Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

So, the other day, I went bowling with my wonderful friends Traci and Cassie.  Afterwards, Traci decided to go to Sam's Club to do her grocery shopping, and she asked if we wanted to come along.  Since neither Cassie nor I had ever been there, we happily obliged.  The only thing I ended up buying was a 2-pound container of beautiful strawberries for an amazingly low price.

Then I got home and realized that I should probably bake something with those lovely strawberries so they didn't go bad before I could eat them all.  Strangely, the first thing that came to mind was strawberry rhubarb crisp.  I found a recipe and discovered that the grocery store still had fresh rhubarb and made this delicious treat.  Yay.

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

Ingredients:

3 cups rhubarb

5 cups strawberries

1/4 cup sugar

1 Tablespoon cornstarch

1-12 cups brown sugar

1 cup flour

1 cup oats

2/3 cup butter, cold

1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2.  Cut off tops of strawberries and quarter them.  Cut rhubarb into 1/2 inch pieces.

3.  Toss strawberries and rhubarb with sugar and corn starch.  Place in a 9" by 13" glass baking dish.

4.  Combine brown sugar, flour, oats, and cinnamon.

5.  Cut in butter with two knives or a pastry cutter until crumbly.

6.  Sprinkle crumble mixture over fruit.

7.  Bake for 45 minutes or until crust is browned and fruit is bubbling.  

Source:  Peasant Foodie

Soft Almond Sugar Cookies

It looks like Christmas outside!  There is a thick coating of fresh, white snow on the ground, the sky is gray, and the tree branches are sparkly.  This would be beautiful...if it were December.  It's not.  It's actually April, and this is my fourth snow day of this school year.  I am less than thrilled.

For some reason, I always seem to post recipes when I have a snow day.  Since it almost feels like Christmas, I thought it would be fitting to post a Christmas cookie recipe.  I love almond flavor, and I love soft cookies, so these were one of my favorites from last Christmas.  Although, I'm sure they would be good any time of year...even during sprinter.  

Soft Almond Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups white sugar

2/3 cup cold unsalted butter

2/3 cup room-temperature shortening

2 eggs

2 teaspoons almond extract

2-3/4 cups cake flour

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 Tablespoon cornstarch

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

sugar in the raw/coarse sugar/sprinkles

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line pans with parchment paper.

2.  Cream sugar, butter, and shortening.  Add eggs and almond extract.

3.  Combine flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt.  Add flour mixture to the butter and egg mixture.  Mix thoroughly.

4.  Chill dough for 30 minutes.

5.  Roll 2 teaspoons of dough at a time into balls.  Roll each ball in the raw sugar or sprinkles.  Place on prepared pans.

6.  Bake for 7 minutes (do NOT bake more than 8 minutes).  Gently press the tops of the cookies with the back of a spoon after removing them from the oven.  Allow to cool on pan for one minute and then remove to cooling rack.

Source:  Confections from the Cody Kitchen

Pumpkin Gingersnaps

It's Minnesota.  It's March.  It's a snow day, of course.

This whole snow-day thing would be great if I hadn't gotten up and dressed and started driving before I got the call that school was cancelled.  

And it would be great if it weren't the end of the trimester and I wasn't freaking out about how to squeeze all of my lesson plans into the last few days with my students.  

And it would be great if this weren't our third snow day of the year and I wasn't worried about how and when we might have to make it up. 

Ok, rant over.  I wish I had one of these cookies to comfort me.  They're pumpkin...my favorite!  I think they would make me feel better right now.  Maybe just looking at a picture of them would do the trick...

 

...nope, no such luck.  I'm still crumpy.

Pumpkin Gingersnaps

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, softened

1-1/4 cups sugar, divided

1 egg

1/2 cup pumpkin

1/4 cup molasses

1 teaspoon vanilla

2-1/3 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1-1/2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon salt

1-1/2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice

Directions:

1.  Whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt.  Set aside.

2.  Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and 1 cup sugar for 2 minutes or until light and fluffy.  Add the egg and beat for 30 seconds or until combined.  Add the pumpkin, molasses, and vanilla.  Beat until combined.  Add the dry ingredients and beat at low speed just until combined.  Refrigerate dough for at least one hour or up to 3 days.

3.  Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

4.  Combine remaining 1/4 cup sugar and pumpkin pie spice.  Fill a bowl with cold tap water, and dip hands in water (this will help sugar mixture stick to dough).  Shake off excess water.  Roll heaping tablespoons of dough into balls with moistened hands.  Roll balls in sugar mixture and place on prepared baking sheets.

