Layered Heart Cupcakes

Are you sensing a theme here, lol. This is what going without chocolate for 40 days does to me.

We will be returning to our regularly scheduled posts after this final chocolate craving.

Layered Heart Cupcakes

Layered Heart Cupcakes


To make this adorable treat, cut the tops off chocolate cupcakes, add a layer of pink frosting, punch a heart shape in the muffin top using a cookie cutter, then replace the top onto the cupcake. Fill the heart with more frosting to create a beautiful color combination of dark brown and pink.


One Bowl Chocolate Cupcake Recipe

Ingredients


Makes 18 to 24

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

3/4 cup warm water

3/4 cup buttermilk

3 tablespoons safflower oil

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners; set aside. Sift together cocoa powder, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. Add eggs, warm water, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla, and mix until smooth, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of bowl to assure batter is well mixed.

2.Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full. Bake until tops spring back when touched, about 20 minutes, rotating pan once if needed. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely.

Cupcakes will keep, covered, for up to three days.



Honey Cinnamon Icing

Ingredients


1 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

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

1 tablespoon honey

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

red food colouring : add one drop at a time until it's the colour you want

Directions

1.In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, beat confectioners' sugar, unsalted butter, honey, food colouring and ground cinnamon until smooth, 4 to 5 minutes
Enjoy

Chocolate Covered Strawberries - Tutorial

 I decided to give up chocolate for lent this year. By the time Easter Sunday rolled around, I was more than ready to indulge myself . In anticipation, I trolled the internet for pictures of yummy chocolate treats. Over the next few days  I want to share with you, some decandant goodies that made my mouth water. I'll be making these tomorrow.

                                 Chocolate Covered Strawberries

                          


Chocolate covered strawberries are super simple to make, yet they are oh, so expensive to buy, so why not make your own.


Ingredients:

Ripe Strawberries

1 package chocolate chips or 1 pound of chocolate bark. You can use white, semi-sweet or dark chocolate.

Optional toppings such as : chopped coconut, nuts, candy sprinkles, sugar crystals, crushed cookies and anything else your creativity comes up with



Instructions

1. Wash strawberries and pat with paper towel to dry.Leave stem attached.

2. Place chocolate in top of double boiler or microwave in glass dish.

3. Pick up the strawberries one by one by the stem and dip 3/4 the way up to stem into melted chocolate. As you pull them out of the chocolate, give them a swirl and turn them upside down to get a nice finish with the dripping chocolate

4. Place on waxed paper to allow the chocolate to harden.

When melting chocolate in microwave, melt in 20 second intervals and stir between each interval. This will allow the chocolate to melt but won't over cook the chocolate.

To make softer chocolate you can add 1 teaspoon butter or Crisco to the chocolate when melting. This will make the chocolate less brittle.


To make your dipped strawberries look extra special, melt white chocolate ( or white chocolate dyed various colours using gel dyes) in a plastic ziplock or twist tie sandwich bag. Place bag in microwave and again heat in 20 second intervals. Squeeze the bag to mix the chocolate and when fully melted snip one corner of the bag off and use the hole to drizzle the chocolate over your cooled strawberries.

This video shows the proper dipping and decorating technique using chopped nuts,coconut,sprinkles,chopped oreos and other tasty toppings

This video shows you how to decorate the strawberries for a wedding theme as a tuxedo and wedding dress

Here is a short video clip showing how to create a very cool marble effect on the strawberries

      And if you want to be totally decadent!! try these tasty morsels:
               Cheesecake Filled Chocolate Covered Strawberries

by Tami Rose

These plump strawberries filled with cheesecake, dipped in chocolate and then drizzled are perfect for birthdays, parties, celebrations, and holidays. Summer is the perfect time for these chocolately decendant fruits.



What You Need

Whole Strawberries

Philadelphia Ready-To-Eat Cheesecake filling

Good Quality Dipping Chocolate

What You Do

Carefully wash strawberries and pat dry with paper towels. Remove the stems from the berries. Using a small paring knife, core the center of each berry being careful to leave the bottom in tact.

Fill a plastic baggie with the cheesecake filling. Fill each berry with cheesecake continuing on top of berry with a pretty design.

Line a small baking sheet with wax paper.

In a microwave-safe bowl, melt dipping chocolate at 30-second intervals until chocolate is smooth and creamy. Dip each strawberry into chocolate, covering 3/4 of the berry. Lay on baking sheet. Fill a second plastic baggie with chocolate and drizzle over the berries in a pretty design. Chill. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Store in a sealed container in the fridge.



And why should strawberries get all the glory? How about chocolate covered cherries or raspberries?

Oh, be still my beating heart!!