The Story Behind the Recipe

I wanted to share an easy, kid-friendly, adorable Christmas dessert this year, and these Reindeer Cupcakes were perfect! I love how easy they are to make – just pipe on the chocolate buttercream, plop on the antlers, nose, and eyes, and adorableness awaits.

Why You’ll Love These Reindeer Cupcakes

• From scratch recipe – The homemade cupcakes and that chocolate buttercream are to die for! But no shade if you go with cake mix and premade frosting – you can still easily add antlers, eyes, and nose for Reindeer Cupcakes!
• SUPER easy – I love that there’s no extra work to prepping the elements for decorating your reindeer cupcakes. All you need are store-bought chocolate covered pretzels, red M&Ms, and candy eyes.
• Make ahead – You can make these reindeer cupcakes ahead of time and refrigerate them until you’re ready to serve them. Less work over the busy holidays!

Reindeer Cupcakes Recipe Ingredients

For the chocolate cupcakes:

• Cocoa powder – You’ll want unsweetened cocoa powder; Dutch process is the way to go. I use straight up Hershey’s or Ghirardelli for my cocoa powder.
• Coffee – Freshly brewed coffee. I promise your chocolate cupcakes won’t taste like coffee! Just a half cup or so really highlights the chocolate flavors.
• Eggs – Two large eggs.
• Sour cream – I like to use full-fat sour cream. You can substitute buttermilk here, too, if that’s all you have.
• Vanilla – Pure vanilla extract.
• Flour – All-purpose flour.
• Baking soda & baking powder
• Salt – I like to use fine-grain sea salt in my baking.

For the chocolate buttercream:

• Butter – Make sure it’s at room temp so it’s nice and soft, otherwise it will be hard to blend.
• Powdered sugar
• Salt
• Cocoa powder
• Vanilla
• Heavy whipping cream

For decorating:

• Chocolate covered pretzels – You can find these in the snack section or sometimes I find them in bulk.
• M&Ms – Red M&Ms make the perfect nose. Buy a bag of M&Ms and pick out the red ones, then enjoy the rest while you’re whipping up your reindeer cupcakes!
• Candy eyes – Found the baking section of many grocery stores.

How to Make the Cupcakes & Frosting

1. First, make your cupcakes. You’ll want to whisk together the cocoa powder and the coffee in a small bowl until liquified into chocolatey goodness.
2. Next, whisk together the wet ingredients, then sift the dry ingredients over the top. Mix together just until combined, and fill your lined muffin cups.
3. Bake the cupcakes just until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, then pull them out to cool.
4. Whip up the frosting by beating the butter, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and salt together, then drizzle in the vanilla and heavy whipping cream and whip until light and fluffy.

How to Decorate Reindeer Cupcakes

1. Pipe the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes with an open-star tip.
2. Press the pretzels into each side of the frosting.
3. Gently press in the nose and the eyes.

Tips for Success

• Don’t skip the step of whisking cocoa powder with hot coffee first as it “blooms” the cocoa, unlocking its deepest flavor and creating that luxurious dark-chocolate color.
• The batter will be runnier than a typical cupcake mix, which is what makes these cupcakes light and plush once baked.
• Bake cupcakes JUST until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. This helps ensure moist – not overbaked and dry – cupcakes.
• Make sure your frosting is thick. You want to be able to place the “antler” pretzels into the frosting and have them hold.
• When whipping the buttercream, take your time. Several minutes of beating transforms it from dense to cloud-like. If the frosting feels too thick, add a tablespoon of cream at a time until it reaches the perfect piping consistency. Conversely, if it’s too soft, pop it into the fridge for 10–15 minutes before decorating.
• Work quickly after piping on the frosting. For neat reindeer faces, press the pretzels and candies into the frosting immediately
• Refrigerate for sturdier Rudolph cupcakes. 15-30 minutes in the fridge will help firm up the frosting, helping the decorations to stay put especially when having to pack up these cupcakes and take them somewhere.

