Texas Sheet Cake Cupcakes

 These beauties are from Six Sisters' Stuff and are delicious!!

1 cup butter

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups white sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup buttermilk*

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

*If you don't have buttermilk, no worries! Mix 1/2 cup milk with 2 tsp vinegar or lemon juice. Let sit for a minute before adding to other ingredients.

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place 24 cupcake liners into muffin pans. In a small saucepan, bring the butter, water, and cocoa powder to a boil. Turn off and set aside. Combine flour, sugar, and baking soda. Add eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, and cocoa mixture. Stir until well blended. Pour batter into cupcake liners (about 2/3 full). Bake for 18-20 minutes or until done. They will be moist- make sure that you don't overcook them! Cool completely.

Fudge frosting:

6 tablespoons milk

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup butter

4 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a small saucepan, combine milk, cocoa powder, and butter. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Add vanilla and powdered sugar. Stir until it starts to thicken slightly (about 3-4 minutes). Drop a tablespoon full onto center of each cupcake. The frosting will thicken quickly, so do not make the frosting until ready to put on cupcakes.

Pink Lemonade Cupcakes

I found this recipe over at Sweet Tooth and was so excited! They were perfect "Pinkalicious" cupcakes for my daughter's 3rd birthday! And best of all, they were hands-down the best tasting cupcakes I've ever had, too! They were moist and unique and just plain delicious....Enjoy!

For Pink Lemonade Cake:
1 box white cake mix
3/4 c. frozen pink lemonade concentrate
1/2 c. water
1/3 c. vegetable oil
4 egg whites

*Preheat oven to 350 and line 24 muffin tins with liners.
*Combine all ingredients in mixer and begin by mixing on low for 30 seconds, then on medium for another minute.
*Divide batter evenly, filling 24 tins about 2/3 full.
*Bake about 25 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean. Cool before frosting.

For Pink Lemonade Frosting:
Okay any of you who follow this blog know that I am all about keeping my sanity in the kitchen with two little ones and simplifying where I can. Having said that, the amazing Erica over at Sweet Tooth has a great recipe/tutorial on homemade buttercream frosting for these cupcakes. I did a super easy way that still tasted amazing....You decide which works for you!

1 container fluffy white frosting
2 Tbsp. frozen pink lemonade concentrate
Red and yellow food coloring, if desired

*Blend frosting and lemonade concentrate until extra fluffy. Divide frosting in half and color each--one pink, one yellow. FROST! (I piped yellow in the centers, pink on the outside, but you can also do a two-toned frosting if you want to get fancy!)

Jeannette's Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

I totally stole this picture and recipe off of my friend, Jeannette's, blog. Totally worth it though. :) She is amazing, creating her very own cupcakes! And perfect for Thanksgiving w/ the pumpkin! Thanks, Jeannette!

1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1-1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves(optional)
2 eggs
1 cup pumpkin
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup oil
*Preheat oven to 350. First combine all dry ingredients and sift/mix. In separate bowl combine all other ingredients and mix. (The recipe doesn't call for vanilla, but I added just a little bit) Next combine dry and wet ingredients and mix. Add chocolate chips- however many you want. Set cupcake batter to the side.

Cream Cheese Cupcake Filling
8 oz. cream cheese
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
*Mix room temperature cream cheese with sugar thoroughly. And then add the egg and mix.

*Spray your cupcake tin with cooking spray and put in a spoonful of pumpkin mix, then a small spoonful of cream cheese mix, and then top with another small spoonful of pumpkin mix. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Cool for 20 minutes. This next step is completely optional, but oh sooo good!

Chocolate Gan ache
1/2 cup heavy cream
8 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
*Stir the ingredients over a pot of simmering water until melted and creamy. Once your cupcakes have cooled dip the tops of the cupcakes into the ganache and let dry for 10-15 minutes. And then ENJOY!!

Chocolate Zucchini & Carrot Cupcakes

These are AWESOME!! And you can't feel too bad about eating them because c'mon they have CARROTS AND ZUCCHINI in them!!

1-1/4 cups butter, softened

1-1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

2-1/2 cups flour

3/4 cup baking cocoa

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup plain yogurt

1 cup grated zucchini

1 cup grated carrots

16 oz. chocolate frosting

*In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Stir in vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; add to the creamed mixture alternately with yogurt, beating well after each addition. Fold in zucchini and carrots.

*Fill paper-lined muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake at 350 degrees for 18-22 mins, or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool and frost. Yield: 21 cupcakes