Dessert

Name: King Cake Cinnamon Rolls
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 2 h 25 min
Yield: 12 cinnamon rolls
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 6 tbs unsalted butter, room temperature; 1/4 cup cream cheese, room temperature; 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar; 1/2 tsp vanilla extract; 2 tbs fresh lemon juice; 1/8 tsp kosher salt; Purple, gold, and green sprinkles; 8 tbs unsalted butter, room temperature; 1 cup brown sugar, packed; 3 tbs ground cinnamon; 2 tsp cocoa powder; 1 cup toasted pecans, chopped; 1 cup 2% milk, lukewarm; 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast; 1/2 cup granulated sugar; 1/3 cup unsalted butter, room temperature; 1 tsp kosher salt; 2 eggs; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 4 cups all-purpose flour; 1 tsp lemon zest; 2 tsp ground cinnamon; 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

King Cake Cinnamon Rolls

February 26, 2020 by laurenpacek Leave a Comment

Celebrate Fat Tuesday, starting with breakfast!

These King Cake Cinnamon Rolls are the perfect way to kick off Fat Tuesday! What’s better than hot, delicious cinnamon rolls first thing in the morning?

FYI – this post contains affiliate links

It’s that time of year again

Mardi Gras is upon us! Time to get a little decadent and enjoy all things King Cake.

I love a traditional King Cake. I mean, who doesn’t? A few years ago, I shared Joy the Baker’s recipe for King Cake. It’s good good stuff.

A King Cake is basically a giant cinnamon roll, right?

They’re both made of yeasted dough, a cinnamon-y filling, and have frosting. So… same thing. Ish. Right?

I figured I’d change things up a little bit this year by making 12 smaller King Cakes instead of 1 big King Cake.

I took the recipe for Make-Ahead Cinnamon Rolls (which can be made the same day, not just ahead of time), and added some additional spices and lemon zest (common to King Cakes), as well as sprinkles, and boom. King Cake Cinnamon Rolls.

How do these cinnamon rolls come together?

I’ll be the first to admit, homemade cinnamon rolls are a bit of a labor of love. It’s a multi-stage process that requires a bit of free time. But it’s totally worth it in the end.

You’ll start by making a warmly spiced yeasted dough and letting it rise. Next, you’ll roll that dough out into a rectangle, generously spread a cinnamon-sugar filling + chopped nuts all over, and roll that dough up into a tube.

Slice the rolls, let ’em rise again, and bake ’em off until they’re golden brown and bubbling.

Last, you’ll slather the rolls with sweet frosting and dust them liberally with festive sprinkles.

Note: You can also hide a tiny plastic baby somewhere in these rolls, if you want. I don’t, because I think it’s a choking hazard.

Looking for related recipes?

Check out my Make-Ahead Cinnamon Rolls if you’re in the mood for a more standard cinnamon roll experience.

Check out the recipe for a traditional King Cake, if that’s more your thing.

King Cake Cinnamon Rolls

Yield: 12 cinnamon rolls

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Additional Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours 25 minutes

These cinnamon rolls are the perfect way to kick off Fat Tuesday! What's better than hot, delicious cinnamon rolls first thing in the morning?

Ingredients

For the dough

1 cup 2% milk, lukewarm
2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tsp kosher salt
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp lemon zest
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

For the filling

8 tbs unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup brown sugar, packed
3 tbs ground cinnamon
2 tsp cocoa powder
1 cup toasted pecans, chopped

For the icing

6 tbs unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbs fresh lemon juice
1/8 tsp kosher salt
Purple, gold, and green sprinkles

Instructions

To make the dough

Dissolve the yeast in the warm milk. Let it sit for about 5 minutes. The yeast should start to froth and bubble a bit.
Add the sugar, butter, kosher salt, eggs, flour, lemon zest, and spices to the bowl of a stand mixer and mix until well incorporated.
Pour the milk and yeast mixture over the flour mixture. Using the dough hook, mix until everything is well incorporated.
Spray a large bowl with cooking spray (or lightly coat it with vegetable oil). Place the dough into the bowl, cover with cling wrap, and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until the dough has doubled in size.

To make the filling

Combine the butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and cocoa powder in a medium-sized bowl.
Mash everything into a paste. Set aside along with the chopped pecans.

