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Strawberry Champagne Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

February 3, 2013 by

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This is a easy, quick recipe for unique and gourmet cupcakes! It starts with a store bought box of strawberry cake mix and ends in beautiful couture Strawberry Champagne cupcakes. This is the perfect dessert to make the morning you find yourself with some already opened champagne left over from the night before!

Ingredients:

1 box strawberry cake mix

1 cup sparkling wine or champagne

1 block of Philadelphia cream cheese

1 stick room temperature butter (I would not recommend margarine, it does not taste the same)

1 cup powdered sugar, sifted (confectioners)

1 teaspoon red food coloring (optional)

strawberrychampagnecupcakes

Cake Instructions:

1. Prepare the cake mix as instructed, but substitue the 1 cup of champagne for the 1 cup of water that the cake mix calls for.

IMPORTANT: DO NOT use water and champagne, substitute the champagne for water.

2. Pour into cupcake molds and bake according to instructions.

For the Frosting:

1. Place the block of cream cheese in a large mixing bowl and whip until softened. Add the stick of butter and whip together until blended well.

2. Add 1 cup of sifted powdered sugar to the cream cheese mixture and whip until blended completely and frosting is smooth and fluffy.

3. Place frosting in a icing bag and use to frost cooled cupcakes. The optional food coloring is to dye the frosting pink or red, if you wish. You can top the frosting with pink sprinkles or a fresh slice of strawberry if you wish.

Filed Under: Cupcake Recipes, Holiday Cupcakes, Holiday Desserts, Valentine's Day Tagged With: , ,

Valentine Jelly Filled Cookies

January 6, 2012 by

This recipe yields quite a few cookies (depending on cookie size), but you can split it in half and freeze some of the dough for up to 3 weeks. Or just go all in and share the love!

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 4 2/3 cups all-purpose flour, plus a little more for dusting
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup buttermilk
  • 1/2 cup pale-pink or white sanding sugar (if you can find it, optional – you can use colored sprinkles if you want)
  • 2/3 cup apricot or strawberry jam, slightly warmed (optional)

Directions

  1. Cream the two sticks of butter butter and sugar until fluffy, about 4 minutes in an electric bowl mixer. Add eggs, one at a time, beating very well after each is cracked in. Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt together into large mixing bowl. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the flour, baking soda and salt mixture to mixer bowl, alternating with the buttermilk, until all is mixed together. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and cool in fridge for 1 hour or overnight if you can (until it’s firm).
  2. Heat the oven to 350 degrees and place two oven racks centered. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Lightly four the surface of your rolling board and roll chilled dough about 1/8 inch thick. Using a cookie cutter, cut out your heart shapes (using any 1- to 3 1/2-inch heart cookie cutter is best). If desired, cut centers out of some hearts (you will fill with jelly later).
  3. Transfer the heart shaped cookies with a non-stick spatula to your lined baking sheets. Chill for 30 minutes before sprinkling with sanding sugar, if using. Bake until just golden but not too brown, about 10 minutes. Don’t cook too long, even if they don’t look fully cooked after 10 minutes, they will cook fully while cooling, you don’t want to overcook! Transfer cookies to rack. Continue with dough; re-use and roll scraps and cookie cut away!
  4. To make sandwich the hearts, brush the bottom heart lightly with jam and then cover with a second heart with the center cut out The jam will stick the hearts together. Lastly, fill cut-out area with more jam.

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Filed Under: Cookie Recipes, Dessert Recipes, Holiday Cookies, Holiday Desserts, Sugar Cookies, Valentine's Day Tagged With: ,

Sweetheart Sandwich Cookies

March 18, 2011 by

Preparation Time:  30 minutes
Cooking Time:  17 minutes

Servings: 36

Ingredients

Sweetheart Cookies

  • 1  Batch Classic Sugar Cookie Dough (see below)
  • 1/4 cup(s) (.5 stick) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 jar(s) (7-oz.) marshmallow creme
  • 1 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
  • 1 box(es) (1-1b.) confectioners’ sugar, (about 3.75 cups)
  • 1 tablespoon(s) milk
  • 3 drop(s) (red) food coloring
  • 1 1/2 cup(s) (semisweet) chocolate chips
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon(s) shortening

Classic Sugar Cookie Dough Recipe

  • 3 cup(s) flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon(s) baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon(s) salt
  • 1 cup(s) (2 sticks) butter, unsalted and softened (don’t use margarine)
  • 1 1/2 cup(s) sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract

