Happy Valentine's Day!!!

Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes with Fresh Strawberry Buttercream! Just in time for Valentine's Day!

Recipe coming tomorrow!!!

Thanksgiving: Italian Wedding Cookies!

papi requested these italian wedding cookies for thanksgiving without knowing that what he really wanted was french macarons.

doesn't really matter because i got a fancy new camera (Nikon D5100) and wanted to take a picture of anything and EVERYTHING!

aren't they pretty??? i have a lot more to edit, but i really wanted to share them with you!


for those wanting to make them - i did it differently this time. Instead of rolling out the cookie dough, which i'm terrible at, i used my hands to roll little balls of dough and flatten them with my palm. i then pressed them into the sprinkles before i baked them.  to make sure they were all the same size, i used two things - a mini muffin tin and a whoopie pie mold. both small circular shapes. keep in mind that using this method will make them a bit thicker and require a few extra minutes of baking. also - dont be an idiot like myself, and make sure to remember to poke holes in the cookies with a fork prior to baking. after baking, assemble the same way.

Golden Oreo Cheesecake

golden oreo individual cheesecakes. oh so so so good! nothing more to say, here is the recipe:

Oreo Cheesecake Recipe
{slightly adapted from Pink Parsley}

Cookies and Cream Cheesecakes
Martha Stewart's Cupcakes
makes 30 cupcakes

• 42 Golden Oreos - 30 left whole, and 15 food processed (just pulsed, not liquified...)
• 2 lbs cream cheese, room temperature (I use 16oz of reduced fat, and 16oz of fat free - this REALLY increased cooking time)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• pinch of salt

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees.  Line muffin tins with paper liners, and place 1 Oreo in the bottom of each cup.

With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the cream cheese until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.  Gradually add the sugar, and beat until smooth.  Beat in the vanilla, then drizzle in the eggs.  When well combined, mix in the greek yogurt and salt.  Stir in the chopped cookies by hand.

Divide the batter evenly among the muffin tins, filling each one almost to the top.  Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until the filling is just set, about 22 minutes (Mine was more like 45 mins by the time they were freaking done. I highly recommend using full fat cream cheese for this recipe...mine were still DELICIOUS)

Transfer the tins to wire racks to cool completely, then refrigerate (in tins) at least 4 hours.  Remove from tins just before serving.


such creamcheesy goodness should be shared with everyone! i brought mine to work and passed them out around 3pm when people start usually start to fall asleep at their desks :)

Enjoy!

sprinkles

strawberry milk whoopie pies

ahhhh...I DIE. i need these in my life immediately. Sprinkle Bakes is the cutestt!

too bad i already packed ALL of my baking equipment for the move...now i need to wait two weeks. waaaah!

Funfetti Cupcakes - from scratch!

soooo - this is usually how our nights go at our house (lots of girls living together):

roomie 1: mads, make cupcakes!
roomie 2: yea, yea ,yea! do it!
me: no guys, make them yourselves. we dont even have the ingredients.
roomie 3: whatever mads, just go to the store, get the ingredients, and then make them and serve us.
roomie 1 and 2: good idea
me: **expletive** i hate you all. no.
roomie 1: COME ONNNN!!!
me: whatever, we have heavy whipping cream and no milk, and old eggs. you guys enjoy the outcome.
roomie 1, 2, 3: YESSSSSS!!! sounds amazing.
me: you are all retarded.

and thats how cupcakes usually get made at our house....or any food, for that matter. old ingredients and sprinkles make anyone happy, right?

anyway, the point here is that we all wanted funfetti cupcakes, and we didn't want to go to the store to get the box. sooo - i made home made ones - the ones that Mrs. How Sweet posted yesterday! how convenient!


all i can say is - damn i'm glad i made them with heavy whipping cream mixed with water (disgustingly awesome) - because they turned out amazing and i didnt even ice them because 1: toooooo effing lazy. and 2: didn't need icing. and 3: my greedy ass roomies couldn't wait another minute. (but i love them.)



Homemade Funfetti Cupcakes 
{*via How Sweet Eats, only slightly adapted}
makes 12 cupcakes
1/2 cup butter (light butter in our case)
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs (old eggs. whatever)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 cup milk (umm...mostly heavy whipping cream with a little bit of milk)
1/3 cup assorted brightly colored sprinkles + more for top of frosting...*or just to eat out of the palm of your hand

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Cream butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until combined.
Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. Add half of the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. Add the milk. Once mixed, add remaining dry ingredients. Fold in assorted sprinkles.

Pour into cupcake tins and fill 2/3 of the way full. Bake for 18-20 minutes. Let cool, then frost.

puppy is helping me bake!

make them. do it. 

