Espresso Chocolate Jam Birthday Cupcakes

Hubby’s birthday was last week! Sadly he was on the road an unable to be here on his big day but we celebrated over the past weekend. Hubby loves peanut butter cups. Something about the combination of chocolate and peanut butter puts him in a heavenly place. For the past several years I’ve tried to incorporate his love of peanut butter and chocolate into his birthday cake. Last year’s attempt was very good but the cake was so heavy and rich. I had to swig down a whole glass of milk to cut the richness of just a small slice. Maybe it was a little too rich! This year I wanted a lighter airier version!

Time with hubby is precious since we only spend a few days together every two weeks so I cheated! I used a box mix and store bought frosting to jump start the baking process but I added my own twist. You can easily use a few of my tricks to add a little extra umph to your baked goodies regardless if you use store bought mix or if you make it from scratch!

• Duncan Hines Dark Chocolate cake mix
• Betty Crocker Whipped Cream Cheese frosting
• Strawberry jam or preserves

Prepare cupcakes per package directions EXCEPT substitute water for super concentrated brewed coffee (cooled) or simply dissolve 2 tablespoons of instant coffee into the water. All the cupcakes to cool completely!

Using a knife or small circular cookie cutter, cut a circle shape in the top of the cupcakes. Using a fork, gently insert into the side of a circle and pop out the middle section of the cupcake and set aside. Drop at least a teaspoon of jam or preserves in the middle of each cupcake replacing the the cupcake centers on top of the jam.

Pipe whipped cream cheese frosting on top allow to set and serve. You can also mix 1 part of creamy peanut butter with 2 or 3 parts whipped cream cheese frosting and pipe onto cupcakes. (Tip: I used a simple plastic sandwich bag with the corner snipped off to pipe the frosting.)

The coffee flavor offers a nice subtle complimentary flavor to the chocolate cake. Of course, if you wanted a stronger coffee taste to the cake, you can always make the coffee stronger before adding it to your cake mix. Ultimately, the cupcakes were a hit. I made several with jam filled centers, some with just plain cream cheese frosting, and others with a peanut butter cream cheese frosting. This is on the “definitely to repeat” list!

Jenn is a stay at home southern mom raising her kids in Northwestern Minnesota with her trucker hubby. She loves to cook, craft and blog. Soon she’ll be going back to school for a new adventure in Graphic Design. You can find recipes, crafts, parenting strategies, budget tips, product reviews and fabulous giveaways on her blog, Frugal Front Porch.

Easy Apple Raisin Crisp

I’m going to be honest, I stole tried this recipe from Food Network’s Sunny Anderson when I had the four fellas here this summer. We had an abundance of apples and this made for a fantastically easy and fast dessert! Just about any firm apple works even though she recommends Fuji or McIntosh apples. The kids loved (LOVED) ‘em and i can’t believe it was so simple to make.

I wonder if it would be too indulgent to enjoy for breakfast one day???

Ingredients

• 2 apples (recommended: Fuji or McIntosh)
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/4 cup strawberry jam, jelly or preserves
• 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons butter, cold and diced
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/2 cup oats, uncooked
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Pinch salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cut each apple in half along its equator. Using a melon baller or spoon, cut out the core, creating a rounded hole. Rub apple with lemon juice to prevent browning. Place 1 tablespoon of jam into each hole and top with a few raisins.

Topping: in a small bowl mix together dry ingredients plus the cold butter. It’s faster and easier if you do this with your hands. Press the mixture on the top of each apple. Be careful not to press too hard or the jam will squirt out. Place in a baking dish filled with about a 1/4-inch of water. Bake until top is golden brown and apple is tender, about 35 to 40 minutes.

Here is a link to Sunny’s original baked apple recipe.

Jenn is a stay at home southern mom raising her kids in Northwestern Minnesota with her trucker hubby. You can find recipes, crafts, parenting strategies, budget tips, product reviews and fabulous giveaways on her blog, Frugal Front Porch.

*Be sure to check out how you can win a $25 Sam’s Club Gift card – it ends Wednesday!

Homemade Oreos

Remember two weeks ago, when I mentioned my camera had broken? Well, it's still broken. My Mom has been letting me borrow hers but unfortunately, she's had to take it back this week through the weekend - they're headed off for an overnight stay and she wanted to be able to take pictures!

Unfortunately there won't be any pictures of my efforts for today's post - I'm hoping there will be some cookies remaining when I can borrow the camera again on Monday - if there are, I'll be sure to update this post with pictures!

And yes, I said cookies - oreo cookies, to be exact. You know you love them!! I never buy storebought cookies, I feel unbelievably guilty if I do because hey, I can make them, right? But Oreos, oh, Oreos. I love them so. Especially the double stuffed ones - oy vey!! I don't even remember the last time I had an Oreo...

But now! Now, we can make our own!! Jen from Beantown Baker posted about her attempt at them after seeing the recipe from Deb over at Smitten Kitchen. Deb, now she got the recipe from a book called Retro Desserts (PS want!) by a certain Wayne Brachman. Whew!

Our opinions? They're a really great substitute. My only complaint is that the cookie itself was a little too soft. And Oreo has a bit of a snap, you know? After having made these, I find out that Jen gave Oreos a try a second time, and had better luck with that cookie recipe combined with this filling recipe. So maybe I'll take her lead and give that a try next!

So, on to the recipe, shall we??

Homemade Oreos
Retro Desserts
Makes approximately 32 sandwich cookies

for the cookies:
1 1/3 cups Dutch process cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups flour, plus more for dusting
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

for the filling:
1/4 cup room temperature, unsalted butter
1/3 cup shortening
2 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla

Cookies
Sift together the cocoa powder, flour and salt in a large bowl.

Using a mixer, cream the butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, then vanilla. Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a spatula.

Divide the dough into 2 pieces. Place one piece between 2 lightly floured pieces of parchment paper and roll into a 1/4 inch thick rectangle. Repeat with other piece of dough. Refrigerate both rectangles, covered with parchment sheets, until firm; at least 1 hour or up to several days.

Using a 2 inch round cookie cutter, cut the dough into 64 circles, rerolling scraps once. Place cookies about 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets and chill for 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 325F.

Bake cookies until they are set and slightly darker around the edges, about 20 minutes. Cool completely on wire racks.

Filling
Place butter and shortening in a bowl and at low speed beat in the sugar and vanilla. With mixer on high, beat another 2 to 3 minutes until filling is light and fluffy.

Assembly
Place about a teaspoon's worth of filling into the center of one cookie. Place another equal sized cookie on top of the cream and press lightly so filling reaches edges of cookie. Continue until all cookies are used.

I call Gotta Little Space and Suitable For Consumption home; come say hi!