Chocolate Kiwi Cupcakes

I know what you're probably thinking. Chocolate and kiwi together? That could never be good. However, the flavors complement each other perfectly.

I remember the first time I had the wonderful combination. I was in 2nd grade and my parents and I went on the ultimate vacation. New Zeland. To be honest since it was so long ago I don't remember everything about the trip, but that's where pictures come in to remind me!

See my dad was a foreign exchange student (I believe in high school?) and spent some time in New Zeland. And here comes the story behind the post.

My father had left his best friend behind, Twyla, as he set off on his adventures. However, as he was going to school in New Zeland, he met Andrew, who ended up becoming a close friend.

One day his friend from the other side of the world came here to Washington, and the two of them met. In the end, well, they got married. So I grew up with their children, and Twyla's mother as my grandmother. I always thought they were family, and still do to this day.

So one year we all went on vacation together (kind of) for a few weeks, and for part of the trip my parents and I stayed with one of the family's my father had stayed with on his foreign exchange trip since he had kept in touch with them over the years.

They decided before we went to set me up with a pen pal, a girl a couple years older than me, Adele, who unfortunately I no longer keep in touch with, but, at the time, became a great friend. She had first tried to get me to eat candy that was chocolate kiwi, but at the time, I didn't want chocolate right before I went to bed.

However, I had fallen in love with kiwi fruit by this time.

I believe it was a few years down the road when Don and Fran (the couple my father stayed with) came to the states for a visit, and Don brought me a few chocolate bars from New Zeland that were filled with a sweetened kiwi filling. I still remember those beauties. Completely delicious. So when I saw a recipe for kiwi cream cheese frosting, I fell in love and had to try the flavor combination, in tribute to the candy bar.

Anyways, that's my story of the week. Now here's your cupcakes!

Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart

Fudgey Chocolate Cupcakes

makes 12 cupcakes

• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup canola oil
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup buttermilk

preheat the oven to 350 degrees

In a medium bowl, mix together cocoa, flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In a medium bowl mix together oil, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Slowly add in dry ingredient mixture and make sure to fully combine. Add in buttermilk.

Fill liners 3/4 of the way full and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 10 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack until cupcakes are fully cooled.

Kiwi Cream Cheese Frosting

Recipe adapted from here

• 1 stick butter, room temperature
• 1/4 or 2 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 3-5 cups powdered sugar
• 1 fresh kiwi, mashed

With an electric mixer, cream together the butter and cream cheese. Mix in the kiwi and fully combine. Finally slowly add in the powdered sugar, until desired consistency/flavor is reached (I prefer a stiffer frosting). 

Green Beer Cupcakes

The first time I heard the words Green beer was a couple years ago while watching the Real World. Yes, I admit it, I watch The Real World. It's one of those shows that I don't tell people I watch, kind of a guilty pleasure. Anyways, it was St. Patricks Day and the guy had said something about how all of his friends back home would drink green beer all day, starting at 5 a.m.

When I was thinking a month or two ago about what St. Patricks Day cupcakes I wanted to make, all I kept finding was green velvet cupcakes or Irish car bomb cupcakes. So the wheels in my head started turning and I thought back to that episode of Real World and decided I was going to make a green beer cupcake for the green holiday.

I wanted the cupcake to taste like beer but keep its bright green color, which a stout beer couldn't do. So instead I used Blue Moon since it's a Belgian white beer, which I also used for the buttercream, which oh my word, I could of sworn I was in heaven.

Definitely tastes like beer but with a little sweetness to it. I think if I make this frosting again I'm going to add a tablespoon of flour (I know that sounds kind of odd in the frosting) but it's supposed to help bind it together more and the frosting is on the softer side.

I adapted Bakerella's Green Velvet Cupcakes to green beer cupcakes and I adapted the buttercream recipe from here. 

Green Beer Cupcakes

makes 12 cupcakes

• 1 1/4 cup flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 tablespoon cocoa
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1/4 cup beer
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 tablespoon vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 bottle liquid green food coloring

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Mix liquid ingredients in a bowl and set aside. Mix all of the dry ingredients in a bowl, and add wet ingredients, whisk together. 

