Chocolate Guiness Cupcakes with Chocolate Whiskey Ganache Filling and Bailey’s Buttercream

These cupcakes are absolute heaven!  Guinness chocolate cake, whiskey ganache filling, and a Bailey’s buttercream frosting.  I brought these to a football game tailgate last year and they were demolished.  The original recipe makes 24 cupcakes, but since that is a few too many cupcakes for just me, I downsized the recipe to make 12 cupcakes.

Here is a picture after I took out the center of the cupcakes.  I suggest mixing the extra cake with the leftover ganache as a snack 🙂

Enjoy!

Cupcake Recipe

adapted from Brown Eyed Baker

yield: 12 cupcakes

The Cupcakes:
1/2 cup Guinness stout
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 plus 1/8 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder (1/8 cup = 2 Tbps)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 plus 1/8 teaspoons salt
1 eggs
1/3 cup sour cream

The Whiskey Ganache Filling:
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon Irish whiskey

The Baileys Buttercream Frosting:
1 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
2-3 cups powdered sugar (depending on how sweet you like your frosting)
3 tablespoons Bailey’s Irish Cream

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 12 cupcake cups with liners. Bring the Guinness and butter to a simmer in a heavy, medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the cocoa powder and whisk until the mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.

Whisk the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in a large bowl to combine. Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs and sour cream on medium speed until combined. Add the Guinness-chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and beat just to combine. Reduce the speed to low, add the flour mixture and beat briefly. Using a rubber spatula, fold the batter until completely combined. Divide the batter among the cupcake liners. Bake until a thin knife inserted into the center comes out clean, about 17 minutes. Cool the cupcakes on a rack.

Finely chop the chocolate and transfer it to a heatproof bowl. Heat the cream until simmering and pour it over the chocolate. Let it sit for one minute and then, using a rubber spatula, stir it until smooth. Add the butter and whiskey and stir until combined. Let the ganache cool until thick but still soft enough to be piped.

Using the bottom of a large decorating tip cut the centers out of the cooled cupcakes, going about two-thirds of the way down (see picture above for the finished result). Using a spoon, carefully pour ganache into the holes in the cupcakes until they are full.

Whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally. Reduce the speed to medium-low and gradually add the powdered sugar until 2 cups are added.  Taste the buttercream and decide if you would like to make it sweeter by adding up to 1 more cup of powdered sugar.  Add the Baileys, increase the speed to medium-high and whip for another 2 to 3 minutes, until it is light and fluffy.

Frost the cupcakes and decorate with sprinkles, if desired. Store the cupcakes in an airtight container.

A picture of the ganache filling inside!

Epic Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake

This was my first food post on my friend’s blog A Delicious Distraction, and my first food blog post ever!  I decided that my inaugural post would be this most amazing, epic and totally decadent cheesecake.  I made this for myself just for fun, but it is so good that if you make it for an event people will be raving about it all night.  I found the recipe from my favorite baking blog Brown Eyed Baker.  I adjusted the baking directions to help the cheesecake cool slow enough to not crack.

It has an oreo crust, a layer of chocolate fudge, crumbled Reese’s, chocolate ganache topping, and if you feel so inspired you can decorate it with a deliciously creamy peanut butter frosting.    If you love peanut butter and chocolate I highly recommend treating yourself to this delight!  I guarantee you won’t be disappointed.

Epic Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake Recipe

adapted from Brown Eyed Baker

Ingredients

Crust:
32 Oreo cookies, finely crushed or ground in a food processor
5½ Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Pinch of salt

Chocolate Fudge:
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
½ cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
20 miniature peanut butter cup candies, unwrapped and roughly chopped

Peanut Butter Cheesecake:
24 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 eggs

Ganache Topping:
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
½ cup heavy cream

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (300 degrees F if you are using a dark or non-stick pan). Butter a 9″ springform pan and set aside.

2. The Crust: Mix the oreo crumbs, melted butter and salt in a bowl until the crumbs are moist.  Then press the crumbs into the bottom and sides of the springform pan.  Freeze the crust for 10 minutes.

3. Bake the crust for 10 minutes, then transfer it to a rack and let cool.

4. The fudge: Heat the cream until it simmers over medium heat.  Then pour the cream over the chopped chocolate in a separate bowl.   Let  it stand for 1-2 minutes and then add the vanilla extract and stir until the chocolate cream mixture is smooth and combined. Pour the fudge over the crust and place in the freezer for 10 minutes. Remove it from freezer, sprinkle the chopped Resse’s over the fudge and place the crust back into the freezer for 10 more minutes.

5. The peanut butter cheesecake: Beat the cream cheese and peanut butter together on medium speed until smooth. Then add the sugar and vanilla extract and beat on medium until they are thoroughly combined. Add the eggs one at a time and mix on low.  Beat the eggs just until they are combined with the cream cheese mixture.  Do not overmix or else your cheesecake will have too much volume.

6. Remove the pan from the freezer and pour the cheesecake filling over the crust.  Bake the cheesecake until the sides of the cheesecake are set and the middle just slightly jiggles, about 1 hour.  Turn the oven off and leave the cheesecake in the oven (this helps the cheesecake shrink slowly to prevent cracking).  Transfer to a wire cooling rack and run a knife around the edge of the crust to slightly separate the crust from the pan. Cool the cheesecake to room temperature (at least 1 hour). Refrigerate the cheesecake at least 4 hours until it is thoroughly chilled. Carefully remove the sides from the springform pan before serving.