To make the cinnamon rolls

Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or butter.
Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface until it is approximately 16 inches long and 12 inches wide. The dough will be approximately ¼-inch thick.
Spread the filling evenly over the dough. Sprinkle the chopped pecans evenly over the filling.
Working carefully, from the long edge, roll the dough down to the bottom edge.
Cut the dough into 1 1/2-inch slices, and place in the prepared baking pan. Cover the baking pan tightly with plastic wrap and allow the rolls to rise for another 30 minutes.

To bake the cinnamon rolls

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Place the baking pan in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until they golden brown.

To make the icing

While the cinnamon rolls are baking, with an electric mixer, beat the butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, lemon juice and kosher salt together in a medium-sized bowl.
Once the cinnamon rolls come out of the oven, slather the hot rolls with icing.
Sprinkle the purple, gold, and green sprinkles over the frosting.

Notes

You can also hide a tiny plastic baby somewhere in these rolls, if you want. I don't, because I think it's a choking hazard.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 571Total Fat: 28gSaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 87mgSodium: 262mgCarbohydrates: 74gFiber: 4gSugar: 39gProtein: 8g

What gear should I have in order to make these cinnamon rolls?

A 9×13-inch baking pan
Purple, green, and gold sprinkles
A stand mixer makes making this recipe much easier

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Hot Chocolate Cupcakes

December 18, 2019 by laurenpacek Leave a Comment

These cupcakes are so delicious

These Hot Chocolate Cupcakes are taste just like a big mug of hot chocolate! They have fudgy chocolate cake, marshmallow creme filling, and a generous swirl of whipped cream frosting!

FYI – this post contains affiliate links

These cupcakes seriously taste like hot chocolate

And really, what could be better? At this time of year, when cold weather abounds, I’d argue that almost nothing can beat it. Except, maybe, having a mug of hot chocolate along with your hot chocolate cupcakes.

The base of these cupcakes is actually a brownie cupcake, so it’s sweet and dense. And what’s hot chocolate without marshmallow AND whipped cream? Almost not worth drinking, I’d argue. Or eating, in this case.

Fortunately, these cupcakes have it all!

How do these cupcakes come together?

You’ll start out by making some fudgy chocolate brownie cupcakes, with an important twist: you’ll add hot chocolate mix right into the cupcake batter!

Once the cupcakes have cooled completely, you’ll hollow them out and fill them with marshmallow creme. See the picture below–I left a couple of them unfrosted for the picture so you could get an idea. I found that putting the marshmallow creme into a piping bag (with no tip, just the end of the bag snipped off) made the cupcakes really easy to fill.

Next, you’ll make an easy stabilized whipped cream frosting and frost these bad boys! I gave these cupcakes a generous, tall swirl of frosting.

Why stabilized whipped cream?

Have you ever made whipped cream (intended to be used as frosting or otherwise), but after a while, it kind of deflated and got weepy?

Well, using unflavored gelatin to make stabilized whipped cream helps to overcome these issues. It will stay basically the same way you piped it without deflating or starting to get watery.

Show us a cross-section of the cupcake!

I took a quick photo after taking a big bite of this cupcake while in my office the other day. It’s not the best quality photo, but you can see the marshmallow creme in the middle.

Interested in other hot chocolate-y recipes?

Check out these Hot Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies and Hot Chocolate No Bake Cookies!

And please, let’s not forget about my Perfect Hot Chocolate.

What inspired this recipe?

The cupcake base is a slight variation on the Double Chocolate Brownie Cupcakes I’ve showed you before. Live Well Bake Often has a great tutorial and recipe for stabilized whipped cream.

The combination of the two + the marshmallow creme came from my food brain.

Hot Chocolate Cupcakes

Yield: 16 cupcakes

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

16 tbs butter, softened and cut into chunks
8 oz semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 packets hot chocolate mix, approximately .7 oz each
4 large eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
7 oz marshmallow fluff

For the stabilized whipped cream frosting

8 tsp water
2 tsp unflavored gelatin
2 cups whipping cream, very cold
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
chocolate shavings, for garnish

Instructions

To make the cupcakes

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin tin with paper or foil liners and set it aside.
Put the softened butter and chopped chocolate in a heat-proof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water.
Stir the butter and chocolate together until they are completely melted and combined.
Whisk the brown sugar, vanilla extract, and hot chocolate mix into the chocolate and butter. Remove the bowl from the heat, set it aside, and allow it to cool slightly.
After the chocolate mixture has cooled slightly, whisk in the eggs one at a time, making sure that they are each thoroughly combined before adding another.
Whisk in the flour, salt, and baking powder.
Divide the batter among the prepared muffin tins.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick, when inserted into the center, comes out mostly clean.
Allow the cupcakes to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing them to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.
Once they have cooled, use a paring knife to cut out the centers of the cupcakes (be careful to not cut all the way through to the bottom). Remove the cupcake innards (snack for later!).
Fill the cupcake holes with marshmallow creme until level, or just about level, with the top of the cupcake.

