Chocolate Salted Caramel Cupcakes

This super delicious cupcake speaks for its self!! Starting from the chocolaty cupcakes enhanced with a hint of coffee and ending With the velvety caramel sauce and the airy butter cream topped with a pinch of sea salt, for a subtle taste yet it also helps with all of the sweetness all the other components add to the cupcakes.

This are the perfect combination, Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and you've  got yourself a well rounded desert. I also find this desert great for a romantic party of two :) just add a dash or two of Bourbon or Hennessy to the caramel sauce and your partner will sure to be impress!! 

{For the cupcake}

• 1 1/2 cups a/p flour
• 2/3 cup cocoa powder (Hershey's brand preferred)
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs 
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2/3 cup milk
• 2/3 hot coffee 

Step.1

Sift the flour, coco powder,sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.

Step.2

Whisk in the vanilla, eggs one at a time, oil, milk and coffee making sure you add the hot coffee last. Mix well and pour in muffin tin lined with paper liners. Bake for 15 minutes in a 350 degrees preheated oven. 

{For the frosting}

• 2 sticks butter 
• 2 cups powder sugar 
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Whip the butter till light and fluffy. Add the powder sugar and vanilla. Mix till well combined.

{For the caramel sauce}

• 1 cup sugar 
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/3 cup cold unsalted butter 
• 4 tablespoon water 
• 1/4 sea salt 

Step.1
Add the water and sugar to a heavy bottom sauce pan. Let the sugar dissolved and bubble till a golden brown.

Step.2
Add the butter and stir around till melted.

Step.3
Add the cream and mix for a few minutes. The sauce will have a very loose consistency as it gets cool it will get thicker. Store in a air tight container. Frost the cupcakes drizzle with sauce and top with a small pinch of sea salt. I also served mines with a good quality vanilla ice cream. enjoy.

Moro De Lentejas (Rice&Beans) With Bacalao Guisado (Cod)

It has been so hot here in NewYork for the past couple months, and I can not wait for fall to arrive! I was craving something comforting and fulfilling, something that would remind me of  how much i love the winter and what better than moro with bacalao guisado. Moro is a mixture of rice, beans and vegetables. This is one of the most common dishes on the Dominican republic. Cod is preserved by drying after salting the fish. This method of preserving will give the fish a storage life of several years. Cod is popular as a food with a mild flavor and a dense, flaky white flesh. I am literally laughing as I'am writing this lol. As a child my body would quiver at the smell of bacalao (cod). Now i cant get enough of this salty goodness!

WHAT YOU'LL NEED

{For the moro} 

• 1/4 cup oil 
• 2 tablespoon tomato paste 
• 1 package sazon rojo with culantro i anchote 
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 2 teaspoon adobo goya
• 1 bouillon cube
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce 
• 1/8 cup olives 
• 2 tablespoon sofrito
• 1 15.5 oz can lentils 
• 6 cup water
• 4 cup rice

Step.1

Add the first nine ingredients in a pot till well heated.

Step.2

Add the beans and stir-fry for about a minute on medium heat. 

Step.3

Add the water and boil on high heat. After the mixture has been boiling add the rice making sure to stir  regularly to avoid rice from sticking to the bottom . When most of the water has evaporated cover with a lid and simmer over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes. serve and enjoy!

{for the bacalao}

• 1 package 11oz  bacalao (cod)
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 small red pepper   
• 1 small onion 
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste 
• 1 package sazon rojo

Step.1

soak the bacalao for about an hour, changing the water often to extract some of the salt from the fish.

Step.2

boil the fish for about 20 minutes. Drain and pour the bacalao in cold water. Tear the fish. Carefully squeeze the excess water out. Set aside.

Step.3

cut the peppers and onion into thin strips. Place them in a pot with the oil, tomato paste and sazon rojo. Stir-fry till tender.

Step.4 

Add the bacalao and cook on low heat for 10 minutes. serve aside of  moro (rice&beans) and cabbage salad and you've got yourself a well rounded Dominican dish!

Neon Paint Splatter Cupcakes

These cupcakes came out so much better than anticipated. I'm always looking for new whimsical recipes for my little toddler, so when i came across these very colorful cupcakes I had to make them for him. I was so drilled to see the smile in his face when he seen all the bright colors, made me so happy!! I got the idea from

one of  my favorite youtube channels. I changed  quite a bit for my liking. I made the batter from scratch and my icing colors came out a little different but you get the idea. Now lets get our aprons on and lets get baking!!

(for the cupcakes)

• 1 1/2 cups a/p flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoon butter
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 milk

(for the glaze)

• 1/2 dark chocolate
• 1 tablespoon heavy cream

(for the frosting)

• 2 sticks butter
• 2 cups powder sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• electric color gel. I used Duff Goldman color gel 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin pan with liners

Step.1
In a medium bowl sift the flour,baking powder and salt.

Step.2
In a large bowl beat the butter and sugar till light and fluffy.

Step.3
Add the egg one at a time, and the vanilla. Add the milk and flour taking turns one third at a time, till mixed well.

step.4
Divide the batter in six bowls and color. spoon one color at a time till you have one third of the way up of batter in each.

Step.5
Bake cupcakes for 15 to 20 minutes. let cool.

Step.6
In a small heat proof bowl mix the chocolate and cream melt in the microwave for 30 seconds or till melted.
Dip each cupcake in the chocolate. Set aside.

Step.7
Mix butter, powder sugar and vanilla till well blended.

