Cheesecake Cookie Cups

1 package (24 each) chocolate chip cookie dough

(or you can use your favorite home made recipe)
2 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
2 eggs
2 t pure vanilla extract
1 pinch salt
24 muffin paper liners

Preheat oven to 350° F. Line 24 liners into muffin cups. Place one piece of cookie dough in each cup. Bake cookie dough for 10 minutes. Beat cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, eggs, salt, and vanilla in bowl until smooth. Place an ice cream scoop full of cream cheese mixture over each cookie in cup. Turn heat down to 325° F and bake an additional 15 minutes until set. Refrigerate for two hours. Serve plain or with your favorite topping!! (Shown is cherry fruit filling!)

Great Strawberry Lime Topping (good if in season!!)
1 lb fresh strawberries, chopped & hulled
¼ c sugar
2 limes, juice and zest
1 pinch salt
1 T fresh mint (optional)
Combine all ingredients for topping and chill. Place heaping tablespoon on each cheesecake before serving.

Luscious Lemon Cupcakes & Lemon Butter Cream Frosting

Cake:

1 c sour cream
1 package lemon cake mix
3/4 c water
3/4 c canola oil
1 t lemon zest
4 eggs
1 dash salt
1 small package lemon instant pudding
Mix ingredients with electric mixer for about two minutes. Line 24 cupcake tins. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

Frosting:
2 sticks butter, softened
6 c powdered sugar
½ c fresh lemon juice
1-2 t lemon zest
12 strawberries (for garnish)
Beat butter and half of sugar. Add juice and zest and beat until smooth and creamy. Gradually add remaining sugar until frosting is a good consistency. Pipe frosting onto cool cupcakes, and garnish with half of a strawberry (greens on or off) on each cupcake!

PRETTY LUSCIOUS CUPCAKES

I got this recipe from my friend Stephanie's blog! Thanks! They look really yummy and I think I will try them for Olivia's birthday!

White Cupcakes

1 white cake mix (with pudding in the mix)

1and1/4 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup butter melted

2 large eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. almond extract

vegetable cooking spray

1. Beat first 6 ingredients at low speed with an electric mixer justuntil dry ingredients are moistened. Increase speed to medium, andbeat 2 minutes or until batter is smooth, stopping to scrape bowl asneeded.

2. Place paper baking cups in muffing pans, and coat with cookingspray; spoon batter evenly into baking cups, filling each two-thirdsfull.

3. Bake at 350 for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes outclean. cool in pan on wire racks 10 minutes; remove cupcakes frompants to wire racks and cool completely.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

1/2 cup soft butter

3 oz. soft cream cheese

16 oz powndered sugar

1/4 cup cream of coconut (or heavy cream)

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. almond flavor

1. Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixeruntil creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at low speeduntil blended. Increase speed to medium, and slowly add milk andvanilla, beating until smooth.

Chocolate Cupcakes ( The recipe calls for a German Chocolate cake mixbut i am going to try a regular chocolate cake mix)

1 chocolate cake mix ( pudding in the mix)

16 oz. sour cream

1/4 cup melted butter

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla

vegetable cooking spray

1. Bead the first 5 ingredients about 3-4 minutes.

2. Put baking cups in muffin tins and spray with cooking spray. Spoonbatter into cups until 2/3 full.

3. Bake at 350 for 25 min.Cool the same as white cupcakes

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Prepare Vanilla Buttercream as directed, (don't use cream of coconut,use whipping cream)Microwave 1 cup.dark chocolate (recipe used Nestle Chocolatier DarkChocolate Morsels), until melted. Gradually add melted chocolate toVanilla buttercream until smooth.

Easter Egg Nest Cupcakes

Toasting the coconut that forms the nests adds a natural straw color as well as a pleasant crunch and nutty flavor to these whimsical cupcakes. Easter egg candies come in many different sizes; use as many as will comfortably fit in each nest.

Ingredients:
3/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup sour cream
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 cup sugar
6 Tbs. (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 eggs, at room temperature

Vanilla buttercream for frosting cupcakes
Easter egg candies for decorating

Directions:
Preheat an oven to 350°F. Spread the coconut on a baking sheet and toast until lightly browned, about 8 minutes.
Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper or foil liners.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. In a small bowl, stir together the sour cream, oil and vanilla. In another bowl, using an electric mixer, beat together the sugar and butter on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the sour cream mixture in 2 additions, beating until just combined; scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling each about three-fourths full. Bake until the cupcakes are lightly golden on top and a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for 5 minutes. Then transfer the cupcakes to the rack and let cool completely, about 1 hour.

Frost the cupcakes with the buttercream. Top each cupcake with a ring of toasted coconut. Place an Easter egg candy (or candies) in the center of each nest and serve. (The finished cupcakes can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days; bring to room temperature before serving.) Makes 12 cupcakes.

Adapted from Cupcakes, by Shelly Kaldunski (Weldon Owen, 2008).