To make the stabilized whipped cream frosting

Place the mixing bowl and beaters/whisk attachment in the fridge for 10-15 minutes.
Add the water to a small microwave safe bowl and sprinkle the gelatin on top. Allow it to sit for a few minutes.
Transfer the gelatin mixture to the microwave and microwave until the gelatin is fully dissolved, this will only take 10-15 seconds. Stir the mixture, then set it aside to cool slightly.
In the refrigerated bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or in a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer) combine the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract.
Whip the cream until it starts to thicken and soft peaks form. Turn the mixer to low speed.
Slowly pour the gelatin mixture in until it is well combined. Increase the mixer to medium speed and continue mixing until stiff peaks form.

To assemble the cupcakes

Pipe the whipped cream frosting onto the prepared cupcakes.
Garnish the cupcakes with shaved chocolate, if desired.

What gear will I need to make these cupcakes?

A muffin tin or two
Cupcake liners
A large cookie scoop to evenly portion cupcake batter
Unflavored gelatin
Marshmallow creme
Piping bags
Piping tip (I used a Wilton 1M)

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S’mores Bars

August 10, 2019 by laurenpacek Leave a Comment

These S’mores Bars are sweet, gooey, and delicious

These S’mores Bars are perfect for summertime snacking. They’re full of all of the best parts of s’mores: graham crackers, marshmallows, and milk chocolate.

FYI – this post contains affiliate links

Who doesn’t love a s’more?

They’re a classic summertime treat.

I have some great memories of sitting around the fire ring at my family’s cabin and toasting a s’more or two. But what do you do when you want a s’more, but don’t have access to a fire?

You bake s’mores bars!

How do these bars come together?

In typical baking fashion, you start out by whisking your dry ingredients together. One of the dry ingredients you’ll need is graham cracker crumbs. I like to use a blender or food processor to make sure that they’re ground really finely.

Beat the butter and sugar together before adding the dry ingredients. This creates the dough.

You’ll press most of the dough into a baking pan, layer it with chocolate (Hershey’s chocolate bars are a must, right?) and marshmallows, and more of the dough on top.

Bake ’em up, let ’em cool, and dig in.

Looking for more s’mores recipes? No fire required, I promise.

I recently shared these S’mores Chocolate Chip Cookies. You won’t regret giving them a try.

I’ve done another version of S’mores Cookies in the past, too. These are different in that the cookie dough is on top of graham crackers.

S’mores Cupcakes are perfect for sharing. The frosting is made with marshmallow fluff!

And last, but not least, this S’mores Cheesecake is bonkers good. It’s basically the definition of decadent.

What inspired this recipe?

This recipe comes from the blog Seasons and Suppers. The only modification I made was to swap out semi-sweet chocolate chunks for classic Hershey’s chocolate bars.

S'mores Bars

Yield: 24 bars

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs
2 cups mini marshmallows, heaping
8 - 1.55 oz Hershey's chocolate bars, broken into pieces

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Allow some of the parchment paper to extend above the pan a bit along the long sides. This will help when you go to remove the bars from the pan. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and kosher salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Scrape down sides of bowl as needed. Add eggs and beat until well combined. Reduce the mixer's speed to low and, bit by bit, add in the flour mixture until combined.
Set aside about 1/4 of the dough. Press the remaining dough into the bottom of the prepared pan in a thin, even layer. Top with pieces of Hershey's bars, then the marshmallows.
Scatter the reserved dough over the top of the marshmallows and chocolate. It won't cover the entire top. This is exactly what you want, so that some of the chocolate and marshmallows show through.
Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, about 30-35 minutes.
Set the pan on a wire rack to cool completely, then lift the bars out of pan by grabbing the parchment paper. Remove to a cutting board and cut into squares.

What will I need in order to make these bars?

