Longest Brownie Name Ever

(take a deep breath...)

PB Cup Brownies with Shortbread Crust and PB Glaze.

Imagine how much longer that'd be if I didn't abbreviate peanut butter. Whew.



 Let's work our way from the bottom to the top.

Bottom floor: A Girl Scout cookie Trefoil shortbread crust.
Cookies + Sugar + Butter + Flour =  A crispy match made in heaven.



Middle layer: Fudgy, dark chocolate brownies with miniature peanut butter cups mixed throughout.

Read that again.

Ok, moving on.

Penthouse: A peanut butter, powdered sugar, thick and creamy glaze. Also great on ice cream, cupcakes, spoons, etc.

Move over horse racing, this brownie is the winning trifecta this year.

PB Cup Brownies with Shortbread Crust and PB Glaze

Prep Time: 45 min. (including baking crust)

Total Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes

Yield: 9x13 pan

 

Ingredients:

 

Crust:

12 tbsp. unsalted butter

1/2 c. white sugar

1/2 c. flour

1 c. (1 sleeve) finely ground Trefoil (shortbread) cookies

 

Brownies:

1 box 9x13 size brownie mix (yep!!) and ingredients listed on box recipe

1 c. mini peanut butter cups (or chopped regular size PB cups)

 

Glaze:

2/3 c. powdered sugar

1 tbsp. creamy peanut butter

6 tsp. water

 

First, make the crust. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream the butter and sugar together with a mixer for 3-4 min. Add flour and ground cookies to the mixture and mix until incorporated. Press the mixture into a foil lined and greased 9x13 pan. It will spread out as it bakes so don't worry if it doesn't completely cover the bottom of the pan. Bake for 30 minutes or until lightly brown. Let cool completely.

 

Next, mix together brownie mix as directed. Stir in PB cups. Pour on top of cooled crust and bake as directed on package. Let cool.

 

Lift by foil to remove the brownies from the pan. Mix together glaze ingredients and microwave for 20 seconds or until smooth and pourable. Pour into a Ziploc bag or piping bag and snip the corner off. Drizzle over brownies.

 

Cut and serve!

 

Or cut and keep them all to yourself. I won't tell.

 

Enjoy!

Laura

 



 



Apple Butter Breakfast Cake

Breakfast. Cake.

Breakfast Cake.

Is there much more you need to know?

Whenever you can eat cake for breakfast and it's actually the name of the dish, not just leftover birthday cake or something, it's a good day in my book.

Here is another great recipe for all that Apple Butter you made in the slow cooker, remember that (click here)?

You could also write out this recipe (or this one for Apple Butter Rolls!) and give it as a gift with a can of your homemade apple butter! How thoughtful and domestic of you.

This breakfast cake is moist, flavorful and perfect for a Fall morning. Try it out when your guests are in town for Thanksgiving as a delicious breakfast option!



 

Apple Butter Breakfast Cake

Slightly Adapted from Musselmans

Yield: 8x8 pan, approximately 12 small servings

Prep Time: 20 min. Total Time: 1 hour, 20 min. plus cooling

 

Ingredients:

2 1/4 c. all purpose baking mix

3/4 c. milk

1/2 c. sugar

1 egg

2 tbsp. butter, melted

1 1/2 c. apple butter

1/3 c. chopped pecans

1/3 c. sugar

2 tbsp. butter, melted

 

Directions:

-In large bowl, combine baking mix, milk, 1/2 c. sugar, egg and 2 tbsp. butter. Pour 2/3 of the batter into an 8x8 baking dish that has been coated with non-stick spray.

 

-Cover with apple butter.

 

-Top with remaining batter, dropped by spoonfuls.

 

-Combine pecans, 1/3 c. sugar and 2 tbsp. melted butter in a small bowl and sprinkle on top of cake.

 

-Bake at 350 degrees for one hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

 

This cake will fill up the entire dish while baking so do not substitute a smaller baking dish or a disposable pan!

Enjoy!
Laura

Pumpkin Seed Bark with Salted Caramel

Wondering what else to do with those pumpkin seeds I inspired you to roast yesterday?

Not to assume that I am that inspiring...but, anyways, you know what I mean...right?

Pumpkin Seed Bark!



This couldn't have been easier and so unique.

