As with the banana split cupcakes that I shared the other day, I was unable to taste the finished cupcakes.  Half of them were donated to a charity event and the other half were shared with my husband’s co-workers.  I am quite positive that these cupcakes were nothing short of delicious though.  I suppose I will be forced to make them again soon, so I can try them for myself.

www.sugaredwhisk.com

Cherry Coke Cupcakes

Ingredients
For the cupcakes
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 large egg
1/2 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup Cherry Coke
1 teaspoon maraschino cherry juice
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Maraschino cherries, stemless

For the glaze (optional)
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons Coca-Cola

Frosting recipe below

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350° F and prepare a muffin pan with foil or paper liners.

In a medium bowl sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.  In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add the egg and mix until incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. In a bowl or large measuring cup, combine the buttermilk, Cherry Coke, maraschino cherry juice, and vanilla extract; stir to combine. (At this point the mixture was foamy and looked a little curdled, don’t be scared).  Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients to the butter and mix on low speed. Add half of the liquid and continue to mix. Repeat until all of the dry and liquid ingredients are combined (the last addition should be the dry ingredients), scraping down the bowl as needed.

Fill each muffin cup 2/3 full. Drop 1-2 maraschino cherries into each cupcake and push them down into the batter. Bake for 17-19 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely before frosting.

To make the glaze, whisk together the confectioners sugar and Coke until smooth. Drizzle a little bit over each cupcake and allow to set, frost as desired. Top each cupcake with a maraschino cherry.

Fluffy Vanilla Frosting

Ingredients
5 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup granulated Sugar

Directions
In a saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the flour and milk until the mixture thickens to the consistency of mashed potatoes.  Be sure to whisk constantly so that clumps do not form.  Set milk mixture aside into an ice bath and allow to cool completely.  Meanwhile, beat together the butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.  Add the vanilla and continue beating for 1 minute.  Add the cooled milk mixture and beat on high for 3-5 minutes. If the mixture looks separated, keep beating until it comes back together.

~ Yields 12 cupcakes ~

Recipe as seen on Sunny Side up in San Diego

Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.

www.sugaredwhisk.com

Banana Split Cupcakes

Ingredients
For the cupcakes
2½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
12 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
2½ cups sugar
6 eggs
1 cup plus 2 tbsp. buttermilk
1 1/3 cups mashed ripe banana

For the filling
1 lb. strawberries, hulled and diced small
2 tbsp. confectioners’ sugar
12 oz. crushed pineapple, drained

For the frosting
16 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups powdered sugar, sifted

For the ganache
8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp. light corn syrup

For garnish
Multi-colored sprinkles
Maraschino cherries

Directions
To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350° F.  Line cupcake pans with paper liners.  In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt; whisk together and set aside.  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream together the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Reduce the mixer speed to medium low and add in eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.  Mix in the mashed banana until well combined.  With the mixer on low speed alternately add the dry ingredients and buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients and mixing only until just incorporated.

Divide the batter between the prepared cupcake liners, filling each about 2/3 to ¾ full.  Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20-22 minutes.  Allow to cool in the pan 5-10 minutes, then transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the strawberry filling, combine the strawberries and confectioners’ sugar in a medium bowl.  Toss well, smashing slightly with a fork.  Allow the berries to macerate at least 20-30 minutes.

To fill the cupcakes, cut a small cone out of the center of each cupcake with a paring knife or small biscuit cutter.  (The excess cake can be discarded.)  Add a teaspoon or two of the strawberry filling to the center of each cupcake.  Top with a teaspoon or two of the crushed pineapple, filling to the top of the cupcake.

To make the frosting, using an electric mixer, beat together the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and beat just to combine.  Slowly add sifted powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating well after each addition.

Add the frosting to a pastry bag fitted with a large plain round tip.  Pipe a swirl of the whipped cream onto each filled cupcake, covering the filling.  Transfer the filled and frosted cupcakes to the refrigerator and chill for at least 30 minutes.

To make the ganache, place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl.  Bring the cream to a simmer over medium-high heat.  Remove from the heat and pour the hot cream over the chocolate; let stand 1-2 minutes.  Whisk together until a thick, smooth ganache forms.  Blend in the corn syrup.  Let stand at room temperature at least 10 minutes so the ganache is not hot.

To finish the cupcakes, pour a spoonful of the ganache over the frosting topping of each cupcake.  Garnish with sprinkles and maraschino cherries before the glaze sets.  Chill the assembled cupcakes until ready to serve.