Parchment paper is very helpful!
9×13-inch baking pan
Mini marshmallows
Graham crackers
In my opinion, Hershey’s chocolate bars are a must

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S’mores Chocolate Chip Cookies

July 8, 2019 by laurenpacek Leave a Comment

These cookies are the perfect way to get your s’mores fix without going anywhere near a campfire!

These S’mores Chocolate Chip Cookies have all of the flavors of your favorite camping treat. The dough is made with half flour, half graham crackers and is packed with mini chocolate chips. Plus, mini marshmallows and good old Hershey’s chocolate bar pieces are pressed into the tops of the cookies.

FYI – This post contains affiliate links

I’ve shared a s’mores cookie variation with you before.

It’s true. I showed you these S’mores Cookies way back when. They’re chocolate chip cookies, packed with marshmallows and topped with Hershey’s bars. Then the dough is baked ON TOP OF graham crackers.

They’re pretty great. Try them out.

But I’ve been wanting to concoct a s’mores cookie recipe that included the graham crackers in the cookie itself, rather than the graham cracker serving as a vehicle for the cookie dough.

How are these cookies different?

After some thought, I decided to grind up some graham crackers and sub those crumbs for half of the flour that would go into a chocolate chip cookie.

Marshmallows are pressed into the tops of the dough, rather than mixing it throughout because otherwise they tend to seep out of the bottoms of the dough balls and make a sticky mess.

You end up with a delicious, self-contained, mess-free cookie that tastes just like a s’more.

S’mores mean Summertime

There’s nothing quite like sitting outside around a campfire in the summertime and toasting a marshmallow, right? Followed by sandwiching that toasty marshmallow between a couple of graham crackers and some chocolate.

I have some really great memories of doing this at my parents’ cabin. The flavors of these cookies stir these happy memories up a bit.

In addition to these cookies being undeniably delicious, I think there’s a good chance that they’ll evoke some memories for you, too.

What gear should I have on hand to make these cookies?

I love this cookie scoop. It makes evenly portioning the dough a breeze!
Wire cooling racks
Hershey’s chocolate bars, duh.

S'mores Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yield: 3.5 dozen

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups graham cracker crumbs (see notes)
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp kosher salt
16 tbs unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
4 Hershey's bars, broken into pieces
1 cup mini marshmallows

Instructions

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder, and kosher salt together. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and brown sugar together until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs to the butter and sugar mixture, one at a time, making sure that the first egg is fully combined before adding the second.
Reduce the mixer's speed to low and add the flour mixture bit by bit. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Add the mini chocolate chips and mix until they are well distributed throughout the dough.
Using a cookie scoop, scoop the dough onto cookie sheets. Press the Hershey's bars pieces and mini marshmallows into the dough.
Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Place the dough balls onto the prepared baking sheets, approximately 2-3 inches apart.
Bake for XX minutes. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before removing them to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.

Notes

I like to use a blender or food processor to really finely pulverize the graham crackers. You can achieve more or less the same effect by really working them over with a rolling pin (while they're contained in a zip top bag, of course).

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 42 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 152Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 21mgSodium: 54mgCarbohydrates: 20gFiber: 1gSugar: 12gProtein: 2g

Still trying to get your s’mores fix?

I have a few other s’mores recipes that you should definitely check out!

S’mores Cupcakes
S’mores Cheesecake
The S’mores Cookies that I talked about earlier in this post

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Strawberry Margarita Pie

May 17, 2019 by laurenpacek Leave a Comment

Strawberry margarita pie is a delicious, sweet way to cool off this summer.

Strawberry Margarita Pie. You heard right.

Have you ever wondered what would happen if a refreshing strawberry margarita and a pie got together and had a delicious baby? Well wonder no longer. Because THIS is what would happen.

Do I HAVE to use tequila in this pie?

Well, no. You don’t have to. I’ve made it with and without (without was so a pregnant co-worker could eat it). They’re both really good!

It’s still going to be sweet and cold and refreshing. But I guess it’s not technically a margarita pie when sans tequila. Ultimately, you do you!

Prefer your tequila in liquid form?

You know I’ve got you covered. Check out these delicious tequila-based drinks:

Ready for some tips and tricks?

I just picked up this lemon/lime squeezer, and am loving it. Even though you don’t have to do that much juicing for this recipe, it’s really helpful. Not sure how I’ve gone so long without buying one!

