Mint Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

These are delicious!  I did find though that the icing crystallizes after a day or so…so eat and share them quickly.  They would have been more appropriate with green icing, but I had a princess helping me so the icing became pink.

1/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup (2 oz) unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped, melted
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp peppermint extract
1/2 cup chocolate milk
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Line cupcake pans with liners.
3. Cream together the butter with the sugar until light and fluffy, 3-5 minutes.  Beat the melted chocolate into the butter mixture.  Add the eggs, peppermint extract and chocolate milk. Beat until creamy.
4. In a separate bowl combine the flour and baking soda.
5. Add the dry ingredients to the butter and chocolate mixture until well blended.  With a spatula stir in the chocolate chips.
6. Fill the cupcake liners three quarters full.  Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre of a cupcake comes out clean.

PEPPERMINT FROSTING

2 egg whites

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 tbsp light corn syrup

1/3 cup cold water

1/4 tsp peppermint extract

Place all of the ingredients except the peppermint extract in a double boiler over boiling water.  Beat constantly with an electric mixer on medium high speed until stiff peaks form, 4-7 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Add the peppermint and beat to spreading consistency.

Chocolate Cupcakes and Icing

I wasn't sure about the rolled oats in these, but they really work to keep the cupcakes moist.  You don't even notice them.  Make them with or without the icing.

1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 tbsp cocoa
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs, well beaten
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350F.  Pour water over oats in a mixing bowl.  Add oil and cocoa and blend.  Stir in sugar and eggs.  Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Stir into batter  with vanilla.  Fill paper lined muffin tins 2/3 full and bake until a tester inserted into cakes centre comes out clean, about 20 minutes.  Remove from muffin tins, cool on a wire rack then top with icing.  Store in a tightly covered container or wrap and freeze.  Makes 16 cupcakes.

CHOCOLATE ICING
This is decadent!  I have never used a raw egg before in icing.  If you have concerns about salmonella, you could replace with about 2 tbsp greek yogurt.

1 1/2 cups sifted icing sugar
2 tbsp sifted cocoa
Pinch salt
1 egg well beaten
1/3 cup soft butter
1 tsp vanilla

Combine icing sugar, cocoa and salt in a mixing bowl.  Add egg, butter and vanilla and beat, until fluffy with electric beater.  Makes 1 1/2 cups.

Gingerbread Men

My favourite gingerbread recipe, we make these at Christmas usually.

6 cups all purpose flour
1 tbsp ground ginger
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup molasses
2 eggs
2 tsp finely shredded orange peel
1/2 tsp finely shredded lemon peel
1 recipe creamy frosting (optional)
1 recipe powdered sugar icing (optional)
decorative candies

1. In a medium mixing bowl stir together flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt; set aside.  In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds.  Add brown sugar and beat till fluffy.
2. In a small saucepan bring molasses to boiling.  Add hot molasses to butter mixture; beat on low speed till combined.  Add eggs, orange peel, and lemon peel; beating on low speed just till combined.  Add flour mixture to molasses mixture; stir with a spoon till mixed.  Divide dough into 4 portions.  Wrap each portion in waxed paper or clear plastic wrap; chill about 1 hour or till firm enough to handle.
3. Grease a cookie sheet; set aside.  On a lightly floured surface roll dough, one portion at a time, to 1/4 inch thickness.  Using small or large cookie cutters, cut dough into gingerbread people or other shapes, rerolling trimmings as necessary.  Arrange cutouts 1 inch apart on the prepared cookie sheet.
4. Bake in a 350 oven about 7 minutes or till edges are firm and light brown.  Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute.  Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.  If desired, decorate with creamy frosting, powdered sugar icing, and small candies.  Makes about 40 big cookies.

Creamy Frosting

*you can colour this frosting as you wish, then pipe or spread it on just about any cookie.

1 cup shortening

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp almond extract

4 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar

3 to 4 tbsp milk

few drops desired food colouring

* In a medium mixing bowl beat shortening, vanilla, and desired extract with an electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds.  Slowly add about 2 cups of the powdered sugar, beating well.  Add 2 tbsp of the milk.  Gradually beat in remaining powdered sugar and enough remaining milk (1 to 2 tbsp) to make a frosting of piping or spreading consistency.  If desired, stir in food colouring.  Makes 2 cups.

Powdered Sugar Icing

Make this icing as thick as you need for piping, drizzling or spreading.

1 cup sifted powdered sugar

1/4 tsp vanilla

milk or orange juice

few drops food colouring

*In a mixing bowl stir together sugar, vanilla, and 1 tbsp milk or juice.  Stir in milk or juice, 1 tsp at a time, till of piping (thick), drizzling (medium thickness), or spreading (thin) consistency.  If desired, stir in food colouring.

Chocolate Cupcakes

1 1/4 cup all purpose flour

3/4 cup cocoa

1 tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup butter

1 1/3 cup sugar

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

2/3 cup milk

Peppermint Frosting

1. Set 22 large paper baking cups in muffin tins.  Sift together butter and sugar.  
2. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. 
3. Beat in vanilla.  Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture alternately with milk, combining lightly after each addition.  
4. Divide batter evenly among prepared pans.  Bake in oven preheated to 375 F 20 to 25 min or until done.  
5. Cool and frost with Cocoa Peppermint Frosting or frosting of choice.

German Chocolate Cake

Perfect for Christmas!!!!

1 - 4 ounce package German sweet cooking chocolate coarsely chopped

1/3 cup water

1 2/3 cup all purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

3 egg yolks

2/3 cup buttermilk

3 stiff beaten egg whites

Coconut Pecan Frosting

1. Grease and lightly flour two 8 x 1 1/2 inch round baking pans; set aside.  In a small sauce pan combine chocolate and water; cook and stir till chocolate melts.  Cool.  Stir together flour, baking soda, and salt.  In a large mixer bowl beat butter on medium speed of electric mixer about 30 seconds.  Add sugar and vanilla; beat till fluffy.  Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well on medium speed.  Beat in chocolate mixture.
2. Add the dry ingredients and buttermilk alternately to beaten mixture, beating after each addition.  Fold in beaten egg whites.  Turn cake batter into prepared pans.  Bake in a 350 oven for 30 to 35 minutes or til cake tests done.  Place the cake layers on wire racks; cool for 10 minutes.  Remove from pans; cool thoroughly.  Fill and frost top with coconut pecan frosting.  Makes 12 servings.
3. Coconut Pecan Frosting:  IN a medium saucepan beat 1 egg slightly.  Stir in 2/3 cup sugar, one 5 1/2 ounce can evaporated milk, and 1/4 cup butter.  Cook and stir over medium heat about 12 minutes or till mixture is thickened and bubbly.  Stir in one 3 1/2 ounce can (1 1/3 cups) flaked coconut and 1/2 cup chopped pecans; cool.