Cherry Passion Fruit Frosting

Happy Monday! Is everyone surviving so far? Ok good! Today I want to talk frosting! Creamy, sweet, slightly tart, perfectly whipped, frosting!

I’ve been playing around with a lot of new flavors lately and have absolutely fallen in love with the tartness of a fresh cherry complimenting the sweetness of a chocolate cupcake. I decided to add some passion fruit to the mixture, and I am happy to tell you, it is hands down one of the best frostings I have ever made! I used a concentrate from “The Perfect Puree of Napa Valley” and was so happy with how well the passion fruit flavor came through in my frosting. The Perfect Puree of Napa Valley, a company based in California, specializes in all natural fruit and vegetable purees, concentrates, and drink mixes. Through a partnership with CraveLocal, I was able to get some samples from Perfect Puree and was more than pleased with each one of them! I received Blood Orange, Carmelized Pineapple, White Peach, and Passion Fruit. Each delicious concentrate is  just waiting for me to use it in a new recipes! My favorite thing about the concentrate is that I only have to use a small amount, so it doesn’t ruin my frosting consistency at all. I also love knowing that these are all natural ingredients. Nothing better than 100% natural flavor for your cupcakes!

Cherry Passion Fruit Frosting by Stay Calm Cupcake

This Cherry Passion Fruit Frosting is perfect for summer and reminds me why I love to use fresh, seasonal ingredients when I bake. I think you’ll find that it adds just the right about of “pazzaz” to take your next summer dessert to the next level.

Let’s get started!

Cherry Passion Fruit Frosting

• 15-20 fresh cherries. The darker, the better. Do not use frozen!
• ½ cup of cranberry juice
• 1 tbs of water
• 1 tbs of cornstarch
• ½ cup of sugar
• 1 tbs of Passion Fruit concentrate by “The Perfect Puree of Napa Valley”
• 2 sticks of unsalted, room temp butter
• 4 1/2 cups of powdered sugar
• ½ tsp of pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. Remove all the seeds from your cherries
2. Dice your cherries into medium sized pieces
3. In a medium sized sauce pan, combine your cherries, cranberry juice, and sugar.
4. Cook your cherry mixture on medium heat for 5-7 minutes. Make sure you are stirring and “mashing” your cherries so the juice comes out.
5. Combine your water and cornstarch until a milky consistency is achieved
6. Add your cornstarch mixture to the sauce pan and mix well
7. Remove from heat and let cool completely
8. While your cherry mixture is cooling, cream your butter in a mixer on medium high-speed for 1-2 minutes.
9. Once your butter is light and fluffy, add the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing well between each addition.
10. Add the Passion Fruit concentrate at the same time as the last ½ cup of powdered sugar
11. Add your vanilla
12. Once your cherry mixture is 100% cooled, add it to your frosting — I suggest using about 3 tbs. Mix on medium speed for 1 minute. (Save the rest or use as a filling for your cupcakes!)

This frosting is delicious on dark chocolate cupcakes, vanilla cupcakes, and believe it or not, coconut cupcakes! Enjoy the recipe and let me know if you have any questions about using The Perfect Puree of Napa Valley.

Have a great week! Stay Sweet!

xoxo,

Jill

Chocolate Caramel Spice Frosting

Hello Friends!

Can you believe that March is almost over, Spring is here, and Easter is right around the corner! I honestly didn’t even realize just how close Easter was until I actually looked at a calendar. I plan to work on some fun Easter cupcakes this weekend so I’ll be sure to take lots of pictures and share with you some of my tips for creating the perfect Easter cupcake treats. For today though, I want to share a recipe for some sinfully delicious frosting.

Chocolate Caramel Spice frosting is perfect for almost any cake flavor. I suggest making a batch of the frosting first, tasting it (try not to eat it all) and then deciding what flavor cake you think it will best accompany. So far my favorite cakes to use with this frosting have been:

• Chocolate Coffee Cake
• French Vanilla Cake
• Brown Sugar Cinnamon Cake

I’ve worked hard on perfecting the recipe and am so happy to finally be able to share it with you!

