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Vanilla-Thyme Cupcakes

I know what your thinking…

“What has gotten into this girl?! All I’ve been seeing is sweet recipes here!”

“What is this, a baked sweets only blog?”

Am I right or am I right? I can’t help it, I have a undying love for sweet baked goods.

It’s all I seem to make these days. From time to time I make some savory things but not like

I used to. Dinners have become snack time around here or left overs from lunch.

As a result, Freakin’ Delicious has become a sweets only place. Which is not what I wanted,

I love savory dishes! Especially baked savory dished, as you can see, I have a thing for baked foods.

So for my next recipe, I will try to post something savory. In the mean time, enjoy these delicious cupcakes

from one of my favorite blog Vanilla Garlic. Vanilla Garlic is a special blog, because it has the most

unique and different recipes. Like Bacon Cupcakes, Pea Cupcakes, Green Tea Cupcakes, Butternut Squash

Cupcakes, etc. The blog specializes in cupcakes, the weirdest flavors, but don’t let the ingredients fool you.

They are good! Have you ever heard of the combination of vanilla and thyme? Most likely you haven’t,

yet the taste is surprisingly very good. These new combination make new flavors that I’m sure one day will

be a normal staple to cooking. Anybody want to some Maple Bacon Cupcakes?

INGREDIENTS:

Cupcakes

3/4 cup (1-1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1-2/3 cups vanilla sugar

2 large eggs, room temperature

2-2/3 cups flour

1-1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped out

2 tsp of loosely packed, fresh thyme

Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting

1/2 cup of butter (1 stick), room temperature

8 oz of Philly cream cheese (1 package), room temperature

2 – 3 cups of powdered sugar

1 tsp of vanilla extract

Scrapings from 1/2 of a vanilla bean or 2 tsp vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

Cupcakes

1. Beat the butter and sugar together for a few minutes until light and fluffy.

2. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating in each for 30 seconds.

3. Measure the flour, baking powder, salt and thyme into one bowl.

4. Measure the milk, vanilla bean scrapings, and vanilla into another bowl.

5. Add about a third of the dry ingredients to the butter/sugar and beat to combine.

Add about a half of the milk/vanilla and beat to combine. Continue adding, alternating between

dry and wet and finishing with the dry.

6. Scoop into cupcake papers about 2/3 full. Bake for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Allow to cool on wire racks. When completely cool, frost with cream cheese frosting.

Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting

1. With an electric mixer, mix the butter and cream cheese together, about 3 minutes on medium

speed until very smooth. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure even mixing.

2. Add the vanilla extract, vanilla bean and mix. Slowly add the powdered sugar. Keep adding until

you get to desired sweetness.

3. Either spread on with a blunt knife or spatula, or spoon into a piping bag to decorate your cake

or cupcake.

4. Sprinkle some Thyme on top to decorate.

Bite From The Past: Hummingbird Cake

Shame on me.

I haven’t posted anything for so long – I am so sorry for this.

The truth is, I’ve been having a case of cook’s block. You know, like writer’s block?

Yeah, I just made that up. There really isn’t a better way to explain it.

I just haven’t been cooking at all ever since the beginning of 2010.

Last night I made some Caramel fudge that I was planning to Post on the site. Only problem

was, the pan I used burned the fudge on the bottom, giving it small ugly burnt caramel pieces to it.

Not the best appearance, so no picture, hence no recipe.

Today I realized that it has been 3 whole weeks since I posted anything!

I had no choice but to post a Bite From The Past recipe as the first recipe of 2010 for Freakin’ Delicious.

…which was something I did not want, explaining why I this wasn’t posted earlier.

Although it may be a Bite From The Past recipe it doesn’t stop the fact that it is DELICIOUS.

I made this cake back in May of 2008 for a friends birthday, as the birthday cake of course.

Everyone loved it, the taste, the appearance, but especially the taste.

The recipe is from Paula Dean, the queen of Southern Cuisine – never dissapoints!

