sillybits.

For the Cupcakes:

1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/2 cup hot water
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1½ cups sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 egg yolk, room temperature
1¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup sour cream, at room temperature

For the Caramel Sauce:

1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the Filling:

12 fun-size Snickers bars, chopped

For the Caramel Frosting:

3 ½ to 4 cups powdered sugar
8 fun-size Snickers bars, chopped

Directions:

To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Line muffin pan with paper liners.
In a two-cup glass measuring cup, whisk together the cocoa powder and hot water until smooth; set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter and the sugar, stirring occasionally until the butter is melted and mixture is combined. Remove from the heat and transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on medium-low speed until the mixture is cooled, about 4-5 minutes. Add eggs and egg yolk, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Mix in vanilla and cocoa mixture until incorporated. With the mixer on low speed add in the dry ingredients in two batches, alternating with the sour cream, beating just until combined.

Fill the cupcake papers three-quarters full, making sure that the batter is divided evenly. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean, 18-20 minutes. Allow the cupcakes to cool in the pan 5-10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the filling, melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the salt and brown sugar and heat the mixture to boiling, stirring constantly. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, until the sugar is totally dissolved. Stir in the milk and return to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in vanilla. Cool to lukewarm, about 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Once cupcakes have cooled, use a paring knife or apple corer to cut out a small circle in the center of each cupcake.

To make the cupcake filling, in a medium bowl, combine the chopped Snickers and 1/4 cup of the cooled caramel sauce and mix to coat. Drop a spoonful of the filling mixture into each cupcake.

Reserve three tablespoons of caramel sauce for drizzling over frosted cupcakes.
To make the frosting, transfer remaining caramel sauce to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the powdered sugar and beat on medium-high speed until until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Adjust consistency with a little more milk or powdered sugar, if necessary.

Transfer the frosting to a pastry bag fitted with a decorative tip. Pipe a spiral of icing, beginning at the outer edge and working inward. Drizzle the frosted cupcakes with the three tablespoons of caramel sauce and garnish with chopped Snickers bars.

http://www.obxbacheloretteparty.com/2012/01/snicker-cupcakes.html

Lemon-Berry Cheese Danish

The simplest of treats to make — perfect for dessert, brunch or a coffee-break. Makes 18.

Ingredients

2 sheets of Frozen Puff Pastry
1 8-ounce block of Cream Cheese, softened
1 Egg
1/3 cup of Sugar
2 teaspoons of Pure Lemon Extract*
Fresh Berries
Powdered Sugar (optional)

Instructions

Remove puff pastry from the package and allow to thaw following package instructions (about 40 minutes).
Once thawed, roll each sheet out on a floured surface until each is about twice it’s original size.
Use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to cut each pastry sheet into 9 squares (for a total of 18 between the two sheets of puff pastry).
Using a stand or hand mixer, cream together the cream cheese, egg, sugar and lemon extract.
Place a tablespoon of the lemon cream mixture into the center of one pastry square. Fold the sides up and over, creating a loose pouch.
Put the filled pastry pouches on a parchment-paper lined baking sheet and gently brush the sides of the exposed pastry with an egg wash (1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon of water) to help the pastry get a rich color as it bakes.
Bake in pre-heated 400 degree oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown and the cream cheese mixture is beginning to turn golden as well.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool before serving with fresh berries.

Urge Overkill - Girl, You'll Be a Woman Soon

[Flash 9 is required to listen to audio.]

2,679 plays

suicideblonde:

Urge Overkill - Girl, You’ll Be a Woman Soon

Ingredients:

- 18.25-ounce box cake mix
- 9-by-13-inch cake pan
- Large mixing bowl
- One 16-ounce container of ready-made frosting
- Large metal spoon
- Wax paper
- 2 baking sheets
- Plastic wrap
- 32 ounces (2 pounds) candy coating
- Deep, microwave-safe plastic bowl
- Toothpicks
- Re-sealable plastic bag or squeeze bottle (optional)

Step 1

Bake the cake as directed on the box, using a 9-by-13-inch cake pan. Let cool completely. Once the cake is cooled, get organized and set aside plenty of time (at least an hour) to crumble, roll, and dip 4 dozen cake balls.

Step 2

Crumble the cooled cake into a large mixing bowl. The texture of the cake causes it to crumble easily. Just cut a baked 9-by-13-inch cake into 4 equal sections. Remove a section from the pan, break it in half, and rub the two pieces together over a large bowl, making sure to crumble any large pieces that fall off. You can also use a fork to break any larger pieces of cake apart. Repeat with each section until the entire cake is crumbled into a fine texture. If you have large pieces mixed in, the cake balls may turn out lumpy and bumpy. You should not see any large pieces of cake.

Step 3

Add three-quarters of the container of frosting. (You will not need the remaining frosting.) Mix it into the crumbled cake, using the back of a large metal spoon, until thoroughly combined. If you use the entire container, the cake balls will be too moist.

The mixture should be moist enough to roll into 1.5-inch balls that still hold a round shape. After rolling the cake balls by hand, place them on a wax paper–covered baking sheet.

Cover with plastic wrap and chill for several hours in the refrigerator, or place in the freezer for about 15 minutes. You want the balls to be firm but not frozen.

If you’re making a project that calls for uncoated cake balls, stop here and proceed to decorate the cake balls, following the project instructions.

Step 4

Place the candy coating in a deep, microwave-safe plastic bowl. These bowls make it easier to cover the cake balls completely with candy coating while holding the bowl without burning your fingers. (I usually work with about 16 ounces of coating at a time.)

Melt the candy coating, following the instructions on the package. Microwave on medium power for 30 seconds at a time, stirring with a spoon in between. You can also use a double boiler to melt the chocolate. Either way, make sure you do not overheat the candy coating.

Step 5

Now you’re ready to coat. Take a few cake balls at a time out of the refrigerator or freezer to work with. If they’re in the freezer, transfer the rest of the balls to the refrigerator at this point, so they stay firm but do not freeze.

Place one ball at a time into the bowl of candy coating. Spoon extra coating over any uncoated areas of the cake ball to make sure it is completely covered in candy coating. Then lift out the cake ball with your spoon. Avoid stirring it in the coating, because cake crumbs can fall off into the coating.

Step 6

Holding the spoon over the bowl, tap the handle of the spoon several times on the edge of the bowl until the excess coating falls off and back into the bowl. This technique also creates a smooth surface on the outside of the cake ball.

Transfer the coated cake ball to another wax paper–covered baking sheet to dry. Let the coated cake ball slide right off the spoon. Some coating may pool around the base of the ball onto the wax paper. If so, simply take a toothpick and use it to draw a line around the base of the cake ball before the coating sets. Once the coating sets, you can break off any unwanted coating.

Repeat with the remaining cake balls and let dry completely.

If you have extra candy coating left over, pour it into a resealable plastic bag (and then snip off the corner) or into a squeeze bottle and drizzle it over the tops in a zigzag motion to decorate.

You can make the cake balls ahead of time and store them in an airtight container on the counter or in the refrigerator for several days.

Step 7

Tips:

The cake balls will be easier to roll if you wash and dry your hands periodically during the rolling process. Dry your hands completely each time, and make sure you don’t get water in the candy coating, as it can make it unusable.

You can use a mini ice cream scoop to get uniform-size cake balls.

If you don’t need or want to make 48 cake balls, simply divide the cake in half for 24 cake balls or in quarters for 12 and freeze the remaining cake for later use. Remember to reduce the amount of frosting proportionall