~Yields approximately 30 cupcakes~

Cupcakes recipe as seen on Annie’s Eats
Cream cheese frosting recipe as previously seen on Sugared Whisk. 

www.sugaredwhisk.com

Soft Garlic Knots

Ingredients
For the dough
3 cups bread flour
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons instant yeast
1-1/4 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup + 2 tablespoons lukewarm water
For the glaze
2-4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons butter
Additional toppings
Italian seasoning for sprinkling, optional
Parmesan cheese for sprinkling, optional

Directions
For the dough – In the bowl of a stand mixer combine the dry ingredients together then add the olive oil, milk and water. Using the paddle attachment or dough hook, mix and knead to form smooth, elastic dough, adding additional water or flour as needed. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover it, and allow it to rise for about 1 hour, until it’s doubled in bulk.
Divide the dough into 12 pieces, and roll each into a rope about 10 inches long; tie each rope into a knot. Place the knots on a lightly greased or parchment lined baking sheet, cover, and let rise for 45 minutes to about an hour, until very puffy looking.

To make glaze - Place butter and garlic into small microwave safe bowl.  Microwave 30 seconds or until butter is melted.

To bake – Bake the knots in a preheated 350°F oven for 15 to 18 minutes. They should be set, and lightly browned. Remove the knots from the oven, and brush or drizzle them with the seasoned butter.  Sprinkle tops with Italian seasoning and/or Parmesan cheese if desired.

~yields 12 rolls~

As seen on I <3 food for thought adapted from King Arthur Flour

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This is the perfect recipe to make on a lazy Sunday at home.  The hands on portion takes 20-30 minutes, but then the stew simmers away in the oven for over two hours pulling double duty by heating up the house and making a delicious dinner the whole family will enjoy.  Serve with cornbread or a fresh loaf of crusty bread. 

www.sugaredwhisk.com

Hearty Beef Stew

Ingredients
3 pounds. boneless beef chuck
4 thick slices applewood-smoked bacon, chopped
2 tablespoons canola oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
5 carrots, cut into chunks
3 stalks celery, cut into 1/2-inch lengths
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablesoons unsalted butter
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups beef stock or broth
2 tablespoons. tomato paste
1 tablespoons. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus more for garnish
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
1 bay leaf
1 1/4 pounds yukon gold potatoes

Directions
Position a rack in the lower third of an oven and preheat to 325°F. Cut the beef into 1 1/2-inch cubes and set aside. In a large Dutch oven, cook the bacon in the oil over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is crisp and browned, about 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain and set aside. Pour the fat into a heatproof bowl. Return 2 tablespoons of the fat to the pot and heat over medium-high heat. Season the beef cubes with salt and pepper. In batches to avoid crowding, add the beef and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes per batch. Transfer the beef to a plate.

Add another 2 tablespoons of the fat to the pot and heat over medium heat. Add the carrots, celery and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Stir in the butter and let it melt. Sprinkle with the flour and stir well. Gradually stir in the stock, and then stir in the tomato paste, the 1 tablespoons parsley and the thyme, rosemary and bay leaf. Return the beef to the pot and bring to a boil. Cover, place in the oven, and cook for 1 1/2 hours.

Cut the unpeeled potatoes into 1-inch cubes, add them to the pot, stir, re-cover and continue cooking until both the meat and potatoes are tender, about 45 minutes more. Season the stew with salt and pepper. Serve at once, garnished with parsley and the reserved bacon.

~Yields 6 servings~

Slightly adapted from Williams-Sonoma Comfort Food, by Rick Rodgers (Oxmoor House, 2009)

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It seems like Christmas just snuck right up on me this year.  I should not make excuses, it is the same thing every year.  I wait until the last minute to do everything; planning, baking, shopping, wrapping.  Maybe I am just a professional procrastinator.  Whatever it is that I am, it works for me because I seem to do it all the time.

It had been quite a while since I last made snickerdoodles, but with a new bottle of Cinnamon from Penzey’s  and a bag of cinnamon chips laying around I knew exactly kind of cookie would be next on my list to make.  This is a very basic easy cookie recipe that yields a nice crisp yet soft and buttery cookie that is perfect for the holiday season.  The addition of the cinnamon chips makes these cookies just that much more better.  Definitely give these cookies a try soon, you will not be disappointed. 

www.sugaredwhisk.com

Snickerdoodle Cookies

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups plus 4 tablespoons sugar, divided
2 eggs
2 teaspoons cinnamon
optional: 1 cup cinnamon chips

Directions
Preheat oven to 350˚F.  Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.