Fill cupcake liners 3/4 of the way full and bake for about 20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. 

Let sit in the pan for 10 minutes then remove cupcakes and let fully cool on a cooling rack. 

Beer Buttercream

1 stick butter

3-5 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup beer

Cream the butter and slowly start adding in the powdered sugar. Pour in the beer and fully fix then continue to add powdered sugar until light and fluffy. 

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes

Who doesn't love chocolate chip cookie dough? (Okay I can name a few) but when I found this recipe, I couldn't resist. I have always been a secret cookie dough fanatic. I would constantly sneak a spoonful of dough into my mouth. So for any cookie dough fanatic, these cupcakes would be a perfect little treat!

Anyways, I chose to make these little gems this past week because I have been constantly questioned on when I'm going to make them (along with the Tiramisu, but those are coming next week) so I finally caved and started on my journey.

See I have started a notebook with a list of cupcakes I want to make. Pinterest isn't helping this list get any shorter either, so many great recipes all in one place. Ok back to the notebook. It usually is sitting out in the open and people lately have been looking through it saying "wow make those" and the cookie dough cupcakes have probably gotten the most votes of which cupcakes I should make next.

The recipe I adapted these from I originally found of Bakeat 350 (which has the recipe I used for the brown sugar frosting) and the cupcake recipe can be found here.

If you make these cupcakes however, I would recommend doubling the recipe. It usually takes me a couple days for all the cupcakes I baked to be consumed (I post on Facebook that I have cupcakes and friends come enjoy them, like taste testers) but these cupcakes disappeared in less than 12 hours. It was crazy. I was even getting texts the next day asking if I had more.

My main concern was that they weren't going to taste like cookie dough (since most things turned into a cupcake don't taste exactly like the same) however, these do! I think it's the cookie dough filling that makes the cupcakes. It's a cookie dough that is safe to eat without cooking, thanks to no eggs!

The components of the cupcakes are.. ok by themselves. But when the cupcakes are filled with the cookie dough filling and topped with the brown sugar frosting (which by the way is AMAZING, possibly putting it on oatmeal cookie cupcakes in the next few weeks) they are perfection. I think these may be my favorite cupcake I have made so far.

But without further ado (every time I say that I feel like I'm giving a fancy shmancy speech) here is the cupcake recipe!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes

makes 16 cupcakes

• 3/4 cup oil
• 1 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/4 tbsp molasses
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 1/3 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Cream together oil, sugar and molasses. Add eggs, 1 at a time, fully beating after each. Add vanilla.

In a separate bowl mix together baking powder, baking soda, flour, and salt.

Add half of the dry ingredients and fully mix into the sugar mixture, then add half of the milk and fully mix. Repeat.

Fold in the mini chocolate chips then divide into baking cups. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until tops are browned and a toothpick comes out clean.

Let the cupcakes cool for 10 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack and let fully cool.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Filling

• 2 tbsp butter, room temperature
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 1/4 tbsp molasses
• 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp flour
• 7.5 tbsp sweetened condensed milk
• 1/4 tsp vanilla
• pinch of salt
• 1/8 cup mini chocolate chips

In a medium bowl cream together the butter, sugar, and molasses.

Mix in the flour, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla.

Stir in the chocolate chips. This filling will be extremely thick but softens up after going into the cupcakes.

Brown Sugar Buttercream

• 1 1/2 sticks butter
• 6 tbsp + 1 tsp brown sugar
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• dash of salt
• 1 1/2 tbsp milk
• 1 1/4 tsp vanilla

Cream together the butter and brown sugar until smooth. Add the salt, milk, and vanilla. Beat in the powdered sugar about 1/2 cup at a time until fully combined and smooth. Enjoy! 

Peanut Butter, Banana, and Honey Cupcakes

I grew up on peanut butter and honey sandwiches. Yes I had other things for lunch that were good, but I always remember the peanut butter and honey sandwiches that my dad would make.

Those and cheese sandwiches (lots of mayo on the bread and slices of cheddar cheese, still one of my favorites). But I never could (and still can't, unfortunately) make them anything like my dad could (the peanut butter and honey sandwiches that is.)

