Cherry Jubilee Chocolate Cheesecakes

Cherry Jubilee Chocolate Cheesecake

Hey, there cheesecake fans.  Yeah, I’m talking to you:-)  These chocolate cherry cheesecakes are going to blow your cheesecake lovin minds.    You totally need to try these cherry filled cheesecake minis sometime this holiday season.  I love how plain and chocolatey they look, but then one bite and you realize it is so much more!!!   [Read more...]

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Mocha Cookie Crumble Cupcakes


So the other day my daughter and I went out to get groceries.
And she asked the question she always asks when we go out…
“Can we get coffee?”
Since I had it in my head to drag her to at least 3 stores that I was sure of,
I figured I better sweeten the deal for her.

“Sure.  Why not, I replied.”
We got to the coffee shop, parked, and went in.

I had an ulterior motive for going into the store instead of the drive thru…
these cupcakes have been swirling around in my head since the last time we stopped at Starbucks.
So…I knew I had to “pick up” a few extra green straws.
Oh, all right.
I was going to steal a bunch when we left.  You got me:-)

My daughter ordered the Mocha Cookie Crumble Frappuccino,
while I went with my all time favorite, the Mocha Coconut. (so happy it is here again)
Then on to JoAnn Fabrics to get lost in fun things.
We picked out paper for birthday invitations, looked at fabric, checked out the clearance,
and found a jumbo muffin pan that I had been looking for.
It was a successful trip with no complaining that I had been there too long.
Thank you coffee!

We headed to the checkout with our “treasures” and a gift card.
The girl at the counter was more than happy to help us and
asked what kind of muffins I was going to be making.
Being the spur of the moment baker and blogger that I am,
I replied that I wasn’t sure yet…
and that I was a baking blogger and bought pans “just because” all the time.

She was so sweet and even asked the name of my blog.
Now usually I am shy and don’t mention too much to real life people about my blog.
They don’t usually understand what I am talking about and
why I would bake treats for people I don’t know or can’t see.
Food bloggers, you understand right?

Fortunately, she seemed to be into blogs and
we talked about muffins and cupcakes for a few minutes.
The whole time I was smiling really big because I was brave and shared
my blogging passion with a real life, oxygen breathing
human that I could have reached out and touched.

My daughter and I got back in the van and headed to the next store.
I was kind of on a high from sharing, and so I was recapping the convo with my girl…
who really could have cared less that her shy mom gave out her blog name.
She just looked at me and laughed and said,
“Dude, you have stuff in your teeth.”

Are you kidding me?
Darn you delicious mocha coconut!!!
You took me down with your delicious floating coconut flakes!

Yup, yours truly had chocolatey coconut flakes in between my pearly whites.
No wonder the girl was so sweet and kind.
She was probably thinking what kind of moron baker walks around
showing off food in her teeth?

I wanted to die!
So much for that sharing high…
where is that shovel to bury myself with?

Now I am just hoping she forgets the blog name,
since I didn’t have any business cards with me to hand out. (thank goodness for procrastination this time)

My theory…she isn’t going to remember me anyway.
But just in case, I will avoid JoAnn’s for about a month!

Baking always helps relieve whatever kind of funk I am in.
And baking with kids is a really good way to forget embarrassing moments…
instead you begin to worry about egg shells floating around in the cake batter:-)
And did they just lick their fingers and then break more cookie chunks?

Since apparently coconut isn’t my friend right now,
I decided to make the cookie drink into a fun cupcake.

Chocolate and coffee…yes, please.
They were so yummy and made me kind of forget my crash and burn experience.

Thank goodness my husband took most of the cupcakes to work with him.
And then kids finished off all the pretty ones in the fridge.

