Strawberry Chocolate Ganache Cupcakes

Bake 1 Devils Food Cake mix for 24 cupcakes.

Remove middles using an apple corer (optional)

Dip cupcakes in Ganache. (spoon extra into the hole, optional for more chocolatey cupcakes)

Frost with Strawberry Buttercream frosting. WALAAAA! Delish :P

Ganache:

3/4 evaporated milk

1 TB cocoa powder (unsweetened)

1 TB sugar

1 1/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (give or take for desired thickness)

1/2 tsp vanilla

In a double boiler or small saucepan, mix the cocoa, sugar and milk. Stir over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Do NOT let the milk boil. Once you see bubbles forming around the edges of the pan, remove from heat.

Place chocolate chips in a glass bowl. Pour hot milk mixture over chips and whisk to blend. Add vanilla and whisk well. The chips will melt and you'll be ready for dipping once you have a smoothe ganache! Store letfover in the fridge for later reheating/dipping.

Strawberry Buttercream Frosting:

1 cup butter, softened

4-5 TB pureed strawberries (about 1 strawberry per TB)

a dash of salt

2 lbs powdered sugar (about 7-8 cups)

Beat Butter, strawberries and salt together. Add powdered sugar about 2 cups at a time, beating well between each addition. (I used frozen strawberries that I thawed in the microwave so they were VERY watery, if you use fresh, You may need to either use more strawberries or add a tablespoon or so of milk)

Enjoy!

Chocolate Peppermint Ganache Cupcakes

Meet the lone survivor. The last cupcake of the batch..... Oh so yummy :) It's not the best photo, but you all get that the taste is what's important, right?

The cupcakes:

3 eggs
½ C water
¼ C milk
½ C oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 box devil’s food cake mix
1 C sour cream

Peppermint Ganache:

1/2 C butter
5 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa
6 Tbsp buttermilk (or 5 ½ T milk, ½ T lemon juice)
3 C powdered sugar
½ tsp peppermint extract

Peppermint Buttercream:
8 oz cream cheese
½ C butter, softened
2 C powdered sugar
½- 1 tsp peppermint extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix the eggs, water, milk, oil and vanilla together. Add in cake cake mix and sour cream until well blended.

Fill cupcake liner ¾ full and bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

While cupcakes are baking, make the peppermint ganache.

In a bowl, sift 3 cups powdered sugar. In a small pan, melt butter and add cocoa and buttermilk and bring to a boil. Pour mixture over powdered sugar and, add peppermint extract and stir until smooth.

Dip the tops of the warm cupcakes into the warm ganache and let cool before frosting. You can also poke a hole in the middle of the cupcake with a wooden spoon and fill the whole with ganache. So good!! Extra ganache will keep fine in the refrigerator. (I found it was easier to poke the hole and lightly spoon the ganache in while spreading a thin layer over the top. Then it wont drip as bad. Dipping was an epic fail for me)

Frosting: Beat cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar. Add extra sugar if needed for right consistency. Add peppermint extract and beat again.

Pipe frosting onto cupcake (I used my 1M frosting tip) and then top with candy cane kisses, crushed candy cane or even mint M & M’s.

adapted from home based mom (she has way more cool pictures than me and helpful tips)

Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Cupcakes

oh yes, i came up with  this one on my own ;)

1 devils food cake mix, bake according to package directions for 24 cupcakes

fill with peanut butter cookie dough filling:

1 stick butter (softened)
2 tsp water
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup mini chocolate chips
cream together everything but chocolate chips. then stir in chips. fill cupcakes (i put it in a ziploc bag and cut the corner and just shove it into the top of the cupcake and squeeze)

frosting:

1 cup peanut butter
1 stick butter (room temp)

cream together well, then add:

2 cups powdered sugar

whip it good!

add 2-3 TB cream (or milk)

beat until fluffy and creamy.

frost cupcakes, and top with additional chocolate chips.