Directions

  1. Prepare cookie dough: In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. In another large bowl, beat butter and sugar with a mixer at low speed until blended. Increase speed to high; beat until light and fluffy, 5 minutes. Reduce speed to low; beat in eggs and vanilla until mixed, then beat in flour mixture just until blended. Divide dough into 4 quarters; flatten each into a disk, wrap in plastic and refrigerate overnight.
  2. When you’re ready to make the cookies, preheat oven to 350ºF. On a lightly floured surface, using a floured rolling pin, roll 1 disk of dough until slightly thinner than 1/4-inch thick; keep remaining dough refrigerated. Use 3-inch round cookie cutters or a glass to cut dough into as many cookies as possible; reserve trimmings. Place cookies, 1 inch apart, on 2 ungreased large cookie sheets.
  3. Bake until edges are golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool. Repeat with remaining dough and trimmings, one disk at a time.
  4. Meanwhile, prepare marshmallow filling: With an electric mixer, beat butter, marshmallow crème and vanilla in small bowl until well blended. Gradually beat in sugar, then blend in 1 Tbsp. of the milk. Tint the filling pink using red food coloring. Add the remaining 1 Tbsp. milk if necessary for desired consistency.
  5. Spread about 1 Tbsp. filling between 2 cookies to make a sandwich, pressing the cookies gently together. Repeat with remaining cookies and filling.
  6. Line cookie sheets with waxed paper. Melt chocolate chips and shortening in 1-quart saucepan over low heat, stirring often, until just melted and smooth (4 to 6 minutes). Dip half of each cookie sandwich into the chocolate. Place cookies on lined cookie sheets and refrigerate until chocolate is firm. Store refrigerated in airtight containers, with waxed paper separating layers of cookies.

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Filed Under: Chocolate Cookies, Cookie Recipes, Holiday Cookies, Holiday Desserts, Sugar Cookies, Valentine's Day Tagged With: , , , ,

Cupid’s Cupcakes

March 18, 2011 by

Preparation Time:  10 minutes
Cooking Time:  15 minutes

Servings: 36

Ingredients

Cup Recipe

  • 1/2  batch Classic Sugar Cookie Dough recipe (see below)
  • 1 cup(s) creamy peanut butter
  • 1 cup(s) confectioners’ sugar
  • 1 tablespoon(s) (unsalted) butter, softened
  • 36 piece(s) (heart-shaped) chocolate or chocolate kisses

Classic Sugar Cookie Dough Recipe

  • 3 cup(s) flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon(s) baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon(s) salt
  • 1 cup(s) (2 sticks unsalted) butter, softened (don’t use margarine)
  • 1 1/2 cup(s) sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract

Directions

  1. Prepare cookie dough. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. In another large bowl, beat butter and sugar with a mixer at low speed until blended. Increase speed to high; beat until light and fluffy, 5 minutes. Reduce speed to low; beat in eggs and vanilla until mixed, then beat in flour mixture just until blended. Divide dough into 4 quarters; flatten each into a disk, wrap in plastic and refrigerate overnight.
  2. When you’re ready to make the Cupid’s Cups, remove 2 disks of dough from refrigerator. Keep remaining dough in fridge or freezer for future use.
  3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mist 36 mini muffin cups with cooking spray or line with paper liners. Roll a rounded teaspoon of dough into a ball; press into and up sides of a mini muffin cup to form a shell. Repeat with remaining dough.
  4. Bake about 12 to 15 minutes, or until lightly golden. Remove from oven and press the end of a wooden spoon into each cookie cup to reshape cup. Cool 2 minutes in pans, then carefully remove cookie cups to rack to cool completely.
  5. Meanwhile, beat peanut butter, sugar and butter in a bowl with an electric mixer until creamy. Fill each cookie cup with about 1 tablespoon filling (use a piping bag or a zip-top bag with the corner snipped off, if you like). Top with a chocolate candy.

