Chocolate Sour Cream Cupcakes

These are great chocolate cupcakes. They are very light and fluffy with great chocolate flavor.

I have frosted these with chocolate frosting, as you see.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

This batter will make 18 regular size cupcakes, 12 jumbo, or 60 miniature size. So get out your muffin pans and fill them with liners for the type you want.

Ingredients:

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

11 Tablespoons unsalted butter, 8 Tablespoons(1 stick) softened and the other 3 Tablespoons melted

1-1/4 cups sugar

9 Tablespoons cocoa powder

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup water

Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a bowl and set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the 8 Tablespoons of softened butter with the sugar until it is smooth.

All at once, add the melted butter and cocoa powder.

Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Add the eggs, one at a time. Make sure the first is blended well before adding the second.

Add the vanilla extract and beat for a minute when the batter will lighten slightly in color.

Add the sour cream and beat until no white streaks are visible.

Add half of the flour mixture and mix well.

Add the water.

Now add the rest of the flour mix and beat until it is mixed well and batter is smooth.

With a spoon or cookie scoop, divide the batter among the muffin liners.

You will use approximately 1/3 cup batter for jumbo size, 1/4 cup batter for regular size, and just a couple Tablespoons for the miniature size.

Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes. Check them at 20 minutes. The tops should be form and will test done with the toothpick test.

These kind really don't spring back to the touch test like some cupcakes do.

Cool in a rack for 10 minutes and ten out of the pans.

Cool completely and frost as you like.

Rhubarb Cheesecake Squares

I know, I know. Another rhubarb recipe.

But, I have spent a lot of time looking for recipes to use my rhubarb in so I figure I should share.

This dessert is a favorite of my daughter. She even helped me make it a few days ago.

It is pretty simple to make. I hope you will enjoy it as much as my family does.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Grease a 9x13 baking pan.

Ingredients:

Crust

1 cup flour

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup cold butter

1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Filling

16 ounces cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping

3 cups chopped rhubarb

1 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup water

1 Tablespoon cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

3-4 drops red food coloring, optional

To make the crust combine flour, brown sugar, salt, and graham cracker crumbs in a medium bowl. Cut in the butter until mixture is crumbly. Stir in vanilla extract.

Press into the bottom of your baking pan.

Bake for 10 minutes.

Cool while making the filling.

In a bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well. Pour over crust.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until the center is set and the edges are brown.

Remove to a rack to cool.

While the cheesecake is baking, combine the rhubarb, sugar, water, cornstarch, and cinnamon in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and stir constantly until mixture thickens. This will take about 5 minutes. Stir in the food coloring if you like.

Let it cool.

When the cheesecake filling and topping are both cool, spoon the topping over the cheesecake.

Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.

Cover for longer storage.

Serves about 15.

Cinnamon Raisin Breakfast Biscuits

These are like the raisin breakfast biscuits you used to be able to buy in some fast food chains. I don't know if you can buy them anywhere anymore. But, you can now make them yourself.

They are great in the morning or even just as a snack.

Great served warm!

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Ingredients:

Biscuits

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 Tablespoons brown sugar

1 Tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter

2/3 cup milk

1/2 cup raisins

Icing

1/2 cup powdered sugar

2 to 3 teaspoons milk

Mix the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl.

With a fork or pastry cutter, cut in the butter

Add the milk and raisins and stir just until moistened.

Knead the dough about 10 times until the dough is fairly smooth.

Pat or roll the dough til about 1/2" thick.

Cut into 10 or 12 biscuits with a floured biscuit cutter.

Place the biscuits on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes. They will be golden slightly and when you touch lightly, the top will spring back.

Remove from baking sheet.

To make the icing, whisk together the powdered sugar and milk.

Drizzle over the biscuits.

Enjoy!