I hope you love these Reindeer Cupcakes as much as my family and I do! They’re cute and festive and absolutely delicious. Rudolph approves!

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Reindeer Cupcakes Recipe

These cute Christmas cupcakes are guaranteed to steal the show at any holiday potluck or party! The cake is rich, moist, and tender and topped with the creamiest whipped chocolate buttercream frosting. Chocolate covered pretzels make the perfect antlers, then they're finished with candy eyes and an M&M nose.

Course Dessert

Keyword christmas cupcakes, reindeer cupcakes, rudolph cupcakes

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 12 cupcakes

Calories 385kcal

Author Kare

Equipment

• 1 standard-size muffin tin
• 1 stand mixer or hand-held mixer

Ingredients

For the chocolate cupcakes:

• 1/2 cup Dutch process cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup freshly brewed black coffee*
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt or table salt

For the chocolate buttercream:

• 1 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature; 2 sticks
• 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt or table salt
• 1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 3-4 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

For decorating:

• 24 chocolate-covered pretzels
• 12 red M&Ms
• 24 candy eyes

Instructions

Make the chocolate cupcakes:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners and set aside.
• In a small heatproof bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder and hot coffee until smooth. Set aside to cool.
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, vegetable oil, sour cream, and vanilla until well-combined, about 1 minute. Pour in the cooled chocolate mixture and whisk again until the batter is uniform in color.
• Place a sifter over the bowl and sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt directly over the wet ingredients. Use a spatula to gently fold everything together just until combined. The batter will be thin – this is exactly how it should look.
• Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake liners, filling each about 3/4 full.
• Bake in the center of the oven until the tops spring back when lightly pressed and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 22-28 minutes (for my oven, it took more like 28 minutes, but if your oven runs hotter, it may more on the 22 minute side. I suggest checking them early on.) The cupcakes will be flat on top, not rounded like a muffin.
• Allow the cupcakes to cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

Make the chocolate buttercream:

• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using a handheld mixer), beat the butter until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and salt and mix on low speed until the mixture looks combined but still crumbly.
• Slowly add the vanilla and 3 tablespoons of the cream while on low speed, then increase the speed to medium-high and beat for 4-5 minutes until light, fluffy, and smooth. If the frosting seems too thick to pipe onto the cupcakes, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of cream.
• Transfer the buttercream to a piping bag fitted with a large open-star top (such as Wilton 1M). Pipe generous swirls onto each cooled cupcake.
• Press two pretzels into the top for antlers, add a red M&M nose, and finish with two candy eyes.
• Serve immediately or store in the fridge for up to 3 days until ready to serve.

Notes

* If you prefer not to use coffee, you can simply replace it with ½ cup of boiling water instead. The purpose of the coffee is to intensify the chocolate flavor, not to add a coffee taste, so the cupcakes will still be deliciously chocolatey without it.

Tips for Success

• Don’t skip the step of whisking cocoa powder with hot coffee first as it “blooms” the cocoa, unlocking its deepest flavor and creating that luxurious dark-chocolate color.
• The batter will be runnier than a typical cupcake mix, which is what makes these cupcakes light and plush once baked.
• Bake cupcakes JUST until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. This helps ensure moist – not overbaked and dry – cupcakes.
• Make sure your frosting is thick. You want to be able to place the “antler” pretzels into the frosting and have them hold.
• When whipping the buttercream, take your time. Several minutes of beating transforms it from dense to cloud-like. If the frosting feels too thick, add a tablespoon of cream at a time until it reaches the perfect piping consistency. Conversely, if it’s too soft, pop it into the fridge for 10–15 minutes before decorating.
• Work quickly after piping on the frosting. For neat reindeer faces, press the pretzels and candies into the frosting immediately
• Refrigerate for sturdier Rudolph cupcakes. 15-30 minutes in the fridge will help firm up the frosting, helping the decorations to stay put especially when having to pack up these cupcakes and take them somewhere.

