Happy Birthday(cake)!!

 

  It was my sister-in-law's birthday so I offered to bake a cake. I wanted to try a new recipe and I found a good one for a yellow cake. I always wish for my made-from-scratch cake to have the same tender crumb of a cake mix but without the weird flavors that come with using a mix. I have to say that this one is pretty darn close. It is certainly more dense than a mix, but it has a nice crumb and good flavor. I thought of spreading some homemade raspberry jam in the middle and frosting it with a vanilla buttercream, but them decided a chocolate buttercream was a better choice for a fall cake. So here it is. I actually think my favorite part of the entire cake is the edible "Disco Dust" I found at a specialty shop. The photos really do not do it justice...it is really fun! I recommend you get some and try it for yourself.

 

Yellow Cake

4 cups plus 2 TBS. sifted cake flour 

2 tsp. baking powder 

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 sticks softened butter

2 cups sugar

2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

4 large eggs, room temperature

2 cups buttermilk (or two cups milk with 1 tsp. vinegar)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour two nine-inch cake pans and set aside. Sift flour together with baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in vanilla, turn down the mixer to slow speed and then add eggs one at a time, being sure to mix well after each. Mix in buttermilk just until blended. Don't worry, the mixture at this point will look a little curdled. Then slowly add the flour mixture in three parts. Divide evenly between the two pans. Lightly tap each pan on the counter a few times to eliminate any air bubbles. Bake for ~30 minutes until cake is done when a tester is inserted. Take out of oven and place pans on a wire rack for ten minutes before removing from pans.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

makes about 4 cups

1 1/2 sticks softened butter

4 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/8 tsp. salt

5 TBS. milk or cream

6 ounces unsweetened chocolate(chopped)

Melt chocolate in top of double boiler and stir until smooth. Take off heat and set aside to cool. In mixing bowl, mix the other 5 ingredients together until smooth. Then pour in chocolate and mix until on high speed until thoroughly combined. You may want to add another tablespoon or two of milk if it seems too stiff. This frosting will spread nicely and then "set up" a bit while the cake stands, so do not be afraid to have the frosting kind of soft to start out.

I flipped each layer of my cake upside down to frost. The top is so moist, the crumbs are easily pulled off by the frosting. This method seems to work well and the cake is nice and level when you are finished. Find some "Disco Dust" and sprinkle liberally on top for a fun finish.

This cake is best served with a cup of coffee or a tall glass of milk.

Enjoy- 

yours in baking-

p

Madeleines and Tea

    This past summer, I splurged and bought a madeleine pan. It was a bit of an investment ($35 for a very nice one), but I had always wanted to make them and the pan moved me one step closer. A few weeks ago I had a Julia Child themed dinner party and I quickly baked some madeleines in the afternoon to serve as one of the desserts. I was amazed at how quickly they came together, but I was not entirely happy with the texture. They had a nice buttery orange flavor, but were a little dry and not as delicate as I would prefer. So when I woke up this morning and I knew I had an extra hour today because of setting the clocks back, I thought...it is time to try again. I also promised some of my students who read some Julia Child books for my summer reading project last summer that I would bake them some madeleines, so I had added incentive!

    I  did some online research and found a different madeleine recipe that uses fewer eggs(which although they do hold together the little cakes, can have a tendency to dry them out). They were in the oven ten minutes later and I must say, were much better this time. What I am really waiting for is to get my friend, Eric's recipe. He grew up in France and his madeleines are superb. But until then, these will do. Maybe you want to splurge for a pan and give these a try. You won't be sorry you did.

Madeleines

1 cup sugar

5 eggs

1/2 cup butter( melted)

1 tsp. vanilla

the zest of one ornge( or lemon)

1 1/2 cups cake flour

2 tsp. baking powder

confectioner's sugar (for dusting)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a medium bowl mix together your sifted flour and the baking powder and set aside.

Beat eggs in a large bowl until pale yellow in color. Mix in sugar, butter, vanilla and zest until well blended.

Fold the dry ingredients into your egg mixture with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. Be sure to mix evenly but do not overmix or your cakes will be too chewy.

Drop by tablespoon into each greased madeline mold. There are 12 in a pan. 

