Tag Archives: TenaciousMblog

Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes with Ganache Frosting

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These Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes are super moist, fluffy, and richly chocolatey. The velvety ganache frosting is perfect, while zucchini lends moisture and some veggie power!

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Ingredients

Cupcake Batter:
1 cups all purpose flour
1¼ cups granulated sugar
¼ cup + 2 TB unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp instant coffee granules (decaf is fine)
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp table salt
2 large eggs
½ cup + 2 TB canola oil
1½ cups finely grated zucchini, loosely packed
1 cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips (mini’s are best, as they melt into the cake well)

Orange-Ganache Frosting:
4½ oz semi sweet chocolate morsels
½ cup heavy cream
2 tsp orange extract
Optional: shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened) for garnish

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Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F, with rack on lower middle position. Line or grease a standard muffin pan. Set aside.

2. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, coffee granules, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to combine well.

3. In a separate bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Add oil, zucchini, and mini chocolate chips. Stir to combine well.

4. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold together the flour mixture with the egg mixture. Fold gently just until no more dry streaks of flour remain; do not overmix. Bake 20-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few tender crumbs attached (be sure to test in a cake-only spot; cracked spots tend to be misleading, since melted chocolate chips sit in those cracks.) Cool cupcakes completely.

5. Meanwhile, make the Ganache: In a heavy saucepan, add chocolate morsels and heavy cream. Constantly stir on low heat until smooth and melted. Add orange extract and stir until combined. Remove from heat and let cool enough for ganache to thicken to a frost-able consistency. Frost as desired and sprinkle with shredded coconut.

Boston Cream Cupcakes

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If you like Boston Cream Pie, you’ll flip over these yummy Boston Cream Cupcakes! Tender, moist, and filled with golden custard.

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Ingredients

For the Pastry Cream:
1⅓ cups heavy cream
3 egg yolks
⅓ cup granulated sugar
⅛ tsp salt
4 teaspoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 2 pieces
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

For the Cupcakes:
1¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1½ teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened but still cool, cut into 12 pieces
3 eggs
¾ cup whole milk
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
For the Chocolate Glaze:
¾ cup heavy cream
¼ cup light corn syrup
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

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Directions

1. Make the Pastry Cream: Heat the heavy cream in a medium saucepan over medium heat until simmering, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks, sugar and salt together in a medium bowl. Add the cornstarch and whisk until the mixture is pale yellow and thick, about 15 seconds.

2. When the cream reaches a full simmer, slowly whisk it into the yolk mixture. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until it’s a thick pudding consistency, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the butter and vanilla extract until the butter is completely melted. Transfer the pastry cream to a small bowl and press plastic wrap directly on the surface. Refrigerate until set, at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.

3. Make the Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners and set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt on medium-low speed. Add the butter and mix until the mixture resembles coarse sand. Add the eggs, gently mixing until incorporated. Add the milk and vanilla extract; to avoid splatter, blend on low and then increase to medium, mixing until light and fluffy and no lumps remain, about 3 minutes, stopping to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl halfway through. Batter will be almost a bit “foamy” to the touch.

4. Fill the muffin cups three-quarters full and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 19-20 minutes. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

5. Make the Glaze: Combine the heavy cream, corn syrup, chocolate and vanilla in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until smooth. Set the glaze aside to cool and thicken at room temperature at least 1 hour (I let mine sit longer to thicken to a frosting consistency. Chill in fridge a bit, if needed.)

6. Assemble the Cupcakes: Using a paring knife, cut into the center of the cupcake at a 45-degree angle about ⅛-inch from the edge and cut all the way around. Remove the cone and cut away all but the top ¼ inch, leaving a small disk of cake.

7. Fill the inside of each cupcake with room-temp pastry cream and top with the disk of cake. Spread the chocolate glaze over top of each cupcake, covering the top completely. Refrigerate the cupcakes until the glaze is set, about 10 minutes. Serve at room temp.

Sunday Reflections

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Happy Sunday and wishing you an amazing week!

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Chocolate Matzo Madness Toffee

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Take a crack at this Southern spin on a traditional Passover treat. But it’s not only relegated to the holiday. In fact, you can make this sweet snack year-round using saltine crackers for a crispy, salty base that makes the chocolate and pecans pop in your mouth. So do yourself a favor and indulge!