Storage

• Room Temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
• Refrigerator: Keeps up to 5 days; bring to room temperature before serving.
• Freezer: Unfrosted cupcakes can be frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and frost fresh.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupcake | Calories: 385kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 78mg | Sodium: 181mg | Potassium: 162mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 36g | Vitamin A: 629IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 2mg

The post Reindeer Cupcakes appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

The last couple of years, I hadn’t baked as much as I used to. But the baking club has really helped to re-ignite my love of baking.

March’s category was cupcakes. I earned, ahem, last place in the previous competition (s’mores bar cookies. Let’s not speak of it.) So I was determined – in a light-hearted way – to win this one. Or at least, not to lose!

So I narrowed in on these bad boys: Hummingbird Cupcakes.

Do you know about hummingbird cake? If not, you want to. I promise.

Hummingbird cake was first really popularized back in the 70’s, I believe, when it was published in an issue of Southern Living magazine. A moist, spiced cake with banana, crushed pineapple, and nuts, it’s reminiscent of carrot cake, except you’ve got bananas instead of carrots.

In this version, I added coconut too. Because life always needs more coconut.

Hummingbird cake is typically topped by a sweetness-cutting cream cheese frosting, and the combination is perfection. The icing on top of the icing?! A perfectly dried pineapple “flower” – the crowning glory of these hummingbird cupcakes.

For our baking challenge, I rolled the frosting in toasted coconut before topping with the flower, which was pretty (and tasty) but not necessary.

I can’t even count how many times I made this recipe in order to perfect it.

At the last minute, I made my baking challenge recipe with cake flour instead of all-purpose flour, and that was actually a mistake. Hummingbird cake made with all-purpose flour is already very moist and tender – and with cake flour, it was TOO tender! So the recipe I’m sharing with you returns to all-purpose flour, and I encourage you to learn from my mistakes. 🙂

So, did I win the baking challenge? NO! I didn’t! My friend Cristina brought the most perfect carrot cake cupcakes with an insanely delicious brown sugar buttercream frosting. They deserved to win. But my Hummingbird Cupcakes earned second place with extra points for presentation, so there’s that! Pineapple flowers for the win!

Anyway, if you’re a dairy-free type like me, the cake recipe is made with vegetable oil – so no dairy whatsoever. The frosting, on the other hand, well – it’s cream cheese. But you can make a dairy-free version with vegan cream cheese and vegan butter that’s not too shabby. See the notes section of the recipe for more info.

The post Hummingbird Cupcakes appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

Nutella icing is perfect for vanilla or banana cupcakes, chocolate cake, or pumpkin anything. If you or a loved one are Nutella lovers, this Nutella frosting is definitely going to be your love language!

Table of Contents

• The Story Behind the Recipe
• Why You’ll Love Fluffy Nutella Buttercream
• Ingredients
• How to Make Nutella Buttercream
• Tips for Success
• What to Frost with this Buttercream

• Jump to the Full, Printable Recipe
• Read Comments & Reviews

The Story Behind the Recipe

Dessert is beautiful in many, many ways, but in our house, we especially appreciate its ability to bridge the divide between my vegetarianism and his carnivorous diet.

Because, unless we’re putting lard in our pie crusts or sprinkling bacon on our ice cream (and even my bacon-loving guy isn’t really on board with the bacon-in-desserts thing), dessert is naturally vegetarian!

No need for our usual fork-in-the-road recipes, which really isn’t such a bad way to live, but there’s something fun about being able to nosedive simultaneously into, for instance, the same Fluffy Nutella Buttercream frosted cupcakes.

I first created this recipe all the way back in 2012, so it’s been around a long time! It’s consistently been one of the most popular and well-loved on my website, and I hope you’ll love it, too.