Bake for 8-9 minutes or until the top of each puffy little cake springs backwhen you touch it and the edges look G, B and D. (Golden, brown and delicious.)

Turn your cakes out onto a wire rack to cool and bake the next batch of 12. 

Sprinkle your cakes with a little powdered sugar and enjoy with a nice cup of tea.

yours in baking-

p

 

Almond Biscotti

   It has been some time since my last  post and I have been baking quite a bit during that time, but just couldn't seem to find the time to take photos and write a post. I have a number of new recipes to add so I may make up for lost time in short order!

    With school back in session...so comes Java Hut and our Thursday morning gathering presents regular opportunities for me to try out new recipes or whip up a past favorite.

    Seeing that it is a coffee gathering, biscotti is always a popular option and these almond biscotti have made a regular appearance although I do like to "mix it up" with different add-ins or chocolate drizzled on top.

    I found this recipe online at "Joy of Baking" and I have made subtle changes to it over the past few years that I have been baking them. As I have said before, many people find bisoctti intimidating for some reason. Remember they are simply a twice-baked cookie and I have to say are even easier than making traditional cookies because you bake an entire "batch" in one loaf for the first baking!

Almond Biscotti

~1 cup sliced almonds

1 tsp. baking powder

1/8 tsp. salt

2 cups all purpose flour

3/4 cup sugar

3 eggs

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 tsp. almond extract

2-3 squares Melting chocolate for the drizzle on top

(I used white chocolate for these, but I used semi-sweet chocolate which makes for a nice contrast on the biscotti)

Optional add-ins; chocolate chips, dried cherries, 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

(If you want to toast your almonds, places them on a cookie sheet in a 350 degree oven for about 6 mintues. Watch them carefulyl as one they start to brown, it seems to take no time at all for them to burn.)

In a small bowl, beat eggs together with your extracts.

In large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt . With either a hand mixer or just a spoon, stir in the egg mixture until well-mixed. Then stir in your almonds and any other add-ins you choose. I have a biscotti pan, so I place the dough in the greased pan and pat it down with slightly wet fingers(so that the dough doesn't stick to them).

If you do not have a biscotti pan, no worries. Simply form a long flat loaf on a greased cookie sheet.  The loaf should be about twelve inches long and 3-4 inches wide.

Bake in a 350 degree oven 25-30 minutes or until the loaf feels firm to the touch. Take out the loaf and let cool slightly. (You can keep the oven on but turn it down to 325 degrees)

Using a sharp knife, cut the loaf into 1/2 inch slices. (If you want to have some really long biscotti, cut your loaf on the diagonal.)

Place the biscotti on a clean cookie sheet and put back in the oven for 8 minutes. Turn over the biscotti and bake another 8 minutes or until they look slightly G, B and D on the edges...golden, brown and delicious.

Place biscotti on a wire rack to cool.

Melt 2-3 squares of melting chocolate and then drizzle over the tops of the biscotti with either a fork or a small spoon. Let stand until chocolate has set.

Sit down with a nice cup or coffee and enjoy.

 

Biscotti make great gifts. Simply put 8-10 in a nice bag and tie it with a decorative ribbon.

yours in baking-

p

Oatmeal Bread

     This is the oatmeal bread that my mom used to bake for us when I was young. I remember having it with warm freshly made applesauce on top. Yum. The bread is a nice moist loaf, perfect for sandwiches and toast and has just a hint of sweetness from the molasses. This is another recipe from the "Woman's Home Companion" Cookbook.

 

"A Woman's Home Companion" Oatmeal Bread

(makes 2 one pound loaves)

1 1/2 cups boiling water

2 tsp. salt

1 TBS. butter

1 cup old fashioned oats

3/4 cup lukewarm water

2 1/4 tsp. yeast

1/4 cup molasses

1/4 cup brown sugar

~ 5 cups flour

     In a large bowl mix together boiling water, salt and butter. Then stir in oats and let sit until lukewarm. Meanwhile dissolve the yeast in the lukewarm water and then stir in the brown sugar, molasses and 1 cup of the flour. Stir this mixture into the oats and then stir in the rest of the flour until it makes a stiff dough. Turn out onto a floured board and knead for ~10 minutes, adding a little more flour if necessary. The dough should now be soft and elastic. 

