Almond Clouds (gluten-free)

 

 

 

 

 

This weekend Mike and I are off to the Clarksville Picnic in my mom’s hometown of Clarksville, Maryland.  The picnic is one of the highlights of my year; it features the white elephant rummage sale, bingo, pony rides, games for kids, a bake sale, a quilt raffle (which my mom won three years ago, and that quilt is now on my bed) and a family-style fried chicken and baked ham dinner.

I love the picnic because it gives me a chance to hang out with my Maryland family, the descendants of the Feaga-O’Donnell clan.  The lynchpin is Aunt Liz, my mom’s twin sister. Yes, my mom has a twin.  And no, you cannot get a word in edgewise when they’re together.

Anyway…Aunt Liz is the youngest of the six O’Donnell kids, and her home, Glyndon, is the center of my Maryland universe.  Tucked into a corner of Montgomery County that hasn’t been developed to death, Glyndon is a classic white colonial with black shutters, a wood stove, and a dog pen that’s been home to many faithful mutts over the years.

Aunt Liz puts on meals like nobody’s business.  Her Thanksgiving dinners are legendary, her breakfasts the stuff of myths.  She’s an excellent cook and baker, but she was diagnosed with Celiac Disease a few years ago.  After mentioning some almond cookies she liked that she’d gotten at an allergy-free store, I decided to go on the hunt for a gluten-free almond cookie that I could make on my own, and I found this one.

Aunt Liz proclaimed it the best cookie she’d ever eaten in her life.  The highest of praise, indeed.

Ingredients

  • 10 ounces almond paste
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large egg whites, lightly beaten
  • 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
  • Powdered sugar

Preparation

Preheat oven to 325.

Line three baking sheets with parchment paper.

Break up almond paste into pieces.

In a mixing bowl, combine almond paste, sugar, and salt until uniformly crumbly.

Gradually add egg whites until dough is smooth and paste-like.

Add almond extract and beat well.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto prepared sheets, leaving ample room in between; I bake six cookies per sheet.

Using a small sieve, generously dust each cookie with powdered sugar.

Bake for 20-22 minutes, until edges are light golden brown.

Cool for several minutes on baking sheets, then remove and cool completely on a wire rack.

Dust with more powdered sugar if desired.

Almond Biscotti

 

 

 

 

 

Pittsburgh’s Strip District is a 20-odd block extravaganza of ethnic food shops, restaurants, and eclectic stores.  It is my favorite part of Pittsburgh, a neighborhood I truly missed when I lived in DC.

On weekends the Strip teems with an endless flow of Pittsburghers and their out-of-town relatives, many of whom appear awestruck at the spectacle that is Penn Avenue on a Saturday morning.  They wander in and out of the shops, picking up fresh mozzarella, olives, pepperoni rolls, kielbasa, pierogi, tortilla chips, avocados, basmati rice, and knockoff t-shirts.  In the air hangs an intoxicating aroma, and that aroma emanates from Enrico Biscotti.

Enrico is a tiny shop that makes its biscotti from scratch, by hand.  Huge glass jars line the counter, featuring everything from anise almond to doggie biscotti with cheese and bacon (naturally, Millie has had Enrico’s doggie biscotti and loves it).  Enrico’s founder left his corporate job to pursue baking full-time, making him one of my heroes.

While my biscotti can’t compete with Enrico’s, the recipe below is quite tasty.  These biscotti are great candidates for drizzling with or dipping in melted chocolate, and they pair well, as all biscotti does, with coffee or tea.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup blanched almonds, toasted and coarsely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups flour
  • 3/4 cups sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract

Preparation

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, beat eggs and extracts; set aside.

In a mixing bowl, combine baking powder, salt, flour, and sugar; mix well.

Gradually add egg mixture until dough begins to form.

Add almonds and continue to beat until the dough comes together.

Turn on a lightly floured surface and roll dough into a log that is about 12 inches long and 3 inches wide.

Bake for 40-45 minutes or until firm.

Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes.

Slice log into 1/2 inch slices and arrange on the baking sheet.

Return to the oven and bake for 12 minutes on each side, until the edges are very light golden brown.

Cool completely on a wire rack.

Peanut Butter Cookies

My mom Genny will be the first to admit that she’s not Betty Crocker.  She certainly bakes with Betty’s help though, employing boxed mixes or pouches that require only an addition of eggs and water to produce whatever cookie, cake, or treat she wishes to make.