In a medium sized bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cream of tartar.  Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the 1 1/2 cups sugar and butter until fluffy.  Add eggs one at a time.  Slowly stir in the flour mixture.  If using the optional cinnamon chips, stir them in at this time.

Form dough into balls.  In a wide bowl, combine the 4 tablespoons sugar with the cinnamon. Roll the dough balls in the cinnamon and sugar mixture, then place on baking sheet.  Bake for 12 minutes.  The cookies will flatten as they bake and set as they cool.

~Yields 3 1/2 dozen cookies~

Recipe from Pennies on a Platter

Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.

Baking with whole wheat is always a healthier option, but how does the taste match up to baking with AP flour?  This bread was just as moist as a banana bread baked with AP flour, and rose up just as high too.  The only difference that I noticed was a slight nuttier taste and texture to the bread.  If you do not really dig the taste of whole wheat flour then use half whole wheat and half AP flour, and if you really hate the taste of whole wheat flour go ahead and use all AP.  I would definitely make this bread again.  It is simple to whip up and a nice healthy spin on the traditional banana bread.

www.sugaredwhisk.com

Heavenly Healthy Banana Bread

Ingredients
1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) butter
1/2 cup brown sugar, light or dark, firmly packed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon banana flavor, optional
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 medium to large bananas, cut into chunks; about 1 pound, before peeling (as weighed at the grocery store)
1/4 cup honey
2 large eggs
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Directions
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Lightly grease an 8 1/2″ x 4 1/2″ or 9″ x 5″ loaf pan.

In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until smooth. Add the vanilla, baking soda, salt, and bananas, beating until well combined. The mixture will be fairly smooth, with some scattered small chunks of banana.  Beat in the honey and eggs.  Add the flour, then the walnuts, stirring until smooth.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top. Let it rest at room temperature for 10 minutes.  Bake the bread for 50 minutes, then gently lay a piece of aluminum foil across the top, to prevent over-browning. Bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, then remove the bread from the oven; a long toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center should come out clean.  Allow the loaf to cool for 10 minutes; then remove it from the pan, and set it on a rack to cool completely.

~yields one loaf~

Recipe from King Arthur Flour 

www.sugaredwhisk.com

Pumpkin Banana Bread (Low-fat)

Ingredients
1 medium very ripe banana, mashed
1 cup pumpkin purée, homemade or canned
1/4 cup canola oil
1 large egg
2 large egg whites
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
pinch freshly grated nutmeg

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350º F.  Spray a 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch baking pan with non-stick baking spray; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the banana, pumpkin, oil, egg, egg whites, sugars, vanilla, and vinegar.  Using a hand held mixer, beat on low speed until smooth and thoroughly combined.
3. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices.  Using a rubber spatula, fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients just until combined.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean, about 50-60 minutes.  Place the pan on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes.  Invert the loaf from the pan onto the rack and cool completely.

~makes 1 loaf~

Recipe from The Galley Gourmet

Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.

King Arthur Flour (KAF) just so happens to be one of my favorite companies.  Not only do they offer quality flours but they also offer many other essential baking products.  Along with great products, they also provide wonderful support for all your baking questions by offering a baking hotline and an online chat feature.  They are always very helpful and they definitely know what they are talking about.

I know you are all hyped up for the giveaway but please don’t forget to scroll down and check out the recipe.  This bread is a really great (and simple) bread recipe that packs a slight hint of a nutty flavor from the oatmeal.  This bread would make some killer turkey sandwiches.  Ok, now for the fun stuff, the giveaway! 

Giveaway Details
The winner will receive one 5 pound bag of King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour and one KAF exclusive Dough Whisk -OR- one $20 virtual gift card to spend online at the KAF online store.

How to Enter
1) Leave a comment on this post telling me what your favorite kind of bread is.  If you don’t like bread, well then you just can’t enter.  I kid, I kid, you can still enter, just tell me your favorite color instead.

2) Become a fan of Sugared Whisk on Facebook.  Come back and leave an additional comment letting me know when you have done so.

3) Become a fan of King Arthur Flour on Facebook, sing up for their newsletter (link in bottom right corner of the page), or join their online baking community.  Come back and leave an additional comment letting me know when you have done one or all of the above.