     Place in a greased warm bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Place the bowl in a warm place and let rise until doubled in bulk (about 2 hours). Then turn the dough out onto the board and divide into two equal parts; form into balls, cover closely with plastic wrap and let sit for 10 minutes. Then form into loaves and place in greased loaf pans. Cover and let rise for about 1 hour or until doubled in size.

    

     Bake in a 400 degree oven for 35 to 40 minutes until golden brown and the loaves sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. Gently lift the loaf out of the pan to test this. Remover bread from oven and rub the top of the loaves with the end of a stick of butter. This adds a nice little salty flavor to the bread and keeps the top crust soft.

 

Enjoy-

yours in baking-

p

Zucchini Brownies

    I promised a recipe for zucchini brownies about ten days ago and here it is! Believe it or not, after all of my concerns about zucchini taking over my backyard, I have had a rather poor crop this summer. I even had to purchase! zucchini to make this recipe. (At least it was locally grown.) This recipe makes an entire sheet pan so plan on sharing! This is an especially good recipe to bring to a potluck both because it makes a large batch and because it is fun to show your friends another way to bake with zucchini that is not just zucchini bread!

   This recipe was adapted from the cookbook " Creme de Colorado" and was referred to as "Chocolate Zucchini Sheetcake" in that cookbook. However, I consider them a moist brownie.

Zucchini Brownies

1 1/2 cups light brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup oil

3 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup milk with 1/2 tsp. vinegar added

2 1/2 cups flour

3/4 tsp. allspice

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. baking soda

5 TBS. unsweetened cocoa powder

4 cups firmly packed grated zucchini(You may be tempted to use more but please don't! The brownies are already very moist.)

1 cup chocolate chips(I prefer to use mini chips if I have them, but regular chocolate chips are also fine.)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray a sheet pan with cooking spray and then dust generously with either flour or unsweetened cocoa powder.

In a large bowl, mix together the sugars, butter, oil, eggs, vanilla and milk. In a separate bowl mix together all dry ingredients and then stir into the creamed mixture. Stir in the zucchini and then spread in your prepared pan. Sprinkle evenly with the chocolate chips and bake about 40 minutes or until the top springs bake when you touch it.

You can dress up these brownies with a dusting of powdered sugar and a dollop of sweetened whipped cream and this becomes a dessert for a nice dinner.

Because these brownies are so moist, they easily keep for a few days if you cover them with plastic wrap.

Enjoy!

yours in baking-

p

Choco-chip Banana Muffins

       In the summer it seems that it is always difficult to "keep up" with bananas. I like them when they are just ripe, with only a few brown spots. For some reason, I just don't care for them as much when they get softer and are really super sweet. So during the summer, it seems I usually have a couple of bananas on hand that need to be "re-purposed". Fruit smoothies are always an excellent choice, but I also love these muffins. They are moist and will keep for a few days (if they aren't eaten first)!

 Choco-Chip Banana Muffins

* 1/2 cup butter, softened

* 1 cup light brown sugar

* 2 eggs, lightly beaten

* 2 cups flour

* 1/2 tsp. salt

* 1/2 tsp. baking powder

* 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

* 2 cups mashed bananas(about 2 large or 3 medium bananas)

* 1/2 cups chopped nuts (optional)

* 2/3 cups chocolate chips

In a medium bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until well blended. Mix in the beaten eggs. Mix all dry ingredients together and then stir into the butter and egg mixture. Then stir in the mashed bananas until thoroughly incorporated and add chocolate chips and the nuts if you decide to include them.

        Divide the batter evenly in a 12 cup greased muffin tin. I like to use fun papers to line the muffin cups. I always like to find a way to use colorful things and it makes the clean-up even easier! The muffin cups will be quite full, but don't worry. These muffins do not rise as high as some muffins and cupcakes so they will not overflow! 

       I then mix one tablespoon of sugar with 1/2 tsp. of cinnamon in a small dish and then sprinkle generously over the tops of the muffin batter. It makes them smell divine while they are cooking and it makes a nice little flavor boost when you bite into the muffin.