Always the perfect amount of peanut butter to honey ratio. And if you would let it sit for a while, the honey would soak into the bread and crisp up a bit. Delicious.

When I was searching through recipes for honey cupcakes with honey buttercream, I saw a recipe with peanut butter frosting.

All I could think of was peanut butter and honey sandwiches.

And I had to turn it into a cupcake.

However, my first attempt turned out like complete crap. I tried to make peanut butter cupcakes and they didn’t rise, at ALL. I was so disappointed. Especially since when people started finding out on Facebook I was making peanut butter and honey cupcakes, they got just as excited as I was.

Then I saw a recipe for peanut butter and banana cupcakes.

I had never had the flavor combination before, but I knew it was a popular one. And, well, I got a good reaction to the idea, so I thought why not give it a go. And let me tell you. They were amazing! The perfect flavor combination. So simple, yet so amazing together. Mouthwatering.

I think I’m going to have to try the sandwich form soon.

If I make these cupcakes again however, I would add another banana (I was told by one of my taste testers that she would like a little more banana) however, I’m going to post the recipe that I used.

I was also told by a few that the honey buttercream was a little too sweet for their taste (I however thought it was perfect) but if you don’t like a sweeter frosting, use less honey.

The blog I adapted the recipe from has disappeared (I was extremely confused) and the buttercream recipe I used was found here.

I hope you enjoy these cupcakes as much as I did! When I made the frosting it was only enough for 12 cupcakes so I haven't made the second batch quite yet, but the pictures will be posted later today. 

Peanut Butter and Banana Cupcakes

Makes 24 cupcakes

• 2 ripe bananas, mashed
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon molasses
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup whole milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine bananas, peanut butter, and vanilla in a bowl until well combined. Set aside.

Beat eggs, sugar, and molasses with a stand mixer, or electric hand mixer, until well combined. Beat in the vegetable oil.

Next, pour the peanut butter and banana mixture into the sugar mixture and beat the mixture until creamy.

Add in the baking powder, salt, half of the flour, and half of the milk, combine. Add in the rest of the flour and milk and fully combine.

Scoop the batter into cupcake liners and fill each ¾ of the way full.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 10 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack and let fully cool before frosting.

Honey Buttercream

• 3 sticks butter
• 1/2 cup honey
• 5 cups powdered sugar

Cream the butter with an electric mixer then add in the honey and beat well. Beat in the powdered sugar, about ½ a cup at a time, making sure all is evenly combined.

Sugar and Spice Cupcakes

Sugar and spice and everything nice, that's what little girls are made of. Since this week I made cupcakes for a friends baby shower, and she is having a girl, I thought, "what would be better than a Sugar and Spice cupcake?" I mean can you imagine a better cupcake for this special occasion? I think I did a little dance of joy when I finally thought of this.

I just couldn't fathom another occasion that would arise where I had a better cupcake idea that paired perfectly.

The cupcakes are like a spice cake and vanilla cake combined. If a spice cake and vanilla cake had a child, these cupcakes would be the end product. Just to give you a slight idea of the amazing flavor of these little beauty's.

And the first time you open the oven door to take these gems out, your showered with a heartwarming, cinnamony sugar, ooo lala smell. YUM!

This also gave me an excuse to buy these cute mini cupcake wrappers and picks on amazon.com. Too perfect for words I tell ya.

Anyways, since this week Thor (my guinea pig) and I travelled over the mountains and through the woods to my parents house we went, I had no stand mixer. I didn't realize how thankful I am for that little gem to be in my life until I was making these cupcakes. I swear I kissed that thing when I came home after the weekend. It really is my savior.

I found this recipe on Bake Space where I changed the amount of spice in the cupcakes. I didn't want the cinnamon to be the main focus of the spices, I wanted them all to shine through the same. I mean I wasn't making sugar and cinnamon cupcakes, but sugar and SPICE. And when mixing the dry ingredients together, a "pinch" didn't seem to be enough. They smelled like cinnamon.

