Last week's cupcake recipes were a smashing success!  We made some really good stuff.  Check out the recipes below:

Chocolate Almond Cupcakes

1/2 cup(1 stick) sweet butter
1/2 cup(3 1/2 oz.) semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup superfine sugar
4 separated eggs
2 tbsp. all purpose flour
1/2 cup(1 1/2 oz) slivered, almonds  

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (160 degrees C). Place paper baking cups in a muffin pan. Melt the butter and chocolate chip in a double boiler, or a medium bowl over a pan of simmering water, stirring until completely melted. (Or microwave for 1 minute at a time stirring each time until melted completely) Cool slightly. 

Beat the sugar and egg yolks  in a medium bowl until thick and creamy. Stir the butter and chocolate, flour, and almonds into the egg mixture. 

In a medium bowl, beat the egg whites to soft peaks, and gently fold into the chocolate mixture. Spoon the batter into cups. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove pan from oven and cool for 5 minutes. then remove the cupcakes and cool on rack. 

Store refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days, or freezer for up to 3 months. 

This recipe was very tasty (according to my husband and daughter, as I am allergic to chocolate I could not taste test it).  No real problems with this recipe.  It is an unfrosted cupcake.

Honey Cupcakes

For the cupcakes
1 cup(2 sticks) sweet butter, softened
1 cup superfine sugar
2 cups self-rising flour
4 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract

For the Frosting 
1 cup cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1/3 cup honey
blue food coloring

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 C). Place 18 baking cups in muffin pans. Combine cupcake ingredients in a medium bowl and beat with an electric mixer until smooth and pale, about 2 to 3 minutes. Spoon the batter into the cups. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove pans from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Them remove the cupcakes and cool on rack.

for the frosting, beat the cream cheese and confectioners' sugar in a medium bowl with an electric mixer, until light and creamy. Beat in the honey and a few drops of food coloring. 

Spread frosting onto the cupcakes.

Store without frosting in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge or freeze for up to 3 months. 

Very sweet and yummy!  The only suggestion I would make on this one would be to bake it 3-4 minutes less than the time calls for.

Raspberry Cupcakes w/Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

4 C Butter, room temperature
1 1/2 sugar
2 C self rising flour
1 C milk
2 t vanilla extract
4 egg whites
1 C fresh or frozen raspberries

Cream the butter and sugar for about 3 minutes.  Add vanilla extract and milk.  While continuing to mix add the flour and milk alternately, finishing with the milk.  Mix until incorporated.
Separately, whip the egg whites to semi stiff peaks and fold them into the batter gently.  Fold in the raspberries.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

4 egg whites
1 1/2 C sugar
2 C room temperature unsalted butter
1 T vanilla extract
Natural red food coloring

In the bowl of an electric mixer, whisk together egg whites and sugar lightly.  Place over a water bath until sugar is dissolved and mixture is hot to the touch.  It will look like a light marshmallow.  Bring bowl to the electric mixer and whip until stiff peaks form and the bottom of bowl is cool.  Add butter, a tablespoon at a time while whipping.  It might look like it is curdling at one point but continue to whip till it comes together.  Add vanilla extract and red food coloring and mix until incorporated.

VERY YUMMY!  And very fluffy.  This cupcake was delicious.  And, this was my first attempt at a buttercream frosting from scratch.  (Takes forever by the way).  But is was totally worth it!

Apple Cupcakes w/Caramel Frosting

2 C apples, cut thinly and chopped finely
1 C sugar
1/4 C oil
1 egg, beaten
1 t vanilla
1 C flour
1 t baking powder
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t salt
1/4 t baking soda
1/2 C walnuts, chopped

Cream Cheese Caramel Frosting

3 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 C butter
1/3 C caramel ice cream topping
1-2 C powdered sugar

Decorations
Chopped nuts
Caramel Ice Cream Topping

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Fill muffin tin with cupcake liners.  In large bowl, combine apples and sugar.  Add oil, eggs and vanilla.  Combine dry ingredients, whisk lightly.  Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients.  Stir together until just combined.  Stir in nuts.  Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full.  Bake for 20 minutes or until toothpick comes our clean.

Beat together cream cheese and butter until fluffy.  Add the caramel topping and mix well.  Gradually add the powdered sugar until desired consistency.  Fit a decorator bag with giant round tip and fill with frosting.  Pipe on frosting and sprinkle with nuts and drizzle with caramel.

 BEST CUPCAKE so far!  The frosting on these is soooo good, you could literally just eat it by the spoonful!  Frosting and cupcake combined was AWESOME!  I totally recommend everyone should try these!