       Bake in a 350 degree oven for 28-35 minutes. I used only 2 large bananas today and they did not seem as banana-y(nice word!) so I only baked them 28 minutes. You can tell they are done if you touch the top of one of the muffins and it springs back.

Cool on a wire rack for 5-10 minutes. Sit down with a cup of coffee or juice and enjoy.

yours in baking-

p

Lock Your Car Doors! It's Zucchini (bread) Time!

    Well, it is late July in New Hampshire and that can mean only one thing...zucchini season. In May and early June, my garden seems to grow so slowly that it is is difficult to imagine having fresh garden vegetables and then July and August come and it seems like they will never stop growing! The joke here goes that you have to be sure to lock your car doors when you go to a friend's house... otherwise when you get home you realize you have a back seat full of zucchini, some frighteningly large!

    While this grand proliferation often happens with lots of veggies, it is the zucchini that always gets a bad rap..the first one of the summer is delicious,,, then as the week progresses: after zucchini on the grill, grated zucchini into the freezer, zucchini casserole, steamed zucchini, zucchini quiche, you start to ask yourself,"What else can I make?!" Well, I love zucchini bread and I often make this recipe which I got from my mom many years ago. It is a tad sweeter than some zucchini bread recipes and is especially tasty toasted!

  Mom's Zucchini Bread 

for one loaf (EASILY doubled)

2 eggs

1/2 cup oil

1 cup sugar

1 3/4 cup flour

3/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

scant 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 cup grated zucchini

 1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup rough chopped pecans or walnuts

   Beat eggs and sugar together, then gradually add oil, mixing carefully to make sure it fully blends in with the egg mixture. Mix together all of the dry ingredients and then stir into egg/oil mixture until well blended. Stir in zucchini; then add raisins, nuts and vanilla and stir just until everything is incorporated. 
   Spread batter in a greased standard loaf pan and bake in 350 degree oven ~50 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. This bread freezes really well. I simply defrost it overnight, wrap it in foil and put it in a 225 degree oven for about 40 minutes and it is difficult to tell that it was previously baked and frozen. 

    So here is one way to bake with zucchini. Up next are my chocolate zucchini brownies, yum!

enjoy-

yours in baking-

p

"But it's fruit! #2" aka Rustic Red Raspberry Turnovers

I am always tempted by the cooking magazines at the checkout in the supermarket and I gave in last week when I saw Fine Cooking "Picnics and Cookouts". There are alot of intriguing recipes in the magazine but I was drawn to the "Rustic Red Raspberry Turnovers". Raspberries are in season right now and I love them, so I thought I would give these a try. I made these while my mom was visiting and she gave me a thumbs up for the recipe. I was surprised, frankly, at how easy the pastry dough was to make AND it is really delicious. It tastes a little like a sugar cookie, but not nearly as sweet. I definitely recommend making these for your family or even for company!

Rustic Red Raspberry Turnovers 

Buttery Shortbread Pastry Dough

2 cups flour
14 TBS. butter
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 TBS. sugar
1 TBS. whole milk or heavy cream
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. salt

In a food processor, combine the flour, butter, egg, sugar, cream, lemon juice and salt and pulse until the dough starts to come together in big clumps.

Turn the dough out onto a counter and divide in half. Pat each half roughly into a square, about 1 inch thick, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 20-30 minutes.

The Filling
5 tsp. granulated sugar, more as needed
1 1/2 TBS. flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
2 1/2 cups fresh raspberries

1 to 2 TBS. milk
 

   Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface using a floured rolling pin, roll out one square of the dough into a 9 by 14 inch rectangle. If the dough seems too sticky, dust it with a little flour. Cut the dough into 6 rounds, each about 4 inches in diameter. Do not worry if they are not perfect, remember they are RUSTIC turnovers. Repeat this process with the other square of dough and you will have 12 rounds total.

