Mini Coconut Lime Cheesecakes

A few weeks ago I shared this recipe over at Lil' Luna and now it's time to share it with all of you! One of my favorite spring time flavor combinations is lime and coconut, it's sweet, zesty and refreshing! So I thought that I'd combine those flavors into delicious mini cheesecakes. I started off by using a toasted coconut graham cracker crust, filling it with a zesty cheesecake base, adding a swirl of lime curd and topping it off with coconut-infused whipped cream and toasted coconut flakes. Let me tell you, these were heavenly, and my husband agreed! I think this would be a great summer recipe too, especially served up with some toasted coconut ice cream or fresh lime sherbert. Mmm, I can't wait for summer!

Mini Coconut Lime Cheesecakes

Lime Curd:

Ingredients

4 tbsp. butter, melted

1/2 c. + 2 tbsp. sugar

2 eggs

5 tbsp. lime juice

2 drops green food coloring

1 drop yellow food coloring

Coconut Graham Cracker Crust:
Ingredients
5 graham crackers
2 tsp. sugar
4 tbsp. toasted coconut
1 tbsp. butter, melted

Zesty Cheesecake:
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/4 c. sugar
1 (8 oz) package original cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 c. sour cream, room temperature
1/4 c. heavy whipping cream, room temperature
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. lime zest
pinch of salt

Coconut Whipped Cream:
2 tbsp. powdered sugar
1/2 c. heavy whipping cream, chilled
1/8 tsp. coconut oil (or more to liking)
pinch of salt

DIRECTIONS:
1. Begin by making the lime curd. In a small mixing bowl, combine melted butter, sugar, eggs and lime juice. Beat with a hand mixer until smooth (there may be small chunks, that's ok). Pour mixture into a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook mixture until it begins to thicken- it should reach 170 degrees on a digital thermometer. Remove from heat, allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before transferring to the refrigerator to cool completely.
2. Preheat oven to 350℉. Spray mini cheesecake pan generously with baking spray. While curd is cooling, in a food processor, grind up graham crackers, sugar and coconut flakes until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Remove and add in butter. Scoop about 1 tablespoon of the mixture into each well of the mini cheesecake pan and press firmly. Place into oven and bake for 6-8 minutes. Remove and allow to cool.
3. Meanwhile, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together sugar, cream cheese, sour cream, lime zest and salt until smooth (about 2 minutes). Add vanilla, heavy cream, mix, then add the egg and mix until incorporated. Add flour and mix until just combined. Pour mixture into cooled crusts, dividing evenly.
4. Remove lime curd from refrigerator and add food coloring, mix until incorporated. Add about 3/4 tsp. of curd to the top of each mini cheesecake. Swirl gently. Place cheesecakes in oven and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 30 minutes before covering and placing in the refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours (note: the cheesecakes will sink a little, this is normal).
5. To make the whipped cream, in the bowl of a stand mixer (preferably chilled) fitted with the whisk attachment, beat together all ingredients for 2 minutes- cover and chill until needed.
6. To assemble, remove cheesecakes from pan and remove bottom plates. Pipe with whipped cream and sprinkle with lime zest. Serve immediately!
NOTE: Although I've never tried making these in a cupcake tin, my recommendation would be to double the crust and filling and increase the bake time to 25-30 minutes (just wiggle the pan to be sure they are set before removing them from the oven).
Recipe inspired by Sprinkle Bakes, Key Lime Cheesecake Bars | Makes approximately 12 mini cheesecakes

Meyer Lemon Curd Thumbprints

 I shared this recipe over at Lil' Luna a few weeks ago and I think it's one you're really going to love! One of my favorite family recipes is my Grandma Carol's lemon bars. They're perfect in every way and everyone loves them! The only problem is that they take quite a bit of time to make and they tend to get a bit messy when you're trying to plate them up. So I thought that I'd skip the mess and make a Grandma Carol inspired treat for you! These thumbprints were just what I was hoping for- buttery, flakey and full of zesty lemon flavor. I dusted them with powdered sugar and filled them with a dollop of chilled curd. These little cookies taste just like lemon bars- so delicious! Since Meyer lemons are always abundant around Christmas I used them, but if you can't seem to find any, you can always use regular lemons (the curd will be slightly more tart). To cut down on the prep time I decided to make the curd in the microwave instead of on the stovetop. Trust me, there's nothing worse then spending half an hour whisking curd over a hot stove- so to save yourself some time and give the microwave method a try, I think you're gonna like it! 