5.  Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes or until edges are set and cookies look cracked.  Cool cookies on baking sheets for 3 minutes and then transfer to cooling racks. 

Source:  Sweet Pea's Kitchen

Brown Sugar Cheesecake

Gosh dang, I produce some good cheesecakes...you might as well just call me the cheesecake factory.

Brown Sugar Cheesecake

Ingredients:

Crust -

1-1/2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs

1/2 cup toasted ground almonds

6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Filling - 

1-1/2 pounds cream cheese, softened

8 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1 cup packed light brown sugar

2 Tablespoons molasses

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 cup cream

4 eggs

Topping -

1-1/2 cups sour cream

2 Tablespoons light brown sugar

4 Tablespoons bourbon

Directions:

1.  Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with aluminum foil.  Attach sides of pan.  Mix crust ingredients in a bowl until moistened.    Press crust mixture onto bottom and 1 inch up the sides of the pan.  Refrigerate while preparing the filling.

2.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

3.  In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, butter, and sugar until smooth.  Add molasses, vanilla, sour cream, and cream.  Beat just until combined.

4.  Add eggs one at a time, barely waiting for one to be incorporated before adding the next.

5.  Pour filling into prepared pan.  Bake for 40 minutes.  Lower oven temperature to 300 degrees and bake for 40 more minutes.

6.  Combine topping ingredients in a bowl while cheesecake is baking.  After the 80 minutes, remove the cheesecake from the oven and carefully spread the topping over the top of the cheesecake.  Be careful!  Your pan will be very full.

7.  Return the cheesecake to the oven.  Bake for 5 minutes and then turn the oven off.  Leave the cheesecake in the oven for one hour.  Do not open the oven door.

8.  Remove the cheesecake from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack.  Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours.    

9.  Decorate cheesecake with nuts or fruit before serving.

Source: Vintage Kitchen Notes

Pumpkin Dream Cake

If anything other than the voice of Charles Kelley could be described as dreamy, it would be this cake.  Pumpkin Dream Cake is seriously dreamy.

Don't judge me...I know it's an awful picture.  It was my birthday, and I really wanted to eat the cake.

  

Pumpkin Dream Cake

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour

1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

2 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 cup milk

12 ounces cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

3 tablespoons pure maple syrup

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 teaspoons cinnamon

6 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Grease 3, 8-inch round cake pans.

2.  In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt.  Set aside.

3.  In a separate large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in the eggs one at a time.  Beat in the vanilla, pumpkin, and oil.  Alternately, beat in the flour mixture and milk.

4.  Divide batter between the prepared pans and bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  

5.  Remove pans from oven and immediately place in freezer for 45 minutes to keep the cake moist.

6.  To make the frosting, cream the butter and cream cheese until smooth.  Beat in the maple syrup, vanilla, and cinnamon.  Beat in powdered sugar on low speed until combined and then high speed until smooth.

7.  Apply a thick layer of frosting between each layer of the cake, and then frost the entire cake.  

8.  Store in fridge.

Source:  The Novice Chef

S'mores Dip

One of my favorite ways to spend time with friends is sitting around a campfire, roasting marshmallows, and chowing down on some good old-fashioned s'mores.  Unfortunately, the seasons in Minnesota seem to go from summer to winter in about 4.2 days.  Seriously, fall is way to short.  

When it gets too chilly to sit outside around a campfire, bring the s'mores party inside with this delicious S'mores Dip.  

  

S'Mores Dip

Ingredients:

1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk

1-1/2 cups chocolate chips

1/2 cup marshmallow cream

graham crackers, for serving

Directions:

1.  Melt the chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk together in the microwave.  Stir every 30 seconds until the chips are melted.  Mix well.

2.  Pour into a 9-inch glass pie pan and spread evenly.  Drop marshmallow cream by the spoonful over the chocolate mixture.  Swirl the marshmallow through the chocolate mixture to create a marbled appearance.  

3.  Serve with graham crackers.

Source:  What Megan's Making

4 Brownies, 4 Days: Day #4

I did it!  I managed to blog about all four brownie recipes in four days.  That's quite the accomplishment.  Go me.  I should bake brownies in celebration.

After Jill's baby shower, I made sure to take home one of each kind of brownie that I baked so that I could try all of them.  I saved this recipe for the last post because it was the last brownie I tasted out of the four. 

