Golf Cupcakes {Cupcake Recipe from a Box}

My little guy is a golf fanatic, and that is saying it lightly. He golfs at least 3 days a week and would love for me to take him to the range everyday. He just joined the SC Junior PGA, so I would say that he is pretty serious about this. Believe me it's taken a lot to get to this point. He is only 13 years old and he has tried it all; Karate, Soccer, Baseball, Football, Basketball and last year even tried Volleyball. He was so so good at baseball too, he was an excellent pitcher, but his heart was not in it. It was a struggle getting him there and he just hated it. So, what's a mom to do? Try, try and try some more.

It was the summer last year and I enrolled him into his schools summer golf camp where the junior high kids got to practice with the high school kids. I went to pick him up on the first day the coach told me "he was good", I said "okay", then he said "no, he is REALLY good. and that he could practice all year with the high school kids, until the tournament season started". Justin was only in 7th grade and he was able to practice with the High School kids, he was thrilled and he did just that. Last year his 7th grade year was filled with golf-golf and some more golf. Sure he had played a little before with his dad and game or two per year, but now he was playing 3-days a week. And his dad is loving it too because now they hit plays and play a game or two each week. Such a difference in just one year.

Now it's the summer before his 8th grade year and he still has to wait one more school year to be on the High School team, so he gets to just do summer camp with them and of course practice another half-a-year until the tournament season starts. He loves every minute of it. We also enrolled him at a local golf course for weekly lessons and now he takes private lessons with a pro-golfer there too. This week we got him all signed up for the Junior PGA and he will now start competing at local golf courses all year round with kids his own age. This has been such and awesome thing to watch him grow and finally find "THAT THING" that thing he loves to do more then anything. And yes he is very hard on himself, he is really serious about his game.

My twins always have had that, they danced and were cheerleaders for 10 years, they started when they were 8 years old and now they are going off to college with a scholarship to dance. I am just so happy for my son now has "THAT THING" and that thing he loves which is golf and that this will probably carry him through high school and hopefully onto college. It's perfect timing and I knew God had a great plan for him. I will now be trading my Dance Mom Hat in for a Golf Mom Hat. It's a crazy life, but I am SO glad I am in it.

Now, onto these adorable, awesome golf cupcakes I made for my son's birthday (last year). I know blogging doesn't always happen right when you want it to, but better late than never.

The recipe for the golf ball cupcakes are quite easy, I will share my new favorite cupcake from a box recipe, and then the trick is making the golf balls and the grass from icing.

This is a new favorite of mine, cupcakes from a box but adding in so much more.

GOLF CUPCAKES
Cupcake Recipe {from a box and more}
original recipe found at Big Bears Wife

1 box white cake mix
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp salt
4 egg whites
1-1/3 cup water
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla

Pre-heat oven to 325. In a large bowl, mix together cake mix, flour, sugar, and salt. In the bowl of a mixer, mix together the egg whites, water, and vanilla. Mix on low for about 10 seconds. Slowly add the dry mix a little at a time. Mixing on low until everything is combined. Add sour cream and mix well. Add color now if desired. Mix well. Line a muffin/cupcake tin with paper liners. Fill each cupcake liner 3/4 full of batter. Bake at 325 for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.

I purchased a chocolate golf mold at my local cake store, I made the golf balls by melting white chocolate and using the mold without the sticks.

I then used a favorite frosting recipe of mine, White Chocolate Buttercream frosting, this recipe hardens well after being refrigerated and made the grass look great.

White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
from Magnolia Bakery Cookbook, New York City

1-1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened
6 tbsp milk
9 oz white chocolate, melted and cooled to lukewarm
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups sifted powdered sugar

In a large bowl, on medium speed of an electric mixer, beat the butter until creamy, about 3 minutes. Add the milk carefully and bet until smooth. Add the melted chocolate and beat well, about 2 minutes. Add the vanilla and beat for 3 more minutes. Gradually add the powdered sugar and beat on low speed until creamy and desired consistency. 

Peanut Butter Cupcakes {THIS WEEK'S CRAVINGS LINKY PARTY #102}

THIS WEEK'S CRAVINGS has changed, you can now link up ANY recipe you'd like. Come one, Come all. NO rules, NO requirements, just link up any recipe (or food related craft items) and hop around to visit all the great recipes.