Oh lookee what I just found in the fridge…a few extra cupcakes hiding in a box.
It was stressful remembering the traumatic coconut experience…
don’t judge me for eating cupcakes at midnight:-)

Want more Starbucks inspired cupcakes?  Check out these.

by Inside BruCrew Life
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 18 minutes
6026678
Ingredients

For the Cupcakes

  • 1 chocolate cake mix (18 oz. box)
  • 1 c. brewed coffee, cooled
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/4 c. vanilla yogurt
  • 1/3 c. butter, melted
  • 1 box instant chocolate pudding mix (3.4 oz. box)
  • 2 c. chocolate cookie chunks
  • 1/4 c. chocolate cookie crumbs, reserved for topping

For the Mocha Butter Cream

  • 1/2 c. butter
  • 1/2 c. shortening
  • 1/8 tsp. salt
  • 1 Tbsp. coffee extract
  • 4 Tbsp. mocha coffee creamer
  • 1/4 c. dark cocoa powder
  • 4 c. powdered sugar
Instructions

For the Cupcakes

In a mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, pudding mix, coffee, eggs, yogurt, and melted butter. Beat on low speed for 1 minute. Increase speed and beat on medium for 2 minutes. The batter will be very thick. Stir in the cookie chunks by hand.
Fill cupcake liners 1/2 full. Bake at 350* for about 18 minutes. Cool on wire rack. Top with Mocha Butter Cream. Sprinkle with extra cookie crumbs. Makes 30 cupcakes.

For the Mocha Butter Cream

In a mixing bowl, cream the butter, shortening, salt, extract and coffee creamer. Slowly add the cocoa powder and powdered sugar until all is incorporated. Whip on medium speed for another minute or until creamy.
Note: If you like a generous amount of frosting on your cupcakes, double the frosting recipe.
Thank you so much for reading my blog. If you liked this post, please leave a comment. Comments are a great way for me to see what is a blog hit or miss:-)
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Golden Oreo Vanilla Cupcakes

Sometimes you just have to do something that is you…

because no one else is like you.
And that is a good thing.

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Want to know something?
I get grief for all the craziness that comes out of my kitchen.
People say things like “Oh that is just Jocelyn” while rolling their eyes
or the best one…”Don’t you ever just make plain stuff?”
I like to make fun desserts.
Why? Because that is me.
Sure I can make a plain vanilla cupcake…but why?
Honestly it isn’t in me to be plain.
Every part of me screams be different and
don’t conform to the norm.
It’s why I like to wear funky shoes and carry fun purses.
Different, crazy, wonky…that’s me only in a very quiet form.
With my baking I am always thinking outside the box…
or inside the cupcake:-)
So even a request for plain vanilla gets to be dressed up.
Now let me preface this by saying,
the family that ordered all the cupcakes a few weeks ago
knows my dessert fetish.
They wanted a fun vanilla with no chocolate in sight.
If someone else wanted a very plain vanilla,
I would most definitely make them exactly what they wanted.
But lucky for me…I had cupcake permission to get jiggy.
So how does one go about making a plain vanilla…fun?
You head to the store and wander the cookie and candy aisles
until something jumps off the shelf and into your cart.
Sadly that really does happen to me:-)
As soon as I saw the golden oreos I knew we had a winner.
A hidden cookie surprise for the bottom…
and vanilla cookies and cream frosting.
Plain with just a little bit of an edge.
The only thing that would have made this just a little bit better…
sprinkles. How on earth did I manage to forget the sprinkles?
If you try this, please remember to sprinkle more fun on top!!!
Or don’t if that is how your baking heart is leading you.
I have finally learned after a few years of comments and looks
to just smile and be proud of my outside of the box creations.
Dr. Suess said it best…”There is no one alive that is you-er than you.”
Just have fun and be you!
Wear those zebra shoes with a hot pink scarf.
Bling out your neck with a few layered fun necklaces.
Bake up crazy and wild desserts.
Do it because you can!
Golden Oreo Vanilla Cupcakes

by Inside BruCrew Life
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 18 minutes
6025283
Ingredients

For the Cake

  • 1 box white cake mix
  • 38 vanilla cookies, divided

For the Frosting

  • 1/2 c. butter
  • 1/2 c. shortening
  • 2 tbsp. whipping cream
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 1/8 tsp. salt
  • 4 c. powdered sugar
  • 1 c. vanilla cookie crumbs
Instructions

For the Cake

In a mixing bowl, make up the boxed cake mix using the directions on the back. Place 30 vanilla cookies into the bottom of cupcake liners. Fill liners 3/4 full and bake at 350* for 18 minutes. Let cool completely. Frost with vanilla cookies and cream frosting. Take extra 8 cookies and break into quarters. Top each cupcake with one piece of cookie.