Chocolate Caramel Spice Frosting

What You’ll Need:

1. 2 sticks of unsalted butter (room temperature)
2. 1/3 cup of cream-cheese (room temperature)
3. ¼ cup of milk chocolate chips
4. 15-20 caramel squares
5. 2 tbs of heavy cream
6. 2 cups of powdered sugar (sifted)
7. 2 1/2 tbs of cinnamon

The Process

• Start by unwrapping all of your caramel squares. Place them in a pan on the stove over medium heat.
• Stirring the squares constantly, add the heavy cream.
• Continue cooking until the caramel is melted and you have a nice caramel sauce. Let cool (do not put in the fridge though)
• In a mixer, cream together your butter and cream-cheese until it is light and fluffy.
• Add in 1 ½ cups of the powdered sugar and all of the cinnamon – continue mixing for 1-2 minutes until well combined.
• In a microwavable bowl, melt the chocolate chips (usually 40 seconds does it) Make sure the chocolate is melted smooth and does not have any chunks left in it.
• Pour the melted chocolate in the mixer and mix for 1 minute.
• Add in the remaining ½ cup of powdered sugar – mix well.
• Pour in the cooled caramel sauce – mix for 1 minute or until frosting is smooth.

** If your frosting is too thin – add more powdered sugar. **

There you have it – another great “go-to” frosting recipe! If you have questions about the recipe, let me know. I hope you all enjoy the recipe as much as I do.

Stay Sweet!

xo, Jill

Mint Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

St. Patrick’s Day is right around the corner, and what better way to celebrate than with some mint chocolate chip cupcakes! This recipe is a classic and the minty green frosting makes its perfectly festive for an Irish holiday.

Mint Chocolate Cupcakes

~*~ Makes 15 Cupcakes ~*~

Ingredients for Chocolate Cake:

• 1 stick Butter, softened to room temperature
• 1 1/4 Cup Sugar
• 2 Eggs
• 3/4 Cup Flour
• 1 tbs Baking Powder
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 1/2 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• 1/2 Cup Milk
• 1 tbs Vanilla

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Beat the butter with an electric mixer until it is soft, then add sugar. Beat about 3 minutes.
3. Add the eggs, one at a time beating until they are well combined.
4. In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients and whisk them until they are well combined
5. Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients to the butter and sugar and beat it just to combine.
6. Add the liquids (milk & vanilla), scrape down bowl and beat to combine.
7. Continue adding the dry ingredients. Beat for another minute till smooth
8. Fill cupcake liners and bake for 20-22 minutes.

Mint Buttercream

Ingredients

• 2 sticks of room temperature butter (it’s very important they are room temp)
• 3 cups of powdered sugar (no need to sift)
• 1 tbs of cream of tartar
• 6 tbs of Half and Half
• 1/2 cup of thawed cool whip
• 1/4 tsp mint extract (use a little more depending on how “minty” you want it)
• 2 drops of green food coloring

Directions:

1. Beat the butter in your mixer until very creamy. You will need to scrape the bowl several times
2. Adding one cup of powdered sugar at a time, mix in with the butter.
3. Add the half and half and mint extract. Beat on medium speed for 5 minutes (be patient!)
4. Add the cream of tartar, food color and cool whip.
5. Mix on medium high for another 3-4 minutes.

I like to decorate my cupcakes with mini semi-sweet chocolate chips. It’s also a nice touch to bake them in some festive cupcake liners.

There you have it, an easy and delicious way to celebrate the luck of the Irish!

Stay Sweet!

xoxo, Jill

Butterfinger Cupcakes

 

Happy Wednesday! How’s everyone holding up? With only 18 days until Christmas, I’m sure you’re all as busy as I am.