INGREDIENTS:

Cake

Nonstick vegetable spray

All-purpose flour, for pans

3 cups self-rising flour

2 cups granulated sugar

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup finely chopped pecans

2 very ripe large bananas, mashed

1 (8-ounce) crushed pineapple, with juice

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 tsp ground cinnamon

4 large eggs, beaten

Frosting

1 lb/450 g (1 box) confectioners’ sugar

1 (8-ounces) cream cheese, room temperature

6 tbsp (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, softened

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 tbsp milk, or more if needed

1/2 cup finely chopped pecans

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 325°F.

Spray and flour three 8-by-2-inch round cake pans, tapping out excess flour; set aside.

Prepare the cake; in a large bowl, stir to combine self-rising flour, sugar, oil, pecans, bananas,

pineapple, vanilla, cinnamon, and eggs.

Divide batter evenly between prepared pans, smoothing with an offset spatula. Bake, rotating pans

halfway through, until the tops spring back when gently pressed with your fingertips, 26 to 28 minutes.

Transfer pans to a wire rack to cool 10 minutes. Invert cakes onto wire rack. Reinvert cakes and let them

cool completely, top sides up.

Prepare the frosting; in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine sugar, cream

cheese, butter, vanilla, and 1 tablespoon milk on medium speed until frosting is smooth.

If needed, add more milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, to achieve the proper spreading consistency.

Using a serrated knife, trim tops of cakes to make level. Place four strips of parchment paper around perimeter

of a serving plate or lazy Susan.

Place the first layer on the cake plate. Spread the top of the first layer with 1/4 of the frosting.

Place the second layer on top and repeat process with another 1/4 of the frosting.

Place the remaining layer on top of the second layer bottom side up. Spread entire cake with remaining frosting.

Sprinkle the top with pecans. Remove parchment paper strips; refrigerate until ready to serve.

I used flowers from my papaya tree and a bright red gerbera daisy to decorate.

The Neiman Marcus Cookie

To me, this recipe is essential to every food blog out there!

The famed $250 Neiman Marcus Cookie recipe, an urban legend still told and believed by some to this day.

In the legend, a woman and her daughter enjoy a cookie while shopping at Neiman Marcus in Dallas, Texas,

and ask for the recipe. The waiter informs her there will be a “two-fifty” charge, which the woman interprets

as a modest $2.50. Upon receiving her VISA statement, she is shocked to discover she has been charged

$250.00 instead. In revenge, she photocopies the recipe and urges her friends to distribute it for free to

everyone they know so that the store will make no further profit on its sale.

The Neiman Marcus Cookie sold is actually quite different from this recipe, they even show the recipe for

free in their website.

Its so silly how so many people actually believe in this story, here are a few things that prove it isn’t:

Prior to the emergence of the legend, the store did not have a chocolate chip cookie;

A similar story has been around since the 1940s, originally involving a red velvet cake
recipe from the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. It wasn’t until the 1980s that the story’s focus
shifted to cookies. The cookie version of the story originally was attached to Mrs. Fields
cookies, causing that company eventually to post disavowals of the notices at all its stores.

Neiman-Marcus for most of its history only accepted its own card and American Express.

So there you have it folks, not a true story.

However, whoever did invent this recipe sure knew what they were doing, these cookies are DELICIOUS.

So good in fact, that I find it difficult to choose between the classic chocolate chip cookies and these.

…and boy do I LOVE chocolate chip cookies!

Like most cookie recipes, its very easy to make. So why not make these for New Years as a delicious treat?

INGREDIENTS:

2½ cups rolled oats

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

4 ounces milk chocolate chips

1½ cups chopped walnuts/pecans

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Blend the oats in a food processor or blender to a fine powder. In a medium bowl whisk together

the blended oats with the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter and both sugars until light and fluffy,

3-4 minutes. Scrape down the sides and beat in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Beat in the vanilla extract. On low speed gradually mix in the flour mixture, beating just until incorporated.

With a rubber spatula fold in the chocolate chips and walnuts.

4. Roll the dough into 2-ounce balls (or about 2 heaping tablespoonfuls worth) and place about 2 inches apart

on the baking sheets. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Cookies should be lightly brown and set on the

outside but still look a little undone in the middle. That’s okay – they will finish setting up after you remove them

from the oven. Let cool 2-3 minutes on the baking sheet and then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Store in an airtight container.