For the Frosting

Finely crush enough vanilla cookies to make 1 cup. Set aside. In a mixing bowl cream the butter and shortening. Add the cream, vanilla, and salt and cream again. Slowly add the powdered sugar until all incorporated. Add the finely chopped cookie crumbs and beat again.
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Raspberry Cheesecake Chocolate Cupcakes

It’s story time.
You might want to grab a cupcake…or two.
Would you like to know how my hubby became
the cheese to my cake?
It’s kind of long, so I totally understand if you want to skip to the recipe.
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14 years ago today (tonight) I married my best friend!
We had been dating for 10 months when he asked me to marry him, and
5 months later on May 23rd we tied the knot!
But before that…
It was fall semester of my junior year at Pensacola Christian College. The dorm that I was in had two rooms connected with a bathroom that we shared. I became really good friends with one of the girls next door (Grace). One of the things we were able to do on Saturdays was to attend various service projects. Grace was in charge of a girls project that went to an elderly folks home. There the students would play different card games for a few hours with them. One Saturday morning I decided to join Grace’s group. I met the group downstairs and was assigned a car to ride in. I remember seeing the driver and thinking what a cutie. As luck would have it, I even was able to ride in the front seat. I learned his name was Jeremy and that he was from Indiana. The whole way there we talked and had fun. Ok, maybe even flirted some. All morning I watched him interact with the old folks and thought what a great guy he seemed like! But the reality of it, was he had a girlfriend in Texas and I was “interested” in another guy from our class. We returned to campus and that was it. I really don’t remember seeing him much after that.
Christmas break came, and we were home for 5 weeks. During this time the guy that I had been “really good friends” with came to the realization that we weren’t meant to be. We truly were only friends. I was devastated because I really thought it could go somewhere. But God had other bigger and better plans for me. After three days of feeling sorry for myself, I finally decided that I just needed a break from boys. They just end up breaking your heart anyway, right? My suitemate Grace invited me to join her and her group of friends for dinner or church or something like that. I really don’t remember what we did first. She was dating a guy named Troy. Guess who Troy’s best friend from his home back in Indiana was? You got it. The cute driver that I had met months ago. We both hit it off again and started talking. Talking led to us to start meeting for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Our “dates” all consisted of church and food.
Let me explain a few things about the college before going on. It is a very conservative Christian college and they have extreme rules. Rules such as no hand holding or touching, period. If you were sitting next to each other, there needed to be a certain amount of distance. Honestly, in a few of these pics…we are too close. Guys and girls couldn’t even hold the same hymn book in church. Extreme, yes. I was paying for my own schooling and the price to go to this school (very near a beach) was super affordable. Beach and cheap. Not a hard decision to make. Plus, it was a beautiful campus with a great Bible-based education. I knew all the rules going in to the school and was ok with it. I knew that I wasn’t going to be so extreme when I graduated, but I was comfortable obeying them while I was there.