This is a SIMPLE and easy Peanut Butter Cupcake, that doesn't even require a recipe (well almost). I love making cupcakes, they aren't fancy and I am still working on my frosting skills, but I do love making them, store bought cupcakes are non-existent in my home, NEVER EVER EVER will I buy those again (that hasn't always been the case), but since my blog began in 2010, I've haven't bought another store cupcake, and I hope to keep it that way. 

Peanut Butter Cupcakes

no recipe needed

Make a batch of your favoite homemade or from a box chocolate cupcakes.
Add in about 3/4 of a bag of Peanut Butter M&M's before baking.

Bake as directed and then frost and added 3 colorful M&M's to the top for decoration. Our favorite buttercream frosting works great with these cupcakes.

Buttercream Frosting

from Your Homebased Mom

3 sticks butter, softened

2 lbs. powdered sugar (approx. 7 cups)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
whipping cream or 1/2 and 1/2 – enough to thin frosting to desired consistency

Beat butter in mixer on medium high for 2-3 minutes or until pale and creamy. Reduce speed to medium and add sugar, 1/2 cup at a time. Beat well after each addition increasing speed to high after all sugar is added. Add vanilla and food coloring if desired. Beat until buttercream is smooth. Can be refrigerated for several days if covered. If refrigerating, bring to room temperature before using and beat on low until smooth.

THIS WEEK'S CRAVINGS has changed, you can now link up ANY recipe you'd like. Come one, Come all. NO rules, NO requirements, just link up any recipes (or food related craft items) and hop around to visit all the great recipes.

If you are a regular to THIS WEEK'S CRAVINGS Linky party, then link-up we're excited to see what you made this week. We are no longer sticking with ONE theme, so just link up any of your favorite recipes. 

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Your hostess for this linky arty are: Tina from MOMS CRAZY COOKING, Nicole from The Daily Dish and Kristi from Veggie Converter.

THE LINKY PARTY is opened ALL Week, come back and link up as many times as you wish, we can't wait to see all your fun and new recipes you made this week!

Camping Cake CUPCAKES

This is a recipe I learned almost 15 years ago when I first met my husband. It's a recipe his mama makes all the time and a recipe that I've made for him ever since it was past down to me. Here is my original post about the camping cake, but today I wanted to make this oh so delicious cake into some cupcakes. This was a trial run and they came out PERFECT, I will be making these on our trip this week. Even though we are camping, motorhome'ing and driving 12 hours a day to get to our destination of St. Charles, Missouri there is always time to bake some dessert for my family even if it's while we are driving on the road going 70 miles per hour down the highway.

Camping Cake CUPCAKES
original recipe from my wonderful mother-in-law Charlotte

1 box Deviled Food Chocolate Cake Mix
1 box of Jello COOK & SERVE Pudding (can NOT be instant; either size box is fine, I use big box)
Chocolate Chips
Walnuts (or favorite nuts)

Make the pudding according to the directions on the box (the cook & serve, add the milk and cook on the stove; yea, that's the one!). Then add the dry cake mix to the cooked pudding and mix well (you do NOT add anything else, no eggs, no oil, no nothin').

For cupcakes, I lined my muffin pan with cupcake liners, then with an ice cream scoop pour one large scoop of mix into each cupcake liner. Sprinkle with chocolate chips and nuts (about 1/2 a bag, more if you'd like). Bake. (approx. 30-35 minutes; I usually follow the cooking directions on the back of the cake box) There you have it, perfect cupcakes to serve! The cake is extremely moist and everyone loves it!

White Chocolate Cupcake with White Chocolate Filling {TWC Linky Party #93 - CUPCAKES GALORE}

This is a very heavy and thick cupcake, but if you like heavy and you like thick then this is the cupcake for you! My step-son LOVES white chocolate and for his birthday we flew him to Las Vegas from Texas and we drove from California to Las Vegas to meet him. We had a wonderful 21st Birthday Celebration. Of course I brought some of his favorite treats (Peanut Butter Krispies) and then I tried these new recipe to make and bring with me (I even sampled one in the car before we arrived, I couldn't help myself).

