The Best Basics | Cupcakes & Buttercream Frosting

Even when presented with fancy pants cupcakes, people seem to go back to the basics. As overall crowd pleasers, you usually don't have to worry about whether or not people will eat the cupcakes when they are plain and simple (yet delicious, of course). So here are the best Chocolate Cupcakes and White Cupcakes that I have found so far. They are modified box cake recipes, which originally made me feel a little lazy, but I have since found out that many bakeries do this for their specialty recipes as well. 

They are both very different from each other, aside from only flavor. The chocolate cupcakes recipe is actually taken from bundt cake recipe I probably got from Allrecipes.com. Bundt cakes - at least in my experience - are usually a more dense, rich cake, which is obviously no different in cupcake form. BUT, as I posted in my last cupcake recipe, I like a more muffiny cupcake, so I love the heaviness of this recipe. The white cake recipe is much lighter and fluffier, but still satisfying and very smooth.

The nice thing about these recipes is that you can experiment with different flavored frostings and if you're feelin extra ambitious, different flavored fillings. These cupcakes pictured below were made for my second-cousin, Evan's 1st birthday party (which was clearly baseball-themed). The baseballs were white cake, filled with raspberry jam, topped with almond buttercream. And the grass-colored cupcakes were chocolate cake, filled with a dollop of Nutella, topped with coconut buttercream, and a Tootsie Roll baseball glove. 

You could experiment even more with these cupcakes, filling them with ANY type of pie filling or jam or even peanut butter (!!) for the chocolate cupcakes. There are also maaany many types of extracts out there, ranging from maple and hazelnut to raspberry and lemon.

Start with these solid cupcake recipes and GO CRAZY.

Chocolate Cupcakes:

Ingredients:

• 1 pkg. Devil's Food cake mix
• 1 (5.9 oz.) pkg. instant chocolate pudding
• 1 c. sour cream
• 1 c. vegetable oil
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 c. warm water
• 2 c. mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix cake mix and chocolate pudding mix. Add sour cream, vegetable oil, beaten eggs, and warm water. Mix well.
3. Fold in chocolate chips.
4. Fill cupcake tins 1/2 - 3/4 full. 
5. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until cupcake tops feel springy to the touch.

White Cupcakes:

Ingredients:

• 1 pkg. White cake mix
• 1 c. flour
• 1 c. sugar
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1-1/3 c. water
• 1 c. sour cream
• 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1 tsp. almond extract
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 4 egg whites (3/4 c. "All Whites")

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Mix together cake mix, flour, sugar, and salt. Add water, sour cream, vegetable oil, almond and vanilla extracts, and egg whites. Mix well for 4 minutes.
3. Fill cupcake tins 1/2 - 3/4 full.
4. Bake for about 20 minutes or until cupcake tops feel springy to the touch.

(*Note: cupcake cook times may vary. Usually, I set a timer for 15 minutes and gauge my time from there, keeping a close eye on them until they are finished baking.)

Basic Buttercream Frosting:

Ingredients:

• 1 c. butter, softened (or 1/2 c. butter + 1/2 c. shortening)
• 1 tsp. vanilla (or other extract)
• 5 c. powdered sugar
• 1/4 c. milk

Directions:

1. Cream butter with electric mixer until smooth.
2. Add vanilla and mix well. 
3. Slowly mix in powdered sugar and milk - alternating additions. 
4. Add more milk or powdered sugar depending on desired consistency.

Cranberry Orange Cupcakes

This recipe...is probably my favorite cupcake. EVER. I made some of these for my friend Erica to sample for her wedding cupcakes and I was sold. Orange and cranberry have always been a favorite flavor combination of mine (clearly...this Cranberry Almond Biscotti recipe is my GO-TO recipe - with craisins, orange zest, and almond - YUM).

I like my cupcakes more muffin-y...and these cupcakes do the trick. :) They are sweet, a little tart, and just plain tasty. The best thing about them is that they are pretty easy to make. The original recipe from The Cake Blog was a tinsy bit more complicated, needing a few special ingredients (i.e. cake flour), but I found that you can compromise and these still taste fantastic. 

The Candied Cranberries (optional - although, I do believe they look pretty pretty):

(*Note also: you will have to make these at least one day in advance so that they have time to harden a bit.)

