corn bread and honey butter

The hubs loves a good corn bread. And by that he means sweet and light. If you live in an area that has the chain of Marie Callendar's resturants, that is the kind he likes. So, I am always searching for a good recipe. Usually I just break down and buy a mix, but in my searchings I came accross this blog. I have really liked all the things I have made, and this one is no exception. So, despite the fact I totally hosed the corn bread when I made it (forgot to add the baking powder, duh!) it was flat, but still yummy and since we ate it with chili for dinner the flat was no issue for me! And please, for the love of all things DO NOT forget the honey butter. The recipe may seems a little crazy. I admit I was shocked, but it is SOOOOOOOOO good!



Cornbread

½ cup cornmeal

1 ½ cup flour

2/3 cup sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1/3 cup oil

3 tablespoons butter, melted

2 eggs, beaten

1 ¼ cup milk



Add dry ingredients, make a well and add oil, butter, eggs, and milk into the center. Stir until just mixed (batter will be runny - don't be alarmed!). Bake in an 8” square pan at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. This doubles perfectly for a 9X13-inch pan.





Honey Butter:

2 sticks butter, softened

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup marshmallow fluff



Whip all together with an electric mixer and serve at room temperature (can be refrigerated and softened).



From My Kitchen Cafe (www.mykitchencafe.blogspot.com)

Snickerdoodle Cupcakes

The all important "frosting" shot!

Do I need to tell you I am no professional photographer!

A friend of mine is going to have a cupcake party for her daughter, so I told her I would help her trial run some cupcakes. She linked me to this recipe from BAKERELLA.COM

Today I finally got around to making them. Greg says they are good, but doesn't like the icing I chose, which is fine. I just didn't care for the seven minute icing thatshe chose, so I found one of my own to try. I liked it, and will keep it around for another time, hubby be damned!

So here is the recipe from Bakerella.com, I followed her recipe to a "T", which is rare for me, but I did it! Also, if you go to her website, she topped these cupcakes with a snickerdoodle cookie too, me, not so much. That would lead to sugar overload! The original recipe is from a Martha Stewart Cupcake cookbook. Bakerella.com adjusted for the quanities she listed.

(tweaked it slightly to make enough for 12 cupcakes and 12 mini cupcakes).

Snickerdoodle Cupcakes

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup sugar

2 eggs, room

1 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cup milk, room temperature

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line regular and miniature cupcake trays with paper liners.

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and cinnamon. Set aside.
In a mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium for about 2 minutes.
Add eggs, one at a time and mix until combined.
Add vanilla and mix until combined.
Add flour mixture to creamed butter and sugar in three additions. Alternate with milk in two additions.

Fill baking cups about 3/4 full.

Bake for about 15-20 minutes. Remove cupcakes from trays and let cool.

To decorate, pipe on frosting, place one cookie(if desired) on top and then pipe another dollop of frosting on top. Sprinkle with leftover cinnamon and sugar from the Snickerdoodle cookie recipe.

Store in an airtight container.

I used this icing recipe from allrecipes.com, the kiddies loved the icing. It was really nice and light, the hubby likes it dense and greasy! I am thinking good old cream cheese icing next time. And there will be a next time.