My hubby and I on our 5 hour drive to Vegas, and I just had to sample (and photograph the cupcake), in the car before we arrived. (below) My step-son and I enjoying Las Vegas life on his 21st birthday.

White Chocolate Cupcake with White Chocolate Filling
adapted by me - recipe from Pampered Chef

3/4 cups cake flour
2 tsp baking powder
2/3 cup whole milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
4 egg whites, room temperature
6 tbsp butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup sour cream
12 white chocolate dove candy pieces, unwrapped

6 oz white chocolate, chopped
1 pkg (8oz) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 cups powered sugar

Preheat oven to 325. Place paper liners in cupcake pan. Whisk flour and baking powder in a small bowl. Combine milk and vanilla in another small bowl. Beat eggs separately on high speed of an electric mixer until stiff peak form. Then in your large mixing bowl beat butter and sugar on medium speed until fluffy; beat in sour cream until smooth. On medium speed, add flour mixture in three additions, alternating with milk mixture, mix until smooth. Whisk in 1/3 of the egg whites and then fold in the remaining egg whites. With a large ice cream scoop divide the batter among the liners.

Bake 17-20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Remove pan from oven and put on cooling rack. Immediately press one white chocolate truffle candy into each cupcake until flush with top of cupcake. Remove cupcakes from pan. Cool 30 minutes or to room temperature.

Meanwhile, for frosting, melt white chocolate in microwave, stirring every 30 seconds. Let stand until slightly cooled. Combine melted chocolate, cream cheese, butter and vanilla until well blended. Slowly add powdered sugar; beat well.

This week's theme is: CUPCAKES GALORE

Please only link recipes with our theme!

If you are a regular to THIS WEEK'S CRAVINGS Linky party, then link-up we're excited to see what you made this week. If you are new, please just follow our simple rules, so that everyone can enjoy the linky party! If you forget to follow the theme, your post will be deleted. Please don't feel hurt, just come back and link up a recipe that follows the theme. Thanks a million, we look forward to blogging with you!

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This Week's Cravings Upcoming Linky "THEMES"

Here is a complete list of the past and what's coming up next on THIS WEEK'S CRAVINGS!

August 13 - Summer Grilling BBQ & Vegetables

August 20 - LEMONADE (anything) Desserts, Drinks & More

August 27 - Bananas Galore (anything and everything banana)

September 3 - Chicken Recipes (anything chicken)

Your hostess for this party are: Tina from MOMS CRAZY COOKING, Nicole from The Daily Dish and Kristi from Veggie Converter. We host this theme linky party every Monday (and the party stays open all week long)! We hope to inspire you to make something with our theme or get an old post notice by linking it up to the linky party below. 

The LINKY PARTY is opened ALL Week!

PLEASE do not link more then 3 recipes per week.

This week's theme is: CUPCAKES GALORE
Please only link recipes with our them!

Pineapple Cupcakes with White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Today is the day of the BIG GRADUATION PARTY for my twin daughters; Ashlyn & Kayley. They finished High School this week, and graduated last night. It's still SO hard to believe this day has come. They will be preparing all summer to leave on a CRAZY & AMAZING & SCARY adventure as they move to St. Charles, Missouri for college. We are so proud of them, so excited for this adventure ahead and don't worry my new home away from home will now be the hotel down the street in St. Charles, Missouri. I will be visiting more often then they probably want. That's what moms do - right?

In planning this High School graduation party for my twins, we have sampled many many cupcake recipes. And today I will be serving these Pineapple Cupcakes for the celebration, and another ole' favorite of our that I posted way back in the beginning days of blogging Chocolate Chip Cupcakes. They are so good, the cupcake itself is so light and delicious (it's actually a weight watcher recipe), but the frosting we love is White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting, so that throws the "light" right out the window.

Pineapple Cupcakes
recipe from Weight Watchers, found at Skinny Taste

1 box yellow cake mix 
1 (20 oz) can crushed pineapple in juice (do not drain)

Mix both ingredients together in an electric mixer on medium speed. Pour into lined cupcake tins about 2/3 full. Bake in accordance with cake mix directions or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Set aside to cool.