Hot Chocolate Cupcakes!

Hot Chocolate Cupcakes With Caramel Kissed Centers
Adapted from it's the little things *via Picky Palate

1 Devils Food Cake Mix
4 eggs
1/2 Cup vegetable oil
1 small box instant chocolate pudding mix
1 Cup fat free sour cream
3/4 Cup warm milk mixed with 1 packet hot chocolate mix
24 milk chocolate Hershey kisses with caramel centers
3-4 Cups mini marshmallows

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place cake mix, eggs, oil, pudding mix, sour cream and mixed hot chocolate into a stand mixer on medium speed. Mix until well combined, about 1 1/2 minutes. Scoop into 24 paper lined muffin tins about 3/4 full. Place a caramel kiss into center of each cupcake pressing to bottom.

 

Bake for 18 minutes, remove and top with marshmallow. Return back to oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes or until marshmallows are puffed and just starting to brown. Remove and let cool. You can place a cut straw into each cupcake if desired to decorate.

24 cupcakes

these are super easy and fun to make! they were a huge hit in the office :) 

try them with different hershey kiss flavors as the seasons go by! cherry cordial, mint, pumpkin! yum!

 

S'mores Cupcakes!

S'mores Cupcakes

(slightly adapted from here *via here)

Cupcakes:

1 package Classic Butter (or French Vanilla) cake mix

2 tablespoons graham cracker crumbs

1 1/2 cups water

3 egg whites

24 milk chocolate candy kisses

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.
2. In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, 2 tablespoons graham cracker crumbs, water and egg whites. Beat for 2 minutes at high speed of an electric mixer.
3. Divide batter evenly among paper lined cups, filling about 2/3 full. Place a chocolate kiss in each cupcake, pressing in lightly. (I pushed mine all the way to the bottom and they stuck to the paper wrapping, so keep them in the middle?) Spoon 1 teaspoon graham cracker crumbs onto each cupcake. 

 

Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 18 to 25 minutes

Frosting:

2 sticks of butter, room temperatur

2 cups confectioner's sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla

16 oz. tub of marshmallow fluff

Cream the butter on high until it's light and fluffy. Add the confectioner's sugar, 1/4 cup at a time, and beat until fluffy each time. Beat in the vanilla until incorporated. Then dump in the fluff and mix it up until its all creamy. Transfer to pastry bag and pipe onto cupcake! sprinkle extra graham cracker on top.Top with a Hershey kiss or piece of Hershey's chocolate for added prettiness :)

please forgive the terrible picture, but you can see the cute little hershey kiss inside if you look hard enough!

i highly suggest these! :) enjoy!

Gingerbread Cupcakes !

I found this recipe from marthastewart.com, and like usual, it did not disappoint! it has all the great taste of a gingersnap cookie with the fluffiness of a cupcake! ......and the butter glaze...ohhhh man. amazing. it had the consistency/taste of krispy kreme glaze...defining using this glaze again very soon! Enjoy!!

i apologize for the heinous picture/lighting!! i made about a million batches of sweets that night and was in no mood to take pretty pictures...next time :)

Gingerbread Cupcakes

Ingredients

Makes 10

• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2/3 cup packed dark-brown sugar
• 1 cup unsulphered molasses
• 2 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten 

 
Directions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 10 jumbo muffin tins with paper baking cups, and set aside. In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup water to a boil. In a bowl, combine boiling water and baking soda; set aside. In a large bowl, sift together flour, ground spices, salt, and baking powder; set aside.
2. In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter until light. Beat in the brown sugar until fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Beat in the molasses, baking-soda mixture, and flour mixture. Beat in the eggs.
3. Fill the cupcake papers three-quarters full, making sure that the batter is divided evenly. Bake cupcakes until a toothpick inserted in the center of them comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Let cupcakes cool a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Gingerbread Cupcakes - Martha Stewart Recipes

 

Ingredients

Makes 1 1/2 cups, or enough for 10 large cupcakes

• 2 1/2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons milk

Directions

1. Place 1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Remove the pan from heat; immediately pour the melted butter into the bowl with the sugar. Add 4 teaspoons milk; whisk until mixture is smooth. Working quickly, dip the top of each cupcake into the glaze, and place cupcake right-side up on a wire rack.
2. Repeat step 1; glaze remaining cupcakes. Allow glaze to set, about 20 minutes, before decorating.