We dated for a few months before “going steady”. About halfway through the semester, Grace and her sister decided they wanted to visit their grandma in Daytona Beach. I also had an aunt and uncle that lived near there. The rule is that you can leave for the weekend, ONLY if you have relatives that you are staying with. We got our parents permission and turned in all the necessary paperwork. Now the catch was the boys were going with us. Troy had some relatives a few hours from Daytona, I think, but my guy had no one. Soooo, he dialed direct assistance and found someone with the same last name as him, changed the number slightly, and turned in his pass. He was the one with the car, after all. We left for the weekend of fun knowing that if we were found out it was the end of our college career there. They don’t take disobedience very lightly. Why we even did this? I don’t know. It seemed like a good idea at the time…we really thought no one would ever know. Our passes were almost all legit. We spent the entire weekend in Daytona at the beach. The girls stayed at Grandma’s house, and the boys had a hotel on the beach. During the day we met up and played at the beach and had dinner together. We got back Sunday night, and everything seemed fine.
Until Wednesday morning…I was in class when someone knocked on the door. The teacher opened it and in walked the Dean of Women. For some reason my heart dropped to the floor. And when she called me forward, I wasn’t surprised. I gathered my things and followed her back to her office. I don’t think my heart has ever pounded so hard before. How they found out…we have no idea. And how they knew to call me in first…I don’t know. I can’t lie worth crap and I bawl at the slightest thing. I was a wreck. So the minute she started questioning me, I broke down and spilled my guts in between sobs. My reasoning was if we were honest, maybe they would have grace and not kick us out of school. One by one everyone that went on the weekend trip was brought in to the offices and questioned. The school had a very strict policy that we violated and it didn’t matter that we were honest. The next day we were asked to leave the school. It was a hard day! Partly because the school has other rules about not talking to anyone at all before you leave. Basically you just disappear from the school and no one knows what happened.
I am thankful that God was working in the situation. I knew that I deserved my punishment for breaking the rules. Do I wish they had shown some grace and tried to restore us? Yes, but that wasn’t God’s plan. He wanted to teach us a lesson in humility and obedience. It has been a hard story to tell over the years, but it gets easier each time. Plus, we are able to see the humor in all of it now. Am I proud to say I got kicked out of college? Yes and No! No, because I broke the rules and had to pay the consequences and that is very humbling. Yes, because funny as it is…it is kind of an honor to be kicked out of that particular school. (I do mean honor very lightly:-)
We left the school not knowing what the other one was thinking. I couldn’t imagine what my parents were thinking either. Grace was able to pass my phone number on to Jeremy and he called me a few days later. Through the next few months we kept in touch, mostly through the phone and mail. He was in Indiana and I was in Pennsylvania, so we had a few opportunities to visit each other, too. We stayed together as a couple through all of it. That Fall I moved to Indiana and got a job, so we could be closer. We were engaged in December and then married in May.
14 years down and forever to go. I love him so much and will do anything or go anywhere for him! I am so thankful that God had big plans for us, even when we decided to break rules and go outside that plan.
I love you babe!!!
If you made it through all that, you really do deserve a dozen cupcakes:-)
How about the recipe to the one
I tempted you with during the story?
It’s a good one. Very story worthy!!!
 
