With Sprinkles on Top

My love of all things cherry continues! Shirley Temples are THE drink to make little kids feel like grown ups. Nothing like a little 7up, ginger ale, and grenadine to make you feel like the coolest kid on earth. I used to ask for extra cherries in mine. And by “extra”, I mean ten.

My apologies that this post isn’t wordier (though I’m a less-is-more type when it comes to writing). I’m in the middle of final exams and… well… yeah. So onward with the recipe!

Shirley Temple Cupcakes
Recipe source: The Curvy Carrot
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1-1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup Cherry 7-Up, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 Tablespoon maraschino cherry juice
Red food coloring

For the frosting:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
Pinch salt
2-1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 Tablespoon maraschino cherry juice

For garnish:
12 maraschino cherries with stems

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and prepare a cupcake pan with your desired paper liners.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together 1 and 1/2 cups of flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of your standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and sugar together and beat, on medium-high speed, until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
4. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
5. Reduce the mixer speed to low, and alternate adding half of the flour mixture and half of the Cherry 7-Up, mixing well and scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Repeat until the flour and Cherry 7-Up are completely added to the batter.
6. Add the vanilla and almond extracts, mixing well.
7. Place about 3/4 cup of the cupcake batter in a separate small bowl and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of flour, maraschino cherry juice, and red food coloring (to your desired tint).
8. Evenly distribute the red cupcake batter among your prepared liners, about 1-2 teaspoons per cupcake, gently smoothing out the batter to make sure it is flat.
9. Once the red batter is in place, evenly distribute the remaining cupcake batter among the cupcake liners, making sure not to mix the two batters.
10. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let cool completely before frosting.

For the frosting:
1. In the bowl of your standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
2. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the pinch of salt, powdered (confectioners’) sugar, vanilla and almond extracts, lemon juice, and maraschino cherry juice, adding more powdered sugar as necessary for your desired piping consistency.
3. Pipe as desired onto your cooled cupcakes and garnish with a maraschino cherry.

Makes 12 cupcakes.

Two winters ago, I featured one of my all-time favorite cookies — the 7 Layer Cookie (aka, the Italian Rainbow Cookie). I know what you may be thinking. It looks more like a bar than a cookie. I can’t figure out why they’re called “cookies” either. I HIGHLY encourage you to try making the 7 Layer Cookies — because they are just amazing.

The bummer about making 7 Layer Cookies is that they take all day to make. A lot of hurry-up-and-waiting. If you want something faster that tastes similar, try this cake! It will be sure to impress at your holiday party!

Italian Rainbow Cookie Cake
Recipe source: Always Order Dessert
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3 sticks butter, softened
1-1/2 cups granulated white sugar
6 large eggs
12 ounces of almond paste, grated with a box grater
1 Tablespoon pure almond extract
1 cups milk
3 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
3 teaspoons baking powder
red food coloring
green food coloring
yellow food coloring
1/4 cup seedless raspberry jam
1/4 cup apricot preserves [note: I used apricot jam for both layers since I didn’t have raspberry]

For the ganache:
1 cup heavy cream
12 oz semisweet chocolate

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. In the base of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. About 5 minutes. Add the eggs and continue to beat for 3 more minutes. Add the grated almond paste, almond extract, and milk, and beat until well combined.
3. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder then slowly add to the almond paste batter and mix until combined.
4. Separate the mixture evenly into three bowls. Dye each bowl a different shade (one green, one yellow, one red).
5. Prepare three 9″ round baking pans. Butter and flour them — or spray generously with non-stick spray.
6. Pour each color of the mixture into individual pans making sure to smooth out the top. Bake for approximately 20-25 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes before inverting onto a cooling rack.
7. While the cake is cooling, prepare the ganache by heating 1 cup of heavy cream in a small saucepan just until bubbles start to form around the edge. Turn off the heat and pour over the chocolate in a large bowl. Stir continuously until melted completely and smooth. Let cool to room temperature.

Assembling the cake:
1. Spread the jam onto one of the cakes (I started with the green cake). Top with another cake (yellow, in my case). Spread this cake with more jam. Top with the final cake (pink).
2. Use a spoon to pour the ganache over the cake, using an offset spatula to even the sides and make sure the cake is completely covered. Use as much ganache as you need. Let sit at room temperature in a cool spot for 1-2 hours until completely set. Decorate the cake as desired.

