Lazy Day Chocolate Cupcakes

Sometimes I go all out. Sometimes I dress my desserts up with piped frosting, flower decorations and fancy designs. Then sometimes, I just want a cupcake. The more simple, the better, and the faster I'm able to consume.
My friend sonja came over after her swim practice. By then I was:
A) exhausted from my two hour workout. Yes, an hour of intermediate pilates followed the very next minute by an hour of "cardio conditioning" class. I'm pretty sure the Evanston Athletic Club (EAC) should make someone sign a waver before entering such a class. It should come with a warning label on the door, then another one on the weights: Do not attempt if you have a strong desire to have function of your muscles in the next 48 hours.
B) Craving Chocolate (but really, when is that not the case?) and
C) Getting ready to leave for Cleveland the following morning.
So, what could be more easy, more delicious, and more decadent for us to bake than our favorite cake in CUPCAKE FORM?
It was genius! We could give it away to friends and family since I was leaving, and also eat one for ourselves whilst having a quiet, lazy, tuesday afternoon.
Now, Sonja is also getting ready to add another family member to her household. In approximately four months, their new puppy will be born. After we got nice and hyper on chocolate and sugar, we started spitting out silly dog names faster than Chuck Bass downs his drinks. Somewhere in the midst of giggling, we managed to think of some fun and perfect names. Here were some of our favorites:
-Nala
-Cleopatra
-Athena
- Artemis
- Biscuit
So, if anyone's out there reading me, your input would be greatly appreciated!
Now, on to the cupcakes:



Look how gorgeous they look next to the vase of flowers James gave me (I knew I kept him around for a reason).
Obviously romance and chocolate cupcakes go hand-in-hand; in fact, they practically arranged themselves into a heart!

Chocolate Chocolate Cupcakes:
Ingredients
2 Cups sugar
1 3/4 cups all purpose flower
1 cup Dutch-processed Cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 Teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon chocolate extract
1 cup boiling water

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a 24 cupcake- cupcake tin with cupcake liners.
1. Stir together flour, coca, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.
2. Add eggs and whisk well.
3. Add milk and oil and extracts and whisk for 2 minutes.
4. Bake for 30-35 minutes until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes and then take the cupcakes (in the liners-duh) out of the tin to cool COMPLETELY before frosting!
5. Frost the cupcakes! with decadent chocolate frosting and fluffy, sweet vanilla cream cheese frosting (recipes below).

Chocolate frosting recipe
ingredients:
5 tablespoons butter
1/3 + 2 tablespoons Cocoa powder
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/8 + 2 table spoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1. Melt butter in microwave-safe bowl. Stir in cocoa powder until fully incorporated.
2. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk beginning and ending with the milk until you have desired frosting consistency.
3. Stir in vanilla extract and VOILA! You have melt-in-your-mouth chocolate frosting.
If frosting is not your desired consistency:
Add milk if you wish to achieve a thinner glaze-like frosting
Add powdered sugar if you like thicker, fluffy frosting

Vanilla Frosting Recipe



ingredients:
4 oz cream cheese
4 Tablespoons salted butter
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/8 teaspoon almond extract
splash of milk
1. Cream together cream cheese and butter.
2. Add powdered sugar slowly, mixing on medium speed the whole time
3. Stir in the extracts and splash of milk. YUM!

You can frost these cupcakes as fancy as you want, or simply slather on the frosting for immediate consumption and treats for the boyfriends! They're beautiful and to-die-for-delicious either way!

