Butter Rum Cupcakes (with only one stick of butter!)

Cupcake Batter (makes 24):

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup vanilla instant pudding mix (JELLO)
1/2 cup 2% milk (or similar)
1 stick of butter
3 eggs
1/2 cup dark rum (I used Myers)
1/2 cup canola oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup butterscotch schnapps

Baked at 325 degrees in a muffin tin with cupcake liners (I used the generic silver safeway brand ones, and they work spectacularly)

Based on the recipe by the mistress of spices. 


Directions:

• Mix all of the powdered ingredients in a very large bowl
• Beat the eggs in a notquiteaslargebutstillsubstantiallylarge bowl
• Add the rest of the wet ingredients into the bowl with the eggs and beat together until uniform
• Slowly stir the liquid into the powder bowl, and mix thoroughly
• You can add butterscotch chips to the batter before you put them in the pan, but the cupcakes really don't need it :)
• Put cupcake liners into a muffin tin and fill cupcake liners about halfway up.
• Bake for a little under 20 minutes or until the toothpick/corn cob holder/testing stick comes out clean :)

Butterscotch Butter Cream Icing
1 lbs powdered sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 stick of butter
1/3 cup vanilla pudding instant mix
2 tbsp of milk (I used 2%, but we use buttermilk or coffee cream or skim here sometimes as well)
1/4 cup butterscotch schnapps
1 tablespoon butterscotch chips




Directions

• Combine powdered sugar, pudding mix, and brown sugar in a bowl.  Feel free to skimp on the pudding mix- i didnt use all of the mix i poured.
• Melt down the butter in a microwave safe container, and add in the schnapps and beat in with the powdered sugar and vanilla.
• Slowly add in the milk as needed.  to move the consistency from sticky to lighter
• When the icing is uniform, melt the butterscotch chips to the point that they are crumbly pieces or liquid, and beat them into the icing.

Punkin' Chocolate Chip Bars

Punkin Bar Batter:
note: this is a very large recipe because I was baking extra for the holiday.  Feel free to safely half everything if you want to experiment with it :)

1 29 oz can of pumpkin (plain, not spiced)
3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground cloves
4 cups flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1½ cups powdered sugar
1½ cups vegetable or canola oil
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon baking soda
4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Baked at 350 degrees in two 9x13'' cake pans for about half an hour

Based on the recipe found here.


Directions:

• Mix all of the powdered ingredients in a very large bowl
• Beat the eggs in a notquiteaslargebutstillsubstantiallylarge bowl
• Add the pumpkin, vanilla, and oil in with the eggs until uniform
• Slowly stir the liquid into the powder bowl, and mix until uniform, before pouring into baking/cake pan
• Once the batter is spread across the pan, take chocolate chips by the handful, and throw them into the pan with the batter.  Yes, throw them.
• note: you can also mix them in with the batter before pouring, but it's *far* less fun ;)

Raspberry Mocha Brownies

Brownie Batter:
9 tablespoons cocoa powder mixed in 3 tablespoon melted butter (allegedly the heat brings out the best cocoa flavor)
2 tablespoons instant coffee powder
2 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup soft butter, room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs
½ cup raspberries

Baked at 350 degrees in a 9x13'' cake pan for about half an hour

Based on the recipe found here, and my Chelsea's mom's recipe for texas sheetcake brownies.

 Directions

• Mix Flour, Sugar, salt, baking soda, and baking powder in a large bowl
• Beat 4 eggs and add vanilla and 1/2 cup of raspberries.
• Melt 3tbsp butter and mix in the cocoa powder and instant coffee
• Slowly mix the eggs+vanilla+raspberries with the mocha butter, and mix this into the large bowl with the dry ingredients 
• Bake for 30 minutes in a 9x13x2'' pan

Vanilla Raspberry Butter Cream Icing
1 lbs powdered sugar
1 stick of butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp of milk (I used 2%, but we use buttermilk or coffee cream or skim here sometimes as well)
About a handful of fresh raspberries

Directions

• Mash up the raspberries in a bowl.  Typically I use about 10, but you can use less or more and still get some nice raspberry flavor to come through :)
• Melt down the butter in a microwave safe container, beat in with the powdered sugar and vanilla.
• Slowly add in the milk and raspberries, stopping early if the consistency of the frosting is desired.  If you add too much at once, you can add more powdered sugar to make up for it.