White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
from Magnolia Bakery Cookbook, New York City

1-1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened
6 tbsp milk
9 oz white chocolate, melted and cooled to lukewarm
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups sifted powdered sugar

In a large bowl, on medium speed of an electric mixer, beat the butter until creamy, about 3 minutes. Add the milk carefully and bet until smooth. Add the melted chocolate and beat well, about 2 minutes. Add the vanilla and beat for 3 more minutes. Gradually add the powdered sugar and beat on low speed until creamy and desired consistency.

Shirley Temple Cupcakes & The PINKEST Baby Shower Ever

We are going to be having a baby today! Well, NO not me! But my sister-in-law and my brother will be welcoming their new bundle of joy today! I can't wait to share a picture with all of you. But, before then you can enjoy these AMAZING Shirley Temple Cupcakes I made for the ALL PINK baby shower we held last month at my home. She has all boys at home; 1 husband (my brother... Lord, help her) + two awesome sons = a whole lot of boy. It was time we added some PINK to that house. (And by the way my sister-in-law HATES pink). Oh, boy! 

Shirley Temple Cupcakes
recipe found at Jennifer Cooks

1 box French vanilla cake mix (used: Betty Crocker Super Moist)

1 (12 oz.) can Diet or Regular 7-up or Sprite

2 tbsp maraschino cherry juice

1-2 drops of red food coloring

24 maraschino cherries, for garnish

1/2 cup maraschino cherries, stemmed and chopped

For Cupcakes, preheat oven to 350. Line cupcake tins with papers. Combine cake mix, soda and beat with an electric mixer for 2 minutes. Separate the batter in half and add 2 tbsp of cherry juice and drop of red food coloring to half of the cake mix. Fill the cupcake liners with half of pink mixture and half of the vanilla cake mixer and then bake. Bake according to package directions and then let cool completely before icing.

These were probably the BEST CUPCAKES I have ever made... in my almost two years of blogging! I LOVEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE them and the icing on these cupcakes is what really makes them OUT-OF-THIS-WORLD. Try them and let me know how you like them!

The half pink and half vanilla cake mix is so slight, but it makes the world of difference in taste.

White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

from Magnolia Bakery Cookbook, New York City

1-1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened
6 tbsp milk
9 oz white chocolate, melted and cooled to lukewarm
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups sifted powdered sugar

In a large bowl, on medium speed of an electric mixer, beat the butter until creamy, about 3 minutes. Add the milk carefully and bet until smooth. Add the melted chocolate and beat well, about 2 minutes. Add the vanilla and beat for 3 more minutes. Gradually add the powdered sugar and beat on low speed until creamy and desired consistency.

Once cupcakes are frosted top with a stem cherry (or I used chocolate hearts for the theme of the baby shower).

CAN'T WAIT TO MEET MY NEWEST NIECE

PAYTON RANDALL

watch...out...world...here...she...comes

Hamburger Cupcakes

My nieces and nephew love to bake with me (unlike my own children, who just enjoy eating it). Lately on Friday night's while my son is golfing I've been hanging out at their house and last night was no different, except this time they asked me to bring over some stuff to make. I loaded up my laundry basket, looked up some of my "to-bake list" on Pinterest and baked this wonderful little treat. I actually came up with a huge list to make and after about five-hours in the kitchen we didn't exactly make everything we had hoped for, but there is always next Friday night! We did make these adorable little Hamburger Cupcakes, some amazing chicken strips and potatoes and a few other fun little things.

Hamburger Cupcakes
found the cake recipe at Your Cup of Cake
hamburger idea found at  In Words & Pictures by Mimi's Kitchen

(brown cake)
1 box Devil’s Food Cake Mix 
3 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, butter and flour large baking sheet (like a jelly roll pan). You want to make this into a very thin cake, so that you can cut circles for the "burgers".

In a large mixing bowl, lightly beat eggs. Add milk, water, oil and extract and whisk together. Sift or pour in cake mix and mix until well combined. Stir in sour cream. Fill pan with chocolate cake mix and bake for about 18-22 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

(vanilla cake)
1 box Vanilla Cake Mix
3 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup oil

1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream
add a few drops of copper/tan food coloring

Preheat oven to 350 degrees; butter and flour the 24 muffins tins. 