Plus, everyone's pinch is different. So I put the plastic lids back on the top of the jars and just dashed the nutmeg and cloves to give the cupcakes a little more spice. And let me tell you, that was the best decision I could of made. I believe that's what made these cupcakes. I felt like Emeril. 

So these cupcakes are pretty simple to quickly throw together. Literally.

combine all the liquid ingredients in one bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients in another, then mix the wet and dry ingredients together and scoop into the cupcake liners. BAM!

When I started making the frosting for the cupcakes, I really started missing my stand mixer. I really don't know how I didn't have super strength arms before when making the frosting with an electric hand mixer. That was a work out.

Now I know I said something recently about how I was going to try to refrain from making a cream cheese frosting for a while. But I couldn't help myself. I swear I'm in a relationship with cream cheese frosting sometimes. But it really was the perfect frosting for these babies. I almost tried to make a cinnamon cream cheese frosting, but the regular was the right choice.

I mean everything goes great with cream cheese frosting.

P.S. Thanks to my wonderful mother for taking these photo's since I was running late to the baby shower and for helping me put them together and getting them ready to go! 

Sugar and Spice Cupcakes

Makes 12 cupcakes, or 3 dozen mini cupcakes

• 1 cup flour
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• large dash nutmeg
• large dash cloves
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

preheat oven to 350 degrees

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and cloves. Set aside.

Melt the butter in a medium size microwave safe bowl, then mix in the buttermilk, egg, and vanilla until fully combined.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until no lumps remain. Fill the cupcake liners 2/3 of the way full and bake for 15-20 minutes (8-10 minutes if you make mini's) until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 10 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack and let cupcakes fully cool before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1 stick butter, room temperature
• 1/2 block cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Cream together the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add the vanilla and fully combine. Add in the powdered sugar, about 1/2 cup at a time, fully beating each time until all ingredients are fully combined. 

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Since Tuesday was Valentine's day, or St. Valentine's day, I decided to make some red velvet cupcakes. Ok, more then some. 5 dozen to be exact, and that's if you don't count the first batch where I accidentally forgot the eggs, which help leaven the cake. Rookie mistake. Whoops! 

Anyways, I justified making so many however because 3 dozen of them were minis (as you can probably see from the picture). 

When I was trying to think of the perfect valentine's day cupcake, red velvet was the first thing to come to mind. I mean honestly. It truly is the perfect Valentine's day cupcake, at least in my eyes. And since this year I was my own valentine, I didn't want to feel guilty for diverging myself in a sea of cupcakes (hence the minis, I don't feel so guilty for eating them, and using all of my weight watchers points). 

But while on the topic of valentine's day, I just want to go into some quick history, since everyone seems to believe valentine's day is just a made up holiday by hallmark just to suck more money out of our pockets. 

Well people, your wrong. 

Believe me, I thought the same. Until, I did a little research valentine's day eve wanting to know about all of the hustle and bustle over this one day. And let me tell you what I found out. 

It's a real holiday! For all of you non believers, look here. 

Apparently St. Valentine's Day was originally a catholic holiday. St. Valentine had fallen in love with his capture's daughter, who went to see him every day in his cell. When he was sentenced to execution, he wrote here a love letter signed your valentine. 

Believe me now? Ok enough with the history lesson, back to the cupcakes. 

I still don't fully understand the hype over red velvet cupcakes. They are vanilla cupcakes with a hint of chocolate heavily dyed with food coloring. At least now a days. 

Ok maybe just one more quick fact. 

Red velvet started at the waldorf hotel when chocolate was being rationed for the war. To help give the cake moisture and color, they used boiled beets, which is what turned the cake red. It wasn't originally made with tons of red dye like it is now. However, these ones are pretty dang good if I do say so myself.

The traditional frosting to sit atop red velvet cake is a cream cheese frosting, and honestly makes the cupcake (I know I've been making a TON of cream cheese frosting lately, I just didn't see a way to get away with not using cream cheese frosting for these cupcakes).

Ok so I know putting distilled white vinegar in cupcakes might seem odd to some of you. 

However, the reaction between the vinegar and buttermilk helps the cupcakes have such a bright red color. The buttermilk also helps give the cupcakes moisture, just like sour cream would in a cake.