ALSO did you know that you can totally make “whipped cream” from coconut milk?? I did not until just the other day. I ran out of heavy cream to make the topping, but had a couple of cans of coconut milk in the pantry. This post from Minimalist Baker was a great guide.

Note that I’m not recommending that you use coconut whipped cream in place of the whipped cream in the pie filling. I haven’t tested that out yet. But still, pretty cool. It tasted great, too.

Where’d you get the inspiration for this pie?

This delicious creation comes from the always lovely Grandbaby Cakes. In addition to her blog being great, I’ve shared some cupcakes from her cookbook with you before. Check out these Arnold Palmer Cupcakes!

Strawberry Margarita Pie

Yield: 8 pieces

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Additional Time: 5 hours

Total Time: 5 hours 30 minutes

Ever wondered what would happen if a strawberry margarita and a frozen pie got together and had a baby? You'd get this pie!

Ingredients

Graham Cracker Crust

18 graham crackers
2 tbs granulated sugar
8 tbs unsalted butter, melted

Pie Filling

2 pints strawberries, hulled and sliced
1 tbs lime zest
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
14 oz sweetened condensed milk
2 tbs tequila
2 tbs fresh orange juice
1 1/2 cups heavy cream

Whipped Cream

1 cup heavy cream
2 tbs powdered sugar
2 tsp lime zest

Instructions

To make the graham cracker crust

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Using a blender or food processor and process until the graham crackers are reduced to fine crumbs.
Add the granulated sugar and melted butter. Blitz again until everything is well combined.
Press the crumb mixture into the bottom of a 9-inch pie pan in an even layer.
Bake for 15 minutes, then allow to cool completely.

To make the pie filling

Add the strawberries, lime zest, lime juice, sweetened condensed milk, tequila, and orange juice to a blender or food processor. Process until completely smooth.
Pour this mixture into a large bowl and set aside.
Using either a stand mixer or electric hand mixer, beat the heavy cream until stiff peaks appear.
Slowly fold half of the whipped cream into the strawberry mixture. Once the first half is combined, fold in the remaining whipped cream.
Pour the pie filling into the graham cracker crust. Freeze for at least 5 hours.

To make the whipped cream topping

Using either a stand mixer or electric hand mixer, beat for 30 seconds or so. Add the powdered sugar.
Beat the heavy cream until stiff peaks appear.

Spoon onto the top of the frozen pie and sprinkle with lime zest.

Notes

You may need to allow this pie to thaw for a bit before slicing in. However, it can't really sit out for an extended period (i.e., > 1 hour) without melting.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 773Total Fat: 48gSaturated Fat: 29gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 137mgSodium: 263mgCarbohydrates: 78gFiber: 3gSugar: 57gProtein: 10g

Looking for other frozen pie recipes?

I’ve shared a couple in the past. Check out my:

Pin it for later! Sharing is caring 😉

Lemon Poppy Seed Cupcakes

April 5, 2019 by laurenpacek 6 Comments

These Lemon Poppy Seed Cupcakes have tender yellow cake, zingy lemon curd, and sweet buttercream studded with poppy seeds. They are the perfect Springtime dessert!

What says “Springtime” more than lemon??

I know that Winter is citrus season, but I think that lemony desserts are pretty Springy. Especially these cupcakes. They get their lemony flavor from rich, tangy, homemade lemon curd. It’s the perfect complement to sweet cake and buttercream frosting.

These cupcakes may look complicated, but don’t be intimidated!

I know that there are quite a few steps involved assembling these cupcakes. But trust me, none of them are difficult. Plus, the payoff is more than worth it.

This recipe makes excellent use of the Homemade Lemon Curd that I shared with you earlier in the week. If you haven’t already eaten all of it with a spoon (no judgement), I highly recommend filling these cupcakes with it!

The yellow cake recipe comes directly from the cookbook Homemade Decadence, and the buttercream is a variation of the recipe in that book, too.

