Cupcake #9: First Blush of Crush Cupcakes

Pink frosting?? Yes, please! And made with grenadine?? Mmmm...as someone who loves a good Shirley Temple, this cupcake was right up my alley!

These were a cute and fun cupcake to do--they'd make a great party treat! Cupcake ingredients: -6 Tbsp. unsalted butter -3 eggs, room temp. -3/4 c. milk -1 1/2 c. sugar -1 tsp. pure vanilla extract -1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour -2 tsp. baking powder -2 Tbsp. potato starch -1/4 tsp. salt To Make Cupcakes: 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place ~12 paper liners into cupcake trays (I got 16 cupcakes!) 2. Beat eggs and sugar together with an electric mixer until a pale yellow, about 3-5 minutes. 3. Whisk flour, potato starch, baking powder and salt together.

4. Add flour mixture to batter.

5. Microwave milk for 2 minutes and then add to batter. 6. Microwave butter for 30 seconds, or until melted and then add to batter with the vanilla.

7. Pour batter into paper liners. Fill 3/4 of the way to the top. 8. Bake 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of cupcake comes out clean. 9. Cool for 5 minutes and then place on baking racks.

Grenadine Frosting: -1 1/2 pounds cream cheese, room temp. -1 c. unsalted butter, room temp. -2 c. powdered sugar -1 tsp. vanilla extract -2 Tbsp. grenadine To Make the Frosting: 1. Cream the cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer until fluffy, about 3-5 minutes.

2. Add the sugar and beat until smooth. 3. Add the vanilla and grenadine and beat until a uniform pink.

4. Frost cupcakes with frosting spatula. If you're able to pipe on the frosting, feel free to do so! **I tried to do this, but the frosting was too thin** Decorate, if you'd like :) I added edible pink glitter and silver sprinkles!

Cupcake #8: Taste of Summer the Way It Used to Be---Peachy

These cupcakes sounded so refreshing! And they weren't overly sweet. They have a tasty brown sugar and praline topping, which was delish! The peach cupcake is light and these cupcakes are small enough to want to keep having more ;)

Ingredients: -1/3 c. veg. oil -3/4 c. milk, divided at room temp. -1 egg, room temp. -1 tsp. vanilla extract -1 c. sugar -2 c. sifted cake flour -2 tsp. baking powder -2 Tbsp. potato starch -1/2 tsp. salt -1/2 c. chopped pecans -6 peaches, skin removed, grilled or roasted, and diced or pureed

To Make the Cupcakes: 1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place ~24 cupcake papers in the trays. 2. In a mixing bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, potato starch, salt and pecans. Mix with whisk or sift together to ensure the dry ingredients are fully incorporated.

3. Add the vegetable oil, egg and half of the milk to the dry ingredients. Mix until combined.

4. Then add remaining milk, peaches and vanilla. Stir until thoroughly combined, about1 minute. 5. Fill cupcake trays halfway with the batter.

6. Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of a cupcake comes out clean. ***Praline topping will be put on as soon as cupcakes come out of oven, so prepare while they're baking*** Praline topping: -1/4 c. melted butter -3/4 c. brown sugar -18 pecan halves For the Frosting: 1. Combine melted butter and brown sugar.

As soon as cupcakes come out of oven, spoon mixture over them. 2. Place a pecan half in the center of each and promptly return them to the oven for 5 minutes. 3. Cool for 5 minutes and then place on baking racks.

Double Chocolate Coconut Cookies

These cookies were a bit impromptu, if you will :) I made them very last minute, substituting what I had in my pantry. They sounded tasty, so I'm glad I had most of the ingredients! They're almost like an almond-joy candy bar if it were in cookie form :) This recipe comes from Martha Stewart's Cookies.

Ingredients: -1 c. unsalted butter, room temp. -1/2 c. granulated sugar -3/4 c. packed light brown sugar -2 large eggs -1 tsp. vanilla extract -1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour -1/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder -1 tsp. baking soda -1/2 tsp. baking powder -1/2 tsp. salt -2 c. white chocolate chunks (I didn't have white choc, so I used semi-sweet) -1 3/4 c. sweetened flaked coconut -1 3/4 c. coarsely chopped walnuts (I used almonds and the recipe actually says to substitute any nut you'd like!) 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Put butter and sugars in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until smooth, about 2 mins.

Mix in eggs one at a time. Stir in vanilla. 2. Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a bowl.

Mix into butter mixture on low speed until well combined.

Stir in chocolate, coconut, and nuts.

3. Using a 1 1/2-in. ice cream scoop, drop batter onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing 2 inches apart. Flatten slightly.

Bake until set, 10-12 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks 2 minutes. Transfer cookies on parchment to racks to cool completely.

Cookies can be stored in airtight containers at room temp. up to 1 week.

Cupcake #7: Black Bottom Heartache

This cupcake was more like a muffin--kind of a nice surprise! It was chocolaty and full of flavor. I was debating whether or not to make a frosting or ganache to go with it, but it didn't really need anything else!

Ingredients for cupcakes: -1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour -1 c. firmly packed light brown sugar -5 Tbsp. natural unsweetened cocoa powder -1 tsp. baking soda -1/4 tsp. salt -1 c. water -1/3 c. vegetable oil -1 tsp. vanilla extract To Make the Cupcakes: 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place 12 paper liners in cupcake trays. 2. Whisk together flour, brown sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.

3. In separate bowl mix water, oil, and vanilla.

4. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and stir in the wet ingredients.

Mix until smooth.

5. Pour batter into paper liners. Fill 3/4 of the way to the top.

6. Spoon a few tablespoons of the filling (recipe below) into the center of each cake. The cupcakes will now be at the top of the paper.

7. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

8. Cool for 5 minutes and then place on a baking rack. Ingredients for filling: -8 ounces cream cheese at room temp. -1/3 c. granulated sugar -1 egg, room temp. -2 ounces bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped To Make the Filling: 1. Cream sugar, cream cheese and egg with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes.

2. Fold in the chopped chocolate with a rubber spatula.

Cherry Pie with Almond Crumble

I love making a pie for the 4th of July--feels like tradition :) I found this recipe from one of my Everyday Food magazines and have been wanting to try it for awhile. I know not everyone is crazy about cherry pie, but I thought with the cobbler-like topping, it would make anyone want to rethink trying it! It was delicious! The crumble on top really did take the flavor to the next level. Even if you're not a big cherry fan (and you really could use a different fruit if you want), you should give this recipe a try!

Ingredients: -1 c. plus 1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour, divided, plus more for work surface -3/4 c. granulated sugar -1/2 tsp. salt, divided -6 c. drained jarred sour cherries (from three 24-oun. cans) -1 tsp. pure vanilla extract -1 homemade or store-bought pie crust in a deep-dish 9-in. plate -1 large egg white, lightly beaten -1/2 c. light brown sugar -1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces -1/4 c. almonds 1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F, with racks in middle and lower thirds. In a large bowl, stir together 1 Tbsp. flour, granulated sugar, and 1/4 tsp. salt.

Stir in cherries and vanilla.

Brush crust with egg white and fill with cherry mixture.

2. In a food processor, pulse together remaining 1 c. flour and 1/4 tsp. salt.

Add brown sugar, butter, and almonds; pulse until large pieces form.

Scatter crumble over cherry filling.

3. Bake on middle rack, with a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet on lower rack to catch drips, until topping and crust are golden, 30-45 mins. Tent pie loosely with foil; bake until juices in center are bubbling, 30-45 minutes more.

Transfer to a rack and let cool. Serve warm or at room temp. (Cover and keep at room temp. up to 3 days) Tastes great with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!