Carrot Rum Cupcakes with Coconut Rum Cream Cheese Frosting

 I've wanted to make a booze-infused goodie using one of the cake mixes I have squirreled away in my cupboard.  I generally don't get a chance to use mixes much anymore, but I'm a fan of their great flavor, ease of use, consistent results, texture, and adaptability.  They are the foundation of my Kahlua Cake and Jacqueline's Chocolate Orange Cupcakes.  So, here is my first attempt to take a basic box cake mix and add some booze.  EASY!  I think the result is one of my favorites.  And, this frosting is a coconut lover's dream!

Peppermint Red Velvet Whoopie Pies



An Extra Special Treat for Santa!!

 Merry Christmas!!!  Yes, I baked today and I've had my eyes on this creation for some time.  I love whoopie pies and I've made them with some success.  I love red velvet cake and I've made it with some success.  But, today on this Christmas Day 2011, I out did myself.  No lying here, these are FABULOUS.   If you love all these flavors, you will LOVE these WHOOPIE!! PIES!!

Red Hot ~Holiday~ Cupcakes

Red-Hot-Polka-Dots and Full of Holiday Cheer!!!

  I fell in love this year...with a cupcake.  It was the Red Hot Cinnamon cupcake for February at Icing on the Cupcake.  I'm a huge fan of Hot Tamales, too.  HUGE fan.  And, if I could find a hot cinnamon flavor Australian liquorice, I'd be in heaven almost every-single-day.  So, I've had this recipe from Erica at Sweet Tooth in the BIWB vault for quite some time.  And, since RED is my favorite color, my posts this month all seem to involve RED baked goods, and RED is one of the primary colors of Christmas, I decided to make these for you. 

Chocolate and Port Cupcakes




 Hints of cherry, deep chocolate, yet subtly sweet.  Ah, and a bit of ROMANCE you say?   Chocolate and wine seem to be the "go-to" romantic dessert of choice for those of us who have enjoyed the fruit of the grapevine for quite some time.  I first stumbled on this particular food pairing in my mid-20s.  A friend and drinking buddy, among other adventures in our early lives, introduced me.  I wasn't so sure.  One taste of a good dark chocolate and a good Cab, and it was a match not to be trumped for some time.

I made these cupcakes after sampling a port at my brother's house a few weeks ago.  He loves port.  He likes sweet wine.  I like it after dinner sometimes.  Mostly, I drink it when I go to his and my SIL's house.  I used it last year for a really great roast pork tenderloin with fig and port sauce.  Not a BIWB thang, so you're on your own for that one.

I used several recipes, and probably didn't follow any one in particular.  I made these buttermilk chocolate with port cupcakes based on the Sweet Chocolate Port Cupcakes from Cupcake Wars.  I did not include the filling.  I made the port reduction from this same recipe.  The frosting is my old stand-by buttercream, and I used port wine and port reduction in the frosting to substitute for the liquid.  The port reduction added a nice and subtle fruity note to this frosting.  B-E-A-U-TI-FUL color.  My favorite sugar pearls added just that little bit of elegance and savoir faire.