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Filed Under: Cupcake Recipes, Holiday Cupcakes, Valentine's Day, Vanilla Cupcakes Tagged With: , ,

Be My Valentine Cookies

March 18, 2011 by

Preparation Time:  120 minutes
Cooking Time:  20 minutes

Servings: 42

Ingredients

For cookies:

  • 1 cup(s) (unsalted ) butter, softened
  • 3 ounce(s) cream cheese, softened
  • 3/4 cup(s) sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon(s) peppermint or vanilla extract
  • 3 cup(s) flour

For Glaze

  • 12 ounce(s) package, 2 cups, semisweet choclate chips
  • 2 tablespoon(s) shortening

Directions

  1. In a large bowl, combine butter, cream cheese, sugar, egg and peppermint or vanilla extract. Using electric mixer, beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Reduce speed to low; add flour. Continue beating until well mixed. Divide dough in half; wrap each half in plastic food wrap. Refrigerate dough for 2 hours or overnight.
  2. Preheat oven to 375ºF. Roll out half of the dough (keep the remaining dough refrigerated) to 1?4-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut out cookies using a 21?2-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter. Place cutouts 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes, or until edges are very lightly browned. Remove from cookie sheets; cool completely on wire rack.
  3. Line cookie sheets with waxed paper. Melt chocolate chips and shortening in 1-quart saucepan over low heat, stirring often, until just melted and smooth (4 to 6 minutes). Dip half of each heart into the chocolate. Place cookies on lined cookie sheets and refrigerate until chocolate is firm. Store refrigerated in airtight containers, with waxed paper separating layers of cookies.

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Filed Under: Chocolate Cookies, Cookie Recipes, Sugar Cookies Tagged With: ,

Cupid’s Love Valentine’s Cake

March 18, 2011 by

Preparation Time:  10 minutes
Cooking Time:  30 minutes

Servings: 12

Ingredients

  • 1 pound(s) (18.25-oz.) plain white mix, plus additional ingredients as directed
  • red food coloring, optional
  • 2 large egg whites
  • 1 cup(s) sugar
  • 1 teaspoon(s) light corn syrup
  • 1/4 teaspoon(s) cream of tartar
  • red or pink sugar sprinkles
  • heart-shaped candy decors, optional

Directions

  1. Preheat oven and prepare cake mix as package directs for a 2-layer,9-inch cake. Tint batter pink with red food coloring, if desired.
  2. Cool cakes in pans for 15 minutes. Remove from pans; place on wire racks to cool completely.
  3. Meanwhile, prepare frosting. In top of double boiler, over simmering water, beat egg whites, sugar, 1/4 cup water, corn syrup and cream of tartar with handheld mixer at high speed until soft peaks form, about 7 to 10 minutes. Remove double-boiler top from double-boiler bottom; continue beating at high speed until frosting is thick enough to spread, about 7 to 10 minutes more.
  4. To assemble cake, place 1 cake layer, rounded side down, on cake plate, and spread with frosting. Top with second layer; spread remaining frosting over sides and top of cake (keep any extra frosting in an airtight container in fridge for another use).
  5. Gently lay a heart-shaped cookie cutter on surface of cake to serve as a stencil. Fill inside of cookie cutter evenly with red or pink sugar sprinkles; carefully lift off cutter to reveal the heart-shaped design. Repeat using heart-shaped cutters of various sizes, if desired. Garnish with heart-shaped candy decors.

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Filed Under: Cake Recipes, Holiday Desserts, Other Cakes, Valentine's Day, White Cakes Tagged With: ,

Sweeheart Valentine’s Cupcakes

March 18, 2011 by

Preparation Time:  20 minutes
Cooking Time:  20 minutes

Servings: 24

Ingredients

  • 1 (18.25 ounce) package white cake mix
  • 1 1/4 cups water
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 3 egg whites
  • 8 drops red food coloring
  • 2 drops raspberry candy oil

Directions

  1. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a standard muffin tin with paper cupcake liners.
  2. Beat the cake mix, water, vegetable oil, and egg whites together on low speed for 30 seconds, then on medium for 2 minutes, until smooth. Fill cupcake liners 1/3 full with white batter; set aside.
  3. Stir 4 drops of red food coloring into the remaining bowl of batter to make the batter pink, stir in the raspberry oil. Pour 1/3 of pink batter into a resealable plastic bag and set aside.
  4. Mix more food coloring into the remaining bowl of pink batter until it is an orange/red color and pour the batter into a resealable plastic bag. Cut a corner off the bag, stick the open tip into the center of each cup of white batter and squeeze in about two tablespoons of red batter.
  5. Cut the corner off the bag with the pink batter, stick the open tip into the center of the red batter and squeeze about 1 tablespoon pink batter into each cup.
  6. Bake the layered cupcakes in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool completely before frosting.

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Filed Under: Cupcake Recipes, Holiday Cupcakes, Red Velvet Cupcakes, Valentine's Day, Vanilla Cupcakes Tagged With: ,