Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownie Cupcakes

 Today is a special day, friends! Because today is the day that we are celebrating such an amazing blogger and friend of mine! Jocelyn from Grandbaby Cakes is having her own little baby cake! So today, other bloggers and I have gotten together to give her a virtual baby shower!! Guys, the blogging world is so great. We may not live close to each other, but the love we feel for each other is beyond real.

Jocelyn is pregnant with a little baby girl!! There are about a million things that I love about Jocelyn, but one of them is her positive spirt. She just exudes positivity. I mean, truly, she is one of those people that I look up to because I feel like she is always looking at the positive side of things . . . . and after I learned that she had to go through IVF to become a mother, that love of that positive spirit grew even more. Having gone through intense infertility issues myself, I just can’t get over her. You guys, just go read about her experience. I swear, you will fall in love with her.

Ingredients

For Cupcakes

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 tsps baking powder

1 1/2 tsps baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 eggs

1 cup milk I used skim

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 cup of creamy peanut butter

2 tsps vanilla extract

For Frosting

1/2 cup unsalted butter room temperature

1 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup milk

8 cups powdered sugar

2 tsps vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line two muffin tins with 24 cupcake liners.

In a large bowl, mix the the granulated sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Add in the eggs, milk, vegetable oil, peanut butter, and vanilla. Stir until the batter is fully combined.

Fill each cupcake liner approximately 2/3 full.

Bake for 20 minutes (in two batches), or until a tooth pick inserted in the middle of a cupcake comes out with just a few crumbs. Allow to cool completely. Once cool, make the frosting.

To make the peanut butter frosting beat together the butter and peanut butter until combined in a stand mixer or with a hand held mixer.

Slowly add in the powdered sugar and then the milk, followed by the vanilla extract. If not smooth and creamy, add a tiny bit more milk.

Watergate Cake

 I wrote a post the other day on Instagram about how the other evening I was putting Piper to bed and yawned when I was singing her goodnight song.

She looked at me and said, “Are you tired from yelling at us all day?”

#WinningMomMoment

Siiiiiiiiiiigh.

That kid you guys. Everyone always loves to tell me how cute she is. But she has more spunk in one little pinky finger than the rest of the family does combined. She is sweet as honey one minute and then giving us a run for our money the next.

I’m totally open to advice from anyone else raising a spunky monkey.

But in the meantime, let’s talk about this Watergate Cake recipe instead, kay?

Ingredients

1 box yellow cake mix (plus the ingredients the recipe calls for)

3.4 ounce box pistachio pudding mix (just the dry mix)

20 ounce can crushed pineapple undrained

8 ounces cool whip

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Instructions

Combine the dry cake mix with the pistachio pudding mix (just the dry pudding mix). Then add the rest ingredients the cake mix calls for and bake according to package instructions.

Remove the cake from the oven, poke holes in the top of the hot cake, and pour the crushed pineapple over it, making sure to get pineapple in each hole.

Allow to cool completely.

Top with cool whip and walnuts, serve, and enjoy!

Eggnog Poke Cake Recipe

 Tis the season for all things treat-tastic and delicious, right? One of my favorite go to and easy treats is a poke cake. I love that you can take an ordinary yellow cake mix and spice it up with literal spices or so many other delicious things and turn it into a super fun poke cake.

I have so many great poke cake recipes using sweetened condensed milk, including this Eggnog Poke Cake!

There are so many great poke cake recipes you can use by just jazzing up a cake mix recipe. I like to start by just adding some spices to the dry mix. In this case I added nutmeg and cinnamon. I did the same in my Caramel Apple Poke Cake Recipe.

Ingredients

1 box white cake mix see note

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

3/4 tsp nutmeg plus extra for topping

3 eggs

1 1/4 cup eggnog

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 tsp rum extract or rum optional

1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk

8 ounces cool whip

Instructions

Preheat the oven according to the directions on the box.

Pour the dry cake mix into a bowl. Whisk in the cinnamon and nutmeg.  

Now mix in the eggnog, vegetable oil, eggs, and rum or rum extract.

Pour the batter into a greased 9 by 13 inch pan and bake according to box instructions.

After removing the cake from the oven, poke holes in the top.  Then pour the sweetened condensed milk over the cake, making sure to get some in each of the holes.

Refrigerate at least four hours. Before serving top with Cool Whip.  Lightly dust with nutmeg or cinnamon.

Mandarin Orange Cake Recipe

 You only need SEVEN ingredients to make this orange pineapple cake, and that includes the frosting!

This is a classic cake recipe that lot os of you grew up eating and loving at family gatherings, church picnics, and back yard BBQs. I got this recipe from my neighbor and fell in love immediately.

Anywhere she takes this cake people need the recipe. And for good reason. It is moist, packed with flavor, and best of all it is super easy to throw together.

Ingredients

For the Cake

1 box yellow cake mix (just the dry cake mix – 15.25 ounces)

1 15 ounce can mandarin oranges (undrained)

4 eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

For the Frosting

12 ounces cool whip

1 20 ounce can crushed pineapple undrained

1 3.4 ounce box instant vanilla pudding mix (just the pudding mix)

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 by 13 inch pan with cooking spray and set aside.

In a large bowl mix together the yellow cake mix, the can of mandarin oranges, the eggs and the vegetable oil.  Pour into the prepare pan.  Bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few crumbs, being careful not to over bake.

Let the cake completely cool.

In a large bowl whip together the cool whip, pineapple, and vanilla pudding mix.  Spread over the cooled cake and serve!

