Walnut Shortbread Cookies

Hello cupcakes! So today I am going to share with you one of my favorite shortbread recipes! I found it in the Miette baking book. I am excited to share this recipe with you, I hope you all love it as much as I do! 

Don't forget to watch my YouTube video featuring these cookies!

The ingredients-

1/2 cup walnut pieces

1 + 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup cold unsalted butter

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg yolk

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350

Step 2: Toast the walnuts until lightly browned, this should take about 12 to 15 minutes. Be sure to let them fully cool then place them in a food processor and grind them finely.

Step 3: Sift together the flour and salt into a bowl and set it to the side. In another bowl use an electric mixer with a paddle attachment to beat together the butter and the sugar, mix until light and fluffy. Add in the egg yolk and mix until combined. Add in the dry ingredients and walnuts, mix until it is all blended. 

Step 4: Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap, set aside in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Once 30 minutes has passed you can use any shape cookie cutter you would like and cut out your cookies!

Step 5: Line your baking sheet with parchment paper and bake until the cookies are firm, this should take around 10-12 minutes. Let them cool and WAA-LAA they are ready to eat! If you want to decorate them like I did you can use Wilton's Cookie Icing! 

Strawberry Cupcakes

Hello everyone! I hope you are having an amazing week so far! Today i'm going to give you this recipe I found on MarthaStewart.com I have made these strawberry cupcakes before and they are so SO good, they taste very fresh and are perfect for the upcoming spring season. Enjoy:)
Don't forget to watch my YouTube video to learn how to decorate these cakes!!

Let's bake the cake!

•         2/3 cup whole fresh 

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

• 1/4 cup whole milk

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

• 1 cup sugar

• 1 large egg

• 2 large egg whites

• Step 1: Pre-heat the oven to 350. 

• Step 2: Place the strawberries in a small food processor and process until pureed.

• Step 3: In a bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.  Now in another bowl mix together milk, vanilla, and strawberry puree.

• Step 4: Using an electric mixer cream butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add sugar and continue to beat until combined. One at a time add egg and egg whites until combined.

• Step 5: Slowly add half the flour mixture until blended. Add the milk mixture, then slowly add remaining flour mixture. 

• Step 6: Add the batter into cupcake wrappers and bake between 20-23 minutes.

Let's make the frosting!

• 
  
• 1/2 cup whole frozen strawberries, thawed

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter

• Pinch of coarse salt

• 3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• 
  

• Step 1: Place strawberries in a food processor pureed. In a bowl beat together butter and salt until light and fluffy. Slowly add confectioners' sugar. Add vanilla and 3 tablespoons strawberry puree.

Pink Velvet Cupcakes

These pink velvet cupcakes have to be my favorite cupcakes to make. They are so yummy! Every time I make this recipe they always comes out AMAZING! I got this recipe from Paula Deen so of course they are delish. I recommend these for anyone who is looking to try a new recipe out and to also impress your friends and family.

Here is the recipe:

Cupcake Batter

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
• 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
•  red food coloring
• 1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Frosting Recipe

• 1 pound cream cheese, softened
• 2 sticks butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

Now for the directions, as long as you follow every step they will come out great, no need to get baking anxiety! I find that when i heat the oven to 370 instead of 350 my cupcakes rise extra high and get that nice rounded top. Just note that since your oven will be heated 20 degrees higher it will bake slightly faster.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 (12-cup) muffin pans with cupcake papers.

In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. In a large bowl gently beat together the oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla with a handheld electric mixer. Add the sifted dry ingredients to the wet and mix until smooth and thoroughly combined.

Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake tins about 2/3 filled. Bake in oven for about 20 to 22 minutes, turning the pans once, half way through. Test the cupcakes with a toothpick for doneness. Remove from oven and cool completely before frosting.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla together until smooth. Add the sugar and on low speed, beat until incorporated. Increase the speed to high and mix until very light and fluffy. You can use a piping bag to pipe the icing on or you can just spread it on top.