Pumpkin Seed Bark with Salted Caramel

Prep Time: 5 min. Total Time: 10 min. plus cooling

 

Ingredients:

-Chocolate bark (I love the chocolate flavored almond bark from the grocery store or Wilton Candy melts)

-Roasted Pumpkin Seeds (I did half salted, half sweet)

-Salted Caramel Sauce (see below)

 

Directions:

-Melt chocolate bark according to package directions (I used half the package) and spread into a thin layer on a parchment or Silpat lined baking sheet

 

-Sprinkle pumpkin seeds over the top and lightly push into the chocolate to stick

 

-Refrigerate while you make the salted caramel

 

-Salted Caramel Sauce: (from Two Peas and Their Pod)

 

1 cup granulated sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into pieces
1/2 cup heavy cream, at room temperature
1/2 tablespoon sea salt flakes

 

Make sure you have all of the ingredients ready. Once you start the caramel sauce you have to pay close attention so you don't burn it. To begin, heat the sugar over medium high-heat in the bottom of a heavy saucepan. When the sugar starts to melt, start whisking the sugar. The sugar will clump up, but keep whisking. It will continue to melt. When the sugar is melted, stop whisking. You can swirl the pan to move the sugar around.

Continue cooking the sugar until it reaches a deep amber color. Make sure you watch the pan very closely. This is where it is easy to burn the caramel.

As soon as the sugar reaches the dark amber color, carefully add the butter. Whisk until butter is melted.

Remove the pan from the heat and carefully pour in the heavy cream. Whisk until cream is incorporated and caramel is smooth. Whisk in the sea salt flakes.

 

-Let cool for a few minutes before drizzling it over the chocolate and pumpkin seeds. You will have extra so pour the extra into a mason jar or tupperware, let cool and store in the refrigerator.

 

-After the caramel has cooled, break the bark into pieces and serve.

 

Enjoy!

Laura

Leftover Halloween Candy Bark

Some of the first things kindergartners want to know about you is what your favorite color is and what kind of candy you like.

These are very important things to get out on the table when you're five years old.

This also meant that every November 1st, I received armfuls and armfuls (granted, they were little five year old armfuls) of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, my favorite candy.

Each student would walk in, smiling so huge, with a bag of candy specifically for me. They each had obviously gone through their candy the second they were done trick-or-treating just to sort out the Reese's. (Great kinder activity too, by the way- sorting anything!).

Melt my heart...and expand my waistline.

Last year, I found this brilliant idea on one of my fav blogs, Brown Eyed Baker, and it was the perfect way to use up my jackpot of Reese's candy.

Leftover Halloween Candy Bark!

via

 

What is so perfect about this idea is that you can use any candy you have on hand, whether left over from trick or treating or getting trick or treaters! Also, while people start to turn away from candy on November 1st saying things like, "If I see one more piece of Halloween candy, I'm going to explode!" or other dramatic statements, they see this candy bark and say, "Oh that looks delicious, what a nice change from all the Halloween candy!"

 

It's as if Halloween candy waits until November 1st to don its costume. Clever little guys.

 

When I made this last year, I used my stash of Reese's, chopped peanuts and drizzled white chocolate and a sprinkle of salt over the top. But like I said, you can't go wrong with any combination of chocolate candy here.

 

Click here for the original recipe on Brown Eyed Baker's blog but don't be afraid to change it up with what you have on hand! Twix, Milky Way, Snickers, Butterfinger- all sound good to me!

 

Then bag it up, pass it out to neighbors and co-workers! Your pants will thank you when they still fit.

 

Oh, and my favorite color? Purple.

Laura

Happy Halloween!

I have such great memories of this holiday from growing up! It is my dad's birthday (click here to read how awesome he is) and so we always had a haunted house for all the trick or treaters that was legitimately scary and took a while to set up but was so worth it. We ended the night with all my parent's friends coming over for pumpkin pie and a birthday celebration. Who wouldn't love that as a kid? Some of my favorite memories are from this day!

Enjoy this Halloween round-up!

A great Halloween video...

(when she is carrying her...hilarious!)

 

A yummy Halloween snack...



via

 

A creepy yet humorous Halloween costume...

via

 

A gorgeous Halloween porch...

via

A stunning Halloween tablescape...

via

 

Possibly the most beautiful carved pumpkin I've ever seen...

 

via

 

And the best Halloween movie ever...





via

 

Does anyone NOT like the movie Hocus Pocus?

Laura

 

P.S. Today is also my due date! 







Pumpkin Pie Dip

Everything you love about Pumpkin Pie but without turning on the oven, making and pre-baking a crust and in a lot less time? Done and done.

A fluffy dip perfect for football watching, book club, or friends-giving!