Step.8
In six bowls separate frosting in equal amounts and color your frosting to your liking. note. save some to splatter on top for that paint splatter look. Have fun :)

The Ultimate S'more Cupcake

I am so excited to share this cupcake recipe with you guys!I felt like such a kid today while making these cupcakes. There not exactly the classic s'more, I've always been fascinated by odd combinations that work great together, and this cupcake is the perfect example. I added a bit of cayenne pepper for that little hint of spice, and coffee to enhance the luscious chocolate and I also went over the edge and added coconut flakes and cream all throughout the cupcake including the crust making these babies THE ULTIMATE S'MORE CUPCAKE! Fire up your ovens and lets get baking! :)


{For the crust}

• 1 1/2 cups finely crushed graham crackers 
• 1/3 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup coconut flakes  
• 2 tablespoon coconut oil melted 
• 2 tablespoon coconut cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line your cupcake tin with liners. Mix all of the crust ingredients together till it feels like wet sand and place one tablespoon or so in your paper liners, and press them down. I used nut cups from bakeitpretty. Bake the crust for six minutes. remove from oven, set aside.

 

{For the cupcake}

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup a/p flour
• 3/4 cups coco powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup hot brewed espresso/strong coffee 

Step.1
Sift the sugar, flour, coco, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cayenne pepper on a large bowl.

Step.2
Add the egg, milk and vanilla. Mix till well combined. Add hot espresso or coffee

Step.3
Spoon a third of the way up the liners and bake for 18 to 20 minutes. let them cool.


{For the filling}

• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips melted
• 4 tablespoons coconut cream 

Mix till well combined. Core the center of each cupcake and fill them with one table spoon each.


{for the frosting}

• 2 sticks butter
• 2 cup powder sugar 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

{For the topping}

• 36 mini marshmallow 
• 12 toothpicks 
• 1 package Hershey's bar  

Frost each cupcake and garnish  with tooth pick with three mini marshmallows and a  Hershey's square. Roast the skewered marshmallows with a torch before placing them into the cupcakes. Enjoy. Hope you guys loved them as much as my family and I did!

Lemony Blueberry Cupcake

These very moist lemon cupcakes are loaded with fresh blueberries and topped with a simple yet decadent lemony cream cheese frosting. This recipe came to me when I took a trip to the fruit market, my favorite place in the world! It's like a candy shop for chefs but instead of candy its fresh fruits and vegetables, specially this time of year the market is blooming with beautiful berries. As I'm looking around my local market for inspiration for my next concoction my eyes was immediately capture by these beautiful velvet-blue berries, in that moment I knew I had to bake with these little beauties, and so I did! Lets get to baking :)

{for the cupcakes}

• 3 1/2 cups a/p flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 sticks butter
• 2 cups sugar 
• 3 eggs 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• zest of 1 lemon + juice 
• 1 1/2 cups sour cream
• 1 small container fresh blueberries

{for the frosting}

• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 1 stick butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
• juice and zest of 1 lemon +extra zest for topping 
• 2 1/2 to 3 cups sugar

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake tin with liners or in my case I used paper cups on cookie sheet. I got them from bakeitpretty

Step.1

Sift the flour, soda and salt together in a bowl. Set aside 

Step.2

Add the butter and sugar to a mixing bowl cream until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and mix 

thoroughly. Add the vanilla and lemon zest + juice and mix to combine.

Step.3

Add the dry mixture in three parts alternating with sour cream, ending with dry mixture.

Step.4

Stir in the blueberries. fill the prepared tins or cups with batter two-thirds of the way full and bake 16 to 20 minutes. cool. 

Step.5 

For the frosting cream the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add the vanilla, lemon zest and juice and blend until combined. Add  the powder sugar gradually until well combined.

Step.6

Frost the cupcakes and top with a blueberry and lemon zest and  enjoy these fresh light delights. yumm!

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

Strawberry Red Velvet

My first blog post ...  how exciting is this, and of course I had to start with my old time favorite the classic red velvet with a little twist. Although I can't take all the credit for it, I came across this yummy recipe from YouTube and the twist of fresh strawberries came from my friend and her genius cravings lol. Well what are you waiting for, put on your apron and lets get baking! :)        

             

What You'll Need:

{Cupcakes}

• 12 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 1/2 tablespoon coco powder
• 4 tablespoon red food color
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 1/4 cup flour sifted
• 1 1/2 teaspoon distilled vinegar
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

{Frosting}

• 6 ounce cream cheese
• 4 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 1/2 cup powder sugar

{Topping}

• 1 cup chopped strawberries 
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice 

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line your cupcake pan with wrappers. 

Step.1

Beat the butter and sugar till light and fluffy, add the eggs one at a time till well combined.

Step.2

In a separate bowl, combine the coco powder, food color and vanilla making a paste, add to the batter.

Step.3

Add the salt to the milk.

Step.4

Add the milk and flour a third at a time of each ending with milk.

Step.5

In a separate bowl, combine the vinegar and baking powder quickly add the mixture to the batter scoop the batter in liners.

Step.6

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, to test the cupcakes place a toothpick in the center of the cupcake, if it comes out clean they are done.

Step.7

In a medium size bowl mix the strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice, set aside.

Step.8

In your mixer, with paddle attachment, mix the cream cheese and butter. Add the vanilla, add  the sugar at a very low speed till well combined. Frost the cupcakes and topped with strawberries. Enjoy!