Caramel-Dipped Spiked Cider Cupcakes

I woke up this morning to 30 degree weather and felt like a kid on Christmas. I know, I am weird. Most girls look forward to the sun kissing their skin and brandishing golden tans. I, on the other hand, live for crisp air and red noses.

One of my favorite things about cold weather? Spiked cider. Big surprise, I am sure, coming from the whiskey girl. But there might not be anything more comforting than a glass of spiked cider while curled up in a soft blanket with a good book. Thus, my Saturday night looked as such...

And this morning, my love of spiked cider and need to get back in the kitchen worked hand-in-hand to make these delicious Caramel-Dipped Spiked Cider Cupcakes. (Geesh, thats a mouthful.) So if you're as excited about fall as I am, allow this basic white girl recipe to take you to a happy autumn place.

Happy boozing and happy baking!

Caramel-Dipped Spike Cider Cupcakes

Prep: 20 min

Cook: 23 min per batch

Yield: 24 cupcakes

Cupcakes: 

1 3/4 flour

1 1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp allspice

3/4 cup melted butter (cooled)

3 eggs

1/2 cup apple cider

1/4 cup bourbon

1/2 cup milk

3 tsp vanilla

Icing: 

2 tbsp butter

3 tbsp milk

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 1/3 cup confectioners sugar

Cupcake:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. 

2. In medium bowl, mix dry ingredients (flour, sugar, allspice, baking powder and baking soda) until combined. 

3. In standing mixer, combine the wet ingredients. Make sure butter has cooled before mixing with eggs, as not to cook the eggs. 

4. Slowly add dry ingredients to wet mixture until smooth. 

5. Fill cupcake pan 3/4 full. 

6. Bake for ~23 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. 

7. Allow to cool completely before icing. 

Icing: 

1. In medium pan, melt butter. 

2. Mix in milk and brown sugar. Bring mixture to a boil for approximately 90 seconds. 

3. Remove from heat. 

4. Whisk in 1/2 cup confectioners sugar. 

5. Allow mixture to cool. 

6. Once cooled, add the remaining confectioners sugar and vanilla until desired thickness. 

7. Dip cooled cupcake tops 

Vanilla Bourbon Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Anyone who knows me, knows that my obsession with bourbon runs deep. Like, bourbon might actually be pulsing through my veins. Not in the alcoholic kind of way. But the I really believe that I should have been born in the south and spend all my time fantasizing about shooting guns while listening to country music somewhere near the Brazos kind of way.

Needless to say, I find any excuse to use bourbon in my baking. Its not only a great way to deal with my obsession but its also a great way to weed out the friends I don't really need in my life. Those who don't also love whiskey, don't deserve my baked goods... or me.

I am kidding, of course.

Over the last few weeks, I have seen all sorts of chocolate bourbon recipes, pecan pie bourbon cupcake recipes, etc. But being that I am not the biggest fan of chocolate, and that I only like eating pecan pie when I am with my dad who is all the way across the country, I decided to give my own spin on the whole bourbon in a cupcake ordeal. These are insanely easy to make thus I will not walk you through it. Just a few helpful hints below.

Happy baking!

*I believe vanilla paste is of the gods and that imitation vanilla, even vanilla extract by the fanciest brand, is nothing but what it sounds... a total imposter. With that said, use extract if you must. However, if you want a more potent and robust vanilla taste, spend the three extra dollars and buy the paste.

**Sifting the confectioners sugar for this recipe is about as important as shaving your legs when you are single. You are only doing it for yourself. But it definitely makes a difference in the texture of the frosting. And that my friends, was unintentionally funny.

Vanilla Bourbon Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Prep: 20 min

Cook: 20 min per batch

Yield: ~30 small cupcakes

Vanilla Bourbon Cupcake: 

2 1/3 cup flour

1 1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp baking powder

2 large eggs

1/2 cup melted butter, cooled

1 cup milk

1 1/4 tsp vanilla paste

1/2 cup bourbon of your choice

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

3 1/2 cup sifted confectioners sugar

1 tsp milk

1 tsp vanilla paste

1 cup softened unsalted butter, cooled

pinch of salt

1. Preheat oven to 375.

2. Mix together dry ingredients for cupcakes until well combined. Add all wet ingredients. If using a stand mixer, mix on speed 2 until smooth or hand mix until completely smooth. 