The Nitty Gritty
-There is a maximum of three entries per person.  Note - one comment counts as one entry, in order to get three entries you must leave three separate comments.
-Giveaway will be open until midnight (eastern time) Sunday November 20th, 2011.  A winner will be chosen at random and announced Monday November 21st.  The winner will be emailed on Monday therefore a valid email address with your comment would be greatly appreciated.
- This giveaway is sponsored by the wonderful people at King Arthur Flour

This giveaway is now closed.  Thank you to all who have entered.  The winner of this giveaway is…

Melissa,  “After reading the other comments, I would have to say that I can’t think of any breads I DON’T like! Oh wait… not a fan of rye bread. Yuck!”

Congratulations Melissa,  I will be contacting you shortly.

www.sugaredwhisk.com

Oatmeal Toasting and Sandwich Bread

Ingredients
3 cups King Arthur unbleached bread flour
1 cup rolled oats (old-fashioned oats)
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons brown sugar or honey
2 teaspoons instant yeast OR 1 packet active dry yeast*
1 1/4 cups lukewarm milk

*If you use active dry yeast, dissolve it in the warm milk before combining with the remaining ingredients.

Directions
In a large mixing bowl, or in the bowl of an electric mixer, combine all of the ingredients, mixing to form a shaggy dough. Knead dough, by hand (10 minutes) or by machine (5 minutes) till it’s smooth. Place dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover and allow it to rest for 1 hour; it’ll become quite puffy, though it may not double in bulk. Shape as directed below.

Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled surface, and shape it into a log. Place the log in a lightly greased 9″ x 5″ loaf pan, cover the pan (with an acrylic proof cover, or with lightly greased plastic wrap), and allow the dough to rise for 60 to 90 minutes, till it’s crested 1″ to 2″ over the rim of the pan.

Bake the bread in a preheated 350°F oven for 35 to 40 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 190°F. If the bread appears to be browning too quickly, tent it with aluminum foil for the final 10 minutes of baking.

~Yields 1 loaf~

Recipe from King Arthur Flour

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It seems as though there is one recipe that everyone seems to have in their arsenal no matter if they are an avid baker or not, and that is a recipe for chocolate chip cookies.  I would love to call this recipe a classic chocolate chip cookie recipe but I just am not sure if it is possible to do with all the  variations out there.  That means one thing, you will have to give it a try and figure out for yourself what you think of this tried and true Cook’s Illustrated cookie recipe.  This recipe has become a favorite in my house so I can pretty much bet that you won’t be disappointed.     

www.sugaredwhisk.com

Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients
2 1/8 cups bleached all-purpose flour (about 10 1/2 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), melted and cooled slightly
1 cup brown sugar (light or dark), 7 ounces
1/2 cup granulated sugar (3 1/2 ounces)
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 – 2 cups chocolate chips or chunks (semi or bittersweet)

Directions
1. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Adjust oven racks to upper- and lower-middle positions. Mix flour, salt, and baking soda together in medium bowl; set aside.
2. Either by hand or with electric mixer, mix butter and sugars until thoroughly blended. Mix in egg, yolk, and vanilla. Add dry ingredients; mix until just combined. Stir in chips.
3. Form scant 1/4 cup dough into ball. Holding dough ball using fingertips of both hands, pull into two equal halves. Rotate halves ninety degrees and, with jagged surfaces exposed, join halves together at their base, again forming a single cookie, being careful not to smooth dough’s uneven surface. Place formed dough onto one of two parchment paper-lined 20-by-14-inch lipless cookie sheets, about nine dough balls per sheet. Smaller cookie sheets can be used, but fewer cookies can be baked at one time and baking time may need to be adjusted. (Dough can be refrigerated up to 2 days or frozen up to 1 month—shaped or not.)
4. Bake, reversing cookie sheets’ positions halfway through baking, until cookies are light golden brown and outer edges start to harden yet centers are still soft and puffy, 15 to 18 minutes (start checking at 13 minutes). (Frozen dough requires an extra 1 to 2 minutes baking time.) Cool cookies on cookie sheets. Serve or store in airtight container.

~ yields 1 1/2 dozen cookies ~

Recipe from Cook’s Illustrated

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Ok, I will tease everyone with a picture but you have to visit Jen’s site to get the recipe.  Trust me, you are definitely going to want to go get the recipe.  This fudge is quite easy to make and takes remarkable! 

www.sugaredwhisk.com