In a large mixing bowl, lightly beat eggs.  Add milk, water, oil and extract and whisk together. Sift or pour in cake mix and mix until well combined. Stir in sour cream. Fill  muffin tins about 3/4 full and bake for 12-18 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
from Magnolia Bakery Cookbook, New York City

1-1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened
6 tbsp milk
9 oz white chocolate, melted and cooled to lukewarm
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups sifted powdered sugar
food coloring (yellow, red and green)

In a large bowl, on medium speed of an electric mixer, beat the butter until creamy, about 3 minutes. Add the milk carefully and bet until smooth. Add the melted chocolate and beat well, about 2 minutes. Add the vanilla and beat for 3 more minutes. Gradually add the powdered sugar and beat on low speed until creamy and desired consistency.

Divide the frosting into four bowls and color three of them yellow, red and green. We also left a very small amount in the fourth bowl white for mayonnaise, we are the mayonnaise family for sure. Plus you really need something on the bottom bun to hold the cupcake together and a thin layer of white frosting works perfectly.

Hamburger Assembly

Vanilla Cupcakes with Sesame Seeds for the "buns"
Chocolate Sheet Cake for the "burger patties"
White Chocolate Frosting tinted red, yellow and green for the "condiments"

Slice cupcakes into a top and bottom section. Use a small pastry brush to add a little bit of water to the top of the cupcake and then sprinkle the top of the cupcake with sesame seeds.

 Using a round cutter the diameter of your cupcakes, cut the chocolate cake into burger patties.

Put a small dab of white frosting "mayonnaise" on the bottom of the bun (to hold the chocolate "patty' in place) and top with your chocolate "burger patty".

Now add the condiments: Using the red frosting, spread a thick layer on top of the chocolate cake "burger patty", then add another layer on top of the red layer of yellow for the "mustard or cheese", and to help the colors not mix together, we added the green layer of frosting "the lettuce" to the bottom half of the top of the bun. We got the squeeze feeling of all the layers as soon as you put the top of the bun down and lightly push on it, all of the frosting starts to squish out the sides and you get a perfect hamburger.

12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS GOODIES (Day 6): Snowman

Day 6 of 12 Days of Christmas Goodies

Snowman - Snowman - Snowman

I decided today to make a few CUTE snowman treats. I have seen so many creative snowman recipes out there and I can't wait to see all the new ones that get linked-up here today. From cupcakes, candies, cookies and more... to vegetables trays and even cheese balls shaped like snowman. It's all A-MAZ-ING. My favorite snowman that I created were my cupcakes. Let's see what kind of edible snowman you have created this holiday season?

And aren't these cupcake boxes adorable. I found them at the dollar store (what a steal)! My cupcakes stay perfect and I can deliver them to the neighbors in this cute little box! Which is what my son and I will be doing today after work. I have three packages to deliver to three neighbors and I have an entire dozen of these cupcakes going to my twin daughters Statistics class tomorrow. I LOVE CHRISTMAS TIME!

Grab Our Button & the Blog Hop Code if you wish to display the Linky on your own Blog. Or just link up and play along with us as we gather a ton of THEME recipes for the next 12 days.

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NutterButter Snowman

recipe found at My Pretty Purse

Marshmallow Snowman

recipe found on Pinterest at Queen of the Cupcakes

Snowman Cupcakes

recipe source unknown

Create your own cupcakes. (We made boxed Vanilla Cupcakes).

Decorations are chocolate chips (eyes); Spiced Candies or Sour Dots (ear muff); Chocolate Tube (mouth); Red Round Sprinkles (cheeks) and Color Twitzers.

This Post is linked to some of these FABULOUS Linky Parties!

We will be having a linky party for the first 12 days in Decmeber. It's a BLOG HOP Party, so if you wish you can grab the blog hop code below or just link up some of your recipes with our THEME.

Here is a SNEAK PEAK of what's coming up and what's been happening.....

All the Blog Hops will be OPEN until Christmas Day (so there is plenty of time to link up)!