For some odd reason, I have incredible self control when it comes to sweets (it's possible I still have chocolate from last Christmas in my cupboard).  This particular brownie was still in my fridge a week after the shower.  Poor, lonely brownie.  Had I known how good it would be, I wouldn't have let it sit there that long.  Yum.

  

Raspberry Cream Cheese Brownies

Ingredients:

Cream Cheese Filling -

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup sugar

1 egg yolk

3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Brownies -

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1/2 cup raspberry jam, divided

1-1/4 cups sugar

3 eggs

1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter an 8" x 8" baking pan.  Line pan with parchment paper and butter the parchment paper.

2.  Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla extract for about one minute or until combined.  Set aside.

3.  Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl.

4.  In a separate bowl, melt the butter and chocolate together.  Stir until smooth.  Whisk in 1/4 cup raspberry jam.  Allow to cool for 5 minutes.

5.  Add sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract to the chocolate mixture.  Stir until combined.

6.  Whisk in the flour mixture just until combined.

7.  Heat the remaining 1/4 cup raspberry jam in the microwave for about 30 seconds.  Stir until smooth.

8.  Spread half of the brownie batter into the pan.  Carefully spread cream cheese mixture over the brownie batter.  Drop spoonfuls of the jam over the cream cheese.  Use a knife to swirl the jam through the cream cheese filling.  Spread the remaining brownie batter over the filling.

9.  Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few dry crumbs attached.  Cool brownies on a wire rack.

Source:  Sweet Pea's Kitchen 

4 Brownies, 4 Days: Day #3

Remember how I said that me and peanut butter are tight?  Well, Jill and Nutella are the same way.  So, of course, I had to make her these yummy brownies.

Nutella Pretzel Brownies

Ingredients:

Crust - 

1-1/2 cups pretzels

1/3 cup brown sugar

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Brownies -

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup flour

1/3 cup Nutella hazelnut spread

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Extra Nutella for frosting the brownies

Extra pretzels for garnish

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray an 8" x 8" baking dish with cooking spray or line with parchment paper.

2.  Place pretzels in food processor and pulse until broken into small pieces.  Add brown sugar and pulse to combine.  Add butter and pulse until combined again.

3.  Press the pretzel mixture into the pan.  Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the edges are golden and crust is firm.

4.  In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and then remove from the heat.  Whisk in the sugar.

5.  Add the eggs.  Whisk until combined after adding each egg.  Stir in the vanilla.

6.  Whisk in the dry ingredients.  Pour batter over crust.

7.  Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with only a few crumbs clinging to it.  Allow brownies to cool.

8.  Frost brownies with extra Nutella and sprinkle with crushed pretzels.

Source: Bakingdom

4 Brownies, 4 Days: Day #2

Me and peanut butter, we're tight.  I eat peanut butter a lot, and I am appalled that Jill's boyfriend doesn't like it.  Appalled, I tell you.  He also doesn't like pumpkin, but that's a whole different issue...and I shouldn't get into it in this post...

Let's just hope my niece doesn't take after her daddy in terms of disliking classic American foods.

   

Peanut Butter Cheesecake Swirl Brownies

Ingredients:

Brownies -

14 tablespoons unsalted butter

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1 cup cocoa powder

2 cups sugar

6 eggs

6 ounces cream cheese, softened

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup flour

Peanut Butter Cheesecake Swirl -

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

2/3 cup creamy peanut butter

6 tablespoons sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 9" x 13" pan with parchment paper or foil and spray with cooking spray.

2.  Combine butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over simmering water.  Heat and stir until the mixture is smooth.  Remove the bowl from the heat.

3.  Whisk in the cocoa powder, sugar, eggs, and cream cheese until blended.  Stir in the vanilla and salt.  Whisk in flour until just combined.  Pour into the baking pan and smooth the top.

4.  Combine the cream cheese, peanut butter, and sugar for the peanut butter cheesecake swirl using an electric mixer.  Beat on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes or until smooth.  Mix in the egg and vanilla until combined.

5.  Drop spoonfuls of the peanut butter cheesecake mixture over the brownie batter.  Use a knife to swirl the peanut butter cheesecake mixture into the brownie batter.

6.  Bake 30-35 minutes or until center is set.  Cool on a wire rack.  Refrigerate once brownies are cool.

Source:  Annie's Eats

4 Brownies, 4 Days: Day #1

As you may or may not know, my little sister is expecting a baby in just over a week.  Our good friends threw her a baby shower recently, and they asked me to make the desserts.  Jill's favorite dessert is brownies, so I made brownies...4 different kinds of brownies, actually.  I went all out.

