Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes

A couple of weeks ago I posted an amazing Spice Cupcake recipe that I took to a party with Alex’s coworkers. I also made a batch of these and took them too! I wanted to cover my bases with a wide variety of cupcake flavors and this certainly complemented the spice cupcakes. I love pumpkin anything and these cupcakes are no different. They have a wonderful spicy pumpkin flavor in a delectable chocolate cupcake base. They are super easy to make and would be a fantastic addition to your fall cupcake lineup.I made these with my last bag of frozen pumpkin puree from last fall’s pumpkin. The batter when you use fresh pumpkin is a little wetter than if you use canned so make sure you take that into account when making these. If the batter seems a bit wet to you make sure to add more flour. The consistency should be that of regular cupcake batter. If you use canned pumpkin you may want to add slightly less flour than called for, just to be sure your cupcakes aren’t overly dry.[amd-yrecipe-recipe:235]Source: Cake adapted from Kiss My Bundt – Chrysta Wilson

DIY Turtle Blended Coffee

Last week I posted my new favorite blended coffee recipe  and I thought I would follow it up with another fantastic recipe for a blended coffee. This time it’s a turtle blend though! So actually even more amazing that the first one I posted.This recipe tastes just like one you’d get at your local coffee shop. It is also super easy to make and you’ll be able to impress all of your coffee drinking friends while saving a few dollars on your daily drink. I’ve used brewed coffee that I cooled in the fridge overnight for this recipe since I’m not much of a coffee drinker. If you like your coffee a bit stronger you can amp it up by making this with either a homemade cold brew or one you pick up at the store. Like with the other recipe I’ve used almond milk in this one. I prefer the taste and the texture to any other type of milk when making blended coffees. If you prefer you can use whipped cream on top drizzled with caramel and chocolate sauces. This will really make it feel like a drink from a coffee shop and you’ve just saved yourself a few dollars![amd-yrecipe-recipe:228]

Vegan - Gluten Free Salted Caramel and Chocolate Cupcakes

Yesterday I posted a recipe for vegan caramel sauce and I thought I would follow that up with an amazing recipe for vegan and gluten free chocolate and salted caramel cupcakes! I had the challenge this summer of making treats for two friends, one who is vegan and the other who is gluten free. I also had the added hurdle of making things taste good. I really wasn’t sure how it would turn out but it surprisingly turned out amazing.Everyone who ate these were very surprised at how good they were. I even had someone remark that he “didn’t actually expect these to be edible, but they were and they were great!” The people I actually made them for really enjoyed them too. They said it was definitely one of the better recipes they’d had made for them.[amd-yrecipe-recipe:226]Source: Cake adapted from Sarah Baked G-Free

Chocolate, Lemon and Cardamom Cupcakes

When I made plain chocolate cupcakes I really wasn’t sure what type of frosting I wanted to make. I eventually decided to spice the cupcakes up a bit by blending cardamom and lemon in a light buttercream. The resulting flavor combination is sweet, tart and just the perfect amount of spicy.If I had decided exactly what type of cupcakes I was going to make to begin with I would have included some cardamom in the actual cupcakes. I probably would have done a plain lemon buttercream then so as not to muddle the flavor blend too much.[amd-yrecipe-recipe:209]Source: Cake adapted from Kiss my Bundt- Chrysta Wilson

Chocolate, Espresso and Hazelnut Cupcakes

I’ve been wanting to try baking with more espresso powder and coffee since people seem to love it so much. But since I’m not really much of a coffee drinker I never know if it tastes right before I go to serve it. These though are the perfect blend of espresso, chocolate and hazelnut buttercream that really melts in your mouth.This cupcake recipe is my go-to chocolate cake recipe. It is light, fluffy and oh so delicious! When combined with some espresso powder it adds just the perfect amount of coffee flavoring to the cupcakes.The hazelnut buttercream on top is the best part about these cupcakes in my opinion. I hadn’t ever really had something with hazelnut in it that I was a fan of before this frosting. But this is one of my favorite frostings I’ve made to date. I highly suggest that you make these cupcakes just for this frosting.[amd-yrecipe-recipe:208]Source: Cake adapted from Kiss my Bundt- Chrysta Wilson