Raspberry Cheesecake Chocolate Cupcakes

by Inside BruCrew Life
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 18 minutes
6025205
Ingredients
  • 1 box chocolate cake mix
  • 24 raspberry m&m’s (reserve for last)
  • 1/2 c. chocolate chips, melted (for topping)

For the Cheesecake Filling

  • 4 oz. cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 c. sour cream
  • 1/4 c. milk
  • 1/2 package dry cheesecake pudding mix
  • 1 c. cool whip

For the Raspberry Butter Cream

  • 1/2 c. butter
  • 1/2 c. shortening
  • 3-4 Tbsp. raspberries, smashed (keep juice with it)
  • 4 c. powdered sugar
  • 1/8 tsp. salt
Instructions

For the Chocolate Cake

Prepare the cake mix according to the directions on the back of the box. Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full and bake at 350* for 18 minutes or until top springs back. Let cool completely. Using a melon scoop or cupcake corer, cut the center out of the cupcakes. Fill with cheesecake filling and top with raspberry butter cream. Drizzle with melted chocolate. Keep refrigerated. Top with m&m’s right before serving.Makes 24.

For the Cheesecake Filling

In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and sour cream on low until creamy. Add the milk and pudding mix and beat until mixed. Fold in the cool whip.

For the Raspberry Butter Cream

In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and shortening. Add the smashed raspberries and salt and beat again. Slowly add the powdered sugar until all is incorporated. Beat the frosting until fluffy.
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Reeses Fluffernutter Cupcakes

I seriously can’t wait any longer to tell you about these cupcakes!!!

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What’s better than a peanut butter cupcake?
A peanut butter cupcake…
with a Reeses peanut butter cup buried inside
AND then topped with a marshmallow butter cream!
Yup, that’s way better!!!
Peanut butter and marshmallow fluff sandwiches
were my favorite growing up…
who am I kidding???
I still go crazy over a fluffernutter sandwich!!!
Or a spoon dipped into the peanut butter jar
and then the fluff jar.
What??? You’ve never done that before?
Stop everything…
go do it and then come right back!
You can thank me later.
Back to the cupcakes…
these cupcakes were ridiculously good!!!
Awesome crazy good that is.
If I had to make another batch of cupcakes right now…
it would be these hands down!!!
Which is saying a lot because the salted caramel mochas
were the most made cupcake in our house…until now!

A few weeks ago I made like a million cupcakes

for an adoption party at church.
Ok, fine it was only about 120…but it felt like millions
when I was piping on the frosting.
It would have been easier if it was all one kind,
but no, it was five or six kinds.
I have forgotten how many now!!!
All I remember was it was enough to put me into a sugar coma.
And if I go into sugar shock…
you are coming with me!!!
Sugar shock caused by dipping a spoon into the extra marshmallow frosting…
yea, of course that happened.
Don’t judge!
Sugar shock because I couldn’t help myself.
Stinking cupcake was teasing me with its peanut butter goodness.
A few pictures later and down the hatch it went.
It was totally worth all the extra time on the treadmill.
You want some now too, right?
Do it do it do it!!!
Are you still with me?
Stop drooling or licking the screen or…eating out of the fluff jar:-)
I declare this week to be CUPCAKE WEEK
mostly because I have quite a few to share with you.
And I don’t feel like waiting anymore!
So every post this week will be somehow cupcake related…
I hope you are ready for a good daily sugar rush:-)
Reeses Fluffernutter Cupcakes

by Inside BruCrew Life
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 18 minutes
6024955
Ingredients

For the Peanut Butter Cupcakes

  • 1 white cake mix
  • 3/4 c. water
  • 1/3 c. oil
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/3 c. creamy peanut butter
  • 1/3 c. sour cream
  • 24 reeses peanut butter cups

For the Marshmallow Butter Cream

  • 1 c. butter
  • 1 (7 oz.) jar marshmallow fluff
  • 3 c. powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 1/8 tsp. salt
Instructions

For the Peanut Butter Cupcakes

In a mixing bowl combine water, oil, and eggs. Add the dry cake mix and beat for 1 minute on low. Add the peanut butter and sour cream and beat on medium for 2 more minutes. Place an unwrapped peanut butter cup into the bottom of each cupcake liner. Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full and bake at 350* for 18 minutes. Cool completely. Top with frosting and sprinkles. Makes 24 cupcakes.

For the Marshmallow Butter Cream

In a mixing bowl beat the butter, fluff, vanilla, and salt until creamy. Slowly add the powdered sugar until completely mixed in.
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Toffee Mocha Cupcakes

It’s chocolate cake day!
It’s chocolate cake day!!
It’s chocolate cake day!!!
Chocolate Cupcakes
Hey, did you know it’s chocolate cake day? :-)
Not that I really need a “unique” holiday
to celebrate with chocolate cake.
But I will take the holiday just the same.
I actually made these mocha cupcakes a few months ago
for a friend’s birthday…
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Eggnog Latte Cupcakes