Lemon Blueberry Pound Cake

I have discovered something very important about myself this summer. I have an "addictive personality". That is to say, I get addicted to every thing I love and all of the sudden, I can't get enough of it. This discovery probably deems it necessary to lock me in a virtuous room with nothing but a bible and carrot sticks for the rest of my life. BUT I found a loophole.
Participating in the Appalachian Service Project for a week every year always helps clean my conscience.
In fact, by the time I returned, all my sins of Spain were forgotten and I was ready to take on a new addiction.
Read: Lemon Blueberry Pound cake. A moist, delicious lemon-flavored cake with a heaping cup (or two!) of blueberries mixed in the batter. All topped with a lemony cream cheese frosting-glaze. Probably the guiltiest addiction I've developed, if only because I singlehandedly ate half the cake. Okay, so it's definitely not the only new addiction I've acquired, or my favorite, but it certainly is the most dangerous.
If you have the same dangerous personality type as me, you'll bring this beautiful bundt to a family barbecue or a picnic on the beach. Or you could just shamelessly embrace your addictions and dig in with a friend and a fork (I chose this one!).
As long as your addictions don't surpass those of Tiger Woods', who had to get carted off to "keep it in your pants" camp, you can still keep it classy.
So please go make this cake. You'll thank me later. Read: As soon as you get a lick of that frosting.



Lemon Blueberry Pound Cake

Ingredients:
For Cake:
1 1/4 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) of butter
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 plus 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
2 Large Eggs
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1/2 Teaspoon Lemon Extract
3/4 Teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup plain yogurt (I used nonfat, but some people prefer full fat)
2 cups blueberries
For blueberries: 1 tablespoon flour, 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup of lemon juice (or juice form about 2 lemons)

For Lemon Cream Cheese Glaze:
3 ounces of softened cream cheese (no skimping on the fat)
1 Tablespoon Butter, softened as well
2 cups confectionary sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/8-1/4 Cup lemon juice (add more until glaze reaches desired consistency, I eyeballed this)

Make the cake

1. Grease one medium sized bundt pan. Make sure to get the grease all up in the ridges. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, mix together 1 1/4 cups flour and the baking powder and salt.

3. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and both sugars on high speed until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl every so often.

4.Add the eggs, one at a time, beating 30 seconds after each addition.
5. Beat in the extracts and lemon juice. Reduce to medium speed and add the flour mixture alternatively with the yogurt, starting and ending with the flour. Beat until everything is completely incorporated.
6. In a small bowl, toss the blueberries with a tablespoon of flour and the almond extract. Gently fold the blueberries in the batter, making sure they are evenly distributed throughout.

7. Pour batter into prepared bundt pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 60 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out completely clean. keep your eyes on the cake, not the time!!! Cool in pan for 20 minutes or so before dumping the cake onto a plate.
8. Pour frosting evenly over your beautiful cake.

Frosting:
1. Beat together the cream cheese and butter.
2. Slowly beat in the powdered sugar and lemon juice, alternating between the two until frosting reaches desired consistency.
3. Stir in the extracts.
4. Pour over your cake!!!

New York Cheesecake

I´ve never been much of a sports perosn. Sure, I enjoy going to live games now and then but watching a football game on tv like it´s the latest vampire diaries episode? No thank you. Until now. I think I´m a convert. Watching every move the soccer players of Spain makes on TV as they kick their way to victory is as addicting to me as... cheesecake.
The games are just the begining of excitement. After, the streets are bursting with a sea of red and yellow and the car horns can be heard until 1 in the morning. The whole city of Salamanca- heck probably the whole ocuntry of spain- is out partying after another victory in the world cup. And now. The final match! If Spain brings home the world cup this year (I´m pretty sure part of this obsession for me stems from the fact it has the same name as the Quiditch world championships in Harry Potter) I doubt one person in Spain will get a second of sleep.
Partying is completely acceptable when there´s something to celebrate. Staying out all night is a given. If you happen to do something completely stupid? At least you won´t remember it in the morning. Just kidding. Kind of.
Obviously I had to bake something with all my excitement. And since cheesecake is the perfect dessert and Spain has the perfect soccer team... well, it´s obvious where I´m going with this.
Plus, in Salamanca, the cheesecakes are drastically different than the American classic dessert. I figured I´d give my Spanish family a taste of America. Now and after the championships.


cheesecake heaven? I think yes.


Anddd last one for luck. GO ESPAÑA!