And you don't have to tell anyone how simple and skinny it is!

I will most definitely be making this dip again, especially because it's so easy to have all these ingredients on hand for a quick dessert!

Served with sliced apples and graham crackers when around a group of people...a spoon is all you need if it's just you at home, on the couch, watching TV...not that I did that or anything...

 

 

Pumpkin Pie Dip

Adapted slightly from SkinnyTaste

Yield: A lot..this picture is only half the total amount!

Total Time: 5 min. plus chilling

 

Ingredients:

15 oz. can pumpkin

1 packet instant vanilla pudding mix

1 8 oz. container fat free cool whip

2/3 c. brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1/8 tsp. cinnamon

1/8 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

Sliced apples and graham crackers for serving

 

Directions:

Mix pumpkin with pudding mix, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice. Fold in cool whip. Chill until ready to serve!

 

Enjoy!

Laura

 



Salted Nut Bars

Paydays are totally underrated.

Not the kind at your job where you get a check and money, I think we can all agree those are awesome.

I mean the caramel and peanut candy bar. Salty + Sweet = True Love 4 Ever.

These Salted Nut Bars remind me of a Payday on steroids.

A peanut butter cookie crust, layers of caramel, peanuts, marshmallow and candy corn.

Take a second and read that sentence again. All the good things in life, right there.

 



I will note that this recipe has multiple steps, it's messy to make and, although simple, it's time consuming. But once I took one bite, I forgot about all of that. Amazing.

I feel like that is what pregnancy is like, too. It's tiring, uncomfortable and time consuming but I am assuming once you meet your precious baby, you forget about all of that. I don't know why people would have multiple children if that's not the case. I'll keep you updated.

So, I didn't plan on comparing these Salted Nut Bars to pregnancy and childbirth but that just happened. Hm.

On that note, click here for the original recipe by Just A Pinch!

Enjoy!
Laura

P.S. Happy Birthday to my wonderful mom! Read how amazing she is here!

Pumpkin Spice Kisses

I am all over Fall, y'all. It officially starts tomorrow and I think these Pumpkin Spice Kisses are the perfect way to celebrate!

 



Don't believe me? Let me convince you.

1. They are simple. Like so simple that after I baked them, I was pretty sure I forgot something because it was so simple.

2. They have pumpkin in them! And we are all about pumpkin this season!

3. They even look like Autumn! Perfect colors.

4. 4 ingredients- that's it!

That's all I got.

I hope it's enough.



Pumpkin Spice Kisses- see here for the original recipe!

Side note: The dough is extremely sticky and I substituted the sanding sugar for cute Autumn colored sprinkles from the Target $1 section (love that place!). It's also super important to throw them in the freezer or refrigerator to keep the kisses from melting. Nobody likes melted kisses.

I love that Fall and y'all rhyme.
Laura


Apple Juice Pound Cake with Apple Juice Glaze

There are pumpkins on our front porch, an apple cinnamon candle burning in the kitchen and a Halloween candy bowl in the entry way.

And it's at least 85 degrees outside.

In Colorado.

In mid-September.

What is happening?!

It has not stopped me from pinning all things Fall, buying pumpkin spice flavored everything and baking a delicious apple flavored pound cake.

Take that, global warming.

 



This cake is perfect to convince yourself that it is Fall. It's moist on the inside, crunchy on the outside and so very yummy.



 

Apple Juice Pound Cake with Apple Juice Glaze

Yield: 1 loaf

Prep Time: 10 min. Total Time: 1 hr. plus cooling

 



Ingredients:

1/2 c. butter, softened

1/8 c. applesauce

1 1/2 c. sugar

2 eggs

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. baking powder

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1/2 c. apple juice

 

For the glaze:

1 1/2 c. powdered sugar

1/4 c. apple juice

 

Directions:

Cream butter, applesauce and sugar together with an electric mixer.

 

Beat in eggs one at a time.

 

In a small bowl, combine salt, baking powder and flour. Whisk to combine. Add to butter mixture, alternating with the 1/2 c. apple juice until completely mixed.

 

Pour into a greased 9x5 loaf pan and bake in a 350 degree oven for 50 minutes or until lightly browned. The center might appear moist- just watch the top for browning.

 

Let cool on a wire rack. Whisk glaze ingredients until smooth and pour over cake. I poured it over while the cake was still warm to create a crunchy top layer but you can also wait until completely cooled.

 

Enjoy!

