Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes with Lemon Buttercream Frosting

 cupcake recipe from http://www.forgivingmartha.com/2011/06/lemon-blueberry-cuppies.html


¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided
¾ cup cake flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoons salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
Zest of 1 lemon
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons lemon juice
½ cup plus 2 tbsp. milk, at room temperature
1 cup fresh blueberries

Frosting
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
Zest of 1 large lemon

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line cupcake pans with paper liners; Set aside. 
2. In a medium bowl, combine the ¾ cup all-purpose flour, the cake flour, baking powder and salt; whisk together and set aside. 
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter, sugar and lemon zest. Beat together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. 
4. Beat in the eggs one at a time, blending well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla and lemon juice. 
5. With the mixer on low speed, mix in half of the dry ingredients just until incorporated. 
6. Blend in the milk. Mix in the remaining dry ingredients, beating just until incorporated.
7. In a small bowl, toss the blueberries with the remaining 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour. Using a spatula gently fold the berries into the cake batter. 
8. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared liners, filling each about ¾ full. 
9. Bake 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 
10. Let cool in the pans 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
11. To make the frosting, cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy.  Add the lemon and zest and mix until incorporated.
12. Slowly add confectioner's sugar until the desired consistency is reached.
13. Top on cooled cupcakes and serve!

Butterbeer Cupcakes

Butterbeer Cupcakes from Amybites.com
Makes 18
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For the cupcakes:
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2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
3 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon butter flavoring
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup cream soda
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For the ganache:
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1 11-oz. package butterscotch chips
1 cup heavy cream
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For the buttercream frosting:
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1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup butterscotch ganache
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon butter flavoring
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 16-oz. package powdered sugar
Splash of milk or cream (as needed)
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For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line cupcake pans with paper liners. Combine your flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a bowl and set aside. In a large bowl, cream your butter until light and fluffy. Add your sugars and beat until well-combined. Beat in your eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Then beat in your vanilla and butter flavoring.
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Alternate adding your buttermilk, cream soda, and dry ingredients in batches until all are well incorporated. Fill each cupcake liner 3/4 full, then bake for 15 to 17 minutes until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean and cake springs back to the touch. Cool completely on wire racks.
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For butterscotch filling: In a double boiler (heat-proof bowl over a pot of simmering water on the stove), combine butterscotch chips and heavy cream and stir until completely combined and smooth. Cool to room temperature. Fill a squeeze bottle with ganache and insert into the center of each cupcake, squeezing until filling begins to overflow.
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For buttercream frosting: Cream butter in a large bowl until fluffy. Add in ganache, vanilla, butter flavoring, and salt and mix until well combined. Beat in powdered sugar 1 cup at a time until reaching desired consistency. Add milk or cream by the Tablespoon as needed. Frost cupcakes and top with a drizzle of butterscotch ganache.

Turtle Cheesecake Cupcakes

Chocolate Cupcakes from The Cakemix Doctor

• 1 package (18.25 ounces) plain German chocolate cake mix
• 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 4 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 F. Line 24 cupcake cups with paper liners. Set the pans aside.
• Prepare the cupcake batter: Place the cake mix, buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more, scraping down the sides again if needed. Spoon or scoop 1/3 cup batter into each lined cupcake cup, filling it three quarters of the way full. You will get between 22 and 24 cupcakes; remove the empty liners, if any.) Place the pans in the oven.
• Bake the cupcakes until they spring back when lightly pressed with your finger, 18 to 20 minutes. Remove the pans from the oven and place them on wire racks to cool for 5 minutes. Run a dinner knife around the edges of the cupcake liners, life the cupcakes up from the bottoms of the cups using the end of the knife, and pick them out of the cups carefully with your fingertips. Place them on a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes before frosting.

Dulce de Leche

Preheat the oven to 425° F (220° C).
Pour one can (400 gr/14 ounces) of sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk) into a glass pie plate or shallow baking dish. Stir in a few flecks of sea salt.
Set the pie plate within a larger pan, such as a roasting pan, and add hot water until it reaches halfway up the side of the pie plate.
Cover the pie plate snugly with aluminum foil and bake for 1 to 1¼ hours. (Check a few times during baking and add more water to the roasting pan as necessary).
Once the Dulce de Leche is nicely browned and caramelized, remove from the oven and let cool. Once cool, whisk until smooth.
Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Warm gently in a warm water bath or microwave oven before using.

 Cheesecake Filling

1 (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened

           1/4 cup sugar

           1 tsp.vanilla

           1egg

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300°F.
2. Beat cream cheese, 1/4 cup sugar and the vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add egg, mixing on low speed  just until blended. Pour the batter into greased pie plate or cake pan.
3. Bake 40 to 45 min. or until center is almost set. Run knife or metal spatula around rims of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim.  Let this cool.

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe 

           8 ozs cream cheese, room temperature

           1/4 C unsalted butter, room temperature 

           4 C  powdered sugar (You can decrease this amount if you don't care about it being as stiff for piping            1/2 C cocoa powder

1. Mix cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy.
2. Mix in powdered sugar, one cup at a time.
3. Mix in cocoa powder.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar (add more until it reaches your preferred consistency)
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  
• 2 teaspoons vanilla (add more to taste)
• 1 tablespoon milk
• add 1/3 of the dulce de leche and blend.

Directions

1. Mix together sugar and butter until they are blended and creamy.
   
2. Add vanilla bean paste and milk and continue to beat for another minute.
   
3. If desired, add more vanilla bean paste to taste, or more confectioners' sugar to make it stiffer.

I make the Dulce de leche and cheesecake ahead of time, allow both to cool completely.
Mix cheesecake and 1/3 of the dulce de leche together and put into piping bag.
When cupcakes are completely cool, core with apple corer or knife. Pipe in cheesecake mixture.
Then pipe chocolate around the edge and vanilla buttercream in the center. Drizzle with remaining
dulce de leche and sprinkle with chopped pecans.