Classic and Delicious New York Cheesecake
adapted from: Joy of Baking

Ingredients:
Crust
2 cups of vanilla cookie crubs (grahm crackers work as well)
1/8 cup sugar (1/4 cup if using grahms cracker crumbs)
1/4 cup Butter
1 egg white
Filling
32 Ounces of cream Cheese (1 KG!!!)
1 Cup Granulated White Sugar
4 Tablespoons All Purpose Flour
4 large eggs and 1 large egg yolk
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract (or 1 Tbs. lemon zest)
1 teaspoon almond extract
Garnish
Pretty much anything you crave at that particular moment.
I used:
1 Jar of apricot jam
caramel is also delicious as is white chocolate or dark chocolate ganache
the possibilities are endless!

Directions:
1. preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 C) and butter a 9-inch Springform Pan or pie dish.
2. In a food processor, crush cookies/ grahm crackers into fine crumbs then dump them into a meduim sized bowl.
3. Place the sugar in with the cookie crumbs, and stir together. Next, melt the butter in a microwave, then throw it in the medium sized bowl as well. Add the egg white. Mix everything together very well, so the cookie crumbs are all coated with liquid. Honestly mixing with your hands works best in this regard.
4. Cover the bottom of the pan very evenly with a thin layer of crust, then push it up the sides of the pan, evenly distributing all the way around until all crust has been used. Put in the refrigerator until the filling has been made.
5. Place the cream cheese, sugar and flour inside a larger bowl and cream until smooth, about two minutes.
6. Add the eggs, one at a time beating well after each addition. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl!
7. Add the whipping cream, and extracts and beat well to make sure everything is incoorporated.
8. Take the crust out of the refrigerator and pour into it the filling. Make sure the layer is even, it will be almost overflowing so be careful!
9. Place cheesecake in the oven and bake for 15 minutes, then lower oven temperature to 250 degrees F (120 C) and continue to bake until only the middle is still wobbly and wet.(VERY important!) This should take around an hour, it only took mine 45 minutes though so keep a close eye on your cake!
10. Remove from over and run a knife along the edge of the crust to loosen it up. Then, let the cheesecake completely cool before putting the desired topping on it. Afterwards, place in the refrigerator for at least an hour, overnight would be best, covered in seran wrap or aluminum foil. Serve and enjoy!

Galletes de Lacasitos

We could talk about Spain. How enthusiastic the streets are or how it´s totally frowned upon if you eat dinner before 10:00- worse if you are in bed before 1:30. But talking about Spain will only make me wonder why I don´t have all my possesions shipped over for a permenant residence.
So let´s talk Cookies. Well, being in Spain, I was getting all pumped up to make an exotic spanish dessert, or even a fancy, beautiful cake. Of course my Spanish family wanted something ¨authentically American¨. Bore. Of course Teresa skipped at the idea of chocolate chip cookies. Snooze. Unfortunately... I went down without a fight. Because, as quoted from Madagascar, ¨Don´t fight the hand that feeds you¨. If it was American Cookies my family wanted, that´s what they´d get. I was able to make them a little more exciting by adding Lacasitos (Spanish M&Ms.) to satisfy my Spanish baking craving. And I also made them in bar form becuase that creates a gooey, chewy inside and a slighty crisp outside, the best of both worlds!
So, I now present: Galletes de Lacasitos! Which are really just really delicious M&M Bar Cookies.



M&M Bar Cookies
Adapted from: Lizzy goes Dutch
Ingredients:
2 Cups All purpose Flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
14 Tbs Butter (melted and cooled to room temperature)
1 Cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 heaping cup of Lacasitos (Okay, fine, M&Ms will probably work just fine)

Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F
1. melt the butter and let it cool to room temp.
2. Combine the sugars in the bowl and whisk together. Pour the butter in the bowl and mix until combined. Next crack in the egg and egg5 yolk. whisk it goood.
3. In a seperate bowl add Flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix until combined.
4. Stir flour mixture into sugar mixture until thoroughly combined. Add the M&Ms! Take a taste, it´s a sin that´s so good.
5. Butter a 9 X 13 inch pan and press the dough evenly into the pan. Place in preheated oven for around 20 minutes, until the dough is golden brown and the outsides start to pull away from the pan. center will be soft.
6. Let cool for 10 minutes then cut into bars. Transfer to mouth.