Buttery Lemon Thumbprint Cookies
Ingredients
2½ c. + 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
½ c. sugar
14 tbsp. (1¾ sticks) butter, room temperature
2 egg yolks
Zest of 1 Meyer lemon
2 tsp. Meyer lemon juice
¼ tsp. salt
½ tsp. vanilla extract

Microwave Meyer Lemon Curd
Ingredients
⅔ c. sugar
4 tbsp. butter, melted
1 egg + 1 egg yolk
½ c. Meyer lemon juice
Zest of 1 Meyer lemon
¹⁄₈ tsp Madagascar vanilla bean paste

⅓ c. powdered sugar, for dusting

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, set aside.
2. To make the lemon curd, in a large microwaveable bowl, combine sugar, butter, lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla bean paste. Whisk in egg, then egg yolk. Place in the mixture into the microwave and cook for 1 minute at a time, whisking after each minute. You will need to do a total of 4-6 minutes or until the curd coats the back of a spatula (it will look jelly-like). The time will depend on the strength of your microwave.
3. Pour the hot curd through a mesh sieve to remove any "eggy" parts. Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator until cookies have completely cooled.
4. To make the cookies, in the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together butter, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl if necessary. Add egg yolks one at a time and mix just until incorporated. Add salt, then with mixing speed on low, gradually add flour a ½ cup at a time. Mix until incorporated.
5. Roll dough into 1" balls, place on prepared baking sheets. Lightly pat down to flatten (just a little bit), then using your thumb press little wells into each. Place into the oven and bake for 13-15 minutes or until the edges turn golden brown in color. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cookies have cooled (30 minutes or so) using a mesh sieve, gently dust powdered sugar over each cookie. Place a dollop of chilled lemon curd in the center of each, then place in refrigerator to set up. Serve & enjoy!
Adapted from redbookmag.com, Lemon Thumbprint Cookies | Makes approximately 30 cookies

Halloween Mason Jar Mini Cakes

A couple of weeks ago I was asked by Kristyn of Lil' Luna to be her newest contributor... I'm so excited and honored! Last week was my first post and I came up with this kid-friendly project. It's super easy and combines both baking and crafting. Ready to get started?! First off, you're going to need a few supplies. You'll have to decide whether you want to do all of one kind of jar, or if you want to do three of each (one box of cake mix makes (9) 1/2 pint mason jar mini cakes). Since I wanted to show you all of them, here's what you'll need to make three of each-

SUPPLIES:

Frankenstein: (3) 1/2 pint mason jars, 1 black Sharpie paint pen, 6 googly eyes, super glue, black sprinkles, green & black food coloring

Jack-O-Lantern: (3) 1/2 pint mason jars, 1 black Sharpie paint pen, green sprinkles, green and orange food coloring
Mummy: (3) 1/2 pint mason jars, 1 box of 2" gauze, 6 googly eyes, super glue, white sprinkles

1 Box white cake mix*

1 Recipe buttercream frosting
4 c. powdered sugar
1 1/2 c. (3 sticks) butter, room temperature
2 tbsp. heavy cream
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. salt

3 Piping bags with desired tips

DIRECTIONS:
1. Now that we've decided what we're making, lets get the cake batter made! *You can always use your own recipe, but a store bought mix is a quick and easy alternative. Once the batter is ready divide it evenly in between three bowls. Add a few drops of food coloring into two of the bowls, coloring one green and the other orange. Pour the batter into the mason jars, filling each to the halfway mark (don't go any further, or your cakes will overflow). You will end up with three green, three orange and three white.
2. Set the jars onto a rimmed baking sheet and place in the center of the oven. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. BE CAREFUL! If you over-bake these they will become brown... so watch them up until the 20 minute mark and remove them immediately!
3. Place the baked cakes onto a wire rack to cool completely (about 30-40 minutes). If the cakes have risen too much, you can always take a knife and cut off the excess cake so that there is enough room to frost them.
4. Meanwhile to prepare the frosting, in the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together butter, vanilla, heavy cream and salt. With mixing speed on low, gradually add powdered sugar. Turn the speed up to high and beat until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Remove bowl from stand and divide frosting into three bowls. Color one orange, one black and leave the other white. Scoop into prepared piping bags. Set aside.
5. When cakes have cooled, decorate jars. Let the ink and glue set for 5-10 minutes before frosting.
6. Frost the cakes as desired and garnish with sprinkles. If you are giving these as a gift, you can screw on lids and decorate the tops. To store, seal and place in refrigerator for 2-3 days. Enjoy!

You can see my original post + more pictures HERE at Lil' Luna!

Pink Week // Raspberry Vanilla Bean Cupcakes

Last week Ashton from Something Swanky was hosting a Pink Week in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. She asked me to share something with her readers so I baked up a batch of these cupcakes topped with raspberry buttercream. The vanilla cupcake base is moist and delicate and perfectly compliments the slightly tart filling. The light and fluffy buttercream is sweet with just the right amount of raspberry flavor- it is definitely the perfect icing for these little cakes!

If you would like to support a great cause and help promote awareness there are so many ways to do so, like purchasing some of these amazing KitchenAid products, joining a walk or race, or simply donating to the cause. 