3. Fill cupcake tin 1/3 full for small cupcakes, 1/2 for large. 

4. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown or until a toothpick comes out clean.

5. While cupcakes are baking, sift confectioners sugar into standing mixer. Combine all ingredients and mix on speed 2. If hand mixing, whisk together until smooth. 

6. Allow cupcakes to cool completely before icing. 

Pumpkin Macarons with Bourbon Nutella Filling

I didn't start seriously baking until my second year in college. I had just gotten elected to the Panhellenic board, I had signed up for my hardest class schedule yet, a serious relationship had just ended and if I couldn't control everything else going on in my life, I knew baking was something I could control. 

Baking is methodical with room for creativity. If you follow the steps, your outcome is pretty close to predictable. Which was the control aspect that I loved. But, for those who know me, I also love being unique. And with baking you can always take your own spin on things. 

This last year has been a pretty insane one and there have been a lot of things out of my control. The connection to the improvement in my baking skills is definitely no coincidence. So when I went to make macarons for the first time and epically failed, I was discouraged to say the least. FOUR times I trialed and errored until I perfected these bad boys. 

This was a really eye opening experience for me. I know, I know... you're thinking, "Micah, finding profound life lessons in baking might be a sign that you are off your rocker." But this was honestly the first time I felt out of control in my kitchen. I kept at it, however. And I ended up finding a recipe that I am beyond obsessed with. 

Life is hard to control sometimes. You can take every right step and still not get where you expected, when you expected to be there. You'll make mistakes. You'll make mistakes you don't even realize you are making. Sometimes you'll have to go back and start over. But it all works out in the end. And if you keep your head high, if you believe in yourself and your potential, you'll be absolutely amazed at what you are capable of. 

So with that... Let's head to the kitchen for some deliciously hard to make Pumpkin Macarons. Have patience when trying to make these suckers because they can getcha. 

You'll want to start by deciding if you would rather use almond flour or if you want to process your own blanched almonds. I tried both. Almond flour is certainly easier but when I finally used my own finely processed blanched almonds, I hit the recipe jackpot. 

Once you have processed your almonds, add the confectioner's sugar to the almond meal. Pulse in the processor until combined. Add your pumpkin pie spice to the mix and pulse again. Run the mix through a sifter. Re-process the dry mix that has not been made fine enough to make it through the sifter. Sift again. 

In a standing mixer, whisk 4 large egg whites on speed #2 for 2 minutes. Yes, the time matters. I tried eyeing the consistency the first time I attempted this recipe. I watched tutorials and videos, read a million blogs and recipes, ate a ton of macarons from the french grocery downstairs, and finally realized that I just needed to take everyone's word for it and whisk for 2 minutes. 

Add the sugar and vanilla, mix on speed #6 for another 2 minutes. Add your GEL food coloring (I wanted a light orange because pumpkins) and mix on speed #8 for 2 more minutes. The mix should be fluffy and have soft peaks when done. If you are anything like me, you are wondering what in the heck a soft peak is. Here you go: 

Fold in the almond mixture all at once until completely blended (about 40 folds). Place into piping bag and pipe onto cookie sheet lined with parchment paper about 1/2 an inch apart. Once the mixture has flattened, bang against surface to release any air bubbles in the mixture. Set in a dark, dry place to let the tops harden. Once the top is no longer sticky to the touch they are ready to place in the oven. 

While the cookies are in the oven, mix together your filling. If you aren't a bourbon fan, (aside from us no longer being friends) you can make the mix without the bourbon. Place into piping bag. Make sure the cookies have completely cooled before piping the filling. 