Day 1 - Candy Bark "Pretzel Bark"
Day 2 - Christmas Cookies "S'more Chocolate Chip Cookies"
Day 3 - Bread & Muffins "Reese's Peanut Butter Banana Bread"
Day 4 - Truffles "Egg Nog Truffles"
Day 5 - Cupcakes "Apple Pie Cupcakes"

Day 6 - Snowman "Anything SNOWMAN"

Day 7 - Fudge "Butterfinger Fudge"

Day 8 - Cake Pops or Cake Balls "Red Velvet Cake Balls - Reindeer"

Day 9 - Gifts in a Jar "Peppermint Hot Chocolate in a Jar"

Day 10 - Sugar Cookies "Swirl Sugar Cookies"

Day 11 - Homemade Candy "Peanut Butter Cups"

Day 12 - Anything Candy Cane "White Chocolate Candy Cane Pudding Cookies"

Today's Theme is SNOWMAN!

We'd love to see some fun SNOWMAN recipes!

12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS GOODIES (Day 5): Apple Pie Cupcakes

Day 5 of 12 Days of Christmas Goodies

Apple Pie Cupcakes

An Apple Pie Cupcake. Fresh Apples, Moist Cake and Creamy Frosting the perfect combination and taste of an apple pie. (I don't like pie, so this is even better). And we love cupcakes in our house, so these didn't last long at all.

Grab Our Button & the Blog Hop Code if you wish to display the Linky on your own Blog. Or just link up and play along with us as we gather a ton of THEME recipes for the next 12 days.

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Apple Pie Cupcakes
recipe found at The Tale of Two Kitchens

3 cups sifted cake flour

1 tbsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1-1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup milk

for the apple filling

2 tbsp. butter

2 tsp. cinnamon

2-3 tbsp sugar

3 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and diced 

In a medium bowl, sift cake flour, baking powder and salt. With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well and scraping down the sides of bowl after each addition. Add vanilla extract; mix well to combine. Add dry ingredients alternately with milk, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Stir until just combined.

Divide batter evenly among cupcake liners, filling about 2/3-3/4 full. Bake until golden; about 18 to 22 minutes. Remove from oven; cool for 5 minutes in pans. Transfer to wire racks; cool completely.

Apple filling: heat butter in medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add cinnamon and sugar; cook for a minute, until mixture begins to bubble. Lower heat to medium; stir in the apples. Mix well. Cook until apples are somewhat tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.

While apple mixture cools, use cone method to remove a chunk from center of each cupcake, leave a rim around the top of cupcake. Fill holes with cooled apple mixture.

Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting

adapted from Your Homebased Mom

3 sticks butter, softened

2 lbs. powdered sugar (approx. 7 cups)

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 tbsp cinnamon

whipping cream or 1/2 and 1/2 – enough to thin frosting to desired consistency

Beat butter in mixer on medium high for 2-3 minutes or until pale and creamy. Reduce speed to medium and add sugar, 1/2 cup at a time. Beat well after each addition increasing speed to high after all sugar is added. Add vanilla and food coloring if desired. Beat until buttercream is smooth. Can be refrigerated for several days if covered. If refrigerating, bring to room temperature before using and beat on low until smooth.

This Post is linked to some of these FABULOUS Linky Parties!

We will be having a linky party for the first 12 days in Decmeber. It's a BLOG HOP Party, so if you wish you can grab the blog hop code below or just link up some of your recipes with our THEME.

Here is a SNEAK PEAK of what's coming up and what's been happening.....

All the Blog Hops will be OPEN until Christmas Day (so there is plenty of time to link up)!

Day 1 - Candy Bark "Pretzel Bark"
Day 2 - Christmas Cookies "S'more Chocolate Chip Cookies"
Day 3 - Bread & Muffins "Reese's Peanut Butter Banana Bread"
Day 4 - Truffles "Egg Nog Truffles"
Day 5 - Cupcakes "Apple Pie Cupcakes"

Day 6 - Snowman "Anything SNOWMAN"

Day 7 - Fudge "Butterfinger Fudge"

Day 8 - Cake Pops or Cake Balls "Red Velvet Cake Balls - Reindeer"

Day 9 - Gifts in a Jar "Peppermint Hot Chocolate in a Jar"

Day 10 - Sugar Cookies "Swirl Sugar Cookies"

Day 11 - Homemade Candy "Peanut Butter Cups"

Day 12 - Anything Candy Cane "White Chocolate Candy Cane Pudding Cookies"

Today's Theme is CUPCAKES!