Section Three Chem-Phys Peanut Butter Fudge Rice Krispy Treats!

Okay, so, i kinda technically already posted these. Except there's a difference. These are heaven. Like real, Jesus-can-walk-on-water delicious.
My Chem-phys class was having one last physics party together, and these were the first to go. DId i mention how much i love my chem-phys class? Section three might have the lowest test grades, and we might not get one question right on our review jeopardy, but we are the class with the coolest t-shirts.
All I can say is I'm glad I had somewhere to take these treats, otherwise they would have all ended up in my mouth within seconds. Although finals week combined with packing for Europe stress has caused me to whip out the marshmallows and peanut butter and stand by the kitchen counter with a whisk in hand and a gleaming look in my eyes. Then I quickly remember in less than a week I'll be in an actual bathing suit and unfortunately peanut butter fudge doesn't seem to get along with my hips. Maybe you'll have better luck with yours.
On a completely different note, I've been recruited for my high school swim team. Okay, that was a lie. The coaches simply asked me to consider joining. And the weird thing is.. it kind of seems fun. There's something about getting up at 5:30 in the morning to exercise (no matter what kind) that's appealing. It makes the rest of the day seem a lot less long. Can't you picture diving in a pool and being crowned gold medalist for the 200 IM? Maybe I'll try it. Maybe it's just a wistful fantasy.


Peanut Butter fudge mixed with chocolate fudge and rice krispy treats. Mmm. The second best thing.



Peanut Butter Fudge Rice-Krispies!

Ingredients:

For the RIce Krispy Treats:
4 Table Spoons Butter
1 Package Regular Marshmallows
6 Cups of Rice Krispy Cereal

For the Peanut Butter Fudge:
1 cup butter, plus more for greasing pan
1 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 pound powdered sugar

For the Chocolate Fudge:
2 Tbsp butter
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1 2/3 cups sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:
Prepare pan:
Line a 9 X 12 inch pan with wax parchment paper. grease parchment paper lightly. This ensure the treats will have easy removal.

Make the Rice Krispies!:
1. In a large saucepan over low heat, melt the butter. Add the marshmallows and allow to melt completely, stirring occasionally so they don't brown.
2. When marshmallows are liquidy and completely melted, add the 6 cups of Rice Krispies and Stir until mixed evenly throughout.
3. Spread evenly in prepared pan

Make the peanut butter fudge:
1. Microwave butter and peanut butter in the same bowl for 2 minutes, so they both melt. Stir and microwave for another minute, to really liquify.
2.add the vanilla extract and powdered sugar to the mixture and stir until fully combined. Spread this evenly over the rice krispies in the pan. :)

Make the chocolate fudge:
1. Put the butter, sugar, milk and salt in a saucepan over medium/ high heat. Bring this to a boil and continue to cook for 4 minutes. Very important, or fudge will remain soft and melty.
2. Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate chips and vanilla.
3. Beat in marshmallows with an electric mixer on medium speed until all melted and beat into the mixture.
4. Pour over peanut butter fudge and place in the refridgerator to set, or leave out on counter (this will take slightly longer however)
5. Cut into one-inch-squares and enjoy!

Super Yummy Banana Bread!

If I asked you to describe your daily routine right now, most of you would have no trouble reciting your tasks from the start of a day to the finish. In fact, a lot of you probably also know precisely what time you go about doing these tasks. It's too easy to slip into a dull routine of doing the same thing day after day. That's why this week i decided to mix things up. I took the old material I had to work with and primped it up until an unrecognizable, beautiful treat stood before me. Banana Bread. Banana Bread is really like renewing and refreshing a dull life. Right before it goes bad, you swoop in and save it by adding some buttery excitement, sugary sweetness and a hint of almond adventure
Of course, this is all slightly a metaphor. I'm not really this passionate about banana bread, although I'd definitely be cool with anyone who is. That's cool.
However I am passionate about changing it up once in a while. Little mix-ups in your daily routine can turn life upside down. Instead of doing homework one night, why not have a picnic in the back seat of a car with Reece's Puffs and Frosted Animal Crackers. Why not buy your boyfriend an extremely fast new car? Okay, so it was a toy car, I still get props for trying. Why not get a new pair of super trendy heels for Spain? And why not go a little crazy shopping with your best friend and buy a dress that barely reaches your mid-thigh? After all, summer's on it's way, and it's practically begging you to ignore all routines and just GO CRAZY!
Now, back to the banana bread. See here's the thing. Banana Bread usually isn't my thing. But wow, this stuff is good. I'll take that as a sign.