Voila! You have made a delightful treat that would cost you approximately three freaking dollars in the Big Apple. Congratulations, you money saving animal you! If it took you a couple tries to get this recipe right, try to remember that life leaves room for error. You eventually got there. And thats all that matters. Happy baking! 

Pumpkin Macarons with Bourbon Nutella Filling

Yield: Approx. 30 small macarons

Prep: 20 min. 

Cook: 13 min. per batch

Pumpkin Macaron: 

1 1/4 cups almond meal

1 3/4 cup confectioners sugar

1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice

4 large egg whites

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Bourbon Nutella Filling: 

1 tsp Woodford Reserve whiskey

1 tsp vanilla

4 tsp milk

1 tbsp Nutella

1 1/2 cup powdered sugar (or to desired thickness)

1. Place almond meal and confectioners sugar in food processor. Pulse until combined. Add pumpkin pie spice and pulse again. 

2. Sift almond mix. Re-process any mix not fine enough to fit through sift. Sift again. 

3. In standing mixer, whisk egg whites for 2 minutes on speed #2. Add the sugar and vanilla, whisk for 2 minutes on speed #6. Add the gel food coloring and whisk on speed #8 for 2 more minutes. The mix should be fluffy with soft peaks. 

4. Fold the almond mix into the meringue approx. 40 times. 

5. Fill into piping bag and pipe onto cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Pipe 1/4 inch circles about 1/2 inch apart. Once the mix has flattened out, bang on surface to release air bubbles. 

6. Let cookies sit in a dark dry place until the tops are hard and no longer sticky to the touch. 

7. Preheat the oven to 350 and bake cookies for 13 minutes, turning halfway through. 

8. Mix together whiskey, vanilla, Nutella and milk. Slowly add powdered sugar until desired consistency. Fill in small piping bag. 

9. Allow the cookies to cool completely before filling with bourbon nutella. 

10. Enjoy! 

Pumpkin Scones with Maple Brown Sugar Glaze

Fall has always been my favorite time of year. Yes, I am that typical white girl that loves football, pumpkin spice lattes, and (innocent plug) my birthday. Everything about sweater weather and the changing colors is perfect in my mind. So you can be assured that pumpkin will be making its way into a few of my recipes.

I decided to kick-off the fall season with some pumpkin scones. My raspberry and chocolate scones are always a hit at the office, so I figured this would be a measured bet.

And though it seems to be the season of salted caramel, I decided to try something a little bit off the beaten path- a maple brown sugar glaze.

I seriously believe that baking should make someone feel powerful. That's why I like to listen to pump up music, dance, sometimes sing really terribly while I bake. Tonight, however, I decided to bake while watching Narcos (the new show on Netflix about Pablo Escobar). I have to assume the feeling I had while doing this would be very similar to baking while watching Breaking Bad, because although I was making pumpkin scones (probably the most innocent food of all time) I felt totally hardcore.

So while Escobar was doing his thing, I was over here mixing together some delicious fall ingredients. I started by mixing together all the dry ingredients in a medium sized mixing bowl. Then cutting in the butter.

Once you have your dry mix together, whisk together your wet ingredients (canned pumpkin, milk, and eggs) in a separate bowl. Once they are blended well, gently pour over the dry ingredients until slightly moist. One should always avoid using the word moist but it was the best option here.

Drop the dough onto a lightly floured work space and proceed to flour the top of the dough, then bottom of dough slightly. Knead 15-20 times or until dough is easy to handle.

I wanted to make miniature scones for the office so I split the dough into four equal parts and created 1/4 inch thick circles that I then cut into 8 pieces.

Lightly brush the tops with the extra milk. If you like very sweet scones, you can also sprinkle a bit of sugar over the top. I did two with and two without some vanilla flavored sugar. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet about an inch apart.

Cook for 10 minutes or until golden brown around the edges. Let cool for 10 minutes.

While the scones are cooking and cooling, I made the maple brown sugar drizzle. Start by mixing together the butter, maple syrup, vanilla and brown sugar until completely incorporated. Slowly add powdered sugar until desired thickness. Once the scones are completely cooled, you can either drizzle or frost the scones. These are your scones, so you do you.

