Double Berry Cupcakes

Double Berry Cupcakes
Makes 30 cupcakes

STRAWBERRY CUPCAKES:
1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 3oz pkg. of strawberry jello
2 3/4 cup flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp almond extract
1/2 cup strawberry puree
1 cup milk

1. Cream together butter, sugar, and jello until light and fluffy.

2. Add eggs, one at a time beating well after each addition.

3. Mix in the vanilla and almond.

4. Sift together the flour and baking powder.

5. Add flour mixture alternately with milk.

6. Stir in strawberry puree.

7. Scoop into cupcake pan lined with papers and bake at 350 for about 15 to 18 minutes.

8. Top with Blackberry Buttercream.

BLACKBERRY BUTTERCREAM:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup shortening
6 to 7 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup blackberry puree

1. Mix together the butter and shortening.

2. Add in about half of the powdered sugar and beat until fluffy.

3. Add in the blackberry puree.

4. Mix in the rest of the powdered sugar.

5. Add in more puree to perfect the consistency of your frosting.

Lemon Pound Cake Muffins

Lemon Pound Cake Muffins

MUFFINS:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
zest from 1 lemon
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 3/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup sour cream

GLAZE:
2 cups powdered sugar
4 Tbsp lemon juice

1. Cream together butter and sugar.

2. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

3. Add in vanilla, lemon juice, and zest.

4. Mix in flour and baking soda.

5. Stir in the sour cream.

6. Divide evenly among 12 muffin cups sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.

7. Bake at 350 for 18 to 20 minutes.

8. Cool.

9. Mix together lemon juice and powdered sugar and glaze tops of muffins.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecake Torte

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecake Torte

1 pkg. Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
1 8oz pkg. cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
3 Tbsp flour
1/4 cup chocolate chips
1 cup Cool Whip

1. Press cookie dough evenly in the bottom of a large tart pan.

2. In a mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar, egg, and flour.

3. Pour cheesecake mixture over the cookie dough.

4. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes.

5. Cool completely!

6. Melt chocolate chips and drizzle over tart.

7. Garnish with Cool Whip.

8. Cut into wedges and serve.

Strawberry Shortcake

Strawberry Shortcake

SHORTCAKE:
2 1/3 cups Bisquick
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 cup milk
4 Tbsp melted butter

1. Mix together Bisquick, and sugar.

2. In another container, mix together vanilla, milk, and butter.

3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry.

4. Scoop into muffin pan, sprayed with nonstick baking spray.

5. Bake at 425 for about 10 minutes.

6. Cool and slice each one in half.

7. Layer the shortcakes with whipped cream and berries.

VANILLA CREAM:
1 cup heavy cream
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup powdered sugar

1. Combine the cream, vanilla, and powdered sugar.

2. Beat until stiff peaks form.

3. Layer with shortcakes.

STRAWBERRIES:
4 cups sliced strawberries
1/4 cup sugar

1. Combine sugar and berries and let marinate for several hours until juicy.

2. Serve with shortcakes and vanilla cream.

Coconut Cream Torte

The original recipe I used for this called for a Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough crust, and a chocolate pudding filling, topped with mini chocolate chips. (Made that one too, will post pics of it later this month.) I changed it a little bit to make it coconut instead of chocolate. It was delicious. I'm not a huge coconut fan, however this was just right. Not too coconutty, but enough to taste. My kids have never really eaten coconut in many things but they liked it.

Coconut Cream Torte

1 16oz package vanilla sandwich cookies
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 8oz brick of cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
12oz container of Cool Whip
1 3.4oz pkg. of Jello Coconut Cream Instant Pudding
1 3.4oz pkg. of Jello Vanilla Instant Pudding
3 cups milk
2 cups flaked, sweetened, coconut
1. Crush cookies and reserve 1 cup.

2. Take remaining cookies and mix them with the melted butter.

3. Press cookie mixture into the bottom of a 9 x 13 dish.

4. Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, combine cream cheese and powdered sugar.

5. Fold in 1 1/2 cups of the Cool Whip.

6. Spread cream cheese mixture over the cookie crust.

7. Turn on oven to 400. Layer coconut evenly over a baking pan.

8. Bake coconut until it's slighty browned and crisp.

9. Remove from heat, and cool.

10. In a mixing bowl, combine both pudding mixes and milk. Whisk until combined.

11. Let pudding set in fridge for about 10 minutes, and then mix in 1 1/2 cups of coconut.

12. Spread the pudding/coconut mixture over the cream cheese mixture.

13. Now spread the remaining Cool Whip over the pudding mixture.

14. Sprinkle the top with the leftover cookie crumbs and coconut. Refrigerate until serving.

Lemon Curd Shortbread Squares

Lemon Curd Shortbread Squares

CRUST:
10 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 tablespoons white granulated sugar
1 ¼ cups white all-purpose flour

1. Mix all ingredients together until crumbly.

3. Press into the bottom of an 8" or 9" pan.

4. Bake at 400 for about 12 to 15 minutes.

5. Top with lemon curd.


LEMON CURD:
3 egg yolks
4 Tbsp lemon juice
6 Tbsp orange juice
1/3 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 tsp salt
2 heaping Tbsp of flour

1. Whisk all ingredients together in a sauce pan.

2. Cook over medium heat until bubbly and thickened.

3. Pour over shortbread.

4. Refrigerate until set, and cut.

Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes

Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes
24 white cupcakes
1 recipe lemon curd
1 recipe Fresh Strawberry Buttercream

1. Fill cupcakes with about 1 Tbsp of lemon curd each.

2. Top with Fresh Strawberry Buttercream.

LEMON CURD:
3 egg yolks
4 Tbsp lemon juice
6 Tbsp orange juice
1/3 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 tsp salt
2 heaping Tbsp of flour

1. Whisk all ingredients together in a sauce pan.

2. Cook over medium heat until bubbly and thickened.

3. Cool, and fill cupcakes.

FRESH STRAWBERRY BUTTERCREAM:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup shortening
6 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup fresh strawberry puree

1. Beat together butter and shortening.

2. Add in about half of the powdered sugar.

3. Mix in strawberry puree. (I just blend fresh strawberries with 1 tsp of lemon juice until liquified.)

4. Add in the rest of the powdered sugar.

5. Beat buttercream to desired consistency. At this point you can add more sugar or puree if too thick or thin.

6. Frost cupcakes.