Here we are in front of the dessert table.  Isn't she the cutest pregnant lady ever?! 

And here is the adorable dessert table, complete with "So Sweet" banner.

I know I have not been very good at posting recipes lately, so I am going to try my hardest to post these four brownie recipes in four days.  Think I can do it?  No?  Oh, well...ok.  We'll see.

I'm going to start with the coffee cream brownies.  They were my favorite.  Then again, anything with the word coffee in it is my favorite.  I'm obsessed with coffee; I'm not addicted to it.  I could totally go a day without coffee.  I just don't want to. 

Coffee Cream Brownies

Ingredients:

Brownies -

1/2 cup butter, cubed

3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped

2 eggs

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Coffee Cream Filling -

1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream

1 teaspoon instant coffee granules

2 tablespoons butter, softened

1 cup powdered sugar

Chocolate Ganache Glaze -

1 cup (6 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter an 8" x 8" metal baking pan.  Line pan with parchment paper for easy brownie removal.  Butter the parchment paper.

2.  Melt butter and chocolate.  Stir until smooth, and set aside to cool.

3.  In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract.  Stir in the chocolate mixture.  Add the flour and baking soda.  Stir just until combined.

4.  Spread batter in prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Cool brownies.

5.  In a small bowl, stir the coffee granules into the cream until dissolved.  

6.  In a stand mixer, cream the butter and powdered sugar until fluffy.  Beat in coffee mixture.  Add a little extra whipping cream if necessary to achieve a spreadable texture.  Spread over brownies.

7.  Eat the leftover coffee cream filling from the bowl.

8.  In a small saucepan, combine chocolate and whipping cream over low heat. Stir until chocolate is melted and mixture has thickened.  Cool slightly before spreading over the coffee cream filling.  Let chocolate ganache set (in refrigerator, if necessary) before slicing brownies.  

Source:  Sweet Pea's Kitchen

Again with the best friend...

I know I talk about my best friend, Cindi, a lot on this blog.  Sorry about that.  She's pretty cool though.

So, my best friend left me for Colorado.  I can't blame her.  Colorado is a great place to live.  Before she left, we got together with some of our high school friends for a little goodbye party, and I made these delicious Cookie Dough Truffles.  

Cindi and I used to do a lot of "baking" when we were younger.  We would often make chocolate chip cookies just so we could eat the raw dough.  I know, I know...naughty.  We once tried to make it without the eggs so that we wouldn't be in danger of contracting salmonella from the massive amounts of dough we were about to eat.  It did not go so well.  In fact, it was a disaster.  Too bad we didn't use the Internet all that much back then, because this recipe would have been perfect.  It's cookie dough (without the eggs) covered in chocolate.  I repeat, it's cookie dough COVERED in chocolate.  Could anything be better?

   

Cookie Dough Truffles

Ingredients:

8 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

3 cups (about 18 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

3 tablespoons shortening

Directions:

1.  Cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, approximately 2 minutes.  Beat in the flour, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla extract.  Stir in the miniature chocolate chips.  Refrigerate until firm enough to form balls.

2.  Form 1-1/2 inch balls of dough and place on a baking sheet lined with wax paper.  Freeze for 1-2 hours.

3.  Melt the chocolate chips and shortening in the microwave following the directions on the package of chocolate chips.  Dip each truffle in the chocolate coating using forks or dipping tools.  Transfer to a baking sheet covered in wax paper.  Store truffles in the refrigerator. 

Source:  Dainty Chef

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

Once again, I was preparing for a potluck.  Once again, I could not decide what to make.  My family suggested cookies.  Cookies?!  Really?  Do they still not know that cookies are not my favorite dessert?  I decided to look for a cookie recipe anyway, and I am SO glad that I did.

These chocolate peanut butter cup cookies are to-die-for!  They are thick and rich, sweet and salty.  It is a really good thing that I shared them at the potluck before I even tried them, because otherwise I might have kept them all for myself.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups plus 2 Tablespoons flour

6 Tablespoons cocoa

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons creamy peanut butter

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons milk

2 cups coarsely chopped peanut butter cups (freeze peanut butter cups for at least 30 minutes before unwrapping and chopping)

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

2.  Combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.

3.  Using an electric mixer, beat together butter, peanut butter, and sugars until light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes.