   In a large bowl stir 5 tsp. of sugar, 1 heaping TBS flour, 1/2 tsp. cinnamon and 1/2 tsp. nutmeg.Add 2 /12 cups fresh raspberries and toss to coat the berries. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

   Place a heaping TBS of filling on one half of each round. (4-5 raspberries or so). Gently press the raspberries down. Wet the edge of the round with water and carefully fold over the other side and press the edges of the dough together with either your fingers or the tines of a fork. If any small cracks form in the turnovers, try to gently close them with your fingers. Transfer the turnovers to the baking sheet with a metal spatula and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
   Brush the tops(not the edges) of the turnovers with milk and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 20-25 minutes until G, B and D. Golden, Brown and Delicious! Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

     Now pour yourself a nice tall class of lemonade, (mine here is mixed with some mango juice). Sit down and enjoy a turnover, or two! Remember it's fruit!

yours in baking-

p

Nana's Apple Pie

   I just found out a very cool new "trick" you can do.  Simply type in the word view after the / in your browser window and hit return. You can view the blog in a number of different and cool ways. There is a little drop down menu at the top so you and check them out. Very fun!

    While it may seem that there are as many apple pie recipes as there are types of apples, I find that it is often the homemade pie you have grown up with that tends to be your favorite. I grew up with my mom making homemade breads, rolls and desserts and that is clearly where my love of baking got started. 

    My mom was coming to visit for a few days and I thought it would be fun to have her make an apple pie which has always been referred to by my daughter Caroline as "Nana's Apple Pie". It is ALWAYS requested for holidays and barely makes it through the day before being finished off even when there are numerous pies to choose from! So here it is. I actually made my mom come up with specific amounts because whenever I ask her how she makes some baked good we grew up with, her reply is always "some" of this, "enough" of that...not exactly the scientific approach many bakers are looking for.

the CRUST

2 cups of flour

1 tsp. salt

2/3 cup of shortening (My mom made the big switch from lard to the Crisco some time ago and I convinced her to use Earth Balance Buttery sticks for this pie. I sometimes use just butter or a mixture of both. My mom still thinks that using Crisco makes the flakiest crust.

6-8 TBS. cold water

   In a medium bowl, mix together flour and salt and work in shortening with fingers until mixture resembles cornmeal. Mix in enough cold water with a spoon(or your fingers) until the dough just comes together. You can wrap the crust in plastic wrap and chill it for 30 minutes or so or use it right away.

    Using half of the dough, roll it out on an floured board and lay it into an 8 inch pie plate.

      the FILLING

5-6 large Granny Smith or Macintosh apples

2/3-3/4 cup sugar( dependign on how sweet you liek you pie)

3/4 tsp. cinnamon

2 TBS. butter

   Peel and slice your apples right into the bottom crust, being sure to lay them evenly in the pie plate and filling the plate until it is even with the edge. Sprinkle the sugar and cinnamon on top. 

   Roll out the other half of crust. Using your fingers, rub some water along the edge and then place the top crust on the pie. I use my fingers to fold the top edge of the crust over and under the bottom edge to seal the crust. Use a knife to trim off the excess crust. Dot the top with butter, make a few slits in the top to release steam and them sprinkle the top of the pie with a few teaspoons of sugar.

COOKING THE PIE.

Cook the pie on high in your microwave for 10 minutes. Then put your pie in the oven at 375 degrees and bake for 15-22 minutes or until G, B and D. (Golden, Brown and Delicious)

the CINNAMON ROLLS!

This is perhaps the most important aspect. There is always a bit of leftover crust and it would be a shame to see it go to waste. So my mom always rolled it out and then sprinkled it generously with cinnamon and sugar. You then roll it up with the long edge in front of you. Then slice the roll into 1 inch pieces and place them on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Bake these in the oven while the pie is baking. They take about 10-14 minutes and are really yummy!

Before baking

Now you have something to snack on while you are waiting for the pie to finish baking!

After baking, yum!

Caroline and Nana enjoying their pie! :)

  enjoy-
  yours in baking
  p

Sandra's Chewy Granola Bars

    My daughter Caroline and I were getting ready to head out on a road trip to Asheville for the wedding of a family friend and I was trying to think of a homemade treat to bring along to balance out the fruit and carrot sticks I had already set aside for the cooler. It has been some time since I had made these and I thought the timing was perfect. This recipe is from a good Kiwi friend, Sandra Oddie who is an amazing gardener as well as cook. She made a batch of these for a trip our families took to Marlborough Sounds a few years ago. They are a bit decadent and hard to stop eating once you start. However, the organic oats, pumpkin seeds and dried cranberries can ALMOST convince you they are healthy. Her recipe is in grams but I have converted it here to make it easier to follow. The Golden Syrup really is key for the flavor. You can find it in many grocery stores in the international aisle. It is a British product and is delicious!