Chocolate-Hazelnut Cupcakes

I accidentally made this flavor combination of cupcakes when I combined some extra hazelnut frosting I had and some extra plain chocolate cupcakes.  I not really the biggest fan of hazelnut, but these cupcakes are to die for! I only made a couple of these but I’m planning on remaking these again soon, maybe with a couple of changes to make them even more special. I’ll certainly post another recipe in the future if I make exciting changes to this recipe.The base for these cupcakes is just my normal chocolate cupcake recipe. This recipe is super light and fluffy and will be pretty much the best cupcake you’ve ever had in your life. I actually made these cupcakes for a different recipe I’m posting next week but had a few left over.One thing I can’t stand in life is the heavy buttercream made by most places. This frosting is a light and fluffy buttercream and will make you think you’re eating a cloud. The key to this is in whipping the frosting on high for several additional minutes. This helps the buttercream to be exceptionally light which in my opinion is the way to go.[amd-yrecipe-recipe:206]

Chocolate Nest Cupcakes

I wanted to do something a little different for Easter this year. So I decided to make little chocolate cupcake nests. This is a really neat little baking project that is sure to impress your guests without a whole lot of time and energy investment.I doubled the measurements below intending to have two dozen cupcakes for Alex to take to work. However, I only had one bag of Cadbury eggs, so that resulted in a little over a half a dozen cupcakes ending up with green sanding sugar (or grass as I liked to think of it). I think this combination really complimented each other. It had a really light, spring feel to it when I was putting them in the storage container. If you’re only planning to make one dozen cupcakes you should have plenty of mini-eggs with just one bag.This is the absolute best chocolate frosting you will ever taste…no I’m convinced of that. I’ve found that whenever I try to make a chocolate frosting it ends up being grainy or not really tasting chocolaty enough. This is not the case with this frosting recipe though. The combination of flavors really makes the chocolate pop and it is absolutely not grainy at all.[amd-yrecipe-recipe:186]Source: Cake adapted from: Kiss my Bundt – Chrysta Wilson

Seven Layer Bars

 Alex had been requesting these from me for several weeks before I finally got around to making them. For some reason the idea of nuts and coconut just really appealed to him. I made a few tweaks to this recipe, like always, to give it my own flair. It also helped that I didn’t have all the traditional ingredients like I thought I did. These would make an amazing and easy dessert for any Easter celebration this weekend.This is a chocolate-peanut butter version of Seven Layer Bars. Since I only had chocolate graham crackers and peanut butter chips I decided it would be best just to embrace it and make these a combination of chocolate and peanut butter. Alex has requested that I get the ingredients for traditional seven layer bars so I’m sure you’ll see that in the future.[amd-yrecipe-recipe:185]

Chocolate Guinness Cake

During our trip to Ireland we had lunch in this amazing little café right at the bottom of Dun Aonghasa. We followed up our lunch with a piece of the most amazing cake ever. Before we left Alex asked for the recipe and the happily gave it to us.  When we later talked to our host she just raved about the cake and how popular it was with everyone on the island. She mentioned that she makes this cake for pretty much every special occasion. I thought it would be the perfect recipe to post here on St Patrick’s day!This is one of the most incredible cakes I’ve ever had. It is dense, moist and very chocolaty. The light cream cheese frosting on top pairs so incredibly well with the cake you’ll think you’ve gone to heaven. This is the perfect cake for any sort of St Patrick’s Day celebration. I’ve used the Guinness Extra Stout for this recipe. However, we were told in Ireland that you can pretty much use whatever Stout you have on hand, but it’s better with Guinness!As you’ll notice below, I’ve left this cake in weight measurements. This is because you can get excellent, repeatable results with baking by weight. I actually prefer baking this way since the results are so absolutely predictable. If you don’t have a kitchen scale, or don’t want to bake by weight a simple google search on conversions will let you change the recipe.[amd-yrecipe-recipe:181]Source: Adapted from Nigella Lawson

Bourbon Banana Bread

I saw this recipe online and thought I absolutely had to try making it! So after figuring out how to find bourbon at the store (I’d never had to purchase bourbon before) I got right down to making it. I’ve made several small changes to the original recipe to make it more like the normal banana bread I make.This is a recipe in preparation for St Patrick’s day. Come back on Thursday for one of the most amazing (actually Irish) recipes I’ve ever had! I’ve realized that I actually enjoy baking with spirits, it lends the baked goods extra moisture and flavor. The bourbon in this recipe really pairs well with the banana. The chocolate I’ve added also give an additional touch of sweetness that I personally love in banana bread.[amd-yrecipe-recipe:180]Source: Adapted from Baking Bites

Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie

Happy Pi Day! For those of you unfamiliar with Pi day, it is the celebration of Pi (3.14) that takes place every year on March 14^th (3/14). I absolutely love to make different types of pie every year for Pi day, and this year is no exception. Check out last year’s savory pie: White Cheddar Macaroni Pie!This year’s pie is a chocolate bourbon pecan pie. Even though bourbon is an American spirit, I wanted to start paying tribute to St Patrick’s Day a little early.  There isn’t very much bourbon in this recipe so it mostly just provides a slight flavor to contrast the pecans and chocolate.I don’t typically make homemade pie crusts for any of my pies. This recipe is no different. It calls for a premade pie crust as the base. However, you can make your own if that is something you prefer to do. I just don’t really feel like I get enough of a taste payoff for the amount of effort a handmade pie crust takes.[amd-yrecipe-recipe:179]Source: Food and Wine

Gluten Free French Silk Pie

I love French Silk Pie! Since I went gluten free I haven’t been able to eat it though. I finally decided it was time to figure out a gluten free version of this pie. I don’t typically enjoy traditional pie crust so I’ve changed the recipe to a graham cracker crust. I think this makes the pie so much better overall. For this specific recipe I’ve used a chocolate crust. It will work with either chocolate or vanilla crust. You can either purchase a gluten free graham crust or make one of your own.The original recipe calls for chopped chocolate, however I never seem to have this on hand. I substitute with chocolate chips. I haven’t noticed a difference in the consistency of the finished product so I don’t see any issue in this substitution.Whipped cream or even cool whip makes an excellent topping for this pie. I’ve also put marshmallow fluff on the top. These are all delicious options for topping on this pie.[amd-yrecipe-recipe:143]Source: Adapted from- “Sweet: Our Best Cupcakes, Cookies, Candy, and More – Editors of Food Network Magazine”

Chocolate Espresso Cinnamon Cupcakes

I went into the office a few weeks ago and I love taking cupcakes when I go in. I have several coworkers who absolutely LOVE coffee and I thought I’d make a coffee based cupcake for them to enjoy. Chocolate is a fantastic compliment to coffee and cinnamon really rounds out the trio.These cupcakes are super fluffy and full of fantastic coffee flavor. The frosting on top was described as “heavenly” by several of my coworkers. It is made with real coffee, espresso powder and cinnamon all in a buttercream base. I chose to sprinkle cinnamon over top to balance out the coffee flavor, however you can use whatever you like, cocoa powder, espresso powder or cinnamon.[amd-yrecipe-recipe:122]

Chocolate Pumpkin Pie

After the Impossible Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes I posted last week, Alex requested that I make pumpkin pie. Of course I had to oblige but I didn’t feel like I could quite make a Thanksgiving Style Pumpkin Pie quite yet. So after some research I found this chocolate pumpkin pie recipe that I simply had to try.This pie went SUPER quickly. In fact, this was the only slice left by the time I got around to photographing it! I was actually just happy there was a slice left for me to take photos of. This pie is full of pumpkin and chocolaty goodness. Your senses will really begin to think its fall when you have a slice of this.This is a very easy recipe to switch to gluten free. Simply replace the graham crackers with a gluten free option, either gf gingersnaps, gf vanilla wafers or gf graham crackers. The rest of the recipe is fine as is! If you are worried about gluten contamination in the pumpkin pie spice blend simply make your own. I have a fantastic recipe posted HERE that is very easy and quick to make.[amd-yrecipe-recipe:118]Source: Adapted from Martha Stewart

Dark Chocolate and Pumpkin Brownies

With all the pumpkin treats I’ve been making lately I decided it was time for some pumpkin brownies. I really wanted to pair the pumpkin layer with a dark chocolate layer to give it a more complex flavor. These brownies are crazy yummy. Once you try one bite you won’t want to stop!While I chose dark chocolate for these brownies you certainly don’t have to. Using semi-sweet would temper the flavor a bit and still be incredible. I would hesitate to use milk or white chocolate since those flavors won’t really stand out against the pumpkin flavor.I had issues getting the pumpkin cream cheese layer to nicely swirl into the brownie layer. I ended up just smoothing the pumpkin layer down so my brownies had two distinct layers instead of swirls. I think next time I may try adding a little water to the brownie batter so they will swirl together a little better and look a little prettier.[amd-yrecipe-recipe:114]Source: Adapted from ABCgo.com