Believe it or not, I still don’t have my tree up or any decorations in my house! I do have the bulk of my gifts bought though– that counts for something, right? I also have been baking up a storm, but I’m sure that doesn’t surprise any of you 🙂

Today, I actually wanted to take a break from the traditional holiday treats  and feature a cupcake that is one of my absolute favorites! It’s a Butterfinger cupcake, and I guarantee it will fit in just fine at any holiday event or get-together. Enjoy the recipe!! Xoxo

Here’s What you’ll need:

Cupcakes:

• 1 stick Butter, softened to room temperature
• 1 1/4 Cup Sugar
• 2 Eggs
• 3/4 Cup Flour
• 1 tbs Baking Powder
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 1 cup of finely crushed Butterfinger (I use a food processor )
• 1/2 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• 1/2 Cup Milk
• 1 tbs Vanilla

Frosting:

• 2 sticks of butter, softened to room temperature
• 3 cups of powder sugar
• 1/3 cup of cream cheese
• 1 tbs of vanilla extract
• 2 cups of crushed Butterfinger (approx 4 candy bars)

Cupcake Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. In your mixer (or with a handheld mixer) beat the butter until it is soft, then add sugar and continue to beat for about 3 minutes.
3. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing until they are well combined.
4. In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients(Cocoa Powder, Flour, Salt, Baking Powder)  and whisk them until they are well combined
5. Add the mixture of dry ingredients to the butter and sugar. Mix well until combined
6. Mix in crushed Butterfinger
7. Add the liquids (milk & vanilla), scrape down bowl and beat to combine.
8. Fill cupcake liners and bake for 20-22 minutes.

While your cupcakes are baking, let’s work on the frosting!

Frosting Directions:

1. In your mixer beat the butter and cream cheese on med-high speed until light and fluffy.
2. Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time, mixing well between each cup
3. Mix in the vanilla, mix for 1 minute
4. Add in the crushed Butterfinger and mix for another minute.

** If your frosting is too thick, add a small amount of milk or creamer. If your frosting is too thin, add some extra powdered sugar **

 

Later this week I will be sharing a recipe for Snow-Cap Cupcakes! Have a great week everyone. Stay Sweet!!

Andes Mint Cupcakes

It’s official – the holiday season has arrived! Chick-fil-a is serving their seasonal peppermint mocha milkshake, Starbucks has their pumpkin coffees and minty latte’s, even McDonalds has a mint chocolate McFlurry. It became quite obvious that it was time for me to share my recipe for a delicious mint chocolate cupcake! If this doesn’t put you in a holiday mood, then I don’t know what will!

I love this recipe because it is easy and fool proof. Even the little one’s can help!

Here’s What you’ll need:

• 1 stick Butter, softened to room temperature
• 1 1/4 Cup Sugar
• 2 Eggs
• 3/4 Cup Flour
• 1 tbs Baking Powder
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 1 cup of finely chopped Andes Mint Chocolates
• 1/2 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• 1/2 Cup Milk
• 1 tbs Vanilla

~*~ Makes 15 Cupcakes ~*~

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Beat the butter with an electric mixer until it is soft, then add sugar. Beat about 3 minutes.
3. Add the eggs, one at a time beating until they are well combined.
4. In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients and whisk them until they are well combined
5. Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients to the butter and sugar and beat it just to combine.
6. Mix in chopped up Andes Mints
7. Add the liquids (milk & vanilla), scrape down bowl and beat to combine.
8. Continue adding the dry ingredients. Beat for another minute till smooth
9. Fill cupcake liners and bake for 20-22 minutes.

Frost with Mint Buttercream and Top with Andes Mint Candy Pieces.

For an easy decoration technique, spread your frosting over the cupcake with a knife. Dip each cupcake in chopped up pieces of Andes Mint Chocolate. Voila! Super Easy but still looks great!

Mint Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting instead of Mint

Smooth frosting with a knife over each cupcake.

Dip them in Ande's Mints and Enjoy!

If you prefer Chocolate to Mint, use my Chocolate Mousse Frosting recipe. It goes great with the Andes Mints!