Chewy Bars 

9 X 13 pan

Ingredients:

13 TBS. butter

2 TBS. Golden Syrup

1 tsp. baking soda

3/4 cup Craisins(or raisins or other dried fruit)

1 cup flour

1 1/2 cups Organic whole oats

2/3 cup sugar

1/2 cups shredded coconut

3/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds

3/4 cup oat bran

Melt the butter and Golden Syrup in a small saucepan.

Pour into a medium bowl and add other ingredients and mix well. Press into a 9 by 13 pan and bake at 375 degrees for about 22 minutes. The Golden Syrup will cause it to turn quite golden brown so keep a close eye on it. Cool on a wire rack before cutting and to remain true to Sandra's style, store them in a tin!

Caroline and I indulged with one each on the trip down(~ 15 hours of driving) and to help remove the temptation we took them on a hike to some falls along the Blue Ridge Parkway where they were well appreciated. I hope you enjoy them too! 

 

yours in baking-

p

More King Arthur Cupcake Fun!

   

     I have to give another shout-out to my friend Alex as well as her  husband Peter and their daughter Story who just graduated from Proctor! They gave me a very generous gift certificate to King Arthur Flour which of course, for a baking psycho like me is a bit like catnip for one of   my cats, so THANK YOU!

     Anyway, my daughter and I ventured up to the store on Wednesday morning...arriving bright and early and ready to have fun! After a delicious snack from their bakery, we got to work. Although there are a few items I usually like to stock up on, that day I decided I would indulge in some new item or baking quest. After seeing some really fun mini-cupcake papers...bright colors of course, I knew what it would be. With fun papers in hand, I was also able to pick up some of their Double-Dutch Dark Cocoa powder, which is absolutely divine if you are looking  for a reaaaaaallllllly dark chocolate cake or brownie. I have always wanted to get a pastry bag and some fun tips, so they went into the basket as well.

     We topped it off with some white edible glitter...of course, everyone needs a little glitter in their life and if it is edible all the better!

     We found a good recipe for chocolate cupcakes online, a Martha Stewart recipe.... interestingly enough because I consider myself FAR from the baking/recipe perfection that she cherishes. Anyway, here it is. By the way, these amounts might seem a little strange but I halved the recipe. Feel free to double them to make 32 regular cupcakes.

 Devil's Food Cupcakes

(makes ~54 mini cupcakes)

3/8 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

  3/8 cup hot water
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoons coarse salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter

1 1/8 cups sugar

2 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt

     Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line your mini-cupcake tins with papers. Whisk together the cocoa and hot water until smooth. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

Melt the butter with sugar in a saucepan over low heat, stirring to combine. Remove from heat, and pour into a mixing bowl. With an electric mixer on medium-low speed, beat until mixture is cooled, 3 to 4 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add vanilla, then cocoa mixture, and beat until combined. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the yogurt, and beating until just combined after each.

    Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Cool cupcakes completely on a wire rack before frosting.

Yummy White Frosting
enough for one batch of cupcakes as listed above

10 TBS. softened butter
1/4 cup marshmallow FLUFF (not creme)
3-4 cups confectioner's sugar
1 TBS. milk or cream
almond or vanilla extract (to your liking)
gel food coloring, if desired

    In medium bowl using an electric mixer, beat butter and Fluff until smooth. Add confectioner's sugar and flavoring and mix well, adding enough milk or cream to reach your desired consistency. If you plan on using a pastry bag to pipe the icing onto the cupcakes, you will want the icing to be a bit softer. You might even want to test some first. Remember you can always add a few more drops of liquid more easily than having to add A LOT more confectioner's sugar if you make it too thin. Have fun with these cupcakes and don't be afraid to experiment! I can't wait to try new flavors and colors next time!

yours in baking-

p