Genny’s recipe for peanut butter cookies involves a box of yellow cake mix, peanut butter, a few eggs, and probably some oil.  I’m not sure where she got this recipe, or why cake mix is involved, but it turns out a pretty tasty cookie.  Especially when a Hershey’s Kiss is plopped in the middle.

The recipe below yields a classic homemade peanut butter cookie and isn’t meant for the Hershey’s Kiss; that recipe requires a slightly sturdier dough made with shortening and a different quantity of flour.  If you want to get creative with this recipe, try pressing some milk chocolate chips into the tops of these cookies when they are right out of the oven.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup butter, slightly softened
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 1/4 cups flour
  • Granulated sugar, for rolling

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a mixing bowl, combine butter and peanut butter; beat on medium speed for 30 seconds.

Add sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, and baking powder; beat until combined.

Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the egg and vanilla; beat until combined.

Add flour and beat until combined.

Using a one-inch cookie scoop, scoop out dough and roll into balls, then roll in granulated sugar.

Place on an ungreased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart, then press a crisscross pattern into the top of each cookie with a fork.

Bake for 8-10 minutes, until just golden brown. The centers of the cookies should still be puffy and look somewhat raw; that’s okay, as they’ll continue to bake as they cool on the baking sheets.

Cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Black Bottom Mini Brownies (Version One)

 

 

 

 

 

 

People often ask me what I miss about living in DC, and I tell them many things; our dear friends, our cool apartment on the Hill from which, in the winter when there were no leaves on the magnolia tree, you could see the top of the Capitol Dome, the Metro, the ample assortment of activities, the fact that we could walk to almost everything and only needed one car.  Oh, and of course, easy access to Starbucks.

From our apartment, there were three Starbucks shops in short walking distance; from my office on G Street, there were at least five.  While working at Catholic Charities Foundation, my friend Kelly and I literally went to Starbucks every day.  Sometimes more than once.

Among the treats behind the curved-glass dessert case was the infamous black bottom cupcake, a marvelous confection of cream cheese batter and dark chocolate batter that was at once spongy and dense.  I’m sure it had about a million calories, but it was totally worth it.

This recipe reminded me of the black bottom cupcake, though I have to wonder if the author actually tested it before it was published.  The original baking time needed to be nearly doubled, and when I popped each brownie out of its muffin cup after they cooled, they basically fell apart.  I’d suggest many changes, including baking in full-size muffin cups or a rectangular pan, reducing the quantity of mini chocolate chips in the cream cheese layer, or spooning significantly less batter into each mini muffin cup.  Let’s call this recipe Version One and keep trying, eh?

Ingredients

Cream Cheese Layer

  • 3 ounces cream cheese, slightly softened and cut into chunks
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 tablespoon butter, melted
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

Chocolate Layer

  • 4 tablespoons butter, cut into chunks
  • 2 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate, coarsely chopped
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup minus 1 tablespoon flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Coat a 24-cup mini muffin tin with nonstick spray.

In a food processor, process the cream cheese, sugar, butter, egg yolk, and vanilla until well blended and completely smooth.

Pour into a bowl and add the mini chocolate chips, stirring to combine; set aside while preparing chocolate layer.

In a small bowl, combine flour, salt, and baking soda; set aside.

In a medium, microwave-safe bowl, combine butter and baking chocolate.  Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring after each, until chocolate almost melts; remove from microwave and stir until the remaining chocolate melts completely.

Add sugar and stir until well combined.

Add flour mixture and stir until very well combined.

Spoon about 1/2 tablespoon of the chocolate mixture into each mini muffin cup.

Spoon about 1 teaspoon of the cream cheese mixture over the chocolate layer, distributing batter evenly.

Spoon remaining chocolate batter evenly over the cream cheese layer.

Place muffin tin on a baking sheet and bake for about 15-20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out almost clean; if the bottom is a bit moist, that is okay.

Cool completely in pans on a wire rack, then remove gently using the tip of a table knife.

Black & White Cupcakes

 

 

 

 

 

Say what you want, Seinfeld fans, but my mom calls black & white cookies “Baltimore cookies.”  Growing up in Clarksville, a small town in Howard County, Maryland, Genny likely encountered such treats in Baltimore-area bakeries.

