Cannelle et Vanille is one of my favorite blogs, the food and pictures combine to make amazing recipes.  Recently she made Chocolate, Banana, and Teff Cupcakes.  According to her these cupcakes are not only delicious but also packed full of nutrients provided by the Teff and bananas.  Additionaly, the  cupcakes are gluten free because Teff is used.

Teff is a grass that is cultivated in Northeast Africa.  The grass contains various nutrients including fiber, iron, protein, and calcium.

Chocolate, Banana and Teff Cupcakes

Makes 1 loaf and 12 cupcakes

3 eggs
200 grams natural cane sugar
300 grams ripe bananas, mashed
175 grams light olive oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
100 grams teff flour
50 grams sweet rice flour
50 grams hazelnut meal
15 grams cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
100 grams chocolate chips

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, banana puree, oil and vanilla.

In a large bowl, whisk together the teff, sweet rice flour, hazelnut meal, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and whisk until all combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Divide the batter between the loaf pan and cupcake molds. Bake at 350F for about 45 minutes for the loaf pan and 20 minutes for the cupcakes.

For the icing, I used my basic buttercream recipe and added cocoa powder to it.

Here is a quick guide to 46 different cupcake ideas! There is just about every type of cupcake and cupcake design for every holiday and occasion.

Periodic Table of Cupcakes

Picture this you have 10 seconds to live … what do you want the most in the world? Well if you answered a CUPCAKE than I have the fastest way to decorate a cupcake!  I found these tips in  the  February issue of Woman’s Day!

• New Pillsbury Easy Frost … it looks like sqiurty cream but its even better its frosting!
• Dip edge of frosted cupcakes in sprinkles
• Garnish frosted cupcakes with chopped nuts
• Stand up mini-cookies in frosting for a fun topping
• Use oversize sprinkles in shapes like hearts, stars and circles
• Pipe polka dots onto vanilla frosted cupcakes using a tinted icing

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Yesterday was my cousin’s 24th birthday! Happpppy Birthday Meghan!

Her lovely hubby made her cupcakes while she was at work and he was at home with their baby! So Sweet!

They were Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes. Aaron was nice enough to give me the recipe.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

1 (18.25 ounce) box yellow cake mix
1 1/3 cups water
1/3 cup canola oil
3 eggs

Directions

Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and sea salt; set aside. Beat the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until smooth. Add 1 egg and the vanilla extract and beat until smooth. Mix in the flour mixture until just incorporated. Fold in the chocolate chips; mixing just enough to evenly combine. Form the dough into tablespoon-sized balls; place onto a baking sheet, and freeze until solid, about 2 hours.
Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.
Beat 3 eggs in a large bowl with an electric mixer to break up. Add the cake mix, water, and canola oil; continue beating for 2 minutes on medium speed. Spoon into the prepared cupcake liners, filling each 2/3 full. Place a frozen cookie dough ball on the top center of each cupcake.
Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the cake portion of the cupcake (not the cookie dough ball) comes clean, about 20 minutes. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.

For the frosting he just used store bought frosting and whipped some milk into it to thin it out.

This is  a picture of the happy lil’ family!

Aaron, Meghan & David Joshua!

Taste of Home recently posted this yummy looking Chocolate Cookie Cake recipe. 

Ingredients

• 1 package (18-1/4 ounces) white cake mix
• 16 cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies, coarsely crushed
• 1 package (3 ounces) Kraft Philadelphia® – Cream Cheese, softened
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
• Additional cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies

Directions

• Prepare cake batter according to package directions; stir in crushed cookies. Spoon into a greased and floured 10-in. fluted tube pan.
• Bake at 350° for 33-38 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
• In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and milk until smooth. Beat in cream until mixture begins to thicken. Gradually add confectioners’ sugar; beat until stiff peaks form. Frost cake. Garnish with additional cookies. Refrigerate leftovers. Yield: 12 servings.

Most cake recipes can be easily modified to make cupcakes and Sassybellewares recently blogged about how she did this.  She called them Crazy Good Cupcakes so they are definitely worth a try!