooks, made these cupcakes for her son's first birthday party. They were DELICIOUS and they had a nice surprise of the other half of the Oreo on the bottom! So of course I HAD to try and find the recipe. =o) I cut the sugar in half because I felt that there was enough sugar in them already from the Oreos. I also used white whole wheat and whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose flour. (It makes me feel like they are a bit more healthy. =o))
I brought them to school and they were a big hit! My principal asked for the recipe and the vice principal couldn't get enough of them! Apparently he is a picky eater!
So overall, these are totally fabulous! 

Enjoy!!! =o)

 Recipe adapted from : Annies Eats

Oreo Cupcakes

Yield: 24 cupcakes

Ingredients

·         24 Oreo halves, with cream filling attached

·         2¼ cups all-purpose flour (I used half white whole wheat and half whole wheat flour)

·         1 tsp. baking powder

·         ½ tsp. salt

·         8 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature

·        About 1/2  cup sugar

·         3 large egg whites, at room temperature

·         2 tsp. vanilla extract

·         1 cup skim milk

·         20 Oreo cookies, coarsely chopped (I quarter them)

·         8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature

·         6 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature

·         1 tbsp. vanilla extract

·         4 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

·         2 tbsp. heavy cream

·         Oreo cookie crumbs (Or ground up chocolate graham crackers)

·         24 Oreo cookie halves

Directions

·         Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Line the wells of two cupcake pans with 24 paper liners. Place an Oreo halve in the bottom of each liner, cream side up. 

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt; stir together with a fork to blend and set aside. 

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter and sugar and beat together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Blend in the egg whites one at a time, beating well after each addition. Blend in the vanilla extract. 

With the mixer on low speed, beat in half of the dry ingredients just until incorporated. Add the milk and beat just until combined, then mix in the remaining dry ingredients. 

Gently fold in the chopped Oreos with a rubber spatula until evenly incorporated, being careful not to over-mix.

·         Evenly divide the batter between the prepared cupcake liners. Bake for 18-20 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through baking, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pans 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

FROSTING:

·         To make the frosting, combine the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on medium-high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Blend in the vanilla extract. Beat in the confectioners’ sugar until incorporated and smooth, 1-2 minutes. Add the heavy cream to the bowl and beat on medium-low speed just until incorporated, then increase the speed to medium-high and whip for 4 minutes until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. If needed, you may need to keep adding powdered sugar until you get the consistency you want.)

·         Frost the cooled cupcakes as desired. Sprinkle with Oreo crumbs and garnish with Oreo halves.