Yesterday I baked almond cupcakes and intended to frost half of them with chocolate buttercream and the other half with vanilla almond buttercream when I thought…why not make a cupcake version of the Baltimore cookie?

A note about the frostings: it may be necessary to add more powdered sugar (and cocoa powder, for the chocolate buttercream) or milk to either batch to reach the right consistency.  You want the frostings to be easily spreadable, like very soft peanut butter, in order to create the half-vanilla, half-chocolate design on the top.  Always sift the powdered sugar before adding more to avoid lumps, and if you add more to the chocolate buttercream, add a bit more cocoa powder as well.

Almond Cupcakes

Ingredients

  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup shortening
  • 1 3/4 cups sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 4 egg whites
  • 1 1/3 cup buttermilk

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line two muffin tins with paper liners.

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

In a mixing bowl, cream shortening for about 30 seconds.

Add sugar and vanilla and beat well.

Add egg whites, one at a time, until well combined.

Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternatively in small batches until just combined.

Using a two-inch cookie scoop, fill cupcake liners about half-full.

Bake 20-22 minutes until the tops are very, very light golden brown.

When cupcakes are completely cool, frost one-half with vanilla almond buttercream and one-half with chocolate buttercream.

Vanilla Almond Buttercream

Ingredients

  • 8 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tablespoon almond extract
  • 1-2 tablespoons milk

Preparation

In a mixing bowl, cream butter for one minute.

Add powdered sugar and beat on low speed to incorporate into the butter; this takes a few minutes.  I cover my mixer with a kitchen towel during this step to prevent a sugar storm.

Add salt, vanilla extract, almond extract, and one tablespoon milk; beat on medium speed for three minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl a few times.

Check the consistency; you may need an additional tablespoon of milk to reach an easily-spreadable consistency.

Chocolate Buttercream

Ingredients

  • 8 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 2 1/2 to 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 to 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon milk (you may need an additional teaspoon as well)

In a medium bowl, sift together 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar and 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cocoa powder.

In a mixing bowl, cream butter for one minute.

Add powdered sugar/cocoa mixture and beat on low speed to incorporate as much into the butter as possible; this takes a few minutes.  I cover my mixer with a kitchen towel during this step to prevent a sugar storm.

Add salt, vanilla extract, and one tablespoon milk; beat on medium speed for three minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl a few times.

Check the consistency; you may need to add an additional 1/2 cup of powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon cocoa powder.  If this addition makes the frosting too thick, thin it slightly with one additional teaspoon of milk.

Yellow Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream

 

 

 

 

 

 

What can you say about a classic?  The yellow cake/chocolate frosting combination is the little black dress of baking, one that baker should have it in her repertoire.  There seems to be something magical in the pairing of rich chocolate buttercream with mellow yellow cake, in the same way that a chocolate cupcake is finely matched with vanilla buttercream.  They say opposites attract, right?

Yellow Cupcakes

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups flour
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 10 2/3 tablespoons butter, slightly softened
  • 1 3/4 cups sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 1/4 cups milk

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Line two muffin tins with paper liners.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

In a mixing bowl, beat butter on medium speed for one minute.

Add sugar and vanilla and beat until well combined.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating for one minute after each.

Add flour mixture and milk alternatively, beating until combined.

Using a two-inch cookie scoop, scoop batter into prepared muffin cups, filling about half-full.

Bake for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool on a wire rack before frosting.

 

Chocolate Buttercream

Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter
  • 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/2 cup cocoa powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3-4 tablespoons milk
  • 3 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preparation

In a large bowl, sift together powdered sugar and cocoa powder; set aside.

In a mixing bowl, cream butter for about one minute.

Add powdered sugar and cocoa and beat on low speed to incorporate as much sugar into the butter as you can.  I cover my mixing bowl with a kitchen towel during this step to prevent a sugar storm.

Add three tablespoons milk and two teaspoons vanilla extract; beat for three minutes.

Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl and add the final teaspoon vanilla extract, then beat for another minute.

 

 

Pecan Rugelach

 

 

 

 

 

I think Millie, our dog, is Jewish.   She enjoys challah, the Shabbat bread, and rugelach, a traditional Ashkenazic Jewish pastry.  I discovered her fondness for rugelach after I’d baked a batch for my dear friend Carrie, to celebrate her son’s baptism.  Carrie and I are both Catholic with non-Catholic husbands, and we have interesting conversations about faith.

