S'mores Cupcakes

Okay, so these did not turn out exactly as anticipated, but they did turn out really yummy. The main problem I had was with the frosting I'm not sure if my butter was too warm or what but I piped the frosting on top and was planning on topping it with graham cracker crumbs and a piece of choclate, but it didn't hold shape and sort of melted all over the top of the cupcake. So instead I used some leftover ganache to top it.
I used a few diiferent recipes combined to make these, so credit to chockylit and here (this is what I wanted mine to look like :)

Graham Cracker Cupcakes
15 regular cupcakes / 350 degree oven
1 cup graham cracker crumbs, from 6 whole graham crackers
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) melted butter
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup graham cracker crumbs, from 2-1/2 whole graham crackers
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Combine 1 cup of graham cracker crumbs and melted butter.
2. Scoop a heaping teaspoon into each cupcake paper, pressing down to cover the bottom.
3. Beat butter on high speed until soft, about 30 seconds.
4. Add brown sugar. Beat on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
5. Add eggs one at a time, beat for 30 seconds after each.
6. Whisk together flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
7. Measure out milk and vanilla together.
8. Add about a fourth of the flour to the butter/sugar mixture and beat to combine.
9. Add about one third the milk/vanilla mixture and beat until combined.
10. Repeat above, alternating flour and milk and ending with the flour mixture.
11. Scoop into cupcake papers three-quarters full.
12. Bake for 20-22 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

Chocolate Ganache Filling
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Chop chocolate and transfer into a heat proof bowl.
2. Heat cream until bubbles form around the edge of the pan, pour cream over the chocolate.
3. Let sit for 1 minute then stir until combined.
4. Add vanilla and stir until combined.
5. Let cool to room temperature.

Marshmallow frosting:
1/2 C. butter, room temperature (next time I might try using 1/3 cup)
1 cup confectioner's sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
13 oz. tub of marshmallow cream

1. Cream the butter on high until it's light and fluffy.
2. Add the confectioner's sugar, 1/4 cup at a time, and beat until fluffy each time.
3. Beat in the vanilla until incorporated.
4. Add marshmallow cream and mix on low speed 'until creamy (Don't over mix, or you'll knock the air out)

The picture of the inside isn't the best, I was in a hurry, so I cut it before the chocolate had a chance to firm up, but you get the idea, ooey, gooey, messy, yummy.

Lemon Clouds

Not your average cookie :)
Yield 4-6 dozen

2 c. margarine/butter
1 1/3 c. powdered sugar
2 c. flour
1 1/3 c. cornstarch

Lemon Icing
6 tbl. margarine/butter, room temp
1 (lb) box powdered sugar
Lemon juice for consistency

Cream margarine/butter and sugar.
Sift in flour and cornstarch.
Mix well. Roll into teaspoon-sized balls
and drop on un-greased cookie sheet.
Bake for 8 minutes at 350. Do not brown.
Cool and ice.
To prepare icing, cream margarine and powdered sugar, add lemon juice for consistency.

Peanut Butter Filled Chocolate Cupcakes With Chocolate Ganache Frosting

(Many thanks to chockylit)
Sinfully yummy, WARNING, have a tall glass of milk handy!

Chocolate Cupcakes
24 regular cupcakes / 350 degree oven

5.4 ounces dark chocolate (I used just shy of 1 C semi-sweet chocolate chips)
22 tablespoons butter
1-3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar
6 eggs
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour
4-1/2 tablespoons cocoa powder, unsweetened
1-1/2 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt

1. Melt chocolate and butter over a water bath.
2. Add sugar and stir, let mixture cool for 10 minutes.
3. Beat in an electric mixer for 3 minutes.
4. Add one egg at a time, mixing for 30 seconds between each
5. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and a pinch of salt into the mixture and mix until blended.
6. Scoop into cupcake cups and bake at 350 F for 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Peanut Butter Filling
4 ounces or 1/2 package of Philly cream cheese
1 cup creamy peanut butter
2 cups sifted powdered sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup milk

1. Beat cream cheese and peanut butter until combined.
2. Add powdered sugar and vanilla and beat until combined.
3. Add the milk and beat until combined.

Chocolate Ganache
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate
5 ounces semisweet chocolate
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon butter, room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar

1. Chop chocolates and transfer into a heat proof bowl.
2. Heat cream until bubbles form around the edge of the pan, pour cream over the chocolate.
3. Let sit for 1 minute then stir until combined.
4. Add butter and vanilla and stir until combined.
5. Transfer to the bowl of an electric mixture and let cool for 10 minutes.
6. Sift powdered sugar into the mixture and beat until combined.
7. Continue to beat with an electric mixer until lighter in color and creamy (takes a while, be patient)

Assemble
1. Using a small pairing knife, cut off the top of the cupcake in the shape of a cone. Flip the top over and cut off the cone.
2. Fill the cavity with a teaspoon or so of peanut butter filling.
3. Replace top.
4. Frost with ganache.
5. Decorate as you wish.

****Update
I just took the leftover peanut butter filling and ganache frosting and layered it on top of homemade fudge brownies. I think I died and went to heaven for a few minutes!

Banana Sour Cream Bread

This is my favorite Banana Bread
Yields 2 loaves (plus 12 muffins?) It's a BIG batch

INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup butter
3 cups white sugar
3 eggs
6 very ripe bananas, mashed
1 (16 ounce) container sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons baking soda
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Grease four 7x3 inch loaf pans. In a small bowl, stir together 1/4 cup white sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Dust pans lightly with cinnamon and sugar mixture.
In a large bowl, cream butter and 3 cups sugar. Mix in eggs, mashed bananas, sour cream, vanilla and cinnamon. Mix in salt, baking soda and flour. Stir in nuts. Divide into prepared pans.
Bake for 1 hour, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Spread some Rich Chocolate Frosting on a slice of this banana bread and I could die happy!

Rich Choclate Frosting

Best Chocolate Frosting
adapted from Martha Stewart’s Baking Handbook

1/2 C semi-sweet chocolate chips
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
3 tablespoons boiling water
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, room temperature
1/2 cup powdered sugar

1. Chop the chocolate and place in a heat proof bowl.
Microwave at 15 second intervals until almost melted, then just stir till it is comlpletely melted.
Let cool for 15 - 20 minutes.
2. Dissolve the cocoa powder in the boiling water in a small bowl. Set aside.
3. In an electric mixer, beat butter until creamy. Scrape the bowl.
4. Add powdered sugar and beat to combine.
5. Add cooled, melted chocolate and beat to combine.
6. Add cocoa paste and beat to combine.
Makes enough to frost a dozen cupcakes (or eat it with a spoon straight from the mixing bowl!)