Yummy Butter Glaze up close! with gold sugar sprinkles of course :)

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Butter Glaze - Martha Stewart Recipes

 

White Chocolate Peppermint Marshmallow Fudge - yes please!!

a wintertime treat for the snowy, cold days

White Chocolate Peppermint Marshmallow Fudge
(recipe from Crepes of Wrath)


2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 5 oz. can (2/3 cup) evaporated milk
1 Jar (7 1/2oz) Marshmallow Fluff
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 12 oz. package white chocolate chips (the higher the quality, the easier it is for them to melt)
11 candy canes, crushed (I crushed mine as small as possible, to avoid chipping any teeth)

1. Combine the sugar, salt, butter, evaporated milk, and Fluff in a medium pot and melt together over medium-high heat. When melted, bring to a boil and stir while it boils, so it doesn’t burn, for a full 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add in the vanilla extract, peppermint extract, and white chocolate chips. Return the pot to low heat (the lowest your burner will go) and stir until the white chocolate has melted (white chocolate does not melt as easily as milk or dark chocolate, so you may need to stir a bit more vigorously than you’re used to).

melty melty

add the peppermint!

2. When the white chocolate is melted, stir in half of your crushed candy canes, then add in as much as you want, reserving a bit to sprinkle on the very top. Pour into an 8×8 or 9×9 pan (I used an 8×8, but I would have preferred a 9×9). Set aside to cool, and cut the fudge when it is room temperature. Makes 24-28 pieces of fudge.

finished product - ta-da!!! :)

i highly recommend this SUPER EASY fudge recipe!! Enjoy!

it'd be super cute to package up in cubes and put it in a clear bag with a festive ribbon, love it!

Nutella Marshmallow Puff Pastry

Nutella Marshmallow Puff Pastry
(slightly adapted from *Picky Palate)

1 package puff pastry, 2 pastry sheets thawed

1 Cup Nutella spread

1 Cup mini marshmallows

Egg white wash: 1 egg white whisked with 1 Tablespoon water

Powdered sugar for dusting

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cut each square of pastry into 4 equal size pieces (I trimmed mine just a little). Spread a couple tablespoons of Nutella spread onto the center of each pastry leaving 1/2 inch border around edges. Top each with about 12-15 mini marshmallows and fold over to form a little triangle. Crimp edges firmly with the tines of a fork. Brush with egg white wash then sprinkle with granulated sugar. Bake for 22-25 minutes or until pastry just turns golden. Remove and let cool for 5 minutes, sprinkle with powdered sugar then dig in!

8 pockets

ya'll, Picky Palate NEVER steers me wrong! These were absolutely delicious, and like she says, do yourself a favor and head to the store immediately to buy the ingredients (all three of them:) ).

what picky palate doesn't mention is how finicky puff pastry is!! talk about hard work! despite the ugly appearance of some of the final products, they were REALLY tasty and still a huge hit with my coworkers!! i'd make these again, perhaps with pillsbury croissants or biscuits, because they are easier to work with!

enjoy!!

Pumpkin Apple Spice Cake!

best part about this recipe: TWO main ingredients! how much easier does it get?! YAY - I was sold the second i saw the picture *HERE at Noble Pig (how fitting!).


Two-Ingredient Pumpkin Cake with Apple Cider Glaze
(Slightly adapted from *Noble Pig)

For the Cake:
1 Sugar Free Yellow Cake Mix
1 15 ounce can of pumpkin puree

For the Glaze:
1-1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 Tablespoons apple cider
3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Empty the contents of the boxed cake mix and pumpkin puree into a large bowl. Using a hand-mixer or stand mixer beat until well incorporated. The batter will be very thick, but will come together nicely.

Pour batter into a greased pan - mine was slightly large, so i ended up with a thinner cake. Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes. feel feel to make it thicker, just be sure to use the toothpick method to be sure its baked properly. Bake longer if needed, but pay attention - you don't want to overbake it!!

Let cool for 5-10 minutes in the pan, then flip onto a platter.

Make the glaze while you're waiting.

Combine powdered sugar, apple cider and pumpkin pie spice. Glaze should be thick but pourable. Add more sugar or cider if needed. Pour over the cake while still warm. Reserve some to pour over each slice when served.

Serve warm or room temperature.

this recipe was fun, simple, and delicious! the roommates devoured it SO FAST! i can't wait to make this again for a potluck or a girl's dinner! everyone was amazed at how moist it was and how quickly it was prepared. everyone from the most elite foodie to the most amateur baker can enjoy this recipe!

Cake Pops!! Bakerella Style!

Inspired by Bakerella (who is AMAZING, btw), I made cake pops for Ashton's Bridal Shower! Me and Michelle got together on the Friday night before (she conveniently also had a bridal shower to attend) and made these little suckers! They aren't as easy as you'd think, folks! I had quite a few get screwed up and even my "good" ones, were screwy. :)

I made purple, and she made pink! :) love these little guys, they were a hit!

