New Year, New Adventures, New Food!

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Black and White Cupcakes &

Dark Chocolate Caramel Cupcakes

Hello hello! Welcome to the first 2012 post here at Peace Love & Yumminess! I have been m.i.a for quite some time lately but I am excited to be back and get rolling with some more posts. To make up for lost times I have two delicious cupcake recipes.

But first, how was everyone's holiday season? Mine was great and it was blast to share Christmas with my niece again this year. She was walking around the house saying Santa, Santa. Who knows if she really knew who he was but heck she knew his name so we were all excited. She also loved opening her presents even though she was a little confused. Handing out gifts seemed to be a little more enjoyable which made it fun for all us "big kids" too. 



is she not the cutest?



I also got quite a lovely present, a beautiful red kitchen aid stand mixer. Thank you Santa!!!!!



New Years came just as fast as Christmas did. But it was a blast and I got to celebrate it with great friends. It was also nice this past week because all of my siblings were in one place at the same time, which well that literally has not happened in centuries it seems. It was so warm out, like it has been lately, so we took some family pictures outside in the park.

me and the birthday girl on NYE



Me with my brother and sisters

It was a nice holiday and like always flew by way too fast. Now it's back to work and back to getting on track with lots of things like, blogging, eating better (I'll never give up cupcakes, ever), getting my butt back to the gym, being more productive, and well the list goes on as it always does every beginning to the new year.

I am leaving you with two delicious cupcake recipes but sad to say I only have one picture of each. I made these for the New Years party I went to which was also for my friends birthday and she requested anything chocolate. So I made dark chocolate cupcakes and one was topped with white chocolate cream cheese frosting(get it black and white lol), and the other was filled with caramel, and topped with a chocolate buttercream and I also drizzled some chocolate syrup over the top.

 I'll post the dark chocolate cupcake recipe first then the toppings after.

Enjoy and I wish you all a Happy New Year filled with lots of yummy food!

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes

makes 12 cupcakes

• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
• 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• ½ cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
• ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¾ teaspoon baking powder
• 2 eggs
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon table salt
• ½ cup sour cream

1. Preheat to 350 degrees F.Line standard-size muffin pan with baking cup liners.
2. Combine butter, chocolate, and cocoa in medium heatproof bowl. Arrange double boiler by bringing a small amount of water to a boil and turning the heat to low. Set the heatproof bowl over saucepan and heat mixture until butter and chocolate are melted and whisk until smooth and combined. Stirring often. OR microwave at 50% power, stirring every 30 seconds until completely melted. Set aside to cool until just warm to the touch.
3. In a small bowl sift flour, baking soda, and baking powder.
4. In a separate larger bowl whisk eggs then add sugar, vanilla, and salt until fully incorporated.
5. Add cooled chocolate mixture and whisk until combined.
6. Sift about one-third of flour mixture over chocolate mixture and whisk until combined; whisk in sour cream until combined, then sift remaining flour mixture over and whisk until batter everything is fully Incorporated.
7. Divide the batter evenly into the cupcake liners, filling 2/3-3/4 full.
8. Bake until skewer inserted into center of cupcakes comes out clean,  about 18 to 20 minutes.
9. Cool cupcakes in muffin pan on wire rack until cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes, then remove to remain cooling on wire rack. 

Black and White Cupcakes

• Batch of Dark Chocolate Cupcakes
• White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

• 4oz white chocolate (I tend to use more)
• 8oz cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 stick of butter, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2-3 cups powdered sugar 

Directions

1. Melt white chocolate in a double boiler (as described above) or in a microwave stirring at 30 second intervals until melted and smooth. Set aside and let cool slightly.
2. In a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer, beat together cream cheese and butter together until blended and mixed thoroughly.
3. Pour in the melted chocolate that has cooled and mix together.
4. Add vanilla.
5. Gradually add powdered sugar, until your desired sweetness. I tend to sift my sugar in to make sure its extra smooth.
6. Spread on cooled cupcakes or use a piping bag to top cupcakes.

*you might have extra icing with this recipe, but its so delicious you wont mind*

Dark Chocolate Caramel Cupcakes

• Batch of Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with holes cut into the tops
• Caramel sauce, homemade or store bought.
• Chocolate Buttercream
• Chocolate Syrup 

Chocolate Buttercream
Ingredients

• 3oz semi sweet chocolate chips
• 2/3 cup butter, room temperature
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1. Melt chocolate using double boiler (as explained above) or in microwave safe dish melting at 30 second intervals. Let cool slightly.
2. In a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer, beat butter until fluffy, about 1 minute.
3. Add cooled chocolate to butter and beat until blended.
4. Add vanilla.
5. Gradually add powdered sugar, adding more if wanting more sweetness. (again I sift the sugar to ensure smoothness)

Assembling the cupcake

1. Fill each cupcake with caramel sauce and let sit while making frosting. The caramel will soak into the cake and need more filling.
2. Fill again and then top with frosting, using a pipping bag works best since there is a whole in the middle and its uneven.
3. Drizzle chocolate syrup over top. I lay foil underneath to make clean up easy. I also hold the chocolate pretty high to make sure I don't get any big drops on the cupcakes and instead just lines of chocolate.