Laura

Reese's S'mores Bars

Last Friday, I tweeted this:

"I just made up a dessert so delicious that I wish I'd never made it up."

I'm serious.

I took one bite, immediately set it down and walked away so that I wouldn't devour the entire pan right then and there.

When you are wearing elastic waisted pants because you're pregnant, you have to be extra careful about decisions like eating an entire pan of Reese's S'mores Bars.

S'mores are one of my favorite desserts but I like to kick it up a notch by replacing the chocolate bar with a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup. So when I saw this recipe, I knew I had to make the same switch.



And I still can't decide if I'm glad that I did that or not. This could be detrimental to me getting back in shape post-baby.



Have you gotten the point yet that these are really, really, really delicious?!

Ok, good.



Reese's S'mores Bars

Recipe adapted from Lovin' From the Oven

Yield: 16 bars

Prep Time: 15 min. Total Time: 45 min.

 

Ingredients:

1/2 c.  (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 c. granulated sugar

1/4 c. brown sugar

1 large egg

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/3 c. all purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

3/4 c. crushed graham crackers (I used my food processor)

1/4 tsp. salt

1 1/2 c. marshmallow fluff/creme (not melted marshmallows!)

12 Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, unwrapped (6 packages/2 in each)

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and thoroughly grease an 8 in. square pan.

 

With a mixer, cream the butter and both sugars together. Add in the egg and vanilla extract and mix until combined.

 

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt.

 

Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter and sugar and mix until combined.

 

Divide the dough in half and press half into the bottom of the prepared pan. Top with 12 Reese's (3 rows of 4) and cover with the marshmallow creme/fluff.

 

Place remaining dough in a single layer on top of the fluff. (This is best done by pressing the dough into flat shingles with your hands and laying on top.)

 

Bake for 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Let it cool completely before cutting into bars.

 

Let me know if you make them and if you love them as much as I do!

 

Enjoy!

Laura

 



Nanaimo Bars

Wait...what?

Yeah, I have no idea how to pronounce it either.

But that doesn't matter once you eat one.

You'll just call it that incredible, Canadian goodness bar thing.

Works for me.



Our good Canadian friend introduced me to Nanaimo Bars about a year ago when he brought some back from Canada, knowing my affinity for sweets. The three layers combine chocolate, coconut, nuts, powdered sugar, graham crackers...you know, all the good things in life.

It's a great no-bake recipe that is perfect for this still hot weather we've had lately!

He recently house sat for us while we were on vacation and I recreated these bars as a thank you for him. I must say, they turned out absolutely delicious!



Nanaimo Bars

Adapted slightly from Joy of Baking

Prep Time 30 min, overall Total Time: 2 hours, including cooling

Yield: 25 bars

 

Ingredients:

 

Bottom Layer:

1/2 c. unsalted butter, room temperature

1/4 c. granulated white sugar

1/3 c. cocoa

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 c. crushed graham cracker crumbs (I used the food processor)

1 c. shredded coconut

1/2 c. coarsely chopped walnuts (food processor again)

 

Middle Layer:

1/4 c. unsalted butter, room temperature

3 tbsp. cream

2 tbsp. vanilla pudding powder

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 c. powdered sugar

 

Top Layer:

1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature

 

Directions:

Spray an 8x8 pan with nonstick spray.

 

Bottom Layer:

In a saucepan over low heat, melt the butter. Remove from heat and stir in the sugar and cocoa powder and then slowly whisk in the beaten egg. Return the pan to low heat and cook 1-2 minutes, stirring, until the mixture thickens. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla, graham cracker crumbs, coconut and chopped nuts. Firmly press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Cover with wrap and refrigerate until firm, about an hour.

 

Middle Layer:

Using your mixer, beat the butter until smooth and creamy. Add the remaining ingredients for the middle layer and beat until smooth. If the mixture is too thick to spread, add a little more cream. Spread over the bottom layer, cover and refrigerate about 30 minutes.

 

Top Layer:

In a microwave safe bowl, melt the chocolate chips and butter in 30 second increments, stirring in between, until melted. Spread the melted chocolate over the middle layer, cover and refrigerate until set, about 10 minutes. Cut into squares using a sharp knife.

 

Store in the refrigerator.

 

Enjoy!

Laura



I Dip, You Dip, We Dip

Are you tired of me talking about football yet? Or better yet, football food?

Ok, good. Because it is just the beginning. Tomorrow, to be exact.

Saturdays in the Fall are the perfect excuse to eat dip. And more dip. And then maybe one more dip. You can add a chip or cracker in there, too, if you'd like.