The day before the baptism the best-looking cookies sat on a platter, wrapped in plastic, on our dining room table.  Not giving the table-to-dog height ratio a second thought, Mike and I went out to dinner.  When we returned, the plastic wrap had been peeled off, about four cookies remained, and Millie stood in the hallway guiltily licking crumbs from her nose.  Fortunately, the other half of the batch had been packed safely in a tin, so those were the cookies that made it to the baptism.

Rugelach are not for the faint of heart, or those who cannot abide a chaotic kitchen.  They require a serious commitment of time, employ various baking techniques and appliances, and will create a gigantic mess on your counter tops. In the end, though, they are worth it.  This batch is intended for Carrie and her family, who I hope can make it to Pittsburgh tomorrow for Memorial Day.

Ingredients

For the dough:

  • 2 1/3 cups flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup butter, cut into chunks and slightly softened
  • 8 oz. cream cheese, cut into chunks and slightly softened
  •  zest of 1 small lemon
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the filling:

  • 2 1/4 cups pecans, toasted and cooled
  • 3/4 cup apricot preserves
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

You will also need powdered sugar for rolling and sprinkling on the cookies.

Preparation

Begin with the dough, as follows:

In a medium bowl, combine flour and salt; set aside.

In a mixing bowl, combine butter, cream cheese, lemon zest, and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy.

Add flour mixture and beat until well combined.  You may need to knead your dough very slightly to get all of the bits of flour at the bottom of your mixing bowl to incorporate it fully.

Divide dough in half, shape into balls, then flatten into discs.  Wrap in plastic and chill for 1 1/2 hours, until firm but not hard.

When the dough is ready to work with, begin to make the filling, as follows:

In a food processor, combine preserves, honey, and cinnamon and pulse a few times until smooth.

Add pecans and process until coarsely ground.

Transfer filling to a large, four-cup glass measuring cup so you’re able to divide it evenly among the dough.  You should have about two cups of filling.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

To assemble the cookies:

Sprinkle a clean counter top heavily with powdered sugar.

Roll one disc of dough into a 12-inch circle – don’t worry if it’s not completely round.  Dust with more powdered sugar and turn frequently to ensure the dough doesn’t stick to the counter.

Spread half of the filling over the circle to within one-quarter inch of the edge.

Using a pizza cutter, cut dough into quarters, then cut each quarter into five or six wedges, depending on the size of the quarter.  Your wedges do not have to be perfectly uniform in size; if I have some that are larger than others, I bake the larger ones toward the back of the oven, because my oven is hotter in the back.

Beginning with the outer edge, firmly roll up each wedge and place on a prepared baking sheet, then dust generously with powdered sugar.

Bake for 18-21 minutes, until lightly golden brown on the top.

Cool on a wire rack.

Chocolate Sandwich Cookies with Vanilla Cream Filling

 

 

 

 

 

As far as store-bought cookies go, I’m pretty loyal to the Nutter Butter and the Double Stuf Oreo. Regular Oreos don’t have quite enough filling for my preference, though I’ll certainly eat them.  This cookie is like a homemade Oreo on steroids; you can certainly make them smaller, using a one-inch cookie scoop if you prefer.  Someday soon, I’ll devise a recipe for a homemade Nutter Butter.

Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cups flour
  • 3/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar, plus more for flattening cookies
  • 10 tablespoons of butter, softened
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • Vanilla Cream Filling (see below)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Line several baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

In a mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar.

Add egg and beat well.

Slowly add the flour mixture, beating until combined.

Using a two-inch cookie scoop, drop dough onto baking sheets.

Pour about 1/4 cup of sugar in a small bowl.  Butter the bottom of a glass and dip it in the sugar, then press each ball of dough to flatten.  You will need to re-butter the glass several times; if the glass sticks to the dough after flattening, gently peel the dough away with a knife.

Bake for 10 minutes, rotating baking sheets halfway through.

Cool completely before filling and sandwiching.

Vanilla Cream Filling

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 1/4 cup shortening
  • 1 3/4 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract

Preparation

In a mixing bowl, beat together butter and shortening.

Add powdered sugar in small batches, beating until combined.  Once all sugar is incorporated, beat on medium speed for two minutes

Add vanilla and beat to combine.