5 from 5 votes

Lemon Poppy Seed Cupcakes

Prep Time

35 mins

Cook Time

25 mins

Total Time

1 hr

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: 36 cupcakes

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

4 cups cake flour, see notes
2 tsp baking powder
1.5 tsp baking soda
1 tsp kosher salt
16 tbs unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
1 tbs vanilla extract
4 eggs
2 cups buttermilk

For the lemon curd

1 recipe homemade lemon curd, see notes

For the buttercream (makes more than you will likely need)

32 tbs unsalted butter, room temperature
5-6 cups powdered sugar
1/4 tsp kosher salt
3 tsp vanilla extract
4 tbs milk or heavy cream
2 tbs poppy seeds

Instructions

To make the cupcakes

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 3 muffin tins with liners (or use fewer muffin tins and work in batches) and set aside.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt together. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until it is light and fluffy.
Add the eggs, one at a time, beating to fully incorporate. Add the vanilla extract.
Add half of the flour mixture, and beat well. Add the buttermilk in a slow stream, and beat well. Add the remaining flour mixture and beat until just combined.
Divide the batter evenly between the 36 cups of the muffin tins. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick, when inserted into the center, comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool in the muffin tins for 15 minutes before removing them to a wire rack and allowing them to cool completely.

To make the poppy seed buttercream

In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter for a couple of minutes, or until soft.
Add 2 cups of powdered sugar, along with the kosher salt and vanilla extract. Beat on low to combine. Add another 2 cups of powdered sugar and beat to combine along with 2 tbs of the milk/cream.
Add the remaining 2 cups of powdered sugar and 2 tbs of milk/cream to achieve the desired consistency of frosting.
Beat on medium speed for a few minutes until the frosting is smooth and fluffy.

To assemble the cupcakes

Insert a paring knife into the top of a cupcake at a 45 degree angle. Insert the knife only about 2/3 of the way into the cupcake, so that the filling won't leak out of the bottom.
Cut a cone out of the top of the cupcake. Keep the tip of the knife inside the center of the cupcake. Rotate the cupcake while cutting around the top of the cupcake in a circle. Aim to make the hole about 1 inch wide. Pull the cone of cake out of the cupcake.
Cut the cone in half and discard (or eat!) the pointed part. You will use the top, flat part to plug the hole at the end.
Spoon the prepared (or store bought) lemon curd into the holes in the cupcake, filling not quite the whole way. Top with the reserved flat part of the cored out cupcake.
Frost as desired.

Recipe Notes

I've found that using cake flour (vs. all-purpose flour) really does make a difference here. When using all-purpose flour, the cupcakes can be a little dense.
The recipe for homemade lemon curd can be found here. You could also substitute your favorite store bought lemon curd.

Looking for more lemony desserts?

Try these Lemon White Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies! These Whole Lemon Bars are pretty great, too.

Homemade Lemon Curd

April 1, 2019 by laurenpacek Leave a Comment

This Homemade Lemon Curd is full of bright, sweet and tart flavor. You can use your lemon curd in dessert and cocktail recipes. Or, heck, eat it with a spoon!

What can you do with lemon curd?

Citrus season may be coming to a close, but let’s not let that stop us from whipping up a batch of sweet/tart homemade lemon curd! It’s really very easy to make, and can be used in a number of different ways.

Swirl it into a cheesecake, add it to ice cream, make a parfait… You could also use it as the base of a cocktail! I’m working on a boozy application right now.

I’ve incorporated this lemon curd into a crazy good cupcake. Stay tuned later this week for the recipe!

This recipe comes from Dishes Delish.

Homemade Lemon Curd

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

10 mins

Cooling time

1 hr 30 mins

Total Time

20 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: 2 cups

Ingredients

5 egg yolks
1 cup granulated sugar
3 lemons, zested
4 lemons, juiced
8 tbs unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Instructions

Add the egg yolks to a sauce pan and whisk until combined. Add the sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice and whisk to combine.
Turn the heat to medium and keep whisking until the lemon curd thickens (about 10 minutes). Do not let it boil. It is thick enough when it coats the back of a spoon.
Remove the lemon curd from heat. Add 2 pats of butter at a time and mix until melted. Continue adding the butter until it is all added and melted.
Pour the lemon curd into a glass container. Cover it with plastic wrap and let sit on counter for 30 minutes. Cover the jar and place in fridge and let it sit for at least an hour before eating or using.

Looking for more lemon-heavy recipes?

Lemon White Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies are bright and zingy.
These Whole Lemon Bars are incredibly good!
Grilled Mezcal Margaritas are made with grilled lemon juice!

Chocolate Stout Bundt Cake with Irish Cream Glaze

March 12, 2019 by laurenpacek 2 Comments

This Chocolate Stout Bundt Cake (complete with Irish Cream Glaze) would be a delicious St. Patrick’s Day treat! The cake is dense and very chocolatey, while the glaze is sweet and a little boozy. I added some green and white sprinkles for fun.

