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...]
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)
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:-)

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
For the Cupcakes
For the Mocha Butter Cream
Golden Oreo Vanilla Cupcakes
Sometimes you just have to do something that is you…


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
For the Cake
For the Frosting
Raspberry Cheesecake Chocolate Cupcakes



- 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
For the Chocolate Cake
For the Cheesecake Filling
For the Raspberry Butter Cream
Reeses Fluffernutter Cupcakes
I seriously can’t wait any longer to tell you about these cupcakes!!!

A few weeks ago I made like a million cupcakes

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
For the Peanut Butter Cupcakes
For the Marshmallow Butter Cream
Toffee Mocha Cupcakes
Eggnog Latte Cupcakes

(I say that but, in reality I won’t)
Vanilla cupcakes made with eggnog and topped with a coffee butter cream
Ingredients
Instructions
- 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.
- 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.
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 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
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
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!
Brownie Surprise Cupcakes
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
Oreo Coffee Cake in a Jar
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!)
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






