Here are some of my favorite football food dips (and some that I want to try in hopes they become favorites, too). Although, I've rarely met a dip I didn't like.

Loaded Baked Potato Dip

Jalapeno Popper Dip

Skinny Taco Dip

Hot Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Pizza Dip

Cookie Dough Dip

Isn't football food season the best?

Laura

Peach Cake Bars

This recipe has been hailed as the "best" recipe on Pinterest.

And I wasn't just going to let that title go by without sampling!



Boy, oh, boy- it is good!

I made a few adaptations using fresh peaches but overall, left this recipe as is because it is delicious! Light, fresh and refreshing! Perfect to use up those scrumptious peaches that are in season right now but the base recipe would be great to throw in apples or berries, too.

Peach Cake Bars

Adapted slightly from Just a Pinch

Yield: 12 large bars

Prep Time: 15 min. Total Time: 1 hour (includes both cooking times)

Ingredients:

-1 box yellow cake mix

-2 eggs

-1/3 c. butter, room temperature

-8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature

-1/3 c. sugar

-1 tsp. vanilla extract

-Scant 4 cups of fresh peaches, peeled and sliced into 1/4 in. slices (I used 4 large peaches)

Directions:

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9x13 pan with nonstick spray.

-Combine cake mix, 1 egg and butter in a medium bowl with fork until crumbly. Reserve 1 c. for topping and press the rest into the prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes.

-Sprinkle the peaches on top of the partially baked crust.

-With an electric mixer until creamy, combine cream cheese, sugar, 1 egg and vanilla extract. Pour and spread over peaches.

-Top with remaining 1 c. reserved crumbs and bake for 30 minutes.

-Let cool completely before cutting. Store in refrigerator...if you have any left to store!

Enjoy!

Laura



Wendy's Frosty Copy Cat

Have y'all seen this recipe floating around Pinterest?

An at home version of a Wendy's Frosty- have there ever been better words said to a pregnant woman?

Most all the recipes are similar but here is how I made our version of an at home Frosty.

Wendy's Frosty

In the bowl of your ice cream maker (I love this one!) combine 8 oz. cool whip, 7 oz. sweetened condensed milk and fill to the fill line with chocolate milk (I made mine using this combination). Turn on the ice cream maker and let run for 20-25 minutes. Pour into a freezable container and let harden to the right consistency. Yum! 

Now we just need homemade french fries for dipping!
Laura

An Ode to Bacon

...I mean, my brother.

Today is my brother's birthday and in honor of his bacon-loving self, here is a round up of some scrumptious looking recipes, all using bacon as the centerpiece!

Bacon Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Bacon and Beer Cookies

Bacon Bread

Bacon Wrapped Green Beans

Maple Bourbon Bacon Jam

Happy Birthday to a loving, protective and bacon-loving older brother!

What if you put bacon jam on bacon bread? Hmmm...

Laura



Chewy Caramel Popcorn and Pretzel Bars

I've said it before and I'll say it again.

How does Martha Stewart do it?

Oh, she has tons of people actually doing it for her, you say? Ok, that's fair.

This Chewy Caramel Popcorn and Pretzel Bar is so simple, makes a LOT and I've yet to meet someone (even my hubby that typically turns up his nose at sweets) that doesn't like it!

My mom made a batch and brought it to Colorado a few weeks ago and the next week we made another batch for book club and I can already tell this recipe will be in our Fall "football food" rotation frequently!

Make sure you cook your caramel long enough to really have a strong caramel flavor to up the anty on this treat even more! Let it sit undisturbed until about 8 minutes and then, still without disturbing, keep your eye on it because it can quickly go from just right to just burnt.

You can find the original recipe here: Chewy Caramel Popcorn and Pretzel Bars

Enjoy!

Laura

Broiled Peaches

A huge pro of Colorado is that it is home to Palisade which grows some of the most delicious peaches I've ever had! They are at all the farmer's markets and grocery stores this time of year and for the cheap price, you can't afford to load up and eat juicy peaches to your hearts content!

This is our favorite way to eat them at the Ellison household.

Warm, juicy and topped with Greek yogurt and balsamic vinegar.

Broiled Peaches

Yield: 2 servings

Prep Time: 5 min. Total Time: 10 min.

Ingredients:

One peach, sliced in half (this recipe can easily be doubled, tripled, etc!)