Here’s a bit of a fun fact for you all: I’m writing this post while in Ireland! How perfect for a St. Patrick’s Day post.

My husband and I are on a much needed vacation. We flew into Dublin and rented a car to drive out to Doolin (on the west coast of Ireland). We’re staying there for a few days before heading back into Dublin for a bit. Then we’re off to Liverpool for a couple of nights before taking a train up to Edinburgh. After that we’ll fly back to Dublin for a night and then come home.

We only just got in yesterday, but it has been incredible thus far. The country is beautiful and green, and the food and drink have been 10/10. In very surprising beer-related news, it turns out that I actually like Guinness! Who knew? I’ll be sharing photos of our travels with you soon.

This recipe comes from the blog Handle the Heat, though it has been modified slightly to increase the overall amount of chocolate and Irish cream. Because who doesn’t want more of both of those things??

Chocolate Stout Bundt Cake with Irish Cream Glaze

Prep Time

30 mins

Cook Time

1 hr 5 mins

Total Time

1 hr 35 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: 12 people

Ingredients

For the chocolate bundt cake

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 cup unsalted butter
3/4 cup stout beer, such as Guinness
12 oz dark chocolate, chopped
3 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sour cream

For the chocolate Irish cream glaze

8 oz dark chocolate, chopped
1 cup heavy hream
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 tbs vanilla extract
2 tbs Irish Cream liquer

Instructions

To make the bundt cake

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 12-cup nonstick Bundt pan and set aside (see notes).
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In a small saucepan heat butter and beer over medium heat, stirring, until the butter is melted. Remove from heat and add the 12 ounces of chopped chocolate, stirring until smooth.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the eggs and sugars on medium-high speed, until fluffy. Beat in the melted chocolate mixture and the sour cream. Reduce speed to low and gradually mix in flour. Do not over mix.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick, when inserted into the center, comes mostly clean. Let the cake cool for about 20 minutes in the pan and then invert it onto a wire rack to finish cooling completely.

To make the glaze

Add the chopped chocolate and heavy cream to a medium -sized saucepan and heat over medium heat. Stir continuously. Once melted add the vanilla extract and kosher salt. Remove from the heat, add the Irish Cream, and stir.
Put the sauce in the fridge for 15 minutes or so to allow it to cool a bit. Pour the glaze onto the cake and let the cake stand until the glaze firms up.

Recipe Notes

Notes: pan release goop from I Am BakerThis is legit.

Need more St. Patrick’s Day treats? I gotcha.

Try these Lucky Charms Marshmallow Bars if you’re short on time but still need a fun, sweet treat.
Double Chocolate Irish Cream Cookies are sure to please.
A Chocolate Guinness Cheesecake with Chocolate Whiskey Ganache requires a little planning, but is well worth it.
Guinness Brownies with Caramel Fudge Frosting are 10/10.

Beet Red Velvet Cupcakes

February 13, 2019 by laurenpacek 9 Comments

These Beet Red Velvet Cupcakes are moist and a little chocolatey, just like any good red velvet cupcake should be. AND they’re 100% food coloring-free! Their gorgeous red hue comes from the addition of cooked beets. But don’t worry – you can’t taste the beets!

I have to get this out of the way: I am generally not a big fan of red velvet. I know, I know.

Sure it’s really pretty, and is super moist. But it’s this like, vaguely chocolatey cake that’s usually made with a TON of food coloring. What gives?

There’s even a scene about it on an old season of Orange is the New Black. Remember?

Red velvet IS bullshit. EXCEPT when it’s made without a ton of food coloring. Like these cupcakes right here.

Plus beets are the best. I love them in a way that if they weren’t a vegetable would maybe be considered unhealthy.

Check out these easy roasted beets. Or how about either of these salads?

Though it may seem a little daunting, these cupcakes are actually very easy to make. Microwave some beets, chop ’em up, and toss ’em in a blender/food processor. Blitz them with wet ingredients, add them to the dry, and mix. Bake. Frost. Voila!

The red/white color combo makes these cupcakes an easy choice for Valentine’s Day or Christmas. But make them whenever you’re in the mood for a pretty, sweet treat!

The cupcake recipe comes from the good folks over at Southern Living. The cream cheese frosting recipe comes from Sugar Spun Run.