Gluten Free Chocolate Pumpkin Cookies

I absolutely LOVED my other gluten free pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. They are incredibly tasty and just knew I had to try a chocolate version of them. This recipe is a lighly chocolate version, but it still contains all the amazing pumpkin, spices, chocolate chips and pecans.  It is a can’t miss autumnal treat!When you make this recipe with canned pumpkin puree, you may want to consider lowering the amount of flour you add. I found the batter to be slightly dry when made with canned pumpkin resulting in more “cookie mound” type cookies. The flavor was in no way compromised, they just didn’t flatten out as much as the others did. This is due to the difference in water content of the canned vs fresh puree.The use of chocolate chips and pecans are highly suggested for this recipe. The cookies will work without, but I think they add that little extra bit to really push the cookies over the top. For a little yummy alternative using butterscotch chips would really add a unique flavor to the finished product.[amd-yrecipe-recipe:109]

Easy Chocolate, Banana, Nut Butter Cookies

My sister found this recipe and sent it to me. I was very surprised with the deliciousness and the easy of everything. With only five ingredients it is a very quick and easy thing to make. Everyone I served these to simply loved them! Since they are gluten free it is a wonderful way to get a dessert without a huge time commitment.I found the key to making this recipe extra delicious is using a VERY ripe banana. I found this enhanced the flavor and sweetness of the cookies. Since there is no added sugar in the recipe you need to rely on the banana to really make it taste great. If you find the recipe isn’t sweet enough for your taste you can add sugar or sugar substitute into the recipe. However I found it was quite sweet enough on its own with the banana and chocolate chips.[amd-yrecipe-recipe:102]Source:  Adapted from Spoon University

Tunnel of Fudge Cake

This cake…this is one of my absolute favorite cakes!!! It is amazing, incredible and something every baker must try. The rich chocolaty cake has a wonderfully gooey center that when served warm is reminiscent of a chocolate lava cake.I found this cake a couple of years ago and I’ve made it so many times since then. I actually had to search all my recipes on here to make sure I hadn’t posted it yet. But I saw I hadn’t, which I’m not really sure how I could have forgotten this recipe, and decided that you guys needed to have this one in your arsenal.Every time I make this cake it receives the highest of praise. It is ooey gooey and very rich. One small slice is more than enough for most people, but it will definitely leave you craving more. The cake itself is very easy to whip together. The longest part is letting it cool. I highly suggest making this cake for your next gathering. You will really impress your guests![amd-yrecipe-recipe:98]Source: Adapted from Annies-Eats

Chocolate Cardamom Cupcakes with Cinnamon Orange Buttercream

When Isannah visited for the second week this summer we decided to do some baking for her to take back to Olivia. I wanted to make something really special and different to take to her since she typically likes trying new things.I got the idea for these cupcakes from watching Cupcake Wars. The contestants were constantly talking about cardamom cupcakes and I decided to see why it is so popular among professional bakers. I wasn’t really certain what other flavors went along with cardamom so I pulled out my trusty food bible and decided to make a chocolate cardamom cake with cinnamon orange buttercream. This combination turned out to be an excellent idea.These cupcakes are not only light and fluffy, they are extremely flavorful. The cardamom shines through and the nutmeg and orange zest really make it pop. I’ve never worked with cardamom before so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I was very pleasantly surprised by the finished product. It is a fantastic cupcake that is perfect as the weather turns cooler.[amd-yrecipe-recipe:96]

Gluten Free Chocolate Almond Cupcakes

 These cupcakes are decadent. They are full of wonderful chocolaty, almond goodness that pretty much melts in your mouth. While the flavors may seem kind of plain these cupcakes are perfect for any occasion. The inspiration for these cupcakes was a Hershey’s chocolate bar with almonds. That is pretty much my favorite chocolate bar ever and I really wanted to pay homage with this cupcake.By using ground almonds in the batter you really get a little something extra in these cupcakes. Depending on how finely you grind the almonds you may find one or two small pieces in each bite. This really spices up the cake in my opinion. However, if you grind the almonds finely enough you will not notice any difference in the texture, there will simply be a light almond flavor in the background.I chose not to decorate these cupcakes in any way since I really think their simplicity speaks for themselves. If you’d like some form of decoration you could always add a design made out of candy melts. A heart or star would look especially cute on top. If you were able to find certified gluten free chocolate covered almonds those would also pair nicely as garnish.[amd-yrecipe-recipe:93]