Why You’ll Love Fluffy Nutella Buttercream

This fluffy, light buttercream combines your traditional buttercream ingredients, butter and powdered sugar, with a nice dose of Nutella. A little vanilla adds a perfect note, and a good pinch of kosher salt rounds out the sweetness while also highlighting that delicious chocolate-hazelnut flavor that’s uniquely Nutella.

And lastly, it’s got heavy whipping cream, which I love, love, love adding to my buttercream recipes. It gives an otherwise heavy frosting such a wonderfully airy texture.

In the case of the photos here, I topped basic vanilla cupcakes (from the same vanilla sponge cake recipe I used for my Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes) with Nutella icing. Pure, simple perfection!

Ingredients

• Butter – I recommend starting with unsalted butter so that you can better control the salt content in your Nutella buttercream. Make sure it’s room temp so it’s easy to blend.
• Powdered sugar – Also known as confectioner’s sugar.
• Nutella – Or another chocolate-hazelnut spread.
• Vanilla extract – The mellow sweetness of pure vanilla extract helps enhance the chocolate-hazelnut flavors.
• Salt – Just a pinch to help round out the sweetness.
• Heavy whipping cream – Only a couple of tablespoons needed, but key to achieving the fluffiest fluffy Nutella buttercream!

How to Make Nutella Buttercream

It’s really, really easy to make this Nutella Buttercream recipe! Just whip the butter and powdered sugar together with a mixer …

Then it’s time to add the Nutella. Increase the speed to medium and beat for around two minutes until fluffy and luscious.

Mix in the vanilla and salt, then add the heavy whipping cream and beat for around one more minute. Your Nutella frosting will lighten a shade or two in color and become even more fluffy.

SO DELICIOUS!

Now, it’s time to slather the Nutella icing of your dreams onto your cake of choice. You can use a piping tip and pastry bag, or just pile it into a plastic bag and snip the corner off. Pile it high!

Tips for Success

• Start with room-temperature butter. This way, the powdered sugar can completely mix with the butter and get nice and fluffy.
• Start with unsalted butter, too. This way, you can control the exact amount of salt that you add to your Nutella buttercream.
• Start mixing slowly. If you turn the mixer on high, it’ll probably look like a blizzard just hit your kitchen, thanks to the powdered sugar that’s sprayed all over. Start nice and low and slow, until the powdered sugar is blended into the butter. You can increase the speed after that.
• Make ahead. Make this buttercream up to 7 days ahead of time. Place it in the refrigerator to keep, then move it back to room temp about 30 minutes before you want to use it.

What to Frost with this Buttercream

• Chocolate Crazy Cake
• Chocolate Layer Cake
• Banana Spice Cake
• Pumpkin Spice Cake
• Chocolate Chip Cookie Cupcakes

Nutella in buttercream form. Pure heaven.

Dessert – especially this one – is a beautiful thing indeed.

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Fluffy Nutella Buttercream Frosting Recipe

This fluffy – and super easy – buttercream frosting recipe features everyone’s favorite chocolate-hazelnut spread, Nutella. Pure perfection. One batch of this buttercream should be plenty to frost one standard-sized layer cake or generously top a dozen cupcakes.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword nutella buttercream, nutella frosting, nutella icing

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Calories 313kcal

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter 2 sticks; room temperature
• 2 cups powdered sugar aka confectioner's sugar
• 2/3 cup Nutella or other chocolate-hazelnut spread
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Pinch fine-grain sea salt or table salt up to 1/4 teaspoon, to taste
• 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

Instructions

• In a stand mixer afixed with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and powdered sugar on low until well-blended. Add the Nutella and increase the speed to medium. Beat for two minutes.
• Add the vanilla extract and salt and whip for an additional 30 seconds.
• Add the whipping cream and beat for about one minute, until the frosting lightens slightly in both color and texture.

Notes

1 batch makes enough to frost 12 cupcakes or one 8- or 9-inch layer cake. 