Raspberry Filled Vanilla Bean Cupcakes with Raspberry Buttercream

Ingredients

½ c. all-purpose flour

1¼ c. cake flour

½ c. unsalted butter, room temperature

⅔ c. whole milk

⅓ c. sour cream

1 c. granulated sugar

2 eggs

1½ tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. salt

1 vanilla bean, scraped

1 tbsp. + ½ tsp. vanilla extract

Raspberry filling:

1½ c. seedless raspberry puree

¼ c. sugar

1 tbsp. cornstarch

1 tsp. lemon juice

1 tsp. lemon zest

Raspberry buttercream: 

16 tbsp. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 tbsp. heavy whipping cream

¼ c. seedless raspberry puree

1½ tsp. vanilla extract

3 - 3½ c. powdered sugar

1 tbsp. cornstarch

¼ tsp. salt

Optional: pink food coloring

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 cupcake tins with 16 liners, set aside.

2. In a medium size mixing bowl whisk together flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add sugar, butter, sour cream, vanilla extract and vanilla bean. Mix for 1 minute.

4. Add one egg at a time, mixing after each addition. With mixing speed on low, alternate between adding the dry ingredients and the milk. Beat until just combined.

5. Divide batter and fill cupcake liners ⅔ of the way full.

6. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean (note: they will not turn golden brown, so do not over bake).

7. Remove from oven and let cupcakes cool in tins for 5 minutes, transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

8. While cupcakes are cooling, puree raspberries. Combine 1½ c. seedless raspberry puree in a saucepan (over medium low heat) with sugar, lemon juice, and zest. Sprinkle in corn starch. Allow mixture to reduce, whisking frequently (it should be relatively thick, almost curd-like (give it 5 minutes or so). Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Using a cupcake corer, remove center of cupcakes. Pipe or scoop the raspberry filling inside. Place tops back on cupcakes.

9. To make the raspberry buttercream, place ¼ c. seedless raspberry puree into the bowl of a stand mixer. Add butter, vanilla and salt. Beat until smooth. With mixing speed on low, add powdered sugar and cornstarch, then heavy whipping cream. Beat until soft peaks begin to form or until the buttercream becomes fluffy (2-3 minutes). Chill in refrigerator for 10-15 minutes before piping onto cupcakes.

NOTE: The cornstarch will help create a stiff frosting, this is helpful when adding fruit purees.

Stephen + Natalie | Makes approximately 16 cupcakes

This was originally a guest post over at Something Swanky. 

Easy Molten Chocolate Cupcakes

Originally a guest post over at Something Swanky

When Stephen and I first started dating we went to Chili's a lot (almost on a weekly basis). Every once in a while we'd get dessert, and when we did, it was always a molten cake. If you don't know what I'm talking about, they're kind of like mini bundt cakes with some type of warm gooey center. Sounds pretty good, right? I was a tad bit obsessed with them. Since we don't live close to a Chili's anymore, I decided it was probably time to try making them on my own. I came up with these super easy molten chocolate cupcakes. They bake up nicely, are quick to assemble and are sure to please anyone who is lucky enough to get their hands on one!

Molten Chocolate Cupcakes
Ingredients
¾ c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1½ c. all-purpose flour

1½ c. granulated sugar

1½ tsp. baking soda

¾ tsp. baking powder

¾ tsp. salt

2 large eggs

¾ c. warm water + ¼ tsp. espresso powder

¾ c. buttermilk

3 tbsp. canola oil

1 tsp. vanilla

12 Lindt Lindor Truffles (the kind is up to you!)

Unsweetened cocoa powder for dusting

Chocolate whipped cream:

1 c. heavy cream

4 tsp. confectioners sugar

2 tsp. unsweetened cocoa powder

Pinch of salt

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare one cupcake pan by spraying with Pam and then lightly dusting with cocoa powder (tip: cocoa is a great alternative to flour when prepping a pan for chocolate cake or bread), set aside.

2. In a medium size mixing bowl, whisk or sift together flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add eggs, warm water w/ espresso powder, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla. Mix on medium speed until smooth. Turn down speed to low and slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Mix until smooth (no flour/cocoa pockets remain), about 3 minutes.

4. Divide batter evenly among cups, filling ¾ of the way full. Place in oven and bake for 18-21 minutes, or until the tops spring back when touched and a cake tester comes out clean. Be careful not to over bake!

5. Remove from oven, allow them to sit for 3-4 minutes in the pan, and then transfer them to a wire rack.

6. Using a cupcake corer or a knife, remove the center of each hot cupcake. Place a truffle inside and then place top back on. Let cool while preparing the whipped topping.

7. In the (chilled) bowl of a stand mixer, on high, beat together heavy cream, confectioners sugar, cocoa powder and salt for approximately 2-3 minutes (or until mixture becomes stiff).

8. Turn cupcakes upside down (be careful, you'll want to make sure that you plugged them up good to prevent leaks). Dust with cocoa powder, then top with chocolate whipped cream. Serve immediately!

Stephen + Natalie | Makes approximately 12 molten cupcakes