Ingredients:

• 3-3/4 c. sugar, divided
• 1-3/4 c. water
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• Zest of 1 orange
• 12 oz. fresh cranberries

Directions:

1. In medium sauce pan, over medium heat, mix together 2-1/2 c. sugar, water, vanilla, and orange zest. Stir occasionally until sugar has dissolved.
2. Remove pan from heat and add cranberries, stirring to coat evenly.
3. Cover cranberries in pan with a small plate so that the berries are pushed into the syrup. Once cool, refrigerate overnight.
4. Strain the cranberries from the syrup. Use remaining 1-1/4 c. sugar to coat the berries by shaking them in a rimmed dish to coat evenly. Once coated, remove from sugar and let dry on baking trap for at least an hour.

The Cupcakes:

Ingredients:

• 3 c. flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 c. butter
• 2 c. sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• Zest + juice of 1 orange
• 1 c. milk
• 1-1/2 c. fresh cranberries

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In large bowl, mix flour and baking powder.
3. In separate bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. 
4. Add eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition.
5. Add vanilla, orange zest, and orange juice.
6. Switch off adding milk and the flour mixture until just mixed. Then fold in the cranberries.
7. Fill cupcake liners 1/2 - 3/4 full and bake for 18-20 minutes or until the cupcake tops feel springy to the touch.

The Frosting:

Ingredients:

• 16 oz. cream cheese (softened)
• 1/2 c. butter
• 2 lbs. powdered sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• Zest of 1 orange
• 2 tbsp. juice of orange

Directions:

1. Using a mixer, mix butter and cream cheese until smooth. 
2. Add vanilla and orange zest.
3. Gradually add in powdered sugar until the desired consistency has been reached - it may take more or less depending on your personal preference. 

White Bean Chicken Chili & Sweet Cornbread

I was looking for a good white chili recipe and found one from Giada De Laurentiis from the Food Network. Aside from looking delicious, coming from Giada, it also meant that it was likely a fairly healthy recipe. (Score.) With a few modifications,  I think this is my new favorite chili recipe.  

When you think of chili, I know that peoples' minds typically go to thick, red, meaty recipes, but I think more people should give white chilis a try, cause this one is a real winner. This chili is full of flavor and spice, and the Swiss chard and fennel add a whole new dimension. It's just good stuff is what it is. 

Pair some sweet cornbread with a big bowl and you've got yourself one tasty meal.

The Chili

Ingredients: 

• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 lbs. chicken breast, cut into pieces
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 tbsp. cumin
• 1 tbsp. fennel seeds
• 1 tbsp. dried oregano
• 2 tsp. chili powder
• 3 tbsp. flour
• 2 (15 oz.) cans reduced-sodium cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 bunch Swiss chard, leaves chopped into 1-inch pieces
• 1-1/2 c. frozen corn
• 4 c. low-sodium chicken stock
• 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• Grated Parmesan cheese and parsley for topping

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in large pot at medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until translucent (about 5 minutes). Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
2. Add chicken and salt, cumin, fennel seeds, oregano, and chili powder. Stir well and allow to cook for approximately 8 minutes until chicken is cooked through.
3. Add flour and stir. Then add beans, Swiss chard, corn, and chicken stock. 
4. Bring chili to a simmer for 1 hour. Then add crushed red pepper flakes and allow to simmer for 10 more minutes.
5. Serve chili with topping of Parmesan and parsley.

The Cornbread

Ingredients:

• 1/4 c. butter, softened
• 9 tbsp. sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp. vanilla extract
• 1-1/2 c. biscuit baking mix
• 1/4 c. yellow cornmeal
• 2/3 c. milk

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well with each addition. Add vanilla and mix.
4. Add biscuit baking mix and cornmeal. Then add milk. Mix well.
5. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Grandma's Reuben Casserole

Curtis loves Reuben sandwiches. I think he would claim that they are his favorite food...next to brats of course. :P My grandma had asked me probably 20 times if I had tried to make her casserole recipe yet, so last night I finally decided I would. So easy to make - I already have it memorized and I definitely will make it again.

I bought the "normal" ingredients this time around, but you could "skinny" it up a little bit by buying Fat Free Thousand Island dressing or by cutting back on the cheese, but I think it's fine just the way it is...maybe even with a little bit of extra cheese in my opinion. 

Another note, I only made this last night, so I am curious to see how left-overs taste today, what with the bread likely being on the soggy side now. I think I'll reheat it by putting some in the toaster oven instead of the microwave, in hopes of getting the rye bread to toast up a bit again. We'll see how that goes. 