4.84 from 6 votes

Beet Red Velvet Cupcakes

Prep Time

30 mins

Cook Time

18 mins

Total Time

48 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: 24 cupcakes

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

10 oz fresh red beets, peeled
1 lemon, juiced
3/4 cup canola or vegetable oil
3/4 cup buttermilk
4 eggs
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 tbs unsweetened cocoa powder, see notes
1 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda

For the cream cheese frosting

8 oz cream cheese, softened
8 oz unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp kosher salt
4 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

To make the cupcakes

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with paper liners. Set aside.
Wrap the beets in parchment paper. Microwave on high until they are tender (about 8 to 10 minutes). Allow the beets to cool, still wrapped in the paper, until they are just warm to the touch.
Coarsely chop the beets. Add them, along with the lemon juice, to a food processor. Process until they are finely chopped. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Add the oil and buttermilk and process until smooth. Add the eggs and process until completely combined.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Add the beet mixture, and whisk until just combined.
Using an ice-cream scoop, fill the prepared cupcake liners two-thirds full with batter.
Bake 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool in the pans on wire racks for about 5 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the pans to the racks, and allow them to cool completely.

To make the frosting

Combine the softened cream cheese and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat until creamy and well-combined.
Add the vanilla extract and kosher salt. Beat again until combined.
Gradually add the powdered sugar on low speed until it is completely combined. Beat on medium-high speed for a few minutes to really whip things up.
Frost the cooled cupcakes.

Recipe Notes

Notes: Do not use dark cocoa powder. It will really mask the red color that the beets impart.

If you’re looking for more baked goods for Valentine’s Day, I got you. Try these Double Chocolate M&M Cookies and Triple Chocolate Raspberry Brownies?

If cocktails are more your thing, see these Blood Orange Bourbon Sours and the Kinkytini Cocktail (kind of like a Cosmopolitan)!

Peanut Butter Marshmallow Pie with Pretzel Crust

February 5, 2019 by laurenpacek 3 Comments

This Peanut Butter Marshmallow Pie is a lot of things. It is sweet, cold, creamy, and yet also a bit salty and crunchy.

One of the best things about this pie, in my opinion, is that it is nearly no-bake! Just pop the crust into the oven for 10 minutes and then let the freezer do the rest of the work.

This pie was inspired by a candy bar that I impulsively picked up while in World Market a few weeks ago. It was a milk chocolate bar that had peanuts, pretzel pieces, and marshmallow in it. I mean, sure, I was walking around the store while borderline hangry, but that thing was good.

I went home and started to wonder how I could incorporate all of those flavors into a dessert creation of my own. Pie seemed like a good candidate. I thought back to the Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie that I shared with you before and wondered what would happen if you folded marshmallow fluff/creme into the peanut butter filling. As it turns out, delicious things would happen if you did that.

The crust is a little sweet, but mostly salty, and made out of pulverized pretzels, brown sugar, and melted butter. The combination of cold and creamy filling, salty crust, and crunchy toppings (okay there are soft marshmallows, too) is 10/10.

After you whip up this Peanut Butter Marshmallow Pie, don’t forget to check out this Almost No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie, too!

5 from 3 votes

Peanut Butter Marshmallow Pretzel Pie | A Nerd Cooks

Peanut Butter Marshmallow Pie with Pretzel Crust

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

10 mins

Freeze time

3 hrs

Total Time

3 hrs 25 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: 8 people

Author: Lauren Pacek

Ingredients

For the crust

8 oz small pretzels
2 tbs brown sugar
8 tbs unsalted butter, melted

For the pie

8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
7 oz marshmallow creme
1 cup smooth peanut butter
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

For the topping

mini chocolate chips
salted peanuts
mini marshmallows

Instructions

To make the crust

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Blitz the pretzels in a blender or food processor until fine crumbs form.
Add the brown sugar and melted butter. Blitz again until everything is well combined.
Press the pretzel crust into the bottom, and up the sides, of a 9-inch pie pan.
Bake for 10 minutes. Allow the crust to cool.

To make the pie

Using a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese, marshmallow creme, and peanut butter together. Add the heavy cream and beat again until a smooth filling forms.
Add the mini chocolate chips to the pie filling and mix until they are well distributed throughout the filling.
Pour the filling into the prepared pretzel crust. Smooth the top with a spatula.
Top with mini chocolate chips, peanuts, and mini marshmallows.
Freeze for 3 hours. This pie can be served frozen or refrigerated.