A Few Things I Love About The Christmas Season:
* Seeing all the beautiful Christmas lights
* Baking and eating lots of cookies
* Buying presents for loved ones
* Wearing new jammies
* Reading the Christmas story
* Decorating our house/tree
* Wrapping presents
* Watching old favorites on tv…Hello, Mr. Grinch
* Making a card to mail out
* Drinking lots of Eggnog Latte’s
I look forward to eggnog latte’s each winter.
After having a few too many of them so far,
I realized that I wanted to recreate my favorite drink
into a cupcake form.
This cupcake is going on my must make list
for every Christmas season after.
It had a mild eggnog flavor paired
with a delicious light coffee frosting.
Just perfect for this coffee addict!!!
I am thinking about freezing some eggnog
just so that I can enjoy these year round:-)

(I say that but, in reality I won’t)

What do you love about this time of year?
Eggnog Latte Cupcakes

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 22 minutes

Yield: 24 cupcakes

Eggnog Latte Cupcakes

Vanilla cupcakes made with eggnog and topped with a coffee butter cream

Ingredients

For the Cupcakes
1 vanilla cake mix
3 eggs
1 c. eggnog
1/3 c. oil
1/4 c. sour cream
1 tsp. rum extract
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
For the Coffee Cream Butter Cream
1/2 c. butter, softened
1/4 c. shortening
2 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 Tbsp. hot water
2 Tbsp. instant coffee
1/2 tsp. rum extract
pinch of salt
4 c. powdered sugar
1 Tbsp. heavy whipping cream

Instructions

    For the Cupcakes
  1. Preheat oven to 350*. Line pan with cupcake liners. Beat all ingredients on low for 1 minute and then on medium for 2 minutes. Fill liners 2/3 of the way full. Bake 22 minutes. Cool on a wire rack completely before frosting with coffee buttercream. Dust with nutmeg. Keep cupcakes refrigerated.
  2. For the Butter Cream
  3. Dissolve the coffee in hot water and set aside. Beat butter, shortening and cream cheese until fluffy. Add coffee water, extract, and salt. Beat in sugar slowly. After all the sugar has been mixed in, beat in whipping cream to thin it slightly. Keep refrigerated.
http://insidebrucrewlife.com/2011/12/eggnog-latte-cupcakes/
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Reeses Owls

My reputation as of late is “the crazy owl lady”!

It is no secret that I absolutely adore owls.
From the many owl necklaces in my jewelry box
to my etsy shop, The Trendy Owl.

If it has an owl on it…I will seriously think about buying it!
(Even now I am considering an owl cover for my phone)

So with “owl”oween coming up very soon,
(sorry I couldn’t resist)
I really wanted to make a simple owl treat that my kids
could help out with too.
They were more than ready to help me assemble owls…
only because I promised them Reeses when they were done.

Bribery.

It works every time:-)

I love how the edges of the reeses are ruffled…
makes it look like feathers, right?
Plus any treat made with reeses is an A+ in this household!

Everything on these owls is store bought.
All you have to do is bake the cupcakes…
and those came from a mix too.
See I told you it was easy:-)

Oh cute little owl.
I wouldn’t dream of eating you because…you are SO cute.

Wait!

You have a reeses body…

I can’t be held responsible for what happens next:-)


Reeses Owls

by Inside BruCrew Life
Prep Time: 30 minutes
6032742
Ingredients
  • reeses pb cups
  • mini oreos
  • candy eyeballs (I got mine at Hobby Lobby)
  • orange chocolate covered sunflower seeds
  • 1/4 c. chocolate chips
  • 1/2 tsp. shortening
  • lollipop sticks
Instructions
Melt the chocolate and shortening in a microwave safe bowl, stirring every 30 seconds until melted and creamy. Place in a plastic baggie and cut the tip off. Use a sharp knife and cut a small slit in the side of the reeses cup. Dip the end of the lollipop stick in chocolate and very carefully insert the stick in the slit. Be careful to go straight in or you will have a reeses cup casualty.
Twist apart the oreos and use the side with frosting. Attach a candy eye to the frosting using the melted chocolate. Attach the oreo to the top of the reeses cup with more chocolate. Dip the back of the sunflower seed in chocolate and attach to the cup. Let set and then place into the top of a cupcake. Break the stick to fit just right.
*Note: I didn’t put measurements, because you can make as few or as many as you like.
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Linked to:
This Chick Cooks, Gingersnap Crafts, Handy Man Crafty Woman, Gooseberry Patch
What I Made, Cast Party, Show and Share, Someday Crafts, The CSI Project
Sugar and Spice, Hoosier Homemade, Sweet Treats, The Frugal Girls
It’s a Keeper, Tickled Pink, WhipperBerry, Fusion Friday
, TaterTots and Jello
Six Sisters Stuff

