These exquisitely-presented cupcakes are so indulgent you will have to bake them up for yourself, but you don't have to share them, unless you want to. The cupcakes listed are favorites at Better Homes and Gardens online.
Cupcakes Flavored with Coffee
These "Mochaccino Cupcakes" contain strong brewed coffee, chocolate pieces, a coffee butter cream frosting, and are topped with a rolled, cream-filled Pirouette wafer stick. Cocoa powder and ground cinnamon can be sprinkled over all.
Make these "Mocha-Filled Banana Cupcakes" for breakfast, with coffee and banana muffins rolled into one. Using bananas, cream cheese, espresso coffee, semisweet-chocolate, and buttermilk, these indulgent muffins are cream-filled, topped with a banana-butter frosting, and then sprinkled with chocolate-covered coffee beans (or instant coffee)
Mega-Chocolate Cupcakes
Bake these "German Chocolate Cupcakes" with a thick frosting layer of chocolate-pecan ice cream, toasted coconut, pecans, and then drizzled with a gooey-caramel sauce. Or make these indulgent "Triple-Chocolate Cupcakes" with cream de cacao liqueur, chocolate butter cream frosting, and chunks of bittersweet chocolate; beware you may slip into chocolate nirvana.
Tangy-Citrus Cupcakes
These Popsicle-stick wielding "Orange Cream Pop Cupcakes" boast a zesty-orange, and cheesecake-flavored frosting, to eat like a Popsicle or not. An authentic peaked-meringue frosting tops these "Lemon Meringue Pie Cupcakes", and lemon liqueur with lemon-drop candies tart-up these "Lemon Drop Cupcakes", frosted in your choice of a lemony glaze, or cream frosting.
Nutty Cupcakes
For these "Peanut Butter-Chocolate Twist Cupcakes" use your own "Healthy Homemade Peanut Butter" (made in minutes). Then frost using peanut-butter and chocolate swirled icings, with an optional, mini-chocolate peanut-butter cup on top.
Bake "Peanut Butter Cupcakes" which contain a hidden chocolate peanut-butter cup, and topped-off with either jam, or a chocolate candy kiss. And make these elegant "Hazelnut Creme Brulee Cupcakes" with chopped nuts, hazelnut liqueur (or extract) plus hazelnut-butter-cream frosting, caramelized sugar drizzles, and sprinkled with nutmeg.
Tropical Fruit Cupcakes
These "Pineapple-Carrot Cupcakes" include baked-in flavors of cream cheese, cinnamon, and toasted walnuts, then frosted with a dreamy, traditional carrot-cake cream-cheese frosting, and rolled in chopped nuts. Or "Island Bananas Foster Cupcakes" with a banana-rum drizzle, over whipped-cream-topped banana coconut cupcakes.
No rum in these "Pina Colada Cakes", but you won't need it with the delicate flavor of macadamia nuts, a pineapple-preserves filling, and toasted coconut flakes sprinkled over a light and fluffy white-coconut frosting. See if you can make this cupcake a little healthier by substituting crushed pineapple for the preserves, replacing all-purpose flours with coconut flour, and then make an authentic frosting by combining coconut butter, and softened coconut oil to mix with the powdered sugar.
Cream-Filled Cupcakes
Serve spoons with these gooey, "Chocolate Cupcake Ice Cream Sandwiches" cut in half, and filled with layers of chocolate-chip ice cream, and cherry-pecan sauce, with a dab of whipped cream on top. Over-the-top "Boston Cream Pies" are a mini version of the heavenly cream-filled dessert, these cupcakes are filled with a vanilla-custard, and then topped with a dark chocolate ganache to serve chilled, with-or-without whipped cream on top.
Old Fashioned Sundae Cupcakes
Make these old fashioned "Root Beer Float Cupcakes" with real root beer and root-beer extract, then frosted with a foamy, soda-head topping, and decorated with half-a-straw. This is a fun theme-birthday party treat.
This after-Sunday-dinner treat, "Banana Split Cupcake" is served with scoops of ice-cream frosting, whipped cream, and a cherry on top. Hint: use extra ripe bananas for these muffins, and you can cut down on the sugar.