Using a one-inch cookie scoop, drop scoops of filling onto half of the cookies.  Spread filling to the edges, then top with another cookie.

 

Banana Cupcakes with Chocolate Chips or Walnuts

 

 

 

 

 

My mom, Genny Kozusko, is awesome.  She is a dynamic Director of Athletics, coach, teacher, community member, and church volunteer.  She is beloved by many.  She is a woman with iron-clad willpower, particularly with regard to the consumption of sweets.  Sundays are Genny’s treat days, and since tomorrow is Mother’s Day, I decided to bake the banana walnut version for her; she doesn’t eat chocolate, so the cupcakes with the chocolate chips are really for Mike and his coworkers.

I began with a plain banana cupcake recipe and split it in half, then added semi-sweet chocolate chips to one half and toasted chopped walnuts to the other.  You could certainly add both chocolate chips and walnuts to the batter for banana chocolate chip walnut cupcakes (hmm…maybe next time).  The banana walnut cupcakes are frosted with traditional cream cheese frosting, while the banana chocolate chip cupcakes are frosted with peanut butter cream cheese frosting.

Cupcakes

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups cake flour
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (from about four medium bananas)
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 12 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, plus more for garnish
  • 1/2 cup toasted chopped walnuts, plus more for garnish

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Line two 12-cup muffin tins with paper liners; you may need a few additional liners, as my batter yielded 27 cupcakes.

In a medium bowl, sift together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

In another medium bowl, combine mashed bananas, buttermilk, and vanilla; set aside.

In a mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar until fluffy.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each.

Add the flour mixture and banana mixture in thirds, alternatively, beating after each addition until just incorporated.

Divide batter in half.

Toss chocolate chips with a dash of cake flour to lightly coat and prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the cupcakes during baking.

Add chocolate chips to one half of the batter, then add walnuts to the other half of the batter.

Bake for 18-20 minutes, until golden brown at the edges and tops and a cake tester comes out clean.

Cool on a wire rack completely before frosting.

Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1 1/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

In a mixing bowl, cream together peanut butter and cream cheese.

Gradually add powdered sugar and beat until smooth.

Beat in vanilla until incorporated.

Frost cupcakes and top with two or three chocolate chips for garnish.

Cream Cheese Frosting (half-recipe for 12 cupcakes)

Ingredients

  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 4 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preparation

In a mixing bowl, cream together cream cheese and butter.

Gradually add powdered sugar and beat until smooth.

Beat in vanilla.

Frost cupcakes and garnish with toasted chopped walnuts if desired.

Once cupcakes are frosted, store in the refrigerator.  Bring to room temperature before serving. 

Chocolate Cupcakes with Caramel Frosting

 

 

 

 

 

What does a baker do the day before she walks Pittsburgh’s half-marathon?  She bakes herself chocolate cupcakes with caramel frosting.

Chocolate Cupcakes

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 10 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 1 1/4 cups sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup milk

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line two 12-cup muffin tins with liners.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

In a mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar.

Add eggs, almond extract, and vanilla extract and beat until combined.

Add half of the flour mixture and beat until just combined.

Add half of the milk and beat until just combined.

Add remaining flour mixture and milk alternatively, beating until just combined.

Using a two-inch cookie scoop, scoop batter into prepared muffin tins.

Bake 20-22 minutes.

Cool completely before frosting.

Caramel Frosting

Ingredients

  • 6 tablespoons butter
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Preparation

Combine butter and brown sugar in a medium saucepan and slowly bring to a boil.

Boil for one minute, remove from heat, and stir in milk.

Return to heat and bring to a boil once again.

Pour mixture into mixing bowl and allow to cool slightly, about 5 minutes.

Beat caramel mixture on medium speed for a few minutes to disperse heat; the mixing bowl should not be too hot for you to touch, but if it remains warm that is fine.

Add one cup powdered sugar and one teaspoon vanilla, beating until smooth.

Slowly add the remaining powdered sugar and vanilla, beating until smooth.

Working quickly, frost cupcakes; I use a flatware teaspoon to scoop the frosting onto each cupcake, then spread it with a knife.  Trust me when I say you need to work quickly; f you’re not a speedy froster, you’ll end up with a bowl of hardened caramel that is very tasty, but not spreadable.