In the end, you should end up with some delicious bites of fall that look just as basic as they sound.

Happy fall baking!

Pumpkin Scones with Maple Brown Sugar Glaze

Yield: Approx. 32 miniature scones

Prep: 15 min

Cook: 10 min per batch

Scones: 
5 cups flour
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 cup cold butter (cut)
3/4 cup milk
2 large eggs
1 cup pumpkin puree

Glaze:
1/2 cup quality maple syrup
2/3 cups brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp softened butter
1 cup powdered sugar (or until preferred thickness)

Scones: 

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix together dry ingredients in medium bowl. Cut in butter until coarse.

2. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together wet ingredients until blended.

3. Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients until slightly moist.

4. Dump dough onto floured work space. Lightly flour top and bottom of dough and knead 15-20 times or until easy to work with.

5. Split dough into 4 equal parts and create 1/4 inch thick circles.

6. Cut circles into 8 and lightly brush with remaining milk. If you like very sweet scones you can also sprinkle some sugar over the top. Place on ungreased cookie sheet about an inch apart.

7. Cook for 10 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Allow to cool completely before adding glaze.

Glaze: 

1. Combine butter, eggs, maple syrup, vanilla, and brown sugar in standing mixer.

2. Mix on medium for 2-3 minutes or until completely blended.

3. Add powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time until desired thickness and flavor.

4. Drizzle over or frost pumpkin scones once completely cooled.

Nutella Glazed Homemade Doughnuts

Many have asked and I have finally decided to deliver. My name is Micah-Tynele. And I love anything that involves homemaking. No, I do not have a husband nor do I have kids. I just love taking care of my home, even if its just this tiny little corner of Hoboken.

Cooking, to me, is a therapy. A therapy much cheaper and much more enjoyable than talking to a stranger while sprawled out on a big comfy couch. With every spice and ingredient you add, you shed a fear or a worry that you may have been carrying with you before. And decorating? Well decorating taught me how to be myself. Each pillow and rug is a declaration of who I am and how I want to be seen.

I won't pretend to say I am an expert at all things cooking. My baked-goods sometimes come out a tad too dry or overly salty. And my style may not be for everyone. But I am looking forward to welcoming you into my precious little Hoboken apartment for some adventures that I am sure will prove to be entertaining at the very least.

Welcome to apartment 10!

Let's start off in the kitchen... 

You have caught me just in time for my fall decorating (courtesy of the Target dollar section). This kitchen is my little piece of heaven.  

Last week I got a hankering for donuts. I had seen many recipes on Pinterest and decided to give it a shot with my own spin. I took my dough suggestions from Pioneer Woman (who, might I add, is one of my go-to's). 

I started by heating the milk in a saucepan on medium. You want the milk to be warm enough to dissolve the sugar the the yeast completely. If you are as impatient as I am, try my routine of choosing a song to dance around the kitchen to while you wait. For this I chose "Rain is a Good Thing" because something about corn and yeast seemed to connect in my mind. Once the milk is warm, add the sugar and the yeast and stir until they have dissolved. 

In a separate bowl, mix together the flour and salt. 

I use my standing mixer with the dough paddle in all things dough related, however if you do not have a standing mixer you can use a hand held or a spoon and get a little arm workout in. On a low speed, mix together the milk and eggs. Add the yeast mix. Then slowly (in 1/3 increments) add the flour. Let mix for 4-5 minutes or until completely incorporated.

Voila! You have dough, you fantastic baker you! 

Now I know you want to get to work on these decadent treats right away. But the refrigerator is calling and your dough must go. It's just for the night, though, so do not despair. Make sure the bowl has been buttered or oiled down and has been covered with cling wrap before you place the dough in the fridge. 