Stay Sweet and have a great week! xoxo

October Photos

Hi All!

Today is November 1^st and I absolutely cannot believe that October has come and gone already!! I hope all of you had a ridiculously sweet Halloween last night, I know I did!

Today I am going to do a different post than I normally do. I have a lot of blog friends that do a weekly posting called “My week in photos”. I always love looking at their picture posts, so instead of sharing a recipe today, I’d like to share some photos with you. Don’t worry though, I’ll be back later this week with some great Thanksgiving Cupcake ideas.

Here are some photos from the past month ~~ Enjoy! xoxo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Red Velvet Cupcakes

 

Happy Friday! It feels so good to know that in a few hours, my weekend will be here! I recently made red velvet cupcakes for a friends birthday and rembered just how much I love this recipe. Its such a great recipe that I am recycling this post from when I originally posted in over a year ago. Enjoy!

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Red Velvet cake and I used to have a bittersweet relationship…I could never get the recipe “just right”. That was until I found a recipe that I actually like, and am capable of creating. I adapted this recipe from Bobbly Flay’s show “Throwdown with Bobby Flay”. Enjoy the recipe, and enjoy all the praises you’ll get when you pass these little guys out.

Red Velvet Cupcakes

adapted from “Throwdown with Bobby Flay”

Makes 16 Large cupcakes – 24 regular size cupcakes

Ingredients

For the cupcakes:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 4 tbs unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
• 1 ½  granulated sugar
• 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
• 3  large eggs
• 2 tsp of red food coloring
• 1/8 cup of water
• 2 tsp of vanilla
• 1 ¼ tsp of vinegar (white or apple cider)

Directions

Preheat oven 350 degrees F.

Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder into a bowl and set aside. (**Sifting is very important here – I usually skip sifting, but I don’t skip it in this recipe because without sifting, your cupcakes won’t be fluffy and moist.)

In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix oil, sugar, and buttermilk until combined. Add eggs, food coloring, vinegar, vanilla and water and mix well. Add the dry ingredients a little bit at a time and mix on low, scraping down sides occasionally, and mix until just combined. Be sure not to over mix, or the batter will come out tough.

Line your cupcake pan with paper liners, scoop the batter into the liners and bake at 350 degrees F for 20 to 30 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean. Let cool

 Cream Cheese Frosting

• 2 packages of 8 oz. Cream Cheese
• 3 cups of powdered sugar
• 1 tbs of vanilla extract
• 1 tbs heavy whipping cream
• 2 Sticks of unsalted Butter

Cream together cream cheese and butter – Mix on high speed up soft and well combined

Add the powder sugar one cup at a time – mixing thoroughly after each cup

Add in the vanilla and mix well

Beat on medium high speed until desired consistency is achieved.

ENJOY!!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

Cookie Dough Cupcakes. Yum!!

It’s Wednesday! That means halfway through the week. You made it this far, I think it’s time for a super indulgent treat! How about some chocolate chip cookie dough cupcakes? These cupcakes are so good, that I have a hard time sharing them. This recipe is fool-proof and will be one you use for many events to come. I promise!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes

Chocolate Cake: I always use this chocolate recipe!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Frosting:

Recipe from The Cupcake Review

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/4 cup brown sugar, plus 2 tablespoons
• 2 teaspoons water
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips (optional)

1. Cream the butter and brown sugar in a small bowl. Add water and vanilla and mix well. Add flour and salt and stir to combine. Stir in mini chocolate chips (optional).
2. Store in refrigerator until ready to use.

• 1-3/4 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, chilled
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon milk

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine 1-1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar, unsalted butter, salt, and vanilla, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as necessary.
2. Add milk and continue mixing until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula, as necessary. With the mixer running, slowly add remaining 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar, mix until well combined.
3. At this point you can mix in the eggless cookie dough mixture that you placed in the fridge. Mix in enough cookie dough to suit your taste. I like a lot 🙂

Frost your chocolate cupcakes with this delicious cookie dough frosting, top with some mini chocolate chips, or even some choco9late jimmies, and enjoy!!