For the recipe/prep, see MICHELLE'S BLOGGY!

Honey Banana Blueberry Cake Puffs!

Honey Banana Blueberry Cake Puffs
(adapted from *picky palate)

1 box sugar free yellow cake mix

4 large bananas, mashed (about 2 1/2 Cups)

1 cup fresh blueberries

2 Tablespoons normal honey

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place all ingredients into bowl and combine well.

Use a cookie scoop and scoop dough onto a silpat or parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 11-15 minutes or until cooked through. Let cool for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

4 dozen-ish cookies

I found this recipe and made it the next day for our all girl's dinner party! These were such a hit, and I couldn't just eat 1...or 2...or 3! Please make these, they are SO simple and so delish! and really, they require no skills!

*also - I can't take credit for the prep on this one, my sister Claire made them all :) and she did a great job for someone who claims she can't cook or bake!

Honey Mascapone Cheesecake

Got this little sucker at the Colby Hill Inn in Henniker, NH. hands down - the very best cheesecake I've had in my life. Did I mention that it has honeycomb on top!??! PRECIOUS.
I'm definitely going to try to recreate this bad boy!
*if you ever find yourself in this tiny, adorable, quaint little town - i'd stop in for a delicious meal!

Oreo Cupcakes!!!

Me and Michelle had a dinner for our friends the other night! We made my Peruvian chicken and had Oreo Cupcakes as dessert!

Pop over to Michelle's bloggy for the recipe and more pictures of these extremely delicious treats!

Cupcake in a Jar

This idea is adorable and great for people on-the-go with their cupcakes :)

(via *cakies)

Margarita Cupcakes for Cinco de Mayo!!!

OLE!

Margarita Cupcakes hardly need an intro! :)
makes about 52 minis - seriously - bite size drops of heaven that are work-safe margarita goodness!

CAKE:
9 ounces liquid Margarita mix (a little over a cup)
3 ounces tequila (a little less than 1/3 cup)
¾ ounce Grand Marnier (instead i used a little more tequila and marg mix - too lazy to buy this! woopsies)
1 box white cake mix
3 large egg whites
2 Tbs vegetable oil
1 Tbs lime zest

ICING:
zest of 3 limes
juice of 3 limes
abt 1 cup of butter
pinch of sea salt
tbsp of tequila!!! (if you use more tequila, use more sugar)
4-6 cups of powdered sugar depending on what consistency you want! (Honestly, my frosting is not at a thick enough consistency for my liking, but i got lazy and left it as is)
a few drops of green food coloring - optional

Prepare cupcakes: Whisk together margarita mix, tequila and Grand Marnier in a small bowl. Measure out 1¼ cups for the recipe; pour the rest on some ice and drink it while making the cupcakes.

In a large bowl, blend cake mix, egg whites, vegetable oil, lime zest and 1¼ cups of the margarita mix from step 1. Blend on low for about 30 seconds and then increase speed to medium and blend for two additional minutes. Batter will be slightly lumpy.

Spoon the batter into mini cupcake liners (about ¾ full). Bake for 15 min, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cupcakes cool for about 10 minutes in the pans, then remove them to a rack to cool completely. (if using regular size cupcakes - bake for 20-25 mins!)

Prepare Icing: whip butter til smooth consistency. add all ingredients besides sugar and combine well. gradually add powdered sugar until desired consistency!

ENJOY!!! Happy Cinco de Mayo!!!!!!!!!!!!

thank my office for the great lighting on the pictures...argh.

Lavender Cupcakes with Citrus Cream Cheese Icing

For my room mates birthday the other day, I decided to make something new (surprise, surprise!) so I made Lavender Cupcakes with Citrus Cream Cheese Icing. Delish! Two of my room mates said it was their favorite cupcake to date (and i've made a LOT!)

Here are the recipes and some pictures!

Lavender Cupcakes - from here*
makes 12 cupcakes. clearly, i doubled the recipe :)

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon dried lavender flowers
• 1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup self-rising flour (how-to make yourself, here*)
• 2 tablespoons milk

Preparation:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F; line a 12 count muffin pan with paper liners.
• Put the sugar and lavender flowers in a food processor. Process briefly to combine.
• Tip the lavender sugar into a bowl with the butter and beat together until pale and fluffy.
• Beat the eggs into the butter mixture, one at a time, then sift in the flour and fold gently. Stir in the milk, then spoon the mixture into the muffin cups.
• Bake for about 18 minutes until risen and golden and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.

1. mixing the batter. 2. placing in cupcake tins. 3. making the icing with lots of zest! 4. adding the color!