Recipe update 9/16/2024: Updated photos. Change recipe to call for fine-grain sea salt or table salt instead of kosher salt. I find I like finer grain salt in my baked goods these days. If you prefer a larger-grain salt, kosher salt will still work!

Nutrition

Calories: 313kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 44mg | Sodium: 10mg | Potassium: 72mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 29g | Vitamin A: 509IU | Calcium: 24mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Fluffy Nutella Buttercream Frosting Recipe appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

Big, red, perfect, plump, juicy strawberries. I’ll run out there to snag a couple to slice atop my yogurt for breakfast or a handful to enjoy whole after dinner. Or, like the other day, I’ll just start picking and soon I’ll have a nice bowlful, and then I get to dreaming all about what kinds of creations I can make with these delicious scarlet goodies.

Say, for instance, strawberry shortcake cupcakes.

The post Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

It could have been worse. It was a pretty minor fracture, as far as ankle fractures go. But let me tell you, it’s no picnic taking care of a six-week-old when you can’t walk. But it could have been worse. I keep reminding myself of that. And I have an amazing guy and terrific, helpful family and friends. And a walking cast, now, so I can get around when I need to, thank goodness. Slowly, but I can get around.

This happened 11 days ago, and so I haven’t been doing much blog-worthy since then. But right before The Big Tumble, I dreamed up this cupcake inspired by the heady (yes, heady – I’ve been denied alcohol for nine months plus six weeks and change – darn right it’s heady) combination of Bailey’s and Coffee. Bailey’s & Coffee Cupcakes. Mmmm.

I was going to make another batch before I blogged about them, just to make sure they looked perfect (totally not to have an excuse to eat a couple again, really, not at all). But luckily, I snapped a few photos of the first batch I made. And because I’m dying to share these with you now, you get to see the less-than-perfect but still equally delicious versions.

Being made with Irish cream and all, I think Bailey’s & Coffee Cupcakes are the perfect treat for St. Patty’s Day. Especially with green cupcake liners. Little shamrock toppers would be the icing on the cake (well, the thing topping the icing on the cake), but my broken ankle and I ask you to use your imagination.

Espresso-flavored cake makes for a very unique flavor. I’d never tasted a cupcake like it, but I loved it. The cake isn’t too sweet, in a good way. The light-as-a-cloud topper of Baileys-spiked whipped cream is the perfect companion; sprinkle some instant espresso on top, and you’re good to go.

Here’s the recipe!

Much love, Gimpy.

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Baileys & Coffee Cupcakes

Espresso-spiked coffee cupcakes topped with the perfect companion, light-as-a-cloud Baileys whipped cream. Sprinkle some instant espresso on top, and you're good to go. I love these for Saint Patrick's Day.

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 15 cupcakes

Author Kare

Ingredients

Cupcakes:

• 2 tablespoons instant espresso powder + additional espresso powder for dusting
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup Baileys Irish Cream
• 1 stick unsalted butter room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 2 large eggs

Frosting:

• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 3 tablespoons Baileys Irish Cream

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Prep 15 standard 1/2-cup-size muffin cups with liners.
• In a small bowl or mug, pour the boiling water over the espresso powder, stir, and let cool.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
• Add the Baileys to the water and espresso.
• In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and the granulated sugar and brown sugar with a mixer on medium speed, until light yellow and fluffy, about three minutes.
• Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
• Add the flour in thirds, alternating with the espresso-Baileys mixture. Continue beating until well combined.
• Fill the fifteen muffin cups about three-quarters full.
• Bake for about 20 - 22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean.
• Remove from oven, let cool for about five minutes, then remove the cupcakes to wire racks to cool completely.
• Make the frosting. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or in a large bowl if you're using a hand mixer), pour in the whipping cream (the colder the whipping cream and the bowl, the better for whipping). Beat at low speed until the whipping cream begins to thicken. Add the Baileys and the powdered sugar, then turn the mixer to high and beat until the whipping cream thickens enough to form semi-stiff peaks.
• Spread the whipped cream onto the cupcakes with a knife, or you can spoon it into a pastry bag fitted with the tip of your choice or even a Ziploc bag with the corner snipped off, then squeeze the icing onto the cupcakes.
• Sprinkle a bit of espresso powder on top of each cupcake.