Granulated Sugar

Greek Yogurt

Balsamic Vinegar

Directions:

-Turn the oven on to broil on high. Line a cookie sheet with foil and lay halved peaches skin side down (so the inside of the peach is up) and sprinkle generously with sugar.

-Place under the broiler for 3-5 minutes or until sugar is bubbling and light brown. Watch closely as they can burn quickly!

-Remove from oven and top each peach half with a spoonful of Greek yogurt and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.

To kick it up a notch, I use Vanilla Balsamic Vinegar from my favorite local store, the EVOO Marketplace. But even mixing in a little bit of vanilla extract with your balsamic would be delicious!

Enjoy!

Laura



Baking Wish List

I cannot wait to bake all these things...or have someone bake them and then deliver them to me. Either way is fine by me.

Circus Animal Cookie Truffles

Apple Butter Cupcakes

Cake Batter Blondies

Peanut Butter Pie with Pretzel Crust

Chocolate Sheet Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting

Mmm mm good!

Laura

Salted M and M Marshmallow Popcorn

That's a mouthful! In more ways than one.

I love the combo of salty and sweet and one of my favorite ways is to throw some M&M's in with my popcorn!

But then sometimes you have to dig around when the M&M's sink to the bottom of the bowl and that's just too much work for my calories, you know.

Where there's a problem, there's always a solution. And the solution here is this delicious popcorn!

Salty, sweet, chocolate-y. Perfection.



Salted M&M Marshmallow Popcorn

Yield: 8 cups

Prep Time: 10 min. Total Time: 15 min.

Ingredients:

-8 cups popped popcorn

-5 tbsp. salted butter

-One bag marshmallows (I used large but small ones would work, too!)

-M&M's

-Salt

Directions:

-Melt butter in large saucepan. Stirring occasionally. Add marshmallows and stir occasionally until melted. This can take a few minutes so watch the pot closely to avoid burning.

-Add popped popcorn to butter/marshmallow mixture and gently toss to coat.

-Pour popcorn onto a greased foil (or silpat without grease!) lined baking sheet and pour M&M's over the top. Push the M&M's into the popcorn so they stick and sprinkle generously with salt.

-Cut apart and then let cool. You can cut them after they cool but it does harden quickly.

-Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Laura

Blueberry Cupcakes

I told y'all I had a lot of blueberries to use up.

So, I've been thinking. We eat blueberry muffins for breakfast...why not make them into a blueberry cupcake to eat for dessert, too?

I am a huge fan of desserts made from scratch but I am also a fan of semi-homemade desserts that taste like they are made from scratch. A dessert isn't worth it if you spent all day in the kitchen and didn't get to enjoy the time with the people you made it for!

Here is where a doctored up cake mix comes in. It's a great base for infinite possibilities of flavor (oh wow- that sentence is so dramatic...I've been watching the Bachelorette a lot).

These Blueberry cupcakes are a perfect example of how to uniquely and deliciously doctor up a cake mix!

Did I mention these cupcakes have a cinnamon sugar topping and cream cheese frosting, too? Oh, they do. 

Blueberry Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Makes 24 cupcakes

Prep Time: 15 min. Total Time: 1.5 hrs. including cooling

Ingredients:

-1 box yellow or white cake mix plus ingredients needed on box

-1 3/4 c. blueberries

-1 tbsp. flour

-6 tbsp. granulated sugar

-1/4 c. brown sugar

-1 tsp. cinnamon

-8 oz. cream cheese, softened

-1 1/4 sticks unsalted butter, softened

-2 1/3 c. confectioners sugar, sifted

-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

-Blueberries for topping

Directions:

Spray 24 muffin tins with nonstick spray or use cupcake liners. Preheat oven to temperature directed on cake mix.

Mix cake mix according to directions on box.

Gently combine blueberries with flour to lightly coat. Fold blueberries into the cake mixture and scoop into prepared cupcake liners.

Combine granulated sugar, brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and sprinkle on top of each cupcake. Bake according to cake mix box directions, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Meanwhile, make the frosting. In an electric mixer, combine cream cheese and butter on high until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add in vanilla and confectioner's sugar and beat on low until combined. Increase speed to medium high and beat 1 minute.

In a small saucepan, combine approx. 50 blueberries (at least one per cupcake) with a sprinkle of sugar and a splash of water. Cook over low-medium heat, stirring, until blueberries are bubbly and sauce turns blue. Remove from heat and let sit for syrup to thicken.

When cupcakes are cooled, top with frosting and a blueberry with some syrup.

Enjoy!

Call me Dr. Cake Mix,

Laura