Citrus Cream Cheese Icing - from here*
for 12 cupcakes. clearly, i doubled the recipe. :)

1/2 stick butter
1 8oz packages of cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon mixed citrus zest (from lemons, limes, oranges, whatever citrus you have)
1 teaspoon citrus juice (same as above)
2 cups confectioner’s sugar
3-4 drops of purple food coloring

1. soften butter in the mixer on high speed
2. add cream cheese and beat until combined
3. sift confectioner’s sugar
4. add about half of the confectioner’s sugar and citrus juice and zest to the butter/cream cheese mixture and beat on high speed to combine
5. add remaining confectioner’s sugar in stages until desired consistency and sweetness is achieved
6. add purple food coloring and mix until consistent color is achieved

haha funny thing, she actually turned 23. what shitty friends we are....eeeeks.but we did make it all look adorable for when she came home!

EPIC SUCCESS: Parisian Macarons

oooooh friends, yesterday was the best day of my life! not only was the weather A-MAZING, but i had a little kick in my step (that may or may not have been due to sangria consumption) that led to the most perfect little macarons i have ever laid my eyes on!

*now, i know you remember my epic fail in the fall. i've had my sights set on the perfect macaron since, and i am very proud to say that this was only my second try! and they.were.perfect!!!

While I could take the time to write down the steps, I don't want to. I want to introduce you to the best book I've ever read: I {heart} Macarons by Hisako Ogita. Not only is it filled with plenty of eye candy, it gives you options for millions of flavors of macarons and buttercreams as well as other fillings. it also gives you step by step instructions - with pictures - which i obviously needed. Seriously, this book was my life saver!

without further ado, i present to you the most adorable little dessert i've ever seen, made by: ME!
while i am not thrilled with my color choice (only made two batches in fear that i'd royally screw up again), i am PUMPED about the results!

brownish color = plain almond/vanilla buttercream
green color = matcha (green tea....with hints of blueberry)/vanilla buttercream

every single person said: "seriously? you made these? are you sure you didn't buy them when no one was home!?!?!?? THEY LOOK LIKE THEY ARE FAKE!"
needless to say, I LOVE reactions like that!

i forgot to mention that i SCREAMED out loud when i saw the feet forming - so much so that my room mates that were home all came into the kitchen to see if i was ok/dead. it was THAT exciting!

Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes

Guinness Cupcakes + Baileys Chocolate Ganache Filling + Baileys Buttercream = the fatty's version of the Irish Car Bomb!

I made these little delights in honor of my good friend Albert's birthday because because it was just St. Patty's Day! Perfect!

Due to strict instructions from Michelle, this is a picture-packed post that is sure to crash your internet browser...haha!

Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes - adapted from Annie Eats :)
Yield: 24 cupcakes
Ingredients:
For the Guinness chocolate cupcakes:
1 cup stout (Guinness)
16 tbsp. unsalted butter
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1½ tsp. baking soda
¾ tsp. salt
2 large eggs
2/3 cup sour cream
For the Bailey’s ganache filling:
8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
2/3 cup heavy cream
2 tbsp. butter, at room temperature
2 tsp. Bailey’s Irish cream
For the Bailey’s buttercream frosting:
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
3-4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
4-8 tbsp. Bailey’s Irish cream
Directions:
To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350° F. Line two cupcake pans with paper liners. Combine the stout and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the cocoa powder and whisk until smooth. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the eggs and sour cream to blend. Add the stout-butter mixture and beat just to combine. Mix in the dry ingredients on low speed just until incorporated. Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake liners, filling them about 2/3 to ¾ full. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 17 minutes. Allow to cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the ganache filling, place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan until simmering, then pour it over the chocolate. Let sit for one minute and then whisk until smooth. If the chocolate is not completely melted, place the bowl over a double boiler or give it a very short burst in the microwave (15-20 seconds). Add the butter and Bailey’s and stir until combined.


Set aside to let the ganache cool until it is thick enough to be piped. (You can use the refrigerator to speed the cooling process, but be sure to stir every 10 minutes or so to ensure even cooling.) Meanwhile, cut out a portion from the center of the cupcake using the cone method (a small paring knife works best for this). Once the ganache has reached the correct consistency, transfer it to a piping bag fitted with a wide tip and pipe it into the cupcakes.




To make the frosting, place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Gradually add the powdered sugar until it is all incorporated. Mix in the Bailey’s until smooth. Add more if necessary until the frosting has reached a good consistency for piping or spreading. Frost the cupcakes as desired. sprinkle with extra cocoa powder because it's PRETTY!






packed up and ready to go!! such little cutie pies!