Red Velvet Cupcakes

This recipe makes 12 cupcakes

• 1/2 stick butter
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 1/2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 3 1/2 tablespoons red food coloring
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, or bowl with an electric hand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar, then add the egg, making sure to fully beat in.

In a seperate bowl, mix together the cocoa powder, red food coloring, and vanilla until no lumps remain. Add cocoa mixture to butter mixture and fully combine, making sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl so all of the red food coloring is evenly distributed.

Add in half of the buttermilk, fully mix, then add half of the flour, and fully mix. Repeat until all of the buttermilk and all of the flour is added to the batter.

Finally, add in the salt, baking soda, and distilled white vinegar and combine.

Fill the cupcake liners 3/4 of the way and bake for 15-20 minutes (even if you make minis, bake for the same amount of time) until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 10 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack until room temperature.

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1 stick butter, room temperature
• 1/2 block cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Cream the butter and cream cheese together with an electric mixer. Add in the vanilla and fully combine. Add in the powdered sugar, about 1/2 cup at a time. Mix until frosting is light and fluffy, yet able to be piped on to the cupcakes. 

Mexican Hot Chocolate Cupcakes

Never have I ever been a fan of anything spicy. I am probably the biggest baby when it comes to hot foods out of almost everyone I know (mild salsa burns the dickens out of my mouth) but for some reason I have been wanting spicy food lately for the first time in my life! Hot and Spicy Cheez-It's, craving some Drunken Noodle from Sugar Thai (the local Thai restaurant, I ordered it at a spice level of 2 and I didn't have enough soda to outweigh the spiciness of the dish, even though it was heavenly) and when I saw a recipe from Write Meg! for Mexican Hot Chocolate Cupcakes, well, I couldn't stop myself.

The only problem was, I've never really been a fan of hot chocolate. I mean growing up I would be more than thrilled to drink it when it was snowing outside. One year after playing in the snow with the neighbor kids across the street their mom made us all hot cocoa and something made me laugh so hard that it shot out of my nose. Kind of gross, I know, but one of the many memories of cocoa I remember from my childhood.

However, I think the number one time I drank hot cocoa was on the 3rd of July each year after watching the fireworks at my grandparents with my cousins. I still remember when we would all pile up on the party boat and sit in the middle of the lake covered in our blankets and jackets trying to stay warm during the show, me always falling asleep halfway through, then getting back to the house and grandma making hot cocoa for all of us.

Now even though I don't really enjoy the chocolaty drink anymore, I thought what the heck. Why not try something new. I mean ALMOST everything is good in cupcake form right?

So walah! That's how these cupcake were born! A little bit of spicy chocolaty goodness in a little bite of heaven (I made them mini's instead of regular cupcakes) topped with cream cheese frosting to help give a little sweetness to the bite. Yes, bite.

Needless to say, I am in love with these cupcakes. Yes, I love these cupcakes. I love the kick of the cayenne combined with the chocolate (I was eating them like a crazy women without ANY frosting on top!) because it's something a little different from the norm, breaking the mold of what a cupcake should be. And, drum roll please, they are extremely, extremely, EXTREMELY simple to put together.

Dry ingredients in a bowl, combine, wet ingredients in the dry, combine. Ta da! Simple as that.

Mexican Hot Chocolate Cupcakes
Makes 12 cupcakes, or 3 dozen mini cupcakes

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In the bowl of a stand mixer (or bowl with an electric mixer) combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cayenne pepper. If you have a sensitivity to spice, go easy on the cayenne pepper.

Next, add the vegetable oil, water, vanilla, and apple cider vinegar to the dry ingredients and fully combine using a stand mixer or electric mixer to make sure all ingredients are fully combined. If using a stand mixer, make sure to scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl and give the batter a quick mix.

Fill cupcake liners 3/4 of the way and bake for 15-20 minutes (even the mini's take 15-20 minutes) until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack until room temperature.

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1 stick butter
• 1/2 block cream cheese
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Cream together the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add in the vanilla and mix until fully combined. Slowly add in the powdered sugar and mix until stiff and creamy.