The morning will feel like Christmas if you are anything like me. (Why yes, I did dream about all the different types of doughnuts I would be eating the next day) Your dough is now ready to be rolled out and cut. Make sure to lightly flour your rolling area as well as your dough. If you have done a good job on the dough it will be hard to roll out because it will want to recoil every time you roll it. The colder it is and the quicker you roll it, the better. 

Once you have rolled it out, cut out circles in whatever size doughnut you would like to create. I did mini doughnuts in hopes of feeding more mouths at the office. Once you have cut out the larger circles, use a smaller cut to make the doughnut holes. You can either fry those as doughnut holes or incorporate them back into the dough to roll out more doughnuts. 

Once you have your doughnuts cut, place them on a greased pan and cover them with a tea towel. Let them rise for an hour. That gives you just enough time to get ready to look smoking hot for your photo op with your doughnuts or to veg on your couch and watch the next episode of your most recent Netflix binge. 

After an hour, start heating the oil. I let my dough rise for about 20 minutes longer than recommended by Pioneer Woman and it did wonders for the dough. That 20 minutes was about as long as it took my oil to get to the suggested 375 degree temp for frying. 

I fried multiple doughnuts at once, though most sites said not to, and they all turned out great. It takes about 1 minute to cook the doughnut on each side. Once the dough is cooked, drain each doughnut on a thick layer of paper towels and pat dry. 

I made a delicious Nutella glaze because who doesn't love Nutella. And by the way- this was the easiest frosting in the history of frosting. In a separate mixing bowl I blended 1/2 cup nutella, 1/2 tsp vanilla, 5-7 teaspoons milk, and 1 cup powdered sugar (I did add a little extra powdered sugar until I hit the consistency I was looking for so be willing to step away from the measurements a bit). 

Once the doughnuts cooled down, I drizzled them with the Nutella frosting and BAM! delicious homemade doughnuts are yours. Take 'em to the office to earn some brownie points with your colleagues, swing some to the neighbors to get them to keep the noise down, or put 'em on a plate and pour yourself a nice glass of milk because you are king of the kitchen and you totally deserve to eat as many of those bad boys as you want. 

Nutella Frosted Homemade Doughnuts

Yield: approx. 25 mini doughnuts

Prep Time: 8-9 hours

Cook Time: 2 minutes per doughnut

• Doughnuts:
• 1-1/8 cup Whole Milk, Warm

• 1/4 cup Sugar

• 2-1/4 teaspoons (one Package) Instant Or Active Dry Yeast

• 2 whole Large Eggs, Beaten

• 1-1/4 stick Unsalted Butter, melted

• 4 cups All-purpose Flour

• 1/4 teaspoon Salt

• 
  

• Nutella Frosting:

• 1 cup powdered sugar

• 1/2 cup nutella

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

• 5-7 teaspoons milk

Doughnuts:

1. Heat milk in a saucepan until warm

2. Add sugar and yeast and stir until completely dissolved. 

3. Melt butter

4. Add eggs to butter and whisk until combined.

5.Place in standing mixer with dough paddle. Add yeast mixture and mix for 3-5 minutes. 

6. Mix together flour and salt in separate bowl. 

7. In 1/3 increments, blend flour into mix. Once all flour is added, let mix for 4-5 minutes. 

8. Oil/butter bowl to place dough in overnight. Cover with cling wrap and refrigerate for 8+ hours. 

9. Remove from fridge and roll while still cold. 

10. Cut into preferred size doughnuts. 

11. Place cut dough on greased pan and cover with tea towel. Allow to rise for 1+ hour or until soft and bouncy to the touch. 

12. Heat oil to 375 degrees. 

13. Cook doughnuts, 1 minute on each side. It is okay to cook multiple doughnuts at once but do not allow to layer in oil mixture. 

14. Remove from oil and drain on paper towel, pat dry, let cool.

Icing:

1. Whisk together Nutella, vanilla, and milk.

2. Add powdered sugar. Continue adding until at your preferred consistency.

3. Drizzle or spread on cooled doughnuts.

4. Let set.

Thanks for indulging me on my first post. Until next time!