4.  Add in the egg, vanilla extract, and milk.  Beat until smooth.

5.  Gradually beat in dry ingredients on low speed until incorporated.

6.  Gently fold in 1-1/2 cups chopped peanut butter cups.

7.  Drop large rounds of dough (about 3 tablespoons) onto baking sheets.  Place a few pieces of remaining chopped peanut butter cups on top of each dough ball and gently flatten.

8.  Bake 12-14 minutes.  Rotate pans halfway through.  Do not overbake the cookies.  They will set as they cool.  

9.  After cooling on the pans for about 10 minutes, remove cookies to wire racks to finish cooling.

Source:  Annie's Eats

Slutty Brownies

When I saw a recipe for "Slutty Brownies," I immediately though of my best friend.  Don't worry!  It was not because she's an immoral lady.  She's completely the opposite.  

You see, we have strange senses of humor, and words like "floozy" and "trollop" have always made us giggle.  Cindi and I were planning to have a girls day and do some baking, and we both agreed that these brownies would be perfect.  Perfect, they were.

Slutty Brownies

Ingredients:

Brownie layer -

10 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 eggs

1/2 cup flour

Oreo layer-

16 double-stuffed Oreos

Cookie layer-

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1-1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract

1-1/4 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 9" by 9" pan with aluminum foil.  Spray aluminum foil with non-stick spray.

To make brownie layer-

1.  Melt butter in saucepan over low heat.  Remove from the heat.

2.  Add the sugar and cocoa powder.  Whisk to combine.

3.  Whisk in salt, vanilla, and eggs.

4.  Add flour and mix until combined.

5.  Set aside.

To make cookie layer-

1.  Beat the butter and sugars using an electric mixer until light and fluffy.

2.  Add egg and vanilla.  Beat until combined.

3.  Mix in flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda until combined.  

4.  Fold in chocolate chips.

5.  Set aside.

To assemble-

1.  Press the cookie dough into the pan.  

2.  Layer with the Oreo cookies.

3.  Pour brownie batter over the top of the Oreo layer.  Spread batter gently and evenly with a spatula.

4.  Bake for about 35 minutes, or until toothpick comes out mostly clean.   

Source:  Handle the Heat

Vanilla Chai Cupcakes

Back in the good old days when I was not obsessed with coffee, I would order a chai tea latte every time I went to a coffee shop.  I learned that chai tea lattes are especially delicious when you ask for a shot of vanilla in them.  When I saw the recipe for Vanilla Chai Cupcakes, I knew I would love them.  It was my first time using decorating bags, and clearly I need more practice.  Nevertheless, they were great cupcakes.

Vanilla Chai Cupcakes

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter

1 cup sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 eggs

2 teaspoons chai spice mix (1-1/2 teaspoons cardamom, 1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg)

1-1/4 cup all-purpose flour, sifted

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees and prepare a muffin pan with paper liners.

2.  Combine the chai spices and set aside.

3.  Cream together the butter and sugar.  Beat in the vanilla and eggs, adding one egg at a time.  Add 2 teaspoons of the chai spice mix.  Alternately fold in the flour and buttermilk, stirring just until combined.  

4.  Mix the baking soda and vinegar, and then stir into the batter.

5.  Fill prepared tins 3/4 full.  Bake for 15-20 minutes.  Cool completely.

Chai-Spiced Buttercream

Ingredients:

1 cup butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

remainder of chai spice mix

1 tablespoon cold milk, if necessary

Directions:

1.  Beat the butter until creamy.  

2.  Mix in the vanilla and chai spice mix on low speed.

3.  Beat in the powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time.

4.  Add cold milk if frosting is too thick.

5.  Pipe onto cupcakes.

Source:  Gimme Some Oven

Red Velvet Whoopie Pies

I hate Valentine's Day.  But I love these!  And if one actually liked Valentine's Day, these would be the perfect treat.  

Red Velvet Whoopie Pies

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup buttermilk

2 tablespoons red food coloring

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

3 cups powdered sugar

4 teaspoons vanilla

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper.  

2.  Combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.

3.  In a separate bowl, beat butter for 30 seconds.  Add brown sugar and beat until light and fluffy.  Beat in egg and vanilla.

4.  Alternate between adding flour mixture and buttermilk.  Beat after each addition until just combined.  Stir in food coloring.

5.  Drop dough onto baking sheets.

6.  Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until tops are set.  Cool.

7.  Using a stand mixer and the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese until smooth.  Add powdered sugar and beat until smooth.  Beat in vanilla extract.

8.  Pipe filling onto half of cookies.  Top with remaining cookies to make sandwiches.

Source:  Sweet Pea's Kitchen