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Ingredients

1 cup (8 oz.) salted butter, plus butter to grease pan
4 to 5 sheets lightly salted matzos
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 (12-oz.) package semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped toasted pecans
1/4 teaspoon Maldon sea salt, if desired

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 18- x 12-inch rimmed baking sheet with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Grease foil with butter. Arrange matzos in prepared pan, breaking as necessary to fit and completely cover bottom.

2. Bring 1 cup butter and brown sugar to a boil in a heavy saucepan over medium, whisking occasionally. Boil, whisking constantly, 3 minutes. Carefully pour mixture over matzos; spread over matzos.

3. Bake in preheated oven until bubbly all over, 8 to 10 minutes. Carefully remove baking sheet from oven to a wire rack. Let stand 1 minute. Sprinkle chocolate chips over top; let stand until chips soften, about 2 minutes. Spread chocolate over brown sugar mixture. Sprinkle with pecans; sprinkle with salt, if desired. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Chill toffee until firm, about 30 minutes. Break or cut into about 36 pieces. Store in an airtight container up to 1 week in refrigerator.

Sunday Reflections

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Happy Sunday #friendsofTenaciousM!! Have a love-filled week.

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The World is Purple

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In celebration of the genius that was Prince…

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Chocolate-Key Lime Cupcake Pies

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This cupcake version of a chocolate-key lime pie is an ideal pick-up dessert for entertaining. Make a crumb crust with chocolate wafers and top with a sweet cream cheese mixture with fresh key lime juice. Try cupcake pies with sweetened whipped cream, fresh cherries, blackberries, and mint leaves.

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Ingredients

12 jumbo-size aluminum foil baking cups
Vegetable cooking spray
1 (9-oz.) package chocolate wafer cookies
1/2 cup butter, melted
3 (8-oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons key lime zest
1/3 cup fresh key lime juice
3 large eggs
Garnishes: sweetened whipped cream, fresh cherries and blackberries, fresh mint leaves

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Place 12 jumbo-size aluminum foil baking cups in lightly greased muffin pans, and coat with cooking spray.

2. Pulse chocolate wafer cookies in a food processor 8 to 10 times or until finely crushed. Stir together cookie crumbs and butter; firmly press on bottom and two-thirds up sides of each baking cup (about 3 Tbsp. crumbs per cup).

3. Beat cream cheese and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended. Add lime zest and lime juice, beating at low speed until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until yellow disappears after each addition. Spoon mixture into prepared cups, filling completely full.

4. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until set. Cool in pans on wire racks 15 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks, and let cool 15 minutes or until completely cool. Cover and chill 4 hours. Garnish, if desired.

Go… And Find Yourself Some Happiness

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I am so thrilled that my book, “Go… And Find Yourself Some Happiness” is now in reprint. It’s available at amazon and lovelier than ever! #goandfindyourselfsomehappiness

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Sunday Reflections

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Have an amazing and blessed Sunday!

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Chocolate Peanut-Butter Icebox Cake

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This crowd-pleasing icebox cake uses already prepared cookies; the only real work is having to wait to eat it while it chills.

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Ingredients

2 cups heavy cream, well chilled
1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/3 cup smooth natural peanut butter (not unsalted)
1 box (9 ounces) chocolate wafer cookies

Directions

1. In a large bowl, whip 1 1/2 cups cream with sugar until soft peaks form. In a small bowl, whisk peanut butter until soft and smooth; whisk in 1/2 cup cream until light and fluffy. Fold peanut-butter mixture into whipped cream until incorporated.

2. Dab the bottom of 6 cookies with a very small amount of cream mixture and arrange in a circle on a serving plate; place 1 cookie in the middle of circle. Top with cup cream mixture, spreading outward to cover all but outer edges of cookies. Repeat process 5 more times (staggering the cookie layers), ending with cream. Cut 3 cookies in half; decorate top of cake with cookie halves.

3. Refrigerate cake at least 8 hours (or up to overnight). To serve, cut into wedges with a serrated knife.