7. The ganache topping: place the chopped chocolate in a small bowl. Simmer the heavy cream over medium heat. Immediately pour the simmering cream over the chopped chocolate. Let sit for 1-2 minutes and then stir until the mixture is smooth. Pour the ganache on the top of the cheese and spread evenly over the top of the cheesecake. Return to the refrigerator to set the ganache (~20 minutes).

8.  If you wish decorate it with some creamy peanut butter frosting.

Peanut Butter Frosting Recipe

adapted from Food Network

Kathleen’s Peanut Butter Icing:

• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/3 cup heavy cream

Place the confectioners’ sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and salt in the bowl  and mix on medium-low speed until creamy.   Scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula as you mix. Add the cream and beat on high speed until the mixture is light and smooth.  Apply generously to the cheesecake!

Panera’s Baked Spinach Artichoke Egg Souffle

I found this recipe and got super excited!  It is trying to recreate the souffles at Panera which are quite tasty if you haven’t tried one yet.  The dough is the easiest part–you simply roll out Pillbury cresent rolls.

Then you fill with the spinach artichoke egg filling.

Fold the dough over the top and brush with an egg wash.

25 minutes later you have a scrumptious breakfast!  You can freeze or refrigerate any extras.

Enjoy!

My substitutions:

6 Tbps chopped fresh spinach (instead of the frozen spinach)

Panera’s Baked Spinach Artichoke Egg Souffle Recipe

High Altitude Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cupcakes with Brown Sugar Buttercream

I’ve been here in Denver on a rotation for medical school for the past two weeks and I have been hesitant to try my hand at baking at high altitude.  But today I felt like giving it a try!  I looked up some advice on baking at altitude and look– the cupcakes did not sink in the middle!

Here are the adjustments I made to bake at high altitude (5,280 ft) using the advice from The Muffin Lady:

• bake at the same temperature
• add an extra 1.5–2 rounded tablespoons of flour per cup
• add 1/4 teaspoon of salt to help with leavening
• cut the baking powder and baking soda in half
• add an extra egg

I have included a sea level version, but I haven’t tried it yet.  Let me know how it turns out!

I combined the ideas from oatmeal chocolate chip cupcakes from Love and Olive Oil and chocolate chip cupcakes from How Sweet It Is.  I would describe this cupcake as a cupcake muffin hybrid.  I will be interested to try my sea level version when I return to Florida to see the differences.

This frosting is very sweet, so a little goes a long way.  The frosting really complements the cupcake so it will taste less sweet when you eat it with the cupcake.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cupcake Recipe (High Altitude Version)

adapted from Love and Olive Oil and How Sweet It Is

yield: 17 cupcakes

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 cup quick cooking oatmeal (or chopped whole oats)
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line muffin tin with paper baking cups.

Cream butter, sugar, and eggs together.  Combine the  dry ingredients in a bowl. Add half of the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. Next, mix in the milk.  Then add the remaining dry ingredients. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Pour into cupcake tins until three quarters full and bake for 20-25 mins at 350. Let them cool and then frost.

Brown Sugar Buttercream Recipe

adapted from Always with Butter

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 Tbsp milk

Directions

Combine the butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon using an electric hand mixer.  Add the vanilla.  Mix in the powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time and alternate with adding 1 Tbsp of milk.  Frost the cupcakes!

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cupcake Recipe (Sea Level Version)

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 cup quick cooking oatmeal (or chopped whole oats)
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Monster Cookies

These cookies absolutely blew me away with how tasty they are.  I found the recipe on Sally’s Baking Addiction and of course it did not disappoint!  A rich, creamy peanut butter dough with a hint of oatmeal filled with dark chocolate and peanut butter M & M’s…I can’t think of anything more delectable!

My fillings for this recipe:

1. chopped Ghirardelli 60% Cocoa Bittersweet Chocolate Chips

2. Peanut butter M & M’s

Monster Cookies Recipe

Oreo Truffles

I’m not quite sure why it has taken me this long to try and make these but alas I finally did!  I made them for a friend for his birthday, hence the super cute celebration sprinkles!  I had some regular Oreos and cream cheese that needed to be used up, so when I stumbled across this Golden Oreo version from Sally’s Baking Addiction and I decided to make the traditional version.

I combined the Kraft recipe with Sally’s preparation and they turned out marvelous!  I also used Ghirardelli 60% cocoa chocolate chips for the coating which made them taste dark and dreamy.  I definitely want to try the Golden Oreo version next!

Oreo Truffles

adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction and Kraft

makes 22 truffles

Ingredients

• 19 Oreos (or 1/2 package of Oreos)
• 4 oz cream cheese, softened
• 8 oz Ghrirardeli 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate chips
• sprinkles

Directions:

Crush the Oreos using either a food processor or by placing them into a bag and using a rolling pin.  Mix the Oreo crumbs and the cream cheese until combined.  Shape them into 1 inch round balls and place them on a baking sheet or tray lined with parchment paper or wax paper.  Place into the freezer for 30 minutes.

Melt the chocolate chips either over low heat on the stove or by microwaving.  Dip the balls into the chocolate and place them onto the prepared tray.  Top with sprinkles immediately.  Refrigerate the truffles for at least 20 minutes and then enjoy!  Store the uneaten truffles in the refrigerator.