Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Dough Cupcakes

There's just something about warm, gooey oatmeal raisin cookies that is so comforting. I was inspired by this recipe (click here) from cakefyi.com. She has an awesome food blog! I used her cinnamon sugar cupcake recipe because it's delicious. The frosting on these cupcakes is phenomenal. Any chance I get to eat cookie dough, I will. I ate it right out of the bowl with a spoon. I couldn't help myself. There are no raw eggs in the recipe so I can feel less guilty about it. 

Ingredients:

for the cupcakes:

1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/2 cup flour

3 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. salt

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 cup milk

for the frosting

3/4c. shortening or butter

1 1/4c. brown sugar

1 c. flour

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

1/3 cup milk

2/3 cup powdered sugar

Toppings: 

Oats, Raisins, and Chopped Walnuts

Directions:

for the cupcakes:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place liners in cupcake pans. Cream butter and sugars in a large mixing bowl. Add eggs one at a time, then beat in vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and baking powder. Add 1/3 of flour mixture to the butter mixture, then add half the milk. Add another 1/3 of the dry, the n the remaining milk. Beat in the remaining dry ingredients. Fill liners 1/2 to 2/3 full. Bake for 15 minutes or until done. Cool completely before frosting.

for the frosting: 

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl, mix until all ingredients are well combined. Scoop icing into piping bag, frost cupcakes as desired. Sprinkle tops of frosted cupcakes with oats, raisins, and chopped walnuts.

Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies

Simple, Perfect, Delicious.  

Ingredients

1 c. granulated sugar
1c. butter flavored shortening or butter (I use Crisco baking sticks, they are super for making cookies)
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons milk
3 c. flour
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 tablespoon lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions
First preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

In a mixing bowl, combine shortening or butter with the sugar. Cream together with a hand mixer until light and fluffy, this will take approx. 2 minutes. 

Add egg, milk, lemon zest, juice, and vanilla. Mix until all ingredients are well combined. 

Add in all the dry ingredients: flour, salt, baking soda, and cream of tartar. Mix well until a dough forms. 

Using a cookie scoop or clean hands form 1 inch balls of dough and place about 2 inches apart on to an ungreased cookie sheet. 

Now, pour some granulated sugar onto a small plate. Find a small drinking glass or another object that has a flat bottom. Dip object into sugar, and flatten cookie dough rounds slightly. Wet a small pastry brush, and brush the tops of cookies then sprinkle with more sugar. 

Bake at 350 degrees for about 5-7 minutes until golden brown. Enjoy!

Neapolitan Cake

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY AWESOME SISTER, STEPHANIE!!!

To make this beautiful cake you'll need:
1 milk chocolate cake mix
1 strawberry cake mix
1 white cake mix
butter 
milk
eggs
strawberry extract
milk chocolate
vanilla extract
food colors
Buttercream icing- enough to divide into thirds

Step 1: 
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare 8" or 9" round cake pans.

Step 2:
Make the cakes, one flavor at a time. Empty a cake mix into a mixing bowl, add one more egg than the box says, use melted butter instead of oil and double the amount, use milk instead of water. Mix well. These changes from the box directions will make the cakes taste like they were made from scratch. If you would like you can stir in additives like, chocolate chips, strawberries, or vanilla beans. ( I like to do this, it bumps up the flavors a notch.) Bake the cakes according to box directions. Let cool completely before icing. You will end up with 6 cakes after you get finished baking. Save and freeze one round cake from each flavor for later use. You will only need one of each flavor for this cake. 

Step 3:
You can use canned icing or:
Make the buttercream icing. I used this recipe, it's super delicious and will make enough to cover the entire cake. Divide the icing into thirds. One third will be milk chocolate- add 1/2 c. melted milk chocolate into reserved icing and mix well. One third will be strawberry- add 1 1/4 tsp. of strawberry extract and red food coloring until you reach desired pink color. The last third will be vanilla- add 1 tsp vanilla extract. 

Step 4: 
Decorate as desired. I chose to do a rose design. Just be creative, and have fun.