Chocolate Cupcakes with Raspberry Filling and Cream Cheese Icing

These cupcakes were inspired by a friend, I combined a bunch of different recipes to make these.

For the Cupcake :

• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Combine cocoa powder, flour and baking powder and set aside.
3. In another bowl combine sugar, eggs, vanilla, milk and vegetable oil.
4. Whisk flour mixture into egg mixture.
5. Fill cupcake liners and bake 15-20 minutes
6. Allow to cool while you prepare raspberry filling.

Raspberry Filling:

• 8 oz marscarpone cheese, chilled
• 1/2 cup raspberries (I used fresh, but you can also use frozen)
• 1/4 cup sugar

1. Use a food processor to combine filling ingredients.
2. Transfer to pastry bag with rounded tip (not a huge one, but not one that will get clogged incase any pieces of raspberry pass through)
3. Push tip gently into cupcake and squeeze into mixture until cupcake plumps up.

Cream Cheese Icing:

• 1 stick butter, at room temp
• 8 oz cream cheese (chilled from fridge)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1-4 tbsp heavy cream (you will only add 1 at a time because you still want frosting to be thick)

1. Blend butter and cream cheese in your mixer.
2. Add vanilla and powdered sugar and beat until fluffy
3. Add in heavy cream until icing is consistancy you desire.
4. Pipe on cupcakes

Chicken Francese and Stuffed Potatoes

Thanks to pinterest I found a recipe for these egg stuffed baked potatoes that looked awesome. I wasn't sure what to make it with, so made it with Chicken Francese my favorite.

Chicken Francese

• 4 skinless chicken breasts (thin cut)
• flour for dredging
• salt and pepper
• 3 lg eggs
• 3 tbsp water
• 1/4 extra virgin olive oil
• 3 lemons, sliced in half
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley

1. Season flour with salt and pepper and combine eggs with water for egg wash.
2. Heat the oil over medium high
3. Cover chicken on both sides with flour and dip into egg wash.
4. When oil is hot place chicken in pan and brown both sides.
5. Add wine and chicken broth over chicken and squeeze lemons on top.
6. I placed lemon halves in pan around the chicken after I squeezed out the juice to keep a nice lemon flavor.
7. Keep cooking till chicken is completely cooked and sauce thickens up.
8. Sprinkle with parsley before serving.

Egg Stuffed Baked Potatoes (from the village cook)

•  Baked potatoes, slightly cooled
• melted butter
• salt and pepper
• shredded cheese
• eggs
• crisp bacon

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Once baked potatoes are cooled, slice a layer off the top and use a spoon to scoop out the insides. Leave a thin layer of potato against the skin.
3. Brush inside of potato with melted butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
4. Sprinkle with shredded cheese and cooked bacon you crumbled.
5. Crack egg on top of each potato and sprinkle with some more cheese and bacon.
6. Bake for 20 minutes, egg whites should be set and yolks set.



Valentine Chocolate Chip Cookie Pops

I made about 18 pops with this recipe, you will make more or less depending on the size cookie cutter you use. This is great for any holiday or party, I did hearts since Valentines is just a few days away. Got this recipe from the Glorious Treats blog and found it while on my new favorite site pinterest.

• 1 cup butter
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 2 1/3 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/3 cups mini chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Beat butter until smooth and add sugars and cream till combined.
3. Add egg yolk and vanilla. Beat until combined.
4. Add salt and flour, beat till combined.
5. Stir in chocolate chips
6. Roll out dough and cut with your favorite cookie cutter.
7. Push in cookie stick and use extra dough to cover stick in cookie.
8. Place on parchment lined cookie sheet and bake with the cookie stick side on the parchment.
9. Bake 10-12 minutes.
10. Take out and cool before icing.

Butter Frosting:

• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2-4 tbsp milk

1. Combine powdered sugar and melted butter.
2. Add vanilla
3. Add milk 1 tbsp at a time until frosting is at consistency you desire.
4. Add coloring of your choice.

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Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cupcakes

Got this recipe from the How Sweet It Is blog. This is different than your usual cupcake and I love trying out new recipes. This recipe makes a dozen cupcakes.

• 1 large egg
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 stick butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cups flour
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tbsp milk
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 and line cupcake tin with liners
2. Whisk egg and sugar together until creamy
3. Add in flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
4. Add milk and stir till combined.
5. Stir in Chocolate chips
6. Drop batter in liner and bake 15-17 minutes.
7. Let cool before frosting.

Cinnamon Sugar Choc Chip Frosting

• 2 sticks butter softened
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tbsp vanilla
• 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips

1. Beat butter till creamy and slowly add in powdered sugar.
2. Add brown sugar, cinnamon and vanilla.
3. Fold in chocolate chips and frost cupcakes.