Ingredients:

• 1 (14 oz.) can sauerkraut, drained
• 1 c. Thousand Island Dressing
• 1 lb. deli corn beef
• 2 c. Swiss cheese
• Rye bread, buttered on one side

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 
2. Mix sauerkraut and dressing together and smooth in even layer into greased 9 x 13 dish.
3. Cut or shred beef into smaller pieces and layer on top of dressing and sauerkraut. Then top with Swiss cheese.
4. Cover with slices of rye bread, buttered side up.
5. Bake for 30-35 minutes until bread is toasted and cheese is bubbly.

White Chocolate Chip Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

I think these are my favorite cookies of all time. And they don't even have peanut butter in them! (Crazy.) These cookies are super flavorful, crunchy on the outside, chewy on the inside, and can clearly pass for breakfast, because let's face it...it's basically oatmeal topped with cranberries. (Highly nutritious. Let's just keep telling ourselves that.) 

Anyways, these make really great cookies, they freeze well, and the dough tastes amazing pre-baked. ;) And as a side note, in my experience with these cookies, they taste EVEN better if you allow 24 chill time in the refrigerator before baking. 

Enjoy! This one is a winner.

Ingredients: 

• 1-1/2 c. flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 c. butter, softened
• 3/4 c. sugar
• 3/4 c. brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 3 c. old fashioned oats
• 2 c. dried cranberries
• 2 c. white chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
2. In large bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
3. Using mixer, cream together butter and sugars until fluffy. 
4. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well with each addition. Then add vanilla.
5. Slowly add flour mixture until incorporated. Then add oats. 
6. Fold in cranberries and white chocolate chips.
7. Spoon 1.5" inch balls onto baking sheet and bake for 12 minutes until tops start to turn a golden brown.

Cheeseburger Pizza

So this is pretty manly pizza, but it's fantastic. I put a few different recipes I found online together, made some small modifications and came up with this delicious thing to use up some of the plethora of left-over burgers we have sitting in our fridge. I would have NEVER ordered a pizza like this at a restaurant, but having tried this one, I will definitely consider it next time. 

This recipe is super easy and takes no time at all. No waiting for the bread machine to make your pizza dough, no buying dry crusts at the grocery store. What you're left with is a really flavorful pizza and flaky crust. YUM!

Ingredients:

The Crust:

• 2 c. flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 c. unsalted butter, cubed and chilled
• 1 tbsp. sugar
• 2/3 c. warm water
• 1/2 tsp. instant yeast

The Toppings:

• 3/4 lb. ground beef, browned
• 8 slices of cooked bacon (optional)
• 2/3 c. ketchup
• 2 tbsp. yellow mustard
• 2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
• 2 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/2 c. chopped onion
• 1 jalapeno, diced with seeds
• shredded lettuce and diced dill pickles for topping

Directions:

1. Sift together flour and salt in large bowl. Add butter and mix with pastry cutter or hands until the mixture is crumbly.
2. In a small bowl, mix sugar and water. Add yeast and cover with saran wrap until mixture is frothy.
3. Add yeast to dry mixture and mix until together. Then turn over onto floured surface and knead until smooth (about a minute). Form into ball and allow to rest for 30 minutes, covered with a damp towel.
4. Preheat oven to 500 degrees. If using a baking stone, heat with stone inside.
5. After dough has rested, roll out into a 14" circle on a floured surface. Transfer dough to heated stone or parchment lined baking sheet. Poke holes in with fork and bake for 5 minutes.
6. Reduce heat to 425 and take the stone and crust out of the oven. Top with ketchup and mustard mixture, then top with remaining toppings (besides the lettuce and pickles).
7. Bake for another 15-20 minutes until cheese has melted and crust is golden brown.
8. Top with shredded lettuce and dill pickles and enjoy!

Gramma Cabaj's Meatballs

This is what home tastes like to me. Every time I come home to Sheboygan, we have one of two things...steak or spaghetti. And with Grandma Cabaj's meatball recipe, I wouldn't have it any other way.  They are simple to make, use ingredients you always have on hand, and are de-licious to eat. 

So here's a short and simple post for meatballs that are 10 times as yummy as the ones you buy in a bag in the freezer section. Don't be a lazy putz...

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. lean ground beef
• 1/2 c. Italian bread crumbs
• 1/4.c water (less/more depending)
• 1 egg
• Dash red pepper flakes
• Dash garlic powder
• Dash Italian seasoning 

Directions:

1. Mix above ingredients in bowl with hands.
2. Roll into 1" to 1-1/2" balls and place in skillet. Brown on medium-high heat - no need to cook through. 
3. Place into pot with spaghetti sauce and simmer for 1 to 1-1/2 hours. *Note: Sometimes I put meatballs in crockpot on low for 5+ hours, turning to high for the last hour.