Have a great rest of your week my friends. Stay Sweet!

Xo, Jill

Cupcake Fillings

I cannot tell you how many frustrated evenings I have spent trying to fill cupcakes with various creams, jams, and candies. I think every cupcake baker – at one time or another has felt this same irritation. If you cut a hole in each cupcake, it takes forever , if you just jam your filling tip into the cupcake, you don’t have enough room for the filling, and if you use an apple corer you end up taking too much cake out….oh the perils of  filling a cupcake – haha.

Cupcake Corer!

Not to worry, my dear cupcake lovers – I have found a solution!! Williams-Sonoma sells a “Cupcake- Corer” – perfect for all your cupcake filling needs. The best part about this product is that it only costs $5.00 – what a deal!! You simply push the corer into your cupcake and pull up. There you have it, a perfectly hollowed cupcake! The corer does all the work for you! I have read the reviews and they all seem positive. I wish I could give you my own review, but sadly enough I do not have this wonderful cupcake corer yet. I tried to order it online but it was “temporarily out of stock”. It is available in their store though – which is where I’ll be purchasing mine soon!

So what type of fillings are you going make now that cupcake filling is made simple?? I love a double berry filling but I also really enjoy a creamy Peanut Butter filling inside of a moist chocolate cupcake.

Peanut Butter Filled Chocolate Cupcakes

Peanut-Butter Filling

• 2 sticks of unsalted butter
• 4 cups of powdered sugar
• 1 tsp of vanilla flavoring
• 2 cups of Peanut Butter
• 2 tsp of milk

In your mixer, on medium high,  cream together the butter and the peanut butter. This usually take 2-5 minutes to achieve the proper consistency

Add your powdered sugar one cup at a time, mixing in between each cup

Continue mixing on medium high for 1 minute

Add your vanilla and your milk – mix for another minute. You’re frosting should be thick and creamy. If it is not the consistency you want, continue mixing for another 2 minutes.

Fill your chocolate cupcakes with this creamy deliciousness and enjoy!! Top with chocolate or peanut butter frosting – nothing is better!

Stay Sweet,

Jill xoxo

Chocolate Caramel Pretzel Cupcakes

 

Salty+Sweet=Amazing!!

It’s finally Thursday – only one more day until Friday – glorious Friday!! So let’s chat cupcakes! I’m thinking sweet and salty cupcakes!

I was inspired the other night to create a recipe for a crunchy pretzel cupcake topped with chocolate frosting and drizzled with caramel. What could be better? I don’t know about you, but I love the sweet and salty combo!

Let’s get started!

The base of this cupcake is a butter cake. For that you will need:

• 6 large egg yolks
• 1 cup (240 ml) milk
• 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 cups sifted cake flour
• 1 1/2 cups granulated white sugar
• 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 12 tablespoons (a stick and a half) unsalted butter, room temperature and cut into pieces
• 3 cups of crushed up pretzels

 

Directions

1. Preheat the over to 350 degrees
2. Line your cupcake pan with cupcake liners
3. Fill each cupcake liner with 1.5 tbs of crushed pretzels
4. In a medium bowl combine the egg yolks, 1/4 cup milk, and vanilla extract.
5. In the bowl of your electric mixer combine the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder and salt) and mix on low speed for about 30 seconds or until blended.  Add the butter and remaining 3/4 cup milk.  
6. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened.  Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for about 2 minutes.
7. Gradually add the egg mixture, in 3 additions, beating about 30 seconds after each addition to incorporate the egg.  
8. Pour the batter over the crushed pretzels in each of your cupcake liners
9. Bake for 18-20 minutes – until golden brown on the top

Top with gooey chocolate frosting and drizzle with warm caramel. Sprinkle with remaining pretzel bits if desired. The perfect late night snack! Even better with a cocktail!

 Enjoy xoxo

 Jill

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