Lovin' From the Oven

Moist Chocolate Cupcakes

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Time has really been flying recently. Before I know it, it’s been a week since I’ve updated my food blog. Eeeeep! No bueno. I need to get back on my schedule and keep things organized. It’s hectic since I left my job last week, have been getting ready to move out, and started figuring out my finances until then. I’ve also been addicted to getting furniture on Craigslist for the past couple of weeks. I scored a sweet counter-style dining table with four chairs for only 75 bucks!

This chocolate cupcake comes from foodess and they were alright to me. The texture was great, but the taste was stale. The coffee supposedly brings out the chocolate flavor, but I really think these could have benefitted from using a chocolate bar or some real melted chocolate chips mixed in. The cocoa powder just wasn’t enough. Don’t worry though, you definitely don’t taste any of the coffee! If you’re looking for a chocolate cake recipe, I’d recommend this one. It still stands to be my favorite.

Don’t forget: one more week until the giveaway ends!

  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 3/4 cups flour
  • 3/4 cup cocoa
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup hot coffee (or 2 tsp instant coffee in 1 cup boiling water, or simply 1 cup boiling water)
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 24 cupcakes with liners.
  2. Mix together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. 
  3. Add in the eggs, buttermilk, melted butter and vanilla extract until combined. Gradually stir in hot coffee.
  4. Fill the cupcake liners 3/4 of the way full and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean. 
  5. Cool completely and finish with a dusting of powdered sugar (or frosting).

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes

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First… you bake your cupcakes. Then, you cut out a dome shaped chunk from the middle:
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And stuff with cookie dough!
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Frost and decorate:
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It’s that time of the year. The time of the year where I always deny that I’m sick. I never get sick. I worked at the Boys & Girls Club for six years; my immune system is immaculate. There’s no way that I can get sick. The truth of the matter is that I’m congested, I can’t sleep comfortably, my throat is swollen shut, and my nose won’t stop dripping. Sorry for the visual… I know they don’t go well with baked goods.
It just so happens that this sick time conveniently meshes with the one week where I’m supposed to work the most days in a row. Am I complaining? A little bit. But I have no reason to complain… I’ll be in San Francisco in 6 days, Paris in 19, and Hawaii in 59. It’s better to be sick now than then, right?
Okay no more complaining. Suck it up, Kim. Just one look at these cupcakes and they’ll make anyone feel better. Cookie dough filling, cookie dough frosting, and a cupcake?! I’ll just knock myself into a sugar coma and sleep it off like a champ.
I used a yellow cake box mix for the cupcakes since these involved enough work as it is, but feel free to use your own from-scratch recipe. The mini cookies that I topped the cupcakes off with were made from Nestle cookie dough (The huge tub from Costco). Ahhh, now that’s a cupcake.
Cookie dough filling from Quick Dish

  • 1/4 cup (4 Tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
  • 6 Tablespoons light brown sugar
  • 1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons flour
  • 7 ounces sweetened condensed milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips, plus more for decorating
  1. Cream butter and brown sugar until fluffy.
  2. Gradually mix in the flour, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla until combined.
  3. Stir in the mini chocolate chips.
  4. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 15 minutes or until slightly firm.
Cookie dough frosting from The Family Kitchen

  • 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 2 1/4 cups powdered sugar
  • 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • 1 3/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
  1. Beat together butter and brown sugar until fluffy.
  2. Gradually mix in the powdered sugar, flour and salt. and mix until combined. Add milk and vanilla until frosting is smooth.

Nutella Cheesecake Gooey Cake Bars

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Okay, I really need to discuss this with someone.. Has anyone seen the movie “Splice?” My DB and I got it on Netflix recently and watched it two days ago. Ever since then, I just can’t get it out of my head. It has to be one of the most disturbing movies that I’ve ever seen… definitely top three most disturbing, anyway. I couldn’t even watch two of the scenes. I was hiding my head in my DB’s shoulder while he was being the tough guy, telling me to just watch the dang movie. I don’t want to spoil it for anyone so I won’t say what happened, but ahhhhhhhhh! Get it out of my head. Please.
I’m thinking of doing a FAQ post this week and would love to answer any questions you may have, right here on my blog! Just leave a question in the comments on this post and let’s get the ball rolling!
I’m still working on those massive Nutella jars that I got from Costco. These definitely did the job– an easy dish with minimal ingredients and a bang of flavor. I used a dark chocolate cake mix since that’s what I had on hand, but any chocolate mix will do. To sum up the recipe, it’s a Nutella cheesecake on top of a soft, moist, & dense cake. Perfect! I especially loved the texture of the piece. The top turned out nice and crackly, while the layers just melded together. From Let’s Dish

Cake:

  • 1 package devil’s food cake mix
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted
Filling:

  • 1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup Nutella
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted
  • 1 (16 oz.) box powdered sugar

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Mix together the cake mix, egg, and butter until well combined. Pat the mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 9×13 baking pan.
  3. For the filling: Beat the cream cheese and Nutella until creamy.
  4. Stir in the eggs, vanilla, and butter. Slowly add the powdered sugar until incorporated. Spread the Nutella mixture over the pressed cake batter.
  5. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes. The center should still be a little gooey, so don’t over bake!

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