We'd love to see some fun Holiday Cupcakes linked up!

Snickerdoddle Cupcakes Topped with a Cookie

Here is a recipe re-do. A Snickerdoodle Cupcake topped with a Snickerdoodle Cookie. I have been making these cupcakes for over a year now and everyone loves them. It's the most requested dessert at my parties and this time I saw this great twist on Bakerella with adding a cookie on top and I couldn't resist.

Just in case you missed these recipes previously posted on my blog, here there are again! This is a MUST make cupcake for your next gathering. ENJOY!

Snickerdoodle Cupcakes

originally found over at Your HomeBased Mom

3 cups cake flour (we use any flour we have on hand)

1-1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

3 sticks butter, softened,

2 cups sugar

4 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1-1/4 c buttermilk

cinnamon sugar: 1 tbsp sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon

Oven preheat to 350 degrees. Sift together dry ingredients (except for cinnamon sugar, set aside). With paddle attachment cream butter and sugar until fluffy, about 2 -3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. Add vanilla. Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk beginning and ending with flour. Fill cupcake pans 2/3 full. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture. Bake for 20 minutes. Cool in pan for 5 minutes and remove.

Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting

adapted from Magnolia Bakery Cookbook in New York City

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

6-1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup milk
2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 tsp cinnamon

Place butter in a large mixing bowl. Add 4 cups of the powdered sugar and then the milk and vanilla. On medium speed in an electric mixer, beat until smooth and creamy, about 3-5 minutes. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition (about 2 minutes), until the icing is thick enough. If desired, add a few drops of food coloring and mix thoroughly.

Makes approx 32 regular cupcakes.

Snickerdoodle Cookies

from my sister-in-law Michelle

1 cup butter
1-1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
2-3/4 cup flour
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

Mix together: 2 tbsp sugar and 2 tsp cinnamon; set aside.

Cream together butter, sugar and eggs in electric mixer. Mix all the dry ingredients together and then add to the wet a little bit at a time and mix well. Chill in refrigerator for 2 or more hours (we usually chill overnight).

Roll into 1" balls then roll into the sugar and cinnamon mixture. Flatten with a fork and Bake at 375 for 12 minutes. DO NOT OVERBAKE.

Banana Cupcakes

These were so good and since I have some more over-ripe bananas right now, I think another batch will come to be in just a day or two. The banana flavor in these is wonderful and I love the hint of yellow added to the frosting it just screams BA-NAN-A!!! Don't ya think?

My sister-in-law is expecting and when cravings come, they come. The first batch of these came from her dropping off a handful of bananas to me and saying "can you make something". Well of course, I can. We were both kinda done with Banana Bread, I've already made Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies and Banana-Nut Chocolate Chip Cookies, so it was time to move on to Banana Cupcakes.

This is normally served with Cream Cheese Frosting but the sis-in-law HATES cream cheese, really really hates it! This called for a substitute and so we used our NEW favorite Vanilla Buttercream Frosting. But either way you make them, I am sure they will be eatin' up in no time at all!

Banana Cupcakes

from Bakerella

1-3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla
1 to 2 large ripe banana (or almost 1 cup)
1/2 cup whole milk, room temperature

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line cupcake tray with 12 baking cups. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl with a wire whisk. Cream butter and sugar in a mixer for about four minutes. Add banana and mix until combined. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until combined. Add half the flour in three additions alternating with milk in two additions. Scrape down the sides with each addition.

Bake for about 12-15 minutes or until done.

Cream Cheese Frosting

from a friend Carol

8 oz cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup butter

1 tsp vanilla

4 cups powdered sugar

Mix all together in an electric mixer and blend until fluffy! Add food coloring if you wish.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

from Magnolia Bakery in New York City

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
6-1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 tsp vanilla
Green Food Coloring

Place butter in a large mixing bowl. Add 4 cups of the powdered sugar and then the milk and vanilla. On medium speed in an electric mixer, beat until smooth and creamy, about 3-5 minutes. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition (about 2 minutes), until the icing is thick enough. If desired, add a few drops of food coloring and mix thoroughly.