OMG, these mini marshmallow bits are the cutest things. It’s like being able to eat a handful of the marshmallow bits from Lucky Charms cereal! I’ve only been able to find the mini marshmallow bits at Target. Have any of you found them at other retailers? I’ve checked every grocery store in the greater Milwaukee area (or so it seems) — but Target is the only place I’ve had success.

Hot chocolate is one of the world’s coziest drinks. What kid doesn’t have a memory of coming in after playing in the snow — and making a big cup of cocoa with mom? Well, I suppose those of you that grew in warm climates may not have had this memory, but roll with me here. Hot chocolate is a quintessential part of winter — and here it is in cake form!

Hot Chocolate Bundt Cake
Recipe source: Cookies & Cups
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2-1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup cocoa powder (I used Hershey’s Special Dark)
1/2 cup dry hot chocolate mix
1 cup butter, room temperature
1 (8 oz) block cream cheese
2 cups sugar
3 oz milk chocolate, melted
5 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla

Glaze:
6 oz milk chocolate
2 Tablespoons dry hot chocolate mix
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 Tablespoon butter

1. Preheat oven to 325F. Spray 10″ bundt pan with baking spray.
2. Sift together flour, baking soda, cocoa powder and hot chocolate mix. Set aside.
3. In large mixing bowl (or stand mixer) cream together you butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add in sugar and beat on medium about 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
4. In microwave safe bowl, melt milk chocolate on 50% power in 30 second increments, stirring after each. Add to butter mixture and mix until incorporated. Add in eggs, one at a time, mixing well in between each and then add vanilla.
5. Turn mixer to low and slowly add in your sifted dry ingredients. Mix ingredients until incorporated. Don’t over mix.
6. Fill your pan with batter and bake for 1 hour, or until toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in pan and then transfer to wire rack.

Glaze:
1. In small saucepan over low heat melt milk chocolate, 2 Tablespoons dry hot chocolate mix, heavy cream and butter together until melted, stirring frequently.
2. Remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes.
3. Pour over cooled cake. Garnish with mini marshmallow bits.

These cookies remind me of cherry cordial candies — you know, the red boxes of Queen Annes that come to store shelves every year at Christmastime. My mom hates nothing more than cherry cordial candies. One year we wrapped a box and gave it to her as a joke gift — just because my Dad and I can be real pains in that way. :)

I love anything having to do with cherries, so these cookies were great in my book!

Chocolate-Covered Cherry Cookies
Recipe source: Christmas Cookies 2012 Magazine
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1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
About 30 maraschino cherries + 2 Tablespoons cherry juice reserved

1. Preheat oven to 350F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Whisk flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in bowl. Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, beat butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
3. Beat in egg and vanilla until incorporated. Reduce speed to low, slowly add flour mixture and mix until dough forms.
4. Heat chocolate chips and condensed milk in saucepan over low heat until chips are melted – about 5 minutes. Off heat, stir in reserved cherry juice. Cover and keep warm.
5. Working with 2 Tablespoons dough at a time, roll into balls and space them 2 inches apart on prepared sheets. Using thumb, make indentation in center of each ball. Place 1 cherry in center of each cookie, then top with 1 teaspoon warm chocolate mixture.
6. Bake until cookies are just set — about 10-12 minutes. Let cookies cool on sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack. Repeat with remaining dough.

Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

We’re over halfway through the marathon of Christmas posting! Are you getting tired of all of these posts yet? ;) These cookies, oh my god. Homemade Oreos, much like regular Oreos, are one of my favorite things. Throw in a mint flavor? YES! And you can spruce them up a little by adding sprinkles to the frosting filling.

Homemade Peppermint Oreos
Recipe source: I Heart Naptime
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Cookies:
1 box devils food cake
1 egg
1 stick of butter softened

Frosting:
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar
1 Tablespoon milk, or heavy whipping cream
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract

1. Preheat oven to 350F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Combine egg and butter in a large bowl. Mix until combined. Pour in devil’s food cake and mix until the batter is smooth (about 2 min).
3. Roll dough into a ball and push flat onto a lined cookie sheet.
4. Bake for 6-8 minutes. Remove to cooling rack and allow cookies to completely cool.
5. For frosting: Mix together butter. Next add milk, vanilla and peppermint extract. Then slowly add powdered sugar and beat until fluffy.
6. Frost one cookie on the BOTTOM and then sandwich another cookie on top. Use a lot of frosting. Go crazy. Then, if you want to decorate, dip the exposed frosting into any type of sprinkle that you’d like to use.