Homemade Carrot Cake Sheet Cake

 Hello! Hot Mess Express here to share the best carrot cake recipe with you before running back to bed. I woke up with a splitting sinus infection type headache that made me want my mommy. Starting next week, I will be traveling every week for five weeks in a row. I am consistently trying to remind myself that they are all good things, I’m truly blessed, but my home body self just wants to sleep in my own bed forever and ever. I’m sure my body is preemptively stressed out.

Since getting really sick is NOT an option right now, I’d love all your tips for nipping a cold in the bud. For real.

Ingredients

For the Homemade Carrot Cake

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon cloves

1/8 teaspoon ginger

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 large eggs room temperature

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup apple sauce

1 pound carrots grated fine

Best Cream Cheese Frosting

16 ounces cream cheese room temperature

8 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature

4 cups powdered sugar (not packed)

3 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 cup chopped pecans optional

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a large rimmed baking tray (10 by 15) with cooking spray and set aside.

In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger and salt.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugars, oil, and apple sauce until smooth.

Stir the liquid ingredients into the flour mixture until just combined. Then stir in the carrots.

Pour the cake batter into the prepared baking sheet.  Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the edges of the cake are golden and starting to pull away from the baking sheet. Be careful not to overbake.

While the cake is cooling, cream together the cream cheese and the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time. Then add in the vanilla extract.

Once the cake is cool to the touch, spread the frosting over the top. If you desire, sprinkles chopped pecans around the edge. Cut, serve, and enjoy.  Cover the left overs with aluminum foil and store in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Pina Colada Poke Cake

 Hello friends! Loooong time no talk! I’ve been a little absent around these parts because I was with my family on vacation in London! It was my kids’ first international trip and it was absolutely incredible. Yes, there were meltdowns (mostly mine), and some tricky spots, but over all we had the most wonderful time.

 I loved seeing that piece of the world, a city I have loved since I first met it, through my kids eyes. I loved sharing every bit of it’s incredibleness with them. If you are interested, in the next month or two, I could write a post about what we did and what my tips for traveling overseas with kids are (spoiler alert: lots of candy). Let me know if that’s something you’d like to read!

Until then, we have Pina Colada Poke Cake!

Ingredients

For The Cake

16.25 ounces white cake mix

3 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

20 ounces canned crushed pineapple in juice

1 cup vegetable oil

5.46 fluid ounces coconut milk (well mixed)

For The Frosting

12 ounces cool whip

20 ounces canned crushed pineapple in juice

3.4 ounces coconut instant pudding mix

Topping

1/2 cup toasted coconut

maraschino cherries

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 by 13 inch pan with cooking spray and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the cake mix, eggs, vanilla extract, crushed pineapple (and it's juice), and vegetable oil.

Pour the mixture into the baking dish and bake for 40 minutes (rotating once during baking), or until a toothpick in the center of the pan comes out with just a few crumbs.

Allow the cake to cool a little and then poke holes in the cake with the end of a wooden spoon. You need roughly 24 holes.  Fill the holes with the well mixed coconut milk.  Cover the cake and refrigerate for at least four hours.

Before serving, mix together the cool whip, canned crushed pineapple (with it's juice), and coconut pudding. Spread evenly over the top of the cake.  Top with toasted coconut and maraschino cherries and serve!

Pumpkin Cheesecake

 With Thanksgiving only a few days away I feel like I’m about to BURST with holiday spirit. I LOVE the holiday season, and I want to snuggle up in front of a fire with a glass of wine and watch a Christmas movie. OR I want to crank up the Christmas music and start making Christmas cookies, peppermint bark, and fudge.

I have already started baking holiday treats for you, but I am going to tide you over with this incredible Pumpkin Cheesecake that would be perfect for Thanksgiving.

If your family isn’t into Pumpkin Pie and can’t be won over by Pecan Pie (we can still be friends but I’m giving you serious side eye right now), this pumpkin pie cheesecake with it’s gingersnap cookie crust is a great alternative.

Ingredients

Crust

1 1/4 cups gingersnap crumbs see note 1

5 tablespoons butter melted

1 tablespoons granulated sugar

Pumpkin Cheesecake

24 ounces cream cheese at room temperature see note 2

1 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree 100% puree, not pie filling

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 eggs room temperature

Chocolate Ganache

7 ounces chocolate see note 3

5 liquid ounces heavy cream

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.

Combine the cookie crumbs, butter, and 1 tablespon granulated sugar and press into the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan. Bake for just under 10 minutes or until the crust begins to brown and is fragrant. Let cool on a wire wrack for a half hour.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Beat 24 ounces of full fat cream cheese until fluffy and smooth. Beat in 1 cup granulated sugar, then the pumpkin puree. Beat in the cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and vanilla extract. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Be sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl after each addition.

Pour the filling over the cooled crust and bake for 35 minutes or until the edges of the cheesecake are firm and the middle still has a jiggle to it. Leave it in the oven with the door closed for an hour. Remove from the oven, run a thin knife between the cheesecake and the pan. Let the cheesecake come to room temperature before covering in plastic wrap and refrigerating overnight.

Before serving the cheesecake, pour the chocolate into a bowl. Heat the heavy cream in the microwave until almost boiling – about 45 seconds. Pour over the chocoalte and let sit for two minutes. Then whisk until smooth.

Before pouring the chocolate over the cheesecake, place a paper towel lightly over the cheesecake. If the cheesecake was at all hot before going in the refrigerator, there will likely be a little bit of moisture on top. The towel will take care of this.

Pour the chocolate ganache over the cheesecake. Allow the ganache to cool and firm.

Slice and serve.