Mississippi Mud Cupcakes

Mississippi- one of those words I still can't spell and one of those states we all love to hate on :) But with something as delicious as this being named after it, the state can't really be all that bad. After all, what does Arkansas have named after it? *googling* Nope, can't find anything. We need to get on that!

I was trying to come up with something yummy, easy, and fun. Something that I haven't tried yet. K.C. suggested Mississippi mud cake. He rarely even eats cupcakes so I was a little surprised when he made a suggestion. I did tell him that this means he HAS to eat one!

As always, I started with a box mix, Betty Crocker's Chocolate Fudge cake this time.

Cake:
1 box chocolate cake mix
4 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup oil
1 tsp vanilla
1/4-1/2 cup pecan pieces
1/4-1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

I filled the cupcake tins and baked at 325 F for about 25 min. When finished I pressed mini marshmallows into the tops of the cupcakes. I placed the pans back in the oven and turned it off. The marshmallows melted some but didn't burn or melt completely.

Frosting:
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup melted semi-sweet chocolate chips
powdered sugar

Mix the milk, butter, vanilla, cocoa, and 1 cup of powdered sugar. Stir in melted chocolate and continue adding powdered sugar until the frosting reaches a pudding-like consistency. This frosting doesn't stand up well for piping so just plop a spoonful on top. Trust me, you won't care what they look like.

Pretty sure these are the best cupcakes I have EVER tasted. If you don't make anything else, you need to make these! You can thank me later :)

Drunk Chocolate Covered Cherries

It's almost Valentine's Day, and whether you celebrate it or not you should make these. I got the idea from Kristan over at Confessions of a Cookbook Queen.

I bought a few boxes of Queen Anne cherries and played around with the best method to fill them with amaretto. I determined that if you poke a hole in the top (where the liquid filling is most likely to be) and hollow it out a little you can suck the filling out with a syringe. It works best if the hole is the same size as the syringe tip, but be careful that you don't collapse the bottom of the cherry.

Then I filled my syringe with amaretto and went to work figuring out the best way to refill the cherries. It would be much easier with a syringe and needle but I was just using jello shot syringes (that I've only ever used for cupcakes!) so I ended up wasting quite a bit of amaretto when it dribbled down the sides of the cherries.

I let them sit overnight to dry so the melted chocolate wouldn't get that funky texture when it hit the amaretto. And also because I was tired :)

I melted a few chocolate candy melt wafers in a small bowl and just spooned a little chocolate over the holes. A couple of them I had to come back with a second coat, but they all seemed to seal up nicely. I wrapped them individually in little foil wraps I picked up at Hobby Lobby and put them in 1/4 lb candy boxes, also from Hobby Lobby.

Enjoy! If you decide to try this let me know how it works for you.

Strawberry Hello Kitty Cupcakes

My niece, Rosie, always expects cupcakes when I come visit. Last time I was there the first thing she said to me was "Where is the other Kacie?" referring of course to the bf, K.C. Next question, "Did you bring me cupcakes?" When I told her no she said, "I'm gonna go check in your car to make sure, k?" So needless to say I had to make that baby some cupcakes!

K.C. got me a really cool cake pan for Christmas and I wanted to try it out and I thought this would be the perfect chance.

Rosie asked for strawberry Hello Kitty cupcakes. So I made strawberry cakes and covered them with pink frosting using this trick for poured faux fondant.

 I also made cute little toppers from fondant.

These pictures are not the best, but I'm just glad I remembered to take pics at all! I usually forget until the cupcakes have all been eaten.

Cake:
1 box white cake mix
1/2 cup frozen strawberries & syrup
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream (milk is okay)
1/3 cup oil
3 eggs

Frosting:
1 can Funfetti hot pink frosting

I usually make my own buttercream, but for the poured faux fondant look, you really need to use canned. They still tasted great.

Are they perfect? Not by a long shot, but Rosie loved them! Mission accomplished :)