Vanilla Cake with Blackberry Jam Filling and Blackberry Icing

I have been getting really into baking layered cakes this summer. They are easier than you think and there are so many different combinations of flavors that you can work with. In the summer, I love baking with fruity and light flavors. For this cake, I made a vanilla cake, filled it with blackberry jam, and iced it with a blackberry frosting. It was moist and delicious. 

First you want to make the vanilla cake: Makes two round 8 inch cakes

1 stick of unsalted butter

2 cups of all purpose flour 

1 tbs of baking powder 

1/2 tsp of salt

1 1/2 cups of sugar 

3 eggs

1 cup of milk 

1 tsp of vanilla extract

Preheat your oven to 350, then grease your cake pans with vegetable spray. Then, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt until combined.

 Beat the sugar and butter until combined.

 Add the eggs and beat until combined.

 Then, add the flour mixture in slowly and beat until combined.

 Add the milk and the vanilla extract and mix until just combined.

Split the batter between the 2 cake pans. 

 Bake for about 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

 Then, start on the blackberry jam filling.
4 cups of blackberries
1 cup of sugar
2 tbs of corn starch
1/2 tsp of lemon juice
Heat the blackberries and the sugar in a saucepan and let the blackberries break down. Then, add the corn starch and the lemon juice and stir and heat until the blackberries are broken down. Take it off the heat and refrigerate it while the cake is baking.

 After the cakes cool, place them on separate plates.

 Then, make the icing:
1/2 cup of unsalted butter
1/2 cup of blackberries
1 tsp of vanilla extract
1 ts of lemon zest
dash of salt
1 16 oz package of powdered sugar
In your mixer, beat together the butter, blackberries, vanilla extract, lemon zest, and salt.

 Then, add the powdered sugar and beat until combined.

 Spread the blackberry jam filling on top of the bottom layer of cake.

 Then, top it with the top layer of cake

 Then, ice it with the frosting.

Enjoy!!

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

I love red velvet anything. It is one of my favorite treats of all time. Cupcakes are where I got my love of baking, I used to spend hours finding ways to perfect cupcakes. My love of cupcakes brought my love of baking pretty much anything. I made these for a 4th of July party and they were a hit. The red velvet was the red, the cream cheese icing was the white, and I topped each mini cupcake with a blueberry for the blue. Super easy and super festive.

Red Velvet Cupcakes: Warning this recipe makes a ton of mini cupcakes! So cut it in half if you would prefer :)
2 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
1/2 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp of baking soda
1/2 tsp of salt
1 cup of unsalted butter
2 cups of sugar
4 eggs
1 cup of sour cream
1/2 cup of milk
1 oz of red food coloring
2 tsp of vanilla extract
First preheat the oven to 350 and line your cupcake tins with liners. Then, mix together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.

Then, in your mixer, mix together the butter and sugar until fluffy.

Then, add the eggs and beat them in one at a time.

Then, add the sour cream and milk and beat until combined.

Then, mix in the red food coloring and the vanilla extract and mix until combined.

Then, add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix until combined.

Scoop the batter into the liners about 3/4 full.

Bake for about 10 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Then, make the icing while the cupcakes cool.
Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 8 oz package of cream cheese
1/4 cup of butter
2 tbs of sour cream
2 tsp of vanilla extract
1 16 oz box of powdered sugar
Add all the ingredients to your mixer and beat until well combined.

Then, ice your cupcakes after they cool.

I topped mine with a blueberry, but you can do whatever you would like. Then Enjoy! :)

Cinnamon Roll Cupcakes with a Coffee Glaze

Cinnamon Rolls are included in some of my favorite childhood memories. Christmas morning , in my pajamas, eating a fresh out of the oven cinnamon roll. What could be better? They are warm and full of flavor and for me, not just a breakfast treat. This cupcakes are miniature, but full of flavor. The Cinnamon Cupcake is full of cinnamon sugar goodness and the coffee glaze on top intensifies the flavor even more and creates a wonderful treat. I made mini cupcakes, but you can make them regular sized as well.

Cinnamon Roll Cupcakes: makes 24 mini cupcakes
For the cinnamon swirl:
1/4 cup of unsalted butter, melted
1/3 cup of brown sugar
1 tsp of cinnamon
For the cupcakes:
1 1/2 cup of all purpose flour
1/2 cup of sugar
1 1/2 tsp of baking powder
1/2 tsp of salt
1/2 cup of unsalted butter
1/2 cup of sour cream
2 eggs
1 tsp of vanilla extract
Start with the filling, by melting the butter and stirring the butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon together until combined.

Prehat the oven to 350 and line mini cupcake tins with liners. Then, move onto the cupcake batter, in your mixer, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

Then, add the butter, sour cream, eggs, and vanilla extract and beat until combined. Do not overmix.

Fill the liners with the batter half way full.

Then, with a toothpick stir the batter slightly creating a well. Next, take a 1/2 tsp of the cinnamon filling and pour it into each liner and mix with the toothpick.

Then, add more of the batter on top, filling the liner.

Add a little bit more of the cinnamon filling on top if you desire. Then, bake for about 9 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

 Next, make the coffee glaze,
Coffee Glaze:
2 tbs of unsalted butter
1 cup of powdered sugar
1/2 tsp of vanilla extract
2-3 tbs of brewed coffee
First, beat the butter and sugar together until fluffy.

Then, stir in the vanilla extract and the coffee and combine.

Then, ice your cupcakes with the glaze and if you desire top the cupcakes with more of the filling and swirl.

Enjoy!