4 Weeks Of Christmas: Chocolate Snow Cookies

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I got so frustrated thinking what to call these cookies!… thinking how to start this post

and sounding silly in the process.

I’ve been playing Dragon Age Origins for the past 4 hours now and as a result having “writers block”.

So, as promised, here is yet another 4 weeks of Christmas recipe post!

Yet another sweet recipe, I just can’t get enough of sweets!

Next week I promise to share a savory Christmas recipe, maybe turkey?

This recipe is from Ana Maria Braga, she calls them American Cookies – not the best name, this

explains why I had to think of a new more suitable one. They’re really yummy and sweet, I just love

dunking them in a glass full of cold milk!

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 tsp vanilla extract/essence

120 g semi sweet chocolate/dark chocolate – melted

2 eggs

2 cups flour

1 cup icing/powdered sugar

2 tsp baking powder

pinch of salt

DIRECTIONS:

In a bowl, mix all of the ingredients – leaving out the icing sugar.

Mix well until you obtain a sticky dough. Wrap this in saran wrap

or wax paper and keep in the refrigerator for 24 hours.

With a buttered spoon or a small ice cream scoop, scoop small portions and roll into balls.

Preheat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF.

Roll the balls into the plate with the icing sugar, completely covering each ball.

Place the cookie balls onto a greased cookie sheet and bake in the oven for 20 minutes

hhhhh

delte2

dellee

Bite From The Past: Chocolate Swirl Chocolate Birthday Cake

deel

So I’m kind of in a hurry today – it’s my b-day!

Heading off to a beautiful beach here in Mozambique with my besty!

So, I leave you guys with one of the best birthday cake’s I’ve made – the best

would be MY birthday cake that I made for today. I’ll make sure to post the recipe

and lots of pictures soon.

As for the 4 weeks of Christmas posts – this week will not be missed, I’ll post a recipe

either on Wednesday or Thursday.

Alright, so that’s about it, enjoy and thank you for all of the recent support and comments!

INGREDIENTS:

Cake

2 ¼ cups flour

1 ¾ cups sugar

¾ cup butter/margarine in room temperature

1 ½ cups milk

150 g semi sweet chocolate melted

1 ½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

3 eggs

1 ½ tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla extract/essence

Swiss Meringue

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup corn syrup

1/2 cup sugar

3 egg whites

DIRECTIONS:

Cake

Pre heat the oven to 170º C/340º F

Grease and flour 2 medium cake pans.

Sift flour into a large mixing bowl and add sugar, butter, 1 cup of the milk, the melted chocolate,

baking soda and salt. Beat with a hand mixer for 2 minutes and add the rest of the milk, eggs,

baking powder and vanilla. Beat for another 2 minutes and pour into the cake pans.

Bake for 30 minutes or until you get a clean toothpick once inserted into the cake.

Let the cake cool for an hour before frosting.

Swiss Meringue

Over medium heat, mix the water, corn syrup and sugar, DO NOT STIR.

Let it over the heat for about 10 minutes, or until you get a stringy texture by putting a

spoon in the mixture and lifting it.

Beat the egg whites until strong peaks form (about 10 whole minutes).

Add the sweet mixture (while its still hot) and beat it all together until it cools.

Assembling the cake

Spread a thick layer of the meringue on top of a cake layer and “sandwich” the other on top.

Spread the rest of the meringue all over the cake.

Now to make it really pretty, melt 100 g of milk or semi sweet chocolate and pour it generously

over the top of the cake, immediately swirl it with a fork or toothpick.

Store the cake in the fridge for 1 hour before serving.

You’ll get a hard chocolate swirl on top of the most heavenly, rich meringue.

If you want to make things interesting, before frosting the cake, add a couple of drops of rum over

the cake.

delte1

Freakin' Delicious!

Vanilla-Thyme Cupcakes

Bite From The Past: Hummingbird Cake

The Neiman Marcus Cookie

4 Weeks Of Christmas: Chocolate Snow Cookies

Bite From The Past: Chocolate Swirl Chocolate Birthday Cake

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