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Pudding Filled Dirt Cupcakes

 

This past month I discovered that I have a super power.
I have the Jedi mom mind powers.
I figured it out when my youngest son was talking about
his upcoming birthday and the party he wanted.

I casually mentioned that he liked playing Angry Birds
on my phone. What a fun party that might be.

And all of a sudden he wanted to have an Angry Birds party!

A few weeks later, I realized this type of a party was going to
be rather difficult as there really are no store decorations
to be found for this yet.
Meaning I would probably have to hand make any and all party decor.
Hhhhmmmm…this could be very time consuming.

Then one day while out shopping, I came across a skeleton candy mold.
(the lightbulb goes off so I went ahead and bought it:-)
Again I casually mention to my son what fun a pirate party could be.
You know with a treasure hunt and all!
And dirt graves with candy bones:-)

I’m sure you can imagine my surprise (hee hee)
when he decided that pirates would be more fun!

[Read more...]

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Salted Caramel Mocha Brownie Cups

I have a huge confession to make today.

Believe me, my head is hung in complete shame!

I just did something that always bugs me when I see it in the store!

I was driving the kids to school this morning…
and I remembered that I had to stop at Walmart afterwards.
Now this is not normally a problem.
EXCEPT…
I get up in just enough time to throw on a hat and head out the door.
Yup you guess it.

[Read more...]

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Brownie Surprise Cupcakes

I have to admit I think the tooth fairy is over rated.
Whoever started giving money for disgusting little teeth…
well, they are just plain crazy.
I have no desire to touch said disgusting teeth.I am such a bad parent:-(
My youngest lost a tooth last night.
Boy was he ever proud of himself for yanking it out!!!

Why does this make me a bad parent???
I totally FORGOT to become the tooth fairy before face planting in my pillow.

Poor kid…it stinks being the third child with things like this.

I have a much better idea for celebrating!!!
Do you think we can convince our kids that cupcakes are better than money?

Especially cupcakes with hidden brownie bites inside of them!

And lots and lots of sprinkles.

What do you say moms?
Let’s boycott the whole tooth fairy thing
and become cupcake fairies:-)

I just don’t recommend putting the cupcakes under the pillows:-)

Do you think the kids will go for it?
(I have a feeling the kids will still just want the money!)

Brownie Surprise Cupcakes

brownie mix
white cake mix
1/4 c. sour cream

Preheat oven to 350* Make up your brownies according to the package. Let cool. Roll into small 1 & 1/2 inch round bites and freeze. While the brownie bites are freezing, mix up your cake mix according to the box. Add the sour cream in with the liquid ingredients. Fill cupcake liners with 1 tbsp. cake batter. Place a frozen brownie bite in the liner and cover the bite with batter. The liners should be about 3/4 full. Bake for 20-22 minutes. Cool completely. Frost with Chocolate Cream Cheese Butter Cream frosting. Sprinkle generously!

Chocolate Cream Cheese Butter Cream

1/2 c. butter, room temp.
2 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. shortening
1/8 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tbsp. milk
4 c. powdered sugar
1/2 c. cocoa powder

Cream the butter, cream cheese, and shortening. Add the salt, vanilla, and milk and beat again. Slowly start adding your sugar and cocoa powder until fully incorporated. Beat for 1 minute on medium speed. Frost cupcakes. (if it is still too thick to pipe, beat in 1 more tbsp. milk)

Happy Friday!!!