Um... it was gone before I could take a picture. There's your sign. Go make it.
But I will show you my latest exciting purchases for summer.

Yes this dress is as fabulously scandalous as it looks


And these shoes are perfect for late night clubs- comfortable but crazy hot

Banana Bread

Ingredients:
1 Cup Sugar
1/2 Stick Butter (softened)
2 Eggs
3 Over ripe bananas
2 Tablespoons Milk
1/4 Cup greek honey yogurt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 Cups Flour
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 Teaspoon Baking powder
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Vanilla extrace
1/2 Teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon lemon extract or 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Directions:
1. grease a 9 X 5 X 3 inch baking pan and preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. Cream Butter and Sugar in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, aking sure each is fully beat into the mixture.
3. In a small Mixing bowl, mash the bananas with banana masher (or fork, not as fun but it gets the job done). Mix in the Milk, cinnamon and yogurt.
4. In another small mixing bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder
5. Add the banana mixture to the butter mixture and beat on medium-low speed until combined. Next, add the flour mixture on low speed until just combined, or flour disappears.
6. Mix in the extracts with a fork or spatula. Make sure they are evenly distributed throughout batter.
7. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pan and bake for about an hour to an hour and ten minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. Do not over bake. It will result in gross, dry banana bread unsuitable for renewing anyone's life let alone mixing up a routine. Cool completely before taking out of pan or slicing.
8. There's a lot of bowls to clean up, but it's well worth it. Enjoy!!! :)

Fudge Rice Krispy Heaven

What's easier than raising money for the American Cancer Society when you have fudgy treats to pass out? Absolutely nothing. I just discovered I must raise $100 to participate in the Relay For Life walk against cancer, but at the end of today, my little can was rattling with almost $50! All thanks you these treats, which are even more magically delicious than lucky charms!
With only two weeks left until final exams, my life has been busier and more stressful than ever. Thank god for chocolate.
Yes, I will hit the gym... eventually ;)
Anyways, these are a bit of a mess, but a mess with LOT'S of opportunity to lick the spoon. When you're feeling a little stressed and life gets real crazy, just get some marshmallows and Rice Krispies, and indulge yourself in some well deserved chill time.



My friend Andrew even described them as "absolutely luscious". He's legit.

Rice Krispy Bars:
Line a 9 X 12 inch pan with wax parchment paper. grease parchment paper lightly. This ensure the treats will have easy removal.

Ingredients:
4 Table Spoons Butter
1 Package Regular Marshmallows
6 Cups of Rice Krispy Cereal

Make the Rice Krispies!
1. In a large saucepan over low heat, melt the butter. Add the marshmallows and allow to melt completely, stirring occasionally so they don't brown.
2. When marshmallows are liquidy and completely melted, add the 6 cups of Rice Krispies and Stir until mixed evenly throughout.
3. Spread evenly in prepared pan

Fudge Topping:

Ingredients:
2 Table Spoons Butter
2/3 cups evaporated milk
1 2/3 cups Sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 Cups mini marshmallows
1 3/4 Cup Chocolate chips
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Make the Fudge!
1. Mix butter, sugar, evaporated milk and salt in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally. While boiling, cook 4 or 5 minutes, continuously stirring.
2. Remove saucepan from heat and stir in chocolate. WHen completely melted, stir in marshmallows.
3. With an electric beater, beat mixture until marshmallows are completely melted and incorporated throughout fudge. Add vanilla extract.
4. Pour over the Rice Krispy bars and spread evenly over them. Put the pan in the refrigerator for around 2 hours, until fudge is completely set. Cut into squares and eat!