Chocolate Chip Banana Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

I had some over-ripe bananas and decided to try to use them in something other than Banana Bread. I think for my first shot these turned out quite delicious!

INGREDIENTS:

1 x Box Double Chocolate Cake Mix
3 x Over-ripe bananas, mashed
1 x 3.5 oz box instant chocolate pudding
3/4 cup oil
1/2 cup milk
3 eggs
1 cup mini-semi-sweet chocolate chips

Peanut Butter Frosting. (Recipe Follows)

1. Preheat oven to 325F. Grease or line muffin tins.

2. Combine cake mix, bananas, pudding, oil, milk, and eggs. Beat at low speed 1 - 2 min until combined. Increase speed to medium high and beat 3 minutes.

3. Fold in chocolate chips.

4. Fill muffin tins 2/3 the way with the batter. Bake 20-25 minutes until inserted toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool completely.

Frosting:

1/4 cup butter, softened
6 tbls cream
1.5 cup creamy peanut butter
2 cups marshmallow cream
1.5 tsp vanilla extract.

Beat butter, cream, and peanut butter until combined. Add marshmallow and vanilla. Beat until combined. Can frost immediately or allow to chill and pipe onto cupcakes.

Vanilla Chai Scones

If you like chai tea or chai tea lattes then these are the scones for you!

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp baking soda
4 cups all purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp cream of tartar (on the baking aisle with the spices)
1 tsp salt
6 individual bags of spiced chai tea
1 cup cold butter
1.5 cups white chocolate chips
1 cold egg
2 tsp vanilla


DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease or line a large baking sheet with parchement paper.

2. In a small bowl, combine sour cream and baking soda. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl mix together flour, white sugar, baking powder, cream of tartar, and salt. Cut tea bags and empty ingredients into mixture. Cut in butter until flour resembles course meal.

*This can be done by pulsing flour mixture and butter in a food processor, squeezing butter and flour mixture with your hands, by using a pastry cutter or two knives. Food processor or hands work the best!*

4. Stir in white chocolate chips.

5. Mix egg and vanilla into sour cream. Pour and stir in flour mixture.

6. Turn dough onto a heavily floured surface. Knead briefly. Either: Form into two mounds and cut into triangles OR roll out dough to appx .75inch thickness and cut using a cookie cutter.

7. Bake 12-15 minutes until bottom is golden brown

White Choclate Raspberry Scones

Dry? Definetly NOT! These scones are most and tasty! If you typically do not prefer raspberries...give these a try! They will surprise you! A few seconds in the microwave and they will melt in your mouth! They freeze extremely well and can be frozen before or after baking.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup sour cream
1 tsp baking soda
4.5 cups all purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp cream of tartar (on the baking aisle with the spices)
1 tsp salt
1 cup cold butter
1 cold egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp almond extract (optional)
1.5 cups white chocolate chips
1.5 cups fresh raspberries cut into halves or quarters

Unsalted butter
Sugar

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease or line a large baking sheet with parchement paper.

2. In a small bowl, combine sour cream and baking soda. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl mix together flour, white sugar, baking powder, cream of tartar, and salt. Cut in butter until flour resembles course meal.

BEFORE cutting in butter:

AFTER:

*This can be done by pulsing flour mixture and butter in a food processor, squeezing butter and flour mixture with your hands, by using a pastry cutter or two knives. Food processor or hands work the best!*

4. Stir in raspberries and white chocolate chips.

5. Mix egg and vanilla into sour cream. Pour and stir in flour mixture.

6. Turn dough onto a heavily floured surface. Knead briefly. Either: Form into two mounds and cut into triangles OR roll out dough to appx .75inch thickness and cut using a cookie cutter.

7. Melt unsalted butter. Brush ontop of cut dough and sprinkle with sugar.

8. Bake 12-15 minutes until bottom is golden brown.

Chocolate, Chocolate Chip Muffins

What could be better than chocolate chip muffins for breakfast? How about chocolate, chocolate chip muffins!

INGREDIENTS:

2 c All Purpose Flour
3/4 c Unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 c Sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups milk
1 egg
3 tbls canola (or other vegetable) oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1.5 - 2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:

1. PREHEAT oven to 350 F. Grease or line muffin tins.

2. Sift together (yes...sift! :) This makes sure there are no clumps in the batter!) Flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir.

3. In a separate bowl, combine milk, egg, oil, and vanilla.

4. Mix wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Stir well. Fold in chocolate chips.

5. Bake 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

6. Eat and enjoy your chocolate for breakfast!

Chocolate Chip, Cream Cheese Pumpkin Muffins

These muffins are a taste of fall! Chocolate chip pumpkin muffins with a cheesecake-like creamcheese filling...what could be better??

CHOCOLATE CHIP, CREAM CHEESE, PUMPKIN MUFFINS

INGREDIENTS:

Muffins:

3 c canned pumpkin puree

1.5 c vegetable oil

3 c white sugar

1 c brown sugar

6 eggs

4 3/4 c all-purpose flour

1.5 tsp baking powder

1.5 tsp baking soda

1.5 tsp salt

1.5 tsp ground cinnamon

1.5 tsp ground nutmeg

1.5 tsp ground cloves

1 x 12 oz bag mini, semi-sweet chocolate chips

Cream Cheese Filling:

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 egg

3 tbls brown sugar

DIRECTIONS:

1.Combine pumpkin puree, vegetable oil, white and brown sugar, and eggs.

2. In a separate bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices

3. Combine wet and dry ingredients and stir until incorporated. Do not over mix.

4. Fold in chocolate chips

5. To make the filling: Beat cream cheese, egg, brown sugar, and vanilla.

6. Spoon pumpkin batter into muffin tins, filling each cup 1/3 of the way. Place 1 heaping tablespoon of cream cheese mixture in the center of each cup.

7. Spoon pumpkin batter on top of cream cheese, filling the cup about 2/3 of the way.

8. Bake 20 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean.

9. Allow to cool. (These freeze well and are best eaten after they have completely cooled or allowed to set overnight!) Eat and ENJOY!

Double Choclate Mocha Cake

I made this cake for the "Wear Something Red Tea" at church. It was a modification of a cake I made a couple of months ago. Mini semi-sweet chocolate chips give this moist cake a little crunch. The mocha buttercream frosting adds a good balance of coffee and chocolate. YUM!

INGREDIENTS:

1 (18.25 ounce) package chocolate fudge cake mix
1 1/2 cups milk
3 eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 (3.5 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding mix
1 tsp vanilla
¾ cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour 3 - 9 inch cake pans.
2. In a large bowl, combine cake mix, milk, eggs, oil, instant pudding mix, vanilla. Beat on low speed until blended. Scrape bowl, and beat 4 minutes on medium speed. Fold in chocolate chips. Pour batter into prepared pans.

3. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool.

4. It works best if the cakes cool completely, are wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and are refrigerated overnight.

MOCHA BUTTERCREAM FROSTING:

2 cups butter, at room temperature
5 ¾ cups powdered sugar
½ cup cocoa powder
1 tbls vanilla extract
¼ cup + 2 tbs instant coffee, dissolved in a splash of hot water

Add cocoa powder to powdered sugar. Cream butter. Gradually add sugar/cocoa mixture to the butter. Once incorporated well add vanilla and dissolved instant coffee.

The frosting spreads the best at room temperature.

If Desired: 1 tin Pepperidge Farm Pirouettes

Allow buttercream frosting to slightly set in the refrigerator. Break cookies and place around the cake.

ENJOY!