Linked to:
Tickled Pink, Whipperberry, Serenity Now, Be Different, Act Normal
Sugar Bananas, Six Sister’s Stuff, Sweet as Sugar, Ladybird Ln.
Nifty Thrifty Things

Thank you so much for reading my blog. If you liked this post, please leave a comment. Comments are a great way for me to see what is a blog hit or miss:-)
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Oreo Coffee Cake in a Jar

My husband likes to play a trick on me EVERY time we take a long trip.
We usually like to stop for coffee at Starbucks,
where I order my flavorings with a little coffee:-)
Then I sit back to enjoy the drive…
really I bring stuff to work on so I won’t get bored.
Like fabric flowers or magazines to read.
Stuff that is easy to do and still carry on a conversation.This is where the husband likes to play his trick…
while I am busy with my nose buried into said magazine,
he will switch our coffee cups and then sit back and wait.
Sometimes he even takes a sip, just to see if I notice
that he is drinking from the wrong cup holder.

Sadly I never notice:-(

Now if we both order “good” drinks, this isn’t a problem.
BUT he is a black coffee drinker, and I am NOT!
So, this trick plays out very well for him,
when I pick up the switched cup and take a big swig!

(Insert lots of gagging and choking here from me,
and huge laughing from my husband)

I will never understand how he can stand that stuff straight.
Give me a White Chocolate Mocha any day over that:-)

One of these trips I will remember that he is going to trick me…
I will be watching!!!!
(haha probably not:-)

If he ever tried to switch out my cupcakes,
that is for sure something I would notice.
Especially bad boys like these!
Full of chocolatey oreo coffee goodness!
So decadent and delicious…
you better have a glass of milk handy!

And they are in jars so it amps up the cute factor!
Plus it makes them super easy to take on trips with you.
(These made it in a cooler for an 8 hr drive this summer!)


Oreo Coffee Cakes in a Jar

1 chocolate cake mix
1 c. buttermilk
1/2 c. oil
4 eggs
2 c. chopped oreos

Preheat oven to 350*. Place liners in muffin tin. Beat cake mix with buttermilk, oil, and eggs for 1 minute on low. Then beat on medium for 2 minutes. Stir in oreos. Fill liners 3/4 full and bake for 20-22 minutes. Cool completely. Unwrap cupcakes and cut in half. Place the bottom of the cupcake in a 1/2 pint jar. Spoon in some Coffee Cream filling. Place the top of the cupcake on top of the cream filling. Pipe Espresso Butter Cream on top. Decorate with chocolate covered coffee beans. If you want to decorate the jars a little fancy, cover the lid with a cupcake liner before screwing on the cap. Tie on a ribbon or twine and attach a fork with it.

Coffee Cream Filling
1 (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 (12 oz.) cool whip, thawed
1 small package vanilla pudding
1 c. sour cream
1/2 c. warm milk
3 tbsp. instant coffee

Dissolve the coffee in the warm milk and set aside. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the sour cream and mix well. In a small bowl, beat the coffee milk and pudding mix on low for 2 minutes. Stir it into the cream cheese mixture. Fold in the whipped topping.

Coffee Butter Cream
1/2 c. shortening
1/2 c. butter, room temperature
1/8 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. warm water water
2 tbsp. instant coffee
1 tsp. vanilla extract
4 c. powdered sugar

Dissolve the instant coffee in the warm water. Set aside. Beat shortening and butter until creamy. Add the salt, coffee water, and vanilla and cream again. Slowly add the powdered sugar. Add another 1-2 tbsp. water. Beat thoroughly. You want the frosting to be creamy, but stiff enough to pipe.

Linked to:
Lady Behind the Curtain, Sweet Peas and Bumblebees, What’s Cooking, Sew Stylish
This Chick Cooks, Handy Man, Crafty Woman, Sugar and Spice, Something Swanky Full Plate, It’s a Keeper, Sweet Tooth Friday, WhipperBerry, Sugar Bananas
Six Sister’s Stuff, Sweets for a Saturday

Thank you so much for reading my blog. If you liked this post, please leave a comment. Comments are a great way for me to see what is a blog hit or miss:-)
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