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Then I decided I wanted to add chocolate chips. It was necessary.

(more…)

The post Chocolate Chip Cookie Cupcakes appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

Being, well, me, I got all excited and volunteered to bring in the first happy-makers. I decided on cupcakes early on, as I’d teased my work friends with these bad boys but forgot them at home so instead they went to my guy’s office. All the way home, I dreamed up possible combinations. Chocolate with peanut butter buttercream and a little hunk of Reeses on top … salted caramel (with caramel filling, natch) … ooh! Or a dreamy raspberry, lemon and vanilla combo inspired by the flavors in this amazing cheesecake from, yes, The Cheesecake Factory (trust me, it’s delicious).

And so, lemon-raspberry it was. I decided on a delicious, moist lemon-buttermilk cupcake filled with good raspberry jam, topped with a simply amazing vanilla bean buttercream.  Then I plopped the top with a fresh raspberry to hint at what will be found inside.

The gals at work took one look and said I should open up a cupcake shop. Did I mention they’re brilliant? 😉

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Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes with Vanilla Bean Buttercream

Moist lemon-buttermilk cupcakes filled with raspberry jam and then piped with a simply amazing vanilla bean buttercream and topped with a fresh raspberry.

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 24 cupcakes

Author Kare

Ingredients

Lemon-raspberry cupcakes:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons lemon zest about one large lemon or three small lemon’s worth
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2/3 cup raspberry jam
• 24 fresh raspberries for topping

Vanilla bean buttercream frosting:

• 1 1/4 cups unsalted butter 2 1/2 sticks, room temperature
• 1 vanilla bean
• 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar aka confectioner’s sugar
• Pinch salt
• 2 tablespoons whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Line 24 standard muffin tins with paper liners.
• In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder and salt.
• With an electric mixer  with paddle attachment or stand mixer on medium speed, cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy, about 3 or 4 minutes.
• Add the eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl down the sides as necessary.
• Beat in the lemon zest and the vanilla.
• Mix the lemon juice and the buttermilk together.
• Add the buttermilk/lemon mixture and the flour mixture to the batter in thirds. Pour 1/3 the flour mixture, then 1/3 the buttermilk mixture, beating until just combined, then repeat.
• Divide batter evenly between muffin cups. It usually works out to right around 1/4 cup of filling per cup.
• Bake for about 25 minutes, until cake tester comes out clean.
• Cool completely.
• While cupcakes are cooling, make the frosting. With a stand mixer with whisk attachment or a hand mixer, beat the butter on medium-high speed until smooth, about 20 seconds.
• With a paring knife, slice the vanilla bean length-wise, then scrape the seeds out with the tip of the knife. Add to the butter, and mix until incorporated.
• Add powdered sugar and salt, and beat on low until the powdered sugar is incorporated, about one minute. Increase the speed to medium and mix for another 30 seconds or so.
• Add the vanilla extract and heavy cream, and mix on medium for about 30 seconds until incorporated.
• Increase the speed to medium high, and beat for about four minutes, scraping down as needed, until the frosting is light and fluffy.
• Now add the raspberry to the cupcakes. Using a cupcake corer, melon baller or teaspoon, remove a bit out of the top of the cake.
• Add about a teaspoon and a half of raspberry jam.
• Fill a pastry bag (or plastic zipper bag which is what I do in lieu of a pastry bag) with the buttercream and the tip of your choice, and frost!
• Plop the top with one fresh raspberry. Enjoy!
• They keep well at room temperature for a couple of days.

The post Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes with Vanilla Bean Buttercream appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

Table of Contents

• The Story Behind the Recipe
• About Oreo Brownie Cupcakes

• Jump to the Full, Printable Recipe
• Read Reader Comments & Reviews

The Story Behind the Recipe

My coworkers have a crush on a blogger. She’s a food blogger, she’s from Seattle and she has a rockin’ blog. And, sob, she’s not me!

Wah.

It’s okay though. Her name is Megan, and her blog is Bake it in a Cake (note, 13 years later, that this blog has since been sold, but the new owner has a few of the old recipes archived). Her fiance works with us, too, so while I haven’t personally met her yet, I’ve had the chance to delight in the delicious pleasure of her cupcakes with bonus treats baked right inside. You know, like little pumpkin pies or pretzel M & Ms or baklava. Cool, right?

They go gaga over her buttercream, too. Her recipe for Junior Mint buttercream is amazing, I admit, and genius as well. Butter, powdered sugar and a king-size box of Junior Mints, melted, mixed in and then, of course, devoured. Delicious.

Inspired by one of those recipes, an Oreo-stuffed brownie cupcakes with Junior Mint buttercream, I decided to take the Oreo and cupcake thing all the way.

About Oreo Brownie Cupcakes

Oreos stuffed inside moist, brownie-like chocolate cupcakes, and then more Oreos crumbled into a delicious vanilla buttercream. Topped off, of course, with a mini Oreo cookie.

These things are serious sugar bombs. Rich, sweet, sinful. Delicious. Everything cookies and cream should be. Yum!

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Cookies & Cream Cupcakes

Super-easy one-bowl brownie cupcakes with an Oreo cookie baked right in the middle! Topped off with a fluffy cookies-and-cream buttercream, these Oreo cupcakes are irresistible.

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 15 cupcakes*

Author Kare

Ingredients

Oreo Brownie Cupcakes:

• 4 oz. unsweetened baking chocolate broken into pieces
• 3/4 cups 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 15 Oreo cookies for inside
• 15 mini Oreo cookies for topping

Oreo Buttercream Frosting:

• 3 cups powdered confectioner’s sugar
• 1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 8 Oreo cookies
• Pinch salt
• 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

Instructions

Make the cupcakes:

• Line 15 cupcake holders with paper liners. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Place the chocolate and the butter in a large, microwave-safe bowl. Heat in the microwave on high for about one minute, until the butter is melted and the chocolate is just melted. Give it a good stir to mix it all together.
• Stir in the granulated sugar, then add the eggs, stirring in one at a time. Then stir in the vanilla.
• Add the flour and stir well. The batter should be smooth and light-ish brown.
• Add a tablespoon of batter to each muffin cup.
• Place one Oreo cookie flat on top of each cup of batter and press down slightly.
• Top with the remaining batter, dividing between the 15 cups, about 1.5 tablespoons per cupcake.
• Bake at 350 degrees until the brownies are set but not overbaked, 22-25 minutes. Cool completely.

Make the Oreo buttercream:

• Add the Oreo cookies to a zipper bag and seal. Crush with a rolling pin until they’re small crumbs.
• In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, Oreo crumbs, vanilla, and salt. Start out on the lowest setting (this helps avoid a powdered sugar blizzard) and then increase to medium once the powdered sugar is well-incorporated. Mix until completely blended. Drizzle in the heavy whipping cream and mix until fluffy, 1-2 more minutes.

Assemble the cupcakes:

• Top cool cupcakes with the Oreo buttercream. You can use a pastry bag with a big frosting tip, or, if you can’t find yours, a Ziploc bag works in a pinch. Just fill a big bag with the frosting, cut the corner off and squeeze the frosting out the corner onto the cupcake.
• Top each cupcake with a mini Oreo. Update 1/11/2015: We made these for our daughter’s Disney-themed birthday and added two Oreos to look like mouse ears. They were perfect!

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